“Good,” Kyle offered, “I still didn’t like having him here.”
“I understand that, better than most. But, we need to work with the people with whom we can work. Our working with him could make the whole region safer.”
Kyle couldn’t argue with that. But this guy had been the reason that his dad had to leave the army, on top of sending people who killed folks. He was the essence of a bully, and Kyle was not fooled by his new demeanor.
As though reading his mind, Ted said, “I don’t trust him either. Maybe I never will. But, we have to do what is best for the people.”
Again, Kyle couldn’t argue. They both turned toward the door and walked out to find Grand Master Pike waiting, and talking with Max. As the two men drew close, The Grand Master turned to them.
“Can I ask why you are keeping such a powerful empath as this young girl in camp when she is experiencing her first menses?” he queried.
Both Ted and Kyle looked from the old man’s face to Max’s, not picking up what he was putting down.
He continued, “Can’t you feel it? We are all experiencing her Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. She is one of the most powerful people here, and her power is redistributing the hormonal flux across the whole of the population.”
Ted looked at his daughter astonished, “The fights, the attacks, the … other things?” Ted asked, thinking of the raging sexuality that came each lunar cycle. How had he not put two and two together. The Grand Master just looked at him like it was an obvious conclusion.
Ted acted quickly, Kyle had to give him that.
Ted knelt down near his daughter. “Honey, I am going to need you to stay here at camp and help Kyle protect the place. Can you do that?”
“Sure, Dad.” She said.
“I can try to ease her symptoms, maybe that would help,” Jack Collins spouted out from nearby. Kyle hadn’t even seen the man standing there.
“Aren’t you going with the others?” Kyle asked.
“No,” Jack answered, “Adam was still upset he didn’t get to do itineracies, or the last trip, so I am staying as the healer-in-residence.” He turned to Max, “Do you mind if I give you a checkup, Max?”
“Nope,” she answered and walked off with him.
Ted turned around to Pike and Kyle, “I would have liked her dogs by my side on this, but it shouldn’t be a problem.”
The Grand Master watched her walk away, “She is a great gift to your community. You know that, right?”
Ted nodded, and the three of them walked to the staging area. The force would leave today, and Kyle would need to show a good face. He also needed to apologize to the man he loved for flying off the handle like that.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Andy watched the boss riding his horse up Manitou Avenue toward the East Gate of their camp. Eric Fine was alone. If there was a time to do this, it was now. Andy had the support of at least twenty men in the camp. If he played his cards right, he could use the weakness Eric showed in going for help to propel himself into the leader of the Manitou bandits. He was beginning to think that Eric wanted to stop the bandits from their normal patrols. This would not sit well with the men Andy had left in camp. These were the types of men who took what they wanted. That would have been perfect for the old Eric Fine. But now, this soft man, who fished instead of battling, was threatening their way of life.
Andy waved from his viewpoint in the watch tower next to the gate, to put the old man at ease. He would do this quickly and silently, and then explain to the sixty-four remaining men (other than the half dozen already in on the plot) what was happening. They would rebuild without the man they had once called Shogun. Who knows, Andy thought, perhaps I will go back to using that title. Turning to motion to the men below to open the gate, he made a quick hand gesture to let the six conspirators know to get in place.
As he turned back to look at his commander for the last time he could still call him that, all he saw was the horse. A second earlier, Eric had been riding that horse up the street to the gates. Now, he was nowhere in sight. The men pushed the gate open and then looked up to Andy. Summers jumped down to the landing midway and shouted to his men, “Where did he go?”
Seeing their eyes go wide, he turned, axe in hand. Eric stood behind him on the landing, a small smirk on his face.
“Thanks for the greeting, General.”
Andy swung the axe he had in his hands, but Eric let out a loud kiai, as he snapped the handle in two. The head of the axe spinning off behind his target’s swiftly moving body. Eric snatched the rest of the handle out of Andy’s hand.
“If you are going to mutiny,” he said, “don’t change your behavior. It makes it obvious.”
Andy didn’t even have the time to think about what Eric said. Eric settled into a stance, punching Andy in the chest with such force that he flew off the six-foot landing and into the street. Andy’s breath was knocked out of him, but he could still see what ensued. Eric lightly sprung down onto the street, as Andy’s six conspirators rushed him as one. Andy was proud of their teamwork, as they attacked him from different sides, in random patterns. But, it didn’t matter. He had never seen anyone move the way Eric did that day, not even Eric.
He flashed a new knife in his hands as he defended himself, a huge smile on his face. That bastard was enjoying this. He crushed one man’s knee with a kick, then thrust the blade into his temple. The next met three slashes across his abdomen, as the man’s bowels fell out over the street. It might have hit Eric, and made him stumble, but he was moving lightning fast. This man lost his hand, the other sprayed blood out of his throat to the spot where a millisecond before Fine had been standing. It was over in seconds, all six men splayed across the road in death. Two men ran around the corner and Eric didn’t wait, he threw the knife in his hand with perfect precision, into the first man’s throat. But, the shocking thing was that the injured soldier reached for it, and before he could put his hands around it, it flew back into Eric’s hand and he walked up and buried it just under the sternum of the second man. Eric picked the man up like he was day old fruit and tossed him against the brick wall nearby.
