The Day After Never - Covenant (Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller - Book 3) by Russell Blake

rider cautioned, and moved back to his men, radio raised to his lips.
    A tense calm descended over the area as the radio screeched static, and then a voice answered. The leader had a terse discussion in a language Cano didn’t recognize. After several minutes of back and forth, he returned, his gun now in his saddle scabbard, radio clipped to his belt.
    “Your Magnus spoke to us,” the leader said. “I’m to bring you to the reservation to meet with our council.”
    “What? No. We need a guide. You’re supposed to get us someone to take us to Albuquerque. No meetings.”
    “Those aren’t my orders. They said to escort you to see them.”
    “Magnus was clear–”
    “All I know’s what my boss told me, and that’s to lead you to headquarters so you can discuss your situation.”
    Cano made a visible effort to control his rage, his tattoos squirming like insects on his shaved head. He drew a deep breath and nodded. “Fine. Let’s go.”
    “It’s not close. We’ll ride another hour or so and make camp for the night.”
    “That’s not acceptable,” Cano growled.
    “We don’t ride at night. So that’s how it is.”
    “We’re in a hurry.”
    “Look, you don’t like it, you can take it up with the chief. But he knows how we operate, and he’s expecting you tomorrow. Trying to ride all night won’t accomplish anything but endanger the horses, which I won’t do,” the leader said, his voice hard. “One misstep in the dark and I have a man without a horse. That’s not going to happen, so we’ll ride first thing in the morning and be there by noon.”
    Cano could see he was getting nowhere. “Where’s your reservation?”
    “North. It’s in the general direction of Albuquerque, so you’ll only lose the same time you would have if you’d camped out tonight anyway.” The leader paused. “Judging by the look of your horses, they need rest. They probably wouldn’t make it on an all-night ride even if I was willing to chance it.”
    Cano looked away, considering. There was no point in escalating the conflict when it was obvious the leader was intractable. “Fine. Tell your men to stand down. I don’t need someone shooting me in the back by mistake.”
    The leader nodded and called out in Apache. There was a rustle from behind Cano as the gunmen lowered their weapons. The leader adjusted his Stetson over his brow and then pulled the reins and directed his horse to the track. “Stay single file on the trail. There are traps all around here.”
    Cano’s lip curled. “I know. That’s what the shooting was all about. We already lost a horse and rider.”
    The leader didn’t respond, instead spurring his horse forward wordlessly. Cano debated saying something more but instead followed suit, leaving Luis and the rest to find their way into formation as their escorts brought up the rear.
     

Chapter 16
    Cano and his men arrived at the Apache headquarters at midday after a hard night in the desert. When they neared the compound of simple buildings, they were greeted by twenty gunmen, all cut from the same bolt of threadbare cloth, their faces speaking to lives of hardship and deprivation. The patrol leader dismounted and motioned for Cano to do the same, and led him to where the head of the tribe sat in the shade with three other old men, all wearing cowboy hats.
    The leader introduced Cano and left him to the council, who studied him dispassionately.
    “Pull up a chair,” Ben said.
    “That’s okay. I’ll stand.” Cano paused. “Why wasn’t I provided a guide?”
    “You mean, why didn’t we anticipate that we would run into you in the middle of nowhere and have a fully provisioned guide waiting with the patrol on the off chance we did?” Ben asked, his tone flat but his words showing what he thought of Cano’s question.
    Cano had no rejoinder, but he silently radiated fury at the Apache. He stood silently while Ben studied him like he’d just wiped him off the sole of his boot. Ben