Chapter Twelve

Once the Captain had given him leave, Brendan had slipped into the crowd. Moving with lupine stealth, he had gone as unnoticed as a shadow while emptying many pockets. He'd heard the yells later as his prey had discovered their money gone, but no one knew it was him. Throughout the entire time, he'd also been careful to keep an even lower profile any time Helvira or the woman who had been after Faith's boy happened to be around. Now, it was almost noon, and he quickly made his way back to Jack.

Reaching his Captain, Brendan stood behind him as he whispered so that only Jack could hear, "We can't risk my being noticed by Helvira, so I'm going to give you the money and make myself scarce." Jack had kept his eyes ahead of them, and though he had not even acknowledged Brendan, the wolf still mistakenly thought that Jack had heard him. Pressing himself against Jack's back, Brendan stole a look around before sliding the sack he'd filled with gold from his pocket into Jack's. His hand was still in Jack's pocket when somebody plowed into him from behind.

Jack had been standing, lost deep in his thoughts of what he was going to do to the Governor, when he was roughly jostled by some one who had a hand in his pocket. He flipped around, grabbing the guy by the throat with a savage growl, before he realized that it was Brendan. "What the Hell were you doing with your hand in my pocket!" he demanded.

Brendan had been startled when some one who had not been looking where they were going had plowed into his back, but he was so shocked when Jack, who he had trusted with his very life for years, suddenly grabbed his throat that Brendan's face paled and his eyes flashed on yellow. "Exactly what I told you I was!" he hissed through the fangs of the startled wolf that was trying to come out.

"Sorry, Brendan. I didn't hear you come up nor did I hear you tell me that you were getting in my pocket." He let go of his throat. "Forgive me, but my mind was on the Governor and the pleasures of the coming night."

At first, Brendan's only response was a nod as he fought to rein the wolf in. Once he had regained control of the beast within, he spoke again, keeping his voice casual should any one happen to overhear them while also tenderly rubbing his throat. "I understand, but you need to focus on the bidding that's about to start, sir." He dropped his voice so that only Jack could hear him as he added meaningfully, "The addition to your pocket should help in that other case, but I should make myself scarce."

"Again, I want to apologize, Brendan. You know I'd never purposefully hurt you. Forgive me. You're right. I need to concentrate on this, but you don't know how badly I want him. Be careful, and for Gods' sakes, don't let the bitches see you."

Brendan nodded, but when he spoke, his words seemed to fumble over themselves as he tried to assure Jack. "I will. I mean, I won't. I mean . . . "

"Fleas bothering you again?" Faith quipped at Brendan as she slid up to join the men.

Brendan just looked at her, shook his head, and turned his attention back to his Captain. Unlike Brendan, Jack, who looked at Faith as though she had taken leave of her senses, was not as willing to let her comment slip. "Leave Brendan alone, Faith," he commanded. "The bidding's about to start. Pay attention."

Faith looked at Jack with a faked pout on her lips. "Can I help it that Virgin Boy's just too much fun to play with?"

"You . . . " Jack shook his head. "You're incorrigible, Faith."

"Thank ya, Cap," Faith returned with an impish grin.

"You're not welcome," Jack quipped in return. He turned back to Brendan and gently squeezed his arm. "Be careful, my friend." He hoped Brendan knew how sorry he was that the occurrence had happened. He'd try to find a way to make it up to him later. He released him.

Brendan's brown eyes met Jack's as he told him softly, "Don't worry yourself with what happened -- " he started to say only to be cut off by Faith once more.

"What's wrong?" she asked him with a tease tugging at the corners of her lips. "You couldn't get it up again?"

"You wish," Jack said to Faith. "I've never had that problem."

"Not you," she answered. "I know you're constantly swinging, Cap." She inclined her head toward Brendan as she clarified, "I was talking about Virgin Boy again."

Brendan's yellow eyes cut through Faith, and a low growl of warning issued from his lips. "Faith, I explained that to you that night -- " he started but then just fell silent, shaking his head.

