Nuclear Rising by Christian Smith

Author:Christian Smith [Smith, Christian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-04-27T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Terra

The dawn air was a calm before the oncoming storm we all felt. Streaks of light were just starting to illuminate the dark night sky beyond the mountains as another day began. The streets were empty, and except for a few houses with fires roaring and men preparing their store goods, there was silence across the metal walls of the city.

The Terra Tribe awaited us.

Brig had something to do with influencing their decisions – saying it would be easier to gain entry into Terra because of their need to trade with everybody. But I knew better - she convinced everyone after our discussion the night before.

Celeste would be there.

At last.

Sledge, Rose and I were to meet Captain Vonn outside the city gate, where he would have some kind of vehicle. According to Sledge, the capitol of Terra now resided in a city called Pyre, where Boise, Idaho had been previously before N-Day. It was a massive city, at least five times the size of Vantage, and it was guarded by a daunting stone wall protecting its many farms from raiders. The only way in would be to pose as traders from the Mechanicus tribe, with whom they regularly dealt and kept well-funded. Vonn would ensure we had a stockpile of weapons and trinkets collected from raids with which to barter.

The only tricky part would be making them believe we were actually from the tribe of scientists and engineers – and that’s where Rose and I would come in handy, since we could easily remove our tattoos and play the part.

It was a risk, but either way it seemed we were going to die. Might as well find Celeste first.

As we step foot outside the massive gate of Vantage, I spot James the guard who we had met earlier. He gives me the stink eye, and I return his glare with a friendly wave of my own, which only makes him nearly steam at the ears.

We pass through the imposing gate, and Sledge turns to me. He raises a wooden bat interspersed with nails and shards of razor blades.

“Hey,” he says. “I wanted to get you a present.”

“Aw,” I reply, snarking, “you shouldn’t have – nothing says true friendship like a bat filled with nails.”

Sledge presses the smooth wooden bat into my hands – its surprisingly lightweight and I can actually move it through the air with little thought.

“You never know when all else fails and that’s the last thing that saves your life.”

“True, true,” I reply. “I will treasure it forever.”

“Oh and one more thing!”

“Yeah? Is it a matching helmet?”

Sledge brings out a small round device like a metal plate, fitted with glowing lights and notches all along the brim. “This,” he says, “is a last, last resort. For when the bat fails. Throw this puppy on your chest, and it basically makes you indestructible for about ten seconds give or take. Radiation, Fire, Water, whatever your emergency is, this thing is basically a portable Hazmat suit of steel.”

Cold metal rests in my palm as he passes the device to me.

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.