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Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 01

By: s53mith



It was a chilly spring day, the sun had not poked through the clouds yet over Hardstorm Kentucky and Travis looked out the window of his home. He opened the window to let fresh air in. It had been another cold night, and he wanted to get the smell from the fire in the chimney from last night aired out. It was going to be a busy day. He had to go into town later to meet the mayor of Hardstorm David Johnson. But before he could he felt it was necessary to gather his thoughts, in these last several weeks he had gone through a lot, it seemed minor, but he was compelled to do it. With a glass of water in hand, he sat down at his work desk and began to write.

My name is Travis Friar, and I feel it is necessary to write down the events of the last three weeks. I don't know if humanity will survive, or if anyone will ever recover this testament of events. What follows is to my knowledge the best summary of events that lead up to now, April 24th 2052. 

The fall of mankind was inevitable. For countless years the world tried to convince itself that they could go on forever using the resources that they had at their current pace. Oil was the most important of these resources, almost everything produced could be traced back to some sort of oil being used, either in manufacturing or in transport for sale. Never before has the world depended on just one thing to the scale of oil. Technically it the supply never did run out, it was that there was so little being produced that prices were astronomical and no average person could afford to run a gasoline engine.

The economic depression that hit could have been a lot worse. The United States, Canada, Japan, and Western European nations had been the leaders in technological advancement for years, and since the oil crisis of the 2000s they had invested hundreds of billions of dollars into renewable energy. Wind, Hydro, Solar, Nuclear, and Tidal Power plants were so prevalent that they powered everything. Cars and trucks were converted to hydrogen based fuel cells that was made incredibly cheep by a scientist that found out how to split the water molecule to trap hydrogen and then convert it back into water. Steel was still being produced by coal, and 90% of the oil in these developed nations was being used for intercontinental flights. Oil had gotten so expensive that train travel was converted to the hydrogen fuel cells and the industry also invested billions into high speed trains, and for the first time since the 1930s and '40s there was little to no air traffic overland on any continent. 

In less than 30 years since the oil crisis of 2003 to '13 these nations were only dependant upon gasoline in significantly smaller quantities. It was probably this great confidence that these nations had that they thought they were safe, but oil consumption was so great in the fast developing east and that it was so important in manufacturing plastics and other petroleum based goods is what made the collapse inevitable.

The main problem in oil consumption was that the developing nations of Africa, Asia, and South America did not have the wealth to convert to alternate power sources when they still had a chance to make a difference.

OPEC was first to stop exports and saw it fit to keep all the oil that they had left for themselves. That one event decided behind closed doors by billionaires sealed the fate of mankind. Smaller countries that had oil saw instant jumps in their economies, Russia and Venezuela were the main benefactors of the new wealth. The United States and Canada even though they had 1% of the demand they did in the early 2000s followed suit with OPEC and closed all exports so they could sustain their standard of living. The OPEC decision had so many consequences they are to numerous to list. 

One question that needs answered before the fall of mankind can be truly understood is why did Africa, Asia, and South America not develop the same power systems as everyone else? The reason for that answer is the answer for most political decisions, Money. At that time technological development was so expensive that they took the cheaper route and used oil. They saw little need to convert cars to hydrogen at the time, and cared little for their impact on world climate. When OPEC decided to stop exports their economies collapsed so fast that they could not recover.

The world climate was changing quicker than ever. China had been the worst greenhouse gas producer since the turn of the millennium and they continued at their astronomical pollution pace until the collapse. The total deforestation of South Asia, Russia, and the South American Amazon let the temperatures rise as a result and melted the polar ice caps completely. The water level raised only several meters because everyone knows that when ice melts in a glass of water the water level goes down, and all of the raise of water came from glaciers and continental Antarctica. Displacement happened as a result, people relocated and the world moved onwards to disaster. 

Politics were the final straw. As the crisis worsened the developed nations started to cease exports to provide for their own people. Economies then started to collapse in Europe and Japan as they were most dependent of the developed nations on imports. It was here that the downfall was first seen spiraling out of control by the majority of the world, but no one could agree on what to do as everyone did not want to part with their resources for the good of the world.

War. What were first territorial wars between countries in Asia, and Africa turned into full scale conflicts when trying to get more resources. War spread into Eastern Europe and eventually into Western Europe. Countries were being devastated and a world wide drought devastated those warring nations and millions starved. It was this same drought that finally brought the United States and Canada into economic collapse.

It happened then, it just had to happen when the world was so engrossed in war and turmoil that only one thing could have happened after it. The bomb.

The first bomb was set by some extremist cult from the Middle East that finally got a hold of one as India and Pakistan fell into war. They bombed India first. India responded and bombed Pakistan without asking questions. Former world powers of Russia and the United States tried to get involved to stop the chaos and a few too many diplomats were killed as Pakistan retaliated against India. In that little amount of time the buttons were pressed and Pakistan and India were whipped out, and bombs had hit Russia and the United States in the cross fire. China demanded they get reparations from Russia and the United States for nuclear fallout and when no response came the world as we know it was officially ended by nuclear war in approximately 4 days 11 hours from the time the first bomb was first set off.

The nuclear exchange was limited since disarmament of the cold war, but every country that had nuclear weapons used them. I can only assume what the affect has been in other parts of the world, and will not guess further than there are probably survivors like me who will only be trying to survive.

What I can tell you is what has happened here in Hardstorm Kentucky. When the bombs hit the United States most of the Northeast Coast, West Coast, and Gulf Coast was destroyed. Major cities across the Midwest were also hit, but most of the interior of the nation was safe. Nuclear fallout devastated areas to the west of these Midwest cities and mutually assured destruction was accomplished. Hardstorm was lucky. Most of the mid Appalachian Mountains were spared from fallout when by chance the weather patterns sent fallout to the north and south.

Panic set in when the bombs went of and almost half the town left with all they could carry. A couple of families have come back into town telling stories of destruction the closer they got to major cities. Hardstorm survived the bombs. Let this be a message to future generations of the events that happened.

Fairweather Estate: April 24th, 2052. 9:34AM. 1 mile North of Hardstorm

Travis looked up at the clock it was time to go if he was going to get there on time. Folding the paper he put it in an envelope and finished his cup of water. He stretched his fingers since they tightened and sore from all of the writing. He didn't have time to write more and he figured if he had something else to say that might be of use in the future he would try to summarize that as well. He didn't know if anyone was keeping a written log of events. He never had kept a journal, but writing down what had happened seemed the best thing to do to get it out of his mind. Standing he walked over to his safe and stored it in a top corner. The safe would stand the tests of time, even if he didn't, and it was the safest place he could think of.

He was recently new in town. He moved from a Lexington suburb two months ago. His grandfathers hunting cabin three miles out of the rural town of Hardstorm Kentucky had everything he could have ever needed. His family had owned the land since well before the civil war and he was left it from his father 3 years prior. When the economy was booming the cabin was rebuilt with modern luxuries. His father was killed in the first year of the riots that spawned from the economic collapse.

Travis had to go into town today. Long before the bombs went off the economy had turned into a barter system. Travis had moved to the cabin when he couldn't get any more work in Lexington. He was former military and they were not looked at kindly in the cities since the riots broke out. He took his sidearm out of the safe and put on his shoulder holster. Checking the ammunition in the clip he loaded his Colt '45 model 2011 and took a few extra of the high capacity clips. It was practically the same gun model that was made famous almost 100 years earlier, but with minor modifications to increase firepower, accuracy, and reduce recoil.

The roads were not safe after the bombs, even this far out into the country so Travis wanted to take no chances, and took along his M4 Carbine. Life still had its perks, he came from a long line of former military and weapons collectors, and had brought most of his families collection with him when he moved. It seemed that after the bombs everyone was carrying around guns after a string of murders and robberies in Hardstorm. The local gun shop was sold out in days and the public display of firearms kept the peace better than the state police would have 50 miles away. No one had even seen a police officer since the bombs.

Travis got into his 2045 Mercedes-Dodge Ram and took off towards town. 

Yesterday

Travis was chopping firewood just outside his cabin when he heard the trip wire set off the flare in the distance. It was mid afternoon and he rushed to his cabin to get a gun. He chose his trusty M4 Carbine and Sniper Riffle and was into his sniper nest in no time. It was off to the side of the cabin by the tree line. Since the first reports of violence, he set out to defend himself from robbers by digging multiple concealed firing positions as well as setting up trip wires on the roadway. With cars being powered by fuel cells they were incredibly quiet compared to combustion engines of old. He figured that the trip wires would give him warning if someone was coming. The problem was that they could leave then, and come back another time being more cautious and avoid the road. So Travis spent a lot of time planning and scouting other places surrounding his cabin to put the flares, he figured he would wait until after the first one went off to place the others, so he wouldn't be spooked every time a stray animal set them off.

Another flare went off, he had placed a series of them on the road to see if they were that dumb or if they wanted to see him. Hunkering down he brought the scope of his rifle to his eye as the vehicle entered the clearing before his cabin. The man inside shut off the engine and opened the door and stepped out.

Travis slowly squeezed off one round as the man went towards the house and it impacted harmlessly two feet in front of the man. He stopped instantly and his arms shot up in surrender as he spun towards the direction he heard the shot. "Travis Friar? Is that you?" He shouted. "I am David Johnson, the mayor of Hardstorm, you might remember me from when you were younger, I was a friend of your fathers."

Travis did remember hearing something about David Johnson when he was growing up and that he was mayor in the short time he had been in town. "Wait there!" Travis shouted back. He climbed out of the hidden entrance in the woods and stepped out in the open, his M4 at the ready.

"What do you want?" Travis said rather gruffly. He was being rude, but these times called for it on occasions such as this.

David took a step towards Travis, "I came to talk to you about our town. We need someone of your experience to help." David Johnson was not an imtimidating man. He stood at just 5'8" and was slightly balding. He was born and raised in Hardstorm and knew everyone in the town of just under 1,000 and the several hundred or so scattered outside of town a couple miles. "I knew your father from way back, I heard of his passing and remember the summers you would come up here with him."

Trav's memory was coming back to him, he did know this man, but it had been many years since he had met him. He last saw him before he had gone into the military. Then remembering his manners, "Sorry about being so defensive, I heard about all the robberies and violence that's been going on around here. Why don't we go inside?" Travis led David into his cabin. "I can only offer you a glass of water if you would like one."

"No need to worry, I was actually scared that you would shoot first and ask questions later after those flares." David chuckled to himself and realized that Travis wasn't laughing at his poor color. They sat at the table a moment before David spoke up again. "Travis, I know these are troubling times, but I have been in contact with Mayor Hughes of Laketon and we are going to form a milita between our two towns to keep the peace, and defend our assets."

Travis was a bit confused at that last statement, "So what do you want from me?"

"I know this is short notice but I know that you were former military and your family is well known around these parts, so I will get right to it, I want you to be in charge of our towns militia."

Travis sat there stunned, "You don't want me, I'm not from here, I couldn't..."

"The truth is almost everyone in town knows what you did in the Third Iraq War. A lot of people know you are here and basically scared to even come meet you." Travis grunted as he stood and went towards the door and out onto the porch. Mayor Johnson followed close behind. "You are definitely the most qualified to do the job."

"Its not that, Mayor, it is... well, this area is difficult to defend a town this small. It's not possible. We don't have power, we are going to run out of food, the best thing to do is look out for yourselves and try to survive."

"Travis, I have a plan. Everyone in town has to help if anyone is going to survive through next winter, I have already talked to all the farmers and they can store enough food for everyone this winter if we help defend their farms from those bandits, a show of force is all that we really need. The economy has been collapsed for a long time before the bombs. This is how we have to survive now."

"I've had enough of fighting, I can't get past what I have already done half the time." Travis was back at his wood pile considering his options. Mayor Johnson had a point with it had to be done. If the bandits were free game everywhere, he was sure that he couldn't last forever, even as isolated as he was. "I'll think about it."

"Good, we are having a meeting tomorrow at 10 AM in the town hall." David turned to leave, "Oh and by the way, there are a couple windmills between here and Laketon that need some minor repairs, some guys in Laketon used to work for the power company and they said they could get them working again, but with the bandits they would need protected too."

Trav sighed as he got back to work on his wood pile. Patrolling windmills as well as farms would be a job all in itself, he wouldn't have time for his work here.

Hardstorm Kentucky: April 24th, 2052. 9:55 AM

The town was already busy when he got there. The mayor had called an emergency town meeting to be held in the town hall. He climbed out of his truck and locked the door. He slung his Carbine over his shoulder and was soon outside of the over flowing town hall. He managed to push/intimidate his way inside as no one else had his level of weaponry. Everyone was staring at him. He had been in town only several times since the bombs and they all treated him this way every time. The mayor had said most people knew who he was but he didn't recognize anyone he saw.

The mayor was at the front of the room talking to a group of people. When the mayor noticed him he motioned for Travis to come forward.

"Glad to see you here, I was worried you wouldn't come." Mayor Johnson said with a smile on his face. "We can get started now, stay near the stage, I'll call you up when I am ready."

"May I have your attention please." David was using a megaphone and the crowd quieted. "Many of you have heard the stories of violence outside of town, and they are true." A quick murmur spread through the crowd and David continued. "There is no need to worry, I have a plan if you give me your attention." The crowd again listened. "I have received word from Laketon that they are in the same situation as we are and I have worked out an agreement with their mayor to provide and protect each other as best and for as long as we need to. I know a lot of you have families elsewhere and I cannot stop you from going but I implore you to stay here where it is safe. I have talked with all of our farmers and they have agreed to continue providing for the community, in exchange for work and protection."

The crowd started talking in groups as David had to interrupt them again "I am calling for an emergency vote for sheriff and judge tomorrow to keep order in the town because who knows where any legal system is. Here on the stage are two tables one for sheriff and one for militia. All who would like to run for sheriff or judge sign up on this list to my left and all who want to sign up for the town militia sign up on the right."

"Militia! What is the sheriff for then?" came an angry yell from the crowd.

"I was getting to that," continued David. "The sheriff will act as the police for our town only, the militia will be our defense. I feel that it is important for the militia to do what it is ordered and under the command of both myself and the Mayor of Laketon. It will not be voted upon so there is no politics in the militia. All ranks will be assigned by whomever I appoint in charge." There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd. "Without further delay, I am appointing Travis Friar, son of long time former Hardstorm resident Michael Friar." David motioned towards Travis and he went onto stage.

His appearance intimidated a lot of people. Standing at 6'3" and 210 lbs of muscle Travis was even more fierce looking with his Carbine and pistol. The crowd hushed as Travis took the megaphone. "Many of you might have known my father and know who I am and I would like to meet you all eventually. But to keep this short, I would like all former military to sign up as well as all able bodied men and women ages 18 to 30 if you are willing."

Travis' statement sent off a fury of discussion amongst the crowd he didn't care about it right now, just as long as he could get things done the way they needed to be done. As he exited the building people cleared a path out of his way.


Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 01



One Hour Later

When Travis left the town hall he sought out the nearest bar. It had a sign on it that said, 'Will be back after meeting.' Obviously everyone was at the meeting and as the townspeople trickled out of the town hall, a couple more people stood outside the tavern. Most looked away from Travis and some left once they saw he was here.

Then he saw her. Sarah Warner. She had lived closest to his cabin when he was a child and his best childhood memories were of spending time exploring the mountains with her whenever he visited during the summer. They had stayed in contact sporadically after he graduated high school and went into the military and they had eventually lost contact altogether after he got out. He figured it was because the same reason that all his friends looked differently at him after what had happened in the war. 

She was as even more gorgeous as Travis could remember. Long auburn hair and blue eyes sat on top of her 5'6" height and her breasts and legs were always something to look at.

Sarah stopped short of the tavern door as she noticed Travis off to the side. She studied him briefly as he stared back at her. Uncomfortable she looked away, and dug out a set of keys from her purse and unlocked the door letting everyone in. "I will be there in a minute, TOM! Just wait a minute." She was hollering at an old regular that liked to make himself at home. Turning back Sarah noticed Travis had walked towards her. "Hey, I... I heard you were back in town and was meaning to call until, you know." She tossed a loose strand of hair out of her face as she held the door open for him. "What's it been? Almost 10 years."

Travis had to squeeze by her as he entered, his arm brushed her breasts and his memory of his lifelong boyhood crush came back to him. "That seems about right. It was right after it happened I guess." 

Sarah was behind the bar getting drinks for the couple customers that came in. Travis ordered whiskey on the rocks and after Sarah told him there was no ice since the power was out he ordered it strait and she quickly got it for him, "Trav did Mayor Johnson tell you anything yesterday?"

"No, should he have?" Travis took a drink, the whiskey was smooth as it slid down his throat. The last time he had a drink was when his father died. Now seemed like as good of a time as any to start. 

"I told him to go ask you to do it. He didn't want to at first. I had tried several times to get myself to go see you since you got back in town." She smiled at Travis as he finished his drink, "Do you want another."

It was almost noon, and Travis was going to meet with Mayor Johnson later about plans as to what to do and that could take hours. "Sure, I'll have one more for now." Sarah had her back to him as she poured another drink, Travis was taking his time staring at her butt. Straight whiskey is not an easy drink. Travis was definitely feeling the buzz as he left around thirty minutes later, he and Sarah didn't talk much more, he did do a lot of staring at her. It had been 10 years since he saw her and she was more beautiful now then ever.

Fairweather Estate: April 24th, 2052. 7:34PM.

Travis had just gotten back to his cabin he had checked all of his trip wires he set up and none had gone off. A quick survey of the open ground surrounding the cabin and he relaxed as he set about preparing another dinner of canned food.

The planning with Mayor Johnson had taken a while. There was a lot to do and based on the preliminary amount of volunteers that had signed up, there were only 30, but they were mostly former military so that was good. The main thing that needed done was road blocks outside of town to make it harder to get in. The mayor had suggested using jersey barriers that were on Route 4. The mayor was very helpful, he was more familiar and even thought to bring quad maps that showed the elevation of hill, valleys, and the general lay of the land. There were eight main roads that came into Hardstorm, three from the west, one from the south, one from the north, and three from the east. They combined into four just before they made it into town. All the road blocks would be set up at the major intersections and just outside of town.

Travis was making mental notes as to where to scout and see what locations were the best for ambush. He had learned in the Third Iraq war to spot ambush locations, because it would save your life. The difference with Hardstorm and the war was that Hardstorm couldn't just keep throwing troops at the problem like the government could. It would be a difficult task.

The Mayor and Travis also talked about setting up observation stations that would be concealed from the road and to hard wire communications to report activity. This would be the easiest way to respond to trouble. The mayor was even suggested using his cabin as a headquarters. Travis was reluctant to have other people around his cabin, but the Mayor insisted. It was isolated on a back road, in between the main road north and the main road west towards Laketon. The windmills were even between the cabin and Laketon, and the position outside of town would be more difficult to locate if any of the bandits roaming the roads tried to spy on the town before attacking someone. Travis consented, and after several hours of tedious details, they called it quit and arranged to meet tomorrow after the vote and get the volunteers out to his cabin.

His cabin was more of a house, just that everyone in his family referred it to it as their hunting cabin so they kept calling it that. It was two floors, large kitchen and living room, with 5 bedrooms. It was a big weekend destination when he was a kid and his father and friends would take hunting trips in the fall. The summers they spent there were great, and he realized he still knew the surrounding forest from muscle memory.

The last time Travis could remember anyone coming up here in a group was three years ago while his father was still alive. Other than that Travis periodically visited the cabin a couple times a year to check for any damage that needed fixed before moving there permanently three months ago. Travis set about cleaning up the place after he ate. If the place was going to get busy again, he wanted to make sure all the rooms were aired out properly. There was a trap door in his bedroom on the first floor that lead to a cellar. It had been used as part of the underground railway when his ancestors from the north originally bought the land and settled here. It seemed like as good of a place as any to store his weapons and ammunition now that people would be coming and going quite often.

He washed up after all his work and started a fire for the night, it was going to be chilly again, and he slept on the couch as the fireplace was only in the living room and went to sleep.

Fairweather Estate: April 25th, 2052. 1:20PM.

Travis was already waiting for the Mayor as the caravan pulled up to his driveway. His cabin was set back from the road a few hundred yards, and with the thick woods it was hidden from sight.

"Travis good to see you again" Mayor Johnson always seemed cheerful and optimistic, Travis was worried that it would rub off on him and grimaced at the thought. "Here are most of the troops behind me." He motioned to the chain of cars and trucks, "do you need a ride up? Climb in then." 

Travis had walked down to the road so that his truck wouldn't be seen by anyone else that could have chanced to come by. "That's alright, I am going to set up the flares behind you all. Take them inside, we can meet in the living room."

After Travis had set the flares and brushed out the tracks on the part of the dirt road that was visible from the road he got back to his house and was faced by about 25 people that almost all avoided his eye contact.

David Johnson was talking to him right away, "This is Sam Wydant, he was a sergeant as well..." He trailed off listing the names of everyone here, Travis was not that good with names, and tried to pay attention.

After the introduction was finished Travis spoke up, "Alright lets get this started."

"Wait a minute," David spoke again, "Sarah isn't back yet. She went out to use the toilet." He said referring to the outhouse that was in the yard.

"Sarah is here?"

"Yes she volunteered this morning."

Travis didn't see her in the convoy of cars, but he wasn't paying that much attention. He went outside and met her as she was climbing up the steps to the porch. "Hi, I..." Travis muttered as she smiled up at him.

"Wow, this is kind of an awkward moment." Sarah giggled and Travis laughed, it had been a while since Travis had done that. Sarah had always been a kidder when they were younger. An obvious bonus to a gorgeous woman. "Hey, David said that people were going to be staying here full time, so I brought some of my stuff if you don't mind, I feel like this place would be safer than town."

His smile went away, he had an enormous crush on her all of his life and now she wanted to be part of the action where she could get hurt. "Why did you come out here, it won't be safe with what we have to do."

Sarah smiled and pushed past him into the cabin, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Besides, I know these woods around here better than you do and I've been hunting since I was 12, I am more qualified than what you need."

Later

Travis had led the meeting to organize people based on their skills, and told everyone the basic plan for defense of the town. He then gave everyone tasks that would take the rest of the day, and maybe a week to secure the cabin to make it a headquarters. David had set up a meeting for tomorrow with the Mayor of Laketon and their leader of militia to coordinate with Travis. They were going to meet in Laketon and Sam had also volunteered to go as 'more security' when it was obvious he was trying to get out of digging foxholes around the cabin.

Sam was a very likeable guy, a little smaller than Travis, he was he was around 6', had black hair Italian decent, around Travis's age of 30, and was also in the Third Iraq War. Unlike most of the people there he could talk easily with Trav and they were soon getting along like they were old army pals. Most of the other men were getting more comfortable with Travis and not thinking about the stories as soon as they got busy.

There were several women in the group as well as Sarah, some had been former military and some were just there for the same reason as Sarah. Travis had them doing less of the physical work, but they were still helping out. He had Sarah go into town with someone else to get all the containers they could to help store water while the electricity was still out. They were gone most of the day and when they got back, almost everyone had left. Sarah being her usual self offered to start a wet t shirt competition to choruses of laughter when they got back with water. 

The guard position at the road was completed first, because Travis had asked for the most effort on that, secondary positions could wait a couple more days, they weren't going anywhere. For those that were staying overnight he set up shifts, and then made a weekly schedule of all the volunteers to work there. He realized people had other things to do and it could be modified but this was a good start.

Sarah popped her head into his room, "Hey, we are about to eat, you coming? Whoa this is nice." She stepped in looking around the room and glancing at Travis who turned from his desk and was staring at her. She was wearing shorts and a tank top and looked sexy as hell with a pony tail under a ball cap.

"It works I guess." Travis started to stand as Sarah flopped onto his bed.

"This is so much more comfortable then the bunk bed I got stuck with."

"Maybe if you were nicer to your host he would let you stay here." Travis meant it to be sarcastic but it sounded more like a proposition and he blushed when he realized how it sounded.

Sarah smiled, "I'll keep that in mind." She offered her hand out for help to get off the bed, Travis gave her a pull, and she jumped a little and they ended up chest to chest. Sarah looked up as Travis moved his hand from hers up her arm. They made eye contact and leaned in to each other. 

The kiss was 20 years in the making, Sarah opened her mouth and lightly touched his lips as they embraced each other. Her hands wandered down his back as his held her tightly to him. Their tongues danced and Sarah broke this kiss. "I've wanted to do that for so long when we were younger."

"Me too." 

Travis kissed Sarah again and his hands grabbed her butt as she moaned into his mouth feeling his erection through his jeans. Sarah's hand was at his belt opening it she then unbuttoned his pants and pulled them to the floor. On her knees she looked at Travis cock and slowly closed her mouth over it. She slid down towards the base and back to the tip. Grabbing it with a hand she repeated the slow sucking and Travis was moaning in pleasure. Sarah took his cock out of her mouth stood and pulled her tank top over her head revealing her luscious breasts in her bra. She stepped towards Travis and they kissed again as his hand found the clasp and undid it and her 36 C breasts came into his hungry view.

It was his turn and he pushed her onto the bed as he kissed his way down her neck towards her heavenly body. He paused on one of her nipples bringing it to attention he caressed her other breast and kissed his way down towards her stomach. He hooked his thumbs in her shorts. Sarah was moaning with anticipation and she lifted he butt and he pulled them and her panties off. Licking his lips he descended on her and kissed her thighs, she arched her back and her fingers found his hair and she drug his face towards her pussy. Travis licked at her lips slowly as he grabbed her thighs and squeezed hard as he concentrated on her clit.

Sarah orgasmed and she pulled Travis up to kiss her as her other hand sought out his hard cock and she guided him into her tight wetness. They both moaned as he pushed himself all the way in on his first stroke. They kissed again as he held himself inside her. Then he began to slowly work himself in and out of her. Slowly working his way up to an orgasm Sarah closed her eyes and arched her back. They climaxed together and he laid on top of her for several minutes as he softened and slipped out of her. They dressed and went out to the kitchen where everyone else was for dinner.

That night

Travis had gone to bed soon after dinner and making sure everyone knew what needed to be done for tomorrow. Sarah slipped away from everyone that was awake and was in the bedroom soon after Travis had fallen asleep. She curled up next to him idly playing with his hair as she drifted off to sleep.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 02



 Fairweather Estate: April 26th, 2052. 8:20AM.

