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mouth a few times, trying to speak, blood flowing freely over his lips, and he
slumped over and hit his head on the dashboard.
Sporting the HK G-12, Doc stepped from the doorway of the federal building.
"How are you doing, Jak?" Doc called out, staying in the cover of the
partially open doorway.
"Name's Alvin!" the Cajun answered, dusting himself off. Doc relaxed and waved
at the roof. J.B.
returned the gesture and disappeared from view. By the time he reached the
street, Jak and Doc were already hauling the corpse into the back of the
Hummer.
"Good idea hiding the body," J.B. said. "The smell of blood will attract
animals for miles."
As the hijacker slumped limply into the cargo area, Doc prodded the corpse
with his ebony cane. "And pray tell, who was our uninvited visitor?"
"Coldheart who wanted leave ruins," Jak said, holding his side and wincing.
Gathering the dropped blaster from where it fell, Doc inspected the dead man's
blaster. "Excellent piece, fine condition." He cracked the cylinder and
checked the ammo. The bullets were reloads, but very well done. "Any more in
his pockets?"
Expertly, Jak rifled the dead man's clothing. "Nope. Just spoon, can opener,
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cig lighter."
"I'll take the lighter," J.B. said, and Jak tossed it over.
"Four rounds is it, then," Doc said, and, walking to the front of the Hummer,
slid the blaster into the map compartment. "Never hurts to have a spare."
"How did he get the drop on you?" J.B. asked curiously, tucking the butane
lighter into his munitions bag.
"Jumped on hood from overpass," Jak said, making a face. He had been caught
unawares like a stupe, and the Cajun felt embarrassed. "Shoved blaster my
face. No choice but obey."
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J.B. could read the teenager's expression. "I would have done the same myself.
What did he want from us anyway, food or blasters?"
"Fuel. Wanted leave bad. Kept looking sky."
"Watching for our winged muties, perhaps?" Doc inquired.
"Yep. Called them demons."
"Good name," J.B. admitted, starting to light his cigar stub, then forcing his
hand away. "They're the nastiest bastards I've encountered since Larry Zapp."
"Well, he does not need to fear their arrival anymore," Doc said, raking the
street with his hand and tossing some sand on the man. "Ashes to ashes, dust
to dust. Where shall we dispose of the body?"
"River," Jak suggested practically. "Water carry to ocean."
"Exemplary, my young friend. Let us be off."
"Wait, I have a better notion," J.B. countered, chewing the stub from one side
of his mouth to the other.
"Let's drop him off in a vacant lot a few blocks from here with a nice block
of C-4 under his ass. Might get a few muties or wolves that way."
"Sounds good," Jak agreed, then he winced as sweat touched the cut in his
side.
"Hey, are you hurt?" J.B. asked in concern.
"Just scratch," Jak said dismissively, showing the minor wound. "But how
Dean?"
"The same."
"Oh."
"By the way," Doc asked, "where are Ryan and Krysty? Any news on the
whereabouts of the medical kit?"
Quickly, Jak told them what happened.
"So they tracked him inside the ville," J.B. said, crossing his arms. "Damn, I
don't like the fact that we have no way of contacting them, or even keeping
track of their progress."
"Perhaps there is a way," Doc said unexpectedly, studying the cloudy sky. It
was difficult to gauge the hour with the heavy blanket of storm clouds
blocking the sun. His pocket chron was working fine, but since they didn't
know where they were, it could be hours fast or slow in regard to the local
time. They didn't even know if this was still America.
"Four, maybe five, hours of light remain," Doc said. "Not nearly enough for my
plan. Gentlemen, I
suggest Jak stays with Dr. Wyeth to bring her up to date, while John Barrymore
and I drop off our guest, and then reconnoiter a few stores to see if we can
find some barbed wire for the internal defenses."
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Something moved in the cloudy sky and the companions drew their weapons,
dropping into combat crouches. The lone sting-wing circled overhead, then
moved off.
"Here," Doc said, passing the teenager the G-12. "The Uzi and my LeMat should
be sufficient protection for this brief sojourn. But if there is trouble here,
you will need the extra firepower."
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