Nomad's Galaxy

by Craig Martelle

  “You can call him ‘Dad,’ for piss sake. We all know who you’re talking about,” Kaeden suggested. Marcie gave her husband a mean look.

  “Discipline. It’s only us now. If we need to build the FDG back up, we’ll need some military bearing. Dad, Grandpa, and Boss won’t get it.”

  “But ‘TH’ will?” Kae asked pointedly.

  Marcie’s expression softened, but she didn’t answer.

  “Soooo, how do we frame this?” Marcie returned to her previous question.

  “A win. We mark their locations on the map and keep searching. They’ll move around, but at least we’ll get an idea of how many have come out of the woodwork.” Kae shuffled his feet. He had been there from almost the very beginning. No one realized that Were had survived as they had. “I’ll be damned if we ever thought that any survived, let alone the big numbers of them that we’re seeing.”

  “Eight is big number?” Gene asked.

  “It is, especially when we were expecting zero,” Kaeden replied.

  “No big deal. I take eight by myself. Time for vacation!” Gene declared, getting up and heading for the restaurant. His internal feeding clock was right on time. The restaurant was opening in one minute. It never bothered Gene to be first in line. Because he expected to be somewhere in the middle for rounds two and three, and last in line as well. The others planned to wait.

  They heard the heavy tread as Bogdan hurried down the passageway between the cabins to join his father.

  Kae pulled Marcie into a hug. “This mission was a win. And your new skills are incredible. A month well spent with the Akio man.”

  Marcie turned serious. “How is Dad doing with all the changes?”

  “He thinks he failed us in turning us loose to build a big force based on incorrect assumptions. He blames himself for the way the sergeants turned on him. He is in disbelief at how many Were there are in the world. And he always expects that there will be a Forsaken uprising. Besides that, he’s great,” Kaeden told her with a smirk.

  “That bad?”

  “Those are the things on his mind, but you know him. He shakes it off to focus on the business at hand. He always thinks he’s responsible. Andrew and Destiny dying in Chicago hit him hard, but I don’t think as hard as Joseph leaving. That rocked him to his core. Joseph was his greatest victory. He fought the Forsaken, humbled him, and helped the others to see what was inside. There’s been nothing like it since. And now Joseph is gone.”

  “Maybe Tac Team Alpha will find him and bring him back? I want to see your mom and dad happy and if that’s all it takes, I’m going to do it.”

  “We are going to do it.” Kaeden smiled and drew his wife close.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Chizhou, on the banks of the Yangtze River

  Three of Aaron and Yanmei’s children walked off the pod. All the workers were lined up, since the facility was temporarily closed. The parents wanted an appropriate greeting for their children. If they were going to take over management of the plant, they needed to meet the people they would lead.

  The cubs were taller than their mother and shorter than their father. At over fifty years old, they were young compared to the other Were folk, but old enough to have a great deal of experience in dealing with humanity.

  Ai, Bo, and Chen were the first three born. Aaron and Yanmei intercepted them. “Take off your sunglasses,” their father ordered. Bo started to make a face, but Yanmei stepped closer.

  “If you are to earn the respect of these people, it starts right now. If you are to make this plant great, you need their respect. They will make you or break you. This is your job until we say it isn’t. Do you understand?” Yanmei was relentless. She’d spoiled her children long enough, but when she put her foot down, they didn’t cross her.

  Their father was a different story. He’d waffle and cave with little effort from the cubs. He didn’t look the same to them, and they realized that something had happened.

  Maybe it was time that they stopped crossing their father, too.

  The three bowed to their parents, removed their shades, and delivered a formal greeting before turning to the other members of Tac Team Charlie to greet Kim, Auburn, and Nick.

  “That’s more like it, my wonderful children,” Yanmei said, beaming. Aaron smiled as he saw his wife’s pride.

  The three were introduced to the workforce, each taking one area to work with—the mine, movement of the ore, and the production facility. One for each, starting with a different way to leech the desired metals from the stone.

