Part 9
Beka recognised the area up ahead and turned to Dylan. "Hey, it's the main square, remember that place Dylan?" Beka mocked. "Where they just captured us without a fight?"
"There's a chance Harper might have made his way back here, as a familiar place and the one where we last saw him," Dylan suggested.
"No!" a panicked voice suddenly yelled from the shadows of a stone building.
Beka, Rhade and Dylan stopped and turned, it was the first time anyone had made a noise towards them since they had arrived. Moments later a kid of no more than eighteen stumbled forward, looking both unsure and worried.
"Don't go past those stones," he then gestured.
"This whole city is stone, which ones?" Beka asked impatiently.
"We can't go past those stones," the boy answered, moving forward past the three and crouching down to put his hand on one of five stones that were spaced across the street. "You go past these and those men," he nodded towards the guards still keeping a close eye on them. "They'll be fully in their rights to kill you; we can't go past these stones; only the Haves can pass these stones."
"The Haves?" Dylan checked.
The boy frowned, with a slight shrug. "Those people who aren't us, stuck behind these stones, those who live over that side and support Kenan."
Rhade walked up to the stones, and saw they were just that, square stones only about 20 inches off the ground. "But there's nothing to stop us," Rhade pointed out.
"Seriously, you don't want to pass these stones," the kid looked a little afraid now. "We have to keep to this side, those of us who chose two years ago to vote for Pallu."
"Pallu?" Rhade checked.
"Our last recorded election, back when things were fair," the boy shrugged. "Kenan found out who voted for the man he defeated, and now we're out casts."
"But you can't have been old enough to vote," Dylan pointed out.
"My parents were, so by default I was condemned to this side too," the boy explained. "I really shouldn't be talking to you," he then added, and Dylan turned to hear frantic whispers coming from the house where the boy had emerged from, his family obviously concerned by him speaking to the strangers.
The boy nervously smiled, then lowered his voice. "My name is Reuel, I want you to know, speaking for my people, that our silence is not to insult you, we are glad you are here and we know you'll help us, you'll bring the good people here to save yourselves and us, not the bad."
"Hold out for a couple more days," Dylan advised, and then smiled. "It's reassuring to know you trust us, thanks."
They watched as the boy disappeared back into the house, and Rhade gestured to Dylan as a guard approached the house.
"Hey, you got issues, come and see me, leave that kid alone, he was just being helpful," Dylan spoke with authority.
The guard hesitated, and stopped his advance on the house, but stared at Dylan until he gestured to Rhade and Beka to slowly move on, careful to stay within the boundaries.
Asa looked upwards and with a frown. "Don't sit there, kid."
"What?" Harper smiled.
"Those rocks are our boundaries, we can't cross them, we're not encouraged to sit on them either," Asa explained, and pulled on Harper's arm.
"Ow!" Harper complained, with Asa pulling on his right arm aggravating his sore shoulder.
"So listen to me," Asa returned sharply. "We do not want to attract attention, you should be wearing that collar remember?" he hissed, and then looked around. "I sense trouble," Asa spoke with concern.
"Why?" Harper asked, looking around.
"It's never this quiet, this is like the South side," he remarked.
"The South side?" Harper questioned.
"Yeah, Southsiders are the quiet bunch," Asa explained, still focused on the area surrounding them. "They creep me out, I hate going over that side, they watch you all the time, but are too afraid of their own shadow to greet you."
"So why do you go?" Harper was growing bored by the lack of action, and the quietness. His head was beginning to throb, and he was feeling restless, and hot.
Asa smile, and held up the now empty bottle. "We all have needs and those needs make us go south every so often," he shook the bottle to make his point.
"So if that's what the Southsiders are like, what are the North, West and Eastsiders like?" Harper idly asked. "And what are you?"
"I'm an Eastsider and so are you whilst you stay in my home, we're more active, more vocal and ready to do something, we're the ones who contacted your people," Asa explained enthusiastically.
"And the North and Westsiders?" Harper asked, trying hard to remain focused but he was fighting the need to sleep.
"They are the Haves," Asa simply said, and before Harper could make his confusion more obvious he continued. "We're the Havenots, they are the Haves, you get it?"
"Yeah, they are the ones on the other side of these stones," Harper looked out past the stones, seeing how close he was to the Haves.
Asa looked around suddenly and motioned for Harper to remain silent. "Hide, guards are approaching," he then hissed.
