Chapter Two: Roughing It
By Richard LeBlanc
A day had passed since his meeting with Snake. Although he wanted to block it out of his head - he had been in the business too long to not know when someone was lying to him. Snake was behind the attempt on his life and he knew that the mission he was on was most likely a suicide strike.
Yet - what did it change? If there was so much as a grain of truth as to the importance of the mission - what was one life compared to the greater good of the cause? He leaned against the wall of the small house on the outskirts of Eco and looked to the north - a place he would have to travel through.
Many thoughts riddled through his mind. What made this girl so special? Why was Snake so set on getting him killed? Did it have to do with any of the players in Eco - or some outside interest?
"How does it feel?" a familiar voice mocked. He opened his eyes and saw Luther standing before him. "To know that Snake has it in for you? To know that - in spite of all the service - the ass kissing - he is still willing to sell you - the great war hero out to the highest bidder?" he asked.
"I will deal with the matter when the time comes," Calloway replied coldly.
"My god - you do have your head shoved right up his ass don't you? He sent you here to die! Can you not hear me?" the ghost shouted at him. Calloway sighed and shook his head. "Try to ignore it - I did," he stated. Calloway looked over at the ghost. "What? You think I wanted to turn away from the cause? I - am not a fighter - my skills - my strengths were political - and social. That was what made me useful," he explained.
"You outlived your usefulness," Calloway rebutted.
"Oh yeah - I almost forgot about that. Did - you ever - once - ponder - why he decided to have me dealt with? Don't buy into that inflated timetable bullshit," he stated - cutting Calloway off before he could say the same rehearsed line. "I - like a few other social climbers - did some digging on Snake," he added.
"And you found?" Calloway sarcastically asked.
"Nothing - the boy is a blank slate. His records however far back had been cleaned so spotless that no one knows where he came from - when he came into being and when he started up this coterie. Although - I found nothing - he did find out that I was asking - enter you," he said smugly as he walked over and stood beside the assassin. "I always thought I would have forever to make you pay for what you did to me - funny - how time can just race by - isn't it?" he remarked as he vanished into the ether. Calloway shook his head. That annoying ghost always seemed to pop up whenever he least wanted him there.
"I wish that damnable specter would just die and be done with it," he muttered to himself. He heard a twig snap. Instantly his knives were ready.
"Easy charmer - it's just me," a familiar voice reassured. He lowered his weapons as Tanya stepped out of the shadows with a young girl beside her. "Snake - didn't tell me anything save bring this girl to you here," she began.
"The mission will be - quite dangerous," he began. She blinked in modest disbelief.
"Hold up - you talked with Snake?" she asked.
"I did," he replied.
"And you know - that he was behind the attempt? You remember those Assamites that came close to killing you?" she reminded.
"I do," he replied. Again she stood in stunned silence. "I don't expect you to understand," he added seriously.
"That is a good thing - because I don't think I ever will," she replied seriously. She looked down at the kid and frowned. "This - child - is more important to him than you," she added with disgust.
"Even - even if - he has fault with me - if this aids the cause - of our Lord - how can I say no?" he asked seriously. Tanya sighed and shook her head.
"I know the cause - believe me - I have heard it in the temple more times than I care to remember. What I am trying to get through to you - is that - he uses that cause as a shield. He is no prophet. The only cause he is truly loyal to - is his own. And trust me," she whispered as she walked over and stood before him. "His cause - our cause - and the lord's cause - they are not the same. Please - do not let him use your loyalty as a weapon against you," she whispered.
"Once all of this is done - I will find some way of dealing with - all of this," he reassured.
"I know you will," she said confidently. She then sighed and looked over her shoulder at the child she had escorted to him. "I would still feel better if you let me kill her," she admitted. He quietly laughed and shook his head. "You are sure of this? That this mission is for the greater good - and not just a means of him dealing with you?" she asked seriously. He closed his eyes and looked up at the night sky.
"I believe so. Would I be here otherwise?" he rebutted. She scowled at him.
"Wrong answer," she replied. He quietly laughed. "Be careful. Snake wants you dead - in a bad way. I don't know why - but - I have some friends looking into it," she stated.
"Then your advice applies both ways. Be careful - if he discovers," he replied.
"I'm always careful - well - except where you are involved," she replied modestly. Calloway smiled as she hugged him and then vanished into the shadows of the night.
"She didn't like me?" the girl innocently asked. Calloway looked over at her.
"Not overly," he admitted.
"You'll protect me?" she asked with a big smile.
"I'll try my best," he answered.
"I think your best is pretty good. They wouldn't trust me to just anyone you know? People want me safe - I don't know why though," she replied - clearly confused. Calloway studied her but could not read her one way or the other. "You will take me to Gailwind?" she asked.
"Count on it," he reassured as they made their way away from the house and began to trek into the darkness of the wilderness.
As the two made their way further and further into the woods - all signs of civilization began to fade away - reminding him - just how out of his element he truly was.
"You two must be lost. If so - the city - is the other way," a calm voice remarked. Calloway looked up and saw a common looking person relaxing in the branches of a tree.
"I know which way I am supposed to be going," he replied.