Travis turned and smiled as he heard Sarah wake up. Her hair was a mess she was groggy and he never saw her prettier. "Hey Trav." She said as she saw Travis across the room at his desk looking at maps again. She rubbed her eyes asking "How long have you been awake?"

"About 2 hours." Travis was eyeing her up and down as she sat up in bed. Her nipples were hard and showed through the same tank top she had on the night before. When Travis woke up he found her curled up against him. Deciding not to disturb her he got up carefully to not disturb her. He had been used to getting up at dawn since he moved back to Hardstorm three weeks ago, and he was already dressed, had eaten, and did his morning workout.

Sarah smiled back at him. "When were you going to leave for Laketon?"

"Around nine-ish." Travis went over and sat on the edge of the bed and Sarah wrapped her arms around him. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes relishing the moment, her sweet scent, and the feel of her body against his.

"Here, help me get up." Sarah said as she put her arms out. Travis stood from the edge of the bed and turned to grab Sarah's arms to help her up, but Sarah had other ideas. Her hands went right for Trav's jeans. Her nimble fingers quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, and she was pushing them down to his ankles. Travis gasped as her hand touched his cock. Saying to herself, "Yes, this will wake me up just fine."

Her mouth descended onto his quickly hardened cock. Her warm tongue exquisitely licked the underside of his shaft and he moaned with pleasure. Sarah had her eyes closed and hands on Trav's waist as she slowly sucked his member in and out of her mouth. She moaned with arousal and her hands strayed to her chest and she rubbed her hard nipples through the thin fabric of her top.

Travis was stunned at her boldness and he was quickly approaching release as Sarah continued her manipulations. He pulled away from her so that he wouldn't cum just yet. Sarah whimpered as his cock escaped her mouth and looked up at him pleadingly. Travis reached out to lift Sarah's shirt off but Sarah was only looking for one thing, and she attacked his cock again when her head was free.

His hands fell to her head as she expertly sucked his cock. Nearing release he grunted, "Sarah, I'm going to..." She sucked harder as his groans continued. Her fingers pinched her hardened nipples and she moaned as she felt the first taste of cum in her mouth. Travis shook as cam into Sarah's mouth, she continued sucking until she completed her work, licking his sensitive head and sucking the last of his cum.

She stood and kissed his cheek as she got out of bed in her panties. Travis couldn't help but stare at her ass as she went across the room to fetch her shirt and shorts. She turned and gave him a knowing smile as his eyes went to another part of the room acting like he wasn't staring at her. "Now that was the wake up I was looking for." She sighed and added, "I'm going to go change and eat, make sure you say bye before you leave." She said with a wink. "Oh, and by the way, you can stare at me all you like." She gave her butt a little wiggle and Sarah was out of the room.

Travis took a few minutes to recover from the fantastic blowjob and started to get ready for the trip to Laketon.

Soon

Hardstorm Mayor David Johnson, Sam Wydant, and Travis were going to meet with the mayor of Laketon to discuss defending the area from bandits and criminals. The nuclear war had spared most of the middle Appalachian Mountain area, and crime was popping up as people were trying to survive. Hardstorm was a small isolated town nestled into a valley. Laketon was on the other side of the ridge about 25 miles away to the northwest.

The economic depression that hit before the war had already forced Hardstorm into a simple barter system. Many believed that the economy would pick up again and everything would continue as it had before. That was impossible now. For all anyone knew the rest of the world was in the same boat as Hardstorm or worse.

Mayor David Johnson was a brilliant man. He was a great leader that helped keep Hardstorm together before the war (it was only 4 days long before the nuclear weapons served their purpose and the modern world was destroyed). After the attacks it took all the effort that he could give to keep the town from destroying itself as well. He had already organized a sheriffs department and a town militia for defense and had made arrangements with neighboring Laketon to do the same and work together to try and survive into the unknown future.

"Mayor, good to see you again." Travis greeted the mayor as he pulled his car into the impromptu headquarters. The world economy collapsed but cars would run forever if properly maintained thanks to a conversion to hydrogen fuel cells years earlier. The only problem now was that those cars could now never be replaced if damaged too severely.

"How many times do I have to tell you Travis, just call me Dave." The mayor said rolling his eyes. "Are we ready to go?"

"Not quite yet, let me take care of something first. Sam is over there if you want to get him, I'll be a few minutes." Travis remembered that Sarah had asked him to say goodbye before he left.

He found her in the kitchen cleaning up breakfast after everyone that stayed the night. She was in a tight pair of jeans and t-shirt and she was trying to keep her mid back length auburn hair out of the mess that was left. They had known each other since they were children but they had lost contact about ten years ago and didn't even talk to each other until two days ago when they met in town. Over those years, every time he thought of her Travis thought of what happened many years ago that made him lose his best friend. He had lost all of his friends but when Sarah had looked him in the eyes the disappointment he saw changed him as he watched her walk away. 

Two days ago had been different. It was the first time they had seen let alone talked to each since then. She looked him in the eyes again and it was different then before. His memories of her over the last ten years were not forgotten, but the good memories of his best friend had returned.

Their relationship when they were younger was just friendship with lots of sexual tension. The tension had returned as their lust for each other took on a new dimension 10 years after last seeing each other. Sarah broke the ice with Travis and made the first move yesterday to be around Travis more and volunteered for the town defense that Travis was in charge of. There had been the awkward moments and awkward silences from when they were teenagers again and Sarah couldn't take it anymore. Last night they had made love, and for the first time Travis was happy. He had been torn over what he had done. Many restless nights, depression, and countless hours at the bottom of a bottle were now in his past.

"Hey there 'lil missy." Travis said with a horrible southern drawl.

Sarah looked up and half chuckled to herself. "Still trying to be funny with that terrible accent huh?"

"Well if it makes you smile it's worth it." Even though they had strong feelings for each other they were still in the beginning of a relationship that had been on hold and the awkward moments were flying free. "We were just about to leave, so I guess I will see you later." Travis started to turn to leave and Sarah had to half run up to him and grabbed his wrist to get him to stop. She pulled the larger man back around to her and hugged him.

"I'm sorry I left you when you needed me way back then, I was selfish, and stupid, and..." Sarah sobbed into his shoulder.

"Sarah, I..." Travis paused to think over how to phrase his response. Sarah looked up at him with her big blue eyes. "I hurt a lot of people back then with what I did. I pushed you away myself. It took me years to learn to cope with myself let alone other people. They still look at me for what happened, and when they do, I look at myself that way too."

Sarah stopped him as she grabbed his face and brought him down for a quick kiss. "Just get back here safe today. We have a lot of catching up to do." Sarah kissed him again, this time it lingered and she parted her lips as her tongue touched his lips. Trav's hands latched onto her back and held her tight against him as they broke their kiss and looked at each other.

"Don't worry about me, we will be back before night." Travis gave her one last squeeze and a quick peck on the forehead and left the cabin.

Most of the volunteers that went home for the night had arrived and were milling around taking amongst themselves as Travis exited. "Come on people lets get to work, the sooner you start the sooner you will be done." With that the groups started to break up with a little bit of grumbling and Dave motioned to Travis that they were ready to go.

Sam was already in the car ready to go, and Dave pulled Travis aside before they got in the car. "Travis, don't you think that was a little rough? These people are here because they want to be here. Don't drive them away. You have to get them used to what you expect before you can start riding on them or else they will stop coming."

Travis started to reply but thought better of it. He was no leader of men, and Dave had been mayor for many years so he must know how to get people to do what you wanted better than he did.

As they pulled away Sarah exited the cabin and stood on the porch. "Hey guys!" She yelled to get the attention of the people in the front yard that were still grumbling. Satisfied that she got their attention she continued. "Listen, I am sure that we all know what Travis did in the Third Iraq War, but let's be civilized about this. I know I have been guilty of it too, but stop looking at him like he is diseased. He is one of us now." Sarah turned to go back to work inside the cabin. She paused as she thought of something else and turned to continue. "And if you don't think you could do that, then you might as well leave now."

Sarah could only imagine what he could have gone through since then and wanted to help in any way possible. She was going to spend the day with another volunteer, her friend Amanda Trickle, to notify the people outside of town what to do in case of emergency. They were the two most feminine women in the group and Travis had given them this task that would take several days because they would be of little use for physical labor.

Laketon Road: 8 Miles outside of Hardstorm.

"You can see the windmills now." Dave said as he motioned with one arm and drove with the other. It sat on top of the ridge between Laketon and Hardstorm. The propellers were slowly turning in the wind.

"I thought you said they weren't working." Sam asked as he stared aimlessly towards the windmills.

"It still turns in the wind, it just needs fixed to generate the power we need." Dave continued, "That reminds me of something. Travis, we will have to check the power lines around town and take down any that would connect to the power grid. We don't want to turn these things on and have the power spread out over such a large area that you get practically nothing."

"Wait a second," Sam was scratching his head. "Why wouldn't they be working?"

"For pretty much the same reason as why we need to disconnect it from the grid." Travis spoke up knowing what Dave had referred to. "When the bombs started destroying stuff, they knocked out a lot of power systems, and the rest were so overloaded they blew out."

"Basically, I'm not sure on the details, but the Mayor of Laketon said that they have people there that know what to do to fix it." Dave slowed the car down. Up in the distance a tree was across the road.

"Well its all above me, all I know is carpentry." Sam stopped talking as he realized they had come to a stop and saw the tree. They were in a slightly wooded area but there was room to maneuver around the tree. "Just go around it." Sam waved his hand to the side where there was room to dive around.

Dave started to accelerate again as Travis grabbed his shoulder, "Hold on." Dave stopped again and looked at Travis puzzled. "That tree didn't fall over it was cut deliberately." He pointed to the clean chainsaw cut that was almost hidden from view.

"Aw shit it's a trap isn't it?" Sam shook his head.

"Sam, grab your gun and be ready." Travis opened the door and stepped out of the car leaving the door open. He took his M4 and quickly jumped into the tree line. 

All hell broke loose as a large pickup truck barreled out onto the road from a well hidden location. Gun shots started to ring out near the fallen tree and hit the car.

"Holy fuck!" Sam yelled as both he and Dave jumped out of the car and into the woods on the other side of the road from Travis. The large pickup slammed on its brakes and the tires squealed to a stop about a hundred yards from their car. The gunshots from up the road stopped and four men climbed out of the pickup.

The driver shouted at the others "You guys go after those two, I'll get the third." He waved back towards the tree and another car came down the road loaded with another four guys. They stopped behind the pickup and got out. "You two stay here with the truck, you come with me and you go back up to the tree and make sure no one comes from the other direction. They couldn't have gotten far, lets go." 

When Travis jumped into the woods he didn't expect the ambush to be sprung. He thought that they would be a lot smarter than that. The quickness of it did make him worry for Dave and Sam. They had to jump out onto the other side of the road because they were on the other side of the car. He had already cut half the distance off between the pickup and their car when they started to split up. The three that were going after Sam and Dave were just walking down the edge of the woods, and the apparent leader and who he took went directly into the woods on Trav's side of the road. The two guards didn't know what hit them. Travis leveled off his M4 and two shots echoed though the woods. The two men were slumped to the ground.

The three that were across the road opened fire in Trav's direction. Low to the ground he was unseen as the bullets sped past above his position. Another shot and one of the three was down.

Sam and Dave hit the tree line and then took cover. Sam was also a Third Iraq War veteran and knew what to do in a fight. "Dave, get behind me about 10 to 20 yards and watch my back." He stayed covered close to the tree line so that he could get a look as to what was going on up the road. He had no idea where Travis was when he saw the group split up. He heard Trav's first gun shots and saw the two guards take hits. The three opened fire towards the opposite side of the woods and then one of them got hit. Sam crept up the roadway and took aim at the two remaining men that were firing blindly into the woods. He shot once with the M16 relic that he owned and another went down. The last man took off towards the pickup and made it halfway there as Sam had to fire 5 more times before hitting him.

The echoing of the guns stopped and for a brief moment the woods returned to their quiet charm. Sam scanned the opposite tree line for a sign of the other two men and Travis. "Dave stay here, I am going across the road." 

Sam cautiously looked down the sides of the road again before he ran across the road and into the tree line. Dave stayed behind with his hunting rifle just out of site. Sam slowly made his way up to where the three men were shooting at hoping to find Travis alright. There were still two men unaccounted for but there was no sign of anyone by the time Sam made it to the bullet ridden part of the woods.

"Hold it right there!" Sam heard a pistol cocking behind him. He turned his head slowly towards the voice. It was who he assumed to be the leader of the group. "I should kill you right now for killing my men, but call your friends out for me and I will spare your life."

Sam was defenseless but knew better. The man would kill him anyways but if he could go along with him for now, he might be able to get a jump on them later. The other man came out of his hiding spot and took Sam's gun and led him out of the woods towards the pickup truck. There was another gunshot and by the time Sam looked back the leader was dead. The last man grabbed Sam and held the gun to his head.

"Get out of the woods or I'll blow his brains out!" He yelled into the woods. No response came and within seconds the man cocked the hammer. 

"This is it," Sam thought. BANG. Sam cringed from the noise and slowly opened his eyes when he realized he was still standing. He saw Travis exiting the woods.

"Good thinking Sam, being the bait while I take care of them." Travis smiled as Sam turned and looked at his former capture that was shot through the forehead.

"Travis we should go see what's up at the tree and see if that last guy that drove the car back there is still around." Dave said as he caught up to the two.

"I'll take care of that," Travis said, "you two gather the weapons and ammunition get the truck off the road and I will signal you when it's clear ahead."

 Fairweather Estate: 7:55PM.

It was getting dark and the three men have not returned yet. A few more of the volunteers had decided to stay at the cabin when they saw yesterday that there would be enough room. They had put together some things the night before to stay, and when Sarah and Amanda returned for the day they had looked to Sarah for direction who unknowingly stepped into second in command when she gave her short order that morning.

Not knowing what to do she just told them to call it a day and they all went inside or off to their homes. Dinner had been served and everyone was relaxing outside the cabin on a beautiful spring night. Sarah was nervous as dark approached quickly. The sun had set, the light was fading fast, and Travis was not back yet. She was pacing on the porch keeping her eye on the driveway. 

"Sarah, quit it, you are making me nervous." Amanda Trickle said as she walked up the steps of the porch and plopped herself on one of the chairs. Sarah ignored her and kept pacing. Amanda and Sarah had been best friends for the last 8 years. They met in college and were inseparable for years. The raven haired green eyed Amanda, and the blue eyed redhead Sarah were quite a pair. They had taken jobs together outside of Frankfurt, but they were laid off when the economy got worse a couple years ago. With no place to turn Sarah convinced Amanda to move to Hardstorm with her. Sarah found a job at the local tavern and Amanda got a job in Laketon. Amanda had not been in Laketon since the bombs went off, especially after she heard the stories of bandits.

"You know, you cost me fifty bucks last night." Amanda broke the silence.

Sarah stopped pacing and looked at Amanda puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Well... um..." Amanda looked at the floor as she thought how to phrase it, "we kind of had this pool going, for when you and Trav would start dating, but I thought there was no way you two would hook up this soon you slut." She laughed and threw a porch chair cushion at her.

"Oh my god, why do you think we went that far?" Sarah questioned back feinting innocence.

"Other than that horrible lie just now, it was all over your face last night." Amanda said laughing out loud. 

Sarah threw the cushion back at Amanda. "I can't believe you would bet on that!"

Amanda was going to respond, but saw Sarah run off the porch. She turned and looked towards the driveway and saw the headlights of two vehicles coming up the road.

Travis, Sam, and Dave had returned from Laketon with the pickup truck that the bandits had used. After making it to Laketon they had spent several hours going over details that the two militias had to work out. On their return they recovered the vehicle that they had hidden and the bodies of the bandits they killed. It was near dark and they took them to the makeshift sheriff station before returning to the cabin.




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 02



"Trav!" Sarah shouted as she jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss. "Don't make me worry about you like that again."

"Don't worry about me," Travis said as he reluctantly put her down his hands had been squeezing her ass. "We just ran into a little trouble on the way there and were more careful on the way back."

"Like hell it was a little trouble!" Sam butted into the conversation, "they nearly killed us if it wasn't for Trav, he reminded me of what he did in the war..."

"That's enough Sam." Mayor David Johnson joined the group. "We have to make sure everyone is more careful after this, even if it is just going into town. For that matter I think I should stay here tonight rather than risk the roads."

Later

Sarah and Travis excused themselves for the night. They both did not have a guard shift that night and Sarah had planed to take advantage of it. Telling Travis she had a surprise for him, she made him stand outside the bedroom until she was ready. She had stopped back at her apartment to pickup some more things while telling Amanda that she had to get more clothes making her wait in the car.

A few minutes later he entered to find Sarah lying on his bed dressed in a black teddy and skimpy thong. She had lit candles around the room and her auburn hair fell down one side of her face. The flickering candlelight made the contrast on her fair skin striking and Travis caught his breath as he closed the door behind him.

When Travis got next to the side of the bed Sarah stood and they embraced, kissing gently before she pulled backwards. She looked up at his dark eyes and started to unbutton his shirt. Travis let the beautiful red head undress him as he stood watching her exquisite body move. His pants and boxers were pushed down at once over his quickly hardening cock. Almost as a repeat in the morning Sarah reached for his cock and moved to engulf it into his mouth, but Travis quickly grabbed her hand and had her stand up.

"It's my time to do something for you." He said in a hushed voice. With her hand still in his, he took her to the bed and had her lie down on her back. Kneeling beside her he took his time kissing Sarah again. Their tongues touched briefly and Travis kissed back to her ears and down her neck torturing her slowly.

Sarah squirmed and reached for his cock finding it hard and she began squeezing it and letting it go as he kissed her again. This time the kiss was lustful and wet. His hand gently caressed her breast through the fabric of her teddy and Sarah moaned into the kiss.

After breaking their kiss a second time Travis moved down her body taking the time to kiss her above her 36 C breasts, and down her stomach. His hands wandered before his mouth and she felt him squeeze her thighs as he pulled away from her hand and settled between her legs. Licking his lips, he slowly pulled off Sarah's thong and tossed it to the side of the bed.

Sarah kept her thighs spread welcoming his tongue as he started at her pussy and took several long licks up to her clit. His hands parted her lips and his tongue darted into her sex briefly with each lick working Sarah up quickly. Her hands pinched her stiff nipples through her teddy and she arched her back moaning in pleasure. Travis smiled to himself upon hearing her reaction. He slipped a finger into her sex as he pressed his tongue hard against her clit and moved it fast from side to side, forward and back.

"Oh, Trav." Sarah moaned over and over. Her legs shook as she had her first orgasm and Travis eagerly licked her added wetness.

Opening her eyes she looked at Trav like a predator does at prey. Travis stood little chance to stop Sarah as she grabbed his wrists by her thighs and pulled him up to kiss her again. She tasted herself on him and moaned at the thought of it. She rolled over on top of him quickly finding his cock with her left hand and guided the tip to her sex and she impaled herself with one quick thrust to mutual cries of lust.

Pausing with her eyes closed, her hands wandered his muscled chest while breathing deeply trying to adjust to the large intruder. Opening her eyes she took her teddy off and settled into a slow rocking motion. Her clit rubbing on his pelvis sent shocks of pleasure to her mind. Travis reached up and grabbed her perky breasts gently pinching her nipples on each downward rock. 

Minutes later Sarah picked up her pace, her orgasm approaching fast. Travis pinched her nipples hard not letting loose this time as Sarah thrust backwards one last time, her orgasm adding more wetness to his member. She looked down at him again and smiled as she leaned forward to kiss him again.

As they kissed Travis reached around her back and held her to him. Then he started thrusting his hips, working his cock in and out of Sarah quickly. Her eyes shot open and a steady moan escaped her lips. Her arms wrapped around what they could and she grabbed onto his shoulders.

"Oh my god, yes, yes, yes..." Sarah was in ecstasy as she was being hammered from below. "Yes baby, yes, fuck me!" 

She squeezed his shoulders hard and he held her to him harder. They were both panting as Travis thrust into her one last time and came. The pulsing of his cock and the warm cum filling her sent Sarah into her most intense orgasm of the night and her body shook as every movement sent after shocks into her clit.

They stayed embraced until they both stopped panting. Sarah rolled off of the top of him and to the side as she cuddled up next to him. "That was really intense baby." She said as she kissed him. They both smiled as they looked at each other and kissed before cuddling up and falling asleep.

**********

Next time, what really happened in the Third Iraq War, and Hardstorm faces its first challenge.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 03



Chapter 3: Calm Before the Storm

 Hardstorm Kentucky:  July 31st, 2052

Dazed Travis looked around him and saw David Johnson. His lips were moving but Travis could only hear the ringing in his head. A moment passed and he was reminded of the battle as a chorus of gunfire slowly entered his recovering hearing. He realized that David wasn't talking but shouting at him.

"Travis we need to get out of here!" They were hunkered down behind a pile of logs. In the distance behind David he saw his .30 caliber manned by Greg and Scott rattling away and Travis nodded in agreement to David. "You take the rest and get them out of here!"

Travis looked behind him to see who else was still there. "No David, I'll stay and hold them off with the gun!" He shouted pointing at the .30 cal.

David shook his head, "You are the only one that can get everyone ready before we get back, now get out of here!"

Travis frowned but David was right. Travis didn't want to leave anyone behind but they were currently in a good defensive position and a few people could hold off the small advanced group while they fell back and got everyone else ready. "Ok, but don't be too far behind us, they won't risk pursuing us very quickly." Travis motioned for everyone to disengage and turned when he heard an explosion from what looked like a grenade. "Fuck!" There was David collapsed next to him.

4 weeks ago: Hardstorm Kentucky:  July 1st, 2052

It had been almost four months since the bombs went off and life continued. The town was making incredible progress working together as a community with most of the thanks going to the leadership of Mayor David Johnson. There had been a few robberies after the incident on the road but for the most part the peace was kept without much work. It took a while but a daily routine had been reached for most of the town. There was such little contact with outsiders that news of cities in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina and Virginia surviving untouched surprised everyone; Knoxville, Greensboro, even Charlotte, and Richmond were spared from the nuclear war. As for the chaos in the aftermath details were sketchy.

It might have been the dynamics of the small community of Hardstorm that kept the town from descending into chaos. The closest neighboring town of Laketon, had it worse off. The larger size and the dependence on surrounding communities made it difficult to maintain order. It had been on the verge of collapse several times, but with the commitment of food from Hardstorm and other neighboring communities in exchange for goods and defense pacts they made it through the trivial weeks following the war.

Contact between the two towns had been a priority and Travis had taken the brunt of the effort making sure the roads were safe. They cleared out trees and thick underbrush from near the road to help guard against ambush as well as set up checkpoints and road blocks around their town for their own defense. Travis had the town militia busy for weeks and it finally seemed that the rest of the summer would be relatively relaxed.

 Fairweather Estate: July 1st, 2052. 1:35 PM

Sarah looked up from the sink when she heard Travis enter, "oh, hey, I am just finishing lunch detail." She looked around and said coyly, "so anyone else here?"

Travis shook his head knowingly, he and Sarah had been having difficulty getting their alone time with so many people around the cabin lately. They found themselves trying to get to the cabin in the early afternoon when they realized that most of the time everyone was out and about.

She wryly smiled as she started to lift the hem of her camisole over her taught stomach. Travis never thought that she was such a wild sex kitten and was surprised the first time they were in the cabin alone and they did it on one of the living room couches. She tossed him her shirt as they both hurriedly unclothed in the kitchen. 

She was on her knees looking at him with her blue eyes as she slowly licked his cock from the base to the tip. Her tongue circled the head and she slowly took it into her mouth moaning at the same time. Travis shuddered at the touch and pushed some strands of her auburn hair out of her face as she looked up at him. She took his shaft into her mouth again and held it in place a few seconds as she deep throated him and repeated the process as she loved hearing his whimpers and moans as she worked her tantalizing mouth on his member.

Travis could take no more. He guided her to stand by her shoulders and she dragged her tongue across his chest lustfully before he kissed her hard. She tried to embrace him but he pushed her arms aside as he grabbed her waist as he picked her up and set her on the counter. They both smiled at each other as Travis settled between her legs and gave her one slow lick up her wanton sex. She had shaved everything in recent weeks and Travis showed his appreciation every time as he delicately worked his tongue and mouth around her clit, but never touching it for several moments. 

Sarah gasped and moaned as he would approach it and then at the last second skip over it and move to another area and start all over again. She leaned back and pushed her breasts out the second Travis touched her clit with his tongue and she orgasmed and added her wetness to his. "Oh, my god, get up here and fuck me already." She panted as Travis continued his work.

Standing he could line up his cock to her sex as she sat on the counter top and pushed forward as she leaned into his body their arms wrapping around each other as they kissed at their union. Travis held her there for a moment not moving just enjoying her soft mouth on his as he ran his hands up and down her smooth back and stopping briefly each time with a feel of her soft auburn hair that she currently had in a pony tail.

Stopping the kiss he looked at her as he withdrew and entered with another moan from both of them. They panted as he worked his member in and out as they started to glisten with a light sheen of sweet from the early July heat. Sarah was working her way up to another orgasm as she held onto Travis as his pace picked up.

"Oh, I'm cumming" she squealed as she shook with pleasure.

"I'm close too." Travis said between gritted teeth as Sarah noticed like he always did before climax. 

"Quick, in my mouth." She said as they disengaged and smiled realizing that was the first thing he said since he got home. She got between his legs and took his member back into her mouth. Travis had no chance of lasting long as soon as Sarah got back to work on his cock and he cummed with a grunt and she swallowed it down greedily. "Mmmm, baby, I love your taste when mine is all over your cock." Sarah giggled and added, "and it makes for an easier cleanup when we aren't in the bedroom."

She stood up giving his cock a squeeze and they gathered their clothes and got dressed.

"I'll be late tonight Sarah, I got a ton of work to do, getting the town ready for the party, another food shipment to Laketon, and some final stuff before the wind turbines get turned on tomorrow." He turned to see a disappointed face from Sarah, "don't wait up, but I will definitely be around tomorrow to help with the party preparations while you are there too."

They kissed goodbye and Travis was out of the cabin and down the driveway as Sarah stood by the front door staring. 

