Pulling The Dragon's Tail (39 page)

“No, we’re not,” said Campbell, finding her
voice. “But—how do you know that?

“Because,” he laughed heartily, “you’d all be
dead! Winchester, here, would have seen to that. Let me guess.” He
looked them up and down. “Running day and night to escape from the
McVeigh soldiers. No fun in my book. No sireee!”

“We’re actually running from Red Dawn,” Thatcher
responded.

“God damn! Never heard of anyone escape their
clutches, let alone make it through the rest of McVeigh
Territory.”

* * * * * *

On the run for the past two days, Campbell, Es,
Thatcher and Nate had used Dugan’s technology to avoid setting off
sensors in the woods and valleys of the McVeigh Territory, which
used to be Colorado in the old days. Es, healed from her surgery,
was better and stronger than before. The blood and heart transplant
only served to quicken her pace, embolden her thinking, and
increase her confidence; all the elements needed to traverse
hostile territory.

Thatcher, contrite and humbled that his new
friends had chosen to rescue him, had freely admitted his
foolhardiness in revealing himself to Sheridan. He had feared
constantly for his life, playing along until an opportune moment
for escape came. Dugan and his various components were found in a
nearby room. Es then helped them map out an escape route before
Sheridan could return with reinforcements.

Not only had they been wary of Red Dawn’s
sensors but also of the general lawlessness that the McVeigh
Territory was infamous for. It reminded Nate of stories of Jesse
James and tales of the Wild West.

Endeavoring to avoid all contact with people,
they had succeeded in crossing over forty kilometers of harsh
wilderness. Their destination, which everyone kept track of on
their respective dataports, was a thin tract of land, labeled as
Four on their dataport maps. It was a long snake-like piece of
land, higher in elevation than the surrounding McVeigh Territory,
and it held the headwaters of the Kansas River that flowed eastward
into the mysterious enclave of people at Four who rejected modern
technology.

Thirty minutes before they were accosted by the
stranger, Nate and his companions had been munching on energy bars,
carefully hiking by a lake that lie below them. Beyond the sky blue
waters of the lake, they were afforded a glimpse of their
destination. As always, Es had assumed her position about ten
meters ahead of them.

Suddenly a bullet rang out, the sound echoing
off the lake. The crisp air seemed to magnify the sound.

“I have been wounded,” Es announced
stoically.

“Are you okay?” asked Campbell.

“Yes.”

“You sound out of breath,” observed Nate.

“Am…currently…chasing…pursuer…stay...put,” she
puffed.

They had waited in silence for several minutes,
huddled inside a thicket of bushes looking out warily.

“Okay,” announced Es moments later, “she is
dead.”

“A woman soldier?” asked Thatcher.

“Yeah, we can shoot too,” said Campbell.

Thatcher rolled his eyes.

“Women make the best sharp shooters,” said Es.
“Our situation is rather urgent. Please come to my current
position. This soldier undoubtedly will have signaled others.
Hurry!”

They walked quickly but cautiously. Every snap
of a tree branch quickened their pulses.

Closing in on Es, Dugan announced, “Five minutes
remain until the next guard arrives.”

Campbell approached Es, who brushed her concerns
aside. “I am only grazed. It is already healing.”

Campbell stood in amazement. It was more than a
grazing. The bullet had hit her between the elbow and shoulder,
entering and exiting but hitting no bone. But already the wound was
healing before her eyes.

“If there’s only one, why can’t we take him
ourselves?” asked Thatcher.

“I would not advise doing that,” responded Es.
“We would quickly be outnumbered and outgunned. There is less than
a kilometer to go. A fast pace will get us safely out of here.”

As they all nodded in agreement, they had turned
around and ran straight into the big man’s rifle.

* * * * * *

“May I ask your name, sir?” asked Thatcher in
his most polite reporter demeanor.

“A respectful young lad—you’re definitely not
one of them McVeigh’s. M’name is Ryker Tobias.” He unlocked the
gun, putting the butt of it on the ground.

“And where are we again, Ryker? Are we really
out of McVeigh Territory?” Campbell wondered.

“Indeed you are. Y’all are standing on the
official soil of the intentional community called Four, a simple
name for a simple land and people. We’re the fourth such community
to be built.”

