The last thing Maci remembers was leaving Fall's End after helping Mary May get her fathers rig back with Sharky and Cheeseburger. 'The Widowmaker'! An 18 wheeler with two twin front-mounted M2 .50 Caliber machine guns. It was a thing of beauty. Cutting through any peggie vehicle like butter to a knife.
When they got to the intersection Dalton heard 'it's Deputy huntin' season' over her ear pierce. She turned around quickly - high tailing it back to Falls End before the peggie trucks get to her.
Falls End couldn't have been more than a mile or so away, it was nothing. Hell she ran more than that back when she was at the academy with Pratt. Unfortunately trucks are a lot faster than being on foot, no matter how fast of a runner you are.
Within seconds she heard the rev of the peggies engines and the sound of the M2 machine gun going off behind her. Diving behind part of the nearby fence to hide from the godforsaken bliss bullets.
Maci could hear the bullets ricocheting off the metal surface behind her as she pulled her .44 Magnum Canon free from it's holster. Peeking her head up to get a better angle of the situation she saw Sharky firing at one of the peggies. Surprised he wasn't taken down by a bliss bullet yet.
When the peggie manning the M2 turned to get a shot at Sharky she aims her gun - firing directly at his head. Watching as his body went limp, falling down to the bed of the truck with a loud thump.
That's when she felt something hit her shoulder, the effects taken on in an instant. She's been hit. Her vision becoming blurry as she stumbled towards Falls End.
She groaned - fighting as hard as she could to stay conscience. Her surroundings becoming muffled, only hearing the muffling talking of what she thinks are the remaining peggies still pursuing her. Or it could be Sharky, she couldn't tell.
The last thing she saw before falling to the hard earth was the town of Falls End.
When she woke up she was no longer outside. Her hands were bound to a chair and so were her legs. She tried to get free, that's when she saw a bruised and beaten Deputy Hudson in front of her. Maci stopped her own struggling to look over at Hudson, she was worse for wear and that made her feel even worse.
She knew she should've been caught like Hudson, Pratt and the Marshall. Instead she was saved by Dutch. But Maci knew she would save them all, or at least try. They don't deserve what they're going through, no one does. The sound of whistling snapped her back to reality, that's when he came into view.
John placed a bowl down on the table next to her and brought the toolbox he had in his hand over to work table to her right. She watched him open it and pull out the top shelf and place it on to the table. Then he stopped whistling, back still to her. A few milliseconds later he turned to her with a smirk on his face.
Maci watched and listened to what he was about to say.
"My parents were the first ones to teach me about the power of yes." He turned back around and pulled out a staple gun and what looked liked a piece of flesh. It made her stomach turn. "They brought me into the kitchen and threw me on the ground. And I experienced pain after pain after pain after pain."
He slammed the staple gun down on the work table, making Hudson flinch and looked back over at Maci.
"And when I think I couldn't take any more. I did." John grabbed a tattoo machine and walked over to the table next to her. "Some broke inside, I wasn't scared I was...clear."
He turned the small light on and plugged the cord into the tattoo machine. Maci still watched him, occasionally glancing over at Hudson. She knew what John does to people. Tattoo their sin onto their flesh and cut it from them once they confess. If it wasn't for Pastor Jerome, she would most likely be missing some skin now.
"I looked up at them and I started to laugh. All I could say was...yes." He pressed the 'on' button of the tattoo machine, the buzzing filled the room. And so did Hudson's cries.
"I've spent my entire life looking for more things to say 'yes' too."
John shut off the tattoo machine and placed it on the table. Then he got closer to her and ripped open her purple plaid shirt, revealing her chest. It made her uncomfortable with him staring. The sly grin on his face made it worse.
"I opened every hole in my body and when those were filled I greeted more. But it was Joseph. He showed me how selfish I was being. Always receiving, always taking. The best gift isn't the one you get, it's the one you give."
He washed her chest with the rag that was in the bowl while he told her this. This all felt like a bad dream, Maci wanted nothing more than to wake up and find out it was all just a bad dream. Deep down she knew that wasn't the case. She would have to fight through hell and back to save her friends.
