“You said you thought they went that way,” Hal said.
Frank nodded. “At first I did. Then I got a good look at the drop. No way. It’s not a straight shot down to the river and it’s too steep to go down quick and safe. They didn’t go north toward the river, that’s for sure.”
“Johnny was unconscious,” Henry said. “They may have stopped here, but Fort isn’t strong enough to keep dragging him. It’s possible Johnny got up and they aren’t together, anymore.”
“Wherever they are,” Frank said. “They don’t have supplies that we know of and from that drop off you can see for miles. There were no signs of a campfire at all.”
“How do you know?” Hal asked.
“When you guys were sleeping, I looked.”
“Frank!” Hal snapped. “You weren’t supposed to do that. We don’t know the dangers.”
“The LEP are the dangerous ones.” Frank replied. “And I wasn’t worried. I had Chaka. He could tell them I was his pet.”
Robbie laughed. ‘Hey, Frank, a pet to them is a sex toy.”
“Yeah, well, he could say I was his gay pet. They have them, right?” He looked to Chaka. “There are male Hubra who like male Primal, right?”
Chaka nodded. “But more fun is the female Hubra who likes the female Primal.”
“Oh, yeah,” Frank laughed. “Wonder if they have a house of Lepsians in the future.”
Robbie laughed. “That was good Frank.”
“It was,” Frank looked at Hal. “You don’t think that was funny? Get it? LEP … LEP… sian.”
“I get it. You’re an ass. For right now, let’s split up,” Hal said. “Go out for only so long and meet back at this point. Not for long, we don’t know where we are. Follow as close to the woods as possible to be …”
“Oh! Oh!” Frank raised his hand. “Can I go first?”
“First for what?”
“We’re picking teams, can I pick first.”
“Fine, Frank, pick first,” Hal said annoyed.
“I pick Chaka.”
“Aw,” Robbie whined. “What about me? I’m your favorite brother.”
“Chaka is an LEP. Have to go with that.”
Smug, Hal smiled. “Fine, then I pick Robbie.”
“I’ll take Dean.”
“Great.” Henry tossed his hands up. “Just like school. I’m still the last one picked.” He walked over and stood with Hal.
“East and West,” Hal said. “Four hours we meet back here. That should give us enough time to see if they left another trail. Maybe even found a way down toward the river and ….”
A long blow of the tusk trumpet rang out.
Frank grinned “Oh, yeah. Here we go again. I have to see.” He took off out of the woods.
“Frank!” Hal lifted a hand and dropped it. He then followed.
Two hundred feet away, Frank was on the edge of the drop on his stomach. He signaled for them to get down.
“You got to see this,” Frank whispered. “But stay low.”
Hal made his way over, and heard Frank snickering. “What is so funny?”
“This is so great.”
Hal did.
By the river, there were about a dozen humans, they ran as the tusk sounded again. Even from a distance, it was evident they dressed in loin cloths.
“Tell me why this is so great?” Hal asked.
“It’s like Planet of the Apes. They’re even dressed the same way. Bet me any second now, a few LEP come riding down on horse and try to catch them.”
“Oh, please.”
“They’re running,” Dean said. “But I don’t see what they’re running from.”
No sooner did Dean say that, at least two dozen LEP on horseback raced fast from a high grassy hilly area down to the river bank. They chased the people. Two of them, riding side by side, carried a net. They tossed it toward a man, who quickly became entangled.
Frank looked down below. He watched as the bad LEPS captured half of the humans. Seizing some with nets, others with rope around their necks, dragging them on the ground. The remaining who escaped capture, ran into the water. A part of him wanted to run down there, help those people. But he knew as soon as he did, the chase would be over and there was nothing he could do.
“Segavas,” Chaka said softly. He pointed. “Segavas.”
Hal turned to him. “Segavas. I thought your species called yourself Hubra.”
Chaka looked at him confused.
“Hal said he thought your people were called, Hubra,” Frank translated.
