The Slaving World Pt. 02

'What are you going to do?"

"Look at some maps of this island and rest up. I'll give her a little head start before I go after her."

-----

Jake caught up with Brazzy at the old out building that had been turned into the armory and Brazzy's office.

"Who is this slave who ran away?" Brazzy demanded as soon as Jake walked in.

"Lida," Jake said softly.

"Lida ain't no slave, she's your wife."

"She's a slave now. I just sold her to Hunter."

"You sold your wife?"

"Come on, Brazzy," Jake said. "You know the marriage was not in good shape."

"You ever hear of this thing they have called a 'divorce'? It's been around for a while now."

"Divorces are expensive. Slavery is profitable."

Brazzy was scowling now. He had always liked Lida, she seemed a perfect fit around here.

"Besides, she always wanted to be a slave," Jake said with an arrogant shrug. "I made her wishes come true. It's a win-win situation."

"Always wanted to be a slave? So that's why she ran away?"

"It's done." Jake said firmly. As far as he was concerned, all discussion was over.

Brazzy was a good enough soldier to follow orders, especially in times of crisis, but also enough of a man not to leave this alone forever.

"We'll talk more about this later," Brazzy said. "But what's our plan for now? Penny's gone, she took one of the boats right before we got moving today. I sent Kurt and Mickey after her. They'll bring her back, she doesn't have that much of a head start. I don't think she thought we'd find out this soon."

------

They all gathered later in the dining room of the farm house for a council of war. Roy was talking.

"It looks like they have been planning something since Hunter's last visit," Roy said. He had been working on getting into the Radeks' system for a while and Penny's message had been the big break. "They landed someone on the island. We think two people. They know Lida ran and look at her as the big prize. It looks like they are headed to either the crest or the north shoulder. Either way, they'll be on this side tomorrow. After acquiring her, they are under general instructions to fuck things up. Kill people, burn buildings, do whatever they need to do in order to hurt Jake and us."

"So we have to assume they know she is alone out there and are making a play for her," Hunter said with a gleam in his eye. Roy could tell his friend was looking forward to this fight.

"They are also sending a team around from the inlet," Roy continued.

Kurt, Jake's best boat pilot and one of the better gardeners, ran into the dining room.

"We found Penny," he said.

"What did she have to say?" Jake asked.

"Nothing," Kurt answered. "She was face down in the water with a bullet in her heart. Looks like they took the boat, too."

The room was silent.

"Okay," Hunter said. "I'll head inland, find Lida and eliminate the threat from that side. Roy, work with Jake and Brazzy. Let's get this place secure. Brazzy and Jake, listen to Roy. He knows what he is doing and is great at remotely eliminating large numbers of hostiles."

"You going to be okay by yourself?" Jake asked.

"It will be a vacation," Hunter said with a grin. "Jake, don't kill anyone if you don't have to and don't get anyone killed."

"Don't get your head blown off," Jake said and shook his hand.

-------

Hunter said his farewells and headed off towards the forest. His pack was a little heavier than he liked. Normally he packed for battle or slave hunting; this time he had to be ready for both. He carried a map, nicely done, shaded with satellite overlay. Notes from Brazzy and Jake gave him some idea of what was out there and the most probable routes of both the bad guys and Lida.

There was a bounce in his step as he entered the deep forest. It did not take him long to find her tracks and he was on the hunt. He loved doing this sort of thing and his reward at the end would be the lovely body of Lida.

--------

IV-Hunter and Lida

Lida was trying to outthink her hunter. She knew it was a long shot, but she did not figure her odds were too great against him anyway. She should be going for distance, put as much space between her and Hunter, but the island was only so big. She figured she knew the island better, all the places to go and hide and that was her best advantage. It wasn't much of an advantage, but she'd take what she could get.

Lida was curled up in a light sleeping bag beneath an ancient cedar. She shifted to get comfortable in her little nest, which wasn't easy given the large root beneath her hip. She would have liked some hot food or even a light to read, but was not about to make it any easier for Hunter to find her. Now she just had to wait until it was light enough to get on the move again and until then all she could do was sleep or think. She was too wired to sleep and really did not want to the spend too much time thinking.

