He was more livid because Metzger had been too cowardly to face him in the clearing with a weapon when Murdock had first shown himself. Metzger had obviously cut off Collier’s thumb while he was still conscious for the sole purpose of causing more pain.
He walked over to Metzger and tucked the thumb in his shirt pocket.
“Souvenir of your bravery,” he said sarcastically to Metzger.
Murdock retrieved his spear and stood to leave.
“Where are you going?” Rose asked him quietly.
“Fishing,” he said as he stormed toward the stream. When he got close to Metzger, he stopped and turned to Rose. “This one gives you any grief —” Murdock tapped the center of Metzger’s chest. “Right here! Center shot!”
“Okay. Hurry back?” Rose asked.
“I’ll be back as quick as I can,” he told Rose with a slight smile. “Take care of the other two.”
Murdock stomped off toward the stream. It took him no time to get two fairly large fish and return to the camp. He had hoped the walk would cool his temper. But no such luck.
That is where I found Rose, he thought. Seems like a lifetime ago. It’s not far from the clearing we invaded last night. Not far at all. There must be something about this place that makes them feel safe to do their dastardly deeds here.
He sat close to the fire, cleaned the fish, and put some on skewers to cook.
“May I please have a few bits of the fish?” Mei Lee asked very quietly, head bowed.
Murdock could tell her eyes were swollen shut, but why was she so quiet and subservient?
“You can have some now, or you can have some when they’re cooked,” Murdock told her. “Whatever you want.”
“May I have one bite of raw, thank you?” she asked quietly.
Murdock shrugged and gave her a large chunk of raw fish. She had taken several small bites when Collier stirred.
“Mei Lee,” Collier said groggily. “Are you okay?”
Mei Lee got up and went to his side, following the sound of his voice. She began giving him small pieces of the raw fish, and he accepted them gratefully. Watching them, Murdock was reminded how he had cared for Rose when she was so battered and broken. He sat sticking the twelve-inch machete into the ground between his feet, thinking and remembering.
“What’s wrong?” Rose asked softly as she walked up behind him and touched his shoulder lightly.
“Do you love me?” Murdock asked quietly.
“With all my heart,” Rose said softly. “You’re the best man I’ve ever known.”
“If you could, would you change anything about me?” he asked, looking down at the ground.
Rose smiled to herself, a faraway look in her eyes. “Not a thing,” she said with conviction. “If I did change something, you wouldn’t be you.”
“Will you back me one hundred percent, no matter what?” he asked.
#
Rose stiffened. She knew he was planning something she wasn’t going to like. And she knew him well enough to know that it was probably dangerous. Did she love him enough to let him do what he felt he needed to do? Time to put up or shut up, she thought. I think so, but enough to let him do what he feels he has to do, when the time comes? You’re the one who’s going to have to live with what you tell him now. Can you? He has taught me so much and given so much of himself to me. Can I do less for him?
“Yes,” Rose said softly, hanging her head.
She made sure no one saw the tear running down her cheek. She brushed it away and gently touched him.
“Can Mei Lee and Collier travel?” he asked her over his shoulder.
“Mei Lee can,” Rose told him. “Collier may take a while yet. Where are we going?” You’ve done it now! You had to ask that question, and now do you really want to hear the answer?
“To judgment,” he murmured with conviction.
He stood and jammed the twelve-inch machete back in its sheath. Rose, seeing his action, knew that he had reached a decision. No one and nothing would change his mind or deter him. And that is what scares me, she thought.
#
When the fish was cooked, Murdock and Rose offered more to Mei Lee and Collier. They gratefully accepted a minor portion.
“Well, if you’re hungry, eat,” Murdock informed them. “If you don’t, I’ll just have to throw it away.”
“What about us?” Burns pleaded. “We’re hungry, too!”
Murdock had been pacing and now stopped in front of the two prisoners.
“You two look like you need to skip a few meals,” he said with venom. “If you can find someone willing to feed you, you can eat!”
