Territory by Deb2

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CHAPTER NINE
SOUTHWARD

EVENING OF DAY 15

Julia pulled the band from her hair, releasing it from the ponytail. She leaned forward from the waist and rubbed her head, enjoying the feeling of liberation. "To quote Devon, 'it's been an eventful day'." When she received no response from Alonzo, she straightened up and looked at him. "Alonzo?"

He was sitting on the cot, forearms resting on his thighs, hands dangling. He appeared to be engrossed in something on the floor.

"Alonzo, are you alright?" Dr. Heller knelt beside him, gently lifting his head until their eyes met. She leaned close for a kiss, which he returned, but his mind was elsewhere.

Julia sat back on her heels. "Alonzo," she said firmly, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing's 'wrong'," he answered impatiently. First Bess, now Julia. "A couple of Terrians dropped by early this morning."

"Did you discuss van Helsing?"
"Yeah." He gave a snort of laughter. "Nothing else. They want us to leave. Van Helsing...he...I don't know."

Julia kept silent while the dreamer composed his thoughts. "He's...I don't know, he's..." Alonzo rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and murmured, "Julia, he's different."

"Old?"
"He's old, but that's not it. *I'm* old." Alonzo paused, searching for words. Terrian 'phrases' warbled and trilled through his mind; they wouldn't translate. "Van Helsing isn't dangerous, but he is."

"You could say that about anyone, Alonzo. John, for example. Threaten True and he is very dangerous."

"No, Julia, that's not it...van Helsing isn't dangerous to us, to me or you, or anyone in particular. But he's...bad news for humankind."

Julia restated Alonzo's interpretation so that he could correct her if she'd heard wrong. "Harmless to individuals, but dangerous to the whole?"

Alonzo furrowed his brow, trying to understand, himself. "He won't hurt us, I've known that since I first saw him. He's the one who could get hurt. And if he does, everyone loses."

"No one here is going to hurt him without reason," Julia said reassuringly. She stroked the back of his neck.

He pulled away, shook his head. "Julia, it's deeper than that!" he said harshly.

Julia, rebuffed, sat back. Evidently the much touted 'women's intuition' had been chromotilted right out of her. She went back to what she knew and studied Alonzo's face. He looked tired. "Did you learn anything else?" she asked gently.

He focused on the real world, on Julia. The concern in her eyes elicited a warm smile. She cared more for him than anyone else he'd known. The love she gave was the most valuable thing he had, he'd ever had, something to be cherished, something to be protected...

His expression changed abruptly. Julia rephrased her question, realizing Alonzo *had* learned something important, maybe something that would clarify this mess. "What did you find out?"

"Julia," he said wonderingly. "The Terrians are *protecting* him."

~~Alonzo crouched in a spotless white corridor, carefully opening a panel. He pulled it from the wall slowly, silently. Once inside the shaft revealed, he replaced it, secure enough to hold until he kicked it out. There was room to wriggle thru on his belly, feet first; suddenly, the passage widened. Alonzo turned about and crawled on his hands and knees, and counted the branching passages. Eleven. This was it. Again on his belly, he squirmed to another panel. It was a bit more difficult to open; he persisted and caught it as slipped from its frame. Out, into the room, heels clicking on the floor. Here, this one. He unlocked the drawer. Inside, a bewildering matrix of chips and conduits. Painstakingly, Alonzo cut away one particular little electronic sensor. He replaced the drawer, locked it, and...

Alonzo stood next to a cot on which a slender young man slept. He took the pillow from the floor and held it over the man's face until the struggling ceased. As efficiently as with the sensor in the drawer, Alonzo removed a tiny disc from the underside of the man's upper arm. In the tiny white bathroom, he repeated the procedure on himself. It was more difficult; he was left-handed, cutting with his right hand. An unexpected splash of his blood on the basin sickened him. He leaned his forehead against the cool mirror for a moment and then continued his task. The identity discs were switched, the wounds were sealed. He stripped to the skin, stuffing his garments into the laundry hatch and replacing them with fresh ones from the cabinet. Alonzo pinned the collar studs in place. The reflection...something odd...~~"This isn't me," said Alonzo. "I'm dreaming again."

He jerked himself awake. The sudden movement also jerked Julia awake.

"Alonzo?"
He absently rubbed the underside of his left arm, stray bits of dream slipping out of memory. It left a sense of urgency, as had its predecessor, and added a feeling of confinement.

