The Glass House: Chapter 7
Mar. 3rd, 2008 12:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolfanficsTitle: The Glass House
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderfulrana_narsilion <3
Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas;
Word Count: 5,349
Chapter: 7/28 [Previous]
Warnings: violence, gore, smut, bondage themes, swearing, angst, Craig being an irritating prick, hopefully coherent science talk
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Summary: Here be original characters, science geekery and plotting, Andy being all cute and worried, and Wil, Adam and Hamish being adorable.
Chapter Seven
Adam watched Craig and Wil leave before heading out himself, heading back to his room to put the shinza away. He wasn’t expecting to find Hamish dozing on the couch when he arrived, though. He had to smile at him. He always looked so beautiful when he was sleeping. Quietly, Adam hid the shinza away in the bedroom, buckled the sword to his belt, gave Hamish a quick kiss and left him to sleep, heading to the main area where he found Craig, Wil and Julian talking to a couple of women he didn’t recognise.
“Ah, here he is,” Wil said, seeing Adam heading towards them.
“Jules, Craig, who have we here?” Adam said, standing beside Wil.
“This is Antoinette and Rachel, the geneticists I told you about,” Craig said.
“You must be the Adam I’ve been hearing so much about. The Government aren’t too fond of you,” Rachel said.
“No, I can’t imagine they are. I’m not too fond of them either,” Adam said.
“We’ve got something you might be very interested in,” Rachel said.
“So I was told. And what might that be?” Adam said.
“Over the last couple of years, we were told to create a virus capable of targeting winged humans specifically in order to wipe them out and leave the wingless humans untouched. Sort of like a retrovirus, but targeted to the genes specific to the wings, which, naturally, wingless humans don’t possess. We were almost there when we were arrested. Secretly, we had managed to create a virus that would do exactly the opposite; it targets wingless humans, giving them the genes required to grow wings. We never managed to get the full wings you have, but these little things aren’t bad, hey?” Rachel said, turning around to show Adam the small wings on her back.
“That virus did that? That’s incredible. But what use could we have for a virus like that?” Adam said.
“We thought that if we gave it to enough people, they’d grow wings, and when the cops go to arrest them, it’ll cause enough upset that they’ll want to fight back. We could tell them that the Government’s doing it to them, have been secretly trying to eradicate wingless humans in favour of a more evolved winged race. I mean, that’s how you guys came along in the first place. Convince them enough that they’re trying to do the same again and we could have a whole lot more help on our hands,” Rachel said.
“Ah, but people are unpredictable. How do you know they won’t just turn on us instead?” Adam said.
“There’s enough fear amongst them that we can convince them. Sure, no one would admit they were afraid of the Government, but it’s there. The State controls everything. That is enough to nurture fear in the people. Besides, some of them are jealous of you. I mean, you can fly! You can actually fly! For as long as humans have existed, they’ve wanted to fly. And there you are, soaring above us all, flying like a bird! Do you know how easy it would be to offer them the ability to fly as well? I’d love to finish working on another version of the virus, one that will eventually grow full wings. Think about it. We could use it to rally support,” Rachel said rather enthusiastically.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s hard for you to understand, since you haven’t had to put up with all their shit because of your wings, but it’s hard to see any of them actually wanting wings. Humans can be incredibly cruel. You’ve seen what they do to humans, winged or otherwise, that they want to get out of the way. I’ve been arrested, beaten, insulted, you name it, all because I have wings. That doesn’t exactly endear you to the wingless population, to see them declared citizens of this country, the same one I was born in, because they don’t have the fucking ‘genetic impurities’ we have! We’re denounced as citizens; we’re a people not belonging to a nation at all, because the one that made us doesn’t want us anymore. They want to wipe our kind off the face of the planet. They’ve been hunting us for years. There’s no way we’re going to convince them that we’re the ones they want to side with. As far as we’re concerned, they’re the enemy as much as the State is. The only ones we can trust are ourselves,” Adam said, his anger getting the better of him.
Rachel glared at him and slapped him hard. “Get off your high horse, Adam. I’ve always supported you guys. You’re as bad as us, as them, always thinking in opposites. Take your blinkers off and see the population for what they are. The Government has divided us, and this elitist attitude on both sides isn’t helping. Aren’t you in love with a wingless human anyway? Or are those rumours wrong too?” she said.
“Adam, calm the fuck down and listen to her. We need to work together. Do I need to take you aside and fuck you back to your senses before you listen to me?” Wil said.
Adam paused. That idea had merit. He gave Wil a flirtatious glance, trying to annoy him enough to make good on his threat, but to no avail. Wil just glared back at him.
“Don’t give me that look. Calm down and listen, ok? I think this could work. Besides, what else do we have? The more people we can get onside the better, or will you start cutting out the halfwings because they’re not full-blooded? Honestly, you can be as bad as them sometimes,” Wil said.
Adam took a deep breath and tried to shrug off his anger. He knew Wil was right. He was letting them get to him. Maybe he was still angry at Seb’s death. “Sorry about that. It just – it gets me so angry sometimes. Sometimes you just feel so completely hopeless, like there’s no way things will ever change. You might as well just sit back and wait for them to come for you and kill you and your friends. Yes, I am in love with Hamish, and he doesn’t have wings. Heh, even more reason for them to kill me. I have wings, and I’m gay. That alone deserves two deaths,” he said.
“It’s alright. Just stop being so pig-headed and we’ll be fine. Now, you got anything resembling food here? We’re starving. We can discuss this after a good feed, I think,” Rachel said.
“Yeah. I’m sure we could find something, hey, Wil?” Adam said.
“Come this way. Food’s down here,” Wil said, gesturing for them to follow.
Wil led them down the room towards another large room where the mess hall was. It was a rather large warehouse, with several large rooms like this, as well as at least 50 smaller rooms converted into bedrooms for people to stay in. Because it was so huge, it was easy to have everything done inside, so that there was less chance of it being found by the cops if they bothered to look here. And the less activity they showed outside, the better at keeping the illusion that the place was uninhabited.
Discussions began once some semblance of a meal had been brought out. Sure it wasn’t anything fancy, but it would do til they were in a position to get something better. Being non-citizens meant stealing, smuggling, using whatever methods they could to survive, especially when they had to keep everyone at the safe haven fed and reasonably healthy. They mainly relied on hijacking delivery trucks once a week or once a fortnight and smuggling the food back to the shelter. Any weapons they had stockpiled, they had stolen from the Army or had smuggled them into the country through Indonesia.
