NationStates Jolt Archive

Christi smiled politely. She walked closely alongside Pete. "I'll try and get a hotel room this afternoon, after we check out the museum," she said. "I'll let you spend the night with me. I'll be here a week, at least, probably longer while I get the lay of the country. You can get my phone number for my hotel room then." She held his hand. "So, tell me a little about yourself."

---

Molly nodded and smiled. "I... feel the same way," she said.

"Nah...its fine you don't have to repay me. Being with you is payment enough." Pete replied even though he knew it was incredibly cheesy. "Well I am twenty seven, work at the National Canadstein History Museum as a historian, got my bachelor's degree in history at the University of Canadstein, currently a bachelor, every Thursday I meet up with a couple of friends from college and play chess, some might say I am a technology geek."

Continuing down into the down the stairs, they emptied into the subway. Many compared it with the grandiose Moscow subway. It was literally a work of art. Though Pete barely noticed because he had seen it thousands of times. He lead her to one of the benches to wait. "So tell me about yourself."

---

"Molly when we go to the Museum we are going to meet one of my friends. His name is Miles Mason. I use to work alongside him when I stationed back at embassy in Kahanistan. He was a pretty nice guy and he wants to meet you. Is that fine?" Taylor asked innocently.

"I'm 27, too," said Christi. "I'm studying for a Ph.D. in human psychology." This was true, as was 90% of what she mentioned about herself that didn't have to do with where she really came from - only in her case, it was to make her more promotable in clandestine operations. "I study in Kahanistan. Figure it's the least someone like me can do, contribute to their economy in some small way. Plus, education is free and work visas are easy to come by. Their immigration policy seems to be, come in and help our economy. I'm not an economist, so I don't know if it'll work or not."

She hoped she was still keeping up the illusion she was anything but a Kahanistanian. It would arouse too much suspicion, she feared, for a woman of that nation to be seen hanging around in Canadstein. Christi heard the rush of the train and walked up.

"Is this the one to the airport?"

---

Molly nodded. "Sure," she said.

"Wow slow down tiger. Don't want to get on the wrong train. You might end up halfway across the country if you do that." Pete jokingly said. He went up to the train and looked at the sign. Clearly it stated National Canadstein Airport. "Yep hop aboard."

Pete got aboard and sat next to Christi. "So why come to Canadstein?"

---

As time got closer to 2 PM, Miles did not return to the hotel. Actually he was in the Museum viewing all the different exhibits. It had been ages since he had come here. Actually he was right before he was chosen to be part of the Agency. Right out of college and see very green behind the ears. Miles always wondered why they had chosen him.

---

At 1:30 Taylor and Molly had gotten safely to Regensburg. Coming upon the Museum the car went into the parking garage and stopped in a parking spot. Taylor closed his eyes and took the key out of the ignition. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and looked at Molly. Would this visit hurt Molly? Shaking his head he dispelled this thoughts. He kissed Molly, then got out of the car. She was the love of his life. Grasping her hand, once she was out the car, the pair walked into the museum.

"Have you ever been to this museum?"

Christi shrugged. "Taking a few months off to see the world. The last thing we need is an 'educated' individual who has no idea what's going on in the world." She sat down on the seat in the train and waited to go to the airport.

"I have everything I need in one bag. So, how long does it take from here to get to the airport?"

---

At 1:45, Nadia figured Miles wasn't coming back. She decided to put on her overcoat and call a cab to take her from the hotel to the museum.

---

Molly shook her head. "No."

Pete looked at his watch. "Oh...about ten minutes."

Christi went to the terminal, where she asked for the bag of luggage with her name on it. "There should only be one of them... a big black suitcase with a tag on it and a picture of me."

"Go look down in baggage claim." responded the airline worker.

---

Taylor led Molly to the front where Miles was standing. Miles looked like he hadn't slept in days. There certainly was the same person when he originally met him. Back then Miles was a cleaned up, well mannered, gentlemen. Now he looked like a disaster.

"Molly this is Miles Mason. Miles this is Molly Hargan." Taylor stated as he showed Molly to Miles.

Miles put out his hand. "Nice to finally meet you. Taylor has told me so much about you."

Christi went down to baggage claim and picked up her bag. "Should we head to the museum now? I can change in the women's room in the train," she asked Pete.

---

Miles looked like shit. "Hello," said Molly politely. "You look tired. Is something wrong?"

---

Nadia was still about ten minutes from getting to the museum, having taken a cab rather than use the train. (Trains in Kahanistan were shit, even before the Doomani wars.) One thing about trains, they don't get red lights in rush-hour traffic.

"Its up to you." replied Pete.

---

"That it. I having gotten any sleep in days. Nightmares mostly." responded Miles as he rubbed his eyes.

Christi smiled. "Sounds cool." She went back to where the train had dropped them off and waited for the next train to the museum. She'd have to trust Pete on this - he would know if the train said "Canadstein History Museum" or what it would say.

---

Molly nodded. "I see. I've been having nightmares about an evil man dressed in a black uniform. I get the idea he's a soldier of some sort... not a Kraven soldier, they all wear black armour... but a man, and I don't understand it. I just know that he's evil."

A train quickly came to a halt. Pete looked up to the sign and it in fact did say National Canadstein History Museum. This was going to be their train. Getting aboard, Pete saved a seat next to him, while Chrisit changed.

---

"I know what you mean. I have no idea how to get rid of the nightmares. If they don't go away, then I will lose my sanity." Miles said in a somber way. Taylor just looked at Miles and shook his head. What had happened to him?

Christi came out of the women's room in a pair of jeans and a midriff top. This didn't show as much cleavage as what she had when she first met Pete; instead, it drew the eye toward her stomach. She wore a fanny pack containing most of what she'd need; many Kahanistanian women, wary of purse snatchers, had switched to fanny packs or even backpacks.

It was a matter of minutes before she would arrive at the museum...

When Christi returned to the seat, Pete had disappeared.

Christi turned to the person in the seat behind her. It was a long shot, but maybe...

"Did the train make a stop? I was supposed to get off at the museum with the guy who was with me a few minutes ago, sitting right here."

"No not yet. This train goes directly to the museum. Though I never did see a man sitting there." commented the passenger.

Christi was damned confused now. There wasn't anywhere else Pete could have gone, unless he was just heading for the men's room. She couldn't suspect the passenger was lying to her - most people don't pay attention to everyone they see in such a crowded area.

"Thanks anyway," said Christi calmly. She decided to relocate closer to the exit, so she couldn't miss her stop. Christi stood next to her suitcase, so if Pete did come out of the men's room he'd see her.

She was feeling a bit paranoid. This was common among covert operatives, especially on ones on missions deemed low-risk, such as hers. On a high-risk mission, e.g. infiltrating a Doomani nuclear battleship, one at least knew who one's enemies were, and generally went armed. Christi had gone in, under her real name, with no disguise, and no weapons. Had she been made? If so, how?

In the respective train cart there was two other men. Both reading the Regensburg News, a local newspaper. One of the men, a preppy looking man in his late twenties, put his newspaper and looked at Christi. His eyes looked down her body. Then went back up to her face. All he did was stare. The other man put down his newspaper into the seat next to him. He looked like he was in his early forties and had a thick mustache. Turning toward Christi all he did was stare at her eyes.

Christi did not feel uncomfortable with men looking over her body. It made her feel attractive and desirable. She felt uncomfortable on this train, unsure of where it was going and if Pete had found her out. Why else would he run out on her? It didn't take this long to use the men's room.

"What's going on in this country?" she asked the men reading the paper, hoping some light conversation would calm her nerves. Another few minutes and she'd get off.

---

The cab arrived at the museum. Nadia walked up the steps, her long, heavy wool coat shielding her from the elements.

The other passenger who had talked to her had disappeared. Now it was only Christi and the two men. Both men got up and made their way over to her. Suddenly they both grabbed her arms and brought her down to the ground. One produced a pair of handcuffs and swiftly attached them to one hand, the other man brought the other hand closer to the cuffs. Within seconds she was handcuffed. Raising her up they put Christi back in her chair, but in the middle one, so she was flanked by both men. They said nothing and continued to read their newspapers.

---

Taylor led Molly and Miles further into the museum, so they could see the different exhibits.

Christi struck back, hitting one of the two men with a Krav Maga blow to the head, and kicking the other one in the stomach. "Rape!" she screamed at the top of her lungs to attract assistance. She was tall and strong for a woman, and trained in Krav Maga, so she would be difficult to subdue quickly.

Whether she would hold out long enough for the train to stop or for help to come... was another question.

---

Nadia entered the museum and began to look for Miles. He wouldn't exactly be easy to miss - especially since she'd recognise Taylor and she knew what Molly looked like.

No one would hear her. The train was almost completely empty. Her screaming was for nothing. One of men punched her directly in the stomach, while the other was still trying to get up from his wound on the head. Pulling out a taser swiftly shocked her with it.

The jolt knocked her to the floor, but she was still conscious. Christi was not, however, in any condition to continue fighting. She figured something was about to happen to her that was a hell of a lot worse than rape...

---

Nadia walked deeper into the museum, listening for familiar voices and watching for familiar faces. She came up to where the others were talking...

The younger man slapped Christi across the face. This was going to be the beginning of her punishment. The older man dragged her back to a seat then handcuffed her to himself. There was going to be no escaping now. When Christi would wake up she would find herself sitting in between her two assailants. The younger man was touch her leg.

Pete heard the commotion and saw what had happened. He had been in another cart's bathroom, since Christi had taken the only bathroom. Concealing himself he silently watched. He knew that he needed to do something, but what? This men could be armed or the police. For all he knew Christi could have been a wanted fugitive. Silently he waited.

---

Taylor was showing Molly one of the exhibits when he caught sight of Nadia. He was both astonished and surprised. Had Miles brought Nadia hear to bring back Molly? This wasn't going to turn out well. Taylor nodded off toward Nadia's direction to Miles. Miles simply shook his head. He was going to take care of this. Taylor led Molly to next room, while Miles confronted Nadia.

"Wait a minute...you cannot see Molly until I tell you something." Miles held out his hands to block her. "You have to remember who you are. Who are you?"