"Damn I haven't been fucked like that in a long time." Sarah jumped as she turned to see her best friend Amanda Trickle standing in the living room. "Remember Freddy from Frankfort, he used to fuck me like that all the time, damn I miss that." Amanda and Sarah had been friends since college and lived in Frankfort briefly before the nuclear war.

"Geez, you scared the shit out of me, I didn't think anyone was home." Sarah said looking around nervously.

"You're lucky it was just me, and not that joker Sam, he would have been telling everyone." Amanda reclined on the couch and closed her eyes and Sarah was visibly relieved when she realized it was only Amanda in the house. "So when are you going to let me ride that stallion?"

Sarah looked at Amanda questionably thinking back to college when Sarah and Amanda had traded a couple boyfriends, and that one time when they were both drunk and had a threesome with Sarah's boyfriend. In the past they had gotten drunk and kissed to amuse guys, but just that one time they did take it to the next level. But neither of them talked about that night with each other afterwards, only some nervous looks for a few weeks and when Sarah broke up with him everything drifted back to normal between the two coeds. 

Sarah wondered if Amanda was joking or not. Sarah had never said anything about the incident because she thought she had a crush on Amanda and felt that Amanda was equally embarrassed but didn't feel the same way about her. She was also sure her boyfriend didn't want to bring it up because Sarah might have accused him of wanting to fuck Amanda more than her. So in the end Sarah had convinced herself that the whole event happened because they were drunk.

Sarah looked at Amanda while she laid with her eyes closed on the couch thinking back to her lust at the time over the raven haired beauty. She could almost remember the sight of her green eyes staring up at her from between her legs...

Amanda sat up and looked at Sarah when she noticed the awkward silence, "Oh, Sarah, um, I didn't mean anything, I was just kidding... Crap, I gotta meet Sam in town."

"Yeah, I got stuff to do too." Sarah got up at the same time as Amanda and they bumped into each other briefly and with a weak smile they were both out of the room in opposite directions.

Hardstorm Kentucky:  July 4th, 2052. 9:30 PM

The next couple of days were a blur of activity in and around town. Travis had to do some final checking of Hardstorm's area of the power grid before the turbines were turned on late afternoon on July 2nd and barely got into town long enough to see Sarah for half an hour while they finished off decorations in the square. 

On July 3rd he oversaw the gathering of a food shipment to Laketon as well as seeing it to the last checkpoint before checking up on the status of the turbines as well as holding a meeting in the town hall about the status of any electrical problems which luckily were all minor. The biggest complaint was about the mandatory blackout ordered by Mayor David Johnson during evening hours.

"We are not big enough to protect ourselves at night like Laketon is." David had said. Most people were upset and wanted some sort of compromise and while they argued into the evening Travis had to go oversee the return of the convoy returning from Laketon with among other things a shipment of ammunition that was hidden among the other things that had to be taken back to the cabin. It wasn't that the ammunition was stolen, Travis just didn't want word getting out about what they had stockpiled and what they didn't incase anyone was in cahoots with any bandits.

Finally if the week wasn't hectic enough Travis had to make sure everyone that was on guard duty for the party didn't try to sneak away. To be fair he made everyone work, even Sarah but he had at least promised that everyone would be able to go at some point making everyone choose when they preferred to attend. Discipline was difficult in a volunteer militia where people could just not show up on time or at all. Mostly it Travis getting angry when people were being careless. It was the easiest thing to get them to straighten up when he told them that they could get killed if they did that again and complacency was the biggest danger they could ever face. Travis made punishments as easy as possible, guard duty at night, cleaning up around the cabin, etc. and tonight the people who still had some time to work off got the last choice of when they wanted to work. 

Travis and Sarah had chosen the early evening shift and were joined by the youngest member of the militia Greg who just recently joined when he turned 18 a month ago. They had taken his truck to a checkpoint a mile outside of town and spent an uneventful 4 hours there before being relieved by the first night shift. With the limited personal they had gotten into the routine of guarding the four main checkpoints just outside of town, the cabins entrance, and rotating the other four checkpoints one at a time daily and even sometimes hourly in random patterns to confuse anybody watching. 

They had just gotten back to town where they were going to pick up Sam and Amanda and bring them back to the cabin for the night where Sam had chosen to get the late shift at the cabins entrance checkpoint.

Travis had to search the dispersing crowd through the dim street lights that the mayor had allowed to stay on a little late tonight just for an hour or so. David had conceded to letting people have lights at night but only if they had blackout curtains and that if the sheriff or the couple officers found them breaking the rules they would lose power for a week.

He found Sam and Amanda after a few minutes and started back to his truck where Sarah and Greg were already waiting. "Ah, I have to go talk with, ah... David" Amanda stammered as Sam and Travis looked at her puzzled. "Don't wait up I will catch a ride back to the cabin with someone else." She turned and went the other way as they stood there and shrugged to each other.

"Ok, will do." Sam replied and added in a hushed tone when she was farther away. "Damn, I could look at her ass all day if you know what I mean." Sam added the obvious and unnecessary wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

As they got back to the truck Travis asked Sarah "Hey, what is up with Amanda the last couple days? She has been acting weird."

Sarah blushed and turned to get into the passenger side of the truck. Luckily it was dark enough that no one noticed her blush, "I don't know, I haven't noticed anything." She quickly climbed into the cab of the truck and everyone else followed suit with Travis bringing up the back.

"Mr. Friar?" a boy asked behind him. Travis turned to see that there was a group of youths behind him the oldest was maybe 15. The boy looked to the ground as he continued, "We were wondering if you could tell us what you did in the war because no one will tell us."

Travis was surprised at the question and only replied "maybe another time" as he climbed into his truck. It had been a long day as he sat in the driver seat and the sound of the other doors closing brought him back to reality. He had not thought about it in a couple weeks the longest it had ever been that he didn't think about it. 

Sarah from the passenger seat put her hand on his thigh and rubbed it slowly. "It's ok, you don't have to talk to anyone about it."

"Yeah," Sam said from the back, "If I hear how great of a fighter you are one more time I will seriously have to beat you up so they stop talking." Everyone laughed.

"Next time you kill a hundred guys, and the last one with your bare hands we will talk about you." Greg joked as Sam punched him in the arm.

"It wasn't nearly that many," Sam countered, "He mainly just waited for them to walk up to him as he politely asked for them to surrender and if they didn't Travis punched them out."

The gullible Greg ate up almost everything Sam told him on the way home as Sarah often laughed at the ridiculous things that Travis did during the war.

It was the first time that anyone had ever joked about what he did during the war in front of him and Travis realized that things had changed at his cabin. The people thought less of him as a hardened soldier and more of a friend.

 Fairweather Estate: July 4th, 2052. 9:50 PM

The joking continued as Travis parked at the cabin. As they got out of the truck Travis turned to Greg, "Do you really not know what happened?"

"Not really, I was only 8 at the time and most people here just tell me vague crap like, 'he killed a bunch of people' and bullshit explanations like that."

"Well maybe I will tell you sometime." Travis said as they got onto the porch.

"It's not too late, why not now?"

The group came to a halt on the porch as Greg asked this question. Travis figured he would have to eventually tell everyone his side of the story seeing it was never documented accurately. He sat into one of the porch chairs. With a bit of a frown Travis answered, "just this once, and don't go telling the kids that are too young about it."

Greg nodded eagerly in reply. 

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I need something to drink, anyone else?" Sam asked for one and took a seat that looked more off to the side of the porch as Sarah went in.

"Now to tell this story you need to know what was going on at the time." Travis took one last deep breath as he recounted his story and stared off out over the yard fireflies scattered over the light crescent moon.

The insurgents had captured some diplomat's family and told the reporters where to find them after a couple days. They wanted a big production of how they captured this guarded family and try to make a point that they could just go anywhere and take anything they wanted. They made sure it was a tough place to attack too. Out in the middle of nowhere they could see for miles in every direction with just scattered brush less than a foot high in the rocky landscape. At first the reporters hesitated going out there but eventually one dumb reporter did and soon the rest followed seeing that all they wanted was the publicity.

They sure did make their big show of it too. They paraded the youngest of the girls outside for the cameras to see everyday for the first five days. The reporters loved it and from what I've been told it had a hell of an effect here with all the war protests. 

My unit was stationed the closest to their base, and we were in charge of maintaining a perimeter so no one could go in or out. We even refused to let the reporters bring any food and little water so that the insurgents couldn't take it for their own use. But one day they let one cameraman inside to show them that they had food and water to last a long time. That was their first mistake. It allowed us to get an idea of what was inside the front door. We didn't see all the captives but got a good idea of how many people they had there when they claimed it could last for 3 months.

That ploy was to get us to let the camera men to bring food and water in themselves so they could get all the news coverage they wanted. After they failed to show the girl on the sixth day it was obvious to us that they were doing it to get a response back in the States that they wanted and were not expecting to get out of there alive at the end. The problem was that convincing the politicians that we had to go in there as soon as possible to have a chance of rescuing the hostages because it was obvious from the way the insurgents wanted the news coverage that they didn't expect to get out of there alive.

Finally after another four days of not seeing the captives we got the go ahead to attack in the next 36 hours. Of course we had already had a plan and were ready to go immediately.

Our attack plan was very dangerous because of the open landscape but rocky and sparsely vegetated. The building that held the captives and food was approximately 50 by 20 and we knew little about it other than the two entrances and where the food was kept close to one of them. There were two other out buildings that were just used for their vehicles. The reporters were kept about one hundred yards away from the building and were guarded by at least five men at a time. They also had a checkpoint another one hundred yards up the road so they could inspect the news crews so we couldn't sneak in that way.




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 03



The plan was to low crawl through the open desert into the base at night and then attack at dawn. The problem was the distance. We could make it to within one mile of the base before we had to go to low crawl because of their constant patrols and not knowing how they would be able to track us if at all. We had taken the time in the days before to make sure we had excellent ghillie suits as we expected not to be in position on the first night. So we had to stay still the entire day out in the open praying that no patrol would stumble on you and that the camoflauge was the best thing you ever made in your life.

I had a team of five and we were to take out the first checkpoint and the insurgents at the reporters area. Another team of eight had the task of assulting the base itself. In addition to my five I was in charge of a sniper team that would cover the assult on the base and both of the entrances from near the reporters area. In addition we would bring in an additional news team to the checkpoint just before the assault started. We had seen that they paid more attention to the checkpoint whenever a vehicle came through. We wanted to use this opportunity to attack at all locations and get our first shots off while they were looking the other way. We had also aranged for the out buildings to be bombed by laser guided missles as the attack started to add more confusion. 

Because we had already prepared the plan we were ready to go out as soon as it got dark. The low crawling took longer than expected. Their patrols barely missed my team several times and it was extremely slow going. We had not gotten into position that night and it was a hell of a time durring the next day as temperatures were in the 110's, and with all the gear and not being able to move for fear of discovery we were all hoping no one would get heat stroke. As night approached we were on the move again and in position an hour before dawn.

The attack was delayed when a sand storm came up at the air base the planes were going to come from so fighters were sent from another base and the attack was delayed 2 hours. As close as we were now we did not want to sit out in daylight for two hours and wait but we were ordered to by command to. That was the bigest mistake we made.

Travis looked around as he realized a small group had formed when Sarah came back. Sighing he continued.

About an hour later while we were bakeing in the sun someone out to use their outhouse caught a glimpse of our assult team. All hell broke loose at their base. I immediately ordered my team to stay down and out of site we were 30 yards away from the reporters and they were going nuts seeing all the activity and firing at the compound. I called up command on what they wanted us to do. The six insuregents at the news reporters were trying to keep them back and were mixed in with the 35 or so people there making it impossible to take them all out with no other casualties. 

The firing at the base stopped after a few minutes and it was evident that we lost. Our team was out in the open and they had plenty of cover. The terrorists had the four survivors carry our dead out to where the news crews could see them, and then had the four kneel and were blindfolded and tied up. We were so close to the news crews we could hear everyone and it was obviously going out live to the entire world. Knowing that they had threatened to kill the hostages if we tried a rescue I didn't hesitate and acted without orders.

At my signal I ordered the sniper team to take out anyone they could see at the base. The two we left at the first checkpoint were to take out everyone and make sure they were down permanently before joining the rest of my team at the reporters. The three with me would assault the terrorists at the news crews and then assault the base and try to rescue everyone while the sniper and the first two covered us. The last thing I said over the comm before we went was "CP, if you are listening you better get John Wayne and the calvary here in a hurry."

In the breif time I explained our plan over comm the terrorists appeared at the entrance with a sword. It was obvious enough for me that they were going to behead our men while the news teams filmed every second of it. The stage was set from our end and I was the first to fire.

The terrorists at the reporters had kept them under control and were all standing in between them and the base making them easy pickings from our position. I popped up from my position leveled my M8 and fired in three round bursts. The first three terrorists were down before the other two on my team had reacted and got the other three. Our sniper was deadly accurate and hit the guy with the sword in the head. His bullet when through and hit someone else behind him as well.

I later found out that my first shots that ripped through the terrorist closest to the news crew had been the focus of every camera in the area as he was speaking about killing all the soilders. It had been on live tv.

As soon as the last terrorist hit the dirt we rushed the news area and tried to sweep the area to make sure there wasn't any that we missed. Most reporters had hit the dirt when they saw the first guy killed. Cameras set up on tripods and the few brave cameramen that were still on their feet filmed our every move.

Soon a hail of fire was headed in our direction and then everyone hit the dirt. A cameraman got hit and a couple of the cameras on tripods were destroyed but everyone kept filming. Taking the minimal cover we had we opened fire on the base. Luckily the four survivors on the other team hit the dirt out of instinct and were barely out of the line of fire. I don't know what I was thinking but something along the lines of if we keep this up they are going to be killing the captives and our guys before we can do anything about it.

Perhaps the stupidest thing I ever done in my life, I got up and ran at their base. At about that time they opened up with the mortar fire at our sniper position. I was firing as I ran the 100 yards to the base and somehow I was picking off the fuckers left and right. After about halfway there I got hit in my left arm and fell after I stumbled from the impact.

The firing stopped breifly and for a slight moment I thought just to stay put. I rolled over and took aim at the surprised fucker that shot me and fired. Our sniper was still picking off guys left and right as I got up and ran the rest of the way to the base without fireing. I got to a corner of the building about 20 feet away from our guys and shouted to them to stay put for a minute while I cleared the side of the building that was our snipers blind spot. 

Peeking around the corner I could see the mortar team firing away. I used my one granade launcher shot and made quick work of them. Signalling for the rest of my team to advance to my position. Most of the firing had stopped and I needed support to get inside. Because the firing had died down a cameraman felt it was safe enough to follow and came running along. Did I mention yet that everyone was still on live tv.

I ran over to where our guys hit the dirt and cut their ropes loose feeling confident we were covered. The first guy I cut loose went immediately to take cover on the side of the building. A homemade grenade from someone on the roof landed about ten yards away while I was at the second guy I fell with my back towards the grenade trying to cover the last three guys as it exploded. I took a couple pieces of shrapnel in the my left leg and right arm. The kevlar on my back saved my life as we later found three sizeable chunks embeded in it. The first guy that I cut loose was hit in the leg but otherwise fine. 

As I cut the rest our our guys free the other four guys in my group made it to the building and threw grenades onto the roof to try and take care of anyone up there. Unable to carry my assault riffle with my two wounded arms I gave it to one of our previously captured troops for him to cover outside of the building. The rest of my team gave up their sidearms to the previously captured so that they would be armed. I took my sidearm and lead the team inside.

Travis patted his Colt .45 2011 model in his shoulder holster before he continued.

My five person team entered the building with the cameraman behind us and immediately we were in the thick of it again. Every shot I fired seemed to hit someone. Something must have gotten into me but I could never shoot like that before or durring training. Later someone told me I was a berserker, someone that got so frienzied in battle that they litterally went mad with rage. My squad also told me I scared them more than death durring our raid.

We cleared the building one room at a time and finally we were at the last door. It led into the largest room in the building. Kicking in the door I was met by three terrorists using the captives as human shields. The daugher, wife, and ambasitor were all there while the two youngest sons lie tied on the floor. They fired as soon as I kicked in the door and fell as two additional bullets hit my vest from the front. 

As I regained my senses I was slumped on the floor in the middle of the doorway with a perfect veiw of all three terorists. They must have thought I was incapasitated as they were ignoring me completely. I could hear that my team had fallen back down the hall a couple yards and were talking over the comm about what to do next.

I was sore as hell as my previous wounds were now painfully obvious. And then I saw the television they had which was on the channel that the cameraman that followed us into the building was broadcasting. I was holding back trying not to make a move as I scanned the room with my eyes for my weapon as I heard them calling the cameraman out in perfect english that they would kill everyone if he did not get in here to film them. I felt the cameramans foot bump me as he timidly steped over me and into the room. I used the opertunity to move my head slightly and saw just a foot in front of my head my pistol.

I remember having reloaded with a new clip after every room was cleared. All I needed was for them to expose themselves and I would react. They talked to the camera in their own language I guess so that we would have to figure it out later and not know that they were practically telling us that they were going to now behead everyone for our insolence or some shit like that. The pushed the three human shields to the ground and brought out another sword. What is it with these fuckers and swords. 

I had my chance. I fought through the pain and lurched forward and grabed my pistol and fired as the first fucker raised the sword. The bullet whet through his forehead and as soon as the others saw what was happening they too were down. It had taken a matter of seconds but the camera got it all, again. I managed to stand up and stager towards the family as my team was dumbfounded and stood by the doorway.

I bent down to untie the daughter who was going to be the first killed. Then I heard a scream. It turns out the last one I shot wasn't dead and had gotten his hand on the sword and was swinging it at me. I reacted on reflex and unloaded a couple shots into him in an instant. I don't remember doing it but I remember seeing the film replayed of me emptying the rest of my clip on the guy and my team having to pull the gun out of my hands as I kept pulling the trigger.

The calvary had arrived and so did the rest of the reporters. I was taken out of there and to an aid station to treat my wounds. They found 51 dead terrorists. Thrity of them were later identified by the rifling from my weapons. Ten were from the sniper and the rest were from the remainder of the team. They also said they found 26 shell caseings from my .45 since I was the only one to have fired my sidearm. They found everyone of the bullets and all of them had been a hit.

The press had a field day. The world saw it live and the cameraman was famous. Every reporter wanted an interview but the military tried to keep me under the radar as much as possibe. No public statements from me, not even going on camera. But word had gotten out that it was me.

The government didn't know what to do with me. I had acted without orders and they consider that dangerous. I was told many times what a fool I was and how we were lucky the diplomat's family didn't get killed. I got hell from every ranking officer you could imagine. But from the public viewpoint I was a hero.

To quell the public outcry for justice I was awarded two silver stars. One for saving the four soldiers and one for saving the diplomat's family. At the award cerimony that was covered by the press I was not allowed to speak. They kept me in the hospital until I was healed, and then kept me there in rehab. When they realized that the media ferver had died down they discharged me for being disabled because of wounds received in combat. Which was shit because I was completely healed. But to make it look like it was serious they ordered me to sign the papers that said I would receive 60% disability.

The room had fallen silent as Travis finished. A scan of the room found many with the same face that he had always seen. One of amazement, discust, and awe. Over the years many had forgotten the details of what had happened and just remember a vauge idea of what happened. He looked down away from the questioning eyes as he continued.

"Well, its been a long day." Trav stood up stretching his legs. "Everyone make sure you are not on guard duty tonight before turning in." He broke through the group that had formed and went inside to his room.

Sarah found him a few minutes later sitting at his desk in the corner staring blankly out the window. She stood hesitantly at the door as she closed it behind her. "Ten years" She thought to herself.

Ten years ago was the last time she saw Travis. She was the only visitor the government let see him other than his family. It took several tries until she was let in, the government was worried it was a reporter and finally someone asked Travis if she was someone that he wanted to see. After a couple more weeks they thought it was alright to let her in. Ten years ago she walked into his room and found him in practically the same state that he was now with the only difference being that he was in a wheel chair, sling on his right arm, in a hospital gown, and he had the same million mile stare in his eyes. Ten years ago when she stood and saw him for the first time since the incident she was overcome with emotions. She had known him since childhood, they had been best friends, and she had fallen in love with him, although they never said anything to each other she assumed the same from him. 

Ten yearsr ago a tear slipped down her cheek as she turned not able to deal with seeing him yet, thoughts of what her friends were saying about him fresh in her mind. She left the room thinking he never saw her in the first place. He did. She worked up the courage the next day to go back but the hospital refused to let her in because Travis had asked them not to let her in again. Ten years ago she had been in love and had her heart broken. She cried as she left and cried on her way home. Her friends tried to talk to her about Travis when she returned but she offered only tears in reply. After a couple of times no one had talked to her about Travis after that they could tell what had happened.

Ten years later Sarah saw the same man she saw then. Broken, alone, and depressed he was still the same man she fell in love with when they were teens. She grimaced at the memory and looked to the floor. This time had to be different.

"Travis?" She said meekly. He made no movement or acknoledgement of her. "Travis, I'm sorry I left without speaking to you back then. I was scared, I was selfish, I was in love with a man I thought I knew..." Tears streamed again out of her eyes as she sat on the bed.

Travis turned and looked at her. He too remembered all to well what had happed in that hospital room ten years ago. "Sarah, I have loved you since the first time I met you when we were kids and you beat me up for calling you a little girl. I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you that day, and I'm sorry for not letting you back in. But I never want to spend a day without you again."

He got up and sat beside her with an arm around her shoulder holding her tightly. Her tears were stopping and she was breathing in short ragged breaths trying to compose herself.

"I want you to know that..." Travis started to continue but Sarah stopped him with a quick kiss on the lips.

"Just shut up while you are still ahead." She said with a slight giggle.

They kissed and held eachother for several minutes. In the distance a rumble of thunder sounded and brought the couple out of their embrace.

"A storm is coming." Sarah said as she got up and walked towards the open window. She closed it and joined Travis in bed as they fell asleep quickly, the sound of a hard rain drowned out everything else and the world seemed smaller.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 04



So... sorry for the long delay. For any old readers that are still checking in thank you, I promise that I have another two chapters story boarded after this one. For new readers please start at the first chapter to follow along. I will be trying something new from now on and be telling the story from a point of view format. Each chapter will be a certain characters point of view and not necessarily in any order. 

 Amanda

Hardstorm: July 10th 2052. 6:32 AM

'Holy shit what time is it?'

Amanda woke up on her stomach head pounding. It was another night out on the town on her new asignment for the militia. Travis had asked her to be the spokesperson in a way that has the spokesperson go out and drink with the guys and since she happened to be a young attractive female then Travis saw nothing wrong with using some female persuasion in recruiting.

She couldn't say for sure if it was her or the benefits of working in the militia that had the five new recruits sign up. Ever since the economic collapse a few years ago and especially since the nuclear war a few months ago food has been hard to come by and anyone in the militia had all the food they needed and as a bonus your family would get extra rations as well.

Amanda forced herself to look at her alarm clock. She could only open one eye with the sun in her face. Shielding her face from the sun, the clock stared back at her blankly.

'Shit. Brownout.' Even though power had been restored betwen Hardstorm and nearby Laketon they still wasn't enough to meet demand and rotating brownouts were scheduled. 

Amanda started staying at her old apartment in town after walking in on Travis and Sarah having sex. Not only was it awkward between her and her best friend, Sarah, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about Travis. The night of the July 4th party she went out and got drunk, stumbled home, and pulled out her box of toys and masterbated before passing out. 

The day after the party a recruit showed up talking about how she had convinced him to join. She had been so drunk she didn't even remember who he was. But he sure remembered her.

She rolled over and realized she passed out naked again. Her box of toys were out also.

'Fuck me' thought Amanda as she giggled to herself and realized that is probably what she did last night. She reached down and touched herself. 'Definitely sore.'

She sat up on the bed, her 36B breasts poked outward. It was another hot and humid night. A sheen of sweat was already gathering it was going to be another hot and humid day in Hardstorm. A shower would help but with the brownout the water pump wouldn't be working.

Getting up she put on her clothes from last night, her bra was mysteriously missing, but her UK shirt fit like a glove. She straped on her thigh holster with her .380 colt mustang and headed out the door. Breakfast at the cabin was the best bet rather than risk opening the fridge. The only place allowed to have air conditioning was the community center that along with Travis' cabin never lost power. 

Not many people were up as Amanda got into her car and headed towards the middle of town. She had to pick up a couple of the new guys before going to the cabin.

 Fairweather Estate 

The cabin was busy by the time Amanda got there. 'It couldn't be any earlier then 9.' Amanda noted that even the mayor was there and that was rare these days now that Travis had the militia running itself.

"Good God where have you been?" Sam shouted from the front porch of the cabin.

Amanda thought she wasn't scheduled for later but she was second guessing herself now.

"You look like you were up all night drinking again, and you are wearing what you went out in aren't you?" Sam has always had a crush on Amanda, who didn't? She was 5'4" 115 pounds and her breasts were as perky as an 18 year old. Her black hair hung just above her shoulders and her green eyes melted any guy that tried to stare into them, and a few girls as well. But ever since Sam had steped into the second in command role he had been more like a parent to her and everyone else. Sarah had said it was the former sergeant in him.

"I'll tell you what Amanda, I could never get tired of watching you walk towards me."

"Fuck off Sam." Amanda realized Sam was just giving her hell and not that she was in trouble. 

"Or watching you walk away from me." Sam stared at her ass as she went by. She gave it a teasing wiggle because she knew he was looking.

In the cabin she also had a bunk in the women's room. She hadn't been there lately but she kept extra clothes there. The showers were all in use by that time so she went to the kitchen to eat.

Amanda found herself alone despite how many people were there today. She made some toast and got a coffee since the kitchen was a disaster area and sat at the bar to nurse her hangover.

"...I told you I had nothing to do with it Scott, would you rather be on kitchen duty?" Sarah walked in with a fervor the guys following her. One look around the kitchen and they decided that they didn't disagree with Sarah anymore. 

"Hey Sarah, what's going on?" Amanda asked Sarah. Sarah was her roommate until she moved into Travis' room. The 5'6" auburn haired beauty was the only girl in town that could give Amanda a run for her money. 

"Not you too," Sarah went to get a coffee for herself. "Listen Trav told me to change the schedule 20 minutes ago and went off with Dave into the woods to talk alone."

