This story is dedicated to the victims, families, and rescuers of September 11, 2001. You will never be forgotten.

 

Andersonville 11 - The God Slayer
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff
Special thanks to Genni Smith and Koos for help with this story.

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

There we were, two girls having lunch on a cool, April day - only that wasn't the case at all. Neither of us was who we really once were and only one of us was a girl. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

As I began my second year as a citizen of Andersonville, there were times I regretted my decision to be turned back into Linda Anderson. It wasn't that I hated my life; I just didn't feel natural living as a woman. In all fairness, I most likely would have felt as uncomfortable living as Tom McClain if I had taken Judge Herns offer to remain as him. My escape from Andersonville, followed by my return, hadn't been easy on me. Judge Herns was demanding that I act more like a young woman and less like Tom McClain. At least as Linda, I had Mr. and Mrs. Anderson in my life. That made things bearable.

Across the table sat my brother's girlfriend, Sally Rider. Steve wasn't my biological brother even though I was closer to him than most brothers are. A lifetime ago, and I guess it really was a lifetime ago, Steve had been Al Parker, my best friend and business partner. Sally had been his fiancée and a dear friend of mine. Both were considered dead to the outside world, one murdered and the other killed in a car crash. On the other hand, while I was stuck in Andersonville pretending to be Linda Anderson, someone else was running around on the outside pretending to be me. It confused me why Dennis Butz kept up this charade, instead of allowing my old character to die or simply disappear. That seemed to be the usual practice here in Andersonville

I stared over at Sally who was looking as lovely as any 17-year old cheerleader could look. Judge Jasper had blessed her with long blonde hair, big blue eyes, and a killer body. She was a junior in High School, whilst my brother was still a 15-year-old freshman. I almost had to laugh at the thought, since both were actually in their mid-twenty's and had graduated from high school years ago. However, reality faded when you lived in Andersonville.

Unlike me, Sally was allowed to wear pants to the office since she was going there straight from school. I felt it was a little unfair, and even pointed that out to June Herns, but my protest fell on deaf ears. The judge explained Sally had worn more dresses in her lifetime than I could imagine, so I didn't have room to complain. Besides, most teenage girls didn't have lots of different dresses to wear to school each day - and there was a sort- of social status attached to High School girls. I grumbled a little but realized Judge Herns had a valid point.

Over the past two weeks Sally had been showing up after school so I could teach her everything I knew about how to run the office. Today she wasn't in school due to a parent/teacher conference. The irony of teaching her my job was that Sally was a much better officer manager than I could ever hope to be. She was constantly showing me how to do things differently - and better.

"My assignment!" I said to myself. I tried not to think too much about my assignment; the reason why I had to teach Sally my job. Why did I have to be Ashlee Gang's replacement in Peace River? And why did she need 6 months of maternity leave instead of the usual 6 weeks like normal mothers? Apparently Judge Jasper was more generous to those he liked; and more of a prick to those he didn't.

"Damn you, Dennis," I cursed silently. I was still highly pissed that he hadn't even discussed the matter with me first. I was just expected to go on his command. Well, I had given him an earful after he told me; not that it had done any good. If I didn't go Sally would have to be, for lack of a better term, returned to Judge Jasper like an unpaid item. What I couldn't understand was why Judge Jasper had picked me? Why didn't he have someone else fill in for Ashlee? Surely there had to be someone else who took Ashlee's place whenever she was on vacation!

"Something on your mind?" Sally asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Peace River," I sighed while taking a stab at the salad in front of me. Another one of those little curses of being a woman. I had to watch my weight more carefully now. I had gained a few pounds recently, and Judge Herns was on my back to take it off.

"Sally, what's it really like there?"

"You mean the town or Judge Jasper?" she asked. I gave her a strange look and she continued. "I talked to Stephanie Hall before I left. She told me about your little run-in with the Judge."

"More like a major collision," I frowned. "Let's start with the town."

"It's a very nice town, quiet peaceful. I guess you could say it's about 30 or 40 years behind the times. Heck, a number of people still have 8-track players in their cars. The business district is made up of a number of Ma and Pop type stores, so you won't find a McDonalds or K-Mart there. It's a slower type of life-style there, but it's not boring. In fact, there are plenty of things you can do there. You can bowl, fish, see a movie, go for a walk in the park, or go swimming at the lake. And the people take a lot of pride in the community they've created there. It's strange, but the spirit of Peace River is as much a part of their efforts as it is Judge Jasper's and his people's, probably more so."

"What about Judge Jasper?" I asked crisply.

"He's not a bad fellow if that's what you're asking. Oh, he's very secretive about certain things. For instance, he wouldn't tell me how I got to Peace River. One minute I was in my car as it flipped over the guardrail, the next minute I woke up in his courtroom."

"Was Officer Merrick there?"

"Yes, right beside me as a matter of fact. How did you know?"

"A lucky guess," I told the puzzled girl but didn't elaborate. For some reason, I didn't feel totally comfortable telling Sally everything I knew about them.

"Anyway Linda, he's not a bad guy," she continued. "I talked with him twice, and both times he was polite and generally concerned about how I was feeling. In fact, he even let me decide if I wanted to come to Andersonville to be with Al - I mean Steve. Don't get me wrong Linda. I love Steve with all my heart. But Judge Jasper is like a caring father. His town has a certain atmosphere that makes you want to stay. Even now I feel like my soul is being tugged back there. I hope to go back to Peace River one day."

"Maybe you will," I observed while taking a half-hearted stab at my food. I found Sally's answers troubling to me but I wasn't sure why. Was it because I wanted to hear Peace River was a horrible place where Judge Jasper was a cold, heartless beast who ruled the town with an iron fist? Or was it because Sally had been sorry to leave, and that made me suspicious of her being in Andersonville? Was she really an Andersonville citizen, or someone sent by Judge Jasper to spy on us? If the latter was true, then being in my old position was certainly the place to be. But then, what was there to tell Judge Jasper that Judge Herns probably didn't tell him? I popped a small piece of tomato in my mouth and chewed on it as I thought about it some more.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

Ashlee Gang had just gotten back from using the bathroom for the tenth time that afternoon. She was tired and fat - her belly bulging from the baby due in just two weeks. That didn't give her much time to get everything ready for her replacement, Linda Anderson, who was supposed to show up next week for training. Ashlee was surprised to see Vickie Marshall waiting in her office so late in the day. Normally Vickie and the others made their visits in the morning.

"Good afternoon, Ashlee," Vickie said happily while peering at her belly. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fat," Ashlee laughed. "I can't wait for this baby to come."

"All in good time," Vickie said cheerfully. "But I know how you feel."

Ashlee figured if anyone did know it had to be Venus, the goddess of love. She knew Vickie/Venus had had at least 7 children since the creation of Peace River, and probably lots more before then. Her latest child, Tammy, was almost 16 years old, and Ashlee wouldn't have been surprised if Vickie were planning on having another baby soon. As beautiful a woman as she was, Venus seemed to value motherhood over anything else.

"So, what brings you here today," Ashlee asked while having a good idea.

"John Stillwell," she answered pleasantly. "I have some information I need to pass on to you, but first, I would like to see his file. Do you feel up to it, Ashlee? I could come back tomorrow if you don't."

"No, I'm feeling okay. Where would you like to do this?"

"Why don't I just close the door and we can do it here," she offered.

Ashlee nodded and sat down in a comfortable chair while Vickie Marshall did the rest. Once the door was locked, Vickie took a seat next to the pregnant woman and extended her feminine hands. Ashlee took them with her own hands and suddenly everything started to change around them.

***

I was hunched over a furry lab rat that was trying to get away from me. I carefully picked him up in my thick gloves and observed him carefully.

"It's okay little fellow," I tried to reassure the rat, "this won't hurt a bit."

I carefully strapped the small, thin harness interwoven with electrical sensors, around its head and body. Once secured, I plugged the cable end into the PC on the table.

"Okay, let's see what you can do," I said to the small, furry rodent.

The computer screen began displaying data from the rat brainwaves. I typed in a few adjustments to help clean them up and looked hopefully at the speakers. There was nothing. A wave of frustration came over me, and I adjusted the program some more. Still there was nothing.

"Come on little fellow, talk to me." I urged. The last thing I wanted to do was start all over again with a new rat. One important fact I had learned over the months was that no two lab rats were the same.

"Earrrrra!" the computer speakers rang out, followed by some unrecognizable garble.

"What?" I responded in slight shock. It had sounded like the word "ear". I made some more adjustments, changing the constants in the real-time analysis program and hoping I wasn't screwing up the signal more. If I could match the interpretation program with the impulses on the rat's brain waves, things would get interesting real fast. I continued playing with the signal and moments later was rewarded for my efforts.

"Fear, fear!" the rat kept repeating in a squeaky tone. I let out a loud hoot of victory that caused the rat to cower even more. Today I had made history. Today I had found a way to transform thoughts of non-speaking animals into words.

"Don't be afraid, little fellow," I spoke while softly stroking its back. "You just helped me become a millionaire. Here, have a treat." I stuck a small cube of cheese down in front of the rat.

"Food - food," the rat responded excitedly. It quickly picked it up in its paws started nibbling on one corner. I sat back in my chair in complete delight. Two years of hard, backbreaking work had finally paid off. Sure, there was still plenty more for me to do, but now that I had cracked the secret of thought processes, the fun could begin. In another year or so I would perhaps be able to sell my research findings to a major corporation and retire in style. After that I could sit around the house and watch my kids grow up.

Speaking of which, I looked at the clock and frowned. My wife should have been home almost an hour ago. Well, maybe she had gotten stuck in traffic or sidetracked at the mall. Being seven months pregnant with our first child didn't help matters either; my wife Nancy tired fast these days. Perhaps she had decided to take her time to save her strength instead of rushing to get what she needed.

I looked down at the rat busy chewing on a piece of cheese. Nancy would be so excited when she heard the news. It was too late for my mother-in-law, who had passed away last month silently after having suffered a stroke the year before. The stroke had left her unable to communicate with anyone. My research had the potential to help thousands of stroke victims who had lost their ability to speak. I knew such a breakthrough would lessen the blow on my wife. In a few short years these poor victims would be able to speak with their loved ones again.

A knock on the door brought me out of my daydream, and I carefully placed the rat back in its cage. When I opened the door there were two police officers looking back at me grimly.

"Are you Mr. Stillwell?" one of the officers asked.

"Yes, I'm John Stillwell," I answered in a shaky voice. Their faces told me it wasn't good news.

***

3 months later...

It was in the middle of the afternoon yet the room I was in was as dark as a cave. I was lying on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. My life, at least the one I had once known, was over. My wife and future child, a son the doctor had told me, were dead -victims of a hit and run driver. I had also died that day, emotionally that is. Since the accident I had been unable to work, sleep, or do any of my normal outdoor activities. I had fallen into a deep depression.

There was a sharp rap on the front door, and it brought me out of the trance of self-pity I was feeling. I looked at the clock and grumbled. It was only two in the afternoon. Since my wife's death, I found I had better luck sleeping during the day than at night. I tried to ignore the person at the front door but they kept knocking louder and harder. I cursed and got off the couch that had been my bed over the past three months. I couldn't force myself to sleep in the same bed that I had once shared with my lovely wife.

Annoyed, I flung open the door angrily to see who the asshole was that had disrupted my nap. The asshole turned out to be my boss, Donny Mabble. He returned my rudeness with a warm smile.

"Good afternoon, mate," he greeted me pleasantly in his Aussie tone.

"What do you want, Donny?" I asked discourteously. It was sunny outside today, and I had to squint my eyes to see him.

"Why don't I come in so we can talk," he suggested. I was about to refuse, but remembered the man had come a long way to see me and was paying my bills. I opened the door and he walked in carrying a covered cage.

"You need to open the curtains and let some light into this room," he observed. "It's so dark and depressing."

"It matches my mood," I told him. "What's in the cage?"

"Something that might interest you." Donny removed the cover and a gray rat looked carefully around the room. "I figured a conversation with a wild rat might be more entertaining than the ones you gave back to me."

"I'm not interested. I - I can't. I think you know why, Donny."

"It's been three months, mate," Donny pointed out. "It's time you moved on with your life now. Nancy would've wanted it that way."

"How would you know?" I snorted back disrespectfully. "You only met my wife twice."

"It was enough to know what kind of woman she was," Donny observed. He focused his eyes right on me. "It's time to get on with your life, Johnny. More important, it's time you go back to work. I can't keep supporting you like this."

"Then fire me," I told him crossly. "I'm telling you, I'm not ready."

"No, you owe me," he pointed out. "I paid for your services in advance, and have been more than patient these past few months. Besides, this isn't about the money; it's about you. You're one of the top experimental biologists in the country, Johnny, on the verge of a breakthrough that will help thousands of people. I know you're in pain mate, but you can't let Nancy's death ruin your life. It's time to get back to the job of living again. If not for you, for her then. She would've wanted it that way."

"It's not that easy."

"Nothing in life is," he explained while glancing around the room. "Look at this place, it's like a tomb in here." He walked over to a window and lifted up a curtain, lighting the room with sunshine. "Look at your skin. From how pale you look, I would say you haven't been out in the sun in over a month." He dropped the curtain and the room went dark again.

"Closer to two months," I admitted gloomily.

"That's what I mean mate, you need to change your routine. That's why I brought you a present."

"An ugly rat, how wonderful."

"I knew you'd be thrilled," Donny smiled while recognizing the sarcasm in my voice.

"Where did you find it?" I asked, more out of making polite conversation than curiosity.

"Interesting you should ask me that. I was setting my trap in an alley when this fellow comes out of his hiding place and scurries up to me. At first I thought he was looking around for food, but when I placed the cage down he climbed right into it. I didn't even have to bait it first."

"Doesn't look like a domesticated rat," I observed.

"No, he doesn't," Donny agreed. "Maybe you'll have an interesting conversation with him. From his scares, it looks like he's been through a lot. Anyway, I'd best be off. I have a long drive ahead of me. I'll drop off some more lab rats next week. G'day mate."

Donny let himself out, not waiting for me to say goodbye, which I didn't intend to do anyway. I thought about it after he left. I really wasn't being very fair to him. As bosses went, Donny was a kind hearted and understanding guy. I also knew he had my best interests at heart. Well, I would make it up to him when I completed the project. I gazed down and the rat stared back with beady, black, steady eyes. If I didn't know better, I would've sworn he was checking me out. I dismissed the idea and lay back down on the couch to sleep.

***

It was after midnight when I finally awoke and fixed myself something to eat. While I had managed to sleep almost ten hours straight I felt neither rested nor awake. I knew it was my depressed state that was causing this. I ran my hands through my hair and logged onto the computer, hoping today would be the day I would get an email message from my two lost friends. Except for a few Spam emails, there was nothing waiting in my account.

My friends, Angie and Anne, had both done a disappearing act around the same time my wife had been killed. Email messages I sent to them were ignored, and after about a month started bouncing back to me, indicating their accounts were now closed. Messages to friends of theirs indicated they had left in the middle of the night without a word as to where they were going. The rumor was that they were behind in their bills and had skipped town. I really didn't want to believe that, they both seemed like responsible people. Even if that was the case, why break contact with me? They didn't owe me any money. In fact I knew Angie had over $20,000 dollars saved up for her operation, so money really wasn't an issue.

Like her roommate, Angie was a MTF transsexual who I had met through at a TG support group. For Angie and Anne to leave their friends without saying goodbye didn't make sense. I knew they would contact me one day, so I waited in hope. Like previous nights, there was nothing from them.

Sighing, I brought up the computer program I had written that hopefully would allow me to communicate with this lab animal. More than three-quarters of my research had been dedicated to the creation of this program, and I felt like I could recite all the lines of code in my sleep.

After putting on my thick gloves, I opened the cage door and stuck my hand inside. To my surprise, the rat didn't try to scurry away. Instead it calmly climbed into my hand. I sat him down on the table and he waited patiently while I hooked up the harness.

"Okay, little guy," I said while plugging the harness connector into the computer port. "Let's see what your waves look like."

The computer did a scan of the brain waves and to my surprise; they were totally different from any of the other lab rats I had scanned earlier. In fact they appeared to be more complex, almost human.

"Impossible," I thought, but there was the proof in front of me. I made some major adjustments, resetting all my default settings of the program to see if it would rectify the situation; however, the readouts remained the same.

"Can you hear me?" the computer speakers blared out. "Can you understand me?"

"My God! You're talking in complete sentences," I said in astonishment. I knew rats were intelligent creatures however; I didn't think they had the ability to speak more than a few words. "Can, can you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, I understand you," the speakers blared out. "You don't know how long I've waited to talk to another human being."

"You've wanted to talk to us? Why?"

"Because I used to be a man!"

I looked down at the rat with a great deal of mistrust. This had to be some kind of trick being played on me. Yes, that was it. Donny was playing a joke on me. But then I noticed the rat was looking right at me, no, making eye contact with me as it spoke. I realized this wasn't a joke.

"Used to be!" I stated. "How did you get to be this way?"

"It's a long story, you'd better sit down." I did as the rat suggested and he began at once.

"My name is Klein Walker, and I was once a high-profile businessman living in Seattle, Washington. One night a business-rival named Tom McClain, kidnapped me and took me to a place called Peace River. He was in cahoots with the man running that town who went by the name of Judge Jasper. This Judge, if you want to call him that, brought me up on a bunch of trumped up charges and found me guilty. Then he sentenced me to live the rest of my life as a rat. That's when he modified me!"

"Modified you, how did he do that?"

"How much do you know about the Roman gods?"

"Very little," I admitted.

"Same here until recently. It turns out this Judge Jasper is really the Roman god, Jupiter. To make matters worse, all his friends live there with him."

"You can't be serious," I blurted out. His story had stretched my imagination to the breaking point.

"Look at me, do I look like I'm kidding?" the rat countered rather testy that the computer picked up. "I'm living proof they do exist."

"You're taking about the Roman gods, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and so on."

"And others you may not have heard of," the rat added. "Look, I know this sounds crazy but how else can you explain me standing here talking to you?"

I thought about it. The rat made a good point.

"What state is this town in?" I asked while grabbing for my map.

The rat moved his head from side to side. "You won't find it there, I already looked. According to the rest of the world, this town doesn't exist. I heard they have another town in Montana called Andersonville. My guess is you won't find that town on the map either."

"But why?" I asked, intrigued by his story. "I mean, what's the purpose of these towns?"

"It's an evil purpose," the rat hissed. "They kidnap people and force them to live there against their will. If someone tries to leave, Judge Jasper, that's what Jupiter calls himself there, punishes them so severely that they never try to leave again."

"He doesn't call himself Jupiter in this town?"

"No, he uses a regular name to create some kind of normalcy in a un-normal situation. All of the gods go by common names there. However, you learn very quickly who they are if you know where to look."

"You still didn't answer my question, why does this town exist?"

"I don't know for sure," the rat admitted, "but they need us, or rather, something we have, to survive. That's why they surround themselves with certain people. I ran a pharmaceutical lab and my guess is a new drug we were developing threatened their existence somehow. I was the project manager of the drug, so they had me kidnapped to stop its development."

"But why have a business rival kidnap you, why not one of them?"

"How in the hell do I know," the rat snarled. "Maybe their power only works in their town. All I know is, they're holding others against their will, including your friends."

"My friends?" I blinked hard.

"Yes, your friends Angie and Anne. I was there when one of his cohorts brought them in. Jupiter transformed both of them into teenage girls and told them they would never leave his town. Both of them were crying, begging to be released and get back to their real lives, but Jupiter ignored their pleas."

"My God, Angie and Anne," I whispered softly with compassion. "We have to do something, tell someone."

"Who?" the rat asked directly, "Who do you suggest we tell? The FBI or CIA? How do we know they aren't involved in all this? Maybe they're letting these entities operate in exchanged for something. If you go to them, you may disappear from life just like I did. As for doing something about this, I have a plan."

"What is it?" I asked.

"On the surface the Roman gods look powerful, but in reality they have several weaknesses. Their power for instance, is centered on an orb device they have hidden away somewhere inside their courthouse. They need this orb to control everything and keep the people in line. If we could get our hands on it, we could free everyone from their tyranny, then I could be changed back into what I once was."

"How do you know so much?" I asked with interest. "You seem to be awfully well informed about them."

"That's because I lived in Peace River for almost a month after they changed me, so I took advantage of the situation and started sneaking around, listening in on them. Finally they got wise to me and I was transported to a dirty alley in LA. I had a couple of close calls with some cats, so when your boss showed up, I saw my chance to escape certain death. He didn't seem to be the type of person who would kill me. At least he was setting out live traps. I figured going with him was a better situation than the one I was in. I didn't know I would end up here."

"Lucky for you," I told him. "So how do you suggest we steal this orb of theirs?"

"Very simple. You drive me back to Peace River and I'll search for it. Once I find out where it's located, you can take it from them."

"You mean steal it," I pointed out.

"If you want to call it that," the rat countered. "I prefer to think that we're liberating the people from their oppression."

"Maybe some of them want to be there," I replied.

"Maybe, but I bet most of them don't, and not in the new bodies they were given. Oh, I didn't tell you that part, did I? Most of the people brought to Peace River are changed into the opposite sex."

"What? No way."

"I'm not joking about this."

"Why, are they transsexuals?"

"Some might be, but most aren't. So you see, it's not just a matter of being kidnapped. Most of the people are being forced to live the remainder of their lives as the opposite sex. It appears this has a purpose somehow. I heard one of them say something about increasing the flow from the person."

"So, it has something to do with people feeling unhappy."

"No, the people are happy enough. A man by the name of Mr. Cupler sees to that - and Venus of course. They put some kind of spell over the people that makes them forget their troubles, and forces them to feel more comfortable with their new bodies. However, I noticed it doesn't always work on everyone. There's some kind of movement going on inside the town. I heard one of them taking about it behind closed doors."

"Can you get me in touch with them? Maybe we could use their help in stealing this orb of theirs."

"No, it's too risky," the rat explained. "These gods seem to know the movements of those they transform, except for me. I don't understand why. Maybe it's because I'm no longer a human anymore. However, they won't be watching you."

"If I drive into town they will. How do you propose I sneak into Peace River without them knowing about it?"

"That's not a problem, they have people popping into their town from time to time. As long as you're not someone the Roman gods want, they won't bother with you."

"Great, and what happens if I am someone they want?"

"No problem, I got a way around that too. One of the things we were working on at my office was something along the line of a mini-jammer. Its purpose was to help stop radiation from penetrating into the body, so people working with nuclear waste would be better protected. I found out by accident that it blocks their abilities to read minds, and some of the other magic they may throw at you. If they can't read your emotions, they can't be sure if you're right for them."

"And this won't throw up a red flag?"

"Of course it will," the rat explained. "But this condition, while rare, is real and something they've dealt with before. Normally anyone they're not interested in will have his or her memories of Peace River wiped out before they leave. The person is also given a suggestion to never come back that way again. You on the other hand will be handled differently. One of them will come up and talk to you directly, to find out why you're here and see if it's safe to let you go. Apparently, keeping someone in their town who doesn't fit their needs takes power away from them. So as long as you give them the right answers, they won't bother you. All you have to do is drop me off near the courthouse and come back in a week to pick me up. You can check in at a place called the Pioneer motel, I'll meet you there. After that we'll wing it based on what I find out."

"What about the jammer? Do you still know how to make one?"

"Yes, I'm blessed with a photographic memory. With your hands and my brains, we should be able to make several of them within a few days."

I thought about his plan carefully. The odds were against us, but I didn't really have anything to lose. And what about my friends trapped in a hellish situation. I couldn't leave them there without any hope of rescue.

"Lets get started," I told the rat.

***

"That looks good," Klein the rat commented to me. "No one will suspect it to be anything but a ball-point pen."

"Are you sure it's powerful enough?" I asked. "It seems awful small." The jammer was placed inside an oversize pen that fit into my shirt pocket. I had also created two more jammers to fit underneath the front and rear of my car. Klein the rat said it would prevent them from putting a dimensional spin on the car, what ever that was.

"It'll work fine," the rat said and then explained. "It doesn't take a lot to block their powers, just a small electric disturbance. They can't increase their own mental powers to get past it."

"That's good to know." I yawned and looked at my watch. It was almost two in the afternoon. "We should get some sleep and work out the final details when our minds are fresh."

"Not a bad idea," my new friend agreed while stretching out his body on the table. "Do you think you can go to McDonalds tonight when you get up. I could really go for some French fries."

"I'll set the alarm to get up in time," I offered while removing the harness. "Goodnight."

The rat scampered back to his box and curled up on a pile of tissues. In a matter of minutes he was sound asleep. I frowned slightly; there was something not right about this situation. I couldn't put my finger on it, but for some reason this rat's story just didn't add up.

Placing that thought out of my mind for the moment, I went to the garage and turned on the light. In front of me sat the outline of a car underneath a gray cover. My pride and joy and strangely, the only family member I had left now. Could a car be like a family member? Common sense told me no, but my heart told me something else. With great care I removed the cover and admired it's beauty.

It was a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda, or just 'Cuda' as they were more commonly called. My Cuda was painted bright orange with a black interior and the word 'Hemi' painted on the door. Also painted black was the front scoop, the rear spoiler, and rear quarter panels. I ran my hand over the finely polished metal that felt warm to the touch. Like most car jocks, I had given my car a name - Betty. To me she wasn't just a hunk of metal on wheels; this car had a soul. Of course that was ridiculous, but I couldn't deny a certain bond I had with this car.

I continued rubbing my hand over the car's body, moving from the hood to the trunk and then up the other side. I thought about the first day I had seen her, and what a horrible shape she was in. The previous owner had ragged her out, and she was literally one oil change away from the junkyard. But I had salvaged her, restoring her back to her original showroom glory. She would do 130 mph off the floor, but I had made some major modifications and her top speed was much higher now.

I debated for a moment about taking her to Peace River, since she was sure to stick out like a sore thumb. However, I knew one of the gods, Mercury, was suppose to be some kind of messenger to the other gods and was pretty fast. How fast I didn't know, but I figured he couldn't keep up with Betty on the long straight-aways. Besides, I would need her quickness if anything went wrong. Tomorrow I would change the gear ratios to give me all the top speed she had.

Over in the corner I spotted my old computer that I sometimes used to order parts on-line. I walked over to the power bar and turned it on so I could connect to the Internet. It was time to see if I could find out anything useful about Mr. Klein Walker in the next room.

"How much farther?" I asked as we drove toward the early morning sunrise.

"Another mile," the rat squeaked over the computer speakers. "Better pull over and get me out of this harness. Just remember to drop me off near the courthouse when we get in town."

"Right," I said to him. I pulled over in the middle of nowhere, noticing I hadn't seen a house or another car in the last 30 minutes. When I removed the harness, I pushed Klein back into the cage and closed the door. The rat looked up and squeaked at me in furious protest. I opened up my driver's door and explained.

"I read about you on the Internet, Mr. Walker. It seems you were less than honest with me. First of all, you weren't the honest businessman that you told me you were. From the way the newspapers tell it, you were more like a gangster out of the 'Godfather' movies. Blackmail, extortion, and in-direct involvement in the murder of five people, including an 11-year old boy. It seems Judge Jasper turned you into a fitting form. This is where we part company, Mr. Klein Walker. And if you try to come back and bite me, I'll stomp on you with my boot."

I dumped the gray rat on the side of the road, and he looked up at me with his evil, beady eyes before scampering away. But I didn't feel any sympathies for him; he had ordered the murder of a child. How much bravery did that require? I closed the car door and drove off toward Peace River.

***

What surprised me about the town was how normal everything looked. From its outward appearance, there was nothing sinister looking about Peace River. In fact, there was a peaceful, appealing look to it. Downtown was made up of a number of small, family businesses that had a charming aspect to them. The residential areas contained wide, quiet streets, filled with rather modest homes. Nearby I spotted a family park with a jungle gym and a couple of baseball fields. On the way in, I had spied a small lake with a mother duck gliding gracefully over the water followed by her five ducklings. It looked so normal - so darn normal. Not like the hellhole Klein had described to me. So where were all the prisoners screaming to get out?

I shrugged off the feeling and got the address of where Angie and Anne lived from a phone book. There was also a map of the town that I tore off the page and studied carefully. It seemed that Peace River had three parks and two libraries in it. That's when I took a double take and noticed the first odd thing about the town. There were only two ways into Peace River, both requiring you to cross over a wide river. Oddly enough, there was water on all sides of the town: a huge dam and lake to the north and another lake to the south. Well, I shouldn't have been too surprise, Klein had told me Peace River was surrounded by water and guarded by flesh-eating monsters.

As I was pulling up to the house where my friends were suppose to be staying, I noticed two teenage girls coming out the side door. I got out of my car and stepped in front, waiting for them to pass by. I couldn't be sure if it was them since they didn't look anything like my friends; and I didn't want to risk running up and frightening them if they weren't who I though they were. The last thing I needed was for the Peace River police to show up and start asking me questions. When they got to the sidewalk I noticed one of them stop and gasp as if they were seeing a ghost.

"Oh my God, John, how did you find us?" one of them asked.

"Angie?" I blinked hard at the stranger.

"Yes, it's me," she smiled then hugged me tightly. Anne, who was always a little bit shy, stood there silently and waited. I turned and gave her a tight embrace.

"What are you doing here?" Angie asked.

"Get in the car and I'll tell you." Anne got in back while Angie sat down in the front next to me. I started up the car and drove innocently away.

"I'm here to rescue you," I explained.

"Rescue us?" Angie repeated as if the idea was foreign to her.

"Yes," I replied while looking in the mirrors to see if anyone was following us. "I figured a way to get you out of Peace River and I'm taking you back to LA with me. After that we can..."

Angie's hand touched mine causing me to stop talking. When I looked over she who had tears in her eyes, but I wasn't sure if they were out of gratitude or sadness. To be honest, it seemed to be a little of both. I turned back and saw that Anne had a similar expression etched on her face.

"John, I don't know what you think is going on, but we don't want to leave."

"What!" I expressed in both anger and shook. "How can you say that? Both of you were kidnapped and brought here against your will. Neither of you can leave this place. Why would you want to stay in this jail one more minute?"

"First of all," Angie explained sadly, "we weren't brought here against our will. We came to Peace River by our own choice. The mailman explained what would happen if we came here, and we agreed to come anyway. Both Anne and I understood we wouldn't be able to leave Peace River unless Judge Jasper allows it."

"But why?" I asked while pulling my car over to face them. "Why would you become willing prisoners here?"

"I think you know why, John. Outside I was just as much a 'prisoner' as I am here, perhaps even more so. I was trapped in a male body that only expensive, painful surgery could begin to fix. Even then there were many things I would never experience that other woman do. And even if one day I could afford to have my surgery, my life wouldn't be easy due to my size. Some people would still see me as a man dressed as a woman, and then the taunts would start. You don't know how much those taunts and snide remarks can hurt some days?" Angie paused for a moment to wipe a tear from her eye.

"When the mailman approached us and told us the terms, a life of growing up as young, normal woman without the possibility of leaving or having contact with people we once knew, we both jumped at the chance. I know that may sound selfish, John, leaving without saying goodbye; but when someone offers you your life, it isn't much of a choice. For what it's worth, leaving without telling you goodbye has been the hardest thing both Anne and I have ever done."

"But that's the point," I argued, "you don't have to stay any more. I've found a way to get you out of here without them knowing about it. You can be free to live out your lives as young ladies wherever you want. Heck, I'll even pretend that you're my daughters."

Angie looked at me with tears of gratitude. "You're a good friend, John. You don't know how much it means to me, to us, seeing you here. You risked everything to save us, but we don't want to be saved. We're happy here - it's the life we've always dreamed of having. We have a family, friends, and people who only know us as Angie and Anne. We don't want to leave that behind! We can't leave it behind no matter what you offer us in return."

I looked back at Anne who was sitting there silently. "Anne, does that go for you too?"

She nodded. "It does, John. I can't imagine leaving Peace River with you."

"John," Angie said softly, "you need to leave now before they find out why you're here. Your life is on the outside, with your wife and new baby." A look of hurt and anger flashed on my face when she said that. "John, what's wrong?"

"My wife was killed in a car crash three months ago, Angie. It happened around the same time you disappeared. I wasn't sure if you had read my email until now." Tears welled up in my eyes but I stopped myself from crying.

"Oh, John, I'm so sorry," Angie said hugging me. Anne reached over and put her hands on my shoulder to show her support.

"John, why not stay here, with us?" Anne threw out. "We can drive over to the courthouse and talk..." I held up my hand to stop her.

"I'm not staying here," I told her directly. "This 'place' may be appealing, but it's nothing more than a prison meant to keep people locked away from the rest of the world. Can't you two understand that? Look around you, what do you see? Sure, it's charming and appealing on the outside, but on the inside it's not so appealing. Damn it, you're both prisoners here. The rest of the world doesn't exist.

"The rest of the world is cold and frightening," Angie answered. "For every fault you can name about Peace River, I can name three faults for the outside world and you know it! Here people are friendly, considerate, and nice to each other. Intolerance, anger, and being self-center aren't tolerated. People treat each other the way they want to be treated, the way we should treat each other."

"And if they don't, they get punished for it - isn't that right?" I pointed out.

"Yes, but so what?" Angie shot back. "Isn't that how we try to fix bad behavior in our society? John, I no longer have to worry about being stabbed in the back by some bigot because he sees me as being different from him! Those problems don't exist here. You talk like I'm missing something by staying here! Well maybe I am, but it's not all bad. Everything the mailman promised us has come true."

"Who is this mailman you keep talking about?" I asked. "Is he some kind of recruiter for this town?" Both Anne and Angie giggled.

"In a matter of speaking," reported Angie. "I don't know who he is, and Judge Jasper would love to get his hands on him if he could. The mailman is sort of a rogue individual who brings people here without Judge Jasper's approval. They don't know who he is and we weren't much help to the judge I'm afraid. However, if it weren't for him we wouldn't be here today. Stephanie Hall, the lawyer who represented us, said he's been a real thorn in Judge Jasper's side." Angie looked down at her watch. "John, we really need to get going to school. Go down to the traffic light ahead and make a right."

"Are you sure you want to stay?" I asked sadly as I pulled away from the curb. I debated about taking them out of town against their will but nixed that idea. This was their life, not mine.

"It's what we both want," Anne answered for them. "I only wish you would consider staying, John. We're supposed to have an older brother in our family, maybe Judge Jasper will let you have his place."

"And maybe he'd turn me into your family cat," I shot back. "Guys, challenges are what makes us strong enough to face the unexpected. Jupiter and his people have taken those challenges away from you. In its place he's given you an ideal world that doesn't really exist. Damn it, can't you see this is all a fantasy!"

"You...you said his name," gasped Angie. "But you shouldn't be able to do that, at least not in Peace River. They don't allow that to happen."

"One of the simple tricks I learned to beat their powers," I told her forcefully to make my point. "Does that make me more of a god than they are? Jupiter and his pals are not as powerful as you think they are. You can beat them if you put your mind to it!"

"John, don't talk like that," Anne warned me. "If you think living in Peace River isn't a challenge for us you're wrong. Relearning and getting rid of all your bad habits - it's one of the most challenging things you'll ever have to do. Add to that the challenge of trying to make a major life change as a member of the opposite sex and well, I think you can see what some people are up against. But the rewards from these challenges are all worth it."

"And if you fail?" I asked sternly while pulling up in front of the school. "What happens to you then? What do these 'gods' do if you can't cut the mustard?"

"No one fails, John," Angie replied, but I could tell she was a little uncertain about that. "They pick their people very carefully before bringing them here. In exchange they give you a great life."

"In exchange for what, Angie?"

"I - I don't really know, John, that's never come up."

"Then perhaps you should find out," I told her directly, "because somehow I can't believe the Roman gods are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. Somewhere along the line there's a price to pay for this wonderful life they're giving you -otherwise they wouldn't keep you a prisoner here."

Both girls looked at each other but neither said a word. As they slowly got out of the car I sat there in a sulking mood, feeling miserable that they weren't going with me. I debated about telling them the truth, but for what purpose? To ruin the rest of their lives? Both of my friends were happy here, I couldn't do that to them.

Angie stuck her head back inside the car and said softly, "John."

"Yes, Angie?"

"Thank you for thinking about us. You've always been a good friend to us, to me."

"As you two have been to me," I answered truthfully with heartfelt emotion.

"I know you may not believe this," she continued, "but we're happy living here. John, if you decided to stay, I think you would be too. It's not as evil and sinister as you were led to believe. We have nice parents, good friends, and a great life here. Please, I want you to consider staying with us. You can't be very happy on the outside, not with what has happened to your family."

I closed my eyes to pray. Why in the hell was Angie's offer to stay so tempting? Yes, my life was in shambles, but I knew that would change one day. If I did decide to stay, I would be running away from my problems, not facing up to them.

"I think this life is good for you, Angie. But if I stay, I fear in time I would find myself feeling trapped. Maybe that's why only certain people are picked to come here. I promise, Angie, I won't tell anyone about Peace River. I won't do anything to ruin this new and wonderful life you and Anne now have. I think you're making a mistake by not leaving, but I do wish you the best of luck."

Angie looked at me with loving eyes. Even though her appearance was completely different now, I saw the same old Angie in that loving smile.

"Goodbye old friend," she told me with tears in her eyes.

"Goodbye - old friend," I repeated before pulling away.

"That's that," I thought to myself as I headed out of town in a westerly direction. I couldn't help but feel sad and a little angry over how things had turned out. I was going to miss my friends a lot; and it was those damn, Roman gods who caused this to happen. They had interfered directly with my life just as much as they had with Angie and Anne's life.

At a red traffic light I looked over and saw two women talking on a bench. No, not just talking, laughing. How could someone be so happy in a place so horrible? I wanted to shout to them and remind them they were prisoners here, unlike me. They had to follow the rules set down by their captors while I was free to do whatever I wanted. I noticed more people walking down the street as I drove by - and they seemed content like the two women on the bench. What was wrong with everyone? It wasn't right - it wasn't FAIR! My anger got the best of me, and I pulled into the parking lot facing a small lake.

"It's not FAIR!" I yelled, gripping the steering wheel tightly out of anger and jealousy. I was the one who was free to walk out of here anytime I wanted. I should be the one happy, not them. Damn it - it wasn't fair!

I stepped out of my car and walked over to a bench near the lake. I knew I was tempting fate by not leaving right away. The smart thing would've been to get back into my car and drive out of here as fast as I could. But somehow leaving didn't matter to me anymore. A part of me wanted to stay.

"This is crazy," I argued with myself. "I could never be happy trapped in one place for the rest of my life."

It was true. I was an adventurer by nature and I loved to travel. Being tied down to one place would be a death sentence to me. And what would I do if I stayed? I doubt if the Roman gods needed a top experimental biologist who had the ability to defeat their power. No, they would want to keep me as far away from everyone else as they could, or make sure I couldn't talk to anyone about this. I shuddered to think at what they would do to me if I did stay.

"Nice car," I heard someone say.

"Huh?" I replied while snapping out of the daydream I was in. When I turned I saw two cops standing nearby. The one closest to me was tall and lanky, with big blue eyes and a friendly smile. He acted as if he were the welcoming committee for Peace River and seemed generally happy to see me here. The other cop stood next to his police car and looked at me with suspicion. I couldn't see his eyes because he wore mirror sunglasses. He was the opposite of his partner, he felt cold to me.

"I said, nice car," the friendlier looking officer repeated while pointing to my Cuda.

"Um, thanks. You should have seen her when I first got her. She was a mess. I spent over $11,000 rebuilding her."

"You're not John Stillwell by chance, are you?"

"Yes, I'm him." As I stood up to greet him. I felt my knees knocking. "You have me at a disadvantage Officer," I looked at his nametag, "Merrick." That's when I realized it was he, the god Mercury.

"Call me, Mark," he smiled in a friendly way. "I thought I recognized the car. I saw you race a friend of mine at Riverside 3 years ago."

"Did I beat him?" I asked trying to remember. I hadn't finished in the top 5 that day.

"Creamed him," he laughed. "But don't worry, he needed to be brought down a peg or two. I don't know if you remember him or not, he was driving a blue, GTO Mustang."

"I'm sorry, I can't say I do. It was a long time ago and a lot has happened since then."

"Yes, I'm sorry about your wife," he answered grimly. "I heard she was pregnant at the time. I understand they never found the driver who hit her."

"How do you know so much about me?" I asked in an almost panicked state. Did they know why I was here?

"I followed your racing career, such as it was, with great interest. In fact, I watched you race on a few other occasions, including the time you won at Lakewood strip."

"Yes," I smiled with some pleasure. "I went up against a 65 corvette in the finals and beat him by less then a half a second. It was a satisfying victory. So you held an interest in me because I beat your friend in a race?"

Officer Merrick's expression changed to a more serious tone. "No, that wasn't the reason why. There was an 11-year old boy in the crowd who was dying of cancer. He loved cars, but I think he knew he would never live to drive one. After the race his father asked, even begged, some of the drivers to let him just sit in their car. They all told him 'no' - and one owner got rather rude to him in front of his son. You overheard the conversation and offered to let his son sit in your car. In fact, you did him one better; you worked it out with the track officials so you could take him down the track a couple of times."

"Well, I held back of course," I explained. "But the smile on the boy's face made my day." I remembered the sickly looking boy named Tommy Foster, whose dark skin looked pale even for an African-American. But how his mood changed when I sat him behind the wheel of my car and let him start it up, then rev the motor.
And how he laughed with joy as we peeled off the start line and raced down the track at almost 80mph.

"You made him very happy that day," the officer pointed out.

"I wish I knew what happened to him, if he got better."

The officer gave me a grim look. "He died three weeks later. They buried Tommy with the picture his father took of him sitting in your car."

"Oh," I said softly as my mood quickly changed. The officer looked at me closely, as if he was trying to sense how I was feeling. A slight look of frustration appeared on his face that turned quickly back into a smile.

"You shouldn't be sad, Mr. Stillwell. You were the only one to take the time to fulfill his wish. He left that night feeling happy. You should feel good about that."

"I am - I did at the time." I stopped for a moment not knowing what to say. This officer seemed like a likable person, not the cruel, hard nose jailer I had been expecting to show up. On the other hand, the officer with him didn't seem that sociable.

"Well, Officer Deimos and I need to get back on patrol here. It was nice talking to you again, Mr. Stillwell. I hope to see you on the track one day."

"If you do, come up and say hello to me; and make sure you call me John." I offered him my hand, which he took.

"I'll do that - John. Drive safely now." He gave me a parting grin and both officers drove away in the same car.

I stood there dazed and confused. Nothing about Peace River was like I had been told. Had everything Klein the rat told me about this town been a lie? If so, maybe this wasn't a bad place to live. Maybe Angie and Anne had been right, that I should consider seeing if they would let me stay here. I shook my head a few times to clear that thought away. Even if I was willing to entertain the idea of staying, I didn't belong here. After all, I had come here on a mission to break people out of this town. How happy would this Judge Jasper be when he found that out? I couldn't stay - even if I wanted to - even if I felt there was nothing left for me on the outside.

I pulled my car out on to the main road and headed for the bridge in the distance. In just a few more minutes I would be across it and away from Peace River for good. Maybe I would return in a couple of years, to check up on my friends and find out if they were still happy and wanted to stay. But the closer I got to the bridge the more I realized how unhappy I was becoming. I stopped at a red light and looked at the woman in the next car getting something from her purse. She looked over at me and smiled, then proceeded to apply some lipstick.

"Had she been a guy before?" I wondered. "If so, how could she, or rather he, be so happy. Was this place truly that wonderful to live in? "

The closer I got to the bridge, the harder it became to continue driving. I couldn't get the question out of my mind; would I be happy if I stayed? Than I realized the more important question that needed to be answered was, would I be allowed to stay here? I knew that if I didn't find out the answer I would never be happy.

I stopped my car and thought about what to do. Angie had mentioned a lawyer, what was her name. I parked my car and walked over to a phone booth. In the yellow pages I spotted her, Stephanie Hall, attorney at law. The address indicated she was less than a block away. I thought about it long and hard then locked my car and headed off in the direction of her office.

***

"What can I do for you, Mr. Stillwell?" Stephanie Hall asked with a welcoming smile. She took a seat behind her desk and pulled out a pad of paper to take some notes. I eyed her carefully. She was young, maybe in her late twenty's, but her eyes showed great wisdom. It was clear she was a fighter and someone you wanted on your side.

"I need your help in a matter, Ms. Hall." I laid two, 100-dollar bills on her desk to show I was serious. "Before we begin, I want to make sure that anything I tell you will be kept confidential."

"Of course it will," she assured me. "And we don't have to be so formal here, you can call me Stephanie. Now, what can I do for you John?"

"That's fine," I told her. I took a breath and blurted out the truth. "I know about your town, Stephanie. I know that Judge Jasper is really the Roman God Jupiter, and that there are other Roman gods here helping him run Peace River. In fact, I ran into Mercury less then an hour ago."

The female attorney put down her pen and raised her eyebrows slightly. One of the rules about Peace River was that no one could talk about the gods so openly. Oh, people found ways around that rule but to mention their names directly, that was suppose to be impossible.

"Who are you?" Stephanie asked in a suspicious tone, causing me to chuckle. I knew what she was really asking me.

"I'm just a man, Stephanie, nothing more."

"Then how can you talk about the judge and his people so freely?

"Perhaps I should start at the beginning," I offered.

"Perhaps you should," she agreed with interest.

I took a drink of water from a glass in front of me and began. "It's like this, Stephanie. I'm an inventor working out of my home. A few days ago my boss brought me a rat that he had picked up in an alley. I was working on a device that interprets impulses from the brain waves. This would allow stroke or accident victims who couldn't talk normally anymore to communicate with their doctors or love ones again. Of course first I had to test it out on lab rats, as Federal Laws demands, before I could test it out on humans."

"I take it you were successful," she summarized.

"Yes," I answered. "My invention consisted of a harness that fit over the head and body of the test animal. When I hooked it up to this rat, it turned out to be someone by the name of Klein Walker. He told me his story, at least part of it anyway, and about my two friends, Angie and Anne Davis. He said they were being held captive here against their will. That turned out to be a lie."

Stephanie nodded her head. "I don't know who this Klein Walker character is, other than he was someone brought in from Andersonville and left rather quickly. My friend at the courthouse, Ashlee Gang, could fill me in on him. However, I do remember your two friends quite well. I can assure you, John, both were happy to be here when they were dropped off at my door."

"I know that now. But you see, Klein told me some pretty horrible stories about Peace River. Things like man-eating mermaids, one-eye monsters, and the reason why this place exists. It all sounded pretty sinister."

"Really," Stephanie faked a smile while knowing there was more truth to the story. Even she didn't know the real purpose of the town, and it was tempting to find out what that reason was. However, Stephanie thought the better of it. The only way to prove to Judge Jasper that she should be allowed to travel freely beyond Peace River was to show she could be trusted. Only those few people he felt could be relied on not to interfere with his plans, whatever they might be, were permitted to visit the outside world. Finding out what they were up to would most likely jeopardize her chances.

"It was some pretty wild stuff," I went on. "So when I found this town filled with normal, happy people, it was like a slap in the face."

"How were you planning on getting your friends out of Peace River?" Stephanie asked, now intrigued with my story. "You must've known that if your friends tried to cross over the river with you, all of you would find yourself driving back into town from the other side."

"Klein showed me how to make a jammer that would stop this from happening," I explained. "All I had to do was pick them up and drive away. The only problem was, they didn't want to leave. And now, after seeing Angie and Anne again and knowing how happy they are here, I find myself wanting to stay." I swallowed hard then asked, "Is living in Peace River worth giving up your freedom, Stephanie?"

My attorney observed me carefully for a moment. "John, I've been in your shoes once before. Living in Peace River is like living in your own little world. You have to believe that nothing else exists outside the town boundaries. That was the hard part for me, because I missed visiting places in Chicago, St. Louis, and a dozen other cities. It's not easy, but you gain other things in return; things you didn't even know you were missing. So it's not like you're giving up your freedom, you're simply trading one form of freedom for another."

"What form of freedom is that?" I asked directly.

"Freedom from violence and intolerance. Freedom from serious illnesses, like cancer. Freedom from old age. No one in Peace River ages once they reach 30. When you die, you die looking and feeling young. Judge Jasper gives you a healthy, beautiful new body to live in. However, I don't want you to think it's a cakewalk living here. You will have to work five days a week just like everyone else. Judge Jasper usually assigns people to jobs they're good at, and will be happy doing. And people do die from accidents, just like they do in the outside world. I lost a good friend less then a month ago in a swimming accident. Peace River isn't any different from the rest of the world you're used to. We just live under a different set of standards." My attorney stopped talking for a moment to let that sink in.

"John, I think you should know something else," she cautioned. "Most of the men brought here get changed into women. I don't know why Judge Jasper does this, but the percentage is quite high. There's no way I can promise you'll still be a male after your meeting with him. You could become a little girl or a married woman; it's really up to him. Add to the fact that he'll most likely be slightly pissed by your actions, and I would say your chances of being kept a man are rather slim."

"I understand." I took a deep breath. There was something else I needed to tell her. "I think you should know that I met Angie and Anne through a TG support group. You see, I'm a... a..."

"Crossdresser!" she finished with a wide grin.

"Yea," I admitted in slight embarrassment. I cursed myself for being so scared and closeted over the matter. Why did my admittance of being a crossdresser make me feel like I had commented some kind of terrible crime?

"It's okay, John," Stephanie reassured me in a comforting tone. "I kind of figured you were TG because of your relationship with Angie and Anne. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other. However, I think you should know that since you are a crossdresser, the odds of you remaining a man are practically nil. I've represented 53 male cross-dressers over the years and all of them were transformed into beautiful woman, even when they didn't want to be."

I suddenly felt sorry for those people who had been forced to live their new life as the opposite sex. While there were many good points about this place, I saw a number of flaws in the town as well. It seemed like the ones running Peace River were concerned about everyone being happy, but only up to a certain point.

"That doesn't seem right," I stated.

"Maybe," she answered with a small shrug, "but it's the way things are around here. I'm not going to sugarcoat the truth for you John. I want you to decide what you want to do with both eyes wide open. There'll be times when things don't seem fair, and there won't be anything you can do about it. The Judge and his people are fair-minded, and they'll treat you as if you're their own children, which in a sense you are I suppose. But they also expect you to accept certain things about your situation unconditionally, like not being able to leave the town or accepting the new life you've been assigned, even if it is as the opposite sex. There isn't anything you can do about that."

She saw the trouble look on face and added, "John, you can still walk out my door and drive away without anyone knowing you were here. Believe me, some of my past clients would give anything to be in your shoes. But once I go to the judge, you'll be stuck in this town for good. It's highly unlikely he'll allow you outside in the real world again. So, are you sure you want to stay?"

I stood up and looked out the window of her office that faced the main street of town. A mother was walking down the sidewalk pushing a stroller with a newborn baby in it. That should've been my wife, if someone hadn't robbed her of her life. She had died before the rescue workers could get her out of the car. So the hell with the outside world! What had it ever done for me except create a lot of pain and heartache in my life? Look what the outside world had done to me. This was the first time in months I had gotten the nerve to leave my house.

"I'll stay," I told her softly. "However, I was wondering if you could talk to Jupiter first, then come back and get me."

"If that's what you want. Just don't try leaving, John. He'll only have someone come after you."

"I won't leave. I just need time to prepare - that's all. I want to walk around the town one more time as myself before...before I'm changed."

She smiled, stood up, and placed her hand on my shoulder. "I understand, John. Just remember, this isn't the end of your life, it's the beginning of a new one - one that you'll find happy and rewarding. Now let me call and see if the judge is in."

She picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Hi Ashlee, I was wondering if Judge Jasper was in. I have an important matter I need to discuss with him. Great, I'll be there in 15 minutes." She hung up the phone and I returned her comforting smile with a nervous stare.

"John, it's not too late. I can still make up an excuse as to why I had to see him."

"Just make me the best deal you can," I told her. "As a sign of my good faith," I handed her my car keys and the pen that held the jamming device. "This should convince him that I willing to live under his conditions. The jammer inside this pen protected me from his magic. Now I'm just like anyone else here. I won't be able to say Ju... Ju... his name unless he wants me to."

Stephanie pocketed the jammer and car keys into her purse. "It'll make my job easier to convince him of your intentions when I show him these things. I'll meet you back at my office in an hour."

We parted company outside. My attorney drove off toward the courthouse in her new Ford, while I started walking toward a group of stores. For some reason, shopping always calmed my nerves. I wandered around for about 30 minutes until I stumble on 'Marshall's Clothing Store'. It looked like it catered to the female population of the town.

"Why not," I said to myself. I could always pretend I was looking for something for my wife. Besides, if what Stephanie had told me was correct, I would become a regular customer here.

When I entered the store the first thing I noticed was how feminine it seemed - only it wasn't something I could put my finger on. This store didn't look any different than other dress stores I had visited, but it felt different. There was even a feminine smell that I couldn't describe, but it was sweet and smoothing to the senses. Perhaps this was done to make the women who had once been men more at ease with being here.

Over near the corner I spotted a rack of spring dresses and started walking toward them. That's when I spotted one of the most realistic mannequins I had ever seen. She, or rather it, was dressed in a short, flowered dress that looked very flattering over it's plastic body. Strange, but the closer I got the less it looked like plastic - and the eyes seemed to be watching me. That was impossible of course but when I moved over a few feet the eyes still seemed to be locked in on me. I was about to take a closer look when someone interrupted me.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Something about the voice turned my legs into Jell-O, and I turned to see one of the prettiest women I had ever seen. She was tall, almost 5' 11', with golden blonde hair and an angelic face. The short dress she wore showed off her long, tan legs and did little to hide her firm, luscious breasts. Only my deep sense of self-control prevented me from reaching out and touching her. I quickly forgot about the mannequin I was going to check out.

"Can I help you," she repeated lovingly.

"I, um, well." I found it impossible to find the words. All I could do was look back at her hypnotic smile and think how much I wanted to go to bed with her. Never had I lusted over a woman quite so much.

"I bet you're looking for an outfit for someone, right?" she grinned as if this was part of an inside joke. I nodded my head, unable to take my eyes off her. It was as if she had cast some kind of spell over me. I felt my face flush with excitement as my body temperature rose by several degrees.

"Well," she said, never removing the charming smile on her face, "we have several nice outfits over here on sale for those evening outings. Like this one."

The saleswoman held out a silky, blue dress with white lace around the V-line collar. The dress screamed out 'GIRL!' and I had no doubt the silky smoothness would feel great against my body.

"Pretty, isn't it," she said suggestively. "Anyone wearing this outfit would look and feel so lovely. Maybe you'd like to try it on."

"Yes, I would," I replied back in an almost hypnotic state. I reached for the dress then caught myself. "I mean, no. It's for someone else, I mean."

I felt my face burning with embarrassment as I tried to recover. "I don't wear...I mean, it's not for me."

"Are you sure," she questioned. "Nothing feels better than the soft touch of a pretty outfit against your body."

"It's not for me!" I recovered, knowing full well that she was toying with me. Then I noticed her nametag read Vicki Marshall. Oh my God, no wonder I was acting this way. I was standing in front of Venus.

"We have a private changing room in the corner," she continued to press. "You can try on anything you want."

"I...I need to go," I told her quickly. It took all my inner strength to pull myself away from her. "Thanks for helping me."

Turning, I almost ran out of the store, which was hard to do since my body was telling me to stay. Outside I tried to catch my breath as I wiped the sweat from my brow. Oh man, that was close. That's when I spotted Officer Merrick standing in front of his car less then ten yards away. The warm smile he had worn earlier was replaced with a stern stare, and he was looking right at me. I guess he now knew that my being here wasn't an accident.

"Officer Merrick," I acknowledged. He nodded slightly at my greeting but never said a word, nor did he stop staring at me. I found myself getting very nervous. I swallowed hard and got up the courage to ask the next question. "Are you here to arrest me?"

"No," he shook his head. "Your attorney is waiting for you back at her office, I suggest you go there. Judge Jasper is very anxious to meet with you."

"I imagine he is," I grinned, hoping to break the tension between us. It didn't work. Mercury continued to stare at me as if I was some kind of criminal.

"Mer... Mer..." I found myself unable to use his Roman name, and noticed a slight smirk on the officer's face as I tried and failed. I switched over to his first name in the hopes of reaching him. "Mark, please don't be angry with me. I thought this place was hell on earth and you were some kind of monster."

"So what changed your mind?" he asked in grim fashion.

"I don't know, maybe it's from what I've seen and heard since I've been here. Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about why I was here earlier, but what would you have done if I had?"

"I suppose we'll never know," he stated coldly. "Your attorney's office is two blocks that way." He pointed in the direction with his finger. "Do you want me to drive you there?"

"No, I'll walk." Before I could stroll away he grabbed my arm and looked into my face with his steel-blue eyes.

"I'll be watching you," he reassured me. Then he released my arm and got in his car.

The conversation freaked me out, and I rushed to get away. This was not the same warm and friendly cop I had met just an hour ago by the lake. Now Officer Merrick was cool and business-like. Worse, he could read my mind and find out everything about me. Had that contributed to his change in attitude? Had he discovered something about me he didn't like? Would Judge Jasper act the same way? I quickened my pace to Stephanie's office.

***

What surprised me when I walked into the reception area was that Stephanie's secretary wasn't there to greet me.

"Must be out running an errand", I deduced. I noticed the door to Stephanie's office was slightly closed and concluded she hadn't heard me come in.

"Stephanie, are you in here?" I asked pushing open the door. I was taken aback by what I saw. My attorney was lying on the floor unconscious. Sitting on the edge of her desk and smiling back at me was my boss, Donny.

"Hello, mate," he said in his strong, Aussie voice. "I've been waiting for you to show up."

"Donny," I blurted out in complete surprise. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's a long story! I'll explain everything while we bugger out of here."

"What the hell do you mean by that? I'm not going anywhere. And what happened to Stephanie?"

"She's just taking a bit of a snooze, cobber, she'll be okay in a few hours. I needed her you see, but I had to send her little helper away."

I shuddered a little at his cold words. Something told me in the back of my brain that whatever had happen to the secretary it wasn't good.

"You still haven't answered my question." I inquired. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to take you out of this joint," he grinned real big, showing his white, shiny teeth.

"I'm not going anywhere," I told him staunchly.

"I figured that would happen," he stated directly. "However, I didn't expect you to dump Klein outside of town the way you did. I needed him inside Peace River to do my bidding. Fortunately, he found another way in and completed his mission. He's a crafty little man he is."

"You mean a criminal and murderer - or don't you care?"

"I don't," Donny replied. "What he does to you humans is none of my concern. I gave him his reward for a job well done and sent him on his way. As for you, do as I say and you'll come away from this with your life."

"And what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Drive mate, just drive." He smiled coolly, indicating there was more to his statement than he was telling me. "We're going to walk out to your car and you're going to drive both of us out of here."

"You should know that Mercury is watching me." I suddenly realized that I had been able to say his real name. Donny smiled as he saw the bewildered look on my face.

"You're only allowed to use their names if you're in the presence of a god that will let you," he stated with a smirk, his Aussie voice now replaced with a deeper Mediterranean tone.

"You're - one of them!"

"I was until Jupiter kicked me out," he answered with just a tad of anger. "I am the god Demoe, hero to our people and third in command of all our armies. If it weren't for my personal sacrifice, we wouldn't have defeated the Titans, our mortal enemies. Everyone knew my name after the battle of Apur, EVERYONE!"

"I'm sorry, but I read several books about the Roman gods before I left and I don't remember you being in there."

"No, I'm not," he answered with disdained. "Old Jupiter made sure of that. While he was out whacking one of his ladies friends, his wife, Juno, decided to get back at him. So she invited me back into her bedroom and seduced me. When Jupiter found out she had cheated on him, he punished me instead - the double-standard maco. I was stripped of my rank and thrown out of Olympus. My name was stricken from every history book. All the statues in my honor were destroyed, and all humans that knew of me were put to death. In less then a day I was forgotten by your world, and by my people. ME, A HERO TO MY PEOPLE, TREATED LIKE A TITAN SCUM DOG!"

"If all this is true, Mercury will spot you as soon as we leave here. He'll be on you faster then crap through a goose."

"If he looks at me real carefully, maybe; but I think he'll be more concerned with watching you. Watch and you'll see what I mean."

He laid his hand on Stephanie's arm and suddenly began to change before my eyes. Demoe's hair grew longer, his body mass disappeared, and his face became feminine. In a matter of seconds he was the spitting image of my attorney.

"See what I mean," he/she grinned evilly. "Mercury will never recognize who I really am unless he probes me. I doubt that he will. He's still as big of a fool as I remembered. Come now, you're going to walk to your car and then we're going to have some fun with Merk and his pals."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I told him. He/she gave me a cold smile.

"You don't have a choice!" he/she hissed in a low, feminine tone. Suddenly my body became rigid as someone took control of it. I tried to break free of the grip but it was useless.

"You're just wasting your energy," he/she told me directly. "Each one of us was blessed with certain powers when we were born. In my case, I was blessed with many powers, including the ability to change my shape and control your puny, human minds. Fortunately, I was able to escape Jupiter's clutches before he was able to steal my powers."

"Mercury won't let me leave with you," I told the imposter. "He'll follow us wherever we go."

Demoe got within inches of my face. "I'm counting on that."

***

With Demoe standing next to me looking like Stephanie Hall, we walked to my car parked a block away. I tried to run, to break free or cause some kind of disturbance, but it was useless. Looking back I could see Officer Merrick sitting in his car watching us.

"You once told me this crate could roll," Demoe said as I started the Cuda. "I want you to prove it to me. When you get to the traffic light ahead, I want you to signal like you're going to turn."

"No, I won't," I replied but something in my mind told me I would. When we stopped at the traffic light, I flipped on my turn signal as I had been told to do.

"Very good, Johnny boy." Demoe laughed in a belittling manner. "Now, when that light turns green I want you to burn rubber and get the hell out of town as fast as you can."

I felt my feet and hands move into position, as my eyes focused on the light. I didn't want to follow his commands, but I found it impossible to disobey them. As hard as I tried, I couldn't break the spell he had over me. I watched as the light turned yellow for the side traffic, and felt my foot revving up the engine. When the light turned green I released the clutch and hit the gas with all my might.

The car shuddered back and forth as the rubber of the tires tried to catch hold of the dry pavement. Thick, gray smoke and the smell of burnt rubber filled the air and engulfed the rear of the car. The tires squealed loud and hard in protest. Finally they caught and the Cuda surged forward at an incredible rate. I shifted gears and tires screeched again as rubber moved faster than the pavement could handle them. I shifted twice more, and by the time I hit 4th gear, a mere 8 seconds later, we were already doing 90 mph. In the distance I could see a cop car struggling to keep up. Demoe laughed loudly.

"You really screwed up Mercury's mind back there. He thinks he still has the upper hand, the fool. He just ordered Deimos to block off the bridge on the other side of town. It's a good thing you had those jammers installed on your car, huh Johnny!"

Demoe activated the jammers as we raced closer to the end of the mile-long bridge. The car was doing almost a 120-mph as everything in my peripheral vision became a soft blur. I kept my eyes focused on the road ahead, praying that we didn't hit a bump or something else. At this speed, any little jolt could cause the car to lose control and go crashing into the river. In a matter of seconds we buzzed by the end of the bridged and faced an open road ahead. Demoe laughed loudly again.

"Oh my gosh, Johnny, it's too bad you can't hear what I'm hearing. I think you just caused Mercury to shit a brick back there. He's - wait." Demoe went silent for a moment and tilted his head as if he were listening to something. He entered into a slight trance and a moment later straightened back up again.

"Okay, he just radioed Officer Deimos to tell him their plan failed. He's going to pursue us, but he wants Deimos to stay in town and make sure nothing else happens. Yes, I figured Mercury would do that. Now he's trying to subconsciously call for backup. Well, I'll put an end to that."

Again, Demoe went into a slight trance as if he were concentrating on something only he could see. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the cop car was at least a good quarter of a mile back. Officer Merrick was quickly losing ground on us. I braked hard for a curve and flew through it at nearly 110 miles per hour.

"Go faster," Demoe demanded. "I don't want him to catch us yet."

"If I go any faster I'll lose him," I explained.

"You needn't worry about that. Old Mercury can run at least 130 mph."

"It's not him, it's his car you stupid idiot. It's just a regular car with lights attached to it; otherwise he would be on my ass by now. We're not racing against Mercury, we're racing against his car and right now we're kicking his ass!"

Demoe glared angrily at me as if he didn't like being second-guessed. "I told you to go faster, now DO IT!"

I found my foot pressing down harder on the accelerator against my will. Despite doing almost 120 mph, the car lurched forward slightly. It wasn't long before the speedometer said we were doing almost a 150-mph. As I predicted, the cop car quickly started to disappear into the distance.

"He's not keeping up," Demoe muttered in surprise.

"Well DUH, you moron! I tried to tell you he wouldn't be able to. For all the powers you were given, being blessed with good, common sense wasn't one of them, was it?"

Anger flashed in Demoe's eyes, and if we weren't going so fast I think he would have killed me. But he quickly recovered and a thin smile appeared on his lips.

"You're trying to bait me, to get my mind off Mercury so he'll be able to call out for help. You're a clever human Johnny boy, but not clever enough. I've been playing you like a puppet for almost a year now. Every move you made was a result of my doing, including how you reacted after your wife was killed."

"YOU!" I yelled turning to look at him with hatred in my eyes. "You had her killed?"

"I did no such thing, Johnny boy," he smiled with satisfaction. "I ran into her myself. You should've seen the terror on her face just before I knocked her lights out. In fact, her getting pregnant caused me to advance her death by a few months. It's a shame your son had to die in the accident, but his birth would've interfered in my plans. I couldn't allow that to happen. I was going to end her life by raping her, but the accident was much cleaner."

"You SON OF A BITCH!" I tried to remove my hands from the steering wheel so I could wrap them around his neck. "I'll kill you!"

"I don't think so," he laughed. "You still haven't figured this all out yet, have you Johnny boy. You see, I'm going to lure Mercury out into the middle of nowhere and kill him, after I remove his power. Adding his power of speed to my skills will allow me to steal the power orb right underneath old Jupiter's nose. I'll be so powerful that even Jupiter and the combined strength of his clan won't be a match to me. So you see, I'm hardly worried about empty threats from a insignificant human like yourself." He let out a loud, defiant laugh.

"I'll find a way, I swear I will."

"I don't think so," he replied confidently while looking back at the cop car now almost half a mile away. "This isn't where I planned to bushwhack old Merc, but if we go any farther we'll lose him for sure; and slowing down to let him catch up will only make him suspicious. Right now he's so pissed at you Johnny that he can't wait to get his hands on you. The fool, he's not thinking this thing out."

Demoe paused with his bragging for a moment and looked ahead. "Okay, just around that corner I want you to hit your brakes and spin out. He'll think you just lost control of the car and stalled."

Before I had a chance to think about it, I was doing what he said. I hit the brakes hard, leaving a thick cloud of gray smoke behind me. Then I jerked the car slightly to the left as we entered into a long straightaway. The rear of the Cuda moved right, and the car to slide sideways for about 100 feet down the highway. Then we finished up the 180-degree spin; stopping and facing the way we had come.

"Get out," Demoe ordered.

I found myself being pushed out of the car while dragging him/her with me. A knife appeared in my hand and I brandished it up to Demoe's throat just as Officer Merrick showed up. Demoe started screaming in panic and fear, making a very nice picture for Mercury.

"I'll kill her," the words were forced out of me. I held the knife even closer to his/her throat. Oh how I deeply wanted to use the knife and end Demoe's life, even if it meant my own certain death.

"Put the knife down now," Officer Merrick demanded sternly while pointing his gun right at me. "This will be your only warning."

I tried hard to send a mental picture to Mercury, but Demoe must have been blocking my efforts. Suddenly he screamed real loud and hit me in the stomach with his feminine elbow. The blow took me by surprise, and I staggered away gasping for my breath. Officer Merrick, unaware of what was really going on, followed my movements with his gun. Suddenly I found myself able to talk again.

"Mercury, it's a trap!" I tried to yell out. It was too late. Demoe had already produced a weapon of his own and was aiming it right at him. Mercury looked over just as Demoe pulled the trigger. A blue bolt of energy shot out from Demoe's gun, striking Mercury in the chest. The impact caused him to fly over 40 feet in the air, and he landed hard against a tree. There was loud thud and Mercury fell to the ground.

Demoe laughed out loudly, and changed from Stephanie Hall into a person I had never met before. The new person was male, about 6'5", and had a rugged, scared face. With a menacing look he pointed his gun at me.

"This is between him and me," he stated with a glare. "Get in your car and leave. I have work to do." Demoe's sternness was replaced with a look of deep satisfaction as he started walking toward Mercury. Much to my surprise, I saw that Mercury was still alive. The Roman god was working his way around the tree for some protection.

"The hell I'll leave," I shouted loudly, reminding myself that I still had a score to settle with him. I run toward him, but he pointed the gun at my leg and pulled the trigger. A horrible, searing pain dug into my ankle, along with the smell of burning human flesh. I fell down to the ground in great pain.

"That was very stupid," Demoe informed me with almost no emotion. "If you had followed my plan to begin with, I would've ended your pitiful existence. Instead, I'm going to let you live with this knowledge. Goodbye Mate!" He again turned and started walking slowly toward Mercury, mocking him.

"Can you hear me, Tweedy?" he called out. "Remember, I gave you that nickname the first time I saw you wearing those wing-tipped shoes Cupid made for you. I bet you haven't heard that name in a while."

"I got a gun, Demoe" Mercury yelled back weakly.

"A human gun, not a real gun," Demoe answered with a chuckle.

"I can still use it on you!"

"Oh, it'll hurt if you shoot me, I'll give you that, Merc. But it won't stop me from getting what I want. Don't fight me Mercury, you've lost. Let me have what I want without a struggle. If you do that, I promise to make your death quick and merciful.

"Would that be the same mercy you showed the 250 people you slaughtered in the village of Kwite'e?" Mercury challenged.

"You're hardly in any position to judge me, Tweedy. Not when you compare what I did with what you'll doing to the people back in Peace River."

"At least we're giving something back to them," Mercury argued in a debilitated state. He coughed and green blood came out of his mouth.

"Why don't you ask the people of Peace River and see if they agree with you," Demoe countered. "You're getting weaker, Tweedy, I can feel it. Come on Merc; give it up already! You know it only makes it harder to get what I want from you after you're dead. Don't be a stubborn jackass, Mercury; I'm going to get your power anyway. Why not save yourself some suffering in the process?"

"Come get it," Mercury yelled back with new determination. He turned and fired the gun, striking Demoe in the chest.

"OWW - SHIT Mercury, that stung." Demoe screamed out. He touched the wound with his hand and healed it instantly. "Why do you always have to do things the hard way, Merc? You never won when we played this game, not once. I'm too good at it."

Demoe raised his gun and shot at the tree Mercury was behind. The blast struck the trunk about 3 feet above Mercury's head, exploding it into a mass of splinters. The top part of the tree fell to the ground, barely missing Mercury. Demoe laughed loudly with glee and continued slowly moving toward him.

While this was going on, I was looking around for something to fight with. I thought about running him over with my car, but any illusions I had of harming him vanished when Demoe healed himself. If a bullet didn't have any effect on him, why should I expect running over him would be any different? Besides, my car made too much noise to allow me to sneak up on him. No, if I was going to defeat this bastard I needed something special. Maybe there was something in Merrick's patrol car I could use.

I got to my feet and in great pain, limped my way over to the cop car. A quick search inside the vehicle proved fruitless. I tried to call for help on the radio but was greeted with static.

Out of desperation, I grabbed the keys from the ignition and made my way back to the trunk. Perhaps it held something I could use. I glanced over to at Demoe to see what he was doing while fumbling with the keys. He was either too interested in Mercury or didn't think I was enough of a threat to him to pay attention to me. I opened up the trunk and inside found a black bag. When I unzipped it I found a gun similar to one Demoe had in his hand. On the side was a knob graded 1 to 10. I turned it to ten, hoping it was the highest, and took aim.

"Eat this you demi-god wanna-be," I shouted at the top of my lungs. I pulled the trigger and a laser bolt came out, only less powerful than the one Demoe had shot Mercury with. It hit Demoe in the side and spun him around. He looked at me for a moment, stunned.

"Shit, position ten must be the weakest setting," I thought. I turned the knob to one and tried to fire again but nothing happened. The gun began to whine, and that's when I realized it was charging up. Demoe must have realized it too, for he pointed his gun at me and fired. I managed to dive out of the way just in time. His shot hit the gas tank of the police car, which instantly exploded into flames. Shrapnel from the explosion flew out and struck me in the side. I screamed in pain as the red-hot metal penetrated my skin and rolled away from the fire; the gun still clinched firmly in my hand.

"I won't miss this time, mate," Demoe announced while pointing his gun at me.

My gun was already pointed in Demoe's direction and there was a green light flashing on the top. I prayed it meant the gun was ready to be used and I quickly took aim and fired. The force from the recoil almost broke my shoulder and I cried out in pain, but my mark was right on. The shot hit Demoe in the head, exploding it like a melon ball. It was a strange and sickening sight. Demoe, his body anyway, stood swaying back and forth for almost 10, long seconds. Then the gun dropped from his hands and he fell forward to the ground.

"That's for my wife and son you cold-hearted bastard," I yelled out in triumph and pain. I looked at the gun in my hand and was surprise to see the blast had melted the barrel. It was a good thing I hadn't needed to shoot again.

Using the remains of the gun as a crutch, I painfully stood up. As quickly as I could, I made my way over to where Officer Merrick was laying. It didn't take a genius to see he was in bad shape. Green blood was everywhere, as it flowed freely from his chest.

"What can I do to help?" I asked. I took off my shirt and stuffed it into his chest wound.

"Only he can help...at the courthouse," Mercury muttered in pain.

"Who can help? You mean, Jupiter? Is that who?"

Mercury nodded.

"I'll drive you there," I told him.

"No time, I'll be gone by then. I...can't tell them I'm in trouble...too weak. Use the car radio."

"That explosion you heard moments ago, that was your car radio," I informed him. "He got your car, not mine."

"Then I'll die here," he stated weakly

"The hell you will," I replied in anger. I started to lift him up, and he screamed out in pain.

"Suck it up, pal," I told him with raw determination. "I'm in a hell of a lot of pain myself. I can't carry you, so you're going to have to find the strength to help me out. Now walk."

We stumbled forward toward the road; his bloody arm swung around my neck. I hoped his blood didn't contain anything poisonous to humans. Each step was torture as the shrapnel dug further into my body. I wanted to sit down and rest but kept moving - knowing that if I did stop I would never be able to start up again. When we got to my car I flung open the passenger door and maneuvered him inside.

"Pain!" he cried out.

"I know," I tried to comfort him as I got in. "Just hang in there."

I started up the car and threw her in first gear. I drove around the burning police car then opened her up.

"Hang in there, Mercury," I urged him on as I shifted gears. The ankle wound made it almost impossible to use the clutch, so I straight shifted instead. The gears screeched in protest.

"PAIN!" Mercury yelled out. All of the sudden the car began to vibrated side to side violently. I struggled to keep the Cuda on the road as it started to fishtail wildly out of control. Doing almost a 110-mph, it wouldn't take much to cause her to roll. I fought the wheel hard and hit the gas, hoping I didn't over correct. The car fishtailed some more but finally straightened up.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" I yelled.

"The vibrations of my pain," he answered weakly.

"I don't know what the hell that means, but the next time you have to do that let me know. You could've killed us both." He nodded and closed his eyes.

I accelerated up to almost 170 mph on the straight-aways, pushing my car to its limit. I braked hard for a curve, slowing to just under 125 mph, before accelerating back up again. I looked over at Mercury, who seemed to be losing consciousness.

"Just another 3 miles, Mercury. Hang in there!"

"It's coming, that wave," he muttered out. I hit the brakes hard, leaving a long trail of smoke and rubber in the process. This time the car was only doing 70 mph when the violent shaking started, and I was prepared for it.

"PAIN! - PAIN!" he cried out. Then the shaking stopped and everything was normal again. I punched the car back over 100 again.

"Can you contact your father so he can meet us at the bridge," I asked hopefully.

"Too...weak," he answered. "I...I can't." He started losing consciousness again.

"DON'T YOU DIE ON ME NOW, MERCURY!" I yelled. "We're almost there, I can see the bridge in the distance."

"Slow...slow down. Don't risk...hurting anyone."

"Let me worry about the driving, you worry about staying alive. We'll be at the courthouse in less then three minutes."

"I'll...I'll try," he whispered.

"NO! YOU DO IT OR I'LL KICK YOUR ASS!" I screamed. He nodded and bit his lip hard.

I crossed the bridge doing close to 100 mph and slowed when I reached the outskirts of town. Luckily it was before the lunch rush started and traffic was light. Moments later I was pulling up to the front of the courthouse. Due to my own deteriorating condition, I misjudged how fast I was going and ended up crashing onto the courtroom steps. The sound of twisting metal against the concrete steps was sickening. I hobbled out of my car and made my way around to the passenger side.

"Grab my neck," I commanded while reaching for Mercury's waist. He obeyed and I lifted him out.

My ankle was really hurting now, as were other parts of my body. Each step I took was more painful then the last. I bit my lip and carried the officer into the courthouse. There an African-American woman, coming to investigate the sound of my car crashing, met us. She put her hand up to her mouth in horror.

"Help me," I called out. She obeyed, and wrapped Mercury's free arm around her neck. Together we carried him into the courtroom and laid him on a bench.

"Stay here," she said before running off yelling, "Judge Jasper, come quick. Officer Merrick has been injured." She reappeared a moment later with a man behind her.

I don't know what I had expected Jupiter to look like, but what I saw wasn't it. He was tall, muscular, and maybe in his early 50s. The king of the Roman gods had a nicely trimmed beard and wore an expensive three-piece suit that must have been tailor made. He glanced at me for moment, then rushed over to the officer and placed his hands on his chest. As he closed his eyes, his hands began to glow.

I stepped out of the way, and the woman who had met us at the door ran over and helped me sit down. The thrill of the ride back into town had drained me, as well as the loss of blood from my unattended wounds. Suddenly I realized that Mercury wasn't the only one who was dying in this courtroom. Two more gods, one male and another female, rushed in to help Jupiter. They placed their glowing hands on Mercury who continued to lie there not moving. I closed my eyes, thinking this was all a bad dream, but the pain was enough to convincing me that it wasn't.

"Stephanie," I said to the black woman who was trying to stop my bleeding. "She's been hurt! You have to check on her."

"I will," she replied, "but first I need to take care of you." She gave me a worried smile.

"It's pretty bad," I told her, finding myself unable to concentrate anymore. I was starting to feel pretty lightheaded.

"It's not good," she agreed. "Hang in there."

"That's what I told Mercury," I laughed and then started coughing. "What's your name?"

"Ashlee Gang. I heard about you, Mr. Stillwell. Everything's going to be alright." I saw another goddess run into the room and place her hands on Mercury.

"Why doesn't he move," I asked.

"Keep still," Ashlee told me. She ripped away part of her skirt to make a bandage.

"You're pretty, you know that Ashlee," I mumbled out in a foolish fashion. "Very, very pretty. Married?"

"I'm afraid so, John," she smiled slightly. "Two kids with another on the way." I looked down at her belly and saw it was swollen.

"A pity," I replied dazed. "You're so beautiful."

My nurse didn't say a word back as she continued to work on my wounds. I saw Venus arrive, looking as beautiful as she did at the store. However, this time she had a worried look on her face. The goddess of love walked over to where Mercury lay and looked at him with concern. Then she turned and stared at me with the same, concerned look.

Walking over, she got down on her knees and said softly, "I'm going to help you, John."

"No, help him," I protested. I tried to raise my arm and point to where I wanted her to go, but I was too weak.

"He's in good hands," she assured me. "It's you I'm worried about."

She grabbed hold of my hand and suddenly everything changed around me. I was standing in a field, surrounded by beautiful flowers that I had never seen the likes of before. In the distance I could see a tall, stately building made of white marble. Standing close by was Venus, completely naked. She smiled lovingly and placed my hand on one of her warm, luscious breasts. I could feel my body temperature and sexual excitement rise within me. Next to us appeared a bed, and she pulled me down to it. That's when I realized I was also naked.

Suddenly there was a blinding light, and reality shifted back around me. I found myself sitting on the floor in the courtroom, my hand firmly clinched on one of Venus' breasts.

"I'm sorry," I said in embarrassment while quickly pulling my hand away.

It's okay," she smiled warmly, "I have that affect on men." She got up off the floor and said, "Ashlee, help Officer Deimos take Mr. Stillwell to a place where he can lay down. He needs to rest now."

Out of nowhere the officer appeared and carefully helped me to my feet. Although weak as a newborn baby, I was no longer in pain. Deimos was a lot stronger than he looked, and carried me almost effortlessly to the door. I stopped him before we left, so I could look back to see how Mercury was doing. To my joy, I saw the police officers feet moving slightly as they continued to work on him. That's when I passed out.

When I woke, I found myself in a darkened room. My head buzzed and I felt slightly dazed, but for the most part I felt pretty good. I ran my hands down to where the wounds in my side were only to discover they weren't there. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness caused me to think the better of it.

"Take it easy, John," a familiar voice murmured.

"Who's there?" I groaned.

"It's me, Stephanie. How are you feeling?" I felt the touch of a soft hand on my forehead.

"Dizzy. What time is it?"

"It's 3 in the morning. You've been asleep for almost 16 hours."

"16 hours," I repeated trying to clear the cobwebs in my head. "How's Mercury doing?"

"He's fine. In fact he's already back to work. They recover faster then we do."

"How are you doing, Stephanie?" I asked. "Did Demoe hurt you?"

"No, not too badly. But my secretary," she stopped short and turned away. In the light from the door I could see tears in her eyes. I knew Demoe had murdered her secretary.

"I'm sorry, Stephanie. If I had only known who Demoe really was, I would've tried to stop him."

"You couldn't have known, John. No one knew."

I tried to raise myself out of bed but felt nauseous. Stephanie tenderly pushed me back down. "Take it easy John, your body isn't ready to get up yet." I nodded weakly.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" I asked.

"The muses taking care of you said you would wake up soon. I wanted to be here when you did."

"But why?"

"I was concerned and I wanted to make sure you were okay. You lost a lot of blood yesterday, John. If Ashlee and Vickie hadn't stopped the bleeding, you would've bled to death."

"I killed one of them, Stephanie. What's going to happen to me?"

"I don't really know, John. I haven't talked to Judge Jasper yet. You may have killed one of his people, but you saved his son doing so. You stayed to fight while knowing you would most likely die if you did. The Judge and his people admire brave souls."

"It was hardly bravery," I confessed. "It was revenge that caused me to stay and fight. Demoe murdered my wife and unborn son to force me to complete his plan. I couldn't run away knowing that. I wanted to kill him so badly it hurt. So you see Stephanie, if anything, it was false bravery."

"I better let you get some rest," she told me. "Just so you know, we have a meeting with Judge Jasper at 10am. I'll be here about 9:30 so we can talk some more. Don't worry, John, everything will turn out okay."

I nodded and closed my eyes. Moments later I had drifted back into a sound sleep.

***

The muse, one of the two assigned to me, woke me up and fed me some kind of white mush while the other prepared my bath. The mush didn't taste too bad; in fact it hardly had any taste to it at all. Whatever was in it helped restore some of my strength back to me. After I was done eating, both of them lifted me out of the bed.

I protested vigorously as the sheet rolled off my naked body, but they simply giggled at my embarrassment and lowered me into the oversized bathtub. Both girls were similar in appearance, standing about 5' 4" tall with brown hair tied up in a bun at the back. Despite their size, their strength was amazing. I had no doubts that one of them could've lifted me if necessary. They proceeded to bathe me as if I was a child, soaping me down with large sponges and rising me off with large vases of warm water. I sat back in the tub and closed my eyes, thinking about how I could get use to this type of treatment. All too soon the bath was over and I was lifted out of the water.

Despite the fact I now felt strong enough to stand and dress myself, they both insisted on helping. I found them both helpful and annoying at the same time. Shortly after I was dressed, Stephanie showed up wearing a blue skirt suit with an off-white, silk top. We talked some more about how I came to be here, and she offered some good advice on how to act when I faced the Judge.

"I guess it's time," I told her nervously.

"Just relax, everything will work out okay," she assured me. "Come with me."

We arrived at Ashlee Gang's office right on time. The young woman smiled pleasantly and led us into the judge's chambers. It turned out to be quite crowded. Judge Jasper stood up to greet me and shook my hand. His handshake was firm, yet friendly, and his actions did a lot to calm my nerves.

"Why don't I introduce you to everyone first before we begin," he said in a formal tone. "This is Mr. Marsh..." He stopped and frowned. "I don't see a need to continue pretending since Mr. Stillwell knows exactly who we are. This is my son, Mars." A tall, athletic-looking fellow stood up and shook my hand, almost crushing it in the process.

"You met his wife, Venus." She smiled pleasantly but didn't offer her hand for obvious reasons.

"My colleague, Minerva." Minerva was short, standing only about five feet tall, but incredibly beautiful in her own right. There was also a look of wisdom on her face and of all things, an owl perched on her shoulder.

"My brother, Neptune." He was very similar looking to Jupiter, with a well-trimmed beard and firm handshake. However, he didn't have quite as stern of a look as some of the others in the room.

"Over here is Judge Herns, from Andersonville. I've asked her to be here this morning to observe. Now that that's out of the way, I think we can begin." He took his seat and motioned for my lawyer to begin.

"Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Stillwell hired me to petition to you his request to stay in Peace River."

Jupiter smiled and waved his hand. "Stephanie please, we don't have to be so formal here. One of the reasons why we're holding this discussion in my chambers is so we don't have to be. I've read the request you typed up last night and it is most thorough."

"Thank you, Your Honor," she beamed with pride.

"John, can you tell us why you want to stay here?" It was Minerva who asked the question, and she seemed quite interested in my response.

"I don't really know," I answered honestly. "When my wife died, a large part of me died as well. I found myself uninterested in things I used to think were important. However, seeing my friends Angie and Anne again changed all that. My work doesn't allow me to make a lot of close friends, those I really cared about. I guess it came down to that I lost my wife and I didn't want to lose my friends again." Minerva gave me an understanding nod.

"Are you prepared to stay here, without the chance of leaving, if it's our will?" Neptune asked directly.

"I hope one day you will trust me so I can visit the outside world from time to time, but I am prepared to stay if that's the case." I stopped for a moment then added, "I know what I'm walking into here. I know why Peace River exists and what will happen to me. I accept my fate if you will allow me to stay."

"Stephanie, if you could excuse us please," Jupiter told her politely. My attorney patted me confidently on the hand and left the room without saying a word.

Jupiter turned to me and asked, "I'm curious Mr. Stillwell, as to why you didn't tell your friends the truth about Peace River. You could have told them why we needed them in an attempt to convince them to leave with you?"

"I was going to," I admitted, "but when I saw how happy they were living here, I couldn't. They're both blissfully happy here. I couldn't ruin what they had and still call myself their friend. To them, any cost for living in Peace River as real women is worth the price. I don't think they would've left anyway even if I told them. So why ruin their image of this place?"

"You care about them greatly, don't you?" Neptune questioned.

"Yes," I told him with feeling. "I care - I love them as if they were my own family. Their happiness means everything to me, which is why your secret is safe with me."

Neptune nodded thoughtfully and said, "Considering all the events that have happened in the past two days, I believe you. Still, not everyone would agree with what we are doing here."

"Can I ask a question? Isn't there some other way you can get what you need without harming them?" The female judge from Andersonville answered the question.

"We're trying another way in Andersonville," she said. "The results look promising, but it is still too early to know for sure."

"At the present time there is no other way," Jupiter finished for her as if he feared she would say too much. Judge Herns in turn gave him an angry scowl, which he ignored.

"In return for what we need," he continued, "we offer our residents an even trade. They're given a youthful, healthy body that doesn't age past 30, and an environment free from crime, hate, or cruelty. Most people, like your friends, view Peace River as paradise. However, even with our careful screening process, a few people who come to live here still see Peace River as a prison. But I can assure you, Mr. Stillwell, we're not the cold-hearted or cruel gods that Demoe painted us out to be. We want your people to be happy, and to live full, productive lives because it benefits us as well."

"Yes, I can understand why," I nodded. "So, what happens to me? Will you let me stay?"

Jupiter looked at his colleagues first then continued. "You've left us with quite a predicament, Mr. Stillwell. On the one hand, you know too much about Peace River for us to just let you go unattended. Oh, I could make you forget about us for a while, but in a few months you'd eventually remember everything again. That's the problem with learning about us outside the influence of this town, we can't wipe your memory clean."

"So, I get to stay then?"

"No," he said rather uncomfortably. "While I could allow you to stay, I believe your life, your destiny, is out there, beyond the boundaries of our town."

"But that's not true," I protested. "I don't have a life anymore. When Demoe murdered my wife, he murdered me." I stopped for a moment then asked, "Is it because I killed one of your kind that you won't let me stay?"

Jupiter shook his head. "No, Mr. Stillwell. Your life has taken a detour, nothing more. In time you will overcome this painful setback and move forward. We would like to help you get back on track, but not here in Peace River. We want you to work for us, to help us on the outside. From time to time we'll call on you. Until then we want you to resume your life as if this didn't happen.

"As for Demoe, he's not really dead in the sense you think. Think of him as in a coma. He won't wake up until he's healed again. Of course, you don't have to worry about him, Mr. Stillwell. With his injuries, that won't happen for a hundred years or so. If anything, you did us a favor by shooting him."

"You don't want me here, then?" I asked in disappointment.

"That's not the case at all," Jupiter replied honestly. "I would be proud to have you as a citizen of my town. However, I believe keeping you in Peace River would be a travesty to the outside world. We need more people like you out there, not in here."

"Do I really have a choice?" I asked directly.

"No, you don't," said Jupiter firmly. "However, I understand your need to be with your friends from time to time. I'll allow you to visit Peace River three days out of the year."

"Only three days? How about a week?" I suggested.

"How about one day?" he countered with a frown.

"Three days is fine," I relented.

"Good," he smiled, "then we're done here."

"Jupiter, one more thing. Would you mind if I had lunch with my friends before I leave - Please?"

"I've already made arrangements for you to do so. Both of your friends are waiting outside. I'm giving you until one this afternoon to leave town."

"Thank you," I said standing up.

He rose and shook my hand. "Thank you for saving my son, Mr. Stillwell. You'll be hearing from us soon."

Outside Angie and Anne greeted me. Both of them looked anxious about what had happened in there. They seemed a little relieved to see me standing there, and not some stranger.

"What did he say?" Angie asked while hugging me.

"I'll tell you over lunch."

***

"And then he ran out of the door as fast as he could," I finished. We all laughed at the fond memory of that support group meeting. Those memories seemed so long ago. I looked down at my watch and noticed it was close to one.

"It's time, isn't it?" Angie asked sadly.

"I'm afraid it is, guys. I need to make another stop before I leave."

"But you'll be back, right?" Anne asked.

"Christmas, if they let me," I said. They both looked glum at the thought of not seeing me for a while. "Hey guys don't look so down. At least I'm able to visit you now. In time Judge Jasper may even let you visit me. Think about all the fun times we'll have in the future."

"It's what you tried to do for us that's going to make us miss you," Anne said. "Angie and I have talked about this after you dropped us off at school. Coming here to rescue us John, was very brave."

"What I did was out of desperation, Anne. I've been so lonely since Janet died. I was willing to do anything to get some of my life back. Now that I found you again, I feel like I have. You guys - I mean you ladies, are the best! I love you both."

"And we love you," they replied together with tears in their eyes.

"I know," I sniffed. I stood and gave them both a big hug. "I'll see you again real soon."

We said our good-byes and I headed over to a local floral shop. There was still one more stop I needed to make before leaving town. After picking up some flowers, I drove over to Stephanie's office. I found her filing some papers her secretary would've been doing if she were still alive.

"Hi, Stephanie," I said while presenting the flowers to her. "I wanted to say 'thank you' before leaving."

She blushed while taking the flowers. "They're lovely! Thank you, John. Usually I only get flowers from the people I win cases for."

"I don't consider it a loss, Stephanie. Sure, I didn't get to stay, but I do get to visit from time to time. I've gotten much more out of this trip then I ever expected. Don't be sad, I'm not."

"I'm glad, John. I just wish there was more I could do for you."

"I've been given my life back because of you, what more could I ask for?" I looked at my watch and frowned. "I really need to be going."

"Make sure you stop in and see me the next time you're in town."

"I'll make it a point to do so," I promised. "Goodbye, Stephanie."

"In Peace River we say our good-byes a little differently, John." She walked over and gave me a big hug. "Take care of yourself."

"I will. You too, Stephanie."

As I left her office I felt good, as if the black cloud that had loomed over me for so long was gone. I was starting all over again. Although it wouldn't be easy, the long hard night was behind me now. Ahead I could see the sun rising in my life once more.

Outside I spotted a police car parked next to my Cuda, with Mercury leaning against the hood. Officer Deimos was sitting inside the police car silently staring at me.

"I was afraid I wouldn't get a chance to see you before I left, Officer Merrick," I told him with a smile.

"I wanted to say goodbye, John and thank you for what you did," he grinned conservatively. "Considering what you knew about this town, you could've left me back there to die."

"No, I couldn't have," I explained. "Demoe was using me to steal your power. It wasn't enough for me to stop him. I had to make sure his entire plan failed. Besides, you're much too valuable to Peace River and my friends. It's a nice place to live."

"You don't want to leave, do you John!" he stated.

"No, I don't," I told him honestly. "I want to stay, even knowing what I know; even knowing what it'll cost me in the end. But I have to obey your father's wishes."

"So if you could stay you would?" he asked with interest.

"Without question." I frowned slightly. "Maybe one day that'll happen, I don't know. It's close to one, I need to get out of here."

"Good luck, John." Officer Merrick shook my hand and in a more serious tone added, "I'll see you soon."

His words had an almost haunting effect as I drove out of town. I looked down at the murky river as I passed over it. Below I spotted what looked like a small human jumping around in the water. Was it one of these man-eating mermaids Klein Walker had told me about? I wondered how honest he had really been concerning Peace River and what had happened to him?

I passed over the bridge and slowly the town of Peace River disappeared in my rearview mirror. I sighed sadly. I had never expected to be turned away like this. What was I to do with my life now? My research was still there, but my heart wasn't into completing it. Maybe that was because I had been more interested in making money instead of helping others. Well, that wasn't true, but getting rich had been my first priority.

I cranked up the volume of the radio and pushed my Cuda to 70mph. There was a rattling under the hood, indicating my high speed running the other day had done some serious damage to a lifter. Most likely I would have to tear down the engine to make sure nothing else was wrong. I checked out the gages, the oil pressure was a little low. Just to be sure I tapped it a few times to see if it would change. It didn't. Yes, I would have to tear the engine apart when I got back home. My eyes drifted from the oil gage back to the road just in time to see a brown deer prance out in front of me.

"OH SHIT!" I yelled. I jerked the wheel sharply to the left and slammed on the brakes - all too late. The Cuda shuddered violently as the rear quarter panel struck the deer with sizable force, causing the car to fishtail in the wrong direction from which I was steering into. I spun the steering wheel the other way and hit the gas pedal but it didn't work. In a fraction of a second I knew I was going to crash. My last view was that of a patch of trees my driver's door was going to strike. I closed my eyes to spare myself from seeing the end. Suddenly my car jerked violently around and stopped. When I opened up my eyes I was on the other side of the road staring back at where I had came.

"HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!" I kept repeating. My Cuda and I should've been wrapped around one of those trees, not sitting here safe and sound. There's no way I could've avoided this crash.

"You can't park here," someone said.

"What?" I asked in confusion. It was Officer Merrick standing next to my car with a thin smile on his lips.

"I said you can't park here, Mr. Stillwell. I'm afraid I'm going to have to cite you for this."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled angrily. "Can't you see I was almost killed here? Can't you see the deer back..."

I stopped in mid-sentenced and looked around. There were no skid marks from my car, at least not where I had spun out. Nor was there a deer lying on the road. There was only Officer Merrick who grinned even more as he saw me figuring this all out.

"Like I said, Mr. Stillwell, I'm afraid you're going to have to see the Judge about this."

I grinned back. "I heard he can be a real tough bird in cases like these."

"Yes he can," Merrick agreed. "I don't expect you'll be on your way back home after he's done with you. If you don't mind, I'll ride back into town with you." Officer Merrick opened up the passenger door and sat down.

"Do you mind?" I asked carefully. "This will be my last trip in her."

"Go ahead," he said waving his hand. "Just make sure you slow down when you get to the town limits.

I started the car back up and jammed the shifter into first gear. After revving up my motor to an awful whine, I popped the clutch and laid down a line of black rubber and smoke behind me. Mercury, the god of speed, seemed to appreciate the wild ride as I chirped the tires in all four gears. When we got into town I took a more conservative approach to my driving and pulled up in front of the courthouse. Officer Merrick stood on the steps and waited while I said my last good-byes.

"It's been fun, old girl," I told the Cuda as I gently rubbed my hand down one side of the car, over the trunk, and up the other side.

"Goodbye, Betty," I said softly with feeling. I kissed my hand and placed it on the hood to show my affection. I knew it was just a car, void of any real feelings, but the Cuda had meant so much more. It was the last symbol of any family I had left - and any freedom. I joined Officer Merrick on the steps and he led me inside.

"Sit here," he commanded once we entered into the courtroom. Stephanie joined me a moment later.

"John, what's going on?" she asked. "I got a call from Officer Deimos to come here right away."

"I wish I knew what to tell you," I replied. I told her about the car accident that didn't happen.

"That explains a lot," she stated, although she didn't elaborate on what she meant. I was going to ask when Judge Jasper walked into the courtroom followed by Ashlee Gang.

"All rise, the honorable Judge Jasper is now presiding," Officer Merrick bellowed out. Jupiter looked over at me with great surprise.

"What's going on here?" he demanded to know while looking straight at Officer Merrick.

"Mr. Stillwell has been charged with parking in the middle of the road, Your Honor," Mercury replied as if that explained everything. Judge Jasper was not impressed with his answer.

"In my chambers - NOW!" he told the traffic cop. I looked over at Stephanie with confusion as they both went to the Judge's chambers. The door was slam shut with great force.

"What's happening?" I asked

"Nothing you want to be a part of," she answered. Suddenly I felt the ground start to shake underneath my feet.

"Earthquake?" I questioned.

"Judge Jasper!" Stephanie commented. "John, if you want to come out of this in one piece, I suggest you let me do the talking."

"But I didn't do anything wrong."

"It doesn't matter," she told me. "Whatever Officer Merrick did, Judge Jasper is super pissed about it. If you end up saying the wrong thing he'll take it out on you. Do you understand? Now keep your mouth shut."

The door opened again and Judge Jasper walked out without Officer Merrick. He took a seat on the bench and faced me with a very stern expression.

"It appears Mr. Stillwell, that you'll be joining our family after all," he got straight to the point. "Ms. Hall explained to me earlier that it was your desire to be a part of your friends' family. I'm going to honor your request, that part at least."

I wanted to ask him what he meant by 'that part at least,' but remembered what Stephanie had told me and held my tongue. Judge Jasper raised his hands and closed his eye. He started mumbling something I couldn't make heads or tails out of, and then a blue ball of light or energy, I couldn't tell which, rose out of his hands. It moved forward quickly, striking me in the chest.

Almost instantly I began to lose weight, growing thinner both around my arms and legs. There was a rush of activity on the top of my head, and long, blonde hair started spilling out over my shoulders. I watched in even greater shock as my blue jeans and T-shirt changed into a light blue dress that hung at least 2 inches above my knee. My old, grimy tennis shoes changed into a pair of white pumps. Gold jewelry appeared on my wrist, fingers, and around my neck - as well as a wide-brim hat that covered my blonde hair.

"Welcome to Peace River, Miss Felton," Judge Jasper announced unceremoniously. He rose silently and went back into his chambers.

"That's it?" I asked Stephanie.

"What more did you expect?" she answered.

"But... but, I'm a girl," I stuttered out. "Angie and Anne were supposed to have an older brother, not an older sister."

"I guess that's what Judge Jasper meant when he said he was going to honor part of your request," Ashlee Gang interjected while joining us. "It appears that Angie and Anne got a sister in his place."

"So I see," I added with disappointment. I held the hem of my dress out in front of me in mild shock. I knew this could've occurred, that I might become a girl if I stayed. However, I had been expecting to remain a man when he told me I would be a part of their family.

"It's okay, Sherry," Stephanie said seeing the look on my face. She wrapped her arm around me in a comforting fashion.

"Sherry?" I said.

"Your new name," Stephanie smiled, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "Take a deep breath dear, it's not the end of the world."

"I'm okay... it's just... it's just..." Tears welled up in my eyes as I found myself getting very emotional without knowing why.

"It's okay, honey," Stephanie repeated the words, this time more softly. "A lot of people feel the same way after it happens. Don't be ashamed."

I suddenly found myself bawling in her arms for no reason. Both ladies hugged me tightly, as if it would help. For some reason it did. After a few minutes I was able to get control of my emotions again.

"Feel better?" my attorney asked.

"Yes," I admitted while wiping the remaining tears from my eyes. "I felt so, so abandoned. I guess my new name is Sherry Felton now, huh?"

"That's right," Stephanie nodded. "Why don't I explain the rest of your life to you on the way to your job."

"A job?" I giggled slightly. "What did I get stuck as? Looks like I'm some kind of secretary from the way I'm dressed."

"Actually, you own your own business. You're the owner and chief mechanic at Sherry's Cherry."

"Oh God," I almost laughed. "Couldn't he have come up with a better name for it?"

"I guess you could always change the name if you want," Ashlee commented, "although I'm sure it'll bring in plenty of business."

"Yea, but what kind?" I stated joyfully. Instead of being stuck in some office I would be doing the one job I loved, working on cars. I actually found myself looking forward to it.

"Let's go check out your new place and see what you think," Stephanie said while pulling me towards the door. "See you later on for lunch, Ashlee."

My attorney led me out of the courthouse and to one of the side streets off the main drag.

"The place isn't much to look at, but I think you'll like it," Stephanie commented as if she were a realtor trying to sell me the place. "It's only a two bay garage, but there's room for expansion."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," I told her. A joyful greeting from behind interrupted our conversation. It turned out to be Angie and Anne, and both were running as hard as they could to catch up to us. It turned out that Ashlee had just told them the news. Both girls gave me a joyful hug when they caught up with us.

"We heard the news," Angie said with a smile.

"We have a new sister," Anne beamed. "A wonderful, beautiful new sister."

"One who can fix our cars when they break down," Angie added humorously.

"One who will charge you full price for doing so," I laughed back. They were my sisters now, and it felt great to think of them as such.

"Why don't I have your sisters show you the shop, Sherry," Stephanie said handing the keys over to Angie.

"Oh, that'll be great!" Angie agreed while giggling with joy. Both of them grabbed a hand and led me away, giggling and hugging me as we went. I just smiled and didn't say a word. I was home!

***

The office around the two ladies gradually faded back into view. Ashlee felt drained by the experience, her body wasn't putting out the energy that it once had with the baby almost due.

"I'm sorry, this was a strain on you," Vickie said with concern. Venus touched the pregnant woman's hand and Ashlee felt a sight tingling rise up her arm. Suddenly she didn't feel as tired as she had moments ago.

"Thank you for the boost," Ashlee told her. Vickie gave the young woman one of her warmest smiles to let her know she was welcome.

"There's still one piece missing." Ashlee looked at the goddess a little confused. "What every happened to Klein Walker?"

"Aww, well that's why I'm here," Vickie grinned. "I need to show you what happened so we'll have a complete record of this event. Here, take my hand."

The two ladies joined hands and the room started to change around them.

***

Klein Walker was pushing the car as fast as he dared. Nearly two hours behind him was the town of Peace River. The god Demoe had been true to his word, and had turned the ex-rat into a 20-year-old man. Klein was now tall, muscular, with a crop of dark hair to accentuate his very masculine body. His face was rugged with crystal blues eyes. Klein knew he wouldn't have a problem finding women to go out with him.

He was heading in a southeasterly direction; fearful that if he headed back toward Seattle one of the gods would spot him. He had bigger plans waiting for him in Texas, near the Mexico border. There he would set up a new operation smuggling drugs and illegal immigrants across the border and work up from there. His operation would be small at first, but Klein had years of experience under his belt. He would make his new operation into something much bigger and powerful then he once had. In a few years he would be a major player in the criminal world, only he would be young enough to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

A car sitting on the side of the road with its hood raised distracted his attention from thoughts of power and greed. However, it wasn't the car that got his attention, it was the blonde haired woman dressed in a short, red dress with a pair of tan, luscious legs, standing next to it. She was dressed rather sexy, but her face indicted this was a woman of charm and grace. She waved him down and he pulled up next to her.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"Oh yes, please," she replied back. "My car broke down over an hour ago and you're the first person I've seen. Can you help me out?"

"Let's see what I can do," he smiled warmly while thanking his good luck. No one around, she was totally defenseless, and he was horny as hell.

"My name's Steve Walker, what's yours?" Klein asked getting out of his car.

"Vickie Marshall. I really do appreciate this, Steve." The goddess Venus gave the young man a killer smile. This only made Klein desire her more than ever.

"My pleasure," Klein grinned back. He stood next to her and faked like he was looking at the motor. What he was really doing was leering at her breasts through his sunglasses. "I see the problem. I should be able to get it fixed within a few minutes."

"Oh, that's wonderful," Vickie clapped in excitement. "Is there anything I can do in return for your help?"

"Let's see," he grinned forcefully. "You can take off your clothes first and then we'll discuss the specifics of my payment."

"What?" Vickie responded with fake shock and anger.

"You heard me," Klein snarled, grabbing the smaller woman and pulled her right up to his face. "Me and you are going to have some fun."

"Oh darling, you don't know how much fun we're going to have," Venus smiled back.

Suddenly Klein sensed a trap and tried to run. He took a few steps toward his car before finding himself frozen in place.

"Oh no you don't," Vickie told him humorously. "You didn't really think we would let you get away, did you, Mr. Klein Walker? Stand still," she giggled slightly, "while I take care of you."

Vickie/Venus held out her hands and closed her eyes, whispering words that Klein couldn't understand. A bright, red ball of energy rose out of her hands and went forward, striking Klein in the chest. He felt a tingling sensation throughout his body, and then started to shrink.

"Oh no, not again," Klein tried to scream out. He saw white fur cover his arms and legs as his hands turned into claws before his very eyes.

Vickie watched carefully, her smile never fading from her face. When it was over she reached down and picked up the helpless, six-week-old white kitten.

"There, now you got what you wanted," she taunted him. "You're a pussy - cat that is. Actually, just a baby pussy."

The kitten hissed its disapproval at the situation.

"Naughty pussy cat," Venus scowled Klein playfully. She rubbed the kitten up and down on its spine using her magic. Moments later the kitten started to purr loudly. "There, much better."

"You do know my father isn't going to be happy about this?" Mr. Marshal, the Roman god Mars, said as he walked out from behind a rock.

"I don't care," Venus pouted. "I think turning him into a rat was wrong, even if he did deserve it. Besides, I have a good home already picked out for him, I mean, her."

"If you weren't so beautiful and charming," Mars chuckled as he shook his head from side to side. "We need to get back."

Venus smiled mischievously at her husband. "Come on, I'll race you home."

"You're on," Mars answered as he got into Klein Walker's car. The two revved their engines and disappeared into a bright hole that appeared in the middle of the road. Moments later it disappeared as well.

About 10 minutes later Vickie drove up to a two-story farmhouse with white picket fence in front. On the steps of the porch sat a 5-year-old girl with her hands on her chin. Tina Keebaugh had been born in Peace River, so she didn't have an old life to deal with. Vickie noticed the little girl didn't seem happy like she usually was. Vickie/Venus could also sense the young girl's grief and sadness over a recent loss. Her mother came out of the house to see who was driving up, and gave Vickie a short wave.

"Hi Margaret," Vickie said warmly as she got out of her car.

"Evening, Vickie," the farmer's wife replied. "What brings you out our way?"

"I heard Tina's cat was killed by a car."

"We buried it this morning," Margaret said sadly. "Look at her, she's been like that all day."

"Losing a pet can be hard on a child," Vickie agreed. "So when I heard, I rushed out and got her something to cheer her up. Take a look in the car."

Margaret peered inside and smiled. "It looks just like old Snowball."

"This one is more streetwise," Vickie told her in a knowing way. Margaret nodded, understanding what she meant. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Margaret smiled. "Tina dear, come here please."

The little girl rose up slowly and made her way over to the car. "Hello, Ms. Marshall," she said politely.

"Hello, Tina. I heard about your cat. I'm very sorry to hear what happened."

"Why did he have to die?" Tina asked trying to hold back the tears.

"Oh honey," Vickie started out in a comforting tone. Venus got down on her knees so she could talk to the young girl face to face. "That's what life is all about. You're born, you live, and then one day you die. When we die no one really knows, but it's a natural cycle."

"But I didn't want him to die," she sniffed. "I loved Snowball."

"I'm sure he loved you too," Vickie replied giving the girl a comforting hug. "That's why when I heard what happened, I went out and got you something I thought would cheer you up. Would you like to see?"

The little girl nodded her head slowly, and Vickie reached into her car and pulled out the kitten. Tina's eyes went wide with surprise and excitement.

"SNOWBALL!" she shouted with glee. She took the kitten out of Vickie's hands and hugged it tightly. "Oh, he's so beautiful and purrs so loud!"

"It's a she, honey," Vickie corrected the young girl. "However, I don't think she will mind sharing the name of your old cat.

"Thank you, Ms. Marshall, I love her. I'm going to take Snowball up to my room and show her around." The little girl scampered away happily.

"That was very nice of you, Vickie," Margaret told her.

"She needed a new home," Vickie grinned. "If Snowball gives you any trouble, just let me know. Have a good night, Margaret."

Margaret waved as Vickie drove off into the setting sun.

***

Slowly things came into view, and Ashlee found herself back in her office.

"Some ending, I'm glad it was a happy one," Ashlee commented. "I didn't really like how Judge Jasper handled Klein Walker the first time."

"I felt it was better to keep Mr. Walker in Peace River from now on." Vickie explained. "Since Tina needed a new cat, I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Well, I really need to be running here. Take care of yourself, Ashlee, and that new child of yours. By the way, do you want me to tell you what sex it is?"

"No, but thanks for the offer," Ashlee replied. "I want this one to be a surprise."

"Okay then. Take care of yourself." Vickie gave Ashlee a big hug for good luck and headed out the door. Judge Jasper's secretary watched her go then turned to the folders piled high on her desk.

"There's no way I can get this done by five," she said slightly frustrated. Even more frustrated, Ashlee felt like she had to pee again. The baby must be resting on her kidneys.

"Oh, damn it," Ashlee cursed as she felt her panties get wet. She felt slightly embarrassed knowing she had peed her pants, but then a sharp pain followed the wetness.

"Oh no," she said in a slightly panic state. "JUDGE JASPER, HELP!"

Fade out...

Next episode - The Day Linda Anderson came to town.

This story dedicated to Crystal, for her unselfish and generous devotion in providing a place (Crystals Story site) for writers like myself to share their stories with others.

 

Andersonville 12 - The day Linda Anderson came to town
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Treasach Klawes and Sam Vincent

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

I slid the report into the proper file just as he walked into the room. Dennis Butz stood there wearing his three-piece suit, looking as handsome and charming as any man could. But I was not to be tamed by his charm.

"Hello, Linda," he said with a friendly grin.

"Judge Herns isn't in today," I replied back in a frosty tone.

"I'm not here to see her."

"My plane leaves in less then an hour Dennis, what do you want?" I slammed the file drawer shut and walked past him to my desk without making eye contact. If he didn't know I was pissed at him before, he knew now.

"I wanted to give you something before you left." He handed me a small black box. Inside was a gold necklace with a cross.

"Is this supposed to make up for what you did to me?" I told him with a glare.

"It's for you to wear while you're in Peace River. It won't stop their magic, but it will prevent them from reading your thoughts."

"What magic?" I demanded to know.

"I can't tell you, Linda," he replied softly.

"THE HELL YOU CAN'T!" I yelled. I looked Dennis straight in the eyes to show him I meant business. "This game you've been playing with me has gone on long enough. I want you to tell me everything you know about Peace River, including who Judge Jasper and his people are!"

"I'm sorry, Linda, but I can't," he apologized. "Just watch yourself around Mr. Cupler. He's really the only one you need to be concerned about. Ms. Marshall won't have much affect on you."

"That's not a good enough answer, Dennis. I want you to tell me RIGHT NOW what the HELL you signed me up for! Who are these people and what do they want with me - and with you?"

"I'm afraid, Linda, that's something you'll have to find out on your own. Please, you have to trust me."

"Trust is a two way street, Dennis," I snarled. "So is RESPECT! If you want me to 'TRUST' and 'RESPECT' you, then you have to be willing to do the same thing with me."

"I do trust you, Linda, and respect you greatly," he replied in a tone that sounded sincere. "I'm sorry you're so angry that you won't accept that as fact."

"You don't get it, do you Dennis? How can you be so intelligent and yet fail to comprehend the basic premise behind my words? Let me spell this out for you real clearly so you'll know why I'm so pissed off at you. You made a deal to bring Sally to Andersonville in exchange for my services, without consulting me first. The fact is, if you had asked I would've said 'YES'! But you didn't respect me enough to ask. You just went ahead and made the deal as if my opinion didn't matter."

"It was a spur of the moment decision," Dennis tried to explain. "I didn't even know Pete Atkins was going to bring it up until he did."

"What, you couldn't tell Pete you'd get back with him?" I pointed out rudely. "What's the matter, can't you two people talk to each other on the phone? Was it so urgent that you had to make a decision right then and there? You could've - NO, you should've told Pete you'd have to check with me first and get back to him. That's what someone does when they respect the person involved; they check with them first before signing away six months of their lives into some hell hole."

"Peace River isn't that bad."

"How do I know that? Besides, that's not the point, Dennis! You still don't get it."

"Yes Linda, I do. You're right, I should've asked you first. I'm sorry that I didn't, it showed a great lack of respect on my part. Please understand Linda, when Pete offered me the trade, I assumed you would be willing to go along with it. However, you're absolutely correct, I had no right to agree to his deal without checking with you."

"That helps, Dennis. Now tell me why Judge Jasper wants me in Peace River so badly. And what is this conflict about concerning your two people and how does it involve the human race?"

"I'm sorry, Linda, I can't tell you. Please believe me when I say if I could tell you I would. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to at this time. There are rules I have to follow to keep the peace between their people and ours."

"Who are you?" I asked directly.

"You know I can't answer that," he replied softly. "In time, Linda, you will know the truth about us and what is going on."

"In time, huh?" I said sarcastically. "Somehow I don't think I'm going to like the truth when I find out." Dennis shuddered as if he didn't know how to answer me.

"Is Peace River better than Andersonville?"

"NO!" Dennis replied back sternly. "Our people have much more freedom than they do. And Andersonville is a much safer place to live."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're going to have to discover the answers to those questions for yourself," he stated firmly. I noticed Dennis's demeanor had changed to a more defensive attitude. Apparently my last question had struck a nerve in him.

"So that's it then. It comes down to a matter of trust, or lack of trust on your part. Go forth Linda, into this strange and dangerous world like an unprepared virgin and pray you don't get swept away in all this! Don't question why it's this way...it just is!"

"Have you ever THOUGHT..." Dennis started out angrily then stopped, took a breath, and continued again in a calmer tone. "Have you ever thought Linda, that learning the truth on your own is better than me telling you what it is? Think about it little miss smarty-pants, before condemning me for my actions. If I told you everything you wanted to know, you'd be learning it through my interpretation of what the truth is. In the end, you'd most likely view the situation very different and not 'trust' me. You may not like my lack of silence on this matter, but it's for your own good."

"Nice recovery, Dennis," I countered. "I almost believe what you just said - NOT! It's still comes down to a simple matter of not trusting or respecting me with information that may help me understand what's going on. You're sending me into Peace River completely blind. Comparing my last meeting with Judge Jasper, I'm sure it's going to be a long six months."

"Look at the bright side," Dennis said with a slight grin.

"Bright side? What the hell bright side is there to all this?"

"You get a six months vacation away from me." Before I could think of a response, Dennis Butz had already left the room.

"Rotten, son of a bitch," I muttered under my breath.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

My flight to Peace River was on a Leer jet big enough to handle 15 people. Accompanying me was Laura Miller, Andersonville's school superintendent, and Vickie Marshall, my dance instructor. Both were considerate when welcoming me aboard the plane. However, I found they were just as tight lipped about what was going on as Dennis Butz had been.

Piloting the plane was Diana, Judge Jasper's daughter. She gave me a smug look and told me to take a seat. I sat down as far in the back as I could. Every now and then I caught her looking at me in the mirror with a look of contempt.

Vickie, on the other hand, was her usual friendly self. She offered me a drink from the bar, a real alcoholic drink, and commented on how nice I looked in my green, skirt suit. I thanked Vickie; telling her I had worn it just for this meeting with Judge Jasper. I figured if he were going to find fault in me, at least it wouldn't be in the clothes I wore.