"Alonzo, what is it?" Juila asked, the concern of the woman outweighing the concern of the doctor. "Terrians?"

"No, no Terrians," He smiled at her and lay back down. "My arm went to sleep." Alonzo kissed her forehead.

"Umm," she replied, snuggling next to him, returning to the sleep she'd not completely abandoned.

The disturbing dream was gone. The dreamer forced himself to lie still, listening to the insects, the wind, Julia's breathing, his own heartbeat. He felt that he must escape, that time was running out on him. No mistakes, no second chances.

DAY 16

Van Helsing showed up closer to noon than dawn, causing even Morgan to grow impatient. The guide was riding one horse and leading another, a laden pack animal. He came closer to the camp than previously, so far as they knew. Morgan and Bess met with him. Morgan left his wife several meters from the man and went on alone. Van Helsing nudged his horse toward Bess, causing Morgan a great deal of concern. He hurried back to his wife. After all, it might have been a long time since van Helsing enjoyed feminine company. Bess hadn't moved, but stood uneasily half-smiling at the guide.

"This is my wife, Bess," introduced Morgan nervously, wondering if the emphasis he'd put on 'my' would offend van Helsing.

The woodsman looked her over. Bess was accustomed to men looking her over, and recognized lust when she saw it. She most certainly didn't see it now. The dazzling young woman relaxed, and beamed at her husband. Danziger looked at his vehicles with more desire than van Helsing showed for her. Morgan, though not as observant as his wife, realized she was a curiosity, an intellectual diversion, if anything.

"You're earthborn."
Bess nodded, smiling. "Yes! How did you know?" "You know how to walk."
Morgan resolved to compare the women's walks to see if he could tell a difference. It seemed more likely that van Helsing had learned Bess was an Earthress by eavesdropping. Even more likely was Bess having an adverse reaction to Morgan's research.

"Thank you," said Bess, flattered, confused more than a little. Van Helsing didn't acknowledge her; she'd been dismissed.

"Travel southeast, along the woods' edge. By dusk, you'll be between two arms of the forest. In the eastern arm is a dead tree, towering above the others. Meet me there about an hour after dawn."

That was all. He left at a leisurely pace. This was to be the routine van Helsing followed day after day, giving directions, describing a meeting place and informing them who was to meet him, and riding on. When the woods were denser and progress slow, he'd meet more often, changing the directions as necessary; when the woods thinned to a parklike scattering or they crossed one of the unexpected 'pastures', putting to flight any grazers which happened to be there, he'd lengthen the time between meetings until the woods began to be woods again. Once, they traveled two days without sight of him. Van Helsing always showed when and where he'd said, arriving shortly after the appointed liaison.

And, as far as most of Eden Advance was concerned, the liaison could have been consulting an oracle, or reading tea leaves for direction. They never saw van Helsing except in the distance, and that, rarely. The guide tolerated the presence of only the Martins, Devon, and, inexplicably and much to the technician's consternation, Baines. He spoke only with the Martins and Baines. Devon had mixed feelings about the snub; she resented it, but his apparent pleasure in slighting her was reassuring, the most human thing about him. Baines' feelings were crystal clear: he didn't like being a member of van Helsing's 'inner circle'. Van Helsing unnerved him, always speaking softly and in a disinterested monotone. And he volunteered practically no information; you had to ask, and had to phrase it just right.

Morgan repeated the instructions to Eden Advance. Most of the group, after two weeks in one place, were ready to move. Some did look back with reluctance, hoping New Pacifica was as beautiful as Paradise had been--with less rain.

Walman felt relief to be on the road again. The nomadic life appealed to him. He drove the ATV, scouting, not for the best route, but for possible ambush. Alonzo insisted they were in no danger from van Helsing. Okay, maybe not, but it would be stupid to let their guard down completely. Even Yale agreed. He'd noticed something interesting about the pack horse: it was a gelding. So, horses were plentiful enough *somewhere* that all of them weren't needed in the gene pool. That could mean more humans. Walman almost regretted scout duty. The walking conversation was bound to be good.

Danziger manned the Transrover. True was in the back with Uly, talking about horses again. If they got back home, she'd never be satisfied with a cat. Despite his efforts to maintain a frown of disapproval in case Adair showed up, John smiled as he remembered True's insistence on a real cat right after waking from cold sleep.

"John!" a man's voice called from right outside the cab. "Yeah, Morgan, whaddya want?" Danziger responded, not attempting to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"Can I talk to you, just for a few moments?" "Okay. I'm listening."
"Do you mind if I ride in the cab?" Morgan asked sourly. "Fine with me," replied Danziger. "If it's okay with Magus." He winked at her.

