Hondo I. Sackett
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{Delta Hondo – Antelope Mine Rescue Ruse}
Harlow grinned as she looked through the field glasses again, and looked at their quarry, and the look on her face Hondo did not miss. She seemed to be in her element at the moment, which was something he had not really seen from her. Since she had joined the group as Hondo’s bodyguard, due to his deal with the Fenrir Clan’s future queen, they had mainly been on the run, trying to dodge troubles, and fighting only when cornered. Foley and Inneal had been the first they had rescued since, and they had more so fallen into that rescue. This was the first in a while that they looked back to their original purpose, to rescue, and it gave Harlow a chance to shine.
Hondo squinted at the small blur in the distance, that was the truck and the bandits or bounty-hunters. AS he looked, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a pull from his flask.
Harlow looked over at him and her grin faded some, “Are you able, my Jarl?”
Hondo nodded, “Yeah, I can do my end. Just.. *sigh* ..I definitely didn’t do myself any favors.”
“Maybe Axel should go and Master Hondo stay and watch.” Karl suggested.
Hondo shot him a dirty look, “#$@! that! … I don’t feel well, but I have a job to do. Now, you need anythin’ or you good?”
“I am ready.” Harlow said to him before looking over at Karl, “Are you, Goa.., uh, Karl?”
Karl raised any eyebrow at her.
“That was close.” Hondo commented.
“A bit too close.” Karl replied a bit coldly.
Harlow sighed, and looked down a moment before looking back at Karl with a serious look, “*sigh* … I am sorry, Karl. I have been abrasive to all of you since joining, I know. I believe strongly in duty, but my attitude has not held up to the integrity of the Fenrir, nor to the spirit of my mandate. I acknowledge I have issues with anger and tend towards a feeling of superiority for many reasons, though one of them has been insecurity as of late... We Fenrir do see ourselves as superior in many ways, but this is due to pride in our clan, sense of duty to clan and pack, honor as an individual, of and for our pack, and ultimately our clan, and being known as beings who speak our words with truth. Since I was assigned to Jarl Hondo, I have felt a loss of my identity as a Fenrir, and I admit to some feelings of vulnerability, due to those feelings I have kept hidden. This being the first time I had ever been separated from my clan completely, has added further challenges and insecurities. I know it is known through the camp that I almost succumbed to my despair, when I had discovered we went through a time loop and all my connections to my clan, and what I thought was my reason for my duty, were severed. It has been hard on me, and I know I have acted the female dog to you all, and for that I apologize.”
Hondo gave her a bit of an amused grin and Karl just looked at her wide-eyed. She gave them a confused look back.
“I do not understand your expressions.” She said. “Have I said something amiss?”
Hondo shook his head carefully and chuckled softly, “Heh… No. You said nothin’ wrong. Just kind of didn’t expect that from you, especially in front of others.”
“Expect what?” She asked, barely noticing that Axel had taken the field glasses from her again.
“You apologized and admitted to being a bitch!” Karl quietly exclaimed.
Harlow looked down in shame, “I know you must think little of me as a warrior, especially after admitting such weaknesses.”
Karl shook his head, “No, I think more of you, actually.”
Harlow looked up at him, seeming confused again, “I do not understand how.”
“You were honest, that’s why.” Hondo replied.
“But.. but we Fenrir always try…” She started to rebut, but Karl cut her off.
“Yeah, yeah, the honorable Fenrir never lie, we know!” Karl said, to which Harlow scowled at him, though Karl ignored it, “The problem is you were lying to yourself, not us! As you said, we knew you almost killed yourself after finding out. Truth is, many of us felt pretty lost after that, so you weren’t the only one in despair, Princess, but you sure acted like a lone martyr! I had family in Texas I planned to go try to start life over with, but now? Huh! Can’t do that in case there is another me there! I thought about trying, but they’d have one of us hauled away to a funny farm, if I tried to explain it! I like myself too much to screw another me over, or potential #$@! up myself, so this is my clan now! You obviously were taking it the worst, yet you started acting like a bigger bitch than you were before you joined! Oh, and I get it, you’re taking sterilization shots and killing your fertility, so you’ve been sick a lot, and yeah, we all know about that too!”
“How?!” Harlow asked half in anger and half in shame.
“If you think Master Hondo told us, get that out of your mind.” Karl rebuked. “We are a small group, and some of the girls here have gone through it, and they know the symptoms. Stitches and Bella saw you shoot up before, and they know the symptoms and what the injections look like, Stitches especially as she’s been through it before, as have others! About all of them here have had some sort of deal like that, except for the two new girls, maybe, so don’t think you are special!”
Harlow looked down again, “I.. I guess I did not realize..”
“No, you didn’t, because you don’t respect any of us!” Karl interrupted again. “Hell, I don’t think you respected Master Hondo for several months, either, and even then, it took a time loop to get you to realize you could respect him for who he is, though you still are not admitting all your feelings you have to him!”
Harlow blushed and turned away, “I admit I protected him and served him, at first, out of duty alone, and that has changed, but I do not know what else you are talking about.”
“Of course you don’t, because the honorable, truthful Fenrir Princess here, can’t tell herself the truth so she thinks she’s telling us the truth!” Karl retorted.
Harlow looked back at him with an annoyed look, “You are confused, for I am not lying to myself, nor anyone else, nor am I of royal lineage!”
“Well, you sure act like a snobbish princess at times, and what’s with all the fancy words?!?” Karl asked. “Is that to show how much betterer you are than us?!”
