Time Tracker

[DarkWarrioress]

Holding her towel tightly around her body, Sam strode back into the house behind him, secretly admiring the view as she did. The man had no direct consciousness of his nakedness. His backside was partially visible every time he moved. Damn if that wasn't a fine looking ass. She was a woman and a cop, not dead. Sam closed the door while clearing her throat.

"I'll be right back."

After resetting the alarm, Sam headed into her bedroom and dressed quickly, donning her favorite green pullover sweater and a pair of black leggings. She didn't bother with shoes, but chose a pair of socks for her feet. After a moment's hesitation, she drew down a box from the top shelf of her closet and rummaged around in it. She really needed to get rid of this stuff. These might fit him. She drew out a pair of clean lounging pants in a dark blue and green plaid along with a clean pair of jaded jeans. From one of the hangers she took down a white man's dress shirt that looked comfortable and slightly faded.

"I brought you these. They're not much, just a pair of lounging pants for sleeping in and a pair of jean that may fit you. An ex left them behind. The shirt is what I sleep in. "

She felt a little strange offering a complete stranger one of her sleeping shirts to use, but it was all she had by way of male attire that she could offer him to wear. And damn if he didn't need some clothes. Crap on a cracker, the man was distracting dressed as he was in that hospital gown with that unconscious air of his.

"Would you like a cup of cocoa? I found it helps me sleep."

God knows, she wasn't going to get to enjoy her wine.

Shrugging as she moved across the room, setting the clothes on the coffee table before going into the kitchen to make the cocoa she mentioned. She needed something to do. For oddly, he made her feel a little nervous. It was something she couldn't explain. Maybe it was because he was a stranger. She usually didn't entertain strangers in her house. Her living space was a wide open area. The dining area and kitchen sort of floated into one another. Sam leaned on the kitchen counter as she waited for the water to boil, watching him.

"Now tell me why you believe Congressman Henney is a dangerous man, Mr. Kraft. I'm all ears because from what I can see? He's a consummate politician and in my book, that's not saying much."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

"Henney isn't what he appears. He's a dangerous criminal, Ms. Stone."

She strode back inside after him. Her hands tightening up the towel. Oh that's right: the historian had told him people of this time period were still very repressed in their sexual mores. He looked down at the clothing he had awoke in at the hospital. Fitting in would be a little difficult here if he didn't learn to accept the current period's outdated oppinions about nudity.

The sofa he sat in didn't provide much support and consequently his but sank in. If Ms. Stone looked at him from a certain angle she'd get a good look at his genitals like this. He raised a pillow from the couch and experimented on the best way to place it and block her from getting a shock to her primitive proprieties.

"I brought you these. They're not much, just a pair of lounging pants for sleeping in and a pair of jean that may fit you. An ex left them behind. The shirt is what I sleep in. " She returned soon bringing back some clothing for him.

He nodded thanking her as she walked over to the dining area of her quarters. He had risen up and shucked off the thin fabric before suddenly remembering he was trying to respect her sensitivity. Here he stood completely naked in front of her.

He grabbed the pillow and covered his genitals from her gaze. "I hope I haven't offended you, Ms. Stone. I'll head into the bathing room to change if you don't mind." Then he walked over to her bathroom carefully keeping the pillow over his genitals completely oblivious to the fact that in doing so he allowed him an unimpeded view of his buttocks as he strode into the bathroom.

The pants were small and tight on him. The shirt fit but wasn't much better than the pants. He felt uncomfortable like a sudden motion would tear the clothing she gave him at the primitive seams. He looked at his reflection in the mirror asking, "How do people wear these things?"

He stepped back into the living area of her quarters and looked at her hands wide. "How do I look, Ms. Stone? Like a normal every-day person of the twenty-first century?"

"Would you like a cup of cocoa? I found it helps me sleep." She in turn asked him.

"Ko-Ko?" Bennett tested the unfamiliar word on his tongue. It sounded ridiculous-like Ms. Stone was trying to pull his leg or something. What could Ko-ko actually be? He wished he still had Hex operational. The historian had stored a great deal of information on the twenty-first century he would've needed in his data implant. He shrugged though deciding to trust she wasn't just joking with him.

He took the steaming cup wincing at how hot it was. He carefully brought it to his lips blowing the steam away and taking an experimental sip.

His eyes widened. "Ko-ko is Chocalate." He laughed. Chocalate was all but extinct in the twenty-fourth century. Only a priviledged few had ever gotten a gram of it. He had been fortunate enough to receive one gram of it once when he was a child. It had tasted wonderful and haunted his memory still. And here it was diluted in hot water like something so wonderful could be so common a thing. Maybe being stuck in the twenty-first century was not such a bad thing.

"Now tell me why you believe Congressman Henney is a dangerous man, Mr. Kraft." She suddenly stated.

Bennett tensed looking at her the mug of Ko-ko being placed back on the dining space's countertop. "I...." How much could he tell her before he altered the course of her life with the knowledge of what Henney was.

"I'm all ears because from what I can see? He's a consummate politician and in my book, that's not saying much."

He wanted to ask her what was a book, but instead he answered her question. "I arrested him before. He hurt six other women in the exact same fashion as the woman in your news bulletin said that poor woman was murdered." He looked up at her so she could see the honest truth in his eyes without him having to go into the timeline destroying details. "Henney's a sick man. He has a genetic syndrome that compels his deviant behavior, but he can pass himself off as a whole upstanding of functioning member of society in public." His eyes narrowed becoming hard as composite shipsteel, "But in private he's not well-not at all."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

"I'm not offended."

She called after his disappearing back as he headed into the bathroom to put on the clothes she handed him. That didn't deter her from admiring the view he did give her. Her lips formed a silent whistle while her eyes strolled down his back. Damn. That was one mighty fine ass. She shook her head as he completely disappeared from her sight. it didn't take him long to return to the livingroom. At his question, she turned around from fixing the two mugs of hot chocolate and had to bite her lip. Oh mercy. Paul's pants were too small for him and the shirt that hung off her, on Mr. Kraft, well, it tested the strength of thread, that's for sure. Sam handed over one of the mugs into his keeping but didn't dare take a sip herself. She'd probably choke on it, laughing.

Focus, Sam. She sternly reminded herself.

She listened to him intently. Henney? But why didn't they know any of this? How could the man run for a public office and get away with hurting six other women?

