Sucker Punch by Pauline Baird Jones Page B

handful of mud at him. Before he could retaliate, assuming he would, she took off her weapons and went down in the mud. If she’d been a pig, she’d have been as happy as one. She wasn’t, but it did help to know she’d blend into the scant landscape better. And it made the armpit odor moot. One had to find ones positives where one could.
    Benson was the last one to do the mud application. Her reluctance was interesting, but ultimately irrelevant. Jack might have been a little too helpful there. A little friction in the partnership? If she was annoying, Captain Uncle had picked her a good partner.
    The mud might have helped, but they needed to keep moving. To where? And then what? She wanted to believe that help was on the way, but what if the call had been a fake? What if their transmissions had been blocked? Someone out there could have seen the fireworks over the Park. Might even have called it in. What priority would it get? Hard to say on that one. Would depend on who took the call and how it was reported. Which left her with a possible worst-case scenario that they were on their own for an unspecified amount of time. Now if the shooting ramped up into a firefight, that bumped up chances that lots of someones around the Park would notice and report. Eventually there would be a tipping point that would trigger official attention.
    They just needed to live that long. And make enough noise to make it happen. Which would expose their position and put them at higher risk of not living that long.
    Yeah, more worst-case scenarios than not.
    â€œWe should split up.” Jack’s voice sounded as calm as if he were talking about picking where to eat lunch. He carefully holstered his hand weapon and picked up his long gun. Checked it for power pack and then assumed a defensive posture.
    Clearly he’d been thinking, too. And not about lunch. Which Vi wished she hadn’t missed. She’d even take an MRE right now.
    â€œI concur,” Joe said.
    Not a surprise.
    â€œThe idea has…merit,” she admitted reluctantly, pretty sure she knew where he was going to go with this. To head him off, she pointed out, “If whoever is after us didn’t see us leave the councilman’s place, they won’t know we picked up these two,” Vi pointed. “That might give us an advantage?” They needed the thin edges of even thin wedges, since that seemed like that’s all they had. “You and I could go one way, these two could go another….”
    Joe frowned. Also not a surprise. He was cut out of the heroic mold, and his people still had a “protect the women and children at all costs” code of conduct. The truth was, she and Joe were probably hosed, but it was possible that Benson and Jack could get clear. Tell their sad tale. It was easy to think noble thoughts, much harder to do noble things. Not that she minded Jack and Benson surviving. She just wanted to survive, too, if only to kiss the boy once more. When Joe didn’t speak, she went on making her case like he had objected.
    â€œWe could draw pursuit off these two.” She tried to sound, if not enthusiastic, at least wise. “Jack and Benson could make their way to one of the buildings and just lie low until help comes.”
    Benson looked horrified. Jack looked like, well, Jack.
    â€œIf you followed the lake bed, you could could head for the stadium. Might even get high enough to see something.” Give us some cover fire, she almost said, but it undermined her “they don’t know you’re here” point.
    â€œWe won’t leave you,” Benson said stubbornly.
    â€œWell, that’s not your call, now is it? I kind of outrank you.” Vi softened the rank pulling with a smile.
    â€œYou won’t stand a chance.” The line of her mouth was mutinous.
    â€œIf we stick together, no one will have a chance. Jack’s right about that,” Vi said. “We have to