The Bunker Ch. 07 - The Cullings Pt. 01

The starting gun cracked. Both rednecks charged. Scrawny came at me, Fatman went after Dad-dude.

Scrawny came in swinging, but measured. "Last night's guy took his choice of three pussies from the guys he killed." He lunged at me. I got two quick shots into his ribs before dodging. "You got any sweet cunts I should choose when I kill you?"

Okay, so he wants me as unhinged as him. If I get stupid his lame ass fighting has a chance. So keep a level head. And don't hesitate. I steeled my resolve. I had to kill him. Fuck, probably all of them. God help me. God forgive me.

I slipped clear of another attack, then caught hold of his arm, twisted, and struck just behind the elbow while pulling back on his wrist. A loud crack and his outraged shriek were drowned out by the roar of the crowd. Not pausing, I delivered a swift kick to his knee, driving it sideways, forcing it to bend unnaturally inward. He flopped to the ground screaming, one side broken. I cut off his screams by wrapping my hands around his neck. I didn't let go when he went limp. I squeezed harder as he 'came to' from his fake pass out. I held on for at least a minute after he stopped moving.

I turned my attention to the two grappling and circling the top of the rise. I studied their movements as a slowly closed with them. In a pile of debris, I noticed a spear. With a heavy heart, I drug it out. I examined the tip while a chorus of cheers and a few boos rang out from the onlookers. I hefted the spear, and spun it, checking the balance.

My two opponents were boresighted on each other, oblivious to my approach. Fatman had the same murderous look in his eye as Scrawny. Dad-dude's looked like I felt. But ... he showed real skill. If I misread his intent, he could kill me, leaving my family excluded from the bunker. Their faces swam in my head. I owed them everything. I couldn't take chances. I approached them from the side, favoring my course towards Dad-dude. In spear range now, I thrust the tip into his neck and slashed downward, severing his throat and carotid. He turned to me as he fell to his knees. The surprise and fear on his face seared into my memory. I would see it again, many nights, before waking in a cold sweat.

Fatman charged at me, roaring. I took a defensive stance, spear thrust outward. Fatman batted the tip aside and I quickly sidestepped out of his path. He turned, circled a moment and charged again. I dodged again, this time getting a quick jab into his flank as he passed. Fatman roared. Impressively, he spun on his heel, grabbed the spear and threw it away.

Fatman moved in slowly this time, but his punches swung wild. I slipped underneath and kicked out at his knee. No breakage, but it did drop him for a moment. He turned and then began to rise, his chin up. I took the chance to punch him in the throat. The hit landed with a satisfying crunch. Fatman's eyes bulged. He grabbed his throat and staggered back. His mouth gaped like a landed fish. His eyes flared and he tried to rush forward once more, but fell, first to his knees, then onto his face. I just stood, panting, wary.

The collection of trust fund babies with secure spots in the bunker screamed their adulation. I felt sick. I forced my steps to remain even as I sought the exit and the path to my locker room. I made it into the shower and half-stripped myself before the urge to vomit overwhelmed me. When the retching stopped, my chest continued heaving as I alternated sobbing and screaming.

That's how Sarah found me. Shivering from the cold water and the emotional drain. Speckled with bits of vomit the shower hadn't washed away. Whimpering like a child. She guided me to stand, stripped off my wet shirt and boxers, and helped me cleanup from the vomit and the fight.

Jessica and Jennifer came in with towels as we finished. They dried me off, even as I protested I could do it myself. Not very strongly though. Jess alternated between watching what she was doing and smiling up at me gently. Jenn had a look of worry on her face. There was something else too, but I couldn't place it. She occasionally placed a soft kiss after drying an area. Gabby came in with a set of clothes. The three of them started to dress me while Sarah hugged me. I protested, lightly, but insistently. They relented and I dressed myself -- while they watched. By the end, Sarah was biting her lower lip.

"Seriously?"

"What can I say, my big strong man, getting dressed right in front of me? It gets me hot." Jess and Gabby nodded while Jenn just blushed hard.

"You're not ... you're not scared? Of me?"

Sarah's eyes softened. She stepped in to hold me tight. "I don't fear you. None of us do. We know the man you are." She kissed my chin, then my neck. Gabby, Jess, and Jenn sandwiched themselves against me.

