As I Walk These Broken Roads (26 page)

* * *

A semi-circle of tables had been setup at the opening of the hangar. The band took their seats, facing inwards. There were no signs of segregation between the groups. The porters had just begun to bring out the food, when Slayer, his Second, and Jenkins appeared. They walked out of the shadows, towards the empty table at the centre of the half-circle, manned by three scavenged chairs. The ornate metal throne had disappeared.

Once the meals were delivered, and everyone was else sitting, Jenkins spoke a brief formality. The assembly responded with formalized gestures and an incoherent mutter, then started eating. Their behaviour was subdued; only the occasional elbow prod or chuckle. The meal looked warm, and Wentworth felt himself growing hungry. A groan from Raxx
’
s gut confirmed he wasn
’
t alone in this, but with Jenkins present neither
dared
look away.

The three men at the head of the table ate in silence. A lopsided valley – Slayer, Jenkins, and the Second. Any conversation had already finished. They ate with a grim confidence which didn
’
t need glances for moral support. Instead, they watched the rest of the band.

A hint of nervousness was trickling through the ranks. Any joviality seemed forced, and though it was hard to tell from the watchers perspectives, it seemed that none of the band were making eye contact with their leaders. As the meal drew to a close nervous
twitches
abounded – bouncing knees, tapping fingers – they no more knew what to expect than the watchers on the cliff.

Then the Second stood.

The dust seemed to settle as the band froze.

Walking casually, he approached the same hanging clutch-plate which had announced a young man
’
s death the night before. He picked up the cudgel which lay next to it. With a deliberate, forceful strike – the din seemed to rarify the
air throughout the mine site –
Jenkins stood, and his speech cut through the stilled air.

“
Children,
”
his arms were opened lovingly, his visage full of assurance,
“
You have come. You have survived the filth
and
the tribulations. It has come time for you to no longer be the abject – for though you
knew
it not, you men before me
are
the faith. I came here this day so that you
might
learn the first of the mysteries.

“
Your shepherd has brought you to me purified. He has
guided and uplifted you from
hell. But though you were uplifted, still always you saw nought but the next field of green. You sought only the harvest, not the seeds with which to sow the field. And further, the green lived on only in the presence of the shepherd – you knew not how to find it should you abandon the faith.
”

His vision paused on severa
l of the seated, the sergeants
and one of the porters.
“
Some amongst you, I can see, have learned this vision for yourselves. And yet you remain – for you
do not
understand from where this vision arises.
”

“
You men are the children of filth and apocalypse. In a broken world, only the broken can understand.
”
He paused for a breath, looking vacantly at the assembly. Then a demonic fury inflamed his features,
“
In a world of filth, it i
s the filthy who are filthy no more
! With my arrival the prophecy is fulfilled – it is by the seven heads that this beast shall arise, and woe unto those who seek
not
the new world! It
is
written that they shall burn, as many did, but still they
shall
burn again! Death has arrived – the wages of sin are of the past – now comes the hour when the blind
shall
be cast down!
”

The band was captivated, trembling at his pronouncements. Even the men seated at his side waxed pale.

“
The sodomite era is now! For
we shall reap what t
hey
s
ow!
”

“
We shall reap what they sow!
” shouted the body of men.

He stopped speaking. Tremors ran through the audience, jerks and twitches moving through the spine. He stayed silent, slowly his body composed itself.

“But now I must go, children. The hour draws nigh.”

Slayer
’
s second fell down to one knee. One by one, then en mass, the rest kicked their chairs out and mimicked his pose.

“
T
here shall be further mysteries in times to come…
think on what I have told you this day.
”
Abruptly
he turned ninety degrees and began walking away.

“
This is it!
Wentworth – we need to take that guy, and the rest of it will fall apart.
”

Raxx
’
s voice snapped Wentworth away from the gathering – for a moment he was stunned at
the great distance between him and
Jenkin
s
, and the immediateness of his own environment.

