Chapter 38
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The council chamber is crowded with all the elders and the returned travelers. We are the last ones to file in. I give Saul a gentle pat on his arm and Nimrod gives him a reassuring smile.
“What is she doing here?!” Napoleon bellows out, even before Melville can get two words in.
“I can hurt you.” I say, looking him calmly in the eye.
“Nosis.” Nimrod touches my shoulder and pulls me back against him.
“Fine.” I stick my tongue out at Napoleon and give Nimrod a peck on the cheek as I head out of the room. Nimrod snags my sleeve and pulls me back before I get two steps away.
“I believe Chronos should sit in on the telling. She has insights.” He tells the assembly.
“Agreed,” Melville says and shoots Napoleon a look of, don’t argue, you will lose.
I give Melville a nod of thanks. Nimrod leads me to a bench, we sit down. The council begins.
“How went your mission?” Melville addresses the returned travelers.
The curiosity is ripe in the room. Saber looks grimly around at the assembled faces.
“We had partial success.” He crosses he arms over his chest and flexes his muscles.
“What do you mean, Partial?” Napoleon bites out.
“We got to Saint Louis in good time, but that is where we ran in to problems.” He pauses to think. “The city’s a mess. Even if it didn’t get a direct hit. It has been fought over by the inhabitants for the last 100 years.”
“And they were none to happy to see us.” Holiday pipes in. Saber gives him a silencing glance.
“We were able to find a hospital and a few items. But we got ambushed.” Saber continues. “Everything that we collected was destroyed in the fight.”
There is a general groan of despair from the elders.
“There are other cities.” Melville reminds them. “Pray continue.”
“What we did learn was that they attacked us because they thought we were someone else.”
I perk my ears up at this statement, a case of mistaken identity.
“The inhabitants,” Saber goes on to name the two parties. “The Twisters and the Nightingales, have been fighting over the territories, lately there has been a new party. Heavily armed, uniforms and vehicles. We matched a lot of that description, so they attacked.”
“How is it you are alive?” The Tanner asked.
“It was thanks to Saul’s quick thinking.” Saber gives Saul a nod. “He jumped out of the Hummer and went to pull the wounded out of the line of fire.”
“I only did what was needed.” Saul is so sweet, he is humble about his gift. It makes him caring to the point of stupidity.
Saber frowns darkly at him. “If Saul had obeyed orders and stayed in the hummer, like he was supposed to…”
Saber doesn’t finish the sentence. I wink at Saul, to let him know that I thought he did good, he give us a cheeky grin back. Looks like I am a better influence than I thought.
“To make a long story short, the Nightingales were so impressed, that they called a cease fire. And then we had time to talk with them.”
“And this took you 5 days?” Napoleon asks in a testy voice. His disdain for the protectors story is blatant.
“No, what took us 5 days was that the Twisters and Nightingales started to help us on our search. And we ran into a group of the third party. They were every thing that the Saint Louisans said.”
“Were you able to find out who they are?” I pipe in to ask. This is just too much of a coincidence.
“They fled when we enter the engagement.”
“Did they know who you were?” I am now dying of curiosity.
“I don’t know, but once they saw us, they ran. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but you might be on to something Chronos.” Napoleon looks at me with serious eyes. He must be thinking the same thing I am.
“What do you mean?” Tanner asks not follow our train of thought.
“The coincidences, are just too striking.” Napoleon replies. “We attack one group and now, someone new runs at the sight of us. I don’t like it.”
“It suggest whomever has been harassing the Compound is well informed. and are well organized.” I get into the fray. “And that you are now to be feared. Or possibly contained. I can only guess, that after taking out the Brutes, and then showing up in Saint Louis they might believe that we are acting on an agenda of conquest. This would play against what ever plans they have, either for Saint Louis or for the Kindred.” I postulate.
“Of course it could just be a wild coincidence too.” I give them an innocent wide eyed grin.
Nimrod takes this opportunity to lay an hand on my thigh. Tingles run down my leg, he is trying to distract me. I almost pull his hand off, but it is so nice, that I let him stay.
“If you are right, and I am not saying you are Chronos, what are we going to do about it?” Seattle speaks up for the first time.
