Not long after they brought the prisoner and the confiscated equipment into the village, Weston arrived along with his reinforcements. He was directed to the village center where Dr. Ramirez was attending to the wounded soldier, with Bishop accompanying him. When the soldier recognized Bishop he broke his silence, “Chief, what are you doing here?”
“Trying to right a wrong; how about you?” he challenged.
Something in the way he said it made the soldier think he was not going to get any special treatment from his old boss. He remained where he was and said nothing more. By this time, professor Bayek had arrived and noticed the prisoner. Bishop turned to him as he walked in and thought he detected a sign of recognition between the two men. Weston walked over to the soldier after first talking to the men who had brought him there. They gave a detailed accounting of the events from the previous night before they left Mezzo to return to their responsibilities.
“What’s your name,” he started by asking.
The soldier said nothing.
“Peterson. His name’s Peterson,” Bishop supplied.
The soldier looked at Bishop in disgust.
“Okay Peterson,” Weston continued, “I don’t know if you realize this or not, but there isn’t much you can count on out here. You can either be useful to us or not. It is up to you,” he said evenly.
He remained silent.
“How did you know where to look for each of the traps we had placed on that trail?”
He did not answer.
“Why did you try to come into the valley through that area instead of just trying to establish contact with us here?”
Still no answer.
While Weston was questioning the prisoner, Bishop was paying close attention to Bayek. It was obvious that he was uncomfortable. He also detected a sign of recognition, which had passed between him and the prisoner after that last question. Bishop heard Weston say something else before he decided it was time to intervene.
“How is the boy? Have you hurt him,” Bishop asked in a conversational manner as he turned from his examination of Bayek to give his full attention to his former subordinate.
Thinking this was one question he could answer, and maybe get a bargaining chip in the process, he said, “He’s fine for now. But I don’t know what they will do if you harm me.”
Bishop smiled at him.
“Weston. You are questioning the wrong man,” he stated flatly.
Weston looked at him in confusion. Bishop pointed to Bayek and said, “Ask him.”
Professor Bayek’s eyes went wide at the statement. “I don’t know what he is talking about. I told you, I escaped, Stephan didn’t.”
“Yeah,” Bishop said, “But the only people who would know about you and the boy would be those who captured you and possibly a few people on the inside. That means the two of you,” Bishop said indicating both Bayek and their prisoner “have met already. It also means that somehow they knew how to get past the security measures, and know where the path of least resistance would be. I think you are a liar Bayek. You didn’t escape, they let you go.”
Professor Bayek was having a hard time organizing his thoughts as the weight of the allegations being made descended upon him. He could see it just as clearly in the eyes of the others.
“Let’s have the truth,” Weston said. “You might as well tell us why and save us all the time and trouble.”
When it was clear he could not hide it any longer, he confessed. “They have medicine, we don’t. They said they wouldn’t hurt Stephan or any of the rest of us. They said if they could find a way in, and take us by surprise, no one would get hurt and we could prevent any unnecessary bloodshed.”
“You’ve betrayed us,” Weston said.
“I’m responsible for saving the lives of many of the people in this valley,” Bayek responded self-righteously.
“And now you will cost many of those same individuals their lives.”
“This is no way to live. We are not savages. They can cure us. We can make things better,” Bayek challenged.
“You forget yourself. You do not decide for the rest of us. You’ve risked all of our lives on something you know nothing about, on people you know nothing about.” After a moment’s hesitation he said, “Tie them both up and keep an eye on them,” Weston ordered.
When they walked away from the village center, Bishop asked Weston what would be done with them.
“We will release them on the rim this evening.”
“Release them,” he asked in surprise.
“They have proved they cannot be trusted and are of no value to us. Releasing them is the worst thing that could be done.”
The reality of that judgment had more meaning for Bishop when the time came. He walked with the group as the two men were escorted to the rim. He remembered his own banishment and the environment that awaited him. Bayek had pleaded continuously while they made the ascent. Peterson did not understand this and appeared relived that he had an opportunity to make it back to the mountain.
Their bonds were removed, and they were pointed away from the valley warned not to return under punishment of death. Bayek took one last look at the people he had fought beside for his own survival then turned to walk away. When they were too far away to be heard, Peterson told him not to be worried about exposure, when they reached the mountain, they would be treated for any contamination.
“I’m not worried about contamination. I am one of the few who is not affected by it,” Bayek said sullenly.
“Then what are you worried about. We got away. At least you will be safe now. They are the ones who will have to face the consequences.”
“How often have you been out here at night?”
“Last night was the first time. Why?”
“We will never make it,” Bayek said with finality.
“I’ll look after you doc,” the young soldier said.
Bayek turned and looked at his companion. It would soon be dark enough that they would have to remain very close so as not to lose each other along the way. The cloud cover that evening made it nearly impossible for the ambient light of the moon to penetrate. Bayek knew the wounds on the soldier were suppurating. He also had blood on his clothing. He was afraid to remain with him, but terrified of being alone.
A few hours later, they stopped for their first break. Peterson was weary from his wound, and Bayek was not physically fit to begin with. They kept their conversation light, and were curious as to how the other had survived as they did. When they started off again, it was not long until they both heard a noise, in fact several noises. They looked around the nearby area for sticks sturdy enough to defend themselves. Those clubs provided a small measure of security. The cloud cover was breaking slightly, and a full moon could be seen. When it was clear that whatever was ‘out there’ was now closer, the two men moved ahead cautiously. Before they could move any further, the large beast was directly in front of them.
“Jesus Christ. What the hell is that thing,” the soldier asked while clutching his club.
“Rock Wolf,” Bayek replied.
“Wolf hell, it’s as big as a bear.”
“I wish it was a bear. Then there would only be one of them,” Bayek said.
As soon as he said this, the younger man noticed the golden eyes of other wolves moving in to surround them. They were well beyond the hearing distance of those in the valley. Their screams went unheard by any man, only to be lost on the beasts who hunted them.