As Heather glanced around from under the cart, she saw and heard several arrows hit the ground around the cart and one or two bounce off its edges.
#
“Push up with your back a little to raise the front of the cart and turn it sideways,” Annie explained to Heather.
Heather, with Annie’s help, managed to get the cart turned sideways to their direction of travel.
Murdock ran back and ducked behind the wheel that placed the cart between him and whoever was firing at them, his bow at the ready.
“I can’t see who’s shooting at us, but by the trajectory, they have to be a fair distance away,” Murdock said aloud to the women.
“One of the arrows came through the cart bed,” Annie flashed, “and it hit me in the thigh. It appears to be a metal arrow.”
#
Ted Wagner watched as the first volley was fired at the first of the intruders.
“Keep them pinned down,” he said to his men as he made his way down from cover. I wonder who they are. The cart looks familiar so it could be Murdock, or it could be anyone, he thought. I’m glad we practiced this before we needed it. He cautiously made his way toward the cart. When he was about one hundred fifty yards, an arrow hit his bow knocking it out of his hand. Immediately, a shower of arrows rained down on the intruders. Wagner gave the signal to cease fire and the shower stopped. That return shot was too well-placed to be luck and I’m standing out here in the open. As he watched, he saw a man stand and begin walking toward him, from one hundred fifty yards away, unafraid of the possible lethal rain of shafts. Wagner blinked and the man was less then fifteen feet from him.
“One more arrow comes close to me or my people and you’ll be the first to go,” Murdock warned.
“What are you doing here?” Wagner asked derisively. “You weren’t invited and you’re not wanted.”
“Are you in charge?” Murdock asked.
“No, Raymond Tutt leads us.”
“Then go fetch him, but before you do, signal your men to stop firing and lay down their bows.”
“And if I don’t?” Wagner derided.
“You see your man up there at about two hundred yards? Would you like me to stick him?”
“That’s not poss—.” Murdock took what appeared to be a quick shot, one that wasn’t, in Wagner’s opinion, aimed, “—ible?” As Wagner was finishing the last syllable, he saw the man Murdock had indicated go down from an arrow to his shoulder.
The other archers prepared for another volley. He has taken two shots and has hit what he was aiming at both times. We’ve fired two volleys, each with multiple arrows, and are preparing for a third and have yet to hit him. Wagner signaled the cease-fire immediately. “You’ve injured one of my men,” Wagner stated as he turned toward Murdock.
“He could have been dead rather than injured,” Murdock retorted. “I needed to get your attention.”
“You got it! What do you want to talk to Tutt about?”
“That is something he and I need to discuss. Just tell him I’m here and need to talk to him, out here.” Wagner turned to go. “If you bring down your man, we might be able to give him medical attention.”
Wagner nodded that he understood and left to climb up to the vantage point that he had selected. One of the archers had been tending their injured comrade.
“I need one of you to give me a hand taking this one down to the cart. I need another man to get Tutt here to talk to Murdock. The rest of you keep them covered. If they try to approach or retreat, fire. Otherwise, hold your fire. If we become prisoners then open fire.” All the archers nodded that they understood and one of them disappeared, presumably to get Tutt.
Wagner and the archer lifted their injured comrade and headed down to Murdock’s cart.
#
“You two can come out,” Murdock flashed to Annie. “Grab your kit. They’re bringing down an injured man.”
“It’s clear for us to come out. Get my kit, so I can fix my leg,” Annie instructed Heather as they both were crawling out from under the cart.
“What kind of an injury?” Annie flashed.
“Arrow to the shoulder,” Murdock smirked as he came close to Annie.
“I see you couldn’t help yourself,” Annie smirked.
“How bad is your injury?” Murdock asked seeing the small blood stain on her leather dress.
“The arrow that penetrated the deck of the cart nicked my thigh. Only went in a half-inch or so. I’ll be fine.”
“Heather, make camp here. Use the cart for cover. I don’t trust these bastards,” Murdock said to Heather quietly. Heather nodded that she understood and moved to comply. Murdock grabbed a couple of hides and headed toward the men carrying the injured man. Annie followed Murdock and stopped when he did.
#
It took several hours, but Annie managed to remove the arrow from the wounded man and treat the injury before Raymond Tutt, who was intentionally stalling, approached the wounded man. Wagner, standing close by, watched everything carefully.
Murdock spent his time watching Wagner and the armed men hidden in the rocks halfway up the hill.
“What was it you wanted?” Tutt asked testily.
“I wanted a private conversation with you,” Murdock responded. “I didn’t come for any other purpose and was then attacked, without provocation, I might add. If you’re claiming an area, put up some signage so someone knows they are entering a killing zone.”
“You and yours seem to have managed unscathed,” Tutt said with a slight chuckle. “And you’ve injured one of my men and gotten me out here without informing me of your intentions.” Tutt crossed his arms over his barrel chest, waiting.
“One of mine was minorly injured. I came here to give you a rundown, of sorts, of the rest of your fellow newcomers.” Murdock waited.
