Chapter 27

Present – Erast – Four additional days later (one week total) at Bob's Country Bunker – Same timeline as everyone else

Bob notifies me something is wrong with Anastasia and I beat feet up to our room (that we never ended up sharing). I knock on the door and hear, "G-G-Go away!"

I knock again and say, "Anastasia, it is Erast! What is wrong and let me in."

She replies, "The door's open."

I open the door and she looks like a real mess! She's been crying, her makeup has run all over her face and it's red as hell. I fight back a laugh because she looks like a clown - but this isn't the right time for comedy. She jumps up from the edge of the bed, runs to me, throws her arms around me and begins to cry. Shit! I hate crying women! I sort of hold her and ask, "What's wrong?"

She burbles, "Ben, I'm all alone!"

I shake my head, "I do not understand?"

She burbles some more and says, "Ben I'm all alone in the world."

I ask for clarification, "Anastasia, I still do not understand."

She pulls away, looks at me and declares, "Ben, the bastard Guy caught my parents and tortured them to death!"

That pisses me off so I promise, "Stacy, we're going to catch the bastard and make him pay."

She sobs, "Ben, I wish we could but George killed Guy and then the news team killed George." She bawls, "And now I'm all alone in this world!"

I finally hug her and promise, "Like hell you are! You still have me!"

She pulls away, smiles and shocks me, "Ben if I do have you then I want you to make love to me right now."

I pull back give her a dirty look and argue, "Stacy, we've been through this before. You're a hell of a woman and a great friend but I'm not going to take advantage of you, not in your present condition."

She drops to the floor, begins crying anew and says, "Yeah my condition. That's a big problem too."

I sit beside her on the floor, put my hand on her leg and say, "I don't understand. Is something wrong with you?"

Present – Anastasia – Bob's Country Bunker

There was a big reason I wanted Ben to make love to me, and I sort of let it slip out. He is right, he's the only one I have now so I have to trust him. I look at him and explain, "Hell yes Ben, I have a huge problem! That fat dope smoking bastard got me pregnant."

Ben looks at me, I can see the anger in his eyes and he declares, "Damn him to hell! I wish he was still alive because I would torture his ass for so long he'd wish for death!"

I smile because Ben does care for me in his own twisted way. I inform him, "Ben, George did to Guy what Guy did to my parents and tried to do to me. Remember all the yelling when the news team was there and we escaped from the bunker? That was George raping Guy to death."

Ben smiles, "Well I guess it's a good thing I never killed that damn monkey." He looks a bit funny and says, "Hey wait a minute! Y-y-you were trying to trap me into marrying you - that's why you wanted me to make love to you."

Damn it, sometimes he's too damn smart! Guilt spreads over my face and I admit, "I'm sorry. I did think about that at first, but I know now it wouldn't be right."

Ben surprises me when he says, "Damn straight it wouldn't be right. Stacy you need to seriously consider if you want to have that fat dope smoking fucker's baby. He was so messed up there's no telling how messed up a baby of his would be."

I nod my head in agreement, "Yeah Ben, I've thought of that too, but I just don't know..."

Present – Erast – Bob's Country Bunker

Damn I dodged a big bullet! What is it with women always trying to trap a man? I regain my normal thought processes, realize something and say, "Stacy, I know things look really bad for you right now, but you've forgotten something."

She looks at me and questions, "Ben I think I've thought of everything."

I smile and say, "No, you've looked at all the bad things. You've forgotten to look at the positive things. For one, you're rich again! And second you don't have to run away from your parents. You can go home!"

She smiles, "You're right, I can go back home. But Ben will you come with me?"

I shake my head, "Sorry Stacy, while you no longer have your parents chasing you, my problems haven't disappeared."

She looks sad, "But we could find someplace together to hide."

I answer, "It wouldn't work. You're a celebrity and no matter where you go the paparazzi are going to hunt you down and find you. And then there's Ms. Donaldson. She's still looking for me and if she finds us together she might try to hurt you."

She questions, "So what are you going to do?"

I smile and explain, "What I've always done - stay one step in front of the ones that are chasing me."

She surprises me when she says...

Present – Stacy – Bob's Country Bunker

Damn! Ben's right, I have only looked at the negatives. Yeah I hated my parents! Well that's not true, they were never really parents to me, I just felt badly because I knew what a terrible way it was for them to die. And I do have all of Grandmamma's money. But he's also right that he can't stop running, that bitch would surely catch him.

I get a great idea and say, "Ben, I can finally do something for you."

He gives me his funny look (damn I'm going to miss that look) and questions, "Stacy what are you talking about?"

I smile and explain, "I'm going to get that damn news team off your back." Then I explain my plan to him...

Present – Samantha – On the way to Bob's Country Bunker

I look at Frank and Emanuel and use my best 'I Told You So' look, "I told you something funny was going on at Bob's Country Bunker."

Frank replies, "How do you figure? Stacy Summers just called us and told us she showed up at the Country Bunker."