Chapter 19

After the confrontation, Selene asked, “Why do asshole bandits have asshole brothers?” She was querying the general troop ... in truth ... it wasn’t really a question ... she just put a rising inflection on the last two words because the barn dog barked and startled her. Almost a squeek.

“It’s Chaos,” said one of the spare two who came along for the life experience. There were, after all, eleven participants on this adventure. Seven of the Seven, Abby and Selene, made nine and the random two made eleven.

The pair were ‘Flintkotes’ ... the offspring of Jack Flintkote and a pair of rescued Damsels. Unlike the general run of Cassandran born males, this pair were manly and ... even worse ... macho. Selene Dent thought they were just perfect ... but too closely related. She was a Flintkote ... second generation.

Abby, on the other hand, wasn’t ... related. She seemed to spend her free time focusing on beltbuckles ... or a little below. Six noticed.

Six whispered, “You get pregnant and you’ll be stuck here.”

She whispered back, “What about getting pregnant on Crossroads?” She winked and he nudged her. An elbow, to be sure, might have left a bruise.

“I don’t know ... ask Eva Caretaker Coordinator ... there may be rules against it.”

“At least we’re only about seven miles from the bank ... I’ll ask Eva when we get back.”

The large barn contained the loot from several years of banditry ... and a dozen ‘liberated’ horses ... perfect, thought Six. Twelve of us and 12 horses.

Six sold the horses and tack to the smith ... the hostler was missing. The armorer took all the extra swords and scrap metal.

It was quite the crowd in the vault.

“Here, NOW! You can’t all go in the vault ... there’s not enough room,” said the teller. “You ... guard! get them out of there.”

“Hey?” the guard cupped an ear... “What?” ‘Ain’t no way ... those people are armed and they ... even the women ... look like they know what a sword is for.’ The old man had had selective hearing ... married, don’t ya know.

When the manager and teller looked ... and it took awhile to summon the manager ... the vault was empty ... but reeked of sweaty horse and human perspiration. The guard was congratulated for disposing of the menace and ... besides the clap on the back and the letter in his file ... was awarded a two pinch a day raise.

As generally the case ... the Cassandran manager and teller knew nothing about Crossroads ... or the Heroes responsibility in knocking up the Damsels. “You don’t need to know” ... so they didn’t.

The Heroes Welcome was as advertised ... SEX SEX and more sex!

As a companion both Selene and Abby were praised.

“Eva?”

“Abby?”

“Tell me the rules concerning pregnancy?”

Well ... Eva doesn’t get befuddled very often ... Abby passed through the portal both to and fro: She was NOT with child.

“Why?”

“If I get pregnant here do I still pass the Earth portal getting home?”

“Umh ... I don’t know.”

“Why not?”

“It’s never come up.”

“Can you find out?”

Abby was eyeballing the pair of Cassandran males and Eva noticed.

“Umh ... I’ll check with the highest authority ... Ceiling!”

“Yes.”

“Yes which?”

“She can get in ‘an interesting condition’ here and still go home ... but she can’t come back. Abby ... you could at least wait until I passed judgement.”

“No time, sir. I’ll have to leave when Six produces. Come on boys ... you have chores.”

Six’s Damsel was a slow catch ... Abby had enough time.