Beached Page 12

  She tried to recall where they had parked the vehicles when they had arrived at the prison. She realized her best chance lay in heading back around to behind the position Rania and the others were holding. And so she ran, low and straight through the trees, hearing more firing, and feeling the endless advance towards her dissolve into crashing and running through the trees.

  She needed something more. She was being hunted. She needed a distraction. She stopped, listening in Lantara, aware of the birds startled from the trees by the unusual noise. She held her breath and waited a full twenty seconds before she felt it coming. Just as the feather kissed her face, she flung out a hand and grabbed it.

  I am sorry, brave heart, she whispered to its mind, as she quickly fashioned a tiny cage out of vine and leaves and trapped the bird’s terrified body inside, pinning it in place. I will be back for you.

  Then she turned, at a right angle to where the bird was trapped, and crept through the undergrowth a little farther. Again, she stopped and listened. This time it was the low thud, thud, of a ground-creature’s heart. She groped in the undergrowth and plucked it out, holding it up to her face as she spoke to its brain. Mammals were more rational than birds, and they knew empathy. Forward, little one, take them that way. She pointed the creature in one direction and headed in the other, planning a loop back to Rania and the others.

  And hoping, with every piece of her, that she would get there soon enough.

  As she raced towards Rania, stilling her breathing and working hard to manage the erratic tattoo of her heart, she could taste fear for her sister in her mouth. She bit down on the inside of her cheek to keep herself in the moment. She must not think. She must not think about what might be happening. She must simply get there.

  She was perhaps a hundred yards away, and the sound behind her told her that her base devices had worked. Some men were heading towards the bird; others following the ground-creature. They were attracted to noise and warmth, then. Movement. It was not her brain pattern in particular that they were stalking.

  She felt a small thrill of triumph as she drew closer to Rania. She could hear her sister’s voice yelling at the others to fall back.

  Then, for the second time that night, she was grabbed from behind. This time, however, she had no intention of freezing. Her sister was there, and things were going very wrong. She jammed an elbow into the hard body that pinned her arms from behind and tore at the hands, twisting one arm hard to secure her release.

  ‘Jesus,’ Doug swore behind her. ‘It’s me.’

  She turned. ‘Do not slow me down,’ she said. ‘Do not try to stop me.’

  ‘Aye-aye, Princess,’ Doug said and Lecanora had a sudden memory of teenage Rania and her pirate fetish. He held her shoulders briefly, and his warmth burned into them.

  ‘It’s bad out there,’ he said. ‘Are you sure?’

  She closed her eyes against the impact of that face looking at her, those deep brown eyes and that full, dark mouth. She reminded herself what he was, recalled him running the blade across those throats like it meant nothing. She nodded, and they moved forward together.

  As they broke into the clearing where Rania, Larry and Arty had fallen back, they saw that there were perhaps ten men left. Rania was landing a punch on the jaw of a man who loomed above her, like a giant. He grabbed at her, but she was too fast, spinning around behind him and kicking at the back of his legs. As he fell, she brought the butt of her rifle down on his skull, and Lecanora heard a loud crack before the man slid unconscious to the ground.

  Larry had a man at his back and another advancing on him, waving a branch near his face. Lecanora watched as Larry lunged for the man with the branch, scratching at his face and leaving long red blood trails there. Larry kicked the man hard in the stomach as Doug leapt forward and tore the second man from his back, punching him viciously and kicking him once he was down. But both men got up again.

  Doug and Larry paused a moment, and Lecanora felt she knew what they were thinking, even though Aegirans have no telepathic access to human minds. They were astonished at the strength of these soldiers. But Lecanora knew what she could do. Even though she was focused on Rania, who was now in a wrestling match with another solider, she paused on her way through the melee, aiming a swift, high kick at the middle of one soldier’s back, right where his water-breathing rose from. The weakest place. The man buckled like seaweed. She had never used her knowledge and strength against another of her people, and the action took her breath away, as did how thoughtlessly she had done it. She watched Doug raise his eyebrows at her as he took the move in, and spun around to copy it on the other man.

