Severed Ties

by Jo Schneider

“Then we’ll be real quiet.”

  “No,” Hank pushed off the wall. “Sorry, Riggs, but I’m going to have to pull rank here. Take me with you. I’m not sick yet, and Christian knows me.”

  “He knows me too,” Riggs said.

  “Yes, and if I remember correctly, the last time we went out to meet him you almost shot him.”

  “He was sneaking around us.”

  Hank shook his head. “Besides, you look like you’re just barely walking.”

  Mike held up a hand. “That brings us to our next point. We don’t have enough fighters who aren’t sick to send out on this.”

  That was met with silence.

  Jeff spoke. “Send my team.”

  Wendy’s head whipped around to look at Jeff of its own accord. He was using her idea?

  “That possibility had crossed our minds,” Mike said, “but it’s too dangerous.”

  “How many healers do we have left?” Matt asked.

  “Not enough to cure a whole team of fighters,” Doc said. He made a face. “Gwen has already asked that the entire Council get a dose.”

  Wendy’s mouth opened before she could stop it. “So her personal comfort is more important than Shelter?”

  Everyone stopped and looked at her.

  Her anger turned to embarrassment, and she swallowed. “Sorry.”

  “You’re Arie’s roommate, right?” Hank asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “I can tell.” He sighed. “But you’re right. That’s why we’re here, to decide what’s best for Shelter.”

  Jeff stepped forward. “Send us in. Wendy is a good fighter. Kev can get us close without anyone seeing us. Cal can work the computers. Matt knows what meds to look for. Let us go.”

  Mike eyed Jeff. “I’m not sending the lot of you by yourselves.”

  “Besides, none of you know Christian,” Hank said.

  “You know, if we chat with Christian, it’s likely that someone is going to give him whatever this is. We don’t want it to spread to another complex,” Doc said.

  Silence fell as everyone turned to their own thoughts.

  Wendy watched Jeff’s anxious expression. She’d never seen him ask for anything before. This was a new side of him. A more aggressive side. She kind of liked it.

  “I can’t send you by yourselves,” Mike repeated.

  Matt snapped his fingers. “Will the healers keep the carrier from spreading the disease?”

  Doc frowned. “It should.”

  “So give some to Hank and Riggs, then send them with us.”

  “Us?” Doc asked.

  “Like you’re going anywhere.”

  Wendy had never seen anyone but Elle bully Doc.

  Doc glared.

  “He’s right, you won’t leave,” Riggs said. “And though I’m not one to vote myself into the miracle cure, it’s a good idea.”

  Hank nodded. “Gwen will have to live with just a couple of us Council members getting it.”

  Riggs looked at Jeff. “We’re going to need a few more people.”

  Two hours later, Wendy was standing back in the hangar. She had a newly filled pack of ammo, weapons, cartons to carry meds, food and a change of clothes.

  Doc had given Riggs, Hound and Janice shots. Kev, Cal, Sven, Wendy and Jeff waited nearby.

  Dennis stood a few feet away, his arms folded across his chest.

  Wendy willed her teeth to stop grinding together.

  According to Riggs, Dennis was the only person still walking who could identify the shield part they needed. And since they had him, they didn’t want to waste another healer on an adult in case someone needed it later.

  Riggs had assured Wendy that he would personally take care of any problems.

  Kev leaned down and whispered to her. “Remember, let him impale himself on his own stupidity.”

  “If he so much as touches me I’ll cut his hands off.”

  “That’s fair. Just leave his eyes and his vocal chords. That’s all we really need of him.”

  Cal snorted.

  Wendy took a breath and returned her attention to Doc, who had just finished up with shots.

  “Those will take effect within the next few minutes, still when you see Christian, stay at least ten feet away from him, and try not to spit.”

  “What about us?” Matt asked.

  “You should stay away from his people,” Doc said. “You’ve all been exposed, and we don’t have time to disinfect all of you. Except Wendy, she’s probably still got enough of the healer floating in her system to have already killed off the bacteria.”

