by D. R. Rosier
He grunted, “The fact we’ve come out of a magical forest on their northern border probably doesn’t give them the warm and fuzzies either.”
Katie laughed, “Good point. Anyway, just a heads up, we should be able to talk our way through. Cooperate unless they start shooting or waving swords around.”
Mara cast a spell, just in case they shot first and asked questions later. He wasn’t sure if he was bulletproof at the moment, but it would surely help. Lin also dropped back quickly to flank him and Mara, while Kim stayed with Cassie, but they both dropped back so there was only about ten feet between them. He was of two minds about all that, since it looked too much like they were preparing, which anyone that was watching them would pick up on if they had half a brain. That they knew they were there, he meant. The surrounding soldiers were also far too close for him to communicate that out and stop them, so he let it go.
They were coming up to an exit ramp, when the net closed around them. The men from behind didn’t close, no doubt they’d act as an ambush and kill them, if they decided to turn around and run. But there were men fifty yards or so down the road behind cars, and several that flowed out of the trees and cover.
They were all in military clothes, camouflage green. There were close to twenty of them, and they were all in his range except for the ones following on the road.
One man stepped up, “I’m Lieutenant Castor. No one reach for a weapon, we’re just here to welcome you to our fine state, right boys?”
The rest yelled, “Huah!”
Castor continued, “Of course, we make it a point to get to know our visitors, and the reason they’re visiting. We have welcome centers prepared at all ingress points so you can get to know us better, as we learn about you. I can see this is an interesting group, and it’ll be a pleasure to get to know you. Sergeant, escort these fine people to our accommodations.”
Someone, the sergeant he assumed, said, “Yes, sir!”
He kind of liked Castor despite himself. He had a tongue in cheek sense of humor, and the man wasn’t eyeing his mates or guards like he’d struck gold. Which told him these people weren’t raiders or rapists, and that they were very disciplined.
“We’re probably going to be separated, do not start anything if they do. Only if they become violent.”
Kim and Lin looked rather mutinously at him, at that order, but they both nodded subtly. He could relate to that concern. How could he protect them or his mates if he was separated, but that was standard tactics during questioning. They’d question them all on their reasons for travel and compare stories.
Which was why he was so annoyed at Katie in that moment, for not mentioning this possibility. They hadn’t prepared their stories. Not that they needed to lie, he just wasn’t sure how much of the reasons to tell, so decided he’d say as little as possible. Even if someone said more, his lesser yet still truthful details should still match.
They were ordered to dismount and marched down the exit ramp… and some more soldiers gathered their horses as they were led into the visitor’s center. It was literally a visitor’s center, since they were only about ten miles past the border, and it was getting late in the evening.
He wondered how they communicated, without magic that is. Radio and electricity were too unpredictable, the magic scrambled both. He also hadn’t noticed smoke signals, or any flares. So how did the border scouts signal ahead? Maybe they didn’t, maybe they just followed anyone entering the state, and the ambush by the welcome center exit ramp was always manned and ready?
That seemed likely. He was also wondering how many roads led into the west coast, maybe he should do something similar. He wasn’t sure it’d be worth it though. He imagined he’d have to add a whole lot of zombies to make it happen. At least double what he was supporting now.
Hmm, zombie birds might be a better idea, he’d look into that. Animals took less life energy to run, and an eagle could fly along the border and cover a lot of miles. He’d need much less of those, maybe forty or fifty, and at least he’d know if someone was invading, or if a large group was migrating. Smaller groups he wasn’t worried about. He’d see what he could do that way when they got home.
He smirked. It’d be his magical version of a military UAV watching the border crossings.
The sergeant said, “We will allow you to keep your weapons, but if you misbehave they will be confiscated permanently.”
Katie nodded, “We’re not looking for trouble Sergeant, we’re just…”
He held up a hand to stop her, “We’ll all talk privately about that, just follow me, no more talking please.”
That verified his initial thoughts. They didn’t want them passing along a story where the rest of them could hear, just in case they were dumb enough not to prepare one beforehand. Like they’d been. Not that they needed a story, but if he started to babble on about the balance and the world being at stake, then they’d fit him for a straitjacket.
They were taken into the back, and as he’d thought they were all separated into small offices along the back hallway. There were more than enough to accommodate all eight of them separately. The building was a little dark, but the offices had windows and there was enough light from the sun low in the sky. There was also an oil lamp on the desk, but it wasn’t lit and likely wouldn’t be with the sun still up.
He hoped the twins were okay, because he was a little stressed being separated like that, but it was what it was. A large man stepped in a short time later. He had a buzzcut and Sean wondered how the man managed that, since clippers wouldn’t work in the new world either. The man also appeared to have lost his sense of humor, or any other emotion. His face was emotionless and rigid. No doubt the soldier was a professional interrogator.
He tried to look relaxed.
The man said, “You look nervous, son. No reason to be. I’m staff sergeant Nichols,” he took a seat and studied Sean for a few moments, “So, what brings you to the great state of North Carolina?”
