Gene Polanski, Male, 45

	- Business VP, husband of Tamara, father of Lauren, Finch, and Logan

	- tanned beige skin, 6'1, 210lbs, short peppered grey-black hair

Tamara Khouri-Polanski, Female, 43

	- Professor, wife of Gene, mother of Lauren, Finch, and Logan

	- dark olive skin, 5'6, 150lbs, shoulder-length curly rich brown hair with natural red highlights

Lauren Khouri-Polanski, Female, 15

	- High school freshman, daughter of Gene and Tamara, sister of Finch and Logan

	- medium olive skin, 5'8, 150lbs, back-length curly black-brown hair, colored white-streaked highlights

Finch Khouri-Polanski, Male, 14

	- Eigth-grader, son of Gene and Tamara, brother of Lauren and Logan

	- dark olive skin, 5'6, 145lbs, ear-length curly rich brown hair with natural red highlights

Logan Khouri-Polanski, Male, 12

	- Sixth-grader, son of Gene and Tamara, brother of Lauren and Finch

	- medium olive skin, 5'1, 110lbs, ear-length straight black hair

Holly Bridgewater, Female, 19

	- Agent of Marker 1, sister of Anna

	- Bronze-tanned skin, 5'1, 100lbs, straight shoulder-length straw-blonde hair

Marcus Hannigan, Male, late-30s

	- Former agent of M1 and Playa Gordo

	- Pale, freckled skin, 5'11, 185lbs, short sandy-red hair

Erol, Male, ~16

	- Turkish student

	- Light-brown skin, 5'7, 135lbs, short, wavy black hair

Hannah Henderson, Female, 15

	- daughter of Dr. Henderson and Juliana, twin sister of Georges

	- Dark beige skin, 5'10, 160lbs, long dark-brown hair in a ponytail

Georges Henderson, Male, 15

	- son of Dr. Henderson and Juliana, twin brother of Hannah

	- Dark beige skin, 5'10, 165lbs, mousy dark-brown hair

Gabriel, Male, late-60s

	- CO of Cambridge, M1 Executive

	- Pale white skin, 5'10,220lbs, cropped grey hair

Vienna, Female, early-60s

	- M1 officer

	- Dark brown skin, 5'2, 150lbs, short curly brown hair

Adam (Silver) Silverbaum, Male, late-20s

	- M1 Technician

	- Ashy beige skin, 5'7, 150lbs, ear-length black hair

There had been sirens going off all night, but only one round of explosions, somewhere in the north of the city, around midnight. Tamara had dozed off and on throughout, never comfortable, and rarely able to do more than slip under for a few minutes at a time. Hannigan had been restless beside her, which didn't help, and he frequently got up to pace in a tight circle. Neither of them enjoyed being closed up in a basement.

The smell was becoming overwhelming. There was no toilet, so a large trash can had been used instead. Even with the lid tight over it when not in use, the day of nervous bladders and bowels had left a terrible odor hanging heavy in the thick, stale air.

It was also incredibly awkward to use it with no privacy, though Tamara figured the alternatives weren't worth the risk, and she had already spent her share of risks in another way. She knew that fucking Erol had been dangerous. They could have been caught out by looters or neighborhood brutes, or by an unexpected missile.

The more she thought about it, the more she analyzed why she'd felt so powerfully the urge to give herself to the teen. It was Finch. She thought of her son, and though she'd tried to fight the way he was in her sexual fantasies, it actually caused her pain to think he might have died a virgin, without ever knowing even a moment of pleasure with a woman. Everyone should feel that, at least once. For a minute or two, at least, Tamara's mind brought her son to life as she imagined it had been Finch's penis inside her rather than Erol's.

Sounds of a long line of passing vehicles going north rattled them a few minutes, then another group ten minutes later. Most of the huddling people were munching on stale bread and sharing small cups of water.

A voice called down in Turkish and everyone stood up, including the Americans. Erol listened and translated the words after the voice went silent. “The Americans are on the northern outskirts of Istanbul. More air strikes are expected all day. Stay in place. Reserve food and water. Wait for instructions. Oh, and he said the loudspeakers are out, and that power will be out indefinitely.”

Tamara's heart sunk at the teen's words.

