Earth Unrelenting (Forgotten Earth Book 2) by M.R. Forbes

Author:M.R. Forbes [Forbes, M.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2018-06-17T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 32

Hayden and Rhonna were loaded into the car, pressed together in the center between two of the Crosstons in the back seat. Lane rode shotgun, sliding in and pulling his door closed before looking back and smiling at them.

“It won’t be bad, Hayden. There’s a lot worse stuff out here.”

Hayden didn’t reply. His eyes were turned to the window. He could see Hi-Top and Rogan a dozen meters away, partially shrouded by the stacks of junk.

“You’re just going to leave them there like that?” he asked.

“Who?” Lane looked out the window. “Oh. The nomads? Yeah. Let that be a warning to anyone else that’s thinking about entering our territory. To be honest, Hayden, you’re lucky we didn’t kill you. We don’t take in travelers, as a rule.”

“Why not?”

“Most of them turn out to be a waste of resources. Too weak. Too old. Too scared. More trouble than they’re worth, really. They come too close to the complex, Eagle usually shoots them. He would have shot you too, but you managed to get out of the way.” He laughed. “But that’s the sign of someone worth getting to know. It isn’t enough to survive the trife. The trife won’t bother with you if you’re sterile. Did you know that?”

“I did,” Hayden said.

“Yeah. It isn’t enough to survive the trife. You need to survive humanity. Your own kind. And you did. You got down fast. Hell, you would have saved the nomad’s life too if he hadn’t been so sentimental. We aren’t good people, are we, Hayden? Our nature, I mean? It’s pretty lousy.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“You don’t think humans are violent by nature? Evil? Savages?”

“No. I’ve met a lot of good people.”

“Really?” He laughed again. “Not around here, I’m sure.”

The car started, and a few seconds later they were headed toward the large building, the other vehicle full of Crosstons in front of them.

“Where are you from, Hayden?” Lane asked. “How far have you traveled?” He motioned to the replacement hands. “I’d love to know how you got those, and what happened to that one. Our guy, Tomas, he works with the old tech. I’ve never seen augments like that.”

“You have a botter?” Hayden asked. He probably shouldn’t have been surprised, considering the organization of the group, but it wasn’t as though it was a high-demand occupation.

“We do,” Lane replied. “I don’t know if he can fix that one up for you, but he might be able to put something else on the ring, assuming it wasn’t damaged. Of course, that all depends on how useful you can be to us. Where did you say you were from again?”

“The west coast,” Hayden said. He could feel the eyes of all of the Crosstons in the car shift toward him.

“Bullshit,” Lane said. “That’s a long ways from here. There’s no way you walked that far and didn’t get killed or captured.”

“I’m from the west coast,” Hayden repeated. “I swear.”

Lane smiled. “Right. Okay. Whatever. It doesn’t matter that much anyway.” He looked at Rhonna.

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