00115





Osmo Martin tried to turn on the charm, which was hard to do, considering Mita Morgan pointed her blaster at his chest. He cautiously raised his hands to show the Security Leader he meant no trouble. "Mita, why don't you put away that blaster? For old times' sake. After all, we were classmates, right?"

She eyed the black square thing still in his hand, now held over his head. In his surprise at seeing Mita blocking the doorway out of the recreation hall, Osmo had not put the black object into his pocket yet. She asked him, "What's that? What do you intend to do with that toy?"

Osmo became conscious of holding the communications device. He slowly brought down his hand and held it out for her to view. "This? Oh, it's nothing. See?"

She did see, and cursed him for it, because he whipped it at her head. She instinctively ducked, and the black square missed her. It hit the doorway and smashed into pieces.

The distraction gave Osmo opportunity. His hands darted out, snatching the blaster from her grip and turning it around, now pointing the weapon at her heart.

She gasped at being so easily taken. She put up her hands.

He kept the blaster on her while he bent down and picked up the smithereens of the black square. Mita Morgan found this funny. She laughed, keeping her hands in the air. "I don't think you'll be able to fix the toy anymore, Os."

Pocketing the remains, he waved the blaster at her. "Okay, now let's see how you like being a hostage, Mita. You'll be my shield, in case anybody is still around to guard this place, although I hear more important matters keep the Security Agents pretty busy, and the CDG as well."

She smiled at him. "But there's a lot more CDG than when you were working with me, helping me catch the volunteers who refused to volunteer. There's still enough to make it hard for you to simply slip away. However, I'm more than willing to help you escape."

"Yeah, right. You were just waving that blaster at me."

"I was just funning you, Osmo."

"Ha ha. So funny. Like the time when you locked me up for Gov. Bright. He betrayed me, and Sheila went along with it, and so did you. I kind of lost faith in my friends."

"Well, duh, what choice did I have at the time? Gov. Bright and everybody else was right there. Think, Osmo, think. Now, no one sees us. It's different now."

Osmo snorted, keeping the weapon on her. "Yeah, it is. This time I got the blaster."

"That's not what I meant. Do you know I am glad you are loose?"

"Yeah, no thanks to you."

She lowered her hands a bit, still smiling sweetly, gazing into his eyes. "Oh, Os, it's really true. Anyway, it was only a matter of time before I came myself and busted you out."

"Hey, did I say you could put down your hands?!" Osmo barked at her.

Mita sighed in frustration and raised them again. "Os, don't you get it? I'm on your side! I like you. Very much."

Osmo Martin guffawed loudly over that one. "Sure you do. And you demonstrated it every chance you got, when I was a Security Agent and you were my boss."

Annoyed, she shot back, "Naturally, since I was the boss, I may have seemed a little BOSSY sometimes-"

"- a little?! Ha! Talk about an understatement."

"- I can't show favoritism to my old classmate! And, anyway, when I was so BOSSY, as you think, at least I caught your attention finally, didn't I? I got you to notice me for once, right?"

"How could I not? It's like not noticing a toothache."

"Well, at least you did notice me, Osmo!" She raised her voice a notch. "You never did in school! Every grade we were in together, I tried to make you like me, but you barely knew I was alive! And- and even here, on the World of Hope, I tried to attract your focus, but still- Os, why? What's wrong with me? Did you never realize it's no coincidence I came here to Hope on the same rocket as you? Have you ever looked at me for more than only a casual glance greeting, if even that much? Why, Osmo, why?" She wiped some tears from her eyes. "But no, I- I won't cry! I'll be strong!"

Osmo, bewildered, still didn't lower the blaster. "Are you on the level? You- you really liked me?"

"Of course I did, you big jerk!" She softly groaned and shook her head. "I- I still do, after all these years. I swear, your dumber than a robot!"

Flabbergasted, Osmo muttered, "Um, I guess, um, I was too busy enjoying myself, I didn't notice. Sorry."

"Thanks. Thanks a lot. That's very flattering. Oh, Osmo, I always hoped you would see me, see how much I cared, how good I could be for you. I- I dreamt every night that one day you'd appreciate my value! My true worth to you! And now, finally, at last I can show you- I can prove it to you today!"

Osmo tensed, expecting her to try romancing him. He didn't feel like any romance at the moment. A bit concerned, he asked, "What- what do you mean? How... What do you mean, you can prove it to me?"

"I can help you, Os. I can show you where to hide until the coast is clear. Soon, everyone'll know you are free. We must hurry, so I can hide you before they know I know. Do it my way, and you don't need to risk a shoot-out with the CDG and whatever Security Agents show up hunting for you." She put her hands down again.

Osmo Martin hesitated. "Okay, show me. I'm keeping the blaster, though, just in case."

"In case what, Os?" she asked, as she led him out the house and across the lawn of the Governor's Estate, ducking low behind the hedges and bushes, crouching and keeping out of view of any passersby. Osmo did likewise.

"In case any guards show up, and I need to bluff them by threatening you," he replied.

"Oh, okay, Os. I understand that."

