The people of Gewaad sent us on our way further into Mt. Dandenong to Fletcher's centre of operations. On the road, we met a team, black pants, white t-shirts, flag of Australia armbands – Fletcher's men. They immediately surrounded me and Zarah, weapons ready. I handed over what I had., and they took my rucksack, too. They weren't friendly. We passed through lands where things were being rebuilt, people working and rushing about in between breaks in the storms, farming, repairing, building. The place looked as good as could be expected. Few paid much attention to Fletcher's men as they passed, which was a good sign – they weren't bully-boys. They took us along several kilometres of road to a large mansion at the end of a tree-lined avenue. Into the house, then down into the basement, past some wine racks with dusty bottles, and then into a cellar. A guard opened the door and pushed us in, slamming the door behind us. It was dark, cold and damp, only a small shaft of light coming through a plaster gridded air vent near the ceiling, obviously ground level. I took off my coat and laid it on the floor. "Rest, Zarah." Her eyes glinted at me in the twilight, I think there were tears.

"What will happen to us, Abba?"

"I don't know. But we couldn't stay in the wilderness with me wounded like that, it was too dangerous. We definitely couldn't go back to Crimson. Fletcher will not like or trust me, but he may be merciful since we warned him of the attempt to kill him." I didn't add that I thought that even if they killed me, they would take care of Zarah. Half an hour later we heard footsteps and voices outside, and the door creaked open, the room was lit by a hurricane lamp. A guard entered with blankets, a rolled-up mat, and a well-dressed man behind. I took the mat and blankets and prepared a bed – there was only enough for one. The well-dressed man's name was Milton, he was a doctor, and he examined us both, binding up my leg.

A while later the guard opened the door again, and gestured to me. "Come with me. Just you."

I turned to Zarah, "Don't worry, I'll be back soon." She look unconvinced, and worried, and embraced me tightly, I had to pry her arms off me to go. I brushed her hair from her face and held her chin in my hand, and smiled at her.

I went with the guard, who was joined by two others, and we went up into the main lobby, and from there up a wide staircase, up two flights, then through a large library with couches and guards lounging about. I was taken into a large study, with broad bay windows looking out into the early evening sky. Fletcher sat behind a desk laden with papers and looked over his glasses at me. He had my journal on the desk before him. He motioned me to sit down, and said, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"You have read my journal?"

"Yes."

"I think that says all I need to say."

"You have done terrible things to my people."

"Yes, and for that I am sorry. But you know also that circumstances compelled me. When I was able to, I made a choice. The first time was the wrong choice, I chose to stay with the men and fight yours – but at this time, I wasn't certain they were your men, and I didn't know what nature of leader you were. Later, I was able to choose properly, and went away from them. And then I passed the information on to you. I was free to go then, but chose to come here. Because it was too dangerous for me in the wild, but more importantly because I didn't want my daughter to be alone. From what I have seen of your realm, even if you hang me, you will take care of my daughter, and that's what's most important to me."

He hmmmed to himself and looked back down at my journal, turning over the pages absently, not really reading them. He looked up, "You place me in a difficult position. Because I know you speak the truth – what you write in this journal matches what we've heard – I cannot have you killed. But because the stories of you and your axe have spread, and because you are blamed for the deaths of the men you found killed, I cannot release you openly, either. You would be sought out and killed. That is unjust, and it's not the way I want the country to go, that people just kill in revenge."

"I cannot advise you, sir. Hang me if you must, but ensure my daughter is alright. Please remove her from my cell, she deserves better conditions than that."

"Very well, it will be taken care of." He motioned to a guard standing quietly in the room – the only one – and the guard nodded and walked out of the room, leaving us alone. He studied my journal some more, and said, "I will have to think on this. I will speak to you tomorrow, and tell you my decision."

"May I ask something?"

"Yes?"

"I have told you where the team is, the one sent to kill you. I ask that if you can, you do not kill them all. Wong is a dangerous murderer, and should be dealt with accordingly. But the other men are simply caught up in events, and I think they would serve you and your people well."

"We'll try."

I nodded, "Thank you," rose, and a guard appeared from nowhere to escort me out. We went back down the stairs to my cell, Zarah was gone.

