"Why do you say that?"
Maeve looked at him to make sure he was serious. "Did you notice that I brought a plague to Palumbra?"
"From what I hear, you did that to save your friends. Sounds pretty brave to me."
"Sounds more like I had no choice. It was the only option to keep my friends alive." Maeve shook her head wearily. "It could have gone horribly wrong." She stopped. "What am I saying? It did go horribly wrong. The woman I admire more than anyone is sick and dying because of me." She let out a frustrated sigh as the rain began to pick up, and the ground beneath their bedrolls soaked up the moisture. She noticed Rufus curled up against the trunk of the tree, trying to stay dry and clicked her tongue to get him to join her under the rain covering. Rufus raised his head, gave her a look as if to say, "I'm quite comfortable here," and laid back down. She left the dog to his own devices and clutched the edge of the rain covering tighter as the wind tried to tear it out of her grasp.
Patrick picked up her hand and gave it a squeeze. It felt weird to have someone other than Gray hold her hand, but there was comfort in it as well. "We'll find the plagoran, Maeve. We'll save Emma. You have to hold onto that."
Maeve nodded wearily but said nothing else. Patrick kept her hand in his. "Try to get some sleep."
Maeve retrieved her hand from Patrick's grasp and pulled the rain covering closer around her shoulders. She closed her eyes not expecting to sleep. But to her surprise, she did.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
"Let me go with you." Tristan ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "We can leave Emery here to look after Ginger."
"We're not leaving a 12-year-old to look after Ginger," Gray whispered fiercely.
He glanced over to where Ginger and Emery were huddled together for warmth. He could barely see them in the gathering darkness. With the hovercar nearby, they didn't want to try to light a fire even if they could have forced the wet wood to light.
"But you're going to take the 12-year-old to steal a hovercar?" Tristan pinned him with a hard stare. "Somehow that's safer?"
Gray acknowledged Tristan's point with a nod. "At least her skills will be useful. I have no idea how to drive a hovercar. Do you?"
"No. But does she have any chance of defeating the owners of the hovercar?" Tristan started to pace. "Our best chance is for the two of us to go overpower anyone who is near the hovercar, then bring the brains of the operation," he motioned toward Emery and Ginger, "when it's safe."
"What if we miss one of the people who came with that hovercar? What if they find Ginger and Emery? What then?" Gray glanced toward Emery and Ginger and noticed Emery watching them closely. "One of us has to stay with Ginger. And we need that hovercar. She isn't going to make it if we don't get some faster transportation."
Tristan stopped pacing and stared at Ginger and Emery for a minute. A swarm of emotions crossed his face. Gray touched his arm.
"Look, I know you want to be in on the action. But protecting Ginger is important, too. She needs you."
Tristan's face softened slightly. "You're right, I know. I just want to prove that I can lead, that I can save the day."
"Did you not pull me over the ledge? As far as I'm concerned, you've done your share of saving for today." He slapped Tristan's shoulder. "Ginger needs you. Keep her alive while we get our wheels."
Tristan nodded, and they rejoined the girls.
"Are you done talking about us like we aren't here?" Emery asked.
"Emery," Ginger admonished in a weak voice.
"Well, they were over there acting like we can't make up our own minds about what to do. Here's my plan. You three stay here while I go hotwire the hovercar."
Gray gave a short laugh. "Like that's ever gonna happen."
Emery got to her feet and planted her hands on her hips. "You know I can do it."
Gray gave her a serious look. "I know you can, and I'm going to let you do it."
Emery grinned and started walking toward the hovercar. Gray grabbed her gently by the arm. "But not by yourself. I'm going with you."
Emery looked from him to Ginger. "Who's taking care of her?" She pointed her thumb at Ginger.
"I am." Tristan stepped forward. "I'll make sure she's still in one piece when you get back."
Emery nodded, and Gray could see her mask of bravado slipping. Tristan stepped forward and leaned down so he was face to face with Emery. "I promise to make sure nothing happens to her while you're gone. Deal?" Tristan stuck out his hand.
