From where they lie they could see the rebel’s prisoner. The man was tied with his back to a tree; his hands had been pulled up over his head and secured. Chris seethed inwardly at the treatment of his lover. Ben looked tired and drawn and he was still wearing the bedclothes he had on when he was taken; his feet were bare and were covered in dried blood from his forced march across the states.
An owl hooted somewhere to the right of the two soldiers and Justin nodded silently to his best friend once again. An almost silent grunt reached their ears and both men stiffened as they waited to see if the camp had been alerted. A long minute passed and the two soldiers began to breathe again. Stealthy they advanced on the camp, knifes at the ready. If at all possible they wanted to do this quietly, slaughter the kidnappers while they still slept. Justin held up his hand cursing as Declan began to cry, disturbing the kidnapper that slept next to him. The dark haired man swore and lifted him out of his makeshift crib and carried him over to where Ben was tied to the tree.
The kidnapper kicked Ben viciously to wake him and then knelt beside him. With his free hand he pulled the bound mans shirt open and then held Declan to a nipple to feed. The breeder sobbed openly as he was forced to feed but denied the touch of his child.
Justin looked across to Chris and in the darkness saw the hardened soldier’s jaw twitch as he ground his teeth together in an attempt to control himself. It took every ounce of strength that Chris had to stop himself from rushing to his lover’s side. He wanted to crush the brute that was humiliating Ben so callously.
When the kidnapper decided that Declan had fed enough he took the baby back to his cot and laid him down to sleep. He then went back to the bound breeder and slipped his hand inside his open shirt, squeezing the already tender nipple and making Ben whimper. He pressed his face up against Ben’s cheek and blew into his ear.
”It’s back to the breeding farm for you,” he whispered snidely as he ran his fingers through Ben’s newly grown hair. The breeder started to cry again and the kidnapper laughed nastily. He went back to his pack that lay next to the fire and took out his battery operated shaver then returned to where Ben sat helpless.
The breeder sobbed silently as the kidnaper shaved his head and then sat back to admire his handiwork.
”There now you look the part too,” he taunted. He pushed a rag into Ben’s mouth and secured it into place so he wouldn’t be disturbed by the breeder’s sobbing and then he returned to his spot next to Declan’s crib and stuffed the shaver back into his pack before settling down to get some more sleep.
In the undergrowth Chris stifled a cry and only a sharp hiss from Justin restrained him and prevented him from ripping off the head of the man that had violated his lover. He glared at Justin and then backed down and Justin let out the breath he was holding. He knew that if he had just witnessed his own sweet Joshua abused in such a way nothing would have stopped him from charging down into the camp and ripping the bastard limb from limb.
Chris made his way over to where Justin was and hissed through clenched teeth. “His life is mine to take. I claim it.”
Justin nodded in agreement. He would leave the dark haired kidnapper to Chris; he needed to avenge his lover himself.
An owl hooted again and Justin hissed at Chris to get his attention, inclining his head once more to the camp. There was a muffled cry as Lance dispatched the watch guard with a swift slash of his knife across his throat. A light flashed and Justin and Chris crept into the camp like cats stalking their prey. They saw Lance take out another of the sleeping men and Joey doing like wise. Justin fell to his knees and clamped his hand over the mouth of a sleeping kidnapped and slit his throat, holding him still until his head rolled back in death. Chris made his way over to the man sleeping nearest the fire, the one that had violated Ben. His eyes glowed viciously in the light of the flames and suddenly Justin felt very sorry for the man.
As Lance dispatched the last but one kidnapper Chris stamped down hard on the dark haired man’s chest. The man huffed, the wind knocked out of him and tried to sit up only to meet Chris’ fist as it hit his nose.
”Like to torture the helpless do you?” Chris hissed in the man’s face, his spittle peppering the stunned kidnapper’s skin. “Shave their heads? Chris grabbed a handful of the kidnapper’s hair and with a quick brutal slash of his knife scalped him.
The kidnapper screamed in agony, blood running down over his face as Chris walked away calmly wiping his blade. Chris crouched down in front of his lover and pulled the gag from his mouth. He crushed the shaven headed breeder’s mouth beneath his, ignoring the gunshot that rang out behind him. Using his knife, the same one he had just used to extract his revenge he cut Ben’s hands free and took him into his arms, comforting the breeder.
”Ben,” Justin whispered as he came up behind the couple. He held Declan out to them and Ben sobbed loudly as he snatched the infant from his grasp. The soldier backed away leaving the two to have their reunion in private. He joined Lance and Joey at the fireside, kicking aside the body of the scalped man.
”This has to stop,” he said in a harsh voice. “Our lovers deserve to be safe from abduction.”
”Steps are being taken Justin,” Lance reassured him. “We are closing in on the ringleaders and the underground breeding farm. We are going to shut them down Justin once and for all.
~*~
The sun was shining brightly through Joshua's bedroom window when he woke up. He stretched and rolled out of bed. Jemima wouldn’t wake for at least another couple of hours as he had spent half the night walking her around the bedroom trying to get her back to sleep.
There was a quiet tap at his door and Lonnie popped his head into the room. “Good you are awake,” he said in his deep low voice. “I’m going to the market to get some fresh fruit for breakfast I was wondering if you would like to come with me.”
Joshua's head snapped up. “Outside the compound?” he questioned.
”Yes but you will have to be quick, Jemima will have to stay here.”
”She won’t wake for another couple of hours. I’ll just ask daddy to see to her.”
“No,” Lonnie snapped quickly. Joshua gave him a puzzled look. His bodyguard was acting really strange. “He won’t let you go into town. We will be back before he realises we have even gone.” Lonnie gave his charge a cheeky wink and Joshua grinned widely at the utter naughtiness of it.
”I’ll get dressed,” Joshua said jumping out of bed.
Lonnie went out into the corridor so that the breeder had enough privacy. He pulled a small black phone out of his pocket and pressed speed dial. ”Its on,” he said emotionlessly then hung up putting the cell back into his pocket and leaning against the wall waiting for Joshua to get ready.
~*~
The teenage breeder opted to not draw attention to himself for his treat and forwent his usual formal robes for a simple pair of jeans and a tee shirt. He hurried along side of his bodyguard and never thought it strange that suddenly he was being allowed into town when he hadn’t even been allowed to visit the small shop just down the road.
Lonnie opened the jeep’s door and Joshua climbed into the passenger seat excitedly.
”Put these on,” the African man said throwing a combat jacket and cap at him.
Joshua looked at the clothes confused but did as he was asked. Obviously Lonnie wanted him to be disguised, probably for his own protection. He slipped the jacket on and tucked his hair up under his cap.
Lonnie started the jeep and they pulled out of the compound unchallenged.