Black Locust Letters (23 page)

“
Alright.”

“
No,
it's not alright. If they blow it up, there will be a chain
reaction and it will spread through all the Rifts. And the States
has the most bases of all countries situated on top of the Rift.
Can't you see what will happen? The war will be over. Gone. All the
armaments, all the vehicles, the bombs, troops. Everything. If the
Rift goes, so will all the missile silos, and those will detonate
and think of the disasters. Just think, Betty. Everything meant to
be used for our defense will blow up in our own house.”

Betty sniffed. For a minute, she took in a deep breath and
considered what he was saying. “What do you want me to do about
it?”

Tom
hurried to draw in the dust and explained as quick as he could
everything he had in mind. Of course he didn't know all the
details, so when Betty filled him in on some things, he amended
himself and told her the basic idea of what needed to happen to
prevent the Russians from detonating their Rift opening.

Pretty much it boiled down to destroying the train tracks and
roads. It seemed like a temporary solution at best, but Tom was
convinced that they would give up on the plan if they met
resistance, and rebuilding the tracks in that extreme climate would
be very costly. Well, it seemed like a better idea than the way the
people were shouting outside, unable to make up their minds and
doubtless drawing even more tumbleweed scribbles on the map. For an
instant Betty wondered if Sanctuary might have the most useless
military minds in the world. Then she decided that there surely
must be someone worse. Like the people who kept trying to invade
Russia time and again, or perhaps the people at this infamous Area
51 she kept hearing about.

A
rustle of wings came to the window, and they both went silent,
watching as a mockingbird paused on the window, flicked a tail, and
jumped to the floor. For an instant, Betty hoped it was Clarkin by
whatever method he'd used to get here, but in another second it was
his sister who stood there with long hair draping down her
body.

Tom
turned his back in haste, and Ladybird rolled her eyes. From her
hair she untied a walnut. She opened it up and inside was a tight
wad of gossamer fabric which she shook out to be a thin
cloak.

“
That's incredible,” Betty said.

“
It
is standard issue for Never Were avians,” Ladybird said
indifferently, but she ran an admiring finger over the edge. Then
she glared at Tom. “And if you'd remembered to bring yours, I would
not now be subjected to a view of your bare backside. Turn around
at once. You aren't a Roman statue, decapitaria.”

Tom
obeyed her, any discomfort he may have felt carefully kept from his
face. In another instant, concern crossed his brow. “My lady, what
is it that brings you here?”

Ladybird stood in the moonlight, her dark hair turned to
shimmering ringlets in the silvery light and her eyes a luminescent
amber which matched her cloak, and her faint smile disappeared
under the question. “I have discovered the meaning of the mark on
Betty's door. It is a court summons for a murder.”

“
What?” Betty's face went blank then was filled with worry
lines. “But Clarkin said it was made from the wrong material to be
Never Were.”

“
Changing times.” Ladybird did not look wholly convinced of
this herself, but she grabbed Betty's wrist. “What is important is
that it is for today. For right now. We must get you away, quickly,
before they arrive and proceedings begin.”

Betty pulled out of her grip. “I can't go. I'm wave talking.
They need me.”

“
You
were wave talking,” corrected Tom. “But they stopped you. It is
best if you go and live for another time when you'll be needed
again.”

“
I
am not going until my work is done.”

Ladybird sighed and said to Tom, “Knock her out.”

“
What?” Tom asked, mirroring Betty's surprise at hearing the
command.

“
We
don't have time to argue, Tom, let's—”

The
door wriggled, a loud noise in a quiet yet tense debate.

Tom
and Ladybird scantly had time to duck before the door yanked open
and Slim stood there. For a stunned, frantic instant, Betty didn't
know what to say or do. What was he doing? Had they been too loud,
had the General heard voices in the room and sent Slim to
investigate?

Then
Betty remembered, and understood why it was that Slim was before
her, his hair askew, his cheeks sallow, and with the overwhelming
air of a man who had been disturbed from slumber and was very cross
about it.

“
Oh,
they sent you to tell me why they took me off the air. Why was it,
James?”

He
regarded her with contempt, and Betty thought she saw him sway ever
so slightly, and that there was a bulge of a flask outlined through
his chest pocket, but she couldn't be sure, and she didn't want to
get close enough to smell his breath.

“
You
know what happened. If we can't trust you to follow orders, then
you are a liability,” said Slim.

“
It
was your decision to pull me off,” Betty said.

“
You're talking for them. You don't want Hannah to get
hurt.”

“
Slim, I don't know who is in which units. Or if he's even on
that field.”

Slim
laughed bitterly. “You didn't deny it, though. You'd rather his
attentions than mine.”

“
And
what if I do?”

Slim
swore and gripped the door frame. “He wasn't supposed to—he was
meant to watch over you, not take you from me.”

Betty huffed at Slim, bit her tongue, and said slowly, “He
didn't take you away from me.”

Slim's eyes bulged like a puffer fish inflating its belly.
Betty had no idea how to interpret that reaction, so she pressed
on. “Slim, I left.”

“
That was before, I know, I said I was sorry, this time it'll
all be different, this time..”

She
put a hand on his arm to stop him. “There is no this time, Slim. I
can't. I just can't. I considered it. But it's just not
possible.”

He
shut his eyes. “So...you used me.”

She
felt guilty about it now, but it wasn't the time to indulge in such
feelings. “I suppose I did, yes. But I used Clarkin,
too.”

He
made a strangling noise in his throat and stared at the floor. “You
have more of your father in you than I thought.”