"Yeah, right," Faith snorted in return. "And if ya think I'm buying into that, ya'd better think again."

Brendan shook his head once more even as his hands clenched into tight fists. Why was it that this annoying girl, who lacked all manners and ethics, always knew just how to punch his buttons? Looking back to Jack, he repeated, "Don't worry about it," and faded off into the crowd.

Jack watched him go, wondering about the exchange of words between the two. What had or had not happened? He figured from the Virgin Boy comment that nothing had actually taken place except maybe the foreplay and it had been disappointing for both of them. He gathered that, because every time they got together, they tied into each other even though Brendan was usually a sweetheart and never picked a quarrel. He probably thought he was only defending himself from Faith, and Jack figured the only reason why Faith was still picking on Brendan was because she had not gotten what she had set out to get.

That was one reason why he was getting so many slaps lately. Every time he turned around, another woman was slapping the crap out of him, and he was tired of it. He didn't think he deserved any of it. Just because a man couldn't . . . Don't even go there, Jack, he said to himself. Unwilling to face his little problem, he immediately turned his mind back to the auction.

The auctioneer walked out followed by a man dragging a small, black goat behind him. "First on the auction block today is this young kid. What am I bid for him?" Jack didn't even want to watch that. He would have liked to have bought the goat and taken him home, but what would a goat do on a ship? He knew where the poor little fellow was probably bound and tried to block his mind from thinking about it.

When the auctioneer had first brought out the goat, a bitter bark of laughter had escaped Faith's dark lips for she could not for the life of her understand why any one would want to start a sex slave auction with a goat. After all, why bother with an animal when there were humans for the taking? When bidding nearly instantly exploded, however, all traces of her smile vanished. "Damn," she muttered under her breath but did not move her gaze from the auction block as she waited for the boy whose name she still did not even know.


Logan had waited until the very last person was in the wagon. 'Ro had stayed with him, and they were the last two in the wagon. He was sitting and holding her, cuddled up against his side, where he could look down into her eyes. He could see tears shimmering there as she kept glancing away, and he felt as though there was something missing but wasn't sure what. "What's wrong, 'Ro?" he asked her with deep concern in his voice.

"It . . . It is nothing of any real importance, Logan," she answered him in a hushed whisper. The sadness in her voice matched the grief in her heart, however, even as her eyes turned back in the direction she had been glancing in throughout the entire ride. "It should not hinder the others' safety."

"It concerns me, little darlin'. Is it somethin' I can do fer ya, somethin' I can get fer ya?" Whatever it was, he would not mind doing it. Anything to make the light come back in her eyes and a smile come on her face. He had yet to see her smile, not that she had had much that day to smile about, but she had survived. "Tell me, an' I'll do it."

"It is . . ." She sighed as she laid her face against his chest, tearing her teary eyes from the horizon she'd been looking in. "I did not plan to live this day and did not wish my most prized possession to become tarnished. I am not . . . a possessive person," she tried to explain, a pang of guilt shooting through her, "but this . . . It was the only thing I had left from my parents."

"What is it, little darlin'?" he wondered what could be causing such deep grief but understood that if it was the only thing left to her by her parents, it was important.

"Just a locket," she answered softly, "but it had a picture of the three of us." She did not say that it was the only picture that she had of her parents, let alone that that picture was the only way she could remember what they looked like.

Without another word, Logan got up from her and made his way up to where he could talk to Xena. "Xena, we're takin' these people away from their homes. I realize they're not safe here, but they're all leavin' everything they own. Couldn't we go by their homes for a few minutes an' let 'em collect at least a change o' clothes?"

Xena was extremely surprised that Wolverine was bothering to care about what others might be needing. "Hadn't thought of it," she said, "but you have a point there." She then called to the dragons, "Hold it, boys!" They stopped so swiftly, digging their mighty claws into the ground, that Meesy was nearly sent hurtling through the air. In fact, he would have been had Gabrielle, who sat beside Xena, not quickly reached out and grabbed him in mid-air. As soon as the dragons had stopped, Gabrielle had Meesy's ruffles settled.

