atsoeverjustontheirwhims.Areyouwillingtogoonlivingsuchlives?”

    “Mydearuncles,aunts,brothersandsisters”tinuedanothernymph.“Whydidyouleaveyourfamiliarhomesteadandetothisstrangend?NowthatCyclopsandViohaveclimbeddowhofthesteep,bottomlesscliffandwon’tbebaytimesoon,itisagoldenopportunityforyoualltoescapeandgobacktoyourowurf.Weweresentherefromtheheavenabovetoleadyoubacktoyourhomend.Thosewhowanttogohomeandescapethetwotyrants,followus.”Sayingso,thetwobeautifulnymphsasdedlightlytotheskiesandflewawayandthebarbariansoldiersandalltheirtribesmenquicklyfollowedontheirwaybacktotheirhomend.SoontheareawaseerilysilentwithnosignofhumahonlytheemptygoldpacestandingtallontheGiantMountains.Charinaputdownthebinocursinherhandandherfacelightedupinaknowingsmile.SheuoodDimitri’siionswelhisartofhispn.Firstheusedstrategytodrawthebarbariantribesawayfromthegoldpaceareatominimizefatalitiestoalmostzero,becausehisgenerousheartgedatunnecessarycasualtiesah.Charinashiveredinthecoldwindandtookoutthebottleofmao-taiagaiwarm,butjustasshetiltedthebottletodrink,sheheardtheshrillneighingofahorseahatKingDimitriwasback.

    Theserious-lookingpoliatrollingleisurelyaloreets.ItwasSunday.PeoplewereallgluedtotheirTVsetswatgtheWorldSeries,toseewhichteamwouldchtheWorldchampionship,sotherewereveryfewcarsariansoutoreets.Thesunwassettingiandsoonitwouldbedark.Thepolilookedathiswatdsaidtohispartner,

    “Onemorehourandwe’llbedoheday.Whatareyoupnningtodotonight?”

    “Nothingmuch”repliedthepolian.

    “Whatabouthavingdiogethertonight?”

    “Isthatsupposedtobeadate?”askedshe,withasmile.Beforehecouldanswer,astrangelooking,uniquelyshapedbcksportscarflewswiftlybyonhisleft.Thepoliswervedhiscaralertlytowardstherighttopreventbeinghitandmutteredangrily,

    “Damnfool.That’sasolidyellow!You’renotallowedtopass,youdumbass!You’reaskingfortroubledisregardingalltrafficrulesandpassingapolicecar.WhenIcatchupwithyouIwillteachyoutodisrespectthew!”Turningonhissiren,thepolidrovehishotpursuit,shoutingintohismicrophoop!Thatbcksportsfront,stopimmediately.Youhaveviotedtrafficws.Slowdoarktowardstheside.”Therewasnowaythatthedriverofthejetbcksportscardidhoseorders,buthechosetoighemandtiozigzagthroughthecars,bulldozinghiswaythroughthetraffic.Thedriversaroundhim,intimidatedbyhiserraticdrivingandprotectiveoftheirowyallsloweddowntomakewayforthiscrazyandaggressivemadman,allowinghimtoziphiswaythrough.Thepolibehindhimcursedinfrustration,knowinghisownvehiclewasnomatspeedtothegetawaycar.Takinguphiswalkie-talkieectedwithpolicedispatch,hecalledout,

    “Repastrangelookibcksportscarviotingtrafficrules,passingonsolidyelloeedingatoverahundredmph.Toofastformetoovertake.SendingoverpicturesItookofthevehicle.”Attheotherendofthetrunkradiocamethevoiceofanotherpoliceofficer,

    9

    “Youjustfoundoutaboutthisguy?Thatjet-bcksportscarhasbeencausinghugetrafficjamsoncitystreets.Wetriedtostophimseveraltimesbuthealwaysrammedhiswayoutandgotaway.Hissportscarwassofastthatit’salmostimpossibletooutrunandwassomuchmoresuperiortoouroldrundownonesi

atsoeverjustontheirwhims.Areyouwillingtogoonlivingsuchlives?”