“We are. They are not. They are not us. They are Segavas. We have them in my time.”
“Fuck.”
“What?” Hal asked. “What did he say?”
“We are civilized,” Chaka said. “We live in peace. They started the war.”
“Fuck.”
“What?”
“They are brutal,” Chaka continued. “They use Primal as slaves, keep them on chains and feast on them for pleasure.”
“Fuck.”
“What?”
“They torture Primals and murder them in sporting games.”
“Fuck.”
“What!” Hal whispered, loudly.
“They kill Hubra and torture us as well. We have fought for many years. They reproduce and are much like grown versions of your killer babies. They act as one, kill in packs. This is their sport. They breach the boundaries of their camp to get Primals.”
“Fuck.”
“Goddamn it Frank!” Hal lost it. “What?”
“Fuck, Hal. I had to get it all. Translation….” Frank said. “Two types of LEPS. Good and bad. Those …” Frank pointed. “Sega ... Sega ... fuck it. Segs. Are the bad ones.”
“That’s in Chaka’s time,” Hal said. “This may be totally different. They may be all there is.”
“One way to find out,” Frank said. “Right now, we follow the plan. Stay low, stay out of sight, but split up and look for Johnny. We have two maps. We each take one and try to make sense of the area...” He stopped talking and over when Chaka spoke. “Okay, good to know. Important safety tip, thanks. Chaka says as long as we stay on this side of the river, we should be fine. They won’t cross the water.”
“Is he sure?” Hal asked. “We’re safe of this side?
“Absolutely,” Frank said. “They fear water. They won’t cross the river.”
ELEVEN – POLW
Robbie stopped cold, hands on his hips and chuckled. “Well, so much for they won’t cross the river.”
Hal tilted his head and looked at the wooden bridge structure that spanned over the narrow portion of the river. “If they fear water, how did they build this?”
“It’s not left over from a previous civilization,” Henry said. “It isn’t weather worn. It’s not that old.”
“This …” Hal pointed to the bridge. “Tells me they are in some ways intelligent and advanced.”
“It doesn’t mean they will cross it,” Henry said. “If they fear water, they may not chance it. This could have been built by humans. This is the same river. Bet people live by the water. I would.”
Hal shook his head. “I don’t know. If I had an enemy scared of water, the last thing I would do was give them a way to get over it.”
“So, do we cross it?” Robbie asked.
“Not today or at least right now,” Hal replied. “Let’s keep looking a little while longer then head back. The bridge is here. It’s coming from or leading to something. Let’s see if we can find out what.”
<><><><>
“Thanks, Frank,” Dean places the translation ear bud in his ear. “I thought for sure you didn’t bring all of them.”
“I did. But with only four, one of us would be without. So I figured it was best if I just had one. But while we’re out here as the dream team, you might as well have it. Good thing our hair covers it.”
“You can pass the last one to Robbie. Wouldn’t it be funny if Hal and Henry had no idea what was going on.�
��
Chaka laughed.
Dean and Frank looked at him.
“I like Hal. He reminds me of my own brother. Haka. I, too would irritate him on purpose.”
“So great to know brotherly love breaks the bounds of species.” Frank said.
“What do you think?” Dean asked.
“I don’t know. We’ve been walking awhile,” Frank said. “We made our way down here. Following the river. No footprints. Nothing. We’re beyond civilization. I think. Chaka? How far are town or camps apart in your time?”
“I know that we would need to cross the water to get to any civilization. We fell into a lake or the sea. This is a land space between that and the river. I would say this area is inhabited only by humans. There is no sign.”
Frank nodded. “So we looked for hours and saw nothing but another one of the Segs.”
“Map is useless, Frank,” Dean said. “None of the terrain is even the same. We’re supposed to be in Kansas. This is not Kansas. You think maybe Fort and Johnny were captured by these … Segs?”
“Possible.”
“Did either of you think …” Chaka said. “They went somewhere else?”