“Would the others be called One, Two, and
Three?” asked Campbell, her eyes sparkling.

“Corrr-rect,” said Ryker, with an extra lilt in
his voice on the first syllable. “But we’re the only one that has
to deal with McVeigh Territory shitheads. Talk about a lawless
system of government. I’m sure Red Dawn pays ‘em off handsomely.
Been chasing one of McVeigh’s snipers all morning.”

“I killed her,” announced Es.

Ryker backed up for a moment, eyeing the
transhuman. “Impressive. ‘Course, I can do the same without all
your hi-tech gear. Just like I tracked you. And by the way,
thanks.”

“You are welcome,” the only bit of emotion was a
hint of a self-congratulatory wink.

“Soldiers are closing in,” announced Dugan.

Ryker, briefly taken aback by the talking dog,
said, “Is that one o’those talking robots?”

“A computer companion robot,” corrected Nate.
“If he said it, we’d better listen to him. Where can we go that’s
safer?”

“I’ll take you to my cabin. It’s not far.”

“Not another hike!” exclaimed Thatcher. “My feet
are killing me!”

“Who said anything about walking? Come right
this way.” Ryker immediately led them to a clearing about fifty
meters away. An ancient piece of machinery stared at them. In front
of it a two-track trail led away toward the east.

“What is that?” wondered Thatcher.

“You look scared. The car won’t eat you or
anything!”

“That’s a ‘79 Cadillac!” exclaimed Nate. “My
father had—”

“You know your history well,” exclaimed
Ryker.

“He is history,” joked Campbell.

They climbed aboard. The unmistakable smell of
old leather and plastic immediately transported Nate into a world
of sweet memories. The engine purred and then roared as it took
them down the trail. A few minutes later, after scooting around
some sharp curves, they screeched to a halt at the cabin.
Reluctantly Nate got out.

Stepping out of the car, Es asked, “You are here
alone?”

“Yup. That a problem?” asked a curious
Ryker.

“How do you fight off such a tenacious enemy?”
asked the transhuman.

“Same way you do, Es. Behind all your gadgetry,
my guess is that you fight with determination—passion.”

“Yes!” A slight sparkle lightened Es’s stoic
demeanor.

“Well, same for me. McVeigh Territory soldiers
have learned an equally hard lesson. The residents of Four will
make their lives a living hell if McVeigh’s bastards encroach too
much. We don’t have hi-tech weaponry and computers, but we have a
passion for preserving our way of life. I assure you that you’re
safe with me.”

The cabin turned out to be a fully equipped
house, all circa mid-to-late twentieth century. It even came with
gaudy orange laminated counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms,
reminding Nate of his parent’s home. The smell of decaying bananas
littered the air. A stack of dirty dishes filled the old metal
sink.

Ryker generously shared the food from his pantry
and refrigerator. On full stomachs, Thatcher, Campbell and Nate
napped until late afternoon. Dugan remained on alert, while Ryker
regaled Es with stories about his military service. Ryker served
them another large meal at suppertime.

The gregarious man seemed to enjoy the company,
appearing blissfully nonchalant that the most dangerous
paramilitary operations in the world were at his doorstep.

After supper, as the fireplace flames flickered
brightly, Nate asked, “Can you tell us more about Four?”

“I have a promotional show on a VCR tape. Let’s
go inside. I’ll see if I can find it.”

“A VCR?” asked Thatcher.

They followed Ryker into his living room.

“Sit down, y’all and get comfortable,” said
Ryker fumbling behind an old television set, searching for the VCR
tape. “You know, a video tape. Ah! Found it!” He turned around and
found a dumbfounded Thatcher starting at the strange rectangular
object in Ryker’s hand. “No, I don’t suppose y’all recall what a
VCR is.”

Campbell recalled seeing a VCR tape in a history
book. “I thought you weren’t supposed to have modern technology?”
She looked over at Dugan, who was sitting next to the cathode ray
tube television set.
What a contrast,
she marveled.

“That is corrrrect,” chirped Ryker. He shoved
the tape into the player on top of the television. “VCR’s are
pre-digital-so that’s ok. We do shun all ways and means of modern
digital living. That means, anything basically post 1980s. But…I do
push the limit a bit at times.”

