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Whitney sat on an old sofa in the back room of the bar. Oscar looked into the bar room through a special peeking hole. He shut the spy hole then turned toward her. Whitney continued to pet the wolf.
�Brent�s men are still out there. Two of his goons are flashing pictures to everyone. I think you�d better lie low for a while,� Oscar said.
Whitney sighed deeply with a look of concern on her face. �I wish I could, but I have to find Nadine.� She ran her fingers through her hair. �What did you find out?�
Oscar approached her and placed his foot on the old coffee table. �Frazer can�t be reached, and Denny isn�t answering his home number. Bosco is working on locating the others.� Oscar removed a knife and holster attached around his calf under his pants. He handed it to her. She accepted it. �I think I�ve narrowed your possibilities down a little. Your friend won�t be at the spaceport, since their security isn�t what it used to be since your last visit. What I did find is a house in the neighboring town--unfortunately it�s the town where the revolution is going down.�
�That would be a good place for them to take her. It�s still unsettled,� Whitney replied. �What else have you come up with?�
�Rumor has it, the alien forces took over a castle just on this side of the town. Their high ranks are lounging there.�
�How do I get in undetected?� Whitney asked curiously.
�There�s only one way to get in without causing a scene,� Oscar informed her. �You need to enter through the cemetery where you�ll see an iron gate built into the base of the hill. It�s well hidden, so they probably haven�t found it themselves. You enter there and that�ll take you to the dungeon. From there you�re on your own. Hopefully Nadine is in the dungeon. Then you can zip in and zip back out.�
Whitney smiled warmly and attached the knife holder to her calf. �Thanks, Oscar. I appreciate your help.�
�If we locate the others, should I fill them in?� Oscar asked.
Whitney slung the laser gun over her shoulder and retrieved her Uzi from the coffee table. She cocked it then looked at Oscar. �Just tell them where the castle is and that I�ll be there. Someone is up to no good, and I don�t want to be trapped in the dungeon by one of my own comrades.�
Oscar nodded.
Whitney sighed with a look of concern. �First I have to make a stop. Would you watch Steel for me? Brent�s men are looking for me, and he�ll give me away.�
�Of course. You go get Nadine,� Oscar announced with a tiny smile.
Whitney kept a careful watch for Brent's men as she left the bar through the back door. The ironic part of the entire situation was, they would be looking for her all over town, and she would be back at his house stealing the plans. Whitney successfully found her way through town undetected by anyone who was looking for her. She reached Brent's mansion and decided to take the back way, which meant she would be climbing the steep incline just beyond her father's house. It didn't take Whitney long to heave herself up the rocky incline, and she was soon scaling the fence before the mansion. Whitney paused a moment while sitting on the wall to look into the glass doors of the study. She didn't see anyone, although the light remained on. Whitney didn't have time to play waiting games. She had a long trip ahead of her.
Whitney stood on the wall and eyed the balcony rail six feet away. She took a deep breath and jumped for the balcony before her. She slipped off of the balcony but managed to catch the railing. She quickly pulled herself up and over the rail. Whitney peaked in the study doors just to make certain the coast was clear. She opened the doors, which remained unlocked and entered with her Uzi drawn. She quickly darted across the office and paused by the inner office door. Whitney locked the door quietly. She then turned, approached the desk, and opened the right hand drawer. The folder wasn't in that drawer. She attempted to open the middle drawer but it was locked. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something on the balcony.
She quickly spun around to see Brent enter the office through the glass doors. He was unarmed and didn't seem too concerned about the weapon she had aimed at him.
Brent paused inside the study. �It must be pretty serious for you to break into my office,� Brent announced simply then tilted his head with a sympathetic look. �If you�re in trouble, Whitney, I�ll help you.�
�Fine,� she snapped. �Then unlock this drawer.�
Brent slowly walked toward her. She quickly backed away and motioned toward the drawer. He unlocked the drawer and backed away. Whitney removed the folder then closed the drawer.
�What's going on, Whitney?� he asked gently.
�They have Nadine, and they want to make an exchange,� Whitney informed him with less hostility.
�And they want the transmissions in exchange for her life?� he asked with a cold look. �You know they won't make the trade. Once they have the transmissions, they'll kill both of you.�
�I know,� she replied simply.
�What do you intend to do? Let them kill you?� he asked while walking toward her.
Despite the concerned look she saw in his eyes, Whitney knew she couldn't trust him. �Don't make me shoot you,� she growled lowly.
He slowly lowered his arms. �You won't shoot me,� Brent announced simply.
Whitney turned the gun and shot his computer next to him with a short burst of fire. She aimed the Uzi back at him.
�Okay, maybe you will,� Brent muttered softly.
�Sit!� she growled and pointed to the chair on the other side of his desk.
He slowly approached the smaller swivel chair and took a seat. Whitney pulled the telecom wire from the wall and the machine then proceeded to tie each of his wrists to the arms of the chair. Whitney quickly straightened and picked up the folder and removed the papers. She folded them and stuffed them in her inner jacket pocket. She removed a disk from his disk file.
�Is this anything important?�
�No,� he replied simply.
She stuck the disk in her outer jacket pocket. Whitney approached him and lowered herself in front of him. �It's nothing personal, Brent,� she said more gently while searching his eyes for that look she had seen before. �I have to save Nadine from those bastards. But you were right, I wouldn't have shot you,� she announced simply. Whitney leaned toward him, placed her mouth over his, and kissed him deeply for a quick moment then pulled away.
Brent's eyes suddenly met hers. �Don't go, Whitney,� he announced softly.
Whitney began to back up slowly. �Good bye, Brent,� she whispered softly and headed toward the balcony doors.
�Whitney!�
Whitney approached the railing and jumped over it. She landed roughly on the ground just before the brick wall then ran across the courtyard.
