whispered in the taller woman’s ear. Maple nodded without expression and headed to the small meadow ahead.
Jorge gestured for the group to huddle. Poe decided she liked his open, beardless face. In the softest voice he could muster, the man whispered,
“Sorry but some vamps have Jaime Sommers hearing. For you young ones who’ve never heard of her, she’d be the Bionic Woman. Anyway, the glade coming up is the perfect place for an ambush. It’s ten minutes from where our van is parked. Lots of overgrown bushes, hedges, and juts for cover, but we could still be easy pickings. I’m pretty damn sure this is where it’s going to happen. Maple’s climbing for a better view. Prepare yourselves. Keep to the trees.
They’re banking on picking us off in the clearing.
And Poe, I’ve got an extra Kevlar in my bag. It’s huge but better than nothing.”
The motley crew heeded his advice, and they clutched their weapons of choice like winning lottery tickets. It was a sinking feeling to know that in ten minutes all five of them could die. Jorge tossed the extra bulletproof vest to Poe.
She silently mouthed a thank you to Jorge who she later learned had founded two organizations dedicated to getting more bicycles than cars on the road in Oakland. The more benign of the two was Bike Not Car that mainly participated in pro-bicycle rallies and costumed bike rides on Sundays. Later he 89
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
put together a clandestine die-hard group of cyclists that randomly punctured automobile tires to make a glaring point. It was called Pedal or You’re Cheddar.
Instead of putting on the vest, Poe handed it to Maclemar. She figured he’d need it more than her.
“No way,” he said inaudibly. “You wear it.”
With a hard stare Poe grabbed the neck of his sweatshirt until her lips were next to his left ear. She whispered, “I have experience. Put the damn thing on. It’s too big for me anyway.” Impatiently she took his arm and began shoving it in the arm hole of the vest. Ticked, the Welshman pushed her hands away.
Once Maclemar suited up she removed the two guns from her shoulder holster. The left hand clutched the Walther PPK she had nicknamed James after 007, and the right one held a lightweight Glock that carried 17 rounds per magazine.
The girl was ambidextrous and a pretty steady shot with both hands. My only talent , she thought wryly. And sometimes I miss .” She thought of the human cattle she had shot accidentally out of misplaced confidence.
Never shoot unless you’re sure, Poe , she told herself. You’re 24, and you can’t use your youth as an excuse for screwing up anymore.
Followed closely by Chops, Penny sidled up to Poe and scratched her leg with a paw. The mute dog, looking worried, blinked up at her. She bent down and kissed the mutt on the forehead and patted the rosy pig on the rump. As if the animals could understand, Poe put a silencing finger to her lips.
A flurry of bullets erupted ahead of them, jolting each one to action. Maple was in the crossfire. Jorge deferred leadership to Romulo who stepped up to the 90
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
plate. He had more experience being Sainvire’s top henchman and head of security in the Bay Area.
“Split up,” he ordered. “They can’t box us in that way. You and the girl go left. Jorge and I will take the right. Entiendes ?”
With a hiss Poe answered with viciousness brought on by the moment, “ Sí, cabrón !” She didn’t like the way he omitted her name and referred to her as “the girl.” In fact his pheromones didn’t click with her essence, period.
She heard Romulo’s nasal chuckle as she and Maclemar sped left. Poe was a quarter Mexican and her knowledge of Spanish was limited to numbers and swear words. It felt good to practice on a prick like Romulo.
“Lay low,” she ordered, and she told Maclemar to take cover behind two-ton boulders that ensconced trash and recycling bins for the park. How her words rang true as
Jorge gestured for the group to huddle. Poe decided she liked his open, beardless face. In the softest voice he could muster, the man whispered,
“Sorry but some vamps have Jaime Sommers hearing. For you young ones who’ve never heard of her, she’d be the Bionic Woman. Anyway, the glade coming up is the perfect place for an ambush. It’s ten minutes from where our van is parked. Lots of overgrown bushes, hedges, and juts for cover, but we could still be easy pickings. I’m pretty damn sure this is where it’s going to happen. Maple’s climbing for a better view. Prepare yourselves. Keep to the trees.
They’re banking on picking us off in the clearing.
And Poe, I’ve got an extra Kevlar in my bag. It’s huge but better than nothing.”
The motley crew heeded his advice, and they clutched their weapons of choice like winning lottery tickets. It was a sinking feeling to know that in ten minutes all five of them could die. Jorge tossed the extra bulletproof vest to Poe.
She silently mouthed a thank you to Jorge who she later learned had founded two organizations dedicated to getting more bicycles than cars on the road in Oakland. The more benign of the two was Bike Not Car that mainly participated in pro-bicycle rallies and costumed bike rides on Sundays. Later he 89
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
put together a clandestine die-hard group of cyclists that randomly punctured automobile tires to make a glaring point. It was called Pedal or You’re Cheddar.
Instead of putting on the vest, Poe handed it to Maclemar. She figured he’d need it more than her.
“No way,” he said inaudibly. “You wear it.”
With a hard stare Poe grabbed the neck of his sweatshirt until her lips were next to his left ear. She whispered, “I have experience. Put the damn thing on. It’s too big for me anyway.” Impatiently she took his arm and began shoving it in the arm hole of the vest. Ticked, the Welshman pushed her hands away.
Once Maclemar suited up she removed the two guns from her shoulder holster. The left hand clutched the Walther PPK she had nicknamed James after 007, and the right one held a lightweight Glock that carried 17 rounds per magazine.
The girl was ambidextrous and a pretty steady shot with both hands. My only talent , she thought wryly. And sometimes I miss .” She thought of the human cattle she had shot accidentally out of misplaced confidence.
Never shoot unless you’re sure, Poe , she told herself. You’re 24, and you can’t use your youth as an excuse for screwing up anymore.
Followed closely by Chops, Penny sidled up to Poe and scratched her leg with a paw. The mute dog, looking worried, blinked up at her. She bent down and kissed the mutt on the forehead and patted the rosy pig on the rump. As if the animals could understand, Poe put a silencing finger to her lips.
A flurry of bullets erupted ahead of them, jolting each one to action. Maple was in the crossfire. Jorge deferred leadership to Romulo who stepped up to the 90
Rono/DEAD SURROUND
plate. He had more experience being Sainvire’s top henchman and head of security in the Bay Area.
“Split up,” he ordered. “They can’t box us in that way. You and the girl go left. Jorge and I will take the right. Entiendes ?”
With a hiss Poe answered with viciousness brought on by the moment, “ Sí, cabrón !” She didn’t like the way he omitted her name and referred to her as “the girl.” In fact his pheromones didn’t click with her essence, period.
She heard Romulo’s nasal chuckle as she and Maclemar sped left. Poe was a quarter Mexican and her knowledge of Spanish was limited to numbers and swear words. It felt good to practice on a prick like Romulo.
“Lay low,” she ordered, and she told Maclemar to take cover behind two-ton boulders that ensconced trash and recycling bins for the park. How her words rang true as
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