As he flew through the air he noticed that his target limb was moving up. I’m going to miss it, he thought just before he impacted the limb below his target. His hand grabbed the limb, but as his body swung under, he felt his hands slipping off the rain soaked bark and then felt extreme pain in his left shoulder. From that point on it was a series of bouncing and tumbling off limb after limb as his body fell. He felt his ribs, on the left side, crack when they impacted a limb. He felt excruciating pain in his right thigh as it impacted another limb and he knew he’d broken it. His fall through the tree seemed to go on forever. When he finally hit the ground, he felt more pain as his left hip impacted a rock and he passed out.
#
When he finally started to regain consciousness, he became aware that breathing was difficult and his chest hurt. He kept his eyes closed as he tried to assess the damage. He could move the toes on his left foot, but his hip hurt so bad that he couldn’t move his leg. It was then that he felt rock under his right hand and he could hear something that sounded like purring. He felt something sharp biting his nose. He opened his eyes to see a blue-tinted buckskin color with bluish-white spots. And he saw very sharp, white, blood-stained teeth.
“Hey!” he yelled as he tried to move something, anything to fend off the animal.
Startled by his voice, the animal moved away a little and looked at him. When it did, he saw what looked to be a cougar, a kitten by the looks of it. It was then that he became aware of excruciating pain in the area of his right thigh. He couldn’t move to look at it, but he could feel something tearing his right pant-leg and then gnawing on his right thigh. He heard the grinding of teeth on bone coming from that general vicinity. It was then that he realized what was happening. He was lying in a cougar’s den and the cougar had cubs and he, being paralyzed, was dinner. It was then that Ben Palmer finally realized how stupid his actions had been.
21
Ted Wagner had been with his assigned group for some time before he returned to the depression that Palmer was attempting to use for a shelter. For him, this was the first opportunity he’d gotten to return and report to Palmer without someone from his new group following and watching him. It had taken him some time to decide if he wanted to give Palmer any intelligence on the group he’d joined. He had decided to tell Palmer that he was not giving him anything.
As he wandered around the campsite, he noticed that there was no sign that anyone had been there for some time. The fire-ring was stone cold and the bows that Palmer had placed for protection against the elements were in need of repair. As he was looking for tracks, Jax Hornsby and Nels Osterlund were striding across the open ground towards him.
“Where’s Palmer?” Osterlund asked as he came to the fire-ring.
“I have no idea,” Wagner responded. “I was expecting him to still be here, but I can find no sign of him.”
“Well, he had to build this shelter,” Hornsby said. “It didn’t build itself. Where did you get the bow, Wagner?”
“The leader of my group gave it to me,” Wagner responded. “They needed hunters and since I had some minor skill with a bow, I was appointed. I’ve been trying to do some hunting for game.”
“Any luck?” Osterlund asked.
“None, yet,” Wagner answered.
“So, now what do we do?” Hornsby asked.
“Well, we could try to leave a message carved into the log of the shelter,” Wagner said. “If we put it on the outside face, I’m sure he’ll see it.” Wagner pulled out his twelve-inch machete and started carving on the log. “Are you two coming back here to report?”
“I don’t know,” Osterlund said. “I’m pretty sure that I won’t be able to get back here until spring. I was lucky to get away this time.”
“I don’t know either,” Hornsby responded. “I’m not being watched too closely, at present, but I’m not in the group, yet. They mentioned Declan Griffen and keep asking if I’m going to disrupt their lives like he did.”
“What does that mean?” Osterlund asked.
“They won’t tell me the details,” Hornsby said, “so I’m hoping, at some point, they will. Right now, I’m just an outsider doing work for them before they allow me into the group. Who knows, I could be back here at any time because they rejected me.”
“I, for one, will not be back, if I can help it,” Wagner said as he continued to carve on the log-face. “Palmer was going to try to start a war with all the different groups and he wanted information on the groups to be used to instigate it.”
“Yeah, we know,” Osterlund said, “and I don’t like that idea. It could get us killed if we’re caught trying to be agitators. I happen to like most of the people in my group.”
“That’s the way I feel about it,” Wagner said as he finished the roughly carved message, “which is why I won’t be back, unless I absolutely have to. That should do it.”
All three men stood for a minute looking at the message before they broke away and headed back to their respective groups.
#
Murdock, Emily, and Declan had just left Reyes’ compound and were heading toward the ridge further downriver.
“I’m not sure I like this idea,” Emily said from her position beside the cart.
“Why is that?” Murdock asked.
“The last time we were there, we didn’t exactly make many friends,” Emily responded. “I’m not sure it will be worth the effort. Rogers, Tutt, and whoever is in charge of Carter’s group should know that winter is coming soon and should be making their final preparations for a long winter.”
“I don’t want it said I didn’t try to warn them,” Murdock said as he pulled the cart.
“I think you’re being a lot nicer to them than they’ve been to you,” Declan said as he walked beside Murdock on the opposite side of the cart from Emily. “I don’t think most are worth warning!”
Murdock chuckled: “If Mei Lee heard you say that, she’d say that I’d corrupted you.”
