Salted (9781310785696)

by Galvin, Aaron

  “Whoa…” Kellen said as Paulo’s changes occurred.

  Lenny’s earrings flashed. Cheeds…Racer…ya leave yet?

  No response. Lenny grinned.

  Oscar sauntered over to him. “What are you so happy about?”

  “How good a shot ya made. Ya might make a decent catcha after all.”

  The lie worked.

  Oscar surveyed the carnage he had helped create. He stopped when he saw Foster’s body. Oscar pointed the barrel of his gun. “Is he really dead, Henry?”

  “Oui,” Henry said as he made his way to Marisa Bourgeois. He knelt beside her, ran his hand over her head. “Don’t run from me, girl.”

  “I have no plans to run,” Marisa said to Henry. “Please, let me finish my prayer.”

  “Prayer?” Oscar kicked Foster’s body with his foot. The dead Selkie’s arm flopped to the side with a loud slap. “Who would waste a prayer on this sorry lot?”

  Marisa’s eyes narrowed. “Prayer cannot be wasted.”

  Preach it, girlie. Lenny watched Smith fall to his knees, weeping.

  “You killed my boy…you killed my Richie.”

  Oscar turned his aim on the elder Selkie. “Yes. Yes, I did. I’m getting the hang of this primitive Dryback weaponry, wouldn’t you agree?”

  “You killed my boy…”

  Ya boy asked for it. Lenny thought to himself. If he had dropped his gun like I told him…

  Oscar smirked. “I could do you in too, if you like.”

  Henry toyed with Foster’s hood. “Monsieur Oscar, zis dead one ‘as a nice coat. Want me to take eet? ‘E weel not need it anymore.”

  “Yes, do. We’ve had quite the string of good fortune on this venture,” Oscar said. “I expect we’ll need all the sealskins we can find.”

  Henry wiped his blade on Foster’s pants. He stripped the dead man down to his Selkie suit with remarkable efficiency, and rolled Foster to his stomach with ease. Then he shoved his dagger into the neckline.

  Lenny didn’t look away from the spouting blood. Even a cuke-head like him deserves betta than this.

  Henry shoved the dagger deeper, stopping the flow. He made a sawing motion, grunting with each back and forth, and worked the blade down Foster’s backside.

  Prayer cannot be wasted, huh? Lenny closed his eyes, and recalled the one he had heard his father mutter over the corpses of former slaves. Go now, brotha. And swim Fiddla’s Green. Don’t dive below, to the depths unseen.

  He reopened his eyes. Foster remained dead. Well, what’d ya expect?

  Smith seemed to have aged twenty years from the man who threatened Lenny at the zoo. He leaned on Paulo for support as Henry did his work.

  “Don’t take his coat,” Smith pled. “Please. He can’t swim in Fiddler’s Green without it.”

  “There’s no such place,” Oscar said. “Once you die, that’s it, old chap.”

  Paulo’s earrings flashed. What should we do with him, boss?

  Ya know what Oscar’s gonna do with him, said Lenny. He’ll be comin’ with us. Just like the rest of ’em. Lenny saw Oscar eyeing Kellen and knew his prediction was true.

  “Are you an officer?” Oscar asked the teen.

  “No, I-I was locked up. In the back.”

  “A prisoner! Ooh, I do like that,” Oscar said. “On what charges, pray tell?”

  “M-murder,” Kellen said. “I k-killed a kid.”

  Lies. Lenny had grown up amidst murderers and thieves. The teen in front of him might have the makings of one, someday. He had the look.

  Oscar let the barrel of his gun bounce up and down in a threatening way. “Tell me, how did you ever manage to escape your cell?”

  Kellen nodded in Foster’s direction, but he would not look at the body. “He let me out when we heard the gunshots…said he needed backup. That he’d let me go if I helped him.”

  Lenny’s earrings flashed. Kid’s a quick study, huh, Paulie? Gotta give him that.

  Might not be a good thing.

  Lenny surveyed his crewmates’ faces. It will be where he’s goin’.

  Oscar dropped the gun to his side. “Out of the frying pan and into the fire then, eh, Kellen? You know…I could help free you—if you’re willing to hear my proposition, of course. Seeing as you did me a favor, why, it’s only fair I should help you in return.”

  “I did?”

