Flight of the Golden Harpy (33 page)

They went inside the cabin and gazed at the golden male on the floor. Jerry took out his knife and bent down. “Hold his wing back, and I’ll cut the tendons near the shoulder.” Jerry reached for the wing. “Hey, this sucker’s still breathing.”

“Well, cut its throat. I want to be back before we’re missed.”

Jerry grabbed the harpy’s hair and lifted its head. “There’s no blood under him.” He pushed the harpy over on its back. “Look, Turner didn’t blast it. He stunned the thing.” Jerry looked up at Sam. “It’s no wonder Turner didn’t take the wings; he wanted this harpy alive.” He placed the knife to the unconscious harpy’s jugular vein.

“Wait a minute,” Sam said.

“I want to kill it before it wakes up and stares at me with those big blue eyes. These harpies look way too human to suit me.”

Sam stood up. “We’re not killing this one. We’re tying him up and taking him to Terrance. I met a hunter in a bar, and he told me about his warehouse on the river. Said if I managed to bag a live harpy he’d give me triple the price of mounted wings. Alive, this baby is worth a hundred and fifty thousand.”

Jerry smiled. “Damn, for that kind of money, I can get out of this stinking jungle and live on a real planet. Let’s drag him to the beach and bring the hover around.”

They grabbed the harpy under each arm and pulled him out of the cabin. “This thing is tall, but he ain’t nearly as heavy as he looks,” said Jerry.

“Yeah, he’s a lightweight,” Sam said as they went up the path to the beach. “You stay with the harpy, and I’ll get the hover. There’s some rope in the hover’s storage.”

As Jerry waited for Sam to return, he noticed the harpy stir and attempt to open its eyes. Sam landed the hover close by. “Get the ropes out,” Jerry said. “He’s starting to come around, and I don’t want to stun him again. I heard harpies are prone to heart attacks.”

Sam grabbed the ropes out of the back and tied the harpy’s wrists behind his back. Jerry started with the ankles when the harpy regained consciousness.

*   *   *

Feeling his restrained arms, Shail lay on his side and shook his head, hoping to rid himself of the drowsy effect. He saw two men, and one had begun to put ropes around his ankles. He kicked the man in the face, sending him tumbling backward. The other man lunged at him, and Shail’s foot struck his stomach. The man doubled over with pain and gasped for breath. Shail struggled to his knees, but his half-tied ankles kept him from standing.

“Get up, Jerry,” Sam called, holding his stomach. “He’s going to get away.”

Jerry stood and blood ran down his chin from a split lip and bloodied nose. “All right, let’s grab him from behind.”

Shail hissed, warning them away, but the men closed in. When they were in striking range, he let loose. His long outstretched wings battered the men, and they fell into the sand. The men clamored to rise and were more hesitant in their approach.

Using his feet, Shail attempted to remove the ankle ropes. He couldn’t fly unless he stood up. The men gathered their wits and came at him again. He flapped his wings, striking their bodies and forcing them to scramble out of his reach.

The bleeding, sweaty, and bruised men gasped and stared at him with dread. Shail saw they’d had their fill of abuse. He created an intimidating seething sound while cautiously trying to gain his footing.

“Didn’t know harpies could fight like that,” Jerry panted.

“You’re gonna have to stun him. My laser is in the hover,” said Sam. “It’s the only way to get our hands on him.”

Understanding the human words, Shail wildly flapped his wings, trying to get enough wind under them to take off from the kneeling position.

“Shoot him, Jerry! He’s trying to fly,” Sam yelled.

Jerry grabbed the weapon from his belt and blew the sand out of it. Shail finally lifted into the air when he heard the blast and felt the sting hit his back. He fell several feet into the sand and lay still.

*   *   *

Hearing the men’s voices, Shail woke and found himself in the backseat of a hovercraft. He tried to move, but ropes bound his wrists, ankles, and wings. He realized he had been unconscious for some time, because the sun lay low in the west. He lay quietly on his side, waiting for his head to clear.

“Another hour, and we’ll be rich,” said Sam while piloting the hover.

“I might go back to Earth,” Jerry said. “I’ve got an aunt and two uncles and a bunch of cousins there I’ve never met.” He glanced at the backseat. “Hey, our boy is awake.”

Shail exploded, testing the strength of his bonds. He tossed his body against the seat and frantically wiggled to be free.

“Take it easy, harpy. You’ll hurt yourself and mess up your feathers.” Jerry reached back to pet his head, but Shail lunged to bite. “Damn, he almost took my fingers off. He’s a vicious sucker.”

