by Randi Darren
“If we get out of range, we arrange a meetup and go from there.
“Leave the Orcs, Elves, and Undead here as a base camp with a single Warden and a signal booster. They can act as a relay.”
Vince raised his eyebrows at that.
It was a solid idea that gave them the ability to pursue both paths. As well as establish a back-track that could work.
At least for a while. It isn’t a perfect plan, but… it covers as much as we could hope for.
“I’m not so sure about this,” Blue said, her face a neutral mask.
He could hear the dislike in her voice though. It was obvious. And not unexpected.
His Dryads tended to react negatively to any plan that separated them from Vince.
“To be honest, neither am I,” Vince admitted. “But it’s the best plan we’ve got, and I think it limits the problems we’d have as much as possible.”
Looking to the naked Taylor, Vince had a sudden thought.
“Alright, that’s what we’ll do. Split into your groups and do what you need to do.
“Taylor, get into your Dragon form. You’re playing mount for me, Julia, and Red.”
Taylor snorted at that, but then got down on her hands and knees and transformed back into her large, black Dragon form.
Her head swung around and glared at him with large yellow eyes.
“As you will it,” she said in her gravelly voice.
***
Riding a black Dragon had pushed them on quickly. So quickly, in fact, that they would have wound up negating the entire plan in the first night. The only thing that kept them in contact with the base camp was Julia thinking ahead.
She’d hidden signal boosters along the road, creating a relay chain all the way back to the base camp.
Standing up, Julia stretched backward in her Warden suit.
“Ah. That’s the last of my boosters,” she said, unslinging her rifle from her shoulder holster.
“Well, the tracks lead right into Washington,” Vince said, repeatedly bending his knees and legs as he moved around, trying to stretch everything out.
He’d never ridden a Dragon before. And with how wide Taylor was, it was like learning to ride all over again.
Taylor stood to one side, waving her arms around inside a rather large coat that came down to her knees.
Vince had forced it on her and told her she needed to wear it when she was in human form.
Apparently, Taylor spent the vast majority of her time as a dragon—very little as a human.
Her understanding of human culture was less than even Red’s had been.
“Yeah, that helps. Still. This is a bit of a fucking shit-show,” Julia said, walking over to him. “You want to go into Washington today?”
“Probably should. Won’t take us more than a few minutes to get there. On top of that, it really does seem like their entire army waltzed right in. I’m mildly concerned about what we’ll find in there, to be frank about it,” Vince said.
“Why is that?” Taylor asked, letting her arms fall to her sides.
“Because the simplest way to break a country is to attack its population,” Vince said. “And so far, we haven’t seen hide nor hair of the army Richard said was up here. Which means they were crushed before they visited you, or they’re actually down the other path. With the other half of this army.”
“They haven’t seen or heard anything at all though,” Julia said. “They’ve seen just the same thing we have.”
“Yeah, and that’s more than a little concerning,” Vince said, shaking his head. “If Richard’s army really was destroyed, that means the Tri-lliance has been running around in the east all by themselves without a care in the world.
“Burning, pillaging, robbing, and raping their way to victory.”
Julia turned her helmeted head to face towards Washington.
“You got a point there. If Felix told me to take a city, I’d do everything I could to turn the citizens against resisting.
“That and ruin anything and everything that could help support my enemies.”
“And that’s what’s probably going on,” Vince said.
Standing upright, he put his feet straight toward the city and started to walk that way.
Everyone fell in around him, moving cautiously. There was no telling what would be in stock for them at the end of the road, let alone on the road itself.
They hadn’t even reached the true outskirts of Washington when the state of the city became clear.
Skeletons dangled from the trees, signs, and awnings. Hanged and left to rot.
Looking down the street, Vince could see the bodies swinging back and forth.
“Why hang them all like this?” Eva asked.
“Threat,” Vince said simply. “These are more than likely people who opposed them in one way or another. Or maybe even tried to get some of the bodies down.
“You hang anyone and everyone for anything, and suddenly, no one does anything at all.”
“This is insane,” Eva said.
“Not really,” Julia said, her heavy feet clanking. “Your uncle is exactly right. This is what would happen. This is what did happen in Skipper city. After the city blew up, it became much more like this with tribal gang warlords.”
“This is what we can see. Now think of all the harm and damage done to the population that is undoubtedly hiding in the buildings, watching us,” Vince said, gesturing at a nearby squat two-story office.
He’d noticed the citizens a while ago. They were all holed up. Peering out from broken windows and shattered walls.
“It’s just so—”
“Effective,” Vince said, interrupting Eva. “Extremely effective. So effective that we’re going to have to go deeper into the city to find someone to ask where the army went. Because if these people think we might be opposing the Tri-lliance army, they won’t even risk talking to us.”
The small band trooped onward. There was little to see and less to do as they went.
Far up ahead, Vince could see a collection of thrown-together buildings. From here they looked quite a bit like some of the Waster communities he’d seen in the deep Wastes years ago.
