Last Of The Revenants: Awakening » Places

         

“We’re coming in there with you.” Benji Lewis was not a prophet. He couldn’t see the future, and he certainly wasn’t a spinner of fates. But sometimes the Earth spoke to him. The trees liked to gossip, and the rivers and creeks that crossed their path were often unexpectedly wise when giving advice, if at times their sage words were hard to interpret. It was the North Wind though, who often whispered warnings, vague and haunting, that should never be ignored. All morning it had rustled his hair, leaving him with a growing sense of dread, and a bone deep certainty that if he let his sister go into the compound alone, he’d never see her alive again.

“Absolutely not.” His sister replied flatly, eyes still glued to the checkpoint ahead as she tried to decide what the best approach should be. Their mission hadn’t exactly gone swimmingly. Sarah Grey had been dead when they arrived at the campsite, and any knowledge of whatever she’d done with the valuables she'd stolen from Reynes was gone with her. The only thing of value they’d found in the campsite’s wreckage that might appease the Mob Boss who swanned about Armadillo in his immaculate pinstriped suits, was an inconspicuous black box. It was tech of some kind, Darcy could tell that much, possibly a data drive for a computer. That stuff was pretty rare out here though, so the hunter couldn’t say with any kind of certainty what it really did. It was just as likely the box was a worthless piece of scrap metal, and if that were the case, Reynes was going to be pissed.

“Darcy, yes.” Her brother insisted with a stubbornness the Lewis clan was famous for.

“Benji, no.” Darcy snapped back with the same tone. It was childish perhaps, but she hated the idea enough to not care.

“You know how he is. We’d never make it back to the cabin before nightfall.” Benji replied, sounding annoyingly reasonable.

“The two of you could make it if you left now.” Darcy reasoned back, looking up at the sky to gauge their remaining daylight. If Reynes tried to play his usual mind games and kept her waiting until late afternoon, she’d have to stay the night inside the compound’s walls, but there was no reason for all three of them to be. Or in the line of fire. She thought darkly.

“And leave you in there alone?” Benji replied incredulously. “I know you think you can manage Reynes, but he’s dangerous. What happens if he decides that isn’t enough?” He asked with annoyingly sound logic as he gestured to their only bargaining chip in hand. Darcy thought it might be worth something, but if she was wrong, Reynes was going to take it out of somebody’s hide, and she prefered it wasn’t Benji’s. Or the kid’s.

“Then I’ll figure something out.” Darcy bit back, Blue’s tail swishing to match her irritation. She always did. Darcy was a good hunter, and one of the best trackers Reynes had to call on. She had to gamble that her talent, and the little black box, was of enough value to keep them in the black. Or at least the other option off the table. “Even more reason for you two to stay clear.”

“What is the point of me having this at all if we never use it.” Benji asked firmly with ID card in hand, silver eyes flashing with rarely seen steel as he made his position clear. “I’m not saying we go to the meeting with you, we’ll keep out of sight, but if you end up needing backup, I need to be there to help.”

Darcy’s eyes trailed back to the wall, troubled and looking for weaknesses. Sneaking in was risky, even before they’d tightened the security checkpoints. “If they scan his ID, Reynes will know about it within an hour.” She cautioned, green eyes flicking back to the boy sitting on her brother’s horse. Simon was a brave kid, the hunter didn’t doubt that after all she’s seen of him, but Malachi Reynes was the Devil himself, and had an unhealthy interest in children.

“How long do you think we’d be able to keep the fact he’s living with us a secret?” Benji pointed out sceptically. He had no love for the idea of Simon anywhere near the monster they were indebted to, but Reynes had a way of ferreting out secrets.Trying to hide Simon now would only put a target on his back. Better to blend in plain sight now with a few sympathetic guns about, so the bastard couldn’t cry foul play later.

Darcy’s lips twisted in distaste, eyes narrowed as she paced about in that stubborn manner Benji recognized as her last holdout of resistance to the inevitable. He was right, and she knew it. “Fine.” She gritted out after a moment, finally stilling her feet with a great heaved sigh. “But you two stay in the Inn. And if shit goes sideways-”

“I am not leaving you in there.” Benji said with a hard look of his own. He might not have the tenacious will, or protective reputation of his sibling, but Benji cared deeply, sometimes too deeply, about her welfare. They were all the family the other had, and while they had mutually agreed to grow their ranks by one after finding and rescuing the brave, if traumatized little Simon Grey, he wasn’t about to lose his sister in the process.

