The wind blew from the north, swirling snow in its wake and piling it up against the fifteen foot wall made up of logs embedded into the now frozen ground side by side. The top of the logs had been shaved down into stakes to make it harder for invaders to climb over them into the village the wall surrounded. Beyond the wall of wood was a forest that the logs had been harvested from some three years before. The forest was deep and dark, the only light came from the moon, and the two lanterns that bobbed at the end of the poles carried by the two villagers that walked the outside perimeter of the wall.

Jim Ellison pulled his tattered makeshift fur shirt tighter around him as he followed behind one of those villagers. In one hand, the villager held the pole with its lantern, in the other he held the leather braided leash that was attached to the collar around Jim’s neck. Belted to the villager’s waist was a quiver of arrows and over his shoulder was a bow made from ash.

Jim was supposed to be using his heightened senses to determine if there was any danger to the village in the surrounding forest, but he didn’t care to bother. If an invading army attacked, Jim would have cheered them on.

He could have easily overpowered the villager that held his leash, and escaped into the forest that he had lived in for a year, but they had another sentinel that was walking with the other villager posing as a guard.

Mark was broken. Had been since Jim had been captured over four months ago. He would do as his captors told him, and track Jim for recapture. And Mark was a sentinel; all five senses heightened, and would easily track Jim no matter what Jim did to avoid recapture. And Jim didn’t want to think of the punishment the villagers would inflict on him for his escape attempt.

Instead, Jim followed Tim, the man who held his leash, and tried not to freeze to death. He also tried not to think at all.

However, thoughts flittered through his mind. He thought of his warm cave that he could be sleeping in at the moment had he not zoned on a trading trip four months gone. Having a sentinel already, the villagers had recognized the sign of a zone. They happily captured him while he was vulnerable, stripped him of his wares that he had spent months killing and tanning, collared him, and threw him into the kennel with Mark.

Ever since the bombs had fallen eight years ago, and the last world war had ended, most of the world had been thrown back into nearly the stone age. EMP pulses from bombs had destroyed all electronics, planes had crashed, cities had been destroyed, and the survivors were few and far between.

Jim had been a soldier during the war. When it ended, he had to make his way from the battlefront in South America to North America through hostile territory, using his senses to avoid radioactive areas.

That had been the reason more than anything that sentinels suddenly became valuable property to the survivors who were eking out a living in what was left of the world. Sentinels had always been around, free as any other American citizen before the wars. They had been cops, soldiers, firefighters, EMTs, doctors and forest rangers. Most citizens never thought twice about them because of their penchant for being the good guys rather than the so called bad guys.

With no one to control them, the citizenry had turned to anything that would help them survive, including a strange type of slavery. Jim had learned of it some three months after returning to the states. He had also learned of two armies being gathered together.

In the eastern United States and Canada, a neo nazis lunatic by the name of Garret Kincaid was building an army, and enslaving minorities as well as sentinels. In the west, an ex-cop named Simon Banks was also building an army. The difference was that Banks was no racists, and was from all reports building roads, encouraging trade between villages, and killing raiders and bandits. They were both the same in one instance. They continued the enslavement of sentinels for their purposes.

The people of the village were Jim was enslaved feared both armies. Which was why they set a guard each night using the sentinels. Which was why both Jim and Mark were outside the walls freezing their balls off.

Better than being inside the walls, Jim thought. He shuddered at that thought. The so called mayor of the village had a secret that he kept well hidden from even his wife. The mayor, Allen Freed, couldn’t get his dick up for women, or men. Instead, the man was into bestiality. Which was why he kept pigs, and goats even though his wife hated animals.

He had also discovered that his love of animals extended to those he believed to be animals. Sentinels. Mark was broken because of that very reason. The mayor had used Mark many times, and when Jim came along, he continued his perversities using Jim along with Mark. No one else in the village knew. No one would believe him if he told them. The villagers respected and trusted their mayor. They treated Jim and Mark like they were animals.

Shaking his head, Jim tried to dispel his memories that seemed to find a hold on dark cold nights. As he did, he accidentally turned up his hearing and caught the sound that brought him up short. The noise was specific and told Jim exactly what it meant.

“There’s an army out there.” Jim said quietly. Tim turned and looked at him.

“Are you sure?”

Jim nodded, “Their cutting wood for fires, and making camp. There’s horses and wagons moving about. Its not raiders, too many to be raiders. Its an army.” Jim felt elation at that thought. With an army in the wilderness, they wouldn’t send a hunting party out after him if he escaped.

“We need to tell the mayor.” Tim said as he headed at a jog for the door that led through the wall and into the village. Jim was forced to keep up. Waiting for them at the door was Harry and the other sentinel Mark.

Jim’s chance for that night was gone, but he knew from the sounds the army wasn’t planning on leaving just yet. He would have another chance to escape.

Tim quickly explained to Harry what Jim had told him. Mark couldn’t confirm it because his range wasn’t as strong as Jim’s and they knew it.

“I’ll go and tell the mayor. I’ll take Jimmy with me in case the mayor wants to questions him about it. Keep patrolling with Mark, see if he can get anything.” Tim told Harry who nodded.

Jim was forced to follow Tim through the sentry gate, and into the walled village. They hurried through the slushy snow to the mayor’s two story home. Tim pulled a bell rope near the door to wake the mayor.

Jim could hear the mayor grumbling at being woken at an ungodly hour, and could him stumbling around trying to get some clothes on and light a lantern using his stubby fingers.

Eventually the mayor tramped down his stairs, and went to the front door to admit Tim.

“Tim?” Allen Freed said puzzled, “Is something wrong?”

“I’m sorry to woke you Mayor, but Jim here reported an army in the woods. He says he could hear them making camp, and that it was to large a force t be raiders or bandits.” Tim told him.

The mayor’s eyes widened, “An army. Could only mean…” He looked sharply at Jim, “Which one, do you know.”

Jim shrugged, “I didn’t hear anything to indicate which,” was all he said. He knew it was a better than even chance that the army belonged to Banks.

“Tim, I need you to go and wake the councilors. Tell them we need to have an emergency meeting. When you’ve woken all of them, then go to the meeting house, and get it set up for us to meet there. No need for us all to freeze while we discuss this. When you are done with that, then come get Jim here and replace Harry out there. I want more information. Make sure I get some.” The mayor ordered.

“Yes sir.” Tim said. “Uh, does that mean you want me to leave Jimmy here?”

“Yes. If there is an army out there its quite possible that the first thing they will do is send assassins into the town. Which is also why I want you to tell Harry to take the other sentinel to the meeting house to guard the councilors.”

“Oh I see, sir. Jimmy can warn you if anyone comes into the house. The mayor would be the first person they would try to assassinate.” Tim said. He then went and tied the end of the leash to a ring in the fireplace. After that, he left the mayor’s house to wake the councilors.

“So they were making camp were they?” The mayor said to Jim when Tim left.

He’s figured it out, Jim thought.

“I know you’re range. You should have heard them coming long before they made camp. If that army attacks, you will pay even more than you are going to pay tonight. And if you wake my wife, you will regret it.”

Jim shuddered as the mayor came closer.

“Remove them.” The mayor ordered.

Jim obeyed stripping off the ragged clothes he wore. The mayor took up a riding crop from the mantel and when Jim was nude he began to rein blows down on Jim’s bare buttocks, lower back, and upper thighs. Jim bit his lip to keep from crying out so as not to wake the mayor’s wife.

When the mayor was done whipping Jim, the man dropped his riding crop, then dropped his pants.

Jim tasted blood from his lip as he felt the mayor’s penis force its way inside him. His senses told him he had been torn yet again, and the pain was sharp. With each stroke, the pain increased, and a few more tears were formed. Eventually, the sick bastard came, his seed spilling into Jim’s ass, and the mayor pulled out his dick, and then pulled up his pants. He headed for the stairs to clean up and finish dressing for the meeting.

Jim needed no orders to redress himself. He did so carefully, making sure that certain rags were placed strategically to catch any blood that leaked from his torn anus so that no one would see any proof of what had occurred. His body ached from the whipping and by the time he had dressed completely the mayor had come downstairs fully dressed. The bell rang, and Tim came inside to collect Jim telling the mayor that council had been woke, and that the fireplaces in the hall were blazing. Tim’s wife, Mary, was there cooking some breakfast for the councilors and the mayor. The mayor thanked Tim, and left.

Tim untied the sentinel, and led him out of the mayor’s home. As they headed for the sentry gate, they passed by the kennel.

Jim looked at it. It was a dog kennel with wire mesh on all sides including the top and bottom. There was a large doghouse inside. Large for a dog, but it barely fit the two men that had to share it.

At the sentry gate, Tim waited for Harry to complete his circuit. Jim opened up his hearing, found Harry and Mark to be far enough away. He also listened for anyone else that might be close. When he was sure that no one would hear, Jim quickly and without warning attacked Tim.

He didn’t kill the man, but did knock him unconscious without the man making any sound. Then he stood the man against the wall and waited.

Harry wasn’t very bright nor was his eyesight good. He didn’t notice anything wrong with Tim until it was too late. Jim took Harry out as well. Mark dropped to the ground, huddled in on himself as Jim fought Harry.

Harry made no sound either except the slight thud as he hit the snow covered ground.

Jim quickly stripped both Harry and Tim of their weapons, pouches and anything else that might be useful. Then he knelt beside Mark.

“Do you want to come with me?” He asked the other sentinel.

“Where?” Mark asked.

“Into the mountains. I have a home up there.”

“I I can’t, I’m too scared, I can’t survive the wilderness. I’m not like you Jim.”

“I’ll take care of you, Mark. I don’t want to leave you here for the mayor and the others to punish for my escaping.”

“I’m sorry, Jim. I can’t but you go. I just hope they don’t use me to track you.”

“They won’t leave this place while that army is out there. They are too scared. And if that army is Banks, you might be better off after they take over.”

“Maybe. Be careful, Jim.”

“You, too, Mark. I wish you would go with me.”

“Don’t..I just can’t, I’m too scared. More scared than I am of him. Go, before they come.”

Jim hated to leave Mark, but he would not force the sentinel to do anything. Mark was unsuited to wilderness survival, and the wilderness frightened him. He clasped Mark’s shoulder, nodded to the other sentinel, then turned and ran into the surrounding woods.

Once in the wilderness, Jim opened up all his senses and relished the feeling and sense of freedom that washed over him. He laughed as the rush made him a bit giddy, and he stumbled a bit before righting himself and increasing his pace. The cold bite of the wind, and the wetness of the snow falling on his face felt good. He moved through the wilderness as easily as a wild animal, retracing his tracks, making false trails with almost no real thought about it. His training and instincts took over and Jim made his way further and further from his place of captivity.

It was still night time. The air was cold, and Jim had only bare rags for protection. He knew he needed to get as far as he could, but even as he moved, his eyes kept scanning the area looking for some type of shelter he could use.

Eventually, he felt as if he was far enough into the woods, and found a depression in some rocks that would act as a cave. The depression was dry and held off the icy wind. It was also fortuitous that he found some branches and leaves that had been blown into the depression some time ago. Unlike everything outside, the branches there were dry. He used the leaves as tender, and built a small fire from the branches. He brought more branches inside and sat them near the fire to dry. From one of the pouches he had stolen, Jim pulled out some dried fruit and some jerky. He nibbled on them as he waited for the fire to get hot enough to be able to catch the other wood on fire.

Eventually, he was able to add the rest of the wood, and bank the fire to keep it from going out. Then he curled up in a ball to keep in warmth, and fell asleep.

General Simon Banks gently guided his mount toward the gates of the walled village. Behind him were three of his men also mounted on sturdy horses; all were armed with bows and swords, and one carried Bank’s banner. The sun shone down on all of them, and the snow had stopped.

Beside him on a sorrel mare was Dr. Blair Sandburg, Bank’s personal physician, friend, and counselor.

“Any bets on what they’ll do?” Blair asked.

“Not really. This community is a little far from our planned route. So it doesn’t really matter to me if they sign or not.” Simon said.

“If they do sign..”

“Then we’ll change our plans. I would never go back on my word.”

“No doubt. That will delay the road crews, though. I hope this town has something to offer besides trees. I don’t even see any farms.”

“I just hope they aren’t any trouble.” Simon answered.

They stopped at speaking distance from the wall.

