13 Onward (2/2)
When they leave, Sia asks Raymond why they just tossed the rest of the meat. He says that you can't live on rabbit meat for a long while. You'll starve regardless. Rabbit meat isn't made to live off of long-term.
”The healthy rations Eli gave should be enough for us to stay fed to Coldstone and back. Also, the food will distract some critters from wandering over to them in the night.”
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Turner smirks and licks his lips as he drags the tarp into a clearing. Ika walks in front of him holding his rifle tightly. He is paying a lot of attention to their dark surroundings.
Ika is in the habit of killing things to distract large predators from attacking. He hasn't brought a kill back to be actually eaten in a long while. The woman's awed voice definitely gave his ego a bit of a boost. Turner leers at Ika's back thinking of what the man's intentions might be.
'Ya old dog.'
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”Okay, so back to the plan. I think that I will have a chance to escape them if an animal comes after the group.”
Sia is pacing back and forth around the wide conference room within the immersive mode.
A DISTRACTION WILL BE HELPFUL
UNKNOWN TERRAIN SUBTRACTS EFFICIENCY OF PLAN BY 9%
”I can't steal the keys, so yea. I'm stuck escaping on foot. I could become lost while using the bathroom. Like ”Ooooh, where did I come from? I don't know. Maybe this direction?!””
Sia wraps her arms around herself and flutters her eyes while frowning at an imaginary person.
…...
She drops her hands and looks up at the ceiling.
”What? That doesn't seem genuine?”
NEGATIVE
ABSCONDING AT NIGHT LOWERS PROBABILITY BY 10%
”Well, I can just think of something in the moment. There are all sorts of things happening out here.”
THE CLOSER WE TRAVERSE TO OUR FINAL DESTINATION
THE LOWER PROBABILITY OF SUCCESSFUL ESCAPE
”You're right. They can probably track us. That's what the apocalyptic travelers do in the movies. I need some way to escape from them in daylight without them suspecting I am trying to escape them.”
SCANNING TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF NEW CINALIA...
”Something only a few miles outside of Coldstone.”
LOCALIZING SEARCH...
POTENTIAL SITES FOUND
”OOH. Let me see.”
A blue map appears in the air of the immersive room. Several purple marks are blinking on the map. Sia walks up to one of the points and taps it. The map transforms into a satellite image of the area.
”Wow. This one would be great if I could hold my breath for long. They said the entire area of Coldstone is a winter wonderland now. I might be able to walk this, but who knows for how long. What direction would we be coming from?”
A red and green line appears on the map.
RED LINE IS MOST PROBABLE ROUTE
GREEN LINE IS A PROBABLE ALTERNATE ROUTE
”Hmm, when you say you can enchant me-”
ENHANCE
”-does that include my organs? Can I hold my breath longer than usual?”
AFFIRMATIVE
Sia grins, ”For exactly how long?”
YOUR HUMAN BODY WITH ITS' CURRENT PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES
CAN BE ENHANCED TO WITHHOLD AIR FROM ITSELF FOR 10 MINUTES AT A TIME
Sia's eyebrows raise and she rubs her hands together, ”'Okay. I'm not confident in my swimming, so that's a strong plan B.”
She pulls the map back to the other purple dots and taps a different one.
”Can I fly?”
NEGATIVE
”Okay. Next.”
They plan long into the night and Sia becomes confident about being about to do either of the plan.
That morning when they are about ready to leave, Sia approaches Turner.
”I noticed your radio,” she says, pointing at the walkie-talkie on his hip.
”Hmm, yea?” Turner smirks and sets a hand on his hip.
”I just wanted to know if you could tell Eli thanks for saving me back when that giant squirrel attacked me.”
”Suuuuuure,” Turner drawls out while cocking an eyebrow.
Turner climbs into the driver seat of the truck, and turns to Ika,”Sia seems to think Eli saved her from that rodent days past.”
”…...” Ika watches out the side mirror for any signs of life.
Turner starts the truck and glances over at the smaller male. ”I'm all for taking credit even when it isn't due, but if she's a part of a superior colony with connections with the outside world shouldn't you be cultivating a…” He leans forward on the steering wheel as he searches for the right words, ”...an amicable business relationship with her?”
He grins triumphantly after he finds the correct elite-speak to express his idea.
Ika rolls his eyes at the Turner's imitation of Eli. Eli is the spokesperson and mediator for the nomadic mercenary squad. The older members leave all the vocal manipulation to him, and he flourishes with those sorts of tasks. Many people in the know understand that any threats made by him will be accomplished by the combined might of the gunmen he represents.
Ika pulls out a small sack of sunflower seeds and thinks about the idea as he pours some into his palm. After a few moments, He shrugs and slips some sunflower seeds into his mouth. As the truck drives off, he spits the shells out the window.