Part 17
"Beautiful," Harper sighed. He was lying back on a flat stone roof, admiring the distant flames with a wry smile.
"We're probably watching three months worth of food burning to a cinder," Zal observed with a distant frown, the field was alight and they could see figures dashing about attempting to quash the flames.
"In the short term it will be worth it in showing the Haves that the Havenots can bite back, and can hurt them where it counts. The stomach," Harper grinned triumphantly.
"I really hope I don't regret pointing out the fields to you some day," Zal smirked.
"Hey," Harper objected. "It was fate that our mindless running from one fire led us to them," Harper dismissed Zal's concerns with a grin.
"So what else are we going to set fire to?" Zal asked expectedly.
Harper sat up and considered Zal's words. "Probably leave it at that for now, see what happens, no point wasting good fire fodder if it doesn't change anything."
Zal seemed deep in thought before he turned back to Harper. "Is this how it used to be for you, a constant fight, battle of wits and wills?"
"Pretty much," Harper shrugged. "Things were bleaker, tougher, more threats, but the injustice is pretty much the same."
"You know earlier, with Pallu," Zal began with caution, as Harper simply nodded his head to acknowledge Zal's words. "You were right in that he threatens me a lot, I don't really know why but I think it's because I'm related to Ethan," he clearly looked confused.
Harper understood, and slowly nodded his head. "Does your brother know?"
"No," Zal answered quickly. "If I told him he'd think I was just trying to ruin things for him."
"Pallu seemed pretty aggressive earlier," Harper noted, seeing the vulnerability returning to Zal. "If your brother isn't prepared listen to you, then maybe you're best out of there."
"I worry for Ethan," Zal admitted quietly, as if afraid of his own words. "What if Ethan does something, you know, to upset Pallu? He doesn't know about this side of Pallu, in fact he hardly knows Pallu at all and I think he is more than capable of killing someone."
"I don't doubt that after what I saw," Harper was forced to admit. "Wont Ethan question why you've gone?"
"Pallu will give him enough reason to believe why, a pack of lies," Zal spoke with sadness. "Can we firebomb Pallu next?" Zal then brightened.
"No!" Harper returned, and then smiled, knowing Zal was joking. "Your brother might surprise you, sometimes it's not always clear when someone is looking out for you," Harper offered distantly. "I used to have an older cousin, Brendan, we'd fight like dogs a lot of the time over stupid things but with me, it was mostly because I thought he was ignoring me, or didn't care," he sighed. "I learnt over and over that when it came down to it he did all he could to keep me safe, and more, he didn't always make it clear but I would notice sometimes when people who were giving me a hard time suddenly backed off, or if my rations contained that little bit more."
Zal was quiet, deep in thought now and Harper simply stared at their handy work, as he watched the field burn. Then he heard the shout then almost stopped him breathing, he waited to be sure, and then he was in no doubt as he heard Rhade's voice, calling his name.
"Rhade?" Harper spoke out loud, getting Zal's attention.
"Huh?" Zal reacted unsure.
"That's Rhade, calling my name and that's Beka," Harper listened, a smile creeping across his face. "We have to find them, how do we get down?"
"Follow me," Zal gestured then paused. "Your chick friend won't kill me, right?"
"She might break an arm if you call her chick to her face," Harper had to be honest.
"Beka, that's her name right?" Zal checked.
"Beka is the name that will keep your limbs in tact, yes," Harper grinned. "Now let's go, if nothing else my friends will ensure we have somewhere to sleep tonight," Harper enthused.
Rhade looked down the stone clad streets, and then turned to Beka with a heavy sigh. "We should find out what's happening to Dylan, Harper is obviously not here."
"What if he can't respond, Rhade? We have to find him," Beka insisted, continuing to scan the area.
"Beka, we could be wasting time," Rhade persisted.
"Wasting time?" Beka now focused on Rhade. "We've been doing that since we got here, so how come you're only just noticing?"
"Dylan needs our help," Rhade simply responded.
"And Harper doesn't?"
"This isn't all about Harper!" the Nietzschean snapped, turning away.
Beka also looked away. "So you're not so interested in him now, funny, you seemed to want to know all about Harper before."
"This is getting us no where," Rhade spoke with frustration. "Fine, you stay here and you keep looking for that little squirt, me? I'm going to help Dylan."
Beka watched as Rhade began to move away, and then had the inclination to look to her right. It took her a moment but then she realised what she was seeing.
"Harper!" Beka exclaimed and hurried to where Harper was rapidly approaching to meet her.
Rhade spun around to see Beka embracing their lost crew mate and narrowed his eyes, as he walked back.
"Harper?" Rhade questioned, and Harper let Beka go to look at the Nietzschean. "What the hell have you done to your hair?"
"Trying to blend in," Harper offered with an uncertain shrug.
"Maybe not setting fire to things would help with that," Rhade returned.
"Rhade!" Beka snapped, whilst keeping her hands around Harper's shoulders not wanting to let go.
"So how have you guys been?" Harper quickly changed the subject, and turning to Beka.
"Fine," Beka answered, and she looked more closely at her friend, seeing the damage to his neck but trying not to stare. "What about you? We've heard many things, none good."
"I'm fine, Beka," Harper dismissed and pulled himself away from Beka's hold. "I understand you've met Zal," he offered, moving to the Edenian's side.
"We've met, yes, he said he'd killed you," Beka crossed her arms.
"My mistake," Zal offered sheepishly, remaining behind Harper a little still feeling intimidated by the feisty female.
"Certainly doesn't look dead," Rhade remarked. "But he doesn't look exactly healthy either."
"Look, enough about me," Harper stressed. "Where's Dylan?"
