Forager (9781771275606) (20 page)

“
Dillon, Frank give ya a belt to go along with this
alt’nator?”

Walking over to Fred, I unpacked the belt from the saddlebags,
and brought it back.

“
Okay, I need a bit a help with this part. We gotta make sure
the belt’s tight. We need somethin’ to pry with.”

I went back to Fred again and got my pry bar. “Will this
work?”

“
That’s just the ticket, now you pry the alt’nator so’s that it
lines up to the mount…That’s it…Now, just let me get a few turns on
these bolts...good….okay, you can let go.”

Charlie finished tightening the bolts and snapped the wiring
harness together. “Okay, let’s fire her up and see if she
works.”

He climbed back in the cab. A moment later the big engine
roared to life. His gaze fixed on the gauge panel inside. The smile
stretching across his face was all the proof I needed that I’d done
my job.

Charlie shut off the combine and climbed out of the cab. He
pointed to my raw, scrapped knuckles. “You weren’t sick. You was
out Foragin’. I left enough of my own skin behind while wrenchin’
on engines to recognize what happened to them knuckles. I shoulda
guessed it right off when I seen ya ridin’ the Forager’s
horse.”

I wanted to deny it. I wanted to confirm it. I didn’t know
what I wanted.

Charlie put his hand on my shoulder the same way my dad used
to. “Don’t worry about it, son. Your secret’s safe with me. You got
your reasons for stayin’ quiet an’ that’s okay, but let me be the
first to say thanks.”

I’m not sure if there was a better feeling in the entire world
than to have the true, heartfelt thanks of someone wash over me. My
chest swelled with pride and my cheeks grew warm.

“
You best get on back to town. Me and the lady,” he pointed at
the harvester, “we got us a lot a work to do.”

“
Charlie, can I ask you something?”

“
Sure, kid. What is it?”

“
When I was out searching, I found a lot of harvesters. Most
were in really good condition. Why are we still using this one? Why
couldn’t we bring one in for a backup?”

“
It all goes back to the numbers, kid. The gov’ner wants
everybody makin’ food. Even in winter, we got too much to do. We
just ain’t got time to go out there and get one.”

“
But won’t those machines be useless if their left abandoned?”
Seemed to me the town could spare a person or two to retrieve those
machines.

“
It sure ain’t good for ’em. Still, the only way we’re getting’
a new machine is if this one completely fails. If that happens,
we’re gonna be in a world a trouble. It ain’t like we can just go
out there and drive one back to town. There’s a ton a work needs
doin’ before any one of them machines would even start.”

I understood the governor’s position. It was his job to make
sure no one went hungry, but how long could those machines sit
unused before they were nothing but scrap metal. And, wouldn’t the
time saved by having two harvesters make up for the time it would
take to get a second one up and running?

A sudden fear gripped me. “Charlie, what if the Scavengers get
them?”

He sniffed and rolled his eyes. “What would a bunch of no good
thievin’ savages want with a combine? It ain’t like they ever
settle down in one place long enough to grow anything. ’Sides, I
doubt there’s a one of ’em knows the first thing about gettin’ one
of them machines runnin’.”

Charlie turned to climb the ladder, hesitated, and turned back
to me with his hand out. I shook with him.

“
Thanks again, Dillon,” he said. “If ever there’s anything I
can do to help you out, just let me know.”

He fired up the harvester as I gathered the tools. I packed
them away and started Fred walking back to town.

On the way back, I wondered how Frank was going to explain the
now fully-working combine. I decided that as long as he kept my
name out of it, it wasn’t my problem.

I guided Fred to the infirmary to visit Sawyer. I passed a few
people on my way in, but no one stopped me or seemed surprised to
see me. With the sun lowering in the western sky, I guessed they
were too busy going to the Dining Hall for supper to pay me any
attention.

I found a large bucket inside, placed it on a wheelchair and
filled it with several gallons of fresh water. Fred was already
grazing on the lush grass outside, but she looked up appreciatively
at me when she scented the water. I muscled the bucket onto the
pavement and let Fred drink her fill.

Leaving the bucket for Fred, and after wheeling the chair back
inside, I wandered around the infirmary, checking rooms until I
found Sawyer. His face was pale and clammy, his eyes bloodshot. I
knew even before seeing the huge bandage on his leg that the
infection was worse.

He’d been reading, but put the book down when he saw me.
“You’re back. Good. How’d it go?”

I started with the botched ransom delivery. Then I detailed
the last two days. I told him everything, mostly. I left out a few
of the more embarrassing parts. He didn’t interrupt until I got to
the part where the Scavengers started shooting at me.

“
You were lucky Fred was under you. She’s the fastest horse
I’ve ever had. I can’t figure why they bothered you, though.
Usually, Scavengers aren’t that bold.”

“
What about the ones that captured Chane? They seem pretty bold
to me.”

“
That’s been bothering me too. Scavenger’s just aren’t that
daring. Did you recognize any of them from the attack on the town?
Is it the same gang?”

“
I wondered that, too, but when I rode into town, a whole slew
of Scavengers had gathered for the ransom delivery. There’s no way
they could have beaten me here.”

“
That sounds right. And I’ve never known them to leave anyone
behind. I think it has to do with being banished. No one wants to
be shut out again. I’m guessing here, but I think the band you ran
into on the way back was a totally different
one…unless…”

I perked up. “What?”

“
Did you see the mayor’s daughter at the ransom
delivery?”

“
No, and I looked for her, too.”

Sawyer rubbed his chin. “I’m thinking that maybe they left her
behind to make sure they’d get what they came for. They know from
their failed first attack that they can’t outgun you. They may have
been trying to outsmart you.”

“
Are you saying the mayor wasn’t going to deliver the
ransom?”