Harper needed no further encouragement and he quickly darted into a side building, as Asa followed. The interior was cool, and completely in shadows with only the shaded sunlight from outside finding its way inside. There was a musky smell, and Harper found the darkest corner to sit in, whilst Asa stood cautiously by the door, looking out. He felt even more tired now sitting down, they had been drinking for about a couple of hours, and then with his shoulder still stinging a little, Harper suddenly felt drained as he became more relaxed and closed his eyes for a moment.
"Hey, Seamus, did you come down here with friends?" Asa then asked, and turned around when he only received a light groan, with no audible answer, and he saw that Harper had closed his eyes.
"Never mind, it's not like we won't be able to spot those three in this place," Asa remarked. "Taller versions of you," he smirked, but frowned on seeing that Harper was seemingly in a deep sleep now and unresponsive. He looked back out and watched until the three strangers walked out of his line of sight, and on seeing some of Kenan's guards following them, he decided to stay put for a little while until the coast was clear, allowing Harper to sleep.
They had been walking for hours, and Beka slumped down in the shadows, sat in the street and not caring as she got out of the constant sunshine that beat down on the city.
"I need a drink," she remarked.
"I don't think they do room service here," Rhade offered, glancing up and down the empty streets. "Where are we now?"
"The markers have kept us mainly in the southern region of the city," Dylan said, with his hands on his hips, joining Beka in the shadows and catching his breath. "We've done a full circle and returned to the most Southerly part; the building the guards dumped us in is a couple of blocks from here."
"Glad someone was paying attention," Beka sighed, looking tired. "I really hope Harper is ok," she added softly with concern, brushing her hair away from her face with her hands.
Dylan moved forward and leaned against the wall. "He must be here somewhere, by my reckoning the prison camp only extends to include the South and East regions of the city from the path we walked," he gestured. "The North and West sides I guess are where the wealth and the fields with the produce are located, and all of Kenan's supporters no doubt."
"I can't believe the only thing preventing us from stepping over to the other side is a few stones," Rhade crossed his arms.
"And the threat of the guards," Dylan reminded him.
"Come on Dylan, we're both high guard trained, we could easily outwit those losers," Rhade returned confidently. "If we want to understand this place, we have to see how the other half live."
"If they have food over there, then I'm all for a little scouting mission," Beka supported Rhade's opinion.
Dylan looked uneasy, and then looked at Rhade. "This is exactly what Kenan would want."
"How would you know that, Dylan?" Rhade questioned. "You appear to know exactly what he's thinking with little or no evidence, I've never known you to duck out of a chance to help people, and we could bring food back for those starving."
"Dylan, we can't be expected to just do nothing," Beka stressed. "These people asked us here for a reason, and just because Kenan intercepted that request doesn't make it any different to the hoards of other requests you go gun hoe into, in the name of making things right."
Dylan moved away and considered their words. "You're right, we should at least get an idea of the whole picture and help these people where we can, but we have to stay low key, if we try to make too much noise I fear what Kenan might do," Dylan stressed. "He hasn't restrained or locked us up, that to me is almost like an open invitation for us to cause trouble, so we have to be careful."
"I agree with you there," Rhade nodded his head.
"Maybe he's somehow trying to make a point?" Beka suggested. "To further undermine these people who requested our presence here. If we cause Kenan a problem we'll be classed as trouble makers, and it will reflect badly on them and they'll pay the price, not us," she shrugged with a frown.
"Which means," Dylan prompted.
"This is still a diplomacy mission," Rhade couldn't hide his disappointment.
"We owe it to these people, who probably risked their lives to send us that message, not to cause trouble whilst we're here," Dylan stated. "But there's nothing stopping the Commonwealth kicking some ass from outside, and calling the Calvary when we're reported as missing," he added with a sly smile. "That's out of our hands, and totally Kenan's fault."
"I'm starting to get your 'doing nothing' plan," Beka half smiled, as they all began to move back towards their building to plan.
Ezra frowned then continued pacing the room glancing occasionally at her husband Asa. In return Asa only looked away and sighed.
"What if he dies? Then what will the Commonwealth think of this place?" Ezra panicked.
"He's not going to die, he just has a fever," Asa assured Ezra calmly. "His wounds have got a slight infection, that's all," he added, knelt by the still sleeping Harper. After waiting a while for the coast to be clear he had had trouble waking Harper and he had noticed the perspiration that covered the boy and faired the worse, so Asa had carried Harper home for Ezra to care for.