Christi was still stunned from the shock. She knew she had to recover, to get the hell out of there, but in her condition she could barely speak coherently. She was scared shitless, but she knew she had to get out of there...

---

Nadia looked cross. A name on a passport couldn't be that hard to remember, could it...? "Sophie Collsburg. Now get out of my way." She was normally not so rude to people, but she was very irritated with Miles for leaving her at the hotel and luring her to Canadstein for what would have been nothing if she hadn't seen Molly.

"What is your name, Miss?" asked the older man.

---

"You are not to tell who you really are." Mile stated as he kept on blocking Nadia.

Nadia pushed past. She was sick of dealing with Miles. She was merely here to verify Molly's identity.

---

"Christi," said Christi. She staggered to her feet. She had heard all about bystander apathy - this was all old hat to someone studying human psychology. However, it was not an insurmountable obstacle to getting help...

"Who do you work for you dirty Kahanistani whore?" asked the young man. Pete silently listened waiting for the right moment to strike.

---

Taylor was holding Molly's hand and looking at the artifacts in the next around.

Christi knew she was wise not to mention her nationality. She also knew that there was a mole in the military who was selling information to the Canadsteiners. How else could they know? It wasn't like she had a ton of spy gear, weapons, phony documents, or had been seen within 100 kilometres of a secret base.

She jolted as if having a seizure, so that her head collided with that of the guy whose head she had bashed earlier and threw her cuffed arms around the other man's neck to choke him.

---

Nadia walked up to Molly. "Hello," she said, extending her hand.

"Who... are you?" asked Molly. She took the older woman's hand nervously.

The younger man quickly grabbed his taser and shocked her again.

"Answer the question or we throw you off this train."

---

Miles returned to the group.

"Oh Molly this is Sophie Collsburg, my girlfriend. Isn't that right, Sophie?"

Nadia didn't respond to Miles, but didn't contradict him either. The last thing she needed was a running battle getting out of Regensburg with the Agency chasing her.

"So... tell me a little about yourself, Molly," she said kindly.

"Well... I was born and raised in St. Cecelia, Canadstein," said Molly. "I went to school there and joined the army about two years ago, when I turned eighteen..."

The wheels turned in Nadia's head. Something doesn't sound right... She tuned out to the rest of what Molly was saying. Or... she's under the same coercion I am. Nadia wasn't used to communicating while trying to keep other people in earshot from picking up - her only major intelligence operation had been infiltrating Kraven, and she'd been pretty much a lone wolf until joining a group of rebels.

---

This time, Christi saw the taser in time. She jerked to the side, allowing the taser a free shot... at the other guy. She'd gotten clear enough looks at the men's faces to know that neither of them were Pete. She was still open to the idea he had not squealed on her.

Shocking and knocking out the older man, the younger man was not pissed off. He was going to let Christi get away. Now it was time to use brute force. With his other hand he landed a punch directly into her cheek. His other hand trailed back to try to shock Christi again.

This is shit... Nadia walked back to Miles. "May I talk to you alone?" she asked.

---

Christi screamed again. If Pete had returned, he would hear her - if not, it would do her no harm. With one man shocked, she ran head-on into the other, too close for him to aim...

She estimated she had maybe a minute before the train stopped and everyone heard the commotion. She knew she couldn't stay on this train - even if she had to break a window to escape.

"Yes." Miles stated as he led Nadia away from Molly and Taylor.

---

The older men regained consciousness and pulled out a syringe. Suddenly he jabbed Christi's forearm. The fluid went into Christi's blood stream. The fluid was a drug, in which Christi would lose all feeling her body temporarily. Of course this would make Christi not able to move even a mere inch. Relieved the younger man put away the taser and looked at Christi. He started to laugh.

"So which part of the government do you work for?"

Pete stood motionless these men meant business.

Christi stared off. She figured General Kaselev was the only one who knew the nature of her mission. Even if he had sold information to the Agency, and a highly placed lieutenant general would have little motivation to sell out, he would not know of her meeting a civilian and going on a date to the museum, though he did know that people sent off would have social engagements.

There was therefore no way that these men could know what her motivations were. She sat mute, the cogs turning in her head to reconcile theory with observation.

---

Once she was safely out of earshot, Nadia spoke up. "I caught something fishy," she said. "Molly said she was born and raised in Canadstein. The personnel file we have on her says she was born in Al-Tahrir, in Middle Eastern Kahanistan, in 1987. You seemed insistent on me not telling her who I really am. How can I be sure she's all right, that she isn't being forced to hide her information, like you wanted me to hide mine?"

The younger man punched Christi in the gut.

"What part of the government do you work for? Military Intelligence?"

---

"As far as I can tell she is telling the truth. Nadia, you have to understand that this is my first time meeting Molly. To me she seems perfectly find. Is Taylor the kind of guy that would hurt a woman? Both of us know that is truth. They both love each other..." stated Miles. "Ask her whatever you want, but you cannot reveal who you really are. You never know is around."

Miles turned back and rejoined Taylor and Molly, without hearing another peep out of Nadia.

Nadia walked out of the museum and hailed a cab. This was not good.

She asked to be taken to the airport and put on the next flight back to Kahanistan. Nadia had to attend to the results of the elections which were three days away, and couldn't take any risks in Canadstein.

---

Normally, Christi would have been able to resist a blow to the stomach. She was firm and well-trained, but with the drug in her system, she couldn't feel the blow well, and certainly couldn't tighten her muscles against the blow. Christi slumped forward in her seat. She'd pretty much given up on life, but wasn't going to tell them anything.

Suddenly a cry could be heard, Pete ran up to the younger assailant and hit him across the head with a fire extinguisher. The man fell helpless to the ground. The older man started to pull out a gun, but was quickly dispatched by Pete. Blood ran from their wounds. Seeing the handcuffs, Pete found the keys and uncuffed Christi. Picking up Christi he made his way to another cart. As he passed through the train came to a halt. It was there time to get off. Running off the train, Pete set Christi down on a nearby bench. Pete looked back to the train and saw it take off. Those men were not going to follow them.

Patting Christi face gently Pete looked at her. He wasn't a doctor, but could see that some damage had been done.

"Christi wake up...please." Pete whispered to her, then he looked around for help. The only help he received was cold silence.

Christi was still recovering from being stunned again, but her eyes opened. "I'll... be all right. Just let me... rest for a... few minutes," she said shakily. She touched Pete's hand lightly. "I've... faced worse."

"I have to ask...what those men said...is it true?" asked Pete. "Tell me the truth...that is all I want."

"I... thought if you knew my nationality, that... you might not trust me," said Christi. "I have no nefarious intentions. I really am from Kahanistan. If you had known that, you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with me, would you? Before you knew, you were attracted to me." She showed him her Kahanistanian passport. Her real name was Christi McDaniels, all right.

"Regensburg is a hub of activity. I believed that if I stayed long enough... someone would come. Another citizen. You can look through my suitcase. I have no weapons, no spy equipment, no phony ID. I want to find someone. I have not done anything illegal. Those men must be from the Agency, I think the airline reports people with Kahanistanian passports to them. It's the only way."

"Is that... why you didn't want to have sex with me last night? You didn't trust me?"

"I would have never cared if you were Kahanistan or any other country. That doesn't matter to me. What does is right here." Pete stated while he pointed toward her heart. Sitting down he put his arm around her. "I trust you...Christi and I will anything to protect you. Those men were hurting you...I wasn't going to sit back and watch it happen. As for the sex thing, I don't want to rush into anything. Everything is premature. Time will decide what holds for the both of us."

Getting up from the bench, Pete held out his hand waiting for Christi to take it or not.

Christi smiled weakly and took Pete's hand. She struggled to her feet and put her arm around Pete to steady herself. She clearly had difficulty feeling her legs or standing up on her own weight.

"They put a needle in me. I can't feel my body that well. I should be... fine. For now, anyway. Do you... still want to go to the museum with me?"

"Well it is mostly up to you."

Christi nodded. She was thinking over whether in her condition it was a good idea...

"Just give me a few minutes," she said. "Give me a minute or so... for the drug to wear off. I should be able to walk then. If not... I'd have to go to the hospital."

Pete rested her back on the bench. "So what exactly is your job?"

Christi looked very nervous. "I feel... I can tell you, since you seem accepting and my mission does not involve violating any of your nation's laws against espionage, sabotage, assassination, or anything like that - not that we'd ever assassinate anyone. I'm a marine. I was sent here to basically stay in popular hangouts. I'm looking for someone, as I said. One of my own citizens, to repatriate her to Kahanistan. I believe if I remain long enough our paths will cross. It seems the Agency does not wish me to succeed... those are clearly not ordinary police, otherwise they would simply have told me I was under arrest and stated the charges, like Kahanistanian police do."

"Thank you for telling me, Christi. I really appreciate it." Pete then tenderly kissed Christi. Once their lips unlocked Pete asked. "Are you ready to go?"

"I can walk," said Christi. "I don't know what it was they injected me with... but I feel OK, for now. When I get home, I'll want to be checked out in a hospital. For now... we can try and relax."

She struggled to her feet. The feeling had only partially returned to her legs, so she was wobbly at first when trying to stand. Christi steadied herself against the wall. "I'll... be fine."

Pete quickly got a hold of Christi and helped her to her feet. Putting his arm around her, the pair went the pair of stairs to the museum.

Christi smiled. "So, this is where you work," she said. "What do you do here?"

"Research, research, and more research. Mostly for the exhibits or for a book." stated Pete as he lead Christi into the museum. "Here I will show you one of the exhibits I worked on."

The pair walked until Pete stopped at the beginning of an exhibit. Across the door way it stated "A Glorious Burden". Pete explained that it was an exhibit covering each of Canadstein's Presidents up to the current one, Henry Harper. As Pete was explaining, Miles, Taylor and Molly were looking at a ceremonial sword.

"What is President Harper's overall political stance?" asked Christi. She was poring over a shriveled 17th-century manuscript, trying to see if she could read it.

"Keep things status quo, but to also to create a stronger Canadstein." replied Pete. "Oh that's President Wolfe's most famous declaration of war against Vilnius Confederation."

