A period later Cami sat curled on a couch watching the two women as they talked together. Edek had been sent on an errand to fetch someone called Ilari after Cami had described how she had gotten into the tunnels under the city.

“All dead, killed.” Ina whispered, running her gaze over the tearstained face of the young woman. “You be the only one who scampered alive.”

Cami sat silent, she had finally given into her pain and terror as she had described the attack and was now exhausted. “I’m thirsty,” she said suddenly sitting up and looking around. “Is there anything to drink here?” Straight away she felt embarrassed at speaking in such a manner.

“Would you like tea?” Flo asked quietly. “You can also eat if you like,” she added.

“Thank you Madam Flora.” Cami stood and lowered her eyes, holding her hands behind her back as she did.

“Sit down Cami.” Flo said, exchanging a glance and a nod with Ina as she spoke. Ina left, heading to the small kitchen. “And call me Flo, all here do.” A slight smile creased her lips as “Call me Ina,” came from the kitchen.

Looking around as she sat, Cami belatedly realised that only the three of them were in the room. “Where’s the young master?” she asked.

“His name is Edek ne Fosker and he is my son.” Flo spoke softly, “After you told us your story, I sent him to get his older brother, Ilari ne Pator.”

“Oh. He is?” Cami looked around rather distracted. This room was about the same size as her parents’ old living space but the kitchen was separated by a low counter and she could see Ina doing something there. A bedroom was visible through a door. Is there just the one? She thought, and is there a bathroom behind that closed door? The import of Flo’s words slowly percolated through Camis mind.

“Ilari ne Pator? The housekeeper where I lived was Jean ne Pator! Is he related to her?”

“He is her brother, I was his father’s second wife.”

“Oh.” Cami wondered what that meant. I’ll just have to wait and see, ran through her mind. “She must be really upset.” Cami looked away then turned back, “I left my comm back … there, can I speak to her on yours, my parents also?”

“Of course you did, left it behind.” Flo turned towards the dining room table, then stopped and slowly turned back. “No, that be a bad thought.”

“Why?” Cami was confused by both the refusal and the change in the way Flo had spoken. “And your speech, it’s changed back?”

“If someone is looking for you, they may be watching both your parents and Jean.” Flo replied soberly. “Until we know more, let’s not be hasty.” She paused, “As to my speech, I too was once a housekeeper for a family. Not high class but pretenders, as we called them behind their backs. They dismissed me for a younger, more attractive house keeper when they moved up.”

Cami did not know what to say to that but luckily she was saved by a call from the kitchen.

“I have tea.” Ina came in with a loaded tray and began setting places at the eating table. “Come, let’s all sit properly for tea.” Cami rose slowly and took what she considered to be her proper place, the daughters’ seat on Floras right.

“Your cousin, what will he do? What will he want?” Cami asked after a taking a sip of tea. She felt that the delicate business of Flora being dismissed was best avoided. She knew that she, herself would be sensitive about that, having had nightmares dreaming that she had been dismissed from her contract after she hit that girl at the meet. “Why do I have to talk to him?” A frown creased her forehead.

“We have been waiting for a long time for something like this to happen.” Ina, interjected.

Camis frown deepened, “I’m puzzled, what do you mean, waiting for what to happen?”

“Ilari, he be a leader, got a following but not like those who attack you and yours.” Flo watched Cami closely, Ina as well.

“Big man is Ilari,” Ina said, “much respect he has, not only among us in Nether West, others as well. They talk lots to him.” Ina offered a biscuit to Cami who accepted with polite thanks. Cami studied the thin, sour faced woman and pondered what sort of life she had lead. If the life for her parents had been difficult as part of the lower servant class, how much more difficult both Inas and Flos must have been she wondered.

“Who talks to Ilari?” Cami wondered aloud.

“You hush about that girl.” Ina relied, “There is no need for you to known.” She shrugged picking up a biscuit herself as she continued, “Anyhow, I don’t know, Ilari no say and I no ask.”

“Oh, I won’t ask then, but he doesn’t tell you anything?” A shake of the head answered her question. There was silence then Cami looked across the table at Ina. “Can I ask you something?” She said.

Raising her head from the biscuit she was contemplating, Ina looked at the young girl, then gave a glance at Flo before turning back to Cami. “You could, doesn’t mean I answers.” The reply came back slowly. “You have lots a questions girl!”

