Chapter 7 - Welcome to Tartarus on Earth

Joxer rubbed his hands together then held them out over the fire. He glimpsed over at Janice, who was huddled by the fire too so she'd be warm against the biting sea breeze. He lowered his now warm hands to his lap. He then twisted his head around when he saw a dark outline of somebody coming towards them in the night. He quickly stood and unsheathed his sword in worry.

Janice also got up and her fingertips grazed her sword hilt at her back.

"Ho, Joxer," called a man.

Joxer relaxed and lowered his sword at hearing the familiar voice. "I thought you forgot us, Palaemon."

"Now would I really do that?" challenged the grinning man as he held out two leather packs. When Joxer took them, he swung off a third from his back. "You should be happy to see me."

"I am," agreed Joxer. He then pointed to Janice on the other side of the fire. "Palaemon, this is Janice."

The archeologist's slow grin spread over her features when Palaemon stared at her in amazement.

"They weren't kidding," he remarked, "she looks just like Gabrielle."

Janice rolled her eyes at being discussed, yet again, in third person as if she wasn't here. She stepped up to the tall man and narrowed her eyes at him. "I also have a worse temper than Gabrielle."

Palaemon held up his hands in surrender. "I won't argue… Gabrielle's temper is scary enough."

Janice smirked and went over to Joxer to see what were in the packs. Her stomach had been growling all evening since they made it out of the city.

"Did they make it out of the city safely?" asked Janice. She straightened up with a skin in her left hand.

Palaemon folded his arms over his leather clad chest. "Yes, just in time too." He then tilted his head some. "I heard you'll have to do some diving to get into the Conqueror's so I brought a waterproof sack."

Joxer just found that pack and removed the oily feeling leather from the satchel. "That's perfect, Palaemon. Thank you for thinking of it."

Palaemon had a wide grin. "I'm always thinking ahead, you know."

Joxer chuckled and straightened up after laying out the items in the sand. "Do you need to get back?"

"Yes," sighed out Palaemon, "the councilors are high strung tonight about what's happened."

"Nobody was hurt?" persisted Janice.

Palaemon ran his tongue along the backside of his front teeth.

"Shit, what happened?" insisted the archeologist.

Palaemon shook his head as his arms slipped from his chest. "The people were frightened and the sentries were ruthless because the Conqueror was so angry. Some people's homes were wrecked others were jailed because they refused to answer a soldier's questions. It was chaos."

Janice dropped her head and tangled her fingers in her short, blond hair.

Palaemon saw the reaction and he quietly stated, "Trust me, Janice when I say the Conqueror in her warlord days she was much worse."

The archeologist dropped her hand down and peered up at the man. "You're telling me she's soft now?"

"In comparison, yes," admitted Palaemon sadly.

Janice bit her lower lip then stomped off in the heat of her anger.

Joxer neared his fellow guard and asked, "How many were imprisoned?"

Palaemon's lips tightened together. "At least a couple hundred… I'm not really sure."

"And I'm sure the Conqueror is even more furious that they didn't find Gabrielle," mentioned Janice as she came back to the pair. "She won't stop searching until she has Gabrielle."

"She won't… you're right," agreed Joxer.

"Most likely," started Palaemon, "she'll search the city for another six days then send out spies and bounty hunters to find Gabrielle."

Joxer put his arms over his chest and muttered, "There'll be a reward out on her head."

"Those damn Amazons better take her in," growled the archeologist.

Joxer shook his head and his sad eyes met Janice's. "They may not because she's high risk."

"They will," hotly stated the archeologist.

There was an awkward silence but Palaemon broke it when he realized something. "Tomorrow Rhodes promised somebody would open the door in the dungeon."

Janice perked up at this news. "He say what time?"

"He didn't have an exact time," confessed Palaemon, "but around Helios high."

This goddamn time thing again, mentally complained Janice. She considered Palaemon's words carefully and realized that he meant at noon. Her head started to bob now. "Alright, that works."

"After that, you're on your own," added Palaemon. "There's not much that Rhodes can do without being caught and jeopardizing everything."

Janice exhaled loudly. "Alright." She moved away from the pair and went to the spread out articles in the sand.

"I should go," mentioned Palaemon. "I'll see you later, Joxer." He then held up a hand to Janice in a goodbye gesture. "Good luck and be safe, Janice."

