Ferals

Kijani's POV Interogation

“Kijani!” Shoji shouts as she bursts through the door of my tupek.

“What? What is it, did the prisoner escape? Are you hurt?” I jump up from my bed, grab her and start running my hands over her looking for injuries.

“No, no, get off me…” she slaps my hands away and pulls from my grasp, “ I’m fine, and Tafari is with Mason. I’ve come to tell you what he said.”

Huffing out a long breath I ask, “What have you learned?”

“Not enough, but a start.” She flips her long black hair over her shoulder and plops down on the bed.

“I’m waiting.” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“His name is Mason,” she starts and I roll my eyes.

“I don’t care what his name is, tell me where they are keeping the children.” I interrupt.

“I’m getting to it, if you’d let me finish!” She huffs. I throw my hand up, beckoning her to continue.

Shoji takes a deep breath then words spill from her mouth. “His name is Mason, he calls himself a Private, I’m not sure what that means…anyway, he said a man they call the General, a Sachem like you, orders them to take the children. They do not take them inside the wall. They meet him outside a few, what he calls klicks, I think it’s miles, but again I’m not sure. They meet him at a designated location, him and a few other men, then they split up and go back inside the wall. The General takes the children somewhere else, but he does not know where. He says that no one inside the wall knows what the General is doing with the children, or that he is even taking them. He says once they give them to him, they never see them again!” Her voice is shrill and she is up pacing back and forth across the room by the end of her recounting.

Just as I think she is done, she spins on her heel facing me and bombards me with questions. “What are we going to do? How are we going to find them when no one knows where they are? Where is he taking them? What is he doing with them? How are we going to stop him?” She breaks into tears.

I pull her close, wrapping my arms around her, “Shh, Shoji, quiet now. We will find a way.” I murmur against the top of her head. “I will fix this, I promise.”

“How?” she sobs, looking up at me, her big inky eyes filled with tears.

“I don’t know…yet. But I’m working on it. Trust me, I will find a way.” I promise her. She nods and wipes the tears from her eyes. I lead her back to the bed and sit down beside her, my arm draped across her shoulders.

“Now, slow down and tell me everything he said, don’t leave anything out, even if it may seem insignificant, every detail counts.” I squeeze her shoulder. She nods and takes several deep breathes then starts her report over again, this time giving me details she had left out the first time.

I take a moment to process everything she has told me. “Come with me, I have a few more questions I need you to ask.” I take her hand and pull her up. She follows me to Tafari’s tupek. The man, Mason, is cowering in the floor, tied to the central pole of the tupek, Tafari is towering over him, growling menacingly. He stops as we enter.

“Askway imhay atwhay private eansmay.” “Ask him what private means.”  I direct Shoji.

She kneels down by the man, “ Mason, what mean Private?” she asks.

He looks from her to me then answers. “It’s my rank…in the army. I am a Private. It means I am just a soldier, no one important. I follow orders.” He hangs his head.

Shoji looks at me and interprets, “ Ehay ayssay away private isway away arriorway.  Ehay ollowsfay irectionsday andway isway otnay importantway.” “He says a private is a warrior.  He follows directions and is not important.” 

“Askway imhay whoway ethay otherway isonerpray isway, andway ywhay asway ehay ivinggay imhay ordersway earlierway.”  “Ask him who the other prisoner is, and why was he giving him orders earlier.”

Shoji turns to Mason, “ Who is other man? Why he tell you no talk?”

Mason answers her, “He is a Lieutenant for the army, a higher rank. He was not my Lieutenant, your friend here killed my Lieutenant and my Captain.” He nods in Tafari’s direction then continues, “ He is the Lieutenant of the second unit that was sent out when we were. I do not know his name. He was giving me orders not to talk to you because that is protocol. Not to give enemies any information that could be used against us and our people.”

Shoji looks at me, “ Ethay otherway anmay isway away aptaincay, ehay isway oremay importantway.  Mason oesday otnay owknay ishay amenay, ehay isway otnay Mason’s captain, Tafari illedkay ishay Lieutenant.  Ethay Lieutenant oesday otnay antway Mason otay ivegay usway anyway informationway atthay ouldcay ebay usedway againstway emthay.” “The other man is a Lieutenant, he is more important.  Mason does not know his name, he is not Mason’s Lieutenant, Tafari killed his Lieutenant.  The Lieutenant does not want Mason to give us any information that could be used against them.”

“Enthay ywhay isway ehay ellingtay usway isthay?” “Then why is he telling us this?” I ask.

“Why you help when you Lieutenant say no to?” she asks Mason.

“I don’t want to die.” He replies.

“Ehay earsfay eathday.” “He fears death.” Shoji tells me.

“Ancay ehay eadlay usway otay erewhay eythay eetmay ethay General?” “Can he lead us to where they meet the General?” I ask.

Shoji asks Mason, “You take us where you take children meet General?”

Mason shakes his head. “ I’m sorry, I can’t. This was my first mission, I’ve never been before. The Lieutenant should know. He is in charge, he knows more than I.”

Shoji translates, “Onay, ehay oesday otnay owknay ethay ayway.  Ehay ayssay ethay Lieutenant illway owknay ethay ayway.” “No, he does not know the way.  He says the Lieutenant will know the way.”

I nod at Tafari, “Go get the other one, bring him here.” He heads out the door. A few minutes later he returns, the struggling Lieutenant in tow. He tosses him onto the floor beside Mason and binds him to the center pole.

I look over to Shoji, “Ask him where he meets the General with the children, and ask him if he can lead us there.”

She looks at the Lieutenant, “ What is name?”

He glares at her, “You’ll get nothing from me, you filthy beast!” He bellows, then spits in her face.

Tafari backhands him across the face, busting his lips and nose. A deep resonating growl rumbles behind my rib cage. “Are you alright Shoji?” I ask as I crouch down, taking the Lieutenant by the chin.

“Yes.” She replies, standing and wiping her face.

I turn the Lieutenant’s face to mine, and stare icily into his eyes, lifting my lips to expose my sharp canines. “Elltay imhay isthay, eway areway oneday askingway estionsquay, eway areway oneday eingbay icenay.  Ehay ILLWAY elltay usway erewhay ehay eetmay ethay General, andway ehay ILLWAY eadlay usway erethay.” “Tell him this, we are done asking questions, we are done being nice.  He WILL tell us where he meets the General, and he WILL lead us there.”

Shoji looks down at the Lieutenant, “No more ask, no more nice. You take us to place meet General with children.”

“Tell them Lieutenant, please just tell them. It’s not worth dying over!” Mason pleads from beside him. I cut my eyes over to him and he falls silent.

“Traitor! Coward! I’ll kill you myself!” the Lieutenant snaps at Mason. I jerk him by the chin, almost dislocating his jaw.

“Answerway emay!” I snarl in his face.

“Go to hell.” He grinds out between clenched teeth.

I didn’t need to ask, the refusal was clear.  I stand and tell Tafari, “Aketay imhay otay ethay itspay.  Eakbray imhay, utbay oday otnay illkay imhay.” “Take him to the pits.  Break him, but do not kill him.”  Then I turn to Shoji.  “Elltay Mason, ifway ehay antsway ishay eedomfray, ehay illway eachtay usway otay eakspay ishay anguagelay.” “Tell Mason, if he wants his freedom, he will teach us to speak his language.” She turns and relays the message and he nods profusely in agreement.  “Etgay imhay esseddray, ehay artsstay onighttay.” “Get him dressed, he starts tonight.”  I stalk from the tent, leaving Shoji to follow my orders.