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Heavy footfalls on the granite stairs preceded Siegfried Spallek’s appearance. He was accompanied by Cameron McIvers and Mustapha Aboud, chief of the Moroccan guards.

“It’s about time, Mr. Spallek!” Melanie snapped. “I demand to be let out of here this instant, or you’ll be in serious trouble.”

Kevin winced. It was not the way to talk with Siegfried Spallek on any occasion, much less in their current circumstance.

Kevin, Melanie, and Candace had been huddling in utter blackness in separate cells in the oppressively hot, dank, jail in the basement of the town hall. Each cell had a small, arched window that opened into a window well in the rear arcade of the building. The openings were barred but without glass, so vermin could pass through unimpeded. All three prisoners had been terrified by the sounds of scampering creatures, especially since they’d seen several tarantulas before the lights had been turned out. The only source of comfort had been that they could easily talk to each other.

The first five minutes of the evening’s ordeal had been the worst. As soon as the sound of the burst of machine-gun fire died out, Kevin and the women were blinded by large hand-held lights. When their eyes had finally adjusted, they saw that they’d walked into an ambush of sorts. They were surrounded by a jeering group of youthful Equatoguinean soldiers who’d delighted in casually aiming their AK-47’s at them. Several had been brazen enough to poke the women with the muzzles of their weapons.

Fearing the worst, Kevin and the others hadn’t moved a muscle. They’d been scared witless by the indiscriminate gunfire and terrified it might begin again at the slightest provocation.

Only at the appearance of several of the Moroccan guards did the unruly soldiers back off. Kevin had never imagined the intimidating Arabs as potential saviors, but that’s how it had turned out. The guards had assumed custody of Kevin and the women. Then the guards drove them in Kevin’s car, first to the Moroccan guard building across from the animal center, where they’d been placed in a windowless room for several hours, and then finally into town, where they’d been incarcerated in the old jail.

“This is outrageous treatment,” Melanie persisted.

“On the contrary,” Siegfried said. “I have been assured by Mustapha that you have been treated with all due respect.”

“Respect!” Melanie sputtered. “To be shot at with machine guns! And kept in this shithole in the dark! That’s respect?”

“You were not shot at,” Siegfried corrected. “Those were merely a few warning shots directed over your heads. You had, after all, violated an important rule here in the Zone. Isla Francesca is off-limits. Everyone knows that.”

Siegfried motioned to Cameron toward Candace. Cameron opened her cell with a large, antique key. Candace wasted no time getting out of the cell. She hastily dusted off her clothes to make sure there were no bugs. She was still dressed in her surgical scrubs from the hospital.

“My apologies to you,” Siegfried said to Candace. “I imagine you were led astray by our resident researchers. Perhaps you were not even aware of the rule against visiting the island area.”

Cameron opened Melanie’s cell and then Kevin’s.

“As soon as I heard about your detention, I tried to call Dr. Raymond Lyons,” Siegfried said. “I wanted to ask his opinion as to the best way to handle this situation. Since he was unavailable, I have to take responsibility myself. I am releasing you all on your own recognizance. I trust that you now know the seriousness of your actions. Under Equatoguinean law it could be considered a capital offense.”

“Oh, bull!” Melanie spat.

Kevin cringed. He was afraid Melanie would anger Siegfried enough to order them back into the cells. Benevolence was not a part of Siegfried’s character.

Mustapha extended Kevin’s car keys to him. “Your vehicle is out back,” he said with a heavy French accent.

Kevin took the keys. His hand shook enough to cause them to jingle until he got his hand and the keys into his pocket.

“I’m sure I will be speaking to Dr. Lyons sometime tomorrow,” Siegfried said. “I will contact you individually. You may go.”

Melanie started to speak again, but Kevin surprised himself by grabbing her arm and propelling her toward the stairs.

“I’ve had enough manhandling,” Melanie sputtered. She tried to pull her arm from Kevin’s grasp.

“Let’s just get into the car,” Kevin whispered harshly through clenched teeth. He forced her to keep moving.

“What a night!” Melanie complained. At the base of the stairs, she managed to yank her arm free. Irritably, she started up.

Kevin waited for Candace to precede him, then followed the women up to the ground floor. They emerged into an office used by the Equatoguinean soldiers that were constantly seen lounging in front of the town hall. There were four of them present.

With the base manager, the head of security, and the chief of the Moroccan guards in the building, the soldiers were a good deal more attentive than usual. All four were standing in their interpretation of attention, with their assault rifles over their shoulders. When Kevin and the women appeared, their expressions suggested they were confused.

Melanie gave them the finger as Kevin herded her and Candace out the door into the parking lot.

“Please, Melanie,” Kevin begged. “Don’t provoke them!”

Whether the soldiers did not understand the meaning of Melanie’s gesture or were bewildered by the anomalous circumstances, Kevin didn’t know. One way or the other, they didn’t come flying out after them as Kevin feared they might.

They got to the car. Kevin opened the passenger-side door. Candace climbed in eagerly. But not Melanie. She turned to Kevin with her eyes blazing in the dim light.

“Give me the keys,” she demanded.

“What?” Kevin asked, even though he’d heard her.

“I said give me the keys,” Melanie repeated.

Confused by this unexpected request but not wishing to incite her more than she already was, Kevin handed her the car keys. Melanie immediately went around to the other side of the car and got in behind the wheel. Kevin climbed into the passenger seat. He didn’t care who drove as long as they got themselves out of there.

Melanie started the car, spun the tires, and drove out of the parking lot.

“Jeez, Melanie,” Kevin said. “Slow down!”

“I’m pissed,” Melanie said.

“As if I couldn’t tell,” Kevin said.

“I’m not going home just yet,” Melanie said. “But I’d be happy to take you guys home if you want.”

“Where do you want to go?” Kevin asked. “It’s almost midnight.”

“I’m going out to the animal center,” Melanie said. “I’m not going to tolerate being treated like this without finding out what the hell is going on.”

“What’s at the animal center?” Kevin asked.

“The keys to that goddamned bridge,” Melanie said. “I want one, because for me this affair has gone beyond curiosity.”

“Maybe we should stop and talk about this,” Kevin suggested.

Melanie jammed on the brakes, bringing them to a lurching stop. Both Kevin and Candace had to push themselves back into their respective seats.

“I’m going to the animal center,” Melanie repeated. “You guys can either come along or I’ll drop you off. It’s your call.”

“Why tonight?” Kevin asked.

“One, because I’m really ticked off right now,” Melanie said. “And two, because they wouldn’t suspect it. Obviously, they intend for us to go home and quake in our beds. That’s why we were so mistreated. But you know something, that’s not my style.”

“That’s my style,” Kevin said.

“I think Melanie is right,” Candace said from the backseat. “They were deliberately trying to scare us.”

“And I think they did a damn good job,” Kevin said. “Or am I the only sane one in the group?”