Ch 2

Malinara was tired and fearing for Robert. Hugging herself, it was getting dark and she was still searching for where Bob was. She had to believe he wasn't dead! Both Joan and Allison had assured her he wasn't. They had left to go get some help from the sheriff. She refused to go, she had to find her Robert!

Walking along in a wider circle from where the truck blew up, a harsh light blinded her. She winced from the brightness and stumbled to fall into some shallow water. Angry she got up on her hands and knees and cried out, "Robert where are you?"

"Mal!" Robert cried happily.

She looked up to see him not far away, holding something in the stream. Splashing up she got up to run to him as he rose. Plowing together, they gripped each other in a tight embrace. Malinara cried in happiness, "I knew you weren't dead!"

"No, just in another screwed up place," he assured her as he held her tight. "Why did you think I was dead?"

She pulled back enough to see his face. "Your truck blew up. Pieces everywhere! We couldn't find you."

Bob grumbled. "So Hanna blew my truck up, huh?"

"Pieces of it all over," Malinara agreed. She paused, then asked, "Hanna took you away again?"

"She did, look around. We're not in Driftwood any more."

Malinara did look around. "Where are we?"

"No clue, but so far I've been shot a lot by ugly army men, and managed to save one woman from getting killed. I also destroyed some artillery I think they were going to use to bomb that grass hut out there."

"Why?" she asked, looking confused.

"Still trying to figure it out," he told her. "But for fighting a war, those few women have pretty much nothing. The big question is why those ugly bastards are attacking them."

"Need help?"

"I sure do. They got one wounded and nothing to treat her wounds."

Malinara nodded slowly. "Tell me what you need."

.

The Sheriff looked at the frame and wheels of the truck sitting on the road and chunks of truck all over the place. He tipped his hat back. "Hope you got insurance," he grumbled.

Joan waved her hand and said, "I don't care about that! What happened to Bob?"

"No pieces of him around?" Anne asked innocently.

"No nothing," Joan said, exasperated. "Malinara's out someplace still looking."

Anne walked closer and studied the wreck. "There's no signs of burn on any of the pieces of truck. This wasn't a normal explosion."

The Sheriff nodded. "Right, and that fish there is whole, not even cooked. So's that leaf of lettuce over there. The road is untouched, so are the tires. No bomb did this."

Anne studied the frame. "It had to be something magical. Should I go see the Witch?"

The Sheriff frowned. "She's not the first person I'd contact. Anne, go see if Harry Dresden will help us out."

"Yes, Master." Anne disappeared.

The Sheriff walked around the frame then went over to the windowless passenger door in the grass. He lifted it and studied it. "Any reason who someone would want to kidnap Bob?" he asked.

Allison said, "That wizard did before, but he'd left that circle thing inside the clinic."

"Maybe the truck was ripped apart to hide it this time?" Joan asked.

"Let's look," the Sheriff said.

Inspecting the pieces of truck, Allison said, "Guys, this almost looks taken apart." She held up the seat. "See? The bolts are missing but the holes where they go aren't ripped out."

Joan held up the tail gate. "This had dents probably from landing on the road, but same here. It's not damaged where it was hinged to the truck."

The sheriff found the steering wheel. "Damn peculiar," he noted.

"This piece of the back fender looks like it was cut," Joan noted.

"So does this, I think this was the roof," Allison added.

"Where were you exactly when this explosion happened?" The Sheriff asked. "Either of you actually see it happen?"

Joan and Allison looked at each other and shook their heads. Joan explained, "We were over there, working in the garden. We heard it and saw the flash. When we looked, pieces of the truck were flying."

"We though it exploded." Allison added.

The sheriff frowned. "It looks taken apart, very rapidly. Never seen nothing like this before."

Anne and Harry Dresden appeared, Harry carrying his old doctor's bag in one hand, his hockey stick in the other. The sheriff pointed to the truck frame. "We think we got another kidnapping, Mr. Dresden, can you tell us anything about it?"

Harry looked at the truck parts scattered around then put his bag and Hockey stick down and pulled a jar out to shake some powder into his hand. "Let's see what happened." he said. He chanted some words then blew the dust over the truck frame.

The dust formed the shape of the truck with Bob at the steering wheel. Bob looked to the side then the truck came apart and Bob was gone.

Anne pointed and said, "There was a spirit in the truck with him, passenger side." She paused and added, "Female, she wore a gown."

"Hanna?" Joan asked.

"The dust doesn't show color, only shapes." Harry explained.

"So he was kidnapped."

"Hanna's done it before," Joan said in a growl. "Harry, can you tell where she took him?"

Harry shrugged. "No clue. Have you looked for any marks, symbols or maybe a magic circle on any of the truck pieces?"

"Not so far."

"Check every piece you can find," Harry told them. "I need a clue to work with."

.

