“Uh, yeah. Why?’
“Make sure it’s buckled properly. I’m going to lower you down to your brother. You need to grab one of his wrists with both of your hands and hold on tight. I’ll pull you both up. Do you understand?”
Ben’s eyes looked like saucers as he shook his head and stepped backwards. “No way, man. I can’t go over there. What if you drop me?”
“I won’t drop you, but I need you to do this. Lou doesn’t have much time.” Carter could see that his words weren’t penetrating. Ben kept shaking his head and saying no over and over again until he simply turned and ran.
“Dammit.” Carter turned his attention back to Lou. “Hang tight for a second, kid. I’ll be right back.”
There was a copse of trees by the creek that fed the narrow waterfall and Carter ran to it. He needed a heavy branch that had at least one other branch growing from it. When he found one, he grabbed it at its base and pulled down. Although it bent, it didn’t break. Carter chastised himself, for the second time that evening, for not bringing a blade. Where’s an Amazon when you need one?
Placing all of his weight on his now throbbing ankle, Carter used his other foot to kick the branch. Again and again he kicked until finally he was rewarded with a loud crack. He grabbed the branch, tore it the rest of the way free, and ran back to Lou.
“All right. I’m going to lower this branch down to you. When you’re ready, I want you to grab it with your weakest hand right here.” Carter placed his hand in the V shape created by the offshoot branch to demonstrate. “When you’re sure you’ve got a good grip, put your other hand right above the first one. Then I’ll pull you up. You got it?”
Lou nodded his head and took a deep breath.
Carter lay down with his head and shoulders over the edge, spreading his legs as far as he could for leverage. Although the boy would have a natural handhold on the branch, Carter wouldn’t be so lucky. He gripped the top of the branch as firmly as he could and lowered it to Lou. “This is it, kid. You can do it. Whenever you’re ready.”
Lou looked up at him and Carter tried to send him every bit of strength and courage he could muster through his gaze. “You all right?” Carter asked.
“Yes, sir. Just trying to figure out which of my hands is the weakest.”
Carter couldn’t help but laugh. “If you don’t know, then it doesn’t matter. Just pick one and go for it.”
The boy slowly released one hand from the rock wall and grabbed the branch.
“That’s good, kid. You’re almost there.” Carter tightened his grip, ready to take the boy’s weight.
“You sure you can hold me?”
“I could hold two of you. Now stop talking and grab the branch.” Carter’s bravado did the trick and Lou gave up his hold on the wall. Carter felt his body slide forward as soon as the boy’s weight was transferred to the branch. He immediately arched his back, causing his feet to push down for leverage.
The pain was instantaneous, and without equal pressure from his lower extremities, his right shoulder lurched over the edge. The branch jerked, and the boy let out a yelp, but held his grip. Through clenched teeth, Carter said, “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
This time, it was Carter who took a deep breath. He once again arched his back and applied pressure with his feet. Knowing the pain would come didn’t lessen it, but it did allow him to work through it. Carter pulled the branch up, inch by inch, by placing one hand below the other until he was able to grasp the boy’s wrist. With one last tug, he hauled the boy up until his head and shoulders were on the plateau. Then he reached down and grabbed his belt to pull him the rest of the way up.
They both lay on their backs for a few minutes, recovering from the exertion. Carter was the first to speak. “I’m sorry to have to leave you like this, kid, but I’ve got to get back to my village.” When they stood, Carter took a tentative step and almost crumpled to the ground.
Lou grabbed his hand to steady him. “You can barely walk. I know first aid. I can wrap your ankle for you.” He pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and held it up for Carter to see.
Although he did need his ankle wrapped in order to make it back, Carter needed it wrapped while in his wolf form, not his human one. Three legs were better than one. “Thanks, kid, but I’ll be all right.”
“You can, uh, shift first if you want to. That would probably be easier for you.”
Carter smiled and nodded his head. He’d forgotten how much easier things were when people knew his secret. “I’ll be right back. Thanks.” He limped his way to the nearest bush that would give him privacy. He put his clothes in his bag, strapped it to his back, and then shifted.
“A wolf backpack. Cool idea,” Lou said, as Carter’s wolf hobbled toward him. “I’ll have that leg fixed up in no time.” He tore his handkerchief into strips and expertly wrapped Carter’s hind leg. “There you go. Try and put some weight on it.”
Carter did as instructed and was pleasantly surprised at the stability of his leg. The kid had done a great job.
“Hey, I forgot to say thank you. So, thank you. Really. And sorry my brother’s such an ass.”
As he turned to walk away, Carter looked over his shoulder and gave the boy a quick nod of his snout. Cool kid. Must be adopted.
Chapter 7
When Carter entered the village, winded from the two-mile sprint, his heart sank. The attack must have been brutal. Dozens of people, all battered and bruised to varying degrees, were wandering around as though unsure of their surroundings. He saw Han and Jackie outside the entrance to the small schoolhouse and joined them.
“Are you guys all right?”
