The Renegades (The Superiors) (21 page)

The
trackers had come prepared for the return trip, and they had both sapien food
and dried sap packets. Draven drank one now, having first diluted it with water
from one of the foldable plastic bottles they’d also carried. If he could say
nothing else of the situation’s improvement, at least he had secured the trackers’
supply packs before animals had gotten to them. Added to his own inadequate
supplies, he now had a lightproof tent, two foil-lined mummy bags, two tarps,
food, water bottles, a steel cable and cuffs, a solar charger, rope, a knife, and
several lighters.

Draven
retrieved a box of corn crackers from a tracker’s backpack and presented it to
Cali when he’d finished drinking the packet of reconstituted sap. Cali ate the
crackers slowly, stopping after she’d eaten five or six. “Are we going to die?”
she asked.

“Eventually.”

“Soon?”

“I
will do what I can to prevent it,” Draven said. He noticed the shudder that
went through Cali’s body. He smiled a bit. “Are you frightened at the thought?”

“Of
course I am. Aren’t you?”

“It
comes and goes.”

Cali
looked at him a moment and then burst out laughing. “You say the funniest things,”
she said when she’d done laughing. “I wish Shelly was here so I could tell him
about all the funny stuff you’ve said.”

“It
is well that I amuse you,” Draven said, still smiling. “You also amuse me.”

“That’s
good,” Cali said. “If I couldn’t laugh, I think I’d go crazy sometimes.”

“Then
I hope you’ll have many occasions to laugh at me.”

“I’m
not really laughing at you,” she said, leaning back on one hand. “Not in a mean
way.”

“I’d
not object. It does not hurt my feelings.”

Cali
leaned back further and laughed again, this time harder. Finally she stopped
and wiped her eyes. “No,” she said, trying to maintain a sober face and failing
terribly. “I wouldn’t want that.”

Draven
watched, only a small smile on his lips, because this time he did not
understand the joke. “We will stay here tomorrow,” he said, changing the
subject when he imagined she’d enjoyed enough laughter at his expense. “We will
leave at nightfall. I must rest and heal.”

“Sorry,”
Cali said, sobering. “I wasn’t laughing at you. Really.”

“We
will soon leave the mountains altogether.”

“Okay.
But what if more trackers come while you’re asleep?”

“I
don’t imagine they’ll dispatch more for some time.” If they discovered what
he’d done to the two they’d already sent, they wouldn’t send more trackers.
They’d send head hunters.

“Yeah,
okay,” Cali said.

“Are
your wounds healing?”

“They’re
fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore except when I touch it, and then only on the
outside.”

Cold
on the outside, hot on the inside
…

“Indeed,”
Draven said. He shook his head, as if he could shake off the strange thoughts
inside.” I feel quite odd. Perhaps I’ll take sleep now.”

“Okay…”
Cali said in a small voice.

He
stood and retrieved the box of crackers from the ground beside her. “What is
it?”

“I’m
just really cold.”

“Right,
of course.” Draven instructed her on how to properly maintain and control the
fire. When she seemed confident in that task, he went inside and laid out the
other mummy bag for her and Leo, showing Cali how to work the string that
zipped it from within.

“Will
you require anything further?” he asked.

“No,
I think that’s all.”

“Very
well. Awaken me when you require sleep. One of us should keep the watch. Wolves
in particular do not care for me.”

“Why?”

“Awaken
me when you are ready to take your sleep.”

“Okay,”
Cali said. “And Master?”

Draven
turned to her. “I’m not your master.”

“So…what
should I call you?”

“Draven,
I imagine.”

She
smiled beatifically. “Okay. Well then, thanks, Draven.”

“Right.”

Draven
rolled out his sleep sack and slid inside. Cali slid into hers as well, then lifted
Leo and brought him to her. The instant he woke, he began to scream. Cali shot
Draven a guilty glance before scrambling from her mummy bag and ducking out of
the shelter. Though Draven tried to sleep, for quite some time he could not, so
he lay listening to the leaves crunching under Cali’s feet and the dying wails
of her baby.

