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• Anna

“It’s right there! Third one on the left!” Muttered Kaitlyn through a breathy smile, although even Anna noticed a crack in the punk girl’s facade. Usually she was good at keeping the charade of being a claimed woman, but the day had been long and stressful. Anna herself could barely contain her heart from beating faster at the news. Finally, Kaitlyn’s home! A place where they could let their guard down and feel safe!

But even as they hurried to the front porch of the house, a one-story small house with a peeling garage door and a lawn sign advocating for universal healthcare, even as Kaitlyn fumbled at her keys with trembling hands, Anna still had her worries. Was this place truly safe? Would another mob try to break the doors down, as they did with her dorm? Was Kaitlyn’s father truly safe as she claimed? Was she luring them all to him?

She shook her head. The fear over the last few hours was overwhelming. She wasn’t acting rationally, and she knew it. But knowing this didn’t stop her from worrying, the anxiety in her mind conjuring one terrible scenario after another in preparation for the worst, in a world that she increasingly didn’t recognize.

“We’re home! Dad? Are you here?” Asked Kaitlyn after opening the door. The interior was dark, but there were no signs of looting or fighting. And as the women quickly filtered in, crowding inside the small living room, a man burst from the bedroom, a baseball bat in hand. His face was haggard, his black hair and moustache both starting to gray, but his dark eyes lit up when he saw Kaitlyn. The two rushed into a tight hug.

“Kait! Oh, sweetie… I was so worried!” He said, his voice cracking slightly as he squeezed her tightly.

“I know, dad! It’s… It’s crazy out there,” replied Kaitlyn. She suddenly sounded much younger, her authoritative voice cracking with emotion. “Why weren’t you picking up your phone?”

“I fucking forgot the thing at work, as I was rushing here,” he replied, chuckling ruefully. “Ahh, can you believe it? Of all fucking things to forget…” And he squeezed her once more. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I’m fine dad. I’m fine.”

But when they separated from their hug and her father noticed the large group of women, and Ethan sticking out like a sore thumb among them, the silence grew tense. His eyes narrowed, and Kaitlyn’s father took a step, pulling his daughter away as well.

“Who is he?” He looked at his daughter and there was fear in his voice. “Kait, have you… Is he…?”

But quickly the other women voiced their dissent. “No, that’s not it - ”, “Wait, don’t get the - ”, “He’s a good guy, I -” They all murmured, and Kaitlyn raised her own voice in a similar manner.

“Don’t worry dad, I’m still free. I’m me!” She smiled, reassuring him, before turning to Ethan. “And it’s thanks to him, at least in part. I… We met while on campus. Things were a mess. And I thought up the plan of us pretending to be his harem, while he walked us to safety. We might not be here if it wasn’t for him!”

“We were almost caught, on our way here…” muttered Jasmine, her voice low.

“... And he risked his life. For me,” added Nadia, wincing as she remembered her master ordering her to flee. And she pulled Ethan closer to her, as if afraid that he would float away if she did not cling tightly enough. She had not left his side once since the incident of the man with the gun.

Anna felt a pang of guilt when she remembered what he had done. Anna had fled, cowering behind a car. Yet Ethan not only had stared down the barrel of the gun, he had ordered Nadia to flee. It was the right thing to do, yes… She understood it on a logical level, but how easy was doing the right thing when panic gripped you like an iron fist? Making it hard to breathe, hard to think!

“Well… Sounds like you’re a hero then, young man,” said Kaitlyn’s father, approaching Ethan and shaking his hand, a smile slowly returning to his lips. “Name’s George. George Cooper.”

“I’m Ethan,” he replied, his face showing relief, and a slight red tinge of embarrassment at how the women defended him. It was deserved, Anna agreed internally.

“Glad to see at least one other guy who hasn’t lost his fucking morals over this claiming business,” said George. “Thanks for keeping my daughter, and all these other women, safe.”

Which made for an awkward moment, Ethan avoiding his gaze while the other women looked at each other. Nadia only clung closer to him.

