Chapter 17 Cam
April
Cam poured a scalding hot cup of coffee, dropped in a spoonful of honey, and added a splash of milk from the Outpost’s solar-powered fridge.
He yawned, swirled his spoon, and took a sip of hot caffeinated beverage.
xTerra rarely traded for coffee, but he’d enjoy this while he could.
Then it would be back to tea. He thought back longingly to Lissa’s hot chocolate supply in Nebraska.
She’d been fortunate to find her cache, as traveling traders wouldn’t find her remote location. Nor would she appreciate their arrival.
He stowed thoughts of Lissa as he busied himself for the expected scouting party from xTerra.
They should be here any minute. He glanced out the window as headlights approached on the road from the bunker city.
His current watch partner would remain here, while Cam and Kory Walker—someone he now considered a friend—would make a full perimeter patrol.
Not only were members of the Watch going, but a handful of civilians who were potentially interested in joining.
It wasn’t the best time to include inexperienced hunters or new recruits, but the captain wanted to get more people acclimatized to the world outside xTerra.
Even if Cam disagreed with the timing, he would escort this group and follow orders.
He downed the rest of his coffee, washed the mug, and grabbed his loaded backpack.
He strode toward the van as the occupants unloaded. The packed mud of the Outpost parking area muffled their footsteps. His eyes widened as his middle brother stepped out, looking around, clutching his overstuffed pack like a pillow. Aiden’s eyes met his and flicked away.
What the hell was he doing here? Aiden was the least likely of his brothers to join the Watch.
He watched his brother grapple with his heavy pack.
After all these months, maybe Aiden had decided to try something different.
Maybe he wanted to rebuild their relationship.
That was a positive step. Perhaps he was also looking to contribute differently now, since he no longer worked for their mother as mayor. He’d been her number one errand boy.
Cam rubbed a hand along his stubbled jaw and stepped forward. “Aiden. Welcome. I didn’t expect to see you here.” Cam glanced at the enormous pack. It slipped from his brother’s grasp and landed in a puddle with a splash.
Cam stretched to help.
“That’s two of us.” Aiden struggled to shrug the heavy pack onto his back, immediately sagging under its weight. “Fucking hell. This is heavy.”
What had his brother brought? This was a simple three-day trek, and the regular patrol would carry the tents and food. Aiden just needed his personal belongings and his sleeping bag.
“Want some help?” Cam reached to untwist the nearest strap.
Aiden dodged with a glare. “I got it. What are you doing here?”
Cam stepped away from the extensive pool of murky water. “I’ve been stationed here all winter. Didn’t Jed mention it?” Maybe this trip wasn’t the olive branch Cam had hoped.
“Nope.” Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “How about you give me space, and I’ll give you space?
I’m not looking to be friends. Mom suggested I learn what I can about the Watch.
She wants to make recommendations to improve it.
” Aiden turned and strolled away, joining the primary group. He avoided further eye contact.
Cam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, where he was always tense.
That figured. His mother had probably thought of an angle to wrest back some of her power.
She’d never been involved with the Watch before.
Knowing her, she was going to pretend she still had authority and try to remake things to her liking.
She didn’t appreciate the Watch, so that was where she was starting.
He’d just ignore Aiden while still ensuring his brother didn’t do something stupid through inexperience.
The Watch planned a three-day circuit of xTerra, and Kory wanted an early start, so the expedition left the Outpost as soon as the second vehicle unloaded, the sunrise still spreading pink and orange along the eastern horizon.
The cheerful morning and gorgeous sunrise were at odds with the sense of dread filling Cam.
There would be three long days of trekking with several inexperienced hikers along. His brother’s presence also threw him.
He glanced back at the single-file train stretching behind him.
After sending two scouts out in the front and assigning another pair to the back, he and Kory led the main procession while his brother shuffled along at the rear.
The only way to separate the brothers further would be for Aiden to join their rearguard, a few hundred yards behind the others.