The man with the banner rode up a few more paces, and shouted. “General Simon Banks requests council with your leaders!”

“And if we don’t?” An answer came.

“Then we will ride away, and never come back. And you will lose an opportunity that you will regret later.”

“How do we know you will not attack us?”

“You do not. You have only our word that we won’t.”

There was a moment of silence, then the man on the wall answered. “Alright. Come in through the sentry gate.”

A door on the wall opened and two armed men stepped out. The bannerman rode over the position to check it out. When he felt it was safe he waved to General Banks.

“Here we go.” Banks whispered only to Blair then nudged his horse into a walk.

Once inside the gates, they were directed by those men toward what they called the council house. As they rode toward it they passed a kennel made from wire mesh where a young man huddled in a corner wearing only rags and a collar. Blair and Simon knew him to be a sentinel. They both stared at the kennel disapprovingly. They made no comment and continued on toward the house.

Once there, Simon and Blair dismounted, the other three stayed on their horses. Blair handed one of the men the reins to his and Simon’s horse, and then he followed Simon up the wooden steps taking with a him a leather satchel.

Several men stepped out of the house.

“I am mayor Alan Freed, and this is our council.” A large man said.

“I am General Simon Banks, and this is Dr. Blair Sandburg.”

“Come inside, and we will discuss what it is you wish to talk about.”

Once inside the house, the council members and the mayor seated themselves behind a horseshoe shaped table.

“I have come with a proposition of an alliance of sort. By signing the documents that my colleague has, you would be placing yourself under the protection of my empire. From that protection you will be required to pay taxes, obey laws I have set up, and allow my men free access to your village. In return you would receive many benefits including protection from raiders, bandits, and other armies.”

“Taxes. There is no currency.” One of the councilors said.

“You are correct. The tax is a percentage, about ten percent of your goods that you produce. I noticed as we came in that there are no farms or ranches.”

“Its to dangerous. Raiders would destroy the farms, and kill the people. We each plant only what we need to eat.”

“If you accept my authority and sign the contract, my men would scour the wilderness around us killing any raiders or bandits they find. You would be safe to begin farming outside your walls. Everything is in the papers.” He nodded to Blair.

Blair opened the satchel and set down a stack of papers on the table in front of the mayor.

“The papers have everything in them. The laws are there, and are required to be posted should you sign them. The benefits you would receive, and also your obligations. I will give you three days if you need them. Should you decide to sign them, then you must open your gates to my men so that they may begin construction on the barracks, homes, and offices that my men will need to station themselves here.”

“We will look over your offer, General Banks and give you are decision in three days.” The mayor said.

“Good enough. “ Banks said.

“There is another matter I wish to tell you.” The mayor said.

“And that is..”

“Our sentinel escaped into the forest this past night.”

“You had two sentinels?” Blair asked

“Yes.” The mayor answered.

“I am sorry, but I will not hunt down sentinels, even escaped ones. And I suggest very strongly that you look at the guidelines for keeping a sentinel that are in those papers. Good day.” And with that Simon turned and left the building. Blair followed.

Outside they mounted up on their horses and began the trek out of the walled village. People came out of their homes to stare at them.

“What do you wanna bet that the council doesn’t even discuss any of this with the populace.” Blair said.

“Probably not. Oh well. They elected those men, I’m sure.”

They passed the kennel again, and Blair stared at it. “Two sentinels. That kennel can’t even hold one comfortably, and look at that doghouse. Horrible.”

“Yes it is. If nothing else, I would hope for this sentinel’s sake that they do sign the papers.”

Blair nodded in agreement.

They rode back to their camp in a forest clearing that was at the moment being cleared even more. Some of the soldiers were using axes to chop down some trees for wood, and to clear more room. Teams of heavy horses were being used to pull out the stumps.

All the tents were set up, and several fires were going. Some were being used to cook, while others were used for boiling laundry. Soldiers were practicing arms, while others busied themselves with the usual camp chores. The few prisoners who were working off their time with the army were digging the latrines, and washing clothing under the eyes of armed jailors. Poles with lanterns had been set up for nighttime, and the horses were picketed among the tree line, and were being fed hay and alfalfa. The soldiers were all men or women above the age of eighteen. Simon refused to accept anyone younger as a soldier. Younger children however could be among the camp workers who did the menial tasks until they reached the age to join the army, but only with parental permission. They served the same purpose as pages, and were extremely useful.

One of the young pages came and took Simon’s horse when he dismounted while others took the horses of Blair and the soldiers. They saluted the general who saluted them back, then took the horses to the picket lines.

Once inside his tent, Simon sat down on his folding chair behind the folding table where papers sat waiting to be looked over. Blair had entered the tent as well, and seated himself on another chair.

Simon sighed, and then reached for the newest reports.

“The road crews are a ahead of schedule. They will reach the marker early tomorrow rather than the day after tomorrow. I’ve already told Raymond to stop at the marker until he hears from me. Should give the prisoners more resting time, and they’ll need it. If that town signs on, they’ll be working longer than expected.” Simon commented.

“As will we. I am guessing this forest is swarming with bandits. Our presence has them cautious at the moment, but that may change.” Blair added.

“If they attack us, I’m going to have this forest cleared whether that town signs on or not. A bandit would be a fool or desperate to attack us.”

Simon shifted through more of the reports. “Cascade’s finished their harvest. Whitespray, and Gull’s Town are nearly done. They’ve already begun the trade fair. Darryl says hi, by the way.” Simon continued.

Simon’s eldest son, Darryl, was running everything back in Cascade, Simon’s capital. The areas up north were prosperous, and civilized thanks to Simon and his army.

“Are you going to do anything about that sentinel? You know that there are three towns on the waiting list.” Blair said.

Simon sighed, “I know. I just don’t understand why they think they need a sentinel. My army does perfectly well without one. If only I could change that, but I would lose the support of half my army, and most of the towns if I changed the law about sentinels.”

“Its part of the new world, Simon. I hate it myself. I remember when Sentinels were respected and free, but a lot has changed. The world we knew is gone. The survivors had no real advantage. They had forgotten how to live without technology. Sentinel were a link to the ancestral past where survival was more important than money. By controlling that, they felt they controlled their survival. Not everyone treated their sentinels so poorly. And with your sentinel laws, they can’t treat them poorly. “

”You’ve explained this before, I think. It still makes no sense to me, but I’ll take your word for it. But I really don’t care about any waiting list. I have no intentions of sending men out to look for a runaway sentinel. If the townspeople catch him, fine. But I am going to tell my troops that if they run across him to just leave him alone.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Blair agreed.

In the surrounding forest, Jim woke from his sleep inside his shelter. The sun was already up, and it was about midday. Jim had spent most of the night running and patrolling, so sleeping late did not surprise him. Once awake, Jim added a few pieces of wood to the banked fire, then ate some more jerky and dried fruit from the pouches while he soaked in the warmth of the fire. When he was done eating and drinking, Jim put out the fire piling dirt on top of it, then left the shelter to begin his trek to the cave that he had spent a year living in before he had been captured by the villagers.

He found his cave before night fell, and went inside. His senses told him it was unoccupied, but had had visitors while he had been away. Fortunately nothing was totally destroyed. He was able to clean up the cave, and repair what had been torn. His bedding had to be cleaned, and he took them to the nearby spring to do so.

The spring was a large crystal clear pool where a natural spring continuously fed the pool from below. The pool had a small stream that ran from it that eventually fed a river miles downstream. Jim used the soaproot that grew around the spring to clean his bedding, and his clothes that he had in the cave. He scrubbed them good, and rinsed them in the spring then took the wet furs and leather back to the cave where he hung them on a line inside the cave to dry. He started a fire in the hole dug just for that. The ceiling was high enough that the smoke caused no trouble as it exited the cave through a natural smoke hole. He used what firewood he had in his cave to stoke the fire, and then went to his pit to see about his food supply.

Most of the meat had gone bad, and had to be buried far from the cave. Some of the plants were old and moldy, but a few had survived thanks to the cold of the pit. With some plants and a bit of meat, Jim made himself a meal while he waited for his clothes to dry. Outside night fell.

He stayed up and kept the fire going. Using a kettle he had made from stretched hides and wood, he heated some water placing hot stones inside the cooking container. He stripped out of the worn rags, and cleaned himself using the warm water. He was angry when after he had cleaned between his butt cheeks he came away with blood on the wet cloth. When he finished cleaning himself, he found dug through his meager supplies and found an ointment he had made from plants he knew to be healing. Using his finger he smeared the ointment inside himself, and felt the small tears in his rectum as he did so. When he removed his finger, there was blood mixed with the ointment. He cleaned his finger then found some soft fox fur strips that he strategically placed over his anus to catch the blood, then redress his own now dry clothes. A pair of leather pants made from buckskin, a doeskin sleeveless jerkin, and some leather and fur boots.

Jim then took the container out and dumped its red and muddy contents. Back inside the cave, Jim took down his now dry bedding, and laid it down on the newly swept granite floor of the cave. He wrapped himself in his blankets and slept.

The next morning, Jim woke and went outside to use the facilities. He checked himself, and noticed the bleeding had stopped, and he added more of the ointment to his himself. After that, Jim got the bow he taken from the townsmen, and the quiver of arrows, and went hunting. He had a winter to get prepared for.

His sentinel senses helped in his hunting. It allowed him to scent animals like a hound, and track them in that manner. Within the first few hours he found and killed an elk. As he spent the time skinning and dressing the carcass he used his senses to check out his surroundings. Animals that should not live naturally on the continent were busy readying themselves for winter. Animals that were descendents of escaped zoo animals were now a part of the North American ecosystem. And the low number of humans who had survived and were eeking out an existence had helped to strengthen the number of animals. Natural predators kept the prey animals populations from over feeding areas, and all in all it made for a rich land.

Jim took the elk carcass back to his cave, and cut up the meat. Rather than use the pit which was no longer viable, Jim set up a smoking tent that he had made a long time ago. He used the tent to began smoking the elk meat while he scraped and cleaned the elk hide. Placing the hide on a frame to dry, Jim went back to hunting taking a leather pouch to hold any edible plants roots or berries that he found.

He killed a Big Horn sheep, two mule deer, and a cougar that had thought to make a meal of Jim’s recently killed deer. He got all of the meat back to the cave, and had even filled his pouch with some edible roots that tasted like turnips, and some wild carrots.

All the meat went to the smoking tent except a bit of the venison, which he cooked with the roots and carrots for his meal. While he waited for the food to cook, Jim repaired his nets that he used to fish.

After his meal, Jim took the net to the river. He threw the net out and then hauled in several pounds of fish. He killed, de-scaled, and cleaned each one, then went back to the cave. The fish meat was placed in the smoking tent, and the fire was built up some more. Taking a sling, and a pouch of stones, along with his collecting bags, Jim went gathering.

His senses told him if an unfamiliar plant was edible, or poisonous. He senses also helped him to find hard to find plants. He used a digging stick to dig up the edible and medicinal roots, and a knife to scrape off bark from willow trees and cherry trees. Wild onions, carrots, and berries were also collected, until eventually all his gathering bags were full.

A quickly slung stone killed a rabbit, and the dressed carcass hung on his belt as he made his way back to his cave.

The rabbit’s meat was stuffed with carrots, roots, onions, and spitted over the fire for his dinner. While that cooked, Jim filled his empty leather containers with edible plants, and placed some of the medicinal herbs on drying racks. The containers were small, made of hardened leather and wood, and were stored in the back of the cave. The dyed color marks on the containers told Jim which ones held which items.

After he devoured his meal of rabbit and vegetables, Jim cleaned up at the spring, added more ointment to his rectum, and went to sleep after banking the fire for the night.

Blair sat in the chair in Simon’s tent eating a bowl of oat porridge with sugar and milk. On the other side of the table, Simon also ate his porridge while going over some papers absently.

It had been nearly two days since they had given their proposition to the nearby village, and so far they had not yet heard an answer. Simon was getting impatient. He hated waiting.

“How long does it take for them to make up their mind.” Simon growled to no one in particular.

Blair only shrugged.

“Maybe if they could see what we eat for breakfast they’ll come around.” Bryan Rafe said.

Rafe was captain of the specialists, the ones who did the bandit hunting in the wilderness. They were mounted on sturdy mountain ponies, and used horsebows, and swords to cut down raiders. They could track, hide their own trails, and live off the wilderness for several days. At the moment they were sitting around the camp waiting word on whether or not they would be searching for raiders and bandits in the surrounding wilderness.

