Author's notes: Permission to use the names of my fellow authors (and good friends) was obtained before this story was written. Any negative events that happened in this story were explained before consent was given.

  

Andersonville 28 – Freedom fighters

by Kelly Davidson

  

Fade in…

There was no doubt they were in love. My brother was lying on Sally's lap while she ran her long, delicate fingernails through his hair. Steve's injuries were healing nicely, and the doctor had said that he should be able to walk without his crutches by Christmas. Sally bent down and whispered something in Steve's ear, causing them both to giggle. They were soul mates, which made what I had to do next even harder.

"Hi guys," I said.

"Hey sis," Steve replied cheerfully while Sally smiled brightly in my direction. "All packed and ready for your big trip?"

"Just about." I took a seat and counted to five silently. "I wish I didn't have to go. I'm not looking forward to it."

"Peace River isn't so bad, Linda," Sally grinned. "Judge Jasper is a fair man if you give him the chance."

"Is that why you made a deal with him, Sally?" I asked pointblank. Her mouth dropped opened, and I knew my suspicions were correct.

"What are you talking about, Linda?" Steve asked cautiously.

"I'm talking about the deal she made with Judge Jasper so he would heal your injuries."

"In exchanged for what?"

"In exchanged for the identities of the two people who escaped from his town more then three years ago, Steve. I told you who they were…and you told her – isn't that correct?"

"Now wait a minute," Steve objected as he quickly sat up. "Yes I told Sally, but she promised not to tell another soul and I trust her."

I looked at his girlfriend, who had guilt written all over her face. "Is that true, Sally? Did you tell anyone?"

Her lips pressed tightly together as she fidgeted nervously. Steve put his hands on her shoulder, his face edged with concern that she hadn't denied what I had accused her of. "Sally…tell me the truth."

"You were dying," she blurted out. "I couldn't let that happen to you. I couldn't lose you again. When Judge Jasper came to me…yes, yes, yes, I made a deal with him. I…I had too. Don't you see Steve, I had to." She buried her face in his shoulders, but somehow I didn't think she was quite as upset as she acted.

"So you condemned two others to death to save one," I noted sharply, perhaps too sharply. Suddenly Steve jumped to her defense.

"Would you rather I had 'died', Linda?" he asked in an acid tone. "Sally did what she did out of love…I can't fault her for that."

"What about Jeff Summers and Tom McClain," I pointed out. "Her love for you makes their deaths alright."

"You're being melodramatic, Linda. No one would've died. They would've been returned to their previous life in Peace River."

"To some that is a death sentence, Steve. Ask Judy Hartford…wait, I'm sorry, you can't. She's dead because that bastard forced her to be return."

"SHUT UP!" Sally screamed. "Judge Jasper is a kind and wonderful man. He saved my life, or do you object to that too, Linda? I've lived in his town, and it's not as 'horrible' as you make it out to be."

"Then why aren't you living there now?" I shot back.

"Because I love your brother!" she snapped. "One day we'll go back and start a new life there."

"What?" Steve asked in complete surprise.

Sally gave him an uncomfortable stare. She hadn't meant to let the cat out of the bag just yet. Giving him her best, sad puppy eyes, she said, "Steve, you know I love you with all my heart. As nice as Andersonville is, I can't see us living our lives here. Judge Jasper has given me – no us, an open invitation to live in his town. All you have to do is say the word and we can go there. I know it may be a few years before you're ready to leave, but I can wait."

"Sally," Steve replied in a troubled tone. "Sally…my life is here. My family…" His voice trailed off in conflict.

"It's alright, Steve," she smoothed. "You'll be allowed to visit your family a few times a year. I wasn't going to tell you about his offer until…until later."

"Why him?" I demanded to know. The young woman turned and glared at me.

"Because Judge Jasper cares about me," she stated. "He wants me to be happy, and part of that happiness is being with Steve for the rest of my life."

"BULLSHIT!" I hissed. "There has to be other reasons for his offer. I know him too well."

"YOU DON'T KNOW JACK-SHIT!" Sally yelled. "You think you know him, but you don't. Judge Jasper is like a father to me. He took me in, cared for me, gave me a new life and…Steve!" She turned back to my brother again. "Steve, your family is here…but my family is in Peace River…and unlike Andersonville, we don't have to let chance rule our life. In Peace River we can be young and healthy for the rest of our lives."

"Minus three years," I pointed out.

"No," she replied curtly. "Steve and I don't fit the profile, so we won't lose any time. We'll still get all the benefits of living there. Besides, Judge Jasper loves his people."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this 'shit'," I responded in disgust. "At best, Judge Jasper…Jupiter, is a farmer tending to his flock. At worst he's nothing more than a slave owner who forces people to do what they don't want to do. There's no middle ground here, Sally!" But the young woman wasn't listening to me anymore. She was trying to sell the idea to my brother.

"Steve, I love you," she cooed. "I would give my life up for you. For whatever reason, Judge Jasper favors me, and wants me to return back to him one day. You don't have to make a decision right now. All I'm asking is that you think about it."

"What the Hell…Steve for crying out loud listen to what she's saying?" My brother glared at me.

"Linda, I need to be alone with Sally right now."

"Steve…"

"Linda," he said a little bit more forcefully, "leave us alone. This doesn't concern you."

I stared at my brother, who was looking back at me with almost no emotion. I didn't want to lose him, but if I pressed too hard I would only make things worse. "I'll talk to you when I get back."

He nodded. "Have a nice trip, Linda." Sally gave me a victory smile, but if she thought I was going to roll over and let her have her way she was dead wrong. I grabbed my purse and left the room.

Fade out…

******************************************************

Voice of Linda Anderson - They say to judge someone; you must first walk a mile in their shoes. When I first came here, I regarded this town as a prison. In many ways that's still true, but only if you look at it superficially. Years later, with the benefit of hindsight, I can now see the town for what it is; a last attempt to bring peace between the Titans, the Olympians, and us, the human race. If the town succeeds, the people imprisoned in Peace River will finally be free and there will be peace. If it fails, the resulting war could end the world as we know it. There are some on all sides of this conflict who have their own reasons for seeing the project fail.

These are the stories of the men and women who made a difference during those dark days, and shaped history. It's also about those who had to face their deepest, darkest problems and what they gained from conquering them. It's a place of second chances, hope, and peace. The name of this town is Andersonville.

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Andersonville 28 – Freedom fighters

Written by Kelly Davidson

Edited by Geoff

This story dedicated to my TG brothers and sisters around the world, who taught me how to love and respect others when they don't respect me. Thank you for the lessons learned.

Fade in…

Joan Banks placed the teacups on the round table in her dining room. Personally she preferred coffee, but her guests were tea drinkers and she didn't want to be bothered making two different drinks. The apartment she rented was larger than most in Peace River, and Joan had decorated it with wonderful, feminine charm. The long, flower skirt she wore with the bright, pullover top complemented her mass of long, brown hair that flowed freely down her back. At 22 years old and standing at 5'7", Joan was a model citizen of Peace River, minus one flaw. She was a free-spirited woman...and that was where the trouble laid. The last thing the leaders of Peace River wanted was free-spirited people.

"Would you like some tea, Terry?" she asked.

"Yes, thanks Joan," the other woman answered with a shy smile. Terry Sarkel was a tall, blonde-hair bombshell, having the looks and figure men dreamt about. She was also the shyest of the group, preferring to stay in the background whenever possible. Two years ago she hadn't been any prettier than the other women in Peace River, but a failed escape attempt had changed that. Rather than make her younger, which was the usual punishment Judge Jasper imposed, he made her extremely attractive. It couldn't have been a worse punishment since Terry hated the stares men gave her all the time.

"How about you, Prue?" Joan asked as she poured Terry a cup.

Prudence Walker was at least 3 inches shorter than the others, but was just as pretty. Like Joan, she was 22 years old and well built. Her crop of dark hair was cut in a short, feminine style that added to her beauty. Unlike her friends, she hadn't been a male or a resident of the United States before coming to Peace River. Her home was in New Zealand…at least it had been before the people running this town had stepped into her life.

"I'm fine," Prue replied. "I wonder where Julia is?"

Joan laughed. "Late as usual. Now that she's getting married I suspect it's only going to get worse."

"We're going to let her stay?" Terry asked a little surprised.

"Don't know," Joan shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not going to push her out if she doesn't want to go."

There was a knock on the door, and Joan rushed to answer it. Moment's later Julia Manchester stepped into the room clutching her purse. "Am I late?" she smiled.

"The question should be, how late am I?" Prue grinned mischievously. "When have you 'ever' been on time, Julia?"

"Hey, I've been on time…once…I think," Julia answered in mock seriousness. They laughed, and the future bride to be took a seat at the table. She was almost 26 years old, which was close to the deadline the Judge and his people had imposed on all new residents. Anyone who wasn't married, or close to being married by the time they turned 26 was matched up, thanks to the help of Mr. Cupler. Staying single in Peace River wasn't an option, any more than not having a family. There were so many things they weren't told about before coming here.

Joan glanced around the table at each of her friends – people who she trusted with her life. If Judge Jasper ever found out what was going on, they would all pay dearly. "Let's begin," she spoke. Julia picked up her pen and started taking minutes. Joan decided to begin the meeting on a positive note.

"We got a message from 'Mom' this morning. She was very pleased with our work last week. She says we really set the old man off." Her three friends beamed at the news. They had managed to flatten all four tires on Judge Jasper's car. It was a small but aggressive act of defiance, and the fact that it had pissed Judge Jasper off pleased them to no end. Like the other cells in Peace River, they had left their calling card so everyone would know who was responsible.

"Any idea who she is?" Prue asked curiously. 'Mom' was the nickname of their unknown leader.

Joan shook her head. "None…and I doubt we'll ever know until after this is over, Prue. It's too risky to make herself known."

"What else did she say?" Julia asked in curiosity.

"She wishes you good luck on your honeymoon, Julia. She says that sex and having kids is a wonderful part of being a woman. You can read the letter after we're done." Julia nodded that she would. Joan took a deep breath, and prepared them for the bad news. "There's some other business in her letter. She would like us to make a couple of contacts."

The three women got quiet. Making contact was a very dangerous situation. While there were no statistic's available, a rough estimate was that at least 70% of the cells discovered were a result of contacts gone badly. Being stealthy was their best defense.

"Who are the contacts?" Terry asked cautiously.

"One of them is Linda Anderson from Andersonville. Judge Jasper is bringing her into town to do some investigating work for him."

"But she works for them!" Prue protested strongly. "This is a suicide mission, Joan! Why don't we just wear T-shirts that say, 'I'm a freedom fighter?' That way it would save Judge Jasper the trouble of finding us. What Mom is asking us to do is unreasonable."

"I admit it's risky," Joan started off, "but think of the rewards. Linda could be our voice to the outside."

"And she could be our downfall," Prue argued back. "I'm as committed to this movement as the rest of you, but even I have limits. We're no use to anyone if we're discovered."

"Prue, I know how you feel," Joan reasoned. "When I first read her request I was as shocked as you were. I admit the first thought in my mind was to turn the request down and not even bother bringing it up. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized all the benefits that could come out of this. Isn't that why our cell was created…to take risks?"

"Sane risks, yes," Prue pointed out. "Insane is another matter."

"You said there were two contacts, Joan," Julia interrupted. "Who's the other?"

"His name is Carlos Aguilar, and he works for Sherry Feltton. As you know, Sherry is involved with Mark Merrick. In fact it's been rumor that they're going to be married soon. Obviously Mom thinks we can get some valuable information from Carlos if we turn him to our side. I don't know him personally, but I've been told he's not happy being here. He used to be a rich, teenage girl named Brittany (read AV 15) who was forced to stay here against her will. Sounds like an excellent candidate for our organization."

"Do we have to take both missions?" Terry asked.

"Nervous?" Joan questioned her friend.

"Yeah…and you should be too, Joan. What happens if this Linda contact does blows up in our face? Do you know what Judge Jasper will do to us? Look what…what he did to me? I don't think I could stand another change."