Hannigan pulled Erol close to his face. “We're going fifty-percent watch immediately. With this news, the looters and thugs will be out securing supplies. Two at the entrance, two more near the last stairs except during active raids. Team one has first watch, switch every four hours. Make it happen, Erol.”

The teen nodded, and Tamara could see the confidence growing in the boy. She smiled at the knowledge that she'd been his first just hours before.

Sirens went off again and the fire team stood watch by the door as a somewhat-distant explosion sent moderate shockwaves through the building. Tamara swallowed her fear, huddled near the back, and kept her pistol close by.

- - -

Hot coffee slid down Gene's throat thick and bitter. He didn't remember waking up, wasn't certain how he'd gotten into the chair. His eyes felt like sandpaper even before he tried to open them. His body hummed with a million acute aches and general dullness, the movement of bringing the cup to his lips sending his head swimming with nauseousness. Gene groaned with effort.

“I know, Gene. I know. I told you it would be rough when you came down.” Holly's voice was thin and tight, none of the usual carefree brightness evident in her cadence. “It gets better after a day or two.”

“A da--” Gene's throat scratched to a halt, causing him to cough violently, spilling hot coffee onto his leg. Holly grabbed the cup and put it down, holding Gene's hand as he fought for breath. When he'd stopped coughing, she held the mug to his lips and let him suck the bitter black fluid down again. “Jesus, Holly. I feel like shit.” He opened his eyes narrowly to see the short nineteen-year old looking as rough as he felt, her blonde hair sloppily pulled back behind her head, the silky strands looking like frayed strings.

She managed a very small, tight smile. “That makes two of us.” She glanced past Gene and nodded to someone behind him. “When you've got your bearings, we're wanted in forward debrief.”

Gene closed his eyes against the pounding which had started in his temples. “At least get me something for the headache. I can't function like this...”

“Stick out your arm,” a male voice said brusquely. Gene obeyed without thought. A quick jab of sharp pain hit his shoulder, but he was too sluggish and thick to react. It was over quickly, and in moments, Gene felt his head and muscles relax. It took the edge off, at least.

Holly took Gene's hand and helped him to his feet. “Listen, Gene. We're safe enough right now, no running for a while, ok? We'll need to take a couple of days to recover, ya know? Figure out what we know and what we do next.”

Gene nodded, almost imperceptibly, and found that his legs worked just enough to keep him moving forward without collapsing onto the rough metal panels which made up the floor.

- - -

Lauren stretched lazily late in the morning. She had stayed up into the early hours with Logan and Georges playing board games, trying hard to forget about the confrontation with Juliana. Despite her shame at being found out, the teen felt herself aroused each time Georges shifted and his pajamas showed the boy's genitals moving underneath. She wanted to be with him again, but Logan being there put a damper on the excitement.

She didn't remember Georges joining her in bed the night before, but a warm body was pressed against her naked flesh. She sighed, noticed hard flesh pushing against her butt. That doesn't feel like Georges... Lauren turned her head to see Logan's sleeping face near her shoulder. Her brother had crawled in with her at some point and was just as naked as she was, his hard little penis against her in a way that made her clit rise.

For long moments, she held still, the thrill of what was possible racing through her rapidly-awakening mind. She'd come close to doing things with Logan, had even taken his penis in her mouth once, but feeling her brother's small cock against her ass made her body shiver and tense. Lauren moved up the bed slightly, wanting to move his dick closer to her privates.

Logan's penis slid down into her butt crack as she slid up, soon pressing against her young anus. Lauren shuddered as the heat from the head of his dick resting against her tightest hole made her grow wet. Her fingers slid instinctively to her slit.

Lauren moved slowly, her ass shifting up and down as her twelve-year old brother's penis nestled against her butthole. Her clit strained with each movement, her excitement rising quickly. Lauren felt Logan stiffen and knew immediately that he was awake. She didn't stop.

It took only seconds before she heard him panting and grunting, warmth spreading against her asshole. Three quick squirts of wetness signaled Logan's orgasm as his cum splashed against her and ran down over her ass cheek. Lauren came. “Ohh... ohh... uuuuhnnn... uhnnnn... oohhh...” Her vagina drooled down her thigh and onto the bed as her body shuddered through climax.

- - -

Logan's body was warm and tingling. He wasn't quite sure what had just happened. “Did we just have sex?” he asked almost innocently. He could feel his semen sliding down his testicles and onto the sheet. Did I just do it with my sister?

