"Yes. Let's go," she answers.
Chapter 11 / Mena
It's difficult to be in the dark about my parents and friends. Not knowing is worse than knowing they are in Dr. Fredericks’ clutches. What if he had them executed? What if they were seriously hurt while escaping? It's driving me crazy!
To distract myself, I turn to talk to Jenna. This must be hard on her as well. She's been so sheltered with the citizens all of her life. At least the Exalted have had experience outside of the walled cities.
Jenna doesn't look too good and neither do Kwan and Trudi. Since the scouting missions with Ryker, I’ve gotten used to the jarring rides in vehicles. Jenna, Kwan, and Trudi, however, have not received the benefit of those previous experiences. All three of them look green, and turn a shade darker with each bump we bounce over.
Trudi moans in the back seat. She leans forward to rest her forehead on the seatback.
“You all look like you could use some air,” I say. “Let’s roll all the windows down.”
Relief washes over their faces as the fresh air circulates through the boxy vehicle. They are finally able to concentrate on the landscape instead of the uncomfortable ride. Jenna seems to be in awe of the outside world. She even cranes her neck, trying to hang onto certain sights as we pass them. She reminds me of a little girl, seeing things for the first time—that is, the first time before she is drugged and turned into a soldier.
I decide not to bother Jenna and instead turn to my partner. “Ryker, do you think I could sneak out for a day and check on Lily? I didn’t even get to tell her goodbye when she left,” I ask, though I don’t really need his permission. I’ll probably do it anyway, and he knows that. Besides, he'll want to know how she is doing just as much as I do. They bonded quite a bit when she stayed with him before she had to leave the Republic. Seems like that was years ago.
“I'm sure they could spare you for a day or two," he answers. "We’ll see what’s going on when we get there. I know they'll need all the protection they can get, though."
“You're going to check on a flower?” Trudi asks from the backseat.
I chuckle, as does Ryker. “No. Lily is . . . well . . . Lily is a little girl that I helped during the Third Trial. Some marauders killed her mother.”
“Oh. You helped people instead of killing them? That’s not what we were told to do,” Kwan says. The smile instantly falls from my face as the reality of that world hits me in the gut. Ryker stares straight ahead at the road overgrown with weeds and neglect.
I turn around to look at Kwan in the backseat. His face is blank because he is still under the influence of the Pump. He won’t understand my emotional reactions yet, even if I explain them to him. All he and Trudi understand is that I disobeyed orders.
“Killing innocent people is wrong. The Republic was wrong to demand that of us,” I give a simple answer because any more than that won't get through to them.
They both nod, but say nothing. They have a lot to learn and experience yet.
I wonder if they killed people while they were out on the Third Trial. It’s probably better not to ask. I don’t really want to know the answer.
I fold my arms across my chest and slide down further into the passenger seat. The empty dashboard seems like the perfect place for me to prop up my feet. I might as well try to get a little sleep before we get to Toledo Lake. Who knows what will be happening there when we arrive. Az has probably turned that place upside down. I know he must have been insane with rage when he woke up from that tranquilizer. I just hope he didn’t take it out on the villagers. Ryker probably has more to worry about than anyone though, since he was the one who shot him.
Chapter 12 / AZ
Not surprisingly, I don’t have any say in who is chosen and who isn’t chosen as an archer. Of course, most of the men are chosen, which is fine with me. All of the half-breeds will be archers. The most surprising choice though is the amputee male youth. Dixie and Conall are convinced that his device is an advantage and allows for a sharp shot.
I’m so appalled by the fact that they are using deformed half-breeds and an amputee as protectors that I can’t even eat my lunch. I just stare at it as I sit among the inferior villagers during lunch. They need to be protected, not be protectors. This is wrong.
I’m jolted out of my thoughts when Cap taps me on the shoulder. “Take a walk with me?” he asks.
“Yeah, sure.” I push my plate toward the center of the table, leaving it for the others, and follow Cap away from the outdoor cafeteria.
As we walk down the main path through the village, Cap remains quiet. He lets me take in all the sights, sounds, and people of the little community. There are happy faces and sad faces, but there are not blank faces. There are no walls surrounding them. There is no separation between Exalted, half-breeds, and the regular people. I see it all as we walk.
Eventually, we reach a beautiful lake where Cap stops walking. “You can see who we are,” he says. “We are alive and we are all free. We will die trying to save that because it’s precious. Now, don’t think that I don’t know we can’t fight an entire enemy Exalted army with the few friendly Exalted we have here and two-dozen archers. We have other plans in place that will hopefully stop some of them before it comes to that.”
“What kind of plans?” I ask.
“We have the advantage in that we know this land. Others don’t. There are only three entrances to our village that vehicles can pass through. If we are attacked, two of the entrances can be made impassable, only allowing the attackers to come from one direction. I’m going to have some of the volunteers making bombs. The archers hidden in the trees would be the next form of attack. Then, they would face our Exalted. We don’t want anyone reaching the village, because we know they would destroy it and every innocent person in it.”
