The Observer (Exerpt) RheannonDawn

8/2/2019 The Observer (Exerpt) RheannonDawn

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Prologue

Intense summer heat, well into the hundreds, created vast, shimmering illusions down thelonely stretch of highway. A seemingly endless monotony of gasoline vapor trickery, only

slightly disturbed by the lone rider and gleaming black motorcycle floating fluidly atop the

ocean of fanciful imagery; swimming as smoothly over the dips and crests of figment and

delusion as a nymph of ancient mythology might take to the sea.

Like an apparition the pair melted into the iridescent blacktop hills, periodically emerging

then disappearing again like some quiet hallucination stealing away just as it becomes almost

clear in the eye of its beholder.

Perhaps it was the eerie desolation of the deserted highway that prickled so strangely

along the dark riders spine, instigating a slue of tingling warnings to begin firing betweenbrain and nerves in a frenzy of foreboding. Or perhaps, the need for caution in such

unaccustomed isolation was to blame for this sudden onset of presentiment.

Whatever it was, she intended to pay no heed to the dramatic foresight. Not right now.

These often annoying harbingers of danger would just have to wait until she was finished

soaking up the wonderful solitude to be had in the wide open land all about her.

Sweet. Silent. Coveted.

She loved the bright summer sun blazing overhead, felt almost giddy as insistent fingers of

scorching wind tugged at the long, russet strands of hair spilling like liquid fire from beneath

her helmet. But most of all, she loved the low, sweet growl of the Valkyries well-tuned

motor.And the autonomy that the sound had come to symbolize in her mind.

Being unfettered. Unbothered by the complicated intricacies of her life, which she knew

to be abnormal, at best.

This was a rare treat. Far too rare, and she treasured each and every semi-normal occasion

she chanced upon.

So, screaming down Highway 62, the powerful bike nestled as snugly between her

leather-clad thighs as a lover might be, she was at peace. A slight smile curved her full lips

upward in an expression of contentment that anyone who knew her would swear upon pain

of death that she was incapable of making.

This sweet sense of freedom, no matter how short-lived, brought a bone-deep satisfaction

in its wake. It allowed her to dream, if only for a moment, of riding this seemingly endless

stretch of highway until it pleased her to stop and everyone else be damned.

If only reality would not intrude she might eventually find a way to convince herself that

the very real, very dire consequences of such an action were negligible.

Unfortunately, reality was an ugly bitch.

A calculating, heartless wench who insisted on pissing up her parade for the sheer

enjoyment of it, it seemed. There was just no feasible way she could ever overlook the folly

of submitting to her dreams of escape.


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No doubt, as soon as they discovered shed run, her ambiguous employers would call

counsel with the bigwigs (those prestigious few who were even more important and

powerful than the aforementioned), and have an emergency pow-wow regarding the courseof action necessary.

There wasnt so much as a shadow of doubt in her mind that they would have her fate

decided upon and ruthlessly implemented to their collective satisfaction before the glaring

sun had descended this very day. With, of course, the ultimate punishment for defection a

standing order and firmly in place, as would be prudent for one such as herself.

And she had thought herself unimportant. How foolish. In this one instance, at least, she

was worth chasing after until captured.

A rogue functionary with highly valuable and even more highly classified information

could not be allowed to escape with such secrets as she harbored intact. That was unheard of,

unallowable. By pretty much everyones standards.This thought alone, was enough to prompt her to restrain the wild, increasingly recurring

urge that had transformed as of late into a nagging itch. A haunting desire for freedom that

brewed deep in her soul, constantly belching up wicked blue flames of unrest that singed her

innards until she felt sure to explode, was sure she would be lost in the inferno of longing. Of

her hatred for the bitter disappointment her life had become.

She fought to prevent that from happening. She simply would not allow such foolish

emotions to martyr her to a nonexistent cause.

No one else knew of her inner dissent, of her emotional turmoil. She was not yet ready to

die, so she stayed, trying valiantly to ignore the thoughts and feelings gnawing inside of her,

pretending that it was she who controlled them, and not the opposite.

Through desperate will and nothing short of Herculean determination that years of

training and anger had honed to an art form, she tucked her disquiet away once again,

focusing instead on her surroundings, searching for the peace that had been hers for a

fleeting few moments. Anything to help distract her mind from such mutinous thoughts.

Concentrating on the gently rolling landscape around her, she decided the person who

had described the plains of Oklahoma as flat, was somewhat blind. Or stupid.

As she roared along, she absorbed the wide-open fields as they dipped and swayed in the

wind. Unharvested golden wheat stalks waved their coarse, prickly beards at the powder-

blue sky in an eternal dance of worship. Tucking and undulating, bowing low in homage tothe gods of the harvest.

The scene was breathtaking. Beautiful in its earthiness. This was nature at her very finest.

The mesmerizing motions of the land, so free of artifice, moved her. Filled her with a

sense of serenity seldom experienced by one who knew nothing more than enduring the

oppressive crush of humanity in overcrowded cities.

It was almost enough to make her understand why one would choose to live among the

rough, unfinished country folk found in these remote areas.


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She assumed that they were correctly depicted in most movies as the backward, Levi

Garret-chewing hillbilly types that ran around in bib overalls carrying shotguns. Though she

couldnt personally vouch for the accuracy of that, never having seen a country folk in herentire life.

Her ignorance was soon to be remedied, though. And it might be a worthy trade in the

long run. Surely it couldnt be so hard to tolerate a few country bumpkins that living in the

lap of organic purity wouldnt be worth it. Almost anything seemed like it would be worth it

right now.

No hulking edifice of steel and glass towered over her here, enveloping her in the chilled

embrace of its shadow. In the city it seemed as if all warmth and beauty was being

systematically leeched from the world until nothing remained but the mechanical

technology that had come to epitomize the current age.

Personally, she despised the cold, impersonal computes and portable luxuries. Theconveniences that so many people were addicted to and dependent upon in our modern

times.

Just once she would like to hand some city kid a rotary phone, or god forbid, a black and

white television, just to fuck with them. It would be like some form of fiendish, medieval

torture.

It sickened her; this hand-held power with the capability of linking everyone in the world

together in mere seconds, at the slightest touch of a fingertip. She valued her own privacy far

too much to appreciate such things. And of a certainty, she wanted nothing at all to do with

the pomp and ceremony with which mankind was entering into the future.

Simplicity was what she appreciated and wanted. Perhaps that was shy she felt such a

deep stirring in her soul when she looked at these fertile fields and rolling plains, why she

felt a kinship with the short little mountains bordering the horizon, trying with near-heroic

effort to appear majestic despite their diminutive stature.

This was beautiful, uncomplicated simplicity, created by a far greater hand than mans and

meant to be seen, appreciated. Somehow it just felt horribly wrong to let it go unnoticed as

the masses seemed wont to do, so she hoarded it to herself, hugging the beauty to her heart

in that secret place where the more whimsical, gentler feelings she harbored within were

protected from the world.

The miles continued to roll by, and though the searing heat had long ago plastered thethick hair inside her helmet into a sodden mat against her skull, she was loath to reach her

destination, content to study the natural pulchritude all around forever.

Far too soon, however, almost like some creepy little dream the landscape began to

change from that of rich, verdant bounty, to neglected, defiled sparseness that repelled her

once-greedy eyes and nearly brought a sob from her chest.

She had been warned of this condition; the new depression that had befallen this part of

the country like a sickness. But those warnings had not prepared her for the raw,

unadulterated ruin that met her gaze everywhere her eyes rested.