  And then she was with Rania. Two men advanced on her sister. She was like the epicenter of a storm. They sensed it, and so did she. Seeing Lecanora, they paused, almost as though, for a tiny moment they were themselves, and recognized her. Then they continued, one moving towards Rania, the other turning to Lecanora. She did not know where it came from, but she knew to wait. She almost felt she could hear her mother’s voice, guiding her.

  Be still; be ready.

  As the man was almost upon her, as he lunged for her, eyes pale and focused, she stepped away, allowing the force of his move to propel him forward onto the rocky ground. As he fell onto his stomach, he rolled, but she slammed a heel down into his stomach, hearing his muffled oomph and the intake of air that suggested she had connected with the delicate gastrointestinal organs.

  But soon he was up, and back at her. This time she crouched, letting him fall on her before she stood and carried him with her, ramming him against a nearby tree and ensuring the soft parts of his skull connected with it. He did not get up.

  She spun back to where Rania was now fighting two men. They had her pinned to the ground, and she was swinging punches wildly as they began to drag her away. Before Lecanora could reach the first of them, a dark shape beat her to it. A deep, throaty voice yelled, ‘Get off her, you fuckers,’ as Arty launched himself at the melee, tearing one of the men from his daughter. The soldier turned and delivered a massive punch to Arty’s head. Arty stood still for a second, before falling to his knees. The man turned back to Rania but Arty was up again, slamming punches into his back as he screamed, ‘Is that the best you got, asshole?’

  Lecanora darted around to the other side of Rania and swiped her attacker’s legs away, relishing the thud as he fell to the stony ground. She rose up to her full height, about to land a blow with her joined hands on his sternum, but Rania beat her to it. She lifted her head and cracked it down onto his skull, the ensuing thud blunt and ominous.

  But two more advanced in their place. Lecanora stood next to her sister, watching them move forward, following the frantic racing of Rania’s thoughts and considering the best way to assist. The men were upon them, and behind them Lecanora saw more advancing, a relentless line. One young man, unusually thickset for an Aegiran, launched himself at her, and from the corner of her eye she saw two more set upon Rania. Her lungs thundered at the unfamiliar stress on her body, but she held up her arms to try to beat off the blow. She saw Arty launch himself at her attacker.

  And then from nowhere, a dark shape seemed to materialize from the trees. It powered towards Rania, tearing the men from her with an insane bellow that sounded almost supernatural. The figure was a maelstrom—landing blows on their assailants with an unleashed rage that made Lecanora somehow more afraid than she had been moments before. Even when they were down, he continued to beat and kick at them. Lecanora was vaguely aware of Rania staggering to her feet and then her strangled cry. ‘Carragheen?’

  Then they both heard it at the same time, a voice in their brains. It was Lunia. They heard her calling to them even before they heard the roar of the engine.

  ‘Dad, Larry, Doug,’ Rania called, dragging Carragheen, ‘this way.’ She pointed to an approaching light on the path to the left of the clearing. ‘Shake ‘em off.’

  ‘Shake ‘em off, she says,’ Doug grunted, turning around with a
huge man on his shoulders. Rania lifted her pistol and shot the man twice in the shoulder. He dropped.

  ‘Okay, so shake him off,’ he said, jogging over to join the others, as the sounds of a car engine gunned into their brains. They raced to the path, Lecanora aware of the bodies that followed them.

  As the trees parted, she saw Lunia’s steely beauty framed by the windscreen, all the doors opened. They jumped in, clambering over each other and shutting the doors.

  ‘Lunia,’ Arty said, like he was greeting a friend. ‘You look great, honey. What took you so long?’

  * * *

  Doug had lit a fire. It wasn’t cold, but he had seen Lecanora shiver as she sat on the rock, thinking back over all that had happened. He had leapt up and begun to gather wood and construct the thing. Lecanora watched him, his strong limbs moving with a leonine grace as he performed the task in way that made Lecanora sure it was very familiar to him.

