Bounty Hunter: Lone Gunfighter of the Wastelands by Rachel Aukes

Author:Rachel Aukes [Aukes, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Waypoint Books
Published: 2020-04-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Five

Nick Swinton stared at the door just like he’d stared at it for the past three days. The hideaway he shared with Romy was small and stuffy, and the bucket they used for a toilet stank. Champ was as antsy as he was, whining as she paced the room. She still limped from the blaster burn that had singed her fur, but from what Nick could tell, it looked like she only had a bad sunburn on her leg.

“It’s been three days,” Nick said.

Romy looked up from the tablet she held. “It’s been almost three days. You told me that your mom told you to wait three days in the shelter before leaving.”

He frowned. “Yeah, but she just made up that number in her head. I bet it’s safe to leave.”

“How do you know it’s safe?” she asked.

He thought for a moment. “I’ll find out. Stay here. I’m going to check out the house.”

She jumped to her feet. “I’m going with you.”

“No, you should stay here until I know it’s safe.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Why? Because I’m a girl?”

“No. Because it’s my house, and I know all the hiding spots. Sheesh.”

He looked down at Champ, and then at Romy, before he turned back to the door. He took a deep breath and opened it. He peeked his head out and took another breath, this time of the cooler, fresher air of the tunnel. When he saw and heard nothing, he stepped out. Champ bounded out around him.

“Champ,” he whispered, but she was already a dozen feet ahead of him and relieving herself near the wall.

Nick walked into the tunnel, and Romy came out to stand next to him. They looked at each other before moving together down the tunnel toward his home. Champ took the lead, and since she didn’t seem the least bit worried, Nick felt confident no one else was in the underground passageway. Champ ran up to the sub-door to his house and waited.

Nick bent down. “Okay, Champ. When I open this door, I need you to check out the place. Got it?”

She cocked her head as he spoke, but that was the closest to an agreement he received from her. He shot another glance at Romy, who looked as scared as he felt, then he entered his code. The door opened and Nick jumped, even though he’d expected it.

Champ ran into the house and moved erratically through the rooms, sniffing every piece of furniture. Her fur never bristled, and her tail wagged, even as she checked out the upstairs. Nick took that as her “all clear” sign.

“It’s clear,” he said, as much for his own benefit as for Romy’s.

Romy continued her light pace through the house as she checked every closet and under the furniture. She paused at Joe’s exoshield, then went about carefully stacking it in a pile.

“Do you think they’re dead?” she asked.

Nick got chills that he shook off. “No. No way. Mom’s working for that fat guy, and Joe’s got to be still alive.

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