Right then, I decide that Cap is a competent leader. He’s not sending these people to be slaughtered. He’s doing the best he can. I can tell how much he loves this place as he moves through it and talks about it. This is his home and these are his people. He will do everything he can to protect them.
“That sounds like a good plan,” I tell him. “And I’ll do my best to help.” Maybe his plan will work. Exalted aren’t trained for ambushes. We attack head-on.
“Thank you, Az. I appreciate all the help we can get.” Cap shifts, favoring his right side. “After training tonight, I’ll have a new ax for you. I have the blacksmiths working on it now.” He smiles and saunters away, leaving me to reflect on my attitude toward the village and its inhabitants.
***
I’m the last one to arrive back on the training field after lunch. The Exalted trainers have already announced the chosen archers, who are lined up before the targets. Those not chosen as archers are sitting on the ground in the center of the field, stripping sticks of their lumps and bumps with sharp knives. At the far end of the field, Cap stands with three villagers. Barrels, glass jars, fabric, wire, metal pipes, and other things that I can’t make out from here surround them.
Everything is already underway. No one is complaining about his or her job. They are just working for their village—getting what needs to be done, done.
“Az, over here,” Dixie calls to me.
I join the Exalted and the new archers. While I still can’t believe this is their best, I try not to let my disappointment show on my face. It’s difficult though.
“Close your mouth, get out there, and help them,” Dixie tells me, as she goes to help one of the adult men.
Yes, I guess I am gawking again, but this is crazy—training regular people to use weapons. My nostrils flare and my chest heaves from the awful feeling that is welling up inside me. Remember what Cap told you, I remind myself as I force myself to move forward. Slowly. Very slowly.
“Az! Now!” Dixie shouts.
Reluctantly, I search the crowd for someone that desperately needs assistance. They all do, but my eyes settle on the male youth with only one hand.
/> He freezes as I approach him. He casts his eyes downward and his mouth moves awkwardly around his uncertain emotions and facial scars. My attention on him is making him uneasy. Many of the Ambassadors reacted this way when Exalted were near.
Don’t look like you want to kill him. You’re here to help him, I remind myself. He is not built like you are, Az. He was not raised as a mindless fighting machine. Remember what Dixie and Cap told you. So, I attempt a smile, pushing the sides of my mouth up the way I’ve seen the villagers do, and say, “Here, let me help you. The others seem to think that your prosthetic is an advantage, so use it as such—let it do the work. Don’t strain so much.”
After the youth appears to get over the initial shock of my presence, he wiggles his arm, releasing some of the tension and then returns to his proper shooting position. “Like this?” he asks. After I nod, the youth draws his arrow. He pauses, waiting for further instruction from me on his form.
“Good. Now use your jaw as your anchor point.” I move his hand slightly so that his thumb and index finger rest against his jawline. “Now, shoot.” He releases his arrow and it sails toward the target with better precision than he had before. It doesn’t strike the bull’s-eyes but it’s close. “Good,” I tell him.
Maybe you don’t have to be an Exalted to fire a bow after all. Exalted can be wrong, right? Now, how do I get myself to quit feeling the way that I feel about them?
I continue to work with the one-handed man through the afternoon target practice. As the day goes on, I admit that I am surprised by his drive and that I was wrong to assume that his physical limitations would be a hindrance. If anything they make him stronger.
Chapter 13 / Ethan
“This looks like a good spot. Let’s get a few hours sleep and then we can set off at dawn.” I tell Val, while I spread some dry leaves in a spot between two bushes. “You wanna sleep first?”
It’s pitch black in this forest, and I can’t see the expression on her face, but I can sense her uneasiness. I can hear her rubbing her hands back and forth along the tops of her thighs.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I just wish we could keep going. I don’t like having to stop out here. We don’t know how far behind they are and I would feel better if we were around other people,” Val says.
I reach for her hand. Since she’s still rubbing her legs, I can tell exactly where her hand is through the blackness between us. After giving it a tight squeeze, I say, “Val, if I had to guess, they didn’t follow us. They still have Mena’s parents as prisoners, and Dr. Fredericks was bound to be anxious to get inside that other Republic.”
Val shifts next to me and says, “Yeah, maybe. I’m so full of adrenaline right now; there’s no way I can sleep. Why don’t you sleep first? I’ll wake you in a few hours.” She squeezes my hand in return and then jumps to her feet.
“Wake me if you hear anything, okay?”
“I will,” Val says.
"Here's the gun." I offer her the weapon.
"Uh, no thanks," she says. "I won't be able to see to shoot anyway."
I don't question her about her apprehension to take the firearm. I already know her reason. It's the same reason I feel uneasy handling it—it's a weak man's weapon.
"Okay. It'll be here next to me," I tell her.
As I lie back on a bed of leaves, I listen to her pacing—five steps to the right, five steps to the left. She can’t see anything, so she doesn’t risk pacing a larger area. A cool breeze along with the monotonous sound of her soft steps on the dry leaves eases me quickly into a deep slumber.
Chapter 14 / AZ
Day one of training the regulars and half-breeds is complete. Though, I still don’t see the point in this. If dozens of Exalted show up here to take them out…that’s exactly what will happen. They won't be able to hold their own against them. I know the plans Cap has to keep them from breaching the village are solid, but what if the village is breached? What happens then?
