“How are you planning to get across the country?” a farmer shouted up.
“We have taken great pains to rebuild steam engines and tracks.”
“All the way to Nevada?” A disbelieving voice popped up from the back.
“Please speak with your chiefs and then come to us once you have obtained their permission for this journey.”
“Permission?” Bethany straightened up. Since when did she require permission to do anything? She tried to catch Maya’s eye, but Maya was frowning and writing something down into the bound book she always carried. This didn’t bode well. She couldn’t even speak to Lisa about it without George and Steven overhearing.
Next up were all the merchants who spent about five minutes each explaining what they were selling and willing to trade. Despite her growing agitation, Bethany noted that there were a few booths she was going to have to visit before she left.
When the conclave’s meeting broke up, Bethany made a beeline for Lewis and Clark. She had read history books when the looters found them, and she had been lucky that the Orange Grove tribe had a few retired teachers who took it upon themselves to come out of retirement to teach the children. They were no more Lewis and Clark than she was Pocahontas.
Lem blocked her path.
“Not interested,” Bethany said and tried to scoot around him, but the wolves kept getting in her way.
“Maya said she wanted you to share her cabin since the Techs’ cabins are now inhospitable.”
“That’s not necessary,” Bethany said. “I can pitch a tent with the rest of the tribe.”
“You, uh, can also share mine.” He looked at her left eyebrow or maybe it was the interesting branch above her head.
“Maya said.”
“What?”
“You forgot to add Maya said after your last sentence. Now, if you would please get out of my way. I have some business to discuss with those gentlemen over there.”
“I’m sorry, Bethany. We’re not supposed to let you do that.”
Lisa bared her teeth at the wolves.
“I don’t believe this.”
“I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” Lem said. “Once you and Maya talk things out, I know everything will be all right. Please? It’s just that you’re too valuable to our tribe to have you leave us. Especially since everyone is going to be after the remaining Techs to go to their tribes.”
“Maya doesn’t own me. I’m not a slave,” Bethany said, kicking out at George as he tried to herd her by nipping at her ankle. Lisa almost got his ear the next time he tried it.
Lem looked flustered. “I know. And we don’t want to hurt you.”
“Why would you hurt me?”
Lem turned red. “I’m just following Maya’s orders. She said to get you into the cabin and keep you there until it’s time to go home.”
“Are you going to force me to stay there against my will?”
“She didn’t say.” Lem shifted uncomfortably. “But, yeah, I think so. It’s for your own protection, though.” He brightened up.
“No. It’s for the good of the tribe,” Bethany said bitterly.
“See, I told her you would be reasonable.” He offered her his hand.
Bethany shifted her backpack so she could reach inside. She came up with the .45 and pointed it at Lem. “I am reasonable. Reasonably sure I can kill you in cold blood, and because I’m a Tech and you’re a farmer, I’d get off with a slap on the wrist. How do you like them apples?”
Lem looked at the wolves.
“They might throw my aim off. But I’m aiming for your torso. It’s a big target. Bottom line, at this range I’m going to hit you. It’s going to hurt, and you’re going to be recovering for a long time. That is, unless you get an infection from where they cut you open to take out the bullet. Ask yourself, is it worth it?”
Lem put up his hands and backed away. “I’m not your enemy here. We just want to keep you safe.”
“You just want to keep me,” Bethany said. She backed away from Lem, and he let her go, but the wolves kept at her heels. She wasn’t dumb enough to think she could stop the both of them, but as they currently didn’t have thumbs, she could resist their herding techniques. And she was pretty sure George and Steven knew she hadn’t taken the safety off the pistol.
“Okay, okay, don’t shoot,” Lem said.
“The three of you need to get out of my sight,” Bethany said.
“Maya’s orders say....”
“Stuff her orders. You leave me alone, or I’m out of here. I will leave the tribe, and there is nothing you can do short of force to stop me.”
Lem looked away. “Okay, guys, heel.”
“They aren’t dogs,” Bethany snarled. “They’re people just like you.”
“Not like me,” Lem said. “I’m just a farmer, remember?”
He turned his back on her and strode away. George and Steven didn’t move.
“I mean it, you two. I will shoot you.”
George growled.
Lisa growled back.
“It doesn’t have to get ugly, guys. Just give me some breathing room.”
Steven barked, and they backed off to the far end of the camp.
“I think that’s as good as we’re going to get,” Bethany said to Lisa. “Can you find Lucas?”
Lisa looked to the sky and howled.
“Oh, shush.” Bethany laid her hand on Lisa's muzzle. “It’s not that bad.”
But when she looked back for George and Steven, they were gone.
“Lady Tech!” The farmer she had bought Lisa from waved her down. Lisa began to growl, and the farmer dropped his hand. “I was wondering if we could cash in the video game hour now for my son. If it’s not a bad time.”
It was a terrible time. Her headache had just started to go away. Most of the Techs were dead. Her tribe was getting possessive. But she paid her debts, and it was one less thing she’d have to do before leaving for California.
“No time like the present,” Bethany forced a grin and made her way over to the farmer, who was with a young boy carrying a handheld computer game. She surreptitiously slid the pistol in the front of her jeans and pulled her sweater over it.
