[The Gunslingers, Book II, Chapter 4] [Awake] *** Wes opened his eyes and everything hurt, it felt like someone had ripped his chest open and pounded on his insides for awhile. He tried to get up but something was holding his hands to his sides. An angel floated over and did something to some tubes in his arm and the pain subsided slightly. He tried to talk but no words came out; the thing that was in his mouth was gone, he should be able to speak. The warm sleepy feeling returned and he drifted off to sleep and woke, then slept, then woke. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he could remember different angels floating in and out of the room. The pain subsided and the angel stopped putting the stuff that made him sleep into the tube in his arm. Wes grew more conscious and realized he was wrapped in a net, like a blanket, which held him to the bed comfortably. He tried to push the net away but his hands wouldn’t move. Wes looked down, his chest was covered in a bandage and his hands were secured to the railing of the bed with handcuffs. He thought he had dreamed about the handcuffs; why was he handcuffed? There were some odd machines next to his bed and a Vid screen on the ceiling above him; the whole room had such a strange quality of light. Water? That was what he was seeing. The room was filled with water, but no, not just filled; it was all water, and water outside the room. He was underwater. Where ever he was it was a place that had been built for this. He felt a moment of panic and tried to put his hand over his mouth to look for the mask or breathing apparatus; the handcuffs stopped him. How was he breathing? He lifted a leg, his legs weren’t tied down, and watched as it slowly settled back to the bed, he was underwater. How? Wes’s angel floated into the room. His mind was clearing and he realized the angel was swimming, and it wasn’t an angel at all. The angel was an amphibian, similar to Toran, but different. The amphibian angel smiled and wiggled it’s fingers at him. Wes was confused for a moment and remembered this was how Toran’s people talked to each other. Memory flooded back and he remembered he had been on the way to the Phase 2 Gunslinger training. Was this Carina? Was he in a hospital on Carina? The amphibian didn’t look like Toran, the skull was bonier, and the skin was brown instead of green like Toran’s. Wes tried to talk again but nothing happened. The amphibian angel wiggled it’s fingers again and shook it’s head. Of course, it must be a nurse or a doctor, and it was trying to talk to him. Wes shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, he only knew a few Carinian words Toran had taught him, and they weren’t words he thought he should use in public. Wes tried to move his arm but the handcuffs held him in place. He nodded his head and made an expression he hoped the amphibian would understand. The amphibian slowly moved it’s fingers in a very specific way, the same as when Toran was teaching him a new Carinian curse word. “Water?” Wes tried to sign the word but the handcuffs were in the way. The amphibian retrieved a key from a pocket and unlocked one of the handcuffs and after a minute of looking carefully at Wes, unlocked the other. Wes pointed at his chest and motioned up and down and out his mouth and held his hands out questioningly. The amphibian signed a new word. “Breathing?” Wes signed. The amphibian nodded yes, and then no, and then pointed at the gill flaps on it’s neck. Wes was frustrated, of course he knew what gill flaps were and how the amphibian was breathing, but what kind of technology was letting him breathe? The amphibian pointed at Wes’s neck and made the breathing word again. Wes didn’t understand what it was trying to say, there had to be a better way to communicate. The amphibian swam over to a wall with some shelves and returned with a small hand mirror and held it up. Wes looked into the mirror not understanding; it was some kind of trick, the face was his and not his at the same time. Wes stared at the face, a stranger stared back at him from the mirror, those were not his eyes, the pupils were not round, but instead vertical slits with a membrane blinking sideways. Wes touched his neck and true panic and fear unlike anything he had ever experienced set in. His mind began to shut down and he thrashed out with his arms and legs in pure terror and clawed at his own neck. The amphibian grabbed his arms and then other amphibians swam into the room and held him until he felt a stab in his arm and the warm sleepy feeling came back. Wes tried to scream