"Come on in, guys." greeted Sasha, swinging the door open. The response, however, was almost dismissive.
"Hey, Sosh." returned Kya, already looking past her host and into the apartment. She slipped past and beelined to the kitchen table where Jason was conversing with Caitlyn. They both turned to greet her but she beat them to it. "I want you to stay home this weekend." she said sternly, eye contact indicating Jason was her subject.
The subject in question blinked once, before smiling. "Hey Kya. Good to see you! How was your day?"
It was Kya's turn to blink, expecting a different response. "It... was... fine." she recovered. "Nothing crazy. Not too busy." She paused. "I want you to stay home this weekend." She then repeated.
"Good to hear." replied Jason, his expression still affable. "And, no. Not a chance."
"Just wait a week." pressed Kya. "I have a few shifts this weekend. I can go with you next week."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to go. This weekend or next. And who told you, anyway?" He rolled his eyes, answering his own question. "Never mind. It was Grandma."
"I... don't, really. No" Kya admitted with a scowl. "But yes, your Grandma called. She's worried about you going up there alone. I am too."
"What's going on?" Sasha whispered to Farrah as she closed the door behind her.
"I do not know." Farrah whispered in reply. "She was very quiet after she picked me up."
"Big Boy can take care of himself." said Jason. His tone was still light, though it seemed to be a little work to keep it that way. "I went up alone last year, and everything was fine."
"Stuff... has happened since last year." returned Kya slowly. "We would feel better if you had some company."
"Nice to be concerned over, I suppose." sigh Jason, visibly working not to frown. "I have, however, been planning this for weeks, and am kind of looking forward to it."
"Just one more week..." pleaded Kya.
"What are we talking about?" interrupted Sasha, taking her seat at the table.
Jason shifted his gaze to meet hers. " Oh, It's opening weekend for fishing. I plan on camping out on the lake. Catching some fish. Got a site on some private property a couple hours from here. Used to go every year with my Grandpa, but my two grandmothers think I should wait for company."
Kya scowled and stuck out her tongue. "I'll go with you next weekend."
"You are not a happy camper." replied Jason, a half grin returning.
"No, but I'll..." Kya started with an eye roll, but was interrupted before she could finish.
"Camping, like in the woods, in a tent, sitting around a fire, camping?" asked Sasha, seemingly with a touch of awe. "And what do you do with the fish?"
"Only two things to do with fish." replied a bemused Jason. "Eat them and watch them swim. And once they're out of the water, there's one less thing."
"That sounds so cool!" said Sasha. "I've never been camping. Or fishing. I stayed in a tent in a friend's back yard once, but she got scared and we ended up in the house by eleven thirty. We were nine."
"Not really an option, up there." said Jason. "Which, I grant you, is part of the reason my watchers are so nervous. But the weather forecast looks clear."
"Do you have a boat?" Sasha asked.
"We did, when Grandpa was still alive." said Jason. "I have a standing offer to borrow a canoe from some of his family up there, but I'm satisfied with the dock, usually."
"Why don't you go with him?" Caitlyn put it. Her tone was a touch off, as if something were bothering her. "Since you're... free this weekend. That would solve Kya's problem too. She hates camping."
"I do." sighed Kya.
"Well... I mean... Could I?" stammered Sasha. "Would that be all right?"
"Sure." replied Jason. "And I guess it would solve several issues. If Caity really doesn't mind loaning you out."
"'Caity' has a family thing this weekend." said Caitlyn, somewhat flatly. "And has been asked, specifically, not to bring her girlfriend."
"I'm not with your family." put in Sasha, soothingly. "I'm with you."
"Ah." said Jason. "I see. Well, yeah. Seems like a good idea then. Acceptable, Kya?"
"Acceptable." agreed Kya, with a smirk. "Be sure to tell your 'other grandmother'."
"All right, then." Jason turned to Sasha. "Plan is to leave Friday afternoon, early enough that we don't have to set up the tent in the dark."
"All right!" said Sasha. "What do I need to bring?"
Jason thought for a moment. "Let's see... My tent'll sleep four, so that's covered. I got a spare sleeping bag, and extra fish poles, if you want to fish..."
"If that's all right? You'll have to... teach me."
"We'll have to get you a license, then." said Jason. "Couple of bucks and five minutes at a sporting goods store or something. With any luck, we won't need too much food, but we'll have a a little extra, just in case the fish are uncooperative. Pack some warm clothes. Sweats or something to sleep in. Long sleeves. Weather's supposed to be nice, but it'll be chilly at night."
"Do you even have any sleeves?" Caitlyn finally cracked a grin.
"Think I have one." quipped Sasha. "Gas?"