"Kenan has him," Rhade now stepped forward with menace. "His guards came and grabbed Dylan earlier. Some idiot had set fire to some stuff that got Kenan a little upset, so he's blaming Dylan, say, Harper do you know anything about that?"
Harper instantly looked guilty and hesitated before speaking. "It was an accident?" he offered unconvincingly.
"An accident?" Rhade questioned, looking at Beka who just shook her head with a slight smile. "That must have been some accident, for you to accidentally set a building alight and then a whole field some minutes later, that's a real bad day."
"Look, I had my reasons, ok?" Harper simply said and frowned. "Dylan's a big boy, he can look after himself," he then tried to justify when neither Rhade nor Beka spoke. "Anyway, it's not like we're going to just accept this, is it?" he continued. "I mean we never just do nothing, I'm just warming things up," he smirked at his own humour.
"Dylan's orders were to do nothing, and wait for outside help," Beka spoke up.
Harper didn't hide his surprise, and then he frowned. "Well what stupid hell orders were they?" he asked abruptly. "I mean no offence to the big man but come on; we can't just sit around doing nothing!"
"By doing something you have got Dylan arrested," Rhade pointed out.
Harper couldn't help but smirk. "Oh no," he mocked. "Dylan's been arrested, well that never happens, how will he cope?" he stressed animatedly with mock anger. "Snap out of it lug head," Harper aimed at Rhade. "This happens all the time, what mad man hasn't tried to capture Dylan, thinking it's the way to control things? What the hell has gotten into you guys?"
"The orders are to do nothing," Beka simply said.
"Fine," Harper shook his head slowly. "But I never heard Dylan say that, so technically, I'm under no orders and there's no way in hell I'm going to just do nothing whilst I can do something."
"Harper, no!" Beka changed her tone, showing her authority and Harper responded immediately by noticeably backing down. "Your orders are to do nothing, they are my orders."
Harper looked away, clearly wanting to say something but stopping himself. "Ok, we do jack shit, I mean nothing," he spoke with narrowed eyes.
"Good, I'm glad we understand that, so no more firebombs," Beka stressed, and then moved to Harper's side once again, putting her arm around his shoulders. "When did you last eat?"
Harper shrugged. "Couple of days ago, maybe," he spoke uncertain.
"We have some food, let's go and eat and then find out what we can about Dylan," Beka suggested, and felt Harper hold back as they began to move. "What is it?" Beka asked.
"Zal," Harper spoke up towards the Edenian, who had backed away. "Come on, you need a place to sleep."
"Harper, I'm not sure," Beka spoke.
"Beka, because of me he has no where to go, and I'm not leaving him here," Harper insisted. "He's a friend, ok?"
"Ok," Beka conceded, though still not convinced, and she watched as the young man stepped into line with Harper, as they both walked beside her. "Are you going to keep your hair like that?" Beka then asked Harper to change the subject.
"Maybe," Harper answered. "You're looking well, considering," he then remarked.
"We've not exactly been doing much, bar one trip to the other side to steal food," Beka returned.
"You've crossed the markers?" Harper questioned, clearly impressed.
"Yeah, nearly got caught but Asa helped us," Beka answered.
"You've met Asa?" Harper brightened, and then frowned. "That's good," he simply said, remembering his reasons for losing touch with the older man.
"He found us and took us to his home where we were expecting to see you, but his wife said you'd run off," Beka returned, expecting an explanation.
"Yeah," Harper simply said. "I had my reasons, but it will be good to see Asa again, he helped me a lot," Harper enthused.
Beka simply looked at Harper, almost sensing avoidance, and she decided not to push. Instead Beka settled her arm around him once more, as they continued back towards their temporary home.
Dylan paced the small cell he now found himself in, and it offered nothing but a small ventilation shaft at the top of one of the walls, that allowed a small amount of sunlight in. They had left him there alone for what seemed like a couple of hours, and he was growing impatient by the wait for anything to happen.
He tried to figure out a possible answer to his situation, and Dylan couldn't help but believe that Harper was very capable of doing the actions he was being accused of. There was a streak in Harper that Dylan had never been able to understand or attempt to control, more of an instinct within the human to cause destruction, a way to strike out at the universe that had been so unfair to him in life, he considered. Harper wasn't to know Dylan's plans, naturally, and the captain understood this, but he still hoped deep down that the young engineer wasn't behind the firebomb attacks, as he feared the repercussions if he were.
The door finally opened and the three guards that had arrested him walked in. With them they carried an envelope and soon showed it to the captain, as they stood before Dylan. Without a word the lead guard handed Dylan some photographs, the quality wasn't great but enough to see what was going on.
Dylan focused on the shots, and saw two people outside a building, as the pictures progressed it was clear they set a bottle alight and then ran, but there was no clear detail of the people in the photo.
"This proves nothing," Dylan confirmed, handing the photos back.
"Those photos confirm the actions," the guard simply said, and there were more photos produced and these ones were closer images of the people responsible.
Dylan's first reaction was to dismiss them both, neither looked like Harper until he saw one final shot. Even at a distance Dylan could make out features that could be Harper, although with black hair.
"My engineer has blond hair, neither of these men are Harper," Dylan attempted to bluff, although not convinced, as he looked closely at the shorter man, everything but the hair was screaming Harper.
"It is your missing crewman," the guard simply responded.
"I need to see more proof than a few bad quality shots, I'm not convinced," Dylan insisted.
"We have nothing to prove to you," the guard spoke with anger. "Take him, its time for some questions to be answered!"
Dylan found his arms roughly taken hold of, as he was marched from the cell.
TBC