Bob and Malinara walked back to the hay-stack hut holding the helmets full of hot water by their straps. Bob saw one of the other women were out, watching for trouble with the a semi-automatic rifle he'd brought back. Going inside, Blondie was sitting up eating grain. She smiled at him as they came in.

Seeing Malinara, the brunette eyed her and asked something. Malinara shrugged. Bob sat his helmet down carefully and opened the burnt first aide kit he'd found He pointed to Blondie's leg wound. "Fix," he said.

She took a last munch of grain and but the bowl to the side. She nodded.

He had her lay back down and unwrapped the pant leg bandage. The cut was starting to clot over nice, and thankfully, it didn't look infected. He got a cloth out of the kit and dunked it in hot water then wiped the blood off her leg and cleaned the wound. He then put a proper bandage on it.

While he did this, the brunette was trying to talk to Malinara. Malinara was trying to reply and gesturing. He ignored them and cleaned Blondie's arm wound. Again, that's all it looked like it needed before he bandaged it up.

Malinara came over to him. "That's Belle you're working on," she said.

Finishing the bandage, Bob looked up at her. "How do you know that?"

"Their language is a bit crude, but I can decypher it."

Belle looked at Malinara and asked something. Malinara replied and nodded. Belle spoke again in a questioning tone. Malinara shook her head and pointed to herself.

Seeing Robert looking at her, Malinara explained. "Belle asked if I was yours. I told her yes. Since you saved her, she wanted to be yours too. I told her no, only me."

Belle yammered a bit. Malinara frowned at her, spoke firmly then lit a small fire in her hand. Belle yelped and scooted back, wide eyed.

"Mal, why did you do that? We're in a hut made of hay!" Bob asked, not happy with her.

Malinara eyed him. "She was willing to fight me to be you're your female, so I showed her what she would be fighting."

Bob face planted. "You shouldn't have done that. I can tell her no."

"Robert, here, females pick their males," Malinara told him. "You're mine, not hers."

Bob eyed her. "We got more important things to worry about. Finding out why those men are after these women is first on the list. Get some rest, tonight we're going to try and grab one of those guys, alive."

"Fine, but stay by me. I don't want any of them coming after you."

Seeing the wary looks the other women were giving Malinara, Bob said, "I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

Bob took a nap with Malinara, who was holding a close 'he's mine' grip on him. He didn't sleep long. At least it was dark when he came to full wakefulness.

Malinara was awake. She picked her head up and said, "Robert, you need more sleep."

"Didn't you get some sleep?"

"No, I was watching those women so they wouldn't try to force themselves on you," she said firmly.

Bob looked around and huffed. All the others were curled up snoozing. "We better get going," he said and got up.

There was enough moonlight coming in that he found a rifle and checked the clip to be sure it had rounds in it. They got outside and Malinara turn her hand palm up to make a foot tall flame.

Bob stopped. "What are you doing?"

"Making light so we can see."

"And those guys will see us," he replied. "Put it out."

"Can you see?" she asked.

"Well enough," he replied and clasped her hand.

Walking through the field, Bob kept watching ahead, sure there had to be a guard out here someplace. They walked to the hulks of the burned out vehicles. No one was around. He thought that was strange, no one came to salvage these things?

To the left where those other men had gone, there was a path the vehicles came in on. Bob followed it. The path skirted the woods. Coming to a curve in the path that went through a break in the woods, he saw the glow of camp fires. Bending low, he crept up beside the brush edging the woods. Coming closer, he saw the glow of coals on the fire pits, but didn't see the guard that had to be there. Strange. He knew of no military that didn't put guards out, especially when they were sleeping. At least they had tents they were sleeping in. Ten tents, one other vehicle that looked like a flatbed truck.

Creeping up to the camp, he heard snoring, but still hadn't found a sentry. He then heard someone speaking.

Focusing on the sound, he found a man hunched over a radio. He also noticed he wasn't far from the bridge that got destroyed. He checked again. No one else was up. The man only had a pistol at his hip.

It couldn't be this easy!

Wary, expecting someone to jump him, Bob snuck up behind the man and yanked his pistol out to plant it on his temple. The man froze and raised his hands up. Bob pulled him to his feet and walked him out of camp. He kept searching for a guard but didn't find one.

Walking the man all the way back to where Malinara was waiting, Bob whispered, "Mal, come on."

Taking them back to the destroyed artillery vehicles, Bob pushed him in between two of them, turned him around and planted him against the side of one. "Mal, try to talk to him."

"Can I light a fire so I can see him?' she asked.

"Good idea, do it."

Malinara lit a foot tall fire in her palm again. The man gasped and pushed himself back against the vehicle tighter. This close Bob decided, yup, this guy looked pretty Neanderthal.

