It was worth it.After that night, I started talking to the combat vets. We needed to get the kids under control. Some good ones could be getting kille... by the scum and we'd never know it. It was time to take charge.We got three squads of 14 men and women, mostly combat vets, some farmers and ranchers. We all got into fatigues and combat boots, Alice packs, helmets and weapons. Half with shotguns, half with M-16s. All those spotting lasers from the shotguns looked positively intimidating. I also. .." His hand stroked the bare sides of her midriff. They were so very warm, and he pressed himself all along her back as he spoke in her ear.Ashley's buzz hummed on in her head, imploring her to dance despite this strange black man holding her. Slowly she began to move against him, just nuzzling her hips against him at first -- it all she could manage with the shock of his black hands on her. It surprised Ashley that she had that kind of reaction. She'd been taught to not be racist all her. Damn! She didn't know what to do. And what was Rick going to do? She was sure that he would not physically hurt her, but she knew him well enough to know he wasn't going to shrug it off. He wouldn't say, "Okay Kathleen, water under the bridge. Let's move on." No, Rick was not a wimp. He would not sit still for being made a cuckold. He would take some action, but what? Did his statement that the only thing she had going for her was that she was the mother of his children mean that he was going. Ru ordered that theycontinue practicing until they got the dance completely right. It tookthree more attempts, at total of about five minutes, but eventually theystopped, at which point Serena hurried into the communal room.When she got there, the room was empty, save for one person: Hallie, whowas just finishing putting on her makeup. That's weird, thought Serena. Icould have sworn that I saw Hal dart into this room... And then the truthhit her like a ton of bricks. "Hal?" she asked, holding .