I understand, Terry," Joan reassured her. "That's why if we agree to do this, we'll take every precaution we can to protect ourselves. You should know this is not the only reason why we're contacting Linda Anderson. Mom suspects Judge Jasper is having her watched. If that's true, she wants us to spring a little surprise on them. That's were your expertise comes in my friend." Joan went on to explain how the contact would be made. Relief appeared on their faces when they heard the rest of the plan.

"Any questions?" Joan asked. Everyone at the table shook their head. "Let's vote, then."

Since each mission involved putting everyone's life on the line, the vote had to be unanimous. If someone voted 'no', they would turn down the mission and there would be no shame in it. As Joan went around the table, each of her friends nodded.

"I'll place a drop tonight. With luck we'll hear back from Mom by tomorrow night. Prue and Terry will handle the contact with Linda Anderson. Julia, you and I will work on Carlos. Any questions?" There were none. "Let's say a prayer before go."

The four women clutched each other's hand and prayed for success.

*****************************************************

"This is your office," Mark announced formally as he showed me the small room in the rear of his shop. "I've had all the information on the mailman brought here."

I ruffled quickly through the pile of folders sitting on a wooden desk that had seen better days. At least the computer he had set up for my use was top of the line. I sat down and pressed the keys with my manicured fingernails. Mercury watched my actions silently.

"Do you need anything else?"

"No…it'll do," I told him. I did a quick count of the files and came up one short. Carefully, I looked at each file to see which one was missing. "Where's the file on Candy Baker?" (AV 14)

"Well, I didn't think you would need it since you were there," Mark stated honestly.

"I would still like to have it handy, Mark. There may be some things about the case that I might have forgotten."

"No problem, I'll go fetch it for you."

I held up my hand. "That's okay, I'll do it myself. I needed a reason to visit Ashlee anyway."

"As you wish," the Roman God smiled politely. "I'll catch up with you later."

*******************************************

When I entered her office Ashlee greeted me with a warm hug. The love between us was real, like that of two sisters. Nothing had changed about her since I had last seen her. She was still as pretty and feminine as ever. I felt envious that Ashlee had embraced her new womanhood so well, while I was still struggling with mine from time to time.

"Are you here to see Judge Jasper?" she asked cautiously? The tone in her voice was clear.

"Not a good time?"

Ashlee shook her lovely head. "Not really. Those damn freedom fighters painted some slogans on a building this morning demanding to be freed. They have really caused a lot of unrest in our town these past few months. As you can imagine, the Judge is furious."

"They have a point," I expounded. "All he has to do is release those who want to go and be done with them. You yourself said there aren't that many, Ashlee. Maybe a couple of hundred at best."

"If you were living here and Judge Jasper said you could leave if you came to him, would you believe him Linda?"

I thought about it carefully. "No, I suppose not. I would think it was a trap to smoke us out."

"A catch-22," she said softly. "He can't let them go, and they won't be reasonable."

"Perhaps Ashlee," I frowned. Unlike her, I didn't feel the Freedom Fighters were criminals who should be punished for demanding to be set free. Judy Hartford had been right; they were POW's. "Ashlee, I would like to ask you some questions about the mailman. Can we have lunch today?"

"Sure," she smiled. "Why don't we eat at my place? Everyone will be gone, and the judge won't mind if I take some extra time to help you with your case." Then she added softly, "And no one will hear us there." I nodded, and Ashlee flashed me a smile indicating that she knew what I wanted to ask.

"Good, I'll see you at noon. Oh, one more thing. I need to pick up the file on Candy Baker."

"You won't find it here," Ashlee stated.

"Oh?" I replied in surprise. "Where is it?"

"It's in the locked file room down the hallway. Don't ask me why it's there. Judge Jasper told me to have all files concerning the mailman locked in that room. I'll have Karen open it for you."

"Who's Karen?" I inquired.

"A young lady who arrived here a few weeks ago," Ashlee answered soberly. "Be gentle with her, Linda. She's not very happy about being here. It's going to take some time for her to get adjusted."

Her words sent shivers down my spine. This didn't sound like a typical case. "I thought all the people they brought here were screened first?"

"She kind of found her way here," Ashlee explained calmly. My stomach turned. Here was another person being forced to live a lie in this place against their will. Since the death of Judy Hartford, (Judge Jasper insisted everyone call her Judy Chunn but those who sympathized with her cause still referred to her by her married name) I had become more aware of the number people in Peace River who were willing to risk death to escape. Sometimes they became so desperate their attempts amounted to little more than suicide. One person had tried to swim across the river with the mermaids in plain sight. She had been cut down in seconds, and it only showed her desperation of wanting to be free at any cost.

"How can you stand it, Ashlee? How can you not want to help her out?"

"What can I do, Linda?" my friend shrugged her shoulders innocently. "Even if I wanted to do something I couldn't. No one trusts me, except for one or two people. Besides, it's better for everyone involved if she does accept what has happened to her. All I can do is help Karen embrace her fate."

"I suppose that's the best anyone could do," I agreed, when really I didn't. Ashlee could be so warm and loving about some things, and so cold when it came to other matters. I guess everyone had their own way of dealing with these issues, and this was hers. "Can you ask Karen to meet me at the file room, Ashlee."

"I'll give her a call right now," Ashlee smiled as she picked up the phone. "See you at noon."

"Bye," I waved as I left her office. Outside I frowned and felt a little miffed. I always felt that Ashlee and I were so much alike, but every now and then my friend would show me a side of her I didn't like. Was I doomed to become like her – lost in a system where I would be willing to do Judge Jasper's bidding to avoid causing waves? I knew it was unfair to judge Ashlee that way, but I had a hard time swallowing her reasons.

When I got to the file room Karen was already waiting for me. In appearance she was about my age, with light brown hair that fell well past her shoulders. She had thin eyebrows, a small feminine nose, and extra-puffy lips. Her body was slim, and she stood about 5'6" in her high heel shoes. Overall Karen was a very attractive young woman – something she obviously found to be a curse. While on the outside the young woman didn't appear anger or upset, her body language indicated she wasn't happy.

"I'm Linda," I introduced myself politely with a small smile.

"Karen…Karen Carson. At least that's the name they gave me," she whispered while staring back at me curiously. "Ashlee's told me so much about you."

"Oh?" I found that a little surprising.

"Come inside," she said while unlocking the door. I walked past her to the file cabinet where the records were kept. It only took a moment to locate the file on Cindy Baker. I pulled it out and closed the drawer, but when I turned to leave Karen was leaning against the closed door. She just stood there staring at me strangely.

"Something wrong?" I asked, suddenly a little nervous by her demeanor. She was after all, blocking the only way out.

"I'm…I'm sorry," she spoke softly. "It's just so hard to believe you were a man…just like me. You seem so…assertive of that fact." I nodded in a sympathetic way. Ashlee was right; Karen wasn't handling her situation well – not that I blamed her. "Are you really able to leave anytime you want?"

"Sometimes," I said. "I still have to ask permission when I do."

Tiny tears formed in the young woman's eyes as she tried to hold back the floodgates. "I…I want to leave too," she explained. "My…my family…my mother and father must be worried sick about me…as is my…my sister. Oh GOD, now I'm just like my sister. I used to tease her about…about her peri…periods…and now…now I'm going to experience them too."

I stood beside the distressed girl, and placed my arm around her back for support. "It's okay, Karen. You'll get past this. I know you're just scared."

"No…it's more than that," she stuttered. "It's my mother and father…I have such a close relationship with them. It must be killing them not knowing where I am."

'If they think you're still alive,' I almost said, then thought better of it. Would the fact that they thought she was dead ease her mind?

The young woman sniffed and with tear-filled eyes said, "Linda…I know you don't know me…but I need a favor from you…plea…please! Can you call my parents…and let them know I'm okay?" She shoved a piece of paper containing her parents phone number into my hand. "Tell them I'm okay…that their son Adam is alive."

"Karen…Adam, what you're asking me to do isn't easy. It could upset them more by…"

"Pleeeeeease," she begged. "Please, let them know."

"I'll think about it, Karen," I replied while placing the paper into my purse. There was a knock on the door, and Karen quickly wiped her tears away. I nodded that she looked okay, and Karen opened the door. Mr. Cupler was standing in the hallway looking concerned.

"Is there a problem?" he asked politely, but carefully. When he saw Karen's red eyes, he pushed his way in. "I can see that there is."

"No," Karen whispered so softly that I almost didn't hear her. "Please, I'm okay now, Mr. Cupler. See, I'm even smiling now." She forced a smile on her face.

"It's okay, my dear," he reassured her with his own smile. "I can see you're not happy. I only want to help."

"No, I'm really okay," she pleaded in a low, nervous tone.

Seeing her despair, I stepped in front of Karen and faced the smaller man. "Leave her alone, Mr. Cupler. She just had to get something out of her system. She's fine now."

"Don't interfere," he ordered in a strong manner. Cupid waved his hand, and I found myself being pushed out of the room by some invisible force. I stumbled into the hallway and the door closed on it's own. Then I heard Karen scream. I tried opening the door but the knob wouldn't budge. I pounded on the door yelling to be let in when a pair of hands grabbed me from behind and pulled me away.

"Linda, come with me," Deimos said in a no-nonsense tone.

"Go to hell," I responded to my former boyfriend.

Not taking 'no' for an answer, Deimos pushed me into a conference room with little effort and closed the door. He stared at me with frustration.

"Didn't you hear me," I yelled. "I told you to let me go." I tried to rush pass him, but he grabbed me with one hand and pushed me into a chair. Then he took off his sunglasses, and faced me with his cold, black eyes.

"Listen to me," he said forcefully. "What I'm doing is for your own good. Cupid may be small, and he may be a god of love, but even he has his breaking points. We all do that for matter, and if you keep pushing at them you'll find yourself in a whole lot of trouble, Linda."

"A threat, Deimos," I lashed out.

"Good advice," he answered sternly. "I don't want to see you get hurt, Linda. It's time you remember who you're dealing with. We could crush you without breaking a sweat, and some of my people would enjoy doing so immensely. We don't like it when your people try to interfere in our plans. Over time we've mellowed, but not that much. Do I have to prove it to you?"

"No, I believe you," I answered with contempt. "Am I free to go now…'master'?"

Deimos eyes darkened like two black swamps, and his lips trembled in rage. "Master? Maybe I am your master, Linda. I've treated you with respect, and you've repaid my kindness by spiting on me." He grabbed me roughly by the arm and pulled out of my chair. "GET OUT!" he hissed. "GET OUT NOW…before it's too late."

Fear took over, and I ran out the door. But I didn't get very far before a funny feeling came over me. My legs felt like rubber, and I found myself trembling in fright. I lost my balance and I collapsed on the floor just as Ashlee was walking out of her office. She saw me fall, and rushed over as fast as her heels would allow. Carefully she placed her arm behind me and lifted me up.

"Let me help," she whispered in a calm, comforting manner as if she had seen this before. Slowly we moved down the hallway together.

*************************************************

Thank God for Ashlee Gang. Unable to talk after my meeting with Deimos, she drove me to her house and helped me inside. Once there, she forced some warm milk down my throat and put me in her bed. I slept, for how long I don't know. When I woke I was still shaky.

"How do you feel," Ashlee asked softly as she handed me a cup of hot coffee. Gratefully I took it from her.

"Tired," I responded in a rasp voice. I took a drink…it helped. "Thank you," I whispered.

She smiled lovingly and said, "I owed you, Linda. I put some sleeping pills in your milk to help you relax."

"What…what happened? What did Deimos do to me?"

"Do you really need to ask? You pissed him off, didn't you?" I indicated that I had. "He has powers that can frighten people. He doesn't use them often, but when he does the results are most impressive. He stopped by earlier with Mr. Cupler, but you were still sleeping. I think he wanted to apologize."

