The oasis was a stunning place. Megan hadn’t had a good look yet because she was tending to Toa and his wounds. Natia and Masina were drinking from the stream further up and resting in the shade. Though Megan had been doing the heavy lifting she had the bonus of the strength atramento. Clearly the two had been on limited rations for a long time so they were weak. She just wished she had some food for them.
Megan decided to focus on Toa and answered his question. “The atramento store up energy from our own electromagnetic fields. When we are calm and peaceful, these can be quite powerful. But the stores are limited. The longer we are at peace the stronger the atramento become but you have only had them for a week.”
The wounds on his chest were the worst. They were ragged and bruised around the edges. The bullets themselves weren’t in the wounds at least. He just needed time and he would heal. Megan had already pulled out all the shrapnel in his back. That had been tricky and bloody work. As her fingers had kept slipping on the wet pieces of metal embedded in his back.
Toa ran a hand over the atramento on his chest. “I can’t believe what these can do. How the hell doesn’t everyone know about these?”
She shrugged and settled in to tell the story. At least it distracted her from how close he had come to dying.
“Halcyon, a friend of our family. Well, she is super clever and she is friends with Warren. Warren, he likes old languages. Hal used to talk to him about his work even though her field is Bioware. But she got cancer. Leukaemia, I think. I was really young at that stage. Hal realised the words Warren were studying appeared a lot like a structure which can be found at a micro-level in the body. She figured out an interface between the language and the body. Don’t ask me how she did that. I just know she is a genius. That are the atramento. The word and where it is placed on the body are important as they need to interact with the EM fields on your body. There is something in the ink. You will need to ask Natasha about that as she keeps that a secret.”
Toa said, “So one of the atramento makes me bulletproof, well sort of, but then why did a knife work on me.”
Megan said, “The atramento are connected to your brain. Your subconscious must have realised the knife cut wasn’t going to kill you and allowed it. This is useful as it means you can get other tattoos and get injections and things. I suppose if someone was afraid of needles, they wouldn’t be able to get injections but considering the atramento are put in with needles I doubt that will ever be a problem.”
She finished cleaning up the wounds on his chest. His shirt was a complete mess so he would need to do without for the moment.
Toa asked as he tried to sit up, “But where did these atramento, words whatever they are, come from?”
Megan sat back now his wounds were tended to and said, “Hal and Warren have a theory. They believe all humans used to have the atramento. But they weren’t very fertile. One day they started having lots of kids but the kids didn’t have the atramento. We are those kids. Where the original humans are, Warren can’t say, but he says there is evidence there was a superior race around and that we lost a lot of that technology. The Egyptians had things like batteries and antibiotics long before they were invented by modern man. There are plenty of stories like this.”
Toa snorted. “So you don’t think it was aliens?”
She chuckled. “No.”
Natia came up to them hesitantly. Megan decided she would give them some time and went to the river to get a drink. The canyon was lovely. Her father would love this place as it showed a wide variety of biodiversity. This was what the new world would look like once the climate settled enough that water was no longer an issue.
Megan studied the cliffs of the canyon and thought it would be amazing if she could suspend pods from the walls. They would have a spectacular view without having to use the limited space on the canyon floor. Maybe even suspend a Weather Shield plant over the canyon.
Megan turned when she was called. Natia had settled down to sit next to Toa. He motioned to her and Megan walked over. Toa asked, “How long before you think we can move?”
Megan said, “We need to wait for your wounds to heal. That way we can both carry someone.”
Megan glanced over to his mother. She had been valiant and hadn’t said anything about the pace they had kept but she knew Masina wasn’t up for a long trek. Even Natia who was stronger was still in need of some rest.
___
The sun had set and the air was cool with a soft breeze. Toa got up with a groan. He was still in pain even though all the wounds had closed over. He didn’t have any trouble walking around in the dark especially as the others had all settled down to sleep and were quiet. He made his way away from the fire where his sister and mother were sleeping. Megan was a little further off. He had some unfinished business with his wife so he settled down to lie down next to her.
Toa knew she was awake but he didn’t say anything for a long time. He wasn’t sure how to say what he needed to say.
He reached out and caught a strand of her hair and let it drag through his fingers. He kept his body still though he wanted more than anything to move close against her.
Toa was glad she had taken herself to sleep further away from his mother and sister. He had hoped she had moved away because she wanted him to visit but he wasn’t going to hold his breathe on that wish.
Eventually he said softly, “I’m sorry.”
It seemed inadequate but anything else he wanted to say stuck in his throat. Then Megan reached out and touched his face.
Toa let out the breath he hadn’t realised he had been holding.
Her voice when she spoke was soft, “I understand, Toa.”
He leant forward and pressed his forehead to hers and added, “I know I screwed up. I should have told you what was happening.”
Megan huffed as she agreed with him. “Damn straight, you should have.”
