Rock Hard (12 page)

Tess watched Enlil and Marduk put their heads together one last time, and the rapidly approaching storm somehow missed the
Unity
. An interesting occurrence, she mused.

Captain Wollaston, when confronted with unfettered serfs, was not happy. But Morton, whose shaking had dissipated with the storm, seemed fully satisfied.

Tess was once again subjected to a change of scenery. This time her men were using their magnificent bodies to chop down trees and haul rocks from a spit of elevated land that jutted out into a bay. They were being aided by a large group of Native Americans; white and brown bodies combined, sweating without shirts in the afternoon sun. Several native women toiled over a fire, preparing what looked to be lunch, and the atmosphere seemed happy and relaxed.

Tess spirited over to where Morton, Wollaston, and Marduk looked over a parchment filled with lines and figures. Obviously these were the plans for the new settlement, and Marduk had emerged as a major player in the construction process. Tess peered over his shoulder.

Mount Wollaston—the plans proclaimed. Tess wished she knew more about the history of Quincy, for that’s where they must be now, the name Wollaston ringing a bell from the cemetery where she ran. Before she could draw herself away and question the present day Marduk, the vision changed again, and she was surrounded by a finished village.

Men, and now women, bustled about, tending gardens and hanging clothes. Several men, once again stripped to the waist, beat and scraped on animal hides that had been strung up between trees. Tess drifted down the length of the street and found herself unable to enter any of the small thatched houses she wished to explore, but finally was allowed access to a bigger structure that, if she was correct, would have been called a long house by native tribes.

Her group of thirteen was ensconced within, sitting on flat, upturned stumps that served as chairs, chewing on small squares of toughened venison skewered on knives.

“So how do we handle it?” The bald one in the group looked toward Marduk.

“I’ll have to let Morton know what’s going on, and convince him that we should intervene and mete out immediate justice.” Marduk looked over at Enlil, who nodded his head in approval. He and the other god didn’t see eye to eye on much these days, but on this they were united.

Their village had grown into a teaming, thriving community, housing dozens of new settlers, men, and more women every month. Life had been peaceful, hunting and trapping, trading with the neighboring Algonquians. Harmony had reigned and, even though the gods were still owned by Morton, they were allowed to participate in all endeavors, quite frequently sampling the charms of many of the local ladies.

“If his behavior goes unchecked,” Enlil continued, “Wollaston will be trying his hand with us, eventually, and this we can’t allow.”

“Thank the deities that we have those blasted chains hidden away,” the dreadlocked one spat out, and all heads nodded in agreement.

“I say we just kill him.” The violet-black haired one that had been stricken from Tess’s earlier vision bared his teeth in the darkened room.

“There will be no killing, Dagon!” snarled Marduk. “You will behave, for our fate is most likely tied to Thomas Morton and any killing on our part will be laid at his door. You would do well to remember that.” Marduk flipped the knife, now devoid of meat, to land point first in the dirt between Dagon’s feet. Marduk slowly arose.

“I will talk to Morton now.” Marduk turned to dreadlocks and blondie. “Enten, Anshar, follow Wollaston today and make sure he does no more damage before we get this under control.”

The two nodded, rose, and slipped out the door. Marduk gave Dagon one more searing glance before he, too, left the structure.

Tess followed Marduk back up the hill, just able to match his long strides as she floated above. He was intent on a particular house at the top of the street, and Tess was sure he didn’t feel the small hand that wrapped itself around his muscular forearm right away, but for some reason it pissed her off to no end.

“Marduk.” A seductive voice wafted through the air, grating in its saccharine sweetness. “Slow down for a moment!” The woman’s pout was enough to make one vomit.

“Hannah.” Marduk’s voice softened. Hmph! So had they been lovers? “I’m headed to see Thomas right now. Is there anything in particular that you need?”

The woman glanced coyly down, moving her fingers over his flexing muscles. “I was wondering if there was anything you might need?” Her tongue poked out to lick her bottom lip suggestively. “Maybe more of what I did for you last night?” Answer received!

And if the bitch hadn’t been dead for millennia, Tess would have kicked her ass right then and there! It was an irrational thought, and Tess struggled to bring her kicked up adrenaline back under control.

The picture froze.

“She doesn’t need to see this,” Marduk’s voice was commanding.

