CHAPTER 19


   The countryside passed by at a steady pace. It was long and flat down here. The soil was mostly coarse sand topped with crab grass and weeds. Every now and then the almost tropical scenery would be interrupted by a piece of high ground. These mounds, obviously the ancient ruins of man, looked much out of place in the flat world around them. At least their presence served to break up the monotony.  

Pete watched this world go by with only passive interest at the moment. Every now and then Pete would look to the seat directly across from him. Pam sat there with an equally blank look on her face. She wasn’t looking at anything out of the window either. Her eyes stayed fixed on Pete.  

Julia had gone forward to get some food from the dining car. There was definitely a bounce in her step. She was acting like a little schoolgirl. Since they had left Tallos she had not stopped holding Pete in one way or the other. If her arms were not locked round his then she had his hand firmly in her grasp. She had also kissed him more than once. Now she had finally given the couple a break.

Pam's eyes narrowed, "You better tell her Pete. I can't take much more of this."

"Me?" responded Pete.

He had known this moment was coming. He had ignored it until he could do so no longer. Pam seemed to have hit upon the exact same strategy as Pete. Neither of them had a clue about how to handle this. It was becoming very clear that this strategy of doing nothing was bound to fail. Something had to give.  

All three of them had been joyfully happy when the reunion occurred. Pam was slowly losing any enthusiasm she had. Her feelings of guilt, as to Julia's fate, were now completely gone. It was slowly turning into hostility. She barely knew that woman now! How dare she waltz right back in like the past several years had never happened!  

Pete was sweating this. He could read the looks he was getting from his wife all to well, "you know you could tell her?"

"Pete," said Pam in a very short manner, "the sun is going down. We'll be at the next lay over by then. When we find a place to stay for the night, you are not sleeping with that woman! Are you clear on that?"

It was not like he had been planning on it but, it was sure obvious that Julia was. Did Julia really think that things would be just as they had been the night she disappeared all those years ago? "I... I don't know what to say?"

Pam slid off the seat and knelt down next to Pete. She took his hands into hers, "Pete, think about Eric. Think about little Julie. They are your children Peter Winston. They are my children Peter Winston. We are married, we have two beautiful children, and we love each other. That is the reality Pete. Not some fling you had..."

"Fling?" Pete took offense, "I do not just go around sleeping with anybody Pam. Come on, this isn't easy! This is not some woman and it was not some fling. This is Julia we're talking about here."

Pam looked down and bit her lip. She stood back up and looked out the window for a second.  When Pam sat back down she couldn't look him in the eye. She wiped a tear away, "do you still love her?"

Pete got up and sat down next to Pam. He put his arm around her, "I love you Pam. You're my wife, and I love you more than any woman I ever met. You're the only one I want in my life."

Pam smiled for a second. Tears still streamed down her cheek, "but do you love her?"

Pete replied with the same question, "do you?"

What kind of question was that? Pam shook her head, "I guess, I mean like you know, friends. She was my best friend Pete. Now though, I look at her, and it’s like I don’t even know her.”

Pete pulled her in close with both his arms, "Now you know how I feel babe."

The door to the cabin opened. Julia came bouncing in all smiles and giggling which was pretty much the way she had left. "You know they do have some good food..." She looked at the couple sitting there. She saw the tears in Pam's eyes. She saw Pete's arms around her. The smile faded, "Is everything all right?"

"Julia, sit down sweetheart," said Pete. "Me and Pam have got something we have to tell you."

As Julia slowly took a seat she already knew what was coming. She had a sinking cold rock weighing down her stomach. Julia didn't want to admit it even though she had seen it all along. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She started to tingle with numbness. Her head started to spin and worst of all, Julia felt a twinge of her migraine coming back.    

"I think I know what you two have to tell me," Julia said unable to look them in the eye.

Pete nodded. He spoke slowly, carefully, "that's good Julia, I think. Listen we both didn't want it this way... we... it just kind of hap..."

Julia smiled as she held back a tear, "It's all right Pete. I was gone for a long time. I know that it gets lonely, god how I know that. I mean, things happen. If one night you two... you know. I can understand that. I mean I guess I'm almost glad that it was Pam and not somebody else. Who else could I trust to look after my man till I got back?”

Pam dropped her head. This was a lot harder than she had thought, "No, Julia... You don't understand. We have kids. We have two children, a boy and girl. We're married Julia. I'm sorry but..."

Julia was stunned beyond her wildest belief. Children! They had Children?! Those were supposed to be her children! What could she say? What could she do? All those years to find a man like Pete and then only to have this happen to her! All of her life! She had never caught the first break. Tears began streaming down Julia's cheeks.  

Pam got up and sat next to her, putting her arms around Julia. Pete knelt next to her and took her hand.  

"I... I... guess," said Julia, "I should be happy for you two."

