Our employer had gotten us moving just as the fiery crimson sun breached the horizon He had been driving us hard most of the day. We had a walking lunch of ration bars, rather than stopping for an hour and cooking like normal. I'd known the broken wheel of the third wagon we'd had on the first day had put us a little behind schedule. I hadn't realized we were so pressed to make up the time until today.

It was late afternoon when we began our ascent out of the forested valley and up towards the rocky pass. The sun was ahead of us now, but I expected it to dip behind the mountain range before long. We had a good four or so hours until nightfall, if I had my angle of the sun right. We'd made excellent time.

I rubbed my ear through my headwrap as we approached a flat part of the trail. The call for a halt came over the radio a moment later. I slowed my gruvor to a gentle stop with an easy tug of the reins. Those behind me did the same. Our escort had their own radio channel, and word of the halt passed among them quickly. I set the brake on my wagon and hopped down out of the high seat to stretch my legs. I leaned to either side before I began walking around my wagon to check for any damage or anything out of place.

"Hey, Reed!" One of the mercenaries called out to me in a husky voice. "Any idea why we stopped?"

"They didn't say." I replied, glancing up. It was the man with the giant battle axe. Grant, I think, was the name he'd given me.

I noticed all his companions were taking advantage of the halt order. Some sat where they stopped. Others had wandered to the edge of the forest to find a more comfortable spot in the shade. Every one of them looked grateful for the rest. I'd wager the mercenaries weren't used to full days of marching. The gruvors moved slowly, so it wasn't like a person had to jog to keep up. But on early, nonstop days like today, it was a marathon, not a sprint.

"Any guesses?" Grant walked beside me as I did my inspection.

"A few." I said. I bent down to check part of the rear wheel. I ran my glove over the dark spot and my fingertips came away dirty. Just a smudge of tar or something. I straightened. "I don't think we're going to like the next orders we get though."

"Why's that?"

"Personal experience with Marsuul on the road."

"Should we start to set up camp?"

I shook my head and laughed a little. "I wouldn't start that unless they tell us to." I'd never known Marsuul to stop while there was still daylight left unless there was an issue with the caravan or an injury.

Grant rubbed his neck, protected by a long cloth hanging down from his cap. "It's what, three and a half hours to get through the pass?" He looked in that direction.

I tested the straps and ropes that secured the cover to the wagon as I continued my inspection. I pondered Grant's question. "With no delays." I finally answered. It had taken me a moment to recall my previous trips and perform the mental calculations.

Grant squinted at the bright sun. I saw him use his hand to measure to the horizon. I could see him put two and two together. "Shit." He muttered.

"Yep." I replied. Suddenly the radio crackled in my ear. I straightened up as I heard my name.

"Reed, Boss wants to see you." A familiar female voice said. "Come to the first row of the packs. Copy?"

I sighed, then pressed my finger to my ear to activate the talk function on my radio. "Copy." I replied. It was Marsuul's second in command, Hailey. She was nice enough, but was all business when it came to the caravan. I quickly - but thoroughly - finished my inspection of the wagon. I gave the tack a once over as well. I didn't find any issues, or anything that was likely to become an issue in the near future. I was grateful. I didn't want to be the cause of another delay given how motivated Marsuul had been today.

Grant looked at me expectantly. When I didn't immediately volunteer the information, he asked. "What's the word?"

I shook my head again. "None yet. Boss wants to see me. Can you keep an eye on Bruce and Deuce for me?"

He eyed the shaggy brown beasts hitched to the wagon warily. "I guess..." He reluctantly agreed. "But what if-"

"Great, thanks. If they start to give you any trouble, just get Tanya. She's the driver behind us." With that, I turned my back and headed towards the center of the caravan. He couldn't see my wicked grin behind my face covering. His discomfort was great.

I hastened my pace to a light jog. An all out sprint had a near one hundred percent chance of activating the gruvor's fight or flight instinct. There was a pretty decent chance a run could do the same. Being anywhere near a herd of panicked and/or raging gruvors was not something I'd recommend. Add in the hitched wagons and massive packs tied onto some of their backs, and it was a perfect storm for injury. Assuming you didn't get your skull popped or your chest flattened, you were likely to lose a limb or two. If you came out looking like you'd lost a bar fight, you were one of the lucky ones.

