The White Fox Chronicles

by Gary Paulsen

  Rachel took his advice and soon found herself on a ledge. She stumbled onward and stepped through a curtain of brush.

  She stopped and held her breath. It was amazing. Hidden deep in the heart of the cliff was a whole village. Children were running and playing while women dressed in skins sat near cave entrances making baskets and cooking.

  The scene was right out of prehistoric times, except that these people spoke English and one of them now carried Cody’s submachine gun.

  CHAPTER 20

  “Rise and shine, Cody. Breakfast is ready.”

  “Uggh. Get that lumpy stuff away from me. For the past two weeks all I’ve had to eat is mush. Can’t you get me some real food?”

  Rachel frowned. “Keep your voice down. These people saved your life and now you’re complaining about the food? And it’s been three weeks. You were unconscious for most of the first one.”

  “Whatever. Tell the big cheese to give me my clothes back and I’ll go get my own food.” Cody shyly pulled the hide blanket up a little higher on his chest.

  “His name is Samuel. And if it wasn’t for him …”

  “Your young friend may be right.” Samuel stepped through the small cave entrance. He was a tall man with skin tanned by the sun. His blue eyes seemed to laugh when he spoke. “If the patient is complaining, it’s a sure sign that he’s improving.”

  Cody fidgeted with the edge of the hide. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done. Rachel told me how your hunting party found us and brought us here. It must have been a hard decision to expose your people to outsiders like that. You’ve got your own little world up here. A perfect hiding spot from the CCR.”

  Samuel shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. You’re Americans and so are we.” He turned to go. “I’ll bring your clothes. But take it slow, okay? We didn’t heal you so that you could start moving around too soon and make yourself sick again.”

  “Thanks, Samuel.”

  “I guess you want me to take this back to the cook?” Rachel held out the bowl.

  Cody made a face and sighed. “Oh, I guess I can force it down one more time. Heck, I used to eat worse than this all the time in the prison camp.”

  Rachel handed him the bowl. “Are you still planning on going back there?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? Nothing’s changed.”

  “It’s just that … never mind. When were you thinking of leaving?”

  “As soon as my arm can do what I tell it to.” Cody stopped eating. “Look, Rachel, you don’t have to come. I can tell you like it here. This is my own private war. Stay with these people. They’ll be glad to have you.”

  “Don’t talk like that. You need me. At least you have so far. You’d probably be lying in a ditch somewhere if you hadn’t met me.”

  Cody rubbed the back of his head. “Or had one less concussion.”

  A young boy stepped into the cave carrying Cody’s clothes. “Uncle Samuel said to bring these.” He stared at Cody’s wound. “Is it true what they say about you? That you are strong and able to defeat the CCR?”

  Cody looked at Rachel and raised one eyebrow. “What have you been telling these people about me?”

  A light red flush crawled across Rachel’s cheeks. “Nothing much. Are you through with that bowl?”

  Cody handed it to her and winked at the boy. “Thanks for bringing my clothes. Now if you two will excuse me …”

  He waited until he was alone and pulled his clothes on under the blanket. Then he threw back the hide and stood up. Walking was easy for him. He’d been practicing when no one was around. He walked across the floor and flexed his muscles. His shoulder was still incredibly sore but he could use it and he knew it was time to go.

  “Looks like we are pretty good healers.”

  Cody turned around. Samuel was standing in the opening. “I brought you this.” The tall man handed him a leather bridle. “I want you to have the pick of the horses we have corralled below. And don’t forget your gun. Rachel keeps it wrapped in that bag in the corner.”

  “You knew I was leaving?”

  “When Rachel told us of your mission, I assumed you would leave the instant you were able.”

  “There is no way I can thank you enough for all you’ve done—but I wonder if I could ask one more thing.”

  “Of course.”

  “It’s Rachel. She doesn’t really understand how rough it’s going to be.…”

  “And you want us to keep her here with us?”

