John and his group left that night for their last night in the hotel. The following morning they are going to move in with us.
I looked over at Nina as she slept, Linda had begged her father to stay the night, I was surprised he let her. They had to share a sleeping bag, but they didn't mind one bit.
Chase had waisted no time asking Jamie, and from the way things looked, it was a done deal. Their sleeping bags were laying so close together, nothing could fit in between them.
A noise draws my attention to my side, it was Rose. She was sitting straight up with her blanket around her body. She began to cry...
"Rose are you ok?" I say in a whisper.
She just sobs into her blanket.
As quietly as possible, I unzip my sleeping bag and move over to her. I put my arms around her, embracing her, letting her know she wasn't alone.
"I...." She loses her voice as she buries her face into my shirt.
The blanket falls from her shoulder, I just rub her back, ignoring the slight urge to look. "Rose your safe now. It was just a bad dream."
Wiping the tears from her face, she looks up at me. "Can I ask... Never-mind..."
"No Rose what is it, it's ok. What is it?" I say as I wipe a stray tear from her cheek.
Even though it's night, the moon is shining. A cloud moves overhead and it shines through brighter. It catches her big brown eyes, making them shine like black diamonds.
"Can I please sleep with you... Just tonight.. Please.." She forces the words, but I can see her intentions are innocent.
I slowly pull the blanket up over her chest. "Only tonight."
She hugs me as she tries not to cry again. "Your the best."
Opening my sleeping bag, she stands up holding the blanket securely to her chest. I let her get in first, and get comfortable. Then I lay down beside her. The sleeping bag wouldn't close, so I used some of it as cover. Rose rolled over, and saw I didn't have much cover.
"We can share sir... Just.. Please..." She offers to me, as she looks at her blanket.
"That's yours Rose. I'll be ok." I embrace her and pull her next to me, I feel her breathing relax some as I give her forehead a little kiss and whisper. "Goodnight."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Morning comes to fast, the birds outside our little home didn't seem to mind... But I did.
Rose was still asleep, as was everybody else. I looked at her and realized she had shared her blanket with me anyways. Kissing her again, I slowly got up and looked down at her and how adorable she looked... If only she wasn't so young then maybe we could work out, or who knows. Maybe we could work, time would tell.
I tucked her blanket around her and laid my half of the sleeping bag over her, because the morning air had was colder this morning. Giving her one more kiss I walk over to my bag and find one of my desert camo uniforms. Then I find my extra pair of pants.
Walking around the corner, I change into my clean uniform and my tan combat boots, sliding my cobra dagger into the holster at my side. I walked over to Rose and laid my extra pair of pants there for her.
*BANG, BANG, BANG*
The door to the pawn shop rattled. Everyone in the room began to wake up.
Looking up I saw Captain Bear standing there. "This is gonna be a doozy."
I slowly open the door. "Can I help you Captain?"
He bellows a laugh, looking at the men around him. "You, nor Chase signed up to join my militia. That means, what's yours is ours."
I catch a glimpse of two trucks coming down the road. Johns group... Oh not good.
"Captain we had to secure our things first. We were going to join today." I respond, sweet talking has been a hobby of mine for a while. It comes in handy.
"Ohhh I see... Sorry boys, we will get the girls another day." He calls to his men. A devilish, perverted grin swept across his face.
*BOOM*
The gas station went up in a ball of flames.
I used the moment to draw my knife and thrust it into Bears throat.
Smoke and debris began to fill the air. This was a thick smoke... John managed to sneak his people behind the humvees, and as the smoke moved in, we slipped inside the pawn shop.
"All of the women get in the bathroom and hallway back there now." I commanded.
They hustled back there, bringing their bags and bedding with them.
And that's when we heard the howls, and the screaming.
Our door was locked, but we all had weapons ready as we hid behind the waist high wall of bricks at the front of the store. Luckily it wasn't all glass or we would be dead.
Gun fire erupted outside the store, followed by several moments of agonizing screams.
I looked at my dagger, still dripping red with the Captains blood. As the battle began to move further into the town, one thing came to my mind.
"This is justice."
