All The Way
Chapter 29
Julia had hardly slept after the mountain lion encounter and was running on adrenaline while foraging the camp. Hurrying along the stream, she constantly looked over her shoulder and varied her course on the return to the cave. Raiding the newly arrived food, finding grain for the horses and filling the extra canteens with water had been so easy she impulsively grabbed her journals, the medicine pouch and a cigarette pack with two cigarettes. The ease of her pilfering made her believe Richard was setting a trap. She varied her path on the return trip and made sure no tracks lead to the cave.
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Eliot felt pain in his head, neck and shoulders as he sat up. Where was Julia? Straining even further he rolled to his side and used his elbows to cross the sand to be near Hallie. The young woman peacefully slept in her warm cocoon, oblivious to the world. Lovingly, he studied her face and watched her eyes move beneath the lids while her lips twitching periodically.
What are you seeing my dear, Hallie? Will we ever be together again?
Gently caressing her warm cheek with his fingertips, he leaned over and kissed her. Remembering all the bedtime stories and good-night kisses they had shared over the years, tears began to well up in his eyes as he lowered his head.
Hallie, Herb, all the others, will we ever be together again in this world?
His swollen fingers covered his teary eyes and thought of the blood on the tent wall. It had to be Herb's. He was sure his friend had been ambushed outside the mess tent. The image of Richard Carter's confidence and arrogance continued to gnaw away at his psyche. Smugly, Carter waited for him on the ledge of kiva #5 knowing he had taken care of everyone, everyone….except him. Eliot removed his hand and flexed his fingers recalling the battle on the kiva floor, a battle of life and death. Quickly, Carter's smugness vanished and was replaced by fear, fear that he was about to die. The professor continued to study and flex his fingers. Would I have beaten the man to death? In the past without hesitation, he would drive a stake through a vampire's heart, or wage war with supernatural forces…..but a real man. What kind of man am I to beat a man to death? The glint of Carter's hunting knife answered the question. A man who fights to survive, a man who would fight to protect those he loves.
"Eliot!" Julia called, stepping through the cave entrance seeing him lying in the sand. Dropping her load she rushed to him.
"What do you think are you doing?" She scolded.
Eliot pursed his lips, refusing to answer as she helped him back to his bed and covered him with the blanket.
"Where have you been?" he countered.
"I went back to camp for supplies."
Eliot watched her unpack the canvas bags.
"Tomorrow we will leave here together!" She announced confidently without looking at him.
"Julia, you will leave tomorrow, Hallie and I will remain here. We're not able to travel," He stated matter-of-factly.
The physician stood, hands on her hips, chin elevated in a determined pout.
"We will all leave, Eliot!" She answered coolly, meeting his gaze with equal intensity.
Eliot found her manner mildly amusing. "So you think that pouty lip will change my mind."
"I don't think you have a choice, do you?"
"Really," He countered, watching her eyes narrow in thought.
"You forget, I am a doctor, you know." Julia's eyes narrowed to slits. "I have my ways."
Eliot felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. If the stakes weren't so high he would enjoy continuing their mental sparing.
Tartly he replied, "Of course, Dr. Hoffman, you could ply me with pain –killers and whatever else you might have in that medical bag of yours. You would make sure I wouldn't feel a thing. I would be at your mercy….your beck and call."
Julia had pulled out one of the last cigarettes from the pack and lit it, blowing the smoke above her head, the cool air carrying it out the entrance. The rush was immediate. She exhaled again, this time blowing three concentric smoke rings before turning her attention again to the prone professor, resuming their battle of wills.
"You are terrible, Eliot. You know I would never do such a dreadful thing." The physician replied with mock sweetness.
"Wouldn't you?" he asked, growing annoyed, his eyes watching the cigarette smoke waft out the entrance.
Julia looked down at the cigarette and thought of the professor's broken pipe. Stepping forward, she kneeled beside him and handed him the cigarette. Eliot took it and immediately ground it into the sand. Julia's eyes grew wide with horror at the brash disposal of the cigarette.
Eliot felt great satisfaction in her horrified reaction. The remaining cigarette smoke drifted in the air and wafted out the cave entrance.
Standing with her hands on her hips, she glared down at him and found him glaring back with equal furiousity.
"What would you think if you were hunting someone and suddenly smelled cigarette smoke?" Eliot asked tersely and waited for her response.
Julia's eyes widened and stared out the cave entrance, remembering the three beautiful smoke rings drifting on the air current.
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Richard Carter stood near the stream, watching and waiting.
Early in the morning, while checking his injuries in the mirror, he noticed in his peripheral vision a fleeting image. Holding his breath, he watched and listened and realized he was not alone in the camp. He returned to the village and from his vantage point watched Julia Hoffman move along the stream and disappear behind a cover of cottonwoods. Julia would be dealt with in due time.