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Lush, swaying wheat gave way to fallow ground and scaly, encrusted soil once bearing

sustenance for the human race, now bore life to only a few wild weeds from within its

formerly pampered depths. Such a fate seemed almost sacrilegious, a blatant, unforgivable sinand she looked away, unaccountably ashamed.

A few courageous seeds had managed, at some point or another, to sow themselves against

the procession of coarse wooden fences marching the length of the highway like silent

sentinels, and she was absurdly relieved to see them; this mingling of the hardiest wild

sunflowers, alfalfa, wheat, and wild onion.

Though, to her eyes, their presence lining the shoulders of the highway only made the

debacle of the fields beyond, barren and abandoned, that much worse, even more painful to

behold.

The stark, tangy scent of wild onion assailed her nostrils as she and the Valkyrie sped past,

unexpectedly gifting her with the perfect alibi for the accursed moisture in her eyes. But tryas she might, she couldnt lie to herself, not on this one.

With a self-derisive little growl she crouched low over the handlebars of her beloved

bike, winding the accelerator fiercely until the wind whipped through the vents of her

helmet so hard she could not longer distinguish smells. Still, there was no outrunning the

spectacle of decay. It lay before her as far as the eye could see.

She was eager, suddenly, to arrive at the rendezvous point and get started, just so she

could get out of this place fast enough to save what was left of her sanity.

Staring fixedly at the road in front of her, she refused to acknowledge the riveting

desolation of the wasteland in her peripherals. It was only the heat that made her reconsider

closing the helmets air vents to shut out the pungent aroma of the wild onions following

behind her like a haunting wraith. But, if she thought it would have made it any easier to

ignore the world completely, she would have sweltered beneath the helmet until her

eyeballs shriveled from acute, fatal dehydration and fell from her skull with nary a

complaint.

As it was, she knew it would be a wasted effort. Nothing could block out the harsh reality

of a world that was far from ideal. A world that afforded no one an inch of reprieve,

regardless of how painful they found watching its deterioration and fall.

The sights she wanted to weep for today would not have drawn a second glance from her

a short week ago. She had spent the last years of her existence bemired in a private kind ofhell. Wrapped in misery and unwilling, if not unable, to see that she wasnt the only one to

experience the vile twists of fate that had obviously laid waste to much more than her own

soul.

She hadnt noticed that the world was in such sad disrepair. Crumbling like an ancient,

forgotten home destroyed from the inside out by termites and wood rot. Maybe a plantation,

she thought, once breathtaking on the outside but harboring something far worse than

merely distasteful little secrets and history beneath the beautiful veneer. Very much like the

world, indeed.


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It was easy to imagine a huge sign over the earth, visible from the atmosphere above. A

sign with the single, cryptic word; CONDEMNED written in big, bold letters. Like the ones

they placed in front of unsalvageable buildings scheduled for demolition.And every human soul alive remained scurrying about in pursuit of their own purposes,

oblivious to its presence and portent. Oblivious to their doom. Fucking self-absorbed idiots.

Her musings were melodramatic, perhaps, but she figured the essence of it was pretty

accurate, nonetheless. She wondered how many others had had the sudden insight she had

just experienced. There had to be some people, a few at least, who were aware of the dire

situation. Some of those Save the Earth type people, maybe.

Well, the saving of the world was up to them, not her. She would just have to concede the

fight into their capable hands since they were better prepared for it. Not that she was in any

position to help, anyways. As far as she knew, The Society didnt grant time off to attend

rallies, charities, or protests. Others more than herself were definitely more able to rise to theoccasion. She could only hope that it wasnt too late to save the rest of the country from the

fate that had befallen the rotting, unfortunate area she now found herself in.

Funny, but the knowledge that there were others working for the cause didnt make her

feel much better. And it certainly didnt make the atrocity around her any easier to witness.

What a surprise, she thought cynically to herself.

Everything bothered her anymore, though, and she cursed foully against the sensitivity

and sentimentality that had plagued her of late. She was worthless for her purpose these

days. It was only a matter of time before her weakness was discovered, and then she would

be terminated without having to go to all the trouble of defecting.

The thought wasnt a happy one, nor were her alternate options, but there wasnt a damn

thing she could do about either. All she could do was hope no one noticed she was going soft.

And hope that she wouldnt notice it, either.


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Chapter one

Lexa noted the sparse signs of life beginning to dot the horizon with no small amount of

gratitude. The desolation of the area only just prepared her for the rudimentary starts of

civilization that sprung up in the form of rough wood and plank shacks haphazardly erected

in the now-empty fields. The oddity of such a scene was definitely something that made one

sit up and take notice.

How strange it was to look out over the land and see tiny, spur-of-the-moment housesstanding where crops should have been diligently nurtured. Tirelessly cared for by some

proud farmer until they had matured to fruition and yielded their crucial bounty.

The further she went, the more closely the decrepit little houses clustered together, as if

seeking company and comfort in this barren environment, until finally she came upon a

larger group that appeared to be a ramshackle settlement, of sorts.

Narrowing her eyes, she surveyed the crude town and knew this could not be her ultimate

destination. Perhaps out of simple curiosity, she wasnt really sure, and didnt particularly

care at the moment; Lexa downshifted and veered to the right, where the shoulder line was

still a pale but visible white smudge.

At great length, she finally spotted the glare of a reflector marking the turn-off, thoughbroken and nearly overgrown by weeds as it listed sadly starboard.

It couldnt hurt to verify her exact location, her mind justified, never mind the very

sudden, very pressing desire to stretch her legs after hours of riding.

Slowly, she proceeded down the rutted dirt path leading to the tiny, primitive community

born amid the ploughed soil; which had probably only been meant to be summer fallow for

regeneration. What a shame it would now lay dormant forever. Or at least as far as the

foreseeable future went.

Russian thistle blew hither and yon, bouncing and wandering in the wind like the lost

souls of a desert ghost town, tangling in giant, thick-stemmed careless weed and meandering

aimlessly across the abandoned land. She felt a kinship with it.

Forcing her eyes away, Lexa cast a cursory glance behind as the purring Valkyries tires

ruffled smoky tufts up from the soil. They filled her rearview mirror with the almost serene

vision of swirling dust devils, sweeping along like miniature parodies of tornadoes dancing

over the prairie without any particular purpose in mind.

Finally approaching what she assumed was the main thoroughfare, she took the slightly

wider path, loosely graveled, while the others were like tiny veins branching out randomly;

simple trails leading to each respective hut. All of which appeared to be deserted, right down

to the very last one.


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She was beginning to think stopping here was not such a good idea, after all. There wasnt

a soul about, no one with whom she could speak or ask directions. That defeated half the

purpose of this impromptu little detour. Maybe.Perhaps the place wasnt abandoned, at all. Given their proximity to the town she sought,

any inhabitants were bound to be leery of strangers arriving into their midst. Especially

those decked out in black leather road gear and riding a motorcycle.

Der.

Had that thought come about a bit earlier, she might be getting a congenial welcome

instead of potentially scaring the metaphorical shit out of a bunch of already downtrodden

country folk.

After realizing where her mistake lay, Lexa was almost positive that if anyone did still live

here, they were definitely hiding from her.

There was no help for it now, though, mores the pity, so she just continued creeping alongletting the soft rumble of the bike distract her mind from the sorrowful appearance of the

dilapidated hovels staring back at her.

Some were nicer than others. That is to say, they were more correctly erected than others.

But still it amazed her that anyone outside of a third world country would be living in this

manner, under these near prehistoric conditions.

