Technomancer 30: Calli

*Guns, blood, guts, gore, death, faith, rape mentioned but not shown*

Jeanine turned to watch as her only daughter disappeared into the smoke, hair flowing down the back of her green dress, her gun in hand. From the back, her pregnancy was concealed, and her dress fitted her form perfectly. A hero marching off into battle. Jeanine fought back the jealousy and held to the pride she felt for her daughter. She had once looked that way, and now she was old, her eyes edged with crows' feet and a worried pucker at the side of her mouth. Her hair had thinned, and she had gained the weight that came with middle age. She recalled her husband, Emilio, telling her how beautiful she was in their home in Texas. He had laughed, taking her into his arms. They were happy, so happy before it all fell to pieces. Within her, the mix of emotions toiled, brewing into a storm. Fear for her daughter and grandchild. Pride in seeing Masa's inner and outer strength. Jeanine would have run, leaving those in the camp behind her, escaping out into the wilderness where it was safe. Since they slowed their pace and went into hiding, her muscles had stiffened, bringing with them the dull ache. Running was not something she was used to, and she hid her breathlessness well, determined to keep up with her daughter. She had to prove that she could be just as strong.

Out in the dirt road between the buildings, one of the bandits sauntered over to a young woman and pulled her towards him. She didn't want to look. Her anger at men joined the rest of the storm brewing within her, and she was ready to stamp these men into the dust. She gripped her handgun and stepped forward.

"Hey, don't," Susanna hissed, grasping her night shirt and pulling her back. The young woman's pink fuzzy pyjama pants and bunny slippers seemed so out of place. If the situation weren't so dire, Jeanine would have laughed that the two of them were in the middle of a warzone, wearing their pyjamas, and arguing over semantics.

"We need to wait. Do you have an idea for a distraction?"

"Are you crazy?" Jeanine asked. "I don't live here. You must have an idea."

Susanna fell silent, breathing just over her shoulder. "I don't. I was hoping you did."

"You'd better come up with something," she snapped. It would have been better if Masa had stayed. If things went south, then at least I could take her west. She groaned inwardly. Masa would not have come. She was just like Emilio at times. Withdrawn, angry and stuck to her principles like welded metal. You could not separate them without a heavy grinder, and if you did, neither piece would be usable unless reformed. Part of her still ached for him. She loved him and wanted to kill him for what he did at the same time. He was mad. When World War 3 broke out, he'd fallen in with the wrong group. They said the end of the world was coming and evacuated their families. She had argued with him, not taking him seriously and stormed out of the house. When she came home, he and Masa were gone. Part of her wished she hadn't argued. She wished she had gone with him.

"I have an idea," Susanna said at last. "What if we shoot the leader and run?"

Jeanine didn't have any other ideas. She knew nothing about all this. The gun in her hand felt unfamiliar. Something she had worked hard to get for protection when the preppers were proven right and the world did end. Despite practising, her bullets missed more often than they hit. "Let's do that." She feared they would not make it out of this alive. Not without a certain amount of dumb luck. "How much time has passed?"

"I don't know. Why did we agree on twenty minutes? None of us has any way to keep time."

"Masa has a cellphone."

"How did she get it?"

"Mierda. You two are making a lot of noise," grumbled a male voice from behind them. Jeanine gasped and backed away from the small, willowy man. His grey hair was cut short, severely framing his long, hard face. He grasped her hand and pulled her back towards him. "Careful..." he warned.

"Felipe!" cried Susanna as she was wedged between them.

"Follow me."

Jeanine pointed her gun at him with her free hand. "We need to make a distraction for Masa. Back off," she hissed, keeping her voice low.

"You're holding that wrong," he said. Jeanine glanced down and felt confused. Nothing was wrong. Before she could finger the trigger, he ripped the gun from her hand. "Not too confident with that, are you?" Jeanine scowled at him. "I said, Come with me."

Her anger rose like the flames surrounding them, threatening to take hold and burn all around it, but there was nothing she could lash out at, so she simmered while following the two of them. How dare he order her to do anything?

Susanna spoke excitedly while Felipe responded with short words.

Jeanine tried to recall what Masa had said. She had spoken of an older man who trained her. His name started with the same letter, but she wasn't sure. Was this the man? They rounded a corner, and Felipe removed the metal siding from the stairs and slipped beneath the wall of one of the buildings. Jeanine met Susanna's confused gaze and frowned. Susanna shrugged and followed him, and Jeanine followed just after. The hole was tight, and the dirt cut into her bare legs, beneath the nightshirt and her forearms. She slid down, and Felipe caught her before she could lose balance.

"I've got you."

Jeanine blushed. "Uh...thanks?"

He released her and climbed back up.