“
What
’
s
‘
it
’
? What do we need to do with him?
”

“
Listen, it
’
s all jumping around my head still – it makes sense, I just haven
’
t sorted it out yet – Jenkins isn
’
t just the ringleader, he
’
s the whole thing – we gotta take him now, before he gets back to
H
ope. If we crack it there, the whole thing comes falling down like a house of cards. Listen, Wentworth, he
’
s almost gone already, I–
”
Raxx paused mid breath. His eyes were wide, and the gears behind them were spinning violently.
“
Trust me on this. We take him now, it
’
ll all crack. I can
’
t explain it.
”

Wentworth stared at him. Every instinct, every knee-jerk, argued against trusting an unguarded argument. He
’
d see men die over that. But before this he
’
d always had a counter argument, or at least an educated doubt to fall back on. Today; with this man, and these locals; he was at a loss. Raxx had been raised on superstition and false promises. But he
’
d also learned the science of auto mechanics.

“
You
’
re sure about this?
”
It was the mercenary part of him speaking. A simple cost/benefit analysis had swayed the argument.

“
I
’
m damn near positive.
”

“
Then let
’
s get back to your truck.
”

A sense of urgency overtook them. Their hearts started pumping blood at a rapid rate, pushing it through their body, waking their numb extremities. Once away from the cliff edge they could stand
,
finally. They began running. The route was steep in places. Holding their longarms out in one hand for balance, with the other they grabbed at passing tree trunks, slowing their decent. In lurching jumps they moved down the hill, tree to tree.

The woods moved by in a flash of brown and green, and the sound of tearing bracken.

It took them fifteen minutes to reach the vehicle. They removed Wentworth
’
s cam-net from the truck
’
s superstructure, then Raxx went through a quick vehicle-check while his partner packed their equipment. They finished within seconds of each other, tossing their weapons into the bed. He keyed the ignition as
Wentworth
slammed his door shut. The truck roared to life. He pulled forward through the branches of the willow
,
over a ditch, and onto the road. A quick fishtail, then the wheels grabbed traction.

Wentworth pulled his pistol out from his side holster, cocking the upper receiver, and engaging the safety.
“
Alright, this son of a bitch shouldn
’
t have an escort, and I doubt he has any weapons on him, but we
’
re gambling that Slayer won
’
t he
a
r us drive past – hell, I think that might have been the entrance just now. Our sidearms will do the job, but we need to do it fast.
”

Raxx nodded, a scowl on his face as he accelerated down the torn-up road. Wentworth re-holstered his pistol and reached around to the backseats. Grabbing the handle of his duffle bag he pulled it over and began rummaging around.

“
What are you doing?
”
asked Raxx.

“
Getting a blindfold and some zap-straps for when we nab him
. Plastic Handcuffs
.
”

“
Gotcha. I think that
’
s him there.
”

They crested a rise. Down the road was a thin, shredded looking figure. As they neared the details came into focus – Jenkins was pedalling on an ornate bicycle. A sudden movement might have been him turning to look back at the approaching vehicle. The sun was behind them, near the horizon. The truck was lit up with a halo of silver fire.
The engine roared as Raxx shifted to low gear, the truck ran down the hill with a predator
’
s suppressed growl.
Jenkin
s
’
figure got off his bicycle and stood to its side.

The brakes squealed as Raxx slowed to a stop. He tore at the parking break, as Wentworth exited. He followed suit, pulling back the hammer on his revolver. Weapons raised, they moved towards the priest.

“
Get the fuck down right now!
”

“
Gents,
”
said Jenkins
, surprised
recognition showing in his eyes as he assumed
his priestly veneer,
“
I thought that when I spoke with you I had said–
”

“
Shut the fuck up!
”
bellowed Wentworth,
“
Get on the fucking ground! Now!
”
T
o the priest,
the
nine millimetre was a
cruel
cyclopean eye.

Jenkins raised his hands,
“
I told you both that this
is
our land that we steward–
”

“
He said get on the goddamned ground!
”
As the priest continued to stammer Raxx stepped forward. Wentworth shifted right to keep a clear arc of fire. Raxx placed his boot on the centre priest
’
s chest and pushed hard, knocking him to the ground and winding him,
“
Stay on the fucking ground!
”

“
Stay down! Stay down!
”

Unused to violence, t
he kick had launched Jenkins into a primal
terror;
his mind was going through sensory overload. Prostrate on his back next to his fallen bicycle his speech turned into nonsensical babbling. A stray lock of hair ran across his face, caught in his beard. His hands clawed at the air.