About mid-morning, Collier was standing, after a fashion. Murdock noticed how pasty he looked and how weak his legs were, but through Mei Lee’s ministrations and some food, he was up. With Mei Lee’s help and support, Collier stepped in front of Murdock on one of his circuits of the clearing. Murdock stopped, noticing how emaciated they both were.
“Mister Murdock,” Collier started, “I would like to thank you for all you did for Mei Lee. I really do owe you a debt I can never repay.” Collier spoke softly and his voice trembled, but Murdock heard the sincerity in his voice.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said to both of them, trying to step around the pair.
“I’m serious. Mei Lee means everything to me,” Collier said emphatically, blocking Murdock’s path. “It’s a debt I intend to repay, as soon as I can figure out how.”
“Just treat her right,” Murdock told him gently. “That’ll be repayment enough.”
On one of his circuits of the clearing, he found Collier’s clothes and handed them over. He accepted them and, after giving Mei Lee his shirt, they both got dressed as Murdock continued to pace.
A few hours later, after Collier was moving a little better, Murdock untied the prisoners as Rose covered them with the bow. He got them on their feet and tied their hands to the pole he had made, arms as far apart as he could. With the two of them tied to the same pole, facing each other, they were crowded together, which made walking or escaping difficult.
With the prisoners up and ready to travel, Murdock had Rose bring up the rear with Mei Lee holding on to Rose’s belt with one hand and supporting Collier with the other. Murdock walked directly behind the prisoners so he could control their path by steering the ungainly team.
Traveling in this fashion was slow and awkward, but even so, they soon reached the stream. Murdock tied the prisoners’ ankles to a tree and escorted Rose off the main path to talk to her privately. Mei Lee and Collier, still weak, rested where they were.
“So, you’re finally going to tell me what’s going on?” Rose asked in an accusing way.
“Hush, dear, and listen,” Murdock told her as he unloaded his weaponry and dropped them in the brush. “I love you with all my heart, Rose, and this isn’t easy for me either. I have to do what I have to do. I need you to respect that and do as I ask without protest or your lovable sass.” He smiled at her lovingly.
“But you haven’t told me what your plan is or what you want me to do,” Rose protested. Murdock saw a tear starting to well in her eye.
“I want you to leave all weapons here, except four arrows and the bow,” he said after wiping the tear away with his soft touch. “If things go badly, you are to shoot as many as you can, center shots. Kill, not wound. Come here and gather what you can and head for home. Your skills are good enough that they’ll never be able to follow you.”
“I’ll do what you ask,” Rose said quietly, head down, “but why won’t you tell me what your plan is?”
“Because you would try to stop me,” Murdock began, “as I would try to stop you. I see no other way to do what must be done and live with myself afterwards.”
Rose stopped arguing and did as he asked. When Murdock and Rose returned to the others, he had only the two machetes he had taken from Burns and Metzger. Rose carried the bow and four arrows. Murdock cut the rope that held the prisoners’ ankle
s, and all resumed their positions. Murdock marched the prisoners across the stream, toward the transport pod. Rose followed closely, but was slowed by Mei Lee and Collier. The trek was nothing for Murdock and Rose, but Mei Lee and Collier were still extremely weak from starvation and the beatings, Collier weaker still from blood loss.
Murdock didn’t stop until he was well clear of the trees that lined the stream and fifty yards out from the transport pod. After he stopped, he waited for Rose, Collier, and Mei Lee to catch up.
“Stick three of the arrows in the ground here to hold them for quick access,” he told Rose as he took his buckskin shirt off. “Collier, you and Mei Lee wait here with Rose.”
Rose stuck three arrows into the ground just far enough to hold them upright. The fourth she nocked and then stood ready. Murdock walked ahead with the prisoners until he was ten yards or so in front of Rose.
The occupants of the transport pod, seeing the procession, came out of curiosity to see what was going on. As they approached, Murdock saw how gaunt everyone, except Whittier and one or two others, was. Whittier reached a point ten yards from Murdock, slightly ahead of the others.