Pam rubbed her hair, "our daughter's name is Julie. We named her after you."

"You all right Julia?" asked Pete.

"No," it came out as a whine, "I'll... I will get over it. I'm sorry."

Pam insisted, "It's not your fault sweetheart. It was just a twist of fate. I wasn't trying to hurt you. It would be the last thing I wanted to do."

Pete tried to change the subject, "You should see Joey. He's a man now Julia. You'd be proud of him. I know I am."

Julia nodded as she tried to regain control of her tears. Her head was starting to violently throb.



_____________________


They were all spineless! That was what Tish thought of them anyway. At the first sight of this prison most of them recanted their claim to the title. For Tish this was not a point of honor. She was not without fear of what they were going to do to her. All she knew was that this could be her final act of defiance. If she could protect Julia then what she had fought for would not die in vain. The revolution could go on and Tish would do what she said she always would. She would die before they made her a slave again.

Out of the thirty or forty that were brought here Tish was fairly certain that there were only a few left. She did not know for sure because she had seen no one since they put her in this cell. There was no doubt that she was not the only one left though. Tish could hear screams from other parts of this building. Slowly, they were all fading though.  

When the door opened again, Tish could feel a twinge run up her spine. She did not show it. She would never let them see her cower, ever again. They had killed her sister. They had taken everything away from her that she ever cared about. Since that category only included a precious few things to the Dottish girl born as Valencia, they were all that more special. Tish stood as the light filled the room. She did not bend, cower, or attempt to cover herself. They would try and break her again. Once again, she would refuse to speak.

Two soldiers stepped in with bayonets lowered. An officer waiting outside spoke, "you will come with us woman."

They had never taken her from the cell before. Another of their mind games no doubt. It created even more fear. Once again, Tish would not display it. She walked out into the hall as if nothing was wrong. She followed them through several sets of doors and found herself in a large room. There was light. There were barred windows here but they were windows none the less. They pushed her into the room and closed the door.  

Zamtha turned when she heard the door open. She ran over to Tish and hugged her. "Oh god, I never thought I would see you again."

"Are you all right Zam?" asked Tish holding Zam as if her life depended on it?

Zam felt a tear, "I don't want to talk about... Why are we here now? Like this?"

Tish looked around. She walked around the room and there was nothing remarkable about it. The window! Tish ran up to the wall and found a foothold. She pushed herself up level with it and found herself looking at a city street full of people. There was a stage being built over in a public square. There was some other construction going on but, Tish was blocked by the crowd and could not make it all out. Tish waited until the crowd semi dispersed. It was a frame and stake. She should have figured.  

Tish dropped back down, "I know why."

"Are they going to kill us?" This prospect seemed to worry Zamtha more so than Tish. Tish was frightened beyond all belief. That was how she knew she was still sane. Tish was just dealing with it. All Zamtha was doing was just showing it.  

"I think only one of us. Maybe that General guy was telling the truth. I see an auction stage out there, only one stake."

After coming down from the window, Tish made herself comfortable on the cell floor. She listened carefully for a moment. "No more screams. We're the last two Zamtha."

The thought of the stake caused Zamtha to ball up on the floor in the corner. Tish went to her. She knelt down beside her; "There's no need for both of us to go through this. Zamtha, tell them who you are."

"NO!" said Zam.  "I remember when I met you and Julia. I hated both your guts. You were both so pretty and smart. I was actually afraid of losing my place. A place where that bastard forced me to have sex whenever he wanted! I can't believe that I was that stupid. I owe it to Julia, and I owe it to you. Tish you woke me up. I'm just as good as they are.”  

Zam began to cry, “I've killed men Tish. I've watched them die up close. They whimpered. There was nothing superior about it.” Zam swallowed hard and her eyes flared, “and it felt good! I owe it to you. I can't let you take that stake."

Tish stood up and stomped around, "You little nit wit! I want to die!" That was a lie but it sounded good. "Just tell them who you are!"

"No!"

The door opened and three soldiers came in. Shlendon himself followed. He looked at the two women in the corner of the room. He asked politely, "Have you decided yet?"

There was no response. Shlendon paced the floor as he spoke to them, "I wish for both of you to understand one or two things before we have to proceed with this barbarity. It may indeed influence your choice as to what you really think you want to do with the rest of your lives, as short as that may be for one or possibly even both of you."

"Who the hell are you?" asked Tish. This man spoke to them as no man had ever. Not as equals exactly but, Tish got the impression that Shlendon considered not only women beneath him but, all other men as well. He was, however, speaking to them about choices. No man would ever overtly tell a woman she had that.

"I am, the loving, and silent, patron of your rebellion. My dear Tish, do you really think our Army so incompetent as to send lightly armed shipments of cannon and supply into areas that we very well knew you controlled."