  “Would you?”

  Samuel nodded. “I’ll go and tell the others to keep her occupied for a while.”

  Cody extended his hand. “Thank you. If I’m ever back this way, I’ll be sure and look you up.”

  “You will always be welcome.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Mike jumped on him and licked every part of his face. Cody hugged him with both arms. “I’ve missed you too.”

  The stocky dog barked as if he understood every word.

  “They tell me you’ve been keeping an eye on my things down here. That’s a good boy. Just as soon as I can catch one of these horses we’ll load him up and be on our way. What do you say?”

  Mike barked again and ran alongside Cody into the corral.

  Cody shook out the bridle and tried for the nearest horse. It danced sideways, easily staying out of his reach.

  “Something tells me this could be harder than it looks, boy. You wait outside. I think you’re scaring them.”

  Mike obediently went to the edge of the fence and sat down. Cody shook out the bridle again and edged up to a large sorrel. He put his hand out and the horse snorted, whirled and kicked, narrowly missing him.

  “Need some help with that?” Rachel called from behind him.

  Cody’s shoulders slumped. “What are you doing here?”

  “I saw you trying to run out on me and I thought I’d follow along to see how far you could make it without my help. From here it doesn’t look like you’ve gotten too far.”

  “I wasn’t running out on you. It’s better for you if you stay here.”

  “Listen, macho man. I’m a big girl and I’ll decide what’s best for me.” Rachel stepped into the corral and took the bridle. “My parents used to run a horse farm, remember?”

  Effortlessly she wrapped one end of a rein around the sorrel’s neck. Then she slid the headstall over his face and fastened it. “Here.” She held the reins out to Cody and then ducked under the bottom fence rail and ran back to the ladder. “You could have at least said goodbye.”

  Cody dropped the reins and trotted after her. “Rachel, wait.” He took hold of her arm. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have just left like that. I’m sorry.”

  Rachel looked past him. “You’re forgiven. And Cody …?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I kind of got used to having you around.” She looked away. “It would be awful if you got killed.”

  She moved quickly up the ladder and Cody watched her until she was out of sight and he thought, You’ve got that right, Rachel. It would be just awful.

  CHAPTER 1

  The blistering sun beat down on them without mercy. The hot air was thick and still and every breath was a struggle. There was no shade in sight, nothing but shimmering white sand for miles in any direction.

  The horse stumbled and dropped, first to his knees and then all the way down. Cody stood facing him, tugging on the reins. “Come … on. Don’t quit on me now.”

  Mike barked and nipped halfheartedly at the horse’s back feet but the exhausted animal wouldn’t budge.

  Cody stopped pulling. His arms ached and every movement was a strain. A trickle of salty sweat ran into his eyes. He didn’t try to wipe it away. Instead, he slowly crawled to the horse and started unloading the canvas bags and boxes that were tied on its back.

  When he finished, Cody lay down beside the horse to take advantage of what little shade its body offered. The dog joined him.

  “I really got us into a jam th
is time, Mike.” He ruffled the dog’s ears. “Maybe what we need to do now is take a break. Just a short one …” He put his arm up to shield his eyes from the sun’s fierce rays.

  They had started across the sand more than two days earlier. Cody had hoped that this route would prove to be a shortcut to his destination in the desert.

  But he’d been wrong. Now he was smack in the middle of seemingly endless dunes that led nowhere. Lying on the searing gypsum, he could feel his thoughts slowly slipping into delirium and he struggled to keep himself alert. Think, he chided himself. If you lose it now you’re done for. Don’t forget who you are and why you’re here. There are people depending on you.

  CHAPTER 2

  “I say we go ahead with our plans. Now that we have the guns and grenades we need …”

  “No, Landers. They belong to the kid. As much as we need the stuff, we better wait and see what he was doing with them. Chances are he was carrying those things to someone who needs them a lot worse.”