"Giving takes courage, and courage to own your sins. To etch it on to your flesh and carry it's burden and when you have endure and when you truly being to atone. To cut it out like a cancer and display it for all to see. My God that's courage."
John kept his eyes directly on her. Not once glancing over at Hudson. It was like they were the only two in the room. Then he leaned over to the work table and grabbed a filleting knife. Her eyes slightly widening.
"I'm gonna teach you courage. Teach you how to say yes. So you can confront your weaknesses, confront your sins, you will swim across an ocean of pain and emerge...free."
He pointed the filleting knife towards Maci and walked over to her. "Only then can you truly be atoned."
The knife dug at her skin for a moment, John still staring down at her chest. Then he turned around and walked back over to the work table. He leaned against it, the obnoxious smirk still on his face.
"So who wants to go first?"
Maci glanced between John and Hudson, a sudden fear of what was to come flooded her mind. Deep down she wanted to say no, but the way Hudson acted around John, how scared she was made things worse. She couldn't have her friend go through with that, not after all he's done to her. She took a deep breath and said yes.
John clenched his fists, a small smile showing on his face. "Yes, yes. You're not gonna regret this, I promise. Now before we begin, I think it's only proper that Deputy Hudson goes back to her room. Confessions are meant to be private after-all."
He walked over to Hudson's chair to take her back to her room. Maci could hear the muffled 'no's' behind the duct tape on her mouth, it made her heart sink. John made some shushing noises, making Hudson quickly stop talking. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing to her.
"I'm not here to take your lives, I'm here to give them to you. I'm gonna open you and pour your worst fears inside and as you choke, your sins will reveal themselves. Only then you'll truly understand the power of yes."
He smiled down at her, then started to push Hudson out of the room and back to hers. Leaving Maci alone.
She struggled against the binds on her wrists. The ropes digging into her skin the more she struggled. The crimson seeping through the ropes, tainting it red. She stopped her struggling, knowing it was futile that she wasn't going to escape.
The dim room with the reddish illuminating light and all the torturing devices was making her skin crawl. She didn't want to 'atone' for her sins, and she especially didn't want her sin tattooed on her chest then cut from her. She knew she needed to figure a way to get Hudson and then get out. But what? What could she possibly do to distract John long enough to get the key off of him.
Then it hit her. The looks, the glances and the way he stared at her chest tells all. Could she do it? Could Maci sleep with John Seed to save them both? And would it work out?
That was the last thing she wanted to do. Sleep with a guy like John Seed. But she needed to get that key, and the only way to do that was to get close to him.
She hung her head back - looking up at the concrete ceiling above as she contemplated what to do. Sleep with John to save someone who was like a sister to her or find a way to escape and go get help from the resistance.
Nah. Fuck that. She's not running, she'll bite her tongue and see it through. No matter how much it pains her.
Though John was a loose canon to her. Never knowing how he would react to what she had said. He wasn't like his other siblings, even Joseph saw that. Letting his past consume him instead of letting it go for the 'greater good'.
Maci propped her head back up, staring at the spot where Hudson was.
She still remembers the Seeds moving to Hope County. She was just 19 at the time - taking care of her sick mother. They didn't seem like a threat at the time, keeping to themselves for the most part. Occasionally you would hear the doomsday speech from one of Joseph's followers or himself.
Dalton would hear what was going on with the Seeds from Pratt. Nothing too aberrant in the beginning, people complaining about Joseph's sermons. It wasn't until she went to the academy after her mother past that things started to go haywire with Project at Eden's Gate.
By that time Joseph had at least a good thousand followers. John would slowly start to take peoples properties for the cult, Jacob was rumored to be training wolves and 'Faith' was rumored to be making some type of drug.
Of course the Sheriff couldn't do much - being outnumbered and John knowing the laws like the back of his hand. Left them between a rock and a hard place.
But of course as soon as she graduated from the police academy and ranked junior deputy she was tasked with going with Sheriff Whitehorse, US Marshall Burke, Hudson and Pratt to arrest Joseph Seed under the contempt of kidnapping and the intent to harm.