“Stun him if he keeps that up,” Sam grumbled. “I don’t care if it hurts him. I know he cracked a few of my ribs.”

“Well, my nose is broken.” Jerry pointed the weapon at Shail. “Settle down, or I’ll blast you.”

Shail seethed and stared at him, but stopped grappling with the ropes, finding they held him securely.

“I swear, he understood,” said Jerry, “or he knows what a laser gun is.”

“Well, tell him we won’t hurt him if he behaves.”

Jerry huffed and chuckled. “He ain’t scared. He’s glaring like he wants to chew me up and spit me out. If he got loose, we’d be in trouble.”

“I still can’t believe Mr. Turner changed his mind and let this harpy go. Heck, for weeks that man raged about killing it.”

“Who knows what makes that guy tick?” Sam said, veering the hover to the left. “I just know it was lucky for us he stunned it. Once we sell it, I’m off this planet.”

The men discussed how they would spend the harpy money, and Shail watched them through his long strands of hair. He felt some contentment, learning that Kari’s father had spared him. He sensed that Turner was a good but misguided man. His confusion has ended, and he knows I am not a threat to Kari, Shail thought. He no longer stood between Kari and her father, and their rocky relationship would mend.

Shail sensed that Jerry and Sam had passive natures, and if not for the money, they wished him no harm. He worried about the buyer, for there was only one reason to keep a harpy alive; to hunt and slowly torture a male to death. I shall try to remain brave, but in truth I am afraid.

They reached the river and flew north toward Terrance. “There’s the warehouse,” Sam said. He landed the hover in the parking lot as the light faded. “You wait with the harpy. I’ll find Simpson.” Sam opened the hover door and climbed out.

“That warehouse looks dark,” said Jerry.

“Yeah, he’s probably up the street in that crummy little bar.” After checking the quiet warehouse, Sam meandered up the street and disappeared.

A half hour later, Sam and three other men were walking down the dark street toward the hovercraft. “Be careful. He’s really mean,” Sam said. “He beat the hell out of me and my partner.” He opened the back hover door.

“Well, let’s see if you boys really caught a golden,” said Gus Simpson, looking in the hover.

Shail stared into the face of a giant. The grizzly man smelled of whiskey and perspiration, and his grin exposed missing teeth. As Gus reached for Shail’s bound legs to pull him out, Shail kicked the unshaven face with his feet and sent the man flying backward to the hard pavement.

“Are you okay, Mr. Simpson?” Sam said, and attempted to help up the big man. “You gotta be careful with that harpy. I said he was mean.”

“Get away from me,” Gus growled, and climbed to his feet. He went back to the hover and leered at Shail. “I can’t believe the little fucker knocked me down. Lester, Bert, drag him out the other door. I’ll keep his feet busy. I’m gonna enjoy taking the fight out of this one.”

Gus’s two men opened the door and met Shail’s snapping teeth. Lester grabbed his hair, controlling his mouth, and Bert jerked him out of the hover and dropped him onto the ground. Shail curled up in a protective ball. His only defenses were his tied feet and his teeth.

“Before you get paid, I need to see his wings,” Gus said to Jerry and Sam.

Shail kicked and snapped but was helpless against five pairs of hands. The men flipped him on his belly, and Gus’s large shoe stepped on the back of Shail’s neck, smashing his face and throat against the pavement. Held firmly, Shail felt the ropes cut off his wings, and he attempted to flap them, but the men pulled and stretched his limbs.

“Pull tight,” said Gus. “The more length, the more he’s worth.”

Four men unmercifully yanked his wings, nearly ripping them out of their sockets. Shail panted and his eyes watered with pain while Lester measured the wing length with a laser beam.

“Sixteen ten,” said Lester.

“Too bad,” Gus said. “A few more years, and this buck would’ve been fully mature, making a fine trophy.”

They released his wings, letting them collapse. Shail trembled with throbbing pain and couldn’t move or fold his wings against his back.

“Let see if he’s sexually mature,” Gus said, taking his foot off the harpy’s neck and shoving the creature to its side.

Traumatized, Shail could only lay still. Lifting his sash, the man seized his penis and pulled while his other hand squeezed his testicles. Shail hissed and attempted to pull up his legs, but felt his testicles being crushed.

“Hurts, don’t it?” Gus smirked. “You’re gonna pay for that kick to my face.”

