To Cross a Wasteland

by Phillip D Granath

  The Chief’s face was one of confusion, or maybe he was just torn. The Elder Council was quiet, most had the look of deep consideration. But Kyle’s gaze met that of one man sitting at the end of the group. His eyes were full of hate, and then he spoke.

  “We’ll save our people by returning to the ways of our ancestors,” the man said solemnly, the words had the same character of an often-repeated chant or prayer. Kyle realized that he wasn’t seeing hate in his eyes, it was fanaticism.

  “Of that, I have no doubt, Respected Elder and your people traded. Pottery, beads, obsidian spearheads. They traded these things from coast to coast, tribe to tribe, long before the whites ever arrived in this land.” Or at least that’s what PBS had taught Kyle growing up.

  “But you don’t have other tribes to trade with, what you have is us. Trade with us, save both of our peoples,” Kyle finished, and the elder looked confused, suddenly torn if the Nation’s isolationism was in keeping with tradition or not.

  “Would you trade booze and drugs to my people white man? Tempt them into trading way everything we have to your City Council? Is that your game?” Chief Red Bear demanded.

  “No my Cousin,” Coal was the one who replied. “It is not, and Laughing Bear took steps to ensure that would not happen.” All eyes then turned to Coal, Kyle’s included.

  “No outsider will set foot inside the Nation. Your borders will be recognized by the City Council, and you will be free to continue to deal with trespassers as you see fit. The Nation will send one person, a single trader and up to six braves as an escort, into town and to conduct all trading in the name of the Nation. A place will be provided at the city center, a place they call the Hub where all of the whites do their trading. Everyone that enters will know, the traders, the warriors and the City’s Black Jackets that trade for Alcohol or drugs will be forbidden,” Coal looked up into the young Chief’s eyes.

  “Your father knew he had demons and even as he lost his fight, he wanted to do everything he could to ensure it didn’t spread to the rest of his people. These were his demands, this was his legacy to you and his people,” Coal added.

  At the words, Red Bear’s eyes went distant as if looking for something far away or perhaps long ago. Kyle scanned the faces of the Elder Council he saw a lot of internal struggle, but they were actually considering it. This completely bullshit lie about a proposal. Kyle began to allow himself a faint glimmer of hope that they may be able to actually escape this place alive. Even if the nation rejected the plan, they would surely let him ride out of here at least, wouldn’t they? They seemed sold that Kyle represented the City council.

  That’s when Coal began speaking again. “There is more.”

  The council members and Chief were stirred from their own thoughts, and their eyes returned to the half-breed. Kyle turned his head slowly to look directly at his companion willing him to shut his mouth. Couldn’t he see that they were on the brink of escaping this thing with their lives? If they pushed even a hair too hard now, this whole thing could crumble around them. The council or the Chief may start to think they were trying to take advantage of them or of the dead Laughing Bear.

  Coal spoke, ignoring Kyle’s invisible eye bullets. “The City Council requires an act of good faith before they’ll agree to the deal. A gesture really.”

  “What kind of gesture?” the Chief demanded suspiciously, and Kyle felt his stomach drop.

  “A show that the people of the Nation are not savages. That they can be traded with and trusted to be peaceful inside of their town. It’s the final point that we were negotiating with Laughing Bear, the last requirement that must be agreed upon or the deal is off,” Coal explained as Kyle listened helplessly in disbelief.

  “Well, what is it?” the Chief prompted.

  “It seems to me the deal is already fair enough. Free trade, what is fairer than that?” Little Bird added.

  “Well it’s not you see, at least it hasn’t been up until now. The City Council, Kyle in particular,” Coal said nodding to the Scavenger. “He has had to take all of the risks. They had to ride out here into hostile territory, time and time again. Not to mention the political upheaval the City Council will face should one of the Braves stir up trouble while they are in town,” Coal added.

  “Speak plainly Cousin, what do they require?” the Chief asked annoyed.