They met no one along the way to the hiding spot. She took him past the Morning Garden and over to some small sheds set out of sight behind a row of trees.

Mita Morgan said, "Pick a shed, any shed, whichever looks the most comfortable. Pick the lock like Tretl Clyden taught you and hide inside. No one will be around today needing anything in these sheds for lawn care or some such. All the robots have been taken by Hope Leader Bright for one of his projects. And tonight, late at night, I'll come for you under the cover of darkness. I'll see that the lights all over the grounds are shorted out."

Osmo easily undid the shed's lock and stooped down to enter the low structure. "Thanks, Mita. I won't forget this. I'll keep my blaster, in case anyone does come by. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I also won't let anybody ever make me a hostage again."

She advised, "Osmo, wait for me tonight. Don't leave ahead of time, before I come back. I'll come when I am sure it's safe for you. Otherwise, on your own, I'm sure you will be spotted then." She glanced around both ways and then closed the door on Osmo.

Inside, Osmo Martin moved around some boxes of lawn nutrients and bags of grass seed He made himself something that resembled a lounge chair in shape and settled into it. He laid back, still clinging to the blaster, watching the door, waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

He got up and tried to see through the gap between the small door and the doorframe. Not much of a view. The sunlight dimmed. Night approached.

"Where is she? Of course, it's not dark yet. Wish she'd've brought me something to eat, though. The breakfast wasn't so grand... I guess I'd better just follow the plan, and wait for her before escaping. I hope she isn't held up by Gov. Ldr. Bright... I hope... I hope... zzz..."

He drifted off to sleep. His grip on the blaster relaxed. The blaster slipped, tumbling to the floor. The clatter awoke him with a start. He grabbed the blaster and jumped to his feet, his eyes looking every which way. In the process, he bumped his head on the low ceiling and he remembered where he was and realized what had caused the noise.

"Relax, Os, relax. It's only the start of dusk. It'll be awhile yet."

He once more dozed off, and his nap turned into a long, deep sleep.


Much later, a tiny tapping awoke him. "Huh? Huh?" Again it took him a moment to remember where he lay. The darkness inside the shed matched the darkness outside. No light squeezed in through the gap between the door and the door frame.

He crawled over to the door to see who it was tapping. It was Mita Morgan, as he expected. He could barely make her out in the blackness.

"Os? Osmo?? Are you there? It's me!" she whispered loudly. "C'mon, let's go. I've made sure the yard lights are down, like I said."

He hastily opened the door. "Good, you're back! I felt myself cramping in there." He stretched and twisted to loosen up.

"Sh, not so loud!"

"Oh, yeah-"

They proceeded across the dark lawn then, towards the Security Agency Building adjacent to the Governor's Grounds. She took a shortcut through one of the many gardens on the estate.

"Should we risk being so close to the Security Agency Building, Mita?" worried Osmo.

"I know what I'm doing, Os! Okay, wait here a minute-" She paused in the middle of one of those gardens.

"What?"

"Let me double-check that the coast is clear," she whispered. She was gone before he could stop her.

And so he waited again. Osmo soon grew tired of all this waiting. And out here in the open. Well, maybe not exactly the open. Lots of tall hedges concealed him in the moonlight.

"Mita! What's keeping you-"

Suddenly brilliant floodlamps totally illuminated the garden.

"Wha--" Osmo's eyes tried to adjust to the blinding glare. When they did, he gasped in shock, seeing the garden was full of CDG volunteers and Security Agents! They surrounded him, with drawn weapons aimed at him. Hope Leader Bright and Security Leader Mita Morgan stood among the crowd.

"Mita, you- you witch! You betrayed me!" He whisked up his blaster in her direction, as if about to fire.

Ldr. Bright asked, "Is that wise, Osmo, considering all these blasters we have pointed at you?"

Osmo reconsidered. Grumbling in disgust, he let his blaster fall to the ground. "Mita, you- you- To think I was dumb enough to trust you!"

She chuckled, very amused at his confusion. "Like I said, Osmo, you're dumber than a robot. You're so naive! Grow up, like I did! Don't be so trusting!"

Ldr. Bright congratulated her. "Very well done, Sec. Ldr. Morgan."

"Yes, I thought so. I waited until we could round up all these Agents and volunteers, to keep from having to engage Osmo in a shootout." Mita giggled again. "This sure felt good! Do you notice me now, Osmo?"

Osmo scanned the faces. "Where's Sheila? I don't see her here. Where is she? Shouldn't she be here, too, so she can be in on the joke on me?"

Ldr. Bright shook his head. Unlike Mita, he lacked any mirth. "No, Osmo, she is not a part of this." Then he instructed his Security Leader, "This time, take him to the jail in the Security Agency Building. Lock him in a cell. Forget about keeping him comfortable, since he does not appreciate our hospitality, anyway."

She nodded toward the nearby building. "Okay, Os, let's get moving."

As he walked away with his hands held overhead, Mita laughed again at the spectacle of the defeated and down-hearted Osmo Martin.

(c) drk 2012