Tamsyn was amused by the pride in his voice.
“Rider coming up fast from the east.” Cody announced. “One person, on an AGcycle.”
The forward vidscreens showed a rider in bright red leathers astride a gleaming black AGcycle coming to a dramatic halt about a hundred yards off the roadbed. The person waved one arm.
“Orders, sir?” Zach said.
“This must be the promised guide. Follow the bike but stay alert.” Jeff repeated his order via the subaural com for Ryan and Trent in the other APC. “Good thing we can do a certain amount of off-roading.”
The terrain was flat and the surface was hard, baked in the Randal Four sunlight. The rider set a fast pace and didn’t look back. At times there was a road under the APC’s wheels but for the most part they were mowing down bushes and dodging boulders and scrawny trees.
“Sorry about the ride,” Jeff said to Melly and the other civilians.
“You never promised we’d get there in style and comfort,” Melly said, gripping her seat frame tightly as the APC jounced over a small gully.
As they progressed toward the low hills where Perry’s ranch house was presumably located, the rider in front of them made a dramatic flying leap across a deep ditch that had been hidden from view. Slewing to a halt on the other side, the person held up one hand. The APC’s had already shuddered to a full stop as the forward scanning sensors had warned the vehicles’ AI of the obstacle.
“Now what?” Zach asked.
“This must be one of Perry’s little surprises for anyone who comes at him from the highway,” Tamsyn said. “I bet his agro robots worked overtime digging this.”
“It would be effective against the infected,” Jeff said with a hint of admiration. “Then he could have his people incinerate the ones trapped in the ditch before they began climbing each other and escaping.”
“Ugh.” Tamsyn tried to scrub the image out of her head.
“Sorry. Realities of war.” Jeff’s apology was purely pro forma.
“What’s the damn rider doing? These things don’t have antigrav,” Zach complained. “We’re sitting ducks here, sir.”
“No threats observed,” Cody announced.
The rider turned to them and waved. As they did so, a bridge across the moat rose up from the ground and lowered itself to rest one end on their side. Jeff eyed this contraption in the vids and then issued a laconic order. “Proceed.”
Tamsyn held her breath until they were safely across but the bridge held. Zach pulled forward to leave room on the far side for APC2 and no sooner than the latter’s rear wheels cleared the bridge, the rider operated whatever control they were holding and the bridge retracted as if it had never been.
The journey to the plateau stronghold involved a few other ‘surprises’ as Perry had termed them, which the rider obligingly disabled so the APC’s could pass. They finally drove up a winding road to the actual plateau under the watchful eyes of a number of men and women with weapons, although Tamsyn was sure none of the armament on display would impact the APC’s shielding. It was a straight shot to the ranch house and surrounding buildings from there. She watched the settlement grow in the vids as they got closer. Perry’s main house was a sprawling three story affair, with several smaller houses in a semi-circle behind it, plus barns, garages and other outbuildings.
Their escort directed Zach to park off to the side, close to the house and a welcoming committee emerged from the dwelling, Perry in the lead. Tamsyn was genuinely happy to see him, as he’d been an old friend of her father’s and she’d known him all her life.
“I think you and I should go out first,” Jeff said to her. “We’re here because of you after all.”
She rose, straightening her clothing and joined him at the portal. He checked with her, his hand hovering over the controls and she nodded. She had this, it was just greeting an old friend under unusual circumstances. She had nothing to fear from Perry. As soon as the door opened, Tamsyn bounded out, raising her hand in greeting. “It’s good to see you,” she said.
Jeff and the men and women with Perry stood aside as she and the old rancher hugged each other. Tamsyn had to fight unexpected tears at the warm embrace of a man she’d always regarded as an honorary uncle. She wasn’t going to break down now, in public.
“Glad to have you here,” Perry replied. “Who are your new friends?”
She introduced Jeff and then the others were filing out of the APC’s as well. Buddy was on a leash, which she was glad to see, remembering how the dog had tried to herd her farm animals and knowing Perry would take a dim view of the idea when it came to his stock. Jeff allowed all his men to leave the APC’s, which surprised her but she’d vouched for Perry after all and the vehicles were persona-locked to their group.
Perry had his foreman with him, as well as two of his sons and the housekeeper. The AGcycle rider strolled up, removing her helmet and Tamsyn realized it was Perry’s eldest daughter Fleur. She saw Zach eyeing Fleur with admiration and stifled a grin.
“Mrs. Christie will set you up in the guesthouse,” Perry said, indicating the stout, gray haired lady to his left. “Dinner’s in an hour in the big house and we can talk then.”
“Sure, that’s fine,” Tamsyn agreed.
Mike was gazing wistfully at a group of kids playing tisba on the lawn nearby. “Can I go play?” he asked Melly.
She hesitated but agreed. “Remember to put Buddy in the shade. Unless you want me to take him to the house with me.”
