The Breeding Chamber Ch. 03

"I owe my life to you. You vouched for me. Your cooperation bought my sanctuary," Madeline said.

"But from what I hear you have proved yourself already and Susan no longer despises you," Victoria said graciously.

"When they kidnapped us, they said we looked like twins. If I had a twin sister I'd like it to be you," she continued.

Madeline fought back tears and leaned into the Humvee and hugged Victoria and kissed her.

"I'm going to miss you," Madeline whispered.

"You won't be lonely. That hunky sergeant seems pretty taken with you," Victoria smiled mischievously.

Madeline blushed.

"Yeah; he's training me," Madeline replied.

"I bet you're training him too," Victoria's tone was salacious and Madeline's blush deepened.

"Ok ladies; the fond farewell is over. Trooper back to your position," Billy Brody interrupted the conversation.

Madeline kissed Victoria quickly and scurried away to her designated defensive position.

"Sorry Victoria but it's time," Billy helped Victoria out of the Humvee and led her to a steel light post in the centre of the truck stop.

"Sorry about this too," Billy held out manacles that were clamped onto a long chain attached to the light post.

Victoria held out her hands and Billy manacled her wrists.

"There is a chair to sit on and a canteen of drinking water. Hopefully this won't take too long," Billy leaned in and kissed Victoria farewell.

He dropped the keys to the manacles just out of Victoria's reach.

The trooper stationed on Telegraph Hill had been ordered to open Victoria's phone and send the text with the coordinates of the truck stop to Pope Durden. Sometime later the lookout stationed down the highway radioed that the convoy loaded with the ransom requisites was inbound.

The Troop were on high alert when the fuel tanker and a flatbed with a CONEX shipping container and cases of 5.56mm ammunition rolled into the truck stop. The two trucks circled the light post and stopped and drivers got out the cabs. They were both City Guards. One of them went over to Victoria, took pictures of her with his phone and spoke into his radio. Seconds later a scout car drove into the struck stop and picked up the two drivers and sped away.

The designated troopers cautiously approached the ransom vehicles while the rest of the troop covered them. The men took a sample of the fuel and tested it and opened the CONEX and the ammunition boxes to confirm the contents validity. They signalled Major Brody that all was as it seemed and climbed into the cabs of the two trucks.

The scout car with Virgil and Madeline aboard led the trucks and the APC out of the truck stop into a rat run while the other Humvee went to pick up the lookout and the trooper on Telegraph Hill.

Victoria sat on the rickety metal chair and watched the convoy drive away. She sipped water and waited and before long four Humvees filled with City Guards careered into the parking lot and circled the light post forming a protective perimeter around Victoria. A City Guard exited one of the vehicles. He took more pictures of her then he snatched up the keys and released Victoria from her bonds and bundled her into the vehicle.

The Humvees sped off forming a convoy as they sped off along highway 349 towards Durden City.

The officer in the front passenger seat turned his head and gave Victoria a warm smile.

"Welcome back to Durden City ma'am, the City Commissioner is very much looking forward to seeing you," the officer's smile hardened into a sneer.

He nodded to the guard sitting beside Victoria who snatched her wrists and handcuffed them.

To be continued