George
had not any experience with navigation in a wide open space the size
of a wasteland, but if he was not mistaken, they were steadily going
in a big circle. He deduced that from the position of the rising
column of black smoke. They were going back where they had come from,
towards the smoke.
Tricia
was studying the datapad so George could not check the navigation
data, unless he wanted access it on the tiny screen of his wristcom.
There were more important things to watch out for, like stray
bullets.
One
bullet hit the roll bar just above him. George ducked reflexively.
"Missile!"
Tricia cried a warning.
Mabel
suddenly swerved aside. There was an explosion on the ground off to
their left, throwing sand into the air.
"We
should send them one of our own," Mabel suggested.
"We
have a launcher?" Tricia asked.
"I
packed a double-R nine in the back."
"That
would've been useful earlier." Tricia passed the datapad to
George and removed her cooling hose and seat belt. "Don't fire
the gun," she told him as she climbed into the cargo area,
"Without experience, you'll disrupt Mab's driving."
"If
Laura were here," Mabel said, "she could drive, you take
the MG and I can take the double-R nine."
Tricia
started looking in the lockers as more bullets rattled against armor.
"She's not here, we'll just have to do with who we have."
"Incoming!"
Mabel warned.
Tricia
braced herself against the walls of the cargo space as Mabel dodged
another missile.
George
glanced at the datapad. According to the radar, their pursuers were
really close. He did not want to turn for a look and risk receiving a
bullet.
"Okay,
found it!" Tricia announced as she took out a missile launcher
about the size of her arm. She loaded a missile into the weapon.
"Squirt, climb to my side. Expand the radar to fullscreen and
let me see."
The
cargo area was divided by the housing of the machinegun. That made it
difficult for Tricia to move. However, the housing only intruded a
little into the space between the rear passenger seats so George
could still get over to Tricia's side. He had to unplug his seat belt
and cooling hose so he could move easier.
Once
settled into Tricia's previous seat, George dragged the radar display
on the datapad to cover the whole screen, then he held it over his
shoulder for Tricia.
Tricia
noted the positions of the opposing vehicles. She programmed a few
settings into the targeting computer of her launcher. With a grip on
the armor plating protecting the cargo area, and her legs on a few
lockers, she pulled herself up. She snapped a shot in the general
direction of a Steel Turtle Grid buggy before ducking to avoid
gunfire.
On the
radar, George saw the missile leave the vehicle towards its target.
There was the distant blast of an explosion. He risked propping
himself higher for a better view of their rear.
There
was a smoking buggy spinning out of control, dropping into the
distance. George ducked back as bullets came in his direction. He
glanced at his bracelet. Two of the beads were broken. When had he
been hit?
At
Tricia's instruction, George again presented the datapad. Once again,
the taller Vixen programmed her weapon and positioned herself to
fire. However, Tricia fired just as the pickup lurched aside at the
same time as an explosion near the vehicle. She gasped as she fell
heavily.
George
himself barely kept to his seat. He immediately started to buckle
himself up.
There
was another blast from behind. "Trish, you missed," Mabel
exclaimed, "Ah, our precious missile... I want to do some
shooting! Laura~!"
Tricia
looked in the locker where she had found her weapon. "Only two
missiles!?"
"I
packed three," Mabel told her.
"Where's
the last?"
"I
put it in another locker since there wasn't space in that one."
"Where!?"
"Can't
remember!" Mabel suddenly swerved to avoid another missile.
"Just keep them busy a little longer. We're almost there."
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