“You don’t think they eat this good in the village?” Blair asked.

“I’ve gotten a good look at the place. I never saw any farms, just small gardens inside. They don’t have a mill, and not a lot of farm animals. I bet they haven’t seen sugar since the Ending, or any bead. I’m not sure exactly what they would have to offer for trade.”

“Wood is about the only thing so far. Once the bandits are cleared away, then they also will have land that can be farmed or used for grazing herds. This forest probably has good hunting as well which means furs. They won’t have anything for awhile, but given a season they should have enough to pay their taxes.” Simon answered.

At that moment, a messenger showed up. “General Banks, the village has opened its gates. A man came on horseback to inform us that their council has accepted the proposal.”

“Good. Have mine and Blair’s horses saddled, and have contingent of five men along with my bannerman and my page ready to ride within twenty minutes.” Simon ordered.

“Yes, sir.” The messenger went to relay the orders.

Simon, Blair and Rafe finished their breakfast, and then exited the tent leaving on of the servants to clean up.

“If you don’t mind, General, I will ready my men.” Rafe said.

Simon nodded, and with salute Rafe left them to gather his men. Simon had returned the salute and then he and Blair walked over to where their horses waited surrounded by five men on horseback, a bannerman holding Bank’s banner, and a young page sitting in the saddle of a sturdy gray pony.

Simon and Blair mounted up and they made their way to the village that had decided to accept Bank’s offer.

They rode into the village through the open gates. All the townspeople were gathered around the council house, and the town council and its mayor where waiting on the porch of the council house.

The riders stopped short of the crowd. Simon, Blair and the page dismounted. The page held the reins of the riderless horses while Simon and Blair went up the steps passed thru crowd to the village council.

“We have read over your accords, General Banks, and we find them agreeable.” The mayor said.

“Good, then we can oversee the signing, and get to work.” Simon said.

The mayor led them into the council room. Simon watched as each council member and the mayor signed the accords. Once the ink was dry, Simon took the signed page, and placed it in a leather satchel.

“Now,” Simon said leaning back in his chair. “While my men work, I am available to answer questions.”

Blair had taken the satchel outside, and placed it in the saddlebags of Simon’s horse. He had then told two of the soldiers to head back and bring the rest of the encamped army into the village to begin building and also to tell Captain Rafe to begin his excursions into the mountains. The two soldiers saluted, and left.

Another of the soldiers dismounted and followed Blair, who now had the responsibility of seeing to the health of the town’s sentinel, and finding the location for the hospital.

Inside the council room the questions began. “I don’t think we understood the part about the sentinel?” The mayor asked.

“It is simple. The sentinel is to be housed in an appropriate kennel. The one you have is not sufficient. The kennels dimensions are on the accords, and the kennel must have a large, warm, dry and adequate shelter. If these aren’t met, or if any abuse is discovered, the sentinel will be confiscated y the military, a fine will be levied by the judge, and any other sentence he deems appropriate.”

The council and mayor said nothing, only nodded. Another councilor asked about trade. Simon explained that the road crews would be headed in the direction of the village. Once established, the road led to all villages and cities within the empire, and that trade was encouraged, and was open. Some cities made things other cities didn’t, and villages had more raw goods than cities. There was even trade in Cascade coming from Hawaii. The survivors in Hawaii had built trading ships, and had sought the mainland for trading purposes. They found Cascade and its docks. The Hawaiians brought sugar, pineapples, and other trade goods.

Another asked about the judge. Simon explained about the law school that was established in Cascade. There were no lawyers. A person was still innocent till proven guilty but there was no attorneys to play with the facts of a case. The judge weighed the truth of the evidence, and the witnesses and delivered the verdict and sentence himself. And the judges could not be bribed. If anyone tried, and the judge was tempted by the bribe all the judge had to do was tell Simon what it was that was offered and Simon would give it to him if it was at all possible. Simple times made simple methods possible.

Simon ended up explaining that hanging was only for murderers, bandits and raiders, child molesters, and two time rapists. The punishments were medieval, but they worked. A rapist was castrated for the first offence and hung for the second. Very few rapists were ever hung. If culprit was a woman, she was sentenced to hard labor for five years, unless the victim was a child. People who molested or raped children were hung, and Simon had no mercy for them.

While Simon answered questions, Blair met the army as it came through the gates with the loaded wagons. Also with the wagons were the hard labor workers who had been sentenced for their crimes. They would be building the hospital, the barracks and the offices. They would also build the homes for the judge, the doctor assigned, and the nurses. Already Captain Taggert was taking his men who guarded the laborers out into the forest to cut the wood for the building. The laborers all wore warm clothing, and had ankle chains to keep them from trying to run off. The rest of the army, and the servants were busy pitching the tents on the open ground, and starting the cooking fires. By the time the road crew made it to the village, everything else should be done, and Simon and the army that would not be staying in the village would be ready to leave.

Blair made sure to send messengers out to Cascade so that the assigned judge, doctor and nurses could make the trip.

Once that was done, Blair and his guard went to look at the sentinel.

It wasn’t long after seeing the sentinel that Blair knew the poor man was broken. Which only served to make Blair angry. He had the guard bring the sentinel to Blair’s tent, so that he could examine the man for injuries, or any signs of abuse.

Blair was in the tent when the guard entered with the sentinel on a leash. The guard told him that the sentinel’s name was apparently Mark.

“Its alright, Mark. I’m a doctor. I won’t hurt you, I promise.” Blair tried to reassure the frightened man. But the sentinel flinched visibly at the word doctor.

“Have someone find some warmer, and cleaner clothes for Mark. Also have one of the servants bring me a tub, and get some water heated so he can be bathed.” Blair told the guard.

The guard nodded, handed the leash to Blair and went to follow orders.

“Come on and sit down, Mark. We’ll wait for the clothes and the bath before we get started. But first is there anything you want to tell me?” Blair felt that there was, but Mark just shook his head, his eyes full of fear.

The servant brought the clothes and the tub. A few more servants filled it with hot water, and some cold water so that the water in the tub would be warm, not scalding. Blair nodded to the table in the tent, and the servant laid the clean clothes there. The guard had returned.

Once the servants were done they left, and Blair told the guard to stand outside and see to it that no one entered the tent. The patient might be a sentinel, but Blair felt the man deserved as much privacy as any citizen.

At Blair’s order, the sentinel stripped out of the rags that he was wearing, and stepped into the tub. Blair was gentle and methodical as he cleaned the sentinel using a soap made especially for sentinels in Cascade. The sentinel shook, afraid and Blair was careful. He talked soothingly as he bathed Mark, and then helped him out of the tub. Blair used a soft towel to dry the sentinel off, and then had Mark sit down on the folding table that Blair used as an examining table. The thing was sturdy enough to hold up to five hundred pounds.

Blair used his instruments from his back to check Mark’s ears, eyes and mouth. The sentinel’s teeth were loose and his gums were receding. He also had a few rotted teeth that Blair would have to pull. Blair found lice in the sentinel’s hair despite the bath, and found flea bites on most of Mark’s body. He found old bruises, and a riding crop or a switch on the sentinel’s back, upper thighs and buttocks made marks Blair suspected.

However it was the rectal exam that Blair made sure all sentinel got for the very reason Blair discovered that made Blair even angrier. The exam showed old and new tears that spoke of recent and past rapes. The sentinel had cried when Blair did the exam, and Blair did his best to be quick and as painless as he could.

The rectal exam also revealed a strange rash inside the sentinel’s rectum that Blair couldn’t identify. He took swabs of the rash, and placed them in glass vials with cork stoppers to be sent to Cascade. Cascade had labs, while not as sophisticated as those before the Turning, was still good. They were the ones creating the drugs that Blair and the other doctors used to treat their patients. They should be able to find out what was causing the rash and how to treat it.

When he was done, he let the sentinel get dressed, then told him to stay in the tent. Blair went out of the tent and told the guard to keep anyone from going in and the sentinel from leaving. He then went in search of Simon.

Jim became aware of the soldiers searching through the wilderness rather quickly. He had been out hunting when his senses first tagged on them. He followed sound and scent, and watched them from a hidden position. They rode good sturdy ponies, and were armed. They wore clothes that blended well with the scenery, and could track well. He watched them find the their first bandits nest, and wipe out the lot. The few captives they rescued, though the women were too much in shock to know what was going on. A small contingent was sent back to their main camp to take the women to safety.

After that Jim mostly stayed away from them, and continued his hunting and gathering preparing himself for the winter. Once he came across their makeshift camp, and watched them as they ate. He could smell the bread, and the oatmeal along with butter and jam, and his stomach rumbled. He wondered if he could sneak into their camp when night fell and steal some food.

He waited and when it was full night with only the stars light to see by, Jim watched the pattern of their sentries. They were good, but Jim was an ex-Army Ranger as well as a sentinel, and he managed to sneak into their camp. He found their supplies, and took bread, a couple handfuls of oats, and a jar of jam and a jar of butter. He snuck out again bypassing the sentries, and made sure not to leave a trail for them to follow.

At his cave, Jim heated the bread over his fire, and added butter and jam before biting into it. The taste was heaven, and made his mouth water and his stomach grumble. He ate all the bread he had stolen which had only been half a loaf. After so long without, the bread was better than anything, and Jim wished he dared steal more. He made his mind up though not to try again. They would be more alert for a thief, and Jim definitely didn’t want to be caught. They wouldn’t hang him for a thief, but capture him as a sentinel for which Jim thought was a lot worse.

He saved the oats for a breakfast adding the jam to it for taste, and used the butter on some meat and vegetables for dinner.

He stayed away from the camps, and continued his hunting and gathering. Three days after he had stolen the food he came across a bandit camp. The bandits were well hidden in a sheltered grove. From a hiding place he watched them, and saw that they had many captives, women, men and children. He counted their numbers and marked their location in his mind. Then he went looking for the soldiers.

He found them a few miles from the bandit camp. They had set up camp for the night. The moon was full, which made it dangerous for Jim. On a rock, Jim used a burned stick to draw a map of where the bandits’ camp was, then wrote down the number of bandits, and captives and told them he was sorry for stealing their food. He signed it sentinel so that they would know he wasn’t a bandit. The bandits wouldn’t know there was a sentinel loose in the wilderness. If they did they would be trying their best to find him. Or her. Jim then started a fire that the sentries could spot easily, and left the area quickly.

He stayed close enough that with his senses he was able to watch as the sentries found the map and the note, and reported to their captain. Jim listened.

“Well, well, so that’s who took the food. No matter, this makes up for it.” The captain said.

“Sir, what if he’s lying?” One of the men said. “This might be a trick.”

“I doubt it. Simon did say a sentinel had escaped from the village. Where else would he be except here in this wilderness? And only a sentinel could have passed by the sentries in the dark. No, it’s no trick. In the morning, we will deal with these bandits our sentinel found for us.” The captain memorized the map, and then erased it. He sent his men back to the camp, and followed.

Jim didn’t like being referred to as their sentinel, but he ignored that, and went on back to his cave. He heated some leftovers, and went to sleep.

In the morning, Jim found his way to the bandit camp, and found that the soldiers had beaten him there. He watched from a good hiding spot as all the surviving bandits were hanged and the captives were cared for. Satisfied that the captain had done what was needed, Jim left the area and continued his hunting.

Blair had talked to Simon, and told him what he had found, and Simon agreed to take the sentinel from the village. The mayor and the village council were not happy, but Simon reminded them that they had agreed to the laws stated in the accords. And one of those laws was that the military, the medical personnel or the judge had the right to take the village sentinel if he or she believed the sentinel was being abused. Their grumbling didn’t stop but at least they didn’t protest openly.

The sentinel stayed in the military camp. Blair didn’t tie him up or secure him because he felt the sentinel wouldn’t try to run away. Mark had told him that Jim, the other sentinel, had offered to let Mark go with him when Jim escaped, but Mark had refused.

Mark stayed in a tent that had a guard, not to keep him in, but to keep everyone else out. When asked who abused him, Mark would not answer, even when Simon asked. He was too terrified to talk, and did not yet know that he was safe.

“If Mark was sexually assaulted, then it almost a given that the other one was too.” Blair told Simon.

