Pickers 3: The Valley (2 page)

Tony hooked the lanyard to the collar of Luke's ragged top. "There you go. Look after that for me, will you. I'll be back to collect it soon."

The woman took a step away from Tony and Veronique, so that Luke was out of reaching distance. "Wave goodbye now." she suggested. Luke looked up from the light and waved with his free hand, opening and closing his little fingers as the woman walked off.

When woman and child had disappeared into the crowd of children and adults about to be handed clothes. Tony turned to his wife. "You know what you were saying about adoption?"

"Yeah. I think we just were adopted."

Remy was doing a walk around of the wagons, looking at all the damage they had sustained. They had given them a once over after the running battle, but only to be sure there was no serious damage. There were plenty of holes, but the wagons were packed, and armoured, in such a way that nothing had made it inside.

He would be expected show some respect for the town council, he supposed, but he wasn't going to rush over to do it. He had a tricky sell to make, and some carefully displayed disrespect would reinforce it.

It was not so much that he'd left the valley on bad terms- in fact, he had sneaked out before anyone could organise to stop him. If he was to negotiate a return, he wanted to have a strong starting position. Making them come to him was part of that.

Power games might be needed, if he was going to sell his plan. The Valley was as green as ever, he had noticed. He wasn't sociopath enough to curse the good conditions. If they were hungry, the seed bank would have been an easier sell, but they'd have been more desperate to get their hands on it, more likely to do something stupid.

Maxine was hanging on the metal shaft of a particularly stubborn arrow, which was stuck fast in whatever was on the other side of the panel it had hit. As she swung, it began to move, and her determined expression became a tight smile.

The arrow came free, and Maxine dropped to the ground with a satisfied grunt. "What was it stuck in?" Remy asked.

"In this part of the wagon? Spare batteries, I think. I'll dig around later." Maxine studied the shaft, then added it to a small pile of projectiles she had already pulled from the vehicle.

Veronique and Tony arrived, holding hands. "I see you made a friend." Remy said.

"Luke." Tony told him.

"Orphan?"

"Foundling. They don't know his story."

"Are we going to see uncle Julien?" Veronique asked.

"Julien is going to come and see us."

"He's sent you a message?"

"Not yet, but he will."

"Papa, you shouldn't be playing negotiation games with your own brother."

"Julien is not the only one we shall be negotiating with."

"I really want to see uncle Julien. I didn't, as much, until I started seeing all these buildings I remember.... I just don't want us to get off on the wrong heading with him and spoil coming home."

"I don't think we will have to wait too long." Maxine butted in, "There's Georges.... Whatever his name is, on the bridge. And a couple of other Police looking guys."

"Meunier." Veronique said.

"Meunier?" Maxine shrugged.

"His family name is Meunier. Isn't he the one you had a crush on when you were seven?"

"I didn't! Did I? No, I did not have a crush on him."

"Yes. You followed him everywhere for two weeks, and tried to do everything he did. To be fair to him, he didn't seem to mind. Didn't make fun of you, like some would."

"He made fun of my hair!"

"Everyone made fun of your hair. I made fun of your hair."

"Veronique, stop teasing your sister." Remy said, trying to sound serious.

Georges and his compatriots had turned the corner at the end of the bridge, and were heading for the wagons. Maxine was looking for somewhere to hide, or some way to look busy, so she could avoid him when he reached them.

"Sorry Maxine." Veronique said, "I couldn't resist. I only made fun because your hair was just like Mama's, with all those tight curls, and I was jealous."

"Oh, right. Ten years on, you decide to apologise." Maxine was still looking for a hiding place.

It was like returning to the Valley had emotionally regressed his daughters ten years, Remy thought. He stepped forward to greet Georges Meunier and his two Police friends. "Hello again, Monsieur Meunier. How can we help you?"

Georges only missed a beat at the surprise of Remy suddenly knowing his family name. "Monsieur Giraud, if you and your family would like to accompany me. The mayor would very much like to see you."

It had been a long time since anyone had used their family name. When dealing with others, they had long gone by their first names only, occasionally making up a family name. "We have been looking forward to seeing him." Remy announced. "Maxine, make sure the wagons are locked up."

"I.... Could stay here and guard them."

"Oh, I don't think there's any need for that, is there. You should come and meet the mayor."

Georges led them across the bridge and into the centre of the town. A small crowd had formed near the hotel du ville, eager for a sight of the mysterious returnees.

The town hall had been rebuilt after a big fire, back when Remy was still young. He remembered the much grander building that had been replaced by the brick built box they entered. The roof, he noticed, was now covered in a patchwork of solar cells, scavenged together over the years.

The interior was at odds with the exterior. To give a sense of importance, if not quite grandeur, many of the towns older hotels had been plundered for furniture and fittings they no longer used, and the material mixed and matched. There was a lot of dark wood panelling, and the seating was all trimmed in reds and greens. The wear of years showed on some corners, but that leant the authority of age.

They paused at the bottom of the wide staircase. There was a table with wicker baskets on top of it. Another officer guarded the table, her expression impassive, but her eyes never leaving the newcomers. "If you will leave your weapons here, I can take you up to see the mayor." Georges said.

Remy had a pistol in a shoulder holster, which he unwrapped and put in a basket. Veronique had a large revolver and several quick loaders full of bullets. Tony had Left his pistol in the wagon, but he had a knife on his belt.

