Pickers 1: The Find (5 page)

Maxine heard the gurgle and clatter of the approaching water early enough to walk from the courtyard to the trough before the first sloosh rushed into it. The flow was full of stones and twigs, brown from the dried mud it had lifted as it made its way down the hill. The trough filled with a messy soup quickly, but as it overflowed the scum of wood and grass washed out with it.

There would be clean water flowing down by the morning, and they could refill the wagons' water tanks before they moved on. She stirred the water with a spade, splashing it out and taking some of the silt with it. She couldn't help but help it clean out, even if it would sort itself out if she left it alone. The water flowing in kept up with her efforts, so she gave up soon enough and went back to the wagons.

Remy was sat in the captain's chair atop wagon one, looking out at the road that ran up to the farm buildings. Maxine clambered up the narrow ladder at the rear of the wagon with the ease of years of practise and walked along the perforated metal plates that ran up its spine between the solar panels. Resting her crossed arms on top of the chair, she asked, "Would you like me to take over watch?"

"Not yet. But stay up here with me a while."

From the top of the big boxy body of the wagon, Maxine could see over the remaining walls of the farm buildings. She did a full circle scan of the landscape, and spotted Tony and Veronique coming down the hill, casting long shadows as the sun set. "Are you looking forward to going home?" her father asked, surprising her.

"No." Maxine replied. Then, after pausing to consider, "Maybe. I don't know."

Remy turned to look up at her. "Why not?"

"I can't really say. It's where I was born, I know. And I remember the Valley as a green place, with things growing everywhere. Not like...." Maxine did a sweep of her right hand. It was almost too dark to see, but, apart from the oasis around the spring, the landscape was painted in a million shades of brown and yellow. "But, well, I've been out here longer than I was in there. There's freedom out here. In the Valley, there were always restrictions on where we could go, what we could do."

"It was safe, though. You have to have some rules to keep you safe."

"It wasn't safe for Mama." Maxine wished she hadn't said it as soon as it left her mouth, but her father just made a motion like a nod that transitioned into a shake of his head.

"Your mother would have died just as quickly out here as she did in the Valley. Faster, maybe." Maxine said nothing. Remy went on, "They were wrong to cut themselves off from the outside world. It was a good strategy, I am sure, during the worst years. Yes, there was a time when it was even worse out here than it is now. Then, it must have made sense to cut themselves off from the rest of the world. Having big, knife edge mountain ranges to act as your castle walls must have helped. But that was when I was young. By the time you and Vee were born, it was a bad idea. We needed to trade with the outside world, and let new people in."

"Which is why we do what we do." Maxine said. "I've seen the difference a fresh supply of tools can make to a settlement. You made the right decision, coming out here."

"Ah, you have such faith in your old father. But I should have stayed and argued the case more strongly. We've done good out here, but maybe we could have done more staying there. I told you I have been talking to other traders? Well, they only started mentioning the Valley in the last few years. It seems your uncle Julien rose to mayor and opened the town up to the outside world. If we had stayed, we could be doing this anyway, for our home."

"Would we stay there? After we have traded seeds with them?" Maxine asked.

"Perhaps. Would that suit you?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. I am used to the freedom out here, I don't believe I could become used to the restrictions of living in a house again, surrounded by people. I'm not sure I understand people well enough."

Remy reached up to place a hand on Maxine's arm. "That is my fault, I fear, bringing you out here, where nearly half the people you meet are trying to kill you."

"Perhaps. But you taught me how not to be killed by them, at least." It shouldn't have been funny, but they both chuckled. "Get some sleep Papa, I shall watch. You have to take us on an epic journey in the morning."

The old fortress stood above them, peach and orange walls marked by wounds that were centuries and decades old. Maxine stared up at it. Hidden behind the castellated tops of the walls were weapons, she knew. A mix of old and new, so the stories had it, that had seen off the most recent rounds of attackers.

