“There is a Starbucks ahead; take a seat by the window, the modesty board doesn’t work”. We always started like this; I got a coffee and sat in... the window, displaying myself to the commuters until J sidled into the seat alongside; it's amazing at a station, nobody pays any attention and you can almost do anything you like. He quickly chatted me up, then noisily went to check the times of the trains. This gave him an excuse to find a guy outside the window waiting for a train, and pointed out. The front third of the building was taken up with rows of sturdy looking benches. Several of them still contained what Taylor could only think of as scientific instruments such as burners, beakers and large stoppered flasks.The team leader stopped them from getting closer to that area.“One of my guys got close to those tables and caught a whiff of something. He’s out front puking his guts out.”“Have you called paramedics?”“One of the guys on our team is trained as our team medic. He’s checking. The ten lashes had been doubled, putting her in bed with delirium for a week. When the whippings were over she would always have to thank the pirate who had flogged her before being cut down. They'd make her go on her knees and thank him, kissing his dirty feet as she did so. And a refusal would only get her more lashes - a lot more.This time, the ever innovative and vindictive Farr had decreed that his favourite victim was to be whipped upside down. Her feet were attached to a yard arm and her. I mean, you certainly looked like you'dmade up to me." She sighed with a little dreamy noise. "Even I got alittle wet watching you two."I snorted and shook my head. "If you only knew the truth."She shrugged. "I will, right? Know the truth." You'll hear the truth, Sarah. I'm pretty sure you won't know it, though."When we got to my house, I noticed mom's car was there, but dad's wasn't.Must be working late again. We walked inside, finding my mother in theliving room on the phone. I didn't smell.