“Well, being inside your mind on our last sharing was an eye-opener,” Declan responded. “I guess I’d been sheltered too much. I never knew people could be so cruel. I was raised to be nice.”
“So, what happened?” Murdock asked chuckling. “If you put people under stress, civility goes right out the window.”
“I don’t understand Reyes,” Emily joined in. “I thought you’d been quite respectful with her prior to that last meeting.”
“You ever take a toy away from a child?” Murdock asked. “Reyes and her guards were all keyed up to take out some of their frustrations on Phylicia, Heather, and Kimberly. I was the key player in stopping it and Declan didn’t help by besting Bass Heartly so easily. Add to that the arrow I caught when someone shot at Annie.”
Emily and Declan nodded their understanding.
#
A few hours before sundown, Murdock, Declan, and Emily were making camp inside the cave that Beron had made for them.
“This place looks somewhat familiar,” Declan said as they entered.
“I’m surprised,” Murdock said as he deposited his load of wood beside the fire-ring in the center of the main room. “You were pretty well out of it the last time you were here.”
“Yeah, you were pretty bad off,” Emily added as she got a fire going.
Murdock left to levitate the cart into the cave entrance and get more firewood. When he returned a short time later, he laid the wood close to the fire-ring. Emily and Declan had done their part by getting some venison cooking. When it was cooked, they all sat around the fire enjoying the hot meat after their long trek.
“What kind of reception are you expecting from the rest of the groups?” Declan asked as he chewed.
“I’m expecting a chillier reception from the remaining three groups than we got from Reyes,” Murdock said after he’d swallowed what he was chewing on.
“That would be rather arctic. Do you always expect the worse?” Emily asked.
“When dealing with people, I expect
the worse, but I hope for the best,” Murdock answered.
“That seems kind of negative, to me,” Emily stated.
“If I expect the best and it doesn’t happen, I’ll be at a disadvantage. My way I get to be pleasantly surprised if I’m wrong.”
“And how many times have you been wrong?” Declan asked.
“Far too seldom,” Murdock said.
#
Within a couple of hours of finishing breakfast, Murdock, Declan, and Emily were just outside the guard post of Emily’s old group’s site. They had managed to stop one of the men going to the river for fish and had requested to talk to Keith Rogers, or whoever was in charge. When the man left to return to the campsite, they had followed and were promptly stopped by the guard.
“You’re not welcome here,” the guard said to Emily and Declan.
“We aren’t here to impose on your hospitality,” Murdock said interposing himself between the guard and Emily after dropping the handles of the cart. “Pick up the cart and make ready to leave in a hurry if things go badly,” Murdock flashed to Declan.
Declan responded by taking up the cart and had pulled Emily’s arm a little to get her to back away from the guard.
The guard scowled and looked Murdock up and down a few times. “I remember you,” the guard said curtly. “You nearly broke my leg with that spear of yours!”
“Well, I didn’t, obviously, else you’d be nursing it,” Murdock replied bluntly. “Pick up your feet next time. I can tell it didn’t improve your manners.” Murdock could see the guard’s jaw muscles tense and loosen rhythmically and saw his hand drift to his twelve-inch machete hanging on his belt. Murdock’s hand drifted to his own machete.
“You have caused enough problems,” the guard started, “and I don’t know why I should bother to grant your request.”
“I don’t see that our business with the man in charge is any of your concern,” Murdock responded coolly. “What I have to say to…Rogers is it? What I have to say to him he might be interested in hearing.”
“Tell me and I’ll make sure it gets to him,” the guard suggested with a surly tone.
“I’ve come too far to put up with a surly lackey who places himself higher than he should,” Murdock responded sternly. “If you want to pull that machete, then do so. You’re likely to get a big surprise.” By the expression on his face, Murdock could tell the guard was thinking about it. Slowly the guards hand moved away from his machete and Murdock matched his action.
“What the hell is going on here,” a thirty-something man yelled as he came up to the guard post.
“Keith Rogers, this is Murdock,” Emily said over the top of Murdock’s head.
Both men looked each other up and down a few times.
“What do you want?” Rogers asked with derision.
“Don’t worry,” Murdock replied, “We’re not here to impose. We’ve come to inform you that winter is coming.”
“I’d already figured that out,” Rogers quipped.
“Good! That tells me you’re not as clueless as I first thought,” Murdock retorted. “If true, then you are already aware that it will be bitter cold and the river will freeze, leaving your people without that food source.”
“I’m sure you’re exaggerating,” Rogers replied condescendingly. “It would have to get pretty cold to stop the river flow.”
“Ah, so you’re into ice fishing,” Murdock said sarcastically. “I’m sure your people will appreciate that about you when they’re all standing on the frozen river trying to catch something with the clothes they have available. Freezing to death is much more pleasant than starvation!”
“Our needs will be met,” Rogers said dismissively. “Besides, it isn’t your problem, is it?”
“We’ll be back after the spring thaw, if for no other reason than to bury you. You might want to consider working with someone outside your group, or are you not interested in being something more than a pack of wolves.” “We’re leaving. Head downriver,” Murdock flashed to Declan and Emily as he turned away.
