Vortex of Evil

by S D Taylor

  The Chief looked at Erin and almost seemed to smile. “I believe you will have many stories to tell me about your people and that I will not be able to believe many of them.”

  “You’re correct about that. I have been part of the stories we will tell you and I can hardly believe them myself.

  Chapter 5

  Peter and Gaby were setting up one of the camp’s machine guns near the trees behind the camp. It would provide a spot to retreat to and defend if there was another pirate attack. The rest of the team was working with the Haida survivors, sewing up their wounds and working out a plan to feed everyone. It was nearly dark and there were limited options for lighting the work area. They built campfires and had a few flashlights in the tents of the most severely wounded. Doug and Tom were happy that they still had the medical kit from the Rasputin. Erin had retrieved it from Mr. Alpha’s cabin when they fled the boat the first time.

  “This is a pretty good spot to put the gun. It has a clear field of fire to the west and can still cover the shore.” Peter made a sweeping motion of his arm as Gaby turned to look. “I only wish we had more ammunition.” There were two ammunition boxes but only one had a full belt of the .30 caliber ammo. If it came to a fight, they would have to be careful how they rationed their machine gun fire.

  “Do you think there are any more pirates to attack us?” Gaby sat down on the edge of the grass and looked up at Peter as he tried to set the tripod on a stable spot. She admired his focus and dedication to doing things right. He would have made a good German, she thought to herself.

  “There was a squad of twelve men we ran into a few days ago. They were heading south, looking for anyone on the island that they could kill. My associate, John, led them on a chase away from the rest of us so we could attack the camp. He said they had gone farther to the south and Doug believes they may come back at any time.”

  Gaby was in the camp set up by the Rasputin crew when the pirates had first attacked several days earlier. “I remember several groups of them leaving after they took over, but I did not know what they were up to. I was too worried about being shot at the time. But I got lucky. When there was a lot of commotion with the helicopter, I managed to sneak away and into the forest. I stayed there until you caught me today.”

  “I am glad you were able to get away from them. They are a pretty heartless bunch. The more of them we can kill the better.”

  Gaby laughed. “I am surprised to hear you say that. I thought you were ready to kill me and all the rest of the crew from the Rasputin also.”

  “All things are relative, Gaby. Remember, the pirates killed that other version of me, so I have a score to settle on his behalf. The issues that put us on opposite sides of that battle are over now. We need to work together and we seem to make a pretty good team.” Peter was impressed with how she fearlessly piloted the zodiac while he was shooting at the helicopter. And she had even shown some compassion helping the wounded Haida survivors into the boat. He wondered what she was truly thinking.

  “I don’t know if I am ready to call myself your teammate yet, but I am glad we don’t feel the need to kill each other anymore.” She stood up and patted him on the shoulder. “We better go see if they need our help.”

  “Right. Lead the way.” Peter slung his AK-47 over his shoulder on its strap and followed her back to the tents. But he continued to look around in all directions. He could not shake the feeling that they would be attacked again soon. He made a note to talk to Doug about how they should keep watch through the night.

  Tom had organized the tent hospital. They had thirteen patients that needed either stitching or more involved medical procedures. The Chief, whose name was Yáahl Xitgáay, was very actively engaged in overseeing the medical work, having never seen the techniques that Doug and Tom were using. The most critically wounded patient was a young man who had a bullet lodged in his shoulder that just missed the arteries in his neck. Doug had a difficult time getting the bullet out and he was worried the patient would bleed to death if he kept trying too long. He finally succeeded in getting the bullet with the forceps on what he vowed would be his final try. He cleaned the wound, sewed him up and then hoped for the best.

  “Will he survive? He is my brother’s son. I promised to watch over him.” Yáahl Xitgáay, which roughly meant Flying Raven, always looked stern but now he carried the worried look of a loving uncle on his face as well.

  “We can only pray for good fortune now. He is young and strong. I only wish we had a way to give him extra blood.” Doug cleaned off his hands and put the instruments in a plastic container to be cleaned. Boiling water will be our best and only way to clean them he thought to himself.

