"Hold these two. I'm calling this in to Shuh. He's going to love it," Gabe said.
"You got it," said Pancho.
Anthony raised his head away from the horse's side as much as he could and managed to get Pryce's attention. Staring into Pryce's eyes, he mouthed silently, "Wait 54 hours."
Pryce nodded very slightly.
"Fifty four hours," Anthony silently said again, then eased back down to the horse's side.
Gabe, standing near Anthony's feet, keyed his radio and relayed the news to Sandra.
"Two for one, you say? Outstanding, Gabe. Do you want me to get Mr. Shuh so you can tell him yourself? Over."
"No, you tell him. We're going to try to get back tonight. We'll probably be back late but I don't want to stay out with these two. Over."
"You got it, Gabe. I'll tell Mr. Shuh A.S.A.P. Do you want me to relay what he says?”
"That'll work, Sandra, Thanks. Are you ready for the numbers?"
"Ready."
Gabe handed the radio to Pancho, who read the numbers to Sandra and then ended the transmission.
"Alright, saddle up," said Gabe. "We've got a long ride today but I think you guys are getting better. You can handle it."
"I hope so. Let's get on the road," said Pancho. He pulled a knife from his pants pocket and cut the plastic strap from Pryce's and Savane's wrists. He then awkwardly lifted himself into the saddle. Serge did the same, grazing Maya's head with his boot on the way up.
"Wait a second," said Savane. "Where are we supposed to ride?"
"Oh, sorry, little girl. I'm afraid we don't have room for you two," Gabe said from his saddle.
"What do you mean you don't have room? We're gonna need transfusions tonight! When are they getting back?"
"Not tonight, sorry. I have my orders. We're only taking mutants today. Two mutants," Gabe said and laughed.
"You can't just take the mutants," Savane said, panic creeping into her voice. "You know you can't."
"Yes, they can," Pryce said quietly to Savane. "They can and they are."
"I know! I know! Let's draw vials now. We'll save it for tonight. Okay?"
"Sorry. No time. Got to go," Gabe said. He spurred his horse, which responded instantly. Pancho and Serge fell in line closely behind. Gabe then spurred his horse again and it broke into a run.
As Anthony, tied to the horse's back, bounced away, he yelled out, "Sorry, Savane! Sorry! I tried! I tried!" He turned his head toward Gabe and yelled, "You despicable animal! You know what this means! You know! You're killing them! Killing them!"
Gabe swiveled his head and said to Anthony, "Sorry, Mr. Barringer. I have my orders."
At that moment, the first grasshopper struck the right side of Gabe's horse. Then several more struck Gabe.
"Pick it up, guys. Swarm's coming," Gabe said. He spurred his horse and Anthony felt its pace quicken even more. Within seconds, the few grasshoppers that flung themselves into the road turned into a flood. Anthony looked back down the road. Pancho and Serge were squinting and leaning to the right, as if riding into a strong rain.
Anthony looked past Pancho and Serge's horses, now running at full speed, and saw the outlines of Savane and Pryce. They were barely visible through the gray mist of grasshoppers and were rapidly receding from view. He shouted into the swarm "Check the timer! Fifty four hours! Fifty four hours!"
The last he saw of Savane, she was running after them but fading fast. Gabe's horse cleared the swarm, navigated a bend in the road, and she was gone.
Chapter 25
Well after sunset, the three men arrived at the front steps of the M/RCC building.
"Great ride, you guys!" Gabe said. "I'm very impressed. I'd say we averaged 8, 10 miles per hour. Outstanding."
"No problem," Pancho said.
"Hmmm," was Serge's only reply.
"Pancho, you and me need to take care of these horses. Serge, if these two are still alive they need to be taken to overnight cells."
"Hmmm."
Serge dismounted, landing flatly on both feet. He first went to Maya, grabbed the top of her bald head in his huge hand, and tilted her head up. Her eyelids fluttered and her mouth moved slightly.
"Check," Serge said to Gabe.
"He speaks!" Gabe said to Pancho. "How about that."
