Still, he wasn’t discouraged, and I guessed he hoped to bond with us because everyone else on the squad was at least ten years older. Most of them had families of their own and stood in knots with their weapons loosely held while complaining bitterly about drawing this duty. Since Frank wasn’t like that, maybe he did belong with us, more than with the others, anyway. I’d promised to show him some moves; maybe there would be time for that later.
Trying again to make conversation, Frank said, “Who could’ve imagine the Muties being smart enough to hit our food supply?”
He reminded me of Twist, who nobody had liked down below. Twist had been a small, weak male in the enclave, who served as the headman’s second in command. Though he’d lacked a certain charisma, he’d also turned out to be our greatest ally, so I didn’t think it wise to alienate Frank. We might need him.
“They’re different,” I said thoughtfully. “There might be two types, the mindless kind, and these new ones, who seem to think and plan.”
That was only speculation, of course. I remembered how Fade had said we needed to study them to figure out why they were changing. That didn’t seem a likely avenue for answers, however. I imagined what Elder Bigwater would say, confronted with such a crazy, dangerous scheme.
Stalker shaded his eyes, gazing with silent frustration out toward the trees. “If that’s true, then we’re doomed.”
That dried up the talk until we moved. The day went slowly, mostly standing at attention, surveying the landscape for danger signs. At noon, we ate a cold lunch of bread and dry meat. Hopefully meals would improve once we finished the initial planting and decided where to set the outpost. Tegan ate with us, her bad leg stretched out before her.
“Are you hurting?” I regarded her with a half-frown.
Her brown eyes darkened with outrage. “Did you ask anyone else that?”
“No, but—”
“Leave her alone,” Stalker said, surprising me. “She’s tough. She’ll be fine.”
I eyed him in astonishment, but he’d already turned away to tell Frank about how we’d gone a whole week without eating anything but fish. Sadly, the story was true; if I never saw a fish again, that would be just fine. Tegan watched him, her expression perplexed but grateful. I could tell she didn’t understand Stalker at all.
“I know you mean well,” she whispered as she rose, “but I don’t need to be coddled. I know exactly what I can handle.”
“Sorry. I won’t do it again.”
She nodded to show we were fine, and then she rejoined her partner to continue planting. By late afternoon, the growers finished. The seeds didn’t need special care this early, but they did require someone to watch them and be sure Freaks didn’t come in the night to rip them out of the ground. We returned to Salvation in near-silence, but as we approached the gates, a guard muttered:
“This is ridiculous. We haven’t seen or heard a peep from the Muties today. We ought to be sleeping warm in our beds tonight.”
“Odell Ellis, I recognize your voice,” Longshot barked without turning. “If you wanna explain to Elder Bigwater what you’re doing when you abandon your post, go right on inside with the growers. But if you do, I feel pert near sure that he’s not gonna be amenable to you eating our food, come winter. But that’s your call.”
“I know my duty,” Odell muttered.
“Then quit your bellyachin’.” Longshot raised his voice, calling to the guards on the wall. “Open up quick, just long enough for the wagons. It’s clear.”
“Take care,” Tegan called as she went. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
In the falling light, I raised a hand in farewell and saw Stalker and Fade do the same on either side of me. All told, it only took a few minutes to get the civilians to safety. I felt more combat ready at once. Longshot signaled, and we moved out, back toward the fields. It had been a long day, where inaction grated heavy. By that point, I was a taut-drawn wire, waiting for pressure to make me snap.
But guard work wasn’t all excitement and action. I’d known that coming in.
Longshot chose an excellent site on a low rise that permitted a sweeping view across the newly planted fields. The wind carried a loamy scent, that of fresh-turned earth. From this position, we’d see if anything went awry, and the incline offered an advantage to the riflemen. With any luck, they’d drop a vast number of incoming Freaks, and our close-combat crew would devastate the rest.
“In the morning, we’ll fell some timber for a proper watchtower. For tonight, let’s build a fire and a simple camp. Who knows how to make soup on the trail?”
Fade raised his hand. “We’ve done it more than once. Where’s the pot?”
I fell in to help him, and Stalker built the fire. This was almost like old times, if I ignored Tegan’s departure, and sixteen strange men grumbling about being forced to sleep on the hard ground when we’d clearly eliminated the Mutie threat.
I wasn’t so sure.
Their behavior indicated they were capable of devious planning that, when taken in combination with their strength and terrifying numbers, presented a daunting challenge. Fortunately, Fade and I had survived worse. At least, here, we had men to fight with us; and Salvation remained nearby if the field situation became untenable.
Those thoughts occupied me as we prepared supper. Fade filled the pot half full of water from the canisters we’d brought from town and I sliced vegetables and then added dried meat. Longshot offered various pouches of spices; I examined them with a sniff before deciding which ones to add to the soup.
One of the guards elbowed another and muttered, “So that’s why we brought her. At least she can cook.”
A third snorted. “Bet that’s not all she’s good for.”
Fade froze. Before I could tell him to ignore it, he had his knife against the man’s throat. “If I hear another word like that out of you, we’ll be one man short before we see a single Freak.”
“Stand down, son.” Longshot put a cautioning hand on his shoulder, and after several deep breaths, Fade stepped back, his blade dropping to his side. “I’ll handle it. She’s your girl, I know, but these are my men.”
The man he’d threatened showed equal measures of fear and fury, but Longshot gripped his arm, and dragged him to one side. Whatever he said, it was too low for me to hear, but when the man came back—Gary, I believed his name was—he couldn’t meet my eyes as he tendered the apology. I just shrugged. There had been Hunters down below who were quick with a Breeder joke. If I let them get to me, then I was as soft as they said, and I didn’t fear any human male. While they might be stronger, they wouldn’t be smarter or faster.