CHAPTER 7

Hera: The Hide

Of course the first thing I grab out the ration stash is an oaty bar. Damn things’ll rot yer teeth, and yer brain, eat enough of ‘em. Just what my body is crying out for at the moment though, need that sugar rush.

Med kit next. Got a deep scratch across the back of my neck un-assing the temporary hide, burns like fire with the sweat runnin’ down in it now. A couple more bad ones on the forearms, the rest is all minor but the knee. Smear a little Blue Sun wonder goop on the cuts. Ahhh, that’s much better. Tear open the cloth over my achin’ knee, these britches are shot now anyways. Crush the cold pack and strap it in place, pop an analgesic to help the knee along.

Weapons..... this old Marlin and the Glock ain’t gonna cut it.

Lessee what we got to play with......naw, not the Barret. Love the punch, but too heavy to move around with quick and you cain’t carry a lot of ammo. Be great to pick off that hover, though. Yeah, the shotgun. Cain’t argue with a thumb-sized chunk of lead. Load ‘er up with mixed doubles of slugs and the A-P rounds I cooked up. Bar shot. Little balls of lead joined together with ni-chrome wire. Cut a man in half under twenty feet, make ‘im wish it had out to fifty.

Need a better sidearm, nine mils’re for shit.

Set the Glock aside. Take the forty-five out of the box. It’d do, but there’s only a few rounds left. Shoulda got more when I thought of it. Desert Eagle.....’nuff ammo, but it stove-pipes about every five shots. I need reliable right about now.

Just the thing. Callahan Model 5 , maybe the finest wheel gun ever made. Adjustable gas regulator lets me use full power loads on anything from rabbits to bear, though jackin’ it all the way up’ll give me bad muzzle climb. Top break to reload fast, and for point & shoot it cain’t be beat. Two boxes of ammo, but don’t need all of the fancy rig, just the dump pouches. Oughtta fit in the Eagle’s holster fine. Yup.

Get myself all rested up and I’ll be ready to dance again.

Shiny.....

Persephone: 15 Months Ago

First gush of water from the shower head is brown with rust, but clears up pretty quick. None too warm and smelling of iron, but it’s helpin’ blow the fog out of my head. Do the best I can without soap, see grey water goin’ down the drain. Gettin’ the worst off looks like. Let it beat on me another minute before callin’ it good. Stand here a bit to let the excess water slide off. Must look like I’m posin’ for a nudie picture with my arms and legs spread like this. Sense of humor comin’ back, a good sign.

Now that I’m cleaner I realize just how bad my clothes stink. Throw ‘em into the shower, get ‘em soaked, stomp on ‘em. Repeat a couple more times. Wring ‘em out best I can and drape ‘em on the sink and toilet to dry out. The exercise has warmed me up and dried me off pretty well so it’s into the new duds. Jacket could use a good airin’ out, but not just now. Things to go, places to do. People to piss off.

Time to think about makin’ an escape, or at least improvin’ my odds. First thing: outta here. Stand on the toilet and push up a ceiling panel. Nope, just wires and pipes, no crawl space. Walls and floor are concrete, not gettin’ out that way. Leavin’only the door.

A steel skinned fire door. Solid. Bust-proof. With the hinges on the inside. Oh yeah. Need a tool....nuthin’ here I can use. Wait.....my boots have steel shanks in the soles.

Pull one off. Insole ‘s loose already, good. I need new boots, these smell like sumthin’ died in ‘em. Yank the insole out, get most of it. There’s what I want. Pull the shank out and put the insole back.

Take a good long listen afore I try this. Don’t wanna advertise what I’m doin’ now do I? Some noises from below in the warehouse, but the hall sounds empty. Right.

Shank under the edge of the hinge pin, bash it with the heel of my boot. A couple more times before it budges. Middle one next, only two hits. And the top. Practically pops right out. Ear to the crack under the door, still shiny.

Use the shank to push the blanket under the door, just a few inches. Pull all the pins and set ‘em down. Now pry the door open on the hinge side with the shank, just enough I can grab some of that middle hinge. Get the hinges fully separated and, thunp, door’s on the floor. Outstanding.

Time for a little recon.