"Truce?" Hunter said and slowly walked towards Lida's camp beneath the trees. The moon was bright enough that Lida could easily make out his strong figure.

Lida jumped at the sound of his voice and looked for a weapon, ready to fight. Memories of the night with him, of the things he did to her came flooding back. She feared him, remembered how he had hurt her, had used her. But even as she prepared to fight, her nipples grew hard and her pussy wet. Her pack was not where she remembered leaving it, but she found a folding knife and flicked the blade open. Her legs were wrapped up in the bag, but maybe she could get a good slash in and make him think twice.

"I could have had you if I wanted you," Hunter said. "We both know that, if I can get this close..."

"Fine. What do you want?" She kept her hand on her knife, ready to put up some kind of fight.

"Let's talk. We'll resume the chase in the morning. I've got other things to do tonight."

"Like what?"

"We're not alone out here," Hunter said. He dropped his pack and plopped down onto the ground across from her. There was no graceful way to describe what he did, he just plopped down. Somehow she expected this mythical man to glide and float.

"So the meeting went well, I take it," Lida said with a snarl. "Jake have himself a little war?"

"We'll see, it might happen. I hope not, but he thinks that some blood will have to be spilled."

"And you thought coming after me was more important?"

"Well, Lida, I am your new owner. I need to look after, or at least locate, my investment."

"Jake sold me already? That son-of-a-bitch didn't wait long."

"Who are you Lida?" Hunter said with deep curiosity. Something had always been off about this beautiful slave.

"I'm his wife," Lida spat. "That piece of shit sold his wife." The venom was thick in her words.

Hunter thought about this for a minute. It was weird, but all the pieces fit.

"I wasn't really a slave the night you had me," she said with a sigh. "I was just pretending. I wanted to see what it was like, a game. That did not go over like I planned. I guess he had me sign the papers the next morning. I vaguely remember signing something."

"Well, wife or no wife, the papers are legitimate and I bought you from him. You are my property."

"Thanks for the understanding, Hunter," she said bitterly. "What did he get for me?" Lida asked after a moment's thought.

Hunter told her the sale price and she seemed impressed.

"We paid that for two of our four combined and part of the third. I bet he's building a new greenhouse. He would sell me for that. And to get me out of the way."

"I can probably get half again as much for you once I get you to Las Vegas. Maybe more."

"You're not going to keep me?" Lida was a little surprised. She had imagined herself as Hunter's personal slave. She had a hard time imagining anything else.

"Not for very long," Hunter said. "You are an amazing woman, a beautiful find. A woman like you only hits the market once or twice a year. I'm a businessman, I acquire and sell slaves. It's a new line of work for me, but it has been good so far. And you are merchandise."

"You are going to auction me?" The hardened callousness of his speech stunned her. She was just an object to him, nothing more than one of many, many slaves he had used or dealt with in his work.

"Don't be crass," Hunter said with a chuckle. "Finer merchandise is usually disposed of in private showings. I'll have to decide whether or not to break you in the rest of the way, or leave that to your next owner. I have to say that the weeks it would take to get you broken would be ones well spent."

"You keep talking like it's a done deal," Lida said with bravado she did not feel. "We have a truce tonight. You won't find me as easy tomorrow."

"Sure I will. I just need to make sure I stay ahead of the Radeks' men."

The smug condescension in his voice made her want to stab him. But she knew that in her present situation she probably could not even make it out of her sleeping bag before he subdued her.

"Who are they?" She said and swallowed her anger.

"You know the kind of people who do dirty work for the Radeks?" Hunter said seriously.

"Yeah." Lida answered. A cold chill ran down her spine as she thought about the men who had passed through their farm working for the Radek brothers.

"Well, a couple of them," Hunter reflexively paused and scanned their surroundings. "Someone on the inside's been feeding them information, so all they know is that a slave is escaped. They get you first, it won't be pretty. I'm not sure where you will end up. At least in the Association, you will be safe."

