Desert Runner

by Dawn Chapman

  She let out a real old lady laugh, her greying hair usually tied back bouncing about her small frame. “You’re still a child to me, my dear.”

  I wanted to open the flask, to drown in some of its contents. The pain hadn’t eased off through the night, and the beer hadn’t masked it. It never did.

  “The pain is the same,” I eventually said.

  She slid the flask towards me. “How long since you have had your potions properly?”

  “Consistently, about three weeks.”

  “You’re pushing your limits.” She sighed. “The drugs need to be in your system constantly, my dear.”

  When one flask cost more than a week’s supply of food, it wasn’t possible. “I know, Sylvie,” I said. “Things got tough on the plains.”

  “You could have come sooner.”

  I knew this, but then I’d be beholden to no more than a drug dealer, even if a legitimate one, and running through the city with the kinds of loads she would ask me to wasn’t what I wanted, either. Drugs were the real danger zone here. Tromoal out there was something you couldn’t avoid, but the sewer rats, the actual users were the craziest, most deadly underworld in any city. I shook my head. “Thanks, Sylvie. You know I would if I got that bad.”

  It was entirely a lie, and she knew it. Yet she still smiled at me, patting my hand. How this frail and mild-looking woman could be the underground drug lord of this city I never quite understood.

  She packaged up my order, and then slipped in something else. “I think you’ll need this. Just be very careful if you do decide to use it. It’s on me.”

  I didn’t see any marking on the jar, but it was small, maybe contained pills instead of liquid.

  I slid my palm across her reader, paying for the goods, the usual ping and new denomination. I’d almost spent two-thirds of my funds. That made me frown. I knew some of it went to Dail... but even so.

  Sylvie tugged my hand back to her. “What’s this?” She pointed to the ring.

  Not something I had thought much about since last night. I had almost taken it off to sling around my neck leather instead.

  I met her gaze, seeing something odd twinkle in her eyes. What?

  “Where did you get it?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I hadn’t known the origin of the ring at all or how much Dail had salted into it. In fact, why the hell hadn’t he sold the ring to pay off the med bills? Then I knew why... me. He really did love me.

  “I don’t know,” I stuttered. “Why?”

  Sylvie moved to the back of her counter, pulling out an old tome. The dust blew up in my face as it slammed down. She flicked through several thick pages before settling on a picture.

  “This is why, my dear.” She pointed to the central picture of a young woman. “This is Lady Mysiol. She was rumoured to be the ruler of Trofoth before she took a sailing crew around the other islands many centuries ago.”

  I stared at the ring. It did look similar. “You really think this was her ring?”

  Sylvie nodded. “May I take a closer look?”

  I slid the ring off my finger and gave it to her, the instant dip to my health quite noticeable.

  HEALTH – 60%

  She drew out some pieces of equipment and examined it for a few minutes. “You have a rare item here. Would you be willing to sell it?”

  “No, thank you. It was a gift.” I snatched the ring from her hands, slipping it back on. “It’s staying with me.”

  HEALTH – 75%

  Because I’d twisted it, another popup appeared.

  HEALTH BOOST – 85%

  That 10% boost, instant and amazing. I’d get too used to it. I was sure. Maybe I shouldn’t wear it, but for now, it helped. A lot.

  “A gift from a lover, I can understand why. If you ever change your mind, do come back.”

  With a heave, I lifted the sectioned box up. “Thanks, Sylvie, I sure will.” Though I’d no intention of coming back to sell anything—to buy, of course, she was my ticket to a pain-free life.

  I placed the box on the passenger seat floor, starting the engine. I had just enough time to get to the addresses on the mayor’s quest listing. It wasn’t too far away and further on the smarter side of the city. The Hog roared to life. Sipping from a flask, I eased back in the seat. I took my time driving through the busy streets. Several people looked my way as I eased over the cobbles, carts and horses shying away from the roaring engine. Braking to a stop, I waited until they were out of the way despite the daggers in my head.

