Tara walked to the edge of the ferry and listened. She was satisfied they were now alone and turned to look at the man.
He didn’t say anything, but sat at the end of the table, leaning over to stir a fire burning in an iron stove.
Tara turned to go back to her cabin.
“Stay.” It was more of a suggestion than a command.
She turned and looked at him.
“I won’t hurt you. Heavens knows I’m no match. I’ll admit you scare me to death.” He smiled and showed off dirty teeth and several dark holes where teeth had once been. “Name’s Taffley. Sit and tell one of your stories.”
“One of my stories?”
“Come now, all Runners have stories. I’ve heard some good ones in my time.”
“What makes you think I’m a Runner?”
“Several things, lass. You wear the Blood Circle Clan symbol around your neck. Your motorcycle is a Runner’s bike, and you’ve just shown me the skills of a Runner.” He pointed to the chair she’d used during dinner. “Sit.”
Tara did so and looked up at the stars. Her fingers instinctively played with the telltale necklace. Why hadn’t she taken it off? She watched as the man got up and went over to a cabinet built into the wall of the ferry.
He opened it and pulled out a large bottle and two clay cups. He poured some of the contents into each cup, then set one in front of Tara. “The Sea People make an excellent wine. It’s become quite rare lately. Their economy’s crashed, you know.” He offered the information as if it were common knowledge and leaned back down in his chair.
“You said you’d been south of the border.” She took a sip of the wine.
“Yeah, Southland.” He took a large drink and made a face, then took another drink and set the cup on the table. “Why d’you want to go there?”
“I haven’t been there.”
“A true Runner response.” He laughed and then drank the rest of his wine. He offered Tara more after pouring some in his own cup, but she shook her head. “What’s your name?”
“Tara. Tell me what the people are like down there. Are they warriors?”
“Well now, some of them are. None to match you Runners, that’s for sure. They were doing pretty well for themselves, had lots of money to spend, ‘til the Sea People started that war up north. From what I’ve heard, they lost pretty badly. They didn’t know them Gothman would go and hitch up with you all Runners. Strange people the Sea People are.” Taffley stopped to wet his mouth. “Ever met one?”
“No, not personally.” Tara wanted to hear about the south, not the north, but she decided she’d have to be patient.
“They come across nice enough, gave me a fair bit of business there for awhile. Not very trusting people, though. Southland is real good for growin’ this opiate plant. All I did for the longest time was haul the harvests across the border. That’s all done now. The towns down there are hurting pretty bad. No reason to grow their crops, because there’s no one to buy them.”
“The Sea People don’t want it anymore?”
“I’m sure they want it. They just can’t pay for it. They’re broke, you see. Plenty of money they owe me.” Taffley poured more wine into their glasses.
“What should I expect when I get to the border?” She swooshed the purple liquid around in the cup but didn’t take a drink. “How far to the closest town?”
* * * * *
Taffley thought about how to answer. He imagined what she would see when they got to the border. Saffle had sent that wire, and she would be picked up the second she got off the ferry. A twinge of guilt ran through him. She’d saved his life, and now he was turning her in for the money. He focused on the reward. It would clear all the debts he’d created when he still thought the Sea People would pay him for his services.
“The first town is Semore. It’s about ten miles from the border. There’s Pixley, which is about fifteen miles in, but you have to drive a little west to get to it. And there aren’t any roads nearby. The roads starting at the border go to Semore. After Semore are Highton and New Hanger. All those towns are under the same government and use the same money. They’ve got some good ideas down there. It makes sense to have the same rules and money. I guess you’d have to see how they live to understand.” Taffley wondered if she would ever be able to go there.
* * * * *
“Are they all the same people?” Tara tried to picture what he’d described. Her excitement grew at the thought of being the first Runner to explore a new land. “Who’s their ruler?”
“Well now, that’s where they are real different. They don’t have a ruler.”
“What? That would be complete chaos!” She took a drink of her wine and pulled her legs up, getting comfortable in her chair.
“You’d think, but it’s not. They have a bunch of people in charge. I can’t remember what they call it, but all the people get together every five winters and vote on who the people in charge are going to be.” Taffley got up and pulled a blanket out, shook it, then walked over and wrapped it around Tara. “Can’t let it be said one of my passengers got sick on my ferry.”
“People say who their leader is going to be?” Tara adjusted the blanket around her, pondering the concept. “Who is in charge right now?”
“The main guy is Gowsky, I think. Never met him. Don’t have cause to, you see. He’s got a mess on his hands. They were all accustomed to money coming in, you see. Except now, there is none. Money I mean.”
Tara sat quietly for a minute. She’d never thought how their war could affect so much of the world. People who didn’t know her were struggling to keep their towns going because of decisions she and Darius had made.
Tara suddenly came to the conclusion that a ruler would indeed be great if he or she were aware of all of the people around him or her, and not just familiar with a little corner of Nuworld. Darius had never been out of Gothman. Would he ever know what life was like outside his kingdom?
“What you thinking, Tara?” Taffley cocked his whiskery face at her.
“About everything you’ve just said. I look forward to meeting these people. It sounds like they need help getting back on their feet.”
“Well now, how would you help them?” Taffley sounded curious.
“I don’t know. It sounds like they’re farmers. You said they grew something the Sea People needed. Maybe there is something else they could grow that someone else could use.” Tara was anxious now to continue her journey and meet these people. “Like I said, I don’t know. I’ll have to wait and see what their land is like and what they’re like. What do they think of strangers?”
