Strays: A Steampunk Story Part 3

 Jacob stared at the two on the log. Now what?  Yes, he still hated Alan and planned to turn him in, but he had expected Alan to eat the food himself. God knows, he could use the extra food. If not that, at least be selling it to another soldier or trading it with one of the girls who followed the camp. Giving it to a kid, and not just any but Benny who Jacob actually liked, had not crossed his mind.

 By the look of it, Benny sorely needed it. He was even skinnier than the last time Jacob saw him. He’d thought they left Benny safely back at the border when their regiment had moved out into contested territory. Yet, who had moved into border camp after they left? By the layers of bruises on Ben's face, someone who had taken serious exception his presence.

Explains the change in behavior alright. Jacob couldn’t blame Benny for being skittish. He had been there before, a little older mind you, but hunger is hunger and bruises like that make it awfully hard to sleep at night.

So Jacob’s new problem was how to apprehend Alan without giving Benny the opportunity to bolt. He knew there was no way he could follow Benny’s trail in what was now night. And he wanted to help the boy. It wasn’t his fault Alan was feeding him stolen food.

 Jacob finally looked at his Sergeant. “I am going around back to get the boy. Don’t want to give him a chance to escape. That cut on his arm looks infected and might need stitches. In exactly five minutes, walk out slowly and start talking to them.” That was all Sergeant Ash needed to do. Jacob could do all the rest on his own.

 A pause. Because he was so close to Ash, Jacob could just make out the change in expression in the ever deepening dark. The Sergeant met his eyes and gravely lifted an eyebrow. As clear as if the man had spoken it aloud, Jacob read the mild expression: You realize you just ordered a superior officer. With his words, Jacob had completely bypassed the chain-of-command. He hadn’t even bothered with “sir” – insubordination without question – a punishable offense. And the Sergeant didn’t exactly like him. The Sergeant held his eyes a long moment, calm underneath those spectacles. But then he gave a slight nod, his gaze traveling to Alan and the boy,
“Good plan.”

  Jacob wasn't going to stick around to let the Sergeant charge him with insubordination. He hadn't meant anything by it, but he just might have stepped over the line with that comment even if he did more experience in trying to sneak up and capture people than his superior officer did. He backed up from the clearing and disappeared into the nearby trees to sneak around to the most probable direction that Benny would run off if spooked.


  So, what? I just stay here? Corwin thought irritated. But those were apparently his "orders." Now he understood how his men felt when he didn't give them enough information. Clicking open his watch, he began watching the seconds tick by. What exactly was he supposed to do about this?

 After five minutes, he still hadn't figured out a plan and in the end, just had to tromp into the clearing without knowing what he was doing.At the sound of the brush rustling and the appearance of Corwin, Ben was off the log with his two new ration packs and headed back into the forest clearly not risking capture no matter who it was. Al tried to block the view of his exit looking rather anxious for a moment and then shoving any evidence behind the log. Does everyone think I'm THAT stupid? Corwin thought dejectedly.
  "Hey Al, what are you doing out here so late?" Al saluted head dropping hiding his face with that terrifying hat.

   "’ello Sergeant sir. Out walkin you know. "

   "In the forest in the dark?"

   "I done walked worse places, sir, beggin yer pardon. Like the time I walked through pig stye or that manure pile in Overton or ..."

   Jacob had been roughly correct; the boy had run the opposite direction from their camp. He easily intercepted Ben with an arm around his waist before Ben even knew saw him.
   
   "LET ME GO!" Ben screamed as he kicked and hit and attempted to bite the arm restraining him. Al abruptly broke off freezing like a rabbit.

   Jacob wrapped his other arm around Ben's torso to keep him from being able to hit him as he made his way back toward his Sergeant and Alan. It wasn't exactly the easiest way to travel with a small struggling boy in his arms, but he was determined to not to let the poor boy disappear into the wild again.

   Al's head whipped around to Corwin, "Sir please don’ hurt im. He ain't done nothin. Just talked is all, just talked, Sir; that's all."

    Jacob joined the others in the clearing with his struggling cargo that was now saying some words that Jacob had only ever heard very seasoned veterans use. "Sir," Jacob grunted as Ben's foot connected with his shin.

   But he didn't get anymore out, because then gentle Al, Lazy Al, Slow puppy-dog Al who had submitted like lamb to his flogging turned and pounced on Jacob.

  One long fingered hand closed around the private's throat. The other wrenched at the other hand even as the much larger man's momentum knocked them to the forest floor.  
Jacob couldn't even tuck himself so he landed properly. As his back hit the dirt, any air he had in his lungs smacked out as the bulk of Alan landed on top of him and Ben. With his arms still held tightly around the small boy, he couldn't do anything to fight off the hand that clasped around his throat except to try to squirm away from it. And despite Alan's attempt at getting Jacob to let go, his arms remained tightly around the boy. Years of being a bounty hunter had taught him to never let go of your mark once you got your hands on them. Training that was now apparently coming in handy.

 Al's fingers were remarkably strong even if he was all bones. They wriggled in and around loosening his grip. Clearly, the man was used to being caught and used to getting himself uncaught. And then he bit down hard sinking his teeth into the hand that held the boy right into the fleshy part between thumb and pointer finger. If Jacob had had air in his lungs or the ability to talk at all, he probably would have been swearing. The bastard had bit him. And it had hurt a hell of a lot more than any of Ben's bites.

   Training Corwin didn't even realize he remembered took over, and avoiding thrashing legs, he efficiently caught Al around the neck and jerked him backwards into a tight chokehold. Almost immediately, Al turned his head to the crook of Corwin's arm and tried to throw himself at Jacob again half gasping, half shouting, "Ben boy, GIT GIT !"

  Ben almost made it out of Jacob's arms. Al had managed to break some of his hold and Ben had wiggled out most of his body. But as soon as Al had been ripped away, Jacob tightened his hold around Ben again. Jacob knew if he lost his hold on the boy, it would take better part of the night to find him if he was even allowed to go after the boy. And he wasn't sure how much longer Ben could survive out here by himself. Ben let out a yell as his escape was halted once more. "LET ME GO YOU BASTARDS!!!!!"

  Voices began outside the trees. Damn it. Corwin lost his hold for a moment, but caught Al before he pulled entirely away. Pulling the man's arm up he attempted another lock from battle school, but it was like trying to tie an eel in a knot.

 "BEN BEN BEN!"  Al frantically called as Corwin pinned him into the mud. Others began to rush in calling with guns drawn wanting to know "what the hell was going on?"
All Corwin could think as he struggled were eight miserable words.
My sister is SO going to shoot me.