Lauren giggled softly. “No, not exactly... you weren't inside me...”

“Oh.” He was disappointed despite his sleepy euphoria. “I thought we did...”

Lauren slowly turned over and looked at his face. “Maybe we will... soon. Ok? Maybe we will...”

Logan smiled. “Ok...”

Lauren stretched and reached a hand down to his half-hard penis. She stroked it a few times gently, his cum coating her fingers. Logan watched her slide a finger between her lips as she tasted his fluids. She giggled again, then let out a long sigh. “Let's get up before we're noticed.” She nodded towards the window where it was clearly late morning already. “Maybe later we'll... you know...”

Logan grinned, his penis already hard again at the thought of what 'you know' could mean.

- - -

“We've stopped them cold.” Erol's voice was becoming strained as the day wore on. They all felt the terror of being trapped in a fragile, smelly basement while sounds of explosions both close and far away threatened to overwhelm their self-control. Tamara's stomach had been in knots since arriving in the shelter.

She watched Erol listen as another young man spoke rapidly in Turkish before darting up the stairs and disappearing into the outside world. Erol continued. “Heavy fighting to the north, more along the water. The Americans have the city surrounded, are demanding surrender of the army. They've already overwhelmed the naval defenses, Palel said it is just a matter of time before they start the heavy bombing.”

Hannigan demanded, “is there no way out? Where are the Turkish forces right now?”

Erol shrugged, “all around, I guess. I don't know, he didn't say.”

Hannigan's normal cool demeanor had been lost in the night, and his face showed the stress under which they all currently lived. He nodded sharply, his eyes telling Tamara to come closer. They huddled near a pile of canned food near the rear of the shelter. “We can't stay here. This could go on for days. Weeks. We have to pick our moment and get out.”

She pleaded, “and just leave these people to their fate?”

“We can't save them, Tamara. We just can't. Their best strategy is to wait until one army or another sets up here. They'll bring food and water and treat them as civilians in a war zone. It's a damn sight better than what they have now.”

Tamara thought about having to stay in the shelter for days or weeks more. She resigned herself to his viewpoint. “You're right. I can't take this much longer. I have to find my family, and I can't do that here... So... tonight, we try to break out?”

He nodded. “Yes.” His eyes followed Erol as the teen knelt next to an old woman who was sobbing quietly. “We could use his help.”

Tamara watched Erol a moment. “I don't know that he would go with us. He's needed here.”

“I know that. But we don't know this place, we don't speak the language, any help we could get would be appreciated.” Tamara's face showed her resistance. He continued. “It will be dangerous, he's safer here. I know that. But we can ask...”

Clearly, he meant that she should ask. She steeled her nerve, considered her options, and when Erol rose and looked in her direction, she motioned him to her. The stained brown skin in the dark shelter was almost black on black, but his eyes showed a bit in the dim light of the candles burning in the basement. Those eyes were so young yet had already seen more than his years. Tamara felt again his inexperienced thrusts and longed to feel Finch inside her.

“Erol... we can't stay here. The two of us. We need to get somewhere... North of here. We have something important to do, and the longer we wait, the harder it is going to be to get there. We're leaving tonight, and we'd like you to come with us. We could use your help.”

Erol said nothing a moment, glancing around the room slowly. “I'll go with you.” He surprised her with his decisiveness.

“Just like that? It will be dangerous, Erol. We're asking too much from you.”

“I know.” He managed a small smile. “I will go with you. They will be alright here. There are rumors of a supply convoy delivering food and water, and the military police were seen a mile south keeping order. I can do more good helping you.”

Tamara smiled despite her reservations. “Okay, then... Thank you, Erol.”

Hannigan shook his hand and thanked him, as well. The teen said, “so... what's the plan?”

Hannigan whispered, “after dark we slide out and move as freely north as we can. We need to get a read on where the troops are positioned. It is going to be bloody difficult to get through, but with only three of us, we won't be quickly seen. We'll have to be very, very quiet, dark, and ready to defend ourselves. That might mean... killing your countrymen, Erol. Or killing mine... I don't like that, but right now, trigger fingers will be itchy, if you know what I mean.”

Erol pondered that a moment, nodded. “Okay...”

“I want to get up high somewhere once we're closer to the fighting. I need to see what's going on. Is there a hill, or a tall building, somewhere we might be able to sneak in and get up to the top without elevators?”

