Chapter 29, Evil Hamsters

Cain was led to a large white washed room. The few windows that were there were covered with the now familiar iron bars. Even first thing in the morning the room was a buzz with other prisoners and visitors having hushed conversations. Guards, holding their guns out in the open were spaced alongside the back wall every few feet. The prisoners were stationed in front of them, one guard per prisoner. Cain saw that most visitors were either dressed as lawyers or appeared to be family. His visitor was no exception.

His guard motioned for him to sit down. He told him, "Since its family you have fifteen minutes." Then he left Cain alone and took his position behind him along the back wall.

Sitting on the other side of the bars was Jeb.

Jeb looked at his father. He moved wearily when he sat down and he had deep dark circles under his eyes. He looked like hell. Never in his life did he expect to have to talk to him while he was on the other side.

"How you doing?" He placed odds on which answer he would hear.

"I've been better. You?"

Jeb shrugged and tried to give him an encouraging smile. "Okay so far."

Cain spoke quickly. He knew that fifteen minutes was not really that long of time. "How did you find us?"

Jeb sensed the urgency. "Glitch of all people. He said that DG was going to come along but that the grounds were locked down; no one could leave and no one could enter." With Cain's nod of understanding he continued. "They were moving Azkadellia from the palace to the barracks."

Cain could not help but smile as he thought of good old Glitch. Those fleeting moments of clarity could drive him batty but when it came down to it, you could never count him out. Then he turned serious again.

"Have you been able to talk to Jill?"

Jeb sighed and shook his head. "No, they won't let me visit her."

Cain leaned forward in his chair. "Why not?"

"Go ahead and name a reason. I'm willing to bet that it was one that they told me," he challenged his father. "They gave me every excuse in the book. First it was that all of the visitor stations were occupied. Then it was that she hadn't seen a public defender. Then it was that she was in the breakfast hall." He left his voice trail off.

Cain rubbed his forehead and his eyes the best that he could. "You know that's all bullshit."

"Yeah. I finally pinned down Costello and he told me that you were going to be charged with aiding an outworlder, supplying an unregistered gun, and resisting arrest."

Cain leaned back in his chair again. "He didn't tell you that it was Petey Staggart who cold cocked me with his hand gun did he?"

Jeb gave him a look of surprise.

"Petey was the one who snuck up behind me when I was watching Costello lead Jill in to the squad car. I know that he suspects that Petey is working the other side but he doesn't have proof."

Cain glanced at the clock on the wall. Time was growing short.

"You need to get DG to Addison's office to look at some books. It goes back to what Jill was saying in the Wolfsangel about those symbols on the wall. You remember what they were right?" Jeb nodded his head.

Cain continued, "And be sure to take Glitch too."

Jeb then asked, "And what about you and Jill?"

"Keep after Costello and the judge to have them release us, either through bail, our own recognizance, or whatever. Even if we have to stay in Central City, at least we won't be in here," he replied.

"Father?"

"Yeah son?"

"Watch yourself. Once the other inmates find out who you are there's going to be trouble."

Cain looked at him. Both concern and anxiety were clearly etched on his face. "I know son." He tried to reassure him but even he doubted that he succeeded. It was true though. While unlikely he would encounter any inmate he personally arrested, surely his reputation preceded him.

The guard who had escorted him earlier reappeared by his side. "Time to go Cain," he said. Both Cains rose from their chairs.

Cain stood up as straight as he could and lifted his head high. "Be careful son. It's a dangerous time again." The guard took his arm and began to lead him away.

Jeb nodded his head. He watched his father and the guards leave the room and then turned to leave himself. He was headed back to try one last time to see Jill.


Glitch was told that DG had gone back to the palace's infirmary. As he stepped quietly through the private room where Ahamo was taken, he saw the Queen, asleep in a chair, with a light blanket over top of her. Her face was pale and her hair was disheveled. Her arm was outstretched and she held Ahamo's hand in hers. It was a rare moment that Glitch wished more of the populace could see. Right now, she was not the Queen. She was a worried wife whose husband was gravely ill.

The two nurses who had been standing at attention near Ahamo's bed angrily gestured for him to be quiet. He pointed towards DG and exaggeratedly mouthed the words "I HAVE TO TALK TO HER." Both nurses frowned at him but left him go.

He walked over to DG. She was sound asleep in another chair. She clutched the edge of her blanket. He did not know if she did out of fear from a nightmare or if she was looking for comfort. It bothered him irregardless of the reason. He knelt down in front of her and gently shook her shoulder. She woke up with a start.

"Shhh….."

It took her a second to comprehend that it was Glitch kneeling in front of her. She gave him a weak smile and said, "I guess I fell asleep."

Her gaze shifted to her mother and father. A nurse quickly and silently walked over. She whispered, "The Lord has been asleep for a few hours. However his fever, while not as strong, is still present. The Queen has also been asleep for a few hours."

