Chapter 2
"What do you mean you forgot to bring a map?!" Wyatt spat out angrily as he spun around and faced the guilt-ridden faces of Lucy and Rufus.
They were standing in the middle of a dense forest somewhere near present-day Pittsburgh…a city that would not be founded for another four years, after the British victory at the Battle of Fort Duquesne in 1758. There were no roads, no sign posts…nothing but wilderness surrounding them at every turn.
Rufus rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, "Sorry," he muttered, "but aren't you supposed to be some expert at land navigation, though? I mean, what happens when you're stuck out in the middle of nowhere in the Army?"
Wyatt glared at him as he turned to Lucy, who was standing awkwardly next to a tree picking at the bark, "Just what exactly are we supposed to be looking for?"
It took Lucy a few moments before she realized Wyatt was addressing her, given the fact that he had hardly acknowledged her presence since he arrived at Mason that morning. She startled suddenly and swallowed hard before responding in a small voice, "Oh…you…you're asking me? I…I think Flynn would be heading for Fort Duquesne…it's the really the only thing around here for miles…except a few trading posts and Native American villages."
Wyatt raised his eyebrows in expectation, waiting for her to divulge more information, "And?" he asked impatiently when she didn't immediately expound on her information.
"And?" Lucy asked in confusion before shaking her head in realization and continuing, "Oh… well, Fort Duquesne is the French stronghold in this region. Not surprisingly the French were outnumbered 20 to 1 by English colonists in North America, but while the British were busy establishing colonies, the French were heavily involved in the fur trade and building relations with the natives in this region." She sighed, "Still, the French wanted to protect their interests here and so they built a series of forts starting from Lake Erie all the way down the Allegheny River to...somewhere around here."
Wyatt stared back at her blankly.
"What?" Lucy asked as she looked between Wyatt and Rufus who was also now gaping at her slightly.
"Where did they build it?" Wyatt asked her incredulously. "You got a landmark, something that gives me any idea of where to go?"
Lucy flushed with embarrassment, "Oh…sorry. Um…it was built at the convergence point of three rivers, the Allegheny, the Ohio and the Monongahela…present day Pittsburgh."
Wyatt nodded and scanned the area around them. The forest was dense and filled with the sound of rustling leaves and twittering birds; one might say it was rather peaceful…much more peaceful than their previous missions, anyway. Despite the almost serene atmosphere, however, there was something unsettling about being the only three people in the middle of an 18th century forest…well, the only three people they could readily see, because Wyatt was certain, given the little he knew about the French and Indian war, they were hardly alone.
He would never equate himself with the likes of Lucy Preston in the way of historical knowledge, but while serving in the Army he had learned a hell of a lot about past military campaigns and tactics…it was part of their training, after all. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Wyatt knew that the tactics employed by standing armies was linear…meaning that the troops would line up in ranks, march within firing range and…have at it. The musket used in the Revolutionary war was a big reason for that…while one rank would fire the other would load, then step forward and fire their weapon, while the rank behind them readied theirs. In the Civil War, the advent of the rifle led to devastating losses, but linear tactics were still mostly employed…until the war waged on. Siege warfare, trenches around Petersburg…those were just precursors to World War I when the machine gun finally put linear tactics to rest. The French and Indian war, however, was no "gentleman's war." Wyatt didn't remember all of the particulars but one thing he knew for damn sure was that ambushes were typical…and guerilla tactics common in the untamed wilderness that was the New World.
"Alright…" Wyatt said in a hushed voice, "since there's a war going on…"
"Technically the war hasn't started yet…" Lucy interjected, "there were a few battles, yes…but war isn't officially declared until 1756."
"Okay…then that's good, right? So, if the war hasn't started yet," Wyatt declared in a now hopeful voice, "there should be no reason why we can't…why are you shaking your head at me like that?" He glared at Lucy who was frantically tossing her head back and forth, a desperate look in her eye.
