It was obvious that it was some sort of formation, but what kind of formation would make it possible for them to turn the war to the household's favor......"Traitor, this attack of mine will put an end to the desecration that you have been for my Black Horns tribe!" Karns concentrated black mist energy in his forelegs and descended, papering to stomp Grandmaster Kartion with a full blown attack.At the same time, Kardelion, who occupied Grandmaster Kartion, retreated while forming a sphere of icy. Really love someone. And be loved.Warily, but maybe wisely, I suspected that the mediocre indifferenceand convenience that I felt towards Tim was as close as I may ever get.So it wasn't a teary goodbye when I parted ways with him on mydeparture day."We should catch up when you're out," I remarked casually."That would be good Alexandra," Tim replied. Although his lack ofenthusiasm matched my own."Ha!" I scoffed. "Still think Alex is a boy's name?" He had used myfull name."What?" he looked. A fine fix I'm in now--naked, cut and bruised, torn and bleeding, and hurting all over, especially my feet. I don't think I can walk much further. But if they don't stop, I don't have much choice, they'll just drag me.And they would drag her; she was right about that. Indians usually had little or no respect for captives and even less if that captive was a woman. Her nakedness was an object lesson, meant to impress this fact upon her. Marie grieved for Ned and Sarah, but she was nearly. Tomorrow Marcy, Andy and I were flying to Port Arthur Marine Works to inspect the two fast patrol boats and go on the shakedown run.I had found out why Black Bear had wanted them. There were ongoing negotiations with five OPEC producers to supply bulk oil terminal security and escort tankers into and out of the Strait of Hormuz. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Qatar were the five.The negotiations started at the height of the pirate attacks on tankers and merchant ships.