Tribulations

by KM Fortune

  “I take it you had fun,” Helen said coming closer to him.

  “Absolutely,” Hector grinned as he pulled her into an embrace. “But I missed you.”

  Helen tilted her head up to look at him. “You better,” she said. Leaning down to kiss her, Hector saw Simon out of the corner of his eye. The little man hurried over to his vehicle and began a detailed inspection of it. He is a fussy one, Hector thought as he finished his kiss. Lifting his head, he called over to the man. “Don’t worry,” Hector said. “I didn’t hurt your baby.”

  Simon continued to circle the motorcycle not bothering to look up at Hector. "On the contrary, this mechanical device is not my baby," Simon said. "But rather is only a significant means of transportation which I have found necessary to traverse the many miles between my starting point and my destination. It would be extraordinarily inconvenient to have a malfunction at this juncture."

  "Well, it seemed just fine to me," Hector said as he stepped away from Helen and went to stand beside the motorcycle. "By the way, where is your destination?"

  Helen came up to stand beside Hector and looked on as Simon continued to worry about his machine. “He’s going to the forbidden city,” she said. “While you were out on your adventure, we had a nice chat. Simon has a proposal for the man who runs Reno.”

  “Quite true,” Simon said. “It is my foremost intention to go to the miniature metropolis which serves as an oasis in this rather uninteresting landscape and speak to the one who calls himself “The Duke.” Or so I believe. As I noted before my benefactor, God rest his soul, has met a most untimely death and thus passed onto the next life. I now need funding to continue my exploration of this great continent.”

  Great continent? Hector thought. Once again, he did not know precisely what Simon was yammering on about, and he felt his frustration rising. As if sensing it, Helen put a gentle paw on his arm. "His stories of exploration are all really quite interesting," she said.

  “Seriously?” Hector asked. “You mean there’s actually stuff worth looking at somewhere?” He immediately regretted asking. As he watched Simon take a deep breath to begin speaking again, Hector held up a paw. It made no difference. Simon launched into yet another soliloquy.

  "Oh, most definitely," he started. "I have made it my life's vocation to locate and recover any old maps available, which I may note, my benefactor so generously funded my searching for and the acquisition thereof. I have been able to restore a number of them to the point that I am now quite convinced I shall be able to navigate my way to the great ocean, known on said maps as the Atlantic, far to our east."

  Helen turned to Hector and gave him a beautiful smile. “As I said, it’s really quite extraordinary,” Helen said. “I never realized there were so many interesting places yet to be explored. Simon is quite the adventurer.”

  Hector started to chuckle. After a moment, it rolled into a full-fledged laugh. This puny little man in the funny leather hat and goggles who is afraid to use his weapon is a great adventure? Hector thought. Not possible.

  "I do not see the point of such merriment," Simon uttered as he came away from the motorcycle to stand with the two cat mutants. The statement only made Hector laugh harder, and tears of amusement came to his eyes.

  “You? A great adventurer?” Hector said. “Now I’ve seen everything.”

  “Hector, be nice,” Helen said quietly. “Not everyone takes your approach to things.” Wiping his eyes, Hector nodded. She had a point, although if he was asked, Hector was pretty sure his way was the best way. Not that Simon’s situation mattered to him anyway. Hector had places to be.

  “You’re right,” he said at last and placed a paw on Simon’s shoulder. “And I will even wish you the best, but I have other things to worry about.” He looked to Helen. “Sweetheart, it’s time we got a move on. I’d like to make a lot of miles before nightfall.”

  “Don’t you want to wait and eat some of this deer meat before we go?” Helen asked.

  Hector shrugged and walked over to the carcass. He ripped off a large piece of the haunch. "This will do," he said. "We can always catch more, and it is the least I can do to leave the rest of the deer with your new friend."

  Helen raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean leave?” Helen asked.

  “Yes, quite right,” Simon said. “It is most unnecessary to set aside part of the venison as I have surmised we will all be departing at the same time. In different directions, of course, as I don’t imagine you who were once navigating south would now be of the desire to head north.”

