by Kyle West
“There’s no reason why he shouldn’t. I just have to clean the wound and stitch him up. Obviously, he’ll need to stay in bed for a while and take it easy.”
“How long?” Makara asked.
“We can tell better over the next few days,” Char said. “The wound could have been a lot worse. If he’s lucky, I’ll let him out in two weeks. But that’s on the short end. It might even be months.”
Months? Samuel would never stand for that. He would be out of that bed the next day if it was at all possible.
Char applied some sort of cream to the wound, which seemed to slow the bleeding. He began stitching it shut. Then he grabbed a bottle of clear liquid and daubed a bit of it onto the wound. Next, he wrapped the wound with a bandage. Done with that, he washed his hands once more and went to the cabinet. From it he retrieved a sling. He placed it over Samuel’s neck and gingerly pulled Samuel’s arm through.
“He’ll need to wear that for a while. Months, likely, before I’d trust taking it off.”
“He’ll be fine though, right?” Makara asked.
Char gave a reassuring smile. It did little to soften his hardened face. “He should be. I’ve seen men live through much worse. He should come around in the morning. He’ll be in a lot of pain — but the worst of it is over. He just needs to eat, rest, and sleep.”
“I hope so,” Makara said.
“I’ll have Anna stay and watch him,” Char said. “You and Alex need to rest. You both look exhausted.”
“No need,” Makara said. “I can sit with Samuel.”
“No, I insist. I have guest bedrooms in the east wing. They are more comfortable than anything you will find in the city.”
“What about the Recon?”
“It’ll stay safe out there,” Char said. “No one can drive it, anyway.”
Makara waited for a minute. She didn’t want to leave Samuel with Anna. She and the samurai had gotten off on the wrong foot, that was for sure.
“Come on, Makara,” I said. “He’ll be fine.”
Makara relented. “Alright. I could do with a rest, anyway.”
“Anna,” Char said, “show them to the guest rooms.”
She looked at us. “Follow me.”
We left the clinic and walked the empty stone halls. We said nothing more as she led us to the east wing. We stopped before a door.
“This is it,” she said. “There’s another room just like this one across the hall. You’ll find the bathroom and showers down that way.”
“Showers?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Be sparing with the water. It’s a pain to bring up here.”
She left me behind, walking back the way she had come. She disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.
“Don’t even think about it,” Makara said.
I looked at Makara innocently. “What?”
“You know what. I saw how you were looking at her. She’s crazy.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
She gave an exasperated sigh, then turned for the door and placed a hand on the knob.
“Get some sleep,” she said. “We’ll be out of here before you know it. You’ll see.”
She stepped into the room, leaving me alone in the hallway. I opened the door to my bedroom and slipped inside. I set my pack on the floor, took off my clothes, and set my Beretta on the nightstand nearby. I wanted that weapon always close. It felt right in my hands and had saved my life multiple times.
I meant to take a shower, but I really wanted to rest for a moment. I was asleep in seconds.
Chapter 3
I woke up with every bone in my body aching and every muscle sore. The last week had been sheer madness. I had lost my home, my entire life, and everyone I cared about. I had wandered alone in the Wasteland and had been chased around by both Raiders and monsters. Somehow I had met Makara and Samuel, and ended up here.
The fact that I was lying in a bed after a week of hell was surreal. It was as if all the sleep in the world wouldn’t be enough to melt the weariness from my body.
I fell asleep again, and awoke sometime later. I needed to get up. I had to check on Samuel and find some food. The thought of food set my stomach growling. I hadn’t eaten since the morning of the day before.
I got up, both my legs stiff and sore, as if I were sixty rather than sixteen.
I stepped into the hall and headed for the bathroom. I found it on the left. It was an open room made of gray stone. I stood under one of the two shower heads and let the cold water flow over me. Though the water was cold, feeling the layers of sweat and filth washing off made me feel as if I were a new person. I used a nearby bar of soap to scrub the grime off. Once done, I toweled off, grabbed my dirty clothes, and headed back to my room, suppressing shivers.
In my room, there was a mirror beside the door. I looked into it. I had lost weight. I had been skinny before, but now I was near skeletal. I hoped while we stayed here I could get some food in me.
I changed into a clean set of clothes — desert camo pants and a white tee. I would’ve put on my hoodie, because the air was cool, but the clothing was matted with dirt, and worse, from the horror show that had been Bunker 114. I decided to go without. Hopefully someone would clean it.
I wandered down the hall toward the clinic because I didn’t know where else to go. I looked around at everything. The stonework must have taken forever to shape and put together. The interior was dim, even though it was morning. Torches gave off dancing light at regular intervals along the hallway. The entire building was U-shaped — there were two parallel wings, one of which I was in, connected by the entrance hall. I could walk from one end of the wing to the other in about a minute. It obviously wasn’t just Char living here — it was his personal guards, cooks, slaves, and guests. It was a massive facility. Part of the building, if not most, had to have existed pre-Ragnarok.
As I made my way to the clinic, I passed the compound’s occupants — Raiders with guns, slaves hurrying to clean. It was very different from what I was used to, and it was hard not to feel guilty that slaves were needed to keep a fortress like this running.