"Oh," Amanda thought something weird was going on. "I was just going to ask if I could use your shower. The other ones are taken. 

The 'cabin' as everyone liked to call it was actually a 4000 square foot lodge. Rebuilt from the origional run down place years ago to be a vacation and hunting retreat. The master bedroom where Travis and Sarah stayed had its own bathroom and office. The other bedrooms had bunk beds, twin beds, and shared two bathrooms. With close to 50 people now in the militia it was hard to get a shower that wasnt taken.

"Oh yeah... damn you look like hell." Sarah finally noticed Amanda. "Didn't you put on a bra?" Sarah always looked at Amanda to the point she would blush. Amanda did the same thing. Ever since college there has been the sexual tension in the air between them. 

"Hey Sarah!" Someone shouted from outside.

"God damn. I'll be right there!" Sarah lingered for a few seconds looking at Amanda, "we need to talk about..."

"Sarah!"

Sarah rolled her eyes at the interruption. "Talk about..."

"SARAH!"

"Go shower, we'll talk later." Sarah turned to go, looked back bit her lip and was out the back door. "What do you want..."

Amanda wasn't going to waste any time the shower was the best one in the cabin. She stood under the rainfall showerhead tilted her head back and just let it hit her face and run down her body. 

Before she knew it her hands were gently rubbing up and down her body. She could see in her mind Travis and Sarah fucking in the kitchen. She touched her sex and pictured herself in Sarah's position getting down on her knees taking his cock into her mouth. Her fingers moved over her clit, the touch sent shivers up her spine, she could see Travis between her thighs licking her pussy with her and Sarah starting to kiss each other.

She reached up with her free hand and started to pinch her nipples. A moan escaped her lips as she inserted a finger into herself. 

"Bang!" A door slammed and Amanda jumped. Was that her imagination or not she wondered.

She paused to listen and only the water hitting her replied. As she reached down to touch herself again she heard him.

"Sarah is that you?"

'Travis?' She thought... 'I must still be drunk.' She reached down and touched her clit again. "Mmmm. Its me..." she half mumbled as she imagined Travis slowly posing his cock into her. 

Amanda didn't notice the bathroom door opening. She was so close to orgasm. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the shower wall. She started to cum...

Mid orgasm the shower curtain opened. Amanda's eyes shot open. Travis was standing there naked, his penis was hardening, his jaw fell open. "I... I..."

Amanda couldn't stop her orgasm as she shuddered she slipped as Travis surprised her. Trying not to fall down she fell directly into Travis. The curtain ripping off the rod, they ended up in a heap on the floor. 

"Fuck, I'm sorry Amanda I thought it was Sarah." Travis said as he blushed and tried to avoid eye contact.

Even with the shower curtain mostly between them Amanda had almost faceplanted on his cock. Speechless Amanda was frozen. As Travis tried to disentangle from her she noticed his hardness increasing. 

She went for it. Reaching out she felt his warm cock and as he tried to back away from her grasp she put him into her mouth. She vaguely heard him protest with his mouth but he let her continue. She sped up and sucked hard as she closed her eyes and reached between her legs again.

Travis reached down to Amanda's head and pushed her away, but she fought his hands and pushed down to his groin and worked her tongue on his shaft. Travis couldn't take anymore and exploded in her mouth. Amanda swallowed his load and her tongue lingered on the head of his cock. She sat up from Travis and looked at him in the eyes.

Travis was speechless. He had gone into the bathroom expecting to find Sarah and not only was it her best friend Amanda, and she just gave him a blow job!

Amanda just realized what she had done. Sure she had a crush on Travis, and her best friend Sarah, but this was just a surprise and 'I just sucked his cock!' Amanda stood quickly grabbed her towel and ran out of the room.

Amanda ran back to the female room and quickly dressed. It didn't seem like anyone had seen her and she started to pace the room trying to sort out what just happened.

Travis had surprised her in the shower, it was a total accident, but she had been masturbating while thinking about the time she watched Travis and Sarah have sex. When she fell and landed on him while she was orgasming she couldn't help herself she was so horny. She paced what seemed like hours but in reality was only minutes. 

'How am I going to tell Sarah?' she wondered to herself. Not only did she give Travis a blow job she had pictured Sarah there watching her do it. She gathered herself the best she could and went back outside to go back into town before her shift started. 

Just outside Amanda found people were everywhere, just the opposite of what she wanted. She saw Sarah over next to Amanda's car of course talking to Sam. Sarah usually used Travis' truck but that was gone as well as any sign of him. In the past Sarah would use Amanda's car when she needed. But this didn't look good.

Sarah was fuming at Sam over something. 'Might as well get this over with.' She set out in their direction. Sam glanced briefly at her but thankfully Sarah hadn't seen her yet. 

As she got within earshot she heard Sam say, "why not Amanda she's as good as anyone?"

Sarah turned and looked at Amanda, her jaw opened at the sight of her. Amanda loved her best friend and couldn't stand the look she was getting.

"Oh... she doesn't know?" Sam continued, "well no use in hiding it anymore, here," Sam tossed Sarah his keys, "take my truck I gotta go and the truck will help. Take her out and let her know what's going on."

Sarah looked at Amanda for a minute. Amanda thought what she just did was written all over her face. "Alright, let's go." She opened the door to Amanda's car to grab her HK .45 carbine and headed towards Sam's truck. Amanda was frozen in place. "Come on, I'll tell you on the way, I'm late."

Amanda started to cry? "Oh my god, you're late?" She sniffed, "I... I..."

Sarah looked at her and bust out laughing, "oh my god, I'm not pregnant, I need to be someplace and I am going to be late." She had to hold herself up against the car to keep from falling over in laughter. Wiping away a tear from the laughter, "get in the truck already lets go."

Amanda followed her into the passenger seat of the truck. "Honestly, I don't know where you come up with some of the stuff you say Amanda."

Sarah was driving back towards town when she turned off the road onto a side road that soon turned to dirt. "Listen Sam and I have been... this is hard to say..."

"Sarah you and Sam haven't been..." Amanda wondered.

"What? No, we haven't been fucking." This set off another round of laughter. "We've been bootlegging."



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 05



Sarah

Outside Hardstorm: July 10th 2052

"What do you mean you have been  bootlegging?" Amanda looked at Sarah stunned. 

"Well. It started a few years ago honestly," Sarah looked over at Amanda while she drove. Amanda was staring at her with those sharp green eyes. She had a few strands of her shoulder length black hair in her face. Sarah always thought that her bestfriends eyes were the best thing about her.

"What about Sam? What about Travis? What about, I mean how, where?" Amanda wanted to know everything and Sarah didn't have that much time. 

"Trav doesn't know yet. Sam and I were going to tell him but it hasn't come up yet." Sarah turned off the side road onto a smaller dirt road. Sam's truck bounced over the pot holes, they were going deeper into the woods.

"My dad used to do this years ago. He was partners with a guy named William. He hated the fact that he was doing it to make ends meet and he made William promise not to get me involved." Sarah paused to look at Amanda again. She wasn't staring at her anymore but was listening as she looked out the window.

"When we moved back here together a few years ago and I started working at the bar, it was Sam that was supplying us with moonshine. I knew it had to be Bill because the moonshine tasted just like I remembered. I convinced Sam to let me join eventually and..." Sarah pulled off the dirt road onto a narrow path that the truck barely fit in.

"He was pissed at first but Sam didn't know that Bill already knew me." Sarah stoped the truck. "We're here."

"What do you mean? There's nothing here." Amanda noticed that they were deep into the woods. Nothing was around them, the foliage pressed close against the path.

Sarah opened the door, "wait here until I motion you to come out, he doesn't like stangers." Sarah grabed her carbine and slung it over her shoulder. She paused as she was closing the door. "Oh yeah... he thinks I'm a lesbian... so keep that going will you?" She closed the door before Amanda could respond. 'This is all Sam's fault,' she thought.

Sarah walked ahead 20 yards before calling out. She waited for a reply and got nothing. Bill was never late in the past. That could only mean one of two things. He saw Amanda in the truck or something happened to him. Bill was near 80 and one tough son of a bitch. But just to be on the safe side she unslung het carbine before shouting out again.

"It's me... Sam couldn't make it so I brought... my partner."

"Heh, heh..." she heard the familiar laugh. "Why don't you put that piece away. You think I'd let someone sneak up on me like you just did?"

William McCoy was an untrusting sort. He hated modern technology especially the electric motors that had been in use in all vehicles for the last 30 or so years. The oil prices and economic condition of the country made it the only affordable means of transportation left.

Bill stepped out from his hiding spot. His colt navy single action revolver in his hand. 'Old school.' Sarah thought.

"Not that I don't trust you Sarah, but let's have this  partner step out of the truck where I can see her better."

'Her.' Sarah heard it clearly. He might have known her father and been old enough to be her grandfather but he was still an old perv. Sarah motioned for Amanda to get out of the truck. She started walking towards them but Sarah signaled with her hand to stop.

She glanced at Bill briefly, he was looking Amanda up and down. Sarah turned her gaze back at Amanda. She had to admit, Amanda was hot. She had on a olive drab tank top with a pair of tight black shorts. Her thigh holster and hiking boots completed the look. 'Damn she looks sexy in that.'

Sarah caught herself staring at her bestfriend but couldn't stop herself. Amanda waited impatiently and crossed her arms over her chest. Sarah looked back at Bill. "Had enough?"

Bill stroked his gray beard. He wore just a pair of overalls as far as Sarah could tell. "Alright... have her drive the truck up here, I always imagined you as the lipstick one."

"What does that mean?" Asked Sarah defensively.

"Well look at that body. What is she 90 pounds. Looks like she could eat a sandwich." Bill smiled with his missing teeth showing. "Then look at you... if your father was here now..."

"If my father what Bill." Sarah steamed at him.

"Heh, heh, I would be giving him a hard time that his daughter was getting more pussy then me." He smiled again and Sarah had to laugh.

Sarah turned shaking her head. Bill could always get her to laugh. "Get the truck and follow us." Amanda hesitated enough to make Sarah wonder and then went to get in the drivers seat. Sarah turned to follow Bill.

"So no Sam today. Anything I should know about?" Bill always wanted to know when things didn't go to plan.

"Travis had to go to Laketon and told Sam to do a firedrill today, so he is busy." Sarah tried to brush it off. She hadn't actually seen Bill since the war and worried that Sam's lie would come back to haunt her. She hated lying and this was torture.

They went about twenty yards before Bill said, "so I've heard you and Friar have been hooking up. Does she know?"

"Actually we all have been. But you know what prudes people are." Sarah was amazed at the speed of her answer. 'That was easier then I thought it would be.'

"Heh, heh..." Bill shook his head, "tell her to stop here." He went about another ten yards and Sarah could see it. His distillery was perfectly camoflauged. Next to it sat about 100 gallon containers set for delivery.

Amanda stopped the truck and got out. "What the fuck was that about?" She said in a hushed voice when she got close to Sarah.

"Shhh... he's just an old perv, but harmless... he wanted to see what you looked like." Sarah looked into Amanda's eyes signaling to her silently. It had been years since she had done this and wondered if Amanda would pick up on it. She reached out and took her hand. "Bill this is my girlfriend Amanda." 

Bill looked them up and down before tilting his head towards the shine. "I know who she is. Do you thin I live under a rock. Now load up and get out of here before you lose the light. You got a lot of deliveries to make."

Amanda looked at him with a confused look. Sarah saw it and led her to the waiting moonshine to load into the truck. It took a good 15 minutes between the two of them and Bill just watched them.

"You can turn it around about 50 yards back," Bill said when they were done loading up the truck.

Sarah turned to Amanda, "go ahead, I have to talk with Bill about something." Amanda turned to get in the truck, Sarah looked at her ass as she climbed in.

Bill noticed, "I don't blame you sweetie, it's one fine looking booty." 

Sarah smiled, "Bill, I know my father would kill me to say this but..."

"You want to learn how to make it." Bill paused as Sarah was stunned by him knowing. "I could tell it for the last year Sarah, I figured it would be alright, your father was the best moonshiner I have ever met."

"What do you mean?" Sarah had known her dad delivered but not this.

"Your father taught me everything I know. Hell it's his recipe I use. Now, I can't let it go for free. Heh... heh."

A kiss wasn't that bad. Sarah had kissed Amanda plenty of times in the past, just not recently. She bit her lip as she walked towards the truck. She knew he wanted a show of it and she figured she could give him that. 

Amanda was sitting in Sam's truck waiting for her to get back and be on their way. Sarah went to the drivers side and knocked on the door. 

Amanda looked at her and motioned as if to say,'What.' Sarah motioned for Amanda to get out with her head. Amanda rolled her eyes got out and headed towards the passenger side. Sarah grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her in close. 

Standing above Amanda, Sarah. Had a good 4 inches on her. While actually only 5'6" Sarah was wearing her boots with a good 3" heel and had at least 4" on Amanda at this time. The auburn haired beauty grabbed Amanda around the waist with one arm as she touched the back of Amanda's head with her other hand.

"I love you," Sarah heard herself say, and before she could tell what she had just said, she pulled Amanda in for a kiss.

Lexington Kentucky: September 12th, 2043.

Sarah was getting ready to go out for the night. School had started up a few weeks ago and she was in the mood to party. She quickly checked her phone for any messages. Nothing. She was getting pissed at her boyfriend. He never replies fast enough. 

This week the latest video game came out. It was another one of those first person shooters. When Cory told her it had the hostage rescue mission from last year on it she had stormed out of his apartment.

She still lived on campus in the dorms with Amanda being that they were just sophmores. He was a year older and lived in off campus housing. She had meet him over the summer when she went to visit Amanda who lived outside of Lexington. They had went to a party near campus and Sarah had found herself talking to him all night. No one had told him that Sarah knew Travis so he didn't know the reason she was angry at him.

"Screw him," Amanda came up behind Sarah in just her bra and panties. "Let's go out get drunk, no guys."

Sarah knew that Amanda had been looking to hook up tonight and Sarah was going to stay at Cory's later. Amanda was the most open door that Sarah had ever known and while jaring at first when they lived together freshmen year, Sarah found herself craving what Amanda could do. 

It was Amanda that helped her get over Travis last year, and it had been Amanda that influenced her first hookup last spring. It was also Amanda's toys that had Sarah thinking about nothing but sex the night she had met Cory.

Sarah had stumbled upon a vibrater when she was cleaning their dorm room last spring. Amanda walked in as Sarah was staring at it. Embarased Sarah didn't know what to say. Amanda brushed it off like it was nothing and admitted that she had left it out after using it last night after Sarah had done to sleep. 

The thought of her roommate masturbating near her was on her mind for weeks and she was embarrassed to think that it actually turned her on to the point that she had masturbated for the first time. Shortly after that Sarah had gone online and ordered her first vibrater.

Sarah had been so horny the night she met Cory she had been thinking of how she could get some alone time at Amanda's house when he started to hit on her.

Sarah finished doing her hair and makeup and got dressed in her best party gear. A strapless bra under her short blue top that bared her midriff and hung below one of her shoulders. She had on a black mini skirt that did little to cover up more then her ass, a small g-string meant that she had to be carefull bending over. She also borrowed a pair of Amanda's calf high FMBs. She had to admit her auburn hair with her blue eyes and her school colors was perfect for guys to notice and hit on her. 

"Damn girl," Amanda was checking her out, "you trying to get us free drinks all night again?" 

"What are you talking about, look at you slut." Amanda was shorter then Sarah by just two inches but she usually got all the attention when they went out to bars. She had on a black dress if you want to call it that. It clung to her body like a glove. It was longer then Sarah's skirt and went to just above her knees but when Amanda turned for Sarah to see her back was exposed and showed off just a hint of her skull and cross bones tattoo on the small of her back. Sarah didn't know how a tattoo like that could be badass and sexy at the same time until she saw this one. Knowing Amanda she probably went sans thong because with how tight that was any lines would show through. She finished her look with a modest pair of heels, mainly because they were the best ones she had for dancing and they were black. Her hair was done a little wild, it hung only down to her chin, was usually strait but she had it messed up and out of place. She was an expert at doing her makeup to make her green eyes stand out.

They headed out a little after eleven. Sarah still had some moonshine from back home that she brought with her and they had a couple drinks beforehand. Amanda was getting better at drinking it but Sarah had been drinking it since high school and was used to it by now.

The club let them in no questions asked, it didn't hurt that they were flirting with each other in front of the doorman. They were still working their buzz so they hit the dance floor right away. The first brave guy showed up in no time. "Hey girls, wow you smell good," he settled up behind Amanda, "what are you wearing?" 

"Pussy." Amanda responded on cue. "Get lost she's mine." She playingly shoved him aside and moved closer to Sarah and touched her face, "only us tonight, ok?" Looking into each other's eyes they grinded on each other. 

Sarah leaned in towards Amanda, "I need a drink, let's go get one." She took Amanda's hand and went towards the bar. Sarah knew Amanda wanted to get the drinks for free just because they could. As they waited at the bar Amanda started to touch Sarah's arm as she leaned in and whispered to her.

"You look so hot tonight." Sarah saw the guys behind her start to look.

Sarah smiled and looked down, Amanda said it a little loud so the group of guys next to them could hear. She thought it was nothing, but every time Amanda would do this it seemed so genuine. Amanda started to gyrate as they waited for their drinks. She put her hands on Sarah's hips pulling her in close. The drinks came and the bartender told them that the guys behind them paid. Amanda turned to thank them and before they could hit on them she was dragging Sarah back to the dance floor.

They were doing a good job at keeping the guys away and by their third drink they were getting a little drunk. Sarah had her arms around Amanda as they moved to the music. She loved dancing and let her mind wander and get out of the world. But she found herself only thinking about sex. 

Sarah was so horny. She had been working herself up the last three songs imagining touching herself right there in the bar. Her skirt was short enough that she thought she might be able to touch herself without being noticed. Sarah saw Amanda was trying to say something to her over the noise. She looked at her green eyes then at her lips as it looked like she was saying, "wanna kiss?"

Sarah leaned in and kissed Amanda. A second later she felt Amanda respond. They embrased each other as Sarah ran her tongue along Amanda's lips. They made out a good few minutes as the people around them started to notice.

Amanda grabed Sarah's ass. Her skirt was so short that Amanda's hands actually went under her skirt. Sarah moaned as Amanda returned her kisses with her own tongue. Sarah pulled her head away to say, "that feels so good Amanda." They had kissed before when at parties but never like this.

"Thanks," Amanda had leaned in to shout over the noise in the room, "but I said, wanna piss."

Sarah blushed but let Amanda lead her to the bathroom. The line wasn't too bad and it was their turn in no time. "I think we should get going," Amanda said to Sarah. "I might rip your clothes off if you do that again."

Sarah smiled and said back, "ok but let's stop at Cory's and show him what he missed out on."

"Why did he message you back or anything?"

"Yeah he said to go ahead without him, he was staying in with his friends."

They left the bar together and quickly realized that the temperature had dropped.

They hurried to Cory's apartment and had to wait after they rang the doorbell too long and rang it again. Cory answered the door, "woah, you guys look good." Amanda pushed by him in a hurry. "What's her problem?"

"Oh she has to pee." Sarah kissed Cory quickly and moved past him too.

"Where are you going?"

"With her," Sarah started up the steps to the older home that only had a bathroom on the second floor. She flipped up the back of her skirt to show off her ass and g-sting. Pausing halfway up, "you home alone?"

"Yeah they went out. I'll be down here." Sarah couldn't believe he didn't get the hint.

Amanda had left the door slightly ajar. Sarah went in after saying it was her. Amanda was just finishing up and stood to use the sink. Sarah looked at her tattoo sticking out just enough from her backless black dress as she leaned over the sink, skull and crossbones.

Amanda saw her looking in the mirrors reflection and leaned foward more, showing off her tattoo and ass in the clinging dress.

As Sarah went to wash up Amanda left the room. Sarah heard her go downstairs so she took the time to look over herself. Sarah realized she was so horny and touched herself under her skirt. She closed her eyes as her fingers ran over her sex. She pulled her g-string aside and felt her moisture. She opened her eyes and decided to go check on Amanda. 

Amanda was in the kitchen preparing two drinks. Sarah sat on the large chair opposite of Cory as he played the game. She purposefully didn't close her legs and left them apart a few inches in his direction. She started to brush her fingers across her abs as she licked her lips. 'Still not looking at me,' she thought as she noticed Amanda had been.

She went to sit on the chair with Sarah. It was too big for one person but too small for two. She was basically sitting on her lap and threw her legs over Sarah's and gave her the extra drink that she had made. Sarah could smell it was strong. Amanda put her extra arm around Sarah leaned in close to her and whispered, "that looked so hot, he's not good enough for you." She kissed her neck. "Why don't you start doing what you were in the bathroom, that will get his attention."

"What, I..." Sarah stamered as she didn't think Amanda knew. 

"I started to go downstairs before I realized I needed to ask if you had any extra clothes here." Amanda licked her lips when she paused, "you touching yourself was very sexy, you got me all horny watching you do that." Amanda sat up and gave Sarah a devilish grin as she took a long sip of her drink. 

Sarah did likewise and glanced over to see Cory still focused on his game. She smiled back at Amanda and spread her legs apart a little more. She couldn't quite reach herself with Amanda on her lap so she put her hand on Amanda's thigh and slowly stroked it. 

Amanda took the last sip of her drink, set it down and pulled Sarah's face to hers. They kissed again this time they both started out with thier tongues. Amanda moaned as Sarah squeezed with her hand that was on her thigh. She did the best she could to put her drink down without spilling it and grabed her waist and pulled it closer. 

They made out Amanda on Sarah's lap running her fingers through her hair. Sarah's hand slowly moved up Amanda's thigh as she started gyrating into Sarah like at the bar. Sarah's other had was also working its way under the opening in the back of Amanda's dress and worked its way around her waist. If Cory was looking now she didn't care.

Amanda dropped a hand and reached under Sarah's loose top. She cupped a 36C breast and started to squeeze it softly.

Sarah's hand was now up Amanda's dress. Inches from her sweet spot and Amanda spread her legs to give her room. Amanda now had both hands under Sarah's shirt and quickly took off her strapless bra it fell into their laps as Amanda went back to rubbing her breasts.

Sarah reached Amanda's sex and brushed up against it with her fingers, just as she suspected no underwear. Amanda moaned and gyrated her hips into Sarah's hand, she could feel how wet Amanda was and knew that is how she was right now too.

Amanda broke their near constant kissing and looked over to Cory who was finally watching, "bedroom, now." Cory practically jumped up as Amanda stood up and took Sarah's hand and followed him upstairs.




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 05



Once in the bedroom Amanda immediately went back to making out with Sarah. She put her hands on Sarah's hips and pushed her onto the bed. She kicked off her heals, jumped onto the bottom of the bed, and climbed up between Sarah's legs. She kissed her thighs and to Sarah's disappointment she skiped up to her abs and then to her neck and mouth again.

"Sarah suck that cock for me." Amanda said. Cory jumped on the bed on no time as Amanda went back down Sarah's body and settled between her legs.

Sarah watched as Amanda looked up at her with those green eyes and slowly moved her panties aside and gave her sex a slow wet lick. Sarah closed her eyes and shuttered at the feeling as Cory kneeled next to her. She grabed his cock and looked at him, "better then video games?"

He could only nod in reply as Sarah took his cock into her mouth. She had him only in her mouth for a few seconds before Amanda sucked on her clit. She moaned and let him slip out of her mouth. Looking down again at Amanda she saw her looking back at her with those eyes. "That feels so good, I love you Amanda." She took him back in her mouth now that she knew Amanda was watching she sucked hard as she went up and down his shaft. 

"Oh my god Sarah, I'm going to..." he didn't make it to the last word. He came in her mouth and Sarah pushed him to the back of her mouth and swallowed. 

Amanda had stopped to watch him cum. She smiled as he fell out of her mouth and she kneeled below Sarah and removed her dress in one motion, sans panties and bra, Cory watched and his cock responded. Any hint of his erection fading was long gone. Amanda only had eyes for Sarah right now as she stood on the bed she watched Sarah look her body up and down. Amanda said while touching her pussy, "I've seen the way you look at me, you want this, don't you?"

"Yes." Cory replied but it was Sarah she was looking at who only nodded yes. 

Amanda turned and Sarah looked at her tattoo again in the small of her back. She had seen it many times in their room but now it was so erotic. The mouth of the skull slightly open, a shadow of a tongue, the eyes seemed to be watching you no matter what the angle, the bones crossed at such a low angle it made Sarah think it resembled a pussy, the pussy that was getting closer to her by the second. Sarah licked her lips and reached up to pull Amanda to her faster. 

Her scent was intoxicating to Sarah. Her wetness glistened on her lips. Sarah realized she had been wanting this for a while as she closed her eyes and licked Amanda. She grabbed her ass and licked again, she concentrated on her clit and heard Amanda moan like her mouth was full. She realized that Cory was between her legs and Amanda was giving him a bj. She felt Amanda's fingers at her sex and after a few seconds of touching, Amanda inserted a finger and curled it inside of her. She pulled it out and pushed it in while working her clit with her thumb.

Sarah couldn't take the pleassue and continue with her own task at hand. She moaned as she neared climax, but Amanda stopped and suddenly withdrew her finger. "Do you want this cock in you?" 

"Yes, give it to me." Sarah bucked her hips up towards Amanda's hand.

"Keep it up and I will let you have it."

Sarah groaned in agony at the denial. She returned her tongue to Amanda and was soon rewarded with her finger gently probing her. 'Two can play this game.' Sarah thought as she pushed a finger inside if Amanda. She heard the slopping noise of his dick coming out of her mouth and a long moan.

"I think she is ready now." Amanda guided Cory down between Sarah's legs. The tip of his cock rubbed against her and she felt him slowly push in.

The feeling was intense as Amanda kissed Cory he started to pull out and thrust in at alternating speeds. Sarah screamed in pleasure, unable to keep her mouth on Amanda any longer, she struggled to keep her fingers pumping. Sarah approached her orgasm and when Amanda touched her clit again she came.

Amanda pushed Cory off when she realized what was happening. Sarah's eyes shot open at the sudden absence of his cock, but Amanda was on her in a second. Her mouth sucked at her clit and fingers curled back inside of her. Sarah's orgasm continued and it was more intense then any before. 

