Chapter 24
Emu stepped into what he assumed must be the Gamma World. The pink sky and desolate surroundings reminded him of the strange world they had recently been marooned on. He let the shiver pass and glanced over at Parado, reassuring himself that his other half was really safe. Parado noticed and gave him a look. Emu looked away and didn't elaborate.
"We should hand over the supplies to the medical corps and gather backup first," Emu said instead.
There was a wordless consensus and Takeru lead the way to Gamma World's main city. The landscape greened as they got closer and Emu found himself impressed by what had obviously been new progress. Then, as they passed through the main gates, Emu was immediately hit with just how big a problem this limited population had been facing. Knowing the makeup of the virus and how to cure it didn't really prepare him for the moaning forms lining the streets and the frantic others lifting the ill or bringing food and water to the sick. No one even noticed their arrival: they were all either too sick or too busy.
Emu felt a pang of guilt. If they had just left a little earlier... If he had just grabbed his stuff quicker or convinced the others sooner…
"It's not your fault," Parado said, putting a bandaged hand on Emu's shoulder.
Emu nodded but didn't agree.
Takeru had picked up the pace, the reality of the situation apparently alarming to him too, and they raced through the streets to the main structure.
The building was literally packed with the ill. Every space was utilised for the sick or for medical supplies. They basically had to tip toe through the resting and unconscious.
A person with a white coat ran to them.
"You're here!" the unfamiliar person exclaimed. "You have the cure?"
"We bought supplies and instructions on how to form the necessary concoction," Emu said, handing over the materials.
"Where's Makoto and Alain?" Takeru asked.
The person pointed, busying themselves with gathering Emu's offered materials.
Emu bowed to the person as they left but they were in much too much of a hurry to notice. Emu smiled. They were dedicated and focused. The Gamma World's people were in good hands.
Parado nudged him and Emu spun to catch up with the crowd as they rushed to another room.
Takeru threw open the doors and a number of familiar faces greeted them.
"Hiiro! Taiga!" Emu grinned.
Both of them looked up and then looked back away as if they couldn't care less that Emu was there. Emu, flanked by Parado, went to them anyway.
"How has it been?"
"I think you can tell," Taiga said.
"Did you bring the cure?" Hiiro asked.
"I handed it over a few minutes ago."
They both nodded.
"Has there been any sign of the other Rider?" Emu asked.
Taga and Hiiro shook their heads. "None. They must be hiding."
"Sento will be able to find them," Emu said confidently, turning to survey the room.
Sento was surrounded by some faces Emu didn't realise but Sento obviously knew them. They were prodding at his injuries. Emu frowned at the roughhousing but didn't interfere.
Takeru and Akari had placed themselves by the sides of Specter and Necrom. Specter looked very tired. In fact, Emu would have diagnosed him with exhaustion if he had been the physician in charge. Another fight might be too much for him. But Necrom looked even worse. He was even thinner than when they had last met, and his confident demeanour was spoilt by tremors and flushed skin. Only the determined eyes and coloured hair looked reminiscent of the man he had met in past encounters.
Emu's frown deepened. Would they really be able to do this? They had a lot of Riders, sure, but none of them were in optimal condition. In fact, more than half of them should have been bed bound for at least 4 weeks.
And yet they were going to go up against a full strength Rider with powerful attacks and the ability to clone themselves. Even knowing the Unknown Rider's weakness might not be enough to actually take them down.
"We have a problem!" an unfamiliar voice called.
One of the Gamma World Doctors rushed into the room.
"What's happening?" Alain stood shakily and drew himself to a reliable height.
"I'm sorry, sir. The portal tech is missing."
Emu looked to Takeru.
"The way the Gamma World opens portals to the Regular World," he explained.
"She took it," Makoto said, fist tightening.
"How long do we have?" Sento asked.
"It usually takes less than an hour to generate enough power to create the portal."
"So we have to go after her now."
Emu cleared his throat.
"Are we sure about this?" he asked.
Everyone looked at him blankly.
"Perhaps some of us should stay to help with the cure," Emu defended.
The expressions darkened on the faces of some of the key individuals he hadn't directly named.
"We've been through this," Sento said. "We need the firepower."
"We do," Emu agreed. "But some of us won't be able to provide much."
"A little is better than none," Takeru said.
Parado grabbed his shoulders and spun him to face him.
"I'm going," he said firmly.
Emu looked at the determined faces around him and sighed.
"Ok. We need to find this Rider, then."
"This child can help with that," Sento said and from somewhere in the deep pockets of his beige jacket, he produced a small box with an antennae on it.
Everyone gathered around and waited with their breath held.
Sento looked around at his sudden crowd with surprise.
"It could take a while," Sento said and the shoulders of many in the circle dropped.
"Don't get us all excited, man," Banjo griped.
"Still, I'm amazed he can do this at all. I mean, when did he have time to make that?" Akari said.
"Don't leave him in a hospital room with nothing else to do," Kazumi warned. "I think this idiot's going to make some people at your hospital very unhappy."
A loud BING from the device shocked them all to attention.
Sento ruffled his hair until it stood up and looked up at the crowd around him.
"Found her," he said with a shrug.