Page 67 of From the Noblest Motives
"I think I could manage something."
"Well? You doing it or not?"
Shudder reached for the earth, finding where the cracks were, where the big rocks sat. "You haven't said it yet."
"Fuck's sake. Please, Shudder. Will youpleasetrap that traitor rat bastard of a mangy rat's ass in his ratty skimmer?"
"You only had to ask."
Shudder ducked his head to hide his smile at Blaze's strangled sound of aggravation, but he started to move the earth as promised. Tired, aching, not up to full strength yet, yes—but his pride wasn't going to survive if he couldn't open a hole under a little skimmer.
The ground rumbled. Cracks appeared around the vehicle. Even with the canopy closed, Shudder heard Fox's shriek as the skimmer dropped a meter and a half into the ground. For good measure, Shudder filled in the hole around it and piled rocks right up to the seam of the canopy. Fox would have to cut his way out, if he had the tools right with him, or do some serious work to smash the shatterproof windscreen. Barring that, he'd have to call for backup, which would be deliciously embarrassing for him.
"Good job." Blaze scooped Shudder off the ground, making him yelp, and jogged to his truck. "Back in the truck! Let's put some distance in before he thinks about signaling for help."
"Blaze." Dr. Parma was at the driver's side door, blocking the way. "We have to leave the truck. He's seen it now. Heard its sound and has its scent. Take what you need. It's not far."
"But—"
"We can get you another truck, dear. We have to go."
Blaze planted his feet, jaw set in a stubborn line. "Where are we going?"
"It's an old family property." Dr. Parma had moved to the back of the truck to let the gate down. "My grandniece lives there now, but there's also a hidden garage and a skimmer bus we can use."
Damien had already climbed into the covered truck bed and was setting things on the gate in neat lines—the kids' little packs, their three packs, pop-meal containers, water, tools, sacks to put things in. He only twitched when Deshaun tried to take his pack from the line, though Dr. Parma stopped him and shook her head.
"He'll be done in a moment. Let him finish."
Still fuming, Blaze seemed to have forgotten he was still holding Shudder and swung around to face Dr. Parma again. "Make it make sense, Doc. How can we leave my truck, go get another vehicle, and his foxness won't be able to use his stupid enhanced senses to track us to your secret garage and then trackthatvehicle?"
"Didn't I mention that my grandniece is a weatherworker?" Dr. Parma took the sack Damien handed her and held it open so he could load the water bulbs into it. "As soon as we reach the garage, she'll call a storm. There won't be any trail left to follow."
"Convenient," Blaze grumbled.
"Not at all." She glanced up at Damien. "I've had an escape plan in place for some time. On good advice."
I'm starting to think Damien's innate paranoia is really just extra common sense. "Blaze, hon, maybe put me down?" Shudder tapped him on the arm. "I'm getting dizzy with you swinging me around like a kids' carnival ride."
"Sorry," Blaze muttered as he set Shudder on his feet and stomped off to get things out of the cab.
Shudder found himself next to Hillary, who stood unnaturally stiff, her hands clenched at her sides. She stared intently at Fox's skimmer.
"What are you doing?" Shudder whispered to her.
"Making sure he doesn't know which way we went," she whispered back.
While she was obviously directing her illusion at Fox, Shudder could make out the ghosts of images—fictional rocks that had been piled over Fox's canopy so he couldn't see out any longer. Powerful stuff if he could pick out the illusion, too.
"He's so angry," Maia whispered from Shudder's left.
"Good. I hope he blows a blood vessel in his eye. Coming after Dr. Parma like that." Shudder tried for his best haughty librarian expression. "What nerve."
Maia covered her mouth to smother a snicker and took Shudder's hand. They stood side by side in silence so they wouldn't distract Hillary or Damien.
While Damien's methods were meticulous and methodical, they also ended up being incredibly efficient. Within five minutes, everyone was loaded with packs and supply bags and was trudging into the woods after Dr. Parma. Shudder got a folding camp shovel as a walking stick instead of a bag, but he wasn't going to pretend to be macho and complain about that.
Maia stayed to guide Hillary as she backed out of the clearing, still focused on Fox. Only when the trees hid them completely, Hillary turned—pale and shaking—and they hurried after everyone else.
