by Lee Morgan
Jack began processing the truth of such words. He sighed thinking “Point taken, Connor.”
Connor tapped Deputy Burrow’s shoulder. “We need to go, now. We’re wasting time standing around here.”
He thought for only a moment. He said to the crowd “Let me put it another way. If anyone follows us, I will arrest them for impeding an official police investigation.” The crowd finally settled down and stayed as Connor looked them over one last time before taking off. He thought he saw someone he knew in the crowd, but it couldn’t have been.
Connor took the lead and was being flanked on each side by Mark and Jack. Deputy Burrow took the rear of the group.
For ten minutes they walked at a hiking pace because Connor didn’t want to tire the only human in their group down. Deputy Burrow was the first to speak though. “Connor, keep walking.” he did. “Are we still on her trail?” Connor nodded and saw some disturbed gravel that was the shape of a small print, but it couldn’t be distinguished as fully human. Even though his instinct said it belonged to Maggie. “Then why aren’t we going faster?”
Without turning around to talk to him he said “Because for every stride we take is three for her. We are still gaining ground on her. If we become too tired trying to find her, what do you think we could do for her then? Mistakes will only endanger her more.” He glanced over his shoulder to see the officer quietly contemplating scenarios in his mind.
An hour later Connor finally found a positive sign. “Look here.” he pointed to a small shoe print in the loose dirt. The treads and shape were just what they needed. “We’re on the right track. I would say this print is about four to six hours old.” Everyone sighed with relief. While the deputy looked at the track, Connor entered Mark’s mind to ask “Does your sense of smell tell you anything?”
He silently smelled the air. “Only that you are right. Her smell is getting stronger than when I tried catching the scent back at the house. I went to her room and caught her scent, but there were too many people for me to find her trail. You saved me over an hour trying to run around the forest to catch her scent again.”
The first sound of thunder rolled through the clouds and the mountain. Jack then said “We’d better pick up the pace. The rain might wash away her tracks before we find her.”
No one disagreed as they increased their pace up to a slow and measured jog. Connor recognized where she tried taking different routes through the forest and had to try going somewhere else. They took only the freshest trail and followed it. This child has gotten lost, but her hiking habits would put other people her age to shame. Though she couldn’t find her way back she made good time. She jumped over small logs and crawled through some of the foliage when game trails came to an end. They came upon a stream and saw where she put her knees in the mud and knew she had a drink. She followed the stream down for three hundred yards before she could cross over it safely.
Her tracks stopped and turned to the left suddenly.
He knelt where she turned and saw the space between her steps widen drastically. “Connor, what is it?” Jack asked.
“It’s Maggie… She was startled by something and ran that way. I’d say no more than about an hour ago.” Just then, the first drops of water from the sky dripped on the back of his neck. “We are getting much closer.”
Knowing they were so close made them track her down that much faster and knowing that whatever scared her, made their concern that much graver. And then rain came tumbling down. Lightning flashed and the torrent soaked everything.
Fifteen to twenty minutes later Connor heard a noise that wasn’t part of the storm. It sounded like soft whimpering from a crying puppy. He held his arm to the side. “Quiet.” The three men behind, stopped and remained silent while one breathed heavily. Connor closed his eyes and sent out a single pulse of sonar. He focused in the direction of the noise. And then came the best news of all “It’s Maggie, we found her.” Without waiting for them to say anything, Connor ran between the trees.
A few heart pounding seconds later he spotted her. She found her way up a tree and was whimpering. Connor looked down to see what caused her worry. At the base of the tree circled a full grown wild boar that remained in a fit of rage. It had solid brown coarse hair that was wet and its tusks were long and sharp. It continued circling the tree and focusing only on Maggie. Without a second thought, Connor used the sound of the rain to his advantage. He ran up behind the wild boar and used his strength to kick the boar in the ribs. It flew into the brush, but not before he felt its ribs break under the force from the solid kick. It squealed but only for a moment and knew it was dead from the violent trauma.