Mal said something to him. The man wailed out a cry and tried to run. Bob kicked him in the stomach, pulled him up and planted him back against the armored side of the vehicle. He also put the pistol in the man's face.

The man not only looked scared now, he was shaking.

Malinara tried again, speaking slow. The man shook his head. Malinara glanced at Bob. "Robert, his language isn't the same."

"Shit," Bob spat. "Can you learn his language?"

Malinara frowned. "With some time, not out here tonight."

"Then I guess we got a prisoner. Find some rope."

The closest thing to rope they could find was some metal strapping that was used to hold those artillery shells in place. Close enough. Bob ripped the strapping loose. Instead of taking the man back to the hay-hut, Bob led him into the woods and found a thick bunch of trees to lead him into. Malinara held the pistol on him as Bob sat him against the tree then wrapped the strap around him and the tree. There was enough left to twist the ends together.

Like with the women, Malinara made gestures and said a word. At first the man only gaped at her. A few slaps hard enough to turn his head and he got it. She walked her fingers and said, "Walk".

The man replied, "Cho."

They worked like this until the sun was up. Bob stayed nearby, listening to them. He had to give Malinara credit, she knew to get things out of him. Of course with the man glancing repeatedly at her burning hand, that wasn't burning her hand, he was more scared of her than the pistol Bob had.

With morning here, Bob could see Malinara was tired and the man's eyes kept drifting closed. She put the fire close to his face, and he was wide awake again and trying to get away from it.

"Na hurn!" he cried.

Malinara grinned, "He doesn't want to get burned." She sat down and said, "Sit."

He replied, watching her hand again. She'd gotten enough to ask in his language, "Why hunt women here?"

He replied. She screwed up her face stepped back and flooded fire over him. Bob jumped back as the man wailed in pain. He thrashed and wailed but was held against the tree by the metal strap.

"Mal!" Bob cried and grabbed her arm to thrust it in the air. "STOP!"

Malinara put her fire out and jabbed a finger at the burning, screaming man. "They are hunting those women to kill and EAT THEM!"

Bob's jaw dropped. He also the fire was beginning to spread on the ground. "We need to leave, now!"

Bob ran, Malinara followed. They ran away through the woods then figuring they were far enough away, he turned towards the field and ran. Looking behind him, he saw the smoke rising, and the man's wails of pain were dying out in tortured howls. They ran all the way back to the hay-hut.

Getting to the hut, the women, including Belle were outside looking at the rising smoke. Belle asked Malinara something.

"Don't tell her," Bob said firmly.

Malinara stopped. "Why not?"

"They are already scared, no need to terrify them."

"Fine, for now," Malinara agreed, "But they do need to know."

Bob looked back at the forest. The smoke was getting thinner. Hopefully Mal hadn't started a forest fire. Bob had planned much more questioning planned for that man, but Malinara made his plans go up in smoke.

"Mal, do not burn anyone else alive until I say it's OK." Bob said firmly.

"He deserved to die!" Malinara replied heavily.

"I agree, but I wasn't done questioning him yet. Now, I have to grab another one to question. Did you want to stay here?"

"Not if you don't," she replied.

Bob looked at the tall hay-hut. It was easy to see. "Ask if they can build a shelter in the woods so it won't be seen."

Malinara did. As she did, he eyed the woods again. The smoke was going away

Bob knew Malinara would be a help. Unless he watched her closely, she could also be a hindrance.

.

At the Sheriff's office, Harry made a summoning circle and summoned Hanna's spirit. She did appear, but her translucent form bore only a gown, no wings.

"Spirit Hanna, where is Robert Tanner?" Harry asked.

Hanna's face scrunched up like she was going to cry. "I was told Robert only, but he was calling for Malinara, so I sent her and … I'm not an angel any more."

"Because you sent Robert help?' Harry asked.

"Yes. But if she can help Robert, I will accept the demotion," Hanna said sadly.

"Where is Robert?' Harry asked.

Hanna shook her head. "I can't tell you. Sorry."

"Why not?" Joan cried.

Hanna sobbed and faded away.

"That's just great!" Allison spat. "Harry you must have a way to find him."

Harry shrugged. "I will try. Get me a small personal item of his."

.

Bob took another route back to where those men's camp was When he and Malinara got there, they'd left. The men, the tents, all gone. Only the fire pits they made were left. He looked down at the destroyed bridge. "Well, the only reason to destroy a bridge is to keep anyone from using it, so I imagine they came from that way. Let's go." At least he had the rifle that had some round in it.

Trooping down to the dry creek bed, he saw a big blood spot where that one woman had died. Looking closely, her head was there, and looked chewed on by animals. Right, this men had taken her for food.

Bob marched up the other bank and into the woods on that side, looking for those men who'd been camping nearby. Staying close to the dirt road that ran away from the bridge, he saw dust rising. A vehicle was coming.

