Chapter 19: Throne

“Ready to explore?”

“You knew these were here already. You had to have looked before now.” Dawn Bearpaw glared through the tunnel opening from Harbinger’s cellar. The darkness well illuminated by the high-powered flashlight which belonged to her former master Tom Sylver led the way, Nick taking the lead. “I feel like we’re Freddie and Daphne of the Scooby Gang.” He barely recalled Scooby Doo from his childhood but found her enthusiasm almost fearless. A good quality to have!

“Spiders everywhere watch yourself.”

“I worry more about snakes. You picked me up earlier and right after you did I saw a cottonmouth cross our walkway. Spiders I can live with, snakes not so much. Rats even worse.”

“What about raccoons? I think one has been living in the house here. Came in through the attic I think.”

“I had a pet baby raccoon when I was around eleven. Called him Hamburglar.” She laughed. “He loved hamburgers. We set him free when I was twelve or thirteen. Nature called according to Grandpa. So yeah, I’m good as long as he doesn’t think I’m a hamburger.”

“Looks like this wasn’t any short path endeavor. Someone dug this on purpose to hide something or have a quick escape. Prohibition maybe?”

“Well, Sylvie lived here through the 30’s to the 80’s so I suppose it was possible. No real debris down here to give us any clue. No newspapers or bottles, so someone kept it tidy.”

“Could be older than Sylvie and her dad. Walls are dirt still; wood beams are surprisingly sturdy but if you look at the ax marks and pinning it tells you it’s older than the 1900’s.”

“You’re right. These could be even before Walton. He might have used it though. I can’t imagine anyone outside of you never once found these tunnels. Boot prints there it looks like.” She points at prints that were barely legible. “Hmmm!” She used her cell to take a picture of it. “I don’t know why I just did that.”

“Let’s keep these tunnels our secret for now. I don’t want unnecessary company. I trust you Bearpaw, don’t fail me.”

“You can count on me Nick. Not even Grandpa!”

“You didn’t rat out Oliver and his REZistance, just like I didn’t. You had every reason to tell your friend Rosie what they did to you.”

“It would have only made my life worse. Ollie wouldn’t go to jail, if he did he’d be out in thirty minutes or less. He does side work for Nodin Merrick.”

“Caprice mentioned him. That bad?”

“Business suit Santee Mafia. He has more money than any other resident on the Rez. Owns the casino, the clubs, the only hotel. Outside of what you’re offering my people, he employs a good portion but hardly enough. Recall how I said I hated snakes? He’s a boa constrictor. He gets you in his coils and drains the life out of you. So, what happened to me never happened. At least I was only assaulted. Once Nodin learns of it, he will set Oliver in his place. Peace with the Elders is a must.”

“So, they get away with molesting you and nobody knows differently other than you and I?”

“Well technically you molested me too, Sir.” She smirked, “But you I didn’t mind. I’m still not sure how you made me squirt the second your fingers entered me. That’s...”

“Adrenalin on your part. You want me so bad you can taste me, therefore when I touched you under duress you found your fantasy come true in my slightest touch.”

“Now that’s confidence.” She considered egotistical but somehow knew if he did it again here and now the result would be the same. Shining his light at her cunt the material instantly saturated becoming transparent at her surge of inspiration. “Fuck that’s hot.” She whimpered.

“See how easy you are?”

“No! I mean that light is hot. It feels like my cotton shorts are ready to smolder.”

“These flashlights can burn paper. Those shorts are paper thin.” He swerved the beam away from her. “Dried you off quickly though, didn’t it?”

“Quit turning me on.” She laughed.

“That’s what this flashlight said.” Clicking it off they were in pitch blackness. For the first time ever, she experienced what her grandfather Newton Waterfall contended with every single day, he blind. In the darkness she had to touch herself while Nick wasn’t able to see his true effect over her. Hand down the front of her shorts she fingered herself vividly standing right there in front of him. So, she thought! “Are you coming?” That sounded distant ... how did he not make a noise when walking away?

“Shit! Almost! Where are you?”

“About thirty feet from you.”

“You walked away without my hearing you?”

“You were busy.”

“For like twenty seconds.” She realized her white shorts were glowing in the darkness. Dead giveaway. “Don’t make me hate you.”

“You know that’s never possible. By the way ... I can smell your fingers from here.”

“See what you do to me?”

“Blame Tom, not me.”

“Why Tom?”

“He guided you on the path toward Nirvana ... I just held the candle.” Flashlight back on she covered her eyes against the glare. “This way ... follow the leader.”

“Fuck!” She came without even touching herself. Who was this guy? “Right behind you Sir.” Every step of the way.

Eighty yards deeper a breeze filtered over them. “Tunnel splits off. You go one way; I’ll try the other.”

“We’re separating?”

“Can’t live without me?”

“Trying not to think about that.” She sighed. “Can I have the flashlight?”

“Yep!” He handed it to her then faded into the darkness to the right. She choosing the breezy side moved on down the path for another hundred yards and came upon a ladder. Shining the light upward at the ceiling she heard voices. Testing the ladder for strength she chose to climb up. Reaching the ceiling she pushed upward on it and a door lifted just enough before hitting something above it. The voices trailing away she killed the flashlight and tried her best in the falling dust to see where she was. A tire, two tires, a doorway with light on the far wall.

“Has to be the barn. I came up under that Jeep, Nick mentioned. There’s new lumber on the floor over there, Niles and Will must be storing the rest in here.” Above her she heard the truck door squeak open, and she paused. Was someone else in the barn? Listening closely over the sounds of her racing heartbeat she heard soft moans. A ghost?

“God, I wish Niles would fuck me.” That was clear and decipherable, Dawn nearly giggled when her footing was lost, a step breaking on the ladder she lost her balance and fell the twelve feet down to the tunnel floor. On her ass, she groaned at the impact. “That hurt!” The trap door above slamming shut heard by Veronica Redmane sent her running out of the barn screaming. She too thought of a ghost.

“Ow!” Dawn laid there a minute in the dust coughing. Recalling V’s wishful thinking, Dawn shines the light behind her first to see if Nick had come running. Convinced he wasn’t checking on her she shut the light out and masturbated. She could relate with Veronica. “God, I wish Nick would fuck me.” Quick and messy she rubbed one off giggling. “Dirty little whore.” Dirty little fingers! Dirty period after all the dust and the dirt floor.

In the opposing tunnel Nick felt the walls until he sensed something big blocking his way. No breathing sounds so it had to be inanimate. No growls, no hissing, just silence. Hands probing in front of him he realized the tunnel was sealed off. Bricks by the feel of creases where cement held each brick in place. “What are we blocking here?”

In the darkness he decided not to go feeling everywhere around the wall sides of it when there were spiders. However, in the bricks directly in front of him he did caress what felt like an engraving, but he couldn’t make it out. “I’ll have to come back with the light.”

“Nicky?” He heard Dawn, rolling his eyes at what Niles Gullivant had started with the childish nickname. The light approaching from behind engulfed him. Instead of staring into the supernova he examined the brick wall more closely. Finding the etchings to be an entire sentence, it read, “God rest her soul.”

“Is someone buried behind that wall?” Dawn eased in next to him after reading it for herself.

“Crypt maybe. Bricks are not that old, so someone’s erected this barrier in the last twenty years at least. Which means ... Harbinger either had a resident that not even the bank knew about or...”

“Murder!” She whispered playfully.

“We don’t know that.”

“I know! I just felt like saying it while it’s creepy. I found the end of my tunnel. There’s a ladder leading up to the barn. Trap door comes up under that old Jeep so, I couldn’t climb out. Oh, the ladder broke too so if you want out from down here you might need a new one. Fell on my ass back there when it broke. Long drop too.” She shined her light on her filthy shorts. The heat making her yelp. “Why did I do that?”

“Hot pants! We’ve seen all we can for today. I need to grab a shower I feel...”

“Like a dirty whore?” She giggled. “Sorry!”

“Fine!” He took the light away from her and shut it off then tossing it on the ground. Grabbing her forcefully he yanked her white shorts down and roughly pressed her against the bricks. One handed he unzipped and tugged his black pants down enough to produce his monster cock. In the darkness he discovered a third tunnel, her weeping vulva, and rammed his monster deep up into her juicy cunt. “This is for Tom.”

Lillian Dawn Bearpaw screamed bloody murder at his vicious undertaking. Deep dark tunnels seemed to continue on and on. For ten long minutes of stale air inhalations Nicolas Sanchez destroyed the Santee beauty. In his mind however ... the darkness was ... Midnight.

“Everything okay in here Kids?”

Sheriff Dolan Roster emerged with a cup of coffee as he strolled into the jail confinement. Seeing Clinton Biles standing directly next to Midnight Amador he realized that it had allowed him to seek seclusion from the masturbating Shantel Bigelow. Seeing Clinton’s sadness and withdrawn expression he looked across from him at the other cell, it’s wall sharing freedom and daylight. “Koones hooked up fans for you to blow the dust out. Freedom looks inviting doesn’t it, Biles?”