    “Mydearuncles,aunts,brothersandsisters”tinuedanothernymph.“Whydidyouleaveyourfamiliarhomesteadandetothisstrangend?NowthatCyclopsandViohaveclimbeddowhofthesteep,bottomlesscliffandwon’tbebaytimesoon,itisagoldenopportunityforyoualltoescapeandgobacktoyourowurf.Weweresentherefromtheheavenabovetoleadyoubacktoyourhomend.Thosewhowanttogohomeandescapethetwotyrants,followus.”Sayingso,thetwobeautifulnymphsasdedlightlytotheskiesandflewawayandthebarbariansoldiersandalltheirtribesmenquicklyfollowedontheirwaybacktotheirhomend.SoontheareawaseerilysilentwithnosignofhumahonlytheemptygoldpacestandingtallontheGiantMountains.Charinaputdownthebinocursinherhandandherfacelightedupinaknowingsmile.SheuoodDimitri’siionswelhisartofhispn.Firstheusedstrategytodrawthebarbariantribesawayfromthegoldpaceareatominimizefatalitiestoalmostzero,becausehisgenerousheartgedatunnecessarycasualtiesah.Charinashiveredinthecoldwindandtookoutthebottleofmao-taiagaiwarm,butjustasshetiltedthebottletodrink,sheheardtheshrillneighingofahorseahatKingDimitriwasback.

    Theserious-lookingpoliatrollingleisurelyaloreets.ItwasSunday.PeoplewereallgluedtotheirTVsetswatgtheWorldSeries,toseewhichteamwouldchtheWorldchampionship,sotherewereveryfewcarsariansoutoreets.Thesunwassettingiandsoonitwouldbedark.Thepolilookedathiswatdsaidtohispartner,

    “Onemorehourandwe’llbedoheday.Whatareyoupnningtodotonight?”

    “Nothingmuch”repliedthepolian.

    “Whatabouthavingdiogethertonight?”

    “Isthatsupposedtobeadate?”askedshe,withasmile.Beforehecouldanswer,astrangelooking,uniquelyshapedbcksportscarflewswiftlybyonhisleft.Thepoliswervedhiscaralertlytowardstherighttopreventbeinghitandmutteredangrily,

    “Damnfool.That’sasolidyellow!You’renotallowedtopass,youdumbass!You’reaskingfortroubledisregardingalltrafficrulesandpassingapolicecar.WhenIcatchupwithyouIwillteachyoutodisrespectthew!”Turningonhissiren,thepolidrovehishotpursuit,shoutingintohismicrophoop!Thatbcksportsfront,stopimmediately.Youhaveviotedtrafficws.Slowdoarktowardstheside.”Therewasnowaythatthedriverofthejetbcksportscardidhoseorders,buthechosetoighemandtiozigzagthroughthecars,bulldozinghiswaythroughthetraffic.Thedriversaroundhim,intimidatedbyhiserraticdrivingandprotectiveoftheirowyallsloweddowntomakewayforthiscrazyandaggressivemadman,allowinghimtoziphiswaythrough.Thepolibehindhimcursedinfrustration,knowinghisownvehiclewasnomatspeedtothegetawaycar.Takinguphiswalkie-talkieectedwithpolicedispatch,hecalledout,

    “Repastrangelookibcksportscarviotingtrafficrules,passingonsolidyelloeedingatoverahundredmph.Toofastformetoovertake.SendingoverpicturesItookofthevehicle.”Attheotherendofthetrunkradiocamethevoiceofanotherpoliceofficer,

    9

    “Youjustfoundoutaboutthisguy?Thatjet-bcksportscarhasbeencausinghugetrafficjamsoncitystreets.Wetriedtostophimseveraltimesbuthealwaysrammedhiswayoutandgotaway.Hissportscarwassofastthatit’salmostimpossibletooutrunandwassomuchmoresuperiortoouroldrundownonesi