Deathlands 100 - Prodigal's Return by James Axler

Author:James Axler [Axler, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Speculative Fiction Suspense
ISBN: 9780373626106
Publisher: Gold Eagle
Published: 2011-09-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“Nuking shit storm, they saw me,” Dean muttered, working the bolt on the BAR to shove in another magazine.

Now what was he supposed to do? Seeing his father and the companions charge over that slope and into the fight had been one of the most glorious sights in his life. Then the reality of the situation came crashing down, and he cursed whatever bizarre chain of events that had led his former companions to this place. If he joined them, he would be safe at last, the masquerade finally over. But then he thought about what Camarillo would do to Althea if he did. If captured, deserters were sold to the cannies in the north, but even worse, their women were used as gaudy sluts by the coldhearts until they eventually died. He felt physically ill at the idea of Althea reduced to merely a thing for the pleasure of the other coldhearts.

There were only seconds in which to act, but Dean couldn’t decide what to do, torn between the only family he had ever known and the woman he loved. The unexpected use of that word startled the teenager. Love? When had that happened? But now he could see that his attachment to the beauty had slowly been deepening over the past few days. It was more than friends having sex, or even fellow prisoners combined against a common foe. Althea was a part of his soul, making him stronger, more alive.

The idea of trying to reach the camp first briefly flashed into his mind, but not even a horse could out-pace a sandhog on level ground. The attempt at a rescue could have disastrous results. His father and the others would never understand the complex matter without a lot of explaining, and there simply was no time for that. Dean had to leave with the other coldhearts right now, or else Althea would soon be praying to be chilled. Somehow, he had to stop the companions from following him, to buy some time, get a chance to think of a way to save both himself and Althea. Only one solution came to mind, and try as he might, he couldn’t come up with another plan. He didn’t like the idea, hated it in fact, but it would work, that much was certain. So be it, then.

Working the arming bolt of the longblaster, Dean aimed for his father’s stomach, adjusted for the wind and droppage, then moved to the left and fired. Blood erupted as Ryan spun away into the bushes and fell out of sight.

Resisting the urge to vomit, Dean turned and ran down the opposite slope to rejoin the coldhearts gathering around a railroad car chained to the rear of the Atomsmasher. Most of them were rolling sandhogs into the open doors of the car, only a few coldhearts standing guard with rapidfires and crossbows, waiting for pursuit to arrive over the slope.

Hannigan and several more coldhearts were on the roof, feeding belts of linked ammo in a brace of squat and ugly .

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