“
Get him onto his
stomach
for me!
”
said Wentworth. Raxx hooked a toe under his shoulder and rolled him over, none too gently, then backed up several paces.
“
Cover me!
”
Wentworth holstered his weapon and moved forward, planting his knee on the priest
’
s kidney.
“
Stay still! Stay still!
”
he yelled,
“
Get your hands behind you!
”
Grabbing his flailing arms, Wentworth forced them through the zap-strap loops, drawing them tight. Jenkins stopped struggling as the pain from Wentworth
’
s knee registered. He pulled the bandanna of his pocket and wrapped it around Jenkins eyes.
“
Keep your mouth shut and we won
’
t put a gag on you. Raxx! You grab his bike, we can
’
t just leave it here.
”

“
Right.
”
Wentworth remained kneeling on Jenkins back, hand on his holstered pistol to keep it secure. Raxx secured the bike, then returned with his pistol drawn,
“
I
’
ve got him covered,
”
he said.

With both hands Wentworth grabbed Jenkins by the shoulder and the elbow, flipping him over and forcing him onto his feet. Then, gripping the back of his neck and forcing his head down, he marched him towards the vehicle
’
s backseat, forcing him in.

“
Keep covering him, I
’
m going around!
”
He circled the truck, and slid into the backseat next to the priest. He did up the man
’
s seatbelt, then pulled out his pistol with his off hand.
“
Alright, let
’
s get the hell out of here in case Slayer decides to go patrolling.
”

Raxx got into the driver
’
s seat and shifted the gearbox,
“
Full throttle to Hope – we
’
ll get there before the markets close!
”

* * *

As the door to the Constabulary opened,
Stewart
looked up from the training roster he
’
d been working on.
“
Yes, can I…
”
he stopped when he saw the outfit of the man the two mercenaries were holding
“
What is going on here?
”

“
We need your Captain. Now.
”

“
Excuse me, do you know…
?
”

“
Listen, troop, this is above your pay grade – we need Captain O
’
Neil
,
now!
”

His neck flared, but he turned towards Patricia
’
s office just in time to run into her on her way out.

“
Captain,
”
he said breathlessly,
“
Those two mercs are here and–
”

As she looked past him her eyes flared with anger. The two men Talbot had hired were standing there with one of the Mennite elders bound and blindfolded. There were two days of beard growth on Raxx
’
s cheeks, and both of them bore a dirty, unwashed sheen on their skin.
Wentworth was wearing an old helmet, complete with bullet-groove he
’
d probably put there himself.
They smelled of sweat and damp wool.

“
What in the devil
’
s name do you to think you
’
re doing?
”
Her anger simmered as she stepped towards them,
“
That is one of the Mennite Elders, are you actively trying to ruin this town?
”
To the Elder she said,
“
Sir – what have they done to you?
”

“
M
’
lass, I am both disappointed and appalled at–
”

Raxx jerked down on Jenkins
’
bonds,
“
Shut up,
”
he said.

“
Captain O
’
Neil,
”
said Wentworth, looking her head on,
“
We have a very good reason for being here with this man, and we know who he is. He should be put into a holding cell for his own safety.
”

Patricia eyes flicked from one to the other.
“
Constable
Stewart
; take Mr. Jenkins to Interrogation Room A. Make sure he
’
s comfortable. I
’
ll deal with these two,
”
she levelled her finger at Raxx and Wentworth,
“
Follow me.
”

They entered her
office;
she shut the door behind them. It had the same makeshift décor as the Mayor
’
s, but it was far more cluttered
with
file cabinets and maps. They remained standing as she went behind her desk, leaning forward and gripping the edges before speaking.

“
You two had better have a damned fine explanation for hauling in a Mennite Elder. The stipulations were that this was a covert operation, that we couldn
’
t have the Mennites finding out that Hope was behind it. What
’
s your explanation?
”
She looked up at them with a blue-fire in her eyes.

Wentworth squeezed his left wrist, fisting the hand and scowling.
“
Captain, I
’
m sorry for springing this on you. We
’
re both well aware of the situation, and I
’
d
have
given you warning if I could. But events happened, and we had to act on them, or not at all.
”

“
And what the hell were these events?
”

“
That man,
”
he gestured with a flat hand towards the holding cells, widening his stance,
“
isn
’
t a victim. He
’
s not even a representative of the Mennites, not anymore – he
’
s complicit in the whole damn thing. We saw him sitting down with Slayer–
”

“
Breaking bread with them,
”
said Raxx.