Thatcher smiled, “So what did you do, bad
boy?”

Chuckling, he said, “On a vacation to San
Francisco, I ordered online a couple of books. Somehow I was dumb
enough to put my address on it.” He scratched Dugan by the ear.

“Why didn’t you just download it to your…sorry,”
said a sheepish Thatcher.

“They have to deliver them somewhere,” said
Campbell, grinning at Ryker.

“Well, yeah, dummy me. The town elders found out
about it. Worked out for the best anyway, as I see it.”

“How’s that?” wondered Campbell.

“Four’s standards are fine but they’re so
gol-danged rigid. Believe me when I say I love it here. I don’t use
modern technology because I don’t believe it’s appropriate to do
so. But that doesn’t mean some exceptions can’t prove the rule. But
not according to the local dipshits on the council.”

“Sounds like you enjoy life out in the
mountains,” added Nate.

“Corrrect!” Ryker smiled. “Gives me a chance to
be at peace in God’s nature.”

“Is Four a religious community?” asked
Thatcher.

“Oh, far from it. All faiths, all non-faiths are
welcome, and in fact are represented here. We’re like a microcosm
of the world at large. We simply live in a pre-millennium state. We
describe it as more in harmony with nature and our fellow man.” He
laughed. “Mostly in harmony.”

“Is it possible to visit for a few days?” asked
Nate

Ryker beamed. “Hey, I’d love to have you visit.
My punishment isn’t up for another week. But maybe I can iron out a
few details.”

Ryker turned the television on, and squinted at
the VCR. “It’s been a while since I used one of these things. Which
button do I push?”

Dugan stood up, tail wagging. “Push the button
on the left marked power. Then push the button in the center of the
console marked play.”

The video tape player creaked to life.

“Four is the fourth community to live by the
standard of renewable resources,” began the promotional video,
narrated by a man with a folksy, soothing voice. “Residents of Four
live by consistent standards that avoid modern technology.

“Approximately 125, 000 people call Four home on
a permanent basis, living in a 3000-square-mile area in the western
Plains Region of the North American Union. Their way of life is
lived in complete harmony and …”

Ryker guffawed.

“…the community is run by the Council of Nine,
and grounded by principles of shared participatory democracy. One
was founded in north central France in 2028. Two and Three are in
South Africa and Costa Rica, respectively. Four was begun in 2039,
making this our twentieth year.

“We are not a community that intentionally
celebrates or glorifies the past. We are a modern community, in
relative terms, that celebrates an authentic lifestyle that is
sensible and sustainable for every human being. We are not
retreating from the world. Rather, the world has left our way of
life behind with what is called progress. However, progress has led
us to unsustainable use of resources, and to political chaos and
war.

“We believe if the world would embrace our way
of stewardship, the End-Date would never occur.”

Nice but simplistic sentiments
, thought
Nate.

“Our pre-planned communities foster traditional
values of family, faith, self-sacrifice, and pride in workmanship.
Crime is virtually non-existent.

“Anyone who wants to give our way of life a try
is welcome to visit.”

“For a small fee,” chuckled Ryker.

“Traditional crafts and handiwork help sustain
us economically. Organic farming and sustainable logging practices
also play vital economic roles. More recently we have built a theme
park, as well as restaurants and hotels.

“More and more people are taking the intentional
communities of One, Two, Three, and Four seriously. So come visit
us and stay a while. We only have two main rules. Leave your
virtual reality equipment and total immersion games behind. And
secondly, let yourself experience the quiet satisfaction of a
traditional lifestyle.”

The video tape wound to a close. Ryker extracted
it from the VCR.

Thatcher asked the obvious follow-up question.
“Are we welcome with our data ports in use? Is even Dugan able to
visit?”

“A brief tourist stay is allowed for up to three
days, ya just can’t see certain areas, that’s all,” Ryker informed
them.

Nate sounded eager. “I think we could all use
some rest.”

“Will I be welcome?” asked Es.

“Transhuman, huh? To be honest, Es, I don’t
really know.” Ryker removed his hat and scratched his head. “I
can’t recall any past visit by a transhuman. I mean, it’s not like
you can simply extract implanted technology and check it at the
door.”