“But at least you’ve had training,” Will said. “And it still didn’t help you out there. If we fared so badly, what hope is there for these people? Even if the criminal gangs handed out guns to everyone in the city it’d make no difference. Energy weapons have no effect, even at point-blank range. There’s nothing we can do. Except flee.”
She studied him. She couldn’t help the disappointment that filled her features. “I thought you, as a Karnator, believed all life was sacred? What if someone here is one of the many friends and family members you’ve lost over the years, someone reborn into a new body that will die again before its time? And what about Bardain?”
“Against my better judgment, I came back with you to warn this settlement of its impending doom,” Will said. “Now that I’ve done that, I have no qualms about leaving it to its fate. Bardain made his choice. And as for the rest… if some of Rust Town’s residents are my friends reincarnate, they’ll be reborn again soon enough. My conscience rests easy on the matter.”
“Well, mine does not,” Rhea said. “Because I’m not sure I believe that.”
“It doesn’t matter what you believe,” Will told her. “Horatio and I are leaving after we sell our salvage. Stay or join us, it’s up to you.”
“And if I stay, what about my debt?” she pressed.
Will’s eyes filled with sadness. “If you die, we can’t collect, can we?”
She traveled with Will and Horatio to the seedy neighborhood that harbored Rosco’s Parts Emporium. She didn’t go in, as usual, not wanting to alert Rosco to her cyborg nature, lest the opportunistic salvager decide to do something “untoward” to her as Will put it. Gizmo circled far overhead, amid the other drones.
She decided it was best not to explore any of the surrounding shops this time, and instead contented herself with standing next to the wall, keeping her head bowed and watching her back via Gizmo.
She didn’t have long to wait: in only a few minutes Will and Horatio emerged. That wasn’t surprising, considering the adverse effects on the haul that came with turning back early.
Will tossed Rhea her empty backpack. At the same time, she received a deposit request on her HUD for the amount of fifty creds.
She stared at Will in disbelief. “You’re not keeping the proceeds as a down payment against my debt?”
“Take the money,” Will said. “Use it to buy a pistol or something.”
“We already know pistols are useless against these creatures,” Rhea said, sliding on her pack.
“Well, you need to arm yourself with something,” Will told her.
“But I’m not sure I’ll be able to pay off any more of the debit I owe you…” she said.
“Then survive,” Will said.
Finally, she accepted the deposit. She’d certainly feel better if she was armed, going into this. These Hydras had to have some weakness after all. The problem was trying to find out just what it was before they killed her.
She accompanied Will and Horatio to the southern gate of Rust Town, which opened close to Aradne’s walls. There were few ruins beyond it: Will and Horatio would quickly find themselves on the flat, rocky plains of the Outlands when they departed.
The pair had notified gate security of their arrival ahead of time, so that their weapons had been delivered to that particular gate and were waiting for them when they arrived.
“Well, this is it,” Will said, standing before the gap between the Texas barriers. “There’s still time to change your mind.”
Rhea shook her head. “Let’s not make this any harder than it is.”
Will nodded. “All right then.” He stepped forward, and quickly wrapped his arms around her. “Goodbye.” His words were hoarse.
“Bye, Will,” she said softly.
Will stepped back, and quickly looked away.
“I will miss you,” Horatio said. “For a cyborg, you are most… human.”
Rhea smiled fleetingly. “For a robot, you’re most human yourself.”
“Thank you,” Horatio said, and hugged her tight, so very tight.
Rhea couldn’t help the tears then. She’d miss these two more than anything. They were the only friends she had. Her family.
It was hard enough saying goodbye like this, but what made it even harder was the fact that she was never going to see them again. Because who was she kidding? She wasn’t going to survive this. This was truly the last time she’d look upon either of their faces or hear their voices.
She quickly pulled away and rubbed her wet cheeks. “Well, you better go before I embarrass myself.”
She glanced at Will, and saw he was having a hard time keeping it together, too. His chin was doing this odd, trembling thing, and he nodded stiffly before turning around and passing through the gate. Horatio followed.
The pair collected their weapons on the other side from the waiting sentry robots and departed. Will glanced back one last time to wave, and then he and Horatio were walking away down the broken street beyond. They kept close to the ruins of a skyscraper and vanished all too soon past its far side.
Rhea glanced at the sky beyond the Texas barrier and zoomed in on Gizmo; the drone remained within view for only a few moments before also swooping beyond the skyscraper.
And so it’s done. I’m all alone now.
She turned her back on the gate.
It’s time to die.
27
Rhea went to the closest arms shop to buy a pistol with the funds Will had given her, only to discover the price had strangely skyrocketed since her last visit to the city. She suspected Aradne was to blame, with its rulers buying up most of the weapons—and thus driving up the prices of the remaining stock—so that the residents of Rust Town would be defenseless when the Hydras attacked.
So much for buying a weapon.
With a sigh she left the shop.
She wondered if she should seek out Bardain, to fight at his side. It was likely he wouldn’t