I passed by an open window to see Anna practicing the sword in the courtyard under a tall pine. Her movements were quick, fluid, and repetitive. I could hear the blade whirring even from my distance. Her skill was amazing. It was hard not to stand there and watch. Her constant workouts had honed her body of any extraneous fat. Though small, she had curves that made it very difficult to look away.
I turned from the window to walk to the clinic. When I entered, I found Makara already there.
“Is he awake?” I asked.
Eyes heavy, Makara shook her head. It looked as if she hadn’t slept at all.
Samuel’s eyes flickered open.
“Sam?” Makara asked.
“Hey, Makara.”
His voice was parched. Makara reached for a glass of water nearby and held it to his lips.
“How are you feeling?” Makara asked.
Samuel took a swallow of water. He took too much, though; he coughed and winced in pain.
“Easy,” Makara said. “There’s no rush.”
“Where am I?”
“We’re in Char’s compound,” Makara said. “We made it to Raider Bluff. He saved your life.”
Samuel closed his eyes. I could not tell if it was out of relief or dread. He opened them again, and turned his head for the window. He stared at the red clouds outside.
“Are you hungry?” Makara asked.
“Yeah, I could eat.”
“I have a servant getting us food, so she should be back with it soon.”
Samuel closed his eyes again. “It hurts.”
“I’m sure,” Makara said. “That was a nasty hit you took.”
“I just hope it doesn’t keep us here long.”
“We need to get our strength back, anyway.” Makara stood and stretched. Her eyes looked distant for a moment.
“We got to leave as soo
n as we can,” Samuel said. “Maybe sooner.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Samuel’s eyes drifted to me. “I don’t remember the exact date, but it’s already October. The first snows will have fallen in Cheyenne. A month from now, the land will be impassable.”
“It’s that cold there?”
“Colder than you realize,” Samuel said. “The world is much colder than it used to be.”
Samuel coughed, and Makara put more water to his lips. He drank.
“Don’t strain yourself, Samuel,” Makara said.
Samuel settled back into his pillow. “If anything happens, you will have to go on without me.”
“Don’t say that,” Makara said. “That’s not going to happen. We’d be useless without you.”
Samuel didn’t respond. He only closed his eyes.
A middle-aged woman with dark brown hair walked in, carrying a tray that held a large pot of stew, wooden bowls and spoons, and a plate stacked with flatbread. The steaming pot gave off a spicy, savory aroma that set my stomach growling. She set the tray on an end table. After giving a forced smile, she left the room, her footsteps fading down the hallway.
I tried to pretend that she was only a servant, and was getting paid for this work. But I couldn’t. I knew the truth. She, along with all the other “servants” I had passed in the hallway, were slaves.
“It’s awful,” I said.
Makara took a bowl, and filled it with stew. “It is what it is.”
“I know I can’t change anything. It’s just that the world is harsher than I thought.”
Makara took the bowl of stew, not for herself, but for Samuel. She pulled up her chair beside him.
“Makara, no,” he said. “I can handle this.”
“Samuel, don’t be stubborn. You only have one good hand, so you’ll spill it.”
“No, I won’t.” He glared at her. “Hand me that bowl.”
Makara held onto it. “If you want to eat, it will be with me feeding you.”
“Makara…”
She arched an eyebrow.
Seeing he was not going to win, Samuel sighed. “Fine.”
Taking that as a sign of her victory, Makara jabbed the spoon into the bowl and forced it to Samuel’s lips. He begrudgingly took a bite.
I helped myself to the stew. It had a reddish-brown hue, was filled with potatoes, carrots, onions, and leeks, and had small cuts of meat. After filling my bowl nearly to the brim, I chowed down, not minding how hot it was. The stew was thick, dark, and filling.
“What kind of meat is this?” I asked.
“Camel,” Makara said.
I nearly spat the food back out. “Camel?”
I had never even considered that camel could be eaten — though it would make sense, given how numerous they were. The meat was cut into thin slices, spiced, and was red in the center. It was tough, like jerky.
Despite the strange taste, I decided that camel wasn’t that bad, though that could have just been my hunger. I filled up a second bowl and ate until it felt as if I would burst.
As Samuel ate, Makara grabbed bites from her bowl when she could.
Anna entered the room, her face covered with a thin sheen of sweat, her katana sheathed on her back. Her thin white shirt clung to her curves, slightly damp from her workout. I tried not to focus on that too much.
I would have thought she wanted to speak to either Samuel or Makara, but it was me she looked at. “I am to take you to Char.”
“Char?” I asked. “What does he want with me?”
“I’m not sure. You’ll find out soon enough.”
Anna turned, and headed out the door, expecting me to follow.
I looked at Makara. “What does he want?”
“I don’t know. It’s best not to keep him waiting.”
“I don’t see why he just doesn’t ask you.”
“Because she’s Makara,” Samuel said. “She’s difficult.”
“What if he asks about our mission?” I asked. “What do I say?”
“Don’t lie,” Samuel said. “But at the same time, don’t volunteer everything. Remember, he’s the most powerful man in the Mojave. Don’t make an enemy of him.”