“
I’m not saying that was his plan, I’m saying that’s what the
Scavengers planned for.”

I frowned, the pieces not adding up in my mind. “But why
wouldn’t he have ordered us to attack them when he found out Chane
wasn’t with them?”

“
Think about it. If he killed all the
Scavengers, how would he know where to find his daughter? The men
you stumbled across probably
were
left behind to guard Chane. If I’m right, she
couldn’t have been far away.”

A shiver ran up my back. How close had I been to Chane? Had
she seen me? Would she have recognized me? Had she tried to call
out for help?

“
But why shoot at me? Wouldn’t it have been better if they’d
stayed hidden?”

Sawyer paused, looking thoughtful. “Darn fever’s making my
head foggy. This is what I think—at least some of those Scavengers
saw me during the attack. They’d have known I was in the area. When
they saw you on the road, they must have thought you were me. They
would have assumed I’d been sent to find Chane.”

“
I got too close, didn’t I?”

“
That’s my guess.”

Frank entered the room. He took my hand in his and gave it a
shake. “I hoped I’d find you here, Dillon. Great work finding the
alternator. Did you get it out to Charlie?”

Nodding, I said, “I helped him install it. You should know
that he figured out I was the one that Foraged it.”

Frank scratched his head. “Charlie’s a good man. I think he’ll
keep quiet. Just to be sure, I’ll talk to him.”

“
I’m glad you kept my leaving quiet. I really didn’t want to be
banished.”

Frank brushed that thought away with a wave of his hand.
“Doing what I do, it was easy to convince the mayor you were sick.
The hard part was persuading him you were too ill to be jolted.
When he hears you’re up and around, he’ll want you back in the town
square.”

I hadn’t forgotten the upcoming jolts, but I’d done a good job
of not thinking about them over the last couple of days. Leave it
to Frank, the organizer, to make sure everyone was where they
needed to be when they needed to be there. I changed the
subject.

“
What happened with the ransom delivery?”

“
When the mayor and his entourage rode out to meet the
Scavengers, the ransom was in wagons on the side of the road ready
for them. It seems their plan was to take the wagons and then bring
Chane back.”

I looked at Sawyer. He nodded. His theory was panning
out.

Frank continued, “When the mayor understood what the
Scavengers were planning, he refused the ransom. He thought they
were trying to con him. They argued back and forth. I don’t know
what the mayor was thinking, taking his sons out there.” Frank
shook his head in disgust. “Josh couldn’t handle it. He pulled out
a pistol and shot their leader.”

“
I saw that part,” I interrupted. “I’m guessing she was wearing
her bulletproof vest?”

“
Yes, good thing too, if Josh had killed her…? Well, I can’t
say what would have happened, but I would be even more concerned
about Chane than I already am.”

“
So exactly what do they want now?” Sawyer asked.

“
Triple everything. There’s no way we can give it to them, make
quota, and survive the winter. I don’t know what we’re going to
do.”

“
Dillon may have come near their camp while he was out Foraging
the alternator.” Sawyer said.

I explained it to Frank. The frown on his face gave away his
doubts.

“
I’m not sure how to handle this,” he said. “If I go to the
mayor with this, he’s going to be furious with both of us. You, for
Foraging, and me for letting you do it. But if I don’t tell him,
and you’re right, we could be putting our future and Chane’s life
in real danger.”

“
How long did they give you to collect the ransom?” Sawyer
asked.

“
Four days,” answered Frank.

Dr. White knocked on the door and entered the room. His
eyebrows rose when he saw me. “Dillon, glad to see you’re feeling
better. Gentlemen, please excuse us, but I’ll need the two of you
to wait outside while I examine Sawyer.”

Frank and I walked out and stood beside the door. “He doesn’t
look good,” Frank said.

“
I know. He’s so pale. The infection must be getting
bad.”

Frank nodded, started to say something and stopped. He ran a
hand through his hair and finally said, “You did great getting that
alternator. It’s…it’s not right for you to be punished. I wish
there was something I could do. I’ve tried talking the mayor out of
it, but he just won’t listen. I’m sorry.”

I’d gotten the impression that Frank didn’t care one way or
the other if I were punished. It was nice to know he was on my
side, even if he couldn’t do anything to help me. “Thanks,” I
said.

“
It’s worse than that now. If I tell the mayor you were
Foraging…I don’t know what he’ll do to you.”

We fell into an uncomfortable silence. A few minutes later,
Dr. White came out. He nodded as Frank strolled back in to talk
with Sawyer. When I tried to walk in, the doctor stopped me. His
lips were set in a thin line and his eyes were serious and sad.
“Dillon, Sawyer’s body isn’t fighting the infection. If I don’t see
improvement by tomorrow, I won’t have a choice. I’ll have to
amputate.”

“
Does Sawyer know you might have to amputate?” I
asked.

“
I told him.” The doctor clenched his fist in frustration. “If
only I had some antibiotics, I’d have him cured in a
week.”

I thought of all I’d seen in my last few days of travel. “What
if I could get some?”

“
What are you talking about?”

“
Let’s go back in the room. I can’t talk about this without
Frank knowing.”

Dr. White was as unaware as the rest of the town of my
Foraging. If my idea was to work, he’d have to be told. I trusted
Dr. White, but that didn’t matter. The question was, did
Frank?

Back in the room, I began. “Frank…” I stopped. I really wanted
to help Sawyer, but was this going to get me into trouble? Was I on
the road to banishment?

Frank looked up from where he and Sawyer were talking. “What
is it, Dillon?”

For a moment I stood there with my mouth slightly open,
speechless. Then, letting the cobs fall where they would, the words
tumbled out of my mouth. “Frank, Sawyer needs medicine. I think I
know where I can get some, but it means going back out.”