by Lisa Medley
The boy turned and held the flap open, beckoning them to follow, which they did. Cole shadowed behind Tessa. He reached up and pulled the scrunchie from her ponytail, letting her hair fall down her back. Her hand clamped swiftly around his wrist.
“What the hell, Cole?”
“When in Rome, right? Did you not notice every female out there had her hair down. Now’s not the time to stand out any more than necessary.”
She aimed a steely scowl his way then whipped her silky tresses in his face and stalked past the tent flap. The sun was setting, and Cole couldn’t help but think about the last sunset he’d seen across this very valley. A fire blazed in a ring toward the center of the camp, and Bimisi led the way toward it. Cole guessed Bimisi to be around ten or eleven. The boy had a quiet self-assuredness about him that he admired, and the fact the kid was multilingual had probably saved them all from a messy death. So far, at least. The Apache were renowned for their brutal raids and merciless attacks when pressed. It was Cole’s most earnest goal that he and his crew not press. He’d been in enough fights to know when to stand and when to back down. He wasn’t much for backing down, but the odds had never been less in his favor. Still, if any of them laid a hand to Tessa, all bets were off. Even a bastard like him had honor for the ladies. He’d stand for her. He just hoped it didn’t come to that.
If—no—when they made it back to Janson’s SpaceXport, they were going to get the hazard payout of the century. You could damn sure bank on that. Cole scanned the growing crowd around the campfire. To his great relief, Noah, already seated near the fire, seemed no worse for his time with the chief’s daughter. A young woman turned the ass end of a deer or antelope spitted over the flames, and Cole’s stomach betrayed him with a loud growl. One of the nearby children laughed at the sound, and Cole risked a smile his way, rubbing his belly to indicate he approved of their repast.
Already he realized things could have been much worse. They could have landed somewhere in New Guinea, surrounded by cannibals. Hell, they could have been the dinner. It was all a matter of perspective. Bimisi motioned for them to sit near Noah on a small grass mat. Cole scooted to the edge to give Tessa room beside him. Her frosty attitude didn’t escape his notice. She needed to tone it down if she was going to pull off the Apache-wife ruse. Not that he expected her to fawn over him, but her open hostility was nearly tangible.
The evening air had cooled off considerably and the October night temp was already below fifty. They’d have to start a fire inside their wicki to sleep comfortably. That should be interesting. Of course, that was assuming they survived the interrogation he’d been dreading all day. Diplomacy wasn’t his strong suit, and with Tessa interpreting, things were sure to go from bad to worse pretty damned fast. Cole drew in a deep breath and manifested his least threatening posture, hoping relaxed and friendly paid off in dividends.
Tessa smirked at him. “What’s up with you?”
“Just trying to be all friendly-like. No need to make enemies. Especially when we’re outnumbered so supremely. Keep that in mind as we’re talking with the chief.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’m not an idiot.”
“You two are going to get us killed. Shut up. The both of you,” Noah said. “Let me do the talking. Tessa, you translate word for freakin’ word. I’m not kidding. No attitude, either. This is damned precarious.”
An Indian woman passed them a basket filled with chunks of meat, which she had torn straight from the burning beast still hanging above the fire. Cole nodded and reached in for a chunk. The woman watched and waited, presumably for him to eat the bite. He brought the meat to his lips, and the aroma alone made his mouth water. His eyes closed briefly in sheer delight. Meat. It’s what’s for dinner. He popped the entire chunk into his mouth. A mistake! Though it was delicious, it was hot as hell and so chewy he worried he might not get it down. After several long and awkward moments, he swallowed with a gulp. The woman smiled and encouraged Noah to do the same. Soon, several small baskets of morsels were being passed around the circle.
Cole didn’t recognize most of the offerings, but he ate them with a smile of appreciation on his face, as did they all. No way were they offending their hosts. Besides, even the mystery bits were light years better than the space MREs still packed in their ship. If there was another choice—any other choice—it was better than that. No question.
“How was the chief’s daughter, Noah?” Cole asked.