DG whispered back, "Thank you. And be sure to thank the other nurse too for watching over him."

The nurse merely nodded her acknowledgment and returned to her post.

Glitch whispered to her with a sense of pride, "I was able to find Jeb."

DG's eyes lit up. Something went right for a change. In an excited voice she whispered back, "That's great!"

He went on to tell her how he escaped the guards through a few secret paths and found Jeb at his fiancée's home.

DG's expression went from excitement to one of worry, "You didn't tell Samantha's parents did you?"

"Oh no. You know I wouldn't do something like that. I was very proper and asked Jeb to step outside so that I could give him a message. After I told him what happened, he excused himself." Glitch started to digress a little, "Jeb can be a very proper gentleman when he wants to be. He must have taken some protocol classes."

DG reached from underneath her blanket and placed her hand on his shoulder. Still using a hushed tone she interrupted him, "Glitch! Was he going to go down to 9th Street to find his Dad and Jill?"

Glitch looked in to her eyes and refocused himself. "Of course! He told me that that he was going to go back to their house to get cleaned up, get a few hours of rest, and then go down first thing this morning. He was certain that they were down there so he said that if he could do anything, it would not be until this morning anyway. That's when he invited me to stay overnight."

DG looked back over at her father. He was still that weird gray-green color but it was not as vivid as before. She tried to remember what Dr. Addison and some of the other doctors thought that he had. Corobus Fever. That's what they called it.

Glitch asked, "Have the doctors figured out what your father has?"

She looked back over at him. "Did you ever hear of Corobus Fever?"

His brow furled in deep thought. It was so bad that DG thought his zipper was going to break open with a loud POP! from the strain.

Glitch looked back up at her with satisfaction. "AHA!" he said too loudly. The nurses glared at him and went "Shhhh!" The Queen stirred in her chair.

"SORRY," he exaggeratedly mouthed again. In a hushed tone he said, "I remember now. You get it if a little corobus bites you. Why would there be a little corobus running around this time of year?"

DG smiled. It made her happy that he remembered. "I don't know. The doctors just said that it was rare." Then her thoughts turned sour again. Unusual was what the one doctor said. Corobuses were little furry creatures and when they were described to her; they sounded like evil little hamsters that would gnaw your ankle off if given the chance. Not only were their bites poisonous, but their also their saliva and the oil from their skin. If a person was sensitive then they could fall ill just from touching their fur or even just by touching an object that had been contact with one of the little bastards. Certainly her father knew better and would have avoided it if he had seen it. They usually went dormant during the winter but then one of the doctors said that if they found a warm spot they would come out of hibernation. It was then that the Queen ordered that the palace be searched and traps set out for the vermin.

"Hmmmmmm….." was his reply. Then he remembered his orders from Jeb. "Jeb told me that I was to make sure that you were safe, that you ate breakfast, and got dressed."

"He did, did he?" she replied. Some days, from the things that he said, he reminded her of his father.

"He's going to come back here after he's done at the Precinct."

DG rose from her chair and draped the blanket over it. Since it looked like her parents were stable for the moment she decided to take Jeb's advice and get breakfast. "You hungry?"

Glitch replied with a silly grin, "Always." The situation was grave but it made him feel better seeing DG flashing a slight smile.


Samantha walked through the kitchen. She knew that her mother would not be pleased, at least at first.

She went in to the foyer and yelled up the staircase, "Mama! Can you come down here for a second?"

"Just a minute dear!"

After a few minutes wait, Mrs. Poulton came down the staircase. She asked, "What is it Samantha?"

She stopped on the last step.

Samantha was holding a jet black cat with brilliant green eyes. It purred contentedly in her arms.

Mrs. Poulton frowned. "Oh Samantha. Why did you bring that home? You know how your father hates cats."

Samantha rubbed the cat's head and the purring grew louder. "I know Mama but I couldn't resist. She was on our back step meowing so pitifully. And look how she lets me hold her. She must have been someone's pet and they abandoned her."

Mrs. Poulton headed towards the kitchen. "Does it have a collar?"

"No. But I'll get one on my way home from the store," Samantha replied.

Mrs. Poulton opened up one of the cabinet doors and pulled out two saucers. Then she went to the refrigerator and peered inside. She was looking for leftovers. "Speaking of the store dear, you're late."

Samantha glanced up at the kitchen clock. Oh crap! Her mother was right.

She gently dropped the cat to the floor and rushed out in to the foyer closet to get her coat. As she put it on, she asked, "Are you okay with watching Blackie?"

Her mother had already poured some milk into one of the saucers and was chopping up some left over meat from the prior night's supper for the other. She smiled and asked, "Is that what you've named it?"

"Of course," Samantha smirked. "Papa will have to accept her now."

She gave her mother a quick peck on the cheek and flew out the door. "Thank you Mama! See you later tonight!"

Mrs. Poulton went over to the kitchen door and closed it tightly. She said to the cat, "Well Blackie, welcome to your new home."