Chapter 41 - New Rules

Max left Marie and continued taking in the camp, which was admittedly turning into a village. Max tried to prompt Maverick, but the gun was quiet. Max considered it was possible the prickly weapon could be sulking, but Max hadn’t done anything to evoke such drastic measures. The gun just seemed to go offline sometimes.

Max was just about to decide to go sit under the oak-like tree and eke out some cycling technique before Joshua found him.

“There you are,” He said and gave Max an easy smile. “It's starting to get harder to locate people. I wish I had a skill that could tell me where the people I need are.”

“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if you got one soon enough,” Max said.

“Here's hoping.” Joshua said. “How do you like the camp?”

“I was just thinking it should soon enough be called a village.”

“That would make me a village leader. Maybe it would give me new skills, so I could be of more use.”

“I think you’re useful enough,” Max said. “You’ve managed to keep a lot of people alive and working for a while now.”

“I’m not sure how much of a hand I have in that,” Joshua said, in almost half a mutter. “But you are partially right.”

“Is something bothering you?” Max asked.

“No— Well yes,” Joshua said and cast almost a shy glance in Max’s direction. “Do you think I am a good leader?”

“Where is this coming from?” Max asked.

“It's the guys from the hunting group I was with yesterday. They’re a group of tough guys. Good men, I’d say. Taking well to adjusting in this new world.”

Max thought of the Stranger and wondered what exactly Joshua meant.

“They’re very good at hunting by now,” Joshua carried on. “So good in fact, that I was of no use during the hunt.”

“I suppose they let you know that?”

“Loud and clear. The leader of their bunch, Brian, told me he had talked with the Zoos, and they would give him a class change, if he wants one.”

“That’s good, I suppose,” Max said. “You shouldn’t be the only leader, since the community is getting so big.”

“Exactly what I said,” Joshua said. “But he just retorted that he wants to be the chief and that I should step down. His men agreed and they weren’t very nice about it during the hunt.”

“They tried to scare you?”

“They succeeded,” Joshua said. “They’re a bunch of serious guys. They told me that I should do the wise thing, so no accidents happen in this new and dangerous world.”

Max shook his head. Of all the trivial bullshit… People should work together. Joshua clearly had things in hand. That Brian guy just let his ego run so fast and loose he couldn’t think straight anymore.

“I’ll deal with them if trouble comes,” Max said. “You have my word.”

“They’re serious guys, Max,” Joshua said. “I think some of them are itching for a coup, and don’t mind cracking a few eggs to do so.”

Max remembered the horrible Dungeon Boss in the ruins. The clawing hands and the way it casually devoured the life force of a person in one gulp. Even after victory, the terror of it all still haunted him. He chuckled at the notion of “serious” guys.

“I think you have nothing to worry about, Joshua. There are new rules in this world. I’ll support you as the leader.”

“You’re awfully sure that’s enough,” a brusque voice cut in and a tall man of strong build came to stand next to them. Behind him a group of six hunters. Most of them dealt with crude hand axes and sharpened sticks, but one of them had a proper spear, which Max recognized to be the one taken from the Stranger. The leader of them, Brian, had a sword at his belt, which Max suspected to having belonged to him as well.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Max said.

“Brian,” the tall man said and offered a hand. Max took it and the squeeze was clearly oppressing.

Like a caveman…

“I’m Max.”

“Oh, I know,” Brian said. “You’re starting to get a reputation. Nice houses you brought us.”

The way he said “us” had a nasty undertone to it. Max decided he didn’t much like this guy.

“Maybe we could get to know each other later?” Max suggested, as politely as he could muster. “Me and Joshua still need to talk.”

“Is it private?” Brian asked in faux innocence. “Or is it about the camp business? Shouldn’t I be included?”

“Should you?” Max asked, ice in his tone.

“Hey, what's that supposed to mean?” One of the thugs behind Brian called.

Brian raised a hand. “We talked about this, Rob. Just let me talk.”