"Mr. Kraft, I'm not saying I disbelieve you, but are you sure you have the right man? And do you have proof of your allegations?"

There were things about Kraft that puzzled her. Little things. Who didn't know what cocoa was? He seemed to act like he didn't. Then there was that flashlight of his, which she knew now wasn't an ordinary flashlight, but hadn't a clue as to what it actually was. Then there were some things he had said. Definitely puzzling.

Samantha Stone had a fascination for puzzles.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

"Henney's a sick man. He has a genetic syndrome that compels his deviant behavior, but he can pass himself off as a whole upstanding of functioning member of society in public." His eyes narrowed becoming hard as composite shipsteel, "But in private he's not well-not at all."

She had sat and listened patiently and intently to his explanation holding the cup of precious ko-ko. "Mr. Kraft, I'm not saying I disbelieve you," She said, "But are you sure you have the right man?"

He nodded, "I am."

"And do you have proof of your allegations?"

He looked into his half empty mug of ko-ko, "I don't." He canted his head a little, "Atleast none I could tell you or any you'd believe."

He couldn't tell her everything. She barely believed his credibility as it was. Besides it wasn't her problem. It was no one in this era's problem. He would have to kill them. There was nowhere in this time where Henney and the other fugitives' presence weren't an unconscionable danger to the timeline. The problem was they didn't belong here to begin with.

He shook his head. "In any event. Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter? Henney is my problem, not yours. It is up to me to deal with him."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

“That’s where you would be wrong, Mr. Kraft. In case it slipped your mind, you’re in my territory now, regardless of where you came from and that leads me to a very interesting question. Where do you come from?”

Her eyes watched him steadily as she leaned a hip against the counter. It was just a feeling on her part, but there was something about Kraft that just wasn’t right. Okay, maybe that was unfair of her. There was something….different, about him. She wasn’t the most tactful person around but she was direct. Very direct.

“I’ll be very honest with you, Mr. Kraft. I don’t trust you. You’ve given me little reason to. You show up out of nowhere, almost end up under my car, tried to escape the hospital and tell me there’s something very bad and wrong with Congressman Henney. Now, regardless of what I personally might think? I haven’t told you I think you’re one limp noddle shy of a plateful of spaghetti. What I do know? You’re a stranger here in my city. Henney, is part of my city. That makes Henney my problem too if there is one. You’re going to need to trust someone around here, Mr. Kraft. No man is an island unto themselves. No one. I think there’s more to this than you’re saying. The way I see it, you have two choices. You can either trust me and let me help you or I can haul that sweet looking ass of yours off to jail and you can cool your heels in the can while I call the Congressman and ask him what the sam hell is going on. Ball’s in your court, Kraft. What do you say?”

Sam’s right brow arched slightly as she raised her mug to her lips and took a sip of chocolate goodness as she waited to see what her visitor was going to say. She knew she had been a bit out of line telling him he had a sweet looking ass, but it was the truth. Damn if she didn’t have a thing about men’s backsides, but she really did need to learn to curtail her blasted tongue and her impulsive nature sometimes.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

He shook his head. "In any event. Whether you believe me or not doesn't matter? Henney is my problem, not yours. It is up to me to deal with him."

“That’s where you would be wrong, Mr. Kraft," Detective Stone replied, "In case it slipped your mind, you’re in my territory now, regardless of where you came from and that leads me to a very interesting question." She looked up at him, "Where do you come from?”

"That would be another question with an answer you'd find hard to believe," He answered, "And unimportant to our situation since its unlikely I'll ever get to go back home. The fact of the matter is I'm here now though."

“I’ll be very honest with you, Mr. Kraft," She said being rather direct, "I don’t trust you. You’ve given me little reason to. You show up out of nowhere, almost end up under my car, tried to escape the hospital and tell me there’s something very bad and wrong with Congressman Henney."

"No matter what you believe," He said to her quickly, "Beleive that. He's extremely dangerous. Stay away from him. He is my responsibility. Let me deal with him, beleive me."

"Now, regardless of what I personally might think? I haven’t told you I think you’re one limp noddle shy of a plateful of spaghetti," She continued, "What I do know? You’re a stranger here in my city. Henney, is part of my city. That makes Henney my problem too if there is one. You’re going to need to trust someone around here, Mr. Kraft. No man is an island unto themselves. No one."

He looked down at the mug of hot rich ko-ko at that. He wanted to tell her, but could he burden her with that. Bennett pursed his lips, "It's too important. I have to bear this weight alone."

"I think there’s more to this than you’re saying. The way I see it, you have two choices," She told him, "You can either trust me and let me help you or I can haul that sweet looking ass of yours off to jail and you can cool your heels in the can while I call the Congressman and ask him what the sam hell is going on. Ball’s in your court, Kraft. What do you say?”

"No," He exclaimed, "Don't contact him. Henney is very dangerous, Detective Stone. The advanced knowledge and the power he has as a congressman-the element of surprise is absolutely imperative if I am to neutralize the damage he's causing."

She watched him then over the edge of her mug one eyebrow raised.

He placed the mug down on the counter and sighed with resignation. "All I can tell you is that Henney is a dangerous and sick fugitive from...where we come from...and I have been sent here to prevent him from causing anyone any more harm." He looked at her, "That's all I can give you. I know you want to know more, but in this case there is such a thing as too much knowledge. So please, Detective Stone, accept not being able to find out."

He looked over to her sofa, "It's getting late. I'll sleep here if I am still welcome to do so. In the morning I'll be gone and won't trouble your life any further."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

For the briefest of moments, she looked from the couch, back to Kraft, then shook her head slightly. Inwardly she sighed. He was about as tight-lipped at a mud sucker on the bottom of a Tennessee river bed and she wasn’t any wiser about him at all. Sam’s head tilted slightly to one side, her chin jutted forward and there was a gleam of stubborn battle in her eyes. She tossed her hands slightly in the air, a hint of resignation lacing her voice.

“Yes. Fine. The offer of my couch stands. “

She pivoted toward her own bedroom, taking her mug with her, took two steps and stopped, turning back to look at him again.

“You know, Kraft,” she eyed him with frustration and a steely look, “you do what you need to, but I’m warning you now. Get on the wrong end of law and I won’t hesitate to have your ass locked up and rest assured, I’ll leave you to cool your heels in a jail cell.”

