Hanna had gotten up and was already heading out of the door for her night out before I'd hardly registered. After wishing her a good time as she left,...I was now alone in the apartment. My conflicting thoughts consumed me whilst I nervously waited for Darius to finish work.I had been lost in my tormenting thoughts until I heard Darius' key in the front door, his steps leading down the hallway before he strolled into the living room with a confident swagger."Don't look so worried." He smirked at. “If you will swipe your ID through the scanner your presence will be recorded and any messages will be forwarded.”Colin did as instructed and was surprised to note two messages were waiting for him.“Accommodation is available within the hall if you require it,” continued the bot.“No, thank you,” replied Colin, “but I will need directions to the slave registration offices.”“The data can be printed or uploaded to one of your bots,” responded the receptionist.“I’ll take the hard copy,” said Colin,. He met my gaze for a few moments, then gave a short, quick nod. He turned to the others and said quietly, "And me."That sobered them. They didn't know what I was capable of, and I'd just as soon keep it that way, but they all knew Travis and what he could, and would, do.I triggered the remote for the sound system and a CD that I had selected in anticipation of someone requesting a strip started blaring through the speakers. There was plenty of brass and an overdone drum track, and Marietta took. It was all raggedy just like her hair and her hands and everything else about her, grown up long before her time just like I was. But when the sunlight hit her just right when we were frolicking on the beach, well, she was beautiful in her own way. I used to promise I would make her a queen someday, and she’d laugh it off and tell me I could start by stealing some fish for lunch.’ ‘Tell me you did not steal fish, Charlie!’ Lillie interjected. ‘I wish I could tell you that,’ Charlie said. ‘But.