"Tensions are extremely high right now." Lucy explained in an urgent whisper, "earlier this year, there were two battles…the Battle of Jumonville Glen and the Battle of Ft. Necessity…"
"We don't have time for a history lesson." Wyatt spat out in annoyance, "Just tell me, who do I need to avoid?"
"The French…and maybe the British…and the Native Americans." Lucy muttered.
Wyatt gaped back at her blankly, "Anyone else?"
"That about covers it." she said with an apologetic shrug. "I told you…tensions are high. Everyone is going to be distrustful of…outsiders."
"Well if there's one good thing in all of this, it means Flynn is going to be having a hell of a time too." Wyatt said as he crouched down near a tree. "Of course," Wyatt added with more than a hint of annoyance in his voice, "he probably has a damn map." Looking up, he noted the position of the sun, as he ran his hands around the trunk, frowning thoughtfully.
After a short moment, Wyatt stood up and checked the position of the sun once more, "Alright," he said with a sigh, "North is that way."
Rufus gaped at him, "How the hell do you know that?"
"The moss." Wyatt said simply, without further explanation. Rufus made to make another comment, but Wyatt lifted his hand to silence him, tilting his head, listening…for what, Rufus could only guess.
"What is it? Indians? The French? Flynn?" Rufus asked in a state of panic.
"Water." Wyatt answered. Sure enough, the soft trickle of flowing water could be heard just above the din of chattering birds and rustling leaves. Motioning for the others to follow him, Wyatt made his way through the underbrush. His movements were swift and nearly silent…something that left Lucy a bit awestruck as she watched him weave in and out of the trees.
Rufus, by contrast, could have woken the dead with the way he was stomping along beside her.
After a few hundred yards of uttered curse words, snapping tree limbs, and crunching leaves, Wyatt stopped abruptly and turned to face them, "Seriously?" he asked.
"What?" Rufus gaped at him, looking to Lucy for support, but she had decidedly turned her head away focusing instead on a small rabbit that had just hopped across their path.
"Well…I don't know." Wyatt said in a biting tone, "do you think you could make a little more noise?"
"Well, I'm sorry" Rufus snapped back, "I'm not used to trudging around in the woods, least of all in these…" he motioned to his feet, "I mean look at me, I'm wearing heels for Christ's sake."
"Wyatt brought up his leg and pulled off one of his shoes, "You mean like these? Yeah…I've got 'em too." He glared at Rufus before sliding his shoe back on his stockinged foot. "If Flynn is here and he's up to something, we really don't need him and his band of assholes ambushing us in these woods…even if it is just so the two of you can have a little chat." Wyatt spat out pointedly towards Lucy.
Lucy absolutely flushed…with anger and with shame. She knew that she had broken Wyatt's trust with what she had done, but he wouldn't even give her the chance to explain. Lucy's eyes darted between the two men nervously, "Look, I think maybe we should talk about what happened…"
"Oh, now you want to talk?" Wyatt asked with raised eyebrows, "Because you sure as hell didn't want to talk to me about all this stuff in 1865 or 1962…or at the Alamo."
"Wyatt…I'm sorry, okay?" Lucy spat out. "But…"
But Wyatt didn't stick around to hear any more excuses, he turned on his heel and resumed his determined march towards the river, calling over his shoulder as he did so, "There's too many places for him to hide…and it's making me uneasy…we need to keep moving."
Once they found the river, Wyatt took a sharp stone and made a mark on a nearby tree pointing towards the direction they had just come. "This will help us find our way back to the LifeBoat." he explained, "The last thing we need is to lose our way in these woods." He looked at the river flowing southward, "Alright, you said this Fort is at the convergence point of three rivers?"
Lucy nodded, 'Yes…um…"she picked up a stick, remembering Wyatt's actions during the Battle of the Alamo, and began tracing a Y into the soft earth at her feet. "This is the Allegheny, this other arm here, is the Monongahela. They meet at the Ohio here…and the land in between is where Ft. Duquesne sits."
"The problem is," Wyatt motioned towards her drawing, "we have no idea which river this is. If it's the Ohio, then we're going the wrong way if we follow it South. If it's one of the other two, we're going the wrong way if we follow it North."
