Rise Of The Hunters - Chapter 33

At some point in the interrogation, Rick had shown up. He kept rubbing Willows arms to keep her quiet while the leaders questioned them about what had happened. Xun glanced at her, annoyed that what she had said earlier about lying about hunting werewolves was true. He was also angry that they were trying to blame him for those who had lost their lives.

“It is your job to let us know when monsters are close, right?” asked Mary, annoyingly patient.

“Yes,” answered Xun for the umpteenth time.

“What were you doing when that monster entered the valley?” asked Lisa, her hair even messier today than normal.

“I was trying to learn the layout of the valley.” His voice was cold and strained.

“Didn’t you even look at the map?” asked Mary. Her glasses were going to break if she kept tapping them on the table.

“Yes, but I needed to explore the area to make sure the map was still correct.”

“So, you didn’t trust our map?”

“I didn’t know what could have changed since the last time you had a scout. And I did find something different, but I had to stop looking because I noticed the werewolf.” He was done with their back and forth bantering. These were the same questions they had asked him the first time around, the only difference, they had calmed down enough to let him answer in more than one-word answers.

He continued, stepping forward off the mark on the floor, “I had to run as fast as I could, from the furthest northern end of the valley, all the way back to the compound to try and warn everyone, but the guards didn’t understand me because my lungs were burning after running so far. I have no way to warn anyone of anything without actually running as fast as I can, which takes time. I doubt there’s anyone in the whole compound who could have run as far or as fast as I did today, to do my job, which you only gave to me yesterday.”

He was breathing hard. He was so close to just leaving this compound and never returning. Max leaned forward, moving some of Jerome’s paper’s out of his way.

“I think Xun’s right.”

Lisa and Mary looked at him in surprise.

“We have placed a lot on his shoulders for only being twelve. And if he does see a threat, there’s only so much time for him to get back to the compound to let us know before it arrives at our door, like today. Two hunters died, one guard is dead and we have several others hurt, who probably won’t survive the night.”

“We cannot allow these deaths to go unpunished!” cried Mary in outrage. She slammed her glasses down, bits flying in all directions.

“So, blame the wolf. It’s the one who killed them. Blame the vampires that sent it. Don’t blame the one who killed it, and risked his life saving all the other lives in this compound.” Max glared at her.

She sat back in her chair, moving the pieces of her broken glasses into a small pile while she calmed her breathing.

“Mary, we know you loved your brother dearly. He died protecting the gate, doing what he had always hoped to do…” Jerome’s words were meant to be soothing, but she wasn’t having any of it.

“Shut up! He left a wife and a daughter. What are they going to do without him? The wife is an outsider, she won’t be allowed to stay in his apartment. She’ll be forced back into the barracks with the other filthy migrants, and my niece who was born here will grow up surrounded by them!” She was standing, breathing hard, glaring at Max. Her eyes were wild, and it was obvious, as her eyes grew large, that she had just realized what she said.

There was a huge silence in the auditorium. Many people had shown up to see what had happened. Xun could tell that everyone understood the situation, but to have stated it out loud as she did, was definitely not acceptable.

Jerome stood up, and sternly said, “I believe you may need a short break from your position, Mary. For articulating in an unacceptable manner, during a meeting of such importance, I move to have Mary removed from her position temporarily, until it is decided that she may be reinstated.”

“I second that motion,” said Max dryly.

Lisa looked at her, as if she had lost her mind. Xun wondered if she may have indeed lost it for a short period of time. He had seen stress do much worse.

Mary nodded, and turned soberly to leave the room. Eyes of everyone present watched her make her way down the stairs and out of the auditorium. Xun swallowed as all the leaders turned back to him once she was gone. He quickly moved back to the mark on the floor.

“For your actions today in saving the lives of our loved ones, you will be allowed unlimited access to the foods offered in the kitchens and to Bob’s Bar. I believe it is the least we can do in thanks. As for the concerns of how to increase communication in times of dire need, Jerome?” Max leaned back in his chair, as if having to act like a real leader was exhausting.

Xun could hear faint murmurs from the people behind him. He was intrigued with his rewards, considering he hadn’t expected a reward at all.

Jerome looked at Max for a moment, before nodding finally to himself.

“I will have to give you a talking device. With it, you will be able to communicate with us back at the base. It is very easy to damage, and very precious to the compound, but in light of recent events, and the issues you have discovered, I believe allowing you access to it is well worth the risk of losing it. If we have nothing further to discuss, I’ll take him to get it?” he looked politely at the other two leaders.

Max waved a hand, as if he couldn’t be bothered, but Lisa nodded agreeably.

“Alright, Xun, if you’ll follow me?” Jerome stood and quickly swiped his papers up into a pile, before leaving the stage.