Brian entered his house, dropped a package on the counter and turned around the refrigerator. Suddenly, a handcuff closed around his right wrist and he was flipped around and face down on the floor. The other end of cuff fastened around the table leg.
“What the hell?” Brian shouted. His assailant sat on his left shoulder, pinning his left arm between legs.
“What's your name?” Amanda asked.
“Fuck you! I'll kick your ass when I get free.”
“Who said you’re going to go free? Once more, what's your name?”
“None of your business.”
Amanda twisted his left arm behind him and gripped his little finger. “These little suckers are very fragile, you know? They hurt a lot when they break. Would you like to experience that?”
“Brian Drexler. What are you doing?”
“Why are you following me?”
“Are you Amanda?”
“Yes. Is Joseph behind this?”
“He hired me to find you.”
“What's he giving you?”
“Early release from probation and removing my history from the DELJIS system.”
She stared at the wall. “He's risking his career and possible legal action, just to find me? Wow. I must have scared him more than I thought. Do you know he wants to kill me?”
“I didn't care what he wanted you for. I liked what he offered and I put out the word.”
“I want you to stop following me. I'm going to meet him in three days, so you can stop. If you don't, I'll be back and get rough.”
“Why does he want to kill you?” He wanted to buy time to think of an escape plan.
“To keep my mouth shut, possibly. Have you ever been abused or beaten in your lifetime?”
“My father did that, when he was drunk or on cocaine. Joseph did that to you?”
“You got it. I got it once a week and maybe more and I could not defend myself, until now. I’ve been mentally and physically handicapped for about eight years.” She paused. “So, while you're thinking of a way to escape, consider this, if you didn't like it, why should I? I really don't want to hurt you or kill you. So my options are to call the police and let them bust you again with the cocaine you dropped on the counter, or you agree to leave me alone.”
“Are you serious?”
“When you've died seven times, it makes life very precious. I feel like a cat who has lost eight of his and I want to enjoy the time I have left. If Joseph finds me while I'm sleeping, I'm dead. So, yes, I'm very serious.”
She moved from his shoulder and placed the key in his left hand. She moved quickly from his reach and waited for him to stand. She was uncertain of his promise and flipped the lights on to watch him better.
“You're good, girl.” He tossed her the handcuffs and then the key. “How did you recover so fast?”
She shrugged. “I really don't know. It started with the last blow to the head. During the week or so since, the clarity is phenomenal. I still have some problems, but I'll work on them after I'm finished with Joseph. Now that I think of it, I should thank him for that. Otherwise, I'd still be a vegetable.”
“You're a pretty woman. Sorry you've had bad luck. I'll get off your back. You can count on that.”
The water was shut off Wednesday when Joseph arrived home. He soon found the electric, gas, and telephone disconnected. He closed and locked the door and went to Joyce's.
“I really feel like killing her. This is getting carried away.”
“Don't say that. That would be the end of us. It'll be over soon. You got a court date?”
“Not soon enough. It's sixteen days from today, with or without her.”
“Great. Hang tough. Any word about her attorney?”
“She's not mentioned it. She's only mentioned my intake interview on Friday.”
“She's a determined soul. I'll give her credit for that.”
“I'll give her a forty-five slug in the brain. She's driving me mad.”
“You'd better get that out of your mind,” she warned again. “I don't like that talk. I'm serious, and I'm thinking of our future. Wake up, Joseph. Are you listening? I'm thinking of OUR future.”
He sighed and sank back into the sofa and snuggled against her shoulder. “I'm with you, sweetheart. I won't do anything irrational to ruin us.”
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. “If I didn't love you, I wouldn't be here and neither would you. I'm waiting for the end of this, so we can both get on with our life together.”
He agreed and relaxed. “You're a good woman. I don't think I deserve you sometimes. I do appreciate your love and patience. Really.”
Amanda watched as Damash of Three entered the Paraclipse and for a time, she felt that the whole affair was going to be long and grueling. He fought a variety of men in different sections and picked up one item in each section.
“This is like a video game,” she thought. She let her attention wander, and an armor-clad man stabbed Damash in his shoulder.
“Damash!” she cried and as if hearing her, he turned and took the long knife from the man and killed him.
After the next room, she determined that she was not simply an observer, she was a necessary partner for Damash. It took him being hurt again, but she concentrated on what he did and what happened in his environment from that time. She knew that one of the council members watched her more closely than necessary, but she dared not turn her attention from Damash.
“Let it pass, Self,” she whispered. “This will in some way benefit you. Pay attention to him and forget the old men on the council.”
She became his eyes and ears, she told him which way to go, and what to watch for and any dangers that he might encounter. Together they moved their way through the sections and levels into a long and torturous maze. At the center, he stood on the edge of a cliff and looked down on a giant statue of a Jade Bear. He looked up and she could clearly see his face, sweaty, cut, dirty, but smiling.
“We did it, my love. You learn exceptionally well and very quickly. I'm very proud of you.”