The thought of doing an about-face and leaving was hovering in the forefront of her mind

when she suddenly spotted an old man near the end of the lane. He was bravely sitting on a

travesty of a porch that looked capable of collapsing at any moment.

Obviously this was one guy that wasnt worried about her. Thankfully.

Lexa marveled at the mans stoicism as she reigned in before the plank wood porch,

tugged off the sweltering helmet and killed the bike. He seemed to take no notice of her at

all, as if leather-clad women parked their motorcycles in front of his hut every day.

Not so much as a flicker changed his expression as she hung her helmet on the bikes

handlebars and strode toward him, digging her fingers in and feathering the slick mat that

was now her hair to loosen it free of her scalp. There was no need in looking any scarier than

she already did. Hell, she wouldnt even hazard a mirror at this juncture.

The house, upon approached it, appeared to be more than just a bit lopsided, leaning at

least fifteen or twenty degrees left of center. She caught herself actually tilting her head with

it as she stared and gave herself a mental shake. Wiping the bemused frown from her browshe consciously reconsidered sheltering within its shade. That would be taking her life out

of her own hands.

Instead, she settled for propping one booted foot on the bottom step of the porch and

deliberately slouched her shoulders with a loud sigh, in what she hoped was a pose of non-

threatening relaxation.

Resting both forearms on her raised knee, she smiled winningly at the old man, but

truthfully, she was far from relaxed. As ever, her first and foremost thought was of

monitoring for potential threats. It was second nature by now.


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Yet, even at this proximity the old man had yet to acknowledge her presence, continuing

to stare off into the space beyond her shoulder as if she wasnt there. At least startling him

into a heart attack was no longer a concern.Still, she proceeded with caution, modulating her voice into a cool, but friendly enough

cadence as she asked, This isnt Township, is it, Old-timer? She had added that last bit on a

sudden whim, just to fit into the rustic scene a tad better; make herself seem a smidge less

alien to these surroundings, but she had to admit, she was kinda getting into it. As she waited

for him to answer, she was even toying with the idea of adding a bit of a drawl next time, see

how she liked it.

Unfortunately, though, it seemed no response was forthcoming as her eyes rested casually

on his face. She could clearly see the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath the faded blue

button up he wore so she knew he lived, but something was definitely not right here.

At least several days growth of salt and pepper whiskers coated his leathery cheeks, steelgray hair hung lank and greasy with unwashed residue.

The hands that gripped the arms of the large Lay-Z-Boy recliner he sat in were long

nailed and covered in grime, holding on so tightly that the knuckles were white from the

force of it.

Lexa had the giddy urge to laugh at the stark contrast between the bright blue, overstuffed

chair and the drab, earthy colors surrounding them as she quirked a fiery copper brow and

studied him, trying to decide what her next move should be.

She might have given a chuckle, at the least (and she expected such things with her

perverse sense of humor; it struck at the most inopportune moments), if not for the sudden

stirring of the tiny hairs at the nape of her neck. That familiar sensation had warned her of

danger on too many occasions to ignore it now.

Silently she took stock of every sound around her, unobtrusively sifting through them

until she found the one she sought. The slow, poorly concealed footsteps approaching from

behind her stood out among the stillness like cannon shot.

With quiet confidence she let all the long years of arduous physical conditioning take

over, to guide her instincts as she waited patiently for her cue.

She was ready.

Her ears acted as a default homing device, easily pinpointing the exact position of the

person sneakingwell, trying to sneak up on her, until she knew just where to strike whenthe moment was right.

Finally her assailant came to a stop roughly three feet behind her. An amateur. One

should never stop near their enemy before a strike. She couldnt help but grin. This was

going to be fun. And she needed to purge all the unsettled energy inside, anyway. This was

the perfect outlet.

She could hear denim rub, bunching behind the knees as they crouched, the creak of

shoes, noboots, as they bounced on the balls of their feet uncertainly; once, twice, then

inhaled deeply, preparing to spring. A more opportune moment there would never be, and

she took it.


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Lexa swung around, reflexes honed to lightening speed, and crouched low in the same

fluid motion. By muscle memory alone, her body launched itself off the balls of her feet and

she wrapped her arms around the waist of the attacker, spearing him to the ground withenough force to do honor to any professional linebacker. The audible whooshof breath

leaving his lungs was expected, but gratifying nonetheless.

Regaining her feet, she felt a satisfied grin tugging at her lips as she flipped the still damp

veil of copper waves of hair from her line of vision and eyed the vanquished foe lying in the

dirt gasping for breath like a hyperactive guppy.

If finding a stout, nearly full grown and now quite dazed country boy lying at her feet

came as a surprise, she did a fine job of hiding it.

The poor kids face was as pale as milk. Well, with exception of the purplish-blue cyanotic

ring bordering his gaping mouth.

Looking down on her victim, she felt an infinitesimal twinge of remorse for using him as ahuman yard dart. Even if he had tried to attack her.

He was just a boy. Smooth faced and innocent. His appearance more than reassured her

that he had learned the error of his ways after the lesson hed just received, so she reached

down, grabbed him by the bib of his overalls (of course), and hauled him into a sitting

position for better oxygen exchange potential.

It didnt help. He still wasnt breathing. His mouth worked furiously but ineffectively to

take air into his lungs, and again the pathetic picture tugged at the tender chord in her heart

she hadnt realized she possessed until recently. Damn thing. Nothing but a bloody nuisance.

Disgusted with yet another display of sentimentality today, Lexa thwacked the struggling

boy on the back. Perhaps a bit harder than she had intended, she noted to herself as he

lurched forward. She didnt apologize, but the guttural drag of air entering his body was a

relief to her, and satisfied that he would live, she returned to the old mans porch, eying him

warily.

She neednt have worried about a hostile reaction to what had just taken place in his front

yard, though. He hadnt moved a muscle, his eyes maintaining a far off stare out over the

horizon.

Taking a seat on the step, hoping nothing would collapse on top of, or beneath her, she

watched less-than-compassionately as the boy sucked in huge lungful after lungful of air

until his complexion began to resemble that of a living man and the blue, oxygen deprivedring around his lips began to fade to a healthy pink.

Against her better judgment, she decided the kid was no real threat to her. And, perhaps

due to her rather sentimental mood, even admitted that he looked like a likeable enough kid.

Though, she had no earthly idea why she was being so magnanimous, not actually having

met him yet.

Lexa sat there for a few minutes, allowing him time to regain his composure. Time in

which the old man never batted an eyelash at the drama unfolding right in front of him. She

had about decided there was something severely wrong with the guy.


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Why were you sneaking up on me, Huck? She finally asked, once he looked as if he

might be capable of speech.

The fact that she had dubbed him with the only country-boy name that came to mindappeared to have slipped his notice because he made no reference to it.

I thought you were gonna hurt him. he wheezed, nodding his head toward the man

sitting behind her in the recliner.

So it hadnt been a malicious attack. She felt a bit better knowing it for sure, but shed had

an idea he was new to it. Now she was more than a little glad shed gone light on him and

only knocked him down. Ordinarily, anyone who threatened her would not have escaped

with such a courtesy.

I was just trying to ask directions.

To Township?

So you heard that, huh?I didnt think you could be a good sort, if you wanted directions to that place. There aint

no good sorts that go there.

Yeah, thats how I heard it, too. But Ive got business there, so I have to go. And truth be

told, shed like to get this all over with and get back to her normal, if not-so-normal life.

Despite its glaring abnormalities, it was all she knew. It was the only thing she was familiar

with.

