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“And that,” said Dave, “brings me up to the present. Hanomer and I decided that we had to warn you what happened.”
“What was Hoffstetter thinking, going into that place?” said Al, more to himself than to Dave.
“I don’t know. It’s clear that the other fellow—what was his name?”
“Jim Wilson”
“It’s clear that Jim Wilson,” continued Dave, “went along willingly for a while and then couldn’t turn back. Hoffstetter, on the other hand, seemed to go willingly the whole time.”
“May I meet Hanomer?” asked Al.
“Of course!” said Dave.
He gave a low whistle, and a small furry figure climbed out of the shadows and extended his hand to Al as he approached.
“My name is Hanomer, son of Hallomer. Alan, son of Gleeson, blessings on you and your kin.”
Although Al had mentally prepared himself for the surprise of meeting a being of another species, still he was shocked. Hanomer looked to his eyes like a beast. After a moment of awkward silence, Al recovered himself enough to speak.
“Your English is excellent,” said Al.
Hanomer bowed.
“The Hansa have a remarkable gift for song, poetry, and languages. This gift carries over to picking up our language. If we speak in English, Hanomer will understand,” said Dave. His face became grave and his tone changed. “You’re in great danger here. If the ape¬men attack, you’ll be surrounded and cut off from the Halcyon River.”
“Linder tried to dissuade McTavish, our expedition leader, from coming here,” said Al, “but McTavish ignored him. I’m afraid we do not have much credibility with McTavish.”
“I think I should go and try to persuade him,” said Dave.
“That might work,” said Al. “Are you going to bring Hanomer?”
Dave considered Als’ question. “No,” he said slowly. “I think there’s a good chance McTavish may lock him up, because Hanomer will be assumed to be an enemy. And we may need Hanomer to rescue us if my advice isn’t heeded and the ape¬men attack.”
In the end they agreed that once the platoons were up and about, Dave would come into camp and Al would take him to see McTavish. Dave and Hanomer climbed away from the lookout ledge, and Al was soon relieved by the next sentry.
Shortly after sunrise, Al waited near the stone pool at the foot of the cliff. Dave climbed down and moved silently, taking up his position beside his friend before Al even knew he was coming. The sentries had also not seen Dave arrive, and so they raised no alarm.
Dave still wore some of his Halcyon clothes, but he also wore a buckskin shirt and leather boots tied to his knees. A murmur went up among all who saw him, and they stared at him as Al led his friend across to McTavish’s quarters. McTavish’s orderly raised an eyebrow when he saw Dave, but he simply told them to take a seat.
After fifteen minutes, another messenger entered breathlessly and whispered into the orderly’s ear. The orderly immediately left the waiting area. He returned in a minute with McTavish, who nodded at Al without speaking and gave Dave a long look as he followed the orderly out to the square. Al and Dave looked at each other and then followed McTavish and the others out. Al was filled with a sense of foreboding.
In the center of the square, a crowd had gathered. The crowd parted as McTavish approached. In the center of the crowd stood Hoffstetter!
Fear and revulsion descended on Al.
McTavish went straight to Hoffstetter. “Bertrand, you’re back! Where have you been? What happened?”
Hoffstetter turned slowly and fixed his eyes on McTavish. He attempted to smile but it was more of a sneer than a smile. When he spoke it was a thin, hollow voice, devoid of warmth and life.
“I have discovered the secret of the city!” he said. “It’s wonderful! We have come to the dawning of a new glorious age, beyond our imagination.”
“Where’s Wilson?” said McTavish in a quavering voice.
Hoffstetter is getting to him too.
Hoffstetter turned and pointed a fat finger at Dave.
“He killed him!”
Dave went white and took a step back, but all eyes turned towards him and a murmur went up around him.
“Grab him!” a voice shouted, and several from Wilson’s platoon lowered their weapons against Dave.
“Wait!” said Al.
McTavish waved Al to silence, then turned towards Dave and demanded, “Who are you?”
“I’m Dave Schuster from the first expedition. I didn’t kill Wilson; he did!” Dave could only nod at Hoffstetter since his arms were pinned. His counteraccusation so close on the heels of Hoffstetter’s remarks robbed Dave of all credibility.
“You both agree that Wilson is dead,” said McTavish coldly. “The fact that you make the claim of murder places you at the scene of the crime. Lock him up,” said McTavish, indicating Dave. “Senator Hoffstetter, may I see you in my quarters, please!”
__________
Dave was led to a trap door at the back of McTavish’s building and instructed to climb down a rope ladder into a cellar beneath the floor. Guards pulled up the ladder, threw him some heather for a bed and a blanket, and then closed the trap door. He could hear their footsteps retreat.
I guess there’s no need to guard me!
