by L. S. O'Dea
He struggled to open his eyes. The professor was reading his mind. He smiled a little. Good thing that wasn’t true. He didn’t need Conguise peeking into his dreams.
“But who or what do we use for bait? Hugh has no one besides his sister and her family,” said Conguise.
They were forgetting Hugh’s fondness for his Guards. Silence fell over the room. He forced his eyes open. Both men were staring at him. His breath froze in his chest. He’d said that out loud. He glanced around as the room closed in on him. He needed to leave. He didn’t want to be involved in this. His mother and sister were going to kill him.
“Hugh no longer has any Guards.” The Supreme Almighty cast him a disgusted look. “One was killed the Night of the Trackers and the others are gone.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to speak out loud.” He tried to stop his words but they kept coming. “You’re right of course. It was a stupid idea.”
“Jethro, I think you take after your father.” The professor grinned.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” That smile caused him to shift in his seat.
“I told you that your father had a knack for seeing things others could not.”
“Peter, what are you talking about?” The Supreme Almighty got up and refilled his drink.
“I’ve already told you that Hugh Truent’s weakness is his desire to save everyone and that extends to the other classes, especially his Guards.”
“But his Guards are gone.” The Supreme Almighty sat back down. “And Hugh won’t come out of hiding for some Guard he doesn’t know.”
“No. Even he’s not that stupid, but both of his Guards are not gone. One was adopted by Hugh’s sister.”
The Supreme Almighty shrugged. “So, she’s been under watch. Hugh hasn’t gone near the place.”
“Then move her.” The professor leaned forward. “We can’t touch the sister. She has a solid alibi for the night of Hugh’s escape, but her Guards and House Servants were home alone. There is no Almighty to vouch for them.” He leaned back, steepling his fingers. “Not even Sarah’s powerful friends will step in for a Guard with no alibi.”
Jason’s eyes remained cloudy for a moment and then they cleared. “That’s genius.”
“Reese wasn’t involved in his escape was she?” Sweat trickled down Jethro’s back. He’d done it now and he had to figure out how to undo this mess.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s a Guard. She has no rights. We can take her without proof and Hugh will come for her. He won’t allow his Guard to suffer because of him.”
“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” said the Supreme Almighty.
“It was Jethro’s idea, not mine.”
“I’ve known you a long time, Peter.” The Supreme Almighty took a sip of his drink, eyes narrowing. “What do you want?”
“I’ve talked to you about Jethro’s future. I think you can see that he’s smart and ambitious. He shouldn’t run Producer encampments.”
Jethro’s nerves tingled. Conguise really was trying to help him.
“It’s not that easy, and you know it,” said the Supreme Almighty.
“You can overturn the Council’s vote.”
“Your last protégé was Hugh Truent! I cannot overturn that vote and allow you to mentor anyone else, especially now.”
“Then let Jethro do something else.”
“Like what?” The Supreme Almighty took another sip of his drink, watching the professor closely.
“We still have some time. Let’s think about it. He’s proven that he’s strategic. Maybe, he can help with one of your businesses.”
The Supreme Almighty studied Jethro. “He’s physically capable. Maybe, something in that field.”
“Perhaps. Like I said, we have time.” Conguise gave him a slight nod.
“True. He’s not done with school yet.”
“Actually, he is,” Conguise said. “His family cannot afford to send him back to college.”
“I can work and earn the money and go back later.” Jethro’s face heated. He hated being poor.
“There’s no shame in managing Producer encampments.” The Supreme Almighty continued to study him.
“I know, but I...want something else.” He wasn’t being disloyal by not wanting to follow his father’s path, he wasn’t.
“Something better?” asked the Supreme Almighty.
Better than choosing which teenage Producers will live and which ones will die? Better than occasionally watching the slaughter so that he could ensure the killings followed the health code standards? “Yes.” His father would understand.
“Good boy. Ambition should be rewarded.” The Supreme Almighty stood, tossing back the rest of his drink. “We’ll find you something else to do. I’ll take responsibility for you.”
“Thank you.” He looked at Conguise. “Thank you both.”
“For now, you can prove your loyalty and worth by getting your family on track. Producers need to go to market.”
“Ah, okay.” That was not going to be easy.
“Drink up, boy. This is a day for celebration,” said the Supreme Almighty.
He took a large swallow and coughed.
The Supreme Almighty patted him on the back, laughing. “Your future is once again wide open and you may be the reason we capture a dangerous fugitive. You might even earn a medal.” He grabbed the bottle from the cabinet and refilled all of their glasses.
Jethro tried to smile. It was great that he wouldn’t have to run the encampments for his entire life, but he did have to get them working again. His mother and sister weren’t going to like that, but if they found out he was the one behind this trap for Hugh, he was going to be in even bigger trouble.
CHAPTER 27: HUGH
IT WAS STILL DARK when someone touched Hugh’s shoulder. Instinct from his nights in jail, took over and he jumped out of bed, punching at the intruder.
“Hugh, stop. It’s me. Trinity.”
He stilled, breathing heavy. In his dream it’d been one of the Guards coming to take him downstairs. “Did I hit you?”