"Thanks, Palaemon." The archeologist flashed a smile then briefly watched him go.

Joxer neared Janice and squatted down beside her. "We should eat then get some rest… tomorrow will be a...."

"A day in hell," mumbled the archeologist.

The pair organized all of the supplies that Palaemon had brought them. They first positioned their bedrolls and furs by the fire then sat down to quietly eat their meal. The dinner consisted of dry beef, cheese, fruit, and diluted wine in the skins. The mild wine helped to warm the two's bodies against the cold wind that came off the sea. After eating, Joxer showed Janice how to use the water resistant satchel and explained that it could be tied to her waist while she swam so that she wouldn't have to hold it. Janice was grateful for the bag as it would keep her gun from rusting in the salt water along with her bullets.

Joxer then gave the archeologist a sheathed dagger that Palaemon had also included. He helped her wiggle the dagger into her boot so that she knew how to perfectly conceal it other than the small hilt. Janice was starting to feel like a walking war zone but then again if she was going to survive the Conqueror's Tartarus, she would need these items.

Finally by the middle of the night, they pair curled up in their furs and bedrolls to get some rest. Janice for her part couldn't find her dreams tonight because her mind was working so hard to figure out tomorrow. She didn't know what the inside of the Conqueror's fortress would look like or how to find the Conqueror. She only knew she'd have to hunt down the Conqueror then secretly setup in hiding so she could get a clear shot. All she needed were enough seconds to pull her revolver's hammer back, take aim, and pull the trigger then it would be almost over.

The morning came all too fast but the pair quickly moved to get ready. Janice made sure her gun was loaded then she put it into the waterproof satchel along with her gun, spare pouch of bullets, the dagger, her boots, and finally her cloak.

"Are you ready for this?" Joxer walked along side the short blond to the stream just ahead.

"I'd like to think I am but I'm probably not," admitted the archeologist. "I'm as ready as I'm going to be." She stopped at the edge of the stream and faced Joxer. "What will you do?"

"I will stay here for a few days… wait for your return," answered the guard. "Don't be foolish with your life, Janice."

Janice grinned. "I think it's a little late for that."

The guard held out his arm.

Janice clasped it in a brisk shake. She then released him while saying, "Thank you, Joxer."

Joxer only dipped his head.

The archeologist turned to the stream, placed her waterproof satchel near the edge, and she jumped into the water.

The guard went to the edge and watched Janice tie the short rope to her waist then he handed the satchel to her. "Be safe, Janice."

"I'll try my best but no promises." Janice brushed her soaked bangs back. "Don't wait too long for me." She had the other end of the rope tied to the satchel and she let go of the satchel.

The satchel sunk down into the water but it didn't weigh all the way as it floated some in the water.

"Bye, Joxer." Janice flashed a confident grin then she dove under.

"Bye… Janice." Joxer stood up and watched the silhouette pulse through the water and disappear underneath the cavern wall that went into the water.

Janice just made it to the surface in the cavern pool just pass the cavern tunnel wall. She quietly bobbed up to the top of the water but she didn't cross the pool when something caught her ear. She silently lowered her head deeper into the water just so the water was under her nose.

The first strange thing she noticed was that the torches were all lit in the tunnel. It made her skin crawl because that could only mean trouble. The noise down in the cavern tunnel was getting nearer and turned into distinct voices of men just idly talking.

Janice tried to ignore the cold in her body from the water. She finally saw the two loud men round the bend ahead and they were pushing a wood cart. She tried to figure out what in the world they had in the cart but they were too far for her to figure it out. She lifted her head some so that she could take some large gulps of air. Just as the two soldiers neared the pool, Janice had disappeared under the water to hide.

The archeologist tried to still her mind's fears of being found. She had her eyes closed for a second then she opened them when she heard a noise in the water. About fifty feet ahead she saw a dark cloud form in the water and the cloud expanded further out as the stream pulled it towards her. Then Janice covered her mouth with a clenched fist when she saw a human skull fall out of the bottom of the dark cloud and hit the floor of the pool. The skull came to a rolling stop on top of two other skulls that Janice hadn't seen earlier. Suddenly her eyes widened as she realized exactly what those two soldiers were dumping into the pool.