“Most likely. Don’t blame him for running away. Should I change the order, do you think Blair? If he’s been assaulted, he might be more willing to tell us who did it than Mark. My men could bring him in if you think its necessary.” Simon said.

“No. There’s no need. I don’t like the idea of capturing him, and if you do, then you can’t let him go. Your own laws forbid it. No, best if we just investigate as we normally would. Maybe given enough time Mark will feel he is safe enough to talk.”

Blair was kept busy when the first rescued captives were brought to him. He did what he could for them. All the women had been sexually assaulted numerous times, and their minds were in shock. He treated their wounds, then found women among the villagers who were more than willing to take the poor girls into their homes and help them as best they could.

Blair had been angered by the sight of the captive women, and had been glad that the bandits had been stopped for good, but he was enraged when he saw that the next set of captives included children. Again he did what he could to heal their wounds, and found people to take them in. The hospital was being built, but it would take some time before it was up and operational. Until then, the kindness of the villagers was all that the captives had for beds and shelter.

After he had taken care of the last rescued captive, a small boy, Blair left the medical tent and went to Simon’s.

He entered to find Simon speaking to one of the soldiers who had brought the rescued captives to the village.

“Blair you are not going to believe this, but then again you might.” Simon told him as Blair entered.

“What’s that?” Blair asked as he seated himself.

“Apparently they had a strange run in with the runaway sentinel. Apparently, he crept into their camp and stole some food one night. Then last night he left them a message telling them where to find the latest bandit nest, and apologizing for stealing the food.” Simon explained.

“That is strange. So no one really saw him.”

“No, but Rafe believes it to be the runaway sentinel. Who else could sneak into one of Rafe’s camps without being caught.”

“You are probably right. I can’t think of anyone. I wonder why he did that? Led them to the bandits.”

“Probably saw those captives, especially those kids, and decided he had to do something. As I remember it, sentinels had a strong sense of right and wrong.” Simon conjectured.

“Yes, they did. And still do despite everything. “

Jim continued to help Rafe’s band as he could. He did not deviate from his own hunting to prepare himself for the coming winter, but when he ran across a bandit camp in his hunting, he informed Captain Rafe via a map on a nearby stone.

The second time he left a message, he found waiting for him a message from Captain Rafe along with two small bags of oats about five pounds each, a three pound bag of sugar, and a large loaf of bread. The message said that the food was a thank you for helping make their job easier. Jim left his message, took the supplies, and left a thank you.

Captain Rafe studied the newest map left by their sentinel. It showed a bandit lair some six miles from their camp. The two men with him stood quietly holding the torches so Rafe could read it. When he was sure that he could find the camp, Rafe used a leather cloth to rub out the messages on the rock, then turned on his heels toward his camp.

Simon had authorized Rafe to give the sentinel the food supplies in payment and gratitude for his help. Rafe would have done it anyway. They always had plenty of food, and the men had felt it to be only right. They were starting to think of the sentinel as a good luck charm, referring to him as their sentinel rather than a sentinel. Yet no one wanted to capture him, and in fact Rafe pitied the fool who decided to try and catch the sentinel while Rafe’s men were around.

At the camp, Rafe discussed his plan with his men, and they all nodded. They would be ready to break camp when morning came to deal with the bandits.

A few days later after Blair had taken care of the latest captives rescued from bandits, Blair was saddling his horse with Simon beside him talking.

“I’m not sure its safe, Blair?” Simon said in a worried tone. “I could send a couple of soldiers with you.”

“And have them trample all over my pharmaceuticals. No thanks. I’ll be fine. I have my bow with me and you know I can shoot as well as any of your men. And I need these plants.” Blair said. The laboratory in Cascade had sent back the results, which had been very puzzling. The rash was a rash normally found in and around the vaginal area of a sow. The plants Blair would be searching for would help with the healing of the rash along with the ointment that the laboratory had sent back with the messenger who had brought Blair the results.

“If this rash is what they say it is, then that means whoever raped that sentinel is even more of a sick bastard than we originally thought.” Simon said. “But how do we figure out who it is?”

“Short of testing every male villager over the age of fifteen, I don’t see how.” Blair said. “Though this villager should be worried. The rash causes impotency as it slowly kills the tissue cells. Eventually, the rash will spread throughout his whole genitalia, and they would have to be surgically removed or it would poison his whole body. Maybe when his cock turns black he’ll come running to the hospital for help, and then we’ll have him. I’m surprised he hasn’t come for help yet.”

Simon shuddered at the thought of one’s cock turning black and maybe falling off.

“And besides, if Mark has this rash, it’s a good bet the other does as well, and I’m going to get this ointment to Rafe, and have him get it to Jim.” Blair continued.

“Alright, just be careful.” Simon said.

“No worries.” Blair laughed as he mounted up into the saddle.

Some hours later found him in the wilderness searching for a certain plant. He was careful to guide his horse so that the animal’s hooves didn’t crush the very plant he searched for.

Finally in a hollow of trees Blair found what he was looking for. Stopping his horse, Blair dismounted and tied the animal where it could get at the clover growing beneath a Digger pine. He drew his knife and walked over to the leafy plant. Kneeling down, he was careful not to touch the leaves as he cut at the thick stalks.

“That’s poisonous.” A voice said, and Blair jerked in surprises and fell down on his butt. He looked up to see a man standing on the lip of the hollow between two trees. The man was tall with blue eyes. He wore clothing made of deerskins and furs. And he was grinning at Blair.

“Only the leaves, “ Blair answered. “The fluid in the stems is medicinal.”

Jim frowned, “Never heard of that. What’s it used for?”

Blair didn’t answer though as he realized who he was talking to. “You’re Jim.” He said matter of factly.

“How do you know my name? I don’t the villagers told you.”

“Mark told me. He told me about the night you escaped, and how he wouldn’t go with you.”

“I wish he had.”

“Because he was being sexually assaulted?” Blair asked.

Jim gave him a hard look.

“I’m a doctor. When the village signed the accords they agreed to live under Simon’s laws. One of those laws says that the doctor has the right to take the sentinel away from a village’s custody if he believes the sentinel is being abused in any way. I examined Mark and found the evidence. He is no longer in any danger from the one who raped him, but he won’t tell us the man’s name.”

“What good would the name do, Chief. Mark’s just a sentinel, surely he can’t testify.”

“No, but a name would give us someone to investigate, and we have the perfect proof.”

“How so?”

“The reason I’m getting this plant’s juice is because it along with an ointment helps to cure the rash that Mark has. This rash is only found in the vaginal passage of sows.”

“Disgusting bastard.” Jim growled. “Not you Chief.” He added when he saw Blair look startled.

He hesitated, “What if I give you the name, will that help?”

“Yes, it will.”

“The mayor. It was the mayor.”

“He won’t get the punishment that is normally given for rape, I’m sorry to say. The most he’ll get is two years of labor. But if its any consolation, the rash has probably made him impotent and he will be lucky if he doesn’t lose his genitals because of the rash.”

“This rash is that bad?” Jim asked.

Blair stood up, and wiped off his clothes with his hands, then looked at Jim. “I have some of the ointment in my saddlebags. I was going to give it to Captain Rafe so he could get it to you, but now I can give it to you.”

Jim nodded giving Blair permission to go to his horse. Jim knew there was no one else around.

Blair took the large skin of the ointment from his saddlebags along with the applicators.

“Along with this you should drink a tea made from the juice of that plant or you will suffer side effects you don’t want. Each night you should fill the applicator with the ointment, and insert it into your rectum and…”

“I get the picture.” Jim interrupted taking the ointment filled skin and applicators.

“You should also do it every morning. With each application drink at least a cup of the tea with at least two teaspoons of the plant’s juice. It will taste bad, but you can add sugar to cut the taste. Continue until you run out of ointment.”

Jim placed the items in a bag at his belt. “Thanks, Chief.”

“Hey, your welcome. And if you have any problems just leave a message with Rafe that you need to see me, and I’ll make a house call.” Blair laughed at that.

Jim laughed with him. “I’ll do that. I’m glad that no one’s tried to catch me.”

“Standing order from Simon. No one, not even the villagers are allowed to try and capture you. If they do, Simon will just hand him over to Rafe’s men. They wouldn’t take kindly to their scout being hassled.”

Jim was glad that Blair didn’t say sentinel. He nodded to the young doctor, then turned and left. The doctor knew that Jim had been assaulted just as Mark had been. Now they had a name, they could investigate. Jim didn’t think the mayor’s friends and his wife would appreciate finding out that the mayor had carnal knowledge with animals. That in itself was punishment, and the fact he would have to do actual labor would shock the mayor into a heart attack. Jim laughed at the thought as he made his way to his cave.

Blair returned to the village and sent directly to Simon with his
news.

"The mayor, I always thought he was a bit too vocal about us taking
the sentinel. Well now I know why. I'll have my men go and arrest
him, and then you can test him for the rash." Simon said.

"You are going to arrest him on the word of a sentinel?" Blair
asked.

"No, I'm arresting him to gather evidence due to testimony from a
reliable and confidential source. You might tell him about the
effects of the rash. It could prove to be a persuading argument for
him to agree to an examination."

Blair laughed, "It could at that. Have your soldiers check to see if
this mayor owns any pigs, and have them bring me any sows they find."

"And have my soldiers chasing pigs, that would be a sight." Simon
laughed. He sent a page with the order to Captain Henri Brown who
would be in charge of the legion of troops who would be assigned to
the village when Simon left.

Two soldiers brought the protesting mayor to Blair's hospital tent.
Simon told him what they suspected, and that the mayor was to allow
Blair to examine him for evidence that would prove or disprove the
charges. The man protested, but shut up quickly when Blair talked
about the rash and its effects.

The evidence proved the case, and Simon sentenced the man to two
years of hard labor. The man was given into Captain Taggert's
custody after he was given the treatment to cure the rash.

That night Jim used the ointment that the young doctor had given him
and drank the tea. The sugar gotten from Bank's men cut the
bitterness, but Jim gulped it down quickly just the same. He
wondered if he had not made a mistake in talking to the doctor.
Would it really do any good for them to know that the mayor had been
the culprit. It still didn't change much for Mark. He would still be
a broken man treated like an animal. Maybe Bank's treated sentinels
better than Allen Freyd, but he still treated them like animals. It
surprised him when the doctor had told him Banks had left orders not
to capture him. Not for the first time, Jim wished Mark had come
with him. He hated to think what his friend and fellow sentinel was
going through.

The thoughts followed Jim into his sleep and plagued him in his
dreams.

A few weeks later, the hospital was finished, and the barracks and
offices followed quickly behind that. A boiler room had been set up
to heat the three buildings that were connected to each other.
Prisoners who worked in shifts, and were given plenty of food and
water to help counteract the heat tended the boiler. One of those
working the boiler room was the former mayor. The boiler heated the
water that flowed through pipes to send to the showers and baths of
the buildings. The excess heat from the boiler's fires went through
ventilation shafts built in the buildings and kept the buildings
pleasantly warm. The men who would be staying at the village moved
into the barracks, which were two large rooms with cots and privacy
screens. There were showers attached to each room. The men's
barracks was on the second floor while the women's barracks were on
the first floor. Attached to the barracks building were the offices
that held the officer's rooms, and the offices needed to work out
of. The building also held the judgment hall were the judge worked
from. When not listening to cases brought to him by the military,
the judge would hear dispute cases between civilians, and judge
them. The office building had three floors, the third floor being
the officers' quarters, and the second being the offices, while the
first was the judgment hall, and the judge's chambers along with one
other office.

This office had a desk, some shelves, and a large wooden bathtub
with pipes that brought both cold and hot water. Behind the desk was
a soldier who had gone through some specific training in dealing
with sentinels. He and two others attached to the regiment knew as
much about sentinels as did Blair who had made a study of them most
of his life. On the shelves were plates, cups, toys, clothes and
shoes. Hanging on the wall behind the desk was a leather leash, and
beside it was a door that led into the kennel.

The kennel was a good-sized room that had ventilation ducts that
brought heat into the room. There was a cot with a soft feather
mattress like the ones in the barracks. Several blankets were laid
over the cot, and a couple of pillows sat on the head of the bed.
There was also a small table in the room, and a privy closet with
the convenience of plumbing. On the far wall was another door that
had no lock. It led into the yard; an area that was enclosed with
chain link fencing on all sides except the ground. The ground was
grassy and the yard itself was big enough that one could run a few
laps around it and work up a good sweat.

