Free Banished Worlds by Grant Workman, Mary Workman Page A

quarters. Andy, you’re my new tour guide. Bikes you’re with me.”
    I started to walk the path again, Andy a step behind me. I did not look back, but heard Jenkins raise his voice to Bikes, ordering him to follow me.
    Bikes did not want to leave Little Boss and was telling Jenkins this even though he had his orders. I put that little piece of information aside; she might one day need a protector when I was not around. Bikes had already started fulfilling that roll.
    “Boss Danbeu, report to The Highman, Boss Danbeu, report to The Highman.” The message came over the building public address system.
    “Andy, where is The Highman?” I asked. “Where do I find him?”
    “I don’t know, boss, I’ve never been there.”
    Travel was not one of the things permitted around here. I noticed out of the corner of my eye Bikes talking to himself and shaking his head. “Bikes, take me to The Highman.”
    “No, boss, you don’t want to go there, boss.”
    “Yes I do, now show me,” I ordered. “Tell me how to get there and you can go with Little Boss.”
    “Can’t go with Little Boss, Jenkins said no, got to stay with Boss Danbeu.”
    “Tell me how to reach The Highman, tell me now, Bikes.”
    Bikes pointed through the workers of red section off to our right.
    “Okay, Bikes, go back to Little Boss,” I told the frightened man.
    He shook his head and started pushing his way through the crowds to Highman.
    I snagged Andy’s arm and pushed him after Bikes.
    It was discovered on our walk that the compound had an east gate like the northern gate the teams went out through. The east gate led to one place, Highman. It had a lot of guards on the gate and roving patrols. As we reached the gate, Andy and Bikes drifted back behind me. I noticed them, but said nothing.
    “I’m Danbeu, The Highman called for me.”
    “We know,” one guard said to me. “Follow us, your men stay here.” The guard pointed at Andy and Bikes.
    “Andy, see Bikes gets back to yellow section, then return to your work area.”
    “Yes, sir,” Andy replied.
    “Home unharmed,” I added and turned to the guards. “Okay, lead on.”
    We walked through the east gate and across the open area to a building. At the door, a guard motioned me to enter. With my attention on the doorknob, he slugged me from behind. I fell against the door, and he hit me a second time. I saw his grin, through my blurred vision, then passed out.

CHAPTER 5
     
    I woke in a small, cold cell. All of my clothes had been taken while I was out. I touched the back of my head to get an idea of the damage, if there was any real damage. I had a good size knot, but I was not cut, so that was something. I realized I was naked. I sat up and looked at the four flat walls around me. The cell had a good, bright light recessed into the ceiling and one tiny door that looked to be the only way into, or out of the cell. Slowly, I moved to the tiny door, pushed on it a little, and found it was not locked. I pushed it open enough to look beyond the cell.
    “If you’re awake enough to open the door, you’re awake enough to crawl out here.” The voice came from outside of the cell. “Get out here now, Danbeu!” This time the person yelled.
    The doorway was small, and I crawled through it into the awaiting arms of two large men. The room had a dozen guards in it, all big, strong men. They grabbed my arms and twisted them behind me as they walked me to stand in front of a third man.
    This man was big, like the first two, and sat in a chair lifted above the floor on some kind of a raised platform. It was padded with thick looking cushions under a worn, dirty, and sweat-stained covering; it was a cheap throne of sorts. Off to the right at floor level, sat a desk with a collection of edged weapons and worn looking guns. Also, shiny new and in the pile, was my Taser which had no doubt been found when I was stripped of my clothes.
    “So you are the new boss of the southern compound. I am The