With that, she turned back around, marching into her bedroom and shutting the door a little harder than normal. Who the bloody hell did he think he was? He appeared out of nowhere, and by god, she had a strange feeling about him, just nothing she could quite put her finger on…yet. He spun some crazy tale about Henney, giving her nothing significant to substantiate his claim.

She crawled into bed, finished up her cocoa and turned off the light, snuggling down for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow was her day off and she had every intention of enjoying it.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

He looked over to her sofa, "It's getting late. I'll sleep here if I am still welcome to do so. In the morning I'll be gone and won't trouble your life any further."

“Yes. Fine." She said shaking her head and tossing her hands in the air in frustration at him.

He felt a little sorry he couldn't explain why she couldn't be told, but in this case ignorance was truly a better and safer state for her and everyone else from this era.

"The offer of my couch stands," She continued.

"Thank you," He nodded and crossed over to it. He gingerly lay down atop it. It wasn't the most comfortable bed he had slept in, but neither was it the most uncomfortable either. "Do not worry," He said as he took the sheet she had provided for him, "With luck this will be the last time you have to worry about me."

After she turned off the lighting and headed to her own bedroom it wasn't long before sleep took him. He had had quite a long and arduous day and he was out like a child within less than a half an hour.

Bennett slept peacefully waking up late the next morning. He felt a little surprised that Hex hadn't awoken him at the usual time, but then he remembered his implant was offline. He attempted to get up but found an archaic mechanical wrist restraining device he had seen hanging from Detective Stone's belt the night before was locked around his wrist and the arm of the couch. On the coffee table folded so he'd notice and be able to read it was a written message on paper.

Dear Mr. Kraft

I can't conscionably let you threaten a United States Congressman so since you won't give me answers I'll go ask Congressman Henney. Odds are you are absolutely nuts and I'll be politely turned away without even seeing Henney, but on the off chance you are telling the truth about him I can't just stand around and do nothing about it.

Sam.​

"No," He cried pulling on the wrist restraint in a sudden fear for Detective Stone's-Sam's-safety. Henney was a cold-blooded killer, a snake in the bushes hiding behind a charming smile. If he even suspected she knew enough to link him with the rapes and murders of those girls-she'd be in terrible danger from him. What's more if she gave away that Bennett had came after the fugitives there's no telling what Henney would do.

He pulled and pulled on the restraining device frantic to get free and stop her before she made a terrible mistake.

 

[DarkWarrioress]

She was leaning against a wall in the corridor waiting a summons into the Congressman’s inner sanctum resulting from an earlier request of hers. A smirk graced her lips and her eyes glanced up from the phone in her hand every time someone passed by her as she waited. Sam was feeling particularly pleased with herself this morning. More like, downright smug. Kraft was hellbent on handling matters himself and apparently, he didn’t like to share. Wasn’t that part of Mom 101? Thou shall learn to share? Her brow furrowed. There was something positively unusual about Kraft. She just wished she pinpoint what exactly.

Last night, after they had both settled down for the night, she had an idea. Samantha rose early to execute that idea which left her guest handcuffed to the couch he was sleeping on. She hadn’t been kidding last night. If he wasn’t willing to tell her anything, then she’d go straight to the source. What could Kraft possibly know? Sam was studying the screen on her phone. Henney appeared squeaky clean, but then, Sam also knew that appearances could be deceiving, especially for politicians. Money, influence, slick deflection, promises made with a snaky smile could work wonders. In the case of the most secretively corrupt, outside pressure could be brought to bear and if that didn’t work? People could disappear. It wasn’t unheard of in a big city.

Lost in her thoughts and study of the information on her phone screen, Samantha didn’t hear the Congressman’s inner office door open.

“Detective Stone?”

Sam glanced up, startled. She gave the polished young man standing in front of the now closed door a brilliant smile.

“Yes?”

The young aide visibly swallowed. His eyes seemed glued to her long legs. She had worn a short tight black skirt. A royal blue tailored blouse was tucked into it. Dark hose covered her legs. Her feet were tucked into black heels. A tailored jacket, buttoned in front, completed her ensemble. Red hair, the ends curled, rested over her shoulders and most of it spilled down her back. As if suddenly realizing he had been staring, the young man’s appreciative eyes floated up her body to her eyes.

“The Congressman will see you now.”

He opened the door and stepped aside to let her pass. Sam resisted the urge to pat his cheek with a roguish grin as she passed by him. Her green eyes met his blue ones, directly, for an instant before they slid past him to the man standing behind his desk. A professionally cool smile graced her lips.

“Congressman Henney. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I know you’re a busy man.”

Sam held out her hand to the consummate politician. There was nothing to detect from her professionally cool, manner. She found her hand engulfed in a strong, firm grasp. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a small shiver slid down her spine.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

Bennett pulled and pulled at the steel handcuffs. He braced his foot against the couch and pulled. The hand cuffs didn't give way but the arm of the couch broke loose. The couch tipped over and fell back on the floor. He didn't notice. Within moments Kraft was out of the apartment and hobbling down the street for Henney's hotel.

He hadn't trusted Peacekeeper Stone enough to tell her, and now because of that ignorance she was in extreme danger. If anything happened to her Bennett would never forgive himself.

-----------------------------------X

IC: Joseph Henney

When Congressman Henney had heard that a detective from the local police department was here asking to see him he had set Dex his implant to connect with this era's primitive datanet and do a quick search on this Samantha Stone. He skimmed over her service record, her financial statements, her private and professional e-mail, and her captain's performance reviews. None of which told him just why she had come to him. She wasn't even on the task force investigating his victims. So he told his people to let her in, and see face to face just what she wanted from him while sifted more information on her in implant.

The door opened and a becoming redhaired woman was ushered through. He smiled his smile that politicians the world over of any age used, but in his case was particularly skin deep at her. "Detective, how can I help you?"

“Congressman Henney," She replied, "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice. I know you’re a busy man.”

"I am only as Busy as my constituents need me to be," He said wryly shaking her hand and gesturing for her to sit. This Dectective Stone was quite beautiful perhaps she would be a fine candidate for his next stress release, even now he could feel the need to hurt and posess and break building within him-though the last girl had been enough to where he could just sit here and push the need to the back of his mind.