“Probably buildings, yeah. I know a spot in the north part of town where there is a small rise and tall offices on it.”

“Plan A is to get there first. We'll have to adjust as we find where the deployment of forces are concentrated, but that sounds promising.”

Erol nodded.

Tamara said, “perhaps... perhaps wait to tell the others... They may not take it well that we are abandoning them...”

Erol frowned, said, “yes... I suppose they would see it like that... I will wait. Promise me, though. Promise me that we won't steal their supplies or weapons.”

Hannigan nodded. “Only what we brought with us. We'll find water to top off somewhere. Food... we'll deal with food later...”

- - -

“Goddamnit, Holly, we are not going to discuss this in front of open ears! Fuck, woman, you know the protocol.” Gene had sat mostly silent for the previous hour as the team of four older, out-of-shape members of M1 grilled Holly on the details of the past few weeks. They asked everything in triplicate, and usually again after another subject had been hammered for a while. Two men and two women took turns playing bad cop, and Gene's head was beginning to pound again just a few minutes in.

After what had seemed like an eternity, the team had dismissed Gene. Before he could rise, Holly had interjected, kicking off the verbal sparing that rattled Gene's nerves.

“Gabriel, listen to me, motherfucker. Gene is the center of this. You know that as well as I do. Whatever is in his head is more important than all of us combined. He knows more than you about what is going on in the field, and he deserves to be in on the briefing.”

“Protocol alpha-eighteen is explicit, Holly. He is not cleared for the contents of the brief, and he will not be included.”

“Protocol is there for when things are going right. Things are very much fucked, Gabriel. I promised Gene that if he helped us, we'd include him in everything. He deserves to know what is going on so that he can help us.”

“Promises break, Holly, especially those made foolishly.”

“You can't stop him from learning what is said, asshole. You can only delay it.”

The man puffed up, clearly trying to physically intimidate the short blonde. “You leak one word, you let slip one detail, and you'll spend a few weeks in the brig.” He eyed Holly before passing his angry gaze to Gene. “I can, and I will, keep you from compromising things.” He motioned to the short, black woman near the door. “Buzz in Jackson.”

As the woman pressed a button, he turned back to Holly. “You are done with this assignment, Ms. Bridgewater. Gene is no longer your responsibility. You are forbidden to make any further contact with him. Do you understand this order?”

“Are you fucking nuts? I've heard of sub sickness, and you have all the classic fucked up narcissistic signs, Gabriel. How fucking dare you? My assignment was set well above your pay grade. I think you'll find that it doesn't get overridden so easily.”

Gabriel laughed. “Really, Holly? A lot has changed during your little adventure in Africa. Spider went rogue. He's no longer your direct superior. I am.”

For the first time in days, perhaps ever, Gene saw that Holly was speechless.

“Didn't know that, I see. Now you do. Ah,” he said as a tall, thin white man passed through the door. “Jackson, please escort Mr. Polanski to his quarters.” He turned back to Holly, “I think we're at an impasse, Ms. Bridgewater. I'm don't think I trust you right now, so I'm canceling the briefing.” He motioned to the short black woman near the door. “Vienna will see you to your quarters instead.”

Gene's head was much too thick to argue as Jackson pulled him to his feet. He could hear Holly shouting for some time as he stumbled down the narrow metal passageway, Jackson's fist tightly gripping his shirt from behind.

- - -

Juliana did not mention the previous day's discussion at all to Finch, and the fourteen-year old was quite happy about that. She'd made breakfast for those who had gotten up at the normal hour, Lauren and Logan apparently sleeping in. He'd munched on scones and eggs with Georges and Hannah before tending to chores. The three of them slipped off to swim in the stream in the warmth of midday.

The twins were naked and in the water before he could blink, and it took just a moment for Finch to join them. Hannah's smiles were intoxicating. She slid her body in front of him and soon had her naked fifteen-year old ass sliding up and down, his cock hard against her.

Georges watched a moment and laughed, “my sister is clearly enjoying you being here, Finch. Mind if I join you two for some fun?”

Hannah giggled, said, “Finch?”

He wasn't exactly sure what might happen next, but he was much too excited to say no.