The swelling had diminished leaving two black eyes and nose, but the pain in his face reminded him of an important task he had to complete. Sprinting to kiva #5, he turned on his flashlight and cast the circular beam around the floor of the pit and found the thick, dried pool of blood. Where was Eliot Stokes?
Carter raced back to the village wall and looked down along the streambed. Was Eliot Stokes still alive?
"Damn," Richard muttered to himself. He should have gone down in the kiva and checked the man's pulse, but fear had stopped him. The power behind Stokes' fists had stopped him. He had barely escaped with his life. Now, he would have to pay again for his carelessness.
"Another screw-up, Dickie?" His father asked as he puffed, the cigarette holder clenched between his teeth. The two men looked along the stream hoping to catch another glimpse of Julia Hoffman.
"This is not working out as planned, Dr. Carter," Howard Blair chimed in from the other side of Richard. "You will just have to deal with this mistake and correct it immediately."
Richard stood quietly, watching and listening along the stream. He had followed Julia's tracks to the edge of the stream where they disappeared. Carter looked up and down the stream, thinking, which way had she gone? It would be unlikely she would travel back closer to the camp. No. His eyes narrowed in thought. She would move away from camp, she would move downstream, closer to the Colorado, but where?
His eyes moved up and along the sheer red cliffs skirted with cottonwoods lining the stream bank. Perhaps she had traveled further downstream and stepped out again. Carter's eyes continued to scan the trees across the stream and the vertical red cliffs above it. There couldn't be any hiding places there. There were no tracks on the opposite sandy bank.
He would move along the stream bank and watch for tracks coming out of the water. Richard felt a breeze stir and began to raise his hand to hold his hat but stopped. Instead, he turned his face into the wind. The wind strengthened, caught his hat and sent it sailing behind him. He did not rush to retrieve it, instead, he stood, riveted in place. Closing his eyes, turning his nose he filtered the flowing air. Slowly, the nerves in his injured nose began to register the scent… the scent of cigarette smoke.
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Julia could not recall the sweetness of canned fruit being so tasty. Eliot ate in silence, the signs of pain spreading across his face. Managing the level of his pain and spreading out their meager supply of pain medication meant the time between doses had increased. Administering the dose she realized she had not planned on an extended care of a patient or their isolation. This was just one of her many worries.
The trip into camp had been too easy. She last saw Richard in the research tent tending his wounds the night before.
Where was Richard? Why didn't he stop her? Was he toying with her? Or worse, did he know Eliot was gone from kiva #5 and was watching and waiting for her to return to him so he might finish him off?
Her three smoke ring bravado had rapidly disappeared. The cigarette had been stupid, but she needed it badly. The cigarette would be added to her growing list of regrets. Regrets? The list was quite extensive. Even in the dim light of the caves it was easy to see the dirt and grime covering her clothes, body, and boots. She was a mess! Her life was a mess! Diane had tried to warn her.
"You're playing with fire, Julia. You're playing a risky game with Richard Carter. Men like Carter never lose, they make sure of it."
Why did she even choose to phone Richard Carter? She should have ignored his invitation. Her risky game had now cost them all dearly.
Eliot floated on a pain-free cloud and noticed how the physician's earlier confidence had rapidly disappeared. Tired and defeated, she solemnly contemplated the cave entrance in her soiled and tattered clothing.
"Do you want to talk?" he asked softly.
Julia turned slowly to face him.
"There's nothing to discuss," She coolly replied.
"Julia Hoffman without an opinion, is it possible?"
"Go to sleep, Eliot." She snapped.
Eliot tried not to smile as he floated along. "That's more like it….the Hoffman tenacity!"
"Are you trying to make me angry?"
"I'm trying to have a conversation with you."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Very well, then don't talk about it, keep it inside; let it devour you."
"Don't try to patronize me; you're not very good at it."
Eliot paused and waited.
Julia inhaled deeply, biting her lip. "Besides, what could you do? You weren't there."
"I'm here now."
Julia stood and moved near his blanket.
"Why don't you slip off those wet boots and socks, you have to be cold." He suggested.
Julia sat on the edge of Eliot's blanket and tugged on the wet boots until they slipped free. Pulling off the damp socks, she hung them on a ledge to drip. Later tonight, she would place them by the fire.
Eliot flipped back the blanket and without invitation she slipped beneath and curled up against him, her head resting in the crook of his arm, cold feet and hands pressed against him for warmth.
"I can't help but feel this whole mess is my fault," She began weakly. Eliot's arms circled her shoulders, pulling her even closer.
"Why do you feel you're being here caused all of this to happen?" Julia's fingers moved a lock of hair from her face and searched for the words to begin.
"It all started back in Boston, at the AMA convention. I met Richard there." She could feel his eyes on her face.
