Nomad's Fury

by Craig Martelle

  Sue ducked behind Gene so the two gray-haired enforcers wouldn’t see her. Timmons and Ted stared at their food, but Shonna and Merrit wanted to stay in the good graces of those who prepared and served the food.

  Merrit yelled, “She’s right here!” Shonna pointed.

  “Traitors!” Sue said, standing up and to take her punishment, which wasn’t long in coming.

  But she wasn’t the target of Margie Rose’s ire.

  “Terry Henry Walton!” she yelled. Silence was immediate throughout the dining area. The people sensed there would be more entertainment. Terry had just stuffed his mouth full. He pointed at himself with a questioning look, as if his name could be mistaken for anyone else’s.

  “What did I do?” he mumbled while trying to chew.

  “What did you do? You thought it was funny while that creature was stealing my muffins. You encouraged his miscreant behavior. If he ever—” Margie Rose punctuated her points by hitting him in the knuckles with her wooden spoon. “—comes in here again, you will never eat another morsel of our cooking!”

  One last knuckle rap for good measure and Margie Rose returned to the serving line, getting high-fived by Mrs. Grimes, who swaggered back into the kitchen.

  Char and Kaeden enjoyed watching the beat-down. Sue snickered, happy not to be on the receiving end. Terry gave her his meanest look. She waved him away.

  “Very funny. If you get me banned, Sue, I shall be very put out.” Terry enunciated each word.

  “Forsaken,” Char said, dampening everyone’s mood.

  “We can still take Joseph if we need to,” Timmons suggested.

  “We have a different Forsaken to deal with and this one is so bad that Akio is going to take care of it himself. That’s what he wanted to talk to us about. We’re going home, boys and girls, home to New York City where we have to clear a path to a nice brownstone, in which this Forsaken has set himself up as a warlord. We need to do it and kill as few of the humans as we can. We have no idea if any are armed or loyal or slaves. So there you are,” Char said, ending by taking a mouthful of something green that looked like seaweed and tasted like cold, wet spinach.

  Timmons wasn’t sure he’d heard right. “In three days, we’re going to go to New York City and fight a bunch of people without killing any of them?”

  Terry looked at the ceiling for a moment before speaking. “Sounds about right,” he replied and went back to eating, watching Margie Rose as she kept one eye trained on him.

  When they made eye contact, she shook her spoon at him. He looked away.

  First Sergeant Blevin and Corporal Heitz stopped by the table. “We heard that you’re going on an op. Will you be taking any of the vehicles?” Blevin asked.

  Terry shook his head.

  Blevin looked disappointed. “Can we go?” he asked, hope tinging his voice.

  Terry leaned back and looked at the two men, before turning to Char. She nodded almost imperceptibly. He liked the idea, too. Who better to deal with refugees than people who knew what it was like to be at the mercy of a Forsaken?

  “Yes, and we could probably use another ten volunteers, because civil affairs are going to play a huge role in this,” Terry said, watching them closely. He raised his hand to forestall any premature celebration on their part. “We are going up against a Forsaken, a Vamp like the ones you dealt with. We’ll eliminate him, but the people that he’s coerced, we have no idea if they are slaves or disciples.”

  “Fucking A, we want in on that,” the first sergeant said determinedly. “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the lord.”

  Terry hadn’t heard any of the survivors quote scripture. He wondered if it was spirituality that kept them alive, or if the first sergeant simply liked the phrase.

  “Dawn tomorrow. Have your people out front of the FDG barracks. We’ve got a lot to talk about and to train for. You ever do any building clearing, like in Iraq or Afghanistan?” Terry asked.

  Blevin shook his head, but Heitz nodded and smiled. “You bet, sir. There’s nothing like it to get the old heart pumping.”

  “You got that right,” Terry agreed.

  “Clear building, no problem. You have grenades?” Gene asked, finally speaking up.

