Scavenger Blood

by Janet Edwards

As I picked up Phoenix’s coat and put it around her shoulders, Tad came to stand next to us. “I can help to carry Phoenix.”

  “Braden had a much milder dose of the winter fever than you,” I said. “If necessary, he carries Phoenix, and you take over when he gets tired.”

  There was more distant shouting.

  “Nadira isn’t coming,” said Braden tensely. “We need to move now.”

  “Nadira will come soon,” I said the same words as before, and this time I didn’t have to fake the confident tone. My tracking display showed the group of yellow and white dots was still motionless, but the orange dot of Nadira was coming back towards us. Braden sighed in relief when she finally appeared in the doorway with a wheelchair.

  “Braden and I will take Phoenix’s arms to help her into the wheelchair,” I said briskly.

  A moment later, we had Phoenix sitting in the wheelchair. Nadira led the way out of the room, and Braden pushed Phoenix’s wheelchair after her. I was following them when Tad tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to look at him, and frowned as I saw he had a finger to his lips.

  He leaned to whisper in my ear. “Does the tracking range of your gun reach Reception?”

  I gave him a stunned look, before whispering back. “You know about the tracking? You haven’t mentioned it before.”

  Tad shrugged. “I looked up the details of Armed Agent weapons on the Earth data net. It was obvious why you and Donnell were keeping the tracking functions secret, so I didn’t say anything.”

  I smiled. “You’ve definitely learned some common sense since you came to New York. This room is right by the back door of Sanctuary, so the tracking display of my gun doesn’t quite reach as far as Reception, but I’ll be able to see what’s happening there when we’re a bit closer. Let’s move.”

  We hurried to catch up with the others. Nadira led us through the hospital area of Sanctuary, and on to join the other group of patients by the storage rooms. I saw that group included another woman in a wheelchair, and a couple of people walking with the help of crutches.

  “We have to wait here until Donnell tells us it’s safe to enter Reception,” said Nadira.

  We were near enough to Reception for my tracking display to show the dots of people milling around inside it. I grimaced as I saw there were well over a hundred of them. The sound of shouting was much louder now. I couldn’t make out any words, but I thought I could recognize the voices of Major and Shark.

  One of the nurses spoke, the tone of her voice bordering on panic. “We aren’t going to be able to get through Reception. We’re trapped here!”

  “We aren’t trapped,” I said hastily. “All the external doors and windows of Parliament House are locked at the moment, but I’ve got the authority to unlock them. If we can’t get through Reception, then I’ll unlock the back door of the Sanctuary wing, and escort people outside to reach the back doors of their own division wings of the building.”

  “We can’t go outside,” said a man’s voice from the back of the crowd. “Cage could be out there with his sniper rifle.”

  “I’ve got an Armed Agent weapon,” I said, in my best reassuring voice. “If Cage came anywhere near us, then I’d shoot him. I’m not taking people outside unless it’s absolutely necessary though. It would be dangerous to take sick people out into the bitter cold, and there are some steps that would be awkward for the wheelchairs and people with crutches.”

  I heard a murmur from Braden. “That’s why it was important for us to wear boots. In case we have to go out into the snow.”

  A minute later, Donnell came striding along the corridor towards us. “Everyone from London and Brooklyn should come with me.”

  “Why not all of us?” demanded the same male voice that had spoken before.

  “I’m taking the London and Brooklyn people first, because their divisions aren’t involved in the argument, and their wings of the building are on this side of Reception.” Donnell beckoned to me. “Blaze, I’ll need you with me.”

  There was a moment of confusion as the group split into two, and then eight of us followed Donnell down the corridor towards Reception. He paused in the large open area at the base of the Sanctuary stairs.

  “Blaze and I will lead the way through the curtain,” he said. “The rest of you head for your own wings as fast as you can. Ghost and Ice have their guards ready to help you.”

  He walked up to the Sanctuary curtain, and I went to stand next to him. My gun’s tracking display showed the number of people in Reception had increased in the last few minutes. They were mostly gathered in the Queens Island and Manhattan corners of the room now, and they were bound to include all the worst troublemakers in those divisions.