“How much do you know about your own biology?” Rachel said once they’d all settled after the meal.
“Probably not as much as you, I’d wager,” Adam said.
“I know you like to consider yourselves human, and I wouldn’t disagree with you, but you’re actually very different, despite sharing a lot of the same genes as us. Your body plan involves six limbs, not four. That already sets you apart, embryologically speaking. That together with your skeletal, respiratory and muscular systems that are modified to make you capable of flight, and we have one very different human on our hands,’ Rachel said.
“So what are you saying? That we aren’t human and should be wiped out? If we’re that different, we deserve all this shit we’re getting from the Government?” Adam said, forcing himself to remain calm.
“I never said that. You’re just another species of human, that’s all. Humans are all grouped in the genus Homo, modern humans being known as Homo sapiens, or Homo sapiens sapiens, depending on how you classify humans. Never before in modern human history have we been living side by side another species of human, even one we created. It pains me that scientists from all over the world aren’t rallying to your cause. And I don’t want you to think that means I want to have you all shut up and locked away to be studied, but since the Government has either hidden or destroyed all the notes made by the scientists who created you in the first place, there’s little we know about you apart from what we’ve managed to learn over the years. We’re not even sure about every gene they used to make you. When this is all over, and you’ve won back the country’s freedom, I want to write a treatise on your kind, to tell the world all about you. We’ll have to come up with a species name for you, won’t we? And determine if you’re a subspecies or a separate species,” Rachel said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic.
“What the difference between a subspecies and a species?” Wil said.
“A subspecies is like a subgroup of a species. If you guys are a subspecies, we’d call you Homo sapiens and add your subspecies name on the end. Subspecies can usually successfully reproduce with other subspecies or the main group they came from. Interspecies reproduction, that is, reproduction between species, usually isn’t possible,” Rachel said. “The existence of the half breeds would suggest reproduction between subspecies is possible. I’d like to detail exactly how much of our genome we share that allows us to interbreed. You can’t be that genetically different if successful reproduction is possible. Do any of you know if the half breeds are fertile?”
“More so than the full blooded winged humans like us, I think, because it’s easier to disguise their wings. They can integrate into the general population a lot easier than we can. A lot of us fullwings try and mate with other fullwings to make sure we don’t die out. And with all the corruption around, it’s easy enough to pay the doctors off to get a card that said you’re human when you’re a half breed. Besides, the readers the cops carry around don’t actually check the DNA is actually human, just that it matches what’s on the cards. How they missed such a vital flaw I don’t know. A lot of our half breeds have cards. It’s harder for us because we’re becoming well known to the cops. We have to be very careful where we go so that we don’t get recognised and arrested,” Adam said.
“Then subspecies it is then, in spite of how different you are. Should we name your subspecies name after Sepulchre? He was certainly one of the most well known winged humans. No one really knew how old he was either. I remember hearing stories about him when I was a kid,” Rachel said.
“I first met him twenty years ago. I never knew how old he was either. I think that’d be nice, to name us after him. He certainly wasn’t the first, but certainly he was the one who inspired us all over the years. His name was always a whispered legend when I was a kid. I didn’t even know if he was real back then. We knew all his stories though. Everyone wanted to be like him. I didn’t quite realise who he was when I first met him. Only the next morning did it sink in, and by then I never wanted to leave his side. He had that effect on people. He made you want to fight. He gave you hope that things would be different, and that we were capable of bringing about that change. As much as I want to believe it, I know I’ll never fill his shoes. I’ll just have to do my best and try and bring us freedom without him,” Adam said.
“You know everyone’s behind you, Adam. We have to do this. For Seb. So that everything he suffered wasn’t in vain,” Wil said.
“I know. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone. I still feel him around; still hear him whispering to me, giving me advice. I can still picture that parade. Seeing that, I felt like they’d come and stabbed me in the chest. I knew where he was going. He’d be led down that street and into a van to be taken away and killed. Maybe they tortured him some more. They didn’t just kill him, they destroyed him,” Adam said, finding himself almost overcome with grief again.
Wil pulled him into a hug, doing his best to calm him down. Wil glanced up at the rest of the group. “Why don’t we take a short break?” he suggested.
With murmured agreement, Wil was left alone with Adam.
“Mate, come on, we’re going for a walk,” Wil said, pulling Adam to his feet.
Adam stood, barely nodded his agreement, and let Wil lead him out of the room.
Ruby and Andy rode for a good couple of hours before Ruby stopped them at a small campsite off the side of the road they'd been travelling on. She was being careful with how long they travelled for, and even though they were mainly travelling on the outer country roads, they still had checkpoints and other things they needed to be cautious about. Two people travelling with haste on horseback would be noticed, and Ruby didn't want to bring unwanted attention on them.
Tying the horses up, Ruby went off to hunt for food while Andy guarded their campsite. He got the campfire burning and spent the time talking quietly to his mare, Marriá. She was a gentle horse, one of the best he'd ever ridden. She was small and fast, but could keep up with Ruby's larger horse quite comfortably.
Ruby returned some time later with freshly killed small furry mammals of some description – Andy couldn't quite identify them in the dark light. She set to preparing them almost immediately, cooking some for their dinner tonight and some for their travels tomorrow.
“She likes you, she does. You know how to ride her properly. You ride with her, not on her. She appreciates that. Now, come, dinner is ready,” Ruby said as she stirred the pot on the fire.
Andy sat down obediently, not bothering to ask her how she knew what his horse was thinking. He didn't think he'd get a straight answer anyway.
Adam didn’t pay much attention to where they were going until they stopped outside Adam’s room. As they walked, Wil wasn’t talking, and Adam was quite content to let the silence continue.
“And we’re here because?” Adam said.
“Go in and be with Hamish. He’s missed you a lot, you know,” Wil said.
Adam looked at the ground, almost not wanting to go inside.
“Go on. I’m not leaving til you’re in there with him. You need him right now,” Wil said, opening the door and pushing Adam towards it.
“Whatever you think is best,” Adam said with a heavy sigh, stepping inside the small room to see Hamish still sleeping on the couch. He glanced back as the door shut behind him. As much as he wanted to go sit by Hamish, the shinza was calling. He wanted to see the shield for himself. He gave Hamish a quick glance as he entered the bedroom, pulling the shinza out and setting it on the bed.
