This story is copyrighted 2017 by Kaereni, may not be excerpted, reprinted, reproduced, or reposted in any form without the express written consent of the author. Visitors may read or temporarily download pages but are not permitted to modify or re-distribute them.
The story may contain sexual activities and situations that are to be read only by readers above the legal age of consent. All characters are above the age 18. The story is not to be read in locations where such stories are illegal. If you are not of legal age, or live in the wrong place, please do not read.
Author's note: A special thanks goes to Ed for his work on editing my stories. Any mistakes you find are not his fault; they are mine for not making all of the changes he recommends.
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Karen kept looking at her hands clenched on the table before her. "In the gun room is a trap door and somewhere below must be dad's bunker. I have to know what is down there so I am going to give an order you will not follow. I want you four to go to the grove where it is safe while I explore and disarm his traps." She took a breath and let it out slowly, "One of you has already told me no she is not going to leave my side. Better to die with me than die alone," She looked at Baby Girl, "Right Baby Girl?"
"Damn right Mistress. Punish me, kill me but don't send me away." Baby Girl replied.
"Sister is right. We won't leave you to die alone Mistress. We are in this together come what may," Cat said.
Little Bit nodded, "I can't lose you now Mistress. I found love and joy in serving you."
Red said softly, "Mistress, let me go. I can do as good as any here. Better for me to die than you."
"No Red, Baby Girl made the same offer. But I know my father and know what I would do in his place. While mom took me under her wing, he taught me plenty about traps and hiding my trail from the government." Karen said.
She looked around the table, "I want a promise from each of you. I want you to swear on your very life that if it blows up in my face and I don't die, that you won't come down after me. Not until I say so. My guess is there are two traps on the steps down. One high to catch the first person and another lower to catch his rescuers." Karen looked at Baby Girl. "That sound about right to you?"
"Yes Mistress." She stood and turned away, "You have my word Karen. I won't go and I will stop any who tries." Baby Girl turned back and pointed at her, 'But if you die my dead body will land on top of yours."
"Mistress you don't need to go down now. Let it go." Cat said worried about Baby Girl's mental state more than Karen's.
Red pulled Baby Girl down so she was seated once more. "I agree Mistress. What's the rush, you haven't worried about it until today. What has changed?" She bent over and said, "You have to get a grip sister. Don't lose it now..."
"I agree with Mistress on this one," Little Bit said. "If she doesn't it will drive her crazy wanting to know. Sooner or later she will try, might as well be today."
"At least wait here," Karen said standing. She walked back to the gun room and opened the door. An old weathered ladder attached to one wall of the rough tunnel down. "Weathered my ass," she said looking at it. At least the ladder was on the far side and she wouldn't be dragging herself down the steps. Going back to the bed she put the screw drivers in one pocket and the wire cutters and pliers in another. Putting the light on she looked at the girls who had come to the door to watch. "Here goes nothing."
She returned and dropped the end of the rope down, wrapped it around her waist and one leg then fed it through the D rings to make a crude repelling harness. As she went down, not using the steps she looked around and at them. "Claymore between step two and three wired to third step." She called out. She looked up at Baby Girl looking down at her. "Are you so eager to die love?"
"Sure am, just like you, Mistress." Baby Girl said with a smile. "Want one of the cotter pins from the ones up here?"
"Um no... but you can get me one from the packets that would fit." Karen replied as she cut the wires from the contact switch to the mine. She still needed to safe it and hand it up before going further down. Getting the cotter pin she put it in carefully and removed the mine. Handing it up she looked at Baby Girl's worried face before continuing down.
Just over half way down she found the second one. It was five steps from the bottom and set just like the first. This time she let Baby Girl crawl down to her with another cotter pin. She made it safe before cutting the switch out and handed it up to her. Baby Girl in turned handed it up to someone above her. "Wait there Baby Girl until I am sure the rest of the way down." At the bottom she made sure each step was safe before looking around. One way had a dark tunnel with wood beams and boarded roof. "Yea I can see death that way too, daddy." She said softly a vague memory rising from her foggy childhood. She suddenly turned to the right and smiled.
There was her childhood handprint in brown paint on a rock. Karen laughed as the rest of the grand adventure memory rose in her mind. Her father had brought her down here while he was making it and had her put her tiny hand print on a switch so she would always remember it. Pressing the switch caused a panel to open. She giggled as she put her hand on the scanner and said, "The government sucks eggs."
"What was that?" Baby girl asked from up above her.
"A password I gave the door when I was little," Karen replied. She pushed on through and into the bunker. "Tell your sisters to come on down but don't go down the tunnel."
Inside it was just as sterile as she remembered as a child, the walls, ceiling and floor were painted gloss white. The furniture was stainless steel and she remembered being happy she had a bunk bed for her and a friend for a sleep over if she had one. On a stainless-steel table was an old fashioned tape recorder with batteries next to it and a note saying, "Play me first."
By the time she had the batteries in it Karen saw the four girls were inside the bunker with her. Pressing play, she heard her father's voice, "Pumpkin, if you are listening to this, it means the government got your mother and I. I want you to be strong and remember everything I taught you. If you do and lay low, you will be safe. Go get the lock box we three got at the bank in your name you will find instructions. Remember always we love you. She was about to turn it off when she heard him say, "You mother wants to tell you something too."
"Karen," like a voice out of the past she heard her mother. "I know you are dancing with glee right now. But I want you to know I did everything because I love you. Sandy was not worthy to walk beside you. But she is worthy to be your slave. She will do anything for you, up and including throwing her life away so that you can live. I made sure of that. I know I never coddled you and I could see the resentment in your eyes as I belittled you. I'm sorry but as a mother I had to do what I thought was best for you. In time you will see I was right and thank me. Be strong, never bow, and always remember I love you."
"Some love," Karen replied. Turning off the tape. She walked back and opened a door. "The storeroom. Not a freezer but a year's supply of dried food for six. I'll be upstairs when you finish looking around. Pull the door closed behind you."
Karen when up and out to sit on the porch. A minute later Baby Girl came out and knelt beside her and rested her head against her leg, "She was right for the wrong reason. I would throw my life away to save yours because I love you Karen."
"I know you do," Karen said softly. "That tape changes nothing about how I feel about her. She was evil pure and simple. Daddy was just paranoid; she was a psychopath. We still need to buy a freezer." She looked at the others as they came out and said, "How do you feel about going out to dinner tonight? We can go clubbing afterwards and see who can get me more hot and bothered." They all liked that idea so she said, "Wait a minute, I have one condition."
"I knew there had to be a catch," Cat said. "Okay I'll bite, what is the catch?"
"No more sisters or brothers," Karen said. "I know we will see and meet people who need a Mistress and loving sisters. But let's try to have a week, calm and relaxing with just the five of us."
Little Bit looked at Red, "Bet you we have a sister by midnight."
"Why do you say that sis?" Red asked as she looked at the grinning faces.