“Well, then, give it,” Tutt ordered impatiently when Murdock’s pause had gone beyond long enough.
“I’m not sure I should,” Murdock responded. “You have attacked me and mine and I have yet to hear an apology.”
Tutt and Wagner started to laugh uproariously. When the two men opened their eyes, Tutt had a very close view of a flint arrowhead being aimed at his chest. Without being noticed, Murdock had managed to meander around so that Tutt and Wagner were lined up directly in front of Murdock. Neither man laughed.
“So, go ahead and shoot,” Tutt said to Murdock. “You can’t get both of us and my men will cut you to ribbons.”
“This arrow passes through deer. It’ll easily go through both of you, at this range,” Murdock countered. “Give the signal to open fire. Let’s see what happens.”
Tutt gave the signal. When nothing happened for several minutes, he gave it again.
“Huh. Nothing happened. I wonder why?” Murdock taunted. He could see the two men blanch.
#
Rogers, Hornsby, and Carpenter had been walking for more than a day when the mountains forced them downriver. When it was close to sundown, the three men came across two men sitting back-to-back and arguing with each other. Rogers recognized Tutt as one of the men. Hornsby recognized Wagner and blanched.
“Untie me,” Tutt bellowed. “This is totally unacceptable!”
Rogers started to walk toward the two men when Carpenter stopped him. “How did you two get in this predicament?” he asked distrustfully.
“Murdock! He’s around here, somewhere. Hope you have lots of guards,” Tutt said.
“It’s just the three of us,” Rogers offered.
“That’s interesting,” Murdock said from their right. All three were startled and turned to see Murdock standing less than ten yards from them with an arrow aimed in their midst. “I think you three should disarm and go over by your friends.”
#
“To whom do I lodge a protest?” Rogers asked loudly. He and Tutt had been arguing for some time.
“I wish to lodge one as well,” Tutt stubbornly raised his voice, as an after-thought. “I wish to protest t
his torture!”
“Torture? What torture?” Rogers asked incredulously. “I’m the one that has to put up with your bellowing! You sound like a distressed water buffalo!”
Carpenter, Hornsby, and Wagner had been sitting. They had listened and refrained from making any remarks that might antagonize the situation, but found it difficult to remain impassive.
“Complain all you want,” Murdock said loudly. “I don’t care if it takes a month, but when we leave here, there’s going to be an understanding between you two!” Rogers made a nervous laugh.
“I may bellow like a water buffalo, but you, Rogers, laugh like a hyena,” Tutt retorted.
Carpenter, Hornsby, and Wagner all nodded agreement at that remark.
“I fail to see what is so difficult,” Murdock yelled in frustration. “Currently, you are both acting like spoiled children. If Rogers has someone who works in clay, but has no idea how to fire it and Tutt has someone that knows how to build a kiln, but has no idea how to form clay, what’s the harm in sharing? As leaders, you two should have been doing that from day one!”
“This imbecile let Declan into the cave,” Tutt accused loudly.
“This superstitious ass thinks someone can give someone else nightmares,” Rogers retorted just as loudly.
“Stop,” Murdock insisted with raised hands, “Declan had nothing to do with anyone’s nightmares!”
Tutt pursed his lips and glared at Rogers: “It just means I can’t trust him,” he said to Murdock.
“And I can’t trust you, either,” Rogers said in a high-pitched voice.
Murdock spent a lot of time looking from one man to the other. “Maybe, your groups need new leadership!” Both Tutt and Rogers glared at Murdock.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rogers asked.
“It means he’s looking to take over,” Tutt said indignantly.
“Arghh,” Murdock yelled in frustration as he threw his hands into the air and walked off toward the cart.
“Mind if I try?” Heather asked. “You’ve been at it for hours and, apparently, gotten nowhere.”
“Be my guest!”
“Who do you trust, other than yourself?” Heather asked Tutt.
“I trust Wagner,” Tutt said after some thought.
“And who do you trust?” she asked Rogers.
“Cliff Reed,” Rogers answered after some thought.
“There’s your problem,” Heather said to Murdock after turning to face him. “You’re talking to the wrong people!”
#
After many threats and much cajoling and badgering, Murdock had secured a promise from Tutt and Rogers to abide by any agreements that Reed and Wagner made for the benefit of the others in their respective camps. Murdock had promised to escort Wagner to a meeting with Reed and to return him unharmed. I can see what Murdock is trying to do, Wagner thought, and I agree with him, we need to come together.
#
Hornsby and Carpenter were released and sent back to their camp, Rogers being hostage, to prepare Reed for a meeting with Wagner.
Wagner walked Tutt up the hill to their fortified position to fetch his bow and arrows.
“I trust you to not give away our camp,” Tutt said jokingly as they walked.
“I’ll do my best,” Wagner chuckled.
“Can you trust Murdock?” Tutt asked.
