Lycan Fallout (Book 2): Fall of Man (20 page)

“Unless you want me squirming in my seat like a seven year old after a seventy two ounce Slushee I think you’re going to want me to take this detour.”

“You are like a man-child.” She sighed before walking away.

“That’s pretty true.” I was smiling as I walked out of the hotel through a side door. I was just planning on pulling up the nearest bush and let nature take its course. I was not prepared for the sight I was met with. Gount had his/her back to me, in the classic I am pissing pose. Head down, shoulders slumped, both arms in front of him, one hand holding the pants to avoid spray, the other, well I’m sure you’ve figured out what the other is holding. It wasn’t strange to see a man pissing, what was strange was that I’d figured Gount to be a woman.

“What the hell?” I said close to silently.

Gount was finishing up with the necessary shake and turning around. “Oh excuse me, this is just so much closer than the restroom.”

“Yeah uh no problem. Weird.” I said after he left.

“Nice of you to join us,” Azile said to me as she pointed to a seat. “Now that you are here, I would like to introduce you to everyone.”

I did my best not to catch flies with my open mouth when I saw Lana and her father, Chancellor Saltinda, on the opposite end of the table. As tenderly as Lana was looking at me was in direct contrast to how sternly her father was.

“Lana and Chancellor Saltinda, I believe you already know.”

“Uh, yeah,” I managed. “Nice to see you both.” Lana waved. If Saltinda knew the middle finger gesture, he would have given me a double dose.

“From New Georgia we have Mayor Alden and from Ft. Lufkin is Commander Biddings.”

“Gentlemen.” I nodded.

Chairman Gount and Councilman Merrings from Talboton were also present.

“I am sorry we interrupted you for this important meeting,” Merrings said sarcastically as I took my seat.

“No problem. I just finished taking a shit.”

There was a plethora of differing emotions that rocketed around the table from my comment. It ranged from laughter from Lana to a look that should have frozen my heart from Azile, and everything in between. I’m sure the delegates from the other communities loved the discord, not that I cared. I still hadn’t decided where I came down on all of this anyway or if I even would.

I think Merrings knew better at this point than to think he could browbeat me into submission. I’d not given much of a piss for authority back in my time, even less so now.

“Perhaps we should get started,” Chairman Gount said once things calmed down a bit. I shrugged at Azile who had not stopped glaring at me.

The commander from Ft. Lufkin spoke hastily and seemingly out of turn. “We are wasting time here. You know our demands. Are you prepared to meet them or was calling this meeting just a useless form of stalling?”

“I can assure you, Commander,” Gount spoke, “this is not a stalling tactic. We are trying to prevent the needless bloodshed of our citizens.”

“As are we, but do not be mistaken, we will attack here with all our might in an effort to get that which can protect us.” Biddings was close to rising.

“Wait, hold on,” I said.

“Michael!” Azile warned. I stuck my hand up.

“So, you’re saying you will have your people die in a war to protect them from dying in a war? Are you listening to yourself?”

“That is not what I am saying. Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice the few for the good of the many.”

“Oh! I get it now. Are you going to be at the forefront of this war with the few, Commander, or do you plan on directing it from the rear with the many?” I asked him.

“I did not come here to be insulted.” He stood, sending his chair sprawling backwards.

“Naw, I would assume you could have stayed home and been insulted just as easily,” I told him. Lana was doing her best to cover up her amusement. “Sit your ass down,” I told him steadily. He was glowering over at me.

“Now see here, I will not…”

“Sit your ass down or I will separate your head from your neck.” I think it was that I said it so matter-of-factly that really got to him. He knew who I was and I’m sure he’d heard an embellished story or two on his trip here. I can only imagine he and all of the delegates were none too pleased that I was present at this council. Biddings sat down, albeit reluctantly. I noted that he scooted his chair as far from mine as possible and still be part of the meeting.

“I’ve got stuff to do that is far more important than coddling you idiots. What exactly do you want?”

Biddings surprisingly stayed quiet. It was Mayor Alden that spoke. “We just want the ability to defend ourselves against the Lycan.”

“Fair enough statement. What can you spare, Gount?”

“You are not the chairperson here,” Gount started. “You are merely a guest.”

“Listen, I don’t want to be here either, we’ve already established that. Each minute I’m stuck here talking to you fools, my dog is out there somewhere lost and alone, and I need to find him.” Biddings rolled his eyes, I thought about bitch-slapping him for his gesture.

“Oggie? Oggie is missing?” Lana asked with concern. “I’m so sorry, Michael.”

“Thank you, Lana.” I nodded to her. “Gount, what can Talboton spare in the defense of our fellow townships?”

Gount nodded to a guard standing by the door. Another came in with two small ammunition cans. “Open them,” Gount said, when they were placed in front of me.

I hesitated for a second. Knowing Gount I wouldn’t be surprised if it might be explosives of some kind. But he wasn’t moving away, so I should be safe enough. I popped the lid open on the first one. It was 5.56 ammo loosely strewn within. It was the same with the second.

“So is this what you’re saying you can share? Looks to be about a thousand rounds.”

“That is not enough!” Biddings shouted out.

“That is not what we intend to share. That is our entire stockpile,” Gount said. Bailey gasped, and I would have as well had she not beat me to it. “There are one thousand two hundred and twelve rounds in there. That’s all we have and that’s all we will ever have. I am prepared to give three rifles and one hundred rounds to each of you in the hopes to avoid bloodshed among communities that have thus far avoided it and have lived peacefully side by side for years.”

I had to give it to Gount; it was a pretty diplomatic move, even if it blew up in his face.

“You wish to condemn us with your pittance?” Biddings arose again, the chair not faring well this time. He would not be sitting in that one again as the base of it split neatly in two.