He knelt on the floor in front of the wooden shrine box, almost not wanting to disturb it. It felt wrong to open it and remove the kami’s sacred item.
‘Care for it. Open the shinza and polish the shield until it shines as bright as the sun,’ Seb’s voice prodded his mind.
Feeling the huge sense of importance as he opened the shrine with its old rusty key for the first time, Adam reached in and grabbed the shield with his hands as reverently as he could. It felt small, and cold. He could barely see it in the darkness of the shinza. As he carefully removed it, he had to contain his shock as the shield increased in size, as if the outside air was fuelling it somehow. When it had been fully removed, it was over half a metre in diameter. Adam sat on the floor, gazing at the shield in amazement.
It was beautiful, made of gold, inlaid with silver and precious jewels. Circular in shape, it seemed like it had been made as a ceremonial item as opposed to one actually used in battle. The sun in the middle of the shield made Adam wonder whether the kami it belonged to was Amaterasu, the sun Goddess, but why a shield and not a mirror, as was usual in every other shrine to the Goddess? Adam didn’t stay long to contemplate it as he began polishing it with a soft cloth the shield had been sitting on inside the shinza, simply because it had felt right.
As he polished it, it began to shine, seemingly shining brighter than he’d expected, given the light in the room at the time. It was calming, polishing the shield. Meditative, even. He thought back over everything that had happened over the last day or so. Everything had changed so dramatically.
Seb was caught, arrested, humiliated, murdered, and to what end? What purpose? Adam was left alone, gifted his sword and this shield, told to take his place, to lead them all in their attack against a Government that despises them.
Adam doubted he could do it. In spite of his calm exterior, rage was boiling inside him. Rage, guilt, doubt, Adam was beginning to think he’d never be good enough to lead.
“I should never have left him. Seb was in danger and I fucking left him there to die. This is all my fault. If I’d just stayed with him, we could’ve fought them off. He’s dead because of me,” Adam found himself saying quietly.
‘Quit blaming yourself. I need you to fight, not sit around here moping. Now polish that shield. It’s not shining enough yet,’ Seb’s voice answered in his head.
“I’m sorry, Seb. I’ve failed you,” Adam said.
‘What? Already? I’ll be the judge of that. We’ve only just begun, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“But what’s the point in fighting if we end up dead and nothing changes?” Adam said.
‘You won’t know til you fight. Calm yourself. The shield will bring you fortune. Keep it safe,’ Seb said.
“Is it Amaterasu’s?” Adam said.
‘Yes. It’s a very rare and precious object, that shield,’ Seb said.
“But why a shield and not a mirror?” Adam said.
‘Because this is Amaterasu-in-Her-aspect-of-Protector, a little known aspect of the Great Goddess. It shines like the sun, like She does. It represents Her power, the sun’s power manifest as a great shield of light that protects against all manner of things,’ Seb said.
“If it’s so rare, how did you come by it?” Adam said.
‘That is a story for another time, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“Why not now?” Adam said.
‘You have far more important things to worry about than the origins of this precious shield,’ Seb said.
“So you keep saying,” Adam said.
‘Are you starting to doubt the need for this fight?’ Seb said.
“No, no, nothing could be more urgent. I just can’t help thinking that nothing can ever make up for what they did to you,” Adam said.
‘This fight is not about me. This is about freedom. Do not lose sight of that aim, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“But without you, we wouldn’t be fighting in the first place,” Adam counters.
‘No, you’d all be dead,’ Seb said flatly.
“Are we that dependant on you?” Adam said.
‘Not anymore you’re not,’ Seb said.
“I miss you,” Adam said quietly.
‘I know you do. So does everyone else. Yes, that includes Wil and Tim. I’m sorry you had to see that parade. But it symbolises what we’re fighting against. That brutality was necessary to make people realise that this Government needs to end. Now. Before they really do wipe us out for good,’ Seb said.
“How long til we attack then? You sound like you have everything planned already,” Adam said.
‘Wil knows what I have planned. It cannot fail. On November 29th, we attack Canberra en force,’ Seb said.
“Why November 29th?” Adam said.
‘Because there is no other time,’ Seb said.
“Are you going to tell me anything concrete or be content to speak in riddles? Don’t you trust me anymore?” Adam said, irritated by Seb’s refusal to tell him any details.
‘This isn’t about trust,’ Seb said simply.
“Then what is it about?” Adam said.
‘I have to go now. Mother is calling to me, and I must answer. As long as the shield is shining, Mother will watch over you. Never forget that,’ Seb said.
Before Adam could get an answer together, Seb had gone. A few moments later, it suddenly occurred to him who Seb’s Mother was. Amaterasu. Seb was a kami? How had Adam missed that? How do you miss making love to a God? Although it did explain a lot. Seb had almost appeared out of nowhere. What other explanation made sense than that he was a kami?
Back at the campsite, Ruby dished out their meal in silence. Andy wanted to speak, but he had no idea what to say, and Ruby was giving him a look that told him to shut up. He figured obedience was best. After all, she was the one who knew where they were going and he didn't want to annoy her. She'd barely told him anything, actually. All Andy knew was to follow her. She'd take him to the safe havens. She probably knew how to get there without being caught.
Andy wondered where he was being taken. Was she really taking him where she said she was taking him? What if she was going to betray him later on? He didn't know who she was. All he cared about was finding Hamish. He was wiling to trust the first person he found who said they could take him to the fullwings. What the hell was he thinking? Was she right? Was he now a fugitive, just like Hamish? Was there really no escape once he got to the safe havens? Well, it would be if they've done to his car what they said they were going to do. Once they found his corpse and his car, there would be no returning. He couldn't come back to life. Even if there was escape from the havens, he would officially be dead anyway. Had he totally fucked up in searching for Hamish? He'd given away their one source of police information because he was too desperate to find him.
Staring into the fire, Andy remembered the pact he'd made with Hamish when they were kids. They'd been playing in the forest near his house when a wild dog had attacked them. Hamish had been bitten badly, but Andy had grabbed a large stick and beaten the dog off. He hadn't killed it, but it had run off whimpering and bleeding. Hamish was lying on the ground groaning in pain.
“Promise you'll look after me. Don't let me get in trouble,” Hamish had demanded as he lay there.
Andy wrapped his shirt around the bleeding wound, trying to make sure he survived. He grabbed Hamish's hand and promised to look after him. Taking out his pocket knife, he'd slit his palm open, slit Hamish's palm open, and bound their hands together. Hamish would never get hurt under his watch. It was part of the reason he'd stayed in the Army for so long. He needed to protect him, and it was the only way he knew how to save him from being killed.
