BAD WINE CRAPPY CHOCOLATE

CHAPTER THREE-1

Cori was awakened at mid-morning by sunlight streaming through the window. She threw on her clothes and stepped into the hallway. People briskly moved through the corridor, with some individuals hurrying as though the devil himself was after them. Cori found her way back to the room where she had eaten the night before. No one was there. A woman walked in just as she was about to leave.
"Max said to wait for him here. I brought you something to eat."
The plate placed before her contained eggs and ham. A drink was also provided. At first she thought it was wine, but after taking a sip Cori discovered it was fruit juice. While eating her breakfast, she observed the people going by. They were a motley sort, none of them having bothered about their appearances. Max finally appeared sometime later, wearing the same black shirt and pants he had on the night before. His matching black boots were caked with mud.
"There you are. I won't ask how you slept. Anyone who sleeps until nine o'clock around here has made a pretty good go at it."
"I was very comfortable. Where's Brandon?"
Max sat down next to her. He wore a thoughtful expression.
"Well, Cane had to leave. He went to see his sister Cybil."
"He went by himself?! But what about the people who are after him?" "Cane is a sharp guy. He'll be all right."
"And what am I supposed to do?"
"Fortunately, I'm here to show you a good time."
"How could he do this to me? Where does his sister live?"

"In a city about three days from here. But it's not a place where you want to be a stranger. Trust me on that. I'll take you to my house."
"This isn't where you live?"
"No, this is where I work. I'll show you where to freshen up, and then we'll go. You picked the right time to show up, kid. I don't have anything to do today."
Max took her to a room with a washbasin made of polished gray stone. Cori splashed the cool water all over her body. She then used the very crude toothbrush that had been placed next to the stone sink. As there had been no implement provided for combing her hair, Cori improvised, using her fingers instead. She rejoined Max and he led her outside into the light of day. Hoochie rode up to them on horseback with several other men.
"We're going to take the two-thirty shipment," Hoochie said to Max.
"Just be careful, fellas," he replied.
"There's nothing to it," the other rider assured him.
"Don't get cocky. If you guys get yourselves killed, I'll have to find replacements for you. And
I'm a busy man. I don't have the time to do that."
After they rode away, Max and Cori walked over to the stable.
"This is Roxi," he told her, as they approached one of the stalls.
Cori smiled at the beautiful chestnut mare standing before her. Though the animal looked at the
stranger with an indifferent attitude, Cori stroked its neck anyway. Then she located her own horse. She was in a stall nearby and seemed to be quite contented.
"Roxi is the fastest horse in these parts," Max said proudly. "But she's no good for where we're going today. Let's get some food and take a hike."
Max took her to a small shed containing various provisions. She filled up a sack with food while her host did the same. Then the two of them stepped outside under a perfectly clear blue sky. They walked for a while before coming to a narrow trail that winded up the mountain.

"This is the way to my house," Max told her. "It's a long climb, and the path gets very choppy about halfway up there. So if you want to turn back, just let me know."
"I'll make it," Cori said confidently.
"Let's go."
They walked up the dusty path for an hour with little difficulty. There was scant plant life here,
and Cori did not see even the smallest of animals. Then the wind began to pick up, coming at them sideways as the two climbers struggled to compensate for an ever steeper trail. The path was also becoming rockier, and they had to carefully pick their way through the many stones that lay upon it. Cori became dismayed when she looked up at the top of the mountain: it was sheathed in thick clouds. Despite his limp, Max Bardy was able to maintain a good pace over the rough terrain. His companion was relieved when he suggested that they have their lunch. She sat down heavily on a large boulder.
"Why do you live all the way up here?" Cori asked him.
"It lets me get away from my work," Max explained, as he leaned against an even larger stone. "If I lived on the hill, I'd never have a moment's peace."
"Did those people you were talking about the other night really tie a rope to someone's...did they really do what you said?"
"The Clovertons? Well, I heard that they did, but I wasn't there when it was supposed to have happened. I do know that those people are capable of just about anything, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's true."
"Doesn't that bother you? I mean, what kind of people would do something like that?" "What do you do when you're home, Cori?"
"I manage things so that other people can get their work done. That's where I met Brandon." Max smiled at her.
"I bet you socialize with people there that you'd never bother with if it wasn't for your job." Cori thought about inviting Greta to the pub, and smiled.

"And so," Max continued, "you can understand that I also have to deal with people I wouldn't have anything to do with if not for my business. I provide things for people that they might not otherwise be able to afford. Some call it stealing, but I see it as just another way of doing business. To make things work, I need people like the Clovertons."
Despite his rationalization, Cori still found Max's acceptance of his associates' brutality troubling. She suddenly felt frightened, being alone with such a man. Max caught a glimpse of fear on her pretty face.
"Don't worry, Cori. I'm not going to do you any harm. I'm a sweetheart of a guy, in social situations, anyway. Besides, Cane's an old friend, and he thinks a lot of you, kid."
"Then why did he leave without me?!" Cori's anger blotted out the irritation she felt at being referred to as kid.
"He had something to do, and you'll be much safer here. Let's move on."
They walked for two more hours. At one point the two crossed a long ridge, and the wind almost blew Cori off the mountain. Soon after they entered a thick fog and she was tempted to turn back. They had climbed over 6,000 feet and her legs had become leaden.
"Where did this come from?" she asked in a dejected tone. "There wasn't a cloud in the sky when we started walking."
"Every solitary cloud wants to be part of a storm," Max told her. "So it isn't unusual for a bunch of them to come out of nowhere. But this is nothing. We'll be out of it soon enough."
"I thought you were going to show me a good time," Cori was barely able to say, her mouth now parched by the biting wind that swirled around them.
The time traveler climbed on, and her fortitude was rewarded when the mist finally lifted later in the afternoon. After they reached level ground, Cori took a moment to take in the panoramic view. She could see for miles in every direction. The valley below contained a shimmering blue lake whose boundary was indistinguishable from that of the sky. There was also a wide road running through the greenery of the lowlands.