B. E. V. Page 7

  I tensed my arms and leg. "Ready."

  "Now."

  Kat heaved on the branch, putting all her weight behind it. The block lifted a scant inch, and I scooted myself backward as hard as possible. I heard a snap, the branch broke, and Kat tumbled on top of me.

  "Th – this do it?" she panted, sitting back on her haunches.

  I glanced at my leg. It was free. "Yeah, what happened to you? Morgan's men captured me – I've been running all day."

  "Captured? Oh, wow, no wonder I couldn't find you," Kat gasped. "What happened?"

  "You left, I fell asleep," I explained. "Next thing I know I've got a rifle in my gut, hands tied, and they threw me in a tent." I took a deep breath. "I escaped, and been running ever since. I'm glad you weren't caught, though; but what happened to you?" I thought back, "You took off yesterday. Get lost?"

  "Been hunting for you, dummy," she snapped back. "I've ridden up and down this road a dozen times, saw soldiers, hid, and kept searching. You had me worried sick."

  "Did you ever make it to the lab?"

  "Made it to the lab with no problem," she said in a rush, running her fingers through her hair and standing. "The soldiers rummaged through the main floor, alright, but they missed the doctor's place. He didn't even know Morgan's men had been there until I told him." She reached down and helped me up, "And see who I brought with me."

  "Well, if it ain't my handsome young one," a cheery voice rang out through the dark. Bev rumbled to the edge of the asphalt. "What's the matter, too lazy to walk? I gotta spend my time searching every gin joint in town for you, and then drag your lazy carcass back home with me?"

  "Nice to see you too, Bev," I said. "Kat, did you tell Doctor Krumboton what happened?"

  "Yeah." She appeared puzzled. "He seemed more upset I hadn't brought more fresh vegetables."

  I stumbled back to the road. "Kat, give me a hand climbing up there, will ya? I've had a rough day."

  Kat hopped up to the pavement and extended her hand down to me.

  She pulled; I pulled. I felt Kat slipping toward me and let go before she toppled over the edge. I landed on by backside with a muffled grunt.

  "Well, this didn't work."

  "Do I have to do everything?" I heard Bev's voice from above me. "Girlfriend – inside, second locker from the right – you'll find a rope. Let's haul old protein Pete outta there."

  Kat dashed away, a moment later a heavy cord slapped me in the face.

  "Wrap it around yourself," Bev advised. "Kat, there's an eyelet on my nose. Tie it off, and let's see what we caught."

  I wrapped the line around my waist and for good measure threw in a half hitch. "Ready!"

  "Fish on line!" Bev sang out.

  The rope grew taut and I scrambled to the road with Kat's fingernails sinking into my shoulders, as she hauled me up the last foot.

  "Nope, too small," Bev said in disappointment. "Gotta throw 'em back."

  "What did Morgan's men do to the lab?" I asked as Kat helped me to my feet. We entered Bev and took our seats before she answered.

  "Wrecked the place," Kat replied vehemently. "Stripped whatever they wanted and left. Doctor Krumboton had everything locked and deactivated so they couldn't reach his section."

  "They tried to force their way into the service elevator," added Bev, "but I don't give it up easily. Doc and I were tight until my BFF put her hand on my pad." Her voice shifted next to Kat, and I heard her whisper, "He didn't thank me for saving him, but it's okay. You're a better BFF, anyway." She started rolling back toward the lab.

  "At least we have a place to stay until we figure out where we're going," said Kat, shrugging her shoulders with a slight grimace.

  "Sleep-over!" exclaimed Bev.

  "We're not staying long," Kat said grimly. "As soon as we've straightened ourselves out we're following the army."

  "WHAT?" Bev and I shouted in unison. I had all the army I could stand for one day.

  "Black Morgan takes captives, right? This is why he captured you. He either brainwashes them to become his soldiers, or uses prisoners in the labor gangs," she said, fixing me with a glare. "Chances are some of our people survived the attack and were caught; maybe even your pop and my dad. At least we must check to make sure they're not dead, right?"

  "Yeah," I replied slowly, thinking over what she'd said, "but how are we going to do it? We can't walk up to Black Morgan and say, 'Excuse me, Colonel, we need to examine your people to see if our parents are here'."

