The next day was atrocious. The wind was blowing hard across the island, driving heavy rain horizontally into the unprotected bodies of any of the naked women who were forced to venture out in it.

Angela decreed that no one was to venture out unless necessary and in any case no more than a few yards.
The sea was too rough even for the hardy Frieda to think of venturing out. The wreck seemed still to be firmly wedged to the rock, but Francesca was terrified it would be broken up and the drums of fuel lost to them.

No progress was possible on the raft in these conditions and all they could do was wait and hope the storm would blow itself out before too long. Angela said the prisoners would at least have enough to drink in all this! Her callousness enraged Francesca and caused even the hardened Frieda to pity them. It was four days before conditions eased.

By falling asleep, Francesca had unwittingly condemned the two prisoners to several hungry and cold days. She cursed herself time and again as the fearful weather continued, wondering if she would find them still alive when next she saw them.
 

DAY FORTY ONE

Just after midnight on the first day after the storm had finally blown itself out,  Francesca slipped away and made her rather dangerous trek over the rocky and dangerous hillside. It was a trip made all the more hairy by the food and drink she was carrying to help build up Jo’s weakened body.  Finally, covered in scratches and grazes and filthy all over with dirt and dust, she was by Joanne’s side. She got the cage door open.

“Come on, Jo. Out of there! I want you to loosen up  for an hour or two. Don’t argue with me, or I’ll bloody well drag you out kicking and screaming. I heard something a few days ago and we need you fit and strong. So stop being  the noble martyr! Time to get you fighting fit again, my leader!”

“Shut that door, Francesca. That’s an order. Go away and don’t come back.”

“Bollocks, Jo! Out you bloody well come!”

Joanne was a big and strong girl and far taller and better built than Francesca, but in her weakened condition, especially after several days without food, she was no match for the other girl. Soon the pair were sitting together where Jo and Angela had sat weeks before. When they had both recovered their breath, Fran was the first to speak.

“There, my revered but  misguided leader, that feels better, and don’t you dare say it doesn’t!”

“Oh! Fran! You’re right enough about that! It feels absolutely great! Now,  why have you done this?”

Francesca told Jo of the conversation with Forster. She went on to tell how she had seen Angela talking with her and a group of other girls a lot lately.  She put it to Joanne that this all added up a rather worrying picture of betrayal.

 Francesca  went on, with passion in her voice, as she tried to convince her friend of her peril. “I don’t think you need keep your side of the bargain any more - not now she’s gone back on her word to you. Power’s gone to her head. I think she was OK at first, and I was getting to like her for a bit, but during the last few days, she’s changed. What do you think, Jo?”

“I guess you’re right, Fran.  Time for my exercises and then back in there again!  Thank goodness that storm is over, I had plenty to drink but I thought the cold and hunger would kill me.

“I was worked pretty hard,  Jo,  and  afterwards Angela kept me talking for most of the evening - I think she likes me!  I  hit the sack and when I woke it was light. Sorry! I guess you’ll have me in their for that when we’ve dealt with Angela’s planned coup!”

“No, I should think not! Not after all the risks you’re taking for me!  Get over to see me when you can, my dear and don‘t forget  dear loyal Annie down there! Tell her how lovely it is to be able to look down at her!”

After a couple of hours, Jo was getting her body a little more flexible again . She got back  into her tiny little prison. Fran shut the door and fastened it. She raised the cage and went quickly down to Annie.

“OK Annie?”

“Of course I am!  I didn‘t like all that rain, mind you. It hailed for a bit, stinging me all over,  and it was worse than the whipping you gave me!”

“Good! Did the Leader come to inspect you today?”

“Yes, and she tightened the ropes a lot, but I can take it. At least I can still see darling Jo up there and she sees me. It makes up for everything!  You wouldn‘t believe how happy I am to be here, even if the waves did wash right over me a few times in the last week!”

Fran untied her and let her up for a bit. She examined Annie’s  back and saw that the ointment was obviously still having its effect. What other wonderful inventions had been left to moulder away in obscure vaults and archives, she wondered.  One day, all this knowledge would again be used to benefit everyone, all the world over.

Then she tied her down again, making sure that she was comfortable this time, able to move her limbs. She kissed her fondly and left, promising that all this would be over in a few days.  Soon it would just like it was when they all first met!

No it won’t!, thought Annie.  We might both be free, but we’ve still got a war to fight. Who can say if we’ll still be alive in a month’s time?

But Annie, no longer a frightened little child in a world she could not understand, was a hardened fighter by now and  wanted nothing more than to be by Jo’s side in the coming events.  How wonderful if the two fell fighting together to be buried side by side. Just think, she thought - we‘d be a legend after that -  remembered and glorified as fighters for freedom and justice!  Kids at school for ever after will be taught about me and Jo and try to be as brave and strong  as we were! She might be growing up quickly, but she was still a romantic schoolgirl at heart.

DAY FORTY TWO

JOANNE AND FRANCESCA

“When are you bringing the fuel around, Fran”

“Later today. I want only two drums around here. The rest can stay in the cave. Angela wants the helicopter round there, but I spun her some story about there not being a proper landing pad there; I said it might sink into the sand or something, which it might, but I doubt it!”

Joanne and Francesca were sitting together. Joanne had completed her nightly exercises and was resting prior to getting back into the cage - hopefully for the last time. In the last few days a great deal had been going on. The new raft had been made ahead of schedule and much of the fuel was now ashore. Fran could not  understand how such a large consignment of such a valuable commodity had not been missed and why nobody had tried to salvage it.

