Mines

Chapter Five

"If all preparations are complete why not go now?" Lee asks.
"I want to be sure this plan will work. As long as they have Hamilton they have leverage over us, and we can't let that stand. We have to get Hamilton out now-" Washington answers.
"What about the others?" Peggy questions. "They could kill the others after we get Alex out. Or before."
"The life of a commanding officer is more important on the whole. No casualties would be preferable, yes, but we can't count on the British not killing off their slaves if they think it will affect us," Washington shakes his head. "Hamilton's a bright young man, we need him for this plan to work."
"But we don't have him! The British took him when they invaded our fortress. If he's as smart as you say he's probably rallying all the slaves to escape now." Angelica contradicts.
"Escape isn't as easy as you might think. I barely managed it myself, and how's Hamilton supposed to get thousands out himself?" Lee responds.
"Maybe he could start a revolt! And while they're revolting we can come in, kill the British, and save them all!" Peggy says hopefully.
"How horrible! Killing some of those innocent guards? Why, they're not in a better place then we are." Eliza gasps.
"Let's not forget the part that communication with Hamilton is impossible." Lee reminds everyone.
"I suppose your right. We can't count on Hamilton being in the right place at the right time." Washington sighs.
"How do we know he's not already dead?" Peggy asks.
"We don't." Angelica says gloomily.
"No he's not dead. If the British have any sense they're keeping him locked up to use as bait with us. They think they have our leader, we can't forget Hamilton sacrificed himself for Washington." Lee says.
"If they think we're running around unorganized, they're wrong!" Peggy screams.
"Peggy, we are unorganized. We don't now what to do, and that's exactly what the British were hoping for." Washington answers.
"Do we have any others in their fortress? Maybe we can try to contact them instead." Eliza suggests.
"Well, they have Lafayette. But he was taken three years ago, and we haven't managed anything with him since." Lee explains.
"Maybe we can send in a spy!" Peggy says excitedly.
"And how do you suggest we get them out?" Washington asks.
"Oh, I... don't know." Peggy muttered.
"Actually, the spy idea isn't to be ignored." Lee says.
"He's right. Maybe we just need to look at it from a different angle. Instead of sending someone in to be a prisoner, what if we sent a 'guard' instead?" Angelica agrees.
"Uh well... I have an idea....," Eliza says apprehensively. As everyone turned to stare at her, she lost some of her nerve but continued anyways. "Well... a-as I was saying, what do the British normally do with new slaves?"
"What do you mean?" Lee asks.
"I mean, how do they teach them? Like, uh, everything?" Eliza splutters.
"When I was a slave, I didn't get told anything. Except when the British yelled at me. Why?" Lee responds.
"I was just wondering... maybe we could send a message through... a guard or something? We could use code so he doesn't completely understand, but something that Alex would?" Eliza suggests.
"It's an interesting theory, but it's flawed." Angelica says kindly to her sister.
"We could still do some version of that plan." Washington says.
"I suppose." Lee grunts.
"So we know we have to send a message, and get Alex out, but we don't completely know how? That's useless!" Peggy shouts.
"I know it seems that way. But you must realize we're a lot farther along then we were before." Washington says kindly to Peggy.
"It's all my fault that Alex got caught." Eliza says suddenly.
"What? How do you work that out?" Angelica asks fiercely, clutching her sisters arm.
"If I hadn't got trapped under that rock, Alex wouldn't have needed to get help! If-" but tears started to flood her eyes, and spill down her face.
"No! Don't cry!" Peggy says, grabbing her sisters arms and pulling her into a hug.
"Maybe, if I had been a little faster while running I wouldn't have gotten crushed," Eliza wails. "I'm so sorry everyone!"
"No that's enough!" Angelica says firmly. "It wasn't your fault. It's the British's fault, and we'll make them pay. Okay? So don't cry." Angelica's eyes were filled with cold fury at the fact that her sister was crying, sinking to this low level, blaming herself for things she had no control of.