Ryan shrugged, “He wasn’t attacking me.” Arie’s only response was to raise his left shoulder and tilt his head toward it. Ryan put his bow over his shoulder and walked between the line of archers to stare at the women and children. He waited for one of them to speak but none did. He finally asked in a loud voice, “Is there someone who speaks for you?” Ryan waited patiently but after ten minutes passed in silence he ordered, “Archers, form up!” The eighty archers moved from around the women and fell into two lines behind Ryan. Ryan ordered, “Forward…”
A woman’s voice shouted, “WAIT!”
Ryan turned and saw a blonde-haired woman struggling to her feet. She used a makeshift crutch made from a tree branch to stand up. “At ease!” Ryan ordered.
The woman glared at him and asked, “Were you just going to walk off and leave us here?!”
“You didn’t appear to want to discuss it, so I decided to let you determine what to do.”
“You should know that we’ve learned that the slavers killed anyone that tried to speak out. Of course no one would speak up!”
Ryan’s head tilted, “Do you speak for the others?”
The woman glared at him in silence and Ryan turned around to the Archers. The woman immediately said, “Yes! I suppose I do!”
Ryan turned back around to her and said, “You have an issue to handle and you need to do it quickly.”
The woman snorted, “I think you have a more pressing issue to handle than we do.”
“And what issue is that?” Ryan inquired with a furrowed brow.
“You need to be getting away from here before those that left this morning return and kill all of you.”
The corner of Ryan’s mouth went up and he replied, “I believe we’ve already handled that particular issue; you need to handle yours now. But thanks for your concern.” The woman’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Ryan. She started shaking her head and Ryan waved a hand, “I don’t think our discussion will be interrupted.”
“Exactly what issue is it that you believe we need to resolve?” the woman asked after a few moments of silence.
“It’s really rather simple; you need to choose whether you stay or go.”
“That’s no choice and you know it!” Ryan stared at the woman and she continued, “The slavers ate all the remaining food and most of us aren’t physically capable of going anywhere. We’ll starve to death if we go! We don’t have a choice but to stay! And exchanging one set of slave masters for another is no choice either!”
Ryan continued to stare at the woman and said after a few moments, “You always have a choice. It may not be a good one but there is a choice.” Suddenly the sound of a large truck engine was heard from the road; that had to be the Woolly Man leaving. “You can take the trucks and go wherever you choose.”
“And none of us know how to drive them! Are you blind? Most of us have endured starvation diets for weeks and we barely managed to get this far up the hill. More than twenty of us were killed when they couldn’t make the climb!”
“I said the choice might not be a good one but whatever you decide must be freely chosen.”
“We don’t have a choice here!”
Ryan snorted and turned around, “Archers, form up!” The Archers fell in line and Ryan said, “Forward…”
The woman screamed, “WAIT!!”
Ryan took a deep breath, rolled his eyes and said, “At ease.” He turned back to the woman.
“My name is Maranda and we freely choose to go with you.”
Ryan blew out a breath and said, “My name is Ryan and you should understand there are conditions you’ll have to meet to stay.”
“And pray tell what those would be?” the woman asked with a sarcastic tone.
Ryan’s eyes narrowed, “You just said you made this decision freely. You need to watch your tone or staying won’t be an option!”
The woman blew out a breath, “You’re right; I’m sorry.”
Ryan glared at her and then said, “If we agree to take you in, then you will be required to work and do whatever is needed to insure the survival of our city. I recognize that most of you aren’t physically up to doing anything right now; but once you regain your health and strength, you will be given tasks to do. Further, we do not have any form of slavery in the city; you will enter as free citizens and try to fit in harmoniously. Every citizen in the city has sworn to never harm or kill another human being except in self-defense. This last condition is critical and anyone that violates it will be sent out of the city with no possibility of returning. Do you understand these conditions and freely accept them?”
Maranda was shocked at what Ryan said and saw that many of the women around her were starting to show some hope in their expressions. She looked around and turned back to Ryan, “We freely accept the conditions.”
Ryan smiled for the first time, “Good.” He turned to the man standing beside him and nodded. Arie took the large curved horn off his shoulder and blew into it. A deep loud tone filled the trees and he blew another tone a moment later. There was silence and they heard a deep tone from the direction of the city in response. Ryan turned to the women and said, “Please try to keep families together. Any of you strong enough to walk, please follow me out of the trees. If you’re not capable of walking, remain where you are, and others will be coming to help you move to the city. Archers, assist those that need it.”
The Archers moved out into the women and helped some that were struggling to stand. Ryan turned toward the tree line and saw Maranda hobbling along behind him. He stopped, went to her, and swept her off her feet. She turned as stiff as a board from tension and he said, “I understand why you don’t like a man touching you after all you’ve been through but put up with it for a few more moments.”
Ryan walked through the trees and out of the tree line. Maranda saw hundreds of people coming out of the city moving toward them. Ryan started walking down the slope and felt Maranda’s tension start to dissipate. Two men ran up and put a stretcher on the ground. Ryan put her on the stretcher and said, “Barry, have a doctor check out her leg.”