They look at me, I look at Napoleon. The ball is in his court.
“We need to pull all our resources together,” He says. I almost snort but Nimrod forestalls me by squeezing my leg.
“Winter is coming, we need to make sure that we can make it through plus sometime afterwards as well.”
“Do you expect a siege?” Saber asks.
“I want to expect the worst and hope that it really doesn’t happen.” Is the reply.
“I also think we should continue to nurture our outside contacts. We still have 3 women who could give us help on that end.” Napoleon looks over at me. “Any ideas where they reside?”
“Dark Matter Storms! I just got them out of the basement and learned their names. I am not even sure any of them can read a map must less read period.” I snap at him. Completely incensed by his attitude.
“That doesn’t matter.” He says calmly. “They are a key and we need them, now.”
Uh oh I don’t like the sound of this.
“I want you to take them and the warriors three and find their homes.”
“Excuse me.” I stare at him in shock and anger.
“We are not sure what kind of reception they or our protectors will receive.” Nimrod sums it up nicely.
“They got through being shot at I am sure they can handle some irate parents.” Napoleon, is callous in his ideas.
I have a different idea. “I happen to disagree. The last time any of these girls had been seen, it was being dragged off by the Brutes. We can not have, three heavily armed men just storm up to the homes. If anything, that would be asking for trouble. And I am not sure the girls are up to being around men right now.”
“Why not take the Amazons instead.” Melville suggests. Nimrod’s hand shakes as it lays on my lap. I put my hand on top of his. Everything will be alright.
“Women would be better.” I am not looking forward to this but I did promise. “Very well I will take the girls with your two Amazons. The three of us should be enough protection.” I give Napoleon a sharp look. If I am to leave I will take your party members. Let’s see what he has to say to that.
“Very well. The Amazons, then. It is not like I can leave now anyways. I still have to find new candidates and come up with a defense should we be attacked.” Napoleon says grudgingly.
“You can make a quick circuit and be home in two weeks,” Holiday suggests blithely chiming in, with no idea how hostile our two parties are. Or maybe that was the idea, because his idea cuts the tension in the room.
“That sounds like a good idea, Holiday,” Nimrod seems to lose his anxiety with my agreement.
“I do not suppose we can have a couple of days to prepare?” I look over at Napoleon.
“You get one. I need every hand available come winter.”
“That hardly seems fair,” Saul says in my defense. “We only got home and have not had time to even-”
“Fine,” Napoleon snaps not at Saul but at me. “day two at first light.”
“I am sure that will give us time to prepare adequately.” I nod and stand. “Please excuse me now. It seems I have things to do.” I bow to the assembly. Nimrod purses his lips but stays quiet.
I wander down the dark hallways, thinking I was neatly maneuvered into leaving and just whose side is Melville on. I had thought ours because of his warning but now, I am not so sure.
“Chronos,” Saul calls out as he catches up with me.
“Saul, is the council done with you?”
“It pretty much broke up when you left.” he pulls me into a tight hug and kisses me. I have missed him.
“Nim?” I wonder where he is.
“Went off with Melville.” He tenderly strokes my cheek. “I don’t want you to go.” His concern for me is touching.
“I can take care of myself,” I give him a gentle reminder.
“That’s not what I mean,” he kisses me again, this time hard and with longing, none of his gentle light touch.
“I do not want to leave, believe me Saul, but I think this needs to happen.”
“It’s not fair,” Saul gives me a cute little petulant frown.
“Not to worry, I love you, and this will make our time doubly precious. Besides the universe guides me thus, it got me to you. All things have a purpose, lover.”
“I hate it when you make sense like that.” This time I see a glimmer of a smile under his petulance.
“You can help me pack and plan and then you can tell me all the wonderful adventures the four of you had.” My hands worm their way under his shirt. He giggles as I touch a sensitive spot but doesn’t ask me to stop. So I just keep moving my hands around.
“You are so much trouble.” He digs his hands under my shirt. “And we are standing in a open hall way.” He adds as if this is news.
“Then let us go home and make ourselves comfortable.”
“That sounds like a brilliant idea.” Saul agrees.
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