"We have a dilemma," Xena called back to the rest of the group. "The people need to get some of their belongings, and some of us have to get to Jack. Knowing him, he's probably turned the town on its ear by now. Wolverine, you coming with us?"

"Me?"

"Yes. I'll need your nose to pick up Jack's scent."

"Xena, I've never refused to go before, but I need to stay here this time. Take Wolf, Carl, Cole, anybody but me!" She looked at him in surprise as he was usually the first one, when Faith wasn't around, to want to fight. "I'm leaving you here for backup for Gabrielle. Do not spend more than a few minutes at your homes! Every minute is a costly delay, and we will leave without you! Get to the ship as soon as you can, and get it ready to go." She would never leave Gabrielle, but the others did not need to know that.

Xena looked around at the men. "Lex. Clark. Carl," she called, talking down to him as she saw he was jumping up and down in his eagerness to go. "Cole." She wished Angel and Brendan were there, but she had no ideal where either was. "Wolf, take the men and head toward the town."

Wolf did not want to go. He was shaking his head and looking at Xena, but before he could speak, he heard the gentle but firm voice of the white-haired woman. "He will be needed for protection for Elvira. She lived in the heart of our little city while the rest of us lived away. It will be dangerous for her to return there, far more than for any of the rest of us, but there is something that she absolutely must retrieve."

"Whatever!" Xena snapped angrily and jumped off of the wagon seat. "Do what you must, but get to the ship as soon as you can!" She pulled herself back up to the wagon long enough to pull Gabrielle to her and kiss her gently. "See you soon, my love."

No sooner had Xena's lips left hers than Gabrielle's mouth was open to begin talking. She wanted to tell her beloved so much. She wanted to tell her to be careful and to return to her soon, but she also wanted to tell her not to be too hard on the others. After all, that day was probably the worst day of their lives, and they could not help having to return to their homes to retrieve their belongings nor needing protection for the trip. Xena had jumped down and taken off running before Gabrielle had managed to get even one word out, however, and the bard sighed even as she watched the men following closely behind their Captain. "Be careful," she whispered under her breath before turning her attention to the group she had been left in charge of.


Realizing that they would have to walk to Port Royal, Wolf had gotten down and lifted Elvira down beside him. Gonk jumped down right behind them, but Wolf did not want him to go. It would be too dangerous for the little dog. "Gabrielle, we will meet you at the ship."

Elvira scooped down and picked up Gonk. Looking into his eyes, she told him, "You can't come with us, Gonk." He whimpered pleadingly, but she shook her head. "Not this time, sweetheart." She had heard both Xena and Wolf talking to the blonde and knew that the woman was now in charge of what remained of their group. "See that nice, blonde lady sitting there?" she asked Gonk, pointing the dog to where he had no choice but to look at Gabrielle. "If you're a good boy, she might let you stay with her." Elvira's eyes lifted from her poodle to face the blonde. "Could you, please?" she asked her pleadingly. "I don't want anything to happen to him, but he can't come with us."

"I understand that," Gabrielle replied. She glanced to Meesy who now sat beside her as she asked, "But how does he get along with cats?"

Gonk had chased a few cats in his time, but Elvira was quick to not let on to that fact. "He'll be a perfect little angel," she quickly assured Gabrielle with an innocent smile.

"And he'll obey?" Elvira nodded even as Gonk's and Meesy's eyes met. Gabrielle sighed. She already had a feeling she would regret it, but nonetheless she relented, "Okay. He can stay, but he'd best behave. We can't have any bull off of him."

Elvira nodded again. "We understand, don't we, Gonk?" She gently wrapped her fingers around the poodle's snout as she moved his head in a nod. "And we thank her, too, don't we?" Again, she made Gonk nod.

