Army of Humans and Monsters-The Book

Chapter 18

Five hours later, Jenkins never realized how fantastic that the hard cot that he slept in could feel. He, and every other recruit, was in their quarters, on their beds, all with bodies complaining about the abuse that they had just been put through.

“How do you feel kid?” Bloodtooth asked, as she helped feed him some warm soup.

“Like I just walked across the country without stopping,” Jenkins said, as Bloodtooth put the spoon in his mouth, as, like everyone else, there had came a point that his legs wouldn’t work, and had to crawl until the Doc told them that they could come in then.

“Well, don’t say that to the commander then,” Bloodtooth said. “The guy just might make you eat those words and have everyone do just that.”

“Are you sure about that?” Jenkins asked, wearily.

“Let me go ask him,” Bloodtooth said, making as if to stand up, which made Jenkins really nervous.

“Oh, I’m just kidding,” she said, leaning over to give him another spoonful of soup, and to kiss him on his forehead. “The commander may be a hard-ass, but he isn’t that cruel. For the moment, you will be allowed to recuperate from your walk, until it is seventeen hundred.”

“That’s five o’clock in the afternoon right?” (Jenkins)

“That’s right, and at that point, the commander will meet with you, as well as the other recruits, out on the grounds. Also, he has an interest in meeting you, personally.” (Bloodtooth)

“Why is that?” (Jenkins)

“Let’s just say that his grandfather served alongside of you-know-who.” (Bloodtooth)

“He served alongside of my great-grandfather?” (Jenkins)

At this, Bloodtooth nodded.

“That’s right,” she said. “In fact, many of the officers currently in the military, if they are not related to those who served with him, were taught by those who did serve with him, or those related to them, as well as their students. Oh, and I may have some news for you.”

“What is that?” (Jenkins)

“There is a chance that you may not be the last living member of your family. While you and the others were walking, the commander gave me a file about the murders of your father’s brothers and sisters. At one of the places, the remains of one of your cousins, a Tabitha Jensen, were not found. Of course, well, there are ways for a person to kill someone without leaving a body.” (Bloodtooth)

“Yah, I know,” Jenkins said, as he looked away, with tears in his eyes. “He could have swallowed her, either dead or alive, before he killed the others.”

“I know,” Bloodtooth said, as she wiped the tears away from his eyes. “However, it could also mean that she got away from him, and went into hiding, one way or another.”

“Yah, but she would have been seventeen then, and well, anything could have happened between now and then. She could have been eaten, turned into a slave, or even turned into a living piece of furniture, or jewelry, or anything else even.” (Jenkins)

“Hey,” Bloodtooth said, as she gently turned his head to face her. “I’ll make a promise to you; I’ll help you find her. If she’s alive, I’ll get her for you, even if I have to steal her from her owner. If she’s dead, I’ll kill whoever did the deed, and if we find her remains, I’ll burry them for you, and you can say whatever you need to, to comfort her spirit. On this, you have my word. Together, whether it takes money, or tooth and claw, you and I will find her.”

“Do you really mean that, madam?” (Jenkins)

“Hey, you helped me save my niece. It may have been a set up to catch the owner of the place, but there was that element of fear in me, that we wouldn’t make it in time, that she would have been eaten before we got there. This situation with your cousin is similar. Besides, the moment that Wolfblood marked you, she became military property herself.” (Bloodtooth)

“What are you talking about? The mark wasn’t there this morning.” (Jenkins)

At this, Bloodtooth placed her lips next to his ears, and whispered, “The next time that you need to take a leak, save the liquid in a container, and have a piece of cloth soak in it for a few minutes, then wash your shoulder with it. The mark will reappear if you do that. In a way, the mark on my niece works in a similar manner, though with her, a light layer of makeup completely protects it from being revealed, as hers is revealed when she washes herself with water, and it takes a lot more than a casual wash to remove that makeup.”

“But then, what about that brand madam, the one that you happen to have on your shoulder?” (Jenkins)

“That is something that you will receive upon graduation, if you still want to go through with becoming a member on the armed forces. If anything, the blank mark, which you have, is more like telling others that you are military property that the military is not using right now, much like the reserves, who are soldiers that don’t know which branch that they want to serve in. While they do have the brand for soldier on them, until they actually make a choice as to what part of the service to serve in, it will be as if they were a private, or its equivalent. Now, don’t you worry, we will find her, so let’s finish your soup, and you can get some rest. You will need it.” (Bloodtooth)