Chapter 48

Geena's departure left me at home alone with many pregnant women, Cowboy Jack, Glenda, Tina, and Nita. It made me realize what a great thing the healing chamber was, especially in light of its recent good work on Nita. I was also reminded that my latest woman wasn't pregnant, yet. Hell, I could do with a break in between some of them so I thought I'd try to let well enough alone, for the day anyway.

I took Tina out for her pony ride lessons for a couple of hours and we had a blast. She had a million questions about the saddling and bridling, but mostly she just wanted to ride around. I finally caught up Blacky to ride with her and we took off into the fearsome outback. Well, it was outside the part of the place we mowed anyway. I did take a machete with me to lop off any branches that hung down enough to get in the way.

We had a nice ride of about four hours and I wondered how she could sit still for such. We weren't really doing anything but riding around and there wasn't all that much for her to see. She seemed to love it though and she was catching onto how to control the horse. Of course it was thoroughly trained and that was a big help. We finally brought the day's lessons to a halt when lunchtime drew near. After unsaddling and putting up our mounts we went inside to the table and Cowboy Jack had done us up right.

Soon after lunch was over it was time for the women to see their shows and since neither Cowboy Jack, Tina, nor I wanted to help them we sat still for Cowboy Jack showing us how to find cartoons on youtube. At least it gave Tina something to do for the afternoon and I watched carefully as Cowboy Jack showed her how to find them on her own. It looked like a wonderful way for her to spend time when we weren't available to play.

Really though, I could see myself doing a lot of playing, or having the time to anyway. I mean, I didn't have a job or anything and unless I needed to tend to something at the house the only time I'd be away was the fifteen minutes when I was on an adventure.

Speak of the devil and up she pops. Not exactly, but Geena did come down for a chat and to invite me to come back to Crossroads and tend to something she thought I needed to see. I kissed all the women and kids goodbye and we went through the portal.

"I was just looking through some missions to try my hand at being a better planner, and I came across one that seems to be right up your alley so I thought I'd fetch you. There is another Damsel supposedly in one of the ring camps that are being established. According to my information it is two places over from the last one Conroe took over," she said.

I figured by the time I got there Conroe would be taking over the one next to it, but I decided to go down to Chaos and at least act like a Hero for one trip anyway. I complimented Geena on being alert and then let her fix me a big meal, or order me one anyway. After I ate we retired to the bedroom and I gave her a one on one session that had her calling for restoratives early and often.

The next morning I was on my way to see what kind of help I could give Conroe. In the bank vault I called for my boxes and dressed for the part. When I was ready I left the bank trotting and was soon coming up on Bill's house. There were plenty of kids in the yard and by now plenty of pups too. It seemed Samson and Delilah had indeed been fruitful and multiplied because there were several puppies chasing the kids around.

Inside I stopped by to talk to Bill and he asked me to come into his office. He wanted to talk about the new facilities that had been coming fast and furious as far as he was concerned.

"To tell the truth, Bill, I'm a little surprised you've taken so many already. I'm not for slaving in any form or fashion, but if we kill this bunch off too quickly they'll just move their operation somewhere else. I'd originally intended to take all the places they'd built, but I'd also intended to let them get the roads here closer to finished before I did. Let them finish on their dime was my idea of things in fact.

"I guess it is a little bit of a dirty way to do it though since I'm letting them take advantage of the slaves they're gathering and I'm holding off cleaning them out completely to take advantage of their work."

"I hadn't even thought of it that way. It seems to me like every time I turn around Conroe is taking over another place down there. The thing is they seem to start paying off as soon as he gets them in hand. He brings all the slaves up here and we turn them loose of course, but he always hires them right back to take care of the last place we've taken over.

"We usually send a shipment of cast goods and leather goods to the new place and they seem to sell out as soon as the merchandise gets there. Of course we usually get some of it back when he takes over a new place.

"The last two he took over he even asked me to give the younger hands a parole against the s on their foreheads. He vouched for them and said they hadn't known they were joining slaving operations when they hired out," Bill said.

"I don't see anything wrong with that, Bill. If they weren't really had line slavers I can't see branding them until we catch them at it red handed," I said.

"Well we haven't yet. We are getting a lot of men on the payroll, but the new places are making it worthwhile. All we're really straining are George and the leather workers and they all seem to be shickled titless over the situation. George has already trained others to do the casting and he mostly just makes limbs for the new bows now. He still cusses up a storm over having to make so much of the tiny cables for the bows, but he loves it all and don't let him fool you into thinking he doesn't.