Janice couldn't take it and she didn't care if those soldiers were there or not. She broke the top of the water and gulped on fresh air. She was relieved to see the soldiers were already carting back down the tunnel. Her breathing wasn't slowing down when she saw the dark cloud was moving towards her. The thought of swimming in human ashes almost made Janice sick right there but she hurried to the closest edge of the pool and away from the expanding cloud.

Janice hauled herself up onto the edge, yanked her satchel out of the water, and curled up so she could calm down and warm her body back up. She sat there breathing heavily and watching the cloud became washed out by the flowing stream. She lowered her face into her hands and rasped, "Ooo my god." Her mind flashed with an image of the skull staring up at her before it landed on the others at the bottom. "Holy… shit." She'd seen plenty human remnants in her days as an archeologist but this was far different since these were from people recently alive and she was swimming in it.

Now Janice clearly understood the second use of this tunnel. They would cremate the dead bodies in the dungeons then dump their ashes in the stream so they would float out to the Aegean Sea. Her thought process was broken when there was a heavy slam at the end of the tunnel echoing down to her. She now knew the soldiers had gone back into the dungeon, which made it safe for her.

The archeologist willed her body to move so she shifted around until she was partially in the tunnel way. She opened her satchel and took out her cloak first. She got it on and clasped it in place as her body started to warm again. She then got her boots tied on followed by her gun in its home then last her dagger tucked in her left boot. Janice climbed to her feet and rolled up the proofed satchel with its roped and tucked it behind some rocks incase she needed it later.

Janice then yanked her hood over her face before she trailed down the tunnel. She would meet the maker on the other side of the door to Tartarus. She wasn't sure how long she waited by the door, for it to open with either those two soldiers again or the bribed soldier that was going to let her through.

There was a clank then a click from the door and slowly it started to swing open.

Janice was instantly off the rock and unsheathing her sword just incase.

A soldier with beady eyes poked his head around the door and narrowed at Janice. "Rhodes sent you?"

The archeologist mutely nodded and lowered her sword to her side.

The soldier opened the door more then stepped aside at the mysterious figure floated by him. He slammed the door shut, locked it, and murmured, "There are three levels for the dungeon. You're on the third. The only way up is down that way." He pointed in a general direction then his ring of keys dangled at his side where he reattached them. He smirked at the stranger and stated, "Good luck, fella." Without another word, he turned to this right and marched down a torch lit hallway.

Janice scanned the room, which had cells against either side of the walls then in the middle were cages. She wasn't surprised at all by the number of people in all of them. Her stomach turned as she recognized the man that'd been whipped yesterday. He had his back to Janice but he was lying on the floor of his cage, slumped against it, and still slightly bleeding from yesterday.

Janice swallowed then adjusted her cloak around her body to conceal her better. She could see the prisoners were trying to figure her out, well the ones that were still somewhat alive. She glimpsed down the hall that the soldier had went down earlier and she detected the foul stench of burning bodies and the blazing heat of fire floating in the air. She now knew where the crematorium was located and it wasn't on her list of places to see.

Janice gathered her strength and began silently down the rows of cages. She kept her eyes diverted from the cages and cells so that it wouldn't play with her mentally. She stepped through a doorway into a short hall where there was a wood door to her left. She grabbed the door handle and hesitated on whether to open it or not. After a steadying breath, she carefully drew the door open and discovered a set of winding, torch lit steps. She exhaled in relief then slipped in and closed the door silently.

Janice crept up the steps, against the wall, and listening for anybody that may be coming. It wound up for several cases and finally leveled to another door. Just as she reached the door it already started to open. Janice cursed under her breath and jumped behind the door as it opened up. She pressed her back as hard as she could against the cold stone and prayed they wouldn't detect her yet.

A sentry soldier marched onto the platform and before he descended the steps, he threw the door shut. He started to take his first step however he paused and turned his to the left.

"Hi," greeted Janice.

The sentry's eyes widened but before he could react he was suddenly slammed by a hard fist to the face.

Janice quickly moved behind him and executed a kick to his back legs.

The soldier yelped but lost his balance completely and went flying down the steps. He smashed his head into the stone wall, went unconscious, and slid down a few more steps.

Janice huffed, threw open the door, and slipped out into level two of the dungeon. Here she didn't really find cells exactly but instead there were people hanging from the ceiling in cages or dangling midair from rafters by their lashed hands. Some prisoners were even hanging upside down.