  “They ask that you lead a large group of your warriors right into the middle of town. That’ll show everyone that you can be trusted, that you are not the blood-crazy savages most believe you to be. Then you must shake hands on the deal with the members of the City Council for all to see,” Coal explained.

  “A parade? They want a fucking parade?” the Chief demanded.

  “Think of it as a show of force Chief. Everyone will see the strong, well-fed Braves of the Nation. You will no longer be the boogeymen of the wasteland, the often whispered about but seldom believed monsters, but real warriors that should be respected and feared. Every pale face in town will now think twice before they ever consider crossing into the lands of the Nation's,” Coal said.

  This was it Kyle realized, this would be their distraction, their chance to escape town while Murphy was preoccupied. While Kyle had been focused on just trying to get out of here, alive Coal had remembered the plan, their whole reason for coming. It wasn’t a bad idea; several dozen mounted Indians riding down Main Street, that would just about do it. Kyle saw the eyes of the elders then, several turned and whispered to one another a few showing obvious distrust. The Chief sat quietly, his mind already apparently made up, but as to how, Kyle couldn’t tell. He could think of only one more thing to add, that may make the odd request just a bit more palatable.

  “What Coal didn’t mention, is politics. Aside from everything he just said, the main reason, hell the real reason the City Council wants this gesture, is political. The Council has enemies in town, those that would tear them down, those that would steal what power they have bit by bit. Trade with the Nation would be a great thing for our people, but the City Council needs to ensure that everyone knows that they are the reason it happened. That the people know who they have to thank,” Kyle said.

  “Ahhh...now that has a ring of truth to it,” Little Bird said nodding her head.

  As Kyle had seen politics was alive and well even here amongst the so-called savages. Chief Red Bear then looked towards Little Bird, the two exchanged a brief nod, and the Chief spoke.

  “Leave us now, we’ll discuss this matter,” he said solemnly.

  Coal and Kyle walked from the Church out into the full light of day. Two-Steps was standing outside, seemingly in wait for them.

  “Kyle, can you give us a minute?” the half-breed asked, and Kyle walked across the street and found a shaded spot to sit.

  “Coal I don’t believe any of this, not for a moment. I know you loved my Father, but you and I both know he wasn’t a forward thinker,” Two-Steps paused as if waiting for a reply, when Coal didn’t respond he went on.

  “The Council of Elders will agree to your deal; it means too much to the future of the Nation for them to refuse. Then they’ll argue and fight over which of them should be in charge of the trading of course. Red Bear will agree also; he’ll agree because his heart is heavy. He will undoubtedly call this our father’s legacy so Laughing Bear can be remembered with honor,” Two-Step paused again and then asked.

  “What are you getting out of this? Tell me it’s more than money?” Two-Steps asked, his voice had the faintest sound of hope in it.

  “I realized something here recently cousin. It’s not enough just to survive. That’s all I have done from the day I left this place, just survive. I’m going to leave something behind when it’s my time to die. Starting right here, by helping both of our peoples. Saving more lives than you could know,” Coal said meeting Two-Steps eyes as he spoke.

  “I hope that’s the truth Coal. I hope you mean that. Because if a single member of the Nation dies because of the lies you’ve told here
today, I swear to it, I’ll kill you myself,” With that Two-Steps turned and walked away.

  Two-Steps would live up to his name. Half an hour later Coal and Kyle were riding hard to the West and out of the Indian Nation. The Elder Council and the Chief had accepted the terms of the deal. Now they would wait for Coal to return and bring word when the “parade” as the Chief continued to call it would happen. Kyle had insured the Chief that word would be sent soon.

  “That was great thinking back there Coal. Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking about the plan anymore, just…” Kyle began.

  “Just survival?” Coal offered with a grin.

  “Something like that,” Kyle admitted and then asked.

  “What was your initial plan? I mean what were you going to ask Laughing Bear for, you know before we found out he was dead and all?”

  “I was going to ask him to attack the town,” Coal said simply.

  “What? Innocent people would have died!” Kyle protested.

  “Yeah, but some not so innocent people would have died too I’m sure. Now that would have been a hell of a distraction,” Coal replied.

