"Maybe they just got here," Lana said, noticing her dad's truck and Aunt Valerie's Hummer in the drive. Jake felt the hoods, they were both cool and he shook his head.

"Stay behind me," he ordered, pulling his pistol as he stepped onto the porch. He started to knock and Lana handed him her key, before pulling her own pistol from her waistband. He nodded, carefully unlocking the door and easing it open. They could hear the sound of a radio in the back of the house, and then a woman's scream, cut off suddenly.

Lana tried to push past Jake and he grabbed her, his look a warning. She started to shake him off and he shook his head, motioning her to be quiet. He took his boots off, slipping quietly down the hall on sock feet.

"My room was the first on the left," Lana whispered. "Dad's is just past the bathroom on the right. Harvey's is the last on the left." Jake nodded as a choked off groan came from ahead, sounding like it came from her father's room. The radio was coming from that room also.

The door was partly ajar, and Jake peered through the crack. Janine was tied spread eagle to the bed, Harvey on top of her pounding away. A cloth of some type was in her mouth, probably whatever had been used to silence her earlier scream.

Jake saw four other men in the room, all standing around naked, sporting erections. All were nude, and the only weapon Jake could see in the room was a large knife laying on the nightstand. He drew a deep breath, readying himself, and then kicked the door open.

"Don't fucking move!!!" he yelled, pointing the pistol at Harvey. One of the other men made a grabbed for the knife and Jake shot him, almost without thinking. His round hit the man in the center of his chest and he hit the ground, shock on his face.

The others all froze, the sound of the shot was loud in the room and Jake's ears were ringing. Harvey looked over his shoulder at Jake, fear apparent in his face.

"Get off of her," Jake said his voice like iron. He could feel Lana at his side, her body shaking.

"Where's Dad?" she asked Harvey after he climbed off of Janine.

"Fuck you bitch," one of the men in the room said, his face going blank as the sound of a shot sent Jake's ears to buzzing anew. A small round hole appeared in his forehead, a splash of pink, red, and grey on the wall behind him. Lana swung her pistol to the man who had been standing beside him, her expression not changing as the man she had shot crumpled.

"WHERE'S MY DAD!!" She didn't yell, but there was steel in her quivering voice, uncontrolled rage bubbling just beneath the surface.

"He's in the basement," the man said, his hands shaking as he raised them slowly. "He's alive, I swear."

"And Aunt Val," Lana asked, her eyes boring into the man's.

"In Harvey's room," the guy said, the smell of urine filling the room as he pissed himself.

Lana whirled and headed down the hall. Her cry of "SON OF A BITCH" caused even Harvey to blanch and Jake heard Lana's stomping footsteps returning. If the scene in there was anything like the one in here, well he didn't think the other two thugs with Harvey were going to make it out of the room alive.

"Jake, these fuckers are dead," she said, walking into the room, shaking in anger.

"She alive," Jake asked softly. Lana stopped, ten feet from the man who had pissed himself, and nodded as she raised her gun. "Shouldn't we let her do that?" he asked mildly. He wasn't much for vigilante justice, and didn't want Lana to have to bear the burden of her actions. She would already have one death on her hands, if he could prevent more he would.

"Yeah, you're right," Lana said with a sigh. "Untie her while I watch these mother fuckers," she said, her voice rough with anger. Jake looked to the bed, seeing that Janine was secured to it using handcuffs.

"Where's the key," he asked.

"Mike has it," the talkative one whined.

"Where's Mike?" Jake asked, suddenly worried there might be more in the house.

"He and Sam went to get more beer and weed," the guy said. He was almost blubbering now and Jake nodded as he approached the bed.

"Janine, remember me?" he asked softly as he pulled the pair of panties that had been stuffed in her mouth out. She nodded, clearing her throat.

"Check on my babies, please!!" she said hoarsely. Jake looked to the man and he blanched.

"They're safe, I swear," he said, seeing his eminent demise in Jake's eyes. "Sam took them out to the farm; he said that the Confederacy wasn't going to steal anymore kids while he was around. Oh God, please don't kill me, I'll show you where they are!!"

"Yes you will," Jake said as he covered Janine with a blanket. "Janine, we don't have a key for the cuffs, and until we do you're going to have to stay here." She nodded, tears running down her cheeks.

