The Black Tide (Outcast 3)

Jonas slowed but didn’t stop. “Bear, can you go see what’s going on up there?”

He immediately raced off and, a few seconds later, said, There are trucks and a conveyor belt. They are autonomous, but there are four men who appear to be supervising.

Can you follow the conveyor and see where it leads? I asked, and then glanced at Jonas. “I wonder when the shift changeover is?”

The question was barely out of my mouth when Cat said, A truck is moving toward you.

Are the four men who were sleeping inside it?

She paused, and then said, Yes.

How far away is it?

Only a few minutes.

I pulled off my pack and g

ave it to Jonas. “I’ll go deal with the truck.”

“Be careful.”

“Careful is second nature for someone like me.”

My tone was dry, but his responding smile held more concern than amusement. I shifted to particle form and swept back up the tunnel, keeping high to avoid getting caught in the lights of the approaching vehicle.

It was an old-school troop carrier—the type with an enclosed metal cabin but a simple canvas covering over the rear cargo area. I swept over the top of it and then dropped down. There were three men inside.

Cat, can you keep an eye on the driver? If he suspects anything or tries to contact the people ahead, knock him out.

Inside and waiting, she said, rather enthusiastically.

Which made me suspect that even if the driver didn’t react, Cat would still deal with him. I swept under the canvas and hovered above the three men. Two were sitting on the right bench and one on the left. All three were armed. I flexed particle fingers, trying to ease tension but not really succeeding. Then I reclaimed flesh form and dropped into the middle of the three, punching one in the face with all the force I could muster then sweeping around with a booted foot at the second. Even as he fell sideways with a grunt of pain, the third man reacted. He was fast—but not quite fast enough. I shot him in the head just as his gun cleared its holster.

The truck slewed to the right, throwing me sideways onto the man I’d knocked down but not out. He wrapped an arm around my neck, his grip viselike, and slipped something cold and hard into my side with the other. Knife, some part of my brain said, even as pain surged and the heat of blood began to soak my undershirt. I twisted my arm around and fired the gun. His grip immediately went slack, and I pushed away from him, pressing one hand against my side as I swung around and fired several more shots. Then I repeated the process with the man whose face I’d smashed. He might have been unconscious but I was in no mood for mercy.

The truck straightened abruptly. I’m now in control, Cat said.

And the driver?

Fell out.

Amusement ran through me. Are you okay steering for a couple of seconds while I take care of him?

Of course.

It was indignantly said and my amusement grew. I shifted back to particle form and raced back up the tunnel. The driver was groggily attempting to get back to his feet. I reformed the hand holding the gun and shot him. There was no silencer on the gun, but even in the vast space of this tunnel, the gunshot made little impact against the greater noise coming from the borer up ahead.

I went back to the truck and, once I’d reclaimed flesh, took over from Cat. The bleeding from the knife wound had slowed but not entirely stopped. Thankfully, the truck had been set to semiauto, so I really had to do nothing more strenuous than steer.

The vehicle headlights soon picked out Jonas standing close to the guide lights. I slowed to a crawl but didn’t stop. While the noise of the tunnel borer might have covered the gunshots, we were now within sight of the area ahead, and there might just be someone there alert enough to become suspicious. The very last thing we needed was another alarm being raised—although in truth, it didn’t really matter anymore. Dream would presumably have tried to contact Penny or have checked in with her vampires by now, and would surely be aware that we’d reached the safety of UV-protected tunnel. The trap we both still feared might not be waiting here, but rather on the surface the minute we appeared.

Jonas is onboard, Cat said. As I allowed the truck to gain speed again, she added, He said to slow again just before you’re about to go into the cavern so he can jump out, and then increase speed. He’ll take out the four men in the cavern while their attention is on you.

Can you ask him why he’s communicating through you rather than directly with me?

She paused. He said he keeps forgetting he can do that.

And, he added directly, when I do, it’s often to find you in pain and bleeding—like now.