Tish felt a twinge run through her spine. He knew her name! If he knew that already then what was the point to all of this? Why was he making her and Zamtha, and the others, suffer? Why was he going to execute someone that he knew was not the right person? Worse, what had he really done to Julia?

"Zamtha," he knew her name as well, "you really do not have the constitution to make it past what my jailers have in mind for you. Why not just say so now, that you are not the Virgin Mary, and let us get on with the silliness on the street. We are running behind schedule and I'm a busy man, running two entire nations and all."

Tish asked seriously. She did not know why but, she got the feeling that this man would really answer her question, "what did you do with Julia?"

Shlendon chuckled, "my aren't you a brave one Valencia, Tish, whatever it is you prefer to be called. Why not? Julia is back with the people she belongs with. She will be leaving these lands forever. She will soon be going to her own world in which the most trouble she will cause anyone will be in whining constantly about the high price of gasoline. Whatever gasoline is?"

"Why are you doing this to us," Zamtha was almost in tears.

"Well I cannot very well let the public think that I let such a feared criminal and brigand as the Virgin Mary get away. I also cannot kill Julia. She is my sister, so to speak. So, deeply regrettable as this may be, one of you will have to die. Do either of you volunteer your name?"

Tish looked down and Zamtha who was staring back with a look of determination. This was no longer about Julia. They both looked at Shlendon who only shrugged, "Pity you should want it this way. Jailer, torture them till one talks."


The drum beat out a steady rhythm. Zamtha was being pulled along by the chain around her neck. She was pulled out into the street. Tears started flooding down her cheek as she looked up at the stake and frame. The soldier tugged at her neck one more time. She began stepping along as best the ankle bracelets allowed. The crowd she was being pulled through was screaming and taunting her. They were calling her nasty names and being as vicious as they thought they could get away with. Some were spitting at her while others actually threw things. There were a precious few who clearly showed pity. What was even stranger were the ones who cheered. A few of those actually tried to reach past the gauntlet of soldiers, who lined the way, and touch her! Why were they doing that?

She was pulled toward the ladder. Zamtha closed her eyes. She almost fell, shivering in fear as they pulled her up onto the platform. They lashed the chain to a pole. Zamtha looked across the way at the frame and the stake. All of the women on the platform with Zam began watching as another group came from the barracks courtyard. Tish was being brought out in a cart. The crowd grew wild as the soldiers pulled the cart through them.

"No, please don't let this happen," Zam, cried as they bound Tish to the top of the frame. Tish never said anything. Two soldiers on a wheel behind the frame started turning it. A chain rapped in the wheel began to give slack. The cross beam began a slow and steady journey downward. Zam cried even more. She hid her face and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch it any longer. She never once heard a scream.


The auction got underway. Zamtha did her best to shield herself from the sight of Tish. When she was sold off she closed her eyes as they led her down the steps. A man stepped from the crowd, paid his money, and took the chain around her neck.  He was cloaked and never really showed his face. He said in a low gruff voice, "Come on you. We're going to go have some fun me and you are."

There was a wagon parked on a nearby street. The man put her up in the back and climbed up on the buck board. Zamtha lowered her head. She wanted to die. She had wished it could have been her. She had tried to hold out but, the pain was too much. Tish had always been far more brave. That bastard Shlendon! He knew that life as a slave would be a far worse fate to those who had ever tasted freedom, even for the briefest of moments.

The cloak landed on top of Zamtha.  She pushed it off her and looked at the man at the reigns.

"ZePure!" exclaimed Zam.

He slapped the reigns and the wagon began to move, "would you keep your fucking mouth shut you stupid woman. You want to get us both impaled."

"What... What’s going?"

He looked over his shoulder. There was twinkle in his eye, "We're trying to buy back all of you that we can. Only one per customer though or else we'd draw too much attention."

"We?"

"Yeah," said ZePure.  "We is right. They may have drove us off the field. We may have scattered, lost our cannon, and all that. Don't matter none. That stuff ain't nowhere near as fucking important as what you got inside. That's the deadliest weapon of 'em all. I told you we were going to have some fun. I wasn't lying ether little girl. This war ain't over yet. We're far from finished. So just sit tight and enjoy the ride."



_____________________


The railroad ended just past the border. At one time it had gone all the way to the next city. Now the lines were ripped up. The passengers were unloaded at what was a makeshift station. It was nothing more than a place with a few temporary buildings and a switching track to get the train turned around. Apparently neither the Empire, nor the Raed's wanted to stop travel between their lands, but they certainly were trying to make it hard.

Pete grabbed the one and only piece of luggage they had from the baggage car, a nice long duffle bag, and tossed it over his shoulder. He actually liked the way these people had the rail all messed up. The new Imperial customs house was ten miles down the line at the next town. The inspectors refused to live out in the middle of nowhere. They checked people who came in on the rail company's stage line, which was a two-story wagon, pulled by an elephant.  

