by Alexie Aaron
“Do they fall under your realm?” Altair asked.
“Loosely. You better tell me what you know.”
Altair did and Lucifer nodded. “How many birdmen does she have with her?”
“One.”
“ONE!”
“It was supposed to be a scouting mission. It may still be a scouting mission.”
“If she’s made contact, she may be able to get the three to release the children, but that’s going to spell disaster for the tree-bark demons. We’ll have to move them, again.”
“Again?” Altair asked.
“They thrive in old-growth forests in northern climates. They have been there since the copper mines shut down. I’m not sure if there are any suitable places left? There are hundreds of them.” Lucifer got up.
“Where are you going?” Altair asked.
“Maybe I can kill the kids before Mia gets there. Make it look like an accident. Bad fog coming out of the mines… We killed a whole town that way once… Good times.”
“Hold your horses!” Murphy said, standing up. “Why?”
“They’re all coming here anyway,” Lucifer said. “Because they are teenagers, they may actually get recycled by Azrael, depending on their crimes of course.”
“Lucy, you can’t kill twenty thirteen-year-old boys without Heaven getting involved,” Altair warned.
“I’m not going to do it. Abigor will. He’s a sensitive, guy. This will be his punishment for losing track of Mia.”
“Wait! Speak to Mia first,” Altair pleaded.
“Me, speak to Mia,” Lucifer clarified. “She’ll crap herself.” He stood there and smiled. “I’ll do it if you admit in front of Murphy that you have the hots for Mia.”
“Everyone knows that,” Murphy lied, saving his friend from either lying or humiliation. “So do you.”
“Not for her body. It’s that fertile mind of hers,” Lucifer said. “And how crushing her bones would make Michael cry.” Lucifer looked at Murphy. “No, I won’t kill her, because you’re counting on it. I’m going to make sure she lives forever, and then you’ll be out of luck.”
“What did I ever do to you?” Murphy asked, playing along.
“Stephen, does it really matter?” Lucifer asked him.
“I guess not,” Murphy said, pushing his hat back on his head.
Altair got up. “Take Murphy with you.”
“I’m taking both of you with me. I’m not giving you a chance to rat me out to Michael.”
~
Mia knelt before the three. Enos bowed his head. And they waited. The feasting room filled up with demons. Mia heard the scraping of wood chairs on the stone floor. She smelled venison, roasted nuts, and baked squash. Her stomach growled.
When the door shut behind the last of the invited, the middle of the three said, “Rise.”
Mia stood before she raised her head and looked at the three. They had to be ten feet tall standing. Their broad shoulders were thick as tree trunks. As demons, they were an unusual lot, just like Sticks was. They had alert black eyes and squashed noses that sat atop an extended jaw. If dogs were made of wood, these beings were a close cousin. Their teeth showed when they smiled but lay hidden beneath the natural camouflage when they were still. If you happened upon them in the forest, they would resemble old trees with broke pieces here and there.
“Come feast, then we will speak of why you’re here,” their host said in High Demon.
“Thank you for welcoming us.”
The three made room for Mia and Enos at their table. Enos kept a reassuring hand on Mia’s arm until the three nodded and picked up their knives and began to eat. Mia wasn’t fond of venison, but she had eaten worse when she was training. At least this was roasted, and it was good. Everyone seemed to be talking. Their host made eye contact and asked, “How is your meal?”
“Extraordinary. My consort doesn’t speak High Demon. May I translate?”
He nodded.
“Our host would like to know if you like your meal?”
“It’s the best venison I’ve eaten. I like the roasted acorn casserole.”
Mia relayed the information. Their host was pleased.
“May I know your name, or is this rude?” Mia asked.
“I am Sten, this is Njal, and he is Toke.”
“These are Danish names,” Enos said.
“We come from that part of the world. We can only exist in old-growth forests. When we lost our last home, we were brought here. We lost many on the journey.”
“I’m sorry to hear this,” Mia said.
Enos said something in Danish, and the room quieted.
“Your consort speaks the old tongue,” Sten said, amazed.
He and Enos began speaking, and Mia was rather irked no one translated for her. She concentrated on her meal. Enos put his hand on her thigh, which was rather alarming, but Mia managed to keep from choking on her mouthful.
“Care to share, dear?” Mia said through her teeth.
“I’m sorry, we were just speaking of our homeland. He asked me a sensitive question about how such a large birdman could fit into…”
Mia started coughing.
Enos kept talking. “I said that my saliva makes your…”
Mia blushed deep red.
“Large enough to…”
“I get the idea,” Mia said. She was sorry she asked him to share.
The tree-bark demons seemed to be very open about their mating rituals, which Enos spoke to her about. “It’s more grafting then penetration. I told him, the penetration was the best part.”
“Tell me, dear, how many penetrations have you…”
“Mia, I’m not a child. If I were human, I would be considered a player.”
Mia laughed.
Enos scowled.
“When you do that, you remind me of Victor,” Mia said fondly.
