disappointment among the transgenics monitoring the coverage now that the focus was no longer on them.
Turning to Dix and Luke, Max said, "Logan and I have some things to talk over. We'll be back in twenty." She glanced at Logan for confirmation and he nodded.
Walking out next to each other, they barely noticed Joshua hanging back far enough to give them privacy, but close enough that—should anything bad happen—he could get to them to protect Max. Girl's best friend....
Even though she could more than take care of herself, Max didn't mind the idea of Joshua staying close. Now that Ames White knew where she was, it would only be a matter
of time before he and his next squad of muscle bitches came calling again.
They left the building that housed the media center and walked down the rubble-strewn middle of the twenty square blocks that made up Terminal City. Mostly biotech companies back in their day, several had lost containment when the Pulse hit, and the area had long ago been declared off limits to the citizens.
Though the transgenics had been treated against biowar-fare agents, the ordinaries couldn't last for extended periods within the restricted area. No one had any sense of the specifics of that, just the inevitable danger of prolonged toxic exposure. Sooner or later some biological agent or other would take nontransgenics down—which meant Logan, Sketchy, and Original Cindy would have to move on, before long.
Most of the buildings within the walls not only were crumbling, but had long since been ransacked for any valuables. Occasionally the transgenics would find a piece of equipment they could use or cannibalize, but mostly what Terminal City was—before the transgenic squatters moved in, anyway—was a ghost town.
The couple let the first few blocks pass in silence, Max waiting for Logan to get around to telling her whatever it was he had to say. Behind them Joshua—the world's biggest puppy tagging along—seemed fine about keeping his own company while watching them.
At last Max's patience reached its limit. "You gonna tell me where we're goin'?"
Logan, with a tiny smirk, checked his watch. "I wondered how long you could go."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a five-dollar bill and held it up. "You were right, Joshua. Eight-fourteen. She couldn't go ten minutes without asking." The big fella came forward, accepted the bill, turned to Max and said, "Thanks, Little Fella."
She stopped, looked from one to the other, then shook her head, not nearly as amused as they were. As she and Logan started forward again, Joshua again hung back, letting the distance widen.
"Okay," she said, a tiny edge in her voice. "We've demonstrated I'm not the most patient person in the world. Granted. I do like to know what's going on, and where I'm headed."
"You're a control freak. Admit it."
She whispered, "Is Eyes Only calling somebody else a control freak?"
He gave her that sideways, amused, look of his. "We're all freaks here, right?"
Now she smiled. "Yes we are.... Now, are you gonna tell me why we've marched all the way back to the ass end of Terminal City?"
Logan pointed at a low-slung concrete building in front of them.
"Medtronics," Max said, reading the faded sign with the bold blue letters. "Yeah. So?"
"You know what's behind this building?" Logan asked, something impish in his tone.
What was up with him? She shrugged elaborately. "Let me guess, since you seem to want me to—a parking lot?"
"And beyond that?"
Another shrug. "The back fence and, oh, maybe a bunch of pissed-off cops and National Guardsmen."
He smiled enigmatically and started walking again, this time toward the front entryway of Medtronics. When they got to the metal door, Logan produced a key that he slipped into the lock, then turned and opened the door. He waved for her to enter.
"Neat trick," she admitted. "And where did you get the key?"
Yet another shrug—a matter-of-fact one this time. "I own the
Turning to Dix and Luke, Max said, "Logan and I have some things to talk over. We'll be back in twenty." She glanced at Logan for confirmation and he nodded.
Walking out next to each other, they barely noticed Joshua hanging back far enough to give them privacy, but close enough that—should anything bad happen—he could get to them to protect Max. Girl's best friend....
Even though she could more than take care of herself, Max didn't mind the idea of Joshua staying close. Now that Ames White knew where she was, it would only be a matter
of time before he and his next squad of muscle bitches came calling again.
They left the building that housed the media center and walked down the rubble-strewn middle of the twenty square blocks that made up Terminal City. Mostly biotech companies back in their day, several had lost containment when the Pulse hit, and the area had long ago been declared off limits to the citizens.
Though the transgenics had been treated against biowar-fare agents, the ordinaries couldn't last for extended periods within the restricted area. No one had any sense of the specifics of that, just the inevitable danger of prolonged toxic exposure. Sooner or later some biological agent or other would take nontransgenics down—which meant Logan, Sketchy, and Original Cindy would have to move on, before long.
Most of the buildings within the walls not only were crumbling, but had long since been ransacked for any valuables. Occasionally the transgenics would find a piece of equipment they could use or cannibalize, but mostly what Terminal City was—before the transgenic squatters moved in, anyway—was a ghost town.
The couple let the first few blocks pass in silence, Max waiting for Logan to get around to telling her whatever it was he had to say. Behind them Joshua—the world's biggest puppy tagging along—seemed fine about keeping his own company while watching them.
At last Max's patience reached its limit. "You gonna tell me where we're goin'?"
Logan, with a tiny smirk, checked his watch. "I wondered how long you could go."
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a five-dollar bill and held it up. "You were right, Joshua. Eight-fourteen. She couldn't go ten minutes without asking." The big fella came forward, accepted the bill, turned to Max and said, "Thanks, Little Fella."
She stopped, looked from one to the other, then shook her head, not nearly as amused as they were. As she and Logan started forward again, Joshua again hung back, letting the distance widen.
"Okay," she said, a tiny edge in her voice. "We've demonstrated I'm not the most patient person in the world. Granted. I do like to know what's going on, and where I'm headed."
"You're a control freak. Admit it."
She whispered, "Is Eyes Only calling somebody else a control freak?"
He gave her that sideways, amused, look of his. "We're all freaks here, right?"
Now she smiled. "Yes we are.... Now, are you gonna tell me why we've marched all the way back to the ass end of Terminal City?"
Logan pointed at a low-slung concrete building in front of them.
"Medtronics," Max said, reading the faded sign with the bold blue letters. "Yeah. So?"
"You know what's behind this building?" Logan asked, something impish in his tone.
What was up with him? She shrugged elaborately. "Let me guess, since you seem to want me to—a parking lot?"
"And beyond that?"
Another shrug. "The back fence and, oh, maybe a bunch of pissed-off cops and National Guardsmen."
He smiled enigmatically and started walking again, this time toward the front entryway of Medtronics. When they got to the metal door, Logan produced a key that he slipped into the lock, then turned and opened the door. He waved for her to enter.
"Neat trick," she admitted. "And where did you get the key?"
Yet another shrug—a matter-of-fact one this time. "I own the
Similar Books
