The Men of Anderas III: Talon, the Assassin

by C. J. Johnson

  Talon walked through the streets of his old life and cringed. These weren’t the kinds of bars where you brought a special lady for a night on the town. These were the lowest forms of street life.

  Damn. How did I survive two years of this destruction? He searched the bodies across the road until he located Shadow. She was in full blue mode while she worked her way up that side of the road. They hoped to hear any scrap of gossip, rumor, or gloating that would give them a direction—someplace to start.

  The hunter manning the bounty station didn’t have as much information about Draagon’s location as he did. The last update to reach his office was shortly after the explosion that almost killed Dak and Kierin. Talon shared what he knew with the over-worked hunter but didn’t hold out much hope that he would do anything with the information. His mention of a handful of homeless families showing up claiming to be the only survivors of a Phantom Rider raid was another reason they were here. A signal from Shadow had him dodging people and horses to get to her.

  “I have a location for the families the officer mentioned.” She turned and jogged back the way they came.

  “Why are we running? Are they in danger?” He could keep up with her in this gentle jog, but if they had to run he didn’t know if he could recognize obstacles in time to avoid them.

  “Might have to kick some pervert ass.” She looked back at him and grinned. “The bartender at that last place was telling anyone who’d listen that there was a sweet, young thing barely past her first monthly that could be had for a gold coin.”

  “Muther f…how much farther?” He didn’t need her answer when he heard the scream. He took off at a hard run, Shadow at his side. She shouted ‘left’ and they turned down a dark alley and ran into the middle of chaos.

  The men who weren’t fighting each other for a chance at the girl were yelling threats at the father trying his best to defend his daughter with a pitchfork. Talon pulled the pistol from the holster under his arm and fired a shot into the air. Shock quieted the mob, for the moment, anyway.

  “Get the hell out of here before you piss me off enough to start shooting. The first one to argue gets the first shot.”

  “He can’t get us afore we get him.” Someone shouted from the back.

  “You might be right but I know I’ll take down four or five before I go down and my partner there will get just as many.”

  “Move, bounty hunter. I’m a better shot than you.” Shadow bragged and leveled her gun at the gut of the man closest to her. “Ever see a man die from a gut wound? Ugly, ugly way to die.”

  “Ain’t no piece o’ ass worth this. Fuck it.” He dropped the tree limb he must have picked up along the way and stumbled away, pushing and shoving at the men still blocking the alley.

  “Well, come on if you’re coming?” Talon demanded. “This man can’t stand here all night and I’m getting bored.”

  One-by-one they slowly left the alley. Some brave soul yelled from the street that they’d be back when there wasn’t some sorry-assed bounty hunter and his bitch around to stop the fun.

  “Is anyone hurt?” Shadow asked the father, easing the pitchfork from his trembling hands.

  “Jus’ scared, mostly.” He lifted the corner of a dirty scrap of canvas and motioned for his family to come out of hiding.

  Talon’s heart ached for what the man was suffering. “Draagon?”

  “Yes, Sir. He came to our village two months ago and took over everything. My farm is a good ways out so I wuz able to get ‘em hid afore they came an’ burned me ta the ground.” He wrapped his arms around his pregnant wife, while a young boy hid his face in her skirts. The girl at the heart of the trouble couldn’t be more than ten or twelve years old.

  “You can’t stay here.” Shadow squatted so she was eye-level with the little boy. “Do you think you could help me with something?” She asked, softly.

  He looked up at his mother with big, tear-filled eyes before turning back to her. “Don’ know but I can try.”

  “My friend and I were going to have a little picnic later tonight but he’s not feeling so good after running all the way here. Sure would hate to see all that food go bad. You think you might know some people who could help me have that picnic?”

  “Us! Us! Us!” He jumped and jumped in his excitement. “I could eat it all by myself but I wanna share.”