We released the clutch, staying close together, and walked out of the bathroom. Everyone else had been waiting out there and rushed to us. One big hug. They'd heard everything and immediately voiced their agreement with Sarah.

Connie turned my face to her. "Do you have any idea how hot it is to know the hands that caress us so softly carry so much power?" A chorus of mm-hhmmms backed up her statement.

"Okay. Thank you, ladies. I think I've got my shit together again." I kissed each of them in turn. Jenn lingered after and pulled me close.

"The next time we do breath play is going to be epic." Her voice sounded like she was on the verge of climax just talking about it.

"Breath play while you're pregnant really worries me, love."

"Hmm, something to look forward to in several months then." She gave me another kiss.

"We need to move off to the press room, Kevin," Gabby said. "The BA official already announced you are getting the same offer as last night's bout winner. They're bringing the women from the other men to the press room for you to make your decision."

"Of course. They think I'm just going to pick based on looks." I paused. "I am not picking any women from those two redneck shits. Did you see their tatts? I'll grant the possibility a non-racist woman might hook up with some nazi jackass, but I'm not playing those odds." Speaking of odds I'm not playing, I pulled off my shirt as I walked to the table on the side of my dressing room. A few wolf whistles rung out. I just shook my head and grabbed the holster that fit into the small of my back and the 9mm pistol that fit snugly into it. Then I pulled my shirt back on and draped it over the holster, untucked. Sarah and Connie both looked at me and nodded. We headed out, Sarah and I at the front.

As we entered the room, I could see two groups of women seated separately. Lily white. I caught some eyes flaring when Gabby entered, and again when Jenn came in. Well, I already knew the 'men' they were joined to were racist shits.

A door to my right opened, and six women filed in along the wall, moving towards the center of my vision. Until one of them peeled away from the others. Her face was a mask of rage. She switched from walking to running in only a few steps. She drew a knife as she screamed, "You fuckin bastard! You killed my beautiful man! You ain't touchin my black ass! Ain't none of your kind coming near me again."

I dropped to one knee and drew my pistol. As soon as I did, she halted. My finger relaxed on the trigger. That last sentence stuck in my head. "I don't know what the fuck happened to you, but if you equate me with whoever did it, I don't give a shit about your feelings. Put the fucking knife down and step back."

She threw the knife down so hard it bounced, but only in the vertical. The rage cooled only slightly. She raised her hands and walked slowly backwards, furious eyes locked on me.

I took a moment to just breathe. Scenarios flashed through my mind.

"You're all aware I'm supposed to choose three of you for my family."

The Bunker Authority rep in the room cleared his throat. "Slaves. Whoever you pick will be slaves. Just pick who you want and be done with it. The three you most want to fuck."

I kept my face neutral as my eyes flicked his direction. I turned toward the white power girls. "Leave, and don't bother contacting us. I saw the shit your animals had tattooed on themselves. Nobody worth bringing into my family would find that acceptable. Get out." Several sneers greeted my statement, and a few sniffles. One had the decency to hang her head as she shuffled out.

To the remaining six I said, "Go back to your hotel. I just killed three times in the last hour. I'm not making any decisions tonight. In the morning, we'll contact you and set up ... interview times, I suppose. We'll figure out if I'm choosing anyone at all." I looked at my would-be attacker. "Don't bother coming. Your hate is just as repugnant as theirs."

******

That night was a first. All of us piled into one bed. Even in the occasional threesome, none of the ladies in my family showed any interest in playing with each other. Most tended to avoid any contact beyond a reassuring or congratulatory hug. Those happened a lot -- we're a hugging family -- but had a clear, non-sexual context. Tonight, they all got into bed clothes, some rather skimpy, and crawled on the bed with me. They all spooned each other, three on one side of me, four on the other. Like I was the middle of nested parentheses.

It was a cozy way to sleep. Physically, mentally, and emotionally comforting. Not so great when waking up with a full bladder. At least none were atop him. He just needed to slip quietly out. None of the women in his family had taken to early rising. Jessica was the earliest among them, but she was generally still an hour behind him. Gabriela often rose about the same time as Jess. Sarah and the younger ones would sleep until noon if left alone.

