Free The Loved and the Lost by Lory Kaufman Page B

go as she hit the ground. Lincoln stayed by Guilietta, watching Ugilino as he began to run. He saw him punch a man in the throat and stomp on another’s foot. Guilietta continued shouting as she got to her feet and began chasing him, Lincoln and Medeea following close by.
    â€˜Don’t follow me, Guil. Sweet baby Jesus, don’t let her follow me.’ Lincoln heard Ugi think as he ran.
    Guilietta was now at the edge of the crowd and broke into an open run.
    â€œPlease, Guilietta, please don’t,” Lincoln urged, speaking close to her ear. He turned to Medeea. “Can’t we stop her? If we stop her, won’t that action cascade down to where . . .”
    â€œArimus tried to intervene at different places,” Medeea replied, still calm. “We A.I.s ran many simulations in an effort to help, including this, but it didn’t work.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Guil,” Lincoln whispered to the running girl.
    Ugilino disappeared around a corner and Guilietta followed.
Chapter 9
    â€œFeltrino!” Hansum hissed. Seeing the same horses he remembered from his fight at the river, Hansum realized this must be when Feltrino kidnapped Guilietta. He looked over at Arimus. “You’re making me watch this now? After all I’ve seen?”
    â€œDo you wish to leave? The History Camp Time Travel Council
may grant an extension for your testing or they may not.
I cannot guarantee it.”
    â€œI suppose I can . . .” Hansum stopped when Ugilino came steaming around the corner, right into Feltrino’s arms.
    â€œWhat the . . .” Hansum blurted.
    â€œGuilietta’s chasing me,” Ugilino gasped.
    â€œYes, I saw her,” Feltrino smiled. “Stand back here.”
    And then everything seemed to move in slow motion for Hansum. Ugilino stepped behind Feltrino. Feltrino, still smiling, brought back his arm and clenched his fist. Then, even more slowly, Guilietta appeared from around the edge of the building. She was running, her hands grasping the fabric of her dress, lifting it from the ground. Her expression, a mix of determination and anger, couldn’t hide her inherent beauty. And then . . .
    â€œGuilietta! NO!” Hansum screamed.
    The slow motion stopped and, with blinding speed, the moving mass of Guilietta’s head slammed into the oppositely moving cannon blow of Feltrino’s gloved fist. Guilietta crumpled to the ground.
    Hansum felt himself lunging forward, “I’LL KILL YOU!” but Arimus grabbed him.
    â€œControl yourself, Hansum,” Arimus urged.
“Remember that Guilietta survives all this.”
    â€œI’LL KILL YOU, I’LL KILL YOU!” Hansum screamed. He was totally out of control and tearing himself away from his teacher. Arimus had hold of him only by the fabric of his sleeve.
    Just then, Lincoln came skidding around the corner. He stopped right by Feltrino and Ugilino, staring down incredulously at the unconscious Guilietta. Lincoln turned as Arimus shouted his name.
    â€œLincoln, help me hold Hansum back. Quickly!”
    Lincoln ran and grabbed Hansum around the chest, blocking his way.
    â€œI’ve got to save Guil!” Hansum cried. Arimus got a better hold on the frantic youth and brought his mouth close to his student’s ear.
    â€œNo, you mustn’t,” Arimus said forcefully.
“If you try, you’ll most likely be forbidden from continuing your
time travel training.”
    â€œI’ve got to save her now!” Hansum cried, moving his free arm to his neck.
    â€œLincoln,” Medeea shouted urgently, “he’s trying to touch his emergency node. If he gets to it, he’ll slip into the 14 th -century and you won’t be able to stop . . .”
    â€œArimus, his emergency node!” Lincoln shouted, grabbing his friend’s free arm as well as twisting his leg around Hansum’s knee, as he had learned in his self-defense training. He pushed Hansum as