Tamazusa slung it on her back. “Keno can defend us until the ship is ours."
"He's a kickass fighter,” I protested. I barely knew which end of a sword to hold. Logan was a bow guy, and I just knew McGann wasn't going to be able to do shit to someone. Tamazusa's trick with turning people's insides to Jell-O would keep her safe, unless there was more than one of them. I wasn't counting on that to keep us safe.
"Keno has trained with my samurai, but he has never gone into battle,” she said quietly. “He has not killed. And if Aboshi and I have our way, he never will."
"You might not get that choice,” I said roughly, fighting the unexpected urge to give her a hug. “Tonight looks nasty."
I slipped into my own armor and wasn't surprised that Tamazusa grabbed my pack too. I wasn't going to leave that behind; it had all sorts of useful supplies in it besides clothing. Logan unpacked his bow and strung it. It was a fancy one with all sorts of pulleys. I'd seen him put an arrow through a couple of two by fours when we'd had our fighting practice. I could pull it but didn't have a chance of hitting anything smaller than the broad side of a barn. I wasn't ever going to be Robin Hood with that thing. Keno popped out of wherever he had been, looking like he had been sick a couple of times.
"There seems to be a couple of boatloads of raiders out there,” he said. “I think that I know why there aren't a lot of woman here."
"We're talking one of the ships,” Wolf said.
Keno nodded, not arguing. He had wanted to get out of here worse than we did, for some reason. “It's a mess out there."
I didn't know what he meant until I stepped out of the hut. There was a lot of screaming and a horde of really big guys in armor. No one was wearing a horned helmet, and I felt vaguely cheated. Wolf was smart and put the women in the middle. He was in front, and I was tail-end Charlie, while Keno and Logan were sort of guarding our sides. I was glad no one was paying any attention to us. That was normal, because in any type of fight, especially at night, you never really knew what was going on. You concentrated on keeping your ass safe and your team intact and killing the monster you were after. It didn't leave you a lot of time to see the big picture. Radios helped, but since there weren't any here, it seemed like it was every man for himself.
There were a lot of people running about as they tried to either get the hell out of there or fight those guys. But while most of these guys were backwoods bikers, the newcomers were a bunch of mean fuckers, really professional fighters. People you really didn't want to piss off. They were killing anyone who tried to fight back and dragging off the women. I realized why Keno had been sick. McGann was looking like she wanted to lose it, too, but Tamazusa acted like she was out for a walk in the park. I admired the balls she had and was glad she seemed to be looking after McGann. She knew something was up with McGann, but she didn't know what. With any luck, she'd never figure it out.
We managed to get halfway to the beach before our luck ran out. A couple of the raiders noticed our group and came after us. It wouldn't have mattered except they went after Logan. He managed to get a shot off at one of them, but the other got past his guard. These fuckers were fast! The surviving one grabbed McGann around her stomach, and she crumbled. He'd just touched her, and she was out like a light. He must have done something that overloaded her mojo.
"Hey!” I screamed.
That got Wolf's attention. didn't know if that was a good thing, because he got a funny look on his face and charged the asshole, shouting his head off. The bad guy looked at him and sort of tossed McGann aside. Logan managed to catch her, barely. He handed his bow to Keno and slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
"She fainted,” he said, sounding confused.
Meanwhile, Wolf was swinging wildly at the other guy. He didn't seem to know what to do with a sword now, but he was doing his best to kill the other guy. The guy he was attacking was screaming his head off, something that sounded like berserkergang. We were starting to attract attention, and we had to get the fuck out of there. I was very aware of how attractive Tamazusa, McGann, and even Keno were, because this seemed to be a raid for women as much as other valuables.
"Give her to me,” I told Logan. “I can't do shit with a sword. You're useful with that bow."