The archeologist's stomach pitched but she controlled her natural urge to be sick. She hurried across the large room and wondered where the next steps may be. She went to the opposite wall and observed another hallway but this one much longer. She pressed against the cold wall and her eyes briefly closed when a cry of pain echoed down the hallway.

Janice swallowed and slipped into the hallway but she unsheathed her sword to be safe. She stopped by the door where there was another raging cry and there was a small barred window in the door. Her curiosity got the best of her and she glimpsed through the tiny window.

In the room beyond the door there was a murky pool of water and in it was a woman, who was locked in a cage. Along the four ledges of the pool were men and they each held long spears at the ready. The woman was trying to stay afloat in the feces infested water but each time she grabbed the bars of the cage the men would lunge at her hands. Her hands were already cut and her right top hand had a bleeding hole in it.

Janice turned and bent forward as she tried to remain in control of her body's reaction. Why did she have to look in there? She'd heard of the water torture before in Ancient China but she never imagined seeing it here in Greece. Suddenly her attention was grabbed when the door to her right was opening so she hunkered down with her sword up.

A sentry stepped out, his back to Janice, and he closed the door next to him. He then marched into the main room where the prisoners were hanging.

The archeologist wondered if that was the next steps so she waited a few seconds. Then when there was a scream from that woman in the room, Janice moved away quickly. She silently opened the heavy door and discovered another set of stairs. She hastily ascended them because she was nervous that second sentry would find the one she'd knocked out earlier.

Janice shoved the door open and stepped into a long hallway. On her left and right were doors after doors with bar windows, which she assumed were merely true prison cells. She spun her sword, bent forward, and quickly raced down the hallway but she came short when a sentry came around the sharp corner.

The sentry was stunned but he recovered quickly by unsheathing his sword. "Stop!" he yelled.

Janice growled and charged the man. This wasn't what she needed right now as it could sound an alarm. She acted quickly by ramming her sword against his, locking their swords between their bodies, and she shoved him against the wall to hold him down. Before he could push her off, she rammed her knee between his legs.

The sentry's eyes rolled up and he gasped in pain. He lowered his hand to his groin as he fell to his knees.

Janice lifted her sword and brought her hilt down on his head roughly. She quickly caught the soldier before his limp body could make a loud bang on the stone floor. She carefully lowered him down then she glimpsed to her left to a shorter hallway through two open, heavy wood doors. She spun her sword gracefully and hurried down that hall that was well lit by the windows. The windows were level with the ground and overlooking an empty courtyard.

Janice came to the end of the hall and bent down next to the corner. She peered around the corner and looked into some sort of lobby room. She saw she could go right or left so she decided on the left hallway.

The archeologist swiftly moved through the vacant hallway and made another left when she came to a 'T'. She quickly floated down this next hall but she stopped when there was footfall coming from the other end. She was close to a door so she grabbed the ring, swung it open, and spun around into the room. She silently closed the door and listened to the person walk by without a care. She realized she'd found another set of staircase that went up one level. Janice shrugged and went up steps and found herself in another hallway.

Janice stood against the door and looked to her right at the empty hall then to her left where it was empty. She had no clue where she was or where she was going nor could she recall where to go to get back. It truly didn't matter to her so she went down to the right and she noted the various bronze plates on the doors. She couldn't read the Greek syntax at all but she could only guess.

A door at the end of the hall opened with two voices furiously arguing. Janice paused when the soldier kept yelling at someone in the room. She turned her head to the left and grabbed the door. She couldn't read the syntax on the door but she didn't care and could only pray. She slipped through the small opening and quietly shut the door.

Janice took in her new surroundings and detected the loud and unfamiliar voices talking down below. Her heart pounded against her chest suddenly as she had a suspicion about where she was now. In font of her was a railing, which overlooked something below so she slowly crept forward.

Janice's stiffened when her eyes went over the railing and down below at ground level sat a throne at the end of a court. Her view of the occupant of the throne was obscured but the pounding of heart told her who it had to be. Gradually her eyes wondered off to the right where there were a handful of people talking and debating about something or another.

Janice hunched over so that her body was hidden and with small steps she slinked down the balcony that wrapped around the courtroom below. She achieved some distance about halfway so she paused and carefully glimpsed over the rim of the railing to finally see the person at the throne.

There seated in the throne was the ruthless Conqueror adorning her battle ready black leathers and simple brass armor. Her black and purple cape flowed over her throne to her feet. Her midnight hair covered her broad shoulders and her magnificent blue eyes were visible even to Janice from so far.