He settled back in his seat and froze for a second. Dex had uncovered security camera footage from a local hospital parking garage where a Dectective Stone and a unidentified man was climbing into a car and driving off. The man was unidentified but Henney recognized him immediately.

Something very close to fear or desperation cracked through his smiling politician's mask for just a second before he schooled his features back to normalcy.

He supposed it was inevitable that the authorities back in the 24th century would send someone to retrieve them-if going back was even possible-no, the only answer was that they had sent Kraft to kill them-kill him. It left him few options to protect himself and his new life here in the 21st century.

He looked at Detective Stone not knowing precisely what relation she was to him, but knowing Kraft she would atleast be an effective hostage, and if not she would be a good stress relief.

"The fundraiser is in a few minutes, but I think I can give you a few minutes," He said to her, "Can I offer you some refreshment, Detective?"

 

[DarkWarrioress]

She lowered herself into the chair he offered, tugging her skirt down as she did so. There was something about the congressman she didn't like. On camera, he was suave and oozed charisma. In person, he seemed artifical, shallow and slimy. All her instincts were screaming at her to get out of there. Sam crossed one leg over the other as she rested back against the leather chair she sat in. Her hands rested easily in her lap. She was trying to figure out how to begin and how to continue when he offered her something to drink. Sam gave him a small polite smile.

"A cup of coffee would be appreciated Congressman, thank you. I think I managed get one cup this morning and that wasn't nearly enough."

Sam studied him. Maybe this wasn't going to be so rough after all. He seemed open enough, for a politican.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you like this, Congressman Henney. I know you're quite the busy man. I gather you won't be in our fair city long? Just passing through on your campaign trail if the media is to be believed, isn't that right? We just want to insure that your stay is a quiet, safe one. We're a fairly quiet city, all things considered and our boss gets a little put out when our violent crime numbers rise, especially when there's such a popular politican, such as yourself, in our midst. So, I just wanted to stop by and personally introduce myself and let you know that I'm at your disposal if you need law enforcement for anything."

Sam wanted to ask him questions, but she wasn't sure how to go about it without sounding like she needed to be locked up in a padded cell, wearing a straitjacket. Then again, maybe Kraft was a nut case and she should warn the Congressman about him.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Joseph Henney

"The fundraiser is in a few minutes, but I think I can give you a few minutes," He said to her, "Can I offer you some refreshment, Detective?"

"A cup of coffee would be appreciated Congressman, thank you," Detective stone answered, "I think I managed get one cup this morning and that wasn't nearly enough."

"Remarkable how dependent you can get on something as simple as caffeine, is it not," He asked rising to cross over to the coffeepot. In the twenty-fourth century caffeine was a controlled substance like opiates, and now in this backwater time one can get large doses of the vile substance in the corner store, but what should Henney expect from a people so unenlightened that they inhale tobacco smoke filled with various poisons regularly and on purpose.

He put a styrofoam cup down and poured an amount of the still hot coffee his assistant had made for him this morning. He looked back at her resuming Dex's scan of her files and hacking her computer slipping past its firewalls with rudimentary ease. "Cream or sugar?"

After she answered he brought her cup of coffee to her and leaned against his desk and crossing his arms. "So what can I do for you, Detective?"

"I'm sorry to barge in on you like this, Congressman Henney," she said, "I know you're quite the busy man. I gather you won't be in our fair city long? Just passing through on your campaign trail if the media is to be believed, isn't that right?"

"That's right," He nodded, "I'll be leaving for Washington the day after tomorrow for a crucial vote in the house. Then its back on the campaign trail."

"We just want to insure that your stay is a quiet, safe one," She continued, "We're a fairly quiet city, all things considered and our boss gets a little put out when our violent crime numbers rise, especially when there's such a popular politican, such as yourself, in our midst."

That caused an eyebrow to rise. How much did she know? Kraft certainly would have put two and two together and if he had told her-that was what she was doing here. This detective was fishing-trying to find out the truth for herself. He'd have to kill her just to silence her quickly instead of taking the time he normally did.

He regarded her beautiful body and face again. Pity.

"So, I just wanted to stop by and personally introduce myself and let you know that I'm at your disposal if you need law enforcement for anything."

He chuckled, "I appreciate that detective." Reaching into his pocket he pulled a palm-sized silver cylinder and pointed the stunner at her and fired. A white beam of energy hit her square in the chest, the energy washed over her central nervous system making her collapse from the chair and onto the carpeted floor before him in uncontrollable spasms.

Henney bent down and pressed his fingers on the side of her neck checking her pulse. It had taken a few tries before he realized people of the twenty-first century weren't as hearty as those in the twenty-fourth. Fortunately her heart was still beating strong and steady. His adjustment to the stunner's power setting was still proving satisfyingly effective. She was conscious but completely paralyzed for the next few minutes.

He lifted her up and put her back in the chair, taking the oppurtunity to feel her butt, stick his hand within her blouse and squeeze a breast. He grabbed her chin and planted a kiss on her lips his tongue battering its way into her mouth. Finally he broke off telling her, "It's such a pity I can't spend as much time on you as I'd like to, detective, but Kraft is undoubtedly coming to rescue you, and I'll need a hostage as a bargaining chip."

Then he left the hotel room and told his people to stall the fundraiser and got his black bag. He returned to the hotel room and found her still in the chair. He opened the bag and began using his zip-ties on her wrists and ankles tying her to the chair. She was beginning to stir. The low-powered stun charge was beginning to wear off.

"It's a little old fashioned, I know, but just because something's old doesn't mean its no longer of value," He said pulled out his knife from the bag and letting it catch the light where she couldn't help but see it. "I got it through black market channels so you hopeless backwater peacekeepers wouldn't link my victims to me, but you...you came straight to me...why is that?"

"Now detective." The cold flat of the knife was placed under her chin. "Tell me just how much did Kraft tell you about me? I do hope you lie or stall. I don't usually get to use this knife as much as I'd like to."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Sam sipped at her coffee as she listened to him talk. She could easily see why he was so popular among his constituents. Henney seemed easy going and friendly but for her, there was something more, something underlying that she just couldn't put her finger on. So even when his hand eased into his pocket and pulled something out, she thought nothing of it.

