My fingernails dug deeper into my thighs. I didn't want to hear anymore. I wanted my knife back. I wanted to slit his throat, to watch the life drain out of his face, and wanting that was so unlike me. I could feel a salty tear peak from the corner of my eye. I willed it away.

Once he realized I wasn't going to add anything, he continued. "We can't let this opportunity go to waste. You understand, yes?"

I looked away.

"Ah, you do." I saw him smile in my peripheral. His snaggle tooth poked out from under his upper lip. "You understand that this is for the good of all mankind too, am I correct?"

I swallowed so I wouldn't be tempted to spit in his face again.

"I am not going to be your egg donor. I refuse. I'd rather die."

"You don't have a choice," He shrugged, leaned forward, and grabbed my chin.

He was too close and his breath was rancid as if he lived off of garlic and pickles. The smell made me want to gag. I steeled myself though and figuring this would be the only opportunity I would get, I leaned back as far as I could and then came back, smashing my head into his. Everything around me went spinning and I suddenly just wanted to lie down and go back to sleep. My equilibrium was going crazy, but it was now or never. I steadied myself the best I could.

Leonard held his head and was cussing up a storm. He opened his mouth to alert his men, but I silenced him by swinging my boot, full speed, into his crotch. He toppled over and out of his chair. Leonard pulled his body into fetal position as he groaned in anguish. I yanked the rifle from his grip and did him the same favor he had done for me back at the cave. I slammed the b.u.t.t of it into his head, knocking him out cold.

I kept the rifle at my side, my finger hovering over the trigger. I slowly opened the door, and before I could check if the hallway was clear, I was ambushed by the same two men from earlier. The plain one sucker punched me, which caused me to loosen my grip on the gun, while the scarred one stole the opportunity, and retrieved my weapon, turning it back on me.

As I fell into a dreamless slumber, I found myself counting the number of times I had been hit in the head over the last week.

I woke up in a smaller, square room. My arms and legs were chained, leaving me completely incapacitated. I was currently suffering from the mother of all migraines and the bright lights seemed to increase the roaring pain.

"Girl."

"Oh, G.o.d." I groaned, refusing to look in the direction of the voice.

"I'm going to ask you one more time," Leonard spoke slowly. "Will you or will you not submit to this plan?"

"Will not," I spat out. "You evil, disgusting, vile piece of inhuman sc.u.m."

"So be it." Leonard waved at one of his henchman, a man I hadn't had the honor and privilege of meeting yet; the new guy came in, dragging Tex behind him. He was overly secured with chains that were quickly connected to the wall.

"Jenson?" Leonard spoke with authority to Tex's captor.

"Yes, sir?" Jenson said, a little too much awe in his voice.

"Did you bring the clippers?"

Jenson patted his back pocket.

"Begin," Leonard commanded.

Tex began to move around in every which direction, trying to escape his bonds. He was sputtering out obscenities I'd never even heard before. Scarred Face and Plain Face, who I soon learned were Morris and Larry, shoved their guns into Tex's face, which made him sit still pretty darn quickly. His face was red with hot anger.

Jenson clenched Tex's forearm between his, and he slowly brought the clipper above the knuckle on Tex's index finger. I was waiting for the bluff to end as the razor sharp sheers began to cut through the skin, causing blood to trail down his fingertip. His jaw was taught; his eyes were sewn shut. I could feel the pain emanating off of him, but he refused to acknowledge it with any sound.

"Stop!" I yelled. "Please, just stop. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt him." I fell limp in my chains, not wanting to give up or give in, but knowing I didn't really have much of a choice either.

"That was easy," Leonard shrugged. "Now, don't look so glum, Jenson. I'm sure there will be other chances."

My look shot daggers in the torturer's direction. He looked disgustingly unhappy. I would kill him after I killed Leonard.

"Girl." Leonard looked back at me. "You made the right choice. Besides, if this didn't work, we had a backup plan anyway." Everyone chuckled but Tex and myself. We seemed to be the only ones out of the loop.

"You son of a b.i.t.c.h! Don't you dare!" Tex rattled the chains. He had a knowing look in his eyes now. Why was I the only one oblivious to what was being spoken of?

"Alright!" Leonard clapped. "Those not needed, please leave." Only he, I, Tex, and Jenson remained.

"Why do you need that man here?" I glared at Jenson.

"Just in case you don't cooperate."

"I said I would!" I growled.

