Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ryan, Krysty and J.B. climbed up from the Slake City encampment, up the long grade to the end of the road’s first rise. Though they had defeated the enemy, driven them from their world, this was a journey of dread. Not only because they were once again forced to venture into the nukeglass sea, but because they didn’t know which, if any, of their loved ones they would find alive at their journey’s end. They might walk all the way to Ground Zero just to dig a mass grave.
When they reached the top of the rise, the dread vanished. It disappeared when they saw a row of figures climbing toward them, out of the nuke’s crater.
Recognizing his father, Dean broke away from the file and ran up the hill. Tossing down his laser rifle, the boy threw his arms around Ryan and hugged him hard.
“It’s okay, son,” Ryan said, mussing the boy’s hair. “Everything’s okay now.”
When the rest of the former slaves came close enough for Ryan to do a head count, his expression of joy faded. As Mildred, Jak and Doc joined them, he said, “This is all that’s left?”
“All that survived the trip from Ground Zero,” Mildred said. She looked exhausted. “There’s just the eight of us. We got hit hard, but we returned the favor. None of the troopers they sent out are ever coming back.”
“We heard big bang,” Jak said.
“That was the she-hes saying bye-bye,” J.B. told him. “They cranked up their trans-reality gear and disappeared into thin air. They left a lot of dead troopers behind, though.”
“Will they be back?” Dean said.
“Let’s hope not,” Krysty replied.
Doc looked down the slope. “It appears the she-hes have abandoned their domes, as well. Perhaps in their haste they left some food behind? I am ravenous.”
“There’s food down there,” J.B. said, “but I guarantee you won’t want to eat most of it. Strangest rad-blasted mixtures you ever saw. The stuff needs to be buried in a deep hole.”
The companions and the four former slaves started down the slope to the encampment. They were about halfway there, when Jak said, “Somebody coming.”
He pointed at a dust cloud whirling its way across the plain, over the rough track in the direction of the Slake City compound. The companions watched it approach in silence for a moment. As the vehicle drew closer, through the haze of swirling dust it raised, they could make out the gaudy neon colors of the magic bus.
“I’ll bet the bastard’s got himself another load of doped-up slaves for Ground Zero,” Krysty said.
“I guess this means we’re not quite done here, yet,” Ryan said.
“That bastard’s in for a big surprise when he pulls up and finds the she-hes long gone and us in their place,” J.B. added.
“I foresee a most delightful and well-deserved welcoming party,” Doc said. “If you will excuse my rudeness, dear friends, I must hurry ahead to the camp. I need to locate my swordstick. I intend to put it to excellent use momentarily.”