That went perfectly well. Chopper end up getting taken down, the Sheriff missing and Hudson, Pratt and the Marshall taken by the cult.
Luckily enough Dutch saved her. Now she was doing her best on liberating the county. One Seed at a time.
Even that was going shitty. But she couldn't deny all the places she had liberated for the resistance was helping further the cause. More and more people were lining up to join.
She turned her head when she heard the creaking of the door behind her. Catching a glimpse of John once more before he walked in front of her.
"I'm shocked you didn't try to make a run for it?" He said as he picked up the tattooing machine.
"I didn't want to leave without Hudson." She said sternly, eye balling the tattoo machine. "So how do I atone?"
John could hear the annoyance in her voice - making him scowl in return. "You see…..Deputy. You'll confess every last sin you've done, no matter how petty or small. If I think you're worthy of atonement I'll tattoo it on your chest then cut it from you."
She glanced down at her chest, gulping then back to John. "Okay but uhm. Why?"
"Confession without pain isn't confession Deputy."
"Yes, yes it is!" Her eyes met his for a brief second before falling down to the word 'sloth' chiseled onto his chest. "God wants us to confess our wrongdoings by not conflicting pain on others. By doing so aren't you sinning as well?"
"And what of all of my men you've been killing huh? That's the worse sin of all." He set the tattoo gun down, walking over to the work table with the tool box on it.
"I call it self defense. Besides they shot first." She struggled against the ropes again and sighed. "Since I have to do it. Can we at least add some pleasure to it?"
Maci kept a straight face as she watched the smirk on his face grow into a smile. She cursed herself under her breath for what she was doing. This by far might be her worst sin ever committed.
"Well well well." He pushed himself off the table, strolling back to the smaller table next to Dalton. "Doesn't this put a change in plans."
She raised a brow trying to gesture veaguly with her bound hands. "Not really. I'm still gonna confess."
The smirk on his face started to disappear into a scowl, his eyes piercing into hers. She gulped - preparing herself for what's to come. He leaned down until his head was next to her ear. Then she felt something dig into the ropes, freeing one hand.
John pulled back to free the other. The knife going through the ropes like butter. She rubbed her sore - still somewhat bleeding wrists as she eyes him with a raised brow. He set the knife back on the table with a sigh.
"I still have a few things to attend, so our little fornication will have to wait until later. Until then, I'll get someone to patch you up and take you to my room."
Maci watched him closely, he looked…...defeated. Or unsure of himself. "You're unsure of what Joseph's gonna think aren't you?"
John turned to her as she stood up from the chair she was in. His features stayed neutral, but his eyes conveyed a mix of emotions. He looked away from her, tapping his knuckles on the table below.
"My brother has a strict set of rules. One being no fornicating - though I'm well aware most of the members find a way to do it every once in a while." He looked down at the tattooing machine a sudden sadness showing over his features.
"Joseph's not here! Besides the no having sex rule is ridiculous. I'm also sure he's breaking his own rules from time to time." She sighed, placing her hand gently on John's shoulder. "You're running a whole region John, you can enjoy yourself from time to time. What Joseph doesn't know won't kill him."
The simple gesture seemed to shift John's whole demeanor. That's when she saw it, saw that John was still that little kids being beaten by his parents and wanting his older brothers approval.
He gestured to her wrists, meeting her gaze. "We should get those looked at. Follow me."
Her hand fell from his shoulder as he walked behind her. Maci sighed through her nose as she turned on her heels to follow him. She began to notice how well built these bunker were. Nothing like Eli's - even though his was a lot smaller, but it suitable for a guy like him and some of the Whitetails. Then again, Eden's Gate was planning for the end of the world and to having hundreds of people living in these bunkers.
They walked through door after door after door until they came to what looked like a decent size infirmary. She counted 8 gurneys on each side of the room all separated by a sheet.
She walked over to the closest one to sit down. The mattress sinking a little underneath her weight. Looking down upon her wrists she saw the crusted on blood and the rope burns against her tanned skin.