"They are all fools," chewed out a husky voice.

The Conqueror held up her hand to the woman at the right of her throne.

Janice instantly recognized Alti's voice and her skin crawled at seeing the evil shaman beside the ruler.

"She can't hide forever," reminded the Conqueror, "She'll come to us… again." Her steel blue eyes wondered back over to the people before her and they settled on one man. "Commander, what is the status of the legions in Gaul?"

The commander stepped out from the crowd, first bowed, and straightened up. "They have reached the borders, my liege."

The ruler's eyes narrowed. "Are they prepared?"

The commander cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back. He puffed out his metal clad chest before stating, "Almost, my liege." He tensed when the ruler rose up from her throne with her cape flowing behind her.

The Conqueror took one step down. "I don't like almost." She took the second step down. "Either my legions are prepared or they are not." She took the final step off the dais and towered over the commander. "Are they prepared, Commander Maleager?"

The commander broke under the powerful ruler's will. "They await your word, my liege."

The ruler held his gaze then she smiled suddenly. "Excellent." She turned and ascended each step slowly. She hesitated when a soldier hurried into the courtroom. She neared him at the edge of her dais, listened carefully, and waved him off in annoyance.

The Conqueror's back was to them as she stated, "I want the Norselands under my flag in six months, commander." She turned around and stood in front of her throne.

"My liege, the winter has already set in up there. The legions could easily die in this weather that we're not prepared for."

"Then I suggest you hurry before the weather turns worse!" yelled the ruler. "If you fail me, commander I will have your head for this. I tire of waiting for the Norselands under my reign."

Janice heaved a breath at hearing the Conqueror's legions all the way up into the Netherlands now. She'd heard enough so she reached down to her gun. She unhooked it and slowly while biting her lower lip pulled the hammer back. By god she had to have true aim more than ever if this was going to work. She held her gun next to her head, her eyes closed, and her lips silently moved with a prayer. She swallowed then gradually lifted her body with her knees.

Janice stretched out her revolver with both her hands clutching the handle. Her right index finger touched the trigger. She forced her mind and eyes to focus together as she took aim at the dark ruler that mirrored Melinda Pappas. She was breathing heavy, her brow showing perspiration, and her hands sweaty against the cold steel of her gun. Janice stole one last calming breath as her scope of view aligned to the Conqueror's chest perfectly. In that heartbeat, Janice's world stilled and her index finger made the slow journey pulling the trigger.

The Conqueror's head snapped up to the balcony when a metal item flashed light into her falcon eyes. She gave a piercing warcry as her right hand slipped to her side. She was so incredibly beautiful in her dangerous speed that freed her chakram.

First there was the eerie whistle of the chakram then a low explosion sounded from the balcony. Next was a wrenching scream from Janice's lips when the circular weapon sliced up her right arm. The last defining sound was the revolver's echoing clank when it hit the marble floor in the courtroom far below.

The Conqueror was momentarily hunched forward from an unknown, sharp pain in her left shoulder. She clenched her teeth and brought her right hand up to catch her chakram that returned. "Stop him!"

Janice had fallen behind the rail when her arm had been neatly sliced. She desperately tried to stop the bleeding but it was useless; it wasn't too deep. Her ears rang with the commotion of people scrambling and yelling. She lifted her head when she heard something just several feet away from her. To her amazement there knelt the Conqueror in all her fury, sword at the ready, and the chakram in her left hand.

Janice scrambled to her feet and brushed her shock away at how the ruler managed to get up here so easily. She unsheathed her sword but her body was shaking in fear. She knew it was impossible for her to defeat this powerful woman in sword to sword combat.

The Conqueror straightened up to her staggering height and flicked her wrist so her sword spun. She took a menacing step towards her hooded attacker.

Janice licked her lips and stepped back once. Her attention was briefly stolen away when the door behind her and the door behind the ruler were flung open. Suddenly Janice was surrounded by the soldiers pouring onto the balcony.

The soldiers were given a hidden signal from their ruler so they remained battle ready with swords out.

The Conqueror bared her teeth at Janice and she moved so fast she almost seemed to vanish.

Janice yelped as she lifted her sword and stopped the slashing sword attack. She jumped away but she recalled the soldiers behind her. There was no way she could survive so she threw away all reason and lunged at the great ruler.

