The Other Child
Chapter 4
A/N: This chapter is going to get a little racy, so consider yourself warned. This one definitely isn't for the kiddies, but it won't be too intense. I promise.

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Jeb had decided to take first watch since he could tell his mother was more exhausted than he. As Adora lay on the mattress in the adjacent room, Jeb pulled a chair over to the small window in the kitchen. From this vantage point he could see the open field in front of the cottage. However Jeb knew it was unlikely that any Longcoats who had been alerted to their travels would attack from a broad, open space. No—it made much more sense to come though the forest and use the element of surprise. For this reason Jeb would leave his perch by the window and do a perimeter check of the property every half hour or so.

It was on one of these sweeps that he heard the sound of rustling coming from a few yards to his left. Crouching down to hide in the underbrush Jeb prayed it was merely a curious animal doing its late night hunting. The silence echoed in the small clearing surrounding the cottage as he waiting for a second sign of the other's presence. After a few seconds passed with no such sign Jeb stood and peered into the forest seeing nothing. He turned to head back to the cottage and came face to face with the business end of a hand gun. Behind the weapon was a large man wearing the leather uniform of the Longcoats.

Jeb cursed his stupidity as he heard the men come traipsing through the woods behind him. It had all been a decoy; draw his attention to one area and he'll neglect another.

"Sweep the house," a man's voice ordered. "There'll be more inside. Resistors are like insects," he began to explain, "there's never just one."

Jeb wanted to scream for his mother to run but he knew it would be fruitless. As the two Longcoats entered the cabin he knew she was outnumbered. Sighing in defeat he dropped his head to his chest. How could he have been so stupid?

"Well look what we got here boys," the first man's voice spoke as he circled Jeb like an animal stalking its prey. Jeb kept his head down, wracking his brain for a plan and praying he would not be recognized. 'As if that would ever happen.'

"Sir we've found another one," a Longcoat called as he pushed Adora through the front door. She stumbled over the old planks of the porch and hit the dirt hard. The men gave her not a second before pulling her up, one of them at each elbow and dragging her to where her son stood.

Adora cried out as the face of the man in charge came into view. "Zero," she said, her voice dripping with steely hatred.

"Adora Cain," Zero smiled taking her image in. "And I'm guess that this would be young Jeb Cain." As he spoke Zero jerked Jeb's face up until their eyes locked. "The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing. Now you're all grown up. You look a lot like your father."

At the mention of Wyatt Jeb's blood boiled. His pale eyes grew dark with loathing and he spit in Zero's face. Zero calmly wiped the saliva away before backhanding Jeb, causing the younger boy to fall to his knees.

Adora winced at the sound of the impact but kept her mouth shut, knowing her protests would only give Zero greater joy and probably cause him to inflict more pain on her son. She watched helplessly as Zero landed a kick to Jeb's stomach bringing him to all fours.

"I seem to remember a scene much like this one a few annuals back," Zero laughed as he circled around Jeb. "Except this time it won't be Wyatt who garners all my attention." He motioned and the two Longcoats who had stood back from the scene came forward and grabbed Jeb's arms, hauling him to his feet, and holding him in the same fashion as his mother.

Jeb chanced a look at his mother a few feet away. Her face emanated fear as she watched the same men who had beaten and murdered her husband repeat the same actions on her son. Jeb managed to mouth 'I'm sorry' to her before Zero stepped into his line of vision. He looked up at his enemy in defiance.

Zero stopped to admire his handy work. Already the young man's face was turning a dark red where his hand had struck him. "You know you're more like your father than you think," he said, fanning the flames of young Cain's anger. He stood in front of the boy and brought his face close to Jeb's. "Cain was a failure and paid with his life. Tonight you do the same."

Without thinking, Jeb relied on his combat training and brought his head crashing into Zero's. He heard the sickening thud as his skull connected with the other man's nose causing it to gush blood. Jeb managed to shake off one of his guards then the other quickly before laying a right hook to Zero's face. The two Longcoats gained the upper hand quickly as one grabbed Jeb's arm and twisted it behind his back while the other threw a punch to his stomach. Jeb doubled over but the Longcoat held him in place as Zero exacted his own revenge bringing his fist down on Jeb's face once, twice, and finally three times.