Cami swallowed, she was old enough to realise that she was going to pry a little into what could be a delicate subject. “Do you have any family, Ina?” She braced herself for an explosive response.

*********

Ina sat silent for a fraction, How to answer in a way Cami might understand? She gave a sigh, might as well speak the truth. Without looking at Cami, she replied. “I have no family. They all be dead.”

*********

Aghast, the reply was even worse than Cami had expected, she stammered out an unsteady “Sorry,” all she could come out with, even as she looked to Flo for help. No wonder she looks so unhappy, Cami thought. Before she could say more, a chime from the door, followed by its opening drew everyone’s attention away from the strained atmosphere.

“Who’s there?” Cami jumped up, stepping away from the table as she spoke.

A tall, rather thin man stepped through the door with some authority, taking of his cap as he did so. Watching him carefully, the two traded stares and Cami noted the eyes, wondering why they seemed familiar. Stepping further back as the man approached the table, she was surprised, even shocked when the man stooped and kissed Flo on the cheek. “Hello elder sister, I nanna thought seeing you this day,” cleared the mystery, confirmed by Flos, “G,day big bro.” The man straightened up and turned his eyes to Cami.

Looking back at him Cami studied the man who she guessed was soon going to become very important to her. Ilari suddenly spoke, “So you’re her, they said that I would know you.”

*********

The stares his comment drew amused Ilari although he held his laughter inside as he continued his appraisal of Cami sis Nep. Her steady gaze returning his, even though she was clearly fearful and uncertain, brought a nod of approval from him. It was clear that this girl had some depths.

“Where be Edek?” Brought him back.

“Getting some of us together, we needs protection.”

“I don’t want trouble.” Flo insisted.

“Passed that, trouble we had as soon as those fools pulled the trigger on those guns.” The flat reply raised frowns from both Flo and Ina. “The patrol and the secret police will be here soon, me guesses.” Ilari continued. “One at least would have been here sooner if he hadn’t been delayed by locked doors.”

Taking a step back he looked Cami up and down noting the clothes and strained expression. This girl has been through a lot and she is going to go through a lot more, he thought.

*********

Cami watched Flora exchange a puzzled look with Ina then both looked at Ilari. “What means you?” Flora asked. Cami put in as well. “Delayed, how you know that? I don’t understand how you would know that.” Cami continued to stare at Ilari, “and what do you mean by they said that I would know you?”

*********

“I get lots info from lots of sources,” Ilari replied, “but no talk now, we gotta fast move, or you’ll be in lots a trouble.” He beckoned to Cami. “You gotta come with me, I have some men around who will much help. We gotta get you to safe place.” He turned back to Flo.

“Have yah gotta cloak that Cami can burrow under? Her clothes, they give her away, dead.”

A fractions digging in a rather full closet and Cami was donning a cloak that to her eyes had seen better days. A cap, similar to the ones that she had seen others wear completed the picture.

Standing impatient at the door, Ilari urged Cami to hurry. “We go fast now, but slow on the street. Blend in and keep eyes open. No talk, your voice dead giveaway. Leave talking to me.” Cami gave a tremulous nod to the rapid fire instructions, then turned to Flo, bowing.

“I thank you Madam Flora and Madam Ina, you both have been much help to me today.”

The motherly woman stood and returned the bow, “It was nothing Cami. Anyone would have done the same.” Seemingly overcome, Ina simply bowed back.

“Let’s go!” Ilari looked out the door, checking the corridor. Two hard looking lean men standing there lost their lounging posture and straightened up, one heading down the stairs while the other looked around for possible dangers.

*********

Walking down the grubby and dismal street which was their apparent destination, lined with shabby buildings Cami was aware of growing unease, both in herself and her companions. They had been traveling for almost two periods, she was getting tired and hoped that they were close to their destination.

Walking through Nether West had been a revelation for Cami. The part of the sector she arrived at was, she discovered, a combined living and shopping area that made for a lively, noisy and crowded street scene. All the people she could see seemed to be happy at least for the time being. Stores were open and stalls lined the street, most attracting numerous customers. People were exchanging greetings and chatting with each other in a manner that she had never before seen. Cami was entranced, the warning she had been given and her recent experience temporarily forgotten.