Andy was pretty sure only he'd noticed the small barely visible almost identical scars on the back of Hamish's shoulder blades one afternoon when they were swimming in one of the lakes. He knew what they were. He recognised them instantly. He wondered why Hamish didn't know. He'd asked him about them, but Hamish said they were just from something he'd done when he was 3 that he couldn't remember anymore. Andy suspected it had been done far earlier than that, or he would have remembered. But he never brought it up again as Hamish had no knowledge of who his father really was anyway. Andy suspected he'd never know. He wondered if he'd known when he made Andy promise to look after him. Why else would be ask him to protect him? Still, he denied any knowledge of it and was quite adamant he was human.
He was itching to find him now. If anyone discovered what he was, there would be trouble. Halfwings caught with fake IDs had been known to be arrested and thrown in jail, if they were lucky. Hamish was in big trouble. If he was seen, he would be arrested. With nothing else to go on, they would hold him accountable for killing the two cops, even if the evidence said otherwise. He would probably be killed. No one got away with killing cops anymore. It was the one crime you couldn't bribe your way out of.
Andy sat by the fire, lost in thought, as he ate his dinner. Ruby watched him, wondering what he was thinking about. She had her own concerns, sure, and she wouldn't lead him into danger, yet she couldn't help but wonder at his real motives even though Andy didn't seem like the kind of guy to lie about that sort of thing. She knew his type. The only thing she could think of was what Hamish truly meant to him, otherwise why go to all this trouble?
“You must really love him to go to so much effort to find him. I hope he's worth it when we get there. I hope I'm not run out of there again. Wil was not exactly welcoming last time, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Ruby murmured as she watched Andy and the dancing flames.
Adam sat there, mindlessly polishing the shield as the revelation sunk in. That’s how Hamish found him a few moments later when he wandered into the bedroom to see who Adam had been talking to. He was scratching his palm mindlessly, trying to make the scar stop itching. It reminded him of Andy, and he hoped he was alright.
“You alri – where the bloody hell did that shield come from?” Hamish said, seeing the now very shiny shield in Adam’s hands.
“Hamish. Hey there. Um, this is-” Adam paused unsure if he should tell Hamish the truth or not. He glanced down at the shield, seeing a pair of piercing green eyes staring back at him. “This is from Seb. Sort of like a good luck charm, of sorts,” he decided. He cringed at his poor choice of words. Good luck charm? Fucking hell, it was so much more than that, but he wondered if Hamish would understand. He carefully placed the shield back in the shinza again, marvelling at how it shrunk back small enough to fit. Adam wondered if Hamish had noticed it.
“Whoever heard of a shield that fucking large as a good luck charm?” Hamish said, stifling a laugh. He didn’t quite believe Adam.
“As I said. It’s a good luck charm. Of sorts. Seb said it would bring us fortune,” Adam said.
“Right. So, how are you anyway?” Hamish said, coming to sit beside him.
“Better than I was. Still hurting though. Did I miss anything while I was gone?” Adam said, knowing perfectly well Hamish had been sleeping the whole time.
“Well, I don’t-” Hamish started, but had to grin as he saw the cheeky look on Adam’s face.
“It’s ok. You’re allowed to sleep, you know,” Adam said as the narrator once again fought the urge to use emoticons in speech.
“I was gonna go shower. Wanna come?” Hamish said, trying to sound seductive.
Adam tried to be serious, but couldn’t help bursting out laughing at Hamish’s attempts. “Come on then. I’ll race you there,” he said, getting to his feet.
Much as he tried, Andy couldn't stop worrying about Hamish. He noticed the scar on his palm from when he'd vowed to look after Hamish was tingling slightly. Andy wondered what it meant. He brushed a finger along it gently, hoping Hamish was alright. He could be anywhere now. He might not be with Adam. He could have been arrested, or killed by others. Not knowing was not doing kind things to his mind. All he knew was that Adam and Tim had presumably killed those two cops in Hamish's flat, and now they'd all disappeared. Had they taken Hamish with them as they'd escaped, or had they left him to fend for himself? Had they been cornered and captured? There were so many things Andy didn't know, and he couldn't help but think the worst.
“Oi, Andy, you still with me?” Ruby interrupted his thoughts as she threw a small rock at him to get his attention.
Andy looked over at her, wondering what she wanted. “Hmm? Me? Oh, yeah, I'm sorry – was deep in thought. You wanted something?”
“I've changed my mind. We're staying here tonight. The air doesn't smell right for travel. We'll set off at dawn tomorrow, so make sure you get some sleep, alright? It'll be a long day and I won't have you riding tired. I need you to be alert to danger,” Ruby said.
“Oh, okay. I'll try. Sleep might come easier if I wasn't so worried about Hamish,” Andy confessed.
Ruby came and knelt in front of him. “He will be fine. Worrying yourself sick will not make him safe, and wastes precious energy. I have something to help you sleep, if you would take medicine from a gypsy,” she said.
“If you think it would help, I'm all for it. I want to sleep, but I don't know if I'll be able to,” Andy said.
Ruby fished around in her satchel and pulled out a small flask. “Here, take a sip. Not too much though, or you'll be out for hours. Just a capful will do it,” she cautioned, handing him the flask.
“Right. Thanks again,” Andy said.
He measured out a capful of the liquid and drinking it in one go. It made his throat feel warm. Ruby took the flask from him and helped Andy into his makeshift bed.
“Sleep well, Andy. I'll wake you for breakfast,” Ruby said as Andy succumbed to the draught.
“Wait, are you-you gonna...”
“Hush. I have things to do. Sleep now,” Ruby said, touching a finger to his lips to silence him.
And that was that. Andy closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, unaware of Ruby getting ready to watch over their camp as he slept.
