Chapter Twelve.

The air had a chill. The clouds had thickened up and lowered the ambient light from the sky.

Kate sniffed the air and murmured, “It don’t smell like rain, but that might change in a couple a days. Might make your job a little harder, but rainstorms in the spring are pretty light. Starting in late July we get the Monsoons. When that happens, you’ll see huge thunderstorms. Rain will come across the land like a white curtain hanging from dark purple and gray clouds. They move fast and there can be up to thirty or forty lightning strikes in the 45 minutes until it passes over you. That’s a couple of months away, but you should keep an eye out when you are crossing an arroyo or if you get stuck moving in one and can’t seem to get out of it. There’s not a lot of flash floods in the spring, but they happen."

Allen grunted. “That’s good to know. My thanks.”

***

Ben was almost asleep when he heard that poor guy Mike moving around on his cot. He opened his eyes and then jerked wide awake. In the greenish light shining through the slit window, he could see that Mike was sitting up and moving his hands behind his back. Frowning as if he was concentrating on something, eyes shut. Ben grunted at him, “mrrmm uhmroo mooin?” He was regretting having suggested the gag. He had been enthusiastic about the whole idea of being tied up and had even made a few suggestions.

If he was honest with himself, he had gotten a little carried away. His hands were behind his back, bound at the wrist and at the elbows. They had taken his boots off and tied his ankles together. There was an additional strip of twisted blanket wrapped several times around his knees, held by a rather complicated knot. He couldn’t move.

Mike was making sawing motions behind his back, and his breathing was getting heavier. Suddenly, he started, then grunted. The sawing motion resumed, and it seemed like his range of motion was getting bigger.

Ben squirmed around on the cot and tried to sit up. “Mmrrmm uhmroo mooin? Dop dhat!”

Mike’s eyes opened wide. His hands came around from behind his back, and he had a huge smile on his face. “Ha! I told myself that sonofabitch wouldn’t never tie me up again!” he whispered fiercely. He snickered, then said “Urk!” and jammed his cut finger into his mouth.

Ben tried shouting to raise the alarm, but he had a wadded-up piece of blanket shoved in his mouth which was secured with a wide strip of blanket tied around his head. The whole arrangement turned his shouts for help into inaudible yelps and grunts. He thrashed about on the cot then stopped after slamming his head into the outer wall. He lay there stunned. Shit, that hurt.

The boss was going to kill him.

***

“Who’s there?”

Allen froze while Kate said, “It’s me, Brandt. I got our guest with me.” A patch of darkness in the darkness. Over there, under the porch roof of the stable. The patch of darkness moved. A tall man appeared. He had a bronze star pinned to his chest.

Sheriff’s Deputy Brandt Oliveros said in a loud whisper, “Git on in there, hurry before one of them watchmen comes round!”

Allen smiled, you could hear the Texas in the tall mans voice.

Kate grabbed Allen by his arm and ushered him into the darkness of the stable. Brandt shut the door and uncovered a lantern.

Allen shook his head. Damn. How many men in this town were as tall as a flagpole? Wherever the man was was from, they had a good year-round food supply.

The tall man whispered, “Their horses and gear are in the last stall. Ol’ Billy had me gather up travel packs for three men. I also added some maps of the river heading north, ‘thought that might help speed them along so’s they can catch those sonsofbitches.”

He looked around, puzzled. “Where’s the other hombré? The one that came in later and owns that mean ass mare?”

Kate replied, “He’s hurt. He ain’t gonna make it.”

Allen inquired, “Mean ass mare? Bellé is a sweetheart.”

Brandt snorted, “That sweetheart bit Lil’ Billy bad enough to send him to the Doc and kicked José hard enough to maybe break his leg.”

Allen gave a quick shrug. “Maybe you should be nicer to the visitors of your little town.”

Brandt looked down at Kate. He whispered loudly, “You know Kate, Juan told me this guy was an asshole.”

With a thin smile, Kate said, “I don’t think he can help it.”

“Are we sure we want to help him?”

Kate just shrugged. Brandt looked down at Allen. “Okay, Cabrón, just for that, you can saddle those girls up yourself. I’ll just watch from over here outside o’ kickin’ distance.”