As he checked and made sure of the kill, Deputy Burrow’s was soaked as he said “Maggie! We’re to help you. Come down and get under this umbrella. It’s dryer under here.” He finally made the umbrella expand as it made a canopy and shelter from the rain. “See?”
Connor walked back and got a good look at her. Maggie sat as high up the tree she could go and he couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears coming down the sides of her cheeks. Her red hair had completely plastered itself to her skull and it cascaded everywhere. All of her clothes were caked in mud and dirt and even her tiny elfin face was dirty. She said quietly “But what if the beast comes back?”
Walking up to the tree Connor announced “That mean Boar will not hurt anyone ever again. You have my word.” He looked down at Mark, Jack and Burrow’s questioning eyes. He nodded, knowing they wanted to know if it was really dead. He looked back up and into the tree. “Can you come down or would you like for me to come up and get you?”
“Mister, can you get me? I’m afraid of slipping.” Her little brown eyes were pleading with fear.
“You guys know what to do.” He said to the other men as he walked up to the tree. Connor jumped normally and caught a thick branch that could support his weight. He hooked another hand on another branch. He was able to easily get a solid footing as he pulled himself up, even on the wet branches. The three guys knew just what to do if a mistake was made. They placed themselves strategically below him and Maggie, incase either of them slipped on a branch. Connor continued ascending up the tree slowly, so as to not frighten the little girl any more. He finally climbed to her level. “Hello there, little one.” He spoke softly and reassuringly. “I’m Connor. Can I tell you a little secret?” She stopped whimpering for a moment and nodded as she looked at him with wide eyes. “Maggie, you’re the bravest and smartest little girl I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.” Her face started brightening with her weak smile. “That’s right. Tell me, who in your class has ever been chased by an angry Boar?”
“No one.” And she finally started to giggle softly.
He touched the tip of her nose. “Exactly. Plus, you were smart enough to climb up this tree where that pig couldn’t get to you. You are a very brave young lady. I’m very proud of how resourceful you’ve been.”
She shook her head, making all the droplets in her hair go in every direction. “No, I was more scared than anything else. I’m not brave like you. You kicked that pig like a soccer ball. I was so scared, Mister.”
“Would you believe I was scared too?” Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. “I was. Fear is a strong weapon, Maggie. You overcame your fear when you thought enough ahead to climb a tree. You knew that a boar couldn’t climb.”
She shivered as she said “I was still scared though.”
He smiled in a friendly manner and soon she did as well. “Let’s get you out of this tree before lightning strikes.” She nodded uneasily as she looked down. “It’s alright. I won’t let you fall, promise. Put your arms around me…” Maggie slowly wrapped her frail and little arms around his neck slowly and he saw her keeping her eyes tightly shut. Connor scooped the rest of her body to his chest and supported her closer with his left arm. He then looked down and slowly and carefully made the decent to the ground.
With one small and final leap Connor landed on the groun
d and dropped to one knee for her to know she was back on the ground and safe.
As he landed he felt the rain stop and when he looked up the umbrella protected them from the rain. “You’re safe Maggie.” Jack said in a soothing voice as he too knelt in the mud by her side.
Maggie crack an eye as she looked up at Connor and then up to the umbrella. Her hands finally eased from around his neck and he sat her on the ground. He stood and stepped back as Deputy Burrow’s came closer and asked “Young lady, are you hurt anywhere?”
“No sir, just wet from rain.”
He sighed with relief and his smile came back to life. He pulled out the bag of food Jillian packed for this exact reason. “Hungry?” The little girl shyly beamed for some sustenance. She opened the bag herself and pulled out a bag of barbecue chips, granola bars and a few red apples. As she started eating, the deputy gave her a bottle of water and she drank until she needed to draw another breath. As she ate the rain stopped and he asked “Well did you catch that rabbit you were after?”