The part that Pete liked was, he could easily not get on the wagon, and hence not get his bag checked. It would be a bad thing considering the M-60, M-16, ammunition, one grenade, and two claymore antipersonnel mines that he had in it. The inspectors might not have even guessed what they were but, Pete did not like to take chances. They would strike out on foot. Less than a mile away was a bombed out factory complex. The Raed's had crossed the border during the war and burned it to the ground. There was not much left of it now but, the brick walls and parts of the roof. It made a good place to hold up for the night.  

Pete stopped next to the women, "We ready to start humping it."

Pam laughed, "You have a dirty mind Peter."

"Ha... Ha," replied Pete in a very sarcastic tone. "We Marines seldom name things that don't have at least one dual sexual reference."

Julia did not laugh. She did not sigh either. Pam thought it was a good sign. She patted Julia on the back, "Wait till you see the Inn we built. You'll like it there."

"It sounds nice Pam," replied Julia as if she were unconvinced. They began walking, "You said Joey graduated top of his class at this military school?"

Pete noticed he was the only one sweating here. Then again he was carrying all the weight. "He sure did. Look at all the tutors he had though. That kid had a college education before he hit fifteen. He's got a good arm too. If we ever get home I'd like to see if I can get him in Annapolis. They haven't had a good quarterback since me."

Pam slapped her husband on the arm, "You see Julia, not much has changed really. Pete's still as modest as ever."

Julia walked along with her head bowed, "I'm sure you would know."

Pete stopped walking. He wiped his forehead off and then turned and faced Julia. "Look, I'm sorry about the way things turned out Julia. I didn't mean for this happen. None of us did. I spent over a year and a half looking for you. I couldn't get you off my mind. It was driving me crazy, and I would have flipped out except for Pam here, she helped me get through it all."

The look that Pam got was more than enough for her to start walking again, leaving Julia behind. She kept on walking and without ever looking back. Pete watched his wife for a moment without saying a thing. Then he turned to Julia and stuck his finger out at her, "Don't you treat her like that. She doesn't deserve it. She was always there for you whenever you needed her."

"Not just me apparently."

Pete stamped his foot. He spit and growled, clinched his fist and raised them in the air. Then he calmed back down, caught his breath, put his hand on his hips, "That was uncalled for."

"No it wasn't," Julia stepped around him. "Do you know how I wound up with that band of Assur Pete?"

Pete just stood there with his hands on his hips. He was bouncing, "I thought you said you didn't remember?"

"I lied! I lied because I didn't want to get anybody in trouble."

Why did that sound like her? Pete scratched his head. He crossed his arms. He couldn't stop bouncing and patting his foot, "Ok, tell me. How did you wind up getting kidnapped?"

Julia grabbed his sleeves, "It was a set up Pete. Gary mostly, he got in trouble with that little short one that had grabbed Pam the week before. That's why they grabbed her. Only she found out that Gary said they could have her.  So she conspired with him to set me up. She always had her eye on you Pete. She figured she could kill two birds with one stone. She broke us up on purpose! Are you so blind you couldn't see that!"

"Then why did she come here to get you? Julia I don't think you understand. Pam is my wife. I know her. I know her better than I ever knew you. She is the mother of my children."

Julia pleaded with him. She shook his arms. Tears started streaming down her cheeks. "Please Pete, I'm telling the truth. You have to believe me. She'll kill us both if you don't!"

Pete started walking. He left Julia just standing there crying. He stopped several yards away. Looking over his shoulder, "are you coming? I didn't come all this way for nothing."

"Is that all I mean to you! Just a trophy to bring home? So you can be a good Marine and say you didn't leave anybody behind?"

Pete stormed right back to her, "YES! Now are you happy! You finally heard the truth. I wouldn't leave anybody alone on this shit bag world but I am quickly changing my mind about that Julia. You seemed to be doing pretty good on your own so why don't you just turn around and march right back to your own private army. You accused my wife of trying to kill you. Worse yet you say she'll kill me. That's insulting Julia and I don't believe you actually said that." Pete did an about face, and stomped off for real this time.

Julia whispered, "I didn't say Pam would kill us."


The building was a shell for the most part. Piles of bricks littered the floor. The factory building itself was all that now remained of what looked to have been a once thriving little mill town. The three remaining walls looked sturdy enough and the roof might be in very bad shape but, at least it was still there. It would be enough to keep the elements off of them for the night. They moved into what used to be the main factory floor, now only occupied by smashed, dead, machinery.

The work tables that lined the floors were now a little more skeleton than skeletal frames. The wooden tops of them were now ashes on the floor. Pipes and chain pulley's hung from the ceiling, here and there, and rattled with the breeze. Anything useful had long since been picked clean. All that remained was rusty, bent, and more of a hazzard than anything else. Pete found a few charred timbers lying on the floor and began making a fire with it. Pam sat by the gear and watched him. They both remained very silent. They were even to the point of avoiding eye contact with each other.