“Friend Murdock,” he said jovially. “Come to renegotiate our little understanding?”
“Stow it, Whittier,” Murdock responded with all the venom he could muster. He waited long enough for a few people to get close enough to hear. “I have never had a deal with you and never will!”
“He lies,” Whittier protested to the others.
“One more word, Whittier, and Rose will silence you — permanently,” Murdock warned, raising his arm and one finger to alert Rose.
Whittier glanced behind Murdock and the prisoners and saw Rose standing with the bow at full draw as she waited for a signal from Murdock. She aimed right at Whittier. He raised his hands in surrender, turned his back on Murdock and the prisoners, and retreated a little way into the crowd.
As Whittier retreated, Rose eased down the bow, and Murdock slowly dropped his arm.
“I have come,” Murdock began after a majority of the remaining colonists entered hearing range, “to take care of some distasteful business. These two were caught violating my territory and spilling innocent blood.”
“Your territory?” Whittier questioned sarcastically. “We don’t recognize your authority over what is your territory!” Whittier looked around to the others, nodding. No one else appeared to listen to Whittier, except for a few in the back.
Murdock glared a warning at Whittier, who glanced at Rose. Rose was, again, at full draw.
“It’s true,” Collier said weakly, staggering closer to Murdock. “He saved Mei Lee and me from Burns and Metzger. We’ve been told that Murdock raped and killed Rose.” Collier pointed to Rose. “Yet, there she is!”
“Are you going to listen to a thief and a coward?” Whittier interjected with disdain.
“It’s true I violated Murdock’s territory twice,” Collier continued. “The first time was under orders from Whittier and Burns to kill Murdock by any means necessary. He didn’t kill me then, even though he could have. He just gave me a very stern warning. The second time was by invitation. I went to escape and to save Mei Lee. Burns and Metzger captured us over there and were going to kill us or leave us for dead. Did Murdock kill me? He treated my wound and gave me more food than most of us have seen in a month! That’s pretty damned nice for a killer, if you ask me!”
Murdock had not expected this, and he wondered how Collier had mustered the strength to speak up.
“Listen,” Mei Lee called out. “We women have been marked and told to do as we are told or else we’ll be handed over to Murdock. We’ve been led to believe that Murdock does Whittier’s dirty work, but none of that is true. Murdock rescued me from Burns and Metzger. He defended me when he could have just passed by. He treated me with compassion, kindness, and respect. He gave us food, as much as we could eat. They brought us pain and suffering,” she finished, pointing in the general direction of Metzger and Burns.
Murdock glanced over his shoulder at Mei Lee. Barely covered with Collier’s shirt, bruised and battered as she was; she stood proud.
“He told them what to say,” Metzger interjected forcefully. “He coerced them into telling these — these lies!”
Murdock walked over to Metzger and slapped his face, hard, with the back of his hand.
“More lies,” Rose chimed in. “I’ve heard that you think Murdock raped me. He didn’t! Whittier, Burns, and Metzger knocked me unconscious, beat, and raped me repeatedly, and carved words on my chest and back, then left me to die! Murdock found me, nursed me back to health, and taught me some of his skills. I have known nothing but kindness, caring, and respect from him.”
“He left us to starve,” Whittier yelled. “He deserted us when we needed him most! He assaulted me, Burns, Collier, and Metzger!”
Murdock heard the desperation in Whittier’s voice.
“Enough,” Murdock bellowed, and all fell silent. “I didn’t come here to debate. I didn’t come here for praise. I neither need, nor want, it. I came here to give back justice to two innocents. What I do now, I take no pleasure in doing. I could have killed these two for their crimes while they were defenseless, but I didn’t. I could have left them in the woods to die, but that would make me no better than they are.”
“Crimes? What crimes?” Metzger challenged, sneering. “We have heard no charges and see no proof of any crimes! And who appointed you as judge over us?”