“Really sick. Like, she might not make it, sick. She’s got a high fever. I can’t tell how high without our med kit, but she has small white spots inside her mouth and red rash on her face and what they showed me of her body.”
“Measles?” Tessa asked.
“That’s what I’m thinking. Which means everyone who’s been in contact with her has been exposed. Thank God we three are immune. We need to get that fever down for sure. Tessa, they need to take us back to the ship, tonight, so I can get the kit. At least we can treat the fever with ibuprofen, and a shot of vitamins and antibiotics can’t hurt. If we were home, one anti-measles vaccine, and she’d be fine, but here? I don’t know. Remember that big outbreak in 2015? This could be Disneyland all over again. She might be patient zero.”
“As if things aren’t complicated enough,” Cole said. “Here we go.” Cole nodded subtly to his left, indicating Chief Itza-Chu’s arrival.
He wasn’t sure whether to stand or bow. The Apache greeting was long lost to history, as far as he was concerned. He opted for the polite nod. Itza-Chu sat across the fire from the crew then leaned in. Looking directly at Cole, he spoke and the three of them waited for Tessa to translate.
“Chief wants to know what your healer says of his daughter, Ela, and her sickness.” Bimisi said.
Tessa translated, and Noah replied, “We think she has an illness called measles. Have you heard of this?”
Bimisi translated, and Chief Itza-Chu nodded grimly. “Chief asks, do you have medicine to heal this sickness?”
Noah nodded. “Yes and no. We can help reduce her fever and make her more comfortable. We have antibiotics, which may help some as well. There is a vaccine for her condition, but we don’t have it with us.”
Tessa and Bimisi continued to run interference with the translations between Noah and the chief.
“The chief asks where you could find such a treatment. From the stars from which you fell?”
“Yes.”
“Chief asks if you are of the Coyote, or some other spirit?” Bimsi said.
Cole leaned back on his elbows. “This should be good. How do we explain we fell through a worm hole?”
“They’re spiritual people and more open-minded than if it happened the other way around. We tell them the truth and then show them,” Noah said.
“I agree,” Tessa said. “We need allies not enemies.”
“I hope you remember that tonight while we’re sharing a tent.” Cole smiled.
Another basket of food passed around their circle. Several smaller fires burned nearby, and larger groups sat eating and talking quietly, clearly trying to listen to their conversation with the chief as best they could. Some things never changed. Like human nature.
Bimisi and the chief spoke quietly together then Bimisi asked his question again.
Surprising himself, Cole spoke up. “No, we’re not spirits. We’re men and women, like you but from another time. The future. We built a ship—one that crashed on the other side of the mesa—and we flew it to an asteroid, which is sort of like the stars you see.” Cole pointed to the sky. “That swirl, between the mesas? It’s a hole in time, and, somehow, we were sucked through it and landed here more than two hundred fifty years before our time. This,” Cole swept his hand across the vista, “Is our past. The other ship is something else. Not with us. We call it alien. Something not of or like us. The alien captain had a spaceship of its own, and now we’re both trapped here unless we can get back through that portal and hope like hell we end up home and not some
where even worse.”
Bimisi’s eyes grew large as Tessa translated then he excitedly relayed to Chief Itza-Chu.
“Not bad,” Tessa said.
“Agreed,” Noah added.
After several long minutes of silence, the chief asked, “How will you reach the hole in time from the desert?”
Noah said, “Our ship is too broken. We can salvage some parts and cargo, but most of the ship is useless to us. Our only hope is to try to figure out how to fly the alien craft and get it through the opening before it closes.”
“And if you got back, you would have medicine there that would help Ela?” Chief Itza-Chu asked.
Noah hesitated. “Yes.”
“Then we will help you. And you will take Ela with you into the sky so that she can be healed.”
“We can’t—” Noah started.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa there, Noah. Let’s not rule anything out here. The only way we’re even getting near those ships again is if Tonto here allows it. I say we agree…for now anyway. Maybe we’ll get lucky and your drugs will do the trick before we have to follow through.”