As Sarah's orgasm subsided, Amanda climbed off of her and made Cory lay down next to her. She turned to face the bottom of the bed, turned her head and smiled at Sarah as she lowered her pussy onto Cory's cock reverse cowgirl. Amanda was showing off her tattoo to her again. She never stopped looking at Sarah as she rode Cory gyrating her hips like earlier.

Cory let Amanda know he was close and she hurried off of him and took him in her mouth always looking at Sarah. She watched as Cory orgasmed in her mouth, but unlike Sarah she didn't swallow. Instead when he was done she climbed up the bed to Sarah and kissed her. Sarah could taste Amanda's juices right away and a second later Cory's. 

Amanda let it all into Sarah's mouth and Sarah sucked on Amanda's tongue when she probed in. Sarah swallowed another load as Amanda laid next to her. They faced each other as Cory spooned Sarah. "That was amazing," she said to Amanda. She smiled back to her and closed her eyes.

Outside Hardstorm: July 10th, 2052

They made the deliveries the rest of the afternoon. Two farmers that gave Bill their corn got ten gallons each. Sarah got ten for her and Sam, ten went to the bar she used to work at and the rest went to their distributer.

Sarah even surprised Amanda when they pulled up to a garage outside of town where they had been aging their shares in barrels. Sarah explained that they were getting the barrels made for them and that they had been doing it for a couple of years plus they got way better prices for them. 

Sarah took one of the older barrels and with Amanda's help got it into the truck and secured before they went back into town to their old apartment. They were able to get the barrel inside and were exhauseted from the effort.

"Now what?" Amanda asked. Brushing some of the hairs out of her face.

"We taste it and tomorrow we bottle." Sarah got two glasses from the kitchen and opened the cork on the top of the barrel she put on a spout that she had also grabbed and rolled it over so that she could pour the drinks with the valve on the spout. 

"I got night shift tonight Sarah," Amanda said as Sarah handed her the drink. 

"Not anymore. I changed the schedule when Travis told Sam to do the firedrill, we are both free tonight." Sarah swirled the whiskey in her glass and took a sip. "Wow, you have got to try this."

The girls drank a couple drinks slowly while sitting on the deck enjoying the warm July night. The humidity had gone down some but not enough to make it comfortable to be inside in a non air conditioned house.

"What was up with that earlier today?" Amanda asked.

"Well Sam told Bill I was a lesbian because he asked him if we had been fucking."

"Not that." Sarah knew Amanda was talking about the kiss and didn't think Amanda would press it the way she was.

"Well..." Sarah took another sip of her drink. "I..." 

Amanda's car pulled up to the house and Sam got out. "Didn't know you ladies were taking my truck all day." 

"Sorry Sam." Sarah tossed the keys to Sam as he got to the porch. "How'd it go today?" 

"Is that the old batch we've been saving?" Sam said pointing to the barrel.

"No, it's the one we talked about bottling." Sarah said as she gave him her glass.

He took a swig and handed it back. "Damn that's good." He went inside to get himself one and continued talking through the screen door. "Not too bad I guess today, it would have been better with Trav." The firedrill was a test run of what to do at the checkpoints if they were attacked.

"What did Trav go to Laketon for anyways?" Sarah asked.

"Don't know he wouldn't tell me and he didn't come back tonight." Sam saw Sarah's face turn to worry. "I doubt it's anything. You know the rules about going between here and there. You can't go out after dusk. I'm sure they just got hung up and couldn't leave."

Sarah was used to Travis having to stay in Laketon but he had always known when he would be overnight or not and would let her know. Sam had to go make his rounds for the night and left the girls alone.

Fairweather Estate: July 17th, 2052. 1:34 PM

Travis hadn't come back the next day, or the day after that. Sarah had been a wreck the third day when Sam had gone to Laketon and came back with no one knowing where Travis or the mayor had gone. They had left on the 10th with the head of the militia from Laketon and nobody had seen them since.



The day after that Sam had run patrols on any way that they could have taken to go between the two towns, and found nothing out of the ordinary.

Sarah had holed up in her and Trav's room. Amanda had been bringing her food that she barely touched if at all. She had just woke up and was laying on the bed motionless. The window was closed and the shades were drawn. She had broken the clock days ago and lost all track if time. 

The heat of the day had been baking the cabin and she was covered in sweet even though she was in just a bra and shorts.

She got up and went to the plate of food on the desk. Breakfast, and it was cold. She drank the room temperature water anyways and sat in the chair and stared at the desk for how long she didn't know. 

"Good, you're up." Amanda had come into the room with a small sandwich and more water.  Sarah reluctantly ate as Amanda filled her in on the last days activities. She knew Amanda was trying to help but she didn't care. No one knew where Travis was or if he was alive.

"It's going to be ok Sarah, let's get you a shower." Amanda tried and failed to get Sarah to stand. "Ok, bath." Amanda left the room to fill up the tub and returned as it was filling. "Alright get out of those clothes. How long have you had those on anyways?"

"Two days, but you just want to see me naked don't you?" Sarah smirked for a second. As she stood with Amanda she turned to her friend. "What do we do now?"



"Take it day by day I guess." Amanda helped Sarah into the bathroom and into the tub. "Take as long as you need," she told Sarah as she left. "I will be outside to talk if you want, no one else is here so don't be shy."

Sarah took her time and steped out onto the porch refreshed. Amanda smiled at her from the yard where she was suntanning in a skimpy red bikini. Sarah watched Amanda stand and walk towards her. 

"Hey, you made it outside." Amanda hugged her, and after hesitating Sarah hugged her back. She could smell the sweat from Amanda and her skin was soft she tried to ignore the fact that Amanda was practically naked as they sat on the porch together. 

"Amanda I wanted to thank you for all that you had done for me this last week." Sarah looked away from her friend and forced herself to continue. "I want to let you know that," she looked up at Amanda and into those green eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too," Amanda responded.

"No, Amanda, I love you." Sarah stressed what she took so long to say to Amanda. Something that she should have told her years ago but never wanted to ruin their friendship.

"Sarah, I know I love you too." Amanda stood and put her arms out to Sarah. "I always have Sarah."

Sarah reached for Amanda's hands and let Amanda pull her up. "Why didn't you ever said anything?"

"I was waiting for you to be ready." Amanda kissed her and they held each other for several moments. "What do we do now?" Asked Amanda.

"Take it day by day I guess." Sarah smiled at Amanda.

The radio in the cabin crackled and came to life and startled Amanda and Sarah. "SAM! SAM! GET TO THE CABIN NOW!" It was Brad who was on watch at the entrance to the cabin today. "It's Travis!"

Sarah face went from shock to joy. She ran off the porch towards the driveway. 

Amanda was just as shocked. She heard the truck coming up from the road. She heard! 'Trav's truck was electric this isn't right' thought Amanda. The truck came out of the treeline. It was a humvee with a machine gun mount. Sarah was halfway there already.

Amanda screamed "SARAH!"



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 06



The humvee lumbered up the driveway. It was not alone, 'two, three, four.' Sarah counted to herself as more vehicles emerged from the treeline. She was standing in the open between the cabin and driveway, she realized Amanda had run to join her, pistol in hand, but they were clearly out gunned. 

The lead vehicle turned and drove methodically towards the two women. It came to a stop in front of them as the next truck continued towards the cabin. 'Five, six, seven,' the seventh wasn't a humvee but another larger truck, Sarah locked eyes with the man stepping out of the passenger side of the vehicle. She couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Boy, isn't that a sight for sore eyes." The driver said as he stepped out looking Amanda up and down in her bikini.

Sarah barley noticed what he had said. She ran towards the passenger and lept into his arms. "Don't you ever do that to me again Travis Friar."

 Travis 

Fairweather Estate: July 17th, 2052. 6:23 PM

"Oh my God, that feels so good." Travis moaned, "you have no idea how much I missed this."

Sarah laughed and smiled, "of all things you missed the shower?"

"Among others." Travis stuck his head out of the shower and looked at Sarah and she shook her head at him as he smiled.

Travis had spent the afternoon helping Lieutenant Driver's platoon unload and set up their tents and park their trucks out of the open field. He had called for a meeting with the rest of the militia so that he could go over everything. The mayor, David Johnson, had taken his truck into town when they had gotten back so that no one in the town saw the military convoy yet.

After his shower he got dressed in the uniform provided to him, it was an older pattern but worked well for this part of Kentucky. He thumbed the eagle on his lapel thinking how odd it felt. Sarah had left the room while he was still on the shower, she had been organizing all the shifts for the militia and was probably had a lot to do with the addition of a platoon of soldiers.

Everyone had gathered outside now that the living room of the cabin wasn't big enough to hold everyone. Lt. Driver, Sam, Sarah, and David were waiting on the porch.

Lt. Driver snapped to attention as he stepped outside. Sam snickered to himself and turned away so no one could see him laugh.

Travis started while ignoring Sam, "I will try to keep this brief, while I was away we were called into Frankfort, turns out Kentucky held together pretty well the last few months compared to elsewhere." Sam had quieted down and everyone was actually paying close attention Travis noticed. Word from outside the county was hard to come by. "The governor has appointed me colonel," Travis heard Sam trying to contain his laughter, "of the state militia in the eastern mountains." 

"Kentucky and parts of Ohio and Tennessee are now working together to help everyone through this." Some small whispers were spreading, "the government and military leadership of this country is mostly gone. Our state government is one of the few that remained mostly intact, Texas, North Carolina, and..." Travis tried to remember the others but trailled off in an awkward pause. 

"Nebraska and Idaho." Lieutenant Driver spoke up.

"Yes, thank you. For the most part, we are on our own. These men are from Fort Cambell. They have had a tough couple months and are here to help us secure the county. Their platoon is led by First Lieutenant Driver, and the rest of their company is in Laketon with another unit from Fort Knox. None of these men here are from Kentucky. They have all lost friends and family and were given the choice to leave or stay on so they are here for us. I want you to treat them like they have been here all their lives." Travis was glad to see everyone nodding along.

"One last thing." Travis reached for the two envelopes in his jacket. Opening the first Travis read, "Samuel Wydant is hereby granted the rank of captain in the Kentucky State Militia by the powers vested in me by the state of Kentucky signed governor Randall Paul." Sam's smile disappeared, "and Sarah Warner is hereby granted the rank of second lieutenant in the Kentucky State Militia by the powers vested in me by the state of Kentucky signed governor Randall Paul. That is all for now everyone." Travis turned and motioned for Driver to follow him, "Sarah, Sam, David, Amanda, we need to talk."

Travis had just gotten the door to his room closed when everyone started talking at once.

"Captain are you fucking kidding me?"

"What the hell is going on?"

"What did you want me here for?"

Travis looked around the room, it was a mess. "Sam, it wasn't up to me," he nodded at Dave, "Sarah, we are housing lieutenant Driver's platoon for an undetermined length, and Amanda you are here because I need you to tell everyone what is going on."

"But I don't even know what is going on." Amanda was standing next to Sarah as Travis thought about what happened the last time he was in the room with Amanda. He had surprised her in the shower thinking it was Sarah and that he would join her. Amanda was masturbating and ended up giving Travis a blow job when she fell on him.

"The governor wanted this official. Sam you are second in charge here, Sarah, you are third, and Driver you are fourth." Travis was about to continue when Driver interrupted.

"Colonel, I am well aware of your military record, but Mr. Wydant and Miss Warner are not qualified to be in this position of..."

"Lieutenant! I am not going to argue this. Sam, I mean Captain Wydant, is a senior officer, address him properly." Travis could almost hear Sam's jaw hitting the floor, "Warner and him have lived here their whole lives. They know every mountain, stream, and every dirt road and path. You are assigned to be my executive assistant, and please watch your complaints in front of the soldiers." Driver shut up and let Travis continue. 

Travis noticed Amanda's confused face. "Amanda you are the liason between Driver's platoon and everyone else, see to it they are comfortable and have everything they need. Driver you and Amanda are dismissed."

The lightbulb went off in Amanda's head, "oh, I'm the soldier." 

Sam couldn't contain himself and burst out laughing as Amanda and Driver left the room.

Sam stopped laughing enough to say, "you should have gone easy on 'em, I was only a sergeant."

Travis frowned, "so was I." Travis looked at Sam, Sarah, and David. "This is not going to be any joy ride by far. We have a lot of work to do. These guys have been through a lot. It's a lot different out there then it is here. Lt. Driver was gaurding a food line at a shopping center outside of Cincinnati. The squad was overrun when people at the back of the line started fighting, when they tried to break it up the people attacked them. Driver refused to let the squad open fire. She and a private escaped by getting onto the shopping centers roof while everyone else was beaten to death. Private Fridel was from Chicago, the nuke that hit there wiped out his entire family, Sergeant Rodriguez moved his family to an off base apartment from California just last year. His wife was killed when a mob attacked the grocery store she worked at the day the bombs hit, his kid was killed the day after that when a neighbor had a shootout with an armed robber. The kid was hit by a stray bullet while staying with another neighbor."

"I'm sorry Trav I didn't know," Sam muttered.

"Every single man and woman in that platoon out there has a similar story. They were all thrown together a week ago and then dispatched here so they could be out of the way to recooperate mentally and physically. We need to give them the structure that they need to not lose any skills and training."

Sam nodded in agreement.

"David, I know that you have to get back into town before the rumors start to go crazy, but there are two things I want you to do." Travis went over to his desk and pulled out the quad maps that they had gotten from the library. "First, even though the platoon out there was given food for themselves, I want to save as much of it as we can for winter, we have 30 extra mouths to feed and Laketon has about 200. You need to figure out the rations."

The mayor nodded, "understandable, what else?"

"I want you to figure out what is going on with the military." Travis said laying down the quad maps from Laketon south to Cumberland.

"What do you mean Trav?" Sarah asked as her and Sam stepped up to look over the maps.

"The tank force at Laketon is practically a straight shot down to the gap. I overhead someone at the capital saying about a large number of our troops being there. I want to know why, but I don't trust the military to give me a straight answer."

"Tanks?" Sarah asked.

David put it together for Sam and Sarah, "they told us that they were splitting up their forces to take the pressure of feeding them off of the areas around the bases, but Fort Knox is actually holding onto a large number of troops for some reason."

"It's more then you think Dave," Travis responded. "When I met the governor he said to me that we were the richest country in the nation, and I got the impression that he was talking about Kentucky and not the United States."

"Good lord," Sam spoke up, "the gold depository."

The mayor left to go back to town while Travis planned out the new responsibilities for the militia and Driver's platoon with Sam and Sarah. They had a lot of work to do and even though winter was months away Travis was worried about the people now staying in tents outside the cabin. A few hours later Sam left leaving Sarah and Travis alone for the first time that day.

Travis went across the room to his office and pulled his decanter out from the drawer. "This is almost empty, haven't been filling it up?" He poured two drinks.

Sarah didn't respond so Travis clairified, "I've noticed its been getting refilled, I asumed it was you." 

"Oh, right," Sarah took the extra glass from Travis when he handed it to her. 

Travis drank a sip looking into Sarah's blue eyes. He realized he had missed her more than he thought, he was only gone a week and it seemed like way longer with the things he had seen outside of the bigger cities and towns. Even in Kentucky there were riots and fighting. The governor had done a good job but there wad still some damage that had been done and people killed.

He noticed Sarah had put her drink down and stepped towards him. He could smell her hair as she was inches away from him. He reached around her and pulled her in close. He put his hand under her chin and lifted it up for a kiss. Sarah responded with a low moan and hugged Travis closer.

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you where I was going Sarah." 

"It's ok, I got you back." Sarah put her head on his chest, "next time don't come home with a hot lieutenant, you would make a girl jealous."

Travis smiled and shook his head. Lieutenant Driver sure was good looking it was hard for him not to notice her body.

Fairweather Estate: July 31st, 2052. 0617

Travis woke up rested for once. Considering what was going on later that day he noticed it was almost peaceful outside. Sarah was next to him. She had come in late from a patrol, threw off her uniform and passed out on top of the sheets next to him in her bar and panties.

He was admiring her body as he sat up. It had been a little awkward with him and Amanda when he got back and wondered if Sarah had found out when he noticed them acting strangely towards each other, but those feelings had passed shortly as they picked up their relationship where they had left off.

Travis found himself staring at Sarah. She was laying on her stomach head facing him, her eyes were closed but a slight smile was on her face. Her auburn hair laid behind her, he slowly looked down her back and paused at the small of her back. She had a light sheen of sweat from the humid air inside the room. Her pink panties clung to her ass slightly exposing the top of her ass and showed a lot of cheek.

"Like what you see, sir?" Sarah had woken up and noticed him staring. She smiled and wiggled her ass at him while slightly parting her legs.

Travis bent over to give her a kiss, as he cupped her ass in his hand giving it a squeeze. "I might have to make a more thorough investigation lieutenant." 

"Oh really?" Sarah giggled as she lifted her ass off the bed, "does this help , sir?"

Travis kneeled on the bed his cock pressing at his boxers. He rubbed his hand over one ass cheek to the next and down her thigh. She parted her legs as he slid his hand back up her inner thigh and briefly cupped her sex pressing his finger hard into her panties and feeling her moisture through them. "These are not regulation undergarments I see."

"I'm so sorry colonel. I guess you will have to remove them for me." Sarah reached for his boxers as he slid her panties down her thighs. "I didn't notice that you were standing at attention, let me return your salute." 

Sarah moved her head and took his cock into her mouth. She licked the head before sliding down toward his base. Travis could feel her moan when he reached back to her and touched her clit. His fingers parted her lips as she sucked him in and out of her mouth. 

She moaned again and let him fall out of her mouth when he slipped a finger inside of her. "Thank you, sir, how may I be of service to you."

Travis didn't respond but moved between her legs. He placed his cock at the entrance to her sex and pushed it in slowly. Sarah tried to force her hips back, but Travis grabbed her hips and held her still. "I didn't give you permission to move lieutenant."

"Yes, sir." Sarah lowered her head between her arms and let Travis control the pace.

Travis withdrew and rhythmically entered her more and more with each thrust. He could tell Sarah was close as she reached between her legs and started rubbing her clit.

"I'm cumming sir," Sarah moaned. Travis pulled out and pushed in one more time before Sarah pushed her hips into Travis as much as she could. He felt her orgasm by the contractions on his cock as he held her hips in place.

When Sarah finished he started to pump in and out of her, faster and faster. He felt Sarah pushing back at him every time he thrust.

"I'm close babe," Travis grunted.

Sarah pulled herself from his grip and turned around to take him in her mouth. She licked the head of his cock as she stroked his shaft, he grunted as he cam in her mouth. She swallowed every drop and looked up at him with a smile.

Sarah rolled off the bed and headed to the bathroom. She let her panties that were around her knees fall to the floor with her bra as Travis watched her go.

She had started calling him 'sir' in the bedroom after he had told her how Lieutenant Driver had said to him, 'it's unbecoming of an officer to sleep with junior members of their staff.' He found out later that Sarah had started telling Driver all of the details every time they had sex to make her squirm. He also had noticed that she had been getting more turned on by the role-playing even if it was only half pretend.

He heard the shower turn on in the bathroom, "the shower is ready, sir." He shook his head and smiled as he followed her in.

Later

Travis was just about ready to leave and Amanda was late again. Lt. Driver sighed aloud and looked at her watch. Her and Sgt. Rodriguez were going with him, Scott, and Greg on a patrol west of town. Additionally the mayor and Amanda were going with them to warn the farmers and people in the low laying areas that a hurricane was coming and going to hit tomorrow.

They got word yesterday that the storm had made landfall on the coast of Alabama and was heading north up the mountains. From what they were hearing it was a big one. Yesterday everyone was working to get the tents taken down as word was being spread to warn everyone. They only had one area left to warn people. Lt. Driver's platoon was going to bunk in the cabin until the storms passed so all of the militia were staying in town.

Ananda pulled up and apologized for being late. Travis noticed that she wasn't wearing her uniform that was supplied to everyone in the militia. The uniforms for the militia were a different style from the regular army so that they could tell each other apart.

"Short shorts and a tank top," Travis said while looking her up and down. He liked the thigh holster as he was again reminded of the shower he interrupted.

"That's my fault Travis," David spoke up, "some of the guys in the mountains west of here don't like the government too much, and I thought Amanda and I could talk to them easier if she wasn't in uniform."

Travis nodded, "let's go then." Travis got into his truck, Sgt. Rodriguez was driving with David and Amanda in the back of the cab. Lt. Driver rode with Greg and Scott in the Wangler behind them. 

They hadn't been using the military vehicles because they had no way to replace the gasoline. The governor had told Travis that they were trying to work out a deal with Texas to get more fuel for their military from the refineries. Although most vehicles ran off of fuel cells, the military was still mostly diesal powered because of the horsepower they needed for their vehicles. That left it up to the militia to use their personal vehicles to get around. With most of the militia staying in town because of the storm most of the platoon was stuck at the cabin for the day, Amanda's car was the only one there now for their use.

The day was very productive. They didn't have any trouble because of the uniforms. Most places were glad for the warning and they started to prepare even before they left.

On their way to the outer reaches of the county, Travis was looking at the maps marking down the houses that didn't appear on them. "What about down there?" Travis asked as they came down one hill and crossed a steam.

"What place?" Sgt. Rodriguez asked looking around while he slowed down. 

"There." Travis pointed to a break in the foliage.

"Good eye Travis," David replied. "That's the entrance to old Will's place. We don't need to stop I saw him in town yesterday."

"I don't even see anyplace back there." Rodriguez said as he continued across the creek.

"It's actually a couple miles up the mountain, he likes his privacy." David looked at his checklist, "next place should be ahead on the left."

"You mean William McCoy?" Amanda asked suddenly.

"Yes, how did you know that?" David asked.

"Oh, I ah... met him once when I was out with Sarah."

Travis got the same feeling he did whenever he had seen Sarah and Amanda together but thought it was some kind of deja vu.

Daivd snapped Travis out of his thought as he explained what they would be coming up to. "They keep a wooded lot between them and the road it's quite easy to miss actually."

They pulled up to the house and were greeted by the wife Emma. She was probably in her 50s Travis guessed as she went to call her husband in from the barn. 

"Travis Friar," a large man walked in, "nice to finally meet you, I'm Gabe my sons are out in the fields working right now."

"That's alright Gabe," David said, "we've come go warn you..." 

"About the hurricane? Bill told me yesterday." Emma came back into the room with a few glasses. "Drink anyone?"

Travis accepted along with David, "sir?" Lt. Driver questioned.

"It's ok, you too Amanda," Travis nodded towards the women, the others were outside.

"I've been hearing some strange things from the other side if the ridge." Gabe said as he took a sip. "People are getting worried."

"What do you mean?" David asked.

"Rumor is that there are some gangs running things."

"I wouldn't worry about that Gabe, there hasn't been any reports of activity here, plus we have it covered now."




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 06



Travis drank in silence as he pondered if that was why the military was stationing troops in the mountains.

Just then Scott ran inside, "FIRE!"

Travis ran outside with everyone else. Smoke was rising in the distance. Gabe's sons were coming in from the farm as Travis was shouting orders, "David go back to town with the jeep and get help!"

Gabe came up behind Travis. "I'll send my youngest to town, I'm going with you, I know exactly where that is coming from, follow me." Gabe headed for his car with one of his older sons following him while another got into their farm truck.

"Ok, let's go." Travis jumped into his truck and noticed the wind was picking up as the clouds in the distance were darkening.

They drove for about 20 minutes making several turns. 'Gabe was right,' Travis thought, 'I would never have found this.' They had stopped there earlier that day and Travis tried to remember their names as the pulled up to the house that was now a raging inferno.

They got out of their vehicles and watched the fire. "They're not here," Sgt. Rodriguez said, "maybe they had already left."

Travis noted that their car that was there earlier and wasn't now. "Maybe. But spread out let's take a good look."

Travis caught himself staring at Amanda as she walked in front of him. Her blue tank top stopped just above her khaki shorts that clung to her ass. Her thigh holster stood out on her tanned legs and made her boots look more in place on her smaller frame. As she walked her tank top would shift and expose a little of her skull and crossbones tattoo. 

Sarah had noticed Travis looking at it several times in the past, she had even said to him in the that she thought Amanda's tattoo was hot. Most of the time Travis would end up looking at Amanda's ass, like now he had to force himself to stop but not before thinking about the shower he interrupted. As she had sucked his cock on all fours he found himself looking at her ass and the tattoo, her wet body dripped onto him and the sight of her green eyes looking up at him lustfully as she swallowed his load still ran through his mind every time she looked at him.

Travis shook himself out of it and split off from the group as they circled the building.

He walked around to their shed and noticed the lock was broken on the ground and that the door was slightly ajar.

"Colonel?" Lt. Driver had joined him as he stood a few feet from the shed. "What is it sir?"

Travis gazed at the ground between him and the shed and noticed the shell casing. He pulled his pistol out of his shoulder holster as he motioned to Driver to be quiet. She drew her sidearm and positioned herself to cover Travis as he stepped toward the door. 

He noticed a second casing and a third as he got closer. He reached for the latch and felt something wet. Pulling his free hand back he saw the red liquid and showed his hand for Driver to see. Travis opened the door quickly, gun at the ready.

Empty. A blood soaked cloth and some drops of blood were among the random tools and lawn mowers.

"Lieutenant, get everyone back to the vehicles and get our rifles out." As Driver left Travis looked around the shed one last time. He turned and followed Driver as the roof of the house gave way and fell into the building with a loud crash. Even 100 feet from the house the flames were close to unbearable.

"What's going on Travis?" The mayor asked when he got back. 

Sgt. Rodriguez handed Travis his M8 rifle as he told everyone what he had found. He ordered Scott and Greg to get the 1919 mounted on the jeep David would stay with them at the vehicles. Driver, Rodriguez, and Amanda were going to go with him to circle the perimeter of the yard looking for more clues as to what happened.

"Need another two sets of hands?" Gabe spoke up with his son behind him. "We know this area well and more eyes would help."

Travis looked at their pistols and told Rodriguez to get them the extra M4s from the truck. The military had a lot of extra guns ever since the last gulf war ended. They were handing them out to the militia units and Travis had been able to grab enough plus extra M4s, M8s, and even a few SAWs plus plenty of ammunition. The real prize was the mini gun mounted on one of the humvees. Everyone had begged to shoot it, but Travis didn't want to waste ammo and had it dismounted and put in his storage locker in the room beneith his cabin.