  I paid little attention to the houses I passed. There were a few curtain twitches, but when I reached my destination, all I could see were two guards. They stood in casual black uniforms, their chainmail stretching over their massive physiques. I slid out of the Hog and spoke with them.

  “Miss, your quest is inside. Good luck.” That was it. They wandered off, leaving me staring at the front door of a small home. I took a step forward and gently knocked.

  There wasn’t an answer, so I pushed the handle down, stepping inside. The room was dark, for the most part, but a small light illuminated a side wall.

  “Hello,” I called out. There was indeed a parcel on the table. Maybe there wasn’t a person after all.

  No sooner had I stepped to the table, I felt a knife at my back. Quick reflexes and a moment later, I was looking into the green eyes of a young man, my knife at his belly.

  “Nice job.” He smiled, then pushed away and held out a hand for me to shake. “I’m Alex.”

  I looked him up and down, then a small icon popped into the corner of my view.

  ALEX DUBOIS – VISITOR – HEALTH – 100%

  Oh no. Oh hell no. This changed everything. I started to back away. “Sorry, Alex. This quest’s not for me.”

  I moved to the door, but he got there before me, blocking my path. “Hey, what do you mean, not for you? You’ve already been given the funds. The mayor’s promised me you’d do this. You can’t back out now.”

  The hairs raised on the back of my neck. “Find someone else. You can have your money back.”

  Alex grabbed my arm. His mistake. Within a second, he was on his knees pinned with his hands behind his back.

  “Hey, hey…” He squirmed. “That’s not fair.”

  I leaned over and whispered in his ear, “What’s not fair is you, playing in the affairs of our world. You’ve no right to do that.”

  I saw the confusion breach across his face. “You know what I am?”

  I flung him away from me, grabbed for the door, and was out in the early sun before he could follow.

  With the door to the Hog open, I slid in. A hand grabbed my shoulder. “Please, Maddie, can we talk?”

  I didn’t know what I wanted to do more—run away, hit him in the face, or reach over and throw all the stuff I’d just bought at him. I got back out of the Hog. He placed his parcel on the roof.

  “So talk. What is it you’re doing here?” My voice was raised, heart beating faster than I wanted. I could see the tension in his shoulders as he looked around. “Why the hell do you want to get across the desert to Port Troli? What’s in it for you?”

  “I really do have to deliver that parcel. What I get from it is the next stage in my journey. I get paid, gain experience, and hopefully, learn some more aptitudes to boot.”

  I was shocked he actually told me this. Leaning back on the Hog, I swallowed, waiting for him to continue.

  “Maddie, no one else would take this quest. No matter what I offered. I need to get that package and the information I’m carrying to Port Troli. It’s of vital importance the information is passed over to Shiroth as soon as possible.”

  “You want to take a boat?” I was interested in this. I’d hoped one day to leave Maicreol.

  But he shook his head. “Someone else is doing that part of the journey, but they can’t cross the seas if I’m not there.”

  “You guys are about three months too late for both sides of this journey.”

  “Exact
ly, I’m desperate. Help me.”

  The plea on his face changed, his eyes losing their anger and frustration. I saw the desperation within as his lip twitched. I moved off the side of the Hog. Its metal sides were digging into flesh. “Get in. We’ve a lot to talk about and a hell of a long way to drive.”

  Alex picked the parcel off the roof and moved toward the back of the Hog. “All supplies in there, passenger side,” I ordered him.

  I watched him open the back door, place his parcel amongst the supplies, and then move to get in the front with me, wedging his feet in amongst the alchemist haul. “We really need all that?”

  I closed the door, resting my head against the window, now able to get a better look at him as he sat next to me.

  “Yes, we need all that.” I noticed the clothing he wore and how the leather stretched across muscles, seeming too neat, tidy. His hair was freshly washed, but not a speck of grime anywhere, even his boots polished. I let out a sigh. “Have you ever seen a Tromoal?”

