The Growing by Susanne M Beck

Author:Susanne M Beck [Beck, Susanne M]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ! Yes
ISBN: 9780975436691
Publisher: P.D. Publishing
Published: 2006-04-15T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

Still seven miles out and hauling hell bent for leather, Tacoma stiffens at the wheel as he spies several vehicles heading his way at a high rate of speed.

“Aww fuck,” Manny grunts, slumping against the backrest. He turns his head to the side. “What are you grinnin’ at?”

“The cavalry’s just come over the hill, thanhanshi. Look.”

Manny leans forward against his harness, squinting his eyes to get a clearer picture of the oncoming vehicles. A jeep is in the lead, and on the passenger’s side, a tall figure stands, one hand wrapped securely around the padded rollbar. It’s a figure he knows, with long, inky black hair streaming behind like a war bonnet in the wind. “Dakota!” he yells happily. “Hot shit! Yeah!” His jubilance fades, however, as a second Jeep roars into view. The driver is also a figure he knows—and all too well at that.

“So much for sneaking in the back door, huh ‘cuz’?” Tacoma needles, grinning.

Manny flips him an abbreviated peace sign and slumps further into his seat. “I’m fucked. Well and truly fucked,” he groans.

“Have faith, thanhanshi. It’s not over till it’s over. We’ll play you up as the Hero of the Wind Fans. Get your sentence beat down to two weeks in the brig…three tops.”

Whatever nasty reply Manny is about to make is aborted as the lead jeep catches them, and Dakota jumps out before the vehicle has stopped rolling. Tacoma breaks quickly as Koda trots to his window.

“Is everybody ok?” she demands, eyes flashing.

“We got some burns, bad ones.”

“Fucking droid played suicide bomber on us,” Manny adds. “Took out one of our APC’s. Few dozen more of ‘em came outta nowhere and started shooting.”

“Did they follow you?”

“I don’t know,” Tacoma replies. “The ones we saw were on foot, so if they did, they’re far behind us now.”

Dakota eyes both of them. Unconsciously, they find themselves straightening into a position of attention, ache, pains and all. There is a commanding presence to her; a dark, roiling energy that they can almost see, hovering around her like a malignant cloud. “Get yourselves back to the base and to the hospital, best possible speed. We’ve got a few assault vehicles to escort you. Don’t stop for anything, understand? Nothing.”

“Understood,” Tacoma responds.

Her expression softens only slightly. “I’m glad you guys are alright. Now, take off.”

With a sharp nod, Tacoma does just that, throwing the truck into gear and rumbling off, the others in his abbreviated caravan following like ducklings. As they pass the second jeep, Manny winces. Allen stares through the windshield, marking him, letting him know in no uncertain terms and with just the power of her gaze that fighting the androids was the easy part of this adventure.

“Think it’s too late to go AWOL?” he whines to his cousin.

A bark of laughter is his only response.

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