  “Well…I’m glad it turned out how it did then,” Kyle said.

  “Yeah, I mean I couldn’t really ask them to launch a raid after you showed up, start claiming to be from the City Council and start singing Kumbaya and shit. Wouldn’t have made a whole lot of sense,” Coal admitted.

  Kyle just shook his head and then ran a hand down his horse’s neck, still admiring the sleek little palomino. “So what in the hell did you offer that guy to get him to take that Mule for this beautiful animal?”

  “Me offer him? That bastard swindled me!” Coal said defensively.

  “I don’t think you truly understand the value of a well-trained pack animal, one that will eat almost anything without complaint. One that can haul more and do it on less water than a horse. It’s just that having animals of equal height and stride will make hitching them to a wagon a hell of a lot easier.”

  Kyle was grinning watching the bounty hunter as they rode.

  “Also, it was downright embarrassing riding around with you on the back of a damn mule. You smiling like an idiot, not even knowing enough to be embarrassed,” Coal added, and Kyle stopped smiling.

  High Wire Act

  Kyle and Coal rode out on the same faded gravel road that they had followed into the Nation. Once they reached the highway, Coal led them straight across and then continued South, skirting the base of a series of low hills.

  “Are we not headed back to town?” Kyle asked a bit afraid of the answer.

  “Old Indian trick, never ride back in the same way you rode out,” Coal said simply.

  The two men rode on in silence for most of the day, each lost in his own thoughts. Coal on the family that he had lost, first his wives and now his uncle and the role he had played in the deaths of each. Kyle was thinking of family also, but of a life ahead, of Anna and the life they could have if they could escape this hell. Maybe kids one day?

  As the sun dipped below the line of hills, Coal stopped without warning and dismounted. He tied his reins off to some brush and began to climb a small hill next to them. Kyle awkwardly stepped down from the palomino and followed Coal’s lead. As the pair reached, the crest Coal dropped down to his belly and crawled the last several feet until he could just see over the top. He then gestured for Kyle to do the same so the Scavenger obliged him.

  To Kyle’s complete surprise the West side of town lay just about a half mile out across open desert. Coal had led them back in from the opposite side of town without as much as glimpsing it for most of a day. The more time Kyle spent with Coal, the more he knew the half-breed was the only hope they had in surviving a desert crossing. Kyle turned to look at Coal grinning and saw that the Indian wasn’t looking at the town at all, but at something to the pair’s right. Kyle turned following the gaze.

  About a mile to their East Kyle could make out a pair of riders. They were moving slow and spread out with a dozen yards between them. From here even Kyle could tell the men were spending more time looking at the ground in front of them then the terrain ahead, he still instinctively tried to make himself lay flatter.

  “Rangers,” Coal said breaking the silence.

  “Looking for us?” Kyle asked.

  “I’d wager looking for me, you’re supposed to be Murphy’s business partner remember,” Coal smirked.

  “Can they track us?” Kyle asked concerned.

  “Well, any idiot can recognize hoof prints in the desert, don’t make him a tracker. I’m willing to bet that’s why they are out here, somebody found our tracks heading out and realized they didn’t belong to a Ranger,” Coal replied and then added. “Or maybe somebody in your outfit squealed?”

  “Not my people, not a chance,” Kyle said looking back at the Indian.

  “Well, I don’t think it matters none, if they found our tracks or if somebody saw us ride out. Either way, these boys couldn’t catch a cold out here. Murphy could only ever field a dozen Rangers, now that he has my ponies maybe a few more. But I ain't never seen them in groups of less than 6. I always figured it was Rory’s way of making sure nobody decides to head out on their own and ride away with valuable horseflesh,” Coal explained and then sliding back down below the ridgeline rolled on to his back and closed his eyes.

  “Well I only see the two, what does that mean?” Kyle asked watching the riders closely.