Huck nodded in understanding, though she doubted he could really understand, even if

she explained it all to him. Hell, half the time she didnt understand it, herself.

Can I get up now? He asked with a frown, brown eyes obscured by sandy waves of hair

as he looked down toward his backside. These rocks are cuttin inta me somethin fierce.

Nodding, Lexa watched with a grin as he rose and dusted off the seat of his pants.

So whats up with the Lincoln monument? She asked, tossing her head in the direction

of the old man.

Who?

Taking in the boys confused expression, she stood and pointed at the man in the chair.

Still his confusion remained.

You know, that statue of Abe Lincoln sitting in his chair? Lexa waited patiently for the

comparison to sink in, but apparently it wasnt going to. Never mind. Whats wrong with

this guy? Is he okay?Dont know. Huck shrugged as the blank look finally left his face. Hes been like that

for a while now. Since we left Township.

Youre from Township? Funny, but she couldnt picture this earnest kid in such a rough

place.

My family used to live there before it got bad. We hightailed it out real quick-like once it

did, though.

His expressiveness was endearing, and she found herself fighting down another smile.


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He was a friend of my granddads, God rest him. When we left, we took him with us. He

was already like that, so we had to take the chair an all. He shrugged again. He barely eats

or anything now. I have to feed him or he wont eat at all.She had to change the subject, or end up misty eyed. And she wasnt about to go through

that again. Not twice in one day.

So where is the rest of the town, then? Surely everyone isnt scared of one woman.

Were the only ones left here. Everyone else moved on, but I stayed cause my dad went

back to get as much of our stuff as he could.

If it was as bad as shed heard, and as bad as Huck was saying, Lexa was amazed that

anyone, after escaping with their life, would willingly go back to Township.

Why didnt you go with him? You seem like a big, strong kid.

Huck looked hurt. As if he perceived her question as a judgment upon him. It had been

thoughtless on her part and she felt bad for the error as his chocolate brown eyes filled withsadness.

Dad told me to stay. Said I needed to take care o the old man. On account o him bein

defenseless an all.

Now she really did feel like a generously heaped pile of steaming crap.

How long has your dad been gone?

Its been months. About six, since he left. I dont think he got back outta there.

Lexa made no comment. This was not working out as planned. If anything, the story got

more heart-wrenching by the moment. She had to make good her escape or end up

disgracing herself by blubbering all over the poor kid.

Okay. She said abruptly, jumping up and ending their morose conversation as she all but

darted toward the Valkyrie. Well, Huck, its been real. But I better get moving. How far did

you say it was to Township?

I didnt say. He evaded, following her to the bike. I wish you wouldnt go. If my dad

couldnt make it there, you sure cant.

His selfless concern for a stranger made her heart ache. Whatever she had heard about

dim-witted, corn-fed country boys was now irrevocably undermined by this single

experience.

Dont worry about me, Huck. She winked at him with a grin. Looks are sometimes

deceiving. I can take care of myself. She didnt bother to point out that shed set him on hisass real quick, and he more than twice her size. She didnt want to hurt his feelings again. He

seemed the sensitive type.

Bobby Joe.

Hmm? She paused in mid-process of removing the saddlebags from her prized motorcycle,

a perplexed frown once again wrinkling her brow.

My name is Bobby Joe. Not Huck. His voice held a thread of steel, the first indication

she had seen that he was actually possessed of a spine and wasnt as helpless as the old man

he was supposed to be protecting and caring for.


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She was pleased. It would be damned inconvenient to have to worry over him and his

safety in the future.

I like Huck better. She smiled to lessen the sting of rejecting his name. What the hell isthe deal with all you country people having two first names?

I dunno. He returned her smile with a shrug of his wide shoulders. Whats yer name?

Lexa.

Now it was his turn to grin, if a bit shyly. That defnitely aint country.

No, its not. She chuckled.

Thats a pretty good name, though, I guess. For a city girl. He smiled again, and she

could almost swear there was a dull red blush staining his cheeks as he dipped his head,

hiding behind the fall of sandy locks shading his face.

Lexa hefted the heavy saddlebag over her shoulder with a raised brow in his direction.

Im glad you approve. She said wryly.Townships about nine miles up the highway. Westbound.

Thanks, Huck. She stuck her hand out and he grasped it firmly, giving it a solid, down-

home shake fit to make her grimace a bit inwardly before she turned and began retracing her

path to the road on foot.

What about your motorcycle? He called after her when he realized she intended to walk

away without it, probably thinking she was crazy. Or, teched in the head, to use country

jargon.

Keep an eye on it for me. She hollered over her shoulder, giving him a jaunty wave. If I

dont come back for it in a week, saddle up grampa and get the hell out of here. The keys in

the ignition.

I wont let anything happen to it, I promise. He vowed to her retreating back. Good

luck. Youre gonna need it!

Youre probably right, kid. She muttered to herself as his voice faded into the growing

distance. Hell, I know youre right.


13/27

13

Chapter Two

Lexa wasnt going to look back. She refused to. Her image as a hardass had sorely sufferedthis day, and she wasnt going to contribute further to it. The kid would be okay without her

to take care of him. After all, hed made it this long on his own.

However, the decision to leave her bike behind was proving to be seriously regrettable

after about a mile clogging along in the withering heat wearing her road leathers.

She had been alright for a while, but country heat and black leather obviously didnt get

along as well as she could have hoped. It hadnt taken ten minutes for sweat to begin

beading, then dripping, then streaming down her torso to pool in the tiny hidden crevices of

her body and making her itch, to use Hucks words, somethin fierce.

Never had she been so glad to see civilization of any kind as she was to see the tiny townsprout up in front of her. Quite literally. Although civilization around here was stretching

generosity of description to the max,

One minute she was trudging along, praying for rain or death, whichever came first, and

the next, over the rise of a hill, came the blessed sight of a bright blue water tower, signaling

the imminence of a town. However small it may be.

She nearly ran the rest of the way, casting only a cursory glance at the little sign

proclaiming the town to be GOULD in bold white letters against a backdrop of rusty green.

There was no option as to where she would stop to regroup. The only store, a miniscule,

homemade affair that one could very easily miss if they werent looking quite hard to find it,

was hidden within the confines of a crumbling beige Brick building along the right hand sideof the highway.

A flip sign anchored to the screen door with bits of baling wire stated Come On In, but

Lexa knew she would be extremely lucky if the place wasnt locked up tighter than a frogs

ass.

From what she had seen so far in this area, pretty much nothing was left untouched by

the dusty hand of hard times. Everyone had either packed up and headed for higher ground,

or joined with the refuse now inhabiting Township.

It seemed The Fates had decided to have mercy on her for once, though, and a damp blast

of tepid air hit her full in the face as she tried the handle and the door actually swung inward

at her touch. She couldnt help it, her body just shut down and her eyes drifted closed in

grateful bliss as the door clacked shut behind her. It was all she could do not to crumple

bonelessly where she stood.

Her heated flesh absorbed the humid chill in near ecstasy. Well, as much as possible

through the leather encasing her. For all her years, twenty-nine to be exact, she couldnt

remember being this hellishly hot. In fact, she felt certain she was still on the verge of

heatstroke. Her body was so weak, she was trembling.

There were no two ways about it; the leather had to go, and quick.


14/27

14

Cracking her eyes open, Lexa surveyed the dim interior of the store. She made a mental

note of two shelves boasting can goods, an enormous jar of pickles with a piece of masking

tape on the lid proclaiming in black magic marker $.75 each, and leaking boxes of AllTemperature Cheer. A four foot refrigerated case stood in one corner and tempted her

beyond all reason with soda pops of every brand and heavenly looking bottles of Aquafina

water that made her mouth sweat with need of refreshment. That was it.