Emery pondered his outstretched hand, then shook it with her own. "You'd better keep that promise."
Tristan nodded solemnly.
Emery turned back in the direction of the hovercar. "Let's go, Gray."
Gray followed Emery through the trees. He caught up with her in a few steps and motioned for her to fall in behind him. When she started to protest, he gave her a hard stare. With slow steps, she let him pass.
When they reached the clearing, they could see fire and hear voices. Gray and Emery crouched behind some bushes while Gray counted four men gathered around the fire. Only one had a visible gun. He leaned close to Emery and whispered, "We're going to wait for them to go to sleep, then steal the hovercar. Hopefully, they won't know we're there until we fire up the hovercar."
They settled down to wait. Before long, Emery's weight shifted to lean against him, and he heard the deep sound of her breathing as she fell into a restless sleep.
Several hours later with the moon high in the now clear sky, Gray shook Emery awake. She looked blearily around and opened her mouth to speak, but Gray placed his hand over her mouth to keep her from giving away their presence. Awareness of their situation returned, and she nodded her head to let Gray know she understood. He removed his hand, and they slowly got to their feet.
Gray skirted the edge of the clearing until they were on the same side as the hovercar. He motioned for Emery to go in front of him before they ran to the side of the hovercar opposite where the men lay sleeping near the embers of the fire. The man who was supposed to be keeping watch sat with his back against a tree, his head drooping to his chest as he let out a soft snore.
Emery pushed the door of the hovercar open and stepped up into the vehicle with Gray close behind. She quickly made her way to the controls and studied them.
"Can you do it?" Gray whispered.
Emery dropped to her knees and pulled off the front of the console, exposing a mass of wires. "I think so, but it's going to take a few minutes."
Gray's eyes roved over the sleeping men outside. "Just do it as quickly as you can. And stay low so no one can see you if they wake up."
Emery nodded and set to work.
###
"Are you almost done?" Gray's anxious voice echoed through the hovercar despite his attempt to be quiet.
"Almost," Emery answered. "One more wire ought to do it."
Gray peered out the hovercar window, struggling to make out the sleeping forms of the men now that a cloud had drifted across the moon. "Can you even see what you're doing?"
Emery made a noncommittal noise and continued fumbling with the wires. Several minutes passed before she said, "Are you ready?"
Gray covered the short distance across the hovercar with quick strides. "You're sure?"
Even in the darkness, Gray could see the incredulous look Emery gave him. "Of course I'm sure. Child genius, me, remember?"
"And so humble about it, too." Gray grinned at Emery through the darkness then sobered. "When you start this thing, those men out there are going to wake up and most likely start shooting." He motioned to the floor. "You need to stay as low as you can and get us out of here as fast as you can."
Emery's eyes widened. "Gray, I've never driven anything before. Just because I can start it, doesn't mean I can drive it."
Gray's blue eyes took in Emery's startled face and did a quick sweep of the sleeping camp outside. He lowered himself until he was eye level with Emery. "What happened to the child genius of a few secon
ds ago?"
Emery gestured at the mess of wires in front of her. "This is mechanical. It's technology. I understand that. I live in that world." She motioned to the scene outside the window. "This is real-world stuff. Driving. Shooting. I don't do either of those things. This is where the child part of child genius comes in."
Gray scanned outside the windows once more then turned his attention back to Emery. He placed his hands on her shoulders and captured her gaze with his. "You can do this. You only need to drive long enough to get us out of range of their weapons. Then I'll take over. I believe in you. You just have to believe in yourself."
Emery nodded and looked outside once more. She straightened her shoulders and said, "OK, I'll do my best."
Gray gave her a friendly slap on the back and said, "That's all anyone can do. Now, what's the best way out of here?"
They discussed their exit strategy for a few minutes before Gray returned to his post crouching at the opposite end of the hovercar. "Remember, stay low."
Gray heard Emery inhale deeply. She whispered, "Ready?"