  As she watched the flames leap to life, she was impressed. Fire was still a novelty for her, although she had seen it sometimes at sea, and she knew of the power of flame. She could not take her eyes from Doug’s face in the firelight. In another time, another life, it would have been lush and decadent. Those full lips and those eloquent brown eyes. That dimple right in the center of his chin that lent him a boyish prettiness. But in repose, studying the fire, you could see the wounds of his life—the strange angle to the nose that had been broken one too many times. The scars that sliced storylines across his face and neck. And, Lecanora knew, when he looked directly at you, you saw the other scars. The ones that showed up in his eyes. She wondered how Rania could bear to look at them and not go to him, shield him and help him.

  And yet, after tonight, she knew he needed no protection.

  She remembered him, slicing at those necks. He was a killer.

  She dragged her eyes from the fire maker, and considered the bedraggled circle sitting on stones around him. Directly across the fire sat Arty and Larry, rubbing their hands together in front of the flames as though it were mid-winter.

  On this side of the fire, sitting next to her, was Lunia and Rania. Carragheen was wrapped in a blanket in front of the large rock Rania sat on, and he was shivering. Rania was rubbing his arms and feeding him sips of water. Lecanora shook her head. It was almost impossible to believe that this weak, spent man was the same one who had torn himself from the stream seconds after song-travelling, and plucked attackers from his lover like flies.

  Rania was speaking to him in a low voice. ‘It will pass, Carragheen,’ she said. ‘You need to rest, drink. And then, in a little while, eat. You have hydroported too much this last week. Your body cannot take it. You are only a man.’

  ‘Or somethin’,’ Arty grunted from the other side of the circle, eyeing the newcomer with narrowed eyes.

  ‘Arty,’ Lunia said, standing and crooking a finger at him. ‘Could we walk? I think there are some things we’re a little overdue to discuss.’

  Arty sighed and stood. ‘Uh-oh,’ he said. ‘I think I’m about to get a talking-to. Still.’ He sighed. ‘Never could say not to that woman,’ he muttered as he followed Lunia into the trees.

  Doug stood as he placed the last small sticks on the fire and nodded, satisfied it was taking. The group sat staring at the growing flames for long minutes.

  Lecanora did not know what anyone else was thinking, not even Rania, whose brain was a closed curtain of fretting for Carragheen. She assumed they were all processing what had occurred, like her, and thinking through what would come.

  ‘So,’ Doug said eventually. ‘What now?’

  Rania cleared her throat. ‘We go ahead as planned,’ she said. ‘We head to Williamstown tonight, jump the plane tomorrow. Get to Boston. Now it’s even more important. We need to brief The Land people, and Susan Murray has to be our starting point.’

  ‘Why?’ Doug shook his head. ‘Why her? Why are y’all so goddamned obsessed with that one woman?’ He paced beside the fire, running his hands through his hair. ‘What I saw tonight, we need to talk to the authorities alright. This sick bastard, Manos? He’s got some highly suspect plans, and they aren’t just about Aegira.’

  Lecanora went to Doug and placed a hand on his chest. He stilled as she did it. She tried to will patience into his heart; the patience to listen, and understand their plan. ‘You are right, Doug, and I understand. Your people must be safe also. But I have two concerns. The first is being believed. We need a way in. And my mother believes Susan Murray is the way.’

  Doug covered his hand with hers. ‘And…?’ Lecanora momentarily lost her train of thought as she felt the creeping warmth of Doug’s hand spread through her. Doug tapped lightly on her hand. ‘The second?’

  Lecanora shook her head, snatching her hand back so her brain would work properly. ‘The safety of my nation. I know much of your Land people. I know how you deal with…’ She paused, trying to find the right way to say this that did not sound insulting to this Land man, who had proved himself to be both all she knew about Land people, and so very different. ‘I know how your people sometimes deal with difference.’

  Doug laughed, a rich, meaty sound that warmed Lecanora’s blood even more. ‘Well put, Princess,’ he said. Then he paused. ‘And you really think this woman is the way?’

  Lecanora nodded.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because my mother says so.’

  Doug shook his head. ‘Well, my ma says that the only way to make sure you marry a nice girl is not to sleep with her before you do, but that don’t make it so.’

  Lecanora felt that creeping blush again, the one that only this man had ever brought out in her.