  Landers spit on the ground in disgust. “Come on, Jake. What would a kid be doing with this kind of equipment unless he stole it? He was probably on his way to sell it to the highest underground bidder. I say we take it.”

  The tall gray-headed man named Jake pulled the hood of his sand-colored poncho back and turned to look at the boy sleeping on the cot across the room. “If my hunch is right, that’s no ordinary kid.” He put his hand on Landers’ shoulder. “Before we can do anything, we’ve got an army to train. Let’s get to it.”

  Landers rolled his eyes and held the tent flap open. “Some army. A couple of old men and a handful of homeless kids.”

  Cody had listened to the entire exchange but thought it best not to let the men know he was awake until he was a little more sure of his surroundings.

  After they left the tent he opened his eyes. He was lying on a hard cot inside a large off-white canvas tent. There were a desk and two chairs in one corner and a locked trunk near the back wall.

  Carefully he rolled off the cot and crawled to the door. It was late afternoon. He could see that the camp was small and was set up on the edge of the sand near several trees and a small pool of water.

  Outside he could hear the men barking orders. Cody moved away from the door. There was nothing here to tell him where he was or what kind of people had found him. His eyes fell on the trunk. He edged over to it and reached into his shirt pocket for the piece of wire he always carried.

  Expertly he picked the lock and swung the lid open. Inside were maps, clothes and a picture of a tall man standing beside an F-119, the same kind of plane his dad had flown.

  “Find anything in there that interests you?”

  Cody spun around in a crouched position, his hands up ready to defend himself. The man in the picture was standing in the door with his arms folded.

  “Not much.” Cody straightened. “Where am I and why did you bring me here?”

  The man unfolded his arms and moved to one of the chairs. “You are in the camp of what’s left of G Company, United States Army. I’m Jake Christmas, Major. And I rescued you because you looked like you needed it. Now, you answer my questions. What’s your name and what in Sam Hill are you doing out here alone carrying that small arsenal?”

  Cody chose his words carefully. “My name is Cody, Cody Pierce. I’m on my way to … help some people out of a bad situation.”

  Jake sat quietly for a few seconds. He watched Cody warily. “I’ve seen the wanted posters on you. You’re the White Fox. They say you escaped from one of their toughest prison camps and that you might be responsible for blowing up a weapons storage facility and killing the Republic guards who were stationed there.”

  “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Cody tried to act nonchalant. “Listen, I really appreciate your bringing me here. I would probably have died out there. Maybe sometime I can return the favor but now I need to be on my way.” He paused. “Did my horse and dog make it?”

  “Sorry, I had to put your horse down. He was all in. But your dog is fine. He’s pretty tough. One of the kids is taking care of him. About returning that favor …”

  Cody cocked his head suspiciously. “What do you want?”

  “Right now, if you feel up to it, I’d like you to take a walk through camp with me. After that, we’ll discuss how you can pay me back.”

  CHAPTER 3

  The bright sunlight made Cody squint. His eyes still burned from hours of staring at the glistening white sand.

  His initial impression of the camp had been correct. It was on the fringe of a sand dune with only a handful of tents in a semicircle around a central compound.

  Jake stopped on the edge of the grounds. A short stocky man with light brown hair cut in a flattop was standing in front of a group of kids, holding Cody’s machine gun and explaining how it worked. They were all wearing lightweight sand-colored ponchos.

  “Come on.” Jake motioned for him to follow. “I want you to meet my … soldiers.” He led Cody to the man who was doing the talking. “Captain Landers, meet Cody Pierce. Cody, this is Doug Landers, my next in command. And this”—he swung his hand around—“is all that’s left of G Company.”

  Landers shook Cody’s hand stiffly while the others crowded around.

  The shortest boy, who Cody guessed couldn’t be more than ten years old, weaseled his way in front of the others. A long black curl fell down on his forehead and he blew it off his face impatiently. “If you don’t want your dog anymore I’ll take him.”