The two shelves, cooler, and a hallway leading, presumably, to a storeroom, were all that

comprised the entire store. Whoever ran the place obviously believed in the whole less is

more thing.

Not that she was complaining just now. It was cool, out of the sun, and that was all she

cared about. Well, that, and maybe a bottle or two of that water. Oh, and a restroom where

she might change clothes.

That had to be the first order of business, because there was just no way she was going outinto that ungodly heat again in what she was wearing. Hell no. Shed rather die. Would

probably die. Though it might be cooler in hell.

Although, the more she looked around, the less she figured there was a public restroom to

make use of. But no matter. If it came down to it, she would simply strip and redress right

here in the middle of the store if she had to.

It wasnt like people were beating down the door to get into the place. She was probably

the only customer this month.

Turning slowly, she eyed the thick layer of dust camouflaging everything in its path and

decided she was probably the only one to venture inside in ages, instead.

Once again, she was struck by the difference between the deterioration of this place and

the bustling hubbub of the cities she frequented. It was really a shame. There was a homey, if

gritty, feel to the country. She could come to like it.

Lexa must have really been involved in her thoughts, for the woman sitting in the corner

behind a flip-top counter had completely escaped her notice thus far. Though there was no

conceivable way to ignore her once she had been spotted.

Gritting her teeth nearly to the point of pain, she fought to hold in the spasm of hilarity

that threatened to erupt, quickly covering her mouth and coughing hard to disguise the one

rogue bark of laughter that had managed to escape upon first glance. She was literally

holding her cheeks in with her fingers, refusing to let her lips curl up in a smile. Oh, Gods, ithurt.

The proud matron of all she surveyed was literally beaming at her, a wildly bucktoothed

smile nearly splitting her weathered face in two. Couple that with the frizzy yellow curls

springing haphazardly from her head, and the overall effect was positively riveting in its

atrocity. She couldnt help but stare at the spectacle in near disbelief.

You walkin Honey? The scrawny bunny-gone-bad fairly yelled at her around that good

ole gotta-be-just-a-bit-off country grin.


15/27

15

The urge to answer that brilliant deduction with her own brand of patented sarcasm was

nearly overpowering, but she doubted something like; Nope. Out joggin. Lookin fer me

some heatstroke! would do much for getting off on the right foot.Instead, she settled for nodding in the affirmative and kept her mouth shut until she could

regain control over her wayward humor.

Thats a powerful lota clothes ya got on fer walkin in this scorcher. Ain't been this hot

round these parts since I dont know when.

Ah, another brilliant observation. She wasnt at all sure she could stand much more of this

without losing her composure.

Have you got a restroom or something where I can change clothes? She dared let go of

her cheeks long enough to ask. They were nearly cramping from her effort not to laugh.

Sure thang, Honey! Just head to yer right, over there in that hall, an its yer first door to

the left. Mind the boxes.Lexa did her best to smile without bursting into laughter as she nodded her thanks and

about-faced, heading in the direction shed been pointed. She was musing over the womans

feat of speaking around that huge smile (and through all those teeth) as she made her way

into the crowded hallway.

Mind the boxes, indeed.

In order to reach the restroom, Lexa had to squeeze between numerous boxes, skirt a

broom, a mop and rolling bucket, and a monstrous Hef-T container marked XXX. When she

did finally obtain her goal, she was assailed by the scent of Tidy Bowl long before she

reached it. She was, however, grateful that the chances of the toilet being clean were great, if

that smell was any indication.

Ten minutes later she emerged feeling much better, having rinsed her skin with cool

water and paper towels and replaced her leathers with a white tee shirt and black mini from

her saddlebag.

Well, ya oughta feel better. Said Bunny-gal cheerily. Ya look cooler, too.

I do feel better, thank you. At least she could speak to her hostess now, without the

threat of offending her with laughter.

You gonna be needin anythin else, Honey?

Lexa approached the counter and leaned her bag against it. Definitely. She smiled then

headed for the bottles of water shed been ogling upon entering the store. While grabbingand guzzling the coveted fluid, she pondered the prospect of returning to the sweltering heat

and ruining the divine sponge bath shed just indulged in.

You dont happen to know of anyone with a vehicle, do you? She asked, rifling through

her bag for a couple bucks to pay the woman.

How far ya needin ta go, Hon? Bunny asked, serious concern shining from her bright

blue eyes as she rang up the water on an antique-looking cash register. She quirked a brow as

she returned the change, which Lexa dropped into the bag with a slight frown. Great, now

shed be jingling everywhere she went.


16/27

16

About eight more miles up 62 West. She hated to say it outright, knowing after her

experience with Huck, the reaction that would be forthcoming if she requested a ride into

Township.The only thing that prompted her to ask was the fact that her desire to walk the next eight

miles was woefully waning at this point.

Townships up 62 west eight miles, Honey. Surely ya dont mean ta go there! Bunnys

eyes widened in horror at that thought, lending an insane quality to her already-amazing

appearance.

In conjunction with the helter-skelter teeth, brandished about without thought for the

safety of others, the resulting display was truly one for the record books.

Im not staying. Lexa strangled another laugh and made quick to reassure her. Anything

she had to say to remove that hideously comical expression from her face would be well

worth the effort. Im looking for someone. I have to find them. Theyre very important tome.

Surprisingly enough, it wasnt a lie that fled past her lips. The truth was just as good,

though to someone who wasnt aware of the depth of reasoning, it sounded as if she was

going to Township for an entirely different reason.

And sure enough, Bucky let out a romantic sigh, the maniacal look on her face relaxing

into one of whimsical dreaminess. Ah. A lover then. I knew ya couldnt be one o them

Township girls.

Lexa did not disabuse her of the incorrect lover assumption. Let the woman keep the

idealism that apparently dominated her thoughts. Very few people lived the messed up life

that she did, and she wouldnt wish it on them.

A Township girl? She asked instead, feigning ignorance though she had been duly

informed of the situation in that regard.

You know, Bucky whispered, leaning close and looking furtively about as if expecting

someone to burst through the woodwork and perform an impromptu run-by censoring, a

whore!

Oh! Lexa breathed, hoping she looked suitably scandalized, though she couldnt imagine

how she could possibly pull off such a feat whilst standing there in a leather mini skirt that

barely crested the tops of her thighs and the full, honey-brown globes of her breasts on

display through the deep V of her tee shirt.Apparently she did manage it somehow, because Bucky suddenly clapped her hands

together in glee saying, I got just the thang! My Bobby Don is jus sittin at the house, he can

take ya! Not ta town, o course, but the outskirts should be far enough, right? Lemme jus

give im a holler, an yall can be on yer way.

Lexa was forced to nearly dive out of the way as the woman jumped from her stool and

flipped up the counter, flying through the door like a whirlwind. Her only indication of

surprise was to raise her eyebrows just a fraction, but that had been entirely abrupt and

unexpected. The woman was an enigma, to be sure.


17/27

17

It was completely out of character for her to be patient, and she tried, really she did, but

soon Lexa grew bored with waiting and began shuffling around, meandering between the

two isles of the tiny store to occupy her time.The noisy, air-blowing apparatus poking in through the far wall drew her attention and

she stationed herself in front of it, basking in the musty dampness that she had so appreciated

upon entering. Shed never seen anything like this strange bit of technology but was

enjoying herself thoroughly, if a smidgen soggily, when the creak of the door announced

Buckys return.

