Stephanie and Mark arrived at their hotel, face flushed with red and sticky sweat congealed in the autumn wind.
"I can't believe they somehow managed to sneak in," Mark sighed, wiping his face with the sluicing cold water from the tap.
Stephanie was engrossed in her musing, though. "Mark, why do I seem to recognise the voice?"
Mark blinked. "Whose voice?"
She wrung her hands in her lap. "The Lawless general's voice."
"Ah? How come? Did you see any familiar face in the throng of Lawless?"
Stephanie shook her head weakly. "If there were anyone I knew, I wouldn't have asked this question." After she said this, she hugged her body with her hand. Her shoulders trembled minutely.
"Steph . . ." Mark approached her at the writing desk. His tall body crouched before her, touching her cheek with his calloused hand that had spent too many hours handling logistic items. His bodily warmth and earthy scent surrounded her, relaxing her tense back.
