The group followed him like all good sheep will follow their shepherd. Again the forest was quiet and calm, which was a pleasant change. Yesterday he needed to go back to the platform multiple times to get those who were killed. Which he hated so much, but it came with the job. So what was he supposed to do. The woman of the group stayed close to him, which he did not mind. Something he normally would have, but she was not too bad for the eyes. With her slightly tanned skin, brown hair that just came to her shoulders and those beautiful bright blue eyes. It made him long for some alone time with her, not that he would grab her then and there. He was not that kind of man, but is she was offering herself to him as a thank-you. O the designers knew that he was not a saint, being here in this place was proof of that. But he had his morals, more or less. It would not be the first time he would forsake them, he wanted to shake his head. This was not the time and place, to think about sex. Also, there were other men around them, and he was not the type to share a woman. At least not at the same time.

"Hey Orsino." One of the men said. He wanted to sigh, there it comes. The question about the boss.

"Forget it." Orsino replied before the man could ask it. "It is a myth, a fairy tale. Many have tried to fight him or her. But all of them returned empty-handed, and back in that forest. And I will not pick you up the second time around." The man's hope deflated right then and there. But it was better to know it now, than to keep his hopes up.

"Why do you think they do that?" The woman asked, he shrugged. He didn't know and he didn't care. "You must have some idea."

"Of course, I have." He said. " I just think that it is to keep people outside the prison quiet. There are some with families outside this hellhole, and if all of them knew that they are never going to see their loved once again. Well you fill out the blanks." The woman nodded, as if she understood. For a very brief second he wondered if she had family. And if he had crushed her dreams of ever seeing them again. He wanted to smack himself against the head, why the hell did he care. She was just another poor unfortunate soul, that was dumped in here, because some sick mind thought it was a good idea.

"Thank you, for getting use out of that forest." The woman then said. Which surprised him. "But may I ask where the hell are you taking use."

"You may, and the answer is simple. I am taken you four to the crossroad. From there you may figure out where to go next. Every road leads to a city, which means there is food, clothing, roof above your heads. At least as long you are willing to work for that." He said. "I will not be your boss, thank the designer for that. But most jobs are pretty standard, hunting, cleaning, building, cooking and most time for woman, well I think you get the picture." She narrowed those pretty bright blue eyes. He always got that reaction when he told them this. So she was not a woman of delight, good to know "Hey I once again point out that I will not be your boss. One of the gang leaders will be, and maybe he will assign you a different task." Which is rather unlikely, every gang leader with a good set of eyes would want to bed her.

"Are you crazy?" One of the man said. He wanted to curse the man, and silently he did.

"Shut up, Benny. He tried to comfort her." One of the other man said. But the man called Benny didn't listen to him.

"O he will comfort her, but he just told me that I will never see my wife and children again. He is not the type of man that comforts people." Benny said, and right about that.

"I am not going to sleep with him." She snapped, and he would not force her to do so. And he hoped silently that Benny would keep his mouth shut. But it seemed that Benny was happy to disappoint him.

"I am not saying you would, not willingly at least. But there are others inside this prison who do not have a problem with forcing you." Benny said, and once again he was right. There were some man and woman inside this prison who would force her, even to the point it would cost her a life. "Maybe that is why he fetched use, to sell you to the highest bidder." Alright now he was disgusted, he would never do such a thing.

"Oh Benny shut the hell up. You do not know what you are talking about. You do not even know the man." The other man said. But Benny was not done, only he had heard enough. He pulled his maquette, and placed it against Benny's throat.

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"If I hear one more word out of you, I will kill you. But you will not die, as long you are in here. But it will cost you a life, and now I hear you wondering what do I mean by that. It will cost you a year of your lifespan, so with every life you lose here, your body who is in a facility somewhere in the real world would age one year. You only will truly die, if those years are up and spend. Am I clear." Orsino said, through gritted teeth. To his relief Benny started to nod. "Good, and as for you." He pointed at the woman. "Benny here is a bastard, who deserves a good fuck in the butt. But he is right when he said that there are people who are in her who are happy to break you in. And there is nothing I could do about it. I am here only to place you on that damned crossroad, and for the rest is all in your own hands." The woman again narrowed her eyes.

"If I have nothing to fear from you, I will go with you." She said, and Orsino's eyes grow big. Why didn't he see this coming? O wait because this has never happened before. She was not the typical woman that normally would enter this prison. And he started to wonder what she had done to get here.

*****

Her name was Tamora, and that was all she knew. Besides the fact that she was inside the Digital Prison, but what she had done to get her, she didn't know. But she knew one thing for sure, she would not be used as an amusement for some unknown man, or woman. But Benny was right, there were people here who would force her into it. She didn't know this man, the only thing she knew about him was his name and that he brings new arrivals through the forest. But she decided then and there that she was going to trust him. She needed to trust somebody in this Godforsaken place, and she hoped she made the right choice.

"I will go were you are going." She said, and he was taken it back by that. Good then at least, she could use that in her favor. "Otherwise you need to sell me off to one of those gangsters, but know that I will come back again and again." She looked at him with raised eyebrows. Benny started to whistle, he was impressed. She hoped it was a something good, but then again she was not here to impress him. Orsino stepped forward and started to laugh.

"I am going to say, that you have some balls. But I am more of a loner." He said, she was not put off by that.

"I can see that." She said, tilting her head a little. "But you said that we needed to choose our own way. When we arrive at the crossroad, and I am not going to one of those towns where they are going to use me, to warm their beds. Maybe she was now suspected to warm his bed instead, but she could handle him. At least that is what she thought, she had no idea what he had done to get here. But it could be because of innocent shoplifting, dealing illegal drugs, or a huge bar fight. Of course, she knew that he could have committed another crime, the possibility was there. But right now she didn't want to wonder about that, if that was the case she would worry about it later. Right now she needed to keep herself out of harms way. Orsino nodded slowly.

"Alright then, I can use some maid for in and around the house." He said. "But only you." He said this to the man.

"I am wondering if she needs to work on all fours, or on her back." Benny said.

"Oh shut up Benny." One of the man said, and she now wondered if they know each other from before. She was sure as hell, that she didn't know these men. But that was something she could ask Orsino later. For now, she had a place to stay, and maybe he would learn her to defend herself. Not only against man, but also against the monsters of this world. Somehow they seemed the one and the same in her mind. Again that were worries for another time and place, first they, when this they become that? Maybe when he had decided to take her with him, o well it didn't matter for now. They needed to bring those men, including Benny to the crossroad, and then she would hope to never see Benny again.

*******

That woman, he did not know her name, but that would change soon. She had balls, maybe not down there, were he had them, but still. He admired her for that and that was always a right thing in his book. She was scared, but she did her best to let the likes of Benny not know that. But she had made him, the great loner of this prison do something that he had sworn never to do. He had taken someone up in his shake. He had not even done that when Aurora begged him. Aurora was the first child that he had found on the platform. But he made his bed, and now he must lay in it. But for now he needed to get rid of that piece of shit, Benny. Well that would not be so hard, because there was the crossroad. He pointed to it.

"Alright, gentleman. There is the crossroad, follow one of those paths, and you will end up in one of those cities. Do as you are being told and everything will be fine." He wanted to turn around and to walk away, but then turned around again. "I just want to say, that I will hope to never see your faces again. Only in this place you will never know." All three men nodded, and they went their separate ways. Well that was deep even for him, well now he needed to deal with the lady. "Well, woman let's go home then." The woman nodded and they went home.