Ringed Love

by Elizabeth Noble

Waving it around as he walked, he could see signs of fighting. Much of the equipment had been smashed. Plumbing pipes were severed and dry. Nick doubted there was running water to the structure anymore. His light fell on splotches of blood, but no flesh and no signs of bodies.

  There were bodies here somewhere, however. Nick could feel desolation and smell death. He shivered and picked up his pace. Being down here alone wasn’t very appealing, and Nick didn’t like leaving Todd by himself, even for the little bit of time necessary for them to secure this wing of the building. He was worried about what might be found and didn’t want Todd to face anything or make any gruesome discoveries alone. They needed to do this quickly, and separating for a bit was the most efficient way to complete their task. The only reason they had decided to search this way was because Nick hadn’t sensed any life in the building. Todd and Nick had both been raised in a “the job comes first” climate, but there were times Nick hated the philosophy that was drummed into them both.

  “Screw the damn job,” Nick muttered.

  Breaking into a jog, he made his way to the main floor. The sensations of desperation and fear increased, making the hair along the back of Nick’s neck prickle and rise. Despite the fact he wasn’t overexerted, sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. Fear for Todd ramped higher. There was a central section other parts of the prison branched off from. The subdivision he was in contained the offices, prisoner visiting areas, the kitchens, and dining halls.

  Hearing movement from the dining hall, Nick hurried in that direction. “Todd!” he shouted. As he ran along the corridor, he glanced behind him a few times. Nothing was there, at least nothing he could see.

  A shiver ripped down his back when he heard more sounds coming from inside the dining hall. He reached the door and was about to yank it open when it swung outward.

  “You okay?” Todd burst out of the dining hall and ran into Nick, then grabbed his shoulders.

  “Y-yeah…I…this place is…” Nick shivered and ran a hand through his hair. “Unsettling,” he finished softly. He dipped his head toward the door. “What’s in there?”

  “Nothing pleasant.” Todd gently pushed Nick farther away from the door and shoved it closed. “It’s not as if we have happy memories of this place, and that room is where we were attacked by pyrahni.”

  Nick nodded and took a few deep breaths. “It was more like I was forced into attacking and trying to kill you.” Nick’s voice cracked and he stared down at his boots. They swam through the tears there that he hastily brushed away.

  Todd’s fingers against his arm made Nick startle and flinch. He nodded to the corridor that would lead to the cell blocks. “Let’s get this over with.”

  They made their way in silence to the group of jail cells where Todd had been kept a prisoner for a few days. There was no mistaking the fact a fire had ripped through this section of the prison. The odor of charred flesh mixed with burnt-out wood and seared metal hung in the air all around them. Black streaks stretched across the stone walls, marking a trail to where the fire must have originated.

  Finally they came to a cell at the far end. As they approached, a dozen or so bodies were visible inside. They’d been neatly laid side by side. It was impossible to tell much about their identities, but some of their weapons and other odds and ends of metal were scattered among the remains. Nick stuck close as he and Todd moved around the grisly room. Nick saw evidence of injuries, telling him these people likely didn’t die in the flames, but this was their burial. Burning the bodies assured they wouldn’t become angry spirits.

  Stopping beside one long skeleton, Todd stooped and picked up a handgun. He flipped it around and examined the butt. “This was my father’s.” Todd’s words were spoken in a hoarse whisper.

  “There is nothing we can do here.” Nick slid an arm around Todd’s shoulders and was grateful when Todd allowed himself to be led away. The body the gun was beside could have been John Ruger. It was the right length, but there was nothing else to identify it. “Do you think whoever did this knew it would prevent them from becoming ghosts?”

  Todd shook his head. “Doesn’t matter if they did or not.” He wiped a hand over his eyes and looked back. “That was the right thing to do, and something I never wanted to have to do to my dad.” He shrugged. “Whoever did it, for whatever reason, has my gratitude.”

  Nick wanted to reassure Todd he’d have taken care of burning the body, but there was no way he could think of to word that sentiment that wouldn’t sound like revenge. The relationship between Nick and John had been strained on the best day. So, Nick mulled over his feelings in silence.