“Yes Sir.”
Ryan turned to leave, and Maranda said, “FIND ME!” Ryan turned around. “Find me when you are back in the city!” Ryan’s eyebrows were down but after a moment, he nodded. He turned and started up the slope. He went to a woman carrying two babies and he took them out of her arms. Maranda was shocked; the twins always screamed whenever a man came near them, but they were actually smiling at the tall man. The woman put her hand on Ryan’s arm as he called for a stretcher. He had the woman and babies get on the stretcher and he headed back up the slope. Maranda kept her eyes on the tree line as women and children were being assisted out of the forest. Then she saw Ryan carrying a woman out of the trees. He didn’t appear to be struggling at all; he had carried her easily. Suddenly, the men carrying her stretcher crossed a small stream and she began seeing dead bodies scattered around her. She looked to the sides and saw thousands of burned bodies. It appeared the tall man was right; they had resolved the issue of handling the killers.
• • •
The survivors were brought into the city and taken to tables set up on the first level with food and drinks for them to consume. Maranda sat in a chair and had eaten more than she had in a very long time. She waited at the table for several hours when a man in a white jacket came over and smiled, “I’ve been asked to take a look at your foot.” Maranda frowned but extended her leg. The doctor moved an empty chair over and rested her leg on it. He ran his hands over her foot and Maranda tensed up. The doctor said, “Try to relax.” Maranda blew out a breath and tried but failed. The doctor shook his head as Ryan walked up and the doctor looked up at him, “There are several broken bones in her foot that need to be broken again and reset. If that’s not done, she’ll never be able to walk on that foot.”
“When can you do it?”
The doctor looked around the room, “There are many others in worse shape that need sur
gery ahead of her. I can probably get it done in about a month.”
Ryan shrugged, “You can only do what you can, Doc. Do you have any instructions for her while she’s waiting?”
“I’m giving her a prescription of inflammatory pills to take and she needs to stay off that foot.” The doctor turned to Maranda, “I’ll have Ryan bring you some crutches to move around. Do not put weight on your bad foot.”
Maranda nodded and the doctor left to look at a young child. She looked at Ryan and he asked, “Do you have a sister?” Maranda’s eyes narrowed and Ryan continued, “I brought a woman and two children into the city yesterday and the woman looks very much like you.”
“I have a sister named Loree.”
Ryan nodded, “She’s here and you will stay with her until after your foot is operated on.” Ryan lifted her off her chair and turned to a nurse, “Bring some crutches to Loree’s quarters when you get a moment.”
“Yes Sir.”
Ryan carried Maranda away from the dining area to an elevator. He pressed a button and the door opened. He pressed a button labeled seven, and the elevator dropped. The door opened and Ryan carried Maranda about a hundred feet to a door numbered 712. He knocked on the door and Loree opened the door. She saw him carrying Maranda and her mouth fell open, “MARANDA! YOU’RE SAFE! THANK GOD!”
Ryan carried Maranda into the room and said, “Maranda needs surgery on her foot and she’s going to have to wait a month to get it done. She will stay with you until she recovers from the surgery.”
Loree smiled, “She’s welcome to stay.”
Ryan lowered Maranda to a chair and saw she wasn’t smiling. It appeared she had an issue with her sister. Well, she’d have to get over it. He stood up and turned to leave, “I want to talk with you about what’s going to happen to us,” Maranda quickly said.
“Actually, you need to discuss that with Chase McFadden; he’s in charge and he’ll answer all your questions. I’ll let him know you want to see him.” Ryan turned to Loree, “Everything ok?”
“Yes, thank you.” Ryan nodded and walked out of the room. Loree turned to Maranda and said, “What’s your problem? Why the puss-face?”
Maranda scowled, “What do you think?! You leave the slave pins and live the good life while all of us suffered. I hate you for that!”
Loree sat down in a chair beside her, “Do you honestly think I had a choice in leaving?!” Maranda glared at her and Loree moved in closer, “DO YOU?! WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I REFUSED TO GO?!” Maranda’s expression changed slightly and Loree said harshly, “I would have been killed and another would have taken my place. I was forced to live with one of them while you at least were among friends! I would have gladly traded places with you so don’t sit there judging me!”
Maranda took a deep breath and lowered her eyes, “I guess all of us lived in hell for a long time.” She looked up and asked, “Where are the children?”
“They’re in the nursery care center. They’ll be back in about an hour.”
“How did you and the children end up here?”
Loree’s expression changed, “John sent us here with Ryan. He sacrificed his life to get us to safety.”
“What?!”
Loree lowered her head, “I didn’t know it, but John loved me. He tried to escape with us a year ago but was caught. He looked for an opportunity to get us away to safety and sending us into the city was the only opportunity to present itself. Once we were inside, the Woolly Man saw that John hadn’t been honest about why he sent us into the city, and he killed John.”
“Loree, don’t tell me you are defending him!”
“Maranda, he never hurt me or the children. He did everything possible to prevent us being harmed and he gave up his life to save us. I never saw how he felt, and I hated him the entire time we were together. But now, I see he was a good man and I have forgiven him. I pray he has found peace after death and I will not allow you to say anything bad about him around the children.”