“If any here think raping women, beating anyone, or leaving someone to bleed to death or to be eaten by animals, or that leaving anyone in the woods, unable to defend himself, is acceptable behavior, speak up,” Murdock commanded. “If anyone here is willing to defend these two or their actions, I want to hear it!”
Murdock remained stalwart, saying no more. He scanned the crowd, as did Burns and Metzger. No one came forward. No one spoke or even whispered to each other. Not even Whittier.
Murdock walked over to the two prisoners.
“Since no one here will speak in your defense, we will have a trial by combat,” he called out.
“Unfair,” Metzger screamed. “He’s armed, we’re not!”
“The rules are these,” Murdock continued, ignoring Metzger’s outburst. “You two will have the weapons that you were caught with.”
“He’s cheating,” Metzger yelled again. “He has that bitch back there to shoot us as soon as we move! And he has a lot more weapons than we do!”
“Should these two defeat me,” Murdock continued, “they are free to go. If they try to run, Rose will shoot them. Anyone who interferes in any way will also be shot. Their freedom lies through defeating me. I’m giving these men more of a chance at survival than they gave Rose, Collier, and Mei Lee.” Murdock indicated the three behind him.
“Unfair! We’re injured, and he isn’t,” Metzger objected again.
“To ensure fairness,” Murdock continued with a condescending glare at Metzger, “Rose can attest that the only weapons I have on me are the ones Metzger and Burns were caught with.”
When the crowd looked at Rose, she nodded to indicate that he spoke the truth.
“I,” Murdock continued, “will be unarmed and forbidden to use their weapons. This is to the death,” Murdock announced loudly as he pulled a machete and started cutting the prisoners’ bonds.
“This is ridiculous,” Whittier hissed. “I refuse to watch this barbaric spectacle!” He walked to the back of the crowd.
“Rose,” Murdock yelled after cutting them loose, walking a few yards toward the crowd with the pole, and dropping it, “kill them if they cross to the transport side of the pole.”
As Murdock returned to the center, he stuck both machetes into the ground close to Metzger and Burns. After a few more steps, Murdock turned to face the two men.
#
As Burns and Metzger advanced toward their weapons, rubbing their wrists, Rose was nonplussed. I didn’t expect this, she thought. This is craz
y and reckless. It’s a foolish and dangerous gambit. She knew now the reason for his earlier questions. Even so, she was nervous and feared for her husband’s safety. I’ll stand firm and honor his request, she vowed to herself. No matter the outcome.
#
As he faced his antagonists, Murdock appeared relaxed, assuming no detectible stance. Burns and Metzger flapped their hands to get the blood flowing before taking up their weapons. Metzger limped somewhat from his sore foot and was also hindered by the arrow wound in his shoulder. As they bent to take their weapons, neither Burns nor Metzger broke eye contact with Murdock.
As he awaited their attack, Murdock saw by the way they held their weapons that neither man knew how to use them. He also saw that Metzger hung back behind Burns. When Burns attacks, so will Metzger, he thought. He’s hoping for a finishing blow from behind.
#
Burns was not ready for this. At this moment, he realized what his greed and lust for power had gotten him. Then, to surprised murmurs from the crowd, he dropped his machete.
“I can’t do this,” he exclaimed. “I was just following orders. I was afraid. I was told to do it or they would kill me.” He indicated Whittier and Metzger. “Mercy, please,” Burns begged, throwing himself face down on the ground at Murdock’s feet.
#
Murdock, who didn’t take his gaze off of Metzger, saw that Burns’ knife was behind and out of reach for the prone man. Murdock kept his distance from Burns and noticed Metzger slowly advancing toward Burns.
“Either fight or get away,” Murdock barked at Burns. “I wouldn’t try to run, though,” he warned.
Burns started to crawl away from the combat.
Metzger lunged quickly and decisively, though his aim was off. He had intended to run Burns through from behind, cutting his spine. Instead he stabbed him in the upper arm as Burns rolled to his side. Murdock backed away from the two men.
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