Joanne had a pretty good idea. “Someone must have taken it illicitly, Francesca. It would fetch a good price in pretty well any country. When it’s missed by those incompetents in the Castle, there’ll be one hell of a hue and cry. They’ll most likely trace it to the ship - your friend, the captain,  must have been quite a big-time crook on the quiet, Fran! - and then they’ll be swarming all over the island and the wreck. We’d best be on our way over to the mainland in the next day. Ever since you told me about it, I‘ve been getting more and more anxious.  Time could be running out fast!”

THE CASTLE

Duke Albert, ex-Senator Moroni was not in a good mood. He was five days into leading  the country after the compulsory retirement of his predecessor. It had not taken him long to find out just how badly the old fool had let things slide in the last year or two. Several disaffected Generals had been urging Moroni to stage his coup for quite a while,  but he had temporised for many weeks. The disappearance of his daughter, of whom he was very fond, despite his  harsh treatment of her, had deeply affected him.

But finally he had agreed to take over the State. On the same day that Joanne was due to be freed and Angela’s plot foiled, he was chairing a meeting of his new Cabinet.

“We must reopen the Factories, gentlemen. We need more tanks and aircraft and we need them fast. If we don’t all pull our fingers out, the rebels will be here in weeks, if not days.  Then we’ll all be joining ex Duke Robert downstairs in the cellars.  So get all those technicians out of their various places of confinement and put them to work!”

“And I want that fuel back. That wreck that Inspector Van Reisen said was a total loss. Bloody stupid woman, that - as well as being as ugly as sin.  That wreck interests me. I want a detachment over there in the next couple of days. I know we can’t spare a helicopter or warship in the present state of affairs, but get some sort of boat into a seaworthy condition and send  a dozen good men over there with diving equipment and whatever else they need, if we can provide it.

“If any of the girls are still alive, shoot them. They should all have been shot in the first place like our male prisoners. Not Miss Esterhazy, though. I see her hand in all this, and I never totally believed she was drowned, I‘d  like a few hours in the cellar with her!”

Later that day, the new Duke was told that a boat should be ready to leave in thirty six hours. He cursed the delay. Something told him there was not a lot of time to lose  if he wanted to keep his new job for long.

DAY FORTY THREE

Josephine, Francesca and Frieda left early, an hour before dawn , and made their way over the hill and around to the cage. Joanne was released for the last time and the four made their way down to the beach. There they freed Annie and all five, armed with a rifle apiece,  made their way over to the refuelled helicopter.  It was getting light already by now and they decided to lose no time in getting away from this place.

“Get ready to use those guns, girls and get behind that rock.  Move towards it slowly and when I say NOW! -  you all dive for cover. I fear we have company!” said Joanne. “I thought this was all far too easy! Our charming Forster has seen through your little game, Fran. Looks like we’ll have to shoot our way out of this one - or negotiate, perhaps!”

“How do you know, Joanne?” Asked Annie.

“Something about the way the birds are behaving, Annie. They keep flying up for no apparent reason. I guess, Angela and Co will be round the promontory in seconds.  I doubt we’d make it the hundred yard to the chopper. Frieda and Josephine - get up higher and keep out of sight. We’ll see if we can arrange a stand-off!”

The two did as they were told and were soon behind a large rock, ready to cover their friends below. Joanne walked back a yard or two and shouted to Annie and Fran to get behind the rock. Seconds later, Angela, Forster and the remaining  women came into sight. Joanne calmly waited until they came closer.

“Who let this little rat of her cage, I wonder?” asked Angela. “Well, she goes right back in after a good whipping. And she stays in this time. No mere twelve weeks for you, Esterhazy! That’s going to be your home for life!  Take her gun, Forster and tie her up. I‘ll do this particular whipping myself.”

Joanne shouted. “NOW!”

A bullet kicked up the sand beneath Angela’s feet.

“The next one goes right between your eyes, Angela” shouted Josephine. “Stay where you are, both of you. And drop those weapons. Then move over to Joanne!”

Angela and the glowering Miss Forster did as they were told. The remainder of the girls seemed uncertain.  They approached, being careful not to have their weapons ready. One by one they discarded them. They came and stood in a semi-circle around their ex leader and present leader. Joanne smiled and motioned them all to sit down.

“I think we all need to leave this place and leave now. Josephine, collect all the weapons! The question we have to decide is quite easy. Who do YOU all want as your leader? Talk it over but make it quick.”

After a mutter of voices, one girl emerged as spokeswoman, a girl called Rosie.

“We don’t really know any more. Can’t you and Angela sort it out between you! You’ve not really been punished enough for what you did , Joanne. You got off lightly anyway. But we need to get away.  Talk it over with Angela and whatever you two decide is fine with us.”

Rosie rejoined the rest.  Joanne turned to Angela.

“Well, Angela. You heard what the lady said! What do you say?”

“I’ll not serve under you. I want you back in that cage and I want you to rot there.”

“OK, Angela. How about you and I fight and the winner takes all. If I win, you stay with us until I can get you back to your unit and if I lose, I’m in your hands again. What is your choice of weapons!”

Angela raised her two fists and aimed a savage kick at the sand.

“These are all I need to see to you, Esterhazy. Then I have you whipped and put back up there. Take a good look around you, because it’s the last time you’ll be down here, breathing the air of freedom. You go back in the cage until we take you out to pitch your carcass  into the sea!”

“Charming lady, aren’t you Angela! To think we got on so well for a time! Well, let’s get on with it!”