Maranda stared at her sister and sighed, “I will honor your request, but I hate him for all the death and suffering he caused.”
Loree lowered her eyes, “He suffered for that Maranda. But he is accountable for his actions and he’ll have to answer for them to the creator. But he was good to me and the children; I will not allow him to be disrespected.”
“Fair enough. It is good to see you Loree. I’ve missed you so much.” Loree hugged her and heard a knock on the door. She opened it and a nurse smiled and brought a set of crutches into the room. She adjusted them to fit Maranda and then left. “What can you tell me about the people here?”
“They’re good people. They’ve been nothing but kind and thoughtful in how they’ve treated us. It’s going to take a while before I can fully trust anyone, but I do know we’re safe.”
Maranda shook her head, “I don’t know if I’ll ever trust anyone again.”
Loree put her arms around her neck and hugged her, “I understand why.” Maranda’s tears started and she wept for the first time in such a long time.
• • •
Ryan sat in the drone hut with the city’s leaders replaying the recordings made of the attack. The leaders watched in silence until the end and Allen turned to Ryan, “I notice at the end that one of them managed to get to their trucks and escape.” Ryan nodded. “Where do you think he went?”
Ryan shook his head, “I was hoping he would continue headed to the west, but he turned back east. That could be a big problem.”
“Why do you say that?” Chase asked.
“The man I spoke with before the battle at the stream, who sent his family with me, shared some information before I headed to the city.” The Leaders stared at Ryan and he continued, “He told me that a man has built up an army of more than twenty thousand killers in the east. He believed that he knew about our location but now it’s a certainty.”
“Why?” Amos asked.
“Because I believe the one that escaped is going to go back looking for him with the intent of bringing him here,” Ryan answered.
“Did I hear you right that he has more than twenty thousand killers?”
“That’s what that man told me, and I believe he was telling the truth. Currently, he’s searching out all the other bands of killers and wiping them out. If this is true, then the only band of surviving killers will be in his army.”
“If he has that many killers, there doesn’t need to be any more if they show up here. How can we stand up to that many Ryan?”
Ryan shrugged, “We don’t really have an option but to try. You can choose to run again; he said we have about a year before they show up. However, we have no idea what we’d be running into if you make that decision.”
“Where would we possibly get enough trucks to run again?” Gillum remarked.
Ryan shrugged, “There’s about ninety still parked at the road; that’s a place to start.”
Chase turned to Ryan, “Are you suggesting we run?”
“That’s entirely your decision to make. My duty is to defend you in whatever choice you make.”
“What do you think about running?”
Ryan blew out a breath, “This is the ninth year of the Suppression. By now, things have settled out and territories have been claimed. I don’t believe there is anywhere safe to run to. We’d be forced to find another place to settle and you can bet none of them will be as good as this one. We’ll certainly give up electricity and have to build a city from scratch. However, choosing to stay also presents a real danger to our survival.”
“Do you know something we’re missing,” Amos asked.
“Well, the one that escaped saw how we won the battle. He’ll tell them what to expect and they’ll come here loaded for bear.” They stared at Ryan and he shrugged, “We don’t have a monopoly on heavy construction equipment. I suspect with that many soldiers, they’ll be coming with everything needed to breech our wall.”
“Can we win?”
Ryan turn
ed to Chase, “I don’t know for certain.”
“But we stand a chance?”
Ryan raised a shoulder, “There’s always a chance.”
Gillum shook his head, “If we run, we’ll be out in the open with nothing to protect us.” Ryan nodded. “If we stay, stopping them doesn’t look good,” Gillum added.
“If we can reduce their numbers significantly in the beginning, we stand a chance,” Ryan stated.
“Is that possible?”
Ryan shrugged, “We have a year to plan.”
Chase looked around the table and said, “If we choose to run, we must start leaving now. If we choose to fight, we must start preparing now as well. I say we stay and take them on.”
Allen turned to Ryan, “Do we really stand a chance?”
“Allen, there is always a chance.”
Allen stared at Ryan and huffed out a breath, “I ran here to escape leaving everything behind. I don’t choose to do that again. I vote with Chase.”
All the others voted to fight except for Amos. Chase turned to him, “Why are you for running?”
“I’m not. But last time I cast the sole dissenting vote and changing now might lead to bad luck.” Ryan laughed and smiled.
Chapter Five
Maranda left her room and headed for the top level. She rubbed her shoulders as the elevator took her up and winced. She had been practicing with a bow for more than six months and Ryan had given her a new bow with a stronger pull the week before. He told her it would increase her distance and accuracy. After firing hundreds of arrows a day, she was feeling it. She also worked on using a throwing ax and that didn’t make her feel better at the end of the day…it was fatiguing work.
She walked out of the main entrance and headed toward the steps to the top of the wall. She went up and looked out over the valley. A full moon was rising over the forest and the view calmed her nerves. She looked to her left and saw a tall man leaning on the wall; it had to be Ryan. She walked over and smiled, “Keeping watch over your flock?”
The Watcher II: The Time of Suppression Page 5