  “Sammy, you sit down and stop all that racked. These nice folks won’t believe I raised you with manners.” She reached out and touched Shadow’s arm. “I don’t like taking charity but my family will die if they don’t get something more than dried up berries, road kill, and garbage scraps to eat.”

  Talon offered his hand to the farmer. “I’m Talon and this is my partner, Shadow. It’s a pleasure to meet you. If you can get word to the other families to meet us here, I think I may have a solution to some of your problems.” Talon stood and nodded to the young children. “I’m going after that basket of food but Shadow will be here to protect you. She’s a fierce warrior.”

  “But she’s a girl.” Sammy whined.

  “Exactly!” Shadow laughed at the unabashed honesty of childhood and followed Talon to the mouth of the alley.

  “Make it a big basket but keep the sugary sweets to a minimum. I don’t think their shrunken stomachs will tolerate anything too rich.” Her whispered words wouldn’t be heard by the young family.

  “If you keep looking at me like that, Blue, they won’t be the only ones getting lucky tonight.” He dropped a quick, hard kiss on her mouth before walking away.

  “In your dreams, bounty hunter.” She yelled after him. The huge grins on the faces of the farmer and his wife caught her by surprise. Too much time away from other people has rotted my brain.

  “So…Talon told you our names but I didn’t hear yours.”

  Turned out that Big Sam and Emmie, short for Emmeline, ran away and got married when her father forbid her to speak to him. Her father was the mayor of a town she refused to name and Sam was nothing but a farmer and too far beneath her, according to her father. Life was hard but she wouldn’t change a single thing about their life before Draagon. Sammy was a typical eight-year-old, full of mischief, and Belle was ten.

  Shadow could tell that Emmie was well educated as she gently corrected the grammar and etiquette of her children. She could feel the love these four had for each other.

  “When is the new baby due?” She asked Emmie, instantly regretting the question when tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “As soon as I can find a medic. The babe hasn’t moved in more than a month.”

  “I couldn’t find no food fer ‘em an’ barely any water. The babe jus’ weren’t strong enough.”

  Sam shouldered the blame for the loss of their baby but Shadow put this all on Draagon. He could never be punished enough to balance the horrible, horrible destruction he delivered. Why couldn’t law enforcement capture him?

  “When Talon returns with the food, we’ll make our camp here with you for the night and find you safe lodging tomorrow.”

  “I got no words ta thank you. I used ta be a proud man but not when it comes ta keepin’ my wife an’ babies alive. I’ll take yur charity an’ be grateful fer it.”

  “It’s not charity, Sam.” Shadow assured him. “It’s a second chance and everybody deserves one of those.

  * * * *

  “Thank you for trusting us enough to meet here.” Talon sat on an empty barrel and looked every man and woman gathered in the alley in the eye.

  “No offence, mister, but it weren’t you we trusted—it were Sam and the offer of food for our young.”

  Talon chuckled at his honesty. “Whatever brought you here doesn’t matter. Did everyone get enough to eat? Shadow still has a couple of unopened baskets over there.” When no one spoke he continued.

  “I’m after Draagon and I hope you can help me find him.” The whispered mutterings didn’t sound promising. “Please, hear me out.”

  “Talon,” Shadow whispered in hi
s ear. “Tell them your plan first. If they know their families will be safe they’ll be more willing to help.”

  “I know a place where you can take your families and never have to worry about Draagon ever again.”

  “No man can make that claim. Draagon goes where he wants and takes what strikes his fancy.”

  Talon couldn’t see who spoke so he looked at Sam when he answered. “It’s true. Draagon never returns to a town or village he’s destroyed, right? Why would he when he’s taken everything of value and destroyed what was left?”

  The adults all nodded in agreement. “That’s what he did to my village twenty years ago. It’s not on Cyperia but I’ve arranged transportation for you. There’s plenty of game in the hills and since it’s an island, there’s fish and mollusks. Fresh water still flows into most of the houses. Three hundred families used to live there and most of their homes were damaged by the Riders. Weather and wildlife added to the damage but there are enough building materials there to repair most of the ones still standing or build new ones. The fields have been fallow since the attack so the soil is rich and ready for planting in the spring.”