Her mind suddenly short circuited. For all of maybe three seconds, her mind was filled with something akin to white noise. For that same amount of time, her mind went black but when it reverted back to normal she found she couldn't move and Henney was picking her up off the floor and putting her back in her chair. When had she fallen out of it? Was that his hand on her backside? Was he touching her breast? She could have easily fooled herself that it was her imagination except for what he did next. He grabbed her chin as his lips covered hers, his tongue a battering ram into her mouth. She struggled or thought she did. Her muscles weren't responding.

Kraft? Bargaining chip? Damn it. Kraft had been right all along. It was all becoming clear to her now. Whatever Henney had taken out of his pocket and apparently used on her, was something very much like that flashlight of Kraft's. He left the room and she tried again to move her legs and arms. Nothing. Crap. Henney came back with a bag and all she could do was helplessly watch as he used zip-ties on her wrists and ankles. Then it happened. A slight tingling. Experimentally, she tried moving a finger even a toe and found they moved. Barely. Not that it mattered. Not only was she tied down, but Henney had placed something cold under her chin. Metallic. Sam could feel her throat constricting. Her tongue peeked out from the confines of her mouth, wetting her lips. She tipped her head back, despite the blade's lodging place and glared up at him.

"Who are you? What are you and Kraft and where the hell do you both come from? Because I'm beginning to think it's not anywhere near here."

Right about now she was kind of wishing she had listened to Kraft and kind of wishing she hadn't handcuffed him to the couch. Sam could use a little help about now, but she had a sinking feeling that wasn't going to happen.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Joseph Henney

"Now detective." The cold flat of the knife was placed under her chin. "Tell me just how much did Kraft tell you about me? I do hope you lie or stall. I don't usually get to use this knife as much as I'd like to."

She found her voice then weak and low, "Who are you? What are you and Kraft and where the hell do you both come from? Because I'm beginning to think it's not anywhere near here."

"Good questions, detective," He chuckled tapping the jut of her chin with the point of the knife, "I take it Kraft hasn't told you much of the truth." He stopped to laugh aloud the motion caused the edge of the blade to scrape over her skin and cause a knick and a beed of blood to well out. "He's trying to protect the timeline isn't he?"

He backed away and put the knife on his desk. "Should I tell you the truth? That would torture him, wouldn't it? He's obviously gone to great lengths trying to shield you from it. But on the other hand I do want to rape and kill you. I don't need to, that runaway the other night tided me over, but it would really hurt Kraft. "

He smiled at her as he took her purse and opened it. His hand reached in and placed her spare firearm cautiously to one side on the desk, "These things are so antiquated and messy and loud. I much prefer the stunners from my time. That and my knife but I'm a bit old fashioned that way." He pulled out her pocketbook and opened it flipping through her credit cards, her cash, and family photos. He threw it behind him when he was done.

"I think I've decided to spoil you, detective." He pulled out her cell phone and looked at it using Dex to clone it. He then threw it behind him. It landed somewhere near her pocketbook. "The question you should ask isn't where me and Kraft is from but when." He threw her compact and eyeliner and lipstick from her bag next.

"Four centuries," He glanced at her, "That's four hundred years from now into the future, detective Stone. That's the when."

"I have a condition that won't even be discovered for oh somewhere about seventy years from now. I won't bore you with the neuralchemistry involved, but it basically means I need to rape and kill someone every so often. Well suffice it to say I was caught by Kraft and sent to prison."

He pulled out a flashlight from the bottom of her purse. He tested it but apparently it was broken. "Me and a few other inmates escaped to a research lab. The scientists were experimenting with temporal displacement fields. We took the lab and used it to send us here to this time, well more like six years ago to be precise. Oh and Kraft...he's been sent back to do...what do you call it these days...clean up the mess." He chucked the flashlights behind him. it landed near her foot.

"So there you have it, Samantha, can I call you Samantha," He said picking up the knife and sauntering confidently towards her. "The truth. Now you know. If the timeline isn't screwed over by everything me and the others have done, you knowing may just tip the scales." He bent over and placed the tip of the knife on her lower lip. "In this case your curiosity may have cost the lives of untold billions of people that haven't even been born yet. How do you like that?"

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Timeline? She watched him back away and pick up her purse, methodically going through it. Her thoughts were scattered and nothing Henney was saying made any sense. Pull it together, Sam. Keeping an eye on Henney, she tested the ties on her wrists. He had them on pretty tight. He’s obviously done this before. Her eyes shifted to her wrists.

"Four centuries," He glanced at her, "That's four hundred years from now into the future, detective Stone. That's the when."

Her eyes shot back to Henney. What in the bloody hell was he going on about? Condition? Seventy years from now? Sam knew that some of the most dangerously deranged people looked and acted perfectly normal. They could fool a great many people that way. Lure them in…kill them. Easy. Her eyes simply watched him. He was tossing things right and left out of her purse. What was he looking for? The flashlight he had just tossed over his shoulder, landed close to her foot. Damn it. If only her ankle wasn’t tied to the chair leg.

Henney came back toward her with his knife, setting the tip against her lower lip. She lowered her eyes. She had to stall for time or she had to get Henney to untie her, but how? Her lips parted slightly. The tip of her tongue cautiously touched the cold steel before she lifted her eyes to his face.

“Let me get this this straight, you’re telling me that you and Kraft are from…the future? Why should I believe that instead of believing that you escaped from some asylum for the criminally insane? And more importantly, how in the world could my possibly knowing any of this screw up some sort of timeline?”

All the while, her brain was sliding through possible ways to get her out of this mess if talking didn’t buy her some time. Damn it, Kraft. Hurry up. If you're a man from the future, (and she couldn't believe she was even contemplating believing that) figure a way out of those handcuffs, will you? Now if Henny would just nudge that cyclinder closer to her foot……

 

[Veroe]

IC: Joseph Henney and Bennett Kraft

"So there you have it, Samantha, can I call you Samantha," He said picking up the knife and sauntering confidently towards her. "The truth. Now you know. If the timeline isn't screwed over by everything me and the others have done, you knowing may just tip the scales." He bent over and placed the tip of the knife on her lower lip. "In this case your curiosity may have cost the lives of untold billions of people that haven't even been born yet. How do you like that?"

“Let me get this this straight, you’re telling me that you and Kraft are from…the future?"

Henney patted the flat of the knife on her forehead. "Ah, that less-evolved brain in there gets it."