“Hardly.” Her voice lilted with amusement.
“It’s not funny.” He ran his hand through his hair. “What are you doing here?”
“Training time.”
“What?” His head pounded and his mouth was dry. He’d forgotten how bad the morning after a night of heavy drinking could be. All he wanted to do was drink some water and go back to sleep.
“You said you wanted me to teach you how to navigate the forest without getting killed, so here I am.”
“Can’t today.” He dropped back onto the cot and pulled the blanket up. “I’ll be leaving soon to go to the other camp.”
“You think Jackson is going to be up and moving this early? He’s not used to drinking. You have hours before you have to go.”
“He said we needed to leave early or we wouldn’t make it to the other camp before dark.”
“Even if Jackson does manage to get up, you still have hours before dawn.” She grabbed his hand and tugged. “Come on.”
“It’s dark outside. I’m an Almighty, remember. I can’t see in the dark.”
“That’s why you need to practice. There’ll be times when you’re forced to be in the forest at night. You need to learn—”
“My eyes aren’t built like that.” He pulled his hand from her grasp. “I can’t learn to see in the dark.”
“But you can learn to listen and feel the forest around you.” She yanked the cover off him.
“We can start when I get back.” He rolled onto his side, putting his back toward her. “My head hurts.” He cringed at the whininess in his tone. She’d never let that slide without a comment.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t drink so much and then your poor, little head wouldn’t hurt.” She poked him in the back with her claw.
“Ouch. Stop that.” He turned so he could glare in her direction. He couldn’t see her, but she could see him. “I’m starting to think my pain isn’t from
the alcohol.”
“I’m not leaving until you get up.” She jabbed him again, this time hitting his stomach. “This isn’t a game.”
“Fine.” He retrieved his knife from under his pillow, hooked it to his belt and then grabbed a sweatshirt, pulling it on over his T-shirt as he followed her to the door. “Has anyone told you what a pain in the...butt you are?”
“Gaar tells me that all the time.” She smiled at him over her shoulder.
They headed across the camp and into the forest. The moon was out so it wasn’t completely dark, but the trees would block most of that light. He tucked his hands in his pockets. This wasn’t going to be fun.
“First, try and be quiet,” she said.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You’re walking loud.”
“I’m just walking. How do I walk quieter?”
“Watch where you walk. Find a clear path. For now, follow my footsteps. With practice you’ll find the clear areas without even thinking about it.” She glided forward.
He didn’t move. “Ah, teacher. One problem. I can’t see where you’re walking. I told you, I can’t see in the dark. Remember?”
“You can’t see at all? ”
“Nope.” That was a lie. He could see a little from the moonlight that filtered through the trees, but he wanted to go back to bed and if he annoyed her enough, she might let him.
She sighed. “You’re worse than the Producers.”
“Did you teach them?”
“I tried.”
“Sounds like the problem is the instructor not the students.” That should piss her off enough to make her quit and send him back to his tent.
“It’s not. I also taught Guards and Servants. Trust me. It’s the student.”
“I’d do better if we started when I could see and then as I improved moved onto lessons in the dark.” He needed to appeal to her logical side, if she had one. “You know how to read, right?”
“Yeah.” The word was cautious as if suspecting a trap. She wasn’t stupid.
“When you first learned, did you start with a book or letters?”
“Dad taught me the alphabet first.”
“Exactly. You should teach me the simplest skills first and we can work up to the harder ones.”
“You think walking is a difficult skill?”
Ouch. That hurt, but he wasn’t giving up. His bed called. “No, but watching you walk in the dark when I can’t see isn’t easy.”
“I would’ve started after sunrise, but you’re leaving soon. This is the only time we have. In a few hours, you’ll be traveling through the forest with Jackson and the other Guards. Stomping around is going to put them all at risk.”
As much as he wanted to go back to bed, he didn’t want to put anyone in danger. “Okay. I lied. I can see a little.”
“Why did you lie?”
“Because my head hurts and I want to go back to sleep, but mostly because you pissed me off.” He moved forward trying to put his feet in the same places that she’d put hers.
“Why did you tell me the truth?”
He stalled, not wanting to answer. “Because you’re right. I need to learn to navigate the forest or I put myself and everyone else in danger.”
“That was hard to admit, wasn’t it?” Her gold eyes gleamed green in the moonlight.
“You have no idea.” Telling the arrogant, little brat she was right had almost killed him.
“Oh, I’m sure I do, but we need to be quiet.” She started walking again.
He moved after her, watching where he stepped. After a few moments, she stopped, sighing.
“What? I’m putting my feet exactly where you put yours.”
“Do it quieter.”
“I don’t hear anything, except a couple of times I heard a twig snap but mostly it’s been quiet.”
“Your hearing stinks, and trust me, the forest creatures hear every step you take.”
“What do you suggest, teacher?” He’d been proud of how quiet he’d been, but obviously he shouldn’t have been.
“Walk.”
“I have been.”
“No. Now. I want to see how you move.”
He shrugged and took a couple of steps.