Toa took in her scent. She was like home to him. “I didn’t want you to get hurt. But if I had come clean, you wouldn’t have followed me out into the Wildlands and put yourself at risk.”
He grunted as she hit his shoulder and pretty hard. Megan went to hit him again but he pulled her close so her arms were trapped between their bodies.
Toa whispered, “Hush, love. It’s alright.”
Megan said, “We are supposed to be partners. You know damn well that if you had told me what was up, I would have come with you. You are like so many others. You think I’m weak and dumb and you just want to tuck me out of sight so you don’t have to deal with me. You didn’t tell me because you didn’t want me there. No one seems to want me there with them.”
Toa winced at her words and realised he had made a grave mistake.
He kissed her forehead. “I didn’t mean to do that. To make you feel like that.”
Megan sniffed and he wondered if she was crying.
She said softly, a lot calmer after her rant, “You could have died. I know the atramento can help but you still could have died.”
Considering he was still recovering he didn’t doubt the atramento were fallible.
Toa kissed her cheeks and found out she really was crying. He sighed and pulled away. He was an ass. Here he wanted to cuddle with her and possibly more and she was upset with him for minimising her and risking himself.
He lay on his back and let the cool air touch him as he tried to control his needs. After a long moment he said, “I’m a soldier.”
Megan said, “I know. And I know that means you will risk your life. I understand that.”
Toa turned so his head was propped up on his arm. He wanted more than anything to look at her. He reached out and caressed her face.
Toa said in a soft voice, “I risk my life for those who I care about.”
She asked, her voice laced with hope and fear, “Am I one of those?”
His voice when he spoke again was rough with his desire, “Yes.”
Toa knew he should leave. Perhaps have a dunk in the cold stre
am.
Megan said in a bare whisper, “I care about you as well.”
She then moved up and kissed him. He hesitated. If he wanted to walk away, he would need to do it soon. She had no idea how much he wanted her.
When he moved back Megan wrapped her arms around his neck. He let her and shifted them so he was above her. He would leave in a short while he told himself. His hands moved over her. Taking in her curves. Megan wasn’t petite but she was a comfortable handful.
Toa slid his hand further up then stopped. He certainly needed to leave. He pulled back.
His breath ragged he said, “I better go.”
But when he went to stand up, her arms wrapped tighter around his neck and pulled him back. He went still, hope just a new bud and delicate.
Toa asked, “Are you sure you want me to stay. I can’t… It won’t be like our first night. I can’t just hold you.” Although that had been torture of a different kind. He wouldn’t have traded that night for anything. He had known he was leaving and he didn’t want to be a complete ass and break her heart with his selfish lust.
Megan asked, “Are you intending to leave again?”
Toa shook his head. His family was safe. Nothing could take him from her side now he had seen to all his obligations.
Her voice when she spoke was raspy and sexy as hell, “Then stay.”
His whole body quivered as hope bloomed. He let out a long breath on a soft groan. He kissed her and let his hands go where they had not dared to explore before.
Toa was gentle for himself and for her. After all he knew neither of them had been with someone else before. He ran his fingers into her hair and held her head still so he could kiss like he had always wanted to.
He said, his voice harsh with his desire, “I love the way you smell. How you manage to smell so good after all this I don’t know.”
Toa ran his nose over the skin at her throat. He had kissed girls before but nothing like this. The sense atramento was also making it hard to slow down. Her touch, her smell, were all intoxicating.
Toa closed his eyes for a second. He wished he could see her. He was grateful for what he had but he wished he could see just how beautiful she was.
He must have hesitated too long as Megan asked with some trepidation in her voice, “Toa?”
Toa sighed and shifted so she was tucked in a little closer.
He said, “I just want to take this slow Megan. I haven’t been with a woman before.”
Megan reached up and cupped his cheek. “Really?”
Toa smiled at her incredulous tone. He touched his forehead to hers. Laughter bubbled up to tickle his chest for a moment. He had forgotten how much fun she was to be around.
He kissed her lips. “Thank you.”
He could hear the frown in her voice as she asked, “For what?”
Toa kissed her lightly again. “For just being you.”
He felt her lips smile against his own. His own worries were easily swept away with desire.
Chapter Ten
Edge June 2097
Megan swore when they approached Edge.
Toa asked, “What is the matter?”
She sighed. “There are vehicles outside the Weather Shield.”
He frowned and asked, “How did they know we were heading here?”
Megan said, “There are only a certain amount of safe havens in this area and it has been getting harder for the raiders. We haven’t seen raiders in over five years in this area. We think they are completely eradicated. Your General is very gutsy to take on a Weather Shield city.”
Toa shook his head. “But you aren’t a city. You are a town and vulnerable.”
Megan frowned. They might be a town but she had set things up so a small force could hold out against a bigger force for a long time. Either they had surprised Edge and they hadn’t had time to set those in place or someone from the inside had let them in and had turned off the defences.