They combed the yard and found more shell casings. There were several places where it looked like someone had gone into the woods recently but that turned up nothing.

The wind was really picking up now. Travis guessed 10 to 15 mph from the south. They circled back to their vehicles empty handed.

"Must have cut themselves getting out of the house," Gabe pondered aloud, "the shell casings could be anything, people shoot a lot around here, game, practice, sport."

Everyone seemed to agree. Travis didn't like it and remained silent.

"When do you think the fire trucks will get here?" Amanda asked.

"Hopefully they don't come." Travis said, "the storm will put out the flames easy enough, and we don't want our resources wasted." Travis knew that sounded cruel but the house was finished, the winds might spread the flames to the trees but they wouldn't catch as easy from the relatively wet summer and the rain looked like it would start at any second.

After watching the fire for another couple minutes Travis told everyone to load back into the vehicles. They still had a few roads to check in on and warn people about the hurricane. As he was about to step into the truck he noticed it.

Across the road was a set of tire tracks that went off the road and into the foliage. Twigs were freshly snapped and some vegetation was leveled. Travis realized it had to be the missing home owner as it was almost directly opposite of the driveway. He hated that he hadn't seen it earlier.

"Sergeant, drive us out of here and back the way we came." Travis didn't think anyone else had noticed as they were all staring at the fire.

The small convoy left the burning house behind and Travis spotted the perfect spot to turn off a few hundred yards down the road. The road serpentined around two hills that came together. It gave a good field of fire to cover the road, the vehicles could easily be concealed, and a speedy withdrawal under cover of the hill was possible.

Travis told everyone what he saw when they had stopped. David had wanted to go back to help, but Travis suspected foulplay. He ordered Driver to set up the machine gun on the hill and have everyone else put into a good fireing position. He would go back to the house with Rodriguez.

They made their way back to the house in a few minutes. There was no sound other then the fire and the wind. They cautiously followed the path of destruction and soon saw the white car wrapped around a large tree, the driver halfway out the windshield.

Rodriguez pointed at the trunk as they got closer. Bullet holes. Travis went around to the drivers side of the car to see if he was still alive as Rodriguez took up a defensive position. There were more bullet holes on the side and as he got to the front he realized it was useless. A bullet hole was through his head, and the shell casing at his feet only meant one thing. He shook his head at Rodriguez and they headed back to the road.

They were not alone anymore. There was five cars and trucks across the street at the house now. Travis and Rodriguez took cover on the other side of the road. They were too far away to hear what was being said between the men across the street but Travis could tell they were well armed.

'One, five.' Rodriguez signed the numbers to Travis. 

Travis counted and got the same. He signed back for Rodriguez to follow him. He moved back a few yards into the woods where they wouldn't be seen and headed back towards their group stopping every once in a while to look back. It was slower then the road but it was safer.

As they approached the turn in the road where they had left everyone else they went closer to the road so they didn't surprise them. 

Travis looked back towards the house before stepping out onto the road. 'Oh Shit.' A truck pulled out of the driveway and turned towards them. It had closed half the distance on them and Travis raised his gun and fired. The trucks driver veered off the road as the bullet hit the windshield. Travis and Rodriguez used the opportunity to run back to everyone else.

....Dazed Travis looked around him and saw David Johnson. His lips were moving but Travis could only hear the ringing in his head. A moment passed and he was reminded of the battle as a chorus of gunfire slowly entered his recovering hearing. He realized that David wasn't talking but shouting at him.

"Travis we need to get out of here!" They were hunkered down behind a pile of logs. In the distance behind David he saw his .30 caliber manned by Greg and Scott rattling away and Travis nodded in agreement to David. "You take the rest and get them out of here!"

Travis looked behind him to see who else was still there. "No David, I'll stay and hold them off with the gun!" He shouted pointing at the .30 cal.

David shook his head, "You are the only one that can get everyone ready before we get back, now get out of here!"

Travis frowned but David was right. Travis didn't want to leave anyone behind but they were currently in a good defensive position and a few people could hold off the small advanced group while they fell back and got everyone else ready. "Ok, but don't be too far behind us, they won't risk pursuing us very quickly." Travis motioned for everyone to disengage and turned when he heard an explosion from what looked like a grenade. "Fuck!" There was David collapsed next to him....

Travis was halfway down the hill, he was carrying David on his shoulder. Rodriguez was racing ahead of him carrying their three guns. One on his shoulder the other two in hand. He dropped the tailgate to the truck and threw one of the guns in. Gabe's son ran over from his spot keeping an eye on the vehicles to help Travis get Dave in the flatbed and climbed up after him.

Scott and Greg were coming down the hill now with their gun and headed towards the jeep as Lieutenant Driver, Amanda, and Gabe covered their retreat.

Travis was about to yell at them to get out of there when he noticed Lt. Driver ordering them all back. Rodriguez had started the truck and Scott and Greg had got the jeep started as Driver ran to jump in the back of it.

"Amanda's hit!" Gabe's son shouted and pointed as Travis turned in time to see Amanda tumble down the hill.

"I'll get her!" Travis shouted. He ran out towards Amanda. As he passed Gabe going the other direction he shouted, "tell Rodriguez to get going I'll be right behind you."

Gabe tossed Travis his keys, "take mine, I'm going with David."

Travis caught the keys on the run. He stopped as he realized Rodriguez had his gun in the truck. He turned to see Gabe jumping in the back of the truck and Rodriguez took off. Greg quickly followed in the jeep.

"Fuck." Travis turned to run back to Amanda. He noticed the gunfire had stopped as they probably figured out that they had fallen back.

He reached Amanda who was writhing in pain at the bottom of the hill.

"Where are you hit!" Travis was looking her over, a thin line of blood was seeping on her forehead, her shirt was torn and she was grabbing her ankle.

"I tripped." She mananged to work out between her ragged breaths.

"Can you stand?" Amanda tried to put pressure on her ankle and cried out in pain. "I'll carry you," Travis bent to pick her up, she didn't weigh nearly as much as David, but he dropped her immediately.

"Ow," Amanda started but Travis threw his hand over her mouth and pulled her down into the bushes. She looked at him questioningly as he looked towards Gabe's car. 

The men had pushed up faster then he expected. There was four of them shooting at the car.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 07



Amanda

Outside Hardstorm: July 31st, 2052.  4:34 PM.

Amanda didn't get what they were doing right now.  They had just left the burning house and now Travis and sergeant Rodriguez were walking back because it looked like the woods across the street had been driven in.  She wondered why they just didn't drive back instead of this.  Now she was walking up this damn hill in shorts.

She tried to avoid all of the plants but she grimaced as the first thorn bush lay ahead of her.  She tugged on the ammo belt that she had gotten out if the truck as it had slipped down her waist again.  The breeze had picked up, but in the woods barely anything made it to the bottom, and the humidity had her sweating at the brief effort.

Her new M4 carbine was annoying.  The strap over her shoulder dug into her skin.  The tank top was also annoying her at this point.  She realized that Travis drilling her about wearing the uniform would actually have helped her now.  But wearing long sleeves and pants in this weather was something she avoided at all costs.

"What's the hold up Trickle?"  She hated the last name thing just as much, especially from lieutenant Driver.

"I don't know where I'm going."  Amanda really didn't know.  She was told to climb the hill to set up a defense.  She didn't know what any of it meant except for climb.

Sure Travis had them drilling over the last couple of months on shooting, how to patrol, man checkpoints, and what to do in a variety of situations, but she was staring at this bush and couldn't even see the road anymore.

Lieutenant Driver had made her way over to Amanda and looked around for a few seconds.  "There is a good spot," she said pointing, "get down low and your fields of fire are here, here, and here.  Gabe is above you over there and I will be below you there."

Gabe waved when she looked towards him.  He had voulenteered to watch the flank, which she almost recognized from something Travis had talked about before.  She took up position where Driver had pointed and looked around to where she had been pointed to.  She remembered fire lanes from shooting class but she couldn't see anything.

"Trickle, lower!" Driver shouted at her from her position.  Amanda regreted the shorts again as she sat down.  "Lower!"

'How can she even see me?' Amanda wondered to herself.  She laid down and realized why.  She could see the bottom of the hill perfectly from benieth the vegetation.  She saw how Driver had seen her as she could see Driver's position clearly from her vantage point, but under cover from the bottom of the hill. 

CRACK!

Amanda looked up expecting to see a lightning bolt but didn't.  'That was wierd, it sounded more like a...'

She heard the machine gun open up, soon after that it seemed like everyone was shooting at something, except her.

She looked around for something, for someone, but she only saw the lieutenant and she was shooting at something Amanda couldn't see.  She fumbled for the safety and  brought the gun to her shoulder like she trained at the cabin, still nothing.

"For God's sake, fire Trickle!"  Driver shouted at her.

Amanda looked around hesitantly, she still didn't see anything.  

"Fire!" 

She shot.  At first it was just a random trigger pull she didn't even realize what she had actually shot at, a quick thought passed her mind, 'oh my god, I am shooting at someone.'  She felt her finger pull the trigger again and again.  

By the time she realized she should aim in the direction Driver was shooting her gun was empty.  She fumbled to reload and dropped her next mag.  It hit a root and bounced out of her reach down the hill.  'Shit.'  She went for another mag and this time got it in with no problem, and opened fire towards the way lieutenant Driver was shooting.

Amanda fell into the motions that she had been trained in.  'I'm doing this.' She thought as she reloaded again, this time a lot smoother then the last.  She realized that Driver was shooting past where she was shooting at and adjusted her aim.  Again she was empty and reloaded again.

About to fire she thought she saw something below her.  She paused and looked around.  Yes, someone was down there, they looked young to her.  He got up and ran to the next tree.

Amanda froze.  The man raised his gun to shoot, and Amanda could only watch as he fired.  She ducked down when she saw the muzzle flash, 'oh shit,' but nothing happened.

She looked up.  The man was still shooting but not at her.  It was at Driver.  She looked over to where the lieutenant was.  Rounds were impacting the ground in front of her and she could see the trees and bushes around her shake and leaves exploding as bullets went through them.

Amanda took her time, she breathed deepely while aiming at the man.

Soon

Amanda had lost track of time, she realized Driver was shouting at her again, "fall back!  Fall back!"  The command didn't register with her for a few seconds, she was frozen again as she watched Driver get up and run.

"Get out of there Amanda!"  She heard Gabe shout behind her somewhere.  One look back down the hill back to where the man was.  She could barely make him out, she turned and ran back down the hill trailing everyone else.

The root caught her ankle and the next thing she knew was that she was tumbling down the hill.

She grabbed her head and felt the warm liquid.  Her ankle was on fire and Travis was shouting at her.

"I tripped," she managed to say.  Travis tried to help her up, but her ankle prevented that.  Travis tried to pick her up and dropped her.

"Ow," Amanda started but Travis threw his hand over her mouth and pulled her down into the bushes. She looked at him questioningly as he looked towards Gabe's car. 

Travis laid on top of Amanda, his uniform camoflaging both of them where they were in the undergrowth and quietly mouthed 'shhhh.'

Amanda was laying on her back could see the concentration in his face, eyes closed straining to hear anything that was said as the men had stopped shooting and gathered nearby.  They were in that position for half an hour by Amanda's guess. As she tried to listen also she found herself concentrating more on not crying out in pain.  Her ankle throbed with each pulse.  She found herself looking at his face and wondering about her and Sarah.  

She closed her eyes and envisioned her auburn haired friend.  The blue eyes were staring back at Amanda.  The feelings from a few nights ago raced through her mind.  Amanda and Sarah had been alone at their old apartment they had planned on talking but no words had escaped their lips as they stood close to each other.  Amanda had licked her lips and leaned closer.  Her friend that she loved was inches away and Amanda only wanted to kiss her.

Amanda opened her eyes as she realized that she had just kissed Travis.  He had turned his head towards her and gave her a questioning look.  Amanda blushed and looked away.  

Travis remained silent as he continued to look at Amanda.  She could feel his gaze as she tried to avoid looking at him.  She could smell his sweat, the dirt she laid upon, the burning car yards away.

 She realized that there were no more voices but an approaching sound scared her.  The dull roar of thousands of rain drops hitting the leaves on the trees was getting louder and a minute later she felt the first drop that had missed Travis on her leg.  

Amanda turned her head back to Travis.  Silently they looked into each other's eyes as the rain crept from a sprinkle to a shower.

"I'm going to take a look around." Travis whispered eventually.  

Amanda nodded back as he slowly rolled off of her.  The rain hit her in the face and she blinked.  She noticed the trees swaying abover her in the wind.

"It's ok, they're gone."  Travis still whispered and he helped Amanda sit up.  They were both getting soaked quickly.  "Your forehead doesn't look bad, just a scrape."  He placed his hand under her chin and turned her head looking at her injury.

Amanda felt a shiver as she stared back at him. 

"Anything besides the ankle hurt?"  Travis still had his hand on her chin but turned her face back towards his own.

"No, I don't think so," Amanda managed to squeak out.  They stared at each other for a few seconds before Travis stood.

"Where did your gun end up?"  Travis was looking around at the bottom of the hill from where he was.  She didn't realize that she had dropped it when she fell.  "Do you have any ammo left?"

"I don't know, I was shooting and I didn't know what at, and then..."  Amanda turned to her side in time to vomit.  She braced herself with her arms as she hurled the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

"It's alright Amanda," Travis kneeled next to her, "I felt the same after my first time."

"How do you deal with it?" She asked between pants, trying to regain her breath.

"I tell myself I did what I had to do."  Travis rubbed her back with a free hand.  

Amanda regained her composure after a few minutes.  She managed a weak smile, "thanks for coming back for me."

Travis smiled back.  "Of course I would come back for you."  He stood back up.  "Stay here, I'll climb the hill and look for your gun."

Amanda noticed for the first time he didn't have his.  "Where's yours Travis?"

"In my truck."

Amanda watched him search the hill where she had fallen down.  It took him a few minutes but he was rewarded for the effort with her M4.  

"How much ammo do you have in your belt?"  Travis ejected the magazine in the gun and looked at how many rounds were left and frowned.  "Six or seven here."

Amanda searched the pockets of the ammo belt she had picked up.  'There's no way I shot that many' she thought to herself before dejectedly replying, "One."

"What about your pistol?"

Amanda had forgoten about her thigh holster.  She reached down to touch it to make sure it hadn't fallen out.  "Just what's in it."

"You mean to tell me, that you left this morning with one mag for your pistol?"  Travis sighed and shook his head.

"And where the fuck would I put it?  My pussy?" Amanda shouted defensively.  Travis laughed at that and Amanda couldn't hold back a smile.

She realized she was blushing again trying to hide it she managed, "How about you?  How much you have left?"

Travis felt his pockets, "two, and another for my pistol."  The magazines for his M8 were different then the M4 but they shot the same round.  He sat next to her as he unloaded his and put them into Amanda's near empty one.  That made two and another reload from the M8 to the M4 magazines.

"What now?"  Amanda looked down at her ankle, it was already swelling badly.  She had rolled her ankle plenty of times playing volleyball in high school, she knew a high ankle sprain when she saw one.

"Well, we need to get out of here in case they come back,"  Travis stood and put the now full magazine in the gun.  He checked the chamber for the round already in it.  "Some dirt in there, but it should be good.  Anyways, if we stay five yards into the woods we can head back and still see the road while anyone driving on it would have a hard time seeing us."

"Do you think they'll come back for us?"

"The other guys?  Not likely, not in this weather."  Travis paused and looked at Gabe's burning car, "and if I were Sam, I would hold up on the other side of that last bridge and wait for whoever got there first."

"What about the people that live over here?"  Amanda asked thinking about all the houses that were on this side of the creek.

"Hopefully Gabe stopped at his place and they could get the word out.  Either way we are on our own."

Later

Travis had picked up Amanda and was carrying her piggy back.  She clung onto him with her arms around his neck and he held onto her legs as best he could while walking through the forest.  Travis had taken off his outer jacket and Amanda draped it over her shoulders to cover her blue tank top the M4 was over her shoulder.

Amanda hadn't minded one bit looking Travis up and down while he took the jacket off.  He had on a green shirt underneath of it, the latest generation of under armor.  It had kept him dry even though his jacket was soaked.  Amanda enjoyed the view as it fit his muscled torso like a glove.

Amanda had time to think as they had remained mostly silent the last hour or so.  Travis had said that it was six or seven miles back to Gabe's farm and they might not be able to get there before dark.  They had passed another house but Travis said it was too risky to check it out.

It hadn't taken Amanda long to realize that she could practically feel Travis up without him questioning it.  She thought back to her shower three weeks ago when he had interrupted her masturbating.  

She imagined his cock in her mouth again as she daydreamed.  'mmmm Travis, I love this cock.'  She sank her mouth onto him taking him deeper and deeper into her mouth.  She gagged as it hit her throat.  She pulled back to keep just his head in her mouth and sucked him.  Her hand stroked his shaft slowly as she started to tease his head with her tongue.  

She glanced up to see him kissing Sarah, his hand down her black g-string rubbing her clit.  Smiling she decended on his cock again.  She wanted to feel his cum in her mouth again, she needed it in her mouth again.  Amanda looked up to see that Sarah had stopped kissing Travis and was staring down at Amanda.  Travis had kept his fingers on her clit but was kissing her neck.  But Amanda and Sarah could only look at each other as she sucked and stroked Travis.  

She loved that Sarah was watching her and intensified her efforts.  Travis moaned and bucked into her mouth as she felt his cum enter her mouth.  She tried her best to hold it in as she kept her eyes on Sarah who was looking at her with hungry eyes.

As she let Travis out of her mouth a drop of cum slid out of the corner of her mouth and down to her chin.  She crawled up to Sarah, who licked her lips and reached to pull Amanda's face in towards her own.

They kissed, Amanda let her tongue be sucked into Sarah's mouth.  She sucked in it and ran her own tongue across it taking what was left of his cum.  More had escaped and was running down both of their faces now.

Travis had withdrawn his hand from Sarah's pussy and was now making its way down Amanda's naked body.  He briefly cupped her breast and pinched her hardened nipple before sliding down her taught stomach to her wet sex.  His first touch sent shivers through her body as she ground against his hand.

"Are you okay?"

Amanda jolted out of it.  Travis had to grab and steady her with his free hand that he was using to push a branch out if his way.  "What?"

"You started to squirm," the branch had almost swung back and hit them in the face, "are you uncomfortable?"

Amanda was glad she was behind Travis as she blushed and tried to come up with something to say.  She couldn't believe that she let her mind wander so far, "no, I'm... I mean I'm okay, just sore from... my ankle."

Travis didn't reply but moved to put her down.  She sat on the log he placed her on and he got down on his knees to look at her ankle.  The rain had been steady since they left and Amanda brushed her short black wet hair out of her face.

He tried to turn her leg to look at the side of her ankle and Amanda yelped in pain.  Travis stood frowning and looked at his watch.  "Maybe anouther hour before dark."

CRACK!

Amanda was startled and fell over.  Travis caught her hand but her momentum pulled him on top of her.

BA-BOOM!

The thunder shook the forest.  Travis laid on top of Amanda inches from her face again.

"I'm sorry Travis."  She managed to squeak out.

"It's ok, you fell and I didn't catch you in time."  

Amanda grabbed his wrist as he went to push himself up.  "No, I'm sorry about the shower."  He stopped, "I really love Sarah and didn't mean to do that to her, just that I couldn't stop myself because I've fantasized about you and her so many times.  I..."  she struggled to get this part out, "I want both of you actually."

BOOM!  

The last bolt was closer, the rain was suddenly coming down harder then before.  

Travis was motionless for a tense moment as Amanda regretted saying it instantly.  He leaned down and kissed her.

Pulling back he said, "we should keep moving.  Finding some shelter before nightfall should be a priority."

Amanda was stunned, she let him lift her back onto his back and he continued walking.

"That's it?  Nothing to say?"  Amanda said uncomfortably.

"I don't know, Sarah told me what you did for her while I was away," Travis started.  "Honestly, I've felt the same about you at times.  Sarah said she was going to talk to you two nights ago, what happened with that?"  Travis stepped over a log and Amanda had to grip with her legs as he needed both his hands for balance.
Amanda remembered that night clearly.  Sarah hadn't really talked with her when she came into the their old house that night.  "At times?  What do you mean, before or after the shower?"

"Before," Travis paused and stood there holding her, "before I would check you out, but I was with Sarah.  She saw me a couple times looking and would even comment on how good you looked too.  Well after that and getting to know you better I kind of did like you, and after the shower..."

"I couldn't get you out of my head."  Amanda said what she was thinking.

"Right, me too."  Travis started walking again.  Several minutes passed in silence again.  

"Where does that leave us?"  Travis said breaking the silence.

Amanda smiled remembering saying that with Sarah.  "I guess we'll take it day by day."

Nightfall

Travis crouched at the edge of the cornfield, Amanda sat next to him.  They had made it to Gabe's house as the last light was leaving the sky.  The occasional lightning bolt lit the night sky as Travis discussed what to do with Amanda.

The house appeared empty.  Amanda wanted to go inside to get out of the rain.  Travis thought it was a bad idea in case anyone else showed up.  

They hadn't said much since admitting their feelings for each other.  Travis had picked up his pace to make it here and Amanda's arms were getting tired, it took her all her remaining strength to hang onto Travis over the last hour.


"We need food and someplace to sleep."  Amanda was trying to convince Travis to no avail.

"I can go get us supplies from the house and we can sleep out here."  Travis offered as a compromise.

"Travis, I'm sitting in a mud puddle."  Amanda threw her hands out in disgust motioning at the corn field.  "We can't sleep in this."

The wind outside of the forest was more intense.  The north south direction of the valley was funneling the hurricane north as sheets of rain pelted them.

"I'll try to find something to help keep us dry."  Travis handed her the gun.  "Take this and watch for anyone coming up the driveway."  He took his pistol out of its holster.

"How are you going to find anything, it's pitch black."  Amanda could barely even see Travis when there wasn't any lightning.

"I'll manage something."  Travis turned and ran down the edge of the cornfield.  It was yards away from the driveway and even if someone was in the house making out his shape in front of the corn would be near impossible.

Amanda lost track of him almost instantly.  There was some distant flashes that the clouds reflected, but it wasn't much.  She flipped the safety off and back on checking to make sure where it was as she nervously waited.  Her ankle wasn't throbbing as much as before but it was swollen to double its size and hurt to the touch.

She wanted to take her boot off to get her wet socks off, but Travis warned her that she would never be able to get it back on from the pain and that she would want to keep her boots on in the woods.  She checked the safety again and sighed, she had no idea how to tell how much time had passed.




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 07



'Where is he?'  Amanda wondered to herself.  If he had fallen and gotten hurt would he have been able to shout for help?  Would she hear him even if he did above the dull roar of rain that was pelting everything in sight.  

She was cold and wet.  Amanda hadn't even realized she had begun to shiver until her teeth started to chatter.  She had been sharing body warmth with Travis from being carried the last few hours.  His under armor shirt was lined with thermal sensors that regulated the properties of the shirt.  It would keep in warmth when needed and let it out when it wasn't.  Amanda wished she had one of them now but they had been so expensive before the war that few people had them in Hardstorm.  Travis had been doing all of the work carrying her.  She could feel his body heat escaping the shirt while she clung to his back.  Whenever they had stopped to take a break the rain steamed off of his shirt and Amanda had caught herself stareing at his body more than once.

'What was that?'  Amanda thought she heard something.  She stayed perfectly still trying to hear above the sound of the rain.  About to give up she heard it again.  A gunshot far away.  'Travis was right we wouldn't be safe in the house.'

She sat in the mud on the edge of the cornfield.  She was listening for more gunshots but couldn't hear any.  "Amanda."  She looked towards the farm house, Travis was too far away to see but he was calling her name quietly every few feet.  "Amanda."  A little louder this time.

"Here."  She tried to be quiet and wasn't sure if he heard her.  But she didn't hear him call her again.  "Here."  She said, this time a little louder.  

"Its me." Travis came up to her with a golf umbrella and a duffle bag.

"No shit it's you.  Who else would be calling out my name here?"  Amanda looked at what he brought.  "An umbrella?  What good is that going to do?  I'm soaked."

"To keep this stuff dry."  He said nodding towards the duffle bag.  "There is a clearing on the other side of the house.  We can get out of the mud for the night over there at least."

After some tricky positioning Travis was able to carry both Amanda and the duffle bag around the house.  He set them down when they reached the empty field.  It was far enough from the house that they could escape into the corn field if needed, plus in the dark they wouldn't be seen.

A flash of lightning lit the sky.  "What was that?"  Amanda said pointing to the tree line.  It was at most 30 yards away.

Travis turned to look, "What?"

"Keep watching for the next bolt."  Amanda was staring in the direction that she saw it.  It felt like minutes had gone by before the next lightning bolt.  But as the sky lit up she realized what it was.

Travis stood up, "wait here, I'll check it out."  He was lost in the darkness seconds later.  

This time Amanda didn't have to wait long before he returned.  "It's open."  He said bending to pick her up.  He carried her towards it.

The next flash revieled it better.  An old SUV was mostly burried in weeds.  It looked to be in good shape considering how long it had been since it had probably been run.  She recognized the nameplate from its modern version, but this Suburban wasn't going anywhere without gas.

It was dry inside and that is what mattered most to Amanda.  He put her into the back seat and turned back to go get the supplies that he left under the umbrella.  

Amanda had to get out of her wet clothes.  She pulled off her tank top and layed it over the back of the seat after wringing it out.  She hung the camo jacket on the back of the drivers seat.

Travis opened the door to the other side of the back of the SUV.  "What are you doing?"  He asked as Amanda pulled off her boot and sock from her good ankle.

"I've got to get out of these wet clothes," she looked at Travis, even in this darkness she could tell he was looking at her.  "What?  It's not like you haven't seen me naked before."

Travis climbed in placing the duffle bag on the floor of the vehicle between them.  "Here," he said opening it, "I got us some wool blankets."

"Wool?  How romantic."  Amanda gingerly took off her other boot.

"I was thinking of keeping us warm actually."  Travis pulled out some cans.  "I think this is fruit," he peeled the top off the can and Amanda could smell the syrup the fruit was in.  He dug out a fork and passed it over to Amanda.  

