Kabel
stood up, hands on the table and looking around she said, “Okay, this is our
chance; they will close the city gates in a few minutes and then we can ride
out the distant beacons at Fire Ridge and try to get a fix on the signal.”
Stevenarc
commented, “I have the signal boosts ready, Kabel, remember at the Ridge you’ll
be on the edge of our range and this won’t give you much more range; perhaps enough
strength to pick up the signals.”
“Thanks,
Stevenarc, we need everything we can get our hands on. Reports on the wires are
saying the Game close more stations every day and soon we may be isolated. We
need to make contact and quickly so as we have a back-up beacon ready in case
ours gets cut off.”
“Is
there any news from the Skimmer squads, Kabel?” James enquired.
“Not
as yet, they were out so far I had trouble getting the range to contact them
and I don't know when they’ll be in range again.”
“Skimmer
squads” Alanov remarked, looking puzzled.
James
went on to explain, “In the early days, there were groups of people who lived
beyond the city, they had the ability to move quickly across the desert as
their vans had wheels at the front for steering and tracks on the rear for
power.”
“I
heard rumours of them, but thought that is all they were, rumours,” Alanov
commented.
“Oh.
They’re very real, Alanov.” Stevenarc replied. “We would be cut off and
vulnerable without their help; the riders and bike teams need to stay close to
bases, but the skimmer squads tell us when the Game move. These people living way
out in the deserts are rarely seen yet the Game realise they exist.”
Kabel added, “These people have mapped the
dunes and sandbars for generations and are able to track people across the
shifting landscape as easy as if the tracks had been in mud. Their vehicles may
be slower, what they lack in speed, the drivers compensate for by having an unparalleled
knowledge; which is why escape routes are planned out so accurately, our bikes
can travel carefully over light sand and rock which the Game trucks would sink
in.”
Alanov
gazed at the vast dunes outside the towers and said, “What about their history?
Does anybody remember when they came here? Or why they live in the dunes?”
“Some
say, they were Game Lords themselves who got bored with playing and decided to
leave; others say they get ejected because of their attitudes; the truth is
hard to get at as nobody makes contact with them; the only certainty is they
despise what the Game is doing, as much as we do.”
“I
am interested in the structure of the groups,” Alanov queried, “do the groups
elect a leader or do you act independently?”
James was
standing close by and took a second glance at Alanov, before he said, “I
realise you were hounded out of your country, but for a newcomer you ask a lot
of questions and not all are surface either. How do we know you are genuine?”
Alanov
paced the room, he realised he was getting into deep and troubled waters as he
replied, “You make a good point, James, you only have my word as nobody here
can vouch for me. I am a scientist eager to gain knowledge of how the groups
co-exist and communicate, that is all as there would appear to be no radio
links between the outer groups. I realise your need for security and I hope to
gain your trust soon.”
Stevenarc
commented, “You can see James's point, Alanov.”
Alanov
replied, “Yes, you are wise to question my motives.”
“For
now, I think you know all you need to about us for now,” Kabel commented, “and
we have a job to do, we need to be out soon, Stevenarc.”
“Kabel,
all the equipment is ready,” Stevenarc replied, “James will be on the radio listening
for any signals and hopefully you can contact the other group.”
Kabel
remarked, “I realise this trip is a long shot, Stevenarc, but we’re all here
because the long shots brought us together and if we don't take the chance tonight,
this group may be off line for weeks or even months, before they feel safe
enough to try again. By which time they may get compromised or lost faith in us
or ran out of supplies.”
Far
below the group the sound of engines roared as bikes and skimmers roared out of
the sheds, drivers in face masks mired with the sands of ages and wearing green
light goggles; the dunes and sandbars clearly visible as the group headed to
Fire Point. While the thought of the possibility of new recruits remained in
the back of their minds; the group remained alert to the threat of the Game;
the risk of the trap was possible but so was the possibility of a new link to
fight back in this war and they needed to take the chance.
The
ride to Fire point was arduous as the dune shifts during the day meant the
skimmers often had to swerve violently or get bogged down; skimmers whizzed
across the sandy and rock strewn ground, when from out of nowhere a cry came, “Game
to the rear and closing in!”
Looking
back the trucks were barely visible through the dips in the dunes but the
riders out to the sides had clearer views than us; this had become a race for
life.
Padraig
Sallower asked, “How did they pick us up? We are so careful about everything
Kabel.”
Freddy
Marshall in the gun position called over the screeching engine, “There are reports
on the air about small groups of Game vehicles doing random search patterns; it
was our bad luck to get caught. We’re losing ground; they’ll be on us soon,
unless we do something and QUICK.”
“I
am ahead of you,” Kabel shouted as the screech of the engines roared high in
our ears, “take a left at the next bend; then floor the pedal, Padraig and on
my command and when I shout now, launch the rockets ahead of us, Freddy.”
The scream of
the engines failed to hide the terror in his voice as Freddy replied, “As much
as your actions earned my respect, Kabel, this time you have flipped; I know what
you are thinking and wish to God I didn’t as what you plan to do is a suicide
move,”
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