Plus, I bet she'll be grateful when we
come back.” He winked at Ezra.
“ Womanizer,” came Sarah's amused voice just as they reached the
small path leading away from the village.
“ We'll bring your people home Mr. Culbert. You can count on
it.” With a brief nod of his head Mat strode up the trail, Ezra
close behind him.
“ May the Mother watch you and keep you.” Ezra heard John
Culbert recite the blessing as they left him at the forest's
edge.
Chapter
14
Hand Picked
Mat outlined the plan as they hiked toward
the lumber mill. “Okay, this is going to be easy. Sarah is flanking
off to the right. She'll stay hidden in the forest until he comes
outside. I'll break off just before we get there and get in
position on the left. You come straight up the path and yell
something to him. Tell him you have the money or something; just
get him to come out where we can get a clean shot.”
Ezra grimaced as he saw a flaw in this plan.
“I thought you said that guns don't work on wind-scarred.”
“ Well,” Mat continued, “they rarely work like you hope they
will. Wind elementalists tend to be con men and thieves. They're
usually tricky, and most pick up a knack for feeling things moving
fast through the air and stopping or deflecting them. That's why
you hit the ground the second he gets clear of the building. Best
chances are to open fire from both sides; only the strongest of
them can manipulate air they can't see very well. If that fails,
I'm closing to melee.” He patted the sword at his side fondly.
“Wouldn't be the first time I've gone toe-to-toe with a
wind-scarred. They give up pretty fast once things get up close and
personal.”
“ If it looks like he can handle bullets, I'll close with him
too.” Sarah's voice came through the communicator. “Two on one in
melee is pretty much a death sentence. Especially since most
wind-scarred think actual weapons are beneath them, preferring
their unbreakable scars and powers when tricks and intimidation
don't work.”
They walked along in silence for a ways.
“One more thing you should know, just in case.” Mat gave Ezra a
questing look. “When a wind-scarred goes down, he doesn't do it
quietly. If we have to take this guy out, make sure that you get
well away from him. A few seconds after a wind-scarred dies, they
and everything within about ten feet of them gets torn to pieces by
a massive explosion of air pressure.” His eyes shifted, expression
distant. “I once saw a man whose wife and daughter had been
murdered by a scarred and his thugs,” he said quietly. “The guy
stabbed the elementalist in the back and just keep stabbing while
the thugs tried to pull him off. The only thing left was the
knife.” Mat looked back to Ezra. “It was in pieces.”
“ Great, he's a guy with superpowers who blows up when he dies.
And I'm going to lure him outside.” Ezra gulped and gave Mat a weak
smile. “I love this plan.”
Mat threw his head back and laughed richly,
clapping Ezra on the back and making him stumble forward a few
steps.
The top of a building came into view ahead
of them. “Looks like this is my exit,” Mat said. He gave Ezra a
thumbs up. “I'll let you know when I'm in position. Stay loose and
hit the ground when we tell you. We'll be back to the pretty ladies
in the village in no time.” Ezra lost sight of him as he took off
at an easy run out into the forest.
Panic began to rise in
Ezra's stomach almost as soon as he was alone. He took a few deep
breaths and shook his arms and legs, trying to limber up. Okay Ezra , he thought to
himself, this is no big deal. Just walk up
there and get a person you've never met to come outside so your new
friends can shoot him. A madman. A madman who can control the wind.
You just get him outside with you. He
gulped. No problem.
“ In position,” came Mat's calm voice.
“ In position,” echoed Sarah, sounding cold and detached.
“Everything is green to engage.”
Ezra blew out a long breath.
come back.” He winked at Ezra.
“ Womanizer,” came Sarah's amused voice just as they reached the
small path leading away from the village.
“ We'll bring your people home Mr. Culbert. You can count on
it.” With a brief nod of his head Mat strode up the trail, Ezra
close behind him.
“ May the Mother watch you and keep you.” Ezra heard John
Culbert recite the blessing as they left him at the forest's
edge.
Chapter
14
Hand Picked
Mat outlined the plan as they hiked toward
the lumber mill. “Okay, this is going to be easy. Sarah is flanking
off to the right. She'll stay hidden in the forest until he comes
outside. I'll break off just before we get there and get in
position on the left. You come straight up the path and yell
something to him. Tell him you have the money or something; just
get him to come out where we can get a clean shot.”
Ezra grimaced as he saw a flaw in this plan.
“I thought you said that guns don't work on wind-scarred.”
“ Well,” Mat continued, “they rarely work like you hope they
will. Wind elementalists tend to be con men and thieves. They're
usually tricky, and most pick up a knack for feeling things moving
fast through the air and stopping or deflecting them. That's why
you hit the ground the second he gets clear of the building. Best
chances are to open fire from both sides; only the strongest of
them can manipulate air they can't see very well. If that fails,
I'm closing to melee.” He patted the sword at his side fondly.
“Wouldn't be the first time I've gone toe-to-toe with a
wind-scarred. They give up pretty fast once things get up close and
personal.”
“ If it looks like he can handle bullets, I'll close with him
too.” Sarah's voice came through the communicator. “Two on one in
melee is pretty much a death sentence. Especially since most
wind-scarred think actual weapons are beneath them, preferring
their unbreakable scars and powers when tricks and intimidation
don't work.”
They walked along in silence for a ways.
“One more thing you should know, just in case.” Mat gave Ezra a
questing look. “When a wind-scarred goes down, he doesn't do it
quietly. If we have to take this guy out, make sure that you get
well away from him. A few seconds after a wind-scarred dies, they
and everything within about ten feet of them gets torn to pieces by
a massive explosion of air pressure.” His eyes shifted, expression
distant. “I once saw a man whose wife and daughter had been
murdered by a scarred and his thugs,” he said quietly. “The guy
stabbed the elementalist in the back and just keep stabbing while
the thugs tried to pull him off. The only thing left was the
knife.” Mat looked back to Ezra. “It was in pieces.”
“ Great, he's a guy with superpowers who blows up when he dies.
And I'm going to lure him outside.” Ezra gulped and gave Mat a weak
smile. “I love this plan.”
Mat threw his head back and laughed richly,
clapping Ezra on the back and making him stumble forward a few
steps.
The top of a building came into view ahead
of them. “Looks like this is my exit,” Mat said. He gave Ezra a
thumbs up. “I'll let you know when I'm in position. Stay loose and
hit the ground when we tell you. We'll be back to the pretty ladies
in the village in no time.” Ezra lost sight of him as he took off
at an easy run out into the forest.
Panic began to rise in
Ezra's stomach almost as soon as he was alone. He took a few deep
breaths and shook his arms and legs, trying to limber up. Okay Ezra , he thought to
himself, this is no big deal. Just walk up
there and get a person you've never met to come outside so your new
friends can shoot him. A madman. A madman who can control the wind.
You just get him outside with you. He
gulped. No problem.
“ In position,” came Mat's calm voice.
“ In position,” echoed Sarah, sounding cold and detached.
“Everything is green to engage.”
Ezra blew out a long breath.
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