Chapter 35

Meyer
stood in the doorway of his helicopter, the cold air blasting his face while the
sound of the chopper blasted his ears.

“Down,
down,” he screamed over the noise of the propeller. “We’ve got humans here.”

The
chopper dipped and he almost fell, the thrill of flight filling his throat
until he could hardly stand it. He waited, though, for the sapiens. When he
could see the individual twigs on the trees, he took Little Michelle (now not
so little) around the waist and swung out the door. She clung to him, hiding
her face in his shoulder. He quite liked having someone larger than him at his
mercy, even just a human someone. With his arm secure around Little Michelle’s
middle, he slid down the rope, his legs wrapped around it and his gloved hand
letting it slide by. Even through his pants, the rope burned his thighs.

A
few people had come out of the houses, some of them holding children and some
of them holding guns. He waved, released Little Michelle, and began to climb the
rope. The slick gloves made the task difficult, but he managed. He’d put a knot
in the rope every few feet, both to slow his descent and aid his ascent. Upon gaining
the chopper doors, he collected Jay, and then returned for Bip.

“Cheerio,
Molly,” he yelled to his pilot. “Pick me up in an hour or so.”

When
he reached the ground with Bip, he stood and watched the rope slide back into
the chopper before the craft swung around and moved off down the mountain.
Meyer straightened his trousers and nodded to the crowd of gaping onlookers.
One of the babies cried at the loud noise, and he wished the mother would calm
it. He loved saplings, but their crying was enough to drive even the hardest
man completely bonkers.

Meyer
opened his arms to the small crowd. “Where is my Herman?”

Herman
approached through the crowd, arms outstretched. He bowed deeply before
standing to hug Meyer as tightly as a sapien could. Even though Meyer only
reached Herman’s barrel chest, he always knew he was the bigger man. He enjoyed
receiving the embraces of all his humans, even those who had reached adulthood,
and he liked to think they appreciated his affection, too. He didn’t treat them
like possessions, and they didn’t treat him like a master. Still, he knew they
all worshipped him and could see his power and greatness, unlike his own
people.

“It’s
a pleasure to see you, my lord,” Herman said, bowing again and kissing Meyer’s
hands.

“Yes,
of course, likewise. How is the community? I trust all is well.”

They
walked in front of the group of sapiens who had gathered and now trailed them,
awestruck by Meyer’s presence. “Everything goes well,” Herman answered. “We’ve
lost a few lives since your last visit, nothing uncommon. Taken a few lives
back, as well, although we had a breakdown in communication and…lost one.”

Meyer
spun to face Herman. “You lost a Superior? So he’s out there, and he knows where
you are?”

“We
aren’t sure. Things have been peaceful since then. We had arranged to rid
ourselves of the vermin when we returned from a visit to Princeton. As I’m sure
you know, that trip did not end well. When we returned, we had a further
shock.”

“Yes?”
Meyer asked, his impatience making his tone quite ominous.

“Tom
had gone against our decision from Meeting and buried the bloodsucker, excuse
me, the Superior, before we returned from town. When we went to dig him up, he
was gone.”

“I
see.” Meyer pressed his lips together and resisted the urge to box Herman’s
ears so hard they met in the middle of his head. “And this was over a year ago?
I wasn’t consulted, why?”

Herman
took a step back and drew a breath, but he continued even under the furious
scowl of his benefactor. “We assumed he’d come back to seek revenge. We
considered moving to another location, but decided that the Superior would go
on searching these woods until he found us. You know how confident they are. We
armed ourselves doubly and go in pairs about our duties now. We thought they’d
send a few Superiors up here to check us out when he started talking in town.
But none have come. In fact, we haven’t seen any up here since the unfortunate
incident occurred. We think maybe he followed us and was killed along with our
people in the massacre. At least, we know he hasn’t been talking in town.”

“Yes,
yes. I see. I hope you are right. I’ll find out what I can in Princeton. You
should have informed me immediately. This is a bloody outrage, to keep a thing
like this from me.” Meyer tried to hide his dismay at such a betrayal behind a
face of anger. His subjects should adore him and always keep him informed.
True, he had skipped his annual visit the last winter, not wanting to risk the
community with Byron crawling down his back so relentlessly. But they had ways
to contact him in dire emergencies, and this had to be the worst scenario
imaginable. He could scarcely believe that he had not been contacted within
minutes of their discovery.