"I'm going to fight them," I said with determination. "I'm going to stop them…somehow." Ashlee looked at me with wide, understanding eyes.

"Don't talk like that," she admonished me. "Such talk is very dangerous. You're not even considered a guest here, Linda. The rules of being a citizen or guest don't apply to you. They can make them up as they go along."

"Rules?" I blurted out, finally raising my voice above a whisper. "They have different rules for each?"

"Yes," Ashlee admitted. "Residents have certain rights, and guests have other rights."

"But not the right to live how they want," I pointed out.

"It's different in Andersonville?" she asked harshly. When I didn't reply she continued. "Whatever you might think of our town Linda, we have order here. The rules may seem harsh at times, but they're applied evenly. No one gets special treatment, and everyone knows what is expected of them."

"I don't question that, Ashlee." I stopped myself. All my arguing was going to do was upset her, something I didn't want to do considering everything she had done for me. "Thanks for the coffee." I tried to stand, but still found myself still too weak to do so.

"Take it easy," Ashlee said while placing her hands on my shoulders to make me sit. "I'm sorry for getting short with you. Look, why don't we talk about something else?"

Her change in demeanor surprised me. A moment ago she wanted to rip my head off; now she was my caring friend. It had to be a result of the visit with Mr. Cupler earlier today. Had she been too concerned/worried about me? Maybe Cupid had used his magic on Ashlee like he had with Karen in the file room. Maybe he planned to do the same thing with me. Suddenly I felt so alone and afraid. I pushed the thought away. I would deal with that problem when it happened.

"You wanted to know about the mailman," she mentioned. I nodded with interest. The mailman was a mysterious person who was delivering TS women to Peace River. Although many of the Freedom Fighters thought he was a hero for standing up to the Judge, I felt his motives were less than pure.

"How did you get involved with him?"

Ashlee sat on the bed next to me and sighed. "Someone sent me a note asking me to supply them with information. I knew it was wrong, but at the time I was weak. My best friend…she had died trying to cross the river. As you know, I don't have a lot of friends here. So I did what they asked, and since then I've been giving them what they wanted."

"And you have no idea who these people are?"

"None what so ever," she answered. "They don't contact me unless it's to change the drop site. I know the routine. The moment a new person arrives, I give them what they want."

"What about other information?"

Ashlee shook her head. "No, the only information they want deals strictly with the mailman. Nothing about when Judge Jasper or anyone else will be gone. Strange, isn't it? I suspect that the person or persons aren't really part of the Freedom Fighters organization."

I thought about it for a moment. It seemed strange that the Freedom Fighters wouldn't use Ashlee to gain information if they knew about her connection with the mailman. Unless of course, the Freedom Fighters got their information from another source.

"Ashlee, can you get a message to them?" She saw where I was going and shook her head.

"I can, but they won't help you, Linda. You want them to assist you in catching the mailman, their hero. Do you really think they would co-operate?"

"No, I suppose not," I answered truthfully. "I just wish I had more information on him. My time is short."

Ashlee smiled as if everything would be fine. "You'll work it out, I know you will. Come on, get dressed and I'll drive you home. You can deal with this tomorrow."

******************************************

My new apartment was a far cry from the one I had been assigned during my first visit. Compared to that apartment, this place seemed small and drab. Not that it was a roach house or anything like that. It had one large room that served as both the living and dinner area, with a small kitchen off to the side. A short hallway led to a bathroom on one side and a medium size bedroom on the other. My view outside was the brick wall of another apartment building ten feet away. Maybe the rules were applied evenly in Peace River, but this town did have their different classes. I suppose the happier a person was, the more energy the Olympians were able to extract, and they in turn rewarded the person for this, thus increasing their happiness. I began to see how clever the Roman Gods were…except there was the fly in the ointment, the Freedom Fighters.

I went into the bedroom to put my clothes away. Unlike before, there were no muses to help me unpack. I opened one of the drawers and a note fell out. I picked it up, and was surprised to see that it was addressed to me. I opened it, and read the contents.

Welcome to Peace River, Linda. Now that you've had a taste of what it's really like living here, how do you feel? Is it still warm and pleasant, or something else? We're offering you a chance to join our cause. If you're interested, write a reply and go to Finney's market at 5:30 tonight. Shop a little, then go to the bathroom. In the last stall behind the toilet you'll find a loose brick. Remove the brick, put your reply in the hole, and replace the brick. We'll contact you later about setting up a meeting. If you're not interested in helping us become free then say nothing. Do not hurt our movement.

Cell 25 – the truth seekers.

I read the letter twice. I knew the freedom fighters were divided into cells of four or five people, and each one had a slogan they lived by. Some called themselves the hell fighters or the red demons. They carried out what would be considered the more violent acts in Peace River, like bringing down power lines and setting fires to buildings. Cell 25 must have been more passive, relying on facts to fight their battle or perhaps even passing information on to other cells. Apparently they figured I had a lot to offer. There was a knock at my door, and I shoved the letter into my purse. "Who is it?" I asked.

"It's Mark Merrick," I heard Mercury say. When I opened the door I saw he wasn't alone. Mr. Cupler was standing behind him, a small smile edged on his face. Next to him was Office Deimos. His expression indicated he was still upset about this morning.

"Can we come in, Linda?" he asked politely.

"Sure, please do." I motioned with my hand for them to enter. "I would offer you something to drink, but my refrigerator is bare. What can I do for you…gentlemen?"

"We need to talk about this morning," Mercury began. I held up my hand to stop him.

"Yes, I agree," I told them. "I owe each of you an apology." My words surprised them.

"How's that?" Mark asked suspiciously.

"In Mr. Cupler's case, I shouldn't have tried interfering. That was wrong of me. I'm sorry Mr. Cupler, for being so rude to you this morning."

"That's quite alright, Linda," he smiled. "If I seemed harsh with you, it wasn't personal. I was only trying to help Miss Carson adjust to her new life here. I understand how such a misunderstanding on your part could have taken place."

I nodded, and then looked at Deimos. There was a great deal of tension in his expression. "Deimos, I'm sorry for pushing you this morning. I was angry, but I had no right to take it out on you. Will you forgive me?"

A small smile of relief appeared. "Of course I will, Linda. I feel just as badly about today as you do. Can we just forget about it?"

"Yes, that sounds good to me." I grinned, and looked at Mercury. "Mark, I'm sorry that you had to get involved in all this. I know I'm more trouble than I'm worth at times."

Unlike the other two, Mark didn't smile. In fact a small frown appeared on his lips, and he turned to the other two. "If you don't mind, I'll like to talk with Linda alone."

"Certainly," Cupid replied. "It looks like I'm not needed here. Come on, Deimos. You can drive me back to the courthouse."

"See you later, Linda?" Deimos asked hopefully.

"Why don't we do lunch tomorrow," I grinned. He agreed, and followed Cupid out. Mercury closed the door and gave me a stern look of contempt.

"You're not as cleaver as you think, Linda," he said tensely.

"I don't know what you mean, Mark."

"Sure you do," he insisted. "Cupid isn't sensitive to your emotions, and Deimos is in love with you, but me, I see things just fine. I can sense you weren't totally sincere with your apologies. In fact, it feels like you're hiding something."

"Maybe I am," I replied, choosing my words very carefully. "To be honest, I don't think what happened today was totally my fault."

"It was," he stated flatly. "You forgot that while we treat you as our equal, you're not our equal. You don't have a say in how our town is run and what we do to make sure it operates smoothly."

I bit my lip hard so I wouldn't lash out while Mercury stood there with a smug grin on his face. I felt my cheeks burn in rage at being treated this way, as if I needed to learn my place. Maybe it was their town, but I didn't like the method he had used to make his point.

"Thanks for the advice. I'll try to remember that next time." I worked hard to make sure it didn't sound sarcastic, but failed. "So, are you going to punish me for being deceitful?

Mercury shook his head slowly. "I should, but I won't... at least not this time. Just remember something, Linda. You may have fooled us this time, but you won't fool us all the time…and we have no tolerance for those who try to make us look like fools."

Clearly it was a threat that I shouldn't take lightly, but there was something more. I had never seen Mercury so edgy before. In fact, I noticed he wasn't the only one around here who was.

"Jesus Mark, what the hell's wrong?"

"That's not your concern, Linda," he said firmly. "Once your job is completed you can go home. Until then we have to work together. I can either be an asset…or a liability. It's your choice. I'll see you tomorrow."

Before I could say anything he had already left. One second he was there, the next he was gone. Whatever was bothering him, it had to be something pretty big – bigger than the Titans. What the hell could it be?

********************************************************

Prue watched Linda Anderson shop from a distance. Would she take their offer and leave a reply? It was hard for her to act natural as she picked up a few apples. She felt so exposed. What if Linda gave the note to Judge Jasper? This could be a set up.

The young freedom fighter followed her target around the store for almost 20 minutes before Linda entered the bathroom. Prue breathed a sigh of relief and quickly moved away so no one would suspect she had been watching her. She picked out a few more items that she needed and checked out. As Prue was driving home via the park, she spotted Terry sitting on a bench reading a book. Prue didn't dare acknowledge her presence as she stopped at the intersection and revved her motor to catch the attention of her friend. From here she could turn left or right to go home. Prue turned left.

The direction of her travel alerted Terry to what had happened. A few minutes later the attractive blonde gathered her things and headed home. In a couple of hours she would be visiting Finney's Market, and their bathroom.

******************************************************

The next morning I woke early, showered, dressed, and made my way to the Peace River diner. Stephanie Hall was extremely busy at this time, but had agreed to meet me for breakfast so we could discuss the mailman. I didn't know what to expect from her. The last time we had talked, she was pretty upset about the way Judge Jasper had used her in his puppet trial of Judy Chunn/Hartford. She arrived a few minutes after I did, all smiles.

"Hey girlfriend, long time no see," she said in a gleeful mood.

"It's great to see you too, Stephanie," I smiled while offering her a seat. "Sit down and order what you want, it's on me.
"Oh no, I couldn't let you do that, Linda."

I waved off her protest. "Don't worry about it; this is going on my business account. Judge Jasper will be paying the bill."

The attorney laughed. "In that case I'm going to have the steak and eggs." I joined in on the laughter, and we proceeded with the usual small talk until the waitress took our order. After that it was time to get down to business.

"Stephanie, have your clients told you anything about the mailman that I might find useful? Something that you didn't report to the judge?"

The lovely blonde-hair woman shook her head. "Sorry Linda, but I didn't hold anything back. There wasn't any reason to invoke the attorney/client privilege in these matters. Besides, these people wanted in. Any information on the mailman they turned over would've helped their case."

"I see," I replied a little disappointed. "I was hoping there was something, but I didn't think there would be. By the way, how are they doing?"

"Wonderful," Stephanie smiled. "They're happy to be here and enjoying their new female roles. Half of them are already married. Not one complaint! I wished I had such a good life." The last part was an attempt at humor, but it had a sting of truth to it.

"Something wrong?" I asked innocently. Stephanie's lips tightened.
"Linda, have you noticed anything different about Judge Jasper and his people?"

"Well, they seem to be more on edge since the last time we talked."

"More then that," she whispered and looked around to make sure no one could hear us before continuing. "They're worried about something. I don't know what it is, but something…or someone, has them running scared."

"Can you be more specific?"

Stephanie frowned. "They become very threatened if they think you're stepping out of line. I've seen Officer Merrick exploded over a few traffic violations, as if the violator were challenging his authority by running a red light or going a few miles over the speed limit – and he's not the only one. In court it's been a nightmare dealing with Judge Jasper. He's been handing out harsh punishments for things that don't deserve it. I mean like a $500 fine for a parking ticket, and things of that nature. It's crazy?"

"Maybe the Freedom Fighters have something to do with it," I suggested.

"No," she stated adamantly. "They've been dealing with the Freedom Fighters for years. This is something new, something bigger; something even more threatening to their way of life than the mailman or anything else they've had to face. This is a new threat, yet for the life of me I can't figure out what it could be. Nothing has changed around here."