A light jog shouldn't give them any issues, I reasoned. The slow turn of large heads away from me as I passed confirmed my theory. The jog let me move my stiffened legs and it felt nice. There was also the bonus of it getting me to Marsuul quicker. I couldn't complain about that.

As I drew closer, I saw a small circle of five people. They were chatting with each other near the gap between the forth wagon and the front of the hand-lead gruvor. I immediately recognized the tall man with broad shoulders. Marsuul. His skin was darker, having tanned during his early days as a caravan runner. He'd been on the road consistently since and the tan had never faded. He wore a silk red vest over his wilderness gear. He had no need for cloth wrappings. The suit was imported from off-world and sealed itself against the elements, or so I'd been told around the fire one night. An ornate black embossed leather belt secured his simple scimitar to his hip. It was well traveled, but sharp. Just like the man who wielded it.

To the merchant's right was Hailey. She was in her thirties, tall and capable. Her blonde hair had been tied back and tucked up under her headgear. She was dressed in clay colored kevlar from head to toe. She'd assembled the full kit, minus the face shield. She could easily be mistaken for a riot officer if she'd had any insignia patches. Strapped diagonally to her back and poking up over her right shoulder was a trio of black spears. I'd seen her fight with them, and deadly didn't even begin to describe it. I could just see the edge of her black shield peeking out from behind her side. Mirrored blue goggles protected her eyes from the sand, sun, and wind. They also made it almost impossible to discern her mood or expression. Around her left arm, she wore a long strip of red silk. It had been wrapped around her arm three times and then double knotted in the back. The remaining lengths of cloth, about a foot on each side, blew away from her body in the light breeze. It marked her as Marsuul's second. It also made her easier to find if things went to shit.

I recognized the man next to her as Christos, the lead caretaker for our herd of gruvor. He was a well fed man, and resembled the beasts he cared for in some ways. He had dark, shaggy hair and a wild beard that hung off his face in all directions. Christos wore leather head to toe, including a leather helmet that covered his face entirely, except for his goggles. His beard and hair poked out from beneath it. He wasn't a bad guy, but he wasn't afraid to beat anyone who abused his herd. He was like a proud papa when it came to the beasts, and anyone who was unaware learned fast.

I didn't immediately know who the other two people were. One was a short, round woman holding a thin shade above her head. Her body language suggested she was immensely uncomfortable with the sun and heat. Probably with the whole wilderness situation in general. I hadn't seen her before, and I could hardly imagine her feeding gruvor or standing a watch. Which meant she must have been a guest of Marsuul. Who is she? I wondered. Customer? Investor? ...Passenger? It was uncommon, but occasionally the merchant would take on passengers if the price was right or if there weren't many goods to move.

I quickly took in the last man. He was ancient. His skin was wrinkled and leathery. He wore a transparent brown cloak over his simple clothes. The cloak had been caught by the swirling breeze, and was being blown gently in different directions as the wind changed. His goggles were around his neck, leaving his face exposed. I saw him laugh at the conversation he was having. The laugh lines by his eyes deepened and his smile was genuine. I could see he was clean shaven. He had a light scar across his chin, probably from a blade when he was a young man. He didn't squint or turn away from the bright sunlight. He was someone who had spent his life on Caltrox, without a doubt.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

I was curious about these unknown people, and why I'd been summoned to this meeting. I'd expected a one-on-one meeting with Marsuul, maybe Hailey too. There was only one way to find out why I was needed. I joined the group.

"Everyone is here, Boss." Hailey said, mostly directed at the large man.

Side conversations died out almost immediately and everyone turned to Marsuul. "The sun is sinking, so I'll get right to the point." He began in a deep timbre. "We are still a little behind schedule. I would like to cross the pass today, and camp on the far side tonight. This will put us back in line with our expected arrival times, and allow us to meet our deadlines. I gathered you here for your thoughts and advice."

Christos and the weathered old man both started talking at once. Hailey held up her hand and they fell silent.

"Christos, you first." She ordered.