"So…should we flip a coin or something?" Rufus asked anxiously.
Wyatt stared hard Rufus before explaining harshly, "No, we're not going to flip a coin. We use logic." He pointed down to Lucy's crude drawing, "We've got 2/3 chance of being right by following this river South."
"But these rivers don't flow North and South…" Lucy blurted out as Wyatt turned to lead them on.
He threw his head back in exasperation, "What do you mean, they don't flow North and South?" He pointed to the river, "That river is flowing South." He pointed to a nearby tree, "You see that moss? Moss is more prevalent on the south side of the tree, the sun is moving towards the West, there." he said as he pointed to the sky. "I may not have a map, but I damn sure know what direction I'm headed."
"No, Wyatt." Lucy tried to explain, "I mean geographically speaking, these rivers don't flow North and South…well, I mean…eventually they do…except the Monongahela…that river flows North...I think…" she scrunched her face in thought as she continued with hesitation, "I mean, I'm pretty sure."
Wyatt covered his face with his hands ready to scream in exasperation. This was exactly why he needed a damn map. Mustering all the patience he could, Wyatt exhaled a steady breath and calmly gritted out, "Do you think you can tell me how these rivers look on an actual map?"
Biting her lip nervously, Lucy exchanged a concerned look to Rufus before shrugging slightly and muttering in a small voice, "I…I can try."
"Do or do not, Lucy…there is no try." Rufus quipped with a teasing smile in an attempt to lighten the mood. Wyatt, however, merely glared at him as he turned on his heel roughly and sat down on a nearby stump. Lucy, too, looked at Rufus as though she were just about ready to slap him causing him to stutter uncomfortably, "It…it's from Star Wars…Yoda…ya know…when Luke is trying to pull his X-Wing out of the….ya know what? Just forget about it." He nodded sheepishly, "I'm...I'm sure you'll do fine Lucy."
Not sure whether she should be grateful for that half-hearted vote of confidence, Lucy sank down to her knees, clenching her eyes shut as she tried to remember the topographical map of the Ohio Valley. Typically, this wasn't her strong suit - her background was in history and anthropology for heaven's sake, not maps – but this particular bit of information stuck out in her mind because of how strategically placed this fort was. Using her hand to smooth over the "Y" she had previously made, Lucy tried to draw it in accordance with the directions Wyatt pointed out earlier.
Clearing her throat she began, "The Monongahela runs north from West Virginia…well what is currently West Virginia…right now it's just part of the Virginia colony…"
"Lucy…" Wyatt moaned.
"Oh, right…sorry." Lucy muttered apologetically. "The Allegheny runs southward, down from…um…Lake Erie…I think…and they both join the Ohio here."
"So, both the Ohio and the Allegheny flow South?" Wyatt asked as he looked at her drawing.
"I think so." Lucy murmured tentatively. "I really can't be sure, Wyatt. There's so many twists and turns with these rivers, who knows?" She swallowed hard as she looked at her crude artwork, "You know, the Native Americans didn't even consider the Allegheny a separate river? It was just considered the upper Ohio River."
"Fascinating." Wyatt said with a roll of his eyes.
Lucy threw her hands up in exasperation, "Fine. Look, basically we have a 50/50 shot." This can't be the Monongahela because this river is flowing south…and we know…"
"The Monongahela flows North." Wyatt said mechanically. "So, depending on where we are on this map, we need to go North or South along this river to get to that damn Fort." Wyatt threw a stick in frustration, "If we pick the wrong way we could stuck wandering around in forests for who knows how long."
"Not necessarily…" Rufus quipped uncertainly as he turned to Lucy, "Didn't you say that the French built a series of forts up and down the Allegheny River?"
"Yes," Lucy nodded in confusion, "all the way up to Lake Erie…but…"
"So, if we do go the wrong way, I'd rather go towards something…some kind of civilization… rather than, you know…getting lost in the middle of nowhere." Rufus argued.
