“Don’t... don’t! You kill me, and Haik will show you no mercy,” Kodiak pleaded.
Luther pointed the blade near his crotch for a moment, then disengaged the weapon as smoke and the smell of burnt cloth and metal filled the cabin. Leo and Neona cracked their doors and let the smoke escape. I coughed, waving the smoke away from my face. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure the nomads weren’t curious about was going on. Luckily, they were busy and most of them had made their way up the mountain.
“Why would I replace one ignorant fool to lead the nomads for a manipulative, scheming relic like yourself?” Luther demanded.
“I already told you. At least I’m competent enough not to challenge the Legion. Haik’s not. You go along with my plan, we remain neighbors, maybe not friends, but certainly not enemies either. You cross me, and we might as well all die in my view. Like you said, I’m old, but I’d rather end my life than see these men squandered under the rule of a man like Haik,” Kodiak explained.
“Get out!” Luther shouted, stabbing his finger at Kodiak’s door.
Kodiak pushed out his bottom lip and nodded. “As you wish. Make a decision by nightfall, and remember, no funny stuff. I’ve anticipated your moves well before we ever embarked on this mission. Remember, I might not be the only one watching you,” Kodiak warned. He looked up on the mountains where the snipers were and slammed the door.
Luther faced forward. He began to wheeze, covering his face. “Hunny,” I said, touching his shoulder. He leaned his head back, looking up at the roof.
Leo leaned forward, looking at Luther. “Sire, I say we march up this hill and tell General Haik what just happened. I don’t like Haik either, but I trust him more than Kodiak,” Leo said.
“Captain,” Xena spoke up.
“Yes.”
“If the Engineer considers this option, I recorded the conversion with Kodiak just now,” she said.
Neona’s eyes widened. “Even better. We have evidence against Kodiak. I say we pull General Haik aside and play the recording for him,” she said excitedly.
“And the anti-aircraft vehicle?” Leo asked his sister.
“Simple. We could wait until the nomads give us its location in the morning, then we pull Haik aside. Let these fuckers kill each other, this isn’t our fight. Then we can go after the anti-aircraft vehicle on our own,” Neona replied.
Luther took in a long breath. “It’s possible that Haik will be killed the moment we go to him in private. Isolating him would likely be a bloodbath, because we have no idea how many spies Kodiak has working against Haik. Half these men could be waiting to kill Haik. They’ve already ordered snipers up on the mountains, so anything we try behind Kodiak’s back will be seen. Not to mention, if we make the wrong move that results in gunfire, the exchange would likely alert the raider convoy nearby, likely forfeiting any chances of acquiring the anti-aircraft gun,” Luther explained.
“This decision has many layers to it,” Xena commented.
“Dammit,” Leo muttered, slumping his head. The goal of fighting off the Moderator somehow took a backseat in my mind. The risk to our personal safety just increased tenfold as we were thrust into the middle of a nomad revolt.
“What if we tell Kodiak the situation with the Moderator?” Neona asked.
Leo shook his head. “If he even believed us? I think he would use the Moderator situation to justify his stance to lead the nomads instead of Haik,” he said. I agreed, Kodiak seemed to be placing all bets on the idea that we would go along with his plan.
Everyone stared at Luther for a couple of minutes as he thought about it. I could not imagine the enormous amount of pressure on him considering the Moderator problem, and now this. I wanted to come up with a solution, but the situation was so complex, all I could do was support him. It seemed like there was no right answer. “Luther, I’ll do whatever you think is best.”
He nodded. “I know. The takeaway for me is that Kodiak has his own vision for the nomads, but I don’t think he’s ready to die.”
“What do you mean, sire?” Leo asked.
“I saw genuine fear in his eyes and body language when I ignited my sword. Despite his tough talk and shadowy past, I think he’s afraid,” Luther replied.
“Then why risk it all to lead the nomads? Mutiny is a big gamble,” Neona said.