Julia wandered around what was left of the factory. She studied the machines, "what did they used to make here?"

Pete broke a timber by smashing it on the ground and throwing the larger splinters in the fire. The sun was going down and it got cold at night here on the plains, no matter what the season. He stood up with his chore done and scratched the stubble on his face while he stared up at the catwalks and pulleys. "I don't know."

That drew a look from Pam. She was not pleased that he had bothered to speak. Instead of responding, she simply removed the pistol from her belt, checked it, and then put it back down inside her skirt. Pam grabbed her sleeping bag, spread it out, and laid down for the night. Pete did not like being between the fury of two women and these two in particular. He had been placed in that situation before and it was not fun.

Pete wandered around the floor for a minute. He almost fell into a waist high pit on the other side of the tables. Pete stopped and caught his breath. He turned on his flashlight and looked down into it. It was about ten by ten, and four feet deep. There was some kind of pipe and valve system, no longer functional by the looks of it, running into and out of the pit. There were no weeds growing through the concrete floor here. It was built very sound. It also did not show the fire damage that the rest of the place showed. Overhead there was a chain and pulley system of something else that was definitely out of commission.

The near fall convinced Pete that he did not want to know what this place was all about. From the few factories that he had seen on this planet, he was convinced he would never figure it out anyway. Their industrial practices were far from logical. Not just the technology they employed but, the ways in which they did things were different. Trying  to figure it out now was pointless.

Pete had actually been here before, many times in fact. Every time he and Jack had tried to slip across the border, in this area, while looking for Julia, they would stay here. None of this stuff had interested him back then. In reality he was only studying it now to have an excuse to steer clear of the women folk.  It was Jack that had always had a field day with this place. Something about it had fired his engineer trained brain. It was not worth getting hurt over though. Probing around in here while it was dark could easily do that to a guy.

Pete finally decided he would rather face the dangers that were more familiar to him, that of Pam and Julia.  He wandered back over to the fire and opened the duffle bag. After doing some routine maintenance on the weapons he pulled the charging handle back on the M-60 and announced like somebody actually cared, "I'll take first watch."

Neither of the women responded. They were both now in their sleeping bags and probably their own little worlds to boot. That drew a grunt from Pete. It was for the best anyway.

He wished he still had his night vision. Darkness was descending on the place. The fire was crackling and shed some light but, it truly only served more to alert people that he was here rather than to help him see them coming. Pete sat back against an iron support beam. He was sore from the day's walk but, at least, with three of them now he could get some sleep tonight. They could split the watch into thirds instead of half. After all the walking he had done, Pete would enjoy the extra couple of hours sleep.  

Arching his back Pete stretched his arms out and yawned. He looked at both of the women and was glad that Julia was back with them, and safe. He was also disturbed for reasons that he couldn't explain. Maybe it was because his life would be complicated for a while. Considering what Julia had just told him, she was not taking all of this very well. She would get over it though. Just like Pete had gotten over his first love. It had taken Pam to do that. Julia had come close but she had not gotten him past that stumbling block to normality.  

With Julia, Pete had felt good. He had enjoyed being around her. He had liked the sex. Only there had always been a part of her that he could never reach. Pete could never get over that feeling that she was holding back. Maybe she had been afraid of commitment like he was? Pete had always assumed that. He might have lost a woman, an unborn child, but Julia had a worse heartbreak. Her boyfriend, Joey's father, just ran off and left. Whereas Pete was left heartbroken by a casualty of war, at least, she had not rejected him. She had not rejected her child either. It must have been worse on Julia. Maybe a lot worse than he could have ever imagined because, deep down, Julia had never been quite right to Pete.  

He stretched his arms again. He looked at his watch. It was only two minutes after the last time he looked. Pete tried to get his mind off his domestic situation. He tried to concentrate on his job right now. It was no use. This place was so dead and boring there was no way to keep his mind from drifting right back to his problems.

Pam, as opposed to Julia, was the most open person that Pete had ever known. In a group, Julia just sat in the corner, said nothing unless you practically pulled her teeth. Pam was normally the life of the party. If not, you would still leave a room knowing she was there. She always spoke her mind where Julia seldom spoke. When Julia had expressed her love for Pete he had to wonder sometimes. With Pam there was never any doubt. Pete considered his weariness about women over the years. If Pam had not really meant what she said that day they married, that she would always be by his side, then Pete could have never gone through with it. In retrospect, Pete was sure why he could never push himself to marry Julia Rice.