Han gave him a weak smile. “We’re fine, but remind me not to come here on vacation. What the hell was that? One minute everything was quiet, then the next an episode of Wild Kingdom broke out.” Han usually turned to humor in times of stress, and Carter appreciated the effort.
Jackie, on the other hand, looked furious. “It was them, wasn’t it? The Yavapai? Jesus, Carter, there were kids playing right there.” She pointed to the open area out front of the school. “We need to get those sons of bitches. Quickly.”
There weren’t many things in the world that scared Carter, but an angry Jackie came pretty close. “We will. What’s the situation here like?”
“No casualties so far, but twenty-five or so wounded. The clinic was too small, so we’re turning the school into a makeshift triage unit. There’s not a lot of medical personnel on site so we’re helping in any way we can. We at least have field training.” It was just like Jackie to take charge, and Carter wondered if any of these people knew how lucky they were to have her there. Right now, I’m guessing they probably aren’t feeling very lucky.
“Where do you need me?”
“I should have known you’d show up after it was all over. You’re conveniently away while they attack us?” Carter’s former friend shoved him hard.
It was the wrong moment for Bill to come after Carter. He’d had about enough for one day of smart-mouthed bullies that seriously overestimated their ability to back up the garbage they spewed. “You want to do this now? Really? Fine. Give me your best, Bill.”
Carter saw the punch coming and easily blocked it. Bill, however, wasn’t so well trained. He took a left hook to the jaw and a right uppercut to the solar plexus before stumbling backward and landing hard on his ass. Carter stepped forward, intent on finishing him off and working out the frustration that had built throughout the day, when a loud voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Enough!”
Bidzil stepped between them. “There has been too much violence this day. I will not allow you to add more.”
“He doesn’t belong here,” Bill yelled as he scrambled to his feet. “He’s not one of us anymore. He has no right to be—”
“That’s enough, William. Go see to the chief.” Bidzil stared him down as though daring him to say another word. “I said, go.”
After giving Car
ter a hard stare, Bill let out a guttural noise and stomped off.
“If looks could kill, that guy might actually become dangerous,” Han said.
Carter thought he saw a hint of a smile cross Bidzil’s face, but it was quickly replaced by a stern look of disapproval. “I expect better from you, Carter.”
“I know. I’m sorry. He just gets under my skin.”
“Only because you allow him to do so. That has been your weakness since you were a young boy. Allowing another to influence your thoughts and actions is a mistake you must avoid.”
“I’m trying, Bidzil.”
“You must try harder.”
Han interrupted. “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
Carter gave Han an incredulous look. “Seriously? You’re quoting Yoda to me?”
“It seemed to fit the moment.”
Carter felt the tension drain from his body at his friend’s wisecrack and began to focus again on the situation at hand. “Bidzil, tell us what you need us to do.”
“First, you need to take care of that ankle,” he answered.
“How did you …? Never mind.”
The next few hours were exhausting. Jackie separated the schoolhouse into three zones—serious, moderate, and minor injuries. Bidzil and the nurse from the clinic worked together to take care of those who were seriously injured. Jackie, along with two Havasupai women, dealt with the moderate injuries while Carter and Han were relegated to cuts-and-bruises duty.
There were only two patients that came close to not making it. They’d both lost a lot of blood through the deep gashes they’d sustained, but a few pints donated by relatives, and more than a few stitches, had them stable within an hour.
The line of people coming in to check on their loved ones was never ending. Many tears were shed, and many angry looks were thrown at Carter. Bidzil’s words played over and over in his mind, giving him the strength to ignore the hostility.
By the wee hours of the morning, all of the patients were sleeping soundly. The nurse offered to spend the night in case of emergency, so the others said their goodbyes and left the hospital behind.
The air outside was cool, and Carter took a deep, cleansing breath. He’d had a very long day and wanted nothing more than a good night’s sleep and a bag of ice for his ankle.
But that was going to have to wait.
Carter’s father strode toward him with Bill at his side. Apparently, during his absence, his one-time friend had become the chief’s right-hand man. Why am I not surprised?
“Carter,” the chief said. “The Council has voted and a decision has been made. You are not welcome here any longer. You and your friends must leave at first light.”
Bill’s smug smile began to eat away at the thin layer of control Carter had managed to keep. To his surprise, though, it was Bidzil who responded first.
“As always, the council’s decision will be abided by. But you should know that this action will have consequences. I fear there is more going on here than even you realize, and that we are ill prepared to deal with it. I urge you, and the council, to reconsider.”
The smile left Bill’s face, replaced by a look of nervous anticipation. He obviously hadn’t expected anyone to question the chief’s orders and was worried he might rescind them. The anxiety, however, was short-lived.
“The decision is final,” the chief said flatly. “You and your friends will leave at dawn.”
Carter couldn’t help himself. “Your wife’s fine, by the way, Bill.” He gestured toward Jackie. “You can thank my unwelcome friend for saving her life.” Having no interest in hearing his response, Carter turned and walked away, followed closely by his friends.