Allen started cursing under his breath while Kate smothered a laugh. Allen entered the stall and clucked a few times to let the horses know he was there and started saddling up his Betty La Fea. Finishing that, he reached into a saddlebag and took an inventory of his gear. He fished around and pulled out a package of dried berries and sweet herbs in honeycomb waxed paper. Keeping his back to the deputies, he rubbed one between his hands till it warmed up and transferred some of its scent to his hands, and then he approached Bellé.

Whispering sweet nothings to the mare, he snuck her one of the sweet-treats and then saddled her up. There was no kicking or biting. Thank the Gods, she decided once again that she still liked him.

Unable to keep his mouth shut, he looked over and smiled. “See, you just have to be nice.”

Brandt snorted. Allen loaded the packs onto Belle and then checked both horses to ensure that everything was secure. He couldn't afford anything falling off during his escape.

While he was doing this, he started talking. “Deputies, I need to point something out you might have missed. The sheriff said the Gonzáles fort is a few miles from your southern border. And the Castillo ranch is a few miles beyond your northern border. How do you think those bastards knew the Territory of Redford well enough to avoid trouble in your lands? That is a very large coincidence.”

Both deputies looked at each other and said, “Shit.”

Allen continued. “And how was the leader of the group allowed an immediate and private audience with the mayor? I think there is an influential person in this city of yours that is in contact with The Brotherhood. Maybe sympathetic to their cause. The Brotherhood are active in what used to be Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. They have cities in the northern American states that used to border Canada and along the west bank of the Mississippi river. These men are far from home.”

He finished settling the gear on the horses, strapped on his gun belt and settled his overcoat.

“We have just recently cleared them out of Louisiana and the lower Texas territory. We fought many battles up the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The western banks have many large towns and small cities. The plains to the west of the river have large herds of the Night Walkers, but their numbers are manageable. Walkers have overrun everything east of the Mississippi. It's too dangerous to send scouts to almost a third of the continent.

He shook his head. “The reason I’m telling you this is that the Rio Grande is what we call a Main Supply Route. You will get a lot of attention. The Army will root out any Brotherhood agents in this city.”

The deputies looked apprehensive. Kate asked, “What if we don’t wanna be involved? What if we just wanna be left alone?”

Allen shook his head. “Eventually, you will be involved. But I will tell you this. We don’t kidnap women, we will not allow slavery in any territory we control, and we bring food and medicine to people and places that didn’t have it before.”

The stable door rattled, cutting him off. There came a knock on the door. Michael’s voice came from outside, “Hey, I know you’re in there. I can see the light from your lantern!”

Allen pulled his dagger and hissed, “Shut him the fuck up!” Kate opened the door and vanished outside. They heard a “Hey!" followed by a loud ‘OWW!’, then a thump.

A furious “SSHHHH!” came next. Brandt headed toward the door, then jumped aside as Deputy Renaldo man-handled Michael through the doorway. He was leaning way back on his center of gravity and dancing on his tiptoes with his left arm twisted up his back.

Brandt shut the door and Kate twisted viciously, kicking Mike’s feet out from under him and driving him face first into the floor. Mike’s scream of pain was a muffled “Aaahhhhh!”

Brandt whipped around to face Allen while moving to place Kate at his back. His right hand dropped to his holstered pistol with his left hand coming up and pointing straight at Allen’s face.

He barked, “Drop that and put your fucking hands up!”

Allen hastily dropped his dagger and, using his forefinger and his thumb, he cautiously drew his pistol and laid it on the ground. He raised both hands above his head and backed into the side of the stable. “Easy there, big guy, you’re in charge here.”

Brandt just stared at him. The man shook his head. He looked over his right shoulder and saw Kate standing on a prone man’s back with both of his arms held up and out. He was whimpering in pain.

Allen barked, “KATE! Please don’t hurt my monkey!”

Mike’s voice came out of the near darkness. Muffled by the straw and all the other disgusting things on the stable floor. “Kaye, pleafe don hurr me.”

One word rolled through Allen’s mind and then rolled off of his tongue. A word he reserved for extraordinary situations.

He shook his head and sighed. “Outstanding.”

***

“Deputy, I will do nothing that will hurt you or Kate, so please take your hand off of your weapon.”

"Sorry 'bout that," said Brandt, shaking his head.”

Allen waved his hands, which were still above his head. “I understand that dealing with lawbreakers might instill some habits. May I lower my hands, please?”

Brandt glared at him for half a moment, then said, “Keep the left one above your head.”