"I see. Seems a lot like our Nationalist Party, now that they've driven out their erstwhile allies in the Anti-Catholic Party. They want a stronger Kahanistan, one that can stand up to its external enemies. If the Nationalists win, then there could be a favourable diplomatic climate, if things change." She eyed an old musket.

"With all the relocations, most of the stuff in our National War Museum are replicas, but we have some captured Doomani gear, even the engine of an Aquila. Damned if I know how it works, but what the engineers figured out is on the plate next to it. We've lost a lot of memorabilia from the Freekish war, and the original of the Virgin Mary cartoons that prompted a chemical attack. We had the head of a guy that they claimed was a Freekish Warchief, but he was probably a random Sentinel that the militarists passed off as a Warchief to inflate their image."

"Ah...that is General Amherst's musket when he fought to quell the Chartists rebellion. He fought in one of Canadstein's most famous battles, the Siege of Fort McClinton. One hundred and fifty Royal Canadsteiner Soldiers fought over numerous attacks from an Chartists army little over a thousand men in Fort McClinton. Took a month for the reinforces to come, but General Amherst held that long." Pete stated as he pointed toward a portrait of General Amherst (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5d/Amherst.jpg). "Mostly became President because of his victory over the Chartists. Astounding military man and national hero of Canadstein."

"I should think so..." said Christi. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a pretty girl of about 20, with straight brown hair and an average frame. The girl was with two other men.

Christi did a double take. Could it be...?

"What is it Christi?" asked Pete. Meanwhile Miles was escorting Taylor and Molly out of the room.

Christi followed the Canadsteiners. "I think it's her... the person I was supposed to find, and she's with two guys. One of them is a known member of the Agency. I can't endanger you. Please stay behind."

She walked quickly after them.

---

"What is it, Miles?" asked Molly.

"Christi...I am not going to let you get hurt again." Pete quickly followed her. He had already let her get hurt once, it wasn't going to happen again.

---

"Nothing...just sorry about Sophie running out on us. She had to attend a meeting for work. Do you want to get some lunch? It will be my treat." asked Miles as he lead them out of the museum. Though he had a weird feeling in the back of his head. Someone was watching them. This worried him. Was it another agent finishing the job? Looking around all he saw was Taylor holding Molly's hand.

Molly nodded. "Sure... but Sophie looks really familiar. She looks like someone I saw on TV..."

Christi sighed. By the time she managed to shoo Pete away, Molly could be gone. She figured he could make his own decision. Christi walked up to Molly at the museum door.

"Ms. Hargan?" she asked.

Molly turned around. A tall, athletically built woman she hadn't seen before was looking at her, apparently now convinced she had the right person. The woman smiled in a friendly manner, but there seemed something sinister about her...

"Yes...?"

Miles and Taylor soon stepped in front of Molly. Both of them were going to confront this stranger, but also protect Molly. If things start to get violent, then Miles get easily whip out his M9 Beretta. Miles simply nodded, then looked at Christi.

"Who are you and what do you want?" asked Miles.

Pete caught up Christi and stood by her side. He wondered who these two men and woman were. Christi knew one of them, by calling out her name, but the other two were a mystery. Were they part of the agency?

"Major Christi McDaniels, Kahanistan Republic Marines," said Christi calmly. "I'm here to repatriate Ms. Hargan, here, back to Kahanistan." She showed the three her military ID, with her name, rank, date of birth and serial number on it. She looked somewhat different in her uniform picture, more professional. The woman holding it could have been a civilian if not for the ID card.

"Major... there has to be some mistake here," said Molly.

"You're Molly Hargan, correct?" asked Christi.

Molly nodded. "Molly Autumn Hargan?" Christi continued.

Molly nodded again. "How do you know me?" she asked. "How do you know my name?"

"I was asked to retrieve you," said Christi. "We thought you had been executed, but when we found you were still alive..."

"What do you mean, retrieve me?" asked Molly.

"Major McDaniels you have no authority here. Plus how do we know that you are not some kind of imposer? Anyone could have fake ids made to fool people. So I am going to have to ask you to leave us alone." Miles said bluntly. "Or do I have to call the police?"

Taylor stepped in front of Molly, so Christi could not see her anymore. Then in a low voice Taylor whispered: "Molly, don't listen to this woman. It is for your own good."

"What would you have me show you? A fingerprint or DNA sample would do no good if you have nothing to compare it to," said Christi. She smiled calmly at Taylor. "I suppose you could cross-check my serial number with the Kahanistanian military. Unlike the Agency, we actually have records of our officers."

She stood to the side to attempt eye contact with Molly. "Miss Hargan... it's all right. The Agency will not hold you any longer."

Molly looked confused. "Taylor... what's she talking about? How does she know who I am? Why does she want to take me to Kahanistan?"

"Don't listen to her Molly. It is a bunch of lies." Taylor said as he tried to protect Molly from Christi. This woman was definitely a threat to everything. If Molly ever found about her past life, then it would result in a major melt down. She would be torn between her two lives. Which one would be the true one, though was up to Molly. But the Canadsteiners had done a good job of erasing most of her Kahanistani memories and replacing them with the faux Canadsteiner memories. Hopefully they would hold up.

"Major McDaniels, another officer, General Sklenova, has already seen her. You can leave us alone...or suffer." Miles gripped his hidden M9. He was not afraid to kill someone.

Pete stood hopeless to the side. "Christi just calm down. Are you sure this is your target?"

Christi nodded. "Positive. She remembers her name, and these Agency types do... NOT... want me to talk to her. I'd say that's a pretty big tip-off. I haven't talked to General Sklenova. I'd like to know what she'd have to say."

She was convinced now that Molly was experiencing Stockholm Syndrome. Kahanistanian medical technology, while advanced in treating diseases and healing injuries, did not admit of the feasibility of wholesale erasing of memories, therefore the idea would not occur to Christi, even with her training in psychology.

Molly looked at Miles. "I knew Sophie looked familiar. Is she... she looked like the general, one that I saw on TV. Why wouldn't she just say who she was?" The woman she had seen earlier seemed nice enough, even if she didn't get along well with Miles.

"A bunch of lies?" Christi asked. "How else could I know who she is?" Logic did not always work in these situations, but making Molly question the Agency was the first step to getting her to come back.

Just as Miles was about to say something he suddenly stopped. His eyes were filled with terror. Two men were coming straight toward them. It was the old and young man from the train, but Miles recognized them from previous encounters. Both of the men were from the agency. Gregor, the younger man, and Jim, the older man, must have finally caught Miles. It was time to get out of here.

"RUN TAYLOR!" shouted Miles.

Taylor and Miles grabbed Molly and ran. Suddenly both agents pulled out their guns. Meanwhile Pete turned around. His face soon turned to one of regret. The two men had crude bandages over their wounds. This was not going to be pretty. Putting up his hands, he froze.

Christi ducked behind the door and pulled her cell phone to inform Kaselev of the latest developments. She had Kahanistanian Military Intelligence on speed dial.

Thank God they pick up in less than two seconds. "Found. Hargan. Stockholm Syndrome. Uncooperative," she said, figuring she wouldn't have time to go into detail before she was captured or killed.

---

Molly was terrified. What were these men with guns doing? She looked back and they did not seem to be very friendly toward the Kahanistanian officer, given her friend was putting his hands up...

"What... is going on?" she asked.

"Come out and we promise not to hurt you Christi." yelled out Jim, while Gregor slowly approached Christi and Pete. Though Jim quickly pulled out a cell phone and told of the recent events, but most important of the citing of Miles.

Pete grabbed Christi and started to drag her. "We need to get out of here NOW! Those men were going to kill us."

---

Miles and Taylor had finally got back to Taylor's car. They needed to get out of the city. Jim and Gregor had seen them and that meant more agents were going to be searching the city for Miles. Getting Molly safely in the car, Taylor expertly drove out of the lot and speed down the road. He was going to get on the highway as soon as possible. The more distance covered, the more they were going to be safe.

"Taylor head north. I have a safehouse up there. It isn't listed under my name, so we should be safe for now." Miles said frantically.

Christi barely managed to stuff her cell back into her pocket as Pete dragged her. "In front of all these witnesses?" she said.

Promise not to hurt me, my ass. She swung the door closed. "I'll have to get out of here... back to Kahanistan. I'll take you with me, if you want to go. If not, they'll probably kill you. Train's out of the question, we'll need a cab."

"Get up and run. We can worry about this stuff later. Right now we need to run." said Pete as Gregor aimed his pistol. Pete quickly dashed off.

Christi ran alongside Pete. She was very fast, and it took a lot of effort for her to not leave him behind.

"We will definitely need a vehicle." She cursed the fact that neither she nor Pete had a car. Thinking quickly, she handed her cell to Pete.

"I don't know the emergency number in Canadstein," she said. "Can you get some cops in here? I figure if they can distract, or better yet, arrest these Agency types... we can escape in the confusion."

Pete heard the sirens and handed the phone back to Christi. The police were already on there way. There was no point in calling them. "The police is going to hold them for very long. The agents will just say they are hunting down a spy, which is somewhat true. We have to get out of this city. Now the police are going to try to find the both of us. I say 'us' because the agents see me as an accomplice."

Suddenly a car stopped to on the street. One of the windows rolled down. A disembodies voice yelled. "Get in the car."

Seeing no other choice Pete quickly got inside.

Christi felt apprehensive, but also climbed in the car. The agents would have to prove they were agents to not be arrested - pretty difficult when all of one's records were destroyed or at least obfuscated to the point that the Canadsteiner government could plausibly deny their existence.

She smiled softly. Miles Mason was going to pay for his crimes at last. She recognised his face from one of the wanted posters in Kahanistan, and the many call-in shows where most wanted criminals could be identified. While eliminating Mason was not her mission, she certainly wanted him to be brought to trial.

When she entered the car, Christi would see the last person she expected in the world, Miles Mason. The car was already starting to move. The auto locks turned on. There was no escape for Christi. Pete sat in the middle and said nothing. It would be for the best.

"So Major McDaniels we meet again. We are now a nonstop drive to northern Canadstein. Would you care to join us? Yes...good." Miles said not giving Christi a chance to talk.