I sheathed my sword and took her from him. The other guy's shouting had brought in reinforcements. Not that it mattered to him, Wolf got in a good hit and took the guy's head off. He collapsed, his head flying off into the dark, and Wolf snarled at the body. I was getting worried about trying to get him back with us, when he went after the other guys. Wolf was nuts, but if he wasn't going after one of us, I wasn't too worried. He waded into the newcomers with a scream that curled the hair on the back of my neck.
"We better get to the beach,” Tamazusa said coolly.
"I'll watch out for him,” Keno said quietly.
"He's berserk,” I grunted, wondering how the hell that had happened. Nice, polite Wolf was gone. I hoped that he managed to get back. “You want to chance it?"
"I know that he isn't going to hurt me,” Keno said calmly. “You have to take care of my lord for now."
Tamazusa didn't say anything. She grabbed the packs McGann had dropped and started off to the beach again. She was smart enough to know Wolf might be after her next. I plodded after her, wondering what the hell had happened. Logan covered our asses until we got to the beach. It was quieter down there, with just a handful of guys around. They weren't paying too much attention to us because they had something else to keep them occupied. It hadn't progressed to rape, but it was getting close. I couldn't tell who they had; I just saw blonde hair and a skirt. She was getting shoved back and forth like she was a doll.
"We got to stop that,” Logan hissed at me.
"How many can you get?” I asked him, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. If it kept them out of our hair, I wasn't going to do something like run in to rescue her. Yeah, I was a shit for thinking like that, but it wasn't the first gang rape I had run across. I'd hate myself afterward, but I'd be around to do so. In a firefight, it was take care of your team first and then worry about the civilians. Right now, this raid wasn't too different from a monster hunt for me. And that poor chick was a civilian.
"Two or three,” he said. “But they're going to be after us as soon as I start shooting."
He was right about that, since there wasn't any place for us to hide. Plus I had an unconscious woman, and I couldn't fight worth a damn.
"I can take care of McGann,” Tamazusa said, shifting her from my shoulder. I realized then that she was stronger than I was and was really glad she hadn't gotten pissed at me. “Go rescue her."
She was looking a little off, and I wondered briefly if something like that had happened to her. I realized why Keno had looked like shit earlier. This was happening in other places. “Get McGann out of here if this goes bad,” I told her. “I trust you."
Logan and I moved away from them, hoping the bad light would hide the women for a little while. I knew that in minute or so, those assholes would be paying more attention to us than them. Logan took a stance and waited. I refrained from asking him what the fuck he was waiting for and waited with him. It took a couple of minutes, but then I realized. One of the assholes threw down the girl and motioned for the others to hold her down, since she still had a lot fight left in her. As soon as she hit the ground, Logan shot that guy, right through the head, dropping him like a pro. He loaded and shot again, hitting another guy and killing him before they realized what had hit them. He got in his third shot as they came charging up the beach, looking for blood. I noticed that the girl managed to start crawling away before one of the fuckers was on me.
He was good, and I spent most of the fight defending against him and hoping someone would come and save my ass. The fucker was toying with me, from the grin on his face. I didn't know what happened to Logan or the girls, since my entire world was trying to stop this asshole from killing me. There was some screaming behind me, and I
was never gladder to see Wolf when he popped up behind this guy and sliced off his head. I wasn't so happy to see that he still looked a bit crazy. He looked at me like he was debating whether or not he wanted to take my head when Keno caught up with him.
"We need to get on a ship,” he told Wolf in a calm voice, like he was talking to him normally.
Wolf looked down, frowning at him. He snarled and swung at something behind Keno, causing him to duck. Then another one of the assholes was there, shouting for reinforcements, and Wolf went after him.
"Pick one,” I told Keno.
There were a couple of ships on the beach, and they looked alike to me. They were long and thin, not at all like the boats that were here. These were ships and looked as mean as the fuckers that came here in them.
"You can tell why they are the scourge of Europe,” Logan said.
