SIXTY FOUR-- LOSING AND SAVING

"Didn't I tell you to desist from following Miranda Harley? She's not exactly a potential enemy but all her friends are your potential enemies. Didn't I tell this before the war?" He wanted to hit me again but I took his hands and kissed them.

"I am sorry. It was the only thing I could do, to keep myself sane." I cried. "You were not available"

"It's okay, my Lady" I smiled. He saw that it pleased me, and he said it again and again until I had to laugh out loud. Then it struck me.

"Did you say all Miranda's friends are my potential enemies?" I asked carefully. Maybe he meant 'some'.

"Yes. All of them. Everyone except her family"

"Including our ..."

"I just told you all of them are likely to hurt you. All. Of. Them, except her mother and brother, let that sink, okay?" His raspy, fine voice resounded in my eardrums. Including our other friends- Phoebe, Josephine and...? I thought. And Mash too? Chris, her boyfriend too?

Why would they want to hurt me?