One of the town folk was studying Maxine, a young mother with one child in her arms and another, picking his nose and staring up at the stranger. "Outsiders do not get into the castle." The woman said. Maxine had to run the sentence through a couple of times to understand it. They had gone several weeks without speaking Spanish.

"I know, everybody tells me. So I stand down here and stare up at it and try to imagine what it is like inside." Maxine looked down at the table before her, arrayed with objects they had picked out in the bad lands. "I'm supposed to sell you things instead. What do you want?"

The woman only gave the products a cursory glance. "Which direction are you heading when you leave here?" she asked.

"East. To Zaragoza and then into the mountains." Their final destination was, obviously, a secret, but there was no point in denying which direction they would set out in. The woman nodded.

"Are there town in the mountains?"

"Some, but they are small. Smaller than this, for sure. Mostly, we are heading for Zaragoza. We have traded there before."

"And this is your party?"

Maxine was beginning to sense the direction the questions were going in. "Me, my father, my sister, and her husband." Maxine pointed them out. They were all standing at tables under awnings, set up for the market, each handling haggling far better than she ever did. Tony was at the far end of her table, with Veronique and Remy behind them.

"Lionel, fetch your grandfather and your aunt." the woman commanded the older child. He looked at her, then at Maxine, turned on his heel and wandered off. "What is your charge for escort duty?"

"Papa will decide the figures." Maxine turned and tugged the back of Remy's shirt to get his attention. "Papa. Are we open to transporting someone?"

Remy studied the woman, "Mademoiselle?"

"Not me, my sister." She turned around to point toward her son, who was leading an older man and younger woman toward them. She was very pretty, Maxine thought, pale skinned and with deep brown hair. Her expression was nervous, but not the depression or sadness some of their passengers wore. When she and the man stopped in front of the table, she looked from Maxine to Remy and back again.

"I am Chloe." the girl said, when neither her sister nor her escort spoke. "My name came up in the lottery to leave town."

"Too many women?" Remy said.

"Tell me about it." muttered the old man. "We have a standing agreement with Zaragoza to send any.... Excess women their way because they have too many unmarried men. Between us and them, we can make the journey worth your while."

"I didn't know Zaragoza was open to expansion. That is good. We have friends there, I'm glad it's going well." Remy turned to Chloe, "We don't have much spare space, I'm afraid, you'll have to bunk with Maxine."

Chloe studied Maxine, who suddenly felt self conscious and looked down at the table, wondering if she should rearrange its contents. "I will be able to cope with that. How, erm, how long will the journey take?" Chloe said.

"That far, at least a week, maybe two. How long did it take last time, Max?"

Maxine opened her mouth to answer, then realised she didn't really know. "We have never done that journey direct from here. I don't know." she managed eventually.

"We'll say a fortnight and load extra supplies for it. You have the guarantees, of course?"

"They are in the Mayor's office. You can have them as soon as you agree to the trip."

"We can get them now, then. I am Remy, this is Maxine, and that is Tony and Veronique. But they are busy, they can do proper introductions later"

"Artur." said the man. "Let us get the guarantees now."

"I will stay here. I have questions for, er, Maxine, about the journey." Chloe said.

"Very well." Artur led Remy off.

The woman who had made the introductions kissed Chloe's cheeks, then she led her children away. Chloe and Maxine looked at each other, then away. "I have never been far away from the town." Chloe said, the first to be brave enough to speak. "Is it really as dangerous out there as they say?"

Maxine was about to affirm Chloe's worst fears, and talk up the risks. But a girl so pretty deserved the truth. "It can be dangerous if you go looking for trouble, which we do, sometimes. But this journey will be safe enough."

"I'm glad. I'm nervous, scared, about the journey."

"No need to be, we can handle any trouble. Not that there will be, of course, like I just said."

"I'm glad. Will I need to learn how to use weapons? When I'm out there? I know how to use some, but maybe I need to know more."

"What can you handle?"