Andy now knew how much he had misjudged the Lord Marshall. There the man stood, not a drop of the others’ blood on him, barely breaking a sweat, and grinning from ear to ear. He caught Andy’s glare and walked toward him. Andy had not yet caught his breath, as Eric grabbed him by the hair and dragged him toward the center of town.
The sound of the clash must have brought everyone out, because they were all standing in the center of town when Eric roughly dropped Andy to the pavement.
“Anyone else?” Eric called out to the gathering.
You could have heard a pin drop in town at that moment. Eric looked around, wiping the blade of his knife off on a cloth he pulled from his back pocket before sheathing it.
“Well, men.” Eric continued, “That was downright fun! I haven’t had a fight in quite some time, and I need it to prepare me for a battle ahead. And there is a battle ahead, gentlemen. Out to the east of town is a group of religious fanatics who seek to subjugate the area to their predetermined will. They want us to lay down our power, our chi, and take up God as our only strength. They are somehow able to stunt our powers.”
He waited for the mumbling to die down before continuing, “So, I have joined with our old enemy, the Council. We have made a pact to defend ourselves and each other. This is an opportunity, men. Make no mistake about it. I have decided to act. I am old hat at taking on religious extremists, and they won’t even know what hit them.”
The crowd cheered, Andy could see Eric’s officer training from the U.S. Army coming into play here. Eric got to the point, “This is how it will play out. I will go to battle, and we will win. Then I will return and make a few changes. The time has come to build this community up, with our values, with our ideals, not those of other groups. But first, I have to go secure our future. For that, I will only take volunteers. Who wants to fight these fanatics with me?
”
The men were pleading to accompany him. Andy could see how poorly he had timed his conflict. Even he wanted to go to this war. But Eric wasn’t done, “I will need only about twenty to man the fort while we are gone. I was going to leave Summers in charge, but he has proven himself to be…unfit.”
Andy could feel every eye there bore into him. Barr, one of the men he knew was on his side, stepped forward. “Lord Marshall, I would like to go with you. But, if you look to honor a person, I will sacrifice the glory of battle to protect our homes for the bandits.”
“Barr! That is a great idea, and I accept that sacrifice. We have to come up with a new name again, though. Bandit scares the shit out of people. We only want to scare them so much.” Everyone laughed. “We will just be the Manitou. How does that sound?”
“And you will be our king, our Fisher King!” The whole crowd cheered. Andy vaguely remembered some Arthurian legend about a Fisher King, but didn’t remember the details. Barr called out, “All hail the Fisher King!” Everyone shouted their approval.
Once it died down, Eric added, “We don’t have much time. Barr, pick out nineteen others to share the sacrifice. The rest of us ride to war!” Everyone began to move off and get ready.
Barr called out, “King Eric!” Eric turned. “What about him?” His voice dripping with disdain, Barr pointed right at Andy.
“He is a traitor, and an attempted assassin. Hang him from the tree near the highway, for all too see.” Eric stated it so calmly. He gave the order and turned away, walking toward the HQ. Andy didn’t even have time to call out for mercy before three men grabbed him and yanked him down the street, occasionally pummeling him with fists and feet.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Kim braced herself against the cold, then walked across the former parking lot at the east side chapel. The blowing snow stung against her face, as she pushed her way through the sudden meeting which had been called by Minister Sal. Once she arrived, she realized she was one of the last to do so.
Sal took the stage and began his announcement, “Fellow believers, let us pray. Almighty God, we know you have given us victory, and we continue to count on you for our future. We have struck the demons wherever we have found them, and feel your shield before us and behind us. Please give us wisdom in the coming days, and smite our enemies in the field, and in their homes, that we may retake this land for you. Amen.”
A loud, murmuring amen rippled through the crowd.
Sal continued, “Friends, the time has come. Our scouts tell us a large contingency of the heathen are approaching from the west. This will be the stand that breaks them, mark my words. God himself is at our back, and no one can deny him this victory. It is dark, and cold in the city tonight. But this is the time for which God has trained us. We must go door to door and summon our supporters. For we will have a celebration on Christmas Eve. At dusk on that day, we will show this evil force what they are up against. We will burn the heretic free of the possessed spirit, and tell them once and for all, we will not be cowed by their might. For the might that stands with us is greater than that of this world. We will strike down every last man, woman, child or abomination that shows up. So, go. Go, now, before it is even night. Rouse the support of our neighbors and friends. Tell them they are required to join us at the edge of our territory, out on old Powers Boulevard. Tell them that the Almighty requires their presence, so he may show his power to all assembled. And may God be with the Faith.”
Sal turned and walked off rather suddenly. Kim was left a little stunned. She suddenly felt this was not rhetoric. Sal actually intended to execute Rich Carson by burning. The events of the last few weeks had torn her confidence in whether or not she had done the right thing. Certainly, she understood executing those abominations, those half-human, half-beast things. There was no denying their evil. Giving Annie Grace, the witch who created them, over to the flames was just. But Rich Carson just sang, and made people comfortable. He was wrong, but he wasn’t evil. He even preached the gospel, how could he be indwelt by evil spirits. Ever since she had gone to see Anthony, a small voice in her head reminded her that Rich Carson was her friend. She was struggling to justify his execution.
