Judgement: The Undergrounders Series Book Three (A Young Adult Post-apocalyptic Science Fiction Thriller) by Norma Hinkens Page A
Authors: Norma Hinkens
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that little horse-thieving incident if you let me in on whatever it is you got cooking here. My men tell me you're shoring up the tunnels we destroyed."
Trout shoots me a wary look.
I raise my brows a fraction and give him a reassuring nod. My mind is racing with a daring proposition. I can put the Rogues to good use now that they're here. But first, I have to snag The Ghost's interest.
"One of the scientists intercepted another transmission yesterday," I say.
The Ghost leans forward in his chair, his breathing slow and shallow. "What kind of transmission?"
"It was from the Megamedes. The Sweepers are sending a delegation here to do a productivity audit." I pause and lower my voice. "This could be our chance to strike at the heart of their operation."
The Ghost's penetrating stare bores into me as he digests the news. For the longest moment I don't think he's going to bite, and then his lips split in a wolfish grin. "Tell me you weren't fixing to hijack the galaxy's only luxury superliner without me?" His eyes glitter with a hint of recklessness.
"Don't get ahead of yourself." I frown to hide the fact that I'm weak with relief. "First, we have to pass the audit."
Trout turns to The Ghost. "If we work together we can fool the Sweepers into thinking the Craniopolis is operational and buy ourselves some time to figure out how to infiltrate the Megamedes."
"This place look operational to you?" The Ghost throws back his head and laughs. "So where are you gonna tell them Lyong's at? On a white sandy beach somewhere using up his vacation days?"
I scowl at him. "Shut up and listen. The story is that Won tried to take over the Craniopolis. The records show that his Cybernetics program was a dismal failure. Lyong was losing patience with him."
The Ghost rubs his forefinger and thumb across his jaw. "Never gonna fly. Not without Schutz Clones or extractees."
"Sven and the military clones will stand in for the Schutz Clones," I say. "There's no way to tell who's under those helmets. As for the extractees," I grin across at him. "You couldn't have come at a better time."
The Ghost narrows his brows. "You want my men as live bait?"
I level my gaze at him. "You pay to play if you want a share in that luxury superliner. If it eases your mind any, Trout and I will be in the Intake Sektor too with some of the Undergrounders." All five of them .
"I want something in return," The Ghost says, after a moment's contemplation.
"What?"
"Land. Time you and I worked out a deal to go our separate ways." He pulls his lips into a disturbing smile. "I want everything east of Deadwood River."
My throat constricts. Trout and I trade uneasy glances. The homesteaders are on their way to the Deadwood River basin. I can't promise The Ghost what Owen has already claimed. The knot in my stomach tightens. Maybe The Ghost knows that.
The doors to the Biotik Sektor retract, saving me from having to commit. The military clones storm in and take aim at the Rogues scattered around the room.
I jump to my feet. "It's okay." I raise my palms in the air. "Don't shoot!"
Sven strides over to us, his expression grim. "What are they doing here?"
"They tracked Blade here," Trout says. "He disappeared during the storm."
"I told The Ghost about the transmission and he's agreed to help us," I add.
The Ghost sneers. "Bail you out, you mean."
Sven reaches for The Ghost by the throat. "You're lucky it's clones and not riders you're looking at right now."
"Those nags weren't worth the trouble," The Ghost scoffs. "We'd be barbecuing horse meat by now if you hadn't taken them off our hands."
Sven shoves The Ghost away from him in disgust. "Better watch that mouth of yours. I wouldn't want that getting back to the city. The riders adhere to cowboy retribution when it comes to horse thieves."
I lay a hand on Sven's arm. "Let it go. That's Jody's fight. How's your friend doing?"
"We stitched him up. He's resting in the Medical Sektor."
"Then let's head over to
Trout shoots me a wary look.
I raise my brows a fraction and give him a reassuring nod. My mind is racing with a daring proposition. I can put the Rogues to good use now that they're here. But first, I have to snag The Ghost's interest.
"One of the scientists intercepted another transmission yesterday," I say.
The Ghost leans forward in his chair, his breathing slow and shallow. "What kind of transmission?"
"It was from the Megamedes. The Sweepers are sending a delegation here to do a productivity audit." I pause and lower my voice. "This could be our chance to strike at the heart of their operation."
The Ghost's penetrating stare bores into me as he digests the news. For the longest moment I don't think he's going to bite, and then his lips split in a wolfish grin. "Tell me you weren't fixing to hijack the galaxy's only luxury superliner without me?" His eyes glitter with a hint of recklessness.
"Don't get ahead of yourself." I frown to hide the fact that I'm weak with relief. "First, we have to pass the audit."
Trout turns to The Ghost. "If we work together we can fool the Sweepers into thinking the Craniopolis is operational and buy ourselves some time to figure out how to infiltrate the Megamedes."
"This place look operational to you?" The Ghost throws back his head and laughs. "So where are you gonna tell them Lyong's at? On a white sandy beach somewhere using up his vacation days?"
I scowl at him. "Shut up and listen. The story is that Won tried to take over the Craniopolis. The records show that his Cybernetics program was a dismal failure. Lyong was losing patience with him."
The Ghost rubs his forefinger and thumb across his jaw. "Never gonna fly. Not without Schutz Clones or extractees."
"Sven and the military clones will stand in for the Schutz Clones," I say. "There's no way to tell who's under those helmets. As for the extractees," I grin across at him. "You couldn't have come at a better time."
The Ghost narrows his brows. "You want my men as live bait?"
I level my gaze at him. "You pay to play if you want a share in that luxury superliner. If it eases your mind any, Trout and I will be in the Intake Sektor too with some of the Undergrounders." All five of them .
"I want something in return," The Ghost says, after a moment's contemplation.
"What?"
"Land. Time you and I worked out a deal to go our separate ways." He pulls his lips into a disturbing smile. "I want everything east of Deadwood River."
My throat constricts. Trout and I trade uneasy glances. The homesteaders are on their way to the Deadwood River basin. I can't promise The Ghost what Owen has already claimed. The knot in my stomach tightens. Maybe The Ghost knows that.
The doors to the Biotik Sektor retract, saving me from having to commit. The military clones storm in and take aim at the Rogues scattered around the room.
I jump to my feet. "It's okay." I raise my palms in the air. "Don't shoot!"
Sven strides over to us, his expression grim. "What are they doing here?"
"They tracked Blade here," Trout says. "He disappeared during the storm."
"I told The Ghost about the transmission and he's agreed to help us," I add.
The Ghost sneers. "Bail you out, you mean."
Sven reaches for The Ghost by the throat. "You're lucky it's clones and not riders you're looking at right now."
"Those nags weren't worth the trouble," The Ghost scoffs. "We'd be barbecuing horse meat by now if you hadn't taken them off our hands."
Sven shoves The Ghost away from him in disgust. "Better watch that mouth of yours. I wouldn't want that getting back to the city. The riders adhere to cowboy retribution when it comes to horse thieves."
I lay a hand on Sven's arm. "Let it go. That's Jody's fight. How's your friend doing?"
"We stitched him up. He's resting in the Medical Sektor."
"Then let's head over to
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