Once the buildings had been finished and the men had moved into the
barracks, Blair had handed Mark over to Sgt. Harris, one of the
three sentinel handlers. Harris had been told about his new charge,
and used his voice to keep Mark calm, rather than touch which was
usually used in tandem. Mark had been placed in the kennel after
having received a bath. Blair had handed over the ointment as well
as the lice killing sentinel safe shampoo he had been using on the
sentinel.

Blair and Simon were visiting and inspecting the barracks, offices
and the hospital so they took the time to see that the sentinel was
doing all right. Sgt. Harris was on duty when they came in. The
sergeant stood when Simon entered and saluted. Simon returned the
salute.

"How's he doing?" Blair asked.

"Still scared somewhat. He's afraid I will hurt him like that
bastard did. It will take time before he'll trust the others or me.
He's sleeping right now."

On the door was a panel that could be slid back to reveal the
kennel. From the window one could view the entire interior of the
kennel, and see the sleeping sentinel who was buried beneath several
blankets despite the heat in the room and clutched a stuffed bear as
if clinging to his only protection in the world. It broke Blair's
heart, and rattled Simon as well.

"I hate this. As soon as I can I'm going to amend the sentinel
laws." Simon said.

"Which won't be soon. Cascade is behind you, but the other cities
won't be if you do anything they don't like, and they like having
their sentinels. You'd lose all your support and Kincaid will take
that opportunity to strike." Blair said sadly.

"I know. But I can amend them slowly as I have been doing. Small
changes until I have full control. When they realize that I am the
only thing stopping Kincaid from taking over. And they couldn't do
it without me."

Blair nodded at that.

Jim was hunting when he heard Rafe's troops riding through the
wilderness rather close by. He could tell by their stealth that they
were hunting, too, only a different sort of prey. He veered away
from their direction to continue his hunt.

A half an hour or so later, Jim was field dressing a deer when he
heard the screams and shouts. At first he though it was the bandits,
then he heard Rafe's voice cry out, "Ambush!"

Without realizing what he was doing, Jim was running in the
direction the shouting came from. He found the troops fighting
inside a ravine with a group of bandits that were obviously encamped
there. What they hadn't seen was the sentries posted in hiding spots
armed with bows that were striking down upon the soldiers. Jim drew
his bow, and shot one of the bowmen, killing the man with an arrow
through his throat. Jim nocked another arrow, and let it fly at
another of the five bowmen that were firing at the soldiers. Someone
shouted the word sentinel, and Jim knew it to be Captain Rafe's
voice. He had obviously realized who it was who was killing their
ambushers.

Another of the bowmen did as well and shot in Jim's direction. The
arrow missed it mark, while Jim's arrow found the target he had been
aiming at. He reached to get another arrow to take out the man who
had shot at him when another arrow flew and embedded itself into
Jim's upper left chest narrowly missing his lung. Jim grunted and
fell back into the dirt dropping his own bow in the process.
Fortunately, one of Rafe's soldiers suddenly appeared beside him
with a bow and killed the bandit bowmen. The loss of the bowmen
allowed Rafe's men to decimate the bandits.

Jim looked at the bowmen beside him who had killed the last of the
bandit bowmen. The man looked down at Jim, and grasped Jim's arms in
an effort at reassurance. It only served to heighten Jim's fear. He
was wounded, and the soldiers were there. Despite Bank's order, Jim
knew these men would take him captive rather than let him die, and
Jim would rather they did the latter. His last image was of Captain
Rafe limping his way toward Jim and his man before he lost
consciousness.

Captain Rafe knelt beside the wounded sentinel. His own leg hurt
from where an arrow had knicked him, but a hasty bandage had stopped
the bleeding. The medic, while the unwounded men made litters to
carry their comrades, was caring for the other men who were wounded.
Rafe ordered the bowmen to tell the men to make another litter. The
bowmen nodded and ran down the hill to where the men were.

Rafe's men knew that Jim had helped save them. He had killed two of
the bowmen, which allowed them to send a man to help kill the
ambushers. The increased fire from the five hidden bowmen had kept
Rafe and his men pinned down. The loss of two had allowed them to
move from their position and finish their job. They were clearly
upset when they were told the sentinel had been wounded, and that
they were to make a litter. Like Jim, they did not want to `capture'
the sentinel who had helped them many times.

Rafe sent a fast rider to the village.

"Go to Dr. Sandburg. Only him. Tell him that the sentinel is wounded
and that I won't bring him into the village if its at all possible.
Tell him the sentinel has an arrow here." Rafe pointed to the place
on the messengers own chest. "Tell him to bring everything he'll
need, but do it quietly."

The messenger nodded, and leaped onto his horse and galloped away.

The medic had done what he could for the wounded men, and was
looking over the sentinel who had been brought down from the hill on
a litter. "I don't think the arrow hit any organs, but its buried
deep. I can't dig it out without causing more damage. I've stopped
the bleeding, though and packed bandages around the arrow to keep it
from moving. Dr. Sandburg can remove the arrow safely."

"Good, hopefully he can do it without us taking the sentinel to the
hospital in the village. The less who know, the better chance I have
of getting away with having him here in my possession and letting
him go when he's better. My men won't say anything, of that I'm
sure. He helped save them. I don't think Sandburg will say anything.
My only hope is that no one else finds out. Simon would be forced to
do something we'd all regret."

The medic nodded at that.

Blair retired to another tent to clean up and rest,
while the rest of the camp when about its usual
duties. The medic and two of his assistants cleaned up
the wounded, and fed those who were conscious. The
medic checked on Jim by himself, cleaned the sentinel
and then went outside to help himself to the food
cooking over the fire.

Once Blair was done eating he went back to the tent
were Jim was just in time to watch the sentinel regain
consciousness.

Jim opened his eyes to find himself in a tent. Once
the realization hit him, Jim immediately tried to get
up. A hand on his unwounded shoulder stopped him. He
turned his attention to the doctor.

“Easy there, don’t pop those stitches.” Blair said.

“Where?” Jim asked.

“You are in Captain’s Rafe camp, and only his men know
you are here. Once you are able, he plans to let you
leave. So don’t worry you haven’t been ‘captured’. “
Blair said.

Jim looked at Blair suspiciously. Blair just shook his
head. “Its true. Banks doesn’t even know you are here.
The men feel they owe you a debt, and they are
repaying it the only way they know how. You should be
able to leave in about five days.”

“What if Banks finds out?” Jim asked.

“Hopefully he won’t. In a few days the first caravan
from Cascade will arrive. In that caravan will be the
town’s new doctor, and the judge. He’ll be busy
welcoming them. I’ll have to go back to be there as
well, but the medic will see to you and the other
wounded. If for some reason he does find out we won’t
have any choice. But like I said he shouldn’t find
out.”

“Okay, I guess I believe you.” Jim answered.

Blair smiled, “Good. You worry about healing. I’ll
worry about Banks. Now,” he straightened from his
crouch over the cot, “I need to be going back. Unless
an emergency comes up, I probably won’t be seeing you
again. You’ll be glad to know that Mark was taken from
the town’s custody. He’s being cared for by some of
Simon’s men who have been trained to care for
sentinels. That bastard of a mayor is serving time in
the boiler room shoveling coal and sweating off some
pounds.”

“Probably the first bit of hard work he’s ever had to
do. That is good news. I’m glad Mark is safe. He is
safe?” Jim said.

“Very safe. Banks may not be able to free the
sentinels yet, but he makes damn sure they are cared
for and protected.”

Jim nodded.

Blair smiled and then left the tent. He made his way
to his horse that was saddled and waiting for him his
reins held by a young private. Blair took the reins
and mounted up. He rode out of the encampment back to
the village. When he returned no one asked him where
he had been, not even Banks.

The next day the caravan arrived.

The caravan consisted of one hundred heavy wagons
pulled by teams of huge Clydesdales. Behind each wagon
were more Clydesdales who would have been switched out
with the ones in harness periodically throughout the
trip. The wagons were loaded down not only with the
feed for the horses and other animals, but also wood,
cloth, weapons, coal, oil, iron, copper, and
foodstuffs. Along with the wagons was a carriage with
springs in the wheels and padded seats that folded
down for beds. Inside the carriage were the doctor and
the judge. The wagon directly behind the carriage
carried the men’s belongings. Also among the wagons
were the family members of the soldiers who would be
stationed at the village.

The wagons rolled into the village, and were greeted
by the soldiers and the General. Prisoners who then
led the huge animals out of the village to a large
pasture outside the gates unharnessed the horses. A
few soldiers went with the prisoners to make sure they
did not escape. Blair and Simon went to the carriage
to greet the two men inside.

The footman opened the carriage door and the first to
step out was a white haired gentleman with a white
mustache. He wore a fine silk shirt and cotton pants
and smiled upon seeing Blair and the General.

“Mark? I didn’t know you would be the one to get this
assignment.” Blair said.

“I decided it was time to get out of Cascade.” Mark
said with a melancholy air about him.

Blair nodded as if in understanding. Mark stepped away
from the carriage so that the other man could exit.

The judge was younger than Mark but still old with
salt and pepper hair. He too wore silk and cotton. He
stepped over to greet the General.

“Judge McCoy?” Banks asked.

“Call me Jack.” The man said. “I’m still not use to
that term.”

“Welcome to Sweetwater.” Banks said as he shook hands
first with Judge Jack McCoy then Doctor Mark Sloan.

Banks took Judge McCoy on a tour of his justice
building showing him his rooms and offices along with
the courtroom, while Blair showed Dr. Sloan the
hospital and his home.

While they toured, prisoners under the watchful eyes
of soldiers unloaded the two men’s possessions and
carried them into the respective houses. Prisoners,
wagons drivers, and soldiers were unloading the rest
of the caravan. Tents were set up to house the people
until the homes could be built from the wood that had
been brought. Fires were built to begin cooking, while
children of soldiers played among the tents.

Once the tours were over, both McCoy and Sloan retired
to their homes to rest from the long journey and to
set up their homes. They each had servants who would
attend them and live in the home in rooms set aside
for them. They each had a cook, a couple of maids, a
butler, and two manservants who did most of the heavy
lifting. While on tour, the servants had cleaned up
the houses, directed the prisoners to unloading and
setting up the furniture. The maids made the beds,
hung up the clothes in the wardrobe, and hung up
curtains. The cooks directed the unloading of the
foodstuffs into the cellars and pantries.

The next day found Dr. Sloan at the hospital going over the supply
list with the help of the two nurses that were assigned to the
hospital. Cascade had a pharmaceutical lab making drugs such as
sedatives, and painkillers and antibiotics. They also had a place
that was making IV tubing, needle and syringes as well as other
medical supplies. The wagons had brought more of those medical
supplies for the hospital. Dr. Sloan had helped organize the list of
the supplies that came with the wagons.
At the moment the hospital had no patients. There were a few
soldiers who had to come in for weekly shots of antibiotics who were
on the walking wounded list. There was also a prescription for the
sentinel concerning a rash. Dr. Sloan looked at Blair, "What is this
about a rash on the sentinel?" He asked.

Blair explained the circumstances, and Dr. Sloan's face showed
anger and fear at the same time. Knowing the reason why, Blair said
nothing more and allowed Dr. Sloan to work through the anger and
overcome the fear. When Dr. Sloan was again calm he asked, "Why is
the order enough for three people?"

"There was another sentinel who escaped the night we showed up. He
also has the rash. Simon ordered that he wasn't to be captured or
hunted. I ran into him while I was looking for the plant, and gave
him some of the ointment. He's been helping Rafe and his men out by
leaving the location of raider's camps written on rocks and trees
and such."

"And of course the third order is for the bastard who gave them the
rash in the first place." Blair continued. Dr. Sloan nodded at
that. "I will see to the treatments now, Blair. Need to get into the
routine of the place. I suspect Simon will want to leave soon?"

"Yeah, he plans to leave in a couple of days and head on to the next
city which will be about two weeks ride. And my butt just got used
to being off a horse."

"How where things back in Cascade?" Blair asked as he and Dr. Sloan
left the records office and headed for Dr. Sloan's office.

"Quiet. Darryl has things running so smoothly that even the council
can't complain. As for what Kincaid's doing, I really don't know
myself. Darryl gets the reports personally, and I am assuming he
passes the reports onto Simon. I am not sure what he tells the
council if anything."