Ignoring his mockery she asked, "Why should I believe that instead of believing that you escaped from some asylum for the criminally insane?"

"Actually," Henney smirked, "I did escape from an asylum or the closest equivalent in the tweny-fourth century."

She continued, "And more importantly, how in the world could my possibly knowing any of this screw up some sort of timeline?”

"You have to be kidding me," He said taken aback, "Even a chimpanzee could grasp something so simple." He grasped her chin, his fingers roughly digging into her cheeks. He then force her head up so they looked eye to eye.

"I'll spell it out so even a neanderthal like you can comprehend it," He told her, "Fore-knowledge is a dangerous thing. Since now you know of the existence of fugitives from the future the decisions you make from this point on will begin to diverge from how the course of your life according to the records of our history should take. Instead of going to the coffee shop and meeting the man you were destined to marry you decide to access the web searching for clues to track me and my fellows. Since you never met your future husband you never would raise the children you were destined to have, and no grandchildren and great grandchildren. What if your great great grandson was destined to cure cancer or your great great grandaughter was the greatest president this pissant country would ever have? But that's not all of the damage it can cause. Because of their absence in the course of events of their lifetimes all the people their lives were to affect and how they were to affect them would be altered perhaps for the worse. Because of the absence of your descendents all the people those people were to affect and how they were to be affected would be altered perhaps for the worse."

"Fore-knowledge, You can't stop it now that you've been told. If what me and the others are doing hasn't caused enough damage you may be the tipping point. Hell now because of us the world may be obliterated in a third world war in a few decades. The future me and Kraft come from is pretty much screwed." He laughed giddy with the sadistic thrill of the harm he was inflicting.

He stopped laughing suddenly peering into her eyes no longer seeing her as a person but as his next prey. He dragged the point of the knife across her cheek making a cut that weeped blood down the side of her face. Then he smashed his lips against hers forcing his tongue into hers.

She struggled ofcourse, realizing where Henney was going. But that was fine with him. It was more fun when they tried to fight back.

"Sir, you can't go in there," Came one of the security agent's voice from the other side of the office door.

"Peacekeeper Stone, Sam, are you in there? Are you alright?" The door shook as if someone had slammed into it. "Let go of me. Sam?"

Henney pulled away from the forced kiss. "Ah the hero's come to save the damsel in distress." He dragged the knife across her other cheek. A cut, twin to the first now decorated her left cheek.

He tipped over the chair so she fell over onto the floor. Her head landed atop the stupid broken flashlight from her purse. Henney kneeled down pressing the knife against her throat. His other hand threading into her hair and brutally pulling her head back. The end of the flashlight was slid against the inside of his shoe. Now the lens pressed against the arch of his foot, but Henney ignored it. "Don't come in here Kraft if you want your sexy redhead detective to live."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

He really was starting to irritate her. She was buying time. Her mind was working overtime trying to find a way to get the advantage in this situation, which wasn’t easy given the fact that he had secured her arms and legs. But his condescending attitude? She wanted depserately to give him an adjustment there. As much as it grated on her nerves, he had a point. Fore-knowledge. If she had any of it, how tempted would she be to use it and in turn, affect the future? If the future was being written now, by decisions she made in the here and now. The world evolved the same way. The future held a myraid of possibilities, depending upon a moment’s choice and human nature, such as it was, could shift that future in the blink of an eye or make a certain amount of it, predictable.

Sam kept her eyes steady on Henney’s face as he approached her, blade in hand. Cold steel touched her cheek. Then came the sharp pain, the feel of something dripping along her skin. There was hardly time to acknowledge the action as Henney’s mouth crushed against her own, his tongue forcing its way into her mouth. She wanted to gag but quelled the response, suspecting that Henney would enjoy it. Her arms automatically struggled to rise, her fingers clenching and unclenching in response to her need to choke the living shit out of him. The struggle in futility only increased her frustration.

“Kraft!”

Her raised voice ended on a soft moan as Henney drew the sharp edge of the blade down her other cheek. Just let her get free. Please. Henney tipped the chair she was secured to. There was nowhere else to go. No way to stop it as the back of her head smashed into something cold and hard. The device? She froze, her breath caught in her throat as the Congressman pressed the deadly edge of his knife against her throat as he brutally laced his fingers into her hair and gave a savage yank back, giving him clear access to her jugular vein.

Sam was very aware of the cyclindrical object beneath her head. From the corner of her eye she saw it was lodged against his foot. Now if only she could find the button, the switch that could turn the device on. Maybe the jolt it could provide to Henney, would buy her some time to get out of this mess or at the very least, get Kraft in the door.

The flashlight rolled under her head, a response due to Henney’s vicious yanking of her head.

"Don't come in here Kraft if you want your sexy redhead detective to live."

She almost missed it. The sound. A soft click. But her head felt it. Her eyes closed briefly in a silent prayer.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

"Don't come in here Kraft if you want your sexy redhead detective to live."

Bennett heard Henney's voice come out threatening through the hard wood of the door his face was being pressed up against by Henney's security man's rough handling. However as Henney's words registered within his mind the pressure faltered on the back of Bennett's shoulder's and head.

He looked up askance. "Wha-"

There came the sound of someone or something falling. Bennett felt a surge of fear for Sam's fate. His hand suddenly came up behind the agent's head and with a roll of his shoulder propelled him forehead first into the door.

He looked down at the agent reaching for the doorknob, locked. "Sam," He cried before putting his shoulder into it and knocking the door open.

Inside was Sam bound to a chair tipped over on the floor. Above her laying prone on the floor was Henney.

"Sam," He ran over to her and knelt down his hands trying to undo the primitive plasctic restraints at her wrists, "Are you all right?" She was bleeding and he couldn't undo the restraints. Looking around he found a knife near Henney's unconscious body, and used that to cut her free.

Helping her up he looked into her eyes. He accused her, "It was very stupid to confront Henney alone." He glance over as someone gasped from the door. It was a woman who immediately turned and ran. "She'll probably contact the peacekeepers."

"You need to go to a hospital," He told her, "I need to stay and take care of him."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Crap just got deeper and deeper, didn’t it?

Kraft was on the other side of the door. Here she was, trapped on this side with some fruit loop who believed he was from the future and definitely some sort of psychotic killer, if he was to be believed. Then again, how much could she believe what a fruit loop had to say anyway? Her head had rolled slightly on that flashlight and she felt something compress and then that small sound, like a click. The next thing she knew, Henney was a dead weight, slumped over her turned over chair.