Worry spread over her face as she frantically felt her pockets. Relief soon taking over when she felt what she wanted. She turn towards John, his gaze staying on her. Except it wasn't his usual cold stare, his eyes were conveying lust.
She turned away - looking down at the floor to hide the slight blush on her cheeks. For weeks she's been on edge, looking over her back for any peggies. Now she was in their domain. She should feel scared….or anxiety ridden, but no. She feels calm - maybe for the first time in a long time.
The doctor showed up a few seconds later to examine her wrists. He grabbed her hand, looking it over. "No stitches needed which is good. I'll clean it up and bandage it and you should be fine."
"Okay."
Maci watched the doctor walk to her side to pull the little trolly of supplies closer to her. Grabbing the gauze and rubbing alcohol, he placed the gauze on top of the bottle - flipping it over to get some onto it. He dabbed her wrists with it, a sharp exhale of breath leaving her as the alcohol touched her flesh. It stung like a bitch, but it was a lot better than getting shot.
She could see John leaning against a desk from her peripheral vision, his eyes still on her. Keeping her attention on the doctor in front of her her stomach began to form a knot in the pit of it. This was gonna be a night that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
"Done. You should be healed up in a week or so. The wounds weren't too bad." said the doctor as he set aside the bandages.
She didn't even realize he did her other wrist, too lost in thought apparently. "Thanks! And that's fine, I've had worse."
Maci hopped down off the gurney, turning to John. "Lead the way."
He un-crossed his arms, turning on his heels. Before following him, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then followed after him.
It didn't take long for them to get to John's room. As she walked in behind him, she noticed how nifty it was. You wouldn't think you're a few stories under the ground. It looked like a decent size hotel suite. She was beginning to wonder what the other heralds bedrooms looked like.
Walking over to the bed, she felt the blanket under her fingertips as they grazed over it. Sitting down she glanced around the room, seeing one of Eden's Gates bibles, a framed diploma from whichever college her graduated from and a poster of him with the word 'yes' written on the bottom.
John has been quiet this whole time, not really saying a word and that made her quite nervous. She met his gaze once more, her hazel eyes gazing into his blue ones.
"Didn't you have stuff to do?" She finally asked, hoping it'll stop the unbearable silence between them.
"That stuff can wait, we still have a confession to get through." He set the tattooing gun on the dresser behind him. Turning to her. "Now take off your clothes."
She watched as his pupils dilated, his breathing becoming heavy. Maci gulped. How was she supposed to save Hudson if they fuck now instead of later? Her plan was starting to deteriorate right in front of her eyes and she couldn't do anything about it.
"How is this gonna work?" Maci asked as she started to untie her boots. Her eyes darting up to John for a second.
"Simple. You'll confess every sin you've ever committed - the process will be long, but it'll bring us closer to your atonement." He slowly unbuttoned his vest, keeping his eyes on her as she undid her other boot. "First, what should I call you?"
"Maci!" She set her boots aside, bring her hands up to the top button on her purple plaid shirt. Hesitating. She dropped her hands from her top, shaking her head.
"Maci! 'Gift of God'." He set his vest down neatly on the dresser next to the tattooing gun.
He leaned against the dresser as he started to unbutton his top - noticing Maci standing there awkwardly, fiddling her hands. He glared over at her, sighing in annoyance.
"Having a change of heart Maci?"
She heard the anger and disappointment in his voice, making her flinch briefly. "No, no I'm not. Do you mind if I keep my shirt on?"
Maci pleaded with her eyes, hoping he would say it was fine. He stopped what he was doing, his eyes scanning her face. A small smirk tugged on his lips as he strolled on over to her. His fingers grazing over the top button was making her panic.
"Now what is Deputy Maci hiding underneath here?" His voice was playful, like he was a kid in a candy store.
His fingers pinched the top button, but before he could pop it through the fabric Maci pulled away. "NO!"
She turned away from him, blinking back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "I can't look at what that asshole has done to me."
"Who?"
"My father." She turned around to face him. Eyes slightly glistening under the luminescent lights.
"What did your father do to you?" He sat down on the bed, eyes fixated on her.