"Yes. Yes, you did. Which is why I'm going to reward you. We're leaving your boyfriend here with you just so you know we're not clipping his fingers in the next room. Unfortunately, since you weren't cooperative at first, we're going to hand you over to one of my men. I originally planned on repopulating using you and him," he pointed to Tex. "But," he shrugged, "that one is your fault." He smiled. "Frank!"

A stout man came in that looked around the age of Tex. He was plain, not ugly-thin, but not built like Tex was.

"Stay the h.e.l.l away from me!" I screamed.

"Now, now..." Leonard protested. "At least I gave you my best looking man. I could have given you Larry-or me." He winked, flashing that lone crooked tooth.

I wanted to vomit.

"Don't make me give Jenson any orders. You wouldn't want that now would you?"

My head fell back against the linoleum tile and I just shook it side to side, finding myself on the verge of admitting defeat.

"Don't you lay one f.u.c.king finger on her!" Tex screamed. "Kid, listen to me! Just forget about me. Don't let them do this to you."

I felt tears well up and spill down my temples. I closed my eyes. "I can't do that," I choked out. "Please, don't watch."

"I swear to G.o.d! I will escape these f.u.c.king chains, skin you alive, and toss you out into the sun to burn if you take one more step in her direction." Tex pulled at his chains.

"Well, I don't need to see or listen to this. Jenson, I trust you know what to do if need be. Frank-for the colony!"

"Yes, sir." The two men said in unison.

As I heard Frank's footsteps grow closer to me, I tried my best to drown out Tex's yelling. I sucked up my tears, refusing to show weakness in front of this oncoming abomination of a man.

I closed my eyes.

"I'm sure glad Leonard found us a pretty one, eh, Jenson?"

"Just shut up and get on with it. I'm hungry." Jenson grumbled.

I felt rough fingertips slide up my face and ma.s.sage my cheekbone. My entire body went stiff; bile rose in my throat. Frank's other hand grabbed my thigh, the only skin showing between my shorts and my boots. His fingertips dug into my naked flesh.

I swallowed, trying to keep the puke down. I swallowed again for good measure. I took a deep breath, wishing I could glue my eyes shut, wishing I could turn off my brain. I was about to slam my head into the tile to knock myself out when Frank spoke again.

"Elle, you're so tense. I like my women at ease."

"How do you know my name?" I croaked. I never told Leonard and Tex wouldn't have said anything.

Frank's eyes widened like he had made some horrible mistake. Jenson cursed. Tex went silent.

CRACK!.

The sound of a gunshot came from outside the door, followed by a thud. I froze; so did the rest of the room. The door swung open and a ghost appeared in the doorway.

"Get away from my Elle!" My dad screamed. But he wasn't a ghost. He was honest-to-G.o.d flesh and bone, holding a pistol. He pulled back on the trigger and Frank fell to the ground beside me, gurgling and drowning in a pool of his own blood.

Jenson quickly reached for his own gun, but he was too slow. He dropped to the floor and slumped sideways into Tex. There was a single red hole between his eyebrows, but behind him, the wall was plastered with blood and brain matter. I gagged and my stomach convulsed. My dad ran over to Tex, unchained him, and then did the same for me before wrapping me in his arms.

"Dad!" I cried, throwing my arms around him. "How? Why? I don't understand!" I was choking on my tears now, having forgotten the world around us. It was only me and my daddy. I wouldn't let anyone invade this moment.

But thanks to reality and Tex's fist, my little dream shattered around me. My dad fell to the ground, a bright red welt on his jaw.

"Tex!" I yelled, momentarily forgetting about his family, forgetting about the atrocity my dad had committed.

"Of course you would be a part of this place! It all makes sense. You probably told them to use your daughter! You deserve to die a thousand times over after what you did to my family, and now your own daughter!" Tex was red in the face and his hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists. He was ready to knock him out once my dad stood back up.

I didn't know what to do. I felt lost. I needed answers.

"Dad, is this true?" I knelt down beside him.

"We don't have time for this! Leonard had to have heard the gunshots."

"Dad! I need to know, please."

I already knew. He looked drenched in guilt. I knew that look; it was hard to miss. He just sat there, slumped, staring at the floor. "I had to get back to you. I had lost your mom and I was delirious with pain. I had only one direction in my mind and that was back to you. I was convinced I would do anything to return to you." Regret poured across his features. He looked at Tex, then back at me. "You have to understand. I hate myself for it. Every day I wish I could go back in time; I wish I could fix it all."

I shook my head. Hearing it from Tex was one thing, but hearing it from my own father completely shook my world; it reshaped my life. The world was a hard place now and people would do anything to survive, though that didn't justify his actions. He was my dad; I would always love him, but I knew I would never be able to look at him the same way after his confession.