Turning onto the highway, for the next five hours these five people were going to be stuck in this car.

Christi struck the window. She may not be able to get the door open through the auto-locks, but she knew full well she didn't want to go to northern Canadstein. She would have no objection to jumping out at the nearest red light or even a relative slowing in traffic. A cop would have to be blind not to see her hanging out a broken window...

---

New Masada, Kahanistan

A secretary brought the tape of the call to Lieutenant General Kaselev and played it in his office.

"Found. Hargan. Stockholm Syndrome. Uncooperative."

Kaselev nodded. It did not take a brain surgeon to put it together. "She found Hargan. She is experiencing Stockholm Syndrome and is uncooperative," said Kaselev. "Given she was placed in Regensburg, we know that she has been spotted in Regensburg. That gives us some hope... now, we need only extract her."

"General, if she was so pressed for time she couldn't even get a complete sentence out... there is a chance she was captured or killed. True, in public, the Agency would not dare strike..."

"The Canadsteiner psychology is different from our own," the general replied. "They accept whatever their government does. If our government voted to create an agency with such powers, there would be riots, at least. I cannot discount the possibility the Agency operates quasi-openly while the people disregard it."

"On the other hand," Kaselev continued, "Major McDaniels has violated no Canadsteiner laws. She is a missing tourist who simply happens to hold Kahanistanian citizenship. She has not entered any classified bases, or sought any information save a chance encounter with someone whose photograph is plastered all over Canadstein. As such, we have access to resources we would not have for a deep-cover agent."

"Such as...?"

"We can contact local law enforcement. We have a missing citizen, and if she overstays her visa, immigration authorities can be called in as well. Of course, I will not be the one to contact them. I could call her husband, and inform him of the situation. If he is intelligent, he will contact the Embassy and local police."

"Thank God we got the embassies re-established," said the secretary. "I'll call him up."

Pete looked at Christi and put his arms around her, to make her stop beating the window. Right now this was the best course of action. If they stayed in the city then they would be easy prey for the Agency. So they needed to get out now. Plus it kind of seemed like these three other people were on their side. They were also running away from the Agency. It would be better to work alongside someone, then to work alone.

"Christi...calm down everything is going to be fine." Pete whispered into her ear.

Miles looked out the window. His face conveyed the pain he was feeling. Nothing could ever go right for him. The agency was trying to kill him. Most of Kahanistan hated his guts. Nadia, Andrea, Mara all hated him. His first love was dead. Was there any point in living? No...

"There's a detention centre in northern Canadstein," said Christi. "Don't tell me you're a member of the Agency, too...?" She looked into Pete's eyes, feeling betrayed. Turning to Miles, something clicked. "And what's happening? You ran in terror from your Agency friends who tried to rape and kill me." Well, one of them had run his hand up her leg and injected her with a chemical...

"No...Christi...I am just a regular average citizen. Everything I have told you is the truth. None of it was a game." stated Pete, slightly offended, but he held on to her. Making sure that she didn't let go.

"I don't work for them anymore. They put me on their death list. The Director wants my head on a silver platter. Maybe I am actually trying to do something right or does that surprise you? You are like the rest Major McDaniels. You hate us because we are Canadsteiner? Well screw you and your country." Miles angrily said. "So you better listen to everything I say and do it, unless you want to be kicked out of this car. Do you understand?"

"I don't hate anyone because of their nationality," said Christi crossly. "I don't even hate Doomani, although I find their interpretation of a perfectly legitimate religion reprehensible. And I never wanted to be locked in a car with you anyway. Now, where do you plan on taking us all...?"

"Thats nice. Would you rather be in the hands of the agency?" asked Miles. "None of that matters now. We are heading up north to a safehouse. The agency is going to be hunting all of us down."

Christi nodded. "I'm still not sure I trust you. You're holding me against my will. How can I believe your intentions?" She knew very well not to trust people who tried to take them somewhere they didn't want to go - many officials who did not know had allowed themselves unknowingly to be surrendered to the Doomani by the Dominionites to whom they had fled.

"I need to get back to Kahanistan. If you really are having problems with the Agency... well, we have our own problems with the Agency, too. I want to find out what their plans are for us."

"I don't care if you trust me. That is on the bottom of my list of things to do." said Miles while checking his Beretta. "If you want to leave then go ahead. Stop the car Taylor let this woman out."

The car turned into the shoulder and the car doors unlocked.

"Get out, but look around. There is nothing out there but forest. Don't expect to get picked up by anyone in that snow." Miles pointed toward snowing forest. "Also even if you make it back there and get to an airport. Agents will be waiting for you. They will whisk you away to some secret facility and torture you to death."

Pete stayed in his seat. He knew that his best chance of survival was to stay with these people.

Even Christi would freeze to death, dressed as she was. "I'd rather be let back in Regensburg, not out in the sticks. I don't assume I can get a plane here. Let me at the airport in the next city."

"Up north there is no more cities with any large airports. Just private stuff. Plus this is the only place we are stopping at before we get to the safe house. So either get out or come with us." Miles said coldly.

Christi shook her head. "Private is fine. Probably less likely to attract agents. Besides, if I know where your safe house is, you'll never let me leave."

"Yes because some random person is going to let you on their plane then go out of the country? No chance. So get out now or come with us. Stop dinking around and choose." Miles said.

Christi finally lost her temper with Miles. "I'll come as long as I know you'll let me out of the country and won't keep me in the safe house. Otherwise, I'm stepping out, right here."

"We are going straight to the safe house. So you better get out now." said Miles.

Christi sulked as she saw reason, her anger ebbed, and she slammed the door. She'd have to know where Molly was being held to get her own people there, and it wasn't like she didn't have escape training...

She still did not trust the Canadsteiners. Christi sat with her head down until they got to... wherever.

Pete whispered into Christi's ear. "Christi everything is going to be fine. We are on the same side as these people. You just need to be a little more open minded. Just remember I will not let anything happen to you."

Christi nodded softly and put her arm around Pete. "I know. I... almost left you behind. If these guys really are wanted by the Agency, they're my allies. I just have to know they really are."

"Just calm. Everything will turn out for the best." Pete said, while Taylor pulled back onto the highway. Looking over he saw that Molly was silently sleeping. He just hoped that she would stay here with him.

Christi nodded. Things rarely turned out the best for her or her nation. She was somewhat cynical, but trusted Pete even if she found him a little naive.

"I hope so," she said. "For all our sakes." She waited for the car to finish its trip.

After driving for five hours they finally came to the safe house. They had arrived without any mishaps, but arrived a little after it had gotten dark. The safe house was a cabin of some sort. It was a medium size house and totally in the windows. You could not see it from the main road or the sky. It was hidden from normal view. Taylor stopped the car. They all piled out. Miles quickly produced a pair of keys and opened the door. Taylor carried Molly, who was still asleep. The cabin had a giant room, that had two rooms come off of it. The main giant room was a kitchen/dining/living room. So that mean the other two doors lead to bedrooms.

"Home sweet home for now." Miles said as he got a fire going. Once going he faced the main group. "I will sleep on the couch, so that means you four will sleep in a normal bed."

Taylor carried Molly into a nearby bedroom. It seemed like they were going to sleep. Pete looked at Christi.

"It seems like we have to sleep together." stated Pete.

Christi nodded. "It would seem so. I just wish my clothes hadn't been left on that train when those Agency thugs attacked me. I had some nice black lingerie I wanted you to see me in. No matter." She slipped her clothes off and lay under the sheets in her underwear.

With luck, her suitcase would be found by some local with the tags still on it and shipped back to Kahanistan. Christi wasn't holding her breath.

Pete nervously stripped to his underwear and got in bed with Christi. Looking over at her, he blushed. Slowly he inched over to Christi to grab her. Once his arms were around her, Pete pulled her to himself.

"We need to warm each other up." Pete said before he kissed her.

Christi smiled. "There's no need to be nervous around me," she said. She allowed Pete to hold her gently. "I don't bite unless you want me to. For now... why not make each other feel good?"

"That sounds good." Pete gently put his hands on her breats.

Christi nodded gently. That night she felt better than she had since she arrived in Canadstein. She couldn't make as much noise as she would have liked with three other people in the cabin.

Waking up in the morning Pete felt very relaxed. Last night was wonderful. Getting up, he kissed Christi then got out of bed, without waking her. Making it into the other he saw Miles was making them breakfast. Miles was going to try to reconcile with Christi. So Pete decided to help. Of course the aromas woke up Taylor, who also decided to help and surprise Molly.

Christi lay in bed, still tired from her ordeal and relaxed. She would not wake till someone woke her. Even the smell of the food would not wake her.

Each man brought their respective lover a tray with crepes, strawberries, and whipped cream. Pete kissed Christi, then slightly patted her cheek. When she awoke she would find the tray sitting in front of her. She would see that Pete was already eating. Pretty much the same thing was happening to Molly.

Christi stirred and began eating. "'Morning," she said. "Pete, do you... feel safe here?" she asked.

---

Molly dug into her breakfast. "So, what's with that lady? And who's the guy she was with?"

"Both of the men seem like nice guys. I think it is safe to say that it will be safe here." Pete said in between eating.

---

"I don't know Molly. Maybe you should ask them yourself." Taylor said with a worried look. He did not want Molly to find out about her other life.

"I... kind of feel like a prisoner," said Christi. "I don't trust them. They basically gave me the choice to come with them or be abandoned in the middle of nowhere. At least they didn't take my cell, but I'm afraid to use it. I think the Agency can track people from their cell phones. It sounds paranoid, but the Doomies did it all the time when they occupied... whenever you managed to get out a call through all the jamming."

"I'm not exactly deep cover... the Embassy's probably trying to find me now. If they suspect the Agency, it could trigger another international incident."

"All we can do for now is hide out. At least until things blow over." Pete replied.

Christi nodded. "I... just want to relay the information I have back home, and get Molly back if I can. I won't take her against her will, and I'm not trained to treat psychological trauma. That's something that would take a team of psychiatrists to do." She pulled on her clothes.

"Sometimes in the bush I have to go over a week without bathing. I don't like it, but I don't think this place has running water or a place to wash my clothes, or even get new ones."