Her little brown eyes looked up to them all. “How did you know I was chasing a rabbit?”
“I’m the one who followed your track’s here.” Connor rubbed the top of her head. “Did you think I’d miss rabbit tracks?
She smiled and sighed. “No I didn’t catch it. I lost him in the woods, Mr. Muscles.” All the guys behind Connor started chuckling softly. She looked at them confused, but went on. “I tried catching the rabbit, but he vanished on me by going into his hole. Then before I knew it, I was alone and lost out here. I’m just so happy someone came to help… is Grandma and Grandpa alright? They must be worried about me…”
Mark stepped up to her and sat on his heels. Out of all of them he looked the warmest because he didn’t have a shirt that was soaked from the rain. “Yes, they are very worried for you so they sent us. I know they will be happy to know that you are alright.” She nodded and finished eating her snack.
“Would you like a ride home?” Connor asked the little girl.
“Yes sir.” Maggie said in a higher pitched voice.
He picked up the little girl and placed her on his back. She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck again, but for stability instead of fright. Deputy Burrow’s soon asked “Do you know the way back? I bet the rain washed away our tracks.”
“Of course, I remembered every move we made to get here. And for your safety I broke branches along the way so they will be easy to navigate back.” Deputy Burrow seemed satisfied with the answer as he smiled.
Connor looked up and saw they had less than an hour of daylight remaining, but since it rained so much all at once the clouds dissipated shortly before the sun set. Good, we can have enough light to travel during the night. Their newest member kept talking and asking questions about what they do and who they are. She really is a great kid.
Two hours of hiking later the final ray of the sunlight disappeared and became replaced with beautiful and twinkling stars. They walked at a casual pace and didn’t make the first diversion. In the far distance Connor thought he saw a flash of light, but it must have only been his imagination.
Connor then felt the presence of a threat, but pushed it out of his mind. No predator would dare attack four humans, even at night.
Several minutes later Connor heard something whistling through the air and it came from behind the group. He spun around as he heard whatever it was connect with something solid. Immediately Deputy Burrow crumpled and fell face first to the muddy ground.
Jack and Mark wheeled around just a moment later and tried taking their machetes from their hips until an angry voice came from the shadows. “Put your weapons down!”
Connor knew that menacing voice all too well.
Mathew snaked out from behind a tree where Connor saw the flash of light a few minutes ago. He was wearing dark clothes and had on a community service jacket. He still looked like the all American football quarterback, but his eyes were cold, dangerous and filled with hate. What made the situation more dangerous was that he held a real handgun at them, the 9mm pistol look new. “You heard me. Drop them!”
Connor glanced down at the fallen deputy and saw that he was still breathing and that he had several wood splinters in his bald head from a broken stick that laid at his side. Mathew began walking toward them slowly, with a measured pace. Maggie knew there was danger because she made a small whimper and tightened her grip around Connor’s neck while hiding behind his wide back. “When I kill you, I’ll bring the girl back myself. She won’t disagree with my story when I tell the reporters how I found little Maggie or I’ll kill her and her grandparents too. I’ll be a real hero after this is all over.” His voice dripped with greed and malice.
Connor pushed his thoughts out. “Jack. Mark. Don’t look away from him. Listen closely to me. Drop the blades to the ground and step backwards. Jack, I want you to get Maggie off my back and I want you to run; fast. Mark, you will provide cover for Jack and stay with him until I catch up.”
Jack thought first. “No, you get her out of here. I’ll take care of this child once and for all. It isn’t the first time I’ve killed someone as selfish as him.”
“Jack, he’s after me. If I go, he’ll try to kill you. You’re not a Metal Balancer you’re a Fire Balancer. His bullets won’t have an effect on me like they will with you.” He made a logical point. “Mathew’s untrained eyes will follow the blades movement to the ground, when you drop them. He isn’t well versed in battle like we are and won’t keep his focus on his one target. That will be your cue to get her to safety.” Connor sighed quietly while focusing on the opponent. “No time for practice. One, two, three!”
