Renaldo slipped from her grasp, slinking deeper into the stairwell. Rhea retreated slightly, too, but kept close enough to the entrance to continue watching. Will, Horatio and Chuck crowded behind her, peering past her shoulder.
As more and more of the creatures shoved inside, pieces of the entrance broke away, enlarging it further, until almost two bioweapons could squeeze inside at the same time. But then the flow subsided. Rhea counted twenty-one of the creatures crammed into the front portion of the garage.
Now that they were out of the death zone, most of the bioweapons calmed, despite the fact the roof continued to shake, and that some among them still squealed; their antennae began feeling about, and they branched out, some approaching the stairwell. For a moment Rhea feared they were coming for her and her companions, but when the Tasins discovered the tankers, the bioweapons all began squealing with glee. The four-legged creatures rapidly surrounded all three tanks, and promptly began perforating them with their suckers to get at the water. They fought amongst each other for access, squeezing between one another until every last square meter was covered, with the bioweapons pressing their mouths to the steel surface and melting through to drink.
The Tasin that was on fire still shrieked off to one side, but then it promptly collapsed. Its carcass burned silently in one corner. The others seemed not to notice, busy as they were sapping the tanks.
The roof stopped shaking. The bombing run was over, at least for now.
Remind me why we thought stealing water from Aradne was a good idea? Will commented over their mental line.
We’re not really going to go out there, are we? Renaldo asked over the same thought channel.
We can’t stay here, Rhea said. When they’re done with the tankers, they might rest for a few minutes, but as soon as they start moving again, they’ll find us. Those antennae can sense odorants at concentrations well below point one parts-per-billion.
The question is, do we head to the fallback point? Will sent. Or do we abandon this place entirely, and head back to the entrance.
We’ll have to sneak past them, if we attempt to return to the entrance, Horatio transmitted over the mental line. Even if we hug the walls of the garage, we’ll still pass within five meters of at least three Tasins. But if we travel to the fallback point, this is the closest we’ll get to them. For now.
We’re only fifteen meters away, Chuck sent.
Fifteen meters is better than five, Horatio countered.
But didn’t the Warden just say they’ll find us with those antennae of theirs? Renaldo sent. Retreating to the fallback is just as bad as staying here. Maybe worse, because we’ll only be trapping ourselves deeper in the garage.
Yes, but at least we’ll have a vehicle when we reach the fallback point, Horatio said. If they discover us now, we’re doomed. There’s no way to outrun them.
Maybe the Warden can pull a Rust Town for us, Chuck sent. And use that bladed weapon of hers to chop off all their heads. We’ll pull our weight, or course: Tasins don’t like it when you shoot them in the suckers, I hear.
While it’s true that their mouths are a known weakness, I’d rather avoid combat, if I can help it, she broadcast. If you’ll recall, I ended the battle of Rust Town in pieces.
She’s right, Renaldo transmitted. If we have to fight, there’s a good chance at least one of us won’t come out the other side.
And that would be you, of course, Stick Arms, Chuck sent.
Let’s say we go to the fallback point, and get the vehicle the advance party left us, Will said. What then?
We wait, Rhea said. When the Tasins come, they’ll likely be spread out in a long line, dispersed throughout the garage. We drive around them. If any get too close, we shoot them in the mouth. We keep going until we reach the exit.
And emerge straight into the arms of the waiting security forces? Will pressed. I lost contact with Gizmo when we entered the garage. Who knows what’s waiting for us out there?
Keeping an eye on the bioweapons, Rhea hastily explained her plan.
I don’t like it, but I suppose we don’t have much choice, Will sent.
I don’t want to go, Renaldo said. Can I stay?
Grow a pair, Chuck told him. You’ve come this far. Do you really want your life culminating in a coward’s death? Devoured by a Tasin beneath a stairwell in the middle of nowhere? You say you fought when you were cornered in the semi? Well, fight now, then. Otherwise I’ll never believe you. I’ll never let you live this down. Assuming you live at all.
In answer, Renaldo only quivered.
Will glanced at the creatures. Should we go before our friends here finish?
There were three creatures sitting on the sidelines—runts who had been unable to jostle for a place among any of the tankers. They sat between the vehicles, hoping for a turn.
The idle creatures in a group of otherwise occupied bioweapons were always the most dangerous. They would soon grow bored, and hunger would drive them to search for new prey. If it picked up the scent and found the humans, the fight wouldn’t necessarily be easy: a runt among bioweapons was still formidable, compared to a human. Or a cyborg. Also, the resulting commotion would attract the bigger creatures, and the jig would be up.
The closest of the three unoccupied bioweapons was the Tasin missing a foreleg. Keeping an eye on that one, Rhea slowly crept past the stairwell opening. She flattened her body against the adjacent wall and edged forward. The others followed, similarly hugging the wall and advancing crabwise beside her, forming a chain of nervous humanity.
She glanced over her shoulder and was relieved to find Renaldo following on drag. She hated the thought of having to go back for him. Because she would have.
The light from