  “Since you mention it, yes. We have grenades, both fragmentation and tear gas. We also have a couple thermite in case we need to melt steel or start a really big fire, although I would hesitate before doing that. We don’t want to burn down the city. Our job is to save it for humanity. I think Bethany Anne asked Akio to watch over the big cities as they’ll be the foundation in our rebuilding, but that’s a guess.”

  “We use grenades,” Gene said with some finality.

  “Not if it puts humans at risk,” Terry countered.

  Gene waved a big hand dismissively. “Then we slap them around. They see things our way. Maybe they have vodka and we all be friends?” Gene laughed at his own joke.

  The others weren’t convinced it would be so easy.

  “Sergeant!” Terry called all of a sudden.

  He hadn’t turned to look, but he knew the non-commissioned officers of the FDG were seated at one table not far away. Mark and James both stood, but James grumbled as he sat back down.

  When he reported, Terry didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Clear the PT pit of weeds, rake the sand, and find small blocks of wood or whatever to use as buildings. I want to make a sand table, a three-dimensional representation of the terrain, so we can plan this out and get everyone on the same page as to what to expect. Go,” Terry ordered, leaning back and staring at a spot on the wall. “I’ll be by in an hour and we can get to work.”

  ***

  Aaron carried Kaeden so the boy could watch everything that was going on. It had been a long day, highlighted by his near death experience.

  The boy didn’t let it bother him because he saw the good from it. He’d gotten to eat some of the fish he’d caught as Claire’s special treat. His parents had gone and returned. Gene and Timmons were stumbling around because of their injuries from hand-to-hand combat training.

  Kaeden looked forward to the time he’d be able to train with his fellow warriors. He didn’t have to have special abilities like his parents, because he saw what those in the platoon were capable of. He wanted to learn how to shoot and be the best shot of them all. Even in his small hands, the rifle felt at home.

  “Do I get to go?” Kaeden asked.

  Char had been waiting for the question. “No, little sweetheart. You and Aaron are going to stay here. Someone has to watch over the town, keep it safe from intruders. Do you have your knife?”

  Kae nodded, patting the spot on his shirt where they’d sewn a sheath for him.

  “We will be back as soon as humanly possible,” Char said, reaching her hand over her head so she could touch her adopted son. “Damn, you’re tall.”

  Terry was on the opposite side, holding her other hand. Her baby bump seemed to be increasing in size hourly. Terry cast furtive glances her way as he didn’t want her to see him staring.

  He only had months left before the sleepless nights began. A rug muncher, a curtain climber, a chip off the old block. He had no idea if the baby would be born as a Werewolf or be enhanced or be neither.

  Terry didn’t know how he’d figure it out, although Char said that she would know. He trusted her, but was impatient.

  He wanted to know now.

  Char yanked on his hand to bring him back to the moment. Kae held out his hands and Terry took him from the Were-tiger, bouncing the boy a couple times before putting him down.

  “You know that we’re going to need your help when the baby comes,” Terry told him.

  “What if I don’t want to?” Kae offered.

  “We’re kind of past the options point, little man. All three of us are hanging on for the ride,” Terry said, laughing. Char shrugged and smiled, her eyes sparkling wonderfully. “Will your eyes sparkle after the baby’s born?”

  “Probably more, especially if you make sure that
I get plenty of uninterrupted sleep.” She grinned.

  The trap had been expertly laid and snapped shut on his unsuspecting ass. He tried to think of a witty comeback that didn’t make him sound like an inconsiderate prick, but nothing came to mind. He went with his default “safe” phrase.

  “Yes, dear.”

  She mumbled her reply and it wasn’t pretty.

  Terry shivered, suddenly afraid, as if Margie Rose was chasing him with her spoon.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “Will the pods remain in place after the tactical teams are inserted?” Aaron asked as the four of them walked toward the barracks, expecting the sand to be prepared and ready to be turned into a model where they could best visualize the geography.

  “Yes, they will.” Terry wondered why he asked.

  “Can we go, if we stay with the pod?” Aaron asked, looking at Kae, who nodded.