Allen laughed, “Erés un Cabrón.” Mike snickered. Kate laughed softly, then told Mike to keep his mouth shut.

Brandt looked unamused. Then he smiled. “Pick up your weapons.”

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Moving slowly, Allen picked up his knife and gun and put them back at his waist.

Brandt shook his head. “You go for a weapon first, señor?”

Allen shrugged. “I’m a soldier. A lawman and a soldier are similar in the way they handle difficult situations. Neither wants to kill anyone, but both are ready.”

Brandt scowled, “What kind of fuckin’ lawmen are you used to dealing with? Never mind. I’m betting it’s the kind of lawman that know you personally.”

Kate had rolled Michael over and stood with her boot in the middle of his chest. She had her pistol pointed at his face.

Allen looked at that tableau and shook his head. “There are many ways we are similar.”

Brandt glared at him. “You know what, you got a real gift for saying things that piss people off.”

Allen laughed, “My wife says it’s a good thing I’m not a diplomat.”

Kate reached down and helped Michael up. “Why aren’t you still tied up with Ben? If you hurt him…”

“They have my sister; I’m going to find her. Ben is okay, but he kinda knocked himself out when he was trying to untie himself. You guys did a good job on that.”

“How did you get loose?” Kate demanded.

Mike said.”The young ladies say I have talented fingers.” Then he winked lewdly at Allen.

Everyone that wasn’t suffering from a concussion looked at Allen.

Allen scowled, then shook his head ruefully and said, “Fuck me. I deserved that. He’s fucking with me. Because he’s an arsehole.” Mike snickered.

Kate was preparing to do something violent when Allen shook his head and said, “Fuck it. Put him on that mean ass mare. If he can’t keep up with me, that’s his fucking problem.”

Brandt stayed with Mike. Allen could see Brandt had some serious reservations about letting the man escape in his current condition. Allen and Kate moved into the stall and re-arranged and secured the packs of supplies.

As they worked, Allen said, “Deputy, I have to ask you this. When the Sheriff walked into that room, I think he was going to let me go. I’m not complaining, but why did he feel that way?”

Kate finished securing the food and water supply before turning to him. Brandt had moved nearer and was paying close attention, while Mike was wandering around in circles like a jackass.

Kate stared at him. She was obviously thinking hard. “He and I both looked at your stuff. We never seen nothing like it. The rope hanging on your saddle is something that would be worth at least a months’ work. Your saddle alone would be a month’s worth of hard work, not to mention your pistol. You are a wealthy man. But then we looked at your horse.”

“Betty La Fea?”

Kate looked at him. “Your ‘Ugly Betty’ is a beautiful horse. Well proportioned, healthy and nicely mannered. But we couldn’t identify her breed.”

Allen replied, “She’s a Dutch WarBlood. Breeders in Costa Rica and Nicaragua started an aggressive breeding program for war horses about two hundred years ago. Stamina, speed, intelligence and highly trainable. She needs less water than other breeds, eats less food and produces less horse shit. Her ankles and leg bones are much tougher. She’s less likely to get sick than other breeds. She can go farther and faster than any other breed of horse. In the very worst of circumstances, they even taste good when cooked properly. The WarBloods are the standard mounts for the army.”

Kate said, “The thing that worried the sheriff was her brand, and her feet. Explain her feet señor. Her hooves got some kind of hard shell. It protects her entire hoof. They covered her feet in it, and it’s tougher than anything we ever seen. Papa explained that the bumps on her foot pad provided traction. And then she’s got steel shoes. That horse could walk through fire. She ‘aint the only animal in your army with feet like that, is she?

Allen shrugged. “The army, they shoe all equines like this. Horses, burros, mules, ponies. With steel shoes on resin, they can move over five hundred and fifty miles before they might need to see the farrier. The epoxy bit in the middle of their hooves protects them from just about everything they might step on.”

Kate looked at him. Brandt just hovered behind her, looking way over her shoulder. “And her brand. Three sets of numbers. What does that mean?”

Allen looked at the brand. “Oh, that’s her serial number. She doesn’t really have a name. Those numbers are how they keep track of her breeding and medical records. The first two numbers represent the year of her foaling. The next two show she's from the Yucatan," Allen explained as he looked at the brand. “And the last six are just for her.”

“You said her name is Ugly Betty.”

“Oh, that’s just a little game I play when I’m assigned a horse. I pick out a name for them.”