  “Oh, we are probably heading in different directions,” Hector said. “But since I will be taking the motorcycle, I figured you’d camp out here for a while.” Hector watch Simon turn pale. The man shot a pleading glance at Helen.

  “We are not taking his motorcycle,” Helen said. Hector gritted his teeth. Helen was beautiful and kind, but there were some things she did not understand.

  “Oh, we most certainly are,” Hector said.

  Helen was thoughtful for a moment. She looked off into the distance and then sighed. “Not if you want me to come with you,” she said. You have got to be kidding me, Hector thought. She can’t mean it. He opened his mouth to say so but then paused. But what if she does? Hector ran a paw over his face. For a second he considered his options. He could lose his temper and storm around insisting she cooperate. Somehow he did not believe that approach would go over well. It left him only one other course, and he was not a big fan of it.

  “I don’t suppose you’re kidding?” Hector asked.

  "I most certainly am not," Helen said. "We will compromise. Assuming you want to go to the forbidden city. Otherwise, he may go on his way, and we will continue on foot." It was precisely what Hector was afraid she would say. He gritted his teeth and truly realized for the first time traveling with Helen was going to be a lot more different than back in the day when he moved around alone. But better, he reminded himself and forced his shoulders to relax.

  "Fine," he said. “We can compromise. We can go to the forbidden city, but I want to get out of here in the next few minutes. Time is wasting, and I don't want to give my brother any more opportunity than necessary to dig his roots into being king."

  TRAVELING IN THE MINIVAN sucked. It was bumpy and crowded and cold. Kaleb, who sat in the driver's seat across from Blaze riding shotgun, did the best he could to avoid the substantial potholes but the overall condition of the road made for a very rough ride. What was almost worse though was the fact the twins, who were way in the back, were fast asleep and snoring. Those two are about to drive me nuts, Blaze thought. It irked him no matter how dire the situation, the two men from the lodge beside the lake always seem to be calm and upbeat. It was pretty much the opposite of everything Blaze felt.

  As they went over yet another large crater and the entire vehicle shook like it was about to fall apart, Blaze had just about enough. “This trip probably would’ve gone faster if we had decided to walk,” he blurted.

  "No," Matthew interjected. "Even though it feels slow, we are making about twenty miles an hour and even if we ran we could not match it." Blake shot him a look.

  "I don't remember asking you," he said. Kaleb glanced over from the driver's seat. He was clearly surprised to hear the animosity in Blaze's tone. "What?" Blaze asked. "Just because we travel together does not mean we are best friends." Kaleb shrugged and went back to looking out the hole where the windshield should have been. Blaze tilted his head. "But maybe to kill time, you can start by explaining how you got mixed up with the lunatic who calls himself The Duke," he said.

  “Good question,” Matthew said. “I’ve been wondering too.” Again, Blaze gave Matthew a scowl but let it go. Kaleb shrugged.

  "Not much to the story," he said. "I came from a small encampment to the north. When I heard a rumor the city had advanced medicines, I made the trek to Reno."

  “Because you’re a doctor?” Matthew asked. Kaleb shook his head.

  “It was m
ore about the medicine,” he said.

  “You risked your life? Just so you could find out about medicine?” Blaze asked. It seemed like a lot of trouble in his opinion.

  Blaze saw Kaleb set his jaw. "My wife was very ill," he said. "I thought by going to the city, I could save her." He paused. "Nothing could have been further from the truth." No one said anything for a long moment, and Blaze thought he was not going to continue, but then he puffed out an angry breath and looked over at Blaze. "When it was over, all that happened was she died, and I ended up in The Duke's debt for life."

  CHAPTER 9

  Watching the sunset out the window of the penthouse, Raven could almost imagine she was back in her previous life. The Duke was gone, and she had been alone for a few hours. It gave her time to reflect on her situation. She thought back to when she woke up in the strange hospital room and of Matthew saving her. She remembered being kidnapped by Hector, a cat mutant. And now I am here in this room in Reno, Nevada. It was all so surreal, and yet all she had to do was let her gaze drift down to the barren landscape of the wasteland below and knew it was now her reality. Although her memories of the long past were filled with holes and she could not remember the faces of her family and friends, she knew Nevada was not where she originally lived. But where is home then exactly? And does it still exist? she wondered. In her heart, she hoped someday she might find a way to return to see.