He nodded and cleared his throat. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word. "I don't think it is a good idea. We started early this morning and the herd did not get their usual rest break at lunch time."

Hailey nodded along, taking in his words.

"Are they capable of continuing and crossing the pass today?" Marsuul asked.

Christos hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yes, they could continue, but we should not push them to the point of exhaustion so early in our journey. Fatigue is hard to cure without a significant amount of rest, and it could delay us down the line. Also, the herd must eat more when they work hard. Rest is best for us all."

"I see." Marsuul took in his words. "Do you have any other concerns related to the herd or its welfare?"

"All seem to be healthy and responding well to their drivers or handlers. I have no other concerns, sir."

Marsuul nodded.

Hailey recognized the old man with a gesture, and he began to provide his opinion.

The discussion continued for about ten minutes. Marsuul went back and forth, gathering opinions and reasons for or against crossing the pass today versus first thing in the morning. The old man complained about his old bones and the rocking of the wagons. The round woman complained about the camping. Both wanted to finish their journeys as fast as possible. Christos was the only one who had spoken against crossing tonight.

Then it was my turn.

"Do you have any thoughts on this matter, Reed?" Marsuul asked. "You are my lead driver this trip. How have you found the roads?"

I'd been standing with my arms folded, not saying a word, just listening. I wasn't sure if I should give my honest opinion and thoughts, or just go with the flow. Hailey must have sensed my indecision in my body language. Or she'd been doing this long enough to see this kind of internal debate regularly.

"Give us your honest opinion." She said. "Your thoughts are important, or else we wouldn't have asked you to leave your team."

I felt a tiny bit better. I took a deep breath. "I think its a horrible idea to race the sun."

A loud, booming laugh came directly from my right. Marsuul clapped his wide hand down on my shoulder. "That's a fine way to disagree." He announced. He worked to contain his mirth. "Please, elaborate on your reasoning."

"I have several reasons, besides what Christos mentioned." I began.

The leather-clad man nodded to me in acknowledgement.

"First, we know the pass is dangerous. Rocks fall in random places and could hurt one of us, the gruvor, or damage our wagons. There could be a boulder or a fallen tree that obstructs our path. We would have to stop to move it out of the way, which would take away precious time before dark. Second, we have no room for error. There's no time to spare in crossing the pass. If we were to leave now, it's very likely that we won't clear the pass before dark. We don't want to be there after the sun goes down. We all know the stories." I paused for emphasis, and was surprised to see heads nodding along in agreement. The only one not bobbing their head was the round woman with the sunshade.

Marsuul and Hailey had a quick whispered sidebar conversation. I missed most of it, but I did hear a question from Marsuul. He asked what the scouts had reported most recently, and when that had occurred. When they were done, he gestured for me to continue.

"Its too narrow in most parts for the gruvor to turn the wagons. If we go part way and have to turn back, we'll have to hitch to the rear with a different team. If a wheel breaks, we'd all be stuck until we change it. Most of the pass is too small to move one wagon past another. If it's anything worse..." I let them fill in the blank. "Overall, crossing tonight screams 'bad idea'."

I glanced around at the others as they considered my words. Christos was doing the same. Hailey and Marsuul had dropped into another whispered sidebar conversation. They had perfected the technique over many runs together. Even though Marsuul was standing next to me, I couldn't understand a thing.

The old man with the weathered skin was deep in thought with his hand absent-mindedly stroking his chin. His fingers played over the scar.

The round woman had an absolutely sour look on her face. She twisted her dusty white parasol back and forth while she stared daggers at Marsuul. I quickly looked away when she noticed my gaze, and I became the subject of her glare.

Marsuul didn't take long to finish his conversation. He turned back to the group, decision made. "Alright." He clasped his hands together. "Let's make c--"

The round woman cleared her throat loudly.

Marsuul paused and addressed her. "Yes?" He raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often someone had the nerve to interrupt him. "Was there something you'd like to add, Mrs. Callaghan?"

"May I have a word?" She asked. Her tone was dripping with syrup as she faked a smile. It was the kind of strained smile you used when you were trying to be polite, but really wanted nothing more than to kick the person in front of you.

The merchant gestured for her to continue.

"In private." She clarified. Her smile faded.