About an hour and a half out of Andersonville I got my first look at Peace River, and was a little surprised at what I saw. A wide river, at least a mile across, encircled the town and the area around it. Actually, it wasn't so much a river as a moat that cut almost 20 square miles of land from the rest of the world.

The town of Peace River was located on the south side of the island, and from the air I could tell it was much smaller than Andersonville. It was spread out pretty well, with several nice looking neighborhoods and a large number of farms scattered all around. The northern half of the island was a thick forest, with a nice size lake in the middle of it. In fact I could see three such lakes within the boarders of the island. Only one was connected to the river by a small channel.

Looking at the east and west sides of the island, I noticed two steel bridges that spanned the waterway. These bridges appeared to be the only way in and out of Peace River. One thing I found odd about the river itself, if you could call it that, was the lack of boats on it. I could see some watercraft on one of the lakes but nothing in the river. Apparently it wasn't for recreational purposes.

'That must be how they keep people from leaving,' I thought. Unless you were a very good swimmer or could build a raft, there wasn't any way out of Peace River other than the bridges. I had no doubts the bridges were well guarded somehow.

Along the banks of the river I spotted several buildings that seemed to be spaced out about a mile apart. I wasn't an expert on waterways, but the buildings reminded me of a pumping station I had once seen at a lock on the Ohio River. All of the buildings were identical in size and shape, and each one had a tower located on the roof. Perhaps they had spotters overlooking the river, searching for people trying to cross it. Maybe Peace River was even set up similar to Andersonville, where if someone entered into a restricted area it set off some kind of alarm somewhere. Ashlee and Stephanie both had told me they had been caught trying to escape.

There wasn't any doubt in my mind that the security in Peace River was incredible and meant to keep people inside. Still, I suspect there had to be a number of attempts made each month despite their efforts. I wonder if anyone had succeeded yet.

"We'll be landing in just a moment, Linda," Vickie smiled while peeking out the window with me. "What do you think of our town so far?"

"Interesting," I commented. Her smile got even bigger.

"You'll find plenty of interesting things once you had a chance to explore. I had Diane fly around the island so you could see everything first." There was a slight bump as the plane began to descend toward the ground. "Better buckle yourself in, we don't want you getting hurt if it's a rough landing."

I did as I was told and watched the town of Peace River come into view. I noticed a number of two and three story buildings that made up the main street through town. The courthouse, which looked to be identical to the one in Andersonville, loomed out from the center of the town. Even from this distance it looked impressive.

The buildings quickly disappeared behind some trees and I felt the airplane wheels touching down on the tarmac. After landing we taxied over to a hanger and Diana cut the engines. With a slight tug on the door, Vickie opened it up and ushered me outside. There I found five police officers, including Mark Merrick, waiting for me. I didn't know whether to be honored or scared by the reception. Mark walked over and held out his hands.

"Nice to see you again, Linda. How was your trip?"

"It was...fine," I answered while looking at the other police officers staring back at me. "Is all this for me?"

"Relax, you're a guest here," Mark laughed.

"I would hate to see my reception if I wasn't." Mark laughed at the comment but the other officers didn't join in.

"You'll be riding in my car," he motioned to the police car nearby. "I'm be driving you ladies to the courthouse to meet with Judge Jasper and some other guests. In the meantime, Officer Ganymede will take your bags to your new apartment, Linda. If you will get in the car please."

"Do I have a choice?" I asked.

Mark chuckled slightly and held open the door. As we drove toward town, I was struck by how old some of the houses looked. Oh, they were in good shape, but their design indicated they have been built years ago, when big, massive houses located on huge lots were the norm. That caused me to wonder how long Peace River had existed - and why the US government didn't know about this place. Certainly our satellites would've picked this place out. After all, how many towns had a moot around them?

Officer Merrick parked in front of the courthouse and ushered me up the stairs. Vickie, Diana, and Laura Miller followed at a discreet distance, as if observing my movements. Their actions did nothing to calm my nerves.

"The judge wants to see you in the conference room. There are a few people he would like you to meet first."

The 'few people' Mark mentioned was actually more like twenty people standing around talking, joking, and drinking. All that stopped when I entered the room. To my shock, Judge Jasper gave me a warm smile and walked over to greet me.

"Linda, thank you for coming here on such short notice. I want to personally welcome you to the town of Peace River."

As if on cue everyone started clapping, all except for Diana that is. She had a strong look of reservation on her face as if my being here wasn't such a good idea. I was probably the only one the room who was in agreement with her.

"Thank you, Your Honor," I responded politely and totally flabbergasted by his actions. Where was the hard-nose prick I had learned to hate in Andersonville?

"Officer Merrick, if you will please." Mark walked over and locked the door.

"I brought you here first Linda, not only to welcome you to Peace River, but to allow you to meet some of the people you'll be working with in a more friendly setting. That and the fact we'll find any reason to throw a party. I haven't met a whiskey and rye that I didn't like yet." There was a round of laughter around the room.

"I appreciate your concern," I said cautiously. This was not the reception I had been expecting. Judge Jasper was acting civil toward me, as if he had respect for me.

"It's not out of concern," he answered while handing me a drink from the bar. "You're a guest here and we want you to feel that way."

I was definitely feeling uneasy now. Except for Diana, everyone else was acting as if it were a pleasure to have me here. Even their smiles looked genuine.

"Perhaps we could go over my job duties," I mentioned politely.

"Later," the Judge told me. He put his arm around me in a comforting fashion. "Right now I think you should be told who we are."

"You mean, introducing me to everyone?"

"No, I mean the truth about who we 'really' are. The question you asked both Ashlee and Stephanie when they were guests in your town. Perhaps it would be better if you took a seat."

I sat down and swallowed hard. Somehow I knew this was going to be big, real big.

"Now, were do I begin? Let me ask you a question, Linda. What do you know about Roman history?"

"Not much," I replied honestly. "History was never my strong subject in school. I do seem to recall the Roman Empire was an advanced civilization for its time."

"And the gods they worshipped?"

"There were a number of them. In fact the planets of our solar system are named after the Roman..." I stopped in mid-sentence as a light went off in my head. I looked around the room slowly; everyone was grinning back at me.

"It can't be!" I whispered

"It is," Judge Jasper reaffirmed. "I am the god, Jupiter, and these are my people. Take a deep breath Linda, and calm down. No one is going to harm you."

I wasn't scared. I was more shocked then anything. They actually wanted me to believe that they were the Roman gods. No, they didn't care if I believed them or not; the point was, they believed it.

"I suppose there is an interesting story behind this." My statement won me a round of laughter, including one from Judge Jasper, old Jupiter himself.

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is. But before I tell you, why don't I introduce you to everyone here. This is my son Mars, also known as Mr. Marshall." A muscular looking man, who would've put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame, grabbed my hand with his meaty paw and kissed it.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Linda." I found myself unable to reply as I looked into his manly face. Except for the scar across his cheek, he was a handsome, mature looking man and extremely fit.

"My brother, Neptune."

Neptune looked similar to Jupiter, both in body and facial feathers. His beard was a bit longer and his face a bit thinner, but you could tell they were brothers.

"Of course you know Officer Merrick," Jupiter continued as he led me around the room. "Care to venture who he might really be?"

"He runs a communication shop and is extremely fast. Mercury?"

The cop grinned widely at my answer. "Very good, Linda. However, you seem to be having a bit of a problem accepting all this."

"It's a little hard to take in," I admitted nervously. "I didn't really believe, um, I mean think, that you were...I mean...being here in the United States and all."

"I think what you're trying to say without wanting to upset us, is you didn't think we existed," Jupiter expounded. "Perfectly understandable since we've kept a low profile to your people. Over here, we have Mr. Cupler. You may know him better in history as Cupid."

"Mr. - Mr. Cupler." I was hesitant to give him my hand. He was only about 5'4", with long, golden blonde hair that was tied into a ponytail. He was dressed normally, wearing a pair of pants and a good shirt. If I had to guess his age, I would say he wasn't much older than 16. He looked too young and friendly to be dangerous. Why had Dennis warn me to beware of him over of all the other gods here?

"Don't worry, Linda, I won't bite," he told me in a genial manner.

"Sorry - it's...never mind." I took his hand and felt a warm flow of energy running up my arm. Suddenly I felt at ease around him. Was this the magic Dennis had warned me about?

"I'm sure you've heard some pretty bad stories about me," he explained. "Don't worry, I'm really very nice. I'm sure we'll be good friends once you get to know me better."

"At least it'll be an interesting relationship," I recovered and even managed to smile. He responded with a hearty laugh, and the others quickly joined in.

Over the next 20 minutes Jupiter introduced me to everyone there. Mrs. Marshall, my dance instructor, was really Venus. Mrs. Miller, our superintendent at the Andersonville school district, was really a muse for Judge Herns. Judge Herns turned out to be the goddess Juno. And officer Deimos, he was really the god Deimos. I remembered one of the two moons around the planet Mars was named after him. I wondered where his brother Phobos was. Did all of the Roman gods live in Peace River or only a selected few?

After the introductions were complete, more drinks were served and the gods divided themselves into groups of 3 or 4 to debate certain issues. It seemed that the more they drank, the more intense some of the debates became.

I heard Neptune, also known as Capt. Nemo, discussing how fresh water from the treatment plants was seeping into the ground and eventually into the river itself. Apparently this affected the balance in the water, which wasn't the same as regular water.

In another corner, Minerva was concerned that the art museum wasn't up to par, and that more talented artists needed to be brought in. I found her discussion very cold, as if the lives of the people they were considering kidnapping - that's what I considered it - didn't matter. So what if the talented young artist they wanted to bring here had a family? That didn't seem to matter from what I overheard.

Finally Judge Jasper ended the party, saying it was time to get back to work. All of them said 'goodbye' as they left, promising to visit with me again once I had settled in. Apparently, I was something of a dignitary to them. They seemed just curious as to find out what I was like as I was about them. When the last person left, Jupiter closed the door and turned to me.

"I'm sure there must be a thousand questions running through your mind right now," he said in a warm, but businesslike fashion. "Unfortunately, this is neither the time or place to answer them; and I happen to know Officer Merrick and Deimos are patiently waiting outside to talk to you. So I'll reserve a table for us at Crystal's and we'll cover some of those questions over lunch. Oh, and one more thing Miss Anderson - at this point you will go back to referring to me as Judge, Judge Jasper, or Your Honor. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Good," he smiled then added, "by the way, you look very nice in that outfit. Gives you a very professional look."

"Thank you, Your Honor." He nodded his approval and I followed him back to my new office. Sure enough, both Officer Merrick and Deimos were waiting at my desk patiently. Judge Jasper excused himself and entered into his chambers, closing the door behind him.

"It's been our tradition," Mark started off with a smile, "to present each new guest in Peace River with a gift. That way they'll remember their stay here as a pleasant one. So from my people to you Linda, I give you this." He pulled from a box a long crystal vase.

"Oh my gosh, Mark, it's beautiful." I blushed at the words, for it made me sound more like a girl than I felt I really was. However, there was no question that the vase was beautiful. It glistened in the office light and had a picture edged into the crystal of a woman and child filling up a vase by the riverside.

"I'm glad you like it," Mark grin. "Officer Deimos has something for you too.

"I saw them on the way in and thought maybe you would like them," he told me shyly. He placed some pink and white roses into my arms. When he did, I saw over the top of his sunglasses and noticed he had pure, black eyes instead of regular eyes like everyone else. Was this some kind of birth defect?

"Thank you, Officer Deimos."

He smiled slightly then blurted out, "Would you like to have lunch with me today?"

"I'm sorry, Officer Deimos, but I can't. Judge Jasper asked me to have lunch with him. Maybe another time."

"Dinner then?" he asked hopefully. "I can give you a personal tour of Peace River afterwards."

It was tempting offer, but the only thing I wanted to do was go home, get out of these pantyhose, soak in a hot bath, and try to figure out what was really going on here.

"No tonight," I told him. "I have a real bad case of jet lag and wouldn't be very good company. Maybe in a few days, when I get settled in."

"Okay," he replied in a disappointed tone. "I need to get back to the office and fill out some paperwork. I'll talk to you later, Linda."

Officer Merrick watched the young officer leave then turned and said, "I really wish you would reconsider his offer, Linda."

"Come on Mark, I'm beat. I just got into town, I'm suffering a little jet lag, and I still have to go back to my apartment and unpack. Not to mention my head is still spinning from what I've been told this morning. Suddenly everything I used to believe in has been shattered."

"How?" he asked.

"Well, for one, I never used to believe space aliens visited us. Now I learned an entire community is living here among us, doing who knows what."

"You don't actually believe we're here to harm your race, do you?" Mercury questioned. "If that were the case, you'd all be sheep herders serving our every need. Instead everyone brought to Peace River is treated equally. We don't discriminate between you or us."

"Brought here?" I questioned. "Don't you mean kidnapped, Mark? Isn't that closer to the truth? You're not asking the person to come and live here, you're telling them to!"

"Linda, we could debate this all day; and as much as I would like to do that, I can't right now. Look, all I ask is that you look around our town with an open mind before judging us. If you do, you'll see that Peace River isn't so 'hellish' of a place as you think it is. Now, about Officer Deimos offer."

"I told you, Mark, I'm tired. After I get off work, I'm planning to visit Ashlee and see how she's doing. Then I'm going home and locking myself into my own private sanctuary."

Mercury shook his head. "Bad idea, Linda. Your time in Peace River is limited. Six months may seem like a long time, but it'll go by quickly. Getting back to Officer Deimos offer, I'm calling in a favor. Remember when I took you to Officer Brown's funeral? I didn't have to do that, but I knew it would mean a lot to you. Well, going out with Officer Deimos tonight would mean a lot to me."

"Oh you're going to have to explain this one to me, Mark," I replied.

"Okay," he sighed. "If you must know, Officer Deimos has a...well...a crush on you. You're all he talks about and it's driving me nuts."

I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing. I found the idea of someone having a crush on me very funny, only the look on Mark's face told me he was very serious.

"Come on, Mark," I chuckled. "I just met the guy this morning. How could he have a crush on me?"

"Linda," he said very formally and seriously. "This isn't a joking matter. When you - or should I say Tom - turned Gerald into a little girl, you did something that up until now has never happened to one of us. You beat us at our own game. True, Gerald is an idiot and he didn't have any of his powers, but he was still one of us. That made you kind of like a celebrity to some of us, especially those who didn't like Gerald to begin with. When Gerald lived here, he was something of a bully to the younger gods."

"And I bet Deimos was one of the gods he bullied, right?"

"That's correct."

"But I didn't even know Gerald was one of you," I pointed out quickly.

"I don't think that really matters, does it?" Mark asked point-blank. "You would've done the same thing to free your friend from his clutches. And the way you treated Gerald after his capture, that only made us admire you more. You were the topic of many of our discussions, and my father was flooded with requests to bring you here."

"But that was Tom McClain, I'm Linda Anderson, remember?"

"Yes, but your personality is that of Tom McClain," he countered. "Linda, you're young, beautiful, and a proven warrior. To Officer Deimos, who is still young and foolish at heart, you're like an untouchable fruit. That's the way it is with us. When we get stricken by someone that's all we can think about. Going out with Deimos would mean everything to him."

"You like him, don't you."

"I like a lot of people," he answered, "even you."

"I don't have to have sex with him, do I?"

"Only if you want to," Mercury grinned.

I snorted my disgust at the idea. "Okay, go tell him to pick me up at 6:30."

"Actually, it would be better if you went since you turned him down earlier. It would lift up his ego if you did. Oh, I know it's asking a lot, but would you mind wearing a nice dress and heels for tonight? You know, pretty yourself up for him."

"A dress and heels - oh, come on Mark! The last thing I want to do is change out of this dress and into another."

"Please," Mark stated hopefully. He said it with such sincerity that I found it impossible to turn him down. Besides, I did owe him one.

"Okay, but only if you answer a question. You had something to do with Sally returning from the grave, didn't you?"

"You're very sharp, Linda. Yes, I did. After she died, I intercepted her soul before she got to the other side and brought her here. I did so on my father's orders."

"But your father didn't want to get involved with her."

"No, he didn't want her brought here," Mark corrected. "Once she died, the rules changed. He was the one who told me to go get her. Just so you know Linda, my father wanted your brother to succeed. That's why he sent Sally to Andersonville, to be with him."

Officer Merrick's words touched me, and I found myself having a new outlook on Judge Jasper - even admiring him. I was seeing him in a whole new light, as a caring, sensitive man. Then another thought crossed my mind. Were these my true feelings or their magic working on me?

"Well, I don't know what to think now," I told Mark carefully. "This isn't the same man I remember."

"You shouldn't believe everything Dennis Butz tells you," Officer Merrick replied. "He's not very forthcoming on the truth."

I was going to tell him that Dennis hadn't told me anything about them but held my tongue. They didn't need to know everything I knew, or didn't know. This worked to my advantage if I kept it that way. They may start blurting out things they thought I knew; information I could use to figure out what was really going on here.

"Where would I find Officer Deimos?" I asked.

"At the police station," Mark Merrick told me. "I appreciate this, Linda."

"Like you said, Mark, I owe you a favor. Going to Kevin's funeral, and the picture you gave me, meant an awful lot to me at the time. Heck, it still does. It doesn't seem like going out with Officer Deimos begins to cover what you did."

"Just enjoy yourself tonight, that'll be payment enough," he smiled. "Why don't you go tell him now - it'll make his day. Oh, and please don't let him know that we talked about this."

"Okay, I understand."

I walked down the hallway toward the police station while thinking about what to say. I didn't want to give Officer Deimos the wrong impression, but at the same time I didn't want him to think I was being forced to go out with him either. My relationship with Jeff Summers had cooled before I left; leaving me available much to my mother's disappointment and to be honest, mine. It wasn't that I wanted to get married and settled down, but rather the rejection I felt when he told me he needed to still date other people. Was that why I didn't want to go out with Officer Deimos, I was afraid he may wind up rejecting me to? I wasn't ready for that.

Inside the Police station I was greeted by a thin looking police officer with straight blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. He gave me a smile and I noticed his nametag read Officer Ganymede.

"Good morning, Linda," he said cheerfully as if we were old friends. His name struck a cord in my head, but I couldn't place who he was. I knew he had a moon named after him, but not which planet it circled. He hadn't been one of the cops at the party. I guess duty had called.

"Good morning, Officer Ganymede. I was wondering if I could talk to Officer Deimos for a moment.

He gave me a knowing wink. "Let me go round him up."

The cop went into the back for a moment and returned with Officer Deimos in tow, who wasn't wearing his sunglasses. When Deimos saw me, his eyes got big and strangely, even darker with excitement.

"Yes, Miss Anderson, what can I do for you?" he asked in a businesslike fashion. I had to give Deimos credit; he hid his excitement well.

"Please, call me Linda," I smiled. "I was wondering if you would still like to have dinner with me tonight?"

The officer's eyes bugged out at the news, and I noticed Officer Ganymede seemed amused by his friend's reaction. He quickly excused himself by saying he had to file something in back.

"Yes Miss...I mean, Linda...if you want. What time should I pick you up?"

"Make it 6:30. I need time to get ready."

"O...okay," he replied nervously.

"Great!" I said with emphasis. "I'm looking forward to tonight. See you later, Officer Deimos."

He didn't reply; he just stood there in a joyful daze as I left the station. Outside I started laughing at the effect I had had on him. One of the things I did enjoy about being Linda was the influence I could have on men if I turned on the charm. In fact, I was feeling pretty happy inside as I strolled back to my office.

***

Crystal's was a wonderfully decorated restaurant that would've put many 5-star restaurants to shame. On the walls were large, beautiful murals depicting different scenes of ancient Rome. Spread around the room were hundreds of stunning, crystal vases, indicating where the restaurant got its name. The tables and chairs that decorated the dinning room were made of pure oak, solid and sturdy, yet comfortable to sit in.

A tuxedoed maitre d' greeted us at the door and we followed him to a table located in a separate room made of glass. It sat higher then everything else and overlooked the dinning room. As the maitre d' held out my chair, I felt like royalty. The waiter showed up about the same time and quickly took our order. I got the feeling that the people working here didn't like to make Judge Jasper wait too long. After the waiter brought us our drinks, he left the room, closing the glass door behind him.

"Well, I think now is as good as time as any to discuss some of the questions you may have, Linda," Judge Jasper said in an open manner.

His warm frankness threw me for a loop; I had expected him to be quite the opposite; very closed-lipped and secretive like Dennis Butz was. Of course I had also expected him to treat me the same way he had before - like dirt. Instead he was acting more like an understanding father figure.

"Is it okay to call you Jupiter?"

"Only when I allow it," he replied in a dry tone. "To keep people feeling at ease in our town, we use aliases, normal names common to this area. Since there weren't any other people around this morning, I didn't see the harm in using our real names. Besides, I felt it was important you knew who we really are?"

"Why me?" It had been one of the many questions burning in the back of my mind since I found out he had requested me to come here. "Surely you could've found a better replacement for Ashlee besides me. That's not why you brought me here, is it?"

"No, not really," he said directly and leaned slightly forward. "What I did to you back in Andersonville, and at your trial, was for your own good. Now you may think I was being a little hard on you, and perhaps that's even true, but it wasn't personal I can assure you. It's simply how I handle situations such as yours. I transformed you into a girl so you would grow, which you did both in spirit and maturity. You learned to hate me, but you also learned to respect my outlook on things. When you decided to return to being Linda Anderson, I knew you had changed inside. My wife - my ex-wife - views you as her own daughter. You should know that is quite an honor, Linda. She rarely becomes attached to regular humans. But I'm getting off track here. The bottom line is, I wanted to make amends for some of the hardships I caused you earlier - and to show you I'm not the prick you think I am."

"What about Dennis Butz? If you're the Roman gods, who is he?"

"He's a Titan."

"I thought you were the Titans!"

Judge Jasper snorted loudly as if he had been insulted. "Hardly! We fought and defeated the Titans centuries ago. Most of the Titans are here, kept away from the rest of the world. Some, like Dennis Butz, are allowed to roam free because they don't pose a threat to us. It takes a great deal of our resources to keep them incarcerated, so we try to limit that number to only the ones we consider real dangerous."

"This war, can you tell me something about it?" Judge Jasper looked at me carefully, as if deciding how much he wanted to tell me at this time.

"Let me say this. Before we came to your planet, our two races had been fighting among the stars off and on for almost a thousand years. You would think two advance races would be able to settle their differences in that time, but the Titans were unreasonable. They would sign a treaty only to break it after a few years. As far as I know our people are still fighting out there among themselves."

"But if that's true; why are you still here? Couldn't you just signal someone to pick you up?"

"No, our coming here was an accident. My father's ship, the Ovid, was a science vessel that was attacked by a larger, more superior Titan ship. They were fighting close to a neutron star when the Titan ship missed my father's ship and hit the star by mistake. This created a wormhole in space and the Titan ship was sucked in first, followed by the Ovid moments later. In a matter of seconds my father found his ship and crew transported 10 thousand light years from home with no way to get back. They spent years in space looking for a place to call home until they found Earth. The only problem was, the Titans had found Earth first, almost 2,000 years earlier. It seems the disturbance had not dumped them into another area in space, but also into another time. By the time my father and his crew found out it was too late, the Titan's had destroyed their ship and they were stranded here."

"So what happened next?"

"Survival was hard. Many of my father's crew were hunted down and killed - no, that's not the right word - butchered by the Titans. A few survived and had children. What our forefathers found out was that their offspring didn't get old and die here. There's a natural force in your atmosphere that kept regenerating our cells. Our fathers perished but we, their children, found out we could live forever by staying here."

"No wonder you don't want to leave," I pointed out.

"Why should we!" he stated a little irritated by my statement. "I have as much right to be here as you do. I was born on this planet, had children on this planet, and have worked hard to keep things in check on this planet. If it weren't for us interfering in your lives, you humans would have rendered this world uninhabitable more than a century ago. We've been the guardians of this world for some time now."

"But first you had to take care of the Titans."

"That's correct. There were a series of short engagements, coming down to one long, ten-year war that ended with the defeat of the Titan's army. It was a horrible war, as wars often go, with floods, fire, and famine. After it was over, the remaining Titans switched tactics and started using psychological warfare. They twisted the facts, so what really happened was replaced with stories of cruelty on our side. Worse, they claimed that we were the descendants of them. I can't tell you how insulting it is to be considered one of them, Linda. It's interesting to note that if enough people repeat a lie it becomes the truth. We tried to set the record straight, but things only got more confusing. In the end, the real history of what had happened during those years was lost to the lies."

My mind was spinning with information. Dennis Butz wasn't really human, at least not what I thought of as being human. And Judge Jasper, old Jupiter himself, was not only real, but also thousands of years old. Which left me wondering what role we, the humans, had in all this.

"How do we fit into this?"

"If by 'we' you mean your race, very simply. We're trying to fix the damage the Titans did while at the same time making sure you don't destroy yourself in the process. In time, once your race advances to where it's safe, we'll introduce you to star travel. One day you'll find a way to get us home. Yes, Linda, while I may have been born here I still consider out there, among the stars, home. Living forever can be very boring without adventures or challenges. That's why we need you - to help us escape and return us to where we belong."

"What about Andersonville? What's its role in your grand plans?"

"That remains to be seen. Dennis wants us to release his people into your town, in the hopes that one-day they can return home as well. To do this, they needed to be re-introduced into society again - which is where Andersonville comes in. We can't do it here in Peace River; they'd never adjust to living among your people under our rules. That's when Dennis Butz came up with his offer to create a new town under our guidelines but run by him. We want you to understand Linda, that keeping his people here under guard is very taxing on our resources; resources I might add, that could be better used to help your race. If the Titans will work with us, well, the potential for everyone is enormous."

"Why do I get the feeling you don't think Andersonville is going to work?" I asked.

Jupiter smiled slightly. "You're very perceptive, Linda. Yes, I have serious doubts about Andersonville, only because Dennis Butz has so little respect and trust for us. He tends to keep things secret from me instead of being up front with any problems he runs into. This makes it very hard to trust him. I think you know what I mean better than anyone. If I had my way, you wouldn't have been turned into a woman at all. I would've kept you as a man."

I was about to say something, but stopped myself; Jupiter had just contradicted himself. Earlier he had indicated it had been his idea to turn me into Linda Anderson, to help me grow. Now he was suggesting it was Dennis Butz who had made that decision. What was the truth here?

Judge Herns - Juno? - had told me I had been turned into Linda because they couldn't make the Anderson's forget they had two daughters and one son. So who did I trust more, Judge Herns or Jupiter? Well, that was a no brainier. I found myself thanking Dennis Butz for giving me this necklace that prevented Judge Jasper from knowing what I was thinking.

Our food arrived, the tastiest lamb chop I had ever eaten, and our conversation changed. Judge Jasper went over my duties, which were basically the same as those in Andersonville. After lunch he gave me the rest of the afternoon off to look around. I thanked him and decided now was as good as time as any to visit Ashlee. I put on my tennis shoes that I kept in my oversize purse and headed off. When I got to Ashlee's house she greeted me with a warm smile and a welcoming hug.

"Little Calvin's sleeping," Ashlee whispered while offering me a diet Pepsi that I accepted. She looked worn out sitting on the couch in her cotton nightgown and pink, terry-cloth robe. I suddenly felt bad about dropping in unexpected and offered to come back at a different time, but she wouldn't hear of it.

"Honest, Linda, I could use the company," she said. "Bill's at work all day and the kids go over to a friend's house after they get out of school. I'm used to human contact from working in the courthouse, and this isolation is driving me nuts. And when my family does get home I'm usually too busy with the baby to carry on a conversation. The little devil sleeps all through the day and cries half the night." Then she grinned real big and added, "and I'm loving every minute of it. Look at him."

The little infant stirred slightly when she readjusted the covers over him but quickly fell back into a peaceful sleep."

"Um, Ashlee. I don't know how to ask this but is he...real?"

"You mean, is he really my child or someone who was transformed into a baby?" she rephrased with a coy smile.

"Well, yeah."

"Believe me Linda, he's real," she answered with a painful grin. "I have the stretch marks to prove it." I started laughing although when I thought about it, I didn't see the humor in it.

"So, what do you think of Peace River so far?" she asked curiously.

"Run by Roman gods, it's so damn hard to believe."

"I know what you mean, Linda. It took me almost an entire year to accept it as fact."

"Has anyone ever tried to challenge Ju...Ju..." I found myself starting to gag, and Ashlee reached over and touched me on the shoulder.

"Don't try to say his name, Linda. Take a deep breath and forget about saying it." I stopped trying and found myself able to breathe again.

"One of the things we can't do in Peace River is say their names unless they allow it," Ashlee explained then added, "although there are ways around their restrictions. For instance, planet Jupiter visited me the other day. See what I mean? Really Linda, it's better just to use their aliases, it makes the conversation easier to understand. I know who you're really taking about."

"Okay," I replied hoarsely while taking a drink of water that Ashlee had poured for me. "That's some trick."

"I'm not sure how they do it, but the method is even more effected on the people Judge Jasper transforms. The best I can do is get out the letter 'J'. Please, don't try it again...it's a waste of time. Now, what was your question?"

"I was wondering if anyone has ever challenged Judge Jasper before?"

"A few people have - the results weren't pretty. There's a secret movement inside Peace River that Judge Jasper and his people haven't been able to break. They call themselves 'Freedom Fighters' and operate in cells of three and four people. Judge Jasper caught a few of them last month but not their leader. Their movement seems to be pretty well organized."

"And Judge Jasper has no idea who their leader is?"

"None," Ashlee shook her head. "From what we know, they create cells and communicate with each other through drops. So if one person is caught the most they can expose is two or three other people."

"What have these Freedom Fighters done to get noticed?"

"Mostly they perform small acts of defiance to protest their being here. One time they managed to cut off the power to the town for almost an hour. Another time someone painted, "Free us!" on the courthouse wall. That really upset the judge of course, and he put cameras on the walls outside to make sure it didn't happen again."

"Do you think that's why Judge Jasper brought me here?" I asked. "To find out for him who the leaders of this group are?"

"Maybe, but I doubt it," Ashlee explained. "First of all, you, me, and everyone else that works with the gods are the enemy. Well, you're an outsider and I'm sure the Freedom Fighters know about your past, but it's unlikely they would trust you any more than they would trust me. I suspect they would consider you a plant by the judge.

"Second, being an outsider means you're not going to be here long term, so they wouldn't really have an interest in you. If I were a betting lady, I would say the odds of them contacting you would be very rare. I will tell you that if they try to get me into their organization, I would tell them to go to hell. I'm happy with my new life in Peace River. All these Freedom Fighters are doing is making it harder on those who want to live the rest of their life out in peace and harmony."

"Well, it looks like others don't agree with you, Ashlee," I pointed out. "So why do you think I'm here?"

"I think Judge Jasper wants to make amends for his earlier treatment of you. He believes Andersonville will fail, and if he's right, the people in your town will have to go somewhere. After all, you just can't throw them out into the real world again. So it would be a good idea to have a leader, sort of a voice for your town, to represent them and help them get adapted to their new life here. Of course, Dennis Butz may be planning to kill them if that happens. I've heard a number of horror stories about him."

"From Judge Jasper?"

"From lots of people, including his own people. A few of them live among us you see. And, when you learn more about Peace River you'll see some of the Titan's atrocities first hand. Linda, I don't know how you feel about Dennis Butz, but he's not someone you can trust with your life."

The phone rang and Ashlee rushed over to pick it up. After a few 'Uh huh's', she hung up the phone and sighed. "I have to go, one of the kids is sick and I need to take him to the doctor."

"Want me to stay here and watch Calvin?" I offered.

"Thanks, Linda, that's awful sweet of you. But right now I can't stand to be away from him for more than five minutes. Mr. Cupler was here earlier telling me the same thing; that I didn't want to be away from my baby for any length of time. I guess it's the new mother instincts inside me."

"Mr. Cupler," I said to myself. Ashlee, while acting rationally, wasn't the same person I had met in Andersonville last year. Of course she had just had a baby a few days ago and her hormones were all screwed up. I guess that could explain her change in behavior. But Cupid's visit to her this morning made me suspicious."

"Well, if you need anything just let me know," I told her.

"You're such a good and loving friend," Ashlee said with a hug as if we had known each other all our lives. I began to wonder if this was how everyone acted in Peace River.

"I'll talk to you later, Ashlee. Goodbye."

As I was leaving her house, a car pulled up and a short, attractive woman stepped out of the car. "Hi Linda, ready to see your new place?"

"Who are you?" I asked rather confused.

"Oh, I guess daddy didn't tell you about me. I'm Connie, one of the local busybodies around here. I've been assigned to assist you while you're here. You know, help you out when I can and make you feel comfortable with your new surroundings. If you need me, all you have to do is dial "0" on your cell phone and I'll come running. Mark Merrick has already coded in the number for you."

"What happens if I need to dial the operator?" I asked.

"Oh Linda, you are such a tease," she giggled with enthusiasm. Frankly, I couldn't see what she found so funny about my question since I hadn't phrased it as a joke.

"Well now, let's drive you over to your new place."

My new place happened to be a luxury apartment on the 6th floor of an eight-story building overlooking the lake. It had a kitchen; large bathroom with a Jacuzzi; two good-size bedrooms, one with a queen-size waterbed and the other with one of those king-size adjustable beds that I heard Paul Harvey bragging about all the time; and a step-down living room. The living room was huge, with a big screen TV in the corner and to my surprise, a well-stocked bar. Off to one side was a small, but cozy looking office with both a Mac and IBM PC.

"Like it?" Connie asked while reading the approval in my eyes.

"What's not to like?" I replied, flabbergasted. "I've never been in a such a wonderful place like this before."

"Only the best for our guest," she giggled. If I wasn't so stunned by my new place I may have gotten annoyed with her silly laugh. I heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get that," she giggled again and pranced off. Moments later there were three of them standing there - triplets. "These are my sisters, Peggy and Terry."

While they were each dressed differently, there was no mistaking the three girls in front of me were sisters. Each stood about 5'4', with long, curly brown hair, and held a smile that was almost as annoying as their giggling.

"I'm pleased to meet you," I said while not knowing who was who.

"As are we," they replied at the same time, as if they both shared the same mind.

"I've asked them over to help me unpack your things," Connie said.

"That's okay, um, girls, I can do it myself."

"Nonsense," all three said at once. "It's your first day here and you had a tiring trip."

"Why don't I make you up a nice hot bath so you can relax," Terry suggested.

"And Peggy and I will unpack your things," Connie finished. "Which bedroom do you want to sleep in?"

"The one with the waterbed I guess," I replied back in a bewildered tone.

"Excellent," all three answered as once. "Follow us, Linda."

I sat on the bed and watched as one girl proceeded to take out my underwear from the suitcase while the other opened up my dress bag.

"Do you want your panties and bras separated or in the same drawer?" Peggy asked.

"The same," I answered, not really caring.

"I'll put them in the top drawer so they'll be easier to get to. Your pantyhose I'll put in the drawer underneath and your nighties will be in the drawers next to your panties."

"Fine," I answered. I didn't see what the big deal was but Peggy sure thought it was.

Oh Linda, you have such pretty clothes," Connie squealed with delight. "This pink dress would be perfect for your date with Officer Deimos tonight."

"Wait a minute, how do you know about my - wait," I corrected myself. "First off, it's not a date and second, who told you I was going out with him."

"Linda," she giggled, "you can't keep secrets like this in Peace River. It's a small town; everyone knows what the other person is doing. Besides, I've been assigned to work with you. I know everything about you."

"Everything?" I hoped that wasn't the case.

"Yes, everything - even the fact that you'll be starting your period next week. I'll make sure you have plenty of tampons on hand." This time both muses giggled with amusement, and I found myself getting just a tad upset.

"It's not funny, you know," I snapped at them. "In fact, it's painful as hell - especially if you didn't grow up with them to begin with." I gave them both an angry glance.

"Linda, we're sorry," they both replied in a slightly sober tone. "We weren't laughing at you, we're just happy to be able to serve you. Anything that makes you happy makes us happy."

Suddenly I felt embarrassed by my actions. They may have appeared to be mindless bimbos, but both of them were wiser then I could ever hope to be. The awkwardness was broken when Terry came in carrying a towel for me.

"Your bath is ready, Linda," she smiled from ear to ear. "Let me help you with your clothes."

"I can do it myself, thank you," I said, trying to be polite about it. The thought of being undressed in front of them, anyone as a matter of fact, made me uncomfortable. It was something I had been struggling with ever since I had been turned into Linda. Even when I was dating Jeff I would only allow him to touch my breast through the outside of my blouse. It was an issue I knew I should talk to Carol Green about, but I found myself unable to do so when I did meet with her.

"I should get undressed in the bathroom," I told them in a guarded tone.

"Oh Linda," the three of them said at once. "There's no need to be modest here. We are after-all, all girls here. You don't have anything that we don't have."

"Don't I?" I wanted to ask. While the three muses looked like regular females, I had to wonder how much we really were alike.

"Let me help you with your blouse," Terry said while eagerly reaching out and unbuttoning it. I felt one of them unzipping my skirt at the same time, and felt it fall to the floor. Terry removed my blouse and reached for my bra snap, but I had had enough.

"STOP!" I yelled out with tears forming in my eyes. I quickly moved my arms over my breasts to hide them from the other girls. It was Connie who reacted first with concern, as she slowly walked over and cuddled me.

"Linda, don't be embarrassed about your body," she said in a caring, understanding tone. "The female body is a beautiful piece of work. It's a shame you have to wear clothes to cover it up."

"I...I..." The words that I sought out didn't come to me. The truth was, I was ashamed about my body. Damn it, I was - well, I had been a man at one time. Now when I looked at myself in the mirror the reflection made me feel uncomfortable, even a little frightened. Where was Tom McClain, the man I had once been and even loved? This woman, who I was also slowly starting to love, had replaced him. I was afraid, DAMN IT! What if I did fully embrace her, the new me? Would I lose who I had once been for good? I didn't want to let go of me - Tom McClain.

"It's okay," Connie whispered softly as she gently unsnapped my bra. It started to fall off and Terry held up the towel to cover my breasts. "Just relax and let us take care of you. You're feeling scared and weak - we want to help."

"I'm not scared - and I don't feel weak!" I tried replying back in a stern voice. It didn't come close to convincing anyone, including myself. "I've been this way...this way...for...over a year. I...I...I can...I can handle..." Suddenly I found myself crying for no reason. All three girls wrapped themselves around my body and hugged me tightly.

"It's okay," they said together. "You need time to grieve, that's understandable. We want to comfort you, to make you happy. But first you have to accept who you are. You have to realize that the old you isn't dead."

"But...but I'm dead," I blubbered out like a baby.

"No you're not, sweetheart," one of them said gently while stroking my hair in a calming fashion. "Your body is different, but you're still the same you. If you look at yourself, I mean really look at yourself - you'll see how beautiful you really are. Go ahead, don't be ashamed or embarrassed, Linda. Take a good look at how lovely you've become."

They stood me in front of a mirror and Terry slowly pulled the towel away. There was a girl in the reflection looking back at me, the real me now. She stood there naked, except for the white, nylon panties that covered up what defined her womanhood.

"Now smile," they all said. I did. A faint smile at first that grew into a happier grin.

"She's pretty," one of them said.

"Yes," I agreed while wiping the tears from my eyes.

"She's you, Linda," Connie said in a low tone that I almost didn't hear. "Young, beautiful, and with the potential to be anything you want her to be. Tom McClain isn't dead! If anything, he's more alive than what he once was because you feel his spirit more. Only the body has changed...not your soul. You're still him, and you're also Linda Anderson. Look at yourself, sister. You're not some freak of nature. You're a soft, warm, lovely woman."

Connie's words made me cry again, only because I knew she spoke the truth. Even though I would live the rest of my life as a woman, I would always be Tom McClain inside. I hadn't died; I had been reborn. The thought confused me but also made sense.

"Let's get you into your bath," Connie said, while grabbing my hand. "My sisters will finish up in here."

She ushered me to the large, roman bathtub filled to the rim with bubbles. I slipped out of my panties, without embarrassment this time, and she helped me into the tub. I let the warm, soothing water circle around my body as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

***

It was sometime after five when Connie woke me. After helping me dry off, she led me to the bedroom. There on the bed I found my pink dress and underwear already laid out for me.

"I know you may think it's a bit much, Linda," she explained. "But dressing like this tonight will really help you. Beside, it'll drive Deimos crazy all night!" She started to giggle and I found myself joining in.

We continued to talk as she helped me with my underwear and then into the pink dress my mother had made. After applying my makeup, I looked at myself in the mirror. I found myself liking what I saw.

"Gosh girl, you're gorgeous," Connie giggled. "Deimos is going to be crazy with lust."

"You don't think," I started to ask in a fearful voice.

"Relax, Linda," she reassured me. "I know Deimos; he won't take advantage of you. In fact, you'll be lucky to get a goodnight kiss. He's sweet, but kind of backward when it comes to love and romance. If you think about it, it's kind of funny. I mean, Vickie Marshall is his mother - and you know who she is?"

"Ve...V..." I tried to say "Venus," but found myself gagging instead.

"Easy, Linda. You can't use our real names unless the ones in charge allow it. Unfortunately, I don't have the power to override their command. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked you a question that you couldn't answer. By the way, it's okay to call Deimos, Deimos. There won't be any bad effects from doing this.

"Yes, I understand. I thought Deimos was his last name. So his real name is Deimos Marshall?"

"Not really," she replied with a giggle. "I think that's something I'll let him explain to you."

"But Deimos, that's his real god name. Why can I say his name without gagging."

"I don't know, I guess it's not that common a name as Jupiter or Mars. Besides, it's used as a last name, not his full name. I know that's a little confusing but don't fret about it. You have an entire night ahead of you so don't spoil it by thinking about this."

"I guess you're right." Suddenly I found myself slightly confused by my reaction. The old me wouldn't have let the question go without an answer, but I couldn't stop thinking about my date with Deimos. Why was I suddenly thinking so differently? My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the front door.

"He's here," Connie announced excitedly. "Let's take a good look at you again." She moved her head up and down my body. "You look perfect, Linda. Now smile pretty."

She opened the door and I saw Deimos standing at the door wearing a nice shirt and good pair of dark slacks. In his hands were some flowers that I assumed were for me. When he saw me smiling at him he grinned, but in a nervous way.

"Come on in, Deimos," Connie told him while grabbing his arm. She practically yanked him into the living room.

"My, you're looking sharp tonight, Officer Deimos" Connie remarked. "Did you get a hair cut today?"

"What? Oh yeah," he replied without taking his love struck eyes off me. Connie mouthed the words, "I told you he was shy," and giggled.

I coughed to break the tension and said, "So Deimos, where are we going tonight?"

"What?" he asked in a daze.

"She means dinner," Connie said to him.

"Oh dinner. Yes, of course. Well, you've been to Crystal's already, is there someplace else you'd like to eat?"

"Linda arrived in Peace River this morning, Deimos," Connie mentioned to him in a low voice. "How would she know what restaurants there are to eat at?"

Deimos frowned deeply at the other woman and asked, "Don't you have some place else to go?"

"Nope," she smiled. "I was going to hang out here until Linda got back. You don't mind, do you Linda?"

"No, not at all," I told her.

"Which brings us back to dinner," Connie giggled again. "Why not try The Spaghetti Bowl. It's not as fancy at Crystal's, but they have candles on the tables and play real, romantic music. Perfect to sit and talk the night away."

"Well, I wanted to take you someplace a little bit nicer," Deimos responded in an unsure voice.

"The Spaghetti Bowl sounds fine," I answered. "Besides, I've already been to one fancy restaurant today. I'm not really in the mood to go to another."

"Well, you sure are dressed for one. You look so beautiful tonight."

"Please don't say I look like a goddess," I joked. Connie giggled and Deimos turned a little red with embarrassment.

"Well, you two, run along now and have fun," Connie said while pushing us toward the door. "I'll see you later, Linda."

Making sure Deimos didn't hear, she whispered to me half-giggling, "And I'll lay out a special nightgown on your bed, just in case." I stuck my tongue out at her, which only caused her to giggle more.

***

Dinner turned out to be quite a pleasant event. Deimos was always the gentleman, a little quiet but very polite. Even with his solid, dark eyes shinning back at me I felt at ease around him. Later on we found ourselves down by the edge of Peace River. There we walked hand in hand along the shore, picking up shells along the way.

"What kind of shells are these?" I asked while examining one in my hand. "They look like sea shells."

"Hold on for a moment." Deimos looked intensely with his eyes at the water for a moment and said, "Taste the water."

I stuck my hand in and put it up to my mouth. I was surprised to find out it was salt water.

"My uncle built this river, with the help of my grandfather," Deimos explained. "It's ocean water brought in from the coast by an underground stream.

A loud splash in the water made me look up, and I noticed the head of a pretty, young woman sticking up from the water. She had long, brown hair, what looked to be a killer body from the chest up, and an angelic face. The young woman smiled and waved at me in a friendly manner - then motioned for me to join her in the water.

"Look, she wants me to come in with her," I laughed while placing one foot in the water. Officer Deimos quickly grabbed my arm and roughly pulled me back.

"Don't ever go into the water, do you hear me?" he warned me sternly with narrowed, menacing eyes. "If you do they'll eat you alive."

"What?" I asked confused. "Who will?"

"It's one of the gifts the Titans gave us," Deimos answered as he sadly stared back at the girl who was still smiling at us. "That's Qewn, my twin sister. Dennis Butz and his friends turned her into a flesh-eating mermaid. If you go too far into the river she'll attack and kill you. You can't reason with her - or the others. It's in their nature to do this."

"Dennis did this?"

"His kind did this," Deimos corrected with quiet rage. "Watch carefully, so you can see the real truth of what they did."

He pointed his hand outward and a beam of light shot out from it. It struck the female mermaid and she began to change. Suddenly her angelic face turned into something much less stunning. There were scales all over her face, and long fangs and sharp teeth that protruded out of her mouth. But her eyes were what I focused on, for they were black as coal, just like Deimos's eyes.

"Oh my God!" I shrieked in fear. It was a vile creature.

"This is how she really looks," Deimos shook his head sadly. "From a distance, she's able to project a much more inviting image. However, when you get close, you see what she really is. Of course, by that time it's too late." He stopped the beam and the mermaid returned back to her beautiful self.

"You should have seen her before," he continued in a low, sorrow tone. "She was such a lovely girl - a goddess of love like our mother, and almost as pretty. She wouldn't have hurt anyone. Now she would kill me if I gave her the chance. I used to be able to talk to her centuries ago, but even that is gone now. She regressed fully into this monster the Titans forced her to be." The young god hung his head heartbroken and I could see a tear in his eye.

"Deimos, I'm so sorry." I placed my hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"It's okay, I've accepted her fate long ago." He turned and looked at me, his black eyes glistened in the moonlight from the tears.

"How many are there in the river?"

"About 45 right now. Thirty-nine of them are mermaids and the others are mermen. Every one of them is as cunning and bloodthirsty as my sister out there. My uncle keeps searching the oceans for others, so he can bring them here where they'll be safe"

"They were turning you into one of them, weren't they?" I asked him directly.

"Yes. My grandfather rescued me in time. However, as you can see," he frowned deeply while pointing to his eyes, "the effects from their drugs are permanent. I'll never look normal again. For the rest of time I will bear the scars of what they did to us. I used to be seen by your people as a god of love: now when they see me they run away in fear and panic."

"You hate them, don't you, Deimos? You hate the Titans."

"Every last one of them," he spat out. "You would think after all these centuries it would be less so, but it's not. So you see Linda, not all of us agree with the creation of Andersonville."

"I...I can understand why," I cooed while rubbing up next to him in a comforting fashion. He smiled slightly at my affection and wrapped his left arm around me.

"I must be boring you," he said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so emotional with you. I guess this is nothing compared to what they did to their own people."

"What do you mean?"

He frowned. "I shouldn't show you so much ugliness on our first date."

"It's okay, I...well...I like you, Deimos."

His frown turned to a real big smile, and he hugged me a little bit tighter.

"Would you show me some more please?" I begged with curiosity. "I want to know the full truth about them."

"If you wish. I shouldn't really show you, most of our own citizens don't know about them. However, being the secretary to my grandfather and all, I guess it's okay."

He stopped and said to the mermaid, "Goodnight, Qewn. I'll visit with you another night. We turned and strolled back to his car with our arms wrapped around each other's waist.

***

"I want you to prepare yourself, Linda, they aren't very pretty. Whatever you do, don't scream. That only upsets them."

"I won't," I promised as Deimos led me over to a fence. I heard him first, sobbing loudly in the night like a lost child. I felt great pity for whoever it was until I saw it wasn't a small child but a 30-foot tall giant.

"Timoti, what's wrong?" Deimos asked. The giant turned and I saw what Deimos had meant. The giant had one eye - one huge eye where two should've been. I started to back away in fear, but Deimos held me firmly in place.

"My doll. I was playing with her and her head came off. She's dead now."

"It's okay, Timoti, I'll tell Judge Jasper. I'm sure he'll give you a new one to play with. You have to be more careful next time. Right now I want you to meet a friend of mine. Her name is Linda Anderson."

"She's so pretty," the giant said as he stood up and walked over to us. We were standing on a cliff overlooking the valley, so Timoti's head stood about even with us. I found myself shaking in fear at this horrible sight.

"Can you come in and play with me?" the Cyclops asked.

"Not tonight, Timoti." The giant looked sad and started to pout. "Hey, you know I'll be back. Next time for sure."

"Promise," the giant said while rubbing the tears out of his eye.

"Promise," Deimos said firmly. "Where's everyone else?"

"Some kind of meeting with your father. I was sad and didn't go."

"You should. My father could be talking about something important." Timoti shuddered his massive shoulders and slumped down a little.

"I wish I could visit you, Deimos."

"I know, Timoti, but the people living in Peace River wouldn't understand you. Remember what happened the last time you visited one of our towns? Besides, you might step on one of our citizens by accident, and you know how important they are to us."

The Cyclops nodded its massive head and asked, "Does your friend talk?"

"Sure she does, Timoti. Say something, Linda."

"Um...hi...hi Timoti. Nice to meet you."

"You have a pretty voice, Linda - and a pretty name. Would you be my friend and play with me?"

"Sure, Timoti...if Judge Jasper will allow it," I replied not wanting to upset the giant. "What kind of things do you like to do?"

"Oh, fun games," the giant said while clapping his hands. "I'll dress you up in some of my prettiest doll clothes and turn you into a princess. We can pretend you're going to marry a handsome prince. Oh, it'll be lots of fun."

"Um, well, that sounds like fun," I replied in a back stepping tone. I whispered over to Deimos, "why didn't you warn me?"

"Be thankful," he whispered humorously back to me. "At least he doesn't want to play house and have you be the baby." I shuddered at the idea.

"Oh goodie," the giant Cyclops clapped his hands in glee. "I can't wait."

"But before we do that, you need to go back to the meeting room and listen to my father," Deimos insisted.

"Oh, all right," Timoti replied back in disappointment. "Come back soon and visit me, both of you." Slowly he lumbered off into the forest.

"My...my...my..." I found myself hyperventilating in fear.

"Take it easy, Linda," Deimos said while holding me up. "Take a few deep breaths and calm down. Timoti wouldn't hurt you, he's very friendly."

"More of your people?" I questioned.

"No, the Titans were experimenting on their own. In the later days of our war, they tried to turn some of their own kind into super human solders. They were hoping to turn the tide back against us. What they ended up doing was making muscular giants with the mentality of a six-year-old. We rescued them from being killed and have taken care of them ever since."

"But why?"

"How can you ask that question, Linda? True, they are, or at least were at one time, Titan's. Now they're just harmless, defenseless children. They needed us to protect them. That's what we do, that's what we're all about. We're here to protect everyone from the Titans.

His answer was mystifying to me. Somehow I couldn't believe the Roman gods would do all this out of the goodness of their hearts. There had to be another reason why they were doing this - or was there? Maybe my lack of trust in Dennis Butz was shadowing what I saw here. Could it be that what I was seeing was the real truth, and not some smoke screen thrown up to confuse me? Unlike Dennis, Jupiter and his people had been opened and honest with me since I arrived. Oh, there were things I didn't like, but they didn't try to debate it with me and make me see it their way. Dennis had told me that the people in Andersonville had more freedom than in Peace River, but so far I found the opposite to be true. And if half of what I had learned tonight was true, than Dennis wasn't the kind and caring person he wanted me to believe. He and his kind were actually monsters.

"It's late, I should take you back," Deimos said while taking my hand.

"Thank you, Deimos - for bringing me here and showing me the truth." I reached over and kissed him on the lips. He responded and we made out underneath the moonlight."

***

"So, how was your date?" Connie giggled with interest as soon as I walked in the door.

"It was fine," I smiled back. "He's an interesting date. I'm glad I went out with him."

"I'm glad too," she grinned while touching my hand. "We should celebrate your first night here."

"Celebrate, what are you talking about, Connie? It's almost midnight and I have to work in the morning."

"Not anymore," she giggled again. "I talked to my father and asked if you could go into work at noon; that being your first official day of work and all. Today really didn't count. He agreed so you get to sleep in tomorrow." There was a sharp knock on the door. "That would be them."

"Them? Who's them?" I asked.

"My sisters of course," Connie replied while opening up the door. Eight girls entered into the room, looking identical except for the clothes they wore. "I thought you should get to know us all a little better."

"Oh, wonderful," I replied while rolling my eyes. They all laughed at my actions.

"Party time!" they said together. A couple of them pulled out some bottles and the fun started. Much later on that night, Connie helped me get into bed.

"Sweet dreams, Linda," she told me.

"Connie, are you spending the night?" I asked sleepily. "I mean, I have that extra room and all."

"Well, I do have my own place to go back to - but I'll stay if you want."

"I'll like that," I replied in a half-stupor. "It'll be nice to have a roommate for a while."

"Okay then dear, I'll stay. Now get some sleep." In a matter of moments I was snoring softly in my nice, warm waterbed.

Connie smiled slightly then quietly made her way out the front door and down the elevator. Outside by the lake she saw her father waiting for her.

"Hello, father," she said with love and respect.

"Good morning, love," Jupiter replied with a hug. "I was just sitting here admiring the noise the frogs are making tonight.
Isn't strange how something so small can make such a loud noise. Funny how the humans fail to miss such wonders."

"It is a lovely sound," she agreed while sitting down next to him.

He turned, smiled, and said, "You've done very well, my dear. I want you to know how pleased I am by your progress."

"She seems like such a nice person, father. I like her a lot. That makes it easier to act like her best friend."

"How do you think things are going?"

"She still has her doubts, but I think she trusts me. We bonded earlier with my sisters and she got close to us. However, I still can't feel her emotions. It's as if something is blocking me from doing so."

"Don't be discouraged, Linda is a very strong willed girl...and adaptable. Do you think she will grow closer to you?"

"I believe so. She invited me to stay at her place as a roommate. I think she may be feeling lonely here - maybe even a little homesick. I'll play on that."

"Good," Jupiter replied back with satisfaction. "It's important that Linda trusts us completely. She may be needed later on if Andersonville fails to do what we want it to do. If that happens, she will have to choose sides; and I want her running to us, not to them."

"I'll do my best to make sure that happen," Connie replied

"I know you will my beautiful daughter. You should go back now and get some sleep." They stood up and hugged.

***

From behind the darkened bedroom window I watched them talk. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew what it was about. Connie had been a little too eager for me to like her, and it had raised my suspicions. So I pretended I was happy and went with the flow to see where it took me. I guess Connie had forgotten I had once been a man, and I wasn't as trusting as a real woman may have been under the same circumstances. It was a weakness I hope to exploit.

So I went with the flow and faked being asleep to see what happened next. The fact that she was meeting with her father didn't surprise me, and I wondered if Mark Merrick was in on it too. After all, he was the one who had insisted I go out with Deimos. Despite Deimos's moving performance, I had no doubt he was in on this. Now the meeting with Connie and Jupiter only confirmed my suspicions that I had been set up in the hopes I would trust them completely. This only served to make me trust them less. I was just thankful Dennis had given me this necklace so they couldn't read my thoughts. He may be a Son of a Bitch, or something even worse, but he had come through for me. For now, I would let the Roman gods believe what they wanted to believe. For now I would play their game until it was my time.

Fade out...

Next episode -- Three Finger Jack

This story is dedicated to the staff and volunteers of Fictionmania, who do some much for so many. Thank you for all your hard work and time. You make it all worth wild.

 

Andersonville 13 - Three-finger Jack
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Treasach Klawes and Sam Vincent

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

It was a perfect Saturday morning in Peace River. It was warm, but not too warm, and I was out taking a stroll around the town trying to get a feel for everything here. Connie had offered to go with me but I declined, saying I needed some time alone. I hated to admit it, but I was missing my life back in Andersonville.

As I walked past Shady Pine Cemetery, I spotted Ashlee Gang laying some flowers on a grave. She didn't seem upset, rather the look on her face was comforting, as if she knew the person was in a better place.

"An old friend?" I wondered. My curiosity got the best of me, and I waited behind a tree for her to leave. After saying a short prayer, Ashlee brushed the dirt off her knees and said something to her baby son who was strapped securely in the stroller. With a slight jerk on the handle, she left the cemetery and turned the corner for home.

Once she was out of sight I crossed the street and made my way inside. I was curious to see what had interested her so much. For the first time I noticed Shady Pine was a big place containing thousands of graves, some of them rather old. In fact, the place where Ashlee had been standing held some of the oldest graves there - dating back to the early 1850's. I had always thought that Peace River wasn't more then 10 or 20 years old because everything looked so new around here, but the dates on the graves seemed to indicate differently. The one Ashlee had laid the flowers on read:

Samantha Adams
Born - 1832
Died - December 4, 1891

"What the hell is this all about?" I asked out loud.

"Spying on me, Linda?" I heard someone ask. I turned quickly and saw Ashlee standing there with a coy grin on her face.

"Um no, Ashlee. I...um...well you see." She continued to stare at me with a humorous smile while I tried to think up a quick answer. Realizing I had been caught red-handed, I decided to come clean.

"I'm sorry, Ashlee, I guess I am," I confessed with a sigh. "I didn't mean to spy, but when I saw you placing flowers on this grave, my detective instincts got the best of me."

"That's right, you were a PI before arriving in Andersonville," she laughed. "I guess that's different then. I suppose you're wondering why I would place flowers on the grave of someone I couldn't have known."

"I'm sure it's an interesting story," I replied.

"Not really," she said shaking her head. "Compared to others in this place, her story is really pretty bland. Now Dawn Butterfield over there," she pointed to a nearby grave, "that's a different story. She was the Judge's lover for a while."

"Judge Jasper?" I asked a little surprised. Then I realized I shouldn't be. If Officer Deimos could have a crush on me, why couldn't Judge Jasper feel the same way?

"No," Ashlee laughed. "I meant Judge Herns."

"Oh. So why..." I stopped myself from finishing the question. I had no right to ask why Samantha Adams meant so much to her.

"Why don't we have a seat Linda, and I'll tell you all about her," Ashlee offered. There happened to be a stone bench nearby, and we sat down together.

"This place brings out a lot memories. I guess I'm going to have to explain that too," she sighed. "Did you know Linda, that I remember the lives of every resident who has ever lived here?

"You mean the ones who have been transformed since you've been here?" I asked. "Well sure, I remember the ones in Andersonville too; before and after they arrived."

"That's not what I mean," she shook her head. "I can remember every life of every resident who has ever lived in Peace River. You see, when I first started this job, Judge Jasper transfer all the memories from his previous secretary into me. So I remember all the past and present residents, including their lives before coming to Peace River and how they handled their transformation afterwards. Some, I might add, were most tragic. Others are pleasant to remember, like reading a fairy tale with a happy ending. That's the way most of them end anyway."

"And Samantha Adams, was that a happy ending?"

"In a way," Ashlee told me with a slight frown. "You see she was the first person to be changed in Peace River. Of course, it was a very different place back then. For starters, there wasn't a river around the town."

"How did they keep people from leaving?" I asked.

"I'll get to that. As for Samantha, her real name was Jack Houston, but most people referred to him by his nickname, three-finger Jack. He was a notorious outlaw back then. He killed five men over mild arguments before Judge Jasper got his hands on him. In fact, he was riding away from one such killing when he found his way into Peace River. Well, Jack didn't actually stumbled in here, he had help. Perhaps it would be better if I showed you what I mean."

"Can you do that? I mean, are you strong enough yet?" I was concerned that Ashlee may try to push herself too hard before she was ready. If she got hurt, I could end up staying longer then 6 months in Peace River. Not that it had been an unpleasant experience so far.

"I'll need to take a nap after we're done, but I'll be okay," she assured me. "Now, grab my hands and watch."

I did as she said, and everything started to change around us.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

I was riding at a steady pace over the rocky path that ran between the trees. It was starting to get dark already, and soon I would have to decide whether to press on or find a place to camp for the night. The latter was not too appealing at the moment. I was still at least another day's ride from where I wanted to be, and I was sure the posse chasing me was only hours behind. Of course if I was lucky, they had taken the bait and were chasing after my brothers who were heading south. But something inside told me I needed to keep riding if I didn't want to end up on the end of a hangman's noose.

The incident that led to my current situation had started off innocently enough. I stopped at a small town with my two brothers for a bath, a meal, and a chance to test my luck at the local gambling house. There I had met another man, a local resident who was long on credit but lousy at cards. In just over an hour I had relieved him of close to $200 playing five-card stud. His luck didn't get any better as the stakes were raised, and after one high handed round which he lost badly, he threw his cards down on the table in anger and disgust. That's when he made his first mistake; he called me a dirty cheat.

Normally that would've caused me to go for my gun, but I held my temper in check. The last thing I needed was any trouble from the law for shooting some sore loser. I reached for my money to leave when he made his second mistake; he slammed his hand on top of my hand and called me a rotten coward.

I angrily pushed his hand away and that's when he made his third, and final mistake, he went for his gun. The man was already dead by the time his hand reached his gun handle. I gathered up all my money and made my way back to the motel room, figuring it was self-defense and the sheriff would see it the same way. But I quickly found out that the man I shot owned a mine outside of town, and his business partners weren't very happy about him being dead. Witnesses were paid off before the sheriff arrived, and suddenly my action was no longer self-defense anymore; it was murder. After I was arrested, a lynch mob quickly formed outside my cell.

My brothers, upon hearing the news, formed a plan of their own and broke me out of jail. After a day's ride they went off in a different direction, hoping to lead them away from me. We made plans before parting to meet at a small town up north.

So here I was, riding alone in a part of the country I had never been to before, determined to beat death. That's when I ran into this peddler sitting on the side of the road. He was a tall and skinny man riding in a wooden wagon being pulled by a team of brown and white horses. He had a smile on his face, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was more like a predator eyeing his prey.

"Good afternoon," he called out. "Where are you heading to?"

"California," I lied.

"Aww yes, the gold," he grinned with perfect white teeth. "I hear its all been panned out though. Seems a shame to waste a trip out there when so many other opportunities are close by."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like lumbering for one. There's a new mill about 10 miles north of here, near the town of Peace River."

"Never heard of it," I replied coldly.

"Neither has anyone else," the thin man grinned knowingly. "The town just started up less than a month ago and they're desperate for people. I'm on my way there right now. Care to join me?"

The offer was appealing. I had been riding my horse hard for two straight days and we both needed a rest. Plus, if this town was as isolated as the peddler said, they most likely hadn't heard the news about my shooting. It was an idea place to rest for the night.

"Why not. I got nothing else waiting for me in California."

"Great," the man grinned again. "My name is Mark Merrick."

"Jack," was all I told him.

"Okay Jack," he said with one of those smiles that indicated there was more to this meeting then met the eye. "By the way, what happened to your hand?"

"That's none of your damn business!" I growled while clutching the reins of my house with the three fingers of my left hand. I had lost two of my fingers helping my brothers chop wood one day. The oldest was swinging an ax and had missed his mark. Instead of hitting the log, he had struck my hand by mistake, chopping two of my fingers off. I was only five at the time it happened. Even though I had forgiven my brother long ago, he had never forgiven himself.

"Sorry," the peddler said still grinning. "I didn't mean to pry into your business."

"And what's your business, Mr. Merrick?" I demanded to know.

"Food supplies, pots and pans, things of that nature. Whatever people need, I supply it to them. One time I hauled about twenty sheep in my wagon. Talk about a smell!"

"I can imagine," I responded back with little interest. Personally, I thought it was a stupid way to make a living - being a slave to the whims of other people. "Seems like a risky venture to me, trying to sell stuff to people who may not buy what you have."

"Oh, I don't know," the peddler countered. "It's not as risky as say, gambling. One thing you can count on about people, they have to eat."

"I'll take my chances at the table," I answered in a low snarl. The skinny peddler was really starting to annoy me. He simply nodded at my comment and we rode the rest of the way to Peace River in silence.

When I laid eyes on the town I was taken back a little. For just starting up, the town certainly looked big. Peace River had two saloons, a three-story hotel, a large white church, and at least 20 separate, two-story buildings for businesses. Then there was the large, impressive courthouse sitting in the middle of everything. I noticed the courthouse was made of stone and marble, not lumber. It easily stood out among everything else around it. Even the hotel didn't come close to the courthouse in style or design, although it was a fancier building than most hotels I had visited. For a town this size, the courthouse was a definite overkill. It must've cost as much to build the courthouse as all the other buildings combine.

"I see you spotted the courthouse," the peddler grinned. "Impressive, isn't it. The founding fathers think Peace River is going to grow and they wanted to build for the future."

"I'm surprise it didn't bankrupt the town in the process," I shot back. "Who was the donkey's ass who thought up that idea?"

"The magistrate of this town, Judge Jasper. By the way, there's a no gun law in Peace River. You'll need to drop your gun belt off first at the sheriff's office."

"Stupid law," I commented. "We'll see about that."

"Suit yourself, stranger. I'll be seeing you later, I'm sure." The peddler jerked on the reins of the horses and headed off down the dusty street.

As I watched him go, I realized there was something very annoying about that man. He was too confident for a simple peddler. Such confidence, without the skill to handle a gun to back you up, could get you killed. Well, that wasn't my problem. If there was one thing I knew how to do, it was handle a gun.

I boarded my horse at a nearby stable and strolled fearlessly down the wooden sidewalk to the closest saloon. I was figuring to wet my whistle and maybe even get in a card game before going to bed. I found that playing cards always helped me relax, especially when I won - which was usually the case. I was a natural card player.

Along the way I passed several people and observed something strange; everyone looked clean. What I mean by that was, everyone seemed to be wearing clothes that looked brand new, like they had just bought them at the store. The women in particular were dressed nicely, wearing dresses that were much finer then most women wore to church. I had been to New York City a few years ago, when I had had a silly dream of joining the merchant marines and sailing the open sea. I had seen how women dressed there as oppose to women out here in the west, and it was like being back in New York City again without the tall buildings. In fact, quite a few of the ladies were dressed as southern belles, wearing fine silk dresses with bellowing skirts. It made everything here look so out of place for a western town.

I strutted into the saloon and made my way up to the bar, checking out the few people who were there. They all looked harmless enough, dressed in their Sunday best even though it was only a Thursday night. A few of them smiled at me, only it wasn't a friendly smile. It was more like that of someone who was part of an inside joke. I brushed the feeling off. I could handle any trouble that came my way.

"Whiskey!" I demanded in a rude demeanor. The bartender eyed my gun, smiled, and poured me a drink from a bottle.

"You're new in town," he said while pouring me a second drink, after I had gulped the first shot down in one swallow.

"Just passing through," I replied trying to brush him off. I hated talkative bartenders; they should know their place in life. Their job was to pour drinks and keep quiet!

"I'll be leaving tomorrow morning," I informed him.

"I'm afraid you'll be with us a little bit longer," I heard a gruff voice behind me say. I turned and saw an incredibly menacing man standing there wearing a badge. This could only be the sheriff of Peace River. Sitting next to him was the peddler I had ridden in with earlier. He was leaning back in a chair with a smile on his face that was just begging to be wiped off.

"We have a no gun law in this town, mister. You're in violation of that ordinance. You'll have to see the judge in the morning." The sheriff said it in a way that left no room for argument.

"I tried to tell him, Sheriff," the peddler explained with amusement in his voice. "I told you we'd find him here."

"You damn Judas," I growled at him.

"I want your gun...NOW!" the sheriff demanded.

"You can have my gun when you pry it out of my cold, dead fingers, you tin-plated lawman!" I snared back. Sure, this sheriff was tall and menacing. However, I had found out long ago that bigger, muscular men were slower on the draw than skinner ones; and a bullet to the head would stop him just as fast as anyone else. I stood up from my stool and got ready to draw my gun.

"You're making a big mistake, mister," the bartender whispered to me. "Sheriff Mars isn't like anyone else you've ever faced before."

"He's never faced anyone like me before," I replied back in a loud, intimidating voice that everyone could hear. "You have no idea who you're facing, Sheriff."

"Sure he does," the peddler interjected. "Three-finger Jack, credited with killing five men. Also a chronic bed wetter until you were nine years old." There was a round of snickering around the room.

"You lying son of a bitch," I spat. "I swear, after I'm done with Sheriff Mars here, I'll shoot you where you sit."

Mark Merrick blinked hard then grinned even wider. "I'd like to see you try, Jack!"

"So would I, Merrick" Sheriff Mars agreed staunchly. Then much to my surprise he added, "Go ahead Jack! Try and shoot him down."

"So you can shoot me down while I'm taking target practice at him? No thanks, Sheriff. I'll wait until after you're on the floor to deal with him."

Sheriff Mars chuckled slightly, and I felt a little unnerved by his calmness. What he did next shook me up even more. He took off his gun belt and threw it on the table in front of the peddler.

"There, now you have no excuses," he said firmly. "And I'll sweeten the pot. If you can shoot Mr. Merrick, I'll let you ride out of town tomorrow morning a free man. Otherwise, you'll be our guest here for a bit longer."

I looked at the sheriff who had a stone look on his face, then at the peddler, Mark Merrick, who was smiling as if this were some sort of game we were playing. Surely he wasn't that stupid to think he could outrun a bullet.

"I won't shot an unarmed man, Sheriff. I live by a code."

"Mark, go for the gun," Sheriff Mars suggested.

"If I did, this coward would only pee his pants in fright," the peddler sneered.

I felt my anger rise up from my gut, and by reaction I went for my gun. The strange thing is, the peddler never made a move for the gun on the table. Well, if he was that stupid.

I yanked my gun out of its holster and aimed right between his eyes. Out of reaction I pulled the trigger. That's when the peddler just disappeared. The bullet went past where he should've been sitting and crashed into the wall.

"You missed!" I heard him call out. I turned and was shock to see him standing at the other end of the bar.

"How the hell did you do that?" I cursed. I aimed and fired again. The results were the same as before. The moment I pulled the trigger he was gone. Sheriff Mars just stood there watching the action with a tight grin.

"Over here," the peddler called out from the opposite corner of where he had once been. I fired at him again, and once more my target was standing someplace else before the bullet had even left its chamber.

"What the hell is going on here?" I roared. It had to be done with mirrors or something. There was no way this man could move so fast.

"Stand still so I can shoot you," I demanded in rage. He laughed at my suggestion, which only cause me to get angrier and raise my desire to kill him even more. I fired off my remaining shots, but he was simply standing one foot over from where the bullets struck. It was impossible; I was a crack shot. There was no way I could've missed him from this distance.

"Give up," the peddler said smugly. He had a grin from ear to ear as he walked towards me.

I let out a yell and rushed at him with all my might. The peddler simply stepped out of the way at the last moment, and I fell onto a table that busted in half. I got up off the floor and this time approached him more cautiously. Once I got close enough, I took a swing at his jaw with my left hand. The only problem was, when my fist got to where he was standing he was no longer there. I had put my full weight into the punch and instead of being rewarded with a solid smack; I ended up hitting air. The result was that I tumbled onto another table that broke and I hit the floor even harder then the time before. The peddler let out a hearty laugh as he leaned against the bar and watched me struggle to get back to my feet.

"I can end this anytime you're ready," the sheriff commented.

I ignored his suggested and made my way up to where the peddler now stood. This time I made sure he was no more than three feet away before I rushed him. The impact wouldn't be as effective but I wasn't worried about that. If I could get my hands around his neck I was sure I could snap it before he knew what happened. I made my move; this time with both arms extended in order to grab him in case he tried to sidestep me again. This time he simply out-smarted me, dunking underneath my arm when I rushed forward. I slammed into the wooden bar and felt one of my ribs crack. Before I even had a chance to yell out in pain, I felt a swift blow between my shoulder blades and fell to the floor.

As I was lying there losing consciousness, I heard the peddler say; "These American cowboys aren't very bright, are they? I think this proves I could be a lawman."

"You're such a showoff, Merrick," I heard the sheriff smugly reply back. "You always have been, even when you were young. Besides, commerce is your expertise, not mine."

"I'm tired of selling useless junk all the time. I'm going to asked father if I can be reassigned, at least on a part time basis."

"I already have enough deputies as it is," the sheriff objected, "I don't need any more help. And who's going to clean up this mess?"

I didn't hear the reply - I blacked out.

***

Sometime later I was awaken by the cool touch of a towel lying on my forehead. I opened up my eyes but was blinded by the morning light shinning in through the window. I cursed loudly, and tried to sit up but found myself too weak to do so.

"Take it easy," someone said as a pair of warm hands, definitely female, firmly held me down. "You need to take a few minutes to gather your strength before trying to sit up. I made you some breakfast. It's only mush, but it's very good."

"Who are you?" I asked slowly while focusing my eyes on the loveliest angel I had ever seen. She was petite, with curly brown hair and an angelic face. The woman was wearing a silk, green dress with white lace on the sleeves and collar. It was the type of outfit you would expect a woman to wear to a fancy ball. She smiled sweetly and lifted the spoon up to my mouth.

"Where am I?" I asked after taking a bite of the mush. It tasted surprisingly good.

"You're in the Peace River hotel, and there's a deputy waiting outside the door in case you get any ideas. You were in pretty bad shape when the sheriff brought you here, but I fixed most of your cuts and bruises with salve. In a few days your wounds should be completely healed."

"Thank you...Miss?"

She smiled and said, "Call me Terry."

"Terry," I smiled slightly while taking another bite of the mush. "An unusual name for such a beautiful girl. Do you always give your guests such service?"

"Only when needed," she explained while feeding me another spoonful. "I'm a helper here."

"A helper? What does that mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough," she giggled slightly. "The Judge has assigned me to you. It's an honor my father bestowed on me for all my hard work in the past. I'm to take care of our first guest in our town. My other sisters are very jealous of me."

"Well, I like the treatment so far," I replied coyly, trying to win her affections. "Your offer to stay here and have you serve me is tempting, but I really need to leave this place."

"I'm afraid," she answered while shoving the last of the mush into my month, "the Judge won't allow that. You see, he wants to meet with you very badly."

"I'm sure he does, but I don't want to meet with him. Look Terry, you seem like a pretty levelheaded girl. Help me leave and I'll take you with me. I'll show you places that'll make you forget about this backwater town. I know you like me, I can see it in your eyes."

I was moving pretty fast but she seemed like a naive little girl who could be easily swayed. I didn't find out until later that it was I who was in fact naíve.

"What do you want me to do?" she smiled willingly.

"Get my horse and bring it out front. You can meet me later at the fork south of here."

"Deputy Phobos," she called out.

The door opened, and a clean-shaven man about 19 years old entered into the room. Like Terry, he was too nicely dressed for the occasion, wearing a clean, spotless shirt and a pair of shinny boots that looked like they had been purchased less than 15 minutes before. His face was rough looking and quite intimidating. I found myself becoming a little fearful of his presence.

"I'm sorry Jack, but there'll be no horse waiting out front until after you see the Judge. We'll talk later." She giggled slightly as she gathered up her skirts and left the room.

"You stink!" The deputy stated directly while tossing me a long robe that was lying on a chair. That's when I noticed someone had removed my clothes and I was completely naked. "You're going to need a bath before you can see Judge Jasper. Follow me."

He led me downstairs and out the back to a large building. There was a chimney next to the building with smoke coming out of it. Inside I found a stone basin large enough to hold three men. It was filled with hot water."

"Take off your robe and get in," the deputy commanded with authority. I did as he ordered, and watched the dirt flow off my body as I sat down.

"Here, try this soap."

Deputy Phobos tossed me something white about the size of a deck of cards. This stuff he called soap was nothing like I had seen before. It was a small, square block of clay-like substance that didn't bend or break in my hands. I sniffed at it carefully and noticed it smell kind of sweet. I took a small bite and spat it out.

"What are you doing?" The deputy yelled out in shock.

"You told me to try it, and it tastes like horse shit," I cursed angrily. "What the hell is this poison."

"You're suppose to rub it over your body, not eat it" he explained. Then he added under his breath, "Uncivilized human."

"If only I had my gun," I told myself, while wondering if it would've done any good. As I rubbed the bar of soap up and down my arm white foam and bubbles began to appear. I found the dirt that had been build up on my body over the past month came off much easier then just splashing water at it. I even smelled cleaner. I continued to wash my entire body under the watchful eye of Deputy Phobos.

When I was done, the deputy escorted me to another room where a pile of fresh clothes was waiting for me. He ordered me to put them on. Much to my surprise, everything fit perfectly. After I was dressed, I was taken to the courthouse and placed in the front of the room. Deputy Phobos walked over to the Judge's bench, but never took his piercing eyes off me. A few minutes later Sheriff Mars walked in with the peddler, Mark Merrick. Another man, a preacher, also joined us.

"Well old Jack," I said to myself, "you're in trouble now. They have a judge to pronounce your guilt, a sheriff and deputy to carry out the sentence, and a preacher man to give you your last rights. All they need now is the mob to witness your hanging."

No sooner had I finished saying that to myself than a group of about 25 people started shuffling in. They took a seat in the spectator's section. I stared at them with a mean scowl, but each one just smiled back at me. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen.

The sound of a door squeaking open caused me to look forward again. A man walked into the courtroom and up to the bench. Even if he hadn't been wearing a black robe his presence screamed out the word 'Judge'. He stood well over 6 foot, had slightly graying hair, and a thick but well-groomed beard.

He took a seat on the bench then turned to the deputy and said, "Make sure someone fixes that door so it doesn't squeak anymore." He then picked up his gavel and pounded it three times.

"This court is now in session," he announced. "Jack Houston, you have been found guilty of your crimes. It is our intention ..."

"Wait a minute!" I yelled out in protest. "That's not proper procedure. Ain't you going to read the charges?"

"How about bad grammar for starters?" the Judge replied while looking over the glasses he wore. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that the word "ain't" isn't a word?"

"My ma died when I was 8 - and what's this all about?"

"This is your trial," the Judge said with a sigh. "You'll have to forgive me, I'm a little new to your judicial system. I was hoping we could forgo some of the formalities it contains."

"Are you even qualified to be a judge?" I questioned accusingly.

"I'm more qualified then you can ever know," he stated dryly. "As for your charges, let me see what we have here." He shuffled through some papers and looked at each one carefully. "I see you've murdered five men, Mr. Houston."

"That was in self-defense," I argued. "Everyone of them drew their guns first, as stated by the witnesses."

"Yes, so I see," he responded while still looking at the reports. "However, a couple of them were provoked to draw."

"They still drew first," I argued. "And when someone insults me, I let my gun do the talking."

"Is that so," the Judge bellowed. "Well in this town, Mr. Houston, things are a little different. We have order here, without the need for violence that you're accustomed too. However, those previous killings are not what you're being charged with."

"Then what am I here for?" I snarled in a demanding tone.

"Violating our gun law - that's a five dollar fine. And you're ordered to pay for the tables you damaged. Mr. Bacchus, do you have a bill for the tables."

"Right here, Your Honor." He handed it to Deputy Phobos, who forwarded it to the judge. Judge Jasper looked at the bill and nodded.

"Two tables at $3.50 a piece for a total of seven dollars. Add the five-dollar fine and that comes to $12.00. Do you wish to pay the fine, Mr. Houston, or serve a lengthy sentence here in Peace River?"

I laughed out loud. Here I thought I was in real trouble; maybe even being brought up on murder charges. Instead I was going to be released with a twelve-dollar fine. I reached for my money purse and counted out ten dollars in coins. Two dollars short - well, no matter. I had over $400 in bills and coins in my saddlebag.

"I'll pay the fine, Your Honor. I just need the money that's in my saddlebag."

"Where is this saddlebag?" the Judge demanded to know.

"Right here, Your Honor," Sheriff Mars said and held it up.

"Let me have it so I can pay my fine and be on my way," I demanded.

"You're not getting any of your stuff back until you pay the fine," Judge Jasper interjected on the sheriff's behalf.

"But my money is in that pack," I tried to explain.

"Which you won't get back until you pay the fine," he stated firmly.

"But I can't pay the fine without the money in my pack!" I shot back in an angry tone.

"Then I guess you'll be serving that long sentence after all," Judge Jasper answered with a thin smile. "Mr. Houston, I sentence you to life in our town." He slammed his gavel down to make his decision final, then slowly raised his hands and started to mumble something under his breath.

The rest of the room got deadly quiet, and I stood there bewildered over the Judge's actions. What the hell was going on here? Suddenly I spotted a blue ball of light rising from his hand. It looked like a glowing sun and was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. It was also one of the strangest things I had ever seen, and I was a little frightened at what its purpose was suppose to be.

The judge opened up his eyes and the ball of light suddenly shot from his hands like a bullet from a gun. It came right at me and hit me in the middle of my chest. While I didn't actually feel the impact, my body took a few steps back as if it had. Suddenly my insides became alive with a tingling sensation that started in my chest and moved throughout my body. I tried to scream, but found myself unable to do so. That's when the first changes started. I was a tall man, about 6'2", and I found myself shrinking rapidly.

As a got smaller, other changes began to happen. I could feel my arms get narrower, and a sudden burst of energy produced two mounds that started to rise from my chest like mountains from the sea. My undershirt changed into something tight and constricting, as it wrapped itself around the upper part of my body. I felt something pulling from the top of my head and discovered it was long, curly hair that rushed over my shoulders. Suddenly my new hair shot upward and worked its way into a tight bun.

Around my legs something smooth and silky encircle my groin, and I cursed at the delicate feel of whatever it was. My shirt and pants merged together, then transformed into a light blue dress with a white flower print. The skirt of the dress then started to bellow outward as layer upon layer of lacy petticoats pushed out from underneath.

My hat, which I had failed to take off in front of the judge, changed into a bonnet of similar design to what the dress was, and had white lace around the opening. A ribbon grew out from the bonnet and neatly tied itself into a knot underneath my chin. My old boots, all scuffed and worn, disappeared into a pair of dainty, woman shoes.

The tingling sensation began to subside but before it did, I felt a slight tugging on my manhood that seemed to be pulled up inside my body. The effect sent a sexual sensation throughout my body, and caused me to shiver in excitement. Then everything went back to normal.

"What...what's happening?" I asked almost out of breath. I held the skirt of the dress out in front of me in bewilderment. How could I be dressed in such a feminine outfit? Then I realized it was a female voice that had asked the question, not my own rough, manly voice. I gasped in wonder when I looked at my left hand; it had five fingers again.

"Why am I dressed like this?" I asked in disbelief.

"How else would a proper, young lady your age be dressed?" Judge Jasper replied with a smirk.

"Lady?" I shirked in a high, female voice as if I had just seen a mouse. "But...but, I'm a man!"

"What do you want me to do with this?" Sheriff Mars interrupted while holding up my saddlebag.

"Since Mr. Houston is no longer around, I suggest you give it to Mr. Merrick to add to our city coffers. I'm sure he'll find something useful to do with it."

"THAT'S MY MONEY!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Not any more," Judge Jasper replied calmly as he stood up. "Terry, please take Miss Cunningham back to her hotel room and go over what she needs to know."

As Judge Jasper started to leave I grew even angrier with him. How dare he do this to me! Dressing me up in woman's clothes was one thing, but stealing my hard earn money was another matter. If I only had my gun, I would teach them all a lesson.

"I'm not leaving without my money, you black-robe coward. You're a thief, ALL OF YOU! I'll..."

I suddenly found myself choking, as if someone had a hold on my throat. When I looked up at the Judge, he was standing there holding out his right hand with a satisfied smile. The others watched with dispassionate looks on their faces.

"This outburst is not what I expect from a woman of your upbringing, Miss Cunningham," he stated forcefully. "I suspect you'll be a lot more careful from now on concerning who you call a thief around here. You stole the lives of five men. Don't bother complaining to me about some worthless metal and paper you call money. In time, you'll find things much more important to you than your pride and money. In time, you'll act like the proper, young lady that you now are." Then he added carefully, "Just don't take too long learning how."

He released his grip and I fell to my knees holding my throat. The rest of the crowd slowly shuffled out of the courtroom except for Terry. She ran over and put her arm around me.

"That was very foolish," she said in a low voice. "Don't you ever do or say anything like that again to upset him, otherwise he may not let go. Do you understand me?"

I nodded my head and she continued. "Let me help you back to your hotel room. There's a lot we need to go over before your meeting with Reverend Cupler."

She placed her arm around my waist and slowly lifted me off the ground with little effort. For a small girl she was incredibly strong. I continued to gasp for air as we walked over to my hotel room and she helped me up the stairs. It was only after we were in my room that I had the strength to talk again.

"What's going on?" I demanded to know rather forcefully. "Who are you and what is this place?"

"I suggest," she said firmly in a tone that made me listen, "you change your tone from one that's rude and demanding to one that is more civilized."

"The hell with what you want! I want to know..." I suddenly found myself choking again, only this time I suspected it was Terry and not the Judge causing it to happen. The grip around my throat wasn't as strong as before, but it was still tight enough to stop me from breathing. After a few moments the pressure disappeared and I was able to breathe again.

"We can do it your way or my way," she said clearly and calmly. "My way is much less painful. All you have to do is treat me with the same respect you want to be treated with. I don't believe you want me to be rude and demanding to you. Now, ask the question again when you're ready - this time, the right way."

"Who are you?" I repeated more politely.

"See, that wasn't so hard," she smiled sweetly. "I'm Terry, your guide here at Peace River. You've been given the honor to live the rest of your life out in our little town. I'm here to help you be happy and fulfill that honor."

"But I don't want to live the rest of my life here, and why am I wearing girls clothes?"

"As for living here from now on, you really don't have a choice in the matter. As for why you're dressed the way you are, that's a rather silly question. This is how all young ladies your age dress now days."

"BUT I'M NOT..." Terry gave me a warning glare that caused me to cringe in fear, and lower my voice. "But I'm not a girl! What is this, padding?" I began to touch the dress around the area where my breasts were.

"Does it feel like padding?" she smiled.

I had to admit, it didn't. It felt like regular skin, and the more I touched them, the more a strange, sexual feeling rushed throughout my body.

"But they can't be real!" I insisted. "First of all, I'm a man. Second of all, I still have the member to prove it."

"Are you sure?" she giggled.

A horrified look appeared on my face as I realized that I couldn't feel it anymore. Perhaps it was all that padding surrounded my body. I wanted to find out, but did I dare try with her standing there?

"It's okay," she reassured me as if she could read my thoughts. "I think feeling the truth, if you will excuse the expression, first hand, will help you accept what has happened. Go ahead, I'll wait."

I gathered up my skirt and petticoats with one hand, which wasn't an easy thing to do, and reached down with the other. My fingers brushed against the silk stockings, and then the equally silky underwear I was now wearing. I gasped in horror when I got there. Where I should have found something was now a void.

"NO!" I screamed while pulling my hand away. "He couldn't have done that to me. It's not possible!"

"In Peace River, everything is possible," Terry stated firmly.

"Who are you?" I asked in fright.

"I already told you," she replied back calmly.

"But who are you?" I repeated the question.

"Like I said before, I'm Terry, your helper and guide here in Peace River."

"BUT WHO ARE YOU?"

"I believe what you really want to know is, what am I? You must realize by now that I'm not like you, at least not in the regular sense. The answer to that question, I'm afraid, is something I can't tell you."

I started to cry, partly out of being turned into a girl but mostly out of my own frustration of not being able to threaten or fight my way out of this situation. This couldn't be happening to me; I didn't want it to happen to me. Terry sat down and put her arm around me.

"It's okay Samantha, it'll get better, I promise. You're going to have a wonderful life here in Peace River. It's not so bad here."

"You called me...Samantha," I sniffed.

"Of course I did," she smiled while pushing the hair out of my eyes. "That's your name now. I didn't have time to tell you that before, but now that you know the truth, you can accept what has happened to you and move on."

"I'LL NEVER ACCEPT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME!" I screamed out in a hysterical, high-pitch tone. "NEVER! Do you understand?" I started crying again.

"I hear you, but I don't believe you," she replied while reasserting her position. "We'll help you, Samantha. We want you to be happy."

"Then change me back and let me go."

She shook her head slowly and smiled. "That isn't going to happen my dear. You see, we need you for our project. Remember the story in the Bible about the cornerstone that the other builders rejected? Well, that's what you are to us. You're the cornerstone that we're going to build our town with - the stone that the rest of the world has rejected. You're our future, Samantha! You should be honored to be the first one selected."

"Let me go!" I sobbed. "Just let me go."

"There, there now," Terry said while pulling my head to her chest. Her breasts felt so warm and comforting; and she gently started rocking me in her arms while patting me softly on the back. "Have a good cry and get it all out, Samantha, you'll feel better afterwards."

I started balling my eyes out, feeling both embarrassed by my actions and also relieved at the same time. Each tear seemed to release a little bit of the stress, fear, and anxiety I was feeling inside. My captor continued to hug me tightly, and I began to feel a bonding towards her.

"I'll be your rock, Samantha," she whispered in my ear. "You won't have to face your new life alone. I'll be with you every step of the way."

The words struck a chord with me, and I slowly found my fear and anger towards Terry disappearing, being replaced by a sense of love and security. I felt like a little girl being comforted by her worldly mother, who knew the pains and heartaches her daughter would have to face, and who was going to do everything she could to make them as painless as possible. Somehow I knew everything would be all right.

***

The rest of my morning was spent going over the many rules that I was expected to follow. The most important, I learned, was not to try and leave town. Terry told me if I did try, Judge Jasper would be most displeased with my actions. In time I may be allowed to venture outside the town to a nearby lake in the company of a male escort, or even to Peace River that flowed nearby. For now, however, I had to stay within the city limits.

There were many other things I learned, like how to act like a proper young lady, especially around men. There was a code I had to live up to; I was to be pure and proper due to my position. Terry told me I was to hold a very important job in Peace River, although she wouldn't tell me what it was. That would have to wait until Monday, when I met with Judge Jasper again. After a quick lunch at the hotel, Terry ushered me outside and down the street.

"You're going to love this, Samantha," she exclaimed as we went into a store that had the sign, "Vickie's Emporium" over the door. There I was greeted by one of the loveliest women I had ever seen. She gracefully lifted up the skirt of her pink, southern belle dress and sashayed over to us with a smile that could've melted the hardest heart.

"Welcome Miss Terry; Miss Samantha," she greeted us with an inviting, southern accent. "What can I do for y'all today?"

Terry giggled and said, "As you know Vickie, Samantha is new here. I've been assigned to teach her everything she needs to know about being a proper, young woman."

"And what a fine job y'all been doing, Terry," she complimented her with a heartbreaking smile. "But I understand there is a tiny little problem."

"That's right, Vickie. First of all, Samantha needs a complete wardrobe and second, she needs to learn about the many different things women wear now days."

"Yes, I understand," she replied with a southern twang. "I was just checking over your records, Miss Samantha, and it shows you have a credit line of $125. Mr. Merrick was so kind as to drop the money off here an hour ago. As you can see, we have a large selection of dresses and petticoats to fit your every need."

I felt nervous, even a little sick, at the thought of wasting good gambling money on girly clothes for myself. "I'm not really sure what I need," I told her.

"Well," Vickie smiled, "that's were I come in."

The southern belle grabbed my arm and firmly pulled me over to a wooden cabinet. She turned the knob and opened the doors for me to see inside. It was filled with all sorts of silky, lacey things nicely stacked on top of each other.

"Why don't we start with some pretty undies," she declared. "I didn't think to ask...are you married, Samantha?"

"Not yet," Terry replied for me with a wink. I cringed a little at the thought. What would it be like going to bed with a man as his bride? The idea scared the hell out of me, more so than being in this town surrounded by all these strange people.

"Well, I guess we can go with something a little plainer for now," Vickie grinned. "But watch out Samantha, I'll whip ya up something special for your wedding night."

The two ladies laughed, and I joined in, but mostly out of panic and not knowing what else to do. I was beginning to think everyone in Peace River was crazy. Suddenly a man's voice dominated the room.

"What's so funny, ladies?"

He was a tall, hansom man with a nice build wearing a ten-gallon cowboy hat. The boots he wore must've cost well over $50, and his clothes looked equally expensive. The man looked like a picture perfect cowboy, and his smile was sure to break more than a few hearts. Both ladies frowned at him.

"It's a female joke, you wouldn't understand, Gerald," Vickie said somewhat sternly. "What do you need?"

"My father wanted me to give this to you." He grinned at me like a hunger cat eyeing a mouse while handing Vickie a brown package. "And who is this lovely lady?"

Terry stepped in front of me and said, "She's my special project, Gerald...and don't you try to ruin it for me."

"Why Terry, I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing. Now step aside so I can meet her."

Suddenly Terry was jerked off to one side as if she had been pushed. That's when the delicate, southern charm of Vickie Mars disappeared, and she stepped up to take Terry's place.

"Don't try that stunt with me, Gerald," she threatened with a wicked glare. "If you do, not only will I make you wish you hadn't, but I'll let your father know about it as well. You know what kind of charm I have over him."

"Wouldn't you like to try some of that charm on me?" he grinned. "I'm younger and much more willing."

"You're also the biggest maco around. One step above the Titans - barely."

"Oh, that hurt, Vickie," he smiled. "Do you talk like that to the sheriff when you're alone?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she almost snarled with contempt. "Your father should've kept you in stasis with the others until it was time. Now apologize to Terry and get out of my store before I lose my temper."

He grinned at my helper and said, "See you later, Terry." Then he turned and walked out of the store, his spurs digging into the floor as he left.

"Stupid maco," Vickie swore under her breath. At least it sounded like she was cussing even though it wasn't a four-letter word I had heard before. Then her foul mood turned back into the sweet disposition she held before Gerald walked in, as did her southern twang. "Well, let's not let that unpleasant moment ruin our afternoon. Shall we, ladies."

"Who was that?" I asked.

"His name is Gerald Rogers, and trust me Samantha, he's not someone you want to get involved with," Terry replied.

My mind was spinning from the encounter. I knew Gerald was one of those people by the way he had pushed Terry aside without actually touching her. Up until now, I had suspected that these people were working together toward a common goal in harmony, but Gerald proved that wasn't so. So would it be possible to enlist some of these disgruntled servants to get me out of here?

I looked back at Vickie who was pulling out some lacy things from a pile. The thought of learning how to dress like a woman was starting to overwhelm me. The idea of wearing those silky under-things against my body was frightening. What petrified me even more was the thought of wearing these things and not having it bother me anymore - maybe even enjoying it.

"Perhaps we should do this another time," I suggested while placing my hand to my head and feeling a little faint. I wasn't faking; I felt so light-headed all of the sudden. Vickie and Terry each grabbed an arm and sat me down in a chair.

"It must be from the transformation," Vickie told Terry while getting me a glass of water. "It must have depleted her energy level. Just rest for a moment Samantha, you'll feel better soon."

"I'm so tired all of a sudden."

"We know, dear," said Terry. "I know you feel like going to sleep, but we really need to finish what we're doing first. Otherwise, you won't know what to do when you wake up tomorrow."

"The water will help," Vickie said handing me the cup. "I put an energy pill in it."

"A what?" I asked while taking a drink. Suddenly I felt a surge of renewed energy within me.

"It's something to give you extra energy for the next couple of hours. You'll sleep good tonight."

"I wish there was a way we could give them the knowledge to know what to do." Terry suggested.

"Maybe there is," Vickie pointed out. "We should be able to put the knowledge of how to do certain things into the transformation process. All we have to do is create a special program for the computer."

'Com-pu-ter? Pro-gram?' The words were unfamiliar to me. The two ladies were talking like I wasn't even there.

"Excuse me. Can that be done to me? Can whatever this com-pu-ter thing is...teach me what to do?"

"I'm sorry, dear," Terry answered while turning back to me. "I'm afraid you're going to have to learn things the old fashion way - through trial and error. But Vickie and I will be here to help and answer any questions you may have. Maybe we should start with the dresses first. What type of style do you think she would look good in, Vickie? A northern lady or a southern belle?"

"Northern, I think," Vickie thought out loud. "However, it wouldn't hurt to have her try on a few of the silk dresses to be sure. I suppose once we pick out her dresses, we could start matching them up with the undies. Oh Miss Samantha, we have a special shop where you can take your special undies and get them clean. They use a washing machine and it only costs about a dollar a week."

My head was spinning. My idea of cleaning my clothes was taking them down to the river and beating them against a rock. Now I could take my clothes to a shop and put them in a...a washing machine? What in the world was a washing machine? What other strange devices did they use here? That's when I noticed danger above me. Hanging from the ceiling were a number of glass tubes with what looked like a small fire inside.

"The place is on fire!" I shouted while pointing my finger upward. I started to lift up my skirt to run but Terry stopped me before I had a chance.

"It's...it's a light bulb," she said calmly. "It's sort of like a kerosene lamp, except it doesn't use fire. These lamps run off electricity."

"What?" I asked.

"Electricity. It's..." she sighed hard, "it's hard to explain. Let's just say it's much safer then the kerosene lamps your civilization uses. Now, let's get back to these dresses."

Vickie and Terry both led me over to a rack of silk dresses and started pulling some out. They discarded several of them, but found a few they felt would look nice on me. I was then quickly ushered into a small room where Terry proceeded to help me take off my dress. In the corner I spotted one of those firelights sitting on a table with a shade over it. There was a cord running from the lamp that went into the wall. Suspecting that the electricity was on the other side, I reached over and felt the wall with my hand.

"What are you doing?" Terry asked.

"I'm trying to see if this e-lec-tric-i-ty is making the wall hot," I explained.

She giggled at my comment and told me to step out of my dress. Moments later, I felt the cool touch of the silk dress rubbing against parts of my skin. The dress the two ladies had picked out was cherry red, with white lace around the sleeves and down the sides. It also had a rather low bust-line.

"Judge Jasper wants you to dress respectfully, but not too respectfully," she giggled. "Why don't you look at yourself in the mirror."

I did and was stunned. This was the first time I had seen myself since the transformation, and I looked every bit like a young woman like Vickie or Terry did. I stood about 5'7", with dark brown, curly hair and pretty brown eyes. My nose was small and feminine, my lips full and puffy. I looked down at my bust, which moved slightly up and down as I breathed in the tight dress. I put my hands up to them, and saw my reflection do the same. The girl - the lovely young woman in the mirror - was me! Where was the real me, three-finger Jack, the notorious outlaw? He had been shot down, not by some bullet from a hot-handed cowboy; but by a bearded judge in a black robe.

"That's me?" I asked.

"That's you," Terry smiled.

It was too much for me to handle. Suddenly I found myself crying again at the loss of my identity. Terry grabbed hold of me and held on tightly as if she understood - not saying a word. It occurred to me after I was finished crying that I had cried more today then I had in my entire life since my mother died.

"This new life will take some getting used to," she told me in a smoothing tone. "Don't fight it Samantha, it only makes it harder to deal with the truth."

"I want to go home," I sniffed feeling sorry for myself.

"You are home," she replied forcefully. "You're a resident of Peace River now, and will be for the rest of your life."

Hearing the words caused me to start crying again.

***

Later that evening, after hours of clothes shopping and trying on new dresses, Terry and I had dinner at the hotel. As I sat there in the dinning room I noticed several of the men politely staring at me. This raised my curiosity a little, and I decided to ask Terry about this.

"If I'm the first person here, then everyone else must be just like you. Isn't that right?"

"Not everyone," Terry informed me. "We brought about 200 people along with us from our last location. It's sort of complicated to explain Samantha, and I'm not allowed to tell you even if I could."

"Can I talk to them?"

She giggled at my question. "Of course you can. Just don't expect them to give you any answers about Peace River or where they're from. Most of them don't remember anyway. You see they've been with us now for several centuries and their minds are a little faded. It always happens that way. This time we're trying something new. Oh Samantha, I'm so glad you're accepting your new life here."

I nodded my head like I was agreeing with her, but inside my feelings were very different. I knew that when I didn't show up at our designated meeting place, my brothers would come looking for me. They would backtrack over the route I had taken and keep searching until they found this place. It may take a month or two, but they would find me. While I may have been trapped in this woman's body, I was sure I still possessed the skill to shoot a gun. With three guns pointed at the judge's head, I was equally sure he could be persuaded to return me back to my original body. Heck, I may just shoot him afterwards for all the trouble he had caused me.

When dinner was served, I reached down to pick up my fork then stopped. I put my hand up to my face and blinked hard.

"What's wrong, Samantha?" Terry asked with a slight smile that indicated she already knew.

"My hand!" I exclaimed. "I'm using my right hand. But I've always been left-handed."

"Jack Houston was left-handed," she corrected me. "Samantha Cunningham has always been right-handed."

"But I can't shoot a gun right-handed!"

"So," she smiled while taking a bite of her chicken. "You'll find other uses for your hands, like knitting and sewing."

"Sewing! But that's woman's..." I stopped myself short. I didn't want to say too much and blow my cover.

"I know what you're thinking Samantha," Terry giggled knowingly. "You're thinking that maybe you could force Judge Jasper to change you back at gunpoint. Let me assure you young lady, that that will never happen. First of all, Sheriff Mars and his men would never let it get that far. Second, there are no guns in Peace River except for the ones the sheriff and his deputies' wear. And when they aren't on duty, their guns are locked up in a very safe place. You can't get to them unless you have certain powers."

My heart sank. Terry knew exactly what I had been thinking all along.

"I know you haven't fully accepted your situation," Terry went on in a matter of fact tone. "That will come with time. However, I do feel we've made some great progress today. Now eat your food before it gets cold.

I grimly put my fork into the salad in front of me and took a bite. Its taste was unappealing to me, just like my current situation. Well, at least now it was. Why was it that there were times when I was accepting my current situation? It wasn't like I was happy about it, but I was learning to live with what had happen to me. In my heart I knew I would rather live as Samantha Cunningham than blow my brains out. But was that me thinking this way or them placing the thought in my head. I felt my brain turning to mush, and I dropped my fork on the plate. Terry looked up at me with some concern.

"We need to get you to bed," she said rushing to my side. "You'll feel better after you sleep."

I didn't reply; I just closed my eyes as I was helped up the stairs and into bed. The last thing I remembered was the sounds of voices coming from several people standing around me. After that I fell into a deep sleep.

***

I woke up in bed with a mild headache. For a moment I wasn't sure where I was, then I saw the dress I had worn the day before hanging on the door. I shook my head; yesterday wasn't just a bad dream. I tried to sit up but felt stiff, and my body protested vigorously. There was a short knock on the door and Terry came in carrying a tea tray.

"I thought you'd never get up," she smiled. "I'm afraid you've already missed church services."

"That's okay," I moaned weakly. "I never attended church anyway. They hold services on Saturday here?"

"It's Sunday," Terry informed me while handing over a cup of warm tea. "You've been sleeping for almost a day and a half now. Here, drink this, it'll make you feel better."

"Sunday!" I gasped. "How did that happen?"

"The transformation process took a lot out of you. Not to mention the fact that the energy pill Vickie gave you only weakened your condition. Don't worry; you were never in any danger. Your body just needed to rest a little bit longer to get over the strain of what it went through. Like I said, this is a learning process for us."

"I'm not sure I like being used by your people this way." I complained. "In fact, I know I don't like it. When are you going to..."

She cut me off in a stern fashion. "I've already explained young lady, that you're not going to be changed back or be allowed to leave Peace River ever again. This is your home now, Samantha. Jack Houston, or three-finger Jack if you prefer, is gone."

It was a pointless argument and I knew it. I drank my tea down and listened while she rambled on in a bubbling manner about what we were going to do today. There was a social church picnic this afternoon that I was going to attend, as well as a scheduled meeting with Reverend Cupler. I wasn't looking forward to either one of them. Terry pulled out a lovely, light green silk dress that we had picked up yesterday and helped me out of bed. While she was charming and helpful, I couldn't wait until my brothers show up so we could turn the tables on her.

After a visit to a place called a restroom, a room with a cold, white thing Terry called a toilet; I got dressed and was rushed over to the church just down the street. There Reverend Cupler greeted me at the door. He was a short man, about 5'4", with sandy brown hair that curled in the front. The man looked like a young boy, and he couldn't have weighed more then 90 pounds soaking wet. Judging from his size I was sure I could take him even in my current state. He clasped both of my hands with his, and I felt a slight surge of tingling running up both of my arms. He smiled at the result and sat me down in one of the pews.

"Miss Cunningham, I'm so glad to finally meet you."

"I didn't really have much of a choice," I replied uneasily. This man of the cloth was a little too cheerful for my taste. I knew there had to be a purpose to this meeting other than just a friendly get-together.

"Not really," he agreed honestly. "Why don't I just tell you why you're here? I'm been told to evaluate and find a husband for you."

"WHAT!" I shouted standing up.

"Calm down, Miss Cunningham. As I'm sure you already know, you're the first new resident in our fair town. So it's not like I have a number of suitors waiting outside the church. We want you to be happy here, and one of the keys to being happy is having someone to share your life with."

"I'm not marrying anyone," I told him in a resounding tone.

He smiled and said, "You'll change your mind. As I said before, there is a severe lack of suitors so any marriage won't take place for at least a year or more."

"It won't take place at all," I firmly stated.

"It will," he said back equally, if not more firmly. "One day you will walk down this aisle in a full wedding gown and say 'I do'. After that happens, you and your groom will go off on your honeymoon to start your new life, and a family, here in Peace River."

"That's NONSENSE," I snorted loudly. "None of what you just said is going to happen."

"We'll see," he smiled. "In the mean time, I'll be in charge of your spiritual condition. I'll expect you to attend church every Sunday, as well as all the other church functions. You and I will become very close, and I will carefully guide you toward a new and wonder life. In a few months, you'll forget all about the old Jack Houston.

"You may think I will," I countered, "but I'll find a way out of this madhouse."

"Do you really think we're going to let you walk out of here, Mr. Houston," Reverend Cupler chuckled knowingly. "We've put a lot of time and effort into your training so far. No, you'll stay and live your life out as Samantha Cunningham - and you'll be happy doing it."

"If I only had a gun!" I threatened.

"It wouldn't do much good. However, I see we need to prove a point here. You seem to think you can take me, even in your present condition. So go ahead, do what you've been aching to do ever since we met...take a swing at me."

"I tried that once at the bar. Your people seem to move too fast for me."

"I won't move, I promise. Now go ahead Jack, give it your best shot."

My eyes narrowed on the man, and I stood up to face him. Even though I was now shorter than I had been, I was still several inches taller than he was. "You asked for it."

I put all my might into the punch, and even though I was a woman with weaker muscles, it was a hard hit. My punch caught him near his jaw, and I felt my own knuckles crack as they made contact. It felt good. His head twisted as I struck him, but then shoot right back as if the impact hadn't even fazed him. He smiled brightly.

"See, I told you that you can't hurt us," he explained while pulling me back down to the pew with amazing strength. "We're impregnable to your bullets and punches. All you did was hurt your own hand in the process. The only choice you have now is to do as we say, otherwise your stay here in Peace River can and will be most unpleasant. Now, let's get back to discussing your husband. I'm going to find you someone who is..."

I didn't hear what he was saying. Instead I was feeling a massive blow of failure inside myself, a first for me. My punch, weak as it was, should've had some effect on this midget of a man. I now knew it was impossible to beat them - whoever they really were. A feeling of hopelessness began to overcome me and I got very sad. Reverend Cupler stopped talking and looked at me gently.

"Oh my, this will never do," he said. "We need...I mean, we want you to be happy here, Samantha. I thought by showing you the truth that you'd be more open to this, but I see I was wrong. Here, let me help."

Something flowed from his body into mine, and suddenly I felt happy, even joyful about being here.

"See, I can make it easier on you if you let me. All you have to do is visit me anytime you feel down and I'll make it all better." He smiled lovingly and patted my hands. "Why don't we discuss this matter at another time. Right now there is an entire town out back waiting to meet you. Come my child, I'll take you to them."

He took my hand and lifted me up out my seat. My skirt got twisted and he waited while I pulled it straight, as if I had done this a hundred times before.

"You look lovely, my dear," he commented. "You're going to look even lovelier on your wedding day."

I giggled slightly, although I don't know why since I didn't find his comment something to laugh about. He led me out the back door to where the community picnic was taking place.

***

Monday morning I was rustled out of bed before the sun was even up. I protested about it being so early, but Terry insisted I didn't want to be late for my meeting with Judge Jasper. The picnic from yesterday was still reeling in my mind. The people I met were friendly enough, but you could tell the real people from the ones running this place. The real people talked strangely. I don't mean that they spoke with an accent, just that they phrased their sentences differently and had no idea what the world was really like out there. Some of them even asked if I came to Peace River by chariot.

After breakfast, I was taken to a small room in the courthouse containing a desk and several large filing boxes. Terry knocked on the door behind the desk and motioned me inside. It turned out the door led to the Judge's personal chambers. His office was very well decorated, with several expensive chairs and a black couch in one corner, and a massive desk in another. Judge Jasper was dressed in a suit that could only have been tailored made, as it fit him like a glove. He gave me a warm smile and beckoned me to sit down on the couch. I noticed Terry turned and left, leaving me alone with him.

"Would you like some tea before we get started?" he asked me.

"Do you have any coffee?"

"I'm afraid not," he frowned. "I've been meaning to try this drink your countrymen find so popular, but haven't got any in stock yet. I'll ask Mr. Merrick to pick some up the next time he goes for supplies."

"Then I guess tea will do." He smiled and handed me a cup.

"Terry has informed me you're doing quite well with your lessons, Samantha. I hope that earlier nonsense of wanting to be changed back into who you once were and leaving our nice little town is out of your system." His smile was friendly enough, but his demeanor indicated he wasn't in the mood to hear my protests.

"Yes sir, it is," I said, knowing it was the safe answer.

He chuckled softly. "Good, because we have a lot of work to do today. As you know, we're just getting started and I'm in desperate need of a good secretary."

"But my writing isn't very good." I told him.

"Yes, well, we'll make sure that improves. However, it's not your writing skills that interest us. We want you to record everything in your mind so it won't be forgotten."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Let me explain," Judge Jasper said as he took a sip of his tea and leaned back in his overstuff chair. "A long time ago, our enemies sought to deceive your people by changing the truth about how things happened. It worked - too well as a matter of fact. In time everything became so jumbled up that our history was lost forever. It is therefore important to us that we keep a record of everything that happens from this day on, so it won't be lost again. That's where you come in. Instead of storing these records on paper, in books, or through some other means, you will keep them in your memory. There will be times that we will access these memories, so we can adjust to your society around us. Nothing will be lost or mixed up as before. And when you get married and retire, since it's not proper for married women to work according to your society, I'll have all those memories transferred to my new assistant.

"But...what about me?"

"You'll be well taken care of my dear," he reassured me. "While your life won't be without struggles, it will be far easier than most people living here. You'll never get any older than the age of 30, and until you die your body will be kept free from disease and impurities. Now, I need to make some other calls, but when I get back we can discuss your duties some more. Until then, I want you to familiarize yourself with everything in your office. Do you understand?"

"I...I guess, Your Honor" I replied back in a shaky voice. This was all like a bad dream.

"Very good. I'm glad you're with us, Miss Cunningham." And with those few words he followed me out to my desk and left the room.

***

I stood there at the edge of town, staring out at the trees in the distance. Never again would I be allowed to go past them into the far open areas that I had once roamed. I was a prisoner in this pleasant little town until my brothers could find me. It was tempting to step off the wooden sidewalk and make a run for the trees, but I knew it was useless. The dress I had on made running practically impossible, and I knew they had to be watching my every move. I stared at the sun setting in the sky and wondered if my brothers were doing the same thing.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sheriff Mars said, as he strolled up behind me. "There'll be many more sunsets to watch and enjoy."

"But not from the open desert, or San Francisco, or the Rocky Mountains," I thought, with tears in my eyes. They were all gone to me now. The town of Peace River wasn't a just a bad dream; it was a nightmare.

Sheriff Mars seemed to sense the sunset meant more to me then just a bunch of pretty colors in the sky. He cleared his throat and said, "You need to get going back to your hotel, Miss Cunningham. A lady working for Judge Jasper shouldn't be out on the streets after dark. Do you want me to walk you home?"

"No thank you, Sheriff Mars," I replied coolly. "You've done quite enough for me already."

He smiled and tipped his hat, then walked away with his spurs clicking on the wooden planks. I made a wish to the dying sun that my brothers would show up soon, and turned to head back to my room.

***

Things slowly faded back into place as the dream ended. I looked over at Ashlee who was looking tired from the episode.

"I shouldn't have made you show me," I spoke in an apologetic tone.

"It's okay, Linda. It felt good reliving Samantha's life again."

"I noticed that some of the people acted a lot different back then compare to today, like Vickie Marshall and Mark Merrick."

"Yes, I noticed many of them changed over the years," Ashlee pointed out. "They would try something and if it didn't work, they would drop it and try something else. As you can see, Vickie and her husband even changed their last name from Mars to Marshall. As people became more educated, their last name raised too many suspicions among the newcomers."

"That makes sense," I nodded. "It's strange that Samantha died so young."

"Not really," Ashlee shook her head. "Most of the people in the 1800's didn't live to see their 50th birthday. She actually lived longer then the norm."

It was clear Ashlee didn't understand what I had meant. Samantha had been given a healthy, diseased-free body just like us. So why hadn't she lived as long as the people in Peace River live today? She was only 59 when she died, hardly old under the circumstances.

Reverend Cupler had let it slip out that they needed us to be happy, but apparently living a long life wasn't part of the plan. I looked at some of the other tombstones close by and realized that those residents had also only lived to be 55 to 60 years old. Why the difference back then compared to today, when the average life span was around 80 years old?

"Can you tell me what happened to her, Ashlee?"

"Well, Samantha continued to work for Judge Jasper for almost three years, until she got married. She kept hoping and praying her brothers would show up to free her. After two long years she gave up on them and accepted her fate. I later learned that one of her brothers was killed in a bar fight and the other fled toward Mexico only to disappear into history.

"Anyway, Mr. Cupler played matchmaker and Samantha married a man by the name of John Adams. They lived a happy life and had seven children together. Like other siblings here, once the parents died Judge Jasper moved them out of Peace River and gave them new memories. I think he does something in the transformation process with the parents that make it easier to reshuffle their children's memories. Oh, their children still remembered their parents and everything they learned while growing up; only they remember growing up in another town and have no desire to go back there. I understand they adjusted well after the move and lived normal lives."

"You feel close to Samantha, don't you Ashlee?"

"I guess I do," she said absentmindedly. "We're so much alike. Even though she learned to be happy with her new life, she missed her old life terribly. She was also close with her brothers and yearned to see them again. That's what makes this tale so sad."

I realized that Ashlee had told me something she probably didn't want anyone else to know - her true feelings about being here. I could understand where she was coming from. On one hand she was given a very secure life, one that had been designed to make her happy. Add to this a family that she wouldn't dream of giving up. On the flip side, she missed her old family dearly. After all, she had grown up with them for some twenty odd years.

It occurred to me that this must be the reason why the Judge preferred new citizens who had no real families. If they didn't have anyone to hold on to, it made it easier for them to accept a new life here - especially if the new life was better than the one they were living.

Once you accepted your new life and had a family, Jupiter and his friends knew they had their hooks in you for good. Why would anyone want to give up all this peace and security when they knew the real world was a much different place? It was a very clever plot, except sometimes the Roman Gods screwed up and brought in someone who would never accept their new place in Peace River no matter how appealing they made it.

Of course Ashlee was the exception to the rule and this puzzled me. Why had the Judge picked Ashlee in the first place? I knew from past conversations that she had three brothers and a sister. I also knew that both of her parents had been alive at the time of her arrival. Did this mean that people like Samantha, Ashlee, and myself were more rare then the other people brought here? Maybe the Roman Gods couldn't just pull anyone off the street to do this job. I looked back at Ashlee who was still sitting there in a slight daze.

"Are you okay, Ashlee?" I asked carefully, hoping she would open up some more.

"If I wasn't, Mr. Cupler would be stopping by to see me," she smiled, coming out of her trance. "Besides, I love my life here. I've very, very happy."

I felt the words were said more to convince herself than they were to convince me. I was seeing a very different Ashlee today, one that wasn't totally committed to this plan the Judge and his people had put into place. I just wondered if Judge Jasper knew it. For some reason I didn't think he did.

"If you need to talk or anything," I offered.

"I'll give you a call," she reassured me, standing up. "Your number is already programmed onto my cell phone. Well, I better go home and take a nap now. That story took a lot out of me."