She grinned broadly and leaned around John for a clear view of Morgan. "Sure, I don't care."

"Thanks." He walked alongside a few seconds before asking, "Aren't you going to stop so I can get in?"

"Nope. We aren't going that fast." Morgan gave him a black look, then disappeared toward the rear of the TransRover.

Magus snickered. "That's mean."
"Yeah," agreed Danziger in satisfaction. He'd have purred if equipped to do so.

Not even panting, rather to the 'mean' driver's disappointment, Morgan appeared at the passenger side door. He pulled his way in, crawled over Magus after losing a staring contest with her, and wedged himself uncomfortably between two potential pickers with him as pickee. He'd endured worse situations.

"Okay, Morgan, shoot."
"If the vehicles weren't in a state of perpetual decay, I would," he said.

"Ooooo," ooooed Magus, sounding insincerely intimidated. "Guess I'd better make sure they always need repairs," said John.

"Danziger, can we drop the kidding? I want to ask your opinion on something."

"*My* opinion?" echoed the mechanic in genuine surprise, looking at Morgan to see if he was serious.

"Yes," the man affirmed, meeting John's eyes briefly before addressing the TransRover's console. "We have our differences and will all of our lives, that's a natural consequence of our differing backgrounds, but over the past months, I've learned to respect you; you're an intelligent man, and a fair man; you weigh circumstances carefully before coming to a conclusion."

"I'm flattered," Danziger lied. Yeah, I'm intelligent enough not to be swayed by pretty words, particularly yours. "Come to the point, man."

"This following van Heslin--"
"Van Helsing," interrupted Magus.
"Thank you," the politican said, favoring Magus with a dirty look before returning to his conversation with the console. "I'm not completely at ease with this. He *did* save my life and all, but...he gives me the creeps."

Danziger was again surprised by Morgan. "You don't seem to have any trouble talking to him."

"Talking to difficult people is my job. Was my job. No, it still *is* my job, as long as 'van' is around. I know how to...be charming, how to ingratiate myself, just as you know how to fix a flat tire."

"You don't like him," observed John. Morgan nodded solemnly. "Me, either. Don't trust him. None of us do."

"Except Alonzo and Uly," amended Magus. "I'm not saying they like the guy, but they both insist he's harmless."

"I don't know," said Danziger doubtfully, "Sometimes 'Lonz has problems with translation. He's not real specific. And Uly's a great kid, but he has too much imagination and he is a kid."

Morgan lowered his voice confidentally, as if someone outside the cab might overhear. "There was no negotiation yesterday. None. Zilch. Van Helsing *told* us, in no uncertain terms, he would lead us out of here. Devon had no input in the decision."

Danziger chewed on that for a few minutes. No wonder Adair was steamed. Van Helsing had usurped control. And here they were, following a wild man into the woods. They'd probably end up felling enough trees to build a raft which would support the TransRover. "We'll have to keep an eye on him."

That will be impossible, thought Morgan. "How? Plant a beacon on him?" he asked sarcastically.

Danziger and Magus both turned to Morgan. Good idea.

DAY 18

During the first days of travel, they offered him clothing more suited to the hotter temperatures than the leather he wore. Van Helsing flatly refused it, as if he knew they'd sewn a tiny transmitter into the shirt. His resistance to heat was greater than theirs, but when the days were smotheringly oppressive, even he wore as little as modesty allowed.

They'd camped at the edge of the grassy area, almost in the woods, and could proceed no further until the way was cleared enough for the Transrover. The day was hot. Thank God, it wasn't especially humid. Progress thru the forest was slower, but it was nice under those trees. Magus figured the men exerting themselves in the woods were cooler than she was. Idly, she scanned the area. Well, how about that? Van Helsing was riding slowly along the far side of the meadow. She focused in closer on him.

He wore only a pair of shorts. Maybe he'd traded with Grendlers, which was unlikely if his professed aversion to them was real, or maybe he'd found a cargo pod himself. Magus snorted in contempt. If van Helsing had found a cargo pod, he'd not tell them. Could he have sneaked into camp and stolen them?

"Whatcha looking at?" asked Denner. She suddenly found herself holding the jumpers.

"It's our faithful guide."
Denner scanned out and located him. "He doesn't usually come this close to camp."

"How do you know?" challenged Magus. "Just because we don't see him, doesn't mean he isn't there."

