Read Online The Day After Never - Purgatory Road (Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian Thriller - Book 2) by Russell Blake - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Russell Blake
Ads: Link
you want?”
Lucas haggled for ten minutes, but in the end he agreed to a price that was probably double what the grenade launcher and projectiles were actually worth, provided that the mayor threw in a vest and the four hand grenades. The launcher would seriously increase his defensive capabilities from rifle distance, which could be the difference between life and death in an ugly pinch, he rationalized. Reluctant as he was to part with another gold maple leaf, he was willing to do so as a form of insurance. Armed with a dozen frag grenades, at that distance he could hold off a battalion and inflict serious damage almost out of range of many of the rifles in everyday use.
Lucas approached the vests almost as an afterthought and took his time sorting through them, studying the stitching and pockets for wear, evaluating the fastenings and workmanship. He concealed the increase in his breathing when he spotted the black stylized eagle and tried the vest on, fingers feeling for the tiny USB drive without appearing to.
He felt a small bump, almost imperceptible, and turned to the mayor. “This one will do.”
“Not as nice as yours, but still, a good choice.”
“Little blood on the front plate carrier compartment,” Lucas noted.
“Slightly used. Prior owner didn’t clean it.” The mayor looked the vest over. “You can choose a different one if it’s a problem.”
“Nah. This will do.”
“You got the coin?”
“Yes.”
Lucas slipped one of the maple leafs from his pocket and handed it to the Raider, who looked it over with a practiced eye and then bit it and studied the marks before nodding. “Where are the AKs?”
“Saddlebags, along with the magazines and the pistols.”
“Let’s go get ’em.”
They retraced their steps, and Lucas reclaimed his weapons. The guard’s eyebrows rose when he saw the Milkor, but he said nothing. The mayor walked with Lucas out to where Tango was waiting patiently, and Lucas unpacked the rifles and magazines. The mayor made a face when he saw the condition of the guns.
“You use these to dig a ditch or something?”
“They could use a cleaning,” Lucas agreed. “But they work.”
“Sure you don’t want to do a deal for your M4 or your Kimber?” the mayor tried again.
“Not interested. Sentimental value.”
The Raider looked him up and down. “Didn’t strike me as the type.”
Lucas shrugged. “Never know.”
The burly guard took the magazines and guns inside, and Lucas packed his new acquisitions into his saddlebags. When he was finished, he tipped his hat brim. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
“Likewise. Enjoy the new toys.”
“More than anyone on the receiving end.”
“Want a bottle for the road?”
“Little early for me.”
“Fair enough.”
The mayor ambled back into the building as Lucas swung into the saddle and urged Tango onto the road out of town. The man watched him from the doorway, and when Lucas was near the camp area, twisted his head and called out, “Boyd, ride after him, but keep your distance. When he stops to rest, take him out and bring me his gear. And search him thoroughly – bastard’s got more gold. I can smell it on him.”
Boyd, the largest of the three men, nodded. “Might take all day.”
“Once he’s out of the city limits, he’s fair game, far as I’m concerned.”
Boyd, who had disarmed Lucas at the door, nodded. “Looks like he knows how to use that M4. Thing’s clean.”
“Take your Armalite. He’ll never know what hit him.”
Boyd grinned. The AR-50A1 .50-caliber rifle was notoriously deadly and had earned a reputation as a breathtakingly effective sniper rifle in the right hands. Boyd was ex-military and accurate with the gun up to a thousand yards for a human-sized stationary target, but would try for a kill shot at closer to five hundred – almost a third of a mile away, which was still an impressive distance absent modern conveniences like laser range finders and ballistic
Lucas haggled for ten minutes, but in the end he agreed to a price that was probably double what the grenade launcher and projectiles were actually worth, provided that the mayor threw in a vest and the four hand grenades. The launcher would seriously increase his defensive capabilities from rifle distance, which could be the difference between life and death in an ugly pinch, he rationalized. Reluctant as he was to part with another gold maple leaf, he was willing to do so as a form of insurance. Armed with a dozen frag grenades, at that distance he could hold off a battalion and inflict serious damage almost out of range of many of the rifles in everyday use.
Lucas approached the vests almost as an afterthought and took his time sorting through them, studying the stitching and pockets for wear, evaluating the fastenings and workmanship. He concealed the increase in his breathing when he spotted the black stylized eagle and tried the vest on, fingers feeling for the tiny USB drive without appearing to.
He felt a small bump, almost imperceptible, and turned to the mayor. “This one will do.”
“Not as nice as yours, but still, a good choice.”
“Little blood on the front plate carrier compartment,” Lucas noted.
“Slightly used. Prior owner didn’t clean it.” The mayor looked the vest over. “You can choose a different one if it’s a problem.”
“Nah. This will do.”
“You got the coin?”
“Yes.”
Lucas slipped one of the maple leafs from his pocket and handed it to the Raider, who looked it over with a practiced eye and then bit it and studied the marks before nodding. “Where are the AKs?”
“Saddlebags, along with the magazines and the pistols.”
“Let’s go get ’em.”
They retraced their steps, and Lucas reclaimed his weapons. The guard’s eyebrows rose when he saw the Milkor, but he said nothing. The mayor walked with Lucas out to where Tango was waiting patiently, and Lucas unpacked the rifles and magazines. The mayor made a face when he saw the condition of the guns.
“You use these to dig a ditch or something?”
“They could use a cleaning,” Lucas agreed. “But they work.”
“Sure you don’t want to do a deal for your M4 or your Kimber?” the mayor tried again.
“Not interested. Sentimental value.”
The Raider looked him up and down. “Didn’t strike me as the type.”
Lucas shrugged. “Never know.”
The burly guard took the magazines and guns inside, and Lucas packed his new acquisitions into his saddlebags. When he was finished, he tipped his hat brim. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
“Likewise. Enjoy the new toys.”
“More than anyone on the receiving end.”
“Want a bottle for the road?”
“Little early for me.”
“Fair enough.”
The mayor ambled back into the building as Lucas swung into the saddle and urged Tango onto the road out of town. The man watched him from the doorway, and when Lucas was near the camp area, twisted his head and called out, “Boyd, ride after him, but keep your distance. When he stops to rest, take him out and bring me his gear. And search him thoroughly – bastard’s got more gold. I can smell it on him.”
Boyd, the largest of the three men, nodded. “Might take all day.”
“Once he’s out of the city limits, he’s fair game, far as I’m concerned.”
Boyd, who had disarmed Lucas at the door, nodded. “Looks like he knows how to use that M4. Thing’s clean.”
“Take your Armalite. He’ll never know what hit him.”
Boyd grinned. The AR-50A1 .50-caliber rifle was notoriously deadly and had earned a reputation as a breathtakingly effective sniper rifle in the right hands. Boyd was ex-military and accurate with the gun up to a thousand yards for a human-sized stationary target, but would try for a kill shot at closer to five hundred – almost a third of a mile away, which was still an impressive distance absent modern conveniences like laser range finders and ballistic
Similar Books
