Walker by Langlois Michael

Author:Langlois, Michael [Langlois, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-11-24T05:00:00+00:00

15

Class sucked. Daniel’s focus was shot and he barely managed to get through even the most basic exercises. It didn’t help that Lyle kept smirking at him all afternoon, either. After an eternity of drills, Daniel finally found himself changing in the locker room. He motioned for his three friends to wait behind until everyone else left.

“What’s up?” asked Leland, slinging his pack over one shoulder.

“Up for a little body guarding practice? I need somebody to walk me home.”

Leland cracked the first smile of the afternoon, “Are you hitting on me?”

“Sure, if that motivates you to take a bullet for me.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Ekani.

Daniel reached into his pocket and produced his trophy bullet. “Somebody took a shot at me earlier today, but Saul thinks it won’t happen again if there are too many witnesses to kill all at once.”

Leland shook his head and said, “Wow, you are one smooth talker. I’m in.”

Boro and Ekani nodded their agreement and they set off for Daniel’s apartment, making Daniel repeat the entire story, with commentary, at least twice.

After they were satisfied, Ekani said, “I’m hardly surprised that an attempt was made on your life. That’s how things are done here. Right, Leland? In fact, the person who shot at Daniel is probably a graduate of Master Dashel. One day soon that will be us, jumping out of the shadows and killing innocent people to enforce Guild policy.”

“Give me a fuckin’ break, Ekani!” said Leland. “I knew you were going to start in on this again. That’s how the world works. We aren’t going to be keeping the peace with time-outs and stern lectures. Somebody has to take the hard road and that’s us.”

“You think we just keep the peace?” Ekani shot back. “You remember the siege that closed the Urum mines at Greegis Hold a couple of years ago? Remember that they said they found a diplomatic solution? Well guess what? Their diplomatic solution was to send in one of Cannette’s suppression squads with weaponized smallpox and kill everyone, then sent in immunized workers to reopen the mine. That’s not keeping the peace, Leland, that’s just plain murder, done because they’re untouchable.”

“Bullshit, where did you hear that?”

Ekani looked away, knowing that she’d said too much already.

“Well?”

“If she tells you,” said Boro calmly, “it’s a death sentence for her and the one who gave her the information. You know that. You want to work for them, my friend, so you can’t be trusted with that information. You might even be the one chosen to silence little Ekani after you become a full fledged Protector.”

“Listen mate, you two can believe all the nutjob conspiracy theories you want, just leave me out of it.”

They had arrived at Daniel’s door.

“Leland,” said Ekani, putting one hand on his arm, “what if there was a way out? What if you had a choice?”

Leland’s eyes widened in fear and he spun his head around looking up and down the corridor, “Shut up! You want somebody to hear you?” He pointed a finger at Ekani.

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