"You know, Asa, that stuff is not the cure for all things," Ezra snapped gesturing to the bottle Asa held, clearly still concerned.
Asa looked at the bottle of liquid, took a gulp and then continued applying it directly to Harper's infected wounds, as Harper moaned sleepily, having a restless sleep due to the fever. "I beg to differ," he remarked, and as if on cue Harper began to stir, and then wake with a sudden intake of breath before grimacing.
"Harper, Harper," Asa spoke with urgency. "Open your eyes buddy."
Harper slowly opened his eyes, and groaned as he moved to sit up on his elbows. "I feel like crap," he finally spoke.
"You've looked better, and you looked bad when I met you," Asa smirked, and handed the bottle to Harper, who readily accepted it.
"This is nothing, you should see me on a really bad day," Harper offered after taking some refreshment, handing the bottle back, as Ezra moved to his side and put her hand across his forehead.
"You're still burning up," Ezra remarked.
"Story of my life, I'm sick, I'm in a camp, I must be planet side again," he smirked without too much concern.
Ezra moved away. "You shouldn't become too dependant on that stuff, I've seen people who have, and it isn't pretty," she stated, clearly upset by the attitude she was dealing with.
"Ezra, relax, I told you he'd be ok, he's awake isn't he?" Asa stood up to assure her, and Ezra took a deep breath looking at Harper who smiled back.
"I guess," Ezra conceded and moved back to Harper's side. "You need some food inside of you, but we have no food, not till our rations that arrive tomorrow."
"I'll be fine," Harper got to his feet with Ezra's help, as he stood upright he was hit by a slight dizzy spell. "Whoa, room is trying to spin on me," he held out his hand to help his balance.
"That would be the drink," Ezra warned.
"Maybe I should take your advice, must be strong stuff," Harper frowned, until he was happy with his balance.
Harper stretched his arm and shoulder, feeling pain as he did so still covered in perspiration, both from his fever and the hot weather outside that stifled the room. He moved his hand up to his neck and still felt a more metallic surface that covered his port, as Ezra moved her hand to his arm.
"I never got a chance to try and remove the rest of that stuff, when you're stronger I'll see what I can do," Ezra explained with care.
"Thanks," Harper offered, and moved to the window to look outside. "I'll need to find my friends at some point, let them know I'm ok."
"Friends?" Ezra glanced around at Asa.
"Three of them, right?" Asa spoke up, as Harper turned to him, nodding his head. "They were in this area, but you were out cold. There were two guys and a lady all with your colouring, more or less."
"Sounds about right," Harper agreed.
"It won't be hard to find them, they are pretty distinctive for these parts, being aliens and strangers," Asa smiled broadly.
"You can trust them, you know," Harper shrugged, showing a little bit of uncertainty. "If I'm out cold again, and you see them," he explained.
"I'll remember that, hey, maybe I'll see them on my travels," Asa suggested. "I need go to the other side of town, need to pick up some more of the cure for all evils," he gestured to the empty bottles that were in a box by the door. "You've done a great job of finishing my supply," he grinned.
"Sorry," Harper could only say. "Can I come with you?"
"Best not, you need to rest," Asa stated, knowing his wife was glaring at him to say the right thing.
"You should sleep," Ezra agreed.
With a heavy sigh Harper reluctantly agreed, feeling weary and a little light headed still, knowing some rest would do him good as he continued to fight the fever he had developed. "I'll go rest in the back room if that's ok then," Harper offered.
Both Ezra and Asa nodded their heads, as Harper left the room and moved into the back room. He heard both Ezra and Asa exchanging their goodbyes before the older man set off to get the needed supplies, as Harper gathered up the thread bare blankets. With some effort, ignoring the aches and pains, Harper lay down on the stone floor and got as comfortable as he could.
It was a far cry from his quarters on the Andromeda, but not that far removed from his Boston days, he considered. The weather was better here, and he felt relaxed and unlike his Earth days, he sensed no threat. But his stomach was rumbling and Harper felt a sudden thirst that served to remind him that things were not so different, and his fever didn't help him feel any better, with laboured breathing and a constant uneasy feeling of dizziness. Next time he woke up, he decided, he would look for the others, but right now he needed to get that alcohol out of his system, and fight the fever that was weakening his body. Alone with his thoughts, Harper's eyes closed slowly, and soon he was fast asleep once more.
TBC