CHAPTER 7

Hera: The Hide

Of course the first thing I grab out the ration stash is an oaty bar. Damn things’ll rot yer teeth, and yer brain, eat enough of ‘em. Just what my body is crying out for at the moment though, need that sugar rush.

Med kit next. Got a deep scratch across the back of my neck un-assing the temporary hide, burns like fire with the sweat runnin’ down in it now. A couple more bad ones on the forearms, the rest is all minor but the knee. Smear a little Blue Sun wonder goop on the cuts. Ahhh, that’s much better. Tear open the cloth over my achin’ knee, these britches are shot now anyways. Crush the cold pack and strap it in place, pop an analgesic to help the knee along.

Weapons..... this old Marlin and the Glock ain’t gonna cut it.

Lessee what we got to play with......naw, not the Barret. Love the punch, but too heavy to move around with quick and you cain’t carry a lot of ammo. Be great to pick off that hover, though. Yeah, the shotgun. Cain’t argue with a thumb-sized chunk of lead. Load ‘er up with mixed doubles of slugs and the A-P rounds I cooked up. Bar shot. Little balls of lead joined together with ni-chrome wire. Cut a man in half under twenty feet, make ‘im wish it had out to fifty.

Need a better sidearm, nine mils’re for shit.

Set the Glock aside. Take the forty-five out of the box. It’d do, but there’s only a few rounds left. Shoulda got more when I thought of it. Desert Eagle.....’nuff ammo, but it stove-pipes about every five shots. I need reliable right about now.

Just the thing. Callahan Model 5 , maybe the finest wheel gun ever made. Adjustable gas regulator lets me use full power loads on anything from rabbits to bear, though jackin’ it all the way up’ll give me bad muzzle climb. Top break to reload fast, and for point & shoot it cain’t be beat. Two boxes of ammo, but don’t need all of the fancy rig, just the dump pouches. Oughtta fit in the Eagle’s holster fine. Yup.

Get myself all rested up and I’ll be ready to dance again.

Shiny.....