Aileen stood looking out the window of the room she shared with Jack, and sometimes Calli. She had seen the giant figure coming in with the still small one in his arms. Her heart was aching. There hadn't been another figure. Was Jack alive? Had Calli left him somewhere? Was he still a prisoner, or dead? What of Calli? Was she alive? She walked down the stairwell to the boys' room, moving slowly, her body heavy with late pregnancy.
She had decisions to make, but how could she when she didn't know what had happened? It was going to be a long night, she thought, sitting down in a chair in the boys' room to watch over them as they slept. She couldn't stand the thought of going to the room she had shared with those she loved. Brent opened his eyes and stared at his mother.
"Dad didn't come back, did he?", he asked quietly. Aileen lowered her head.
"No, they just brought Calli in. She looked pretty bad." Brent slipped from his bed and went over to kneel beside his mother.
Taking her in his arms he said softly,"Calli got him out, Mom. I just know she did. She would die to save him." That, Aileen thought, was what she was afraid of.
She hugged Brent tightly. "I know, son. Go on back to bed now. I'm sure someone will let us know what's going on in the morning."
Aileen stirred, sitting up from where she was napping in the chair. There was a disturbance on the dock. Looking out, she saw the giant mutant striding toward the ship, with the small warrior clad figure beside him. Calli was in full battle dress, her distinctive armor and helmet clearly visible in the early morning light. Leaving the boys asleep Aileen rushed from the room to meet the duo as they came on board.
"Oh Calli, I'm so glad you're all right" she cried. "Where's Jack? Is he all right? Please tell me!".
Calli placed her gloved hand on the young woman's arm.
"Jack asked me to take you to safety, Aileen" she said. " He wants you to go to Arhome. You and the boys. Will you do this for him?"
"Is he there?" Aileen asked hopefully. "Why didn't he come back for me himself?"
"I'm sorry Aileen, Jack was badly injured. He can't come for you but he sent me. We have to go soon. The Enclave may want revenge on you for what I've done. He would be very upset if something happened to you, he loves you and the boys so much. Listen, Aileen, you can go back to Baton Rouge, but you'd never be able to return here. I wouldn't be able to keep you or the boys safe. Please, come to Arhome with me.", she pleaded. "But we can't take the Tradewind. We have to go overland. Please, trust me, Aileen!"
Aileen looked about, making a quick decision. Calling over the second in command she said to him, "Aaron, I'm going with Calli. I'm making you master of the Tradewind. Good sailing, my friend." Aaron stared at her.
"l'll be proud to master the Tradewind for you. Do you think you or Jack will return soon?"
Calli said coldly, "They'll be protected in Arhome, Aaron. They're not coming back. But I'll be around later to check on the Tradewind and the books. Take good care of her. Trade well."
Aaron took a step back from the contained fury in the cold voice. Calli was first wife, a co-owner of the Tradewind with Jack and Aileen. If they wanted him and the men to run the trade for them, so be it!
"I will, Calli." he said earnestly. "We'll take good care of her and her clients." Calli nodded and turned back to Aileen.
"Get the boys ready, it's going to be a long trip." Aileen nodded and headed towards the boy's room but her heart was heavy. Calli hadn't really answered her about Jack.
Calli perused the activity around her. Aileen was in charge and was doing a good job preparing for the trip and the transfer of duties aboard the Tradewind. She had told her to make sure they had enough carts and supplies for a two day trip. Aileen had looked at her strangely but she hadn't argued.
The Enclave would be watching their every move and she couldn't lead them to Arhome, although she would let them think that was where she was headed. She had a plan to protect her family permanently. She turned to Hawk.
"Now we have to take care of the boy," she said, and he nodded.
Dressed in full battle gear, Hawk well rested, and with new desert packs, they were an intimidating sight as they approached the hovel. The boy peered out of the open door then straightened bravely and stepped out to meet them.
"Hey warriors" he greeted them.