"I'll call you later," I promised.

Ashlee waved and headed for home pushing the baby stroller. I sat there for maybe a half-hour replaying everything in my mind. Why would the people back then live 20 years less than the people here today?

Another question that I couldn't get out of my mind was why they were so selective? Was it because those who had no life to speak of were easier to sway into accepting the life the Romans Gods had chosen for them? Something inside me told me no. If that where the case, why not pull some forgotten homeless person off the street and bring them here. No, the Roman Gods were very selective with who they brought here, which told me this plan of theirs was bigger than I first imagined. It meant that only certain people were useful for their purpose. The ten thousand dollar question was, just what was that purpose?

Fade out...

Next week - The mailman

This story dedicated to Beverly, who owns and maintains Beverly's Balcony. Her creative insight and hard work has made her web page a favorite of mine. Thank you for allowing us a place to post our stories, Beverly.

 

Andersonville 14 - The mailman
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff Green and Nelson T

Copyright 2001

Flashback - Three months earlier...

Judge Jasper opened up the chamber door with such great force that he almost ripped it from its hinges. Behind him followed Andrew Marshall (Mars), Pete Akins (Apollo) and Ashlee Gang. Jupiter slammed the crumbled note down on his desk in rage and faced his two sons.

"This is intolerable!" he almost screamed. "A few months ago it was just one person, today it's two. What's he going to do the next time, bring in a busload?"

"Father," Apollo interrupted. "Perhaps it would be a good idea if we discuss this matter in private." He made a motion over to where Ashlee was standing.

Jupiter took a deep breath and nodded. "Ashlee, if you would please."

"Of course, Your Honor," she said politely and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Father," Apollo started out. "We've checked every lead - 'twice'. Whoever this person is, he's crafty and very thorough.

"I want him," Jupiter said firmly. "I want this mailman brought to me by the end of this year - ALIVE! I want him brought here to face trial in MY COURTROOM!"

"We're doing our best," Mars replied evenly in an attempt to calm his father down. "But every person he brings in has a different description of him. It's like he can change his appearance at will. And if that's not enough, even his car has been different on each delivery. We checked the license plates we got off the people he brought in. Each plate was stolen off a junked car similar to the one he is driving at the time. As Apollo said before, he's very thorough."

"Maybe he's a Titan," Apollo threw out.

"I don't believe so," Mars answered with a frown. "If he were a Titan, why help us out by bringing in people we can use? No, it has to be a human who thinks he's doing a good deed."

"Then how does he know so much about us?" Jupiter asked.

"Perhaps from one of our past residents," Mars suggested. "We still have three people unaccounted for."

Apollo rolled his eyes at the suggestion. "If their government won't do anything about us why would one man? Besides, the first place these escapees's would've gone running is to the FBI. We know from our sources that they didn't do that, nor did they go to the local police. So why would they go up to a complete stranger and tell him all about us?"

"Have you got a better suggestion?" Mars shot back with fire in his eyes.

"Yea, I do! I believe the Titans are behind all this. I think they're trying to rattle our cage and turn us against one another."

"Utter nonsense!" replied Mars. "The Titans want to see us stopped, not play games with us. It has to be a human. If you don't believe me, why don't you confirm that with your friend, Dennis Butz!"

"He's not my friend!" Apollo countered, and moved closer to his half-brother. "I negotiate with him on our behalf, nothing more! If you want to try and make something more out of it, we can settle this right now!"

"That's enough you two," Jupiter said, putting his massive arms between them. "It's clear we don't know for sure what's going on here. Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to help the problem go away." The two Gods gave each other a strong glare but stepped back.

"Now let me make this clear," Jupiter said slowly to his son, Mars. "I don't know how you're going to do it, but you're going to find this mailman and bring him to me. We have to catch him before he does any real damage to our plan. Look at his last note!"

Jupiter picked it up off his desk and handed it to Mars. "He's becoming more demanding about what he wants me to do. He now threatens to tell everyone about Peace River if I don't follow his instructions to the letter. Well I can guarantee you this my sons, that one day he's going to grow tired of this game and do it anyway. Number 6 & 7 just got delivered, how many more are left?"

"We'll catch him, father," Mars assured him.

"If you don't we'll have to move our operation," Jupiter explained. "I don't have to tell either one of you how many people we'll lose in the process." Mars and Apollo both nodded with a frown.

"Then find him before that happens." Both Gods started to leave when Jupiter stopped one of them.

"Stay for a moment, Apollo. I have something else I wish to discuss with you."

Mars looked disappointed that he wasn't asked to stay, but left without saying a word. Apollo took a seat and waited in silence while his father picked up the note given to him by one of the two ladies he had just converted. He read it carefully again for some kind of clue. Like the other five before them, the two girls brought in today were young and Transsexuals. Under their own guidelines, only one of the two would've been considered to become a resident of Peace River. Oh, both could be used, but only one was really compatible with their system.

Of course Jupiter had not choice in the matter, not as long as this mailman person was holding the cards. To add insult to injury, the mailman had instructed him to make them sisters and keep their first names the same. This didn't go over to well with Jupiter. He had to make up a brand new family just so Angie and Anne Felton could live their life the way they wanted to, not the other way around.

Jupiter wanted to get mad at the two girls, but deep down he knew it wasn't their fault. He also couldn't take a chance of having their secret discovered by the outside world. There were still many years to go, maybe even a century, before their dream would become a reality. No, he couldn't please his ego and put the entire operation in jeopardy by not obeying.

The king of the Roman Gods took a deep breath and laid the note back down on his desk. There was another matter needing to be taken care of right now. He pressed on his intercom button and said, "Ashlee, can you come in here please."

A moment later his secretary opened the door holding a pad of paper in her hand. She smiled brightly, and Jupiter couldn't help but do the same. They were always so pretty during this time. Each pregnant woman gave off a certain pink and blue aurora that made the gods feel at ease. Jupiter had to admit to himself; Ashlee Gang was probably his favorite secretary out of all the ones who had worked for him before. It had been a good choice to grab her when he did.

"Ashlee, I want you to have Officer Ganymede bring Sally Rider to me right now." She nodded and left the room.

Apollo gave his father a bewildered look. "Sally Rider. The same Sally Rider that used to be Al Parker's girlfriend?

"That's correct my son. I want you to set up a meeting with Dennis Butz and do some negotiating for me. When you meet, tell him I'm purposing a trade. Sally Rider for the services of Linda Anderson while Ashlee is on maternity leave."

"Linda Anderson!" Apollo almost protested. "But we have more qualify people here, and she's also Dennis' favorite. Why bring her here?"

"Simple," Jupiter smiled tightly. "I have no doubt that who ever is running this underground movement in Peace River will try to contact her. When they do, we'll nab them."

"How do you know Dennis Butz will go for the trade?"

"Oh, he will," Jupiter answered with a thin, evil smile. "He's too much of a romantic to pass up an opportunity like this. No doubt he'll try to bargain for her with something else; don't let him. Tell him this is a non-negotiable deal straight from me. Sally Rider for Linda Anderson, nothing less."

"I'll talk to him," Apollo replied without debating the issue farther. He knew when his father made up his mind it was pointless to do so.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper - We are the Roman Gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...Present day

I was going into the local Andersonville drugstore to pick up some gum for my long trip back to Peace River. Judge Jasper, much to my surprise, had called me into his office on Thursday and given me permission to take off Friday and most of Monday morning so I could spend a long weekend with my family. I had to admit it felt great to be home again, even if it was for just a few days. My flight back to Peace River was due to leave in an hour, but first I was going to have quick meeting with Dennis Butz. It wasn't going to be a pleasant one either considering what I now knew.

I was so busy thinking about what I was going to say to him that I absentmindedly ran into a teenage boy coming out of the store. In the process of doing so, I spilled the contents of my purse onto the ground.

"Excuse me," he said politely while reaching down to help me pick everything up. There were some tubes of lipstick, a tray of eye shadow, and a couple of tampons that announced it was that time of the month for me.

"My fault," I replied absentmindedly. "I wasn't looking where I was going." I raised my head to make eye contact and was startled at who I saw.

"Frank?" I gasped in surprise. The teenage boy reminded me of how I once looked. Average height, a protruding nose, and sandy brown hair that lay straight across his forehead. Even his smile was similar to my own.

My older brother, Frank, had died when he was only six years old in a car crash, along with my real parents. Even though this young man had to be at least 15, I knew right away it was him.

"Something wrong, honey?" I heard an older female ask.

"Mom?" I responded with tears forming in my eyes. It was my mother, just as I remembered her the night she had died.

"I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else, young lady" she replied with a tad of concern at my reaction. "I don't have a daughter. Come on Frank, I need to get to my appointment."

The teenage boy said goodbye as he got up and followed his mother, my mother, back to the car. I sat down on a bench in a daze, torn inside as to what to do. Should I run after them and make a fool of myself? Or should I accept that they were really dead and my new family, the Anderson's were not? It was like a sick joke being played out on me, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry about it. Why hadn't Dennis told me they were here?
I forgot about the gum and drove straight to my appointment with Dennis Butz.

***

The director was already sitting at the table waiting for me, a pleasant but rather smug smile on his face. I was going to take great pleasure in wiping that smile away.

"Linda, how are you?" he asked cordially.

"Forget the pleasantry's, Dennis." I informed him angrily. "I want to talk to you about my brother!"

"What about Steve?" he asked a little confused.

"I'm not talking about Steve, I'm talking about my real brother, Frank. I just ran into him by accident at the drugstore, along with someone who looked amazing like my mother. Why didn't you tell me you created my family here in Andersonville?"

"Because if I had, I knew it would only upset you," he explained calmly. "Frank Harvey, that's his name by the way, was supposed to be the person you were going to be transformed into. However, at the last minute I decided to it would be better if you became Linda Anderson.

"YOU DECIDED!" I shot back while getting within inches of his face. "I'm getting DAMN tired of you deciding what's right for me! What gives you that right to decide who I should live as for the rest of my life?"

"I created the town, I financed the program that created your family, and you signed a contract with me," he explained. "Pick any of the three, Linda. And it was your relationship with the Anderson's that made up my mind. You hardly knew your real parents, and my program probably doesn't come close to recreating what they were really like. It was clear from the reports I read that you thought of Sox and Norma Anderson as real parents. I couldn't bear the thought of breaking the three of you apart."

"And what about me?" I asked in an irritable tone. "Is there a little Tom running around Andersonville as well?"

"No, you were replaced by someone named Sam. So you see, I really didn't recreate your entire family, only their images. I wasn't going to keep this a secret from you forever, Linda. I was planning to tell you about them as soon as the time was right."

"Was it going to be at the same time you told me you were a Titan?" I snapped back. Dennis's head jerked about in surprise and his mouth opened wide. I knew that I had asked him something he had been completely unprepared for.

"He wasn't suppose to tell you," Dennis whispered angrily after he recovered from the shock.

"Was he also not supposed to tell me about the man-eating mermaids?" I asked in an accusing tone. "Or that you turned some of your own people into one-eye monsters!"

"You don't know what you're talking about," he responded defensively.

"Don't talk to me like I'm an uninformed little girl, Dennis," I snapped forcefully back. "I saw the Titan's greatest achievements with my own eyes! Let me tell you, I wasn't too impressed with your work. That's why I set up this meeting, so we could have a talk about them."

"You didn't come here to talk, Linda," the director pointed out. "You came here to condemn me."

I came here to find out the TRUTH!" I yelled, pounding my fist hard on the table in front of him. "But every time I try you throw up a God Damn smoke screen. Well not this time, Dennis! This time you're going to tell me what I want to know!"

"And if I refuse?" he asked calmly.

"Then I'll give my support to Judge Jasper. I'll tell him anything he wants to know."

"I don't deals with blackmailers, Linda," Dennis replied coldly while now moving within inches of my face. "Go ahead, Linda. Go to Old Jupiter if you think he'll treat you better. You won't be the first person I tried to help who left me high and dry, nor will you be the last."

Dennis sat back down at the table and calmly placed his napkin on his lap as if the matter had been settled. I turned and took two steps toward the door before my anger got the best of me. It wasn't going to let this matter end this way. Not this time.

I turned to Dennis and shouted, "Aren't you even going to defend yourself?"

"How do you suggest I do that, Linda?" he asked in a puzzled tone. "Yes, our scientists experimented on the Roman Gods, and the results were those flesh-eating monsters you saw swimming in Peace River. We didn't mean for them to come out that way but they did; and the results were just as terrifying to us as they were to you.

"We also created the Cyclopes, although we've always suspected Judge Jasper and his friends had something to do with that. You have to understand, Linda; those were desperate times for us. We were losing the war to the Olympians, and we knew all to well what would happen to us if we did. So we grasped at a straw and lost. I'm not happy about it, but that's the way history played out.

"And that's it? That's your defense!" I snarled. "It was a desperate time and we had no choice."

"No!" he replied back in an equally, unpleasant tone. "My defense is that you're judging me based on decisions made over 10,000 years ago. How can I defend my people or even myself against those actions made in the past that I now know are wrong? Don't you think that over the centuries I've changed some, Linda? Look at my actions since you've known me, don't they count for anything? And that's my point, Linda. I could talk till I'm blue in the face about how much I've changed and it wouldn't matter to you. Because in the end, you would still associate me with events that happened while your people weren't even 'potty-trained'."

"Oh, and just so you know, the Roman Gods did some pretty despicable things to us as well. I personally suffered, losing a daughter almost 200 years after our war was over because Jupiter decided 'we' needed to suffer some more. By "we" I mean the original Titans, not our offspring. I'm one of the original twelve he declared war on, but I was the last to be defeated so I had to suffer the most for holding out the longest."

Dennis stopped for a moment, and a rare, angry expression crossed his face. "Most of my brothers and sisters are now located in Peace River," he added in silent anger. "Locked underground and guarded by those same Cyclopes we created to save us. Two of my sons are there, and it's unlikely I'll ever see them again in this lifetime or my next one. Jupiter will never let them out, and I'm not be allowed to visit them unless I wish to become a permanent resident underneath 'Peace River'."

He sighed slightly and stared into his coffee as if trying to find the words to describe what he was feeling.

"We all lost something in that war, Linda," he said quietly with regret. "That's why I never want to see a repeat of it again. We need to bridge our differences because if we can, maybe, just maybe, one day I'll see my entire family again. Unfortunately that will only happen if and when we trust each other - when we declare peace on each other instead of war. So until that day I'll work as hard as I can to make sure it happens - even if it means taking the insults my own people toss at me who are still walking free. That's its, Linda! That's my grand defense you've been waiting for. I'm doing this to free my people, nothing more, nothing less. I'm sorry if that disappoints you! Now you can curse my presence if you wish and leave; but if you want a piece of my flesh you better get in line. Let me warn you, Linda, it's a very long line!"

"We're not quite done yet, Dennis," I pointed out and not giving the man an inch. "I want to know where we fit into your plans? Why do you need humans in Andersonville for your plan to work?"

"That, I'm not going to tell you," he said tightlipped. "I've told you more then you should know at this time. You can think of me what you want."

"I think you're a secretive, Son of a Bitch!" I hissed slightly

"Then you and Judge Jasper finally agree on something," he said turning away.

"UP YOURS, Dennis!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I rushed out to my car feeling both sadness and angry. Sadness for Dennis, who I could tell was feeling pain for his people trapped in the bowels of the earth; and anger for still trusting him more then I did Judge Jasper, who had been open and honest with me since I arrived in Peace River. I drove home so my mother could take me to the airport.

'My mother,' I thought. Could I still make believe that Mrs. Anderson was my mother while knowing my own dead mother was alive here in Andersonville? I didn't really know anymore, but I wished I hadn't run into them this morning. Why in the hell hadn't Dennis told Colonel Myers to pull the plug on them and saved us both this misery? Bitter tears began to form in my eyes.

***

Robert Cardon the III was surfing the net bored out of his mind. That was the price he paid for being rich and not having to work; he still had to find something to do with his time. When his computer alerted him that Sweet Candy had just logged in, he smiled. Quickly he entered in his user name, waited for a moment, and then pressed on her name.

"Good Morning, Candy, how was work?" he typed. Almost thirty seconds passed before he got a reply from Candy, indicating she had had a very bad night.

Although Robert had never met Sweet Candy before, he had a large, impressive file on her. Her really name was Candy Stern, and she was young, single, and lived alone in a bad neighborhood. She was also a transsexual, which was why Robert was so interested in her. He had taken great pains to gain her trust, and was waiting for the right moment to make his move. This looked like it might be it.

Slim-man: What happened, Sweet?

Slim-man was the Internet name he used with her. He had other names, each one assigned to a different target. It made anyone trying to find him very difficult, if not impossible.

Sweet: My boss wrote me up for taking an extra 5 minutes on my break last night. Later on I heard several of my co-workers cracking jokes and insults about me. Why can't they accept me like you do?

Slim-man: Most people are bigots when it comes to gender, Sweet. I'm sorry you had such a bad night. Is there anything I can do to help?

Sweet: Not unless you can supply me with a new life Robert smiled at her response. He had been very carefully with the ones he had picked out. Those that posed too much of a risk he broke contact with. Out of the 70 TS's he had started with, only 19 were still left. Candy, if things worked out, would be his next delivery.

Slim-man: Candy, if I tell you something that's pretty wild, do you promise not to tell anyone else?

Sweet: Of course, Slim-man, you know you can trust me.

Slim-man: You have to promise me, Candy. This is very big, and if it gets out it will ruin everything for those already there.

Sweet: I promise, Slim. What is it?

Slim-man: Supposing I could take you to a place where you would be turned into a real girl, without any pain involved. Would you be interested in going there?

There was almost a full minute of non-activity on Candy's end after the question had been asked. For a moment Robert thought he had blown it. Finally she replied:

Sweet: Is this a joke?????

Slim-man: I know you may not believe this Sweet, but I know of such a place here in the US.

Sweet: Where is this place, Slim? How do I get there?

Slim-man: I would have to take you there, myself. I'm serious, Candy, this place exists.

Sweet: I want to believe you, Slim, but you have to tell me more before I can. This is a pretty wild story you're telling me.

Slim-man: I understand Candy. You see, I found out about this place almost three years ago. It's run by a bunch of aliens who created this town so they can study human interaction in a control setting. I'm one of their agents. I search for people who won't mind living in a town like this for the rest of their lives. That's the price, Candy, you have to be willing to give up your present life for a new one. In exchange for doing so, they'll grant you the body of the gender you want to be. They'll turn you into a beautiful, young woman and set you up with a fabulous life. All you have to do is live it and be happy - oh, and not try to leave.

Sweet: Slim, this all sounds so incredible. Can you tell me where this town is located?

Slim-man: I'm sorry, I can't. Look Candy, I know you have doubts about what I just told you, so just answer the question. If such a place does exist, and I could take you there, would you go?

Her answer came back almost immediately.

Sweet: YES!!!!!

Slim-man: I'm glad. When we first met I knew this place was meant for you.

Sweet: So what do we do now?

Slim-man: I'm going to send you a first-class plane ticket and $1,000 dollars in cash. The money is to show you I'm serious about what I just told you. Use it to have a good time, but don't' buy any clothes. The people who run this town will supply you with a new wardrobe. The same with the money, you won't need it once you get there so spend it all. In a week you'll board a plane for Chicago, I'll take care of the arrangements on this end. Plan on boarding another plane when you get there. And whatever you do, don't tell anyone where you're going. These aliens are watching the Internet and phone lines very closely. If you tell anyone else about this then the deal is off, and you'll never hear from me again. Do you understand, Candy?

Sweet: Yes, I understand, Slim.

Slim-man: Good. I'll overnight you the money and a plane ticket. Have a good time with it, Sweet.

Sweet: I will, Slim. Thank you!!!! You've made me so happy.

Slim-man: That makes this all worth-wide, Sweet. I better go and get your money ready. Talk to you later. Hugs

Robert logged off the computer and smiled happily. In a week he would pull the wool over the eyes of the Roman Gods - again. Gosh, how he loved doing that. He only wished he could've been in the courtroom when old Jupiter saw two of them standing in front of him from his last delivery. It had been a very risky move on his part, but the reward had been worth the risk. His contact in Peace River said that Jupiter had blown a fuse afterwards.

Robert stood up and walked over to the bar to fix himself a drink. He was a wealthy man, although he had inherited his money and not worked for it like others had. He was a student attending Princeton University at the time he heard what happened. The headmaster himself had called Robert into his office to tell him the bad news. That day, the 19-year-old lost both of his parents in a tragic car crash, and inherited 21 million dollars at the same time.

That was almost 8 years ago, and since then Robert had done absolutely nothing with his life. The day after the funeral he quit school and retired, planning never to work again. At first it was fun, staying up late and sleeping in as long as he wanted. Then the routine became boring, and Robert found something lacking in his life - excitement. Going on trips had helped. In one year alone Robert had logged over 30,000 miles in the air traveling around Europe and the Asia. Then even that became monotonous. So Robert started looking for other ways to entertain himself, and his search lead him to Peace River.

He recalled how it happened. He was traveling down a deserted road late one night when a young woman came running out in front of him. Robert had to slam on his brakes and barely avoided missing her. No sooner had he stopped, she was climbing into the passenger side of his brand-new Corvette and asking if the car could move. Robert proceeded to tell her that it had an intercept motor when she interrupted him with a proposal; free sex for a ride. All he had to do was get her at least 70 miles away from where they were in less then an hour. The young girl was skinny and very good-looking. Robert never passed up a chance on free sex with a beautiful girl. He drove like the wind to please her.

She said her name was Judy, and along the way told him a very strange tale. It was a story about a town run by the Roman Gods who kidnapped people and transformed them into other people, including those of the opposite sex. At first Robert thought the girl was whacked out, or maybe even trying to invent a wild tale so he would forget about the sex. But the more she talked, the more interested he became. Early in the morning they stopped at a 4-star Hotel and had a wild night of passionate sex. Robert almost felt as if she were celebrating some event. Later that morning she bummed $100 dollars from him and got on a bus for Kansas City. That was the last time he saw her, despite his best attempts to find her again.

Afterwards Robert kept wondering how much of what Judy had told him was true. While he didn't particularly believe in God, or the Roman Gods for that matter, it didn't mean that there wasn't something strange going on. He checked his map and found there was no Peace River listed in the area.

With his curiosity peaked, Robert made his way back to where he had picked up the girl. After a number of criss-cross patterns, he came upon a town with a wide river in front of it. Both the town and river shouldn't have been there according to his map, and yet there they were!

Still a little suspicious, Robert pulled out his video camera and pointed it at the river as he drove across the bridge. There appeared to be something in the far distance sitting on a rock, but he didn't dare stop to check it out. Instead he pointed the camera at the location and zoomed in on it.

He passed by a sign welcoming him into Peace River, and continued to drive (and pray) that the people here would think he was just passing through. The town for the most part looked normal, except for the extremely large courthouse that sat in the middle of the downtown area. It seemed to be the focal point of the town. When he started to cross over the river again, Robert stuck the camera up once more to record any movement he could see. Then he kept driving for more then an hour until he reached a truck stop.

His hands were shaking as he replayed the tape to see what it had captured. That's when he saw the object and gasped. In the viewer was what looked to be a mermaid, with a fin for legs. It was sitting on a rock sunning itself and combing its long, blonde hair. Robert played the video back several times to be sure. Yes, it was still there. He lay the camera down next to him and thought about it. This was big - real big.

Not totally convinced that what he saw was real, Robert visited a friend who worked for NASA. After a rather large bribe, his friend took some high-profile photos of the area with one of the weather satellites he control. What they saw was acres upon acres of green forest trees, and no town. Robert knew this was impossible. He had crossed the mile-wide river twice and had seen the town with his own eyes. That's when he noticed the roads leading into the area all disappeared underneath the mass of trees.

Robert felt his heart pumping as he left the building, and for the first time in a long while felt excited about something in his life. His mind race with idea's about what to do, but in the end his thoughts kept going back to how he felt. He liked how his body was feeling, and wanted to find ways to keep the rush going. So he hurried home and played with several idea's in his head.

One thing Robert didn't do was let others know what he had found; that would ruin the fun. He was determined to use the situation to create a huge rush while at the same time, not posing too much of a risk for himself. Finally he hit upon an idea. Supposing he started sneaking people into Peace River? The possibilities were endless.

He would become a covert operator, like the Navy Seals or Delta force he had read so much about in his spy novels. Each delivery would have to be planned out and executed with fine precision, right down to the final detail. The main drawback was finding someone to deliver to the town. That's when he hit upon the idea of using Transsexual's. Since Jupiter liked to change people into the opposite sex, they were the perfect candidates.

Back in college Robert had met his first and only MTF Transsexual in his entire life. She was taking a class he was in, and even though she seemed nice, he was still a little leery of her. When he came home one weekend from school he had mentioned her to his parents. Robert remembered his father going off on a tangent about how sick this person had to be, and how she should be locked up to keep others from catching her illness. Of course Robert knew better, but the message to him was clear. Stay away from her or be prepared to find yourself a new home. Afterwards Robert avoided her as much as he could.

Still, he remembered the day she walked up and asked if she had offended him in some way. Robert tried to make up an excuse, but she saw through it and left with tears in her eyes. Robert regretted how he had treated her, but he didn't have a choice in the matter. He had his own problems to deal with.

Getting back to Candy, Robert sat down and drew up a plan. He would first fly her to Chicago and then on to Des Moines. From there she would go by private plane to where he was waiting. After that, he himself, would drive her to Peace River.

There were several items he had to take care of. Two old cars to buy, both under someone else's name. Hiring the private pilot to fly Candy to the place he would meet her at. Money that couldn't be traced back to him. After six successful inserts, Robert had become pretty good at working out all the details. He picked up the phone to begin the process.

***

The past week had been a good week for Candy. After receiving the money from Robert, she called in and quit her job. Her past position wasn't anything to look back on. It was a low-paying factory job making plastic parts for other companies. The pay she received had barely paid her bills. So telling her hard-nose boss that she was leaving made Candy feel wonderful. He had always treated her badly since she had been there.

With the money in hand, Candy used it to go sightseeing, see movies, and eat out each night. All of these things, normal things for most Americans, had been a rarity in her life. She also packed up her stuff as if she were moving. Slim-man had told her to put everything in a rental storage unit and it would be picked up later. She thought she didn't have a lot of personal stuff, but it turned out to be a much bigger job than she imagined.

Perhaps the hardest job Candy had to do that week was writing a letter to her parents. Almost two years ago she had confessed to them about her feelings of wanting to become a woman. Her parents were rather old-fashioned, and had consulted their church leader, Reverend Fred Phelps, about what to do. He in turned filled their heads with images of two men in bed sucking each other's dicks, and bringing in children to satisfy their sexual lust.

"God HATES FAGS!" he told them directly. Their son, by wanting to dress and act like a girl, was a fag condemned to hell. Candy's parents had no other choice but to disown her if they wished to remain in his church and under God's good graces.

Candy was bitter at this bigot pretending to be a religious man. He was leading people away from God's real message, to love thy neighbor as you wanted to be loved! It was such a simple message to learn. Yet so much heartache had been created in the world by not following the simple command Jesus had given them. With much emotion, Candy wrote them a note saying she forgave them despite the hurt they had bestowed on her. She also added that she hoped they would forgive her for the pain she had placed on them. After the letter was written, Candy's heart felt cleansed.

The next morning the young woman boarded a plane from Little Rock to Chicago. It was her first plane ride ever, and she had butterflies in her stomach. For the trip she had wore her favorite blouse and a pair of new blue jeans. Slim Man had told her not to wear anything flashy, such as a mini skirt and 5" heels. He wanted her to dress casual so she would fit in. The problem was, no matter what she wore, some people could always tell she wasn't quite the same as other girls. One reason for this was she was tall, almost 6'1". Another was that she had broad shoulders and huge hands that you would find on a construction worker.

Still, Candy couldn't deny that inside her soul she was a woman who had been born in a man's body. It wasn't just about things she liked to do; it was also the attitude on how her life should be. While most men focused on careers and getting ahead, she was more content to dream about a family she could take care of and share her life with. Candy knew that couldn't happen, that she could never have children unless science came up with a way to fix the problem. So Slim Man's offer was more than just a dream come true, it was the only path she could follow.

Candy found her seat, next to a middle-age woman dressed in a light tan business suit. The woman greeted her politely, but Candy saw the fear and disgust in her eyes. The woman fidgeted in her seat for several minutes before excusing herself to use the restroom. When Candy looked back, she saw the woman talking to the airline stewardess. Candy kept her eyes straight ahead, but she knew what the woman was saying. She didn't want to spend the rest of the flight sitting next to that 'freak'.

Tears formed in Candy's eyes at the insult. She was a woman, DAMN IT! How many times did she have to explain that? Why couldn't others just accept her word, instead of setting up hoops to make her prove who she was? People knew it was wrong to discriminate against someone based on the color of their skin, the size of their body, or the religion they worshiped - so why was treating someone who had a gender issue any different? Why did they treat her like a criminal, no 'worse', a perverted monster? DAMN IT, she was a human being just like everyone else!

Candy tried to calm down. Part of her wanted to forgive them for treating her that way. She knew most people's negative reaction was out of ignorance, not hate. Most likely their only exposure to a transsexual had come from watching the Jerry Springer show.

On the other hand she wanted to lash out and make them feel some of the hurt and pain they made her feel. Candy knew the latter was wrong, but she was so tired of turning the other cheek only to find someone else slapping it again.

'Well, in a few hours this old life will all be over,' she told herself. Either that or she would be flying back home feeling completely foolish. Candy sat back as the plane started to taxi for the runway.

***

In Chicago there was a man holding up a sign with her name on it. Candy walked over and identified herself to the man who smiled, handed her an envelope, then turned and left without saying a word.

"Wait," she called out. "Isn't there anything else you need to tell me?"

"It's all in the envelope," he replied crispy. "I have to go now."

With those few words he walked away in a rush, carrying a book to read on the return trip home. The man had been flown in the day before, stayed at the airport's 4-star motel, and had eaten one of the best steak dinners he had ever had - all paid for by his unnamed client. And to top it all off, he had earned $1,000 dollars to do a 10-second job. It was the easiest money he had ever made.

Candy watched the man disappear into the crowd then opened up the envelope. Inside she found a note and some cash. The note read:

Dear Candy,

I'm sorry for the runaround, but I think you can appreciate the seriousness of the situation. Please bear with me, soon you will be where you belong. Enclosed you'll find $50. Please have a nice lunch while you wait for your next flight. See you real soon.

Love - Slim Man.

Candy folded up the letter and placed it back in her purse, along with the $50.00. Who ever Slim Man was, she was convinced he was serious about this town. However, just in case he turned out to be a crazy, she had a can of mace hidden in her purse. Not far away she spotted a small café and headed for it.

From a distance Robert tugged at the mask he was wearing and watched Candy leave. He had two masks with him, one for today and the other for when he went back to Peace River. Both masks were made of a special silicon rubber that looked and felt like real skin. The problem was, they were hot to wear and made your real skin itch real badly after a few hours. The upside to his situation was, he looked like someone else and didn't have to fear about having his picture captured on video. If the Roman Gods did ever wise up and started backtracking Candy's trail, he wouldn't have to worry about the security cameras spread around the place. They might be able to figure out which person was the mailman, but they wouldn't have a clue as to what he really looked like.

Carefully Robert pretended to read his newspaper as he glanced around the terminal through his dark sunglasses. There were almost a hundred people getting off the plane, but Robert had been gifted with a photographic memory. He would store the face and outfit of each person from the plane and check to see if any of them followed Candy to Des Moines. He didn't think she had told anyone, but one couldn't be too careful. Once the last passenger had departed, Robert folded up his paper and walked toward the restaurant that Candy had gone into.

***

The flight to Des Moines had been long and boring. Even though Candy had brought along three love novels, she found herself unable to read them. Instead her thoughts were flooded with the promises Slim Man had made to her.

"A town where I will finally become on the outside what I am on the inside," she whispered to herself. She daydreamed about staring into the mirror and seeing a perfect, female body reflecting back at her, instead of the ugly, male body she had been cursed with. By the end of the day her long-time dream would come true.

After the plane landed, Candy was disappointed to find another man waiting for her with an envelope. Inside the envelope was yet another plane ticket and note. She opened it up and it read"

Hi Candy,

By now you must be tired of flying all over the place. I guarantee you, this is the last plane you'll have to get on. Soon we will meet and I'll drive you to Peace River. Here's $60 for the taxi ride to the airport. Please give the driver these instructions.

Love - Slim man

Candy sighed. So she was to leave this airport only to ride to another airport so she could board yet another plane. For a moment Candy had reservations about the whole trip. How could she be sure this wasn't some elaborate trick being played out on her? Well, if that were the case someone had spent a lot of money just to watch her tramp around the country looking for her promise land. Candy picked up her backpack and walked outside to a taxi. She handed the cab driver the instructions, and he looked over them with great interest.

"You do realize this isn't the most direct route to the airport," he told her.

"No, I didn't," she exclaimed. "In fact, this is my first time in Des Moines. Please, just follow the instructions. I'm sure there's a reason why he's doing this."

The cab drive shrugged his shoulders and drove off. Robert watched them leave and hailed his own cab. Unlike Candy, he would go directly to the airport and board a plane right away so he would meet her at the next meeting place. His heart raced as he told the cab driver to step on it. The thrill of setting this scheme up and executing it made him feel so alive. Sure, it was costing him a fortune, almost half of what he would receive from his trust fund this month, but it was worth it. He tugged at his mask again and wished it didn't itch so much.

***

The plane Candy boarded was a small Cessna piloted by a man who had been very well paid not to talk to her. They took off from the private airfield and headed in a northerly direction. Half an hour later the pilot turned the plane to the southeast as if they were doubling back. Fifteen minutes later he turned the plane again and flew west for a while. This continued for almost 2 hours, and by the time they landed on a small, deserted airfield Candy wasn't sure where she was at.

The pilot taxied his plane over to a small hanger where a brown, beat-up old Chevy was parked. The pilot left the engine running and told Candy to get out. As soon as she did, he revved up the engine and headed back toward the runway. Candy was so intent on watching the plane that she never noticed the man inside the car step out and walk up to her.

"Hello Candy."

The lone woman almost screamed in surprise, but managed to keep her response to a low squeal.

"You scared me," Candy panted with her hand on her chest.

"I'm sorry," the stranger replied. "I'm Slim Man, but you can call me Slim. It's a real pleasure to finally meet you." He held out his hand in friendship.

"What's going on?" Candy demanded to know in a rather curt tone.

"I'm sorry Candy, but I had to make sure you weren't being followed. You see, while you may want to live in Peace River, I do not. I would rather be out here, free to help others like yourself. So I flew you around to make sure everything was okay."

"And if it hadn't been?"

"Then you would've driven yourself," Robert replied formally. There's an envelope in the car with your name on it. Everything you would've needed to get to Peace River, including the keys to the car, are in there."

"I thought you said you were an agent of theirs? That was a lie, wasn't it?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it was, Candy. You see I found out about the place by accident. I just didn't want to scare you off by telling you the truth. But everything I told you about Peace River is true. It's real and waiting for you."

"Are you taking me there, then?" Candy asked with a more relax tone.

"Yes" Robert smiled. "You can read everything I have on Peace River along the way. It's about an hour and a half drive from here."

"And it's really there?" Candy asked suspiciously. "This isn't a trick."

"No Candy, its no trick. I didn't spend all this money to make a fool of someone I met on the Internet. By the end of this day you will be a complete woman." Robert saw the young woman frown slightly. "That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes," she said with reservations. "It's just that - well, I have -"

"Doubts!" he finished for her.

"Yes," she said. "No offense, Slim, but how do I know you're not taking me somewhere to hurt me. How do I know I won't be killed or even sold off into some kind of perverted sex scheme?"

"Yes, I can see your point," Robert nodded gently. "Candy, if I had wanted to do any of these things to you, I would've just kidnapped you. Look, if it helps I'll let you pat me down for a weapon. Heck, I'll even let you search the car if you like. I understand your fears."

"Well, that would help," she told him. "If you don't mind."

"Go right ahead," he smiled while holding out his arms. She did a quick check of his body to see if Slim had a gun. Convinced that he wasn't carrying a weapon, she then did a search of the car, checking the glove box and underneath the seat. It was also completely clean.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Don't be, I'm not," he smiled as if he meant it. "Now, lets be on our way."

Robert held open the passenger door for her and waited until she was properly seated before closing it. He drove down the dirt road leading away from the small airstrip.

"Here, you can read about your new home while I drive." He pointed to a pile of papers sitting between them.

Candy picked them up and started shuffled through the pictures of the town. It seemed like a cozy place to live.

"Did you write down what you wanted to look like?" Robert asked.

"Yes," she said while holding up a letter. "I decided I wanted to be a single, 18 year old woman with long red hair. I want them to make me so attractive that I'll have boys fighting over each other to date me. I also want enough money so I'll never have to work again. I just want to sit around the pool and work on my tan. Do you really think the people will honor all this, Slim?"

"I can guarantee you that they will," Robert grinned while handing her a white envelope. "This letter will insure that the Judge will give you what you want. Just don't open up, otherwise they'll think it's been tampered with. See this seal on the back, it identifies me to the Judge. Now, if for some reason he refuses your request, don't fret about it. When I find out about it, I'll make sure he honors your wishes. You see, I have the judge in my back pocket and he will do exactly as I say. However, sometimes I have to nudge him every now and then, if you know what I mean."

Candy nodded as she looked at the wax seal with a large 'M' on the back of the envelope. She placed it in her purse and looked intensely for a moment at the man she knew only as Slim. He felt her stare and asked, "What is it, Candy?"

"Why are you doing this, Slim? Why would you risk your life to help out someone like me?"

"I guess it's because I feel you've suffered enough and could use a break," he lied. "I have a lot of compassion for the underdog. Being a FTM Transsexual in a man's world, well, you can't be more of an underdog than that."

"Thank you," Candy replied with tears in her eyes. "No one has ever said that to me before. I wish I could pay you back."

"You being happy is payment enough," he smiled thinly. "Besides, there are a group of investors paying for all this so it's not costing me a cent."

"Still, I wish there was more I could do."

"Really Candy, I'll get my satisfaction knowing you're happy. Why don't you read over some of the stuff I have on the town now? You may find it useful later on."

Candy took his suggestion, and Robert was only too glad that he had finally gotten her to shut up. There was a feeling inside him that made him uneasy. He was sensing danger, but couldn't understand why. He had been careful as always, more careful in fact than the last five deliveries. Still, he sensed something wasn't right. As much as he hated to do so, he decided to drop his plan to take Candy all the way into Peace River. She could drive the rest of the way there herself. Of course, Robert had planned for such an event to. His back up plan was already in place.

A feeling of disappointment came over him. He hated the idea of not following through on his plan. Still, something inside kept telling him it was better if he didn't. With some reluctance, he headed for his backup vehicle hidden close by. When he got there, Robert pulled the car over.

"Candy, I'm sorry," he started out. "I was going to take you all the way there, but something changed my mind. I can't put my finger on it; it's more of a feeling than anything else! Just don't worry, you'll be fine. I've already drawn out a map on how to get there."

"But what about the car?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it, Candy. It's an old car; the judge can have it. Just follow the map, it'll take you straight to Stephanie Hall's office. She's an attorney in Peace River and has handled my other cases before. Just promise to be happy there."

"I will, Slim. Thank you so much."

Robert cringed as Candy hugged him before getting behind the wheel. He watched as she disappeared from sight then ran up an overgrown path through the woods. About 200 yards from the main road he came to an old shack that had been abandoned years ago. He unlocked the heavy padlocked and went inside. Parked in the single room shack was a motorcycle.

"First I'm getting rid of this damn mask," Robert said out loud. He pealed it off and felt the cool air hit his skin. "Damn, that feels good."

Next Robert took out a rag from his overnight pack and used it to remove a few of the more stubborn pieces. After all traces of the mask were wiped clean, Robert put on a full-face helmet with a dark visor and pushed his motorcycle outside. He turned the key and it started up without a problem.

Robert looked back on the old shack one last time, knowing that he would have to find a new hiding place. It was too risky to come back here again. He knew Jupiter would have his people search the area once they found out where Candy had dropped him off. They wouldn't have much trouble finding this old place. That really didn't concern Robert, he had made sure the place was clean of anything that could point back to him. He twisted accelerator on the bike and headed away at a fast rate of speed.

***

The car crested the hill and Candy got her first good look at the town of Peace River. From the distance it looked even more charming than in the pictures. The town sat there along the river's edge, surrounded by lush, green trees and a beautiful park. She crossed the long bridge and noticed the river curved toward the east in both directions. The color of the river was unusual too, more of a sea blue than river green.

Just after entering into town, Candy spotted the brick building with white shutters on the windows. She pulled up in front and checked herself one more time. Butterflies formed in her stomach as the moment of truth was at hand. Candy would know in the next few minutes if Slim had told her the truth. She got out of her car and went inside.

Stephanie was working at her desk when she heard the door chime ring. She didn't bother getting up; her secretary would take care of the matter and send the person away. She had given her secretary specific instructions not to be interrupted unless it was a matter of life or death. Judge Jasper had asked her to handle some paperwork involving a land deal in South America. It had turned into a bear of a job to figure everything out. There was a knock on her door.

"Come," she said without looking up. "What is it, Carrie?"

"I'm sorry, Stephanie. I know you didn't want to be disturbed but, well, it looks like that person you told me about, the mailman, has sent someone else to you."

"Oh shit," she said out loud and then corrected herself. "Sorry Carrie. Send her in and then call Judge Jasper."

"Yes, Stephanie," Carrie answered obediently.

Stephanie smiled. Carrie was a new recruit from last month who hadn't been very willing to join in on the game. Actually, her being here was her own doing. She had driven into Peace River to deliver some lobsters to Crystal's restaurant and had the misfortune of backing into Judge Jasper's car. It would've ended there if the young man had admitted his fault, but he insisted that since the car had been parked illegally, he wasn't responsible for the damage. This infuriated the Judge, and when the truck driver boasted he was a confirmed bachelor and would wait around to fight the case in court, his fate was sealed. Judge Jasper transformed the rough-looking, 25-year-old truck driver into a very cute, 19-year-old brunette female. The fact that Judge Jasper had assigned Carrie to work under Stephanie's authority only confirmed to the young attorney that she was earning his trust. That trust brought her another step closer to her dream of being able to travel outside of Peace River on her own. It would be nice to visit some of her old art museums again.

The strange thing about the incident was the way it was handled, in the Judge's own chambers without Linda Anderson around. It seemed Judge Jasper wanted to keep this a secret from her. Stephanie figured this was because Linda was new and wouldn't understand Judge Jasper's reasons.

This is Candy," Carrie said formally with a weak smile. Stephanie could see her young secretary was trying. Carrie hadn't yet fully accepted her new life or the fact that she could never leave Peace River. Well, there was time for her to learn. Once Mr. Cupler set her up with a young man and they had a family, those feelings on wanting to leave would disappear for good. Still, she understood what the young girl was going through right now and tried to be sympathetic.

"Thank you, Carrie. By the way, that's a nice dress you're wearing today." Stephanie figured a little praise may help her ego, and reinforced the idea that she was now, and forever would be, a young woman. However, her compliment seemed to have the opposite affect on her secretary.

"Thank - thank you, Stephanie," Carrie replied slowly, making her appear rather shy. "Ms. Marshall picked it out for me. She said I looked pretty in it."

Before Stephanie could answer back, Carrie ran out of the room as if she were embarrassed at the comment and her reply to it. Stephanie frowned; she would have to take care of this matter later. She stood up and greeted her new client.

"Good afternoon, Candy. I'm Stephanie Hall but please, call me Stephanie. Can I get you something to drink?"

"If it's all the same to you, Stephanie, I'll like to go see the judge and get this over with. You don't know what it's like to feel trapped in the wrong body."

Stephanie laughed loudly. "Oh, yes I do, Candy. But don't worry, I'm having Carrie set up the meeting right now. Please, sit down."

For the first time Stephanie looked carefully at her new client. She was tall and muscular, and wearing a wig that clearly looked like a wig. On her neck was an Adam's apple about the size of a large walnut. The shoes Candy wore were about a size 16, a much bigger size than what regular women wore. The mailman was getting less picky about who he was bringing in. The last few had been very passable.

"Will everything be alright?" Candy asked slightly concern.

Stephanie smiled brightly. "You don't need to worry, Candy, I've dealt with other girls like yourself. Judge Jasper won't hurt you."

"I have my requirements, would you like to see them?"

"Requirements? Sure." Stephanie took the list and quickly scanned through it. "Are you sure about this?" she asked cautiously.

"I've thought about it for a long time," she answered firmly. "I've had to work hard and struggle every day. Now that I'm here, I want to relax and enjoy life."

"Work is still important, Candy," Stephanie pointed out. "It'll also help you meet new people."

"Oh, I'll work," Candy agreed. "I want to volunteer my time to help others here. I want to make Peace River a better place to live."

"Well, that's a good start." The phone buzzed and Stephanie picked it up.

"Hi Linda. What did Judge Jasper say? Good, we'll be right over. Bye." Stephanie hung up the phone and smiled. "That was Judge Jasper's secretary. The Judge will see us now."

Candy stood up and followed Stephanie out to where her secretary was working. "Carrie, I'll be at the courthouse for a little while in case you need me. Oh, can you work late tonight? I still have a lot of things that need to be done."

"I - I'm suppose to go out tonight," Carrie whispered softly with her eyes facing down. "Mary, my helper, told me I needed to get out more and set me up on a blind date."

"Oh, well I don't want to keep you from your fun!" Stephanie replied while eyeing her secretary gently. It was a first painful step, but Stephanie knew it had to be taken or Carrie would never grow past the stage she was in. She would have to be gentle with her secretary right now, to help her accept what had to happen next.

"When I get back we'll talk about it over a cup of coffee," she told the young girl in a comforting fashion. "It'll get better, Carrie, I promise."

Candy noticed the young secretary looked like she was ready to cry and wondered what her story was. Did the poor girl have a bad experience with a man? Candy felt compassion and she made a mental note to get to know Carrie better. Maybe she would be able to help her out somehow.

Stephanie drove them to the courthouse and ushered Candy into the courtroom. A teenager girl was already waiting for them, as well as an incredibly beautify blonde hair lady, a police officer, and a man in an expensive business suit.

"Have a seat while I go talk the ladies for a moment," she told Candy. The attorney walked over to them and asked a few questions. After a few minutes she walked back to her client with a smile.

"Good news, Candy. I talked to Linda and she says that Judge Jasper is in a good mood today."

Stephanie didn't get to say anymore, because the sound of a door opening up turned everyone's attention to the front. Judge Jasper walked up to his desk and sat down. He frowned, but more out of frustration than anger.

"Miss Stern, I understand you wish to join our little community," he started out, ignoring the usual procedures.

"Yes sir, I have a list of my requirements." She handed it to the police officer, and he handed it to the judge. Judge Jasper looked over the list and frowned.

"Miss Stern, I'm willing to honor most of these request, but not all of them. For instance, everyone in Peace River works, including my people. Work builds character and good, social behavior. I can't have you ruining that balance."

"I'll volunteer for odd jobs, sir, but I don't want to live my life from paycheck to paycheck anymore. I've done that already, Your Honor."

"I'll make sure you get a good-paying job here. You needn't worry about doing that. However, you will work. You'll also start out by living in a luxury apartment. A home such as what you want is something that is earned here. Again, it's a matter of keeping the harmony in our town."

Stephanie leaned over and whispered, "Take it Candy, it's the best deal he'll give you. If you refuse it'll only make him mad."

"Perhaps a apartment will work for now, Your Honor," Candy agreed. "After all, it'll make it easier for me to meet men."

"I don't think you're have much trouble meeting men after I'm done with you, Miss Stern," Judge Jasper answered with a small smile.

"Thank you, Your Honor," Candy replied with a grin of her own. "Oh, there is one more thing, sir. The man who brought me here wanted me to give you this." She handed it the officer who passed it on to the judge.

"Thank you, Miss Stern. Now, if you would please close your eyes."

Candy did as she was told, and a moment later felt something warm enter into her body. She felt herself shrinking and become lighter, as almost a hundred pounds disappeared from her frame. Her wig fell off as a mass of hair pushed out of her head and fell down her back. Other feelings bombarded her mind, as she felt her breast grow out and her penis shrink inside her body. When the activity stopped and Candy opened up her eyes to looked down at her new body. She couldn't see her face, but she knew she was beautiful. She held out a mass of red, curly hair in her hand and stroked it lovingly.

"I'm - I'm beautiful," she announced while looking over her body. She gently caressed her smooth, tanned legs that peeked out from underneath the short yellow sundress. "Oh thank you, Judge Jasper, thank you!"

"You're quite welcome, Miss Baker. Officer Ganymede will show you to your new apartment now. In a little while someone will be by to welcome you into our town more properly. Ms. Hall, you can go back to your office now, we don't need you anymore. Vickie, Andrew, Linda, I'd like to see you in my office right now.

I picked up my things and followed the Marshall's into Judge Jasper chambers. I noticed that Andrew Marshall wasn't very happy about the event, and even Vickie seemed a little concern about what might happen next. In the background I heard Candy asking Officer Ganymede if they could stop by a mirror before leaving. I smiled inwardly about how happy she was. Candy was truly one of the lucky ones here.

"Close the door, Linda," Judge Jasper ordered. I found myself a little surprised that he had invited me inside with them. Perhaps this was due to the talk I had had with him last week, after my fight with Dennis Butz. He had been very sympathetic toward me as I spilled my guts and even cried a little about my frustration over my old boss. Of course I wasn't really as upset as Judge Jasper thought I was, but he never knew that. Judge Jasper even went so far as to walk over and placed his massive arm around my shoulders in an attempted to comfort me. I thanked Dennis again that Judge Jasper couldn't read my real thoughts or feelings.

"Father, perhaps it would be better if Linda wasn't here," Andrew said cautiously.

"Why?" he pointed out strongly. "Everything will come out in due time. Besides, I think it's time we started keeping a record of all this, don't you?"

Judge Jasper read the note and although he never said a word, I could see the anger build in his eyes. When the judge was done, he passed it on to Andrew Marshall who read it with interest.

"He knows!" Mars stated. "He knows everything about what goes on here! But how does he know?"

"Someone must be supplying him the information," Judge Jasper said firmly. "I want you to double your efforts. Use whatever means necessary but FIND HIM!"

"Excuse me, Judge," I interrupted politely. "Perhaps I could help out in some way."

"YOU!" Mars spatted out. "What could you do that we haven't tried?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "However, I have had some experience in looking at clues and tracking down people. Maybe I can spot something that you haven't seen yet - no offense, Mr. Marshall.

"None taken," Mars growled, but in his eyes I could see that he was offended.

"Perhaps that's not a bad idea," Jupiter agreed after he took a moment to think about it. "What do you need to get started, Linda?"

"A complete history of the mailman for one, including all the notes he's sent you. I'd also like to discuss this with my brother. I could fly home for the weekend and run some things by him. I'll also need access to the Internet at some point."

"What do you want in return?" Jupiter asked.

I thought about it carefully. "I don't know yet, Your Honor. Let me look over what you have and see if I can help you out first. I'm sure, Mr. Marshall has done a thorough job. I may not be of any help at all."

"I don't like your brother getting involved in this," Mars stated right out.

"He's a better detective them I am," I explained. "Together, we'll have a better chance at figuring this all out."

Judge Jasper sat silently in his chair for a few minutes. I could tell he was desperate. This mailman, who ever he was, had gotten underneath his skin. His entire operation could be seriously damaged or brought down if word got out.

"I'll allow you to look at some of the information, starting with this note. Andrew, hand it to her."

Mars did as he was ordered but with great reluctance. What I read shocked me. This mailman was a pretty arrogant fellow. It read:

Jupiter,

I understand that you didn't fulfill all of Sam's, um, excuse me, Amy's wishes. I've also been told that her wish wasn't possible, and I'll accept that answer - for now. However, let's not try any more freelancing in the future. If you deviate from my client's wishes in the slightest - well, let's just say your little secret won't be a secret much longer. BTW, I understand that you kept Angie and Ann together as sisters. Good boy Judge! I'll be sending you some more clients real soon. Until then!

The Mailman

'Wow, this is some letter,' I thought to myself. 'No wonder Judge Jasper wants to find him so badly.'

"Who is this Amy person and what was her wish?" I asked.

"She was brought in about 6 months ago," Judge Jasper explained. "This mailman actually dropped her off on Stephanie's doorstep and left town before we could stop him. Amy wanted to have wings to fly with, but that wasn't in my power unless I turned her into a bird. I could have given her wings, but not the kind that would have allowed her to fly."

"I see. How about the other information I requested, Your Honor?"

"My son will tell you about his efforts while he's flying you to Andersonville," Judge Jasper said. "You can talk with your brother tonight and fly back in the morning. I'm guessing he already knows who we are from your last visit."

"You didn't say I couldn't tell him?" I pointed out defensively.

"True, but you will inform Steve not to mention the mailman to anyone else. Both of you will treat this as you would any other case, as privileged information."

"Yes, Your Honor. Thank you for the opportunity to work on this. It's quite an honor!"

My words actually caused the Judge to smile. "Good luck, Linda."

***

It was great to be back home again, even if it was for just a single evening. My mother and father were very happy to see me again. Before dinner Jennifer filled me in on all the things going on in her life. It seemed that a boy in her class liked her. I smiled slightly, and wondered if the boy was a temp or real person. After we had dinner, Steve and I went outside to talk

"So what's up, Sis?" he asked.

"There's trouble in Peace River, Steve. I've been asked to investigate it. There's a man who refers to himself as the mailman, and he seems to know about everything that goes on inside their town." I proceeded to tell my brother everything I knew up to this point.

"Looks like this mailman person has an inside man working for him," Steve noted. "There's no other way he could know the names of those who had been transformed."

"Yes, but the question is, how does he know? Mr. Marshall, I guess I can say his real name, Mars, has had the people the mailman brought in under surveillance for months. Anyone who contacts the new arrivals is investigated. Even those whose have contact with the people who had contact with the new arrival are investigated.

"Sounds like an impossible job," Steve observed. "There's no way he can watch everyone all the time, and that's what it really boils down to."

"True, but I think he's looking for a pattern. The mailman seems to know what has happened to those he brought into Peace River, sometimes within a matter of a few days. The second person he brought in, I think her name was Jasmen, got turned into a big football player. Within a week Judge Jasper received a letter from the mailman informing him to turn her into a woman or he would be sorry. He knew exactly what was going on, even going into detail about how the young man was feeling. Needless to say, Jupiter turned her into the woman she wanted to be but he was pretty pissed about it."

"Where was that letter sent from?"

"That's the kicker, Steve. It was sent from inside Peace River. It even had the mailman's own special marker on the letter so Judge Jasper would know it came from him. After the third person was dropped off, he sent another letter. This time the mailman wrote he was glad that Jupiter had followed his instructions to the letter, and that he better never cross him again or else."

"Interesting," Steve replied. "And each new person this mailman brings in describes him differently?"

"All except for his size and build. They all agree he stands about 5'10'and is of average build. However, his facial structure and hair color is always different! It's as if he can change his appearance at will."

"Maybe not at will, but with some help. Remember in the TV series, Mission Impossible, how the agents would put on a mask to make them look like someone else?"

"You don't really think someone could do that, do you Steve?"

"Have you got a better idea, Linda? The alternative is, he's found a way to shape-shift his face into whatever image he wants it to be. Which sounds more plausible here?"

"Okay, you got me there," I admitted. "So how does he know what goes on inside Peace River?"

"Easy, he visits Peace River every now and then to check up on his deliveries."

"So he must have a group of people working for him. They must each take turns contacting the new arrival so Mars and his people won't find out. They investigate to see how the person is doing, then meet with the mailman at a given place and time.

"No, I don't think so, Linda," Steve disagreed. "Such a situation would be too complicated and dangerous for someone to set up from the outside. Besides, the Roman Gods would have surely found out who they were by now with all the checking and rechecking they've been doing. If you want my honest opinion, I think only one person is responsible for supplying him the information."

"But who could it be? Mars has kept very detailed records on the meetings that he knows about. The most one person has had contact with the seven other people is three. That leaves four others who they wouldn't know anything about."

"Are you sure!" Steve asked directly. My eyes went wide when I realized what he was saying.

"Stephanie Hall has had contact with all seven of them."

"So has Ashlee Gang," he added. "Both know about the cases and the outcome."

"My gosh, you're right, Steve," I gasped. "Even with this latest case they would both know what happened. So which one could it be?"

"Who do you think it is, Linda?" he asked directly with a straight face. "Someone who was dragged out of a dismal life with no friends, family, or future, and given a life with everything they desired? Or someone who had a good life snatched away from them?"

I slowly put my hand over my month in shock. It all made sense now. No wonder Mars couldn't find a connection with anyone who came in contact with these people, there wasn't any. The person supplying the information to the mailman was right underneath Judge Jasper's nose.

"This mailman, his motive interests me," Steve added interrupting my thoughts. "You say all of the people he's brought in were transgender."

"Yes, that's correct," I replied. "All male to female transsexuals. Why does that interest you?"

"Because it seems to me his main reason for doing all this is to have control over Jupiter. Yet he also goes out of his way to make sure the people he brings in are transsexual. So they interest him too, and that bothers me."

"But why?" I asked. "He's fulfilling their dream to become real woman."

"Is he?" Steve asked. "From what you've told me, this mailman seems like a pretty selfish person. Even his letters indicate he's doing this more for his own pleasure than out of goodwill for others. If that's the case, I have to wonder why he only works with transsexuals. He must have a real hatred towards them."

"I'm sorry, Steve, but you lost me."

"Okay Linda, think about this. Supposing you hated the Jewish people, what would you do? You would put them someplace where they would never bother you again. That's what Hitler and the Nazi's did. The mailman could work with any isolated person trying to get away from their problems. That could include straight people, gays, shut-in's, even those running from the law. Think about it, that would be the smart move. Don't set up a pattern the Roman Gods can see and use to finally catch you. Hell, the detail the Mailman goes through is incredible, so we know he's intelligent. But he always picks young, lonely transsexuals with no family and few close friends. That's who he preys on."

The word "prey" sent a cold chill down my spine. Maybe the mailman's motives weren't so honorable after all.

"Steve, he can't send all the transgender people to Peace River."

"That's not the point, Linda. The mailman understands that, but in his mind he thinks he's making the world a little bit better by getting rid of one transsexual at a time. Sure, it's a small drop in the bucket, but he feels vindicated each time he does it. The problem is, one day his appetite to get rid of them will outgrow his ability, and all hell will break loose. He won't be happy bringing in one or two people every few months."

"That's why Jupiter is so concerned," I said.

"He has reason to be," Steve pointed out.

***

Robert was sitting in the Peace River diner having a piece of pie and a cup of coffee. He wasn't too concerned about being seen. Like before, he had on a different mask. To everyone else in the restaurant, he was just another stranger passing through. There was a slight chance the Gods would be interested in him, but he doubted it. Robert had made up a lengthy profile on his new identity for them to read. If the Gods called in his tag numbers, it would show he was 45 years old, married, and had three kids. He knew one of these reasons would be enough to disqualify him from being chosen. His waitress, Sandy, came over with his check. She didn't know his real name; only the name he had given her which was Jeff. Robert placed a gold coin on the table, a signal to show her who he was.

"You're looking different, tonight," she whispered with a smile.

"Man can't be too careful," he replied softly. "Still happy, Sandy."

"I don't want to leave if that's what you mean," she answered while looking around carefully to make sure no one was listening. "I can't abandon my friends."

"I understand, Sandy. I wish I could do more, but their people are everywhere." Actually, Robert wasn't sure if they were or not, but it was a good lie to use on Sandy. The last thing he wanted to do was get involved in their struggle.

"You're doing enough," she replied in a low voice. "Every victory you have over these bastards boasts our spirits. You're also a hero to transgendered people everywhere, Jeff! I better go now before someone gets suspicious. Take care of yourself."

"You too," Robert replied with a smile.

'If only she knew,' he laughed to himself. 'If only they all knew why I did this.'

Robert had no intentions of getting involved in their war for freedom. 'A hero to these people' Sandy had told him. The young man had almost burst out laughing when she said the words. It was the perfect solution, better than murder. He could bring these fruitcakes into Peace River knowing they could never leave. They were out of his world forever.

As an added bonus, he had control over these Gods. That would come in handy one day when he figured out a way to get rid of his enemies without exposing himself. Soon he would find more ways to exploit these Gods for his benefit.

Robert picked up the bill and looked at the back. There were a series of numbers, mostly one's and a couple of two's. To anyone else they meant nothing, but to Robert it showed how his last delivery had fair. Candy had gotten everything she wanted except for the wealth and house. The one's next to the two's indicated she was happy with the situation and most likely didn't want her situation changed.

The Mailman reached inside his coat pocket and felt the envelope with the pre-written letter. It was tempting to slip it in a nearby mailbox, but he fought the urge. He didn't want the Gods to know he always visited them a few days later. Instead he pulled out his wallet and placed enough money on the table to cover his bill, plus a rather generous tip. Then he wiped his mouth with his napkin and walked out of the diner a free man.

***

I spotted Ashlee sitting on a park bench, gently rocking her baby in her arms. She looked so content sitting there watching her other two children play on the slide. I noticed a look of contentment and satisfaction grace her lips, and I hated the idea of interrupting her. No one could tell by looking at her what she was doing, and it made me realize how much Judge Jasper had underestimated her. I swallowed hard and approached her. One of her kids spotted me first and greeted me with a wave. Ashlee turned to see whom he was waving at, and a smile appeared on her dark, brown face.

"Linda, how nice to see you again. Isn't it a beautiful day, hon?"

"It sure is," I replied formally with a tight smile.

"Something wrong?" she asked in a concerned tone. She placed her sleeping son into the stroller.

"It's about the mailman. I need to ask you something, Ashlee, and I need you to be honest with me. It seems that finding out the truth is hard to come by these days."

"Well go ahead, Linda. I don't mind talking shop with you," she reassured me.

"Okay." I paused for a moment then asked, "Why Ashlee?"

"Why what?" she blinked in confusion.

"Why are you supplying the mailman with information about the people he brings in?"

"How - how did you find out?" she gasped slightly.

"It wasn't hard," I explained. "Stephanie and you are the only ones who know the same personal information that the mailman knows about, other then Judge Jasper and those who run Peace River. For some reason I can't picture one of the Judge's people doing something like this, and Stephanie just didn't fit the bill."

"No, I suppose not," Ashlee agreed quietly. "She's sold on this life."

"I don't understand, Ashlee."

"Ask me if I'm happy, Linda."

"Okay. Are you happy here, Ashlee?"

"Believe it or not, Linda, I'm very happy here. This life," she sighed slightly, "is wonderful. I wouldn't dream of leaving Peace River now even if I had the chance."

"Then why, Ashlee?" I was confused by her actions. I had figured that the opposite would've been true, that she hated Peace River. That's when I saw the silent anger building on her face. Her lips grew tight, and her eyes narrowed, as if I had asked a painful question. Then she spoke quietly, calmly, but with a tad of bitterness in her words.

"It wasn't enough that Judge Jasper stole my life and changed the color of my skin, he had to switch my gender as well! You don't know how horrible that was for me Linda, being a strong, white man one moment and a weak, black woman the next. My worst nightmare had come true, with no reprisal or escape from it. I asked him about it once, if it had been necessary to change me into a woman. He told me it hadn't been, but he felt a female secretary suited him better. What I wanted, what I felt didn't matter to him.

"Then I watched him do the same things to others throughout the years; reliving the pain and abandonment they felt because I'm some kind of living history book now. Unlike those in Andersonville, Linda, everyone who comes to Peace River remembers their past life. Sometimes Judge Jasper makes them forget for while, but sooner or later they always remember who they once were."

Ashlee turned and looked me directly in the eyes, as if she wanted our souls to merge so I could feel what she was feeling. "You should've seen me back then, Linda, when I was still Matt Stover. I stood almost 6'4". My body was 210 pounds of lean, firm muscle. I took care of myself, and was proud of the fact that I was a strong man and not some weak, fat, sissy-boy. And good-looking! I never had any trouble finding women to go out with me. Did I also tell you I was engaged to the prettiest girl in Alabama, and she was 4 months pregnant with my child? No, I'm sure I left that part out. I had a life, Linda! A good life with a mother and father who loved me. I had two brothers and a sister who I cared about deeply. Damn it, I had a 'good life'."

She said the last sentence with such bitterness that I reached out and placed my hand on hers for support. She smiled slightly as if it made her feel better and continued.

"Okay, so I was a bigot," she said softly with regret. "I admit it, I hated black people with a passion and I was wrong to do so. Maybe there is some kind of twisted justice in the world. I hated black people and looked down on women, and so now I'm both. Most people would say I got what I deserved - maybe I did. Maybe somewhere in the universe, my hatred has been balanced out. Thinking that way helped me in the early years. I truly believed I deserved this punishment. When I think of all the pain I caused other people." Ashlee closed her eyes and I saw resentment of her past actions overtake her.

"That old person - well, he's dead, Linda! For the first time in my life I'm free from all the hatred and prejudice that enslaved and robbed me of so many simple pleasures in life. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I nodded and replied, "I believe so, Ashlee. You've recognized your past mistakes and wish you could make up for them."

"Yes, that's correct," Ashlee agreed slowly, looking out into the distance horizon as if she were searching for something. "Everything was fine until about a year ago, when something interesting happened to me - something that changed the way I looked at things. For the first time since I arrived, I got access to the Internet. Mark Merrick was searching for something on my computer when I came back from lunch and forgot to log off. I don't know, maybe he did that on purpose - he does stuff like that. Anyway, I did an Internet search on my family and found their web page. Maybe I shouldn't have, but something drove me to find out what had happened to my family - and what they thought had happened to me. That's when I learned."

"Learned what?" I pushed, now intrigued by what she was telling me,

"That my father - the one man I loved and looked up to, had died of a heart attack the year before." Tears formed in her eyes and Ashlee quickly put her hands up to remove them. "I'm sorry, I swore I would never cry for him again."

"Grieving is a natural process," I explained. "Sometimes it takes years to get over the death of a loved one. I still find myself grieving for my family even after all these years."

"Grieving is not a process that's allowed in Peace River," Ashlee pointed out strongly and mocked, "we all must be happy here, you know."

"So it seems," I agreed.

"I couldn't be there for his funeral, Linda. Judge Jasper and his people robbed me of that right to say goodbye to him, not to mention the time he was still alive. My father always blamed himself for my bigotry, although he was never a bigot. He could never understand why I hated black people so much, or where it was coming from. Yet he never told me he was ashamed of me, only that he wished I wouldn't hate people I didn't even know. All that time I thought I had deserved this fate, but then I realized no one deserves to be stolen away from his or her family like this.

Ashlee stopped for a moment to gather her thoughts. I could see her anger was like a slow, simmering fire burning inside her. Slowly, over time, it would consume the young woman if she didn't find a way to put it out. But pain, anger, and guilt were feeding that fire and it was growing. She continued on, her anger always present but never really there except if you read between the lines.

"There was a picture of my son on the web page, Linda," she told me bitterly. "I have a son out there! He's almost 10 now, and looks just like me. His mother was standing next to him, and seeing her only reminded me how much I miss her. She's married to someone else now, and I pray that she's happy. When you think about it Linda, it's really kind of funny. I have so much in common with her now then I ever did before. I could sit down and talk to her about dress sizes, or how painful our periods are, or what's its like to have sex with a man. I know exactly how she feels because I'm a woman now, just like her. A normal...Africa-American, heterosexual woman. It's - shocking to say that."

"What about you?" I asked carefully. "What do they think happened to you 10 years ago?"

"That's the funny part, Linda, I'm not dead. The web page say's I'm missing - that I just disappeared on my way to my KKK meeting. Anyone else brought to Peace River would've have been killed off in some kind of accident, but me; Judge Jasper left my disappearance in limbo. I can only imagine the pain and torment my parents must've felt over the years. Not knowing where I was, thinking I was dead but hoping against hope I was still alive. What kind of personal hell did they go through? Why couldn't the Judge have just let me be dead to them?"

"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with our position," I told her.

"Maybe, I've never figured that out. Oh, there's one more thing I learned," Ashlee added softly. "My mother is very sick, and most likely won't live much longer. Some kind of cancer, I didn't get a chance to find out because the Internet link disconnected at that time. God, I miss her! I would give anything to wrap my arms around her one more time and tell her I'm," Ashlee started to weep softly, "tell her I'm sorry for growing up the way I did. Damn it, I'm so sorry for being that way when she knew me."

"It's okay, Ashlee, let it out." I wrapped my arm around her shoulder but to my surprise, she stopped crying as quickly as she started.

"I'm okay, I've had years of practice hiding my pain," she told me with a slight smile. "You see, Linda, I really am happy with my current life, and that's me talking, not the magic of Mr. Cupler. I have a wonderful spouse (I noticed she avoided using the word 'husband'), three kids I adore, and I'm free from all that hate that used to be inside me."

"Do you realize what Judge Jasper will do to you if he finds out?" I warned her sternly, hoping I could talk some sense into her.

"I know exactly what he'll do to me," she replied softly while looking back out at the horizon one more time. "I have a 150 years of his justice locked up in my head."

Then her words turned bitter again. "But I want him to feel some of the pain and anger we've been feeling. I want Judge Jasper to experience that same, helpless feeling that everyone else feels when they first get here. I want him to know what it's like to be in a situation where the only thing he can do is play the tune someone else orders him to play!"

"I have reason to suspect the mailman isn't doing all this for good reasons," I told her.

"I don't care, Linda," she almost snapped back. "No one gets hurt from it. If anything the mailman is doing these ladies a favor by correcting a cruel trick nature played on them. The only one who suffers out of all this is Judge Jasper, and he deserves to be knocked down a peg or two."

"How does the mailman get the information?"

"I don't know," Ashlee replied more calmly. "There's a drop point in the ladies changing room at Marshall's department store. I have no idea who picks it up, or how they get it too him. I just know he gets my notes."

She looked at me with her dark eyes and asked the question I knew she was dreading the answer too. "Are you going to turn me in now, Linda?"

I looked at Ashlee with teary eyes and shook my head. "No, Ashlee, I won't. Judge Jasper wanted me to find out who the mailman was, not the person supplying him the information. Beside, I would never turn you in even if he offered me the world. I just wish you'd stop what you're doing. At least be more careful with the information you're supplying him with. This is a very dangerous game you're playing. Sooner or later they're going to catch on like I did and start looking in your direction.

"They're not as smart as you think," Ashlee said with conviction. "They can be fooled, even beat at their own game. Once they have an idea in their heads, their egos won't allow them to change their opinions without losing face. Case in point, you found the answer they been search for in just under a day. Mr. Marshall and his men have been after this link for over a year now. They're chasing their tails trying to watch everyone who comes in contact with these ladies, but they can't or won't admit failure. Their ego won't allow it."

"It doesn't mean that can't get lucky, " I pointed out. "Maybe they'll capture the person who is passing the information on to the mailman."

Ashlee gave me a loving smile. "Linda, I appreciate you worrying about me that way. You're a good friend."

"I want to keep it that way," I told her seriously. "If you ever need to talk."

"I'll let you know," she finished with a hug. "My gosh, look at the time. I better get home now. Boy's, come on. It's time to go."

I watched her leave the park, hugging the older boys as she did. It was a perfect picture of a happy mother enjoying the day with her kids. Except for me, no one else could see the volcano boiling underneath the surface. I had to do something before that volcano exploded. I thought about it carefully and came up with an idea.

Fade out...

Next episode - The Rich Bitch

This story dedicated to Sapphire, owner of the TG_fiction email list and the oldest TG fiction web site, Sapphire's place. We are blessed by her giving spirit and continuing determination to provide a place for TG writers to come and share their stories. Thank you Sapphire.

 

Andersonville 15 - The Rich Bitch
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Sam Vincent and Nelson T.

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

Mark Merrick's store was located in one of the older buildings of Peace River. Although the construction date indicated the building had been build over 100 years ago, it's condition made it appear to be less then a year old. Over the door was a sign with the words 'Mercury Connections' printed in big, bold letters. It was my first time to Mark's shop, at least the one in Peace River, and I peered through the large storefront window with mild interest. Lining the display case were computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices of the day. I had to give Mercury credit where credit was due; he knew his business.

When I opened up the door there was a pleasant chime, and suddenly Mark Merrick was standing next to me dressed in pair of gray slacks and a blue dress shirt. He looked every bit the salesman, right down to the silly grin that made you wonder if they were saying 'sucker' to themselves.

"Took you long enough," I told him. "I've been waiting here for almost a full second." My comment earned me a laugh and friendly smile, which I returned. Besides Apollo, Mercury was the only God in Peace River I trusted, up to a point that is.

"Sorry, I was a block away when you came in," he joked, although I couldn't really be sure if he was joking or being serious. "What brings you to my store today, Linda? Nothing wrong with your phone I hope?"

"No, nothing like that. I'm here to ask you for a favor," I said directly.

"I see," Mark/Mercury replied without changing a beat. "What kind of favor?"

"The kind of favor I'm going to owe you big time for if you do it. The favor isn't for me, it's for someone else."

"Aww, I see," he grinned. "One of those favors. Well, what is it?"

His mood remained friendly as I explained what I wanted him to do. It was a long shot, but for some reason I felt Mark wouldn't refuse my request. I had no doubts that what Judge Jasper's answer would've been if I had asked him.

"You do realize the position you're putting me in," he stated after I was done. "This isn't something my father would approve of."

"Does everyone here follow your fathers lead?" I asked.

"If you believed that we wouldn't be talking," Mark answered dryly. "There is a general plan, but each of us still acts independently in our own affairs. As for your request, how do I know you won't try anything funny?"

"Oh, come on, Mark. What other reason could I have for asking you? I'm doing this for Ashlee's sake. Trust me on this one."

"Trust you? Like you trust me?" he said with an intense stare.

"I don't follow you, Mark? I trust you."

"What about this?" he said while poking his skinny finger at the cross around my neck.

"It's a cross, so what?"

Mercury moved within inches of my face and with intensity in his voice whispered, "we both know it's more than just a cross, Linda, so lets stop pretending here. I was talking to Connie the other day and she told me there seems to be a blocking agent around you. I've noticed it too, ever since you came here from Andersonville. The only thing different between then and now is that piece of metal around your neck, so don't play games with me."

"Maybe I don't want your people reading my mind," I told him smartly.

"Who told you we were going to read your mind?" he shot back defensively. "I have no intentions of doing that, nor does anyone else. Yes, we can and do read minds when we have to - and I stress this again, WHEN WE HAVE TOO. We don't do it whenever the mood hits us. We live by a code here, Linda."

"But Dennis told me - "

"I don't care what Dennis Butz told you," Mark cut me off, "We don't read peoples minds, PERIOD! Look Linda, I've been up front and honest with you since the day we met. I'm giving you my personal guarantee that we don't read people's minds without a reason. If we did, it would dispute the normal rhythm of our town. How could the people here function normally if they believed we were reading their every thought? We simply sense the emotions that come out of the conversations we have with your people, that's all.

"So why should I take it off if that's the case? If you're not going to read my mind then there isn't any harm in me wearing it."

"Because it's rude!" he explained. "It would be like us communicating to you without actually talking in words; just projecting our thoughts into your head. After a while it would drive you nuts."

"I still don't understand, Mark. Why do you need to feel my emotions when we communicate?"

Mercury sighed. "Because Linda, we've found that human words sometimes have a double meaning. The only way we can be sure what the person means is by what they say 'and' feel. If the person is saying one thing, but being deceitful inside, we can tell. If someone is shouting in an angry voice, but we can feel inside that they're sad, we can handle the situation properly. Words can be misleading but not emotions. That's how we've dealt with your people all these centuries. Now you're forcing us to act differently."

"No offense, Mark," I said slowly, "but why should I trust you?"

"Because I've earned it," he stated firmly and in a way that left no room for arguing.

I thought about it carefully and removed the necklace around my neck. I folded it up in my hand and handed it to him.

"Just make sure you give it back to me before I leave," I told him. "It's a gift from an acquaintance, and I want to make sure I return it and shove it up his lying ass!"

Mark serious expression turned back into a friendly smile. "Just keep it in your purse for now - and thank you, Linda. As for your request, I'll need to enlist the help of Ms. Marshall. She owes me a couple of favors. When were you thinking of doing this?"

"Judge Jasper will be gone two days next week. I think it's better if we implement my plan when he's not around."

"I agree. Let me work out all the details with Vickie and set everything up. Eight hours, Linda, that's all I can give her. And you will own me big time for this!"

"Thank you, Mark," I said holding out my hand.

"For a favor like this, I think a hug is in order," he smiled. I followed his lead and embraced him.

Fade out...

***
Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman Gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

The wind was trying to mess up my hair but I didn't worry; that's what my scarf was for. It was hand-made from Japan, and was supposedly of better quality then other scarves.

'For almost $80 it had better do more then just look pretty,' I thought to myself. 'Although it was true you couldn't put a price on beautiful things.'

I had reason to worry about my hair. I had just gotten it done the day before and wasn't scheduled to go back to the salon until tomorrow. If my hair got messed up too badly, I wouldn't be able to leave the house until then.

Forgetting about my hair for the moment, I pushed my expensive, high-performance Corvette a little harder, accelerating up to almost 80mph. On the hilly, two-lane highway I was on that felt pretty fast. The car had been my birthday present last month and a major disappointed. I had given my daddy hell for not buying me the red Porsche 911 I wanted. Well, at least it had T-tops and rumbled like a sports car - but a Corvette! I knew a few of my friends were laughing at me behind my back, the snobs! Deep down inside I knew they also wished they could be just like me.

Bored, I picked up the phone and punched in my friends phone number. I wanted to find out what had happened to Jeannie this morning.

"Hey Brittany doll," Rachel answered in an almost airhead tone. "Where are you at, girlfriend?"

"I don't know," I replied, sighing deeply. "I'm on some two-lane blacktop in the middle of no where. I was so bored yesterday; I decided to take a short trip and just drive. So, what happened to Jeannie?"

There was a loud giggle in the background before Rachel started talking. "Well, Brittany doll, she took the bait and went to the audition like you planned. You should've seen her expression when she discovered the part she was trying out for was that of the reptile woman. The slut turned bright red with embarrassment. I swear Brittany, her mascara was running by the time we left."

I smiled inwardly as a pleasant feeling ran throughout my body. Jeannie Lambert was an attractive girl, a model in fact, who had come to Hollywood with high hopes of becoming a movie star. Jeannie was also about as poor as a church mouse, and had to work two jobs to survive. Unfortunately, Jeannie didn't know her place in society, and quickly started moving in on my territory. She began making friends with people I knew she wasn't on the same social level with. When my boyfriends started giving her the look over, I knew it was time to step in and put Jeannie in her place. So I went to a friend who was a movie director of horror films, and asked him to let Jeannie try out for the lead role.

The look on Jeannie's face when I told her the good news was priceless. A round of eternal gratitude followed her naíve smile, as if I was doing her a huge favor. I knew Jeannie would fall hard when she discovered the role didn't call for someone pretty, but someone they could turn into an ugly monster. I even made sure the director told Jeannie to her face that she had the look to play a hideous beast. Rachel had agreed to go with Jeannie to the audition and fill me in on all the details later.

"She had it coming, pretending to be just as good as us!" I bragged. "I only wish I were there to see her face when the director talked to her. Maybe now she'll go back to Ohio, or Indiana, or wherever the hell those hillbilly's come from."

"Well girlfriend, I got the whole show on tape. Why don't you stop by -"

The phone crackled and suddenly went dead. I tried getting the signal back but it didn't respond.

"Shit!" I yelled throwing the phone down into the empty seat beside me. Why did life have to be so cruel to me? Sure, I didn't have to work, but only because looking beautiful all the time and staying on top of the social scene was a 24/7 job. Of course my daddy took care of me so I didn't have to work. With all the money he made from his investments in real estate and oil wells, I live quite comfortably. Apparently not nice enough for him to buy me a Porsche though. I cursed my father's name. Sometimes he could be such a prude.

In the distance I saw the outline of a small town positioned next to a wide river. I hated small towns. They were so far behind in the times compared to the big cities. Still, there might be a chance that someone there could fix my phone. They would charge me an arm and a leg to do it of course but so what? I didn't care what it would cost. After all, daddy would be paying for it; and my daddy never said 'no' to his precious, little girl.

Of course I did have to earn my money. Usually that meant dressing up like a fairy princess to attend some boring function with daddy. I remembered there was another one coming up soon, and I was dreading it. The thought of trying on $700 dresses wasn't very appealing; especially when I knew the real good dresses started out around $1,500.

I sighed again. It wasn't fair that daddy didn't understand fashion like I did. Oh, I could spend more on a dress if I wanted, but the difference would come out of my monthly allowance. It made me mad that if I wanted to look good attending some boring function I had to spend my own money to do so. Why should I have to spend so much of my own money on a dress I could only wear once?

As I crossed over the bridge leading into town, I noticed how different the color of the water looked. Normally river water was green or gray, but this water was almost a bright blue. I saw a sign ahead welcoming me into Peace River.

'What a boorish name for a town,' I thought. I stopped at a traffic light and looked at the downtown area spread out before me. It was made up of two and three story brick buildings, all of them looking rather new. I found that a little odd since most of the small towns I had been passing through contained a number of rundown buildings.

Looking ahead, I spotted a young woman pushing a baby carriage preparing to cross the street in the middle of the block. A grin appeared on my face, and I gunned my engine just a little while waiting for the light to turned green. When it did, I took off with a loud roar. Much to my surprise, the woman looked in my direction and proceeded to cross as if she had the right-of-way.

"Stupid bitch!" I cursed with a smile. 'I would teach her a lesson she won't soon forget.'

I accelerated to nearly 50mph and pushed down hard on the horn. The woman quickly looked at me, an expression of alarm registered on her face. I swerved wildly into oncoming traffic, coming within inches from her baby. She screamed in horror as I roared by laughing. It served the bitch right for getting the shit scared out of her. I knew she would never try crossing the street like that again.

The wailing of a siren brought me out of my victory daze, and I saw in the rearview mirror a police car behind me with his lights flashing. The cop driving the car motioned for me to pull over. I ignored his request, opting instead to smile and waved back at him. Finally some excitement had come my way. There was no way this cop could catch me if I ran, and I wasn't interested in waiting while he wrote me up a ticket. I knew he would never understand what I did back there. Of course the way I saw it, I had done the bitch a favor by almost hitting her. It would force her to be more careful the next time.

With a laugh I push down on the accelerator. By the time I left the city limits my car was already doing a 110. The cop stayed back, either because he was afraid of endangering other people in the area or his car couldn't keep up with me. I figured the latter had to be true.

A couple of miles down the road I came to another bridge, also crossing a wide river. It occurred to me that this town must be on an island, or at the fork of two big rivers. I snickered at the cop car way behind me, straining to catch up. If he thought I was fast now, wait until I got to the other side. I would really open the car up.

Suddenly there was a bright flash in the distance and a town appeared. I blinked hard; the town looked very similar to the one I had just gone through. I shook my head to clear the thought away; that wasn't possible. Suddenly another cop car drove up and blocked the exit of the bridge. I hit the brakes, planning to turn around and go back the way I had come in. That's when I noticed the cop car that had been way behind me was now inches from my rear end. How in the hell had he gotten on my tail like that?

With no alternative other then crashing my way through, I came to a stop less than twenty feet from the cop car blocking my way into town. Almost as soon as I did, a thin, tall man wearing a suit was at my car door pulling out the keys from the ignition.

"Hey, those are my keys," I protested loudly. The cop who had been chasing me ran up to join him. His nametag said 'Deimos' and he wore dark sunglasses

"Thanks Mark," he told the man. Then he turned to me frowning deeply and asked, "What the hell did you think you were doing back there, lady?"

"How dare you talk to me like that you, you pig!" I yelled at the cop in a disrespectfully tone. "Do you know who you're talking to?"

"Someone, who was going to get a stern warning and then let go, but is now going to see the judge," he stated sternly.

"I'm not going anywhere with you," I shot back. "I have my rights. And you, give me back my keys before I sue you for everything you have."

The man the cop called 'Mark' just laughed. He turned to the police officer and said, "Oh, Judge Jasper is going to love you, Deimos!"

"Take the good with the bad," Officer Deimos replied with a slight chuckle.

'Let them all laugh,' I said to myself. 'By tomorrow morning I'll have a team of lawyers pounding on their door and then we'll see who laughs.'

"It's time to go, Miss Appleton," Officer Deimos stated while pulling me out of the car by my arm. "Mark, since you already have the keys, would you do me a favor and drive it back for me.

"No problem, Deimos. I'll stop by the courthouse later to fill out the paperwork." He waved at the other officer blocking the road ahead to let him know it was all over.

"I'll have your badge for this," I threatened as Officer Deimos led me to his squad car. "How dare you treat me like a common criminal!"

"Lady, there's nothing common about you," he expressed in an insulting tone. With one quick push, he sat me down in the back seat of his car and closed the door.

My mind was fuming! I couldn't wait to call daddy and tell him what had happened. They would pay, every last one of them - including this Judge Jasper if he messed with me. I was as close to being a queen in this country as you could get.

As we drove into the town ahead of us, I peered over at the welcoming sign so I would know whom to sue. I gasped. The sign read, "Welcome to Peace River." That was impossible, I had left the town of Peace River behind me. Then I saw a young woman standing on the sidewalk holding onto her baby and I noticed a group of other women standing around comforting her. No, it couldn't be - that couldn't be her. The road leaving out of town had been straight as an arrow.

As we passed by, the woman spotted me sitting in the back of the car. She gave me an evil grin, as if she knew something I didn't. Obviously like everyone else here, she didn't know whom they was dealing with. I would make sure my lawyers filed a suit on her as well. I would most likely end up losing money when this was all over, but I could afford to lose money while they could not. The cop turned the corner and pulled up in front of the local police station that was part of the huge courthouse of Peace River.

"Inside," the officer ordered, while pulling me out of the car.

"Don't you 'touch' me you asshole," I spat back. "My lawyer's going to have a field day with you when he shows up."

"Huh uh," he responded in a smart tone. "We'll see about that. Now keep quiet!"

I held my tongue. My revenge would come later, when I filed a 500 million-dollar lawsuit against this backwater town. The cop practically dragged me into a courtroom that was lavished better than most homes I had been in. The bench he sat me down on was made of solid oak, as was the judge's bench in front of me. The wood floor was so shiny that it must have been waxed and buffed each night. I looked up and noticed the lighting fixtures were Alcon chandeliers, very expensive and extremely hard to come by. Whoever had restored the chandeliers had done a bang up job, each one looked brand new. I could tell from the style that they had to be over a hundred years old. I had seen a pair of similar chandeliers once being sold at an antique store for $1,500 apiece, and they weren't in as good of shape as the ones hanging above me.

"You must be Miss Appleton," a female voice said, knocking me out of my daydream.

"Who are you?" I asked in a frosty tone. I saw a blonde hair woman dressed in a tacky business suit standing beside me.

"I'm Stephanie Hall, your lawyer."

I laughed rudely. "No offense, Ms. Hall, but I have my own set of lawyers I deal with. I'm sure you don't come close to stacking up against them."

"Perhaps not," she replied a little annoyed by my rudeness. "However, in a few minutes Judge Jasper is going to walk out that door and you're going to be glad I'm here."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her. "This is a traffic ticket, not bank robbery. The first thing I'm going to do is plead not guilty. The next thing I'm going to do is call my daddy. He'll get me out of all this."

"Please Miss Appleton, trust me," she pleaded. "I can clear this matter up, but you have to let me do the talking."

"Trust you? I don't even know you! And after all this is over, and I've been found guilty of some trumped up charges, you'll present me with an outrageous bill for your services. I know how these small towns operate. If you excuse me for being so bold, Ms Hall, the lawyers and judges of small towns are usually in the same bed together. By the time this is all over you'll have fleeced me for over $3,000 in fines and legal fees over a simple traffic ticket. No thank you, Ms. Hall! I'll wait for my own lawyer."

"You don't know what you're saying."

"Are you suggesting I'm confused or mentally disturbed?" I gave her an angry stare.

"No," she replied in a tone that indicated she wasn't backing down. "I'm saying you don't know the trouble you're facing here. First of all, my services to you are free; the court will pay for them. Second, I can get you out of all this if you shut up and let me do the talking."

"I'm not a fool, Ms. Hall," I snapped back. "I'll deal with this judge my own way."

"Suit yourself," she answered sadly, "but I'm sticking with you till the end." She took a seat next to me and looked forward.

I was going to say something else when Officer Deimos bellowed out, "All rise!" The door to the judge's chambers opened up and I got my first good look at who everyone was talking about. He was tall and well built, maybe in his late forty's or early fifties. The man had slightly graying hair and wore a full, well-trimmed beard. He strolled up to the bench with confidence, wearing a long, black robe that you would expect a judge like himself to be wearing.

Behind him followed a young, teenage girl with shoulder-length hair. She wasn't bad looking, but with my help she could've looked a lot better. For one, her skirt was yucky looking and too long for someone her age. She took a seat behind a computer and the trial began.

"Officer Deimos, what do we have here?" the judge asked.

"Brittany Appleton, Your Honor. She's guilty of speeding, reckless driving, and leading me on a high-speed pursuit."

'Guilty, am I!' So this was how they were going to play it. I would make them pay for their boldness.

"I see," the judge commented calmly. "By the way, how did your car perform, Officer Deimos?"

"Wonderfully Judge. Sherry really did a great job with the engine. The car has a lot better acceleration now."

I coughed impatiently. "Excuse me, Your Honor, but I'm a very busy lady. Can we please get this over with."

"Why the hurry, Miss Appleton?" he asked rather annoyed. "Your hair appointment isn't until tomorrow."

His response startled me. How could he have known that? Then I remembered I had left my appointment book in the car. Those snoops must've gone through it looking for information on me. I added that to the list of things I would tell the lawyers.

"We don't tolerate reckless driving on our streets," he lectured rather strongly. "However, Officer Deimos should've given you a warning and let you be on your way. That being the case, I'm dismissing this case." He got ready to hit his gavel when I stopped him.

"Excuse me, Your Honor," I interrupted. "I'm afraid I can't let this matter drop so easily."

"And why not, Miss Appleton?" he asked with a frown.

"Because of the way this security guard who calls himself a cop treated me. I was brought here like a common criminal, and he was insulting during the trip. I know my rights, and this is false arrest."

"Judge, I did nothing of the kind," the officer shot back.

I smiled when I saw the cop go on the defensive. The fact that this Judge wanted to drop the case so quickly was an indication that he knew who I was. He was afraid of what I would do next, and I was going to play on that fear.

"Come forward, Miss Appleton, and stand next to Officer Deimos." The Judge made a motion with his hand and the look on his face showed he was serious. When I got up to the bench he asked softly, "What is it that you want?"

"$250,000 to settled this matter, and an formal apology from this half-wit cop." I told him forcefully, thinking I now held all the cards. "Think about it Judge. If I get my lawyers involved it'll cost you ten times that amount to settle this. By the time they're done, your town won't have enough money left to feed a goldfish." I watched the Judge's face turn beet red with anger.

"Now, let me tell you something, missy," he answered back in a low, angry tone. "You're a vain and immature little girl trapped in a woman's body. The problem with you, Miss Appleton, is that you've been pampered all your life like a Siamese cat! Your idea of a crisis is when a fingernail breaks before a big date! You've never had to deal with the responsibility of getting up each morning and going into work when you don't feel like it. You never had to try deciding which bill to pay when you don't have enough money to cover both. You wouldn't know a real problem if it came up and bit you on your shinny, pampered ass!"

Officer Deimos laughed softly, causing me to lose my temper. Never had I been talked to or treated so disrespectful by anyone. I was really going to make this Judge Jasper pay for his comments. I would bury this town in so much paperwork that they wouldn't know which end was up. I doubt if their lawyer, Stephanie Hall, would be able to handle the load.

"How dare you - you pompous ass," I snarled. "I'm a sophisticated lady, the cream of society. If the United States had royalty, I would be a princess. I've grown up learning proper manners, unlike your backward, goat farmers around here. Look at your officer as an example! He doesn't even know it's rude to wear sunglasses inside a building." I reached over and ripped the sunglasses off Officer Deimos face before he could react. "Give me those, you ignorant cowboy - OH MY GOD!"

I put my hand over my mouth and screamed loudly. The officer's eyes were jet-black. He smirked slightly, making him appear scarier than he already was. I started backing away when two, strong hands grabbed me from behind and held me in place. It was the other man, Mark Merrick, who had suddenly appeared next to my car and had taken my car keys. I tried to break free but he barley broke a sweat keeping me in place. Something was very, very wrong here.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE?" I screamed hysterically. I glanced over at Stephanie Hall, who was looking at me with a sad, sympathetic look. The judge peered over his bench at me with an anger expression.

"You should've left when you had the chance, Miss Appleton," he stated formally. Then he turned to the cop with the black eyes and said, "Officer Deimos, I owe you an apology. I now understand why you brought this - this lady here for judgment. I'll make sure that it's swift!"

"Please, please," I began to beg. "Let me go. I swear I won't tell anyone." The judge seemed unimpressed with my pleading so I switched to bribery. "I can give you money, Judge, lots of it. I can give you diamonds and other gifts - new cars, a boat. Just tell me what you want and let me go!"

"Judge Jasper, a moment please." It was Ms. Hall, the one who had wanted to represent me in the first place. I looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Judge, you can still make Miss Appleton forget all of this. It's obvious she's immature for her age, but being rude and stupid isn't a crime."

"It is in my courtroom," Judge Jasper intoned sternly. "Miss Appleton, I sentence you to a life in Peace River."

"Noooooo, you can't do this!" I yelled. Suddenly I found myself unable to speak.

"Since you've lived a life of wealth and leisure, it's time you learned how the rest of the world lives. Stand still please."

I literally watched in horror as he raised his hands and started mumbling something underneath his breath. His palms began to glow, and I knew nothing good would come out of it. A ball of pink light or energy slowly started to rise from his hands.

I closed my eyes and pretended this couldn't be happening, wishing it away. This had to be a bad nightmare I rationalized. Yes, in a minute I would wake up in my warm bed and realize it was all a bad dream. Only none of this felt like a dream. This was a nightmare beyond anything I could ever imagine.

There was a tingling that started in my chest and grew out in every direction. Then my body began to shift in different directions, and for a moment I thought maybe I had shrunk by a couple of inches. My clothes began to feel different too. My silk skirt and blouse suddenly felt rough and scratching. In fact it felt like I was wearing several layers of clothing. Suddenly the tingling stopped and I felt normal again, at least to some extent.

"Mr. Carlos Aguilar, you can open your eyes now."

"Who?" I asked keeping them closed tightly. Suddenly my eyes popped open against my will. I looked down at my clothes in horror.

"What did you do with my skirt and blouse?" I gushed in surprise that quickly turned to anger. "That was a $300 dollar outfit you Son of a Bit - " I stopped talking as it hit me that those were my words, but the voice was very male.

"No, no," I kept repeating as I rubbed my hands over my breasts but couldn't feel them. I moved my hands down farther and let out a short scream as a mass of flesh greeted me where there shouldn't have been any.

"What have you done to me?" I cried out. Both Ms Hall and the teenage girl looked sadly at me, while the rest of the spectators stared silently with a satisfactory smile.

"Officer Deimos, please escort Carlos to his job," Judge Jasper said firmly. "I sure his boss is wondering what's taking so long."

"Yes, Your Honor," he replied grabbing my arm. I suddenly found myself being pulled out of the courtroom. Thankfully, the officer had retrieved his sunglasses and I didn't have to look at his horrid eyes anymore. He sat me in the police car and we drove off together.

I didn't say anything to him; I was in too much shock to speak. I reached down and touched my groin again. The mass of flesh, whatever it was (and I pretty much knew what it was since I wasn't a virgin), tingled slightly as I moved my hand over it. Suddenly the thought of turning myself on disgusted me and pulled my hand away. There was no way I could be a boy now, no damn way. My attention was shifted forward as Officer Deimos stopped the car in front of a garage called Sherry's Cherry.

"Here's you new job," the cop said with almost no emotion in his voice. He opened my door and grabbed my hand, leading me inside to a skinny, blonde hair lady wearing a pair of dirty coveralls. She was bent over the hood of a car tightening something up. When she saw the officer come in, she laid down the wrench and wiped her hands on a rag.

"Good morning, Officer Deimos. This must be my new assistant Linda called me about."

"More or less," he replied. "I'll have one of the girls stop by to introduce Carlos to his new life. If he gives you any trouble let someone know. Behave boy, and have fun!" He smirked at me one more time before he left.

"Well Carlos," the female mechanic said while holding out her dirty hand. "I'm Sherry, your new boss. How much do you know about cars?"

"I know you turn a key and they start up," I answered rudely while ignoring her gesture.

"Terrific!" she sighed lowering her hand. "I can see you're going to be a big help to me. I have two brake jobs and this tune-up I need to get done by five."

"Maybe you should tell this Judge Jasper that he made a mistake and have him turn me back into who I once was," I suggest as I watched Officer Deimos leave. Sherry smiled slightly as if she could read my mind.

"If you're thinking about leaving, forget it. You'd never get outside the city limits before they picked you up. In case you didn't know it yet, they tagged you. Once you set foot off my property they'll know."

"Who are you?" I demanded to know. "Who are they? Do you work for them?"

"Hold on, Carlos. Slow down and let me answer some of your questions."

"I'm not Carlos, 'Blondie.' My name is Brittany, and I want out of this hell-hole and returned to my own life."

"I'm afraid that won't happen," she said truthfully. "The fact is, you're trapped here just like I am."

"You - you're a prisoner too?"

"Sort of. It was my decision to stay in Peace River, but I can't leave even if I want to. So you see, I'm in the same boat you're in."

"At least this judge kept you a female. Look what he did to me?"

"You mean, he changed me into a female," she explained. "I was a man before I came here."

"And you wanted to stay here and become a woman? I've heard of fruitcakes like you before, but I never thought I would meet one." I laughed in an attempt to forget about my own situation. "Oh honey, you look lovely in that outfit. But, I think you need some pearls to go along with it."

"Thanks," Sherry replied a little annoyed, "but I didn't decide to stay because I wanted a sex change. I stayed because of the love of two of my friends. Of course, you wouldn't understand that now, would you 'Carlos'. I bet you never had a true love in your life before. You're just some poor, little rich girl bored out of her mind and trying to figure out the meaning of life"

"I've had more lovers then you'll ever have," I lashed out.

"No doubt," she smiled. Suddenly I caught the insult she had intended. "Perhaps now would be a good time for you to get started. I want you to crawl underneath that Chevy and change the oil."

"You must be kidding," I answered in an insulting tone.

"NO, I'm not," she replied sternly and with a frown to show who was in charge. "I don't have time for games, and I'm not your babysitter. I'm paying you $6.50 an hour to help out around here, and that makes me your boss. Now pick up the oil filter wrench off the table behind you and get your ass underneath that car."

"And if I refuse."

"I'm sure Officer Deimos won't be too happy if he has to come back," she smiled evilly.

"I - I don't know what to do?" I stuttered out, my strong, demanding demeanor changing to that of a frightened little girl. How could they do this to me? How could they change me into a boy and expect me to work in a place covered in grease and filth. I put my hands over my eyes and started to bawl.

"It's okay, Brittany," the blonde hair mechanic said a comforting tone. "I'm sorry I was so mean to you just a minute ago, but that 'Blondie' crack really got under my skin. This is all a big adjustment to you, so take a moment and have a good cry - you'll feel better."

"Why are they doing this?" I screamed out. "Please, there has to be a way back to my old life."

"I'm sorry, there isn't." she answered softly while giving me a hug. "Once you're here, you're here for good. There isn't anyway out of Peace River, and you can't bargain with them. Many have tried and it doesn't work."

"But I don't want to be a boy - I'm a GIRL. And I don't want to live like this either. Please, help me."

"I'm afraid all I can do is help you adjust, Brittany. If it were up to me, I would let you go. Unfortunately I don't have a say in the matter. The other people here will help you adjust too, including those who work for the judge."

"Please," I begged, clinging tightly to her dirty mechanics overalls, "I just want to go home."

"I'm sorry, Brittany," she whispered sadly. "This is where you'll live now for the rest of your life."

I laid my head against her dirty clothes and cried even harder. It wasn't fair, I hadn't hurt anyone. I was only trying to scare that lady, that's all. I had learned my lesson, I was sorry now. Why couldn't they let me go now? All I wanted to do was go back to my life of expensive clothes and rich friends. I wouldn't even complain anymore about the Corvette daddy had gotten me, even if it did make me look cheap!

After crying for almost fifteen minutes I had calm down enough where we could get back to work. I felt a certain bond with Sherry, something I hadn't felt before in my life. Even though she wasn't someone I would've hung out with before, she was still a nice person. I felt I could trust. Sherry was sort of like the sister I never had.

"I really need to get back to work, Brittany," she informed me. "I also need you to change the oil of that car."

"But - but I'm not sure what to do," I started to whine.

"Hi sister," a different voice rang out. It was a new girl, a teenager maybe about 16 years old. She was about my height, with long reddish hair that curled down the sides. She had a smile that was sure to break a few hearts.

"Hi Angie," Sherry replied. "Boy, am I glad you're here. I need to get this tune-up done and Brit-I mean, Carlos here needs instructions on how to do an oil change. Can you stay and help out?"

"Only if you buy me lunch," she grinned in a devilish manner. They both laughed, and it was apparent that they had some kind of history between them. Perhaps this was one of the friends Sherry had come here to save.

"I buy you lunch all the time, why don't you ever do that for me?" Sherry complained humorously.

"Because I'm a poor, lonely high school student," she laughed back, "and you're a successful, rich business woman."

"I saw the guy you went out with Saturday night, Angie. I would hardly say you're lonely." Both girls giggled happily.

"Okay, I'll help out," Angie smiled while turning and holding out her hand. "In case you didn't know by now, I'm Angie, Sherry's younger and more attractive sister. And you're Carlos."

"Brittany," I responded.

"Carlos," she reaffirmed. "They don't like us using our past names here, it's too confusing. Now, take this wrench and crawl underneath car."

Reluctantly, I did as she said. The underside of the car was a mess. It looked like the car had been driven through every mud puddle in town.

"See that thing that looks like a pan with a nut in it? That's called the oil pan. Put the wrench I gave you on the nut and turn it. Oh, and move this gray pan underneath the nut. It's there to catch the oil."

I tried with all my might but it wouldn't turn. "I can't get it to work."

"Um, try the other way," she suggested.

"Hey, it's working now," I told her. All of the sudden something thick and black started coming out from around the loose nut. I screamed in horror as it touched my hand.

"What is it - what's wrong?" Sherry yelled running over to see what had happened. I pulled myself from underneath the car and held up my hands to her.

"I turned the nut like Angie said and this black stuff got on my hand," I sniffed.

"So what- it's oil," Sherry replied in a rather testy tone.

"But it came out before the plug did - and it got all over my hands. Look at them! It'll take hours to get my fingernails clean again. I just had them manicured yesterday."

Sherry looked like she didn't know whether to yell or laugh at me. Finally she turned away shaking her head and went back to her car without saying a word. Angie chuckled slightly and handed me a rag.

"Here Carlos, wipe it off the best you can. You better get use to this, you're hands will be quite dirty from now on."

"But I hate dirt," I whined. From that moment on my first day of work went downhill.

***

"Carlos, someone is here to see you," Angie said hours later.

I put down the tool I had been cleaning and went outside to see who it was. This someone turned out to be a friendly looking man with a pleasant grin.

"Hi son," he greeted me.

"Son?" I blinked hard at the stranger.

He coughed. "Um, yes, that's right. I guess we need to discuss some things. Get in my car and we'll go for a ride."

His car was an old Firebird that had long since live out its usefulness. The starter made a terrible groaning sound when he turned the key but eventually the engine caught and rumbled to life. My father pulled out into the alley behind the shop and turned onto a road that led away from town.

"When I heard you were coming, I asked the judge to let me talk to you first instead of one of his muses," my new father said as if it explained everything. "I've been waiting for this day to come for a long time."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," I told him.

He laughed joyfully. "Sorry Carlos, I keep forgetting you're new here. It's strange how you begin to think everything is so normal after a while. Okay, let me start at the beginning. I've lived in Peace River for almost 30 years. It's funny how the time has flown by so quickly. Anyway, your mother and I have had two children on our own, and 2 more kids, for lack of a better term, that we've adopted. You're the third one. I guess what I'm trying to say is; they're just like you. Adults who were turned into children and needed a new home."

"I'm not a child," I told him defensively.

"In Peace River you are," he answered in a firm but kind tone. "About 10 years ago, Judge Jasper promised me a boy. You see, up until now all my kids were girls. I've been waiting for a boy to do men stuff with."

'Oh oh,' I though to myself. Why did I feel like I was going to end up hating my life even more.

"What kind of 'men' stuff did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Oh, the usual," he smiled. "Hunting, fishing, camping out under the stars, watching you play sports."

"I'm not good at any of that stuff," I told him. "In fact, I don't plan - I mean, I'll never fit in here."

"Planning to leave already, are you," he grinned as he parked the car in front of the river. I turned pale but he didn't reprimand me for the idea.

"Don't worry, Carlos, I won't tell anyone. You're not the first person to think that way. But before you try something foolish, let me explain the facts of life to you. The roads leading out of town are watched - all the time. If you try to walk away they'll catch you and bring you back. If that happens, Judge Jasper will punish you. Believe me Carlos, you don't want that to happen."

"Why not? How could my life get any worse for me?"

"Yes, I understand. When I first came here, I thought the same way. I didn't think my situation could get any worse. But when I refused to follow Judge Jasper's wishes, it did."

"Why would he punish a two or three year old like that?"

"Two?" my father grinned. "I was 20 at the time."

"But - but you don't look any older then 30."

"That's the way it works around here, Carlos. Nobody gets any older then 30 in this town. So in a way, it's like living in an eternal youth program. Instead of being old and run down, I look and feel like a young man. Which is why I can still enjoy my remaining time with you."

"I'm not your son!" I told him defiantly.

"It doesn't matter that you weren't born into this family," he said directly. "The fact of the matter is, you're mine now - and I'm going to raise you up right."

"I'll find another way out," I told him looking at the river. "I'm a good swimmer!"

"Yes, I'm sure you are," he said with a sly grin. "Which is why I brought you here. You figure they can't be watching every corner of this island. So why not just build a raft and sail or even swim to the other side? The truth is you're right, they don't watch every corner. But then with the security system they have set up, they don't have to. Watch and you'll see what I mean."

My new father opened up the trunk of his car and pulled from it a small, brown bag. He walked over to the river's edge and placed one foot in the water. Carefully he started splashing the water around. I looked at him as if he had lost his mind, but he just smiled confidently back at me and continued. Out in the distance I saw something, the head and neck of a man. He rose out of the water slightly and look at us curiously. He was a rather hansom man, with blonde hair and a thick neck indicating he was very muscular. If I had still been a girl I've would've made a play at him no matter what his current marital status was. He smiled warmly at us then went back underneath the water.

"Okay, watch carefully, son," he told me. My father pulled a steak from the bag and flung it as far as he could into the river. The man we had seen before popped out of the water next to the steak and picked it up with both hands. Suddenly he changed into a horrible looking beast. His skin was covered with green scales, and he had long, sharp teeth meant to tear things apart. It's hands looked like claws, and the way it ripped the steak apart left no doubt in my mind on what it could do to a human being.

"You wouldn't get 50 yards off the shore before they'd be on you," he spoke while watching the creature tear the steak apart."

"They? You mean there's more of these things in there?" I asked in a frighten voice.

"Oh yes, many more," he replied solemnly. "I never believed in mermaids and mermen until I came here. So you see Carlos, it's still your choice to try and leave Peace River if you want. But if you plan to swim out of here, just be prepared to die a horrible death."

I didn't look at my father as he spoke. All I could do was focus my attention on the ghastly beast stuffing the last piece of meat into its mouth. When the creature was finished, it turned back into a handsome man and smiled at us.

***

My new father talked about other things as he drove me home. To be fair, he seemed like a nice man even though I didn't want to stay here long enough to get to know him. My new home was a single story house located in a rather crowded neighborhood. In fact, it wasn't even as big as the pool house at my old house, and it made me wonder how six people, now seven, could live in a building so small. Of course my father hadn't told me when his other kids were born, so it was possible some of them were living on their own by now.

The living room was nice, but hardly luxurious like I was use to. There was a big screen TV in one corner, and a couple of old couches and chairs scattered about. A small, worn out table with several ugly scratches sat in the dinning room. I noticed there was a family photo on the wall above the table and to my surprise, I was in the picture. There didn't seem to be any end to our captor's magic in this town.

"This is your mother," Mr. Aguilar indicated to the woman standing over the stove. I gasped slightly.

"Hello son," she said with an almost evil smile.

"You!" I replied in surprise. My mother turned out to be the woman I had almost run over this morning.

"That's right," she replied with a thin smile. "Let me say 'young man', that I wasn't pleased to find out what the judge had done. I guess he has his reasons, he usually does. So you're my son, and I'm your mother. I'll make sure to treat you respectfully, as long as you treat others here the same way. Oh, and don't even think about trying on my dresses. Unlike other mothers here, I won't allow you to dip back into your past. You're a boy now, and you're going to act like one all the time."

"Dear," my father intervened, "I know you two had a bad start, but we need to put that event behind us."

"I'm just setting down the rules, Joseph," she glared.

He took her in his arms. "I know honey, but if Carlos wants to see Ms. Marshall and buy something nice with his own money, I'm not going to stop him. It's harder on some people to present themselves 100% of the time as the other sex. However," he looked directly at me, "I expect you to do such an act in the privacy of your own room. I, we don't want to see you doing it"

"Ms. Marshall? Who's that?" I asked

"She runs a dress shop," my new mother replied smugly. "Dinner will be ready shortly. Why don't you show Carlos to his room and get cleaned up."

"Yes dear," my father said, kissing her on the forehead. She smiled and turned back to the boiling pot on the stove.

"Carlos, follow me," my father ordered. My room turned out to be an old coal room located in the basement of the house and was about the size of one of my three walk-in closets at home. It had been paneled and fixed up to look halfway decent, but it was still small and dingy looking. The bed and desk took up almost half of the space. On the walls hung pictures of cars, baseball players, and even a couple of posters of some half-naked girls in swimsuits.

"There's a shower and toilet over there." He pointed to a small room in the corner with a curtain over the entranceway.

"Why am I living down here?" I wanted to know.

"Because, this is a small house, and there's no room for you upstairs. Your mother and I have the main bedroom, your older sister has another, and your baby sister is in the third. Unless you want to sleep with your younger sister, this will have to do."

"Okay," I reluctantly agreed. Anything was better then sharing a room with a whinny baby.

"Good. Why don't you take a shower and change into some nice clothes. Your sisters will be coming over soon to meet you soon. I know you'll want to make a good impression on them." He proceeded to leave then stopped and smiled at me. "Welcome home, son. I really am glad to have you here."

"I wish the feeling was mutual," I replied.

"Give it time," he nodded then left. I sat down on the bed and started stewing in my own self-pity. A phrase came to mind - how the mighty had fallen. I guess it could have been worse, but I didn't see how.

***

The rest of the evening was different then anything I had known before. My sisters, both older and living on their own, welcomed me into the family with open arms. Each one told me a little bit about themselves, but I was too involved with my own problems to care what they had to say. Once I tried bringing up the subject on who they once were before coming here, but my mother stopped and chastised me for it. Apparently, such topics were not something you talked about in public.

Hours later I went back down to my room and collapsed on the bed. I lay there, crying into my pillow for almost an hour and wondering what I had done to deserve all this. I was used to living in the lap of luxury, not staying in a place that made Motel 6 look like the Hilton. My bathroom didn't even have carpet on the floor, and the toilet was an older unit that made all kinds weird noises when you flushed it. The one in my bathroom at home barley made a sound.

I thought of my daddy, and how worried he must be. That was the only bright spot in my day, knowing he was probably looking for me right now. I knew he wouldn't stop looking until he found me. How I missed him, and all my friends. Right about now I would be getting ready to go out to one of the many clubs we would visit in a night, dressed in one of my expensive and fashionable outfits. Instead I was going to bed so I could get up in the morning and go to work. Damn it, how could my life get worse?

I rolled over and closed my eyes, exhausted by the day's events. To my surprise, when I opened them up again it was morning. I rolled out of bed and got dressed. The sun was just beginning to peak in through the basement windows as I walked upstairs to get something to eat. The clock on the wall said it was almost 7am. I had been asleep for almost 11 hours. I found my mother in the kitchen feeding my little sister.

"Good morning son," she muttered out, but the greeting wasn't very warm. I knew she hated my guts. My sister was only about 6 months old, and even though babies had never really excited me that much, I had to admit she was cute.

"Can I ask you - mom - um, is she, real?"

"You mean, did I have her or was she given to us? Well, she's mine all right, your fathers and mine."

"She's cute and looks just like you," I said trying to break the ice. Maybe if we agreed on some common ground, things would be better between us.

"DO YOU KNOW WE CAN DIE HERE?" my mother snapped angrily at me. I stood there in shame and shook my head. The events from yesterday were now coming to a head.

"It's true," she explained. "People die in accidents around here all the time. Even if that wasn't true, you came within a foot of my little girl with your speeding car."

"You were crossing in front of me when you shouldn't have."

"So that gives you the right to scare the hell out of me and put her life in danger?" she asked with angry tears. "What kind of person are you to think that way? Do you know what that makes you look like? How would you feel if you were me, and I came speeding by within inches of your daughter?"

"I'm - I'm sorry," I told her. Inside I was feeling a new emotion, guilt. I had never felt guilty about anything before, but I did now. She was right, what the hell had I been trying to prove? "I'm so, very, very sorry."

"Well, so am I young lady." She turned and went back to feeding my baby sister.

Not feeling hungry anymore after the encounter with my mother, I strolled into the living room and turned on the TV. I had to leave for work soon, but there was still time to watch a few minutes of the Hollywood moment. I imagined my name and face would be all over the TV screen since my disappearance, and wanted to see what progress had been made. That's when I saw her standing there next to my father.

"Mr. Appleton and his lovely adopted daughter, Jeannie Lambert, attended the function last night," the announcer with an English accent was saying. "They donated 2.5 million to help build a homeless shelter in LA."

The picture switched to Jeannie giving some man in a tux a huge, cardboard check. She was dressed in a stunning, black gown that I had planned to wear one day.

"Mr. Appleton and his daughter had this to say."

"I was never fortunate enough to have a daughter of my own," Mr. Appleton said. "Jeannie has filled a void in my heart that I've miss all these years. She's a real role model to others."

Standing next to him was Jeannie, holding on to my father's arm smiling. Then the picture switched directly to her and she said, "Homeless people is an issue that's very near to my heart. I'm so glad we've been able to raise over five million dollars tonight to build a place where these poor, down on their luck people can go to find a warm bed and a hot meal waiting for them." The TV screen shifted to a small crowd of people standing over an open barrel with a fire burning, trying to keep warm. They were all dressed in filthy rags.

"Miss Lambert just signed a multi-million dollar movie deal that is expected to start filming next month," the announcer explained. "However, she doesn't expect her film career to interfere with her charity work or her relationship with her new father. In other news, - "

I stood there shaking in anger, boiling mad at what had just transpired. Everything that I had worked for - yes, it was work being my father's daughter - had been stolen from me. My nice clothes, the wonderful house, my moment in the spotlight - ALL GONE! It was mine, not that slut's. And where did Jeannie get off giving 2.5 million of my future inherence to a bunch of bums? I had worked hard to make sure daddy never gave very much money away to charity; after all, it would all be mine one day - all 35 million.

"That damn judge did this to me," I swore. Well I wasn't going to let him push me around anymore. I would refuse to play his game and demand he return me back to my rightful place in life. Who did he think he was, giving my life away to that bitch, Jeannie Lambert?

"Is something wrong, Carlos?" my mother asked as she walked into the room and saw me standing there in my current state. If I didn't know better, I would say she was concerned.

"FUCK YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE HERE!" I yelled back. I grabbed my coat and ran out of the house as fast as I could.

***

The receptionist for the judge was young, maybe 18 or 19 years old, with shoulder-length, brown hair that had been cut into a cute, feminine style. By an average High school boy's scale of standard, she was a 7 or even an 8. She had a better then average chest size and was dressed in a rather nice skirt and blouse outfit. Her nameplate said Linda Anderson and she gave me a nervous smile when I walked into her office.

"Good morning, Carlos," she greeted me. "Can I help you?"

"No, not you. I'm here to see your boss," I demanded in a hash tone.

"Carlos," then she added softly, "Brittany, I know you're pretty upset right now. Trust me, today is not a good day to go into his office half-cocked. Judge Jasper isn't in a very good mood and you're just the reason to make him do something rash. Please, come back another day."

"Up yours!" I informed her as I walked toward the Judge's door. She stood up and stepped in my way, but I pushed her against the wall. Still she tried to stop me by grabbing onto my arm.

"Please, this is for your own good," she pleaded. "Don't go in there."