“For me ... yes. For her? I’m not so certain. She hasn’t moved since you guys left. Not a peep. Now the old bat ... can I just take the death penalty option?” Clinton stepped aside to let Dolan see Shantel fast asleep with her hand up her cunt. “Thank god she passed out.”

“Odor’s rank.” Dolan waved his hand over his face. Heat in here’s unbearable even with the wall down. I’ll turn one of the fans your way to cool you off better. Kicking up dust can’t be good on the lungs though.” He then noted the sweaty gloss coating Midnight’s flesh and grit his teeth. “Least you’re being a gentleman, Clinton. I appreciate that.”

“I’m not guilty by intent Sheriff but I understand how it looks. I know you’re doing what you have to.”

“Sanchez thinks you’re innocent. I want to buy into his lie detector mentality, but I can’t. I will give you a good recommendation to the judge though.”

“I can help you fix that wall. I’ve done some masonry.”

“I put in an order for bags of cement and some new blocks. Should be delivered in a few hours. We’ll start tomorrow if I have to get my own hands dirty. Sanchez paid for it all so it’s the least I can do.”

“More than happy to help.”

“Thanks! I don’t think you’ll go running off on me, so I’ll accept the help. Call it community service. That will go a long way with the judge too.”

“My first offense. I’m not real worried. Sadder that I hurt my wife without even trying. I was aiming for her lover’s face, he ducked. They just used that fact I hit her in his favor. I ... loved Mindy but now ... I think I just want out.” Mixed feelings would plague him throughout the night.

Dolan nodded with understanding then turned the fans inside the opened cell across from them. A cool breeze felt delightful. Moving to the crumbled wall looking out for a moment Dolan thought about Doctor Airika Ferrec and their flirtation. Guilt struck him a bit after hearing Clinton’s story. Now in a sense Dolan was cheating on Caprice even though they just started bonding. Even worse he liked both women. Just as he began weighing options his cell rang. Reaching for it he noticed the caller. A swift answer later...

“Alexis?”

“Hi Daddy. Are you ever coming home? You’ve been gone over 24 hours now. I know because you grounded me to house arrest. I can’t even go help Grandpa at the antique store.”

“I know! I’ll be home tomorrow, and I’ll release you. Just be nice and learn from your punishment.”

“How was cuffing me naked upside down in your squad car punishment daddy? It looked ... wrong.” But it did let her get to know a certain Santee boy.

“Any worse than what you do without my influence? You can’t keep your clothes on.” Saying this he turned to look back at Midnight’s full-frontal nudity, yep Nick’s shirt was still on her head, he hadn’t checked on that in favor of eying her glistening beauty. “I punish you because I want you to be a lady Alexis ... not...”

“A dirty little whore?” She laughed. It almost felt like someone told her to say that. It must have been on the wind; Alexis was standing on her back porch nude teasing the neighbor boy while he mowed his yard. What Daddy didn’t know wouldn’t punish her further.

“That too. I have to go. Behave yourself!”

“I don’t wanna!” She laughed and shook her tits at the boy Bradford, too bad he was only 15. Looks no touch! “I’ll behave.” For now! Until Bradford’s dad stepped out. Now he was of age.

“Bye!” He just knew she was lying.

“Any chance of lunch Sheriff?” Clinton asked.

“Pizza on the way.” He doubled back to face Midnight. Lifting Nick’s shirt turned hood over her face he found her eyelids lowered. “Still alive in there Amador?” She barely nodded not wanting to move a muscle. At her feet Clinton nudged her left foot over two inches to give her space, her comforting him earlier deserved his own comfort. Now she was back exactly where Nick Sanchez had left her. “That bucket reeks.”

Dolan quietly unlocked the jail cell door and opened it without waking Shantel. Clinton reaching down for the bucket handed it to Dolan but instead Dolan motioned Clinton out then closed the door, taking Midnight back inside the cell. Her walk if that was what it could be called, more of a ride was not by her choice, so it didn’t matter.

“You’re not a free man Biles but I’ll give you benefit of the doubt. Follow me I’ll let you rinse that out and you can clean yourself up a bit. You can move back into the other cell when you get back. If you run off through that hole in the wall it’s on your record.”

“Thanks Sheriff. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Follow me.”

Everyone had a leader.

Cordoba General Hospital...

