The creature reached inside its robes, and Valentine saw fingers shift all around from trigger guard to trigger-save for Duvalier, who's sword appeared with a snick. It produced a white, capped cylinder about the size of a dinner candle high for all to see, and then dropped it at its feet.
"You men like to have matters set down on paper. I give you paper."
"Thanks anyway. We've rolls of it," Duvalier said.
"Perhaps that's for the Kentuckians to say," Mrs. O'Coombe said. "It's their land."
"So entertaining a discussion," Jack in the Box said. "We almost forgot to offer a compliment. Brilliant gambit in Owensboro. You are worthy of your name after all."
"Gambit?" Valentine asked.
"Yes. The bomb. Blowing up some of your own. You won your goal, but the herd you stampeded is heading for a cliff. Keep your workmanship in mind in the coming days as the bodies pile up and this beautiful, rich land becomes a waste."
"We'll take you along to meet the Assembly," Valentine decided.
"No, I know that trick as well. You think you'll use our avatar to locate us."
"Maybe we won't give your avatar a choice."
"All I have to do is have it hold its breath. These flying forms are frail. Their hearts explode if deprived of oxygen for long. But that would be a shame. You will have no way to give an answer."
Valentine hated to admit defeat. "How shall we answer you, then?"
"We will be in touch. But if you ever wish another audience, simply tie a bedsheet on top of one of these vehicles. They will be observed. We will send a messenger."
So, the Kurian knew all about their vehicles. They hadn't seen its silhouette flying around in daylight, so it must search for them at night. Well, there were ways to hide vehicles and disperse lifesign.
"Be vigorous, Valentine. Do not delay even one day. We do not make empty threats; we choose the time and the place of their being carried out. The seeds of the destruction are already planted. My brethren only need to give the signal for them to sprout. You, Valentine, shall be the agent of this land's destruction. It will be your responsibility. The question is, of course, can you handle the responsibility? Can you handle responsibility?"
"You talk too much," Frat said. "The major's under orders, like the rest of us."
"Negotiating such an arrangement, even if the Kentucky Assembly is interested, would take a lot of time," Valentine said. "If this whirlwind is as imminent as you claim, you had better delay it, or you'll find yourself taking refuge in a wasteland."
The bird thing cocked its head. "Keep in touch."
Valentine nodded to Frat, who gave it a vigorous turn. He walked it out of camp.
Valentine turned to Habanero. "Wagon master, see if you can raise Fort Seng on your radio. We need to find out where Brother Mark is."
He turned to the owner of the biggest property in the Free Territory. "Mrs. O'Coombe, I'm sorry, but the needs of Southern Command and Kentucky will have to delay finding your son."
She tore her eyes from the strange strut of Jack in the Box's avatar. "But you said tomorrow we will be in the territory where he'd been left."
"We'll get there. Just not tomorrow."
She drew herself up. "Mister Valentine. I equipped this convoy with the best communications equipment I could find. The transmitter alone is worth one of my barns and its resident livestock. Are you telling me it is not adequate to pass along a message that may or may not be an empty threat?"
"Brother Mark may need transport to whatever responsible parties can decide what to do about this."
"Are you giving me an order?"
"If I have to," Valentine said, careful to keep his rifle under his arm as the camp began to line up behind their respective leaders, the Bears and Wolves with Valentine, the drivers and mechanics and security men and medical staff with Mrs. O'Coombe. Stuck just stood up and stared at Valentine.
Duvalier hopped up on top of the Bushmaster. "Cool off, all of you. I don't know who or where this Jack-in-the-off is, but we start throwing down on each other, he'll be laughing until the robins come back."
The camp broke into a dozen separate arguments over the reality of the threat:
"If a Kurian told me my dick was on fire, I wouldn't look down and give him the satisfaction."