  John Ruger was an angry man, and Nick was convinced, given the opportunity, he’d become an even angrier spirit, though Nick never wanted to see that happen to anyone, especially John. With Nick’s luck he’d certainly attach himself to Todd, which meant Nick would have to deal with the pissed-off ghost of the elder Ruger forever. He’d had nightmares about being haunted by John Ruger. Maybe now those would stop.

  Todd was quiet as they made their way outside, and Nick didn’t attempt conversation. There would come a time when Todd would open up and talk to him. Nick needed to exercise patience in a way he rarely was required to.

  Their next task was to search the section of the prison where pyrahni prisoners were kept. The pyrahni ability to affect human thoughts and memories meant certain precautions were taken when they were incarcerated. Nick and Todd had assisted the prison personnel in securing the area and the pyrahni.

  Nick wandered among the cells. Wires ran from the outside solar panels to the iron doors. “Looks like these were burned out, too.”

  “Yeah,” Todd said. He gave one cell door a rattle. “They were still locked inside. At some point the iron would heat up enough from the fire and expand. Even if someone wanted to get them out, it wasn’t going to happen. The doors would be jammed shut.”

  It was clear the pyrahni’s cells had been burned out; whether by accident or intentionally didn’t matter. The result was the same. Bodies littered that area, but not in the orderly fashion of those in the previous section, and they filled most of the cells.

  “The way they’re positioned makes it look like they were alive when the fire hit this section,” Nick said softly. He peered into a few of the cells but decided against going inside for a more thorough examination. “I didn’t like any of them, but burning alive is a horrible way for anything to die.”

  “They would have done the same, or worse, to their prisoners,” Todd said softly. “I guess we’ll never really know what happened here.”

  A complete search of the prison turned up no other caches of bodies or anything else important or salvageable. Nick kicked some rubble with the toe of his boot as they walked through the prisoner intake area. “The entire inside of this place has been leveled. I wonder how big the battle here must’ve been.”

  “Things we’ll probably also never know, and I’m not sure I want to know every detail,” Todd said. “We’ve learned all we can here. Time to go.”

  Wasting no more time inside, they retrieved their horses and rode away from the prison, this time heading toward one of the more densely populated areas of New Colorado City. The neighborhood where Todd had lived during Nick’s first days as his slave was much nicer and had been destroyed in one of the first clashes with West Caldera. This neighborhood was closer to the city center and close to where a sentry saloon used to be.

  Nick was a little sad as they rode down the street to see the saloon in shambles. “I had a real love-hate relationship with that place.” He pointed to the saloon. “I hated how some of the other sentries treated me and thought you should share me. But it was the place you brought me to play pool.”

  Todd chuckled. “I used to love the looks on your opponents’ faces when you’d kick their asses at the game.”

  “Think the apartment building is still standing?” Nick asked as they rode.

  Todd shrugged. “It must be. Larry’s message
said they’d gone there first to hide the book. I’m more worried about anyone who might be living there.”

  Nick looked around as they traveled. “There are a lot fewer people here than when we last came through.”

  “Hopefully they headed for greener pastures and safer places to live.” Todd pointed to a building on the corner of that street and the one intersecting it. “That’s the one. When I was a kid, it was a lot nicer here.” He pointed in a different direction. “See that? It was a nice library, and there was a school and a park over that way. Next to that was a bakery. The owner used to give me free cookies.”

  Nick smiled. “My kind of place.” He stopped Obi beside Arenite when Todd came to a halt in an alley beside the building.

  “There’s a service door on this side. It leads to the basement, and we can get to the passageways between the apartments from there.”

  Todd tried the door. The handle turned but the door remained closed. “Stuck,” Todd grumbled and glanced around before he gave it a few hearty yanks. Finally it popped open with a loud creak. Nick winced, and they both held their breath while each looked in a different direction. No one came running or shouted out of a window.

  “I think we’re safe,” Nick said.