  Bev cut in with, "It would be the proper thing to do."

  "Enough, Bev," Kat said with a frown. "I don't know yet. Once we get back to the lab, let's talk it over with Doc, maybe he has some ideas."

  Kat had a point, but I doubt even Doctor Krumboton could discover a solution.

  "Uh, do you think it's a good idea to go straight back?" A thought occurred to me. If any of Morgan's scouts were still around, especially those two guys who captured me, they might have seen Bev searching the area. The last thing I wanted was for soldiers to track us to the lab. "We'd better muddle our trail; maybe take a different way back. We don't want anyone tracking us."

  Kat snapped her fingers. "I've got a better idea," she said. "Let's run up to Make Out Point. It'll only take a couple of minutes from here, and we can see for miles. Maybe even Morgan's army."

  Kat was right, and I wished I suggested it first, but I had a bad feeling. Today was not one of my better days.

  Make Out Point was a bald hill with a good view of the town and the surrounding countryside. Before the Greys attacked, kids used it to hang out, drink, and fool around. Nobody went there anymore, but an old dirt road still snaked its way to the top.

  When we arrived, the first thing catching my attention was small fires still burning in Paradise Cove. Farther away, lights from vehicles traveled east, west, and north.

  "Can you tell where the main army is?" I asked Kat. "They remind me of vultures scattering after a meal."

  She studied the lights flickering in all directions. "No," she said at last. "They're breaking up into smaller groups, but I can't tell – there are so many of them and it's too dark."

  "Are you two going to start kissing, or what?" Bev said. "We didn't drive all the way up here to talk."

  "Bev." Kat pounded on her hull. "We're not here to make out, we're searching for Morgan's men."

  "How about those two coming up the hill?" Bev asked. "Are they going to make – OUCH!"

  A blast shook her and she leaped halfway down the hill.

  "What happened?"

  "They shot me!"

  Bev skidded to a stop and swung around. The view screen grew brighter and two men stood there, my captors from earlier. One held a smoking rocket launcher – the other was in the process of throwing something our way. Another blast rocked Bev, which she ignored, and her Gatling guns spoke in a short burst. Both men twisted and collapsed as if they were deflated balloons.

  "I taught 'em not to shoot a lady in the fanny," snorted Bev.

  "I guess we were followed," Kat said.

  "Or they were here already, searching for me, or maybe keeping watch?" I hazarded. "Anyway, let's hightail it back to Doctor Krumboton and see what he has to say about tracking Morgan."

  "Wait." Kat said to Bev in a rush, "Do you see anything else in your 'scope?"

  "Now you mention it, yes." You could feel her scanning all four sides of the hill. "Trees, rocks, and – OH – there's a BUNNY! I love rabbits, can we get a –"

  "No, Bev," Kat said in exasperation, "I mean other men, vehicles, manmade things."

  "Oh. Wait." Again, she paused. "Yes, down the west slope at the bottom, a vehicle, 200 yards away."

  "I knew it," Kat exclaimed standing and hurrying to the hatch. "Come on, Hunter, let's investigate."

  "I don’t think it's a smart idea," I said, struggling to my feet with a moan. "What if it's booby-trapped or something?"

  "Nonsense, why would anyone booby-trap their own ride?" she replied. "They might
have something we can use, weapons, food, who knows? Come on."

  Kat hurried down the hill with me stumbling behind in the dark. "Hey, wait up," I yelled when I lost sight of her.

  "Hey, Hunter," her voice echoed from somewhere ahead of me, "see what I found."

  "What? Don't touch anything, you don't know –"

  The darkness vanished in a flash of light and an explosion.

  "Kat!"

  I scrambled to the afterglow. An army Humvee lay on its side, smoke and flames leaping up. Kat sat fifty feet away against a tree, a darker shape in the moonlight, her clothes blackened and covered in dirt.

  "Hunter?"

  I hunkered down next to her. Close up, blood from a nosebleed ran down her face. "Are you all right, what happened?"

  "I don't know, it just – exploded."

  I handed her my handkerchief. "Here, take this, your nose is bleeding. Push it tight."

  She pressed the cloth to her face and wiped her lip. "Yeck."