  With no answer, I was quick. I unzipped my pants, easing them off my sore hip. The exposed angry gashes there never went away. The torture I got from looking at them was always the same.

  I watched the reaction on his face then motioned down my leg. “Picked up and tossed about like a rag doll,” I said. “Six years ago. The toxins in their mouth don’t allow healing. The damage done to my body from falling sixty feet will never heal, either. We’re heading into the most dangerous part of the world where no one dares go. They’re breeding, which makes them even nastier than when they’re flying around looking for food. If we’re spotted, we’re dead. If we get attacked by the matriarch, or the male lead sees us, we’re dead. You will do everything I say when I say it. No questions. Understood?”

  “I don’t want to die. I’ll do everything you say. Runners honour.”

  I started the Hog, the low rumble of his engine an instant comfort. “Today, we get out of the city, drive through the villages towards Henson Estate. Henson owns most of the north side of the cave systems. He farms there. He also provides food for the Tromoal at this time of year. He’s highly ranked in this area, but also has many bounty hunters about. I’ve already been told there’s a price on the information you carry. So the route I had planned for us, I’m changing. We’re more off-road than I wanted, which means the tracks I am using aren’t protected. You’ll need to man the weapon when I say, keep a look out at night. We’ll be sleeping in the Hog. I’ll ditch the other supplies.”

  “We were going to sleep rough?”

  “I hadn’t planned on much else, being stuck in here with a stranger. Just not my idea of a good time. No offence.”

  A wicked grin spread across his face, but he swallowed it.

  “How long will it take to cross?” he asked.

  “Approximately six weeks on horseback. With the Hog? Three days.”

  “I can see why they’re highly sought after. Don’t you have trouble with thieves?”

  I looked at him, briefly considering not telling him. “No, the Hog’s linked to me. No one else can get in or out without my say so.”

  “So it’s a magical item then?”

  “I don’t understand all your terms.” I laughed. “But there are only four on Maicreol. Their inventor tied the systems up with DNA strands, so the users are unique.”

  He listened, glancing over the mechanics of the dashboard. “Seems a blend of technology from home and something else entirely. It’s been modified, but by who?” The more he looked at the Hog’s dash, the more his eyes widened. “And a hell of a lot by the looks of it.”

  I knew this. I’d worked on a lot of the mods myself. “That it is.”

  “So,” he looked at the dash board’s map. “Three days, two nights? Do we have travel speeds, distance?”

  “I have everything I need in here.” I tapped the side of my head. With the flick of a button on the edge of the dash, a screen popped out for him to view.

  “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this in Trox. I didn’t even know tech like this existed. It’s supposed to be a fantasy world.”

  He made an awful lot of blanket statements. I grinned. “There are enough of us about who like tech to keep at it, despite you ‘visitors’ who always want to repress us. You think we’re all programs? Well, some of us like to program too.”

  He contemplated it for a moment, and then added, “The red lines are the path we should’ve taken then?”

  “Yes. Now we detour. It will add about half a day, but if I can keep a good pace, it won’t matter. The only issue is when we’re on the central plain. Skirting the forest side isn’t an option. We need the mountains now, and the terrain there is much more uneven. If the Tromoal have been fighting a lot, there could be more debris.”

  When he met my eyes this time, he whispered, “Thank you. I hope you’ll learn to trust me, Maddie.”

  The next three days with this guy already seemed like it would be a lifetime too much.

  I looked back at the road, concentrating and thinking on which route was best out the city. “Don’t thank me for anything. In fact, don’t talk until we get out of the town and onto the central plains. I need to think.”

  With that, Alex went quiet.

  Chapter 4

  The city guards let us out through the gates, and we drove southwest. We still had plenty of daylight, and I fully believed we could get through the outer villages and towards Henson’s estate before nightfall. Alex kept quiet, but he fidgeted a lot. I wasn’t used to passengers sharing the front of the cab with me. “You going to fidget all the way to Port Troli?”

  “Sorry. First ride with a deadly NPC. I’m nervous you’re going to kill me.”

