Sons of Abraham: Pawns of Terror (19 page)

“What are you two doing?” he asked. “You’ll kill yourselves in this heat.”

Sandra looked to Jenna, motioning for her to answer the Cyber’s question. The younger sister took another drink from her container, wiping the excess from her mouth before speaking.

“Sandy told me what happened, with Cybill that is,” she started. “I know we didn’t know her, but we know you. We kinda figured you were going through enough right now, so we dug your daughter a grave.”

Abraham looked down at the hole in the ground, adjacent to the tall tree, its shadow stretching out for forty yards in the low sun. His mouth drew tight as he weighed the implication, realizing that he hadn’t given a thought as what to do with Cybill’s remains. He suddenly felt ashamed.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” he stammered. “I wish she could have met you both. I’m all but certain you’d gotten along splendidly.”

Sandra was about to speak when she caught movement from the corner of her eye. She whipped around to see two vehicles moving in on their location, speeding along the dirt road and leaving a high trail of dirt in their wake. The tall grass blew down as the vehicles passed though they were still too far away from her to make out who was inside.

“Jenny, get inside and get our guns!” she ordered.

“Belay that request,” Abraham offered calmly. “I sent for these men.”

Jenna looked at her sister in dismay, uncertain of what she should be doing. She slowly back-pedaled, waiting for her sister to respond. Sandra held up her hands for her little sister to stop, then stepped behind Abraham as she watched the two vehicles pull to a stop before them.

The vehicles were identical. Both were a rich, metallic blue, standing, at least, three feet over their heads. The windshields wrapped around the front, a short compartment in front for the electric motors, the top of the vehicle solar panels. There were two sliding doors on each vehicle, facing the group under the shade of the tree. The sound of the drivers exiting from the other side indicated that the doors on the opposite side slide as well.

Two men walked around the front of each vehicle. They were both tall, with trimmed beards and messy hair shoved under ball caps with a strange logo on the front. Both wore jackets with an array of pouches and pockets. Belts hung low from their pants, a long pistol slung from holsters on the hips. Their facial features were similar though one was clearly older than the other.

“Told ya they’d be here,” the younger one told the elder of the group.

“Yup sure did,” the older man replied, taking off his hat. “I’m guessing that you’re Thomas?”

“Yes sir,” Abraham replied. “Thomas Oliver. This is my cousin Sandra and her sister Jenna. You’ll have to excuse them, I neglected to tell them we were expecting company.”

“Oh, we don’t mind,” the older man replied. “My name is John, and this is my son William, whom you already know.”

John turned to the girls and nodded before returning the cap to his head.

“We appreciate hard working types like yourselves,” John continued.

“Did you lose someone?” William asked, noting the freshly dug grave.

“Our Grandma,” Jenna lied. “Cybill. Poor thing was a hundred and twelve. Swore she’d outlive us all, but we lost her a few months back.”

“I’m sorry for your loss ma’am,” John offered. “Wish we’d known, we would have helped with the grave. I don’t know where you folks hail from, but here in Taurus, we take care of our own, even if they just got here. Speaking of which, I understand you have something to trade with me, Mr. Oliver.”

“I do,” Abraham replied. “Jenna, be a dear and fetch that hover board next to the door.”

Jenna looked dumbfounded but obeyed as she jogged around the building and out of sight. Sandra saw the young one called William watch her sister leave, not caring for how low the boy’s eyes were. Still, the boy seemed pleasant enough.

“You see Sandy,” Abraham started in a cheerful voice. “I told you this was the right place for us. These two gentlemen are just the tip of the hospitality iceberg around here.”

The two men smiled, forcing Sandra to return in kind. It suddenly came to her that the two were likely father and son, thus the resemblance and age difference. Her mind was starting to wonder what sort of deal Thomas OLIVER had made with these men. She guessed she’d find out soon enough as her sister returned with the hover board.

Jenna brought the board to a stop next to Abraham, offering a bashful smile to William as he and his father stepped forward to examine the merchandise. Both of the men took their hats off, leaning down and waving their hands under the board as if they’d expected invisible strings were holding the device in the air.

“Wow, you weren’t lying,” William said joyfully. “How much atronium is in that anyways? Forty pounds? Fifty?”

“Roughly one hundred and thirty,” Abraham boasted.

The two men whistled, returning their matching hats to their heads. The father stepped back as the son edged around, leaning into him with his back to the newcomers.

“I don’t feel right about this Pop,” he started. “Feels like stealing.”

“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” Abraham asked.

John placed a large hand on his son’s shoulder, pulling him around as he stepped forward. Abraham had to look up at the man, scanning his vitals in anticipation of violence.

“I’m sorry, I’m just proud of my boy right now,” John started. “You see, his Mama raised him to be honest, something this world could use a little more of I’d say. We wouldn’t feel right taking over a hundred pounds of atronium from you for no more than your asking price. I believe my son would sleep easier if he were able to offer you a little more for your board there.”

“I see,” Abraham replied, a faint smile forming on his thin lips.

“How’d you come across this board anyways?” John asked. “You didn’t steal it did ya? If that’s the case, the deals off.”

“Oh no,” Abraham continued. “I’ve had this board since I was a child. My brothers and I used to race down these hills on it, a few miles from home. I was the youngest, always trying to impress my older siblings. So I got the brilliant idea to push it up the steepest hill. I can’t image how fast I was going by the time I reached the bottom, but I didn’t line up my path very well and struck a tree.”

Abraham pointed to the black discs covering his eyes.

“That’s how I wound up with these,” he continued. “They say they’re as good as real eyes, but the colors never seem the same since then. Maybe I’m just remember things through the eyes of a child. Anyways, this board has caused me enough grief, especially with having to keep it hidden from scavengers and thieves all my life. We’re in a bit of a bind here. I told the man at the government center that we’d pay for this outpost tomorrow, so I’m a little desperate for the credits. Couldn’t pass up the deal the man offered me to keep the Cybers outta here.”