"Sometimes," Pancho, who had by this time dismounted, replied to Gabe.
Next, Serge lifted Anthony's head up. Anthony grimaced and managed to open his eyes. "You need to give us water," he said.
"Check," Serge said to Gabe.
"Excellent. Get them inside so we can take care of these horses," Gabe said.
Serge cut Maya from his horse and slung her over his shoulder. He ascended the steps, opened the outer door, then the inner door, and turned left down the hallway.
When he was about 20 feet down the hallway, well out of view of Gabe and Pancho, Serge gingerly lowered Maya from his shoulder and cradled her in his arms in front of his chest.
As he walked, he lowered his face toward hers and said softly, "We'll be there soon, little sister. You okay?"
Maya's eyelids parted slightly.
"Don't you worry. It's just a couple more minutes. Have some of my water." Serge removed a water bottle from a clip on his belt, lifted Maya's head slightly, and put the opening to her lips. They responded almost imperceptibly, but some trickled through her lips.
"You need to drink," he said quietly. "Try again." Again, he poured a few drops of water through her lips and this time, Maya's jaw moved slightly and she swallowed.
"Very good. We'll be there in a minute, promise."
The overnight cell consisted of an empty room with a mattress on the floor. A pillow and tan blanket lay on the mattress. Serge kicked the blanket off the bed, lowered Maya onto it, and covered her up to her neck. He gently lifted her head, put the pillow under it, lowered her head again, and dripped more water into her mouth. Again, she drank, stronger than before.
"I'm leaving this here. Drink as much as you can. There is a bucket in the corner if you need to go. Be strong, Maya. I'm sure they'll let you go tomorrow."
Serge stood up and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
When he went back outside, Pancho's and his horse were gone. Gabe stood at his own horse's nose, feeding it something from his cupped hand.
"What took you so long? Get this other one off my horse. Get him some water too."
Serge silently cut Anthony loose and hoisted him onto his shoulders. Gabe immediately walked the horse toward the corner of the building and was gone.
"Don't worry, Mr. Barringer. The girl's going to be okay," Serge said to Anthony.
"Which girl?" Anthony said.
"What's that?"
"Which girl is going to be okay?" Anthony asked again.
"Sorry, Mr. Barringer. I really am. The girl inside is going to be okay. I don't know about the one we left behind."'
"I do," Anthony said bitterly.
"Let's get you inside. Can you walk?" Serge asked.
Anthony wasn't sure whether he could but said, "Yes, I can walk."
"Come on, I'll help you," Serge said. He lowered Anthony to the ground, feet first, and held him around the shoulder. "You good?"
"I'm good," Anthony said.
"Let's get you inside, get you some water."
Anthony slowly ascended the stone steps. Serge slowed himself down and climbed the steps at Anthony's side. At the top, Serge opened the outer door and let Anthony pass through first. He did the same for the inner door and then said, "Take a left."
"I know the way," Anthony said.
A few minutes later, Serge held open the door of the room next to Maya's. "Welcome home," Serge said.
Anthony stepped inside. Serge said, "Back in a sec" and left.
Anthony eased himself onto the mattress and propped his head on the pillow. Serge returned a minute later with a large bottle of water, set it on the floor next to Anthony's head, said "Drink," and was gone.
Eight hours later, Division Director James Shuh stepped into Maya's room, followed closely by Gabriel Sparrow, Scout 459.
"Exhibit A," Gabe said. "Exhibit B is in the next room, alive as of last night."
"This is excellent," Shuh said. "Excellent! When can your report be finished?"
"Lunch time okay?"
"Excellent! Bring it to my office A.S.A.P."
Maya, who was awakened by the voices, opened her eyes and looked at the two men. Terror returned to her eyes but they did not recognize it.
"Good morning sunshine. Ready for your new jewelry? You've been promoted to COOP yellow status," Gabe said.
"Bring it to my office when you're done, Gabe" Shuh said and left the two alone.
Although he was a small man, Gabe had no trouble raising Maya to her feet. He led her down the same hallway and to the same room where Anthony received his first ankle ring. Two men were waiting outside the room.
