A/S: Caliko is pronounced. Kaw-LEE-CO.

Caliko fell from the mare, crying. Her hands were scraped and cut, as were her knees. She crawled to the edge of the river and vomited. Wiping her mouth she could hear Dagen's horse come to a stop somewhere behind her. He said nothing and made no move to get down.

She cried a little longer, then when she realized he wasn't going to come for her, she stood up. Wiping the tears from her eyes and the blood from her hands she turned to him.

"I prayed your past wouldn't catch up with you --"

"Who said they had anything to do with my past?" Caliko cried, tears burning in her eyes.

Dagen got of his horse and sat down on a rock beside the river. "We don't have long, Jameson will soon have half the army looking for you. But you remember now don't you?"

Caliko grabbed her head and fell to her knees, "Yes."

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PART ONE

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CHAPTER ONE

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A slim dark-haired, hazel-eyed girl sat looking at the cards in her hand. She knew she didn't stand a chance. After this she was out, and she would go hungry until she could gather up more stuff to trade for chips. "I'm out." She laid her cards down and stood up, 'Not even a pair.' She thought. "Night boys, I'll get you next time." She grabbed her very empty knapsack and turned to leave, walking into a boy wearing a dress coat and a top hat. "Shit!" She thought. Her night at the casino had gone from bad to worse. She had just ran smack into the leader of Tribe Circus.

Top Hat turned and glared at her. Then upon looking at what he saw, his glare turned evil. "Ha Ha, looks like I have an unhappy little girlie at my circus tonight. " He leaned in, his breathe smelling of liquor. "Why are you so unhappy girlie?"

Caliko took a step back and shouldered her bag. "I'm not, I have had fun, thanks for the show, but I am afraid it is past my bedtime." She smiled and started to walk around him.

"Not so fast, girlie." He pushed his cane into her chest. "Are you not going to be bad with me and stay up a little late? Maybe play a game or two?" He tossed a deck of cards into the air, they flew, scattering everywhere.

"I don't have any chips, and nothing to trade and I think you have a sign just over there that says "NO chips. NO service." Caliko pointed.

Top Hat looked her top from bottom. "I think I can come up with a game you'll like girlie. Haha." He jumped up, grabbed Caliko and slammed her down into a chair at a card table. "Move!" He yelled at the other players, who quickly grabbed their chips and left. He sat down across the table. "So, you have nothing to trade? I think you have A LOT to trade." Top Hat gathered the cards from the table, then shuffled them. "I'll make you a deal, you play a quick game with me and if you win, I'll give you back everything you lost tonight and then some." He leaned forward, "A perk of running the place. If I win, I get you, for the night. To play whatever little game I come up with." Top Hat sat back and grinned.

Caliko knew she was trapped. If she tried to leave, he'd catch her and get what he wanted anyway. But if she played and and won, maybe, just maybe, he would keep his word and she'd be free to go and have food to last her for awhile. She set her knapsack down. "Deal."