“You don’t need to stomp the earth. It’s not your enemy.”
“Great. I even walk wrong.”
“Watch me.” She moved toward him, her step light and quick, almost gliding over the ground.
“I don’t think I can move like that.” It had to be a Servant thing.
“Watch and learn. Study my feet and legs. How they move.” She turned and walked away from him.
His eyes started on her feet. Really, they did. He tried to keep them there, but she’d also said to watch her legs and they were long and shapely and his eyes then went to her butt, which was tight and round. He shook his head. She was a kid. No, she wasn’t a child but she was Tim’s daughter and a bossy, arrogant brat. His eyes roamed over her long, lean legs again, stopping on her tight bottom.
She turned. “Now, come to me.”
Walking. She meant walking, nothing else. He moved toward her but by the look on her face he wasn’t quiet. Suddenly, her eyes widened and her ears perked up. He stopped. He started to ask what she’d heard but decided that silence would be better. Then her shoulders relaxed.
“What is it?” He glanced around.
“You tell me.” She moved to stand next to him. “Listen.”
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Shut your eyes.”
He did.
“Now, feel the forest. Something is coming. Someone is coming. Tell me when you hear him.”
His eyes popped open. “Who’s coming?” She wasn’t worried, but she was friends with a River-Man.
“You tell me. Close your eyes.”
He frowned at her but did as she said.
“Mirra and Gaar used to make me do this all the time. I hated it.”
“Thanks for passing along the torture.” He was vulnerable in the forest with his eyes open. This was much worse.
She chuckled, her breath teasing the hair near his ear. He shifted away a little. Being close to her in the dark wasn’t a good idea. She was Tim’s daughter.
“I may have hated the lessons, but they work. If you practice enough, the forest will speak to you.”
He stood like that for what seemed like hours. “I still don’t hear anything.”
“Too bad for you, because you’re dead. Good for me, because I get to eat.” Gaar’s rough whisper startled Hugh’s eyes open.
The Handler stood a few feet in front of him.
“How did I not hear you?” The Handler was huge. He had to make noise in the forest.
“What are you two doing out here in the dark? We didn’t save him to feed him to some Cold Creepers,” said Gaar.
“I’m teaching him how to survive in the forest.”
“Hmm.” Gaar’s black eyes looked him up and down. “Should be easier than teaching the Producers. He has to be quieter.”
“You’d think, but he isn’t,” she said.
“I was getting better.”
She snorted. “Not really.”
“It’s only the first day.” He’d succeeded at everything he’d tried in his life. He wouldn’t fail at this. “I need more practice. At listening too. How did I not hear you?” He stared at Gaar. “You’re...big. Why are you not loud?”
“Don’t feel too badly about not hearing him. Gaar and Mirra are exceptionally quiet but so are the other Trackers so you have to practice listening to the forest.”
“Only the Trackers? What about the Handlers?”
“Not sure.” She glanced at Gaar.
“What does that mean?” The Handlers that had escaped from the camp had been made in a lab which meant that they could be more dangerous than a natural born Handler, and Gaar was dangerous enough for him.
“I’ve seen traces in the forest,” said Gaar. “But we haven’t made contac
t.”
“With any of them?”
“No. They keep to themselves. They might have acted differently if they hadn’t been hunted right after their escape.” Gaar smiled. “They’re smart. Almightys can’t kill what they can’t find.”
“None of them were captured?” That meant that they were all still roaming the forest. He couldn’t help glancing around. He really needed to learn how to survive out here.
“No,” said Trinity. “Ray would’ve heard and told Dad.”
“And the Trackers? Are they all still around?” He’d had nightmares of that night for years and they hadn’t all been about Viola. The Trackers had played starring roles in many of his dreams.
“Five,” she said. “There’d been nine all together, counting Mirra. Christian killed Crazy. Gaar killed one at Jeth...at Kim’s house and another one was killed by an Almighty with a gun that evening.”
“A gun? Are you sure? No one is allowed to carry guns unless the Council unanimously agrees to release the weapon from storage.”
“Jackson said you had a gun,” she said.
“That was my...the General’s weapon. He was allowed to keep it when he retired. It’s possible that a few other high ranking military men were bestowed with the same honor.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, but that leaves six Trackers not five.”
“Parra passed away.” Her eyes saddened. “Mom and I tried everything to help him, but he never fully recovered from the abuse he’d suffered at the Tracker Camp.”
“Please tell me you didn’t keep him here?” A Tracker wouldn’t have made anyone feel comfortable.
“Not here exactly, but he did stay at camp. He was sick. We couldn’t leave him in the forest.”
“Trackers are dangerous. I understand that you and Mirra have a special bond, but you can’t possibly think that extends to the others.” He turned toward Gaar. “Tell me she isn’t that stupid.”
Gaar winced.
“Stupid. I’m not stupid.” Her claws were out as she poked him in the chest.
“Naïve then.” His eyes roamed over her frame. She had the body of a woman but the mind of a child.
“I’m not naïve. I know more than you about survi—”
“Enough,” said Gaar. “We have more important things to discuss.”