“Is it though? It’s entirely possible Kodiak has been turning Haik’s men against him for some time, there could be many more on Kodiak’s side than we know, especially judging by their reactions when the General speaks. A lot of them don’t respect him,” I said.
Neona looked up at the ceiling. “Kodiak just has to drag us into his bullshit,” she muttered.
“And he needs it to look like an accident to gain the trust of the men here who are still loyal to General Haik. This mission with the raider convoy provides just enough isolation from the rest of the nomads back home, and enough chaos and confusion for his plan to work,” Luther said.
“We’re forced to help this asshole, aren’t we? He’s boxed us in?” Leo asked.
Luther sighed. “For now. But Kodiak’s fear of the Legion retaliating will keep us safe long enough to get the anti-aircraft gun back home. Remember, that weapon is our main objective,” he said. Even though Luther’s tone sounded confident, I knew my husband. He wasn’t sure if we would survive.
Chapter 6
JUST AFTER NIGHTFALL...
The full moon gave the frozen surroundings a cool blue hue as the wind ushered the snow clouds briskly across the sky. There were only patches of flurries here and there that whipped around in the wind.
Neona was sleeping behind me. I could hear her long, slow breaths as she leaned her head back. Leo was wide awake, staring out of the window. He seemed to be in deep thought. Xena was scanning left to right and behind us. I had tasked her with watching our flank. I could hear the faint sound of her synthetic neck muscles humming as her blue eyes glowed in the dark cabin.
Now this mission had taken a turn for the worse, I didn’t know how long we would be out here. Luther and I decided to leave the vehicle’s battery running on power saving mode. It was enough to keep the heater on low and allow me to take off quickly if need be. Unfortunately, the heater’s lower output wasn’t enough, not in this weather and at night.
I could feel myself shivering. Luther and I wanted to hold one another to keep warm, but we couldn’t. If things went sour, we didn’t want any of the nomads to know we were together, they could use it against us.
I closed my eyes as the possibilities ran through my mind. If the nomads double-crossed us and found out that we killed the Warden, I couldn’t imagine a situation where they would give us an honorable, clean death.
I glanced down at my sword. Normally, it would be an easy decision to kill myself if faced with capture. We were in the middle of nowhere accompanied by dozens of men, Neona and I would surely be raped before we were murdered.
But I couldn’t end my life. There were too many people depending on us, and if I had air left in my lungs, I had to stay alive for a chance to save them, even if that meant enduring unspeakable abuse.
Unexpectedly, the thought of my mother and father entered my mind. Even though my mother was absent from my life, I wondered what she would think about everything I’d endured, and the challenge that was still before me. Surely, both parents would be proud, but I would wager it would be difficult for them to imagine their daughter fighting for the survival of the species decades after their deaths. Would she have done things differently, and stayed with my father knowing what my future held? It was senseless to even consider, but I was sleepy and stressed.
I took in a deep breath. At the base of the mountain to my left, I observed the nomads had a large fire going. They were all huddled around it, covered in large blankets. “Is it possible the raiders could see the fire from here?” I whispered to Luther.
He looked up at the mountain behind the campfire. “Not likely. I think we’re far enough away fr
om them. Not only that, most of the fire’s light is blocked by the mountain because the raiders are on the opposite side. But the nomads don’t have much choice, the only other option in this weather is to freeze to death,” he said.
Someone stood up close to the fire, then another. They branched off away from the group in our direction. “Heads up,” I said.
“It’s General Haik and Kodiak,” Leo said. They stopped on Luther’s side. Haik climbed up on the Mauler’s tank tracks as Luther opened the door. Behind Haik, Kodiak glared up at us while crossing his arms.
“Have you decided?” Haik asked.
Luther nodded. “I think we can find the raiders without Kodiak, so long as the location data is accurate. There’s really no reason for him to go along with us. You could probably use the extra firepower, too,” Luther said.