  “How can you give a man extra blood? The tools and weapons you and your people have are mysteries to me. How can such things be possible? The other white men I have seen had many mysterious things but they are but children’s toys compared to what you have brought to this island.”

  “It is a very strange story that can explain why we are here and why we have the mysterious ways and weapons. It will seem like a myth if I tell you, but I assure you it is true.” Doug looked at him and could tell the interest he had in the full story.

  “Tell me. I like to always like to learn the legends of both my friends and my enemies.”

  Doug paused. He wondered which category applied to him. He could tell by the Chief’s glance that he had said that for the reaction it would provoke. But Doug did not rise to the bait.

  “We come from a faraway place. We found our way to this island after we were attacked by people who had created a very powerful weapon. The most powerful weapon in our world. It was so powerful that it could tear a hole in the universe.”

  “A hole in the universe? How is that possible?” The Chief was intrigued by the concept.

  “How long have your people existed? Do you measure the number of seasons?” Doug had no idea how these people would track time but he assumed they had figured out something.

  “More seasons than we can remember. Why do you ask?”

  “The hole in the universe permits a journey between two seasons. Any two seasons that have ever been or ever will be. And it cannot be controlled. We were taken into such a hole in the universe and brought to this place.” Doug hoped he was telling the story in a way that would be understood. Erin had joined them and was checking on the two wounded men in the tent.

  Doug could tell the Chief was trying hard to understand. “You have come here from another season and another place? And you did not plan to come to this exact spot? It was chosen for you in some way that you do not understand?”

  “That is correct. And the place we come from is many seasons from now. Many, many seasons from now.”

  Flying Raven understood what Doug was telling him. These people were from the future. Their weapons were not those of gods or demons. Just the products of men who had many more seasons to develop them. He could accept that since it fit his view of the capability of mankind to grow and develop. He knew that his tribe continually refined their techniques and technologies, borrowing what they saw from others or just coming up with new ideas. Year after year there were little improvements in how they fought, how they caught fish or how they cooked their food. People from the distant future would be expected to have magical things, wouldn’t they? He nodded to Doug and said, “I understand now. Could you now tell me why there are two versions of each of you?”

  Doug and Erin laughed hard at that question. The Chief smiled at their reaction. Doug said simply, “That is a story for later. And perhaps later you could tell us more about how you learned to speak our tongue so well. Right now we should check the rest of our patients.”

  Chapter 6

  An uneasy feeling settled over the camp as midnight approached. It was a cloudless night with no moon and a million stars overhead. A light breeze whispered quietly through the extremely tall trees that defined the boundaries of the large field where the camp was located. Peter had taken fir
st watch and was sitting near the machine gun nest he and Gaby had set up earlier. Gaby volunteered to keep him company and was sitting next to him, scanning the darkness as best she could and cradling an AK-47 in her arms like a newborn.

  “I would sure love to have a pair of night vision goggles. Did you have any on the boat?” Peter assumed that the loss of the Rasputin took away many helpful pieces of technology and probably lots of food as well. To say nothing of beds, showers, toilets, hot water and electricity.

  “We only had one pair. A guy named Yuri took them when he went to kill Erin and Doug. I don’t know what became of him. He never returned.”

  “Doug killed him. He attacked them while they were taking a bath in the lake and Doug managed to shoot him when his first shot missed Doug’s head.”

  “Knowing Yuri, he was probably distracted by watching Erin bathing in the lake. He never gave me a moment’s peace, despite the five hundred times I told him I was not interested.”

  Peter chuckled. “Some men just don’t believe “no” applies to them. They hear everything as “maybe” and keep trying. It must work with some women or so many guys wouldn’t keep trying.”

  “It is just in their chemistry. It controls everything about them. Sorry if I discuss men generically like that, given that you are a man. I assume you understand what I am talking about.” Gaby strained to see anything in the dark night as she stared into the void that lay before them.

  “I do completely. Before I was married, I probably fit your description of a hormone-based chemistry experiment since I was highly motivated by the quest for females. Marriage and children settled me down.”