“
–encouraging them. He
’
s part of this, working from the inside.
”

Patricia chewed her lip, but the fire in her eyes didn
’
t relent. She reached for a box on her desk – an intercom – and pressed a button.
“
Stewart
, is the Elder secure?
”

“
Yes, Captain,
”
came the tinny voice,
“
He
’
s in holding cell B, the chairs are better in there.
”

“
Good. Secure the door, but do it quietly.
”
She released the button, and sat back in her chair.
“
Don
’
t think you two are off the hook,
”
she
clenched
her hands,
“
You
’
ve put me in a situation, and locking that door is the only choice I
’
ve got right now. You two need to tell me everything that happened, and it had better make sense. If it doesn
’
t, I don
’
t know what I
’
m going to do. Explain – and don
’
t try to pull any punches.
”

Wentworth launched into a recitation of the events
of
the past two days. He organized the information with an amalgamation of different report structures he
’
d learned over the years – passing over the narrative for the sake of the relevant facts. While describing Slayer
’
s encampment, he handed over the
logs
. Patricia split her attention between him and the
records
. By the time Wentworth finished the blue fire had distilled to a cold steeliness.

“
I don
’
t understand why you decided it was necessary to capture him. You had your reasons. What were they?
”

Wentworth looked over at Raxx. This part was on him.

“
Listen, Captain – here
’
s the thing – like Wentworth said, these guys ain
’
t something the two of us can take on. We
’
ve got to hit the keystone to take them down, and Jenkins is that keystone.
”
He took a deep breath and glanced down at his hands.
“
I
’
ve known groups like this before. I know how they think – it ain
’
t about profit, they
’
re not thinking like that, they
’
re not stealing just to get
rich
or hurting people for fun
–
instead they’re thinking like the other Mennites.

“Listen,
it
would make sense for them to have asked for your help ages ago, but they wo
uld
n
’
t because of their religion.
It’s not about making sense.
That
’
s why you needed us.
To break through the Mennites. And t
o break
Slayer
, we gotta break the Priest.
”

He shook his head,
“
I don
’
t completely know what their game is – but I know I can break Jenkins. That
’
s how we figure out where the shit lies.
That’s how we figure them out.
”

“
Okay…
”
Patricia leaned into her clenched hands. She spent a moment thinking,
“
Okay, but what good is that? If Jenkins is betraying the rest of the Mennites for Slayer
’
s sake, that
’
s all well and good – but where does it get us?
”

“
If you could get the rest of the Elders here to see it…
”
started Wentworth.

“
That would take some time… but it might be possible. If they saw what Jenkins–
”

“
No.
”
Raxx shook his head,
“
I need to do it now, while he
’
s still in shock. If we give him too long, he
’
ll just figure… well, he
’
ll figure that this is part of the prophecy, too, and there
’
ll be nothing for us to say.
”

“What prophecy?”

“That’s the problem, I don’t know – but I know there is one. I know the patterns on how they think. It’s just a twisted version of the Mennites’ own religion.”

Patricia leaned back in her chair, rubbing her chin. Raxx looked thoughtful. Wentworth shifted his weight over to one leg, relaxing his posture. He
’
d never worried about political situations before, and Raxx and Patricia
’
s lack of solutions was annoying him. With even a half-section of the old Black-Ops unit backing him, Slayer wouldn
’
t have been an issue, and the politics could have been ignored. Hell, even with a
half-platoon
of regular troops, and radios…

“
O
’
Neil – where
’
d you get that intercom?
”

“
What?
”

“
The box there, you were speaking to your Clerk on it a few minutes ago.
”

The annoyed confusion accentuated her crows-feet.
“
I… I guess it
’
s always been here.
”

“
This was an RCMP detachment, prewar, wasn
’
t it?
”

“
Yes… I think it was.
”

“
Do you have
any more
of this old-tech? The microchip stuff. You didn
’
t get rid of it, did you?
”

“
My predecessor insisted on keeping it. There
’
s an old storeroom, in the back, where we
’
ve got it all. But what does it matter? It
’
s all for computers.
”

Wentworth paused. For a moment he looked defensive. Then he slid the Datapad out of its pouch, and placed it on her desk. Its cursor blinked out the seconds.

“
Is that…
”

“
O
’
Neil, you said it yourself: you
’
re in a situation, and you
’
ve got to trust me on this. Show me that equipment – we might have a solution on our hands.
”