  Wendy blinked. “It lasts that long?”

  “It was made for soldiers so they wouldn’t be affected by chemical warfare and so they would heal faster and without infections. They last for years. In theory.”

  “Oh,” Wendy said.

  “Got it,” Riggs said. He shouldered his pack and waved at the group. “Gather your stuff and get on board.”

  The ride lasted forty-five long minutes. Wendy’s inner ears began to buckle, and she felt like she might throw up, but managed to keep it at bay.

  Wendy once again sat between Kev and Jeff. Dennis lurked on the opposite end of the row. Wendy was fine not having to look at his ugly face. Not only did she spend the flight keeping her lunch down, but she also had to keep the monster from stirring. She hoped she’d convinced it, and herself, that Riggs knew what he was doing.

  Janice settled them back on the ground with a tiny bump, and an announcement that they’d landed.

  Riggs stood. He looked a thousand times better than he had during the meeting. He could practically stand up straight.

  “Hound, Wendy, you’re with Hank and I. Christian and his guys don’t know we have transports, so we’re going to hike a mile or so to the meeting spot. We should be early. Jeff, have everyone else set up a perimeter around the transport. If we’re not back in three hours, have Janice take you back to Shelter.”

  Kev leaned over and looked between Jeff and Wendy. “The scavengers told me a little about the other complexes. No one is very trusting, but Mike has a reputation for being one of the good guys.”

  “The scavengers told you this?” Jeff asked.

  “They’re nice guys, if you listen to their crazy stories.”

  Riggs kept talking. “Grab your gear. We’re getting off.”

  Wendy did as Riggs said and followed Hank down the ramp.

  Hank still wore his loud shirt. He’d said that Christain loved the shirts. Wendy wasn’t sure if she believed it. Riggs glared each time he looked at Hank, probably thinking about what an easy target he made.

  For all of Arie’s complaints about the Council, Wendy found she liked Hank. He’d chatted with Jeff and Kev on the ride here, and he kept quiet as they followed Riggs through the woods. Hound trailed behind Wendy, watching their backs.

  Riggs led them through woods that were similar to those where they’d just done their exercise—more leaves than needles on the trees, many of them changing colors already. The air felt a little heavy, and the sun shone with an insistent brightness that made Wendy squint.

  There was no discernible trail, but Riggs was following something. Maybe he just knew where he was going.

  By the time they got to the meeting spot, Wendy was covered in sweat and breathing hard. Hank looked like he wanted to lie down and stay there for as long as possible.

  The small clearing showed signs of use—a fire pit in the middle and a handful of logs around it. Although with the amount of leaves in the pit it had probably been at least a few weeks since anyone had been here. Maybe more.

  Wendy pulled her water out and drank as she glanced around. The thick trees surrounding them would make it difficult to spot anyone. She stole a quick look at Riggs and found him standing near the pit, stretching with his arms up in the air. Hank lurked nearby, sitting on a log with his head in his hands, trying to catch his breath.

  “Poor Hank,” Hound said as he walked up to Wendy. “He’s not u
sed to this.”

  Wendy eyed Hank, who still looked pale. “I feel like he did pretty well, considering.”

  “Sure, considering.” Hound opened his mouth to speak again.

  A flicker of movement caught Wendy’s attention. A bundle of leaves on a bush wobbled. There was no wind, and it was too high to be a rabbit.

  She held up her hand.

  Hound stopped and followed her gaze. He craned his neck and looked at Riggs. “We have company.”

  Riggs, who was in the middle of a drink from his canteen, finished and nodded. “About time.” He followed Hound’s pointing finger. “You may as well come out, Christian. We come in peace.”

  More rustling. Another movement at the corner of Wendy’s eye. A woman emerged. A man walked out from the first place she’d noticed. Six others followed, all coming from different directions.

  Wendy and Hound stepped back toward Riggs, taking opposite sides.

