: : Summary : : Set just after TM, Rick�s past complicates his future.
�You�re free to go.�
Rick had dozed off. He shook his head; he couldn�t have heard that right. �What?� he said, rolling over.
�You�re a free man, O�Connell.� Rick blinked at Colonel Matthews who was standing outside his cell. The door was open.
�Says who?� Rick asked suspiciously.
�Says the United States Army, by way of General Edward Larson,� the Colonel replied.
�You�ve got to be joking,� Rick said.
�I thought so too, at first,� Matthews admitted. �A telegram from General Larson arrived about an hour ago. I checked the information with the consulate here. I don�t know what he did or how he did it, but you are free to go. All charges are dismissed. On one condition��
�I knew there had to be a catch,� Rick said.
�That you never speak of this incident again, and never use the name Benjamin Reese again,� finished Matthews.
�That�s it?� asked Rick.
�That�s it,� said Matthews. �Here are the belongings you came in with.� He handed Rick a small bundle. It contained his wallet, his watch and the engagement ring in its tiny box. �You can leave whenever you�re ready.�
�What, no dinner?�
�You feed yourself now,� said the Colonel. �You are no longer a guest of the British Empire.�
Rick stood and took his things from Matthews. He was a bit stunned, he certainly didn�t expect things to end this way. He looked around the tiny cell; there was nothing to collect�except Jonathan�s playing cards. He picked up the deck and followed Matthews through the door into the outer office.
Matthews shook his hand. �I�m glad things have worked out for you. You have some good people on your side.�
�Yeah, thanks,� said Rick. He hesitated for a moment. �Um, could you give this to Jonathan Carnahan�� he handed Matthews the deck of cards. �And this�� he pulled Evelyn�s locket out of his pocket, �to Evelyn.�
The Colonel did not reach for the objects. �You�ll want to give those to them yourself,� he said.
�I won�t be seeing them again,� Rick told him. �Please.� He held out the cards and the locket.
�No,� said Matthews. �I won�t help you do this.�
�Fine,� said Rick, stuffing them into his pocket again. �I�ll just mail them.� He turned and walked toward the door and freedom.
�You�re making a big mistake,� warned the Colonel.
�No, I�m avoiding one,� Rick said as he closed the door behind him.
*~*~*~*~*~*
�Will you hurry? It�s nearly six and they won�t let us in if we�re late,� Evelyn called over her shoulder to her brother. She was hurrying down the street toward the entrance to Colonel Matthew�s office and the Fort�s detention center.
�Imm hrrryg, dnn wk so fssst�� Jonathan sputtered as he tried to catch up with her.
Evelyn stopped in her tracks and snatched the greasy bag out of Jonathans hand as he passed her. �And stop eating the fish and chips,� she scolded. �They are for Rick.�
�Well, I�m hungry too,� he argued, licking the salt from his fingers. �What makes you think he�ll like fish and chips anyway?�
�He�ll like it. He loves British food,� said Evelyn.
Jonathan passed her as she reached the door to the office, and opened it for her. Colonel Matthews met them just inside.
�I�m so sorry we�re almost late,� Evelyn told him. �It�s all Jonathan�s fault��
�It is,� agreed Jonathan. �All mine.�
Evelyn breezed past the Colonel toward the door the cells. Matthews stopped her and said, �He�s gone.�
She stopped in her tracks and whirled. �What do you mean, �gone�?� she asked. Good Lord, the Americans took him!
�He�s been released,� said the Colonel. �General Larson arranged it.�
�Released! That�s wonderful!� exclaimed Jonathan. �Evy, that�s wonderful!�
Evelyn could hardly catch her breath to reply. This was a dream, a dream come true. �Yes, well, where is he?� she asked.
�Gone,� said Matthews. He wished he�d strangled O�Connell when he had the chance. How could any man walk out on this woman?
�Gone?� This man was beginning to annoy her. �Gone where?� she asked.
�He didn�t say,� Matthews said. �The orders to release him came about two hours ago. I did as I was asked and let him go. He left.�
�But, but where? He must have said where,� Evelyn argued. �He must have. He wouldn�t just leave� Jonathan?�
�Perhaps he left a note or something?� Jonathan asked Matthews hopefully.
Matthews shook his head. �No, I�m sorry. He didn�t.�
�Oh. Oh, I see,� said Evelyn. �Well.� She offered the greasy bag to Jonathan. �I suppose you can have this after all.�
�Evy, I don�t��
�Don�t be silly, Jonathan,� she told him. �There is no sense in throwing away perfectly good food.� He refused to take the bag. �No? Then you, Colonel? Surely you�ll have some fish and chips.�
�Thank you, no.� he said.
�Well, then,� Evelyn said. �I�ll just find someone on the street who will.� She marched out of the front door, looking for someone who looked hungry.
Jonathan looked at Matthews. �He said nothing?� he asked.
�Nothing,� confirmed Matthews.
�Right, then. Thank you for all of your help,� said Jonathan. He went out to look for Evelyn.
He found her just outside. Hungry people weren�t that difficult to come by in Cairo and she�d found some children to give the food to and was watching them eat. �Are you all right?� he asked her.
�We should go home,� she said. �Perhaps he�s waiting for me there.� That had to be it. �Why would he wait around here for two hours?�
�Why indeed,� said Jonathan. He doubted that O�Connell would be there. They would never see him again. He wasn�t ready to tell that to Evelyn. �Well, then,� he said. �Let�s go see.�
She took his arm and they walked away together.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Rick studied the train schedule. He had taken several hundred pounds out of the bank; He had money. He could create a whole new life for himself�do anything he wanted, go anywhere he wanted. He stepped up to the ticket window. �Tangiers,� he said.
�One?� asked the clerk.
�Yes. One,� replied Rick. The train didn�t leave until ten-thirty. He had over four hours to kill. There had to be a bar around here somewhere� one that served a decent meal.