Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [100]
Hella headed up into the nearest hill. Plunging through swampland or landing in a sinkhole in the darkness might have meant death. Three hundred meters away, safely behind a clutch of boulders, she reined Daisy in, grabbed her rifle, and dropped to the ground.
Stampede had already settled into a position among the rocks. “We help knock out the mortars; then we get clear and hope Pardot doesn’t allow Riley to send people after us.”
As she scanned the landscape, Hella dropped prone on a rock, shoved the rifle out ahead of her, and pulled the butt to her shoulder. “Even if he does, we can get away. The ground here is too rough for the ATVs.”
Large flashes showed the positions of the mortar teams. Hella identified one of them then used her night scope to lock in on them. She squeezed off rounds and put down both Sheldons. Beside her, Stampede’s huge rifle thundered again and again. When she couldn’t find mortar teams, she picked off Sheldons attacking the camp.
Two or three minutes later, with dead sprawled on the ground, the Sheldons retreated. Some of the hardshells started out in pursuit, giving in to the bloodlust that filled them, but evidently got called back. Part of the group cycled through the campsite. Chemical firefighting grenades dropped into flaming tents threw out massive amounts of flame-retardant white foam.
Although he wasn’t shooting anymore, Stampede lay still and surveyed the battle zone. “They’re looking for us.”
Searching through her scope and seeing the hardshells scrambling through the camp, Hella silently agreed. A few of the security guards were using binocs to search the surrounding wilderness. She wondered if they even knew she and Stampede had helped them.
“We need to get gone.” Stampede pushed himself up but kept using the rocks as cover from anyone spotting them from the camp.
Reluctantly Hella used her elbows and backed away from the rock to keep a low profile. Pain filled her chest from the bruising left by the stopped rounds that had struck the chain mail. She took a moment to build the rhythm in her mind and banish the pain.
A silvery wisp formed in front of her. A moment later, the wisp wore Scatter’s perfect features. “Hella, you are alive.”
“Yes.” Hella stayed hunkered down. She started to call out to Stampede, but she saw him turn around and knew that he had heard the fractoid.
“I am glad you lived.”
“So are we.”
Scatter looked around and it was strange watching the disembodied face twist and turn. Hella couldn’t help wondering how far his range to control the small group of fractoids would extend. “You have left the camp.”
“We had to.”
“Ocastya and I are still prisoners. You cannot leave us. We cannot help ourselves at this juncture. Ocastya needs help. She needs to reboot.”
“I know.” Stampede walked over to join them. “It’s a long way back to where they came from. A lot of things can happen. After tonight, Riley and his people are going to be hard pressed to continue to provide security for the expedition. If we can, if a chance presents itself, we’ll help.”
“I only hope that is soon enough.” Scatter clearly wasn’t happy. “I will send this much of myself with you, but I will need to focus my energies on helping Ocastya. That way I can keep you informed of our location.”
“All right.”
“Hella, may I ride with you? To conserve energy?”
“Of course.”
“Please hold up your left hand.”
Not knowing what to expect, Hella held out her left hand. As she watched, Scatter’s face floated over and nested in her palm. Within seconds, his likeness had settled into a microthin layer over her palm. She flexed her hand and found the new coating didn’t restrict her movements and wasn’t noticeable.
“I will be in touch when I am able. Unfortunately I will have to initiate the connection. You will not be able to call to me.”
“All right.”
“Now I must go back to tend to Ocastya.” Scatter sounded fatigued and worried. “I wish you good fortune.” His likeness faded from Hella’s palm and left only the shiny layer behind.
Hella flexed her hand then