Maci faltered, heart beginning to pound in her chest. Then anger started to set in, turning her frown into a scowl. "Where do you want me to start?"
"The beginning." He stated.
She took a deep breath before taking a seat next to him. "My parents were religious. My father more so."
"Were?"
"They're dead." She said quickly.
"Okay. Go on."
"I'm a middle child, an older brother, and a younger sister. It wasn't long before he started beating us every time we acted out or did something wrong." She made a fist, anger becoming more prominent. "He was also an alcoholic. His beating become worse the more drunk he was. But it wasn't until…"
She slammed her fists down on the bed and huffed. This wasn't something she wanted, to go down memory lane. Some things she just wanted to stay in the past, not open up old wounds.
"It wasn't until? Whatever happened has to do with whatever is in your pocket. You wouldn't have acted frantically earlier if it didn't." His voice was calm, almost a little too calm.
Maci whipped her head over to him, features softening the more she gazed into his eyes. Sighing in defeat she reached into her pocket, pulling out a folded picture and handing it to John.
She watched him open it, examining it. Facial expression never changing.
"How old were you when you had her?"
"15." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "I was one of those naive girls that said 'it'll never happen to me', then it did. After my 'wonderful' older brother told my parents, my father threw me down into our bunker and whipped me until I was a bloody mess on the ground. That's when I really started to see who my brother really was. God I hate him."
John notice the scowl on her face as he handed her her picture back. "And what is your brother?"
"A coward." She said harshly. "My mom got sick when I was 18, making me have to drop out of the police academy to help take care of her, my younger sister and my daughter. Once it got to be too much for poor old Abraham, he bolted. Leaving me alone with everything."
Maci stood up with a huff - pacing back and forth in front of the bed with her hands clenched into fists. John watched her, his features contorting into happiness. When she heard him laugh she stopped in her tracks and turned to him.
"I know you're sin. It's in your stance, in your eyes. It's consuming you right this very moment." He stood up - walking over to Maci. "You are wrath!"
She began contemplating his words, a small smile forming on her lips. "You're right. I am. Now since that bulge in your pants isn't going down, want to get back to business?"
"If that's what wrath wants. Then that's what wrath gets." He went back to his shirt, undoing each button with grace.
Maci shook her head as she walked back over to the bed. She undid the button on her jeans, slowly pulling them down her legs. Her face contorted in pain as the fabric grazed over the bandage on her thigh.
"I see you've met my brother Jacob." John said judding his chin to the bandage.
She looked up when he spoke to her, mouth slightly gaping when she caught eye of him shirtless. She was expecting to see more tattoos, but that wasn't the case. The only thing she noticed was the word 'sloth' engraved onto his chest.
"Yeah, he needs a new way of capturing people."
She let her pants and underwear fall to the floor, then stepping out of them. The coolness of the bunker hitting her exposed skin simultaneously, making her skin be covered in gooseflesh. She walked over to the bed to lay down. Looking up at the concrete ceiling with her hands behind her head.
The bed dipped under John's weight, then he was on top of her slowly spreading her legs apart.
"How'd your father die?"
John snapped his hips, sinking into her. She let out a soft moan, adjusting to his size.
"Alcohol poisoning. Ironic right? I'm just thankful he died only a few months after I had my daughter."
She looked up, watching his face contorting in pleasure. Her hand came up, holding onto his bicep as he thrusted into her. Each moan becoming louder and louder.
"The lord does work in mysterious ways. Where's this daughter of yours now?" He grunted.
Maci's eyes narrowed up at him, her features faltering. "Why do you want to know?"
His next trust was rougher, making her grunt in pain. "Inquiring minds would like to know. I'm not going to hurt her if that's what you're thinking."
"Don't take this the wrong way but I don't exactly trust you."
He stopped his movements, narrowing his eyes down at her, brows furrowing. "And I thought we were coming to an understanding. I guess this brings us back to square one."
He began to pull away, making Maci grab his arm frantically. "No, no! She's in Massachusetts, along with my sister."
"Parenting become too complicated for wrathy here?" John smirked when he saw the anger in her eyes, how her brows furrowed and hands clenching the sheets in fists.