Bennett Kraft came charging through the door. She was damn glad to see him. Hell no, she wasn’t all right. Her cheeks were cut, she was bleeding and she was pissed as hell. Kraft used Henney’s knife to cut her free and his next words did little more than fan her already flaring temper.

"It was very stupid to confront Henney alone."

Sam was rubbing her wrists and looked up, glaring at Bennett as she continued to rub. Her lips parted to deliver some scathing remark but a soft gasp at the door forestalled that. Crap. Scrambling to her feet Sam felt this overwhelming urge to kick Henney. Her glance went from the prone body to Bennett.

“They’re just surface scratches. I’ll be fine.”

Sam cast a sharp look at the now empty doorway.

“I’ll go see if I can’t do some damage control. Where the hell is my purse?”

The contents of her purse were luckily spread in one small area. She snagged up the clutch and shoved things in willy nilly and was ready to snap it closed when her eyes spied the flashlight. She reached out, fingers closing around it and swiftly added it to the contents of her purse.

“Damn thing finally did something good.”

One final glare aimed at the unconscious Henney and then she was out the door. Sam snagged a couple of tissues from the other room on her way out of the suite, closing the door, closing the door softly behind her. The woman who had run out was nowhere to be seen. She wiped the blood from her cheeks, tucking the stained tissues in her handbag. Now what? Go after the woman or wait for law enforcement to arrive? She gave a quick look over her shoulder at the closed door and hoped that Bennett was going to be able to manage Henney. She headed off at a brisk walk then a slow jog as she went in search of the woman capable of turning this incident into something Sam wanted to avoid at all costs.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

"You need to go to a hospital," He told her, "I need to stay and take care of him."

Bennett looked down at the prone body of Henney. The fugitive lay on the carpet unconscious. He didn't look like a brutal and insidious murderer now.

“They’re just surface scratches. I’ll be fine,” she retorted as Bennett bent over Henney's body. She left to chase after the woman from the door. “I’ll go see if I can’t do some damage control. Where the hell is my purse?”

Now was his chance. He was alone with Henney. He needed to eliminate the threat Henney posed to the timeline. He eyed Henney's knife like it was a coiled snake.

In the twenty-fourth century violence was an exception not the rule like here in the twenty-first. The weapons most commonly used were non-lethal like stunners. Bennett had arrested dozens of law-breakers but had never ever taken a life in that cause. He had never in all of his life taken another's life, and now as he peered down at the body of Henney he couldn't beleive he was even thinking of doing this.

By just being here Henney was causing irreparable damage to the future. Damage that wouldn't be stopped if he was just locked away, and how would they do that. Here Henney was a powerful man, and Kraft and Sam would never be able to tell the peacekeepers of this era enough to make them believe them to put him in prison. No that knife was the only solution to the problem.

With a trembling hand he picked up the knife and moved it over Henney's chest. He could do this. For the sake of the future he had to do this. He could do this. He had to do this.

The knifepoint hovered there before he cast it back onto the floor. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't do it. Tears welled up in his eyes he struggled to hold back as the realization of how many people Henney's continuing contamination of the timestream would harm.

He looked up and saw Sam standing in the doorway looking at him. "How much did you see," He asked standing up and wiping the tears from his eye, "I...I...I couldn't do it, and so many people will suffer because of my weakness."

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Sam was rooted to the spot. Her brain had kicked into neutral. Her eyes flickered between the skittering knife, Bennett and the still prone Henney. There was no time to say anything; there was only a sense of urgency.

“Quick, Bennett we have to get out of here. Now. I couldn’t find the woman and I can hear sirens in the distance. They’ll be here soon and I rather not get caught standing over the unconscious body Henney. Especially with this knife lying around.”

Sam hurried forward, swooped down on the knife and hastily tucked it in her purse. Her eyes scanned the room with a critical eye, making sure none of the contents of her purse that Henney had dumped were lying around. She whisked up the remnants of the zip ties, stuffing them into the pocket of her skirt.

She really had the urge to kick the shit out of Henney.

“What are we going to do about him,” her head nodded sideways to Henney’s prone body, “I sure as hell don’t want to leave him here, but ….” Her voice trailed off as the sirens got louder. She got hastily to her feet, her fingers curling around Bennett’s hand, “We don’t have time. We need to get you out of here right now. Let’s go.”

Sam wasn’t taking no for answer. If Bennett was thrown into jail there was no way he could deal with Henney. As much as she hated the idea of letting this sociopath slip through their fingers, she really didn’t see any choice at the moment. They’d get another another chance later. Men like Henney were too damn egotistical to run and just damn crazy too.

“Bennett, let’s go. Out the back. We’ll circle around the block and come back for my car.”

Silently Sam prayed that the woman that ran away from Henney’s room could only describe Sam as someone having red hair and little more. Her eyes washed over Bennett, thankful he was just another handsome face in the crowd.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Bennett Kraft

He looked up and saw Sam standing in the doorway looking at him. "How much did you see," He asked standing up and wiping the tears from his eye, "I...I...I couldn't do it, and so many people will suffer because of my weakness."

“Quick, Bennett we have to get out of here. Now. I couldn’t find the woman and I can hear sirens in the distance," She said hurriedly coming over and stuffing Henney's knife and plastic binders into her purse, "They’ll be here soon and I rather not get caught standing over the unconscious body of Henney. Especially with this knife lying around.”

"Let's go then," He turned for the door.

“What are we going to do about him?”

Bennett froze at the question. "I-I don't know." He looked at her wondering if Henney had told her the truth or not. "He shouldn't be here, but I can't kill him though...I'm sorry...I just can't."

“I sure as hell don’t want to leave him here, but ….” She said her voice trailing off.

He nodded. He hated leaving Henney behind too where he could rape and murder another poor innocent girl. Then too there was also the fact that now that Henney knew Kraft was here in this time period he'd realize he and the other fugitives wouldn't be safe until he and Sam if she was told anything of the truth were dead. As a statesman he would have many resources to make them both dissapear. His thoughts stopped as loud sirens came from outside. Bennett glanced out the window to see vehicles with blue flashing lights atop them come to stop and blue uniformed peacekeepers emerged from them entering the Hotel.

