CAZADO: BOOK ONE (WATTYS 2023)

Chapter 15

"You do realize we have to get ready for school again?" Carlos interrupted.

"Yeah. We should probably do that soon as well. Let us go back to the city and buy some fish. There is usually a ton around this time. That might be fun." I smiled.

"I would like that!" Shaki said enthusiastically.

We all got dressed and I wrote a note letting my father know that we were headed back out to the city by the wharf. It would be a good change of food for my father to eat and he could sell whatever he did not need. There were some that did not want to go to the wharf to buy fish. Even if it was considerably close to the other villages. I packed my machine in my bag and so did my friends. They would be useful in bringing back fish if we caught a good amount to be placed in the smoker or salter. I then got dressed and found a few fishing poles that my father had carved a few days ago. He did this every year but never went fishing. I did fish every so often near the river close to my house but there was nothing too big. Even if you caught twenty, it was only enough for both my father and I for one dinner.

When we finally reached the village, people were cheering for us. There was a large, stationed vehicle and two Pariah officers were in the driver's seat. The hovering vehicle was black and appeared to be like one of those large vans I have seen people in the village drive. It had only one door on the driver's side that you could pull back. There were two opening doors at its end. There were too many mechanisms inside from what I could see, so it made sense that it could not only be driven by one person. It needed two drivers. My friends and I walked to the right side of the hovering vehicle and peered into it. One of the officials pushed his head out of a hole that suddenly appeared in its side and smiled at us. The hole widened and he stepped out. He was at least ten feet tall and built like an ox.

"Hola, mi compadres. The name is Change. You must be the ones who stopped those behemoth fellows," Change said with a smile.

"Yeah, it was us. Hope you are not planning on taking the credit for it," Shaki answered.

"Not at all. The only thing we will be doing is putting these criminals in prison. You four did all the work. Already sent photos of you and your accomplishments to headquarters," Change said as he laughed heartily.

"Why are you so happy?" Maverick asked.

"All the men you have captured. I have been trying to arrest them for months, but they would always get away somehow. And you four somehow captured them in one day. Sorry. Let me introduce myself properly. The name is Major Change. 1st squadron of the United Pariah Army." Change replied.

"I really do not care," Maverick mumbled.

"You really have a mouth on you," Change answered as he looked on.

"You are annoying," Shaki said as she turned away from Maverick.

"Can I ask you a question?" Carlos asked.

"I think you just did, Carlos." Shaki replied instantly.

"Yes, you can," Change replied.

"Why were these Behemoth men allowed to thrive for so long? You do realize they have been trafficking children this whole time. And one family lost their daughter because of it. Also, we did not find any Pariah children..."

"Yeah. I have heard. I did not know that this was what they were doing until today when they were arrested. We knew about some other shady activities. And because the humans do not tell us what is going on for fear of the officials, and rightly so, their children have become an easy target. That is probably why you did not see any Pariah children. I would love to apologize to the families if they are around," Change replied with all seriousness on his face.