  “Don’t know. I did kill one, hurt another pretty good. Maybe he is just spread thin. Perhaps he has them circling town in all directions trying to catch me, looking for signs of my comings and goings. Maybe the rest of them followed our trail out. I doubt they would be fool enough to ride into the Nation, but if they got lucky, they may have stumbled upon signs of our passing and could be riding up our back trail right now,” Coal said with a grin.

  Kyle began to feverishly glance back at the low hill country that they been riding through all day and then back at the pair of riders on the plain in front of them.

  “What are we going to do?” Kyle demanded in a whisper.

  “Wait until dark, just a few hours now and then cross real quiet like. We’ll bind the horse’s hooves with cloth, it’ll cut down on the noise once we hit the pavement. Still, It’s going to be tricking getting across town without being seen or heard. We’ll have to be careful,” Coal replied.

  “What if it was one of my people that tipped the Rangers off?” Kyle asked.

  “Thought you said there was no chance of that?” Coal teased.

  “Let’s just suppose that’s what happened,” Kyle prodded.

  “Then being sneaky isn’t going to matter. They’ll know where we are headed tonight, they’ll be watching the Clinic, waiting for us,” Coal said with a nod his eyes still closed.

  “I have a place we can go, it’s close to this side of town and has plenty of room for the horses. My friend will watch them for us. That should make it easier to sneak across town,” Kyle said his eyes still watching the desert.

  “Who is this…friend?” Coal asked opening one eye.

  “Miles, he’s my partner, he lives down in the old museum,” Kyle said.

  Coal sat bolt upright and stared at Kyle. “The old limping engineer? The fucking traitor?”

  “He’s not a traitor!” Kyle whisper shouted back.

  “He fucking works for Murphy!” Coal whisper shouted in reply.

  “No, no he doesn’t. Murphy just pays him to keep the pump going,” Kyle whispered defensively.

  “That is the very definition of working for someone!” Coal whispered back.

  “Like it or not he is my partner, and he is going with us. Hell, he’s the one supplying the wagon!” Kyle replied and then dropped down below the ridgeline as one of the rider’s head came up.

  “Have you even seen this fucking wagon?” Coal demanded a bit quieter.

  “Yeah, a few days ago. That’s where I was coming from when I stumbled upon your dying naked as
s,” Kyle replied, and Coal just shook his head.

  “He has been working on it since then, we can drop by there tonight and see how it’s going. Then we can leave the horses with him and sneak across town on foot,” Kyle explained.

  “You hired me, you don’t own me or my horses,” Coal said and edge to his voice. “I do want to see what this wagon you will be betting all of our lives on looks like, but if I get a bad feeling about this guy or his place, I’m not leaving my horses with him. Hell, I may have to kill him if I think he is going to rat on us,” Coal said simply.

  “Do you ever wonder why you have trouble making friends Coal?” Kyle asked. The half-breed didn’t reply he just laid back down and closed his eyes again.

  As night fell, the pair were up and moving. Kyle had watched the pair of Rangers until darkness had hidden them completely. The last he had seen them they were moving East again, away from them. Coal had ripped the sleeves from his battered shirt to wraps the horse’s hooves. A moment later Scavenger realized it was the shirt Kyle had loaned him. Coal looked up at him with a grin, and Kyle just shook his head. The pair mounted and pushed further down the line hills, as they reached a particularly low saddle between two hills Coal turned and led them at a slow walk out onto the plain. He turned over his shoulder to face Kyle and whispered.

  “From here on out we keep it real quiet, no idle chatter.”

  “Because I noticed a lot of that whenever we ride together,” Kyle replied mostly to himself.

  Kyle believed the 15 or so minutes it took the pair to cross that short span of desert was maybe the longest of his life. And that was saying something seeing what he had been through in just the last week. Twice Coal stopped them with a gesture, and they sat staring into the darkness before the half-breed felt it was safe to move again. At one point Kyle found himself growing dizzy and realized he had been holding his breath. He forced himself to take in a series of long slow breaths. The crossing proved uneventful, and the pair rode over a series of railroad tracks and then into the shadows of the industrial ruins.