When the three had finished dining, they stood up. The doors opened and the other demons left. The table was cleared, and pipes were brought out on a tray. Mia wasn’t offered one. She didn’t know if she should be relieved or insulted. Enos took one and watched how the three packed the bowls with what Mia could only speculate as to the contents. It wasn’t tobacco. It smelled skunky.
“Careful, I suspect there is pot in that mix,” she sent silently.
Enos ignored her.
After a few minutes, Sten asked in High Demon, “Why are you here?”
“We were searching for a group of missing school children and their teachers. I see you found them. How can I reward you for your care?”
“They were defacing the trees, carving into them with knives. They made the mistake of trying to carve into a sentry. He reacted…”
Mia raised her hand. “I imagine chaos ensued.”
“To put it mildly. Other sentries left their posts to come to his aid. By the time Knud arrived – he’s the guide that brought you here – one of the large humans had been damaged. He had him taken away. He brought the rest here. They are being fed and watered until we can decide what to do with them.”
“How have you dealt with other invaders?” Mia asked.
“We have had so few. Most times, they pass on through without seeing us. We have saved a few poachers from freezing. We take them miles away before releasing them. No one ever came back.”
“May I speak with them and tend to their injuries?”
“You will not try to release them.”
“Upon my honor, which I take very seriously. I am here as an ambassador. I need to gather my thoughts.”
“We may not be able to release them.”
“I understand and will accept your decision. Please allow me time to see if I can find a solution to this problem that will please all.”
“You have two days. Regardless of the outcome, you will be free to leave. We have heard of not only your prowess as a military leader but the honor of your restitution.”
�
�May my partner leave with me?” Mia asked. “He holds a place in my heart.”
Sten laughed. “You may leave with Enos.”
“Thank you,” Mia said and rose. “I will need a guide. I imagine it’s pretty dark out there.”
“You will be taken to your things. Change out of your finery. The humans are filthy, even though we have provided water and towels.”
“Teenagers are saplings trying to take root on rocks,” Mia said, shaking her head.
~
Nathan Brier was afraid each time something approached the cages. If his boys would just settle down and keep their abusive language to themselves, he would be able to breathe easier. This group had not learned the value of conversation versus confrontation. They had no basis for comparison. Many came from homes where they were given things to shut them up. Instead of hard truths, they were given platitudes, and when they had crossed the line where the law became involved, their parents used their influence to get them into the program at the Settlement School. It was a juvenile detention facility disguised as a prep school.
The school charter was to use education and nurturing to, hopefully, derail the train to prison they were on. This trip to the Porcupine Mountains was one of many excursions to teach them team building. It was away from society which, presently, these privileged monsters had no place being in.
It was getting cold. The first evening, they had a nice fire at which to warm themselves. That lasted until the boys in the other cage started to toss the burning logs at the guards. All fires had been removed and fur pelts tossed in. Their captors were trying to be humane, but his group of mouthy deviants would test the patience of a saint.
Sean was the worst of his group. He was the alpha prior to their incarceration. Now he was an irritant. The smarter boys gave him a wide berth. If the guards lost it, they were not coming to Sean’s aid. Nathan had heard rumblings from the other students that Sean should be silenced permanently.
There was a commotion outside the gate of Nathan’s cage. He could not rise to see what was happening. He had to depend on Holden to relay what was going on.
“The girl who was here before is waiting at the gate. Sean has his penis out and is…”
“Sean, so help me, I’m going to cut off your dick and feed it to you!” Nathan shouted. “Holden, get Kash to hold him back. He has my permission to use physical measures to keep Sean off the girl.”
Mia looked unimpressed by the noodle Sean was brandishing. A large kid walked up, punched Sean in the stomach, and dragged him off. The guard opened the gate. Mia lit a light disc and dropped it in the middle of the cage. Eight teenagers tripped around, blinded by the light. Sean was throwing up in the corner with the large kid standing over him. On a cot made of deerskin and wood lay a dark-haired male in his forties. This must be the teacher Mia heard trying to control the deviant Sean.
“Hello, I’m here to assess your condition. There are four guards with me whose patience, because of your abusive language and lack of manners, is gone. They will trigger easily, and they will hurt you. I advise you to keep your mouths shut and genitals contained.”
“Miss, my name is Holden. Could you please examine my teacher? I think his ribs are broken. He doesn’t look too good and can’t get up.”
Mia nodded and walked over to the man. She took out a smaller light, lit it, and handed it to Holden. “Please hold this. Direct the light down on your teacher.”
Mia knelt by the man’s head. “What happened?”
Nathan told the story of their capture from his perspective. “I couldn’t control the boys. It was chaos. I tried to help and was pulled away with such force. I remember hitting a tree or a tree hitting me.”
“I can see how you could be confused,” Mia said softly. “I can feel that you have several broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. I’m going to brace the ribs before I return your arm to the socket. Which two boys do you trust the most?”
“Holden and Kash.”
“Holden, please ask Kash to come over here. Ask him to move slowly and keep his eyes to the ground.”
“Yes, miss.”
