Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [97]
“Us?”
“Don’t know.”
“If they were going to look around, you’d think they’d have looked around when the second fractoid came through the ripple.”
“They did. You just weren’t conscious when Riley and I had to hide you in the forest. We were lucky and got through them.”
“Oh.”
“The Sheldons weren’t too dedicated to the effort yesterday, but they’re spending more time at it now.”
“Does Riley know?”
“Riley has his men out there keeping the perimeter, but he’s not exploring much farther than that.”
“You haven’t told him about the Sheldon search parties?”
Stampede shook his head.
“Why?”
“Because we’re going to let the Sheldons be our distraction so we can get away from Pardot. We can’t wait any longer. We need to make our break while we’re still in the wilderness, where Riley and his troops won’t be able to run us down with their ATVs.”
Hella nodded and thought about it. The plan was solid enough, and that was all they had. “How long do you think we have before the Sheldons get here?”
“From the way it looks, the Sheldon foot patrols will find this campsite tomorrow.”
Hella thought about that, remembering how large the biker gang was and how well equipped Riley and his team were. “The Sheldons are going to get killed.”
“I think so too. But Riley and his people are going to take some damage too. During the confusion, we’re going to leave.”
“Abandoning the expedition isn’t exactly what we were hired to do.”
Stampede snorted. “Red, at this point if we can get out of this with a whole skin, I’m going to count that as paid in full and a bonus.”
Cold dread spread through Hella as she realized what Stampede was talking about. “You don’t think they’re going to let us leave.”
“No, I don’t. We know too much about their business. It’s a long way back across the Redblight. If we get away from them and tell someone about the fractoids, they could end up chased all the way back home. Pardot has got to know that. The only reason they haven’t locked us up is because you got injured and ended up being sidelined. I got to roam around today because you’ve been stuck here. If we were both able bodied, I think we’d be taking dirt naps or we’d be locked up the same as Scatter.”
Hella thought she would be sick, and the need to be outside and gone was overpowering.
“Chill, Red. You need to eat. Heal up. Get rested.”
“We’re just going to let this happen to us?”
Stampede snorted. “It’s already happened, Red. We’re just trying to manage damage control.”
A chill on Hella’s face woke her; then she heard Scatter’s hushed whisper. “Hella.”
She blinked at the darkness that filled the tent and looked around for Stampede. She relaxed a little when she realized he slept in his bedroll. He held his massive pistols in his hands across his chest.
“Scatter?” Hella started to get up, but the chill on her face pressed her down again.
“Please. Do not move. They are watching.”
“Riley?”
“His men, yes. They also have listening equipment planted near this tent. For the moment, I have nullified it so I can talk to you.”
“Stampede?” Hella had detected the subtle shift in Stampede’s breathing.
“I’m awake.” Stampede spoke softly. “I’m listening.”
The cold drew back from Hella. Nearly a meter from her face, Scatter’s face materialized in thin air and hovered. The fractoid’s features looked flat, like a two-dimensional curved mask.
“How did you get away?”
“I did not escape. I’ve managed to free this much of myself through the electromagnetic field, but maintaining control over this little of myself away from my body is difficult. I need your help, otherwise I am afraid Ocastya is going to die.”
“Ocastya?”
“My mate. Ocastya is the name Pardot gave her when he could not pronounce her real name.”
Hella figured her name was easily as impossible to pronounce as Scatter’s. “She’s your mate?”
“Yes.”
“She’s not recovering from her injuries?”
“Her body is repairing itself very well under the circumstances. I am referring to her self, that part of her that uniquely makes her Ocastya. She needs me