Catalyst

Chapter 11

warnings: Language, violence

Chapter 11:
402 A.V; Month 9; Day 7

He'd kept his hands to himself at least. We stopped as dawn slowly brightened the horizon. I slipped off the horse first and looked at the vast plain before us. A breeze stirred the grass and the faint orange light started to illuminate it from behind us. I let out a breath and sat down amongst the grass, just glad to be alive. Sabre pulled our things from the horse and set his bag on the reins, so that the horse wouldn't go anywhere.

"So," he said after he sat down beside me, "What'd you tell Greene?"

"I didn't tell him anything," I answered, looking at him.

"He's second lieutenant of the Underground," Sabre said, picking at the grass around us. The breeze swirled his hair around and pushed it into his face.

"Yeah, he told me that. He knew that Andon took the weapons without permission and Priam sent him after Andon. That's why he was in that basement because Andon put him there." Sabre let out an amused chuckle.

"Priam will have Andon's hide for that one." I took in a breath and let it out slowly; maybe I should've kept quiet.

"Well I killed him and you said he was a piece of shit, so, we're in the same boat."

"Priam won't know that. He'll just manage to find out that Andon caused his second lieutenant to get caught by the Carkaresh Army."

"I don't understand how the Underground is located in Carkaresh," I muttered, changing the subject. If I were to come to Andon's defense, we'd be back down the same road again.

"The Underground isn't technically in Carkaresh. Even though the Traders Ring is considered a part of Carkaresh, it really isn't. The Traders Ring is located around the city and it's where people too poor or too stupid go to try and make a life. It's run down and in disrepair, that's why the trains from outside are brought in underground, so patrons don't see the nasty mess. The Traders Ring is separated from Carkaresh by several hundred miles of booby-trapped land, meant to look friendly, but it's not."

"So it's in the Traders Ring?"

"Yes, in it and underneath it. We can easily find recruits in the Traders Ring. We give hope to the hopeless."

"But you do nothing," I stated, "Nikola could've been dead by now."

"We have limited resources, Alloy. We do what we can without getting annihilated."

"If he's dead you wouldn't have to worry about that."

"You piss me off," he muttered and laid back onto the ground.

Tired and sore, I laid back too, keeping space between us because I didn't want him getting any ideas. The sky was slowly brightening and I watched the clouds float overhead. My mind went to what Greene had said, about Storm and Andon. My concern was finding someone I could trust. My gut said Andon, but I didn't really know him all that well. I guess I would find out who to trust when I got there. Eventually, I did fall asleep.

Several hours later, I woke to the sun beating down on my face and sat up. The horse was still there, munching on grass. Sabre was still lying on the ground, so I shoved him.

"What?" he asked.

"We have to keep moving, plus I'm sure lying in any sort of direct sunlight will burn any skin you have showing."

He sat up with a frown on his face before standing. I sat there for a moment, knowing I was going to have to share the same horse with him. He'd enjoy it, no doubt. Sabre was waiting by the horse, who tore at the grass with its mouth, flicking its ears and swishing its tail at flies. He gestured for me to hop on first, so I pulled myself up onto the horse with trepidation. Sabre followed and I was waiting for him to try something, but he didn't. He kept himself still and his hands to himself.