“Yes,
my lord.”

“Very
well then,” Meyer said. “And you and your father are the only ones who survived
that attack, correct?”

“Yes,
my lord. And one boy, a Henson.”

“And
otherwise, how is the community? Flourishing, I see.”

“Yes,
we have a few new babies.”

“Any
I should take an interest in?”

“None
this year.”

Herman
stopped before one of the more masked houses in the community and bowed to
Meyer again. “This is your house?” Meyer asked.

“Yes.
I have married and moved in here.”

“Very
good, Herman. Who’s the lucky lady, as my mum used to say?”

“She
lost most of her family in recent years, so she owned the house already and
needed a man around. Sally, come and say hello to Meyer.”

Sally
came from inside the house and bowed. “Hi, Meyer. Come on in and make yerself
at home. We’re shore excited you dropped in.”

“Literally,”
Meyer said, smiling. “Have you started making me a little Sally yet?”

“I
cain’t have no kids,” Sally said. “My insides don’t work right.”

“That’s
a shame. But then, Herman is a good husband for you. Herman, you see that boy I
brought in? That’s your son.”

Herman
looked appropriately shocked.

“I
know,” Meyer said. “Can you believe fifteen years have passed? Are you prepared
to house him?”

“Yes,
of course,” Herman said. “We’re delighted. I wish I had known. I’m not sure I
gave him the proper greeting from a father to a son.”

“Well,
he doesn’t know you’re his father, either, so I’m sure he won’t be too
offended.”

“I’d
offer you something to eat but that might be messy,” Sally said. “What-all can
we do for you instead?”

“Oh,
I ate on my way in. Nothing for me, thank you. Your house is lovely.” Of course
it wasn’t, but manners were as deeply instilled in Meyer as they were in Sally.

“Thank
you kindly. We make due. Herm, we need to call a meeting?”

“I
think the helicopter was a pretty fair announcement,” Herman said. “Everyone
appears to be here.”

“Bring
them in,” Meyer said. He motioned for the three newcomers to join him, noticing
a few dirty looks from the Free Community humans. He expected it from the ones
he’d not had much contact with. After all, he was one of their sworn enemies,
and not all believed in the pure goodness of his heart.

“See
here, see here,” he said, raising his voice. Faces turned to him, the mouths
still, the eyes curious or sullen or hostile or worshipful, depending on the
owner. “Thank you for your warm welcome. As I’m sure you all remember, I’m
Meyer Kidd, founder of this fine community. Co-founder, I should say. The
brains behind the operation, if you will. You all look well. I’m sorry to hear
of your losses.”

The
sapiens nodded and murmured and shifted.

Meyer
continued. “As you can see, I have brought three additions to join you.
Parents, please speak for your little one. Herman,” he said, and Herman stepped
forward. “Meet Little Herman, now known as Jay. Jay, this is your father.
You’ll be living here from now on, in the Mountain Free Community. This is your
mother, Sally.”

The
boy looked a bit overwhelmed as he shook Herman’s hand and returned Sally’s
hug. He then took his place between them, adorably awkward in his stiff posture.
Though the newcomers all looked out of place, Meyer knew from past years that
they would adjust well.

“Michelle,
here is Little Michelle,” Meyer continued. “Little Michelle, these are your
parents Michelle and Tom Kidd. You should be proud. Your father is one of the three
original members and fathers of the Mountain Free Community. And Bip, where are
you? Ah, there you are. Bip, or Little Becky, these are your parents, Becky and
Neil Henson. They don’t live together, so you may choose to live with either
parent.”

He
addressed the community. “Thank you all for making such a wonderful home. I
hope you give these fine young people the warm welcome you gave me and help
them adjust to life in your community. They are all educated, of course, and
will adapt wonderfully.”