“There’s one claimed woman among us,” said Kaitlyn at last, breaking the news. “Nadia. But.. She also helped us escape the others. Ethan claimed her. But he hasn’t claimed anyone of us else, when he could have done so. From what I hear, he did it to save her.”

Nadia nodded vigorously at this, but Anna noticed George tense up, pursing his lips as he looked at Ethan, before tentatively smiling. “Hmm, well… I guess things ARE crazy out there.”

“What about you, dad,” Kaitlyn elbowed him playfully, attempting to lighten the mood. “Nabbed any hot ladies today?”

“Not a lot of girls working at a power substation, believe it or not,” scoffed her father. “But the stuff that I saw here… Ugh.” He shook his head. “I’ve been in contact with guys from the other stations. Sounds like the big cities and college towns were hit the hardest.”

“Lots of people in one place. Younger people too. That tracks,” said Jasmine with a shrug. “Maybe… I hope that my folks are ok. They live way out in the suburbs, I’m not sure if my mom even has a cell phone…”

“Any home phone you want to call?” Asked Kaitlyn. And quickly the others chimed in, wondering each about their own families. Anna slouched and looked down, remembering how her call had gone. Zarina hugged her gently, picking up on her friend’s mood, and Anna gratefully hugged her back. She was grateful that at least there was one person that would always have her back.

But then she saw Roslyn and Jasmine crowding around the home phone and Kaitlyn, while Ethan hung back looking awkward, Nadia still clinging to him fiercely. George glanced at him again before moving away.

Ethan did not deserve to be treated like that.

Maybe this is why Anna walked up to him and whispered, “Ethan? I’m sorry. For how I treated you before.”

He seemed to almost jump back, surprised. “What? How?”

Anna fidgeted. Apologies were not her strong suit. “I was afraid of you, questioning you… Because of, y’know… The shit I saw before we met. Suddenly it felt like it was all guys against all girls and…” She took a deep breath, centering herself. “I treated you like you were one of them. And.. You’re not like them. At all. You protected us from those creeps. And from the guy with the gun. You told Nadia to run away and faced him by yourself.”

Nadia gripped Ethan’s shoulder even harder when hearing that. “Please never do that again,” she pleaded quietly.

But Ethan just shook his head. “Not bravery. Fear. My legs wouldn’t move. Sending Nadia away was… It was the only thing I could do.”

Anna blinked. “We were all afraid,” she admitted. “Still. Sorry I didn’t trust you.”

“I get it,” he replied. “Being careful. Smart.”

“Yeah, still… Glad not every guy is a **** shitbag,” said Anna, a bitter tone in her voice. She sighed and blinked rapidly. Definitely not her strong suit. Best to pack this apology up. “Anyways, let’s check on the eggs we brought here. Think it will make a good meal for everyone?”

“Oh.” He looked at the containers full of scrambled eggs and frowned. “Maybe? With some bread?”

They were now all eating together. George and his daughter had both insisted their guests take the dining table while they ate on the couch. But the table fit only four people, leaving Jasmine, Roslyn, Anna and Zarina seated. Ethan tried sitting on another chair, but then Nadia kneeled below him, looking up in loving admiration as he ate, until Ethan awkwardly sat on the floor beside her. The claimed girl realized her mistake and insisted he sit back on the chair, which he refused as she apologized. It was almost comical.

But Anna couldn’t find it in herself to laugh. She glanced at the others, all exchanging glances and looking at the pair, before they resumed their discussions.

“My uncle told me things are still pretty normal at his farm,” said Roslyn. “Internet there is pretty spotty. He only realized things were bad when I called him. Sounds like the news have either gone dark or are playing pre-recorded stuff. Crazy, huh?”

“Ugh, I envy him,” said Jasmine. “It’s not quite as bad with my parents, but there’s people talking of husbands claiming their wives, or other girls in the house, here and there. There’s not much… Chasing, like here. Like it’s all happening behind close doors. Gives me the creeps.”