"It was your damn cult that made me send them away. I'm just happy they're not here now. There's no way I could keep them safe."
Maci closed her eyes and sighed as John began to thrust into her again.
"You've all could've easily joined. There are kids here Maci, she would've had everything she needed to survive down here."
Her hands clenching the sheets relaxed as she calmed down. "I know, I know. But I'm too far into liberating Hope County to change."
She scrubbed a hand down her face - sighing in defeat. This was out of her jurisdiction, liberating a county from a religious cult isn't something you're taught at the police academy. Hell none of this would've happened if the Marshall wasn't hell bent on arresting Joseph.
"Is that what you want? Or your friends want? They're not much of a friend if they're having you run all over the county doing things that they could easily do themselves."
They made eye contact, his blue eyes piercing into her hazel ones. His hand came up, moving a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. "Don't take this the wrong way John…...but why do you care? You tried drowning be during the cleansing not even a week ago."
He grabbed her hips, moving her closer to him. With one last rough snap of his hips, she felt his member throbbing inside her as he came. She only heard a low grunt coming from the back of his throat as he did.
Once he was done, he pulled out and collapsed on the bed beside her. "I'll admit I did take that too far. Like Joseph said, my sin can prevent me from doing what's best for the project."
"I accept your apology." She maneuvered herself onto her side, propping her head up with her elbow. "Can I ask you something?"
He placed his hands behind his head - eyes filled with amusement. "On one condition. I see what your father did to you."
Maci sighed through her nose and narrowed her eyes. "Fine."
A gleeful smile started to spread across his lips and his eyes twinkled under the luminescent lights. "What do you want to know?"
"You're a lawyer, you're smart. Why are you doing this?"
Maci watched his eyes turn black, his features contorting in anger. She gulped, and that knott that was in the pit of her stomach was forming once again. He swung his legs over the bed and got up.
"Get dressed and follow me." He warned.
Without saying a word, she grabbed her clothes from the floor and started to put them back on. She grabbed her boots - sitting back down to put them on. She glanced over to see John already dressed and ready to go. It made her quite nervous, not knowing what he would do or where they were going. She finished tying up her boots and stood up to follow him.
The awkward silence between them was unbearable as she followed him through door after door after door. Too afraid to ask where he was taking her. It wasn't until she saw the sunlight that she knew she was being taken outside.
Her eyes squinted as they came into contact with the brightness of the sun. Still following behind John they continued walking past the gate and down the road a bit until they were out of eye and ear shot of the peggies keeping watch. She couldn't help but raise a brow about all of this. Was John really that scared of Joseph?
He stopped abruptly, making Maci flinch. When he turned around to face her, the anger in his features had disappeared. "Let's make a deal wrath."
"What's the deal?"
"I'll give back Hudson as long as you do a few things for me!" His eyes glanced down at her chest, then back to her face. A small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. "What are they?"
"You leave Holland Valley in my control. I take back my ranch and you continue to share a bed with me."
Maci kicked a rock at her feet, and groaned before looking up at him. "Everyone's gonna hate this…..but fuck it. You have a deal."
"Good. And since I'm being generous I'll leave Falls End alone…..for now." He took a few steps until he was a mere inch away from her. "But if you try to break out of this deal, I won't hesitate on killing your friends."
"What the fuck am I going to do? Run and tell your brother? You have my word." She crossed her arms and sighed. "What about the other regions?"
"I don't care about the other regions, so you do what you have to do."
"Fair enough. I'm not gonna be attacked by your men anymore right?"
"No, you'll be fine. Now I hope you're not afraid of a little ink."
She uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her side. "Can you at least do it on the side? I don't want a huge 'wrath' tattooed across my chest. Please!"
"If that's what you'd prefer."
He finally took a step back, Maci eyeing him suspiciously. "You're getting off on this, aren't you?"
"A little! I didn't think you would submit so easily." He smirked and began to walk around her, hands grazing over the tips of her hair. "I'm just wondering if you're gonna tell your friends about our little deal or not."
"Still thinking about that. I can tell them now and they can be mad at me or I lie to them and they can be mad at me later. Both are just lovely." She said sarcastically.
