Compared
to the vehicle George had ridden in during his previous adventure,
the pickup had a weaker suspension. As a result, the bumpiness of the
ride was greater. Along with the fact that they were traveling at a
greater velocity, that led to a wilder journey.
It was
all good and fun until his rear started complaining of the repeated
impacts that the severe seat did little to cushion. And later, his
knees would demand stretching. Since the pickup had not an enclosed
cockpit, George was exposed to the wasteland heat. The cooling vest
did help alleviate some of the discomfort, but he still perspired.
Also, the air his breathing mask fed him was stale.
George
started hoping for some distraction to take his mind off his
discomfort. "When do I learn driving?" he asked Tricia. The
microphone and earphones in his headgear made conversation easy
despite the noise of the engine and various other vibrations.
"Later,"
Tricia replied without taking her eyes off the front, "First, we
pick up Io."
George knew Iona, the third member of the Scarlet Vixens. In his previous
adventure, that girl had also met with them outside of the tower
city.
"Why
doesn't Iona meet with us in Covenant?" George asked.
"She's
not a citizen," Tricia replied, "She can't enter the city
legally."
"Besides,"
Mabel added from the back, "she doesn't like city food. Believe
it or not, it doesn't agree with her digestion."
Iona was
not a citizen? That would mean that she was the first person George
had ever met that was not a citizen of Covenant. Everyone he had
known before that lived in the tower city.
"So,
Iona lives in the wasteland? Is she a waster?" George asked.
"No,"
Tricia told him, "She's a tribeswoman. The tribespeople are
another civilization that live far across the wasteland. They have
cities but they're more willing to venture out into the wilderness
than us urbanites."
"Urbanites?"
George inquired.
"That's
what the others call us people who live in the tower city,"
Mabel told him.
"Anyway,
once we've picked up Io," Tricia said, "we'll drop both her
and Mab off for a job."
"They've
something to do?" George asked.
"Someone
wanted us to retrieve a specific object from a bunch of wasters
occupying an abandoned mine," Tricia answered, "It involves
plenty of sneaking, so they're more suited to it than I am."
"Since
Trish and you are providing our exit," Mabel added, "you'll
get a tiny share of our pay."
"That's
nice," George said flatly. His part would probably be that
quarter-share he had agreed with Tricia.
"And
while Mab and Io are busy," Tricia said, "I'll be teaching
you to drive."
George
looked to the driver. "Is it possible that you invited me along
because you'd be bored waiting alone?" he guessed.
Mabel in
the back answered instead, "You got it, Squirt!"
"There's
also a delivery to make," Tricia mentioned.
It
looked like the highlight of the day would be learning to drive.
George hoped that it would be worth all the pain he had and would
experience. At least the plan would not take him into firefights. It
would not take him into any forgotten mysteries or precious treasure
either.
Eventually,
Tricia slowed the pickup to a stop. "Here we are," she
announced.
"Where
are we?" George asked.
"Io
has her camp here," Tricia replied, "Well, these are
the coordinates I was given."
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