  “Name’s Josef, Mister Talon. Jus’ where is this island?”

  “It’s off the coast of a town called Karphor, Josef. Please call me Talon.”

  “I’m Kent an’ my brother is Kord. Ya said that island supported three hundred people? Sounds good ta me. We’d be grateful fer the chance to go wid’ ya. Sign us up.”

  “There were three hundred families, Kent. I was only twelve so I don’t know the exact number but it would have to be over a thousand.”

  “Shadow and I won’t be going with you. We’re going after Draagon. Sam has all the information and I’ve given him the few specific instructions that must be followed. You will be starting a new village for yourselves.”

  Talon finally started to relax. When the idea first came to him, he didn’t know if anyone but Sam and his family would be willing to move so far away. If Kent and Kord spread their enthusiasm this venture just might work.

  “That bein’ the case, what if we know’d of others in the same fix as us? I’m called Bud and I wuz a blacksmith.”

  “Bud, there’s a working forge there; I used it less than a month ago.” Talon sobered and looked out over the hopeful faces. “If you know where any survivors of Draagon’s cruelty are struggling to survive, ask them to join us. I have only one requirement, and I will not budge on it. Under no circumstances, will any criminal or drug addict or abuser be allowed to join this group.”

  The round of cheers and clapping could be heard a block away. “Sam and Emmie will gather the information from each family wanting to move. Any questions you have, Sam can answer or bring them to me. Gather what belongings you have and meet at the transport station at sunset tomorrow night. Departure will be as soon as everyone is loaded. Now, who can tell me where Draagon was last seen?”

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Shadow continued to be amazed by the change in Talon’s attitude since entering that bounty station six weeks ago. All he did was ask to borrow that fancy transport and they said yes. Didn’t ask why or where he was going—just said yes.

  They stopped at every bounty station, now. Talon shared the details of his blindness if asked, but few men questioned him about anything other than what they could do to help him. News of an unusually large gold robbery had them headed for a small mining town in the mountains two hundred miles north of the last bounty station in the territory. A trip that took ten days in the summer took twice as long in the snow. The road was a trail cut through the thick forest to keep the snow from blocking the only access to the mines. A thick canopy of evergreens slowed the build-up of snow on the ground—unless a branch broke under a load that was too heavy. The frequency of those ‘dumps’ occurred with increasing frequency the higher they climbed.

  Thanks to the generosity of the bounty hunters, they were equipped with the latest in winter survival gear. Even the horses had heat-reflecting blankets. They travelled about five miles or so before the horses started showing signs of fatigue. Since the sun dropped below the mountain ridge so early it gave them time to set up camp and care for the animals before it got dark. If her math was correct, they should reach the town tomorrow or the day after.

  She would enjoy the trip more if there was some way of taking a shower. A quick wash of the smelly parts with cold water left her feeling less than fresh. A bath and a razor were at the top of her list when they arrived.

  “This looks like a good place to stop for the night.” Talon pointed to a flat spot beneath a jumble of fallen trees. “The wind is blocked on three sides and we can hang a blanket across a tree to cover the opening.”

  Shadow didn’t question his decision, even though they still had a couple of miles before they reached their five-mile-mark for the day. It didn’t take long to set up camp and get a fire pot going. The small, circular pots were filled with a gelatin product that would burn for about four hours. Long enough to prepare a meal and heat water for tea and maybe a quick wash. If given a choice she’d give up a second cup of tea for the warm water.

  Talon took care of the horses and because she had her set-up routine down to a fine science, she was able to spend a little time doing what she loved best, watching Talon.

  When he tripped over a clump of dried grass, she forgot about dinner.

  When he kicked over the bucket of grain that he just put in front of her horse, she got nervous.