She had just slid her shorts and panties down her legs and used the blanket to cover herself.  She realized she was shivering again as she took the canned fruit.  Peaches.  Amanda hadn't eaten almost all day, she savored the taste.  

Travis had kicked his boots off too.  And pulled down his wet pants.  Amanda couldn't help not to watch.  He hung the pants up on the back of the passenger seat and his boxers quickly followed.  He covered himself up with a blanket and pulled out another can.

"The uniform should dry quickly..."  Travis started to say and coughed as Amanda took off her bra and hung it in the garment hook.

She looked at him and smiled as she pulled the blanket up over herself using it to dry off her hair as best she could.  "What's the plan now Trav?"

"Um... at daybreak we head out again.  We should try and get some sleep tonight."  Travis pulled the duffle bag up from the floor and pushed it over into the back of the vehicle.  It hit something and they both looked over the seat.

"What was that?"  Amanda asked, "I can't make anything out, its too dark."

Travis agreed and Amanda tried to get as comfortable as possible.  The blanket wasn't helping to keep her chills down.  She looked over at Travis who had his eyes closed.  His blanket was only up to his waist and his under armor shirt was steaming as the moisture evaporated, the humidity caused the evaporation to be visible inside the truck and the windows were steaming up quickly.  She could only listen to the beating drum of the rain on the roof.  She crawled over to Travis and curled up to his chest.  She pulled her blanket up to cover herself.

Travis began to say something, startled by her move, "Amanda, I don't..."

"Shut up, I'm cold."  Amanda was glad he didn't continue.  He put his arm around her and she fell asleep softly after.

Mitchel Farm:  August 1st, 2052.  6:23 AM.

Amanda woke.  It was light outside, but still raining.  The windows were fogged over, all that existed in the world was here in the confines of the SUV.   She could feel Travis breathing her head was still on his chest.  Her blanket had fallen down to her waist and exposed her breasts.  She didn't want to move.  His arm was around her waist and she had her own arms tangled with his.

She looked around the SUV with her eyes.  It was really nice she noticed for the first time since they only got into it last night in the dark.  Besides the leather seats, it truely looked top of the line.  Amanda had figured that if had been abandoned for years, but in this condition she doubted it.  It was at least 30 years old, she could guesstimate based on the media player on the ceiling.  It was an antique by today's standards she thought.  She noticed the keys were in the ignition.  'Weird.'  

She closed her eyes again and let her head move with his chest as he breathed.  She thought, 'I could get used to this, Sarah is so lucky.  Shit, Sarah.'

Two nights ago

Amanda and Sarah had their first night they were alone since Travis got back.  Amanda had done a moonshine trip with Sam and was relaxing at the house she and Sarah had lived in before Sarah moved out of town to the cabin.  

Amanda had thrown off her new uniform the minute she got inside and was walking around in her underwear cleaning up when she noticed Sarah in the doorway watching her.  Amanda jumped at the surprise.

"How do you always manage to get down to your underwear around me?"  Sarah asked walking into the room while taking off her camo jacket to reveal her tight undershirt.  Amanda stared at Sarah's breasts as the shirt showed off a lot of clevage on her 36 C chest.  Sarah walked up to Amanda and they stared into each other's eyes.  "Hi," Sarah said.

Sarah was all that Amanda had ever wanted, they had been beat friends for years, but Amanda had always wanted more, and Sarah had told her the same two weeks ago minutes before Travis had returned.  Amanda knew that Sarah still loved Travis but also her.

Amanda stood looking at Sarah and leaned in to kiss her.  They embraced as they kissed, and held each other for several moments while their kissing intensified.  Amanda inhaled Sarah's scent as she lifted Sarah's shirt up over her chest and then off onto the floor.

Sarah pushed Amanda towards the couch after letting Amanda take her top off.  Amanda fell back and giggled as Sarah followed her onto the couch after letting her pants fall to the floor.  Amanda's hands wandered over Sarah and as she approached her thighs, Sarah parted her legs and let Amanda's hand cup her sex.

She worked her fingers on the outside of Sarah's panties as she pushed herself into Amanda's grasp.

"Oh my god Amanda, that feels so good."  She sat up on her knees over top of Amanda and reached to touch her own breasts as Amanda leaned forward to kiss her stomach.  Amanda looked up to see Sarah's blue eyes looking back down at her.  She smiled to her and slid Sarah's panties to the side as she slipped a finger into her.  

Sarah moaned and reached behind herself to undo her bra, she tossed it aside and began playing with and pinching her own nipples.

Amanda withdrew her finger and moved to sit up, but Sarah grabbed her hand and brought it up to her mouth and slowly sucked Amanda's finger as she lowered herself onto Amanda's lap and grinded her clit into Amanda's leg.  Amanda took a nipple into her mouth and flicked it with the tip of her tongue.

"Oh my god, I need fucked right now."  Sarah led Amanda's hand back to her sex with one hand and pulled her panties to the side with the other.  She straitened two of Amanda's fingers, "hold your hand here and I'm going to ride it."

Amanda watched as her friend lowered herself onto her hand.  Amanda felt Sarah's wetness and slid her other hand under her own panties to her clit.  She shuddered as she touched herself and closed her eyes.

She felt Sarah's hand on her chin lifting her to look at Sarah.  She opened her eyes and she was staring into the blue orbs again.  Sarah was moaning on each thrust down onto Amanda.

"I'm so close," Sarah moaned.  Amanda let her thumb on her hand that Sarah was riding extend to touch her clit.  Sarah lost it in her next thrust.  She slammed her full weight down onto Amanda and her body shoke in her orgasm, but she never took her eyes away from Amanda.

Amanda let Sarah remain still. Her own fingers were wedged against herself unable to move, she could feel Sarah's wetness going down her hand and onto her own panties.  She tried to move her thumb on Sarah's clit and Sarah jumped at the sensation.

"Too much babe," Sarah purred while grabbing Amanda's wrist.  She slowly lifted herself off of Amanda.  "Let me return the favor."

Sarah kneeled on the floor in front of Amanda.  She reached up to pull Amanda's panties off and Amanda lifted her butt to help before taking off her bra to get completely naked.  Sarah pushed her legs apart and kissed her inner thighs in a line up towards Amanda's sex.  She gave her a long lick from the bottom of her sex to the tip before closing her mouth around her clit and sucking it while flicking it with her tongue.

"Mmmm, Sarah, yes..."  Amanda grabbed Sarah's hair and held it out if the way to the side as Sarah looked up at her.  She felt Sarah push a finger inside of her and curl it upwards all the while not stopping her assault on Amanda's clit.  Sarah's finger stroked her from the inside as she broke her mouth away from Amanda and pushed herself up to kiss her while replacing her tongue with her thumb.

Their tounges danced as Amanda hugged Sarah closer to her.  She loved how soft her friends skin was and loved the way her lips felt on her neck.

"I want you to cum for me Amanda," Sarah pushed a second finger into her and pumped her fingers in and out while keeping her fingers curled upwards.

Amanda climaxed and Sarah pushed her fingers in as far as she could until Amanda's pussy stopped its contractions.

Sarah withdrew her fingers and kissed Amanda tenderly on the neck, "bedroom?"

Amanda smiled and let herself be led into Sarah's old bedroom.

Now

Amanda had wanted to talk to Sarah about Travis.  She thought that she didn't mind sharing her with him, but she didn't tell Sarah about the blow job she had given him, or that deep down she had a crush on Travis also.  

'Now look at me,' she thought to herself, 'I'm laying next to him naked and all I want to do is have sex with him.'  Thinking about two nights ago with Sarah had gotten her horny.

Travis stired and his hand around Amanda moved up her torso.  She held her breath as it approached her breasts and it stopped when he touched one of her breasts.

"Sarah," he mumbled.

'He has a sex dream and it's not even me?'  Amanda thought feigning offense to herself.  His hand fell back into her lap as he mumbled incoherently.  She moved her head to look up at him to confirm if he was actually still asleep, and moved her hand under his blanket towards his groin and lightly brushed up against his hardened cock.

She slowly ran her hand down his shaft.  Feeling his cock in her hand made her more horny as she licked her lips remembering the last time she had him in this position.  She had just enclosed it with her fingers when Travis woke up.

"Wha... Amanda?" Travis said groggy.

Amanda froze and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.  Travis moved causing her head to slide off his chest and against the back of the seat.

She pretended to wake up, "ow."  She took her hand off his cock, "I'm sorry, I must have shifted in my sleep."  She said sitting up facing away from him.  She turned her head to catch him looking at her tattoo and smiled.

"We should get going."  Travis said reaching for his pants, "good they're dry."  

Disappointed that Travis didn't try to make a move on her, Amanda reached for her tank top to find it still soaked.  "What the... no fair, mines wet."

"Didn't you ever listen when we handed out the uniforms?"  Travis pulled the pants on before Amanda turned to see him with the blanket off of his cock, "these are more like the under armor shirt I have, not as good, but they dry fast if it's not raining, just wear my jacket."

"So you want me to go naked from the waist down huh?"  Amanda retorted, "how will you ever get to stare at my tattoo then?"

"I... what the..."  Travis trailed off and Amanda turned to look at him.  

He was staring in the back of the vehicle.  She followed his eyes to the large metal cylinder by the tailgate.  It had a screw on lid on the top of it and a hose clamped to an opening in the bottom.  An analog gage on the side read "50" and a funnel and about twenty gallon containers lay next to it.  Amanda recognized the containers as the ones Bill McCoy used.

"Stay here Amanda."  Travis got out of the truck and went around to the back.

He lifted the tailgate a second later and Amanda shivered at the sudden burst of wind.  She reached for the jacket and put it on while keeping the blanket on her lower half.  She glanced at her ankle, it was black and blue halfway up her shin was still swollen badly.  She grimmaced as she tried to turn it.

"Son of a bitch, this thing has been converted to run on moonshine."  Travis ran to the drivers side door and opened it.  He reached for the hood release and it popped open.  Amanda watched him disappear beneith the hood.  The interior lights turned on suddenly as the tailgate was still open.

Returning a moment later to the back of the truck Travis was estatic, "I just had to hook up the batery cables.  All the tires are inflated.  No wonder the weeds around this are only knee high, they've been using it.  Now if we could hot wire it somehow..."

"I saw the keys in the ignition," Amanda spoke up.

"You've got to he kidding me."  He slamed the back shut and jumped into the drivers side and turned the key.  The starter groaned and nothing happened.  Travis pumped the gas pedal and tried again.  It roared to life.

"Let's get out of here!"  Travis shifted the gear as Amanda climbed into the passenger seat from the back.  

She brought the riffle and extra magazine with her.  Looking over at Travis she noticed him staring at her, "what?" 

"Um..."  Travis looked away.

Amanda laughed, "oh, I didn't put on my shorts... how was the view?"  She realized she stuck her naked ass in his face when she had climbed into the front.  She was more worried about hitting her ankle off of something that she didn't even realize it.  

She climbed halfway back to reach for her shorts.  She let her ass hang on his side of the middle consul and made sure to wiggle it as she pretended that her shorts were just out of reach.  Thinking she took enough time to tease him she flopped back into the seat.

"Done showing off?"  Travis didn't act like he wasn't looking this time and Amanda realized it excited her.

"Not unless you want to bend me over and fuck me right now,"  she teasingly said as she slid her shorts on.  She went sans panties since they were also soaked.  But she wouldn't have to wear them that long anyways, they were going home.

Travis hit the gas and the monster of the gas age lurched forward.  They turned out of the driveway kicking up mud off the tires as the rain seemed to lighten.

"Hey, the storm might be passing."  Amanda commented as they made the last turn before the creek.

"Damn."  Travis slammed on the breaks.  

The tires tried not to lock and the SUV jerked to a stop.  The creek had left its banks and was a raging river now three times as wide as it was before.  Even worse, the middle bridge pier was all that was left of the bridge.

BA-BOOM!

The sky opened up and the downpour continued.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 08



 As a disclaimer, this chapter will seem disjointed because it starts before chapter seven and before most of six and ends near the same point. I have done it this way to not reveal events that have a degree of mystery to them before I wanted to. Hopefully the jumping around in the timeline so far hasn't caused any headaches. Also, before I get complaints, I have been switching between 'military' time on purpose based on the main character of the chapter. Also also wik, this chapter will mostly focus on characters that in the past were undeveloped. 

Sam

Hardstorm Kentucky: July 29th, 2052. 19:24.

"See you tomorrow Amanda." Sam watched as Amanda got out of his truck grabbing a gallon of moonshine for herself. They had made a delivery to one of their contacts east of town where it was a lot safer to go ever since the arival of regular army units in Laketon and Hardstorm. Sam took the opportunity to introduce Amanda to some places where they hadn't felt safe enough to deliver over the last few months.

Sam waited until Amanda had unlocked her door before leaving. He was going over to his old house to drop off some of his share of whiskey and Bill's latest payment before his patrol began that night.

Sam could never figure out what he was doing with all of the copper wire and old computers he asked in return for his moonshine, but since no one was trading in money for the last couple of years Bill had asked for some strange items. There was the time he wanted a copy of a book from the 2000s about bio fuels, a time he wanted lead bars, and even the time he wanted some incandescent light bulbs. Sam had no idea where they even came from, but they showed up for payment none the less.

He had to go through the middle of town on his was to his house, he noticed that a group of men from the Laketon militia were just ariving, "odd," he said to himself, "why would they be getting here so late?" Sam was about to park to go investigate when he saw Travis step out of the makeshift sheriff's office. He waved when he saw Sam.

Sam raised his hands and shrugged his shoulders before tilting his head in the direction of the men from Laketon. Travis replied in a similar fashion before going over to the group while waving Sam on.

Sam shrugged and turned towards his place on the edge of town. After unloading all but one gallon of the moonshine for his use and the latest coil of wire he locked up the garage and turned to go inside.

Before he could get to the door he knew that something was out of place. His bench that he kept in the porch was too close to the door. He took his new M4 off of his shoulder and reached to open the door.

The door opened with ease, just as he expected, the door had been unlocked. His spare key was the most likely culprit, he kept it on the top of a rafter on his porch. He stepped inside quietly and let the door open behind him. 

Looking around quickly, nothing seemed out of place or missing and he saw why when he turned to close the door, her boots.

"Is that you?" He heard her call from upstairs.

"Yeah," he locked the door and took off his own boots, "what are you doing here anyways? I mean how'd you get here?" Sam knew why she was here, "I didn't see any cars outside."

"I said I had to do some stuff in town and got a ride." He heard her moving around upstairs, "where were ya, I thought ya didn't have anything to do until tonight?"

Sam bounded up the steps and into his room. She turned around wearing only his new combat jacket. Open down the front it exposed the cleavage of her breasts, her nipples were still covered and her sculpted abs were on display with her patch of blond pubic hair.

She smiled, "s'about time ya got up here." She backed up to the bed and sat on its edge spreading her legs to expose her sex to him. "Come here."

Sam threw off his clothes onto her pile of clothes by the bed and sank to his knees in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees and spread them as he kissed her thighs.

She moaned as he worked his way to her sex and licked her clit. He loved eating pussy and he quickly got her excited to the point of release only to back off at the last second to her wimpers of displeasure.

"It would be so much easier if ya weren't so damn good at that," she moaned as she reached for his mop of thick itallian hair and pulled him back between her legs. 

He didn't want her to climax just yet so he gently sucked on her labia as he moved his hands down her thighs and used his thumbs to help spread her open. He licked at her moisture that was escaping and probed at her with a thumb as he went back to liking and sucking on her clit.

"Mmmm god yes, like that," she tried to buck her hips into him as she let the jacket fall open. Her pink nipples were in her fingers and she neared orgasm again only to have Sam back off. "You bastard. Fuck me please?" 

Sam kept his thumb on the edge of her sex and gave her a quick lick on her clit again.

"Fuck me please," she pinched he nipples as she tried to reach between her legs to her sex. 

Sam intercepted her hand and stopped touching her sex completely. "What do you want Vanessa?"

She looked at him with a sexual rage, "FUCK ME NOW!"

Sam loved teasing her ever since they had met, she hated him saying her name and it carried over into the bedroom that first time and she was begging him to fuck her again just like now.

He stood and lined his cock up to her and he pushed himself into her wet pussy. He had just burried himself all the way inside her when her orgasm hit. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him in as she rode her high. 

She loosened the grip with her legs and Sam immediately grabbed her ankles and started to thrust himself in and out of her. He pulled out if her and she rolled over, tossing his jacket to the side. She spread her legs and shook her ass at him. 

He repositioned behind her and cupped her sex with his hand, "more?"

"Yes, please," she replied and he thrust into her suddenly. "Yes, yes, yes!" She screamed as he continued his assault on her. 

He slapped her ass as she pushed back to meet his thrusts. Sam couldn't hold back any longer, "I'm going to cum," he pulled out and cam on her back. She remained in place breathing hard as Sam flopped down next to her on his back.

"Damn, we shouldn't be doing this," Vanessa said as she turned her head towards him, "you're a bad influence." She pushed herself up and went towards his bathroom, "I'll need a ride back."

Sam watched as she left the door open and get into the shower. He couldn't believe it himself sometimes but here she was again, even though she always said never again, she was always coming back for more.

Later

Sam was driving her back before his patrol started. They had fucked again after showering, she had said, "now this is the ride I was looking for," as she sat on his cock and rode him until they both orgasmed.

He looked over at her as he drove, she was at least seven years younger then him by his guess and in the best of shape. He was surprised the first time they had kissed. They had been drinking with Sarah and Travis at his place and they had just left to go back to the cabin after eyeing up each other for the previous hour.

"I can't believe them sometimes," she had said, "they don't even try to hide it."

An hour later Sam couldn't believe that she was all over him begging to be fucked. She hardly paid any attention to him before and afterwards she did the same. Sam didn't mind, he was living the best of both worlds, he didn't have any drama like his last girlfriend and he was getting lucky quite regularly.

"Alright here we are." Sam stopped the truck and got out. He hurried over to her door and opened it for her as she had been reaching for her rifle. "Here you are ma'am."

Lieutenant Driver shot him a look as a private nearby snickered to himself.

"Captain," she said flustered, "stop calling me ma'am, sir."

Sam smiled and laughed. She had to push by him as she went up to the cabin, the private had found something else to do, and he watched as she went inside and imagined her with her clothes off again.

Sam was already plotting when he could get her alone again. The day he overheard her tell Travis that it was "unbecoming of an officer..." he quickly left the room so he didn't laugh in her face. When Sam asked her about it later she told him, "Sam, you're no officer."

Sam had to agree with her on that, he had only been a sergeant in the army and was promoted by the governor at the urging of Hardstorm mayor, David Johnson.

She was West Point grad 2050, top of her class Travis had told him. But her superiors lost all faith in her after the incident that she lost her squad during the first days after the war. This was a position to hide her from the army, but when Sam thought about it he only hoped he had the courage to do what she did if the opportunity presented itself. It would have been easy for her to open fire on the unarmed mob, and Sam knew several officers that he served with who wouldn't have hesitated to give that order.

Sam had been joking around last week about making an officer's club in town. He even went so far to have a sign painted and he hung it in his living room. Travis and Sarah thought it was hilarious and the three of them had to practically drag the young lieutenant to Sam's 'Grand Opening.' Sam never thought she could have been wild, but the Scandinavian girl from Minnesota in her sure did love the aged whiskey that Sam had 'sacrificed' for the club.

Sam was waiting around outside the cabin before his patrol was to start. It was a beautiful July night, warm but comfortable.

"Sam," Travis had stepped out onto the porch behind him, "we need to talk, get inside."

"I've got patrol in twenty minutes Trav." Sam said looking at his watch.

"Nevermind that, I canceled it, Driver is taking care of it now."

Sam followed Travis inside to his office in his room, "okay, what's up?" Sam asked.

"Sam we just got word from Laketon, there is a hurricane making its way here."

 Hardstorm Kentucky: July 31st, 2052. 08:29.

"Sam wake up."

Sam opened an eye and closed it, he wanted to sleep.

"Sam." He could hear Sarah cross the room towards him. "Sam get up we have shit to do. Sam!"

"Alright I'm up," Sam had been up late last night. He had spent the last day preparing the town for the storm, he helped David direct the cleaning of the storm drains and checking power lines for any dangerous branches that could knock them down. He also coordinated with the men from Laketon to shut down the windmill before they left town. They didn't want any lines to fall and put extra pressure on the system. He hadn't gotten to bed until well after midnight when Sarah had come over to help board up the garage that they kept their stash in before he headed over to the mayor's office to help answer questions from the townspeople.

"Did you get to talk to Bill yesterday?" Sarah asked as she went over to the window to open the blinds.

"Yeah," Sam sat up from the couch he was sleeping in in the mayor's office. "He said he could handle it himself, he didn't have any pots running so he just had to go pick up anything loose laying around." He watched her as she stared out the window to the south, "what are we doing today."

"I'm heading out to the windmill as they shut it down. The guys from Laketon are in charge of covering it during the storm." She looked at her watch, "I should get going actually."

"What about me?" Sam asked as she opened the door.

"I don't know, you're in charge in town today while Travis and David are out." She was out the door and Sam could hear her outside telling someone to "ask Sam."

Sam stood to get a drink of water, he hated when he was left in charge. Tomorrow the regular army guys will be hunkered down at the cabin with Travis and Sarah there, Sam would be in charge of the militia in town, not that there would be anything to do, most people were going to be staying inside, but Vanessa was going to be stuck at the cabin too.

He didn't have anything specific that still needed done, so he headed out to breakfast at the diner across the street. Someone asked him along the way when the power would be back on and Sam could only tell him that he didn't know.

After eating Sam figured he might as well drive around town and see if anyone needed anything, or had left anything outside not tied down. While the wind wasn't going to be as strong as it was on the shore, it would still be strong enough to blow stuff away if it was left out. The rain was the bigger issue though. 

During a big storm a few years ago dozens of people had their basements flood. The mayor had made a list back then of who got flooded and Sam had checked on them all yesterday. They weren't too happy when he told them the power would be out and that their new pumps wouldn't work, but he had promised to send some people to help move stuff out of their basements, luckily most of those folks had their furnace and water tanks moved out of the basement years ago. He started out to check to see if they got every thing they needed.

By the time he returned to town a couple of hours later the wind had picked up and the clouds had moved in. He wasn't too happy that the storm looked like it would be a couple of hours early from what they were told yesterday, but there was nothing they could do about it now.

"Four o'clock, damn." Sam wondered where the time had gone as he looked at his watch. He saw a bunch of the town's militia hanging around the bar and decided to stop to see if anyone there was going to be on duty later. Drinking hadn't been a problem, but with everyone being in town because the regulars had moved into the cabin he just wanted to make sure.

"Hey Sam!" Brad shouted when he stepped into the bar.

"That's CAPTIAN Wydant to you." Someone else replied to a chorus of laughter. Most of the guys that joined up had actually grown up with Sam. The militia was always snickering whenever lieutenant Driver insisted on using his last name, 'if they only knew' he found himself thinking whenever someone joked about it.

Sam walked over to where Brad was with a smaller group of guys from the militia they were getting a little too rowdy for his liking. "I want you all to stay out of the bar durring the storm, you are on call from now on, so finish up your drinks."

"Damnit Sam." Brad protested to no aviail.

Sam walked out of the bar and headed towards the mayor's office. He hadn't gotten a few yards when a car turned the corner and roared past.

"What's his hurry?" Sam said to himself.

The car tires squeeled to a stop at the sheriff's station. A young man jumped out and ran inside.

'What the fuck is this about?' Sam thought as he trotted over to the station. A couple of people were already there and he heard right away what was going on as he opened the door.

"... fire outside of town past our place, my dad sent me to get help."

"Alright let's get going." Sheriff McGrady was an older man in his upper fifties, he was well liked around town but Sam thought that he often did things without thinking first.

"No wait," Sam spoke up. Everyone turned to look at him, "where did you say you lived?"

"Sam, this is Gabe Mitchell's kid," sheriff McGrady answered.

Sam had known Gabe for years. "We can't go help sheriff." Sam said matter of factly.

The kid stood there stunned, "but... but... Colonel Travis said that we should get help." 

"Ya see Sam let's go." The sheriff started for the door and everyone moved to follow.

Sam spoke up again, "that road always floods when it rains heavily right?" Everyone stopped and turned to look at Sam, "I mean with the storm coming we can't let anyone that goes over there to help get stuck on that side of the bridge. Plus it's a good half hour to your place kid and that puts the fire ahead of us by at least an hour and a half by the time we would get there."

"So what are you suggesting Sam?" Sheriff McGrady asked, "you want us to do nothing?"

"That's right," Sam didn't like it either, "you said Travis said to go for help? Where did you see him?"

"He was at my dad's place when we saw the fire, him, the mayor, that hot lieutenant, Amanda, and a couple other guys were there too." The kid replied before adding, "they went with my dad and brother to go check it out."

"See, Travis is already helping, if someone's house is burned down they will being them back to town to give them help." Sam noticed the sheriff frowning, "the storm will bring enough rain to put the fire out."

"I don't like it Sam but I guess you are right." Sheriff McGrady turned to the kid, "go home and let them know what is going on kid."

The kid turned to leave but the door opened and a man in a uniform blocked the exit.

"Is Sam in here?" He asked. Sam recognized him from the Laketon militia guys that were in town a couple of days ago, he had second lieutenant bars on his uniform.

"Yeah that's me what's up?" Sam asked, "lieutenant Jay right?"

"Jays, Sarah sent me to find you." He was alone by the looks if it which was odd since they were always told to travel between the town's in pairs.

"Why would she send someone from Laketon?" The sheriff asked, Sam was glad he noticed the same thing.

"I was with her at the windmill we just git back in town, she's across the street at the mayor's office." 

Sam was more confused then ever, Sarah had told him that she would be gone until the windmill was shut down, but the lights in the sheriff office were still on. He followed Jays outside and to the mayor's office.

Sarah was just getting off the radio that they had been using for the cabin and checkpoints to communicate ever since the cellular networks went down durring the war.

"Sam," Sarah turned towards him as she put down the microphone, "something fishy is going on. They said they haven't heard anything at the cabin Jays."

"What do you mean what's going on?" Sam asked confused.

"Do you want to tell him Jays?" Sarah went to look out the window towards the storm approaching from the south.

"Yesterday the regular army guys started to pack up," Jays started.

Sam interrupted, "yeah, before the storm, our guys did the same thing."