"Go ask Miles. He should know since he owns this place." Pete finished off the rest of his crepes.

Christi came out of her room and went up to Miles. "What kinds of facilities do we have here?" she asked. She didn't want to ask outright if the place had toilets, running water, washing machines, showers, etc.

"What do you mean?" asked Miles as he whittled away on a piece of wood.

Christi hadn't wanted to say outright, but if Miles didn't understand, she'd have to clarify.

"Showers, washing machines, toilets, anything with running water. Most of my clothes were left on the train when those Agency goons attacked me."

"Yeah I got those. Just look behind the door in your room. Also for spare cloths look in the dresser. Their women and they are about your size." Miles blandly answered.

Christi nodded and went into the closet. Somehow she doubted they were in her size - most women were not 5'9" tall. The variety wasn't what she'd like, but she pulled down a nice dress, some underwear, and went into the shower to clean and change.

She came out in a casual solid medium blue dress. "So, what do we do here? Just... sitting and hiding from the Agency? Do we have any plans to, in the future... not live as fugitives?" Christi didn't want to spend the rest of her life here. She just wanted to make sure Molly was safe and try to talk her into going back to Kahanistan with her... and Molly didn't seem to like the government of Kahanistan that much.

"Well we are going to hide out for a while. The agency isn't going to keep looking for us forever. It is only a matter of time before the lax the search effort. Until then we hide. But to get you out of this country we are going to need to get you a new passport. Because if they catch even a whiff of Kahanistani, then you will never get home." Miles put down his knife and piece of whittle. Venturing to a nearby closet he produced a M1917 revolver. Picking it up he tested its weight, then threw it up in the air. Then he started twirl around the gun like an old western gunslinger from the movies. Finally it ended once the grip was pointed away from him and the barrel was pointed to him. His arm extended toward Christi. "Take it for protection. It is already loaded."

"OK... so what about my own authorities? They'll probably scan me up and down with a fine-tooth comb, maybe even cavity-search me, thinking I'm a Canadsteiner... then if they let me in the country, they'll want to X-ray me to make sure I'm not a member of the Agency, carrying something dangerous. The Agency can't be watching all the airports, can they? I was thinking we just pay someone who has a private plane..." She inspected the weapon - a Kahanistanian officer, especially one on a mission, did not trust a strange weapon.

Christi sat down next to Molly, who cringed uneasily around her.

"Would you rather be hard lined here or in your own country? The agency will have you marked. If you show up in the system, then they will make the airport security detain you. And paying for a private plane is out of the question. No one is going to fly across the border. Probably think you are a drug smuggler." Miles said returning to his whittling. "I suggest you get familiar with that weapon. The box of ammo is back in that closet. Just tell me when you need more."

Taylor came out of the room, after taking a shower, and sat next to Molly. He put his arm around her to comfort her. Her mind must have been in a whirlwind. How did this stranger know her name? Why was the agency chasing after them? Why were the Kahanistanis coming after her?

"Thank God drugs are legal in Kahanistan," said Christi. "Nobody smuggles drugs to there." A drug smuggler would simply take a fast boat or plane from Kahanistan to wherever they were smuggling. Hundreds of Kahanistanians were executed abroad every year for smuggling to places where the penalty was death. Thousands more were in prisons scattered around the world. The successful Kahanistanian drug lords and ladies often used their proceeds to spruce up the economy.

Christi looked at Taylor and Molly. "I didn't get your name," she said to the young man sitting next to Molly.

"Private Taylor Hall and you already know, Corporal Molly Hargan." Taylor replied.

"You seem to have built a rapport with Molly," said Christi. She couldn't trust him, though she got the impression he seemed a basically decent guy. Molly may have bonded with him as the least abusive of her captors. If Christi's theory of Stockholm Syndrome were correct, Molly had been abused during her captivity and was bonding to one of them to survive.

"Yeah we have been dating for the past couple of months. Isn't that right Molly?" He asked.

Molly nodded. "We're pretty close," she said. "Major..."

Christi cut her off. "Christi will do."

"OK. Christi. Why does your government want to take me to Kahanistan?"

Christi sighed, thinking how best to reply.

Taylor looked at Christi. He shook his head. She was going into uncharted waters.

Christi decided to broach the issue carefully and non-confrontationally. She knew that Molly had bonded with the Canadsteiners.

"Molly, your... family and friends in Kahanistan miss you. They want to know that you're OK."

"Christi, I... have something to tell you," said Molly. She looked into Christi's eyes.

"I... infiltrated your nation's military," she said. "I'm a native Canadsteiner. I was born in St. Cecilia."

Christi looked stunned. Kahanistanian Intelligence had never thought the Canadsteiners would brainwash someone into such a belief, or they would have provided Christi with a copy of Molly's birth certificate and military records. Christi looked at Molly in confusion. On the other hand, she was certain Molly was a Kahanistanian soldier - she had been dispatched by General Kaselev himself upon hearing that Molly was still alive, and he had been the one to send her to Moltke. If she had been born in Canadstein, it would have at least come up...

Taylor said nothing. It was going to be for the best. If Molly ever did find out that her current "life" was fake, then she would have psychological problems. Her Kahanistani memories were all but eradicated. There was no way to get them back. A whole part of her life was gone and replaced with an artificial one. Was it better to live a lie without knowing it or having no memories at all?

Christi embraced the girl and held her. She could not begin to imagine what Molly must have gone through to be brainwashed to this point. On the other hand, most brainwashing cases lost the beliefs they had been indoctrinated with as soon as contact with the brainwashers was broken. Molly seemed to be free to approach Christi and her friend in private... but hadn't.

"Will you still take me to Kahanistan?" Molly asked.

Christi held the girl tighter. "Molly... I won't take you anywhere against your will." Her mission had been to find Molly and get her to come back. This would take resources beyond her training in human psychology. Even a year later, when she would have her Ph.D., this would be beyond her training.

"Won't your government be mad at you?"

"I don't know." She didn't, either. Kaselev rarely showed anger, or any other emotion for that matter. Some held to speculation that he was a deprogrammed Kraven Capitol Police trooper or Freekish Sentinel captured in action, although his personnel file attributed his outward lack of emotions to beatings and torture at the hands of his tyrannical religious fanatic father.

"I'll... tell them the truth," said Christi. She looked into Molly's eyes. Molly looked nervous at first, then reciprocated eye contact with Christi. This Kahanistanian officer seemed nice, even if her intentions were a little confusing.

"Molly do you want to stay here, in your home, or Kahanistan?" asked Taylor.

"I like this place," said Molly. She showed no sign of being under duress that Christi could discern. "The Kahanistanian government is... too warlike. Their soldiers and civilians pack raped Catholic girls."

Christi was slightly offended. She was Christian, albeit liberal enough that she and her husband, also in the military, agreed that neither should sacrifice physical pleasure owing to the other's prolonged absence. She had even been attacked by an anti-Catholic mob before, but escaped. "Yes, there are bad people in Kahanistan. There are good people in Doomingsland, and Kraven, and Automagfreek," she said. "A few mobs do not represent our national character."

She decided not to strongly defend against the allegation that Kahanistan was warlike, in the interests of avoiding a heated debate. The elections had finished, and if she was right, General Sklenova had won the election. Not the best candidate, but certainly not warlike... Christi was a Nationalist herself, though a moderate one who opposed foreign wars and supported Senator Petrova.

"Are you confused Molly about what Christi is telling you?" asked Taylor.

"A little... how does she know who I am? Why does she want me out of all the thousands of other Canadsteiner soldiers?"

Christi sat back, waiting to see what kind of spin Taylor would put on things...

"I don't know...she is going to have explain it for yourself." replied Taylor.

"Well..." said Christi cautiously, "Our... military has no reason to suspect you are an infiltrator. We have detailed records of your service." Christi was skeptical of Molly's statement she was Canadsteiner, given her belief it would have come up in her briefing, and it would be an astounding coincidence if she had the same name and looked like the woman she was looking for.

"At the very least," she continued, not wanting to contradict Molly and provoke a confrontation, "you have friends in Kahanistan. You were sent to investigate suspicions that the Canadsteiner government had sent... agents... to attempt to influence the Kahanistanian military and political structures."

Molly nodded politely. She did not seem to necessarily distrust Christi, but seemed more confused than ever.

"I think that is enough. Molly has already stated that she wants to stay in Canadstein and has no intentions of ever going back to Kahanistan. You have already received a sufficient answer, so can we talk about something else?" asked Taylor.

Christi nodded. Very well... She was not sent to kidnap, or commit other crimes; she was sent to act strictly legally to find Molly.

"O.K... What would you rather talk about?" asked Christi, straining to contain her emotions.

"I am going outside. You and Molly can continue to talk." Taylor walked out the door alone.

"I figure I should tell you a little about me," said Christi. She figured Molly would trust her more if she knew a little about the woman who had come to destroy her life as a Canadsteiner and take her away to her shitty little country.

"Well, as you already know, I'm a major in the Republic Marines, and I'm part of Military Intelligence. Not a spy, as such. At least not legally since I'm not trying to access anything the government's declared classified. I'm 27 years old and live in Jugo Beach, Kahanistan." She debated telling her she was married, but decided not to. Pete would likely be furious with her if he found out - Canadsteiners tended not to be as liberal as Kahanistanians on sexual matters.

"I'm interested in physical fitness, as you probably figured." She smoothed her dress over her stomach. Christi had slight lines of a six-pack underneath. "I like boating, hang gliding, and other physical activities."

Molly nodded. "I'm a Corporal in the Royal Canadstein Army. I'm 20, I'll be 21 in a couple of weeks, and I'm part of Intel." She'd been brainwashed, all right - she couldn't open up to Christi even without a Canadsteiner present. "I like fishing and skiing up here."

Christi nodded and put her arms around Molly so she couldn't see the tears in her eyes. Molly didn't seem to suspect anything, so she simply hugged her back.

"Christi, why does your government think I'm the one you're after?" she asked.