Jake had Lana go into the hall and cover the men as he herded them out the door. He had them kneel on the floor in the living room and told Lana to go check on her aunt and father. He was worried she might not be able to shoot her brother if he tried anything. He on the other hand, would do so in a heart beat.

Lana rushed down the stairs into the basement, and Jake heard her calling for her father. A groan answered her and Jake figured the man was still alive. He heard a vehicle pull up out front and then his phone rang in his pocket. Keeping a careful eye on the men he flipped it open after seeing Lana's number.

"Jake, Dad's cuffed too. They worked him over pretty good, but I think he'll be ok. Aunt Val was awake, she was cuffed too. Call your dad..."

"Listen honey," Jake cut her off. "Someone just pulled up outside, I need to make sure it's not the rest of them coming back. Can you come up here?" Jake didn't hear a response, but heard her footsteps on the stairs. Jake motioned her to cover the three kneeling men as a board creaked on the front porch.

The door swung slowly inward and Jake was staring down the sights of his gun at his father. "Shit Dad!!! You scared me to death!!!"

"You mind pointing that somewhere else," Mark said calmly. His gun was held down at the ready position and Jake nodded, lowering his own.

"Everything ok?" Mark asked, still standing in the door. "We had a 911 reporting possible gunshots in the neighborhood. There's a car on the way, should I call them off, or let them come."

"Call them off Dad," Jake said, the implications of officers arriving hitting him. "Dad, if you can come in as my Father, come ahead. But if you're the Chief, do us both a favor and leave."

Mark gave Jake a hurt look and stepped inside, fishing his handheld radio out of his pocket. After advising dispatch he was in the area and it was a car backfiring, he followed Jake into the living room. Seeing Harv Jr. and the other two men being held at gunpoint he raised his eyebrow, looking to Jake for an explanation.

"Dad, I'm still not sure what's going on, and maybe it is a matter for the department, but I wanted your take on it first. When we came in, Jr. was raping Janine. She and Val are cuffed to beds in the back. Four other guys were standing around watching. Oh, Big Harv's chained up in the basement, Lana said he's been beat up, but he's ok."

"Jake, you said there were four more, where are the other two," Mark asked softly.

"One of them reached for a knife and I shot him," Jake said. "Then the other one..."

" ... refused to answer my fucking question and I shot him," Lana cut in. "Mr. Whitman, I like you, but these fuckers are dead meat. Don't try to stand in the way either." Her voice was iron and Mark simply nodded.

"That how you feel Jake," he asked in a monotone.

"Dad, we can't let something like this go unanswered. It we let these nut jobs think they can get away with something like this they'll just keep after us." He shot his Dad an apologetic look.

"Good, now I've got a call to make," Mark said, holding out a handcuff key to Jake.

"Colonel, Chief Whitman," Mark said into his phone. "Got a cleanup right up your alley. Bring packaging for five, two are down already. Also, need a cleaning crew for a small house, should be just one room unless somebody gets stupid before you get here." He gave the man on the other end the Dean's address and hung up.

"They'll be here in thirty," he said, smiling at Jake. "What, did you think I would let my son take the kind of heat that something like this would generate? Besides, you're a confirmed volunteer, as is Big Harv. Any attack on a volunteer is punishable by death, and the Confederacy doesn't believe in lengthy trials."

Jake nodded before heading down the hall. He went to check on Val, finding her chained to the bed in Harvey's room. Her wrist and ankles were raw, and the wooden bed frame roughed up, from her fighting her restraints. Her face was a mask though, no feeling showing through.

Jake quickly unlocked the cuffs, watching as she sat up, thanking him softly.

"Any of them still alive?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, two plus Jr.," Jake said. "Also, two went to get more beer." Val nodded, getting to her feet slowly. She was bruised, her face showing where she had been punched multiple times. Jake saw bruises all over her body, and winced at the pinkish smear on her thighs and buttocks.

"You find out where Janine's kids are yet," she asked as she led Jake to the master bedroom.

"Yeah, well, one of them said he can lead us there," Jake said.

"Good, now unlock her," Val said as she rummaged in the closet for something to put on. Janine came off the bed like a spring, wrapping her arms around Val. Jake told them he was headed down to unlock Harv and they both nodded, holding each other and crying.