The Conqueror was remotely surprised but she parried the enemy's fruitless attacks. She used her chakram to catch her enemy's sword in it then she ripped the sword from his hands. She watch in complete satisfaction as the sword went airborne. For a brief heartbeat, the Conqueror saw the design of the sword hilt that she was all too familiar with from her past.

Janice backed away when the Conqueror's sword tip pointed at her throat. Her ears filled with the din of her Amazon sword clanking against the marble floor below and she inwardly curse herself for losing her gun so easily. She was so angry that she'd done this that her rage made her act out. Janice suddenly ducked around the Conqueror's blade, leapt into the air, and beautiful maneuvered her dagger from her left boot.

The Conqueror growled as the small body slammed hard into hers. She crashed onto her back with her sword and chakram skidding out of her grasp. She sensed the cold steel against her throat but her powerful hands wrapped around her attacker's small wrists and she pressed away easily. After a dangerous hiss, she rolled the small body under hers and she reversed the dagger's direction until it was against her enemy's own throat.

For the first time, the Conqueror had a clear view of her attacker's features under the hood. She was astounded to see fiery green eyes cursing up at her and the soft features of a woman. She threw off her astonishment and pressed the dagger down hard until the blade began cutting the woman's neck.

Janice gritted her teeth then a cry escaped her lips.

The Conqueror lowered her head down close and whispered, "Almost is never good enough, is it?" She suddenly fisted her right hand that was free and she brought it down.

Janice's head snapped to the right and her body instantly went limp.

The Conqueror dropped the dagger next to the attacker's head. Then she ripped the hood away to reveal a beautiful blond she was very familiar with for a moon now. She grounded her teeth at all the implications this meant and it made no sense either. She suddenly climbed up to her feet but her cape hid the woman's face.

"Who is it?" demanded Alti, who'd slipped between the soldiers.

The ruler grabbed the right side of her cape and threw it out of the way.

Alti tensed at seeing the face of the woman she'd kidnapped a moon ago from the future.

"Perhaps you could tell me, Alti," hissed the angry ruler.

The dark shaman lifted her eyes to the ruler then quietly remarked, "I will find out."

The Conqueror stepped up to the shaman and chewed out, "See that you do… then it'll be my turn." Her head snapped up from Alti and locked on the soldiers behind her. "Get this woman to a damn cell. Find out how the Hades she got into here." When her men hesitated because they too recognized the attacker as the rebel leader, she yelled, "Now!" She collected her weapons and put them in their homes. She went to the railing, bent her knees, and jumped.

Everybody in the court below watched as the ruler soared and landed neatly on the floor with bent knees then she rose up to her threatening height.

The Conqueror bent over the two weapons her attacker had utilized and she scraped them up. She tucked the gun away into some hiding spot within her cape, behind her back. She quickly examined the sword and it confirmed it was very much an Amazon sword. She would have her answers later but she gave a wild grin at her advisors in the court. "Where were we?"

The advisors hastily started talking like nothing happened.

Rhodes, the advisor of state, had slinked into the back of the group. He wiped his sweating brow and tried to calm his irrational thoughts about what just happened. He had to keep a cool head if he was going to outsmart any of this later.

Janice Covington's head rolled from left to right then fell back on cold stone. She tried to open her eyes but her left eye refused as it was swollen shut, the pain thumping. Janice managed her right eye open and she was staring up at a chiseled stone ceiling. She rolled to her left side, which caused her stomach to pitch at the movement. She swallowed down the swimming of her stomach before her contents came up. Her right hand touched her aching stomach and that's when her right arm screamed at her for moving.

Janice hissed at the fiery pain that flashed up and down her arm from her earlier fight with the Conqueror. She finally decided it was time to sit up so she slowly rose up but when her feet tried to move under her, there was a heavy weight around her ankles. She was not too surprised to find shackles around her ankles. She merely sat up and studied her new surroundings, which was a prison cell that consisted of three walls and a heavy wood door in front of her. She tensed when she realized there was a man's face in the small, barred window on the other side. She assumed he was a posted soldier.

The soldier gave a toothy grin but said nothing. He remained still there, watching her, and wondering about her.

Janice touched her throat where there was a slight sting. Her fingertips revealed blood from the cut on her neck. She then dared to touch her left eye but she hissed at the pain. "Goddamn," she growled. She then looked up when the guard shuffled out of the window. There a harsh command and the soldier opened the door.