"It's Penny," Lida said. "Only she and Jake, and me until recently, do the paperwork." Lida had never really liked their slavekeeper, but had tried to be nice and polite. Fat load of good that had done her.

"That's what we figured. She ran and they found her body floating in the inlet today," Hunter said and shifted back on his heels. "I am going to enjoy your company for a few moments more, then go find our playmates out here."

"What would you do to me? If you had to break me in, that is." Lida looked at him with her deep brown eyes.

Hunter did not answer.

"Would it be like, be like, then?" She looked down at the ground.

"Yes. Except more so. I would probably be freer with the whip and made sure you behaved properly. I would be developing the habits of obedience and submission."

"And if you don't do it, then someone you sell me to will?"

"That's basically it, Lida. Wife or not, he sold you. You are a slave, someone will wind up owning you and you will wind up obeying."

"I guess," she said quietly, "if it has to happen, I'd rather it was you."

"Well, I still have to catch you tomorrow." He started to rise. "They are out here somewhere. I checked your gun, it's good to go." Lida spun around and looked for her pack. It was around the side of the tree. She scrambled out of her sleeping bag and lunged for the pack. The .44 was still in there. Hunter was already heading back into the forest. "That gun is loud. Only use it when you have to."

He dropped into a trot and into the dark forest. Lida pointed the pistol at him, thought about shooting him. But he was already gone. And she was not sure she wanted him dead. Maybe he was her best option.

Lida decided to move camp, not too far, but away from this space. If Hunter was out looking for the others, maybe she could buy a little time. She really didn't see much alternative, this was not that big of an island, and there was no easy way off without a boat. She thought about maybe going for the one other semi-settlements on the other side of the island, and from there maybe catching a ride to civilization. She had as an abstract plan getting back to Kentucky. But first she had to stay away from all the men chasing her for her body.

She slinked off into the night, staying quiet and close to the ground. There were a few big trees to move around and one she knew of to hide in. It was a hollow, little, but big enough to keep off the weather and still hold in some warmth.

She curled up again. This could be her last night of freedom. Then what? She would have to be broken in, fucked into submission. Made to be pliant, her temperament matching what was expected from her body. It would be like that night with Hunter, but every night.

If that was going to happen, she wanted Hunter doing it. She trusted him, he seemed to at least sincerely try to do the right thing. By his reasoning, she was his slave, his property. And Lida had seen enough slave papers to know that hers were legitimate. Jake had tricked her, but the Association did not care: signed was signed. They could be enforced. She was a slave.

Hunter owned her and been perfectly clear she would be sold. She just wanted to get the worst of it done with Hunter. She had to make him want to be the one who broke her in. She knew if she gave up easily, he would be bored and probably go for the unbroken sale. But if he wanted to be the one...He would have to earn her. Lida was going to give it her all, make him work for his slave and want more of her.

She tried to sleep, but visions of being tied up, at Hunter's mercy, kept flooding her head. She thought back to the night she had volunteered to be with him. That was supposed to be a one-time deal, now it looked like it was going to be her life. Well, not without a fight and she needed sleep.

--------

Lida awoke and quickly moved away from her camp to another hidden place to have her breakfast of trail mix and spring water. She found a place on the side of a ridge where she could stay hidden but keep an eye on her surroundings.

Lida planned on waiting here all day before finding another place to sleep for the night, but she realized she did not have the temperament to sit around all day. She had too much nervous energy, she had to do something or she would think about being a slave. She decided to go to her favorite spot for a quick swim. A naked swim seemed dangerous, erotic. Stupid, too, but she would be careful.

Lida did a long, slow circle to get to the pool, intentionally avoiding her usual more direct route. All the while, she stopped and listened, looked for any sign of pursuit. She felt reasonably sure she was alone and dropped into the creek bed. Another slow circle around the pool, watching and listening, before feeling secure there was no one around.

Lida shed her pack. She fished around in it and made sure her gun was close at hand. Another scan around and she undressed. She did not hesitate, but dove straight into the water. The chill and bite of the water hit a reset switch in her and she felt much more refreshed and energized. She dove under once more, counting to thirty before rising back above the surface and taking a deep, cleansing breath. She swam back to other side and crawled out of the water, beginning to shiver from the chill.