before the blackness came, “What did you do to me?” *** Hunter watched from the trees of the forest and waited. Other than a few maintenance crews that had departed earlier, the camp appeared to be deserted. The Sheriff had told Hunter the exact location of the Camp once he had gotten some alcohol in him, in fact the Sheriff had been quite a talker and filled Hunter in on all sorts of background information about Colt; none of which Hunter believed. Hunter was fairly certain Sheriff Tanner had been playing him, though Hunter doubted it had been entirely the Sheriff’s doing, he seemed intelligent enough, but no, it was that little Daraian that was with the Sheriff. Hunter suspected the Daraian was the real brains behind the Sheriff. Hunter now watched from the trees and waited for the ambush to show itself. The Sheriff and his Deputy, the Daraian, was obviously still loyal friends to this Colton Cyness and his team, which of course meant there may be others still loyal to them also. The decision to sacrifice Lord Cyness had likely not been a popular decision among many of the younger Gunslingers. Hunter could recognize a Gunslinger even if he was hiding in Sheriff’s clothing, and he knew Sheriff Tanner was a Gunslinger. Hunter wondered what the need to have an undercover Gunslinger stationed in Sanon Town on the other side of the planet from the training camps was. But then again, Hunter, a notorious bounty hunter had showed up. Had the Gunslingers such foresight to put someone in the Sheriff’s position just on the off-chance that someone like Hunter would appear. Or, perhaps the Gunslingers, whom were known for making enemies, had encountered enough vendettas over the years to make keeping an eye on the spaceport a necessity. Hunter didn’t really care, and hadn’t any intention to engage with the Sheriff and whatever Deputies he had brought along. He had already been inside the cabin and inspected the place Colt and his team had called home; there had been no clue where the boys had been taken to serve out their life sentences. No, what Hunter needed was for the Sheriff to lead him to the boys. Hunter sat and waited quietly until the Sheriff got tired of waiting and would invariably send a message to Colt and his team that they were in danger. A shadow moved within a shadow, and then between the trees. Hunter watched as the figure moved and positioned itself, and then another moved into place, and then another. The ambush was being setup and Hunter watched silently, unmoving. He had no intention of moving, moving was death, movement removed your invisibility. The normal mammal eyes could not detect an object well unless it moved, and Hunter had no intention of being the Sheriff’s target. Hunter remained unmoving and silent; it wasn’t until late the next morning that the Sheriff decided the bounty hunter that had been asking questions wasn’t going to show up. The Sheriff’s team moved off and Hunter remained still in his hiding place. The Sheriff’s ship lifted off and Hunter watched it move across the treetops and back towards Sanon Town. Hunter remained motionless. Two days turned into three and then four, Hunter didn’t move, then on the morning of the fifth day Hunter caught the movement of a figure getting up out of the brush between the trees. Hunter smiled; he had out waited the real ambush. The figure walked up to the cabin and stood on the porch and scanned the forest; it was the little Daraian Deputy. The Daraian sniffed the air; that was something Hunter wasn’t sure of, did Daraians have enhanced olfactory senses. Hunter narrowed his eyes, no, of course not, stay calm Hunter; he would have scented you out already if he did. Hunter watched the Daraian leave the porch and follow a path, but Hunter remained still, he didn’t need to follow the Deputy, not yet. Hunter waited and it was nearly an hour later when a Dart ship rose from the trees some distance away. Hunter keyed his Com link to send the signal; his ship would track the Deputies ship and lead him to where the boys were being kept. Hunter stood and casually melted back into the forest where the small shuttle from the ship was hidden. It would be easy now, just follow the Deputy. Tanner’s eye caught the bounty hunter getting up and moving away from the cabin. Tanner hadn’t known where the bounty hunter was hiding, but Tyler had been right and the plan was working perfectly. Tyler had turned out to be the best First Deputy anyone could have ever had and Tanner was grateful to Colt for bringing Tyler to him. Tanner owed Colt many times over, and would repay