"Mal, get concealed." he said and found a bush to hide behind. Mal dropped down next to him. "Think it's them?" she asked.

"We'll know in a minute."

Stake sided truck was coming, it looked full of lumber and four men carrying rifles were searching the way they were going. He also noted other heads in the back.

"Kill them?" Malinara asked.

It was only one vehicle, he saw no others. "The four gunmen, kill them after I get up. I'm going to run to the back of the truck and see who else is back there. Ready…"

As the truck moved to pass them, he barked, "Now!" and Sprang up. Malinara did too, focusing her fire on the gunmen in the front of the bed. Her long flame washed over the men. They screamed and tried to flee, falling on something. Bob got to the back of the truck, gun up and looked for anyone with a gun. The truck also stopped with a squeal of brakes.

The men in the back moved to flee out the back from the burning men. Seeing Bob, they held their hands up high gaping at them. A figure ran from the passenger side. Malinara shot another long flame at him. She also cooked the cab and whoever else was inside. The burning driver wailed as he tumbled out his side.

The men who had guns, and not were screaming and trying to put themselves out flailed and headed for the back. Bob shot them, then leveled his rifle on the ones by the back.

"Mal!" Come tell these men to sit down where they are!" Bob yelled.

Malinra ran over to them, pointed to the ground and commanded them to sit. She told Bob, "Robert, the one in the passenger side was a lizard!"

"What? That guy brought his pet?"

"No! He stood upright, but it was some kind of lizard." she explained, pointing. "He's not dead yet, just rather crispy."

Bob moved over to see the thing roll on the ground to put himself out. Now, there was too many to keep captive. He motioned down the road with his gun. "Go!" he told them.

Malinara barked out side words. The men got up and ran back down the road.

Bob with Malinara at his side, watched it rake up dirt to help put the fire on him out. Once he got it out he looked up at Bob, and raised his hands.

"This is something new." Bob noted. "Can he speak, or do we end his agony?"

In a voice that contained a hiss, the Lizard said, "I can speak. We just came to repair the bridge."

"You know English," Bob replied.

"I know 37 different languages. You are the murderer of the forest?"

"Not the first one. Seems your buddies like killing and eating women."

"That is their diet. English is an Earth language. Earth has no space flight. How did you get here?"

"You answer my questions. Why are women being hunted down and killed for food?"

"That is their diet," the lizard said again, then winced from his pains.

"You're going to be washed in a whole bunch of fire if you can't give me a better answer than that," Bob said firmly.

"That is what they prefer," the lizard-man said. "We came to build a civilization. We give them tech and help them. They do the work for us. You can work for us as well. It is to your benefit."

"Can I roast him yet?" Malinara asked, eyeing the thing.

"You know, pal, Mal here is ready to set you back on fire for any provocation. Lets talk about your civilization and what you're doing that makes those army men come hunting down innocent women for food."

The lizard grew a sneer. "Typical human! In your history we make you kind better and teach them and what do you do? Destroy! You wage war on everything, even each other! Now, you come here to do the same!"

"Light your fire Mal, don't burn him just yet," Bob stated.

Malinara lit her palm on fire, eyeing the lizard-man.

Bob told him, "You will answer my questions, or you can scream in pain."

"We did as we always do! Yes, the Garon like to eat the fresh meat of the grass dwellers! There's more of them now with our assistance, so they need more food. You are human, you shouldn't even be here!"

"I am here," Bob replied firmly. " I will stop the killing of those women and their men. You can go tell them, or we're gonna have a war."

"War is what humans do!" the lizard spat. "Kill anything that opposes you."

"Then don't oppose me," Bob replied. "If those people out there in the field are left alone, there will be no reason to fight."

"So you say!" the Lizard spat.

"Can I burn him yet?" Malinara asked.

"No," Bob told her. "Mr. Lizard here has a message to deliver."

"We are called Draco, not your insulting word humans use!"

Bob grinned at him. "Put your fire out, Mal. Mr. Lizard here needs to go back and warn those men to stop eating the field dwellers, or else." He moved to the side and motioned down the road. He told the lizard, "Get up and go."

The lizard got up in a limp, glaring at Bob. "May I take the truck? I cannot walk very well. Men have also worked hard to shape the lumber on here."

Bob nodded to the truck. "Take the truck, right after I collect those rifles. There will not be another bridge for those men to bring artillery. Understood?"

"Yes," the lizard hissed.

Bob got up in the back and collected the guns. One man had an ammo pouch on his belt. Bob took that too.

After Bob was down off the truck the lizard climbed back up into the truck, cast Bob a last dark look and shut the door.

"Off the road," Bob told Malinara. They went back into the woods and watched the truck start up and turn around to go back down the road.

"Think that's the end of it?" Malinara asked.

Bob shook his head. "Got a feeling it's only the beginning."

.