Chapter 46.

Omni-System moved every car it could to the side of the road, making way for emergency personnel to reach the epicenter. People stood on top of cars, surveying the wreckage. Some simply watched, others wept, but most recorded it in an apathetic fashion.

Geraldo had to lay on the horn most of the way to the dam. The crowd parted for him slowly, only to close up behind him.

Brian moaned and rolled over in the back seat. "Where am I?"

"On our way to the dam, That's where you said Gabriela was."

"What happened?" Brian struggled to sit up.

"They set off a bomb. A big fucking bomb."

"Who?"

Geraldo glanced at Brian through the rearview mirror. "I dunno. Either Cy-Tech or the Sons."

"You hit me." Brian's head rolled back, and he moaned a little.

"More than once," Geraldo added. "How long have you been in contact with Gabriela?"

"I haven't been. She just called me right before you attacked me." Brian gingerly touched his swollen face.

"Were you going to tell me where she was?"

"No." Brian sighed, letting his hands cover his face.

"Why?"

"I don't trust you." He mumbled from beneath his hands. "I don't trust crips. Rats at the bottom will do anything to get to the top."

Geraldo clutched the steering wheel, his swollen knuckles popping in protest. "I should have left you to die."

"Why didn't you?"

Geraldo rolled down his window and shouted for the crowd to move before he started blaring his horn again. He rolled his window back up before he answered the question. "Because I'm not a rat."

"Was the bomb a nuke?"

Geraldo's finger tapped the steering wheel as he gave it some thought. "I don't think so. There was no EMP. All the vehicles seemed to work well enough for Omni-system to move them." He noted.

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Brian nodded. "Make sense. What are you going to do if you find Gabriela at the dam?"

"Arrester her."

"She didn't kill Conner."

"I know."

"You believe me?" Brian sounded shocked.

"No," Geraldo said with a chuckle before he turned the SUV off the main road, slowing as he made his way past a crashed bike. "I have evidence she didn't do it."

"Were you going to tell me?" Brian asked.

"I don't trust rats, Brian." Geraldo slowed the SUV to a stop. There was something off about the dam. It was a major piece of infrastructure for the city, but there were no personnel in sight. Not a single person in the guard station, and no security bots. No employees or visitors in sight. It was abandoned.

"Do you still have your pistol?"

Brian shook his head. "Cy-Tech took it."

"But they let you keep your terminal." Geraldo shook his head. "You didn't think it was a little strange?"

"Yeah, I thought it was strange." Brian agreed.

"It's because they knew that if Gabriela contacted anyone, it would be you, Brian. They probably cleared out the dam the moment she told you where she was." Geraldo let out a long sigh as he thought.

The sound of gunships filled the air, breaking Geraldo's concentration. He peaked out the window to see three of them circling overhead before they hovered over the dam. Lines were thrown out of the open side doors, and soldiers began to repel down.

"Why didn't they open fire at us?" Brian asked in a hushed whisper.

"This is a Cy-Tech vehicle. They probably think we are back up." Geraldo saw one of the gunships land. A manned Exo-suit lumbered out.

"Fuck." Geraldo cursed.

"What are we going to do?"

"Look in the back. See if there are any weapons in here."

Brian quickly rummaged around. "There is. Carbines and a light electromatic rifle. There is also a radio." He added.

Geraldo put the SUV in park and slipped out the door, keeping his head low. The only advantage he had was the element of surprise. He made his way to the back of the car and opened it. Standard issue Cy-Tech assault rifles, three of them were stored in the back, as well as the LEMR. Nothing that would do much to an exo, but it would have to do.

"How good of a shot are you, Brian?" Geraldo asked as he quickly grabbed a rifle, slamming a magazine into it before he put as many magazines as he could into his pockets.

"Good enough." Brian pulled the LER case over to him and quickly assembled the rifle.

"The light tower over there." Brian pointed across the parking lot. It stood right next to the lip of the dam. "It's used as a visual warning for low-flying aircraft. There should be a ladder that leads to the top. If I can get to it, I can cover you."

Geraldo nodded as he racked the rifle, loading a round into the chamber. "Don't shoot unless you need to. With luck, I can find Gabriela before they do and get out without being seen."

"I'll see if I can get Taurus over the radio. Call in the cavalry."

"Good idea." Geraldo nodded, taking a step away from the SUV. His heart was racing, and the palm of his hands were slick with sweat.

"What about cameras?"

"I doubt they are running right now. Cy-Tech isn't finishing a job, they are cleaning up a mess. That means they don't want records, and it also means they won't hesitate to terminate us." Geraldo shared one last look with Brian before he nodded and made his way to the dam.