Haik stood up tall, narrowing his eyes at Luther for a moment. He looked up at the mountain. “Fair enough. Well, we’ve gone over all the firing positions and set up the guns. Just under forty of my best shooters and a heavy machine gun will be at the ready.”
“I hope it’s enough,” Luther replied.
“I think it will be, but placing explosive charges along the path would ensure—”
“No. We’ve already gone over that,” Luther interrupted.
Haik turned his head away from Luther and bit his lip. He paused for a couple of moments. “I’ll have someone alert you at first light on where the scouts last located the raider convoy, then you can be on your way,” he replied.
Luther nodded. “We’ll be ready,” he said. As Haik stepped down off the Mauler’s tracks and turned away from us, Kodiak stood there, staring up at Luther. He pointed his hand at Haik’s back like a gun, hiding it so that the General couldn’t see the gesture. He cocked his thumb like a hammer on a revolver.
“Then we’re all set?” Kodiak asked, narrowing his eyes at Luther.
Luther nodded in agreement. Kodiak closed his thumb, and sounded out the word bang with his lips. “Just give us the raider convoy’s location data, and we’ll bring them to you,” Luther replied, slamming the door. I could hear Kodiak snickering under his breath as he caught up with Haik.
“I really don’t like that guy,” Neona mumbled.
“Once he takes command, I give him three months before he’s killed by his own people,” Leo said.
Luther turned around, glancing at Leo and Neona. “Listen up. We take shifts sleeping. All except for Victoria. We will be relying on her driving tomorrow, so I need her at one hundred percent,” Luther replied.
“HEY,” LUTHER WHISPERED, touching my leg. He startled me as I leaned forward, rubbing my eyes. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing. It’s fine, the sun is coming up,” Luther said softly.
I took in a deep breath. “Okay, I’m up,” I said. As a Naval pilot, I was used to sleeping odd hours and taking power naps on alert standby. Usually, I was cramped up in some briefing room before a dangerous mission. This felt similar.
I made sure the Mauler’s battery was on full power, feeling the warmth from the heater with my hands. Ahead, I noticed the camp fire from last night was a smoldering pile of gray ash. Several of the men were finishing up breakfast, tearing into the flesh of an animal that appeared overcooked.
“Did you sleep?” I looked at Luther. I remembered he took the first watch.
He stared forward. “No. I decided not to wake any of you up,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“I feel fine. I don’t need as much sleep as most humans,” he said. I could hear Neona rummaging around behind us.
“Here,” Neona said, handing Leo something. He leaned forward, handing me an MRE about the size of a small ketchup packet from a fast food joint.
“Breakfast of champions.” Leo smirked. I wasn’t really accustomed to the salty taste of these MREs yet, but they gave me plenty of energy considering their size. I ripped open the corner and squeezed it out into my mouth. “Ugh,” I said, glancing at Luther. “Did you eat?” I asked.
“I had some while you were sleeping,” he replied. Leo passed around a canteen of water as we observed one of the nomads approaching. He was wearing a hooded, faded green, Army jacket. He approached on Luther’s side and removed his hood.
To my surprise, it was a woman with light green eyes and olive skin. She appeared to be about thirty years old and of Mediterranean descent, possibly Greek or Italian. She was beautiful with a narrow, angular face. Her dark matted hair was shoulder length. I noticed a small patch of white hair on the left side of her head. It seemed out of place, contrasting with her otherwise youthful appearance.
Luther opened the door. The woman looked up at him nervously at first. She seemed aware of her reaction, and stood up tall and proud to compensate. “The General wants you to have this,” she said with a slight Arabic accent as she reached up to Luther.
It was a document of some sort. He unfolded it, revealing a map. “You’ll see visual markers on the map,” she said, stepping up on the Mauler’s tracks. She pointed at a circle on the map. “The raiders were seen here only minutes ago, our scouts have eyes on them,” she explained.
Luther looked down at the map. There appeared to be a structure drawn inside the radius. “What is this place?” he asked.
