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“KEEP YOUR EYE ON JANE,” Garr said to Amos, his voice low. The two of them continued to assemble the necessary supplies for the next foray, their expressions neutral. Amos glanced toward the far end of the room, where the others were consuming heated rations.
We eat like wild animals. Amos paused, imagining how they would appear to outsiders. Slowing down to enjoy a meal never occurs to us.
“What do you mean?” He questioned Garr, keeping his voice down. “Do you think she’s going to get trigger-happy after what happened with Aubrey?”
Garr finished packing the first rucksack—Jane’s, ironically—and began filling the second. “No, just the opposite, in fact. Aubrey’s lucky to be alive after her Implant was activated, but that’s just the point. I know this sounds cold-hearted, but Jane should’ve shot her on sight.”
Amos almost betrayed their private exchange, staring at Garr in consternation. Easy, buddy, you’re supposed to be a pro.
Before the others noticed, he lowered his eyes, schooling his voice to remain conversational. “Maybe she was giving Aubrey the benefit of the doubt. Given how much Jane dislikes her, she might’ve been showing restraint by not shooting first and asking questions later.”
“Jane knew it was in Aubrey’s blood.” Garr leaned over the table, his voice just above a whisper. “She told us herself—several times. Jane knows the drill as well as anyone. But she hesitated. And she got lucky.”
Garr hefted the second rucksack upright and tied it shut with a sharp pull. He glanced at Amos, his gaze dark and piercing. “Under normal circumstances, one of those two women should be dead. It was kill or be killed, and Jane froze.”
Amos returned his gaze, a new suspicion intruding into his thoughts. “You’re right, Garr, that’s cold. So why don’t you keep Jane here? Why send her with Don and me if she’s a liability?”
Garr relaxed slightly, permitting himself the beginnings of a wry smile. “Once upon a time, Don asked me the same thing about you. My answer to him then is my answer to you now. You’re the cards I’ve been dealt, so that’s the hand I’ll play.”
Amos chuckled as he caught Garr’s meaning. “Yeah, I guess we were all a little damaged by the time this Hub was assembled, weren’t we?”
“A little damaged?” Garr’s grin broadened in genuine humor. Then his expression turned serious. “I don’t have the luxury of recruiting, so I work with the people I have. And none of you have ever disappointed me. It’s that simple.”
“Simple? You mean, as simple-minded as your typical Hoarder?” The booming question preceded Don’s ponderous approach. He took one of the rucksacks in a massive hand and slung it over his shoulder, as unflappable as ever. “I see the two of you are packing for a trip. So, Colonel, when and where do we wend our merry way?”
A great way to change the subject. Amos hid a smile. Say something out of left field, preferably at the expense of the Hoarders.
Garr didn’t miss a beat. “A package from another Hub was left in our drop-box sometime during the night. They sent intel requiring our immediate attention. Several Runners have had their Implants activated. They’re heading into the City, and we need to find out why, if we can.”
Amos felt his pulse quicken. If their Implants have been activated, this can’t be a rescue mission.
Don whistled softly. “Using the drop-box in the middle of the night? That’s risky—I guess there wasn’t any time to waste.”
Amos didn’t find his words reassuring.
“We’ve seen what happens to Runners when their Implants are activated, and thanks to Aubrey, how to shut them down,” Garr continued evenly. “With a number of Runners converging on the City, this may be our best opportunity to uncover the Hoarders’ end-game.”
Even if it’s too late for the Runners. Amos’s thoughts were bleak. There aren’t enough low-hanging electrical cables for everyone.
He glanced at Don. The only change in his poker-faced expression was his raised eyebrows. Jane lowered her chin, looking askance at Garr with wary eyes. But she has every intention of going. She’s no quitter.
Garr pulled a small sheaf of dog-eared pages from his jacket pocket and held them out to Don. The big man gravely accepted the bundle of notes.
“This was in the drop-box.” Garr gestured at the pages. “The information’s sketchy, but there’s at least three Runners on their way. Their Implants have been activated. That means it’s in their blood, which makes them dangerous. And there’s more . . .”
His expression darkened, underlining the gravity of his words. “Multiple Trackers have also been sighted. We won’t be the only ones on the Runners’ trail.”
“More than one Tracker?” Amos wondered out loud, seeing the same question mirrored in Don’s scowl. “The Hoarders aren’t taking any changes, are they?”
“We don’t know.” Garr shook his head with a resigned sigh. “There’s still so much we don’t know.”
He straightened his shoulders. “That’s why we need to find the Runners first. If we can figure out the end-game, we might be able to trace who’s behind it.”
He paused, looking each of them in the eye. “Try to avoid getting yourselves killed, if that’s not too much to ask.”