Chapter 8
“People actually do this for fun?” Jackie took a swig of her water then wiped the sweat from her brow. She was obviously not enjoying herself.
They’d begun the arduous eight-mile hike from the village at dawn. The chief and several members of the council met them out front of the lodge and escorted them to the trailhead to ensure they left as instructed. Although Carter had expected to see Bill’s sneering face among them, he’d apparently chosen to sleep instead, no doubt basking in his victory.
Bidzil was the only kind face in the group. He’d graciously given Carter and each of his companions a backpack to replace their roller suitcases, and encouraged them to not lose faith in the tribe. “This decision was made out of fear, anger, and petty jealousy. It does not reflect the wishes of the whole tribe.” Although Bidzil spoke the words to Carter, he said them loud enough to make certain all of the others heard him.
At the trailhead, Bidzil pulled Carter in for a hug and whispered in his ear, “Be careful, my friend. I believe things are not as they seem. There is much we still do not understand and I fear that will be our downfall.”
Those words had been echoing in Carter’s head since they started their trek. Although the Havasupai tribe didn’t have any special psychic abilities, Carter had often suspected that Bidzil’s insights were more than just intuition. He’d long ago learned not to ignore the old man’s advice.
“We’ve got to be missing something,” Carter said, more to himself than anyone else.
“What makes you say that? Yoda’s comment?” Han had taken to referring to the tribe’s healer as the enigmatic Star Wars character. It wasn’t that much of a stretch.
“Yeah. I’ve never known him to be wrong.”
“As far as I can see,” Jackie said, “there’s a whole bunch that we’re missing. Right now, we know there have been reports of auras, violence, and people losing time around the Grand Canyon. The only one of those we’ve figured out is the violence, assuming it’s related to the Havasupai/Yavapai feud. But that still doesn’t explain the other reports.”
Carter thought for a moment. “All right, let’s go back to square one. Before Director Finley called, we were planning to speak to the park ranger who’s been tracking all this stuff. What was her name again?”
Jackie answered, “Something Christner. Kelly, I think.”
“All right, then,” Carter said. “When we get to the hilltop, we’ll hitch a ride to the ranger station and start where we planned to before everything went crazy.”
“Speaking of crazy,” Jackie interjected. “You ready to tell us what all that was about?”
He was never ready to talk about his past. “It’s a long story.”
“And this is a long hike. So, spill.”
Carter looked to Han for help, but only got a raised eyebrow in response. Traitor. “Fine. Technically, I’m no longer a member of the Havasupai tribe. They shunned me when I was twenty years old. I made a stupid mistake—trusted the wrong person—and ended up disowned and homeless.”
“Wow.” Han finally spoke. “I knew you didn’t speak to your father anymore, but I had no idea your whole tribe kicked you out. What’s the rest of the story?”
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
“Hell, no. Getting you to talk about your past is like pulling teeth. Now that you’re stuck on this trail with us, if Jackie hadn’t asked, I would have.”
Carter knew when he was beaten. Besides, his friends had been thrown into this mess with him and, he guessed, had a right to know. “When I was a teenager I met a girl—Gina. We fell pretty hard for each other, but it was … complicated.”
Han smiled. “Ah, young love. It’s always complicated, isn’t it?”
“I guess, but for us it was really problematic. She was Yavapai.”
“How very Shakespearian of you.”
Carter couldn’t help but smile at Han’s humor. “We kept it secret, of course. But the older we got, the more difficult it became. When I turned twenty, my father announced his plans for my wedding. He’d chosen a woman that he felt was worthy of the chief’s son. That, obviously, didn’t work for me.”
Although both Han and Jackie looked like they were bursting to interrupt, they stayed silent.
“So, Gina and I made a
plan to run away together. We were going to meet up at the hilltop the next night. I went. She didn’t.”
“Oh, Carter,” Jackie said. “I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too. I waited all night for her. When I finally came to terms with the fact that she wasn’t going to show, I went back to the village. That’s when things went from bad to worse. My father was waiting for me at the trailhead. Turns out that the Yavapai had sent a messenger while I was gone. He’d told my best friend about my relationship with Gina. Bill, of course, went straight to my father.”
“Hang on,” Han said. “Bill was your best friend? That turd from last night?”
“Yep. Believe it or not we were inseparable when we were kids. Then he found out about Gina and was furious. Obviously, he hasn’t gotten over it yet.”
“So, Gina’s tribe stopped her from meeting you?” Jackie asked.
“I wish. No. Gina did that all on her own. She’s the one that sent the messenger.”
There was silence for a moment while they let that piece of information sink in. Han was the first to speak. “Damn. That’s cold.”
“I’m sure you’ve figured out the rest. Suffice it to say that last night wasn’t the first time the council asked me to leave.”
“Is that why you joined the Omega Group?” Jackie asked.
“Yeah. Myrine had come to the village a few weeks earlier to recruit new agents. My father, of course, wanted nothing to do with it and sent her packing. But when I was kicked out, I had nowhere else to go, so I called her.”
Rogue (Book 2) (The Omega Group) Page 4