Antoninus held up his hand to silence them. “Gentlemen, calm down, we must approach this problem calmly and logically. An army has been constructed ...from the very persons we overlooked, the women. Therefore we must take steps to see that this cannot happen ever again. So centurions, instruct your men to round up all the capable women and little girls and have them ferried to the galleys. We must let this Pagan Princess know that her people are once again under our total control. Also let it be. What those legs were connected to was still hidden in the shadows. The place was closed, and there was no one there or so he thought. The boss told him to clean up and lock up before he left. The place still smelled of cheap whiskey, stale smoke, and sweat from the people dancing and swaying to the band that played just a few moments ago. He had planned on cleaning up and then practicing for a while in the quiet night. As he picked up empty bottles, glasses, and full ashtrays he did not notice. I'm going to throw up."Simon wanted to stop her, but there wasn't anything to say. Apologies were useless. Promises he wanted to make could be over-written with a few words from Henry.She began hobbling up the stairs again.He couldn't do anything.He turned mechanically, afraid if he kept watching he'd run after her again.'Syns can never be friends, Simon.' Valerie's voice rang in his head. 'We always, always, hurt each other.'He'd ignored the warning then, too.And now Valerie was dead.Renee. A black man got out, holstering his pistol and planning to take me now. "What do we have here? A little boy or is it a girl. Come here. I have something special for you." His men that heard him laughed.There were more captives here and I didn't want them hurt any more by what they were otherwise about to see. They all went to sleep. I pulled the men out of the vehicles and after searching for data from their minds. I sliced their throat like any person in an abattoir would do to a pig.I picked.