Page 109 of After 5

Sam opened a pocketknife and began to whittle at a limb he’d picked up nearby.

Caiyan took another pull from the flask and handed it to me. As I tipped back the flask, out of the corner of my eye I saw him rip the pocket from his coat.

A few minutes later, a small man stumbled from the tent. It was Gerry, my irritating teammate. Caiyan saw him and moved under the shadows of the tree.

He was much younger, and his hard lines hadn’t reached their full potential. He buttoned his trousers and the girl who followed him from the tent giggled.

“You git that Billy Yank tomorrow, ya hear,” she hollered after Gerry.

I watched Gerry waltz down the row of tents. Some agent he was, getting his rocks off instead of searching for his mark. Caiyan was practically gift wrapped and wearing a bow.

My future teammates were scattered throughout Gettysburg searching for Caiyan. I’d have to keep close quarters to protect him until I was ready for him to be arrested. The idea of Caiyan carted back to the WTF against his will made me smile, a Soiled Dove indeed.

“Let me have a go at him, Miss Maggie,” the girl said running her gaze up and down Caiyan’s sexy body. Her gown dipped low exposing the ample cleavage of her milky white breast.

Miss Maggie waved us over. “Sugar’s ready for ya, she’s my best girl, a real professional.”

Caiyan kept his gaze focused on the girl’s ample bosom.

At first, I was appalled at the behavior of these soldiers on the night before a major battle. Where was their focus? Hadn’t they ever heard of being prepared mentally?

And what was with Caiyan’s ogling of the Soiled Dove? Then I caught that glint in his eyes. The one he gets when he’s searching for a mark.

“Change the bedding,” Caiyan said, adding another bill to Miss Maggie’s chubby, outstretched hand.

“Victory!” The woman bellowed.

I stood speechless as a beautiful girl with milky brown skin rounded the corner. She carried a basket full of clean linens. The message on the sword wasn’t the key. It was Victory. And Victory wasn’t a key, but the name of the seer. I felt her presence the minute she came into the light. Unrestrained power.

She dropped her basket when she saw Caiyan.

He gave a slight nod at her.

Those amber eyes I recognized from Salem lit up, and then darkened. She was angry with him, and she was older than the woman in Salem. I hid my excitement as my mission unfolded in front of me.

“Clumsy girl. Change the bedding,” Miss Maggie ordered. “I don’t like keeping paying customers waiting.”

Victory gathered her basket and ducked inside the tent, returning moments later with a basket full of dirty blankets.

“I don’t think I wanna go inside,” Sam whispered to me.

“Ready for a go?” the young prostitute coaxed Sam.

“I’ll wait my turn,” Caiyan said. The Soiled Dove frowned, then shrugged.

Miss Maggie pointed to Sam and me to enter the tent.

“Together?” I asked her.

“My girls ain’t got all night,” Miss Maggie said. “One of you can go first, then you swap and the other can watch. It’s an easy way to get things going, if ya git my meaning.” She threw her head back and cackled, showing sparse, yellowed teeth.

I frowned and Caiyan gave a low chuckle.

“Be brave, soldier,” I said to Sam. I, on the other hand, was going to find a way out.

The prostitute huffed as if dragging us into the tent spent too much effort. She took him by the hand and towed him inside. I followed, holding my lantern with white knuckles.

On the way, I overheard Caiyan ask Miss Maggie if she had someone who could repair his torn pocket while he waited.

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