"Are we going to need the usual restraints?" the shortest of the two men asked Gabe.
"No. She's less than harmless. Let me know when you've released her," Gabe said.
"Why are you doing this?" Maya said, as loud as she could manage.
"I'm sorry. What?" Gabe asked.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what? Do you mean why are we bringing you here?"
With a little more strength, Maya said, "Yes. Bringing me here. Treating me like this. What did I do to you?"
"Don't you know?" Gabe asked. "You broke regulation. Moved without permission. Took in a resource without authorization. Aided a mutant who illegally removed his identification ring."
"So what? What's the big deal? You shouldn't treat me like this," Maya said.
"Little girl, these are no small matters. We've organized everyone, mutants like you, resources like those other two you were with, into a collective. Very orderly. Everyone is taken care of according to his needs. If you cooperate, if everyone cooperates, then we can spread resources around. The way it should be. If you go against that...Let's just say your actions are counter revolutionary."
"What are you talking about?" Maya said. "You're crazy."
"Take my advice, girl. Quiet that talk down. You're part of the M/RCC protectorate. Be thankful," Gabe said, then turned and walked back the way he had come.
"This way, ma'am," the shortest man said and looped his arm under Maya's. The second man stood next to the bench inside the room.
"Thank you, ma'am. If you would be so kind, please sit in the bench as indicated." Maya did so. "You're lucky today. Our phlebotomist is already here and ready for you." The man left the room. Maya leaned over sideways until she was laying on the bench. She closed her eyes and thought about the smoked salmon in her kitchen. A few minutes later, the door opened. A woman carrying a metal tray entered. Maya opened her eyes and looked at her.
"Left arm, please," the woman said as she put her hand around Maya's left wrist and pulled.
"Ow," Maya said.
When the woman took a hypodermic needle from the tray, Maya relaxed. Just a transfusion.
"That's a big bag," Maya said when she saw the pint-size clear plastic bag marked "MUTANT". "Is this my monthly pint?"
"Didn't they tell you?"
"No."
"Squeeze, please. You're too slow."
Maya squeezed her hand and the woman waited until the bag was filled. "Thank you, ma'am. We are done here," she said and left the room.
Within seconds, the second man returned. He pulled a silver apparatus from his pocket and removed the ring from Maya's ankle. He then pulled a new ring from a box under the bench and secured it.
"Congratulations, 58963 COOP YELLOW. Let's get you on your way." With that, the two men led Maya to the end of the hallway and into a large foyer where two sets of doors opened to the outside. They led her into the space between the two sets of doors.
"Thank you again for your cooperation, ma'am," the shorter of the two men said as he held the outside door open.
"How am I supposed to get home?"
"Stay here if you like. Your traveling companion should be out shortly," said the shorter man. He let go of the door and it swung shut, leaving Maya on the stairs, alone.
She sat on the top step, glanced left and right, pulled her knees to her chest and lowered her head.
Several minutes later, Anthony emerged. On his left ankle was a ring. CRM 28974 COOP RED, and he carried two small paper bags. He took one step down, sat down next to Maya, put his arm around her shoulder and said, "Let's get home, Maya. I'll show you how to take these things off."
Chapter 26
Anthony pulled a green bottle from one of the brown bags and said, "Here, drink this. Mineral water. From Italy. Tastes like crap, I know, but you need to drink as much as we can before we leave."
"We're going home?"
"Yes, we're going home."
Maya took the bottle and tried to remove the screw-off cap but her weak fingers didn't budge it. Anthony took the bottle from her, twisted the cap off, and handed it back.
"Thanks, Anthony."
"People used to pay top dollar for that water," he said. "I did sometimes too. Makes you wonder."
"How far to home?" Maya asked.
"Far."
"I was supposed to give Pryce his transfusion yesterday. Savane too."
"I know."
Maya lowered her head back to her knees.
"Come on. Let's get out of here."
"How far is far?" Maya asked.
"Around 80, 90 miles."
"Is that very far?"