  “Why yes! You distracted our dearly departed Selkie here,” Oscar pointed at Foster. “Thus leaving our dangerous friend Miss Marisa Bourgeois alive and well.”

  Is she dangerous? Lenny weighed the assessment. She had escaped him twice now. And both times had the drop on him. Even now, he knew she could have attempted escape after Foster’s murder. She’s dangerous. He decided. And something more. But what?

  “In fact,” Oscar continued. “She is the very reason we’re here. We’re sort of like…officers of the law. She’s escaped and we’ve come to bring her back. Those men we killed, they wanted to stop us. But you’re missing my point. My friends and I…we can all transform into seals! Wouldn’t you like to possess that sort of power?”

  Lenny noted how Kellen’s gaze seemed to linger on Henry’s hood.

  “You mean I-I could change too?”

  “Oh, yes,” Oscar said. “Come with us, Kellen, and I’ll open your eyes to a new world of possibilities! You’ll have a nice, new Selkie suit to swim the open ocean, and experience a life you never could here.”

  A slave life. And those open waters have a way of closin’ in real fast.

  “So I-I could change into a seal?” Kellen asked again, bolder this time.

  “Of course,” said Oscar. “And besides it’s not much a choice, is it? I mean…we could let you go on your merry way of course. Oh, you will have one slight problem. We’ll be off soon and with all these corpses left behind, why, I would assume it wouldn’t take long before other authorities surmise who murdered these poor fellows. Given that their prisoner wanted for murder has fled, that is.”

  “But the dead guy,” Kellen looked at Foster’s body again and away just as quickly. “H-he said they were federal marshals.”

  “Lies, all lies,” Oscar said. “Lenny, where is our dreaded Silkstealer?”

  “Racer and Ellie took him and the Orc to the bus.”

  “Ugh. I’ll be happy to bid that dreadful vehicle a fond farewell soon enough.” Oscar turned back to Kellen. “Were there any other prisoners with you, by chance?”

  “Our town drunk. He’s—”

  “Henry, collect Kellen’s cellmate,” Oscar said. “We’ll meet you at the bus!”

  Paulo’s earrings flashed. And we just enslaved two more Drybacks.

  Yeah. Lenny chewed his tongue until it bled. Yeah we did.

  Henry finished his work, folded the bloody Sea Lion coat, and tucked it under his arm. He left Foster’s naked body to rot.

  Lenny wished he had something to cover it with.

  “And you, my dear Marisa…” Oscar glowed, taking her by the arm. “So glad to meet you in person. I’m Oscar Col-”

  “I know who you are,” she said. “And what you want.”

  “Oh, but I want a lot of things, love.”

  “You want one thing,” Marisa said.

  Oscar leered at her. “Of course. And right now, that thing is you. Won’t you—”

  “I already told your manservant I would.”

  “Willing, eh?” Oscar said, his tone marked with surprise. “Marisa Bourgeois, the uncatchable runner, caught by Oscar Collins. Has a nice ring to it, wouldn’t you agree?”

  “Did you catch me?”

  Lenny smirked. I think this could be love, sweetheart.

  “You’re here and I have you. That makes you mine,” Oscar said. He motioned toward the front entrance. “Right this way, darling.”

  Oscar turned to lead her away. He came face-to-face with Smith.

  Tears streamed down the father’s cheeks, but not of sadness.

  Lenny recognized them as hatred made liquid.
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br />   “You killed my Richie…”

  “Yes, I’d thought we’d established that,” Oscar said. “Paulo, escort him to the bus.”

  Paulo’s earrings flashed. Give me a reason to end all this, Len.

  Lenny’s flashed back in reply. Ya girlfriend’s waitin’ for us at the bus and ya Ma is back at Crayfish Cavern. They’re dead, along with me and Pop, if we try to run and cock it up.

  “All right,” Paulo said to Smith. “Come on.”

  Smith shrugged Paulo’s hand away. He walked over to Foster, knelt to stroke his son’s hair. With a gentle touch, he closed Foster’s eyes. Then he bent forward and kissed his forehead. Smith stood, wiping his nose. He walked away without a second glance.

  “Pathetic,” Oscar said. He took Marisa by the arm and faced Kellen. “Well? Will you be joining us?”

  “I have to decide now?”

  “I’ll tell you what, take a few moments, then join us at our bus across the street. Have your decision made by then. Deal?”