"I was killing time in the AMA bookstore when I found his book. The book stood out, it looked interesting, at least compared to bowel resections, so I bought it. Suddenly, Richard was standing in front of me, wanting to autograph it. It wasn't exactly an autograph; it was an invitation for dinner and dancing along with his phone number." Julia paused, waiting for him to make a comment, but he remained silent.
"Returning to Diane's townhouse, I had a choice, should I or shouldn't I call. Diane warned me I was playing a dangerous game."
"How was accepting a dinner invitation a dangerous game?"
"It was later that he made me the offer, the offer to join him here."
"Was this before or after you had dinner with him?"
Julia turned in his embrace to look up at him.
"Why do you ask?"
"Was it before or after the dinner invitation?" Eliot asked again.
Julia hesitated, not sure why it was important.
"It was after our night of dinner and dancing."
"My dear, Julia, you were selected, you had no choice. You were a pawn."
"What do you mean?" She asked searching his face for answers.
The professor smiled and gently continued. "No one just walks into Richard Carter's life. You were selected. He has a use for everyone. The man is a user; he uses people to get what he wants. He no doubt had someone check your background and found a use for you, Julia."
Blinking rapidly, she tried to recall the events surrounding their early time together. Faintly, she recalled Richard wanting to know about her personal life, her work in Maine, at Wynncliff. It was strange; he did seem to know a lot about her.
"Julia, Richard Carter's ambition has brought us to our current condition, not you. Events would have progressed the same with or without you."
Julia found it difficult to express her feelings. At first, she knew she and Richard were using each other; both were ambitious and saw the other as a way to fulfill their needs. But after their first night together, the night they became lovers, their relationship changed, they had grown to care for each other. She could hardly share that information.
"Julia, if you were not here I would be dead, I would have died in kiva#5."
Julia shook her head. "Don't you see I am the catalyst! You came to kiva #5 because of me, Eliot."
"Perhaps. You must realize that your involvement is minor."
"How is my involvement minor?" Julia asked sharply.
"Look at the big picture! Why do you suppose Carter is doing all of this? Why do you suppose he needs your expertise as a physician and hematologist?"
"It was the ancient physiology of the Anasazi, the…."
Eliot interrupted. "Come on, Julia, Richard Carter would not risk everything for research on Anasazi blood work; it has to be something more, much more. The counterclockwise spiral, the bones of the young girls, your notes, all of those things point to something far different. It has to be something that will stun the world, bring him fame and fortune. Richard Carter's ambition knows no end."
Julia remained silent. Was Eliot aware the extent of her own ambitions? She could hardly share that her own ambitions included a collaborative agreement with Richard Carter.
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Later that night…
Richard Carter's back ached as he bent to smooth the black pigment along the muscles of his legs. Taking care of Eliot Stokes had taken more out of him than he expected. Was he feeling his age? Richard smiled. Age and aging. It wouldn't be long till Howard Blair would have his new drug. The drug was in this chamber, the shaman's chamber, he was sure of it. The new drug would expand the life span of humans…aging would be a thing of the past. Blair Pharmaceuticals would make a handsome profit and he, Richard Carter, would have his own wealth and fame.
Carter straightened, looked up at the jaguar altar. Tonight, he was the jaguar, lean and efficient. Even though he wore only a breechcloth, the coolness of the cave did not bother him. His fingertips slid through the black pigment. Looking into the mirror, he applied it to the muscles of his chest and arms. Standing back he admired his work. The black marks followed the natural curves of his muscles, the brown of his skin blended in with the dark lines. To hide the dark circles around his eyes he applied more black pigment to the skin of his face. Richard smiled while checking the pigment. He would be perfectly camouflaged and without boots, he would move as stealthily as a feline. The knife glistened on the altar next to the photo of Julia. His hands trembled slightly as he reached out and picked up the photo. Admiring her body and the gap in the blouse exposing a soft white breast, he felt an ache in his loins. He wanted to make love to her again, and feel her gentle fingers chasing away his demons. Perhaps tonight they could relive those moments.
The photo itself made his hands tremble with anger and envy. The photo was evidence of what Eliot Stokes had seen through the lens of his camera. Stokes saw what he was seeing. It was obvious, the professor's eyes moved over Julia, admiring her, desiring her, coveting what he saw and snapping the camera, capturing the pose on film to be viewed again and again. Richard placed the photo on the altar and with a savage swiftness drove the serrated blade through the photo over and over again. This time Eliot Stokes would be out of the picture forever, he would make sure of it.
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Julia spent the remaining evening hours preparing the bags with supplies. Eliot had been concerned about Hallie and how long she would remain in her dream state and if she would be permanently affected. Julia tried to paint an encouraging picture of what lie ahead for Hallie, but in reality she wasn't sure. She had managed to bring the medicine bag along in hopes the hospital they could analyze the powder.
