The woman was quite surprised to see Kat standing there. “Get her!” she yelled to her bodyguard. But Kat grabbed his hand and kicked him twice in the stomach, then on the head, then on his side and he was down on the floor. The woman was about to leave, but Kat slammed the door on her hand. “Now, take the keys and unlock those shackles,” said Kat pointing toward me.

The woman did so, but before she started, Kat relieved her of her gun. “You two will regret this,” she said angrily. “Look,” I said, “you are in enough trouble. First it was simple trespassing, now it is kidnapping and attempted murder.” “I was not trespassing,” she growled, “this is government land, not private land.” “That is not what my client says,” I told her, “she inherited this land from her grandfather.”

“Is that what Jinni told you?” said the woman, “she did not inherit any land anywhere.” “And you know this how?” I asked. “I am her sister,” she answered, “and our grandfather is still alive, though our one grandfather died when we were little girls and he did not leave us anything.” We walked back to what looked like her office. “I would like our phones back, and our guns too,” I said.

She brought them out and laid them on the desk, so we picked them up. “Now I will check on your story,” I said. “What did you press that button for?” asked Kat. “If you wish to call out, I have to remove the barrier,” she said. “What is your name?” I asked. “Penny,” was all she said.

Meanwhile, upstairs things were happening too. “Mac, you should have been watching Steve, that is your job!” yelled Sky. “Hey, I know that Sky, I feel bad about this,” he answered. “I should fire you for that,” she added. “I will resign instead after this case,” he said. “If you try to do that, I will kick some sense into that skull of yours!” she yelled again, “we need you here with us and the team.”

Mac stopped and looked at Sky. “But you just said…” he began. “Never mind what I said,” she responded, “I am just upset right now.” “I can understand that,” he said. Outside the girls were looking around, it was starting to get dark, but the birds were singing. Then suddenly all was quiet. “The birds stopped singing,” said Astrid, “trouble is near.”

The girls looked around, then Sigurbjorn yelled, “drop!” They all did and arrows flew over their heads, but they could see nothing. Meow,meow.=Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot. Tiia shot four times and the flares brightened up the forest. The girls and Mac opened fire. Some of the attackers fell, some managed to get away. Muffin patted Tiia on her head.

Now, back to us. I then called Tracy to check on this information, but she did not answer. I then called Galyna and she answered right away. “Finally,” she said, “I have been trying to call you for a long time, what is going on?” “Well, we have just been hanging around,” I said, “on a dungeon wall. And this place has some kind of barrier that blocks our calls and…” I stopped for a moment and looked at Penny. “Only one person knew how to do that,” I said to Penny. She smiled.

“Yes, Toledo is a very intelligent man,” she said, “and he will soon be here to help me.” “Not unless you plan on digging up his grave to get him,” said Kat. “That idiot!” she yelled, “He gets himself killed and leaves me up here!” “Who is that?” asked Galyna. “That is perhaps Jinni’s sister,” I said, “which is why I need Tracy.” “She is too sick to help you,” she said, “everyone is sick, seriously, except Li Jing and myself, and I am in quarantine right now to make sure I’m okay.

Apparently it is some kind of virus that Li Jing did not recognize. Rock is sending a medical team over here to help.” “Once you are okay to leave, go to C and B,” I said to her. “Okay, shall do,” she said. I looked at Penny again. “Hey, I had nothing to do with whatever is going on with your friends,” she said, “my only concern is right here.”

“That better be true,” I said, “or you will wish you had never seen me. Now, let us go, if we find out you are right, we will leave,” I told her, “but do not try to push me.” She opened the door and we walked down a long tunnel to another door which opened and we went up some stairs, then another door in the fireplace opened and we walked out.

“Where were you two?” asked Sky. “Hanging in a dungeon,” I said, “where we met a woman named Penny.” The look on Jinni’s face told me what I wanted to know. “Okay Jinni, time for you to tell the truth,” I said, “or in the morning we will be on our way, and you can stay here.” “My story is true, mostly,” she said…

To Be Continued.

©2023 Steve McLeod.