As the sun rose higher, more of the rolling land came into view, and Cam concentrated on the surrounding landscape. He listened for out-of-place sounds, watched for smoke, and stepped carefully whenever they hit marshy, water-soaked ground, all while hoping they didn’t run afoul of the Slains.
He stared at the brown monochromatic countryside.
With most of the snow melted, it would be easier to hide the movement of their men, unless someone came across their tracks in the mud.
The hostile group could be out here, anywhere.
He ignored the sensation of watching eyes and went about hiking. Maybe it was all in his imagination.
Snow lay in slushy chunks under trees or near large outcroppings of scattered stone, resembling islands in a sea of matted, brown grass.
As they walked, the brown illusion faded.
Pale green shoots stuck through the snow-flattened dead foliage.
Soon, living green would blanket the fields before the summer’s heat would sear it golden.
For now, everything appeared bland and almost lifeless.
Early spring was the ugliest season, but fleeting.
He preferred the next stage, when flowers would blossom and a multitude of greens would spread.
With the early start, the Watch and their guests walked without talking, concentrating on remaining alert to their surroundings.
Cam glanced up, noting a pair of crows high in the sky harassing a larger bird.
At this distance, he couldn’t tell whether it was an eagle or a hawk.
Behind them, the sky was overcast, more gray than white.
The air was damp and threatening rain, which would further wash away the remaining snow. He just had to be patient.
With planting season in full swing back at xTerra, the warmer weather allowed for large groups to move, so the patrol group kept watch for the Slains. He had a feeling they’d be out in force any day.
Between tense group members unused to hard walking and heavy packs, his angry brother, and the lack of insect noise and bird calls, Cam found the silence eerie.
Something out here didn’t feel right. The feeling struck him several times, and he couldn’t shake it, but they hiked for hours finding nothing suspicious.
Bored and tired, several of the civilians straggled behind all but the rearguard, including Aiden.
After several hours, gunshots cracked in the distance, their sharp retort breaking the silence.
Everyone stopped, startled as the sound penetrated their exhaustion, while Cam held his breath. The echo faded. A raven cawed and broke the spell, and regular quiet talk resumed. The patrol waited another minute, then Kory waved them forward again.
The memory of the sharp sounds kept Cam on edge, expecting more.
This was the farthest he’d been from the Outpost since his return last December.
Since then, the Watch had patrolled along the barricades and main road leading to xTerra.
Once they’d increased their presence, the Slains had dropped back.
This trip would take the patrol on a wider sweep of their perimeter.
Cam remained certain that the Slains’ disappearance was temporary. There had been quite a few camps on his trek back last year. It may also be misdirection. Maybe they’d been out here all along. Pulled back into the trees. Lurking. Waiting for an opportunity for violence.
As he hiked, he watched for signs, scanning the muddy ground for footprints, broken branches, and watching the trees for movement or flashes of color that didn’t belong. Nothing.
He took a minute to check the status of their party.
The main group consisted of three women, twelve men, and five prospective recruits.
Plus, four scouts. This mission was to patrol xTerra’s perimeter from within the treeline, ensuring the Slains hadn’t set up somewhere close to xTerra’s walls.
If the Slains were fortifying a base, the Watch wanted to be prepared.
The civilians were assigned to count game animals, such as deer, antelope, or maybe a bison or moose, to understand local populations and judge hunting opportunities for the fall. With the amount of noise being made by the group, their game tally remained zero.
Despite their constant vigilance, the morning passed without incident. Some of Cam’s nerves settled, though his skin prickled, still feeling exposed. When the notion didn’t subside, he tried to embrace the sensation. Better safe than sorry.
Just before lunchtime, another series of shots interrupted their walk.
Despite his vigilance, Cam started at the unexpected noises, involuntarily ducking.
Rather than stop to eat, the group moved on.
When closer gunshots rang out, the hikers hunkered down to wait until the scouts reported the way forward remained clear.
Cam and Kory passed out portable lunches for everyone. They could eat on the move.