"Yeah, but I'd prefer to think he isn't." She paused thoughtfully. "He's got a really nice body."

"Well, yeah, I suppose he has."
Denner lowered the jumpers and looked at Magus incredulously. "You suppose? Let's get a second opinion. Hey, Julia!"

The doctor turned from her work; she was trying to design the chronologically accurate scanner Devon had requested. It was frustrating. She was a doctor, not an engineer. Yale graciously helped when she asked. With access to his files, given sufficient time, Julia would be able to produce the device. It might be long after van Helsing was gone, however. Julia abandoned the task, glad for a reason to leave it.

"Is something wrong?" She took the jumpers Denner offered and looked across the meadow. "Van Helsing?" Julia turned back toward camp, looking for Devon. "How long has he been there?" Devon wasn't within sight. Neither were the children or Yale. They'd probably sought refuge in the forest; it was unlikely any of them were inside one of those stifling tents.

"Not more than ten or fifteen minutes," replied Magus. "Take a good look at him," suggested Denner. "What do you think of him?"

Dr. Heller scrutinized van Helsing, realizing this likely would be as close as she'd get to actually examining him. Van Helsing was slender, but his musculature was still impressive. He rode gracefully, a beautiful creature, head high, back straight, stomach flat, the man's physique flawless so far as she could tell. His skin was unmarred by scars or blemishes of any kind. If the hair and beard were groomed, he'd probably be an attractive man. "He's a remarkable physical specimen."

"Is that your professional opinion?" asked Magus. The doctor lowered the jumpers and seriously replied, "Yes, it is."

Magus grinned. "Denner likes him." "I didn't say I liked him, I said he has a good build." Magus continued her teasing. "You said he has a really nice *body*."

Julia shrugged. "I don't see that it makes any difference. He won't permit physical contact." She raised the jumpers again and watched as he moved alongside the woods. He guided his horse toward the trees, then unexpectedly turned it to face them. The hair on the back of Julia's neck bristled. There was no doubt in her mind that he was looking directly at her. Given the distance between them, she'd be one of three tiny figures, not discernable as a particular person. Only, Julia felt that he knew exactly who she was. She felt he could see her better than she could see him. It was eerie. It was unreasonable, paranoid, actually. Dr. Heller slowly lowered the jumpers. Van Helsing disappeared among the trees.

DAY 18, THE NIGHT OF

Devon woke with the distinct impression of being watched. Easing herself to her elbow, she looked at Uly's cot. He was there, dimly visible in the moonlights, his sheet wadded up at the foot of his bed. The child slept soundly in spite of the heat. He wasn't the source of her apprehension.

She pushed back her own cover and swung her feet to the floor, catching sight of a shadow directly across from her. Devon sat perfectly still, holding her breath and widening her eyes as if that would improve her night vision. The shadow remained motionless. Devon gripped the edges of her cot. With a quick movement, she was standing between the intruder and Uly. From there, the shadow was discernable as a man sitting on his haunches, a bow lying in front of him.

"Van Helsing," Devon whispered.
He inclined his head once. With catlike grace, the man unfolded, leaving the bow on the ground.

"What do you want?" demanded the mother. Van Helsing soundlessly crossed the few yards separating them, easing past Devon without touching her, and stood at the head of Uly's cot. Devon tensed, a call for help aching in her throat. Only her son's certainty of van Helsing's harmlessness kept it from breaking free. She watched the woodsman intently, trembling, ready to lunge at him at the least provocation, armed only with her love for her child.

Devon tightly clenched her fists as the guide reached out and almost brushed Uly's cheek before curling his fingers and drawing back. "Changeling," he murmured.

"What do you want?" repeated Devon, unable to keep the angry tremor out of her voice.

Van Helsing retrieved his weapon. His every move appeared to be choreographed.

"Are you a 'changeling'?" she whispered. He tilted his head, mimicking the Terrians; whether from respect or scorn of them, Devon couldn't say. "No."

"What are you doing here?"
On his way out of the tent, he answered her in a barely audible voice. "Testing your security."

Devon followed him within seconds. Van Helsing was nowhere in sight. She anxiously scanned the meadow before squinting uselessly at the woods looming around them. Why was he testing their security? Were there others like him out there? It wasn't logical for him to warn them against his *own* intrusions. He'd had to cross the perimeter alarm, evade the guard, and slip past the women's tent to reach hers. Baines or Danziger would be on duty. Neither was inclined to sleep on the job.

