The truck swerved across a broken bridge and jolted on.
Jonnie decided he had better tell her something to calm her. “It apparently wants something from me. I will have to do it now. It won't really harm you. Just threats. When I’ve done whatever it is, it will let us go.” He didn't like to lie. He had felt all along that Terl would kill him when he had served his unknown purpose.
Chrissie managed a shaky smile. “Old Mr. Jimson is parson and mayor now. We got through the winter all right.”
She was silent for a while. “We only ate two of your horses.”
“That's good, Chrissie."
“I made you some new buckskins,” said Chrissie. “They're in that pack.”
“Thank you, Chrissie.”
Pattie, her eyes dilated, suddenly screamed, “Is it going to eat us?”
“No, no, Pattie," said Jonnie. “It doesn't eat living things. It 's all right, Pattie.”
She subsided.
“Jonnie.” Chrissie paused. “You're alive. That's the main thing, Jonnie.” Tears welled out of her eyes. “I thought you were dead!”
Yes. He was alive. They were alive. But he didn't know for how long. He thought of Terl breaking the legs of the cattle.
The truck rattled through an expanse of brush.
"Jonnie," said Chrissie. “You're not mad at me, are you?”
Oh, dear god. Mad at you. Oh god, no. He couldn't talk. He shook his head.
The roar of the mine became louder in the distance.
Chapter 9
They had been left in the truck throughout the chilly night. Terl had simply put a couple of button cameras on it, one at each end, and had gone off to his quarters.
But it was midmorning now and Terl had been bustling about the cages since before dawn. Jonnie had not been able to turn his head enough to see what he was doing; the collar and leash had never been so tight.
Terl came to the back of the truck and dropped its gate. He led the horses out and tied the lead ropes to a tree. Then he bodily shoved the wounded horse off the truck and when it hit the ground shoved it further out of the way. It was trying to stand and he cuffed it, knocking it down again.
He came onto the bed and unfastened Pattie. He had a collar in his paw and he clamped it around Pattie's throat. He pulled out a welding torch and welded it shut and then welded a lead to it. Picking the little girl up with one swoop, he went off with her.
Presently he came back. Chrissie shrank away from him. He had another collar and he welded it on. Jonnie had a closer look at it as the leash was fastened. This collar had a red bulge on its side. Jonnie realized that Pattie's had had one too.
Terl looked at Jonnie's eyes. They were ice-blue and deadly. “Your turn in a moment, animal. No need to be cross. A whole new life is opening up for you.” He scooped up Chrissie and packed her off the truck.
He was gone for some time. Jonnie heard the cage door opening and shutting as though being tested.
Then the truck rocked as Terl's enormous weight came onto it again.
He looked down at Jonnie. “Any more dummy wires?” he said. “You sure you're not sitting on a blast rifle that has its action dummy wired?” Terl laughed at his own joke. “You know, I am going to knock the crap out of Ker for not teaching you any better.” He was fumbling with Jonnie's leash and lashings. “Rat brain,” said Terl.
The recon drone rumbled in from the distance and passed over with an earsplitting roar. Jonnie glared at it as it passed.
“Good,” said Terl, approving. “You know what spotted her and so you know what will spot you now, if you get up to anything I don't like. Beautiful pictures we get with that thing. Tiniest detail. Get off the truck.”
Jonnie was yanked toward the cage. Terl had indeed been busy. Several things were changed. One of them was his instructor machine and table. It now sat outside the cage. Terl yanked him to a halt.
Chrissie and Pattie were tied to an iron rod that had been inset into the side of the pool. Chrissie was trying to massage some feeling back into Pattie's arms and legs, and the little girl was crying with the pain of returning blood.
“Now, animal,” said Terl, “I am giving you a briefing tour, so pay very close attention.” Terl pointed to an electric connector box on a nearby wall. His talon indicated a heavy wire coming from it that led to the top bars of the cage, wound around each one, enclosed the whole cage high up, and returned to the box. Each cage bar now had insulator wrappings around the bottom.
Terl yanked Jonnie over to a clump of bushes. A coyote was lying there, its head muffled in wrappings, snarls coming from it. Terl put on an insulator glove and picked up the coyote.
“Now tell those two other animals to watch this carefully,” said Terl.
Jonnie said nothing.
“Well, no matter,” said Terl. “I see they are watching.”
With his gloved paw, Terl held up the struggling coyote and launched it at the bars.
There was a searing puff of light. The coyote shrieked.
An instant later it was a charred, crackling mess on the bars, turning black.
Terl chuckled. “Animal, tell them if they touch those bars, that's what will happen.”
Jonnie told them never to touch the bars.
“Next,” said Terl, taking off the glove and putting it in his belt, “we have a real treat for you.”
Terl reached into his pocket and took out a compact switch box. “You know all about remotes, animal. Remember your tractor! This is a remote.” He pointed at the two girls. “Now look closely and you will see they are wearing a different kind of collar. See that red bulge on the side of the collar?”
Jonnie did, all too clearly. He felt sick.
“That,” said Terl, “is a small bomb. It is enough to shatter their necks and blow their heads off. Understand, animal?”
Jonnie glared.
“This switch,” said Terl, pointing to his remote control box, “is the small animal. This switch,” and he pointed to another, “sets off the collar of the other animal. This box-'
" And what is the third switch?” said Jonnie.
“Well, thank you for asking. I didn't think I was getting through to your rat brain. This third switch ignites a general charge in the cage that you do not know the location of and that will blow up the whole lot.”
Terl was smiling behind his faceplate, his amber eyes slitted, flickering, watching Jonnie.
At length he continued. “This control box is always on my person. There are also two other remotes in places you don't know about. Now, is all that very clear to you?”
“It’s clear to me,” said Jonnie, repressing his shaking anger, “that one of the horses can come over and get electrocuted. It 's also clear that you could accidentally trip those controls.”
“Animal, we are standing here jabbering and omitting the fact that I have truly befriended you.”
Jonnie was very alert.
Terl took out a metal cutter and snipped off Jonnie's collar. He then mockingly handed him its remains and the leash.
“Run around,” said Terl. “Feel liberty. Frisk!”
Terl moved off and started picking up some odds and ends of tools he had strewn about while working. The stench of the electrocuted coyote was rank in the air.
“And what do I pay for this?” said Jonnie.
Terl came back. “Animal, you must have realized by now– in spite of your rat brain– that your best course is to cooperate with me.”
"In what way?”
“That's better, animal. I like to see gratitude.”
"In what way?” repeated Jonnie.
“The company has some projects that need doing. They are very confidential, of course. And you are standing there pledging your full cooperation. Right?”