Harv was more pissed off than anything, and Jake unlocked him quickly. He stood, a little shaky at first, but nodded when Jake asked if he was alright. Jake told him what had happened, and Harv nodded when he finished.

"Always knew my baby had steel in her," he said, heading for the stairs. "They were here when we came home Friday night," he said in answer to Jake's question. He began laboriously climbing the stairs as he told his story. "Val and I had been at the shop all day, and when we came home Jr. called out from the living room. We walked in and there were six of them, two with shotguns."

"They brought me down here and cuffed me up. They roughed me up a little, but I didn't let on it hurt and they finally gave up and went back upstairs. I heard Janine scream a few times, but Val never made a sound I heard the whole time."

He had arrived at the top of the stairs and was met by Val. He held her, whispering softly in her ear while tears ran down his face. Janine hung back, her face a mask of worry, and she moved hesitantly when Harv motioned her over.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, stopping just out of arms reach. "I didn't want it, honestly I didn't!!" The anguish was plain in her voice and Harvey reached out, but she stepped away.

"NO!!!" the skinny black woman cried out, turning away from him. "I tried not to, I swear, I didn't want it, I swear it!!" She turned back, holding out her arms. Jake could see the multiple fresh needle marks on her arms, and heard the hiss of Harvey's indrawn breath.

"Please, Mr. Dean, I know you won't take me now, but save my babies, Please!!!" Janine's body shook with her sobs, large tears tracking down her bruised and battered face.

"Janine!!" Harvey's voice was deep, it shook Jake to the core, and it wasn't even aimed at him. "What happened?" Janine looked at him and he went on. "I want to know exactly what happened. After that, I'll make my judgment, but I want the whole truth, do you understand?"

Janine blubbered her way through her story. She'd just finished changing the baby's diaper when two men came into the room. She screamed and they knocked her down, grabbing her baby and holding a knife to its stomach. They threatened to kill the kids if she didn't do what they said.

She'd been taken into the kitchen where a bunch of more men waited, one of them holding up a little glassine bag containing an off white powder.

"You know the kind," she said, looking at Mark. He nodded. "They had the works all laid out, told me I could shoot up, or they started gutting my kids. 'You got plenty of them, ' the guy said."

Janine stopped, fear in her eyes as she looked from Mark to Harvey.

"Go on," Harvey said, "what happened after you shot up?"

"After a bit I got to feeling good, you know. It was first rate shit, I mean, really good stuff. Anyway, they told me they would take care of my babies if I signed a paper, so I did. Then they took me back and tied me to the bed. They kept shooting me up, and they all took turns with me, again and again. They hit me and hurt me and I didn't care as long as they kept sticking that needle in my arm."

Her head dropped and she stared at the floor, her tears making little pools on the shiny hardwood. "I begged them for more, I wanted it." Her voice was so quiet Jake had to strain to hear her. She wiped her eyes and raised her chin, looking Harvey in the eye.

"I told you from the first Mr. Dean, and I tried, but I ain't no good. I'm a crank whore and nothing can change that. I'm sorry I let you down. I know you don't owe me shit, but if you could, take my babies with you. I'll sign them over, just save them. Tell them their momma loves them."

She turned and headed for the front door. Harvey let her take three steps before he grabbed her, spinning her around to face him.

"Listen closely," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "I will only say this once and then the subject is closed. You have nothing to be sorry for. What was done to you was by force, and you are not responsible for anything that happened."

His arms were full of a sobbing woman and he held her gently, his voice soft as he whispered in her ear.

"Damn it woman, I've come to care a lot about you, and if you think I'm going to let those shitheads get away with this, you're wrong. You're mine, and ain't no one, not even you, who can change that."

Jake moved to Lana's side, jerking his head toward where her Dad and Val were now holding a sobbing Janine. "See if she needs to get to a hospital or anything," he said.

"Let's take her back to your house and have Nancy check them all out," Lana said. Jake nodded, and moved to the three kneeling men. He cuffed the first using the cuffs he had removed from Harvey. Mark stepped in and helped, and the three were soon cuffed. As they were all three naked, it was apparent they weren't armed.

"Which one offered to show us where her kids are," Valerie said suddenly, startling Jake. He pointed the man out and she nodded. She leaned down and said something softly in Jr.'s ear, and he slumped. She stepped to the next, and before anyone could move, had grabbed him by the chin and snapped his neck.