  I almost hit the brakes to dropkick his ass out the door. But when I looked at him, he was still smiling. Something about him made me want to laugh too, so I did. “Please don’t call me an NPC.” The burning hatred for that term was deep seeded inside my brain from some of my previous encounters.

  “Can we talk about this world?” He skimmed his thick head of hair. “I’ve been quiet enough, but you’re the first...” He almost repeated NPC, I was sure of it. “…person who understands all of this.” He indicated to the world outside.

  “I believe there are very few of us who are aware,” I said. “It’s not something we often talk about or speak with visitors. But we know you’re here. We know what you do and why you do it.”

  “It bothers you?”

  I flexed my fingers on the steering wheel, seeing the ring flicker its pink hues around the cab. “What bothers me is that sometimes, there’s a lot of damage done because one of you doesn’t know what they’re doing. This world we live in has many rules, some we don’t understand. But they’re there. Even for me, the rules are there, my programming is there. It’s a constant battle to bypass it.”

  “But you are getting around it, though. That’s very interesting.”

  I tried to push the thoughts away of the constant battles in my head. Falling in love, the quest… Usually, they come in, I accept, I do them, no questions asked. Now, I ask questions, and I don’t always do the quests. The fact I was out of money was the only reason I took this one on, and Dresel knew it.

  “When do you need a rest?” Alex let me be silent for quite some time. “I’ll do some of the driving if you’ll let me.”

  “And give you access to something I hold dear? No…”

  “I won’t betray you. Can’t you see how sincere I am?”

  I watched his eyes. They were the window to his inner being. They didn’t tell me he was going to double cross me. “Have you driven one before? It’s a bit of a strange thing to get used to with all the modifications.”

  “I won’t know unless I try. When we swap over, maybe you can find a home for this box of goodies. Bag of holding or something?”

  I glanced at the floor. I could see how awkward it might be there. “Sorry. I broke my last one, besides I like to see what I have.”

  “You mean th
e Creolin?”

  “You’re an alchemist?”

  “I’ve a few aptitudes I think are useful. If you start to trust me, I can open them up so you can see them.”

  I thought about it for a little while. Knowing more than his general skills might well come in handy over the next few days. But that also meant he would see everything I was. I hadn’t shared myself with anyone in a very long time. Not even Dail.

  “You do realise how personal that is, right?”

  “Yes.” He rubbed his hand down his leather pants. “Sorry, if it’s too personal yet. I just thought it might help.”

  “No, you’re right. It might well help. We’re doing the most dangerous quest I’ve done in many years. I just wanted you to realise that if I do let you in, it’s been a very long time, and it changes the quest somewhat.”

  I could see he was confused, but he didn’t press. “I understand. The offer is there if you need it.”

  Spinning the wheel slightly to avoid a pothole, I cursed as the bottles clinked beneath his feet. “I’ll pull over as you said. We’ll find a safer place for my things. You can take the wheel till we get to Hanson’s estates. They’re a few hours out. It’ll give me a chance to rest for a while if you can handle the Hog.”

  Alex nodded. “I’ll be fine with your instruction.” Then he laughed. “I love the name Hog.”

  “It was his first kill,” I said. “Soon after, I obtained ownership. Damned thing nearly killed us both. Ran straight out in the middle of the road, large as an ebolos, and we hit it. The hog bounced off the roll bar, smashed the screen, landing a few hundred feet up the road. When I stopped shaking and made my way out to see what we’d hit, I was shocked. I roped it, strung it to the roof, and we headed home. The local villagers started to run after us as we drove in, shouting for the hog. It kinda stuck.”

  “Well, it suits him, and you.”

  I pulled the Hog to the side of the road away from the tree line I’d followed for a while, and Alex hopped out. I stretched my legs, walking around to his side then he handed me the box. “Thanks.” I took it, finding a nice place to wedge it with some clothing wrapped around the tops. Taking one of the flasks out, I opened the top and swigged it.