Read Online Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) by Norma Hinkens - Free Book Online

before crawling out from my hiding spot. One eye on my surroundings, I brush the worst of the mud and leaves from my clothes. Jody appears at the top of the ridge, and I signal to her that it's safe to come down. She turns away from me and makes a graceful descent, using the roots for support as she lowers herself back to the ground.
    "Lucky break," she says. "I thought for sure the patrol was on to you."
    "We're not out of danger yet," I say, throwing a nervous glance over her shoulder.
    She frowns. "What's wrong?"
    "Rummy's here. Hiding out. He must be trying to contact Blade."
    Jody's eyes widen. "Did he see you?"
    "Yeah, but he won't give me up. The last person he wants to talk to is The Ghost."
    "No telling what he might do to save his own skin." Jody furrows her brow. "It's too dangerous to try and rescue Curly now with the patrol lagging behind and Rummy nosing around. We should stick to our original plan and set up an ambush."
    I pull my lips into a tight line. "Rummy better not mess this up." I shoulder my pack and give the straps a quick tug to secure it. "If he makes his move before us, he'll put the Rogues on high alert, and whatever chance we have of rescuing Curly will be shot."

    S ven looks visibly relieved when we show back up. "I was about to go searching for you. What took you so long?"
    "We had a close call," I say. "Turns out Rummy's following the Rogues too."
    Sven whistles. "He doesn't want to leave without Blade."
    I nod. "That's my guess."
    "It could complicate things for us," Jody says.
    "I'll tell the clones to keep an eye out for him," Sven says. "What do you want us to do if we spot him?"
    "Take him alive," I say. "He may agree to help us once he hears our plan. It would be his best shot of getting Blade out of there."
    We load up our gear and continue tracking the Rogues from a safe distance until the dappled green light on the trail fades to dusk and the patchworked understory assumes a nighttime pall. Amidst the shadows, we creep silently closer to where the Rogues are setting up camp. From beneath a dense patch of ferns, I watch the activity through binoculars. The campfire in the center flickers and snaps to the sound of muffled chatter. Several armed guards patrol the perimeter. I grimace. The Ghost isn't about to make the same mistake twice.
    I turn to Sven. "We should split up now. I'll take half the military clones ahead on the trail and scout out the best spots for sniper positions."
    "I'm coming with you," Sven says. "My men can handle the rear attack."
    I'm still shaken from my encounter with Rummy so I don't argue with him. This time, I want Sven at my side. "Tell your men to follow the Rogues as soon as they break camp in the morning. No one's to fire off a shot until we confirm Curly's position. We can't take the chance of him being hit in the crossfire."
    Sven wastes no time dividing the clones into two groups. "Wait for my signal to attack," he instructs the group that will strike from the rear.
    I turn to Jody. "You and the rest of the riders flank the Rogues from the East and get Curly out of there as soon as they scatter."
    Jody gives a curt nod. She turns to go but then hesitates. "Whatever happens, thank you for coming. Curly would have done the same for any of us in a heartbeat." She reaches for her pack and gestures to the riders to follow her.
    Sven and I take the first group of clones on a circuitous route around the Rogues' camp, clambering over downed trees and traversing streams to avoid any chance of encountering a patrol. Once we're a safe distance ahead on the trail, we start searching for the best section of forest canopy to conceal ourselves in. We need to be situated far enough back from the trail to be protected from random shots, but close enough to allow for accuracy when it comes to picking off the Rogues.
    After some debate, we settle on a dense patch of oak, birch and hemlock trees of varying heights. "We might as well eat first and rest for a few hours