  Terry and Char recognized a conspiracy when they saw one.

  Aaron and Kae would abide by Terry and Char’s decision, but hadn’t thought the previous answer had been definitive and final.

  Terry and Char preferred having Kaeden nearby. “If they go, they go on Akio’s shuttle and they stay on board, go no farther than the ramp. Aaron is armed.” Terry leaned toward them as he spoke. This wasn’t up for negotiation.

  Aaron held his hands up. “No guns for me. I’d be a significant danger to myself as well as anyone near me.” He nodded toward the small boy.

  “Fine, but you assume your tiger form and you guard him with your life,” Char added.

  “As I have already committed to, my lady.” Aaron bowed, almost falling as he was still walking. Char shook her head at the tall man, who was so lanky and uncoordinated when in human form, but sleek and graceful as a great cat.

  “Then that’s what we’ll do. Kaeden?” Terry stopped the boy and leaned down to look him in the eye. “You must stay at the pod with Aaron. This is how it has to be. Anything else puts you in great danger. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” the boy said, although he wasn’t being fully honest.

  “I think we need the king of civil affairs to join us, too, don’t you think?” Terry asked Char. “Or should I say, the mayor of civil affairs?”

  “You have got to be shitting me. You want to take Billy Spires on a tactical operation?”

  “He’s had his nose out of joint every time we do something high-speed. It doesn’t get any higher speed than this, so yes. In case we need some organizational work for the people, that’s Billy’s strength. Maybe that will calm him the fuck down, while at the same time show him that we’re not playing games. This shit is dangerous.”

  “I’ll set up the sand table.” Char rolled her eyes. “You tell Billy and don’t be too long about it!”

  Terry stood in front of Char and held her face gently in both hands. He kissed her softly while stroking the silver streak of her hair. He no longer noticed how high her body temperature was. The heat was welcome because it was a part of her and had become a part of him.

  Their eyes lingered as they walked a few steps away, then Terry turned and headed for the mayor’s office.

  Char watched him go, thinking she was the lucky one.

  ***

  “What the f—” Billy stopped himself in time. He was still on double-secret probation from Felicity. He had promised at one point to stop swearing around the baby. She was crawling now and any day, she’d be walking and talking. Words might no longer be private.

  He smirked.

  “You want to go, dipstick?” Terry asked.

  “Where?” Billy wondered.

  “On the op, to New York City to free a bunch of human slaves, take down a big baddie, you know, the superhero thing, or as we say in the Force de Guerre, business as usual.” Terry leaned over the desk and offered Billy his hand.

  “No way! So you can break more of my fingers?” Billy leaned back, massaging his middle finger. “Yes. I’ll come. That means riding in that funky ship. What’d you call it?”

  “A pod. We’ll have two of them to carry the entire platoon, our special people, and our new stash of weaponry.” Terry smiled. He thought bringing Billy was one of his better ideas.

  “Which weapon do I get?” Billy asked.

  Terry hadn’t thought about that, but wanted something Billy was comfortable with. “The AK-47. We have a lot of those. We liberated a number of carbines from the mountain and half of us will be carrying those. The other half will be carrying the AKs.”

  Billy pursed his lips as he thought.

  “At dawn, the third day from now, the pods will land outside your office. We’ll give you your weapon and extra magazines at that time.” Terry’s tone of voice was directive, not inviting debate. He glanced at Felicity, who stared coldly at Terry Henry. “You’ll ride with me. Char will be with Akio. We may need you, so you’ll have to stay close to the pod, watch from there, assuming Felicity allows you to go.”

  Terry fought the desire to laugh, as he’d been stymied in some of his boyish games by his better half. Otherwise, he probably would have had a tank in the motor pool.

  Billy hadn’t even considered asking her. “Felicity, my darling, my greatest love,” he started in his gruff voice. She looked at him sideways and shook her head.

  “You can go, but bring me back something nice. I hear New York City shopping used to be the best!” she replied.