Zarina lowered her gaze. “My father, he… He told me he claimed my mother.” She bit her lip in the awkward silence. “Said it was the only way. And… I can see his point. They loved each other anyways, but… It’s still weird to think that.”

“Being claimed by your long-time partner feels like the best case scenario, right?” Asked Roslyn, biting her lip nervously.

“Hmm, agree to disagree,” muttered Kaitlyn. She looked at her father and didn’t say anything. But she didn’t have to.

“I don’t think your mother would have accepted being claimed,” said George, with a sigh. “Don’t think I could do it either. I mean, your mother was a hell of a woman, you know? First female engineer of her class! I…” And his expression grew sad, tired. He looked much older. “It hurts me to say this, but I’m glad she died before all this happened. This claim thing and the Source message… She’d call it ‘Patriarchical bullshit’ or something, I… Fuck, this would break her heart.” He then reached beside him and hugged Kaitlyn tightly with one arm. “I’m so, so glad you’re ok. If anything happened to you… I don’t want to imagine it.”

“Mom would come back from the grave just to kick your ass!” She joked at him, making him laugh.

“True, she would,” he laughed. And just like that, he looked chipper and full of energy again.

“But, if… If I ever get caught…” and Kaitlyn hesitated, glancing quickly at Ethan before she finished her sentence. “Looks like there’s a way to break a claim. If the person that claimed a woman gets killed, women claimed by him break free.”

“We don’t know if it’s true,” added Zarina. “But… I don’t think that guy was lying.”

“Really?” George sat up as he looked around the room. “I had no idea! That… That changes things a LOT. Huh…”

“Don’t even think about it!”

Nadia’s voice rang loud in the packed living room and she got up to her feet and stood protectively in front of Ethan, who looked mortified. But before anyone could interject, she continued.

“Ethan has literally saved every girl in this room, including me! And yet you guys are treating him like shit. And letting this kind of knowledge slip like that? How… How awful can you be!” She hissed at Kaitlyn, who looked stunned. “So I want to make it CRYSTAL clear right now: I do NOT want to be saved or unclaimed or… Whatever. And if anyone tries, I swear I will kill that person. I won’t - ”

“Nadia, enough!” Ethan shouted, his face red.

She looked at him, and her anger immediately melted into regret and sorrow. “I’m sorry, Ethan! But they- ”

“It’s ok! Please… Please don’t defend me from anyone here again,” said Ethan, cutting her off.

“No, no… She has a point,” said George. “Hey… Nadia, was it? I would never do something like that. If Ethan was a bad guy? Maybe. If he had my daughter? Probably…” He looked straight at Nadia. “But I owe him the safety of my daughter. Do you really think I would kill him?”

“I don’t want to be freed…” Mumbled Nadia, looking miserable.

“Sorry, Ethan! I didn’t want to exclude you from the table!” Said Jasmine, concern in her voice. “Look, you can have my spot! And if you scooch that chair over, Nadia can sit beside you?”

“No, I can go to the floor and give my spot! I don’t mind,” added Zarina.

“No. I’m ok here…” Muttered Ethan, looking more embarrassed by the minute.

Anna watched the girls and Ethan politeness-judo each other and smiled slightly, despite herself. This felt so much different from how the rest of the day. It felt… Safe. Relaxed. Homey.

Then her thoughts wandered to her own home, and her thoughts turned. But suddenly it was not just pain and grief that swam through her mind, but the beginnings of a plan.

Her mother had been claimed. She was certain of it. But if she could find who it was… She could free her mother. It was possible. Her home was close by, in fact. About an hour or two by walking. So close.

Anna had insisted in going into a dorm when she went to college. Despite her parent’s pleading, she put her foot down. Said she wanted to be independent. Even if she lived close enough to drive, it didn’t matter to her at the time. And now… The reget pierced into her heart like a knife. If she had been there maybe things would be different. She could have protected her mother. Or even just spent more time with her. Was her father alright? She hadn’t heard from him -

A hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw Zarina looking at her, concerned. Ethan and Nadia were sitting on the table, as she tried to feed him and he reluctantly allowed it. Then Anna noticed she was breathing fast, and took a deep breath. No point in losing her focus.

