You really shouldn’t worry so much, said Tsara, sitting atop a desk in the Grevelton Lab’s security room. She’d been watching Lance pace and talk to himself since one. Now the clock read two and he was still ranting.
“Until little Einstein and her roving idiots are found, I’m going to be a nervous, whacked out mess. So be quiet with your cheer,” he snapped.
“Her intelligence frightens you?”
“Shut up, Tsara.”
“If you feel like she’s closing in on you, she probably is.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Is your system overloaded? She’s probably somewhere in these hills if you haven’t found her in Grevelton or Mallyview by now.
Face it, that chick is smart — and we don’t know what Wellbay told her before he died.”
Lance analyzed what Tsara had said, then realized she was probably right.
“Organize a large group of Ecnal’s and get them out into those woods! I’ll have the Grizzly brought up here.”
Just outside the cave, everyone sat together and finished the ham sandwiches that Treen had prepared. Glaring up into the drizzle, Treen prayed that Garrison Blue’s helicopter would pass overhead; all they needed was a general direction to the lab and they’d be on their way to rescue her parents.
However, by late afternoon, the helicopter hadn’t flown overhead, nor was it heard in the distance. Treen was sure that the Rondo brothers were telling the truth, but not so sure the chopper would appear that day.
“Ariel, you and Sheridon keep watch. In case we need to stay here tonight, Russell and I are going inside the cave to clean up the Rondos’ old apartment.”
“Yuck,” said Russell.
“It was a disgusting job, but someone had to do it,” said Treen, stuffing the last of the Rondos’ trash into a deep crevice — the best she could do with no trash bags.
“Nothin’ bothers you does it?” Russell asked, following her to the fire.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” she said, feeding the flames with woodchips. “I just try to think things out before I act or speak. It narrows down life’s inevitable mistakes.”
“Wish I could do that.” He exhaled, then sat close to the crackling heat.
“You can, but you have to practice everyday,” she said joining him. You’re already a nice guy and that’s a good start.”
Russell smiled. Really? You think I’m a nice guy?”
“Yes I do. But remember, it’s easy to be a nice person when people are nice to you. The challenge is being nice when other people aren’t so nice. I remember being classified as a child prodigy while in college and I was picked on everyday. However, before I graduated, I’d befriended many of the people who’d made fun of me. She laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, I still get mad at people now and then.”
“Wish I’d known all this before my dad died. So how do I practice everyday? Should I go out lookin’ for mean people to be nice to?”
“Treen laughed again. You won’t have to do that. Plenty of them will find you, believe me. Just keep your guard up.”
“Man, you have all the answers.”
“No, Russell, I don’t. But that Bible on your bedroom floor does...”
Ariel and Sheridon had moved back inside the cave when the rain started again, sitting close enough to hear the chopper if it flew by. Over Sheridon’s snoring, Ariel heard some peculiar noises. He shook Sheridon’s arm to quiet him down, but woke him instead. Sheridon jerked forward and leaped up.
“What happened? Where’s homegirl and Mallyboy?”
“Shhhhh, they’re still in the back,” he whispered. “I think I hear someone coming.”
“I hear it. Maybe it’s an animal.”
“I’ll check it out.”
As Ariel crept towards the opening, all he could see were pines and boulders. He paused to listen again; the noise had stopped. Yet, when he moved to stick his head outside, a large hand suddenly gripped his collar and yanked him from the cave.
“Ariel!” shouted Sheridon, whipping out a gun and charging out after him.
In front of the fading fire, Russell waited anxiously for an answer to his question. Treen smiled, twirling her headband on her finger while she searched for an answer.
“Let’s talk about this later,” she said. “We really should check on the others.”
“Come on, Treen. Just say yes or no.”
“All right. Yes. Yes, Russell, I am in love with someone.” Russell frowned. “Doe’s he live in Mallyview?”
“No. He lives in — what was that noise?” she said, springing up from the fire.
“I didn’t hear nothin’.”
“Well I did. Something’s wrong, let’s go!”
The popping sounds grew louder as Treen and Russell neared the front of the cave. Once they realized they were hearing gunshots, she told Russell to get down and they crawled to the opening.
“Russell, stay to the side,” said Treen, gunshots echoing through the valley.
“There’s Ariel and Sheridon behind them rocks!”
“Oh no,” said Treen, “Look behind them!”
At least twenty Ecnals dressed in black, buckled uniforms had stormed up the hill behind Ariel and Sheridon. It’d be impossible to escape now. They put their hands up and the droids forced them out into the open. Then, hands on her holsters, Tsara strutted her curves from behind the wall of Ecnals and scanned her new hostages.
“We have to get out of here,” said Treen, darting to Ariel’s pack. She pointed the flashlight inside and searched until she found the smoke bombs and flare pistol.
“They’re coming this way,” said Treen, handing Russell one of the bombs. “Just pull out the pin and throw it.”
They removed the pins in sequence, then hurled them out. The same black cloud that had formed back in the factory had once again blinded the bewildered androids.
“Let’s go!” said Russell.
“Just a moment, I want to see if Ariel and Sheridon can get away somehow.”
“Surround the captives!” Tsara shouted. Grab them until the smoke has cleared and if they try to run, pull their arms off!” she ordered.
With no chance to help them, Treen grabbed Russell’s hand, darted from the cave, then sped through the charcoal cloud, into the woods. The last thing they wanted was to leave their friends behind, but it’d be much worse had they all been captured.
They didn’t look back while sprinting between the pines, until the rising flutter of a helicopter grew to a frightening volume. Just as the Rondo brothers had said, the aircraft flew low, and Blue was painted boldly on its side.