Bes not stand in front o that swamp cooler fer too long, else youll be fit fer a wet tee

shirt contest in that purty white blouse o yers. The volume of her voice startled Lexa even

though shed heard her enter. Id hate fer my boy ta be oglin ya all the way ta Township!

Now it was Lexas turn to be wide-eyed with horror. Great! Now shed have to fend off

some horny sheep-fucker for eight miles,The look on her face must have given away something of her thoughts, because Bucky

quickly reassured her with a wave of her hand. Oh, now Honey, I was jus jokin! Anyways,

hes simple as a stump. But his drivins fair, so ya should be fine.

Lexa was aghast. Like there was any consoling her now?! Not bloody fucking likely after

that last remark!

What the hell did they do out here in the country to make themselves so different from

city people?

Now she was mentally kicking herself in the ass for ever leaving her prized Valkyrie

behind with Huck and consigning herself to be afoot. And for placing herself at the mercy of

odd little strangers.

Her feelings were not changed much, as quite some time later, she was putting down the

highway with Dorkzilla at the helm of an ancient, rusted-out Ford pickup truck.

She earnestly tried to ignore the goofy grins he kept sending her way, but it was really

hard to pretend she didnt see a towering, six and a half foot beanpole hunkering down over

the cracked steering wheel, trying in vain to keep his head from bouncing against the roof

with every bump in the road.

Again, her warped sense of humor chose to rear its retarded little head, tempting her to

roll in the floorboard in a fit of hysteria brought on by the ridiculous picture he presented

with his knees up around his armpits. How he managed to drive in that fucked up pretzelposition, she would never know!

Slowly, though. Very slowly. She did know that much.

And the music! Ye gods!

As soon as hed folded himself up into the drivers seat, hed popped a faded cassette into

the outdated tape deck and cranked up this horrendous yowling. She supposed this was what

yodeling, or whatever it was, sounded like. She was most definitely not impressed. Not in the

least. Could have gone the remainder of her life without having experienced such a torturous

cacophony, in fact.


18/27

18

Country music was definitely an acquired taste. Not that she intended to acquire it

anytime soon. Never in fact.

Lexa was also hoping that this hillbilly music wasnt the boys idea of courting tunes. If so,the gangly dimwit was more than likely destined to die a virgin. He had other, more pressing

things to overcome if he ever wanted to see any action, but the music really couldnt be

furthering his cause.

At great length, or so it seemed (surely it couldnt have been all that long, even if the

miles didnt exactly melt away at 45mph), Bobby Don swerved precariously to a skidding

stop on the shoulder of 62.

With another huge, goofy smile that begged praise of the wonderful job hed done, he

reached across her with primate-long arms and wrenched on the handle of her door until it

opened with a loud, spine-cringing squall that set her teeth on edge.

Relieved beyond reason, Lexa gifted him with a slightly uncomfortable smile and climbeddown from the pickup.

She took special care as she did so, painstakingly avoiding the naked springs in the

threadbare bench seat that seemed extremely eager to get to know her better.

At no time in her life had she been eager to experience, or relished the thought of having

a rusty coil spring hooked into the cheek of her ass.

Once safely on the ground, Lexa pulled her bag from the scarred bed of the antique truck

and slammed the door with a jarring metallic clang, just as shed been instructed to do by

Bucky, on account o it jams up a bit.

No sooner had she stepped out of the way than her yester-year conveyance exploded into

motion, having delivered and deposited her on the threshold of Township. Mission

accomplished. The hummingbird has landed. Time to get to work and all that crap.

Bobby Don waved a carefree goodbye as he turned the wheezing pickup around in the

middle of the highway and headed back east, leaving her staring through a billow of black

exhaust at the town from hell a bare half-mile in front of her.

Lexa heaved a huge sigh of resignation. She should be used to this by now. But it never got

any easier. Never weighed any lighter on her conscience than a lead anvil would have.

Behold, she muttered to herself, quoting a phrase from one of her favorite movies, as a

wild ass unto the desert, go I forth to my work. Or something like that.

If she remembered correctly, the line had brought a laugh from all present in the movie,but there was no levity to be found in her work here. There had once been an indefatigable

exhilaration, a love for her job. Ages ago, it seemed. But never had she found humor in it.

Perhaps that was why her sense of humor had taken such a hard left curve. A life without

honest cause to laugh could warp anyone. She was walking, talking proof of that.

There was a small amount of consolation to be found in the present situation, however.

She wasnt sweating to beat ninety, with the thick leather of her riding gear blocking the

slight breeze from her skin.


19/27


20/27

20

Chapter Three

Purposely slowing her pace to a leisurely stroll at city limits, as if she hadnt a care in the

world, Lexa was furiously picking apart the briefing she had been given. A shitty briefing, in

actuality. For all intents and purposes, very vague and uninformative. Unusual. But she really

didnt care.

She wasnt in this for the history lesson. She had a job to do and all she wanted was to get

it done in short order and get out of this hellhole.

The briefing had made this little southwest Oklahoma town sound like a veritable hell on

earth. She had nothing better than hearsay to go on, but with each step she took she was

leaning undeniably towards belief of those rumors. However, she did try to be fair about the

whole thing by deciding to reserve judgment until a later date. After she had the chance todelve a bit deeper beyond her first impression.

Instead, she mentally hit the highlights of the information shed been given, discarding all

else that didnt seem pertinent at the moment.

The entire spiel had been about the town and its rules and whatnot. Not the customary

information, by a long shot, but she had to admit their report of the dying economy in this

area was incredibly accurate thus far.

A lack of revenue had forced the school, and then the police department, with ever other

state-funded institution following closely on their heels, to close down. Leaving the people

on their own, without any viable form of higher rule. So they had begun to rule themselves.

Or they were forced by the decline in their environment to relocate to larger cities. Most

of them relocated. They were either unable or unwilling to constantly fight for their very

existence. Like Hucks family.

Lexa smirked to herself. It was a damn shame, really, how lawlessness sprang up in the

absence of government. Youd think adults would be able to coexist in a peaceable fashion

without turning into derelicts just because no one was watching them. It was unbelievable

how like children adults could be, like a bunch of bullies at school, just waiting for the

teacher to turn their back so they could thump the kid sitting in front of them on the back of

the head.

Personally, she just couldnt see how they had been allowed to get away with taking overan entire community and turning it into a derelicts playground. This place had probably

been quite pretty in its glory days. Before fate had consigned it to become a modern-day

purgatory.

It was easier for her newly softening frame of mind to console herself with thoughts of

how it used to be. To imagine what it would have been like to live in such a tiny, quaint

place.

Living here must have been very much like the life she had always hungered for. Close to

the earth, no artifice and no pretense. Just a quiet, tranquil community going about its

business, not making so much as a ripple in the vast ocean of the world.


21/27

21

Her heart ached for those who had been driven from this place. From their homes and all

they had ever known.

People had doubtlessly worked their whole lives here, laboring and sweating the prime oftheir lives away in hopes of golden years filled with peace, wind in the willows, and days

spent fishing on the lake in a nice, new bass boat.

Anyone who had sensitivity enough to listen could hear the worn down houses give

testimony to the prosperity, and the lack thereof, that had once reigned here. There were

tales unnumbered being whispered on the air as they lined the highway through town like

sad, beaten guardians of the past.

Lexa saw the elegance in their lines. Caught glimpses of brightly colored chips of paint

clinging hopefully to the rotting wood and could imagine what they used to be before dirt

and scaling vines of ivy overtook them.