But her plan was sound. Travel home, find who claimed her mother, kill the bastard. She had to do it.

And as everyone else chatted and talked, trying to calm down after such a tense day, Anna quietly plotted to kill someone. Making plans in her mind, thinking of weapons, and who she would even trust with such a plan. And if these thoughts felt incongruous with the homey atmosphere that she was in, she didn’t show it.

It was late and now they were all organizing and figuring out where they would sleep. The small house was not made to hold this many people. George happily offered his bed for Jasmine and Rozlyn, while Kaitlyn had a spare mattress in her bedroom to offer Ethan. Problem was Nadia insisted on sleeping in the same room as him, so instead Zarina was now settling there while Anna was offered the couch, while George tried his best to make a double-bed on the floor from piles of blankets, pillows and other soft things.

“But dad! Are you sure you have to go back to work? With all that is happening?” Asked Kaitlyn. “Have you even slept today?”

“Wouldn’t be my first all-nighter,” he shrugged stoically. “You wouldn’t believe the state of the grid right now… And if power goes down in the city this whole thing will get so much worse…”

“But dad-” she began, before he interrupted her.

“If power dies people might get stuck in elevators, there’s gonna be no water in high-rise buildings… It’s going to be a disaster! And right now we got half the staff missing, looking around for their wives or daughters… And hey. I was one of them! Poor Anderson was left holding the fort with Gregor because neither has any family nearby, but… I have to do it. I have to do what I can for the people living here. I… It’s what I can do. And maybe… It might save some more lives.”

Kaitlyn wavered, looking very unlike her usual self, always confident and playful. It almost felt good for Anna, seeing her new companion’s **** side. Made Anna feel like less of a mess herself.

Then she grinned her usual Kaitlyn grin and shook her head. “My dad, the hero. Alright. Can’t argue with that without looking like an asshole.”

“I want you and your friends to stay safe though,” he said, giving her another quick hug. “You can stay here, I don’t think anyone has noticed. And if anyone tried anything… There’s always my birthday gift, remember.”

“Dad! You worrywart!” She scoffed. “Seriously, who the hell gives his daughter a taser for her birthday.”

“A hero dad, that’s who,” he quipped back, smiling.

They joked some more while everyone prepared to settle, while making sure to thank Geroge for letting them stay the night.

“Ah, don’t even worry about it!” He waved them away, laughing before turing to Ethan and almost nonchalantly saying, “hey man! Can we have a talk in the garage for a second? You know, just you and me? Man to man?”

Ethan blinked. “Sure.”

Nadia looked at him pleadingly, but he told her to stay in the living room and not follow him. Another pained whine, her expression crumbling as Ethan gave her one last concerned look, before following George into the other room. Barely had they left when Nadia looked at Anna, the only other girl near her, and pulled her closer.

“What- ” Anna struggled back, startled, but Nadia was stronger, and more ****.

“Please, go follow them and eavesdrop on their conversation,” she whispered to Anna. “Please.”

“What? I… Don’t want to spy on them,” protested Anna.

“No, not that!” Nadia shook her head impatiently. “Make sure Ethan is alright. Please? Make sure he isn’t harmed or anything… You don’t have to tell me anything you heard.” Anna wavered, which made Nadia insist even harder. “Please! Ethan saved you. Can’t you at least do this to make sure he’s ok?”

A pang of guilt made Anna waver even more. Finally she sighed and nodded. “But I won’t tell you anything, ok? And you stay here!” She whispered.

Nadia nodded enthusiastically, smiling at her. And Anna sighed again before getting up and walking to the garage door. She pretended that she was guarding the door. Against Nadia, is what her excuse would be, when anyone asked. But whenever she could she listened at the door while Kaitlyn’s father and Ethan talked.