Predictably, the dead zone is the topic of conversation in the Land Whale later that night. Atana and I are allowed to stay this time. Colonel Vincent-I have learned that is his last name, but it is how he prefers to be addressed-invites us. We might finally be accepted as trustworthy members of this tribe of humans. Mars and his wife both appear, and he greets me warmly. Augie is not with us, but he seems to be something of a regulator for this band of humans. His place will be among them.
"We now have new information courtesy of our dynamic duo," Mars says, nodding at me and Atana and tapping a handful of papers. I am certain that reference comes from Atana's remark to me regarding my unwillingness to ride with her. Some of the humans snicker, but I believe they generally hold me in admiration. A bullet hole from a machine equates to instant respect. Probably foolish, but true. I don't believe that Atana has ever been as much of a suspect as I have, which is simply absurd, considering the punishment my body has taken in the name of the humans. She simply outclasses me when it comes to garnering human empathy, and I don't know how.
Mars hands the papers to Vincent, who looks us over. "The machine that murdered Morgan and Andrew was carrying scouting information of a very curious nature." Murder isn't the most appropriate term. The humans and robots are at war, and both men were combatants. Skynet wouldn't have made a distinction, but that doesn't make it any less true. "Apparently this machine has discovered a unique area in the former pacific northwest." He points to a map on a monitor. We all look at the non-descript shape on the map. "You are seeing an area of approximately forty-seven square kilometers. The area is typical of local ecology. As you can see, there is water. This is the Cascade Mountain Range, which means there may be volcanic activity. We don't have good enough intel on how this area was altered by judgment day, and our scout didn't elaborate on some things. I can tell you that this does not match any known topographical maps we have of the vicinity." Vincent goes on to describe the area in grueling military fashion. It bores me, and I'm even interested. Finally another man, Captain Engle, coughs politely. Vincent pauses and glares at Captain Engle. "The important thing is to find out why Skynet was concerned about this area. This area has an electromagnetic fault of some type; radio waves will not travel within the marked area," Vincent pauses. Most of the humans here with us are intelligent enough to realize what this means.
"We have to see it," Mars says at last. "It could change things. With a place Skynet can't sense us we could stop moving. I hardly remember what it feels like to stop moving."
"We also make ourselves targets," Atana remarks. Obligatory objection. She is being the Devil's advocate.
"At least see it," Mars repeats. The other men and women nod. Someone has to be wondering if it's a trap; but no one is mentioning it. By mutual consensus, we walk directly into Skynet's waiting arms.
The trek to Skynet's radio dead zone takes almost a week in the Land Whale. I use the time to work on the boogeyman alarms, and when I am good enough to ride, I move back out to riding with Atana on the moto. It is an alarm of sorts to me; a warning to me that I am shockingly fragile. What I first dismissed as little more than a nuisance has instead forced me spend what is to me an unacceptable about recuperating. I spend the time pondering my mortality and what it would mean to the humans. I am no good to them dead. Atana is quiet. I understand. I am quiet as well, only in my case it is because I am trying to rescue the human race. She's leading them to into oblivion.
A few days out, Vincent sends Atana and Augie to scout the area. I am commanded to stay at base camp-home-to maintain order. I may find this more difficult, or I may not. I do not have Augie's rank...a corporal in the United States Marine Corps. It earns him respect among the humans. Likewise, I have developed a reputation as a machine killer. I will learn over the next few days what that's worth. It's a day before Mary finds me.
"I want to report a kidnapping."
"Kidnapping?" Kidnapping is a barter crime. The only reason to do the extra work of keeping something or someone alive is that it may be valuable to a specific party. I decide to humor her. "Who has been kidnapped?"
"Cody." Indeed.
"Do you know who might have kidnapped him?" She shook her head. Her long waxen ringlets swung in her face. "So why do you think he's been kidnapped?"
"He's gone! He'd never disappear without telling me!" She is over-exaggerating her importance. Typical adolescent behavior.
"Well, who have you asked?"
"Jay is on patrol, and my mom sister and Aaron and everyone I could think of!" Jay is his uncle.
"Your dad didn't know?" Mars is the perfect First Sergeant. He knows everything about everyone in the Latest Show on Earth. It's uncanny at times. He always seems to know more than me, and I've tried to get ahead of him.
"I can't get to daddy. He's in the truck."
I am walking with her as we talk, and I subtly guide us towards the land whale. When we are there I knock on the back door and stick my head into the command center. Mars is there. I talk with him about Cody and the scouting mission. After a minute or so I return to Mary.
"He went with Miss Atana and Corporal Zimmer." The humans, especially the children, refer to her as Miss Atana. Mistress? Perhaps. Most certainly of the great pain variety.
"That's dangerous!" Mary says, peevishly.
"That is the point," I tell her. "You dad wanted him to get used to working with the grown-ups here."
"But why?"
"To give him a chance to learn how to be part of a machine." I should not have answered in that way. I consider my error.
"We're trying to kill the machines, not be part of them!" She knows better. She is merely being petulant. I decide to change my tactics for dealing with her.