  Settling ponds for runoff that didn’t drain into the river. Moving rock-crushing operations away from the river. And controlling the production process where the raw minerals were turned into saleable products.

  Aaron and Yanmei had spent a week talking with the employees. If anyone had an answer, it was those who worked closest to the issue. They knew what the problems were. Their previous manager, the black-clad asshole, was unrelenting at production. He didn’t care about anything. People were hurt every day. Some were never seen again.

  The employees didn’t know the real reason those employees disappeared. The Forsaken had cultivated a feeding ground under the masquerade of a functioning business.

  The Weretigers had arrived and there was nothing more important than turning it into a sound business once again. Which meant Aaron and Yanmei had to put on their corporate hats and market the products.

  “We leave the mine in capable hands as we return to Shanghai and onward to Tianjin, where our contacts should be able to hook us up…” Aaron and Yanmei degenerated into business talk that dulled the others’ senses.

  “I’m thinking they can do whatever they want. I’m jumping on the pod and going home,” Kimber said as she turned and headed for the pod, hoping that it would open on her voice command. Auburn joined her. China continued to be woefully underserved in the steak department. He wanted to get back to San Francisco where he was mentoring a couple ranchers not far outside of town.

  “I need a good T-bone, about two inches thick and plenty bloody,” Auburn admitted.

  “Can you grill one for me, too?” Nick asked, favoring his side as he hoisted his pack onto his shoulder.

  “Your ribs still hurt?” Kim asked.

  Nick Rixon hesitated, but Kimber was a major and she needed to know. “Yeah, they do. I’m coughing up blood specks, too.”

  Kim looked angry while Auburn was shocked. “Get in the pod!” she ordered, before turning to Aaron and Yanmei. “Are you coming?”

  “Taking the riverboat,” Aaron called as he waved.

  Kim punched the button and closed the ramp. She accessed the comm system. “Akio-sama. We have an injured warrior. Is there any way we can stop on our way from China and get him a few minutes in the pod doc? He’s in pretty bad shape.”

  “Have you been in battle?” Akio asked plainly.

  “Yes, but it wasn’t from that. We eliminated one Forsaken at our position here in a place with an unpronounceable name. Training with the Weretigers was challenging, to say the least.”

  “Of course, Kimber-san. I will take control of your pod and guide it in.”

  Kim clicked off.

  “I don’t think it’s that bad. I just need some down time,” Nick suggested.

  “No, you don’t. You need real help that only Akio can provide. I don’t know what else the pod doc will be able to do for you, but we’ll see. Maybe you’ll be able to keep up with us after a treatment.”

  Nick contemplated what that meant, nodding because he didn’t understand. He closed his eyes and leaned into the jump seat, arching his back to take the pressure off his chest.

  Damn, that shit hurts, he thought.

  Tac Team Delta

  Southern end of Lake Huron

  “Looks like we’re walking from here,” Terry said as he looked at the massive blockage on what used to be a lock and dam. There was no difference between the water elevations of Huron and Lake Saint Claire, but there was
no way through for their sailboat.

  “Guess so,” Char said. “Canadian side?”

  “Guess so,” Terry replied.

  Shonna and Merrit were finally less subdued, even though Terry and Char didn’t bear them ill will over the great Lake Michigan debacle. Sarah had no idea where she was, so she accepted any direction the others gave.

  “Why didn’t you call for a pod to come pick you up out of the water?” Shonna finally had the guts to ask.

  “Because any minute now, you guys were going to show up. Any minute. I didn’t want to put anyone else out.” Terry shrugged.

  “You would rather die than ask for help. Is that what I just heard?” Merrit asked.

  “Something like that. Any time now my friends are going to come for me. Any minute,” Terry taunted.

  “Well, you’ve got some lousy friends,” Merrit suggested as Terry eased the boat toward the shore.