Some had been the meticulously tended homes of well-to-do people. The kind thatgathered every Sunday afternoon and shared a huge meal with grandma at the head of the

table, sure to have her Belltones cranked up so she could hear the conversations around her.

Families like the one she had dreamed of for the entirety of her childhood had lived and

died here. Loved each other and slid their keepsakes and heirlooms into hope chests to pass

down to their children when the time was right. Keeping a record of their ancestry.

Painstakingly remembering each new addition in the family bible.

Families like the one she had never been a part of.

But that was neither here nor there. She would have given her eyeteeth to be a part of any

family. Regardless of the home, money, or traditions.

Even the modest, less impressive houses told their gripping, eloquent stories. Relaying

tales of blue-collar, yet comfortable living. Of hours spent swinging together on the porch

swing that now hung by only one chain in cracking, tattered disrepair.

Those were the types of families that worked extra shifts, or did odd jobs to give their

children the things they wanted, the things beyond necessity. They worked a pair of glasses

into the monthly budget when they were stepped on, or tucked money away for their

daughters prom dress until they had enough to get the one she had her heart set on.

They were the kind who made it from day to day alright, but just couldnt seem to come

up with the funds to take a family vacation like some of their friends and neighbors.

Living like that would have suited her just fine, too.And then there were the homes that told of poverty and penny-pinching just to survive.

She had walked down thousands of streets just like the one she trod right now, and seen the

same picture of poverty. They were everywhere she went.

These families had done without to provide for each other. Parents had probably skipped

out on various bills, letting them slip into default for a month just to provide Christmas

presents. Or they may have hand-made their childrens clothing and prayed that the other

kids at school wouldnt ostracize them because of it. Holding, comforting, and crying with

them when they inevitably did.


22/27

22

A life like that was, no doubt, hard. More than likely depressing in many ways for the

ones living it, but she would never have complained as long as the family had love and

compassion for each other. A little bit of something was better than all of nothing.There were a million stories, some happy, some sad, being relayed all around her, and that

only made her wish all the more, that she could have seen this place before its stores were

boarded up and burned out. Before its citizens were miscreants, and the streets were still

packed with decent people. With smiles, laughter, and life.

But she hadnt. Instead, she saw it as it had become. A dried out husk of its former self

and fading into twilight. An aged demimonde cast aside at the most vulnerable moment,

forsaken and forgotten, stripped of even a respectable name.

Now it was simply Township. Dubbed so by those who could boast of survival from its

clutches. Home to vagrants, thugs, and whores. Peopled by the dregs of humanity, those

putrid few that could not, or would not conform to the rule of law and authority.Blatantly ungoverned, the brutal precept of take or be taken was the only foundation, the

only parody of law observed by one and all.

Lexa doubted very much if she would enjoy dealing with the beautiful personalities just

waiting to be discovered in this town. In fact, the more she rehashed the briefing, the less

she liked being here at all.

Oh, she could take care of herself well enough, it was merely the principle of the thing.

And she was going to need shitloads of luck. Huck had been right about that, for certain.

Everything had to go exactly as her employers had planned, or all would be ruined.

She had heard of functionaries being lost in the field due to a single glitch in their

meticulously laid plans and she had no desire to join their ranks. For there was no doubt in

her mind that a place like Township could swallow a person whole, never to be heard from

again.

And while she might long for freedom from her current life, being marooned in Township

wasnt her idea of relief. If she were to fall here, she could never count on The Society to

rescue her.

No, her bosses would probably consider it a gift to be relieved of their headstrong

Observer.

Lexa could only hope, as she continued plodding along nearing the heart of town and

passing beneath the shell of a stoplight that obviously didnt work anymore, that her planswould not go awry. And that her team would not let her down. They were her only

insurance against a wholly undesirable fate in this place.

Finding herself under the Ownership of someone she could not manage was nothing like

the bright hopes for her future that she was still foolish enough to harbor.

A ripple of distaste worked its way through her body, settling in her gut like lead as she

imagined all the potential pitfalls in her assignment plan.

Ownership, indeed. Those jackasses. Who in the hell had brainstormed that shit?


23/27

23

Ownership was the core rule of Township. Anyone could lay claim to anything, animate

or inanimate. That much of the briefing stood out in her mind with crystal clarity, definitely

a highlight point. It was, in fact, the very reason she had been given this assignment.She had been blessed with the esteemed honor of becoming bait. How fargin lucky could

a girl get?

Her exalted employers had thrown her to the wolves. Not figuratively, but literally. To

accomplish that which a man would not be able to do. A goal to be obtained had been

outlined, of course, but first she was to allow herself to be captured and Claimed, to insinuate

herself into this barbaric society. Only then could she go about her mission.

Pitfall number one.

Glaringly obvious to anyone with the good sense enough to realize that their brain was

intended to do more than merely keep the sides of their skull from caving in.

But had her supervisor made allowances in the mission objective for the fact that she waslikely to be guarded like the fucking crown jewels? Hell no.

Never mind that it was the very few women residing here that had led The Society to

determine that a woman, more importantly, a woman alone, would be more able to gain

entrance into town without causing undue suspicion.

All she had to do was act the part of the unwilling abductee. Like that bit would be taxing.

But what of the rest?

How in blue hell was she supposed to meet her objective when she couldnt get any work

done? There should have been a default plan in place for just such an eventuality, just in case

her team failed. But, again, there was not. That was why everything had to go verbatim in

accordance with the plan, and it freakin sucked!

Perfection? Not even under the best of circumstances.

Inwardly, she cursed the women who were wise enough to flee from here, causing the

need for a female on this venture. But at the same time, she applauded them for their

foresight (women arenotorious for that sort of thing), though that left only the questionable

ladies that had opted to remain and the idiots that had relocated here. All were, reportedly,

of the street-walking variety.

Yet, they too showed a certain amount of intelligence in deciding to ply their wares by

the relative safety of day. If the truth were known, they had probably come here with

dreams of wealth to be had for the taking in a predominantly male society. They just hadntcounted on the probability that said males would rather Claim what they wanted, rather

than pay for it.

Not a minorflaw in their thought process, by any means.

Now the women were little more than prisoners, owned by whoever had Claimed them.

Therefore women were in very real danger of being shanghaied off the streets at any time.

Phase one. Oh goody.

Who was the asshole that thought this shit up, anyway? If she ever found out, she vowed

she was going to give him a great big fucking hug. Right around the neck. Until he turned

blue.


24/27

24

She had known from the briefing that the Claiming was inevitable. She wasnt happy

about it, but the possibility of changing hands was what bothered her the most. Well, that

and the fact that she was supposed to do whatever became necessary to safeguard theanonymity of the mission, and thusly, The Society.

That was just The Societys nice little way of saying that after the Claiming she was

ordered to put out to protect her ruse.

Yeah right.

If they even, for so much as a second, entertained the thought that she was going to let

some hard-up hillbilly into her tidy-whiteys, they were seriously in for a rude awakening.

She wasnt sure how she was going to accomplish bringing that threat to fruition, but it

was only a matter of time before the solution came to her. And she could be very creative.

In the meantime, her team better be on top of their game and make sure that she doesnt

fall into the wrong clutches. Or several, god forbid.Unfortunately for her, and everyone else, the Challengers Brawl was a constant and very

real threat lurking behind every Claim. And not limited to a predetermined number of

challengers.

Property was likely to change hands several times before it was settled upon one owner,

and then the entire process could begin all over again.