Max was getting impatient. “What is this? What do you want?”

A flash of anger passed in Brian’s eyes, but he controlled himself. He looked at Joshua. “Looks like you told him something to give me less than a charitable impression. Did you tell him what you did the last time those panthers attacked?”

Joshua let out an awkward chuckle and gave Max a glance, which he immediately averted when Max looked back.

Brian nudged at Joshua. “I suppose he told you I want to be the leader.”

Max nodded. “He did.”

“And why shouldn’t I?” Brian asked and turned to his group. “Who was it that protected this village during those last two attacks?” Huh?”

His men gave a cheer. Brian’s voice rose.

“Who fought for you all? Who bled for you? We were at the helm of the attack, while Joshua here threw rocks with the women. This is who should lead us?”

Now Max understood what was going on. At the same time it was complicated, but then again it wasn’t. Max liked Joshua and it was as simple as that.

“You should take the leader class,” Max said. “You’ll make a great captain for the combatants.”

“Yeah, I sure would,” Brian said, still talking loudly. “But why should I take orders from him?

“Who the hell cares who’s taking orders from who?” Max snapped, finally losing his patience. “What are you? Dogs? Kids playing at the sandbox, fighting over who gets to play with the coolest toy? You goddamn child, just look at the situation we are in? Does it look like the people of this camp need a warrior to lead them? Or do they need someone who can gather people together. Someone who can make them work together and grow together? Can you take two seconds to look at you and Joshua and see which one of you is better at that? Or are you really so stupid, that you don’t understand. I don’t want to believe you’re evil, so that leaves stupid.”

Brian gnashed his teeth and there was fury in his eyes. He lay a hand on Max’s shoulder and squeezed it as he came to loom over him with all of his six and half feet.

“You will think carefully what you say next,” Brian said in clipped tones. “There are new rules here. Rules of the jungle.”

Max regarded him with a disdainful sneer. “Remove the hand.”

That made Brian only squeeze harder. He leaned in closer, his face so close to Max they could kiss. “And what if I don’t?”

Max looked the man dead in the eye and said a single word.

“[Tether].”

Brian’s head hit the ground faster than anyone could say ‘What the hell?’. The man grunted, more from surprise and anger, than pain, although Max suspected he lost a few Health points.

One of Brian’s thugs was foolish enough to swing an axe at him. Max dodged the swing without any skill or other. It was a clumsy swing, and much slower than anything Max had contended with lately. Max cast [Alter Gravity] and two [Tethers] on the man, so he flew towards one of the bunkers with a meaty thud.

Max didn’t need to go so far. But he felt it necessary. It was necessary to show them it wasn't the rule of the jungle here. It was his rule.

The other four hunters left looked like they were waiting for Max to fight them. They stood weapons ready, but clearly scared. Max ignored them. Instead he squatted down to Brian struggling on the ground.

“I think you’ve misunderstood the situation here,” Max said. “I’m not sure what you initially wanted, and I really don’t care.”

Brian tried to say something, but with his lower jaw glued to the ground, he could only growl and sputter.

“You have exactly two choices, Brian,” Max said. “You either play nice, or you play somewhere else. You can take your men and anyone foolish enough to follow you and set up business wherever, if you don’t like the way Joshua does things. Understood?”

Max released the tethering and Brian grunted. He rubbed his chin and cast a baleful glance at Max, but said nothing.

“Am I,” Max said, drawing out the words. “Understood?

Brian stared at him, but Max gave no inch. He stared back, letting the fellow know he could care less if he never saw him again. Max was sure they were good hunters. Max was sure humanity needed them. But if they were going to be trouble, this was not the place for them.

Not that Max let it show, but to his surprise, something softened in Brian’s stare. He cast his eyes down and nodded. Then he turned to Joshua and also gave him a curt nod, a tad ruder than Max had received.

“I’ll take the boys out and get us some more meat for the evening, chief.”

Joshua gave each of the six hunters a nod “Thank you, Brian.”