I ignored Biddings. His outbursts were starting to grate on my nerves, and I was pretty sure he was a warmonger. Anything short of his demands was going to be met with sword and lance. My gut told me that if, and when, the war with the Lycan was over and man had somehow won, he would take those very rifles and march against any town that did not desire to be ruled by Ft. Lufkin.

“This is it?” I asked Gount. He nodded, and I didn’t see the slightest hint that he was speaking anything but the truth. “Bailey?”

“It makes sense. We had a little fewer than two thousand when winter released its grip. We allow new marksmen ten shots to familiarize themselves with the weapon, and we’ve since used them against the werewolves. I never thought to recalculate the number. They just have always been, and I guess I thought they always would.”

“Yeah, the world is nothing if not a constant swirling of change. Biddings, I think Gount’s offer is more than fair. Are you prepared to take his offer so that I can get the hell out of here?”

“This is an insult!” Biddings shouted. “He hoards bullets and holds them over our heads, dangling them like sweets to a child. I, for one, will not stand idly by while my people are slaughtered. We will fight for what is rightfully ours.” He was heading for the door.

“I’m not even going to go into why you think the rifles and ammunition are rightfully yours. Gount and I don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye and I don’t really like him truth be told, but he’s not a liar. If he says they only have twelve hundred rounds then that is what they have. You know, Biddings, if you weren’t such an idiot you could have agreed to the terms, taken a few rifles and the hundred rounds and then used them in the war you so desperately want. Tell you what, any people from Ft. Lufkin attack my namesake, I’m coming to look for you. Now I know you’ll be nowhere near the front as that’s not what people like you do. No, Biddings, I’m going to sneak into your home no matter how many guards you post and I’m going to cut your throat, letting your blood fall to the ground where I imagine your soul will follow, although the ground will be no impediment to where it will finally end up.”

He left without a word. “Who is with him?” I looked to Saltinda and Alden.

Alden stood with much more eloquence, thanked everyone for their time and left to go join with Biddings.

“Chancellor?” I asked.

“Yes, Father, where do you stand in this madness?”

Saltinda’s glower softened as he looked from me to his daughter. He cleared his throat. “We stand united with Talboton in this war against all humanity.”

“Splendid. Gount, would it be too much to give all that you offered to our friend from Denarth?”

“That is acceptable.” Gount stood and shook hands with Saltinda.

I thought about sticking my hand out there as well, but neither man would acknowledge its presence, and I didn’t really need to add fuel to a fire that was dying down.

“Michael, would you like help looking for Oggie?” Lana asked. I don’t know who said “no” louder; me, Saltinda, or Azile. Lana seemed undeterred.

“I’m glad we wrapped that up quickly. I am leaving now. Azile, will you keep an eye on Mathieu?” I asked.

“New Georgia and Ft. Lufkin will attack within the week,” Saltinda told those still seated at the table.

“How is that possible?” Bailey asked. “He will need time to get a message home, amass his forces and march them back.”

“I’ll tell you how, Bailey,” I said as I turned back around. “They brought their army with them. They were fully expecting a war.”

“Fools,” she said aloud.

I could only nod in agreement.

“I must prepare.” Bailey left quickly.

“And what of you, Chancellor? How many men did you bring with you?” I leveled my gaze on him.

“Ten. I wouldn’t allow him to bring any more than that,” Lana interjected.

“Do not be fooled by my daughter’s words. I am almost ashamed to admit that I wanted to bring hundreds. I would do anything to protect those within Denarth’s walls.”

“No one will fault you that,” I told him. “Do you know Biddings’ and Alden’s plans?”

“Alas, no. When they realized I was not ‘all in’ they did not share much.”

The meeting broke up after a few more minutes as Gount, Merrings, Azile and Bailey discussed what they would do next as I reviewed what
I
was going to do next. Talboton had the advantage of being on the defensive and having rifles, although both Bailey and Azile were arguing that perhaps it would be better not to use those weapons. First, in the hopes that by not using them, their enemies would potentially realize we did not have an abundance of them and might stop any further loss of life. Secondly, they were much more effective on werewolves and Lycan rather than the traditional weapons like bows and arrows, spears, and bladed weapons. I wanted to get out of there before I knew who was coming had the chance to corner me.

“How have you been, Michael?” Lana asked, placing her hand on my arm.

“I’m fine, Lana. You do know your father is watching, right? And he’s pretty close to getting his guns and ammo, so this could end badly for me.” I shrugged her hand off. She stroked the side of my cheek. “You are going to get me killed here.”

“Has your lover noticed as well?”

“How did you know?” I asked incredulously. I looked over at Azile, her lips moving slightly. She was doing a spell, I could feel it. She was going to turn me into a newt or something equally as bad, perhaps a cat.

“I did not know. Not until you told me,” Lana laughed.

“Man, I hate teenage girls.” She laughed harder. “I’m not kidding. My daughter broke me.”

“She is pretty enough, I suppose. Do you not think I am prettier?”

“I wouldn’t answer any part of that question for a half dozen different reasons. Are you just trying to make me feel uncomfortable? Because, if so, you are succeeding wonderfully.”

“No, I’m just concerned for Oggie, silly.” She stroked my arm. I shied away.

“This is ridiculous, Lana. I thought you were betrothed or something.”

“I was but the more I thought about him and you the more I decided I wanted something different.”

“Listen, I don’t know what you’ve got rolling around in that adolescent head of yours, but ain’t nothing going to happen.”

“Relax, Michael. I am just playing with you. With my father incoherent with anger he will not be able to think properly. I love him dearly but I do not trust his intentions completely.”

My eyes traveled over to his direction.

“I can see you know little about being coy.”