#
“Quiet, for a while,” Murdock flashed to the pair as he brought up the rear of their little column. “Be on alert. We may be attacked.”
“That is likely,” flashed to his mind from Declan.
“Watching,” flashed to him from Emily.
Murdock was moving quickly and quietly up behind the pair with the cart and only cringed a few times when they made too much noise. At least they’re learning, he thought.
#
A few hours later, Murdock, Declan, and Emily had cleared the trees. Murdock had spotted three people walking away from a point in the distance. One was heading away from the river. Another was heading toward the river, and the third was heading in their general direction.
“We have three individuals in the distance,” Murdock reported.
Declan was blocking the sun with both hands while scanning the distance. “I don’t see anything,” he said after a short time.
“Nevertheless, they are there. One is heading in this general direction.”
“Who are they?” Emily asked straining to see into the distance.
“They’re too far away to see who they are,” Murdock reported. “Move a little towards the river and we should intercept the one heading this way. I want to know who they are and what they’re doing out here.”
#
“It’s the guard Mei Lee shot when we were helping the Doctor after her rape,” Murdock piped in after an hour or more of walking in the direction of the river. Declan and Emily jumped a little after so long a time of being quiet and straining to hear anything moving close at hand.
“You two wait here,” Murdock said as he began to trot toward the person heading their way.
A few minutes later, Murdock was standing in front of the man he’d recognized, scowling. He didn’t know his name, but he did remember his actions.
“What do you want, Murdock?” the man asked dismissively.
“How’s the hand?” Murdock asked snappishly. “I want to know who you are and what you’re doing out here?”
“Jax Hornsby. My hand is fine. None of your business,” Hornsby responded blankly.
“That tells me that you are up to no good,” Murdock said continuing to glare at the man. “Who were the other two you met with?”
“I’m busy,” Hornsby said derisively and tried to push past Murdock.
Murdock grabbed the offending wrist and had Hornsby’s arm in an arm-bar and face down on the tall, dry grass.
“All right, all right,” Hornsby said anxiously. “No need to break my arm!”
“Out here, in these miles and miles of miles and miles, you shouldn’t shove someone aside,” Murdock chided. “Now then, one more time. Who were you meeting and for what purpose?”
“Ted Wagner and Nels Osterlund,” Hornsby said begrudgingly.
“For what purpose?” Murdock asked as he applied a little more pressure to Hornsby’s elbow. Hornsby grunted a little, but was silent.
“Palmer,” Hornsby yelled finally, once the pain in his elbow convinced him to talk. “Palmer told us to!”
“So, Palmer told you to meet him, for what reason?” Murdock asked again and applied pressure on Hornsby’s elbow until the man screamed in pain.
“Okay, I’ll tell you everything. Just let me up,” Hornsby finally capitulated. “Some time ago,” Hornsby started as Murdock let loose of the arm-bar and he got to his feet, “we were sent to the three groups in this area. We were supposed to watch and keep a low profile and report back. We all came back and couldn’t find Palmer.”
“Did you have a specified time to come back?” Murdock asked.
“No, we didn’t.”
“So, you think it’s just a coincidence that all three of you show up at the same time and I happen to come along as well?”
“I really hadn’t thought about it,” Hornsby said with a shrug.
“Well, I think we need to investigate it and you’
re coming along,” Murdock said sternly. “You can come quietly or you can come restrained, either way, you’re coming.”
Hornsby hung his head as he walked in front of Murdock taking his directions.
“I’m heading to the cliff edge with Hornsby,” Murdock flashed to Declan and Emily. “You two can proceed and we’ll intercept you. Just keep your eyes open and be careful. If something comes up, let me know.”
Murdock and Hornsby intercepted Declan and Emily, sometime later, not far from the triangular depression that Palmer had chosen for his shelter. Murdock had called for a halt on the side of the make-shift shelter that was furthest away from the terrace edge. He then began to look around the shelter. He inspected everything, sometimes using his twelve-inch machete to lift things up. Declan, Emily, and Hornsby were at a loss as to the whys and wherefores of Murdock’s actions. As they watched, they saw Murdock walk out of the depression and follow some trail away from the river. Murdock suddenly stopped and motioned for the others to join him.
“Did you look this far from the shelter?” Murdock asked Hornsby once the three had reached him.
“No. Well, I didn’t. I don’t know what Wagner did. He had gotten to the shelter before we did,” Hornsby explained.
“Did you find something?” Emily asked. She had been watching Hornsby, suspiciously, ever since he joined their little expedition.
“I think you’re wasting your time,” Hornsby said derisively. “You can’t tell anything from looking at the ground!”
“I can tell Palmer had a hard night when it last rained. At that time, he had finished off the remains of a fish he’d caught and had made more than one trip this way,” Murdock pointed away from the river, “and he wanted to be able to find something after his first trip.”
“How do you know all that?” Hornsby asked. “I think you’re just making it all up,” he scoffed.
Civilization Page 35
