Monsters of Men

“What was it?”

“A group of Spackle,” he says, “armed to the teeth and sneaking into town.”

“Bradley,” I say. “Noise doesn’t really work that way. It’s fantasies and memories and wishes and real things next to fake things. It takes a lot of practice to figure out what even might be true and not something the person wants to be true. It’s mainly just mess.”

He doesn’t say anything, but the image he saw repeats in his own Noise. It’s everything he said. It’s also going out into the world, out across the half-circle, over to the Spackle.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I say. “There was that one who attacked us, wasn’t there? Maybe he wasn’t the only one who didn’t vote for peace–”

A loud beep from my comm makes both of us jump. I reach for it, under the blankets.

“Viola!” Todd shouts as I answer. “Yer in danger! You gotta get outta there!”

[TODD]

The Mayor knocks the comm right outta my hand.

“You’ll endanger her worse by doing that,” he says, as I scramble after it. It don’t look broke but it did shut off and I’m already clicking buttons to get her back. “I’m not kidding, Todd,” he says, strong enough to make me stop and look at him. “If they get any hint we know what’s going on, then I can’t guarantee her safety.”

“Tell me what’s going on, then,” I say. “If she’s in danger–”

“She is,” he says. “We all are. But if you trust me, Todd, then I can save us.” He turns to Mr Tate, who’s still hovering there. “Everything ready, Captain?”

“Yes, sir,” Mr Tate says.

“Ready for what?” I say, looking twixt the pair of ’em.

“Now that,” the Mayor says, turning to look at me, “is the interesting thing, Todd.”

The comm beeps back into life in my hand. “Todd?” I hear. “Todd, are you there?”

“Do you trust me, Todd?” the Mayor says.

“Tell me what’s going on,” I say.

But he just asks me again. “Do you trust me?”

“Todd?” Viola says.

{VIOLA}

“Viola?” I finally hear again.

“Todd, what’s happening?” I say, looking worried up to Bradley. “What do you mean we’re in danger?”

“Just . . .” and there’s a pause. “Hold tight for a second.” And he clicks off.

“I’ll go get the horses,” Bradley says.

“Wait,” I say. “He said to hold tight.”

“He also said we’re in danger,” Bradley says. “And if what I saw is true–”

“How far do you think we’d get if they wanted to hurt us?”

We can see some faces looking back at us now from the Spackle half-circle, flickering in the firelight. It doesn’t feel threatening, but I’m gripping the comm tight, hoping Todd knows what he’s doing.

“What if this was their plan all along?” Bradley says, keeping his voice low. “To get us into negotiations and then make a demonstration of what they’re capable of?”

“I didn’t get any feeling from the Sky that we were in danger,” I say. “Not once. Why would he do that? Why would he risk it?”

“To have more leverage.”

I pause as I realize what he means. “The punishments.”

Bradley nods. “Maybe they’re going after the President.”

I sit up further, remembering the Sky’s images of the genocide. “Which means they’re going right for Todd.”

[TODD]

“Make the final preparations, Captain.”

“Yes, sir,” Mr Tate salutes.

“And wake Captain O’Hare, please.”

Mr Tate smiles. “Yes, sir,” he says again and leaves.

“Tell me what’s going on,” I say, “or I go up there myself and get her down. I’m trusting you for now but that ain’t gonna last–”

“I’m on top of things, Todd,” the Mayor says. “You’ll be pleased when you find out how much.”

“On top of them how?” I ask. “How can you know anything about what’s happening?”

“Let’s put it this way,” he says, his eyes flashing, “the Spackle we captured told us more than he thought.”

“What?” I say. “What did he tell us?”

He smiles, almost like he can’t believe it. “They’re coming to get us, Todd,” he says, his voice all amused-sounding. “They’re coming to get me and you.”

{VIOLA}

“What are we meant to be looking for?” Simone asks from the scout ship, still parked on the hilltop.

“Just anything unusual in the probes.” I look at Bradley. “Bradley thinks he saw an attacking party in their Noise.”

“It’s a show of strength,” Mistress Coyle says. “Trying to prove they’ve still got the upper hand.”

“We think they might be going for the Mayor,” I say. “They kept asking us to turn him over so they could punish him for his crimes.”

“And that would be bad?” Mistress Coyle says.

“If they go for the President,” Bradley says, meeting my eye. “Todd’ll be right beside him.”

“Oh,” Mistress Coyle says. “That’s a bit more problematic for everyone, isn’t it?”

“We don’t know any of this for sure,” I say. “This could all be some misunderstanding. Their Noise isn’t like ours, it’s–”

“Wait,” Simone says. “I see something.”

I look out from the hilltop and see one of the probes flying towards the south of the town. I can hear from the Noise of the Spackle behind me that they see it, too. “Simone?”

“Lights,” she says. “Something’s on the march.”

[TODD]

“Sir!” Mr O’Hare says, face all puffy like he just woke up. “Lights have been spotted south of town! The Spackle are marching on us!”

“Are they?” the Mayor says, fake-surprised. “Then you’d better send some troops to meet our enemy, hadn’t you, Captain?”

“I’ve already ordered squadrons to prepare to march, sir,” Mr O’Hare says, looking pleased and directing a sneer right at me.

“Excellent,” the Mayor says. “I eagerly await your report.”