The snow was still coming down pretty hard, swirled by a wicked wind, but they had made it to the winter camp. Which it turned out was really just a clearing in the woods. He should have expected as much.
The clan didn’t seem at all disheartened though. They set right to work erecting tents and building fires. Despite the snow they were making the place even a little homey.
“Chimmus,” Mattu barked.
The girl spun on her heel. “Yes?”
“I need you,” he said then disappeared between the vehicles. Chimmus looked to Appie who shrugged her shoulders. Chimmus frowned but walked off after Mattu.
Appie turned to Drake. “Know how to put up a Khote tent?”
Drake smiled. “Nope, but I bet you are going to show me.”
Appie did more than show him, she erected the tent in like record speed. He’d gone camping with his parents a few times. Three hours had been their record time to camp set up.
They rushed into the structure blowing on their hands trying to chase away the cold. They were home. Yep, home, freaking sweet, home.
* * *
Drake pulled out one of the strange looking stoves they had taken from the shelter. He pulled off a tab and fire suddenly sprang out. It was an odd blue flame, but warm. Spreading out some blankets they sat next to the fire, soaking up the heat.
How long had it been since she just sat? Appie couldn’t even remember. She stretched out her legs, accidently bumping into one of Drake’s. “Sorry.”
“No, great idea.” He moved to the side, stretching his limbs as well.
This was the first time they were truly alone and it felt an equal combination wonderful and weird. She didn’t know what to say or even what to do. There was gulf between them that didn’t seem to be there with him and Chimmus.
“Thank you,” she blurted out. It was the only thing she could think of.
“For?” Drake asked. “I mean, there’s so much, I just want to be sure that I say you are welcome for the right thing.”
Appie grinned. “Everything really. You really got us out of some tight situations.”
“Only because I was working with the best.”
Appie blushed and didn’t bother hiding it.
“Normally, we have a winter camp welcoming ceremony, but I think we’ll forgo that until the morning.”
Drake cocked an ear toward the tent wall. “Yah, it sounds pretty bad out there.” He looked over to her. “Want to watch a movie or something?”
“Want a movie?” Appie responded in far too high pitched a voice. “You never have to ask.”
Drake pulled out his video player from his pack. “Have you seen Jurassic Park?” he asked with a smile.
“No, should I have?”
“We’ll see,” Drake said with a smile as he loaded the movie to play.
Appie thought it might be too forward, but she really wanted a good angle on the screen and scooted over until she sat right next to him.
The weirdness was dissipating into the night, melting away like snow.
* * *
Drake couldn’t help but look over at Appie every few seconds. She was so adorable. Her mouth was open just a bit as she took in the movie with her mind and her body. He’d missed half the film as he watched her, studying the fierce young woman. Besides, he knew the movie by heart anyway.
With the cancer he’d thought he was old for his age, but Appie had the wisdom of the ages, yet still seemed so sweet and innocent. Chimmus seemed older than her years but not in a good way.
Appie looked up catching him in the act, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Is this supposed to be a comedy?” she asked.
“No, why?”
“A lone hunter going after a Raptor pack? Now, that is funny,” she said with a snort.
“So how does one go after a Raptor pack?”
“Um, by not leaving the camp. You don’t want to be within ten miles of a Raptor pack.”
“Never?” Drake asked.
“For three raptors? You better have a dozen well-trained and well-armed warriors and even then probably only one will come home unmolested.”
Drake could remember the first time he’d watched Jurassic Park, he’d thought how fun it would be to visit there. He agreed with the old man, he could do better next time. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with dinosaurs?
But now that he had “hung out” with a few, he no longer thought it would be cool. Far from it.
Appie pointed at the screen. “And a Raptor going after a T. Rex? Are you kidding me? They are the most survival oriented dinosaurs out there. That female would have run and run hard away.”
Okay, so maybe Steven Spielberg didn’t have the intimate knowledge that Appie had when he made the film.
“Well I guess then you don’t want to see Jurassic Park Two: the Lost Word then.”
Appie pulled back, her eyes dilated. “There is another one?”
“Actually there are three.”
She clapped, “Yes, yes, please.”
Drake smiled and hit play.
* * *
Lavla held Robertum’s hand as Tin worked on his legs. Her mate ground his teeth. Unlike other synthetics, he could feel pain. Real pain. Just like humans. He was crushing her hand as she had crushed Lik’s during her delivery.
“Is it going to be functional?” Lavla asked.
“Won’t know until I’m done,” Tin responded. “Might take some tinkering.”
Lavla didn’t care. She would carry Robertum on her back for the rest of their lives if she needed to. Pipo had already re-bandaged Robertum’s skin, but hadn’t been too hopeful about tissue regrowth. Those Quetz had really done a job on him.
She stroked what little hair Robertum had left.
“Can I see him?” Robertum asked. He had wanted to see their baby whenever the pain grew too strong.
Lavla let go of his hand and gently lifted the sleeping baby and pulled the blanket from over his face. Hesper pursed his lips, using his tiny balled up fists to wipe his face. Robertum smiled a pained smile.
