“Mhmm.” Natalie nodded. “Hopefully, we can push through there quickly and then make it to the powerplant by morning.”
“I also brought along stuff so we could set up camp,” I interjected, “if we need to, of course.”
“I’m going to hope we don’t,” the blonde woman admitted. “Many things await us in the Forest of Fallout, Hunter. I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer not to sleep in a place full of unknown creatures.”
“And I’d prefer not to try and operate a complicated nuclear device without any sleep.” I shrugged. “It’s kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation.”
“Either way, we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” she explained. “Then, once we get to the nuclear plant, we’ll go inside and reactivate its core. The voice in your head can help you do that, correct?”
“I’m sure she can.” I nodded. “We’ll set the computer to keep operations going for a few weeks, and then completely go off the rails afterwards. That should give everyone time to escape the area.”
“And then, a few weeks later?” Natalie continued. “The Rubberfaces will be gone and humanity saved. If Dr. Nash’s plan is right, and he’s not just pulling your chain.”
“What do you mean ‘if he’s pulling my chain?’” I asked as I turned my head to the side curiously. “They already paid me half up front, so as long as I come out of this alive, I’ll be set for the next few years.”
“You want my honest opinion?” Natalie offered as she glanced over at me with a troubled expression. “Now, this may just be because I’m in a terrible place right now, but I figure I’ll tell you anyways. I think you might just be a guinea pig.”
No… that definitely wasn’t the case. Dr. Nash and his daughter may have been a little crazy, but they seemed one-hundred percent genuine when they tried to talk me into this whole endeavor.
“They’re putting a lot of time and effort into me if I’m just a guinea pig,” I argued. “Why would they offer me all this money and go through with helping me learn how to shoot and hotwire vehicles if they didn’t plan on keeping me around?”
“It’s just an observation,” the woman admitted. “To me, this sounds like the perfect opportunity to test out all their technology so there are no kinks in the system. Then, once it’s perfected, that badass woman who’s always talking to you can swoop in and find her father. If you die along the way, so be it.”
“You’re not very trusting, are you?” I grumbled.
“I trusted you,” she reminded me. “And now look where we are.”
“About to save the human race and give the Scavengers a better life?” I raised my eyebrows and frowned. “Don’t worry about me, Natalie. Sure, the whole situation was kinda weird, and I totally get why you have your suspicions. But I trust Karla, and I know this is going to work.”
Actually, I didn’t, and my suspicions against my bosses back at HQ were starting to grow.
Just how experimental was this chip in my brain? Had they tried it out on other people before and turned their minds to mush? Was there a pile of bodies buried in the Nashes’ backyard, full of previous “Wayfarers” who had been fried by the IFDR before it was perfected?
These were all questions that needed to be answered, but they could wait until I got back. For now, I just needed to focus on getting through the mission ahead.
Just then, I saw the outline of the power plant’s concave, towering smoke stack. It was still a bit of a ways away, but its massive figure stood above everything else, illuminated in the moonlight.
“There it is.” Natalie whistled. “The spot where things are gonna get real.”
“We can see the power plant,” I announced to Karla. “Natalie thinks we should be there by tomorrow morning, barring anything crazy happening in between.”
Think about what you’re saying, Hunter, Karla warned. Remember where you are… Crazy is the normal in Dimension Nine-Fifty-One.
“Yeah, who am I kidding?” I joked. “There’s probably mutated monkeys in the forest. Foul creatures that will sling their radioactive poo at us.”
Very funny. Karla was not amused.
“I’m not sure how it is in your world,” Natalie scoffed, “but there aren’t any monkeys here in the Fallen Lands or the surrounding Smoulder. They couldn’t survive the climate, apparently.”
“It was a joke,” I sighed. “Just trying to lighten the mood as we head toward certain death.”
Don’t be so overdramatic, Karla chuckled. It’s only a major probability of death, not certain.
“Oh, so now you have a sense of humor?” I grumbled. “Where was that when I was trying to charm my way out of your house?”
In order to charm your way out, you have to have some charm first, the voice in my head noted.
“Look, Karla… ” I got serious. “Do you really think this plan is going to work? Natalie and I are both in some deep trouble with the locals right now, after stealing their weapons and vehicle and all that.”
My father claims that, if you are successful, the probability of saving this timeline is ninety percent, she explained.
“Only ninety?” I gasped.
Almost nothing is one-hundred percent certain, Hunter, she continued, though my father has discovered there is a variable that will increase this percentage. However, he hasn’t figured out exactly what it is quite yet.
“Well, please tell me when you find out what that variable is,” I suggested, “that’s about as close to perfection as you could ask for.”
Of course, the voice in my head promised. Just promise us one thing, Hunter… Don’t do anything foolish.
“What, like steal from a bunch of pirates?” I chuckled.
I’m serious, Hunter, Karla warned. We want you to bring back the other Wayfarer. But it is much more important you come back, since you are the Wayfarer of our dimension. If something were to happen to you, it would be catastrophic to our world, and could even set off our own Doomsday scenario.
“No pressure, then?” I tried to joke, even though I had a massive lump in my throat.
Promise me something, Hunter, the voice demanded. If push comes to shove, and it looks like Natalie is doomed… save yourself and finish the mission. We can’t risk losing you, even if it means one less Wayfarer in the equation.
“I can’t make that promise,” I argued. “I’m not going to make that promise.”
Don’t be a fool, Hunter… Karla started, but I was done with the conversation.
“We are going to finish this mission,” I emphasized. “I’ll keep you posted. Hunter Bragg, over and out.”
Fine, Karla grumbled. Over and out.
“What was that about?” Natalie wondered as she glanced over at me. “What was she asking you to promise?”
I had a choice to make. I could tell her the truth, but that would only upset Natalie and make her more suspicious of the Nashes.
On the other hand, lying was never a good thing. Especially when the person being lied to is the woman who’s saved your ass time and time again.
“I’ll just tell it straight,” I sighed. “She wanted me to promise I wouldn’t go back for you if… well, you know.”
“Oh.” Natalie stared off into space. “I see. I suppose that would be the right decision to make.”
“But you heard me,” I reminded the Scavenger. “I told her I wasn’t going to do that. We’re in this together, and I hope you’d come back for me. I mean, hell, you’ve already gone out on a limb for me too many times to count. I’d never even dream of abandoning you.”