Where every type of person could end up living together for protection. From each other and the outside.
Those places bred brutality and thoughtless violence as one would breed rats. People were bought and sold in hourly chunks—as food, entertainment, or otherwise.
The strong rule here, and everyone below them is a resource or a soldier.
Except those places are gone in the lands of Yosemite. They were wiped out to the last everywhere that Yosemite holds sway.
Those spots are long gone, and where they once stood are communities. With guard patrols, markets, and leaders who work for their people.
Or Vince would show up again to raze it all.
“What is this place?” Eva asked.
“Somewhere we can get the information we need at the cheapest price,” Vince said. “Don’t talk to anyone and don’t leave the group. Just… stay silent.”
“What? Why?” Eva asked.
“Listen to your uncle,” Julia said. “Felix would tell you the same thing, just in more fancy words.”
“Red will watch the girl, Bringer,” said the Beastkin. “Come here, girl.”
“I’m probably older than you are,” Eva said grumpily. “You look like you’re still in college.”
“And yet Red has killed hundreds. Red has eaten the hearts of her enemies. Red has been with Vince when we destroyed gatherings just like this. Red understands this place. Have you done any of this? Or do you speak from a weak and shallow heart that hasn’t seen the worst of the world?”
Vince glanced over his shoulder to see the dark shadow that’d drawn over Eva’s face.
She’s seen some evil but refuses to see the truth of the world. I’ll not be the one to ruin it for her.
“Leave it be, Red. Not everyone has been forced into the darkne
ss, and we shouldn’t be the ones to do so for my niece,” Vince said, looking toward the ramshackle mess ahead of them.
“Red understands. Red will still watch over the girl.”
Before they’d even made it to the first couple wooden huts, several people had gone running much deeper into the wooden warren of people and debris.
“That’d be the welcoming committee,” Julia said under her breath. “I’m going to have nightmares for a while after this.”
“Done it before?” Vince asked.
“Lived it. Felix dug me out and saved me.”
“Mm. We’ll make it quick. Info, then gone.”
Vince pulled his sword free of the sheath and let it hang loosely in his hand as he walked. There would be no mistaking his intention here.
Nor did he want them to. The more they understood what he wanted, the better.
Stopping at an intersection, Vince pointed his blade at a scantily clad woman that could only be a prostitute working her corner.
“Which way to your boss?” Vince said.
Clicking her tongue, the woman pointed down the left-handed branch.
“You sure? I’ll come back and part your head from your shoulders if you’re wrong,” Vince said, putting some heat into his words.
“Yea, he’s waiting for you anyways,” said the woman. She flicked a hand over her shoulder and moved into a nearby hovel.
Taking the indicated path, Vince kept his head on a swivel.
“You just trusted her? I thought you said they were all terrible people here?” Eva asked.
It sounded to him like she wanted to argue.
“Her boss does indeed know we’re here. If she’s aware of that, it means everyone already knows he wants to see us. Whether to trap, ambush, or talk, I don’t know yet.
“But at least we’ll find him, or her, sooner rather than later,” Vince said. “I’m grateful I don’t have to go chasing him all around this shit hole.”
“Red does not wish to do that again anytime soon.”
Vince could only agree.
At the end of a muddy, chewed-up path, Vince saw a platform made out of rough-hewn wood.
Sitting on a throne surrounded by guards in Waste-type armor was a small-bodied man wearing a black hood.
Everything about him was concealed by the hood, other than a pair of blue-colored eyes.
“And who are you?!” he shouted.
Not bothering to answer, Vince walked up onto the platform from the dirt.
“Stop there!”
Coming to a stop, Vince looked to the guards and then the man on the throne.
“I am Dean. What do you want from me in my domain? “
“I’m looking for the army that came through here,” Vince said.
“Oh? Why’s that, and why does it even concern me?” asked Dean.
“Only in that they came through here. That’s all. I only want them and their leader, and I’ll be passing through your land quite easily after that.”
“Hmph. They went east, or so I heard,” Dean said, losing interest, and seemingly not wanting to start a fight with Vince. “Their general was arguing with another man about it, but I did overhear that much of their conversation.”
“Catch any reason they’d head for the coast?” Vince asked.
“No. And it doesn’t concern me. If that’s all?” Dean said. “I have a number of things I’d rather be doing. Like falling dick-first into my harem.”
Vince smiled tightly at that and nodded his head at the man. Stepping back down the platform without turning his back to the guards, Vince made his way to his people.
“Red is ready to go. There is a small path we can use to get out,” Red said.
“Good. Let’s get out of here then. I’d rather not be here any longer than I have to,” Vince said.
Dean got up from his throne and headed toward a stone building off to one side.
His guards followed him while watching Vince and his people warily the entire time.
“That’s it?” Eva asked.
“That’s it. We got the information we wanted. And I’m glad for it. We can just head to the east end of Washington and look for major roads. We’ll be able to pick up their trail as if it never broke.”