"Get out of my way, bitch!" I shot back reaching for the door handle. Before I could do so the door opened on it's own, and I saw Judge Jasper standing in the doorway looking at the both of us.

"What's going on here?" he demanded to know with a tad of anger in his voice.

"I'm here to see you," I snarled back, letting him know I meant business.

"Both of you, come in here," he said. I went in first followed by Linda who was holding her arm from where I had grabbed her. Judge Jasper closed the door then walked back to his desk and sat down. He stared at me intensity and asked, "Now, what is so important that you had to attack my secretary to see me?"

"I think you know," I told him bitterly. "I want out of here! I demand that you change me back into Brittany Appleton and return to me what's rightfully mine."

"Oh?" he smiled slightly with amusement. "I see you saw the program this morning."

"I most certainly did, and I wasn't amused by it. How can you be so DAMN CRUEL?"

"How can YOU!" Judge Jasper roared, his smile quickly disappearing into a merciless expression. "Look at your life! You've existed for one reason and one reason only, to serve yourself. You've planned events for the sole purpose of hurting others, just so you can laugh about it and feel alive. Jeannie Lambert was a sweet girl by anyone standards, and you couldn't stand that. You couldn't bear to face the fact that someone who didn't have any money, who had to work two jobs, could be happier than you where."

"But I - "

"Don't interrupt me," he said with a menacing stare. "I've known people like you from many places. You're the type of person who would stand by the edge of the river and watch someone drown rather than jump in to save them and ruin your clothes in the process. Well young man, there are some things more important then money. Perhaps by being here you'll learn that."

"I won't stay here!" I stomped my foot down hard to show him I meant it. "You turn me back right now, do you hear me! I hate being a boy. I can't stand it any longer! Now you return me back to my life as Brittany Appleton."

"And if I don't?" he asked quietly with a slight grin that only pissed me off more. "What are you going to do, hold your breath until your face turns blue?"

"I'm not playing your game anymore, Judge Jasper. I'm not going back to work at that crappy shop working as some grease gorilla."

"It's monkey," he corrected.

"I don't CARE what the hell it is!" I yelled. "I won't do it again - and you can't make me."

"So you hate being a boy, do you?" he said with an evil glare. "You want to be a girl, where someone will take care of you all the time and you don't have to worry about working or doing any of those things that the rest of us have to do here. Is that correct?"

"That's correct," I snapped back. Linda looked nervously at me and shook her head 'no', but I paid her no mind. What did someone her age know about anything?

"Very well then, I shall give you exactly what you want. A life without work or worries, where the only thing you have to do is lay around and have someone take care of you."

He closed his eyes and raised his hands in front of him. Linda looked at him and then at me in a frightened state, but didn't say a word.

This time a blue ball of light rose from his hands, and I watched with fascination at it entered into my chest without feeling anything. There was a tingling throughout my body, and I felt a tugging on my mass of manhood that, to my relief, started to reduce in size.

I almost laughed out in joy, but my happiness was short lived as I noticed my entire body was shirking in size at an alarming rate. Everything was getting bigger around me as I moved closer to the floor. Judge Jasper stared at me with a satisfied look, while the teenage girl's expression was that of complete sympathy. My blue jeans and T-shirt turned into a frilly yellow dress with ribbons around the collar. I panicked when I felt something soft and constrictive wrap itself between my leg.

'Oh my God,' I wanted to scream out. 'He's turning me into a little baby.'

Something soft and frilly grew around my head, and I knew it could only be a baby bonnet that matched the dress I had one. Yellow booties with tiny ribbons completed the outfit. Something grew around me, and I found myself lying in a small basket surrounded by a soft blanket.

"There, that should be more to 'your' liking," Judge Jasper laughed out loud. His chamber door opened up and a beautiful woman walked into the room and picked me up out of the basket. She had long, golden hair and was one of the prettiest women I had ever seen.

"You told me I was needed," she said while rocking me gently to stop me from crying. "I thought I was going to be meeting Carlos, not this pretty young sweetheart."

"Good morning, Vickie," Judge Jasper said formally. "Carlos was being a little rebellious today, so I'm giving him the day off to think about his actions. I understand Julie Smith is 4 months pregnant with her first child. Why don't you take little Sheila over to her house so she can get some practice taking care of a newborn. She can drop her back off at the courthouse tomorrow morning."

"That's a wonderful idea, Your Honor," Vickie Marshall agreed. She placed me back in the basket and picked it up. "Come along, sweetheart, your new mama is waiting for you."

***

My new mother was delighted to see me. Vickie Marshall made sure that I had plenty of diapers (Pampers) and formula, as well as all the other accessories that new babies needed. The first thing my new mother did was take me around town to show me off to her friends. I hated the way her ladies friends cuddled and cooed at me, as if I was a real baby. They had to know I wasn't, but that fact didn't seem to bother them.

Later Julia Smith took me over to the park where some other mothers were sitting, and fed me a bottle while gently rocking me in her arms. It was totally embarrassing. I tried not to eat but my body went into over-drive and I found myself sucking vigorously on the bottle against my will. Then horrors to end all horrors, she decided to change me on the park bench in front of everyone. I screamed in protest, but all that did was turn more attention toward me. Some of the mother's even smiled as if they thought the entire incident was so precious. Finally she put me back in the stroller and took me home for a nap.

This transformation had changed me in more ways than one, for I found I could no longer control my bladder no matter how hard I tried. My mother just smiled, as if it were a privileged to serve my every need, and changed my diaper without a fuss or harsh word. After a nice long nap, a man came into the room and picked me up. I could only guess he was my new father. He played peek-a-boo with me, which amounted to him putting his hands over his eyes and then pulling them away and saying peek-a-boo. It was horrible.

I tried to stand up; I even tried to roll over on my stomach. All of this was to no avail. I found myself acting more and more like a real baby, despite my best efforts not to. That evening I fell asleep at 8 o'clock and woke up at 3 in the morning, crying out in hunger with a wet and dirty diaper.

'What's happening to me?' I screamed.

I cried out even louder as she changed me. It was the only action I seemed to have control over - crying. All my other actions, gurgling, wetting myself, even jerking/kicking my feet and hands around seemed to be on autopilot.

"It's okay, sweetheart," my mother comforted me as she pushed the nipple of the bottle into my month. I found myself sucking on it despite the fact I didn't want to.

"There, there now," Julie cooed even more. "In the morning mommy's going to take you to see the judge and ask if you can stay with her forever and ever. Won't that be wonderful?"

'It's like some kind of sick joke that won't end,' I thought to myself. I continued to drink down the horrible formula that was supposed to be good for my body - I really had no choice. Then a dreadful thought crossed my mind. What if Judge Jasper decided to let her keep me? I tried to cry, but the sucking on the bottle took precedence over my need. My new mother sang me a sweet lullaby, and I slowly drifted off to sleep.

***

Sometime that morning Mrs. Smith brought me back to see the judge. While she was talking to him in his office, the teenage girl named Linda Anderson took care of me.

She held me in her arms and said softly, "Brittany, I know you can hear me. I'm sorry about what he did to you yesterday, but I did tried to stop you. I really was thinking in your best interest." She paused for a moment then gave me a hopeful smile. "I'm sure Judge Jasper will change you back, he's in a pretty good mood today. Just please, PLEASE, don't argue with him. Once he changes you back thank him and go to work immediately. He'll be watching to see what you do, I know him. Just be polite and leave, otherwise he may keep you this way for good. Do you understand?"

I tried to answer her, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was a gurgling sound.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," she grinned slightly. Just as she finished talking the door opened up and Mrs. Smith walked out with Judge Jasper right behind her.

"Linda, if you would bring her in now," Judge Jasper said.

"May I?" Mrs. Smith asked while holding out her hands. Linda handed me over and she snuggled up next to me.

"You're such a beautiful baby," she whispered, "but I understand if you want to be changed back. Thank you for a wonderful time, I can't wait for my own baby to be born now." She gave me a soft kiss on the forehead and handed me back to the young girl.

Linda carefully maneuvered us into the Judge's chambers, and Judge Jasper closed the door behind us. He then parked himself on the edge of his desk and faced me.

"I hope this lesson has cured you of your little temper tantrums," he said firmly. "I'm going to give you a choice. You can return to being Carlos Aguilar, or you can remain in this body. You may speak now."

He waved his hand and suddenly I knew I could say whatever I want. I took a breath to calm myself down and asked, "Can't you make me older?"

"No," he said simply. "To be quite blunt, it'll take you a life-time to learn how to become the woman you should've been years ago. Caring, thoughtful, unselfish, that's what you should be. Only going through childhood again with loving parent's can you expect to end up that way. On the other hand, it would be easier to accomplish this same goal if you remained a boy, but that's your choice, not mine."

"Are you saying I acted like a boy in real life?" I asked in a high-squeaky, childish tone.

"No," he smiled slightly. "I expect the same goals and consideration from my male residents. However, for reasons I won't explain, it won't take you as long to accomplish those goals as a man - and they are goals worth living for."

"I - I don't want to remain a baby anymore. I can't stand it, it's worst then being a boy. Please, change me back, Your Honor."

"I figured that would be the case. Linda, please put him down on the couch and step back."

***

Later on that afternoon I was changing the oil of another car, my fifth one that day. I was cover in dirt and grim, but it was better then wearing that mother-goose outfit and being fed lunch through a bottle. I was glad to be back - well, to a point. Sherry was right; there were worst things that I could become here. I could also tell she was happy to have me back, even giving me a quick hug while saying how much she missed me. Even though she wouldn't have been someone I would have hung around with in my previous life, I was beginning to trust her like a sister - and then something happened to destroy that trust.

That something was Mark Merrick, who walked into the shop very confidant and smiling from ear to ear. Instead of the regular clothes he had on before, he was dressed in a police uniform.

"Hello Carlos," the officer grinned in a way that made me think he was laughing at me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked rudely.

"I'm looking for Sherry, do you know where she is?"

"I'm right here, Mark," Sherry called out from the parts locker. "I'll be with you in a minute, sit tight."

Officer Merrick leaned against a car while I continued to glare at him as if he were the plague. My glare didn't seem to bother him one bit.

"So Carlos, how are you doing today?" he asked cheerfully.

"Why in the hell do you care?" I shot back.

"Because it's my nature," he grinned. "I want to make sure you're happy here."

"I'll never be happy here!" I snapped back.

"We'll see. I understand Tammy Marshall will be visiting with you sometime today. She was suppose to see you yesterday, but your little 'temper tantrum' changed that."

"And if I don't want to see this Tammy person? What happens then?"

"You really don't have a choice in the matter," he beamed. "Don't worry, you'll feel better after Tammy talks with you." He chuckled slightly as if it were a joke.

"You like doing this, don't you? You like having the power to torment us?"

Actually, no," he answered seriously. "If I had my way, everyone brought to Peace River would be happy and well-behaved, and we wouldn't have to teach anyone a lesson. However, there are always those who have to make a 'jackass' of themselves in public, and ruin it for the others. As for having power to torment others, you're in no position to judge us on that matter."

Sherry walked out before I could reply, carrying a part in her hand. "Hi Mark," She reached over and kissed him right in front of me.

"Is that all I get?" he queried.

"Mark, look at me, I'm filthy! Do you want to get dirty too?"

"I'll go home and change," he smirked and pulled her close. They hugged and kissed more passionately, causing me to believe they were lovers.

"Are you still having dinner with me tonight?" he asked.

"Only if you're buying," she grinned. "Pick me up around seven, I should be ready by then."

"I'm looking forward to it," he smiled, releasing his grip on her. "See you later, Carlos."

Sherry stood and watched him leave while I did a slow burn. I had trusted this woman, and now I found out she was involved with these people.

"What?" Sherry asked when she saw me staring at her with an angry glare.

"You - 'and him'?" I asked in an acid tone. "You're going to bed with that - that 'person'?"

"Who I sleep with is none of your business," she replied in a stern tone. "Just because you don't like him doesn't mean I shouldn't. Mark Merrick happens to be a very nice guy."

"He's one of our jailers?" I almost screamed.

"Only for those who want to leave Peace River, which I don't," Sherry answered in a straightforward manner. "As a matter of fact, Mark is the reason why I'm here now."

"Then how can you - shit, what would you call it, date him if he's the reason why you're stuck here?"

"You wouldn't understand, Carlos. I have a life now because of him. Before I came to Peace River, my real life was in shambles. I'd just lost my wife who was seven months pregnant. Everything I once had was gone. Mark and the others, they gave me hope and a reason to go on. I owe them my life."

"But look what you lost," I argued. "No matter how you look at it, you're as trapped here as I am. All your freedoms have been stripped away, can't you see that?"

"As I said before, Carlos, you wouldn't understand. Now, I want you to take this part to this address." She handed me a box with a fuel filter and a piece of paper.

"I thought I could trust you," I spat out. "But you're just like the people who run this town - no, you're worst then them. You're a sellout. You would turn your back on everyone here to satisfy your own needs."

"And you wouldn't," she replied rather testy. "Tell me, Brittany, how many people did you hurt so you could have a good laugh? Do you even know anymore? And don't talk to me about selling out either, not when you don't give a damn about anyone else here except yourself. I have no doubts that if you were given back your old life, you would leave Peace River and forget all about us. You wouldn't raise a finger to help those left behind because they don't matter to you. So don't try that holier than thou CRAP on me! I can either be unhappy with my new life or make the best of the situation. The fact that I choose to be happy here doesn't make me a bad person. Now get on your bike and deliver that part before I really lose my temper."

She turned and went back into the parts room, leaving me to stew in my own juices for a moment. As far as I was concerned, she was still a sellout who couldn't be trusted.

***

My delivery took me to a large, brick house located on the edge of town. Although it wasn't a mansion, it was pretty big compared to the other houses around Peace River. The house sat on five acres of ground and was surrounded by tall, beautiful trees. Off to one side I could see a lovely rose garden in full bloom. It was similar to the house I used to live in, only much smaller. I rang the doorbell and a teenage girl opened the door.

"Hi, you must be Carlos," she exclaimed. "Come in, please." She opened the door wider and I walked into a foyer that would've been the envy of many people I once knew.

"Here is your part," I told her, trying to hand it over. She giggled as if I was joking.

"Why don't you step into the study," she told me, pointing the way. The study was equally as impressive as the foyer, beautifully decorated with deep wooden shelves containing books with titles that I'd never heard of before. I noticed some of the titles were in Latin. I took a seat on an overstuffed couch and she sat down next to me.

"Whoever decorated your home knew what they were doing," I commented.

"It was my mother," the young girl explained. "You may have heard her name mentioned before, it's Vickie Marshall." My face went pale; this must be the person Mark Merrick told me I would be meeting.

"You're - you're Tammy." I took my first, critical look at the girl and realized how pretty she was. Not just pretty, flawless. Her complexion was perfect; her body was perfect, even her golden blonde hair seemed to hang just right. If I had spent a week at the beauty shop I could never have looked as good as she did right now.

"Yes Carlos, I'm Tammy. Try not to be afraid of me; I'm not going to hurt you. You see, my mother usually takes care of this but, well, she asked me to fill in."

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked like a frighten child.

"Nothing," she reassured me while touching my hand. I felt a surge of warm energy shoot up my arm. "I'm here to help you feel better, and accept your new life. You're sad, Carlos, why?"

"Why wouldn't I be," I told her while trying to move my arm away from her. I found that I couldn't - no, that wasn't true. I could move it - I just didn't want to. There was something comforting about the way she was touching and stroking my hand. It was a wonderful, accepting feeling that I couldn't describe.

"I miss my daddy," I said with tears in my eyes. "I miss my old life. I want to go home!"

"It's okay," she serenaded to me in a warm, comforting tone. "Everyone feels that way when they first get here, but things change as time goes on. You'll meet new friends, and have lots of fun. As for your parents, they're good people, Carlos. Your mother is a little upset with you right now, but she'll warm up. You'll be happy with them, I know you will."

"But - I." Suddenly I found myself confused. Why was it that what she was suggesting suddenly sounded so appealing to me? I knew I would never be happy with this new life. I was used to $200 designer jeans and five-star restaurants. I was used to going out all-night and sleeping in past noon. Work was a four-letter word to me, a bad four-letter word. The idea of saving my money to buy something I wanted was foreign to me. I could never be happy, never - or could I?"

"Tammy, will you - will you be my friend?"

She beamed brightly back at me. "Of course I will, Carlos. You can talk to me whenever you want."

A feeling of joy came over me, although I couldn't understand why. I didn't want to be happy. I wanted to cry and pout, but found it a little difficult to do so when I felt so happy inside.

"Thank you, Tammy. It's good to have someone I can talk too who will understand."

"And I do, Carlos," she explained "That's why every Thursday afternoon I host a tea party for boys just like you. You're welcome to come whenever you want if you feel the need to dress up and express yourself. You see my grandfather won't allow you to act this way in public; it would be too disruptive to the town. However, he doesn't have a problem with you doing this in private, which is why I host these tea parties. You can come here and dress up real pretty, and act like a girl. No one will care if you do. But," she cautioned me, "it's only here, do you understand?"

"I - I don't have anything to wear," I answered, a little confused. Would this make me feel better I wondered? Somehow I didn't think it would, but the idea of crossdressing was appealing to me.

"I have an entire room filled with beautiful clothes for you to pick from, including nice dresses and some enchanting evening gowns. Plus," she went on, "hundreds of wigs in different colors and styles for you to look and feel as feminine as you want to. We even play neat girl games from time to time."

"I don't know," I stuttered. "I work and - this isn't what I - I really wanted."

"I know, sweetheart," she replied in an understanding tone while putting her other hand on my cheek, "but this will help. You see we want you to be happy here in Peace River. I'll talk to Sherry; I know she'll let you have Thursday afternoons off. You can make it up to her by working Saturday."

I wanted to scream out in anger, but the joy I was feeling inside wouldn't allow this. I was happy, gloriously happy, and I had no idea why. She wasn't giving me anything I wanted. In fact, she was offering me things I should've felt uneasy about. Pretending to be a boy who was pretending to be a girl, the idea was sickening; and yet it wasn't. The thought of meeting other boys just like me was extremely appealing. I would be with others who were just like me, born a girl and having a hard time accepting that they were now a boy. And we could pretend to be girls, and giggle over tea, and do all the things I couldn't do now except maybe in my own room. It all sounded so wonderful.

"Carlos!" Tammy's voice knocked me out of my daydream. "You need to get back to work now. "Why don't you come back in two days and we can talk some more. And think about coming to our Thursday tea party."

"Oh I will - I will," I babbled out like a fool. Damn it, I didn't want to feel happy about being here, but I couldn't help it. I tried to cry, to scream, but I just couldn't. The strange part was, it didn't even bother me. I just felt so happy inside.

Tammy led me to the door and watched me get on my bike.

"See you later, Carlos," she smiled and gave me a wave, which I returned before peddling away. I found myself smiling, then laughing. All I could think about was how happy I was living here in Peace River. What new and wonderful adventures awaited me in the future.'

***

Back at the house Tammy flopped down on the couch to rest. This had been her first time, and it was very tiring. Her mother, Vickie Marshall, walked into the room and sat down beside her.

"You did very good, my daughter," she smiled while giving her a hug. "I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, mom. Do you think he would flip out if he knew I was the daughter of Venus?"

"I don't think he would care at this point," she laughed. "I see you took very good notes. You did a great job, Tammy."

"Better than Cupid, I mean, Mr. Cupler?" Tammy asked.

"Your brother has had centuries of practice," Vickie explained calmly to her daughter. "But I think you did a better job then he did his first time."

That brought a smile to the young girls face, that quickly turned back into a frown."

"What's wrong, dear?"

"I don't know mom. I guess I feel a little bad that I really didn't solve any of Carlos' problems. In a day or so, he'll be back to his same old miserable self."

"And in a day or so you'll see him again," Vickie reinforced the idea. "In time, Tammy, all in good time. First Carlos has to accept his place here; then we can work on his problems. Of course it could take years before he's ready."

"Mom, why don't the women in Peace River have something like a boys night out - like the men do with our tea party?"

"It's in their nature, my dear. You see, emotionally human men and woman are conditioned differently. Men are conditioned to hide most of their emotions, while women are more open to express theirs through various avenues. Some women express themselves by the clothes and jewelry that they wear; it makes them feel feminine and good about themselves. The problem is when we transform a female into a male; it's impossible for some of them to get rid of these emotions. As you know, we really don't want them to change. It's important that they continue to express themselves freely to us. By not allowing them the freedom to do so, it can cause them to close up. We found that out the first years we ran Peace River.

"Fortunately, your grandfather understands this, which is why he allows us and others to host these weekly parties. So our men who still have a strong desire to dress up and express themselves as woman can do so without fear or embarrassment. Of course, we can't allow them to go out in public that way, it would disrupt things."

"But why not the men then?" Tammy asked. "Surely some of the men who have been brought here and changed into women felt or acted the same way."

"That's true my daughter, but it's a different type of emotion. Like the women who become men, we want out new women to be just as open. Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, men are conditioned not to be very open with their feelings, so we have to try a different approach. We did allow our new women to dress as men once, for about six months, and the results were terrible. They became less open, and began regressing back to being men. There were other idea's to handle this problem, but the elders decided it wasn't worth the risk. That's why we don't allow them to act in any other way except as women."

"Doesn't seem fair to the former men," Tammy pointed out. Venus ran her hand through her daughter's fine hair.

"No, it's not," she agreed. "Perhaps one day that will change, but not today. You see, Tammy, we get more out of the men who were turned into women than if we left them as the same sex. Of course, you understand to collect what we need it's also important they remain happy. Allowing them to become men for a day well, it may ruin that balance of happiness and acceptance we've worked so hard to achieve.

"And the women, mother?"

"Well, it doesn't seem to bother them if we allow them to dress this way from time to time. In fact, if anything it actually helps them become happier. Of course, we also found that it doesn't matter if the women we bring in get transformed or not. We get the same amount of energy from them either way. But since so many of our male visitor's end up being female well, we have to get our men from somewhere."

Both Tammy and Vickie giggled at the situation. They needed to change men into women to improve their harvest, and they had to change women into men so they would have an equal balance in their town.

"Mother, do you think Carlos will be happy one day - I mean on his own?"

"I always have faith, my daughter, and so should you." Vickie/Venus gave her daughter a loving hug.

Fade out...

Next episode - Venus Child

This story dedicated to The Professor, whose Ovid stories and support inspired me to write the Andersonville series. Helping a fellow writer is what makes our community so strong.

 

Andersonville 16 - Venus Child
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff and Nelson T

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

"Good morning, Mrs. Stover. I'm Mark Merrick and this is Vickie Marshall. We're here to drive you to your appointment."

Mrs. Stover looked carefully at the two people standing outside her door. They were both dressed in uniforms that medical people typically wore these days. Unfortunately Mrs. Stover had seen too many doctors and nurses over the past couple of months to know that. They smiled, and she felt at ease with the strangers.

"I'm sorry you had to drive all this way for nothing, Mr. Merrick," the elderly woman explained. "You see, my daughter came over this morning, and she's going to drive me to my appointment."

"I see," Mark frowned and turning to Vickie for guidance. "Your daughter does realize this treatment will last all day?"

"I understand," a woman from inside the house replied. Mrs. Stover's daughter, Sarah Sharp, came to the door. "I want to go with mother for moral support."

"I see." Mark looked back at Vickie a little uncertain. He didn't like it when things didn't go as planned. "Why don't I drive both of you there anyway. After all, the insurance company has already paid for the trip. You can relax and not have to deal with the hassle of fighting the traffic there and back."

"Okay, Mr. Merrick, let me get my purse," the daughter accepted. Both ladies disappeared into the next room.

"Now what?" Vickie asked.

"We take both of them with us," Mercury told her. "Linda Anderson is going to get a bargain, two for the price of one."

When they came back, Mark helped both ladies into the van and drove off.

"You look tired, ladies. Why don't you close your eyes and take a nap," Mark suggested.

"I don't feel - feel sleep - sleepy." Sarah noticed her mother nod off quickly and started to panic.

"Mom, mom, are you okay?" she shouted. Sarah looked at the two medical people in terror. "She's unconscious, do something."

"It's okay, Mrs. Sharp," Mercury explained. "Your mother is very ill, so my suggestion worked a little faster on her."

"What are you talking - talking - about?" Suddenly Sarah found she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. She tried to say something else, but fell into a deep sleep before any words came out.

"Nightie night, you two," Vickie whispered softly.

***

"Her mother is here, as well as her sister," Mark told me.

"Her sister?" I asked. That hadn't been part of our agreement.

"It's a long story," he sighed. "Let's just say I couldn't separate them without raising their suspicions. Where's Ashlee?"

"At home with her kids. I called earlier and told her I would be dropping by the house to give her something." I looked a Mark Merrick in a questioning manner. "They do know, don't they?"

"I told them as soon as we got here," he replied. "Vickie is with them now, as is Mr. Cupler. They both took the news quite well. The mother is very anxious to meet Ashlee, but I think the daughter has some reservations."

"You and I can drive them over to her house in my car," I told him. "We won't need Vickie anymore. I understand she has an appointment this morning." I stopped and gave the Roman God Mercury a grateful smile. "Mark, thank you for doing this."

"You're welcome, Linda. I'll have to stick around and keep an eye on them, but I'll try not to get in their way. Why don't you meet with them now and explain what you have in mind."

I agreed, and we both walked to the conference room where they were being held. After a quick introduction and explanation of what I had in mind, we got into my car and drove to the modern, two-story home of the Gangs. I found Ashlee sitting in the backyard with her baby, watching her older kids play close by. She was working on some kind of needlepoint pattern. I smiled, thinking how much of a typical mother she looked just then. When Ashlee saw me walk in, she smiled and rose to greet me."

"Good morning, Linda." Ashlee gave me a big hug, a common practice here in Peace River. I maneuvered her around so she was facing away from where I had come in. "Now what's so important that I had to cancel all my plans for today?" she asked pleasantly.

"I have a surprise for you." I smiled. I watched the two ladies walk carefully up behind her. They stood silently, the daughter unsure about all this and the mother with tears in her eyes. "Turn around slowly, Ashlee."

She gave me a funny look and did as I asked. When she saw the two ladies, her body froze. She gasped loudly.

"Mom!" Ashlee blurted out with emotion.

"Matt? Matt, is it - really you?" her mother questioned softy.

Ashlee slowly moved closer as if she wasn't sure they were really there. She reached out and touched her mother on the arm. Convinced that they were real, she gave them both a big hug.

"Oh God, mom - Sarah! I thought I would never see you two again," she sobbed. "Oh mom, I missed you. I'm so sorry for how I acted before. I'm so damn sorry."

"It's okay, honey," Mrs. Stover replied with tears in her eyes. "They explained what happened, and how you've changed. I forgive you, honey. I love you!" She kissed her new daughter on the cheek.

Ashlee's children watched the ladies embrace, and became concerned over their crying. The oldest walked over and asked, "Mommy, are you okay?"

"You have children?" Ashlee's mother asked while wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yes mom, three kids" Ashlee replied with a joyful, emotional laugh. "This is Nathan and Andrew. Over here," she pointed to the car seat close by, "is Calvin."

"He's so beautiful," Mrs. Stover commented in a way that only a grandmother could.

"Mommy," Nathan interrupted, "who are these ladies."

"This is your Aunt Sarah and Grandma," Ashlee announced while laughing and crying at the same time.

"But - she's white," the young boy stated in a confusion.

"Yes I am," Mrs. Stover said while kneeing down to get a good look at her grandson. "And you're black! But you know what Nathan, it doesn't matter. I love you so much." She gave the boy a big hug, and Sarah followed suit. I turned and walked to where Mark Merrick was standing.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes," he said while staring at them in disbelief.

"What?" I asked, a little bewildered by his reaction.

"Someone who is totally happy and yet crying at the same time - tears of joy I think you call them. Humans are really strange at times."

I chuckled at the irony of his statement. "You're in no position to talk about others being strange, Mark." That comment earned me a grin. "So by showing you something you've never seen before, I guess that makes us even?"

He laughed. "Hardly, but I'll take that into consideration when I need your help. You do realize that Ashlee's mother and sister won't remember this visit."

"Yes I know. But you'll make sure they leave here feeling at peace over Matt's disappearance, won't you?"

"After this is over, they'll both know Matt Stover is safe and happy and they shouldn't worry about him anymore; although they won't have any idea how they know that. I'll make sure of it, Linda."

"Thanks Mark. This was a good thing you did here. I only wish I could stay and watch, but I need to get back to work in case Judge Jasper calls."

"I'll fill you in on all the details," he said with a smile as he watched the three ladies hug and laugh some more. "Have a nice day, Linda."

"You too, Mark." I took one more look at the happy reunion before heading to my car.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper - We are the Roman Gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

My big Buick was cruising down the deserted, two-lane blacktop somewhere in the Wyoming vastness. A lot of people think the United States is crowded with people, but the truth is there are plenty of wide-open spaces left to visit. For the past forty years I had traveled this road on my way to one small town or another. In this case I was heading for a town called Thermopolis, located near the middle of the state. There wasn't an expressway close to Thermopolis, which suited me just fine. I was happier traveling the back roads than the interstate routes choked with cars. There were so many interesting things to see along the way. It bothered me that in a couple of years I would have to give it all up.

I felt sorrow at the thought of retiring as I fiddled with my business card that read, "Henry Mills, salesman - Craftmaster Tools". Every storeowner in every small, northwestern town knew my name. Many of them thought of me as a member of the family; having me over for dinner after our business was complete. Some even invited me to weddings and other family events. I had watched their children grow up and start their own lives. I had watched in sadness as some of the older people I dealt with passed away. Over the years these shop owners weren't just my customers anymore, they were my extended family. Now the Internet was changing all that.

While there were more efficient ways to sell tools, I still brought in enough sales for the company bigwigs to keep me on the payroll. That and the fact that many of the smaller towns still didn't have easy Internet access yet. I knew that was rapidly changing. Soon I would be forced to retire and then - and then I didn't know what I would do. Traveling and selling tools had been my life; I didn't know anything else. My home at the time was a small apartment in Indiana, but I was rarely there. Over 300 days of the year I was on the road going from one place to another. The thought of finally staying in one place was alien to me. Oh, I suppose I could still travel, but for what reason? The idea of randomly going from one place to another without a purpose didn't appeal to me. My job had given me both a reason to travel and a balance to my life.

As I looked back at my life, I had no real regrets. The truth was, traveling was in my blood and I loved my current life. Of course it meant I had no wife, since no woman could put up with her husband being away so much. Still, that didn't bother me too much. Sure, it got lonely on the road at times. Except for the occasional one-night stand I didn't have much human contact.

Until he died, I'd kept in touch with my brother, but only at times like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The stroke he'd suffered five years ago left me with no living family. So I lived and traveled alone, calling into the office periodically to order supplies and visiting my regular customers who'd become my surrogate family. All in all it wasn't a bad life and I was content.

My thoughts were interrupted when something in the road caught my attention. I looked twice and blinked my eyes hard. In all my travels I had seen many strange events, but this one took the cake. In the middle of the road I spotted a half-naked woman being chased by two guys. She had a pretty good lead on them, but they were quickly gaining.

The car lurched forward as I pressed down on the gas. When I got close enough, I honked my horn several times. This startled the two men, and caused them to slow down just a bit. I ignored them and drove up next to the woman who was clearly running for her life.

"Jump in," I yelled while slowing down to match her pace. She took my suggestion and dove in through the open window. I pulled her in the rest of the way and accelerated away. In the mirror I saw the two men stop running and watch with anger.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She sat up in the seat and I could see her breasts hanging out of her ripped blouse. "Here, take my suit coat," I offered while pulling it from the back seat. She gratefully took it and wrapped herself in it.

As I watched her do this, I couldn't help but noticed how incredibly beautiful this female stranger was. She was tall and skinny, with long, blonde hair that curled down the sides and was feathered in front. Her body was a young man's fantasy, and even that of a few women. She wore very little makeup, but then with a face as pretty and feminine as hers, she didn't need to wear much. That's when I noticed her eyes, how wild they looked. It was clear she had been drugged with something.

"Don't worry Miss, I'll take you to a hospital. Everything will be okay," I reassured her.

"No," she said sharply. "No hospital or police."

"Miss, are you sure that's wise?" She didn't seem to hear my question though. Instead she stared straight ahead as if in shock. "Who were those guys back there?"

"Titans!" she answered in an angry tone.

"Titans?" I questioned. I had read about them in a Greek Mythology book when I was a kid. The stories were long and somewhat confusing as to whom they really were. Sometimes people referred to the Titans as the Gods who came before Jupiter and his family. Others thought of the Olympians as the Titans."

"What's your name," I asked softly, hoping it would give me some clue as to what was going on."

"My name?" she said in a daze. "My name is - Venus."

Well, I could see why she would say such a thing. She looked like what I would expect Venus to be. Still, I wasn't convinced I was in the presence of a goddess, or that they were even existed for that matter.

"Look, isn't there someone I can take you to?"

The lovely woman stared ahead puzzled, as if not knowing how to answer the question. Finally she said, "I have a home - somewhere around here. I'm not sure. The men chasing me know where it is."

"I don't think going back and asking them is such a good idea," I told her. "Look, you must have friends around here. Can you tell me where they are?"

"I can't - I can't remember," she answered bewildered.

"Look - um, Venus. I really think we should go to the police about this. It's obvious they did something to you. You're not thinking straight right now."

"No, I mustn't," she insisted. "We can't let your people find out."

"You mean humans?" I asked. This woman was really whacked out. "Why were these, um, Titans, after you, Venus?" I felt it was better to go along with the game until she got control of her senses again.

"They were going to use me to make Jupiter give them power that they could use against us. They were waiting for me out there. I tried to run, but they caught me. They forced some coffee down my throat. I got away just as you were coming by. You saved - you saved me."

"I'm just glad I showed up when I did," I smiled. "Look Venus, are you sure you don't know where any of your other friends are?"

She shook her head and her long hair moved very seductively across her face. "I can't - I can't remember where they are. I know - I know it's a town. Peace - Peace - I can't remember."

"It's okay. Look, I think they put something in your coffee. You're acting a little confused right now."

"No, it wasn't a drug. Coffee makes us act this way. It's like a drug to us. I'm sorry, I wish I could - could remember. It will come in time."

"Then I think we need to get you somewhere safe until then. Oh SHIT!" I looked in the mirror and saw a green corvette coming up behind me at a fast clip.

"It's them," she cried out fearfully. "I can feel their presence."

"Don't worry, I can't outrun them, but my car's bigger. All we have to do is drive to the next town where we'll be safe."

"If only it were that easy," she whispered. Then I saw what she meant. The passenger was leaning out his car holding onto what looked like a gun. I noticed he was aiming it right at us.

"Hold on," I yelled. I swung the car into the opposite lane just as he took a shot. Something fiery flew past us and struck a tree ahead, exploding it into splinters. Chunks of wood hit my car as we drove by, and I fought hard to keep the car under control. The only satisfaction I got was seeing the Corvette spin out as the same material belted them. Quickly the driver put the car back in gear and started chasing us again.

"We'll never make it if we continue this way," I told her. "Put your seatbelt on and brace yourself."

I waited until they were a few feet from my rear bumper before making my move. Just as the passenger of the Corvette started to lean out of the car, I slammed on my brakes. The driver of the 'Vette was taken by surprise, and hit his brakes hard to avoid rear-ending me. I watched with great pleasure as the passenger was flung around from the sudden jerk and quickly slid back into the car.

"That'll teach them," I told her with satisfaction as I sped up again. Indeed, I could see the passenger yelling at the driver. Slowly the car started to drift back. When it was a safe distance behind, the passenger made his move again. I knew it was time for another desperate measure.

"Hang on," I told Venus. I turned the wheel hard and drove off into the high, prairie grass. This time they were at a disadvantage, since their car was lower to the ground making it harder to see over the thick grass. The driver tried to follow my trail, but I made a few sharp curves to mess him up.

Ahead I spotted a shallow creek; at least I hoped it was shallow. I drove my car down the creek a little ways then went back up into the grass. The driver of the Corvette had no choice but to follow me, only he came out of the creek bed a different way and struck a small gully. His car took a hard jolt and stalled. Smoke began pouring out of the 'vette's engine compartment from the abuse, but the driver managed to get the car started once more. As he chased us again, I headed back toward the highway.

"They're still there," Venus told me in a frightened tone.

"I know," I reassured her. "That creek bed gave me an idea. Hang on, this is going to be rough."

I turned the car almost parallel to the road and hit the ditch at a shallow angle. Still, at the speed I was going it flung the car high into the air and onto the road. The front end being heavier struck the asphalt first, and here was a horrible, grinding noise as the front bumper scraped along the road for a second. Then the rear wheels hit the ground and the car bounced wildly up and down before the shocks caught. They squeaked painfully under the impact but held firm. The Corvette wasn't so lucky.

The driver wasn't thinking, and was going much faster than I had been to make up for lost ground. He went over the ditch at a steeper angle and higher speed. This resulted in the Corvette being launched higher into the air. The car wasn't meant for such punishment and when it landed back on the road, the Corvette couldn't take the strain of the impact. Pieces of fiberglass flew everywhere as the car's body literally broke into pieces. The suspension let go, and the front tires came off leaving the car uncontrollable. The Corvette slid across the road on its frame and crashed into the ditch on the opposite side. I knew that it would never run again.

"I hope they're all right," I said while slowing my car down some.

"They're a little shaken up, but no worse from the ride," Venus stated firmly. "We'll be safe now."

"Maybe," I frowned, "but I still think we need to go to the police."

"No, please. I - I know that's the wrong thing to do. Just get me as far away from here as you can."

"Okay," I told her speeding up. The car started to shimmy from side to side and made a horrible noise. I suspected our little joyride had bent or broken a suspension bar. It was going to cost me a pretty penny to get it fixed.

"Head - head east when you get a chance," she told me. "No! Northeast, toward the Dakotas.

"You remembering something?" I asked.

"Maybe, I'm not sure. My mind is in such a tizzy right now. It seems like - oh, fuck that coffee!"

Hearing a curse word coming out of her mouth just didn't seem right. She was just too pretty and charming to say anything foul.

"Maybe if you talked about your home you'll remember more about where it is, Venus. What's it like?"

"It's wonderful," she began.

***

Back at the crash site the two men pulled themselves from the wrecked car. The passenger of the Corvette, who went by the name of Lucas, looked at the car and shook his head in disgust.

"Brilliant driving, numb-nuts," he told his partner.

"Hey, you were the one who told me to follow them into the field," Leo replied defensively. "I told you the car couldn't handle the terrain but you insisted. So what do we do now?"

"We head back to Andersonville and make new plans," Lucas said.

"Are we going to try kidnapping Venus again?" Leo asked.

"No, too risky," Lucas shook his head. "Besides, her charms work too well on us. No, this time we'll hit old Jupiter where it hurts. This time we'll go after one of his sons."

"Which one?" Leo wanted to know.

"We'll figure that out later. Let's go." Lucas pulled out a small, black box and pointed it in front of them. Seconds later a glowing portal appeared.

"What about the car?" Leo asked.

"Leave it," Lucas answered. "The cops will trace the plates back to a fictitious address. Lets go."

Both men walked into the portal and moments later it blinked out of existence.

***

We talked for hours about her home, which she finally remembered was called Peace River. It sound like a place I wouldn't mind visiting. By late afternoon we had managed to get as far as Rapid City, SD. Venus spotted a nearby motel and asked me to pull in.

"Henry, I need to - to sleep for an hour or two," she told me. "The earlier events have really drained me.

"I'll get us a room," I replied pulling up to the office. I checked us in, making sure I got a room in the back and out of sight from the main road.

After we got settled, I gave Venus one of my T-shirts to wear. Ten minutes later she was sleeping soundly. While she slept, I thought carefully about the tale she had told me.

According to her, no one grew very old in Peace River and everyone lived in peace. Venus, if she really was the Goddess Venus, had told me humans were needed for their town but not why. I guessed she had enough sense within her to only babble about certain things.

One of the things she said that concerned me was that they never took in anyone over 32 years old. Whatever they did in their transitioning process put a great deal of stress on the person's body. I was 60, almost twice the age of their cutoff limit. If I went with this woman back to Peace River, I would be a liability to them.

My mind was numb with that realization. I knew the smart move would be to leave before she woke up, but somehow I couldn't pull myself out of the chair. I couldn't abandon her, even if she was who she claimed to be. I felt a deep obligation in my soul to see this thing through. Once I knew she was safely home, then I would leave, but not before. It was a noble but stupid gesture on my part. Still, I wasn't going to change my mind. I had to make sure she made it home safe and sound.

From the corner I watched Venus sleep, hardly moving the entire time. After a couple of hours she gently stirred and sat up.

"How are you feeling?" I asked softly

"Much better, Henry," Venus replied. She stretched her arms, and I could see her large breasts pushing out of my shirt.

"Do you remember where you live now?" I questioned.

"Yes," she smiled. "It's not to far away, five hours at the most. I think - I think we should be going soon. Do you have something old you don't mind not getting back?"

"Well, I have a couple of old shirts and some sweat pants you can have."

"Great, give them to me please," she grinned.

I handed her the items and she placed them on the bed. Next she picked up one of the shirts and ran it through her hands a few times while whispering something. Right before my eyes, the shirt turned into a black dress. If I had any doubts about her story, they were now gone.

"Much better," she smiled while looking at the dress.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked. "I mean for, you know, underwear and stuff." Venus giggled at my embarrassment.

"This will do fine." Then she gave me a seductive grin. "Henry, come sit down on the bed next to me please."

"Why?" I asked nervously.

"Because, I want to give you something. Please don't be afraid of me, I wouldn't hurt the man who saved my life. Sit down." She patted a section of the bed right next to her.

Slowly I did as she asked, unsure of what would happen next. Venus looked at me with her big, dreamy eyes and smiled. Without saying a word, she reached over and kissed me. My body immediately began to tingle with sexual activity.

"Wait right here," Venus whispered while picking up one of my old shirts. She went into the bathroom and a moment later re-appeared dressed in a fire red, baby-doll nightgown. The Goddess of Love smiled seductively, and I found myself bewitched by her beauty. She waltzed over and sat down next to me again. Then she leaned over and stuck her tongue in my ear, causing me to go crazy with lust.

"I - I don't think we - we should --- I mean - I should," I stuttered out. Oh, I was making brilliant conversation today. "What about Ma-Mars. I'm sure he would be up - upset."

"Shhhh," she said softly while putting her feminine finger up to my lips. "No one is going to be upset with you. Mars, of all Gods, will understand my actions. You see Henry; I want to do this. I can't tell you why right now, but you'll understand later. Let me help you get undressed."

Venus moved quickly, removing my pants, shirt, and underwear before I had a chance to react. Then she positioned me in the center of the bed, whispering softly at me to relax while stroking what little hair I had in a calming fashion. The goddess was somewhat forward, yet at other time's passive, especially when she seemed to be enjoying our actions. We kissed, and my mind was bombarded with sexual emotions that had long been dormant. It was different making love to her than with other women. Not only did I feel sexual pleasure in every part of my body, but in my soul as well. I was joined with her in more than just a physical sense. I could feel all the pleasure and joy she was receiving from our simple act - and it was much more pleasurable than I had ever experienced. We bonded as lovers, and in ways I couldn't begin to describe.

The moment passed all to quickly, but that's how wrong I was. When I looked at the clock next to the bed, I discovered it had taken over two hours to make love to Venus; and we had done it at least ten times. No, I couldn't have done it that many times. It must have been me feeling her orgasms. Totally spent, I snuggled up next to her warm breasts.

"Thank you," I whispered with gratitude.

"No Henry, thank you," she replied while kissing me gently on the top of my head.

"Now I know why you're a goddess of love," I sighed contently. "I've never felt this way before."

She smiled. "You're a great lover, Henry. It's too bad you never got married. You would've made some woman feel real lucky. I guess your job wouldn't have allowed that to happen."

"No," I agreed. "I love being on the road, I always have. The thrill of driving
down a new road and visiting a town I've never seen before. It's all so appealing to me. Have you ever felt that way before, Venus?"

"A few times," she commented while gently rubbing my back. "When we first came out of stasis, all I wanted to do was explore. However, we had a mission to perform, which is why we came to the United States."

"Stasis?"

"It's a term we use to refer to the time we were away. You see Henry; we were asleep for thousands of years, but not in the way you may think. We slept but watched over your world in our dreams. Then one day the people we left behind stopped worshiping us, and we lost our contact with the outside. That's when we woke up and discovered what had happened."

"The Titans!" I said angrily. "They really kept us from growing?"

"I'm afraid so," Venus explained. "Your people should've reached the stars by then. Imagine our shock and disappointment when we found you still getting around on horses."

"Why not just kill them all?" I asked bitterly while massaging one of her warm breasts. Her nipple turned hard with excitement.

"I can't tell you, Henry. We could kill the Titans, but we don't want to. The reason is a secret."

"I understand," I sighed happily. "I guess we have to be going now."

"Not yet," Venus said playfully as she kissed me again.

***

Hours had passed since my sexual encounter with the goddess of love, and my body was still tingling with excitement. As I drove, I dreamed about the experience over and over again. I didn't want it to end, but knew I would never touch her that way again. I also knew I would never be satisfied making love to another woman, although at my age it was unlikely such an opportunity would present itself.

Venus gave me directions to get to Peace River, but I found myself wondering if she really knew where we were going. She would have me head north for while, then turn east. After a while we would head north again and then make a couple of turns and head south. For the past hour it seemed as if we were going around in circles, but she smile and calmly told me we were almost there. Suddenly we drove over the crest of a hill and I peered down at a town lit up in the night. From a distance it didn't look too spectacular. In fact, it looked like a lot of other towns I had visited in my lifetime. The only thing that made it the least bit unique was the wide river we had to cross first.

"Henry," she said softly. "You can drop me off here if you want. I can walk the rest of the way in."

I shook my head slowly. "I can't do that Venus, even if I know it's the right thing to do. I have to - no, I need to see this through to the end. Besides, I wouldn't get very far if I tried to leave. We both know that."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Venus," I said trying to cheer her up. "Look, I'll drop you off then leave. Maybe your people will be so happy to see you that they'll forget about me. You know I won't tell anyone, perhaps you can convince them."

"I know you won't tell, you're that kind of man," she whispered although I don't think she meant for me to hear her.

After crossing over a bridge that stretched for more than a mile, she directed me to the north. About a mile out of town we came to a rather modest house on top of a small hill. I pulled into the driveway and stopped in front.

"Goodbye, Henry," she told me, and followed her words with a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Venus. I'm really going to miss you." A twinge of sadness filled my heart. I wanted to stay with her forever.

Venus smiled and opened up the door. However, when she tried to stand up she stumbled back into the seat.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

"I'm still a little shaken from what happened," she answered weakly. "I guess I should've rested a little longer."

"Here, let me help you inside," I offered. It turned out I didn't have to. A tall, muscular man suddenly appeared next to the car.

"Dear, are you okay?" he asked tensely. "What happened, we have people looking all over for you."

"The Titans," she replied. "A couple of them tried to kidnap me."

Venus wrapped her arms around his neck and the man, the God Mars, picked her up as if she were as light as feather. Then he turned and looked at me sternly.

"You'd better come inside." He said it with such authority that I knew it was more than just a suggestion. Figuring it wouldn't be very smart to piss him off, I did as he commanded. I only hoped Venus was right, that he would understand and not beat me to a pulp for having sex with her.

He carried his wife inside the house to a room that appeared to be a study. Carefully he placed her on a couch and said, "I'll get something to make you feel better."

As Mars was mixing her a drink at the bar, I took the time to look around the room. I was immediately drawn to a set of armor hanging on the wall. It looked like something a Roman solider would've worn into battle.

"That's original," he told me while handing his wife the drink. "I brought it with me from Rome. I used to wear it in battle. Today your armies are more worried about speed then protection. But imagine 10,000 of us standing on a hill, the sun gleaming off our armor plates. We did that to blind our enemies before attacking. Another one of those small but historic tactics lost forever to your people."

"Then this must be over 2,000 years old," I stated raising my hand to touch the fine metal. I stopped myself from doing so. I wasn't sure how he would react if I did.

"More like 2,500 years old," he replied with a slight smile. "Go ahead, touch it if you want. You don't know how refreshing it is to meet someone who appreciates war artifacts like I do."

I rubbed my hand across the cool, metal surface. I had read of such armor in books, and now here I was touching the real thing.

"This helmet," he picked it up off a stand, "was worn by me in battle. Please, try it on."

He handed it to me with a slight grin, and I accepted it with gratitude. I placed it over my head and stared at myself in the mirror.

"You would've made a fine-looking Roman soldier," he said with pride.

"I'm afraid I've let myself go too much to be one," I admitted looking down at my potbelly.

"Yes, well, that wasn't a problem back them. Many of my men didn't live long enough to retire from service. Oh well."

He took the helmet from me and placed it back on the stand. I heard the front door open and a young girl rush in.

"Mother, I just heard. Are you okay?"

She looked to be no older than 18 years old, and was almost as beautiful as her mother - almost. Then I thought about her words - she had just heard? How could that be? Neither Venus nor Mars had called anyone since I had been there.

"I'm fine my love," Venus answered. "A little shaken up but otherwise I'm okay."

I looked at the two ladies and then at Mars, who was giving me a curious stare. That's when it hit me - he was trying to keep me occupied until someone else got here. Who could that someone else be? Maybe old Jupiter himself.

"Can I fix you a drink, Mr. Mills," Mars asked. "I have an excellent selection of wine in my basement."

"I'm sure you do, Mars," I replied.

"He knows?" Tammy gasped while looking at her mother.

I realized it had been a big mistake to say his name, not that it really mattered anymore. Somehow I sense Mars already knew everything that had happened. He smiled slightly at his daughter's question but didn't answer her.

"You know, I'm being rude here," I told Mars. "I should go so you can tend to your wife. Why don't I stop back in the morning before I leave."

Of course I had no intentions of sticking around. I was going to jump in my car and leave Peace River as fast as I could.

"You're my guest," Mars announced dryly. "I can't let you leave without showing my appreciation for saving my wife."

Another woman rushed into the room to join us. This Goddess was shorter then the others, with long curly dark hair that went down to her back. The rest of her body was rather pleasant to look at as well, but she had a look of wisdom on her face. Tammy whispered something to her and the woman looked up at me with reservations.

"Taking care of your wife will be thanks enough," I answered nervously. Two more gods, both male, rushed into the room. It was becoming a Roman God convention, and I didn't want to wait around to see who showed up next.

"I'll show myself out to the door." I stuttered as I backed out of the room.

Venus stood up with the help of her husband, and they all followed me out the door. I notice the sad look on her face, and it told the story. I would never be allowed to leave Peace River again.

"You know you shouldn't leave, Mr. Mills," Mars said in a pointed manner. "When my father finds out what you did, he's going to want to meet with you personally to thank you."

"You can tell him that knowing I made him happy is thanks enough," I answered. "It was nice meeting you all, but I really have to go. Bye."

I turned and started toward my car while fumbling with my car keys, knowing it was a useless effort on my part. Still, I hoped against hope that maybe I was wrong.

"Mr. Mills, a moment please," Mars called out.

"Yes, what is it?" I turned to face Mars again only this time I noticed a cop standing next to him. The police officer was grinning from ear to ear. I swear he wasn't there a moment ago.

"This if Officer Merrick." Mars explained. "He would like to ask you some questions about the two men who attacked my wife." I thought fast.

"I'm really tired, Mar - sir. How about I talk with Officer Merrick in the morning."

"It's late Mr. Mills. Where do you plan to spend the night?" the cop asked, who I knew was really the God Mercury.

"Well, there's a motel about 30 miles up the road in -"

"We can't have you staying in a motel," Officer Merrick interrupted. "You're a guest in Peace River. Besides, your car looks to be in pretty bad shape. I have a friend who is a great mechanic. Why don't I have her look it over in the morning?"

"I have my own mechanic, officer. Nothing personal sir, I'm sure she's a fine mechanic and all, but I'd rather have him check it out."

"I don't think you'll make it that far," Officer Merrick stated, shaking his head. "As an officer of the law, I can't allow you to drive such a dangerous vehicle on the road."

"It's fine," I argued, then took a breath to calm down. "Okay, just point me to the nearest motel. I'll spend the night and have this mechanic check it out in the morning."

"We can't have you spending your own money on a motel room after everything you've done," Mars pointed out. "Officer Merrick, isn't there some place you can put Mr. Mills up for the night?"

"Well, there's my old room down at the police station," he smiled. "It's quiet and comfortable, more so than the motel. I'll make sure no one disturbs you until the morning."

"You know, that's all right," I answered with a nervous laugh. "I'll find that motel and get a good nights sleep. See you both in the morning. Goodnight."

I turned quickly, only to find myself looking directly into Officer Merrick's eyes. He grinned at me.

"How in the hell did you get behind me?" I demanded to know.

He ignored my question and replied, "Really, Mr. Mills. I think it would be better if you came with me quietly."

I turned left to run but he was already in front of me. I turned completely around to run the other way but he was already there. The officer grabbed my arm and in a low voice said, "You can't get away Mr. Mills, and I don't want to use force to take you in. Please, just step over to my car."

I ignored his advice and jerked away, trying to find a direction to run. No matter where I turned he seemed to be standing in front of me. In fact he seemed to be enjoying himself, like a cat playing with a trapped mouse.

"That's enough, Mercury!" Venus yelled out. Everyone looked at her, including Officer Merrick. They all seemed surprise that she had used his real name in my presence.

Venus looked at me sadly and said, "Henry, please don't fight this. I know it's not what you want, but we won't hurt you, I swear. Please, go with Officer Merrick peacefully. Do it for me."

I glanced over at her dejected. How I wanted to hold her again for support, but I was sure Mars wouldn't be too happy if I tried. I lowered my head in defeat and nodded. I knew I couldn't escape them. Slowly I made my way over to the parked police car with Officer Merrick right beside me.

"Henry," she called out. I stopped and looked back at her. She smiled as if to comfort me. "I'll meet up with you in the morning before - before you meet with the Judge. It'll be okay, I promise." She gave me another smile to let me know everything would be okay.

"Goodnight, Venus," I said. I watched everyone go inside, and found myself wishing I could join them. It had to be better than jail.

"Let's go, Mr. Mills," the officer said politely then added. "I'm sorry about my actions, I got carried away."

"It's okay, Officer Merrick. I guess I did too." He sat me in the back of the police car and closed the door.

***

The room Officer Merrick put me in wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It was large with its own private bathroom. There was even an oversize tub that I used to soak my worn body in. That night I slept like a baby and woke up feeling refreshed. I shaved, showered, and got dress in the clothes Officer Merrick had provided me with the night before. As I stepped out of the room another officer wearing mirror sunglasses greeted me. His nametag said Officer Deimos.

"Mr. Mills, I hope you slept well," he commented with a slight grin. "Here is a menu from the diner down the street. If you give me your order, I'll have the food delivered to you."

"If it's all the same to you, Officer Deimos, I'll rather go to the diner," I explained. "Eating breakfast from a bag in a police station doesn't appeal to me."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that," he replied rather curtly. "Now, if you will look at the menu and - "

"What do you mean you can't allow that?" I interrupted. "All I want to do is have breakfast in town like a normal person. What's wrong with this?"

"Nothing, Mr. Mills, except well, you're a guest here."

"And you treat all guests like this?" I asked harshly. "Look, I'm going down the street to have breakfast and I'll be back after that."

"No, you won't," Officer Deimos explained sternly. "You'll look at the menu, give me your order, and I'll have it delivered to you; but you're not leaving."

"Here!" I held up a twenty-dollar bill in front from his face and in a brusque tone said, "I have enough money for both of us. You can join me, Officer Deimos, my treat."

"I'm sorry, but that won't do," he replied more abruptly. "Now, if you give me your order I'll have - "

"Yes, yes, I heard you already. You'll take my order and have it delivered," I mocked. "Look young man, I'm not interested in eating cold food while you watch. I'm not a criminal, so don't treat me like one!"

"Mr. Mills is correct!" someone announced. "He's not a criminal and shouldn't be treated like one."

I turned to see who had spoken with such authority and saw an older gentleman with a well-trimmed beard standing in the doorway. For some reason the name Jupiter came to mind.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mills, I had hoped to see you first thing this morning. Unfortunately, I got delayed with other matters. I'm Judge Jasper, although I know you have a pretty good idea who I really am."

"Please to meet you, Your Honor." I shook his hand and looked into his kind, fatherly face. I couldn't get over the fact I was shaking hands with the Roman God Jupiter.

"I don't think it's fair that as a guest, you should pay for your meal. Officer Deimos, please take Mr. Mills to whatever restaurant he wants to eat at and pay for his meal - my treat." I saw him hand the officer a hundred-dollar bill.

"Yes, Your Honor," he answered obediently.

"Mr. Mills, I'll see you later after my other business is complete." Judge Jasper smiled and left the room.

"Do you still want to go to the diner, Mr. Mills?" Officer Deimos asked after he was gone.

"Why not?" I replied, still a little shaken over my meeting with Jupiter. "I'm just a simple man at heart."

***

The food at the diner was remarkably good, and I found myself eating more than I usually did. Afterwards Officer Deimos rushed me back to the police station and gave me some magazines to read while I waited. A couple of times I tried to slip away, but the officer was keeping a very close eye on me.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked sternly as I made my way toward the side door.

"Nowhere," I lied. "I was just going to the bathroom."

"The bathroom is the other way," he remarked, unimpressed with my answer. "That door leads outside. What were you planning to do, go behind a bush?"

"I thought the bathroom was this way," I lied.

"Uh huh," Officer Deimos remarked. "And why would you think the bathroom had moved since the last time you visited it?"

"I just got confused, that's all. I'm old, I forget things all the time."

"Perhaps you should tell me the next time you need to use the bathroom," the officer commented. "That way I can make sure you don't get lost along the way. After all, we wouldn't want you wandering off, would we?"

"No, at least one of us wouldn't," I answered glumly.

"Now, do you really need to use the bathroom?" he asked rather annoyed.

"I guess not," I confessed. "I sort of lost the urge."

"Then do me a favor, Mr. Mills, please sit down. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on this morning.

I sat back down in my seat and pouted. Less then twenty feet away was the door to my freedom. I had tried crawling out one of the bathroom windows earlier, but Officer Deimos had been right there to stop me. I told him I was checking to see if it could be done but he knew better.

A couple of other police officers floated in and out of the station but they paid me little attention. Sometimes they would ask Officer Deimos a question about some prior police business, but for the most part they left him alone. Their actions made me realize how normal everything seemed to be here. I had expected a place run by Roman Gods to be something totally different, but it was almost as if they tried to copy the movements of regular humans to appear more like us. Finally the phone rang, informing Officer Deimos that they were ready to see me now.

"Follow me," he stated. He led me down a long hallway with doors on both sides. The signs above the doors indicated they were offices for different departments, such as water and trash pickup. One thing I didn't see was a door for the mayor's office.

When we got to the main lobby, Officer Deimos kept walking toward the courtroom doors. Instead of following, I headed off to the main entrance. Just as I cleared the door I ran into Mars and Venus coming up the steps.

"Henry, where do you think you're going to?" Venus asked with a knowing grin. Before I could reply Officer Deimos showed up behind me with an angry frown.

"Mr. Mills, did you get confused AGAIN?" he asked sarcastically. "It seems I have to keep my eye on you all the time."

"Officer Deimos, I really don't want to see the judge," I explained meekly.

"And I'm telling you, 'AGAIN', Mr. Mills, that you don't have a choice in the matter," he stated firmly. "You're going to see the Judge even if I have to drag you in there kicking and screaming."

"Son," Venus intervened sweetly. "Why don't you and your father go inside while I talk to Henry."

The officer looked a little skeptical but nodded and left us alone. Venus sat me down on the steps and put her arm around me.

"Henry, I know you're scared," she started out. "However, you must know by now that you can't get out of this. It's okay, really. I promise that Judge Jasper will treat you fairly. You don't need to worry about being harmed."

"What's he going to do to me?"

"I'm not really sure," she said with some apprehension. "I do know he wants to reward you for saving me."

"If he let me go that would be enough of a reward." I sniffed.

"I know my dear, Henry," she replied somewhat sorrowfully. "I'm afraid he won't do that. You see, I told you things while I was drugged that I shouldn't have said. If it had happened inside the town limits, he could've made you forget those things. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case."

"But I won't tell anyone, I promise!" I pleaded with her.

"I know you won't," Venus agreed with sincerity. Then she shook her lovely head slowly. "Unfortunately, we already have a problem with someone who knows about our town. Judge Jasper doesn't want to take the chance of anyone else finding out. I know because I talked to him last night about this. I can tell you he was very pleased with your actions concerning the Titans. Come on now, I'll be right next to you the entire time. You have nothing to fear from him."

She helped me up and led me to the door. Inside the courthouse lobby Officer Deimos met us. He took us into the courtroom and sat us down in front. I noticed there were about 20 other people inside staring at me, most likely other gods. Mars joined us, sitting down next to his wife who was still holding onto my hand to show her support. A door opened up and I saw Judge Jasper walk out followed by a rather attractive teenage girl. They both took a seat and the judge looked at me with a comforting smile.

"Mr. Mills, we would like to thank you for what you did. You could've kept on driving, but you stayed to help. This was a very commendable thing you did."

"Thank you, Your Honor." I was hoping that would be it, but he continued talking.

"Mrs. Marshall..." He stopped to look around the room then continued. "Venus has spoken very highly of you, Mr. Mills. Because of this, I'm going to honor the request she made on your behalf.

"You mean, you're going to let me go?" Hope rose up inside me that I might be set free. However, that hope was quickly snuffed out by his next sentence.

"That wasn't what she requested," he answered with a thin smile. "Please stand still."

Judge Jasper closed his eyes and raised his arms. He placed the palms of his hands together as if he were holding onto something. I noticed Jupiter was whispering something softly, and his hands began to glow. I knew what that meant; Venus had told me all about this beforehand. I watched to see if the ball of light/energy was blue, which would turn me into a female, or pink, that would keep me a male. To my surprise, it was neither. What appeared out of his hands was ball of light/energy that was dark green with white spots.

I looked over at Venus, but she just smiled letting me know everything would be okay. The transformation ball raced toward me and was absorbed into my chest. I felt a lot of tingling and then everything went black.

***

"Sandra, breakfast is ready!"

"Okay," I moaned as I sat up. Long, blonde hair fell into my face and I used my small hand to brush it way.

"What the hell?' I cursed coming to my senses. I looked around and noticed everything seemed so big. No, that wasn't right at all. Everything hadn't gotten bigger; I had just gotten smaller, a lot smaller.

"What did they do to me?" I whispered while moving my hands over the cotton pajamas with the powder puff girls imprinted on them. I climbed out of bed and looked at myself in the mirror.

"Oh no!" I almost yelled. I was little girl, maybe no more than 6 or 7 years old. I had long, blonde hair that went down well past my shoulders and the same blue eyes that Venus had. In fact, I looked a lot like her, only much younger. I put my hands over my mouth to keep from screaming as I continued checking out my new body. Okay, I was cute, but I didn't want to be cute. I wanted to be me again. Tears formed in the little girl's eyes, my eyes now.

"How could she?" I asked myself. After everything I'd done to save her life, how could Venus have asked Jupiter to turn me into a little girl?

"Come on, Sandra," the female voice called out. "I have a business appointment this morning.

The voice sounded familiar, as did the name. I didn't know why, but I knew that my name was Sandra and the person calling me was my mother. I also knew I had a sister named Tammy. But why did I know these things, and where was I? I shook my head to try and shake the cobwebs loose.

Okay, I could do this. I could pretend to be a little girl until I figured out what to do next. I took a deep breath to calm down and opened the bedroom door. I found my new mother and father waiting for me in the dinning room. No wonder my new mother's voice sounded so familiar, it was none other than Venus.

"You must've been really tired this morning," she exclaimed sweetly. Then she looked over at her husband and added humorously, "I told you not to keep her up past 9:30."

"It was a great war film and she wanted to watch it with me," he smiled. "I couldn't refuse her request any more than I could yours."

"She's not like me yet," Venus scowled at him softly. "Although I understand what you mean. Her smile could make you agree to anything. Sit down honey and I'll get you your cereal. Captain Crunch okay?"

"Yes - mom." Venus stopped dead in her tracks, then turned slowly around and looked at me. Her actions caused me to fidget a little in my chair.

"I'll be right back, honey," she smiled slightly. I just nodded and looked away.

Across from me was Mars reading the Wall Street Journal. He was dressed in an expensive white shirt with a red and white striped tie. His face was stern and rugged, with jet-black hair that was neatly cut and styled. He looked to be some kind of businessman.

"I'll be late tonight," he told Venus as she returned. "I'm having dinner with a New York banker concerning some stock options he wants to sell me. You'll be okay, won't you?"

"I'll be fine, dear," she replied while placing a bowl of cereal in front of me. "The attack happened weeks ago, it's history now." She smiled at me again, making me squirm just a little. "Sandra, why aren't you sitting in your usual seat?"

"I guess - I just wanted - to sit here - mom." Her humorous smirk indicated I was blowing my cover. I tried to fix the problem with a question. "Where's Tammy?"

"In Boston, where's she's been all week," Venus answered very amused.

'Damn,' I swore to myself. I only made the situation worse.

"Oh, I guess I forgot," I told her weakly.

"You seem to be forgetting a lot of stuff this morning, sweetheart," she smiled knowingly. "Where Tammy is, your seat at the table, and the fact that you always used to call me mommy until this morning. Is there anything wrong?"

"No mom - mommy. I guess I'm just a little excited this morning." I took a bite of my cereal hoping that would be the end of it.

"Yes, I'm sure you are," she grinned. "You always have so much fun at daycare."

"DAYCARE!" I choked, spitting out my cereal. Even this caught Mars attention, who put down his paper to look at me.

"Are you okay, Sandra?" he asked a little concerned.

"I think our little girl has woken up, dear," Venus explained.

Mars stared at me for a moment then grunted. Picking up his suit jacket he said, "Why don't I leave you two ladies alone to talk? I'll see you later on tonight."

"Chicken," Venus told him humorously as he turned to leave. My new father rubbed my hair in a playful manner as he walked past.

"So Sandra, am I right?" she grinned. I stood to face her, although I was probably taller sitting in the chair then I was standing.

"If you mean by being awake that I now have all my memories back, the answer is yes. What's going on here? What did you do to me?"

"Sit down and I'll tell you," she smiled gently while patting the seat next to her. In a typical gloom and doom mood, I did as she asked.

"You weren't suppose to wake up yet," she informed me, "at least not for another month. I was hoping to have more time to prepare."

"To prepare for what? How long have I been like this?" I demanded to know.

"You've been my daughter for almost three weeks," she said touching my shoulder. "Now, think hard. If you do, you'll remember this time."

I tried and suddenly my mind was bombarded with new memories. There was the family BBQ they held last week with all their friends to welcome me into the family. I remembered the gifts I received, mostly clothes but some toys, and how excited I was at opening each one up. Then there were the afternoons playing dolls with my sister, Tammy, and the tea parties with my mother. I even had memories of going to daycare and having fun with the other little boys and girls there. So the last three weeks hadn't been lost, just forgotten in all the excitement of remembering my past.

"I don't understand. Why am I here?"

"Sandra," Venus said sadly. "Henry Mills was dying. I could sense this very clearly when we first met. At best, he had maybe five years left."

"But, I'm not dead. Why are you speaking to me as if I'm not him?"

"Because you're not, Sandra, you're one of us now."

"You mean - I'm a - a Goddess?"

Venus giggled. "Not quite, but pretty close." Then she got serious again. "Do you remember when Henry and I made love, how he commented that it felt like we were one. Well, sugar, we were for a while. I was preparing him, planting my own seeds into his body so Jupiter could change him into my daughter. It was like giving birth without the pain. Unfortunately, the oldest he could make Henry was six. And since they were from my seeds, Jupiter could only turn him into a little girl."

"That's why you told me Mars wouldn't be upset, that he would understand." Then a thought crossed my mind and I became sad. "That's also why you wanted to go to bed with me. I was a fool to think you really found me sexually attractive."

"If only you knew," she sighed. "Why do you think I made love to Henry for so long. I wanted too, as much as he wanted too. I wasn't being nice to Henry when I told him he was a great lover - he was."

"So, will I look like you when I grow up?"

"Close," she smiled while stroking my hair. "You won't be my twin, but there'll be no doubts you're my daughter. Part of Henry's DNA was used in the process, so you're as much his daughter as you are mine. You're the closest thing to giving birth without having it happen."

"But - but I'm still Henry. This is still my body, just modified."

"Well, yes and no," Venus explained. "You see, you're an Olympian now. Judge Jasper used Henry's body to transform you into Sandra. Your body is no longer human, at least not in the way you think. Your organs are different, and you will live for a very long time."

"So - I am a Goddess," I replied softly.

"One day you may be," she smiled. "I'll have to train you how and when to use your powers. You're still too young to have any powers; that'll come when you reach puberty. And we don't know what kind of powers you will have, if any. Some of our offspring don't develop any at all.

"I'm - I'm kind of -" I couldn't say the word.

"Scared," she finished for me. "That's understandable, Sandra. You're my child, and I'll give you plenty of love and guidance through all this - so will Tammy, so will Cupid." She gave me a soft hug.

"Do I really have to go to daycare - now that I'm awake."

"I'm afraid so, sweetheart. We have to keep up the appearance that everything is normal, otherwise it won't be. I'll tell you what though. I should be done with my meeting by 11. If you're good, I'll swing by and pick you up and we can go have a picnic, okay?"

"I would like that, Venus."

"You need to start calling me mommy, or mom if you prefer," she corrected me. "Remember what I said, we don't use our real names around other people. I guess I'll have to tell the daycare director that you'll be there all day tomorrow. It's a pity; I was going to take you with me to San Diego tomorrow to look at some new fashions. Afterwards I thought we could go to the zoo."

"San Diego," I said excitedly. "I love San Diego. Why can't I go with you tomorrow?"

"Because, dear, you're awake now. Jupiter wouldn't allow it."

I started to pout. The one thing I loved to do was travel and now, through no fault of my own, I wasn't allowed to.

"Aww, don't be upset, sweetheart," she cooed. "I'll bring you back a gift from there."

"But I want to go with you," I sniffed. "It's not fair. I won't tell anyone and I won't try to leave you. I just want to spend time with you and have fun. It's not fair."

She looked at me carefully, with loving eyes. "Let me think about it, Sandra. Now finish up your cereal so we can go."

***

Being in daycare wasn't so bad. In fact it was even kind of fun. I had forgotten the days of being a kid and doing things that didn't have anything to do with furthering my career. I drew pictures and colored them in. I made a drawing of our house with my new mom, dad, and sister out front. It didn't look that great but I was proud of it. When we were allowed outside, I ran around playing tag with the other kids until I was out of breath. It was different than when I had been sixty. I had so much energy to burn.

After we went inside to have a snack, one of the female workers read to us. I should've found this boring, but the way she told the story using her hands and voice, kept me captivated. Before I realized it my mother was there to pick me up.

"So, did you have fun today," she asked pleasantly as we drove home.

"Yes, mommy," I smiled. "We played tag and I drew this picture. I'm kind of - kind of enjoying being a kid again. Is that strange?"

She laughed. "No, Sandra, it's not. You see, things have changed inside your mind, just as in your body. This was done so you could grow up normally and one day become one of us. So don't fight the feeling, just enjoy being six years old again."

"Okay, mommy," I told her as she pulled into the driveway. I was surprised how quickly I was accepting my new life. My old life seemed so long ago.

"Go to your room and change, Sandra. I've laid some clothes out on the bed for you."

On the bed was a pair of riding jeans, a plaid shirt, and a cowgirl hat. I put my clothes on and met Venus in the family room, dressed in a similar fashion with her long golden hair tied in a single ponytail.

"Why don't I do the same to your hair so we can look alike," Venus giggled. She went behind me and pulled my hair together, then fastened it with a tie.

"Perfect," Venus smiled. "Lets go to the barn and load up the horses."

The barn was located behind the house and hosted seven beautiful horses. The one I rode was a black and white pinto named Oxford. Venus put the saddles on our horses then packed the food in one of the saddlebags. With a quick jerk on the reins we rode off toward the lake.

One thing I noticed on the way to the lake was how plentiful the wildlife was. We saw wild turkeys, possums, and even a red tail fox before it darted away. In the trees were birds of every kind, even those that I knew didn't belong in this area. There was something wonderful about this place. I couldn't dream of anyone wanting to leave.

We ate lunch then walked around the lake talking about our family history. Venus was remarkably candid about their past in most cases, even telling me about some of the others gods she had had affairs with. That all changed when she married Mars, my father.

Later that evening we rode back home just in time to watch the sun set in the distance. We didn't say a word to each other as Venus held me in her lap while we watched the last ray of sunlight disappear. I felt so content sitting there in her arms; I could've stayed there all night. Unfortunately she told me it was time for my bath and ushered me to the tub. I sat there soaking in the hot water and bubbles thinking how incredible today had been.

After my bath I changed into my pajamas and had a quick snack. The day had been long, and found myself very, very tired even though it was just after 8:30.

"Mommy, I feel so tired," I complained.

"Of course you are, sweetheart, you're only six years old," she replied as if that explained everything. "Come on, I'll tuck you in."

With a flip of my blanket and a kiss on the cheek I was all settled in for the night. Venus turned off the light and closed the door part way, allowing the light from the hallway to filter into the room. In a matter of minutes I was sound asleep.

***

"Have a seat sweetheart while I get your cereal ready." Venus was dressed in a royal blue skirt suit with a pale, silk blouse. She looked absolutely stunning walking around in her heels, with her hair curled and fixed just right. I began to dream about the day I would look as lovely.

"Mommy, do I really have to stay here today? I promise I'll be good."

She looked at me carefully. "You know what the judge would say."

"Yes, but it could be our little secret," I pleaded. "I even have a dress picked out to wear. My yellow dress with the animal prints. Please, can't I go with you just this one time?"

"Well," she smiled, "I was looking forward to spending the day with you. Okay, just this once. Now eat your breakfast and go change." She set the bowl down in front of me.

"Yippy!" I shouted while shoveling down my cereal.

"Slow down, you'll get a stomach ache," she warned me. I didn't care, I was just happy to be going somewhere. I finished my cereal in less than three minutes and rushed off to my room to change, almost knocking over my father who was walking into the room.

"Where are you off to in such a rush?" he asked in a curious tone.

"I'm going with mommy to the zoo," I replied excitedly.

Mars watched his new daughter disappear and frowned. He turned to Venus and said, "You know you can't take her with you."

"Not now, honey," she brushed him off.

"Yes, now," he said sternly and in a tone that meant business. "There are rules we must follow. Rules that you and I helped set up and agreed to live by. She's new, maybe in time."

"By then she'll be an adult," Venus answered in a stubborn tone. "If she hadn't woken up this wouldn't be a problem."

"But she did wake up and it is a problem," Mars reaffirmed. "At the very least you need to see my father about this first."

"Why, so he can turn me down. Honey, I need to do this. She's my little girl, and I want to do things with her like I used to do with Tammy."

"This isn't very wise thinking, dear."

"You're more guilty about not thinking clearly than I am," she giggled.

"This isn't a laughing matter," he responded forcefully. "I'm going to tell my father about Sandra - tomorrow. Just make sure she doesn't get into any trouble today."

"How much trouble can one 6-year-old get into," Venus grinned.

***

We were ten minutes out of Peace River when I asked my mother for the umpteenth time, "Why aren't we flying to San Diego, mommy? It's going to take us all day and a night to get there."

"I told you honey, mommy knows a shortcut. Look, it's just ahead of us!"

What I saw was a circle of shimmering light in the middle of the road. It was perhaps 10 feet in diameter and was glowing, no, radiating around the edges. The middle was shiny and almost too bright for me to look at. I noticed it didn't seem to bother my mother who was wearing her dark sunglasses.

"Hold on, Baby," she grinned and gunned the car towards the light. When we entered everything went black, and then I saw stars in all directions.

"It's so beautiful," I muttered in amazement. "Where are we mommy?"

"It's call a tunnel warp, sweetheart. You wouldn't understand the technical side of how it works, so think of it as a subway tunnel from one station to the next. We're going about 450 miles per minute so our trip won't take very long."

"Wow," I said pointing to a comet passing close by. "I can almost reach out and touch it."

"Actually, it's not even close," she explained. "Maybe just under a hundred light years away but no closer. See that red star over there? That's our home."

"Can we go there, mommy?" I asked. Venus frowned slightly.

"I wish we could, sweetheart, but that's not possible, at least not yet. We need the humans to help us build such a craft. Unfortunately, if we gave them the technology to do so, we fear they would destroy themselves once we left. You see, there are certain gaps in our technology that only the humans can figure out."

"I hope we can go there one day," I told her.

"So do I, honey, so do I. We're just about at the drop-off point. Brace yourself for a small jerk."

I saw a dot of light speeding at us, that grew in both size and brightness as it got closer. When it got closer I could see the road and trees on the other side.
The circle of light seemed to consume the blackness, and suddenly we popped out into the bright sunshine that blinded me for a few seconds. When I looked back the circle of light was gone.

"Where are we now, mommy?"

"In California, baby, about 30 miles outside San Diego. We should be at the outlet store in about 45 minutes. How are you feeling?"

"A little dizzy from the warp."

"Of course you are, sweetheart, you're only six years old. It'll get better as you get older." Venus rubbed my head gently and kept driving.

***

The outlet store was located in the middle of mall heaven. There were at least three major shopping centers within walking distance of each other, each containing a hundred stores or more. In addition there were several smaller strip malls close by. Everywhere you looked there were cars and people going to and from. I felt so small and helpless, and made sure I held on tightly to my mommy's hand. We walked upstairs to the office of a huge outlet store where a man and an older woman greeted us.

"Ms. Marshall," the lady greeted us pleasantly. "How nice to see you again. And who is this pretty little girl with you?"

"This is my daughter, Sandra," Venus announced proudly.

"What a lovely young lady," the older woman fussed. "Charles, why don't you see if you can find something for Sandra to play with while Ms. Marshall and I discuss business. Let's go to my office where we can talk."

The middle-age woman led us to a large, decorated office that had pictures hanging on the wall of models wearing the latest fashions. "I must say, Ms. Marshall, you came just at the right time. The new fall fashions arrived less then a week ago. Here, why don't I show you some of the items we have in stock."

While they were talking shop, Charles came in carrying a Malibu Barbie dollhouse. "Here you go, Sandra," as he set it down in front of me. "I'm sure you'll have lots of fun playing with this."

I thanked him like I meant it, although I wasn't really interested in playing with dolls despite my new age. Then I remembered my mom's warning; that if I didn't behave like a proper, little girl in front of everyone I wouldn't be allowed to travel with her anymore. So I opened up the house and started moving the furniture around inside as if I was enjoying myself, which I wasn't. About a half-hour later my mom interrupted my playing.

"Sandra honey, I'm going to go with Charles and Mrs. Setter to look at some of the merchandise. Will you be a good girl while I'm gone?"

"Yes mommy," I smiled while looking up from where I was playing.

"Good," she replied. "We shouldn't be more than 20 minutes or so."

I watched them leave then laid down the doll in relief. Alone, with nothing to do, I went to the window and looked out at all the cars in the parking lot. There must have been a thousand or more vehicles parked there. I noticed a mother walking toward the store holding a little girls hand. She couldn't have been much older than me.

Another woman came out of the store talking to a much older woman who could have been her mother. I watched them walk away, both of them talking and acting so normally - unaware that there were Roman gods and goddess walking among them. I wonder what their reaction would be if they knew?

I saw another man sitting in a van reading a paper, obviously waiting for someone. It reminded me of myself, when I would arrive early at a customers store. I used to sit in my car and read the paper. It seemed like I spent a lot of time in my car, maybe almost a third of my adult life. How much time had I wasted? How much time did anyone waste on things they thought were important? Yet through fate I had been given a second chance. I vowed not to waste this life like I had my last one. I wanted to make a difference in someone's life. I wanted to have a family, kids, a white picket fence, and a family dog. All the things I had promised myself I would have, once I stopped traveling, only to discover that no matter how much I traveled, it was never enough.

I saw three girls, two teenagers and an 8-year-old, riding toward the store on their bikes. The little girl was struggling to keep up and one of the older girls kept yelling back at her. When they parked their bikes in front of the store, the one teenager started lecturing the little girl about something. Instantly I knew they were sisters, and the older girl wasn't happy about her younger sister tagging along. Most likely she had been forced to baby-sit for the day. I chuckled, and wondered if Tammy would ever feel that way about me at times.

I glanced around the parking lot and I noticed I wasn't the only one watching the girls. The man in the van had put down his paper and was paying close attention to them. A cold chill went down my spine; this didn't feel right.

The teenager finished lecturing her sister and left with her friend, leaving the little girl alone. While they went inside the store, the little girl sat down on a stonewall close by and started looking for rocks in the dirt. I glanced back at the van and noticed smoke come from the exhaust pipe as it started up. The man looked carefully around then drove to the spot where the little girl was sitting.

It was like watching a horror show on TV, knowing something bad was about to happen and not being able to tear your eyes away. The man stopped his van next to the little girl and waved her to come over. I wanted to scream at her to stop, that he was a bad man, but I knew she would never hear me through the glass.

I saw him ask her something, which she excitedly nodded at. He smiled at her and stepped out of the van. They walked to the rear of the vehicle and he opened up the door and pointed. She moved closer to look while he looked carefully around to see if anyone was paying attention to them. Sudden the stranger grabbed her and jumped into the van, closing the door behind him. All this took less then 15 seconds.

"NO! I screamed. I ran out of the office looking for my mom but there was no one around. I had to find someone and stop this man. I ran down the steps and out the side door. I arrived outside just in time to see the van pull away. The driver of the van gave me an interesting smirk as he left.

"Please," I said to a middle-aged lady who was walking out of the store carrying an armload of packages. "The man in that van just grabbed a little girl."

She looked at me with concern and asked, "Where's your mother at little girl? Here, take my hand and I'll help you find her."

"No, you don't understand. The man in that van just grabbed a little girl and is going to do something horrible to her. I think he's a child molester?"

"How could someone your age know that?" she chastised me. "Didn't your mother tell you not to fib like that?"

"I'm not lying, he really took a little girl," I tried to tell her.

"Come with me, young lady. I'm taking you inside to find your mother right now." She grabbed my hand but I broke free and started running after the van.

"Little girl, come back here right now," she yelled. I ignored her and concentrated on catching up to the van that was waiting to leave the parking lot. I saw the traffic light turn green and the cars ahead of him start to move forward.

'Please God,' I prayed. 'Don't let him get away.'

Just as the van got to the light, the car in front of him stalled out, blocking his exit. By the time the driver got the car restarted the light had already turned red.

'I got to save her,' I kept telling myself. The problem was I had short legs and couldn't run very fast. Just as I got near the van, the light turned green and it started moving. I lurched forward and was able to grab hold of the handle on the back door. I pulled myself up on the bumper just as the van started to turn the corner.

Immediately the car behind us, a young man with his wife, started honking his horn trying to warn the van driver about me. Mistaking it for something else, I heard the van man curse and flip them the bird. I tried opening the back door but was unable to do so. There was paper over the windows so I couldn't see inside. Other cars behind us started honking their horns and yelling at the driver of the van to stop. He either didn't hear them or was ignoring their pleas.

Luckily for me, a police car was passing by in the opposite direction. The drivers behind me started flashing their lights to get his attention. When he saw me clinging onto the rear of the van his eyes nearly bugged out. He flipped on his lights and quickly made a U-turn. The cars following us quickly moved out of the way, and in moments the cop car was behind the van with his lights flashing and siren blaring. To my surprise, the kidnapper decided to pull over instead of trying to outrun the cop. He was outside the van as soon as it stopped. The police officer rushed up to me.

"Are you okay, little girl?" he asked. I reached out to the police officer with tears in my eyes. I was trying to pretend I was lost and scared, which wasn't far from the truth.

"How did she get back there?" the van driver asked. "I swear officer, I didn't know she was back there."

It's okay," he answered while hugging me tightly. By now the couple behind me was out of their car and had joined us.

"Is she okay?" the woman asked greatly concerned.

"I saw her jump on the back of the van just as he pulled away, Officer," the young man said. "I don't know what she was doing."

Seeing my chance, I whispered into the officer's ear, "I saw him kidnap a little girl and put her in the back of the van." I could feel him tense up slightly.

"Do you mind?" he asked the woman, who graciously took me from him. "Can I have your name, please," the police officer asked the van driver

"Arnold Shafer," the man stated.

"Mr. Shafer, do you mind if I check your van?"

"What for?" he asked defensively. "You heard what the man said, she jumped on my van as I was leaving the lot. I didn't do anything wrong."

"Then you won't mind if I check your van, would you?" he smiled while speaking a code into his radio.

"I mind very much," he stated defiantly. "This little girl almost gets herself killed and you want to check my van "Look, Mr. Shafer," he explained politely but in a very professional manner. "You can either let me search the van now or we can wait until my supervisor arrives who will allow me to. If we do it my way, you'll be on your way in less then 5 minutes. If we do it your way, we may have to wait an hour and I'll still get to search the van. It's up to you, but either way, I'm searching that van."

"You Nazi storm trooper, I know my rights!" the van driver spitted out. "You can't search my van without a good reason."

"The little girl just gave me one," the cop replied with a great deal of suspicion. "So what's it going to be?"

The driver stopped talking and tried to make a break for it.

"Check inside," the cop yelled to the other driver as he gave chase.

"In the back," I told him. The young man opened up the door and there, lying tied up in duct tape, was the little girl I had seen before. She was scared and I could see tears on her face. She tried yelling for her mommy but the tape across her mouth stopped her from doing so. The woman holding me set me down and went over to comfort the little girl. Her husband carefully started removing the tape from her arms as not to hurt her more.

"I want my mommy! I want my mommy," she kept crying. A couple of minutes later the cop returned with Mr. Shafer in tow. He looked at the little girl lying there still tied up and placed him carefully in the back of his cruiser without saying a word. The man just glared at me, but I wasn't afraid of him.

"I'm going to need you to stick around," he told the couple.

"Of course," the woman agreed while comforting the crying child in her arms. The officer turned and walked over to where I was standing.

"What's your name," he asked in a businesslike tone.

"Sandra," I replied slowly.

"Sandra, that was a very dangerous thing you just did," the officer frowned. "Supposing that man hadn't decided to stop? You could've been badly hurt today."

"I'm sorry," I sniffed. "I saw him pull away and didn't know what else to do. I tried to tell someone, but they wouldn't listen to me." Tears welled up in my eyes and the cop took pity on me.

"Next time call the police and let us handle it," he lectured softly. "Still, your heart was in the right place." He gave me a quick hug as if to reassure me he wasn't really mad at me.

"I need to get back to my mommy now," I told him.

"You're not going any where," he told me firmly. "I need to make sure you get back to your mother safely. Plus, there'll be lots of grown-ups showing up wanting to ask you questions.

"But I need to get back to her so she won't worry about me," I tried to explain.
It sounded more like the ramblings of a little girl.

"Officer," the young man called out. "I think you should see this."

"Stay here and don't move," the police officer implied firmly. He walked over to look inside the box the man had discovered. The young woman holding the child moved closer to see what they had found. Seeing my chance, I backed away and then turned and started running to a nearby mall. I was hoping to find a place to hide from them.

"Sandra, stop!" I heard the cop yell out.

"I'll get her," I heard the other man say. I didn't bother looking back, I just kept running for the door as fast as I could. I knew I had to get away before they found out about Peace River and me. I ran into the mall with the man not far behind. Fortunately the mall was pretty crowded and being small, I was able to dart between the people and lose him temporarily.

Spotting a telephone both, I ran to it and closed the door. I fished around in my pocket for an emergency number my mother had given me in case we got separated. I dialed the number followed by the PIN number and waited for someone to pick up.

"Judge Jasper's office, Linda speaking."

"Linda, help me!" I almost screamed. "I need to speak with Judge Jasper."

"Excuse me, who is this?" she asked carefully.

"It's me, Sandra Marshall," I replied in a state of panic. "Please, I need help!"

"Hold on, Sandra, I'll get him." I looked around and saw the man from outside standing nearby looking around. I turned my back to him hopping he wouldn't see me.

"Sandra?" Judge Jasper asked, "What's wrong."

"I'm in trouble, sir," I cried out in desperation. "I'm lost and can't find my mommy, and there's someone trying to catch me."

"Okay, slow down child," he ordered. "Where are you?" I heard him tell Linda to call Mark Merrick.

"I don't know, Your Honor! I'm sorry, I made a mess of things. I didn't mean to, I swear."

"We'll deal with that later," he explained. "Now, tell me where you're at?"

"I'm in a mall in San Diego, but I don't know which one. It's near the outlet store mommy was buying clothes from."

"I know where that is," I heard Mark Merrick say in the background.

"Okay, Sandra, that helps. Now, tell me about the mall. What other stores do you see?"

There was a tapping on the door that startled me. I turned to see the driver of the car standing on the other side of the door. "It's okay, Sandra, no one's going to hurt you," he told me.

"Oh God, they found me, Judge!"

"It's okay, don't panic," Judge Jasper reassured me. "Just tell me what you see."

"Well, there's a store called CD's and Videos. I can also see a Little Professor bookstore nearby. And I ran past a K-Mart on the way in."

There was some muttering in the background and Judge Jasper said, "We know where you're at, Sandra. Just hang in there, Mr. Merrick will be there in a moment."

"But it's almost a thousand miles away. He'll never make it in time."

"Look behind you, Sandra." I did and saw Mercury standing outside the phone booth with the man and a security guard. "Go to him now."

Relieved, I opened up the door and jumped into his arms. "Uncle Mark," I yelled. I gave him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. I felt so safe and secure sitting there in his strong arms.

"Boy, am I glad you showed up," the man said sheepishly. "Your niece gave me quite a chase."

"She's a handful," Mark smiled while patting me on the back.

"There's a police officer waiting outside to see you," the man told him. "Your niece saved a little girls life. It was the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do."

"Then I guess we better go outside and see what all the commotion is about," Merrick replied.

"We?" I asked. That's when I saw Judge Jasper walking toward us.

"Grandpa!" I squealed as I jumped out of Mercury's arms. I ran up and wrapped my arms around his leg. "Grandpa, I missed you so much." I heard Mercury snickering.

"You've been a very naughty girl," he scowled me. "You know better then to run off on your mother like that. She was worried sick about you, as was I."

"I'm sorry, grandpa," I said with a pout. "I was just trying to help out."

"Well, at least you're alright," he said while picking me up in his massive arms. "Lets go talk to this officer."

By the time we arrived there were seven other cop cars on the scene, as well as a news reporter. Venus pulled up just as we got there.

"Mommy!" I cried as I ran over to her. She knelt down and I wrapped my arms around her. "I'm sorry mommy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause all this trouble."

"Shhh," she whispered. "It'll be okay. Mark and Judge Jasper will take care of all this. She placed me in the back of her car and went to join the others.

"There's a warrant out for his arrest," one of the officers was telling Mercury and Jupiter. "We found a bunch of little girls clothes in the van. They most likely belonged to his other victims."

"How many?" Venus asked bitterly.

"Five that we know of," the officer replied quietly. "All of them between the ages of 6 to 8 years old."

Venus wanted to reach out mentally with her mind and punish the monster in the back of the police car. He actually had the nerve to smile at the TV camera that was pointed at him. She scanned his thoughts and saw that there were even more victims than the police knew about.

"Vickie, let's go," Judge Jasper told her firmly. He could sense the anger building up inside her.

"We'll call you tomorrow morning," the police officer said as he pocketed both Judge Jasper's and Officer Merrick's business card. He had never handled a case where a judge and an off-duty police officer from the same, small town had shown up at the same time. It was one for the books. He walked back to the car where Mr. Shafer was sitting enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame. The officer could only hope that the judge gave him at least life for his crimes.

***

Venus was in the back seat, holding onto me firmly as I leaned my head against her chest. Mark Merrick was driving, and Judge Jasper was sitting in the front quietly looking straight ahead.

"How much trouble am I in?" I asked in a whisper.

Judge Jasper sighed slightly and looked back at me. "I haven't decided yet, Sandra. What you did back there was both brave and stupid. Brave I don't think I need to explain, but stupid I do. First, you could've blown our entire operation. Second, and more important, you could've gotten yourself killed. Unlike us, your body is still developing and can be overcome with life-threatening injuries. What were you thinking about when you went after him?"

"I don't know, Your Honor. I wasn't really thinking. I didn't want to see that poor little girl get raped and murdered. I had to do something, but there wasn't anyone around to help me."

"Still, you were told not to leave, and you did anyway," Jupiter pointed out. "How can I trust you outside our town again if you won't listen to what we tell you to do?"

"I guess you can't, sir," I answered. "I wish I could say I would do things differently if we could replay this day over again, but the truth is I wouldn't. I'm sorry for all the trouble I put you through, but I don't regret saving that little girls life."

"Well, at least you're honest," he answered. "I'll have to punish you for this, Sandra; and not because I want to, but because I feel you deserve it. However, what you did was a very unselfish act, so whatever I do won't be too hard. And it'll be some time before you're allowed on any more outside trips with your mother."

"I understand. Your Honor, do you mind if I call you grandpa from now on?"

Mark Merrick started to chuckle but a stern look from Jupiter shut him up.

"I would prefer you didn't however, it seems like the natural thing to do in this situation. And since we all have to make our sacrifices in life, I guess I'll allow it."

"Grandpa," I asked with curiosity. "How are we going to handle this? The police are going to want to ask me a bunch of questions, not to mention I'll probably have to testify to what I saw in court."

"Don't worry about it, my child. I've already worked it out." The three gods shared a common thought among themselves, Mr. Shafer wouldn't live to see the next sunrise.

It must have been all of the running around, because I found myself feeling very drained and sleepy.

"Mommy, I'm so tired."

"Of course you are," she smiled, "you're only six years old." Venus pulled me close to her and I found myself falling asleep in her arms.

Fade out...

Next episode - Childhood

This story dedicated to the people of Choices, a battered women and children shelter in Columbus, Ohio.

 

Andersonville 17 - Childhood
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Nelson T.

Copyright 2001

Fade in... The town of Andersonville

Larry Smith, Bill Maxwell, and Steve Anderson walked across the school grounds. They didn't have football practice today, but that didn't stop the boys from pursuing other types of sports. They were heading for the park to shoot some hoops. The three of them looked like a group of typical teenage boys, but there was nothing typical about them, or for that matter, anyone else in Andersonville.

"Is Sally going to meet us there?" Larry asked. Larry had been born a male, but had been turned into his sister, Cynthia Bennett, by his mother. Judge Herns had corrected the problem and since then he had adjusted well to his new life in Andersonville. In fact he was the star fullback on the football team.

"After cheerleading practice," Steve smiled at the thought of his one true love. He couldn't wait until he turned 18 and they could get married - finally.

"I hope Cindy comes with her," Larry grinned. "Boy, would I love to spend time with her."

"But she's a temp," Bill pointed out quietly

"So what Grizzly, she gorgeous," Larry laughed.

"There's more to girls than just good looks," Bill pointed out defensively, remembering what it had been like to be ugly and unpopular. Nicknamed Grizzly by his friends, Bill was bigger than most boys his age. He was also shy and somewhat backward in his social graces. Of course a large part of this was due to the fact he had been born a girl, and had lived on the outside of the social circle. Because of his size, he was a natural for the football team. In fact he turned out to be a pretty good offensive lineman. He could take out two players with one block, and was a monster on the field. Off the field he was perhaps the gentlest giant you would ever meet.

"Hey Grizzly, cut me some slack," Larry replied. "I've never been so popular before in all my life. I'm not like Stevie here! Quarterbacks are always popular."

"Only when they win games," Steve countered. "Especially when they win games against arch rival teams, like Peace River. I really want revenge for what they did to us last year."

"With Grizzly here, how can we lose?" Larry replied slapping Bill on the back. "He's going to knock me out a hole so big in their line that I'll be able to drive my pickup truck through it." That earned Larry a smile from the linebacker, who felt good about being appreciated. "By the way, is Linda going to be home this weekend?"

"Naw," Steve replied. "She has to work this Saturday. I can't wait until she's done with her assignment in Peace River. Speaking of assignments, have you started that science paper yet, Grizzly?"

But Bill wasn't listening. He had stopped to look at something. Steve and Larry turned to see what had their friend so interested. The something turned out to be a young girl named Peggy Wilson. She was walking home alone, her books held against her chest and her head tilted slightly downward. Peggy looked unhappy, but then Bill had noticed she always looked that way. He felt compassion for her.

"Forget her, man," Larry said to his best friend. "She wants nothing to do with guys, especially 'studs' like ourselves."

"Maybe she's just lonely," Bill replied quietly.

"Grizzly," Steve interjected, "Peggy has problems, more than you can imagine."

"Besides buddy," Larry added, "Wendy has a crush on you. Why work for something when you don't have to?"

"Have you ever thought that there are more important things in life than sex?" Bill replied in one of his rare, angry moments.

"Hey Grizzly, I'm sorry," Larry back-stepped. "I was only joking. If you like her, go talk to her."

"Maybe I will."

"Bill," Steve intervened, "you can't save the world. I know you feel sorry for her. Hell, so do I. But not being part of the crowd is Peg's choice, not ours. Believe me, I've tried to get her involved in things but she always turns me down. She wants to be anti-social."

"Look guys, go on ahead," Bill told them. "I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay buddy," Steve and Larry replied. Both boys wished him luck and continued on their way.

Bill gathered up his courage and started jogging in Peggy's direction. He had never been very good at meeting new people in the past. Being Shannon Royal, a fat ugly girl with few friends had put a big dent in his self-confidence. On the other hand, living now as Bill Maxwell had opened up new avenues, and the young man found his self-esteem growing each day. He seemed to make friends with ease. However, the young man knew that Peggy Wilson would be a challenge to gain her trust.

"Hi," he called out to the teenager in a friendly, inviting tone.

"I'm not interested in boys, so get lost," Peggy replied rather rudely and without bothering to look to see who it was.

"Hey, what a coincidence. I'm not interested in boys either," Bill proclaimed. Peggy ignored his comment and kept walking. "So, what do you like to do for fun, Peggy?"

"Didn't you hear me, I said I'm not interested."

"Yea, I heard you, but I really don't think you mean that."

"Well I do!" Peggy snapped back as she continued walking. "Look, I know who I am, or who I used to be before coming here. I may have to live like this, but I don't have to be happy about it. You can tell Dr. Green I'm not going to play her games with you 'temps', have you got that?"

"I'm not a temp," Bill replied. Peggy stopped and looked carefully into his eyes.

"So you're not," she grunted and continued walking. "You're just some guy looking for a cheep thrill. Well you won't find it here, pal. Leave me alone."

"Look Peggy, I want to help," Bill explained. "I understand what you're going through. I remember everything about my past life too."

Peggy stopped walking and faced him again. "Are you unhappy with your current life?" she demanded to know.

"Well, no," Grizzly admitted freely. "I actually like being Bill."

"Then we have 'nothing' in common," Peggy replied walking away.

"But I want to help!" Bill exclaimed following her.

"Fine, you want to help?" Peggy stated. "Find a way to turn me back into a man."

"If I could I would," Bill replied. "Look Peggy, I understand how you feel because I was a girl once."

"Great!" Peggy stopped to roll her eyes at him. "So because of that you think you're qualified to help me out. Well I'm not interested, pal. I already have Dr. Green trying to fill my head with that 'acceptance' crap. I don't need to hear it from you too!"

"Peggy please, give me five minutes!" Bill pleaded. "I know what it's like to feel this way. Before coming here I was lonely and didn't feel like I belonged. Can't we at least be talk about it?"

"Why?" she barked. "How is talking to you going to be any different than talking to Dr. Green?"

"Because she's talking to you as your psychologist," Bill pointed out. "I'll be talking to you as your friend."

Peggy stood there for a moment biting her lip. One of the reasons why she wasn't happy was because she didn't have anyone else to talk to openly besides Dr. Green; and she didn't like Dr. Green that much. Everyone else she knew was either a temp or didn't remember their past.

"No funny stuff?" she asked suspiciously. "Just friends?"

"Just friends," Bill reassured her. "Come on, I'll buy you a coke."

Peggy nodded and they walked off together. From a distance Judge Herns watched them leave. She smiled. The Judge had been worried about Peggy's unhappy state for some time. In Peace River she would've interfered by now; usually by having Cupid, Venus, or one of her other associates talk to her. But Dennis Butz's rules of running Andersonville didn't allow her that option. There were advantages to this rule she supposed, but it meant that a person could remain unhappy for months, even years. Now that Bill Maxwell was her friend, only good things could come from this. Maybe their friendship would blossom into something more. Judge Herns hoped it would.

Looking at her watch June Herns sighed. There was still much work to be done today. She picked up her things off the bench and headed back to the courthouse.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper - We are the Roman Gods, who fell to your world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

I was working one of those rare Saturday mornings, not that I minded so much. It was this afternoon that I was dreading. That's when I would have my first ballet performance in front of a live crowd. It was my punishment for escaping from Andersonville.

'Actually, it had been my choice,' I reminded myself. If I had decided to live the rest of my life as Tom McClain, this wouldn't have happened. I didn't regret my decision to become Linda Anderson again, but I didn't rejoice in it either. Both lives offered pluses and minuses. Being Linda came with the Anderson's, and the monthly periods. Staying as Tom meant being a man, and the struggle of living without a family to fall back on.

No, I knew I had made the right decision to return to living as Linda, unfortunately, it came with a big price tag. Judge Herns had the final ruling on how much it would cost. I wondered if she would be at the recital today. June Herns had become like a second mother to me. Actually, she was more like a wise old grandmother. I didn't always agree with her views, but I did respect her.

The temperature in the office seemed to dip as I felt the cold, icy stare coming from doorway. I looked up at who it was and smiled; it had been a long time. I had been expected this visit ever since I started working here; I just hadn't expected her to wait so long.

"Hello Tracy," I smile pleasantly. "How's Judge Jasper's little girl doing today?"

"You son of a bitch!" she hissed. Coming from a 6-year-old it didn't sound right, but then she wasn't really six years old. Tracy was Gerald Rogers, an ex-bodyguard of Dr. Jensen. Together they had turned my best friend, Al Parker, into Jennifer Anderson. Judge Jasper had in turn transformed Jennifer into Steve Anderson, my brother, to straighten out the problem. That didn't mean everything was forgiven or forgotten. I still had a score to settle with Gerald.

"My, what a potty-mouth," I exclaimed and held out a sucker I had been saving for this moment. "Why don't you suck on this for a while, Tracy? Maybe it will 'sweeten' up your vocabulary, 'sweetie'!" I grinned real big to rub it in.

"What the 'fuck' are you so happy about?" she glared. "You're a man trapped in a girls body just like I am."

"Yes, but I'm a big girl," I teased. "I'm also Linda Anderson because I choose to be."

"Faggot!" he spatted out.

"You call me a "Faggot", yet you're the one who was having sex with my brother," I pointed out with a smile.

"He was a girl at the time!" Tracy responded angrily

"Was he, sweetie?" I countered. "You're a girl, aren't you? Yet somehow you insist that your not, just like Steve did when he was Jennifer. So I fail to see the difference."

My logic infuriated the ex-god, and I chucked silently as she struggled to think of something to say in her defense. I took that lapse to observe how Tracy was dressed. She was wearing a light, pink dress with a few bows and ribbons to make it stand out as being slightly fancy. A pair black, Mary Jane shoes adorned her feet, and she had a pink ribbon in her hair. All in all, she looked very cute and sweet, and I could tell she was miserable dressed this way. Knowing that only made me happier. Gerald had brutally raped my friend for months; no punishment could be too hard for him.

"Just once I'll like to put you in my shoes," she growled.

"They're a little too cute for me," I grinned. "I prefer grownup shoes little girl."

"Up yours!"

"Not in this lifetime," I laughed.

Tracy was searching for something else to say when Diane walked into the room. She gave me a stern glare and grabbed Tracy's hand like an older sister grabbing that of an unruly child.

"Tracy, what did I tell you about coming here?" she scolded her. "Didn't I tell you not to visit father when 'she' was here!" Diane had made it known several times that she didn't like my company. Personally, I found the feeling mutual, despite her reconciliation with my brother.

"I had to see her for myself," Tracy commented angrily. "I want to see my father, Miss 'Andersonville'."

"It's Miss Anderson, little girl," I prodded. "And the judge is rather busy today. Why don't you go home and play with your dolls - I'm sure they're wondering where you're at."

My comment angered Diane. She gave me scowled look and said, "Don't treat my brother like a..."

"Little girl?" I finished for her standing my ground. "In case you forgotten, Tracy was the one who came here to taunt me. Don't blame me if she came looking for trouble and found it."

"What's going on here?" Judge Jasper's voice boomed out. He wasn't any happier about working on Saturday than I was, but it had been necessary. Officer Deimos had delivered two people that morning to be converted. Tired from the event, the Judge wasn't in a very good mood.

Immediately everyone started talking at once. Frustrated by what he heard, or couldn't hear, he held out his hands and told us to be quiet. Then he asked Tracy what was going on.

"Linda Anderson was being mean and teasing me," she replied with fake tears to win his sympathy.

"That's not true, Your Honor," I countered. "She came in here looking for trouble. She was the one doing the teasing."

"All I heard was Tracy asking you if she could see her father," Diane interjected. "You were the one causing all the trouble." Immediately we all started shouting again.

"ENOUGH!" Judge Jasper exploded. "Tracy, sit down in that chair and don't you move 'little girl'. Diane, Linda - in my office NOW!"

Diane followed me in and closed the door.

"Sit down, Linda," Judge Jasper ordered. I did as he commanded; knowing it was suicide not to. Diane chose to stand by the door.

"You know, Miss Anderson," he started out. "I understand your history with my son - um, I mean my daughter. Yes, I admit she did some very terrible things to your friend, Al Parker. However, that doesn't give you the right to torment Tracy and make her situation worse. Her punishment is bad enough."

"But Your Honor, she started it," I protested. "She called me a son of a bitch."

"You're older, and I'm not talking years but maturity," he replied frowning. "And how many times have you called me a SOB?" He stopped to let that sink in before continuing. "You didn't treat Tracy like this when she was your daughter. Why the change?"

"She was nicer," I told him. "I had control over her moments, and didn't allow her to talk to me or anyone else like that. As for her punishment being bad enough, I have to disagree with you, Judge. I regret what I did in the past, but Tracy doesn't. Yet, we're both serving the same punishment."

"In that case then you should try to work together," he stated. "Find a common ground and try to understand how the other feels. And I disagree with you, Miss Anderson. Tracy's punishment is much worse than yours."

"I fail to see how that could be, Your Honor."

Judge Jasper frowned and walked over to the window to look outside. Staring out at the town seemed to help him think. Suddenly his frown was replaced by thin smile. This change in his demeanor caused me to shiver in fear. I had seen that look before, and knew no good could come from it. I should've kept my mouth shut when I had the chance.

"You know Miss Anderson, I've done you a grave injustice," he said with a small smirk. I noticed Diane reacted the same way, as if she knew where this was leading.

"What do you mean, judge?" I asked nervously.

"Throwing you into adult womanhood without allowing you to experience what it's like being a young girl."

"I don't - don't think that's a mis-justice, Your Honor. I don't feel like I missed anything."

"How could you?" he questioned softly. "You wouldn't know what you've missed by not experiencing it. Yes, a grave injustice indeed."

"Really Judge, I don't see it that way," I stood and tried to make my way to the door but Diane stepped in front of me and blocked my path.

"You're just saying that because you don't know any better," Judge Jasper went on. "Yes, I think I need to fix that, Miss Anderson. Stand still for me please."

I found myself doing what he asked despite not wanting to. Carefully the Judge went through his motions, raising his hands in front of him and muttering some words. Immediately I found myself shrinking in size and my clothes changing. My long, flowing skirt rose up and became shorter while turning pink. It looked to be an outfit similar to the one Tracy was wearing. My shoes transformed into a pair of black Mary Jane's. My hair shifted, and I felt at least two ribbons attaching themselves to my hair. Then the changes stop and I found myself looking up at both Judge Jasper and Diane.

I lifted the skirt of my short dress with both hands and sighed with reluctance acceptance. "I suppose there's no way I can talk you out of this, is there." Judge Jasper actually cracked an understanding smile.

"Not a chance," he stated. "Don't feel too bad, Linda. This situation won't last more then a day. When we think you're ready, you'll be returned back to your regular age." Then he became serious. "Linda, I'm not trying to punish you. However, I believe it's important you see things from Gerald's perspective for a while. Diane, please take good care of little Linda today."

"With pleasure," she grinned humorously. "Come on Linda, I have a full day planned for you two 'girls'."

She grabbed my hand and pulled me out the door. When Tracy/Gerald saw me she started laughing. I felt my anger rise, and wanted to bust her in the chops.

"Oh wow, you look way cuter than you did before," he tittered. "How does it feel to be all dressed up as sugar and spice and everything nice?"

"As cute as I may look," I explained, "I can't compare to you, Tracy. You look so natural dressed that way."

"Oh yea!" she shot back. Quickly, Diane intervened.

"Now 'Girls'," she giggled. "I expect both of you to be on your best behavior. You will act like good 'little girls' and not fight or cause me any trouble. I won't hesitate to spank you in public if I need to. Isn't that right, Tracy?" I saw my former adversary cringe. Diane continued.

"Good. Just remember that I'm in charge. Now, both of you grab a hand so you don't get lost."

I took her left hand and Tracy took her right. Diane smiled at the control she had over us and walked us to her car.

"Where are we going, Diane?" I asked.

"It's Aunt Diane, Linda," she corrected. "Today, you'll be Tracy's cousin visiting from out of town. To answer you question; we're going shopping to buy some things for Tracy's dance recital this afternoon. Now come along both of you, and make sure you smile at everyone. I want everyone to know what sweet 'girls' I'm helping to raise."

She kept emphasizing the word "girls" as if to mock us, but that really didn't bother me much. I was happy knowing Tracy would be performing this afternoon and I was not. It hadn't occurred to me that Tracy had been signed up for the class, since Mrs. Marshall taught the children's class at a different time of the day than the adults. Since the children had a different routine, and I was no longer a grownup thanks to Judge Jasper, I wouldn't have to perform. As an added bonus, I would get to sit and watch Tracy prance around on stage. Being turned into a 6-year-old wasn't the worse thing that had happened to me this day.

Diane drove us to a clothing store that catered to young children. After making sure our dresses were straight, she hustled us both inside. A young and charming woman greeted us at the door.

"Good morning, Diane, good morning, Tracy. Who's your friend?" she asked in a pleasant manner.

"This is our cousin from Andersonville. Isn't she cute?" Diane added with a wink.

"Both girls are," the woman agreed. If she knew whom Tracy and I really was she didn't let on.

"I have to pick up some tights for my sisters recital this afternoon," Diane explained. "Since we're here, you don't mind if we look around, do you, Marge?"

"Of course not," the saleslady responded. "In fact I got some new dresses in last week that I thought Tracy would look adorable in."

"Isn't that wonderful," Diane replied, playing her part as an older sister to the hilt. "Tracy is always so excited about trying on new dresses, isn't that right, sis?"

Tracy looked down at the ground and fidgeted slightly. I could tell she was embarrassed about answering.

"I said, isn't that right, sister?" Diane repeated, this time a little more forcefully.

"Yes, that is correct, Diane" Tracy responded as if the line had been rehearsed. "I just love trying on pretty clothes."

I almost started laughing, but held back. However, it didn't stop me from making a loud gasping sound that caused both Tracy and Diane to glare at me. In Diane's case, her glare quickly turned to an evil grin.

"Linda likes dressing up in 'pretty' clothes too," she explained to the saleswoman. "Perhaps you can find something for her to try on as well."

"I have just the dress," the saleslady responded with great enthusiasm. "Follow me, girls."

I hesitated for a moment, but the look on Diane's face indicated that I better obey the other woman's command. The saleslady led us over to a rack of frilly dresses in different colors. That's when I got my first good look at the new me. I was a much younger version of myself, well Linda Anderson, with two pigtails tied up with pink ribbons. The dress was similar to the one Tracy was wearing, with maybe just a few less ruffles and bows. Okay, even I had to admit I looked cute for a 6-year-old.

Marge started shifting through the dresses looking for the right size. For Tracy she pulled out a pink outfit that was covered from ribbons and bows. Tracy cringed knowing she was going to have to try it on in front of me. The saleslady pulled out the same dress only in royal blue. I wasn't anymore pleased about it than Tracy was.

"Okay girls, there's a changing room in back," she said while pushing us in that general direction. The changing area turned out to be an 8' by 10' room with a curtain over the doorway. It appeared that Tracy and I were going to change in the same room.

Marge helped us out of our old dresses and into the new ones. Okay, I wasn't thrilled about the idea of trying it on, but Tracy was even less thrilled. Seeing her standing there, looking totally bewildered by the dress made me feel just a little better inside. As bad as it was for me, it was worse for her. I knew that was a cruel thing to think, but Tracy/Gerald deserved to be miserable for what he had done to my friend.

Diane poked her head in through the door and smiled. Quickly she dropped down to her knees and started straighten up the bows on our dresses - telling us how cute we looked. In fact both woman started to fuss with us like we were live-size dolls.

"What do you think?" Marge asked cheerfully.

"They're angels," Diana cooed. "We'll take both outfits. What else do you have - I'm in a buying mood." Tracy moaned and for once I agreed with her.

***

Two hours and ten outfits later, Tracy and I exited the store wearing the same fancy dresses we had first tried on. A group of ladies walked by and each one gave us a favoring smile. I pulled down on the skirt of my blue dress that seemed to be several inches too short.

"Linda, stop that," Diane chastised. "That's not how a proper young girl acts."

"But this dress feels like it barely covers my butt," I complained.

"So what?" she smile. "Are you afraid someone will see your pretty panties?" This time it was Tracy's turn to laugh. Diane quickly stepped in and rebuked her as well.

"Okay you two. For being such good little 'girls', I'm going to take you out to lunch. Hold my hand while we cross the street."

I felt ridiculous having to act like a 6-year-old. Meanwhile Diane was milking Tracy and my discomfort for everything she could. We walked over to the Peace River Diner that was already crowded with the noontime crowd. A rather busty young waitress smiled and waved when she saw us come in.

"Hi Diane. Are you here for lunch?"

"Yes, we are, Sandy," she smiled. "Me, Tracy, and our visiting cousin, little Linda."

"Why hello Linda," Sandy said cheerfully. "My, what pretty dresses you girls have on today."

"What do you say, girls?" Diane asked when we didn't respond.

"Thank you," Tracy and I replied without much enthusiasm. Our waitress laughed as if she understood our feelings and led us to an open table. Diane was given a regular menu while our waitress handed us a kid's menu and crayons to draw with. I notice the waitress seemed to be eyeing me carefully as she took our order.

"Well girls, are we having fun yet or what?" Diane grinned. Tracy didn't respond. She had picked up a crayon and was drawing a picture of a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. Diane noticed the picture and frowned deeply.

"Tracy! What did I tell you about drawing pictures like that?" she scolded. "Draw something nice, like a teddy bear."

"I don't want to," she almost whined. "I'm tired of this, sister. Why are you doing this to me? Why do you have to continue to treat me like a little girl?"

"Because," she hissed in a low tone, "it's for your own good. You put yourself in this spot young lady!"

"I didn't do it," Tracy answered angrily and pointed at me. "He was the one who turned me into this, this person. Why won't father turn me into who I really am?"

"Tracy, this neither the time nor place to go over this 'again'. Now stop your whining or I'll punish you - and you know what that means!"

Tracy hung her head in defeat and started drawing a picture of a unicorn. I sat there partially amazed over what had transpired. Diane had actually blamed Gerald for his predicament, not me. I knew she disliked me greatly although I never really understood why. In the past she had always been very defensive when it came to her brother. To see her blame Tracy/Gerald for her current situation was a first.

"Go on Linda, draw something," Diane half-encouraged while taking a sip of her coke. I picked up a crayon and began sketching a picture of a deer in the woods. By the time I was done our lunch had arrived.

I had ordered chicken planks, which were four skinny pieces of deep-fried meat that didn't look anything like chicken. Tracy's food looked similar, except it was made out of lamb meat. We both dug in and ate in silence, while Diane ate a salad and stared out at the traffic going by. A couple of times she cautioned Tracy about her table manners, and how little girls didn't eat that way. Tracy gave her an ugly glare but didn't dare say a word back.

Our waitress checked on us a couple of times, giving me what I thought was a more concerned stare than others around us. After a quick trip to the bathroom, Diane paid the bill and hurried us out the door.

The dance studio parking lot was already packed with cars when we showed up. After grabbing Tracy's costume from the trunk, we went inside to find Mrs. Marshall. Venus was standing on the stage calmly directing people to their places. When she saw us, or rather me, there was a look of surprise on her face. Apparently no one had bothered to tell her about my current change.

"Hi Vickie, how is it going?" Diane asked.

"It's going well," she responded while looking at me curiously. "Is this - Linda?"

"I see no one told you," Diane stated. "Yes, this is Linda. Father thought it would be good if she got to experience life as a little girl for a while."