Brandt looked Betty over. “She’s beautiful. Why would you call her ugly?”

Allen looked at the man and shrugged. “I like irony.”

Brandt snorted, “You mean shitheadery.”

Kate shook her head and asked, “How many horses does your army have?”

Allen looked at them both. “About ten thousand equines in the third army.”

“WHAT?!” “You’re joking!” Came simultaneously.

Allen addressed them both. “Ten thousand war trained mounts, uhm, but actually that also includes burros, mules, and ponies. They will charge despite gunfire. Screaming men and horses will not faze them. They will bite and kick men wearing the uniforms of our enemy. The warhorses will attack and destroy Night Walkers.”

He shrugged. “They’re kind of mean. Especially the burros.”

Brandt looked at Betty. “So that’s not your horse?”

“No, I just went to the transportation officer and signed her out. I borrowed her from the Army. Major Chavez is probably really pissed off that I haven’t brought his horse back yet. I told him I was only going to be gone for five days. That kind of shit makes it hard for other people to borrow a horse. He acts like they are all his personal animals, and I guess they are.” He shrugged again, “I think this time, I might have a valid excuse for returning her late.”

Kate repeated, “Ten thousand.”

“Deputy, a Heavy Assault Company, has a little over 500 men, including the field artillery platoon, the mortar section. Each man on the move has two saddled mounts. Each supply company will have about three hundred horses, burros, and mules to pull the wagons. Moving large numbers of men and feeding them and their horses is an art and the transportation corps are artists.”

“They also control vast grazing lands that let the horses wander around just being horses. And of course, to make little horses.”

He approached Betty and made clucking noises as he walked around to her head. He affectionately cupped her face and rested his forehead on hers. She pulled her head away and started sniffing around his hands, smelling the horse treats he had slipped to Bellé.

“These beautiful things will destroy our enemy. They will move men and supplies faster and farther than anything else, and we are breeding them as fast as we can. Our weapons and training. Our medical and supply systems are all going to play a part. But these girls, they are going to move all of that stuff to where it can be the most useful.”

He pressed his face into hers again and passed her a treat. “Aren’t you, you ugly little thing you?” Betty whickered. She started getting pretty forceful in her investigations into the areas of his body that might have more of the sweet-treats. Allen took out the package of horse sweets and fed her another, then walked over and slipped one to Bellé.

“IS THAT HOW YOU MADE FRIENDS WITH MY HORSE?” Mike whispered fiercely. Bellé turned her head to look behind her, made a loud snort, then nodded. Mike hissed, “You hussy! You cheap…OWW”. Kate had reached up and slapped him upside the back of his head.

She glared up at him and whispered, “We are trying to keep quiet because we are escaping!”

Allen cleared his throat. “Uh, deputy, he has a pretty severe head injury, so please stop smacking him upside the back of his head.”

Kate looked quite genuine when she said, “Shit! I’m sorry. Mike shut up and I’ll stop smackin’ you.”

Mike looked at her, harrumphed and said, “How would you feel if he made friends with your horse?”

Kate raised a hand and said, “Be quiet.”

“Okay, okay, okay.”

Allen spoke in a whisper that was louder than some people’s regular speaking voice. “COULD WE PLEASE FOCUS ON WHAT THE FUCK WE’RE DOING HERE?!”

Even the horses stared at him guiltily.

“Okay Brandt, tie Kate to that post. Then you disappear and come back in half an hour. Mike, we need to put a mile between us and this city in that half hour.” He untied the horses. “Mike, listen to me. Look at me.” He snapped his fingers in Mike’s face.

“Look at me, boy, listen. You need to follow me. Don’t get lost. Don’t go looking at pretty things. You need to follow me. Your life depends on it, boy, and your sister’s life depends on it. Do you understand me?”

Allen grabbed the front of Mike’s shirt and pulled his face down into his. “I will leave you behind if you don’t keep up with me. Do you understand me?”

Mike swatted at Allen’s hand. “Fuck off! Lemme go!”

Allen pointed at Mike and then at the rear stable door. “Get on your horse. We leave through that door.”

***

From outside the stable, there came an alarm. Cries of “FIRE!” and “HELP!” A bell started ringing. Both deputies looked at them and dropped their hands to their weapons. Allen waved his hands above his head and said, “We’ve been here talking to you!”

