Don’t you just hate it when you try to throw away a problem and ignore it completely but then when you least expect it it comes crawling out of the trash all mutated and gurgling and spewing out curses at you. That's how Evelyn, Io and Samantha felt when they heard the voice and then turned around. The man in front of them wore a grin. He had as much charm and appeal as a deep sea angler fish. It was the same man they knocked out in the jail cell earlier. And he was standing right there with two heavily armed guards behind him.

“I’m impressed actually,” He said as he rubbed his hands together gently. “I didn’t expect you...either of you to actually come here, let alone locate the machine. Marvelous isn’t it?”

“You destroyed it.” Samantha called out.

“Nay, child. We are simply rebuilding it. And we could use your assistance. The machine here is quite interesting. Cannons with serial numbers that date back to the mid 1800s. Power surges unlike anything we have seen. Even it’s creator seems unusual. It is very very interesting. As I stated before, we do need your help. This machine can be improved. It can be better. Would you like to reconsider our offer?” The man asked.

Samantha was scared. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to get her ship and leave. Just leave and forget all of this. She wanted to run away like how she did back over a hundred years ago. If she were to agree then she can work on her ship, carefully disassemble it and improve upon it. But at the same time she would be working with these people and that made her feel very uneasy. Murderers and thieves. She remembers clearly the brutality and the carnage this man had left in the police station. And her friends, what would happen to them? She didn’t know and that may have scared her the most. But she did consider it. She thought to herself that she could get everything she wanted. Everything that she had hoped for. Goodbye cold lonely nights. No more toiling in a factory, climbing inside giant machines to repair loose and broken parts. She could potentially live in a house again and not a shack. But was it really worth it?

Samantha looked back at the group. Io was standing there with her fists balled tightly. She was ready for a fight. Evelyn, who was looking back at her with a look of worry and concern. She was the first person who listened to her when she landed. And Nyssia, the young child with so much potential. And then something clicked in Samantha’s mind. There was a feeling. A sense of comfort, looking at her friends.

“What will happen to my friends?” Samantha asked as her words trembled. The group looked at her with stunned looks. Silence draped over them like a wet curtain of shame. They suddenly became even more scared.

“Ah well...they have already seen too much. They would be considered a liability. I am sorry.” The man said.

“Thank you. That's all I needed to know.” Samantha said.

“Do I take that as a ‘yes’?”

“No...No. A thousand times no. That's my answer.” Samantha called out. It was an interesting moment for her. She suddenly realized why she built her ship in the first place. To get away. To fly away from a life of misery and bad memories. And now here she stood. So far away from her old life. She didn’t have to work in a factory anymore. She didn’t have to be alone. She didn’t need her ship anymore. She didn’t need to escape her life. But as she stood in front of a dangerous man with her friends behind her; she figured she was going to need her ship once more but not in the way she had originally intended.

“That's a real shame.” The man said. He motioned to the guards. Evelyn, Io and nyssia backed up to the wall as the armed guards approached them. Samantha stood still. She never took her eyes off of the man.

“You’re not going to hurt me or my friends.”

“I see. And why is that?” The man said as he held up his hand. The guards stopped in their tracks.

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“Because I built that machine. I hold all the secrets. I can give you the proper serial numbers and locations where I found the materials. I can tell you the tools I used. You won’t hurt me because my knowledge of my ship is too valuable. And you value knowledge like any upstanding gentleman.”

“And you propose?”

“I’ll give you the information you want. Parts. Materials. Serial numbers. Everything. And you let me and my friends leave unharmed.”

“A heavy price. You understand that your friends have seen too much? And true, knowledge is valuable but with this we can acquire with time.”

“But! Is time something you really have? How long before someone else sneaks out their notes on this and builds their own? Soon everyone is going to know about it. Why not get the information from the one who built it directly?”

The man tilted his head down and gently rubbed his chin.

“Someone else leaking out information. Someone like you, perhaps?”

“I’m not going to tell you a thumper. Bottom fact, I do not have the tools or the materials to rebuild my ship. It’s a bit high for my nut, honestly. I mean it's all flapdoodle if you really ponder it.” Samantha said as she started to casually wave her hands about.

“What's she going on about?” Io whispered to Evelyn.

“Shh...I think she’s buying us time.” Evelyn replied in a hushed tone.

“She sounds like a really old person.” Nyssia said with confusion.

“Heh…” The man said. He took a moment. The pause hung and felt a lot longer than it actually did.

“How do you suggest we exchange goods then?” The man said.

“I can write it down for you. But! Only when we have been safely escorted out of the building. And I will need some paper and a fountain pen.”

The man narrowed his eyes at Samantha. He reached into his coat pocket and produced a slim blue pen.

“You have a deal, young lady.”

As they marched back down the hallway and up the stairs, Samantha scribbled at her leisure. She didn’t trust the man to keep his word but she knew what he wanted. All she had to do was write down as little as possible until everyone was safe. As they reached the final set of doors that led to the garage, she let everyone else out the door first and folded up the paper nice and neat.

“Here it is. My basic list. Tools, materials where I acquired them, my intentions. I redrew the ship’s design from memory. As well as the results of my experiments. This should be everything you need.” Samantha said as she held up the piece of paper. “And I still have your word?”

The man shrugged. “I have not yet done anything to suggest otherwise. You and your friends are safe. They are probably heading outside the perimeter as of right now. All that is left is for you to fulfill your end, my dear.” The man said as he held out his hand.

“A moment, please.” Samantha said as she pulled back her hand with the paper in it. Without breaking eye contact with the man, she carefully slipped the folded paper under the heel of her boot. Standing back up she leaned back and opened the door, leaving her foot on the paper. As soon as the door opened she ran.

She ran and ran and ran. Down the long narrow hallway, passed the last few doors and into the parking garage. She whipped herself around and slammed the door behind her. Just as she turned around something came out of the shadows and grabbed her and pulled her back into the darkness, inside a small cramped metel space. To her relief it was Io, Evelyn and Nyssia and they were hiding inside the large air vent. Nyssia wiggled her way over and slid the gate shut. Samantha didn’t say anything, or more like she couldn’t say anything mostly due to Io having her hand over her mouth.

“Easy there, blondie.” Io said in a calming voice. “Glad to see you’re safe.”

Io turned her head towards the garage. A moment later the man walked out of the door with the two armed guards. They paused for a moment, scanning the area, and then turned back around and went back inside the building.

“All good.” Nyssia said as she pulled out a little screwdriver out of her pockets and unwedge the grate.

The group funneled out of the vent one by one and walked back over to Jane’s car.

Before Evelyn could pull out Jane’s keys and unlock the car, the door to the facility swung open and slammed against the wall; creating an echoing sound that rolled throughout the garage like a wave. The echo made Samantha jump.

It was Jane and she did not look happy. Her cold eyes glared towards Evelyn.

“Hey Parker...What's up?” Evelyn said in the calmest voice she could muster. Jane didn’t have to say it but Evelyn knew Jane was angry. Jane gently held out her hand.

“Keys.” She said. Evelyn fished into her pockets and casually walked over and handed Jane her keys. Jane’s glare suddenly wandered over to Nyssia, who was standing over next to Io.

“What in the world?” Jane said confusingly. Nyssia looked at Jane and made a slight frown.

“Bruja.” Nyssia said while attempting to hide behind Io. Jane looked back up with a look of bewilderment and gazed towards Evelyn who by this moment sported a smile which can only suggest an admittance of guilt.

“Had fun at the office?” Evelyn said in a cheerful tone. This only made Jane even more angry.

“In the car...Now.” Jane said.