I quieted down, moving more slowly now. After a bit I could see the clearing through the trees on my right, and the noise was ever growing. Finally I saw one of our men. He didn't seem to be doing anything, so I approached him and asked where the captives had been sent. He looked at me, confused, for a moment, then, as if realizing who I was, nodded in recognition and pointed further in the direction I had been heading. "That way, only deeper into the woods. Once they reach a safe enough distance they're setting up camp."
I thanked him and set off again. Ten minutes...twenty minutes...thirty minutes...I wiped the sweat off my forehead and peered into the forest ahead of me. I listened. Either I was getting close, or I had been an idiot and walked in a circle. I caught my breath and continued through the trees and undergrowth.
After about five or so more minutes I came into a clearing. There were people everywhere; standing, sitting, lying down, kneeling by the ones lying down, a few were even doing jumping jacks (don't ask me why). I stood still for a moment, surveying the sight before me, when a familiar voice met my ears.
"Dalphus Jonathan Brimstone!"
I whipped around with a grin. Few people knew my full name. "Isabelle Sarah Stenson!" I responded with a laugh as she ran towards me. She threw her arms around me and whispered breathlessly, "I knew you would come!" I smiled as she drew back, but frowned a moment later at the sight of a gash on her forehead. "They didn't treat you very well," I noted with resent. Isabelle smiled, still catching her breath. "I'm alright," she said convincingly. I smiled down at her. "You know what else you are?" I asked.
"What?"
"A good liar." I grinned.
"If I'm such a good liar, how do you know I'm lying?" Isabelle asked triumphantly. I smiled sadly. "Because," I began, "No matter how good of a liar you become, I'll always know you better." A cloud passed over Isabelle's face, but she shook herself and assumed a smile. "So, what's the plan?" She asked cheerfully enough. "Well," I replied, "As far as I know they're still duking it out back at the camp, but once we've dominated, we're going to take you all home. Meanwhile, I suppose, you could all call your families; I suppose it's safe now, and I have this." I waved my smartphone with a grin. "Has it got service here, though?" Isabelle asked. I noticed Chris heading towards us and handed her my phone. "You check while I talk to Chris." I started towards him but was called back a moment later. "J!"
"Hm?" I turned. Isabelle was frowning at my phone. "Did you change your passcode—oh, never mind, I must have typed it wrong, go on!"
"Oh, okay." I continued to Chris, who grinned at me. "Definitely have the upper hand back there. Not without casualties," he added mournfully. He glanced around us. "You know how many of them we've got?" I turned to Isabelle, who had had success. "Hey, Belle, how many of you are there?"
"Twenty-six," she replied, pocketing my phone. "Thirty to begin with, but..." I furrowed my brow. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"It'll be a little more difficult to contact their families, I suppose." I reflected. Isabelle and Chris nodded glumly. "Well," I clapped my hands together, "Let's play pass the phone, shall we?" Isabelle shook her head at me with a smile in a "you're adorably hopeless" gesture.
It took a few hours for all twenty-six young women to make their phone calls, and by that time Chris had received news through his intercom that the battle was nearly over. "We'll get one of the big trucks in here," he said, "An' drop off all the girls home, then come back for the troops." I nodded. I turned to Isabelle. "I might stay a bit at Isabelle's place and then walk to the nearest Marta or something, so don't count on having to take me home." Chris nodded. "You've got my number; give me a call if you stay longer than you thought you would and I can swing by your house and let your sister know so she doesn't have a heart attack."
"Thanks," I laughed. It was truly amazing how well Chris could understand people with hardly any interaction. Then again, Dalia had been terribly reluctant to let me go.
About ten minutes later one of the big military trucks that carry troops thundered into the clearing. Chris ushered the freed captives into it, and I clambered in after handing Isabelle in. I sat next to her with a smile, and she returned it halfheartedly. "'S'wrong, Belle?" I asked concernedly. She sighed. "I was just thinking," She looked up at me with a sad little smile, "I'm not ever going to see you again, am I?"
I furrowed my brow. "Why not? What's forty-five minutes for a friend?" Isabelle smiled sadly and turned away. I sighed. She was hiding something from me, and that hurt like a knife in the heart.