“I’ve got the game inside it,” the boy said handing it to her when she got close.
Bethany looked at the back. It didn’t take batteries, so she would have to charge the internal drive herself. He’d probably get more than an hour’s play time out of it, but it was too late to renegotiate. Besides, he was a cute kid.
“Clear a space,” she said, flopping down to cross her legs on the straw, mindful of the barrel of the pistol poking her. She adjusted it and wondered if someone had a back holster for trade. Maybe she could have Karen design and make one. It would probably come in handy on the road to California.
When the boy would have shot forward to sit near her, Lisa growled at him, and his father clamped a hand down on his shoulder. “We don’t mean no harm. The boy hasn’t had a chance to play since last conclave.”
Bethany made a nondescript grunt. At least it was a puzzle game and not a shoot ’em up. She closed her eyes to focus on the electronics. She felt them like dormant snakes. Breathing in, Bethany let the wind through the leaves fill her ears and senses, taking in the power like a windmill and slowly funneling it into the game. Bethany was going to pull it slow this time. No dire need. No one waiting in the shower queue. Just her and the energy. She saw the innards light up as they took the charge and come alive with a hum. Feeding more power into it, she gave it a full charge. Once the sun started filtering through the layer of ash and garbage that the meteor had put up, it had become less strenuous to power small items like this one. When that happened, solar batteries and their chargers would trade for enough food to feed a tribe for a year. They were rare, but maybe in California there would be lootable stores. It could be such a lucrative trip. Maya was a fool to try and stop her from going.
The sounds of the world came back to her slowly
as the energy filled up the unit. Dogs were barking, the leaves were falling, and the wide, scared eyes of the child jolted her back to reality.
“Here ya go, kid,” she said and handed him the game.
He took it from her and backed away slowly. She looked at him, confused. Why was he afraid of her? Hands grabbed her from behind and yanked her to her feet. She kicked back and connected solidly with the knee of her attacker. She recognized George’s deep grunt, and it was confirmed when Steven dived on her legs and wrestled her into submission. Her forearms were in George’s tight grip, and after a wild kicking spree, Steven had her ankles held together. She was being carried by two bare-assed Shifters toward the chief’s quarters. No wonder the kid had run.
“Help!” she yelled and writhed, but the two Shifters had a good hold on her.
No one wanted to get involved with tribal discipline or politics. Lisa wasn’t even around. Even though she didn’t blame her, Bethany still felt a stab of disappointment at the betrayal.
Lem walked up and reached under her shirt.
“I’ll kill you,” Bethany snarled, but he was only after the pistol.
His ears turned red, and he looked away. “Bethany, we don’t want you to go.”
“What about what I want?” she snapped and refused to cry. She was embarrassed and humiliated that they had taken her so easily.
“You’re behaving weird.”
There was that word again. “I’m weird? I’m not the one flashing the entire Northeastern conclave carrying an unwilling woman.”
“I didn’t say you were weird.”
“Lady Tech!” the farmer called out. “My tribe is prepared to guarantee you protection. Just say the word. We’re the Valley tribe.” He had gone back to his tent for a shotgun, and his son was nowhere to be seen.
“Is this what you want?” Lem leaned into her. “War with the other tribes?”
“No one would go to war over me,” she said, shocked.
“No, but they’d go to war to have one of the last five Techs in this area,” Keith said, opening the door to Maya’s cabin and giving the farmer a deadly glare.
“Get her inside and shut the door,” Maya said, brandishing a rifle at any curious onlooker who wanted a closer look.
Somehow, they all shuffled inside, and George and Steven dropped her on the floor. But before she could recover, George hauled the arm she swung at him behind her back and used his other arm to wedge against her throat.
“I’m being treated like a slave. Not as a valued member of the tribe,” Bethany said, squirming in George’s steel embrace. She couldn’t twist too hard or her arm felt like it was going to come out of its socket.
She needed to breathe. The arm George had around her throat was cutting off all her air, but Maya was oblivious.
“Bethany, you don’t know these people. They could use you for your Tech and leave you drained by the train.”
“A train?” Lem interjected. “The ground is all tore up. Whatcha gonna do when you run out of tracks?”
Bethany wheezed and tugged at George’s arm.
“Oh for God’s sake, George, let her breathe. She’s not going anywhere with the five of us here.”
George flung her away, and Bethany gasped for breath. “I...don’t believe...you...people,” she wheezed.
“You pulled a gun on me,” Lem said.
“Bethany, if you’re unhappy with the tribe, we can renegotiate your benefits. If Lem isn’t your preference...”
“Stop pimping for me,” Bethany ground out. “Look, I’ll be back. I need to do this.”
“Why?” Keith sneered. “Prove to us that you’re not doing this to retaliate for my wedding.”
“Oh, get over yourself,” Bethany said. “It’s not always about you. I’ve already found someone else.” Even if he didn’t care enough to stop her from being dragged bodily through the conclave.
“Keith, I thought you told me that your marriage to Simone wouldn’t cause a problem.”
“Maya, it doesn’t.”
“Because I need a Tech more than a potter, you know.”