  Hank rose and walked toward a short, thick man with shaggy blond hair and a camouflage jacket. The rest of them dressed and moved much like those from Shelter. Most had packs and guns, and looked suspicious but not totally paranoid. They weren’t as dirty as Wendy had usually been in the Den, but they weren’t as clean as most of the people in Shelter.

  Of course, right now Wendy looked like she hadn’t showered in a while either.

  The short, thick man met Hank and held out his hand. Hank took it.

  “Hank, good to see you.”

  “Same, Christian,” Hank said.

  Christian leaned over to look at Riggs, who had stayed behind. “Riggs.”

  The icy chill of the word hung in the clearing.

  “Christian,” Riggs said.

  Riggs rarely showed his anger or looked unsettled. Right now he was both.

  “We’re training a new crew of Scavengers,” Hank said.

  Christian eyed them for a moment. “Starting young with that one.” He jerked his chin at Wendy, and she saw in his eyes that he didn’t take her seriously.

  She grinned in her mind. Surprises were her specialties.

  Hank went on. “Mike wanted us to bring them through your territory. I need a safe zone that isn’t all mountains.”

  Christian gave Wendy one last curious glance before he nodded. “Of course.”

  Hank reached into his pocket. Christian’s other people tensed.

  “Brought you a little something,” Hank said. He pulled out a small, red cloth bag.

  Wendy’s mind flipped to the fuzzy memories she had of right before the fight at the Den. Her dad had given her something in a red cloth bag.

  “What is it?” Christian asked.

  “Seeds. Uncorrupted Wheat.”

  “Much obliged,” Christian said as he stepped forward and took the bag from Hank.

  It looked like a friendly exchange, but Wendy noted how Riggs’ tension eased when Christian took the gift.

  Riggs stepped forward. “Anything suspicious going on?”

  “Always.” Christian’s blue eyes flashed.

  Christian’s people shifted their weight, as if getting ready for something.

  Wendy kept herself still, but her fingers were already near her knives.

  “What happened?” Riggs asked, still frowning. “You’ve got at least a dozen other guys out there. Why the show of force?”

  “There’s been a lot of activity lately,” Christian said.

  “Like what?”

  “Why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?”

  Riggs studied the shorter man. His hands hung relaxed at his side, but Wendy knew that Riggs could be armed faster than she could.

  “We’re just training a new group. They need some lower forest experience, and I’d rather not tangle with one of the wild groups.” Riggs kept his voice even. “Have they been pushing you?”

  Christian studied Riggs. “Dwayne’s compound is gone.”

  Wendy saw the surprise in Riggs’ eyes.

  “What?” Both Hank and Riggs said together.

  “Two weeks ago. Someone came in, killed everyone and torched the place.”

  Hank shook his head. “We hadn’t heard. We haven’t had any scavengers out that way in a while.”

  “How do I know it wasn’t you?”

  Riggs kept his eyes on the other man. “You don’t. How do I know it wasn’t you?”

  Christian’s fingers twitched toward the bulge of a gun in his belt. “We’ve been trading with them for almost a year.”

  “So you’re worried that whoever took them out is coming after you next?”

  How would things have been different if Wendy’s dad had known that someone was coming after the Den? Would he have moved everyone? Doubled patrols? Set traps? Would they have survived?

  Riggs went on. “Did you ever invite them to your place?”

  “Do you think I’m an idiot?” Christian’s nostrils flared.

  Hank stepped between them. Both the bravest and dumbest thing to do at that moment. “Come on guys, we’re allies, not enemies.”

  Christian kept his predatory gaze on Riggs. “What happened to Ed’s place?”

  Wendy’s heart sped up. A lump rose in her throat.

  Riggs shook his head. “Gone. Months ago. Same thing, except they didn’t burn it.”

  “Were you there?”

  “We found it a few days after.”

  “Survivors?”

  “None.”

  Riggs said it with such certainty that Wendy believed him, even though she was standing just a few feet away.

  Still, her palms started to sweat, and she had to resist the urge to wipe them on her pants.