The archeologist exhaled loudly when the dark shaman floated into the cell. "Great," she muttered.

Alti stood in front of the door that shut behind her and locked. She glided across the cell and stopped in the middle, her dark eyes locked on her small target. "Did you really think you had any chance?" She took two steps closer then knelt down so she was level with the small woman. "The Conqueror knew of the rebel faction's plans. You're a fool, Janice."

The archeologist was breathing heavy because of her mounting anger and hatred for this shaman. Yet she gave an amused grin and brazenly ordered, "You can call me Doctor Covington, doll."

Alti became enraged and her right hand shot out, wrapping around the woman's already injured throat. She snarled while standing up and lifting the archeologist up off the ground so that her boots dangled over the stone floor. "You are in no position to be stupid."

"Neither are you," rasped the archeologist, "I know… you're plans… too, Alti." Her head started to swim against the lack of oxygen but she fought it. "Wouldn't it be fun… to tell the Conqueror… about time travel?"

The shaman hissed then slammed the small body against the stone wall, the shackles clinging in protest. "If you tell her then I can guarantee that all that'll be left is a green powder. You'll never get home."

"Right now," whispered the gasping archeologist, "I don't really… care."

Alti gave a hard jerk so that the back of Janice's head slammed against the wall. She then opened her hand.

Janice fell to the floor in a heap with a blood stain trailing down the wall from her cracked head. She barely held her body up right with her hands.

The shaman bent back down then with both hands she lifted the archeologist's face to hers. She watched as one green eye focused then unfocused but she didn't care. She leaned in and murmured, "You're nothing, Janice… you always have been and always will be." She revealed a hungry grin. "Did your father ever tell you what really happened to your mother?" At Janice's silence Alti pressed her hands tighter against Janice's soft cheeks. "Let me show you," she hissed then laughed.

Janice inhaled sharply and straightened up as her mind was rushed by an intense vision. The vision plagued her of her mother, who was with her father on her last dig. She got into the broken down truck and drove from the dig into town for supplies. It was the last time Janice ever saw her mother. The vision sped up and showed Janice's mother having car trouble, the truck broken down on the side of the road halfway to town where there was nobody. Then as her mom gave in and decided to go back to the dig site, another truck showed up.

Janice unexpectedly screamed out no in pure rage as the vision showed her mother being raped by her mother's would be savior. Her mother begged for mercy for the man to stop, she even tried to fight him to no avail. Janice clawed at Alti's wrists to try and get her to release her of the vision but it was futile. The vision then sped up and showed her mother being beaten to death by the same man until she was dead on the side of the road. As quickly as the vision struck her it ended when Alti pulled her hands away. Janice fell to the floor and tried to get up while yelling, "You fuckin' bitch!"

The shaman laughed coldly and grabbed the archeologist by her hair. She jerked Janice's head back then hotly whispered, "If you so much as breathe to the Conqueror about our little secret I'll find your... friend, Melinda. Then I'll bring only her heart back to you." She threw Janice's head then rose up swiftly. Alti ignored the movement of the weak woman on the floor as she glided to the door. She ordered the guard to open it and she left.

Janice slumped to the floor in an emotional heap. Her anger and mental anguish ate away at her as she cried for her mother. The vision Alti showed her now burned in her memory for all her life. She would never rid of those images of her mother's last hours on Earth. She clawed at the stone floor as if to tear it apart but she could not. Janice suddenly dropped her head back and screamed out, "Noooo!"

Janice's fury fueled her body with energy and she sat up quickly. She grabbed at the chains attached to her shackles and the floor. She pulled against them with both her hands and legs yet they simply gnawed at her ankles through her boots and skin, cutting through.

Janice's rage cooled down as her anguish coated her again. She release the manacles and stopped pulling then simply remained slumped there with tears freely flowing. For all those years she'd cursed her mother for leaving her and her father she could not take back. When all this time her mother had been sexual assaulted then murdered by some nameless man in Greece. She now tasted the bitterness of revenge in her mouth as she wanted to quench it badly with something or somebody. She would win this against Alti and she would kill Alti with her bare hands as soon as she had the chance. Janice would not allow that insane shaman to shift into her future and attack Melinda Pappas when Alti had already blackened Janice so deeply.


Continued.