“But what about the city? The people? We’re not going to help them?” Eva asked.
“No. Why should we? They’re not part of my country. They’re not my people. If I kill this warlord, another will simply replace him.
“It serves no purpose.”
“But what about all the civilians? They’re living in terrible conditions.”
Screams and shrieks rang out. Vince glanced over to see Dean had entered the building he’d been heading for.
Apparently his harem isn’t all willing.
“That they are, and they’re still not our problem. They’re Richard’s problem when he gets a chance to come back up here.
“I imagine it’ll be a number of years before he can resettle this area, and a great deal of work chasing off bandits and would-be pretenders.”
“We can’t just leave it like this,” Eva said, her voice rising in pitch.
“Yes, we can and will. Do I have to tie you up and throw you over Julia’s shoulder before you do something stupid?”
“No,” Eva said, folding her arms across her stomach. “I won’t do anything stupid. I learned that lesson already. I just… I just can’t imagine leaving it like this.
“We’re here. We could kill him, and the people could have a chance at a better life.”
“Would they? Would they really? Who’s to say? Another warlord or clan leader could step up who’s six times as brutal. He could have every single woman in the city in his harem, instead of just the ones he wanted.
“I’m not saying that slimeball of a man is any good, but I can guarantee you there is almost no chance this city would recover without a strong hand remaining behind.”
Eva nodded and hung her head, looking the part of the scolded child quite well.
“I know you think I’m naive… and I probably still am, despite everything that’s happened.
“I just can’t fathom how we could let a man like that live. I’m sorry, Uncle.”
Sighing, Vince pressed a hand to his brow.
Then he looked to Taylor.
She was watching him with bored, dark, glittering eyes.
“Taylor?” Vince asked.
“Yes?”
“Do you eat humans?”
“I try not to. A lot of density in their bones, very little meat. The flavor is a lot like pig, though.
“Elves are best. Their bones are much more brittle.”
“Red agrees. Elves are very tasty.”
Mom did make a killer Elf steak. Can’t really eat that anymore now. Kinda glad I managed to get it cleared out of the meat storage before anyone noticed it.
Vince glanced guiltily at Caroline, who seemed mildly horrified at the conversation.
“If I asked you to transform into your black Dragon shape, to chew Dean until he was dead and spit him out, could you do it without getting hurt?” Vince asked.
“Easily. Their weapons won’t even break a scale,” Taylor said, unbuttoning Vince’s cloak. “Don’t eat him? Just chew him up a lot?”
“Yeah. Chew him up till he’s dead,” Vince said. Reaching out, he offered to take the coat from Taylor as she pulled her arms free.
Taylor handed the garment to Vince and violently shook out her hair.
“This’ll be good. I needed a stretch,” she said.
Unable to help himself, he let his eyes follow the line of scales that trailed down from her shoulders, along her sides, over her waist, and into her pubic area.
His eyes snapped up to hers as she turned her head to face him again.
“I’ll give them the warning that we’ll return to check on their progress in the future. And anyone who acts outside of Richard’s laws will get chewed up and spat out,” Vince said, folding the coat over
his arm.
“Alright. What do you want me to do about his guards?” Taylor asked. She reached up and started to stroke her horns in a strange manner.
It wasn’t the same way Ramona did it—this seemed almost sexual.
“Kill them if they resist. Let them go if they don’t.”
Taylor nodded and took several steps away from them.
Immediately, she began transforming into the large black Dragon she was.
Shuffling toward the stone building, she was on the guards before they knew what to do.
Most of them turned and ran away as fast as they could.
Two stood their ground, stepping in and swinging their weapons at Taylor. When they bounced harmless off her armored hide, she turned her head and regarded them with bright yellow eyes.
Then she squished them flat with her clawed hands. Their guts shooting out of their twisted and flattened stomachs.
Lifting a single finger, she hooked the tip of her talon into the corner of the building and jerked backward.
Stone and wood shattered loudly and shot out in every direction.
Dean stood there, staring at where the door had once been. He was half clothed.
Held in his grasp was an Elf Vince immediately recognized.
She looked much worse for wear, and as if she were drugged out of her mind, but he knew her.
It was Seville’s companion.
What the hell is she doing here? All the way on the other side of the continent?
“Taylor, I need the Elf girl alive!” Vince said loudly.
The giant black Dragon roared and her head snapped down, narrowly missing the Elf.
The Dragon’s mouth closed around the screaming Dean, his screech cut short as her jaws clamped shut.
Lifting her head up, she started to visibly chew Dean even as he screamed again. The sharp crackle and pop of bones was audible.
“Ungh, tash afuu” Taylor said, one of Dean’s severed arms falling out of her mouth as she spoke.
Chewing for several more seconds, she turned her head to one side.
With a hawking noise, the Dragon flicked her head and spat up what was left of Dean onto the ground.
He was a mish-mash of broken bones, chewed flesh, and blood.
And very, very dead.
“Tasted like dirt and mud,” Taylor grumbled.