"Yes, but Rufus…the French aren't exactly going to welcome us with open arms." She shook her head frantically, "You don't understand…the Battle of Jumonville Glen…"
"I agree with Rufus." Wyatt interrupted. "The good thing about a fort, there's almost always supplies."
"And food." Rufus reminded him.
Wyatt nodded his head thoughtfully, "Alright then, we're heading North." He turned to Lucy, "How far is the next fort from the one we're supposed to be looking for?"
"Um…Fort…um…Fort Machault was in…Franklin, I think…about 35 miles away from Fort Duquesne." Lucy stammered out. "But Wyatt…." she began as she looked meaningfully at Rufus, "I think you should kn…"
"But nothing, Lucy." Wyatt snapped as he pointed to her map, "If this river is the Ohio and we follow it North, we'll run into that Fort Duquesne. If it's the Allegheny and we follow it north, we'll run into Fort Machault. Either way, we find a fort…and with any luck…a damn map."
Allowing Wyatt to stray a few steps away from them and definitely out of earshot, Lucy hissed at Rufus, "Don't you think we ought to tell him about this whole thing possibly being a diversion?"
"No I don't." Rufus spat back in a harsh whisper, "You've seen how cranky he is…the last thing we need is for him to find out Flynn might have sent us on a wild goose chase."
"And if Flynn did send us on a wild goose chase and we tromped through all of this wilderness for nothing?" Lucy snapped back, "What then? Huh? I don't know for sure, but I think he might be a little angrier if we don't tell him sooner rather than later."
Rufus rolled his eyes at Lucy and said no more, knowing that she was probably right, but too terrified of Wyatt in his current state to come clean. Instead, he hoped that they would bump into Flynn, take care of business, and be on their merry way. By nightfall, however, it was clear that they weren't going to be so lucky. Stomachs rumbling, feet aching, the team slowed to a halt in a protected grove of trees. "We'll stop here for the night." Wyatt said tersely.
"You mean…like…camp?" Rufus asked in a trembling voice.
"Yeah." Wyatt said a shrug, "like camp. We can't see a damn thing in the dark…all we can do is rest here until morning…start off again."
Lucy shifted nervously beside Rufus, "Don't…don't you think we should have found something by now?" she asked weakly, "I mean, we've been walking all day."
Wyatt laughed at her, "We probably only walked about 10 miles today…possibly 12." He sank down to the ground and leaned against a tree, "Depending on wherever the hell we were when we started out, we could still have a long way to go."
Lucy groaned as she too slunk to the ground, her aching feet were nothing to the stabbing pains in her sides; the corset she was sporting, cutting ridges into her skin. Though she was in considerable pain, she took care not to complain, feeling that to do so would only exasperate Wyatt further.
Rufus, however, didn't seem to mind upsetting Wyatt.
"I'm sorry, but just how are we supposed to sleep? There's no blankets, pillows…nothing out here." Rufus whined as he looked around their pitiful campsite helplessly. Before Wyatt could respond, a low rumbling sound broke through the otherwise silent forest. "Is that…is that what I think it is?" Rufus asked nervously.
Wyatt huffed out a breath as he got to his feet, "Yeah...we're gonna get wet."
Dusting off his pants, Wyatt began stalking away, leaving Lucy and Rufus gaping after him in confusion, "Wh…where are you going?" Lucy asked desperately. "I thought this where we were going to stop for the night?"
"You don't camp under trees in the middle of a thunderstorm." Wyatt stated matter of factly, not even turning to look at her, "We need to find some shelter."
"Shel…and just where the hell are we going to find shelter in the middle of a damn forest?" Rufus hissed out after him as the first drops of rain began to fall.
"You could always walk back to the LifeBoat." Wyatt suggested angrily, but you'd be soaked through before you got there…and that's not even considering the lightening."
"Lightning? Are you saying we're gonna get struck by lightning?" Rufus asked nervously.
"What the hell do you think I'm trying to find shelter for, Rufus?" Wyatt snapped as he peered through the darkness. "Come on," he called, "I think I see some rocks up ahead. It's not the safest option, but it's the only thing we've got."