Pete opened his eyes. He felt cold. His neck ached from having been propped up against a steel beam. The fire was low and now reduced to a few red-hot glowing cinders. He had fallen asleep on guard! He was going to look at his watch and see how for how long but then something else came to his attention. He felt a warm touch from the darkness. There was a pair of hands feeling along his pants leg and rubbing across his chest. His shirt was unbuttoned now? When did that happen? A pair of warm soft lips kissed him along the neck.  

"Pam?"

"Yeah," her voice was deep, sensuous. She was breathing heavy, long and drawn out. Pam laid her head down on his chest. She kissed it. She ran her tongue down across his hair and skin.

"Uh Pam," said Pete. He was excited, yes. He was also concerned.  "Hey babe, maybe we should wait you know?"

Pam unsnapped his belt buckle. She ripped it out of his pants in one swift pull. After a snap came loose her hands ran down into his pants unzipping them from the sheer momentum. Pete's eyes almost rolled back in his head. She hadn't been like this in a long time! "Uh, you know we got company sweetheart."

"Who cares about her Pete? I just wanted to remind you of who your woman was," she licked him. How was Pete supposed to say no to this? Her head tilted back and forth in his lap. Pete almost squeezed off a burst from the machinegun. He was lucky he remembered to put that safety on. Pam pushed the weapon over onto the ground. For the first time Pete noticed that she was not wearing a stitch of clothing. She pulled herself up on him and sat down on his lap.

Pete closed his eyes and dug his fingers in the dirt. Pam dug her fingers into his chest. Then she grabbed his arms and pulled them up placing his hands on her breast. Pam fell forward. She pulled his head between her breasts this time. She held onto his head tight. "Oh Pete, you've got more hair than I ever remember. I like it."

Pete opened his eyes wide. He broke her grasp and leaned back against the beam. He looked at Pam with both eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"

Pam was confused, "What do you mean baby?"

Pete rubbed his eyes. He felt a headache coming on. He strained and tried to make out what he was seeing in the darkness. Pam looked strange in the low light. Who was he looking at? It was Pam in his eyes but… He shot up to his feet and looked again,  "Julia?"

"NO!" she screamed. There was something going on in here besides them. Pete felt a rush of air and he looked to his right. Pete saw something rushing at his forehead. He felt a blinding pain in his head as he fell back. There was blackness for a moment as all of his senses went cold. When Pete managed to open his eyes again, briefly, he was looking at a pool of blood. It was his own! He reached and felt his forehead. His hand came back bloody.  

There was a presence standing above him. It looked like Julia standing there. She was clothed and her hands were resting on her hips. She said nothing but, only smugly looked at him. Pete couldn't hold his head up any longer and it fell back to the floor. The wound was stinging and Pete suddenly began spitting up blood.  He managed to cough, "Julia..." Pete blacked out.

_____________________


That distant rumbling had been almost a constant today. Zerchumain had thought that working on a railroad would have prepared him for all the commotion. After all, this temporary border station did see a lot of traffic but, this was ridiculous. The sun was barely over the horizon when Zerch spotted the source of the latest noise. Following the cloud of dust in the distance was a very large column of cavalry. The black shirts were riding hard across the plains. Their galloping steeds only came to a halt as they stopped next to Zerchumain.

Zerch was unimpressed as the officer worked his horse over beside him. "You!" said the Imperial Officer pointing at Zerch.

Zerch spit on the ground, scratched his butt, "I was that, the last time I checked. You want to buy a ticket?"

"No," said the Imperial officer. "We are looking for someone."

"Good," replied Zerch , "ain't my job no how.  Horses extra."

"Three people," said the officer, "strangely dressed."

Zerch scratched his head.  "How strange? You mean like with black shirts, with funny little gold helmets that have all kinds of dead animal skins all over their head. That kind of strange?"

The man sitting on the horse next to the officer leaned over in the saddle, "a comedian sir."

Zerch scratched his butt, "nope, ain't my job."

The officer was growing impatient, "well have you seen three people dressed strangely!"

"Yep," Zerch walked off.

The officer guided his horse in front of Zerch, "well which way did they go man!"

Zerch just pointed, "out towards the old works."

The officer tipped his helmet, "thank you."

"No need, ain't my job."





_____________________


It was a scraping noise. Pam's head began to clear to its rhythm. She was not sure what was going on. She remembered going to sleep, nothing else. Was it morning already? She could sense light. It was a hard night on that concrete floor because every muscle in Pam's body ached from top to bottom. She was freezing cold as well! Why did her body feel all bent out of shape? Why did her head hurt so badly? Pam tried opening her eyes. The light was too strong and she closed them back quickly.

Suddenly, Pam realized that her back was not lying on anything. How was that possible? Her body was stretched so tight that it made no difference. Pam jerked her arms but nothing happened. She tried to twist her legs and there was a tight burning sensation around her ankles. For the first time she realized that she could not feel her fingertips, her hands were numb! Pam's head fell back. She opened her eyes slowly this time. She let the light touch her senses in more measured dosages. That was how the world finally came into focus, slowly.  