Georges swam up and moved in front of his sister, his hands rising to her breasts as Hannah's fingers wrapped around Finch's penis. She turned back to the fourteen-year old, said, “there's... something I've fantasized about doing with two boys... something I've never done before...”

Finch didn't respond, but Georges seemed to understand. He reached down and pulled his sister's legs up and around his waist, and in seconds, Hannah gasped as her brother's penis entered her pussy. She rested a moment, then said, “so, Finch... open me with your fingers...”

Finch didn't know what to do. His fingers slid down and brushed against Georges' cock, the teen's hard penis half-inserted into Hannah's vagina. “Uh...”

She giggled, said, “I have another hole... try that...”

Finch froze. Her ass? She wants me to finger her ass? His hand moved closer, the fifteen-year old's tight hole only an inch from where Hannah had her twin brother's dick inside her cunt. “Uh... your butt?”

“Yeah, my butt...”

Finch moved his finger around the tiny, closed backdoor, never really considering that there was anything sexual about a girl's butthole. She moaned as he circled it nervously.

“Go slow... slide a bit in...”

The tip of Finch's finger opened her anus slightly, and she gasped. The water provided some lubrication and soon he had half of his index finger inside the girl's butt. She started to ride her brother's cock slowly as Finch wiggled around in her rectum. “Keep going,” she said, “slowly... open me up...”

He did as instructed, his young body buzzing with excitement. He knew he was leaking precum into the water. Finch slid his finger in and out, the tight hole slowly becoming looser, and he was able to move his digit deeper into her bowels.

After a few moments, she was panting heavily, and Finch could hear Georges moaning as he kissed his sister's neck, his arms holding her around her waist.

“Now, Finch... put it in me... put your dick in my butt...”

Finch couldn't believe her words. She wanted him to fuck her ass. His cock had no doubts, though. The fourteen-year old moved against her body, her asshole positioned well for his penetration. Finch awkwardly tried to find her anus with his dick, several times brushing past the base of George's penis and pushing against his balls. Finally, Hannah reached back and held his cock as she stilled a moment. The girl guided his penis to her anus, and Finch instinctively pushed forward.

“OOOOHHH...”

Hannah's voice echoed around the trees. Finch's dick was already halfway inside her butt. She was incredibly tight, so tight that she pushed him out almost immediately. She took hold and again slid him into her ass, once more crying out at the sodomy. Georges grunted as he leaned in to kiss her.

Finch's body took over. He managed to stay inside her this time, sinking his penis fully into the fifteen-year old's butt, her anus gripping the base of his shaft like a vice. He felt the girl start to move up and down, could feel pressure on the underside of his cock, inside her body, and it took a moment to understand that Georges' penis was causing the sensation.

Georges grunted into his sister's mouth, his movements becoming jerky and strained. Finch was growing overwhelmed, his seed rising quickly. Hannah's rectum was incredibly hot, velvety, her tight hole more course, rough. She rode the boys slowly, two dicks in her fifteen-year old body. She cried out and came hard, her butthole threatening to again force Finch out.

He managed to stay inside, barely, and Georges' orgasm was a rush of grunts and short, quick movements. Hannah moaned as her brother came in her pussy. Finch was overcum, grunting and groaning as semen began to rush out of his penis. The tight ring around his shaft made it hard to ejaculate, but Finch's young body fought the pressure, spasming into Hannah's rectum, forcing his fluids to spew out, the jizz firing hot and sticky into her bowels. He came so hard his body shook and trembled as he unloaded his cum into the fifteen-year old's ass.

Finch felt Georges' cock slip out, slightly decreasing the pressure in Hannah's tight ass. Finch tried to catch his breath as Hannah's arm slid back and held his head against hers. “Oh, god... Finch... Georges... oh... yes... two in me at once... oh... yes...” Hannah's asshole spasmed once, then again, pushing Finch's penis out in a rush. He felt warmth spread against his genitals in the water and knew she'd just pushed his semen out of her ass.

Hannah slid down and let her feet find the stream bed. She kissed her brother, then turned and kissed Finch deeply, her eyes hazy and half-open. Hannah pulled them both in together, hugging them, her thigh warm against his genitals despite the coolness of the water. Finch didn't even mind that Georges' body touched his. He was euphoric from the orgasm, and sharing Hannah with her brother like that had been something he could never have imagined. Georges grinned at him, and he couldn't help laughing in reply.