"Stop!" Adora yelled, unable to remain silent any longer.

Zero took a step back and wiped the blood from his no swollen lip. His nose stopped bleeding, thankfully not broken, but swelled nonetheless. His eyes locked with Jeb's before he turned and focused on Adora, who was weakly fighting her captors.

"Please stop," she sobbed letting the tears roll down her cheeks. She knew it was a sign of weakness to show emotion to an enemy but she suddenly did not care.

"Why would I stop?" Zero countered. He waved his henchman away, knowing that the woman would not run and leave her son alone with him. Even if she did attack him, Zero was fairly certain he could defend himself. Slowly he began circling Adora in the same manner as he had done to Jeb but this time his eyes held something more than hatred. The wheels in his brain were spinning, devising the perfect punishment that would not only weaken the boy's resolve now but would haunt him for annuals to come.

"Take him inside," Zero commanded, his eyes never leaving Adora's. "Stay with him. I'd like a little time with Mrs. Cain."

Jeb's head snapped up. He knew Zero was sick but he never dreamed he would go this far. "No!" he screamed fighting the men who dragged him toward the cabin. "No! Zero don't! NO!" His screams echoed inside the cabin even as the door was slammed shut and Jeb was tossed into the back room.

Again Zero continued to circle Adora, his eyes raking up and down her body as he went. "You know," he began as he stopped in front of the terrified woman, "I understand what Cain saw in you. You have a beautiful figure." He took a step closer and ran a hand down the length of her arm and back up.

Adora felt her soul break in that instant. She knew what was coming and knew she was powerless to stop it. Silently she prayed to Ozma that her children would be saved and that she would just die now. She prayed to any deity listening to strike her dead rather than endure the next moments.

"Why don't you and I get better acquainted?" Zero sneered as he closed the space between them.

OZOZOZ

Jeb sat on the mattress covering his ears trying to block out the noise from outside. They had done it on purpose he was sure of it; given him the room within earshot of the events outside. He could hear everything, the sound of his mother crying, the sound of fabric ripping, and worst of all the sounds of Zero grunting and groaning as he forced himself on Adora. As long as Jeb lived he would never forget those sounds and he vowed that Zero would pay for his actions.

It was a short time later that Jeb heard Zero address the Longcoats standing guard at the door. He watched as three of them left, one returning seconds later pulling his mother along. He thrust her into the room and took up his former guard station outside the door.

Instantly Jeb was with Adora, holding her as she cried and shook violently. With each sob that escaped her mouth his blood pressure rose, his muscles tightened, fists clenched. "I'm so sorry," he began to whisper as he held her. "This is all my fault. I'm so sorry."

"No," Adora choked out. "Do not blame yourself for this Jeb." He was about to argue when she continued. "That man is a monster. This sin is on his conscience, not yours."

Regardless of her words Jeb knew he would never forgive himself. He would never be able to look at his mother without feeling as though she blamed his as well. 'She has every right to. This was entirely my fault!' he chastised.

"Jeb I need to tell you something," Adora spoke finally managing to control her tears. "I need to tell you this before it's too late."

"Don't say that," Jeb responded. "You are not going to die here. Neither of us are."

"Jeb, please. I can feel it in my soul. I need you to know this." She needed to tell him, the burden of carrying this secret was too much to stand anymore.

He wanted to argue, wanted to tell her that she was being nonsensical, and assure her that everything would be fine. But deep down in his soul Jeb knew that was a lie. He felt that neither of them was ever leaving this place alive.

"It's Milenna," Adora began, choking back the sobs she felt constricting her throat. "She's…she…"

"What about Lenna?" Jeb asked, suddenly scared for his sister's life as well as his own. Up until now he had taken refuge in the belief that she was safe with the resistance at Finaqua. Now that belief was being shaken. "Is she okay?"

"Her father…" Adora began but felt another sob wrack her body.

"What about Michael?"

"Not Michael," she spoke softly causing Jeb to lean in closer. "Wyatt is Milenna's father."

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Dun dun dun! God I love a good cliffhanger! Don't you? Probably not. Though I will admit that last bit is a little reminiscent of Star Wars, but oh well. So if you wanna know how all this works out keep the reviews pouring in and I'll keep the chapters flowing out!