“By rights, he could have killed us all for ambushing him. He’s a much better shot than anyone in our camp. I don’t understand why our men didn’t shoot.”
“I think I found out why,” Tutt said as he entered the concealed firing position. All of the men present were unconscious; sleeping peacefully. Shortly after they reached them, some of the archers were awakening.
“I don’t know how he did it, but something tells me that Murdock knows more about this than he’s willing to admit,” Wagner stated.
“You need to be watchful of him and his strange ways,” Tutt said, nodding agreement to Wagner’s statement.
Another archer, disarmed, accompanied Wagner back down to Murdock’s make-shift camp to help the wounded man back into the mines. Wagner waited patiently while Murdock, Annie, and Heather broke their camp.
#
Keith Rogers wasn’t happy with the situation, but had decided that since he couldn’t change it, it might be better to go along.
“I haven’t heard anyone mention Emily. Tell me she’s okay?” Rogers asked after a long while of walking in silence beside Wagner and Murdock.
“Why would we give you of any information about a family member?” Annie asked, with a derisive tone, from her position on the cart next to Heather.
“I was just asking. Trying to make conversation to pass the time,” Rogers explained.
“Why don’t you pass the time in quiet contemplation,” Murdock suggested.
Wagner chuckled: “He means shut the hell up, Rogers. I’m starting to appreciate Murdock more all the time.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rogers asked with a bit of petulance and a sideways glance at Wagner.
“He can’t be all bad,” Wagner observed. “He doesn’t like you. And some think Murdock has no taste.”
#
Do I tell Murdock or do I keep it to myself? Heather asked herself. She had noticed Wagner and knew he was one of Palmer’s henchmen. I know I probably should have said something to Murdock, but I don’t want to ruin anything for someone trying to make a life here. She had also spotted Jackson Hornsby, in Rogers’ entourage, and Nels Osterlund and Alvin Jones in with the group of farmers. It had taken her a while to piece together all the players, but now that she had, she was torn. Murdock does have a right to know who these people are, or were, if he doesn’t already.
“Time for a break,” Murdock said after several hours of pulling the cart. “I need some water and a breather.” Heather dismounted when he set the cart down and handed him a water-skin. “You okay?” he asked Heather after taking a long pull on the water-skin.
“Not really, no,” Heather said quietly.
“What’s bothering you? Anything you can tell me?” Murdock asked.
“Wagner used to be one of Palmer’s henchmen,” she said under her breath and turned away from the others. “So did Hornsby and others.”
Murdock winked at her and put an index finger beside his nose. “I know,” he said very softly. “We’ll talk later.”
The rest were sitting wherever they could find a place.
“I’ll be glad to get home,” Rogers said aloud to anyone that would listen.
“How far is it to your area?” Murdock asked.
“It’s a fair piece yet,” Rogers said. “I’d say we’ll be close when we stop for the night.”
“We’ll be stopping for the night when it is close to sundown,” Murdock informed, “unless someone needs to stop sooner.” With that, the water-skins were stowed and Heather walked behind the cart being pulled by Murdock. Annie climbed down from the cart before it started to move.
“What was the tense conversation with Murdock?” Annie asked Heather as they both walked behind the cart. All the men were walking in front of the cart and ignored the women.
“I recognized Wagner and Hornsby”, Heather said quietly. “That caused me to remember where I’d seen two others that were with the farmers.”
“Why did that bother you?” Annie asked.
“I thought Murdock needed to know that I recognized them as Palmer’s henchmen. I feel I owe him.”
“You’re acting like you’re still bothered by it, are you?” Annie asked.
“To me, Murdock is not acting cautiously enough around them. I felt he needed to be warned. At the same time, I didn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s chances for self-redemption. I know I’m not perfect and have made plenty of mistakes. I’m not sure I’d appreciate someone else reminding me of them when I’m trying to redeem myself.”
“Well, you’ve done all you can,” Annie said. “It’s up to Murdock to do what he thinks best w
ith the information.” Annie noticed that Heather seemed to perk up a little.
#
It was several hours before Murdock called for a halt and nodded assent when Heather asked about setting up camp.
“Are we stopping for the night?” Rogers asked no one in particular. “It is hours before sundown. We should keep going.”
“You want to keep going, then, by all means, do so!” Murdock said sarcastically. “The rest of us could use a rest and something to eat, but far be it for me to hold you back when you, obviously, have something else more important to do.”
Rogers took a few more steps and then stopped. He turned to look at the rest of his traveling companions and saw that they weren’t following him. He watched for a few minutes as the women were setting up a campsite and Wagner was gathering wood for the fire.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll run off?” he asked as he slowly returned to the group.
“I’m concerned that wolves or cougars might get you and put a kybosh on any potential arrangements we might come to,” Murdock responded, “but hey, if you want to go so bad, then I’m sure I can explain it to your man, when and if he arrives.”
“Maybe I am being a bit too over-anxious for my own good,” Rogers said as he sheepishly returned.
Civilization (Displaced Book 2) Page 42