It's getting cold outside, and darkness is falling on the ghost town. Caroline was restless. So far, there have been no threats or hints from Evelina, which showed evil intentions. But who knows what will happen next? It didn't make the situation any better that it was already difficult to see the ground underfoot. And, as luck would have it, I forgot the flashlight.
Although Caroline knew the immediate areas from the trailer like the back of her hand, she is afraid of the dark. Inadvertently, not the best moments come to mind, but now it is more important to get to the truck, at best without prying eyes.
Lina walks at a brisk pace along the learned path, the pet calmly runs next to her. She hoped that Archie's playful nature had calmed down a little for today, and she wouldn't have to look for him all over the sector in a panic again.
Somewhere in the distance, Muller flies from roof to roof, following the subject of surveillance, simultaneously trying to figure out how to bring Caroline to a dialogue. The attempt with the dog failed, so something else needs to be done. It just won't work, the result will be the same. Help me find shelter? Or to light the road? Also not an option. Lina has been living here much longer, she has probably already memorized the entire sector, even better than Muller herself. But then what?
Caroline's whole behavior was, one might say, terrifying. Not even the attitude itself, but the assumptions about what could have caused such a reaction. Obviously, not from a good life, Lina was afraid of her like fire. What was it that was being done to her that Caroline was so diligently avoiding any interaction with people?
Maybe give her some time to get used to Evelyn's presence? Mueller has two more weeks left. I probably shouldn't dress up Lina too much about this. Sooner or later it's going to happen anyway. After all, people are social beings, the need for communication is in their blood.
If you have to wait, then Evelina doesn't mind. She wouldn't force Caroline to speak.
Evelyn was jerked out of her thoughts by the suit's security alert. Sensors detected a sharp drop in temperature, as well as an increased wind speed. Muller turned around and saw a huge wall of dirt and dust rushing towards her, which demolishes everything in its path.
A sandstorm.
— How timely — She rolled her eyes in displeasure. It's good that Evelina had a helmet, this natural phenomenon should not cause much trouble. However, there will be problems with orientation.
But Caroline had no protection, just a mask and glasses. We need to make sure that she doesn't get hurt.
"Not that," — Lina realized with fear. This was also not enough for a complete picture!
Caroline, taking Archie under her arm, immediately ran into an abandoned building that was nearby and jumped in there. Any more and she would have been blown off her feet. Releasing the dog from her arms, Caroline leaned against the wall, catching her breath. My heart was pounding wildly with fright, it could be understood by the squeaking of the pacemaker, and my legs did not obey at all. Lina is so tired. I was lucky that I managed to escape from the storm, only scratched my hand on something.
Sitting down on the floor, Lina tried to digest what was happening. So many things happened in one day that it doesn't even feel right. First a plant, then a rocket from nowhere and that girl who is apparently chasing her. Caroline wants to believe that at least here she will be able to stay calm and finally relax.
But this was not allowed to happen. Cracks appeared all around, and there was a loud rumble outside that could be heard even through the howling of the wind. The building began to collapse.
Jumping to her feet, Caroline rushed to the exit, but in an instant it was blocked. There was no window in the vicinity, as well as any holes in the walls. She's trapped, nowhere to run.
And it seemed that this was the end. In the end, a fragment of the ceiling fell on Lina's head, which would have killed her for sure.
But he was torn to pieces by Evelyn's precise shot from the gun that had been holstered on his right hip all this time. Caroline didn't even have time to react, as she was already pressed against the stranger along with Archie, whom she was afraid of. They raced to the basement, which was very close, but it completely flew out of Lina's head.
Having flown into the utility room, where darkness and dampness are all around, Muller turned off the antigrav and stepped on the floor. Archie jumped right off, but Caroline didn't. Shock gripped his whole body, preventing him from assessing the situation sensibly. She could only hold onto Evelyn's shoulders like a drowning man holding onto a lifeline.
They stood there for a few seconds. Evelina did not dare to break the silence, simultaneously feeling how light Lina was. Too much. And Caroline was recovering after she was on the verge of death. Until Lina realized that she was hugging a complete stranger while being in his arms!
Caroline jumped off, recoiling from Muller.
— It's okay, how are you? — Seeing the fear in the survivor's eyes, Evelina tried to calm her down, — Are you hurt?
— I... no, — Lina realized that she was in a closed place with her now. The panic began to grow again.
— But you have a scratch on your arm, let me see — Muller slowly approached her, — Do not be afraid, I do not want to harm you, I want to help.
Caroline looked hopefully at Archie, he was the only protection, but the dog saw no danger in Evelyn. To him, she was just a stranger who smelled delicious.
— Please relax and let me disinfect the wound — Muller took cotton wool out of the medicine cabinet.
As a result, Caroline was seated on an old chair, watching warily as Evelina took her wrist and began to treat the scratch with Chlorhexidine, later applying a patch. Lina looked at her forearm in disbelief. Everything seems to be fine. Maybe Mueller really meant no harm, but we still need to stay alert.
She took the tablet from her belt and scanned all of Caroline, eliciting a questioning look from her.
— I want to make sure that... — Evelina paused when she saw the results. There were no fractures, but there was something more interesting. A pacemaker and a prosthetic left arm up to the elbow. There were only more questions: where did she get them? Where and how did you put Lina's implants? Here on earth, where the rangers were dressed up in a high-tech suit that could read the commands of the owner with a gun at the speed of thought, somehow managed to carry out an operation to implant prostheses to a living person! Is there really some kind of base here? So, okay, you need to answer the person — That you no longer have injuries.
Lina was still looking at her suspiciously. I didn't like this long pause.
— Ahem, can you tell me your name? — Mueller decided to just change the subject.
— Am.. Caro.. Carolina — Lina hesitated, because she hadn't said it for a very long time. There was no one.
— Nice to meet you, I'm Evelina Muller — She turned off the helmet, showing her face and holding out her hand for a handshake.
Now all of Caroline's attention was focused on Evelina, and anxiety for her own health and pet faded into the background. Compared to all the other people Lina had seen in her entire life, Muller was simply stunningly beautiful. The penetrating gaze of blue eyes, a large nose, medium lips and... Dirt? Dots dotted Evelina's entire profile: on her cheeks, cheekbones, and on the bridge of her nose. Had she already gotten dirty?
— Me t-too — Caroline finally replied, shaking hands. Lina hopes that things will continue to be as positive as they are now.