Author: Sashataakheru
Beta: The wonderful
rana_narsilion <3Fandom: The Chaser/AusComedy RPS
Starring: Adam Hills, Sepulchre (OC), Wil Anderson, Hamish Blake, Craig Reucassel, Tim Minchin, Julian Morrow, Chas Licciardello, Charles Firth, Chris Taylor, Andrew Hansen, Caleb (OC), Dr Rachel Hardy (OC), Antoinette Laurent (OC), Dr Samantha Reddings (OC), Dominic Knight, Shane Cubis, Gregor Stronach, Tim Brunero, Andy Lee
Pairings: Andrew/Chris; Adam/Hamish; Jules/Chas; Rachel/Antoinette(/Samantha); Adam/Seb; Adam/Wil; Craig/Caleb; Adam/Wil/Tim; Andrew/Craig, Wil/Chas;
Word Count: 5,349
Chapter: 7/28 [Previous]
Warnings: violence, gore, smut, bondage themes, swearing, angst, Craig being an irritating prick, hopefully coherent science talk
Rating: FRAO
Disclaimer: I don’t know them, not associated with them, just a slashy fangirl admirer with a very active imagination.
Author’s Notes: FYI, fullwing = winged human capable of flight. Halfwing = fullwing/human halfbreed, usually unable to fly, sometimes have vestigial wings, but can be removed to pass as human and not as winged.
Summary: Here be original characters, science geekery and plotting, Andy being all cute and worried, and Wil, Adam and Hamish being adorable.
Chapter Seven
Adam watched Craig and Wil leave before heading out himself, heading back to his room to put the shinza away. He wasn’t expecting to find Hamish dozing on the couch when he arrived, though. He had to smile at him. He always looked so beautiful when he was sleeping. Quietly, Adam hid the shinza away in the bedroom, buckled the sword to his belt, gave Hamish a quick kiss and left him to sleep, heading to the main area where he found Craig, Wil and Julian talking to a couple of women he didn’t recognise.
“Ah, here he is,” Wil said, seeing Adam heading towards them.
“Jules, Craig, who have we here?” Adam said, standing beside Wil.
“This is Antoinette and Rachel, the geneticists I told you about,” Craig said.
“You must be the Adam I’ve been hearing so much about. The Government aren’t too fond of you,” Rachel said.
“No, I can’t imagine they are. I’m not too fond of them either,” Adam said.
“We’ve got something you might be very interested in,” Rachel said.
“So I was told. And what might that be?” Adam said.
“Over the last couple of years, we were told to create a virus capable of targeting winged humans specifically in order to wipe them out and leave the wingless humans untouched. Sort of like a retrovirus, but targeted to the genes specific to the wings, which, naturally, wingless humans don’t possess. We were almost there when we were arrested. Secretly, we had managed to create a virus that would do exactly the opposite; it targets wingless humans, giving them the genes required to grow wings. We never managed to get the full wings you have, but these little things aren’t bad, hey?” Rachel said, turning around to show Adam the small wings on her back.
“That virus did that? That’s incredible. But what use could we have for a virus like that?” Adam said.
“We thought that if we gave it to enough people, they’d grow wings, and when the cops go to arrest them, it’ll cause enough upset that they’ll want to fight back. We could tell them that the Government’s doing it to them, have been secretly trying to eradicate wingless humans in favour of a more evolved winged race. I mean, that’s how you guys came along in the first place. Convince them enough that they’re trying to do the same again and we could have a whole lot more help on our hands,” Rachel said.
“Ah, but people are unpredictable. How do you know they won’t just turn on us instead?” Adam said.
“There’s enough fear amongst them that we can convince them. Sure, no one would admit they were afraid of the Government, but it’s there. The State controls everything. That is enough to nurture fear in the people. Besides, some of them are jealous of you. I mean, you can fly! You can actually fly! For as long as humans have existed, they’ve wanted to fly. And there you are, soaring above us all, flying like a bird! Do you know how easy it would be to offer them the ability to fly as well? I’d love to finish working on another version of the virus, one that will eventually grow full wings. Think about it. We could use it to rally support,” Rachel said rather enthusiastically.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s hard for you to understand, since you haven’t had to put up with all their shit because of your wings, but it’s hard to see any of them actually wanting wings. Humans can be incredibly cruel. You’ve seen what they do to humans, winged or otherwise, that they want to get out of the way. I’ve been arrested, beaten, insulted, you name it, all because I have wings. That doesn’t exactly endear you to the wingless population, to see them declared citizens of this country, the same one I was born in, because they don’t have the fucking ‘genetic impurities’ we have! We’re denounced as citizens; we’re a people not belonging to a nation at all, because the one that made us doesn’t want us anymore. They want to wipe our kind off the face of the planet. They’ve been hunting us for years. There’s no way we’re going to convince them that we’re the ones they want to side with. As far as we’re concerned, they’re the enemy as much as the State is. The only ones we can trust are ourselves,” Adam said, his anger getting the better of him.
Rachel glared at him and slapped him hard. “Get off your high horse, Adam. I’ve always supported you guys. You’re as bad as us, as them, always thinking in opposites. Take your blinkers off and see the population for what they are. The Government has divided us, and this elitist attitude on both sides isn’t helping. Aren’t you in love with a wingless human anyway? Or are those rumours wrong too?” she said.
“Adam, calm the fuck down and listen to her. We need to work together. Do I need to take you aside and fuck you back to your senses before you listen to me?” Wil said.
Adam paused. That idea had merit. He gave Wil a flirtatious glance, trying to annoy him enough to make good on his threat, but to no avail. Wil just glared back at him.
“Don’t give me that look. Calm down and listen, ok? I think this could work. Besides, what else do we have? The more people we can get onside the better, or will you start cutting out the halfwings because they’re not full-blooded? Honestly, you can be as bad as them sometimes,” Wil said.
Adam took a deep breath and tried to shrug off his anger. He knew Wil was right. He was letting them get to him. Maybe he was still angry at Seb’s death. “Sorry about that. It just – it gets me so angry sometimes. Sometimes you just feel so completely hopeless, like there’s no way things will ever change. You might as well just sit back and wait for them to come for you and kill you and your friends. Yes, I am in love with Hamish, and he doesn’t have wings. Heh, even more reason for them to kill me. I have wings, and I’m gay. That alone deserves two deaths,” he said.
“It’s alright. Just stop being so pig-headed and we’ll be fine. Now, you got anything resembling food here? We’re starving. We can discuss this after a good feed, I think,” Rachel said.
“Yeah. I’m sure we could find something, hey, Wil?” Adam said.
“Come this way. Food’s down here,” Wil said, gesturing for them to follow.
Wil led them down the room towards another large room where the mess hall was. It was a rather large warehouse, with several large rooms like this, as well as at least 50 smaller rooms converted into bedrooms for people to stay in. Because it was so huge, it was easy to have everything done inside, so that there was less chance of it being found by the cops if they bothered to look here. And the less activity they showed outside, the better at keeping the illusion that the place was uninhabited.