He held up a leather pouch in which he had placed everything he gathered inside the Paraclipse. “This is ours, Amanda. Without you, I would not be here. Thank you, my love. Until we meet again.”
He turned, crouched, leaped into the air and dropped into the giant Jade Bear.
The sides of the Paraclipse turned into a yellow haze and the center to brilliant orange. Red flames burst from the center and in a flash of green, the entire entrance disappeared, leaving nothing but jagged rock formations.
“Damash! No!” She screamed and was on her feet in an instant. “DAMASH!”
“Calm yourself,” Jalan said and held up a hand. “It will be fine. This is supposed to happen. You did extremely well, Amanda Matkins. You will be a very welcome addition to our community, if you choose to accept us.”
She seated herself again and felt confused. “If I accept them? They're so far above me that I feel inferior, like belly button lint,” she muttered.
She noticed that one of the council had left, but she did not know which one it was. She did know that the scrutiny had stopped with his departure.
Amanda woke with a start to a loud slap on the roof of her car.
She screamed and grabbed the gun from the door pocket and opened the door quickly.
“Hold it, Amanda.”
“Brownie? You scared the shit out of me! Why are you sneaking up on me like that? That's a good way to get killed!”
“You slept through the train? I didn't think you did that?”
She sighed, tossed the gun back inside the car, grabbed him and held him tightly. “I'm used to the train. I trust it, and I trust you. It's just a part of my environment. There's nothing to fear from you or the crew, so, I don't always wake, no matter how noisy it is.”
“Sorry, dear. I just wanted to say hello and see how things are going.”
“Can I ride along? I'll tell you my latest dream, the one that I just had before I was rudely interrupted.”
He caught her hand. “Welcome aboard the Indian River Choo-Choo. Just don't let the boss know.”
Thursday was a grueling day for Joseph and the probation office. Three of his clients had a fist fight in the lobby and the State Police had to break it up. Two probation officers in Joseph's section had a shouting match that led to blows and both were sent home. Howard divided their clients up between the remaining officers, and Joseph did not like the arrangement. At the end of the day, he opened his filing cabinet for the third time and took a drink. The door opened, and Howard stared at him while he still had the bottle in his hand. He groaned to himself and screwed the lid back on, dropped the bottle inside and closed the drawer.
Way to go, Joseph, he thought. How many times have I told you, lock the damned door first.
“I just wanted to remind you of our meeting in the morning.”
“I remember. I'll be there. Wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
“What the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten the rules around here? Do you need a refresher? Maybe I'd better do that in the morning also.”
“It's not that, Howard.”
“Just shut up and give me the damned bottle! I don't care what the reason is, Amanda, your clients, your weakness, your parents, your long-dead ancestors! I don't care. I won't put up with this on the job. Give me the bottle and don't replace it.”
Joseph roughly jerked the drawer open and tossed the bottle to Howard. “I'm sorry. The pressures getting too rough for me to deal with. However, I'm still a good probation officer. I'll get over this when I'm finished with Amanda.”
Howard frowned and stuck the bottle in his coat pocket. “Go home. I'll see you in the morning.” He closed the door behind him.
“Shit!” Joseph and hit the filing cabinet with his fist. “Damn you, Amanda.” He glared at the closed door for a moment and sighed. “Are you too far gone to save yourself? If you're not careful, you'll lose Joyce also. Still, you've been in the game for more than a few years, and you know you're smarter than any of your clients.”
He nodded in agreement. “With Susan gone, who is there to refute any accusations that might surface? Your reputation can survive one attack. No traces, no proof, no problem.” He hit the filing cabinet again.
He sat down at the desk and called Brian. He listened impatiently for the answering machine to beep and left a fifth message. “Where the hell are you, Brian? Don't tell me that Amanda's got to you also? If I killed her eight years ago, I'd be out of jail and free now. Damn the luck.”
The water was shut off Wednesday when Joseph arrived home. He soon found the electric, gas and telephone disconnected. He closed and locked the door and went to Joyce's.
“I really feel like killing her. This is getting carried away.”
“Don't say that. That would be the end of us. It'll be over soon. You got a court date?”
“Not soon enough. Sixteen days from now, with or without her.”
“Great. Hang tough. Any word about her attorney?”
“She's not mentioned it. She's only mentioned my intake interview on Friday.”
“She's a determined soul. I'll give her credit for that.”
“I'll give her a forty-five slug in the brain. She's driving me mad.”
“You'd better get that out of your mind,” she warned again. “I don't like that talk. I'm serious and I'm thinking of our future. Wake up, Joseph. Are you listening? I'm thinking of OUR future.”
He sighed and sank back into the sofa and snuggled against her shoulder. “I'm with you, sweetheart. I won't do anything irrational to ruin us.”
She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his neck. “If I didn't love you, I wouldn't be here and neither would you. I'm waiting for the end of this, so we can both get on with our life together.”
He agreed and relaxed. “You're a good woman. I don't think I deserve you sometimes. I do appreciate your love and patience. Really.”