With a bit of care, I managed to extract myself and get to the bathroom. Completing the first order of the day, I hopped in the shower. I turned the water as hot as I could stand and let the wet heat build. I aimed the nozzle as it could go, then turned my back and stood where the water hit the back of my neck and head. The water pouring over my scalp and running down my face felt good.

I felt more than heard the bathroom door open and quickly close. Jessica saw me peek out.

"I'll be in with you in a second, if you don't mind. Just give me a minute to ... you know ..." her eyes shifted towards the toilet. I nodded and closed the curtain.

I was face forward, hot water splashing on my chest, steaming rising in my face when the curtain opened and Jess slipped in. She brought one arm over my shoulder and another around my waist. Her head leaned against my shoulder blade, eyes staring up in to mine when I turned to look.

She slipped under my arm as I lifted it and half turned. We stood facing each other, the shower striking us from the side. She kissed me softly on the chest. Soft kisses, changing locations. After the first few, she looked up, keeping her eyes locked to mine as she lavished me with adoration. Her hands began to roam. I took my cue and began to do the same.

Jessica stood. She wrapped her arms around my waist. Leaning in, pressing her body against mine, she kissed me firmly on the lips. She opened her mouth, giving me access. I probed forward with my tongue making contact. She hummed softly, stroking my tongue with her own. Sucking softly on my tongue.

I guided her against the backwall and lifted her leg. Jessica moaned and gripped me tight. I lined myself up with her entrance and drove into her with one swift, firm thrust.

"YES!" Jessica gasped, her large, soft breasts heaving. Her body shook. She gazed at me with hunger ... and submission. I thrust in and out of her, raising both of us rapidly to a mutual peak. Jess crashed over the precipice. Her moans, her hands gripping me frantically, her rippling vagina grasping me, pulled me over the cliff with her. Jess lowered her leg and we clung to each other as the spasms subsided. We kept holding on even after.

Only a few inches shorter than me, Jess eased herself up to kiss me firmly on the lips, then fixed me with her gaze. "You're a good man. I hoped that was true after reading your profile. You've proven that every day. But the world is ugly. That puts you in the position of making hard decisions, doing things no one wants to do. But you've never turned from doing them. That's what makes you both strong and good. You're the man we need. And we are not afraid of you. We are proud. Proud of you, and proud to be yours."

A pause, then she continued. "I pray for you every day. For your health, for your heart. I thank God for you. I was desperate when the lottery was announced. God help me, I would have settled for a lot less than you if it came to that. I wasn't expecting to fall in love again. I didn't even want to love again. But I do. I love you, Kevin. My Master, and my love." She kissed me again, fiercely. "Come to me when you need comfort. I want to comfort you. I want to give you solace when you need it. I love you with all that I am."

I clutched her tightly. Tears brimmed my eyes but didn't spill over.

Finally, I spoke. "I love you too, Jessica. I'm glad you're in my life. You've helped this family in so many ways. Thank you. For this, and everything."

******

As we were all eating breakfast from room service, the day manifested its first wrinkle. An insistent knock at the door brought Melissa to her feet and striding to it. As soon as she opened, a young black girl walked swiftly through, breezing past Mel. Her hair pulled back from her face in six neatly spaced cornrows. She appeared to be in her early teens, yet she was already pushing 5'6". Her body wore the tall frame well, her deep brown skin supple and taut over a nice balance of muscle and fat. She wore fashionable denim shorts that ended high on her thighs and a loose, white cotton blouse. She had a lovely face, in fact, she looked a little like ... my opponent from last night.

"My name is Shaunice. Devon was my father. The second man you killed last night." Her voice caught. "I'm asking to be chosen as spoils."

"Stop. How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

No one in the room bought that and made no attempt to restrain their doubt.

Sarah spoke. "We can look into other options, but if you came here to ... partner with Kevin, that's not possible."

Shaunice looked lost. "D-dad said, ... he said, if ... if something went bad, to do whatever I could to stay alive and take care of Levon."

"Your brother?" Gabby asked.

Shaunice nodded.

"Sarah's right, we will check into other options. I don't know what just yet, but we will see what we can do." My assurance gave her small relief. "Where's your brother?"

"Downstairs, in the lobby."

"Have either of you eaten yet?"

"No sir."

