Page 30 of Triple Threat

“That’s good. Settled enough for you to let her in the Bat Cave?” I asked, casually. I thought about the skimpy and fancy lingerie outfits Roan had dressed her in and felt my cock twitch.

“Aye, if I give her a little room, she behaves,” he said. I imagined her being naughty; some juvenile fantasy of pouting lips, proud nipples, and her sticking her ass out, begging to be fucked, spanked, or both.

“How is she handling the wardrobe?” I asked, pulling my cock, stretching it. It felt good and I thought about how I had seen her, through the monitors, her small breasts, her nipples obvious under the material. I let go of myself. Not going to chase that fantasy, not here in a bed-and-breakfast in the middle of Jesus-Land. I would save it for her, when I could see her in person.

“She’s not a fan of some of the sheerer things, but she’s warming up to having plenty to eat, regular hot showers, and no one trying to kill her, rob her, or fuck her.” I smiled to myself.If she only knew…There was at least one person that wanted to, but I would get to that later.

* * *

Ten after ninethe next morning I was on the road. I didn’t check out until after breakfast service was done. The hostess served me huevos rancheros, hash browns made with diced peppers and onions, and some delightfully spicy chorizo. So, there was one positive thing about my trip to Texas, the food was a delight. I might not feel the same way in a few hours, but I had plenty of time to deal with that later.

The road leading out to what I had decided to call the chicken coop, thanks to Roan, was a wide single-lane hammered-flat dirt path, lined with weeds. The air stank of oil, and I could tell why the orchard had died. No rain, the air smelled like a gas station dumpster, and when the wind picked up, I could feel it trying to turn my skin into sandblasted leather.

I parked in front of the dilapidated collection of buildings and crude cages that had formerly been a roadside zoo, maybe some sort of highly questionable animal breeding operation.Snakes?I’m sure there were some sunburned churches around here where some crazy preachers would shake some snakes and speak in tongues. It didn’t matter, but the cages gave me some unpleasant ideas.

The black SUV was still parked in front of the third trailer in the gas-punk wasteland that presented itself as a park. It didn’t deserve the name, not in the slightest. No grass, nothing green, just sagebrush and sand and that petroleum stink everywhere.

I stepped out of the truck, checked the Longslide pistol and its oversized laser sight, and slipped on my sunglasses. They helped with the glare but not the relentless heat. Everything at the Final Prophecy Center had been under the cover of night, and decidedly cooler. This was what I imagined Hell, if the place were real, to be like. There were no guards on the door, the windows were pulled closed, and I could hear the drone of HVAC units struggling to cope with the heat. The trailer I walked up to had an apron of cigarette butts and Heineken cans scattered in front of it, and there was a spatter of blood on the steps leading up to the door. I knocked.

“Fuck off,” someone said after a moment.

“Pay me for this beer and pizza, asshole,” I said. I lifted the pistol to just about chest level.

“We didn’t order any pizza and who delivers beer?” he asked.

“I deliver it. Someone used the Deliverer app, and ordered a case of Heineken and two large pizzas, one supreme, one double pepperoni. The door cracked open and I saw a glimpse of one of the chicken’s bodyguards. The .45 blew a hole through the thin door, and then a second hole in his chest. He staggered back and pulled the door open as he fell. I stepped in, spotted the second guard and the first round ensured that he would have a closed casket funeral, the second round was just to ensure that he wouldn’t try to shoot me in the back, even with half of his head missing. I heard a woman scream, and Reese shouted something inarticulate. I held the gun ready, expecting Reese to try something.

“Don’t fucking shoot me. Jesus fuck, I give!” he shouted. He came forward, a woman in front of him. He had her arm pulled behind her back and was using her like a shield. He was seemingly unarmed, and the woman was almost completely naked. She had blood on her, and her skin was blotchy from abuse. Bruises were blooming on her face and neck. She was shaking as he held her between us.

“The only reason I haven’t put a bullet between your worthless eyes is because this young lady has already seen enough torment. Is this the delivery girl from last night?” I asked.

“How do you…? Who the fuck are you?” he demanded.

“Who do you think put your co-conspirators down like dogs?” I asked.

“There was a whole commando squad up on that hill, a total war, man.”

“Oh, there was a total war, but it was just me. Let the girl go,” I said.

“I give you the girl, and you let me go,” he said.

“Sure,” I agreed.

“Move away from the door, Terminator,” he said. It was all I could do to not smile; it validated my carrying the Longslide with its dated laser sight. I stepped slightly to the side and gave the smallest gesture for him to proceed. “That’s right, big man,” he growled. He edged around me, dragging the woman with him. Near as I could tell, he was completely unarmed, and was just using leverage on her arm, simple pain, to control her.

“Are you going to let her go?” I asked.

“No, not happening. I let her go, I’ve got nothing between you and me.”

“That is unwise,” I said. I put the bullet into his leg, just above the knee. Reese fell, and the woman bolted like a rabbit, and hid in the corner, all but vanishing behind a worn lounge chair. I grabbed Reese and pulled him to his feet, screaming, bleeding profusely from the crater in his thigh. “What is your name, miss?” I asked.

“Rosalyn,” she mumbled.

“Did he hurt you?”

“Y-y-yes, yes,” she stammered.

“I’m going to take him outside, and you aren’t going to see either of us again, Rosalyn. After I take the trash out, help yourself to any money you find in here. I’m sure there is some stash of cash in here, isn’t there, Reese?”

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