“I’m not saying leave me for dead.” Darcy allowed slowly, the lie smooth if obvious as it slid past her lips. “But get somewhere safe and think through your options before you charge in without a plan.” Malachi Reynes practically owned this town, if he decided he wanted Darcy dead, there wasn’t much they could do about it in all honesty. She didn’t think it would come to that, but she wished her brother would be more practical about their options if she was wrong.

“Fine.” Benji answered after a long pause with heated stares, silver sparking against green in a test of wills that neither turned away from truly winning. Benji could lie too, he thought uncharitably as they walked back to the horses.

***

Auggie’s Place was a cozy hole in the wall all things considered. It wasn’t as grand as the Pavilion, just adjacent to it’s more illicit sister business the Red Pony, with it’s consistently running electric lights and plumbing, but to most hunters in the area of more modest means, it was something close to a second home. August McClain (Whom the before mentioned establishment was named for) ran a clean place. The beds were warm, the drinks were stiff, and while gambling wasn’t a main feature on the establishment’s floor, it wasn’t uncommon to see hunters there playing a friendly hand of cards. It also didn’t hurt that Auggie was as deft a hand in the kitchen as he was with a surgeon's needle, though it was generally unwise for one to comment to that effect. As the current beneficiary of said talents, Benji was inclined to not irritate his host, even if it felt impolite.

“Eat up kid!” Auggie ordered gruffly, sweeping over the pair with sharp assessing eyes from behind the counter of his bar. Simon, who’d looked a little hesitant and withdrawn a moment ago, practically jumped to attention before dutifully reaching for one of the golden wedges of potato. The child’s lack of appetite was understandable given the day he’d just had. Wendigo’s were a terrifying sight for grown men with weapons and experience, facing one down as a child after watching his mother ripped apart was unimaginable. It was a wonder Simon was holding it together as well as he was. Comfort food wasn’t about to miraculously heal scars to the heart running that deep, but Benji still smiled as he watched the boy reach tentatively for a second wedge. Sometimes it did at least stem the bleeding.

“You too boy!” Auggie barked, attention now directed at Benji, who hadn’t taken a single bite so far. “You’re getting thin.” The crusty old hunter grumbled in clear disapproval. Benji just smiled and dutifully reached for a wedge of his own. The young revenant had always been thin, gangly even as an awkward growing youth, but it was Auggie’s prerogative to mother hen, and Benji didn’t have the heart to gainsay him. So instead, Benji chattered away with a steady stream of topics, mostly about the cabin and the community of wildlife that made up their neighbors, counting it a win every time Simon laughed with his little smile, or asked questions. Still, he couldn’t help how his eyes kept glancing at the door every time it opened. Darcy had been gone a while now, and even knowing that would undoubtedly be the case did not easy the gnawing pit in the revenant's stomach.

***

Reynes was late. Darcy knew he would be, had certainly dealt with the man enough times to know his penchant for controlling a meeting with fashionable entrances. It didn’t stop her from being annoyed about it though. It had already been over an hour, and leaning against the alley wall, there wasn’t much she could do except wait, and stew. Which was rather the point, she was willing to bet. The sun was still up, but the evening shadows had begun to hug the streets more heavily. Clutching the cool piece of metal in her jacket pocket, she tried not to think too heavily on that sense of foreboding. So far it was proving difficult.

“Woof!” Darcy blinked, green eyes turning to the sound that announced she was suddenly not alone. Standing there, not six feet away, was a dog. Large and athletic with beautiful rich brown and black fur, his chocolate eyes and long perked ears made for quite the regal sight. Clearly he looked well cared for, and Darcy couldn’t help the smile that slowly spread across her lips at the sight.


“Hey there handsome.” Darcy drawled softly, hand extended as she moved into a comfortable crouch in clear invitation. At first, she wasn’t sure he’d come, their eyes merely locked for a moment, but all at once it seemed a decision was made, and Darcy found herself practically crowded up against the wall as he bounded forward for her offered attention.

“Alright now!” Darcy laughed, hands starting behind his ears before moving down in an easy rhythm of rub and scratch that earned a large pink tongue lolling out for her efforts. “What is a sweet boy like you doing out here on his own?” Darcy practically cooed. This had to be somebody’s dog, he was too friendly for her to be convinced otherwise, and coupled with the collar around his neck, she figured there had to be someone looking for him. Her fingers dipped down to find the tag on his collar, proclaiming him as “Chief”, but no other information that might be useful in an effort to find his owner.


