Max's captive woke up slowly. Her head throbbed and she felt blood matted in her hair. She kept her eyes closed and listened as memories of recent events surfaced. What in the world was going on; was this some type of terrorist hostage mess? She took stock of her situation. At least her hands were free. Maybe she could find a way to escape. She needed to escape from these goons. Old memories rose to the surface of her mind and made her desperate. She tried not to panic; she needed all her wits about her.

Isabel looked at the woman with the braid and was sorry that she had not gotten away. She watched as she opened her eyes and looked around then tried to stand but was obviously still too dizzy. Isabel scooted over to her. "Better stay down. Who knows what they'll do if they see you moving around," she advised. She felt an instant kinship with this stranger, something that had never happened before. "Can you tell me your name? Mine's Isabel."

The longhaired woman glanced at Isabel and said, "Liz." Then she continued her study of the room. Not much to see there, just an unfurnished room, two doors, one window boarded up from the inside, and 6 other women. The closest one, the one who had spoken to her, was blond and looked like she'd be tall. The other five women were huddled together in the corner farthest from the door.

The door opened and Leon swaggered in. "Now, what do we have here?" he gloated as he looked at Isabel and Liz. "You're mine," he told Isabel. "And you're not," he told Liz, "so I really don't care if you get messed up. Move over there and stay quiet." He pointed over to the corner where the other women huddled then resumed his leering examination of Isabel.

Liz didn't move away and when Leon knelt down to fondle Isabel she just rolled over on her back and used both legs to kick him in the ribs. Isabel was startled but gratified with this assistance and she began to pummel Leon with all her might. He struggled away from them, drew his stunner and zapped Isabel.

He sneered at Liz and said, "Since this won't work on you, guess I'll have to do this the hard way." Holstering the stunner he made a grab for her. She eluded him and darted toward the open door. Her braid trailed after her and he grabbed it and jerked her backwards. Liz jerked the braid from his hand and watched him warily, waiting for another opportunity.

But she didn't get one. Another dissident quietly approached her from behind and grabbed her arms. She slammed her heel down his shin onto his instep and drove her elbow backward into his ribs with all her force. He howled, but didn't let go. Leon stepped up and punched her in the face. She hit the floor and lay still. He looked at her lying there unconscious then kicked her in the ribs. \\That'll teach her.\\ He looked at Isabel. "Tell her when she wakes up there's more where that comes from. She better learn who's boss real fast or else."

Attracted to the commotion, Michael rushed in. He grabbed Leon's arm and jerked him around and away from the woman on the floor. With great disdain he taunted, "You great big bully… you beat up on helpless women… If that's your best seduction technique, I guess we can tell why you usually have to pay for female company."

Leon turned his aggression toward Michael who quickly held up a communicator, indicating his readiness to report the misbehavior. Leon and his fellow goon looked at each other and silently agreed to retreat.

Michael went over to Isabel and under the guise of moving her back away from the door hissed at her, "What the hell are you doing here??!!"

"Shit happens. Be quiet and don't blow your cover. I'll be okay— just get that location beacon sent off."

Michael and Isabel went over to Liz to see how badly she was injured. She was developing an impressive bruise on her cheek. Michael helped move her over near the wall then had to leave.

Isabel wished she had Max's healing ability. Sure would come in handy. But she didn't. Her strongest skill was dreamwalking and she didn't think it would do any good in this case. So she waited until Liz awoke and sat up. They both leaned back and tried to get comfortable. The other captives seemed to think it was a good idea to stay away from them.

Liz asked, "Isabel, isn't it?" At Isabel's nod she continued. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Normally Isabel was slow to trust and she definitely would not give their secrets away, but she felt an unusual kinship with this stranger. Without mentioning hers or the dissidents' 'other worldly status' Isabel quietly explained that the dissidents were searching for women to start a new 'community'. They really didn't care if the women were willing or not.

Liz was aghast. She turned even paler and her mouth dropped open. "Why that's barbaric. How do they expect to get away with this?" she gasped.

"They plan to transport us to an isolated place," hedged Isabel. She neglected to mention that this isolated place was out in the Asteroid Belt. She watched Liz's reaction grow more panicked and desperate. Her amber aura had the sickly yellow blotches of fear and streaks of angry red ran jagged through it.

Liz said under her breath, "Not again. I will NOT go through this again."

Isabel wondered what she meant, but did not have a chance to ask because Liz struggled to her feet and staggered over to the other door. She opened it and discovered a bathroom. Mentally she ran a quick inventory. \\No window. No cleaning chemicals under the sink. No shower curtain rod. Not even a toilet paper dispenser to scavenge the wire spring from. Nothing that could be used as a weapon. Rats!\\ Moving more steadily Liz made her way to the boarded up window and attempted to pry the boards off. She looked at Isabel and said, "These idiots boarded up this window on the inside where we could get at it. I bet 'Lecherous Leon,' your unwanted admirer did this. Give a hand?"

"And the best threat that goon could come up with was '…or else,' " Isabel said. "Too bad you were knocked out and missed it. It was classic." She went over and studied the situation. They got a hold on the same board but there really wasn't a way to get a good grip. They struggled for a while then gave it up.

"Was there anything in the bathroom we could use as a pry bar?" asked Isabel.

Liz shook her head 'no' then moved over to a corner. She slid down the wall to sit with her arms wrapped around herself, her head resting on her knees. She looked the picture of despair but her mind was working rapidly, sorting options and trying to come up with a plan.