Aftermath of the Reckoning

Chapter 6

Ice knew Howitzer was not around to see the grin and he couldn’t conceal his enjoyment of what would soon follow.

Hate was not an emotion Ice commonly experienced. If anything, he usually felt dead to emotion. However, he hated Patch.

Not because Patch killed Karnakle. But because Patch joined the Harvesters merely a year ago and already had Howitzer’s favor. Patch could do no wrong in Howitzer’s eyes, so when Howitzer ordered the search for Patch, Ice felt a joy unlike that of any he’d felt in a very long time.

This was not to be a capture-and-return-alive mission, at least not to Ice. The team was authorized to use lethal force if necessary to ensure Patch did not escape. In spite of pitiful state of the man before him - clearly escape wasn’t an option - Ice did not intend to let his chance slip away.

That was before a small rock lodged into the back of his skull. He fell to his knees and the world became blurry.

***

Zoey tossed a sizeable rock to the south. The loud crash drew the hunters’ attention and the woman split off to investigate.

However, Ice managed to locate the cave and stepped inside.

Heart racing, Zoey realized she didn’t have much time. Palming a rock the size of a marble, she hurled it at the estimated location of the man’s head - which was now partially concealed by the cave brush. Desperation creeping into her thoughts, she subconsciously gave it a small push with her mind.

She heard a man fall and hoped Patch would be safe for now. She didn’t have time to confirm since the ponytail woman appeared in view to her left, heading straight for the cave.

Zoey threw another small rock, this time aiming at the girl. The rock missed the woman’s head and clipped a tree, sending bark flying.

The woman immediately spotted Zoey and hid behind a hickory tree.

Realizing she’d been seen, Zoey broke into a full sprint toward the woman.

I need to end this quickly, before the tall man recovers.

Zoey did not enjoy combat but she had a wealth of experience. In most environments she could move with great stealth and her skills with a knife had rarely been matched.

Additionally, she had a talent for turning mundane objects into deadly weapons. She understood that this was partly due to her aspect and therefore avoided such opportunities unless she absolutely lacked other options. Her aspect made it trivial for her to push things, so much so that she’d sometimes find herself doing it without intent. However, with deliberate concentration, she could move large objects and perhaps more. She stopped exploring the deeper nuances of her aspect many years ago. Not since 2012 when a trusted physician - he called her ability telekinesis - betrayed her and what remained of her family.

Suddenly, an arrow flew by, tearing Zoey’s jacket and lacerating her left arm. Gritting her teeth in pain, she continued dashing forward.

The woman peeked out and prepared to take another shot. Zoey dodged behind a tree adjacent to the woman’s location as the the projectile tore through the air.

***

Amaretto cursed and dropped her bow, instead retrieving her hunting dagger. She knelt with her back against the tree and listened for movement.

The ribbed, leather wrapped handle of the blade reminded her of the early days, years ago, when Ice taught her the art of knife fighting. She fell countless times to Ice’s superior skill and required a month longer than anticipated to complete the training program. The bow served as her primary weapon and she only gripped her knife when lacking all other options. At this moment, a mysterious and deadly woman lurked just feet away. She lacked options.

Digging the fingers of her free hand into the ground, Amaretto closed her eyes and concentrated. Even as a child, she accumulated the praises of others whenever demonstrating her uncanny ability to locate nearly any living animal. Footprints or disturbed vegetation stood out like beacons of light, guiding her. Since the Reckoning, this inherent ability strengthened, to the point where she could sense living things through the earth, even over moderate distances. She could distinguish size and shape, at least to the extent where her mind visualized humans different from other animals.

Given the proximity, this woman should stand out like pyre of flame in the night. However she sensed no humans in the immediate vicinity. Expanding her radius of perception, she felt the men at a further distance.

I don’t understand. Unless…

Amaretto opened her eyes and looked up to the tree branches now rustling above her. A shadow...perched on a large branch of the hickory?

But it was too late. A sizeable rock had already initiated downward flight to its designated target.

Abruptly, pain erupted in her hand, causing her dagger to fall.

The shadow dropped from the tree, its feet drilling into her shoulder blades, sending her sprawling face down on the ground. The attacker straddled her back, bearing down with enough weight to force the air out of her lungs. Before Amaretto could recover, the cold slick metal of a dagger - her dagger - pressed against her neck.

“Please...don’t kill me,” Amaretto whispered, still struggling to regain her breath.

The knife hesitated and then pressed harder against her skin. “My arm still bleeds from an arrow you launched at me, and you ask me to let you live?”

“I’m sorry...just...please…what is your name?” Amaretto mumbled into the ground.

“Zoey.”

“My name...is Amaretto. I know the clan leader...Howitzer,” Amaretto pleaded, sounding hopeful. “We can work something out.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“Take my rope and use it to bind my wrists. I will not resist. Just please believe me.”

“And this Howitzer person, why would he value your life any more than Patch?”

“Because I did not betray him,” Amaretto responded with indignation. And then, quieter, “And...I carry his child.”

***

Howitzer entered the cave to find the two men sprawled on the ground, Ice bleeding from the head and Patch sweating with what appeared to be severe fever.

“Ice, status report!” Howitzer demanded, as he withdrew his own machete and hovered it over Patch’s face.

“Sir, m’ head—”

“I can see your bleeding head you dumb ass! Can you return to base?”

Ice rolled over, clutching his head and attempted to stand. He wavered and fell back to the ground hard.

“Shit, that’s just what I need,” Howitzer exclaimed, turning toward Patch. “You boy, heal the man, and I will give you a quick death instead of the torture I had in mind.”

“Howitzer, you don’t understand...Karnakle is not dead.” Patch rasped, struggling to maintain consciousness in his fever induced state.

Howitzer spat, “You lie boy! I saw him with my eyes. Now heal this man before I change my mind and sever your fingers one by one. Just like you did to Karnakle.”

Patch responded, “I can’t heal him, I’m too—”

“You CAN and you WILL heal him!” Howitzer grabbed Patch by the collar and pulled him across the ground. He then placed Patch’s hand on Ice’s head. “Now get to work!”