“Like northwest?” Frank asked.
Chaka shook his head. “Back to Beginnings. Another time.”
Dean laughed. “How? We have the device.”
“This Fort man. He came from the future. How did he get to Beginnings?”
“He stepped through a time machine.” Frank said.
“Was his plan to stay in Beginnings?” Chaka asked “Or was he to return to his own time. If so … how?”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly,” said Chaka.
“Frank, really wouldn’t you have found the device on him?” Dean asked.
“Not if he hid it,” Frank replied. “He walked around the underdeveloped area pretending to be Paul. Honestly, I don’t think we ever asked.”
“That would explain why the trail stopped cold,” Chaka said. “He and your son went elsewhere. It makes sense. Lead you here. Leave. Ha. Ha. Ha. Joke is on you.”
“Ha, ha, fucking ha. I’m killing fucking Fort when I find him.”
“Jason has the ability to track time jumps,” Dean said. “We go back and find out.”
“I’ll find him, too.” Frank said. “He’s got my son. If … he didn’t time jump after Johnny was captured. We just don’t know. We need to find the Segs camp to be sure.”
Dean looked down at his watch. “It’s time to head back.”
“Yeah, let’s head back up the hill and meet them. Come up with a game plan. Chaka?”
Chaka was occupied, crouched close to the ground he stared out.
“Chaka.”
Slowly he stood with something in his hand.
“What do you got?” Frank asked.
Even though he was a LEP clearly there was an expression on his face that screamed confusion. He marched by Frank, handing him the object as he walked to Dean. “Map. Please.”
Dean pulled it out of his back pocket.
“Writing device?” Chaka asked.
Dean handed him a pen. Immediately, Chaka place the map on the ground on a flat surface.
“Frank?” Dean asked. “What is it?”
Frank looked at the black circular object. “It looks like a bracelet.”
Dean looked at it. “There are markings on the inside and out. I can’t understand what it says.”
“Dean,” Chaka called out. “Please show me where we are supposed to be.”
“Sure.” Dean walked over and pointed. “Right here.”
Chaka shook his head. “It makes sense. The terrain did not change, we did not arrive where we were supposed to. The body of water in which we landed … is here.” He pointed.
“Fort Peck?” Dean asked.
“The rivers are an extension,” Chaka said. “That high ledge of hills we followed, here.” Chaka ran his finger down the map, then circle. “If I am right, the Segavas are nearby. This here is the ruins of the once holy town. Sacred land. We go only there to seek answers.”
Dean looked at Frank, ‘That’s Miles City or Bowman now. Which means we’re not far from Jordan. We are still in Montana.”
“I know right where we are,” Chaka said and stood.
“Are you sure?” Frank asked.
“Positive. That …” He pointed to the bracelet tells me. “It is a tracking and identification system used on all beings. Hubra and Primal both. In case they are taken. That belongs to a Primal.” Chaka took the bracelet and showed the outside. “This is the identification of the Primal and inside is the name of the town. But this makes no sense …” He looked around. “All of this was destroyed by fire from the sky. It was scorched land.”
“How do you know?” Dean asked.
“Because I know exactly where I am and when.”
“Uh, yeah,” Frank said. “Montana, a thousand years in the future.”
“Not just that,” Chaka said. “My time and I … am home.”
TWELVE – BEGINNINGS
“What the hell is magic cream?” Joe spoke out loud when he received a text from Creed that read, “I want to sign up for the magic cream, as a scientist myself, I find it intriguing.” Joe shook his head. Again, Beginnings was drumming up things that the apocalypse didn’t need. In annoyance, Joe simply replied, ‘K’. In fact, he did the same to the other four messages requesting to be put on the magic cream list.
Danny or Dean was up to something, he just wished they’d let him know about their experiments before the community did.
At least Danny called him right away about finding the future ninja guy. Joe was pretty excited about that, until he realized it was bingo day at containment, and every nut case that wasn’t working came to bingo day at containment to play with the residents and try to win things Danny Hoi found salvaging a Walmart.
