The men went to work, moving from body to body, picking the dead clean and packing their things in the saddlebags of the spare horses. Luis was going after an AKM lying on the shale when he heard a groan from behind him. He spun, his AK in hand, and searched for the source of the sound. It came again, and Luis abandoned the AKM in favor of approaching the survivor to put him out of his misery.
Luis froze when he saw Cano lying on his back. His plate carrier had been shredded by shrapnel, and the rocks behind his head were stained crimson. The grenade blast had left countless wounds on his legs and arms, and his face was crusted over with dried blood. Luis neared the man and knelt beside him to hold two fingers to his neck, and stopped when the Crew boss’s massively muscled chest rose as he inhaled.
“He’s alive!” Luis called to his men.
They rushed to join Luis and stood over Cano, mouths open in disbelief. The shorter of the pair shook his head. “He’s not going to make it. Best to put a bullet in him and get it over with.”
Luis frowned. “He’s of value alive. None dead.”
“Look at him. No way he survives.”
“He’s tough. He might.”
“With wounds like that? It’s a miracle he’s still breathing.”
“Get his plate carrier off.”
The pair removed Cano’s flak vest, and Luis studied his torso, which was largely intact where the ceramic plate had protected him from the shrapnel and the single round that had hit it over his right pec. Cano groaned again, and Luis nodded slowly.
“We need to get him back to Pecos.”
The gunmen exchanged a glance, and the shorter one looked doubtfully at Cano. “Whatever you want, boss. But he’s gonna be dead before we’re halfway home.”
“Maybe, but we need to try.” Luis pointed to the corpses. “Finish with the weapons and then we’ll deal with him.”
The men obeyed, the sun working against them, the scraggly trees at the top of the crest casting long shadows as the light faded. If the man made it, he would owe Luis his life, which would guarantee that the Locos remained largely unmolested by the Crew or at least became an autonomous branch of the organization. At least, that was Luis’s hope. Whether things worked out that way was a different story, but he had nothing better, so he’d play the cards he had.
Which right now, was a piece of hamburger who looked like he was moments from the grave.
Not a great hand; but still, better than being out of the game entirely.
And you never knew. Some folks were just too mean or stubborn to go gently. Cano appeared to be that kind. Luis had known others like him – inmates who’d been stabbed a dozen times yet just kept coming, intent on killing their attackers, and had lived to tell the story. They were the most feared in the yard, and Luis had no doubt that to ascend to a high position in the Crew, Cano had to have been cast from the same sort of clay.
So they’d spirit him back to Pecos, and if he died en route, leave his body for the scavengers.
For now, though, he was Luis’s insurance policy – one that he didn’t plan to squander.
Chapter 24
Lucas awoke to a spangling of sunlight against his face, the rays reflecting off the stream’s surface like yellow fire. He rolled to the side and rubbed his eyes, then sat up. He’d swapped duty with Ruby and taken her slot in the wee hours of the morning, and now she was sitting with quiet calm, surveying the horizon through his binoculars.
She set the glasses down and glanced at Lucas. “Well, good morning.”
“Morning.” Lucas twisted to where Sierra and Eve were still asleep. “Any breakthroughs on the code?” he asked quietly.
“Afraid not. Although I did have a thought.”
Lucas waited for her to voice it with raised eyebrows. “And?”
“We could really use some computer power.”
“You said that yesterday. We don’t have any.”
“I know. But I was thinking that I know someone who does.” She paused. “Or at least, who did the last time I spoke with him. It’s been a while.”
“Someone has a working computer?”
“Don’t be so surprised. I had one in the bunker. All you need is electricity. It’s not like every laptop in the world stopped working when the grid went down.”
Lucas nodded. “Makes sense. Where is he?”
“Artesia. Or at least, he was.”
“You don’t sound too sure.”
“He was complaining about his situation up there last time I talked to him. He might have moved on.” Ruby hesitated. “I wish they hadn’t destroyed your grandfather’s radio. I could have called him.”
“Got a lot of wishes,” Lucas agreed, and then his eyes flitted to where Eve was shifting and yawning as she awakened. “My buddy Duke has a radio. I was thinking we should go by there to stock up anyway. Two birds with one stone if you can reach your friend.”
“That would be great.”
Lucas regarded her. “What’s his story?”
“He’s a computer geek. Programmer, nerd, the whole nine yards.”
“Not a lot of calling for that these days.”
“No, but he can fix just about anything. Solar, batteries, you name it.”
“Seems like I remember the doc talking about a guy from up north like that – he could fix anything. But he said the fella was a nut job.”
Ruby nodded. “He’s definitely eccentric.”
Lucas studied her face. “How well you know him?”
“So-so. We had mutual interests.”
“You ever meet him in person?”
“Couple of times.”
“You trust him?”
“Much as I trust anyone these days. More important, we’re not going to figure out the note without some processing horsepower and some know-how. Right now I’m shooting in the dark. So is he better than nothing? Absolutely. Is it a lock? Nothing is.”
“What’s his name?”
“Bruce something…Combs, I think. But I’m sure about the Bruce.”