  “I didn’t realize you were married. Where does your wife live?” Gaby wasn’t sure why she was disappointed by this bit of news since they were in some other time and it was highly unlikely that Peter would ever be going home to his wife and child.

  Peter paused as he thought back on Gwendolyn and little Marion. “My wife and little girl are both gone. They died in a motorcar accident five years ago.”

  Gaby instinctively put her hand on Peter’s shoulder. “I am so sorry. I didn’t know or I wouldn’t have said anything.”

  “No apologies needed. You could not have known. It was a perfectly natural question to ask. Anyway, as I was saying, once I was married I gained a different view of the mating rituals that dominate so many people. I guess the end justifies the means for some people, but I realize now that I was a real ass at times and I wasn’t very fair to some girls who cared for me.”

  Gaby was quiet for several minutes and the two of them sat in uncomfortable silence. Their talk had turned too intimate for their level of acquaintance and they were both trying to find their way through this new territory. “I like you and I like talking to you.” Gaby said it suddenly and forcefully. “I am sorry if I was being too personal. We hardly know each other.”

  “I hardly think you need to apologize. With all that has taken place in the past two days, we all have to be emotionally and physically resilient or we will end up like my doppelganger over there in the cemetery.”

  Gaby’s hand was still on Peter’s shoulder. For some reason she didn’t understand, she leaned forward and kissed him. She had no idea what to expect but Peter simply put his arm around her and drew her towards him as he kissed her back. It was as close an embrace as you could have when one person is holding an assault rifle against their chest. They both sat back and Peter kept his arm around her as they looked out toward the camp and the fields beyond. Neither of them said anything for several minutes as they savored the brief, unexpected moment of intimacy. Even if it was a very strange intimacy. Then they both saw the light from a flashlight bobbing up and down on the far side of the field. It spared them from having to decide what to say next and they sprung into action.

  Peter stayed with the machine gun while Gaby hurried to the camp to warn the others. Peter wondered if this was an attack or just a stray pirate or pirates coming back to camp, oblivious of the events of the last twenty-four hours. There were virtually no lights on in the camp so Gaby figured it was fifty/fifty if she would manage to avoid falling over a tent rope or stepping on one of the many individuals who didn’t manage to fit into the tents. Only the wounded had the luxury of that experience.

  Gaby headed for the only tent that appeared to have a light inside. She poked her head into the flap and saw Erin and Doug sitting next to one of the patients while the Haida Chief stood nearby. All three of them glanced up as Gaby entered. “We have visitors approaching from the west. We saw a flashlight but we can’t tell anything more about them.”

  Doug sprang to life like he had been shocked by a high voltage line. “Come on, Erin. Grab your weapon. Please stay here Chief and keep an eye on your nephew.”

  The Chief grabbed Doug by the shoulder with his iron grip. “My warriors may have an advantage in this case. We are used to moving silently in the dark. These enemies won’t be expecting that.”

  Doug paused and that was not his normal mode. It was important that they survive this attack, if that was what it turned out to be. For all he knew, it could be Arny and his Vikings or it could even be another version of some of them that had been created by the vortex events. Starting a firefight in the dark would be a bad idea if it resulted in shooting innocent people.

  “Ok, but we have to try to capture them. They may not be enemies. If we can get close and surround them, we can turn on a light before we attack. Tom and I will go with you and your warriors. Together, we will be stronger.”

  The Chief was skeptical about that last bit, but he admired their pluck. “I will get five men and meet you here.” He was gone quickly. Doug was going to turn out the light, but thought better of it. “Let’s leave the light alone for now. If they are on, leave them on. That way they won’t suspect that we noticed them. Gaby, you should go tell Peter what we are going to do. I don’t want him to shoot us by accident.” The blond German woman turned quickly and was gone before he could say anything more.

  “What should I do?” Erin stood there holding the machine pistol and feeling pretty useless in this new plan.