  “Be ready to move on my order,” said Donnell. “Three. Two. One. Go!”

  Donnell and I went through the curtain. I’d been right about the troublemakers being here. Major, Nero, and Lion were conspicuous at the front of the crowd in the Queens Island corner. Over in the Manhattan area, Shark, Malice and Viper were grinning at each other, while Wall glared his disapproval at them. Donnell’s other officers, including Aaron, were standing in the centre of the room. Aaron’s night off duty had clearly ended up as disturbed as mine.

  When people saw us enter Reception, they went quiet, and slowly turned to look at us. I kept my eyes facing forward as Donnell and I walked to join the other officers in the centre of the room, but heard the scuffling of feet behind me. My gun’s tracking display showed three white dots and a yellow dot move to the right and go into the Brooklyn wing, while the other three white dots moved left to enter London’s territory at the front of Reception.

  There was a raucous laugh from where Major was standing. “There’s no need for you to stand guard over people from Brooklyn or London divisions, Donnell. It’s Manhattan that has Rogue’s blood on their hands.”

  “I’m as angry about Rogue’s murder as you,” called Shark in response, “but Manhattan isn’t responsible for his tragic death. As Wall keeps telling you, we disowned Cage long before he killed Rogue.”

  Wall gave Shark a look of pure frustration, obviously wanting to shout at the man, but not sure how to criticize someone who was repeating his own words.

  Donnell shook his head. “Given both Major and Shark were ardent supporters of Rogue’s murderer, they’ve no right to speak at this time.”

  “I only supported Cage because he manipulated and intimidated me,” said Shark.

  I gave him an incredulous look. I wasn’t surprised that Shark would lie about his support for Cage, but I was stunned by the words he’d just used. I saw Shark turn to face the Queens Island corner of Reception, and there was an odd moment as he and Major gazed directly at each other.

  “I am grateful that Blaze freed us from Cage’s reign of terror,” said Shark, in the wooden voice of someone speaking carefully memorized words. “I am now wholly loyal to Wall. Manhattan is fortunate to have such a strong and experienced man as its leader.”

  I barely had time to glimpse the expression of revulsion on Wall’s face, before Major spoke. “I was manipulated and intimidated by Cage too. Now I am wholly loyal to Queens Island.”

  Major paused before continuing in a voice of overly emphasized sorrow. “I would be wholly loyal to Raeni too, but she is conspicuously absent. It’s understandable for a woman to be overcome by her grief, but Queens Island needs strong and experienced leadership in this time of crisis.”

  I heard Donnell mutter something under his breath, which sounded suspiciously like one of the obscene words that he disapproved of his officers using, then he spoke in a loud voice of barely contained fury.

  “There are hospital patients wishing to return to both Manhattan and Queens Island. I remind everyone of the alliance rules covering the safety of hospital patients. Please go to your own wings of the building to allow them to pass through Reception in peace.”

  Major immediately nodded. “Cage may not respect the rules of Sanctuary, but Queens Island does. Our peo
ple will withdraw to our wing of the building and wait there until morning.”

  “I’m sure Wall wishes Manhattan to show equal respect,” said Shark.

  Wall gave him a murderous look. “Wall can give his own orders. Manhattan will withdraw to our wing of the building and wait there until morning.”

  People in the Manhattan and Queens Island corners looked confused at this abrupt change of attitude from both Major and Shark, but turned to file through the curtains. Donnell waited until they’d all gone before speaking in a savage voice.

  “Major and Shark should go pollute themselves.”

  “If I’d had any doubts that those two were working together, I’d be fully convinced about it now,” said Machico thoughtfully. “I wonder how long it took Major to teach Shark to say the words manipulated and intimidated.”

  “Now we know what the last few hours of carefully orchestrated arguments were about,” said Donnell bitterly. “Cage’s supporters weren’t trying to start a war between Queens Island and Manhattan. They were creating a crisis to give Major an excuse to make a leadership challenge. Major’s probably calling a meeting of Queens Island right now.”