Discussions began once some semblance of a meal had been brought out. Sure it wasn’t anything fancy, but it would do til they were in a position to get something better. Being non-citizens meant stealing, smuggling, using whatever methods they could to survive, especially when they had to keep everyone at the safe haven fed and reasonably healthy. They mainly relied on hijacking delivery trucks once a week or once a fortnight and smuggling the food back to the shelter. Any weapons they had stockpiled, they had stolen from the Army or had smuggled them into the country through Indonesia.
“How much do you know about your own biology?” Rachel said once they’d all settled after the meal.
“Probably not as much as you, I’d wager,” Adam said.
“I know you like to consider yourselves human, and I wouldn’t disagree with you, but you’re actually very different, despite sharing a lot of the same genes as us. Your body plan involves six limbs, not four. That already sets you apart, embryologically speaking. That together with your skeletal, respiratory and muscular systems that are modified to make you capable of flight, and we have one very different human on our hands,’ Rachel said.
“So what are you saying? That we aren’t human and should be wiped out? If we’re that different, we deserve all this shit we’re getting from the Government?” Adam said, forcing himself to remain calm.
“I never said that. You’re just another species of human, that’s all. Humans are all grouped in the genus Homo, modern humans being known as Homo sapiens, or Homo sapiens sapiens, depending on how you classify humans. Never before in modern human history have we been living side by side another species of human, even one we created. It pains me that scientists from all over the world aren’t rallying to your cause. And I don’t want you to think that means I want to have you all shut up and locked away to be studied, but since the Government has either hidden or destroyed all the notes made by the scientists who created you in the first place, there’s little we know about you apart from what we’ve managed to learn over the years. We’re not even sure about every gene they used to make you. When this is all over, and you’ve won back the country’s freedom, I want to write a treatise on your kind, to tell the world all about you. We’ll have to come up with a species name for you, won’t we? And determine if you’re a subspecies or a separate species,” Rachel said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic.
“What the difference between a subspecies and a species?” Wil said.
“A subspecies is like a subgroup of a species. If you guys are a subspecies, we’d call you Homo sapiens and add your subspecies name on the end. Subspecies can usually successfully reproduce with other subspecies or the main group they came from. Interspecies reproduction, that is, reproduction between species, usually isn’t possible,” Rachel said. “The existence of the half breeds would suggest reproduction between subspecies is possible. I’d like to detail exactly how much of our genome we share that allows us to interbreed. You can’t be that genetically different if successful reproduction is possible. Do any of you know if the half breeds are fertile?”
“More so than the full blooded winged humans like us, I think, because it’s easier to disguise their wings. They can integrate into the general population a lot easier than we can. A lot of us fullwings try and mate with other fullwings to make sure we don’t die out. And with all the corruption around, it’s easy enough to pay the doctors off to get a card that said you’re human when you’re a half breed. Besides, the readers the cops carry around don’t actually check the DNA is actually human, just that it matches what’s on the cards. How they missed such a vital flaw I don’t know. A lot of our half breeds have cards. It’s harder for us because we’re becoming well known to the cops. We have to be very careful where we go so that we don’t get recognised and arrested,” Adam said.
“Then subspecies it is then, in spite of how different you are. Should we name your subspecies name after Sepulchre? He was certainly one of the most well known winged humans. No one really knew how old he was either. I remember hearing stories about him when I was a kid,” Rachel said.
“I first met him twenty years ago. I never knew how old he was either. I think that’d be nice, to name us after him. He certainly wasn’t the first, but certainly he was the one who inspired us all over the years. His name was always a whispered legend when I was a kid. I didn’t even know if he was real back then. We knew all his stories though. Everyone wanted to be like him. I didn’t quite realise who he was when I first met him. Only the next morning did it sink in, and by then I never wanted to leave his side. He had that effect on people. He made you want to fight. He gave you hope that things would be different, and that we were capable of bringing about that change. As much as I want to believe it, I know I’ll never fill his shoes. I’ll just have to do my best and try and bring us freedom without him,” Adam said.
“You know everyone’s behind you, Adam. We have to do this. For Seb. So that everything he suffered wasn’t in vain,” Wil said.
“I know. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone. I still feel him around; still hear him whispering to me, giving me advice. I can still picture that parade. Seeing that, I felt like they’d come and stabbed me in the chest. I knew where he was going. He’d be led down that street and into a van to be taken away and killed. Maybe they tortured him some more. They didn’t just kill him, they destroyed him,” Adam said, finding himself almost overcome with grief again.
Wil pulled him into a hug, doing his best to calm him down. Wil glanced up at the rest of the group. “Why don’t we take a short break?” he suggested.
With murmured agreement, Wil was left alone with Adam.
“Mate, come on, we’re going for a walk,” Wil said, pulling Adam to his feet.
Adam stood, barely nodded his agreement, and let Wil lead him out of the room.
Ruby and Andy rode for a good couple of hours before Ruby stopped them at a small campsite off the side of the road they'd been travelling on. She was being careful with how long they travelled for, and even though they were mainly travelling on the outer country roads, they still had checkpoints and other things they needed to be cautious about. Two people travelling with haste on horseback would be noticed, and Ruby didn't want to bring unwanted attention on them.
Tying the horses up, Ruby went off to hunt for food while Andy guarded their campsite. He got the campfire burning and spent the time talking quietly to his mare, Marriá. She was a gentle horse, one of the best he'd ever ridden. She was small and fast, but could keep up with Ruby's larger horse quite comfortably.
Ruby returned some time later with freshly killed small furry mammals of some description – Andy couldn't quite identify them in the dark light. She set to preparing them almost immediately, cooking some for their dinner tonight and some for their travels tomorrow.
“She likes you, she does. You know how to ride her properly. You ride with her, not on her. She appreciates that. Now, come, dinner is ready,” Ruby said as she stirred the pot on the fire.
Andy sat down obediently, not bothering to ask her how she knew what his horse was thinking. He didn't think he'd get a straight answer anyway.
Adam didn’t pay much attention to where they were going until they stopped outside Adam’s room. As they walked, Wil wasn’t talking, and Adam was quite content to let the silence continue.
“And we’re here because?” Adam said.
“Go in and be with Hamish. He’s missed you a lot, you know,” Wil said.
Adam looked at the ground, almost not wanting to go inside.