Blair answered, "No that would be up to Simon. He makes the
decision on what to tell the council about Kincaid. As far I know
Kincaid is still trying to find a way past the Red Zone."

Blair hesitated for a moment and then finally asked, "How's Steve?"

" I had to put him on anti depressants." Dr. Sloan said after a
few moments of silence.

"I'm sorry." Blair said.

"The last count was just a little over half the sentinels in
custody are on anti depressants, and I had to add my son to the
list. All the while the council argues over the new laws Simon wants
to pass, and two sentinels have committed suicide and eight more
have attempted it." Sloan was getting angrier by the second and his
tone reflected that.

"I know, Simon is trying, Darryl is trying." Blair said.

"It’s not going to be enough Blair. I don't think they will pass
it. They are afraid some of the other cities will be outraged and
secede from the Confederation. And at the worst possible time as
well."

"There were riots in Sandhill and Ghost Town. I heard about them
before I left. The council passed the law to dissolve the sentinel
list."

"I didn't hear about that. Does Simon know?" Blair asked.

"There was a courier with our group, I am sure that he had some
letters for Simon from Darryl." Dr. Sloan answered as he seated
himself in his chair behind the desk. Blair sat in the chair facing
him over the desk.

"What about the other law, the one that went to the council with
the list law?" Blair asked.

"They were still debating that one. I am hoping they pass it.
Simon told me he would place Steve in one of the units if it does."

Blair nodded. The new law waiting to be passed by the Council was
a law that allowed them to put sentinels in the army. They would be
under the care of the sentinel trained soldiers, and still be
considered property, however they would be working, using their
senses to locate enemies, to track and even fight much like what Jim
was doing for Rafe's men. It would give the sentinels a purpose and
maybe cut back on the depression rate.

Simon had sent people to talk to the sentinels and asked them
their opinion on the idea. Since most sentinels had been cops, or
soldiers before the Turning, most liked the idea. They hated sitting
around doing nothing.

There was a tap on the door, and Dr. Sloan said, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Simon Banks who stepped into the
room. "Blair I am heading to Rafe's camp. I heard some of his men
were injured and I thought I would look in on them. Figured I would
get you to come with me. I also need to discuss some things with
Rafe."

"Sure no problem." Blair said trying to sound casual.

Blair stood up and said his goodbyes to Dr. Sloan then followed
Simon out of the hospital. Outside the hospital a page stood holding
the reins of two horses, saddled and ready to go. Blair mounted up
on the chestnut gelding, while Simon got on his black mare. The two
of them headed through the gates at a trot and out into the
surrounding forest.

Rafe's scouts spotted Simon and Blair coming their way. Rafe sent
the medic to keep an eye on Jim who was in a regular tent rather
than the medical tent where the other wounded were. Rafe had
known that if Simon did come, he would never enter the tents that
were the living quarters of Rafe's men. He would only enter the
medical tent to see the wounded and Rafe's tent that doubled as
Rafes office. So long as the sentinel didn't get spooked and try to
bolt, Rafe knew Simon would never know that Jim was there.

The medic was already in the tent, when Blair and Simon rode into
the camp. One of the men took Simon's and Blair's horses after
saluting the general and picketed them with the other horses. Simon
and Blair headed to where Rafe was waiting at his own tent. When
Simon was close, Rafe saluted the general who returned the salute.

"Good to see you General." Rafe said.

"Heard you were in a bit of an ambush, Rafe." Simon said.

"Yeah luckily for us the sentinel showed up. Took out some of the
bowmen with his own bow, and allowed us finish the job. Left him
some new arrows as a thank you." Rafe answered.

"How are your men?" Simon asked.

"Doing good. The medic says they will be up and around in a few
days."

Jim opened his eyes and turned his head to see the medic enter the tent. The man walked over to the bed and checked the IV and pulled back the blankets to check the bandage. He then tucked the blanket back and went and sat on the other cot in the room.

"What's going on?" Jim asked. He could hear the man's heart rate going through the roof.

"Don't be alarmed, but General Banks is here. He doesn't know you are here, and he won't come into this tent. The other wounded are in the med tent and that's where he will go. So just stay quiet and try not to make a ruckus. That would bring him to the tent." The medic said.

"Are you sure," Jim's own heart had skipped a beat. If Banks did find him here, then it was over.

"Yeah, I am sure. This is a sleeping quarter’s tent. Simon has no reason to go into anyone's tent except Rafe's and the med tent. He'll be gone before too long, so don't fret."

Jim tried not to think to hard about the fact that General Simon was in the camp, and Jim was relying on the fact the men wouldn't say anything and that the general wouldn't come into the tent. It was hard not to fret.

Outside, Simon, Blair and Rafe entered the med tent. They went to each of the four occupied beds and Simon told each of the wounded men that they had done a good job, and that he was glad that would be all right. The men thanked Simon, glad to know their general did care. After he was done talking to each of the men, Simon led the others back to Rafe's tent where they all sat down and received a cup of coffee brought to them by one of the soldiers that served as Rafe's valet.

"We are going to leave in two days time, Rafe." Banks said once they were alone. "You and your men will stay here and finish clearing the forest of bandits. The next township shares this forest as well and I am hoping they are already noticing the effects of having your men out here. I am leaving Brown in charge of the platoon in Sweetwater. Hopefully things will settle down there now that the shops will be opening soon. The farmland will open up in a few days, and people can start building outside the walls now that the bandits are scarce. When you are done cleaning out this forest of bandits, I want your men to rest up in Sweetwater for a few weeks, and wait for further orders from me."

"Yes, sir." Rafe said.

"That takes care of everything. Take care, and try no to fall into anymore ambushed." Simon laughed along with Rafe and Blair.

They left the tent and a soldier brought Blair and Simon their horses. The two of them rode away from the camp and Blair breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't think I want to know what they are hiding me, do I?" Simon asked. Blair looked at him startled.

"The men looked worried. I had a feeling they were hiding something. I am not going to investigate. They are good men as is Rafe. I am sure that whatever it is I don't need to know. Let's get back, I have things to finish up before we can leave." Simon heeled his horse to increase its pace to a trot.

A few days later found Blair back in the saddle riding with Simon and the troops that were continuing on with them to the next village. Blair had visited Rafe’s camp a few more times since Simon’s visit to check the wounded. The sentinel’s wound was healing nicely, and Blair had made sure that the treatment for the rash was still continuing. He had been upset to discover the sentinel had forgotten about the medicine a few times, his mind more on trying to get ready for winter. When Blair had explained the consequences of letting the rash continue i.e. possible colostomy bag, Jim had got very cooperative about the treatments. Or at least he administered the treatment to himself. He wouldn’t let anyone else touch him like that and Blair did not blame him for that in the least.

The medic had been told that Jim could leave the camp in a few more days. Blair had wanted to make sure that the round of antibiotics were finished before he allowed the sentinel to live out in the woods again without any nearby medical help.

Blair was not sorry to see the last of that town where two sentinels had been tortured and kept in misery for so long. He only hoped the next village wasn’t as bad. Or at least didn’t have a sentinel being kept in a small kennel with only a doghouse for shelter.

The train of troops, wagons, and animals left through the gates of the village and continued through the forest toward the rising sun. Simon hoped to reach the village the scouts had reported to him about within a few days. That village was easily twice as large as Sweetsprings and already had farms and ranches. They were obviously more self sufficient and better able to deal with bandits.

In Rafe’s camp, Jim Ellison had been worried that Rafe would not keep his word, even though he liked the young captain. Fortunately, when the medic pronounced him fit and able to leave the camp, Rafe did keep his word. He even gave Jim a gift a more arrows and some foodstuffs that he could carry in a pack. Jim thanked the captain, and tried not to appear hurried as he left the camp and headed deeper into the surrounding wilderness. Using skills learned in the army and honed by years of living rough in Peru, Jim hid his tracks and laid false trails as he made his way back to his cave. Fortunately, the cave was still blocked off and his belongings were mostly intact. A few mice had gotten to some things, and Jim had to bury the results, but all in all his sojourn from his home had not cost him too much except a delay. After cleaning up his cave home, Jim left to hunt taking his bow and a quiver of arrows with him. Winter was still months away but Jim knew he was not even close to being prepared for it.

He hunted, fished, and gathered all day, stopping only to have a quick bite of lunch about midday. In the evening, Jim prepared the herbal tea and doctored his rectum with the ointment, and drank the bitter tea not bothering to waste his limited amount of sugar on the stuff. After dinner to wash away the taste of the tea, Jim would then crawl into his bedding and sleep. The days passed monotonously, each one blurring into the next. As he hunted he watched for signs of bandits to report their location to Captain Rafe, and watched for signs of intruders to the forest. After finding none, Jim was starting to believe that Rafe’s men had put the fear of God into the remaining bandits forcing them to find easier hunting grounds. Jim was glad mostly for himself, since it was hard to have any sympathy for the village that had kept him prisoner for months and had allowed the atrocities to go on under their stuck up noses. Little bitter are we Jimmy, Jim thought to himself. Then he thought of Mark, the broken sentinel who had been more afraid of the forest than of staying in that hell, so broken he couldn’t even think about escaping and he forgave himself the bitterness and resentment.

The new arrivals to the village had not been idle. With the help of criminals sentenced to manual labor, they managed to build more buildings, two and three story homes that served double duty. The first floor held some type of store, and the other floors were the families homes. Farms were also started beyond the walls. Small cottages were built first, wells were dug and irrigation started while men harnesses large horses to plows and turned up the earth to prepare for planting. The farmers also had animals, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and cattle that they raised for food and in case of the sheep and goats for wool and hair to be used to make thread, yarn and then cloth. Windmills were also built for when the first harvest of wheat and corn where ready to be milled down into flour and corn meal. A tannery was built outside of town prepared to tan the hides of not only cattle but any animal hides brought in by trappers and hunters. The village grew something it would have never done without the help of the outsiders brought in by General Banks. The original citizens of the town were happy to see the growth, and were content to live beneath the new laws.

The families of the soldiers were happy to be settled down as they had been promised would happen. They were ready to raise their children in the safety of the village surrounded by its protection of walls, and soldiers. The soldier were content to help guard the village and to come home each day to their families. The happiness and contentment was not something people had expected after the bombs fell and the world they had once known had disappeared beneath the haze of mushroom clouds and hails of bullets and they were more than willing to thank General Banks for that.

Spring gave way to summer and the cooling rains were replaced with long hot sweltering days. Even in the mountains the temperatures were above balmy and the heat and lack of rain made for the danger of forest fires. Soldiers and men sentenced to hard labor were sent out to dig fire breaks around the village and farms, and to clear trees away so that if a forest fire started it would be stopped before it came too close to the village and farms. The farmers kept their newly planted crops watered, and towers were built to watch for fires. The soldiers had large barrels on wagons filled with water in case of fires within the town and were prepared to fight them should it happen.

In the mountains, Jim was hunting. His senses had picked up the trail of a large elk, and judging from the tracks Jim knew the animal would provide large quantities of meat as well as a new hide to be made into clothing or bedding. The trail led up a steep hillside, and Jim could tell that the animal was getting nervous, its instincts telling it that it was being hunted but its senses unable to pick up the presence of the hunter. The tracks were further apart as the animal seemed to be picking up speed, then would slow down, and sometimes stop according to the tracks.

Jim reached the summit of the hill, and found that it overlooked a rocky hillside then a sea of green and brown treetops. He was about to leave the craggy top to follow the tracks into the nearby brush when he heard a sound he had never thought to hear in his life ever again.

The sound was unmistakable to the ex-soldier and chilled his heart to hear the echo of a gunshot reverberating through the forest and hills. His hearing followed the echoes as its bounced through treetops, and collided with rocks and even vibrated the waters of rivers and streams. Lost in the sound, on the edge if not into a zone, Jim never heard the crackling of bushes and the terrified snort of a wounded elk as the beast raced from the bushes, an arrow lodged deeply into its shoulder. The beast blinded by fear and pain caught the sentinel with its antlers and both of them fell over the edge of the hill.

On the hilltop two young men pushed through the brush. “I know it went this way, Jason. We have to find it and put it out of its misery, I can’t believe you missed.” One of the boys said.

“Jeez Paul, I didn’t miss, I hit it. Just cause I didn’t kill it didn’t mean I missed.” Jason said offended.

