creatures suffered, was a little more muted today. None of them bothered to take a swipe at him through the fence as he walked the perimeter, checking the fence’s integrity. Those who noticed him at all merely followed him along with their dusty, frost-covered eyes as he moved. It wasn’t apathy; they always got a little slower in the cold weather. As he made his way along the fence shaking rails, pulling on posts, Joey reflected on his time in The Gardens.
After Jennifer’s initial refusal to allow him entry – not when he was conscious at any rate – Alys had been able to convince her mother to grant him access because of his help in treating and saving Stephanie. They’d had to agree that they would not spend any of their time together and that Joey must participate in their way of life fully. He’d spoken to Alys only a handful of times since, the pair of them sneaking out into the surrounding streets to swap stories and share survival skills. Whilst Joey had the advantage in survival strategies due to his years in the north, Alys was by far the superior combatant. In the short spells they’d spent together they’d made good use of every moment, each absorbing knowledge and skills from the other.
He thought that she was currently out of The Gardens on a supply run in Stockbridge. Combat training, farming and security now filled his days. In addition to this, Alys had sold her mother on the benefits of having access to Joey’s intel on the world outside The Gardens and the immediate area that the Rangers patrolled inside the inner fence.
Jennifer had sat with him for hours at a time, fascinated at what had happened to and was happening in areas of the city she’d known as a child or in the days before The Gardens was founded. Forefront in her questions was security. She wanted to know as much as he would relay about the people beyond The Garden’s inner fence. That was easy; most of them, whilst damaged, were good people, trying to survive another day. There were exceptions, of course, the most notable being Bracha.
Jennifer had found it hard to believe that he and Jock hadn’t had any prior encounters with the man. His actions in tracking them and killing Jock seemed entirely too motivated by personal reasons. Joey had just about convinced her that he was merely another wandering madman, albeit a hugely dangerous one.
Whenever they’d spoken about Bracha, an odd look had crossed her face. She’d asked many questions about the way he fought, how he’d conducted himself. The language he used. Jennifer never really explained what she had on her mind where Bracha was concerned, but had told Joey that from his descriptions she could tell that Bracha had been a soldier. “I was married to a soldier.” It had slipped out in conversation but she’d noticed Joey’s eyes light up at the prospect of information on Alys’ father and immediately shut down, resuming questioning him on the city.
Jennifer didn’t seem worried about Bracha turning up at the gates to The Gardens. And he had to admit, why should she be? No one person, no matter how clever, skilled or deranged, was a serious threat to the women of The Gardens. As for his assertion that a cure existed in the Royal Infirmary grounds, Jennifer treated the notion with the same ridicule that Jock had. Joey omitted Jock’s warning of Somna and The Exalted. He didn’t doubt Jock’s account for a second, but how did you sell that tale to a stranger?
Joey, of course, had shown her the flash drive that Jock had kept for him. She’d described to him exactly what it did and explained that, without a working computer, there was simply no way to determine what its contents were. As she’d handed it back, an uncharacteristic softness entered her features and tone, clearly sensing how disappointed he was in his inability to access the link to his mother.
“I’m sure you’ll see what’s on it one day, Boy.” Her face hardened again as she handed
After Jennifer’s initial refusal to allow him entry – not when he was conscious at any rate – Alys had been able to convince her mother to grant him access because of his help in treating and saving Stephanie. They’d had to agree that they would not spend any of their time together and that Joey must participate in their way of life fully. He’d spoken to Alys only a handful of times since, the pair of them sneaking out into the surrounding streets to swap stories and share survival skills. Whilst Joey had the advantage in survival strategies due to his years in the north, Alys was by far the superior combatant. In the short spells they’d spent together they’d made good use of every moment, each absorbing knowledge and skills from the other.
He thought that she was currently out of The Gardens on a supply run in Stockbridge. Combat training, farming and security now filled his days. In addition to this, Alys had sold her mother on the benefits of having access to Joey’s intel on the world outside The Gardens and the immediate area that the Rangers patrolled inside the inner fence.
Jennifer had sat with him for hours at a time, fascinated at what had happened to and was happening in areas of the city she’d known as a child or in the days before The Gardens was founded. Forefront in her questions was security. She wanted to know as much as he would relay about the people beyond The Garden’s inner fence. That was easy; most of them, whilst damaged, were good people, trying to survive another day. There were exceptions, of course, the most notable being Bracha.
Jennifer had found it hard to believe that he and Jock hadn’t had any prior encounters with the man. His actions in tracking them and killing Jock seemed entirely too motivated by personal reasons. Joey had just about convinced her that he was merely another wandering madman, albeit a hugely dangerous one.
Whenever they’d spoken about Bracha, an odd look had crossed her face. She’d asked many questions about the way he fought, how he’d conducted himself. The language he used. Jennifer never really explained what she had on her mind where Bracha was concerned, but had told Joey that from his descriptions she could tell that Bracha had been a soldier. “I was married to a soldier.” It had slipped out in conversation but she’d noticed Joey’s eyes light up at the prospect of information on Alys’ father and immediately shut down, resuming questioning him on the city.
Jennifer didn’t seem worried about Bracha turning up at the gates to The Gardens. And he had to admit, why should she be? No one person, no matter how clever, skilled or deranged, was a serious threat to the women of The Gardens. As for his assertion that a cure existed in the Royal Infirmary grounds, Jennifer treated the notion with the same ridicule that Jock had. Joey omitted Jock’s warning of Somna and The Exalted. He didn’t doubt Jock’s account for a second, but how did you sell that tale to a stranger?
Joey, of course, had shown her the flash drive that Jock had kept for him. She’d described to him exactly what it did and explained that, without a working computer, there was simply no way to determine what its contents were. As she’d handed it back, an uncharacteristic softness entered her features and tone, clearly sensing how disappointed he was in his inability to access the link to his mother.
“I’m sure you’ll see what’s on it one day, Boy.” Her face hardened again as she handed
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