Harlow shook her head, “I speak the way I was taught in school, and though I have used terms seen as demeaning, and honestly, on purpose many times to.. uhm, *sigh* … to keep others from getting too close, for which I just apologized, but my manner of speaking is not to degrade in any way.”
“Hmph!” Karl grunted, “Whatever you want to tell yourself, Princess, but you’re still lying to yourself.”
Harlow gave him an indignant look, “A warrior of the Fenrir tribe does not lie to oneself, let alone others, unless they are enemy! And Do not call me Princess!!”
“OH? And why …” Karl started to say, but Hondo interrupted him.
“Just don’t, Karl.” Hondo said shaking his head, “It’s a sore spot.”
Karl raised his eyebrow at Hondo before looking at Harlow. She seemed angry, but he noticed she was tearing up, despite her look.
Karl had been full of himself at times, not unlike Prime Karl, but the difference in their stories made a difference. Delta Karl never escaped, like Prime Karl had. He had been sold off to train in fighting in the same style fights as Zoey and KC had been, along with a fox girl named Tonya, who died when trying to escape. She had tried to take the others with her, and managed to kill one of those guarding them. How they shot into her body over and over again, while he, KC, Zoey, and a brother-sister pair with them, were held down on the ground and beaten mercilessly. They did not have to shoot Tonya, as they captured her, but since she killed a human and she was a slave, the automatic penalty was death, and it was a penalty that could be carried out whenever and however the owner wished. They chose to use her as target practice, keeping her alive and trying to hit non-vital organs as other beat the shit out of the rest and made them watch. Karl blamed himself for it a lot, and found much shame in letting this teen, who was almost 6 years his younger, show more courage, passion, and drive than he ever had. Because of that he swore to become a better man, even as he watched her die, with his body battered, and his face in the mud. He was not sure if he would live or not, but he whispered a promise to the highest power that if he was allowed to live, he would be better and help others like she had. They had threatened to geld him, after the escape attempt, and throw him into the entertainment rings as a submissive, but they changed their minds at the last moment, as they were not sure if they could make him look effeminate enough for that, as he was just much older than what they normally took, so he was sold off. It was not until later that KC had told him that of the brother sister pair, the brother had died from the beatings and the sister had managed to hang herself with the chains they used to keep her in a shed with the other girls before being transported to be sold. The fight promoter who owned them had tried to get them all to fight, but Zoey had stood up and refused, telling them to kill them as they would not fight for what they did to Tonya. Zoey got beaten again, and even after she passed out, they continued, only stopping when KC threw herself on Zoey to protect her, and then she got beaten. Zoey had missed the girl, Misty, killing herself, as she had been unconscious still. That all only made Karl angrier at himself for not being able to protect them.
After being bought by Fernando, Karl, and his new friend and fellow slave, Axel, took to learning from Hondo and Fernando all they could, and though both had grown in knowledge and ability, Karl had grown the most, and was trusted by Hondo and Fernando as almost an equal, though he held onto the title as a slave to them, to help keep himself humble in the light of all he had seen.
Of the things Karl had learned, one was situational awareness. He knew he had a lot to learn, but he was doing better. He had missed What Harlow was hiding at first, but from Hondo’s reply, he knew to look again for what he had missed and he saw it.
“Oh, uhm, I’m sorry, Harlow.” Karl replied, “I didn’t know.”
Harlow turned away, “There is nothing to know! I just don’t…”
“Lyin’ to yourself, again, warrior?” Hondo asked, after she had paused.
She looked down, “I.. I want my words to be truth but…”
“But you’re afraid the truth will make you look weak?” Karl asked.
Harlow did not answer.
Karl just looked over at Hondo and shook his head.
“Yeah, I know, but now’s not the time to push it.” Hondo said.
Harlow was about to make a comment when Axel spoke up.
“There’s some movement, down there, like they are setting up camp or something. Looked like they were talking to someone on the radio, too, so they might have gotten through to someone.” Axel said.
Hondo squinted back out across the old mine, “Well, since we don’t know if they have back-up comin’ or not, we either do this now, or we call it off, pack up, an’ see if we can slink out of here.”
Harlow frowned, losing that moment of joy she had in planning an attack after Karl hit several sore spots with her, “Maybe we should just call it off, My Jarl.”
Karl got to his knees and started crawling away, “#$@! that!”
“Where are you goin’?” Hondo asked.
“To take out some bandits and save someone.” He said over his shoulder.
“Surely you do not think you can handle them alone?!” Harlow asked a bit scornfully.
Karl stopped and looked back at her, “I’ll do what I can, but I won’t be alone, will I, Master?”
Hondo saw him glance at him and he sighed and shook his head, “*sigh* … You won’t be, as I’m comin’ too.”
Karl grinned, “I knew Master Hondo was still in there, and couldn’t just leave it alone.”
Harlow shook her head, “My Jarl, you are in no shape to do this, even with his help! And even if you were, if they have communications and others are coming, we have lost the tactical advantage. I feel it is best we just continue to avoid all fights and leave as soon as we are able.”
Karl spoke up before Hondo could reply, “Listen, you can lay here and mope about how bad life has been, of you can come with us and show us what a shieldmaiden of the proud Fenrir can do?”
She furrowed her brow at him, “It is true that our female warriors are often called shieldmaidens, but as a former royal elite guard, we only recognize gender at the highest level of rank, to reduce division among the rank, but I have never used this term here before, so how do you know it?”
Karl gave her a bit of a grin, “I did some reading at a couple of your knowledge centers at a couple of the clan towns of yours we stopped at.”
“Oh. I did not know you knew how to read.” She replied.