  Turning from the windows with a sigh, Raven saw Kit pacing back-and-forth across the large room. The tiny woman had also been there for hours, and Raven knew the confinement was starting to wear on the girl's nerves. She’s a creature of the open spaces, Raven thought. Not rooms like this. It’s no wonder she’s acting like a caged lion. Raven knew it was time to let the girl go free. Even though Blaze and the others made Kit promise to watch over Raven, it was unfair. Walking over and standing in Kit's path so she stopped and looked at her, Raven took the girl by the shoulders and held her eye. "I want you to leave," Raven said. "I can take care of myself."

  Kit shook her head no. Raven smiled. "I know you don't believe that," she said. "But I am not quite as fragile as everyone sometimes thinks. I know I'm not from around here. In fact, not even from this time, but I can promise you one thing, knowing how to handle a man is something I have experience in." Kit raised her eyebrows, clearly confused by the statement. Raven laughed. She realized there could not be anyone on the planet who was less likely to understand men then Kit. "I don't expect you quite to get it," Raven said. "Just know I want you to go and do some exploring for us. We both know there's more here than meets the eye and you'll do me a lot more good on the outside." Kit was thoughtful for a moment. Then she reached into her cloak and pulled out a small, but what looked to Raven like a razor sharp, knife. Kit held it out to her handle first. Raven looked at it, not quite understanding. Kit shook the knife in Raven's direction. "You want me to have one of your knives?" Raven asked. Kit nodded. Raven took the weapon. She examined it for a moment and thought it was quite a gift considering how precious Kit's knives were to her. "I will treasure this," Raven said. Kit gave her a small smile, nodded and then motioned to put it under her clothes. Raven understood and quickly secreted the knife away into her waistband.

  "Okay," Raven said. "Now will you be convinced I will be safe enough?" Kit paused for a moment and then gave a short nod. "All right then," Raven said and walked to the intercom. She pressed the button, and after a moment a voice answered.

  "Yes, ma'am?" asked the voice.

  "I want you to unlock the door so that my companion can leave," Raven said. There was a long pause, and Raven knew her request was being passed up the line via walkie-talkie. Finally, the man outside the door came back with an answer.

  "She has clearance," he said, and there was a clicking noise as the door unlocked from the outside. Raven looked and saw Kit was staring at her inquisitively as if asking if Raven was sure. Raven smiled with more confidence than she felt. "Go," Raven said. "And be careful." With that Kit opened the door and was gone.

  HIS CHEST BURNED AS he sucked in the cold air. Night was falling at last. Gabriel and Willow had raced down the mountain to escape the pursuit of the Patrols. At one point they were nearly caught coming to a spot where they had to backtrack to get around. Only by working together were Willow and Gabriel able to climb up and over a ledge as bullets plucked at the snow around them. Believing now they may have lost their pursuers or the men had merely given up after hours of chasing, Gabriel held up his hand to let Willow know he was stopping. Leaning against a tree, Gabriel breathed in as much air as he could and scanned the shadowy forest around him. He had no idea where they were and glanced at Willow. "Any idea of our location?" Gabriel asked. Willow, who looked almost as exhausted as he felt, shook her head.

  "No," Willow said. "I don't spend a lot of time in the mountains normally, especially in the area of the Great Cave." Gabriel nodded. It made sense, but unfortunately, it now meant they were lost and a freezing night lay ahead of them. Suddenly Gabriel heard a faint shout. It was followed by another. Glancing up at the trees, Gabriel was amazed to see a hint of light most likely from the flashlight of a pursuer. "You've got to be kidding me," he said under his breath, and then he realized it was all because of the platoon leader. The man was known to be relentless in his hunt of the nomads, and now Gabriel was getting a taste of it. It was not a good feeling.

