TnC

Epilogue

Roy waited at the train station for his friend Maes. Kate had woken up earlier in the day and they were getting ready to escort her back to Central tomorrow. In the meantime, there were some questions that Roy really wanted answers to.

When Maes arrived, the pair went to a nearby diner for lunch while Roy filled the other man in on the fire.

"So you're certain the fire was deliberately set?" Maes looked at his friend in disbelief.

Roy shook his head at the thought, "I'm positive. You can see where the gas was poured."

"Any ideas on who may have done it?" Maes asked.

"Actually, yeah," Roy answered, "but I'm not sure how much it's worth. The guy that drove us to the house wouldn't actually take us TO the house. He dropped us off about a half mile before we got there. He said that was as close as he would get but I'm pretty certain it was his car that was driving past us when we turned back. And it was a whole lot closer to Kate's than he was willing to take us."

.o0o.

Ed and Kate followed Maes down the hall to the cell. "Are you sure this is how you want to do this, Kate?" Maes asked before they got there.

Kate looked at him with a determined look in her eye. "I think it will scare them more than anything the military would do to them."

Maes led them to the cell, "You gentlemen have been arrested on charges of arson and attempted murder. So what explanations do you have for yourselves?"

"Please, Mister, we were just trying to protect our families, you don't understand what that woman is! Her mother should have burned in a fire and we were just trying to set things right." The oldest man raved in answer.

The same man cowered back in a corner when Kate stepped into view. "Open the cell door please, Lieutenant." She never took her eyes off the men in the cell. Each of them had a severe burn wound that was just beginning to heal.

Maes paused a moment. "You can still change your mind." When she shook her head no he opened the door to allow Kate and Ed to step inside.

While Kate knelt on the floor and began to draw a transmutation circle, Ed stood watching the men to make sure they made no attempts to cause her any harm. She spoke to the men while she worked. "Normally, because of your attempt to kill me, you would normally be put to death. I've asked for the military to deal with you four a bit differently."

The men trembled as she continued. "You will never be a danger to me, especially now that the house is destroyed; I have no reason to return to Liet. Your names and photos have been given to local authorities. You will not be allowed to travel more than 20 miles from Liet for any reason for the rest of your lives. The military will be checking on you randomly to make sure your still obeying that order. If you ever decide not to, the death sentence will stand."

She looked up as she finished the array she was working on. "Ed, will you put them into the center please?" She smiled to herself as she watched the men shake in fear.

Ed left the men trembling in the center of the circle and watched as she activated it. He smiled when she realized that she was right. It looked like each of the criminals was about to have his own brush with death from a heart attack. When the light faded and Kate stood, Ed spoke. "Take off your bandages."

The men removed the bandages to find clean skin. Ed smiled and looked at the men before him. "You will thank Major Mitchell for healing you and allowing you mercy. She's the one that convinced them to send you home." When none of the men said anything, Ed continued. "A military escort will be taking you back to Liet. Be glad it isn't me," Ed smiled at Kate, "I have a date."

He took Kate's hand and led her away as Maes closed the cell door with a smile.

.o0o. END .o0o.