"Well, for starters, you have the same name," Christi replied. "You answered when I approached you in the museum. You also bear a striking physical resemblance." She pulled a photograph of Molly from her fanny pack, one of her in civilian clothing, the only one she'd been given. It was different from the picture in the missing person leaflets that had been dumped on Canadstein in their millions, but the same girl. As it was meant to be shown to anyone she thought had seen Molly, it did not feature her in Kahanistanian military uniform, as Intel decided that Canadsteiners would be less willing to help someone who was military. Christi had to find a picture of Molly in uniform, but her laptop had been in her suitcase and she doubted the cabin had a net connection - the Agency could probably track people through their IP addresses or satellite connections...

From one of the rooms erupted a song. Any German could easily recognize it as Die Wacht am Rhein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Die_Wacht_am_Rhein), but non-Germans would have some trouble. They could easily know that it is German, but that is about it. If either women listened closely, then they could hear three separate men sing along, in German, with the song. Suddenly all three of the men belted out: "wer will des Stromes Hüter sein?"*


* who wants to be the stream's guardian?

Molly turned to Christi. "Do you speak German?" she asked.

Christi shook her head and stood up. "I had it about fifteen years ago, in middle school. Don't remember enough of it to understand the song. I don't speak to a lot of Germans. I think we sang it in class once, but I haven't heard it in years."

"I think I'll join them," said Molly.

Christi nodded. "I'll be outside, getting the feel of this weapon," she said. She went to the closet and rummaged around to find a large, heavy woolen coat and leather boots to keep her warm.

Miles, Taylor, and Pete finished the song with by singing loud and triumphantly: "Fest steht und treu die Wacht, die Wacht am Rhein!"*

All of the men looked at each. It was truly a song to be proud of. Obliviously all three men had Germanic roots. But it was somewhat odd to have a record of the song. It was a German Patriotic song and Canadstein had their own. Miles must have wanted to keep his German heritage alive.

Not saying anything the three men dispersed. Taylor took Molly back to the living room to sit in front of the fire. Mile also went back to the living room, but to read a book. Meanwhile Pete went outside to look for Christi. Expertly he sneaked up to Christi. Suddenly he put his arms around her. He pulled her body closer to his.

"So what are you doing out here?"

*Solid stands, and staunch, the Watch, the Watch at the Rhine!

"Practicing with this," said Christi, holding the M1917. She'd gotten a dozen or so shots off into a distant tree trunk from various positions. "And concentrating so heavily I allowed you to sneak up on me. If you were part of the Agency, I'd be laying here bleeding to death with my throat cut... if I was lucky."

"Lucky I am not. You have nothing to be really afraid." Pete said with a devilish smile. He kissed her cheek. "How about we go for a walk?"

Christi nodded. "OK," she said. "I'll be more careful. Are we making a break for it?"

"Are you daff? I have no idea where we are. We could be hundreds of miles away from a town. We wouldn't even last a day out here in the snow. Plus who knows when a blizzard is going to strike. The safest thing to do is stay here. Has anything happened? No...just calm down Christi can you do that for me?" Pete grabbed her hand and held it.

Christi looked shocked. "All I did was ask a question. I have survival training, but I still have to get back to Kahanistan soon. I can show you how to make a fire by rubbing two sticks together, or kill an animal with a deadfall trap, or make a good bow and arrows, in the meantime. I don't particularly want to live on the stuff they have here if I don't have to."

"I am sorry Christi...I didn't mean to come off as mean. Its just that we can't risk wandering into the forest. Your survivals skills might help, but we have no idea where we are. We could travel in the wrong direction and never find a town, then die. Lets just stay here." Pete passionately kissed Christi. One of his hands sneaked up and squeezed one of her boobs. "Now do you still want to take that walk?"

Christi nodded, totally unfazed by having her breast squeezed. "Sure. I don't know where we are either. I recognised a few of the highway numbers, but my map of Canadstein is lost."

"So how is life in Kahanistan?" asked Pete leading Christi into a forest.

"A bit poor, compared to what we had before the Doomani war. I don't have access to news reports over here, so I don't know who won. I kind of hope the Nationalists did - I don't see the Communists keeping the economy afloat unless they were threatened with invasion or something, and maybe not even then." She overestimated the idealism of the Communists.

"Not really a bad place to be, but there is a fair amount of crime if you appear affluent. You're likely to be robbed in the poorer areas, the places that still don't have running water. In the middle-class areas things are generally safe. I wonder how that naval conflict with Praetonia turned out. Hope it didn't escalate to shooting at each other."

"What do you think of Canadstein?" Pete asked eagerly, wanting to gain more information.

"The people are fine, for the most part. A little more socially conservative than we are, but to each their own. I think their government isn't what it claims to be, though. I don't think they're actually neutral. I think they put covert agents into Kahanistan and probably other countries to carry out their interests. Yes, Kahanistan does it too, but we don't claim to be universally neutral and ours are accountable. I'm answerable to the Director of Military Intelligence, the President, and a whole host of other officers. If I went into a church and started shooting people left and right, and somehow made it back to Kahanistan, I'd be in a world of shit."

Pete nodded. "Well it just seems like you have a problem against the Canadstein Intelligence Agency, not the government itself. President Harper is trying to make Canadstein a better place and make a mark on the world, in a positive. He has made free health care, strengthened our economy, and one of the safest countries in the world. But on the other hand I have no idea what Director Hall wants. He is off in his own little world. Kind of a shady character if you ask me."

"Anything you want to know from me?"

"I do have a problem with the Agency. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here. The Agency tried to kill me in the train. I think Molly's been brainwashed. I don't know why, but it's an advanced form... she isn't opening to me at all. I have a picture of her, but she just seemed confused..." She showed Pete the photograph she had been given by Military Intelligence.

Christi's voice cracked. "I... really want to help her. I can't break through, and... I'm usually good at knowing when people are lying to me, but Molly seems to really believe what she's saying."

---

Molly sat next to Taylor. "Christi has a picture of me. I don't know where she got it, and I don't remember it being taken. I don't know that she's entirely convinced that I'm one of you."

"Christi, maybe you just have to accept and move on. Maybe she isn't lying. Molly could be telling the truth. You have done your job to the best of your abilities. There is nothing more you can do. Just try to relax Christi. If you can't do that, then the stress will build up and get the best of you." Pete stated. He stopped and hugged Christi. "Right now just concentrate on us. Can you do that for me?"

---

"Molly, just give it sometime. She will see and know that you are a true Canadsteiner. You have always been and always will be. Just remember this 'Loyalty above all to King and State', which is Canastein." Taylor was a tad bit worried. He put his arm around her. "Are you loyal to Canadstein and our King, Albert IV?"

Christi sniffled. "OK." She wasn't convinced, but allowed Pete to hold her. "Let's go. I'm sure I'll think of something. Does the cabin have internet access?" She didn't think it did, but it was worth a shot...

---

Molly nodded. "Yes... I am. Christi isn't so certain. All I know is what I remember growing up in St. Cecelia."

"Probably not. I am pretty sure cabins are suppose to be an escape from society." Pete grabbed a hold of her face and wiped away any tears. "Christi just know that you have me to depend on. So you have any questions you want to ask me?"

---

"Just go by what your heart says. It is the real truth." Taylor said.

"Do you believe I'm right about Molly?" asked Christi softly. "That the Agency is capable of this...? I wanted to pull up a copy of Molly's Kahanistanian military record to show her - to get through to her. She'd think I hacked the database, but my area is human psychology."

"I really don't know what to believe. One of half me wants to believe you. The other half has seen the words come from Molly's mouth. I can tell that she is not lying and is telling the truth." said Pete. "Can we please not talk about this anymore?"

Christi nodded. "All right," she said sadly. "Come with me." She walked deeper into the woods.

Pete complied and followed Christi into the forest.

Christi sat down on a tree stump near some rocks. "So, ready to learn basic Kahanistanian survival training?" she asked, picking up two sticks.

"Are you sure you can start a fire in all this snow?" Pete asked. He had a rudimentary knowledge of survival skills from being in the Royal Canadsteiner Militia.

"Sure," said Christi. She pulled a piece of dead crabgrass to bind the sticks in a bow drill (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_fire#Friction) formation and proceeded to sharpen a point on one stick.

"Ideally, in a situation I'd need to use this, I'd have a Swiss Army knife with a magnifying glass, and some matches, but I thought I'd show the worst-case scenario first," she said. "We're also trained to set up deadfall traps for animals, but I personally don't use them, I think they're cruel."

Pete brought Christi down to the snow. His body was on top of hers. Looking down at her face, he kissed her.

"Christi...I think I am falling for you."

Christi smiled softly, not knowing how to respond to this. She could stay in contact with him, but the same factors that had led her close to him (no time at home, husband never around - military couples tend to strain) would not enable her to get too attached.

She sat on the stump, collecting her thoughts.

"What's wrong Christ?" Pete asked as he stood in front of her.

"I'm a military officer. I can't get too attached - I move all over the world. I don't think I've spent two weeks at home since I got a new home. I'm flattered... let's enjoy the time we have together." Christi took a few rocks and some grass and had a small fire in minutes.

"So, you said you'd had basic survival training?" she said.

"Christi I am not going to let our love end just because we live in different countries. We have to at least try. If we don't then our love is for nothing." Pete put his arms around her. "Do you feelings for me, Christi?"

Christi nodded slowly. She didn't want to hurt him, but didn't feel the same way. On the other hand, she did have feelings for him - she liked him, even if he seemed to attach a little fast. Maybe it's just a cultural difference. Telling him now that she was married was out of the question. She'd have to find another way to let him know.

"It's only been a few days," she said. "I don't know exactly how I feel." Even Kahanistanian sexual attitudes were different - religious institutions generally had little influence in the lives of any but the most devout traditionalists.

Wanting to quickly get off the subject, after seeing Christi react to the question, Pete looked down at the small fire. He moved himself to a nearby rock. "Yeah in the militia they teach us basic survival. How to live in nature. Pretty neat stuff if you ask me. So why did you show me how to make a fire?"

Christi looked down at the small flames. "I didn't know you already knew. Sometimes you might need one in wet conditions. I need to get home and I don't know when those two guys will take us out. I'm sure your family and friends are concerned about you, too. They're probably wondering why you haven't checked into work. I was going to ask you to go with me, to hitch a ride to a town or something."