"It's been established I was going anyway." Jason smirked at Kya. "So you ride for free."
"Great! Ooo, I'm excited now! Camping! Fishing!" said Sasha. "I can hardly wait."
"Yeah, tell me that again after your first night sleeping on the ground." grumbled Kya. "Seriously, though. Thanks, Sasha. For keeping an eye on this doofus, and getting me out of sleeping outdoors."
"I can't wait!" Sasha repeated, gleefully.
* * *
Kya twisted in her chains. She was not quite stretched; her feet were flat on the floor, but her arms were pulled over her head. It would be a trick to pick her way out of this one. She had several tools on her, of course, but the closest ones to her hands was in her shirt collar, and she couldn't quite reach it.
And who was going to come help her? The room around her was built from heavy wood, with a single oil lamp. And she could feel the not very subtle motion of a ship on water. With her heavy armor, Maisey tended to avoid any liquid she wasn't pouring in her mouth and Cait wasn't much better. She was going to have to get herself out of this, but even if she got herself out of these chains, then out of this metal cell, what was she supposed to do? It wasn't impossible to hide on a ship until it eventually got close enough to land for a swim, but it was improbable.
There was no window wherever she was, so her sense of time was somewhat skewed. A few people would come in a few times a day, all females so far, let her down, feed her and watch her like a hawk until they strung her up again. Those breaks might seem like a good time to retrieve one of her lock picks, but between being watched, and hung back up, she didn't want to risk it. Besides, where would she go?
She seemed safe enough for now anyway. Aside from the confinement, she wasn't being too mistreated. She could occasionally hear men further off on the ship, but only women had ever entered her room. She tried to talk to them. To learn whatever she could, but those that took care of her, stayed silent. She'd assumed they were pirates, but they were very disciplined if that were the case.
It had been three days, at her count, assuming three feedings meant a day, when something changed. She heard frantic activity above her, shouting and running around, before the ship lurched violently, as something collided with it. Then, what was almost certainly combat. Whatever ship she was on, it was being assaulted.
Accordingly, she redoubled her efforts to get free. What were the odds that these pirates, or whoever they were, were being attack by friendlies. Even if it was the Navy, the last Naval commander she'd come across had been kind of a prick. If she were going to have to deal with them, her current position was less than ideal.
She thought she was making progress, but not fast enough. The fighting was getting closer. It sounded to be on her level now. She was pushed up on her tip toes, stretching her fingers to reach her collar, when someone collided with the outer door to her prison. Whoever it was began pounding, shouting and trying to get in, sounding terrified. The was a final scream and a wet sounding slurp. Someone had just died out side her room.
She froze as she heard heavy footstep, and someone tried the outer door. Locked. Kya let out a breath, relieved, before something slammed heavily against the door, bursting it open, and flooding the room with bright, white light, dazzling her. Shit. Chained up and now blind, At least her cage was still locked. It'd give her a moment to...
"Here she is! Been looking for you for days, and we find you just hangin' around. Figures."
"Wait, Maisey!?" Kya blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. "Is that you? What the hell is going on?"
"We're here to rescue you, duh." Maisey returned. "I'd be pissed you made me chase you out on the water, but I guess it's not entirely your fault."
"I don't think so." mumbled Kya, finally clearing her view enough to see a fully armored Maisey filling the doorway. There was a magical light blazing on her shoulder. Partially obscured behind her was a second, much shorter and stockier armored shape. "Hey, Cait. Am I glad to see you guys. What the hell happened? I just woke up in this cell. I have no idea how these pirates even caught me."
"Not pirates." Maisey said with an eye roll. "Remember that Navy prick that was trying to get in your pants? Guess his dick was too small to take no for an answer. He must have drugged you to get even. This is a Navy ship."
"That asshole!" fumed Kya. "I hate admitting you were right, but I guess we *should have killed him. Wait 'til I get my hands on that prick!"
"You'll have to fight the sharks." laughed Maisey. "I kicked his ass overboard first chance I got."
"Saves me the trouble, then." huffed Kya. "But wait. If the Navy took me, how did you chase me down?"
"Yeah, about that..." chuckled Maisey. "Remember Captain Cassandra? She was thrilled to help..."
"Captain Cassandra? Cassandra the Red!?" Kya choked. "The most wanted pirate for a thousand miles!?"
"That's the one." grinned Maisey sheepishly. "She didn't like that Navy prick either. Last I saw, she was chumming the water. That's why he was the only one I kicked overboard."
"And she just agreed to help you?" Kya looked skeptical.
"Well, no." Maisey admitted. "There was some... negotiation involved. But we took care of... most... of it."