  When he had to swing his arm back and forth until he caught the bridle, fear grabbed her. He can’t see from his good eye and it’s too cold to clearly see heat images.

  She waited until they were retired for the night, snuggled together in the blizzard bag, before confronting him. He spooned against her back but made no move to take the embrace to something more intimate. That hadn’t happened since the night they met Sam and Emmie. “How long have you been blind?”

  Talon tensed behind her and tried to pull away. She gripped his hand, refusing to let him shut her out. She was beginning to think he wouldn’t answer when he huffed and responded. “Two years.”

  “Wrong answer, smartass. Wanna try for the current truth this time?” She could feel the mental barriers going up between them but she wouldn’t back down. This was too important.

  “It’s because of the snow and cold, Shadow. It will clear up when we get to town. Can we get some sleep, now?”

  “Not until you talk to me. What miracle do you think will happen in town? It will still be cold and the snow will be deeper in the open. That will make it worse.” She nuzzled her cheek against his hand. “Please don’t hide from me.”

  Talon pushed his body closer to hers. He gave up his plan to keep her at an emotional distance. Need trumped self-preservation when it came to Shadow. Every time he touched her—held her—kissed her—he wanted to sink so deep into her that they became one entity. When he thought about his life before compared with what he had now, he couldn’t believe the changes. They were both different people than the two who met in a dark alley. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—revert back to that man.

  She’d seen him at his worst and still stood by him. Would knowing all this was for nothing send her running? Only one way to find out.

  “I don’t know why the second implant isn’t working like it did. My vision started changing with the colder temperatures so it makes sense that it will reverse when I’m in a warm room, hugged up to a roaring fire pit. I have to believe that, Blue. Besides, I can still see you turn all blue when I piss you off.”

  “Considering how often that happens, it’s no wonder you call me blue. You need to tell me about any changes. Promise me, Talon.”

  “I promise,” he whispered against her neck. “Shall we seal that promise with a kiss…or something.”

  “Sounds good to me, bounty hunter.”

  * * * *

  It took two days for Shadow to lead them into town. His snow blindness, as he referred to his lack
of vision, was almost complete. He could see a faint heat image from his horse while they were moving, but nothing after they stopped for the night. His only anchor was Blue. She kept her emotions blocked while they made their way along the trail. That trademark aura was the only thing keeping him sane.

  “There’s a tavern advertising rooms to rent. Do you want to check it out or see if there’s something better further into town?”

  “Does it look as bad as it smells, Blue?” Talon tried breathing through his mouth but the stench of unwashed bodies, animal droppings, wet fur, and rancid grease tasted worse than it smelled.

  “As mining towns go, it’s about average. There are a few wooden buildings, including the tavern, but tents make up the majority of the town. This street is a good six inches deep in mud but we’re on the downhill side of town. May be better farther up the mountain. I don’t see much evidence of mining so that must be uphill as well.”

  “This is where the disillusioned come to drown their misery. A murdering despot trying to rebuild his empire would fit right in. Might as well try this tavern.” He followed Shadow, confident that she could handle any situation that came along. She dismounted and came around to where he stood.

  “Come on, lover.” She slid her arm around his waist and snuggled in close. “We’re just three little steps away from a nice, soft bed.”

  He grinned at her solution to the problem of how to get him safely into the building. “Let’s get this party started!”

  “Are you up for another all-nighter?”

  He heard the emphasis on ‘up’ and found the first step without a stumble. His Blue was good. “I won’t be the one walking funny come sunrise.”

  “Brag, brag, brag.”

  She led him into the building, ignoring the laughter and crude suggestions from the men loitering outside.

  “I suppose you’re gonna make me pay for this, aren’t you?”

  “That’s strictly up to you. Just remember, Sweetness, if you don’t, I’m sure there are one or two lonely miner’s wives who will.” They never discussed a strategy for blending into the population but Shadow jumped right into this one. People would remember them but only as a horny woman and her gigolo.