- - -

Gene was taken all day by an exhausted but very restless sleep. His dreams were of Tamara and his children. He relived memories that still disturbed him. Frightening moments on the run. Confusing and arousing things he'd seen. His daughter nude at Victor's mansion, the feel of her body in the bed, the sight of the fifteen-year old tasting the dirty cum which had dripped onto the bed from Tamara's ass.

He woke in darkness to light sounds of metal scraping. He listened a moment, his headache dull for the moment, his body still thick and sore. Gene was certain the sounds weren't coming from the passageway or door. He heard a voice whisper, “Gene... it's Holly. Be quiet a moment.”

He held still as he heard metal shift, then the sounds of carefully placed foot on the metal floor. Holly sat on the bed and stroked his hair. “Took me forever to find my way here. Not easy to get through to you.”

“You crawled through from your room?”

“Yeah. I knew about where you were, but I wasn't sure until I got close.”

“How did you know it was mine?”

“I could smell you.”

“What?”

“I have a sharp sense of smell, Gene. When I got close, I could smell your body, even from behind the metal.”

“You are full of surprises, Holly.”

“And you know you love it. Went past Vienna's quarters at one point. She's a dirty one, Gene. Heard her masturbating. Clearly playing with her ass, I could smell it as I listened to her cum. Wish I had time to get to know her, two dirty girls like us could--”

“Holly,” Gene broke in, “what is going on?”

“Something's not right here. Spider doesn't just go rogue.”

“Victor did.”

“Yes, but Spider is different. Victor used M1 like he used me. Just a means to an end. Spider... Spider made M1 his bitch, so to speak. There's no way he'd leave it behind. He'd rather die than let someone else take his place. There's no way Gabriel is running M1 right now. Something is very wrong here.”

“So what do we do?”

“Right now, nothing. I need to talk to someone I trust. Stay here and keep your head down. Don't fight back if they bring you in and ask some questions. There's nothing to compromise yet. Except Minover. Whatever that is, don't tell them. Whatever is going on, I don't trust Gabriel.”

Gene nodded, barely keeping the sharp throbs at bay. “I hate waiting here, Holly. I feel caged. Starting to get claustrophobic in here.”

“They'll let you take a walk, use the can. Go get some food in the galley. They'll keep you under guard, but unless you head towards my quarters, you should be ok. Just keep your pretty head down.”

Holly kissed his forehead, then moved down to give him a much more passionate kiss on the lips. “I'm feeling better, Gene. Up for a quicky? You can get my ass all dirty like Vienna's.” The mirth had returned to the short blonde's voice.

“Not now, Holly. Doing ok, but not great. Not now...”

“Your loss... Maybe I'll rub one out once I'm back in my room. Unless you want to watch here. There's a light switch on the wall...”

“Later. I need to piss and get something to drink.”

“When are you going to learn to stop missing what is freely given, Gene? You never know when it might be the last time...”

He thought of his family then, of his wife especially. He felt very sad and lonely.

Holly seemed to sense it, and as usual, appeared to read his mind. “I haven't forgotten about them, Gene. We'll find them. We just have to hang on until we have a plan here. Then we'll find them. Trust me.”

“I'm doing my best, Holly.” He added a belated, “thank you.”

“Love you, Gene.” She paused, seemed to realize what she'd just spoken. “I... I don't say that easily, Gene. But... anyway. Go piss. Think about me when you do, ok?”

He let out a small laugh and listened as Holly shuffled back to the wall. The sounds of a metal panel being snapped into place were followed by light, muffled noises of a weight shifting and moving away from his room.

Gene waited a moment to collect himself, then stumbled to where he thought the door must be. He found a switch, turned on the light, and blinked a moment as his eyes adjusted.

Outside, he saw no sign of a guard, but before he could close the door behind him, a nondescript man in a generic blue uniform stared at him from the end of the passageway. Gene called out, “bathroom? And... can I get some food?”

“This way,” the man said in a flat voice.

Gene followed him through a series of metal corridors, stopping a moment to relieve himself in the head before following the man to an area which served as the dining room. He was motioned inside to a counter where an older, tired-looking woman eyed him a moment before scooping a ladleful of something resembling dumplings and carrots onto a plate. She topped it with a piece of crusty bread and proceeded to ignore him as she picked up a pen and made marks on a clipboard.