  “O-okay…” Kellen said, his gaze falling on Foster’s face again.

  “There’s the spirit!” Oscar said. His earrings flashed. Lenny, no matter his decision, he comes with us.

  Because ya had me fooled. Lenny followed them out of the jail, his stomach churning. I free a couple and he finds a few more to slave. Great plan, cuke-head.

  The temperature outside had risen with the thunderstorm. Still, Lenny thought the rain falling around him a comforting relief from the sweltering heat inside the jail. He watched Paulo lead Smith to the bus side and open the hatch.

  Forgive me, Paulie…

  The lights inside the hold flickered on, illuminating Ellie’s prostrate body. A deathly mask of crimson streaked down her brow, yet the slow rise and fall of her great backside spoke that the true lifeblood remained in her.

  “Ellie,” Paulo screamed. “Who did this to you?”

  I did. It should’ve been me layin’ in blood and Ellie gone free with the rest.

  “What in a blue hole is he on about?” Oscar asked.

  Paulo abandoned Smith. He shoved his way up the bus steps, returned a moment later with a ring of keys. He climbed his way inside next to Ellie—a considerable chore for someone of his size—and feverishly worked at opening the locks.

  Time to play my part.

  Lenny rushed in. “Paulie! What’s goin’ on?”

  “Look what they did to her…”

  “Who?”

  “Ellie!”

  “What happened?” Lenny asked. “Is she all right? Is she dead?”

  The last bit of iron fell off her. Paulo lifted Ellie gently, holding her head in the crook of his elbow. “Come back to me.”

  “Paulo,” Ellie said weakly. “Paulo—”

  He stroked her hair. “I’m here. Who did this to you?”

  “I—I don’t—”

  “Who?” Paulo demanded.

  Lenny heard a different hold door bang open.

  “No…” Oscar said.

  Then another.

  “Lenny!” Oscar stormed to the hold three of his catchers shared. “Where are the others?”

  “Huh?”

  Oscar’s face turned feral. “Where are they?”

  Far from here I hope. Lenny climbed out of the hold. “Whattaya talkin’ about Oscar?”

  “Racer…” Ellie winced. “Racer…h-hit me…”

  Paulo punched the bus side, denting it. “I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him!”

  “You tell me where they’ve gone, Lenny,” Oscar seethed. “You tell me right this instant.”

  “I dunno know what ya talkin’ about. Both the Orc and the Silksteala are right here.” Lenny pointed to both bodies.

  Oscar stamped his foot. He slammed one of the empty hold doors. “The Orc is the most valuable! Why would they leave him behind?”

  “How should I know?” Lenny shrugged. “I was inside with the rest of ya.”

  “You expect me to believe that this—this breakout just magically happened on its own?” Oscar paced back and forth. He stopped suddenly and turned back to the jail, hearing someone approach.

  Henry hastened across the street. In his arms he carried the body of a slumped old man.

  Oscar wheeled on Lenny. “This is your fault! And you’re going to pay for it in blood!”

  Lenny climbed out of the hold. “My fault? If I had been with ’em the whole time this wouldn’t have happened! We’d already bagged the Orc and the Silksteala and were on our way out when ya called me to back ya up, rememba?”

  Henry scanned the scene. He dropped his prisoner on the blacktop, arriving at the conclusion of what had occurred far sooner than Oscar.

  “Where ‘eez she?”

  “Who?”

  Henry grabbed Lenny by the collar. “Where ‘eez she?” his spittle flew in Lenny’s face. “Where ‘eez my Chidi?”

  “I dunno!”

  Paulo erupted out of the hold and tackled Henry. The two wrestled for control.

  Henry grabbed Paulo by the hair, pounded his skull into the ground. He only released him to unsheathe his dagger. Henry whipped the tip of the blade to Paulo’s throat. “Where ‘eez she, Lenny? Tell me or I cut ‘is throat!”

  “You’ll do no such thing!” Oscar yelled. “Paulo is too value—”

  “Shut up, leetle fool,” Henry said.

  Oscar’s jaw dropped. “What did you call me?”

  Henry never took his gaze off Lenny. “Where ‘eez she?”

  Lenny’s face turned to ice. “Guess she turned runna. Which means every second ya stay here she gets furtha away.”

  Henry lifted his nose to the sky. He took a deep breath. “I weel find ‘er Lenny. And after she tells me you ‘elped ‘er…zen I weel find you.”