Gabrielle stifled a sigh and shook her head. She had never been able to understand what it was about some women and their dogs. "Okay. Wolverine, take him for now. You two should get along," she added hopefully. And if you don't, she thought to herself, I'm sure you can at least make him settle down and behave.

"Thank you." Elvira breathed a sigh of relief as she handed Gonk up to Wolverine. "You behave now," she warned the poodle.

Wolverine growled under his breath. Why was he the one picked to handle the crap all the time? Just because he was a little bit taller than Carl but shorter than everybody else, they always picked on him to get the crap details. "Dog, stay," he said, pointing into the wagon and putting the dog on the floor.

"Thank you," Elvira repeated, speaking to both Wolverine and Gabrielle. "And, Gonk," she warned, "I mean it. You do as they say or you get whatever they give you." The poodle looked at his mistress in shock, but she turned away and started to walk off, heading toward the town. She could hear him whimpering behind her but knew she had to ignore it.

As they walked, Wolf noticed that there was not much pile-up of snow in the area they passed through. A single flake floated down every now and then, but it grew deeper under their feet as Wolf and Elvira headed toward the town. Behind them, Wolf could barely make out Gabrielle's voice as she asked for a volunteer amongst the survivors to give her directions. An answer came from Ororo followed immediately by the clacking of the reins and Gabrielle calling to the shapeshifters as the group took off again.


Meanwhile, the auction had proceeded at a fast pace and escalated from animals to children, another practice that soured Jack's stomach and made him even more determined to put an end to the evil place. He would have liked to have rescued each and every one of them but was forced to stand, acting oblivious to anything that was brought out. He figured they'd keep Will for last or at least one of the last ones, and it seemed that it was true as they kept passing over him and getting everything else.

His musings were interrupted by a sharp intake of breath at his elbow. Glancing down at her, Jack saw that Faith seemed to be choking and gasping for air. It was then he heard the auctioneer saying, "A rare find, ladies and gentlemen! Blue eyes, blonde hair, strong muscles, male -- and a virgin!" One look back up at the auction block affirmed what Jack had already known for the boy who Faith was so surprisingly concerned over stood there with his head lowered. "What am I bid for this fine specimen?" the auctioneer called out.

The crowd went wild with bidding, but every time a bid was made, Selene made a higher one. She was determined that that particular boy was hers. Faith remained silent for the time being, biding her time as she waited for the crowd to reach what they would think would be a final price. She knew the sooner she spoke, the sooner eyes would be drawn to Jack and her and they would risk being discovered.

Jack slipped the bag out of his pocket and fumbled through its contents. Brendan had made quite the haul. The bag not only held gold pieces but also jewelry; Jack knew he could not pull the jewelry out there, however. He wondered how high the price would go on the boy and if they had enough. How much had Faith managed to get? He looked at her questioningly just as the loud-mouthed bitch, who had finally grown impatient of the bidding war, yelled out. "ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND!" Her cold voice cut through the crowd like icicles and brought gasps from many in the crowd.

Faith nearly choked on that amount, and Jack could tell from the sound she made and her paled face that she did not have enough. He handed her the bag. "There's at least another seventy-five thousand in there," he whispered urgently to her. "Use it, and buy the boy."

Shock flashed in Faith's shining, dark eyes as she looked up at Jack. She grabbed the bag as if it were a lifeline for her instead of the kid even as the auctioneer announced, "Going twice!"

"ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND AND ONE!" she yelled out, her voice thundering out over the crowd.


Having neither the stomach nor the heart to look out at those who had come to bid on him, Dawson had kept his head down the entire time. His heart and soul were broken. He was full of despair, and he dreaded what would come next. He figured the awful, raven-haired woman had bought him and knew he'd rather be dead than be owned by her.

Just as Dawson heard the auctioneer say "Going twice!" to her, he heard another voice, one he thought he'd never hear again, bid one hundred thousand and one. He could hardly breathe but dared to look up. His scared eyes met the girl's even as he heard the raven-haired woman telling the auctioneer that she had plenty more at home but that was all that she had brought with her and she absolutely must have that boy. "Look, lady," the auctioneer answered. "Either pay it up now or you lost!"

