The History Runner

3 - Preserver

He woke to the sound of the wolf barking in alarm.
Instinct kicked in as he rolled to his feet and drew his knife, then fell into a fighting stance. He couldn't see anything, but the wolf kept barking and growling, its hackles raised. "What is it?" Damon asked.
He saw it. Two men in black uniforms pushing through the woods, their polished hats gleaming in the dim sunlight. Both had their rifles raised, targeted at Damon and his new companion. "Don't move!" one shouted. "If you do, we are authorized to use deadly force."
The two men drew closer. Stitched on their breasts was a complex blue symbol made of hundreds of interlocking lines, the insignia of the United World Order. Below it the blue thread formed the words, United World Defense Forces, Preserver.
"What are you doing out here?" one of the men asked. He shoved Damon backwards. "I said, what are you doing out here?"
"Easy," said the second. His gaze was softer, though still stern. "You know the rules, Kenneth. Now, what are you doing out here? And why do you have an unauthorized weapon?"
Damon stared at him flatly, taking stock of their weapons, their movements, their breathing. At least they don't know who I am.
"I don't think he's going to talk," said the first. "You think he's part of that other group we're looking for?"
Other group?
"We'll see," the second said, lowering his rifle. His partner did the same.
Shoot.
Damon struck.
Preservers wore a form of armor, but Damon's knife was of Kiev steel -- it cut through their protections with ease, causing the second Preserver to double over in pain. His partner raised his weapon, but Damon withdrew his knife and took the man hard inthe ribs. The Preserver snarled and lunged. Damon dodged, at the same time sticking out his leg and tripping his opponent.
The second Preserver recovered from the attack and charged. Damon decked him in the face, hard enough that the Preserver spat out a tooth. Damon moved to take the Preserver's weapon, but was distracted by a yell.
The first Preserver had pulled out Damon's knife and tossed it aside. He ran for Damon, only to have the white wolf to clamp her jaws on his leg. The Preserver growled in pain and tried to punch the wolf on the snout, but Damon jabbed him in the throat and knocked him over again, then turned his attention back to the first, who looked overwhelmed with pain.
Damon sent him to the ground too, ripping free the man's handgun as he fell. Damon shot him once, then did the same to the other.
Both men screamed, scrambling backward, fear and anger plain in their eyes. Before they could do anything, Damon snatched the first one's Taser, and promptly knocked both of them out.
Damon stood for a minute, catching his breath, letting the adrenaline leave his system. Once his heart stopped pounding, he looked to the white wolf, who was watching the fallen Preservers cautiously. "Thank you," Damon told her. "You saved me back there." The wolf barked once, like she was saying, Of course I did.
Damon prepared to leave, then paused and looked at the two Preservers. Hedidn't feel comfortable leaving them like that -- not out of sympathy, but caution. If they woke up, they would likely call for reinforcements, and they probably had cameras stored in their helmets.
Working quickly, Damon stripped off their equipment and threw it into the lake. He also stole most of their supplies, leaving only a few first aid items, so that they could bandage their wounds. He didn't want them to die, regardless of their station. Once satisfied, Damon secured his supplies and prepared to go. "You coming?" he asked the wolf, who barked happily and padded up next to him.
"Try to keep up," he told her. Then he ran toward the north, his new partner springing along at his side.