She
took a deep breath and tried to decide if this was a good thing or
if it was even true. She had no idea, on either account. “I am half
him, and he did raise me. I make a conscience effort to not follow
in his steps, but... he did influence me. It's impossible for him
not to have done so.”

Slim
nodded, swallowed, and said, “You know, we were all decapitarias
together, in the last round.”

“
What?”

“
Didn't you think it was strange the way I would appear and
disappear discordant to the rest of the troops?”

She'd thought it was because he held some sort of management
position over the others. “What do you mean by 'we'? You...you know
Clarkin? Actually know him well, not merely as an
acquaintance?”

Slim
nodded, took out a cigar, and lit it. Betty let him, his hands were
shaking. “Hannah and I were rivals of sorts. Charles was there,
too, but he sort of stayed out of the majority of the decisions. He
was our back up guy. Talked to Tom a lot.”

“
Tom? The same Tom who disappeared a while ago?” She thought
it was better not to mention that it would be the same Tom who was
hiding somewhere overhearing their conversation.

“
Yes. He was our teacher, partner to Charles. Hannah and I
were friends and enemies. We fought amongst ourselves constantly,
but there could never be a man who I was more certain would be
there to watch my back or save my ass at the last second.” He took
a long drag and blew it out. “Guess I should have realized that
he'd take you if I let my guard slip even slightly.”

“
I
am not a thing to be taken, Decapitaria Legrand. I am a person in
my own right capable of making decisions.”

“
Oh
yes I saw a fine example of your decision making just a few minutes
ago.”

Betty wanted to slap him but she didn't, just clenched her
jaw so tight that her teeth ground together. She said, voice a
growl, “Get out. Now.”

Slim
winced, nodded, looked as though he was going to apologize, then
didn't.

Before he could leave, shadows cut across the slants of
moonlight shining onto the floor and wall, and Betty and Slim both
spun to see one crow after the other skip off the window sill and
land on the floor, shaking out their cloaks even as they changed
from crow to human.

The
effect was a whirling, swooshing ballet of feathers and dreadlocks
and billowy fabric which swayed in the air. Had Betty not known the
menace behind their arrival, she would have been delighted by the
display, as though she were viewing her own private performance. As
it may be the last dramatis she would see, Betty decided to take
delight in it anyway. Slim, however, laid hands on her shoulders
and loomed protectively over her as the last of the crows settled
in.

The
crows formed their circle, neat and quiet, and Slim seemed to swell
up as he edged in front of Betty so she had to stand on tip toe to
see over his shoulder. Off in their hiding places, Tom and Ladybird
remained stock still and silent, at least for now. The man directly
in front of Betty folded his hands and drew everyone's
attention.

The
judge, for lack of a more applicable term, took in an audible
breath and said in a wheezy, thin voice, “Betty Cratchet. This
murder is convened because you stand accused of breaching The Law
of the Things That Never Were.”

A
cold shiver ran down Betty’s spine and she resisted the urge to
look to Tom for reassurance; no doubt he wasn't meant to be here
and his assistance may have the opposite effect.

Slim
went all stiff, and Betty poked her head to the side of him to ask,
“Pardon if I am interrupting at a poor time, but I don't know the
proceedings and I have a question. This law, you speak as if I
should know which law it is I've broken? Can you tell me, seeing
how this is a legal court and not a lynch mob, I have a right to
understand the charges against me and to argue my case, do I
not?”

“
Betty,” said Slim in warning, but the judge opened his palm
in a kindly manner and none of the jury members made a
stir.

“
We
have one law and one law alone which all Never Weres must submit
to; any further laws are enforced by individual societies. The law
which we enforce and uphold is that of High Treason, to commit acts
which endanger or damage all Never Weres. At times, as in your
case, we are allowed to extend this law to humans whose actions
have direct influence on the well-being of all Never
Weres.”

“
You
dare to charge this against Betty! She who has helped you more than
any one human in history—” Slim said.

“
Which is why we are stopping her now, before she can speak
the words the General wishes her to speak which will turn her from
hero to villain,” said the judge calmly.

“
Why
don't you charge the General with this treason?” Betty asked,
genuinely curious as this seemed a far more logical solution than
charging her.

“
We
cannot have authority over high ranking government and military
officials.”

Slim
shook a fist at the floor. “So you are coming after Betty instead.
Good grief, if you can't have her condemn the troops, then let her
go. If she doesn't finish the talks, she can't betray
you.”

“
But
running is not only cowardice, it is to neglect her duty and in
doing so she leaves us in the hands of those who would kill our
troops without thought. She is responsible.”

The
jury jerked their heads to the side. Betty thought that Tom had
moved and drawn their attention, but instead the door opened and
bright hall light filled the room, the shadows of two men made
giant by a trick of perspective. The judge looked to the two new
men with a steady gaze at odds with his aged voice, and said,
“General Bernard Cratchet and Mr. Gresley. Welcome to the murder of
Miss Betty Cratchet.”

“
I
told you I heard the murder was on the move,” said Mr. Gresley
around chewing tobacco.

“
Yes,” said her father, “and you were right again. So, then.
Betty is accused of breaking The Law? Have you no better methods of
getting to me? Another electric pyro, perhaps?”

The
judge did not seem surprised nor offended to be thus addressed.
“General Cratchet, the murder has one purpose and one alone. If you
take issue with Never Weres, you must bring it to the attention of
the individual societies.”

The
General laughed in a harsh, strangled kind of way. “I know your
rights and limitations. I helped to set them, if you will
remember.”

“
A
terrible time that was,” said Mr. Gresley. “I thought we were going
to suffer another water-barrel blockade during our discussions on
murder limitations.”