"Hey boy" Calli responded gravely. "You are very brave for one so young. How many years are you?"
"Nine summers" the boy answered proudly. "I've kept your things safe for you. See?" He gestured toward the hovel.
Calli went inside, leaving Hawk standing guard. She peered down at the pile of articles. "I see" she answered. "Tell me, boy, are you all alone? Have you no relatives?"
"Not since Mom died last spring of the fever" he replied. "Dad died a few years ago, I don't really remember."
"I see" Calli picked up the small belt and removed the 45. Taking a less powerful pistol from her pack she placed it on the belt, then offered it to the boy.
"For me?" he asked, his face lighting up.
"You earned it. What's your name, boy?".
"Jason" he replied, examining his new items with delight. Calli considered. He was older than she would normally consider taking an orphan to Arhome, but he was a good, strong and resourceful child. He had earned it.
"Well Jason, it can't be easy for you to live out here all alone. How would you like to come with us to a safe place, where there's always enough food and the people are good people? Where you will be needed and appreciated?", she asked.
Jason's eyes grew wide. "You mean it? I can come with you?" "
"Yes", Calli responded gravely, "but the journey to get there is long and dangerous, and you would have to do everything exactly like I tell you. You would have to trust me completely." Jason looked around at the hovel where life was so hard. What did he have to lose? He pulled the small belt around his waist and tightened it as much as he could.
"I'm ready" he said. Calli smiled briefly and, picking up the remainder of the goods, led the way out toward the dock.
The trip from Wilhem's Wharf to Tenpenny Hotel had taken two days, as Calli had predicted. They had spent the night in a deserted house in Andale as she followed the southern road. It was easier than going overland with the loaded carts, and much easier on the cows. The smaller boys had ridden most of the way. Calli had insisted that Brent be allowed to walk point with her or rear guard with Hawk. Aileen had objected until she pointed out the boy was 14 and would be mortified to be treated like a child, especially now that his father was missing.
The small train approached Tenpenny Hotel, coming in from the south east. The guard recognized the big mutant and the battle clad little warrior. They were honored guests with rooms in the owner's suite. She approached and pushed the intercom button.
"Hold onto your panties" he growled and hit the switch to open the gates.
"Evening, Paul", Calli said as she passed.
"Yeah, good evening to ya" he grunted and went back to scanning the wasteland. Calli approached the head guard at the desk.
"I have three guards that need lodging for the night. The woman and boys will be with me in my suite. We plan on staying about 3 weeks. How much do you want?"
The guard frowned. "Will you be having meals sent to your room, or coming down to the dining room? Are you gonna want wine too?"
"The woman, myself and the boys will need meals sent to the suite. A bottle of wine with each meal. Food and lodging for the guards just for tonight in the guardhouse, they can have the evening meal and breakfast with your guards. I vouch for them. Hawk will only be staying one night so he just needs his usual meal for this evening and breakfast in the morning."
The guard cocked an eyebrow at her but didn't ask. "Hmm, 120 caps per day each for lodging for the woman and 2 older boys, I won't charge for the youngest, and I'll just charge 110 for each guard since they'll bunk in the guardhouse, so that's, let's see, 5260 caps for the lodging. Three meals a day 45 each for the woman and older boy, 20 for the kid, the little one won't eat much, just 5 for him, 45 for two meals each for the guards, they look like pretty big men, that comes to um 1860. That makes a total of 8050 caps." he said smugly, obviously expecting her to object. As frequent guests of Mr. Tennpenny there was never any charge for Calli and Hawk.
It was ridiculously high and Calli knew it, but she also knew the guard didn't like her and wasn't aware of her arrangement with Charles Tennpenny. She would get a large portion of it back when she got her share of the profits from the hotel.
Calli pulled out her money bag and counted out the caps without further comment. "Make sure no one bothers us.", she said. Taking aside her guards, she paid them for their service. "I've bought you lodging and meals for the night in the guard house and breakfast for morning.", she said. "Have a safe trip back."