  “Ya know where I’ll be,” Lenny said.

  Henry took one more sniff of air. Like catching a scent, he ran for the police station.

  “Henry! Where are you going?” Oscar called after him. “Henry!”

  An engine revved and blue and red lights lit up the night sky. A police siren wailed. The stolen cruiser sped toward the highway.

  Lenny watched Henry drive away with a sort of grim satisfaction. Good luck, Cheeds.

  “You!” Oscar pointed at him. “You did this. I know it!”

  “Ya think I’d put my skin on the line for a bunch of Drybacks and a pup?”

  Paulo dabbed the blood from the back of Ellie’s head. “No way. Lenny would never do that. Not for anyone.”

  “I’ll bet you didn’t believe Racer would ever do such a thing either,” Oscar said. “Look where that landed your girlfriend!”

  “Find him and put him in front of me,” Paulo said. “See if I don’t strangle him.”

  “Excellent,” Oscar said. “It just so happens I agree. We’ll follow Henry—”

  “Ya think that’s smart?” Lenny asked.

  “What’s that you Dolans say so often? You look after your own…” Oscar said. “It seems to me that Racer nearly killed one of your own. Wouldn’t you like to have justice for that?”

  “I would,” Lenny agreed. “But they’ll be time for that later. Ya forget what we got sleepin’ down here? Hmm? Well, he’s not gonna be sleepin’ for long. Used up the last of the tranqs, rememba?”

  “So that’s why they left the Orc,” Paulo said. “If he wakes up and realizes he can change—”

  “He could rip the hold apart,” Lenny finished.

  “Oh, well, bloody fantastic.” Oscar pouted. “You’re saying we either hunt them down and risk losing the Orc or we go home now?”

  “Can’t see any other way.” Lenny ran his hands through his hair. “And we’ll have to drive through the night to make it by mornin’.”

  Oscar cursed.

  “It’s not so bad,” said Lenny. “Henry’s after the others. We got Bourgeois and a couple more to boot. I think ya fatha’s gonna be pretty happy.”

  “He might be, but I am not,” Oscar leaned in close, whispering to Lenny. �
��I know you had something to do with this. And when I prove it…you’ll pay.”

  “Whateva ya say, Oscar. Now can we get outta here before the Orc wakes up and we lose him too?”

  “Yes,” Oscar said. “And since you’re so concerned about the Orc tearing the hold apart, let’s show him the courtesy one of his kind should warrant. Paulo, unchain him. Ellie, can you walk yet?”

  “Y-yes.”

  “Excellent,” Oscar said. “Carry him aboard and lay him in my captain’s quarters. Such a prize deserves better than being locked in a place we store common slaves. This way, he’ll awaken on a soft bed to all the niceties I can provide him. After all, I want him happy before I gift him to my father. And when you’ve finished, I’ll want a warm meal directly.”

  Ellie nodded. With Paulo’s help, they unlocked Garrett and dragged him to the steps. Paulo carried Garrett. Ellie staggered behind him.

  Lenny looked at Smith and the man Henry had dropped. “And whatta we doin’ with Bourgeois and this lot?”

  “Put them in the under, of course,” Oscar said.

  Smith’s earrings flashed. Don’t worry about me running, Dolan. I know where this road leads. I won’t go rogue…not till I avenge my son.

  Smith picked Kellen’s unconscious cellmate off the ground and loaded him into the hold. He climbed inside and looked back at them. “You want to shackle me or not?”

  There’s a first, Lenny thought, unsure whether he should be impressed or wary. He walked over to shackle him in personally.

  Smith’s earrings flashed again. See you in the Salt.

  Lenny removed Smith’s earrings and pocketed them. Then he chained both men down and closed the first of the three hold doors.

  “And now you, my lady,” Oscar said to Marisa. “Will you go willingly to your cell?”

  Marisa shrugged his arm away and walked toward the bus.

  She could escape anytime she wants. Lenny watched her enter the second cell, much too confident for his liking.

  Marisa shackled her own legs and lay back, allowing him to ensure the bonds snapped closed. He bound her arms and neck with the iron fetters for extra measure.

  Lenny climbed out and closed the hold door, locking it. He looked at the third, the one with the dead Dryback. “What do we do with him?”

  “Leave it here for all I care,” Oscar said, then entered the bus.