“Well isn’t this charming.” A voice Darcy knew too well intoned from the entrance of the alley. Her smile was gone in an instant, and after one last pet to the top of his head, Darcy stood and turned to face the devil himself. “Makes me feel nostalgic, watching you on your knees here. Back then that meant I was about to get paid though. From what I hear, you managed to bungle things up quite nicely.” Darcy grit her teeth at the obvious insult. She knew Reynes always picked this alley as a meeting spot to throw salt into wounds, but rising to his bait wasn’t going to be helpful.

“She was dead when we got there. Last I checked, I'm just a hunter. Raising people from the dead isn’t exactly in my professional skill set.” Darcy shot back, trying not to let herself be put on the back foot. It was true enough after all. Darcy and Benji, much like every other Lewis hunter for that matter, were well known in the area for their skill as trackers. They’d found the camp site Sarah Grey had been hiding out at, in under a day, faster than anyone else Reynes might have sent out would have. That didn’t make her a miracle worker though. Hiding out in the Wastelands was dangerous for a reason. She and Benji had been able to kill the wendigo that tore through the camp, but they hadn’t made it in time to save anyone. Except Simon.

“Oh my dear, I think we both know you’ve never been just a hunter.” He replied with a mean, knowing smile as he leaned forward. “And if memory serves, those lips of yours can do some pretty magical things when properly motivated.” His hand reached out as if to touch her face, and Darcy had to fight down the acrid taste in the back of her throat.


Darcy couldn’t mask the mix of shame and anger in her eyes, which was the wrong move she knew immediately, since it would only make Reynes pursue the issue more. She’s known the man long enough to recognize he loved nothing more than forcing people to do something they hated. His fingers were almost touching her cheek when the growling started. Chief, with teeth bared and ears pinned, made his feelings known on the matter with two aggressive barks as he moved to stand between them. Reynes paused, a look so uncharacteristically uneasy sweeping across his face, that Darcy could almost convince herself it hasn’t happened as he schooled it into indifferent stillness. Almost.

“Might want to keep those hands to yourself.” Darcy interjected cheekily. She’d probably pay for that comment later, but for now, in this moment, she was too satisfied to care.

“Where’s the boy?” Reynes shifted gears immediately with a flat look, all earlier good humor replaced by the cold calculator she knew always lurked beneath the surface.

“Somewhere safe. He’ll be staying with us from now on.” Darcy replied without flinching.

“Unacceptable.” He cut in at once. “His mother died still owing me over thirty thousand credits. I own him.”

“That’s not gonna work for me.” She kept her voice even and firm, signaling without words this was not a negotiable point for her.

“Are you looking to take on his debt?” He asked with mild interest, that spark of malicious humor returning to his dark eyes. “I wouldn’t mind owning you again Miss Lewis, truth be told, though I can’t promise to be as gentle in the handling.

“No.” Darcy said firmly, her turn to be curt. “I think you’re going to forgive that debt in its entirety, and then leave us the hell alone.” Carefully she pulled out the metal slab, gauging his expression as it caught the light. He tried to school it well, but Darcy could see it in his eyes. She’d been right to bet that whatever this was held significant value.

“Give it here.” It was more demand than request, but Darcy didn’t even twitch a finger.

“Not until you acknowledge that our debt is cleared. Formally. In writing.” Darcy insisted.

“This is a dangerous game you’re playing Miss Lewis. One slip of the tongue from me about what that brother of yours really is, and I’m sure you might find that ID of his suddenly quite worthless.” As far as threats went, that one wasn’t subtle, but he could do that at any time regardless, and that kind of fear would have them dancing to his beck and call forever.

“And I’m sure I could find someone else quite willing to buy this from me instead if you'd rather we exchange credits the old fashioned way.” She raised a brow in challenge, and Chief chose that moment to renew his growling as if to emphasize her point. The threat there also wasn’t subtle.

After a long, torturous moment, Reynes finally acquiesced, though his eyes warned she’d need to watch her back more carefully after this. The man was many things, but graceful in defeat was not one of them. “Fine. I’ll be by with the paperwork tomorrow morning.” And with that, and no further acknowledgement, Reynes turned on his heel and left.

“Good boy.” Darcy praised quietly, hand dropping to give a well deserved scratch behind Chief’s ear.