Buses came from Bowman, Creedville and Jordan a half an hour before Danny placed the call. Joe was pretty certain not even Danny knew every face and ninja man blended in.
So he stopped and got a latte, walked a little slower and enjoyed the jelly roll that Gemma had on special. Danny sent him four text messages asking where he was.
Joe was on his way.
Danny by nature was excitable and hyper, but when Joe approached his office and saw Danny pacing out front, he got irritated.
“Joe, what took you so long … Oh my God.” Danny pointed.
“What?”
“Who hit you in the mouth? Johnny?”
“What? No. Why would you say that?”
“He hit Roy.”
“He didn’t hit me.”
“You’re bleeding.” Danny pointed to his own corner of the mouth.
Joe brought up his index finger. “Oh, it’s jelly from the donut.”
“You stopped to get a donut?’
“Yes, Danny, I did.”
“Joe, I called you. I found our future guy.”
“Yes, Danny, I know. But I’m pretty sure you’re mistaking someone from Jordan.”
“No, Joe, I know everyone,” Danny said.
“I doubt that.”
“I do. This is the future guy. Even if I didn’t know him, I would know for sure.”
“That makes no goddamn sense.”
“When you see him you will.”
“It better. Did you ask him anything?”
“Not much. He seems nice. Ready? Brace yourself.” Danny reached for the door knob.
“Yeah, yeah, quit blocking the door.”
Danny turned the knob and stepped inside. “9-B.”
“9-B?” Joe asked.
“His name,” Danny said. “Nine? This is Joe Slagel.”
9-B stood from the chair and turned around.
Joe stared.
“It’s so great, right?” Danny said with an excited laugh.
“You gotta be goddamn shitting me.” On those words, Joe turned and walked out the door.
“Joe,” Danny called ou
t. “Where are you going?’
“Back home. Back to bed. This has to be a dream,” Joe said. “Because there is no way this day is happening.”
“What am I supposed to do about him?” Danny asked.
“Hide him somewhere until I can wrap my head around this.” Joe walked off.
Danny stood dumfounded, he shrugged. “Okay, I’ll hide him.”
THIRTEEN – POLW
Hal, Robbie and Henry were first to arrive back at the meeting place. It wasn’t long before Frank, Dean and Chaka returned, as well.
“We saw no one. No beings at all,” Hal said. “Remnants of old camps here and there and that was it.
“Well, Dorothy, the river eventually narrows into a creek. We made our way down the hill, saw one of those bad LEP things, just one.”
“Dorothy?” Hal questioned. “And you weren’t supposed to leave the hill.”
“Why not? We did.” Robbie said. “We found a bridge. Not old either.”
“Did you cross it?” Frank asked.
“Dorothy didn’t want us to,” Robbie answered.
“Why…” Hal lifted his hands. “Are we calling me Dorothy?”
“We’re not in Kansas,” Frank said. “In fact, we’re about a seventy miles from where Beginnings was. Know that water we dropped in.”
“The dinosaur lake?” Hal guessed.
“Yep. Only it looks like we’re west of there.”
“How did you find out?” Hal asked.
Frank pointed to Chaka. “He found something on the ground. Something from his time and his home. “Chaka also says if things haven’t changed, we aren’t far from a bad LEP settlement.”
“So it is conceivable they took Johnny and Fort?”
Frank nodded.
“So what now?” Hal asked.
“I don’t think we should stay here,” Frank replied. “Those fucking Planet of the Apes horns go off every four hours and they started hunting.”
“They were faint where we were.”
“They went toward the setting suns,” Chaka said. “If my calculations are right, that is out of range for the settlement. Still there could be smaller camps.”
“What did he say?” Hal asked.
Frank looked at Chaka. “What about this bridge they found. Do you know about that?”
Escape the Planet of the LEPS: Beginnings Series Book 28 Page 4