“Anyone can come and go through their towns. That’s something everyone knows. Though I don’t know what they’d think of a Runner. They kind of blame you all for their turn of fate, you see. People say the Sea People could’ve beat Gothman if it weren’t for the Runners. I’ve heard that the Gothman king got tricked…”
* * * * *
Taffley stopped talking, and his mouth fell open. Now, he’d never been accused of being a real bright man. He liked what he did and tried to keep peace with everyone with whom he did business. Still, he’d learned many things sitting at this table with his passengers. He’d almost said that he’d heard about a beautiful woman, who turned out to be a Runner, and had tricked the Gothman king. That’s what he was about to say, but then he figured something out.
“You’re the one, aren’t you? No wonder there’s so much money on your head!” Taffley quickly covered his mouth, knowing he’d said too much.
“What did you say?”
“Oh, I’m as bad as an old woman.” Taffley hung his head and pulled a piece of paper from his shirt pocket. He tossed the paper across the table.
Tara picked it up and held it by the lantern. A look of shock crossed her face.
Chapter Fourteen
“I can’t believe this. The notice makes it sound like I’m his property.” Tara began to fume all over again.
“Gothman women are property.” Taffley said with a shrug.
“I’m not Gothman!” Tara slammed her fist on the table.
Taffley jumped and realized he’d hit a nerve. Had he made the right move by showing the paper to her? It crossed his mind that if this made her angry, what would she do when she realized she was being led into a trap?
A loud shot caused Taffley to jump again. One hand went to his heart and the other grabbed his bottle of wine.
Another loud shot rang through the air.
* * * * *
Tara adjusted her laser to scan for life-signs. She pointed the laser toward the woods along the river, judging that was where the shot had come from. She could hear people yelling, and although the red beam on the laser targeted the attackers, she didn’t need it. She could have detected them from the noise they were making.
Taffley was on top of the ferry, and he had started shooting.
The darn fool was going to get killed. He’d made himself an easy target. She quickly shot at three individuals on the bank. A splash in the water and a howl let her know one of them had fallen in. She saw another fall from a tree. The third jumped in the water of his own accord and started swimming toward them.
Taffley aimed his gun at the person in the water, and a loud bang ran through the air. The man in the water let out a bloodcurdling scream. His arm floated away from his body.
Taffley’s gun had such a kick she could see him lurch back after firing. For a second, she envisioned Taffley falling down the stairs, but he steadied himself and looked around at the now calm waters.
“Sure are a lot of thieves lately,” he muttered as he came back down the stairs. “We live in a land of no laws. Take care of your own, that’s the River People’s law. I’ve learned to protect my property. Keeps one on his toes. They say a government will stop all this but I don’t see it happening.”
Tara could hear the babies beginning to cry and hurried to them.
Taffley walked to the edge of the hallway, but respecting her privacy, talked to her without coming to her door. “I’ll keep a watch tonight. You don’t worry none about them babies. I’ll keep them safe. Ain’t no thief going to board my boat tonight.”
Tara doubted Taffley’s ability to keep them safe, but she thanked him and pulled the children up on the bed. Within moments, the three of them were sound asleep.
It seemed like just minutes later when Tara opened her eyes to see the sun streaming through the open window of her room. Ana lay cuddled next to her, sleeping soundly, while Andru played with his feet. He smiled broadly at her when she looked at him. The smile looked just like his papa’s.
Tara lay there, holding both of them tightly, feeling pain from the loss of the only man she’d ever loved. Tears came to her eyes and she let them flow.
It wasn’t long before both babies were fully awake and ready to play. Tara had to put her own thoughts aside and focus on her children. As she sat on the floor of the small room, tickling and playing with the babies, she could hear Taffley walking around on the main deck preparing breakfast. Every now and then he groaned; she imagined he might be hung over from the wine.
The bell announcing that food was ready came shortly, and Tara picked up the babies and headed out to the table. She was surprised to feel how warm it was outside.
“We’ve had someone following us through those trees over there,” Taffley said as Tara secured the babies into the highchairs. “If you want to eat in your room, I can set the table in there.”
Tara looked over to the trees and could hear the low sound of a motorcycle. She squinted from the sun and was able to tell two people rode on the bike. They were matching the pace of the ferry and staying just out of view through the trees.
“If you’d help me push the highchairs to my room, I’d appreciate it.” She walked back to the room, pushing Ana in the chair. Taffley followed with Andru, who talked gibberish all the way.
She could see the bike through her window as she fed the babies their breakfast. Why wasn’t its rider attacking like the others? Still, she had to acknowledge it was a strategy she would use to flush out her prey: wear their defenses down by stalking them. Then bring them out in the open and nail them. It was a Runner strategy, but that wasn’t a Runner bike.
“Tara?” A voice shouted her name.
She jumped, startled, and moved quietly to the window. “I don’t believe it!” She ran out of the room and onto the deck.
“Stop the ferry,” the voice called.
“Not on your life.” Taffley raised his gun to fire.
“Taffley, no!” Tara yelled, but it was too late.
Taffley fell to the ground as laser fire shot across the water and knocked him off the deck. He yelled loudly and looked at his smoking leg. Dark blood started soaking through the torn material of his pants.
“Put that laser down now!” Tara yelled to the shore.
She ran over to Taffley and propped him up against the deck.
“Tara, you’ve got to make him stop the ferry,” Torgo’s voice yelled to her. He and Syra were now visible on the shore of the river.
“Who are they?” Taffley was grimacing from the pain.
“A couple of kids. What they’re doing here is the question!” Tara looked back at the two sitting on Torgo’s bike.
“Tara, can you hear me?” Torgo yelled.
“Yes, I can hear you.”
“You’re floating into a trap. There’s a mob down there just waiting for you. They’ll turn you in for the price on your head.”