"It's going to take a couple days to get home. Sorry, Maya."
Still with her head resting on her knees, Maya started weeping silently. "Why are they doing this?"
"People are people. When they take power, this is what they do," he said as he stood up. "Stay here. I have an idea."
Anthony walked on the wide sidewalk along the front of the building, then angled right to cross the street. Once there, he followed the muddy path to the red brick firehouse. Before he entered, he could smell the horses.
"Hello! Hello! Anybody in here?" he called out as he walked through the wide entrance.
"Who are you?" a medium-sized man, with thinning hair and the unmistakable sickly look of a dependent in need of a transfusion, said from near the right wall.
"Gabriel Sparrow wants a horse saddled and ready A.S.A.P.," Anthony said.
"Not his horse. It's recovering, not going anywhere," the dependent said.
"Okay, not his horse. He didn't say his horse. He said A horse. A.S.A.P."
"I wish he would have told me about this last night. I don't really have a horse. Not that can go out today I don't think.”
“You don't think?” Anthony asked.
“Not really sure. I just moved here from the car shop but the last of those quit working. So I'm the new guy here. Hold on a minute. Let me ask him which he had in mind," the dependent said. He put down the snow shovel he was using to push dirty straw and walked toward the entrance.
In alarm, Anthony said, “No, you don't have to...”
"Take mine," came a voice from a stable on the left side. The dependent stopped and turned to the voice.
"Didn't she just get in last night? Is that a good idea?" the dependent asked.
Serge stepped out of the stable. He held a black plastic bucket in his left hand and a bristle brush in his right.
"Don't you just need her for a light ride around here? Nothing too strenuous?" Serge asked, his voice unnaturally loud so the dependent would hear, and made eye contact with Anthony. Go along with me, Serge said with his eyes.
"That's right," Anthony said, after some hesitation.
"Give me ten minutes," Serge said and turned back into the stable. Shortly afterward, he emerged. The bucket was gone and the bristle brush was replaced with a horse's reins. "I put extra oats in these bags, and an extra blanket. I think Gabe wants you to practice for a longer ride?"
"That
's right. A long ride. Thanks for remembering."
"Good luck, then," Serge said. He handed the reins to Anthony and quickly turned back into the stable.
Anthony nodded his thanks to Serge, but Serge didn't see.
Without another word, Anthony led the horse outside and across the street to where Maya sat. "Hurry up, Maya. Let's get out of here," he said. He put his left foot into the stirrup and awkwardly lifted his right leg over the horse. He then held his right hand as low as he could. Maya reached up with her right hand and grabbed it. He pulled her up and she sat behind him.
Anthony didn't know much about riding horses but he knew he better leave. He managed to spur the horse to a trot and steer it down the street, the same street he had taken on his previous journey back to the coast from M/RCC.
An hour later, Maya fell asleep leaning against Anthony's back. Several hours after that, she woke up and glanced around. Overgrown farm fields lined both sides of the road. The field on the right was covered in yellowing, waist high weeds accented with corn growing wild. Maya watched with dull interest as one stretch of the field shimmered in waves. It reminded her of the occasional school of fish swimming just under the ocean surface, visible to her from her bedroom window just before the sun rises. A cuttle fish's skin! That's what it reminded her of, she thought, and she smiled faintly. As they rode, Maya's cheek bounced against Anthony's back and soon the shimmering wave in the field was behind them.
She closed her eyes again, drifted off the sleep and dreamed of Pryce, who was at that moment lying on the lab floor holding a hypodermic needle and watching the timer tick down the final minutes of the 54-hour incubation period.
When it reached zero, Pryce mustered his remaining strength, pulled himself to the incubator, opened it, retrieved a serum, filled the hypodermic needle, and injected himself.
~ - ~
As the sun dipped below the horizon and darkness swallowed the road in front of them, Anthony finally stopped. They broke a window to a game arcade on the edge of the town they had just passed through, entered, and then broke into the office near the ice hockey tables. Anthony left Maya there and went outside to take care of the horse and retrieve the extra blanket.
Mutant Blood Page 10