"No clue here," I admitted in defeat. "I asked Officer Merrick what was bothering him and he told me to mind my own business. I've never known him to be so rude and aloof."

"It's funny you should mention the Freedom Fighters," she commented, changing the subject. "They've been busy lately, aggravating the situation."

"You know Stephanie, I don't blame them," I admitted, and looked carefully to judge her reaction. "They're dumped into this town with no say as to how they get to live, and just thinking about leaving is a crime. So no, I don't blame them for protesting their treatment here."

"Neither do I," she replied with a straight face. "What they did to Judy…" She angrily bit her lip. "I've defended some Freedom Fighters in the past, and have always thought Judge Jasper has been too hard on his punishment with them. They aren't criminals – far from it. They just want what every person on this planet wants – their freedom. It may be wrong, but I respect them and hope they get what they're fighting for."

Her words shocked me. I always figured Stephanie held the same opinion about the Freedom Fighters that Ashlee Gang did. Instead the young attorney had just admitted she supported their fight. I noticed the serious expression Stephanie wore as she phased the next question carefully. "Tell me, Linda. If they asked you to join their cause, would you?"

The question made me uncomfortable. I was being forced to choose. No, that wasn't right. To me the answer was a no-brainer. If I could help them out somehow I would. What made me uncomfortable was admitting to someone that I would. It was like I was crossing some imaginary line between safety and real danger. More than that, her question sounded like a test, as if she were probing to see where I stood. I decided to play it safe.

"I suppose it would depend on what they wanted me to do. I don't believe in violence, Stephanie – nor do I agree with every action they've done. If I joined, it would be to work with Judge Jasper on getting them released."

Stephanie nodded in interest. "You know what, Linda. I have a feeling that they're going to be contacting you soon." Then just as quickly as Stephanie said the words she changed the subject. I found myself bewildered. Was she just guessing, or was it something more? And if it wasn't a guess that meant she was heavily involved with them. Then I realized something I hadn't thought of until now. The Freedom Fighters hadn't appeared until after Stephanie had arrived. As the city's attorney, she had full access to all the files in Peace River. Was there a connection? If there was the young attorney was playing it cool. Our food arrived, and not another thing was said about the Freedom Fighters.

*****************************************************

On the other side of town Julia was making her move. She parked her car outside the door and entered the dirty garage run by Sherry Felton. "Hello?" she yelled when no one greeted her.

"What do you want?" a male voice asked in a dejected manner. Carlos Aguire pushed himself out from underneath a car and stood slowly. He reached for a rag to wipe off his hands; his overalls covered in so much grease and oil that there wasn't a clean place he could use.

"My car's making a funny noise," Julia smiled. "I was wondering if someone could check it out and tell me what's causing it?" Julia noticed that Carlos was tall and skinny, and clearly miserable. His dejected manner broadcasted that fact loud and clear.

"Sherry's off due to the birth of her daughter," the young man explained. "You'll have to take your car somewhere else."

"What about you? Can't you look at it?"

The teenager hesitated. "All I know about cars is how to do oil changes. This work isn't really my cup of tea." A deep scowl of contempt appeared on his lips.

"I know what you mean," Julia replied, testing the waters. "This isn't the life I had in mind. I'm getting married next month – to a man. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to react to his advances."

Carlos narrowed his eyes and in a low whisper asked, "You're just like me, aren't you?"

"You mean trapped in the wrong body…I guess you could say that. What I wouldn't do to be retu…never mind. We shouldn't talk about things like that." However, Julia could see the young man was clearly interested in what she had to say.

Carlos looked around carefully, and expressed softly, "I'm…I'm a woman…and this place is hell! They stole my life and my freedom. They tell me what to do, how to act, everything that's so damn unnatural to me. The worst person is that prick, Officer Merrick. He's here all the time. In fact, so is rest of the police force. It's like a donut shop for cops, only without the donuts. I want…I want to leave. Even if I can't…can't be a woman again…I want out of here. I would give anything for my freedom!"

Julia nodded…Mom had been right. Carlos was an excellent candidate for their organization.

"Anything Carlos? Even if it meant risking your life?"

"My life is already gone," he stated in a low, angry hiss. "They took it all; my father, my friends, my money. I want them to pay!" Carlos caught himself. He knew that expressing too many negative emotions would bring someone running. Their masters hated it when people expressed themselves in such a way.

"Ever hear of the 'freedom fighters', Carlos?"

The man's eyes sparkled. "I've heard of them. The cops talk about them all the time. Are you…one of them?"

The question terrified Julia. She had wanted to wait and reveal herself when the time was right, but Carlos had figured it out. Should she lie? Would he believe her if she did?

"I've been assigned to see if you're interested, Carlos. What I'm offering is dangerous work, and there's no guarantee that by joining us you'll earn your freedom."

"But I'll get to fight them, won't I? I'll get to hand them back some of their crap they've given me, right?"

"Maybe," Julia cautioned. "We're more of an intelligence cell. We collect information and pass it on to other cells."

"I see…and what better place to gather information than a place where the cops hang out at all the time."

Julia nodded seriously. "You get the picture, Carlos. In your position, you'll be able to find out what they're up too? They're so arrogant they don't even try to hide their secrets. Imagine the blow we can give them by passing on what they say to other groups?"

Carlos wiped his greasy hands on the rag and sat down. He thought about it carefully. "Those bastards are going to pay," he said angrily. "You tell your leader I'm in. Just say the word."

"Okay Carlos…I'll get back with you in a couple of days. Until then act like nothing is wrong."

The young man smirked. "Easier said then done. Every time I have a negative thought one of those pigs show up – aww shit, see what I mean?"

A cop car turned into the driveway and parked. The cruiser belonged to Officer Ganymede, who said something on the radio and slowly got out of his car.

"I'll take care of this, Carlos," Julia told him. "Just stay calm, and I'll see you in a few days." Carlos nodded as Julia made her way out. She met the young officer outside the front door.

"Good morning, Julia," Officer Ganymede greeted her with a warm smile.

"Hello, Officer Ganymede," Julia replied pleasantly. She liked Officer Ganymede. Unlike the other cops here, he would overlook minor offenses and let you off with a warning. It was too bad he was working for them. If it weren't for that, Officer Ganymede would be an okay guy.

"How's the wedding coming along?" he asked curiously.

"Fine sir. I'm a little…nervous, but I'm told that's normal."

"Yes it is," he grinned pleasantly. "I wish there was something I could do to help ease your nerves. But then, I'm sure even if I could this is something you would rather work out on your own."

"Most definitely," Julia agreed. That was what separated Officer Ganymede from all the others. He was willing to let you work out your problems instead of sending you to see Mr. Cupler or Mrs. Marshall. "Are you here to see Carlos?"

Officer Ganymede frowned and nodded. "Yes, I got a call and was told to check it out."

"Officer Ganymede." Julia touched him on the shoulder. "This was my fault. You see, I was talking to Carlos about his past and it made him angry."

"You?" Officer Ganymede asked in surprise. "That's not like you, Julia. You know better than that."

The young woman lowered her head. "I know, sir. I didn't mean to break the rules, it just happened. I guess…I guess you should take me to see Judge Jasper now."

Officer Ganymede stared at her carefully, then shook his head. "No, that's not necessary, Julia. I'll just radio that Carlos hit his thumb with a hammer and that's why he's upset. But please be more careful in the future. You know some of my co-workers will hold you to the letter of the law. Consider this an early wedding present."

"Thank you, Officer Ganymede. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Officer Ganymede, in all the time I've been here, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say your first name. You do have one, don't you?"

The cop grinned. "I have one, but it's a secret. Go on now, Julia. Enjoy the day."

"See you later, Officer Ganymede." She flashed him a smile before getting into her car and leaving.

The cop grinned as he watched her go. Julia was one of his favorite residents. In fact at one time he had thought about becoming romantically involved with her, but Jupiter had forbidden it. The cop didn't understand why, all he understood was that you didn't go against Jupiter's wishes unless you were willing to pay a steep price. He frowned at what could have been, and turned to go inside the garage.

***********************************************

From the darkness of the shop Carlos watched as the young woman and the cop conversed. Not a brave person to begin with, the teenager was now having serious misgivings about what he had agreed to. This was real…life and death – not some storybook novel where things turned out okay in the end. He was risking his life, such as his life was. Was this really what he wanted – to play spy for a group of misguided strangers who might get him killed? No, it wasn't. At the very least he wanted to be free, but at best he wanted to be a young woman again. Would working for the freedom fighters cause that to happen? Maybe the first part, but only after years of struggle and putting his ass on the line. Was there a better way to get what he wanted?

An idea popped into his head. What would Judge Jasper pay for information like this? Enough to win his freedom and maybe even his old life back? Maybe, if he offered to go undercover and help expose their movement. How could he turn him down? At least it would be safer than what this woman was purposing.

"Hello Carlos," Officer Ganymede said with a sigh. "I got a call on you, 'again'. You're not going to make me come here every hour to check on you, are you? I really don't want to take you in."

The cop was friendly enough, and Carlos noticed there was even sincerity in his tone. Perhaps this was something else Judge Jasper would be interested in.

"What's the point? Even if I say 'no' you're still going to take me to see Judge Jasper or Ms. Marshall."

The cop shook his head. "Only if I have to, Carlos. I'm willing to cut you some slack if you behave. What good does it do you to get all worked up over this?"

Carlos eyed the cop carefully. Should he trust him? No, not this one. Maybe Officer Merrick or his sidekick, Deimos, but Officer Ganymede was just a small fish in this organization. He wanted to see the headcheese.

"I want out," he demanded furiously. "I'm not going to play this game anymore. Change me back to who I was and give me back my old life this instance."

"I can't," Officer Ganymede stated truthfully.

"Then take me to the person who can," Carlos almost screamed.

"No, you don't want me to do that," the cop said softly. "This is not a good time…"

"NOW!" Carlos yelled.

****************************************************

Judge Jasper wasn't pleased. These were trying times, and he wasn't in the mood for an open rebellion. Ashlee eyed her boss carefully, and smiled in an attempt to calm him down. She too had noticed the tension in the Olympians recently. Searching through the memories of her past co-workers, she checked to see if this had ever occurred before. It hadn't. Why now? Could they sense some kind of danger she wasn't aware of? Even Officer Merrick, who was rather laid back, would become irritable at her from time to time.

Officer Ganymede sat Carlos in front of Judge Jasper. Ashlee noticed the expression on cop's face indicating this wasn't his doing.

"Wait for him outside," the Judge ordered. The cop nodded politely and closed the door as he left. Judge Jasper frowned at the young man who was fast becoming more trouble than he was worth. It was time to make an example of him. "What do you have to say for yourself," he stated dryly.

Carlos turned and eyed his secretary. "Your Honor, if I may speak with you alone."

"I'm in no mood for GAMES," he said sternly. "My secretary is here to record my judgment on you. What you have to say to me, you will say in front of her."

"Please, Your Honor. What I have to say needs to be kept private."

Judge Jasper shook his head in frustration and frowned. "Ashlee, please wait in your office."

"Yes, Your Honor," she replied nervously. Ashlee gathered her things and left the room.

"This had better be good," he growled after his secretary was gone.

"I've been in contact with the Freedom Fighters," Carlos blurted out.

"WHAT!" Judge Jasper shouted in surprise.

"I've been in contact with the Freedom Fighters," Carlos repeated weakly. "Today, just before I came here. They want me to join their cell. I told them I would, then came here."

"Why?" Judge Jasper demanded to know.

"I'll be honest, Your Honor. I was hoping you'd give me back my life and let me go."

"I'm sorry to dash your hopes, 'Carlos', but that's not going to happen," Jupiter told him in a snotty tone. "The best your information buys me is three or four other people. It's worth something, but not what you're asking."

"What if I were to supply you with more information, Your Honor? I'm taking about long term. I can find out how they operate, and expose more cells for you. I can alert you to future attacks, and maybe get you the name of their leader. I can be useful. Sure it'll take years, but I can help you bring down their organization."