Sierra coughed and sat up. Ruby stood and stretched. “How far are we from Duke’s?” she asked.
“Maybe a couple hours’ ride.” He looked to Sierra. “Morning.”
“Good morning. Did I overhear you saying we’re leaving?”
“Yep. Either that or starve.”
“Do we have time to clean up?”
“Sure. Just don’t dawdle.”
“Yes, sir,” Sierra said with a half smile, and held out her hand to Eve. The little girl took it and they walked together to the stream. Lucas eyed them as they left and turned to Ruby.
“You get enough sleep?”
“More or less. You?”
“About the same.” Lucas paused. “You really think this Bruce character can help with the note?”
“I have no idea. But I do know that I can’t figure it out on my own, and he’s the only one I know I can reach out to. I’ve tried some substitution cyphers, but to have a chance at making those work, it’s trial and error. If you don’t know what the actual characters to be substituted are, it’s almost impossible to figure out – which is where a computer comes in. If you write the program correctly, it can try a million different variations in the time it takes to go to the bathroom. So unless we have unlimited time to decode the note, that’s our best bet.”
Lucas nodded. “Part of me thinks this may all be a wild-goose chase.”
“Not like we have any other options, do we?”
“True.” He smiled grimly. “What do you make of Eve?”
“Make of her? I like her. She’s whip smart and very mature. And she likes horses. Why?”
Lucas debated telling her about the odd feeling he had about the child, but decided it would sound crazy to give voice to his thoughts – thoughts he hadn’t fully processed. She was undoubtedly mature for her age, but that wasn’t it. There was something more to her, something he was having a hard time defining.
Whether or not it was important was h
ard to say. He couldn’t see how; but then again, you could fit under a microscope what he knew about children – especially females. He’d had a hard enough time figuring out the adult versions, much less the new models.
“Probably nothing. She’s just…really calm, you know?”
“Could be post-traumatic stress, Lucas. Or delayed shock. What do we actually know about her?”
“Just what Sierra’s told us.”
“Exactly. We have no idea what she was subjected to while she was a captive. But I think we can assume the worst, judging by the stories.” Ruby contemplated the rushing water of the stream for a moment before she spoke again. “Besides, even assuming that Sierra did tell us the whole story, think about what it must have been like. Whole town dead. You’re all alone. Then the monsters come and take you prisoner. Next thing you know, you’re in a strange place, being experimented on. I don’t know about you, but it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see how that could scar a youngster. Remember before the collapse, the news stories of the child soldiers in Africa? Six-, seven-year-olds who had killed dozens of people? I remember seeing a special about them on TV. They had a similar detachment. Maybe that’s just how you get by in an impossible situation – you pretend it isn’t real, that it isn’t happening to you, that it’s not you doing the things you’re being forced to do. If they…if there’s more to it than what Sierra let on, you can see how that would be a natural reaction.”
Lucas nodded. “That might be it. I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
“She’s just a child, Lucas. She’s been to hell and back. That’s going to leave its mark.”
“Quite a world we live in, isn’t it?”
“We didn’t choose it, Lucas.”
“Nobody did.” He stopped. “Except scum like the cartel. Or Magnus. This is their wildest dream come true.”
Ruby rose. “Seems like the devil’s turn at the wheel, doesn’t it?”
“Can’t say as I understand much, Ruby, but for the life of me, the thought of what those animals do to innocents like Eve…”
“All we can do is counter it with good, Lucas. And believe that eventually sanity will be restored. It doesn’t stay dark forever.”
“It does for people like Hal. He’s gone. Nothing’s going to bring him back.”
“True, but a part of him lives on, Lucas. Like a chain. He passed on his good to you, and now you pass it on to others who need it.” She held his gaze. “Seems to me Eve needs it. And so does Sierra.”
“You really believe it’s that simple?”
She shrugged. “Sure. And no. Life’s complicated, but in the end, far as I can tell, it’s a sequence, like programming code. We’re born, we think we’re special and different, and as we get older, we recognize ourselves in others and see the commonalities. And it occurs to us that everyone who came before us also felt the same specialness, that same sense of being different and uniquely important. When you get to be my age, Lucas, you’ll see that there’s nothing but patterns everywhere for those whose eyes are open. Things are complicated on the surface, like each snowflake is intricately unique, but they’re all snow. Age teaches you to recognize the snow and stop being so concerned with the differences.” She offered a smile. “Try having a little faith in the species, Lucas. It’s not all bad.”
“Hard to believe you’re saying that after yesterday.”
“Everything happens for a reason.” She sighed. “Think we can risk a small fire so I can make some tea? Probably be all in our stomachs for a good stretch.”
He looked around. “Can’t see where that’ll cause too much harm.”
“Then gather some wood and get it started, young man, while I freshen up.”