“Put him back down,” he said. “I don’t want to wake him”
She hated to tell Robertum, but the baby would be up soon. He only slept a few hours at a time, no matter the time of day. He would want to nurse soon. But for now, she bundled the baby back up and took Robertum’s hand again.
He frowned. Not in pain this time, but apparently in concern. “Did you hear that?”
She cocked an ear, but all she could hear was the wind. “No.”
Robertum turned his head, swiveling it around side to side. “I could have sworn I heard something.”
Lavla held her breath. They were safe, weren’t they?
“It must have been nothing,” Robertum said, laying back down allowing Tin to continue working on him.
Lavla grinned in relief just so happy to be with him.
* * *
Drake was about to risk the ultimate movie move, putting his hand over Appie’s shoulder, but then she bolted up.
“Did you hear that?”
He hadn’t heard much else but Vince Vaughn screaming. She hit the pause button and listened again. Her hand flew out and grabbed her spear.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Drake stated, rising with Appie.
“Something is wrong,” she whispered harshly.
“But you put out sentries, wouldn’t they sound the alarm if anything was amiss?”
“Not if they are dead,” Appie stated flatly, opening the flap to their tent.
The world had transformed while they had watched the films. Mattu must have ordered the vehicles circled around the tents, much like early pioneers had done. And there were dozens of tents. A city of tents by now, each covered in snow. Torches flickered in the night, casting more shadows than they did illumination.
Appie listened again. “We’ve got to get to Mattu’s tent.”
Drake didn’t argue. He didn’t hear anything, but that didn't mean there wasn’t a threat out there
. He’d learned to trust Appie’s instincts by now. Appie grabbed her shotgun and handed him a rifle. He took it. After watching Jurassic Park, he was a little more in love with guns than he was before.
Carefully, they tread on the new, unblemished snow. It looked like they were the only ones out this late. Beyond the variable wind, there were few noises. The snuffling of a child. Someone cooking. Nothing else.
They made their way between the tents, angling to the north.
They didn’t even have to make it all the way to Mattu’s tent. Both Mattu and Chimmus were on the prowl.
“Did you hear it?” Appie whispered.
Mattu nodded. “The Syns have found us.”
* * *
Appie felt her veins flood with ice. It was the same thing her father had said to her just before the attack that had claimed both him and her mother.
She gripped the shotgun knowing though that it would be little use against the Syns. Not an organized attack like this.
“I thought you said they couldn’t outrun the trucks?” Drake asked.
“Apparently, they found a way,” Mattu answered.
“We must evacuate,” Appie said.
Mattu shook his head though. “There is no more running.”
She had known that, but her mind was desperately trying to find a way around the ambush.
“They must have taken out the sentries,” Mattu stated,
Then her worst fear had come true.
“Where are they now?” Drake asked, clearly never having gone up against Syns before. They could walk silently. With no need to breathe, they seldom gave themselves away.
“We won’t know until they spring the trap,” Appie answered.
That didn’t seem to make Drake feel any better, but she wasn’t going to lie.
Mattu headed off wordlessly so Appie followed, her shotgun at the ready.
It must have been late afternoon as a tiny ray of sunshine tried to poke its way through the clouds. The snow was coming down gently, whispering as it fell from the sky.
Ruby came up, her red eyes bright with fear. She, too, had sensed the danger.
Lev and Tonka wouldn’t be far behind.
Mattu opened a tent to reveal Lavla, the baby, Tin, and Robertum.
They slipped inside. Robertum propped himself up on his only elbow.
“They are here, aren’t they?”
Appie nodded.
“I knew it,” he hissed out.
“He did try and warn me, but then we couldn’t hear anything but the snow,” Lavla confirmed.
Appie never should have been watching those movies. She should have been out on patrol. This was her fault.
“Tin, gather as many hunters as you can, at least let us be armed for this ambush.”
Tin put down his tools and left the tent at the back.
“What can we do?” Lavla asked.
“Stay alive. Make for the truck and lock yourself in.”
“But what of Robertum?” she asked.
“Leave me,” he said. “Get our baby to the trucks.”
* * *
Lavla bundled the baby so that she could move freely without worrying about dropping her son.
Appie and the rest had left leaving just her and Robertum.
“Please, let me get someone to help move you,” Lavla begged.
Robertum shook his head. “Leave me with the gun and go.”
Since there was no way for her to move him on her own, Lavla handed him the gun and kissed him one last time.
“If we are fated to be together, we will be together.”
The Syn had far more faith in fate than she did. Of course, she’d already buried one husband.
She hugged him so hard that part of his skin came off when she backed away.
“I’ll see you again,” Robertum promised, but Lavla feared this would be the last time.
Securing the baby, Lavla turned away. If she didn’t now, she never would. She left without looking back. The truck wasn’t far. And the sun was beginning to break through the clouds. Now, though, the glare threatened her vision.
Putting a hand up to shield her eyes, she made her way through the SUVs to the larger truck.
A silver figure stepped out between two cars. Lavla froze in place. It was only a moment until she and the baby were discovered. Then there was a spear shoved straight though the Syn’s body. The Syn’s mouth gaped open, a silent scream on his artificial lips.