  "We need to go," Willow said. Gabriel could not help but recognize a faint look of desperation on her face. It was clear she also knew the platoon leader would never give up until he caught them. Gabriel pushed off the tree and started to make his way through the snow. Willow followed him, and they ran down the next slope. Both moved much slower now, and Gabriel knew they were about out of gas. Wondering if they had been seen yet, he started to scan the landscape for something to duck down behind. A place to make a last stand, he thought. We can fight them off for a minute at least. Then the reality of what he was thinking struck him. Would I take up arms against my brothers? It was a crazy situation he now found himself facing. Suddenly he was allied with one of the very people he spent his life hating. Yet, because he had helped her escape, he knew that even if he surrendered and went back to Eden, his career if not his life would be over. Pondering all of this as he ran, he nearly barreled into Willow who had come to a sliding stop in front of him. Gabriel realized they were at the edge of a deep valley. He looked from left to right and saw no easy passage across. This is it, he thought and slung the combat rifle off his shoulder to check and make sure it was ready to fire.

  "I guess this is where we make a stand," he said. Willow turned to look at him, disbelief on her face. He could understand why she might feel that way. It was the last thing he ever thought would happen. In fact, it was even beyond his imagination. But the girl, Hannah, had changed him. He now saw the humans who came from the wasteland were more than just animals. They were loving and proud. It took meeting Willow to help him understand the impact the child had made on him. He lifted his chin at Willow. "Are you ready?" he asked.

  “Maybe we can climb down,” Willow said. Gabriel shook his head.

  "I don't have the energy left," he said. Willow nodded, and he watched as she appraised the landscape around them, clearly looking for the best place to take cover. Following her gaze, he saw a strange dark spot just up the valley, near the edge of the cliff. It was hard to tell exactly what it was because the night was quickly approaching. But it looks like an entrance to a cave, he thought and pointed in the direction of the opening. “We need to try to get in there,” he said. Willow looked and did not hesitate to respond. He knew she understood there was no time for discussion before the Patrols were on them. She ran forward with Gabriel right behind her. More voices sounded from above in the trees. Scrambling down, Gabriel watched Willow dive into the opening. He was right behind her and together they plunged into the darkness.

  CHAPTER 10

  They were lost. Matthew leaned over the hood of the minivan with Blaze
and Kaleb and looked at the map. It was vague on details and combined with the fact there were no marked roads, it was impossible to know precisely where they were stopped. They had spent the last day wandering around the high desert and so far not been able to find any sign of Area 51. The only thing going for them so far was the fact they had not run into any of the Patrols. It seemed the heightened activity over searching for Raven had slowed down significantly. Matthew was not sure what to make of it, but for the moment he decided to let it go.

  “So what do you think, Kaleb?” Blaze asked with a distinct hint of sarcasm in his voice. His frustration with the situation was evident. “You ever going to find this thing or is it all just a joke?” he asked. Matthew looked at Blaze. The man was becoming more and more unpleasant as the hours passed. He is worried about Raven just like I am, Matthew thought. He’s just showing it differently. There was no way to know how things were faring for her back in Reno, but Matthew was sure The Duke would be difficult if Raven were not cooperating with his plan. Whatever that entails, Matthew thought, knowing in his heart it could not be good.

  Kaleb interrupted Matthew’s worrying with a shake of his head. “Frankly,” Kaleb said. “I have no idea if we are even close to the place. The fact the circle on this map is miles in diameter does not help.”

  “Not to mention every dirt road looks like every other dirt road,” Toby said.

  “No kidding,” Brody said. “I’m expecting any minute to turn around and be back in Reno.”

  Kaleb shrugged. "Honestly, at this point, it wouldn't surprise me," he said. He folded up the map and put it back in the van. "Any preferences on where we pitch the tent," he asked.

  Matthew looked around. The road had led them into a broad ravine with slopes to both sides. Usually, the flatter the terrain the better for sleeping and no rocks would be preferred. Just as he was about to suggest going a little further down the road and trying to find something not quite so contained, he saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning to look, he was surprised to see the figure of a man. Alarmed, he turned to Blaze and pointed. "I think someone's over there," he said. Blaze looked, and just as he seemed to recognize what Matthew was saying, there was a gunshot. The bullet pinged off of the van, and everybody ducked.