"Right, but did your guys pull out overnight?" Jays paused to let it sink in, "I was at the windmill last night and when our replacements didn't show up, and we couldn't get anyone on the radio I went into town to investigate. The military had shut the town down, they weren't letting anyone in or out."

"How do you know they left?" Sam asked.

"We ran into someone else outside of town, they said they saw them moving south tanks and all," Jays went over to the mayor's desk where they had laid out some maps.

"What the fuck would they do that for, the storm is coming?" Sam couldn't figure out why they would have left town.

"Sam, where's Travis?" Sarah asked.

"He's still outside of town, there was a fire that they went to help with it." 

"Which way is the fire?" Jays asked looking up from the map.

"West of here, almost all the way to the ridge." Sam wondered why that mattered as Jays swore under his breath, "what's the big deal anyways?"

"Sam, the gap is south of here." Sarah walked over to the desk and pointed at the gap on it. "there is also this pass over the mountain southwest of town." The road that she pointed to was a few miles past the Mitchell's farm.

"Shit," Sam continued, "you don't think something is going on do you?"

Sarah shoke her head, "I don't know Sam but Travis was worried about all of the troops at the gap, remember?"

Sam nodded, "Sarah, go up to the cabin and check things out, don't let them know what's up if they don't already. Jays, get back to the windmill and..." 




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 08



A horn was blasting outside, Sam looked up and out the window to see Travis' truck tearing though town, the horn was blasting and it pulled up to a stop in front if the sheriff station.

"What the fuck?" Sam asked as someone was being carried out of the back and inside.

"Where's Travis?" Sarah asked looking out the window before running out of the office. 

Sam and Jays were following close behind as Sarah ran into the station Sam stopped and asked sergeant Rodriguez, "what's going on?" 

"There was an attack outside of town, the mayor's been shot," he said as he closed up the back of the truck.

Sam looked around as a crowd started to gather. He saw Brad coming out of the bar with the group he was with. 

Sarah came outside with Gabe Mitchell and his son who hadn't left yet, "Sam something's happened."

"I know," Sam didn't want to talk about this in public just yet. "Sarah get the sheriff and bring him to the mayor's office. Brad, you guys stand gaurd, no one comes in until we are done. Jays, Rodriguez, Gabe with us."

Everyone filed into the mayor's office just as the doctor showed up to see David at the sheriff's station.

Sergeant Rodriguez filled them in on what they found at the house and the breif fire fight.

"Where's everyone else then?" Jays asked before anyone else had a chance.

"We stopped briefly at my place to drop off my son to get my wife and other son to evacuate," Gabe explained, "your lieutenant and the boys with her stopped at the bridge to prevent those guys from getting across, Travis and Amanda were behind us, I asume they stopped at the bridge to help if they haven't shown up here yet."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, "you didn't see them stop?"

"No ma'am," sergeant Rodriguez spoke up, "Travis went back for Amanda because she was hit and when Gabe jumped in I thought it was Travis and I took off."

Sarah's face showed she was shocked, "Amanda?"

"No son," Gabe said to Rodriguez, "I saw Amanda trip, I would have gone back for her but Travis was already on his way and closer."

Sam noticed the relief on Sarah's face and realized that with Travis still outside of town everyone was now looking at him for orders. 

"Shit. Well I will gather whoever I can and go out to reinforce the bridge and send Travis back. Sarah, get to the cabin and bring some of the regulars into town. Jays get back to that windmill and make sure it's gaurded. Sheriff, get the word out in town that we have an emergency tell anyone that wants to help to help to meet here, when Sarah gets back she will tell them what to do."

"What do you want me to tell them?" Sarah asked.

"Get then to man the checkpoints into town. Keep the regulars in reserve to respond to anything." Sam looked around the room, everyone looked to be on the same page, "Rodriguez with me, let's go people."

"I'm going with you too Sam," Gabe said as he followed Sam out if the building.

The next half hour was chaos for Sam, he rounded up as many as he dared and as they headed out of town in a convoy Sam thought to himself, 'too long, that took too long.'

The rain started on the way to the bridge, sergeant Rodriguez was driving Travis' truck as Sam studied the maps that Travis had left in there. The rest of the convoy followed behind.

Gabe explained that he left his sons behind to help make sure people that lived in the valley got out and to make sure they were the only ones allowed to cross the bridge. Sure enough, there was a trickle of vehicles moving in the other direction, by the time they got to the bridge the downpour was near constant.

Sam noticed a couple of vehicles parked at the last turn before the bridge including the jeep they had been using for the militia. They parked the convoy there and after leaving a few to watch the vehicles they moved forward on foot through the rain.

Sam noticed some people grumbling about the rain but at least most of them were taking this as seriously as they should, Sam was trying to make a mental note to make sure that those that were handling the situation better were placed accordingly in their defensive positions.

Sam saw lieutenant Driver come out of some bushes overlooking the bridge, "Sam thank god you're here," Sam was shocked she didn't use his last name in front of everyone, "Travis hasn't gotten back yet."

Sam was unsure what to do, he had the militia spread out to help cover the bridge. Gabe's sons had been letting them know who to pass through and a couple of people that lived on the other side of the bridge had joined them.

After making sure everything was taken care of Sam took Driver off to the side, "what's up with Travis?"

"I thought he was right behind us but they never showed up after we got to the bridge, I wanted to go back to look but if they followed us this was the only place I thought of that could hold them back." She looked frustrated and was shaking in the rain. Her short blond hair was matted to her face and mud was on her pant legs, her rifle was slung over her shoulder.

"You did the right thing Vanessa," Sam tried to comfort her and put a hand on her shoulder, he wanted nothing more than to hug her right then but refrained for her sake.

"So are you going to go find him Sam?" She stared at him with her blue eyes.

Sam paused trying to think of how to mount a search party. He remembered what he said about not being able to send help for the house fire and looked at the creek and could tell that the water was already rising. "We can't, anyone that crosses the stream might get stuck on the other side by the time they get back. We just have to trust that Travis and Amanda will get here on their own."

Nightfall

The rain had fallen steadily the rest of the day, Sam had set up a command post in Travis' truck and along with Gabe and lieutenant Driver they stayed mostly inside the truck. They set up a rotating shift so that people could get out of the rain and into a heated vehicle every hour. 

The evening had passed slowly, no one else had come across the bridge for safety, Sam knowing that Bill lived directly across the stream wondered if he was going to wait it out or not.

Sam had sent back a few guys to gather food and water for everyone, since there was no telling how long they would wait there. He looked at the maps and had confirmed what he remembered, this was the only bridge over the stream that they could come across to get to Hardstorm for 30 miles. Not only would Travis and Amanda be stuck over there after the stream flooded, whoever shot that person and burned down their house were stuck over there too. The only other way across would be flooded soon as well, and if they crossed it then they would be heading straight into the forces that had left Laketon.

"I'm going to go check the water level again." Gabe opened the door to leave, "I can't stand this waiting."

He had been gone for only a minute when Driver spoke up, "Sam, what if he doesn't get back in time?"

"There's nothing we can do other than wait out the storm I guess." Sam looked over at her and couldn't help thinking of her naked again. 

"I shouldn't have left him behind, they'll blame me again for this." She started to cry, "I... I'm sorry."

Sam leaned over the best he could and put an arm around her, "it'll be ok, Travis could just be held up helping someone else, he's no dummy, he'll make it back."

She managed to stop herself from crying and they sat there in silence, Sam's arm still around her. He realized that he was actually getting feelings for her and wondered what could become of their 'relationship'.

"Vanessa, I..." Sam was cut off as the door opened again. Gabe looked at them and didn't say anything as he climbed in and Sam took his arm off if her.

"I would have let you two lovebirds keep steaming up the windows, but I wanted to let you know that the road on the other side of the bridge is underwater." Gabe ran his hand through his hair and shook off the rain water as Driver's expression gave it away even though Sam figured he was joking, "the bridge will be underwater shortly, what do you want us to do?"

Sam was watching the next shift walk by to the vehicles as he tried to think of what to do but he didn't have time. A large roar was followed by a crack. They jumped out of the truck and ran towards the bridge rifles at the ready. There wasn't any use for them as they could only watch the bridge tearing apart before their eyes.



Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 09



This story takes place in the near future after a brief nuclear war. There is a lot of plot, so if looking for instant gratification look elsewhere. The story follows the survivors in a fictional town with references to non-fictional places. 

Travis

Outside Hardstorm: August 1st, 2052. 

Travis looked out through the window of the SUV. The rain pelting the roof of the vehicle was a steady chorus to the thumping of the wipers on the windshield. The steam ahead of them not only burst it's banks, it had taken the bridge downstream with it. 

He turned his head and looked at Amanda who had a look of devastation on her face. His camo jacket several sizes too large for her was unbuttoned down to her upper chest, hinting at just a bit of clevage on her braless body. 

Yesterday they had been part of a group sent out to warn the outer reaches of the county that a hurricane was on its way. They had found a house on fire and no one was around. On further investigation it appeared that the homeowner made a run for it from some attackers and didn't make it. When Travis and his group ambushed the assumed atrackers when they returned, he and Amanda had gotten left behind. When they began to fall back Amanda had twisted her ankle and fallen down the hill, Travis went back to get her and the car they were to escape in was seen and shot up. 

Travis had to carry Amanda as they hiked back the way they came in, by then the rain had started, and they made it to a nearby farm that night owned by Gabe Mitchell who was with them during the ambush. The farm was deserted but they found the SUV they were in now and spent the night in the vehicle.

"What do we do now?" Amanda asked as she stared ahead out of the window.

Travis looked over at Amanda and took out his pistol, "take this I'll go have a look around." He picked up the rifle and stepped out into the rain. He had hoped they would get across the bridge and link up with the rest of the militia who he guessed would have set up an ambush position on the other side to prevent the attackers from getting across, but he didn't see any sign of life on the other side.

"SAM! SARAH!" He shouted out across the torrent. He scanned the woods with his eyes seeing nothing. He looked back at Amanda.

"Travis?" He heard softly from across the river and he turned back to see Sarah on the other side standing in the road. Someone else in uniform was approaching behind her, he couldn't quite make out who it was.

Travis cupped his hands together and shouted, "SARAH, SOMETHING STRANGE IS GOING ON!"

"I know... they left Laketon... night and went south... who were they?" Sarah was shouting, but Travis could only make out half of what she was saying over the roar of the overflowing steam.

"DON'T KNOW!" Travis stood there trying to think of what to do next. They could not get across the stream now and it would probably take a day or more after the rain stopped for the water level to drop before they would be able to ford the steam. "HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE OVER THERE?"

'Ten' Sarah held up her hands, she was probably having the same trouble hearing him. "How's Amanda?"

"OK, JUST TWISTED HER ANKLE, KEEP AN OUTPOST OPEN WE WILL FIND SOMPLACE SECLUDED TO STAY UNTIL THE WATER DROPS!" Travis replied.

"Do you... supplies?" Travis could tell it was the farmer Gabe Mitchell next to Sarah. He had changed into one of the militia uniforms that blended in so well with the woods here.

Travis thought for a moment and shouted, "SOME M4 AMMO AND SOME FOOD!" He pointed to his rifle in case they had trouble hearing.

Travis watched as Sarah and Gabe discussed something between themselves. He was unsure of where to go now that they couldn't cross the creek. Sarah had turned to talk to someone in the woods and Travis watched as they climbed out onto the road and started jogging the opposite direction.

Travis debated himself on if he should tell them what he found out as he waited for the runner to return. With not being able to hear each other clearly it could be a challenge to understand what he was actually saying. But they had to know. He cupped his hands together and shouted, "I DON'T THINK IT WAS A GANG YESTERDAY! I THINK IT WAS MILITARY!"

Sarah and Gabe talked to each other for a moment before replying, "why?"

Travis heard them call the apparent leader 'sir', even if that didn't necessarily mean military, Travis had a gut feeling. "BECAUSE..." 

KAHHHHHH-WOOOOOO! WOOOOOO!

A thunderous chorus rang above them. Travis looked up in time to see the encore.

KAHHHHHH-WOOOOOO! WOOOOOO!

A squadron of A-10s had just flown south down the valley at extremely low altitudes. Travis could barely make out the "KYANG" on the side of the fuselage.

He pointed up, "THAT'S WHY!" He knew something was definitely up now. It could have just been a rogue unit scavenging their way from town to town, but it was clear now that this was more than that.

Amanda lowered her window and called out to Travis, "what was that?"

"Four jets, heading south." Travis said turning towards her while adding, "they were ours." 

The A-10s were all but mothballed by the time the first Russian made drones showed up over Israel. The war with Iran was an ariel affair, neither country could launch ground forces as all the surrounding countries were war weary and decided to remain neutral. An Israeli captain in an A-10 made history becoming the first drone ace as he took advantage of the drones being pioleted remotely from afar, while a human pilot could fly under radar, attack the drones with the 'conventional' gatling gun, and return to radar protection before the drone could registrar that it was in danger. 

The face of ariel combat had changed in one afternoon. Cash strapped the United States had spent years building thier drones for a war that they could dominate the battlefield. Being taken down by a 'cheap' plane was a topic the Air Force refused to debate. The Army took no chances with its funds and resurrected an old design that was proven to work in close support and now a drone deterrent. In the Third Iraq War, the A-10s scored so many drone kills that the other branches soon followed. The icing on the cake was that no A-10 was ever lost to a drone. 

Amanda looked worried but she put the window back up without saying anything. When Travis turned back the third person had returned carrying an armful of supplies. 

It was one of the younger guys in the militia and he walked up to the waters edge before stopping and putting everything down. He picked up an ammunition magazine and after setting his feet he wound up and threw. It tumbled end over end and splashed about five feet short into the muddy current.

His second throw ended up makng it as well as his third and fourth. After another water landing the last one made it. Travis now had these four and the two from Amanda, plus a reload from his incompatible M8 magazine. 

The kid next picked up an MRE that the regular army guys had brought with them that they were saving for emergency situations. It didn't even make it halfway across as it didn't have the weight.

Travis watched it float downstream and shouted out before he thew another, "STOP, WE CAN MANAGE, DON'T WANT TO WASTE THOSE!"

He returned to his spot in the woods as Gabe and Sarah talked to each other. ...check on Bill... didn't see... yesterday. Gabe shouted across. 

Travis gave a thumbs up to signal that he heard. He had heard that Bill was a bootlegger, into guns, and reclusive, a bad combination for someone in uniform to show up unannounced. But his hidden driveway was nearby and could be seen from across the stream, so if anyone could find it they wouldn't get too far with the militia staking out the other side.

"We... someone here... water goes down." Sarah shouted across. "Take care... Amanda for me." After a pause she continued, "If Bill's... knows you're coming... he knows... better then me."

Climbing back into the truck Travis answered Amanda's questions about what they were going to do. Travis wasn't too excited on heading up to old Bill McCoy's house but Amanda didn't seem to mind. He was reminded of what she had said yeaterday about having meet him before. He suspected then that she had left out some details, but she didn't give any indication of that now. 

He reversed down the road a ways, stopped, and turned into the driveway heading up the mountain. 

Amanda looked quietly out the window as Travis drove. He looked at her and thought of last night. She had slept against his chest naked under the blankets in the back of the truck. When he woke up her hand was on his cock and she was asleep. He was rock hard and had been dreaming about Sarah. It didnt help matters that since Amanda's clothes were still wet from being outside all day yesterday in the storm that she had stuck her naked ass in his face as she climbed into the front of the truck. Her pussy was inches from his face and he had been thinking about it all morning.

He and Sarah had been good friends as kids, but hadn't seen each other for years before the war a few months ago. Sarah had gone off to college and Travis had joined the army. Since reconnecting they had been almost inseparable, but when he was away unexpectedly for a week and no one knew where he was Sarah seemed to have grown distant to him after his return, while spending more time with Amanda.

Amanda on the other hand had meet Sarah in college. They had been best friends for years. They worked together after college and when they lost thier jobs during the economic collapse before the war, they both moved back to Sarah's hometown. When Travis was put in charge of the militia, Sarah joined and Amanda followed along. The morning Travis had left for that week he was gone, he surprised Amanda in the shower when he thought it was Sarah. Startled while masterbating, Amanda fell on top of him and ended up giving him a blowjob. Ever since his return it seemed like Amanda was giving him the full court press.

They arrived at a gate a mile into the woods. It was closed and the woods pressed in close making bypassing it in the vehicle impossible. 

Telling Amanda to stay put, Travis stepped out into the rain again. He approached the gate and found it locked by a magnetic lock. A little red light was on next to the the lock and a green light next to it was off. He looked down the driveway and could only see a few dozen yards before it curved away to the left. It was out of place since the power had been turned off for the entire town during the hurricane. 

He was considering if he should carry Amanda the rest of the way or go alone when the light suddenly switched to green. He was able to swing the gate open easily despite its size. He returned to the truck drove through and got out to close it again. As soon as it closed the red light turned back on.

Upon getting back in the second time he told Amanda, "I think he knows that we are coming."

"It doesn't surprise me, he knew I was with Sarah before we even knew he was there." Amanda replied. While Travis was curious because of another vague reply about Bill McCoy he left it at that.

McCoy Homestead 

The uphill climb of the mountain leveled out on what was an old farm now wooded over except for a small clearing. A stone house with a brick addition sat off to the side as the drive continued past to a barn at the edge off the woods. The barn was large for the area suggesting that this was a productive farm at one point, odd as it might seem because of its elevation above the valley they just climbed out of. As they got closer he could see that the barn had a dozen or so cylindrical shapes above its roof.

Travis parked about twenty yards from the house and turned off the SUV. The house showed no signs of life.

"I'll have a look around." Travis told Amanda. He stepped out into the rain and took a few steps towards the house.

"Travis Friar I assume, and Amanda again, it's always nice to see a pretty face, heh, heh." It came from the edge of the treeline next to the house. Travis looked up and saw a well hidden blind just above the branches of the trees. "What brings you to my neck of the woods during this storm?"

"The bridge was taken out by the storm, we were stuck on this side." Travis replied. He watched as Bill climbed down from the blind, a rifle was slung over his shoulder.

"So what is this I hear about you and your boys ambushing some military unit?" He paused after seeing the reaction on Travis' face, "I guess I should explain why I know that heh, heh."

Travis carried Amanda inside and went back to get thier gear and wet clothes from yesterday. When he returned Bill was laughing at something Amanda had said. He was surprised to see the power on, the magnetic lock was one thing, it could have easily been battery powered. She looked at him and shrugged. 

"Heh, heh, these girls of yours are a hoot." Bill coughed and noticed Travis looking at the lights, "ah yes, I'm sure you noticed the barn, those are my wind turbines, custom made of course." Bill described using a 3D printer to make the blades and the housings out of plastic. He used magnets and wiring to create electricity.

"How did you figure all of that out?" Asked Amanda.

"I'm not some country hick my dear, I used to be a mechanical and electrical engineer for Ford. That is until they didn't need me anymore." Bill got up and made for the next room, "I can get you something to wear until you clothes dry, young lady heh, heh, unless you don't need any."

"Thanks, but I will have to stick with the clothes option," Amanda replied adding, "for now." She worked a laugh out of Bill on that one as he disappeared deeper into the house.

Over the next several hours to Travis' surprise, Bill entertained his unexpected guests with his life story. He hadn't been layed off by Ford like they initially assumed, but was able to retire early after being the lead engineer on the project to make a viable fuel cell. This was a few years after Ford offered a percentage of sales to anyone in the company that contributed to a patent. Even at 1% of sales after the economy collapsed, William McCoy was still getting checks in the seven figure range every year, "not that there was much left after taxes," he was sure to point out.

The biggest revalation was that Bill had been tapping into the National Weather Service satellites and been downloading pictures of the storm in real time. Bill explained that the internet was never down, just that the servers that most cable companies used were taken offline or destroyed. He had been in contact with several other engineering colleagues of his that had been spending thier time trying to maintain as many satellites as possible. When then government dissolved and private industries collpased so many systems were left completely unattended it was easy for them to slip in undetected and make adjustments as needed. When Travis asked how were they able to do this, Bill simply replied, "we designed them."

From the weather satellites Bill had been taking pictures to analyze the path of the storm and destruction that it left behind. The resolution of the photos were amazing, Bill was able to zoom in on neighborhoods and towns in great detail, but Travis remained silent in thought at the last photo Bill showed them. 

"Where was this taken Bill?" Travis glanced down at the time stamp showing just before sundown two days ago.

"About 90 miles south east of here, a little north of the gap." Bill flipped him another photo. "This one is a red line of its direction before it got dark and didn't show up anymore." The photo was zoomed out and started well east of the ridge and ended a few miles east of the ridge just south of where they were now.

"Why are there so many planes?" Amanda asked.

McCoy Homestead: August 2nd, 2052. 00:33.

Travis hung the drenched poncho by the door of the barn as he came inside. Bill had set them up in the loft of his barn where his only extra bed was since his house was full of his "experiments" as he described them. Travis had just helped Bill check the perimeter of the security system he had around the farm. They didn't expect any trouble but it was best to be prepared. Despite his attempts to convince Bill that it would be safer on the other side of the stream when the water went down, he refused to leave.

The light to thier room turned on as he climbed the steps to the loft. It was isolated and shut off from the exterior of the barn so the risk of light getting outside was minimal.

"Travis?" He heard softly from the room. 

"Yes, its me." When he entered he set the rifle against the wall. Amanda was sitting up in the bed looking at him, he couldn't help but notice that she was wearing her now dry tank top from yesterday apparently without a bra as her nipples were burning holes through the fabric, below her waist was covered by a single sheet. She moved a stray hair out of her face and turned her head into the shadow the sole light was casting while he stared at her. He realized he was staring and guessed she was blushing. He noticed the wet bag on the floor by the nightstand that was once the ice pack that Bill had given her, the crutches rested againt the wall, "how's the ankle holding up?"

"It's still sore but the swelling has gone down I think." She swung her legs out to the side of the bed and stuck her injured leg out from beneath the sheets, the black and blue ran halfway up her lower leg.

Travis kneeled beside the bed to get a closer look. He took her heel in his hand she winced at the touch, "how much can you move it before it hurts?"

She curled her toes and moved it down and back about half an inch, "fuck, that hurts." Amanda gritted her teeth and looked down at him, "its not too bad is it?"

"Nothing permanent but you might be on the sidelines for a few weeks." Travis looked up at her, Amanda's green eyes stared back at him. Her shoulder length black hair framed her face as she smiled at him. 

He wanted her, the weeks thinking about the blowjob she had given him, the memory of her naked body leaning over his as her mouth decended on his cock was stirring his blood flow in his groin. 

Amanda's other leg wiggled out from underneath the sheet and she slowly spread her legs apart the sheet rose up her thighs.

"Amanda, I..." Travis started as he put his hand on her knee.

"I need to thank you for saving me," she said cutting him off, "If what Bill said was true then we might not get the chance again," she licked her lips and continued, "plus you owe me one."

"One what?" He asked dropping his hand.

"Orgasm." She pulled the sheet off of herself revealing her naked lowed half to him. She pulled her top off and threw it to the floor revealing the breasts he had seen glimpses of before now on display.

She reached for his shirt and started to lift it off of him, "we shouldn't," he began but let her continue. Over his head and next to hers on the floor she reached for his belt, "Sarah will..."

"Sarah would join us if she were here," Amanda cut him off again, "we both love her, and she loves the two of us, and now we will..." she fished his quickly hardening cock out, "enjoy ourselves tonight."

Amanda sunk down on his member while moaning in pleasure. Her fingers had found her clit and played with it as she came back off of him. She guided him to the bed and he kicked off his boots with his pants and boxers before laying down beside her.

Travis was conflicted but let her continue, she licked the underside of his shaft with every motion of her head. She repositioned herself so that she was on her knees with her ass pointed towards him. She swung her good leg over his head and settled her pussy above his face. It was inches away from him for the second time that day, but now she was wet and her lips were slightly parted inviting him in while her clit was peaking out from its hood.




Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 09



He took a slow lick at her clit, Amanda lifted her head off of his member and moaned loudly. She let him lick her again before continuing her work. He squeezed her ass as he continued and was rewarded with more moaning this time feeling the vibrations on his cock.

Amanda lifted her head again and stroked his cock with her hand, "I need you to fuck me now." She rotated herself off of him taking care not to bump her bad ankle and was kneeling in front of him with her ass pointed up and her head on the bed.

Travis got up and positioned himself behind her she was already reaching back between her legs for his cock. He found himself just watching her position him and slowly push herself back. She was wet and tight as her lips hugged his cock. When her ass settled in his groin she held it there and turned her head to the side, she looked back at him and smiled as he felt her muscles rhythmically squeezing him from the inside. "Oh my god Amanda," was all he could manage to say as she pulled herself away from him and slammed herself back down. This time she winced in pain. "I'm sorry are you ok?" He asked.

"Yes," she squeezed his cock again, "just put too much pressure on my ankle." She laughed.

Travis couldn't help but smile as he withdrew and pushed back into her. He grabbed her hips and stared at her tattoo on the small of her back, a black skull and crossbones that stopped just above her ass.

"Gawd yes Travis, fuck me!" She screamed when he picked up his pace a minute later. When he slapped her ass she screamed again, "yes!" 

Amanda reached with both her hands behind her and grabbed onto her ass and spread her cheeks as Travis continued to pump into her. She grunted with each impact and reached out with a finger and touched her star. Travis nearly lost it at the sight but managed to last until her finger slipped inside to the first knuckle. 

"I'm going to cum Amanda," he grunted as he thrust.

"Cum inside of me Trav," Amanda moaned as she worked her own ass with her finger now to the second knuckle, "I'm so close."

Travis slammed into her one last time and released his orgasm into her. She set off at the feeling of his cum and screamed into the bed her own orgasm.

They remained motionless for a minute both panting and sweaty. Travis moved to pull out but Amanda pushed back with her ass, "not yet," she said as she slid her finger out of her ass, Travis felt her squeeze him with her muscles one last time before pulling herself forward off of him.

They laid down on the bed, Amanda cuddled up to his chest with her arm draped across it. Travis reached for tye light and turned it off. Their panting slowed and Amanda pulled the sheet back over them.

"Do you hear that?" Travis asked.

"Hmmm?" Was all Amanda could manage to reply.

"Sounds like it stopped raining." Travis was about to say more but Amanda was asleep.