Not a comforting thought whatsoever, especially not when it was herself who was

intended to be the property in question this time.

The governing structure of Township, to her way of thinking, was little better than that of

the animal kingdom. If you can take it, its yours. Until someone bigger and stronger, or with

more goons at his command, comes along and takes it fromyou.

If an item in your possession did happen to catch the fancy of another, the remedy was as

simple as issuing a challenge for the object. Such a move would initiate protocol and the

Challengers Brawl would ensue shortly thereafter.

Now, the way it had been explained to her, the Brawl sounded like nothing more than a

big damn fight that took place between the parties involved. Their factions would battle

until someone emerged victorious and earned the right to keep the prize, whatever it may

be.

To Lexa, the whole thing sounded barbaric. And it was, undoubtedly, just as violent a

thing as her report had made it sound.She supposed it would be too much to hope that she never had to witness it firsthand. If

all went well, she wouldnt. But she was no longer certain of her own, or her teams ability to

protect themselves in the middle of an entire town gone ape-shit.

Thats what made places like this so dangerous. A person could get caught up in the

sudden tidal wave of absolute freedom. They begin to assume the characteristics of those less

savory, opportunistic individuals who swooped in to feast on the carrion which never failed

to litter the path of lawless existence. Like those who had laid Claim to Township.


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Under the stress of peer pressure, mankind was notorious for playing follow-the-leader.

All one had to do was demonstrate a dab of superiority, real or imagined, and people would

fall in behind them.And if the wrong type ended up in a position of leadership without the ever-watchful

eyes of the law to contest them? You ended up with a setting such as the one she now found

herself in. A completely unfettered environment where men were allowed to run free

without fear of reprisals. Like animals in the wild.

The people around here were probably tough as boot leather, too. After having to fight to

survive in such a rough atmosphere. They were, undoubtedly, the types to strike matches on

their chins and whatnot. Not a reassuring picture when it really came down to the nut

cuttin. She and her team would definitely have to keep on their toes to stay a step ahead of

danger here. Of course.

Everywhere she went it was the same scenario over and over again. Fuck up and youcould very well die. But this time she had the distinct privilege of contending with a town

full of power hungry missing links.

Once again, Lexa was not impressed with the human race. A few individuals had earned

her respect a time or two. But taken as a whole, she didnt like people at all. And no doubt,

this novel experience would not change her perspective for the better. She was almost

positive of that much. Especially if the mess Township inhabitants had made of the place was

anything to judge by.

And the place was a mess. That was the only way she could think of to describe her

surroundings at the moment. There was no sign of recent inhabitation anywhere. The

buildings she had passed, just a few old home-owned stores, where either boarded up or

completely gutted.

Some people had probably waited until the last moment to jump ship, reluctant to give up

on their lifes work, while others had seen the upheaval coming and protected their

investments and livelihood as well as possible before hauling ass out of dodge.

The spectacle was not one of welcoming warmth. Trash and broken glass lined the curbs

that separated the road from the grass, along with fat, white tufts of cotton that had blown

willy-nilly from the gin yard situated on the corner to the left of the stoplight.

Township didnt look dangerous right now. Just very sad.

Perhaps later she would revise that opinion, but now it just looked hollow. Barren. Likethe landscape surrounding it.

One thing did appear ominous, though. Thick dust, highlighted to a reddish-brown hue

by the sun as it continued its descent into the western horizon, created a fog that hovered in

the darkening sky and advanced threateningly toward her like a biblical plague.

Lexa feared she was about to witness her first Oklahoma dust storm.

She was, after all, in the belly of the Dust Bowl, and she remembered from childhood

history lessons how the dirt during one of these phenomena was reported to have been

capable of enveloping an entire town.


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There had even been stories of how the people in these towns had blanketed windows

inside and out to try and keep the dust from entering their homes.

At the time, Lexa had not believed the actual occurrences had been as terrible as theywere made out to be, but staring into the surreal, quickly approaching cloud and feeling the

wind as it began to whip enthusiastically about her, she was converted into an instant

believer.

Now was as good a time as any to seek cover. She needed a break anyway. Her saddlebag

was eating into the bone of her shoulder and cutting off the circulation to her right arm, so

she could definitely do with a pause to regroup.

No place really jumped out at her as a good pit-stop area, though. She had left all the open

buildings behind as she entered the center of town and now a graffitied, boarded up Loves

Country Store appeared to be her only refuge.

Too bad the place was still boarded up. She might have sheltered within until the comingstorm had passed. Leave it to her luck to be stranded outside somewhere during a natural

disaster. Hell, she couldnt even get kidnapped right. At least then she would be out of the

elements. Maybe.

Lexa jogged across the Loves parking lot until she was beneath the canopy overhanging

the raised fuel island, sans fuel pumps, and dropped the cumbersome bag with a grateful

grunt. It wasnt much, but it was a damn sight better than nothing was, she supposed.

The pain in her shoulder grated badly enough to drag her mind away from worrying over

the impending storm long enough to squint her eyes closed and gently massage the feeling

back into her deltoid.

If this was how the entire mission was going to go, she was really in trouble. But maybe

she wasnt giving this place enough credit. Maybe the reports they had received had been

exaggerated. So far, she hadnt seen anything to put her on alert. No threat of danger had

appeared up to this point. Perhaps the appearance and the desolate feel of the town had

prompted people to make crazed assumptions.

There was obviously little danger here. The tales of Township had probably been

embellished until reaching monstrous proportions that actually had very little basis in

reality.

Lexa almost smiled to herself over that idea. That would definitely be too much like right

for it to be true. Something working out better than imagined? Unheard of! Especially forsomeone whom The Fates reveled in shitting on at every opportunity.

It would be wonderful, though, if the place really was as deserted as it appeared. She could

just go about her assignment without being hindered by the presence of others. For once.

How nice would that be?!

Snorting at her own sarcastic thoughts, she surveyed the still-darkening sky, wondering if

she might have had more luck being snatched up off the street if she had somehow managed

to call ahead for reservations.

So much for shanghaied off the street. She was beginning to think it might be as simple as

shed hoped, after all.


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There wasnt an inkling of life anywhere. No movement drew her trained eye. Nothing

was so obviously threatening that it gave her cause to believe the stories of murder and

mayhem that centered around the town.Except that the fine hairs on the back of her neck were niggling for her attention again.

Actually, raising hell would be more accurate. But Lexa just heaved a huge sigh, she wasnt

sure it was one of relief or frustration, and continued the therapeutic rubbing and rotating of

her shoulder, giving the storm all credit for tripping her natural warning system into danger-

mode.

More fool, she.

Above the increasing howl of the wind, Lexa heard the pattering of feet behind her. Not

little feet, either. Full grown, stomping, man-sized feet. But it wasnt soon enough. Before

she could kick into high gear and prepare herself for the worst, the worst was upon her,

wrapping its arms like steel bands around her waist and imprisoning her against its chest ina vise-like bear hug.

In a moment of clarity, Lexa realized that she had apparently been hasty in her dismissal

of the dangers lurking here.

She wasnt quite sure how she felt about that at the moment, what with the breath being

squeezed out of her, but her bosses would have been pissed if she had reported the need for

an alternate game plan, so she was rather glad she was now captured and spared the need of

informing them of such a thing.

Step one accomplished. Yeehaw.

Now all she had to do was make it look good and convincing. Of course, considering the

fact that she really didnt want to be manhandled and Claimed, that was probably the only

step in this little dance that she should have no problem with.

The Observer (Exerpt) RheannonDawn

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