“Is it always like this?” She asked Ilari who was walking on her left side, closest to the buildings they were passing. “I mean this is so different than what I am used to! Even from my old home.”

“Most days yes, now be quiet.” Glancing up Cami saw Ilaris eyes flickering from side to side. Glancing around as casually as possible, Cami at first couldn’t identify the men that Ilari had brought with him. As they passed out of the shopping area, Cami began to see some of the same kind of tenements that she had seen from the flyer several months ago. Lounging around these buildings were people that Cami recognised from her earlier train view; sullen, unhappy people, men and women both along with a few children. These moved slowly out of the way of the group as it passed. The eyes that followed them adding to Camis sense of unease and the gathering rain clouds only heightened the mood.

All the people Cami saw were dressed in much the same style, a dark shirt, pants and jacket amongst the men while most of the women wore a long skirt and top or a dress combined with a more feminine jacket. A beret usually of a dark blue to black colour topped the men while a small hat seemed standard for most of the women. One thing that Cami saw to her shocked surprise, was that many of the younger women and some older ones as well, were openly wearing pants, something that no women was supposed to do. If ma could see them, she thought, I wonder what she would say let alone Madam Dressiler! That thought brought such pain to Cami that she closed her eyes and come to a brief stop. At Ilaris concerned glance she just shook her head and started walking again.

As they had left the shopping area, Cami and Ilari were joined by a woman, also wearing pants, and a man. Neither of the two introduced themselves, nor did anyone speak but the woman, she looked to Cami to be in her early twenties, went straight to Camis right side while the man took position a few steps behind her. They continued this way in silence, Cami assuming that Ilari knew who they were, besides she had been told not to speak. As they progressed deeper into Nether West the buildings they passed showed increasing signs of poor maintenance. Having left the shopping and residential area most of the crowd was gone and even fewer people could be seen. The two men from the apartment building were several paces ahead of them, while a glance backwards revealed that there were three men as well as the man who had come with the woman. All this for me? Cami wondered.

The walk continued with changes in direction and Cami grew anxious both with the ominous silence and that all the buildings she could see were rougher and dilapidated, showing clear lack of maintenance. Adding to the grim atmosphere, the rain that had stopped that morning now returned as a soaking drizzle. There were no workers housing or shops that Cami could see, just closed anonymous buildings that gave no clue to their past use or function. “Just about there,” Ilari muttered as he wiped the rain of his face, “now it gets dangerous.” Looking around, Cami saw that there was no one else in sight. This concerned her, she wasn’t sure why but along with what Ilari just said, it did.

“What was that?” Ilari startled Cami with a shrill whistle. The men moved in closer on hearing the whistle.

“If someone be attacking us, here be the most likely place.” The grim answer caused Cami to look nervously around. “Be ready.”

Be ready to do what? Cami wondered to herself.

Moving with Ilari to the center of the street, Cami watched as he signalled the men to get closer and then turned to the woman still standing with Cami. The rain grew heavier, along with the wind, coming in gusts. Puddles began to form.

“Signy.” He nodded at Cami.

“You’re Signy?” Cami turned to the woman, who was now grimly wrapping a studded leather belt she had pulled from somewhere around her right fist. Cami stared at this and she recalled the fight she had had at the track meet. It was clear that this fight would not be like that one at all.

“Yes.” Signy replied shortly as she scanned the buildings lining the street. “Now open ears up, we be heading to that building on the right, the second one on the end.”

“You mean …” Cami stopped as the compact woman grabbed the arm that Cami was about to raise.

“Keep hand down,” Signy hissed, “just follow me, when gets gnarly, run like wet kit.” She gave a nod to Ilari. The now compact group started to move towards what Cami assumed was their final destination. The same two men were in the lead with Ilari following then Cami and Signy. Last were the four men now close behind. The expected attack came with the group almost three-quarters of the way down the block to their goal.

Leaving a pair of double doors swinging drunkenly open a group of six men burst out of a building to the left, while another gang, of four this time, ran around the corner in front of them. All were carrying a club, knife or similar weapon. From behind, another dozen or so men blocked any retreat in that direction.

“Ok, everyone, we go ahead, like now!” Ilari shouted as he charged the four blocking their way in front, splashing his way through the puddles. Cami stared as a knife appeared in his hand.