Gene sat and stared at the food. His stomach growled and despite its lack of typical palatability, he ravenously dug in to the meal.

A young man sat across from him. Gene looked up, waiting for the man to speak. He was probably in his late 20s, pale with dark hair. The man ignored him a moment, eating the same gloopy dumplings Gene had just devoured.

He felt exhausted and gave up on talking to the only other person in the room besides the guard, and used the bread to soak up the rest of the sauce from his meal. He downed a cup of water, then another, refilling it a final time and motioning to the guard that he was ready to go back to his room.

The guard said nothing and in moments Gene was seated on his bed again, feeling a bit better but still quite tired.

He stood to turn off the lights when the door opened and the quiet young man from the dining hall slid inside, bringing a finger to his lips. Gene tensed, unsure if he was about to be assaulted. The man's eyes darted around, then he whispered, “I'm Adam Silverbaum. Everyone calls me Silver. Keep quiet. No one is supposed to be in here but you.”

“So why are you here, then?”

Silver smiled tightly. “To help you.”

“I'm pretty full on help right now. So much help that I can't take a piss without help.”

“Keep it together, man. Shit got real when you got here. Shit hit the fan over what you know or don't know.”

“Shit hit the fan weeks ago. You're just catching up.”

“True enough, I'm sure. Right now, though, you're not safe.”

“Same shit, different boat. I haven't been safe in weeks.”

“No, I mean, like...” his whisper became barely audible, “if they could make it look like an accident, you'd be dead already.”

“They?”

“Gabriel and his bunch.”

“So Holly was right. Something's wrong with that guy.”

“Holly's always right. That woman's instincts are something amazing. Anyway... listen, Gene. There's not much time. I just got back from talking to Holly. We're getting a plan together, but it's going to be tricky. Couple of others can be trusted, working quickly to get you out of here. Whatever you know, Gabriel doesn't want it to see the light of day.”

“Is he running M1, then? This 'Spider' went rogue?”

“Doubtful and unfuckinglikely. We've been pretty cut off on the Cambridge. Whatever's going on, it's much more likely that Gabriel went rogue or is playing for another team. Most of the crew isn't in on it, but the inner circle, the ones who grilled you earlier, they know. The Cambridge has been compromised. Worse. It's been taken over. I suspected something for weeks, but until you and Holly got here, it was just speculation. Now I'm certain of it. And I want off this boat, and I'm going to help get you and Holly off, as well.”

“So what now?”

“Hang tight. Be ready. Here, take this.” He passed Gene a very small, black sidearm. “Hide it until we move. Don't use it unless you absolutely have to. Loud little fucker.”

Gene checked the safety then tucked the gun under his mattress. “So I wait...”

“It won't be long, Gene. Hours at most. Any longer... well, we won't let it get to that.”

“I'm ready. Whatever I can do to get off this boat, I'll do it.”

Silver nodded. “Get some sleep while you can,” he said, then slid back out of the door and closed it behind him, leaving Gene's nerves on edge but his hopes beginning to shift in the right direction.

- - -

“I don't want to lie to them.” Erol was pleading with Hannigan in the late evening after being given notice that it was time to go. “Can't I tell them the truth?”

Hannigan had suggested the teen tell the huddled civilians that they were going out scouting instead of admitting they were leaving. “Tell them whatever you want, Erol. I don't want anyone pushing back. We need to leave. Now.”

Hannigan bounded up the stairs and disappeared. Concerned eyes followed him. Tamara cast a glance at Erol, then followed. They waited inside the doorway a moment as Hannigan scanned the street. Erol joined them a moment later, looking sullen but stayed silent.

“We need to get to Saray.”

Erol looked at him a moment. “That's going to be tough. On foot, it will take a few days at best. I don't know where we can get through.”

“What is our best route?” Tamara asked.

“We should try getting North as fast as possible,” Hannigan interjected. “I expect that there is no way to move freely close to the water, and we'll find less resistance if we pass through thinner lines. I'm hoping north is best.”

Erol nodded. “I suppose that is right. The buildings I told you about are north. It will take a couple of hours to get there if we hurry, longer if we don't.”

Tamara replied, “then let's hurry.” Hannigan and Erol set off. Tamara took a deep breath, again running for her life, and hustled after them to the smells of fires and the sounds of distant gunfire echoing down the street.