“Face it you missed. You should have been aiming at the heart, not a shoulder.” Paul answered then stopped short as he saw the cliff. “Whoa. I guess we don’t have to put it out of its misery.” Paul inched closer to the edge to confirm his belief that the wounded elk had gone over the cliff. He gasped in shock when he saw the familiar body lying halfway down the cliff on a rocky ledge. Below the ledge was the body of the elk, its head at an impossible angle.

“What, what is it?” Jason asked as he too peered over the cliff. “Hey that’s Jim!”

Paul cuffed his brother gently on the head, “No shit Sherlock. Damn elk must have knocked him over. Poor Jim.” At the moment Paul looked down at the sentinel’s body he noticed an arm move from its position at the sentinel’s side onto his chest. “Oh my god, he’s still alive!”

Paul and Jason worked quickly. The used ropes to make harnesses and some wood to back a sled. With ropes tied around tree the two young men rappelled down the cliff to the ledge where Jim lay. Paul checked over the sentinel carefully, his father having been an EMT before the world had changed. They quickly strapped a makeshift cervical collar around the sentinels’ neck to immobilize the appendage just in case. Then they bandaged the major wounds, stopping the bleeding before strapping him carefully to the makeshift backboard and sled. Throughout the procedure Jim remained unconscious unaware of his predicament.

“What are we going to do, Paul? You know General Banks said that no body could capture Jim.” Jason said.

“Jeez, Jason, we aren’t capturing him. We are helping him. Its partially your fault he fell anyway since you can’t hit the broadside of a barn.” Paul said only half teasing. “Don’t worry, everything will be just fine.”

They had wrapped the ropes tied to the sled around two sturdy trees and while Jason guided the sled from the top of the hill, Paul would use the makeshift pulley to haul the sled to the top.

Once the loaded sled was on the top of the hill, Paul ascended the cliff and together he and his brother Jason pulled the sleigh behind them to their hunting camp where their ponies were tied.

At the hunting camp they made a litter that they slung between the two animals. Neither young man had ever liked the way the sentinels had been treated since their father had been adamant against that treatment, but the majority had overruled him. They and their father had been even more horrified to learn of the mayor’s transgressions and they were reluctant to take Jim back to the village. However, they could not leave him to die, it went against what their father had taught them. So with heavy hearts they led their ponies back to the village, the unconscious sentinel lying immobilized on the litter slung between the two animals.

Soldiers met them at the gates of the village, who at first had no clue who the injured man was until Paul confessed the sentinel’s identity. The soldiers had gone white and sent a runner to the headquarters for both the doctor and Captain Brown.

A soldier escorting the two boys and the litter met Captain Henri Brown and Doctor Mark Sloan halfway to the hospital. Dr. Sloan went immediately to his new patient while Henri questioned the boys. He listened to them speak about hunting the elk, the unlucky shot and searching for the wounded animal and then finding Jim. Brown listened and he believed the boys were not actively hunting for the sentinel and it had only been chance that they had found him. He told them they were not in trouble, that bringing the wounded sentinel back to the village was not a violation of Bank’s orders but an act of mercy. Then he sent the two young men home, and told them their ponies would be returned to them. The boys nodded relieved that no trouble would come to them or their family and quickly trotted away. Brown then turned his attention to Dr. Sloan.

“How is he?” Brown asked.

“A couple of broken ribs, I think. His neck isn’t broken and I don’t think his back is either. His left wrist is either sprained or broken, only an x-ray would tell. I don’t think he had internal injuries, but I can’t say that for sure.”

As they talked Brown and the soldier led the ponies to the hospital, and then ordered men to carry the litter into the hospital.

“When he wakes up he isn’t going to be too happy.” Brown said. “I can’t let him go, too many people know he’s here. I don’t want to ‘capture’ him but I don’t have a choice.”

Dr. Sloan nodded sadly understanding Brown’s predicament. He hated to see another sentinel lose his freedom, but like Brown there was little he could do about it either.

“He’s ex-Army. He will try to escape and barring that he might try another escape.” Brown didn’t have to elaborate on that.

Jim was taken into an exam room where Dr. Sloan and a nurse washed away the blood and cleaned up the wounds then stitched them up. Dr. Sloan then wrapped Jim’s ribs, set Jim’s wrists that turned out to be broken. Their x-ray machine was a portable one from before the way, and had been converted to solar energy. Most hospitals had one and was only used when necessary. Once Jim’s wrists was casted and the sentinel’s injuries were seen to, he was then moved to a room that had barred windows, and the door could only be locked from the outside. The room was the only one of its kind in the hospital, used for either wounded prisoners, or wounded sentinels.

An IV for antibiotics and saline was started. Dr. Sloan checked Jim’s pupils one last time, and had orders that a nurse check on him every ten minutes or so.

Jim woke up a few minutes after a nurse had checked on him. His eyes opened slowly and he blinked in confusion at the wooden ceiling. He felt the pain in his ribs, wrist and head, and he looked around in confusion.

Confusion only lasted a second then memory of the gunshot and falling hit him, and he realized that rather than being dead he was in a room hooked to an IV and his wrist had been casted. He knew without a doubt that he was in the village. Someone had found him and brought him to the village. Jim wondered if it had been one of Rafe’s men as his heart began to race in fear. He didn’t want to be a captured sentinel even if there was little danger that he would be abused as he had been before.

Careful of his ribs, Jim got out of the bed pulling the IV needle from his hand. He stood slowly and breathed through the pain of his broken ribs and then walked over to the barred window. Through the window Jim confirmed that he was indeed in Sweetsprings, though the village looked different as he noticed new buildings. Reaching out with his uninjured hand, Jim tested the bars to find them firmly in place. Striking the wall with his hand Jim cursed at his predicament. Searching with sentinel sight Jim looked for someway to escape his cage, but found nothing, only the barred window, and the door. Inwardly knowing it was a waste of time, Jim nevertheless walked over to it to test it finding it to be predictably locked.

His movement, and the rattle of the door had alerted the nurse on duty that he was awake and Jim could hear her order an orderly to find Dr. Sloan.

Jim waited by the door, poised to attack should the doctor enter the room alone. The man was smart however, for he entered with two soldiers at his side. The soldiers seeing Jim’s stance, also tensed prepared to protect the doctor and take down the sentinel should it become necessary.

“You shouldn’t be up.” Dr. Sloan said with a frown. “Go on back to bed I need to examine you now that you are awake.”

The fact that the doctor spoke to him as if Jim were just an uncooperative patient and not a sentinel made Jim go back to the bed. Once Jim was back in bed, Dr. Sloan used a small flashlight that also ran on solar batteries to test Jim’s pupils. The two soldiers had relaxed once Jim had returned to the bed, but they were still alert.

“You are fortunate, you have a slight concussion, but no skull fractures. Your neck and back were bruised and you have a few broken ribs but nothing that won’t heal in time. The boys who brought you to the village said you had fallen quite a distance.” Dr. Sloan said.

“Boys?” Jim asked.

“Yes, two boys from the village had been hunting an elk. One boy’s arrow only wounded the animal and in its panic it ran right into you knocking you off the cliff along with the elk.”

Jim nodded. At least it had not been any of Rafe’s men. And it didn’t seem as if it had been an intentional hunt for him by the villagers. Just damned bad luck on his part.

“We are going to keep you here for a few weeks while your ribs and wrist heal. After that the soldiers will take over your care.” Dr. Sloan sounded sad when he said that, and it made Jim curious about the sadness. He could smell it on the doctor, a deep lingering sadness. Then he realized what the doctor had said.

“The soldiers?” He asked.

“Yes, unfortunately, you have been legally ‘captured’ and by law you now belong to the military because this village is not allowed to have a sentinel.” One of the soldiers explained. From the man’s scent Jim knew he wasn’t happy about Jim’s capture. “For what its worth, we are sorry about that.”

Jim only nodded. Not as sorry as I am, he thought to himself. Dr. Sloan had a nurse come in and reinsert the IV. He told Jim not to remove it because it was an antibiotic and he didn’t want Jim to get an infection. Jim didn’t really care if he got an infection and died but he didn’t say that. No need to warn them.

For the next three days Jim feigned resignation at his fate. He cooperated with the doctor and the nurses, did not remove the IV, and did not try to escape. During those three days, a nurse, or an orderly and sometimes even a soldier would peek through the sliding window on the door or enter the room to make sure Jim was alright. The time between the checks became longer and longer as the three days passed. By the third day the checks came every hour or so, and Jim counted off the seconds and memorized the schedule.

On the fourth day after a nurse had checked his IV and took his empty tray away, Jim listened as she moved further away from his room. Then quietly but quickly, Jim got up and tore strips from the sheets he had been laying on. He removed the needle from his hand, then tied a noose in the sheet strip. He was calm as he slipped the noose over his head and tightened it around his neck. After tying the other end to the metl support of the bed, Jim sat down on the floor then leaned back, his weight supported by the noose around his neck. Rather than choking him, the noose squeezed on both sides of his neck blocking the carotid artery keeping oxygen from getting to his brain. Eventually Jim closed his eyes and fell from sleep to unconsciousness.

Outside his room, the nurse who had just left ran into another nurse, who carried a small tray with a filled hypodermic needle. “What’s up?” the nurse who had left the room asked.

“Dr. Sloan ordered that Jim be put on an anti-depressant. I am heading there to give him his first injection.” The other nurse said then continued on to Jim’s room.

Upon entering the room, the nurse spotted Jim, and dropping the tray on the floor she quickly rushed to the sentinel’s side and started yelling for help while she dug in her pocket for the pair of scissors she carried. The other nurse rushed in, took one look, then ordered one of the running orderlies to go and get Dr. Sloan then she went to the other nurses side to help.

They managed to cut the noose from the sentinel’s neck, and the first nurse checked his pulse.

“Thank god, his pulse his weak but its there.” She said.

“He’s not breathing, Angie.” The second nurse said and she leaned the sentinel’s head back and opened his mouth. Leaning down she sealed her mouth over his and began to breath for him.

The sentinel coughed and began to breath on his own by the time Dr. Sloan made it into the room. Angie informed the doctor of what had happened, and Dr. Sloan nodded and removed his stethoscope and checked Jim’s heartbeat, which was strong and beating regularly. The orderlies arrived and following Dr. Sloan instructions they lifted Jim onto the bed. Angie replaced the IV, while the other nurse returned with an EEG machine that had been converted to run on solar energy. She hooked up Jim to the EEG and the needle began to record Jim’s brainwaves. Dr. Sloan looked at them and decided that the sentinel had been discovered in time.

More tests were done to confirm as best as they were able the doctor’s prognosis. When the tests were done, Dr. Sloan ordered restraints to prevent another suicide attempt. The nurse also gave Jim his first injection of the anti-depressant. He would receive an injection very two weeks until the doctor discontinued it. Because sentinels did not take medication on their own, all sentinel medications had been converted into either an injectable liquid or a quick dissolving suppository.

When the sentinel was back in his bed, padded leather restraints on his wrist, his injured arm’s upper arm, and his ankles, the doctor and the nurses left to continue their other duties. Fifteen minute checks were started on the sentinel patient in hopes of averting anymore attempt at suicide.

The EEG told the nurses that Jim was waking up and they immediately sent one of the nurses to get Dr. Sloan. His office was close so he was in the room with one nurse when Jim Ellison opened his eyes. They were there to witness the sentinel frown as his steel blue eyes look around the room momentarily confused and then those blue lasers focused on the doctor. The anger and resentment in those eyes said that he had not wanted to be saved and blamed the doctor for bringing him back. And though it was actually a nurse who had brought Jim back, Dr. Sloan shouldered that blame willingly.

Jim said nothing; there was nothing to say. He had tried to kill himself, and obviously something had gone wrong and he was still alive. Only now he was in restraints and he would be lucky if he were left alone for a few seconds. He felt angry and resentful despite knowing that the doctor had only done his job, followed the oath he had taken to become a doctor.

“The restraints will stay on. If you need to use the restroom tell the nurse on duty. The restraints will be removed long enough for that. There will be two soldiers in the room when they are removed.” Dr. Sloan told the sentinel.

Jim said nothing, he turned his head away from the doctor and closed his eyes trying to block out the rest of the room from his enhanced senses. The doctor left the room, while the nurse took a seat in a chair in the corner nearest the door. She picked up a paperback and began reading while Jim ignored her. Eventually, exhaustion crept up on Jim and he fell asleep. He did not wake up when the nurse was relieved.

