their fellow travelers over the last few days, and had picked up a general knowledge of where things were in the city. Mike took the teams out with their smallest instruments to quarter the city for signs of the Oners presence. Damien became the de facto merchant. Their wheat sold quickly for a tidy profit, and the wool sold for double what they'd paid for it. Damien was feeling quite the successful businessman until he offered a small cut synthetic ruby. He retreated under threats of calling the city guards, damn Travelers, nothing but thieves and murderers . . .
"Once we're established as honest businessmen we can try that again." Damien scowled. "We're definitely going to have to work for our money.
Then they inquired about the cost of renting a place to stay. Bear squad remained in town while the rest of them left the City late in the day and made the weary horses backtrack to their last camping spot.
"Well, San Francisco is one of the most expensive places to live on our World too." Rich Covey grimaced at his own joke. "So . . . what about the suburbs? I'd prefer that to the slums."
Mike nodded. "We'll look around, say, halfway from here to there. See what we can find."
After three days of gradually lowering their requirements, they became the proud tenants of a half acre pasture with an open shed. Six months rent in advance, no doubt because of the pinto horses. The two wagons full of electronics were backed up to the shed, which they used for their living quarters, giving them adequate space.
Bear squad reported that freight hauling appeared to be reasonably lucrative, and would get them all over the City to check for the presence of the One. Damien scraped together the last of their mostly counterfeit funds for an open wagon, and headed for town with one team.
The dock foreman eyed the pinto horses and scowled up at Damien. "I'll send my men with you to unload. Can't afford for any of this to go missing from here to there. Your nephews can lend a hand around here until you get back."
Tony, Max and Carl scowled back. "Certainly." Damien jumped in, forestalling argument. "I'm not real familiar with town, so having your fellows along will work out fine."
That got another scowl. And bellows for Murph, Wale and Beezo.
Murph had foul breath and directed Damien through a maze of streets to an anonymous back door in an alley. They made short work of unloading. Damien got down long enough to see the store's back room and peek through at the front, before he drove back to the docks, taking more main streets.
Murph grinned. "So you weren't that lost, eh?"
"Close enough." Damien admitted.
Four deliveries up and down the hills of the city later, he and the horses were all dragging and ready to quit. The foreman shook his head. "Pity, got plenty more if your horses were fit to work."
Damien straightened his back. "I have another team. I could switch and come back?"
"Good." The foreman grinned. "Those nephews of yours know how to work, got any more of them?"
"Two more, actually."
"Bring them along."
Mike and Allie both gave him stern looks as he hauled the other soldiers off. "Remember we aren't here to get rich, and the teams need to get around town."
"Once we're established, and I know the town, they'll be coming along with me on deliveries. All over town, for legitimate reasons, and no one looking twice."
They delivered through increasingly empty streets. Their last delivery was on their own, three small boxes, well after midnight. Joe and Richie laid down in the back swearing to never be rude to longshoremen again, while Damien got lost without a native guide. The watchers must have thought he was alone. One fellow crossed the street just ahead of the horses. Macy tossed her head and stopped as the man waved an arm in her face. Four more figures raced up and vaulted into the back of the wagon. A variety of surprised yells and three left faster than they'd come. Joe held up the last one.
"Want him?"
"Only if
"Once we're established as honest businessmen we can try that again." Damien scowled. "We're definitely going to have to work for our money.
Then they inquired about the cost of renting a place to stay. Bear squad remained in town while the rest of them left the City late in the day and made the weary horses backtrack to their last camping spot.
"Well, San Francisco is one of the most expensive places to live on our World too." Rich Covey grimaced at his own joke. "So . . . what about the suburbs? I'd prefer that to the slums."
Mike nodded. "We'll look around, say, halfway from here to there. See what we can find."
After three days of gradually lowering their requirements, they became the proud tenants of a half acre pasture with an open shed. Six months rent in advance, no doubt because of the pinto horses. The two wagons full of electronics were backed up to the shed, which they used for their living quarters, giving them adequate space.
Bear squad reported that freight hauling appeared to be reasonably lucrative, and would get them all over the City to check for the presence of the One. Damien scraped together the last of their mostly counterfeit funds for an open wagon, and headed for town with one team.
The dock foreman eyed the pinto horses and scowled up at Damien. "I'll send my men with you to unload. Can't afford for any of this to go missing from here to there. Your nephews can lend a hand around here until you get back."
Tony, Max and Carl scowled back. "Certainly." Damien jumped in, forestalling argument. "I'm not real familiar with town, so having your fellows along will work out fine."
That got another scowl. And bellows for Murph, Wale and Beezo.
Murph had foul breath and directed Damien through a maze of streets to an anonymous back door in an alley. They made short work of unloading. Damien got down long enough to see the store's back room and peek through at the front, before he drove back to the docks, taking more main streets.
Murph grinned. "So you weren't that lost, eh?"
"Close enough." Damien admitted.
Four deliveries up and down the hills of the city later, he and the horses were all dragging and ready to quit. The foreman shook his head. "Pity, got plenty more if your horses were fit to work."
Damien straightened his back. "I have another team. I could switch and come back?"
"Good." The foreman grinned. "Those nephews of yours know how to work, got any more of them?"
"Two more, actually."
"Bring them along."
Mike and Allie both gave him stern looks as he hauled the other soldiers off. "Remember we aren't here to get rich, and the teams need to get around town."
"Once we're established, and I know the town, they'll be coming along with me on deliveries. All over town, for legitimate reasons, and no one looking twice."
They delivered through increasingly empty streets. Their last delivery was on their own, three small boxes, well after midnight. Joe and Richie laid down in the back swearing to never be rude to longshoremen again, while Damien got lost without a native guide. The watchers must have thought he was alone. One fellow crossed the street just ahead of the horses. Macy tossed her head and stopped as the man waved an arm in her face. Four more figures raced up and vaulted into the back of the wagon. A variety of surprised yells and three left faster than they'd come. Joe held up the last one.
"Want him?"
"Only if
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