“And if it doesn’t? What sort of madness would it be to bring an Apache girl back to the twenty-first century?” Noah asked.
“Not any crazier than what we’re doing right now. I actually agree with Cole,” Tessa said. “And stop smirking.” She cast a searing warning at Cole.
“This ought to be good.”
***
Darkness engulfed the desert. The only light was from the still smoldering campfires at their backs as Tessa and Cole were escorted back to their wicki for the night. It had been agreed upon that Noah and Tessa would be allowed to scavenge and salvage what they could from their ship at first light then they would investigate the alien craft. Tessa couldn’t wait to drop through that ship’s hatch. She’d be the first woman ever to investigate and potentially fly alien tech. The irony that no one except her two crew mates might ever know it didn’t escape her.
Cole hadn’t gotten so lucky. After they’d explained about the alien and where it had hidden. Chief Itza-Chu and his men were insistent on seeking the beast out for themselves to assess whether it was alien or deity. Tessa found herself worrying for Cole’s safety. Which pissed her off. She had enough on her mind and didn’t need her emotions clouding things up. Shit, just yesterday she’d have been more than happy if the jerk had fallen off the face of the Earth. But now? She’d never admit it to him, but he was growing on her, somewhat like a fungus, but still.
Smoke rose from the chimney of their wicki as they approached, and Cole turned to smile at her. “Turndown service.”
Tessa rolled her eyes in the darkness and entered the wicki as Cole held open the hide door flap. The wicki was surprisingly cozy with the little fire in the center of the floor. Shadows played off the brush walls, and Tessa noticed a small basket sitting on her grass bed. She peeled back the animal hide covering to reveal four little rounds of flatbread like they’d shared for dinner. The rounds were significantly thicker than a tortilla and very filling.
“That’s thoughtful,” Cole said.
“Yes. So far, we’ve been lucky. I hope our luck holds out for tomorrow.” Tessa sat on the grass bed and pulled one of the little rounds from the basket then handed it to Cole.
“Thank you.” Cole sat on the wicki floor, opposite her, and they both picked at their bread in silence for several long minutes.
“Are you worried about tomorrow? About searching out the alien?” Tessa asked.
“I can’t say I’m thrilled to be poking the bear. Since we didn’t see anything out of it today, I’m hoping it’s dead. Don’t get me wrong. I’m curious but not at the expense of my life.”
“Do you have extra ammo for that gun?”
One corner of Cole’s mouth turned up in a slow half-smile. “Precious, I’m practically a Boy Scout, but I won’t need extra ammo.”
“Good.”
Tessa stretched out on her back across the grass bed, crossing her arms over her torso against the chill. The fire helped but only by half. Her right side stayed warm against the fire but the wicki wall side was cold. It was going to be a long night.
Cole finished his bread then rose to his feet and fumbled around near the pile of hides. He shook out the long tanned hide of what looked like it may have once belonged to a rabbit. Or more like twenty rabbits, stitched together with sinew threads. He spread it over her.
“Thanks,” Tessa said. “What about you?”
“I’ll be all right.”
“Are there any more furs like this?”
“No. The rest look like they belong on the outside of the wicki. I guess, they haven’t winterized yet.” Cole smiled and turned back toward his bed.
“We could…share,” Tessa managed to squeak out, almost convincing herself it was only because they could conserve heat. Nothing more. Certainly not the security of knowing someone had her back. Literally.
“Um…” Cole’s hesitation caused her to lose her steely nerve.
“Never mind.”
“Wait, give a guy a second, would you? I was just thinking.”
“Well, don’t hurt yourself. Good night.”
“Tessa.”
“Good night.”
***
The chill in the wicki wasn’t entirely the October night. He couldn’t do anything right with Tessa. He’d only hesitated because, without moving the fire, sleeping next to one another would have been hazardous. In more ways than one, now that he thought of it more. He didn’t exactly relish the idea of going up in flames in the middle of the night. The flight coveralls were fire retardant, but why test them?