Amanda watched as Damash of Three entered the Paraclipse and for a time, she felt that the whole affair was going to be long and grueling. He fought many different men in distinctive sections and picked up one item in each section.
“This is like a video game,” she finally figured. She let her attention wander, and an armor-clad man stabbed Damash in his shoulder.
“Damash!” she cried.
As if hearing her; he turned and took the long knife from the man and killed him.
After the next room, she determined that she was not simply an observer, she was a necessary partner for Damash. It took him being hurt again, but she concentrated on what he did and what happened in his environment from that time. She knew that one of the council members watched her more closely than necessary, but she dared not turn her attention from him.
“Let it pass, Self,” she whispered. “This will in some way benefit you. Pay attention to him and forget the old men on the council.”
She became his eyes and ears, she told him which way to go, and what to watch for and any dangers that he might encounter. Together they moved their way through the sections and into a long and torturous maze. At the center, he stood on the edge of a cliff and looked down on a giant statue of a Jade Bear. He looked up and she could clearly see his face, sweaty, cut, dirty, but smiling.
“We did it, my love. You learn very well and quickly. I'm very proud of you.”
He held up a leather pouch in which he had placed everything he gathered inside the Paraclipse. ““These are ours, Amanda. Without you, I would not be here. Thank you, my love. Until we meet again.”
He turned, crouched, leaped into the air and dropped into the giant Jade Bear.
The sides of the Paraclipse turned into a yellow haze and the center to brilliant orange. Red flames burst from the center and in a flash of green. The entire entrance disappeared, leaving nothing but jagged rock formations.
“Damash! No!” She screamed and stood quickly. “DAMASH!”
“Calm yourself,” Jalan said and held up a hand. “It will be fine. This is supposed to happen. You did extremely well, Amanda Matkins. You will be a very welcome addition to our community, if you choose to accept us.”
She seated herself again and felt confused. “If I accept them? They're so far above me that I feel inferior,” she muttered.
She noticed that one of the council had left, but she did not know which one it was. She did know that the scrutiny had stopped with his departure.
Amanda woke with a start to a loud slap on the roof of her car.
She screamed and grabbed the gun from the door pocket and opened the door quickly.
“Hold it, Amanda.”
“Brownie? You scared the shit out of me. Why are you sneaking up on me like that? That's a good way to get killed?”
“You slept through the train? I didn't think you did that?”
She sighed, tossed the gun back inside the car, grabbed him and held him tightly. “I'm used to the train. I trust it and I trust you. It's just a part of my environment. My mind knows there's nothing to fear from you or the crew, so, I don't always wake.”
“Sorry, dear. I just wanted to say hello and see how things are going.”
“Can I ride along? I'll tell you my latest dream, the one that I just had before I was rudely interrupted.”
He caught her hand. “Welcome aboard the Indian River Choo Choo. Just don't let the boss know.”
Thursday was a grueling day for Joseph and the probation office. Three clients had a fist fight in the lobby and the State Police had to break it up. Two probation officers in Joseph's section had a fight also and both were sent home. Howard divided their clients up between the remaining officers and Joseph did not like the arrangement. At the end of the day, he opened his filing cabinet for the third time and took a drink. The door opened and Howard stared at him while he still had the bottle in his hand. He groaned to himself and screwed the lid back on, dropped the bottle inside and closed the drawer.
Way to go, Joseph, he thought. How many times have I told you, lock the damned door first.
“I just wanted to remind you of our meeting in the morning.”
“I remember. I'll be there. Wouldn’t miss it.”
“What the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten the rules around here? Do you need a refresher? Maybe I'd better do that in the morning also.”
“It's not that, Howard.”
“Just shut up and give me the damned bottle! I don't care what the reason is, Amanda, your clients, your weakness, your parents; I don't care. I won't put up with this on the job. Give me the bottle and don't replace it.”
Joseph roughly jerked the drawer open and tossed the bottle to Howard. “I'm sorry. The pressure's getting too rough for me. However, I'm still a good probation officer. I'll get over this when I'm finished with Amanda.”
Howard frowned and stuck the bottle in his coat pocket. “Go home. I'll see you in the morning.” He closed the door behind him.
“Shit!” Joseph and hit the filing cabinet with his fist. “Damn you, Amanda.” He glared at the closed door for a moment and sighed. “Are you too far gone to save yourself? If you're not careful, you'll lose Joyce also. Still, you've been in the game for more than a few years and you know the ropes, and you know you're smarter than any of your clients.”
He nodded in agreement. “With Susan gone, who is there to refute any accusations that might surface? Your reputation can survive one attack. No traces, no proof, no problem.” He hit the filing cabinet again.
He sat down at the desk and called Brian. He listened impatiently for the answering machine to beep and left a fifth message. “Where the hell are you, Brian? Don't tell me that Amanda's got to you also? If I killed her eight years ago, I'd be out of jail and free now. Damn the luck.”