Keith paled.
“It’s not about Keith. This mission has got a lot of potential for the tribe,” Bethany said.
“I can send any number of people. George and Steven, for example. You’re my only Tech.”
“I have a mate,” Bethany said, trying to persuade her using Lucas’s plan. Although she hadn’t seen him since breakfast.
He snorted. “Who? That Shifter bitch?”
The door was kicked open, and Lucas stood there. Lisa crouched beside him with a crossbow nocked.
“Shifter bastard, actually.” He moved into the room toward Lem, who was pointing the shaking pistol at him.
“Who are you?” Maya demanded. “These are my personal quarters.”
Lucas turned his eerie predator’s gaze on her, and she took a step back toward Keith.
“Why don’t we put down the weapons and talk about this rationally? Lem, unload the pistol and give it back to Bethany. We’re all friends here.” Maya held up her hands in a soothing motion.
“I, uh,” Lem said, “don’t know how to do that.”
“It still has the safety on,” Lucas snatched it out of Lem’s hand. He put it in the small of his back where his jeans fit snugly—not that Bethany was looking or anything.
Lisa lowered her crossbow, but it was still nocked to shoot.
“This is Lucas and Lisa,” Bethany said. “They’re going to help me find my brother. But I need to help them with this looting adventure first.”
“You told me that your brother was feral.” Maya narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“He may not be. He might have been framed.”
“This is a lot of nonsense,” Maya said.
“If you leave us in a lurch, we might not survive the winter.” Keith turned on his best smile. Bethany found it didn’t do anything for her. Not when Lucas’s broad shoulders blocked the rest of Keith from her view.
“My tribe’s survival is not contingent on one little girl,” Maya snapped.
“I’m not saying that,” Keith backpedaled.
“What he’s saying,” Lucas interjected, “is that he’s grown soft. Being used to warm blankets and hot water.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Keith snapped back.
“You have a wife now to keep you warm,” Lucas said. “And I’m sure somewhere in your travels you’ve learned how to build a fire.”
“What about this train hooey?” Lem asked.
“There’s a working steam engine. Wood fire will run the boiler.”
“But there aren’t any tracks,” Lem insisted.
“You know this how?”
Lem looked around for support. “Ain’t there? The meteor busted up everything, and then the dang dust that near kilt everyone smothered over everything.”
“Lewis and Clark have resources. We won’t be able to ride straight to the West Coast, but they have had workers rebuilding the lines. We should be able to make it there and back in a month.”
Keith scoffed. “Coast to coast and back again in a month? Can’t be done.”
“And you know this how?” Lucas repeated. When he didn’t get an answer, he turned to Maya. “Even if we run into trouble, worst-case scenario, we’re talking about a few months out. A month or so to loot—remember as chief you can claim a portion of the looted items as your tribute.” Lucas slanted Bethany a warning look.
Bethany understood where he was going with this. She massaged her throat and glared daggers at George while Lucas buttered up Maya.
“And then a few months back. You’ll have your Tech back before harvest. But it won’t take that long. Not with the railways that Lewis and Clark have set up.”
Shaking her head, Maya began to pace. “I’ve heard the rumors.”
“Think of the knowledge, the treasure,” Bethany said, hoping to appeal to her greed.
“And you’ll get two Shifters when she ret
urns—if you are interested in adopting my sister and me. Three if we find her brother.”
Bethany’s mouth dropped open. She hadn’t been planning on coming back.
Maya’s eyes lit up with avarice. “Of course. Of course, the Bluff tribe will welcome you with open arms. As the name would imply”―Maya started in on her invitation rap―“our tribe exists on a very defensible bluff. We have a large lake that we use for fishing and providing our daily water needs...”
Lucas held up a hand. “My woman is with your tribe. I’d live in a blanket in a tundra for her.”
Bethany’s knees felt wobbly, and she felt herself flush again when they all turned to look at her. It’s not true, she wanted to say. No one falls for someone that fast. But she wanted to believe Lucas, at least for a moment, and she could ignore the ache in her heart that no one had ever or probably would ever feel that way about her.
“Then it’s settled,” Maya said, her eyes gleaming.
Lucas extended a hand to Bethany, who took it in wonder. “And now I believe we will take our leave. While your cabin is roomy and your company gracious, we would be more comfortable in my tent tonight.” He flashed a sexy slow smile that had Maya momentarily transfixed.
“Of...of course,” she twittered like a girl and smiled dazedly after them.
“Your woman, huh?” Bethany said when they were out of earshot, because she couldn’t leave well enough alone. If there was a scab, she had to pick at it until it bled again.
“Are you offended?” he asked in a tone that suggested he didn’t care one way or the other.
“Not after I saw the look on Keith’s face. I can’t believe I slept with that jerk.”
“I prefer not to think of it,” Lucas murmured, and Bethany grew warm inside.
“You know if things were safer around here, you might have gotten lucky tonight.”
He stopped short, and because Bethany was mooning about him, looking at the stars, she plowed right into him.
“I can keep you safe.” He gave her a dangerous smile, and cupping his hand behind her head, he slowly brought his head closer to hers.
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