“He’s twisted.”I drew a breath and looked at Rachel, who looked gratefully at me and nodded. This time the communication was not lost on the par...nts.“You were the other man,” said Gordon, beginning to look annoyed.“Yes and no,” I replied. “He conned Rachel and me into meeting. Neither of us wanted to do that, but we reckoned if I refused, he would find someone else and keep badgering her.“So we came up with a cunning plan worthy of Baldrick in Blackadder, but without the turnip.”They laughed:. ?What are you doing!? she cried. They tied another rope to the thong wrapping her thumbs and threw it over the branch. Janice now lost her composure and began to beg and cry. Slowly they hoisted her by her thumbs until she stood on tiptoe, crying and pleading with them. ?Oh my God!? She screamed, ?You can’t do this! You’re hurting me! Oh, please stop, let me down!?Her pleas were answered only by the jeers of the slavers. Once again the man with the camcorder was in the thick of the action,. “I don’t know what to do.”“Back,” ordered Robbie. “Lemme see.”Zazzer backed away slowly, shock in his face, allowing Robbie to look. The man on the ground was obviously still alive and conscious as his hands were desperately trying to stem the flow of blood, but his movements were getting slower and weaker. It took Robbie only moments before he looked up at Zazzer. “He’s lost too much blood. He needs a blood transfusion right now if he’s to live, but since we’re too far from a hospital for us. The man really did have nice shoulders. "Look, I'm sorry about that whole ... fluids thing. I hope you're not too offended."Why is he apologizing? Was the first thing Elaine thought. She wasn't that sensitive, right? So why did she still feel a little jealous? "Hey, don't worry about it. Just make sure you stop by the Smoothie bar to drink up."Elaine caught the tiniest flicker of embarrassment before he doused it in bravado. Holding up his squeeze bottle, he puffed, "Already started." Did you.