Chapter 13: To Hell and Back

“I think I could just about cut glass with my nipples, damn it. It’s cold out here.”

“I held off coming outside as long as I could, Zuhra. I still need to be out here this morning, you know that.”

Her teeth chattering a little, she replied, “I know. This is possibly the first time in my life I’ve ever actually gotten the whole bundled up together and sitting in front of an open fire thing.”

The sound of Reveille blaring from the speakers cut off whatever reply Anderson was going to make. The two of them were in position so they could see the door for Five as it was opened from the outside by the guard. The women inside the barracks were already lined up, running out to take their positions on the exercise yard. Tenorio yelled out, “Sir! Barracks Five ready for exercise class this morning, Sir!”

Jackson shook his head with a smile. “Thank you, Tenorio!” The rest of the barracks were only slightly behind Five in being ready to begin exercises.

When they were about half way through, Anderson told el-Azizi, “Stay here. I’m going to walk through the formations.” Puzzled, she did so, continuing to work out.

He first went to the Barracks One group. The women in this group were getting into it. He approached one of the heavier women in the group. “How you doing this morning, McDaniel?”

She kept exercising. “Fine, Sir! Little out of breath, but getting better.”

“Any complaints about the program?”

“Other than I miss my kids? No, Sir! This is the best fat camp program ever devised!”

“You think people dying here was a plan to help you lose weight?”

“Sir! No, Sir! But it’s one hell of a motivation to help me listen, to actually pay attention to what’s going on around me, and to take care of myself. May I pause for a moment, Sir? I’m still overweight, and I need to catch my breath.”

“Go ahead, Ally. Take your time and get your breath back.”

The woman stopped exercising, bending down a little and holding her knees for support. After a couple of minutes, she said, “Thank you, Sir. I can exercise or I can talk, I can’t do both. Not yet. I don’t know how you guys do it. I’m younger than most of you.”

“Being shot at in a combat situation tends to be a good motivator to staying in shape.”

She chuckled. “If the movies are any indication, I can see that, Sir.”

“Good. Your file said you were an elementary school teacher. What grade?”

“Fifth grade, Sir.”

“Good. Follow me.” He led her to where the women from Barracks Five were doing the exercises. The women saw him approaching, but kept exercising, just with their heads turned slightly to keep what they perceived as a threat in sight. When he got in front of them, Anderson said, “Five, cease exercising for now, and gather round. Take a knee.” That confused the women. “Kneel down on one knee, so you can all see and listen.”

“Thank you. Now, listen up. Some of the staff here were wondering if you were worth expending additional resources on. Congratulations, this morning you proved you are worth the effort on our part. Now, since none of us have any idea how long you’ll be our guests, and I presume none of you wish to check out of here like your former roommates did – which is checking out both permanently and fatally – I’m going to introduce Missus Ally McDaniel to all of you. Missus McDaniel is married, has two children, and most importantly as far as all of you are concerned, is an elementary school teacher.” He saw several of the Hispanic woman look at each other with distaste on their faces. “Keep in mind that every hour you spend learning how to perform some of the basic functions in society, such as being able to do simple math in your head so you can make change, is an hour that you’re not spending on your hands and knees under the afternoon sun, scooping piss clumps out of the sand.”

He grinned, then continued, “I thought that’d get your attention. This is going to be over someday. It may not be next week, it may not be next year. I don’t know. Until then, would you rather be bored, or maybe actually learn something? Since you don’t have your phones to keep you connected, or literally anything else, I thought this might help a little.”

Tenorio spoke up then. “Why? Why do you care what we do?”

Before Anderson could respond, the exercise period ended, with the anthem being played as the colors were raised. He turned and saluted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the rest of the women doing the same, with their hands over their hearts. When the song stopped, he said, “That’s why. We’re all citizens of the same country, just ones that are having a bit of a disagreement right now. I’d like to think that I have helped make your lives better when you’re finally released, whenever that it is. Ally will talk with you before breakfast, to find out where you are, and get with the guards, and we’ll work on things. You’re our guests, even if involuntarily on your part.”

One of the other Hispanic women said, “But ... we’ve watched you shoot someone!”

“Palacio, keep in mind that I would have no trouble pulling my pistol and shooting you dead right this second if you were giving me that same grief. Just because I can do it doesn’t mean I particularly want to do it. It’s my job! If I have to do it, I will. I’d prefer not. This afternoon, when Miss el-Azizi comes by to talk with you again, actually listen to what she has to say, and don’t just stare at her tits. Now, go do what I told you.”