  Bobbing his eyebrows a few times, Todd smirked and slipped through the door. Nick was right on his heels. There was a short hall and landing with stairs going up and another set going down. Todd and Nick moved quickly down the steps. When they reached the bottom, Nick wasn’t able to closely examine the open space since Todd jogged through and Nick wanted to keep up. What he was able to glimpse was a line of storage areas divided by chicken wire along each wall. Todd went by those and to a ladder attached to the wall at the far end.

  He scrambled up the ladder and stopped about ten feet off the ground. Prying a door open, Todd grabbed the rung above him and went in feet first. Nick crawled in after him. “It seemed a lot bigger when I was a kid,” Todd muttered and scooted forward on his rear.

  Nick snorted and pulled himself along on his belly. “It’s hot in here and it stinks.”

  “We won’t be in here long, don’t worry. It’s only a few yards.” Todd came to a stop and held out a hand. “Can I use one of your knives?”

  “Uh-huh.” Nick fumbled around for a few seconds before pulling one of the smaller blades he carried from a sheath on his arm, and handing it over.

  Todd used the end of the blade and wedged it into a spot in the passageway. The metal there swung open and a book dropped out. Catching it, Todd rifled through the pages. “This is it.” He stuck his hand into the hole up to his elbow, and Nick saw him rummage around. “That’s all that was in there.” He stuffed the book into his inside jacket pocket and waved Nick back the way they’d come.

  When they reached the outside and their horses, Nick was just about to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking they might just get out without incident, when voices made them both turn around. Nick’s shoulders slumped forward and Todd mumbled, “Crap.”

  Soldiers would have been preferable to the thugs they currently faced down. There were three scraggly men, and one of them had the reins to both Obi and Arenite in his hands.

  “Those are our horses,” Todd said in a flat, even voice.

  “Not anymore,” one of the men snarled. “Empty your pockets.” The other two men had pistols trained on them. One guy looked behind them and shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

  Nick and Todd glanced sideways at each other. Nick scratched the back of his neck and Todd blew out a long-suffering sigh.

  “I don’t have time for this,” Todd grumbled. Nick fought the urge to smile; instead he put a gruff expression on his face. “Fine,” Todd said and threw both hands in the air. He took a step forward to meet the guy. “You got us.”

  Nick crossed his arms over his chest and shifted his weight. Dipping his head at Todd, he said, “It hasn’t been the best day. You might not want to irritate him.” That drew the attention of all three men to him.

  “Stand still and shut up, or your day will get much worse,” one of the men snapped. In the next instant, he was flat on his back.

  Todd moved like a striking rattlesnake. He kicked out, connecting with the man’s midsection. Grabbing the guy’s wrist as he doubled over and pitched forward, Todd spun him around and disarmed him all in one smooth move. Holding the man in front of him, Todd had the gun pointed at the closer of the other two men.

  “Go ahead. Shoot me.”

  “No!” the man Todd held squawked.

  Nick scratched his nose and bit back a laugh when Todd threw the guy into his two buddies. All three men went tumbling to the ground in a tangled heap. Nick darted to Arenite and pulled Todd’s rifle from the scabbard. He spun and took aim. Todd kicked one man in the head, rendering him unconscious, and fired a shot at the second man that winged his shoulder.

  Cocking his head, Todd said, “Next?”

  The third man tried to scramble away, but Nick cleared his throat and nodded at the rifle he held, then shook his head. The man froze and stared up at Nick.

  Todd disarmed the men. “Get your friend and get your pants off.” The men grumbled but had no choice other than to comply. Todd ripped their pants to long strips and tied the three men together.

  “I’ll send the first militia I find for you.” Todd nodded to their horses. “Time to go.”

  They’d ridden a few blocks before spotting one of the West Caldera militia. Todd flagged the woman down and handed over the weapons he’d taken from the muggers. “We found these in that alley back there.” He pointed out the direction. “I think there is some sort of gang using the area as a weapons stash.”

  “I’ll need your names for statements,” she said and took out a small notebook.

