GunBarrel Gauntlet: The Last Bronze II

06. Signal Box

                   Hours after sunset, Audrey and the remaining escort vehicle were traversing through the rail corridors of abandoned suburbia at a much slower pace. A guide wheel on the Hi-Rail brace had bent out of shape from the collision landing, hampering their need for haste to escape the city limits.

Low beam headlights scanned the way, occasionally picking out the shell of a car body that was pushed aside by the plate welded prow at the front of the truck. Rolling in the draft of Audrey's trailer just behind them, Tiny tried to recall what it had all looked like before the anarchy.

Leaning his elbow out the Corolla's open window, he could recognize sports fields and libraries, corner stores and school buildings sagging in the silver moonlight. His reverie came undone at the alarming thump coming from the boot of the car.

"Mama! There's something moving back here!" The big man yelled at the radio receiver on the dashboard.

"Where?" Carrion's dry voice asked through the speaker.

"It's in the bloody car!" The pitch of his words rising with fear.

In the cabin of the vanguard truck, Weary took a hold of Carrion's hand, smothering the handset before she could respond.

"This time we're stopping to help him." Came his earnest warning.

Jerking her left hand out of Weary's hold, the trucker sized him up with her good eye, lips pinched in a silent snarl. After a tense delay she depressed the button on the handset:

"Can you see it?"

"No! I think it's coming from the boot. Something's kickin' in there!"

"Brake. We'll come check it out. Don't get out of the car until you see us!"

The battle truck came to a standstill, engines cutting off to bask in the eerie silence. Descending from the cabin on either side, Carrion prowled over the ballast stone with the rifle stock couched at her shoulder in preparation to fire while Weary had the axe in his right hand, adjusting his fingers to find the right grip to strike their potential threat. As they came out of the dusk to find Tiny sitting nervously in the driver's seat, Weary motioned at him to exit the vehicle slowly.

Letting himself out of the vehicle cautiously to join them, Carrion described to Tiny a levering motion in the air with a free hand, pointing back at the sedan's console. Comprehending the unspoken hint with a thumbs up, he and the others took their positions as they held their breath.

Releasing the boot lever, the rear end of the vehicle sprung open on croaking hinges. Poking the barrel at the unfolding limbs of the stowaway, Carrion and Weary were surprised to find a young woman holding out her hands for mercy.

"Liu!" Tiny exclaimed. "What are you doin' in there?"

"I'm sorry, but I had to get away, it's not safe in Sanctuary anymore!"

"It's not safe out here either girl." Carrion relaxed her arms to lower the rifle.

"When I heard you were leavin' I had to come. What chances would I or any of the others have if you never came back with that water. Safer out here than in the tunnels when the Clans find us."

"She can replace Mack and Whip." Weary added. "Another set of eyes on lookout."

"Well, you've made it this far. Keep Tiny company." Carrion answered, accepted the change in circumstance.