Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 11 - Foreigners - I

Part II

The Time of the Hunt

  "Why us?" Alden asked as they eyed a small embankment formed by a huge tree root which blocked their path.

  "Told you, I agree with you," Viper grunted, pulling himself up swiftly and without effort. Rika followed him after only a moment's pause. Alden tried and failed, accepting Rika's hand up with blood rushing to his face. "Auctionin' it off is a terrible idea."

  Alden brushed dirt off his pants. "No, I get why you want to steal it. I mean, why do you need us?"

  "Hector's got the Scrap, and he does all sorts of crap with electricity and tech. He's also the scariest motherfucker this side of the Rockies. I'm not going up against Hector-goddamn-Peraza alone, but I figure lightning girl here can counteract him. Right?" Viper's grizzled beard turned to face Rika, who nodded with a touch of annoyance. "I don't need you kid, but since you're apparently a package deal, you're coming along. Capiche?"

  Alden swallowed hard. "Got it."

  Rika clapped him on the back. "Lighten up, Zack. Viper's actually a big softie, trust me."

  Viper shot her a glare. "I could break your face, girl."

  "And I could break you before you even got close. You've been here for months and haven't done a thing," Rika replied flippantly. "Plus you hide under a cutesy codename. It just screams washed out."

  "I still don't get it," Alden cut in before Rika could start a fight. "Hector's just one guy."

  Viper laughed. "It's Zack, right?" Alden nodded. "Well, Zack, you just got here on the last train. You know fuck-all about the town or the people here, so I'll let you know now: Hector Peraza is not to be fucked with."

  "How did you know I just got here by train?"

  "Because I watched you get off. Which is the only reason I trust you, by the way. You haven't been infected by this fucking place yet," Viper said, glancing back over his shoulder at the receding town outskirts. "Trust being relative shit, that is. Only person I actually trust is the one you're about to meet."

  Viper suddenly stopped walking on his last word. Rika nearly bumped into him. He was pointing up at a nearby tree, and they followed his eyes to a narrow-eyed lithe, blond haired woman perched in a high nook. She held a long polished wooden rifle trained squarely on Rika's forehead.

  "Rook, meet Zack and Rika," Viper gestured. "Ne ovat turvallisia."

  "Salasana," she replied. The rifle didn't move an inch. Rika was completely frozen, as was Alden.

  "Alpha-hotel-november-six-two-one."

  Immediately, Rook loosened her grip on the rifle, though her narrow eyes remained fixed on the two. "You said one guest." Her voice was clipped and accented. European, if Alden had to guess—he wasn't really acquainted with many different accents.

  "Turned out she had a friend," Viper said, waving them forward. After a moment's hesitation, Rika started walking again, pushing through a thick wall of underbrush. Alden suddenly realized it must be artificially placed. From a distance, he'd have never realized the trick. Once Rika vanished it became obvious how deliberate the bushes and branches had been arrayed. He followed Viper through, wincing at the twigs that scraped his face.