We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
Book 4: Chapter 27: We’ve Arrived

Bob

September 2334

Arcadia River System

The trip down the Arcadia was relatively uneventful. I attributed that partly to our extreme level of caution, and partly to the Administrator’s inability to cover absolutely everything. Our biggest danger at this point, other than being spotted, would be a very human tendency to throw caution to the wind and break into a sprint as we approached the finish line.

Accordingly, we made a point of moving conservatively, staying close to shore and only travelling in the darkest part of the night.

And eventually we reached a familiar stretch of the river.

We made our way to the shore and came up with a plan. We’d hike in closer to Garack’s Spine, then wait until dark to make for the transit station.

“So how will we handle this?” Hugh said, gesturing to the backpack.

“Maybe the fact that there are two of us will throw them off,” I replied. “Plus I’ve altered my appearance. Again. You probably aren’t on anyone’s radar yet.”

Hugh said nothing but leaned around me and peered at my backpack in an exaggerated manner.

“I know. It sticks out like a sore thumb. Or like a backpack with a large cube in it. I wonder if I could pad it out. Or get a bigger pack.”

“I don’t think there’s any help for it,” he replied. “We can’t hide Bender’s matrix. If we’re seen carrying around a box big enough to conceal it, we’ll probably be questioned anyway. At least the backpack gives us more mobility. At this stage, I don’t think subtlety is going to be of much benefit.”

“The run-like-hell portion of the program?” I said with a small laugh.

“That, and just going through at night will be our biggest advantage.”

“True. We have better night vision. Let’s hope we don’t run into Officer Friendly, though.”

A quick glance at the sun confirmed we would be at Garack’s Spine around nightfall if we left now and took it easy.

It took slightly longer than expected to get to the town, so it was full dark by the time we arrived. As I always did, I stopped to admire the stellar display.

“That’s just awesome,” I said, pointing up at the heavens.

“Sure is,” Hugh replied. “Interestingly, the constellations are accurate, based on what the Quinlans would have seen from their planet. I love the attention to detail.”

We got our fill of the view and the few moments of zen before we crossed the city limits into the town proper. Garack did not particularly go in for streetlights. Illumination from windows helped a little, but for the most part you’d have to bring your own light if you were moving around at night. We did, in fact, see a couple of individuals walking along, holding lanterns above their heads. We avoided them on principle. There was no upside to getting noticed.

The town was quiet, as befitted a society that rose and set with the sun. Occasional lowing sounds from howns provided the only real breaks in the silence. But a couple of times, we heard furtive sounds of movement with no attendant lantern light. I wasn’t interested in finding out the source; we consistently moved in the opposite direction.

Then when we were about halfway through Garack, a series of loud popping sounds broke the nocturnal quiet. Both Hugh and I prairie-dogged, looking around with night vision turned up to max. There was no movement, except a slight fog wafting through the streets.

Wait. Fog?

Fog required a specific set of meteorological circumstances to form, circumstances that were even more rare in Heaven’s River. And we did not have that particular set of circumstances at the moment.

“I have a bad feeling,” Hugh said, evidently having reached the same conclusion at the same time. We started edging toward a side street, eyeballs darting in all directions at once. The separate images still disoriented me, so I frame-jacked slightly to ensure I could closely examine each view.

Then from the shadows of the adjoining streets came several groups of Quinlans, carrying pistols and wearing what could only be gas masks.

“I think we should leave,” Hugh said.

“Ya think?” I growled. “Which way? Do you see an opening?”

“No, this looks very well planned. We may have to go up.”

I followed Hugh’s gaze. A series of leaps and grabs would place us on the roof of this one-story building. I couldn’t tell anything from there; even with night vision, there wasn’t enough light to make out how the building connected to its neighbors. ℞𝐀Ɲ𝘖ΒĚꞨ

But we didn’t have a lot of options. Not bothering to comment, I leaped for the first hold and began hauling myself up. I could hear Hugh following me. I could also hear the pings of fléchettes bouncing off the wall. None had struck me yet, but I couldn’t tell about my backpack. Would the fléchettes penetrate the material? Would they harm the matrix? With a snarl, I redoubled my efforts and popped over the top of the wall.

I had a few moments of peace while the shooters concentrated their fire on Hugh. A few muttered curses showed he’d been hit. I thought I saw a way up to a nearby second-floor window, but I wouldn’t know for sure until I was closer.

Banging from street level made it clear that our pursuers were trying to get into the building whose roof we were currently occupying. We needed to be elsewhere. It was not the time for subtlety.

I hit the wall to the next building, grabbed a few handholds, then pulled myself up using the windowsill. The window was partly open, and I butted the frame upward with my head, then pulled myself in. I spared a second to admire the athleticism of the mannies. No Quinlan—or human—would have managed that feat. We were further advertising our existence by doing this, but I didn’t see an alternative.

There was a thump as Hugh rolled in behind me. We were in a bedroom, but there didn’t appear to be any occupants. I opened the door, and we snuck down the hall, trying to avoid any creaky boards.

This appeared to be a rooming house. The second floor consisted of nothing but bedrooms and a bathroom. We tiptoed down the stairs at the end of the hall and peered around the corner at the bottom.

What I supposed must be a common room took up the back half of the ground floor. There were four Quinlans sitting in chairs, all apparently sleeping. It would have been quite innocent except one of the sleepers was slumped over in a most uncomfortable manner.

“I think they’ve been knocked out,” I said.

“The fog?”

“Yeah. I think there’s a scattering going on.”

“Well, I agree this is likely how they do a scattering, but I think they’re after us, Bob.”

“We have to get out of here.”

There was a back door in a small antechamber. I opened it and peered both ways. Nothing. We exited, carefully closed the door, and ran across the street and around the nearest corner.

Right into a group of mask-wearing Quinlans.

We barreled into the group before we could stop or change direction. After that, it was just a matter of them getting their hands on us and holding on. I felt myself being pulled in several directions at once, and I realized I was going to have to really hurt people.

Then several grips disappeared with cries of chagrin. “Get going, Bob. I got this,” Hugh yelled as he wrapped his arms around several more of our attackers. I realized he was deliberately taking on the whole group. And it was working. I was down to two or three holds. A few twists, a gut-punch, and I was free. I grabbed a loose gun and stuck it in my mouth. It seemed like a waste of time, since I’d had to get rid of the last one, but maybe I could figure something out. I dropped to all fours and sprinted down the nearest alley, determined to go right through anyone who got in my path.

“Remember the fail-safe, Hugh,” I said over the intercom.

“If it comes to that, Bob. But I may be able to talk my way out of this. Meanwhile, get Bender out of here.”

Talk his way out? I remembered my time with Natasha and company. More likely he’d end up way too intimate with a sharp object.

But I had to get to the station. I had a funny feeling that going straight west was going to involve dodging more Quinlans in masks. I glanced up, got my bearings, and adjusted my course to head for the hills.