  “No, I don’t think he is,” I said. “Major said the words about waiting until morning in a heavily emphasized voice. Raeni took the leadership of Queens Island from Major here in Reception, with the whole alliance watching her do it. I think Major wants the whole alliance to watch him take his leadership back again.”

  Donnell stabbed a forefinger at me. “You’re right, Blaze. Raeni publicly humiliated Major in front of the whole alliance, and he wants to restore his status by doing the same to her. When the alliance gathers for breakfast, Major will seize the leadership of Queens Island, and that’s when our problems will really start.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Donnell ran his fingers through his hair. “If Major is going to take the leadership of Queens Island at breakfast, that means we’ve got two hours to stop him. Perhaps I should make a speech to remind everyone of how deeply Major was involved in Cage’s bid for power.”

  Machico and I both shuddered. “The other divisions are fiercely independent, Sean,” said Machico. “If you publicly intervene in the internal politics of Queens Island by making speeches, you’ll alienate the whole alliance.”

  “Wall, Ghost, and Ice will be as horrified by the prospect of Major regaining control of Queens Island as I am,” said Donnell.

  Machico sighed. “They’d be even more horrified by you taking sides in a Queens Island leadership challenge. You’ve held the alliance leadership for eighteen years because you’ve enforced the alliance rules with strictly impartial fairness, while never interfering with the other divisions’ internal politics.”

  “Machico’s right, and there’s a second reason you can’t make speeches as well.” I hesitated, trying to find the most diplomatic way to say this. “Major is clearly building his leadership challenge on two points. One is that Raeni has only led Queens Island for a few days, so she’s inexperienced. The other is that she’s a woman, which Major will argue makes her weak.”

  I paused. “If you start fighting Raeni’s battles for her when you’ve never done anything like that before, it will give the impression that you believe she’s weak too. That would undermine her position rather than help her.”

  Donnell groaned. “That’s true. Raeni has to be the one to deal with Major, but she’ll be keeping vigil over Rogue’s body, so may not be aware of what’s happening. It wouldn’t be a problem if I send a message to tell her there’s been trouble in Reception, would it? I could phrase it as being a complaint about Major’s behaviour rather than a warning.”

  “There’s a danger of Major intercepting any written messages for Raeni,” I said. “It would be safer for you to speak to either Destin or Madra. Now Rogue is gone, I think those two are Raeni’s most loyal supporters.”

  “Once we’ve got the remaining hospital patients to safety, I’ll see if I can attract the attention of someone in Queens Island,” said Donnell. “Can you go back to the hospital patients now? Send the Resistance, Queens Island, and Manhattan patients through Reception first, and then bring the off-worlders and take them up to the sixth floor of the Resistance wing.”

  “Are you sure it’s necessary to take the off-worlders all the way up to the sixth floor?” I asked. “It would be easier to get Phoenix to one of the empty rooms on the ground floor of our wing.”

  “The off-worlders aren’t going to be safe with just a curtain between them and Reception,” said Donnell grimly. “If Major succeeds in his leadership challenge, he’ll use his old tactic of uniting Queens Island by inciting hatred against outside groups. Since Major is working closely with Shark and Malice, he may not want to push the conflict with Manhattan too far, and the off-worlders are the obvious alternative target.”

  I nodded, hurried back through the curtain to Sanctuary, and along the corridor to where the group of patients were waiting. Nadira was leaning over where Phoenix was slumped in her wheelchair, checking her pulse, but turned to look anxiously at me.

  “The shouting suddenly stopped. Is that good or bad?”

  “People have gone back to their own wings of the building now,” I said. “Donnell and I need to get all of you through Reception while things are quiet. Everyone from the Resistance, Manhattan, and Queens Island should go ahead. I’ll be bringing the off-worlders in a couple of minutes.”

  “You aren’t going to help guard us as we go through Reception?” asked the same resentful male voice that had complained about the patients from Brooklyn and London going through Reception first.