Judge Jasper stared at him impassivity. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"I do," Carlos responded nervously.

The king of the Roman Gods turned away in disgust. The young man was a coward and a traitor – and Jupiter hated both. It was one thing to supply information that was required by the law; it was another to purposely sell out your own people for personal gain. "What is the name of this person who contacted you?"

Carlos blinked his eyes nervously. "I…I don't know."

"YOU DON'T KNOW?" Jupiter questioned in a frightful tone. "You ask to work for me and yet you don't even have the basic information like a name." Carlos felt dampness in his underwear as his bladder let go.

"She…she never told me, Your Honor. But Officer Ganymede knows her name. Check with him. He can tell you. They were talking like old friends."

"If I do that than I expose you."

"You don't trust him?" Carlos replied in shock.

"For now, the fewer number of people who know you work for me the better. The question is, what to do next?" Jupiter walked over to the window to survey the world he had created. In the beginning it had been so easy. He commanded his citizens to do things and they obeyed. Now he was forced to deal with pants-wetting traitors to keep his control over them. Angry at what he was now compelled to do; Jupiter faced the young man with fire in his eyes.

"I accept your offer. Help me bring down the Freedom Fighters, and I'll return you back to your former self. However, if you cross me young man…I'll personally throw you into the river and let the mermaids take care of you. Do you understand?"

Carlos swallowed hard, and found himself peeing his pants again. "Yes, Your honor."

Judge Jasper slowly brought his hand up, and pointed it directly at Carlos. "Cry," he commanded. Carlos found tears forming in his eyes without a reason. He sniffed, then broke down and started bawling.

"I couldn't let you leave here without people thinking you had been punished," the judge explained. "When they asked what I did, tell them it's too painful to discuss. Now don't come back here again. I'll have someone contact you from now on. Is that clear?
"Yes…yes," Carlos sobbed.

"You did well by coming to me. I will remember that. Now go, and tell no one about what we talked about." Jupiter made the words sound sincere, but his feelings didn't match the tone. The idea of working with this person turned his stomach. He had more respect for the Freedom Fighters who opposed him than for this coward. At least they had pride in themselves. Foolish to go up against him yes, but they were still brave in their actions and he could respect that.

Carlos, still crying, opened the door to where Officer Ganymede was waiting. Ashlee gave him a sympathetic stare as he was lead away. Curious as to what he had wanted, she knocked on the open door. "Judge, can I get you anything? Coffee or tea?"

"Tea," he said dryly while taking a seat behind his desk. Ashlee fixed him a cup, and placed it in front of him. "Thank you, Ashlee."

"You're welcome, Judge. Can I ask what Carlos wanted to talk to you about?"

Judge Jasper waved his hand in disgust. "Some mumble-jumble about buying me a yacht if I let him go. You think he would have learned by now that I can't be bribed."

"I hope you didn't punish him too harshly, Your Honor."

"Humph, not harsh enough. He was still able to walk out of here on his own. Now that that unpleasant business is out of the way, it's time to get back to work. Please get me the ECO reports on the river for the past month, and have Mr. Marshall report to my office at once."

"A problem with the river, Judge?" Ashlee questioned.

Jupiter frowned as he took a sip of his tea to try and get the bad taste of his encouraging words to Carlos out of his mouth. "Very minor, but I have some questions I need answered. Thank you for the tea, Ashlee."

The young woman smiled and left her boss's office to do as he had ordered…totally unaware of what had just transpired.

*****************************************************

"You did what?" Joan asked in horror.

"I told Carlos who I was," Julia explained. "Actually, he guessed. Look, it was either lie to him or extend my trust."

"You should've lied," Joan admonished her friend. "You were supposed to find out if he would fit in, not offer him a spot. Do you know what happened after you left? Officer Ganymede took him to see Judge Jasper."

"Oh," Julia stated in surprise. Officer Ganymede had promised he wouldn't turn him in. Had he lied to her?

"Perhaps it's nothing," Terry suggested. "Carlos could've have said something to piss Officer Ganymede off."

"And what would that have been, Terry?" Joan asked sharply. "He's the most laid -back cops here...not to mention honest. If he told Julia he wasn't going to turn Carlos in, I believe him."

"Look, Carlos doesn't even know my name," Julia pointed out.

"For Chris sake Julia, how long do you think it will take for the Judge to ask Officer Ganymede who you are? You can't make yourself invisible here. Peace River is a small town, and you're well known."

"What are you suggesting, Joan?"

"That maybe it's time you retired, Julia. You can hide out for a few weeks at home and after you're married the danger will pass."

The young woman was shocked by her friend's suggestion. Yes, it was normal for members who got married to retire. Judge Jasper had some strange ideas about justice when it came to dealing with the Freedom Fighters. If you got caught the punishment was severe, but if you left the cell and were found out later, he didn't go after you. Apparently he figured punishing someone that used to be a Freedom Fighter did more harm than good. Besides, young children needed a loving mother for continued happiness…and everyone here had figured out long ago that their captors needed them to be happy. Remaining in the cell would be too risky to her future, and her friends knew that. A few months after being married she would become pregnant…and nine months later, a mom. It always happened that way. Mr. Cupler and his friends saw to that.

"Joan, I need to see this through," Julia insisted. "I still say Carlos is a good choice. You should've seen the commitment he displayed at wanting to even the score. I know you're only thinking of me, but don't force me out just yet. Let me do this last mission. Once it's over…then I'll retire."

The leader of cell 25 put her hands around her friend and gave her a big hug. "I want you to live a full life Julia; you know that, don't you? All of us feel that way." Prue and Terry followed Joan's lead and joined in on the hug.

"Hey guys, it's fine," Julia reassured them. "In a year from now we'll have a nice laugh over this."

The ladies smiled uneasily, as if to reassure each other, which they didn't. They knew standing up to Judge Jasper was risky, but now the risks were higher than normal. If Carlos had told Judge Jasper that Julia was a Freedom Fighter they would all pay. There was tension in the air, and Joan tried to break it by focusing on something else. "How's the contact with Linda Anderson going?"

"She took us up on our offer," Prue answered while handing over her notes. "I don't think she has a clue as to what we're up to. Terry is working on the setup."

"Everything should be ready by tonight," Terry explained. "Prue and I decided the meeting will take place behind Kooler's Warehouse.

"Just make sure you don't leave any fingerprints," Joan warned. "And make sure you're far away when the 'shit' hits the fan."

"So it's on?" Prue questioned. Joan nodded that it was. "I'll make sure I have a proper response then," the young woman chuckled.

"Good. Let's say a prayer before we leave." The four of them joined hands and bowed their heads.

******************************************************

Mom crept her way into Judge Jasper's office. It was just past noon, and most of the people in the courthouse were at lunch. Judge Jasper had some business to attend to out of town the rest of the day, so there was no danger of him showing up. Too many people had been called to his office after Carlos's visit, and it had raised her suspicions. Was one of her cells in danger? She had to find out. Even if they couldn't escape his punishment, she owed it to them to let them know of any danger that would be coming their way. At least it would give them a chance to prepare themselves. The fact that she was putting her own life in danger didn't matter.

Mom knew the names of the leaders of every cell group. If caught, she was willing to kill herself to protect them. The cells would struggle for a while, but she knew they would be okay. Perhaps they would band together, and become even more powerful than they were now. That would be a bold but risky move. In any event, she had insured that the truth about who Judge Jasper and his people really were would come out. Would it help knowing whom they were fighting? It was a question she had struggled with for years. Some time ago she had tested the waters by telling a few of her most trusted cell leaders. The results were mixed, and she had decided it was better to keep it a secret for now. All those who knew the truth about Jupiter and his people were dead except for Lori Dillian, and she wasn't going to tell anyone. Lori knew that the truth could have a devastating affect on their groups if they thought they were fighting an invincible foe.

Silently the leader of the Freedom Fighters tiptoed over to the wall. There was a small safe in Judge Jasper's office that few people knew about. It was there where Jupiter locked away his private notes. Why he needed to write them down Mom didn't know. It certainly wasn't because he forgot things. In all the years she had worked for him, Mom had never known him to forget one fragment of information…yet he always wrote his personal thoughts down.

Like in the movies, the safe was located behind a huge picture that hung behind the judge's desk. Mom pried on one edge and it opened to reveal a small safe. Unlike most safes, a key, not a combination, opened this one. She had found the key one-day while looking through his desk for a file he wanted a report on. Judge Jasper had carelessly left the key behind, again a sign of his arrogance that he was untouchable. A copy of the key had been made the same day; the original was replaced back where she had found it. Mom slid her copy into the lock and opened the door. Inside she found a pad of paper with Jupiter's writings. The leader of the Freedom Fighters skipped to the last entry and read with interest.

"Oh no," she whispered upon seeing what it said. Cell 25 had to be warned. Mom put the notepad back into the safe and closed everything up. Turning, she saw Officer Merrick standing in the doorway.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked curiously.

*****************************************************

It was close to midnight as I made my way out of the apartment building. I waited a few minutes in the shadows for my eyes to adjust to the night sky, then darted between the buildings. The meeting place was only two blocks from my apartment, a ten-minute walk if I took my time. It would take longer tonight, sneaking around in the shadows so I wouldn't be seen. Every few minutes I stopped to see if I was being following. There was no indication that I was, which didn't stop me from being extra careful as I continued my silent tread toward my destination. Thirty minutes later I was looking at the meeting location…the back of a large warehouse. There were plenty of boxes lying around, as well as a light that cast shadows against one of the walls. I looked for signs of movement but didn't see any. Checking once more to make sure I wasn't being tailed, I gingerly made my way toward the back door. About twenty feet away a voice told me to stop.

"That's far enough," a woman told me, the voice sounding like it was being altered in some way. Something moved from behind one of the boxes, and I could see the shadow of a woman cast on the wall behind her. "Are you alone?"

"Yes," I responded cautiously, not comfortable with how this was going. There wasn't any place for this woman to retreat to if I did approach, and yet great steps had been taken to make sure I couldn't identify her. This set up didn't make sense, and I didn't like it when that happened. What happened if I did try to move closer?

"You did well, Linda Anderson."

"I try. What is it you want?"

"I think you know," the voice responded. "We want you to join us in our fight for freedom."

"How?" I asked. "I'm not even a citizen here. I don't know what goes on inside your town…nor do I plan to be here long enough to join in on your fight."

"There are other ways you can help," the voice explained. "In your position you hear things…and when you do you can pass them on to us. You can also contact certain people on the outside, and let them know what is going on."

I swallowed hard. This person was talking to me with almost no emotion. It was like a business deal, nothing more and nothing less. Where was the passion? It was almost as if she expected me to turn her down. "What you're asking for is not easy. Will you come out so I can talk to you in person?"

"No," I voice responded firmly. "Maybe later. Right now I need your answer. Will you help us?"

I thought about it carefully. Now I was putting my life on the line. Hadn't I told both Ashlee and Stephanie that I believed in their cause? Yes I had, so why was I so hesitant to answer? I knew why. Something about this smelled.

"I'll have to think this over," I told her. "I don't know how much good I can do for you. Give me a day."

"No, you must decide now," the voice insisted. "Either you're with us or you're not."

"That's enough," I heard a new voice say. Mr. Marshall stepped out of the shadows and stood next to me. Officer Deimos and another police officer joined him.

"What is this, a set-up?" the voice asked in a distrustful tone.

"I swear, I had nothing to do with this," I told her. Then I turned to Mars and asked directly, "Who told you I would be here?"

He sneered at my question. "I've had you followed ever since you stepped foot in our town from your last visit. I knew sooner or later they would contact you, and then I would have you both." He said to the woman behind the box, "You, come out of there."

"Come and get me, copper," she taunted.

"Office Deimos, watch Miss Anderson while I take care of this matter." Mars marched his way toward the box the woman was behind, never seeing a small device sitting on top of a crate nearby. As he past by, an electric stream shot from it and struck Mars in the back. The Roman God screamed in pain, and fell to the ground in a heap. The voice behind the box laughed in delight.

