Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [13]
Stampede whispered into Hella’s mind. “Back off, Red. You’re not going to get anything more from her, and you don’t want her retreating to Pardot’s side after she’s been at least a little forthcoming with us.”
Hella knew that was true, but she wished she could learn more. Everything they didn’t know threatened Stampede and her. “I understand. Thank you for telling me what you have.”
Colleen hesitated. “I want you to know, Hella, that the reason we’re here is important. And not just to Dr. Pardot. Your efforts, and those of your partner, are deeply appreciated.”
Hella glanced meaningfully at the eastern sky. “Not much time left before dawn. The morning’s going to come early. I’m going to try to get some sleep. You should probably do the same.”
“I will. It’s been interesting talking to you, Hella.”
“Thanks. I enjoyed it too.” Hella walked away and thought about Colleen having a daughter. That had truly surprised her. As cold and driven as the woman acted, Hella hadn’t expected that. The knowledge gave Colleen a more human aspect that Hella didn’t know if she was prepared to acknowledge.
“Everybody’s hiding something.” Stampede snuffled, sounding on the edge of sleep.
“I know but their secrets are dangerous to us too.”
“Me and you, we’ve always lived on the edge, Red. Do you really want to change that now?”
Hella smiled sourly. Even if there were a way, she couldn’t imagine any other life she’d want to live.
CHAPTER 4
Hold up.” Hella reined in Daisy, and the mountain boomer stopped immediately and went low to the ground. While astride her, Hella knew she was a tall target for enemy gunners. The tradeoff was that she could see a long distance and the lizard was incredibly fast.
“What’s wrong?” Stampede spoke over the comm link. He’d have already pulled the expedition into safe positions.
“There’s a smudge to the east.” Hella shaded her eyes with a hand and squinted against the misty brightness. Her eyes felt grainy and irritable from lack of sleep, and she hated the continued soaked feeling from the rain. “Do you see it?”
More heavy rain still threatened from the low, gray clouds that scudded slowly across the sky. The air was thick and moist, and she felt the cycling heat and cold flashing through the air. With the way the weather was behaving, they could be in for a tornado. She’d heard that before the collider had exploded the Redblight had suffered seasonal storms that left great tracts of ruination. At least during that time the tornadoes were somewhat predictable. The weather in her time permitted tornadoes to form at nearly any time, even in the chill of winter.
“I see it. Thought it was just a dust cloud.”
“Too wet to have dust.”
Stampede growled unhappily. “Wasn’t thinking.”
“Deener’s Crossing lies out that way. This time of year, there’ll be a lot of caravanning, getting crops in and trying to turn a profit. That always draws the brigands.”
Stampede heaved a curse. “Agreed. We can go around Deener’s Crossing.”
“After that rain last night?” Hella studied the dark smudge threading through the sky. “Flatbottom Creek will be washed out and running white. It’ll be more like a river. We can’t cross that unless we travel ten miles north. I don’t think Pardot would be happy about that since he’s so dead set about going in this direction. Brigands will travel the creek too.”
“All right. Let’s get these people situated; then you and I will ride up and take a look.”
Despite the wind she saw bending the trees, the smudge remained consistent against the sky. Hella turned Daisy back toward the expedition.
Klein Pardot was in another foul mood when Hella reached the expedition. Or maybe he was still in the same mood from the previous night. The little man slogged through the mud and struggled to keep his exo under control. “I don’t see why we’re supposed to stay here.”
“Because you’ll be safe if something goes wrong.” Stampede talked slowly, as he would to a child.
“I question your logic. We’d be just as safe if we rode with you.”
Stampede gripped his big rifle and glared down at the professor.