Tom
stepped forward and bowed. “Meyer Kidd, my lord. Welcome. We’re so happy you
could join us in our humble gathering. We’ll do everything in our power to give
these newcomers good homes and good lives. You heard of our recent misfortunes,
and we’re glad to recover any part of the population we can. Two new
women—that’s a great addition. We are in need of many more.”

“What
do you suggest we do to solve this need of yours?”

“In
light of our current population shortage, we have discussed in Meeting and
agreed to reduce the marrying age to thirteen instead of fifteen. If we may ask
for any females thirteen or older next year, we would do so.”

“Very
well, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank
you kindly, my lord.”

Meyer
waited and half listened to a few other requests and speeches welcoming and
flattering him. He was used to it. Sapiens always bowed and scraped at his big-heartedness,
as well they should. After all, he did them a great kindness for very little in
return. He didn’t need to come here for bowing and scraping. He had enough of
it every day. Coming here only gave him a sense of his true generosity and
selflessness.

“Come,
let me walk through your community and visit with each of your families, if you
would have me,” he said, as if they had a choice.

The
sapiens began to filter out with their flashlights, pulling their coats tighter
around them. After he’d made the rounds, he had a talk with Tom and then went
back to Herman’s to await the helicopter. Herman had always been his very
favorite. What a shame he’d had to give him up after all their years together. Though
he’d only officially owned Herman for two years, he’d taken him from the
Mountain Free Community as a sapling and seen him raised for nearly three
decades. None of the other humans in Meyer’s possession had ever equaled
Herman’s intelligence, resourcefulness and determination.

“What
is the punishment Tom received for losing the Superior you spoke of?” he asked
Herman, after settling in at his sturdy wooden table.

“He
resigned from his position as elder,” Herman said. “If you would like to
reinstate him, we’ll respect your decision. Otherwise, our decision binds him.”

“I
concur.” Meyer had always like that word and rarely had the opportunity to use
it. “Who has been elected to replace him?”

“Michelle.”

Meyer
laughed. “Very fitting, I should say. I approve your decision.”

“We’ve
had a few problems with Tom before. He…pesters some of the younger women.”

“Yes,
I do remember him having that particular fondness. That is for the community to
sort out as you see fit. I don’t interfere with personal matters.”

“Of
course, my lord,” Herman said, settling himself across the table from Meyer.

“I
do need to speak to you about the Superior who escaped,” Meyer said.

“We’ll
cooperate in any way we can, of course. Though in honesty, I don’t think it’s a
problem.”

“Do
you still have his papers?”

“I
believe Tom may have them.”

“Why
does Tom have them?”

“Sally
and her brother Larry found the—Superior. He was kept in the shed out back. Tom
was living here at the time.”

“Actually,
I got the papers,” Sally said, her back to them as she worked at the counter.

Herman
turned to her. “You do?”

“Yep.
Want me to get them?”

“I’ll
get them. Where are they?”

“Top
of that bag of stuff in the closet.”

Herman
popped out to fetch the papers, and Sally sat down at the table across from
Meyer. She shifted, leaned forward and lowered her voice. “You ain’t gonna do
nothing to that man iffen you find him, now is you?”

“I
can’t have anyone know about this place. You know that. I can’t believe you
took such a risk. You let him go free? You didn’t even send someone after him?”

“He
ain’t gonna say nothing.” Unlike most humans, this one did not seem awed or
afraid in his presence. Her gaze was fierce and fearless.

“How
do you know?” Meyer asked, suddenly curious to hear her answer.

“Cause
I done talked to him?”

He
gave her a patronizing smile. “Oh, you did, did you? And he told you this?”

“Yep,
he did. And he ain’t told yet, and iffen he was gonna tell, he’d have done it
by now, and you know it. Plus, he’s a criminal type and ain’t gonna go near no
law enforcers nohow.”

“How
do you know about Enforcers?”

“He
done told me. His name’s Draven. He’s a real nice sort for a bloodsucker.”

“I
see. And I suppose you know because he told you so himself?”

“Actually,
it’s cause I talked to him a whole lot,” Sally said, her chin jutting out. “You
cain’t tell Herman, neither. You’s the only one kin do something about it.
Nobody else here would ever let a bloodsucker live. Excepting you, of course.
Lord.”