He replied, “Just passing through. Heading to Georgia to take care of some things.”
Nichols clucked his tongue, “Is that so. Just the eight of you, six of you women? You know, North Carolina is the most prosperous state on the east coast. Our governor insured the surviving citizens from the alien attacks were secured. We did that by taking down the troublemakers, and by keeping any new ones out. You’re not a troublemaker, are you?”
He shook his head, “No, sergeant. I’m not.”
Nichols sighed, “Are you sure that’s the truth? Because South Carolina is a damned mess. Split communities, you see. They still got raiders and all sorts of other assholes running around down there. Men that wouldn’t be so kind as us to your lovely female travel companions. Georgia isn’t much better from what I hear. It seems like a huge risk, this business of yours. It must be really important.”
He replied, “We’re willing to risk it. It’s fairly important we get down there, and we mean no mischief or harm to anyone in your state. If the governor supports the old laws, I don’t see that we have a problem. We’d even welcome an escort to the southern border, if it’d make you feel better about becoming friends.”
Nichols stony face didn’t crack.
“What’s so urgent down there anyway?”
He replied, “Something to do with magic and gods, I can’t really tell you, we don’t know ourselves. We just know we need to get down there. Either way, it won’t affect the fine people of North Carolina.”
Nichols face cracked for a second, but he wasn’t sure what he’d seen before the face turned to stone again.
“Gods, and magic?”
He shrugged, “It’s the new world, I just live here. Surely you folks know about that, emergence day was five years ago now.”
He wondered if he’d just made a mistake. What if the governor had all magic wielders hunted, or something? It was more than possible, he thought. Those old world government types had always hated power they couldn’t control. He struggled w
ith the idea of reaching out and reading his life, that would tell him all he needed to know, but at the moment he didn’t feel like he was in a huge amount of danger. Nor did he feel any animosity, but then he didn’t sense any emotion in this guy.
Point was, he didn’t like invading someone’s privacy unless it was a matter of life and death.
Nichols said, “I’ll be back in a bit,” he stood up, and walked toward the door, only to turn around, “I forgot to ask, your name?”
He said, “Sean,” and when the man continued to stare, “Anders.”
Hopefully no one had heard about him out here. Even if they did, it probably wasn’t that uncommon of a name.
Nichols nodded, then stepped out.
He hoped this interrogation wouldn’t go on too much longer, hopefully they’d compare notes and let them all go. He wanted to get a bit more distance from this place before they lost the sunlight.
It was almost an hour later when the guy came back. Maybe he was the only interrogator, and had to talk to everyone separately?
Nichols said, “My lieutenant thought your offer a good one. We’re going to provide you with an escort of eight men across our great state. It’s a little late to go any further today, and we’ve got some very basic accommodations. It’s not great, but it’s better than sleeping on the hard ground amongst the insects. Follow me.”
He nodded cautiously and stood up, and then followed the man down the hall. He felt a little relieved, as he saw the other seven grouped up by a door. Nichols opened it up, and it led downstairs into the furnished basement. It was a little dark, but there was a lantern hanging on the wall giving a little bit of light.
Nichols opened another door and moved inside of it, and the rest of them followed. It was dark as night, but Nichols got a lantern lit quickly. The room had ten military cots in it with green blankets folded and on the ends.
Nichols said, “You’ll all be on your way first thing in the morning. Thanks for your cooperation, in these hard times it’s just prudent.”
Nichols left and shut the door, and he smiled as both Cassie and Mara pasted into his sides with a sigh.
Katie mumbled something under her breath, then said, “It’s clear. They can’t hear us at any rate. I’m sorry, I should’ve mentioned this possibility, and gone over what to say. But it looks like we’re good and we’ll leave in the morning.”
Kim frowned, “What the hell is that noise? Like a snake hiss.”
The door clanked, like a heavy bolt being thrown.
He shook his head violently, as he started to feel a little lightheaded.
Katie said, “Shit… Cleanse!”
Cleanse, cleanse what?
Everything went dark.
Chapter Ten
His head throbbed as he woke up. It didn’t look like he’d been moved, and he struggled up to his feet. The others started to groan and get up as well, and he helped his mates to their feet. Mara did something, and his headache fled as his head cleared.
He still heard the hissing, and it didn’t look like Kim or Lin had been knocked out at all. Especially given they were guarding the door with their long-curved daggers out and fierce expressions on their faces.
“What the hell happened?”
Katie said, “Cleanse is a spell I use to cleanse an area of poison. It worked, it’s still working, but we must’ve breathed enough of the gas to knock us out for a time anyway.”
Lin said, “You were down for two minutes. Someone is coming.”
Katie frowned, and gripped her staff tightly, “Sleep!”
Cassie pointed with hers, “Bolt,” and the same loud snick happened.
Katie sighed, “They tried to knock us out for some reason, and they were coming for us.”
He nodded, “I have a theory about that. I don’t think the great state of North Carolina likes magic users of any kind very much. I bet the governor had a nightmare or two, with raiders being led by a sorcerer, or even a community that refused to be taken into the fold and under his authority.”