“But I think she does!” Enlil was just as adamant.

Tess kept her gaze plastered to the fair-haired woman, now immobile, and spoke through the interruption. “You can move this along,” she strongly suggested. “I don’t like her.”

Tess could almost see Enlil’s grin, but the next thing she knew, Marduk was at Thomas Morton’s door. He raised his hand and knocked.

“Yes? Come in, come in.” The voice from inside beckoned, and Marduk stooped to enter Morton’s home. The man was leaning over a table covered with books, eyeglasses perched upon his nose. He looked up. “Oh, Marduk,” he spoke distractedly. “Do come in and find a seat.”

Every available chair was covered with either clothing or books; even a half-eaten meal from…several days before, by the looks. Marduk simply moved some doublets aside.

“Thomas, we have a problem.”

This snagged Morton’s attention, and he looked up, moving his spectacles to the top of his head. “What sort of problem?”

“Last week one of your men went missing.” Marduk paused. “One of your indentured men,” he clarified.

Thomas gasped. “Run off, do you think?” He looked confused and scratched his head. “But everyone seems so happy here, and you only have three more years to work off your indenture. Who was it?” he wondered, disappointment evident in his voice.

“Daniel Breane,” Marduk answered. “Which is why I became suspicious. If you’re not aware, Daniel started courting that pretty little woman who arrived from New Salem two months ago, and was already planning where he would build their new home.”

“Do you think someone was jealous?” Morton queried.

“I wasn’t sure what to think, so I kept watch on your other indentured servants and, sure enough, last night we had another problem.”

“Speak up, man! Have I an insurrection on my hands?”

Marduk snarled, “Yes. An insurrection of one.”

“I don’t understand.” Thomas obviously wasn’t following and neither was Tess.

“Wollaston is your culprit, although I’m not sure why. I had my men follow Wollaston’s first in command after he waylaid another man coming from the outhouse in the middle of the night. The bastard rendered him unconscious and dragged him to a small camp about a mile south of here. My men saw Daniel there, trussed up like a dinner goose. They reported back to me, and after some discussion with my men,” Morton must have known to which men Marduk referred, “we deemed it necessary to bring you the information.”

“You could have told me sooner,” Morton muttered, but seemed used to Marduk taking charge and doing things in his own way.

“Stay right here.” The strength in Morton’s voice had Marduk once again believing that they backed the correct man in their quest for survival. “I’ll send for Richard immediately, and we’ll get to the bottom of this. In the meantime, I’ll send two of your associates to free my stolen men.”

He strode to the door with a purpose and called to the first soul who walked by.

“You there! Go tell Richard Wollaston that I need to see him, now…and on the way there, send two of Marduk’s men to me.” His voice brooked no argument, and, within minutes, Enlil and Lahar were off to the rescue, and Morton was left pacing the fifteen foot length of his house, waiting for Wollaston’s arrival while Marduk looked on. They didn’t wait long.

“What’s this all about,” Wollaston demanded, entering the abode without so much as a knock.

“You tell me, Richard.” Morton got right up into the taller man’s face. “I’ve been told that two of my servants have been removed from the village and detained by you for purposes unknown. Perhaps you would care to fill me in on the details?”

Wollaston prevaricated. “I was planning to let you know, Thomas. Just not until I had an idea of what they could be worth. I’ve been approached by a trader from Newtown. The colony of Virginia is paying good money for able-bodied young men to be shipped down to work on the tobacco plantations. I thought if we sold off all our still-indentured servants,” he sent a pointed glance to where Marduk sat in the shadows, “we would have enough money to assure seed for next year’s crops and an enormous expansion of our holdings.”

“And you thought to do this without my knowledge?” Color rose on Morton’s face. “These are my men, Richard! They have been through much hardship, and I have promised them all freedom when their terms have run out.” Veins popped out on his forehead, and Marduk momentarily despaired of an apoplectic fit. “I will not have this, Wollaston! Do you understand me? I will not abide this behavior!”

Richard Wollaston sneered down his long, pointed nose. “Just try and stop me, Thomas. The wheels are in motion and, if you don’t assist me willingly, my friend in Newtown will lend me enough men to overcome your feeble resistance.” He turned to leave. “So give in gracefully and the rest of the village will be better for it.”

