News traveled fast in the canyon. By the time Jake and Miya heard about the new traveler, the settlement was already buzzing with rumors. A man with a backpack had wandered into the village, his clothes dusty and his eyes wide with exhaustion. He had come from the east, he said, looking for shelter and work. But the settlers were not quick to trust.
Jake and Miya exchanged a glance and hurried toward the inn, their boots kicking up dust as they ran. The inn was the heart of the village, a place where news spread and tempers flared. As they approached, they could hear raised voices and the sound of scuffling.
Inside, the scene was chaotic. Boyd had the traveler pinned against the wall, his massive hand wrapped around the man's throat, lifting him off the ground. The crowd was agitated, shouting and shoving, their faces twisted with suspicion and anger. The traveler's face was red, his hands clawing at Boyd's grip, his feet dangling helplessly.
Jake pushed through the crowd, his heart pounding. "Boyd, stop!" he shouted. "Let him go!"
Boyd turned his head, his eyes cold and unreadable. For a moment, Jake thought he wouldn't listen. Then, slowly, Boyd lowered the traveler to the ground and released his grip. The man collapsed, gasping for air.
The crowd surged forward, eager for blood, but Jake stepped between them and the traveler, his arms spread wide. "Wait! Let's hear what he has to say."
The crowd hesitated, their anger still simmering. Miya moved to Jake's side, her presence steady and calm. "He's just a traveler," she said. "Let's not jump to conclusions."
But the innkeeper, Luke, had other ideas. He stepped forward, holding up a backpack. "We found this on him," he said, his voice sharp. "Look inside."
He dumped the contents onto a nearby table. The crowd pressed closer, their eyes wide with curiosity and fear. Among the usual items,a change of clothes, a canteen, a few coins—were several strange objects. There was a small device with buttons and a screen, a bundle of wires, and a notebook filled with cryptic notes and sketches.
The crowd erupted. "Spy!" someone shouted. "He's here to watch us!" another cried.
The traveler tried to protest, his voice weak and hoarse. "I'm not a spy," he gasped. "I'm just passing through. Those are just my things."
But the settlers weren't listening. They seized the objects, examining them with a mix of fascination and fear. The device with the screen was passed from hand to hand, each person shaking their head in confusion. The notebook was opened, its pages filled with strange symbols and drawings of the canyon.
Jake tried to calm the crowd again. "Let's not jump to conclusions," he said. "We don't know what these things are."
But the settlers were already convinced. "Lock him up," someone said. "We'll decide what to do with him later."
Luke nodded and grabbed the traveler by the arm, dragging him toward a small room at the back of the inn. The crowd followed, their voices still raised in anger and suspicion.
Jake watched as the door was locked, the traveler's protests fading into silence. He felt a pang of sympathy for the man, but he knew there was nothing he could do right now. The settlers were too worked up, too afraid of outsiders.
As the crowd began to disperse, Jake caught sight of Jeremiah slipping out the back door of the inn. He was moving quickly, his face tense and focused. Jake wondered where he was going in such a hurry.
He turned to Miya. "I'm going to follow Jeremiah," he said. "You stay here and find out what you can about those objects. See if you can get a closer look at that notebook or the device."
Miya nodded. "Be careful," she said. "Jeremiah's not to be trusted."
Jake gave her a quick squeeze on the shoulder and then slipped out after Jeremiah.
Outside, the air was cool and the sky was beginning to darken. Jeremiah was already halfway down the path, heading toward the brothel. Jake kept his distance, moving quietly, his senses alert.
The brothel was a ramshackle building at the far end of the settlement, its windows glowing with soft light. As Jeremiah approached, he glanced over his shoulder, as if sensing he was being followed. Jake ducked behind a fence, his heart pounding.
Jeremiah knocked on the door, and after a moment, it opened. Lila, the brothel owner, stood in the doorway, her sharp eyes scanning the path. Jeremiah said something to her, his voice too low for Jake to hear. Then he stepped inside, and the door closed behind him.
Jake hesitated, unsure what to do. He wanted to get closer, to hear what they were saying, but he knew it was risky. If Lila caught him spying, things could get ugly.
He crept closer to the building, staying in the shadows. The windows were covered with thin curtains, but he could see the outlines of people moving inside. He pressed his ear to the wall, straining to hear.
Inside, Jeremiah's voice was tense. "There's a new one," he said. "A traveler. He's got strange equipment."
Lila's voice was calm, measured. "What kind of equipment?"
"I don't know," Jeremiah said. "But the settlers think he's a spy. They've locked him up."
There was a pause. Then Lila spoke again. "We need to find out what he knows. If he's really a spy, he could be dangerous."
Jeremiah's voice dropped lower. "What if he's one of them? What if he's here to watch us?"
Lila was silent for a long moment. Then she said, "We'll deal with him. But first, we need to know what he's carrying."
Jake's mind raced. Who were "they"? And what did Jeremiah and Lila know that the other settlers didn't?
He was about to move closer when he heard a noise behind him. He turned, but it was just the wind rustling the leaves. Still, his heart was pounding. He knew he couldn't stay here much longer.
He crept back toward the inn, his mind full of questions. When he arrived, Miya was waiting for him, her face serious.
"What did you find out?" Jake asked.
Miya shook her head. "Not much. The settlers have the device and the notebook locked up. No one knows how to use them. But I heard them talking,they think the traveler is working for someone outside the canyon."
Jake nodded. "Jeremiah and Lila think the same thing. They're worried he's a spy."
Miya's eyes widened. "Do you think he is?"
Jake shrugged. "I don't know. But something's not right. There are too many outsiders here, and too many secrets."
They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. The settlement was changing, and not for the better. The arrival of the traveler, the strange equipment, Jeremiah's secret meetings,it all added up to something bigger, something dangerous.
"We need to be careful," Miya said.
Jake nodded. "Let's keep our eyes open. And let's try to find out more about that traveler and his equipment."
They headed back to their hut, the night closing in around them. The canyon was quiet, but the air was thick with tension.