Colt the best he could. Tyler would lead the bounty hunter on a wild goose chase around the galaxy until the bounty hunter finally got wise to him. Tanner keyed his own Com device. “He’s following you, Tyler,” said Sheriff Tanner. “Got it boss, I’ll keep him off your tail while you find where they took Jack,” replied Tyler. Tanner changed frequencies and called his ship back to pick him up. Colt was Lord of the Planet and Tanner knew where his loyalties lay, Gunslingers be damned. “I’m coming, My Lord,” Tanner looked up at the sky and whispered, “Just hang on.” *** Colt woke up and crawled out of the crate, the other two were sleeping sound but something had woken him. Colt walked down to the edge of the ocean and splashed water on his face. The cool salty ocean water was refreshing and Colt realized how hungry he was. Hopefully Toran would feel up to start fishing again and they could begin stocking up and drying fish. The canteens were empty and Colt decided he would go fill them up, later this morning they could start moving their camp towards the lagoon where they would have better shelter. Colt looked down at the bananas Jack had dragged here, the pile had grown, but at least the new ones were yellow, and there was another fruit with them. Colt had no idea what the new fruit was or whether it was safe to eat. “Jack must have got up in the middle of the night and gone to get edible bananas to make up for the green ones,” Colt mumbled to himself and grabbed the canteens. The island was still dark, but there was enough moonlight to find the forest path to the lagoon. Colt walked along kicking at the sand and following the winding path. Colt stepped out of the island forest onto an open hillside and looked around confused. He must have gotten turned around and taken the wrong path; this was not the way to the lagoon. He was about to turn around and head back when something glinting in the moonlight caught his eye. Colt followed a worn sandy path towards the object reflecting the light and noticed small footprints in the sand. Jack must have come this way while exploring the island. Colt stopped and his blood turned to ice, he easily recognized what was making the reflection. Colt was looking at five grave markers with various personal objects hanging from them. The one glinting in the moonlight was being caused by a pocket watch. The other grave markers had chains, a small pocket knife, a broach, and a hunting knife hanging from them, and each marker had a Gunslinger belt and gun wrapped around it. “Ancestors protect me, this is a Gunslinger Team,” whispered Colt. Colt read the names crudely carved into the markers, Thomas, Ben, Will, Cari, and Rebecca. The Grave marked Rebecca looked fairly fresh, no more than a year or two old. “A co-ed team?” Colt had never heard of a co-ed team before. Why were they here on this island and why were they buried here? Colt noticed the small footprints in the sand around the graves. Why hadn’t Jack said something? This was important. Colt’s hand edged down to his, damn! He hadn’t put his guns back on yet. Jack would have said something if he had been here. There were five graves, and a Gunslinger team was always five, one Gunslinger and four deputies. The situation hit Colt, the island was a Gunslinger prison, probably for special Gunslinger teams, like Colt’s team; dangerous teams. Colt knew his team was extra lethal and this island was the perfect place to put such Gunslingers. This team must have been dangerous as well, but… …who buried them? Colt already knew the answer and started backing away from the graves; this Gunslinger team had been co-ed and must have done the unthinkable after being imprisoned here. Colt turned and ran back along the path for the beach, the extra bananas, the footprints; these weren’t Jack’s footprints at all. They weren’t alone on the island. *** Wes opened his eyes again and tried to move, his hands were behind his back and tied, or handcuffed, together. “Air?” Wes sniffed, it was real air and he was lying on a stone bench and breathing real air. He tried to get up and rolled off the bench and landed on his side. Pain exploded in his chest and spots appeared before his eyes, he came very close to blacking out. An amphibian’s head poked up out of a pool of water in the center of the room. Wes watched the amphibian look at him for a moment and then crawl up out of the pool of water. The amphibian lifted Wes up and sat him against the stone bench and then checked the bandages. “What have you done to me?” asked Wes. “You… learn…” replied the amphibian. “I