Read Online Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) by Norma Hinkens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Norma Hinkens
Ads: Link
quickly cramp up and I stretch back out, listening for footsteps. Before long the sound of a large number of people moving through the brush reaches my ears. When the first Rogue strides into view, I clench my jaw and line up my sight. Four, five, eight armed men go by. A trickle of sweat inches its way down one side of my nose but I don't dare move a finger to swipe at it.
Several more Rogues appear and then I spot The Ghost and Blade. I signal to Sven to get ready.
Another handful of Rogues march by, scanning the brush on either side of the trail. Still no sign of Curly. My nerves are beginning to unravel. He was limping yesterday. Maybe they moved him to the back of the pack so he doesn't hold them up. Not a safe position once the second group of military clones attacks from the rear.
My apprehension turns to dread when the last of the Rogues march by--followed by a heavily armed patrol. I throw a quick glance in Sven's direction. He raises his brows questioningly, and I signal to him to hold his fire.
The Rogues bootlace through the trees until they're out of sight and their footsteps have deadened. My pulse hammers in my temples. Did they kill Curly? Or leave him somewhere for dead? Either way, we're going to have to backtrack and look for him. I whistle like a wood thrush to signal to the clones that we're retreating. Ignoring Sven's offer of assistance, I jump from the last branch and land with a soft thud in a thick carpet of moss. A moment later Jody and the riders emerge from the forest. "What happened?" Jody asks. "We waited for your signal."
"I exhale. "He wasn't with them."
Jody's eyes burrow into me. Alarm works its way across her face. "We have to find him."
"We will, but you need to ... prepare yourself."
She sways gently back and forth as if reeling from the insinuation that Curly might be dead. Her eyes moisten. "If they killed him, we might never find him. They could have buried him anywhere."
The brush behind us rustles. A sinister laugh sets my skin on fire. "Curly ain't two foot under yet."
9
J ody and I spin around in unison. The bushes part and Rummy steps through, shoving a disheveled Curly in front of him. "This the cowboy you're looking for?"
Jody takes a step toward him, but I lay a hand on her arm when Rummy reaches for his gun.
"What do you want?" I say.
A sneer flicks across his lips. "Out o' the kindness of my bleedin' heart I'm gonna give you what y'all's looking for and I ain't asking for nothin' in return." He nudges Curly in our direction. Jody and another rider rush over to him, grab him by the arms and help him over to a granite boulder.
"Where did you find him?" Sven asks.
Rummy's eyes narrow to glassy slits. "Them dawgs left him tied to a stump. Figured he'd decompose right along with it."
"I guess we owe you one," I say with some reluctance. Rummy doesn't give favors for free. My biggest fear is that he'll ask us to help him get to Blade.
"This one's won't cost you, Butterface." He slings his rifle over his shoulder. "I ain't cashing in yet, but I know where to find you." He turns and winds his way back into the brush until he's lost from view.
I take a few deep breaths before turning to Jody. She stares back at me in stunned silence.
Curly shakes his head. "Why did he help me?"
"Because I helped him escape from The Ghost once," I say. "Let's go before he changes his mind about cashing in."
I t's mid-morning by the time we reach Shoshane City. The container gates swing wide on our approach and we trot through, weary and overcome with relief. Shouts of excitement ring out from the watchtower when the guards spot Curly. They sound the horn to alert the city. Jody waves up at them and then makes a beeline to the clinic with Curly.
"I'm going to do a quick check of our security around the barricade," Sven says. "We've been lax of late, but with Rummy and The Ghost roaming free again, we'd best be prepared for anything."
I exchange a few words with the watchtower
Several more Rogues appear and then I spot The Ghost and Blade. I signal to Sven to get ready.
Another handful of Rogues march by, scanning the brush on either side of the trail. Still no sign of Curly. My nerves are beginning to unravel. He was limping yesterday. Maybe they moved him to the back of the pack so he doesn't hold them up. Not a safe position once the second group of military clones attacks from the rear.
My apprehension turns to dread when the last of the Rogues march by--followed by a heavily armed patrol. I throw a quick glance in Sven's direction. He raises his brows questioningly, and I signal to him to hold his fire.
The Rogues bootlace through the trees until they're out of sight and their footsteps have deadened. My pulse hammers in my temples. Did they kill Curly? Or leave him somewhere for dead? Either way, we're going to have to backtrack and look for him. I whistle like a wood thrush to signal to the clones that we're retreating. Ignoring Sven's offer of assistance, I jump from the last branch and land with a soft thud in a thick carpet of moss. A moment later Jody and the riders emerge from the forest. "What happened?" Jody asks. "We waited for your signal."
"I exhale. "He wasn't with them."
Jody's eyes burrow into me. Alarm works its way across her face. "We have to find him."
"We will, but you need to ... prepare yourself."
She sways gently back and forth as if reeling from the insinuation that Curly might be dead. Her eyes moisten. "If they killed him, we might never find him. They could have buried him anywhere."
The brush behind us rustles. A sinister laugh sets my skin on fire. "Curly ain't two foot under yet."
9
J ody and I spin around in unison. The bushes part and Rummy steps through, shoving a disheveled Curly in front of him. "This the cowboy you're looking for?"
Jody takes a step toward him, but I lay a hand on her arm when Rummy reaches for his gun.
"What do you want?" I say.
A sneer flicks across his lips. "Out o' the kindness of my bleedin' heart I'm gonna give you what y'all's looking for and I ain't asking for nothin' in return." He nudges Curly in our direction. Jody and another rider rush over to him, grab him by the arms and help him over to a granite boulder.
"Where did you find him?" Sven asks.
Rummy's eyes narrow to glassy slits. "Them dawgs left him tied to a stump. Figured he'd decompose right along with it."
"I guess we owe you one," I say with some reluctance. Rummy doesn't give favors for free. My biggest fear is that he'll ask us to help him get to Blade.
"This one's won't cost you, Butterface." He slings his rifle over his shoulder. "I ain't cashing in yet, but I know where to find you." He turns and winds his way back into the brush until he's lost from view.
I take a few deep breaths before turning to Jody. She stares back at me in stunned silence.
Curly shakes his head. "Why did he help me?"
"Because I helped him escape from The Ghost once," I say. "Let's go before he changes his mind about cashing in."
I t's mid-morning by the time we reach Shoshane City. The container gates swing wide on our approach and we trot through, weary and overcome with relief. Shouts of excitement ring out from the watchtower when the guards spot Curly. They sound the horn to alert the city. Jody waves up at them and then makes a beeline to the clinic with Curly.
"I'm going to do a quick check of our security around the barricade," Sven says. "We've been lax of late, but with Rummy and The Ghost roaming free again, we'd best be prepared for anything."
I exchange a few words with the watchtower
Similar Books
