Chapter 14

“How long are we planning to be gone?” Asked Lena as she eyed the supplies. When she didn’t receive an answer she spoke again, “You’re bringing me back right?”

“Lena, I will do my best to explain things when I can. You will choose your own path once we reach Vogt,” Moja assured her.

“But you still have my bike! I don’t have a choice!”

“You always have a choice,” Moja corrected.

Lena dropped into the seat frustrated.

“Let’s go,” she said impatiently. Lena snatched the key from Moja and inserted it into the column and the engine roared to life.

The city of Vogt came into focus as they drove. The sun rose in the sky, turning from red to a fiery orange.

“So, what is the Contagion?” Lena asked, afraid of the answer.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Jazun shouted from the back.

A pang of embarrassment reddened Lena’s face.

“The disease sprung up about a year ago,” explained Moja, ”those infected are quarantined. It’s relatively under control. Kenny acquired antibiotics during his recon that will keep the disease from taking hold in case of contact. However, the medicine is only effective for about twelve hours. There is no vaccine. Of course, if you’re a synth, you have nothing to worry about.”

Lena questioned further. “What...does it do?”

“It starts with headaches, severe enough to cause nausea. After a few days, your digestive system begins to fail and your body becomes too painful to move. Lesions develop on your skin and you become hypersensitive to sunlight. Hair loss. After a few weeks, you lose your sense of self. The body wanders autonomously in delerium. Only a small percentage have recovered from the disease, and even they are left in a mentally-hindered state, their brain cooked from the unstoppable fever.”

“Pretty much the worst death imaginable,” Jazun chimed in from the back. “We’ll be safe as long as we stay on our pills. But once you get it, it’s a death sentence.”

The landscape opened before them. Jazun leaned out the side of the vehicle as Lena approached the Vogt river canyon, slowing her speed. “Let’s stay close to the ridge.”

“Keep an eye out for the portal.” Moja added, “Kenny said it was on the eastern side, marked by concrete pylons.”

The river cut through a deep and rocky canyon before flowing into the center of Vogt where it would disappear beneath a sea of industrial buildings. Unlike Rhod’s crystalline skyline of blades and scythes, Vogt’s architecture was harsh and bulky-- black columns against a decadent yellow sky.

“Ahead,” Moja stated. She lowered the binoculars and pointed further down the canyon’s edge. Sure enough, the remains of a pylon sat atop a square opening in a concrete wall. It was overgrown with brush and looked just tall enough to walk through without ducking. Lena’s journey with the members of Verus was coming to an end.

“Park us in the treeline ahead,” said Moja.

A dense line of withered trees offered little cover for the machine, but Lena did as she was instructed. In a fluid motion, Lena executed a 2-point reverse turn, parking the sandrail in between two trees such that it pointed toward the open hills from which they came.

“In case you need to leave in a hurry,” Lena said as she turned off the vehicle. Moja took the key from the steering column and pocketed it.

Jazun lifted the rear seat to reveal a multitude of weapons. He removed a meter-long rod, attaching two curved spikes to one end. He tossed the weapon to Moja, who secured it to her waistband. He then withdrew what resembled a crossbow. He slung its strap over his head and concealed it beneath a short cloak.

Lena looked at them with butterflies in her stomach. “Um, what kind of trouble are you expecting?”

“None, hopefully,” he answered.

“Take what we can manage,” Jazun said as he unloaded the top cargo net. He tossed Lena a small bag. “You decide what you wanna do?”

Lena looked around at her barren surroundings and back at the armed duo. She only saw one option. “I’ll follow you in, and then I’m getting on the train back to Rhod.”

Jazun unfolded a large cloth printed with a foliage pattern. He draped it over the vehicle.