Kim followed the rest of the throng of believers back out into the cold. Each person made their way to their home bunk, to dress for the cold travel, and gather what they needed to move to battle. Kim moved toward her area, but at the last moment, she deviated and headed toward the holding area. She couldn’t talk to them anymore, on Minister Sal’s orders. But, she couldn’t talk to Sal either. The man had no grey area. Making absolutely certain no one would see her, she stepped lightly inside the building.
“Sister Kim?” One of the guards called to her.
She reacted quickly, “Have you heard? We are off to finally destroy the heathen, and burn the heretic.”
“Praise be to God.” The man answered.
“Praise him indeed,” she replied. “I have been sent to let the prisoners know their fate.”
“Oh. All of them? I thought maybe the doctor…” the man, it seemed had some conscience as well.
“It is not my place to question the minister’s orders.” Kim answered.
“No, nor mine. Pass through, sister.” The man said, and Kim walked past him into the dark enclosure.
She hated what she was about to do, but saw no way around it. Pulling the small baton, she kept in her sleeve for protection, she suddenly turned and brought it down with all of her strength on the back of the man’s head. There was a dull thud, but it was accentuated with a crack that Kim had not expected. Thinking she had probably cracked his skull, she was horrified. A woman’s voice called out form the darkness.
“Who is there?” Emma said.
“It is me, umm Kim, I have to get you guys out of here. You and Anthony run as fast as you can west. I am pretty sure a force is coming from the Bluffs. You should be able to reach them within a day or two.”
“What about Rich?” Emma asked. Kim continued untying everyone.
“He is weak from the beatings. And he is the one they want. I am going to take him south to give you all a chance to get away. Just go North until you get to the road and then run west as fast as you can.” Kim was worried that she and Rich would be caught, but she didn’t want the others to know that.
“Thank you, Kim. I knew we could count on you.” Emma whispered. Kim was ashamed by Emma’s statement. It was only chance that allowed her to come around in time. Sal could have killed all three of them before this, and Kim would have watched, perhaps even cheered.
“There isn’t time, just run.” Kim said hurriedly. Emma and Anthony complied, heading out the door and stepping over the crumpled form in the doorway.
“Rich?” She asked, as she untied his bonds and removed his gag.
“Hey, girl,” Rich answered in a whisper. His weakness was clear in his voice, as she helped him to his feet. This was going to be hard, he would not be able to walk well.
“We need to go, Rich.”
“Wait, I have to tell you something.” Rich said, frustrating Kim, but she gave him the chance to chastise her. He did not take it. “Kim, this isn’t your fault. It isn’t God’s fault either. It is man’s fault. Remember that, no matter what. Okay?”
“Sure, Rich.” She answered him, without really listening to him. “Can we go now?”
“Yep.” Rich said, and limped his way toward the door, leaning on Kim for support.
As they reached the doorway and Kim moved the unconscious man from their way, the main door of the building flew open and two of the Lord’s Hammer burst in, Cory and Jim. As Kim stood staring at them, holding Rich up with one arm, Sal walked through the door as calm as day.
“Kimberly,” he said, sweetness dripping from his tongue, “I thought you were a believer. I guess you want to burn with the rest of them. Take her.”
Sal turned back to the outside, as Cory and Jim grabbed her roughly by the arms, and Rich fell to the floor. Just befor
e she was knocked unconscious, she heard Rich say, “Remember what I said, Kim.” Then all went black.
CHAPTER FORTY
Ted’s use of a horse, when so many of the men were walking was grating on him. He wanted to be with his people, but they also needed a visible leader to follow. He had never wanted to be this kind of leader, an officer. He was a grunt, a squad leader, and a good one for most of his career in the army. A man who relished the position of being an officer was riding toward him with a much smaller force. Eric Fine, and his fifty men, were all on horseback.
His men taking their position riding to the side of the walking force, Eric trotted up next to Ted’s mount. “Council Leader,” he said as a greeting.
“Lord Marshall,” Ted replied. He noticed something in Eric’s response, but wasn’t sure what it was. Tossing Eric a medallion on a leather strap, he said, “Wear this. The Grand Master was able to make a handful. He said he folded the metal with symbols for focus and defense. He hoped this would work against the Lord’s Hammer’s dulling powers.”
“So this will keep us from losing our powers around them?” Eric queried, catching the medallion in the air.
“Well, not really. He hoped it would help. What we really need are gems, and without Cliff, the Hermit is the only one who might be able to imprint them. We sent out groups to find him.” Ted’s answer filled in the gaps, without revealing too much about their defenses back home. He still did not trust this man.
“Where is Pike, anyway?” Eric asked, turning in his saddle and looking around.
“He said he is too old for battles now.” Ted answered softly, “I think it has more to do with not wanting to spark up that PTSD again.”
Fear of Mystics (Saga of Mystics Book 2) Page 12