  “Did any of them make it here?” Hank asked in his calm, deep voice.

  “No. Not from either place.”

  “Sounds like we need to get Mike and Tracy out here for a meeting.”

  Christian shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “We need to stick together,” Hank said. “Or all of our people could end up dead.”

  The interrogation seemed to be over, but Wendy didn’t think Christian was completely satisfied.

  “Do we have permission to use your territory?” Hank asked. “It’ll only be two or three days. Then, as soon as I get back, I’ll talk to Mike.”

  “That might be good,” Christian said. His eyes settled on Wendy. “You can’t be more then thirteen.”

  “I’m sixteen,” Wendy said.

  “Really?”

  “Really,” she said in a flat tone.

  “And why do you want to be a scavenger?” Christian’s eyes bore into hers, searching for a weakness. Why did he think he would find it in her?

  “I’m good at sneaking,” Wendy said.

  Christian took in everything about her in one swoop up and down. “Knives?”

  “They’re quiet.”

  Wendy could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She held Christian’s gaze, waiting for the test to be over.

  “Can you fight?”

  “I can hold my own.”

  “Care to test that theory?”

  Wendy ground her teeth. This guy sounded way too much like Dennis.

  Riggs turned to Wendy. “What do you say, do you want a piece of him? We can spare five minutes.”

  Wendy blinked. Riggs was willing to let her fight him? She smiled, thinking about the look of shock on his face when she took him to pieces in much less time than that. “Sure.”

  “Have at it,” Riggs said with the wave of his hand. “Just no permanent injures and no broken bones. Tracy would be upset, and I try to keep the ladies happy.”

  Wendy pulled one arm out of her pack and started on the other before Christian put his hands out in front of him.

  “Nah, I don’t want to beat up a little girl.” A trickle of laughter came from his people.

  Behind her, Hound snorted.

  Riggs shrugged. “Fine. Can we go now?”

  Christian nodded. “Hank and I need to talk, but then yeah, you can go. Just keep to the west.”r />
  Hank and Christian walked to one end of the clearing, their heads together.

  “I feel like we just made it through some sort of initiation,” Hound said.

  “Me too,” Wendy said. “Do you know much about these guys?”

  “Nothing.” Hound grinned. “You looked a little excited there.”

  “Once in a while I do get tired of everyone underestimating me.”

  “Good thing he refrained,” Hound said. “You would have taken him apart. He looks like a heavy fighter. You’re much faster.”

  “Probably, but you never know. Maybe he’s good at hiding it.”

  “Maybe.”

  They pretended to care about their conversation while they watched Christian’s guys who did the same.

  Riggs stood apart, studying the woods.

  Wendy understood. Her dad had never brought anyone from a different compound to the Den. He always met them in neutral territory. Christian seemed like a jerk, but that’s exactly what would happen if someone like Dennis was in charge.

  The world was not safe, even if there were still good people in it. Good people had to bend in order to survive.

  A few minutes of intense discussion later, Hank and Christian shook hands and parted. Christian led his guys north.

  “Head out, people,” Riggs said.

  Wendy waited her turn. She looked over her shoulder just before she left the clearing and saw Christian watching her.

  A little bit of Kev inspired her to smile and wave.

  Christian did the same.

  Wendy knew if they ever met again, he’d want that fight.

  The hike back to the transport took twice as long. They circled around three times to throw Christian’s guys off, and split up twice. By the time they got there, it had been almost three hours.

  “About time,” Janice said. “I was getting ready to take off.”

  “Christian was feeling moody,” Riggs said as he waved Wendy and the others inside.

  “He’s such a prima donna.”

  “Yep.”

  Wendy stowed her stuff and buckled in. They’d barely taken off when Kev stuck his head around his seat.

  “What happened?”

  Wendy looked at Hound, who shrugged. So Wendy told the story.

  Kev frowned.

  “The scavengers always deal with Christian. Who’s Tracy?”

  “I don’t know. I assume she’s their Mike.”