Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 36 of 619

Ajax woke before the others and walked to where Grayson stood watch above the road. The blonde man kept his back to the pines and his eyes on the port below. His silver chain caught the gray light. He did not turn when Ajax stopped beside him. "You've been quiet," Grayson said. "Say it." Ajax weighed the moment. Grayson had made him swear once already: tell me first, before the group. He had broken that swear last night at the dry creek. If Grayson found out later, he would ride away by noon. "Marco has a thing in him," Ajax said. "He hears men thinking. Close ones. Loud ones. He can push a man to do what he's told. Once, maybe twice." Grayson's jaw worked under the short beard. He kept his eyes on the road. "When did he tell you." "Last night. Past the pines." "Before you told me." "Before I told you." Grayson let that sit. A gull cut across the ridge and turned back toward the water. "Why now," Grayson said. "Because I'm sending him into the port with Tucker at first light. He'll stand at the counter and pull the name of the man in the collar out of the broker's head. I wanted you to know before he rode." "You wanted me to know after you decided." "Yes." Grayson finally looked at him. His face gave nothing. "Don't do it again," he said. "Next thing like this, you tell me while it's still a question. Not after." "Agreed." "The others?" "They don't need it. Not yet." Grayson nodded once. He turned back to the road. That was the whole of it. Ajax went down to the fire. Marco was already up, tying his shirt at the collar. The short gold chain sat clean against his chest. Tucker was checking a girth strap and did not look up. "Ride," Ajax said. Marco swung onto his horse. Tucker mounted beside him and turned his mare toward the road down. "Stand quiet," Ajax told Marco. "Let Tucker talk. Push only if the broker chews the answer." "One name," Marco said. "That's what I'm coming back with." "One name." Tucker clicked his tongue and the horses moved. Marco raised two fingers off the reins as they passed the pines and did not look back. The gold bracelet flashed once on his wrist and then they were down the slope and out of sight. Ajax stayed at the road's edge until the dust settled. Grayson came down from the ridge and stood a pace behind him. Neither spoke. The port sat gray under the morning, and somewhere in it a broker was pouring his first cup and did not yet know a man was riding to open his head.