Drone Rider: Cyborg AI Science Fiction (Drone Rider AI Wars Book 1) by Ginger Booth

Author:Ginger Booth [Booth, Ginger]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-01T16:00:00+00:00

22

Betta grudgingly agreed with stripping the beds so the nurse wouldn’t have to, but stopped Waylon before he could fetch fresh linens.

Patsy smirked from the doorway. “I would have let him.”

“Of course you would,” Dred accused, and held out his hand for a shake. “Patsy, we blew them away this morning at the gym!”

Patsy rocked his head so-so and released Dred’s hand to catch Waylon’s. “You’re the easiest patient I’ve ever had. Come back any time to make beds for me. You do such a good job.” Poor Waylon seemed pleased by the compliment.

A handshake wasn’t good enough for Betta. But real life hadn’t offered many hugs since she was sold to the League. She awkwardly half-raised her hands toward him, and Patsy drew her in for the rest of the embrace.

“I hated you at first,” she whispered. “I lay there plotting to kill you.”

The nurse laughed from his belly. “Don’t I know it.”

“Thank you. For everything. Proud of us?”

“No, but I like you.” The nurse sighed and tipped her face around to meet his eyes, which held hers firmly. “You’re leaving two weeks early. You’re not stable. I mean emotionally.” He swiped the vial off her bed table and tucked it into her control-lead-thickened hand. “Use them. And watch your asses out there. Your commander will meet you at the exit. Go.”

They pushed past him and strode for the cyborg ward exit at maximum corridor walking speed. Cyborg-03 waited for them alone on the inside of the glass double doors. To Betta’s surprise, Priyet stood outside with a full grav lifter of field kit. She waved. The herder unit leader nodded solemn greetings to her companions as well, then tactfully turned his back, leaning on the doorframe and glass.

Cyborg-03 launched straight into briefing mode. “I’m your CO for this field trip. But I’ll be physically with a soldier unit. You’re our scouts. Who’s unit leader?”

Betta glanced to her teammates in surprise. Dred caught on first. “Betta,” he declared. “She has the most experience.” Waylon gave an emphatic nod.

“I concur. Betta, you’re Herder-One-Zero. Dred, One-One, Waylon, you’re One-Two. Key it.” He waited until they acknowledged completion, bemused by their sudden elevation to stratospheric rank. Clearly, the numbering was relative to a very small task force, devoid of other herders.

“From here, we’ll proceed to the Chicago outer wall. Then your team will head into the streets.” He completed his rapid-fire orientation talk, then pushed through the door.

“Thank you, Herder-Three-Zero,” he acknowledged. “I hope taking time to kit them out wasn’t a problem.”

“Not at all, sir,” Priyet replied. “After yesterday’s slaughter, our herd is burying bodies and holding religious services today. Dullsville on the prairie. Nothing needs doing.” He let Betta check over the supplies he’d amassed for them, including field uniforms, emergency shelter, air, water, and rations.

Then he gave them all a brief hand-shake, hesitating longest over Betta’s hand. “You’ll be OK as a cyborg?” His eyes still flinched from her appearance, despite their work together yesterday.

She let him off the hook.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.