"Ready."
The hovercar rumbled to life. The sound startled awake the men in the camp. As they struggled through the fog of sleep to identify the sound, Emery slowly scooted the car forward.
"We need to go faster, Em," Gray said, keeping his eyes on the camp. Two of the men had pulled themselves from their bedrolls and were scrambling for their weapons.
"I'm working on it. It's hard to see in the dark. Can I turn on the lights?"
"No lights. That will make us a target. Just head around the camp toward Ginger and Tristan."
Emery worked the controls, hunching as low as she could over the control board.
The first bullet thunked into the side of the hovercar. Gray crouched next to the window, wishing for a rifle. A large thump came from the front of the hovercar, and they stopped moving.
"What's going on?" Gray ran to the front of the car, keeping low, until he was at Emery's side.
"Sorry. Tree stump."
"Emery, get us moving." The delay had allowed the men to gain on them, and one reached out to grab the outside handrail just as Emery lurched the hovercar forward again. The man fell and another stopped to help him up. More bullets struck the side of the hovercar.
"Can you give us more speed?"
The hovercar gave another thump and shuddered to a stop, the engine dying. "Emery!"
"I'm trying!"
Gray took a deep breath. The window behind him shattered from the impact of a bullet. Another man had reached the hovercar. Emery re-fired the engine, and the car lurched forward but not before the man had grabbed onto the handrail, dropping his gun when the hovercar moved. His feet found purchase on the outside step, and he used his free hand to begin prying open the doors. A bullet shattered another window.
"Emery, wiggle from side to side. We're about to have company."
She jerked the hovercar from side to side, but the vehicle wasn't built for maneuvering; it was designed for straight line transportation. Her efforts did little to knock the man off. The doors to the hovercar opened slightly, and the man pushed his arm through. Gray's gaze swept the hovercar, landing on an ax handle the men had left in the vehicle. He brought the ax handle down hard on the man's arm and heard the sickening crunch of breaking bone. The man screamed and fell from the car.
Emery put on a burst of speed, and the men from the camp fell into the distance behind them. Gray pushed the doors shut, then joined Emery at the controls.
"You can drive now." Emery made to move out of the way.
"You've got it all figured out now. Sure you don't want to keep going?"
Emery stepped back. "I'm good. Child, remember?"
Gray stepped up to the controls Emery had vacated and studied them. They seemed fairly straightforward and reminded him of some training they had received from an old text about technology-driven vehicles. At the time, he was sure he would never use it. He wondered if the training had been created by someone who knew about The Hub. He shook away the unanswerable question and focused on piloting the car back to Tristan and Ginger in the dusky gray of dawn.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Maeve woke to a wet nose nudging her face. Her head leaned against Gray's shoulder, and she snuggled closer, not wanting to open her eyes. Rufus's nose nudged her face again, this time followed by a whine. The shoulder under her cheek shifted, and she opened one eye, tilting her head to kiss Gray on the cheek. She jerked herself away from Patrick, embarrassed that in the fog of sleep she had mistaken him for Gray. Rufus sat in front of her and whined again. Patrick gave her a rueful smile, and asked, "How do I work as a pillow?"
Maeve's cheeks reddened, and she avoided his gaze. "Sorry. I forgot where I was for a minute."
Patrick rotated his shoulder, working the kinks out after having stayed still for so long. "No problem. It's been a rough week for you. I'm just glad you got some sleep."
Rufus whined again, and Maeve finally gave him her full attention in the dim light of pre-dawn. "What is it boy?"
He sniffed the air, whined and paced to the edge of the clearing where he whined again.
"He wants us to follow him." Maeve removed the rain covering from around her shoulders. The storm had passed during the night, but the humidity remained. She stood, pulled two protein bars from her pack and handed one to Patrick.
Patrick took a bite and said, "We should wake the others and see what Rufus has found."
In minutes, everyone was awake and eating protein bars as they shouldered their packs. Patrick and Amelia gathered the canteens and refilled them in the stream they had found last night. Rufus waited impatiently at the edge of the clearing, occasionally letting out another whine.