"I'll give you until the tattoo is finished."
"Okay."
Maci followed John once again.
They went back to his room, which made her grateful they weren't going back to his torture chamber. Deciding it was best to just take off her shirt for the procedure, she placed it on the bed and sat down.
She felt down her sides, feeling the indentations of some of the scars she possessed. A reminder of her gruel upbringing. John attached the wire to the tattooing gun and sat down next to her, his eyes scanning over her torso.
"You wanted to see what he did to me. Here's your proof."
She looked down at the floor, completely ignoring John.
His fingers traced over her scars that ran down her back. Feeling each indentation. When he didn't say anything, she looked up to see him staring off into space. But in his eyes she could see he was reliving his own childhood.
She placed her hand on his thigh, making him snap back to reality. "You good?"
"Just lie down."
Maci rolled her eyes and did as she was told. John picked up the tattooing machine - sipping it in the ink before getting into position to tattoo her.
The sound of the tattooing gun echoed through the room.
Maci took a deep breath as the needle pierced through her skin. The pain wasn't anywhere near as bad as she thought. She closed her eyes to think on what John had said.
Which would be the better option? Choose to tell everyone at Falls End about her and John's deal or lie to them. If she tells them now, they'll know why she's not doing anything in Holland Valley and why she gave up the Seed ranch. If she lies to them, she'll have to come up with excuse after excuse. It's best to go with the latter.
"Done." said John
The buzzing of the gun stopped as she looked down at the new ink on her chest. It wasn't bad, and just above her right breast. She grabbed her shirt and put it back on.
"I'm gonna tell them. It'll make things easier in the long run."
"For the both of us. I'll have one of my men get Hudson and we'll grab your weapons on the way out."
She nodded and watched him grab his walky talky off of his belt. Fiddling with her thumbs as she waited for him to be done. Once he was done she stood up.
"You should have your ranch back by the morning. And when do you want to see me again?"
They began walking to wherever her weapons were stashed, a sudden relief flooding into her.
"Two days. So don't leave Holland Valley yet."
"Can you at least make me orgasm next time?"
"If you're good I will."
"Hmph."
Maci followed him to a room near the exit. Walking in she saw her rifle, bow, .44 magnum and AK-47 lying on a table. A small smile tugging on her lips.
John walked over - picking up her sniper rifle. "I didn't take you for a sniper."
"It's good for stealth. You can keep your distance unlike with the bow."
He handed it back to her. The first thing she did was check the ammo. Then slung it over her shoulders.
"Let's go."
She walked with him up the stairs and outside. To where she saw Hudson standing next to a peggie just by the gate. Maci was happy to see her friend finally out of that hell hole of a bunker. But would it really make a difference with John still running the valley?
Hudson eyes them both, but relaxed a little when Maci stood right in front of her.
"You ready to go?" Maci asked.
"Yeah, I'm ready."
They both began walking away, Maci's heart starting to race in her chest just by thinking about what's to come. This wasn't going to be easy.
"Maci! I'll be seeing you soon." John yelled
Hudson stopped and turned to her. "What did he mean by that?"
"I'll tell you back at Falls End."
xXx
"Maci no fucking way are we gonna let John run this valley." Hudson said
Maci took a deep breath, trying to keep her cool. They've only been back at Falls End for 30 minutes and hell was already breaking loose.
"Joey you would still be in that fucking cell if I didn't make that deal with him. Besides it's only temporary. Let's play by his rules for now."
"What exactly was the deal Mace?" Mary May asked after a moment.
Maci turned her attention back on Mary. "I let John continue running the valley and I give him his ranch back. And I have to sleep with him. But he's leaving Falls End alone."
"Wait. Did you fuck John Seed while you were there?" Mary asked with amusement in her voice.
"Don't judge me! I wasn't planning on sleeping with him, but I saw it as the only way to save Hudson."
She took a sip of her water, placing the glass on the bar.
"Now this is a story I want to hear. But we'll go with you on this. Just keep us in the loop."
"I'm sure it is. And I will. Now let's hope this works out for the better."