"In a few minutes the fire will be big enough for us to take our coats off. Do they show you how to stalk animals in the militia?"

"There is at least one person in the group who knows how to hunt. But the militia doesn't teach us to hunt animals. Plus the threat of war is not even real within this country. If there is ever a war it is going to be on our turf. We will have the home field advantage. Like the Americans in the American Revolution." Pete took off his coat and moved next to Christi. "So how was your last relationship?"

Christi looked jittery. She decided to try to break it slowly. "In my country... relationships are rarely 100% monogamous, especially in the military, when one or both partners are being moved all over hell and creation," she said. "Generally, unless someone's very jealous or religious, they accept that their partner needs intimacy when they're away."

"Wait...so you are telling me that you might have a boyfriend?" Pete said slightly offended. He got and put his hand on his forehead. "What the hell have I done?"

Worse than that. Husband. No. Christi wasn't going to pour salt on an open wound. She couldn't just tell him to chalk it up to cultural differences, or that he didn't know her well enough to be in love with her. All she could do was just sit there, staring into the fire.

"I am right Christi? Did I hit the nail right on its head?" Pete looked away from Christi. His head was pointed toward the gray sky above him. A small white snowflake landed on his forehead. Great it was starting to snow. Wiping it off Pete waited for an answer.

Enough beating around the bush. "I'm married. Don't take it so hard - how much of each other do you think we see? He's military, too. He'd understand." Christi hung her head. She knew she'd led Pete on, and gotten him to think there was something more.

"Christi...we can never be together then. There is no point. Plus you lied to me. How do I not know this whole thing was a lie?" Pete stated. He turned around and shook his head in disgrace. If he had known that she was married, then he would have never had sex. Pete had committed adultery. It was sick to even think about it. Turning back around, Pete headed back to the cabin without Christi nor did he care.

Christi stayed in the woods, feeding the fire. She tool off her coat and lay on top of it, warmed by the flames that also kept dangerous creatures away. To a Kahanistanian, extramarital sex was not viewed with the degree of opprobrium it was in Canadstein - cheating, that is to say, sneaking around on one's spouse - was considered a fairly low and dishonourable act, but their culture had a fairly strict definition of "cheating" that did not always agree with foreigners or immigrants.

Best in future to only... mingle with people from equally liberal cultures.

Out of nowhere Christi would feel a hand on her shoulder. Though this time it wasn't Pete, but Miles Mason. He was dressed in a Prussian gray wool coat, reminiscent of the Wehrmacht winter coat. In one of his hands was a Kar98k. Propping his rifle against a tree and setting his coat on the rifle, Miles joined Christi by the fire.

"So what are you doing out here all alone? I thought Pete was with you."

"He was," said Christi. "He... became upset when he realised there could be nothing between us." Now did not seem the time to explain the differences in Kahanistanian and Canadsteiner culture. "About how much longer do you think we'll be holing up here?"

"I really don't know. For a while I guess. The agency is going to hunt us down until they kill both of us. I know how they think. They are ruthless and will stop at nothing. Right now this a refuge from their grip." Miles stared at the fire. "So you care about Pete?"

"I like him," said Christi. "He's nice, he cares about me. I'm married, though. In my country it's acceptable for couples to stray when one or both partners are away, and my husband and I are both in the military. The other partner accepts it unless they're very jealous or they have strong religious convictions against it - in which case they likely aren't marrying someone in the military, or a business executive, or an international volunteer, et cetera, anyway. Let's just say there was a cultural disconnect."

"Do you know where the Agency is based?"

"Well from my experiences with Kahanistani women they are very liberal compared to us. In our culture we only have one partner for the rest of our lives. One partner to share what time we have left on this earth. Someone we can grow close too. Pete maybe thought you were the special one, but when he found out you had a husband, all those thoughts were dashed. Also he committed adultery, which is going to affect him immensely. Pete is most likely a Catholic." Miles warmed up his hands. "It would be in your best interest to at least try to talk to him. If you don't then things might get worse. Pete might become reckless and be a danger to all of us. We don't want that to happen."

"As for the agency they move around a lot. You have to understand that I left them a month ago. I wasn't even in this country for that whole month. Actually was with Prince Nicholas, but never mind that. They have most likely moved since my betrayal. Now a question for you. What are my crimes back in Kahanistan?"

Christi nodded. "Murder of a police officer, kidnapping, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, making threats toward a government official, burglary of a government building... enough to see you sent away for life. My advice is to move to another country, maybe run away and join one of the foreign legions."

"My understanding of sin, from a Christian point of view, is it takes knowledge and intent, so Pete would be innocent. Maybe we follow different denominations of Catholicism - we almost certainly do, I follow a very liberal denomination, I'm what we call a C and E - Christmas and Easter, the only days I'm in church, Catholic. I don't believe in forced conversions, or torture, or mass genocide, or any of those terrible things the Anti-Catholic Party extrapolates from Doomani to Catholics in general."

"I'd like to talk to Pete, and I can't see him as necessarily unstable... but what do I tell him? I mentioned the cultural divide and he walked off. I'll try to learn the cultures of nations I get assigned to better in the future."

"About the Agency... I could call in an air strike when I got home, but I'd need to know where their main HQ is. Else I could end up flattening some trailer park and killing a load of civilians, and that would be... bad."

"Are most Canadsteiners Catholic? That would explain the accusation they opposed General Malakov."

"Just try to work things out. If you don't then you might lose his love forever. Do you want to lose it because of one difference? That is what I would call laziness. Not trying at all. Love is something very fragile, but also scared. Something that doesn't come around that often. Hopefully Pete will see that and reconcile with you." Miles stated. "He walked away because he was upset that you lied to him. You lead him on thinking that you were single. For all you know you might have been his one."

Even if Miles did coordinates to the Agency, it would be in no use. The Kahanstani planes would be blown out of the sky the moment they crossed the border without clearance. That would be that. Canadsteiners would say nothing and the Kahanistani would do the same thing. If the Kahanistani did speak up, then it would look like an attack on a neutral nation. Certainly Kahanistani would want to worsen their appearance?

"Yep...most Canadsteiners are Catholic or Protestant, though the majority is Catholic. I was raised Catholic."

Miles raised up another unexpected question, though this time it came out more slowly. "What if I returned back to Kahanistan with you?"

"I'd have to talk to General Kaselev, Director of Military Intelligence. He'll want all the information you have on the Agency, and he'll want any documents you can get. He may be willing to urge that the charges be reduced or dropped in exchange, but he's got left leanings and he supports General Sklenova. It'll take a lot to win him over."

"I'm not in love with Pete. I don't care about losing his love - if that's what it takes for him to not be attached to me, then that's what it takes. I'd reconcile with him if I knew what to do, but... I just don't want him to be too attached to me."

"If I come to Kahanistan I am not giving them any information. I want to face my crimes not escape from them. My return to Kahanistan and sentence will be my penance. The only way to repent for my sins and past deeds. What I have done is bad and I am sick of running away from it." Miles said with pain. "Maybe it will relieve my nightmares. The pain I suffer is immense. I haven't had happiness in ages. All I feel is my pain."

Miles looked up to the sky and sighed.

"So Pete was a convenient one time fuck? I heard you last night. Heard him make love to you. Seemed like you loved that. You love the sex not the person. Or maybe you are falling for him and you cannot accept that. You are just trying to hide your true feelings. Before you talk to him, I suggest you talk to yourself. You need to find your true emotions."

Christi sighed. She didn't know she'd been that loud, and it didn't seem that Miles could appreciate the cultural gap. "We have different views on sexuality. I'll talk to him when I get back."

She picked up a large piece of dead wood and put it in the fire to keep it going. "I need to sleep alone. Going in with Pete again will just tempt him." She lay down on her coat on her back.

"I understand Christi." Miles got up and collected his things. Putting back on his coat and his rifle sling on his shoulder, it seemed like Miles was getting ready to go. As he started to walk off he stopped. Turning back around to Christi he had to ask. "Christi do you hate me because of my past deeds?"

"Hate is too strong a word," said Christi. "I think you should be held accountable for your crimes. When you return, God willing, you will be."

Miles turned back around and headed for the cabin. His thoughts exactly. It was time to finally face his crimes. Even if it meant that his own life would end. Better to die in honor, than to die in fear. But there another thought that laid in the back of his mind. How to save another person.

Christi lay down next to her fire and fell asleep. It was a little rough, but no rougher than survival training or special operations. At least she had access to the cabin if she needed water. She slept for about eight hours, waking somewhere around four A.M. and sitting deep in thought about what to do with her situation with Pete.

None of the Canadsteiners went searching for Christi. They knew that she could take care of herself. If she tried to escape they wished her the best of luck. On the radio they heard a blizzard was going to hit tomorrow. They just hoped that she came back or got to a town before the blizzard hit. Though Pete spent the remainder of the day in the bedroom. Thinking mostly about Christi.

It was well past noon when Christi returned to the cabin to shower and change clothes, coming out in a pair of too-tight jeans and a T-shirt. Unable to find another size 36D bra, she put on a smaller one that squeezed her breasts together - and it showed. She opened the refrigerator and began to look for a fruit juice of some kind.

"You are lucky when you arrived when you did." Miles pointed to a nearby window. All you could see was pure white. The blizzard had come during Christi's shower. If she was out there a ten minutes earlier. She would have never found the cabin and died. "Well it seems like we are trapped inside until this whole thing blows over."

"The Agency would least expect us to move while we're snowed in. Do we have shovels here?" asked Christi, chugging down a can of raspberry juice. "True, they don't know exactly where we are, but this blizzard has to be hitting a good part of the country."

"And go out there? No way. We would either get lost or freeze to death. In that kind of blizzard you can't even see your own hand in front of you. All you see is white. So we could wander around in circles or get separated. I am not going to allow anyone out there." Miles was cleaning his rifle. "So just calm down and take a load off. If you want to know Pete is sulking in your bedroom."

Christi sat down on one of the chairs. She didn't want to be the one to approach Pete, and figured he'd have to come out of his room anyway, and he could approach her, confront her, yell at her because she hadn't told him she was married, go on about the moral depravity of Kahanistanian culture in general, etc.