  “No, we don’t.” Terry leaned over the side as he tried to see through the chop to see underwater obstructions. He wanted to ease close enough that they could step ashore. He’d had enough of swimming.

  Merrit waved and hatcheted his arm in a different direction. Terry eased the wheel as the boat started losing momentum. Merrit directed them back toward their original course as they passed a sunken tree.

  “More sail!” Terry called. Shonna and Char hauled the sail higher on the mast and hung on as the wind filled it. “Less sail!”

  Char gave Terry the stink-eye.

  “Sorry,” he said, although he wasn’t sorry. The boat hit an abutment with more speed than Terry wanted, but Merrit grabbed an outcropping and held on.

  They pulled the sail in, tied off the boat, and walked away. They didn’t know if they’d need it again or not, but there was no sense in trashing a perfectly good boat recently borrowed from the retired North Chicago fishing fleet.

  Chief Ayashe, in her role as the mayor, had said that the city would always be there for Terry and Char. Terry found it hard to maintain his composure, but persevered in the end.

  He looked at the boat, remembering the image with his perfect memory, filled through the years with pictures just like that one, where he went from one adventure to the next.

  “As Helen Keller said, security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”

  Terry looked at Shonna and Merrit before focusing on his granddaughter, who looked anxious to get going. He signaled for her to be patient. “We must remember the footpath of our lives because we will inevitably retrace our steps, even if only in our own minds.”

  Japan

  Nick Rixon stepped out of the pod doc feeling incredible. He’d only spent a few days in it so it could repair his ribs and damaged lungs. But he was naked. Kim, Auburn, and Akio watched him, making him blush and turn. Auburn handed the man a towel.

  “I’m glad Eve was able to fix the equipment,” Kim said as she looked at the pod doc.

  “Not fixed, Kimber-san, but better. This was a minor issue and easily repaired.”

  “Well now,” Kim started. “Get your clothes on. Time to hit the obstacle course and see if you’re any better.”

  The three left Nick on his own. He dressed in his freshly cleaned clothes. He didn’t feel any stronger, but the pain was gone. He could breathe freely once again. He hadn’t realized how much pain he had put up with.

  And he never knew such a thing as the pod doc existed. He wondered how most of the team members became superhuman. He and the other unenhanced had talked about it, but Kurtz squashed the talk as unproductive.

  Nick wondered what other secrets the family was keeping.

  He approached the training ground where an oversized obstacle course was placed. Akio intercepted him before he reached Kim and Auburn.

  “Conspiracy serves no one,” Akio said coldly.

  “Akio! I didn’t see you there,” Nick replied.

  Akio calmed the man’s mind, placing feelings of appreciation for all Terry and Char had done for him, appreciation for Kimber’s recognition of his injury, and helping him to get it repaired. Akio knew that the man’s DNA was receptive and if needed, he could be readily boosted, maybe even converted into a Were.

  “I’m sorry,” Nick said softly. “They have been demanding, but incredibly kind. I believe that they would die for me. I would like to think that I’d take a bullet for them, too.”

  “You would, Nick-san. I know you would.” Akio gripped the man’s arm as a friendly gesture and then pointed to the obstacle course. “They are waiting for you.”

  One week later

  San Francisco

  “When is everyone else coming back?” Cory wondered. Tac Teams Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie had returned. Echo was in New York City, but meeting with various Were packs to solidify Char’s role as a neutral third party.

  Tac Team Delta was running along the northern side of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and had been for a full week. Of all the teams, they were the only one who did not find anyone from the Unknown World.

  Marcie wasn’t sure that Terry didn’t find exactly what he needed to find, that there wasn’t a steady stream of Were and Forsaken infiltrating the city-states.

  “Call him?” Kaeden asked.

  “Sure,” Cory said and held out her hand. Ramses slapped a comm device into it.

  “Is that how that’s supposed to work?” Marcie asked.

  “Don’t get any funny ideas,” Kaeden cautioned playfully.