Karl nodded at Hondo, “Master Hondo and Fernando taught me, though I knew some basics. My writing is really bad, still, but better. I might not be a smart goat-man, but I am trying to better myself and make a difference. What are you trying to do?”
Harlow looked at him in surprise, before looking down and thinking for a moment. Her thoughts and feelings were a jumble, but she knew she could not let Karl show her up.
“Fine… We three go, and we use my original plan.” She said firmly. “Jarl Hondo should not be trying to take them out, and maybe.. Maybe, if they are making camp, they will be more relaxed, and have more blind spots.”
Karl nodded back, “It works for me. Lead on Shieldmaiden!”
Harlow shook her head and crawled past him to get down to the trail.
Hondo shook his head as he gingerly got to his knees.
“What?” Karl asked.
“Just don’t piss her off anymore than you have to.” Hondo said.
“Awe, come one, master! She likes me, I know it. I’m that annoying little brother she always wished she had.” He replied.
Harlow’s head popped back over the edge, “I heard that and you are mistaken. I have never wanted an annoying brother.”
She ducked back down again and continued down.
“She doesn’t mean that.” Karl said.
“I do!” She whispered loudly over her shoulder.
Hondo looked at Karl, “She’s ‘round me more than you, so don’t piss her off.”
“She wants you, you know? And I don’t mean just for the pounce and bounce! She just won’t admit it.” Karl said.
Hondo frowned, “Yeah, well, I can’t say much, as I’ve done my share of lyin’ to myself ‘bout how I feel too, so just leave it be.”
Karl nodded, “Understand.”
Karl headed down after her, with Hondo trailing a bit. The met up at the bottom of the trail and followed Harlow past where the old mining shovel sat, that Foley and Inneal had been living in, and followed her through some winding man-made canyons, opposite of where they had entered. There was a couple caved in paths they had to scale, and one flooded out that caused them to go back, and crawl over a hill and down into another canyon to not be seen. Occasionally. Harlow would dash ahead, and leave them, and then she would dash back with scouted information and possibly change their route. After about an hour of walking, Harlow dashed off again, as Hondo found a rock to sit on and take a rest, as his head throbbed, his vision spun, and his guts churned, leaving him with little in the way of stamina.
She came back a few minutes later and, as she approached, held a finger to her lips for them to stay quiet.
Hondo stood up, and Karl moved over closer to him as she approached.
“There is an S curve, ahead, and pass that, a four way.” She said softly. “My Jarl, give Karl and I ten minutes to get into place, and then head to that four-way and turn left. I could just see the top of the cage down that valley.”
Hondo nodded, “Alright.”
She turned to Karl, “You go through the four-way, and circle around back of the hill. The road up is on this side of the hill. When you get there, there is a spot you should be able to climb. Climb it, keep your weapon holstered, and make yourself known.”
“You want me dead?!” He hissed.
She frowned at him, “Of course not! I shall be in place, already! The two males are on the side I will be on, the largest of the group will be my first target. A younger female is resting on the side you will make yourself known, and a male is standing watch down from her. Take her as a shield, and pull your weapon on the others as soon as I make my attack. Shoot him if you must, but try to keep the female alive. I want two alive at least, so if we must kill one or two, it will be done.”
She glanced over at Hondo who nodded at her, and then back at Karl who nodded.
“Alright, but if I get killed, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life!” He whispered back.
“Those are acceptable terms.” She said with a nod before grinning slightly, “Now, come, annoying male sibling, and let us give them a taste of fear!”
Karl grinned and nodded, “That’s what I’m talking about! Lead the way Shieldmaiden!”
Harlow nodded and started off, but Karl paused at Hondo.
“See? I said she thought of me as her little brother!” He whispered.
“Don’t forget the annoyin’ part!” Hondo said with a grin.
Karl just shook his head and trotted to catch up with Harlow.
Hondo shook his head at them and sat down on the rock again, with a sigh, and pulled his pocket watch from his vest pocket. The watch was old, made in the late 1800’s, but it kept time when he wound it regularly. The crystal was cracked but that had only happened when the Bronco had been hit with the RPG round that killed Valentine and severely wounded him. She had bought it for him right after that mission that he met her on, had it restored and engraved for him, as a memento of her thanks for him saving her life. The inscription on that back he had painted over with some nail polish he had gotten from Bella, as he could not bear to look at it anymore.
It was almost 2:00 pm already, and he frowned at that. He had lost too much time grieving, and even in that, he had failed many of the others in the group and found little solace. He knew it would hurt for a long time yet. It had been a little over a year since he had lost Valentine, and that hurt still felt as fresh as the day he lost her, or rather the day he learned he lost her, as he had been unconscious for a few days after the attack
He sighed as he sat there, trying not to think too much, and checked his watch again. It had felt like it had been ten minutes, but only two had passed. He checked it another three times before the appointed ten minutes has passed, and when it had, he slowly stood up again.
He checked his rifle, quickly, and loosened his pistol in its holster, before heading warily down the chain of man-made canyons. He slowly walked through the s-curves and approached the four-way cautiously, peering down the canyons, and glancing above him cautiously, but seeing nothing.
As he started to head left at the four-way, he heard a series of pops, followed by the bang of a smaller caliber handgun off to the right and above him, up where Karl and Harlow had been headed. He spun quickly and readied his rifle, keeping his back as close to the steep hill behind him as he looked that direction, but no further loud noises were heard. He paused for a moment, wanting to go check on them, but he told himself he had to trust them to do their job, and do his own at the same time. He knew if he could not trust them with a few low-level looking bounty hunters, mid-level bandits, or whatever they were, after all they had been through, that he never would be able to trust them, nor would they be of any use to him in guarding anyone or anything.
He shook his head, after not hearing more for a moment and continued on, telling himself that if he did not hear from them soon, if he could rescue whoever it was in the cage, then he would check with Axel and see if they had to run or if he and Axel could rescue them, if there was anything left to rescue.
He continued down that canyon, finding it much deeper than they had thought it was, and found it curving a bit, to where the people on the hill could not have seen the cage. He muttered to himself in frustration, as they could have tried to rescue the person in the cage then all three taken out those on the hill after. He muttered about having made the wrong call, as well, as the months of running had them all questioning themselves at times. Add the loss of Ruth and Susanna on top of it, and he was questioning himself a lot more. With all that had happened he was not in good shape, mentally, but being so hung over, something he had to work to achieve, it was making it worse.
After a few more minutes of slowly and warily walking, the cage appeared in view. As he slowly approached it he saw, at a distance, what looked like a young rabbit wessen woman chained inside of it. It was not until he was close that he saw the antlers, and though not like Jackie or Jamie’s, he figured she was a jackie of some kind.
He stopped at the cage door and studied her for a moment. She had tan fur on her legs, sides, and arms, with a few white spots on her shoulders, and thin white fur on her face, neck, chest, and belly, seeming to fade completely at her womanhood. Her rabbit like ears were brown, and her antlers like ones of a deer, but thinner. Of her antlers, one was broken, having a prong and a jagged section of antler forming a second prong, and the other was twice as long with three additional prongs. Her feet were more human like, unlike the other jackies he had known. And her face looked slightly different, though it was hard to put a finger on the difference. It was humanish, with a rabbit like nose, and a cute face, but still different. She seemed taller than most jackies he had known too, though she had the thinner, lanky form of a Jackie. Her breasts seemed a bit larger than most Jackie’s too, and her hair was black, where most Jackie’s hair matched one of their two-tone fur colors. He mostly wrote off the differences as her being a part wessen or part human Jackie, of which he had been introduced to a few and they were always a bit different than the rest, though they had the same powers and disabilities, though their levels varied.
Though he noticed the similarities and differences, mostly in the back of his mind, he was more aware of her condition. Her thin fur was matted with blood, dirt, and sweat, her body looked thin, scarred, cut, bruised, and worn out. She slumped in her chains, and it took him a minute to even be able to see or hear her breathing, as it was so shallow. Her face was bloody on one side, and matted with dirt all over, but that did not hide the newer cuts and older scars that littered her face, ears, and her entire body. Though her eyes were closed, one was matted with blood and looked off, making him think, like Zoey, this girl had lost an eye too. If she had any clothing, they had stripped her of it, and since she was in a cage, he figured they had poisoned her to restrict her powers. Her one leg and foot seemed a bit messed up, which made him think they had caught her in some sort of a trap, but the visible damage said it was not a regular animal trap. He figured she was a low jackie, as it was extremely rare for a high Jackie to get caught, and took usually special spirit lead teams and years of work to manage it even then. If low-lives like what he saw through the binoculars managed to catch her they were extremely lucky, or she was a low Jackie and had been poisoned by some source already and then they got lucky.
Hondo shook his head, “They really did a number on you, poor darlin’… Never met a Jackie who wasn’t sweet, other than that one time, an’ she had plenty of reasons to be angry an’ distrustful after what she went through, so I’m sure you didn’t deserve this… Now, let’s see if we can get you outta there, an’ get you well, though I don’t have a lot of supplies so you’re gonna have to try an’ want to live, if we’re gonna get you through this, alright?”
She did not move or reply, but she just stayed slumped in her chains.
Hondo frowned and shook his head again before reaching into one of the small leather bags on his gun belt, and after a moment of fumbling, pulled out a small leather case, in which had a lock pick set. The paddle-lock was a cheaper one, so a set of combs opened it up fast enough. As the door creaked open she moaned, and lifted her gingerly as she opened the one eye that was not caked in blood and look up at him. Her eye was red, like the other jackies he had known, so that pretty much sealed the deal of what she was.
“That’s a good sign. Not out cold, at least. Might can get you well, after all.” He said as he as he slowly entered the cage.
She looked at him a moment, through seeming hazy of whatever they drugged her with, but her mind must have surged awake as her eye opened wide, her breathing quickened, and she tried to pull away from him quickly, but only managed to yank on her chains.
He held his hands up, “Whoa now, there little lady. I’m just tryin’ to help ya. I know you’re probably scared to death, but it’s alright now. I have a couple Jackie friends, from out by the Yellowstone, so I know what you are an’ I want to help. They helped me a lot, an’ I’d like to return the favor, if you’ll let me.”
She looked up at him, and he sensed terror and hate, but not much else. He was surprised that he did not feel a buzzing in his head, but weak or poisoned jackies had issues with telepathic communications, as did low jackies, so he figured it was along those lines.
“You let me get you out of here, an’ we can parley, alright? I know hand signs so, I can understand you even if you can’t communicate to me with your mind… I know you are scared an’ angry, an’ from what it looks like you’ve been through, I don’t blame you, but just give me a chance. I’ll get you outta here, an’ then we’ll go to my camp an’ get you well, alright?” He said, speaking to her softly.
She stared at him, seeming a bit confused now, on top of everything else, but after a moment she nodded slightly.
“Alright. My hands are a bit shaky, so it might take a minute, but we’ll get you outta here.” He said.
The locks on the cuffs and chains on her wrists and ankles were of a simple four pin master lock design, of which he had a master key jiggler for, but the one on her waist belt was a six-pin safety lock, so he was going to have to pick it the old-fashioned way. He started with the hardest first, her waist belt, as it left her hands and feet secure. He knew she did not trust him, but the feeling was mutual, though he did not share the anger or hate she seemed to have when looking at her, as his was more for the world as a whole.
She sat still as he worked on the lock. She smelled pretty bad, from the sweat, dried blood, and filth, which made him worry that some of her wounds were festering as well. It took him a few minutes to get that first one, but once it was done, the hard parts were over. The locks on her feet were next, and they went quickly. The first wrist lock came off fairly fast, but the second was a bit gummed up, so the jiggler had issues, but it eventually worked. As the last lock fell off and her removed the chain and binding, she slumped back against the wall.
“I imagine you’re too tired to talk, now, but we’ll get you rested up an’ then we can talk later, alright?” He asked.
She looked down and nodded slowly.
He nodded back, “Alright, well, let me get these picks put away… Any place you are really hurtin’, like maybe from broken bones?”
She shook her head gingerly.
“Alright, then hopefully I’ll be able to carry you out alright, without hurtin’ you more… hmm…” He paused as she seemed to be shivering.
He hoped it was not shock setting in, but she did look weak, and though the day was warm, this particular canyon was a bit tall narrow, making it so the sun did not shine down in so well. On top of that, the narrower canyons stayed cooler, due to the dirt on eat side, and this one was on the cool side.
“Well, those bastards stripped you of everythin’, didn’t they? … Let me step out an’ get my shirt off. I can at least wrap you in that until we get back.” He said as he stepped out and started to take his vest off.
He almost had his vest off, when he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned to look at her just as she launched out of the cage, using the sides of it to pull her out.
“Hey wait!” He called out, as she tried to run, dashing in an erratic, limping fashion, as her one leg was definitely hurt bad.
She made it a few half running steps before she cried out and fell face down in the dirt, “OWW!”
Hondo had started to trot after her, but he stopped and looked at the girl, he thought was a jackie, as she lay face down. He noticed her tail, which looked off, and the dark brown with white speckles on her back for the first time as she laid there.
“Wait… Oww?” He said more so to himself before walking up to her.
He knelt down beside her and put a hand softly on her shoulder. He saw her shuttering, and thought something more was wrong until he realized she was crying.
“Hey, whoa now… I’m not sure who or what you are, but I’m tryin’ to help here.” He said softly.
She jerked away from his touch, “Leave alone!... Please!! … Please just, leave alone.”
He pulled his hand back and eased himself down in the dirt and grass beside her, “You can talk, I see, so not a Jackie, then… You’re definitely different, but I still want to help you.”
“You don’t!” She said back, laying there, but rolling onto her shoulder that was closest to him, so she could look the other way, “No one help me! All want use! Hurt! Cut! Test!! No help ever!”
Hondo sighed, as she continued to cry softly, but angrily, “*sigh* … Listen, I can see you’ve gone through hell, an’ even if I knew what it was, I’d probably not understand it. I’ve been to hell myself, but it’s a hell you can’t understand either, as we all must walk our own personal hell in this world, though some have it a bit rougher than others… I don’t blame you for not trustin’ me, as I don’t trust you or anyone outside my group, an’ even my group I question at times as I do myself.”
She sniffled a bit, “*sniff* … Sniff* … Why help if no trust?”
“Because trust has to start somewhere, an’ you needed help… You gonna give me a chance to help you?” He asked.
She laid there for a minute sniffling quietly, and after a bit slowly started to shake her head, and then picking up the pace as if she was fighting with herself on it.
“N.no.. No.. NO, no help! You no help! No one help! All hurt! All want take, sell to lab, #$@! pussy first, hurt, use, sell! No can go back! No lab!!” She exclaimed.
“I don’t want to hurt you, an’ as bad off as I am for money, I ain’t sellin’ ya to no labs, or slavers, or anythin’ like that!” He said.
“Humans lie… All lie! All want #$@!, sell for test, get big reward money from lab!” She replied, trying to sound angry, though her voice was growing weak.
Hondo frowned, “Listen, I hate the labs too. They hurt way too many folks. I hate the spirits too, an’ they have #$@!ed over me an’ my group too many times, though I know they have done far worse to other. I have some wessen an’ humans I hate, as they are greedy, sick, evil bastards, too… I have plenty of women who want me to screw them, so I have no interest in someone who doesn’t want me, believe you me. Only reason I would screw you against your will is if you start teasin’ an’ tauntin’ me in a sexual way, though it’s only happened once… I’ve lost friends to all this shit, close friends. My best friend is either out there strugglin’ or dead. I’ve let down my group, who is lookin’ to me to lead an’ protect them since he left to try to save us. I’ve had three women I cared ‘bout get killed, an’ I’m still hurtin’ from that an’ hungover from an almost three-day bender where I was tryin’ to forget, an’ in that I left a lot on the others that they didn’t deserve. I have two younger teens who want me to be a father an’ a lover, an’ I’ve been failin’ them on both counts, ‘cause I don’t know how to handle it. We’ve saved some, but not enough. Been chased out of more towns than you can shake a stick at, just for tryin’ to stand up for those who don’t have any rights in this world. Tried to save slaves from bad masters, an’ the down an’ out from bein’ made slave. Some we saved an’ they’ve moved on. Some stayed with us. An’ some have tried to betray us even after we helped them. We don’t ask for money, just for help ‘round our camps as you are either part of the group an’ helpin’ or you’re on your own. Sex is not a payment, is not forced unless you show disrespect in a sexual way. Women are not shared, an’ we expect loyalty an’ some sort of relationship if a woman wants to screw with us. We aren’t well off, an’ the stress is bad at times, but we help each other out with things that are stressful, an’ help each other destress. Our rigs sometimes fall apart, but we work together to fix them an’ get back on the road. Food is sometimes bland or not varied, but no one goes hungry. When we are on the road, everyone works hard, an’ when we find a safe haven, we all drink, screw, celebrate, laugh, cry, and find a reason to continue on.”
He stopped talking and she lay still, and stayed silent for a while, before sighing deeply.
“… … … *sigh* … Why tell this?” She asked.
“I don’t know.” Hondo said with a shrug. “Maybe I needed to get it off my chest, or maybe it’s because you say humans lie, an’ I want to be the human that doesn’t lie to you.”
She slowly rolled onto her back, grimacing from the pain as she did, before looking up at him, “… *Groan* … … Why help? Ruse worth nothing but #$@! and big money reward from lab. Not worth else. Why save? Why help if not for #$@! and big money reward?”
“Ruse? Is that your name?” He asked
She nodded, “Yes. Name Ruse. You name?”
“I’m Hondo.” He replied. “An’ to answer your question, Ruse, it’s because that’s what we do, or did. We’ve been on the run for a while as some asshole put a bounty on our heads an’ claim we’re haulin’ treasure. It’s a lie to get us killed, so we’ve not been able to do what we do best. Savin’ people is a callin’, I reckon. We are here an’ we’re tryin’ to make the best of things, though it’s been hard as of late. Honestly, our camp isn’t far from here, an’ one of my security team watched you get captured through some field-glasses. He couldn’t risk helpin’ then as we were too far away an’ he didn’t want to give the camp away, so he talked to me an’ we came to help.”
“We?” She asked.
He nodded, “Two others are takin’ care of those who captured you, as they made camp on top of a hill not far from here, an’ we knew if we took you they’d find out an’ come lookin’, so we had to take them out to save you.”
Ruse shook her head, “No understand. Ruse not worth help without #$@! and big money reward.”
“Well, maybe that’s why we are different. No one we’ve helped so far has been worth anythin’ other than to sell to slavers or the like, an’ they don’t have any money, special powers, or the like. We help those who others find worthless or just want to use, an’ we help them on their way if they want to go, or if they stay, help them become more than they were. We do our best to protect everyone, an’ everyone works to help the others. Kinda like a family, I reckon, though we’re a bit odd, rough ‘round the edges, an’ a bit dysfunctional at times.” He replied.
She looked at him with a conflicted look, “But you #$@! Ruse to make worth save?”
“Listen, if you let me help you, all I ask is help with chores, after you get better. If you want to leave after you are better, I’ll try to get you some clothes, supplies, an’ a little money, an’ you can go whenever you want. I’m not askin’ you to screw, as that is not required. If you want to, after some rest, healin’, an’ gettin’ checked by our team medic, I don’t have a problem #$@!in’ you silly. If you want one of the other guys, that’s on you, but you are not swappin’ back an’ forth. I have one gal I have to talk to ‘bout that, but I can’t fault her as she an’ the other party were drunk, which I was the other party. Her boyfriend is none too happy, as she an’ I used to #$@!, but I made it clear when they fell for each other that she stayed with him, abstained, or left. I ask the same of everyone here. Those who call themselves my women, I expect to stay faithful to me. Those who call themselves my slaves or companions, I have no issues with them goin’ to someone else, but they are to understand that I’m not takin’ them back an’ they aren’t to jump ‘round. They had me, an’ they have the choice to take another an’ leave my bed. After that you either take care of your lusts alone or leave. It’s that simple an’ that’s the rules you will have to follow too, if you agree to let me help an’ try to trust me.” He replied firmly, yet in a soft tone.
She started to tear up after a bit and he noticed.
“What’s wrong?” He asked.
She shook her head, “It no can true.”
“What’s not true?” He asked.
“Ruse cared for, help Hondo camp, no make #$@!, given clothes, no sold… be #$@!ed if wanted… No one kind to Ruse unless Ruse valuable. Even when valuable, humans hurt. Wessen hurt. Hurt Ruse, take pleasure from Ruse, then sell for big reward money.” She said softly.
“This has happened a couple times, I take it.” He said.
She nodded, “Yes… Next time Ruse go to lab, will never come out. Doctors say they take Ruse apart and put parts in cold chambers. Study dead Ruse parts… Ruse no come out, never again come out.”
“That’s why you’re so terrified.” He replied softly, but more to himself than to her. “Listen, I can’t promise they won’t come after us, or we won’t lose next time an’ someone else will claim the reward on you, but I can promise that I’ll never turn you in for a reward. You behave an’ help out you can have a home with us, an’ if we make it safely across the inland sea, an’ find a place to settle down, you will always have a place there.”
“If Ruse no behave, no help?” She asked warily.
Hondo frowned, “Well, I hope that doesn’t happen, but if it does, I’ll give you some rations, clothes, an’ a little money, an’ you can leave, but I’ll not claim a reward on you. An’ just because you have a bad day or two, or don’t get along with someone, or get a case of the lazies an’ I have to kick your ass into gear, doesn’t mean I’ll throw you out. We all have bad days. What matter’s is if you bring trouble to us, outright disobey us which results in someone gettin’ hurt, or refuse to help when we are in a bad place an’ need everyone givin’ 110%, alright?”
She nodded, “Ruse, understand… No ask Ruse about antlers or talk, or why lab want. Why?”
“I figure there will be time for that later, once you’ve healed an’ rested some. An’ if it’s too painful to talk ‘bout, you can just tell me the basics, an’ we’ll forget ‘bout the rest. I’ve known plenty that given a helpin’ hand, just want to forget the past an’ start with a clean slate.” Hondo replied. “Frankly, I don’t care ‘bout what you’ve done or who you were. I care ‘bout who you are now, who you want to be, what you’ll do with us, an’ how you’ll act down the road. The past is just that, it’s the past. Now, you willin’ to give us a chance to help you?”
She looked at him for a moment, then turned her head away slightly, “I take chance… Please Hondo, please help Ruse. I no cause trouble. I help. I be good. I maybe #$@! but need heal. I try trust, just please no hurt Ruse, and no sell for big money reward.”
“Alright. It’s a deal.” Hondo replied with a nod, as he pulled his rifle ammo bandoleer and vest off, and took his shirt off.
Once his shirt was off, he pulled his vest back on, but he caught her looking at him. Despite the near immortality he had, and the partial bio-pills he had taken, none of it was enough, on top of the stress and injuries he had received in the last year or so to keep him from having scars. She traced some of her own scars, absentmindedly, as she looked at his, though she quickly looked away when she saw him looking at her. He tried not to smile, but could not help it but give her a wry grin.
“Alright, let me help you up an’ you can wrap this ‘round you.” He said.
She just nodded, feeling too weak and tired to resist. While most of that was her injuries, the toxin that had been pumped into her system by the tranquilizers and even before that, were not helping.
He sat her up and wrapped the shirt around her, and then got to his knees. HE scooped her up, and pushed himself to his feet in one quick move, using his momentum to offset his current weakness.
“Eepp!” Ruse squeaked from surprise.
“I hurt you?” He asked.
She shook her head, “No, just surprise.”
About then the sound of an unfamiliar engine approaching was hear and Ruse started to look worried.
“They come for Ruse! Hondo friends no stop!” She exclaimed worriedly.
Hondo frowned as he set her down, so she could lean against the cage.
“Maybe so, but then again…” He paused as he grabbed his rifle that leaned against the cage still. “Can you stand there?”
She nodded, as she grabbed onto the bars for support.
“Can you use a gun?” He asked.
She shook her head, “Ruse no learn how use gun.”
“Alright, then just stay there.” He replied, as he checked his gun and slung his ammo bandoleer back over his shoulder. “I’ll try to stay in front of you, but just make sure you’re behind me so they don’t have a shot at you.
She only nodded, but he did not see it a he had his rifle ready and was looking down the valley.
A few moments later the 4-door Toyota pickup, painted in the wrong camo colors, started to come into view. The driver tried to shift down but he ground gears and a familiar angry voice yelled at him.
“Do you no know how to drive!” She yelled.
“I told you to drive if you wanted!” The man yelled back as they coasted closer.
“I cannot drive stick, let alone see!” She yelled back.
“Then just let me handle it and stop yelling at me!” He yelled back.
Hondo lowered his rifle and just shook his head as Karl and Harlow coasted to a stop, in the bandit’s pickup, not far from him.
Karl shut off the pickup and jumped out and quickly trotted up, “We got them! How did it go on your end?”
Hondo handed Karl his rifle and walked back to Ruse and scooped her up.
“Well, she took some convincin’ to let us help her, but she’d gone through hell, so I don’t blame her.” Hondo said. “Karl, this is Ruse. Ruse, this is Karl, my right-hand man.”
“If you can call a wessen a man, I guess, and if me wanting to pop you in the nose for screwing my girlfriend still allows for that then, yeah.” He replied.
Hondo scowled at him, “I already apologized an’ we aren’t sure I did!”
“Not sure it matters whether you did or not, as she obviously wants you and not me now.” Karl said with a frown.
“Don’t count your chickens just yet, until I get her to talk to us, at least.” Hondo replied, “An’ you’re bein’ rude.”
Karl frowned, “Oh, uhm, yeah. Uhm, Sorry about that, Ruse was it?”
Ruse nodded.
“It’s been a rough few days, so I’m not sure any of us will remember our manners so well, and some still haven’t learned any.” He said glancing back at Harlow who was shakily standing by the truck and leaning on it as she snarled softly. “But, if you stick with us you’ll get use to it, and might even find friends or family in even the surliest of team mates.”
“Just because I called you my male sibling, does not mean you are!!” Harlow growled.
Hondo walked over to her, “What happened? Are you alright?”
She looked away from him with grit teeth and growled, “I am fine, my Jarl! Do not worry about me!”
Hondo turned to Karl, who held his hands up.
“Whoa! Don’t look at me! She might eat me if I open my mouth!” Karl exclaimed.
“You better keep it shut, goat-man!” Harlow snarled.
Karl frowned, “Now I thought we were past that!”
“Sorry!” Harlow hissed through her teeth.
“Harlow, you’re bein’ rude an’ scarin’ our guest here!” Hondo growled back.
Harlow looked over at them with one eye open, and saw the trembling rabbit/deer girl in his arms. She closed her eye and her muscles tensed, causing her to tremble more, as she tried to soften her tone.
“My apologies, to you, my Jarl, and the rabbit-girl.” She half hissed.
Hondo frowned, “We need to get out of here, but I need an explanation!”
“It is nothing, my jarl!” Harlow growled.
Hondo frowned angrily at her, but in truth he was very worried, “Is that the truth, Fenrir warrior?!”
She grabbed at her chest with a groan, “Gahh! M.my heart is racing!.. I .. I don’t feel well! Gahh!”
Hondo looked at Karl, “Karl, what happened?! Now!”
“Long story, but she got hit with three darts, tranquilizers, I think, as she almost passed out!” Karl exclaimed.
“This isn’t tranqs!” Hondo replied.
Karl nodded, “I know, she uhm, she injected the adrenalin she had in her med pouch to keep going.”
“All of it?!?” Hondo asked worriedly.
Karl shrugged, so he looked back at Harlow.
“Harlow, how much did you give yourself??!?” He asked.
“I. do. Not. Know… Maybe. All. Of. it.” She said through grit teeth.
“Damn, it all!” Hondo cursed bitterly. “Karl, get her in the back! HE have to get back before she has a heart attack!”
Karl nodded, “Yess master!
“Wait.” A voice from his arms said softly, causing him to look down at Ruse. “Let.. let me touch.”
Ruse reached out a hand towards Harlow.
“How can you help??” Hondo asked quickly.
“Please. Please trust Ruse.” The girl said softly.
Hondo looked at her for a moment then stepped up to Harlow.
“Alright, but…” He paused abruptly as the girl touched Harlow and she seemed to freeze for a moment, and stop breathing. “ … what the..”
He paused again as the girl seemed to do the same.
“Stop now, Ruse.. Ruse Stop!” He barked as he pulled her away.
Ruse trembled in his arms way worse than she had before and her wounds started to bleed again.
“What they hell happened?!” HE asked as he looked from her her up to Harlow.
Harlow leaned against the hood, and though a little sweaty looked a lot better.
“Harlow?” He asked.
“M.my Jarl I.. I feel fine… A little tired, maybe but.. I thought I would surly die, for a moment, but now…” She replied seeming confused.
Hondo looked down at the shaking girl, “Ruse, what did you do?”
“R.ruse t.t.t.transfer energy!.... Take Wolf wessen energy so no die! .. T.t.too much for w.weak Ruse!” She groaned.
“Give me some, then!” Hondo said.
She shook her head, “N.no! Ruse no can control! T.t.too w.w.weak!... Poison Ruse! Make powers weak!”
“Ruse, you want me to trust you, you need to trust yourself an’ me! Now, give me some, so you don’t hurt yourself more!” He said.
She looked up at him with the one, red, eye filled with tears and fear as sheshakily reached out and touched his chest.
As she touched him it felt like he was being hit by lightning over and over again, and he would have fallen himself, had Karl not grabbed him. He felt a connection between them in that moment as well, and behind the pain in his body and the roaring in his ears, he felt her and her fears, and saw a mental form of her. She seemed so lost, alone and scared. Being as he had connected with Jamie and Jackie, he was more practiced than most and he reached out to her and took her hand, in the mental image. The mental image of her did not seem to notice him until that, and as he grabbed her, she looked afraid for a moment as she gazed at him, and then she soften, and fell into his arms.
At that moment the mental image disappeared and he found himself barely holding onto a passed out Ruse, as Karl held him upright.
“Master! Master, are you alright!”
Hondo gasped, and panted for a moment as he nodded, “*Gasp* *Pant, pant* … Gahh! *pant* What the #$@!!! *pant, pant*”
“My Jarl, are you feeling alright?!” Harlow asked worriedly, and it was only then he noticed her at his other side.
He nodded, “*pant* Yeah… Just feel like I was electrocuted an’ given a gallon of coffee through an IV!”
Harlow nodded, “I felt the electricity, but like that was taken from me… My apologies, but I was still recovering from that feeling, so I did not make it to your side as fast as Karl did.”
“No goat-man, this time?” He asked, smirking.
Harlow frowned, “MY deepest apologies about that. I.. I truly felt I was close to the abyss of death, for a moment.”
Karl nodded, “I know, and don’t do that to me again! Damn! But, I was just teasing, as I know you were not feeling well then.”
Harlow smirked, “My annoying male sibling.”
Hondo had mostly come back by now and started checking Ruse, who he realized was unresponsive.HE was a bit worried for a moment, but soon relaxed as he checked her vitals and found her to be sleeping.
“*sigh* … She’s just exhausted… Though I feel like a new man!” Haondo replied.
Karl nodded, “I can only imagine! I touched you and got a zap and feel like I could run back to camp and still have enough energy to #$@! for the next six hours without a break!”
Hondo chuckled, “Yeah, I understand that!”
Karl frowned for a moment, “Uhm, I do have to ask, uhm, did.. did I see her as a younger girl, and you reach out to her and hug her or something? I have this image in my head and these intense emotions around it, like.. like I understand how scared she is.”
“Yeah, you touchin’ me an’ her not bein’ in control must have pulled you into that mental connection, though it was erradic an’ powerful at the same time… damn.. I’ve only felt that with Jamie but…” He paused.
“She talks.” Karl finished.
Hondo nodded, “Yeah… Well, we should get back… You capture any alive?”
“Three!” Karl said. “We have them tied up in the back.”
“Karl shot one.” Harlow added.
“I didn’t have a choice!” Karl said defensively.
Harlow looked at him and cocked her head, “I did not mean it was wrong. Merely that you moved fast and efficiently, and took one out, in one shot too.”
“Wait, is that a compliment?” Karl asked.
Harlow nodded, “It is in deed, though a warrior does not need compliments to know they have done well.”
Karl turned to Hondo, “She complimented me??”
“Don’t get used to it.” Hondo replied. “Now, you two can tell me ‘bout it all on the way back, an’ I’m driving.”
“Thank the creator.” Harlow mumbled.
Karl frowned, “And what is that suppose to mean??”
Hondo shook his head, “Enough, get in, an’ let’s go!”
(To Be Continued …)
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After Chaos (Read 185134 times)