“It was a factory of some sort, we think the raiders are looting it for supplies. It’s only three kilometers from here, so, if you leave now, you’ll have a chance to catch the raiders there. Our hope is that they weigh their vehicles down heavy enough with supplies so that you can better control the pace of the pursuit,” she said.
“Is the anti-aircraft vehicle with the convoy?” Luther asked.
“Yes, why?” she asked.
“Because that’s part of the deal, that vehicle is ours,” he replied.
She looked away confused. “Oh. I’m unaware of the specifics you and General Haik agreed on, but before you leave, the General insisted that you radio him. We would prefer if you leave in the next half hour,” she said.
“Is that all?” Luther asked.
She paused. “That’s it.”
Luther slammed the door shut, surprising her. Her body jolted as she leaned back. She plopped down in the snow and headed back toward the mountain, doing a double take back at us as she put her hood back on.
Luther glanced at me before turning toward the back seats. “Anyone have anything to add before we leave? Any objections?” he asked. No one said anything. Unfortunately, assisting Kodiak to remove General Haik was our best option.
“Xena, I don’t want you firing on the convoy unless I say so. The last thing I want is the raiders to view us as a threat, the point is so that they chase us,” Luther said.
“Understood,” she replied.
“Let’s move out, head straight through the valley, north,” Luther pointed.
“Roger that,” I said. Luther held the radio close to his mouth. “General, it’s the Engineer.”
As we crept toward the valley, the radio beeped. “I see you. Looks like you are leaving, now?” he asked.
“Yes,” Luther replied.
“Good. Keep us informed if anything unexpected happens. We’ll be waiting,” he said. I could see him on the ledge, holding his radio and looking down on us. He was standing atop a giant slab of dark gray rock, wearing his tiger fur atop his head. The wind whipped his coattails around as streams of snow trailed in front of him.
In front of us, my eyes followed the slope up the mountain toward where he was standing. I sized up the incline. I felt like I could make the climb but moving at high speed would be dangerous. I could easily flip the Mauler if I wasn’t careful.
“We’ll be in touch,” Luther said.
The radio beeped again. I could hear Haik breathing for a few moments. I noticed he had stepped away from his men. He cleared his throat. “Engineer, I know you and I got off on the wrong foot with my aggressive strategy against the androids of reclamation, but I think our collaboration he
re could be the beginning of something great between our people,” Haik explained.
Luther glanced at Leo.
“I want you to know I’m committed to us working together after this is over... as long as it’s mutually beneficial of course,” Haik said.
Luther sighed before pushing in the radio’s mic. “Anything is possible, General,” he said.
“Anything except his survival. If Kodiak doesn’t kill him with our help, someone else will later,” Neona said.
As we made our way into the middle of the valley, I saw Kodiak. “Look who it is,” I nodded.
“Yeah and take notice how far away he’s standing from General Haik,” Leo said. I glanced on the opposite mountain that Haik was on, I could spot several snipers. I assumed some of them were Kodiak’s men. They were wearing white camouflage from head to toe, staring down at us.
It felt eerie as I passed through the valley. Even from here, I could sense the division within the nomads. I wondered how much was due to disunion in their ranks, or nervousness over the impending mission. I wasn’t sure, but I got the feeling General Haik was completely oblivious to the plot against him, even a bit optimistic about our future together as neighboring colonies.
We made our way out of the valley and into a flat area with only a few trees scattered throughout. “Try to make as many visual references as possible; on our way back we won’t have time to stop and look around,” Luther said. As we made our way a few hundred meters from the valley, I glanced behind us at the mountains. “If the snowfall continues to let up, I can use my trail to backtrack,” I said.
“But we shouldn’t expect that to last,” Luther replied.
After fifteen minutes of trudging slowly through mixed terrain, we came to a small, cozy log house within a thick patch of trees. There was a stack of firewood next to the structure. I veered away from it, maintaining a distance of about two hundred meters.
“See that?” I asked.
The Legacy of the Lioness Page 7