"I've had lessons with bows, but I'm best with the catapult. I use it to hunt game in the ruins."

"I never used a catapult. How effective is it?"

"Against small animals, it's very good. Bigger game, well.... I'll need to use a bow, won't I?"

"I can give you some lessons before we set off. If you'd like?"

"I would. After you finish for the day? Not tonight, I have to pack. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow."

There was an uncertain silence between them again, before Chloe finally said, "I should go now, and let you carry on selling."

"Okay. Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Chloe paused a little longer, then turned and walked away, dodging and side stepping through the crowd.

Tony had been counting chits of the local currency, pretending not to be listening in. He turned to Maxine with a little grin. "Did you just make a date?"

"I did not." Maxine felt her skin warming, and she couldn't meet her brother in law's gaze.

"No, of course not."

It was a small room, but still had more space than their cabin in the wagon. Veronique sat on the soft, wide mattress of the bed and felt herself sinking into it, almost scared she would be unable to get up again. She laid back and spread her arms wide, feeling as if she were floating. "A real bed, in a real room. It always feels so strange."

"Well, I thought we deserved a treat." Tony said. He was already stripping off, Veronique noted.

"Is there anyone next door, do you know?" Veronique asked, nervous. She glanced at the walls, trying to remember the layout.

"It doesn't matter. Let them listen." Tony was naked now, and he climbed onto the bed and kissed Veronique. As he started unbuttoning her blouse, she began to agree with him.

Out in the bad lands, they made love in the wagon- after making enough hints that Maxine disappeared- or in the open. They only had sex inside a building a few times a year, so it felt odd, illicit. Despite the shuttered windows and latched door, the fact that there might be other people in the same structure made it seem less private. Other people might hear them, especially as they could both be vocal about their pleasure.

Tony had Veronique's blouse open, and he was kissing and suckling at her breasts. She stroked the back of his neck. She wanted to talk to him about what they were going to do the other side of the mountains, and how their lives might change once they reached the Valley. But, even more, she wanted to make love with him in this strange, naughty environment. A happy sound escaped her mouth as Tony reached down and his fingers found their way into her shorts.

Veronique pushed Tony's head down her body, letting him stop to play his tongue around her belly button, guiding him to where she wanted him. He slid off the bed and pulled her shorts down her legs. Between her legs, he started kissing and licking again, getting her wet and ready for him. They knew each other's responses well after all these years, and he could tell, almost before she did, when he should stand and guide himself into her.

They made love slowly and gently, as the soft and comforting mattress and covers demanded, building to an intense climax. Afterwards, they cuddled as they floated in the middle of the big bed.

Veronique stroked Tony's chest. "I found the orphanage today. When I was out looking for components." she said.

"Orphanage?" Tony wasn't sure what this had to do with afterplay.

"Most families in the town, if a parent or parents die, they have aunts, uncles, grandparents to take over care of the children. But not all of them. And sometimes, something goes wrong in one of the outlying farms or settlements, and a kid is orphaned. A few times, even, travellers have come through and just.... left a child here. I don't see how anyone could do that, but...."

Now Tony understood. "You think we should adopt one of these orphans?" he said.

Veronique's finger barely faltered as it circled Tony's nipple. "I think we should consider it. Not here. Not now. But...."

"If our next trip is successful?"

"They're bound to have an orphanage, when we get there." They didn't talk openly about their plans when there were others anywhere nearby, even imagined listeners on the other side of a wall. When Tony didn't answer immediately, Veronique went on, "I mean, if I'm still not pregnant. If we settle down there, I'd like to raise a family."

"So would I. You wouldn't want to bring up kids on the road? Like Remy did with you and Max?"

"We weren't born on the road. I was in my teens when we set out into the bad lands."

"So, settle down for a decade and then take our brats into the wild?"

"Perhaps."

"I'll go wherever you want to take me." Tony said, with a kiss.

"Once more around this lovely bed?"

"That seems like a good place to start."