Page 5 of Lucie
Chapter Three
Meeting
When he entered the lodge, Lucien noticed that his father had taken the overstuffed chair closest to the fireplace. Instead of taking another chair, his mother sat on the cold hearth, right next to her husband, drawing up her legs and wrapping her arms around them. Mattox leaned with his arms crossed in the doorway leading to the kitchen and rearbedrooms. AndMistellehad chosen to park herself on the iron staircase that spiraled up to the overhead bedroom. Seeing that all the good places were already taken, he went over to stand behind his father and rest against the chair’s tall, padded back.Yulenbarely glanced at him. There were only a handful of people the battle lord would allow to take that position, and his family made for fourof them.
The noise inside the lodge was minimal. Everyone kept their voices low as they conversed while they waited for the battle lord to speak.
“Echo, please close the door.”
The warrior woman shut the front door, then resumed her stance next to it. Lucien realized she had taken a position to guard it, and he shot Mattox a puzzled look. His brother shrugged.He didn’t understand it, either.
“I called you here to discuss something that’s been brought to my attention. Whatever decision I make about it will affect every one of you, including this compound. But it will impact you first and foremost. Therefore, I feel it’s only fair I let you know of my thoughts ahead of time, and you can give me your opinions on the matter before I decidemy next course of action.
“There is a compound far to the west, in theNewmexterritories, called Green River. They’ve been under siege by Damaged for the past four weeks. The battle lord there sent an emissary to seek help, but the compounds they encountered had already fallen. By chance they happened upon aMutahcompound, which directed them to us.”
Paasraised herhand. “Why us?”
“Because they were told we fought the Damaged and defeated them four years ago.”
“But it also took a heavy toll on us,” FortuneKalichreminded him. “That virus did enormous damage to us. Maybe more than their army did.”
“He’s right,” Warren Paxton added. “That army carried that virus with them, and it spread through our ranks and the populationlike a wildfire.”
“That’s theirmodus operandi,”Attyremarked. “As an army, they’re not well-trained.Mutaharen’t trained to be warriors. We’re trained to be hunters. That’s why they used that virus against us, lobbing contaminated clothing that was saturated in puke and feces over our walls. Once we succumbed, and our forces were weakened as we contracted the disease, they thoughtthey could storm us and overwhelm us by sheer numbers.”
“But we managed to defeat them anyway,” Lucien spoke up. “Even when we were ill, we were still better fighters than they were.”
“Precisely,”Yulenagreed. “And we were lucky in that aspect.”
GaretRenkenadded his thoughts, directing them atYulen. “You’re seriously considering taking a battalionto this Green River compound to defeat the Damaged? What if we sicken again?”
“Might I say something about that?” IainMaGrathcommented. The battle lord gave him a nod, and the young man rose to his feet to face the others. “You all know I assisted my father and Dr. Thrasher during the malaise. I witnessed firsthand what this virus can do to bothMutahandNormals. So I know howdifferently it affects both sides. At the same time, we learned how theMutahwho survived it became carriers.”
A hand in the back went up, and Iain called on the young man. “What,Nevo?”
“I caught that virus, but I’m notMutah. Am I carrier?”
Iain nodded. “Maybe. Maybe not. We’re not sure. But one thing you definitely are is inoculated. That means youcan’t get it again.” The young physician looked around the room at all of them. “AllNormalswho suffered through the virus and survived cannot get it again.”
“You’re sure of that?”Yulenquestioned.
Iain hesitated. “Nothing is ever one hundred percent certain. But history has shown that that is generally the case.”
“What’s inoculated?”Mistellespokeup.
“It means the virus is still in your system, but only in minute bits and pieces. It’s harmless to you in that form, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. You see, if you get exposed to the virus again, those little bits and pieces come together and form a protective barrier to keep the virus from taking over. They become extremely territorial, driving out or killing the newvirus, and preventing it from sickening you.”
“But that’s not true forMutah, right?” Fortune countered.
“Right, and that’s because of your uniqueness. Dad is still trying to find a way to determine whether or not an infectedMutahwill becomeDamaged, but right now it’s still a crap shoot.”
“But theMutahwho caught it, and survived, and didn’t becomeDamagedas a result, are we inoculated, too?” Fortune queried.
“It’s very possible. It’s harder to tell with your kind because there are so many variations to your recovery. WithNormals, we either died or survived without any aftereffects. But withMutah, those who survived either resumed their normal lives—”
“Or became deranged maniacs,” Mattox drawled from the doorway.
“And that’s what scares the crap out of me,”Mistelleadded. “Remember thatMutahfamily that was seeking sanctuary soon afterwards? Remember what that mother did?” She gave a shudder as the memory swept through the group.
