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Whitney woke the following morning with a terrible headache. She swore someone had lowered the ceiling and was purposely moving it around in a circle. She lay in bed an hour after she woke. She wanted the room to stop spinning before she continued with her day. Whitney finally drug herself out of bed and forced her weary body into the shower. The water helped wake her some, but it did nothing for her pounding headache. Once she had finished her shower, she dressed and went downstairs. She felt a little more human now.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she discovered the study door was open. Whitney glanced inside and saw Brent behind his desk working on the computer. She studied him a moment then crept past. Steel met her at the foyer door and jumped around excitedly. Whitney patted the playful wolf. They left the mansion together. Whitney wasn't sure where she was going, but she was making good time. Steel trotted along beside her the entire way.
She walked for the longest time with the excited wolf. Whitney entered the woods and followed a trail. She knew she was still on Brent's property, because she didn't reach the fence line that marked his territory. She finally reached the gate to the back of the property. Steel stopped while she passed through. Whitney glanced back at the wolf.
�Come on, Steel,� she beckoned to the wolf.
The wolf panted happily and trotted through. She closed the gate and walked along the neighboring property. Whitney approached a farm in the valley. Steel raced down the sloping hill and stopped by the fence to watch a black horse trot around it's paddock area. Whitney approached the fence and watched the beautiful horse as well. Steel turned around and barked behind them. Whitney glanced toward the barn and saw an older man approach. He was missing a leg and walked with a crutch. The man saw her and smiled as he approached.
�Good morning,� he announced cheerfully. �Beautiful, isn't he?�
Whitney smiled and silenced Steel. �Yes, very. This is a nice place you have here.�
�Thank you,� he remarked with a smile. �That's Valdemar's wolf, isn't it?�
�Yes,� she responded simply.
�I�m Horrace,� he said politely then smiled. �Would you like to see the rest of the place?�
Whitney smiled warmly. �Sure.�
She followed Horrace to the barn. When she looked in the inside, she could see a younger man in his mid thirties working. She could only see his back while he worked.
�Smidt,� Horrace announced, �I'd like you to meet someone.�
Smidt turned and looked back. Whitney only caught a brief glimpse of him before he turned and dashed into a stall.
�Smidt! Come on out!� Horrace glanced at Whitney and shook his head. �He's a mutant. They're real self-conscious. I found him sleeping in my loft four months ago and gave him a job.� Horrace walked into the barn. �Smidt, come on out here. She's not going to bite you!�
The mutant suddenly dashed across the barn, jumped onto the hayloft ladder, and climbed quickly to the top. Horrace returned to her.
�Oh, well, maybe another time. It's very unfair for these young people to feel they have to hide because the aliens deformed them. I feel bad,� Horrace announced. �Those damned aliens released that gas into the main plant, and everyone was exposed. I suppose the lucky ones died.�
�It�s a terrible tragedy,� Whitney said sadly.
Horrace stared at her a moment with a strange look on his face. �You wouldn't be Hawk Prentice's daughter, would you?�
Whitney was surprised he knew her. �Yes, I am. How did you know?�
A bright smile crept over his face. �I was friends with your mother's parents. You look a lot like your mother had.�
She smiled gently but didn't respond. The man continued to smile then motioned for her to follow.
�Come with me, I'll show you some old photos of your grand parents and your mother when she was little.�
Whitney looked through the old photos. She smiled warmly while sorting through them. It seemed strange to see people she knew looking so young and in photos she had never known existed. Horrace poured her some more tea.
�I remember your grandmother well. We went out once upon a time. I had a love for her you wouldn't believe,� Horrace remarked warmly.
�I barely remember her.�
�I know, she died far too young. She was a good woman--somewhat untamed though,� Horrace said.
Whitney had to smile secretly. She must have gotten her feist from her grandmother.
�So how do you know Brent Valdemar?� Horrace asked curiously and joined her at the table.
�I�m staying with him while my father�s away,� she replied.
Horrace smiled. �Nice of Brent to look after you. He�s a decent man.�
Whitney didn�t reply.
�I met one of your friends last night," he remarked simply.
�Oh, which friend would that be?� she asked curiously.
�Nadine Solvig.�
�Nadine?� Whitney asked now slightly puzzled. �What was she doing here?� Whitney shifted nervously in her chair.
�Apparently they were in the wooded area further away from this property--you know, doing some business, and the alien forces crashed their party,� he said simply. �I knew Nadine's parents when they were younger also. She came here for safety.�
�Are the others alright?� Whitney asked.
�I presume so,� he replied. �She said they scattered long before the troops actually caught them. She spent the night the left about two hours ago.�
�At least they're alright,� Whitney remarked with a sigh. She was so glad everyone was safe. �I missed out on everything because of Brent.�
Horrace smiled warmly. �From what I heard, you earned your dues and then some with the rebellion.�
�Nadine told you that?�
�No, that�s just the talk around town,� Horrace replied. �Nadine said the rebel leaders wanted to meet you personally. They were disappointed your couldn�t be there.�
Whitney stared at Horrace a moment then frowned. �Damn that Brent. It�s his fault I couldn�t meet them.�
Horrace smiled warmly. �There will be other opportunities. I hear you�re a natural at self defense and a crack shot with a laser gun.�
