Civilization Page 14

  #

  Murdock, who was standing on the pod side of the cart, saw the dozen men coming long before Annie did. Annie, who was leaning on the cart on the river side, was talking to Murdock and was being very nonchalant.

  “We’re going to have company soon,” Murdock informed Annie, interrupting her.

  “How many?” Annie asked distressed.

  “At least twelve. When they get closer, I’ll go out to meet them. I want a little distance between you and them,” Murdock explained calmly. He could see Annie licking her lips nervously and was close to hyperventilating.

  “What are you going to do?” Annie asked nervously. “There are so many!”

  “First, you need to calm yourself,” Murdock said to Annie in a soothing voice. “I’m not overly concerned with the numbers. I doubt they have been training together as a team and so they will, or can be made to, get in each other’s way. When they realize it, they’ll only come in pairs.” Murdock chuckled to himself a little. “I’m not going to let them get that far, though.”

  “Is Declan with them?” Annie asked.

  “No, he isn’t,” Murdock answered. “Neither is Phylicia. I did see Palmer, though. I guess I’m supposed to help Phylicia by getting rid of Palmer for her.”

  “How do you know?” Annie asked skeptically.

  “It’s the way she thinks,” Murdock explained. “If he gets killed out here, I look more like a monster and she can play on everyone’s sympathy and her hands remain clean.” Murdock was starting to loosen up in expectation of a violent confrontation. He twirled his spear a few times forward and back.

  As she watched, Annie was becoming more confident in his skills. She could see that he was more adept than she had previously thought. She was, however, doubtful that his skills would be enough to overcome so many.

  #

  Ben Palmer, Preston Freeman, and the other eleven guards had been traveling at a trot since they had left the transport pod. Palmer, being more out of shape than the others, was starting to feel his legs cramp and he was getting winded.

  “Let’s take a break,” Palmer yelled at Freeman, with some difficulty.

  “You seem to be out of shape for this,” Freeman chuckled. “We aren’t stopping,” he added gruffly. “You can suck it up or you can drop out. I don’t care which!”

  “What good does it do if we’re too tired to fight once we get there?” Palmer asked. Freeman seemed to accept Palmer’s logic and called for everyone to walk more leisurely. Palmer was glad for the reprieve.

  “When we get close to Murdock,” Freeman was saying to the other guards, “I want the four closest to run up and attack him. Keep him busy while the rest of us surround him.” Four of the taller guards, who were out-distancing the rest easily, nodded their acknowledgment of the instructions.

  “What’s your hurry?” Palmer asked testily. “I’ve had a run in with Murdock and with this many guards we’ll have no problem handling him!”

  “I wish I had your confidence,” Freeman said. “Maybe we should all hang back and let you handle Murdock?” he asked while looking askance at the older man.

  Palmer remained silent.

  #

  As Annie watched the men approach, she saw four break ranks from the rest and rush headlong toward Murdock, who had moved out twenty yards or so from the cart. As the four ran up to Murdock, they were yelling. Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity. Murdock seemed to be a blur, as he countered all of their attacks and was back at the cart in short order. All four had their advance stop abruptly and were lying on their backs.

  Seeing the four guards drop suddenly caused Freeman to call a halt for the remaining guards. “What is this, Murdock?” he asked mockingly. “Are you so afraid of us that you have to hide behind some strange barrier?”

  “What barrier?” Murdock asked off-handedly. “You try to attack me, twelve to one, and you decide I must have done something because your plan failed. You think I fear you? You’re more deluded than I’d originally thought!”

  “We are guards for the council members,” Freeman responded hotly. “We are tasked with protecting them from the likes of you!”

  “Really? Were you there to protect Declan from Palmer?” Murdock asked in all seriousness. “Or is it more accurate to say that you protect Phylicia from everyone else?” Murdock waited and could see his words were getting to Freeman and were causing the other guards to question what they were really doing. “Is that more accurate, lap dog?” Murdock continued after a short pause.

  “What’s the meaning of your trespass into our territory?” Palmer boomed out as he pushed his way toward Murdock.

  “I’ve come to get Declan,” Murdock stated. “He will be brought here so I can ascertain, for myself, his condition and his wishes.”

  “You’re in no position to be making demands,” Palmer replied with derision as he looked around to the other guards.

  “I have more standing than you think,” Murdock said calmly. “It’s your territory because I gave it to you! Are you going to force me to retrieve him myself?”

  Freeman was livid. “You’ll have to get past me for that to happen!” he blurted out.

  “You present no challenge to me,” Murdock responded calmly.

  Freeman rushed forward yelling. He raised his staff and swung it wildly at Murdock’s head. Murdock ducked under the staff and hit Freeman in the solar plexus with the butt end of his spear, which stopped Freeman’s advance. He then smacked Freeman’s wrists with two quick strikes and then hooked the staff. The staff flew up into the air and landed close to the cart. Freeman was on his knees trying to catch his breath.

  While Murdock’s back was turned, Palmer had taken the opportunity to start his own attack on Murdock. As he advanced, he didn’t see Murdock’s foot rising to meet him. The kick caught him in the chest and Palmer hit the ground hard, flat on his back. The impact caused him to hit his head and Murdock figured he was seeing stars.

  “Anyone else?” Murdock asked as he looked to the other guards. None of the guards moved. Murdock did hear Freeman start to draw his machete. Murdock struck Freeman’s hand with his spear’s butt end. “I would think better of that, if I were you,” he warned. Freeman immediately let go of the hilt of his machete. “If you insist on provoking me, I’ll respond and you won’t like it!” he said to everyone there. When he looked at the rest of the guard troop, he saw them all starting to run back the way they had come. He chuckled to himself as he walked around the other six would-be attackers disarming them.

  As Murdock walked back to the cart, his arms loaded with staffs and machetes, Annie ran up to help by taking the weapons from him. He was finishing loading up Annie’s arms with the weapons when he suddenly kicked behind him. Annie heard the exhalations of Freeman, who had recovered enough to try to attack Murdock again. After Annie had the weapons, Murdock picked up some short thongs of leather from the cart. As Freeman was lolling on the ground trying to recover his breath again, Murdock secured his hands behind him. He then went to Palmer and secured his hands the same way. The four guards who had been stopped and had been unconscious were starting to come around.

  “Any of you want to be secured like Palmer and his buddy?” Murdock asked them generally. Those that were aware declined. “I would gather up your friends and head back to the transport pod, if I were you,” he said sternly. All of the guards decided to take his advice and left for the pod without further comment.

  Murdock drank deeply from his water skin when he returned to the cart.

  “What are you going to do to us?” Palmer asked humbled, hanging his head.

  “I’m going to return Phylicia’s lap dogs to her,” Murdock said calmly to both men. “The condition they’re in when we get there depends on them. If they behave, they’ll not be harmed further.”

  Palmer nodded, knowing he had been thoroughly defeated. Freeman glared at Murdock.

  “You have something to say?” Murdock asked Freeman, sternly, after he wa
lked around to face the man.

  “This is humiliating,” Freeman yelled. “Let me go and I’ll make you pay! I’m not as easy to defeat as Palmer!”

  “I don’t know,” Murdock started as he stood over the bigger man, “I didn’t have much trouble before. And how, exactly, are you going to make me pay?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough!” Freeman spat.

  “So, you’re saying I had better kill you now and save myself the trouble of doing it later?” Murdock asked seriously. He saw the man blanch when Freeman saw Murdock tapping the hilt of his machete. “If that is what you really want, I can accommodate you!”

  “Cut my bonds and give me a machete and I’ll show you,” Freeman spat back, “unless you’re a coward!”

  “Why in the world would I do something like that?” Murdock asked with a menacing grin. “I should just slit your throat and be done with you.”

  “That would be unfair,” Freeman said coldly and still glaring.

  “Unfair?” Murdock asked in his best mocking manner. “This is reality! It’s been my experience that life isn’t fair! Is it fair that you were sent to attack me with twelve and a half men?”

  “I was given a job to do and I mean to do it,” Freeman spat back.

  Murdock went to the cart and retrieved a twelve-inch machete. He then walked over to Freeman, who was still sitting on the ground. He walked behind him and pulled his own machete and cut the bonds holding him. He then stuck the machete in the ground in front of Freeman as Freeman was rubbing his wrists.

  “If you feel you must, let’s dance,” Murdock said with a menacing grin. “Be advised,” Murdock continued as Freeman was reaching for the machete, “I’ll give no quarter! I’ll take your life! So, if you feel your job is worth dying for, then go for it!” Murdock then backed out of the man’s reach, machete held at the ready; between the cart and the man sitting on the ground.

  #

  Annie blanched when Murdock had cut the bigger man’s bonds. She hadn’t been in a situation like this, so she had no idea what was going to happen. She did know that there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  #

  Murdock could see the big man think about what he was doing and what was going to happen. Freeman thought for a very long time before getting to his feet. He then bent down to retrieve the machete and placed it back in its sheath.

  “After careful consideration, I find the task I was given is not worth dying for,” Freeman stated calmly with his hands away from the machete at his right side.

  Murdock raised his eyebrows in surprise. “That’s probably the smartest thing you could do,” Murdock stated coolly. “I have no desire to take your life, or anyone’s, for that matter. I will kill, only if I must.” Murdock continued to watch the big man for any sign that he was being duplicitous.

  “I can see that, now,” Freeman responded with a small contrite smile. “I was led to believe that you were not worthy of respect. I’m glad I found out otherwise.” He started walking toward Murdock with his open, empty right hand out.

  Murdock skeptically took the offered hand. Once the grip was started, he could feel Freeman squeezing his hand. He responded in kind. It was then that he saw the big man’s left hand start to strike him in the face. Murdock stepped to the side and used his left hand to dislocate the big man’s elbow with a swift strike of his palm.

  Freeman dropped to the ground writhing in pain, holding his elbow as he did so.

  Murdock walked over and disarmed Freeman again.

  9

  Palmer had seen the confrontation and was skeptical of the success of Freeman’s duplicitous, and impromptu, attack. It did enforce the idea that he should co-operate.

  Annie, who had seen the entire confrontation, thought that Murdock was very restrained and didn’t do anything untoward. She thought that Murdock did goad Palmer and the other bigger man, but under the circumstances, he had given them plenty of leeway to avoid injury.

  “Do you want me to tend him?” Annie asked as Murdock walked over to the cart.

  “No, leave him,” Murdock said roughly. “The Doctor can take care of him, should Phylicia feel that he is worthy of treatment. He walked over to Palmer, after putting the machete in the cart. When he got to him, he roughly stood him up. “If I cut your bonds, are you going to be stupid like him?” he asked indicating Freeman. “He is going to need your help to get back to the pod.”

  “Why should I help him?” Palmer asked.

  “How about because it’s the right thing to do,” Murdock said impatiently. “Stop being such an ass!”

  Palmer nodded and Murdock cut his bonds. Palmer went over to Freeman and started helping him toward the transport pod.

  Once everyone from the pod had vacated the area, Murdock and Annie started toward the transport pod.

  “Aren’t you pushing it by going to the transport pod?” Annie asked as she walked alongside the cart.

  “Not really,” Murdock responded. “The rest aren’t keen on fighting me for Phylicia. Any that might be, will have second thoughts after seeing everyone that was sent out come back with their tails between their legs. Not to mention one with a dislocation. Besides, we aren’t going to the transport pod. We’ll be just close enough to gall Phylicia.”

  “And what will stop her from gathering everyone and stampede over us while we sleep?” Annie asked concerned. She saw Murdock chuckle to himself.

  “They’re all going to be too busy to rush us in the middle of the night,” Murdock said, signaling that he just had the last word on the subject.

  When the pair had traveled about a mile from the site of the confrontation, Murdock spotted a few men in the distance. They didn’t seem to be getting closer or retreating and they seemed to be just milling around. It was unexpected so Murdock was cautious. As they traveled, Murdock kept an eye on the men. It wasn’t long before the distance between the men and Murdock was such that they had seen Murdock and were waving and yelling. Murdock could see there were only six men and decided to leave Annie with the cart and approach them alone.

  “One of you can approach,” Murdock commanded the men when he was close enough to see that they were part of the guard troop. As he watched them closely, he saw one approach him and he was totally unarmed.

  “Sir, a word?” the man asked once he was close enough. Murdock nodded. “We left because of some of the things you were saying. You were correct in that we spend all our time guarding Phylicia and keeping the rest away from her. None of us have a desire to be guards, but we were chosen and it seemed to be a nice job for a while.”

  “So, what is it you want from me?” Murdock asked warily.

  “None of us know how to hunt or fish or do anything that might help us to survive,” the man said. “We thought that if we asked, you might be willing to teach us. We don’t want to go back to the transport pod.”

  “Do you have water skins and machetes?” Murdock asked.

  “Yes, we have a couple skins between the six of us,” the ex-guard answered.

  “Go over to your mates and wait,” Murdock told him. “I need to think about it.”

  Murdock watched as the man walked back to the others. After he was some distance away from him, Murdock turned to head back to the cart.

  “What did they want and who are they?” Annie asked while watching the men in the distance.

  “They’re disgruntled guards who have no clue on how to survive,” Murdock told her. “They want me to teach them.”

  “You’re going to teach them, aren’t you?” Annie asked.

  “I haven’t decided, yet,” Murdock said warily. He had decided to conference telepathically with Beron and Mei Lee before he could make a decision. He knew he didn’t trust the men and wanted Beron, or one of the Oomah to watch them. Beron had agreed and had advised that he wait until the next day to make a decision. Mei Lee had concurred with Beron.

  After his telepathic conference, Murdock walked back to give his answer to the ex-guards. As
he approached, the same man came out to get his answer.

  “I haven’t decided, yet,” Murdock explained. “However, I have business at the transport pod that might be of interest to you. I would, however, stay at least two hundred yards away from the pod.”

  “So, do we travel with you?” the ex-guard asked.

  “No, you can travel on your own,” Murdock said in all seriousness. “After the duplicitous behavior of the Head Guard, I’m not quite ready to trust guards.” He paused briefly. “No offense.”

  “None taken,” the ex-guard responded. “Under the circumstances, who could blame you? Okay, we’ll keep our distance and tag along.” The man turned and walked back to his cohorts and Murdock returned to the cart.

  #

  Heather Stevens had been watching for the guards return from the safety of the transport pod’s shadow. When she saw the first few guards coming toward the pod in the distance, she ran to report to Phylicia. Phylicia, Kimberly, and Heather had gotten to the unfinished community building just as the first guards were entering the camp. Heather was instructed to have the guards report to Phylicia at the community building and did as she was told.

  “So, tell me all the little details,” Phylicia commanded of the five guards. Each of the guards looked to one another and none were eager to speak. “What happened to Freeman?” Phylicia demanded.

  “He attacked Murdock and lost as did Palmer,” one of the guards said after he managed to gather some courage.

  “They’re both dead then?” Phylicia asked, slowly speaking the words.

  “We’re uncertain of their fate,” the guard answered.

  Heather Stevens ran over to Phylicia and reported that she could see two more coming, but they were moving slow. Phylicia sent her back to monitor their progress and to direct them to her at the community building.

  “You’re dismissed,” Phylicia told the guards, “but you’re to wait over here until these last two are present and they report.” It was becoming difficult for her to keep her temper in check. It was just a simple thing, she thought, I don’t think it was anything hard. All I wanted was Murdock dead. Why can’t anyone accomplish such a simple task? She had gotten to her feet and was starting to pace across the length of the incomplete building. Everyone present watched her closely and could feel her anger.