“Radar?”
My dog bounds to the edge of the trees, the gear and armor on his body wiggling side to side as he stops at the edge of the trees. He gives me a single tail wag.
I get my feet under me and take one more glance back at the metal that could’ve taken my life. The universe just had to nudge me a little to take me out. I’m not sure if it’s luck or destiny. Ijust don’t see what the point of life is anymore. If it wasn’t for Radar, I fear I would’ve given up years ago when my last friend met their final fate.
Carielle hovers above, likely unable to see if I’m dead or alive thanks to the cloud of dust my tumble created.
“Heel.”
Radar stays with me as I run through the forest along the river.
Carielle zooms overhead, calling out on her PA. “I can see the palladium moving, Tessi. I know you’re alive. I’ve got it on my scanners. Give it up, and I won’t have to kill youon accident.”
Movement in the forest ahead of me makes me stop. Radar stills beside me.
“You have palladium?” A gruff man in worn camouflage and decked in weapons halts a three-man crew behind him. But they aren’t quite men. They’re far too gray.
His eyes illuminate green. He’s augmented and scanning my goods.
“Lot of high value stuff, sir,” says a man behind him, one with a single red eye. “She’d be an easy mate.”
Mate? Did he say... No. He said take, right?
Radar snarls at them.
“Easy, boy.” I do not want him getting shot. I’d rather lose all my shit than him. But if I lose everything, I can’t buy food. And foraging in unfamiliar territory is often fruitless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a dark hole in the rocky towers just big enough for us to fit through.
“Radar, inside.”
He looks up at me, bright amber eyes filled with worry like he doesn’t want to leave my side.
I point to the left.
“Now.”
He bolts up the rocky path toward the opening. The moment he passes me, I sprint after him. It’s been a long time since I’ve been chased. But I’m in a new area, and there are undoubtedly others who saw the debris reentry on the scavenger scanners besides my usual competition. And the footsteps that climb the hillside after me, confirm my suspicions. Carielle isn’t the only one stalking scavengers.
When I reach the cave, I free a shield generator from my pack. I don’t want to use it, because it’s my only one. But I built it for this reason.
As I’m about to enter, I feel a painful tug on the shoulder strap of my backpack.
The red-eyed augmented man lugs me backward. I do not have time to consider the consequences. I simply wrench my body around, and plant a fist square in his closest eye. He swears and grabs his face but doesn’t release me.
I frantically grab my gun, switch it to stun with my thumb selector, and tag him in the stomach, below his armored vest. He stiffens and falls. The others try to squeeze past him.
I redirect my gun at them. First to my right, then to my left. Each ball of electric spiders smashes into them. Their boss, with the green eyes, charges toward me, illuminating a body shield. He steps over the first man as I back inside the cave.
When I toss the shield generator down, it seals the cave off with a wall of iridescent blue light. It will fry itself the moment it dies, so anyone who might find it will never get to know my design. No one gets anything for free from me anymore.
He pounds on the shield, snarls, and glowers at me, hatred warping his eyes. Then he does what I don’t expect. He roars. His teeth extend, his skin changes to something more like fur, and claws emerge from his hands.
Whoever he is,whatever,I don’t want any part of it. So I turn and join Radar, who waits for me just down the passageway.
I switch on my headlamp and check the floor for signs of use as I turn on Radar’s harness lights so he can see too. There’s a worn path that I hope leads somewhere, preferably to an exit.
Keeping Radar behind me and my gun steadied ahead of us, I follow the path. Any time I have a choice to go up or down, I choose up. The last thing I want is to get cornered in a flooded mine again. Once was enough.
