One of the agents approached the other after several days, looking over the pathetic people. Food had mingled with mud and was covered with bugs, and rain had spoiled anything that could have been edible. They were scheduled to receive enough food to ensure they would not starve, but no more. None of them had spoken, and the Internal Affairs agents were suspicious of their intentions. Of the fourteen men and women, three had contracted malaria, most had contracted typhoid, and another had small pox. The woman with small pox had received a vaccine and was quarantined, but she had also contracted malaria. Little comfort was provided for her as she slowly died.
One agent turned to the other. "These people could be pirates, mafia, fascists, anything. They haven't said a word to us, either we allow them to die, or we send them back to Saletsia. The King says they cannot be allowed to stay, but the others can."
"So be it. Shoot the woman with small pox, photograph the body for the records. Burn her body and send the Saletsian government the photo, just in case. And send the rest back, if they run away shoot to kill."
"Yes, sir."
Within hours two deuce and a halfs had pulled up, and the prisoners were loaded and escorted by Republican Guards back to the border where they had crossed. A new wall had been constructed, and the trucks parked at the gate and unloaded the people. A Guardsmen approached the gate, his rifle held easy. "Hey! We got some people for you!" The people were tossed to the mud, they were in poor shape. One of the men with malaria vomited and began to shake with fever. "The others are allowed to stay, but will be under government observation for a year or more."