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.I remove my torn pants and twist over the toilet to examine the wound on my leg where the Vector had caught me with the electro-rod, but I’m surprised to see that it’s barely a thin, blackened welt under the crusty blood.I frown – I’ve never healed this fast before.Must have felt worse than it looks.I clean it off and pull on Shae’s clean clothes before walking out.The pants are a little snug, but they’re clean and not ripped.In the outer room, Shae and Caden are leaning over a case lined with all manner of weapons – guns, knives, chains, maces, spears, bows, and swords.“Guns won’t kill Vectors,” Shae is explaining to Caden.“They’re programmed to dodge the trajectory of bullets.Something about the sound of the metal, I think.” Brandishing a curved knife, she adds, “The only way to kill them, as you saw, is a sharp blow to the head or severing the spinal column.”“But people are much slower than bullets,” Caden argues.“But we’re less noticeable,” I interject, heading over to them.“That’s our advantage over them.By the first bullet, they know where you are.If you miss, you’re dead.It’s a small window, but usable.” I pull on the worn black leather harness over my shoulders and slip my short swords into their sheaths flat against my back.Choosing two short knives from the pile, I tuck those into my backpack along with a handful of four-pointed steel throwing stars.“It’s all about speed, flexibility and unpredictability.With a knife or a sword, you have to get in real close, but once you strike true, they go down.”Shae hefts a mini-crossbow in her hand.“This is my favorite.”“I don’t get it.What’s the difference between that and a gun?” Caden says.“Plus, I got the one with bullets upstairs, remember?”“Like I said, Vectors can hear bullets coming a mile away.Arrows are a lot quieter.Half the time, taking out a Vector quietly is the biggest challenge, because who knows what else you can attract, or how many of them?” Shae says.“And you didn’t kill the one upstairs.They can withstand a lot of physical damage as long as you don’t touch their vulnerable spots.It’s a waste.”“Which weapon should I use, then?” Caden asks.“The sabre,” I say quickly.“It’s the perfect weapon for you.It’d be like fencing, only you’re fighting for your life, not points.”“Super,” Caden’s droll response elicits a short laugh from Shae, and I, too, fight to keep the smile from my mouth, but the moment of levity is gone like a breath in the wind.They share a look that I ignore.“We need to move,” I tell them.“Shae, how’re you feeling?”“Good,” she responds, hoisting her backpack on her shoulders.Her color is back, and she’s standing in fighting stance.That’s one thing about the anti-eversion injectors – they pack a combined punch of pain inhibitors, counteractive pressure meds, and a low dose of epinephrine to get the nervous system functional.Shae tosses a headlamp in my direction and looks at me expectantly.“OK, we follow you.Let’s go,” I say, pulling the lamp over my forehead.“Caden’s in the middle, and I’ll be behind him.”We make our way through the steel door, dropping the heavy bar across the back once it’s shut.If the Vectors make it into the basement room, it won’t be much of a deterrent to them, but it will still take considerable force to open it from the inside.The tunnel smells musty, and it’s dark, with the three beams from our lamps barely piercing the blackness.No one speaks as we make our way, walking as fast as possible.There’s enough room for us to probably walk three abreast, but we remain in single file with Shae at the lead and me at the rear.After nearly forty minutes of hard walking, the tunnel forks.Shae takes the one on the left without missing a beat, and I have to force myself to not pull out the map in my pocket.I am flying blind and it’s not a feeling I like.Nor do I like depending on a sister that lied to me in the first place, even if we are now working against a common enemy.“Are you sure this is the right way?” I can’t stop myself from asking.“Yes.I’ve done this dozens of times before,” Shae shouts back.Her words do little to reassure.The tunnel walls are starting to close in, and all I want to do is sprint as fast as I can to the other end.I’ve never been good with being underground [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]