  "Press, don't wipe," I ordered. "Maybe whatever the soldier threw flew the other way when Bev shot him?" I guessed. "A hand-grenade – rolled down-hill?"

  "Maybe, I don't know," Kat replied faintly as she tried to stand. "I – oooh." She slumped down.

  "Did you break something?" Pain etched her face.

  "Sore all over from the concussion, I think," she moaned. "Let me sit here for a while, I'll be fine."

  "We can't," I replied, worried. "If any of Morgan's men are in the area, they're sure to investigate those explosions. I was captured once today, I don't want us both to go through the same thing. We gotta return to Bev, now." I took a deep breath. "I'll carry you."

  "Hunter –"

  "Shut up." I scooped her up in my arms and struggled to my feet. Kat was a lot heavier than she appeared. "What do you have, rocks in your pockets?" I asked.

  I took a few hesitant steps up the slope. My body, which had begun to feel better, protested again with sharp pains added.

  Kat wrapped her arms around my neck. "Do you think you can keep this up?"

  My side shot hot arrows into my lungs, and my good leg said it wasn't about to keep moving for long. "Better start yelling for Bev," I advised as my arms began to shake.

  "Bev – BEV – HELP."

  She didn't answer.

  I kept fighting with my legs – Kat continued to scream. Pain laced through my side, my arms and good leg trembled, but I made slow progress. When I reached a quarter of the way back up the slope, we heard a shout.

  "Kat? Hunter? You guys calling me?" Bev rolled cautiously down the slope toward us.

  I sank to my knee, tumbling Kat into the leaves. "Yeah, didn't you hear us? Where were you?" I replied, irritated.

  "Waiting for you two love birds to finish lip-locking, or whatever you were up to. What else would I be doing?" she huffed. "Done?"

  "Bev, we had an explosion, Kat's hurt. Open your hatch."

  "Kat's hurt? Why didn't you say something?" Her door flew open. "Bring her in, quick."

  I tried fighting to my feet. My leg refused to cooperate. "I'll make it from here," Kat said, climbing out of my arms and wavering upright against me. She stood swaying and I grabbed her before she fell. "I may need some help," she corrected with a small laugh.

  I guided Kat into Bev and helped her sit. Four pans of water, two towels, and a bar of soap later, she almost seemed her old self.

  Bev's only comment was, "Lover boy, you must be a good kisser, I wish someone would make me explode."

  Chapter Six

  When we arrived at the lab, I understood what Kat meant by, "They stripped whatever they wanted." The soldiers blasted the front door open, the unbreakable windows were shattered, and papers littered the front lawn.

  The outbuilding housing the freight elevator wasn't in much better shape, anything of possible use to an army was missing. Scratches on the panel of the lift showed where someone tried using a crowbar to pry them open without success.

  Doc was busy in his workshop, painting his creatures their natural color when we entered. He said eagerly to Kat, "Did you fetch more peaches?"

  Kat shook her head. "Sorry, the scavengers took all the fruit and vegetables – they grabbed everything." I frowned at her, mystified. She whispered to me, "I promised I'd try to find more salad stuff to eat."

  Doc scowled and cupped his head in his hands, contemplating his workbench, woebegone. With a sigh, he picked up the mouse he was decorating and started painting again. "I should have known," he mumbled, "I predicted this years ago."

  I knew Doctor Krumboton was smart, but no one could figure out a warlord would march by and destroy Paradise Cove. "Come on, Doc, Black Morgan didn't even command an army ten years ago." I scoffed. "Nobody knows the future, and the last time you talked to anyone we still had a government."

  Doctor Krumboton glanced back up from his painting (he'd switched over to a rat) with raised eyebrows.

  "It is not hard to predict the future, simple really, young man, if you understand history and geography." Doc eased back in his chair with a grimace, and gazed at me with mild interest. "All the major cities of the world were along the coast. When the oceans started to rise, we had a dislocation of billions of people, right?"

  I didn't see what he was driving at, but I nodded.

  "Millions more died, fostering civil unrest, which accelerated the breakdown of government control, hence roving bands of people stealing peaches and tomatoes." He nodded curtly and returned to the rat. "Thank goodness the Greys attacked," he added to himself.