Anderson walked back to where el-Azizi was still moving, since the sun had come up and was warming things up a bit. “Stare at my tits, you say? Isn’t that your job, Sir?”

“Damned straight it is,” he said, then turned. “Sergeant Hawk, see me at breakfast!”

“Sir!”

The showers Anderson and el-Azizi shared in the morning still took the same amount of time, they simply were closer and more sensual as the each discovered more about the other’s body. However, when they were done and el-Azizi got out to dry off, she clutched at her stomach, then sat on the toilet. When her butt touched down, she let out a horrendously noisy fart.

“Are you okay, Zuhra?”

She winced, farted again, then sighed. “I’m about a day from starting my period. I would appreciate it if you didn’t shoot me if I get bitchy later today or tomorrow.”

“So far, we haven’t really done any corrections that I’m aware of due to PMS, or for that matter, anything else related to periods. At least not that I’m aware of.” He went into the bedroom, opened his dresser, and pulled something out. “Here.”

She looked and he had two aspirin in his hand. “Oh, you don’t want me to take those. They’ll help me with the cramps, but that also acts like a blood thinner, so it makes things worse.” She paused, frowning. “Speaking of that, I don’t have anything to help. I’m not exempt from the rules regarding getting blood inside the buildings.”

Anderson paused, then nodded. “Okay, now I have two things to discuss with Brian at breakfast. Do you feel up to it?”

“Even if I didn’t, I’m not exempt. Give me a minute to finish drying off.”

Once she was done, they went to the mess hall. Pearlina was dishing out breakfast. “Miss Zuhra, you feeling okay?”

Smiling, el-Azizi replied, “Just about to start my monthlies, Pearlina. So let’s go a little light on food this morning, okay?”

“Sure thing, Honey. Just a second.” Pearlina left the server station and went back into the kitchen, coming back in a few seconds with a bag. “When we’s unpacking some of the food for cooking, we’s saved this. It’s got stuff to keep it from jostling around. You ain’t got no pants like we does, so this might help you.”

“Thank you, Paulina, I appreciate that. But ... why me, and not some of the other women in your barracks?”

Paulina looked both ways, then said in a low voice, “We’s all in this together. You’s doin’ a job to help us, same as I’m doin’ a job. We know you and the Captain is more than just inmate and jailer, but ... shit. If there’s a war, this ain’t such a bad place to be, instead of what we seen out of Europe. Not if their cities’re gettin’ blown up and such.”

“Thank you, Pearlina.” Frowning, el-Azizi went and sat down by Anderson. She placed the bag on the table next to her tray. Sergeant Hawk was already there, and looked down at the bag.

“Did Paulina give you that to help with your period?” he asked. When she nodded, he replied, “Good. That means the improvisational items are being used like we intended.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“That means I literally can’t supply feminine hygiene products, but that doesn’t mean I can’t supply things that can be improvised to help a little. The straight retail products in their packaging have too many ways that actual prisoners over the years have found ways to exploit. With almost ten percent of our population having served some time behind bars, we’ve got to be careful, simply for our own safety.”

Anderson shook his head. “Courtesy of this being the fourth camp started, there’s a bit of a list that Brian has to go through on whether or not he can get an item for the guests. The others were for males, of course.”

“Just out of curiosity, are they out here in Western Oklahoma like we are?”

He shook his head. “Their actual locations are just as classified as ours is. Having said that, they’re not exactly the same as we are, and that’s all I can say out here on that topic. Please don’t ask anything else like that out here.”

“Of course, Sir. I apologize.”

“No worries. You didn’t know. In any event, Brian, I asked you to join me because I want you to get going on your supply run early, today. Take the five ton, with Shaun and two privates as well. I want a full stepped on count. Before you head out, even with what Paulina gave her, Zuhra is going to need ... something. I’ll send her to the supply room with you right after breakfast, if you’d get her situated.”

“Yes, Sir, not a problem. We’ll probably be gone most of the day, then.”

“I expected that. I want things cleared for tomorrow. We’re still getting the trucks mid- morning, right?”

“So far. I haven’t seen an email to tell me otherwise, Sir.”

“Good. I’m going to my office, then. Zuhra, when you’re done, come there for a bit before you start your morning liaison work, please.”

“Of course, Sir.”

Anderson finished his tray, then got a cup of coffee to take to his office. Hawk and el-Azizi headed for the supply room.