  ‘‘Scuse me, Lec—’ Doug stopped himself. ‘Princess,’ he said. ‘That was crude. I—’

  This time, Larry intervened. ‘Well, I for one, think Lecanora’s mother has a point,’ he said. ‘Susan Murray is soon to be president. Everyone knows it, barring any major catastrophes. And she’s smart. And reasonable. The current guy…’ He trailed off, looking hard into the flames. ‘Not so much, y’know? I think he might see a bunch of deep-sea dwelling oddballs as a neat new enemy to fuel an election win.’

  Rania nodded. ‘Not so much of the oddballs thanks, Larry.’

  Larry nodded. ‘Point taken,’ he said. ‘So. What next? We can’t leave those bodies back there. At some point, we’re going to be need to go back and clean up.’

  Lecanora stood. ‘I need to go, too,’ she said, thinking about the bird she’d left trapped in the tree. ‘I have to make something right while I am there.’

  Larry inclined his head to Rania. ‘What about the mess?’ He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Sooner or later those guards are going to be discovered. And Arty. He’s gonna have disappeared, and I’m afraid they might link the two things.’ He shook his head. ‘It won’t look good for your dad, Rania.’

  Rania grunted. ‘Unfortunately,’ she said, ‘I think for now that might be the least of our worries.’

  Chapter 8

  Week Two, Day Four Boston Party time

  It was almost noon, and the airport was cool and crowded. Adrenaline coursed through Lecanora as her feet touched the smooth tiled floor. Both her arms were linked with a support person: one through one of Rania’s arms, and one through one of Lunia’s. Her legs still felt shaky. ‘It was like a dream,’ she said, reliving the moments again. ‘The takeoff, that leap into the air. And the feeling of being in the clouds, actually up in the clouds.’ She could still feel the rush of it.

  ‘Cool it, babe,’ Rania said quietly, motioning with her hand at the crowds around them.

  Lecanora looked around quickly, noticing the interested stares of passers-by. ‘What are they all looking at?’

  Before Rania could answer, Doug unhooked her from the arms of her mother and sister and wrapped one of her arms through his. ‘Honey,’ he said quietly. ‘That’s a great dress you’re wearing, but you’ve got half a foot on your sister, and every guy in the place is sure glad you do right no
w. Then there’s your voice—I know you’re excited, but you need to keep it down a little. It sure is pretty. But it’s…well… different, y’know? And—’

  ‘And?’ Lecanora felt ashamed that she had been drawing attention to them all.

  Doug stopped, and turned her gently to face him. Then he took the shoes she was holding in her hands from her and knelt in front of her. ‘I know they hurt your feet, Princess,’ he said softly. ‘But you really need to put them on. Just for now.’

  ‘They are ridiculous,’ Lecanora said, turning to Rania. ‘You do not wear such things.’ She took in Rania’s practical knee-high black boots.

  ‘I’m sorry, honey,’ Rania said to her mother. ‘They’re the only ones either of us had that fit you.’

  ‘Here, let me help.’ Doug winked at Lecanora as he knelt in front of her and placed first one then the other shoe on her feet. Lecanora shuddered as calloused hands scraped on the tender flesh of feet used to the deep ocean. As he slid the second shoe on, he massaged the ball of Lecanora’s foot a little. ‘That help?’

  ‘No,’ Lecanora said honestly, feeling a delicious kind of fire dance up her leg and straight into her center. ‘It makes me think about mating.’

  Rania and Lunia, who were watching intently, laughed.

  Larry and Arty, who had been striding ahead, turned back at the sound. ‘Be careful, buddy,’ Arty growled. ‘Guys who put high-heeled slippers on princesses’ feet can end up with more than they bargained for.’ Then Arty considered the battle-scarred giant. ‘You sure look like you can take care of yourself, but then, you never met an—’ He walked back to Lunia and spoke quietly. ‘What did you say you folk call yourselves again? Aegirans?’

  Arty came up and unhooked Doug’s arm from Lecanora’s, and Lecanora felt a sudden sense of loss as Doug’s warm body was shoved aside. She liked Arty, but he seemed to have appointed himself her protector. She looked over his shoulder at Rania and Lunia.