"I see," Venus smiled slightly. She seemed a little unsure about what to do.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Marshall," I told her. "I was really looking forward to performing today. I guess I can't now - since I'm not an adult anymore."

"Oh, that's okay, Linda," Venus replied in a warm, comforting tone. She squatted down and brushed her hands through my hair as if this helped. "I know how disappointed you must be right now. You worked so hard to learn the steps."

"Well, it can't be helped," I told her in a matter of fact tone. I was trying to act disappointed, but inside I was elated that I wouldn't be performing in front of Judge Jasper and everyone else.

"Maybe I can fix things," she smiled brightly.

"Uh?"

"Why don't you perform with the other little girls," she suggested. "I happen to have a extra outfit in the back that I know will fit you." I saw her give Diane a quick wink.

"But - but, I don't know the routines," I began to protested.

"Oh, I can fix that Linda," she grinned. "You've done the practicing, all you have to do learn the new steps. That's easy for me to fix."

"Isn't that wonderful, Linda" Diane agreed with a giggle. "You were worried that you wouldn't be able to perform, and now you can. I bet you're the happiest little girl here."

"Oh yea, the happiest," I agreed with a hint of sarcasm. "Somehow, I knew it would work out this way."

"Yes, we try our best," Vickie laughed while taking my hand. "Diane, why don't you get Tracy ready while I work on Linda. Come on Linda, this way," Venus added sweetly.

Vickie led me to her office and pulled a ballet dress from the closet. True to her word, it looked to be my size. The outfit was pink with a wide tutu that had glitter on the ends. It was even more girlish than the outfit I should've been wearing. To add insult to injuries, there was even a set of wings attached to the back.

"This is different from what I was suppose to wear," I told her while pointing at the wings.

"This is a sugar plum fairy outfit," she explained while unzipping my dress. "You'll be performing between the adult acts. Now, take my hand."

Vickie held out her left hand for me to hold and placed her right hand up to my forehead. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Suddenly instructions poured into my head and I knew the routine. Vickie opened her eyes and pulled her hand away.

"There, that should take care of your problem."

"That was some trick," I told her while rubbing the place where she had placed her hand. For some reason I could still feel her fingers touching my forehead. "Why didn't you do that earlier, when I was having to learn the steps as an adult?"

"What, and have you miss all the fun?" she smiled while lifting off my dress. "Where would be the challenge in that?"

"I wouldn't have minded," I replied removing my shoes. "Um, Mrs. Marshall, can I ask you a personal question."

"Well, I normally don't entertain personal questions from little girls but in your case I'll make an exception," she giggled. "What is it?"

"Why is it that when you touch me, I'm not affected by your powers like the men are? I noticed it's the same way with Mr. Cupler. He can influence women in Peace River, but not the men."

"Well, that is a rather personal question," Vickie agreed while helping me into the tights. "I'm not even sure I should tell you the reason. The truth is I could have the same affect on the women if I wanted to, and Mr. Cupler could have the same affect on men. However, for the comfort sake of those who first come here, we decided it was better if we split the work load down the middle by sex."

"But isn't Mr. Cupler's job a lot more in demand than yours?"

"Well, I suppose it is. Our new men usually don't require my extra help for very long. They tend to accept what has happened in a rather short time. I still help out with the women, only I tend to do it behind the scenes so they don't know." She paused for a moment to help me slip into my outfit and continued.

"I know you think we're cruel at times, Linda. For example, I bet you think Jupiter is making you dress and behave as a 6-year-old for his personal enjoyment. The truth is, he's not. We do things like this to teach lessons. We really do care about how the person feels."

"What about the ones brought here who are cut off from their families?" I asked. "Don't you find that cruel?"

"Yes, I suppose if you look at it that way, it is," Vickie noted. "But in our defense, we don't take in those who have a family to care for. You won't find the father or mother of three kids being brought here. The people we choose are struggling with life - or don't have very long to live. We understand it's hard enough to have someone step into the shoes of a new person, let alone that of the opposite sex. We don't want to complicate the situation even farther by bringing in someone who has close ties to other people."

"What about Ashlee Gang? She had close, family ties."

Vickie beamed while placing a set of glittery antennas on top of my head. "I think you know, Linda, that people like you and Ashlee are special to us. It's unfortunate, but sometimes we have to break our own rules from time to time to serve our needs. But we do our best to make it up to them."

"Vickie, you can't put a price on freedom," I explained.

"True, but you also have to look at the freedom of other people that the person will affect. Take Ashlee for example. If we hadn't brought her to Peace River, her lifestyle would've indirectly caused the death of a black family. That's a fact, Linda. Matt Stover was preaching to a young man filled with hate and anger, only the young man didn't know what to do with it. In time Matt would have given that hate direction and five people, including a two and a four-year-old child, would've died in a fiery car crash. Was it wrong to prevent that from happening?"

"No, not when you put it that way," I agreed. "But it still doesn't sit well with me. What about the others who want to leave? Why don't you let them go?"

"Well for one they know to much about us to be released," Vickie replied while finishing up.

"But I thought everyone who learned things in Peace River could be made to forget?"

"There is a time limit, Linda, as well as other factors to consider," Vickie answered. "Another reason why we don't let people go is because we need them here. Of course I can't tell you why."

"How about giving me a hint?" I suggested. The goddess Venus just laughed at my suggestion.

"There, you look perfect," Vickie said, as she looked me over. "I think we should join everyone else now."

The goddess led me backstage then rushed off to do something else. I stood there pawing at my tutu and trying to make sense of Vickie's answers. She had made a point about Ashlee. What would have happened to Matt Stover if he had been allowed to continue preaching his hate? According to Venus, five people would be dead and Matt wouldn't be the person he was today. But because the Roman Gods had interfered, he was happy living his life as Ashlee Gang. More important, a family of five was still alive because of their actions. Was that a bad thing?

I knew it wasn't, yet I couldn't shake off the fact that it was. The Roman Gods had interfered where they didn't belong, and Matt Stover had paid the price with his manhood and freedom. Was it justified? Would I have interfered knowing what they knew? If I hadn't five people would be dead because of my principals. Would that be enough to justify not doing something to prevent their deaths? Okay, I didn't know them so that made a difference. But supposing it had been Kevin Brown and his family that had been targeted by Matt Stover. Would I have done something then?

Well that was a no brainier, of course I would've have. I would've made sure he was locked up some place where he could never hurt anyone again. That's what the Roman Gods did, and yet I had a real problem with this. Why? Because they had made some hard choices that I wasn't willing to accept responsibility for? The fact that they did and I didn't made it easier for me to judge them rather than looking at the big picture. Still, the bottom line was they had interfered in our lives. That wasn't right either.

"Hello Linda," a familiar voice spoke to me. I turned to see June Herns smiling down at me. To my shock, she was holding onto Judge Jasper's hand. It looked like they were on a date.

"June, what are you doing here?"

She smiled. "I'm here to see you perform of course. You're looking very cute today."

"Yea, thanks" I muttered with disappointment. So she was here to make fun of me too.

June turned to Judge Jasper and said, "Dear, can you give us a few minutes please. I'll meet you inside."

"Don't take to long," he winked and kissed her on the hand. "Remember, we have dinner reservations at Crystals after this. Break a leg, Linda," Judge Jasper said before walking happily away.

"You're on a DATE!" I gushed.

"Yes, and it's all your fault," June Herns frowned slightly. She squatted down so we were eye to eye with each other.

"My fault!" I responded. "How is it my fault?"

"Do you remember the letter Stephanie Hall gave Judge Jasper at your trial? What do you think it was about?"

"Well, I don't know," I replied honestly. "I assumed it was a request to have me shipped back to Andersonville."

"Well you assumed wrong, young lady. We don't request things, we barter for them. I offered him five dates in exchange for your safe return. Despite the fact that the old goat cheated on me all the time we were married, he still happens to be madly in love me with me. So I made him an offer I knew he wouldn't refuse. You think you have it bad? All you have to do is perform on stage for him. I have to spend an entire evening putting up with the old goat's bad jokes and wandering hands.

Her predicament struck a cord with me and I giggled. "I'm sorry June. I know it's not funny but...but." I couldn't help it; I started laughing some more.

"Keep it up and I'll break my deal with him," she said with a stern face. That caused me to stop in horror - and then it was her time to laugh. She reached over and gave me a big hug. "I miss you, Linda."

"I miss you too, June. Peace River is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live here. I can't wait to return."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that," she smiled. "I was afraid I'd be losing my best assistant to the old goat."

"You mean, I could stay if I wanted too?"

"Yes if you wanted," June replied. "I wouldn't be happy about it, but I would agree to the transfer if that would make you happy. I've heard rumors that you and Officer Deimos are a thing now."

"Kind of. We date a lot - and he is a nice guy. Okay, leaving him will be hard, but I don't think I could live in Peace River for the rest of my life."

Judge Herns patted me on the shoulder and stood up. "I better go before the old goat comes looking for me. You take care now Linda, and be good."

"Eleven more weeks, June. I'll be back in only eleven more weeks. That's 77 days."

"I'll have your desk waiting when you get back. Sally's doing a wonderful job, but she can't make decaf coffee the way you do. Good luck out there."

June Herns gave me a parting wave and left. I smiled after she was gone, remembering how much I enjoyed her company. Yes, it would be great to go back home to my old job. Judge Herns was firm but fair. Not that Judge Jasper wasn't fair, but he handled things in a different fashion. Yes, it would be great to be back home again. I noticed Vickie Marshall walking toward me.

"Are you ready, Linda?" she asked cheerfully.

"I guess, if I must." I told her.

"Cheer up, Linda," she giggled. "It won't be so bad."

Vickie placed her feminine hands on my back and nudged me toward a pack of little girls dressed the same way I was.

***

The recital lasted over an hour and wasn't as painful as I thought it would be. Well, it wasn't something I would want to do again. We spread out our arms and twirled on stage, all to the delight of our watching guardians. After it was over June came back to tell me how impressed she was with my dancing - as if I had been doing it all my life. I got back at her however by telling her what a nice couple Judge Jasper and her made. She laughed and gave me a parting hug before leaving.

After we change, Diane drove us home. Home, at least for Tracy, which turned out to be a modest single story house located in one of the older neighborhoods of Peace River. No one else was there when we arrived, and it surprised me that Tracy's parents hadn't been there to see her perform. Quickly Diane ushered us into Tracy's bedroom filled with dolls and other girl toys.

"Well girls," she grinned. "Since you were so good at the recital I'm going to let you play some before dinner. Tracy, why don't you pull out your dollhouse? You and Linda can play with your Barbie's and have a real good time."

"I don't want to!" Tracy responded crossly and defiantly. "It's bad enough I have to live like this - you shouldn't force me to be friends with the person who made me this way."

"That's enough!" Diane scolded him sternly. "You will do as I say or I'll 'punish' you. Both of you will behave like the pretty little girls that you are. NOW PLAY!"

Her strong tone was enough to convince me to do as she said. I sat down on the floor and pulled out a doll from the dollhouse. Tracy stood a moment longer, then backed down and joined me.

"Good," Diane smiled coldly. "Now, I don't want to hear anything more out of your two until dinner. Oh, and have fun - 'girls'."

She left the room, leaving me alone for the first time with the one person who hated my guts more than anyone else in the world. Tracy looked at me with hatefully eyes, then placed her doll on the roof of the dollhouse.

"Look at me," she mocked. "I'm Linda Andersonville. A mean, cold-hearted BITCH who everyone hates. I'm going to do everyone a favor and end my miserable existence once and for all. Does anyone here not want me to jump? No? Then here I go!"

Tracy pushed the doll off the roof. "SPLAT!" she grinned. "Now everyone can have a party and celebrate her death."

My cheeks grew red with angry. Not to be outdone, I replied in kind, only from a different direction.

"Look at ME!" I announced, dancing my doll around on the floor. "I used to be Gerald Rogers, but now I'm a pretty "little girl" named Tracy. I just love my new life, dressing up in darling dresses all the time."

I could see steam coming from Tracy's ears and continued to push. "I used to bully people around all the time because I had a complex about being such a big, strong man when I really wanted to be a soft, little girl. People made fun of me because I could never fulfill my role as a man, and now I don't have to. I love being a little girl. Please, dress me up in your cutest outfits - PLEASE! I can't stand to be wearing anything else but cutest and most feminine outfits."

"You BASTARD!" she hissed.

"Bastard!" I yelled back. "Look who's talking. The king of the bastards, or should I say 'Queen'." I let out a defendant laugh that infuriated him even more.

"MOTHER-FUCKER," she cussed and lunged at me. Her small fist struck me on the side of my chin and I fell over. It didn't hurt, but it did piss me off. She landed on top of me and tried to swing again but I held onto her fist. Being slightly bigger, I was able to push her off me. However, she was faster and angrier than I was. As I tried to stand up she pushed me and I fell to the ground. The skirt of my dress flew up and covered my face, blinding me.

I felt someone jump on top of me and take a swing. Again I grabbed hold of her fist, only this time I rolled and held on. My skirt came back down and I found myself on top of her.

"Faggot!" she yelled at me.

"Better that than a jerk-off like yourself," I responded.

She got a hand loose and swung at me again. This time I was able to move my face away so that she missed me. I replied with my own sock in the face, and she screamed in rage. With all her might, Tracy flipped me off her body and rushed to grab hold of me. She pulled my hair, and I quickly responded with an elbow to her chin. This stunned the little girl, and I turned to face the person responsible for murdering my best friend.

"This is for Al Parker!" I spatted and took a swing. I caught her in the nose, and blood spilled out onto her pretty new dress. She touched the blood with her hand and stood there stunned. Then Tracy fell to her knees and started crying. Our fight was over, and I had won. Yet at that moment it seemed like a hallow victory.

"What's going on," Diane questioned loudly. When she saw Tracy kneeing on the floor bleeding and crying she rushed over and hugged her. "There, there, it's okay, Tracy. I'll make it better." She held a rag up to his nose. "It's alright now."

"No, its not" Tracy cried out. "Make father change me back so I can punish this human correctly. He can't keep me like this. I hate them all, they must pay!"

"No, they mustn't," Diane replied. "You must forgive and move on. You've been bad yourself, Gerald. They are not to blame for your current situation."

"YES THEY ARE!" Tracy screamed with tears in her eyes. "We're better than they are. We're superior. She turned me into a little girl. I must punish her - I must - I must."

Tracy broke down even further in Diane's arms. Despite what Tracy had said and done to me, I felt pity for her. I had to say something.

"Tracy, I'm so sorry for hurting you. I didn't mean to hit you so hard."

"Stop teasing me!" she yelled. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to treat me like a defenseless little girl."

"No," I replied quietly. "I - I don't want to fight you anymore. What I did to you was wrong. Please forgive me. Please, I don't want to hate you anymore and I don't want you hating me."

"Go to HELL!" she screamed. "I hate you Tom McClain! DO YOU HEAR ME! I HATE YOUR FUCKING GUTS! One day I'll get my revenge. I'll make sure your death is painful! I'll make you pay for all this."

I just stood there blocking out her threats. I now understood what Judge Jasper had meant by her punishment being bad enough. He wasn't referring to the fact that Gerald had to live his life as a little girl, a life he hated. He was talking about the hate and anger inside his son soul. How could anyone be happy with such a heavy, hateful heart? Only it got worse. Gerald had never matured; therefore could never understand how to overcome his real problems. He was trapped in his own world of hate and self-pity, with no escape.

Diane looked over at me with clear eyes. "Leave us, Linda. Your time here is over."

I nodded silently. As I left the room I felt my body changing as it grew back to its adult self. Even my clothes reformed to the dress I had on earlier. Everything was the same as before - everything that is except my outlook on Gerald.

I walked around Peace River for almost an hour troubled before finding a park bench to sit down at. Why did I feel so horrible? I knew why.

"Mind if I sit down?" someone asked politely. It was Diane standing there looking at me with a neutral expression. I made a motion with my hand to indicate it was okay and she took a seat.

"Come to gloat?" I asked quietly.

"About what?" she blinked.

"About the way I acted - and I'm not talking about just today."

"No, I didn't. Believe it or not Tom, I came to make peace with you."

I look at her in questioning surprise. She had used my pervious name. Diane sighed and looked at the setting sun. "I know you're living your life as Linda Anderson. I also know you still think of yourself as Tom McClain."

"And you wish to humor me?"

"No," she shook her head. "I wish to have a serious talk with you on a person to person basis. You see Tom; we've both learned something today. I've always despised you for what you did to my brother. It was different with Al Parker; he was a victim of my brother actions. You on the hand didn't suffer at all, or so I thought. But today I saw the real you, the person my father sees. Compared to my brother, well, I've been blaming the wrong person for Tracy's misery."

I sat there in silence for a moment, looking for the words to say. Finally I decided to come clean.

"I've always hated your brother, even when he was my daughter," I said. "It was different then, because I could control how Tracy acted and didn't have to see any of the old Gerald in her. That was how I got my revenge for Al's death; I stamped out all those bad qualities. Oh, I treated him with respect, but I always enjoyed the idea that he was miserable in his new life, and I had the power to increase that misery. It just felt so - so damn good. He murdered my best friend, my brother. I didn't want to forgive him for that."

"And now?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Now I see that no matter how much I torment him, I could never punish him more than what he is doing to himself. Nor could I punish him enough to where I would feel satisfied."

I smiled slightly. "I remember something Judge Herns told me a while back, after I had been returned to Andersonville following my escape. I asked June how she was going to punish me for my actions, and she told me she wasn't. I was surprised about the fact that I wasn't going to be punished, but she informed me that that wasn't what she had said. She pointed out that humans had a way of punishing themselves for things they do in life. It appears that the same rule applies to your people as well."

"Yes, I suppose it does," Diane agreed with a slight smile. "I felt the same way about you, and it only made me feel bitter and angry all the time."

"So what happens now?" I asked while staring out at the dying sun.

"Why don't we have dinner," she suggested. "I think - I think I would like to get to know the real you, Linda."

Her offer made me grin. "I would like that, Diane. Do you think we can get a table at Crystal's?"

"Being the Judge's daughter, I think I can get us one," she winked.

I laughed, and she joined in. Then Diane leaned over and gave me a hug. "I think I like the adult version of you better."

"Me too," I agreed. "Me too!'

We stood up together and headed for the restaurant.

Fade out...

Next week - Love and War

This story is dedicated to my father, who never understood my need to be Kelly. Despite our problems, I know he loved me even though he didn't tell me the way I wanted him to. I miss you dad. Thank you for caring for me when I didn't care about myself. (With tears in my eyes)

 

Andersonville 18 - Love and War
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Samuel Vincent and Nelson T.

Copyright 2001

Fade in...

There I sat shifting through the many piles of papers lying on my desk and wishing I were somewhere else. It was truly amazing how many reports passed through my hands to be filed or used to type up other reports. I knew that at least half of them would reach Judge Jasper's desk, where he would study them for a few minutes then put them in his out box to be filed by you know who. What surprised me was how much information Judge Jasper remembered. He would quote me numbers on the amount of water the town used last month and tell me it was over 200,000 gallons more then the month before. When I looked it up I found he was correct.

There were other things Judge Jasper kept track of. How much electricity we used each week; the amount of money spent at both the supermarket and clothing stores; the duty roster of the police and fire department; information that seemed useless to me but important to him. I could only guess he did this to keep a tight rein on his town. If there were even the slightest thing out of the ordinary he would know about it.

I took a deep sigh and grabbed the latest environmental reports on the river that Peace River was named after. Well, a moat was actually the correct term since it encircled the town. Judge Jasper was especially interested in this report, and it was the first thing he asked for each morning. I dreaded giving him that report. If the salt content went up or down by so as much as a quarter of a percent he would have me running all over town finding people to fix it. Why the Roman gods didn't carry cell phones I never understood. Well, that wasn't really true. Most of them did carry phones; it was the ones I needed to get hold of all the time, like Neptune and Mars that didn't. I had suggested to both of them that they get a cell phone but was met with mixed results. Neptune laughed, while Mars grumbled - and neither got a phone. The only good news about my job was that Peace River averaged about one or two new transformations a week. This meant I didn't have to spend a lot of time writing up reports or reliving their lives for the gods. Doing so could be most emotional at times.

Looking at the numbers from the various testing sites on the river caused me to sigh. They indicated I would be doing a lot of running around this morning. The first person Judge Jasper would want me find would be Mr. Marshall (Mars). As it turns out, I didn't have to look. He bolted into my office and ran right past me on his way to Judge Jasper's chambers. I stood up, mostly out of fear that if I didn't try to stop him Judge Jasper would be mad. I could tell Mars was upset, as if something terrible had happened.

I grabbed him just as he opened up the door and said, "Mercury's been attacked!"

"How bad is he?" Jupiter demanded to know as he stood up.

"Very bad," Mars replied. "I had him moved to Olympus and called for Annietta."

I felt numb. Officer Merrick - Mark Merrick - the one who had done me such a big favor not long ago - severely injured. It was almost like reliving the death of my friend, Kevin Brown.

"Call the others," Jupiter commended. "I will meet with them there. Linda, you will come with me."

He grabbed my hand and suddenly a shinny portal hole appeared in his office. Before I had a chance to think Jupiter pulled me into it. Moments later we stepped out onto a huge patio covered by a marble roof. Equally impressive marble pillars every 10 yards supported it. There was a lady standing in the center of the patio dressed in a white toga. She was fairly young and quite beautiful, with red flowers in her jet-black hair. I could see great sadness and panic on her face.

"Where is he?" Jupiter asked very concerned.

"In the sitting room," the woman replied. "The muse arrived just a few minutes before you did. He looked..." She put her hand over her mouth and began to cry. Jupiter put his massive arm around the woman in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's alright my dear. Annietta is the best healer we have. Even if she can't help him, we can put him back in stasis until he's better."

"But for how long?" she sobbed. "How could this have happened?"

"I don't know," he said softly, "but I intend to make sure the people who did this pay dearly." He motioned for another equally beautiful, young woman to come forward. "IO, please take Linda to your quarters and find something appropriate for her to wear. Come Maia, let's go see how our son is doing."

"Yes, my love," Maia replied.

IO watched them leave, and seemed very concerned about the emotional state of other woman. She was tall and skinny, with long blonde hair that reached down to her waist. In her hair were yellow-flowers, and there was a lovely feminine charm to her moments and manner.

"This way, Linda," she said pleasantly. I found myself weaving through one massive room after another, all exquisitely decorated with marble statues, crystal clear waterfalls, and plants of every kind. There was even a bird room, with exotic parrots from around the world. The place was like a palace out of ancient Rome. IO's room was lavishly furnished and included a full-length, naked statue of Jupiter himself. Apparently being seen naked didn't bother the Roman gods. The young goddess opened up a drawer and pulled out a dress similar to hers.

"This should fit you," she said while placing it on the massive bed, big enough for four people. "Let me help you change." Before I could refuse, she had already unzipped my dress.

"What strange clothes," IO observed, running her hands up and down the back of my nylon half-slip. "And this thing," she added touching the front of my bra. "Why do you wear such pretty garments if no one is going to see them?"

"The bra keeps my breasts in place and the slip prevents people from seeing my panties," I tried to explain.

"Pant-ies?" she stated confused.

"Haven't you been to Peace River before?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm needed here to keep this place in order. Someone has to tend to the fish and feed the birds."

"I see, so you're like a maid," I replied.

"Not a maid, or a servant," she answered with a smile. "I'm Jupiter's lover."

"Oh," I replied pulling off my pantyhose while the girl looked on with amazement. "You won't be offended if I keep my panties and bra on, will you?"

"No, whatever you feel comfortable with. However, we need to get back out there; others are arriving and they will require fruit and drink."

"I'm ready," I told her as I slid the dress/toga on. It was a little tight but that's probably how Jupiter liked it.

"This way," she said while leading me out the same way we had come in. By the time we got back several of the other gods had already arrived, including the goddess Diana. Jupiter came out supporting Maia in his arms. Jupiter handed the weeping woman off to IO and motioned me to come forward. He also nodded to Diana to join us.

"I want you to go to California and bring Sherry Felton here as soon as you can," he told her with urgency. "Tell your brother to join us when he finishes up with the loose end, and to hold off on his assignment for now. Now go my daughter! Mercury's life depends on your speed."

"Yes father," she replied and opened up a door portal. In a second she was gone.

"Is there anything I can do for you," I asked Jupiter.

"Pray that he makes it," Jupiter said bitterly and walked away.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

The smell of gasoline and oil filled the air. Not far away you could hear the sound of wheels squealing and the crowd roaring with approval. I was at home here, my hands covered in grease as I adjusted the carburetor for the next race. A look of satisfaction hung on my face.

"HEY FELTON," someone yelled. I looked up to see Jim Niles standing close by, his helmet in his hand. "I'm going to blow your panties off in the next race."

"YOU'LL BE WEARING THEM AFTER I'M DONE," I shouted back loudly so everyone could hear. A number of the mechanics and fans within earshot chuckled as Jim turned red with embarrassment. If I hadn't been a girl, he might have confronted me. Of course having Apollo standing next to me may have also convinced him not to give me any more trouble.

I laughed. Jim was your typical gearhead, whose ego lived and died on the track. Today I was going to take him down a few notches.

"You were a little hard on him, don't you think?" Apollo responded as he watched Jim shuffle off.

"It's probably the truth," I replied with a grin.

Apollo, also known as Pete Akins, nodded silently. Judge Jasper had sent me out to help Apollo bring Jim Niles back to Peace River. Apparently I was to be the bait. It seemed like there could have been an easier way to handle Jim, but I suspected Judge Jasper had set this up to test my loyalty. Things between Mark Merrick, the Roman god Mercury, and I were heating up.

"Are you sure about him, Pete?" I asked while twisting a nut.

He nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so, Sherry. Jim has terminal cancer. He won't live another three months. This is the only way to save his life."

"Why not just heal him?" I asked as I placed the air filter cover back on.

"It's hard to explain," he replied. "First of all, it's a matter of fairness. Is it right for us to heal only some people and not others who suffer just as much...or more? What about a child that is dying of an incurable disease? Or the single father with three kids who suffers a massive heart attack. Shouldn't they be healed as well? Where do you draw the line?

"Second, we can only do some much before our actions start drawing attention to ourselves. That's why if we do heal someone, we need to take them out of circulation. Real miracles happen, but there is a price attached to our miracles."

"You mean a life in wonderful, wild, Peace River," I answered closing the hood of my car. It was a 1971 Ford Mustang that belonged to Judge Jasper. He had let me borrow it for this mission, and had made sure that both Jim Niles and I would be in the finals. I felt a little cheated by this; no driver wants to make it this far unless he did it on his own. Still, this wasn't my call.

"Sherry, there are worse places," he said.

"Like Andersonville?" I asked. "Tell me, am I ever going to get to visit that town I've heard so much about?"

"I don't know. Perhaps Mark will take you there some day."

"Perhaps," I repeated as I put on my helmet and gloves. The loud speakers were calling for our heat to get ready. The only bright spot of this day was that this would be a real race. It didn't matter to Jupiter who won or lost the final race. However, I hadn't come here to lose - and I really wanted to cram my victory down Jim's throat.

Apollo helped me into the car and wished me luck. I drove to the warm-up apron and burned my tires to heat them up. I looked to my right and saw Jim doing the same thing. He was driving a '67 Cameo that looked as fast as it ran. He nodded confidently as we approached the line.

"Damn," I cursed out loud, although my car was rumbling so loudly that no one could hear me. Why did he have to be driving a Chevy? Every driver knows a Chevy always beats a Ford.

I forgot about everything else and concentrated on the Christmas tree in front of me. The starter looked at both cars then hit the button. This was going to be an even race; only the best driver would win it. I watched them blink down.

Yellow...Yellow...Yellow...Green! I hit the accelerator and felt the tires dig into the asphalt. The roar of the engine was tremendous as both cars fought to grip the road then took off like rockets when they did. I shifted quickly from second into third and redlined it well beyond what I should have; then slammed it into fourth quicker than the blink of an eye. I kept focused on the finish line that was coming up at an incredible rate.

When we crossed I looked over and saw that I was ahead of him by less then half a car length. I pounded on the steer wheel in victory and cheered. I had won! Of all the things I had experienced in life, nothing was sweeter then victory on the track. I drove the car back to the pits where Apollo was standing looking very glum.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked while getting out of my car. "I won!" That's when I saw his sister, Diane, standing there looking at me the same way.

"Sherry, I have some bad news," she said gently. "Officer Merrick...Mark...has been hurt badly."

"Hurt?" I stood there numbed by the words. "But he's a - you know. How can he be hurt?"

"I'll tell you later," she said grabbing my hand. "Right now I need to take you to him."

"To say goodbye?" I asked in a frighten voice.

"To help him live, I hope. Apollo will take care of everything here. Please hurry, there isn't much time here."

She dragged me into an empty room and pulled out a small, black box. She pointed the box in front of us and hit a red button. A beam of light shone out of it and created some kind of portal that shimmered around the edges but was black in the middle. It looked like a hole in space.

"Come with me," she said while pulling me in. A moment later we were walking out onto a huge patio. On the horizon I saw unfamiliar mountains covered with lush trees. Wherever I was, it wasn't close to Peace River.

In the center of the room was Jupiter. He was talking to Mars, Venus, and his secretary, Linda Anderson. There were about 30 other gods standing around in-groups of three and four. They all stopped talking when I walked in and looked at me sadly. Jupiter approached me with a worried look, and I knew it was bad news.

"I'm glad you could make it, my child," he said in a fatherly tone.

"How...how bad is he?" I asked nervously.

"Bad," he replied. "We have our best muse working on him, but he's not responding to her treatment."

"ONE MUSE! Why don't you have an army in there? Why aren't you in there helping him like you did before."

"This is different, Sherry. Those were flesh wounds, this is much worse. What he needs right now I can't provide him with. However, there is a chance you may be able to help."

"How?" I asked in tears.

"Talk to him," he said quietly. "Anniatta will help you bond with his mind. Show him he has a reason to live. I'm afraid he's starting to give up."

"I'll try. Where is he?"

"Through that door my child. Be brave now, and show him how much you love him.

"I'll...I'll do my best, Judge." I opened the door, and carefully walked into the dark room. In the center I could see Mercury lying on a couch. Next to him was a huge, black woman rubbing his forehead.

"You must be Sherry," she whispered. "He's been thinking about you since I got here. Are you ready?"

"What do I need to do?"

"Take my hand and I'll feed your thoughts directly to him."

"Will he be able to hear me?"

"Yes, but not in the way you think," the muse explained. "He can't talk and communicate to you with words. The only thing he can do is hear and feel your thoughts. I need you to think about events the two of you shared...happy events."

"Where do you suggest I start?"

"How about when he first met you as Sherry. Then you can work up from there."

I carefully took her hand and started to think back to the first time we had met. Suddenly everything around me went black, and I began to panic.

"Don't be afraid my child, this is part of the treatment," Anniatte's voice spoke out to me from beyond. "No harm will come to you. Concentrate now." I did and found myself seeing the event unfold as if I was there.

***

"Good morning, Sherry," Officer Ganymede said as he walked into my shop. "Is my car ready yet?"

"Got it done last night," I smiled. "By the way, did you give my message to Officer Merrick like I asked you too?"

"Yep, two nights ago," the young officer replied.

"So why hasn't he shown up?" I wanted to know.

"Busy, I guess," he answered with a shrug.

"Busy my ass! He's been avoiding me for some reason. I've been here for almost three weeks and he hasn't stopped by once. Yet you and the other officers are in here all the time. So what gives, Officer Ganymede?"

"I really don't know, Sherry. He's a little shy, that's all. Give him time."

"Don't lie to me Officer Ganymede, or I'll make sure your car stalls every time you stop at a traffic light. He wasn't shy when we first met. Why would he be shy now?"

"Well, because you're a ...well, you know."

"A girl!" I threw out. "So what?"

"I really don't know," he said uncomfortably. "Okay, something's bothering him, but I swear, I don't know what it is. The only ones who probably do know are Officer Deimos and Judge Jasper."

"Where's Officer Deimos?"

"In Florida making a pickup," Officer Ganymede replied. I knew what that meant. Peace River was about to get a new addition to its rank. Each god had to take a turn doing this, and Deimos' number had come up.

"When will he be back?" I asked.

"In a couple of days. He said something about having a date with Linda this weekend. But Judge Jasper is in."

"Like he'll tell me anything," I replied.

"He might, if you ask nicely. What have you got to lose?"

"I guess you have a point. Say, could you watch the shop for a few minutes while I go see him?"

"Well, I guess so. Just don't take too long with him. I have to report to work in 45 minutes and I wanted to get some paperwork done before then."

"What is it about cops and paperwork?" I asked. Officer Ganymede just laughed and waved me on.

When I got to Judge Jasper's chambers, Linda Anderson, a temporary assistant from Andersonville, greeted me. From what I had been told, she was to be Ashlee's Gang replacement until her return. Linda gave me a warm smile and asked what I needed.

"I'd like to talk to Judge Jasper if he's available." No sooner had I ask to see him that the door opened up and the judge walked out holding a file in his hands.

"Linda, can you get me the file on Lori Thams please." He looked at me carefully. "Miss Felton, is there something I can do for you?"

"She would like a few minutes of your time, Judge," Linda answered.

"Humph," he replied. "In my office, Miss Felton." I went in first and he closed the door behind us. "Have a seat, please."

I sat down in an overstuffed chair while he picked up a cup of tea off his desk. He looked ragged, as if he was stressed out about something. I wondered if he was sick somehow, but then I didn't know if the gods could get sick. Perhaps he was just having a bad day.

"I would offer you some tea, but I just ran out," he said in a polite but businesslike tone. "Now, what can do for you, Miss Felton?"

"Well, Your Honor, I was wondering if you could tell me what's wrong with Mark Merrick. He's been avoiding me ever since I got here. Did I do something to offend him?"

"No, it wasn't you," he replied stirring his tea.

"Then what is it?"

"He feels guilty, that's all." Judge Jasper took a drink of his tea and continued. "When he brought you back here, he fully expected me to keep you as a man. When I turned you into a woman, he blamed himself for your condition. What's the expression your people have, 'He can't face you now'? It's a wonderful tool to punish someone with."

"You mean to tell me I could've remained a man here?"

"Yes, it was possible. Even though you were a crossdresser to begin with, you were a rare enough person that I could've kept you a man and still used you. As you may have realized by looking around, we're running a little bit low on men these days."

"So why didn't you keep me as a man?"

"To teach Officer Merrick a lesson of course." He made it seem like the answer should have been obvious to me.

"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "Are you telling me that the only reason I'm a woman today is because you wanted to teach Officer Merrick a lesson? What about me? What gives you the right to punish me this way?"

"Because it's my town!" he stated firmly. "I call the shots, and I decide who lives as whom. Besides, it's not as if you're miserable because of it."

"But Officer Merrick is," I added. "I thought the main purpose of Peace River was to keep everyone happy."

"All the humans happy," he corrected me. "Our race doesn't depend on that."

"What you did to him was wrong, Judge." That earned me a quick frown.

"I'm glad you did show up," Judge Jasper said, ignoring my earlier comment. "First of all, I'm not happy with the way you've been dressing lately. Look at you, covered in dirt and grease. And your hair! When was the last time you had it done?"

"I'm a mechanic," I countered. "Wearing a fancy ball gown in a auto shop isn't very practical, Your Honor. By the time I get cleaned up at the end of the day, it's almost time for bed."

"Yes, that's the second thing I want to discuss with you," he continued. "You've been working too hard since you've arrived; almost seven days a week. That isn't healthy either. I want you to start taking some time off and enjoy life a little more. Go shopping with your sisters, buy a dress and get a makeover. Treat yourself once in a while, maybe even go out on a date."

"Is that a suggestion or an order?" I asked.

"Consider it whatever you want it to be, just as long as you do it," he answered while putting down his empty teacup.

"How about if I make a deal with you, Judge? I'll go out and buy myself the frilliest dress I can find if you set up a meeting with me and Officer Merrick ...today."

Judge Jasper thought about it carefully for a minute. "I accept. How about right now?"

"That works for me."

The Judge picked up the phone and punched the intercom button. "Linda, please ask Officer Merrick to come to my office." Ten seconds later there was knock on the door and it opened. When Mark Merrick saw me sitting there I swore he almost backed out the door.

"Officer Merrick, I want you to sit down and talk out your problems with Miss Felton. I'll be outside gathering up some files that I need. Take as long as you need."

He closed the door leaving us alone. Mark stood there looking at me rather uncomfortably. It became so quiet that you could hear the clock ticking. I decided to break the ice.

"Sit down Mark, I'm not going to bite you."

He took a seat that was the farthest away from me and asked, "How are you doing, Sherry?"

"Do you care?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Of course I do," he replied rather quietly.

"Then why haven't you been around to see me," I almost snapped. "Three weeks, Mark! Where in the hell have you been all this time?"

"Working," he whispered. "I...I didn't think you would want to see me."

"Why in the hell would you think that?"

"Because you're Sherry Felton now, and I'm the reason why."

"Mark," I replied calmly. "I came to Peace River of my own free will. I knew this could happen, but I made that decision before you made yours. To be honest, I'm glad to be here."

"But not as a woman," he pointed out.

"Okay, that's true," I agreed. "Becoming Sherry is going to take some time getting used to. That's why I need all my friends around me, for support. It's why I wanted you around, because I consider you a good friend. Believe me, I had my period last week and I could've used all the friends I could get."

He smiled, but only for a moment before the guilty expression re-appeared. "Sherry, the way I brought you in here, I gave my father no choice but to accept you. He turned you into a woman to punish me. He and I both knew you would have preferred living in Peace River as a man. My actions caused you to become a woman."

"SO WHAT?" I raised my voice. "So I should hate your guts now? I know what your father did, and why he did it, and I don't give a damn! Okay, you want to feel guilty about this then fine. If that's the case you try to make amends. You don't run off and hide making me think I did something wrong. All this time I thought you hated me."

He looked at me a little surprised. "I don't hate you, Sherry."

"Then show me, Mark. Stop avoiding me like the plague. Treat me as a friend you care about."

"Okay," he swallowed hard. "Where do we start?"

"First, you give me a hug," I said standing up. "Then you can drive me over to see Ms. Marshall. I have to buy a frilly dress because of you. Hell, maybe I should make you buy it ...or better yet, wear it."

"I don't think I would look as good in a dress as you would," he laughed. Mark walked over and embraced me warmly. "Welcome to Peace River, Miss Felton."

"It's Sherry, Mark. Friends call each other by their first names."

"Okay...Sherry."

***

Slowly things started to come back into view as the darkness faded. I didn't know what had happened, but the event was incredible. It was like re-living the past. I felt everything all over again.

"Anything?" I asked the muse in a desperate tone.

"Nothing," she replied softly. "We need to try again."

"But what?" I asked.

"Perhaps the first time you two made love to each other," she suggested. "I understand it was very special for both of you."

"I guess you could say that," I answered feeling a little awkward that she knew all about our sex life.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you," she replied. "I just know from his thoughts that you two have been intimate. There's nothing to be ashamed about, Sherry."

"I'm...I'm not ashamed," I answered while holding my head in my hands. There was a slight buzz and I felt a little dizzy.

"Rest for a moment," the muse told me. "We can try again in a few moments. He's stable for now."

***

Apollo stepped into the room and spotted his father talking to Mars and Minerva. He felt nervous as he approached. The fact that he had been ordered to scrub the assignment told him how serious the matter was. His father turned, and Apollo saw the stern look of anger engraved on his face. It was worse than he thought.

"How is he doing?" Apollo asked carefully.

"There's been no change," Jupiter replied. "If something doesn't happen soon, we'll have to put in him back in stasis until he's better."

"How long would that be?" Apollo asked grimly.

"About a thousand years," Minerva answered for Jupiter. "His mind was scrambled pretty badly by those cursed Titans."

"Son, I want you to go find Dennis Butz for me," Jupiter said slowly and clearly. "I want you to find him and bring him here."

"Here?" Apollo asked in surprise.

"Yes, here," Jupiter answered firmly. "In chains if you have to, but I want him brought to me NOW!"

"Yes father," Apollo answered obediently. He knew that could only mean one thing. By the end of the day they would be at war with the Titans. Not that it would be much of a war; the Titans wouldn't stand a chance against their forces. However, Apollo knew enough about wars to know they were usually bloody and not without consequences.

Apollo thought about Andersonville, and all the promise it had held for all of them. What would happen to it after this was over? He turned sadly and stepped into the portal door that had opened up for him.

***

"I'm ready," I told the muse.

"Take my hand," she told me. I complied and things started to shift around me. I found myself back in my shop working on the transmission of a car. Above me I could hear Officer Deimos rambling on about a speeder he had pulled over.

"So he tells me he's late for his dentist appointment, but when I ask him who his doctor is, he tells me he doesn't know his name. Of course I wrote him up for it," the officer laughed. I did the same, but frankly didn't see the humor behind it. I guess you had to be a cop to understand.

"Will my car be ready today?" the voice of Judge Jasper boomed out. I laid down my wrench and pushed myself out from underneath his car.

"Well, Your Honor, I've seen worse transmissions but not by much. The sprag and pump are shot, the bands are worn, and the accumulator piston isn't looking too healthy. Not to mention that you should seriously consider replacing all the gaskets, filters, and the servo."

"Could you please translate that into regular English, Miss Felton," he stated patiently. "I'm a judge, not a mechanic."

"Your transmission is having trouble doing its job," I smiled sweetly.

"That's a little bit too simple," he replied dryly, not appreciating my humor.

"I think she means..." Officer Deimos started to say.

"I know what she means, Officer Deimos," Judge Jasper interrupted. "Now, back to my original question, Miss Felton. Will my car be ready today or not?"

"I don't have the parts in the shop so I'll have to order them. That means they won't arrive at our drop box until tomorrow morning. Of course, if you let me drive to Valentine to pick up the parts I can have it ready for you by this evening."

"Do you really think I'm going to allow that to happen?" he snorted loudly. "Give Officer Deimos the list; he'll go pick up the parts." Deimos looked like he wanted to protest but thought better of it.

"Yes, Your Honor," I said. "By the way, I wanted to ask you a favor. Is this a good time?"

"Only if you want the answer to be 'NO'," he replied in a rather pissy tone. "Then it's a great time."

"Come on, Your Honor," I protested. "What I want is painless, you don't have to do anything but approve it."

"What is it," he asked formally.

"I want to camp at Lake Saturn tonight. I know it's off-limits, but I was hoping you would allow it."

"By the river!" he exclaimed. "For what purpose? That's a salt-water lake. You can't fish or swim there."

"I know, Your Honor. But that will get me far enough away from the lights of the town so I can observe the night sky. There's supposed to be a pretty spectacular meteorite shower tonight. I want to lay out underneath the stars and watch them fall."

"No doubt you'll be wearing sweat pants and a sweatshirt to do this," he pointed out.

"That usually is the most comfortable way to go camping," I replied.

Judge Jasper sighed deeply. "Miss Felton, it's bad enough you don't dress like a woman while you're at work, but even when you're off duty you rarely wear anything nice.

"Judge, wearing a dress doesn't make me more of a woman, anymore then it would make me less of a man."

"Did your wife feel that way?" he asked directly.

"That's hitting below the belt, Your Honor," I responded bitterly.

He frowned, "I'm sorry, Miss Felton, you're right. Please accept my apology. What I'm talking about here is fairness. All our other female residents are required to dress femininely, at least for work and special events. However, your actions push the envelope here. Yes, I understand why wearing a dress and heels is unpractical in your garage, but what about when you're not working. I've seen you out with Officer Deimos and your other friends from time to time. Usually you're wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

"Your Honor, come on. Bowling in a dress or short skirt?"

"Other woman do it, I've seen it." He stopped for a moment and gave me a stubborn stare. I could see he was set in his ways, and wasn't going to give me an inch.

"Okay Miss Felton, I'll let you camp at Lake Saturn under one condition. That condition is that you wear a dress and makeup, with heels. Oh, and the hem of the dress can't be any lower then your knees."

"But...but no one will see me dressed like that," I reply. "What's the point?"

"Exactly," he smiled as if that was an answer, which I realized it was. I wasn't dressing up for anyone; I would be doing it for myself. Plus, I would spend an entire evening thinking about the way I was dressed. It wasn't until then that I realized how shrewd the Judge really was.

"I also want you to get your hair done before you go," he added. "You can take off early and fix my car tomorrow."

"But Your Honor, if I'm going to go through all this fuss wouldn't it be better if I went out on a date instead?"

"That, Miss Felton, is up to you. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon." He left without saying another word.

Officer Deimos let out a whistle. "Boy, he sure is in a bad mood this morning."

"Tell me about it," I replied. "Because of it, I have to sit around a campfire in a dress. It's supposed to get down into the mid-forties tonight. I'll freeze my butt off."

"Well, you don't have to go to Lake Saturn," Officer Deimos pointed out. "There are other places you can watch from, like the park."

"That's too close to the city lights. Besides, I was going to camp on the hill next to the lake. There's a small field that'll allow me an unobstructive view of the sky."

"Then I guess you're going to look real nice tonight out there all alone," Deimos smiled.

"Officer Deimos, has anyone ever told you that you can be quite annoying at times."

"Linda tells me that all the time," he grinned.

"Smart girl," I shot back.

***

It was almost midnight and the sky above me was crisp and clear. The fire cracked and popped as I sat nearby with a blanket over my legs.

"Pantyhose keeps your legs warm, my ass!" I said out loud. It must have been a man who had started that rumor. They were hardly any protection against the chilly air tonight. I looked up at the night sky to keep my mind off that fact I was freezing. It was a magnificent sight, even with the firelight blocking me from seeing most of the night sky. I stood up and walked away from the fire. My eyes slowly readjusted to the night and I gasped. The sky was a filled with points of yellow, white, blue, and red lights twinkling in the blackness. To the west I spotted a non-twinkling, red star that was really the planet Mars. That's how I could tell it was a planet, by fact that it didn't twinkle.

Above me was the planet Jupiter, sitting there among the stars as if it were watching over me. It was the largest planet in our solar system, a gas planet that scientist predicted had no real surface to speak of. My mind couldn't even begin to comprehend what that meant. My silent vigil was broken by the sound of someone walking toward me.

"Who's there?" I shouted out.

"It's me, Mark." Mercury appeared out of the darkness. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. I thought maybe you would like some company for a while."

"Actually, I would," I told him with a smile. "Please, have a seat by the fire."

He sat down on the blanket and leaned back against a big rock for support. I did the same and snuggled up next to him.

"Do you mind?" I asked. "I'm freezing!"

"I don't mind," he replied while throwing a blanket around us. He wrapped his arm around me and rubbed my back. "Actually, it's kind of nice."

I didn't reply. I had been seeing Mark as a friend for a couple of weeks, and already I was feeling more for him then I thought I should. Was I allowed to fall in love with one of them? I was too afraid of what the answer would be to ask.

"What was it like back then ...in Rome?" I asked as we peered down at the town of Peace River, lit up by a few house lamps and the streetlights.

"Beautiful...and so different," Mark said as if in a trance. "Everything was lit up by firelight, so the houses actually twinkled in the distance just like the stars above. Of course, life was harder back then; I prefer this time better. But you haven't seen anything till you look down at a city of 100,000 people or more twinkling in the light."

"I wish I could have seen it," I replied, placing my head against his warm chest.

"In every lifetime there's something worth seeing," he reminded me. "Some of the people we brought with us would be star-struck by this sight. To be honest, Sherry, it's beautiful in it's own way."

"And romantic," I threw out just to see what he would say.

"Yes, very romantic," he agreed softly. "Especially when you have a beautiful woman in your arms."

I took the next step and placed my hand on his chest, rubbing it ever so gently. "You think I'm pretty, Mark?" I asked carefully.

"Very much so, Sherry," he answered looking at me with an intense stare. "You're one of the prettiest woman I've ever known."

"Would you ...would you mind if I...I kissed..."

"I would love it if you did," he finished for me.

We kissed, and I felt my body temperature rise rapidly. My mind and body were bombarded with all kinds of new and wonderful sexual feelings that I found pleasant. Suddenly I felt so out of control and I didn't care anymore. I wanted to make love to him more then anything else.

I started the process by lifting off his shirt, revealing a mass of black hair covering his rather manly chest. I positioned myself in front of him and started kissing him some more. His hand reached behind my back, and I felt the zipper of my dress going down. Carefully he slid the dress off me without stopping our embrace.

We lay down on the sleeping bag facing each other. I was still wearing the silky, white slip with the flowered lace that adorned the bodice and hem. Vickie had suggested it when I had purchased the dress. It hung rather loosely, and Mark slowly slid one of the straps down to expose my breasts (I had gone bra-less that night).

I cried out in pleasure as he lowered his head and gently started nursing on my breast in a firm and rhythmic fashion. I fell onto my back and one of his hands played with my free nipple through the silky slip. My mind went numb as an overload of sexual pleasure overcame me. I started gasping for air as I placed my hands around his head and pressed him closer to my breast. Somewhere in the process he was able to remove my panties and his pants with his free hand.

He stopped for a moment, and looked at me with his deep, blue eyes that held passion. I lay there inviting him to finish the job. He carefully moved on top of me and we kissed again, while his hands ran wildly through my hair. That's when I felt him enter me, and I gasped with pleasure and titillation. He started to pump, and I felt my own sexual tension building to meet his.

Some people would consider it a dirty act, meant only for those who are married. There was nothing dirty about the passion we were feeling underneath those bright stars. It was life, and we were living it. I spotted a shooting star in the sky; it's fiery tail burning brightly against the murky darkness. I focused on it as he came, and I came at the same moment. I screamed out, and was afraid someone would hear me and come running. Mercury gasped for air as he pushed and pushed, and pushed against me. I hung on as tightly as I could, squeezing against his manhood as it delivered its warm seed inside me. Then he stopped pushing, and lay there silently except for his heavy breathing. Slowly my organism faded and I found myself spent. He moved off me, making it easier for me to breathe, although I found myself wishing he were still there. He lay down on his back, and I rolled over and put my head on his chest - my hair flowing down over his body.

"That was...wonderful," I whispered.

"I love you, Sherry," he spoke in a low tone.

"What?" I asked, afraid I hadn't heard him right.

"I love you," he repeated. "I always have. I just didn't think you felt the same way."

"Oh God Mark, I do," I told him looking into his face that was barely visible in the dying firelight. "I just didn't think it was allowed."

"Of course it is," he replied while stroking my hair in a loving fashion.

"So, we can see each other openly?"

"If you want, yes," he smiled

"More then anything," I replied, wrapping the blanket around us. "It's getting cold, we should get inside the sleeping bag."

"First, let me warm you up a little more," he replied with a devilish grin.

Afterwards I curled up next to him inside the sleeping bag and fell into a peaceful sleep. I don't know if he slept, but I was exhausted after our second encounter and ended up missing the meteorite shower I had come out to see. About an hour before sunrise I woke up feeling relaxed. I knew it was chilly outside, but inside the sleeping bag it was toasty warm.

"Good morning," he said softly while kissing me on top of my head.

"Have you been watching me all night?" I giggled.

"No, I've been watching the stars and thinking."

"Which star is your home?" I asked while peering up into the night sky.

"You can't see it from here, it's too far away. It's somewhere in that area." He pointed toward a fuzzy section of the Milky Way.

"Do you miss home?" I asked.

"I was born here, Sherry," he replied. "I've heard the tales, and before they were destroyed I saw the tapes of my home world. But to be honest, this is home to me. I love this planet. If we do find a way back, I'm not sure if I'll go with them."

"I hope that won't be for a while," I told him look around the night sky. I spotted a star rising in the east that wasn't a star. "Look...Mercury's rising!"

"It sure is," he grinned staring into the sleeping bag.

"PIG!" I laughed and playfully hit him on the chest. "You made me miss the meteorite shower."

"Perhaps I can make it up to you," he grinned while placing his hand on my breast. I felt the temperature in the sleeping bag start to rise.

***

The room slowly re-appeared around me, and I found my body shaking with the sexual excitement I had felt from that night. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked at the muse.

"How is he now?" I asked in a hopefully tone.

"This helped, but he's not out of the woods yet. Rest for a minute while I prepare him." The muse closed her eyes and moved her hand over his head. I sat there silently saying a prayer. Why did this have to happen now? Today could've been the happiest moment of our life. Why had I waited to tell him?

***

The portal door sparkled, and a moment later Apollo appeared with Dennis Butz by his side. He appeared startled to see where Apollo had taken him. The Roman Gods faced him, most with contempt on their faces.

Dennis recovered and said to Jupiter, "So this is Olympus. I must say, I never thought I would see this place."

"Unfortunately some of your people still have dreams that they will see Olympus one day - when they come marching triumphantly in here," Jupiter stated in a forceful manner. "There's been two attacks on my people recently. I want the ones responsible handed over to me.

"Jupiter," Dennis started while looking over at Linda Anderson uncomfortably. He knew having her recording their talks could only mean one thing. They were close to war and Jupiter wanted a complete record leading up to it.

"You know I can't do that. If I did turn them over to you, I would lose all control over my people."

"CONTROL!" Jupiter's voice boomed out. "You can't control them now!"

"You're partially to blame for that," Dennis shot back. "Until you show us you're willing to do as you say, I can't be responsible for my people's anger."

"You're their leader, that makes you responsible," Jupiter stated crudely. "Your town hasn't worked, nothing's changed between us."

"That's because you're not dealing with us in GOOD FAITH!" Dennis held his ground. "Let me take 20 or 30 of my people back to Andersonville. I can give you a list of those to free that even you can't object too! I'm not talking about the generals, Jupiter. I'm talking about those who weren't even in the war, but were imprisoned because they were Titans."

"Show me Andersonville works and I'll start releasing them," Jupiter pointed an angry finger at Dennis. "That's what we agreed to, remember? The result of this experiment has been two attacks on my people in less then a month."

"I'm sorry," Dennis said truthfully. "But if I hand over the ones responsible for these attacks, it'll only erode my influence over my people even farther. If that happens, more attacks will follow."

"Then I'll hunt each one of your kind down," Jupiter exploded in rage. "I'll do whatever it takes, destroy whatever I need to destroy, to make sure your people never walk this earth again. I'll wage a war against your kind that you won't believe - that'll make even the strongest of you cringe in fear and horror!"

"NO!" Linda Anderson protested loudly. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! This is my planet too, and I can't let you destroy us to destroy them!"

"KEEP QUIET!" Jupiter ordered. Linda fell to the ground choking.

"NO! LET HER SPEAK!" Dennis objected loudly. "Linda has a valid point. This isn't just our war we're discussing here. Just like before, her people will be swept up into it and millions would die as a result. So let her speak!"

"How dare you come into my home and tell me what to do you filthy, MACOE TITAN!" Jupiter bellowed with rage. "I GIVE THE ORDERS HERE! YOU HAVE UNTIL SUNSET TO BRING ME THE ONES RESPONABLE FOR THESE ATTACKS OR I WILL GO INTO ANDERSONVILLE AND TEAR IT APART BRICK BY BRICK!"

Dennis stood sternly and replied calmly, "Andersonville is a computer generated program, Jupiter. You can't tear it apart brick by brick unless I allow it. You could send a tornado through the center of my town and it would still be standing afterwards. Don't ever underestimate the humans, or us, Jupiter. You may be surprised at what we can do together."

Jupiter looked as if he wanted to strike down Dennis with a thunderbolt. "Apollo, get this 'Titan' out of my sight."

Apollo grabbed Dennis' arm and pulled him away quickly through the portal before his father changed his mind. Jupiter looked down at Linda lying on the ground trying to regain her breath.

"Venus, please take care of Linda." He turned and walked into his inner sanctuary to be alone.

***

"He's better," Annietta told me. "We're now at a critical point in his recovery. I need you to remember something else."

"But what?" I asked. "I relieved when I first met him, and our first time as lovers. What else is there?"

"Perhaps the secret you've been hiding from him," she told me directly. "I've picked up on it when you were connected."

"I wanted to wait for a special time."

"This is it, my dear. Tell him now."

I took her hand and everything around me went black. Slowly Judge Jasper's office faded into view.

"You sent for me, Your Honor?"

"I was under the impression you were looking for me," Judge Jasper stated as he looked at me over his glasses. "I did call you here for a reason. How would you like to go someplace for a few days?"

"Where, Your Honor?"

"California...to Tri-Rivers Speedway. Do you know of a racer named Jim Niles?"

"No, I can't say I do, Judge. There are so many drivers out there; it's hard to keep track of all of them unless they're well known or you've raced against them a few times. Who is he?"

"He's a dead man, Miss Felton. If left alone, he won't live to see the end of this year."

"And you want to bring him here, to live?"

"That's the plan," he said getting up from his seat. "Tea?"

"No thank you, Judge. Why send me?"

"Someone has to race the car," he explained. "I could use one of my own people, but I would like someone with experience behind the wheel. Apollo will go with you to help out."

"And you trust me?" I asked in surprise. "I've only been here a short time."

"Some people you just know about Miss Felton, and you're one of those people." He stirred his tea carefully then continued. "Let us speak openly and honest here. I know you won't try to escape, and I know you won't tell anyone about our operation. Currently my resources are stretch rather thin right now."

"Because of the attack on Mrs. Marshall?"

"What do you know about that?" he asked curiously.

"Just what I've heard through rumors. That some of the Titans tried to kidnap her for reasons I don't know about. She got away and now the town seems to be on high alert."

"Without going into the specifics, that's basically correct."

"It's also safer to have me go than one of your own people," I added.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked coldly.

"Come on Judge. If you send one of your people they're at risk for the same type of attack. But me, the Titans don't care about me. Even if something does happen to me, well, I'm expendable."

"No one here is expendable," he said softly. "If I thought you would be in any kind of danger, I wouldn't ask you to go."

"But doesn't that put Apollo in danger, being out there all alone with no one to watch his back?"

"Actually, no. He's the one person who doesn't have to fear from these kinds of attacks. Apollo is our negotiator to the Titans. The Titans know they need him to get what they want from us. So they won't hurt or kill the voice of their people."

"I see. When do I go?"

"Within the hour. Apollo is already on location with the car. I'll have Mars fly you out there and fill you in on the specifics along the way. Will you go?"

"Yes, I'll go."

"Good." Judge Jasper smiled. "That was my business, what's yours?"

I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "I'm pregnant," I blurted out.

I didn't know what kind of reaction I had been expecting, but the look Jupiter gave me wasn't it. He looked angry and upset. He put down his teacup and rose up from his chair.

"What did you say?" he asked while leaning forward.

"I'm...I'm pregnant," I repeated like a frightened high school girl telling her father.

"Is it Officer Merrick's baby?" he demanded to know. I nodded that it was, and this only seemed to upset him more. He angrily paced over to the window and stared out it, his hands clasped neatly together behind his back.

"I'm...I'm happy about this," I stuttered out.

"Happy?" he almost shouted. Judge Jasper turned and I could see the anger clearly registering on his face. "Do you realize what this means?"

"I...I think so," I answered weakly.

"No, I don't think you do," he said in an accusing fashion. "You're both outstanding members of this community. People know you, even look up to you. This is a fine example you've both set - getting pregnant before being married."

"I don't care what other people think!" I replied, suddenly getting very upset by his tone. "I love him...and he loves me!"

"Love!" he repeated sarcastically and throwing his hands up in the air. "And that makes this all better!"

"This baby," I hissed with tears in my eyes, "is your grandson - your future! I thought you would be happy about that, but I can see I was wrong. Well, you can either love this baby Judge, or you can choose to ignore him or her; but this baby is Mark's and mine and you can't change that!"

"Oh yes I could," he snapped back. My face went pale.

"Please Judge, don't hurt my baby." Jupiter got a disgusted look on his face.

"I would never hurt a child," he told me forcefully. "Never, do you hear me. I'm not a monster! What I'm saying is that if I wanted to, I could change your condition. I wished you two had planned this a little better. People live by example, and this wasn't a very good example to set."

"I can't live my life for other people," I told him. "I have to live it for me, and for those I love."

"A noble idea, but hardly practical," he stated. "Have you told him?"

"No, not yet. I wanted to tell you first." Jupiter nodded and went back to looking out the window.

"He's suppose to be here soon, I'll talk to him about this."

"No!" I told him forcefully.

Jupiter turned and narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?" he demanded to know.

"I said 'NO'! This is our baby and Mark should hear it from me, not you."

A look of either anger or frustration appeared on Judge Jasper's face, and he quickly turned to look back out the window again.

"Leave me," he commanded forcefully. "We'll talk about this more when you get back."

"You won't tell him, will you?" I asked tearfully. "Please tell me you won't."

"My talk with Officer Merrick can wait," he replied.

"Thank you, Your Honor." I left the room quickly.

Outside I ran into Linda, who looked at me with great concern. "Are you okay, Sherry?"

"I'm fine. Do you have a tissue by chance?" She passed me a box of them. I took one and lightly tapped each eye.

"If you want to talk, I'm here," she offered.

"I appreciate that," I replied. Mark walked into the room and immediately noticed I was upset. Linda looked at him, and then back at me.

"I need to file something in the next room," she said quickly and left the office. Mark walked over and touched my arm.

"What's going on?" he asked carefully.

"It's nothing," I replied. Now didn't seem like the time to tell him about the baby.

"I've noticed you don't cry unless there's a reason."

"It's silly," I told him.

"I won't laugh," he promised.

"It's just that, Judge Jasper is sending me away on a trip and I'll be gone for a few days. The thought of being away from you is...well, upsetting."

"Hey," he said giving me a hug. "I'll be right here waiting for you when you get back. Our reunion will only make the moment that much more special. Tell you what. When you get back I'll take you out someplace nice to celebrate."

I didn't replied. I held onto him for dear life. A terrible thought was creeping into my mind. Supposing his reaction was the same as Judge Jasper? What if Mark didn't want a new son or daughter, and he got angry about it. Would this baby drive us apart instead of bringing us closer together? I knew he loved me, but we had never talked about having a child before. This was my way of showing him how much I loved him, but maybe he didn't want me to love him that much.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," he said, mistaking my mood for other reasons.

"No, I'm going," I answered wiping the tears from my eyes. "I'll miss you, Mark. I love you."

"I love you too," he smiled. We kissed and I headed home to pack.

***

"What's wrong, Sherry?" Apollo asked as he drove us to the racetrack. Attached to the pickup truck was the racecar I would be driving.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" I replied gloomily as I continued to stare out the window.

"Because I can sense it," he answered. "Maybe talking about it would help."

"I just miss Mark, that's all."

"That's not what I feel," he told me. "It's something else besides loneliness."

"Maybe you should mind your OWN FUCKING BUSINESS!" I snapped back.

"I'm sorry Sherry, I didn't mean to pry," Apollo replied calmly. His concern only caused me to start bawling. I felt so miserable and lost. Apollo waited until I was done crying before speaking again.

"Do you know Sherry, that being able to sense how others feel around you is a curse? Oh, it sounds like a neat ability to have, until you feel their sadness. That's because sadness is one emotion you can't ignore. When you feel sadness in others, you'll do anything to help them feel better."

"I...I never realized that before, Pete."

"I can sense your sadness Sherry, and after thousands of years of practice, I'm pretty sure I know what this is all about. Do you want me to tell you what I think it is?" I nodded my head and he continued. "You're afraid that Mercury won't accept this baby you're carrying inside you, isn't that correct?"

"Yes!" I answered wondering how he knew I was pregnant. I felt the water works starting to open up again.

Apollo smiled and put his hand on the back of my head in a comforting fashion. "Sherry, Mercury is going to be thrilled when he finds out. He is going to love this baby just as much as he loves you. I swear he will, and so will everyone else."

"Not your father," I cried out. "I told him I was carrying his grandchild, and he hated the idea."

"My father is under a lot of stress right now, Sherry. You'll have to forgive him if he was a little upset with you back there. This attack on Vickie Marshall was bad enough, but we just heard that the same Titans plan to try it again with someone else. It's not easy for him to keep the peace with the same people who are attacking his loved ones. Trust me, Sherry, he wasn't thinking clearly at the time you told him. He'll love this new baby as much as you will. So will Mercury."

"Are you telling me the truth," I sniffed. "Will Mercury really be happy to hear I'm carrying his child?"

"I wouldn't lie to you," he said seriously then grinned. "If he isn't, I'll beat him up until he is."

I giggled and wiped the tears from my eyes. "Thank you, Pete."

"You can call me Apollo when no one's around," he grinned.

"Thank you Apollo," I smiled back.

***

Slowly the room faded back into view, and I found myself getting very emotional over the events that had taken place. This should've been a happy moment for us. Why hadn't I told Mark about the baby before I left? What if he died without knowing he was going to be a father?

"Did it help? Is he better?" I asked.

"I'm checking," the muse answered as she moved her hand back and forth over Mercury's forehead.

I couldn't stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. Why did this have to happen?

"Please wake up," I pleaded to him. "I love you, Mark. I don't want to raise this baby alone. Please, I need you so badly."

I buried my face into his chest and started to cry loudly. Damn it, why had the damn Titans attacked him? What had he done to them except work for peace! Damn them! - Damn them! - Damn them!

Something touched the top of my head, and I thought it was the muse trying to comfort me. If she was, it was a wasted effort. I didn't want to be comforted by anyone. I wanted to cry and scream, and kill all the bloody-thirsty Titans who had done this to him. Then I felt Mark's body moved slightly and his arm brushing against the side of my face. That hand didn't belong to the muse - it was his. I looked up and saw him staring at me with tired eyes.

"The baby," he whispered. "It is true?"

"Yes, Mark, it is," I almost cried. "You're going to be a father, and I'm the mother of your child." He smiled.

"I love you!" he said softly, then closed his eyes. I looked up at the muse who smiled.

"He's okay, just sleeping. He'll need to rest for a day, but the danger is gone."

"Thank you," I said hugging her. "If this baby is a girl, I'm going to name her after you."

"That's not necessary my child, but thank you. Now, I'm going to go out and tell Jupiter the good news. Why don't you sit with him for a while, I'm sure he'd like that. You can touch him, but don't try to talk to him too much. He needs to rest."

"I will, and thank you again Annietta for saving his life."

"It's my pleasure." The muse smiled and walked out the door.

***

I stood there looking out over the lush, green forest below, wondering where in the hell I was. For some reason, nothing about the landscape reminded me of earth. Even the sky above was different, a sort of pinkish red tint to it. Adding to the mysteries, the sun hadn't moved from the same spot in the sky since I had arrived here hours ago.

Despite Venus's best effort, I could still feel where Jupiter had choked me. She informed me I was lucky to be alive, and I believed her. Even hours later it still hurt to swallow. I noticed someone had walked up and was standing beside me. It turned out to be Jupiter.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked while looking out at the horizon.

"I'll heal," I replied curtly. "How's Mark doing?"

"My son is doing better - he'll live anyway." He turned and gave me a frown. "What you did, Linda, was very stupid. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but you must never interfere in my business with the Titans again."

"Where are you at with them?" I questioned.

A look of conflict appeared on his drawn face. "The deadline has past. Unofficially, we're now at war with them. Mars and the others are waiting for my word.

"Don't do it, Judge - Please!" I begged. "If you go to war with the Titans there'll be no winners. You'll end up tearing the earth apart and leaving rubble in its wake. No government is going to sit back and idly watch their people get slaughtered - they won't stand for it. This will truly be a world war where there'll be no winners."

"What can I do?" he asked, choosing to look back at the lush landscape instead of facing me. "I can't allow these attacks to continue. We've had three attacks since Andersonville came into existence. The last time such an attack occurred on us was centuries ago. I'm afraid that giving the Titans their own port of call has encouraged this to happen."

"Your Honor, there is another way. Show them some good faith and release some of their people you're holding."

"Bow down to their attacks and give them what they want. Never!" he said firmly.

"Giving in is not what they want," I explained. "The Titans behind these attacks want their people freed by war and bloodshed. They want to see you fall, not have you work with them. If you let some of their people go it'll be like shooting an arrow into their hearts. You'll give Dennis Butz more credibility and power, while taking theirs away. I can't believe the majority of the Titans want a war any more than your people do."

"You may be surprised at what they want," Jupiter lectured. He thought about it carefully, as if he were weighting everything he knew in his mind. Then he called out, "Mars, come here."

"Yes father," the god of war replied. He marched over dressed in his Roman battle gear.

"I want you to release 20 prisoners and prepare them to be flown to Andersonville tonight."

"Father!" he gasped angrily. "After what they did to Mercury and my wife. How can you bargain with them like this?"

"I'll explain my reasons later. For now, do as I say," he commanded. "There'll be no war with the Titans today."

"It will be done," Mars answered bitterly and walked away.

"As you can see, not everyone is against going to war," Jupiter pointed out.

"Mars and those like him will have the hardest time," I replied.

"Perhaps, and perhaps they're also right," he noted harshly. "I want you to fly out with them Linda, so you can meet them for yourself. And when you see Dennis Butz, tell him I'm giving his dream some more time. However, if I catch these criminals who attacked my people outside his town, I'll bring them to Peace River and charge them with the crimes they're guilty of. For now, Andersonville will remain a sanctuary for 'all' his people."

"Thank you, Your Honor. This is the right decision."

"We'll see," he replied emotionlessly, then walked away leaving me standing there alone.

***

Mars was furious! What was his father thinking? Bowing down to these Titan attacks by trading criminals for their safety. IT WAS UNTHINKABLE!

"Father, what is Jupiter up to?" Deimos asked.

"I don't know son, but it better be good." They walked past two Cyclopes guarding the cellar gate and Mars unlocked the door. "I still can't believe he would give into the Titan's demands. What the hell is going on here?"

"I don't know father, but I was looking at this list you made up and..." Deimos didn't finish his thought, causing his father to turn and give him a firm stare.

"Yes?" he demanded his son to finish.

"A few of these people are known troublemakers," Deimos blurted out. "We should switch them with somebody else."

"No," Mars stated firmly. "I know what I'm doing."

"But father, they will only cause trouble once released. I thought the idea was to ease tensions, not increase them."

"That was Jupiter's idea, not mine," Mars exclaimed.

"Father, do you want war?" Deimos asked puzzled.

"No," Mars told his son honestly. "However, sooner or later these individuals will have to be released. Would you want it done later, when more of the Titan prisoners are free and as a group, they would be more powerful? Let Dennis Butz prove his people can be trusted by releasing some of the worst. If they do change, then I'll feel better about releasing others in the future. I'll even go to the council personally and ask for it to be done. But personally my son, I don't think they will. So I would rather prove my point now than later, when they are stronger and more of a threat.

"That's good strategy, father," Deimos agreed.

"Thank you, son. Now, let's go free a few Titans, shall we." He tugged on the heavy metal door and they descended down the stone steps.

***

I looked back at them sitting there silently in their seats. They had been given regular clothes to wear, but most of them were ill fitting giving them a refugee look. There were no cheers or smiles after I announced we had left Peace River air space. They just sat in their seats quietly, as if they were afraid of what would happen next. I turned to one of them who seemed to be their leader. He was an older man with a long beard and rugged face who sat there staring ahead.

"Excuse me, sir," I interrupted. He came out of his trance-like state and looked at me.

"My name is Crius," he said suspiciously.

"I'm Linda," I smiled trying to break the ice. "I was wondering if I could get you anything, water, some juice maybe."

"We're fine," he replied coldly. "We require nothing at this time."

He said it in such a way that I knew our conversation was over. I shrugged my shoulders and went forward to the cockpit.

"We'll be in Andersonville in a few minutes," Apollo said banking the plane slightly to the left. "Look, you can see it ahead."

The town was a bright spot on the dark landscape below. Farther to the west I could see the military base set up to watched over us. To the south I spotted what looked to be the headlight of a train engine working it's way toward Andersonville.

"It's so beautiful," I whispered. "Don't get me wrong, Pete, I like your town a lot. But Andersonville is home to me."

"I understand," he chuckled. "How are our guests back there?"

"Cold as ice cubes," I replied.

"They're just nervous," he told me. "They don't know what's going to happen when we get there. They think this may be some kind of trick. I guess I would feel the same way if I were in their shoes."

"Do you think things will work out okay?" I saw Apollo reach above him and put down the landing gear.

"Only if they want it to, Linda. The ball is in the Titan's court now. How they act is how we will react."

"Pete, can I ask you a personal question? Do you hate the Titans?"

"A little," he said with a frown. "But I hate war even more. You better get buckled in Linda, we'll be landing in a moment."

I took my seat and minutes later felt the wheels hitting the pavement. The jet slowed then came to a stop outside the hanger. I rose out of my seat and opened up the door.

"You can come out now," I told them. They looked at me with disbelief and then at each other. "It's okay, we're at your new home. Come out and see it."

I noticed Crius nod his head and they started unbuckling their seat belts. I stepped outside and spotted Dennis standing by his car, his face full of concern. He calmly walked over to me, but there was tension in his body moments.

"What's going on, Linda? You told me you had a message from Judge Jasper."

"That and a present for you, Dennis. Look at the plane."

The first few of them were just now stepping out. They looked around the airport as if they weren't sure what was going on. Dennis' face went white as if he were seeing a ghost.

"Crius," he called out. He quickly approached the leader of the group who eyed Dennis with suspicion.

"Who are you?" he asked defensively. Dennis whispered something that I couldn't hear and the older man smiled. They embraced liked long-lost family members.

"Welcome home, brother! Welcome home!" Dennis kept repeating. Then he stopped and gasped. "It can't be."

A tall, well built man was just getting off the plane. Dennis rushed over to greet him.

"Artus, my son. I can't believe he let you leave." Tears formed in the director's eyes as he spoke something to him and they both hugged. Others joined in, greeting and hugging Dennis one by one as they came off the plane. There was laughter as each one realized they were now free.

I stood there watching when someone came up and tapped me on the shoulder. It turned out to be my brother, Steve.

"Welcome home, Linda," he said with a smile.

"It's great to be back home," I told him with a hug.

"This is turning out to be quite a show," Sergeant Dave Williams said as he joined us. "We weren't sure what to expect when you told us you were coming. By the way, welcome home, Linda."

"Thank you Officer Williams. It's great to be back, even if it is just for a couple of days."

"Why don't I have Officer Tabler drive you home," he said thoughtfully. "I'm sure you're parents and Jennifer will be thrilled to see you again." I looked back at the new arrivals with some reservations. "Don't worry, Linda, I'll take good care of them," he reassured me.

"Thanks, Dave." I took one last look, knowing I was seeing history being played out before my eyes. "Let's go home, Steve. I can't wait to see the expression on mom and dad's face when I walk through the door unexpected."

We got into the police car and Officer Tabler drove us away.

Fade out...

Next episode - P.O.W.

This story is dedicated to editors Geoff, Samuel Vincent, and Nelson T. whose hard work made me look good. Thanks guys, I couldn't have done it without you.

 

Andersonville 19 - P.O.W
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff, Nelson T., Samuel Vincent

Copyright 2002

Flashback - 3 years ago

There were 20 of them crowded inside the small basement of the suburban home. Eighteen females and two males, although some would argue that wasn't really correct. Before coming to Peace River the numbers would've been reversed, and thus it would've been eighteen males and two females standing there. Each of them was young, beautiful, and most important, had a burning desire to leave Peace River. They called themselves the Freedom Fighters.

"A toast to our success!" Lori Dillon announced while lifting her glass high in the air. She was the unofficial leader of the group, and the one who had come up with this plan. The rest of them followed suit, looking sadly at each other as they did. Each one knew some of them would be dead by the time this was over. Who would die they didn't know, and as Judy Chunn took a drink she knew it could just as easily be her. In the next 24 hours one of three things would happen; she would be dead - she would be captured and brought before Judge Jasper - she would be a free man.

Judy frowned slightly. Almost two years of living in this new body and she still thought of herself as a man when clearly she wasn't. She was a young woman with an oriental face, and straight black hair that reached down to her waist. Judy was also short, standing about 5'3" and weighing 105 pounds if she were soaking wet. That was a far cry from the 275 pounds, 6'2" frame she had as a man.

"I just want you to know," one of the members spoke with tears in her eyes, "that I love each of you like a family member. I...I just hope we can still stay in touch after this is over."

Her words echo the sentiments of all of them in the room. They scrambled to hug the crying woman while wiping the tears out of their own eyes. Too much sad emotion could bring trouble, as their captors seemed to sense it in them.

"It's time," Lori told the group. "Good luck, everyone. I hope to see you on the outside. Remember don't take chances. If you can't make it to the other side turn back. Live to run another day."

The group left in single file, each of them taking their turn hugging Lori and her husband, Steve. Judy was the last to leave, only because Lori meant the world to her. If it hadn't been for Lori's support in the beginning, Judy most likely would've cut her wrists like so many had done before her. Their leader had saved Judy and given her a reason to live. When Judy approached her, tears began to fall freely from her eyes.

"It's okay, Judy," she whispered and hugged her tenderly. "I'll meet you on the outside as soon as the news breaks. We'll meet at the pre-arranged site we talked about. Just remember, not beforehand. If I do get captured, Judge Jasper will pull the information out of me and set a trap for you."

"I...I understand," Judy answered while wiping the tears from my eyes. "I just hope it happens soon. I'll miss you until then, Lori."

"And I'll miss you my friend," she said softly with loving emotion. "Now go, there isn't much time."

Judy grabbed her purse and headed to the designated point assigned to her. All things considered, her route was probably a little harder then most. The river was at least a 100 yards wider than the other crossing areas and was close to the main bridge. On the other hand, she had been told there was a road only a mile on the other side. With luck, the young woman might be able to catch a ride if someone was driving by.

Carefully Judy made her way down the riverbank to where her raft was hidden. It was a homemade raft, made of canvas, plywood, and milk jugs. It wasn't pretty, but she hadn't built it for looks. It was her ticket to freedom. Lori had helped her assemble it the day before, and Judy had carefully hidden it close to the river. The full moon made her job of finding it easier.

Lori had told the group that she had picked this night for two reasons. The first was because of the moon, which would give them some light to see in the darkness. The second was her contact, whoever that was, had informed her that most of their captors would be out of town tonight celebrating. Their celebration had something to do with a victory over their enemies thousands of years ago. All things considered, there would never be a better time to try this.

Judy picked up her backpack containing food, clothing, extra batteries for the flashlight, and a few other items she thought she might need. Then she stripped off her clothes and changed into a pair of dark jeans and sweatshirt. Once dressed, Judy stuffed everything into her backpack and pulled the raft down to the rivers edge. Then she waited.

As the deadline got closer the butterflies grew in her stomach. At midnight the first boaters would start their mission, and they had the most dangerous mission of all. Their job was to enter the waters first in hopes of distracting the mermaids and mermen away from the rest of them. To try and save themselves from literally being eaten alive, each one carried a case of steaks. Of course no one knew for sure if these creatures would turn down a live steak dinner for a dead one.

The young woman watched the minutes tick by until it was five after midnight, her time to leave. Just as Judy slid the raft into the water she heard a blood-curdling scream less than a mile away. A cold chill ran up her spine; one of her friends had just paid the ultimate price for failure. Judy tried not to think about it as she placed the motor of the raft; a modified house fan attached to a car battery, into the water. She attached the cable to the battery and gently started moving away from shore toward the other side; or Free America as it had come to be called. Looking to her right, she could see in the moonlight someone paddling across the river in a small kayak. That would be Penny Cavinee, a pretty young girl who had been forced to come here from her native land of Germany. It seemed that supplying the town with new residents was a worldwide effort, although about 85% of the people living in Peace River had come from the United States.

The motor hummed softly as Judy used an old paddle to steer the raft to its destination. The moon went behind a cloud temporarily and everything went dark, including the spot she was aiming for. The young woman heard a rippling sound behind her, and fought the urge to turn on her flashlight. If she did those creatures would spot her for sure. There was another scream in the darkness, someone crying out to God for them to stop. Then there was silence. Another one of her friends had paid the ultimate price for freedom.

Judy heard the ripple sound in the water again, and picked up a steak in case it was one of those creatures. The moon popped out from behind the cloud and the young freedom fighter scanned the surface of the river for monsters. She didn't see anything.

Another scream, this time much closer, caused her to look upstream. She watched in horror as Peggy's kayak flipped over as something grabbed her. There was a great deal of splashing in the water for several seconds but no more screaming. Then everything was still again. Peggy Cavinee never even made it back to the surface.

Judy's eyes went moist as she thought about Peggy's lovely smile and bubbling personality. Peggy was the type of person others were drawn to because of her easy nature and witty jokes. Now she was dead, along with at least two of her other friends.

The other side was getting closer. A few more minutes and she would be there. That's when she saw a head pop out of the water not far from her. It was a merman, and he was staring intensely at her raft. Judy could see his shining, white teeth as he smiled evilly at her.

The young woman picked up a raw steak and flung it as far away as she could in the hopes he would go after it. Unfortunately, another one of those creatures, this time a mermaid with dark hair, grabbed it. Judy reached for another steak, but the merman had already gone underneath the water.

"Shit," Judy cursed softly. She looked forward and noticed she was still at least a 100 yards from the shore. Judy could swim faster than her raft was going, but at this distance the young woman knew she would never make it. Suddenly the merman jumped out of the water and grabbed her leg with its slimly claw. Judy moved out of reaction, swinging her paddle and hitting him over the top of the head. It seemed to have little effect on him. She hit him again, this time in the face. The merman made a hissing noise and disappeared back into the water. Quickly Judy grabbed the remaining steaks and threw them into the water around the boat; hoping this would keep them off her. She noticed there were three of them out there grabbing for the steaks. Their fangs bit into the meat while their claws tore it to pieces. It was both fascinating and horrifying to watch.

There was a hard bump as her raft hit land. Judy grabbed her backpack and scrambled to shore. The other side of the riverbank was steep, but somehow she managed to climb up it in less than a minute. Her motivation came mostly out of her drive to get away from those creatures swimming around the sinking raft. When she reached the top she got down on her knees and rested for a minute. The freedom fighter looked around to see - no one. Well, that had been part of Lori's plan. Rather then meet up and leave as a group, they were supposed to go in different directions. It would be harder for them to capture twenty moving targets than two or three large groups.

It did surprise her a little that no one was moving about on the bridge. Perhaps their jailers were still investigating the screams and failed to notice others were leaving. Well, she wasn't going to wait for them to wise up. Judy stood and ran for the woods not far away.

Almost an hour went by as she struggled over the broken terrain and hidden branches that reached out to smack her in the face. Finally she stumbled out of the woods and onto a paved road, with a car speeding right at her. Judy ran out into the center of the road swinging her arms and begging for him to stop. The young man slammed on the brake and barely avoided hitting her.

"Please, I need a ride," she pleaded with the young man. "I'll do anything if you get me the hell out of here!"

He sat there for a moment gunning his motor before making a decision. "Anything?" he smiled while opening up the passenger door. "Hop in!"

"Does this car move?" Judy asked franticly as she practically dove into the passenger seat.

"Oh yeah," he replied confidently. "It's a special model, with an interceptor V-8 under the hood."

"I'll make you a deal," she told him. "I'll give you the best sex you've ever had if you can get me 70 miles away from this place in less then an hour!"

"Hang on then!" the young man smiled confidently. He slammed the car into gear and pealed off into the night. Judy looked back just to be sure there wasn't anyone following them. There wasn't.

"By the way, my names Robert Cardon, what's yours?" he asked.

"Judy...Judy Chunn. At least that's what I'm known as back there," she told him nervously. "Robert, have I got a story to tell you."

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is called Andersonville.

***

Fade in...Present day

Apollo was driving down the street to his next appointment, a 19-year-old gay man dying of AIDS. While the threat of the Titans had passed for the moment, the threat of not having enough replacements for their town always seemed to be there. They had to keep a constant number of humans in Peace River otherwise his people would suffer.

There had been talk by the council of expanding the town, and bringing more of their people out of stasis. Apollo didn't see how that could be achieved when they were barely able to maintain a population of 15,000. For every one of his people brought out of stasis, they needed 150 humans more or less to support them.

Oh, there was more than enough land to increase the size of the town. Originally Peace River had been designed to hold 100,000 people; enough to bring everyone out of stasis and keep the human population healthy. The problem was, they could never seem to grow past that magic number of 15,000 - and that was the least of their worries. There were bigger problems to tackle first, like the town's food and water supply. Recently they had learned that the saltwater from the river was slowly creeping into the fresh water table and damaging their crops and livestock. What had seemed like such a good idea 80 years ago was now slowly destroying their town. Something had to be done, but no one could think of a way to stop it. For all their powers, they were still at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Apollo stopped at a traffic light and tried to clear his mind; he shouldn't worry about things like this. His job was to find new recruits, not figure out how to save the town. Then he sensed it, very faint but also very clear. He turned his head back and forth, trying to locate where it was coming from. There - to the north.

Apollo forgot about his appointment; that could wait. He turned left trying to follow what he felt; the same way a bloodhound follows a scent. A few miles down the road he noticed that it was coming from a grocery store on the left. He pulled into the parking lot and waited, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Then he spotted who he was looking for. A woman, thin, petite, and her hair cut short so it hung a full inch above her shoulder. It was Judy Chunn, looking as lovely as ever. Apollo frowned. The young woman was pushing a stroller. She had a baby now?

He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the private number to his father's phone. Judge Jasper answered right away.

"Father, I just found Judy Chunn. What do you want me to do?"

There was a moment as silence as Jupiter thought about it. "Follow her and find out as much as you can. When you locate where's she's living, come back here."

"Yes, father," Apollo replied obediently and hung up the phone. He watched the young lady buckle her baby into the car seat and sensed happiness. That troubled the god of truth greatly.

***

Apollo, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Minerva, and Neptune were seated in Judge Jasper's chambers. Jupiter sat behind his desk looking over the report Apollo had hastily typed up for them. He put it down on his desk with an angry frown. Venus saw the frown and spoke first.

"We can't bring her back," she stated firmly. "Judy has a husband now, and a child. It would be wrong to break them up."

"May I remind everyone," Mars countered, "that Judy knows exactly where Peace River is located. We can't risk leaving her out there."

"Then we reason with her," Venus almost pleaded. "Her silence in exchange for us not interfering with her life."

"And what happens when you make her that offer and she remembers her friends?" Mars pointed out. "She could demand that they be freed as well. I'm sure she hasn't forgotten about them."

"I have to agree with Mars," Neptune added in a salty voice. "Supposing our visit only brings back old memories? She could bring the news media right to our front door, and then everyone will know about us."

"Then we lay it on the line," interjected Apollo. "We tell her that if she does talk to anyone her family would be killed."

"Death threats and blackmail make a poor contract!" Neptune answered coldly. "That is what you're proposing, Apollo. No, the only way to eliminate this risk is to bring her back to Peace River where she can't tell anyone about our operation."

"What about her family?" Venus asked. "Do they come with her?"

"Her husband designs booster rockets for NASA," Minerva stated clearly. "He's very gifted in that field. Losing him would set our timetable back by at least five years."

Apollo looked around the room and decided it was time to stick his neck out. "I agree with Venus, we can't separate Judy from her family. It goes against every principle I've been brought up to believe in. We should leave Judy where she is. I can talk to her, reason with her; but I don't want to destroy the life she has built for herself."

"It's her own fault," Mars argued. "She shouldn't have escaped in the first place. Do I have to remind everyone about 'The Mailman', and all the trouble he's causing us? We can't risk having anyone else finding out about us."

"It's clear there are two sets of arguments," Jupiter spoke for the first time. "I suggest we vote on the matter and decide what to do about it. All in favor of bringing Judy Chunn back to Peace River raise your hand." Mars, Neptune, and Minerva did so; Mercury, Venus, and Apollo did not.

"I see, so it comes down to me to break this deadlock." Jupiter cleared his throat. "There is more to this situation then just the simple question of whether or not Judy Chunn should be returned. She is a symbol to everyone else who doesn't want to stay here. Since her escape more then three years ago, attempts have gone up by 73%. Clearly, we can't allow this to continue. Mars, I want you to work out a plan to bring her back here, safely. That is all."

Apollo looked around the room sadly and wishing he hadn't told anyone about finding her. Judy Chunn had a new life, why couldn't they just leave her alone? He noticed Mercury seemed to feel the same way, although the god of truth didn't know why. Mercury was committed to the survival of Peace River. Venus on the other hand was easy to understand. She didn't want to separate a mother from her child unless the parent was abusive. Apollo stood to leave when his father asked him to stay. When everyone had left he spoke.

"I know you don't agree with my decision son, but it has to be this way."

"But why, father?" Apollo tried to reason. "Why not just let her live out her life in peace? Why must we bring her back here?"

"Because we must make an example of her," Jupiter stated firmly. "I have to show all those who are thinking of leaving our town that they will never be free, that we will continue to search for them - forever! I want them to see that any attempt is useless on their part, and if they do manage to escape they will be brought back here. I want to break their spirit once and for all."

"How do you plan to do that?" Apollo asked a little horrified.

"By holding a trial that will be televised throughout the town."

"Father, that can also send the wrong message. Judy Chunn isn't a criminal! You even said it yourself; some people look up to her. Think of what she will say if she has the chance."

"We'll control what is heard," Jupiter said. "There'll be a 10 second delay in the broadcast, so Mercury can edit out what goes on the air. Stephanie Hall will defend her, and I'll have Judge Herns' son prosecute. Linda Anderson will watch over everything to record the event, so it can be shown back from time to time."

"How do you plan to deal with Judy's disappearance?" Apollo asked feeling slightly ill at what he heard.

"Leave that to me son. Now, step outside, I need to speak with your brother Mars for a moment."

Reluctantly Apollo got up and left. He wanted to protest, to plead with his father for her life but knew it was useless. The truth was, he could understand his father's motives and it made good sense. He just wished he wasn't so close to Judy, so he wouldn't feel her pain when they brought her in.

Apollo left the room and a moment later Mars entered. He stood stiffly as his father carefully gave him a small nod. His son could be ruthless when it was required, the sign of a good soldier.

"I want you to bring John Stillwell to my office right way," Jupiter ordered. "Tell him he is to be released."

"Released?" Mars answered perplexed.

"Yes," Jupiter answered while pouring himself a cup of decaf coffee. "I know he's not happy here in Peace River. I also know he's trying to organize a group of people to escape with him, like they did three years ago. He wants to return to being a girl, so I'll honor his request."

"But father, we both know he can't be trusted. He'll tell everyone about our town if we let him go."

"Only if he were given the chance," Jupiter said with almost no emotion. "I don't care how you do it, just make sure the baby isn't harmed."

"It will be done," Mars replying strongly and understanding fully what his father was asking. He didn't enjoy killing people, but he would do as he was told.

***

"Are you sure you don't mind taking care of Matthew while I'm gone?" Judy asked her husband.

"Of course not, honey" he replied back. "We'll have a great time. Now go get your shopping done." He reached over and kissed her on the cheek.

Judy smiled inward as she left. Years ago the thought of being kissed by a man would've disgusted her, now it made her happy. Maybe that was because she had a good life now, with a loving spouse, a beautiful child, and most importantly, her freedom. There were no rivers filled with flesh-eating mermaids surrounding the town of Belm, NM.

Thinking of Peace River always made Judy sad. She had often sat and wondered what had happened to her friends, especially Lori. All this time and there had been no word from her. It could only mean she had been captured or killed in the escape. If she had survived, Judy shuddered to think what Judge Jasper had done to her. Judy felt a little guilty knowing that she was free while her friends were still trapped in that hellhole where reality was shifted. Oh, those in charge made it pleasant enough to live there, as long as you didn't mind giving up your freedom and in most cases, your gender. Then it was HELL!

"Why wouldn't they believe me?" Judy asked myself. She had repeatedly tried to tell others - newspaper reporters and even the authorities. One cop wanted to lock her up after she was done telling him the story. He would have too if Judy hadn't escaped through the back door when he wasn't looking. That's when the young woman decided to give up trying. It was a selfish act, but Judy knew if she continued they would find her. There was no way she was going back to Peace River, not after what she went through to get away. So Judy changed her last name and hid among the masses, hoping to be lost forever. And in those masses of people she met Tom Hartford, her loving husband.

She was a waitress working at a second-rate dinner where the owner didn't ask a lot of questions, like what her social security number was. Why Tom would even walk into a dump like that still puzzled Judy. He was quiet and shy, unlike other men she had known. Judy ended up falling for him immediately. It was strange, but being with him the first time felt so natural. She had tried a few lesbian lovers, some rather beautiful, but they just didn't satisfy her like he did. Oh, how he satisfied her. It was the quiet ones who were the best lovers.

After dating for six months he asked her to marry him. They drove to Las Vegas and got married that night - the happiest day of her life since the 'night of the screams'. That was what Judy called the night she escaped from Peace River.

Judy played with the idea of telling Tom about Peace River but didn't. She didn't want to ruin the best thing in her life. A few months after they were married she became pregnant and everything fell into place. Her past was a thousand years away, and she rarely thought about it anymore except in her nightmares.

As Judy turned into the parking lot, she paid little attention to see if anyone was following her. The first year after her escape she used to watch every car in her rear view mirror. Paranoia ran deep that it may be Judge Jasper or one of his people following her. Those in charge had told them that they would never be free, that if someone did escape they would bring them back. However, after almost three years of living on her own, Judy felt it had been nothing more than an idle threat meant to keep them in line. If they did know where she was they would've come for her by now. So when a dark van pulled into the parking spot next to her car, she didn't pay it much attention. After all, what did she have to worry about? But that little feeling of security was about to cost her everything.

Judy stepped out of her car and walked past the side door of the van. Suddenly the door opened and someone pulled her inside. She tried to scream but a hand covered her mouth. She looked up into the sad eyes of Officer Merrick.

"Relax, and go to sleep, Judy," he told her gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The young woman struggled to get away. She kicked her feet into the empty air and tried to bite his hand. At the same time Judy found herself getting very sleepy, and fought to keep her eyes open. If she fell asleep, all would be lost. Judy tried to squirm and break Merrick's hold, but it was no use. Her eyes blinked once, twice, then they closed for good.

"She's under," Mercury told Apollo.

"Let me have her purse," Apollo said. Mercury handed it to him. "I'll be right back."

Apollo stepped out of the van just as Mars was pulling up. There was a girl in the car that could've been Judy Chunn/Hartford's twin. She was even dressed like her. Mars got out of his car and walked over to where Apollo was standing.

"Here's her purse." Apollo handed it over and sensed the person who was in the car. "Why is she Judy's replacement?"

"Never mind," Mars told him firmly. "Get Miss Chunn back to Peace River. I'll take care of everything else."

Apollo looked at Mars carefully; something wasn't right here. What were his father and brother thinking?

"What's going on?" Apollo demanded to know.

"It was father's idea, not mine" Mars said truthfully. "John was becoming too much of a liability to us, so Jupiter changed him into Judy Hartford and told me to deliver her here. I'm suppose to go over her new life with her."

"I see," Apollo answered puzzled. None of this made any sense. Why replace Judy Hartford with someone who couldn't be trusted?

"You better go. Father is expecting you"

Apollo nodded and got back in the van. He took one more look at the new Judy Hartford. Something definitely wasn't right here. Shaking his head he drove off.

Mars watched him leave, glad that it was Apollo driving the van and not Mercury. His other brother would've stayed and asked too many questions - questions Mars didn't want to answer. The god of war turned to the new Judy Hartford who was still sitting in the car as ordered. He opened the door and motioned for her to step out.

"Here's your purse, Judy," he said roughly. "Put on this watch and jewelry too. Remember what I told you. If you get into any trouble give us a call - and don't try to double cross us, Judy. You wouldn't like the results if you did."

"All I want to do is forget about my time in Peace River, Mr. Marshall," John Stillwell snared. "Once I leave this parking lot I'll never think about you and that hellhole again."

She smiled, but Mars could feel the deceit in his emotions. John/Judy couldn't wait to blow the whistle on their operation as soon as she got the chance. The god was going to warn her again more forcefully but stopped himself.

'It doesn't matter," Mars said to himself. 'In less then a minute she wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything.'

"You better get going, Mrs. Hartford."

Judy/John smiled as she backed the car out of the parking space and drove away. She was particularly pleased to see a cloud of dust rise and surround Mr. Marshall as she left.

"Wait until I find a newspaper reporter, you bastards," she spoke out loud. "I'll fix your wagon but good for locking me up as a man all these years."

As Judy/John turned onto the main road she didn't see the semi truck that had inadvertently ran the red light. The truck struck the driver's side door at nearly 50mph and spun her car into a nearby telephone pole.

***

Judy woke up in a small, dark room. The first thing she noticed was that her jewelry and clothes had been removed, leaving her naked underneath a thin sheet. She sat up and took a better look around. Her new home was a jail cell, complete with one of those steel sink and toilet sets. Judy wrapped the sheet around her body and walked over to the door. She tried the handle but it was locked.

"Let me out!" she yelled. Judy pounded on the door a few times but it only hurt her hand.

Feeling helpless, she sat back down on the bed and began to cry. Why couldn't they have left her alone? Suddenly the ceiling light went on and the door opened. Officer Deimos walked into the cell with some clothes in his hand.

"What have you done to me?" Judy screamed. She stood up to face the cop, but he was still several inches taller than she was. The young woman tried running around him, but he grabbed her arm and sat her back down on the bed. Even though he was wearing his usual mirror sunglasses, Judy could feel his intense stare on her.

"Let me GO!" she yelled.

"No," he replied firmly then added, "Your lawyer will be here soon. I suggest you get dressed in these clothes."

"You PIG!" Judy cursed as he turned to leave. Officer Deimos stopped and looked at her. For a moment she thought he was going to say something else, but he didn't. The cop left, closing and locking the door as he did.

Judy went through the clothes he had given her. A pair of slacks, a rather stylish blouse, a lacy bra, a pair of panties, and a pair of shoes. She put them on then sat on the bed and waited. She thought about her baby and dear husband, who had to be worried sick about her. What did he think had happen to her?

Half an hour later there was a knock on the door, and a man entered the room. Judy's blood boiled with anger. It was Mr. Cupler.

"Good afternoon, Judy," he said pleasantly.

"Go away! I don't need you," she said in a raised voice.

"I think you do," he said with his boyish grin. "You seem to be most unhappy here."

"WHO IN THE 'FUCK' WOULDN'T BE! " she shouted. "YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. YOU CAN'T KEEP ME LOCKED UP AGAINST MY WILL!"

"Such language," he shook his head with amusement. "Not becoming of a young lady at all - not one bit. I want to help."

"Leave me alone, I don't want your help - at least not the kind you're offering. You...you'll make me feel...feel..."

"Happy," he finished for her. "Joyful, pleasant, cheerful. Why wouldn't you want to feel this way, Judy?"

"Because I'm human, you fucking bastard! Being sad is what makes me different from you. I want to feel sad! I miss my husband! I miss my baby! You kidnapped me and took me away from them."

"No, we brought you back to where you belong," he replied in a calm fashion. "Well, that's my opinion anyway. It's up to the court to decide where you belong."

"Court? What the FUCK are you taking about?" Judy demanded to know.

"Just what I said," he smiled. "There is to be a trial to decide if you should stay or be allowed to return to your current life outside Peace River. So you see Judy, we're not the 'bastards' you think we are."

"Don't sell yourself short, Mr. Cupler" the young woman told him curtly. "If that was the case I wouldn't be here in this cell, would I?"

"A matter of perspective," he answered. "Now, we can't have you meeting with your lawyer in this mood. My dear child, take my hand." He held his hand out toward her.

"No!" Judy shouted putting both of her hands behind her back. "Get the fuck out of here!"

He sighed slightly. "You know you can't fight me, dear." He stopped talking for a moment and his eyes got real big. "Your hand, Judy. Give it to me."

Judy's right hand started to move from behind her back on its own, as he stared intensely at the young woman with his big blue eyes. Judy tried to grab it with her left hand but it quickly dropped to her side.

"No!" she cried as her hand extended out to meet his. "Please, don't do this. Please, I don't want to feel that way again."

"There, there, my child," Mr. Cupler said in a comforting tone as he took it. "You know this will make you feel better." He began to stroke the top of her hand with his, and Judy felt a warm surge of energy move up her arm and invade her body.

"It's important that you're happy and think clearly when you see Ms. Hall. All I'm doing is changing your mood so you won't be nasty or say any of those foul, four-letter words to her my dear. Now, take a deep breath and relax - and think about how happy you are right now.

Judy did as he commanded, not really having a choice in the matter. Slowly her anger and sadness started to slip away.

"There, doesn't that feel better?" he smiled still rubbing my hand.

"I...I guess so."

"Of course it does," he reinforced the idea. "We want everyone to be happy here and live in peace. That's why we can't let anyone see you in your current condition. Do you feel the happiness, my dear?"

"Oh yes," she cooed back.

"Very good," he smiled and let go of her hand. "Now, Officer Deimos is going to take you to see Ms. Hall. I want you to be just as pleasant with her as you have been with me. She is here to help you, Judy."

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Cupler," she sniffed.

"You're welcome, Judy," he smiled gently. "Just so you know, I haven't really affected your thinking. You'll be able to think and react normally, only not in a harsh or crude way as you did earlier. Of course, if you do decide to stay, I may have to help you out a bit more at first. You understand, my dear."

"Yes, Mr. Cupler," Judy answered calmly, knowing that she should've felt frustrated by his control over her.

Cupid called for Officer Deimos, who walked into the room and took her arm. He led Judy silently to a small conference room down the hall and told her to take a seat. She sat there wondering what would happen next, and yet not bothered by it. Ten minutes later Stephanie Hall showed up and placed her briefcase on the table.

"Hello, Judy," she smiled while extending her hand. The young woman took it and managed to smile back. "I'm Stephanie Hall, your attorney. While you may not have a great deal of trust for those here, I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you're freed."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Hall," Judy grinned. "What happens will happen I guess.

The attorney gave her client an odd look. "Did Mr. Cupler see you this morning?" she asked.

"Just before I was brought here," Judy giggled happily. "I was feeling rather sad and he made me feel better."

Anger appeared on Stephanie's face, and she slammed her briefcase shut. "I'll be right back!" she snapped.

"I'll be here," Judy giggled again.

Stephanie stepped into the hallway where Officer Deimos was guarding the door. "Where is Mr. Cupler?" she demanded to know in a harsh tone.

"I think he's in the file room," Officer Deimos replied, a little taken back by her up-front tone. "He was working..."

"Thank you," Stephanie cut him off and walked away. She found Mr. Cupler sitting at a table looking over a file while drinking some tea.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked angrily after closing the door.

"What do you mean?" Cupid replied. He was rather surprised to see Stephanie talking to him that way. Normally she was a rather laid back human.

"I'm talking about the magic you used on Judy Chunn - I mean Hartford. I told Judge Jasper that if I took this case it would be without any interference from others. You just interfered!"

"First of all, I wasn't aware of his agreement with you," he answered rather dryly. "Second of all, she was being rather unpleasant - just like you are I might add. I would think you would be pleased that you didn't have to deal with her in that condition."

"Anger is how I get to the root of the problem," Stephanie pointed out in a calmer tone. "I want you to remove whatever you did to her."

"She'll be out of control," he warned.

"I'll take my chances," Stephanie countered. "And don't see her again unless you ask me first."

"I don't need your permission, young lady," Cupid replied in a firmer tone.

Stephanie laid a piece of paper down in front of him. "This is an order signed by Judge Jasper, I'm sure you'll recognize his signature. If you read it you'll see it gives me complete control over my client, including who can and can't see her. As of right now you do need my permission. I don't want to make this an issue, Mr. Cupler, so please don't try my patience. I'm telling you not to see her unless you ask me first. Now please remove whatever you did to her."

"Very well." Cupid waved his hands in the air a few times. "It's done."

"Don't you need to see her to remove your love spell?"

"No," he smiled. "She's back to her normal, rude self. Good luck, Mrs. Hall."

"Thank you, Mr. Cupler," Stephanie answered politely but distantly.

Cupid cocked his head to one side. "You don't like me, do you?"

"I don't hate you," Stephanie replied.

"But you don't like me," he stated the obvious. "Why Stephanie? Have I done something to offend you?"

Stephanie sighed. The truth was, she didn't like Cupid. It wasn't so much his personality traits as the history they once shared.

"No, you haven't done anything to offend me," she explained. "I just remember our sessions when I first came here."

"But that was so long ago, and I didn't hurt you...did I?

"That depends," Stephanie explained. "I was very sad when I first got here. All I wanted to do was cry and feel sorry for myself. You thought that by taking away my misery it would make everything all right, but it didn't. All you did was take away something that was natural to my soul. I still had to deal with the pain inside but on your terms, not mine."

"I don't understand?" Cupid said. "I did this for your own good...really I did."

"Maybe, but I think we both know it benefited your people as well. Being sad isn't allowed in Peace River, Mr. Cupler. Don't tell me I don't know what I'm saying; I've defended enough clients to know the truth. Less then 24 hours after Judge Jasper converts them to their new lives, you or Vicki make a visit. I've noticed that she usually takes the male residents and you take care of those who become women."

"But I was doing it for your own good," he argued. "What does it benefit you to be in this state?"

"I guess you would have to have a good cry to understand, Mr. Cupler. Now if you will excuse me, I have a client to defend." With those parting words Stephanie left leaving Mr. Cupler to ponder what she had said.

***

"Can you help me," Judy asked.

"It won't be easy Judy, but I'll do my best," Stephanie told her. "From what I can see, there are two ways we can go here. One, we can claim the contract Judge Jasper made with you is illegal and you should be let go. The second is that we show you've proven you can live on the outside without their supervision. Frankly, I think defense number two is our best strategy, but I'll be meeting with the prosecutor this evening and decide after that."

"But will arguing this do any good?" she wanted to know.

"Judy." Stephanie looked directly into her eyes to show her sincerity. "Judge Jasper assured me that it will be a fair trial, which means I can win. Frankly, the fact that you have a family now should pull a lot of weight here. If you want odds, I would suggest you plan on having dinner with them tomorrow after the trial is over."

"I hope you're right, Stephanie. I miss my baby and husband so much."

"Don't worry about them, Judy. I'm going to find you a nice dress to wear for court, something feminine to show the Judge how well you've adjusted. However, I can't emphasis how important it is that you watch your temper and the four-letter words. In a nutshell, you have to show him how much of a woman you really are. Am I clear about that?"

"Yes, very much so."

"Good," she replied. "I've made arrangements to have you moved to the guest room here at the station. I hate the thought of you spending a night in a jail cell when you haven't done anything wrong. Listen to what the officers say and obey them. And do not, do not, do not try to leave Peace River. If you do than you might as well plan on spending the rest of your life here. Just behave and don't cause any trouble. Are we on the same page here?"

"Yes, I understand," Judy told her. "I won't do anything that might hurt my case."

"Good," Stephanie smiled. "Now, one more thing before I go. I know you had friends in Peace River before you left. Is there anyone you would like for me to arrange for you to see?"

"Lori Dillon," Judy asked in a shaky voice. "Do you know if...if she's..." Judy couldn't finish the question.

"She's alive," Stephanie informed her with some reservations. "In fact Lori is supposed to testify at your trial tomorrow for the people. If you like, I can arrange for a short visit."

"Yes, I would like that very much. I need to talk to her - to see if she's all right. Lori was like a sister to me."

"I'll set it up." Stephanie walked over to the door and knocked. Officer Deimos opened the door.

"Please take Mrs. Hartford to the guest room as we discussed, Officer Deimos." He nodded and led her away.

***

I was already waiting in the rather modest size room that served at the prosecutor's office when Stephanie showed up. Lawrence Galloway was there too, dressed in a brown suit with a military haircut. Judge Jasper had informed me that I was to be present at this meeting so I could keep a record of what was said and done, including any deals placed on the table. I didn't expect Stephanie to be taking any. From what I knew about Judy Hartford, I was pretty sure Stephanie's client would go for broke. Besides, Stephanie seemed rather confident about her case as she sat down.

"Good evening, Mrs. Hall," Lawrence said with a slight grin. "Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee or tea maybe?"

"No thank you," Stephanie replied politely while giving me a nod.

"Then I think we should get right to it," he suggested while presenting Stephanie with a seat. "Judge Jasper has instructed me to offer you the following deal. Judy Chunn pleads guilty to escaping from Peace River in exchange for not being reduced past the age of 17 years old. She also has to go on record and tell people she was wrong to leave."

"You have to be kidding me?" Stephanie chuckled. "First of all, lets get a few things straight here, Mr. Galloway. My client's last name is Hartford, not Chunn. She was married while on the outside, and had a baby to boot. Second, I wasn't aware that leaving Peace River was a crime. In fact I haven't run across any law on the books that says it is. I was led to believe that this was a simple breech of contract that we could, hopefully, easily resolve."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hall, but you're wrong on both counts," Lawrence Galloway explained. "First of all, you, as well as anyone else brought here is aware that trying to leave Peace River isn't allowed. True, it's not on the books, but it's kind of one of those unspoken rules you might say. Let's not be naíve here, Mrs. Hall. Why do you think Judge Jasper built a river around the town and punishes those who try to leave?

"Second, since her escape was an illegal act the marriage is not valid. It can therefore not be recognized in this courtroom."

"Wait a minute!" Stephanie said rising up from her seat. "This is all news to me. Even if her act was a crime it doesn't void her marriage or name change. I insist that she be referred to as Judy Hartford at this trial."

"You can insist all you want, Ms. Hall," Mr. Galloway answered while sliding a piece of paper towards her. "However, as you can see, Judge Jasper has already ruled on this matter. I met with him this morning."

"Why wasn't I there?" Stephanie demanded to know.

"That I can't answer," he replied honestly. "I was told to inform you of this discussion and the charges when we met."

"What else have I been kept in the dark on?"

"Nothing," he said with a slight grin. "My meeting with Judge Jasper lasted less then five minutes. I brought up these issues and he answered them for me."

"Mr. Galloway, this is highly irregular," Stephanie stated her case.

"I agree," the prosecutor responded. "However, unless you want to delay the trial I don't think there is much you can do about it. As Miss Anderson can verify, Judge Jasper left for the afternoon."

"How convenient," Stephanie answered very annoyed. "Getting back to your offer, no deal. We'll take our case to trial."

"I wish you would reconsider," Mr. Galloway said. "I won't lose this case."

"That's what you said about Peggy Wilson and you were wrong," Stephanie pointed out.

"Only partially wrong. Besides, this is different. I won't lose. Ms. Hall." Stephanie noticed the man seemed awful confident about that statement.

"What do you know?" she asked. "You understand you can't keep anything from me if this is to be a legitimate trial."

"Take the deal, Stephanie," he pleaded softly. "Trust me on this, I won't lose. Your client doesn't have to suffer any more than she already has."

"Are you telling me this trial is fixed?" Stephanie almost hissed.

"I'm telling you I won't lose, Mrs. Hall," Lawrence said in a formal tone. "I can't be any clearer than that."

"I'll see you in court, Mr. Galloway." Stephanie stood up and didn't bother to shake his hand as she left. Lawrence shook his head after she was gone.

"I tried, Linda. Why won't she listen to me?"

"Maybe you weren't clear enough, Mr. Galloway," I replied curtly. "I hope for your sake this is a clean trial." I grabbed my purse and left.

The prosecutor shook his head and sadly sat down in his chair. He would win tomorrow, but there would be no glory in what he did. Lawrence picked up the list of people to question tomorrow, Office Ganymede, Lori Dillon, a few others. He tossed the list back down on his desk in disgust. What did it really matter? He knew Judge Jasper would rule in his favor. The judge hadn't said so at their meeting, but somehow Lawrence knew. And when he did, Judy Hartford would pay the price.

***

There was a knock at the door, and Officer Deimos, Judy's personal babysitter, came in.

"You have a visitor," he said. Judy noticed a little girl, maybe 6 years old, standing behind him.

"I'll leave you two alone." He closed the door.

"Lori?" Judy asked with tears in her eyes. It was her friend, a much younger version of her. Judy went to hug the little girl but she stopped her.

"Don't even think about it," Lori stated coldly.

"Lori, I...I don't understand?"

"What don't you understand, TRAITOR?" she spatted out. "You were suppose to rescue us - all of us. Instead I helped you escape and you repaid my kindness by leaving me here to rot."

"No, it wasn't like that Lori...honest," Judy pleaded and getting down on her knees so she could make eye contact with her. Lori slapped her face hard, causing Judy to cry out in shock and pain.

"We had a deal, 'friend'! The ones who got away would send help. Where in the hell is our rescue, Judy? Three long years, you couldn't find anyone to help us? NOT ONE DAMN SOUL! I understand you settled down and got married. Well how nice for you."

"Lori, don't be mad at me," Judy begged. "I swear, I tried to tell people about Peace River but they wouldn't listen. I almost got sent to a mental institution because of it. Finally I realized that it was useless."

"I suppose you think that makes it all right," she retorted. "So while I had to grow up again, you were out living life to the max."

"Where...where's Steve?" she asked carefully.

"My husband is DEAD!" Lori cried out. "He gave up his life so you could escape. He did this believing you would come back and save the rest of us. What a joke! He died a meaningless death. After your trial I never want to see you again. Do you hear me, Judy? My friendship with you is OVER!"

"But...but you're like a sister to me, Lori. I...I love you."

"NEVER!" she pointed her finger at me. Lori slammed the door as she left. Judy fell to the floor and started crying.

***

Over 150 people were crammed into the courtroom waiting to see what happened. Stephanie was seated next to her client looking rather confident, which only boosted Judy's spirits. Win or lose, Judy knew she couldn't be in better hands. Mr. Lawrence was seated across from them, dressed rather nicely and also looking sure of himself. Judy hoped Stephanie had some plan to shake his confidence.

Over in the corner Judy spotted a new girl sitting down in front of a computer instead of Ashlee Gang. She wondered what had happened to Judge Jasper's old assistant. The door to the judge's chambers opened and Judge Jasper came strolling out in his black robe.

"All rise," Officer Merrick stated to the crowd. "This court is now in session. The honorable Judge Jasper is presiding."

"Be seated," he told the crowd. "It is my understanding that both counsels have agreed to forgo their opening statements. Therefore, Mr. Galloway, you can call your first witness.

"Thank you, Your Honor. I call Officer Ganymede to the stand."

The young officer with light sandy hair and a boyish grin came forward. Three long years and Officer Ganymede didn't look any different to Judy than the day she had left. Officer Merrick swore him in.

"Officer Ganymede, you were on patrol alone the night twenty of our residents tried to leave by crossing Peace River, isn't that correct?" Lawrence Galloway started out.

"Yes, that's correct," he stated. "Officer Phobos was suppose to be on duty with me, but he was called out of town on another matter."

"Can you tell us what happened that night shortly after midnight."

"I was making my rounds when I heard a scream coming from the river. I knew what had happened and rushed to see if I could help."

"And could you?"

"Sadly no. By the time I got there the mermaids had already killed her. I later found out it was Rosa Chase. As I was going back to my car to radio it in, I heard more screams in the distance. That's when I knew something was up and I called for backup. I later learned that five people died that night trying to cross Peace River."

'Five!' Judy felt her stomach turn inside out. Five of her friends had been killed that night - eaten alive by those horrible creatures.

"That's quite a tragedy," Mr. Galloway pointed out. "How did you feel about that?"

"Objection, Your Honor!" Stephanie stated loudly. "How Officer Ganymede feels doesn't have any bearing on this case."

"I disagree, Mrs. Hall," Judge Jasper said stiffly. "I want to hear what he has to say. Continue, officer." Stephanie sat down disappointed."

"I felt sad - and guilty," Officer Ganymede stated. "Five people, one of whom I had talked to that afternoon, were dead. It's my job to watch over the people in Peace River and protect them. You see, Mr. Galloway, I'm still mostly human and I can sympathize with what they're going through. I don't have any real powers, but I try my best to make everyone feel safe and happy here. That night I felt I had let them down."

"What happened after you called in, Officer Ganymede?"

"Backup arrived 20 minutes later and we started searching the other side of the river. That's when we discovered some of them had made it across. We eventually found 12 all together, but three were missing."

"One of them being Miss Chunn."

"Objection, Your Honor," Stephanie rose to challenge. "My client is married now. Her legal name is no longer Miss Chunn; it's Judy Hartford. I request that the court calls her by her legal name."

"Overruled," Judge Jasper said. "The court has already ruled on that matter, it does not recognize her marriage or her name change. Therefore your client will be referred to in this court as Miss Chunn, or Judy Chunn if you prefer."

"But Your Honor," Stephanie started to protest.

"I said overruled, Mrs. Hall," he stated firmly. "Now sit down, Mrs. Hall. Continue Mr. Galloway."

"I have no further questions, Your Honor," he smiled.

"Your witness," Judge Jasper said dryly to Stephanie. The female attorney rose and walked over to the bench.

"Officer Ganymede, you stated that you and your backup started searching the other side of the river. Why?"

"Well, Mrs. Hall, to make sure they were okay, and to bring them back to Peace River of course. Some of them were pretty beaten up after their trip."

"Let's focus on bringing them back. Why did you do that?"

"Because they weren't allowed to leave?"

"Why is that, officer?"

"Your Honor, I object," Mr. Galloway boomed. "The purpose of Peace River is not on trial here."

"Sustained!" Judge Jasper said with a glare at the female attorney. "Officer Ganymede, you will not answer the question."

"Your Honor," Stephanie protested. "The reason why Mrs. Hartford..."

