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them out. It was that or try to sleep. Even thinking was impossible.
Monotonously, the subject would always return to the subject of escape. What
had happened to
Mildred and Jak, and why had they heard nothing from either? The air was still
and humid, the latrine in the corner of the room imbuing the atmosphere with a
dankness. Their bedding was hard and made good sleep impossible and, although
they had been fed and watered well, there had been little opportunity to
bathe. They felt sweaty, itchy and in some discomfort.
"Four people approaching," Dean said to no one in particular.
"They're heading straight for here, and I'm sure
I just heard Jak's voice!" Krysty exclaimed, sitting upright. Her red hair,
lank with dirt, still waved around her head to indicate there was no danger in
the approach.
"Jak? With others? What the fireblasted hell is this all about?" Ryan
questioned rhetorically, lifting himself up into a sitting position.
They heard the footsteps and voices draw near, exchanging only the odd word,
but enough to identify the sec boss Markos, Jak, and Mildred, along with a
voice that none recognized.
"Millie? With Jak and the sec chief?" J.B.
queried. "This is going to be interesting, if nothing else."
They heard the lock on the door turn and click after a few barked words from
the sec boss. The door was flung open. At first the sudden sharp light of the
midafternoon sun was blinding and it took the companions eyes a few moments to
adjust. But when their vision cleared, they could see the doorway blocked by
Markos's tall, muscular figure. Behind him, it was possible to see the
confused sec guard standing with
Mildred, Jak and a fine-boned, dark-skinned woman.
"You are free to go," the sec chief said sharply.
"Say that again?" Ryan muttered.
"You are free to go. You are no longer to be held captive, but are to be freed
into the care of
Sineta and the sister Mildred." He stepped back to allow them to leave.
As they stepped out into the light, Markos added, "I do not approve of
this-she knows that.
And I will watch you as the stooping bird watches the mouse. I am ready,
should you choose to overstep any boundaries that are set for you."
With which the sec boss turned on his heel and walked off, leaving the
companions alone together for the first time since their landing, and in the
company of Sineta.
After a joyful reunion, Mildred introduced
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Sineta. When they learned that she was the daughter of the baron, it became
clear to the prisoners why they had been granted release. At the behest of
Sineta, the companions then walked the short distance to her home, where they
bathed and changed into clean clothes Sineta had brought to them by women from
the ville. Their own clothes were taken to be cleaned. The women returned
immediately with food and drink.
"You will be given quarters later, so that you may rest. But first you must
eat and we will explain to you what has occurred."
" 'We' ?" Krysty asked, looking from Mildred to
Jak who shrugged helplessly, knowing that Ryan wouldn't like the situation any
more than he did himself.
"Yeah, it's not that complex, but it does need explaining," Mildred offered.
And so, after they had eaten, the companions settled down to hear what Mildred
and Sineta had to say. When they had outlined what had occurred and the
conditions of their release, Ryan turned to Jak.
"What do you think of this?" the one-eyed man asked the albino.
Jak shrugged. "Good people here-some little crazy, but most fair. Good to me,
mebbe not you.
Mildred in for trouble, I think. But probably no real danger."
"And do you reckon Markos'll play this one down the line?" Ryan added.
"Good man," Jak affirmed. "Listen albino brother too much. Weird shit ideas,
there. Not about people at all, but some kind of self thing."
Sineta interrupted. "Jak's right. Markos listens too much to his brother, and
for all his talk I have often felt that Chan uses ideas as a shield and mask
for his real self. I would not trust him, but I
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