Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [27]
“Maybe they think no one can see them in those hardshells, but anyone carrying tech themselves can.” Stampede had spoken over the comm link. “If they’re going to be bear bait, let them run by themselves. You and I need to stay clear.”
Hella knew it was true, but she didn’t like hanging back with the others.
Nearly two hours into the dark march, one of the convoy trailers mired in a mud pit, and Klein angrily shut them down. They made camp on the lee side of a hill festooned with birch and blackjack. As before, Pardot insisted on setting the defense bots along the perimeter.
“Looks like we get another night’s sleep.” Stampede turned the spit over their fire. The quail Hella had collected during the last hour of light roasted over their private campfire. Fat dripped off the birds’ bodies and sizzled on the open flames.
“I’m not feeling very restful.” Hella fed small twigs to the fire to keep it burning evenly.
“Change your mind about pulling up stakes on this one?”
Surprised, Hella glanced at Stampede. She was conflicted and she knew it. She didn’t want to leave Colleen Trammell or Riley. The former she understood but not the latter. “Is that what you want to do?”
“Things have gotten decidedly more tense since this morning. Me and you are getting frozen out of Riley’s security debriefs, and Pardot is making sure to drive a wall between you and Colleen Trammell.” Stampede bared his teeth in a grimace and snorted. “Good sense says that what we should do is pick up our marbles and go, but that’s not what I want to do.”
“Because of Colleen?”
“No, not because of Colleen. She’s not my problem, and she’s not your problem. You need to remember that. Colleen is part of these people. Whatever problems she has, these people are more set up to handle them than we are.”
“I don’t believe she’s mentally deficient. Pardot’s lying about that.”
“Maybe so but the lady’s definitely got something wrong with her head. Even if it’s just the precog ability messing with her. We’re not set up to deal with that either, especially if she can call these ripples to her.”
“So why do you want to stay?”
“Whatever they’re after, it’s got to be worth a lot. Otherwise they wouldn’t have come out here with so many people.”
A cold feeling stirred in Hella’s stomach. She’d been with Stampede for years, and she felt certain she knew him well. During that time he’d never given in to any temptation to steal from their clients. Other scouts sometimes killed an expedition to the last man and took everything those people had. That was one reason outsiders were cautious about hiring scouts and never allowed their numbers to get larger than the party’s.
“You’re not talking about hijacking whatever they’re after?”
“No.” Stampede didn’t take offense at the question. “I’m thinking that whatever they’re after is big. Maybe big enough that we can walk away with a score of our own with what slips through their fingers.”
Hella hadn’t thought about that, but it made sense. “What do you think they’re after?”
Stampede shook his head and flicked an ear at a buzzing insect hovering around him. “I don’t know but I think we’ll find out soon enough.”
After the quail were gone and the fire had died down, Riley joined Hella and Stampede at their campsite. “Dr. Pardot says his PDA shows we’ve got about three more miles to Blossom Heat. I wanted to make sure that was right.”
Hella worked on the rabbit hides. The furs were trade goods she could barter at the camp. She had a few others in Daisy’s packs. She ignored Riley because she didn’t want Stampede there when she talked to the man. Having Stampede listening in over the comm link all the time was bad enough. It would have been better if she’d known how to treat Riley.
“If we get an early start, we can reach Blossom Heat before midday. You can tell Dr. Pardot that the trade camp has generators there that pump water. By this time tomorrow night, he can enjoy a shower in a room. If he has the money to pay for it.”
The room didn’t interest Hella. She