Tom stayed silent until Granny B and Sam were done patching him up. He quietly left the bunker only to return about ten minutes later with two chains and several locks. He lifted Kate and her chair up together and placed it beside one of the ceiling support posts. He locked the chain around her ankle and the other end around the pole. “Lady, you’ll be chained until we know you can behave.”
Greta was across the room with Rick. She was still crying when Tom locked a chain to her leg and the other end to a support post across the room from Kate. “Greta, this is for your own good. Stop trying to kill Kate, and we’ll turn you loose.”
Rick wasn’t happy, but even he didn’t trust his niece to be around Kate. Jackie limped in from her bedroom and sat beside Tom on the other side of the room from the chained ladies. “Brother, I always knew that perverted men would pop out of the woodwork and make sex slaves out of us poor defenseless women. I never, in my dreams, thought you’d be one of the perverts.”
Tom bumped his shoulder against hers and yelped in pain. “Crap, that hurt, which reminds me why these two should be in jail cells if we had them. Ask Granny B to come up with some kind of padding, so the chains don’t chaff their ankles.”
Jackie watched her brother stare at the violent woman. “Brother, she’s not your type, and wipe that silly grin off your face. You like the soft and cuddly homebodies. This one is more like a female version of Mad Max.”
Tom sneered, “Little sister, just because you want to jump Rick’s bones doesn’t mean I have the hots for every lady who walks past or tries to kill me.”
“Asshole, you’re living in denial, and I don’t mean Egypt.”
“If you have to know, I’m fascinated by the fact this pretty girl could be a vicious killer. I guess an apocalypse brings out the worst in people.”
Jackie hugged her brother and kissed him on his good cheek. “We almost died today. Hell, you almost died three times, counting the shootout. How many wounds have you received this week? That kitty scratched you, the tiger in chains tried to kill you, and now Greta shot you.”
“I know. This apocalypse crap isn’t for pussies. I’m glad Grampa and Granny B raised us both to be tough and self-sufficient. Now tell me when you and Rick are getting married. I won’t have my little sis living in sin.”
Tom looked at the woman and thought, This bitch is a sneaky one. She’ll do anything to escape.
Tom then asked Sam to join him. “Sam, I don’t trust this woman. I want you to fetch one of the shotguns and help me move her to her new bedroom. I don’t want anyone alone with her.”
Sam looked at the black-clad lady, who was slightly smaller than she was. “She doesn’t look so dangerous.”
Tom sneered. “She didn’t try to shoot and stab you. The bitch is strong and sneaky. Keep the shotgun trained on her while I move her.”
“Why the shotgun?”
“The walls of our bunker are steel. Most pistol bullets will ricochet off the walls. You saw what happened when Greta tried to kill Kate. The lead birdshot will bounce off the walls but will have lost most of its punch.”
The captive sat on a kitchen chair in a corner. Tom zip tied her hands and then unlocked the chain around the post. “It’s bedtime for you.”
“But daddy, I don’t want to go to bed,” Kate moaned.
Tom lifted the chain. “Walk ahead of me and don’t make any sudden moves, or Sam will pepper your ass with buckshot.”
Kate gazed at Sam. “She doesn’t look like the killer type.”
Sam moved a bit closer. “At this range, even the birdshot would make a big hole in you. Ya’ want to test me? Go ahead.”
“Follow me to your room. Stay at the end of the chain, and you’ll live a lot longer.”
“Aren’t you going to take the chain off?”
Tom chuckled. “You and your uncle killed Rick’s sister and wounded my sister. I don’t trust you. We plan to keep you until your injury heals and then drop you off far from here. Until then, you stay chained. Any more questions?”
“Do I get to use one of the bathrooms, or do I just poop on the floor?”
The woman was testing Tom’s patience. “There will be a bucket in your cell for liquids. Let us know when you need to use the toilet, and someone will take you.”
“I gotta go now!”
Tom exhaled. “Okay, these are the bathroom rules. The door will remain open, and someone will be watching you at all times.”
“I guess you’ll be the pervert who watches me.”
Sam heard what she said. “No, I’ll watch.”
Tom was tired of fencing with the snarky bitch. “No, Sam or one of the women will watch you, while one of the men backs our lady guard from a distance.”
“You must think I’m a very dangerous person.”
Tom smiled. “No. I think you’re a confused young lady who’s been through some rough times and doesn’t know her friends from her enemies.”
*
Chapter 25
Southern Oregon –The bunker at the Clark ranch.
Tom walked into the kitchen after his tour on guard duty. The clock said 5:12, and only Granny B and Sam were up and working in the kitchen. Tom hugged his grandmother. “Good morning, ladies. Is it okay if I pour myself a cup of coffee?”
Granny B pointed to the pot. “It won’t pour itself. See anything interesting last night?”
Tom