Jake stood in shock as Mark hopped back from the pool of urine spreading on the floor as the man's bladder let loose. The stench filling the room said that wasn't the only thing to let go and Harvey muttered under his breath.

"What!!!?" Val said, rounding on her brother.

"I said couldn't you wait until he was outside," Harv responded. Val shrugged and turned to Mark.

"You got anything to say?" she asked. Mark grimaced and shook his head no, getting a nod in response.

"By the way Harv, don't worry about your floor; I've got a cleanup crew on the way. They'll take care of the bodies too." This got him a shocked look and he just shrugged. "Now, I think we need to decide what to do with your son, and then go get Janine's kids."

Harvey nodded, refusing to look at Little Harv. "Turn him over to whoever is coming. I don't want to know what happens to him." Mark nodded, it was a hard decision, but one that was essentially no decision at all. If he was let free, he would be a loose cannon that could come back to hurt them all. Besides, the Confederacy would most likely hunt him down and shoot him on sight.

"Let's go," Jake said, dragging the last man to his feet. "What's taking your buddies so long?" He'd half expected to hear the sounds of a vehicle outside. He figured the others should have returned from their beer run long ago. Of course, if they had they might have seen the vehicles out front, and left.

Jake mentioned this and his Dad suggested they have the last guy call and ask where they were. The man agreed, promising no funny business when Val promised to break every bone in his body one at a time if he warned his friend.

The conversation was short, and on speaker phone. The two who had left were obviously in a bar, judging from the background noise, and promised to be there shortly. Jake found some clothes and had the man dress, leading him outside. Seeing his dad had brought the pickup, he cuffed the man to the tie down loops welded to the bed, and waited for the rest of his group.

He saw two plain white vans approach and drive by slowly, the occupants eyeing the house. He called out to his Dad, who came out talking on the phone.

"It's the cleanup crew," Mark said, letting Jake know it was alright. The vans turned around at the next intersection and came back by. The drivers stopped long enough for six men to jump out of each van, and then drove slowly off. The men were huge, all wearing plain grey coveralls, and Jake figured them all to be Marines. The men went inside with Mark, and Harvey came out leading the women.

Lana offered to drive Val and Janine back to the Whitman's house, and Harvey said that was fine. She kissed Jake goodbye and the three women climbed into the Mustang, heading out. Harvey brought the van to haul the kids, and Jake rode with the cuffed man in the back of his dad's truck.

The drive wasn't far, and they followed the man's directions to a small farmhouse on the outskirts of town. Learning the only people home were three women whose job was watching the kids; Harvey kicked the door in, not waiting for Mark or Jake.

They heard a woman scream and rushed inside. Harvey was holding one of the three at bay while she swung at him, talking calmly to her. Jake rushed by, seeing a woman peeking out of a bedroom door. He stuck his foot in the door when she tried to slam it and she backed away as he pushed his way into the room.

It didn't take long to round up the kids, and they all seemed happy to see Harv, except the two youngest, both still in diapers. Jake and Mark carried them out and put them in their car seats, having the older ones watch the smaller ones. Harv kept an eye on the women, one of whom was passed out on the couch.

Mark had advised them all to not answer any questions about the men, and the woman were still shouting as Harv closed the door. Harv asked about the man they had brought with them and Mark advised they would drop him back off with the cleanup crew.

Harv asked Jake to drive the van, and by the time he got to his house he had decided to keep his women sterile for a long time. The screaming kids gave him a headache, and no matter what he tried, they just kept crying. He called Lana, barely able to hear her, and told her he was headed home with the kids.

Janine met him at the drive, it was obvious she'd had a shower, and several of her injuries showed signs of having been treated. Lana said Nancy was checking Val out now, and asked about her Dad. Jake filled her in on what had happened, and she nodded.

"I got one, Val got one, I would say he wants one," she said, shrugging. Jake nodded, he was a little worried about Lana's reaction to killing a man, and his own.

Mark and Harvey arrived fifteen minutes later, the big man going straight in to check on Val and Janine. Mark hung back as Lana followed her father inside.

"Jake, remind me to never piss anyone in that family off," he said seriously. Jake nodded, he felt the same way.