Judge Jasper slammed his gavel down hard. "Mrs. Hall, do not test my patients here. I have already ruled on Miss Chunn's last name. You will refer to her as Miss Chunn or Judy Chunn - do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Good!" the judge responded before she could say anything else. "I have also ruled on your question, now continue."

Stephanie looked discouraged but resumed her line of questioning. "Officer Ganymede, how long have you been a police officer?"

"Since 1947, Ms. Hall. The same year I was brought here."

"And has anyone ever explained to you why this law must be enforced?"

"YOUR HONOR!" Lawrence Galloway shouted.

"Sidebar in my office," Judge Jasper announced. Both attorneys and Linda Anderson followed him into his chambers. The Judge closed the door and pointed his finger at the female attorney.

"I don't know what you're trying to prove young lady, but you won't pull the wool over my eyes. The purpose of Peace River, or the number of people who have tried to leave, is not at issue here."

"Excuse me, Judge, but it is," Stephanie explained. "The reason why Judy Hartford cannot leave Peace River is the question in court today, not if she broke the law or not. For a law to be justified, you must know why it was created in the first place, isn't that correct Mr. Galloway?"

"Don't answer that," the Judge growled as he turned his full fury on Stephanie. "Let me give you fair warning, Mrs. Hall, that you're treading on very thin ice here. There is a reason why we have this law in place, and I think you know why."

"Then explain it," she replied. "Let everyone know what its purpose is."

"So you can debate it in front of an open court? We're not going there today, Mrs. Hall - or any other day. Nor are we going over the issue of Miss Chunn's last name, 'AGAIN'. If you mention the name 'Hartford' in my presence one more time I'll hold you in contempt of court! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, MRS. HALL?" Judge Jasper was so angry he was practically spitting out the words.

"Your Honor..."

"ENOUGH, MRS. HALL," he intoned. "Not another word about any or this, is that CLEAR!"

"Yes, Your Honor," she replied curtly.

"Then let us continue." Judge Jasper opened the door.

***

The next witness was Lori Dillon. She looked at her friend with contemptible eyes, and Judy found herself unable to face her. Before the escape they had been like sisters; now it looked like Lori wanted to rip her head off. Mr. Galloway started his questioning.

"Miss Dillon, this was your idea, isn't that correct?"

"Yes. I thought the plan up about six months prior. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"And now?"

"Objection, Your Honor," Stephanie protested.

"Overrule. The witness will answer the question."

"No, I wish we hadn't put it into action. Five of my friends are dead - the rest were punished. As for me, I have to go through my childhood again. It's not the easiest thing to do."

"Are those your only reasons?" Mr. Galloway asked.

"No," Lori answered a little hesitantly. "I've come to realize that trying to escape from here was wrong. Peace River is a wonderful gift when you think of everything that we are given. Anyone who wants to leave here is crazy."

"Objection!" Stephanie said in a frustrated tone.

"Overruled, Mrs. Hall," Judge Jasper replied in an equally frustrated tone. "Miss Dillon has a right to her opinion. Let her speak."

"Actually, Your Honor, I'm finished with this witness," Mr. Galloway said. He smiled politely and sat down. Stephanie stood and approached the little girl with disdain.

"So, you're happy living here, is that correct, Lori?"

"Objection," Lawrence Galloway announced while rising. "The witness has already answered that question."

"Let's move on, Ms. Hall," Judge Jasper encouraged.

"I just wanted to be sure, Your Honor," she replied with a smile. "Lori, can you tell me what happened to your husband the night of the escape?"

"Objection!"

"Overruled, Mr. Galloway," Judge Jasper ruled, perhaps trying to give the appearance of fairness to this trial. "The witness will answer the question."

Lori swallowed hard. "Steve and I were crossing the river on a homemade raft we had build. About halfway across the river five or six of these mermaids and mermen creatures popped out of the water. We tried throwing them steaks but...but they seemed more interested in us. They started jumping on the raft and grabbing for us. Steve and I kept fighting them off with our paddles, but they kept coming back. One of them, a merman, grabbed the paddle out of my hand. It was only a matter of time before they got me." Lori wiped a few tears out of her eyes and stared down at the ground.

"What happened next, Lori?" Stephanie asked.

"Steve...he...he threw me his paddle and jumped into the water. He told me he loved...loved me, and jumped in. That was the last time I saw him. He gave up his life to save mine. Oh GOD, I LOVED HIM!"

Lori burst into tears. Stephanie handed her a few tissues and waited. When Lori regained her composer Stephanie continued.

"Go on, Lori. What happened after Steve jumped into the water?"

"Somehow I got the raft to shore and took off running. I felt I owed it to Steve to get away, and warn others. I ran all night, but in the morning they surrounded me."

"You mean Judge Jasper's people."

"Yes, that's right," she sniffed. "I hid in the tall grass hoping they would leave. I guess they knew I was close by, they just couldn't find me. After about an hour they did find me and I was brought back to Peace River. That's when Judge Jasper turned me into a 3-year old little girl."

"I see. You must have been quite angry when Judge Jasper did that."

"At first, but I got over it. I realized what I had lost, and how happy I was to be here."

"Did Mr. Cupler ever visit you?"

"In the beginning, yes," Lori admitted. "But as you know, you come to these decisions on your own."

"I see, so you're happy now living in Peace River."

"As I said before, yes I am," Lori replied like an impatient little girl.

"Then why are you so mad at Judy Chunn?" she asked directly.

"What?"

"It's a simple question, Lori," Stephanie smiled as she sprung her trap. "If you're so happy here in Peace River, why are you so mad that Judy stopped trying to get help? I would think you would be relieved by that fact - knowing your world is safe. She wasn't planning on coming back here with the Cavalry, so why are you so mad at her?"

Lori got red, and looked at Lawrence Galloway for guidance, then over at Judge Jasper.

"Answer the question, Lori," Stephanie said softly.

"She...she let me down," Lori stuttered out.

"Yes, but that's a good thing, right? Now you don't have to worry about someone taking you away from here. Isn't that what you want?"

"Your Honor, Mrs. Hall is badgering the witness," Lawrence protested strongly.

Judge Jasper looked at Lori who was fidgeting on the witness stand and at Stephanie, who was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "Overruled. You will answer the question," he stated.

"I guess I wanted to blamed her for Steve's death," Lori whispered. "I didn't want to blame myself. Judy was a good scapegoat."

"And not because she escaped to start a new life while you were stuck here?"

"OBJECTION!" Lawrence Galloway yelled.

"NO!" Lori answer defensively at the same time, only it sounded like a lie.

"No further questions," Stephanie followed up before Judge Jasper had a chance to rule. She took her seat next to me.

Judge Jasper frowned. "At this time I'm going to call a recess until 1pm. Mr. Galloway and Ms. Hall, in my chambers. Linda, this doesn't include you."

Stephanie waited until Officer Deimos took her client away before leaving. She looked around the room during this time and saw a number of people muttering among themselves while staring at the Judge. There seemed to be a great deal of support for her case. If she could get Judge Jasper to feel their pressure, there was a good chance he would have to let Judy Hartford go free. The female attorney took a deep breath and followed the Judge into his chambers.

***

I watched Officer Deimos rush Judy Chunn out of the courtroom. From the mood of those in the courtroom, things didn't seem to be turning out the way Judge Jasper had counted on. Stephanie Hall was giving Mr. Galloway quite a battle, although I knew the real fireworks would begin when Judy took the stage. I spotted Pete Akins, the god Apollo, saying something to Mark Merrick. He looked upset, and in his hand he held a newspaper. He lifted it and pointed to something for Mark to look at. Whatever it was, it seemed to upset Mark as well, and both men left the room in a hurry.

"Would you like to have lunch with me, Linda?" Ashlee Gang asked with a warm smile.

"Thanks for the offer, Ashlee," I smile back. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to take a rain check. I have something I have to do right now."

"Good luck," she whispered as if she knew.

"Thanks," I replied.

I grabbed my purse and ran outside. I spotted the two gods walking down the sidewalk and followed them to Mark's communications store. I counted to ten then entered the shop and found them standing near the entrance having a heated discussion. Pete was clearly upset about whatever he had read, and stopped talking the moment I entered the store.

"What's up, guys?" I asked calmly.

"You need to go, Linda" Mark told me directly. "This isn't a good time."

"I just need to use the Internet for five minutes to check on a story I heard about," I told him. I noticed Pete was holding a Belm, NM newspaper in his hand. It was a good clue as to what their conversation was about.

"As I said, this isn't a good time, Linda," Mark repeated a little bit more forcefully. "You need to go."

"Wait," Pete interrupted. "What story are you wanting to look up?"

"The story that tells how Judy Hartford died," I told him. "Unless you're willing to let me read your paper."

Pete's face went pale. "How did you know she was dead?"

"She didn't know," Mark told him with a stolid stare. "Linda just guessed and you confirmed it for her."

"This trial is a farce," I told them point-blank. "Not only is it a 'farce', you murdered John Stillwell to clear up the loose ends. I saw Judge Jasper turn him into Judy Hartford before he left with Mr. Marshall. It should be you two on trial here, not Judy Chunn."

"YOU BITCH!" Pete yelled in a rage. He picked me up by the neck and slammed me hard against the wall. I felt pain rivet throughout my body from the impact as I gasped for air. Apollo held me there with little effort on his part.

"I never murdered anyone, DO YOU HEAR ME YOU BITCH!" he screamed with emotion.

"Apollo," Mercury said calmly as he put his hand on Apollo's shoulder. "I'll take care of this. Go get some fresh air and chill out."

Apollo didn't let go. Instead he stood there staring at me with rage. However, I could tell it wasn't me he was really angry at. He had been mislead just like everyone else who believed Judy was going to get a fair trial.

"Come on, Apollo," Mercury reasoned softly. "You don't really want to do this. Take your anger outside - not on her. Remember what you believe in. Hurting the innocent isn't it."

Apollo looked over at Mark and then back at me. There was fire in his eyes that I had never seen before. He dropped me and threw the newspaper down on the ground. Without saying another word, he stormed out of the store in a rage.

"Are you okay?" Mark asked in concern as he helped me up.

"I'll live," I answered hoarsely while rubbing my neck. "Aren't you going to tell me how stupid that was?"

"Why, you already know." Mark picked up the newspaper and handed it to me. "The answer you're looking for is on page 3." He left to get me a glass of water.

I opened the paper and read, "Local woman killed in truck/car accident." The story was 7 paragraphs long and told about a semi-truck that had run a red light and struck Mrs. Hartford's car. The paper said she had been killed instantly, only the paper was wrong. It had been John Stillwell who had been killed in that crash, not Judy Hartford.

"Why, Mark?" I asked when he returned with my water. "Why all this fuss if it's meaningless anyway?"

Mercury sighed. "Because, Linda, we had to send a message to those who come here. If you do manage to escape from Peace River we'll find you and bring you back. It's pointless to leave, so don't try."

"And for that you had to destroy Judy Hartford life, as well as her husband and young son, to send a crummy message. One person, Mark - couldn't you have compassion on her situation and let her go?"

"It's complicated, Linda. You wouldn't understand."

"You're wrong Mark, I understand more then you realize. I've been playing with an idea in my head for some time now concerning the purpose of Peace River and why you need us. Would you like to hear what I've come up with?"

"Sure, why not," he said distantly.

"My theory is you're not really immortal beings, you only seem to be. What makes you immortal is us, something about us anyway. My guess is that humans give off an energy force when we're happy. Your people feed off it, or maybe these feelings allow you to feed off something inside us. Angry or sad feelings close off that energy. So how am I doing so far?"

"It's an interesting theory," he answered in a neutral tone.

"Yes, but there's more, Mark. Not all humans are suited for your needs, so you have to be selective on whom you bring in. That's why Judge Jasper wasn't interested in Sally Johnston, she didn't fill your needs."

"Only 61% of your people meet our needs," Mark explained. "Unfortunately, most of them have supportive families. As you can see, we try to pick people who are loners, outcasts, those who will appreciate the situation we offer them. You don't know how much of a pain in the ass it is to stop someone from leaving, Linda."

"I wonder if these same outcasts would still appreciate their situation if they knew you were slowing killing them."

"What do you mean?" Mark asked cautiously.

"Oh, come on Mark, don't play that game with me. The people today live almost 30 years longer than the people from the 1850's. I looked at the gravestones and played with the numbers. As the population of Peace River grew, so did the life expectancy of those living here - except in the 1920's and 40's when more of your people showed up. I kept asking myself why? I mean, the people back then had the same type of body you supply the people with today - young, healthy, and free of disease. So why didn't they live as long? Then the answer hit me; there were fewer people for each one of you back then. This energy you pull drains us and makes our bodies weaker. But somehow being young causes us not to feel the effects until it's time to die."

"It's three years, Linda, no more."

"And that makes it right, Mark?" I questioned strongly. "You're not 'gods'; you're leaches that fell from the sky. You found a way to use our life force so you could live forever."

"A leach is something that takes and doesn't give anything back," Mark countered strongly. "Before you judge us so quickly, perhaps you should consider how your people treat each other. Almost 95% of the people we bring here are dying. We give them back their life - no, we do more than that; we take away pain and death that would've surely claimed them in a few months. Okay, so it's not what they were used to but what the hell, life is full of surprises and curveballs. We make sure the needs of everyone brought into our world is provided for - and then some. What do you promise those that come into your world, Linda? Huh? Don't get into a debate that you can't win. Say what you want about us, but we make sure our people are healthy and happy until they die. The price is three years of their life. In most cases they wouldn't have lived half that long if we hadn't intervened. It's a very small price considering the alternative they're facing. AIDS, cancer, heart and liver disease; we take that all away from them! In return we give them a body that is healthy and doesn't age. We give them a world where intolerance and hate against each other isn't allowed. Crime is almost non-existence, and everyone is safe! WHERE DOES SUCH A PLACE EXIST IN YOUR WORLD, LINDA?"

"Safe except for those who try to leave," I pointed out coldly. "How many residents have died trying to cross Peace River, Mark. Do you even know anymore?"

"It's unfortunate," he said with a frown, "but you know we can't let them leave to tell others. If they did our town would be polluted with your kind coming here on the promise of hope that we can't provide. It isn't possible. We have a delicate balance in Peace River, and even one person like 'The Mailman' threatens to ruin that balance. It's not like Andersonville, which uses different technology to provide for the Titan's needs. Unfortunately, your town is still years away from being suitable for our use. Our method has worked well for us since the beginning. Sure, our little town has problems, but it's a better place to live than the world your people have created. Your world is filled with pollution, crime, and very little compassion for those who are different through no fault of their own."

"If you believe your world is so much better, then why don't you tell them the price they'll be paying for coming here, Mark?" I pushed. "Tell them about the gender changes and the three years they'll be losing. More important, inform them of the fact that they'll never be able to go beyond the rivers edge. That's what makes my world more desirable Mark, because my world offers one thing your world can't - freedom! That's what makes it better living out there than in here!"

"That freedom could end your race," Mark pointed out. "Don't get me wrong, Linda, I'm not against individual freedom - that is until the person chooses to hate, murder, rape, and steal from his brother or sister. Then I object to your type of freedom - strongly!"

"You just don't get it, do you," I told him.

"I could say the same thing," Mercury replied. "I've had 10,000 years of dealing with your people, Linda. I know what they can do, and what they will do. Most of the time what they should do and what they end up doing is very, very different - and not in the best interest of everyone involved. Your kind will drop infectious garbage off a beach that will infect thousands of strangers to make a quick buck. And don't tell me that's not the norm, because we both know it is. People are mean, selfish, stupid, and you know it."

"You kidnap people and bring them here," I objected strongly. "You rip them away from their families to benefit your own needs."

"We save them from death, which would have ripped them away from their families anyway. In return we give them a slice of heaven," he argued. "Yes, we also happen to gain something out of the deal as well, that doesn't make it a crime!"

"Debating this with you is a waste of time I see."

He smiled slightly. "Now we agree on something. That's why you would never fit in here, Linda - you view Peace River as a jail cell."

"So what happens to me now, Mark? I know the grand secret of Peace River. Do you erase my memories of this conversation?"

"I could, but I won't," he said solemnly. "Not as long as you promise never to tell anyone about what you know."

"You would really trust me with this?" I asked in surprise.

"I have found that some people's words are stronger than iron chains," Mercury confessed. "If you promise that you won't say a word to anyone, I'll let you remember. It's as simple as that."

"Why did you tell me in the first place?" I asked.

"Your people have a word for what I did Linda; its called confession. Even we need to confess our doubts and feelings to others from time to time. This trial will leave a bad taste in our mouths for years to come. Apollo regrets deeply that he didn't make a deal with Judy in private like he wanted to. I feel the same way he does. This...this event has gotten out of control. One person is dead - another has her life destroyed. Who could be happy about that?"

"That's why Pete is so pissed off?"

"Yes," Mark answered strongly. "You owe him an apology for what you said to him, but I would wait until tomorrow to talk to him. Let the affects from this trial die down some. I think you'll see he will be just as sorry about his actions as you are about your words."

"Speaking of the trial, I have to tell Stephanie about Judy's accident. I can't let this joke go on. People have to know."

"Linda," he said softly, and I knew what he was going to say next. "Remember that favor you owe me in exchange for allowing Ashlee to see her mother for a day? I'm calling you on it. You can't tell anyone what has happened. You have to let the trial continue."

"To be a part of this 'LIE'!" I snapped. "Mark, I can't let this three-ring circus continue! What happens to Judy if I keep silent?"

"Nothing will change Judy's ending, even if the truth does come out," he explained sadly. "Judy Hartford is dead to the world and can't be returned. She will be stuck in Peace River no matter what you say or do. I wish I could change the outcome, but I can't. However, finding out the truth will damage our town, and I have to look out for my own interest. I'm asking you to keep quiet about this."

The last part almost sounded like a threat, and what he was asking me to do didn't sit right with me. I wanted to refuse, but what happened if I didn't agree to his threatening request? Then again, what purpose would it serve by telling Stephanie what I knew? Nothing would change.

"We'd be even?" I asked quietly, suddenly feeling dirty about what I was going to do next. Mark nodded. "Alright, I'll keep quiet about her death."

"And what we talked about concerning the town?" he inquired.

I nodded. "The town too. This conversation never took place."

He held out his arms. "Let's seal this with a hug." I did just that, although I didn't feel good about it. I was now a part of this lie - this farce. On top of that, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something terrible was about to happen next.

***

"Miss Chunn," Mr. Galloway asked directly, "you were sick when Pete Atkins brought you to Peace River - isn't that correct?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"A liver disease, isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"Painful?"

"Yes."

"Incurable?"

"The doctor said I had less then six months to live," Judy answered slowly.

"So, by coming here, you've outlived what the doctor predicted by what, at least four and a half years?"

"Objection," Stephanie voiced while rising to her feet. "The witness is not a doctor. She can't comment on the different medical methods that would've extended her life."

"Overruled," Judge Jasper responded in a tiring tone. "It's clear that whatever method Miss Chunn would have tried, she would be dead by now. The question was that by coming to Peace River was her life extended? The court recognizes that the answer is yes. Continue, Mr. Galloway."

"Your Honor, you can't rule like..." Stephanie started to say. Judge Jasper pounded his gavel hard on the bench and pointed it at her.

"That's enough, Mrs. Hall," he told her sternly. "I'm the judge in this courtroom, I can rule anyway I see fit. Mr. Galloway asked a series of questions; questions I just explained to you along with the answer. I grow tired of these outbursts from you. You will let the prosecutor continue with his questioning - is that clear?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Stephanie answered reluctantly and sat down. Her turn with Judy Hartford was coming and she couldn't wait.

"Tell me, Miss Chunn, how much pain did this disease cause you after you came to live here?" Lawrence Galloway continued.

"There was none," she told him.

"Because they healed you, isn't that correct?"

"Because they made me into someone else," Judy shot back in an angry tone. "I was A MAN, DAMN IT! THEY CHANGED ME INTO A GIRL!"

There was a loud rap as Judge Jasper slammed his gavel on the bench.

"That's enough, young lady," he told her with a stern expression. "I won't tolerate another outburst with that kind of language. If you do it again, I'll remove you and your attorney won't get a chance to question you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Your Honor," she replied meekly.

There was a slight murmur among the crowd that Judge Jasper quickly ended with another pounding of his gavel. "Order in the court! Continue, Mr. Galloway."

"Yes, Your Honor. As I just got done stating, they healed your body and saved your life. I would say that was a pretty good deal, wouldn't you, Miss Chunn?"

"At the cost of my identity," Judy frowned while trying to remain in control of her emotions. "I don't think so."

"That's not what you thought before coming here!"

"What..." she started to stutter. "I...I don't know what you mean?"

"Then let me refresh your memory," Lawrence Galloway smiled. "Your Honor, I would like to bring in Ashlee Gang to show Miss Chunn what I mean." Stephanie started to stand up to object but Judge Jasper put his hand up.

"Don't even start, Mrs. Hall. I'm going to allow this evidence to be played so everyone can see that Miss Chunn came here under her own power. Mr. Galloway, please continue."

Ashlee Gang walked to the front of the room and several of the people didn't look too kindly at her. Working close to Judge Jasper made Ashlee something of an outcast among some circles of people.

"Ashlee, please go back to the date we talked about," Mr. Galloway said. The African-American woman nodded and closed her eyes. A 3-D image appeared above her head that was big enough for everyone to see. There was a man at the bar who was Judy Hartford before coming to Peace River. Sitting next to him was Pete Atkins, who had a sympathetic look on his face. Suddenly the images came to life.

"Six months ...six crummy months," the man repeated over and over again like a bad dream. "That's why I couldn't go to the ballgame with you a few night ago, Pete. I was in too much pain."

"I'm sorry to hear about this, Sam," Pete/Apollo nodded with compassion. "Perhaps I can help you somehow."

"Only if you have a cure for this disease," Sam replied sadly.

"Well, not a cure per se, but something just as good," he expanded. "Supposing I knew of a place where they would rid you of your illness. Would you be interested in going there?"

"Don't play games with me, Pete. My doctor already told me my illness is incurable. There isn't anything anyone can do for me."

"Well, maybe and maybe not," he said with a serious face. "Humor me for a moment, Sam. If such a place existed, would you go there?"

"Of course I would...who wouldn't."

"Then I'm making you an offer, Sam. If you accept, we'll leave right now. By the end of the day you'll be free of the pain you're in. If you refuse, you'll never see me again."

"What are you talking about, Pete?"

"I'm talking about your future, Sam. I'm talking about the rest of your life...whether that's a few months or many years to come. I'm talking about a release from the pain that is racking your body right now as we speak. Are you interested?"

"What's the catch...if I accept?" Sam asked.

"It's simple, Sam. Your body will be changed into that of another person. That's how the people in charge cure you, by changing you into someone else. And they'll give you a new life to live in that town. That's the price of going there Sam, you won't be allowed to leave once you get there. I wish I could tell you why, but I can't"

"It sounds like I'll end up being a prisoner if I went with you!" Sam stated rather bluntly.

"Not at all," Pete explained. "You'll live your life in this town the same as you would here, only you won't be able to leave unless the Judge in charge gives you permission to do so. And there will be some added bonuses if you do come with me."

"Like what?" Sam asked, now totally interested in what was being offered to him.

"A new body that won't get sick or age past 30. A place where there is no hatred or crime to speak of. A good job waiting for you. People in my town feel safe and secure, Sam."

"Your town!" Sam stated with raised eyebrows. "Our meeting, it wasn't an accident, was it?"

Pete smiled. "No Sam, it wasn't. I knew of your illness before we met. Because you have no family, I sought you out. You see, people who are well known and then disappear leave a lot of questions to be answered. You on the other hand, will simply disappear into the woodwork."

"Why not just grab me and take me there?

"I want you to be happy there, Sam," Pete emphasized. "That's why if you come, it has to be your own decision. Think of it as a second chance at living."

Sam sat there in silence for a long time. Even now he could feel the pain breaking through the barriers that the pain pills had put up. If he felt bad now, imagine how he would feel a month from now when his condition got even worse.

"I'll go with you," he said softly. "But you have to promise me that this is on the up and up."

"I swear it is, Sam," he said then frowned slightly. "Again, I want you to remember that your body will be transformed into someone else, and you will be expected to live their life."

"If they can save my life, it's a small price to pay," Sam said directly. "I just hope you're not playing a trick on me, Pete. I feel like I'm grasping at straws here."

"What I told you has been the truth," Pete smiled. "Let's go!"

The screen disappeared and Mr. Lawrence stood there with a smile on his face. "No more questions, Your Honor." He took a seat.

"You can step down now, Ashlee," Judge Jasper intoned. "Your witness, Mrs. Hall."

Stephanie stood and approached the young girl who was sitting there nervously. The previous testimony had been murderous on her defense, and the female attorney had to turn that around. Stephanie decided to ask the obvious question.

"Miss Chunn, how did you feel after Judge Jasper turned you into a girl?"

"I...I felt scared...a little angry. I had been expecting to be turned into another man, not a woman."

"And Pete Atkins didn't tell you that you would be turned into a girl, isn't that correct?"

"Objection, Your Honor," Mr. Galloway stated. "Mr. Atkins had no idea what type of life Miss Chunn would be given!"

"Mr. Atkins had to have a strong suspicion when he mentioned her body would be changed into someone else's," Stephanie countered strongly. "He knew the odds of Sam Welsh being turned into a girl were high, yet he didn't tell him. I would say that's a fair question to ask."

"The question has already been answered, Your Honor," Lawrence countered. "The display we just saw shows he didn't tell her. I can see where my colleague is going with this question, Judge. Let me say for the record, Mr. Atkins is not on trial today for what he said 'or' did not say."

"Objection sustained. Mrs. Hall, I suggest you hurry things along and ask questions that pertain to this case 'only'. Do I make myself clear here?"

"But Your Honor... " she started to protest.

Judge Jasper pounded his gavel down on the bench. "The motion has been SUSTAINED, Ms. Hall. NOW MOVE ON!"

Stephanie knew she had lost. Oh, not to the people in the courtroom, she could tell that by looking at their faces. But she knew Judge Jasper had made up his mind, perhaps even before the trial had started. No matter how many tricks she pulled out of her hat, it wouldn't be enough. Judge Jasper was going to rule against her. She stared sadly at the girl and felt guilty about the hope she had instilled in her. Judy looked back at her attorney and knew.

'I'm a prisoner here,' Judy said to herself. 'They aren't going to let me go."

The young woman looked at the others like her in the room, all of them with sympathetic expressions on their faces. Even Lori Dillon, who had testified against her, looked sad. It was over; she had lost. It wasn't fair.

"Judy," Stephanie said softly, bringing the woman's attention back to her attorney. "How do you feel about living in Peace River? Answer my question honestly."

Judy swallowed hard, and felt a pit growing in her stomach. Her attorney had just told her what she already knew. The last sentence was a signal that there was nothing else she could do for her.

"Outside I have a husband and son," Judy started out. "Here..." she paused for as for moment to give her words meaning. "Here I'm a prisoner of WAR! These people have declared 'war' on our people. They brought us here to serve their needs."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Judge Jasper roared, but Judy wasn't done.

"They don't offer us freedom, they keep us trapped here like rats in a CAGE!" the young woman stood and cried out. "Look at me everyone! I'm a fucking P.O.W! My crime was that I wanted to live a long, healthy life! No matter how nice they make this place, it's wrong to keep us locked up here. It's wrong to...to..."

The words stopped coming as Judy started choking. Judge Jasper was standing over her with an enraged look on his face. Stephanie started to protest but she also found herself unable to speak.

"This trial is over," he pronounced sternly. "Miss Chunn, you have been found guilty of escaping from Peace River. I see you need more time to grow up and accept your situation - so you will appreciate all the things we do for you here."

With a movement of his hands Judy began shrinking and getting younger. The crowd started to mutter loudly in protest, and a few of them even stood up as if they were going to come to her aid. Judge Jasper looked over in their direction and stared them back down. Judy looked at her body that was now about 13 years old and started crying profusely. All in all, it was a pitiful sight to behold.

"Clear the courtroom," Judge Jasper bellowed out to his officers. The police force moved forward and the crowd started to slowly walk outside. A few did get up the courage to stand there defiantly until the officers pushed them toward the door.

"Officer Merrick, when you get things under control please escort Miss Chunn home. Ms. Hall, a word about your conduct in my office. Linda, wait for me in your office."

Judge Jasper rose and went into his chambers followed by a nervous, but still angry Stephanie. Judy continued to cry as Officer Merrick stepped beside her and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Judy. I'll take you home," he told the crushed girl in a gentle voice.

"I want to go back home to my real family," she cried out painfully. "I want to see and hold my baby again!"

"I know you do," he said sadly while leading her away. "I know you do. I'm sorry."

***

Judy lay on her bed looking blankly up at the ceiling. She was totally depressed about her situation. Everything she had known, everything she had worked for was gone. Starting over in Peace River wasn't going to be hard, it would be impossible. Those she had once called family now saw her as a traitor, someone who had forgotten all about them so she could live her life in comfort and safety. The worse part about their assumption was that they were right. Judy hadn't thought about them very much once she made the decision to carve out the best life she could. Her mother, her new mother and not the one that had taken care of her when she first came here, looked at her new daughter with a worried stare.

"How about your blue dress, Judy? I'm sure you'll look nice in it."

Judy didn't answer. She continued to stare at the ceiling. Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about her son crying for her. It wasn't fair. Judy's mother sat down next to her.

"Judy," she whispered. "I know you're upset, but you have to put this behind you. Mr. Cupler is going to see you this morning and make you feel better." She rubbed her hands smoothly through Judy's hair. "I want to help you dear. I know you're hurting. I just want you to know that we'll get past this together."

Judy still didn't answer, but didn't fight as her mother helped her get dressed. She knew what would happen when she saw Mr. Cupler. Yes, she would feel better - happy, maybe even giggle with joy. But inside her soul would be crying out to die. Judy wanted to die.

Her mother didn't bother trying to feed her; she knew her new daughter wouldn't eat in this condition. She planned to take her out to breakfast afterwards and bond with Judy with the help of Mr. Cupler's magic. That would make Judy much easier to deal with.

They got into the car and drove down Pleasant Way Avenue toward Mr. Cupler's office. The roads were rather busy since everyone was trying to get to work. Judy stared silently out the window at them - nothing had changed from her trial. Everyone here had been seduced into being good little citizens for their masters; like pets being taken care of and given treats when they were good. Behave well, you get a better car, or a better apartment, or even a house. Behave badly and you lose years off your life and have to start all over again. Peace River wasn't a slice of heaven - it was hell!

"I'm going to get a cup of coffee," Judy's mother said as she pulled up to the convenient store. "Do you want anything, Judy?" The young girl didn't respond.

"I'll be right back," she told her while pulling the keys out of the ignition. "Please don't go anywhere."

Judy watched her go. The woman checked once with a worried smile to make sure her new daughter didn't try to run off. Judy knew better, there wasn't anyplace to run. She was a prisoner again, a POW. Why hadn't she tried to help the others out more? Why had she given up trying to get help so quickly?

A loud rumble turned her attention to a one-ton pickup truck that had pulled up beside her. The burly driver got out and went inside the store, leaving the truck running.

"There's only one way out of here!" Judy said in a trance. She looked inside the store and saw her mother standing in line waiting to pay for her coffee. She would have to hurry.

Judy scrambled out of the car and into the heavy pickup truck. She quickly adjusted the seat for her stature and backed the truck up. Her mother saw what was going on and ran out to stop her, but Judy had already popped the truck into first gear and was leaving the parking lot. When she reached Vine Street, Judy turned left toward Main.

"Only one way out now," she muttered to herself once more.

***

I was checking over the reports from the previous week; looking to see which ones I could file and which ones I still needed for other reports. It was one long paper trail in Peace River. Judge Jasper was in his chambers, but hadn't come out to greet me like he normally did. I figured the trial yesterday had taken something out of him like it had me, only not in the same way. I looked carefully at the file in my hands that belonged to Judy Chunn. This was one report I could file, to be lost among the thousands of other files in my bin. Only it would be one file I would never forget.

"Good morning, Linda," Mark Merrick said with some reservation. He was wearing his Police uniform but wasn't scheduled to go on duty for another half-hour.

"Officer Merrick," I replied formally. He frowned at my response.

"Linda," he whispered, "don't hold this against me. If there was any way I could fix Judy's situation I would. There isn't anything I can do."

"I believe you," I answered but not smiling or looking up at him. "Judge Jasper is in his chambers if you want to see him.

"I didn't come to see him, I came to see you," he almost cursed. "I don't want what happened to ruin our friendship."

"A little late for that, don't you think, Officer Merrick? Forgive me if I don't see things your way officer, but I think Judy Hartford and John Stillwell both got a raw deal."

He looked at Judge Jasper's chambers door carefully and whispered softly, "So do I."

***

Judy really had the pickup truck going now. It was doing almost 70 mph, top speed for such a heavy vehicle. But it wasn't the speed she was interested in, it was the weight. She was going to take from Judge Jasper the same thing he had taken from her, his identity. In the distance she saw the courthouse standing there, with it's massive stone pillars supporting an equally massive stone overhang. She aimed the truck at the center post, and pressed down on the horn.

Everyone walking along the sidewalk stopped to see what the commotion was about. Some were shocked and horrified to see a full-size pickup truck hurdling down the road on a collision course with the courthouse.

When the wheels of the pickup hit the curve, the vehicle became airborne. The steering wheel veered to the left, but Judy straightened it in time to keep the truck on its path. The pickup bounced again as it hit the stone steps. Speed was lost when this happened, but the truck was still going almost 45 mph as it approached its final destiny. The last thing Judy saw was the massive white pillar in her windshield.

***

"What the hell is going on?" I asked Mark when I heard a truck horn blowing. "It sounds close."

Then there was a loud explosion and everything shook violently around me. The power went out, files fell to the floor, and I had to grab hold of Mark to keep from falling down.

"What was that, a bomb?" I yelled to Mark. But before I had even asked the question he was gone. I staggered into the hallway that was lit by a few emergency lights. I could see dust in the darkened hallway that got thicker as I made my way toward the front. When I got to the main doors I saw Officer Merrick looking grimly at something outside.

"What happened?" I inquired. I looked and almost vomited at what I saw. There was body of a teenager girl lying ten feet from the door covered in blood. Behind her was a demolished pickup truck with its windshield shattered. Scattered close by was the remains of the sheared off pillar. The truck must have hit with tremendous force to tear it apart like that. I started to step outside to render aid to the young girl when Mark pulled me violently back in.

"Don't go out there," he warned me sternly. "The foundation has been damaged and the roof could cave in at any moment."

"She'll die if I don't help her," I screamed in horror."

"She's already dead," Mark answered in a sick tone.

There were footsteps coming down the hallway, and it turned out to be Judge Jasper "What's going on?" he demanded to know.

"It's Judy Chunn," Mark told him. "She killed herself by stealing a truck and running it into the courthouse."

"I see," he said while peering out at her. "A pity, she had her whole life to live for."

He said the words with such indifference that it angered me. My anger quickly turned into rage and my rage quickly turned into recklessness. Despite my smaller size, I grabbed Judge Jasper by the collar and spun him around with force. Jupiter looked shocked that anyone would dare do that to him.

"Are you happy now!" I hissed getting within inches of his face. "You couldn't let her go, could you? No, you had to destroy her life you SON OF A BITCH! Well now she's dead and you can't touch her. She's free, do you hear me JUDGE JASPER! WHERE SHE'S GOING, YOU CAN'T FOLLOW!"

Mark quickly pulled me off him and wrapped his arms tightly around my chest. It appeared like he was trying to hold me back, but I suspected the real reason he did this was to protect me. Judge Jasper stared at me for a moment, then a thin, tight smile appeared across his lips.

"You think it's over, do you?" he spoke with great confidence. "Well watch and learn 'little girl'. I have more powers than you can dream of."

He moved his hand in the air and a display screen appeared overhead. I could see a plain room with a door, and Judy Hartford standing next to it. The door appeared to be locked because she couldn't get it open.

"She hasn't made it into the afterlife yet, so there is still time," he explained. "Officer Merrick, please retrieve my property."

Mark Merrick released his grip, but I turned and tackled him to the ground. I wrapped my arms around him and concentrated with all my might to keep my hands locked together.

"Let go of him," Judge yelled so loudly that part of the ceiling outside collapsed. Mark struggle valiantly to free himself but I held on for dear life. He tried to throw me off but I refused to let go. Finally he was able to break free, but only in time to see Judy Hartford open the door and walk through it. The picture quickly faded, leaving me, Officer Merrick, and a very angry Judge Jasper.

"Do you realize what you've done," he shouted as I stood up.

"We are NOT - YOUR - PROPERTY!" I told him clearly and defiantly.

Judge Jasper's face went pale and his eyes cold with rage. He lifted up his hand and pointed his finger at me. I could sense the danger. I had read that Jupiter had been known for throwing out thunderbolts of death. I prepared myself for the end. But for some reason death never came.

He lowered his hand and with a cold snarl commanded, "Officer Merrick, get this person out of my town!"

"Yes, Your Honor," Mark replied quickly. Before I could blink an eye I found myself at the back door of the courthouse. Mercury gave me a furious stare and in an irate tone uttered loudly, "That was a stupid thing to do back there, Linda. Do you realize how close you came to joining Judy?"

"Your actions weren't any smarter," I pointed out.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Come on Mark, there's no way I could've held onto you for that long. Suddenly you're a lot stronger than you were just a moment ago"

He twisted his jaw in anger and looked away. Then he whispered, "Judy would've been dead if we hadn't brought her here in the first place. I simply let nature take its course five years later. It was the only thing I could do that would allow me to still look at myself in the mirror."

Mark turned, and I noticed his eyes were filled with sorrow. "I suggest you go home and start packing, Linda. I'll make arrangements to fly you out of here tomorrow morning after... after Judy's funeral. We tend to bury our dead rather quickly in our town." Before I could respond he pushed me outside and locked the door.

***

It was close to midnight, and I was sitting on our porch swing looking up at the stars. Since my return I had been very tight-lipped about why I had returned home almost six-weeks early. As I rocked slowly back and forth I couldn't keep the events that happened in the past 24 hours from flooding my thoughts.

It had been a joyful return. My family had smothered me with hugs and even a few tears. I was home and happy about it, only my heart wasn't in a celebrating mood. I was alive, and Judy Hartford was dead. I always bitched and moaned about becoming Linda, but I was alive with my family; Judy Hartford was not. I heard someone walking up the path behind me.

"Mind if I sit down?" Steve asked.

I chuckled slightly. "I was wondering when you would join me out here."

He took a seat and put his arm around me. "It's great to have you back, sister."

"I feel the same way, brother." I placed my body against his and looked up at the burning dots in the sky. It was so beautiful and calming.

"What's on your mind, sis," he inquired. Steve knew some of what I told him about Judy Hartford, but not everything.

"I saw history being made Steve, the turning point of Peace River's existence. It's doomed, and I think some of Jupiter's people know it. You should've seen the anger in the people's eyes at Judy's funeral this morning - silent but raging. It may take five, ten, fifteen years, but their town is finished. Judy Hartford killed herself rather than live a fake life, and in the process she made herself a martyr. She showed the people in Peace River that a cage, no matter how comfortable, is still a cage."

Steve looked rather sadly up at the sky. "If that's so, then she's only the first of many who will die to win their freedom. Its tragic when you think of it."

"Yes, it is," I agreed. "But wouldn't it be something, Steve, to be a part of that struggle. To be there when the Roman Gods finally do fall and Peace River is liberated."

"Yes, I suppose it would be, Linda. But our destiny lies in Andersonville, not Peace River."

"You mean to start our own revolution?" I asked.

He shook his head slowly. "No, sister. To make sure Andersonville doesn't end up being another Peace River."

"I thought Andersonville already was."

"No, it's not," he told me.

I nodded knowing my brother was right. We sat back and looked up into the night sky together. Our future hadn't been written yet.

Fade out...

More stories coming soon...

This story is a dedication to Kelly, for without her stories we would all be the poorer.

Authors note: Thanks Samantha for your linguistic skills re the Latin translations.

Andersonville 20 - The Cure
Story idea by Prudence Walker
Written by Prudence Walker
Introduction by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff

Copyright 2002

Fade in...

"Good morning, Crius," Dennis Butz said.

"And to you - 'brother'," Crius replied with just a hint of sarcasm. The Titan God was seated on the back porch of his new residence having breakfast. He was dressed in his traditional long, white robe with an oversized hood that was common before the war with the Olympians. Nearby sat Lucus, who eyed the director carefully. Dennis gave him a frown and sat down.

"Where's the suit I got you?" Dennis inquired.

Crius grunted as he stabbed at his eggs. "I didn't like it - too drab. I prefer my own clothes."

"You need to start wearing human clothes, Crius," Dennis explained.

"Why?" Crius grunted again without looking up. "Is the sky going to fall if I don't? Are my Olympian 'masters' going to come and take me away again."

"Keep your voice down," Dennis warned him softly. "It's important that people don't know who we are."

"You mean what we are, don't you 'brother'?" Crius snarled in distaste.

"Yes," the director agreed. "We need to fit in."

Crius stared at Dennis with cold eyes and snapped, "What's happened to you? Have you been around the humans so long that it's affected your loyalty? You used to be proud to call yourself a 'Titan'. Now look at you! You disgrace your own people by pretending to be someone you're not. Well I am not you, 'brother'! I prefer to be who I am, instead of pretending to be someone I'm not."

"I have a plan," Dennis explained.

"Yes, I've heard all about your plan," Crius responded bitterly as he glanced over at Lucus. "After everything the Olympians have done to our people, you now want to work with them? Have you forgotten about your daughter, Rommona, and how Jupiter butchered her!"

"I haven't!" Dennis answered in an equally bitter tone. "It's because of Rommona that I'm working on a peaceful solution. I don't want any more Rommonas killed. We have much to lose by going to war with them."

"No - we have everything to gain," Crius countered strongly. "It is the Olympians who have everything to lose. We control the government of the strongest nation in the world thanks to you."

"Influence," Dennis corrected. "We have influence over the strongest nation in the world, and the Olympians have influence over almost two-thirds of the other nations."

"So what?" Crius scoffed. "We have better weapons."

"This is not a war we can win, Crius - nor should we try to. Millions would die if that happened."

"Bah, you have become weak - 'brother'."

"No, I have become smarter, Crius. The time for fighting is over. There's no way we can win a war against the Olympians with our numbers. At best, it would take years to free our people from their prison; not to mention that the toll on human life would be tremendous."

"That is where you're wrong, 'brother'!" Crius argued.

"Stop calling me 'brother'," the director responded forcefully. "I have a name - it's Dennis Butz."

"I thought you would like the term, 'brother'."

"Not when it's used as an insult," Dennis snarled. "You're trying to force me into a fight with you."

"No," Crius told him sternly. "I'm trying to remind you what they have done to you, to all our people. You have suffered I'm sure, but our people still suffer in their caves."

"In time, Crius...all in good time. Right now there is nothing we can do about it."

"Not true, there is plenty we can do. Lucus has told me much about America's weapons, and the condition of Peace River when he last visited there."

"Wait a minute," Dennis interrupted, and pointed his finger at the other man. "How could you have gotten into their town without them knowing it?"

"I have my ways," Lucus told him forcefully. "I found out that they are weak - very weak. The humans the Olympians have are not fully supplying their needs. They are having to rely on the orb to compensate for the difference."

"Don't you see 'brother', you give them too much credit." Crius stopped talking for a moment to let that sink in. "I have a plan, brother," he explained carefully. "Lucus can take some of his men and hide near the entrance where our people are being held. When they are safely in place we will strike! I think two, 20-megaton bombs will do the trick. The effects will knock out their defence systems for a least an hour. With their town burning and their humans dying, the Olympians will be too busy to deal with us."

"Nuke Peace River - are you INSANE?" Dennis exploded in anger and horror at the suggestion. "The Olympians would counter with nuclear weapons from their own countries."

"Not if we nuke those countries first," Crius explained in a cold and callous way.

Dennis stood up and slammed his fist on the table. "THIS IS MADNESS, CRIUS! You're talking about using nuclear weapons as if they were firecrackers. Do you realise what they would do to this world? The effects from the fallout alone would last for years. Millions would die in the initial exchange, and they would be the lucky ones. Ten times that number would die afterwards. Even if I did wage war against the Olympians, I wouldn't use weapons that would turn this planet into a graveyard! I won't subject the human race to that kind of terror AGAIN!"

"You have lived with them for too long," Crius pointed out strongly. "You're one of us, a 'TITAN'! So a couple hundred million humans die - our people will be victorious!"

"And what will we rule over, Crius - a nuclear, winter wonderland? Well I'm not willing to pay that price for victory!" Dennis hissed and walked away. Lucus watched him go and took a seat next to Crius.

"I told you it was a waste of time," he tired to explain. "Mr. Butz is committed to this dream of his. He thinks one day that we will live together as one big, happy family. Trying to convert him is a waste of time."

"Perhaps," Crius said, as he tasted the pancakes his assistant had made for him. They were too bland for his taste. "Maybe what my new brother needs is a little motivation. You say he is married to one of these humans?"

"Yes," Lucus smiled slightly. "I met her once. Her name is Mary Jo. I understand she was beautiful in her day."

Crius grunted at the comment and shoved his plate aside. "And what about this Linda Anderson? Where does she fit into my 'brother's' life?"

"Linda is his Rommona - only she isn't aware of it."

Crius put his hands together as if he were praying, and thought deeply for a moment. There was much to do.

"You will work on a plan to deal with his wife, Lucus. Make sure it's an accident that we can blame on the Olympians. I will worry about the details on why they killed her."

"Me?" Lucus asked in surprise. "I can't leave Andersonville, not after my last attack on Mercury. Do you know what will happen if they catch me?"

"This is WAR!" Crius replied coldly. "There is risk in every war, and you're not above them, Lucus. If we are to be victorious we will need my 'brother's' co-operation. Now, you will do as I ordered or I'll throw you to the Olympians myself. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Lucus replied in an obedient tone. "What about Linda Anderson?"

A vicious smiled appeared Crius' face. "Leave her to me. Once Dennis' support system is in shambles, he will have no choice but to come back to me. Then he will be mine to manipulate, just as before!"

Fade out...

***

Voice of Dennis Butz - Thousands of years ago there was a war in the heavens, between the gods of old and the new arrivals. During the process the earth was almost destroyed by fire and floods as our war ran unchecked. Finally, after centuries of conflict, an uneasy peace was achieved between our two people. Both sides recognized they needed the other, but neither side was willing to trust the other. However, as man grew in power and knowledge he challenged the god's themselves. To maintain the balance and keep the peace, a buffer zone was needed.

It's a small town -- just like thousands of others spread across the land. Quiet streets, family-run businesses, and Saturday afternoon picnics. But this town is different. It's a place for lost souls, for misguided individuals, and for those who are in need of a second chance. It's also the last, best chance I have of freeing my people from their captor's. The name of the project is restoration; the name of the town is Andersonville!

***

Fade in...

David was deep in thought as he drove his car across the state. He was worrying about his sick wife and daughter following him in the old SUV some days travel behind. Hoping to check out the news of a possible cure, he was racing ahead to see if he could confirm it before Susan wasted precious time driving uselessly to another false hope. His wife had a rare degenerative disease that was ultimately fatal, and unfortunately was being carried by a dominant gene down through the female line to his daughter. Having both a wife and a daughter depending on him weighed heavily on his mind, and as David drove though the breaking dawn's light, he was unaware of the twists of fate that were about to change his life forever.

***

In another state, east from where David was driving. A man, whose physical body was nearly identical to that of David's, was about to become wanted by the police. Jack, a Latin teacher at an all girls' school, preyed on the students there. One student had alleged that he had interfered with her and then threatened her into keeping her mouth shut about it. The principal, after questioning some of the other students intensely, had found out that this had been going on for some time. After reporting Jack to the police, they had searched his home, where they found evidence of child pornography. Jack made bail shortly after his arrest and promptly and promptly went on the lamb travelling west across the country. Soon a statewide search started by the police, swung into action. David, unaware of the situation, was just about to enter that very same state on his journey east.

By chance, the two men unknowingly passed each other in their vehicles on the same road, both driving in the opposite direction. Stopping for some breakfast, David pulled in at a small roadside diner and climbed wearily out of his car and stretched his aching back. He walked into the diner, were he spotted two patrol officers also eating. A bell over the entrance announced his entry. He didn't see the look that passed between the two cops as he eyed the menu board hungrily. Just as he started to give his order to the girl behind the counter, a tap on his shoulder announced the presence of the two cops. When he turned in surprise, he found himself pinned against the counter as they grabbed his arms roughly and forced them behind his back. Then he heard and felt the "snick snick" sound of handcuffs going around his wrists.

"What the hell..." David started to yell.

The two cops, thinking of him as Jack a child molester, were in no mood for him yelling. They promptly slugged him in the guts and as he fell gasping for air, followed it up with several brutal kicks to the ribs.

David felt a rib crack and darkness overcome him as he passed out.

***

Susan wrestled with the SUV, cursing it's handling as they came over the mountains. The temperature gauge promised troubles if they didn't stop soon. Looking over at Diane, her 13-year-old daughter sleeping beside her, she sighed, wishing she were awake to keep her company with her incessant chatter. Unfortunately, the excitement of the trip had taken its toll and she had succumbed to the warmth in the cab and dozed off. Knowing her husband was many days ahead didn't help matters, but she knew she couldn't stop him racing off like a knight on a white charger. She grinned at the thought, as the car David was driving was a white Mustang, and then the grin slipped at the thought that her daughter's life was dependent on finding the elusive cure.

***

David woke to a throbbing pain in his chest and found that his hands were now cuffed in front of him. He struggled to sit upright in the back of the police cruiser.

One of the two cops sitting in the front turned and sneered at David, saying, "We should have fixed you so you couldn't take pleasure in molesting young girls, but when you're in prison I guess the inmates there will do our job for us."

"What are you talking about, I've only just reached this state this morning. I know nothing about young girls getting molested. You have the wrong guy."

"Look Jack, don't come all innocent with us. We have your picture here and it says you skipped bail on child pornography and assault on minors," he snarled, shoving a picture of a man that looked just like David under his nose.

David gasped as he realised that nothing he said was going to persuade them that he wasn't the same man, but he had to try.

"Look, I know that looks like me but, I'm David Mathers not this Jack person. I have my drivers licence, check it out," he pleaded.

"No need, it's obviously an excellent forgery. Maybe that will get you a few more years on your sentence."

David slumped in defeat. 'What's going to happen to my wife and daughter now? Would they ever know what happened to me?' he thought. He had to escape somehow. It was the only way.

Groaning loudly he slumped, as if succumbing to unconsciousness again. He lay still with his eyes closed, but listening out for anything that might give him a slim chance to escape.

One of the officers complained about missing his morning doughnut due to the arrest, and suggested they stop on the way and pick some up.

The driver moaned, "You're not going to get my car messy again. Why not stop and eat at the shop." The other agreed, saying the prisoner was out of it and not likely to be going anywhere in a hurry.

Feeling the car slow and then pull to a halt, David tried not to grunt as one of the men, after opening the rear door, poked him in the ribs to check his condition.

"Looks like he'll keep, we can see the car if he shows his head up. Let's go get those doughnuts," he said, looking at the shop and just slamming the door closed. He missed the quick movement of the prisoner's legs as they stretched out preventing the door from latching properly "And I want a fresh coffee," the other replied.

As soon as their footsteps faded, David, keeping himself from view, pushed the rear door with his feet, thankful that they hadn't checked to see if it was closed properly, and he slipped out. Keeping the car body between him and the diner he managed to slip away. At that time there were few people out to see his furtive movements as he searched the row of parked cars for a possible getaway vehicle.

Finally, fate looked his way as he opened a door and scrambled in. Trying to do what he'd seen done in a thousand movies he exposed a mass of wiring near the key, but which one was the right one. Finding that they don't just pull off with a nice bare end, and nearly burning himself on a wire as it melted after shorting it out, David decided to give that away. On an impulse he looked behind the sun visor and 'jackpot', the keys were there.

Five minutes later driving somewhat haphazardly due to the fact he was still cuffed and had to use his knee to steady the wheel as he changed gear, he managed to cross the state line again back in the direction he'd come.

***

Meanwhile, Jack was congratulating himself that he'd slipped past the authorities. He was already planning ahead to his new identity and thinking of a new job at another school somewhere. He had no conscience about what he had done, only regret that he'd been caught. He continued driving on a route that would ultimately cross paths with Susan.

***

David knew that it wouldn't be long before the cops would be on his trail, what with a stolen car that was fast running out of fuel. Since his wallet had been confiscated, he had no money - and anyone seeing him in handcuffs would not be likely to help him. Things were looking decidedly desperate, and he wished he knew why it had happened to him. It was nearing midday when the engine spluttered to a halt and he steered the car off the road and let it roll into some low brush, lining the road. After climbing out and checking the inside of the trunk fruitlessly for anything to help rid him of the cuffs, he started walking in the direction from which Susan was coming.

David was getting extremely thirsty not having had anything to drink for about ten hours, and his stomach felt knotted in hunger. Hearing the not so distant wail of sirens, he knew that he needed to abandon the roadway and find an alternative route. Cutting across country, he came to a set of railroad tracks that paralleled the road, yet was out of direct sight of it. Making a decision, he started walking the line cursing the way the ties didn't quite meet his stride. After several hours his thirst in the blazing sun was beginning to dominate his thoughts, and he walked in a near catatonic state hardly noticing the trestle bridge he had stepped onto.

A blasting horn brought him back to his senses, and he saw a diesel locomotive bearing down on him at speed as it started onto the bridge. Panicking, he looked around to see he was doomed. The bridge was too narrow for him to remain on it, and it was too high to jump off. With the speed at which it was coming, David knew it was too far to reach the end before the train crushed his body. As he looked over the edge again, he saw a metal support stay that was protruding from the bridge just a few feet below the top of the track. The vibration of the track below his feet indicated the nearness of the train. Offering a hasty prayer he jumped, opening his arms in a circle as he tried to loop his cuffed wrists over the stay.

As he fell, his life flashed before him, then blinding agony engulfed him. The cuffs cut cruelly into his wrists as the weight of his body jerked him to a halt. As his body swung inwards the last thing he saw was the huge wooden support beam as he hit it, bringing another burst of pain from his broken rib before he surrendered to blessed unconsciousness.

***

Susan had stopped at a café and was eating breakfast with Diane while many hundreds of miles away her husband hung like a rag doll from a distant railway bridge. As she chided Diane gently about table manners, she looked up to see her husband David walk into the café. Getting up she ran to the man she had mistaken for her husband and turned him around before giving him a resounding kiss.

"David, what are you doing here? I expected you to be in the next state. I've missed you so much," she gasped.

Jack was stunned having an attractive women come and give him a kiss him like that. He waited, thinking she was bound to realise her mistake. However, as Susan dragged him by the arm over to her table he saw a young girl look up at him and yell "Daddy". She to ran and embraced him. Seeing the woman was waiting for an answer to her query, he replied with a safe answer that his car had broken down.

Susan laughed, saying that would teach him for driving the Mustang too hard. Jack, seeing that she was still under the impression that he was her husband David, decided after looking at the young girl, to go along with it for as long as he could. He was thinking of all the stuff that he could get the girl to do, especially, if she thought he was her dad. Oh the delicious irony of it all, he loses one life as Jack and gains another as David with added bonuses. Ordering breakfast, Jack listened to Susan babble on, giving him vital information as he listened avidly for every scrap of information crucial to his continued masquerade.

***

Pain dragged David back from the blessed painlessness of unconsciousness to the reality of finding himself trapped, hanging 50 feet above a ravine in the blazing sun. His ribs having contacted the stanchion along with most of his face as he fell were sending stabs of pain as he breathed shallowly. Blood had run into his eyes, making his vision blurry. Unable to do anything but hang by the handcuffs, his arms were in such a blaze of pain that he moaned out loud. Thirst too was taking its toll, and as time passed he went into a semi-delirium. His mind kept wandering, thoughts of his family and the possibility that he was going to die kept him fighting against the temptation of succumbing to the inevitable end. At last even his strength failed, and he lapsed into a mental state bordering on insanity. His thoughts were jumbled, and he couldn't concentrate on anything.

"Been hanging round long?" a voice called from above. It took a while before David realised what a voice talking to him meant.

David moaned he couldn't speak. His throat was too parched to do more than groan.

"Here, let me help," the voice came again.

It seemed to David as if a giant hand had grabbed him and hoisted him bodily to the tracks above, but as he collapsed onto the line he saw only a slim built man wearing a police uniform. Blearily he could make out a name on his badge, M Merrick. Not caring if he was in custody as his tortured arms ached in relief from the long hours stretched to their utmost, he made no protest as the officer pulled him easily to his feet and walked him to the vehicle waiting at the end of the bridge.

The officer said nothing as he drove into the nearby town called Andersonville. David's thoughts were still drifting incoherently from relief to concern for his family. Thoughts of cool refreshing water tumbled though the disjointed images of police and trains and his daughter. He couldn't seem to concentrate on anything in his near delirium.

The cruiser stopped outside the town's courthouse, and David was pulled firmly into the cool interior. He was sat down in a chair and told to wait. David was unable to move from his seat as the day's events caught up with him. He did notice, before he dozed off, a young blonde women sitting at a desk in front of him giving him a nasty look. She shuffled some papers together and then walked past him into the Judge's chambers. He came to, with a start, as a hand tapped him on the shoulder. Looking up, David saw Officer Merrick, and he was indicating that he needed to stand up. After several unsuccessfully attempts to stand, the officer pulled him up and supported him. Together they walked into the courtroom.

Sitting there was the judge who was between 40 and 50 years of age. Close by was the girl from the front desk. She had a Dictaphone in front of her. Looking back, David noticed the judge as she glanced calmly at him after looking at some papers. He noted the odd aura she had about her. It was as if she was older than she looked, with the kindly wisdom of long years of life.

Officer Merrick left him alone and walked over to stand by the door. David was sure he would fall, but he found he was unable to move, not even an inch. The Judge looked at him for a moment and spoke.

"You stand accused of numerous counts of child abuse, skipping bail, escaping police custody, and one count of grand theft auto. How do you plead?"

David's mind wasn't the clearest at that moment, only the words 'grand theft auto' made it past the jumble of what was his mind. Being an honest person, he mumbled out "guilty" before he really thought about what the implications of it might mean.

"Is there anything you want to say in your defence before I pass sentence on you?" Judge Herns said, looking directly at David.

David, in his befuddlement, thought that everything seemed surreal, and a chuckle escaped his lips as he pondered what was real and what was not. He didn't see the look that hardened the eyes of Judge Hern's, as she started to mutter in a strange language. He did see the glow that started in the palms of her hands as she continued the chant, and wondered what was happening. Suddenly the glow intensified then shot out, hitting him directly in the chest.

A strange tingling sensation flowed though his body, and as it did the pain from his injury's disappeared. It was like a soothing balm that erased the aches and pains from his recent ordeal. His head cleared as the fatigue from ravages of thirst evaporated. He wondered what sort of being could do this to him, nothing human he guessed. Was he still in a delirium, maybe he was imagining all of this? If so, he didn't want to wake up. Release from the pain gave him a momentary high, and then he was sure he was dreaming as he noticed for the first time the extent of his changes.

He looked down at his slim arms, and looking at his hands he saw the long, delicate fingers with the pale pink nail polish rounded nails. He could feel the extra weight of hair pulling on his scalp, as he looked further down, past two creamy orbs of flesh that were definitely attached to his...chest? His clothes too had changed. Where before he had the worn out jeans and shirt, now they had transformed into a lilac stretch top with a scalloped neck, and a short black skirt that just came above his knees. A wide leather belt accentuated his now slender waist, and showed the expanded curves of his hips and butt. Tan hose adorned his slender legs, and the heels he was wearing must have been at least 3 inches high. He gasped in wonder at the feel of the clothes, and the sight of his new body.

Judge Herns was speaking, and he looked up at her with a question in his eyes.

"Your name is Amanda Louise Delgado, and you are 24 years old. You're the replacement Latin teacher for one of our teachers that recently retired. While there are young girls in the classes, I'm sure you'll find that with the change in sex, so too, will your attraction to them be changed."

"I'm female and a teacher?" gasped David.

"Yes, you are. Linda, will you please take Amanda to Miss Green for the usual settling in talk?" the Judge said coldly, looking at some more papers in a dismissive manner.

"Come on Amanda, let's get you to Dr Green so she can explain a few things."

Walking to her office David, now Amanda, was conscious of the skirt as it brushed against the nylons encasing her legs. Surprisingly, walking for the first time in heels didn't take any conscious effort at all. It wasn't until she had sat down that she realised with horror that not only had she swept her skirt out like any other natural woman would have, but she found herself sitting demurely, legs together at a slight angle, as if she had been born a woman.

"What's happening to me?" she screamed, jumping up and getting ready to flee.

"Calm yourself Amanda," a quiet voice said, as a blonde haired woman entered the room. "It's part of the package to help you cope with the new you." Dr Green moved towards her and took Amanda's hand. "Please sit down, we have a lot to talk about."

"I'm not a woman, I can't be a woman! I have a wife and daughter who need me," sobbed a distraught Amanda.

"Look, Jack's life is gone you are now Amanda for the rest of your life."

"The name is David, not Jack. I don't know who this Jack person is or what he did, but I'm telling you I'm not him," Amanda yelled angrily.

Dr Green looked at her with puzzled eyes; she knew that some of the people that had committed evil often never remembered their old lives after the judge changed them. They often took on the new life as if it were the only life they had ever lived. Perhaps Jack had a split personality and the side that had committed the abuse's had vanished, leaving the innocent side (David) to cope with the results of the change. Feeling a little off balance, she filled David in on her new life as Amanda with her personal life details. She felt she should talk to the Judge Herns as soon as possible to check her hypothesis.

Amanda listened sullenly to the doctor as she explained that she was living with Kate Dawson, another student teacher in a flat close to the school. She also filled her in with the dos and don'ts of living in Andersonville, saying that Judge Herns wouldn't be lenient on any infraction.

Amanda didn't really take it all in, it was too bizarre, like a science fiction story. She walked out after an hour when the doctor had finished to find a dark haired beauty waiting for her.

"Amanda... at last, I hope everything is okay. What did the Doc say? Was it food poisoning?" She rambled on, ignoring Amanda's shocked expression as she saw the odd looking eyes of the girl in front of her.

"Umm, no it wasn't," Amanda replied, trying to work out what and who she was.

"Kate? You shouldn't leave your car in front of the court like that," someone said.

Turning, Amanda saw Officer Merrick in the doorway. He smiled at her, and she guessed he'd deliberately given her a clue to the young woman's identity as an aide to her fitting in. A fragment of the conversation with Dr Green came to her, and she realised the woman known as Kate, who was her roomy plus, was also a "temp." Someone who was a computer generated emulation, yet lived and played exactly as a flesh and blood person did, and had emotions and reactions like anyone else due to a huge and complex computer system.

"I'm sorry, but I was in a hurry to pick up Amanda," Kate apologised.

"Okay, just this time I'll let you off with a warning," he smiled, taking the sting out of his words. Kate grabbed Amanda's arm and bustled her out of there, saying, "Quick before he changes his mind."

Amanda was still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened. First becoming a fugitive from the law, then suffering agonies in an abortive escape attempt; then going though a bizarre court ritual with a magic wielding Judge who had then given him a sentence that had transformed him into a woman? Little wonder he didn't offer any resistance to Kate's insistence.

Kate drove a small Ford sedan that seen better days, and as they rattled along Amanda looked sideways at Kate Dawson, wondering at the complexity of something that could make her seem as real as herself. Arriving at their flat, Amanda was hustled inside by the ever-attentive Kate, where she promptly went into the kitchen leaving Amanda to set the table for dinner. Kate was oblivious to Amanda's hurried search for plates and cutlery in a flurry of opening all the cupboards and drawers.

Amanda thought that there was something odd about the way Kate was ignoring her obvious ignorance of the layout of the flat, but assumed it was a "programmed" response in these circumstances. Thankful for small mercies, Amanda soon had the table set in time for the arrival of a beef casserole. It smelled delicious and Amanda's stomach rumbled at the tantalising aroma, she realised that she hadn't eaten in days.

After almost inhaling the meal in her hunger, Amanda helped Kate clean up. Then begging tiredness, she went into "her" bedroom, where for the first time she got a good look at her new self in the mirror of her wardrobe door. Looking back at her was a slender girl of modest proportions. Her long black hair was tied back in a high ponytail and shone in vibrant health. Her skin showed a slight olive complexion, which hinted at a Mediterranean ancestry and set off her large brown eyes.

"This is not me...this is someone called Amanda," David thought in panic, barely managing to hold on to his old identity. In tears of frustration he threw off the clothes he was wearing. Trying not to dwell on the fleshy mounds bouncing on his chest, he rummaged in the drawers for something familiar to wear. Finally, he found an over large sweatshirt with the number 10 emblazoned on it (obviously it was from some jock). He pulled it on and it came down past his groin like a short nightgown.

Feeling the call of nature, he wandered out looking for the bathroom where to his chagrin, he realised that he would need to sit just to pee. The unusual sensations of the urine wetting a large area of his groin prompted him to move his legs further apart. Wiping was essential, and he felt awkward and embarrassed touching those sensitive lips as if he was some sort of pervert. Looking closely in the mirror, he noticed that Amanda's face still had a little subtle makeup on. So knowing from living with his wife that he needed a makeup remover, he started using some cold cream to remove it. He then washed, using one of the many liquid soaps lining the washbowl, which resulted in him smelling like a rose. Walking back to bed with the thought of getting some rest, he climbed into the soft lavender coloured sheets and wriggled around trying to get comfortable with his new protuberances. In moments the fatigue of the last few days caught up with him and he was soon fast asleep.

BRRRIINNNNNGGGG.... In panic David woke, fumbling for the source of that infernal noise. Opening an eye he groaned, then wished he hadn't for not only did the clock inform him that it was only 6 am, but that groan was in a timbre not his own. Realising that the previous day wasn't the result of some weird dream he turned over in disgust and tried to will himself into limbo of sleep again.

"Amanda? You awake? Amanda, come on, it's late and you have classes today."

"Whaa? Go away, I never want to wake up again."

"Amanda you must get up." Kate came over and shook David's shoulder. Protesting, David roused, knowing sleep was not going to make things right. Kate asked if she was okay, and David mumbled that he had felt better.

"Shall I drive you to Dr Green again?" Kate asked worriedly.

Not wanting to go though that again, David replied that it was okay and to give him a few minutes. Kate walked out after helping David pick out some suitable clothes. 'More programmed responses?' David mused. It wasn't until he was putting on his lipstick that David froze. 'What the hell did I just do?'

Stepping back, he looked at himself in the mirror. He saw Amanda standing there dressed in a simple blue dress that showed her curves without being blatant. Her hair was swept back and held in place with two tortoise shell combs tan hose and blue 3 inch heels completed the look. David felt fear fill him as he looked at Amanda's face, and the makeup that had been applied by him. It was subtle like yesterday, and the shade of eyeshadow emphasised his eyes. How had he done that with such skill? Was he turning into the young woman he saw before him? He realised that he'd got dressed and made up his face like a robot on autopilot.

Something that Dr Green had said to him in her office came back to him about relaxing when trying to do something that required the feminine skills. Testing it out, he wiped the lipstick off and carefully attempted to recreate the look. After a struggle and a slight smudge, he did get it right, but it took concentration. Trying again while thinking of something else, he found that it went on quickly without a thought, relieved somewhat that he wasn't automatically becoming a girl without his knowledge, David finished by grabbing a bag and a folder presumably with Amanda's notes and went to where Kate was waiting impatiently.

"Here, you'll have to eat this on the way. Next time get up earlier," she said, handing him a musueli bar.

"Thanks," David said, trying hard not to sound sarcastic. He looked at it grimacing; he hated these things. Give him cereal or better yet, bacon and eggs. He put it his bag, hoping he might find time to get something else at school. On the way in, they passed kids riding or walking to school. Some waved at them, and David wondered if they were to be in his class.

'Oh-my-god,' David thought just realising he, or rather Amanda was a Latin teacher. David knew next to nothing about teaching, let alone Latin. His stomach clenched in fear at the thought of standing up in front of a class and making a complete fool of himself. He almost asked Kate to pull over so he could get out, but an idea came to him and smiled inwardly thinking of the surprise on everyone's faces.

Arriving at school, David looked around as Kate dragged him off to the teachers lounge. The school was clean, and he saw none of the usual graffiti that he remembered from his own schooling. A few students waved and greeted them with good mornings and smiles, and it gave David a feeling of sadness that they were meant not for him, but for Amanda.

Entering the lounge, David found himself rather lost as teachers greeted him and asked how her weekend was. He covered his ignorance by smiling a lot and saying hello. A cup of coffee was thrust into his hands by a young man who looked at him a moment longer than was necessary. David thanked him and sipped at the coffee while covertly glancing back. He saw that the man was eyeing him curiously, and David wondered if there was some difference about him that had made the guy suspicious. His questions were answered as finally, the man came over and started talking.

"Amanda is everything okay?"

"Um... not really." David answered cautiously.

"You're not having memory problems?" the man asked bluntly.

"Yes, I'm just not feeling myself." David responded - thinking that the guy must know he had been transformed, and decided on giving him an opening.

"I knew it, sorry... I'm Glen Talbot. I teach maths here and like you, I was transformed."

"Were we..." David paused, getting embarrassed, "an item?"

"No, we were just friends." Glen replied gently.

"Oh... well we can still be that, I need all the friends I can get." David said, encouragingly. David looked up into a surprised pair of blue eyes and put his hand on Glen's, giving him a smile. The way Glen's eyes lit up made him look cute, and it wasn't until he bent his head and kissed David on the mouth that he realised what he'd done.

'Oh no what's happening to me?' David thought. "I just acted like a girlfriend without thinking. I actually thought he looked cute. This is getting out of hand. It must be the hormones in this body, and I think the automatic response is getting more natural. If I don't get out of this body soon I might not want to,' he mused.

Turning from Glen to get some much-needed breathing room, he bumped into a middle-aged woman. Her curly brown hair was stylishly cut to shoulder length set off her face which although beautiful had a discernible look of wisdom about it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," he blurted out.

"Hello Amanda, glad to see you back with us,"

"Um yeah, but I'm not feeling myself just now," David explained.

She laughed quietly, "There's a lot of that going around at the moment. I'm Miss Miller the school superintendent," she added holding a hand out. "Welcome to our school Jack," she continued in a quiet voice. "Your classroom is down the corridor and the last door on the right, number 12."

David looked surprised at her comments, but guessed she was either another of the beings that held sway in Andersonville or was privy to the information from the Judge. The former was more likely, as that look of wisdom was a dead give-away.

Walking towards the classroom the butterflies returned. David assumed that whatever it was that gave him the skills at makeup and the other feminine skills would hopefully come into play when he tried to step into Amanda's life as a teacher. If it didn't, then he was in big trouble as his knowledge of Latin was limited to phrases like "Tempus fugit" and "Caveat emptor."

Entering the classroom, he was greeted with a general babble from the students, which slowly quieted as he walked to the desk at the head of the room. Some of the students greeted him with "good morning Miss Delgado" or "morning Miss." It gave him an odd feeling of being welcome with a regret that it wasn't meant for him exactly, but for Amanda.

As he opened the folder with Amanda's notes, he tried to get into the relaxed mode that seemed to initiate the automatic help.... Nothing! He was stranded like a beached whale. He turned to the board trying to will the help to come, but as the seconds passed he knew it wasn't coming. Panic flooded though him and all he could think of was to flee. It was so unfair... mistaken for someone else, and then changed against his will into a female Latin teacher with no teaching skills or knowledge of Latin.

Tears flooded from his eyes and he turned and ran, shocking the students as he fled from the room and out of the building. He ran not worrying where he was headed as long as it was away from the school. Struggling to run in unfamiliar heels, he soon kicked them off, and continued running in his stocking feet. They lasted barely fifty feet until they were shredded. A few people looked askance at the woman running in torn stockings with no shoes, tears streaming down her face.

Gasping for breath as the panic ebbed, David slowed and looked around him. He was nearing a park with playground equipment. A small lake near the centre looked peaceful as the ducks swam quietly on its mirrored surface. David stopped, then walked slowly to a bench and sat wondering what he was going to do. A cough at his shoulder startled him, making his heart race. Looking up he saw the slender build of police officer Merrick.

"Miss Delgado, I had a report of a woman running barefoot in a distressed state, and I see you have no shoes," he raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Also, shouldn't you be teaching class this morning?"

"NO... and I won't go there every again and nothing you can do will make me," David shouted angrily.

"I think we should go see Judge Herns," Officer Merrick offered quietly as he lifted Amanda's slight form like a puppet.

David said nothing; resigned to the fact that another visit to the Judge seemed inevitable, especially as he couldn't offer any physical resistance with his now weaker female body.

Judge Herns looked up at the interruption as Officer Merrick entered with David in tow. She scowled, and put down the papers she was reading.

"Amanda?" she said, the question plain in her tone. "Why are you not in school?"

"BECAUSE YOU MADE A MISTAKE," David shouted, then in a quieter voice added, "I'm not a teacher, Latin or otherwise, I don't belong here and I'm not going back."

"Oh? I think you will, given the options. How would you like to become a baby girl in diapers?" she said threateningly, raising her hands.

"Go ahead, make my day," David retorted, his fear at becoming a baby seemed inconsequential to the fear at returning to class.

June Herns was surprised at her defiance; usually they capitulated at this stage and begged to remain as they were. Not wanting to seem bested, she started the change and the ball of glowing energy flew out, hitting Amanda in the chest. Instantly her body grew smaller, forming into that of a newborn baby. David could feel the changes as he shrank his strength dwindled until he couldn't stand and he plonked onto his tiny diapered rear.

Although he found himself unable to speak other than gurgling sounds, he refused to cry, remaining silent as he was picked up by the officer and handed to a woman who had just entered the court room.

"Oh, thank you Officer Merrick for looking after Julia for me. I bet she's ready for a feed now."

"Take good care of her now, Mrs Jones, and we'll see you in a week," he replied with a smile.

David kept eye contact with the Judge as he was placed in the arms of his new mother, and saw something like respect show in her eyes as he made no complaint.

***

Miss Green entered into the judge's chambers looking for Judge Herns.

"June, do you think that there is something odd about Amanda's behaviour? I mean look how she carried on in my office when she claimed not to be Jack, but someone called David. I'm wondering if this rebellious attitude is the result of a fissure in Jack's mind that's led to a splitting of personalities."

"Carol, I must admit that it is unusual and there's something about Amanda that...I can't put my finger on it exactly. Just so you know, I'll be keeping my eye on her. A week as Julia should quench that rebellious streak, and we can get back to normal business."

"I'm worried about her rushing out of class today. Miss Miller saw her rushing across the school grounds like a gazelle with a lion after her. She should have been able to handle the class okay. Hopefully we'll get some answers from the students. If not it will have to wait till you restore her."

"I'll talk to her later and see what she finds out," June answered bemusedly.

***

For David, life as baby Julia was curiously calming. Whether it was a side effect of the change in brain size, or a physical one due to the relatively unformed brain of the baby, he was currently inhabiting from being able to keep the totality of his memories. He found the stress formed by his worry of his wife and daughter, and even his own situation, was tempered by a warm fuzziness that filled his thoughts. It was like being drunk where everything seems slightly out of focus and remote without the other side effects.

At first he tried to hold his bowel movements to when he was being changed, but found that Julia's mother didn't change him until he soiled them. So he just let go years of learnt behaviour of holding back and just did it when the urge hit. A simple squall would alert her of his need. In fact he was so quiet and his refusal to cry like a normal baby, that she took him to see Dr Green about it.

"But Carol, she hasn't cried in days, and she just lies there like a zombie. I'm scared there's something wrong," confided Mrs Jones.

"I'm sure she will be fine in a few days," Dr Green replied, but wondered what was going on inside Julia's head.

David watched closely as Dr Green examined her body, taking note of her puzzled expression. Inwardly he was grinning at her discomfort, as he lay motionless like a rag doll. Even when she pinched his bottom out of the view of the mother, trying in vain to get some sort of response. He preferred to remain silent as he tried to keep his sense of identity together, by remembering all the details of his life as far back as he could.

Finally, the day arrived. Julia's mother came back to the Doctor's office where Officer Merrick took the baby while Dr Green had a chat with Mrs Jones. June Herns look of bafflement as she read the notes she had been given, was quickly quenched, as Julia was brought before her.

"Well, it looks as if you have been behaving yourself, so I'm going to change you back into Amanda as long as you toe the line. If I have to see you again, I won't be so lenient with you."

David held still, saying nothing as the now familiar glow enveloped his body. As he grew back into Amanda's slender form, he sighed, but continued to remain silent under the scrutiny of the Judge. Seemingly satisfied, she started to turn away just as David quietly spoke.

"Nothing you do will alter the fact that I don't belong here. Turn me back into a baby, I don't care. It won't change the facts. I WILL not, and more importantly CANNOT be a teacher, unless you erase my mind and reprogram me with your magic to fit your needs." David braced himself, eyes closed waiting, waiting for the Judge to blow a gasket and call down her wrath on him. Seconds passed, and he opened his eyes glancing to where the Judge stood, frozen.

"Amanda."... The Judge's voice calmly came. "If we wanted to let you die we could have left you on the bridge." Her voice surprisingly, to David, was filled with compassion. "We like to think of this change as redemption, and not as a punishment. We need a teacher and you will fill that role," she continued, her voice hardening as she went on.

"But..."

"Go before I do something I shouldn't," she interrupted.

David walked out, resolute in his determination to stand up to the Judge as best he could. Out of the courthouse and into the foyer, where he saw Mrs Jones coming out with Julia in her arms. Linda looked up at Amanda's exit from the courtroom and smiled at her. David smiled weakly back and continued outside and started to walk, grateful of the chance to be independent again. Walking in the sunny morning allowed his mind to once again dwell on the situation of his wife and child, and he felt the frustration return.

***

Susan was puzzled; David was acting strangely as they drove together east along the highway. He had altered their route so instead of them heading directly east though the next state, insisted they deviate to the south and then move east. Unfortunately she didn't pick up on the fact that he seemed to pay great attention to everything she said.

Jack didn't want to risk discovery by the police cordons he was sure would be covering the state borders, and wanted to completely bypass it on their way east. By listening intently to Susan, he picked up most of the information he needed to continue the deception. In the meantime, he was constructing mental images of the things he intended to do when alone with "his " daughter.

***

"BEEP...BEEP"... David was startled out of his musings as he walked along the path in the general direction of his flat. A small red convertible had pulled along side him, and the driver had tooted the horn, and then called out her name. It was the maths teacher, Glen Talbot, and he offered her a lift to school. Shaking his head, David declined, saying he was going home. Glen then offered to drive her there, and David relented and got into the car.

David was silent on the way back to the flat. He didn't feel like engaging in any chit-chat, especially with someone who had been close to Amanda in her pre-transformed life. Glen was content to talk to her about school matters, filling her in with the latest gossip, as if David was the least bit interested. He was finding it hard to keep in mind that he wasn't a "she", as the references to him were always in the feminine pronoun.

Trying to think of himself as David was nearly impossible. The way his breasts jiggled with every movement, and Amanda's very feminine attire with their attendant sensuous sensations, were sending their own conflicting signals. He was finding that he was falling deeper under the spell's influence and caught himself with panic, thinking of himself as Amanda, once or twice.

He needed a way out of here, before Amanda's life became his own and he woke up one day to find that David was submerged beneath the trappings of femininity. When he entered his flat, after thanking Glen for the ride, he decided to change his clothes and get into something less feminine. After finding that the only pants available were skin tight, and only showed his curves off more, he decided to put on a simple dress that was gathered under the bodice and fell with a full skirt to just below his knees. Although it was decorated in a rather feminine yellow floral pattern, it felt comfortable and light.He found a pair of low-heeled sandals that seemed to go with it. Shaking out his hair, he let it flow down freely. It took an almost Herculean amount of mental will not to put makeup on, as he'd found that after arranging his hair the 'skill' had started automatically applying it.

He didn't get away completely with it though. The 'skill' had somehow managed to force him to apply some perfume, and deciding not to waste time trying to wash it off, resigned himself to smelling like a girl. 'Beats BO. I guess,' he thought to himself.

Looking around the flat while trying to come up with a plan, he eventually found out where everything was. David then decided to make an early lunch for himself.

A knock on the door startled him for a moment, and he quickly ran to a nearby window and peered out from behind the curtain to see who it was. Miss Miller stood there with a determined look on her face. Backing away, David decided that he'd go to his bedroom and politely "not hear her knock.' Feeling hounded, he sank into a black fugue. After a minute or so, just when he hoped she'd gone, his bedroom door was opened and in walked Miss Miller.

"Ecce, puer, ad sum ante meridiem et nulli desperare, gaudeamus igitur." She said. (Translation: Look, child, I am here before noon, so let us be joyful.) "Reverti, quod in ludo nescesse es." (Translation: Return, for you are needed in school.) She added.

"Huh?" David understood none of it and only knew it sounded like Latin.

"Quid non me intelligas?" she added in surprise. (Translation: "why don't you understand me?")

From the blank look in Amanda's eyes, Laura knew something was very wrong here. There was no way that a teacher of Latin wouldn't have understood her. She had come to get Amanda back to school, but was so bemused with this revelation that she found herself unable to do more than say that she would be back soon. As David stood up and was about to say not to bother, he found himself alone. Miss Miller had vanished.

'So... she's one of them too,' he thought to himself. 'No wonder she got inside so easily.'

***

"But June, she didn't understand me when I spoke to her in Latin, no wonder she fled the class." Laura Miller said as she paced nervously in front of June Herns.

"Are you absolutely sure of this?" June queried, looking disquieted.

"I'm sure...yes."

"Hmm... this puts me in a bind, Dr Green mentioned something about a split personality. If this is true, then the half, which we know was 'Jack' and knew Latin, disappeared with the change. We could be left with the 'David' half, who's claiming to be innocent and is unable to understand Latin. Where is she now? We need to keep a close eye on her."

"I left her at home, I think she's too afraid to show herself," Laura replied.

"Good," June nodded, "you'd better get back to school, I'll check this out myself."

***

David wanted out, and had started walking trying to find a way of escaping this crazy place. After walking for half an hour keeping to the quietest streets he came to the outskirts and saw the open countryside. Just as he was about to gather up his skirts to climb over the fence bordering the fields, a voice at his shoulder froze him in place.

"They look inviting, don't they?"

David turned... to see Officer Merrick standing there. 'This guy must be one of "them," thought David, panicking a little.

"You can't escape you know, even if you walked in a straight line, you'd find yourself stopped." He said with a faint grin.

David got angry at the smug look on the officer's face.

"None of you people get it, do you? I'm not the person you think I am. I don't belong here, I have a wife and a daughter who are relying on me to find a cure for their disease." David explained, exasperatedly.

"Tell me about them, I'm listening." answered Officer Merrick.

David took that as a first sign that maybe, just maybe he could tell his side of the story. Starting from the beginning, he related everything that had happened from the moment they found out about the disease that was consuming his wife and daughters life to the present moment. After he finished, he added, 'They should be passing near here soon by my calculations. Keep a lookout for them, they'll back up my story."

Officer Merrick looked at Amanda with an expression of respect and sadness.

"I think there's been a terrible mistake made."

As David looked hopefully at him, he saw the cop stiffen as if seeing something far away. With a quick "I got to go," he turned and blurred out of sight. David stood stunned, he knew that the officer wasn't human in a normal sense, but seeing him vanish like that was still a shock.

'I wonder where he had to go in such a hurry,' he wondered to himself.

***

For some reason Diane didn't like the way her father looked at her. He had seemed to have changed... almost like he was another person altogether. She noticed it had started since they met back up with him. His sidelong glances made her feel uncomfortable, which upset her, as she loved her dad. They were driving along an empty stretch of road, when a tire blew with a loud bang. The flap-flap flapping sound of the ruined tire as it tore away from the rim was accompanied by a startled yell as David (Jack) wrestled with the wheel trying to control the wobbling SUV.

With a screech of brakes and a grinding sound as the rim threw sparks from the road's surface, they slowed... but not enough. Managing only to hang on to the wheel, David (Jack) saw the SUV headed for the ditch along side the road. Susan screamed to Diane to hold on as the SUV slowly and with inexorable force tilted and started falling to its final resting place.

When the smashing noises of the interior belongings subsided, and the dust and smoke cleared, the only sounds were the ticking, plinking sounds of overheated metal and the dripping of burst water reservoirs. Then...a groan, and a sound of shifting debris, as Diane scrambled out from under a mattress in the rear of the SUV. Pulling herself up she saw that the vehicle had fallen on its side.

"MOM... DAD? Are you okay?" she cried.

Scrambling dazed, and a little disorientated from the unusual position she found herself in, she moved rearward, climbing over the jumble of belongings.

Moans from her parents told her that at least they were still alive, and she struggled to climb out the rear door, which was buckled from the crash. Moving round to the front she saw her parents hanging from their seat belts. Her father had blood dripping from a cut over his eye, and was moving sluggishly as he tried to free himself.

Just then, a voice behind her told her 'stand clear.' Looking around, she saw a tall slender police officer standing there. She was surprised, as she'd not heard a car pull up, or seen anyone about, just moments ago.

"Can you help them?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes, but please stand clear, I think the fuel is about to catch."

Diane went white... her parents were still trapped inside. Before she could even scream in horror, the man sprang into action. Like the comic book hero "The Flash" Diane stood rooted to the spot as she watched the officer blur into motion in seconds both her father and mother were clear and lying on the ground some distance away. With a frightening "Whomp", a ball of exploding fuel and debris reached out towards the girl standing frozen in fear. Just as she was sure she was about to die, she felt herself being picked up and whirled with a speed that defied understanding out of harms way.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you should have moved when I told you, Diane," the officer said chillingly, a slight grin belying his rebuke.

Diane found herself out of danger and amazingly unharmed. Not questioning the impossible, she turned and gave the man a hug thanking him for saving her life. Officer Merrick smiled, his face coming alive at the simple, but heartfelt gratitude coming from the child. Then turning, he busied himself checking out the two adults. The mother was fine, just a contusion that had resulted in her unconscious state. When he looked at the man and wiped the blood away, he stilled, looking very intently, a strange expression on his face.

***

David walked aimlessly, deep in thought. His life was in tatters, changed into someone else and unable to even live out that person's life. His choices were limited either accept this life as Amanda, even though he couldn't do her job as a teacher, or contemplate killing himself as there seemed no escape from the town of Andersonville.

He stopped, taking in his surroundings. He was on the bridge looking over a ravine that was maybe 30 feet deep. Far enough to be fatal if he decided to jump head first. He climbed up onto the edge and stood there looking down. Memories of the recent rail bridge incident flooded back.

'Was it worth carrying on trying to live a life not his own?' he pondered. One step, and it would be all over...no worrying about school or having to adjust to life as a woman... no just a quick brief pain then oblivion.

Standing there, he felt so alone and tears fell unchecked as his emotions boiled over. Then as he leaned forward, an image of his daughter laughing on her birthday flashed into his head. A feeling of terror flooded though his body, stilling any motion. He couldn't give up and go the coward's way out. Diane's life depended on him. She trusted him to find a place that could cure her so she could have many more birthdays.

Taking a deep breath to steady him, he was about to step down, when a woman's voice spoke.

"Please come down. We need to talk,"

Looking over her shoulder David saw the Judge Herns standing there.

'How do they do that?' he muttered under his breath.

"No," he snarled, annoyed by the thought that if he did she would think he had complied with her wishes and not made the decision on his own.

"Do you truly want to die?" the Judge added.

"No," he said simply, 'Let her make sense of that,' he gloated.

The Judge paused, looking defeated.

"Isn't there any way we can come to an agreement?" she offered.

"Oh yes... you can let me go as my old self." David countered.

"I'm afraid that's impossible, you don't know what you're asking," she sighed.

"Then let me go as I am...I want. No, I need to try and do what I must to save my wife and daughters life, even if it means I remain a woman for the rest of my days," he conceded.

Judge Herns was about to reply when David saw her eyes change... the same look that Officer Merrick had before he left so abruptly.

"Come with me, there's been a development," she said in a serious tone. She held out a hand and for some unexplained reason, David took it sensing that there was something bigger going on here. In an instant of time David found that they had travelled to the local hospital where he saw doctors fussing around a couple of patients. Officer Merrick gave David a shared wink and with a nod drew his attention to a child sitting by the patient's beds.

It was Diane! David's heart leapt in joy, until the way she was looking at the patients made him realise the worse. It was Susan in the bed.

"Susan!...SUSAN," He surged forward to get closer, but the grip of the Judge held firm.

"She's okay, just unconscious," she explained.

Looking back at his daughter, he saw she had turned to look at him, or rather Amanda.

"You know my mother?" she asked puzzled.

"Yes bubbakins I do," he answered.

Her eyes opened in shock, "But...but, only my daddy calls me that," she said wonderingly.

"I know I do, Diane... I just look a little different now," David sighed.

"Daddy?... DADDIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" she shrieked, as she ran to David and flung her arms around David's decidedly slender form.

"Was it the police officer who changed you? He is magic too, he saved me from the explosion," she sobbed.

"No honey bunch, it was this lady here," David said, indicating the Judge. "Officer Merrick saved you?" David continued. He looked over at Officer Merrick and saw an acknowledging shrug.

"Yes, I was sure I was going to die when the car blew up, but he flew me away out of harm and got mommy and daddy out too...oh...but..."

"DADDY?" David broke free from the Judge with a rush of adrenaline-powered strength and rushed over to the other patient, where he stopped, hands clenching in anger. He looked down at the same face he used to own, and realised this was the one, who's crimes, he had been punished for.

He wanted to put his hands around the man's throat and choke him to death for causing him so much anguish, but as he looked at him he realised he couldn't do it. Not only was it like killing himself, but he refused to allow himself to drop to down to the same level. Instead he straightened up and turned instead to his wife, where unbidden, the tears flowed as he gazed upon her motionless body.

"See, you did make a mistake," he accused Judge Herns scathingly.

"So it seems, David," she admitted sadly.

"Why did you turn my daddy into a girl?" Diane asked beseechingly.

Judge Herns crouched down to Diane's level. "Honey, it was a mistake, but we'll see what we can do about it tomorrow. Do you want to go with your real daddy for now, and we'll see you tomorrow morning at the courthouse?"

Yes, alright. Will my mommy be okay?"

"Of course honey, she'll be fine. Now run along with Amanda...um I mean David," she corrected herself. She had the grace to blush at her faux pa.

"Amanda? Oh daddy I love that name. Can I use it while you look like that?" she giggled. She ran over and hugged him with delight.

David's heart soared, not only did his daughter accept him as a woman and not turn away, she even showed her love was undiminished.

"Diane, you can call my anything you want, as long as you call me," he responded with Amanda's feminine giggle. For the first time since his change, he wasn't concerned about appearances. He was alive, his daughter was alive, and his wife was alive. Tomorrow was another day, maybe his last as a woman. He could relax and enjoy some quality time with his daughter in a whole new way, not as a father and daughter, but as a female parent and her child.

David, in his euphoria, did something he thought he'd never do. He walked over to Officer Merrick and throwing his slender arms around his neck, kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for saving my family," he whispered, blushing furiously at his actions.

"Just doing my duty, David. Oh... there's a car outside if you want to take your daughter on a tour...around Andersonville only," he added, the meaning being crystal clear.

David, after making sure Susan was in good hands, took Diane out and found a new red Ford waiting in the hospitals parking lot. The keys were in it, and they climbed in and drove to the nearest little cafe where they had a nice lunch. David listened to Diane's tale from when they left home and encountered the other person who they thought was he. David asked whether the man had done or said anything bad to them.

"No daddy, but he did keep looking at me and made me feel uncomfortable. I did wonder at the time we met. There seemed to be something wrong, but I didn't realise what it was until you called me bubbakins. He never said it. You always do when we see each other."

David shuddered at the thought of what might have happened had that tire not blown out so conveniently. Thinking about the coincidence that Officer Merrick had been so handy, made David suspected that maybe the accident had been no such thing. He didn't know what to think about this person who had stopped them in time, but had at the same time put their lives at risk. Maybe they didn't think like normal people, he mused to himself. One thing for sure, they weren't like normal people.

"Amanda...daddy!" Diane's voice interrupted his musings and he shook his head as if clearing the cobwebs.

"Yes honey? Sorry I was away with the fairies," he explained.

"Do you have a place you live at?"

"Yes, you can stay with me tonight.

"Daddy...what's it like being Amanda?" she asked.

"Well it's different from being a man and the clothes take some getting used to, but it isn't like I became completely different like an alien or something," he answered honestly. "I still have two arms and legs, even if they are a little thinner. Most things feel very much the same."

Diane giggled, "I think you look beautiful, daddy."

David blushed, feeling oddly pleased with the compliment.

"Honey, do you want to look at some shops? I could be like your other mommy and we could get ice cream later."

Diane's response was to hug him and pull him out of his seat saying, "let's go, Amanda."

After a quick visit to the ladies room, they left and drove into the centre of Andersonville, where Diane wanted to get some new clothes.

"I'm going to need everything and so will mommy, we lost everything in the crash. You are nearly the same size so you can buy her things and try them on for her," Diane stated with childish simplicity.

"Okay honey, but I hope I have enough money for all of this," David reminded her. He then realised what he'd allowed his daughter to talk him into. Buying and trying on women's clothes..."Well," he thought, sighing, "I'm really going to get an education here."

The rest of the afternoon they spent trying on clothes, underwear, and shoes. In fact they brought a whole new wardrobe, including cosmetics and some jewellery. David found that he had really enjoyed the time interacting with his daughter as a female, and often took her advice when she said buy this or try that.

Looking at the pile of purchases, he dreaded the time when he came to pay for it. He took out the credit card that he found in Amanda's purse and presented it with some trepidation to the girl at the counter. He worries grew when she checked it and then motioned to an older, but gorgeous woman working near the back.

She came forward and looked at the card and returned it to David, saying, "I'm sorry, but that card is no good in this store."

David's heart sank, and he blushed with embarrassment. Just as he was about to tell his daughter the bad news, the woman smiled and said, "Amanda, whatever you need has been taken care of, courtesy of Judge Herns. Your card is no good because there's no charge. My name is April Marshall. If I can be of any further assistance, please ask and I'll be only too willing to help."

David could tell from the way April carried herself that this was another one like the Judge and Officer Merrick. They all seemed to carry an aura of wisdom in their eyes, as if they knew the secrets of the ages.

"Maybe they do," thought David, "it was as if they were gods...oh... why didn't I think of that before? Because dummy, it was too far fetched," he chided himself. David's internal dialogue took only seconds and he thanked April, for everything, while wondering if he was indeed talking to the legendary Aphrodite.

Later, while enjoying a small ice cream cone and watching his daughter dive head first into the biggest ice cream sundae he'd ever seen, he pondered on his *god theory.* "Merrick, had to be Mercury, with that speed of his," he thought. Not knowing much about mythology, he wondered about the Judge Herns. He knew they had called her June, and with a last name of Herns could she be Juno or was that Hera? Both seemed to fit, but whether he was getting his Roman and Greek gods mixed he wasn't sure. Anyway it was a moot point. Whoever she was, she was way too powerful for him to thwart.

"I'm finished Amanda," interrupted Diane's voice.

David laughed at the sight of his daughter; Diane's face was covered in assorted colours of ice cream.

"Come on honey, let's get you cleaned up," David giggled.

They walked to the ladies where David knelt down and gently washed the ice cream away with some wet tissues. While they were there, a woman coming out of a stall looked at them both smiling, as she washed her hands and freshened her lipstick.

"Your daughter is adorable, you must be the proudest mother around," she spoke.

"Yes she is, and I am," David said, without hesitation, not picking up on the 'mother.'

"You behave yourself for your mother hon," the lady said, finishing up and moving towards the exit.

"I do, don't I mother?" Diane replied, giggling.

"Yes Diane. You are the best daughter a...a mother could have," David replied, blushing as he stumbled over his new description. He gathered Diane into a hug, tears leaking unashamedly down his cheeks.

It was odd to be able to release the feelings locked up in his body without wondering whether it was the manly thing to do. It seemed easier as a woman, to wear your emotions on your sleeve, as it were. Nobody pulled you up on it, it was accepted as a normal thing for women to hug and kiss spontaneously. Funny, how it took going though all this, and ending up as a woman to find out how good it felt. He knew when he got his male body back, things would be much different, and he wasn't thinking of the physical aspects. He would be much closer to his daughter in future in so many ways.

Arriving home at Amanda's flat, Diane went exploring. She looked at all the clothes in Amanda's wardrobe, and started playing with her makeup on the vanity while David brought all the bags of shopping and started making dinner.

"Diane...can you give me a hand here honey?"

"Okay, coming mommy," came Diane's voice.

David smiled, enjoying a weird sense of contentment at being accepted as a surrogate mother. The feelings of love that filled his heart towards his daughter seemed to make the problems of his gender change pale in comparison.

Diane came into the kitchen wearing some of the lipstick that was on his vanity, she had smeared too much of it on and looked more like a small cute clown.

Between the two of them dinner was made interspersed with fits of giggles as Diane played the mother/daughter game. David couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun.

Kate came home, but only had time to say hello before she had to go change for a date that she had that night. So David and Diane ate together, cementing their new closeness.

After cleaning up they watched a little TV until David saw Dane's' head start to nod. Getting her into a nice hot bath David started to wash her until Diane started splashing him in fun.

"Hey watch it bubbakins," he protested, starting to splash her back.

She laughed and continued, realising the futility of staying dry. David stripped off to bra and panties; for some reason he wasn't embarrassed and on sudden impulse decided to strip completely and jumped in the bath too.

"Amanda, you have a lovely body. Will I look like that when I grow up?" Diane asked.

David was about to answer "Yes" when he remembered that the truth was in fact that Diane was unlikely to survive many more years, according to the Doctors' diagnosis. As the reality of the situation hit David, all his dreams shattered. He choked, then mumbled yes, hating the lie he was forced to give.

He barely managed to hold his emotions in check as they both put on nighties and got ready for bed. Diane wanted them both to sleep together in the same bed, and as she snuggled closer to David with such childish trust, his frustration at his helplessness to find a cure, almost overwhelmed him.

'It would take a miracle or god to help Diane now,' he thought. 'God... or gods... hmm, maybe there was a chance after all,' he mused sleepily.

***

David and Diane were at the courthouse as soon as it opened. David, under the prompting of his daughter, had gone all out with his appearance. Using some of the clothes, (supposedly for Susan) he looked very elegant in a navy skirt and jacket with a cream blouse. Diane had helped with the hair so that it looked very chic. David had allowed the 'auto-help' as he called it, to take over while applying his makeup, and it had paid off by bringing out Amanda's best features.

A call from Doctor Green had told him when to come to court, and she had assured him his wife was okay and would also be there on time. Before long the courtroom doors were opened and they filed inside. David saw his wife and hurried over to sit next to her. Diane had rushed over and while hugging Susan whispered in Susan's ear. David saw her eyes widen then look at David more closely. David gave a wry smile and shrugged his shoulders in a 'well it wasn't my idea' way. David moved nearer and quietly gave a brief rundown on the situation. Susan obviously wanted to hear more, but was interrupted by the arrival of the Judge and soon after by Jack.

The courtroom was almost empty, just Doctor Green and the Judge's assistant Linda, along with Officer Merrick. Jack looked a bit worried, even though the bandages had gone leaving no sign of his injuries. David wondered what was going on in the man's mind and just what was the Judge going to do to him. One thing for certain, David was glad he wasn't the one in handcuffs.

"This is a most unusual situation we have here," the Judge spoke in her opening remark.

"First, I need to apologise to David here for the mistake I made, but as you can see, Jack here is identical in appearance."

She paused for a moment. "I think we'd better get to Jack's sentence before I consider anything else." She looked at Jack dispassionately. "I don't like people who molest children that are under their care and the exploitation of children for pornographic purposes makes my blood boil. Do you have any last words to say before I sentence you?"

"Go to hell Judge, I want a lawyer. Seeing you forgot to read me my rights, I figure you have no case against me," he smirked nastily.

The Judge nodded and said, "but to read you your rights, you have to have them first. By coming into my town, those rights have been forfeited."

"You can't do that," he argued back.

"Yes I can. I find you guilty of the crimes and sentence you to a life in Andersonville. That will not only put right the wrongs you committed, but will give the children here, the benefit of your skills in your chosen profession."

With that, she started talking in that weird language again, and Judge Herns hands glowed. A ball of energy rose up and moved toward Jack, striking him in the chest. He reeled back a step, and looked surprised as his body started to change. Susan was shocked to see the man she thought was her husband shrink and become more feminine. As the changes continued, she saw with fascination his clothes changing too until it came clear that he was wearing the same clothes Amanda/David had on.

Dragging her gaze away to look at David, she saw he was beginning to change too. No longer was he the woman that he had been just a few moments ago... no, he was becoming David again, looking back at... Jack? She saw he was now Amanda, and was wearing the same blue skirt and jacket David had worn.

"Amanda, shouldn't you be in school now?" Judge Herns asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Gratias ago videndo me, sed mihi rendendum est, iudex, (thank you for seeing me, but I must return now judge). Then looking at David and his family Amanda spoke again in Latin, "Puer,te spero docere mox.(child, I hope to teach you soon)

The Judge shook her head at Amanda, and she blushed and repeated it in English, apologising. David listened in amazement as she did the translation, there seemed to be no sign of the previous Jack in her demeanour. As she walked out of the courtroom her movements were as feminine as if she had been born a girl.

'What...the..." he started to say.

"David, yes it's true. She really thinks she was born Amanda Louise Delgado and she has no knowledge of ever being Jack," the Judge interrupted. She'll be teaching children again, but the danger has been eliminated."

"So, he gets off Scot free then, no real punishment like I went though?" David replied angrily.

"David, inside Amanda's head, a part of Jack still resides, unable to do anything or control Amanda in any way. He will be so close to the children, but will be unable to get any satisfaction from it. Amanda is a woman who likes to look extremely feminine, and she has a boyfriend. Do you not agree that Jack will hate that?" June Herns smiled.

David knew that having mostly come to terms with his change to Amanda, and the enjoyable time he'd had with Diane interacting as two females, had made him think that Jack had got a good deal. But given that Jack was now a virtual prisoner in Amanda's head put it in a different light.

The Judge then turned to David's family, and a pensive look crossed her face.

"Now, it's your turn, and I have several options for you. I could remove your memories of all this and just let you go on your way. But knowing that the "cure" you're seeking will turn out to be another dead end, I can't, in all good conscience let you waste your remaining time seeking a cure that doesn't exist."

At her words, the hope that David had kept of finding a possible cure died. The blood drained from his face and a leaden feeling came over him, as he turned to Susan trying not to cry.

"However..." the Judge continued. "There is another option..." she paused as if considering whether to offer it.

"What?" implored David, clutching at her words in desperation.

"It will have to be your wife and daughters decision, not yours I'm afraid, and you might not like it. It will mean that they will have to remain here in Andersonville for the rest of their lives," Judge Herns went on.

David wondered if he could stand to remain here in Andersonville for the rest of his life to stay with his family. Looking at his daughter and wife it was a non-decision; he would have lived at the North Pole as long as they were together.

"Well I don't have a pressing need to be any particular place," David stated, quietly. "As long as we're together," he added.

"That's the problem, they would have to stay if they accepted the choice, but you cannot."

"Huh? Why not?" David asked, feeling rather confused.

"Because I'd have to transform them and give them bodies that will not be affected by the recessive gene," the judge replied tiredly, as if explaining to a child.

"So you will give them new female bodies, like you did me?"

"NO!"

"Why not?" David persisted, ignoring the growing scowl on the judge's face.

"Because the recessive gene being carried down the female line will ultimately surface if I use a female form. I may be powerful, but there are limits. Were I to remove the gene that carries the disease, I remove that which makes them who they are." Sighing at David's blank look, she continued. "David... they would be someone else... not your wife and daughter.

"But..." then the truth hit David. "NO...Please not that," he sobbed.

"It's the only way David. In any case, it's their decision." With that, Judge Herns called Susan forward. She walked around the desk and the judge talked quietly to her. David waited, watching, and wondering could he give them up if they decided to go though with it.

He saw them nodding their heads, and he knew that his wife had made the decision to remain in Andersonville. David felt proud and sad at the same time. Proud of Susan's sacrifice so she could be with her daughter, and sad because David knew they would no longer be man and wife. Both Susan and the Judge knelt down to explain the situation to Diane. David had to look away, his vision blurry from the tears that filled his eyes. He put his head down and sobbed quietly, until he heard the dreaded chant from the Judge.

David couldn't watch, as both his wife and daughter experienced the changes imposed on their bodies. Susan grew in height and bulked up into an athletic looking 30-year-old man with sandy hair. Diane too changed, becoming male. He was slightly taller, but still had many of her old features. Susan was surprised at the feeling of well being from this new body of hers/his. Obviously, the disease had taken its silent, deadly toil on her old body unnoticed.

David looked up as a tap on the shoulder, revealed the new Susan. He tried to smile bravely and welcomed Diane into his arms as if nothing had happened. The judge spoke quietly, explaining their new lives. Susan was now Terry, a manager of a ladies wear store here in Andersonville. He was married to Helen, who also worked in the same store. Their son David (Diane) was going to school and was on the baseball team.

David was stunned. His wife was married? He tried not to break down in front of her. Just then, a slim woman entered the courtroom and walked over to Terry. She looked about 26-27 years old with a great figure. Her auburn hair way swept back in an attractive style that showed off her gold earrings. Her eyes were those of a temp, and were the only thing that marred her beauty.

"Honey," she said, looking at Terry. "I need you at the shop. There's a new shipment just in, and I'm rushed off my feet. I had to close the shop just so I could pick you up. Did you sort out the problem with David? I hope the talk with the judge about throwing stones at windows will put a stop to it and prevent it from occurring again."

Terry looked at David and shrugged. "I'll talk to you about it later." He went off with Helen, while Diane/David looked back at her dad with a surprised expression. David slumped back down on the bench, his mind a turmoil of whirling emotions. The Judge looked at him carefully, as she shuffled some paperwork.

"You should leave Andersonville soon, so they can get on with their new lives." June Herns said quietly.

"I don't know if I can do that Judge. Anyway, I have no place to go now. I sold my business and the house so we had enough to pay for the treatment. Now that the SUV is toast and my car is probably impounded in another state. I'd have to walk. This is all I have left," he said, indicating his body.

"Well...no... you wouldn't go for it," she mused out loud.

"What?"

"There is one way you could stay here, but..."

"Hey tell me already," David demanded.

The Judge sighed, "You won't like it, that's why I didn't mention it before."

"Please tell me," he pleaded.

"You could become Helen, and be the wife of your husband. But seeing your revulsion at being female, I guess that's not an option."

David sat still, trying to imagine wearing dresses for the rest of his life and having sex with a man, even though it was his wife in another form.

"Can I think about it Judge?" he asked speculatively.

"I will give you an hour, then I want you out of here, walking if necessary."

David stumbled outside and looked around at the town with fresh eyes. Would he be content to live here, not going out beyond the town's outskirts? If the job Helen did in the shop was with feminine apparel, could he cope? There were a million questions that he had no answers for. The two most important reasons for staying were now in different bodies. Could he look past the outer shell and see the person he fell in love with? Did it matter? As long as the two bodies were sexually compatible, did it matter whose mind was in each body?

David walked slowly around in the midday sun, deep in thought. Coming to one of the many parks in Andersonville, he watched the mothers that had their children playing there. Could he walk away from the only family he had left? Something caught his eye, a small child had fallen over and he was crying until his mother ran up and comforted him, wiping his tears way.

For David, suddenly it all came clear, and he knew with a certainty what his decision would be. Making his way back, he found the judge waiting for him.

"Have you made a decision?" she asked calmly.

"Yes your Honor, I have," David replied simply, trying not to be nervous.

"What's it to be then, Helen or not?"

"Your honor, before I answer that, I want to apologise for the trouble I caused. Most of it was my worry about my family and my being stuck here against my will." He paused, gauging the Judge's reactions. "I want to be Helen," he said in a rush.

"I was afraid of this," June said sadly. "You realise that once I change you there's no going back. No threats or temper tantrums will sway me to alter you back."

"I know that, your honor," he said contritely.

"Why should I believe you," she asked sternly.

"Because, in spite of my reluctance in becoming what I'm not, I realise that I'd miss watching my child grow up. To be there when he falls, to comfort him when he needs two loving arms. To be honest, I'm not sure how I'll handle having a husband, but I'm going to try, for the sake of my child." Tears were running down David's cheeks as he bared his soul to the Judges scrutiny.

"Very well David, those are fine reasons. I'll grant your request and please, if you need help in adjusting, you only need to ask," she said warmly. "Just stand there and I'll put you into Helens body at the shop." She started the chant, but this time David welcomed it, knowing that in a few moments he would be where he belonged, with his family.

As the blue energy struck him, the room faded from view and the surroundings of a very feminine shop coalesced into view. David, now Helen, found herself facing her husband near the rear of the shop. He had a startled expression on his face and he blurted out the very amazing thing he had noticed.

"Your eyes, they changed from the sparkly to a hazel colour."

"Yes, they do that when the temp has been replaced with a real person," Helen giggled.

"You're ...a real person? And you remember your past life?" Terry queried.

"Yes," Helen teased. " Did bubbakins make it to school on time," Helen smiled.

"Yes.. he.. bub..? David is that YOU?" Oh god it is." He shouted in relief, and grabbed Helen, hugging her for dear life.

"Terry... stop hugging so hard," she gasped.

Terry loosed his hold and looked at Helen in amazement. Helen looked up at her husband/wife and taking a deep breath, leaned forward, and puckered her lips. Terry completed the move and they kissed deeply. That's when they realised it didn't matter what sex each was. It was two lovers confirming a bond made in another time and place.

***

David, after arriving home from his first day at school was as surprised as Terry in the change in Helen. He screamed in delight to hear that she was really his dad when Helen told her story that evening. Helen welcomed the hugs from her son, and looked hesitantly at Terry as if unsure to do the same. Overcoming this last hurdle with a resolve to make this work, Helen opened her arms inviting Terry into the hug. Terry smiled, and knew that times ahead were going to be an interesting challenge, but in his/her heart he/she knew that Helen had finally accepted the situation. Time would take care of the rest, at least they all had the time now, to start again.

Some time in the future...

Helen sat thinking on how things had worked out fine, as she feed little Diane at her breast. The maternal bond that comes with having a baby suckle, was giving her the most satisfaction. Sex as a woman was something she looked forward to after her initial reluctance, Terry was gentle that first time allowing her time to get used to the idea. Now, she usually was the one who initiated the bedroom gymnastics.

David was doing fine in school and business was booming. Helen, having been in the same situation as many of her transformed customers, found she could entice the most reluctant of them to buy. Of course she had lots of help from Terry, who had the experience with feminine apparel. Yes things were great and she was looking forward to teaching her daughter and sharing the unique bond that a mother and daughter share.

Terry too, was dealing with his change. He still had a lot of input into what looked great on Helen, in terms of clothes, and found that having a sexy wife (especially in bed), was exciting. What he missed the most was wearing the sensual fabrics close to his skin both at work and in bed. Helen came up with the solution, and now he wore silky panties and a chemise under his clothes, and he had the nicest selection of silk nighties to wear to bed.

Hearing a car door slam and then running feet entering the house, she put the baby down in her bassinet, and made her way to greet her son and husband coming back from playing ball in the park.

Fade out...

This story dedicated to Mindy, the founding mother of Fictionmania. If it weren't for her insight and hard work, we would all be much poorer. She spent thousands of dollars of her own money and time to keep FM running - and all I have to repay her with is this story, and my gratitude.
Thanks Mindy!

Andersonville 21 - Sins of the father, sins of the son.
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff, Nelson T.

Copyright 2002

Fade in...

"Good morning, Miss Anderson," Crius said in a formal tone.

"Please, call me, Linda," I replied.

"Only if you call me, Crius," he answered. The Titan God smiled, but I detected no warmth to it.

"Okay, Crius." I returned his smile with some reservation. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I didn't feel at ease with him. When he had asked me out to breakfast, I had been tempted to say 'no', but my curiosity had gotten the better of me. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to talk," he replied in a dry tone. Our waitress, who happened to be a temp, came over and asked if we wanted some coffee. I noticed Crius seemed annoyed by the interruption, and struggled hard not to lose his temper. We both ordered a cup and she hurried off.

"I'm sorry," he explained, while tugging on the collar of his shirt. "I'm not use to these clothes, and it's making me rather cranky."

His comment made me laugh. "Believe me, Crius, I understand completely."

He laughed too, and this time the feeling seemed genuine. "Yes, of course. I keep forgetting who you were before my brother had you changed."

His words stuck like a knife in my back. I knew who I was. I was Linda Anderson. Then I cursed silently. That wasn't right - not totally.

Crius seemed to notice my discomfort over his words. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No," I replied, then smiled. "No, I'm fine. Anyway, what would you like to talk about?"

Crius laughed again, only this time it seemed rehearsed. "You get right to the point - I like that. The reason why I asked you here was to thank you for getting me out of my prison cell. I understand you were the one who negotiated with Jup...oh, I'm sorry. My brother tells me I can't go around using his name here. What I mean is, I understand you were the one who negotiated with Judge Jasper for our release."

"I had minor role," I told him truthfully. "To be honest, I was surprised he went for it. I guess he didn't want to go to war."

"You would be surprised, " Crius shot back with fire in his tone, "at how much they enjoy war. None of their people can be trusted. You should never turn your back on them, Rammona."

"Who?" I asked.

Crius blinked his eyes for a moment as if he were surprised. "I'm sorry, I forgot you didn't know." He quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, I'm in your debt, Linda. If I can ever return the favor, please, just let me know."

"How about telling me what's really going on here?" I suggested.

The old god smiled. "I don't think my brother would like that if I did. To be honest, Linda, you probably know more about what's going on than I do. As you may have guessed, my brother is very secretive about things."

"Yes, so I've learned. Has he always been that way?"

"No, not always," Crius confessed. "A long time ago he used to be very open with his feelings, and his plans. The war changed him, and made him less trusting of others."

"That's too bad," I sighed. "Dennis isn't a bad guy to work for, but sometimes his logic frustrates me to no end. It's like pulling teeth trying to get him to explain his reasons."

Crius laughed. "Yes, I understand what you mean, Rommona."

I looked at him carefully. "You called me that name again - Rommona. Who is she?"

"No one, my dear," he told me. "Just someone I once knew."

"And I remind you of her?"

A thin, tight smile crossed his lips. "Oh yes, very much so. Not so much by how you look, although there is some resemblance. It's your personality that reminds me of her. I can see why my brother likes you so much."

His words rattled me a little. "What do you mean by that?"

"Why nothing," he replied with a waxy smile. "It's just, when I'm talking with you it's like talking to Rommona all over again."

"Who was she?" I asked carefully.

"I really shouldn't tell you," Crius replied. "My brother would be 'very' angry with me if I did."

"Please, Crius," I pressed. "I promise I won't tell him you told me."

The Titan God put his hands together as if he were praying, and thought about it for a moment. "Very well, if you insist. I guess I do owe you a great deal. Rommona was my brother's daughter."

"His daughter!" I shot back.

"Yes, his daughter," Crius confirmed. "You see, my brother loved her very much, but Jup...I mean, Judge Jasper, murdered her to break his spirits. Since then, he's been searching for someone to replace her."

"And he found me to take her place?" I threw out. My temper grew at the thought that I had been mislead and used by Dennis once again.

"Well, I suppose he did," Crius agreed. "Of course, Rommona dressed a lot more um, what's the word, 'girlish', than you do. No offense, Linda."

"None taken," I answered. 'At least not against you.'

Our talk was interrupted when Leo, one of the people assisting Crius, came walking into the restaurant. I wasn't sure, but I had reason to believed he was a Titan God too, at least an offspring of one. He whispered something into Crius' ear, and the god nodded.

"I'm sorry, Linda," Crius said deeply concern. "A problem has arisen, and I must see to it. Perhaps we can share a meal another time."

"I look forward to it," I told him formally. There was something unsettling about him, only I couldn't put my finger on it. It was almost as if you could sense trouble in his nature.

"Good. I'll have my assistant call you to reschedule."

He flashed me a smile; one that seemed forced, and left the restaurant in a hurry. I sat there stewing in my own anger at what a fool I had been. No wonder Dennis liked me so much, I reminded him of his dead daughter. The son of a bitch had done it to me again, only explaining half of the truth to me and leaving out the best parts. Sure he had me turned into Linda so I could be with the Andersons - but that was only part of the reason. As it turned out, I was a replacement for his daughter as well.

'DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM! How dare he treat me like some object for his pleasures!' I thought to myself. Every part of me wanted to pick up the phone and rip Dennis a new asshole, but that would be letting him off to easy. No, I would wait until we met in person to give him a piece of my mind - 'again'. I was so wrapped up in my own little world that I didn't notice someone new sit down across from me.

