Chapter 13
The next morning, it was made obvious that Colson did not listen to Marcus when he was asked to leave that area of Yerba Buena alone for him. Three marines walked down from the roadway that spit the island in two and yelled to Marcus, “Wake up; Colson wants you, Liz, and your father at his office in thirty.”
Marcus, Liz, and their father were quick to move, but his mother took her time. Marcus knew something was wrong and said, “Mother, you do not seem to be happy. What is wrong?”
“You three are all going to work while I sit around and do nothing all the time. How am I to do anything?”
“Ask a soldier.”
He turned to where the marines were standing, but they were already out of view. What she could do, Marcus thought, should not be anything to do with soldier’s work. He said, “They did not say you could not come. So come, you will. We will find a duty for you somewhere, but the details are a mystery to me. He wanted us in thirty? I say we make it five to find out what those details could be.”
Liz jumped onto his back and his father and mother followed suit, but at a much slower pace. Their father tried to sit behind Liz, but she said, “In front. I’m a lot stronger than you and I can catch you if you fall off.”
Their father accepted her order and sat in front of her with her mother ahead of him. When Liz gave him the thumbs up, Marcus took flight. He leapt a hundred feet in the air and glided the rest of the way to Colson’s office. When they arrived, it was clear that they were not expected.
Still, the guards let them pass; everyone knew enough not to mess with Marcus even when he was in a good mood. He was in a good mood, and greeted the guards in kind. As he walked by, a young militia recruit was thrown to the ground by Colson as twenty trainees turned their heads to the new arrival. Colson looked to him and said, “Gee thanks, now all these worthless shits won’t pay any attention to the fight.”
“Is it my fault the do not understand discipline,” Marcus asked. He looked at the trainees and said, “Unless you want to wrestle with me, I would suggest you give your alpha as much attention as he requests.”
They did not move, but then Thomas, who was watching on the sidelines, pulled out a metal rod and instantly, every eye turned to Colson and he continued the lesson until it was completed. When it was, the trainees started to file out. Inevitably, they had to walk by Marcus to exit. They took their time leaving; it was not every day that you were able to get close to a dragon.
Marcus walked forward until he took up the entire left half of the small area that made up the courtyard of Colson’s “office.” Liz jumped off and helped their parents climb down Marcus’s leg. When they were off, Marcus took the opportunity to greet Colson, but as usual, he kept his expression as rigid as ever. He said, “Liz, Marcus,” and he acknowledged their father in kind, but he looked to their mother and simply changed his focus. Thomas, however, moved into conversation with his mother and they walked to the side together. Colson said to Marcus, “Our leader wants us to focus more on-”
Marcus interrupted and said, “I have not met the new leader yet. I promised your kind that my purpose would be as an advisor. My patience is dwindling by the hour, as is my obedience. If you wish me to continue your tasks, I will be speaking to him tomorrow morning.”
“Marcus, if you were anyone else-”
“But I am not anyone else. I am by far the strongest living creature in existence and probably the wisest. Take my consideration seriously, and your life will be substantially lengthened.”
Thomas stopped his conversation and looked over Marcus’s mother’s shoulder. He smiled; the old man never had the illusion that Marcus was not the one really in charge. He was proud that Marcus was capable of admitting it.
Colson simply nodded and said, “I’ll make an arrangement. Anyway, now that the undead do not pose as much of a threat, the leader is now focused on survival and communication. It’s been nearly two months since this invasion started, and we’ve put up a hell of a fight, but now we need to start thinking past everyday survival and start thinking long term.”
“You wish us to collect supplies.”
“Exactly. A hundred of my men and ten boats are going on salvage runs in the buildings closest to the coast, and your friends are running around the city, helping where they can.”
“And you have a more direct approach for me?”
“There are large department stores spread around, but none of them are close enough for us to make any use of them. There are also two army depots to the east and a few hundred food stores we could use the supplies from.”
“Who will be accompanying me?”
“Liz and your father.”
Marcus’s mother’s head dropped, and Marcus could smell her tears. He said, “Colson, might I have a word with you in private?”
Colson shrugged and walked to his office building. Marcus followed and when they were alone said, “You give me, Liz, and my father jobs to help your survival efforts, yet my mother is forced to stay home and twiddle her thumbs and think about us. I fear for not only her sanity but also her life. Give a duty she can contend with and I will be happy for now.”
Colson looked away from Marcus and said, “For now? What about later?”