  I turned to look for the speaker, saw it was Wasp from Manhattan, and had to fight not to laugh. Until four days ago, he’d been strutting around making sneering remarks about the uselessness of a female deputy alliance leader. Then he’d gone out with Vijay’s hunting party, stood on a roof to shoot arrows at geese, and the roof had collapsed under his weight, badly injuring his leg.

  Wasp’s surface wounds had been easily treated with regrowth ointment, but we didn’t have the expert knowledge needed to use ancient medicines on internal injuries, so those would have to heal naturally. Now that Wasp was hobbling on crutches, he’d clearly realized how vulnerable he’d be in a fight, and was whining about wanting that same despised female deputy alliance leader to defend him.

  To make the situation even funnier, Wasp had been one of Cage’s most devoted supporters, and close friends with both Shark and Malice. Now Wasp wanted me to defend him from trouble being stirred up by his own friends, and was scared that stepping outside the building might mean Cage shot him by mistake.

  I did my best to keep my voice neutral as I replied. “Donnell and all his officers are waiting in Reception, ready to watch over you as you go through. My orders are to act as your rear guard. Go quickly now.”

  Wasp hurried off, his crutches making loud clicking noises on the floor. The other patients followed, with a nurse pushing the woman in a wheelchair, but Nadira stayed with us.

  “I think Donnell was expecting you to go with the others, Nadira,” I said.

  She gave a stubborn shake of her head. “I stay with my patient.”

  I accepted that, and waited until my gun’s tracking display showed the other patients and the nurse had reached their wings of the building.

  “We move now,” I said, and led the way along the corridor, and through the curtain into Reception. As our group entered the room, Donnell came over to look at Phoenix, and frowned.

  “Phoenix, there are some mattresses just inside the Resistance wing. Would you like to lie down on one of them? You could rest for an hour or two, before we carry you up to the sixth floor.”

  Phoenix had been slumped down in her wheelchair, but now she forced herself to sit upright. “No. I understand we’ll be much safer behind the steel security door on the sixth floor. We should go there at once.”

  “If that’s what you prefer.” Donnell glanced back at his
officers. “I obviously can’t trust Luther and Julien to stop arguing while they carry Phoenix upstairs, so can Weston and Vijay help her, please?”

  I went ahead to hold the Resistance curtain open for the others, and saw there were a couple of mattresses blocking the way forward, but Tad hastily went through the curtain to tug them aside. Braden pushed Phoenix’s wheelchair to the foot of the stairs, and Weston and Vijay each grabbed an arm of the chair and lifted it up.

  Tad gave them a worried look. “You’re a little old to try carrying Phoenix upstairs. You’d better let me and Braden do it.”

  I winced. Weston and Vijay were notoriously sensitive about comments on their age.

  “Are you going to strangle Tad, Vijay,” asked Weston, “or do you want me to do it?”

  “I was considering using him as a target for archery practice,” said Vijay.

  Weston laughed. “A tempting thought, or we could just go back to the old idea of throwing him off the roof.”

  I heard a gasp from Phoenix, and Tad took a nervous step backwards.

  “Please don’t make jokes about throwing Tad off the roof,” I said.

  “Were we joking, Vijay?” asked Weston.

  “I wasn’t entirely joking,” said Vijay.

  “That’s enough!” I said sharply. “You’re frightening Phoenix.”

  “Yes, the pair of you should stop upsetting my patient at once,” said Nadira, in a forbidding voice. “Otherwise you’ll find your next injury requires unusually painful treatment.”

  Weston sighed. “We could settle for explaining some basic facts to Tad rather than killing him.”

  “You can explain your basic facts while carrying Phoenix up the stairs,” said Nadira sternly.

  Weston and Vijay led the way up the stairs, effortlessly carrying Phoenix between them. “The point that Tad doesn’t seem to understand,” said Vijay, “is that we’ve been frontline Resistance fighters since Donnell first raised the Earth Resistance flag.”

  “Exactly,” said Weston. “We’re still alive after over thirty years of combat. That proves we aren’t just incredibly handsome, witty, and charming, but strong, fast, and lethal in all forms of warfare as well. Anyone who casually dismisses us as being old is making a grave and probably fatal mistake.”