  Doug turned to her as he was leaving the tent. Seeing the look of fear on her face, he went back to her and kissed her. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I want you and Megan to guard the camp and protect these people if anyone shows up that we don’t expect. Peter had the machine gun set up to cover either side so you guys should be ok. Tom and I will go with the Chief and his men and see what we can find out.”

  “Be careful, Doug. I have a bad feeling about this.”

  Doug said nothing but he was thinking the same thing.

  Chapter 7

  Flying Raven was a warrior with a widely-known reputation among the coastal tribes and he was much feared by his enemies. His men were fearless and well trained, and it only took a few whispered words from the big guy and the attack squad was waiting outside the tent where Tom and Doug were standing. There were several concerned comments from the warriors about having to take Tom and Doug along but the Chief quickly silenced them. He spoke to his men, “We looked towards the sunset and could see a light moving through the trees. We will travel in two wings towards the light. Single file. Quiet. Doug and Tom will be at the rear, one with each wing. We will capture the attackers if we can.” Doug noticed that all the men carried knives and a short club that had a round rock securely attached to the end. Good weapons for a quiet fight in the dark. Tom and Doug had machine pistols with silencers as well as knives and large, heavy flashlights that could be weapons in a pinch.

  They were off on this new adventure without further comment. Tom was amazed at the speed of the warriors, especially in the total darkness and on unfamiliar ground. But then he remembered that these guys went to this island regularly to hunt birds and gather eggs. Maybe it wasn’t so much of a stretch to think they knew their way around this island pretty well. Even in the dark.

  Doug could now see the light in the distance and wonde
red if it was a trap. It had been moving steadily towards them, but now it seemed stationary. He noticed that the two ‘wings’ had spread pretty wide as the Haida warriors advanced towards the light in the trees. They were about fifty yards from the light when it suddenly went out. A single sound that resembled a bird call came from the general direction of the Chief. Everyone froze and knelt down in place.

  It took a couple of minutes but then Doug could hear footsteps coming towards them. It appeared the attackers were advancing towards the camp right between the two wings of warriors. Doug was at the rear of the right wing so when the first of the advancing pirates appeared to be even with him, Doug jumped forward and turned on his flashlight. The light illuminated ten of the Korean pirates marching in single file towards the camp. They had their rifles slung over their shoulders and were not expecting an attack.

  Flying Raven let out a tremendous yell and his men moved as one. They were immediately on top of the pirates and driving them to the ground with hammer blows and knife thrusts. Doug’s suggestion of capturing them was meant to allow for the possibility that they might not be evil pirates bent on killing everyone. Once the Haida recognized them to be members of the same tribe that attacked them with the helicopter, they took matters into their own hands. All the pirates were dead within two minutes. Doug walked over to Tom who also held a flashlight that illuminated the scene of carnage. “I hope these guys and the Vikings don’t run into each other. Or if they do, I hope I am not in the immediate vicinity.” Tom stared down at the massively deformed head of the lead pirate after the man had taken two blows from one of the Haida war clubs.

  Doug started to comment when he was cut off by the sound of small arms fire from the direction of the camp, followed by the staccato sound of Peter’s machine gun. Every third round in the machine gun ammunition was a tracer bullet so Doug could see that Peter was firing up the hill to the west of the camp, right along the tree line. A second squad of pirates must be attacking from there, firing randomly into the camp in the dark as they advanced towards it. Doug and Tom each grabbed AK-47s from the dead pirates and began firing towards the spot where Peter’s tracer bullets were pointing to. Without a target in the dark, they just fired random patterns up and down and right and left. They were trying to get the pirates to break off the attack and fire in their direction rather than at the camp where Erin, Megan and the wounded Haida people were sitting ducks. With fire coming at them from two directions, the pirates began to fire at random towards the camp and at the raiding party. Doug could see their muzzle flashes and knew that they were pretty confused by the attack that had been turned around on them. They would have likely retreated but there was a sudden orange flash that lit up the entire area with the brightness of daytime. A fireball erupted at the spot that Doug and Tom had been shooting at and there was a large, fiery explosion that knocked over a couple of trees and certainly killed any pirates that were within a hundred yards of its center.