Read Online THE PRIZE: BOOK TWO - RETRIBUTION by Rob Buckman - Free Book Online

are some men and women like her here.”
    “This is true.” He answered. Penn looked over at Ellis. “In that case, I have an idea I’d like to talk to them about. The old man looked at them a moment before nodded.
    “Come. We will talk of many things.” He led them to a large Wickiup in a grove of Velvet mesquite and desert ironwood trees and they arranged themselves around a small fire pit. For a while they spoke of mundane things such as the weather and how it was improving now the dust had started to settling out of the atmosphere. After that, Penn brought the conversation around to Ellis’s brothers and sisters, finding that most of them were still here, married and now part of the tribe.
    “Since the invasion and the destruction of civilization we have become isolated and no longer suffer from the temptations of the white man. His drink, gambling and prostitution and have grown closer to our roots.”
    “I can understand that. Has your tribe grown in that time?”
    “Yes, by many folds now that the wild game has returned. The invaders had little interest in us in these mountains and the few white eyes that came here soon learned it was better for their health to stay away.” The old man laughed.
    “It is the same with my people in the jungles of South America. The Imperials do not like going there. They lose too many of their soldiers with little to show for it.”
    “True. A few come looking for gold and silver, but the mines are well hidden now and protected from outsiders.”
    “Now the Imperials have gone, it is time we started rebuilding this world, a better one this time where all men and woman are truly equal.”
    “And what will your new government have to say about that?”
    “You tell me. I want you to be part of it.” The old man smiled and shook his head.
    “I doubt I will live long enough to be of help. I’m close to one hundred years old now and I can feel death sitting closer to me each day. One day soon he will be sitting next to me and we must talk.”
    “Oh, I think we can convince death to take a holiday in your case for a number of years, if you are willing, that is.”
    “And how can you convince death to do that?”
    “There is a place you must go. A special place that will ask many things of you.” Ellis added.
    “And what if I answer wrongly?”
    “There is no wrong answer, only truth.”
    “This place I must see, but how will that convince death to sit further away?”
    “Go, and you will see.”
    “And what of my people?”
    “I will ask them to join you and me in rebuilding this world.”
    “I see and hear the truth of this in your eyes and your words. So be it. Take me to this special place so I can speak the truth of it.”
    “I have created a portal in the cliff behind the camp, Richard.” Michael whispered in Penn’s ear.
    “Come. The entrance to this place is close by.” The old man looked at him skeptically.
    “I know the land here-about as I know the palm of my hand. There is no entrance that I know of…”
    “You will see.”
    Two young women helped the old man up the slope to the base of the cliff, stopping every so often for him to rest. Ellis gripped Penn’s hand seeing how frail he’d become in the intervening years. Most of the tribe followed, curious to see what was going on.
    “Can you help him, Michael?” She whimpered.
    “It will be what it will be, Alexis.” Penn returned the grip, hearing Michael’s reply. If there was any evil in the old man’s mind, it would condemn him.
    “Where’s the entrance, Michael?”
    “Go through the cleft and you will find it, Richard.” He led the way, hearing the old man grumbling behind him.
    “There is nothing here of interest, Morning Star.”
    “You will see, Grandfather.”
    Once through the cleft the cliff opened up into a small canyon with a trickle of water running down the center and high, sandstone cliffs on all sides. Reaching the end Penn saw the cut stone blocks with their red and