Her stuff was gone. Clothes, pack, gun, all gone. The only thing that was left were her boots. And a pair of socks, a clean pair of socks. Someone had stolen everything she had, but brought her a nice, clean pair of smartwool socks.

Lida was proud that she did not give in to her initial reaction and scream curse words at the top of her lungs. Instead she muttered them, picked up a stone and hurled it across the pool. It shattered and the pieces scattered noisily across the rocks. She realized the noise marked her position and she needed to get moving.

"Well, grateful for small favors," Lida said and picked up the clean socks. She quickly put on the boots and socks and moved away from her pool.

She had not been under that long. So someone had either rushed in while she was under water, or was already waiting for her there, could still be there, hidden. Lida picked up the pace and once the ground allowed it, ran for a while, going as fast as she could and still be quiet.

After what seemed like an hour, she began to slow and take stock of her situation. She was naked, being pursued by Hunter and someone from the Radeks. As far as anyone was concerned, she was an escaped slave. Hunter was her owner, and she knew he would not hesitate to use his rights of her. To the Radeks, she was another piece of meat to fuck and sell. Come to think of it, that's all she was to Hunter, too, but somehow she expected better treatment from him and to survive the experience.

She found another spot beneath a giant fir and sat down and rested. What were her options? Get taken by the bad guys, get taken by Hunter, make it back to the farm, where she would be turned back over to Hunter, or what? She could still try to get off the island, but to do that she would need to go to the other settlement, some small time logger/farmer/fisher family. She was not sure how a beautiful naked woman would be treated showing up there, so she thought she better take her chances in the forest.

Or, she thought, there would be the cream boat tomorrow. Many of the settlements in the islands and inlets had some dairy cattle. Twice a week, a boat would go around to all farms and collect the cream. She might be able to get on that without being raped. She could flag it down, or swim out at the narrows. After that, well, she would have to see. But the first thing would be to get off the island.

"Which would be a whole lot easier," Lida cursed under her breath, "if Hunter hadn't taken all my shit."

She sulked for a minute then climbed out of her log. She heard voices and saw two men coming up the ridge below. They were maybe five minutes from her, plenty of time to drop off the back side and stay away from them. But, where was Hunter? The two men were on the easiest route to where she could intercept the cream boat, she would have to loop back around and that would add a few miles and hours. Well, at this point, all she had was time. And a clean pair of socks.

She lay on the forest floor and watched them come up the hill. They did not seem terribly fast or quiet, they were just powering their way up the ridge and carrying on about something. She was about to make her escape when she saw splinters fly off a log by the men and heard two quick gunshots from somewhere to her right. The two men did, too, and their demeanor changed instantly. They stopped talking and moved silently. They became more sure footed and quickly took off in the direction of the shots.

Lida recognized the sound of the gun, that was her .44. Hunter was luring them to him, using her gun to entice them. She did not have time to appreciate the artistry of the move, but quickly moved down the ridge, crossing paths with the two men before dropping into another drainage as she worked her way around the island. She could just go up and over, but she was naked and weather still moved in this time of year. She'd take the long way around.

About thirty minutes later, she was making good progress. She was dropping down into the next drainage and still managed to stay close to the ground and hidden. Suddenly, off to her right, a drainage or two back, came gunfire. First some rapid shots, then one or two more. The forest was quiet when a new gun opened fire, a burst of automatic fire. All hell broke loose after that. At least two guns blazing away, stopping once to reload then firing.

Then, silence again.

Lida resumed her descent. She had no idea what that firefight was, but it was at least a mile away. A more immediate concern was water, and, if she could find anything edible, food. It was too early in the season for berries, but she should be able to find some greens by the water.

She hoped Hunter was okay. Aside from her cream boat pipe dream, he was the best option. She did not like the Radeks or anyone they employed. She hated to think of her fate in their hands.

Once at the creek, she had some water, then found some cress growing that was ready. She thought a candy bar would have been more help, but any food was good and she gratefully ate the greens.