As one, both Mark and Jack dropped their machetes. Mathew’s eyes followed them to the ground just as predicted. The qualifications were met. Jack whirled with his superhuman speed and ripped Maggie off Connor’s back. He swiftly cradled her to his chest and ran away as quickly as possible. Mark provided cover and ran behind Jack to get her to safety.
As the blades hit the ground, Mathew looked up. His eyes went wide with shock. He waived his gun demanding “Where are they?! Where did they go?!” He stepped over the unconscious deputy.
Connor stepped back and to the right as he tried to keep his comrade in his peripheral vision. He used blinding speed to slip Tool from his belt and hid the weapon where Mathew couldn’t see it in the darkness. “It looks like you still haven’t learned your lesson, Mathew.” Connor stepped again to his right. The deputy was no longer in the way.
Mathew pulled the hammer back on his pistol with a loud, quick series of clicks. “I have. I’ve learned that humiliation isn’t enough. Death is the only solution for what you did to me.” The gun grew still and level.
Mathew was now fully committed.
“You couldn’t be more right, but this will be your execution. You’ve made your last threat against me.” Connor called upon his power instantly and called upon the element Metal to stop any metal from penetrating, within a three foot radius of his body.
Connor threw Tool with his Balancers advanced strength and speed at the same time a gun went off. When the hatchet side of Tool connected with Mathew’s sternum, it buried itself deeper and stilled when it hit his spine. The problem was that his bullet never came out or flashed from the muzzle. As Mathew’s lifeless body collapsed backwards and hit the ground, Connor looked to his right.
Deputy Burrow laid on his side with his gun pointing straight out. His face was covered in blood and plastered in dark mud. His features expressed rage and pain to which he focused through his gun. One of his eyes were tightly closed and his jaw clenched as he breathed heavily through his teeth. Connor ran over to his side as he coughed out some mud and his gun fell down in the muck. Connor closed his eyes and used his sonar ability to see inside the deputy and the results showed that he did have a concussion, but the blood wasn’t pooling in his brain. Also, he had a small fracture to the back of his skull from the strike with the stick. Before he said anything to t
he deputy he looked over his shoulder, at Mathew. In his left temple was a bleeding circular bullet hole. The gunshot came from the deputy’s firearm.
Checking him over again, he ripped the officer’s shirt open and saw that it was only his head that was bleeding. “Deputy, are you hurt anywhere else besides your thick skull?”
He coughed painfully a few times before answering. “No, but the wind’s been knocked out of me. That much is for certain.”
“That’s a good sign. You’ll be alright. Just don’t go to sleep. I’m afraid that you might have a concussion.”
Deputy Burrow continued to breathe heavily, but managed to smile wryly. “Who would have guessed that we would use up both favors in a single day?” He coughed as he tried laughing. When his coughing fit settled he asked “What should we do about him?”
“Nothing.” The deputy’s dark eyes looked back at Connor. “On the way here I saw both grizzly and cougar tracks and they were fresh, no more than a day. They know what a gunshot sounds like. It’ll be a dinner bell for them. They will dispose of his body the way he should be. He’ll be nothing more than what they make of him.” The deputy caught on to the crappy joke.
Connor stood and sat his friend’s back against a tree and retrieved Tool from Mathew’s caved in chest; while breaking more of his bones on the way out. The bullet went cleanly out the other side of his head, which is a blessing. A pool of water sat from the rain it recently collected and meticulously washed the visible blood from Tool’
Sliding the two machetes through his belt, Connor picked up Mathew’s gun and the deputy’s and handed both over to him. He put his weapon back in the holster and the other slid in his front pocket. He didn’t want his friend walking so Connor picked him up and turned out to be light as a feather. Deputy Burrow said he felt uncomfortable being manhandled like a child, but knew he couldn’t walk properly in his condition since he said that he saw two of his friend.