At 9:00AM sharp, I tapped my mike to get their attention. Each company had sent three or four representatives. I’d insisted on at least one skilled ...hysicist from each company.“Ladies and gentlemen,” I said. “Let’s get started. You all know Thor and you know me. We’ve done business before. What we have for you today is quite different from the materials we’ve shown you in the past. Rather than trying to explain what we’ve got, I’d like to do a quick demonstration. Dr. Sato, if you would step up. ”“Aye, Dragon Lady,” she said with a grin. She gave me a little wave and skipped out of my office, closing the door behind her. With Addie gone, I could finally face the ugliness inside of me, all the self-doubt that seemed to be oozing out of me. I hugged myself, as if it could keep my insides from spilling out, but it felt like I’d been stripped bare, and there was no hiding from this because I had to face it; whether or not Wes’s family liked me, I had to meet them eventually.I got up,. "Pull... My,,,,, hair," she whispered breathlessly, still holding my face close to hers.I eased my elbows up so my hands could reach the top of her head and got a hand full of her thin blond hair."Ouch," she screamed, making me let go."More," she ordered."Ahaah, I'm... I'm..."Her arms released my head and fell limp to the mattress. Her legs lessened their grip around my waist and she was no longer pushing upward. I stopped to and let my weight drop on Ollie's daughter.She was gasping for air. I. Ælfred and his companions were taken utterly by surprise. They tried to stand at the river but were overwhelmed. The fighting was fierce and bloody and the waters of that unhappy stream ran red with the bright heart's blood of Wessex. Ælfred was defeated and driven back beyond Selwood. The King, together with such remnants of his band as remained, took refuge amid the masterless men of the marshes on the isle of Athelingaig.Among those who accompanied the King was one Edric, House.