Katie frowned, “You might be right, so they planned to gas us because it would work against magic users who weren’t ready for it. Then they could just slit our throats at their leisure.”
He sent his power out and read Nichols, like he probably should’ve done earlier. That’s when he found out their guesses were mostly right, except there’d been a lot more behind what just happened. He also learned other things, but couldn’t share them yet, not until the current issue was dealt with. He kept his peace for the moment, they could discuss it once they were out of there.
“How long will they be out?”
Katie said, “About twenty-four hours. That should give us a day lead on the road. I just worry we’ll have to fight our way across the state now. Although, without magic, we’ll be ahead of any word the whole way.”
He said, “Most likely we won’t have to worry until we meet the southern border guards, as long as we stay away from the settlements.”
Katie replied, “Let’s move. The spell’s cleaning the air but it’s consuming magic the longer we stand here talking. Our horses are in a stable behind the building.”
They moved out, and found the gas shut off valve in the room across the way. It took them a bit to find their saddle bags, which had been secured in a locker, but within twenty minutes they were on the road. They only had about an hour of light left, but it was worth it to get the hell out of there. They also rode at a canter. The horses couldn’t do that all day long, but they could maintain it for an hour. They went almost fifteen miles in a very short time.
“So, magic isn’t exactly outlawed, but it’s highly regulated for the safety of the citizens. Everyone with magic either works for the governor with a watcher, leaves the state, or is executed as a danger to the people. Once Nichols figured out some of us had magic, he decided to gas us all and kill us, before we escaped.”
Katie asked, “You read him? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
He sighed, “Because then John would figure out that I knew he’d betrayed us. Or at least, me. I wasn’t ready to deal with it yet, one problem at a time and all, you know?”
John roared, and he went for his sword with a look of rage on his face. He might’ve been a hell of a swordsman, but Kim and Lin were as strong as ten men, and at least five times as fast. He didn’t even get the sword out of his sheath before they’d broken his legs and put him on his ass.
Of course, it also helped that they’d been positioned right next to the man when Sean accused him, and they had been given instructions to disable but not kill. They’d both been aware of John’s treachery for a while now, since no one could overhear him briefing them.
Katie’s face turned white as the blood drained from her face.
“What did you do?”
John looked enraged, and highly embarrassed as well, Sean pitied the man in that moment. Regardless, John didn’t speak.
He said, “He told them who I was, what I was capable of, and that I had all of you ladies fooled that I wasn’t evil. It was his hope, that the men would kill me without warning. Of course, they’d planned to kill us all anyway once they knew the truth of our power, so his betrayal didn’t actually amount to shit. Still makes him a traitor, though.”
John screamed, “You’re a damned monster. Why can’t anyone else see that?”
If looks could kill, John would be dead four times over, and even his own companions were looking at him in horrified disgust at that point.
Katie had tears streaking down her cheeks, as she closed her eyes and whispered a series of words.
“Nim. I need you, please,” she sobbed.
A very young and lovely woman appeared out of nowhere with a flash of magic. She had long raven hair, ancient gray eyes, but a face that was agelessly beautiful. She was lithe and tall at five foot seven, and she had flawless lightly tanned skin.
He was fairly sure she was goddess, if a minor one.
Nim looked around and took
stock of the situation, and her face grew grim, “It’s always been your choice, Katie. You don’t need me to choose your protector. I chose John in the beginning because he liked you, would die for you, and you knew and trusted him. I perhaps foolishly hoped you would also gain more than simple companionship, and wouldn’t choose a lonely life like Merlin had, but that seems to have only made his stubbornness worse.”
John growled, “You said I could protect her all my life.”
Nim sighed, “I said you could protect and follow her all your life. I also told you that you’d get to stab things. The keyword there is follow, not lead, not throw fits when you didn’t like her direction, and certainly not betrayal of an ally against her will. You’re anger, pride, and foolish misjudgments have led to this moment of your shame.”
Nim held her hand out and the sword seemed to shimmer, and both it and the scabbard disappeared off of his back and appeared in her hand. She walked over to Katie and handed her the sword.
“It was my task to deliver it, and to tell you what you needed to know. The sword is part of your responsibility, and the choice of your protector is yours. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear last time, you were never stuck with him. Free will, little sister, remember?”
Katie jumped into Nim and hugged the minor goddess and clung to her as she sniffed deeply.
“I needed you too, anyway.”
Nim chuckled kindly, and hugged her back, “I can’t stay long, but perhaps for a time. A day or two at least, before I must return to my own duties.”
Katie nodded, “John won’t be needing his horse any longer. I’m sorry, John, but you went too far this time. We are done, and I never want to see you again. Mara?”
Mara pursed her lips in disapproval, but she also nodded in acceptance. There was no forgiveness in her eyes, as she healed John’s legs. Kim and Lin looked ready to take his head, if he even moved an inch.
Katie whispered, “Goodbye,” and John disappeared in a flash of magic.
“Where’d you send him?” Bria asked.