He looked back to Sam as she said, “We don’t have time. We need to get you out of here right now. Let’s go.”

Bennett glanced over to Henney still limply unconscious on the carpet. They were making a mistake leaving Henney behind, but they didn't really have a choice at the moment.

“Bennett, let’s go. Out the back. We’ll circle around the block and come back for my car.”

He followed her out of Henney's office down the stairs to the back door. They emerged onto the hotel's loading dock and jumped down into the alley behind it.

"This is your era, Sam," He said not realizing he may have let slip a clue to the truth, "Where should we go to lay low at?"

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Sam knew it didn’t set well with Bennett either, to let Henney go free but right now? They simply had no other choice. They were just going to have to find a way to keep track of Henney and make sure he didn’t create another victim.

They stood side by side in the alley. Sam’s mind scrambled for solutions. The woman could identify both of them if she was questioned. What to do now?

“Come on, this way. I have an idea.”

They ran down the alley and Sam poked her head around the corner. Red lights were still flashing out front, but the sirens had been turned off, thankfully. She ducked back around, leaning her head against the brick wall. Her eyes sought Bennett’s.

“Listen. Here’s what we’re going to do. Luckily, I parked down toward this end of the street. So, we’re going to casually get into my car and leave. If we’re lucky, the uniforms won’t even notice us. We’re going to head back to my place so I can pack a few things and I’m going to place a phone call to my boss. I got some time off time coming. I’ve been working long hours lately. He won’t think anything of me asking for some time off for a family emergency. Then later, you’re going to tell me everything I want to know, Kraft.”

The look in her eyes became piercing and hard. Determined even. Those closest to her could have told him that he was fighting a losing battle when she got that look in her eyes. She could be worse than a pitbull at an illegal dogfight.

She shoved away from the wall and peeked around the corner again. Now was as good of a time as any. There were only two uniforms on the sidewalk talking to a couple of people. They needed to move their asses, now.

“Come on, let’s move it.”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Joseph Henney

"Congressman, sir, are you alright? Can you hear me?"

Henney groaned and cracked open his eyes feeling horrible. There were two uniformed peacekeeper officers bent over him looking down on him concerned.

What had happened? He felt like he had been shot by a stunner, but his was still in his pocket.

The flashlight...it had to be it...that decietful bitch. And he bought the whole 'I have no idea what's going on' routine she gave him hook line and singer.

But how in hell had she gotten a stunner keyed to her alone. Kraft trusted her that much? They were working together?

Detective Samantha Stone was not a bit of bait for him, or an innocent bystander involved in this by happenstance. She was his partner.

"I'm okay." He began to rise shakily using the officers to keep him upright-that flashlight was a big powerful stunner.

He stopped as thought occurred to him. He smiled, yes, yes...Kraft and stone would work for him.

"Don't worry, congressman, we'll find the people who did this."
---------------------------------------X

IC: Bennett Kraft

"This is your era, Sam," He said not realizing he may have let slip a clue to the truth, "Where should we go to lay low at?"

She started down the alley towards the end of the alley. “Come on, this way. I have an idea.”

Bennett followed after her until she stopped to look around the front of the hotel seeing two peacekeepers at the entrance. She turned back to look him in the eye.

“Listen. Here’s what we’re going to do. Luckily, I parked down toward this end of the street. So, we’re going to casually get into my car and leave," She said, "If we’re lucky, the uniforms won’t even notice us."

Bennett looked down the street to see her car parked on the curb in front of a lightpole. He wasn't exactly sure what acting casual was in the twenty-first century, but hopefully he could pull it off winging it. "And then what?"

"We’re going to head back to my place so I can pack a few things and I’m going to place a phone call to my boss," She answered, "I got some time off time coming. I’ve been working long hours lately. He won’t think anything of me asking for some time off for a family emergency."

He nodded. Then he would go and find some way to stop Henney before he hurt Sam. Maybe it was because she was the only person he had met in this time, but he felt himself regretting that decision. He felt that if there wasn't this huge truth between them they could actually be colleagues, or even friends.

Still Kraft would still leave despite how lonely life here in the past would be for him. It was to protect her from Henney and the even worse fugitives still out there.

"Then later, you’re going to tell me everything I want to know, Kraft.”

"Knowledge can be a dangerous thing, Ms. Stone," He said taking her hand and they began walking on the sidewalk down the street towards her car. a They walked holding hands."Sometimes it's best to...what's the expression...that ignorance being like bliss?"

 

[DarkWarrioress]

Sam was already walking toward where her car was parked when she felt Bennett take her hand. His action almost made her stop in her tracks. Almost. As his fingers closed around hers, she gave his a little squeeze. Her head turned in his direction and she gave him a look that was interrupted by him having to get into the passenger side of the car and her, into the driver’s seat. She waited to say anything at all until they were both in the car and slowly driving away from the scene. Her car was motioned to a stop by one of the uniforms, she expected that. Reaching a hand behind her back, she unclipped her badge from the waistband of her skirt. She never went anywhere without it. Hiding it behind her back, under her jacket seemed like the prudent thing to do when she had met up with Henney. She held it out the open window for the uniform to inspect.

“Thank you, Detective. Hey, you haven’t seen two suspicious people around have you?”

The guy leaned down to peer inside her car, giving Kraft a once over. Sam reclipped her badge to the side of her skirt which drew the uniform’s eyes back to her. She watched as they wandered down to her legs where the hem of her skirt had ridden up, exposing a great deal of stocking covered thigh.

“Did something happen here, Officer----“ she made a show of peering at his shirt, “Anderson?”

“Yes Ma’am,” his eyes drew back to her face, “Congressman Henney was attacked.”

“I hope he’s okay? Anything I can do to help?”

Right about then something came over the mike at his shoulder. Officer Anderson listened then gave a short reply.

“He’s fine, Detective Stone. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get inside and start searching the rooms for the suspects. Nothing you can do here. Have a good day.”

His hand tapped against the roof of her car before stepping back to let her pass through. Sam put her car into gear and slowly crept through the few squad cars. One backed up letting her through the makeshift barricade. She lifted a hand briefly in acknowledgement. They drove a few miles and were almost to her house when she turned her head to give him a questioning look.

“How the hell did you get out of my handcuffs anyways, Kraft? I’m grateful you did, but now I’m curious.”