Chapter 165

While I was staring at Georgo, as he did his fish out of water imitation, it hit me -- my life had become pretty complicated in not much elapsed time. Argent had bolted, then I'd discovered the attack on the camp closest to us, and now I had been lucky enough to discover what could only be a planned attack on my person during a major celebration. I wasn't sure the shit was hitting the fan yet, but it seemed to me a couple of turds had come awfully close to the blades.

I just turned around and went to my chair, behind my desk, and sat down. Georgo regained his composure and followed suit, sitting in one of the chairs across from me.

"Tell me what has happened John, what makes you think Kartogo would become leader?" he asked.

"I think he and his mate were planning to kill me tonight," I said, and then I explained it to him.

He was silent for a few minutes. I guessed he was playing it back over in his head.

"Something is not completely right about this John," Georgo said, and I considered it the understatement of my time here.

"You're damned right, Georgo. Something is not right and as I think about it I get madder and madder."

"But if both he and his mate were trying to kill you, why would she tell you she didn't need your help? Why also would she give you such a look when she saw you were going to help her anyway?

"If she were intent on helping him kill you, it seems she would have been glad you came over to help her. I would think she would have been anxious to appear as if she wanted your company," he said.

I thought about what Georgo said and then did my own replay of the scene, in my mind, again. What he said made sense. Now, since Georgo had brought it up, it seemed almost as if Miekadakta had been trying to send me off without having to say anything aloud. Maybe she didn't want to be involved in Kartogo's plans, but was afraid of letting him know it. This was more confusion to add to the confusion I had already.

I wasn't ready to absolve Miekadakta of any blame yet, but I would at least move her to the wait and see category. In fact, I couldn't even be sure Kartogo had intended to kill me. I damned sure suspected it though and I thought anyone in my place would.

"I feel like going into the residence cave right now and just killing Kartogo to make sure I sleep well tonight."

"That is your right if you are sure he was going to kill you and even if you aren't sure I doubt anyone will cause any trouble. It will make all those who came from their camp very uneasy though, since you have no real proof he intended to do what you think he was going to do.

"In fact, I think it will make most of the men here uneasy around you for a long while. They will be afraid they might do something which will get them killed without warning," he said.

"You're right. I can't go over there and kill him with nothing more to go on than what I have. I wish I knew exactly what was going on. I also wish the spirits were still close to us and could help with this."

What I really wanted was for Argent to be here and tell me what the asshole had in mind. Say what you will, nothing beats being able to have the thoughts of your enemies examined and then explained to you.

Wishing and hoping weren't going to help me right here and now though, so I was going to have to think this through myself. I would also be counting on many of my mates and my helpers to contribute.

"Georgo, could he be dumb enough to think everyone would just take him for their leader only because he killed me?"

"It is customary, when a man kills a leader, for him to take over the leadership of a camp. It is also customary for him to be killed himself fairly quickly if others don't think he is going to be a good leader. Actually, a leader's killer is usually killed unless the leader he kills was very disagreeable to everyone in the camp," he said.

"Then what in the hell was he thinking to make him even consider it?"

"I can't tell you because I don't know. I will tell you if someone kills you they are sure to be killed before the next day is over. You are the most well respected leader I have ever encountered.

"Most of the people here feel the things the spirits have given us would have never come if not for you. I am among them. Even if Raalto killed you to take the leadership I'm sure he would be killed right away out of anger for his doing such a thing and he is the second most respected leader I have come across. Almost all of the people of this camp are very thankful for your leadership," he said.

"It is good to know, but apparently there are some here who don't appreciate it so much. I find it hard to believe Kartogo would try such a thing by himself. Someone has to be telling him it will work and we need to find out who it is."

"I think you are probably correct, but I'm not sure there would have to be many involved. He has probably always wanted to be a leader and if he is already convinced he should be, it might not take much encouragement to get him to try killing you," he said.

"In other words, if he wanted to do it anyway it might be easy to get him moving on the plan."

"Right, it isn't nearly as hard to convince someone to do something if they already want to do it," he said.

"Well it really makes me mad I will have to go around wondering if a spear or a club is coming my way the next minute."

"I think you should talk to all of your mates first and see if they have any information about this. They are always moving among the others in camp and they have probably seen or heard things you or I, or even any of your leading men could not have," he said.

"I intend to talk with all of them, but I don't think they will know anything about it. I'm sure if they had heard about plans for my death they would have mentioned it."

"I'm also sure they would have, but it wasn't what I meant. They might have seen bits and pieces of the planning which didn't mean anything to them at the time. If you tell them what happened, things which might have only seemed odd before might makes sense in the context of what you have learned tonight," he explained.

"I think I understand what you are saying."

"Your mates, especially, see things every day you or I or the other leading men might never see. They pass more nearly unnoticed among the people than we ever could. They also speak daily with the ones in camp who know everything, the other women. Almost nothing can happen in this camp without some woman knowing about it and most of the men here do not realize it," he said.