Not many people even knew about the shield defences, let alone knew what to do to turn them off. With her out here they would have set someone to watch for her so she doubted it was by surprise. Either way, she wasn’t happy to see the soldiers.
Megan set down Masina, who she had been carrying as she said, “We should see what is going on. You two wait here and Toa and I will sneak up closer.”
Natia shook her head. “You might be caught.”
Megan smiled at the concern in her voice. “How do you think your brother can get by so well without his sight? He has extra enhanced senses. We will hear them way before they see us or hear us. Trust us.”
Toa nodded. “She is right. You two are tired. Rest and we will be back soon.”
Once they were out of ear-shot Toa said, “I wish I could leave you with the others.”
Megan frowned at him. “Out of the two of us I’m in better shape. You have drained your atramento and I have stores from years of peaceful living. Don’t give me crap that I can’t handle myself.”
Toa caught her arm. “I didn’t say that. If I didn’t think you could handle yourself, I would have left you with the others. But I… I care, that is all.”
She shook her head at his hesitant words and added. “One day I’m going to get you to admit what you really feel. For the moment we have more important things to deal with.”
He hesitated but followed her when she moved out. They crawled on their bellies when they got closer.
Megan sighed and said in a whisper, “The gates are open. That means someone let them in.”
Toa asked, “Do you think they surrendered?”
She shook her head. “No, someone let them in.”
His voice portrayed his confusion. “Maybe the one who told them we would be heading back this way also let them in. It doesn’t have to be coincidence they have decided to take over this place.”
Megan shrugged. They could speculate as much as they liked. It wouldn’t change anything. Her town was currently occupied by a hostile force.
Toa asked, “So how are we going to get in? Sneak past the gate?”
She shook her head. “No, they will have that guarded. How good are you at swimming?”
He grinned. “Swimming is one thing you can guarantee an islander can do.”
___
The water was cold but not freezing. This water used to be deadly to swim in for long periods of time but the currents had changed and now it tracked water from the warmer south. The currents also brought in a lot of fish. This surplus of stock was why Edge even bothered with the fishing industry.
With so few animals which had survived fish was pretty the only thing left and food supplies were always well guarded. If the world’s population was larger, it wouldn’t have worked but a lot had died during the wars and the crisis time of the early days of the global warming. Many areas of the sea were also too dangerous to fish and so the stock had increased over the decades.
They all kept close to each other in the water and didn’t say anything. The water was pitch black but she could see the soft light of the shield. It glowed softly with the light it had absorbed during the day.
Megan motioned for the others to follow her. It took them awhile and they were tired as they approached the shield. It was a good thing they were all good swimmers and they knew how to handle swimming in the sea.
Megan said softly, “We can swim over to the harbour or just dive and go under the shield. What people don’t know is the Weather Shield was originally a plant which grew on top of water. The edge doesn’t go very deep.”
Toa answered, “Dive. They might have the harbour monitored.”
That was what she thought. She made sure she had Masina’s hand when she went under. Natia was stronger than her mother so she wasn’t so worried about her.
It was darker under the water but with a hand on the shield it was easy to find where it stopped and duck under it. On the other side she gasped for breath when she surfaced.
Megan asked, “Are you alright?”
They swam to the shore where it was rocky but the shield kept out the waves so it was safe enough. When the water level had risen it had taken out a lot of property on the coast. The levels had settled over time eroding away at the soil until only the more stable rock remained and became the new coastline. It would take longer for the sea to push sea sand onto all the new coastlines around the world.
Everyone was gasping for breath when they were ashore. They heard the skittle of rocks falling and they all glanced up.
A figure stepped into view and Warren said, “About time you returned. What would dad say if he knew you were out late with a boy?”
Megan grumbled at him. “Shut up and help us up there.”
Warren scrambled down and helped them off the rocks.
She asked a little breathless from the long swim, “What happened?”
Warren said, “Late yesterday they arrived and waltzed right in. They arrested a few of the people and are holding them in the tower. Noah was helping them.”
Megan swore. She couldn’t even blame it on anyone else. She had been the one to show Noah the defences. She wasn’t going to condemn Noah yet until she had all the facts. Maybe they had forced him to help.
Megan asked, “Were you just waiting for us?”
Warren winced. “Actually, we were waiting for Toa. These are soldiers and I have no idea how to get them out. Toa, he knows things like strategies and stuff. If we had Sergei, we could have asked him but they have him in the tower as well.”
Megan swore vehemently for a minute.
Toa said softly, “I will help.”
Warren said, “I know. That was never a doubt. After all, you are family and we are all dumb enough to always rescue people.”
Megan smiled at that sentiment. They were all suckers and they could blame their mother for that. Warren said, “Let us sneak back to the house and we can make some plans.”
Blind Hero Page 9