I turned to look at him, and he continued the lecture like we had all the time in the world. “The Irish monks had written volumes about their raids in the monastery records. You'd think that there wasn't anything left of Europe when the Norse raiders were done. A shallow keeled boat that can go almost anywhere with fast and ruthless men, and you have stories that scare children into behaving for generations."
The fighting picked up after that. I heard Keno screaming, “Left! Left!” and I hoped that meant the left ship, because that was the one I aimed for. I saw Tamazusa helping a groggy McGann into that one after throwing all our packs in.
"We have to get it into the water,” she screamed.
I ducked the guy trying to kill me and ended up flat on my ass, which did save mine. He went down with an arrow in his head and a stupid look on his face. Someone yanked me up, and I was surprised to see that it was Logan.
"Thanks,” I grunted.
"No problem.” He grinned at me. I was just glad he wasn't freaking out during his first fight, but even I could figure out he might have done this once or twice before. He aimed and shot at a couple of more guys and then tossed his bow into the ship. I winced, but he just shrugged. “Out of arrows."
He pulled his own sword out, and we started to try and drive these fuckers back. It was working for a while, but I was starting to get tired. I looked around for Keno and Wolf. It figured that they were in the thick of the fighting, Keno protecting Wolf's back while he screamed and hacked at people.
"Get him over here, kid!” I shouted.
Wolf was the main attraction for these people, and the fighters all gathered around him. Logan and I started pushing the boat into the water, hoping that Keno could get Wolf over here. I was counting on McGann to snap him out of this, since she was semiconscious now.
Everyone seemed to be paying attention to Wolf, so me and Logan got the boat into the water, and I lost track of what happened after that for a little while. I was surprised to see Tholf fighting back to back with Wolf. Keno was over by me, and that was when it happened.
One of the fuckers realized we were stealing their boat and charged over to us. He shoved Keno aside, causing him to fall in the water, which was about waist deep for him right then. He went under with a splash. That distracted Logan, because he automatically leaned over to help him up. When that happened, the fucker took a shot at him and got past his defenses easily. Logan ended up taking a shot to the thigh that connected, hard, from the look on his face. I managed to get to the guy who did it, and Keno caught Logan as he collapsed. He hustled Logan over to the ship, and Tamazusa leaned over and lifted him up like he was a kid.
"Wolf! Wolf!” I screamed. “We're leaving now!"
"Wolf!” McGann called out too.
That got his attention. He stabbed at his opponent and then waded over to the ship, Tholf on his heels. The two of them practically vaulted into the fucking thing, and I didn't have a chance to tell Tholf he wasn't wanted, even as I started scrambling up into the ship.
* * * *
Tamazusa
Logan was badly injured. He was the only one of the group who was a healer, from the way that Mason was swearing. I only knew enough to know that the blow to his leg was a bad one because of all the blood.
"The bastard hit an artery,” Mason said, trying to stop the bleeding by shoving his fingers in the wound.
"It doesn't hurt,” Logan said, sounding confused. “I always thought that it was supposed to hurt."
"You're in shock,” Mason snapped.
"I'm dying,” Logan informed him. “Unless there's a trauma team and an emergency room hidden on this thing, I'm not going to make it. Hell, I know that there isn't any way to give me transfusions, and I've lost a lot of blood."
"Don't talk like that!” Mason snarled.
"Don't be an idiot, Mason,” Logan retorted. “You aren't going to be able to stop it. Your fingers are slowing it down, but they aren't stopping it."
"Is there anyone that we should tell?” I asked him gently.
I was surprised that Logan laughed. Unfortunately it ended in a coughing fit for the man. He gasped for breath for a few moments before he said. “Wolf... he's a good man. Never thought that I'd find one of those in the Trust."
"There are more of them there than you'd believe,” Mason said.
Logan shook his head, not having the energy to argue. Even in this light he looked pale and waxy, and I knew that he was dying. McGann swallowed hard and moved away from him. I didn't blame her, so I simply did what she should have been doing. I held Logan's hand while he slipped away.
