"Not our doing, not this time," Mildred stated. "We were caught in the middle."

"I still can't help but think my being there made crazy mutie-loving Lester decide to attack sooner than he might've. Morgan said they were waiting for more blasters, supplies and men. Might have been able to put up a better fight."

"Ancient history now. I'd say our own kind brought Freedom down a h.e.l.l of a lot faster than a gang of stickies," Mildred replied. "What's our next move?" J.B. asked. "Don't know. We're close to the underbelly of Virginia. Guess we could stay on foot, try walking for a while and see how far we go. I've been thinking about paying a visit to Nate anyway, see how things are going back home, such as it is."

Everyone knew Ryan's ambivalent feelings on the stretch of land where he'd grown up. The last time there, he'd left the young Nathan Freeman in charge as the new Lord Cawdor, leader of the clan that shared Ryan's name.

"Still wondering about what Poseidon told you back in Georgia? Trouble brewing up in the Shens?" Krysty asked.

"Some, yeah," Ryan admitted. "Or mebbe I'm just afraid of what I might find."

"Long trip to West Virginia," Doc said, already feeling his long legs start to ache in antic.i.p.ation.

"Not if we stick to the highways," Mildred replied.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," Ryan said simply. "Be a lot easier to go back to the hospital and take another jump, see where the mat-trans winds take us. Not up to me, though. What do the rest of you want to do?"

There was no response for a moment, and then J.B. spoke for the rest of them.

"Whatever you decide, Ryan, I guess we'll fall in."