  The woman glanced at Nick and he nodded, pointing over his shoulder, when one of the men they tied up started shouting. “It sounds bad.”

  She blew a whistle and a few more of the militia arrived. “Wait here,” she said to Todd and Nick, then turned to the others. “Some sort of gang activity.” She pointed to the alley.

  “Yes, ma’am. Of course. Anything to assist,” Todd said and smiled.

  The minute the soldiers were in the alley, Todd and Nick turned their horses and nudged them to a gallop.

  “Fools,” Todd said and shook his head.

  They headed back to the part of the city closer to the prison. The road leading to it was one of the lesser traveled, and therefore safer, thoroughfares leading out of the city. After they were beyond the prison, they slowed to a more relaxed canter to still travel rapidly but not wear the horses out as fast. Nick knew the plan without having discussed it with Todd. Get as far away from the city as they could, camp, and then they’d examine the book more closely. In the meantime, Nick had time to figure out the best way of helping Todd deal with the loss of his father.

  When Nick had to constantly prod Obi to keep up the quick pace Todd was setting, he knew it was time to stop. Leaning to the side, he grabbed Todd’s arm and slowed Obi to a walk at the same time. Todd was forced to do the same, or he would have been pulled off his horse.

  Todd turned around and glared. Nick tilted his head and stopped Obi. “They’re tired.” He patted Obi’s neck. “I’m tired, and I don’t care what you say, you’re tired, too.” Making a big show of looking up and down the road, he continued, “No one is following us, and there is no reason we shouldn’t make camp.”

  Without waiting for Todd to answer, Nick jumped down from Obi’s back and led him off the road in search of a decent place to spend the night. Nick glanced back when Todd mumbled something that was no doubt uncomplimentary as he climbed off Arenite, loosened the saddle girth, and took the horse’s reins, trailing after Nick.

  When the road was no longer visible, Nick stopped in a clearing. There was a stream running closer to the trees, a few bigger boulders scattered about, and cover from the surrounding trees. “This looks nice. How is this?”

  Todd thre
w a hand in the air and dropped it to thump against his leg, then shrugged. “Good as anywhere.” He pulled a small shovel from his saddlebag and went to work digging up grass and creating a fire pit.

  Nick silently strung rope from one tree to a second before he removed all their supplies and packs from the horses. Next the saddles and bridles were removed, replaced by soft, woven halters so Obi and Arenite could eat and drink comfortably. After they had their fill of water from the stream, Nick secured them to the rope, making sure they were close to grass for grazing.

  Every minute or two, his gaze shifted to Todd. The man had shed his jacket and shirt, leaving him in only an undershirt and jeans. He’d moved some smaller rocks into a ring and built a small fire in the center. The sun was going down and the temperature was dropping, but not so much that cold would be an issue, even though the sky was crystal clear. Todd already had coffee brewing and some stew heating. “We’re too good at wandering around out in the middle of nowhere,” Nick said and settled on the ground beside Todd.

  Todd chuckled. Another few minutes and he was ladling stew into a bowl he then handed to Nick. They ate in silence, and when they finished, Nick piled some of the grass Todd had dug up with leaves and spread their bedrolls across the makeshift cushion. Taking his jacket, Todd moved to the bedrolls with Nick. He pulled the book from his pocket and took a folded piece of paper from the inside, then held the book out to Nick.

  Nick opened the book. It was the list of living owner-and-slave combinations. He divided his time between examining the contents and watching Todd as his mate unfolded the paper. His hands began to tremble and tears rolled silently down his face. Nick reached out and gently took the paper between a couple of fingers and read it. Nick immediately recognized John Ruger’s handwriting.

  Todd,

  The information contained in this book is safest with you. I know you’ll do the right thing and take care of it. Jimmy didn’t make it, son, I’m sorry, but I took care of him. That was damn hard. If I didn’t hand this book to you personally, I didn’t make it either, and for that I’m sorry. Please make sure I don’t cause trouble for you and Nick. Asking you to do that is something I’m deeply sorry for.