"Get him up here, and figure out what you want. Jenn, can you go with her and make sure they get something once they're up here?" Jennifer nodded her assent. She'd finished several minutes ago.

"Before we go, there's something you should know. Dad had barely started dating Aaliyah when they announced the Rock and the lottery system. He felt responsible for her and kept her with him. He ... disagreed with her on some political points that just hadn't been discussed in their relationship before ... all of this started. Dad wasn't like that, and he raised us to stay away from that kind of thinking." She kept her eyes downcast, even as she turned to walk away with Jennifer.

After a few minutes of silence, Gabby spoke up. "If you don't mind, I'll contact the Bunker Authority official after reviewing the declarations from last night and the previous night. I'll see what leeway you have on this. I am familiar with contracts after all."

I smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Gabriela." I paused for a minute. "We also need to interview the remaining five partners of ... Devon." My eyes lost focus briefly, but I didn't lose my composure.

"Well," Sarah interjected, "with Gabby tracking down the legalisms, and Jenn shepherding ... Shaunice and Levon, if Bel watches our little ones" Jess grinned at the use of 'our', "then there's five of us to interview five of them. We could each interview one-on-one with them, then rotate. Say twenty minutes each, plus five minutes to switch? In just over two hours, we would each get time with each of them. Then we get together and tell you our thoughts. You can either pick based off that ... or whittle down the list and do a separate set of interviews."

"I like that plan. I'll decide after whether I whittle or interview all of them, but I want ya'lls opinions on these women. Ideally, I'd get opinions from all seven of you, but we'll deal with what is."

******

The hotel sub-divided a conference room for us. The BA official had police officers on hand to search each woman as she entered. Nothing else crazy happened, and after two and a half hours, the five candidates were ushered into the hotel restaurant for lunch while my family came up to the room to consult. It was a remarkably short conversation.

"Three of them show no particular worry signs, but ... nothing lends to them meshing well with the family."

"Which would suggest a no then."

"That only leaves two. They said for you to pick three."

"They said I could pick three. There's no requirement that I do so. I'm not trying to 'Collect 'em All'."

The younger ladies snickered while Gabby and Sarah just shook their heads.

"You're correct there. The declaration allows you to choose three but does not require you to choose any."

"Well I have no need to gather more women. We could just end it now and head home."

"Hold on a moment Kevin." Sarah said, "The other two look to be good matches for you, and I think they'd fit the family well."

"Okay, so who's promising candidate number one?"

"That would be Nicole Pharris. She goes by Kiki. She's a local news anchor from ... Devon's hometown area. Cut her teeth on corruption stories. She's funny and nice. She's the one that cringed away when ... Aaliyah attacked you. She does not have a similar mindset. And, she might help solve another problem."

"What's that?"

"She's offered to adopt Shaunice and Levon if you accept her. Then they could come into the Bunker too."

My face immediately relaxed, which told me more about my tension than I realized. I thought it over briefly and turned to Gabby. "I have to select these women as slaves right?" Gabby nodded. "So once I choose her, she can't sign legal documents, like adoption papers."

"Oh, yeah, that would be true."

"And adoption takes a long time."

"They have given expedited adoptions lately. Some people that were chosen have adopted nieces and nephews or younger cousins, with the same gender and age restrictions as Jessica and others faced." Meaning nieces and female cousins under 18 and nephews and male cousins under age 9. "You could get it processed in less than a day. Some went through in an hour. Especially for the girls."

"You checked on that today too?"

"After this morning it seemed like a good idea. You have no connection to them, so you couldn't get the expedited process, and maybe not at all. But there's room to argue since Kiki was partnered to their dad, she could be given permanent custody."

"Thanks for taking the initiative on that. This is sounding like a real solution." I looked to the other four interviewers. "What did you think?"

"She was fun to talk to," said Constance. "And she pointed out that having someone with media savvy could be helpful to you."

Mel added, "She liked the idea of family game nights. All kinds of games. Said she'd never played an RPG, but would like to try."

"We talked about music our entire time," Leslie chimed in. "She leans heavy towards smooth jazz and pop rock. Gives off the same kind of vibe in conversation. Just a mellow person. Oh, and she likes to sing, but doesn't think she sings well. We switched right after that admission, so I didn't get to hear her."