Eliot rested peacefully on his blanket while the fire popped and cracked near the cave entrance. His shirt was almost dry and her boots and socks were near the heat of the flame. She watched as the smoke gently moved up, crawling along the cave ceiling then disappearing back through the cave. During the day the wind moved out of the cave carrying the cigarette smoke to the outside.
Walking to the back of the cave, she gently moved her hands along the necks and flanks of the horses. Stopping near Max, she leaned her head against his neck. "You were quite hungry and thirsty, weren't you?" She whispered.
The gilding's ears swiveled forward and the animal's eyes became alert. She stopped speaking, noticing a change in the animals behavior. Julia held her breath, waiting for Max's next move. Emanating deep from within his chest Max softly nickered. Julia stepped further back into the shadows and followed the horse's gaze. In the cave entrance she saw movement, a dark shadow moved slowly along the cave wall. Her hand instinctively slipped into her pocket feeling for the Swiss Army knife. Looking around for the stick to make the spear, she stopped. The spear was not necessary, the shadow moved further into the cave revealing it was not the mountain lion. Julia's legs grew weaker seeing the shadow was too large for a mountain lion…the shadow was the size of a crouching man. Quickly, her hand clamped over her mouth to stifle a scream, as the glow of the fire illuminated the gleaming white mask. The large black eyes, framed by white cranial bones, and long black hair, swirled with the body's movement and slipped again into the shadows. Julia slowly removed her hand from her mouth. So this was the object stored in Richard's crate. Two large dark eyes, outlined by the white cranial bones, watched the inside of the cave from the seclusion of the shadows. Eliot and Hallie slept peacefully in their blankets while she was hidden in the shadows of the horses. To an observer all seemed normal. Julia fumbled with the knife, almost dropping it in the process of opening the largest blade.
What was she thinking? Why was she opening the blade, this was not the mountain lion?
The mask moved silently into the circular glow of the fire, the upper torso bent and poised ready to strike with the speed of a rattlesnake. The brown and black skin blended in with the cave and shadows. From their nights together, Julia easily recognized the well- muscled body of Richard Carter. Stealthily moving by the fire, the gleam of the hunting knife sparked as the masked Carter quietly moved toward Stokes' sleeping form. Watching his back turn toward her, another few steps would bring the two legged predator to the sleeping professor.
The knife turned in her fingers anxiously waiting for her brain to decide her course of action.
Should she call out and alert Eliot? If she did, would she and Eliot be able to subdue Carter? No. Could she reason with Richard, plead with him? No, he was beyond reasoning. Think Julia, think! Her hands and legs began to tremble. She was no match for Richard Carter; the bruise on her arm was testimony to that. You're a doctor, Julia! You know the human body intimately. What could you do to immobilize a man? A sedative…. but the bag is on the other side of Eliot. You need to act now before it's too late! Tears welled up in her eyes knowing she could not let Eliot die.
'It's time that you choose. How far will you go with Richard Carter?' Eliot asked before he kissed her. Wiping the tears from her cheek, she knew what she had to do. There would be only one chance at the element of surprise. She knew what she had to do, but could she do it….she had to be successful.
Julia's eyes widened as the masked form quickly move forward casting a shadow across the professor's prone body, Eliot's eyes opened and emitted a stifled yell. Julia moved swiftly from the shadows, the knife firmly gripped in her right hand. With one fleet move she leaped on Carter's back, her left hand grabbing the top of the mask as her right arm swung around, while her legs tightened around his waist. Richard yelled and stood erect, trying to free himself from her, when he felt the piercing blade enter the side of his neck through the fringe of long hair. His free hand pulled the mask from his face trying to reach her hand. Holding on tightly, she drew the blade from his left ear across his neck to the right. A high pitched scream filled the cave as Carter frantically waved his knife around trying to dislodge her from his back while the blade cut into his skin. Fueled by pain and anger, he reared back against the wall, heard a loud groan, turned and flung her to the ground. Julia sprawled across the sand on her back the knife held in her hand with a death grip. Carter grabbed his neck in horror and felt the blood flowing down his hand, arms, dripping on the sand. Eyes wide with terror and anger he swayed over her.
"Julia!" He gasped. "How could you?" It took all his effort to lean down and pick up the mask and stagger from the cave.
Stokes crawled from his blanket on his elbows trying to reach her motionless body, watching the cave entrance for Carters return.
"Julia, Julia!" He frantically called to her. Her head rolled, gasping to fill her deflated lungs. With his touch she jumped and violently moved the bloody knife around.
"It's me, Julia. He's gone."
"Gone?" she began to sob, pulling herself to a sitting position. "Oh, no!" she moaned.
~~~tbc~~~