Rolling her head from side to side Pam started remembering. They had camped at the old factory that Pete had told her about. She could remember that much. Where was she at specifically though? She was looking at an iron frame of some sort, maybe a... those work tables with no tops! She was definitely still in the same place. That was something.  

Pam flipped her head back up.  She shook the haze out her brain. She followed the curve of her right arm and found her wrist was tied to the frame!  Pam looked left and it was the same there. She tried to close her legs, they still wouldn't move. Pam broke out into muffled screams that soon turned to tears.

After Pam's head fell back she twisted and jerked her body as she tried screaming.  She shook her head violently screaming, "NO!"  What had happened? To Pam’s left she saw someone lying on the floor. It was Pete! He wasn't moving and there was a pool of blood under his head. Pam began jerking again.

"Hello Pamela," said a gruff female voice.  Pam pulled her head back up. Leaning against the frame was Julia.

"How's it hanging," she laughed.  

Julia pulled the cloth out of Pam’s mouth. Pam began to breath a little easier, "Julia! Thank God! Pete! You've got to see if he's breathing... I think... "

Julia reached out and put a finger on Pam's nose. She pushed it like it was a button, "Oh he's still alive Pam. I wouldn't be worried about him if I were you."

Why was she talking like that? Why did she sound so… different? It was her voice and just not her voice all at the same time. What was going on here? "Julia? What... what are you doing just standing around? Get me down!"

Julia laughed, "Maybe Julia would. Julia's a wuss anyway. She would have never survived on her own. Ever! Thankless job that I have too. Julia is nothing but a little self-centered bitch that can't see past her own nose. You know she was wishing you two would just up and die. Ever since the train car. Now what kind of friend is that Pam? I ask you.  Come on, honest opinion here. I won't tell her."

Pam became very angered, "YOU...  ARE.... JULIA!"

Julia started laughing, "Julia's not even Julia.”

Julia leaned up against the frame and crossed her arms. She starting shaking her head and going, “tisk tisk tisk, You women are just so dense sometimes.”

Julia pulled out a knife and started tapping it on the metal frame. She was thinking heavily. She reached out and popped Pam in her abdomen with the flat side of the cold blade. "I gave that dumb bitch, everything she ever wanted. Then she started having to screw it up. Julia is real good at screwing things up, as you very well know. You know it was bad enough when she got interested in boys. That was a real drag, I’m hear to tell you, oh boy. Course with Julia, nooo, she cant just find a guy. She has get this wild streak and go find a real scum bag. This guy, he beat on his own son! I got no respect for a guy who does that. Makes you less of a man you know. Well I guess you don't do you.  

Pointing with the knife, “Now you take Pete over there. Now he was the kind of guy I could have sat down and had a beer with."  

Now Pam was starting to really get scared.  She started twisting her wrist again. She felt on the verge of panic. That wasn’t going to work. She had to try reasoning, "Julia, listen to me. You have to..."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"  Julia pushed herself away from the frame and began pacing. She came back red faced, ducked under the frame and came up right next to Pam‘s head. Julia pulled the other girls head up by the hair, "I am not Julia you dumb bitch. Do you understand that? Can you get that in your feeble little brain? I told you I don't even really like her all that much but, what's a brother suppose to do?!"

Julia lightened up, “you know that saying. You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your friend’s family‘s nose?”  

Julia pointed the knife at Pete again. "You let him inside you, you slut. You're best friends man. I always hated women like you. You can't trust most women but your kind is the worst. That's sad too Pam. Really, honestly, truly sad. I always thought you were kind of sexy you know. I thought I kind of liked you, might have wanted you. Not that my lot in life has ever let me enjoy women the way a man should."  

Julia reached over, ran her fingers across Pam's shirt, "You used to look so fine mama."

"Stop It!"  yelled Pam.  "Julia, please don't do this? You don't understand..."

"NO!" said Julia standing up straight. "I don't think you understand Pam. Course I guess you would have a hard time. Julia doesn't even understand. I'm just a dream to her. Not even that sometimes. You know they raped her over there. I killed that son of a bitch too. Slimy little twit deserved it. Then you know what happened? I thought Julia might just understand after that. Might be getting a lick of sense. All on her own she went and killed the guy who was beating up my girlfriend. I never thought she had it in her.”

It was like Julia froze in time. She stood there quietly, silently, without so much as flinching. Pam tried to use the time get loose but it wasn’t working. Being a doctor had it’s down sides when you could realize how much damage you were slowly doing to your own body and what the results would be.

The diagnosis for her husband was not much better. Pam knew the longer it took for her to get to him the less of a chance he had. His life was slipping away and literally right before her eyes. There was nothing she could do about it!

Pam realized the only hope they had was Julia. Had she flipped out or something?  What did they do to her?