"OK, boy. Lead the way." Maeve gave Rufus a quick scratch on the ears, and he took off into the forest, crashing ahead of them then waiting impatiently for them to catch up. Once, he stopped, sniffed the ground, started one direction then doubled back to go the opposite way.
"Does he know where he's going?" asked Amelia, who had fallen into step next to Maeve.
Maeve shrugged. "He hasn't led me astray so far. He helped keep a 10-year-old kid safe in the desert, so he's earned my trust."
"Has Patrick also earned your trust?" Amelia asked with a touch of bitterness.
Maeve gave her a bewildered look. "I trust him. Don't you?"
"You two seemed pretty cozy over there for just knowing each other a short time. I thought you had a boyfriend."
Maeve gave short laugh. "That was nothing. He offered to share his rain covering since I didn't have one. I fell asleep. I actually thought he was Gray when I woke up this morning."
"So, there's nothing going on between you?"
"Not on my part." Maeve moved a branch out of the way and carefully picked her way around a prickly thornbush. She turned so Amelia could see her face. "I've already given my heart away. I only hope there's still someone to give it to when this is over."
Amelia gave her a long, hard look then nodded. "If he's half as determined as you, I'm sure he's fine and trying his best to get back to you."
They followed Rufus in silence for a few minutes before Maeve broke the silence. "So, you’re interested in Patrick?"
Amelia blushed. "Maybe. I don't really know him very well, but he's strong and capable and a good leader." She glanced over her shoulder to where Patrick was guarding their rear. "I'd like to get to know him better."
"Maybe when this is over, you will."
"I don't think he knows I exist as anything other than a faceless soldier."
"When this is over, seize the moment, Amelia. You don't know when you're going to get another chance."
Before Amelia could answer, Rufus let out a round of sharp barks and stopped at the base of a tree. Maeve hurried over to him. "What is it, Rufus?"
The dog continued to sit at the base of the tree, looking at Maeve with his large, brown eyes as if asking for praise for a job well-done. She looked arou
nd the area in confusion. She could see and hear nothing except the forest and the animals in it. Had Rufus led them out here to chase a squirrel?
"Well," Patrick said when he reached her side. "What did he find?"
Maeve looked around again. "I don't see anything." She knelt down next to Rufus and scratched his ears. "What are you trying to tell us, boy?"
"You got us up before dawn to follow a dog on a chase to nowhere?" Private Campbell's voice split the silence. "So glad we've got you on our team."
"Rufus wouldn't just bring us out here for no reason. There has to be something here." Maeve walked a circle around the tree but still saw nothing.
"He's a dog," Private Campbell said. "He probably got distracted by some wildlife. And now we've lost sleep and will have to backtrack."
Maeve moved closer to Private Campbell. "This dog saved my life. I'm never going to ignore him when he's trying to tell me something. If he says there's something here, then there's something here. We just have to figure out what it is."
Private Campbell let out a snort. "Who put you in charge?"
"No one," Patrick said. "I decided to wake you and follow the dog." Patrick put a hand on Private Campbell's shoulder and sent her a warning look.
"There has to be something here," Maeve repeated.
"I know you think Rufus is amazing," Patrick said. "And I'm not saying he's not," he added quickly before Maeve could object. "But is it possible he's just being a dog? That he smelled or heard something and wanted you to chase it with him?"
Maeve's gaze traveled across the tree canopy and around the forest floor. Birds chirped and leaves rustled in the breeze. The forest was filled with the sounds of its inhabitants waking up, but nothing out of the ordinary struck Maeve. She opened her mouth to admit defeat when an ear-splitting roar filled the air.
The roar echoed through the forest, and the hair on Maeve's arms stood up. The soldiers immediately reached for their guns. As quickly as it had started, the roar ended, but Maeve could feel the ground vibrating through her boots as the trees swayed.
The Lost City: The Palumbra Chronicles: Book Two Page 25