Holden left and returned with Kash. Mia explained what she was going to do and asked both boys to hold their teacher so she could pop his arm back in the socket.
“Sir, before I do this, I intend to try to find a resolution to your problem. You may pass out when I do this procedure. I assume Holden will watch over you until you regain consciousness.”
“Thank you.”
“You may not thank me in a few…” Mia pulled, Nathan screamed and fainted, “seconds.”
Mia then placed a gloved hand on each boy, except Sean, to read their vitals. “You must eat what they serve you and drink plenty of water. You must build up your bodies. Hygiene. Disease is spread from unwashed bodies. Use the buckets they have given you for your waste. Pissing in the corner will only anger the guards. I’m trying to keep you alive. You all have faced a trauma and need to hang in there until I can fix this.”
“Who are you?” Sean managed. “I want to know so I can have my father sue your fucking ass.”
Kash walked over and smacked Sean.
Mia started to speak but stopped.
“He has permission,” Holden explained.
“I think he has mental problems,” Mia said. “Only a fool would use abusive language in a hostage situation. This isn’t Hollywood. These creatures are stronger and smarter than you are. They know several languages, even though they pretend not to know English. You invaded their territory. I know it was accidental, and this is why I’m going to see if we can come to a peaceful resolution.”
Mia moved to leave. A teen stood up. “My name is Beckett Anderson. Please tell my mother that my last thoughts were of her.”
Mia nodded, not trusting her voice.
The guards opened the cage and escorted Mia to the other cage holding the remaining eleven prisoners. The teacher Prescott Bennington greeted her at the gate. He had his group sitting against the outer edges of the cage. Mia examined and started their burns from the log incident healing. She repeated her instructions and examined the teacher who was covered with bruises.
“How did you get so many contusions? Were you beaten?”
“He charged the stone thrower. Knocked it on its… trunk… and saved the guide from getting his skull bashed in,” one of the boys reported.
“Mr. Bennington, I know you’re forming an escape plan. There are hundreds of these creatures who, only by their honor, are treating you in accordance with what they feel is a humane way of imprisonment. They are a race of beings that are trying to survive, as we all are, in this world. Before you do anything rash, give me two days to find a peaceful solution. I was sent here for this purpose.”
“And look how we welcome you. Shouting abuse. I keep trying to teach my charges that calling someone a name is not only abuse but falls under bullying. Names can hurt you. If not immediately, they can chip away until the self-esteem is gone.”
“That’s very insightful. Please try to stay alive. We need more people like you,” Mia said. “Mr. Bennington, there is a boy named Sean who I think should be separated from the rest of the group. Right now, a larger student with the permission of Mr. Brier is using corporal punishment to control him. I’m not a shrink, but I think it will only make things worse.”
“Sean shouldn’t have been allowed on this trip. I think his father may have paid for it. There is a lot of corruption in the school’s hierarchy, but there is also an opportunity to save some of the little bastards. That’s why Nathan and I took on the toughest class.”
“Teach them how to survive. It’s going to get cold, and by the burns they received, I doubt that you’ll be given a fire. Use the furs and your mutual body heat to stay warm. Alternate who is on the outside of the huddle. If this doesn’t work, pace. Walk during the cold nights, and sleep when the day warms.”
“Were you homeless?”
“Briefly. I understand the mindset of many of your charges. I was never privileged, but I could have sought help. Fortunately, help came to me.”
Mia left the cage and followed her escort to the deerskin hut. It had a small fire burning and fresh cloths and water were laid out. Mia stripped away her clothing and washed. She wrapped the cloth around her and looked through her pack to find something clean to wear. She was still unpacking when the flap opened. Assuming it was Enos, she continued on her task.
“Well, looky here. Mia Cooper Martin gift wrapped for little ole me,” Lucifer said and closed the flap.
Mia stared at Lucifer and noticed something unusual. She wasn’t afraid of him. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said. “Do you have an active possession going on with a kid named Sean?”
“The little psychopath with a penchant for flashing?”
“That’s the one.”
“No, but I could check with his family’s heritage demon.”
“You may not have to since you’re here to kill them all.”
It was Lucifer’s time to be surprised.
“No, I’m not reading your mind. It occurred to me, it might be the only solution before you stepped into my teepee.”
“Put some clothes on so I can concentrate,” Lucifer ordered.
Mia did so and tried to seem oblivious to him watching her as she did. When she had finished, she sat on the edge of the bed. “Here we have a noble race of demons who were relocated here to the old-growth forest. I imagine you made sure that legislation went through to protect this area.”
“Not I, Mother Nature,” Lucifer corrected.
“Sorry. May I continue?”
“Please.”
“They have survived here and haven’t preyed upon the human population of the upper peninsula. In some cases, they have saved people who would have perished in the elements. There are hundreds of them. The present situation is: twenty teenage males from affluent families come here, and although it was accidental, they invade, deface and, in one case, cause bodily harm to a tree-bark demon. I know they can’t leave here. Sten knows they can’t leave here but for some reason has resisted the urge to kill them.”