Clearly, he’d made the wrong decision and lost his chance to thaw the ice queen. The silence in the tent was deafening. Despite his apprehension, he wasn’t going to be able to stay awake all night to keep an eye on Tessa. He was spent. He’d gone forty-eight hours on four hours of erratic sleep, and the deficit had caught up with him. A man—even he—had his limitations.
Finally, he let the heaviness of his exhaustion pull him down and willed the chill away despite his shivering body. He’d pulled one of the bare hides over him after all, but it wasn’t much of a comfort without the fur or hair. Tomorrow, Noah and Tessa would have to bring back their blankets from the ship. No telling how many more nights they’d have to spend in the desert with the Apache. A fleece blanket would make it all much more tolerable.
He finally drifted off and slept like the dead.
Chapter Thirteen
Bimisi appeared at their door again at the break of dawn, shuffling impatiently just inside their tent. No rest for the weary. That said, Cole had actually slept well and felt somewhat rejuvenated. He nodded at the boy. “Morning, Bimisi.”
The fire had long died out and Cole’s muscles were stiff in the now even colder and crisper morning air. The sun had not yet warmed the desert floor, let alone their wicki. He returned the Colt to the concealed holder in his flight suit and then bent to gently nudge Tessa awake. For all appearances, she’d not moved from the position she’d assumed after their little tiff. Stubborn to the end, that girl.
“It’s on,” Cole said. “Rise and shine, precious.”
Tessa grumbled something incoherent and rubbed at her eyes as the sunlight shone through the open tent flap. “What I wouldn’t give for a snooze button.”
“You get that ship going, and we can all retire in luxury when we get home. Then you can snooze as late as you wish.”
“That’ll be the day.” Tessa sighed and smoothed out her hair. “Speaking of luxury, where’s a girl supposed to relieve herself around here?”
“I’d say you’d need to ask our fearless tour guide.”
She did and Bimisi led them away, just outside the camp. Cole did his business closer by while Tessa burrowed a bit farther into the brush. Cole lost sight of her for a few nervous seconds, but then she popped back up and returned from the scrub. How was he going to take an entire day of not k
nowing what was going on back at camp? He knew Noah would do his best to protect her today while he was on the alien hunt. He just wasn’t sure which of them was in the more precarious position. If Cole had to start shooting Indians, this situation would go to hell in a heartbeat. So far, they had Ela’s potential care as a trump card. Noah just needed to keep her alive long enough for them to launch.
“Better?” Cole asked Tessa as they rejoined the camp.
“Yes.”
Noah joined them, and Bimisi led them across the camp to Chief Itza-Chu’s wicki. Two braves were stationed outside, and a small band of warriors waited by horses a couple of hundred feet away. They eyed Cole warily, and he pushed down the burn in his chest that reminded him what a terrible idea this was. You let sleeping dogs lie for a reason. Chances were that thing was curled up in the dark and dead, steaming like a carnival corndog. Then again…
Bimisi indicated they should wait then vanished past the chief’s door. A few seconds later, he threw the flap open, and the chief appeared.
“Chief says, you go now. Get medicine for Ela first then you can work on your ships.” Bimisis pointed to Cole. “You will ride with the warriors to seek out this sky traveler you spoke of. Tonight, you’ll tell of your successes around the fire.”
Tessa translated.
“Sounds swell,” Cole offered, noticing Tessa didn’t bother translating his responses. He turned to Noah. “You got this?”
“As much as you do,” Noah replied.
“Great.” Cole turned to Tessa. “How ’bout you, precious? Can you get that alien rust bucket ready to fly?”
“Probably take us about ten minutes,” Tessa said, the corner of her mouth curling into a smile against her will.
“‘Shiny,’” Cole said.
“That’s another hundred,” Tessa replied.
Bimisi cut in between Cole and Tessa and urged Tessa toward two boys leading three riderless horses and one horse carrying the same welcome wagon brave who had met them at their ship yesterday morning. And damn if that didn’t put this whole fiasco into perspective. Less than a week ago, he’d been mining his Alaskan claim and now? Now was a freaking nightmare.