"Of course." He bowed his head graciously before he and Hailey walked towards the tree line.

The round Mrs. Callaghan huffed and rolled her eyes. Small clouds of dust kicked up around her feet as she shuffled after them.

The trio had a very animated conversation. I couldn't discern their words, but Mrs. Callaghan had begun in a whisper-yell as she'd reached them. I saw her face grow redder while Marsuul tried to placate her. There was some aggressive pointing - some at Marsuul, and some directed vaguely in the direction of the next town - followed by a foot stomp. Mrs. Callaghan was a child throwing a tantrum because she hadn't gotten her way. This is why I never wanted to be the boss.

Hailey pinched the bridge of her nose. I did not envy her at this moment. She covered her mouth with her hand so no one could read her lips and leaned in towards Marsuul.

Mrs. Callaghan placed her free hand on her hip and huffed.

I saw Marsuul sigh as Hailey pulled back. He nodded. When he spoke to the round woman next, her rage disappeared. A large smile spread across her face - genuine this time - and her body posture immediately shifted.

As the trio returned to our group, Marsuul looked more annoyed than I'd ever seen him. Hailey's face was unreadable, as always.

"Does anyone else have any final comments or have need of a private conversation before we continue?" Marsuul asked. His tone was metered though he tried to keep his expression friendly.

Everyone shook their head immediately. Except for the lovely Mrs. Callaghan. She just stood there under her dancing parasol, looking smug.

"Right, then." Marsuul continued. "We are going to push the pass. I want everyone loaded and ready to move in ten minutes. Be prepared for double time through as much of the pass as possible." His gaze lingered on me as he added the last part. I nodded without even thinking.

Christos and I shared a look across the circle. We knew we'd had him convinced until the round woman had made a fuss. Whoever she was, she must be important. Or rich. Probably both, I concluded.

"Let's get moving. Daylight's burning." Marsuul ended the meeting with a clap, and then turned to take care of his own preparations.

We all began to disperse. I'd made it three steps closer to my wagon when a voice called out.

"Hey, Reed!"

I paused. I knew the voice well, though usually it buzzed into my ear over the radio.

"Let me walk with you." Hailey said.

I nodded as she reached my side, then picked up my pace. She easily fell into step with me.

"I hate that woman so much." She began. It was a rare expression of opinion from the caravan's second.

"Heh." I laughed awkwardly. I shared the same sentiment, but I didn't feel like I ranked high enough to voice it.

"We've got a rough few hours ahead of us. I wanted to make sure you were okay with driving lead for this."

"Of course." I replied. "It's my job." Who else would take lead if I didn't anyway?

Hailey tilted her head in acknowledgement. "True. But driving lead at double time through the Threshing Pass may not have been something you considered when signing your contract."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"And you were against crossing today."

"I said my piece when asked." I replied. "Things didn't go my way, sure, but I do what I'm paid to do. It's not a big deal."

Hailey laughed beside me. "Very professional."

"What can I say? I try."

"Ha, fair enough." Her tone shifted from jovial to no-nonsense. "But in all seriousness, Reed, you're going to be setting the pace."

Why was Hailey stating the obvious?

"I want to be clear of the pass before dark, and I'm sure you do too."

"Of course." I agreed. "But was there something else?" I asked. We had almost reached the rear of my wagon.

"I just wanted to remind you to be careful. You're our eyes too, so stay alert, and trust your instincts. If we have to camp in the pass then that's what we'll do. Same if we need to turn back. Safety over speed."

"Is that what Marsuul said?" I quirked my head. "Seems like our guest wanted speed above all else."

"It's what's best for all of us." Hailey said pointedly.

"Got it." I said. I'd reached my wagon and pulled myself up onto the seat.

"Stay on the radio and call out the pace."

"Understood." I double checked my reins and started running through my mental departure checklist. I was still listening, I just liked to multitask.

"Thanks, Reed." She slapped the seat beside me before turning and walking away. "Hey, Grant!" She yelled, chasing after the next person on her list of orders to issue.

I clicked my transmitter. "Reed to all drivers: departure in seven minutes. Repeat: departure in seven minutes. Prepare for double time march."