With that, Ruby followed the path down the stream, leaving Lucas to ponder unsolvable mysteries while she cleaned off the road dust and prepared for another hellish day. Lucas looked over to where Tango was considering him with equine dignity. “You know everything, don’t you? You’re just watching me fumble around for fun. Don’t think I don’t know your game,” Lucas said, and then smiled. Talking to his horse once a day seemed reasonable under the circumstances. “Just don’t make a habit of it,” he muttered, and then went in search of enough kindling to warm Ruby’s charred pot. The pungent concoction she brewed would offer slim relief from the miles of misery they’d have to endure that day under the sun’s relentless fury.
Chapter 25
Duke’s compound was sealed shut, and Doug stood manning the guard post beside the gate with weary resolve. When they had approached within hailing distance, Lucas waved a greeting and called out, “Duke around?”
“Sure. Just the four of you?”
“That’s right.”
“Stand by. I’ll open the gate.”
The iron barrier slid aside and Lucas rode through the gap, followed by the women. Doug closed the panel behind them and yelled to the main building, “Duke! Got company.”
“Who is it?” Duke’s voice called from inside.
“Your buddy.” Doug looked at Lucas. “The Ranger.”
Duke poked his head from the doorway and eased himself down the stairs, clad only in shorts, revealing a hirsute midriff and shoulders that would have been the envy of any orangutan. “You back for more abuse?”
“Got some goods for you, you old pirate.”
Duke eyed the women, and his stare stopped at Eve. “What are you in the market for?”
“Food. More ammo for my long gun and the M4.”
“What’re you bringing?”
“AKs. Random pistols.”
“There might be a swap in there,” Duke allowed, and considered Sierra for a moment. “Look a damn sight better than the last time you were here.”
She offered a smile. “Thanks.”
“Horse treating you okay?”
“She’s a good one,” Sierra said, patting Nugget’s flank.
“Practically gave her away.” Duke looked over at the gypsy horse Ruby was now riding. “Where’d you find that barn-sore nag?”
“Had a run-in with some desperados. They felt bad about their misdeeds, so they gave us their guns and horse,” Lucas said.
“Ah,” Duke said, his face impassive. “You have that effect on people.”
“Need to use your radio, too.”
“Yeah?”
“I know. You’re going to charge me to use airwaves now.”
“Think of me as the local office of the FCC,” Duke agreed. “But I’ll be reasonable.”
“Always a first time,” Lucas allowed.
“Go ahead and let your horses drink. I’ll have one of the boys get them some hay.” Duke watched as Lucas dismounted. “Locos are all stirred up about you.”
“Yeah?”
Duke eyed Eve. “Offering a big reward.”
“No kidding. You tell them anything?”
He frowned. “What do you think?”
Lucas nodded. “Appreciate it.”
“You’re turning into one of my best customers. I feel like I’ve got a vested interest in keeping you alive.”
“A regular Samaritan.”
Duke grinned. “Runs in my veins. Can’t help myself.”
“Occupational hazard,” Lucas agreed.
Duke turned serious. “Let’s see the goods.”
Lucas spread the gypsies’ sad collection of AKs and pistols on the ground, and Duke eyed them with thinly disguised disgust. “Pile of junk.”
“Seen better, won’t argue that. But I don’t want much for them, either. Some food. Few rounds of 5.56 ball. You’ll come out ahead.”
“Have to hang on to ’em till hell freezes over.”
Lucas nodded. “Shouldn’t be long now.”
Duke issued a long-suffering sigh and motioned to them to accompany him into the building. “I’ll send Aaron out for this mess. Don’t want it stinking up my place.”
“Diamonds in the rough. Little oil and elbow grease, they’ll be good as new.”
“
I expect that sorry mule could drop better out of his backside.”
“Mule? You mean the unicorn?” Lucas said, and both men cracked smiles.
They followed Duke inside, and Lucas nodded to a sleepy-looking Aaron. The Duke gave his man terse instructions, and Aaron went to gather the weapons. The trader padded to his customary seat and plopped down, rubbing a hand over his belly as he considered the newcomers. “Well, go ahead and take a load off. You’re making me nervous standing around like that.”
“Need as many dry goods as you can muster,” Lucas said, lowering himself onto a threadbare sofa that smelled of mildew. Ruby sniffed at it and sat on the arm. Sierra and Eve pulled chairs from the dining set and sat to their left.
“Got a decent amount.”
“Good. Could use another hundred rounds of 5.56.”
“Cleaning me out of the stuff, huh?”
“Been busy.”
“Target shooting, I expect.”
Lucas shrugged. “Idle hands.”
“That’s it?”
“And the radio.”
“Who you going to call?”
“Easter Bunny.”
“I think he monitors channel seventeen.”
Lucas and Duke prepared containers full of the dried jerky Duke prepared in a homemade smokehouse in the back, and when he was done counting out rounds for Lucas, they began the negotiations. Lucas had to part with some of the AK magazines and ammo they’d scrounged as well, but all in all it was a fair trade.
The trader escorted Ruby to the radio and powered it on, and then moved aside, giving her some privacy. Lucas leaned into him as she adjusted the channel selector and broadcast a call.
“This reward you mentioned. The Locos stop by in person?” Lucas asked.
The Day After Never Bundle (First 4 novels) Page 35