“Tomorrow, if I do not meet with Katherine, then you will not find me so cooperative as usual.”
Marcus, Liz, and their father were quick to move, but his mother took her time. Marcus knew something was wrong and said, “Mother, you do not seem to be happy. What is wrong?”
“You three are all going to work while I sit around and do nothing all the time. How am I to do anything?”
“Ask a soldier.”
He turned to where the marines were standing, but they were already out of view. What she could do, Marcus thought, should not be anything to do with soldier’s work. He said, “They did not say you could not come. So come, you will. We will find a duty for you somewhere, but the details are a mystery to me. He wanted us in thirty? I say we make it five to find out what those details could be.”
Liz jumped onto his back and his father and mother followed suit, but at a much slower pace. Their father tried to sit behind Liz, but she said, “In front. I’m a lot stronger than you and I can catch you if you fall off.”
Their father accepted her order and sat in front of her with her mother ahead of him. When Liz gave him the thumbs up, Marcus took flight. He leapt a hundred feet in the air and glided the rest of the way to Colson’s office. When they arrived, it was clear that they were not expected.
Still, the guards let them pass; everyone knew enough not to mess with Marcus even when he was in a good mood. He was in a good mood, and greeted the guards in kind. As he walked by, a young militia recruit was thrown to the ground by Colson as twenty trainees turned their heads to the new arrival. Colson looked to him and said, “Gee thanks, now all these worthless shits won’t pay any attention to the fight.”
“Is it my fault the do not understand discipline,” Marcus asked. He looked at the trainees and said, “Unless you want to wrestle with me, I would suggest you give your alpha as much attention as he requests.”
They did not move, but then Thomas, who was watching on the sidelines, pulled out a metal rod and instantly, every eye turned to Colson and he continued the lesson until it was completed. When it was, the trainees started to file out. Inevitably, they had to walk by Marcus to exit. They took their time leaving; it was not every day that you were able to get close to a dragon.
Marcus walked forward until he took up the entire left half of the small area that made up the courtyard of Colson’s “office.” Liz jumped off and helped their parents climb down Marcus’s leg. When they were off, Marcus took the opportunity to greet Colson, but as usual, he kept his expression as rigid as ever. He said, “Liz, Marcus,” and he acknowledged their father in kind, but he looked to their mother and simply changed his focus. Thomas, however, moved into conversation with his mother and they walked to the side together. Colson said to Marcus, “Our leader wants us to focus more on-”
Marcus interrupted and said, “I have not met the new leader yet. I promised your kind that my purpose would be as an advisor. My patience is dwindling by the hour, as is my obedience. If you wish me to continue your tasks, I will be speaking to him tomorrow morning.”
“Marcus, if you were anyone else-”
“But I am not anyone else. I am by far the strongest living creature in existence and probably the wisest. Take my consideration seriously, and your life will be substantially lengthened.”
Thomas stopped his conversation and looked over Marcus’s mother’s shoulder. He smiled; the old man never had the illusion that Marcus was not the one really in charge. He was proud that Marcus was capable of admitting it.
Colson simply nodded and said, “I’ll make an arrangement. Anyway, now that the undead do not pose as much of a threat, the leader is now focused on survival and communication. It’s been nearly two months since this invasion started, and we’ve put up a hell of a fight, but now we need to start thinking past everyday survival and start thinking long term.”
“You wish us to collect supplies.”
“Exactly. A hundred of my men and ten boats are going on salvage runs in the buildings closest to the coast, and your friends are running around the city, helping where they can.”
“And you have a more direct approach for me?”
“There are large department stores spread around, but none of them are close enough for us to make any use of them. There are also two army depots to the east and a few hundred food stores we could use the supplies from.”
“Who will be accompanying me?”
“Liz and your father.”
Marcus’s mother’s head dropped, and Marcus could smell her tears. He said, “Colson, might I have a word with you in private?”
Colson shrugged and walked to his office building. Marcus followed and when they were alone said, “You give me, Liz, and my father jobs to help your survival efforts, yet my mother is forced to stay home and twiddle her thumbs and think about us. I fear for not only her sanity but also her life. Give a duty she can contend with and I will be happy for now.”
Colson looked away from Marcus and said, “For now? What about later?”
“Tomorrow, if I do not meet with Katherine, then you will not find me so cooperative as usual.”
Chapter 14: Fatherly Shots
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