He wore a leisure suit with the front zipper down to the middle of his chest that revealed snow white chest hairs. Hello I responded, he smiled turned...and walked away angling towards the back of the store, where the movies were. I went to the front desk and laid a five dollar bill on the counter. The clerk looked at me for a moment, 'I.D., he said making no move to give me the needed tokens.' I stepped back a little and let him see me pat my pockets. 'I'm sorry, I said, I must have left it in. On thinking back she realized that part of her may have wanted this fate. The menfolk had warned her and her mother to not leave the safety of Wilmington. They warned them that there were brigands about. But she and her mother considered themselves to be independent women who could take care of themselves. After all, Brianna had a pistol. None of that had mattered when they came up against a strong, determined man who wanted to take Brianna. But maybe that is what she wanted subconsciously.. IEDs scared the pure hell out of me.I still hadn't decided when five of the people in black utilities came through the door. "Ms. Stone, the Admiral said we were to stay and help you for a few days." The older looking of the five said to me."Work it out among yourselves who is going to man the ambush, and who is going to follow me around. Tomorrow morning it is business as usual for me. What about food, any special diets or anything."Ma'am you don't have to bother, we can pick up something.". A fisherman may use my name on a cold day, or a mother tell my tale to a c***d, but that is poor food for the spirit to live on. So I have aged. Aged terribly. My very existence depends on belief, and that belief is fading. Who knows how much longer I can survive?"Don't tell him everything, foolish old woman. You can't force faith."But while you are here you will repay your debt. There are things a man can do that a woman alone cannot," she smiled. Wicked wanton, she thought with an inward.