Pam had said none of this. It was like Julia had heard her thoughts. Maybe she had just guessed? “They tried to kill her. Tried to kill her for doing what needed to be done. You want to know how Pam? Do you really want to know what they do over there?"

Julia lowered the knife to Pam's neck. She pressed the blade steadily against Pam's skin, applying more pressure with each passing second. Then Julia jerked it away laughing, "Wrong! Buzzzzzz! Would you like to go for double jeopardy where the points can really change?!"

Where did she go? Pam wondered if she had passed out or something. It was like Julia had been standing there and then she wasn’t. That thought only lasted a second. Pam did not care!

There had to be some slack in these ropes. Pam twisted and pulled until she had to stop and catch her breath. When she looked back up she almost screamed when she saw Julia standing at the end of the frame. Julia had just snuck right back up on her!  

In Julia’s hand was a metal bar. The end of it was shinning from where it had been ground down into a fine metal point. Julia smiled, "It's crude I know. It’ll do.”

There was this huge smile on Julia’s face. “I know Julia really wants you to know how it happened. Just like it happened to her. She’s been wishing it since yesterday. Petty little bitch. It’s just that, well, she’s so unrealistic about things sometimes. Then again, hell, most women are. So you're just going to have to use your imagination Pam."

Pam shivered. Julia had slipped back under the frame and stopped between her legs. Pam had to stop her. It was pretty obvious what would happen next. "Look... Uh, Ju...  whoever you are. We came to get Julia. We were trying to bring her home, to safety. We were trying to help, honest to god, oh please don't do this!"

Julia stopped for a moment. "You know he...  Pete over there. He screwed her last night. They did it right over there by that beam. Maybe he would have wanted you too but, you were all tied up at the moment,"

Julia broke out into laughter again. "Now back to business here Pam. Think of yourself, well not to different from the way you are now. Only hanging up instead of laying flat. Some bastard knocking the only blocks holding you up with a sledgehammer. This really big stake, bigger than this, and made of wood too, with lots of splinters in it, right between your legs. Enjoying this so far Pam?"

Pam closed her eyes and screamed. She waited for it. She tensed up and tried to pull herself free. After a few moments nothing happened. Pam looked back up.  Julia was just standing there. She’d done that freezing act of hers again. When Julia suddenly exploded back to life she dropped the iron rail on the ground. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked up, like she was searching for something in the sky. Like there was something more than the dilapidated old roof up there, "How in the hell..."

The ropes released Pam’s arms and legs all at the same time with no warning at all. She fell to the ground and went fetal. Her muscles were sending fire up her limbs and to her mind. Her hands and feet were still numb. She had to get up and move! Pete was bleeding to death, if he wasn't already... Pam did not want to think about that possibility. For whatever reason, she was free. They had to get out of here and away from Julia. This might be their last chance and there wasn't any help for half a planet away.  

Julia was no where to be seen. There was no time to wonder how she just vanished. There was no time to worry with wondering where. Pam started to crawl to her husband.

His mouth was open and his eyes were as well. Blood was dripping out of the corner of his mouth. Pete's face bore no expression. Pam felt his skin and it was cold! She forced her arms to move, to check his pulse. It was no use. Her hands had no feeling in them. Pam desperately hoped that was why she could feel no beat of a heart.  

She started feeling more sensations return. Pam got to her knees and looked around. Julia was still nowhere to be seen. Then Pam reached down and felt of Pete's neck again. Still nothing. She screamed, "NO!  NO!  NO!  Pete please wake up, oh god please!!!!"  

Pam began crying as she leaned over him. She thought of her children, what was she going to tell them. How could she come home without their father! "Please, oh god Pete! Don‘t die. You can‘t die on me!"

Julia grabbed Pam by the arm and yanked her up. Pam landed on the ground several feet away. When she began to try and crawl back up Pam could feel rage feeding her strength. "He's dead!”

Now Pam looked Julia in the eye. She was no longer afraid. Only angry, “I'm going to kill you!"

Julia chuckled, crossed her arm, and shook her head in a condescending way, “oh he’ll be all right Pam. God you women can get so moody. Believe me, I wish that was something I didn’t know as well I do.”

Pam staggered to her feet. She reached out with hands ready to choke the life out of this woman. Julia just stood there, frozen in time, and let her come. When Pam’s hands went for the throat she suddenly felt a pair of hands grab her from behind. Something swept her feet a second later. Pam’s back slammed into the concrete.

The fall took any remaining strength Pam had left. Her vision was blurred but, she could make out Julia standing over her. Was Julia crying? When Julia knelt down and began playing with Pam’s hair she had a different tone, she spoke more softly, almost like her old self. “It’ll be all right Pam.”

In an instant Julia’s voice grew gruff and cold, “Julia just needs your help first.”