"She stood and disappeared into the thickening crowd. She was tall,pretty. Powerful, I am sure. I was disappointed."Ah, you didn't want her anyway, ma...e."I looked toward the voice, and it was the bartender. "Hi," he said. "I'mColin. Can I freshen your drink for you?"I nodded. "Do you know her?" Veronica? Everyone knows Veronica. Mistress Bladder I call her. Shelikes to wee on her sissies. Unless you brought an umbrella, you don'tneed Mistress Bladder. The weather report with her is always. She could also see they were beginning to think they’d made a mistake in trying to ally themselves with her instead of trying to make up with the other girls.Alicia grinned. “Of course you made a mistake – not in coming here, but in not making up with your dearest friends. They love you, and you obviously love them. But you didn’t make a mistake in coming here. I’ll help you get through this, I promise.”‘And maybe teach you two a little self-control along the way, hmm?’The twins sat, one on. Still, Ineeded to talk to them and maneuver them to safety.In the cargo bay was an O2 tank. Flying over to it I stopped and twistedthe valve and felt for a stream of escaping gas. There was enoughpressure to indicate I could get a fresh lung of O2. After securing mylips around the valve of the tank, I exhaled the stale air out of mylungs, making room for new oxygen. My fingers gently opened the valve,letting the precious oxygen flow into my lungs. It seemed as if I inhaledfor a minute. He nodded and grinned. "I owe that bum seventy-five bucks." Daddy!" Well, it was a sure thing." What was a sure thing?" Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz asked, walking up behind him."Hey, Mama," I said, hugging her. "He and Ben are betting, again." How much have you lost this time?" she asked, punching him gently on the arm.He told her and she laughed. "You should know by now, she'll do anything Ben dares her to do." Yeah. Well." He shrugged."Too bad he's missing all the fun, he's managed to stir.