“You mean your pockets will be better for it,” Morton fumed. “Do not think for a minute I believe you have this settlement’s best interest at heart.”

Wollaston walked out the door.

“I’ll see you hanged, Richard,” Morton called after him. “I’ll see you run out of the Bay Colony! Oh God!” He fell back into the wall and reached for his handkerchief to mop his face. “Whatever will we do, Marduk? Whatever will we do?”

The rest of the scene took place in a blur of speed; Marduk and his men meeting with Morton, Tess’s lethal-looking thirteen leading an uprising of citizens against Wollaston, eventually driving him and his cronies out of the village at gun point, a ceremonious renaming of the settlement to Merrymount.

Tess saw prosperity abound as the colony became the fastest growing town in all of Massachusetts Bay, reaping the benefits of perfect weather, fine crops and abundant trade with the natives. All was well, it was better than well until, egged on by the Mount Wollaston exiles, the Puritans of Plymouth Colony got their long-johns in a twist.

“Thomas. We’ve got to rein things in.” Tess was once again in Morton’s home, listening to Marduk speak. “Many of the citizenry have gotten out of hand, including a good number of my men.” He looked truly worried. “I fear that our Puritan neighbors aren’t going to put up with our actions for much longer. Our celebrations have become much too blatant, our successes too prominent. Mark my words, Myles Standish will not just sit by quietly and watch.”

Blurring again, Tess witnessed yet another meeting between Morton and Marduk. This time Thomas held a letter.

“We are accused of drunken orgies in honor of Bacchus and Aphrodite, carnal relations with native women, drinking and dancing like fairies around the Maypole.” He turned troubled eyes to Marduk. “What shall we do?”

Marduk wished with all his heart that it was not too late, but Morton had turned a blind eye for far too long. Marduk’s men had all encouraged the lavish gatherings, using their combined powers—against orders—over the elements to assure abundance for all and relishing in the debauched atmosphere after eons of enslavement.

Marduk was not entirely innocent, taking full advantage of his physical prowess and partaking of women when and where he pleased. He did not paint a pretty picture of himself for Tess. She saw what he had momentarily become and felt his regret as he allowed his life in Merrymount to unfold before her. Enlil too, bared his tainted soul and showed her far worse of himself than Marduk had ever envisioned.

When the pictures in her head slowed down, Tess knew she was about to see the end of the story.

“It’s May Day, Marduk! There will be much celebrating when the sun goes down!” Anshar tried to goad his friend out of his foul humor, but failed for all his effort. Marduk had a bad feeling about tonight, and his mood sent a rumble of thunder across the sky.

“Anshar, gather everyone together. I feel the need for a meeting.” He didn’t explain further, but sent Anshar on his way to assemble the gods.

Something wasn’t right, and he needed to get to the bottom of it. The big men started trickling in, grumbling at having to leave the bonfire that was just beginning to light up the dusk. Lahar, Absu, Ninurta, Dumazi, Emesh, and Enten entered first, with Shamash, Ishkur, Kulla, and Enlil bringing up the rear with Anshar. Marduk looked over the group.

“Where is Dagon?” he questioned sharply. All of the gods looked at each other, but none of them knew. Here was the thing that had been subconsciously bothering Marduk. “Has anyone spoken to him in the last couple of days?” They all shook their heads in the negative.

“He’s been very secretive these past few months,” Enlil ventured. “He leaves for periods of time, then returns but doesn’t speak to anyone. It’s almost like he’s watching…observing, not really participating in anything.” Enlil shrugged and laughed. “But you know Dagon. Now you’ve got me being paranoid, Marduk.” The blond-haired giant wanted to get back to the fun like everyone else.

“I’m not being paranoid, Enlil.” Marduk was more than worried now. “We need to call off the celebration tonight. Put out the bonfire and tell everyone to go back to their homes.” Tess knew Marduk wasn’t being a buzz-kill. Something big was about to go down, and she was afraid to see any more.

Twelve large warriors left the long house and made their way up the hill to where the townspeople had gathered, drinking and making merry around the Maypole. Someone had place deer antlers on the pole and another fool was spouting odes to Cupid’s mother. One more drunken buffoon was holding court, proclaiming their Puritan neighbors the Princes of Limbo and decrying Myles Standish.