Chapter 37, Interlude

The passage of the days brought little comfort to Central City and its residents.

The newspaper headlines still screamed about the lack of progress in determining those responsible not only for the terror attacks but also for the murders of the two families. Whether deserving of it or not, most of the blame was pointed towards the royal house. Even the sluggish and pompous members of the House of Lords started to stir in response to it.

Around the ornately carved stone pillars of their house, hushed conversations were held.

"Do you believe that a special committee should be formed to investigate these atrocities?"

"A special committee doesn't have to be formed. The senior members should demand immediate action from the Queen."

"If the Queen is unwilling to force the military into further action then her authority to oversee them should be conceded to the House."

"The royal house of Gale will never do that."

"It had always been said that there would never be a House of Lords either."

Cain was still in jail and he was alone. He had been a source of amusement for the inmates. He had often been taunted since they found it quite ironic that one of the great former tin men was now one of them. However, as news spread that one of the victims was his son, they left him alone. It would never change that they still reviled him. But they had just enough humanity left in them to realize that the ridicule and insults that they dished out to him paled in comparison to the pain he was now suffering.

It was mid-evening and it was nearly time for "lights-out".

"Major Cain?" a young voice asked through the narrow window in the door.

Cain was lying on his back, his arm behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. The first rays from the full moon lit up his cell. He recognized the voice. The boy's last name was McConnelly.

"What is it?" he gruffly asked.

McConnelly paused. Then he whispered in to the window. "I found out about that woman."

"And?"

"She was released sir."

Even after I told him to stop it, he keeps calling me sir. He kept his questions short. "When?"

"Last weekend."

He knew the answer to his next question but he asked it anyway.

"Who was she released to?"

McConnelly paused.

Cain repeated his question, this time as an order. "I said who was she released to?"

"Petey Staggart."

Cain did not say anything else. Only his new pet spider that lived in the corner of the ceiling saw his eyes turn to ice.

"Is there anything else sir?" McConnelly whispered. The footsteps from his fellow guard were growing closer.

"No….."

He sensed that McConnelly was ready to walk away. "McConnelly?"

He stopped. "Yes sir?"

"Thanks."

McConnelly nodded in acknowledgment even though Cain could not see it. It was done out of habit.

Lord Ahamo was still pale but at least he was on his feet and he was strong enough to return to the palace. His arrival however, was lukewarm.

He stood out on the balcony surveying the city. He gripped the railing in order to keep himself steady. He and his wife had had yet another argument. Argument is not the word for it. The first battle of a long war is much more appropriate.

His dear Lavender screamed so loudly at him that it came out as a screech. "HOW DARE YOU KEEP THIS IN OUR CHAMBER?!"

In her hand she clutched a piece of lingerie. She marched up to him and shoved it in to his face. He took it and held it out from him. It was a blood red and black corset.

She screeched again. "That's the same piece of clothing that woman… THAT WOMAN IS WEARING ON THE DISK!"

He finally could not take it any longer. He had tried to explain, had tried to be logical, had tried to reason with her. Each and every time she answered that the evidence was on the disk and that corobuses had been found in Glitch's office. He finally snapped.

He bellowed, "I HAVE NEVER FUCKED THAT WOMAN!"

She stopped and astonishment crossed her face.

He pointed his finger at her. "And you are a pitiful soul if you believe that disk, and that Provost Marshall, and that Dr. Addison over your husband!"

The astonishment was replaced by fury.

"PITIFUL SOUL?!... You have gone too far this time Ahamo!"

For fifteen annuals he had longed for her. Then miracles of miracles DG returned, the witch was defeated, and their family was brought together once more. And now this.

He gripped the railing harder. Once Glitch had recovered enough, he was going to demand answers.

Then he stopped himself and let his grip relax. What if Dr. Addison was right? How do you reason with a headcase who has finally gone berserk? How do you know when a headcase is telling the truth and when he's lying?

He continued to stare out at the cityscape for a long time.

The truck lurched to a stop once more. One of the guards looked at Jill and said very simply, "We're home." She stared at him. Home?

One guard moved to the back of the truck and pushed Azkadellia out to the guards who had been waiting outside the truck. After she was out, the two guards jumped out and motioned for Jill to follow.

The sunlight was bright and she had to squint until her eyes adjusted to the daylight. From what she could see they had stopped in a compound. She was surrounded by buildings of various sizes and in the distance she caught a glimpse of chain link fencing.

A voice from behind her said, "The Father has instructed us to take her to her private chamber."

She turned around to see who it was but it was just another guard. As they motioned for her to follow she looked around to see if she could see the ones that they called Lundgren and Zero, but they were nowhere to be found.

Her armed escort led her through the hallways. She saw not a single soul as she was being led through the building. The light coming from the hallway lamps was soft and warm.

They soon stopped in front of a light colored, arched door. The one guard opened it while the other guard undid her shackles.

"Inside you'll find fresh clothes and a bath is ready for you," the guard who had opened the door said.

Jill looked at him and curtly asked, "Then what?"

He simply replied, "You'll join the Father for dinner later this evening. A guard will come for you when it's time." With his gun he then motioned for her to go inside.

After she was inside she heard the clicking of the locks. She went back over to the door and tried it. It was firmly sealed. Not that she expected any different result but she decided to try it anyway.

"Well Jill," she said aloud to herself as she looked at the sparse contents of her room, "You might as well get cleaned up. Then you get to meet this Father that everyone keeps talking about."