I sat down on the bed, massaging my bashed and bound leg, and stared at the light of the hurricane lamp they'd placed there. An hour or so later the guard clanged open the door and handed me a bowl of some kind of stew and spoon. I ate it in the poor light, the dripping of water down the walls and the clink of spoon on bowl the only sounds. After a time I lay down to sleep.

I woke in the middle of the night as the door opened and Zarah came in. I blinked, "what are you – you were supposed to be somewhere better."

"I told them there is nowhere better than with my father."

I smiled, and embraced her. "Crazy girl." I got off the bed, taking one of the blankets and laying it on the floor. "Here, take the bed." I lay down and pulled the blanket about me as best I could. Zarah lay there, I could tell by her breathing she was awake.

"What did Fletcher say?"

"He's not yet made a decision. But whatever happens, you will be taken care of."

She began to weep, sobbing quietly. "Abba, I just found you, already I lost my mother, I don't want to lose you, too." I hadn't really thought of this, I didn't think she realised the stakes here, but of course she's an intelligent girl and couldn't miss what it all meant. I reached up and held her hand. "Try to sleep."

Eventually she quietened down and I heard her deep slow breath of sleep.

Again during the night I was awakened, the door sat ajar. I rose and went to it, gently pushing it further open, and peering out. There was no-one about, the guard's chair empty.

"Abba? What's happening?"

"I think Fletcher's giving us a chance to run off."

"So we'll go? Let's go!"

I shook my head. "No, we're still in the same situation we were a couple of days ago. I am injured, and we'd be on our own with the men of two towns hunting us, both Crimson and Fletcher. Also, perhaps he doesn't want us to escape – perhaps it's a test." I quietly pulled the door closed, and lay back down on my blanket. "Now sleep, and we'll see what the morning will bring."

The morning came after a long time for me, I lay awake most of the night, cold and apprehensive. I didn't relish the thought of being hanged. It scared me shitless, to be honest. An hour or two after dawn the door opened yet again and a guard placed two bowls with spoons and bread on the floor before it. Hot milk and bread. We breakfasted, and after that I was taken again to see Fletcher. This time, no guards were present at all.

"Most of my men are out on patrol at the moment, so this is the only time we might send you away without being seen. We will say that you have escaped. I will send a team to escort you away."

"Thank you."

"You will still go to the reservoir?"

"That's my plan, yes. Whether there's a good spot there I don't know, we'll have to see."

"Good luck. When you reach safety, send word back to us. It may be that you can be of service to us there. And perhaps in time you'll be able to come back."

"Again, I thank you. May I ask, did you capture Crimson's men?" "No, unfortunately my men were... vengeful. Crimson's men... they were cut to pieces. There was one who escaped."

"Let me guess: Wong?"

"Yes."

I sighed and shook my head. "I wish you luck in his capture. He's a very dangerous man."

Fletcher stood, and came out from behind his desk, I stood automatically. He held out his hand. "I wish you luck," he held out his hand, and I shook it. "Perhaps some day..." he said.

"I hope so," I said. "More peaceful times. I wish you good luck, too, and hope you can continue your good work in rebuilding this place." He nodded, released my hand, and two guards entered to escort me out. We went back downstairs, and Zarah was there, beaming. They'd obviously told her the news. We waited in the cell until night, and then guards came to take us away. My rucksack was waiting, with new food, a reinforced medical kit, and my fire axe. One of Fletcher's men introduced himself. "I'm Lieutenant James Arroway. Follow me." I nodded, hefted my rucksack and looked at Zarah as we walked up and out of the cellar, through the back of the mansion and into the cool night air.

We spent some days on the road – or rather, in the bush. Arroway got to talking to me, and I could sense them all watching me carefully. One wrong move and that'd be that. Arroway asked my story, and I told him, without sugar-coating anything.. When it came time to camp, I found us a good spot, and that seemed to make them more relaxed. After four days we came to the edge of the patch of forest.

"This is where we part," the Lt. said. "Your way should be clear from now on."

"Thank you," I said.

A while after we parted, Zarah presented me with something she'd "found," a badge of rank of the Lt. I'm starting to wonder if she has a problem, likes to "find" things. A few days later among our possessions Zarah found a note,

Soldier Kyle,

- Lt. James Arroway on behalf of Gov. John Fletcher