He smiled at me. “Mason said that you were a hardass."
"You were defending me and Keno,” I said softly. “And even a hardass can honor one who fought for them."
"Even if it was all a lie?” he asked.
"Did you try and kill any of us here?” I posed. Mason was too shocked to question what he meant. “You fought with us, and you were always a gentlemen to me. You will be honored at the shrine in my shoen."
"My name is really John Cowan,” he practically whispered. I leaned closer to hear him better. “And I was sent to keep an eye on Wolf."
"And why is that?” I asked, coaxing him to talk.
"Because of a number of reasons,” he said.
"I talked extensively with Collins before he died,” I said. “I know of the nature of my enemy, even if Wolf does not. And he will be protected, if not by myself, then others."
"Mason was right. You are tough,” Logan said. I couldn't think of him as that other name, even if it was his true one. I would put both on his shrine.
"Watch your back,” Logan said, “if you get back, Mason. Because you aren't supposed to make it back."
"How interesting,” I said. “And why not?"
Logan coughed. “I don't know. Shit, I wasn't supposed to take you out, if that's what you're hinting at. Logan Sawyer was a cover for me, but the guy really exists. He's down in Costa Rica right now and knows nothing about the Trust. We just needed an expert who would check out if you looked him up, and he was it, since no one sees him for months at a time. We didn't end up in the right place on purpose. We were never supposed to hit the Mayans. The plan was to aim for someplace else."
"And where was that?” I asked. Mason looked to be in shock about the betrayal, not thinking beyond that. It was up to me to find out what this plot was.
"Egypt,” Logan gasped, his voice growing even weaker. “Never to the North. Too primitive."
"And the Egyptians are not?” I asked disdainfully.
"They were going to give us what the Trustees wanted,” Logan said. “The Egyptians were going to help them invade Nippon, split the place with them for a little while, and then backstab them. Still want me at your shrine?"
"You have warned me of a great evil,” I said. “With this warning, my people can defend against this."
"There was another group that was going to be going after us. I don't know if that group got off. They were going to supply real weapons to the Egyptians, as well as supplies, and help to get them organized. If that went through, then you're in deep trouble."<
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"Was there an alliance with one called Iida?” I asked.
Logan shook his head, his breath coming in odd gasps. He was done, or almost. I knew the signs, even if I hadn't seen them in centuries. Mason kept his fingers tight in the wound, even if he was swearing under his breath.
"You could have told them before this,” I said.
"He's fucking telling us now,” Mason snarled. “And that counts for something in my book. Shit, he could have...."
Mason couldn't finish that sentence, and I didn't blame him. It was happening in front of him, and I knew none of us here, except for Keno, were strangers to this type of event. It was still difficult to accept.
I brushed the fingers of my other hand across Logan's brow. “You will go straight to the Western Paradise because of this confession,” I murmured. “Amida Buddha will welcome you."
"There's a group of the Trustees who want you,” Logan told me, sounding breathless. He was using up his strength to give us this information. “They think that you're compromised. But they also don't want to anger Wolf's grandfather. He has a lot of pull and a lot of allies. But Collins's group is out for your blood. And they are willing to do anything to get it. Collins had a lot more friends than you know of. Friends outside the Trust who are willing to pull in favors from all over: the EU, our government, people who you don't want to know about."
"What are you talking about?” Mason demanded. He was angry and confused. I didn't blame him for that, since betrayal was always painful, no matter how one learned about it.
Logan gave one more gasp, and then his head rolled back.
"You can take you hands off of him now,” I told Mason gently.
He just continued to stare at Logan until I started to pull a spare piece of canvas over the body. I then carefully helped Mason up and over to a bucket where he could wash his hands.
"You weren't lying to him, were you?” Mason asked.
"I will burn incense for his spirit,” I promised. “He has redeemed himself from whatever plot the Trustees had him involved in."
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