  “Who’d you hear that from?” Billy asked.

  “Duh, Billy! Sue, Char, all of them are from there. Do you think I don’t talk with other people?” Felicity said condescendingly. She harumphed, gathered Marcie, and strutted out.

  They'd taken a couple of the rooms as their home, so the mayor lived and worked in the same place, just like in New Boulder. He preferred it that way. He missed having the upstairs window, though. He would move upstairs somewhere once they had running water and sewage.

  Those who lived in the time before the WWDE would always define modern civilization as not having to use an outhouse.

  When utilities were restored, it would be known as the age of revival.

  Which reminded him. “When is Ted going to get that beast off the tracks and start making power?”

  “That is a good question, Billy, and the answer is probably after the op some time. Between Ted and Gene, I think they can get it up and running. The big problem is the boiler and piping. As Timmons said, you need power to make power. They’ve got a dedicated line running from the small plant out back to the big plant up the coast. With the juice and the help of a few power tools, it’ll cut a big chunk off the time they need to get it back into service. It’ll still be a while, Billy, but Ted will get it done, have no doubt,” Terry said confidently.

  After a long pause where Billy rubbed the stubble on his chin, he simply said, “Okay.”

  Terry nodded once and walked out.

  ***

  Char had used the bits and pieces of detritus piled next to the sandpit to build a rough facsimile of the brownstone building and the surrounding area. She studied it intensely while they were hovering over it, enough that she had the details of what she could see. She also filled in spaces with what she could sense and that was how she was able to label buildings as places to sleep and places to work.

  She marked the spots where she thought the pods should land, locations that bracketed the brownstone. All movements after that would be to box in the Forsaken, a powerful creature that couldn’t tolerate the daylight.

  Gene had never been to New York City, but of course he had an opinion. “I do not like big cities. No room for big man like me. Too many assholes.”

  Ted, Timmons, Shonna, Merrit, Sue, and Char studied the area. Char described where it was and they all said they’d been there, although it had been a while. They talked about one of the best delis on the planet that wasn’t far from the brownstone.

  The sergeant and corporals watched attentively while Gene kept a hand on Bogdan to keep him from jumping into the freshly cleaned
pit. Outside each of the barracks buildings had been a sandpit where the recruits could perform their physical training without putting excess stress on their joints.

  Mark and James stood side by side, nodding knowingly. This was where the martial arts training should have taken place and would in the future.

  Colonel Terry Henry Walton joined the group and with the help of the native New Yorkers, started to talk through how he thought the operation would unfold. Char filled in the details with the number of humans and where they had been.

  Terry had worked before with limited intelligence, but in this case, he could not define the enemy. The humans may or may not fight back, which was the greatest unknown he’d ever faced before going into battle. They might not fire a shot, or they might expend all the ammunition they had. He needed to train the platoon for the widest range of contingencies.

  “Think about this, ladies and gentlemen,” Terry said, looking at the group of faces, young to old, human to Were. They had a wide range of experience and personalities. Not all of them got along, but Terry didn’t care about that.

  “We have two days to learn how to execute this operation, minimize human casualties, and achieve the objective,” Terry continued to stare down his people. There was nothing more serious at the moment. Even Bogdan and Clyde were behaving. “We need to learn how to work in an urban environment. We need to practice using non-lethal weapons. And we have two days in which to learn it. Think about it, people. How do we keep the humans out of our fight with the Forsaken? That’s it for right now. Be here tomorrow at dawn for PT, then we train.”

  Ted raised his hand sheepishly. “Including me?”

  Terry knew that Ted preferred not to participate in the fighting. There was nothing for him to do if he wasn’t going forward. They already had Billy, Aaron, and Kae as observers. Terry didn’t want any more non-combatants attached to his team. “Who is going to keep that wolf pack of yours under control if you go with us, Ted? No, you don’t need to be here. I expect that you’ll be working as hard as we will, just on something else, like my new boat.”