Tomorrow morning, she'd discuss the situation with the group. For now, she needed to be with Uly. The 'changeling', van Helsing had called him. The stranger was aware of Uly's difference. Devon longed to talk with van Helsing. He could have so many answers.

DAY 19

The guide's late night visit with Devon did not improve their relationship. Van Helsing ignored her and he ignored any questions Morgan or Bess put to him about Uly or 'changelings'. He nodded when the discussion on beefing up security was related. If they understood him right, van Helsing didn't expect to encounter other people while in his territory, but he'd not expected to encounter Eden Advance, either. After they'd left his land, who knows? Settlements existed in the west.

Bess's offer of a small pouch of dried berries (the pouch, of course, outfitted with a transmitter) was declined. No one was surprised. She asked him about edible vegetation. He told her they should fend for themselves. Devon and the Martins were exasperated. On the walk back to camp, they let off steam, cursing their guide and developing theories about him.

"It's kind of funny, in a way," concluded Bess. "He's so arrogant. He sits there on that horse, wearing clothes made out of animal skins--"

"When he wears them at all," Morgan broke in. "Yeah, that's what I'm getting at. He's a savage and he lords it over us. And we let him!"

"It's temporary," Devon reminded her; the tenseness in Devon's voice revealed she was biding her time. "We'd better humor him. He can teach us a great deal, but I feel he'll do it on his terms."

"Teach us?" doubted Morgan. "Dragging information out of him is like pulling teeth. He begrudges every syllable of every word."

"He didn't have to show us how inadequate our security is," said Devon. She wasn't defending van Helsing; she was stating a fact.

Morgan snorted. Testing the security system? *Of course* he was. That's why he was crouched almost naked in Devon's tent in the middle of the night.

From time to time, Bess offered the guide other foodstuffs; Van Helsing continued to refuse them. No one even saw him eat, though he was known to forage and to be a skillful hunter. Van Helsing didn't waste arrows. Baines had seen him take a bird out of the air, first shot.

He didn't accept what the Edenites offered and he didn't share what he had. When the lone man brought down a two hundred pound 'ruminant', he took what he wanted and dumped the carcass down a ravine.

Cameron observed this thru jumpers. Scavengers had stripped the animal before he reached the edge of the gorge. Cameron was furious. Good meat, wasted. Van Helsing had intentionally destroyed it. Van Helsing had absolutely no concern for the Eden group. All the man wanted was to get them out of *his* territory.

DAY 20

The doctor had, in the first few days of travel, made several attempts to examine him. She accompanied the Martins until Morgan 'asked' her not to, since van Helsing kept his distance and gave only the barest of directions when he saw Julia. Then, on her own, she tried again. Julia found him sitting cross-legged in one of the numerous meadows that pocked the forested land, stripping threadlike veins out of grass blades, ignoring the locks of hair blown across his face by the hot wind. Doctor and glove managed to get within 30 feet of van Helsing before he jerked his head up. Before Julia could speak, he had risen and nocked an arrow in the bowstring; he held the bow lowered against his leg. Had he been waiting for her? Julia thought maybe she'd sprung a trap.

"I...uh...I'm Julia Heller. The doctor." Julia smiled reassuringly. "You've seen me with Morgan and Bess."

The man lifted his head, flaring his nostrils. "I..." she thought better of telling him she was alone. "We're concerned about you, living out here like this," she soothed, very slowly moving one step closer.

He stood, frozen. Julia noticed his rapid breathing and the tenseness of his muscles. "I just want to make sure you're healthy," she explained gently. She slowly raised her gloved arm. "This is a diaglove; it's a medical instrument. It is not a weapon."

Van Helsing hadn't taken his eyes off her face. His face was expressionless, the eyes flat and cold. But his body, to the doctor's astonishment, told her he was scared. Alonzo and Uly said he wouldn't hurt them; so, was the readied arrow a bluff?

Dr. Heller decided to demonstrate the harmless diaglove on herself. "Look," she said, activating it. Then she screamed, because an arrow shivered in the ground less than an inch from her foot. Julia stepped back, shutting off the glove. She knew he hit where he aimed. Van Helsing had another arrow ready, and the bow raised.

"Go," he advised.
"Alright," Julia said with all the calm she could muster. She backed away slowly. "I'm going. I won't bother you again."

She kept her word. By the time Dr. Heller made it back to camp, she'd pretty much recovered from the incident. She logged her misadventure and waited for Alonzo's return.

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