The Travelers, part 8

As Taylor kept close to Thoren, watching as the torch light gleamed off a small earring in his left ear (she hadn't noticed this before), she thought about all that had happened to her in the last day. The party...the car accident. Her fight with Frank. And then that terrifying moment when she realized that Frank was gone, and then the walk into the dense woods, and Thoren startling her half to death. Since then she'd been following Thoren's every order: turn here, wait here, be quiet, get in the tunnel. Taylor had to admit, walking quietly along the passage wall, that she was still a little nervous that Thoren was tricking her, and he was actually out to capture her. But then, he turned slightly and smiled at her, and she suddenly felt sure that she could trust him. Her shoulders relaxed. They went on for another few minutes. Then, suddenly, a cascade of small bits of rock came loose behind Taylor, making her jump.
"Since you can track them without seeing them..." Taylor whispered, "...doesn't that mean they can track us?"
Thoren shook his head. "They make too much noise. All that running and shouting and talking. If they stopped and listened they could hear us. So we'd best not talk...not even whisper. In a few minutes we'll..."
"Ssssh!" Taylor said. "I think we're being followed!..."
Thoren half-turned as a figure came into the torch light. He was a thin, tall man, with a scheming eye and unshaven face.
"Thoren," he said sarcastically, his voice husky and yet a bit whiny, "how nice it is to see you. We didn't think you'd come back."
"Falcon," Thoren said, with an edge to his voice, "we meet again. How nice it is to see you. Been sneaking around again, I see. Betraying me, again, I gather?"
Falcon scratched the back of his head. "Rita..."
"Never mind," Thoren snapped at him. "Just choose a side and stick with it. Are you on my side, or theirs?"
Falcon sneered. "Figure it out!"
He grabbed Taylor by the arm. "Meanwhile, I'll just take your friend, here, into custody."
"Who is he?" Taylor asked, struggling to get out of Falcon's grasp.
Thoren sent an glare in Falcon's direction. He met Falcon's eyes, and Falcon lowered his head. Taylor felt his hand shaking as it gripped her arm.
"Apparently, not who I thought he was. He's not Falcon anymore. He's nothing more than Henchman Number Thirty-Five." Thoren said, icily.
"Don't call me that!" Falcon cried, trembling more now than before.
"What am I supposed to do?" Thoren said, "When you betray me. You've betrayed yourself, too. I don't treat you like a puppet. That's all you are in the eyes of the Squad. But I guess that's just who you are. A lying, cheating, little wretch, not worthy of any name other than Henchman Number Thirty-Five! Just what do you want me to do? Let go of her, you snake."
"I'll tell you what to do," a voice said came of the darkness, "Turn around and put your hands behind your back, Thoren. Calling Falcon a lying, cheating betrayer is pretty funny, coming from you. You're helping the enemy."
"Rita, show yourself." Thoren commanded. "And all of you, keep quiet. We're going to raise suspicion if we keep up all this arguing."
A woman about Taylor's height came into the torch light. Her long, curly blond hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. Like Thoren and Falcon, she wore old, worn-out clothes that looked like they were from another era. She had a long, curved dagger attached to her belt, which her left hand rested on.
"After you so rudely left us," Rita said, "I realized that we could do better if we turned you in, and worked for the Squad. Falcon readily agreed at the time."
Falcon looked sheepish.
"Now," Rita said, "put your hands behind your back, Thoren. You've betrayed all of us. You will suffer for this. And you," She said, turning to Taylor, "You're about to be reunited with your friend. Falcon, tie their hands."
The Travelers, Copyright 2012, by Katy Allie. All rights reserved.