Mike jumped, “I didn’t do nothing to start a fire. I didn’t go nowhere but here! I saw the light under the door!”

The door opened up, and everyone jumped. The sheriff stuck his head in the door. “Deputies, there’s a fire up near the northern gate…what is HE doing here?”

Kate said, “He’s said he’s not gonna stay behind. He told us Ben is okay, but he’s still tied up. You don’t think they had anything…”

Walt interrupted and shook his head, “No, it started up at Gracie’s, probably that damn chimney. Get them out of here. You two, there’s gonna be lots of people running around, so head east till you reach the river. This light and noise are going to attract walkers, so be careful. Now, get the fuck out of my city.”

With that said, he left in a big hurry. Kate looked at Brandt and barked, “Man gate!” Brandt ran to the rear of the stable, out the smaller door, and vanished. Allen was helping Mike into his saddle while Kate ran and began opening the stable door. Allen was in his saddle in a heartbeat. The two horses neighed, nervous. The door opened and the two horses trotted toward the dim green light. "Gracias, deputy," Allen said to Kate at the door.

Kate asked, “You really didn’t do this?”

Allen reined his horse to a stop and looked down. “I can do anything I need to get the doctors back, Kate. Murder, Rape, Arson, and Slavery are capital crimes. I may go to the hangman for murder, Kate. But I will never face him for those other three.”

“Fire is a useful tool in warfare. I could order this town put to the sword and burnt to the ground, Katherine. My masters wouldn’t blink an eye if I deemed it necessary. I am not at war with your city. Deputy, look at me. I know your leaders will try to blame me for this, but this is something I would never do.”

Out of the darkness came a whistle, followed by, “Hey, you dumb fucks wanna get a fucking move on before I have to explain some shit to somebody?”

Allen tore his attention from Kate. He moved the Brandt way up on the list of people that could make a good quote in an emergency.

“Stevens’son, follow me. Your fucking life depends on it, boy. No one will feel bad if you fuck it up. Least of all me. Move out.”

Michael Stevens looked around. Pain filled his world. There was light from an enormous fire flickering through the gaps in the palisade wall. He heard people shouting in alarm and yelling directions, and a few women and children screaming in fear. Horses whinnied and galloped around in circles in their paddocks. The flickering light made his head throb even more than normal daylight did. Well, it made his head throb worse than it had been for the past few days. He thought it was five days, but he couldn’t be sure. He tried to ignore the pain and kept his eyes on the back of the man in front of him. Michael’s job was to follow him, and it was an important job. His life was at stake. His mind started wandering again.

***

The two criminals had escaped during a fire four days ago. The City of Redford was still buzzing with excitement. There was a political crisis brewing between the City Council, the City Watch, and the Sheriff’s office. After a grueling four-hour meeting with the City Council, Walt Renaldo was walking out of the City Hall when Old Billy came toward him at a trot. This seemed like it would be bad news, as Old Billy didn't run. He was too old for that sort of nonsense. “Walt, we have a problem.”

“Do Tell.”

Billy grabbed Walt’s arm and said, “Come on. Everyone south of the city on this side of the river has abandoned their homes. They’ve been heading into the city for the past two hours.”

“Why didn’t you…”

“Those goons the mayor hired as his personal guards wouldn’t let anyone in City Hall.”

The sounds of the city had changed. The streets were full of people. Walt could hear faint yelling from the south. Horses neighing. Mothers yelling for their children and men shouting at each other. Walt stared as a squad of armed volunteer militiamen trotted toward the southern end of town. The alarm bell started ringing.

“What the hell is going on, Bill?”

“That man, Zapata. He said his people would arrive soon. Fifty men, he said.”

“That’s what he said.”

“There’s a lot more than that. Hurry up.”

Walt got out “How many…”, and then he was talking to Old Billy’s back. The watchman had spun around and hurried off toward the southern end of the city.

The two men finally reached the southern gate. They climbed the ramp to the top of the guard towers. Billy handed Walt a telescope. Walt held it to his eye and looked southward. He saw people on horses, wagons, and foot hurrying up the south road.

Casually, Old Billy asked, “Remember what Katey told the Council about the ‘so-called Heavy Assault Company’?”

“Which part?”

“The part about five hundred men?”

Walt aimed the telescope toward the rear of the stream of refugees. He pulled it away from his face.

“Shit.”