The body was lifted from the ground, then the spear tore left, then right, cutting the Syn in half. Salvve stepped from the shadows, lifting his spear, stabbing the Syn in the head. Sparks flew then the lights went out in the robot’s eyes.
Salvve glanced over, nodding for Lavla to hurry. She gripped the baby to her chest and flat out ran to the truck skidding to a stop, carefully opening the door, climbing in and latching it behind her. She probably should have ducked under the dash, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the camp.
With the new snow everything seemed so clean and pristine. Danger seemed so remote. The purity of it all should have protected them. But it hadn’t. The dead Syn lay on the white snow, leaking black oil onto the surface.
There was plenty more where that came from.
She heard a thump on the roof. The truck was tall, but Syns could jump fifteen feet straight into the air. There must have been one on the roof. He could easily find her with his thermal imaging. She’d survived several Syn attacks in the past, but always by stealth. Once she hid in a smoke lodge, the heat masking her scent. Another, she had dove into the lake, dropping her own body temperature below their sensors.
She had neither option now.
Lavla had a gun, but she knew it would do nothing more than draw the attention of the Syns, plus she’d have to knock out about a half dozen relays to “kill” a Syn. She didn’t have that many bullets let alone the skill to use them.
No, she had only one option now and that would certainly wake up the camp. Drawing the Syns to her. She hoped that little Hesper was as brave as his father. Snaking her hand up the steering wheel column, Lavla grabbed the key and gave it a turn as she pushed down on the gas. The engine fired up. She shifted it into gear, stepping on the gas. She lurched the truck forward. The Syn flew off the roof, landing in the strange twilight of the snow storm.
He rose up, looking her in the eye. It was going to take more than a tiny spill to stop him. Lavla kept the gas on, hitting the Syn, trapping him between the truck and an SUV. Lavla didn’t stop there as the Syn tried to pry himself free. She ground the gas pedal into the floor, pushing so hard, the truck was moving the SUV backwards.
She didn’t stop until the Syn doubled over, his eyes extinguished of all light.
People poured out of the tents. Their eyes dilating at the sight of the Syn. Quickly they regrouped, grabbing their weapons, heading out in search of any other Syns in the area.
At the last, Lavla turned off the truck, cradling her baby, singing him a lullaby.
* * *
Appie had to ignore what was going on across camp. They were on the trail of three Syns. The robots had taken to the cars, climbing atop them and traversing the camp, leaving no tracks on the ground. But they did leave scuffmarks on the hoods. By Mattu’s count three Syns had traveled this way.
They moved as a group, striking for the center of the camp. They needed to reach them before that.
Before the slaughter could begin. Drake was right behind her. Was it because he wanted to be there or there was simply no safer place? Either way, she liked him being close. Chimmus flanked her as Mattu led them.
Each stopped as they heard a grunt, then a scream. Charging ahead they found Salvve, his feet dangling above the ground as a Syn choked him. A spear protruded from the Syn’s chest, but clearly Salvve had missed the thoracic junction.
Mattu was not there, then he was there. He did not miss the thoracic junction. The Syn’s grip opened and Salvve fell to the snowy ground, clutching his neck. Appie c
ouldn’t help him, there were two other Syns in the area.
One came from above, launching at them, an ax in his hand. Chimmus knocked Drake out of the way and took the brunt of the attack on her long spear, using the shaft to block the ax. She was thrown onto her back and the Syn heaved back with his ax. Appie raised her shotgun and blasted the Syn right in the face.
He staggered backward, wobbling, but did not go down. Instead he turned and ran. She held Drake back from chasing after. That was a typical Syn ploy. Act far more injured than they were, then lure you into another ambush.
Appie had seen it work too often.
Screams arose around camp as the attack began in full force.
“We must stay focused,” Mattu said as every instinct she had told her to rush to her clansmen’s aid.
“We must find the leader,” Mattu stated. He was right of course. That was why they had followed the trail of the three, hoping that one of them was the tactical leader. If they could destroy him, the others would retreat.
If he wasn’t with the larger party, where was he?
“Robertum may know,” Drake said. “He was with him for a while.”
Appie nodded and turned to Mattu. “You two go that way, we will double back to Robertum.”
Mattu simply headed off in the opposite direction. Chimmus followed, but looked back over her shoulder, clearly not wanting to follow the powwaw.
Drake turned and cut between two tents, making his way back to the downed Syn.
* * *
The screams grated on Drake’s nerves. All this pain and suffering and for what? How could mankind have created such monsters? And wasn’t the Syn’s whole deal that they were better than humans? How was this better? Attacking women and children. Obviously the scientists hadn’t instilled enough sense of shame into them.
A body lay before him. He only vaguely recognized the face. Salvve? He’d only been with the clan for a few days.
Appie dropped to her knees, checking the man’s pulse. From her frown, there was none. Bright red blood stained the snow. How many more would die this afternoon? Would he be one of them? It was almost ironic enough for Alanis Morrisette to sing about. To survive five hundred years frozen, to be cured of cancer, and then to die by robot. It had hit single written all over it.
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