  “Dad?” Cory asked. “I can barely hear you. Where are you?”

  “Quebec City, I think,” Terry yelled. “Send a pod!”

  Kaeden looked at his sister. “Was Dad waiting for someone to call him before he asked for pickup?”

  Kimber shrugged.

  “Why didn’t you call for one before now?”

  “We just got here. There’s a huge waterfall where there used to be a city. It rivals Niagara Falls. Impressive, but loud and really wet. Send a pod. I’ll leave my comm channel open.”

  “On the way, Dad,” Cory said before closing out. She called Eve to ask her to send one of the San Francisco pods to her father’s signal and pick up Tac Team Delta.

  That took all of twenty seconds. She handed the comm device back to Ramses.

  Shanghai, China

  “Those terms won’t do at all,” Yanmei said pleasantly. Aaron smiled and nodded.

  The man across the table continued to talk with Aaron as he tried to ignore Yanmei.

  “Maybe we can talk alone,” he suggested.

  “Why?” Aaron replied.

  “So we can reach a man’s agreement.” He only looked at Aaron.

  Yanmei sat patiently. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to exclude her based solely on her gender.

  “What she said, times two.” Aaron leaned forward. “You’ll find that I’m not so accommodating. I don’t have a business mind like she does, so whatever she says is a deal that works, I have to go way beyond just to make sure we meet our margins. So, my position is what she said…times two.”

  “What does that mean?” the man replied, flustered. He leaned back in his chair and rolled his head back and forth. He was grossly out of shape.

  A pitfall of a civilized world—one could let themselves go and still survive.

  “You’ll have to talk to Yanmei if you want a real conversation. I know you need these metals for your factory. I know that we can provide them. I know that we have hundreds of employees counting on this deal while you have thousands. So, you can talk to us as equals or we walk. You have two competitors, but they are in Tianjin. We will ship our product there. I’m sure adding one ship to the mix will fill any gap in transit times.” Aaron looked to Yanmei and she nodded. He turned back to the man across the table and gave him the thumbs up.

  “But, but…” the man sputtered.

  “Five, four
, three,” Yanmei counted down slowly. The man finally looked at her, but with contempt. “Two, one.”

  She slid her chair back and stood. Aaron joined her. Without a word or another look at the man, they walked out on their way to the port to book passage to Tianjin. They had two other companies to talk with.

  “WAIT!” someone yelled. Aaron hadn’t expected the man to cave. They looked over their shoulders to see the man waving them back.

  “Shall I go get something for lunch while you hammer out the details?” Aaron offered.

  “Capital idea,” Yanmei purred.

  “I’d say go easy on him, but don’t. He needs his humanity lesson driven home. A teacher’s work is never done, is it?” Aaron kissed Yanmei on the cheek before she returned to the business office of the electronics plant and Aaron went in search of lunch.

  The man’s shoulders slumped as he saw only Yanmei approach.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  San Francisco

  Terry looked at the map hanging on the wall of the FDG conference room. It was tacked with pins and scraps of paper that detailed what they’d found. There was a long list in New York City with lists of information pinned throughout what had been the United States.

  Many of those Weres were unconfirmed, but with the cooperation of the Pack Council, they’d shared the main locations of formal Pack members.

  Char sat on the conference table and also studied the wall.

  “Should we join?” Terry asked.

  “There can only be one!” Char shouted, thrusting her fist in the air before lounging lazily on the table.

  Terry jumped back. “Dammit! Next time give warning before you go all Highlander on me.”

  She chuckled lightly.

  “I’ve been the alpha for a long time. It would be hard to give any of that up.”

  “You’d still be the alpha,” Terry replied. “Wouldn’t you?”

  “Yes and no. I’d cede authority to the Pack Council. They could order me and my pack on some kind of mission, maybe protect a dignitary, acquire something, who knows. I want to know what they know, but I don’t want to give anything for it. Even if we join, they don’t have to tell us anything.”