"Hello, Linda," the voice said to me. I looked to see who it was and gasped.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

I couldn't believe my eyes. Sitting across from me was the last person I expected to see - Jerry Kohl. About a year ago he had wandered into Andersonville with his friend, Rodney Allen (read AV 6), and together they had figured out the secret of Andersonville. Fortunately, Judge Herns had allowed Jerry to leave after removing the memories of his visit. Obviously, something had gone wrong.

"It's nice to see you too," he chuckled at my reply.

"This isn't a laughing matter!" I scolded. Then I added more forcefully, "Now what the hell are you doing here, Jerry?"

"I thought I would stop in and visit with my friends for a while," he answered as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Are you crazy?" I gritted my teeth. "Do you have any idea what they'll do if they find out you're here? Speaking of which, how in the hell did you get into town without them knowing about it?"

"That wasn't a problem," he smiled calmly. "I parked my car at a truck stop east of here, and hiked in."

"That's almost twenty miles through solid woods," I replied. "How in the hell did you keep yourself from getting lost?"

"I was a Boy Scout," he grinned. "The troop leaders taught us how to use a compass in the woods. Once I got close enough, the lights from the town led me in the rest of the way."

"Well if you don't leave right now, Judge Herns will turn you into a 'girl' scout," I warned him. "Come with me, I'm getting you out of here."

"No," he replied firmly. "I'm not going until I see Rebecca."

I looked at Jerry in disbelief. He had to know what Judge Herns would do if she discovered he was here. What I found even more disturbing was that he had picked a very public spot to meet with me, not even trying to hide his presence from the people below. It was almost as if he wanted to be caught.

"It's not Rebecca anymore, it's Jane Harper," I explained. "Remember, you gave her your life - and if you don't leave, Jerry, you may end up being her sister. This isn't a game we're playing here."

"I know that, Linda," he answered. "But I didn't spend two days walking through the woods so you could send me away. Like I said, I'm not leaving until I see her."

"This is suicide, Jerry. You have a life out there, don't blow it. Oh SHIT!" I noticed my waitress was staring at us very carefully.

***

Inside the bunker an alarm went off at the computer of temp number 1A135, known to everyone else as Toby Storm. The temp switched over to the alert and saw that the waitress had spotted someone unfamiliar in town. Toby looked carefully at the man, and didn't recognize him either. He had the computer do another search of their residents (the waitress had already done one), and couldn't find a match. Convinced it was a stranger, he pushed his supervisor button. A few seconds later Jeff Summers appeared next to him.

"Hi Toby, what have you got?" Even thought Toby wasn't a real person, it was hard for Jeff not to see him as one. Toby, in theory, had a wife and two kids, and spoke about them often. Even Toby believed he was a real person, and not one of those computer images he watched over all the time.

"Julia at 'Bakers restaurant' spotted a stranger. I checked, and he doesn't come up on our files."

"Let me see," Jeff said leaning forward. It was a middle-age man talking to Linda Anderson, his ex-girlfriend. Suddenly Jeff felt a slight pain in his heart. Had he made the right decision to break up with her? He pushed the thought away and concentrated on his job. The man looked very familiar to him. Then Jeff remembered. He picked up the phone and punched in the extension number.

"Colonel Myers, I need you to look at something - code two." Moments later the colonel approached; concern written all over his face.

"What is it, Jeff," he asked.

"Recognize him?" Jeff pointed to the screen. Colonel Myers looked carefully, and then his mouth drew tight when he saw who it was, and what it meant.

"Jerry Kohl," he replied. "What the hell is he doing back here?"

"I don't know, sir," Jeff answered. "He didn't come through the front gate, so he must have sneaked in somehow."

"I'd better have him picked up," Colonel Myers frowned. "Keep an eye on him - and get some backup to watch him."

"Yes sir," Jeff said as he turned back to his man. "Toby, who's the nearest temp in the area?"

***

I was relieved to see our waitress turn away and go back to her job. Maybe they hadn't spotted Jerry after all. In any case, I knew it wasn't safe for him to be out in the open like this. I had to get him away from the temps and their prying eyes.

"Jerry, I have to get you some place where they won't find you. There'll be a train leaving tonight, and you're going to be on it."

"Only if I get to see, Jane," he argued.

"Look, that isn't a good idea. Trust me, she's doing fine. Now come with me."

"Only if I get to see, Jane," he stated again more firmly.

"Damn it," I swore in frustration. "Okay, if I promise you a visit with your friend, will you come with me?"

"Sure, as long as you promise."

"Alright, I promise. Now lets go before it's too late." But it was already too late. Just as we stood to leave, Officer Candy came strolling into the restaurant. Normally the cop wouldn't have given me the time of day, but this time he turned and gave me a big smile. It wasn't a friendly smile either; more like one of those 'You're in big trouble now' smiles. He approached us slowly.

"Good morning, Miss Anderson," he stated in a rigid tone. "Who's your friend?"

"No one you know," I told him curtly. "Joe's here to repair my computer, and we were just having a cup of coffee before going to my office. In fact, we were just leaving."

"Strange, I don't know anything about some repairman being here," he smirked. "Perhaps I should accompany you back to your office so we can talk to the judge." He reached over and firmly grabbed hold of my arm.

"Let go of me you 'jackass'," I responded in a raised voice. "You're hurting me."

"I don't like it when people lie to me," the cop hissed back.

"Officer, she was only trying to protect me," Jerry interrupted in a calm manner. "Please, let go of her. I won't give you any trouble."

"I'll get to you in just a moment, Mr. Kohl," Officer Candy shot back. "You're not the one I'm worried about running off."

"Like I would get very far, you 'idiot'," I answered. "Where in the hell would I run to, Officer Candy? They can follow my movements where ever I go. Maybe you should try using the brain between your ears once in a while, instead of the one between your legs."

"You have a smart mouth, little girl," the cop growled.

"And you're an asshole, Officer Candy," I answered right back.

"Let go of her," Sergeant Williams ordered as he walked into the restaurant and saw what was going on.

Officer Candy looked like he wanted to defy that order, but thought better of it. He released my arm and glared at me, as if hinting that this matter wasn't over.

Sergeant Williams gave Jerry a curious stare. For a moment there was an awkward silence, broken when the cop said, "Mr. Kohl, I can't say I'm happy to see you. I'm sure Judge Herns won't be any happier."

"It can't be helped," he shrugged his shoulders. Dave Williams nodded, and motioned for us to follow him to his car. We did, with Officer Candy following right behind us. Dave placed Jerry Kohl in the back of his car, and let me sit in front.

"Does she know?" I asked Dave in a low voice so Jerry wouldn't hear.

"She knows," he replied.

Once we got to the courthouse, Sergeant Williams took Jerry to my office and sat him down. It wasn't too long after that when Dr. Green showed up. She gave him a slight smile.

"Hello, Jerry," she said softly, and with some sadness in her voice.

"Hi, Dr. Green," Jerry replied back in a pleasant tone. "It looks like I'll be needing your help after all. I may be here for a while."

Carol Green frowned. "We'll see."

My phone buzzed, and I picked it up. Judge Herns was on the other end asking me to send Dr. Green in. I motioned her inside, then followed her in.

"Good morning, Carol," Judge Herns greeted the doctor. "I think you can see the problem we have." The judge looked at me curiously and said, "That will be all, Linda."

I held my ground and didn't move. I was determined not to let it end like this for Jerry. I couldn't let this happen. He wasn't a criminal; he was an ordinary Joe, and a family man. I was going to fight for his right to leave Andersonville unharmed.

"Linda," Judge Herns said a little more strongly, "I said that was all. Please wait outside."

"I'm sorry, Judge, but I can't." I swallowed hard, and stood there scared over how Judge Herns would react to my refusal. I was a little relieved to see she took it rather well."

"Why can't you leave?" she asked gently.

"Because...because I don't want you to change Jerry Kohl, Your Honor." I looked over at Dr. Green, who gave me a look of agreement. "Please, Your Honor, don't do what I think you're going to do. Please let him go."

"I haven't made up my mind yet!" she explained calmly. "In fact, I'm just as torn about what to do as you are. I'm not my ex-husband, Linda. However, we do have a real problem here, and I must explore all my options. Do you know how Jerry was able to remember his previous visit to Andersonville?"

"No," I shook my head. "I didn't get a chance to ask."

"I see," Judge Herns sighed. "I suppose we'd better find out then. Please bring him in."

I opened up the door, and motioned for Jerry to come into the office. When he saw the judge, he actually gave her a big smile. The man didn't seem to realize that his life was on the line here.

"Judge Herns, how nice to see you again." Jerry walked over to her desk and shook her hand. "I've been wanting to thank you for healing my heart. My cardiologist told me it's stronger then ever. You should have seen the look on his..."

"Mr. Kohl," Judge Herns interrupted strongly. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came for a visit, Your Honor," he laughed joyfully.

"We don't allow visitors," she told him firmly. "In fact, you weren't supposed to even remember being here. Would you please explain to me how that came about."

"What?" he questioned. "Oh, my memories - sure, sure." Jerry pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the judge. "Well, Your Honor, it's like this. About three months ago I was in a very bad car accident. I got knocked around pretty badly, and was in a coma for 23 days. When I came too, I remembered everything about being here, including the gift you gave me."

"I see." Judge Herns thought about it for a moment. "That doesn't explain why you snuck into my town, unless you knew you would be in trouble if you did come back."

"Well, I didn't think you would be happy with me," he grinned. "But then I wasn't really sure this place did exist. I mean, after all, I was in a coma for more than three weeks. Maybe I just imagined it. So I had to check it out, to be sure. I mean, I didn't want to build up the hopes of the others."

"What others?" Judge Herns demanded to know.

"The others in my support club, Your Honor. I was thinking I could bring some of them back with me the next time. You could change them into real women for a day or so - or longer if they prefer."

"There WON'T be a next time, Mr. Kohl," June said forcefully. "Andersonville is not a transgender resort town for 'you' and 'your' friends. What we're trying to do here is very serious work. In time your people will find out about this place, but not now."

"Come on Judge, give me a break. I came all this way to work out a deal with you."

"There will be 'no' deal, Mr. Kohl," Judge Herns replied.

"Yes, there will be," Jerry shot back in a disrespectful tone. "You see, Judge, I remember everything about Andersonville now. You can send me away, but I'll be back with others."

"Jerry, what the HELL are you saying," I almost screamed. He was giving Judge Herns no options but to keep him here.

He turned and gave me a cold stare. "I think I've been very clear here, Linda. I'm not going to let this place go to waste on a bunch of criminals when you have people out there who would appreciate being here. I have friends who would kill for a chance to be a woman for a day, week, or the rest of their lives. I'm putting them first."

"You're not well, Mr. Kohl," Judge Herns announced in a dry tone. Jerry laughed out loud at the suggestion.

"I know what you're thinking, Judge. You think that this bump on my head has affected my thinking. Well you're wrong. I've made a full recovery from my injuries - you can even ask my doctor if you want. I know exactly what I'm doing here."

"If that's the case, then you know I won't do what you're asking," she replied.

"I don't see how you have a choice!" he shot back. "You see, I don't think you have the guts to tear me away from my family. If you did, you would've done so already - and even if that happens I have a backup plan. I wrote a complete paper about Andersonville before I left, and hid it so it wouldn't be found for about a month or so. If for some reason I don't return home, my documents would cause a great deal of concern among my loved ones. Enough concern that they would investigate my accident, or whatever you come up with to end my life. No, I think you'll consider my deal, and accept it."

"Jerry, don't do this," I begged.

"Don't bother, Linda" June Herns interrupted in an irritated tone. "Mr. Kohl has already made up his mind, now it's my turn."

"Your Honor," I started to beg, but she held up her hand to stop me. Then she turned to Jerry with anger registering on her face.

"You made a mistake by coming here, Mr. Kohl." She closed her eyes and raised her hands.

"What?" Jerry stated in surprise. "Judge...Your Honor, WAIT! We can still work something out."

It was already too late. A blue ball rose out of the judge's hands and raced toward Jerry. As soon as it was absorbed into his chest, the changes started to occur. Jerry started to shrink, as his hair grew longer. He got younger, much younger. His face changed from that of a man with 3 days worth of growth to an angelic little girl who was maybe 9 years old. The judge hadn't forgotten about his clothes, and had decided to dress him in a short, yellow dress with puff sleeves and a skirt that flared out. Jerry's muddy boots changed into a pair of black Mary Jane's. Ribbons mysteriously appeared out of no where, and tied themselves to his now, long brown hair. Jerry stood there with his eyes popping out in shock. That quickly turned into anger.

"You change me back right now!" he screamed. However, Judge Herns was in no mood for his passionate displeasure.

"Keep quiet, little girl," she replied, while holding out her hand. Suddenly Jerry found himself unable to speak. "It's only because I have some respect for who you once were, that I'm allowing you to keep your female name, Jenny Kohl. Dr. Green will fill you in on the details of your new life. You will go with her now, and you will not give her any trouble - is that clear?"

Jerry, now Jenny, nodded his head in fear.

"Good," Judge Herns stated firmly. She paused, and I could see the pain in her eyes as she spoke the words. "Jenny, I take no pleasure in what I did. I was prepared to let you leave, but you left me no choice. You are who you are because of what you did. Still...I'm sorry it had to come to this. Go now."

Dr. Green grabbed hold of Jerry/Jenny's hand and gently pulled him out the door. I watched them go, then turned to Judge Herns who was looking through some papers.

"You're just punishing him, right?" I demanded to know. "You don't really plan to keep him here for the rest of his life?"

"He made his choice, I did what I had to do," was her reply. She didn't even bother looking up at me when she said it.

"June, you can't do that - IT'S WRONG!"

"Do you THINK I ENJOYED doing that?" she answered angrily. "What was I suppose to do, let him go so he could tell everyone about Andersonville? That's not an option, Linda. He made his bed, now he has to lie in it!"

"But...but you even said yourself he wasn't well," I pointed out. "Was that not true?"

"I don't know," she frowned. "I sensed something, but I can't put my finger on it. It's like he knew what he was doing and yet...he wasn't himself."

"That's all the more reason to let him go," I argued.

"I'm sorry, Linda, but it's not. As I said before, Mr. Kohl knew what he was doing. I gave him a way out, and he didn't take. I don't know why. In any case, judgment has been made."

"No," I yelled. "I won't let this go. You're just like Judge Jasper!"

Judge Herns face turned beet red. Slowly she got up out of her chair, never once taking her piercing eyes off me. Her lips grew tight as she leaned forward.

"If I was just like my ex-husband, we wouldn't be talking right now. In fact there is a good chance you wouldn't be alive, Linda." Her angry expression turned to one of hurt, and she quickly turned away. "Judge Jasper doesn't allow people to question his decisions," she explained painfully. "Don't you 'ever' accuse me of being like that 'old goat' again."

"I'm...I'm sorry June. I really didn't mean what I said."

She nodded, but still didn't turn to face me. "I know you didn't, Linda. Leave me now, I have much work to do."

I left the room feeling guilty about hurting her feelings. In all fairness, it was Jerry who had put her in this spot. June had told me she was willing to let him go, and I had no reason to doubt her. If there was one thing I had learned about Juno, she was up-front and honest about her decisions. I sat down at my desk and started thinking of a way to make it up to her.

***

"Are there any question about your new life?" Dr. Green asked.

"Let's see, I'm nine years old, I'm a girl, and my name is Jenny Kohl. Oh, and I like to play with Barbie dolls. Nope, I think that about covers everything, Dr. Green."

Carol frowned. Jenny/Jerry sat there on the couch fiddling with the ribbons on her dress. The little girl didn't seem angry about her predicament; in fact she seemed almost relieved. It just didn't add up.

"Jerry, is there something you want to talk to me about?" The doctor hoped that by using his male name, the little girl would open up to her. Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

"My name is Jenny now, remember Dr. Green. And 'no', there's nothing I want to talk to you about. If you let me go I'll tell everyone about this place, and what you did to me. I wonder what a 'real' judge would say about that."

Her threat caused the doctor to take notice. It was almost as if Jenny didn't want to leave Andersonville, and was trying to find ways to make them keep her here. What could have happened to cause that?

"Alright, Jenny. I'll see you in a couple of days." Carol Green paused for a moment and gave Jenny a concern stare. "If you need to talk before then, I want you to call me. I'm pretty busy these days, but I'll find time to fit you in. Now, Officer Scott is waiting outside to take you to school. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, doctor," Jerry nodded.

Carol watched the little girl stand and leave. She sat there for a moment puzzled but Jenny's actions. Her words said one thing, but her body movements indicated something totally different. Something was definitely not right.

Dr. Green glanced at her schedule book. She had another appointment coming in 15 minutes, just enough time for her to see June Herns if she hurried. The doctor sighed. They were supposed to bring in some more doctors soon to help with the workload. It couldn't come soon enough. Locking the door as she left, Carol Green headed for the judge's office.

***

"I don't know, June, it just doesn't make any sense," Carol Green explained. "For some reason, I believe Jerry wanted you to change him into someone else."

"I'm in agreement with you," Judge Herns said. "I sensed a great deal of relief and happiness as he was leaving my office. His words were angry, but not his emotions. And there was something else I picked up - guilt. Any idea what that could be?

"No, none," the doctor shook her head. "I tried to get him to open up to me, but he refused. Then he got very defensive at the thought of leaving here. Maybe...maybe the accident scared him, and he feels safe here."

Judge Herns shook her head. "No, that's not it. It's something else, something more. Mr. Kohl is not the type of person to be scared of dying. He has a great deal of faith in the afterlife, and an even stronger desire to provide for his family. And his threats to expose Andersonville to the world, I just don't buy it. Jerry knows his best friend would suffer greatly if he did that. No, I'm convinced he wanted me to change him into someone else, but why?

Carol Green looked at her watch. "I have to go, I have a client showing up in 5 minutes. If you find out anything can you let me know, June?"

"You'll be the first one I call."

Judge Herns sat back in her chair and thought about what she knew. She remembered the old Jerry Kohl, and his strong feelings of caring about others. The person brought in today had those same emotions, but had tried desperately to hide them from her. The judge picked up the phone and punched in a number. After a brief conversation, she headed for the elevator to go below.

***

The play area was crowded with kids from the elementary school. Jerry looked around a little bewildered by the recess activity. Inside he felt a sense of relief - and sadness. He had succeeded in his plans so far, except for the fact he was now a little girl. Jerry had hoped the judge wouldn't make him any younger than a teenager. Well, it was of no matter. Jerry considered it extra punishment for his crime. Now it was up to Judge Herns to fix everything and make it right again.

"Jenny, are you feeling okay," his teacher asked. "Why aren't you playing with the other kids?"

"I need to use the bathroom, Mrs. Kauff," he told the young woman. "Is it okay if I go now?"

"Can't you wait?" Jerry shook his head. "Okay, run along inside."

She smiled, and Jerry smiled back. Mrs. Kauff was a temp, but not a bad temp. In fact she seemed very patient with the kids, almost in a motherly type of way. Jerry felt a twinge of guilt inside about lying to her, and what he planned to do next. He went inside and made his way down the long hallway to the other door. Just across the field sat the high school.

Carefully, the little girl looked around to make sure no one was watching. Confident that no one was, he bolted out the door toward the other building. He arrived inside the High School just as the class bell rang. Quickly kids poured out into the hallway, and Jerry found himself surrounded by kids both older and taller then him. He looked around for someone familiar, but didn't see anyone.

"Excuse me," he said to an older girl walking by. "I'm looking for Jane Harper, do you know where I can find her?

"Sorry," the teenager replied and kept walking. Jerry tried a couple of other kids without any luck. He was about to ask someone else when he felt a hand on her shoulder.

"What are you doing here, little girl?" the voice asked. Jerry recognized the voice; it was Mrs. Miller, the school superintendent.

"I um...was just looking for someone," he replied, hoping she didn't know who he was. "I should be going now."

"You should be in class, Jenny," she expressed strongly. "Mrs. Kauff is going to be worried about you. We have rules here, Miss Kohl"

Jerry hung his head at being caught. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Miller. I didn't mean to get in trouble on my first day, but I wanted...I needed to talk with Jane Harper. I...I couldn't wait."

Mrs. Miller saw tears in the little girl's eyes, and stood there for a moment deciding what to do. "Come with me," she finally said.

The superintendent took hold of Jenny's hand, and led her down the crowded hallway.

***

Colonel Myers observed Jeff Summers working quietly in the spare office. Judge Herns had asked him to find out everything he could about Jerry Kohl's accident, and Jeff had volunteered to do the grunt work. Barry could see him busily working on the computer searching for information and taking notes. He liked Jeff, but there was something odd about him. For one, he wasn't typical of the people who worked in the bunker. All the others were outgoing and aggressive individuals, Jeff was a little shy and withdrawn. He was the type of person who would rather read a book then watch the Superbowl or World Series. In fact, Jeff had very little interest in any type of sport. Stranger still, Jeff's military records were sealed to everyone, including Colonel Myers, his commanding officer. That order had come from Dennis Butz, and Barry wondered what the connection between them was.

If that wasn't enough, of all the people working in the bunker, Jeff was the only one living in Andersonville. No, that wasn't right, he was the only one allowed to live in Andersonville. Others had requested to live in Andersonville, and all had been turned down - all except for Jeff that is. Barry had asked Jeff why this was so, and the young man had explained he was part of an experiment that Dennis was conducting. Colonel Myers didn't buy his answer for a minute - although he didn't know what the real reason could be.

The colonel saw Jeff stand and gather up some papers. The soldier placed them in a folder and headed for his office "What did you find out, Jeff?" the colonel asked with interest.

"Something I think Judge Herns is going to be interested in," Jeff said as he handed over his work. "Take a look at the newspaper article I printed off about the accident.

Barry read it carefully. "Damn!"

"Yeah, I thought you would be interested in that. It gets better. Look at the medical records I included. There's no hope I'm afraid."

The colonel read the medical report and nodded sadly. He wasn't sure if this was an important piece to the puzzle or not, but knew Judge Herns would want to see it.

"Good work, Jeff, and thanks for volunteering. By the way, are you going to the hockey game with us next month?" Barry noticed the look of conflict on the young man's face. Jeff didn't want to go, but this was a unit outing with the people he worked with. He didn't want to let them down by not being there.

"I...I guess."

Colonel Myers decided to give his young sergeant a way out. "You don't have to go if you don't want to, Jeff. They'll be playing the Columbus Blue Jackets that night. They're not a prime team hockey team in the NHL yet. The others will understand if you don't want to spend a $150 to see them play."

"No, I'll go," he stated a little reluctantly. "It should be a fun time. By the way, what's a 'blue jacket'?"

"Beats the 'hell' out of me," the colonel chuckled. "I better take this report to see the judge now." Barry Myers picked up the folder and headed for the elevator.

***

Jerry was sitting in a small room that served as the teacher's lounge. He stared out at the town of Andersonville, his new home. Instantly he felt a twinge of sadness at the thought. Never again would he see his wife's smile, or his kids laughing. It wasn't fair, but then there was no choice in the matter anymore - he had seen to that. The door opened, and Mrs. Miller walked in with Jane Harper behind her. The teenager looked at the him in confusion.

"Mrs. Miller, I don't know this little girl," she exclaimed.

"Jane," Jerry called out. He stood to hug her, then realized that Mrs. Miller hadn't told her friend who he really was. Mrs. Miller smiled.

"I'll let 'Jenny Kohl' fill you in on everything, Jane." She closed the door as she left.

"Jenny Kohl? Jane blinked, and looked at the girl once more. "Jerry?"

"Hello, old friend," Jerry replied, tears of joy starting to leak from her eyes.

"My gosh, Jerry? Is it really you?" The little girl nodded her head, and Jane ran over and hugged her tightly.

"Take it easy," Jerry giggled. "I need to breathe."

"I'm sorry," Jane giggled back. "Oh Jenny, it's great to see you again." Suddenly Jane stopped hugging her, and held Jenny away from her. "Wait a minute, what the hell are you doing here, Jenny? You were supposed to be freed. Did they bring you back?"

"No, not them. I came here on my own." Jerry saw the concern in Jane's eyes. "Sit down Jane, this may take a while."

Both of them took a seat on the couch, and Jerry started talking. "There was an accident, and I was hurt badly. Fortunately I recovered, but somehow the accident caused me to remember my time here, and our friendship."

"So you came to see me?" Jane asked carefully.

"There were other reasons, but yes, you were one of them. I missed you, Jane. When I remembered our friendship, I had to find out how you were doing."

"You shouldn't have worried about me, I'm fine," she smiled. Then she asked carefully, "How's my...my family? I've been wondering what happened to them. The judge told me she made sure everything worked out okay, but I still had my doubts."

"They're doing fine, Jane. They don't remember you of course, but I still keep in contact with your ex-wife. She's married to some guy in the insurance field - heck, he even sold me a life insurance policy. My wife almost got the chance to use it too."

"What happened, Jenny?"

Jerry frowned, as if it was painful to recall why he was here. "I was coming home late from a ballgame. I was tired, and I should've pulled over to rest a bit. But I didn't stop; I was stubborn. I ended up falling asleep at the wheel, and wrapping my car around a tree. Fortunately, I didn't hit anyone else, or they may have been killed. I was in the hospital for more then a month recovering."

"Well, at least no one else was hurt," Jane said in a comforting tone. Jerry cringed at her words, but didn't elaborate.

"Anyway, your family is doing well," Jerry told her. "I talked to your kids a lot after the accident. They're the same as you knew them, only some of the things they experienced with you never happened. Remember when Pete fell off the ladder while helping you fix the roof? We thought he broke his back, but he turned out to be okay except for being a little sore the next day. Well that never happened according to him. He never fell off a ladder in his life, even though he still has a fear of climbing them."

"Interesting, Jenny." A sad expression appeared on Jane's face. "I miss them sometimes. I don't regret staying here, Jenny, because I know they would've left me once I transitioned. I also know this was the best thing for them, for all of us. Still, I do miss them. Knowing that they're happy, well, that makes me feel a whole lot better. And seeing you again." Jane hugged her again with tears in her eyes. "I missed you the most, Jenny. I missed all those good times we had."

"I missed you too," Jerry replied.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Jane asked, "So how long will you be in town for?"

"Forever," Jerry replied.

"WHAT!" Jane responded with surprise. "What the hell do you mean 'forever'? What about your family?"

"I guess... I hope the judge will take care of them," Jerry replied. "It's for the best."

"What are you talking about, Jenny? What's going on here?"

There was a knock on the door, and Mrs. Miller opened up the door. "I'm sorry girls, but you both need to get back to class now. You can visit with each other later."

"Yes, Mrs. Miller," Jerry said standing up. Jane continued to stare at her friend with concern. Something was very wrong here.

"Jenny, call me after school," said Jane. "I want to talk with you some more about this."

"Okay, Jane. We'll have plenty of time to talk now." The teenager watched her friend grab Mrs. Miller hand and leave.

"Something is very wrong here," Jane whispered to herself.

***

Colonel Myers and Dr. Green were sitting and watching the expression on Judge Herns face as she went through the information Jeff Summers had found. There was tightness to her expression, as she tried to figure it all out.

"So, now we know the full truth," she said to the others.

"Do we, June?" Carol asked. "Guilt may have driven Jerry Kohl here, but what was he hoping for?"

"A miracle," Judge Herns stated.

"Can you provide him with that 'miracle'?" Colonel Myers wanted to know.

"No, I can't." The judge told him sadly. "This isn't going to be easy, but Jerry needs to be told."

"Wait," Carol interjected. "Why tell him at all? Give him what he wants and make it easy on him?"

"A lie?" Judge Herns raised her eyebrows. "I won't do that. First of all, I wouldn't be doing Mr. Kohl any favors by letting him believe his plan worked, if this is what he intended me to do. Second, he has to face what he did, or he will never be whole again. He can't hide from his mistakes forever."

"What do you want me to do, Your Honor?" Colonel Myers asked.

"Let your men know that Mr. Kohl will be leaving us soon. In fact, I'll be the one who drives him to the truck stop. Oh, and thank your sergeant for getting me this information."

The colonel nodded. "I'll let him know." He stood and left the room, leaving Dr. Green and Judge Herns alone.

"Do you want me to stay?" Carol Green asked.

"No," June said. "I think this is something I should handle by myself. Jenny is still in school; I'll have Mrs. Miller bring her to my office. Thanks for the offer, though."

Carol stood and smiled. "You know June, I think you would make a pretty good psychologist."

Judge Herns smiled warmly at the suggestion. "I'll leave the mind puzzling to you, Carol. What I have in store for Mr. Kohl is some tough love."

After Dr. Green left, Judge Herns sat down at her desk and went through the medical report one more time. She felt sorry for Mr. Kohl, she knew this had to be killing him inside. June took a moment to prepare herself, then picked up the phone and called the school.

Twenty minutes later Mrs. Miller brought Jenny into her office. Judge Herns noticed she seemed nervous, and even a little scared; only the judge sensed it was not about her own safety. June dismissed her muse, and told the little girl to take a seat in front of her desk.

"I know," she stated firmly, while crossing her arms and sitting on the edge of her desk in front of Jenny. She said it in such a manner that Jenny knew her plan had failed.

"I'll give you points for what you tried to do," she added sternly, "but I can't let this go on any longer."

"Please, Your Honor," Jerry begged.

"NO," Judge Herns shouted. She pointed her finger at the little girl who was on the edge of breaking down. "No, I won't let this continue. You won't use me in this way."

"Please!" Jerry pleaded. "I'll do anything. I'll give up my life to save his. I swear; you return him back to normal and I'll stay here for the rest of my life. I won't try to leave, and I won't cause you any trouble. Please honor my request!"

"What you're asking for," Judge Herns said dryly, "I can't do. Why didn't you tell me right off the bat that your son was injured in the car crash, and now has permanent brain damage? Why didn't you come to me first, and ask me to heal him? Why didn't you try to make a deal with me, instead of attempting to 'TRICK' me?"

"Because...because," Jerry stuttered.

"Because you knew I would say 'No'," she answered for him. "You knew what my answer would be, so you decided to trick me into doing what you wanted. I'm not happy about that, Mr. Kohl, nor do I understand your reasons. Why did you think your son would be alright if I made everyone forget you existed?"

"Because the accident wouldn't have happened!" Jerry cried out. "I wouldn't be in his life, so the accident wouldn't have happened."

"Using that logic, he wouldn't have been born either," Judge Herns expressed harshly. "I can't change past events - what's happen has happened."

"But that's not true!" Jerry pointed out in tears. "I checked with Rebecca's son. There were accidents I remember that he doesn't. Once Rebecca disappeared - those accidents never happened."

"No, you're wrong, Jerry," she lectured in a calm but firm manner. "Not every event was remembered because I didn't take the time to create them in his minds. Sure, you remember Rebecca teaching his son to skate, and falling in the process. I removed that memory, but it still happened, only it was a minor injury with no permanent damage. It wasn't worth my time or effort to recreate a memory that didn't affect him or anyone else. Death, injuries, love, and marriage - those are different. I can't change the past Jerry, I can only make people forget, or believe someone else is responsible for an event. What you want me to do is change history, and that I can't do."

"Then...then heal him," he sobbed. "Make my son normal again. I'll give you anything you want."

"I can't," June stated sadly. "Even if you brought him here, I can't fix what has happened. I'm sorry, I wish I could Mr. Kohl, I really do. But his memories are gone, and that's one thing I can't replace."

"Nooooo." Jerry fell to the floor bawling. Judge Herns almost broke, she almost showed compassion - but didn't.

"Stand up!" she ordered. "I said stand up NOW!" She reached down and with great strength pulled him to his feet. "This pity party has gone on long enough - and we still have business to attend to! Now I want you to tell me what is really going on here. This is only part of it. I want to know the 'entire' reason for why you're here!"

"I'm my fault," he continued to cry. "It's ALL my fault. My sins caused this. God is punishing me for my sins."

"WHY!" Judge Herns roared. "Because you're a CROSSDRESSER? Do you really think your God is that shallow? Do you think wearing a few items of clothes would cause him to punish you by killing your son? I thought your God was a God of love, not vengeance!"

"I...I don't know," he sobbed.

"Well I DO!" She grabbed his chin and pulled it up so she could look him right in the eyes. "This accident was just that, an accident. It was 'poor' judgment on your part, not your God's doing. You want to punish yourself then FINE, but not in MY TOWN, MISTER. You're leaving!"

"No, wait!" Jerry begged. It was already too late. Judge Herns had been prepared, and with a few words a ball of energy rose out of the palm of her hands and struck Jerry in the chest. Almost instantly he started to change back into his original, male form. In less then a minute he was Jerry Kohl again. He sat down on the floor and leaned back against a wall sniffing.

"It's all my fault," he whimpered. "I failed him...I failed my son. There's nothing I can do to fix it."

Judge Herns got down on her knees and faced the broken man. "There is something you can do, Jerry. You can pray for his healing. Miracles do happen, if you believe hard enough. Right now you need to go back and be the father your family needs you to be. You need to be strong during this time, so they will be strong."

June softened just a bit. "What you're doing, Mr. Kohl, is running away from the people that you love so you can punish yourself - and that's wrong. It's a noble act to come here and try to sacrifice your life to save your son, but your motives aren't pure. You need...you need to forgive yourself for what happened and move forward."

"I can't," he cried.

"You must," Judge Herns countered. "This self-condemning serves no one - not your family, or your God, or most all, you. We all make mistakes, Jerry, and sometimes we have to live with them for the rest of our lives."

"Even you?" he sniffed.

Judge Herns smiled slightly. "Especially me - just don't let anyone around here know that. Come on, stand up now." She grabbed Jerry's hands and helped him off the floor. "Mrs. Miller is going to take you to see Jane now. I'm giving you an hour to say goodbye to her."

"What...what about my memories of being here."

Judge Herns frowned. "That's a problem. Because of your injuries, and how the memories came about, it would be impossible for me to make you forget them again. What I can and will do is make you forget where Andersonville is. I can't have you coming back here again, Jerry. One day our town will be known to your world, and then you will be allowed to visit your friend - I promise. But right now our town needs to grow without any interference from the outside world - and sadly that includes you. Enjoy the memories of your time here, Jerry, but respect my wishes if you ever do remember how to get back here again."

Jerry hung his head and bit his lip. "Judge...thank you. I'm sorry...sorry for trying to trick you."

"I'm sorry I had to be so hard on you, Jerry. It wasn't personal, my child. However, I couldn't allow you to go on like this for the rest of your life. Go now."

***

I saw Jerry come out of Judge Herns chambers with tears in his eyes.

"Good luck, Jerry," I said to him. He stopped to give me a hug and whispered 'thanks' into my ear. Quickly he followed Mrs. Miller out the door. I waited for a moment, then peeked inside the judge's office. June Herns was standing at her window looking out.

"Come in, Linda," she said without turning.

"June...can I get you anything."

"That was hard," she whispered. "Jerry Kohl is a kind soul. You want to do so much for people like him, and yet sometimes doing very little is the best thing you can do."

"The intercom...the intercom was on," I explained. "I heard what you said to him."

"It's okay," she turned and smiled softly. "I turned it on so you would hear what I had to say. Jerry didn't know, and that's all that matters. I didn't mind you listening, but I think he would have."

"His son...I wish you could heal his injuries."

"I just did," she said.

"But...but you told him you couldn't."

"No, Linda," she said gently. "I told Jerry I couldn't return his son's memories, and I can't. What I can do is fix the damage to his brain cells, at least to some extent. His son will have to start over again, learning how to walk, and talk, use the bathroom. It may take years, but one day his son will get back most of what he lost. Jerry will think of it as a miracle from God, and who knows, maybe it will be. Scientific research has shown that those injured who are prayed over, heal faster than those who aren't. Faith can do great things at times."

"Maybe, but I'll know the truth," I smiled. "I thought your people only did things that you got something out of."

"I will get something out of this," Judge Jasper stated.

"What?" I asked.

"Satisfaction, Linda," she smiled. "Satisfaction."

***

It was quiet the rest of the day. Judge Herns had left to take Jerry back to his vehicle, leaving me with a fairly light workload. I was just getting ready to leave when Dennis walked into the door.

"Hi Linda," he smiled. "I heard you wanted to speak to me."

'Why did he have to come in now?' I asked myself. I was actually in a fairly good mood over today's events. Now he had to walk in and spoil things. I thought about postponing our talk for another time, but decided to go for it.

"Close the door, will you Dennis," I said. He did, and faced me unaware of what I knew.

"So Linda, what do you need?" he smiled.

"Don't you mean Rommona, Dennis?"

He frowned in discomfort. "No, I don't. Rommona - Rommona is none of your business, Linda."

"Oh, but I think it is, Dennis!" I shot back. "Once again you played me for a fool, and you know what the sad part is? I believed you when you told me why I became Linda Anderson. Now it seems there were other reasons - reasons you didn't bother to tell me."

"You're not Rommona!" he stated firmly. "I told you the truth, I did it to keep you, Al, and the Anderson's together. And if I recall, you were given a chance not to remain in this body. You're Linda because it was your choice, not mine, 'young lady'. If you want to blame someone, go look at yourself in the mirror."

"Don't give me that line of crap," I replied, suddenly finding myself getting very angry. "I remind you of her, don't I?"

"Yes, a little," he said with some bitterness. "So do a lot of people. Take your brother's girlfriend, Sally, for instance. She has the same walk and hair style as my daughter did."

"Yes, but I have her personality, Dennis. Every time we talk, you think I'm her. That's why you take me out to lunch all the time. Hell, Dr. Jensen once told me you were a skirt chaser. Maybe you're hoping to be the one to 'crack' my cherry one day."

"Now look here," he stated angrily. "I take you out to lunch because I'm a good boss, and I want to show my appreciation for the good job you do. I do this with all my secretaries. If you think there's some hidden motive in all this then you're reading too much into it, 'Linda'. I'm showing you my appreciation, nothing more. Okay, I enjoy your friendship, so sue me. But let me make one thing clear here. Our lunches are not about my sexual desires or my dead daughter! It's about me being a decent, human being."

"You're not human, you're a 'Titan'!" I shot back. Dennis actually stood there with his wide mouth open, unable to replay. "All these centuries, and you still don't act like us."

"You're right, I don't act like you," he explained calmly. "I'm what your race should be, and isn't. I'm the best of humanity, and you can't stand that. I have a code I live by, values I cherish, and am willing to admit my faults and mistakes while not pointing them out in others all the time. So I'll take that as a compliment, Linda, even if you didn't mean it as one."

"You know, I'm getting real tired of your smugness, Dennis."

"And I'm getting real tired of your 'holier than thou" attitude," he answered back. "Ever since we've met you've been trying to condemn my people for our mistakes. Well I hate to break the news to you, LINDA, but your race is even guiltier of the crimes you accuse us of. Your people murder each other in cold blood for money or other objects they consider precious. Drug dealers sell poison to their brothers and sisters to make a quick buck. Someone with AIDS will still have unprotected sex with unsuspecting partners just because they're too lazy and selfish to wear a condom. Organized crime, hate groups, pollution, greed, lack of empathy for other people - SHOULD I GO ON, LINDA? If you want to judge all Titans based on the past bad actions of a few, then you better be willing to do the same thing with the human race!

"Do you know how many of times I've lived to be an old man without having to be in a war? Three times, Linda - THREE!" He held up three fingers in front of my face. "You accuse my people of being war mongers, but your race has had so many wars that you've forgotten most of them. When we were in charge there was no war or injustice, only peace and prosperity. That was before the Olympians came, and we screwed up. Instead of accepting them into our world as brothers, we started hunting them down. WE MADE SOME MISTAKES LINDA - ALL RIGHT! Now get over it!"

"I want to know who you are," I snapped, trying to get my momentum back. Dennis was starting to turn my argument back on me, and I wasn't going to let him. "You're Cronus, aren't you? That would make sense. Jupiter himself even referred to you as their leader.

"I am 'not' Cronus," Dennis stated firmly. "Cronus was a great leader, who ruled with wisdom and understanding. Jupiter has him locked up underground with the rest of our people. Do you really think he would allow our leader to walk around free? Use your brain, Linda."

"I 'am' using my brain, Dennis. I think this is another one of your head games to throw me off the trail."

Dennis rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this. You want to believe I'm lying, fine - but I'm leaving. I grow tried of your need to argue with me every time we meet."

He started to open the door but I slammed it shut. "Don't you dare 'fucking' walk out on me, Dennis. I'm not some airhead little girl you can treat as such."

"Yes, I know, you're Tom McClain," he sneered sarcastically. "How could I forget, since you blame me all the time for being Linda Anderson. Well we all have our cross to bear, don't we, 'Tom'."

I grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and turned him around, just like I had done with Judge Jasper. Only Dennis didn't seem affected by it. He stared at me calmly, as if waiting to see what I would do next.

"You know what I'd like to see," I spatted out. "Once, just 'ONCE', I like to see how you react to being turned into a woman. I would love to see you experiencing this from my side of the tracks - to be trapped in the wrong body and not be able to do anything about it you - you cold, heartless, Titan bastard!"

Something inside Dennis broke; I could see it in his eyes. His lost his temper, and grabbed hold of my blouse. In his anger he ripped it open as he pushed me against the wall. Then he got within inches of my face and hissed, "I AM trapped in the WRONG body! YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO I AM, TOM? FINE THEN, I'LL TELL YOU! You're wrong, I'm 'not' Cronus - I'm RHEA!

I stared into his eyes that were filled with fire. "Oh shit," I whispered. According to myth, Rhea had been the wife of Cronus, and in her own rights was a queen of her people. She had been on the same level and status as Juno, AKA June Herns, had been.

"That's right, 'TOM', old buddy old pal! Just when you thought you had it all figured out, I get to prove how wrong you are. You've been living as the opposite sex for less then two years; try living as it for over 10,000 years like I have. Every time I die, every time Mercury leads me to the new person Jupiter picks out for me, I pray it's a female body. Once in a while I get to live as a woman, but I think Jupiter does this to torture me - to remind me how much I've lost. Living as a man all this time is 'his' punishment for what I did 'after' the war. You think you're the only one who has suffered here, TOM? WELL THINK AGAIN!"

He paused for a moment to shake his head in disgust. "Now that you know, 'Tom', you'll forgive me if I understand how you feel, but at the same time don't rush to comfort you every time you cry about it. You had your chance to remain as Tom McClain, and you decided against it. For better or worse, it was your choice to be turned back into Linda, not mine. I was 'never' given that chance - so think about that!"

I stood quietly, trying to think of something to say. His revelation had taken the fight right out of me. This was not how I had expected things to go, and I realized that I had pushed him to far. At the same time, I wasn't willing to back down and lose face. I tried to think of a way to end this, but Dennis solved the problem for me.

"I'll leave you, 'Miss' Anderson," he said distantly. "From now on I'll stay out of your way as much as possible. Here's some money for the blouse." He pulled out his wallet and threw a fifty on my desk. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry I lost my temper and ripped it. Oh, and one more thing, Miss Anderson, in case you didn't notice. Humans aren't the only ones who feel pain and sadness. Even we 'lowly' Titans have feelings too. Goodbye, Miss Anderson."

He opened the door and quickly walked away. I felt my knees growing weak as I grabbed my ripped blouse and sat down in a nearby chair. For a moment I thought I was going to cry, but managed to stop myself. Every part of me wanted to run after Dennis and beg him to forgive me. I knew he would, but suddenly my pride got in the way. He had lied to me; I didn't know how but I knew he had. Crius, his own brother, had even told me so. Damn it, Dennis was the bad guy here, not me - he should be the begging me to forgive him. Everything he did revolved around helping 'his' people. If that meant screwing the human race to do so then so be it.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, refusing to break down. If only Judge Herns were here to talk too. I put on my coat and locked the door as I left. It was going to be a long night.

Fade out...

This story is dedicated to the people on Crystal's chat (you know who you are), who had supported me through the bad time by making me laugh.

 

Andersonville 22 - The awakening
By Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff

Copyright 2002

Fade in...

Mike Stoner sat and watched as his boss read the report. Dennis Butz scanned through each page carefully, taking extra time to check out the psychological profile Mike had prepared. Satisfied with what he saw, Dennis placed the report down next to him.

"Very thorough," he stated.

"Thank you," Mike smiled. Dennis Butz was a good man to work for. "I think she is a very good choice for who you have in mind."

Dennis nodded. "When can you move her?"

"Tomorrow morning. I already have most of the paperwork done."

Dennis thought about it some more. They were rushing things a bit, but than this was no ordinal case to him. He had been very careful in selecting the right person for this transformation.

"Dennis, the conditions are very bad where she's at," Mike added. "I really don't want to see her stay there another day."

"Agree. I'll inform Judge Herns that she'll be arriving tomorrow morning, and that you'll be staying for her transformation. I owe you that, Mike. Thanks for all your hard work on this case."

"Thank you for the chance, Dennis," the recruiter replied.

***

I drove to one of the many apartment buildings located in Andersonville, and made my way inside. Pulling down my skirt so it wasn't so high, I knocked on the door. Moments later Jeff Summers answered.

"Hi Linda," Jeff smiled somewhat shyly. "You look nice. Come in." He made a motion with his hand as he held the door open.

"Hi Jeff," I replied and walking pass him. As usual, his apartment was spotless. "Thanks, it's a new outfit. Of course, I'm sure you saw me buying it." He blushed slightly, but didn't comment.

"Dinner will be ready soon," he said going into the kitchen. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A Diet Pepsi," I replied. I heard the refrigerator door open and close, and he returned carrying a can of pop. We both took a seat on the couch.

"So Jeff, how are things underground?" I asked, not really expecting an honest answer.

"The usual," he stated a little impatiently, as if there were something important on his mind. "Linda, the reason why I asked you to have dinner with me tonight is because I need to ask you something - about Peace River. Do you mind?"

I took a sip of my pop and eyed him carefully. "I guess not. What would you like to know?"

"For starters, how's Lori Dillion doing?"

"From what I saw, she's unhappy. Judge Jasper turned her into a little girl and..." Suddenly it became very clear why he was asking me this question. "My gosh, you're one of the three that got away that night, aren't you, Jeff?" He nodded his head slowly.

"Do you know about Judy Hartford?" I asked. (read AV 19)

"I heard," he whispered sadly. "Judy...she wasn't a good friend of mine, but it hurts just the same. To be honest, I'm not surprised she killed herself that way. She was very strong-willed."

"What happened? How did you end up here?" I wanted to know.

Jeff sighed. "It's a long story, Linda. Unlike some of the others that night, I was lucky. None of those mermaid or merman creatures bothered me when I crossed. After I got away, I went to the FBI agency in Chicago to tell them about Peace River. The next thing I knew, I was being rushed out of there and flown to a meeting with Dennis Butz. He took care of me, and hid me from Jupiter and his clan. A few days later I was reunited with Jimmy, who had also escaped unharmed."

"You know about the Olympians then!" I stated.

He nodded. "Dennis has been up front with me since the beginning - at least with some things. No one else working in the bunker knows about Peace River, not even Colonel Myers. He suspects Judge Herns is some alien from outer space. It's strange, but that's what I thought Judge Jasper and his people were too when I lived in Peace River - aliens. Roman Gods, who would've guessed?"

"What about Judy?" I asked. "Why didn't Dennis protect her?"

"He tried," Jeff explained. "Unfortunately, Dennis couldn't put out a full-scale alert without tipping off the Olympians. He knew if they found out he had, they would come looking for Jimmy and me through him. We had Judy once, but she managed to get away from the cop holding her, the bumbling fool. We missed her by 10 lousy minutes. After that we never heard from her again. I guess Judy was better at going underground than we were. Anyway, Dennis offered us a job working for him, and promised to have us transformed into new people with the help of Dr. Jensen."

"Who's the other person, Jeff?"

"You haven't met him, Linda. Maybe one day you will, but I think it's better that I let him decide when the time is right. We talk now and then. He lives outside of Andersonville, the crazy fool."

"Wait, you said 'him'," I pointed out. "Besides Judy, there was a male and another female that escape from Peace River that night. If I'm not mistaken, their names were Candy Lane and Brian something. If you're both males now, that means one of you is..."

"Not what we used to be, originally," Jeff finished. "In Peace River I was known as Brian Hennington, but before that I was Tiffany Larson."

"A girl," I said. Of course, it all made sense now. The way Jeff approached relationships with other women according to Colonel Myers, not to mention his dream of owning a house with a white, picket fence and having a few kids with someone one day. Okay, guys dreamed about that too, to some extent, but they never talk about it. Sudden I could see all the signs that I had missed before.

"I was a young woman, yes," he said, somewhat annoyed by the 'girl' comment.

"Sorry Jeff," I apologized. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded. What I don't understand is why Dr. Jensen didn't change you back into a woman? She could have."

"That was my choice," said Jeff. "Let's just say I felt I would be more useful as a man. I'm not unhappy about it if that's what you're worried about."

"What about Jupiter," I asked. "Does he know that you're here?"

Jeff laughed loudly. "Oh yes, and he's very pissed about it too. Dennis tricked him good. Jupiter found out about me shortly after signing an agreement stating that he wouldn't try removing anyone from Andersonville. As long as I stay inside the town or surrounding area, he can't touch me. Of course he has no idea who I am now, so I do go out into the real world now and then."

I laughed too...knowing it was a simple and yet satisfying victory over old Jupiter. We talked late into the evening, about our time in Peace River and our impressions of the town. About midnight I dragged myself home and was surprised to find my mother up.

"Hi mom," I said with some concern. "Did you have another one of those dreams again?" Lately she had been remembered more about her past life while she slept.

My mother looked at me with sad eyes. "Something like that. Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah mom, it...it was interesting. Do you want to talk?"

"No, maybe later," she shook her head.

"Okay mom...if you're sure. Goodnight then."

"Goodnight Tom," she mentioned without much thought.

I headed upstairs for bed, and was halfway there when I suddenly realized she had called me "Tom", not Linda.

"Oh shit!" I said out-loud.

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

"Mom?" I asked quietly. She was sitting on the couch looking depressed. "Mom...are you okay?"

"I'm...I'm not sure, Tom. It is Tom, isn't it?"

"Yes," I told her. "At least I was before they changed me into your daughter."

"How horrible," she stated coldly.

"It's...its not so bad," I told her. "How did you know it was me?"

She actually smiled slightly at the question. "You may look like my Linda, but you still act like Tom."

"Mom..." I sat down and put my hands on hers. "Mom, I'm sorry."

She turned and blinked her eyes at me. "Sorry for what Tom...or do you prefer, Linda?"

"Either is fine, at least while we're alone. If there are others around I would prefer you call me, Linda."

"Okay," she said softly. "Now, why are you sorry?"

"Because you're upset about being here - and I'm the reason why." I went on to explain my meeting with Dennis Butz at Area 51, and how I decided for everyone what our future would be. Afterwards I felt slightly guilty, realizing my actions had been no better than when Dennis had decided I would become Linda. Damn it, we were a lot a like in too many ways.

"Tom, it's okay." She put her hand to my cheek and gently pushed my hair aside. "I don't want to embarrass you Tom, but you look so beautiful. You're just as I remember my daughter before she was...was murdered. It would be very easy for me to continue believing you're her."

"I don't mind if you do," I replied. "If it makes you happy."

She shook her head. "Not if you're unhappy I won't. I remember how Al felt trapped in Jennifer's body - I don't want that happening to you even if I do benefit from it. Giving up your life so Al could be a man again, that was very noble thing you did, Tom. But you can't be the one who keeps sacrificing yourself to make others happy. I can't let you do that for me. You have your own life to live, and that life is not being my daughter!"

"Mom...it's not like that. Yes, I have my bad days, but being your daughter is better than not having you in my life at all. I was given that choice, and I don't regret becoming your daughter - well, except for my monthly periods and the dresses you keep pushing me to wear so I'll catch the attention of some guy."

We both laughed, then she grew serious again. "I'm sorry Tom, but this is all new to me. I can't believe you could give up your life to live as someone else and be happy about it."

"It's not like that at all, mom," I tried to explain. "I'm still me inside. It's my likes, my dislikes - my personality. On the outside I may look like Linda, but on the inside I'm still Tom."

"And all 'man'," she added.

"Yes, a little," I agreed.

"Does Sox know?" my mother wanted to know.

"No, and I'm not sure why you know," I replied. "From what I was told, you weren't supposed to remember your past. What's it like now, knowing?"

"It's like...like awakening from a bad dream and finding out it wasn't a dream at all." She smiled and ran her fingers through my shoulder-length hair. "I love you, Tom. I mean that. I loved you as a son - and I'll love you as a daughter if you want me too. It's just that...well, this is going to take some time to accept. I'm sure there are things I can and can't do here."

"A few, the most important being that you can't leave Andersonville unless they allow it. I don't know if that will apply to you, but it does to me."

"Why?" she asked. I felt ashamed about telling her, but she had to know.

"Mom, in order to free Al and Keith Bennett, I had to...to...a couple people died as a result of my actions."

"On purpose?" she asked.

"Yes, on purpose," I replied. "I'm a...a murderer, mom. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that before. For some reason, I didn't consider myself one until recently - when a judge strongly pointed it out to me. I'm a...a criminal. I'm sorry to hurt you this way." I looked down at the floor, ashamed to face her.

"Tom," she said pulling up my chin. "I don't condone whatever you did, but knowing you, I believe you thought you had no choice. I still care about you, son. I still love you very much."

It felt like a great weight had been removed off my shoulders. I leaned forward to hug her, and started crying. She held me tightly, running her fingers through my hair and rocking me slowly to comfort me.

"It's okay, Tom," she spoke, as I bawled my eyes out. "I love you...son. I'll always love you."

After my cry, we talked about Andersonville, and the family she now had. My mom remembered there seemed to be something different about Jennifer's eyes, but didn't know what that was. I explained to her about the twinkling effect, so she wouldn't be scared by it. Sometime early in the morning I finally got to bed. It seemed like I had just lay down when the alarm clock started ringing. I thought about calling in sick, but remembered Judge Herns had told me she had a surprised for me this morning. Somehow I knew I didn't want to miss whatever she had planned. Reluctantly I lifted myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to get ready.

***

Mike Stoner had gotten up early too. Although the sun was only now beginning to rise over the low-lying hills, the nursing home was already bustling with activity. There were six patients in the room, five of whom were old, immobile, and feeble minded. The entire floor stank of urine and human feces, and it took all of Mike's strength not to grab his noise. His client didn't seem to mind; or perhaps it was because she couldn't do anything about it even if she wanted too. He waited for the nurse to finish changing her diaper, then squatted down so he could face her.

"Hello Susan," he smiled gently. She rolled her eyes, her way of saying hello, and moaned something that Mike couldn't understand.

"I have a van waiting for you," he continued. "I'll be taking you to the place we talked about...if you still want to go."

"Eds," she grunted, and nodded slightly for 'yes'.

"Okay then," Mike said. He motioned his two helpers to come forward. "We'll have to fly you there. It's too long of a trip to take by car. Have you ever been on a plane before?"

"Oooo," she answered, which Mike had been told was her sound for 'no'.

"Then you're in for a treat," he grinned. "My assistants are going to get you loaded onto the bed, then we'll be on our way." Mike stood and turned to the two men. "Let's get her out of here boys. I'll let the head nurse know we're leaving."

He watched them place her on the gurney, and headed for the nurse's station with her release papers. Nineteen-year old Susan Welman was going to a better place.

After everything was taken care of with the nursing home administration, they headed for the airport. One of the nurses had given Susan a sedative to help her relax, and the young woman was already asleep. With great care so as not to disturb her, the young girl was loaded onto the plane. Once they were in the air, and Mike was sure she was okay, he went over her tragic file one more time.

Mrs. Welman was 48 at the time she gave birth to her first, and only child. It had been a very difficult pregnancy, and as a result her new daughter had been born with cerebral palsy and nerve damage. Despite these problems, it was determined early on that Susan was a very bright and intelligent girl. Her mother cared for Susan at home, but as her daughter got bigger it became too much of a burden for her. A caseworker finally convinced Susan's parents to place her in a nursing home where she would get constant care.

This worked out well for everyone involved. Susan was given her own room at the nursing home less then ten minutes away from where her parents were living. Her mother would get there early to have breakfast with her daughter, and spend the rest of the day schooling and doing other activities to keep her busy. Mrs. Welman was determined her daughter would get a good education despite her handicaps. Later in the evening, her father would show up with dinner, so they could eat together as a family. The rest of the evening was spent watching TV or doing some other family activity.

Despite her handicap, it was a time of growth for Susan. Then ten years ago tragedy stuck her fragile life. Susan's parents were killed in a car/train collision late one night. Alone in the world with no other family members to take care of her, Susan became a ward of the state. A week after their deaths she was moved out of the nicer nursing home and into a state institution, where the conditions were less appealing.

However, there was one kind nurse who took over where Susan's mother had left off. She spent a few hours each week teaching the young girl to read and perform math calculations in her head. The nurse even arranged for a computer to be given to Susan with some educational games, so the young girl could continue to learn during the long days.

Susan started to blossom during that time, but life was not fair. As puberty hit, the nerve damage and cerebral palsy had a devastating effect on her body. Slowly the young girl lost what little motor and speech functions she had, until finally the only thing she could do was lie in bed and moan. It broke Mike's heart to read her story. With some help from Dennis, he was able to arrange for Susan to be placed in his care. Mike had told the young girl he was moving her to a town where she would be healed. He wondered if she believed him.

The jolt of the plane landing brought him back to reality. Mike had been so engrossed in his own thoughts that time had slipped away. He looked out the window at the airport, which was made up of a few small hangers and not much else. There were trees all around the perimeter, preventing him from seeing anything else. Mike nervously unbuckled his seat belt and checked on Susan, who was still sleeping soundly. He opened up the door and walked outside.

"Welcome to Andersonville, Mr. Stoner," Sergeant Dave Williams greeted him. "Your first time here in our town?"

"Yes," Mike replied looking around. "Mr. Butz has given me permission to accompany Miss Welman to the courthouse."

"So I've been told," the officer replied. They stopped talking to watch Susan being unloaded from the plane. She was placed in a blue van with it's motor running. "You can ride with me if you like, Mr. Stoner," Dave offered.

"Thanks officer, but I'd like to stay with Susan the rest of the way there."

Sergeant Williams nodded. "I'll see you at the courthouse then."

***

There was a case coming in, but strangely I had no information on the person other than it was a female. Normally I would've been given the file before hand, but June seemed pre-occupied with other matters.

Breakfast at my house had been interesting. My mother had acted very differently than other mornings. It was almost as if she were unsure on what to do or say. My father didn't seem to notice her strange behavior as he rushed away to work, but my brother did. Jennifer just sat there looking as normal as any 13-year-old girl could be. I could tell my mom seemed disturbed by her flashing eyes, and knew it would take her a few days to get over it.

"Are you ready, Linda?" Judge Herns asked as she stood in the doorway between her office and mine. There seemed to be a bit of excitement in her tone.

"Yes, Your Honor," I replied, while locking my purse in my desk. I never took it into the courtroom with me.

"Actually, you may want to bring that with you," she suggested.

I looked at the judge strangely, but got my purse back out and following her into her chambers. She opened the door to the courtroom, and Sergeant Williams announced her as we walked in.

"Be seated," she told everyone. I noticed everyone included a man sitting in the visitor's section and a young woman curled up on in fetal position on a gurney. From the papers I was handed, I saw her name was Susan Welman. I looked past the girl into the corner where the temp was standing, and noticed it was a female. Well, at least the poor girl wouldn't have to deal with living as a member of the opposite sex. Then I took a double take at the temp - it was my sister, Jennifer. I glanced over at Judge Herns, who gave me a quick smile and went to work.

These proceedings were different from others. Judge Herns looked at the paperwork that had been provided, and told the girl to relax. She explained very carefully to the sick girl that she would feel some pulling on her body, but it wouldn't hurt. Then Judge Herns closed her eyes, and started whispering something under her breath. Her palms glowed, and a blue ball of energy/light rose from them. Judge Herns opened up her eyes again, and the ball of light shot forward and hit the girl in the chest. Part of the energy continued through her body, until it reached Jennifer. Suddenly the temp changed into an oval ball of pink and yellow light, and a stream of that light came back and touched the girl in the back. As Susan transformed, the energy from the temp grew brighter, then gradually faded as the changes neared their completion. When the transformation was completed, it simply disappeared.

The person who had once been Susan Welman slowly sat up. She held her hands out in front of her face, and wiggled her fingers. Then she placed her hands on her legs, her long straight legs, and rubbed them. There was great bewilderment on her face.

"No, you're not dreaming," Judge Herns smiled as if reading the young girls mind. "Nor are you dead, although you're no longer Susan Welman. From now on you'll be known as Jennifer Anderson. Your sis...Linda will show you around this morning, and tell you what you need to know. Oh, and Jennifer...welcome to Andersonville. Mr. Stoner, may I see you in my office please."

The man who had been sitting in the visitor's section stopped and patted my new sister on the back. "Good luck, Jennifer," he smiled before disappearing into the Judge's chambers.

I walked over to my sister, who was having problems taking all this in. I questioned if it wouldn't have been better to have Dr. Green see her right away, instead of having me take charge.

"Do...do you need help standing?" I asked. For some reason I found myself suddenly getting nervous. My sister was no longer a computer image. She was real.

"Sta...stand?" she said in a shaky voice, which suddenly got even shakier. "My...my...my gos...gosh. I...I can tal...talk!"

"You can do lots of things now," I smiled.

"I...I can?" she asked in shock and disbelief. "Walk...walk too?"

"Let's give it a try," I told her. I helped her off the cart, and she stood there holding onto me while trying to get her balance. She let go of my arm, and swayed a little. Then she took her first steps. They were clumsy, like a baby walking for the first time. Then it dawned on me that it was Jennifer's first time.

"I can walk!" she shouted after a few steps. "I...I can really walk!"

Something inside seemed to snap, as her emotions got the best of her. Tears formed in the poor girls eyes and she broke down. I grabbed hold of her arm so she wouldn't fall, and Jennifer swung around and buried her face into my chest. She sobbed loudly in an uncontrolled manner, and I wasn't sure if she was happy or sad.

"I can walk," she kept repeating over and over again. "I can really walk...just like a normal person. I can walk."

"Shhh, it's okay, Jennifer," I tried to comfort her. Actually I found myself being the one comforted by my actions.

"I...I can't believe...this is happening," she sobbed in a confused, feminine tone. "Please tell me this isn't...isn't a...a...a dream...Lin...Linda."

"It's no dream, sister," I told her gently. She lifted up her face and stared at me with tear-filled eyes.

"You're...you're my...my...my sis...sister?"

I smiled. "Yes Jennifer, you're older sister. You also have an older brother named Steve. He's not too bad, for a brother." She giggled, and wiped the tears from her eyes. I could see the initial shock of what had happen was disappearing.

"What...what about parents?" she wanted to know. "Do I have a mother...and a father?"

"The best," I grinned with sincerity. "Come on, Jennifer. I'll drive you home."

"I'll need...your help," she said in an unsure manner. "My legs...they feel like rubber."

"Sit down for a moment," I told her. I helped her over to a bench where she took a seat. "Okay, now close your eyes and concentrate on walking. Picture it in your mind like you've been doing it a hundred times before. Feel your muscles working in your thighs."

She did, and I could see a smile come to her face as the effects took place. "I can feel it, Linda. It's like...it's like I've been walking all my life."

"Okay," I told her. "Now stand up and try walking again."

There was no shakiness in her legs this time when Jennifer stood. She looked at me with uncertainty, and took a step. It was perfect.

"I CAN WALK!" she yelled with glee. "I can walk like I've been doing it all my life. But how can that be, Linda?"

"That's kind of hard to explain, Jennifer. I'll tell you everything I know on the way home."

Jennifer held onto my hand tightly as we walked to my car. I wasn't sure if she was afraid of falling, or feared I might disappear if she let go. When we stepped outside the courthouse she stopped, and marveled at something in the trees.

"Are you okay," I asked.

"Birds," she pointed at a tree. "I've seen them on TV, but this is the first time..." Her voice trailed off with uncertainty.

I grinned and wrapped my arm around her. "Come on, there are more surprises waiting for you."

As I drove home, I noticed Jennifer seemed amazed by everything I took for granted. The young girl sat there staring at every detail around us; engulfed in the colors, structures and sound that made up the town. When we started driving past the park, she got very excited.

"Please Linda, stop," she begged.

I quickly pulled the car into a parking spot and looked at her. "What's wrong, Jennifer?"

"Nothing," she smiled slightly. "It's just that...I had a dream once." She turned and faced the park again. "Can we get out?"

"Sure," I told her. I joined her at the hood of my car, and my sister took a deep breath. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated on something.

"Jennifer, are you okay?" I asked.

She opened her eyes and grinned. "I saw this in a movie once." She touched me on the shoulder. "Tag, you're IT, Linda!"

Jennifer suddenly ran off with amazing speed, laughing and jumping with joy. I stood there for moment, then giggled and ran after her. I chased her around the swing sets and trees, while she called out to me with playful insults about how slow I was. Finally I couldn't take it anymore, and collapsed on the ground underneath a tree. Jennifer came up next to me, barely out of breath.

"This is wonderful," she stated. "I've never run before. It's so...so...exhilarating."

"So is this," I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the ground. "That'll teach you for making your older sister look bad."

"Hey, no fair, sister," she giggled. "You cheated."

"Old age and treachery will overcome youth and inexperience, or something like that," I laughed. She joined me in the giggle department, and then hugged me. I suddenly realized how close I felt to this person who had been a stranger only fifteen minutes before. Finally she settled down and stared out at the pond where some ducks where swimming.

"Linda, who am I?" she asked in a serious manner.

"Well, that's a good question," I began. "I sometimes find myself asking the same question. I can tell you who you're suppose to be - it's up to you to decide how much you can take."

She nodded for me to continue, and I did. "Okay, you're Jennifer Lynnette Anderson, age 13, but soon to be fourteen in just two weeks. I'm your older sister, Linda, and as I mentioned you have an older brother named Steve. Your parents are Sox and Norma Anderson, and depending on which date you go by, they've been married for over 27 years."

"What do you mean by 'depending on which date you go by', Linda?"

"Well, you see Jennifer, the Anderson's are actually much older than they look. When we first came here, they were about 10 years older. Judge Jasper, you haven't met him, made them younger - in fact he made us all younger."

"So you were their daughter before coming here?" she asked in a completely, innocent tone.

"Um, no, not really," I replied in a rather uncomfortable tone. "That's...well, that's a long story Jennifer, and I don't want to get into it right now. For now let's just say I was their adopted child and leave it at that."

"I'm sorry, you seem upset by my question."

"No, not really," I told her honestly. "It's just that there are so many things for you to learn about your life, I don't want to go into my life right now. We'll talk about me later, I promise. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed pleasantly. "So my mother and father...are they...nice and all? Do they like...like me?" The un-sureness in her tone made me smile.

"They don't like you Jennifer, they love you. Especially dad. You're his little girl."

"Really?" she pressed, just to make sure I wasn't pulling her leg.

"I swear," I told her. "He doesn't know about what's going on here, with the Judge and all. Dad thinks he's lived in Andersonville all his life. Mom, that's a different story. She just remembered last night about her past."

"I don't understand," Jennifer said. "Why did they make them forget like that?"

"I guess because...their past was too painful for them to bear," I said grimly. "You see, they had three children who all died a few years apart under different circumstances. When I found them, they were in pretty bad shape. I believe Dennis Butz wanted them to forget all that pain and just be happy, which is why he removed their memories."

"Who's Dennis Butz?" Jennifer asked.

Suddenly a thought crossed my mind. I now understood why Dennis was so secretive all the time; he hated the idea of answering ten thousand questions. I found myself chuckling at the thought.

"What's so funny?" Jennifer asked in confusion.

"I'll tell you in the car," I giggled. "Come on, I'll race you." I managed to get an early jump on my sister, but she was waiting for me by the time I got there.

***

"This...this is my new home?" Jennifer asked in wonderment. Her eyes nearly bugged out as she stared at the house.

"Yep," I replied as we got out. "Mom should be home, let's go meet her."

"Linda," she said. I picked up the hesitation in her tone.

"It's okay," I smiled while holding out my hand. "Just remember, she's going through a rough time herself. She just found out her life isn't what she thought it was. Try acting like her daughter - it'll help her adjust."

Jennifer nodded, but I could still see the uncertainty on her face. I found myself wondering if it wouldn't have been better if Jennifer hadn't remembered her past life. The poor girl was having to deal with so much in just a short time. Then I chastised myself for thinking that way. How could I believe not remembering your past was better?

"Come on!" I grabbed her hand and pulling her into the house. We found mom in the kitchen getting ready to bake something. She still seemed a little upset about last night.

"Hi mom," I said carefully.

"Linda, what are you doing home?" she asked. Then I saw her look at Jennifer. Her face turned white as if she were seeing a ghost. "Her eyes, they're normal now."

"Mom, take a deep breath," I told her. "Jennifer...well, she's new here."

My mom looked at Jennifer with shock. "New?" she questioned.

"Jennifer is a real person now," I explained. I noticed my mother looked over at her again, and swallowed hard.

"Hello Jennifer," she spoke, as if she wasn't sure what else to say. Jennifer seemed equally, if not more nervous about the meeting.

"Mrs. Anderson?" she asked.

"Call me...mom, if you wish," she told her.

'If you wish?' I thought. This wasn't turning out to be the happy, wonderful meeting I had in-vision.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked, hoping to break the ice.

"Doing?" she asked in a daze. "I was...I was just getting ready to bake some cookies."

"Great," I smiled. "Maybe Jennifer would like to help."

Jennifer stood there fidgeting a little, while my mom stared back at her with questioning eyes. Clearly this wasn't working out well at all.

"Jennifer...would you like that?" my mother asked.

"Well...I...I guess," she stuttered out. "I've never made cookies before."

"Oh," my mother said uncomfortably. "Well um, sit down here in front of the mixing bowl while I get everything together."

My mother got the supplies while Jennifer sat down at the table. I took a seat in the corner to observe. I felt like I needed to say something, but didn't know what. Obviously my mother was uncomfortable about the fact that this stranger sitting in her kitchen was supposed to be her daughter. As for Jennifer, she was new to this type of interaction, and didn't know how to handle it. The entire situation was totally awkward.

"Stir the ingredients together," my mother ordered, after placing everything in the bowl. Jennifer tried, but didn't do a very good job of it. My mother frowned slightly.

"Try it this way," she told her, while taking the bowl and spoon from her. She stirred it vigorously for a few seconds, then gave it back to Jennifer.

"This is harder then it looks," Jennifer replied, trying to make light of the situation. She found the spoon getting stuck in the batter.

"Here," my mother said in a rare, impatient tone. "Why don't you turn on the oven to 325 degrees while I finish this." Before Jennifer could reply, my mother took the bowl from her.

"Yes mom," Jennifer answered while standing up. The young girl knew what a stove was because she had seen them on television before. However, she had no idea how to operate one. Jennifer stared at the dials in bewilderment.

"Here Jennifer," I offered. "Why don't I help you."

"I see she's never cooked before either," my mother announced curtly. I saw a look of pain on Jennifer's face at the words.

"Mom," I started to say just before my cell phone rang. I went over to my purse and pulled it out. "Hello."

"Hi Linda," Judge Herns said. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need you back at the courthouse right away. Dennis Butz is showing up this afternoon, and I have to get some reports ready for him."

'Dennis Butz, well there goes this day,' I thought to myself. I hadn't talked to him since our fight. I wondered how he would react when we met.

"Okay June, I'll be there in about 15 minutes. Goodbye." I turned off the phone and looked at my mother who had an almost bitter look etched on her face.

"I have to go," I said.

"So go," she replied while continuing to stir. Jennifer looked at me with pleading eyes not to leave.

"Jennifer, why don't you go check out your room."

"Which one is it?" she asked.

"Think about it," I told her with a smile. She gave me a nervous grin and left the room. My mother continued to stir her cookies without saying a word, but I could see the tension and anger in her moments.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"I have a new daughter to care for, what could 'possibly' be wrong?" she snapped.

"I don't know," I told her gently. "That's why I'm asking. I thought you would be...be happy about this."

"Why of course I'm happy," she answered in a mocking tone. "I have my Jennifer back...even if she is a total stranger to me. There was the real Jennifer, then Al, now I have this person to raise as her. You know what they say, the third times the charm."

"Mom, what is it?" I pressed.

My mother placed the bowl down on the table so hard I thought it would crack. She stomped over to the sink to wash her hands, then stood there with her back to me like a statue. For a moment I thought she was going to cry.

"I can't do this anymore, Tom. I can't pretend you're my children when you're not. I can't pretend this person, this total stranger I just met, is my daughter, Jennifer. And I can't pretend you're 'my' Linda when you're not! I loved Tom, and I miss him - just as much as I missed my other children when we first met. He was more then just a son-in-law to me; he was a good friend. Don't you see how much he meant to me."

"Mom...I'm sorry. I choose to become your daughter so I could stay with you, at least the second time I did. I'm not unhappy with this choice."

"Why did you have to choose in the first place?" she almost screamed with tears in her eyes. "What gave them that right to decide if you could see me or NOT? Damn it, you were just as much my child all those years as Linda, Steve, and Jennifer. I can't stand what they did to you."

I went over to my mother to give her a hug, and she started to cry. "Mom...listen to me, please. I'm happy with this life. More important, I'm still me. Trust me when I say I'm happy being your daughter."

"What...what about Jennifer?" she sniffed.

"Jennifer needs someone who will love her," I said. "I can't think of a better person than you. Look, I really have to get going. It's not good to keep Judge Herns waiting. I'll tell you the entire story about Jennifer when I get home. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied reluctantly.

I looked at my mother carefully. It wasn't Jennifer that was upsetting my mother; she was scared. Not only that, she was now struggling with the grief of knowing her three children were dead. Add to the fact that she now had three replacements that looked just like them, well it had to be pushing her sanity to the limits. I thought about calling Judge Herns back and telling her I couldn't come in, but decided against it. She would ask too many questions, and the last thing I wanted her to know was that my mother remembered her past.

"I'll talk to you later, mom." I gave her another hug and left.

***

A couple of hour's later Mrs. Anderson decided to check and see what her new daughter was doing. Quietly she made her way up the steps and down the hallway to Jennifer's room. The door was partway open, and Mrs. Anderson glanced inside. She saw Jennifer sitting on bed brushing the hair of one of her dolls. Mrs. Anderson found it rather unusual that a 13-year-old would play with a doll. She knocked on the door and waited for her new daughter to invite her in.

"Come...come in," Jennifer said nervously. Mrs. Anderson opened the door and looked at her new daughter. She looked just like her old Jennifer, only she wasn't nearly as confident.

"Getting settled in?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," Jennifer replied politely and shyly. Mrs. Anderson smiled at her reaction.

"I guess you're just as nervous as I am." She took a seat next to her daughter. "Are you hungry?"

"I...I don't think so," Jennifer replied. "I was going through my closet before. There are so many beautiful things to wear."

"Well, I've always enjoyed dressing you up in pretty things," Mrs. Anderson grinned. "You're becoming a beautiful, young lady. Speaking of pretty things, I was going to take you shopping for a new dress after school today. There's a dance coming up in a couple of weeks, your first. Oh shoot, I didn't even think about calling your school."

"Linda told me it was taken care of," Jennifer explained. "I guess someone called to let them know I wouldn't be in because of a doctor's appointment."

"Humm, they think of everything here, don't they?" Mrs. Anderson said out loud.

"How long have you been here...mom?"

"I don't know," she replied, a little surprised by the question. "I guess since the beginning, almost two years maybe."

"Are you happy?"

"I...I was?" Mrs. Anderson whispered. "Now, I don't really know."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she replied. "You see, the world I thought I knew has been turned upside down. It's a little hard to swallow knowing that everything you once believed in was a total lie - and that the truth is pretty painful."

Jennifer sat there not knowing what to do or say. She wanted to get close to her new mother, but didn't know how to go about doing this. Finally she said, "Mom, do you think we can still go shopping for that dress today?"

Mrs. Anderson smiled at the idea. "Sure, if you want to Jennifer. Let me change first."

***

Jennifer was amazed at the sights and sounds of downtown Andersonville. It wasn't that the Andersonville was different from any other small town, she had just never been in a place like this before. The cars and people going back and forth, while the traffic lights turned green, yellow, and red - then back to green again to keep the traffic flowing smoothly. And all the people, the majority of them with those flashing eyes. Linda had told her they weren't real people, but some kind of computer image. They still looked and acted real to her.

Her mother steered her in the direction of a store sandwiched between a bank and an insurance company. In the front window were a couple of mannequins dressed in prom outfits. They walked inside, and Jennifer was bewitched by all the pretty dresses she saw.

"Hi, can I help you?" a lady with a pleasant voice asked. Jennifer noticed she was real.

"My daughter, Jennifer, is going to a dance in a couple of weeks, and we were looking for a new dress," Mrs. Anderson explained. "Nothing too fancy, but something nice."

"Well, why don't we look over here," the woman suggested. "What color do you like, Jennifer?"

"I'm not sure," the young girl replied slowly.

"How about royal blue," the woman suggested. "It'll go great with your hair."

"Yes...yes, I like blue," Jennifer said. "Blue is my favorite color."

"My Jennifer always liked red," Mrs. Anderson whispered to herself. She hadn't meant for anyone else to hear her, but Jennifer and the saleslady did.

"Well, we have red if you like," the saleslady suggested. "I'm sure your daughter will look good in that color too."

"Can I try on a blue dress too, mom?" Jennifer asked. "I'm sure I'll look good in it."

"If you wish," Norma intoned. "You're the one who's going to be wearing it."

Jennifer and the saleslady looked carefully at several dresses trying to decide. Mrs. Anderson just watched in silence, and some disappointment. This person wasn't acting like her daughter at all.

"Let's try this dress," Jennifer said, while pulling out a short, blue dress with some flashy beads.

"But you've always liked red," her mother insisted.

"No problem, I got the same dress in red," the saleswoman pointed out. "Your daughter can try on both outfits to see which one she likes the best. This way, Jennifer."

The saleslady hurried the teenager girl off to a small room in back, while Mrs. Anderson continued to look at some dresses, red dresses, for her daughter to try on. She felt a twinge of disappointment and anger inside by the way her daughter was acting. This wasn't the Jennifer she knew. What the hell was this person doing, trying to pretend to be her daughter when clearly she wasn't.

"What am I doing?" Mrs. Anderson suddenly said out loud. How could she continue this charade? It wasn't right - Steve, Linda, Jennifer, and now Tom too, were dead! This wasn't her youngest daughter.

"What do you think?" someone asked. Mrs. Anderson was knocked out of her daydream, and looked down at her new daughter standing there. She was holding out the edge of her dress and smiling.

"I told you red," she fumed. "Why didn't you listen to me? If you want to be Jennifer then you need to start acting like her, understand?"

"But...but I like blue," Jennifer protested slightly. "I think it looks good on me, mom."

"What did you call me?" she hissed.

"Mrs. Anderson, if there is a problem with the dress I'll be more then happy to..." the saleswoman started to say.

"Keep out of this," she glared at the saleslady. "Now, I asked you a question young lady - what did you call me?"

"Just...m...mom," Jennifer stuttered out. "You...you said it was okay to call you that."

"Not when you're arguing with me about what's right?" Mrs. Anderson shot back. "If you want to be Jennifer, then you're going to act like her. This was my daughter, and you have a long way to go to be like her!"

"I'm...I'm sorry," Jennifer started to cry, confused by her mothers sudden anger. "I...I didn't mean...mean to upset you."

"What, 'NO MOM' this time?" she yelled. "You disrespect me by acting this way. The real Jennifer would never have treated me this way!"

"The real Jennifer?" the saleslady questioned, confused by the conversation.

"I'm sorry...mom. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm trying to make you like me. Please don't be mad at me."

"LIKE YOU!" she raged. "I don't even KNOW YOU! One minute you're not there, the next minute you are. How can I like you if I don't even KNOW you? NO, I WON'T play this game anymore." Mrs. Anderson looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "DO YOU HEAR ME? WHO EVER YOU ARE, I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY ANYMORE! IT'S OVER! I REFUSE TO GO ALONG WITH THIS CHARADE ONE MINUTE MORE!"

"Mom," Jennifer whimpered.

Mrs. Anderson glared at the devastated girl with anger eyes, and pointed her finger at her. "You are not my daughter! Leave me ALONE!"

"MOM!" Jennifer cried out as she watched her mother leave in a hurry. "Mommy, please come back...I...I need you." The saleslady put her arm around Jennifer, and the teenager found herself crying in the stranger's arms.

***

"Good morning, Miss Anderson," Dennis said formally. "Is Judge Herns in yet?"

His words stuck like a knife in my back. Gone was the friendly greeting he used to offer me every time we met. Now he was treating me like a complete stranger. Well two could play at this game.

"Yes, 'Mr. Butz', she's expecting you. Why don't you have a seat while I buzz her."

"Thank you, Miss Anderson," he replied politely, and sat down. I pretended not to notice as I buzzed Judge Herns. She said she would be out in a moment.

"Judge Herns will be right with you, Mr. Butz," I said, not wanting to give him an inch of satisfaction.

"Thank you," Dennis replied. He picked up a newspaper and started to read it. I wasn't going to let him get away with ignoring me like that.

"How's the weather outside, Mr. Butz?"

"Chilly," he replied, as he continued to read the paper.

"I haven't had a chance to go outside myself," I explained, opening the door just a little.

"I would have thought a pretty, young 'lady' like yourself would've had a lunch date," he commented, without prying his eyes from the newspaper. I couldn't see it, but I knew he was smiling inside at that shot. I found myself searching for something to say.

"Things are not always as they seem," I replied with a tad of bitterness to the words. "Sometimes you have to look closer to see the truth."

He turned the page of the newspaper and replied, "I've found that some people can't see the truth even when it's staring them right in the face."

Now his words really got me riled up. I was about to say something else when the door to Judge Herns office opened.

"Hello, Dennis," June said.

"Good afternoon, Judge," he grinned. "Sorry to barge in on you like this, but I had to see my brother about another matter. Is the report I requested ready?"

"Linda finished it a little while ago. I was just checking to make sure it included everything you wanted."

"I'm sure Miss Anderson was very thorough with it," he responded in a dry manner.

"I'm always thorough with the facts and truth, Mr. Butz," I answered back.

Judge Herns looked at us carefully and asked, "Is there a problem I'm not aware of?"

"No problem, Your Honor," I replied formally.

Judge Herns was about to say something else when Jennifer came running into the room all upset. She stood in front of my desk with tears running down her cheeks.

"Linda...she...she 'hates' me," my sister blubbered out. "She hates me."

I rushed over to where my sister was standing and hugged her. Then I held her out at arm's length and asked, "Who hates you?"

"Mo...mom," she sobbed. "She told me I wasn't her daught...daughter." It was too much for Jennifer to bear, and she broke down crying in my arms.

"How could she know that?" Judge Herns asked me swiftly.

"She remembers," I told her. "Last night when I got home she called me Tom."

"And you didn't bother telling me about this," the judge asked sternly. "Why not?"

"I didn't know what you would do. I was waiting for the right time to tell you. What are you going to do?"

"A good question," she frowned. "Take Jennifer to the bathroom and get her cleaned up."

"Your Honor, you're...you're not going to make my mother forget again, are you?"

"That's an option," she said firmly.

"You can't do that," I replied.

"Don't interfere in my business, Linda," she warned me sternly. "I have to do what I think is best, and I'm not happy that you kept this a secret from me. Now do as I say, take your sister to the bathroom."

The stern look on her face told me this wasn't the time to get into an argument with her. I put my arm around Jennifer and led her out the door.

***

"What do we do now?" Judge Herns asked.

Dennis didn't answer. Instead he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Colonel Myers, this is Dennis Butz - authorization, king, bravo, 35. I need you to give me the location of Mrs. Anderson." He stared at Judge Herns silently as he waited. "Okay, I got it. If she moves let me know." He turned off the phone and placed it in his pocket. "She's in the park."

"I better go talk to her," the judge said.

"No," Dennis said. "I think I better go. After all, I'm the reason why she's here."

"Okay then," June Herns nodded. "While you're gone, I'm going to have a little chat with Linda."

***

Mrs. Anderson was sitting on a bench shivering in the cold. She felt guilty about her blowup with Jennifer who was, after all, in the same boat as she was in. Norma wiped the remaining tears from her eyes; her insides numb with the fact that the nightmares she had been having over the past year were indeed her reality. All of her children were dead, and now she was locked up in some town that didn't really exist. It was too much for her to bear. She heard a noise, and saw a handsome looking man wearing a trench coat walking toward her. She had seen him once before, at the air force base.

"Hello, Mrs. Anderson," he smiled.

"You're Dennis Butz, aren't you?" she asked.

"I am," he replied. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"This is your town, not mine. I don't see why you would need to ask me for permission."

"I'm being polite," Dennis said as he took a seat next to her. "I must say Mrs. Anderson, I don't understand your reaction to all this."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I was hoping you would be happy once you found out what I had done for you."

"Happy!" Mrs. Anderson gritted her teeth. "You made me forget my memories, turned my son-in-law into my daughter, and put a complete stranger who doesn't act like Jennifer in her place. All you've done is create some kind of illusion, but that doesn't change my past."

"I never intended it to," he pointed out. "I knew one day you would remember, because you're a strong woman. I just didn't think it would happen so quickly. I was hoping...we would talk before then."

"Talk? About what Mr. Butz?"

Dennis sighed. "I want to tell you a story, Mrs. Anderson. It's a sad story, but it explains much. You see, a long, long time ago I had a daughter who I loved more than life itself. She was beautiful to me, Mrs. Anderson, just like your daughters Jennifer and Linda were to you. I loved her so much. Then one day...she was killed. No, murdered is the right word. I heard about what happen from one of my associates. I felt so...so empty inside after she was gone."

"Did this daughter of yours have a name?" Mrs. Anderson asked.

"Of course she did," Dennis smiled slightly at the question. "Her name was Rommona. After her death, I started looking for someone just like her - to replace her. But no matter how hard I look, I never found that person. After a few cent...a few years, I realized there would never be another person just like her."

"I know that feeling," Mrs. Anderson said sadly.

"Yes, I'm sure you do. However, that's not the end of the story," Dennis explained. "You see, she was killed because of the hate between my people and...and another group of people. I decided that whatever it took, I would make sure such an act never happened again. Going to war and killing them wasn't an option. Besides, doing so would only cause more death and that meant more people would suffer the same way I had. I wouldn't wish that feeling on my worst enemy. So I went in the opposite direction, I started looking for peaceful solution to our problem. Andersonville, well, that's partly what this town is all about - trying to establish a place were we can live in peace. We couldn't do that in their town, it just wouldn't work."

"What about me?" Mrs. Anderson asked. "And my husband, and Tom, Al, and even the one who is now Jennifer. Why are we here?"

Dennis sighed deeply. "That's a question that until today, only I knew the answer to. Not even Linda knows, and she knows more about my plans then I had intended to tell her in the beginning. You see, after Tom McClain ruined my plans, I started investigating him and those around him. Imagine my surprise while in the process I found someone who was just like my Rommona."

"Tom?" Mrs. Anderson asked.

"No. Tom thinks it's him, but it's not." Dennis turned and stared into Mrs. Anderson eyes. "It's you, Mrs. Anderson."

"Me?" Mrs. Anderson stated in surprised.

"Yes, you," Dennis nodded seriously.

"But...but you've never talked to me before. If I'm her...or a replacement for her, why haven't we met before now."

"Because...because that's not what I mean. You see I know you're not her, and I'm not foolish enough to believe I can turn you into her. My daughter is dead and nothing can change that. But your actions and thoughts - they remind me so much of my Rommona. When she was living, I only wanted the best for her. So when I learned about your three children dying, and your current state, I was driven to try and do something about it in my daughter's memory. Of course, that's when Tom stepped in with Jennifer, and you accepted her like your long, lost daughter. It made you so happy."

"And you figured to do the same thing here, only triple it."

"Yes, that's correct," Dennis replied in confusion. "Only it didn't work out the way I planned, and I don't understand. You accepted Al Parker as your daughter so well, why not now?"

"Because I was given a choice, Mr. Butz," she answered. "When I first met Al Parker, I thought he was my daughter. Later I found out it wasn't Jennifer, only it didn't bother me as much. I could see Al Parker needed me just as badly as I needed him. You see...I made the decision to accept him as one of my own. What you did was mess with my memories and gave me no choice."

Dennis nodded his head sadly. "I'm sorry, you're right. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way, Mrs. Anderson. Please believe me when I say I only wanted to make you happy."

"What about Tom?" she asked. "Doesn't he deserve to be happy?"

"I'm trying, Mrs. Anderson. And before you ask, no, I won't turn him back. First of all, I don't have that power and second, it was his decision to become your daughter, Linda. Besides, I don't think being a man again will make Tom happy. He has to live with what has happened to him."

"But...but it's unfair," she protested.

"So was losing your three children," Dennis pointed out in a cold fashion. "Life is very unfair, but we have to make the best of it. Those who do become stronger, better people."

"What happens now?" Mrs. Anderson asked. "Now that I know, what do you have in store for me - and my family?"

"Which family?" Dennis questioned.

Mrs. Anderson thought about it for a moment. "The family I have here," she said quietly.

"You can go back to them if you want," he smiled. "As for Jennifer, I'm hoping you will accept her into your family. She needs you, Mrs. Anderson. Here, look at this."

Dennis pulled a report from his pocket and handed it to her. It was a couple of sheets of paper explaining a brief history of Susan's life. Mrs. Anderson had to stop reading it a couple of times to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"The poor girl," she whispered.

"Yes," Dennis agreed. "I felt the same way, which is why I knew the perfect place for her was to be with you. She needs a good, loving mother, Mrs. Anderson, and someone she can love back. I was also very selective in who I found to replace your daughter. In time, you'll see she's a lot like Jennifer was."

"What about my husband?" Mrs. Anderson asked. "Can you make him remember?"

"I suppose, but for what purpose?" Dennis pointed out. "The only memories he doesn't have are the bad ones, including those when he was a small boy. That's what drove him to drink in the first place. He thinks it's for other reasons now, but we both know that it was his father degrading him all the time that caused him to turn to the bottle. Not knowing has helped him recover quicker."

"I see you've done your research on my husband," Mrs. Anderson replied. "I didn't find out about that until after he was on the wagon for a year."

"I see no good reason for him to remember," Dennis said. "He's a good man, a good person...just like you."

Mrs. Anderson smiled. "Thank you...Mr. Butz."

"Call me Dennis," he smiled back. "Come on, let's go back and meet your daughter again."

Both of them stood and walked toward Dennis' car.

***

"Do you think I'm a monster, Linda?" Judge Herns asked me sternly. I was seated in her office, and she was standing close by with a deep frown edge on her face. Jennifer was in my office waiting...for what I didn't know yet.

"No, Your Honor," I replied respectfully.

"Then why didn't you come to me about your mother?" she asked.

"I...I don't know. I guess I was afraid you would make her forget again."

"And that would be a bad thing?" she asked honestly. "Making her forget all those bad memories that drove her into her depression in the first place! Even you had to know that replacing Jennifer with Al didn't solve her problems. It was her painful past that drove that poor woman into her desolation in the first place. I took that away, so she could live again."

"It's complicated, June. Once I found out she knew I was...used to be Tom, I...I didn't want her to forget."

"I see," she frowned deeper. "So it was a selfish act on your part."

"No," I answered in an angry tone. "I love my mother, and I would never do anything to hurt her, but sometimes people do better in life by knowing the truth."

"And sometimes they don't," Judge Herns emphasized. "Because you hid the truth from me, Jennifer paid a very high price. And that isn't the first time you did this. You tried doing the same thing with Jerry Kohl, and we know how that turned out."

"Are you saying that if I had told you the truth, you know for certain my sister wouldn't have been hurt?"

"No, but that's what happened," she pointed out firmly. "You have to take some responsibility for your sister's pain."

"I suppose you plan to punish me for this," I said.

She looked at me sadly and shook her head. "No, I don't think so. If you haven't learned to trust my judgment by now, I don't see how punishing you would do any good." Quickly Judge Herns turned away as if she was hurt by the suggestion.

"June, it's not that. It's just that sometimes...sometimes I don't agree with your decisions."

"Who runs this town, Linda?" she asked while looking out the window.

"You do," I said softly.

"That's right, Linda, I do. Sometimes I have to make hard, difficult choices that I don't want to make. However, they are mine to make if Andersonville is to succeed. There are many gray areas in my job, where I'm damned no matter what I do. You may not agree with every decision I make, but I do expect you to live by them."

"Just like that?" I pointed out. "With no input from anyone else."

"When have I 'not' listened to you, Linda?" she asked. "How many times 'have' I taken your advice in matters that dealt with others? I have always respected your opinion, Linda, and listened to what you had to say. Sometimes I haven't always done what you thought was right, but in the end I'm the one who has to decide what's best, not you. As you said, I run this town!"

I sat there for a moment in silence. Her words made sense, but I wasn't completely comfortable with them. We were talking about someone having the final say over another person's life. Judge Herns seemed to know what I was thinking, because she added, "They're criminals, Linda. They gave up their right to live how they wanted when they signed a contract with us. Actually, they lost their rights the moment they violated someone else's rights, but that's my own personal opinion.

"You signed the same contract they did, although as an added bonus the Andersons were allowed join you. Technically, since I have no contract with your parents, they could leave Andersonville anytime they wanted. Legally, and morally, I would honor their request. Your brother Steve could leave as well, although we could bring him up on murder, and breaking and entering charges. I don't think Dennis would allow that to happen, though. He believes Al suffered enough at the hands of Dr. Jensen and Gerald. The few who weren't rotting in jail before coming here also put their life in my hands to do as I saw fit."

She paused for a moment to reflect on her words. "The contracts are legal and binding, Linda, we saw to that. Some may try to take us to court later on, but they'll lose. Even if they do win, they'll have to go back to jail to finish out their sentence. Being here doesn't commute their jail sentence; that's the reality of the situation. It's also what gives me this right to play," she smiled slightly, "God. I don't take my job lightly, and I always try to do the right thing when I make a decision. I think you know that the happiness of your people is important to me in many ways. What I do, and what I decide is for their benefit as well as my own. It's my job; that's why I'm here. Do you understand?"

"I do," I told her.

She seemed satisfied with my answer. "Good, Linda, because I really don't want to go through this again. Your race has just as much to lose in all this if we fail. That's why I need you to work with me. I also need you to respect my judgment on certain matters even if you disagree with me. If you can't handle that, Linda, I'll have to find someone else who can."

I looked down at the ground and swallowed hard. Would I be doing the wrong thing by giving in? No, I knew what was at stake here, at least some of it. War, and total destruction of our world. I had heard it in Jupiter's words back at Olympus.

"I want to work with you, Your Honor," I said. "I'll...I'll do better next time."

She smiled, and walked over to me. "Then no more secrets from me, Linda. From this point on, you have to trust my judgment, even if you don't agree with it. That's my golden rule. Agree?"

I nodded my head slowly. She looked at me intensely, as if gauging my reaction. Finally she spoke again.

"I know what I'm asking isn't easy, and unlike Mr. Butz, I believe this level of trust and co-operation is a two way street. To show my faith in you, Linda, I'm changing your access level from four to three. You'll be allowed outside of Andersonville for limited periods of time, as long as you clear it with me first."

"You mean that?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course I do," she grinned slightly. "And in the future, I'll try to be more forth-right about my decisions with you." She stopped talking as if she were picking up something in her head. "Dennis and your mother just walked into the courthouse. I think now would be a good idea to join your sister."

"Is...is it going to be okay?"

"We'll see," she told me.

We stepped into my office just as Dennis and my mother walked in. My mother seemed calmer now, as if she understood and accepted her new life. She smiled at me, then at Jennifer. The young girl was staring down at the ground looking rejected.

"Jennifer, I'm sorry," she told my sister. She took a seat next to Jennifer and wrapped an arm around her. Immediately my sister leaned her face into my mother's body and started crying.

My mother cooed her for a moment, then said, "I...I want to be your mother sweetheart. I want to take care of you, and be there when you need me. Will you give me another chance?"

"You...you mean that?" she whimpered.

"I do, Jennifer...I really do."

"Oh thank you," Jennifer blubbered out. My mother hugged her tightly, and ran her hand through her hair in a comforting fashion.

"Your sister and the judge have to get back to work, dear," she told her gently. "Come on, let's go get a soda and talk...about what to do next."

My mother helped my sister stand, and they headed for the door. Before they left, she turned to the director and said, "Thank you, Dennis, for everything."

"Be happy, Mrs. Anderson," he told her honestly. My mother smiled at Jennifer one more time as they walked out the door holding hands.

"Well, I say we dodged a bullet here, Dennis," Judge Herns pointed out.

"I think things will work out for them," he replied with some satisfaction.

"What did you say to her?" I asked Dennis. Suddenly he got very tense.

"The truth, Miss Anderson," he said smugly. "Well Judge, I think we should go into your office and discuss what I came here for."

The two entered into her office and closed the door. I sat down at my desk and started rifling through my paperwork, but my heart wasn't in it. All I could think about was the wall between Dennis and me now. Someone had to make the first move, and I was damned if it was going to be me. No, he was going to have to come to me this time.

Fade out...

Next episode - A twinkle in her father's eye

This story dedicated to my lovely and understanding wife, who puts up with my unusual hobby. For I am truly blessed to have someone like her beside me to lean on.

 

Andersonville 23 - A twinkle in her father's eye
Story idea by Mark Sinden
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff, Nelson T.
Special thanks to Aardkal for his advice with the MCI

Copyright 2002

Flashback - 11 months earlier (Author's notes - the intro takes place 'right after' Andersonville 6)

There were fifteen men and women crowded into the small conference area. As Colonel Myers surveyed the room, he noticed most of them, the programmers anyway, were about half his age. Barry shook his head; he was getting old.

His goal was to make general before he retired, and the Andersonville project had seemed like the best way to increase his chances. The problem was, he had failed on his last mission, and now had to explain his failure to the rest of the group. What bothered the colonel the most was that it had come about as a result of others making mistakes, and not faults in his decision making. Still, he was the one in charge, and someone had to be blamed for what happened.

"Hi Barry," a lovely, middle-age female greeted him. It was Colonel Gorden, the leader in charge of 'E' group. Barry didn't see her very often. Her group worked the bunker on the weekends.

"Hi Elizabeth," he replied. "How have you been?"

"Not bad," she smiled. "I heard you had some trouble a few weeks ago."

"Yeah, you could say that," Barry frowned. "I'll be discussing the matter this morning with the group. Hopefully others will learn from my mistake."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Elizabeth replied. "From what I read, you did all the right things. It was just a series of bad luck and miscommunication."

"Maybe, but Dennis sure took a chunk of flesh out of my ass over it."

Their conversation was cut short by the voice of Dennis Butz telling everyone to take a seat. The meeting began with the director giving his usual pep talk, and discussing some of the goals that they were trying to achieve in Andersonville. No one really knew for certain if they where the real goals or just some smoke screen meant to hide the town's true intent. Barry had heard about many strange things that took place in Andersonville, things that weren't natural. Judge Herns, while pleasant to talk to, wasn't your typical judge. Colonel Myers was equally sure she wasn't even human.

After an hour Dennis stopped talking and turned the podium over to Barry Myers. The colonel stepped up and explained the circumstances that led to Jerry Kohl and Rodney Allen (read Andersonville 6 - Friendship lines) ending up in their town. Then he hit at the heart of the matter.

"Despite our best efforts, Mr. Allen was able to discovered the secret of Andersonville. Fortunately he wanted to stay, and we were able to send his friend off without any memory of his visit. However, this could've had a very tragic ending, as Mr. Kohl had a family back in Indiana."

Colonel Myers stopped talking for a moment to take a drink of water. Here was where things got tricky. He had to step on the toes of a few people while still being diplomatic about it. The last thing he wanted to do was make it sound like he was trying to blame someone else for what had happened. Still, there was some truth to what he had to say, and it needed to be pointed out.

"Our biggest problem was with the temps. We couldn't let them operate in the open for fear the two men would spot their eyes. If there's a flaw in our operation, it's with our temps. We need to get the problem corrected soon - as in now."

Almost immediately Charlie Mann, the supervisor in charge of the place-holders/temps, stood up to defend his people. "What you're asking for can't be done. There is a serious problem with the placeholder's programming design. While on the surface it may sound easy to fix, the reality is it's not. The solution is beyond our current capabilities."

"Then bring someone in who can fix the problem," another colonel suggested. "Surely there's someone out there qualified to remedy the situation."

"Maybe in the private sector," Mr. Mann threw out, "but do we really want to bring someone in from the outside? Look, I'm confident our people can fix the problem in a year or so."

"We need to get the problem fixed now," Colonel Myers reiterated. "I almost had to make a decision about a man's life that I didn't want to make. Besides, it affects how the regular residents act around them. For lack of a better term, the temps 'spook' the living daylights out of most of our new arrivals."

"We can't fix the problem by putting in a few lines of code, Colonel Myers," the programmer explained. "We've tried, and it doesn't work. This is a bigger problem than we first thought."

"Excuse me, Mr. Mann," Dennis Butz interrupted. "Do you know of someone who could fix the problem?"

The programmer tugged on his white lab coat as he thought about it. "There are a couple of people I know of. One of them works out of his house. His name is Chris Barnes, and in my opinion he would be perfect for this job. I worked with him a few times on some other problems. However, I must warn you Mr. Butz, he's not someone I would trust on this project.

Dennis sat there for moment rubbing his chin. He would have to check with Judge Herns first, but there were ways around this breech in security.

"Let me work on that problem," he told everyone. "If bringing him in will fix this problem, I think it's worth the risk. Colonel Myers, thank you for your time." The colonel nodded and sat down.

"Colonel Lunnfelt, I believe you're next," Dennis said, picking up the next report. And so the meeting continued.

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is Andersonville.

***

Fade in - Present day...

Chris Barnes leaned back in his seat and took a sip of his coke. His desk was cluttered with papers he had printed off that were meant to entertain him. The chair creaked loudly as he shifted his 320-pound frame forward to grab something from the printer.

"All right," he said out loud. The article he had just printed off said a body could become slimmer by just thinking of exercising. Of course what the obese man really needed was to watch his diet and buy a treadmill, neither of which he was willing to do. The programmer leaned over and pulled another coke from his nearby refrigerator. He adjusted his thick glasses, and did some more searching on easy ways to lose weight.

It wasn't as if the young man didn't have the time to exercise. Chris worked from home, maintaining a system for a rather large Internet provider. Except for the rare days when everything went to hell, there was very little for him to do. He was required to go into the office every two weeks to make a report; not that anyone really cared what he had to say. As long as the system operated smoothly his boss was happy. The rest of the people wanted very little do with him, especially Tammy, the pretty, young secretary. She wouldn't give him the time of day.

"Stuck up, bitch!" Chris whispered as he thought of her. Okay, he wasn't Tom Cruise, but he was financially successful and owned his own house; what more did she want? Chris knew what she wanted. Tammy wanted someone who was a hunk - they all did. In Chris' opinion, all women were stuck up bitches.

Bored of out his mind, the computer geek pushed himself away from the PC and reached for his laptop.

"Might as well clear out some old files," he told himself. It had been almost a year since he had done any housecleaning to his laptop, and it most likely needed it. It was an older unit, and memory on it was severally limited, especially with the programs he ran. Chris sighed. It wasn't a fun job, but at least it would be a distraction from what he was doing - which was screwing around. There was only so much cruising on the Internet he could take in one day.

Chris stared searching the hard drive when he spotted a folder called, "top-
secret", which immediately caught his attention. The young man ran the folder through the virus checker to make sure it was safe. When everything came back okay, Chris opened it up. There were about sixteen different files in the folder, including one that said, 'Read me first'. The computer programmer clicked on the file, and found a letter addressed to him.

Hello Buddy,

You're not going to believe this, but this is you writing to yourself. From what they told me, you won't remember anything about this time, but I swear it all happened. The man in charge, his name is Dennis Butz, said I would be made to forget my time here in Andersonville. This town is both fascinating and frightening. Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself so let me start at the beginning.

About a week ago I was approached by Mr. Butz to work on a secret project being run by the government. In exchange for my services, I/you were to be paid $10,000. Not bad for five days worth of work! I asked what I would be doing, and he told me there was a bug in their system that their programmers couldn't fix. Naturally I jumped at the chance to do the job. The money was nice, but I was more interested in finding out what this project was all about.

He gave me a day to get my affairs in order, then flew me out to a town in Montana called Andersonville. Don't bother looking at the map, buddy, it's not there; but it does exist. There are almost 35,000 people living there. Well, that's not right either, as I soon found out. That's why I was brought there.

A middle-age man in a suit, who turned out to be a colonel in the US army, met me at the airport. He drove me to the courthouse where we got inside an elevator that took us down into a bunker. I swear it must've been at least four stories deep. I wish you could remember what the bunker looked like. In one word - amazing. They had the latest computer equipment down there, some not even on the market yet. One of those items was an imaging array.

Okay, I need to explain that. These people have found a way to create computer-imaged people, something like the hologram people on Star Trek. These computer-generated people are incredible! They carry on intelligent conversations with each other, eat meals like a real person, and even go to the bathroom. I wished I had one of those devices - I/we would never be lonely again.

Anyway, there was a problem, which is why I/you were called in. Their eyes flashed every time they performed a task, such as talking to each other or making dinner. The military leaders were hoping I could fix the problem, but unfortunately it was a bigger bug than I could handle. I found that out the first day, but I didn't let on. I wanted to find out everything I could about those 'place-holders' (that's what they call them).

I got to be friends with one of the men in the bunker. His first name was Mac, he never told me his last. I guess you could say he was my chaperone, because he was right by my side the entire time. At night they put me up in a room at a nearby military base, and that was the only time I was left alone. I asked Mac why I couldn't stay in Andersonville, seeing that they had motels there. He simply told me it wasn't allowed.

Getting back to the story, I wasn't allowed to take my laptop with me to the base. So at night I wrote down everything I could on paper, and during the day I typed it into the laptop when they weren't watching me. In my notes I included a way to break into their system. It won't be easy, but I know you can do it. I was able to install a back door into their system without them knowing it - you'll find the information you need in a file marked 'BackD'. Just be sure when you do visit, you bounce the link around the globe. In the other files you'll find information that should be useful. I've also included a map on where Andersonville is based on my GPS navigator. Just don't go there unless you absolutely have to. You see I/we left quite an impression on them.

Oh, one thing I haven't mentioned. You may be wondering why they created this town? Well, to be honest, I don't know, and I don't think Mac knew either. I did notice that most of the people living in Andersonville seemed to be those computer generated images, but some weren't. There was this one dark haired secretary who was very real, but sadly she wouldn't give me the time of day. Maybe when you search their system, you'll find the answer. I'm sure it'll be interesting.

Well, I better go now. I have to leave soon, and I know they'll be searching my laptop files. I made sure this folder wouldn't appear on the laptop for at least a month. The guy who checks my computer each day is a moron, so I'm confident you/me will be reading this message sometime soon. Good luck, buddy.

Signed - yourself!

Chris sat there for a moment trying to make sense of the note. He checked the date on the file; it was the same week he had been working on a sonar program for the Navy. He even remembered visiting the sub to see the setup. The image was so clear in his mind that Chris didn't see how this letter could be anything but a fake. Still, there was some doubt in the back of his head that he couldn't shake.

"Well, there's no harm in trying," he said to himself. Chris started reading the instructions on how to get through the back door. If this letter were a joke, he would find out soon enough.

The computer geek started linking into different systems around the world, knowing that if he was discovered it would be almost impossible to track him down. The process took almost an hour. When the last link was made, Chris typed in the address he had been given. A prompt came up asking for a username and password. Chris typed them in, and suddenly things started to happen. A series of encrypted folders appeared on his screen.

"Damn!" he muttered. Most of the folders were just numbered, but one folder caught his eye. It said 'Place-holders/6-9'. Chris opened it and found thousands of numeric codes listed in two different columns of 11 numbers each. The programmer picked one series of code and got to work.

***

It had taken all afternoon for Chris to figure out what needed to be done, and that was only by sheer luck. The young man had stumbled across a screen asking for the coded numbers on the left to be joined with a coded numbers on the right. It was a slow and painful process of trying to find the right combination. Finally, after hundreds of tries, Chris got a match, and a new screen appeared with options.

The young man looked at each option carefully. One of them said surveillance and Chris clicked on it with his mouse. Suddenly an image of a woman appeared on his monitor screen. She was in her late twenties and was wearing a short, black skirt with a white blouse. The woman appeared to be talking to his computer, but there was no sound. She turned and disappeared from view. The image then turned to a TV showing a cartoon.

"Wait, turn back," Chris yelled. He noticed a series of arrows, and a prompt to enter in a command. The young man clicked on one of the arrows, and the image turned back to the woman who was hanging up her coat. He clicked on another arrow, and the image moved farther to the side. Chris found if he held the arrow down with his mouse, the picture turned, and when he released the arrow it stopped. The woman again was saying something that he couldn't hear, and headed down the hallway.

'What have I tapped into?' Chris wondered. He typed in 'follow female' and clicked enter. It came back with 'invalid command'.

"Crap," Chris yelled. He thought about it for a moment and typed in help. A box with all the commands appeared off to the side.

"Walk, of course," he muttered to himself. He typed walk, clicked enter, and it came back with a question asking him where to go.

"How do you tell it where to walk to?" he asked out loud. Chris pointed the mouse at the doorway in the hallway and clicked. Suddenly the picture on his monitor started moving toward it.

"Cool," Chris shouted out in excitement. This was like the ultimate computer game.

Carefully he maneuvered the image toward the room where the young woman had entered. He was rewarded by the sight of her walking around the bed in a white half-slip and bra. She smiled, and said something that Chris couldn't hear, then proceeded to undress even more by taking off her slip and pantyhose.

The young man immediately got a hard on as he watched the attractive woman walking around the room in just her white bra and pink, lacy panties. She pulled some clothes out of a drawer and got dressed in a T-shirt and sweat pants. Then the woman said something else to him and left the room.

Chris turned to follow her out when he caught sight of something in the mirror. He quickly turned back and stared at the image. It was a young girl, maybe 8 years old, and she was wearing a flower top with black pants. Her hair was honey blonde, and Chris noticed it was long and tied up in a ponytail. He looked closer and saw that her fingernails were painted light pink, and she was wearing a Mickey Mouse watch.

"WAY COOL!" Chris yelled out cheerfully as he experimented some more. On the left side of the screen was a row of boxes with different body parts. When Chris clicked on the left hand, he found he could control its moments with the arrows. Another box marked 'INF' brought up information on the placeholder. Chris read the information and found out this persons name was Susie Carver. When he clicked on the "NORM" button, the young girl returned back to the living room to continue watching cartoons.

The young man rubbed his hands together in glee at all the fun he could have. All he had to do was break the codes, and he could see anything he wanted to see. Chris got out of the surveillance mode and started working on some more codes.

***

A week later the young man sat in front of the computer munching on a candy bar and staring intensely at his oversize screen. He was watching Susie's older sister get dressed. She was talking, but Chris hadn't figured out how to get the voice module to work. Unfortunately, that wasn't the only problem he had.

The programmer had been lucky the first time, for he found it was much harder to match the codes on his next try. He knew there had to be a program out there that would link the two up for him, but he was locked out of most of the folders. He did have some success, picking up two more placeholders. Both turned out to be young males, and he found them rather uninteresting to watch. One was into playing video games, and the other liked reading books most of the time. Chris assumed that the file marked 'Placeholders/6-9', meant it contained the codes to the computer generated images in the 6 to 9 year old range.

The teenage girl pushed her sister out and closed the door. No longer able to get his thrills, Chris placed Susie back into normal mode. Next he switched over to one of the boys, a 9 year old. He was eating cereal. Nothing interesting there. A check of the other boy, a seven-year-old, showed he was watching TV. Chris got disgusted and signed out of the temp. If only he could find a 17-year-old girl, then he could have some fun. He started searching the files again.

***

"There it is, again - see it?" Mac pointed to the screen. "Look at those numbers change. It's that same blip I've been seeing all week. If I didn't know better, I would say someone was in the system playing with the temps."

"Could they?" Jeff Summers asked.

"Not likely," Mac shook his head. "I've checked all the accounts and they're clean. It must be a glitch, but I can't figure out where it's coming from."

"Maybe you should tell Barry," Edward suggested.

"Tell him what?" Mac stated. "That I think there's something wrong with the computer, but I don't know what. He'll tell me to do the same thing I've been trying to do all week, find it."

"What about the other shifts, have they noticed it?" Jeff asked.

"Yea, usually in the early evenings. I tell you guys, I can't figure it out."

"Well you better or else Barry is going to have your hide," Edward told him. Mac grunted in agreement.

***

"Good morning, Judge," Barry said cordially. He even managed a slight smile.

"Good morning, Colonel Myers," she replied in an equally pleasant tone. "I'm running a little bit late today. Here are the people I need you to have lined up."

The colonel took the list and looked it over. There were two males and three females, one of them an 8-year-old girl named Susie Carver.

"I know I've asked you this before, but how does this work?"

Judge Herns smiled gently. "I told you Colonel Myers, this is on a need to know only basis. Your job is to run the temps, mine is to make sure they become real citizens."

"Yes, I know...from the people we bring in here," the colonel replied a little uncomfortably. Barry was a loyal soldier, but that didn't mean he followed his orders blindly. He still had a responsibility to the constitution and the people.

"From volunteers," June corrected him. "Everyone who comes here signs a contract saying that they agree to this experiment."

"I don't question that," he replied. "I would just like to know what's going on here. For example, why is Jeff Summers the only one who gets to live in Andersonville? I know others would if they were given the chance."

"Oh?" Judge Herns replied a little surprised. "I didn't know that."

"It's true, and he's as tight-lipped about what goes on in Andersonville as you are."

"I'm sorry, Colonel Myers," the judge said honestly. "Like you, I have my orders to follow. Perhaps you should take your concerns up with Mr. Butz."

"They're not concerns," Barry shook his head. If Dennis Butz thought they were, he would be transferred out of here so fast it would make his head spin. The last person to question what was going on was escorted out the door less then a half-hour later. Barry heard he had been transferred to a remote post in Alaska.

"I'm just curious as to what Andersonville is all about, that's all," he mentioned.

"As are we all," Judge Herns smiled. "I'll need these temps ready by 10am today. Thank you, Colonel Myers."

"Have a nice day, Your Honor."

Barry watched the woman get into the elevator and the doors closed. There was something very odd about her that the colonel couldn't put his finger on. How he would love to question Jeff Summers about Andersonville, but the colonel wasn't willing to throw his career out the window. He turned and went back into the main part of the bunker.

***

"How's it going, Edward," Colonel Myers asked his young sergeant.

"It's going good, Barry," Edward answered. "The temps you requested are locked and in position."

"Good," the colonel replied with a nod. "Say, would you like to get a drink afterwards?"

***

"Ready, Linda?" Judge Herns smiled at me.

"Yes, Your Honor," I replied, and gathered up my things. Once my purse was locked inside my desk, I followed her out the door into the courtroom. Officer Candy announced us immediately, and I took a seat in front of my computer while Judge Herns sat down at her bench. Quickly I went to work organizing the files in the way our new residents would be brought in. Even though they had agreed to what happened next, I still felt uneasy about it. After all, they really wouldn't find out what they had agreed to until Judge Herns was done.

One by one we went through each case. When Judge Herns was done, the new transformed person would be taken out and the next person would be brought in. I watched as the last case walked in. His name was Curt Warner, a 30ish year old man with reddish hair and tattoo's on both arms. I didn't have to look at my handout; I could tell he had been in and out of jail most of his life. He snarled at the judge, but underneath his brave front you could see he was a little uncertain about what was going to happen next. I checked to make sure the camera was pointed at him while Officer Candy made things official. With that out of the way, Judge Herns tore into him, and she wasn't very pleasant concerning his past actions. I sometimes wondered if she did this to gauge their reaction to authority. Perhaps that was how she decided who remembered their past life and who didn't. If she suspected someone would cause them trouble, she made them forget their past.

I watched with some interest to see who he would become. A small girl, maybe 8-years old, stepped out of the back. She had long, blonde hair with ribbons tied up in it. It made me wonder why all the females in Andersonville, at least the temps, had long hair. Well, not all of them did, but the vast majority seemed to have many girlish features and traits. They even tended to dress feminine most of the time, wearing short skirts, high heels, and lots of makeup. Was it planned this way to help the men who were transformed into women adjust to their situation easier? I couldn't say for sure.

I noticed the judge stopped talking, and was now giving the man a stern stare. The criminal lowered his head in shame. The words Judge Herns had spoken had had a profound effect on him. She sighed, and got ready for the next phase.

***

Chris logged into Susie's account to see what was going on. He was surprise to see her standing in the back of what looked to be a courtroom. There was a female judge who seemed to be giving some guy in an orange jumpsuit royal hell. Even odder, the options fields on the side were locked out. All he could do was observe. Then he saw the judge raise her hands in the air, and they began to glow.

***

Judge Herns was going through her routine, whispering something under her breath that I couldn't make out. I watched as a blue ball of energy rose out of her palms and hovered there for a moment. Then it moved forward and struck the man in the chest. Part of the energy went through him and hit the temp, then everything went wrong. The temp flickered brightly, almost blinding me. That was followed by a loud 'pop', as it exploded into a flash of colors.