Exploring his surroundings, Dave observed the cell had a stone floor, stone walls, and a stone ceiling. There were only two breaks in the stone—the hole in the ceiling that was blocked by the trap door, and a small window in the outer wall. The mountainside was only thirty feet away, and a window had been cut into this wall. Dave saw it would allow easy aim at any besiegers who might try to gain the citadel by scaling the mountainside. He craned forward as far as he could. The citadel wall was high and stood on a tongue of rock. The city was far below.
Much too far to think of escape in that direction.
Nevertheless, the mortar was soft and crumbled as he scratched it with his fingernail.
Dave sat in the corner and thought long and hard about his predicament and about Hoffstetter. He had seen Hoffstetter walk into the plant.
What happened to him? What’s his game? I can’t sit here like this! I need to find something to do.
The guards had not searched Dave carefully when they had put him in the cellar. He pulled out a small metal blade, a little longer than a nail file, from a tiny sheath on the inside of his leather boot. Loosening the mortar would help pass the time.
__________
Al was bewildered. He had anticipated that McTavish might disbelieve Dave and do nothing, or that he might believe Dave and take action to protect them all, but neither had happened. Hoffstetter’s accusation was completely unexpected. Who was he to believe? Since he had become a Christian, Al had tried to speak the truth in every circumstance, even if it seemed counterproductive or painful. One of the consequences of this personal determination had been the sharpening of his ability to detect truthfulness in others. His heart told him now that Dave and Hanomer were telling the truth and that Hoffstetter was lying.
Then there was the raw fear and terror he’d felt in Hoffstetter’s presence. He admitted to himself that he had never liked the man, but none of that could explain the terror and revulsion he felt whenever he was near him.
Al returned to his room to think. Sometime later, Floyd came to him, looking upset.
“You’ll never believe what happened!” said Floyd.
“What’s happened now?” asked Al.
“McTavish just called the platoon commanders into his office. He told them that since Wilson had in all probability been killed, he needed to appoint a successor. So he appointed Hoffstetter second in command!”
Floyd paused to let his words sink in. Al looked grave but did not answer.
Floyd continued. “Can you believe it! McTavish, who only ever trusted his own military people, appointing Hoffstetter as second in command! Even if Hoffstetter is a senator, it goes against everything we know about McTavish.”
“Floyd, none of this is natural or makes sense. Hoffstetter gives me the creeps. How did McTavish look when he talked to you?” asked Al.
“Eh?” said Floyd. “What did you say?”
“How did McTavish look? Was he himself? Was he elated?”
“No,” said Floyd. “He looked wrung out and even sickly. Not at all the McTavish I remember. I thought it was the news of Wilson’s death.”
__________
Hoffstetter wasted no time setting up his headquarters just outside McTavish’s residence and office. He used his influence and previous connections to surround himself with a dozen allies—from the three platoons who took up residence near Hoffstetter’s quarters—as his personal bodyguards. He selected no one from Floyd’s platoon.
By the next morning the picture had changed completely. During the night hundreds of ape¬men had taken up positions outside the citadel walls. When Floyd’s sentries spotted these creatures, he asked Al to accompany him to McTavish’s office, hoping McTavish would ask Al to report on his conversation with Dave. When they reached McTavish’s building they asked the orderly if they could speak to McTavish. But instead of McTavish, Hoffstetter appeared. Al felt the same chill he’d felt the day before.
“You’re looking for McTavish” said Hoffstetter’s sepulchral voice. “He’s feeling poorly—stress from poor Wilson’s death. He’s unavailable, but you may speak to me.”
My report is of the greatest urgency,” said Floyd icily. “I must see McTavish!”
“Must?” said Hoffstetter tersely. “I think not. Commander McTavish cannot be disturbed. He’s given me strict orders to that effect, and I will carry them out.”
Hoffstetter looked at his bodyguards, who rose from their places in the waiting room and closed in around Floyd and Al.
Hoffstetter called his orderly.
“Please tell everyone to assemble on the parade ground,” he said.
To Floyd and Al he said, “Come with me!”
Hoffstetter marched directly to the crumbled tower and climbed partway up so all could see him.
His voice boomed out. “Commander McTavish has asked me to address a few words to you on his behalf. We are reaching the dawn of a new, glorious age,” he said. “Do not fear the servants that have gathered outside the walls. I have discovered the secret of this city. They will not harm us. They will protect us and serve us.”
A murmur ran through the crowd.
“To show you that you have nothing to fear,” said Hoffstetter, “I will go out to them and show you that they will obey my commands. I will have them bring us wood and food from the forest. I will have them bring stone and timber to strengthen the citadel gate.”
With that Hoffstetter walked to the makeshift citadel gate, had it opened, and walked down the road to where a large group of ape-men were standing. He gave orders, and the ape¬men lumbered off to obey his commands.