don’t understand?” demanded Wes. "Why have you done this to me?" “Only way… mammal died… only way,” said the amphibian pointing at Wes’s chest. “Ocean… you… lung… died.” “So you made me a fish,” accused Wes and then pulled his hands as far around as if could. “Why am I handcuffed?” “Criminal” the amphibian patted Wes lightly on the chest. “I’m not a criminal,” replied Wes. “Who said I’m a criminal?” “Gunslingers speak… you… life… on island… we save first… then you… go.” Wes stared at the amphibian confused. Criminal? What island, what was he talking about? “You… learn now… sorry…” Wes saw the water start to rise and spill over the sides of the pool. They were going to fill the chamber with water; it was going to be like drowning again. No, not drowning, thought Wes. I was breathing water before, but I have to learn to fill my new lungs with water and empty them, the way Toran does. Wes struggled against the handcuffs. “Please, not like this,” begged Wes. “I won’t hurt myself or anyone else, I was scared before.” Wes had to admit to himself he was still scared, he knew what was coming and it was going to be horrible, but with his hands behind his back it would be worse. The water continued to rise and the amphibian produced a key and stared Wes in the eyes. “One chance… do right… do I say…” “I promise,” Wes dropped on his knees and begged; the water was already up to his waist. “I’ll be good and do what you say.” The amphibian unlocked the handcuffs and Wes stood up, the water started rushing in faster. The amphibian took Wes’s hands and held them in his own. The water was up to his chest now and rising fast. “Close in eye now” instructed the amphibian. What? Oh, the inner eye, that membrane, the amphibian was saying it wrong. Didn’t anyone on this planet speak Imperial Standard? Wes tried several times until he got the hang of having two eye-lids; well not really, one was an eye-lid and the other a membrane to protect his eye from the salt water. The water was up to his neck now and Wes clutched the amphibian’s hands tighter, this was going to be the most unnatural thing a mammal could do. Don’t panic Wes, don’t panic or they will put you back in those handcuffs. The water rose above his head and Wes involuntarily held his breath. He couldn’t help himself, willingly allowing water to flow into his lungs was too alien a concept for a mammal taught from birth to keep water out of it’s lungs. Wes expected darkness as the water rose over his eyes, but instead it was bright and clear. The amphibian motioned for him to open his gill flaps and mouth so that he could expel the air and take in the water, it was too difficult. Wes kept holding his breath until spots appeared in front of his eyes; the amphibian was patient and held Wes’s hands while the mammal, now hybrid amphibian, struggled with his knew reality. Wes couldn’t help it; he needed oxygen and opened his mouth to breathe air that wasn’t there. Instead, his gill flaps opened and the circular flow of water began. Water flowed into his gills and the air rushed out through his mouth. Wes had thought it would be painful, but it wasn’t, he felt the welcome relief of oxygen flowing into his body and he breathed just as easily as if on land. The amphibian smiled at him and let go of his hands. Wes took several deep breaths and pushed off to swim around the small room. The amphibian gave him a few moments and then motioned him over. Wes was giddy, and horrified at his knew reality. He understood why they had done this to him, he had drowned and his lungs must have been damaged. The amphibian held the handcuffs up and Wes lost his grin, but the amphibian had been kind enough not to make him go through this training with them on, so Wes returned the respect and held his hands out. The amphibian gently pulled Wes’s arms behind his back and put the handcuffs back on. Wes couldn’t imagine what he could have done for them to think he was a criminal, he was certain it would be sorted out soon. The amphibian pulled him out through the hole in the bottom of the room; they were still inside the hospital. The amphibian Wes was starting to think might be his nurse led him through the corridors of the hospital and back to his room. Oh, of course, that was like physical therapy, they were teaching me to use the new lungs. Wes realized how tired he was and swam over to his bed; the amphibian took the handcuff off one wrist and locked it to the silver railing while Wes curled up inside the net. Wes closed his eyes and started to drift off to sleep, maybe they would explain more tomorrow. ***