***

In the bunker warning alarms started going off. Because there were now two paths open, one being Mr. Warner and the other being the illegal port configured by Chris, Judge Herns' magic chose the path with the least resistance. In this case that was the latter. As the energy burst through the computer where Susie's information was stored, it had a devastating effect. Circuits and memory chips, the heart of any computer, were fried from the sudden electrical surge. This massive outburst caused sparks and fires to shoot out of the main frame, setting off the fire alarms. As the computer hard drive crashed, its backup normally would've come on line instantly. However, the sudden electrical surge popped the breaker between the two computers, and the backup failed to do its job. Above them disaster struck.

In an instant almost 17,000 people ceased to exist. Cars being driven by temps were suddenly driver-less, and plowed out of control into other cars, buildings, and unfortunately, people. Children who were being held by their mothers dropped to the floor and were injured. One temp was lighting a candle when the computer died, and the match fell on some newspapers starting a fire. All across Andersonville everything was thrown into pandemonium, as almost half of the town's population vanished into thin air.

The transformation ball left the bunker and followed the line of connections back to Chris' home. Along the way it passed through several intermediate computers and telephone relay stations, blowing their circuits to hell like it had done with those in the bunker. Immediately, almost a third of the Internet went down across the United States and Canada. Despite that fact, the energy stream continued toward its final destination.

Chris was sitting there mesmerized by the rapidly changing blue pattern on his monitor unaware of the danger he was in. Suddenly the transformation ball blasted out of the screen and struck him in the chest. The computer geek fainted in shock and terror.

Back in the bunker Colonel Myers and his men were facing a different problem. Main computer number 3 was smoking badly, and part of the plastic cover was burning.

"Fire control," Colonel Myers yelled out in reaction. One of the temps flipped a switch, and 10 firefighters suddenly appeared. They grabbed the fire equipment close by and dove into action.

"What happened?" he asked Edward, who was busy looking at his screen for answers.

"I'm not sure, sir...some kind of energy spike," he replied in a shaken voice.

"Will it happen again?"

"I don't know sir, I'm trying to locate the source now. It appears to have been generated inside our computer, and headed for an outside source."

"What do you mean an outside source?" Colonel Myers demanded to know.

"I mean just that, sir," Edwards explained. "Somebody was logged in at the time, whatever that thing was, tore through our system. I would hate to be on the receiving end when it gets there."

"Find out where it's gone," the colonel ordered. "I'm going to call upstairs to..."

"SIR!" Mac shouted. "Look at screen number one."

Barry did and gasped. Screen number one was a video feed of the town from a nearby hill. The colonel could see over a dozen plumes of smoke rising all around Andersonville.

"What the fuck just happened?" he whispered.

"COLONEL MYERS," Jeff yelled. "All the temps in group A are off-line."

"Off-line!" he repeated in horror. "What about the backup computer?"

"It failed, sir. That electrical burst must have stopped it from going online."

"Oh my God," Colonel Myers whispered as he turned back to the screen again. He knew his career was over, Dennis Butz would see to that. Someone had to be blamed for all this. Colonel Myers shook the thought out of his head. If he were going down, at least he would go down fighting to save his town.

"What's the status on the backup computer, Jeff?" he demanded to know.

"It appears to be alright, sir. I recommend we do a complete systems check before bringing it on-line."

"Negative," Barry snapped. "I want you to bring it on-line now."

"Sir, if it fails like the other, it could take weeks to have everything up and operational again!"

"I said now," he ordered. "Every second we wait our town dies a little more. Bring the temps back on-line in the courthouse lobby, and have them go back to where they were before this thing hit us. When was the last position backup done?"

"Ten minutes prior," Jeff answered.

"Good," Colonel Myers nodded at the first good news he had heard. It meant most of the temps would go back to the where they were before this disaster had struck. "Start with the emergency personal, and have them report to their station - they'll be needed. Then do the temps who have 'real' children. I don't want any children left alone for very long. "

Jeff confirmed the order, and Colonel Myers picked up the phone to dial out. He found it was dead. He rushed over to the red phone and tried that, but couldn't get anyone to answer in the Andersonville Police station. He put that phone down and picked up the blue one that went to the farmhouse. This time someone did pick up.

"Bird dog, this is big...this is Colonel Myers. We had some kind of disaster of unknown origin strike our town. I want you to lock down the road. No one, I repeat, no one gets past you unless it's from the base. This is an Alpha 1A priority lockdown! I am declaring an MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) at this time. I want you to call the officer on duty and have him send all available EMS and firefighters to Andersonville. It looks like we have a lot of people injured up there. Firefighters should report to the fire station, and EMTs to the hospital for further orders. I will be the incident commander. We're also going to need patrol units to help restore order here - and have the special tracker units put on alert. I suspect some of our residents may try to leave in all the confusion. Do you copy?"

The colonel heard the other person repeat the order and hung up the phone. He observed the fire crew looking over the smoldering remains of their million-dollar computer, now a worthless piece of burnt circuits and melted plastic. There was still smoke coming out of it, and the smell of burnt plastic was heavy in the air.

"Mac," he said.

"Yes sir," the sergeant replied.

"I know you're busy, but I need you to go topside and make sure Judge Herns is okay. If she is, tell her I have the military coming in to render aid. And make sure you tell her to keep everyone out of the main entranceway while we restore the temps. If the elevator doesn't work, use the steps."

"Yes, Colonel Myers."

***

It was strange. The temp popped like a light bulb burning out and disappeared, leaving the man who was suppose to become the young girl total unaffected. I looked over at the judge for guidance, but she seemed just as mystified as I was. All of the sudden the world outside seemed to explode. I could hear cars crashing, and people screaming. In the distance there was a loud 'thud' from something exploding.

"What's going on?" Dr. Green asked in a frightened tone.

I rushed over to the window, and saw cars crashed all over the place. Below me was a little boy crying out for his mother, and in the distance I spotted thick, black smoke rising into the sky. Judge Herns stood next to me, and was astonished by the sight.

"Oh my god," I whispered.

Officer Candy joined us, forgetting about the prisoner who was still standing there freely in front of the judge's bench. He suddenly realized that no one was watching him, and quickly started backing toward the side door.

"I need to get out there," Officer Candy told the judge. "Will you be okay?

Judge Herns nodded and looked back at the catastrophe that had befallen the town.

"Officer Candy, what happened to the prisoner?" I asked. The cop turned and noticed he was gone.

"Shit!" he cursed loudly and ran out the side door.

"How could this have happened," Dr. Green questioned. Before anyone could answer, Mac came running into the room.

"Judge Herns," he panted, and doubled over to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, but I had to take the steps. The elevator was controlled by the computer that crashed."

"You mean there are steps to the bunker?" I asked. Mac ignored my question and spoke directly to the judge.

"Colonel Myers wanted you to know that he has put out an alert. The military will be arriving shortly to help with the fires and restore order."

"Very good," Judge Herns replied. "You mentioned something about a computer, young man."

"Yes judge. There was some kind of electrical surge in our computer that caused it to crash, and the backup didn't come up. We're restoring the temps now."

Suddenly there was a loud, painful scream in the hallway. All of us ran to the lobby door and looked out at a sickening sight. There was Office Candy lying on the floor, blood oozing freely out of the left side of his body. Around him temps were appearing out of thin air, and it didn't take a genus to figure out what had happened. He had been standing in the place where a temp had materialized, and it had effectively ripped him open from head to toe.

"Dead," I asked, strangely saddened to see the cop who I had hated the most lying there.

"Yes," Judge Herns replied staunchly, as she placed her arm around me. "I'm afraid he's not the only one either."

***

The military had arrived 20 minutes after the call was placed, and immediately started helping with the fires. A car had driven into a gas pump and exploded, sending a fireball almost 100 feet into the air. Several of the houses close by caught fire, and at least one person, a small child, had been burned alive. There were more reports coming in about other injuries, most of them minor, but some life threatening. Judge Herns had gone to the hospital to help out, leaving me alone with nothing to do except listen to the battle going on outside on the police radio. To add to our troubles, our fugitive was still missing. Normally this would've caused all the towns resources to be focused on him, but he had taken a back seat to everything else. I wasn't even sure if anyone was really looking for him. My thoughts were interrupted when Judge Herns walked into my office with Judge Jasper by her side.

"Judge Jasper," I said standing.

"Miss Anderson," he replied, but without any harshness in his tone.

"He was helping me at the hospital," Judge Herns explained.

"How bad?" I asked. My question was filled with dread.

"Not as bad as we thought," Jupiter answered for her. "Five people dead, including your Officer Candy. Over a 100 injured with broken bones or burns, some badly. Fortunately, Judge Herns and I were able to stabilize them so they'll live."

"When I got to the hospital and saw how bad it was, I called Judge Jasper," June explained, although somehow I knew she didn't mean she had used the phone. "He came with some help."

"You mean, other's are here too?"

"Mars, Mercury, Deimos, Diane, Venus, and Apollo," Jupiter rattled off using their real names. "They're out doing various chores. Things have pretty much settled down."

"June, what about Mr. Warner. Has anyone found him yet?"

"No, and if we don't find him soon he'll die," she frowned.

"Die, but why?"

"Because his cells are breaking down as we speak," she answered in an irritated tone.

"My dear," Jupiter interrupted. "Let me answer that question. You see Linda, the energy you saw strike Mr. Warner in the chest was meant to break down the cell structure throughout his body. This allows the new DNA structure from the temp to rebuild them. However, that never happened and as such, Mr. Warner's body was left in limbo. If we don't find him in the next hour, his cells will have broken down to the point where he'll die."

"Why not track him?" I asked.

"We can't," June explained. "Mr. Warner is not on the computer because he was never transformed."

"Can't you do anything?"

"Fortunately, yes," Judge Jasper smiled slightly. "I'm having Diane searching for him. I'm confident we'll find him soon."

"If we don't..." Judge Herns trailed off.

"It's okay, my dear." Jupiter put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. "I have faith in my daughter. Come, let's go into your office and discuss this some more." They closed the door after they went in, leaving me alone once more.

***

Colonel Myers stood there staring at the video-feeds from above. The fires were under control thank god. From what he had been told, the damage wasn't as bad as it could've been. Still, he couldn't get the image of Officer Candy out of his head. The police officer had run into the lobby just as the first batch of temps started materializing. One of them had actually materialized inside part of him, killing the cop almost instantly - almost. It was cruel way to die, and Barry knew he was responsible. He hadn't waited for Mac to give him the word that the area was secured. Instead, he had decided enough time had passed, and had started the process. His impatience had cost a man his life.

Since Officer Candy's death, Colonel Myers had done everything right. While the Andersonville police, fire, and rescue services had real vehicles, computer generated ones were made up for the soldiers coming in. Colonel Myers simply ordered a set of fire trucks to be placed near the fires and it was done. Over 300 soldiers were in town now, putting out fires, clearing up all the accidents, and restoring order. Colonel Myers and his men were coordinating everything from the bunker. It was a mess, and the colonel still had no idea what had gone wrong. That made the guilt inside him even harder to deal with, not knowing what he had done wrong or right.

Colonel Jacobs and his men had arrived shortly after the disaster to help out, but Barry was still in charge - for now that is. He knew that would change as soon as Dennis Butz showed up. He turned to Jeff Summers and asked, "What's the status, Jeff?

"We've checked almost 6,000 temps sir. Some of them were offline, killed in the event, but we shouldn't have any trouble bringing them back on-line in a day or so. All of those with real children have been accounted for. Anyone that was injured was taken to the hospital. It could've been worse, sir. You were right not to wait on re-activating them."

"Thanks, Jeff," the colonel replied with no satisfaction. His sergeant had failed to mention that a man had been killed because of his decision. He walked over to his other sergeant, Edward, who was busy plotting something on a map.

"Anything, Edward?"

"Whatever that thing was, it ended up in California, sir," he answered calmly. "I should have a address for you in five minutes."

"How did you find the final location?" Barry asked.

"I just followed the burnt trail," he replied. "Whoever he or she is, they had a back door into our system without us knowing it. I found the account and closed it for good."

Barry nodded slowly. "Let me know when you have that address." He patted his sergeant on the shoulder and left him to finish.

"How are you holding up, Barry?" Colonel Jacobs asked, as he handed his counter-part a cup of coffee.

"How should I be?" Barry responded, taking the cup from his friend. "I'm responsible for the deaths of five people."

"Bad luck," Colonel Jacobs reasoned. "This could've happened to anyone - you're not to blame."

"Tell that to Dennis Butz," Colonel Myers replied. "Speak of the devil."

Dennis walked into the main room and stared at the destroyed computer. Then he looked at the two men and motioned for them to join him in their office. Both colonels went inside and Dennis closed the door. The director went around the desk and sat down before speaking.

"What happened?" he asked in a business-like tone.

"I don't know, Mr. Butz," Colonel Myers started off. "There was some kind of energy surged to the system, but we don't know where it originated from."

"I have an idea," he told them, but didn't elaborate. It was obvious he wasn't about to share the information with them. "Why didn't the backup computer come up? I thought they were tied in together in case the main computer failed."

"The energy burst was too much - it popped the circuit breaker. I ordered my men to turn it on as soon as we found out it was off-line."

"How long was that?" Dennis asked in a flat tone.

"Less then two minutes," Colonel Myers replied. There was a knock on the door. It turned out to be Edward.

"Here's the address, sir." The sergeant handed him a piece of paper and left.

"What's that?" Dennis inquired? Colonel Myers sighed - his boss didn't know yet.

"There was someone in the system when this happened," he confessed. "We didn't know it at the time. Whatever it was that crashed our system, it followed the trail all the way to this person's location."

Suddenly Dennis leaned forward in anger. "You mean to tell me someone was hacking into our system and you didn't know about it?"

"Yes sir," Colonel Myers replied. "He telneted in and used a secret account."

"I don't give a FUCK if he had an advance satellite link up, this system is 'SUPPOSED' to be secure at all times!" Dennis yelled. "Are you telling me that with all the security we have set up, someone was STILL able to break in without you knowing about it?"

"Yes sir," Barry replied.

"Sir," Colonel Jacobs pointed out. "To be fair to Colonel Myers, it looks like this activity was happening during my shift as well."

"So I have TWO incompetent fools working for me, is that what you're saying Colonel?" Dennis waited for a reply, but didn't get one. "Who is this person who hacked into our system?"

Colonel Myers opened the piece of paper and read the name. His eyes went wide when he saw who it was.

"Chris Barnes," Barry said then muttered, "that fat son of a bitch." The colonel had been the one who had picked the annoying programmer up at the Andersonville airport. He had never liked or trusted the newcomer, and had ordered his laptop to be searched thoroughly before he left. Somehow, something had been missed.

Dennis pulled out his phone and took the piece of paper from the colonel's hand. He dialed a number and waited for the other person to answer.

"Mike, I need you to drop whatever you're doing and fly to Oakland." He passed on the address, with some other instructions, and hung up.

Barry waited; he knew what was going to happen next. Dennis stared at him with almost no emotion; just cold, dark eyes that were prepared for a job that had to be done.

"Colonel Myers, you're relieved of your command. Colonel Jacobs, you're in charge now. I want you to continue rescue operations and work on getting every temp back on-line."

"Yes sir," Barry replied.

"Yes sir," Colonel Jacobs answered.

"Colonel Jacobs, I wish to discuss something else with you. Colonel Myers, I suggest you take this time to say goodbye to your men."

Barry didn't bother responding to the director. What more could Dennis do to him? His boss could be a real 'prick' when he wanted to be. Colonel Myers walked out onto the main floor and was greeted by his three sergeants. The looks on their faces told him that they already knew.

"Colonel," Mac said. "I think I speak for Jeff, Edward, and the temps, when I say it's been a pleasure serving under you. If we can do anything to help your case, well sir, I just want you to know that we're behind you 100%"

"Thanks men," Barry smiled, and shook each soldiers hand. "I guess I better go say my good-byes to the temps now."

***

Chris stirred and woke with a hangover. He was confused at first, then realized he was lying on the floor. The entire room smelled of burnt plastic and charred wood. Was there a fire?

"Oh shit." He put his hand to his forehead to try and stop the throbbing. "What the hell happened?"

He tried standing, but found himself too weak to do so at the moment. Everything was blurred, and Chris tried to focus on the one thing that seemed familiar, his computer.

"HOLY SHIT!" he yelled, still too groggy to realize that his voice sounded different. He could see a large, smoking hole in the middle of what had once been a top-of-the-line monitor. Lying next to it was the remains of his computer and server, melted into a puddle of plastic gob.

"My Computer!" he cried. Without thinking, Chris stood and faced what remained of his top of the line system. Still disoriented, it didn't hit him that he was looking at the computer eye level, instead of standing over it like he should've been. The computer geek tried to stand up, and then discovered he already was.

"HOLY SHIT!" he screamed in shock and horror. His pants and shirt were gone, replaced with a short, blue dress with puppy dogs on it. In fact, his entire body had changed. It was now smaller, slimmer, and feminine.

Chris ran over to a mirror and gasped at the reflection. He was now the splitting image of the girl from his computer. Scared out of his wits, Chris lifted the skirt and saw he was wearing a pair of white, cotton panties with pink hearts imprinted on them. He gathered up his nerve, then pulled them down and looked at the mirror. The young man, now a little girl, almost fainted. His legs turned to rubber, and he had to grab hold of chair to stop from falling.

"No, this can't be REAL!" he shouted in an unbalanced state. Suddenly the computer techie found himself losing control. He started picking up objects and throwing them across the room.

"NO...NO...NO!" he screamed, before falling down on the floor crying hysterically. "No...NO, this can't be HAPPENING to me. "I'm a MAN...A MAAAAAAANNNNN!"

It took almost a half-hour before Chris got his senses back. He wiped the tears from his eyes and thought about what was going on.

"Shit, they'll be coming for me," he said out-loud. "I have to do something. I have to get out of here!"

Then Chris realized there was no place to run. He was a little girl now, and little girls didn't go very far without their parents close by. If he tried going anywhere, he would stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, how could he go anywhere? He was too small to reach the pedals on his car, and even if he could, someone would spot him right away and call the cops. Leaving here wasn't the answer. What he needed was to figure out a way to get changed back into who he once was.

Maybe if he told someone? Chris quickly scratched that idea off the list. The town of Andersonville was a secret from the rest of the world. He could try going to a reporter or the police, but in his current state they would never believe him. They would think he was a little girl telling a fib.

Then an even worse thought crossed Chris's mind. What happened when the authorities couldn't find his parents? They would accuse him, Chris Barnes, of abducting this little girl from her family. With his male self now gone, the police would be even more convinced that this was the case. Even if he did get himself turned back into his old body later on, he would be a hunted man.

Of course that was only the half of it. If he tried telling people he was really Chris Barnes, they would think he had been brainwashed, and attempt to help him. He would be stuck in a world of doctors and foster parents, all trying to make him accept that he really was a little girl. And if he did go along with their game, that meant playing with dolls and doing other girl things. The thought sent a shiver up his spine.

Chris thought about it some more, then came up with an idea. He would blackmail them into turning him back. Quickly he ran to his bedroom where his old computer and server were.

***

"We found him," Officer Deimos said as he poked his head into Judge Herns' chambers. Judge Jasper and I followed him into the courtroom where the man was standing, with the help of Officer Merrick. His face was a deathly white, and you could tell he didn't have much time left.

"Lock the door," Judge Herns ordered Deimos. "I don't want anyone else coming in while this is going on. Sit him down, Officer Merrick."

Both officers did as they were told, while Judge Jasper stood near the chamber door watching the activity. When everything was secure, Judge Herns spoke again.

"I'm sorry you're hurting Mr. Warner, but you shouldn't have run off like that. How do you feel?"

"I feel horrible, Your...Your Honor."

She nodded. "I'll fix that. Keep still please."

She picked up her phone and called Colonel Jacobs to tell him she was ready. The military officer wasn't happy to be doing another transformation, considering that he didn't know what had caused the main computer to explode in the first place, but Dennis Butz had ordered him to. A few seconds after she got done talking, a temp appeared in the corner.

"Stand still," she told the dying man. She raised her hands and started whispering something under her breath. A blue ball of energy rose out of her hands, and raced toward the man. This time everything went according to plan. A minute later 8-year-old Susie Carver was asking for her mother, who arrived at about the same time. I could almost hear a sigh of relieve from Judge Herns as they left.

"That'll be the last one we do for while," she said out loud. "At least until we figure out what happened today."

Jupiter stood there silently, as if he was thinking hard about something. The stern expression on his face frighten me a little, for I knew whatever he had in mine I wasn't going to like it. To my relief, Dennis Butz walked into the courtroom.

"I think I know what happened," he told them.

***

Mike Stoner walked up to the front door of the one-story house located in a crowded neighborhood. He had two men with him, special agents who worked for Dennis Butz. One of them nodded to Mike, and he knocked on the door. There was no answer at first, so he knocked again. This time a little girl answered the door.

"Umm, hello," Mike said. He wasn't aware that Mr. Barnes had a daughter. "Is you daddy home?"

"This way," she told them.

Mike and the two men followed her inside, and immediately spotted the destroyed PC sitting on the desk. The little girl plopped herself down on the couch and picked up a cigarette she had been smoking. Mike looked at the other two men in confusion.

"Where's Mr. Barnes," he asked.

"I'm Chris Barnes," she replied in a calm tone. "Mr. Butz and I have much to talk about. I want you to take me to him now."

***

"This would never have happened in Peace River," Judge Jasper explained. "I think it's time we realized Andersonville is a failure and close it down for good."

"Don't hand me that bullshit," Dennis growled. "We both know Peace River has it's own set of problems. Do I have to remind you that one to two people per month die trying to leave your town? Besides, 55% of the temps that went down are back on-line again. We'll get the rest up in the next 24 hours.

"How do you expect to recover from this?" Jupiter stated sternly. "Everyone has been touched by this event. There's no way you can get back into a normal routine again, not as long as the people remain here."

"What are you suggesting?" Judge Herns asked.

"It's simply, my dear. Turn the people of Andersonville over to me, and I'll incorporate them into my town. That way you can start out all over again fresh."

"That wasn't part of the agreement these people signed with me," Dennis stated. "I won't turn any citizen of Andersonville over to you unless they agree to it. Even if I did, you can't use everyone here. What happens to those who don't meet your needs."

Jupiter looked at the Titan God with some disdain. "That will be my problem. If you like, you can keep those people."

"No deal," Dennis said. "I'll never turn them over to you. I've worked too hard on this project to give it up now. We both know what's at stake here"

Jupiter glared at Dennis. "We don't need you to secure a peace, Rhea. For too long your race has interfered with our progress, and the humans. You've worked hard to keep them back."

"You mean protect them from you," Dennis held his ground, a little surprised by Jupiter's choice of words. It had been centuries since the king of the Roman Gods had called him by his Titan name. "We both know what you had planned for them before we got involved. Human history may show us a hindrance to their culture, but we both know the truth, Jupiter. If it wasn't for us, their world would be very different today!"

"That's enough you two," Judge Herns snapped. "This bickering isn't going to get us anywhere. Jupiter, we'll consider your offer, but don't expect a phone call from us. I'm in agreement with Mr. Butz here. The people of Andersonville can and will survive this tragedy. Thank you for coming, dear."

"As you wish," Jupiter said with a tight smile. "My offer is still on the table if you want to take me up on it. I'll gather my people and go."

He kissed his ex-wife on the cheek, and shot one more look of distaste at Dennis before leaving. The Titan God swore under his breath, wishing he had a legion of soldiers to teach this pompous ass a lesson. Judge Herns took a seat behind her desk and looked at the director carefully.

"He's right you know. Trying to return everything to normal isn't going to be easy. People will be frightened now, and distrustful of the temps."

"We'll work it out," Dennis said.

"How?" she asked.

"I DON'T KNOW, ALRIGHT?" Dennis shouted. "I don't have all the FUCKING ANSWERS HERE, JUNO!"

He turned away and bit his lip until it bled. Judge Herns didn't say a word, she knew this would pass. Finally Dennis got back his composer and said, "I'm sorry, Juno. I didn't mean to blow up on you like that. You of all people have been very supportive of me, and I appreciate that."

"I saw it coming," she replied. "That's why I got rid of the old goat so fast. You can't change what has happened, Dennis. You can only make sure it doesn't happen again. Five people are dead, but since Andersonville has been in existence, over thirty people have died trying to escape from Peace River. That can't go on. It seems that the smarter the human race becomes, the less happy they are with the setup of our town. Despite what we offer them, so many of our new citizens reject the idea that they can never leave Peace River."

"Freedom," Dennis stated. "Or what they perceive as freedom." His phone rang, and the director answered it.

"This is Dennis Butz." Judge Herns watched the director carefully, as he listened to what the man on the other end had to say. "You're kidding!" he replied in surprise. "Yes, bring him here, I'll arrange everything. Thanks Mike." Dennis turned off his phone and put it away.

"What is it?" Judge Herns asked.

"It's Chris Barnes. He's a little girl now."

***

I stood there looking through the glass at the body covered in a sheet. Somehow I couldn't get up the nerve to go inside and look at him again. It wasn't as if we had been friends or anything.

"Hello Linda," Sergeant Williams greeted me in a solemn tone. His mustache drooped as he stared at his fellow officer lying there.

"Dave...I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he replied sadly. "Would you like to go inside? The nurse told me they...they cleaned him up. I'll go with you."

I nodded, and he gently pushed me in. We stood next to the body, and Sergeant Williams pulled back the sheet. Officer Candy was lying there wearing a frown on his face like he wore most of the time I had seen him. I covered my mouth so I wouldn't cry. Why did I feel this way? I hated the man! So why did I feel sad about his death?

"I know you and Officer Candy had your problems, Linda...so did I. But he was a good cop deep down. At least he died in the line of duty, if that's any comfort to his family." Dave took one more look then put the sheet back down. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Good...goodbye, Officer Candy," I said, fighting back the tears.

Dave put his arm around my back and escorted me out. Suddenly I felt the waterworks coming and didn't know why. Perhaps it was because of all the stress of seeing things destroyed, and knowing innocent people had been hurt and killed. I turned my head into Dave's side and started crying like a baby. The cop hugged me lovingly, as if he understood.

***

Mike Stoner brought the young girl directly into Judge Herns' chambers and left. She seemed to have no regrets about what had happened, but then I thought how could she? She hadn't lived through the destruction that had followed.

"You're in big trouble, my friend," Judge Herns started off. "Five of my people are dead thanks to you. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The little girl seemed visibly shaken by her words. "I don't know what you mean?"

"She means, Mr. Barnes," Dennis answered for Judge Herns, "that by breaking into our system, you caused the death of five of our citizens, including a cop. You had no right to do this."

The girl rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "If you had better security this wouldn't have happened. Now change me back?"

"Change you BACK?" Judge Herns stated in surprise. "You'll be lucky if I let you stay here as you are. My ex-husband is looking for people like you in his town. It would give me great pleasure to ship you off to him. No, I'm not going to change anything, Mr. Barnes. You wanted see life through Susie's Carver's eyes, and now I'm going to let you - forever!"

"I figured this would happen," Chris replied, unshaken by the judge's threat. "That's why I created some insurance."

"What insurance?" Dennis asked defensively.

"If you don't change me back into who I was by 9 o'clock tomorrow night, the world is going to find out about your little town," she answered smugly.

"What did you do," Dennis snarled.

"I created a mail bomb," Chris told him. "If I don't enter in the code to stop it, it'll send an email message to over a thousand different sites telling everyone about this place. In an hour your secret little town won't be so secret anymore, Mr. Butz. I've even included a map on how to get here."

"That should be easy to stop," he countered.

"Yes, if I hadn't made sure my program was protected. It only allows you so many times to log in, and if you fail, it automatically sends out the message."

"I warn you, Mr. Barnes, I can make your life here most uncomfortable," Dennis threatened.

"No, I don't think so," she replied calmly. "Even if you don't give into my demands, people will read about what you did to me, and demand that I be returned back to my old self. So you see, Mr. Butz, one way or the other you will change me back."

"That's all you want?" Judge Herns asked in a testy voice. "We change you back into who you once were, and you'll turn off this bomb of yours and go away."

"No, not quite," the little girl smiled. "First of all, I'm not a fool, Judge. I know that the moment I turn off my bomb, you could change me back into this form again. So I designed the bomb so it can't be turned off - ever. As added insurance, it changes the password each time I log in. I'm the only one who can figure out what the new password is, and this is the only way to prevent the bomb from going off. Of course, such hard work on my part will require a large salary...a very large salary."

Judge Herns face turned beet red. She slammed her fist on the desk in raw anger and stood so Chris Barnes would have to look up at her. "Now let me tell you something 'little girl'. I'm not about to reward someone for 'hacking' into our system and causing the death of FIVE INNOCENT PEOPLE! Forget about Mr. Butz, it's me you have to be concerned with!"

"Judge," Dennis held up his hand. "We should discuss this matter in private. Right now I think we need to find 'Miss' Barnes here a place to stay."

Suddenly Judge Herns picked up on what the director was saying, and smiled evilly. "Yes, you're quite right, Dennis. 'Little' Chris must be tired from her trip."

"My weekly salary just went up by 15% for that crack," she shot back.

"So did my revenge factor," Judge Herns spatted out. Without notice a white ball shot out of her hands and stuck Chris in the chest. The little girl took a few steps back in surprise."

"What the hell?" she shouted. Suddenly she began to shrink. "What's going on? What's happening to me? I'm get...getting small..." Suddenly the room was filled with the wail of a crying baby. Judge Herns walked around to where the baby was lying, and picked her up.

"There, there, little one," she cooed. "The judge is going to make sure you're well taken care of during your stay here." There was a knock on the door. "See, there's your new mommy now, Chris. Oh, she's going to take real good care of you. She'll feed you, and change your diaper, and dress you up in the prettiest outfits. Won't that be wonderful?"

The baby seemed to cry even louder at the suggestion. Judge Herns grinned as she opened the door, and let a young, attractive redhead in.

"Oh my," the temp said to the judge. "I hope she didn't cry like this the entire time, Your Honor."

"She just misses her mommy," Judge Herns explained with a smile. "Why don't you take her home, Darlene, and give her some extra love. I'm sure she'll just love it."

"Okay, Your Honor. It's okay, Chris honey. Mommy's going to give you a bath when we get home." The woman continued to talk to the baby as Dennis closed the door.

"Wasn't that a bit much?" I asked.

"I was going to turn the brat into a cocker-spaniel," June replied in a serious tone. "It looks like we may have to take Judge Jasper up on his offer after all."

"Wait, aren't you even going to try to stop the bomb?" I asked.

"Miss Anderson," Dennis explained patiently. "Chris Barnes is a very talented man. It's unlikely we have anyone here who could crack his code by tomorrow night. Of course we'll try, but the odds aren't very good."

"Then get someone like Chris Barnes to come in and stop it."

"I don't know of anyone like that who we can trust," Dennis replied curtly.

"Then change Chris back and give into his demands," I responded. Dennis and Judge Herns looked uncomfortable at my suggestion. "What?"

"I can't turn him back, Linda," June Herns said. "When I transform someone, it's a two step process - and part of the original DNA remains in the body. Mr. Barnes only got one step of it, the transformation side. He's lucky to be alive."

"That's why Mr. Barnes didn't get sick like Mr. Warner. His cell structure never broke down."

"That's correct, Linda," June told me. "Because Mr. Barnes' body wasn't prepared first, my - process did a shock treatment to his body. In this case, all his DNA was destroyed."

"Then use Dr. Jensen's serum to change him back," I suggested. "Surely you can find his DNA scattered throughout his place. Hair samples or fingernail clippings, things of that nature."

"Using the serum would kill him," Dennis answered truthfully. "In this case, the effects from Judge Herns transformation aren't, for lack of a better term, normal. He couldn't handle the effects of what the serum would do to his body."

"What about reading his mind then? Find out what the code is and stop the bomb from going off."

Judge Herns answered me this time. "Reading minds isn't an exact science, Linda. Not only that; from what Mr. Barnes told us the bomb can't be defused, it can only be delayed from going off. I sensed that he was being truthful when he told us that part. He even hinted that he doesn't know what the code will be each time. Somehow he's rigged it so only he can figure it out. I could read his mind each time, but it would have long lasting effects that would harm him. Besides, he may figure out a way to lie to me and set the bomb off anyway. So you see, that's not an option either."

I could see the fix they were in. They couldn't change Mr. Barnes back without killing him, and they couldn't get the information that they needed to stop the bomb. In a nutshell, there was no way to deal with Chris Barnes even if Judge Herns and Dennis were wanted too. It was a no-win situation for everyone. Then an idea flashed into my head.

"Dennis, supposing I know of someone who could help."

"What's his name?" he asked in a suspicious tone.

"Rob," I replied, deliberately leaving off the last name. "He's helped me out before with some other cases."

"Was one of these cases Al Parker?" Dennis demanded to know.

"Does it matter?" I asked.

"Yes, it matters a great deal, Miss Anderson," he said in a pointed manner.

"Linda," Judge Herns interrupted. "Even if he were that good, it takes time to set things up."

"Not if we do it my way, June. Look, I can go to his place and ask for his help. I know Rob; he's trustworthy. I'll need about $5,000, that's all."

"Give me the address and I'll send someone out there," Dennis said.

"No, he wouldn't trust you, Dennis. Rob is kind of skittish around new faces. He only works with people he knows."

"And how does this Rob fellow know Linda Anderson?" Judge Herns asked directly.

"He doesn't," I told her. "But he knows Tom McClain."

Judge Herns saw where I was going, and responded firmly, "No way, Linda. There's no way I'm changing you back into him so don't even start with me."

"Judge, you don't have a choice," I explained. "The only one who can get his co-operation is Tom. I know we can defuse this mail bomb if you give me the chance. I promise, I won't tell him anything about Andersonville or myself. After the job is done, I'll come right back. It'll be just a few hours, what's the problem?"

"Because it'll be a few hours," Judge Herns answered in a way that didn't leave room for arguing. "You're Linda Anderson now, not Tom McClain. This little vacation from your current, and permanent life, could ruin everything you've worked so hard to achieve."

"You mean everything you've worked to achieve," I replied in a testy tone. "I never wanted to become her in the first place."

"I'm not going to argue with you about this, 'Linda'. I won't let you keep going back and forth between the two."

"I'm sorry, June, but these are my conditions - take it or leave it. But keep this in mind; I'm the last hope you have at solving this problem. Beside, Your Honor, I'll still think of myself as Linda even if I'm not her at the moment."

"Let me get this straight, Miss Anderson," Dennis interrupted. "You'll help us out as long as it's Tom who meets with this Rob fellow. We allow that, and you promise to do what you can to fix this problem."

"That's correct, Mr. Butz. You let me go and I'll do my best to convince Rob to defuse the bomb."

"You give me your word on this?" he asked sternly.

"My word," I replied honestly. "I'll be a good boy while I'm away, I promise."

"Go home," he said. "Get some sleep and be here at seven in the morning sharp. Also, I want you to wear the most feminine dress you have."

"A dress?"

"Or skirt if you prefer," Dennis expounded. "Just make sure the outfit leaves no doubt that you're a girl inside and out.

"Why?" I demanded to know.

"Because those are my conditions," he answered in a frosty tone.

"Fine," I snapped. "If it gets me away from you for a few hours I'll do it, Mr. Butz. I'd run around naked in the middle of downtown Chicago if I had to." I grabbed my purse in a fit of anger and rushed out the door. Why did Dennis have to be such a bastard at times?

After I was gone, Judge Herns turned to Dennis with a glare. "How dare you make a deal with her without consulting with me first. I have no intentions of turn her back into Tom McClain."

"Did I say mention anything about Linda becoming Tom again?" he smirked.

***

I had outdone myself this time. I was dressed in a short, dark blue skirt that rested a full two inches above my knees. I also added an off-white, silky blouse, and tailored jacket that matched the skirt. Black hose adorned my legs, and I wore 3-inch heels that hurt my feet since I wasn't used to them. I took an hour on my makeup, making sure my mascara and eye shadow were perfect. I painted my lips with two shades of pink lipstick, and went heavy with my jewelry. I felt like I was dressed a few steps above a hooker, but I didn't want to take any chances on Dennis backing out on his deal because of the way I looked. Staring at myself in the mirror, I was a girl through and through.

As I drove to work I couldn't help but feel a little excited. I was going to be a man again. Maybe Judge Herns was right, maybe being Tom would make me less acceptable of my new life. Well I didn't care. I felt like I needed a reprieve from my current situation. It was a pity that it would only last as long as the problem existed.

When I arrived at my office Dennis was already there, dressed in his three-piece suit and looking as smug as ever.

"Good morning, Miss Anderson," he said. "You look very lovely today. Hot lunch date?"

"Cute Dennis," I snapped sarcastically. "I met your conditions, now I want you to honor yours."

"Not so fast, Miss Anderson," he interrupted. "I want to make sure we're clear here. You promise to help us out, not tell anyone about Andersonville, or run away, as long as it's Tom who meets with your friend, Rob."

"Yes, that's correct," I told him. "My word and all."

"You realize I can't let Tom go there alone. Someone is going to have to accompany him."

"I don't care who it is, just as long as it's not 'YOU'," I hissed.

He nodded with satisfaction. "Don't worry, it won't be. Follow me."

We went into Judge Herns office, where the judge was already sitting there having a cup of coffee with another man. When she saw me walk in, a smile appeared on her face. Immediately I knew something was up.

"Linda," Dennis said in professional tone. "I'll like you to meet Tom McClain."

The man turned grinning, and almost laughed. "Hello Linda, I've heard so much about you." He held out his hand to me, which I immediately rejected.

"What the HELL is this?" I snapped at Dennis.

"I'm satisfying your condition," he replied. "Tom here is going to meet with your friend, Rob, just as we agreed upon."

"That's not what we agreed on," I shot back. "You were suppose to turned me back into myself so 'I' could do this job."

"Yourself," Judge Herns said with raised eyebrows. "I thought you said you believed you were Linda Anderson."

I ignored her comment and looked at Dennis with fire in my eyes. "You're not going to trick me this time, Mr. Butz. You know damn well what I wanted from you."

"Perhaps, but this is what you agreed to," he answered. "Now calm down, Linda. You're going on this trip too - as Tom's girlfriend."

"All right," Tom smiled with bedroom eyes.

"Forget it," I snapped at him. "I'm not that 'type' of girlfriend. Nor am I'm going under these conditions, Mr. Butz."

"You agreed to these conditions," he pointed out.

"You tricked me - AGAIN!" I argued. "You weren't up-front or honest with me. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind."

"What about your parents?" Judge Herns interrupted. "How about your brother Steve, or your sister Jennifer?"

"What about them?"

"It's simple, Linda," the judge explained. "If we can't stop this bomb, and the information does get out, we'll have to shut Andersonville down. Something has to be done with the people here; we just can't turn them loose. How happy do you think your family will be living in Peace River?"

"A threat, June?" I responded with bitterness.

"I'm simply laying the cards out on the table for you, Linda," she replied crisply. "If you fail, I'll have no choice but to turn everyone over to my ex-husband."

"You know he can't use people like Steve's girlfriend, Sally Rider. What happens to her, and people like her, if they get sent there?"

"I'm sorry, Linda," she spoke softly and not answering my question. "Their fates are in your hands. Should I call Judge Jasper now so we can start making moving arrangements, or wait to see if you can stop this from happening?"

"All right, I'll go," I agreed reluctantly. "But it would be a hell of a lot easier if I went as Tom McClain.

"I'm sorry, Linda, but I can't allow that to happen," Judge Herns said. "In time you'll thank me for this."

"Fat chance," I muttered under my breath.

"Here are your rental papers." Dennis handed Tom an envelope. "There'll be a car waiting for you in Denver. Report in as soon as you get the bomb deactivated. If you fail, meet me a point Zulu."

"I'll do my best, Dennis," Tom replied.

"Good luck," he told us.

***

"What are you staring at?" I asked as I drove to our destination. My partner had wanted to drive, but I had refused to let him play chauffeur for me. Besides, I was the only one who knew where we were going.

"I'm sorry," he smiled. "You're just so beautiful."

"Yea, well, I'm dating someone so don't get any ideas."

"Is it serious?" he inquired. I didn't answer, but that didn't stop him from trying. "Look Linda, once this matter has been taken care of, why don't you and I go out and have some fun. I know of some great clubs in Denver."

"Don't you think our boss will get mad if we did?" I replied. "I'm supposed to report back to Andersonville once this is all over."

"Aww, Dennis wouldn't mind if we did. He's a nice guy. Come on, it'd be fun. A nice dinner and a little dancing."

"Why stop there," I suggest. "We can get a motel room afterwards, and have a night of passionate sex."

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

I rolled my eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that? If I were going to have sex with someone, it sure as hell wouldn't be with myself. I wondered what Sigmund Freud would say about that."

"Have a good time?" he joked.

"Funny," I replied sarcastically. It was eerie, but he was a lot like the old me.

"So, you've never had sex as a woman before?" he inquired.

"I'm not sure a proper young lady talks about such things," I told him.

"Come on, Linda. Aren't you the least bit curious about what it's like? I'm sure you had sex as a man."

"Well, yea, but it's different now. Okay, maybe it's a double standard, but I don't want to sleep with anyone just so I can find out what it's like. If I'm going to be stuck in this body for the rest of my life, I want my first time to be special."

"You should try it, Linda. I certainly have fond memories. Sex as a woman is absolutely wonderful."

"How in the hell would you know that?" I asked. Tom suddenly became very quiet and withdrawn over my question.

"Well, that's what I've been told," he tried to recover.

"But that's not what you just said," I pressed. "You said you have fond memories of having sex as a women, or something to that effect. So who were you before you became me?"

"That's not important," he said defensively. "Who I am 'now' is Tom McClain, private eye."

"Yeah, why me?" I asked. "Why take over my life? You could've been turned into a young stud, and had women drooling over you. So why did you become me?"

"Your life isn't so bad," he avoided the question. "You should see how many women get turned on when they find out I'm a PI."

"You must be hiding," I deduced. "That's the only reason why you would give up your old life to become me. From what you just said, you must have been a woman prior to this."

"Look, is it really that important?" he tried to change the subject.

I ignored him. "Dennis had you changed into me to hide you from someone. Someone who wouldn't...wouldn't stop looking for you."

Suddenly it hit me who that someone was. I shot a glance over at Tom, who saw that I had just figured it out. He sighed and nodded.

"You're that 'fool' Jeff Summers was telling me about," I said.

Tom chuckled. "I see Jeff hasn't changed a bit since I last saw him. Yes, I'm that fool. I spent enough time in Peace River that I wasn't willing to trade my new freedom in for the safety of living in Andersonville."

"Your Candy Lane?"

A thin smile appeared on his lips, my old lips. "I haven't heard that name in years. Do you know, Linda, that I actually miss being her at times? I even considered being changed into a different woman, but I knew who I was deep inside."

"How long were you there?"

"Eleven long years," Tom said bitterly. "It wasn't totally bad, I'll admit that. Judge Jasper turned me into a ten-year-old girl. About six years later I met Lori Dillion, and she changed my life. We had some great times together. I was the maid of honor at her wedding - bet you didn't know that. I wish you could've known the Lori I knew, Linda. She was such a great leader - and a good friend."

"How could you do this?" I asked. "How could you forget about her like that?"

"Forget about her?" Tom replied in an angry tone. "I'm fighting for her freedom. Dennis promised that if I worked for him, he would help me free her and all the others who want to leave."

"And you believe him?"

"Why shouldn't I," he replied. "Dennis Butz has never lied to me before. He's a great guy. One day I know she'll be freed."

"You're delusional," I told him. "Dennis Butz has no intention of freeing anyone in Peace River except his own people. I've worked with him closely. He's a secretive, son of a..."

"SHUT UP!" Tom yelled. "You may not like or respect the man, but I do. What the hell do you know anyway? He protected me all these years; kept me safe from Judge Jasper and his people. Just because you don't like him doesn't mean he's a liar."

"I happen to know he's doing this for his own people, and not for ours," I shot back. "He's even less concerned about your friends than Judge Jasper is. At least the Olympians cared about your feelings."

"If you had lived in Peace River as long as I did," he hissed, "you wouldn't say such a thing!"

I grew silent, knowing he had a point. I had been there for about 4 months; Candy had been there for eleven years. I had also been a guest in Peace River, and Jupiter had done his best to show me his good side. I had no idea how he treated his regular citizens.

"I'm sorry, Tom. You're right, I don't know what it was like for you. Will you forgive me for saying such a stupid thing?"

He smiled slightly. "A kiss from you would smooth things over."

"How about a kick in the ass instead?" I replied.

***

"Remember, Linda, let me do the talking. Rob is my friend, not yours. You're just my girlfriend."

"Just your girlfriend?" I repeated mockingly. "It's amazing you get any dates at all."

"Come on, we don't have time for lover's spat right now," he smiled. Tom grabbed the bag containing the laptop, and walked me up to the front door. Rob lived in a rather modest, two-story house, despite the fact he made good money. I rang the doorbell, and a moment later we heard someone opening the door. Tom quickly put his arm around my waist.

"For appearances," he grinned, to which I gave him a deep frown. The front door opened, and I turned smiling.

"Hi Tom," Rob greeted us. "How have you been?"

"Fine, Rob. Been keeping myself busy. Got some work for you."

"Come in," Rob laughed. I could see him eyeing my legs as I walked past.

The first thing we saw was the living room, at least I think that's what room it was. There was a couch and a few chairs, along with books and piles of papers stacked everywhere. The place was a disaster area.

"Excuse the mess," he apologized when he saw me looking around. "It's the maids day off. By the way, who is this lovely woman?"

"This is my girlfriend, Linda," Tom announced boldly. "Linda, this is Rob Pioneer."

"Nice to meet you, Linda," he smiled.

"Tom has told me so much about you, Rob. I feel like I've known you for a long time."

"Isn't she funny," Tom laughed. The next thing I knew, he was bending down to kiss me on the lips. Not wanting to blow our cover, I followed suit, the entire time cursing under my breath.

"I have a spare room in the back," Rob joked.

"Sorry," I smiled sheepishly, trying to play the part of a love-struck girlfriend. "Sometimes Tom can't control himself."

"Sometimes Linda can't control herself either, if you know what I mean," Tom winked at Rob. This caused Rob to grin even more. It took all my self-control not to belt my new, unwanted boyfriend in the chops.

"Well, business first," Tom announced. "Here's the problem, Rob. My client is in a real jam. An ex-employee of theirs has stolen some sensitive information and placed it on the Internet. He's threatening to send the information around the world unless they give into his demands before nine o'clock tonight."

"How is it controlled?" Rob asked.

"We don't know," Tom answered.

"He said something about a bomb with a code," I threw out. "The only way to defuse it is to enter in the code, but I think he's looking for a long term relationship here. He claims the code changes each week and the bomb can't be shut down. He also said if anyone tries to break the code and fails, it'll automatically send the file out."

"Sounds like he has a database with questions that only he knows the answers to," Rob replied. "Any idea where this site is at?"

"We were hoping you would know, Rob," answered Tom.

"Well, let's have a look at the computer. We can work on the kitchen table - it's about the only clear space I have around here."

"Great," Tom said. "Linda can make us some sandwiches while we work, won't you sugar-buns?"

His suggestion caught me by surprise. I smiled and said, "Of course, honey." Rob chuckled and headed for the kitchen. I grabbed hold of Tom's arm and whispered, "What the hell do you think you're doing ordering me around like that?"

"Just trying to keep up the appearances," he grinned.

"Don't bury yourself in the part," I hissed softly. "You may not like some of the things I come up with."

"I'm willing to take my chances," he replied humorously. "Do any of them involve whips or chains?"

I ignored his male sexist sense of humor, and joined Rob in the kitchen. As I was making sandwiches, they set the computer up. Rob plugged in the power cord and an Internet cable. Once the computer was operational, Rob started searching the files too see what was out there.

"Most of the stuff on here is about six month's old," he informed us.

"So that should help, shouldn't it?" I asked. "All you have to do is look for files done in the past day."

"Linda, please," Tom interrupted. "My friend is a master with computers, he doesn't need your help. Now why don't you be a 'good girl' and fix us those sandwiches."

I shot Tom a glare, which he responded to by puckering up his lips and blowing me a kiss.

"Found something," Rob announced. "A couple of addresses. I think this is what you're looking for. Let's check them out."

He logged into the Internet, and carefully checked the file so he wouldn't trip anything. After a few minutes of looking, he frowned.

"This is going to take a while."

***

Rob had been working on the problem for five hours straight without a break. He had managed to disable one of the bobby-traps, which enabled him to download part of the bomb. The computer wizard had wanted to use one of his own computers to do that, but Tom informed him that his client had insisted only the computers that he had brought along be used. For that I was glad. If Rob had used one of his own computers, there would be doubts on Dennis' part about how much Rob had found out. This way there could be no doubts, not with Tom watching his every move.

Reluctantly Rob agreed. However, disabling the first trap had been the easy part. He still hadn't figured out a way to stop the bomb from going off. Finally the computer expert stepped away from the computer.

"What's up, buddy?" Tom asked.

"I'm sorry," Rob shook his head. "I can do it, but I'll need at least a day or more. This employee of theirs was one smart cookie."

"You can't give up?" Tom said.

"Look Tom, even I have my limits," he explained. "I understand how the bomb works, it's disabling the traps that's the problem. Trying to tap into the password database is going to take at least a full day based on how much I've accomplished so far. There are two files, one with the questions and the others with the answers. Both are encrypted and protected with traps. The same thing goes for internal clock and program. It'll be a bitch to break into it."

"Then that's it," I said sadly. It was goodbye Andersonville, and hello Peace River. Tom, seeing my despair, walked over and gave me a hug.

"I'll protect you," he whispered into my ear. "I won't let them take you there."

"What about my family?" I asked. "Can you hide them as well? It's over, Tom. We better call Dennis and let him know."

"Um, guys," Rob interrupted. "Is there something I don't know about here?"

"Sorry Rob, I should've told you sooner," Tom said. "Linda's family will be hurt when this information gets out."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rob said sadly. "I wish there was something I could do." Then a small smile appeared on his face. "Guys, maybe we've been going about this the wrong way."

***

It was five minutes till nine when Judge Herns turned Chris from a baby back into her 8-year-old self. She smiled pleasantly and said, "So Mr. Barnes, did you enjoy having women take care of you all day. I guess I forgot to tell you about Mrs. Cook's three daughters. They're all at that age of wanting to take care of a little baby like yourself."

"I'll get you for this, cunt," Chris told the judge angrily.

"I don't think so," June answered with a snarl of her own. "Now that you've seen the power I have, perhaps you would like to reconsider your position." Judge Herns turned the laptop computer toward her.

"Tell me, Mr. Butz," Chris said without taking her eyes off Judge Herns. "Do you always let 'women' fight your battles?"

"Always," he replied. "Especially when they're right. Now my advice to you, Mr. Barnes, is to type in the code before it's too late. Judge Herns is not someone you want to get on the bad side of."

Chris smiled with self-confidence. "You can't stop it. If you could you wouldn't need me to type in the code."

"Make it easier on yourself, Chris," Dennis suggested strongly. "What you do right now will have a strong influence on what we do next."

"Go to hell," the computer geek told him. "As I said before, either way I win. If I type in that code I buy you time - time which you may be able to use to fix your problem." He looked at the clock. "You have two minutes left to turn me back - NOW DO IT!"

"I think we'll wait," Dennis said taking a seat. Judge Herns leaned back in her chair to watch the seconds tick by.

"You're fools," she told them. "We can still make a deal! You can trust me!" Neither the Judge nor Dennis said a word back to her.

Chris shrugged his shoulders and watched the minute hand slowly reached the 12.

"It's over!" she told them. "The email messages are going out like a virus. In a few hours everyone will know about this place, and my fate."

The little girl noticed there was a smirk on Dennis' face, as if he knew something Chris didn't. The female judge was also acting funny, calmly waiting for whatever was to happen to happen. The computer beeped several times, indicating her account had just received several messages. Chris opened up her email and saw there were eight messages with the subject, "Warning - Top 'Secret' base the Government doesn't want you to know about."

"It's out there," she grinned from ear to ear. "You two idiots should've made a deal with me."

"Are you sure it's there, Chris?" Judge Herns asked calmly.

"There's eight, no, make that eleven emails waiting in my account from various lists that I'm a member of. I'm free! It's just a matter of time before I'm released from here, and you know what the best part is? I'm going to hire the best lawyer money can buy and sue your asses for everything you got."

"Perhaps, just to humor us," Dennis said, "you should read what was sent out."

"What?" Suddenly Chris felt ill. She clicked on one of the email messages and read the opening line. When she saw what it said, she screamed, "NOOOOOOOO!"

It was a Spam message, advertising for the best Child Pornography in the world. Already angry emails were being sent in reply to the message.

"You protected your bomb well," Dennis remarked. "However, you forgot about the contents. We were able to extract what you wrote, and replace it with something else."

"YOU RUINED ME!" she yelled like a little girl having a temper tantrum.

"You don't know the half of it," Dennis replied. "When the police raid your house later on, they'll find all the evidence they need to lock you up for the rest of your life.

"How could you do this to me?" she asked tearfully.

"Five people are dead because of you," Judge Herns told the little girl sternly. "You have yet to show any kind of remorse for what you did. In fact you tried to blackmail us. We gave you 'every' opportunity to change your mind; what happened is as much your fault as it was ours. Since you have no contrition for your actions, I have none for mine. Now that our business is complete, there's nothing left but for me to return you back to your normal self." Judge Herns slowly pretended to raise her hands as if she were going to change Chris back.

"WAIT!" Chris cried. "Can't you fix this somehow? There must be another way."

Judge Herns lowered her hands, and a tight smile appeared on her lips. "There is another option open to you. You can stay here, protected from the law, in your current body."

"As a little girl?" she whimpered. "At least change me into a little boy."

"You haven't done anything to deserve it, young lady," she replied sternly. "This is my final offer. Going once...twice..."

"Alright," Chris said in a broken tone. "Living here has to be better than prison."

Judge Herns raised her eyebrows at the little girl. "Let's get one thing straight here, Mr. Barnes. If you stay in my town, you'll behave as a little girl should. I don't want you running around telling people you're Chris Barnes, do you understand me?" The judge frowned. "We need to do something about your name. We already have a Susie Carver living here. I think we'll call you...Donna. Yes, that's a sweet name. You'll be known around town as the twins, Susie and Donna Carver."

"Can't I keep my real name?" the little girl begged. "It's a generic name."

Judge Herns shook her head. "No, that won't do. If you're going to accept who you are now, you need a name that won't remind you of who you once were." June stopped talking and laid a contract on her desk. "Sign here on the dotted line Mr. Barnes, if you accept my offer. I promise that if you do, you'll be well taken care of."

Chris looked at Dennis who was standing there with a stony expression. She looked back at the female judge, who was also showing no signs of warmth toward her. To the both of them it was a simple business deal. Chris picked up a pen, and signed her real name one last time.

"Very good, Miss Carver," the judge said crisply. "I'll take care of the rest."

"What...what happens now?" Chris asked. There was a knock on the door, and a tall man wearing a suit walked into the judge's chambers. His eyes twinkled when he saw the little girl.

"Good evening, judge," he said sternly. "Donna, where have you BEEN? Your mother and I have been worried sick about you."

"She got lost in the park," Judge Herns explained. "One of the officers brought her here. She's okay, but I suggest you keep a better eye on her next time, Stan."

"Thank you, Judge, I'll do that," the temp replied. He grabbed hold of Donna's hand. "I want you to tell the judge you're sorry for all the trouble you've caused."

Chris looked at Judge Herns, who was staring back at her with almost no emotion. "I'm...I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused, Judge Herns." She turned to Dennis and said, "You too, Mr. Butz. I'm very sorry."

"Come on, Donna," her father said as he dragged her out the door with his eyes flashing. "Your mother and I are going to have a serious conversation about this." Chris looked back at the judge with uncertainty, as she was lead away. Dennis closed the door and chuckled lightly.

"What's so funny?" Judge Herns wanted to know.

"I was just thinking," he grinned slightly. "I guess you could say Donna is the twinkle in her father's eyes."

Judge Herns smiled for a moment, then got very serious again. "We're not out of the woods yet. A lot of people suffered yesterday, and some may be scarred for life because of it. It's going to take a while for things to get back to normal again - if we ever do."

"Maybe, and maybe not," Dennis replied. "The one thing I've always admired about the human race is their ability to overcome tragedy. The people here will get past this in time, and become even stronger. Of course, I'm going to make sure this 'never' happens again. There'll be some major changes in how we do our transformations from now on. I'm just glad the temps in the bunker are on their own system. Can you imagine what would have happened if they had gone down too."

"Yes, and I don't want to think about it," June answered. "I suppose one of us should call Linda and tell her the good news. Would you like the honors?"

Dennis frowned. "I have things to attend to. I'll let you inform her."

"You know Dennis, the two of you are going to have to sit down and work out your differences. Why not do it now?"

Immediately Dennis became defensive and glared at her. "Juno, I've never interfered in your affairs before, please don't interfere in mine."

June Herns watched the director leave in a huff and let out a sigh of frustration. The judge cared about the Titan God almost as much as she cared about Linda. Somehow, someway, she needed to find a way to get them to make peace and work together again. Dennis didn't seem open to the idea; perhaps she would have better luck with Linda. The judge picked up her phone and dialed her secretary's number.

***

"You did a great job," Judge Herns told me over the phone. "The danger has passed, you can come home now."

Tom looked at me, and made a motion to ask.

"June, I was wondering about something. Do I have to come back right now?"

"Oh, do you have plans?"

"Well, sort of," I explained. "Tom wanted to take me out to celebrate." There was a moment of silence, and although I couldn't see it, I knew June was smiling on the other end.

"By all means, go out and have some fun, Linda. Just be back on the plane by one...no, make that 3am."

I giggled. "Thanks, Your Honor. Have a good night."

"You too," she replied cheerfully. "I want to see you tomorrow morning at 11am to discuss these events. I'm going to need your input on a few things. Goodnight."

I turned off the phone and looked at Tom.

"Well, what did she say?" he wanted to know.

"I don't have to be back at the plane until three."

"Great," he smiled. "I know of some great places we can go to." He stopped for a moment, and looked intensely into my eyes. "You know Linda, you really are beautiful."

"If you saw me when I first get up, you wouldn't say that." I laughed.

"Is that an offer?" he grinned.

I punched him in the arm and replied, "Stop being such a jerk all the time."

He laughed, then look at me in a serious manner. "This guy you're seeing, is it serious?"

"I don't know," I told him honestly. "I suppose I should tell you, it's Office Deimos."

"One of them," he stated with surprise. "Linda...I know you can date who ever you want, but you shouldn't get involved with them that way."

"I'm dating him, that's all," I explained. "Besides, what's it to you?"

"Well because...because...I think I love you."

"What?" I asked, not believing what I had just heard.

"I love you," he repeated. "I know it's crazy, seeing that we just met and all, but I've never felt this way before."

"Like what way?"

"Every part of me is shaking," he explained. "You're all I've been able to think about today. I really want to see you again."

"Look, this is getting a little freaky," I explained. "I mean, you're me, or what I used to be. I don't know if I can get use to dating myself."

"Look, can we...kiss? If it doesn't work, at least we'll know, and I'll never bother you again."

"One kiss?" I asked. He nodded. "Okay."

Slowly he put his arms around me, and we embraced underneath the moonlight. I felt warm impulses throughout my body as he held me tightly. The rest of the world seemed to fade away, and we were one with each other. Finally we came up for air.

"That was wonderful," he said, keeping his arms wrapped around me. I didn't say a word - it had been wonderful for me too, and that was a scary thought. If I gave into these feelings, I would be giving up any hope of becoming a man again. In a sense I already had, but there was still a part of me inside that didn't want to let go.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm...I'm not sure."

"I just got a crazy idea, Linda. Marry me!"

"What?" I replied.

"You heard me, marry me. We can fly out to Las Vegas right now. In an hour we can be man and wife."

Suddenly the idea of being someone's wife revolted me. "No...I can't," I told him. I turned away from in frustration and confusion. "Crap, I don't even know who I am, Tom - and I sure as hell don't know how I feel about you. You're a total stranger to me!"

"Am I?" he asked gently. "I think we both know I'm a lot like you in many ways, Linda. Considering my past, I'm the only one who can really understand what you're going through."

I shook my head. "You're not me. You may look like me, talk like me, and even dress like me...but you're not me. Besides, if I went off and eloped my mother would never forgive me. She already has a big, fancy wedding planned out for me."

"I'm going to marry you, Linda," he said confidently. "I'll wait if I have to, but I'm going to marry you. You'll be seeing a lot more of me around Andersonville in the future...if you let me that is. I'm going to win you over."

"We'll see," I smiled. However, there was something in the back of my mind that told me he was right. "Come on, I'm hungry. You promised me a nice dinner."

"This way my lady," he laughed. Tom put his hand in mine, and led me to the car. For a moment, everything was right with the world.

Fade out...

Next episode - Dr. Jensen I presume

This story dedicated to Donna Allyson, who has taken the time to post my stories on her web page at geocities.com/donna-allyson. Thanks for your support, Donna.

 

Andersonville 24 - Dr. Jensen I presume.
Written by Kelly Davidson
Edited by Geoff

Copyright 2002

Fade in...

"She's here," Leo said in a respectful tone.

Crius grunted, and slowly rose from the chair in his tiny but comfortable study. His new accommodations, a single story house with two bedrooms, were smaller than what he was used to, but still better than what the Olympians had provided him with. He entered the living room, and waited for a woman in her early 60's to get out of the car. She walked slowly, with a limp, as she made her way up the entranceway. Leo ushered her inside, and the woman looked nervously around. She wore a long, green dress that hid her legs from the public. Crius had no doubt they were scared and ugly from the ravage of time.

"Dr. Jensen I presume," he said with a tight smile. Sarah Jensen didn't look the same as the last time they met. Instead of being middle aged, she was now a carbon copy of the much older Dr. Ramsey. The real Dr. Ramsey, who had been scheduled to start working in Andersonville that morning, had been killed, and the body disposed of.

The older lady nodded, and held out her hand. "I don't have much time. I have to be at the courthouse in thirty minutes."

"This won't take long," Crius replied in a formal manner. "Take a seat."

"Won't...won't my coming here cause some suspicion?"

Crius laughed. "My new 'brother' thinks I want to take an active role in getting his town back on its feet. I'll let Dennis believe what he wants. As for you my dear, we have much to talk about, but that will come later."

"This body," she motioned with her hands, "isn't what I had in mind."

"Dr. Ramsey wasn't an attractive women, I afraid." Crius frowned slightly at the woman's vanity. "However, beauty is not required to complete your mission. I spent a lot of our limited resources to get you here. Once you've completed your mission, I'll reward you handsomely. You'll be the desire of every man...and some women."

The doctor looked carefully at the older man, dressed in a long, thick robe with a hood that could be pulled over his head. She knew who he claimed to be, but there were still doubts to his story.

"Is everything ready?' she asked.

"Everything you need has been shipped to your office in secret. I also made sure the room is soundproof, so you'll have unrestricted privacy.

Dr. Jensen nodded. "Good, then I'll start right away. Once I'm done, how long will I have to wait before you can transform me?"

"That depends, of course," Crius confessed. "Without the orb we are weak, and it takes time to store the energy that will be needed. However, I give you my word that it won't be longer then a month. I'll make sure you're not only immortal, but also beautiful again. You'll be one of us, Dr. Jensen - with powers you can't imagine."

"Wonderful," she smiled. "The sooner I'm out of this 'old' bitches body, the better I'll feel. Dennis wouldn't allow me to proceed in my research with the regeneration serum."

Dr. Jensen thought back to her research at her home, before Tom McClain had shown up and ruined everything. There were scores to be settled with him, and especially Al Parker, who was now Steve Anderson. It had been Mr. Parker who was responsible for her death.

"I'm not Dennis Butz," Crius stated clearly. "I believe if you want good results, you have to be willing to reward people generously when they come through for you."

"Thank you for your trust in me, Crius. I should be going now."

"There is one more matter to discuss," Crius stopped her. "We've taken great pains to make sure no one will find out who you really are. However, just in case someone does, I've installed a backup plan. During your...transformation, a panic device was created in your brain. Don't use it 'unless' there's no hope of escape. To activate it, concentrate on the words, 'Jupiter, rescue me from my captors'. Thinking about the words won't work. You have to repeat them under your breath and really desire for it to occur. When you activate the device, I will use my powers to transport you away to safety."

"What happens then...if I have to use it?"

"We'll set you up someplace else," Crius explained. "I would prefer that we didn't, since Andersonville is a safe haven for us, and all the subjects you need are brought to you...unsuspecting of course."

"I understand." Dr. Jensen stood and held out her hand, which the Titan God took. "I won't let you down, Crius."

"I know you won't," he replied with a tight smile. The god walked her to the front door, then turned to sit down.

"Crius," Leo said meekly, so he wouldn't sound like he was questioning the older god's logic. The last person to do so had paid a very stiff price. Crius may be old, but he wasn't weak. "I don't understand why you brought her here. She isn't needed for our plan."

"True," Crius spoke while taking a drink of some apple juice. "However, it's always good to have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Imagine being able to turn the population of Peace River against their masters. The Olympians would be forced to kill their own people, while draining their resources in the process. Either way the people of Peace River will die, so why not make them die fighting for us."

"A clever plot, Crius, but if she fails?"

A tight, evil frown appeared on the god's face. "Then I pity her fate."

Fade out...

***

Voice of Judge Jasper: We are the Roman gods, who fell to the world long ago when your people were still learning how to crawl. We have guided you through the years, rewarded you for good deeds, and punished you when needed. With our leadership, we helped you defeat the Titans in a terrible but glorious war. Once your path was set, we went to sleep, waiting for the day you would reach for the stars and take us home. But the Titans interfered, and turned you away from your destiny. When we awoke, we found much work to do; so we established a base and called it Peace River.

The Titans, with our help, established their own base later on. It's a town where we can work together, a last ditch effort to avoid another war that may destroy the human race forever. Some would like to see the town and your people destroyed, others would like to see it work - to have peace at last. There is much hatred between our people, and the road ahead won't be easy but the rewards if we do are great. The name of this last chance for peace is Andersonville.

***

Fade in...

Dr. Carol Green was busy preparing for her meeting with Dr. Ramsey. Since the trouble with the temps three weeks ago, all new transformations coming into the town had been put on hold. That was good news; the bad news was that many of the current residents had suffered as a result, and some wanted to leave. There had been eleven escape attempts in this week alone, leaving her a very busy doctor. A knock on the door caused her to look up. An older woman, dressed in a rather plain dress that went down to her ankles, stood in the doorway.

"Dr. Ramsey?" Carol asked.

"Yes," the woman nodded. "And you must be Dr. Green. I was told to report to you."

Dr. Green laughed. "Let's not be so formal here, Dr. Ramsey. I'm not your boss. You can call me Carol."

"Fine," she responded in a neutral tone. "I prefer you call me...Dr. Ramsey. I've worked long and hard for that title, Carol. It's a matter of respect."

"Okay," Dr. Green replied. "Come in and have a seat. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thank you," she answered formally, taking a seat in one of the chairs close by. "I've been brought up to speed on what happened here. I imagine your office has been flooded with people coming in suffering emotional problems."

"Yes, at least for the first two weeks. I've had to cancel appointments with many of my regular patients because of it. What I'm doing now is bringing in each resident so I can talk with them - to make sure they're okay."

"A very big job," Dr. Ramsey pointed out.

"True," Carol agreed as she sat down next to the other doctor. "Some are reluctant to see me, while others tend to hold everything inside. I've put together a list of people I would like you to meet with this week. There shouldn't be any problems with them."

"Excuse me, Dr. Green, but I'm not a babysitter," the other woman snapped. "Don't hand off the easy cases to me because I'm new here. I was helping patients get better while you were still playing with your dolls in grade school. Now give me someone challenging; someone who you haven't had much luck with."

Carol held her temper in check. She didn't like being treated like a clueless little girl. Dr. Green had thought she was being considerate by not handing her co-worker difficult cases on her first day. Well, if Dr. Ramsey wanted someone challenging, she would provide her with one.

"Very well, Dr. Ramsey. There's one person I could use your help with. Let me get her file." Carol walked over to her desk and pulled out a thick folder. She handed it to the older woman, who snatched it from her hands. Dr. Ramsey opened it, and did a quick review of her first patient.

"A school teacher named, Helen Johnston. This should be an interesting case."

"It won't be easy," Dr. Green warned her. "I've tried my best to help her accept her new life here."

"Yes, I'm sure you have," Dr. Ramsey agreed smugly. "However, I have my own methods that may work better on her. I'll arrange to see her this afternoon."

"Today?" Dr. Green questioned. "Wouldn't you rather wait a day to get settled in?"

"Not necessary," she replied. There was a knock on the door, and a small, dark hair woman, who was maybe 21 or 22 years old, was standing in the doorway.

"Come in, Cathy," Dr. Green greeted her with a smile.

"Am I...early," the young woman asked, while looking carefully at the other doctor.

"No, you're fine, Cathy. This is Dr. Ramsey. She'll be helping out around here. Doctor, this is Cathy Potts."

"Hello...Dr. Ramsey," the woman said shyly.

"Good morning," Dr. Ramsey replied in a crisp tone.

"Doctor, would you like to stay?" Carol asked, then added, "If Cathy doesn't mind that is?"

Dr. Ramsey shook her head. "No, I need to get to my office and make a few phone calls. I'm sure we'll talk later, Dr. Green. Goodbye."

Carol followed the doctor out the door with her eyes. Dr. Green hated to make early judgments about someone, but she didn't like Dr. Ramsey. The older woman was a bitch.

"Dr. Green, are you okay?" Cathy asked.

"What?" Carol said. "Oh, yes, of course Cathy. Have a seat."

***

Dr. Sarah Jensen, AKA Dr. Ramsey, checked out her office carefully. Inside the closet she found the secret panel Crius had told her about, and all the stuff she would need to get started. Sitting back in her comfortable office chair, Sarah carefully read over Helen Johnston's file. Judging from the notes Dr. Green had written, Miss Johnston would make an excellent subject. Putting the file down, Dr. Jensen reached for the phone to set up an appointment.

***

I was busy editing a report that Judge Herns wanted, while at the same time secretly wishing I were somewhere else, someplace sunny and warm. Montana is known for it's cold, winter nights and high snowdrifts, and I had had enough of it. Although Andersonville was immune from the bad weather to some degree, we still got our fair share of cold and snow.

"Thinking about getting away?" Judge Herns stated, as if she had read my mind.

"How did you know?" I asked suspiciously. This caused her to laugh.

"I've seen that look before, Linda, on my own face. How's my report coming?"

"I'm almost done," I told her. "I need to correct a few things."

"Good," she smiled, then looked at me carefully. "Linda, how would you like to get out of here for a few days?"

"Well, that depends on where that someplace is," I told her.

She grinned. "How about New York City? There's a meeting I want to attend on human behavior.

"Human behavior?" I questioned. "Are you teaching the class?"

June laughed. "Believe it or not Linda, there are still a lot of things I don't know about concerning human behavior. Unlike the 'old goat', I like to keep abreast on the newest ideas and theories. The meeting will only last a day."

"But didn't you asked me if I wanted to get away for a few days?"

"I did," she smiled. "I thought we could do some shopping, go out to eat at some fancy restaurants, and see a Broadway play or two."

"Sort of like a mother and daughter trip," I told her.

"Yes, if you want to think of it that way," she grinned real big. "Of course, if you would rather stay here, I'm sure I can find something to keep you busy. Maybe Judge Jasper would be willing to fill in for me for the rest of the week."

"No, that's okay June," I winced. "I'll be happy to go with you. When do we leave."

"Tomorrow morning," she told me. "That'll give us a day to travel and get settled in. Maybe we can see a play that night."

"Sounds good to me, Your Honor. I've never been to New York City before."

"You're going to love it, Linda. Now, I have to go meet with our new doctor. Carol told me her name is Dr. Ramsey. I'll be back in about thirty minutes, Linda, in case anyone needs me."

"Okay, June," I smiled back, excited about the idea of getting out of here for a few days.

***

"Good afternoon, Miss Johnston," Dr. Jensen greeted the young woman. "I'm Dr. Ramsey. Do you mind if I call you Helen?"

"You can call me anything you want," she replied curtly. "My male name is Curtis, why don't you use that name instead. Dr. Green always called me by my 'real' name."

"I'm not Dr. Green," Sarah said in a businesslike tone. "You'll find my methods for helping you achieve your acceptance here are a little different from hers. I've been reading Dr. Greens notes, and they are most interesting."

"What do they say?" Helen demanded to know.

Dr. Jensen flashed the young woman a cold, thin smile. "Sorry, that's privileged information. Why don't we talk about something else, like why you're here? I read your prison record, it was very interesting."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Helen stated dryly.

The doctor ignored her sarcastic comments, and read right from the opening statement. "You were a teacher at Fairmont Elementary for five years. During that time you managed to steal over $30,000 worth of cash and equipment from the school. You even enlisted the help of a couple of teenagers to pull it off. Unfortunately, they got caught in the act one night. Being minors, they got off almost Scott-free, but you weren't so lucky. Seeing that they were good boys, or so their lawyers convinced the jury, the judge blamed you for corrupting them, and threw the book at you."

"It's a lie," Helen stated angrily. "They were both thieves before I found them, and everyone knew it. Yes, I committed the crime, but I was framed. Fifteen years, I know murderers who got off with less time."

"Yes, but this wasn't your first offense either," Dr. Jensen added.

"Okay, so it wasn't," Helen admitted. "I tried to go straight when I got out the first time, but you don't know how hard it is. I did five years in prison, and swore I would never go back there again. After six months of being 'back' in jail, I would've given my left arm to get out of there."

"And you got your wish," Dr. Jensen pointed out. "You were offered a life here in Andersonville."

"No one told me I would become a GIRL if I came," she answered in a snappish manner. "I was promised a teaching job, and a nice apartment with my entire slate wiped clean. No more jail cells, not more parole officers; just my freedom within the limits of this town."

"All delivered on."

"GOD DAMN IT, look at ME!" Helen screamed. "Behind this dress and these heels, past the makeup and the long hair, is a man! A MAN! No one told me this part of the deal."

"Then you should've read the fine print," Dr. Jensen said crisply. "By coming here you forfeited the rights to your current life, and permitted us to give you a new life as we saw fit. Confidentially my dear, the judge made you a very beautiful and attractive young woman."

"Go to hell," she snarled.

"Maybe one day, but not today," Sarah grinned evilly. "Speaking of being young and attractive, I haven't read anything in your files about you seeing someone."

"I'm not interested in dating some man," she replied firmly.

"Really?" Dr. Jensen raised her eyebrows. "That's a shame, because I was searching through the files and found someone who's perfect for you. In fact, I've arranged for you to have dinner with him tonight."

"Wait a minute," Helen Johnston protested. "You can't do that, I know. Dr. Green told me no one is allowed to interfere in my social life without my permission, and I have no intention of giving it to you."

"Well, Dr. Green is correct," Sarah said with a thin smile. "But as I told you before Helen, I'm not her. I have my own set of rules that I follow."

"Screw you, because I'm not going out with him," she stated firmly.

"Oh yes you are," Dr. Jensen stated in an equally determined tone. "I'm going to make sure of that." With a slight whisper, a tall, muscular man appeared behind Helen and grabbed hold of her.

"LET GO OF ME!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making sure you don't move," Dr. Jensen said as she reached into her desk drawer. She pulled out a long syringe, filled with a light, milky substance, and walked toward the frightened woman.

"No, no, please," Helen begged when she saw the shot. "I'll be good, I promise. I'll go out with him tonight."

"I know you will...dear," the doctor smiled. "This will ensure that you do. Now hold still."

***

Lucas waited patiently for Crius to appear from his study. He respected the older god, but more to the point, he feared him. Lucas had been born after the Great War with the Olympians, but as a youth he still remembered fondly sitting around the fire listening to Crius talk about his plans to overthrow their conquerors. The older Titan God had escaped after the final battle was lost, and Mars and his men had turned over every stone trying to find him - but Crius was always two steps ahead of them. Surprisingly, Jupiter had ordered Rhea, now Dennis Butz, to be left alone, fueling the rumors that she had helped the Olympians somehow. Lucas didn't trust Dennis/Rhea, even if he was overseeing the most advance military base in the world.

"Lucas," Crius acknowledge as he shuffled out of his study. Leo followed close behind.

"Crius," Lucas bowed. "I've worked out a plan as you requested."

"When and where?" Crius asked, while taking a drink of the coffee that Leo had just handed him."

"This Friday afternoon if you order it," Lucas explained. "I've watched her, and found the perfect place. It will require 5.6 units of power to transform someone into Mars."

"That much?" Crius questioned seriously.

"Turning one of us into Mars won't be easy," Lucas pointed out. "He's an ugly cuss you know." Leo snickered, but a stern glare from Crius ended that.

"This is not a game!" he thrashed out at the two of them. "We're talking about the future of our 'people'. If you two can't remain focused on that, I'll find someone else who can."

"I'm sorry, Crius," Lucas replied.

"Forgive me, master," Leo begged.

Crius didn't remove the icy glare off his face. It was better to let his subordinates squirm a little, and remind them of their place. "You will proceed with your plan, Lucas. How many will it require to do the job?"

"Six should do it. One to become Mars, one to drive the getaway vehicle, and three lookouts. I'll supervise the entire operation from nearby, and check to make sure the job is finished."

"Leo," Crius motioned his helper forward with his index finger. "You will become Mars and drive the car."

"Me?" Leo questioned.

"You're a driver, aren't you?" Crius questioned in an irritating tone.

"Yes, but...I've never killed anyone before...at least not on purpose. This lady..."

"Is the key to winning my brother over," Crius made it known. "You will do as you are ordered! Killing humans is like picking a flower off a bush, more will grow back - so do not be concerned about the one you just plucked. She is just one of many who will die for our victory. It's time you get a taste of the future."

"Yes, master," Leo lowered his head.

Crius looked sternly into Lucas's eyes. "Let me know when it's done. I will prepare myself until then."

***

"Kilabola," Dr. Jensen said slowly and clearly. "You will remain calm and do as I say. You will not tell anyone else about what has happened to you, and you will never speak the key word out loud for any reason. Kilabola! Now, you will sit there calmly and not try to leave, Helen." Immediately the young woman became relaxed. Dr. Jensen ordered her security temp away, leaving the two of them alone.

"Now listen carefully, Helen. You're going to go out to dinner tonight with this young man, and have a good time. What I mean by that is, you'll laugh, talk, and make out with him afterwards."

"No...no," Helen protested with tears in her eyes.

"Keep quiet," Dr. Jensen ordered. "You're going to have sex with him...not tonight, but soon. Nothing you say or do will prevent this from happening. I'll be there with you, in another room, so I can monitor your progress. Now, you can speak."

"Why?" she asked tearfully. "I...I don't want to date a man, or have sex with one. Why are you forcing me to do this?"

"You're a woman now, that's reason enough," Sarah commented with almost no emotion in the tone. "However, since I'm asking a lot from you, I'll tell you why. I need to gauge your reaction to my serum, so I can determine how to proceed with it. Injecting it into everyone's system one person at a time isn't practical. Having a person I control do it is, in my opinion, too risky. I have to find a better way to infect everyone, like through the drinking water. You're going to help me find that way."

"I'm...I'm your guinea pig?" Helen questioned.

Dr. Jensen smiled, and rubbed her wrinkled hands under Helen's smooth chin. She really was an attractive woman. "Yes, something like that. Now don't you worry my dear. What I'm planning to do won't hurt a bit. In fact, my dear Helen, you're going to find yourself enjoying this a great deal."

Sarah looked at the clock and frowned. "It's time for you to go, Miss Johnston. I'll see you tomorrow, at the same time. Oh, one more thing. Kilabola! You will go home and put on a nice dress for your date tonight. You will make yourself up to look as feminine as possible. Once you leave, you'll be happy and excited about your date tonight. Kilabola! Are there any questions, Helen?"

"You can't make me do this, you, you bitch!"

"It's already been done, Helen," the doctor smiled. "Now go home and get ready."

The young woman bounced out of her chair and headed for the door. Before leaving, she turned smiling and said, "See you later, Dr. Ramsey."

"Have fun," Sarah called out with a thin, evil smile. She loved her job sometimes.

***

The next few days progressed without incident for Dr. Jensen. There had been a short meeting with Judge Herns, but Crius had coached her on how to act in her presence. After their meeting, Sarah was confident the judge didn't suspect a thing. Dr. Green was another matter. Her co-worker was surprised at the turn about in some of her ex-clients, and asked a lot of questions. Dr. Jensen was indefinite with her answers, and always found a reason to excuse herself before the discussion got to deep. Still, that didn't stop Dr. Green from trying. Dr. Ramsey had just gotten done with a client, one that she planned to use later on when things progressed, when there was a knock on her door. She looked up to see Dr. Green standing in the doorway, smiling.

"Hi Dr. Ramsey. Do you have a minute?"

Sarah sighed; knowing there was no way out of this. Her next client wouldn't show up for at least 10 minutes.

"Have a seat, Carol," she offered without standing up. "What can I do for you?"

"It's Helen Johnston. I've noticed that she's been acting differently the past couple of days."

"For better or worse?" Dr. Jensen threw out.

"Better...happier. In fact I heard she was on a date last night."

"Her second date," Sarah grinned. "And I understand she has another one tonight."

"How...how did you accomplish that?" Dr. Green asked with great curiosity. "I've been trying for months to convince her just to go out with some girlfriends. All of the sudden you see her, and she's dating someone."

"Are you accusing me of doing something wrong?" Dr. Jensen glared at the other doctor. She was unhappy to see that Dr. Green wasn't intimidated by her up-front manner.

"If I were," she replied curtly, "we would be talking about this in front of Judge Herns. Now I know Helen Johnston, and I know she wasn't very open to her new role here. Suddenly she is, and I would like to know how you accomplished that."

Dr. Jensen cursed under her breath. She had underestimated Dr. Green, a dangerous thing to do. Sarah flashed the other doctor a smile to ease her suspicions, and made up a lie.

"When we met, she talked about a gentleman who had asked her out on a date that morning. Of course she didn't want to go, but after a lot of yelling on her part, I convinced her to give it a try."

"Was this a real person or a temp?" Dr. Green wanted to know.

"A temp - and before you asked, yes, I set this date up on my own. I looked at her report and determined this would help Helen in accepting her new life here."

"That's not allowed," Dr. Green stated strongly. "You know the rules, or should. If it happens it happens, but we're not a dating service here. We only help them find a mate if they ask, and then under certain conditions."

"Dr. Green, I'm well aware of the rules. However, there are rules, and then there are 'rules.' Some rules are meant to be bent and even broken from time to time. As you can see, setting her up has worked out for the best. Helen is very happy now. In fact, she's fixing the young man dinner tonight, and I understand she has some 'extra activities' planned for him later."

Carol frowned. There was something disturbing about the way Dr. Ramsey had emphasized the words 'extra activities'. This certainly wasn't the Helen Johnston she had known.

"It's still improper," she reinforced. "We're here to help out, not interfere or run their lives. I should...I should report this."

"Please, Carol," Dr. Jensen said in a soften tone. "I'm new here, and I meant well. In the future I'll refrain from getting my clients dates, unless they asked me to."

Dr. Green thought about carefully. Dr. Ramsey was new, and unfamiliar with all their rules. Heck, even she had bent a rule now and then in the interest of a client. Wasn't she just as guilty?

"Okay, Dr. Ramsey. I see no reason to report this since everything worked out okay. However, in the future I ask that you stay within the guidelines. This could've backfired on us."

"I'll do that Carol. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get ready for my next client. Perhaps we could have lunch next week."

Dr. Green smiled at the idea. "I would like that very much, Dr. Ramsey. I'll check my schedule and let you know. Perhaps Judge Herns and Linda Anderson can join us."

"If it's all the same to you, Dr. Green, I would prefer not having lunch with one of your clients. Maybe I'm old fashion, but I frown on having lunch with people who see me. I believe it ruins the client/doctor relationship. No offensive intended, I'm sure Linda's a lovely girl, but I would feel...awkward if she came."

"I understand," Dr. Green replied, but not really understanding at all. "Perhaps in time you will change your mind about Linda."

"Perhaps," Dr. Ramsey agreed.

"I better let you go," Carol stated. As she left Dr. Ramsey's office, she felt uncomfortable about their entire conversation. Dr. Green sensed the older doctor wasn't being completely truthful about her methods.

***

"Well Helen, today is the big day," Dr. Jensen grinned while stirring a cup of coffee.

"But...but I don't want to do this?" Helen protested in a calm manner, just as she had been ordered to act. How was Dr. Ramsey able to control her behavior so easily, and force her to do things she didn't want to do?

"That doesn't matter," Dr. Jensen explained with almost no emotion in her voice. "It's what I want you to do that counts. Here, swallow this." Sarah handed Helen a rather large pill.

"What...what is it?" Helen asked in a frightened voice.

Dr. Jensen laughed. "Don't worry, Helen, it's not going to turn you into a nymphomaniac. This little pill will allow me to monitor how your body reacts to...well, to your love making tonight. It's something a friend provided for me."

"I don't want to take it...and I don't want to have sex with a man," she whimpered. "Please, let me go."

Dr. Jensen glared strongly at the young woman and said, "Kilabola! You will do as I say from now on without questioning it. Kilabola! Now, pick up the water next to you Helen, and swallow the pill."

Helen Johnston did as she was told; she found she didn't have a choice. She grabbed the glass of water with one hand and the pill with her other. She placed the pill in her mouth, and swallowed it down with the water. When she was done, she placed the glass on the table next to her.

"Very good, Helen," Dr. Jensen praised, looking at her computer screen. Everything seemed to be working okay. "Yes, I believe we're all set."

***

Steve Anderson was walking up the steps when he spotted Helen Johnston coming down the other way. She had a smile on her face from ear to ear, and Steve swore that she had been humming something moments before.

"Hello, Miss Johnston," Steve greeted her respectfully. Linda had told him a great deal about the elementary teacher. He had also heard a rumor that she had been trying to get a group of people together to protest their being here. When Judge Herns found out, she had quickly put an end to that plan.

"You're Steve, aren't you?" she grinned pleasantly.

"Yes. I'm Jennifer's brother."

"Yes Jennifer, a lovely girl," Mrs. Johnston commented cheerfully. Steve noticed the woman had said it strangely, as if the words had been forced. It wasn't really noticeable, and probably anyone else would have brushed off the feeling, but Steve felt his stomach tighten up at the thought.

"Thank you, Miss Johnston."

"Please, call me Helen," the older woman said. Another alarm went off inside Steve's head. It wasn't proper for a person such as Helen Johnston to insist that a teenager address her by her first name. Okay, he understood that Andersonville wasn't like the real world, but Miss Johnston had never allowed students to call her by her first name before.

"Of course...Helen," Steve answered with suspicion. He noticed a wild look in her eyes. "I have an appointment to see Dr. Green. Were you just there?"

"Oh no," she giggled. "There's a new doctor I'm seeing now. Her name is Dr. Ramsey, and she makes me feel like a new woman. In fact, I'm going home to fix my boyfriend dinner, and then we're going to have a night of hot, passionate sex! Oops," she put her hand over her mouth in mild embarrassment. "I shouldn't have told you that."

"No, you shouldn't have," Steve agreed with great concern. Something was wrong here.

"Well, I must be going now, Steve. I have to pick out the right nightie to wear tonight. Oh, I just can't wait. Goodbye."

Steve watched the teacher bound down the steps with great enthusiasm. Miss Johnston was acting very much out of the ordinary. He climbed the rest of the steps and headed for Dr. Green's office. When he knocked, Carol greeted him warmly and motioned him in.

"So, how are you doing, Steve," she asked, while taking a seat across from him.

"I'm fine, Dr. Green."

"I figured you were," she smiled. "The reason why I set up this meeting is to see how things are going. As you may have guess, many people suffered when some of our temps disappeared. Are you having any problems?"

"No, I'm fine. I was in class when it happened. One minute I was listening to our teacher lecture with 25 other kids, and the next minute everyone was gone except for Robert Halley and a few temps. The temps were okay, just confused. It was kind of humorous really, seeing them looking around and not understanding what had happened. Robert was pretty shook up, but I managed to keep him calm by talking about other things. Finally we went into the hallway and found our friends. Then the temps that were still around told us to go home and stay there until further notice."

"Well, I'm glad to hear everything worked out for you. That was a very tragic day for all of us."

"Dr. Green, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," she smiled. "What is it, Steve?"

"Well, I know we're not supposed to talk about other clients you counsel, but have you noticed anything different about Miss Johnston?"

"Why do you ask, Steve?"

"Because I saw her on the steps on my way here, and she was acting...strangely."

"How was she acting strangely?"

"Well, she was humming and laughing, and even told me to call her, Helen, instead of Miss Johnston. I admit I don't know her that well, but her behavior doesn't seem right."

"Miss Johnston has been seeing a new doctor," Carol explained. "I guess Dr. Ramsey was able to help Miss Johnston accept her new life here. You're also right, Steve, I can't talk about her with you. Sorry, but we have our rules here."

Steve frowned and nodded that he understood. "Do you think I could meet this Dr. Ramsey? I would be interested in knowing what she's like."

Dr. Green tapped her pen on the table next to her a few times. "Well, I suppose since you don't have anything to talk to me about. I think she was getting ready to leave soon. Let's go see if she's still in."

The young man followed Dr. Green down the hallway to another door that was slightly ajar. Carol knocked and said, "Excuse me, Dr. Ramsey. Have you got a moment?"

"Only a moment," the older woman said. "I have to be somewhere."

"This will only take a second," Dr. Green replied. "I'd like you to meet someone."

Steve followed Dr. Green into the office, and stared at the older woman standing there in a long skirted dress that made her look like someone's grandmother.

"Hello, Dr. Ramsey," Steve said formally. "I'm Steve Anderson."

"Yes, I've heard your name before," she replied with just a tad of bitterness.

"Where?" Steve asked.

"One of my clients brought your name up, young man. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you any more. It was nice meeting you, but now I really must be going. If you will both excuse me."

She ushered them out of the office, then locked the door and headed off in a hurry.

"Not a very sociable person," Steve muttered as he watched her go.

"Some people are like that," Dr. Green commented. She sensed that Steve was troubled by this visit and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I...I don't know," he stated honestly. "Dr. Green, how much do you know about Dr. Ramsey?"

"Well, not a whole lot," she admitted. "I have some very basic background information on her, but that's about it. Of course, I can't talk to you about it."

"Of course," Steve replied with a frown.

***

Steve was waiting around the corner for them to show up. He heard the elevator open, and the sounds of people walking his way. When they got close, Steve stepped out in front of them.

"Hello Jeff," he said to Sergeant Summers. "Can I talk to you guys for a moment."

The three men shared an uncomfortable stare among themselves. Contact with others wasn't allowed, and considering what had happened to Colonel Myers, they were even less willing to break any rules.

"I'm sorry, Steve, but we're in a hurry," Jeff replied formally. "We have a business meeting to go to."

"Come on, Jeff. I know all about you guys."

"That being the case Steve, then you know we can't talk to you. Sorry, but rules are rules." They tried to walk around Steve, but he blocked their path. Immediately Mac pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Okay look guys, don't talk, just listen. There's this new doctor who just started working here. Her name is Dr. Ramsey and something's not right with her. Call it an investigator's instinct, but I sense she's up to no good." Steve heard footsteps coming down the hallway, indicating he didn't have much time. "Look, at least do me a favor and check her out. I'm telling you, something isn't right."

"Problem?" Officer Tabler asked.

"This kid won't let us pass," Mac told the officer.

"Come on, Steve," the cop said, while grabbing the teenager by the arm. "Let these men by, they don't concern you."

As Steve was being pulled away, he tried one more time to reach them. "Jeff, you know me well enough to know I wouldn't go flying off the handle like this. Please, check her out."

"Thank you, officer," Edward said as they left. Once outside, Mac and Edward turned to Jeff and asked, "What are we going to do?"

"Rules are rules," Jeff informed them. "We'll fill out a report about this contact, and if someone wants to do something about it they'll let us know."

"Yes, but what if he's right, Jeff?" Edward asked. "Steve Anderson could've waited and shown up at your apartment - instead he wanted us all to know. Doesn't that send up a red flag to you? Steve wasn't asking for a favor, he was warning us of a possible problem."

"What do you want to do, Edward?" Jeff shot back. "You know Colonel Jacobs would never authorize us to do a background check on this doctor. Aren't we in enough trouble as it is? Colonel Myers may have taken the heat for us, but our actions are still going to be investigated under a microscope."

"Do you think what he said is true, Jeff?" Mac asked.

"I think it's worth checking out, but you know we'll never be able to do so unless it's on our own - and I'm not willing to do that without more evidence. Do you guys disagree with me?" Both Mac and Edward shook their heads. "Then I'll catch you both tomorrow."

Mac and Edward headed off to their cars, while Jeff made his daily walk home to his apartment. When he got there, Jeff opened up the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. He plopped down on the couch and took a big swallow of his bitter brew. His meeting with Steve Anderson bothered him greatly.

***

Helen Johnston was beside herself. Her nice romantic dinner, with soft music in the background and candles on the table, had gone off without a hitch. After dinner they had snuggled up on the couch, which lead to some passionate kissing and touching in places that could only be done in private. When the moment grew into something more, Helen excused herself so she could change into something 'more comfortable'. She put on a short, blue silky nightgown with a plunging neckline lavished with lace. A matching robe went with the outfit, and Helen rushed to her vanity table to freshen up her face and brush her hair. Inside she was feeling ill.

"You look lovely, Helen," Dr. Jensen said as she walked into her bedroom. "Why don't you pull the covers back on your bed - guys love it when you do that."

The frightened woman turned to the doctor and pleaded one last time, "Please don't make me go through with this. I'm not...I'm not ready."

"Nonsense, my dear," Dr. Jensen said in a low, cool voice. "You've had three days to think about it." The old woman smiled, but it wasn't one of compassion. "I know you're nervous, Helen. The first time is always a little scary. Just remember, other women have done this too."

"But...but I'm not a woman," she tried to cry out. "Stop this, pleaseeeeeeeee!"

"That's enough, Helen," she chastised impatiently. "Now, you're going to go in there and present yourself to him. Then you're going to come back here, and when the time is right, spread your legs and enjoy every moment of your new life - do you understand me."

"No...I won't," she protested calmly. "I don't want to have sex with him. You're a crazy old bitch. Let me go!"

While on the outside Helen appeared calm, on the inside she was boiling over. Damn it, why didn't she have control over her own body anymore? Helen had tried to scream the words out, but all she could do was say them in a casual manner, as if it were a suggestion on her part, and not a command.

"Enough Helen," Dr. Jensen scowled her. "Now go, and don't spoil the moment - it'll only make it less enjoyable for you." Sarah purposely picked those words to irritate her. She wanted Helen to fight this every step of the way.

Unable to control what she was really feeling, Helen stood and left her bedroom smiling. Dr. Jensen quickly made her way back to the spare room, and watched the numbers climb. Helen was fighting hard to stop what was going to happen next. She heard a noise in the hallway, as Helen led her suitor back to her bedroom. There were some more muffled noises as they got in bed, and 20 minutes later Sarah saw the numbers peak as Helen crossed that line from being a young, innocent girl to a mature woman.

The information continued to flow in, and much to the doctor's amazement, the data held a few surprises. Sarah was glad she had set this up. The information would help in her research. Gradually things slowed down for about an hour, and then the numbers started to climb again as they proceeded to have a second encounter. This time the data was different, since Helen was tired and had a good idea of what to expect. Dr. Jensen saved everything to a CD and carefully analyzed what she saw.

***

It was Friday afternoon, and Mrs. Butz was making her usual trip to the grocery story. Despite being 48 years old, she was still a very attractive woman who could turn the heads of a few men depending on what she wore. She found shorter skirts were best for that type of attention. The store was just ahead, and surprisingly busy for a Friday. Mrs. Butz had to park her car in the back of the lot.

Checking to make sure she had her purse and keys, Mrs. Butz fluffed up her hair a little and started walking toward the front entrance. From the roof of a nearby building, Lucas watched with great interest. He checked in with his spotters to see if there were any cops in the area. When they reported that there weren't, Lucas put the next phase of his plan into action.

"Leo, come in. Our target is walking toward the store. Do you copy?"

"I see her," Leo replied reluctantly, now a perfect copy of the God Mars.

"Then go get her, and make sure you stop so people can see your face. Remember what the plan is."

"I...I understand." Leo put down the radio, and placed the car into drive. He drove up slowly behind the woman, and watched as she continued to walk without a clue to the fact that her life was about to end. Leo felt a twinge of guilt. It was one thing to kill an Olympian; he could handle that. However, killing an innocent human was another matter. The Titan God whispered he was sorry, then pressed down on the accelerator.

His car was going almost 40mph when he drifted over and struck the older woman in the back. Mrs. Butz was lifted onto the hood of the car, and her head hit the middle of the windshield, causing the glass to crack. Blood spilled out over the windshield and hood, and in the distance Leo could hear the screams from some poor lady who had seen everything. He hit the brakes, and Mrs. Butz's unconscious body rolled to the ground. At least Leo could be thankful that she wasn't in any pain now.

He punched the accelerator down once more, and heard the sickening sound of bones cracking underneath the tires of his car - followed by more screaming from horrified spectators. Unfortunately, his job wasn't over yet.

Leo stopped the car and got out to look at the body. When he saw what he had done, the Titan thought he was going to be sick. The poor woman's body was crushed, and if she weren't dead she soon would be. People ran past him to help, and several got a good look at his face. Satisfied that there would be enough witnesses to give the police a good description; Leo jumped back into the car and sped off. A few blocks away he parked behind the getaway vehicle and got out of his car. His accomplice motioned Leo into the back, and told him to lie down on the floor. Ten minutes later they reached a deserted place where the two Titans could make a jump to another location.

Leo sat up feeling sick to his stomach. He had actually killed another living thing. Why did others glorify this despicable act so much? Was it easier killing an Olympian? Somehow Leo didn't think it would be, but Crius had been right. He now had a taste for what killing was like - a belly full of it. The god thought he was going to upchuck right then and there.

***

Lucas witnessed the accident with strange fascination. There was something unreal about watching the car come up behind the woman and strike her down. He had concerns that Leo didn't have it in him to do such an act, and was glad to see he was wrong. As planned, Leo got out of his car so several people got a good look at him before driving away.

Quickly Lucas made his way off the roof and toward the accident scene. It was his responsibility to make sure the woman was dead. He shoved his way through the small crowd and looked at the body that had moments before been a vibrant, living being. He didn't have to look twice, he knew she was gone. As he turned to leave one of the main witnesses looked up just in time to get a good look at him.

'Another gawking spectator,' she thought to herself.

***

I was taking a nice, hot shower to refresh my worn out body. June Herns and I had just gotten back from a daylong shopping trip, and I was beat. However, the night was still young, and we had reservations at a 5-star restaurant followed by a Broadway show. I had to admit it; I was having a great time. June was a fun lady to be with, and I found myself admiring her confidence and grace. The meeting yesterday hadn't been so bad either, and I felt we had both picked up something from it.

As I got out of the shower and wrapped the towel around my feminine body, I heard the judge's phone ring. All I could pick up was the muffled sounds of her talking in the other room. Picking up another towel, I started drying my long, brown hair. I looked at the girl in the mirror as I did and smiled. She was pretty. Then I caught myself - that pretty girl was now me. Why couldn't I just accept that fact?

I wrapped the towel around my hair and walked into the bedroom area of our suite. There I found June Herns sitting on my bed with a long face.

"What's wrong?" I asked nervously.

"Linda," she patted a spot next to me, "sit down."

"Why?" I asked fearfully. "What happened? Is it my...my family?"

"No, Linda," she shook her head. "Your family is fine. I just got a call from Dennis. His wife was killed in a hit and run accident this afternoon."

"Oh my god," I said out of shock. I sat down on the bed, and Judge Herns put her arm around me. "How...how is he doing?"

"Do you really care, Linda?" June asked without any conviction in the question.

"Of course I care," I retorted angrily. "What kind of question is that?"

"Based on what I've seen between the two of you the past few months, I think it's a fair question." I looked away, but Judge Herns turned my cheek so I would face her. In a serious yet concern tone she asked, "What happened between the two of you?"

I frowned and stared down at the ground in guilt. "We had a fight, and I accused him of some things that he called me on."

"You think he lied about why he had you transformed into Linda, isn't that right?" I looked at her with accusing eyes, and she shook her head slowly. "No, he never told me what it was about, but I'm a good guesser."

"He also told me who he was," I explained. "Rhea, the queen of the Titan Gods - banned to live as a man forever. Why did Jupiter do that, June?"

"It's not my place to say, Linda. If Dennis...Rhea wants you to know, he'll tell you. However, you're wrong about his reasons. Dennis did what he did to keep you, the Andersons, and Al Parker together. He didn't lie to you about that."

"I know," I nodded sadly. "I kind of realized that after our fight. I wanted to talk to him and set things straight, but damn it, I just couldn't. He's wronged me so many times in the past. Like the deal he made with Jupiter that sent me to Peace River without even asking me first. That was so wrong!"

"He also apologized to you several times, didn't he?" June pointed out.

I nodded. "Yes, but ...I don't know."

"Do you hate him, Linda?"

I thought about it carefully for a moment, then shook my head. "No June, I don't. The truth is, I respect Dennis a lot. But 'damn it', I would respect him even more if he didn't hide so many things from me."

Judge Herns gave me an understanding nod. "Linda, let me tell you a story. When Peace River was first created, I didn't spend a lot of time there, mainly because of my ex-husband. Most of my time was spent traveling, and becoming re-acquainted with your people and their habits. One day this rather rude cowboy got on my bad side. I rewarded his efforts by turning him into the cutest, prettiest, and most petite girl my mind could come up with at the time. Of course he fell completely apart when that happened. In my rage over a minor insult, I had used the full power of my abilities, and thus his condition was permanent. Realizing I couldn't just leave the poor girl there to fend for herself, I took her under my wing as my helper. For the next several months we traveled together and became close - so close in fact that she was more like a niece to me than my servant. During that time, I told her many things about myself; things I haven't even told you yet.

"Now Dennis is different. For him it takes longer to open up to others, sometimes years, and you have to accept that, Linda. You have to accept the fact that Dennis will be open with you when his timetable allows him to be, not yours. I'm sorry Linda, but to expect him to act in any other way is being, well, rather selfish on your part. You have to respect his rights...and his fears of opening up to you."

"Another lesson, June?"

She grinned softly. "We learn new things everyday, if we're open to them."

I nodded, then asked, "Can you take me to him?"

"Yes," she told me. "We can leave as soon as you're dressed."

***

The numb director sat on his couch nursing a glass of 12-year-old scotch. Spread out on the coffee table in front of him were pictures of his dead wife - including one of them kissing from their recent trip to Hawaii. That had been a wonderful trip. Dennis stared at the picture taken not that long ago, and couldn't accept the fact that she was dead. He had had many wives from his past, but she had been different. They had connected on many different levels, and now she was gone.

A couple of the neighborhood ladies, on hearing the news, had brought over some food. It looked good, but Dennis wasn't hungry. He took another drink of his scotch to numb the grief he felt. The phone rang, his private one. Dennis had to answer it.

"Hello," he answered dejectedly.

"Hello, my brother," the voice said sadly. "My associate just told what happened. I'm sorry to hear about your wife."

"Thank you, Crius," Dennis replied, as he placed the glass on the table and poured himself another drink.

"You shouldn't be alone tonight. I'm going to have one of my associates drive me to your house."

"No, you mustn't," Dennis objected. "You know what the terms of your release are. If the Olympians catch you outside of Andersonville, they'll return you back to Peace River. I can't let you risk it."

"Then come here," Crius offered. "I have a spare bedroom you can stay in. I'm concerned about you, Rhea. You shouldn't be alone at a time like this."

"Thank you," Dennis told him gratefully. "You don't know how much I appreciate your offer, Crius. It means a lot. Unfortunately, things have changed since you were out. Humans have a custom of burying their dead. I have to go down to the funeral home tomorrow morning and make the arrangements."

"I understand," Crius replied. "However, I want to help you somehow. I understand her accident was the result of a hit and run driver."

"Yes," Dennis said painfully. "Fortunately, the police have a good description of the driver."

"So I've been told, which is why I'm offering you my services. Let me investigate the matter personally. I'll have my associates who can leave Andersonville get the information I need. You worry about...about your wife. I'll investigate the accident."

Dennis wanted to turn him down. He wanted to be the one who caught the man responsible for this act. From what he had been told, it had all the markings of a deliberate act. He had already talked to the police, who had wanted to know if he knew of someone with a beef against him. Dennis almost laughed at the question. The list was so long that it would've taken the rest of the night to name everyone. He gave the police a few names, but even he didn't seriously think they were responsible.

"Thank you, Crius," he said in a businesslike tone. "When you find out something, let me know."

"I will, Rhea. If you need to talk, I'll be up. Goodnight."

Dennis hung up the phone without answering. He picked up his drink and drank it down with one, long gulp. Staring at the empty glass in anger, he cursed and threw it against the fireplace, where it shattered into a million pieces. The director sat down on the couch and put his hands to his head.

***

Steve crept down the darkened hallway of the courthouse. He knew this was wrong, but his detective instincts had gotten the best of him. Something wasn't right with this Dr. Ramsey, and he had to find out what that was. He had waited inside the bathroom for almost two hours after closing before making his move.

Carefully he made his way past the security cameras and other devices that he knew existed. When he got to Dr. Ramsey's door, he pulled out a thin, metal wire and proceeded to pick the lock. It wasn't the best lock on the market, and in 30 seconds flat Steve had the door open. What Steve didn't know was that the doors were wired.

In the bunker an alarm went off, indicating someone was opening an office door after hours. Normally this wouldn't have been a big issue, but no one had seen Dr. Ramsey come in. Colonel Gray was in charge that night, and he picked up the phone."

***

Dr. Jensen was just getting ready to leave town when her cell phone rang. She reached down and punched the talk button.

"Hello?" she said.

"Dr. Ramsey, this is Colonel Gray. I'm sorry to disturb you, but we just got an alert that someone has entered your office, and was wondering if you knew anything about it."

Dr. Jensen almost said 'no', but caught herself. If someone were snooping around her office, it would be better not to get others involved. Quickly she thought up a lie.

"It's okay, Colonel Gray. I'm suppose to be meeting with someone in my office right about now, and I'm running a little late."

"Excuse me, Dr. Ramsey, but who is your patient? We have no record of anyone entering the building in the last hour."

"Sorry, colonel," Sarah answered. "I'd rather not explain who my client is over the phone. I'm guessing they've been waiting around for a while, and just discovered I left the door unlocked for them."

There was a long moment of silence on the phone before Colonel Gray responded in a stern tone. "Okay, Dr. Ramsey. Please make sure this doesn't happen again. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Dr. Jensen turned off the phone, "you military jerk-off!" She turned her car around and headed for her office.

***

Steve had checked the desk and the file cabinet and found nothing out of the ordinary. Still not convinced everything was on the up and up, he opened the closet door and turned on the light. Inside he found a couple of coats and several boxes sitting on the floor. Most of the boxes were empty, having been used to bring stuff into the office. One contained a few odds and ends, but nothing of interest.

The young detective next checked the coat pockets for receipts or other types of papers, but found nothing. Discouraged, he was about to leave when he spotted what looked like a loose board behind one of the coats. Steve moved closer, and ran his fingers around the joint. Yes, it definitely was loose. He grabbed hold of the board and gave it a quick jerk. It popped out, revealing a small, square hole with a black metal box inside it. Steve pulled out the box and placed it on the floor. He trembled as he released the latch and opened it. Inside he found several small bottles containing a white, milky substance. Steve knew immediately what it was.

"Oh shit," he whispered. It was Dr. Jensen's behavior serum. That's why Helen Johnston was acting so strangely the other day. Somehow Dr. Ramsey had gotten a hold of Dr. Jensen serum, and had used it to control her movements. No, that couldn't be right. Someone had to be supplying her with it. But if that was the case, then Dennis Butz had to be involved in all this.

"Find what you were looking for, Steve?" Dr. Ramsey's voice rang out.

Startled, Steve turned around and faced the older woman who was standing by her desk. He noticed she wasn't holding a weapon of any kind in her hands.

Steve held out one of the glass vials and demand with authority, "What the hell are you doing with this?"

The old woman smiled slightly and said, "I think you know what it's for, Steve - or would you prefer I call you Al Parker? It seems like old times, doesn't it? You breaking into my office and trying to steal from me."

The teenager's face went pale. "Dr. Jensen. I should've guessed?"

She nodded with almost no emotion. "Yes, and just like before you're a day late and a dollar short, Al."

"Not this time," he hissed. "This time you don't have Gerald to stop me."

"You're right, Al, I have something better." The doctor twisted her head slightly. Out of thin air a huge, muscular man appeared behind Steve and grabbed his arms. Steve struggled to get away, but the temps grip was impressive. He forced Steve out of the closet and into the middle of the room.

"Relax, Steve," Dr. Jensen smiled evilly. "What I'm going to do to you won't hurt - too much." Sarah laughed as she went to the closet to retrieve her serum. She placed it on her desk and started preparing a syringe in front of him.

"You won't get away with this, you old bitch," Steve hissed. "I'll find a way to break free of your control like I did before."

"Break free!" she mocked. "This time there isn't a Tom McClain around to rescue you, only some sniveling little girl you call a sister. Besides, you won't have time to break free. Do you remember what you did to me?"

"I remember," Steve answered nervously.

"Good, because I believe that turn about is fair play. Since you condemned me to die in a horrible car crash, I'm going to do the same to you." Dr. Jensen readied the shot, then approached him. "You'll be happy to know, Steve, that I've made great advancements with my serum since we last met. I no longer have to stick it into the back of your brain. I can stick it," she slammed the needle into the top part of his arm, "anywhere I want now."

Steve screamed in pain when she stuck him. Dr. Jensen smiled, injected the serum, and pulled the needle out. "There, you should start feeling the effects right away."

The warm feeling from where the serum had been injected rose up Steve's arm and started moving throughout his body. Steve panicked, and started kicking at the temp to try and get free. It was a useless effort. He thought about Sally, and the second chance at happiness they had that was about to end. Why hadn't he thought of that before?

"Please, let me live," Steve pleaded. "Please Dr. Jensen, have mercy on me."

"Mercy," she spat out with a glare. "Go to hell, Mr. Parker. But don't worry, you won't be down there all alone for very long. I plan to send your sister there too real soon."

"I'll get you for this, Dr. Jensen," Steve threatened. "I swear I'll get you somehow, someway."

Dr. Jensen stared at him with hatred, then said, "Trimalex! You will remain calm and do exactly as I say..."

***

It was dark by the time I reached his house. There was a single light in the living room, but the curtains were drawn preventing me from seeing inside. I walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. No one answered. I looked back at Judge Herns, who was sitting in the car watching me. She motioned for me to try again, and I did. Again there was no answer, and I was beginning to think June was wrong about Dennis being here. I tried the doorbell a third time, and also knocked real hard. This time I heard some commotion inside, and then the front door opened. When the director saw me standing there, he gave me an unhappy glare.

"What do you want, Miss Anderson?" he asked in a curt tone.

"Dennis...I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" he asked firmly. "I would have thought that me being miserable would've made you happy. Isn't this what you wanted, Miss Anderson? To suffer as much as you have?"

"Dennis, I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"I'm grieving," he replied. "I'm not in the mood for your 'temper tantrums' tonight." He started to close the door.

"I was WRONG!" I blurted out. He stopped closing the door and stood there like a stone statue, staring back at me with his blood shot eyes. "I was so wrong that day, Dennis. I was wrong about your people and your motives. I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I was way out of line."

"Yes you were," he leaned forward snarling. "For Christ sake Linda, I'm old enough to be your father! How could you even think I was interested in 'screwing' you? Do you really think that after all these centuries sex is what motivates me to be nice to others? I cared about you as a friend, Linda...as a friend! Not as a replacement for my deceased daughter, not as a potential lover, but as a FRIEND!"

"I know...and I care about you as a friend too, Dennis," I whispered.

"Yeah, and when did you ever show it?" he asked sharply.

"Tonight," I answered. "I asked the judge to bring me here as soon as I found out."

Dennis looked over at June Herns, who was watching us from her car. Then he stared back down at me with a frown.

"Come in," he said sternly. I grabbed my overnight bag and saw Judge Herns drive off as I went inside. "Do you want a drink?" he asked.

"No thanks, Dennis." I took a seat and looked at the pictures spread out on the coffee table. There was one that showed the two of them together. I picked it up and looked at it. "Is this her?"

He nodded sadly and took a sip of his drink. "I met her at a party." He smiled slightly as he remembered the event. "She was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. I fell in love with her that night."

"Did she know...about you being a Titan?"

"No," Dennis frowned. "I thought if she did, her life would be in danger. So I kept that part of my life a secret, for what good it did. She was murdered anyway."

"Murdered?"

An anger expression appeared on his face. "Yes...murdered. From what the police told me, it's pretty obvious."

"Do you know who did it?"

I have a pretty good idea." He paused for a moment to finish his drink, then turned to me. "It's late, I should get to bed. Since Judge Herns left, and you came in with that bag, I assuming she's expecting you to spend the night here."

"That was the plan."

"You can take the guest room," he said in a brusque tone. "I have to get up early tomorrow to make arrangements to bury...bury...my lovely...oh God, NO!" The poor man couldn't take it anymore. He fell down into a chair and started sobbing loudly. I rushed over and hugged him tightly.

"It's okay, Dennis," I reassured him. "I'll go with you tomorrow for support."

He nodded, and suddenly got control of his emotions. He rubbed his hand over his eyes to remove the tears, and sniffed a few times. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Dennis. After all, you're human."

He nodded slowly. "Thank you...Linda. Come on, I'll show you where the guest room is."

"No," I told him softly. "I want to stay with you tonight."

He stiffened by the suggestion. "Are you offering me sex?" he demanded to know in an insulting tone.

I shook my head and said, "Something better. I'm offering you the comfort and support of a friend."

"How do you know you can trust me?"

"If there's one person I can trust in this world, Dennis, it's you," I replied in a firm tone. "I know you'll always do the honorable thing."

For a moment a small smile of gratitude appeared on his lips, that faded back to a more solemn expression. "This way, Linda. You can change in the bathroom."

I followed him up the steps.

***

Steve was driving Linda's red Camaro toward an area where his friends usually hung out. His sister had allowed him to borrow the car while she was out of town with Judge Herns. Steve knew what he was going to do, and fought desperately to stop it. The young man wanted to scream for help, but Dr. Jensen's serum prevented him from doing so. Up ahead he spotted Grizzly, Larry, and a few other friends. He pulled up beside them, and revved the engine real loud.

"Is that you in that car, Steve," one of the kids joked. "What a waste of machinery." There was a choir of friendly laughter among the group.

Steve chuckled and yelled, "Hey, anytime one of you brave souls want to race me, just let me know. I'll show you what a 'real' man can do with a car."

There was some more good nature ribbing from his friends, which Steve returned. Then he shouted, "Hey guys, watch this."

The teenager slammed the shifter into first gear, and peeled out. The thick smoke rose and surrounded his friends, who yelled and cheered him on. Steve drove about a quarter of a mile down the road, then spun the car around and started back. By the time he passed his friends, the car was doing close to 90mph. It was time. Steve jerked the steering wheel to the right, and the car careered into an open ditch. The front of the car got stuck in the thick mud, and the tail end rose up into the air. The car began to flip end of end while his friends watched in horror.

The rear end of the Camaro hit a tree next to the ditch, Steve's original target, and flipped the car onto it's top. Fortunately, Dr. Jensen had forgotten to order Steve not to wear his seatbelt, which prevented him from being ejected from the car. Larry and Grizzly rushed over to the mangled auto and peered inside.

"Call for help!" Larry yelled, realizing it was too late.

***

I was lying in bed in a semi-conscious state. Dennis was sleeping with his head lying against my chest, and from the way he kept moving around I knew it was a fitful sleep. I held on to him a little more, hoping it would help. The cotton nightgown I wore was hot, but probably the safest thing to wear in a situation like this. Dennis Butz may have been honorable, but he was also a man who was emotional distressed. I knew the next few days would be the hardest for him. It was funny, but for the entire time I had known Dennis, I had never considered the fact he had real feelings like everyone else. He had always been so cool and in control of his emotions. Seeing him break down in front of me made me realize how much he was just like us.

I heard the muffled sound of a phone ringing in the night. At first I thought it was Dennis' phone, but then I realized it was mine. I moved his head off my breast, and sat up.

"What's going on?" he asked in a slurred, tired voice.

"My phone is ringing," I whispered back. I dug into my purse and pulled it out.

"Hello," I answered. It was my father. Tears filled my eyes as he told me the news.

"I'll be home as soon as I can," I told him. I turned off the phone and sat up on the edge of the bed, staring into the darkness.

Dennis sensed something was wrong, and came up behind me. He put his firm hands on my shoulders and asked gently, "Linda, what's wrong?"

A tear fell down my cheek. "It's Steve."

Fade out...

To be continued next season.