Jeanine surveyed the hidden room. Several men were spread out along the angled dirt walls, facing different sides of the building with their rifles in hand; their barrels and scopes pointed from beneath the wall and into the street. Mud lined the floor in places where water had collected, but it cushioned the blows of their footfalls, keeping all silent beneath them.

"I heard something," echoed the bandits just outside the opening she came in from.

Jeanine gasped, turned and held her breath, covering her mouth with shaking hands. She eyed the opening with fear, afraid the men would find them. Even with Felipe wedged into it, they would easily discover the secret room, and it would all be over. She thought of the group of women the men had used and disposed of beside the trucks. Bruises covered their faces and arms, their clothes ripped and torn from the attentions of the men. She did not want that to happen to her.

When the footfalls disappeared, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Felipe slid down the angled wall from the opening. "That was close. I almost didn't get the covering in place," he grumbled, his gravelly voice dwindling to a whisper. "Now explain again, what is going on?"

Susanna exploded in whispered chatter, telling them of how Masa had led all the women, children and elderly out of the camp. Jeanine listened, feeling pride bubble within her at hearing the tale. Against her wishes, a satisfied smile began to form, spreading across her face. Masa was so strong. "She and Jada are attempting to steal a vehicle from those parked in the field. We are supposed to create a distraction," Susanna finished.

Felipe rested his hand on the beams running across the floor above, his frown deepening to a scowl.

The rumble of a vehicle was followed by a cry in the distance.

"Mierda."

Jeanine tried to make for the hole, but Felipe held her back and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't screw this up," he hissed in her ear. "There is more at stake than the life of your daughter. She knew that when I trained her. You don't even know if that was her scream. Stay here, okay?" Jeanine nodded, and he released her. He met her eyes, and they were filled with an earnestness she had never witnessed before in any man. "I will get her to safety if the opportunity permits. Where were they going once they stole the van?"

"West to I-35."

"I'm glad she learned something," he whispered.

"She kept looking for your defences while she ran ahead of me," Jeanine muttered. "She switched to rescuing the women and children when she couldn't find them."

One of the men gestured to get Felipe's attention, and he crept towards him. Felipe glanced through the scope of the rifle and scowled. "¡Caballero!"

Jeanine rushed over and tried to glance over his shoulder, but she couldn't see anything.

"Your daughter appears fine," he whispered. "She was taken by Miguel. All this time, we thought it was Arion who handed our location to Don Eros. He must have led them right to us. Traitor."

"No, it's not that. It's worse," said the other man. "Look. Over by the fire barrel."

Felipe focused on the scope. Suddenly, he gasped and shivered; his arms remained completely still. "I need a moment. Alan, take the rifle." Felipe stumbled backward and crouched in the mud, rubbing his temples.

Jeanine crouched beside him, feeling the panic grow within her.. "What is it? Is something wrong with Masa?"

"Not yet, but Masa is in danger. There was a man in Mexico called Mattias a long time ago. He was our leader for a time, but Leron and Masa convinced us to overthrow him. We tied him up and left him in the desert. It appears he survived. I imagine he will want to kill your daughter."

"You have to do something."

The scowl on his face deepened, and he struggled back onto his feet, taking the rifle from Alan. "It appears Don Eros is leaving. He is taking the riders with him." He pulled out his radio. "Can anyone hear what he is saying? Over."

A rush of static came from the radio. "Don Eros is taking the riders south, searching for those who escaped. Over."

"Prepare for the attack. When I give my order, fire on everyone remaining. Don't hurt the women."

He looked through the rifle and flinched. And again. And again.

"What is going on?" Jeanine asked. She could not fight back the growing feeling that something terrible was happening.

"Mattias is beating your daughter."

"Let me see." She fought to take the rifle from Felipe. At first, he struggled, but then he let her have it.

"You'll regret it."

Jeanine looked through the scope. It pressed against her eye, smelling strongly of rubber and sweat. As her eyes focused, the street became clear. Masa was being hurt. Her face was bloody, and she was fighting back as best as she could with her hands bound in front of her. Jeanine reached for the trigger and felt a strong, rough hand slap hers down.

"No," Felipe hissed.

She pulled back from the scope. "How can you watch that?" she demanded.

"I've watched a great many terribly things through that scope."

"You evil bastard."

"No, I'm not. They are. Give it back."

"Fine." Jeanine shoved the rifle into his hands and folded her arms. She began pacing back and forth across the mud floor. It wasn't fair. She was trapped here, forced to rely on the goodwill of the men. Who gave him the right to way the life of her only daughter against the lives of the rest of those in town? Yes, Masa was only one life against the many, but to her, that one life was everything.

"Felipe will do what he can," Susanna reassured her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders and walking alongside her. "He cares deeply for his men."

All she could focus on was Masa and how bruised she was. It was doubtful she or her grandchild would survive the night. She was going to lose her family again.