A few hours later Pete came out the room to get some water. Though this trip was quickly canceled once he saw Christi. His face seemed to change. Was it happiness? Pete had honestly thought that Christi had tried to escape and upon hearing the news of the blizzard he became worried of her well being. This showed his true feelings for her. Pete had grown to care about her. He guessed it started with bashing those two agents in the head.

Not saying anything Pete grabbed Christi's hand and lead her into the bedroom.

"Christi...I am sorry for just running out on you. When I heard about the incoming blizzard I became worried about you. Christi I care about you. I don't care if you have a husband. We have to spend our time together wisely." Pete then hugged her.

Christi smiled warmly and put her arms around Pete. She kissed him softly on the cheek. "I have special forces survival training. You don't have to be worried about me. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have scared you like that."

"You aren't as angry as I thought you would be. Have you talked to any of the others? Miles came out to talk to me last night."

"I couldn't possible stay angry at you. Christi you are the first women I have connected with in over a year. For the past year I have buried myself in my work to get past my failed attempts with women." Pete looked like he was about to cry, but held it in. "I spent the last day in this room. Thinking about you, about us. Though I have one question, before we can move on and forgot about this, why didn't you tell me about your husband? I thought we weren't going to lie to each anymore, after I saved you."

"You didn't ask after then, and... I figured when we were getting close, that I couldn't just tell you then. Not when you wanted to sleep with me. I wanted to spare your feelings, didn't think you would emotionally attach to me so quickly, that we would go our own ways. I think Miles explained the culture gap, but I'm not sure, we talked a little about it last night." She held his hand and opened her fingers around his.

"Now... everything you know about me is true."

"Well...that is all behind us now. It is just you and me, Christi." Pete passionately kissed her.

"I'll still sleep outside, if you feel uncomfortable laying in bed with me." Christi sat down on the bed.

"Nah...I would rather have you by my side Christi. Just for me to know that you are still there." Pete replied.

Christi smiled warmly. "OK. In the meantime, what's for dinner?"

"I think Taylor is cooking up something for us. Said it was surprise. He is a nice kid. Gets along with everyone. Doesn't complain." Pete smiled back at Christi. "So what do you want to do now?"

"Haven't had a proper workout since I got here," said Christi. She sat down on the floor. "Need to stay in shape. Care to join me?" Christi began doing calisthenics on the floor.

Pete joined her on the floor. He hadn't worked out since the day he met Christi. "So is McDaniels the last name you were born with?"

"Yes," said Christi, peeling off her T-shirt and starting crunches. "85% of married women in Kahanistan keep their last names. I think it's closer to 90% now. It's only the traditional types who take their husbands' names; a lot of people see it as subordination of women."

Following Christi's suit, Pete took off his own shirt and started to do crunches. He looked over at her and smiled. Quickly he noticed that Christi's boobs looked like they were about to burst from the small bra. In the back of his mind part of him wanted it to happen. Pete shook his head and concentrated on his crunches. "Oh I never told you my own last name. Its Rider."

"I thought you had, in the bar, when we introduced ourselves," said Christi. She eyed Pete approvingly and flipped over to begin one-handed press-ups. "You said you didn't connect well with women?"

"Like I said I sent a year burying myself in work. All I did was concentrate on my research. Shield myself away from women. Didn't want to deal with the rejection or being dumped." Pete said copied Christi, wanting to try out a new workout. "But I also had a lot of spare time. Worked out most of the time or did history research. Exercising both my mind and body."

Christi looked at her watch. "Getting late, it's been over an hour. Dinner should be ready fairly soon. I'm pooped." She lay on the bed on her back.

"Well I am going to take a shower. You go ahead wait in the living room. I will be there in a few." Pete started to strip, then entered the nearby bathroom.

Christi pulled her T-shirt back on and went to the living room to wait for dinner. She was very hungry, after spending a night in the cold and then working out.

Taylor was working very hard in the kitchen, while Molly watched him. Miles was in his usual spot reading a book. Noticing Christi, Miles put down the book, which read Das Kapital.

"So I guess you worked things out?"

"Yup," said Christi. She noticed Miles' book. "I didn't know you were a communist."

"I am not. Though I do like to broaden my view, so I can understand each facet. " responded Miles. "Can you come here Christi? I have something I wish to discuss with you."

Christi eyed Miles cautiously and approached. "Yes...?"

"If I promise to come back to Kahanistan with you, I want to make sure your government will leave Molly and Taylor alone. Molly doesn't want to come back to Kahanistan. So I want the Kahanistani government to stop pestering them and leave them alone. Their love is true. I can see it. If Molly is taken, then Taylor will be heartbroken. I will not let that happen." Miles said in a whispered, looking at the couple. "Can your promise me that this will happen?"

"That goes above the authority of my rank," said Christi. "I could talk to General Kaselev, but I figure he's under political pressure from within the General Staff and probably from the Senate to get her back."

"You see them, right? That is what we call unconditional love. They are meant for each other. I am not going to let your government break that. Molly is happy here. Just tell your government what you have seen. General Sklenova will back you up. If you promise that you will try your hardest, then I will come." Miles replied.

"She has people at home who love her, too," said Christi. "Knowing Kaselev, he's shared what little info he has with them. And you want me to ask him to face those people and tell them we traded her for a wanted criminal?"

"You could tell that she is fine and not be hurt. Maybe even tell them that she found a boyfriend. The decision is up to you." Miles said.

"I'll... tell them she doesn't appear to be hurt," said Christi. She needed Miles for the intelligence that General Kaselev and his comrades could extract from him.

"So you promise to try your hardest to convince that Molly is fine?" Miles restated.

"I'll tell them the truth - that she seems to be physically fine, she's fallen in love with a local man... but that she seems to be brainwashed. Love under these circumstances is but a cruel hoax."

"Fine you tell me if that is hoax." Miles pointed toward the couple. "Actually never mind I don't want to hear an answer. Just know that I will come to Kahanistan with you."

Picking up his book, Miles continued to read.

Christi went back upstairs and sat until someone called her for dinner. She figured Pete was done or nearly done showering and decided she'd like to talk with him.

Pete entered from the shower, while putting on a t-shirt. He looked at Christi and smiled, but wondered why she was still waiting here. Walking over to her, Pete then put his arm around her. "I thought you were going to wait down stairs."

Christi nodded. "So did I... you wouldn't believe what Miles wanted me to do." She lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"What does he want you to do?" asked Pete.

"He wants me to get my government to give up on Molly. I... I don't want to take her against her will, but I also don't want to let them have her... and I need more proof that she was brainwashed, too." Christi didn't even think she could sit at the same table with Miles at this point.

"Christi you just have to tell yourself that you tried your hardest. You have seen how Taylor treats her. She is in good hands. I can honestly see Taylor settling down with Molly and creating a family. Just don't get yourself worked over it." Pete hugged her, trying to comfort her.

Christi began crying. "It'll be even harder then... she thinks she's happy with them. I want to help her remember who she is, but she won't even look at anything that contradicts what she's been told. It's like trying to convince me that I'm a Doomani. It'd take a lot to get that idea implanted into my head, and I'd be fighting every step of the way." She put her arms around Pete. "She seems like such a nice girl. I can't just let her be taken away from her home."

"Christi...what else is there to do? She is happy here. Maybe you can't accept that. You can't just accept that Molly is a lost cause." Pete wiped away her tears. Then he kissed her warm cheek. "Please don't cry. I can't see you like this. Just let it go...can you do that for me? It is hurting you."

"You're right, I can't accept it," said Christi. "You're asking me to... hand over one of my comrades, who's done nothing wrong... and just let her forget her whole life. If she remembers who she is and still wants to stay with Taylor, fine. If she doesn't, that's also fine. I have no problem with her having a relationship with him. I have a problem when she's so brainwashed she thinks she has a relationship, when she's just been conditioned."

"Then try to tell her. Maybe she will remember everything, then you could ask her if she wants to return to Kahanistan." commented Pete.

"I have," Christi replied. "She was barely confused when I showed her a picture of her. She probably went to the others and got a convincing explanation. She can't even open up to me with none of them around. That's how deep they've gotten to her. I can't imagine what they had to do to her to get her to believe it so fervently."

"Then you have to get her alone. I don't believe they are feeding information, but you need to test your theory." Pete said. "I think I have a plan to let that happen. The men tonight are going drunk. Hopefully this will give you some alone time with Molly."

Christi nodded. As much as she would like to get drunk - something she hadn't had the chance to do in months - she decided joining Molly was probably for the best.

"What if I was able to obtain some liquor? I might be able to get Molly to drink, and... in vino veritas. In wine, truth."

"Do what you want with her, but I know what I am going to do. Get Taylor and Miles so drunk they can't even stand. I am looking forward to my massive headache tomorrow." Pete kissed her, before getting up. Then he held out his hand to her. "Madam, shall we make our presence known in the kitchen?"

Christi smiled brightly for the first time since she had arrived. "Certainly." She stepped up and went with Pete.

Pete escorted her to the dining table. As they walked by they saw Taylor hard at work in the kitchen, while Molly helped him. Getting to their seats, Pete pulled out Christi's chair, then pushed in back in, once she sitting down. Miles was already sitting at the head of the table, nursing his drink. Noticing the pair he got up.

"What would you two like to drink?" Miles asked.

"I will have whatever you are having, Miles." Pete said calmly.

Miles nodded, then looked at Christi.

Christi smiled. She wasn't used to men pushing in her chair - something Kahanistanian men rarely did unless they were immigrants. "Do you have red wine?" she asked.

"Yeah I think I got a bottle of some." Miles went back into the kitchen and a few minutes later returned with two glasses. He set the glasses in front of the appropriate person. Pete tasted his and also coughed. This drink was strong. Well this one drink was going to be the start of many.

Christi took a sip of the wine. She didn't want to drink too much until everyone was wasted so she could talk to Molly, and hopefully escape with her.

"What's there to eat?"

"Taylor says he wants to keep a surprise, so I am going to keep it a surprise for all of it. But it smells delicious. I think we are going to have a good meal tonight." replied Miles.