Page 18 of Consumed
“I was barely out of training and got sent to investigate reports of something creepy in the woods. This was back East. Nobody at the Bureau really thought there was anything there, or else they’d have sent in someone less green. I was just supposed to talk to the locals. But I was an idiot and I went into the forest alone.”
“Youngsters are often foolish.” As if to demonstrate the fact, Trish gestured at a trio of children who appeared to be tormenting a scorpion.
“I was old enough to know better. I’d been taught better. Anyway, the orcs attacked me. I didn’t even see them coming. One second, nothing but trees, the next second….” Con had to close his eyes for a moment. He almost yelped when Isaac gently touched him—just a pinky against Con’s hand—but then Con was grateful for it. Trish waited patiently.
“They dragged me to a cave. I think they were speaking to me, but I didn’t understand their language. I guess I tried to fight back, but I wasn’t any good at it. That’s how my face ended up like this. Claws. They chained me down. I wasn’t the first—there was a human skeleton in there too.” He didn’t need to describe how the bones had been clean and dry, with gnaw-marks clearly visible in places. “They kept me there for several days. And while I was there they… ate me. Slowly. They just kept coming back for another bite.”
Said out loud like that, it was almost funny, as if Con had been one of the recipes in the women’s magazine his mother sometimes bought. But Con didn’t laugh because if he started, he was fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to stop.
“How did you escape?” Trish asked.
“It wasn’t because I was brave or strong or clever. I was just… dying. And then one of the orcs unchained me and carried me to the nearest road. Dumped me on the side there. I was lucky—a car came along and the driver took me to a police station. But I don’t remember that part. Just waking up in the hospital.” And realizing that his face was hideous, his body was badly damaged, and his career as an agent was likely over.
Isaac’s hand was still just barely touching Con’s. “Why did the orc do that?”
“I don’t have a clue.”
This was something he and Chief Bettaglia had talked about, actually. The official Bureau conclusion on the matter was that the Bureau didn’t have a clue either. They knew next to nothing about orcs, and Con’s little adventure hadn’t helped shine any light on their behavior and motives. If the Bureau had learned anything more about them over the past decade, nobody had informed Con, and he certainly hadn’t asked.
“Here’s what I think,” said Trish. “We’re all individuals. Doesn’t matter the species—human, coyote, orc… even cougar. I bet that orc had their own reasons. And there’s not many that can say they survived being somebody’s dinner, so good on you. You get a story nobody else can claim.”
Huh. Con had never thought about it in that particular way. He’d have to turn that over in his brain for a while. But not right now; they had business to conduct.
Trish must have been thinking along similar lines. “All right, boys. Let’s talk about why you’re here. What does the Bureau want?” She directed her question at Con, which was interesting.
And he was the one to answer. This part was easy as pie after thinking about orcs. “Nothing very complicated. We’re just looking for a friendly agreement.”
“The U.S. government doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to honoring friendly agreements.”
“That’s unfortunately very true. But the Bureau itselfdoeshave an excellent history. We’ve done our best to honor, respect, and even protect sentient species regardless of whether they’re human. And often in the face of biases by people who assume that everyone who isn’t human is dangerous and therefore ought to be slaughtered.”
She nodded slowly. “I guess that’s true. My clan has had dealings with your Bureau every now and then, and they’ve always been fair. A generation back, we had a dispute with some cougars—nasty things, cats are—and the Bureau mediated. I don’t suppose either side was completely happy with the outcome, but we were satisfied enough. And things have stayed peaceful with the kitties ever since.”
“That’s the thing,” said Isaac, expression earnest. “You don’t have to agree with someone a hundred percent or love everything about them. As long as you can coexist without harming each other, it’s all good. That’s what we’re hoping for.”
“Hmm.” Trish popped a piece of zucchini into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, her gaze focused on the nearby children. It must be a heavy burden to be responsible for young lives, Con thought. To protect your family in a world that often feared and hated anyone who was different.
After another piece of zucchini, Trish tapped the tabletop. “What exactly are you asking for?”
Both Trish and Isaac seemed to expect Con to respond; luckily, he was prepared. “Nothing elaborate or formal. Just an agreement in principle that we’re on the same side.”
“My clan will always come first. You understand that?”
“Of course.”
More finger-drumming. “Why is your Bureau so interested in us? Look at us.” She swept an arm to indicate the entire compound. “Just a handful of stringy shifters in the middle of nowhere. How could we possibly be important?”
Con had been thinking about this ever since he read the briefing paper. The document didn’t answer this specific question, which was a little odd. He would have assumed that the strategic plan behind the mission would be revealed. Except, of course, Townsend was in charge, and that man was nothing but puzzles.
“I can’t give you a straight answer, ma’am, because I don’t have one. Our boss isn’t big on revealing his motives. But I don’t think you have to be numerous or powerful to be important.” Con frowned, trying to think of an analogy. “You know, last year a space shuttle was destroyed on reentry because a piece of foam broke off. And back in ’86 there was a different shuttle disaster because some rubber rings failed. In both cases, little parts meant the difference between life and death.”
Maybe that wasn’t the most positive example, but it got his point across. Trish smiled a little. “My clan is rubber rings, huh?”
“Could be. Our boss seems to think so, and as far as I can tell, he’s always right.”
“So what if agree to this? Does that mean you’re always on our side? What if the kitties start acting up again?”
This part was hard. “We can’t promise to favor you. For all I know, the Bureau’s making the same request to the cougars that we’re making to you. But we can promise to view you as allies rather than foes and to do our best to make sure you’re protected from unwarranted aggression.”