  Kat and I did a double take, aghast. "What?" I sputtered, "They destroyed what little else was left!"

  The doctor released a deep sigh and put down his paint, this time staring at us with annoyance, as if he was talking to three-year-olds who kept asking how high was up. "Sooner or later someone would acquire our weapons of mass destruction and use them, as this Morgan fellow you keep speaking about," he said. "The Greys eliminated the capability." He waved toward the ceiling, "and those who construct the bombs."

  "But –"

  "Not pretty, I know," Doctor Krumboton gave me a gentle nod, "but instead of us sending the human race back three thousand years, the Greys, by destroying our weapons and research facilities, perhaps set us back three hundred." He hunched over to work on the rat, putting the final touches on the tail, and placed it aside to dry. "There." He beamed at the bot with pride.

  The philosophy of what the human race might or might not have done didn't matter much to me. All I knew was we must save Pop and Mr. Brennan, and see who else we could rescue.

  "Doc, we need your help."

  His eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Whatever for?" He gestured down at his floating chair. "I am not equipped to climb peach –"

  "We need to borrow Bev," Kat spoke up, "plus whatever else you can spare." She pointed to the tiny machines creeping on the floor. "Maybe some of these? We must get our parents back."

  "Did you lose them?" he asked, concerned.

  "No, we think Morgan's army captured both of our dads, but we're not sure."

  "Hmm . . ." He inspected the rats, mice, squirrels and birds cluttering his lab. "I have always wanted to field test my creations," he whispered confidentially, "It was part of my contract, you know, with the government, but no one ever asked, so –"

  "Great!"

  "And Bev?" I said. "We need Bev, too."

  "Well, the B.E.V. is another matter," the doctor replied, swinging his chair to face Bev's garage. "You will have to ask her."

  Kat and I peered in the room. From inside we heard Bev singing, "Gonna have a sleepover – Yeah – Yeah – Yeah!"

  "Can't you order her to?" I moaned and covered my eyes. Kat held her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to laugh, "Or reprogram her?"

  "I could," Doc replied reasonably, "but it would not be fair to B.E.V., would it?"

  Kat giggled wildly as she took my hand and jerked me toward the garage. "Come on, it'll be fun. Girl's night out."


  I groaned.

  As we entered, Bev exclaimed, "Let the party begin!" Her door swished opened.

  Kat and I entered and perched on the edge of Bev's couch. Kat still snickered as I fidgeted.

  "Bev," I started, "I need to ask you a favor. We have to –"

  "Sure – Sure. Later dude. What do we want to do first? Magazines? Makeovers? Truth or Dare?"

  I rolled my eyes in defeat and muttered to Kat, "What do you do at a sleepover?"

  She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I've never gone to a slumber party, and the only one who's ever slept over my house is you." She drummed her finger on her lip. "Talk about boys? Eat junk food?"

  I got a horrid picture of Bev and Kat chatting about me in giggles. "Well, I don't need you two discussing me and my habits, especially while I'm sitting in the same room, and Bev doesn't eat."

  We settled on magazines first (of which Bev possessed none), so she flashed twenty-year-old fashion plates on her screen from her memory chips. I had no opinion, Kat made comments about the hairstyles, while Bev kept up a running commentary naming styles and clothing designers.

  I thought the night couldn't become worse when Bev announced, "Makeover time." Her voice shifted next to me, and she said in a hopeful whisper, "Hunter, do you want your toe-nails painted?"

  "NO."

  A crafty expression passed over Kat's face. "Wait." She dashed out of Bev and into Doc's lab. She returned with two small bottles of paint, red and blue, and a brush. Before I knew what was happening, Kat had me sitting with my shoes and socks off and my feet up on a cushion.

  "Wait," Bev said. "We have to keep his toes apart otherwise his nails will stick together."

  "I don't want my nails –"

  "Right, stay here, Hunter." Kat strolled to the bathroom and ran back with a roll of toilet paper, which she proceeded to twist into little balls and shove between my toes. She patted me on the cheek and exclaimed, "Now you're all set."

  Kat painted each of my toenails red to squeals of joy from Bev and jokes from both of them. Even worse, she proceeded to draw blue happy faces on each nail as the paint dried.