"Father!" Deimos yelled in a panic voice. He took out his gun, and aimed at the small device. His shot was dead-on. The bullet shattered the box into a thousand pieces.

"Father, are you okay?" he asked rushing to him, his gun still drawn.

"Get…get her," Mars commanded his son as he tried to stand. Deimos turned and pointed his gun where the woman was hidden.

"Come out of there," he ordered. Again the female voice laughed as if this was one big game.

"Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me copper, I'm the gingerbread 'man'."

Officer Deimos snared. "This isn't a game, lady. If you don't come out I'm coming in…and then Judge Jasper won't be very happy with you."

"He won't be happy now, so why bother?" the voice mocked. "I have a better idea. Why don't you leave before you get hurt." That was followed by another arrogant laugh.

"Why you little…" Officer Deimos growled. His eyes darkened, and he moved forward with no regard as to what might be waiting for him on the other side. He made a flying leap at the figure, and I could see the shadow of the woman fall. Then Deimos cursed loudly, and stepped back from behind the box in anger.

"Where is she?" Mars demanded to know.

Deimos reached down and held up a cardboard cutout. "She was never here," he stated. "This was a setup."

"Right you are, Officer Deimos," the voice giggled. "Victory to the Freedom Fighters. Power to the people! Set us free you bast…"

Deimos, upon finding the speaker, yanked out the cords and smashed it on the ground. He extended his hand, and helped his father to his feet. Mars was still experiencing the effects of the electrical shock he had received, and wavered as he stood.

"Take her to the courthouse," he commanded in a shaky voice. "I have some questions for her.

"I didn't do anything wrong," I argued, just before the other officer pulled me away. My pleadings fell on deaf ears.

******************************************************

Prue pushed herself away from the microphone and smiled. "Gee, that felt good."

Terry grinned as she watched Linda Anderson being taken away. Tonight had been successful on many levels. Not only had they made their captors look like fools; they now had a weapon to use against them. Mom would be pleased.

"Let's pack up our things and get out of here," Terry told her friend. They grabbed a few items and quickly left in different directions.

******************************************************

It had to be mid-morning by now. I couldn't tell because the room I was being held in was windowless, but I knew I had been there for at least ten hours. Mr. Marshall was relentless in trying to get information from me that I didn't have. I was tired, hungry, and frazzled, while Mars seemed fresh and well rested every time he walked through that door. Sometimes I wondered if there weren't two of them. He would come in and question me for a while, insisting that I knew more than I was telling him. Then he would leave, only to charge back in yelling when I started to doze off. Slowly but surely I was breaking under the stress. Why didn't he just read my mind? Why didn't he look at what I knew and realize I didn't know anything? Still he insisted that I did know something, and kept the pressure on. He entered the room once more looking smug, and sat down in front of me.

"So, are you ready to tell me who you were meeting with last night, Linda?"

"I…I told you…I…I don't know," I responded in exhaustion. "She never gave me her name. I was told to meet her there."

"Told? By who, Linda?" He grabbed my arms and pulled me so close that I could smell his bad breath. "You said you found a note in your apartment! Now you're saying someone told you to go there."

"Yes…no…that's not what I meant," I replied in confusion. "It was a note…telling me to meet her there."

"And you expect me to believe that," Mars grumbled, pushing me back in my chair. He stood and moved behind me. Softly he spoke in my ear, "You get a note to meet with someone you've never met before in the middle of the night. Do you think I'm A FOOL, Miss Anderson? I can assure you that I'm not. I want the truth this time."

"IT IS THE TRUTH!" I cried, slamming my hands on the table in frustration. "I don't know who she is!"

"I don't believe you," he hissed.

"Why don't you read my mind? Why don't you check for yourself? Can't you sense that I'm being honest here? Please, tell me what you want from me!"

Mars ignored my questions, and took a seat in front of me again. "Okay, from the top, Miss Anderson. What is the name of the person you were meeting with last night?"

********************************************************

"Anything useful?" Judge Jasper asked his son.

"Nothing so far, but she's breaking," Mars smiled evilly. "Soon she'll tell us whatever we want to know."

"Good. I've sensed for a long time that she's been withholding all kinds of information from us. Unfortunately, our contract with Mr. Butz won't allow me to read her mind, but it doesn't say anything about questioning her about our concerns."

Mars laughed. "The Titan maco isn't as smart as he thinks he is. Give me a few more hours, Father. I'll find out everything she knows."

The phone on Judge Jaspers' desk buzzed, and Jupiter picked it up. "Yes?" His eyes went wide. "Tell her to wait." He slammed the phone down.

"What is it?" Mars asked his troubled father.

"It's Juno…she's here. How did she find out?"

Before Mars could reply the door flung opened, and Judge Herns barged in without knocking. Only she would have the courage to do such a thing, and her anger was evident from the expression she wore. "Where is she you old goat?" Juno demanded to know in a cold, hostile tone.

Jupiter didn't even try to pretend that he didn't know what she was talking about. "Linda is being questioned for a crime."

"I didn't ask what you were doing with her. I asked where she is!"

"Close by," Jupiter replied confidently. "When we're done questioning her we'll let her go."

"You'll let her go right now," Juno hissed.

Jupiter stood there defiantly, and with authority in his tone stated, "When 'I'm' ready…and NOT before. I'm not some Titan you can order around my dear. You have no authority here. Linda Anderson is not a guest or a citizen of our town, and therefore has no legal rights."

"No legal rights in Peace River…but she does in my town," Judge Herns replied in her own defiant tone. "You cannot question her for hours like you've been doing to break her spirits. This is a violation of her rights."

"So? I don't recognize those rights."

"You signed an agreement to respect these rights," she pointed out. "You're in violation of code 36, section B. Here, read it." Judge Herns slammed a piece of paper down in front of him.

"This law has no meaning here," Jupiter stated in an unwavering manner. "That code only applies to the citizens living in Andersonville. It does not apply to those living in Peace River."

"Living here…no. Visiting…our laws do apply! As I stated before, read section B. Anyone visiting from Andersonville is to be treated under the laws of the town charter unless they are legally recognized. Since you already stated you haven't recognized her, you're in violation of the laws you swore to obtain."

"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Jupiter screamed so loudly that the building shook. "We're investigating a crime that Miss Anderson is a part of. We have a right to question her."

"Only under the guidelines of the laws stated in the Andersonville charter," Judge Herns held her ground. "This may be your town, but she's still our citizen. As I stated before, since you have no claim on her she falls under the protection of our laws. Now, what do you plan to do about this to make things right?"

Jupiter was beside himself. He was so angry he was close to bringing down a bolt of lighting to destroy this place. Never had he been bounded in such a way. If it were anyone else he would ignore the legal aspects of the situational, but he needed to be in Juno's good graces. Besides, crossing her carried its own risk, and Jupiter wasn't willing to accept it. Just a few more hours, that's all they needed…and yet there was nothing he could do about it.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"A little birdie told me," she responded dryly. "Now, I suggest that before you create an international incident you take me to see Linda." Juno stood there with her hands on her hips, indicating she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

"Take her to Miss Anderson," he said.

"Father?" Mars questioned.

"I said TAKE HER!" he roared. "Your questioning is over. We'll find another way to get what we need."

Mars nodded angrily, and lead Juno out the door. After they left Jupiter slammed his fist on his desk, splitting it in half.

********************************************

"June," I said with tired relief when she walked in. "Oh thank God, it's you." I managed to stand and fall into her arms.

"It's okay, Linda. It's over. You're coming with me."

"But…but my agreement…"

"Is voided," she informed me. "At least it will be once I'm done with the old goat. I can see the message I got was correct."

"How…how did you know?"

"It doesn't matter, Linda," she smiled. "Here, I want you to drink this down." June handed me a bottle of water that she had brought with her. I took a drink, and instantly found my body rejuvenated with new energy.

"I put a couple of energy crystals in it to give you strength. You'll sleep well tonight."

"Wait, you can't break my deal with Judge Jasper. What about Jeff Summers, and Tom?"

"It's okay, Linda. I'll take care of everything. They'll be safe from him. This violation is going to cost him. Now, I want you to go back to your apartment and pack. We'll leave as soon as you're ready."

"Thank you, June." I gave her a hug of gratitude.

******************************************************

Julia was in a grand mood. She had heard through the grapevine that the mission last night was a success. At long last the Freedom Fighters had a weapon to use against their captors. In a few months they could turn the town upside down. It was a shame she wouldn't be a part of it. The doctor had told her this morning that she was pregnant. She had suspected it, but now she knew for sure. A new life was growing inside her, and she couldn't risk it anymore. Others would win the war while she cheered them on, but that was okay with her. Julia knew she had been a vital part of their victory.

The door to Joan's apartment was ajar, and Julia walked in; a full fifteen minutes early. Julia grinned; that would surprise them. But her entrance didn't have the effect she thought it would. Neither Prue nor Joan greeted her with a warm smile like she expected. Instead their expression was one of great sorrow

"Hey, who died?" Julia asked humorously. The two ladies looked at each other and gave her a heartbreaking stare.

"We thought you were Terry," Joan said sadly.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you," Julia frowned in disappointment.

"Julia," Prue began, than turned away with tears in her eyes.

"Prue…Prue what is it?" Julia asked, suddenly realizing she had misinterpreted her friend's reactions. She looked over at Joan, who was barely able to hold back her own tears. "What the hell is going on you two? Last night was a success…I heard it on the street. It…it was a success, right? Joan?"

"Julia." Joan swallowed hard. "Julia, I don't know how to tell you this. Carlos turned on you. He went to Judge Jasper and told him everything."

"No…no, you must be mistaken," Julia protested. "Joan, if Judge Jasper knows I'm a Freedom Fighter, then why am I still free?"

"Because it's a trap," Joan replied in a downcast tone. "Carlos promised to work with us in the hopes of uncovering more members. He's a mole, Julia. Carlos is planning to expose the entire organization."

Julia took a seat and put her hand over her mouth. It was over, at least for her friends. Judge Jasper wouldn't hurt her now that she was pregnant, but what about her friends? They would face his ultimate punishment for trying to defy him. After everything they've done together.

"Joan…are you sure?"

"Mom sent me a message this morning. It's true, Julia. She's sorry that it happened."

"Wait," Julia replied. "Carlos doesn't know you. All I have to do is retire. I'll break from the group and never contact Carlos again."

Joan shook her head slowly. "It won't work, Julia. Judge Jasper will come after you if we don't contact him. He'll force you to tell him who we are. I know you're strong my friend, but he'll break you. Either way, we're doomed. And when he finds out it was our group that sprang that surprise on Mr. Marshall." Joan shook her head and turned away. "Prue has a plan."

"We have to see if Terry will agree to it," she stated uncomfortably, "but I don't think we have much choice. We'll bring Carlos into our cell, and then you'll retire. That will protect you from his wrath."

"What about you guys?"

"We'll find a way to escape," Prue answered. "Judge Jasper can't hurt us if he can't find us."

"It'll never work," Julia cried. "You both know the odds of escaping are a million to one. You'll…you'll die if you try. I can't…I can't let this happen. This is my fault."

"NO!" Joan stated loudly, then grabbed Julia by the arms. "No my friend, this is 'not' your fault. We're in this mess because someone sold us out. I promise you this Julia; he'll 'pay' for his actions. But before he does, we're going to make sure you're safe."

"No, I can't let you face this alone, Joan…Prue. I can't. I've been a part of this cell since its beginning. I'm one of you. If we must face judgment, we'll do it together. I won't abandon you in your hour of need."

"Listen to me," Joan shook her angrily. "Stop being so noble and listen, Julia. One of us has to 'LIVE'. One of us has to be around when the end comes, so she can tell our story. You're that person, Julia. Prue and I have agreed on this, and I'm sure Terry will too. Besides, we may get lucky and find a way out of here. Mom promised to help us any way she can, and you know how crafty she is."