Makara held up another spoonful of soup to Samuel’s mouth.
“Go, Alex,” Samuel said. “Don’t keep him waiting.”
I walked out of the clinic and followed Anna to the entry hall.
Chapter 4
I did find Char in the entry hall. He was busy speaking with someone who appeared far more important than me.
The man had a full, black beard, and wore a smooth, brown cloak with a hood. The clothing and facial hair instantly reminded me of the slavers Makara and I had found on the road a few days ago.
I put two and two together and guessed that this man must be Rex — the emissary from the Empire. And Char did not look happy to be speaking with him.
Rex was alone. He did not have any bodyguards, or any visible weapons. Walking into the central headquarters of the Raiders with nothing but the clothes on your back took either a lot of gall, or a lot of foolishness.
I waited some twenty feet from their conversation. Char glanced me over, but Rex never took his eyes from Char.
“Just think of the possibilities that an alliance between Raider Bluff and the Empire might hold,” Rex said. “Already the trade between our peoples ties us economically. Why not further cement that bond with a treaty?”
Char scowled. “Trade, yes. But we Raiders are independent. This is our land, from here to L.A., all the way north to Vegas. And it will always be our land.”
Rex smiled, as if he understood that sentiment. “All citizens of the Empire have freedom. Most wish to join us. We offer protection and resources to all our provinces. Raider Bluff would see the same benefits.”
Char said nothing.
“You would rule with complete autonomy,” Rex continued. “New Rome is far to the south — if an arrangement could be made, your people would be given a great deal of latitude. There is great wealth to be had by both of us if we were to ally, Char. And now, more than ever, we need to ally, with the Blights ever encroaching.”
“Yes,” Char said. “You say alliance when I know you mean annexation. That’s what happens to any city that ‘allies’with you. The Empire does by the knife what it can’t do by the pen.”
Rex smiled, but his face went dark. “I am sorry to hear that.”
“I am not interested,” Char said. “If you will excuse me, I have an appointment to keep.”
Char motioned me over, and Rex smiled thinly, eyes amused.
“An appointment with a child? The Empire will not suffer such an insult!”
“Take it however you wish. You are in my city, so you play by my rules.”
Rex frowned. “I see. I’m sorry we could not come to a settlement that was more agreeable.”
Char said nothing. He only stared at Rex, willing him to go away — not just from his presence, but from his city.
“What am I to tell the Proconsul, Alpha Char?”
Char narrowed his eyes. At this point, Anna left my side and stood by Char, keeping her right hand over her sheathed katana.
“Raider Bluff will not become part of the Empire,” Char said. “Our freedom is not something to be bandied about. We bow to no one.”
Rex frowned. “I was afraid you might say something like that. Very well. I am afraid I must leave immediately. The Proconsul is a man who insists on hearing bad news immediately.”
Several Raiders flanking the doorway stepped behind Rex, barring his exit. Rex took a step back, running right into them.
“I don’t think you understand how things work in the Wasteland.”
Rex’s face reddened. Slowly, he realized what was happening.
There was fear, and not superiority, in those eyes.
“If I am not back at Colossus at my appointed time, you will rue the day you did injury to me. By killing me, you will make a mortal
enemy of the Empire.”
Char eyed Rex up and down, and laughed. Rex paused, unsure. That’s when Char snapped. He drew Anna’s katana from its sheath and swung the blade to within an inch of Rex’s neck.
Finally, Rex spoke. “Very well. You will have your war. By next year, the Mojave will be part of the Empire, not as citizens — but as slaves.”
With a roar, Char drew the blade back and swung it at Rex’s neck. Rex’s eyes widened the moment before the blade made contact, slicing through the flesh and bone. The head flew through the air as a fountain of blood spewed from the neck. The head arced through the air, bouncing off a stone column. Rex fell to his knees and onto the stone floor.
Rex’s expression on the severed head was a horrible etching of fear and pain. The eyes remained open, staring vacantly ahead.
Char handed the blade to Anna, who, without batting an eye, wiped it on Rex’s clothes. Char turned, facing everyone in the room.
“Throw this scum’s body off Vulture Rock.”
The Raiders nodded and lifted the headless body. Another took the head — probably to find a nice pike to stick it on.
I didn’t say anything. Char was eerily calm. I was anything but. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as I could.
Makara entered the room.
“What the hell is going on?”
Char didn’t answer her, but Makara got her answer when she saw Rex’s head and body being taken from the room.
“Who was that? That wasn’t Rex, was it?”
Char gave a slow nod. “It is done.”
Makara’s face went white. “Char…”
“He wanted to make us slaves of the Empire,” Char said. “That is something that will never happen.”
“Yeah,” Makara said. “I can see that.”
“Both of you, come with me,” Char said. “Since you are both here, I might as well make use of you.”
Makara walked forward. “What do you need?”
“Answers.” Char gestured toward a long table in front of a fireplace. We followed him there and sat down. It was all I could do to stop myself from shaking at the barbaric display I had just witnessed.
The same servant who had brought us food earlier came, offering water and some flatbread. I grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite. Even if I felt guilty knowing how the food was prepared, I was starving.