"But I don't have it with me!" she snapped at him. "I'll have your head!"

"I doubt that, ma'am. The Governor put me in this job," the auctioneer coolly informed her amongst a chorus of shocked gasps from the crowd. "He might have your head, but my honey won't have mine."

"Well, I never!" she exclaimed in sharp protest.

He grinned at her. "Maybe you should've!" He then returned to his crowd and said, "Going once! Going twice! Sold to the little lady in the crowd! Step up here and pay; then he's all yours."

Faith had been busily pulling out the coins she needed from the other bag and dumping them into her own. Once she had only what she needed, she shoved the bag back at Jack even while muttering under her breath, "Little lady, my ass."

They snatched Dawson roughly off the stage and took him over to the table where the money collector was. He tried not to be overly eager, but inside his heart was singing. The strange girl had cared enough for him that she had rescued him! He was in love for the first time in his life, and he didn't even know her name!


Meanwhile, it had not taken long for Gabrielle's group to reach the little cropping of houses where the Witches had lived. As soon as they had stopped, Wolverine had helped each of the ladies out of the wagon. Wesley rushed off after Fred, and Lorne and Joxer looked at each other as the four sisters scampered off in the same direction. "Joxer, go with them," Gabrielle was quick to say as she did not relish the thought of being left alone with him. As an after-thought, she added, "Lorne, you probably should go with him so that he doesn't destroy their house before they can even get their stuff out." She knew she did not need to tell Wolverine to go with Ororo.

Lorne nodded and headed off after Joxer. It did not take him long to reach the small house that the Halliwells lived in. He could hear their voices chattering about what they needed to get. One word in particular kept getting repeated -- The Book. He didn't know what the Book was, but he hoped when they got through with it, he'd get a chance to read it. There were not many books on the Pearl except the Captain's books, and he had already read those. About the only new reading he ever got was Gabrielle's scrolls, Celina's poetry, and the songs he wrote himself.


The crowd did not bother to make way for Faith as she worked her way toward the money collector. Everybody else was already focused on the next stock up for grabs, but Selene, the woman who had been so determined to win Dawson but had failed, spat words of fury from where stood in the audience. When she caught sight of Faith, she hissed at her, "He won't be yours for long, bitch!"

"Just try to take him," Faith threatened. Her voice was low and dangerous, and her eyes met Selene's with a calmness that surprised the older woman.

Selene hissed in response. She wanted to run the girl through there and then but knew she could not yet make her move as long as there were so many witnesses. Faith tossed her head in dismissal at the other woman and, ignoring the growl, continued forward to the collector's table. Finally reaching it, she set the bag down on the table with a clunk. "Here ya go." Glancing at Dawson, she added, "I trust the boy's legit?"

"As far as we can tell, ma'am, and healthy too. No sores of any kind." He began to count the money and made out a bill of sale to her. "I'd keep the chains on him if I were you. New slaves tend to want to run away." He tossed the end of the chain to her. "Have fun."

Faith caught the chain smoothly even as she smirked at the collector. "Chasing 'em down and breaking 'em in's half the fun."

"If you get tired of him, you can always pass him around amongst us. We'll pay you for the pleasure of his company."

Dawson hung his head, not saying a word. He was so scared that he was dreaming and that she wasn't there that he was afraid to say anything at all.

"I'm sure ya would," Faith retorted to the collector, "but I like to use my men till there's not a drop left." She walked away with a proud sway to her hips and kept her cover as she called back to Dawson, "Step lively, boy. I can't wait to get you home and deflower you. You just looked too damn good up there," she growled lustfully, running her tongue over her lips.

Dawson gulped. If deflowering him was anything like she'd already done to him, he couldn't wait either! He followed close behind her, trying hard not to fall over the chains.

To Be Continued . . .