For once Julia didn't know what to say. Three people were willing to sacrifice their life for hers. How many others could say they had friends like this? Friends? No, not friends, family. These strangers had become family, which made her next decision all the harder. Joan released her grip, and turned to Prue.

"I think we should wait another day before we contact Carlos. We don't want the Judge to think we know anything. For now we play it cautiously as we would any new member. This will buy us time to plan our escape."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Prue agreed. "Perhaps we could build a raft with tall sides to protect us from the mermaids."

While Prue and Joan continued to talk, Julia slowly made her way toward the bedroom. The door had a lock…it wouldn't last long but it would be enough. She placed her hands on the knob and locked the door, then looked at her friends one last time. If only Terry was here too, but she couldn't risk waiting any longer. It had to be done.

"Goodbye, my friends," she told them. "I love you." Quickly she slammed the door and made a beeline for the window.

Both women heard their friend say the words painfully. They rushed to the door and tried the handle, which wouldn't turn. "Julia, let me in," Joan yelled while pounding on the door.

Prue looked at Joan with big eyes as everything came into focus. "She's going to kill herself."

"Not if I can help it," Joan said with determination. The leader of cell 25 took a few steps back and kicked the door in, just as Julia was starting to slide out the window. "Oh no you don't!" Joan lurched for her friend, but she dropped to the ground just in time. Julia picked herself up and ran to her car.

"No Julia, don't. We can work this out. Stop," Prue pleaded. The young woman ignored her friend's pleas, and started the car.

"Come on," Joan replied while grabbing Prue's arm. "I think I know where she's going. If we hurry, we might catch her."

In a flash the two women ran outside and got into Joan's car. Joan started the motor, and peeled out of the parking lot. Luckily for them, there weren't any cops around.

"How are we going to stop her?" Prue asked.

"I don't know, Prue," Joan said in desperation. "If I know Julia, she's going to need time to prepare herself. She doesn't have it within her to just kill herself on the spur of the moment. If we find her, we might be able to talk her out of this."

"But where is she going?"

"To the Peace River Courthouse," Joan explained. "Just like Judy Hartford, she's going to make a statement unless we stop her." With that Joan pressed on the gas pedal a little harder.

**********************************************

Officer Ganymede was making his usual tour around Peace River. Until now it had been a quiet morning, but all that changed when his radio squawked.

"Car two, come in."

"Car two here," Officer Ganymede answered.

"We have a possible jumper on the North Bridge. Code three."

"Roger, code three," the cop responded calmly. Inside his stomach started doing flip-flops. He flicked on his lights and siren and spun the car around. The bridge was almost two miles away, and the cop prayed he would be on time.

*******************************************

"There's no sign of her," Prue said in desperation.
"I don't understand," Joan replied. "I was sure she would come here."

Their attention was diverted when they saw a cop car race by the courthouse with its lights and sirens on.

"How much you want to bet…" Prue started to say.

"Oh Shit," Joan answered while dumping the car back into drive and screeching away.

***********************************************

Julia sat on the bridge rail looking at the blue-green river below. She had kicked her shoes into the river, and this had gotten the attention of the mermaids and mermen. There were five of them below her, all smiling and waving their hands at her to join them. One even broke into a song to try and lure her in. In the distance she could see the white streams of three more mermaids heading her way. Soon it would be over.

From the town she heard the police car wail, and knew who it was for. She placed her hands on her belly, to see if she could feel the baby kick, but it was still too early in her pregnancy for that. Today had started out so well.

A cop car raced down the bridge and stopped behind her car. Officer Ganymede slowly stepped out of his car to survey the situation, and then called for backup. Carefully he approached.

"That's close enough," Julia told him when he got to within ten feet of her. "Come any closer and I'll jump."

"I…I won't come any closer," Officer Ganymede replied nervously. He seemed uncertain about what to say next. "Why Julia? Why do you want to kill yourself? You have so much to live for."

"You wouldn't understand, Officer Ganymede."

"I might," he stated softly. "I was once a human, just like you. I know how lonely it came be. I want to help you, Julia. Please tell me." Julia noted the sincerity in the words. Sadly she shook her head.

"It's too late, Officer Ganymede. If I live, Judge Jasper will read my thoughts and others will suffer. I can't allow that to happen."

"You're a Freedom Fighter, aren't you?"

"Cell 25, Officer Ganymede. Now do you see the trouble I'm in?"

The officer certainly did. There would be no ordinary punishment after what happened last night. If they were lucky, Judge Jasper would turn them all into dogs or cats after he got what he wanted – and only if he calmed down, which the cop didn't think would happen. Most likely Jupiter would make an example out of them all by having a public execution. Still he had to try to save her.

"Julia, come down from there…please. I can talk to Judge Jasper on your behalf. Cooperate fully and he'll take that into consideration." 'And maybe he'll let you live,' the officer didn't add.

"I can't do that, Officer Ganymede. They're my family."

****************************************

There was already a small crowd watching when Joan drove up. Having someone threatening to jump off the bridge wasn't a common sight, and people wanted to see what happened next. When Prue saw what was going on she went nuts.

"Oh my GOD!" she screamed. "Julia, no!" Prue started to get out of the car, but Joan grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. "LET GO OF ME!" she screamed hysterically. "I HAVE TO SAVE HER! I HAVE TO GO TO HER!"

Joan looked at her friend with both sternness and compassion. She too wanted to run out there, but knew it was too late. Instead she pulled her friend's head to her chest, and together they watched the horror unfold.

**************************************************

"We can still work this out, Julia," Officer Ganymede insisted. "You have a lot to live for." Silently he knew there wasn't much time left, and wondered where his backup was. Someone should've been here by now. Why of all days did Mercury have to be out of town? If he were here, he could sweep in and save her in the blink of an eye.

Julia looked at the cop. "Officer Ganymede, what's your first name?"

The cop smiled gently. "It's Phil. I don't use it much because…well, because Judge Jasper thinks if we allow people to call us by our first names, they won't respect us as much." The siren of another police car coming filled the air.

Julia looked at the cop one more time and said, "I've always respected you, Officer Ganymede. You're a good cop, not like the rest. You understand us. I'm sorry it had to be you, Phil." With that Julia pushed herself off the rail and started to fall.

"NO!" Office Ganymede yelled as he made a useless, desperate grab for her. He watched as she fell silently toward the water while in the distance people screamed. The mermaids were waiting. As soon as Julia hit the water they rushed for her. They skimmed just under the surface like torpedo's heading for a doomed ship. Seconds later the water where Julia had landed became dark from her blood. Officer Ganymede turned and put his hand over his month. He felt like he was going to be sick, and moments later was.

*****************************************************

Julia's two friends saw her fall. Prue gasped, and buried her head in Joan's chest so she wouldn't see the end. The leader of cell of 25 sat there, as bitter tears rolled down her face. Never before had she seen such bravery.

"Goodbye, old friend," Joan whispered. "You're free now. Be happy…and thank you for saving our lives."

Knowing they were in danger if they stayed, Joan started the car and left.

****************************************************

I was almost finished packing. The news of Julia Manchester's suicide had spread quickly through the town causing waves of shock. Even though I didn't know her personally, I felt a twinge of sadness over her death. Another life snuffed out due to the inflexibility of this town. What had been the reason this time? Did it matter? I decided that it didn't. They all had their reasons, and at least to them they were 'good' reasons. There was a knock on my door.

"Come in," I said, not even bothering to look to see who it was. Actually, I already knew – not the person, but whom they represented. The voice took me by surprise.

"Hello Linda," she said. I shook my head slowly in bitterness. Why hadn't I guessed? The clues had all been there.

"I've been expecting you," I replied, not even bothering to turn around. "Close the door." It was only after she did that I faced my friend. Pretty, intelligent, and the leader of Freedom Fighters. I was disappointed in myself for ruling her off my list of suspects.

"You fooled me good," I told her. "I was expecting Stephanie Hall to walk through that door."

"I told you before Linda, Stephanie is sold on this life. In fact Judge Jasper was using her to set you up. I read about it in his journal."

"Still, I should have realized it was you long ago. It was so obvious. A leader in your past life. A good organizer and planner. Access to all the thoughts and abilities of those brought here. How else could the Freedom Fighters moment survived for so long and be so effective unless they picked the right people every time? The KKK taught you well Ashlee, only you took their training to a new level – guerrilla warfare." I bit my lip and slowly shook my head painfully. "How could you, Ashlee? How could you use me like this? I was your friend!"

"You still are," she corrected me.

"Am I? For Christ sake Ashlee, why? Why didn't you just come to me and ask me to join – instead of putting my ass on the chopping block? Do you know what they did to me?"

"This wasn't about getting you to join, Linda. If it was, I would've asked you long ago."

I thought about it. "Of course, you're the secretary to the most powerful man in Peace River. You knew all along that Mr. Marshall was following me, so you used me to set a trap for him. You did all this, just so your cell could test out a new weapon?"

"That was one reason," she admitted. "Using you allowed my cell to choose the place and time, but there was another reason…a better one. I couldn't let you ruin my on-going operation with the mailman. Do you know how long it took to set this all up? I'm sorry, Linda, but you had to be stopped."

"That's it then," I said, feeling my anger grow. "You couldn't trust me, so you used me instead. You played me like a fish on a line, and I brought it hook, line, and sinker. Everything you've told me up to this point – it's all been one big 'fuckin' lie! It's all just a Goddamn game to you Ashlee, isn't it! Everyone chasing each others tail, only you're the one pulling the strings this time."

"Oh, grow up, Linda," Ashlee lashed out in her own, cynical tone. "You think I enjoy doing this? I lost a fighter this morning…a good one. Another life lost and I'm responsible because I made a bad judgment call. Do you think I feel good about that? I almost got caught trying to find out what Judge Jasper was up too. I put my butt on the line 24 hours day, and it's not for kicks. If I lose, my reward is death. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GAME TO YOU?"

Ashlee took a moment to calm down, then in a more solemn tone continued. "Linda, my 'people' are dying in their quest to gain their freedom. For years I watched as friends attempted one fool-hearted plan after another trying to escape. Many just tried swimming across the river, hoping they could fight off the mermaids – plain suicide. The Freedom Fighters movement changed all that. We gave these people hope, and a direction to focus their frustrations on instead of killing themselves. You're upset about having to spend one night being questioned by Judge Jasper's goons. I'm sorry that happened, Linda, I really am. I respect you as a friend and would never want to see you hurt. But my people, and their freedom, their 'respect', comes first."

"Even before your own family?"

"Yes Linda, even before my own family. I'm putting them in danger despite the fact they have nothing to do with this movement. And for your information, I didn't lie to you. I am thankful that I'm no longer a bigot, and for the life I have. But there comes a time when you see so much suffering and misery that you have to do something about it, or else you feel less human about yourself. I have a 150 years of oppression locked up in my head. I've felt the despair and hopelessness my predecessors experienced when they were brought here, and it's not pleasant. I've felt the shock and loneliness each new person faces when they're turned into the opposite sex, and then discover they can never leave Peace River. Most do finally accept their fate, but some like Judy Hartford and Julia Manchester do not. Tell me, where do they go if they don't fit into their slot, Linda? To Mr. Cupler for advice and support? I spent my life as a man hating black people, and that was wrong. Now I'm using my talents not for 'hate', but for good. I'm helping those who feel that they're living in a nightmare find some sanity, so they don't go out and throw their life away. Is that wrong?"

"It's not my place to say, Ashlee. You make a strong argument, but I wonder. How many more Julia's will die for your cause?"

"Not my cause," she stated crisply then added, "How many more would die if I did nothing? The difference between those living in Peace River and those who are Freedom Fighters is, everyone who follows me is a willing volunteer." She sighed. "You're upset with me Linda, and you have a right to be. In my defense, I didn't expect them to question you the way they did. When I found out what they were doing, I called Judge Herns on my private line – one that Judge Jasper doesn't know about. It was a risk, but I would gladly do it again to protect you. I respect you, Linda. I hope in time you'll understand why I did what I did, and forgive me. I should be getting back to the office. Have a good trip home, sister."