"If anyone can teach him how to keep you safe, it's Corporal Zimmer and Atana. You know if you were in trouble he'd come to help. Don't you want him to live through it?"
"That's not fair," she says. "Don't be dramatic."
"I'm just telling the truth."
"Well, don't be surprised if I follow you around, then." I know Mary well enough to know that she does not make idle threats, and that as long as we don't have any trouble, her following me around won't be that bad.
The next few days are actually pleasant. I am forced to wonder if Skynet has cleared the road ahead of our advance, to better ensure that we conform to its expectations. Gs are a threat, but we have enough organization to avoid them, provided we have enough warning. They simply need to be avoided, or in the absence of that possibility, disabled before radio contact. I suspect the contact would be dealt with accordingly by Skynet, but as a matter of practice it is the smart move.
Mary does follow me around for the entire two days, becoming edgier as each moment passes. Finally Atana, Augie, and Cody return. I see them arrive long before any of them speak with me. Augie will ensure that they debrief immediately.
It is almost two hours before I see them again. In that time, Mary becomes even more agitated. Her concern for Cody is not healthy.
"Did you miss me?" Cody asked. The way he carries himself tells me that he has some new reserve of confidence. Mary runs up to him, but pauses before she reaches him. She is at least developed enough to find it awkward.
"What did you learn?" I ask him. He has always been a receptive student.
"Miss Atana taught me how to ride a moto! Corporal Zimmer taught me how to kill them but Miss Atana said that was a waste. She showed me how to jump on them."
"What a ridiculous idea!" Mary shouts. I agree. Our mental capabilities are prodigious but not beyond human range. Our physical abilities, other than our olfactory capabilities, are not even remotely close to being human. Jumping onto a moving G will certainly tax human physiology. I look at Mary.
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Of course!" Normally I would not trust a child to keep anything a secret. Mary is a special case.
I turn to Cody. "What did you find?"
Cody looks around conspiratorially. "First Sergeant Marshall said we aren't to talk about it."
He feels like an adult now after two days on the road with Augie, a definite grownup, and Atana, who at least looks like one. "What you three went up to see...I was there when Atana dug it out of that machine's head. All I want to know is if it's true."
Cody looks at us both, and then nods slowly. "Do you know why?"
"No one does. The machines suspected soil conditions. How well do the radios work?"
"They don't at all, unless you're super close. Miss Atana ran a long wire though, and we could talk on that. She was happy about that." I suppose she was. That indicates no attenuation, or at least not enough to block communication.
"How many patrols did you run into?" I ask him.
Now Cody looks disgusted and ashamed. "Ten, but most of the time they made me hide!"
"That is the smart thing to do," I tell him.
"If you're a coward."
"What would Skynet do if ten of its machines disappeared?" Cody doesn't answer. "Do you suppose it would have guessed this is where we were and sent something really, really bad? You said yourself the motos were really easy to kill...what about the big machines...the HK's?" Cody doesn't want to talk about it.
"I'm glad you hid," Mary says. Cody blushes, but does not say anything else.
"I'm glad, too," says a voice from behind us. Atana is sneaky.
"I heard your mission was a success," I tell her.
"Our information was correct." She looks directly at me. "It has cemented our value in the eyes of the powers that be." She looks to my abdomen. "How is your wound?"
"Healing quickly." I heal much faster than the average human.
She nods and looks at the children. "Can Mr. March and I talk for a while?"
Cody looks at Mary, who is laughing impishly. "It has been two whole days," he laughs.
I ignore him and walk with Atana to her tent. I have set it up, and have been sleeping there. I figured I would set up my own when she came back. Hers is nicer anyway.
"Let me see," She points at my wound. I carefully pull the shirt up. I have been redressing the wound myself. She rips the swath of gauze off my damaged skin without a thought for my comfort. After inspecting the wound for a moment, she jabs it with her thumb. Blood immediately wells around the edges, and I wince. She is not satisfied. She digs more into the puncture, widening the hole. I struggle with her hand, finally getting her to release me.
"What are you doing?"
"Go get that dressed by a medic. Make sure they see that you still have it."
I understand now what she was after. "You didn't need to be so rough," I tell her. The tent is low, and I am sitting directly on the ground. She is kneeling at my side.
"You know better. I did need to. The last thing we need when we are this close is for you to get us caught with something stupid like that. Where's your tent?"
"I have to assemble it. It will be more painful now."
"Don't bother. The humans assume we are romantically entwined. Assembling your own tent will dispel that." I slump back. I lust after Atana, but not enough to actually enter into a physical relationship with her. "Get your wound dressed." She leaves the tent.
I wonder if human women are this difficult.
When I return with freshly human-dressed wounds, Atana has her pack in the tent and bedroll laid out on the floor. It is a suitable difference from mine. I am relieved. She sleeps in the tent for a night, and then she vanishes again, along with most of the men and women who have motos. They have left early to scout the caverns. They will pick the caverns without my input; without my subtle guidance, for whatever it's worth.
I wish I could have gone. I know that she can be trusted to find the locations which will benefit Skynet the most. Because of a stray bullet, I will have to wait to see what will become the ultimate killing ground of the humans.