"Oh - I doubt that - the locals - they don't like our kind all that much. And they will like your kind even less," he stated as he hopped down and landed before the two.
"I am such a people person that - I just blend wherever I go," Calloway sarcastically retorted. The stranger quietly laughed.
"I am not talking about politics here buddy. I am talking about the Garou - the hunters - the werewolves - lupines," the stranger stated dramatically. Calloway sighed and nodded. "You - know this and yet you still trek this way? Tired of living?" he asked.
"I am seeking one known as Gailwind," he replied.
"The wise - interesting," the stranger began as he scratched his chin. "So - she is the one?" he said as he squatted down and looked over at her. "You have been asked to protect her?" he asked curiously.
"To death if need be," he answered.
"Oh no, no, no," the stranger stated shaking a finger. "You want to find Gailwind the Wise - I would definitely not be killing in his domain," he advised.
"Two questions - who are you and how do you know this?" Calloway asked curiously.
"Sorry - been out here for some time. Not used to company. I am known as Fox-Tail the Runner," he introduced with a bow. "And I know what I know - because I live here. I look - I listen - I see," he added.
"You a Gangrel?" Calloway asked.
"Have been for over twenty years. What I know about this place - and those that dwell within - gets summed up nice and easy. One - our kind - is not overly welcome here. They tolerate my clan - the others - they see them as tainted and touched by the Wyrm. Two - they value all life - be it tree, plant, animal or their kind," he added as he scratched behind his ear.
"No killing? What happens if?" Calloway began.
"If you think it will come to that - I suggest departing. If they think the Wyrm is killing in their domain - they will descend on you like a black plague. I have seen it happen. A few rowdy Brujah - wandering in the wood - shooting their mouths and animals. Messy, messy," Fox-Tail replied.
"So - do they share in this no killing policy?" he asked.
"Uhm - no. You see - they sort of have this - it is my yard - enter at own risk mentality. They lose no sleep in killing kindred or ghouls. Remember that tainted part," he suggested.
"You aren't exactly all there are you?" Calloway asked.
"We all have our vices. Say - I bet the two of you city slickers could use a guide," he suggested with a smile. Calloway sighed and shook his head. Part of him wanted to send the annoying - clearly deranged Gangrel away - but much of what he was saying - made a disturbing amount of sense. He was not in his domain - he was not in familiar territory - he was not in his element. If half of what he was hearing was true - the cold - unforgiving fact of the matter was - he was going to need help.
"What is in it for you?" Calloway asked.
"Me? Some company would be nice. Talking to yourself gets boring after a few years. Oh - my sire - he gave me this - being the kind of guy that I am - I - really haven't the stomach to use it," he replied as he took out a gun and put it by Calloway's feet.
"A gun?" Calloway asked as he picked it up.
"Yeah - and - just between us - the bullets," he began as he looked around - as though someone was listening to their every word. "Their silver," he whispered. Calloway looked at the weapon and put it in his pocket.
"I thought you said," Calloway began.
"The killing? Yeah - you see - my sire - he didn't understand and well they got to him," he cut in with a lunatic's smile. "But I survived - that's how I got my name," he added - nodding happily.
"The Runner - I see," he muttered - trying to hide his disgust. "How far in can you guide us?" he asked seriously.
"Oh not far - they - well they kind of scare me. But - what I can do is tell you places that make good havens - or acceptable ones if you can't be one with the earth," he answered.
"I can't and I am sure she can't either," he replied seriously. The Gangrel looked to the girl and nodded.
"I see - then walk with me - I will tell you what I know as we walk - and walk and walk," Fox-Tail suggested as they made their way through the darkness.
For the better part of the night - the three traveled. Fox-Tail told Calloway what he needed to know about surviving out in the wild. As time seemed to be racing by the Gangrel guide led them to an abandoned fort that had been overrun with vegetation - complete with tunnels and trenches. There the three rested as the light of day washed over the land.
As night slowly chased the day away - the small travelling party awoke.
"Nice place," Calloway remarked. He concentrated on his arm - making it heal.
"There are places like this all over the place. But - remember what I said," he warned.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," he affirmed. Just then - Fox-Tail tensed up. "Oh boy," Calloway muttered as he drew his weapons and motioned for the girl to stay close. "Let me guess - trouble?" he sarcastically asked.
"Smart as you look," the Gangrel replied as he scurried over to the entrance of the half buried fort. He peeked out and then moved his head back in. "It would be the unfriendly ones," he muttered.
"We know you are in there - do not make us drag you out," a stern female voice warned.
"They don't like you?" Calloway asked.
"You think?" Fox-Tail replied. He smiled as he stepped out. Calloway motioned for the girl to stay close as they stepped out from the shadows. "Ladies - long time no see," he continued.
"Not long enough," the other female retorted. It was then that they caught a whiff coming from behind the Gangrel. Instantly their focus shifted as their eyes locked onto Calloway. With the focus shifted - Fox-Tail lived up to his name and bolted.
"Well, well - what have we here?" the first of the two women began - glaring at the Setite assassin. Just by a look at them - Calloway knew that they were far more than they seemed and knew that he had to choose his words and actions - very - carefully.
To Be Continued...
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