Wyatt did manage to find rocks up ahead but only after they walked for what felt like another two miles. By then their clothes were more than a little damp, muddy, and the rain that had started off as a slight drizzle, had begun to fall at a steadier pace. Still, Lucy refused to complain, though her many layers and skirts felt like leaden weights as she sloshed through the forest. At a small outcropping of rock, Wyatt finally stopped, motioning the two of them under the largest boulder. A crack of lightning sounded nearby and Wyatt quickly followed them, finding to his great dismay that though the small crevice in which they found themselves wedged was mostly dry, it was also fairly tight. "Can't you move over any further?" Wyatt moaned to Rufus as he tried to keep himself from laying too close to Lucy
"Does it look like I have any more room over here?" Rufus snapped. "I've got a damn boulder sticking into my ass!"
Lucy, feeling more than a little awkward being wedged between both Rufus and Wyatt, did her best to make herself as small as possible to accommodate Wyatt's bulk, but it was no use. Her voluminous skirt prevented her from moving freely, the weight from the water still making every move take far more effort than she had energy for after their trek through the woods. Doing her best to sit up, she wrung out the excess water in her dress before she sandwiched herself between the two men once more. "Sorry." She muttered as she brushed up against Wyatt's chest.
Another crack of lightning and a deluge of rain began to pour from the heavens, "Looks like we got here just in time." Wyatt observed, as another flash of lightning illuminated the faces of his companions. Rufus was staring out to the forest beyond their little safe haven, looking every bit like a fish out of water. Muttering and cursing under his breath, he fidgeted violently in his corner, attempting to find a more comfortable position.
His efforts, however, were causing extreme discomfort for Lucy…and by extension, Wyatt. Every move Rufus made, pushed her closer to the Delta Force soldier, until she and…as Wyatt couldn't help but notice…her heaving chest were pressed up against his. Feeling at once the delicacy of the situation, Wyatt flipped around so that his back was facing Lucy, only to feel her pressed up against him once more as Rufus violently thrashed about in frustration. "Dammit, Rufus" Wyatt spat out angrily, "stop moving around so much!"
"Well, I'm sorry, these aren't exactly the most comfortable accommodations."
"Do you want to go out and see if you can find something that suits you better?" hissed Wyatt. "You can be my guest." Wyatt motioned to the pouring rain in front of them. "It's either out there or in here." Rufus looking slightly abashed, stilled and said no more. "That's what I thought." Wyatt said with a snarl, "Now get some damn sleep."
Wyatt turned away from his teammates with a huff, trying to ignore the way Lucy's breath tickled the back of his neck…and how if he was really being honest with himself…he didn't mind one damn bit.
The night wore on in about as miserable a fashion as could be imagined. Rufus, though not vocal in his complaints, still tossed and turned fiercely, consistently forcing Lucy to mutter sleepy apologies to Wyatt's back as she was involuntarily pressed against him. Under normal conditions not one of them…not even Wyatt could have drifted off in the uncomfortable situation they found themselves in. Yes, they were wet, cold, and laying on an unforgiving bed of loose rocks and dirt, but the tension between the three of them…the awkwardness of their proximity to each other…that made things even worse. Despite efforts to keep to their own personal space, the dip in temperature coupled with their wet clothing made for a very chilly evening. When sleep finally did overtake the three of them, it was only because of sheer exhaustion as the relentless storm pummeled the forest around them.
Notes:
Sorry I have been so long in updating this! I had this chapter completed, but I really wanted to get a head start on the next one before I posted this. I was only two chapters into it when I published this...wanted to be three...but I also wanted to get it out here so I would be motivated to finish it.
This chapter was SUPER challenging to write. Trying to describe the rivers and how they are situated on a map, land navigation...ugh...plus it's like the worst camping trip ever and I don't camp. LOL. I know there's a lot of geographical data in this chapter, so I'm providing a link here so you can see how these rivers look on a map.
wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Monongahela_ /300px-Monongahela_
Thanks for reading!