“Well, that’s quite a story,” John started. “Now I’m sorry about your eyes, and the women’s grandmother, but that’s no reason to sell yourself short. You’re new here, came in on that little transport ship….”

Sandra looked to Jenna, a horrified expression forming on her face.

“Yeah, we saw ya land ma’am,” he continued. “Didn’t see anyone help ya off the ship either, that’s why we figured you paid your last credit to get here. Now I believe you were right when you said Taurus was the right place for ya, and I aim to make ya believers of your own words. You didn’t come here with much other than some supplies, a few guns, your grandma, and FIVE of them boards.”

Abraham held his head up, refusing to feel ashamed for the lie. He opened his mouth to speak, but John raised his hand and cut him off.

“I don’t take offense to your story,” he said. “What you have is your business. Now I saw all them tools you brought in too. You some sort of mechanic?”

“Mechanical engineer,” Abraham stated. “I’m a bit of an inventor. Wish I had all of my tools here, but we couldn’t get them all on the ship.”

“Right, right,” John replied. “I bet you could find some work around here if you’re as good as I think you are. You look like the type, some sort of laboratory man, spending all day fiddling and making gadgets. Maybe you come up with something useful and send me a message. I’ll figure out who your best buyer would be for, let’s say, ten percent.”

“Now I’d be ripping you off,” Abraham replied. “Make it fifteen and I’ll sleep better myself.”

“You look like you need it,” William started. “No offense, Sir, you just got some nasty circles under your eyes. Bet your body just needs a few weeks to get to a set schedule.”

“You’re probably right,” Abraham replied. “I assume that, no matter how much I protest, you won’t be happy until you’ve evened the deal. What are you proposing?”

John smiled.

“A businessman,” he started. “I’ll remember that next time I'm negotiating with my buyer. You folks don’t look like the type to grow your own crops, and you all look a little on the thin side. So I’ll tell you what: My son will drop off fresh produce and a tenth of beef every week until you and I feel this deal is square, on top of the agreed price of course.”

“I’d cry if I still had my tear ducts,” Abraham replied. “We’ve been living on ration bars for months. I had a pleasant meal yesterday at one of your establishments, but I’m afraid the girls haven’t had the same opportunity yet. Safe to say that you have yourself a deal.”

John stuck out his hand, which Abraham reached out and shook, finishing the deal. There was something nostalgic, yet fake about the gesture, but the Cyber chose to ignore it.

“Well, the second vehicle is packed,” William started. “Keys are in the ignition. You want to check it out first?”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Abraham replied. “I just need the other two transfers then.”

John reached into his brown, leather coat and pulled out a dusty, worn data pad. Like the father and son, it too had its own leather coat, so to speak. The man folded it out and brought the device to life. Abraham pulled out two pads from his gray, wool jacket and made the first transfer. He switched out the top pad, woke it from sleep mode, and finished the deal.

“Everything seems in order,” John replied.

“Yes,” Abraham added. “I also downloaded instructions for how to work that board. I know you only want the atronium, but the instructions will make it easier to move it around until then.”

“Much obliged,” William said, pushing the board into the back of the lead vehicle. “It was great meeting you, Jenna.”

John elbowed his son in the ribs.

“And you Sandra,” he finished before jumping in the front seat of the vehicle.

“Sorry about that,” John said to Jenna. “We don’t get many pretty off-worlders around here, so the boy is a little smitten.”

“No apologies needed,” Jenna beamed. “Have a great night.”

John reached into the passenger seat and pulled out a large box with a handle. Steam rose from it, indicating it was a heater device for keeping something warm.

“I wouldn’t feel right, knowing that you girls were eating ration bars tonight,” John said, handing the box over to Sandra. “You just bring the dishes back the next time we see ya, okay?”

Sandra smiled and nodded as she watched the man climb into the seat, slide the door shut, and drive off the way they came. She sat the box down and pressed the little black lever on the side. The box opened from the side, revealing containers full of meat in some sort of dark sauce, grilled vegetables, and a container of mashed potatoes. She closed the box up in a hurry and handed it to her sister.

“You should take that before I kick you and devour the whole thing myself,” she laughed.

Jenna started to take the box back to the outpost when she realized her data pad was missing from her pants pocket. Remembering the transaction only moments earlier, she came back to Abraham, a stern expression on her narrow face.

“What’d ya put on my pad?” she asked.

Abraham smiled and handed over the device. Jenna sat the box on the ground, took the pad, and read the screen. Her jaw dropped open, forcing Sandra to look over her shoulder.

“Are you kidding me?” Sandra asked, still looking at the screen. “You got her two years tuition to the medical school here?”

“Well, technically one,” he replied. “Her aptitude test got her the second one. John’s brother is on the city council and has some pull with the businesses and schools.”

He stepped forward, pushing the pad down from the girl’s view.

“Things are going to be very different,” he started. “We’re a bit of a family now, the three of us. As you told me, Sandra, we take care of each other. I have much work to do if I’m to find out what happened to me, and my children. Which means I’ll require time to work. Sandra, you’ll need to find some sort of job around here, something public so you can get to know these people. They seem nice on the surface, but there’s something suspicious about them that I don’t fully trust. Jenna, you stay here and go to the school. Learn what you can, while you can, do you understand?”

“Yeah, I get it,” Jenna replied. “I can’t believe it, but I understand it.”

“To that point,” Sandra started. “What if you find your kids and they're on some other planet, or in another system? What are you going to do then? We don’t have a ship, and I don’t think you could buy one, even if you sold all four of those boards.”