"Come and sit down," Susanna said, leading her towards a dirt mound at the far side of the room.

Jeanine whimpered, fighting to hold back the tears. "I can't just sit here and watch my only child die."

"It will be alright. We could always pray."

Praying. Something she had done only once in the church. She had prayed for forgiveness and her daughter's marriage. Masa was being beaten down by a madman. The God she had prayed to had not answered her prayers, but brought them into more danger. Still, there was nothing she could do but wait and ask once more. She nodded hesitantly and joined Susanna. And together they prayed.

Felipe laughed. "Now, that's my girl." The other men watching with rifles laughed.

"What's going on?"

"Your daughter pulled the knife from her boot and slashed Mattias across the throat." He grinned. "Saddle up, boys." He pulled out the radio while carefully aiming the rifle and grinned. "Fire."

Gunshots echoed across the street where the bandits were hiding. Screams came from the women and men alike. More gunshots and the smell of sulphur filled the air.

"Secure the streets!" yelled Felipe into the radio.

When the sound of fighting ended, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her tears had caused Susanna to begin to weep, and they had huddled together for safety.

Alan allowed them to leave the basement, and they wandered the streets. Smoke drifted along them, amongst the bodies.

Susanna cried out and rushed to one of them. Crouched on the ground, she gripped the man's hand and began weeping, rocking back and forth over his body.

Jeanine stared for a time, unsure of what to do before approaching. She patted the woman's back. "I'm sorry, Susanna."

"He was my brother."

Jeanine nodded and left her to mourn. She continued to search for Masa, passing by the Monterrey Group defenders, many of whom appeared in a daze.

Time slowed. The people seemed to drift by her as shadows, a blur of faces she couldn't quite pick out in the darkness. Flames still rose from piles of rubble.

"Over here!" yelled Felipe beside a fire barrel.

Jeanine ran towards it.

Masa was covered in blood.

"Oh God no!" she cried.

"It's okay, Mama. It's not mine," Masa said from the ground. Her face was a mess of bruises, and blood trickled from a wound in her forehead. She appeared in a daze. Quickly, Jeanine lifted the shirt. Bruises covered her stomach and along her side.

"Is the baby okay?" she whimpered, meeting the gaze of Felipe.

"I don't know."

Masa whimpered and burst into tears.

"Move back," Felipe said and picked Masa up. "Get the radio from my pocket and hold it to my face."

Jeanine did as he asked.

"Everyone, we have secured the area. We have to evacuate before Don Eros returns. Head west to the area beneath I-35. Over. Carlos, get the women into the trucks. Make sure they have drivers. Over."

"Got it. Over."

Around her, the people began to move in a rush. She followed Felipe towards one of the trucks.

He stopped beside a man, groaning on the ground.

"Help me," the man begged, choking on blood.

Felipe paused, glaring at the man; his eyes cold as ice. He crouched, resting Masa's legs on the ground and freed his hand. He pulled a dagger and cut the man's throat. "Once a traitor. Always a traitor," he muttered, wiping it and returning it to its hold on the side of his leg. He picked up Masa and continued to stagger along. This time, he had a grim air about him that worried her. The man appeared to have a dual personality at times. One who cared about his men, and a second who had no problem with dispatching those who got in his way. She shivered, recalling her father being the same way. Military men had a switch. It allowed them to turn off their humanity should the need arise.

Jeanine stayed silent while she helped him load Masa into the bed of a black pickup. He jumped in the back and waited, doing various things to Masa. Jeanine watched, feeling disconnected from herself. Everything was so surreal. Her daughter, now propped up on a sack, continued to have laboured breathing. The swelling in her face had increased, disfiguring her features and making her almost unrecognisable in the darkness. She grasped her hand.

"No broken bones, but I can't tell if there is internal bleeding or anything else wrong," he said.

"Thanks."

The trucks started and flew across the fields. She caught sight of Susanna in one of the other trucks, still clutching the body of her brother. They should have listened to Masa.

Felipe collapsed beside her against the wall of the pickup. He yawned, staring up at the sky and laughed. His humanity had returned. "That's funny."

"What's so funny?" Jeanine demanded.

"Calli is out tonight."

"Calli?"

Felipe grinned at her. "An Aztec legend. It's a constellation the Aztecs used to find home. It points to the west. To new beginnings. I've broken many a compass over the years, and I've had to rely on them. The stars have never taken me wrong and always led me home. Here." He pulled her towards him and pointed at the constellation she knew as Cepheus. Hadn't Emilio once spoken of the wise men from the east? Had they also followed this star, seeking new hope?

"I haven't had a home in years," Jeanine said.

"You can have one with us. And with your daughter. Following the Calli is a way to find a new beginning."

Jeanine tightened her grip on Masa's hand. A new beginning would be wonderful. She thought of Emilio. His ghost appeared in her mind. I forgive you.