Hinterland (The Aftermath #2)

Chapter Eleven

Blood from who?

I worried about Heuglin, even though I didn't know her that well, but she did save me and Zenon's life.

And Len's.

Oh, God no. That could not have been Len, right? I'd forgotten all about her. She was here somewhere. Alive. She was alive, and I knew it.

Hopefully.

"What the heck did you do?" Zenon asked. He tried to sound fierce but failed to do so. I could hear the quivering in his voice. He was also probably thinking about Len.

"What did we do?" Haleport laughed. "Just some trouble went on."

"Did you kill someone?" he asked, staring at Talon, who held his reddened hands in front of him, examining them like he hadn't noticed before.

"I guess so," Talon said. "No need for ye to worry. They're dead now."

"Who were they?"

"How was I s'posed to know? There were so many of 'em... and they attacked us."

"So more than one?"

"Boy, you're even stupider than I thought. Course there was. Ye think one man'd be such a threat?" Man. He said man. It most likely wasn't Len or Heuglin, but what about Erin and Shane and everyone else?

"The threats have been eradicated," said Haleport.

Eradicated. Killed.

"Did you kill any... girls?" Zenon said.

"Girls? Boy, there were prob'ly many of 'em. I didn't notice too much when they all came crashin' toward us early in the mornin'. Stupid people. They ruined my sleepin' hours. They deserved to die." Talon crossed his arms and made a tsk sound.

Zenon stopped talking. I guessed he figured there was no point anymore.

"Alright, kiddies, let's get you unlocked," said Haleport. He pulled the key from his pocket and undid the cuffs. I wondered where he had picked the key up from-maybe better not to know.

I tumbled to the ground when my arm was released and quickly got to my feet. For some reason I just didn't feel as safe with myself so close to the ground, especially with all the bodies surrounding us a few feet away. Some of which I killed personally.

"Come with us to the train station," Haleport said. "Word's been getting around that it's a good hiding place. A perfect hunting place, too. Unfortunately, that was the last word we got from our messenger. Found him after he disappeared ten days later dead. Oh well. We replaced him. Right, Talon?"

"Yes, sir," he said. "I'll be more careful than the last one."

"Darn right you will, or say goodbye to your life."

"Yes, sir."

"So, overnight I hope you thought about your loyalty to us," Haleport said. "And now you must know that you're lucky we didn't kill you. If another assemblage came along and you were alone, they'd kill you both in a heartbeat."

"Yes, sir." And it wasn't Talon who said it, it was Zenon.

"Good, good," he said.

"So, let's go then," said Zenon. I almost shot a look at him, but I knew what he was doing. Something that would work.

"A'ight, boy. Sorry for all the hassle and torture, but you needed it to understand. What about you, girlie? You gonna be faithful to us?" Haleport said.

I stayed silent for a couple seconds. If I answered right away, he'd know for sure something was up.

"Fine," I said.