  Cody raised an eyebrow. “I suspect that’ll be up to him. Mike sort of goes where he wants.”

  Jake laughed. “This is Davey. He could talk the stripes off a zebra.”

  A tall African American boy stepped close. “How come you’re so stupid you got caught out in the dunes?”

  Cody squared his shoulders and stared evenly at the boy. Finally a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I guess it was kind of stupid, wasn’t it?”

  The boy relaxed and grinned. “I’m Damian but my friends call me Slick.” He introduced the rest of the kids, pointing out each one in the circle. “This is Matt; he’s so serious because his dad was a captain and he thinks that makes him regular army. Nick Trujillo is the pretty boy in back. The redhead is Trisha. She’s the only girl in camp. And this hero is Patch.” Slick stood behind a younger boy who wore a round brown patch over his left eye. Slick slapped him playfully on the back. “He got a little too close to an exploding grenade.”

  Cody smiled. So this was Jake’s army. He thought back to when Colonel Wyman had told him that kids weren’t really needed in this war. Cody gave them all a friendly glance. “Nice to meet you guys. And thanks for putting me up. I appreciate it.”

  “Well, I guess that’s everybody,” Jake said pleasantly, “except for the Smiths. If you’re hungry we’ll go to the mess tent and you can meet them. They do all the cooking, take care of the bees and generally look after everyone in the camp.”

  “Bees?” Cody looked at him curiously.

  “It’s a hobby of theirs. They started with a nest of wild ones. Now they have several hives. We don’t mind because it keeps us in fresh honey.”

  Cody followed him to a tent with large screened windows. Three metal folding tables with benches sat in the middle and at one end hanging from a hook was the carcass of a large African oryx antelope. Eighty years before they had been planted on a missile range in New Mexico and now they were everywhere. Two elderly men were busy skinning it.

  Cody stopped when he saw them. The men were identical. They were slight in build and their skin was brown and dry like overdone bacon. Their faces were lined and the crevices in them so deep it was hard to see the color of their eyes.

  “Cody, this is Tom and Joe Smith. No one around here can ever tell them apart, so if you want one of them just holler ‘Mr. Smith’ and you’ll get an answer.”

  “This the kid you found when you were out hunting?” one of the men asked.

  Jake nodded.<
br />
  “He stayin’ for supper?” the other one questioned.

  “He hasn’t said yet.” Jake turned to Cody. “Are you?”

  “Am I invited?”

  “Don’t have to be invited around here.” One of the twins started carving on the carcass again. “All you have to do is show up to the table.”

  “In that case,” Cody said, rubbing his empty stomach, “I’m staying.”

  CHAPTER 4

  “Have a chair, Cody. Captain Landers and I have a proposition for you.”

  Cody chewed his lip and settled down in one of the hard wooden chairs in Jake’s tent.

  Jake paced the floor twice and then stopped in front of him. “First let me tell you that just because I saved your life, your dog and your supplies—not to mention the fact that we fed you—I don’t want you to feel obligated to do what we’re about to ask.”

  Cody’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not so sure I like where this is heading.”

  Jake grinned, then took a deep breath and ran his hand through his gray hair. “The captain and I need your help.”

  Landers cleared his throat. “And your weapons.”

  Cody shook his head. “I’d like to help you out but that stuff is earmarked. I have a private score to settle with the CCR.”

  “We could take it from you,” Landers said irritably.

  The chair Cody was sitting in creaked as he leaned back against the tent wall. He fixed Landers with a quiet look. “I can absolutely guarantee that you wouldn’t have them long.”

  The tension in the room was thick. Landers started to say something, then let it die off.

  Jake broke the silence. “We have no intention of stealing anything from you, Cody. We’re all Americans here and we’re all working for the good of what’s left of our country. Captain Landers was out of line.” He unfolded a large map and smoothed it out on the table. “Will you at least listen to what I have to say?”

  “Sure.” Cody let his chair drop. “I owe you that much.”