Maxine put her 9mm semi automatic and two clips into a basket. Then her .38. She hitched up her trouser legs and bent down for the knife in her boot. And then the one on the other boot. The knuckle dusters in her thigh pocket counted as weapons, she decided, as did the coil of snare wire that could, at a pinch, be used as a garotte. She hovered before the basket, thinking, then released her belt. Sheathed inside the buckle was a small knife, which she twirled around a finger before she dropped it into the basket.

"Is that everything?" Georges asked.

"I think so." Maxine said, staring at the contents of the basket rather than look around at him.

The council chamber was at the top of the stairs, taking up most of the first floor. They paused before the double doors- dug from the remains of a ski lodge buried in an avalanche- unconsciously straightening clothes and backs. Georges pushed the doors open with a hint of dramatic flourish, stepped inside then moved to one side.

The council sat at a C-shaped collection of tables, open at the end facing the double doors. At the far end of the room, the head of the tables, was the mayor's seat, a grand throne made for some amateur theatre production and recast to give some formality to meetings. Julien Giraud wasn't sat on the throne, but leant back against the table in front of it, facing the door. He pushed himself upright as his brother entered the room.

They walked to each other across the long floor of the council chamber, measured steps, not too leisurely but not too fast. They were the same height, but Julien was rounder than Remy. Not fat, but the more comfortable shape of a man who didn't have to pack up and move on every few days. They faltered as they drew closer, then threw arms wide and embraced.

"My God, big brother, where have you been?" Julien asked, on the edge of tears.

"I could draw you a spider web on a map. But mostly Spain."

"Do you know the trouble you left behind, with your foolish.... Ah, no, I will shout at you some other time. Are these my nieces?"

"Uncle Julien." Veronique almost curtsied before rushing over to hug her uncle. Maxine joined her, and all four of them formed a scrum of smiles and tears.

Standing by the door, Georges was obviously uncomfortable. Tony tried to share a knowing nod, but the younger man looked away. "And who is this?" Julien asked. Tony turned his head to find the group hug had broken up, and Julien was gesturing at him.

"My husband." Veronique said quietly, coming over to take his hand. "Tony."

"A pleasure to meet you." Julien held out his hand to shake, then decided to go for another hug instead. "What happened to Alphonse and Henri?" he asked when he released Tony.

"They met a woman and settled down." Remy said.

"Really? I didn't think they were that way inclined."

"She is a very special woman. The last time we saw them, they had three children."

"Well, it is good you didn't get them killed, I suppose. I'm doing it again, aren't I? No shouting today. We shall save that for tomorrow, when you must face the whole council and tell them why you've come back now."

"We can find you some accommodation if you require." Georges said, stiffly and formally, when he left the council chamber. Julien had asked him to stay behind when everyone else had left, and now he was acting on the instructions delivered to him.

"It may be better if we stay in the wagons tonight." Remy said. "Perhaps if it turns out we are staying longer...."

"Very well. Let me take you back to your vehicles."

"We can find our own way back, it's okay."

"No, I must insist. Monsieur Giraud.... The mayor asked me to escort you until we are sure how the rest of the town feels about your return." Georges shifted uncomfortably, looking to his two Police friends, now standing at the top of the stairs.

"Well, let's not cause any trouble." Remy said, his smile loaded with sarcasm.

When Maxine had rearmed herself in the foyer, they were ready to leave the building. The crowd outside had grown. It was now full of curious and occasionally familiar faces, supplemented by a couple of the adults from the convoy. Georges straightened, trying to project authority through posture, and led the way through the crowd. Remy dawdled, nodding recognition at members of their audience, and even stopping to embrace a couple. Veronique shook her head at her father's game playing, and found herself looking at the ground to avoid catching anyone's eyes. Tony squeezed her hand, taking his anonymity as a chance to study the town and townsfolk.

Maxine kept her eyes straight ahead, and slightly lowered. It was just a coincidence that this meant she was staring at Georges' butt and legs. She had an embarrassing, skin warming memory of the little girl crush she had borne for him, all those years ago. She really couldn't conjure up any clear images of it, though. A lot had happened since they had left the Valley, all of which had filled her head with much more vivid memories than her childhood. She kept staring at his butt- it was a nice butt, and he insisted on wearing tight trousers- in case it brought back memories.

Steering by following the muscles she was studying, Maxine looked around in surprise when they came to a halt. They were back at the wagons, already. Surely the walk to the hotel du ville had been longer than that. She looked up, and found that Georges had turned on his heel and was looking back. For a moment, they stared at each other, as if ready to say something. Georges looked away first. "Monsieur Giraud. I hope you understand that Phillipe and Gaston shall be here until tomorrow. As a precaution." He gestured to the two Police, who didn't look at all familiar, now that she studied their faces, Maxine realised. They had been assigned a guard who wouldn't have any emotional attachment to them, she decided.

"And I am sure that Phillipe and Gaston will understand that, in our years away, we have amassed a fair number of weapons." Remy replied. Gaston's gaze flicked, ever so quickly, to the side, to look at Georges.

"I am sure that they understand. If you will excuse me, I have to go and help house all the children you, er.... You saved." Georges seemed ready to give a quick salute, but he resisted. Turning on his heel again, he headed up river to the farther bridge.

Maxine felt like having a little sulk. She had wanted to get to know that butt better, to have Georges remind her what she had done as a child. But her father had played passive aggressive with him and sent him packing. Phillipe and Gaston didn't look like they had an interesting sentence between them. She twitched in surprise when she felt the hand on her shoulder.

"Such a serious young man." said Remy. "Why would you be interested in him?"

"I am not...."

"Of course not. Come on, let's see what the damage is like inside the wagons."