“Go on. I’m not leaving til you’re in there with him. You need him right now,” Wil said, opening the door and pushing Adam towards it.
“Whatever you think is best,” Adam said with a heavy sigh, stepping inside the small room to see Hamish still sleeping on the couch. He glanced back as the door shut behind him. As much as he wanted to go sit by Hamish, the shinza was calling. He wanted to see the shield for himself. He gave Hamish a quick glance as he entered the bedroom, pulling the shinza out and setting it on the bed.
He knelt on the floor in front of the wooden shrine box, almost not wanting to disturb it. It felt wrong to open it and remove the kami’s sacred item.
‘Care for it. Open the shinza and polish the shield until it shines as bright as the sun,’ Seb’s voice prodded his mind.
Feeling the huge sense of importance as he opened the shrine with its old rusty key for the first time, Adam reached in and grabbed the shield with his hands as reverently as he could. It felt small, and cold. He could barely see it in the darkness of the shinza. As he carefully removed it, he had to contain his shock as the shield increased in size, as if the outside air was fuelling it somehow. When it had been fully removed, it was over half a metre in diameter. Adam sat on the floor, gazing at the shield in amazement.
It was beautiful, made of gold, inlaid with silver and precious jewels. Circular in shape, it seemed like it had been made as a ceremonial item as opposed to one actually used in battle. The sun in the middle of the shield made Adam wonder whether the kami it belonged to was Amaterasu, the sun Goddess, but why a shield and not a mirror, as was usual in every other shrine to the Goddess? Adam didn’t stay long to contemplate it as he began polishing it with a soft cloth the shield had been sitting on inside the shinza, simply because it had felt right.
As he polished it, it began to shine, seemingly shining brighter than he’d expected, given the light in the room at the time. It was calming, polishing the shield. Meditative, even. He thought back over everything that had happened over the last day or so. Everything had changed so dramatically.
Seb was caught, arrested, humiliated, murdered, and to what end? What purpose? Adam was left alone, gifted his sword and this shield, told to take his place, to lead them all in their attack against a Government that despises them.
Adam doubted he could do it. In spite of his calm exterior, rage was boiling inside him. Rage, guilt, doubt, Adam was beginning to think he’d never be good enough to lead.
“I should never have left him. Seb was in danger and I fucking left him there to die. This is all my fault. If I’d just stayed with him, we could’ve fought them off. He’s dead because of me,” Adam found himself saying quietly.
‘Quit blaming yourself. I need you to fight, not sit around here moping. Now polish that shield. It’s not shining enough yet,’ Seb’s voice answered in his head.
“I’m sorry, Seb. I’ve failed you,” Adam said.
‘What? Already? I’ll be the judge of that. We’ve only just begun, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“But what’s the point in fighting if we end up dead and nothing changes?” Adam said.
‘You won’t know til you fight. Calm yourself. The shield will bring you fortune. Keep it safe,’ Seb said.
“Is it Amaterasu’s?” Adam said.
‘Yes. It’s a very rare and precious object, that shield,’ Seb said.
“But why a shield and not a mirror?” Adam said.
‘Because this is Amaterasu-in-Her-aspect-of-Protector, a little known aspect of the Great Goddess. It shines like the sun, like She does. It represents Her power, the sun’s power manifest as a great shield of light that protects against all manner of things,’ Seb said.
“If it’s so rare, how did you come by it?” Adam said.
‘That is a story for another time, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“Why not now?” Adam said.
‘You have far more important things to worry about than the origins of this precious shield,’ Seb said.
“So you keep saying,” Adam said.
‘Are you starting to doubt the need for this fight?’ Seb said.
“No, no, nothing could be more urgent. I just can’t help thinking that nothing can ever make up for what they did to you,” Adam said.
‘This fight is not about me. This is about freedom. Do not lose sight of that aim, my Anael,’ Seb said.
“But without you, we wouldn’t be fighting in the first place,” Adam counters.
‘No, you’d all be dead,’ Seb said flatly.
“Are we that dependant on you?” Adam said.
‘Not anymore you’re not,’ Seb said.
“I miss you,” Adam said quietly.
‘I know you do. So does everyone else. Yes, that includes Wil and Tim. I’m sorry you had to see that parade. But it symbolises what we’re fighting against. That brutality was necessary to make people realise that this Government needs to end. Now. Before they really do wipe us out for good,’ Seb said.
“How long til we attack then? You sound like you have everything planned already,” Adam said.
‘Wil knows what I have planned. It cannot fail. On November 29th, we attack Canberra en force,’ Seb said.
“Why November 29th?” Adam said.
‘Because there is no other time,’ Seb said.
“Are you going to tell me anything concrete or be content to speak in riddles? Don’t you trust me anymore?” Adam said, irritated by Seb’s refusal to tell him any details.
‘This isn’t about trust,’ Seb said simply.
“Then what is it about?” Adam said.
‘I have to go now. Mother is calling to me, and I must answer. As long as the shield is shining, Mother will watch over you. Never forget that,’ Seb said.
Before Adam could get an answer together, Seb had gone. A few moments later, it suddenly occurred to him who Seb’s Mother was. Amaterasu. Seb was a kami? How had Adam missed that? How do you miss making love to a God? Although it did explain a lot. Seb had almost appeared out of nowhere. What other explanation made sense than that he was a kami?
Back at the campsite, Ruby dished out their meal in silence. Andy wanted to speak, but he had no idea what to say, and Ruby was giving him a look that told him to shut up. He figured obedience was best. After all, she was the one who knew where they were going and he didn't want to annoy her. She'd barely told him anything, actually. All Andy knew was to follow her. She'd take him to the safe havens. She probably knew how to get there without being caught.
Andy wondered where he was being taken. Was she really taking him where she said she was taking him? What if she was going to betray him later on? He didn't know who she was. All he cared about was finding Hamish. He was wiling to trust the first person he found who said they could take him to the fullwings. What the hell was he thinking? Was she right? Was he now a fugitive, just like Hamish? Was there really no escape once he got to the safe havens? Well, it would be if they've done to his car what they said they were going to do. Once they found his corpse and his car, there would be no returning. He couldn't come back to life. Even if there was escape from the havens, he would officially be dead anyway. Had he totally fucked up in searching for Hamish? He'd given away their one source of police information because he was too desperate to find him.