"Why didn't you come back to the bunker?" I croaked.

"I ran into Leonard and his gang and by the time I figured out what their plan was, I was too deep in to leave; I didn't want to bring them back to you. It seems it was all for naught though."

I sat silent.

"Elle, sweetie? Please say something."

"There is nothing to say." I gave him a kiss on the forehead and returned to Tex's side. "Don't kill him. Can't you see he's already suffering from the immense guilt he feels?" I looked at my dad with pity.

Tex didn't say anything. I could tell that it took every ounce of strength he had to not use my dad's head as a soccer ball.

"Just leave. Leave now. I'll handle things here. Just go!" My dad gave me a quick hug, but he didn't spare a glance at Tex. There were still so many questions that I wanted-needed-answered, like what happened to my mom, but he quickly shoved us out through the door and pointed down the hall. "Go that way. Make two rights and you'll find the exit. There's about four hours left until daybreak. You have to hurry. Please, just go!"

"I love you, Dad." I said as I gave him one last hug.

"I love you too, Elle. My strong, beautiful girl."

He handed me his pistol. I gave him a weak smile and turned away, following behind Tex. His shoulders were tense, wanting to give in to his innate desire to destroy my father.

It was all concrete-floor to ceiling-with fluorescent ceiling lights flickering every ten or so feet. It was clear and right before our first turn, we pa.s.sed by a door that was slightly ajar. Tex peaked in; I followed suit and I saw a man I hadn't yet met sitting at a desk. When I saw what he was doing and what he had, I couldn't just let him be.

He was looking at an unrolled, laminated piece of paper-the map. Our backpacks and Tex's axe leaned against the wall beside him. If I was correct, that was my utility belt lying on the desk. My knife would be there. I missed my knife.

I took a deep breath and willed all my strength up to the surface. I stepped pa.s.sed Tex and kicked open the door. The man stood up, alert.

"Blondie!" Tex hissed.

"What the f.u.c.k!" He picked up his gun and aimed it at me. He knew he wasn't supposed to shoot me; I was the female. I was the one who would be impregnated with mini-Franks and whoever else wanted a turn. I would not allow that. Ever. Suddenly, I had all the courage I needed and if I wasn't going to let that happen, I had to do something about it. I raised my pistol and pulled the trigger. He fell against the wall. His eyes were wide; he never thought I had the guts. I was running off of pure adrenaline now. I watched as the man slid down the concrete, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. I ran to the desk and buckled my utility belt around my hips. My knife was there. I put on my pack, securing it.

"Holy s.h.i.t, Kid. I didn't think you had it in you." Tex's expression was filled with bewilderment as he stood in the doorway, unmoving. I grabbed his pack which still had his axe attached to it. I rolled the map back up and stuffed it into the lip of my shorts.

We were back in the hall. Two of the men were making their way towards us: Morris and Larry. They screamed at us, telling us to not to move. As if we'd listen. We rushed down the hall, and as my dad had directed, we took the first right. We then took the next right, all the while hearing footsteps gain on us. We had pa.s.sed several doors in our escape, but they were just rooms with beds and dressers; we obviously didn't have any time to loot them.

We finally came upon a door that looked promising. It opened up into a cave tunnel, similar to the safepoints. We had no choice but to run through it. So we did, and after a few minutes, we were out in the open with the desert expanding around us.

We ran until we had absolutely no energy left to even breathe. With the way everything seemed to blur right by me, I felt like I was sprinting in super speed. We ran through hills and down into canyons until there was a vast expanse of soft, sloping dunes before us. Either the men weren't following us anymore or we'd lost them completely. We stopped beside two huge boulders. I sat down and pulled out a water bottle. It took me a few minutes to actually catch my breath enough to even have a drink.

"Drink, Tex." I took a sip and then handed it to him. He didn't take it.

My gaze found his and he was just staring down at me, his face completely blank. I noticed the bandage I had placed above his eye was missing. He was panting and sweating, so I shoved the bottle in his direction once again. He suddenly dropped to his knees in front of me. His knees disappeared into the soft sand of the dunes.

"Tex?" I asked as I c.o.c.ked my head to the side.

He grabbed my face with his dry, calloused hands, pulled me forward with desperate urgency, and planted a firm kiss flat on my forehead.

"You, Elle, are phenomenal."

I blanched.

Chapter 14.

[ Tex ]

What the h.e.l.l? I couldn't believe what had just happened. Well, I should have known she had it in her, but I would have never thought in a million years she would have pulled it off. It was final: she was nothing like her dad.