11. Crossroads (Wolf & Duna)

a/n: Wolf, Duna, and a new friend make their way to the main enemy encampment.

Typed it, because today has been a day. Stole the prompt from Day 22.

All the good things belong to Monolith Soft.

The older male would not shut up. He was wailing, dragging at the leader, begging the others to help him rescue his daughter. It turned out there was one woman left at the main encampment. For whatever reason, safety or animus, the rest of the group wasn't all that hot on risking their escape to coax her out from under the noses of the remaining soldiers plus the leader of the group. They didn't name him, not even when Duna asked point blank if he was the one called Maroos. Wolf was going to assume he was the same one that Slovity had warned them about.

Wolf balanced the options. He wasn't sure if he could knock this guy out, and besides he couldn't drag even an aged Prone when he outweighed Wolf by a good 100 kilos. Risking the group for one captive was stupid.

"I will lead you there," the frail Prone said, clinging to Duna's hand. "She is my cousin."

The Prone were now in complete confusion, pulling at her, at Duna, threatening the old man, ready to scatter. Wolf glared at the leader and strode up up to her. "You. Your name."

"I am nothing to you."

"I'm Wolf, of New Los Angeles, and I'm going to get your last kinswoman. What's your name?"

"Lefana."

"Look, Lefana. Keep 'em together, get them under the overpass beyond the curve. If you stick to the inner wall, the heat should be okay." He reluctantly handed her the weapons they'd collected from the guards. "Don't shoot us when we all come back."

"There is only one to bring back. Do not waste time, Wolf." He wasn't sure if this was encouragement to haste or a request that he skip the entire quest. He took it in the most positive sense and rejoined Duna.

Duna, Wolf and their guide watched the group move off, then headed east themselves. Wolf insisted they take a detour around the former worksite. No point running into any new hostiles that might be there, alert for an attack and already searching. The frail woman, Tria by name, assured them that no guards would come until meal time, not for hours, but Wolf didn't feel like risking it. She wasn't much help with details of how long they'd been there, the likely setup at the campsite, how best not to alarm the hostage, or any of the other hopeful questions Duna asked her. They got that the remaining woman was called Mekra and was about the same age as Tria. Duna nodded, and whispered to Wolf that she knew the woman but hadn't realized she'd been taken with Sunilla. "She is older than Sunilla, but younger than me." She sighed. "It seems all my kinswomen are younger than me."

Wolf rolled his eyes. "You're not dead yet. Let's keep it that way." They had reached the base of the great ruined city. Huge blocks torn from the facade of the wall tilted along the path. Tria halted and pointed ahead of them. At some distance, on a little spit of sand, there were a few canvas tents, a cooking area, and the forms of Prone moving back and forth. Wolf would have continued but he stopped. This group could not be that stupid to have chosen this location. Anyone approaching them would have plenty of cover. There must be some protection.

"Alarms?"

Tria shrugged and started to shuffle away. "Duna," Wolf ordered, "go with her. Get them all to the skells and head down to the lava pools and north west. If you spot an away team, get their help. Otherwise, keep going down the path to the beach. Best place to get BLADE to extract you, and you'll be safe to wait there. I'll join you as soon as I can."

Duna nodded and started walking back with Tria. Wolf sighed and stepped into the lava pool that lined the pathway. The path might have pressure sensors, but he was pretty sure they didn't expect visitors to come wading through molten rock. He just hoped his boots would last.

a/n: Turns out, I have DETAILED notes on how this story should have gone. Why, oh, why did I stop writing it? Oh, right, life.

Next up: I am pausing because tomorrow's prompt is CHOICE. Friends Are Nopon Now!