As I stand in the center of the field, watching the new archers amble away, someone slaps me on the back. Instinctively, my fist clinches and I throw my arm around to make contact with the culprit.
Conall grabs my fist mid-air. “Easy there. Don’t want to get yourself into trouble for punching one of your brothers, do you?” He grins.
What I’d like to do is pound his skull into the ground, but I know he’s right. I’m not against them, so they are my brothers in a sense. Acknowledging that fact angers me a little more.
“Where am I supposed to go now?” I grumble.
“We all have dinner in the village and then you’ll be bunking with Everett and some of the other guys in the bunkhouse,” Dixie answers as she approaches with Everett close behind.
Everett has dark skin and short black hair. His eyes are as dark as his skin, but his bright white smile reveals his lighthearted nature. "I'll show you the bunkhouse after we eat," Everett offers.
"Thanks."
Dixie and Conall lead the way off the training field. Again, she takes Conall’s hand into her own. They share a smile, meant for only the two of them, as they walk.
“Newlyweds,” Everett says with a chuckle as he passes me.
“Newlyweds?” I repeat as I follow after them. I’ve never seen United Exalted behave this way. I’m not sure what to think about it. It’s odd behavior for sure, but I keep my mouth shut because there seems to be lot of odd happenings in this village.
“Hungry?” Dixie asks our small group, making unnecessary conversation on the short walk.
“I’m starving,” Everett says.
“Me too,” Conall agrees.
They all turn to look at me, waiting for a response. “Uh, yeah. I could eat,” I answer to fit in. The truth is that I’m starving since I had forfeited my lunch, but again, I am hit with their odd behavior . . . Or is it normal behavior and I’m the one that’s odd?
Chapter 15 / Mena
“No!” Ryker slams his palm down on the steering wheel of the vehicle.
“What?” his urgency causes my head to swivel from side-to-side. I try to find the threat he seems to have found before me. But there is nothing. Only abandoned vehicles and debris fill the old, dilapidated highway. The tree line appears to be safe—only trees and brush. That’s hardly something to cause alarm over. “Ryker, what is it?” I ask again.
“The sun.”
“What about it?”
“I had hoped we’d get further before sunset. This isn’t the best place to have to stop for the night,” he admits. "These roads are impassable at night. There's too much debris and overgrowth. I need to be able to see where I'm going."
I hadn’t thought about having to stop for the night. I thought we were going to drive straight there. But of course, we can’t drive in this rubbled mess at night. “Why is this place any worse than other places out here?” I ask, still not noticing anything out of the ordinary.
Ryker remains silent and glances in the rearview mirror. Jenna. He doesn’t want to say anything that will frighten her. So I just nod in understanding.
We drive until going any further is too dangerous. Ryker shifts the vehicle into park in the middle of the highway amongst the other vehicles. He turns to face everyone and says, “We have to stop here until sun-up. Then we can travel safely again. I think we should stay put here. Exalted, we’ll take turns keeping watch.”
“Um, do you think I could go use the bathroom?” Jenna whispers.
I answer before anyone else has a chance. “Trudi, would you mind taking her? I need to speak with Ryker.”
“No problem,” Trudi responds with a little more enthusiasm than expected. She must be going stir-crazy from being cooped up in this metal box.
When the two disappear into the trees, I question my partner’s concerns. “What’s going on? What’s wrong with this place?”
“There’s a group that takes up residence in a couple of old silos on an abandoned farm.”
“You’re worried about a
group of marauders?” A dumbfounded expression surely fills the planes of my face as I stare at him.
“They’re not just marauders. Exalted fill their ranks as well. They are all people who couldn’t handle living peacefully among others at Toledo Lake. They’re irrational. They are thieves and murderers. They will be looking for us. It’s what they do.”
A laugh unintentionally escapes my lips.
“What’s so funny?” Ryker asks.
“It’s just that there’s all this stuff going on with the Republics and my parents. And now we have to worry about some irrational Exalted and murdering marauders. I’m sorry. It’s just funny.” Hysteria makes me laugh even though I'm distraught.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Kwan leaning toward me from the backseat. He’s concentrating on my mouth. This makes me laugh harder. I think I’m losing it. I know none of this is funny, but I feel so lost. I want to be in three different places at once. But which is the right place to be? Should I be back at our Republic helping Basav infiltrate the island where the Pump is manufactured, trying to sneak into Ryker’s old Republic so I can save my parents and friends, or should I be going to help keep the people of Toledo Lake safe? I want to do it all. I need to do it all. But how can I? I am but one person. I need to relax and trust in my brothers and sisters.
A tear rolls down my cheek as I breathe deeply and lean back into my seat.
“Is she okay?” Kwan asks from the backseat.
“She will be,” Ryker answers him. He reaches across the space between our seats and takes my hand, squeezing it tight.
***
I’m jolted awake, as expected, when Trudi whispers, “Shh! Hey, I think there are a couple of marauders out there. I can see them moving around in the weeds over there.” She points to her left.
United (Exalted Trilogy: Book 3) Page 4