Staring into the fire, Andy remembered the pact he'd made with Hamish when they were kids. They'd been playing in the forest near his house when a wild dog had attacked them. Hamish had been bitten badly, but Andy had grabbed a large stick and beaten the dog off. He hadn't killed it, but it had run off whimpering and bleeding. Hamish was lying on the ground groaning in pain.
“Promise you'll look after me. Don't let me get in trouble,” Hamish had demanded as he lay there.
Andy wrapped his shirt around the bleeding wound, trying to make sure he survived. He grabbed Hamish's hand and promised to look after him. Taking out his pocket knife, he'd slit his palm open, slit Hamish's palm open, and bound their hands together. Hamish would never get hurt under his watch. It was part of the reason he'd stayed in the Army for so long. He needed to protect him, and it was the only way he knew how to save him from being killed.
Andy was pretty sure only he'd noticed the small barely visible almost identical scars on the back of Hamish's shoulder blades one afternoon when they were swimming in one of the lakes. He knew what they were. He recognised them instantly. He wondered why Hamish didn't know. He'd asked him about them, but Hamish said they were just from something he'd done when he was 3 that he couldn't remember anymore. Andy suspected it had been done far earlier than that, or he would have remembered. But he never brought it up again as Hamish had no knowledge of who his father really was anyway. Andy suspected he'd never know. He wondered if he'd known when he made Andy promise to look after him. Why else would be ask him to protect him? Still, he denied any knowledge of it and was quite adamant he was human.
He was itching to find him now. If anyone discovered what he was, there would be trouble. Halfwings caught with fake IDs had been known to be arrested and thrown in jail, if they were lucky. Hamish was in big trouble. If he was seen, he would be arrested. With nothing else to go on, they would hold him accountable for killing the two cops, even if the evidence said otherwise. He would probably be killed. No one got away with killing cops anymore. It was the one crime you couldn't bribe your way out of.
Andy sat by the fire, lost in thought, as he ate his dinner. Ruby watched him, wondering what he was thinking about. She had her own concerns, sure, and she wouldn't lead him into danger, yet she couldn't help but wonder at his real motives even though Andy didn't seem like the kind of guy to lie about that sort of thing. She knew his type. The only thing she could think of was what Hamish truly meant to him, otherwise why go to all this trouble?
“You must really love him to go to so much effort to find him. I hope he's worth it when we get there. I hope I'm not run out of there again. Wil was not exactly welcoming last time, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Ruby murmured as she watched Andy and the dancing flames.
Adam sat there, mindlessly polishing the shield as the revelation sunk in. That’s how Hamish found him a few moments later when he wandered into the bedroom to see who Adam had been talking to. He was scratching his palm mindlessly, trying to make the scar stop itching. It reminded him of Andy, and he hoped he was alright.
“You alri – where the bloody hell did that shield come from?” Hamish said, seeing the now very shiny shield in Adam’s hands.
“Hamish. Hey there. Um, this is-” Adam paused unsure if he should tell Hamish the truth or not. He glanced down at the shield, seeing a pair of piercing green eyes staring back at him. “This is from Seb. Sort of like a good luck charm, of sorts,” he decided. He cringed at his poor choice of words. Good luck charm? Fucking hell, it was so much more than that, but he wondered if Hamish would understand. He carefully placed the shield back in the shinza again, marvelling at how it shrunk back small enough to fit. Adam wondered if Hamish had noticed it.
“Whoever heard of a shield that fucking large as a good luck charm?” Hamish said, stifling a laugh. He didn’t quite believe Adam.
“As I said. It’s a good luck charm. Of sorts. Seb said it would bring us fortune,” Adam said.
“Right. So, how are you anyway?” Hamish said, coming to sit beside him.
“Better than I was. Still hurting though. Did I miss anything while I was gone?” Adam said, knowing perfectly well Hamish had been sleeping the whole time.
“Well, I don’t-” Hamish started, but had to grin as he saw the cheeky look on Adam’s face.
“It’s ok. You’re allowed to sleep, you know,” Adam said as the narrator once again fought the urge to use emoticons in speech.
“I was gonna go shower. Wanna come?” Hamish said, trying to sound seductive.
Adam tried to be serious, but couldn’t help bursting out laughing at Hamish’s attempts. “Come on then. I’ll race you there,” he said, getting to his feet.
Much as he tried, Andy couldn't stop worrying about Hamish. He noticed the scar on his palm from when he'd vowed to look after Hamish was tingling slightly. Andy wondered what it meant. He brushed a finger along it gently, hoping Hamish was alright. He could be anywhere now. He might not be with Adam. He could have been arrested, or killed by others. Not knowing was not doing kind things to his mind. All he knew was that Adam and Tim had presumably killed those two cops in Hamish's flat, and now they'd all disappeared. Had they taken Hamish with them as they'd escaped, or had they left him to fend for himself? Had they been cornered and captured? There were so many things Andy didn't know, and he couldn't help but think the worst.
“Oi, Andy, you still with me?” Ruby interrupted his thoughts as she threw a small rock at him to get his attention.
Andy looked over at her, wondering what she wanted. “Hmm? Me? Oh, yeah, I'm sorry – was deep in thought. You wanted something?”
“I've changed my mind. We're staying here tonight. The air doesn't smell right for travel. We'll set off at dawn tomorrow, so make sure you get some sleep, alright? It'll be a long day and I won't have you riding tired. I need you to be alert to danger,” Ruby said.
“Oh, okay. I'll try. Sleep might come easier if I wasn't so worried about Hamish,” Andy confessed.
Ruby came and knelt in front of him. “He will be fine. Worrying yourself sick will not make him safe, and wastes precious energy. I have something to help you sleep, if you would take medicine from a gypsy,” she said.
“If you think it would help, I'm all for it. I want to sleep, but I don't know if I'll be able to,” Andy said.
Ruby fished around in her satchel and pulled out a small flask. “Here, take a sip. Not too much though, or you'll be out for hours. Just a capful will do it,” she cautioned, handing him the flask.
“Right. Thanks again,” Andy said.
He measured out a capful of the liquid and drinking it in one go. It made his throat feel warm. Ruby took the flask from him and helped Andy into his makeshift bed.
“Sleep well, Andy. I'll wake you for breakfast,” Ruby said as Andy succumbed to the draught.
“Wait, are you-you gonna...”
“Hush. I have things to do. Sleep now,” Ruby said, touching a finger to his lips to silence him.
And that was that. Andy closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, unaware of Ruby getting ready to watch over their camp as he slept.