Shail hardly could breathe, and only by lying still did the stabbing pain end. He sensed Gus’s mind, and what he detected scared him. Twisted, poisoned thoughts dwelled in the man’s evil conscience. Never had Shail encountered such a vile and ruthless human. During his brush with the mountain and island hunters, he had sensed their cruelty, but they paled compared to Gus.

“This buck is well hung and old enough to be a stud,” Gus said, examining Shail’s sex organs. “Nice balls, too. I can’t wait to cut them off and watch him squirm.”

“You’re taking his balls?” Jerry asked, flinching.

“Yeah, wings ain’t the only trophy you take off a harpy. Treat the skin and the balls makes nice money pouches. Tourists love ’em, will spend a fortune.” He released his hold and stood. “Tie up his wings before he recovers.”

As the men folded and bound Shail’s wings, he curled up to relieve the smarting ache to his testicles and shuddered, having learned the purpose for harpy castration.

“So you’ll give us a hundred and fifty thousand for him?” asked Sam.

“Sure,” said Gus and looked at Lester and Bert. “Go fetch a credit voucher and a cage for this little beauty. Also bring back my training stick.”

Jerry hooked his laser gun to his belt and stood next to Sam. “No wonder he fought us so hard,” he said, staring at the pathetic, trembling harpy.

Gus came alongside of them. “Yeah, he’ll pay for beating up you boys. I’ve heard you’re supposed to stretch goldens for a day before they’re defeathered, and stab holes in their liver. The feathers turn bright yellow from the damage. It’s a prettier mount.”

“Jesus, the poor thing,” said Jerry and leaned toward Sam. “Maybe someone else wants to buy him.”

“Come on, boys. Don’t feel sorry for it,” Gus said. “Feel sorry for yourselves.” He grabbed Jerry’s laser gun, ripping it off his belt, and pointed the weapon at Jerry and Sam. He looked down at the weapon and scowled. “You got this set for stun. That won’t work.” He adjusted the gun to blast.

“Wait a minute, mister,” Jerry cried.

Gus fired at the two dumbfounded men, and their bodies dropped near Shail. Shail stared up at the sick grin on Gus while the man kicked the corpses, making sure they were dead. Lester and Bert returned from the warehouse with a long, narrow cage and a three-foot-long rod.

“You should’ve seen these assholes’ faces.” Gus chuckled. “They really thought they’d get paid. Throw their bodies in the river. The jungle will take care of the evidence.”

Shail had never seen a man kill another one. He coiled up, tucking his face in his feathers.

After dumping the bodies in the river, the two men returned. “Let’s get this buck in the warehouse,” Gus said. “I’m ready to celebrate with another drink. Wait’ll my brother hears what I got.” Gus grabbed for the harpy’s neck.

Shail instinctively snapped at the man’s hand, clipping his wrist before Gus could jerk away. Shail hissed and showed his teeth, threatening to bite anything that came in reach.

Holding his nipped wrist, Gus glared at the harpy. “You little fucker, you’ve messed with the wrong man. Give me my cattle prod.” Bert retrieved the rod off the top of the cage and handed it to Gus.

Shail managed to sit up, and sniffled. He bravely tossed his long hair at Gus, who was massive, four times his weight. Shail knew it was suicide to defy the monster, but he was golden and king of the harpies. He refused to yield despite the consequences. Better to die challenging an enemy than like a curled-up frightened brown.

“Look at this cocky fucker. I’m going to love this.” Gus hit Shail’s stomach with the rod and released an electric shock.

Shail doubled over as the stinging pain coursed through his body. Before he could recover, the rod jabbed his testicles. Shail wildly flipped in the ropes as he was assaulted again and again. He tried to huddle under his protective wings, but the rod found his flesh, causing him to thrash against the hard pavement. His heart raced and he panted rapidly. He had never experienced such piercing pain.

“Gus, Bill’s gonna be pissed,” said Lester. “This sucker’s getting all banged up on the pavement.”

Gus grabbed the blond hair on the trembling harpy and looked into its eyes. “Yeah, he’s dazed and had enough. Put him in the cage. He won’t bite now.”

Shail barely recalled being hoisted into the cage, but heard the metal rattle from his shaking body. He was numb, but felt like a million thorns had stuck him. Managing to swallow, he tasted his own blood from biting his lip. He lay limp, unable to fight or flee, as the men secured him. His wrists and ankles were freed of ropes, but they were replaced with shackles attached to chains impossible to chew through. Each chain was attached to the cage bars, forcing Shail to lie stretched on his side. The binding ropes that damaged his feathers came off, but the cage was so narrow that he couldn’t open or flail his wings. He wondered if the searing pain would ever leave.