Through the eyes of a Stranger

Chapter 11

They came upon the lion, only to discover a man hanging upside down and facing the other way a few feet next to it. Emmitt and Tessa quickly went up to the man swords and daggers at the ready. "He's knocked out hard." Tessa said. "I'll examine him quickly than and get that out of the way." Emmitt said . "His face, I think I know him he seems familiar but I'm not sure why it's kind of fuzzy." Tessa said wrestling with her mind to just unlock this man from her thoughts.

"That does not matter here chief. We have our own laws here." Emmitt reminded her with his sword ready and close to the new man's neck. "Hey. Hey!" Emmitt hollered trying to get the sleeping man awake and his attention. Julian startled awake. Looking up facing Emmitt as he was the only one in view. "Who are you?" Emmitt asked with a voice that demanded respect and authority.

"I need to examine your body. Before you answer that. If you pass you will be cut down and brought back to our other leaders where you may be offered help. If you fail, well let's just cross that bridge if we come to it. I will take thin needles to your back chest it will be quick if you stay still. "Julian just nodded. "Alright do what you need to do." Emmitt took about ten minutes but was very through. "You are clean. You are no shadow or Tentoria. What would make you cross into the hunting lands?" Emmitt asked him curiously. "I crashed not far from here. I'm looking for someone." Emmitt listened carefully as he cut the man down. He helped Julian to his feet.

"I'm looking for..." Julian stopped talking when he looked up and just started starring at Tessa as if she were a ghost. Julian charged quickly straight for her throwing his arms around embracing her in the tightest hug he's ever been a part of out of fear that she may float away. Emmitt close behind about to yak the strange man off of her but paused when he heard him finally spoke. "You're ok!, you're alive. I've been looking for you for so long and your finally here." He pulled away looking her over from head to toe. "Calm down there buddy."

She said in a steady voice. "Do I know you?" The question hit him like a knife in his heart had just ripped it out. "Tessa it's me, it's Julian. It's Jules. It's me Tess." He said pointing his palm to himself. He grabbed her hands and put on eon his heart. "Your memory has not returned fully yet after all this time?" Emmitt saw the man in front of him look so defeated and broken almost felt sorry for him.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Emmitt said putting himself between Tessa and the strange man still not sure whether he's a true friend or another traitor. Tessa sliding behind Emmitt feeling more comfortable behind him than the strange touchy man. "I am Julian Rodriguez I'm the President of Atheo and the people aboard the United Destiny ship up there in space over us right now. I don't mean to cause any friction with your people, but it is my first time or any of our Leaders besides Riley first time down here; and I came for my people. I came here for Tessa mostly." "Did you finally start to notice your chief was missing there did ya? Why have you waited so long to come? She's been here for months."

"It was not safe to leave my people until now I came as fast as I possibly could get here. Tess is way more to me than just some title of chief warrior." Julian almost barked the last part back. "How much more? Why would the President himself come to come find one woman?" Tessa asked curiously in a mocking tone. "You are not one woman. You are the only woman. You're my best friend Tessa. We're engaged to be married. Your my one and only woman." Julian pleaded with her in hopes that sparks some memory of him.

"YOU! You're the man I covered when the two bombs went off. I got stabbed for you! And what did you do in return you sent me on the first pod out of there to crash in the middle of the woods without memories, a letter, or even a damn canteen of water. Hell rabid dogs got more than that. How could you do that to your best friend. "She said friend in the most sarcastic tone she could muster using her fingers for quotations.