The next few days were something of an ordeal. Jim hated having an audience, especially a female audience when he went to the bathroom. The soldiers stayed close and wary. Despite the fact that Jim knew he could take them out easily, he did not bother to try since the door to the room was kept locked and only the third soldier outside the room had the key. A precaution that they decided upon even without knowing Jim’s background.

Jim tried zoning but despite tales, zones were not automatically fatal. Only if an outside force killed the sentinel while he was in a zone did the zone become fatal. He zoned mostly to get away from the reality of his situation. The doctor made sure that a lot of the stimuli that Jim could use to zone was removed from the room. He also tried turning down his senses but that only worked for a little while. Eventually his body rebelled on its own and he was forced to keep them at least a bit above average.

Three days after his suicide attempt, Jim received his first visitor that wasn’t a doctor or nurse.

Captain Brian Rafe entered the room where the sentinel who had saved his life and the life of his men lay restrained to the bed, a cast on one wrist, an IV needle in the other hand. Rafe sucked up his courage and entered the room more fully and went to stand beside the bed. The eyes flickered open on the sentinel, and looked up at him.

“I am so damn sorry.” Was all Rafe could think to say. It wasn’t enough, it would never be enough.

“Wasn’t your fault.” Jim said.

“Maybe not, but it feels like it.” Rafe said glad the sentinel was going to talk to him.

“Just poor bad luck. Like when I was caught the first time. Bad luck and bad timing.”

“It won’t be that bad this time Jim, I promise. No one will hurt you and if they do you tell me and the guys and I will take care of it.” Rafe said.

Jim smiled a bit for the first time since his capture. “I know.” Was all he said, then memory tugged at him along with a sense of duty. “Rafe, I zone because I heard a gunshot.”

“A gunshot?” Rafe echoed. “My god, I didn’t think there was any ammunition left. Do you know what kind of gun?”

“It sounded like a rifle of some sort. I was on that hill, and the sound echoed a lot. I have no way of pinpointing where it came from. Could have been a hunter who managed to save some ammo, but I don’t know…” He trailed off leaving Rafe to guess the other possibilities.

“I will investigate this. If Kincaid managed to get past the Red Zone, then we are in trouble.”

“If he had managed to do so you would know about it. Getting a few people across is easy, you can go up through Canada or down through Mexico. Its moving an army that’s nearly impossible. The drug lords in Mexico have their own army down there, and the Canadian Mounted Police are in charge up north.”

“I know. Still there is always that chance that he found a path through it. I will send some men up into the hills to find out. Thanks for telling me, I know you didn’t have to, but I am grateful you did.”

“My first capture would be nothing compared to what would happen if Kincaid got a hold of me. He hates sentinels, and the only reason he had any alive is because they are the only ones who might be able to find him a path through the radioactive wasteland.” Jim told Rafe.

Rafe nodded.

“Henri sent a messenger to General Banks to tell him what happened. I think I will send a messenger to tell him what you told me.” He hesitated for a second then said, “If there was something I could do, if I could get you out of this…I want you to know that I would.”

“I don’t know what happens to soldiers who betray the General, but I know I don’t want you to do that. You did what you could, and I am grateful for that.”

Rafe reached out and squeezed Jim’s unbroken forearm, then with one last nod to each other, he left the room.

Rafe made his way out of the hospital and to the headquarters to speak to Henri about what Jim had heard. He knew his men were already talking to the soldiers who would be guarding Jim as well as the soldiers trained to deal with sentinels who cared for the other sentinel and would take over Jim’s care when he was out of the hospital, warning them against harming Jim in any way.

It took twelve days for the messenger Rafe sent to find Captain Banks to return. During that time, Rafe had not been idle. He had sent some of his best scouts out into the forest to see what they could find out about the gunshot. He also visited Jim a few times, even though he found it hard to make idle conversation with the sentinel.

Rafe was in Henri’s office when the messenger came in with several dispatches. He handed over those messages that belonged to Rafe and the ones that belonged to Henri. Rafe opened the dispatch from Simon first, and sighed when he read his orders. He didn’t want to follow them, but he didn’t want to be hung either. Instead he told Henri he had something to do and then left the room. He went to the barracks where his men where and found the three he was looking for. The three men were experienced scouts and trackers. He gave them there orders. Their faces said they didn’t like those orders anymore than Rafe did, but they would do their duty. They saluted, then packed up the supplies they would need then left the barracks to go to the stables to have horses saddled for them.

Rafe watched them ride out of the gates, then sighing to himself, he went to the messhall to find himself something to eat.

Dr. Sloan entered the room where the sentinel lay still restrained to the bed. He said nothing when Jim turned his head and refused to look at the doctor. Instead he removed his stethoscope from around his neck and put the earpieces in his ears. He listed to Jim heart and lungs making sure the enforced idlness was not causing a fluid build up. He then used the blood pressure cuff and check the sentinels blood pressure, and then a regular thermometer to check his temperature. He remembered the first time he had tried to take the sentinel’s temperature and Jim had refused to open his mouth. Not one to be deterred he told Jim that if he wouldn’t allow the usual way, then Dr. Sloan would be forced to take it rectally. Jim had glared at him, and if looks could kill, Mark would have been a smear on the wall. Instead, the sentinel opened his mouth and accepted the thermometer.

“You know you remind me of my son, Steve. Stubborn as hell.” Mark said as he waited for the thermometer to get its reading.

Jim only snorted lightly in derision.

“Just so you know, I hope for your sake and the sake of my son that the laws making sentinels little more than pets will soon be abolished.” And with that he removed the thermometer and checked the reading. Jim stared at Dr. Sloan in surprise.

“Your son is a sentinel?” Jim asked the first he had ever spoken to the doctor.

“Yes, he is. When the war ended, there wasn’t much left of LA. My son and I along with a couple of friends had left LA to stay in a cabin another friend of mine owned. While we were there a few people from a nearby town came to visit, to sort of welcome us to the neighborhood…with guns. They had planned to kill us until they found out that three of us were doctors. They took us prisoner and took us to their village. On the way there, Steve zoned. They kept us all prisoner, forcing us to care for any sick or wounded. They kept Steve locked up in a dog kennel. He wasn’t harmed like you and the other sentinel was, but he was beaten a few times. Fortunately for him General Banks came no more than a few months after we were taken prisoner. The village was so afraid of him that they signed the treaty quickly. When Banks learned about what happened to us, he took Steve from them, and took myself and my friends with him back to Cascade.”

“Banks keeps your son as a pet and you continue to work for him?” Jim asked incredulously.

“I believe him when he tells me that it won’t last forever, and that he will do everything he can to change that.” Mark said.

“You mean without losing the support of his entire army and all the cities and villages under his control.” Jim said.

Mark nodded. “It’s a slow process, but its more hope than I had before.”

“And your son, does he hope?” Jim asked.

The answer was in Dr. Sloan’s eyes, and he did not have to answer verbally. The sadness was answer enough.

He left the room without speaking again. Jim watched him go. He didn’t hate the old man. Hope was easy for those on the other side of the leash.

Three days later the doctor entered Jim’s room along with three guards. Two of the guards Jim recognized by their insignia as Rafe’s men. Rafe’s scouts had worn an insignia of crossed arrows on their left sleeve. The third guard wore a patch on his sleeve that had an eye over a shield.

“The cast will have to remain on for a few more weeks, other than the broken wrist you are physically capable of leaving this bed.” Dr. Sloan told Jim. “Therefor I am signing your release.”

Jim nodded but said nothing.

One of Rafe’s scouts spoke up then, “Jim this is Sgt. Combs. He and two other men are in charge of the…kennels.” The last word sounded as if it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. “He will be taking charge of your care from now on.” He gave the sergeant a significant look that the sergeant nodded slightly to.

“And if I don’t do a good job, I have an entire scout team ready to string me up.” The sergeant laughed.

Jim said nothing. He was silent when the sergeant came to the bed. He was debating whether or not to give the men a good fight. When the sergeant reached into a pocket and pulled out a leash, Jim tensed. The sergeant had been watching his body language and saw the tensing of Jim’s muscles. He reached out with his empty hand and hovered just above Jim’s shoulder but not touching him. “Easy, let’s not have a drag out fight right here. I think it would seriously upset the doctor if we destroyed his hospital room. I know it sucks, but its policy. If you aren’t going to cooperate though tell me now, and I will have the doc here sedate you and I will carry you to the kennel.”

Jim just glared at the man. He did not want to be sedated and carried, but he didn’t want to be on the end of that leash either. His muscles remained tense and his eyes darted about the room as he tried to decide what to do.

The sergeant sighed and nodded to the doctor. It was obvious the sentinel was planning to fight him, and rather than anyone being injured he gave the doctor the go ahead to sedate the sentinel.

Dr. Sloan grimaced, but he removed the syringe from his pocket. At the sight of it, Jim began to struggle in his restraints, and Dr. Sloan was quick to inject the sedative into Jim’s IV.

The sedative, developed for sentinels, worked quickly and Jim was out within a few seconds. Once Jim was out, the sergeant and the doctor removed the restraints, and two orderlies brought a stretcher. They placed Jim on the stretcher, covered him with a blanket and carried him out of the hospital and to the waiting kennels.

A few hours later Jim slowly opened his eyes and blinked away the blurriness. His first sight was of a face he didn’t think he would ever see again. Mark looked down at him with a smile on his face that didn’t quite touch the heavy sadness that still marred Mark’s eyes.

“Your heartbeat told me you were waking up, though you might want to see a familiar face when you did.” Mark said.

“Not that I don’t like your face Mark, but I would have rather woken up to the stone walls of my cave.” Jim answered.

“I know.” Mark said sadly. “I heard about what happened. You have some real bad luck.”

“Yeah, I wonder what god I pissed off.” Jim said.

“The same one all sentinels pissed off, I think.”

Jim didn’t answer. Instead he looked around the room. He was lying on a feather mattress on a cot. A few feet from his cot was another one, obviously Mark’s. There were vents in the floor, and what looked to be a privy closet. A small table and a couple of chairs where the only other pieces of furniture besides the cot and there were two doors. One had a sliding panel on it while the other had a simple hook latch.

Jim went from looking at the room to looking at Mark. The sentinel had gained weight and his cheeks no longer looked hollow and his eyes no longer sunk into his face. He was wearing black clothing made of cotton and lambs wool. Jim frowned though when he saw the leather collar around the younger sentinel’s neck. Jim reached up and felt a similar one around his own neck. Unlike the ones they had worn when prisoners of the village, the leather collar he touched now was lined with lambs wool that protected his neck from chafing. Jim quickly fumbled with the buckle and removed the offending collar allowing it to fall to the floor. Then he sat up on the cot and noticed he was wearing the black clothes similar to Mark’s, only he was barefoot whereas Mark wore wool socks.

“They’ll just put it back on.” Mark said.

“I would like to see ‘em try.” Jim said as he stood up and looked over at the latched door. “Where does that lead to?” Jim asked nodding toward the door.

“Into a fenced yard. Its surrounded by a chain link fence and has a chainlink roof.” Mark answered.

Jim walked to the door and unlatched it to step outside. The yard was a fairly good sized and Jim stood at the door and used sentinel sight to check every inch of the fence. Growling when Jim found no weak spots, he turned on his heel and went back inside latching the door behind him.

“Its bigger than the doghouse.” Mark said.

“But still not any better.” Jim replied.

“I don’t think our life is going to ever get any better. Face it Jim, the world moved on, and they decided sentinels weren’t any better than dogs, just more useful. Guess they got tired of our prima donna acts.” Mark laughed bitterly.

Jim looked at him. Before the war sentinel demanded high pay and better working environments. To most companies and jobs they were worth it. A sentinel child could write his own ticket, could always get scholarships for college, sign up bonuses and better pay. In return a sentinel was loyal and least likely to ever turn on their employers. Sentinel cops rarely were on the take. Sentinel worked hard, and diligently. You had to force them to take sick days and vacations. It was the nature of a sentinel. Maybe we are paying for our primas donna attitudes, Jim thought.

He sat down on his cot and watched Mark as he laid in his own bed throwing the covers over himself and burying beneath the blankets. Jim didn’t need to be a sentinel to hear the tears that came.