I didn't bother responding as she left the room. Dennis Butz, Judge Jasper, and now Ashlee Gang. I had been used by each of them in one way or another for their own, personal gain. Was everyone who came here corrupted by the power? Then again, if I were in the same situation would I be any better? I slammed my suitcase lid shut in anger and frustration.

***************************************************

"Are you okay, Linda?" Juno asked as she drove her car down the deserted highway. "You've been awful quiet."

"I'm fine," I muttered, not wanting to talk about what was really on my mind. For most of the trip I had sat silently and watched the countryside go by. It had been a long trip, and we were still hours away from Andersonville. For some reason June had insisted we drive back instead of flying. It may have had something to due with the fact that Carlos was being flown to Andersonville in her plane, and she didn't want to be around him. Now that he had been exposed as a traitor, it was only a matter of time before the Freedom Fighters found an appropriate ending for him. Faced with a short life in Peace River, Carlos quickly signed a contract Judge Herns had offered, allowing him to be moved to Andersonville. June told me it had actually been Judge Jasper who had requested the move. It seemed strange that Jupiter would be concern about Carlos's life. Maybe he didn't want to deal with a murder in his town. Either way, Carlos was coming to Andersonville.

"You know, there is a difference," June said.

"What?"

"I said there is a difference – in the way that Julia Manchester and Judy Hartford died. You're sad because you think both deaths are the same, but they're not. Judy killed herself to spark anger in the people of Peace River, but Julia committed suicide to save her friends. Her death was more personal."

"And that's suppose to make it all better," I snapped. "One suicide was done out of hopelessness and anger, the other out of love and respect. They're both dead June. How does that make one death better over the other?"

"It doesn't," she admitted. "However, one death wasn't meaningless. Judy was driven to kill herself, but I believe in time she would've come around. In Julia's case, she killed herself to save others. To give up your life to save others is a commendable act. Keep in mind I don't condone suicide, but I do admire acts of self-sacrifice."

"I'm sorry June, but I'm just not in the mood to accept her death as being commendable. She killed herself."

"Supposing she had stepped in front of a truck to push a child out of the way, and been killed in the process. Would you still think her death was meaningless, Linda? Isn't that also a form of suicide? The reason why Julia killed herself is what determines if her death is meaningful or not. Others are alive because she died. Isn't that a noble act in your society?"

Silently I stared out the window thinking about what June had said, and knowing there was truth in her words. "I guess that's one way to look at her death."

The Roman Goddess extended her hand and patted me on the knee. "I know Linda, it's not easy to accept when all you can see is the waste of a lost life. Now, I think it's time we settle another matter. Open my purse and pull out the blue phone." I looked at her funny, but did as she ordered. Inside one of the pockets I found a small cell phone.

"It's an untraceable phone," she said while staring out at the road ahead. "You can use it to make your call."

"What call?"

"The call you said you would make for Karen Carson in the file room," she sighed as if she was tired of me trying to keep things from her. "I was talking to Mr. Cupler before we left, and he told me what she had asked you to do.

"I never said I would do it though," I pointed out defensively.

June turned and gave me a knowing glance. "We both know better, don't we? The first chance you get you'd make the call. So instead of having you go sneaking behind my back, I'll help you."

I looked at her suspiciously. "What's the catch, June?"

"There's no catch," she frowned at my lack of trust. "It's a…lesson. You may think contacting her parents is the right thing to do, but I'm willing to bet money that you'll regret it after you call. Actually, this was Mr. Cupler's suggestion. He wanted you to see why things were done in a certain way. My only stipulation is that you call when I'm around, and you don't give them any information about Peace River and what happened to their son."

"Then what can I tell them?"

"What Karen told you to pass on…that she's okay."

"Can I make the call now?"

"If you wish. Just punch in *21. I have her parents number already programmed in."

I turned the phone on and punched in the code. The phone beeped, then connected. My throat went dry as I thought about what to say. It rang once, twice, a third time. The line clicked, and a woman's voice answered. "Hello?"

"Um, hello. Is this Mrs. Pahl?"

"Who's this?" There was suspicion in her voice.

"My name is…" June made a motion with her hand to be careful. "My name is Linda. I'm calling about your son, Adam."

"You've seen him?" she asked in a frantic tone. I heard a muffled sound, and then the click of another phone being picked up.

"Who is this?" a man demanded to know.

"I'm Linda," I repeated. "I talked to your son a few days ago." There was a gasp from the woman.

"Where?" Adam's father asked. "We've been searching for him for weeks. What happened to him? Do you have a phone number where he can be reach?" The father was trying to be strong, but I could hear the desperation in his tone. They wanted answers…answers that I couldn't provide.

"Look, I can't tell you what's going on Mr. and Mrs. Pahl. All I can say is that your son is alive and well. He wanted me to contact you so you wouldn't worry." My words to comfort Adam's parents only seemed to cause them more despair.

"What's going on," the man demanded to know. "You make it sound like he's a prisoner. Is my son in jail or some kind of cult?"

"No, not really Mr. Pahl. I would like to tell you more, but I can't"

"Look, don't hand me that shit!" the man threatened. "Unless someone is holding a gun to your head you can tell us anything you want. Are you serious or just jerking around with our feelings? Do you get off on causing others pain? Now what aren't you telling us?" I heard the woman on the other end breaking down.

"Please," she pleaded. "Please, I want my boy back. Tell us what's happened to him, Linda. Tell us where we can find him…please, I beg of you. You're a woman…think of how you would feel if this were your child missing. We need too…too…too." Mrs. Pahl exploded in a wail of sobs before she could finish the sentence.

"Look, I'm sorry," I explained defensively. "I want to help, but I can't. If I told you what happened to him it would only put your life at risk."

"HE'S MY SON!" Mr. Pahl yelled, now barely able to control his own feelings. "I would gladly give up my life to save his. You can't just call and tell us everything's okay without explaining what happened to Adam. Please, if you do know where his is, help us bring him home. We…" His voice cracked. "I…I miss him. Do you hear me, Linda? I miss him. I love my son dearly. His…his smile…and his laugh. Please, help us bring him home."

"I'm…I'm very sorry," I repeated sadly. "He's in no danger, trust me. I have to go now."

"No, don't hang…" the father started to say just before I ended the conversation. I placed the phone in my lap and felt horrible about what I had just done. Instead of easing their pain, I had increased it. The phone rang.

"Caller Id," June said as she reached over and turned the phone off permanently by taking out the battery. "I'll have to get rid of it the first chance I get." She gave me a careful look over, and patted me on the knee. "I'm sorry, but you had to know that no matter what you said it wouldn't change what they were going through."

"I could tell them what's really going on."

"Do you think they would believe you, Linda? What would you tell them? 'I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Pahl, but your son…no, make that your new daughter, is being held in a town run by the Roman Gods. But don't you worry, 'she's' fine?' Even if you could get them to believe you, there's nothing they can do about it. Who do you think would help? The news media? They would laugh them out of their office. The police? They would think the two had flipped due to the grief they are suffering and recommend a good psychologist. The FBI or CIA? They're not about to do anything, not as long as Dennis Butz is in charge. So you see Linda, there's nothing they can do to help their son."

"Then kill him?" I snapped. "Let them think he's dead, so they can get over their grief and go on. What you're doing to them, and to Adam, is barbaric!"

"Watch your tone with me young lady," Judge Herns chastised. "We have our reasons for doing what we do, even if you don't agree with them. Karen is a very special woman, just like you and Ashlee. Judge Jasper didn't plan on keeping her in Peace River, that was Karen's own doing. She should have left when she had the chance. Because she didn't, they were forced to keep her, and in time she will take Ashlee's place. Because of that, we need her parents bond to help the procedure along."

"I don't understand?"

June glared. "Of course you don't, and I'm not about to explain it either. Let's just say we need Karen's family to run our shows. There's something else you should know. Each communicator is rated on a ten-point scale. You're a five, Ashlee is a nine, and Karen – she's a ten, which is very, very good. However, high ratings don't mean a successful placement. In Karen's case, she wouldn't have been our first, second, or even third choice to replace Ashlee, despite her ranking. There were other concerns and issues to think about. I guess we could force Karen's family to live in Peace River with her. Do you think that's a better solution, Linda?"

"No, I don't June. What I don't understand is why not just free her. Judge Jasper has the power to wipe the memories of Peace River from her mind. Why not do that and be done with her?

"Removing memories only works on regular people. Unfortunately Karen, or Adam, cannot be made to forget what she knows about Peace River. Maybe the media won't help, but that doesn't stop her from telling other people who might. Things could grow slowly and steadily out of control, just like the situation with the mailman, only a lot worse. One day she could expose our operation. If that happens, we could be facing a war."

"There's got to be a middle ground here, June."

"If there were we would've already used it, Linda. Andersonville is a step toward that middle ground you talk about, but it's going to take time to develop. Until then, there is nothing that can be done for Karen. I'm not saying that's right, but it's the way things are." June sighed. "I grow tired of arguing about this, Linda. Perhaps another day, when I don't have so many things on my mind, we can talk about it more."

"What's bothering you, June?" I asked. "I've been noticing the same tenseness in the others as well. What's going on?"

June pushed her lips together tightly before answering. "We can sense something coming, Linda – something very terrible. I hope we're wrong."

"What is it?" I asked. "Is it also a danger to us, humans I mean?"

"It's better that you don't know right now," she said tightlipped. "There is a chance it's not real, and I don't want to worry you needlessly. However, if it happens you'll be the first one I tell. Why don't you get some sleep, you look beat. We'll talk more when you're fresh and alert."

I nodded at her suggestion. The truth was she was right, I was tired. For the past hour I could feel the energy pills wearing off and fatigue setting in. I reclined the car seat back a little and a few moments later was sound asleep.

**************************************************

"Mom sends her sympathies," Joan told her friends quietly. "In the note she sent, Mom says that she feels personally responsible for what happened to Julia." The words meant something to the group, but they held little comfort.

"We need to let her know that we don't hold her responsible for Julia's death," Prue announced. "No one could've known that Carlos would turn on her."

"I can't believe she's gone," Terry whispered to no one.

"Not gone Terry, just in another place," Joan replied in a comforting tone. "Julia is up there, smiling down on us. Someone who would love us so much to give up her own life can't truly be gone."

The three women sat there silently, thinking about what had been said. There had been memorial services to honor the dead of those in other cells, but never had it hit so close to home. They hadn't just lost an associate; they had lost a family member. Replacing Julia would not be easy, and they knew in their hearts that there would never be another one like her again.

They clasped each other's hands at the appropriate time, a time Mom had designated so other groups all around Peace River would do the same, and said a prayer for their fallen comrade. Knowing that hundreds of other Freedom Fighters were doing the same thing made the women feel better. After a silent minute of prayer they broke hands and gave each other a hug, telling each other how much they meant to them. The moment was bittersweet, but the tribute to their friend was fitting. Finally they sat down at the table for some coffee and donuts.

"There was more from mom," Joan told the others after taking a sip of her hot brew. "She has a person in mind to repla…to take Julia's place. Her name is Carrie, and she's a secretary at Stephanie Hall's office. She was forced to stay here against her will, and mom tells me she's not happy about it. Because of what happened with Carlos, mom's willing to have another cell contact her for us if we want."

"And put four or five other people at risk?" Prue replied, setting down her empty cup. "I think this is something we need to do ourselves, Joan."

"I agree with Prue," Terry said. "Let's do this job in Julia's memory."

Joan smiled, feeling the same way. "I'll let mom know we'll be contacting her soon. We should get going now."

They hugged each other one more time before leaving Joan's apartment. Cell 25 had survived, but not unscathed. Yet each of them knew they would be stronger because of it – and strength is what they would need in the coming days.

Fade out…

  

  

  

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