“Got our ride back Momma!” Sheldon Cooper sat in his sports car up in the parking garage to make certain nobody was going to slash his brand-new tires. With Mordecai Sage banned from the hospital and still somewhere around he wasn’t taking any chances of he and Tilly being stranded here again. Calling her on his cell Tilly had excused herself from her sister’s side leaving her mother Dorothy all alone with Irene. In stepping out Tilly was met by Doctor Airika Ferrec in the hall. Pausing to face one another Tilly told Sheldon to hold on.

“Yes Doctor?”

“Sorry to interrupt. I’m going to give the okay to move Irene to a private room. Her vitals the last few hours have improved. There’s no real reason to prevent the use of her ICU room should we need it for someone else. Doctor Wolfe trusts my judgment.”

“I understand. Thank you, Doctor.” Orderly’s joining Ferrec move into the ICU room and prep Irene’s move. Tilly quickly told Sheldon that she was going to help her mother move out of the way. He told her he was going to grab a burger and come back for her later. “Bring me a milk shake.”

“Will do love of my life.” He hung up but quickly discovered he was not alone.

“Love of your life?”

“Mordecai? Sneaking up on me to slash my tires again?” Sheldon started the car as Mordecai strolled closer so that Sheldon didn’t have to locate him in any mirror.

“I had nothing to do with that.” Lie! “I ... wanted to apologize for my earlier outbursts. You know I do not like you Cooper, yet as a man of God I must act like it. So...”

“Do that for yourself Sage. Not for God ... he might forgive you.”

“You are right.” Mordecai bit his tongue.

“Tilly just told me they’re moving Irene to a private room right now. She’s got Dorothy with her.”

“That is promising. My sister is strong.”

“Don’t I know it. I couldn’t breathe without Tilly, so I know how tough the Sage kin can be. Even without the resentment.”

“Some things are not meant to be Cooper. The outside world has been nothing but trouble to my people.”

“Times have changed Mordecai. Not all of us are bad because of our color and nationality. What differences others might have scarred one another with is not to be on my shoulders. I love and worship Tilly, she me. We have a good life, and you know it.”

“Agreed! Irene however ... has not been so fortunate.”

“Tilly told me earlier Esteban got released. Irene wouldn’t press charges even if he were guilty. You and I both know he is. I guess all we can both do is be there for Irene if he does something stupid. Sheriff Roster enforced a 30-day restraining order. After that ... anyone’s guess.”

“His drinking will defy that. He has nowhere to go.”

“Right! Much as that guy gets under my skin, I don’t wish him dead or anything. Fingers crossed this changes him. Maybe say a prayer for him to get his shit together?”

“Perhaps! Perhaps not. Judgment is not within my grasp.”

“We both know it could be if you wanted that Morde. I just hope you don’t. I’m going to end this on ... how would Mary feel about your actions. Just saying.”

“Do not speak of my late wife. You barely knew her.”

“I know my own wife loved Mary so that’s good enough for me. Till and Irene, both told me nothing but good stories about her. Had to be a darn good woman to tolerate you and give you seven wonderful kids. Right?”

A tear welled up in Mordecai’s eye even as he looked grim. It took what came next to break his bitterness. A honk from an incoming car moving into the garage turns their attention to see whom it might be. Mordecai resolved his emotions and walked away from Sheldon without another word. Sheldon affectionately waving at the Crown Victoria and its occupants chose that moment to back out and zip away before any further fireworks. His belly was growling anyway.

Letting the Crown Victoria find a spot to park, Mordecai made his way toward it, casually smiling at the occupants. Once parked the car flooded with activity. Out stepped three beautiful young women, the driver wearing a bright red dress and large rimmed glasses greeted him with a kiss to his cheek.

“I hope you are not cross with us Father. We wanted to be here for Aunt Irene.”

“Of course, not Anita. She is awake last I heard. Your aunt Matilda just informed me that Irene is being moved from the ICU.”

“So, nothing too serious?” The youngest Nancy holding a bouquet of bright sunflowers joined them.

“Burns were extensive but they have her patched up. No calling her a mummy.” Mordecai tweaked her nose. Nancy being his baby ... so to speak even though 22 was rather younger in appearance. He always favored Nancy for one very important reason. She was the baby ... the last of his own. A year later his wife Mary died from an unexpected fall, ironically out at Harbinger Shoals. They often snuck out there to get away from everything and be alone. Not many were privy to their special place. Only Mordecai and Mary. Paradise even in the moment. Now it was owned by Nick Sanchez and that bothered him.

“I’d never do that.” Nancy giggled.

“Let us surprise your auntie, you girls go on. It has been a while since you have seen her.”