Free Evolution by Kyle West Page B

whimpering.
    Makara walked ahead, holding out her handgun. “Shut up.”
    She shot him. The man fell backward to the earth.
    Samuel shrugged. We looted their bodies, finding some ammo and this crumbly, yellow bread that tasted like corn. We also found some roasted white meat. Though both the meat and “cornbread” were dry, they tasted good. We drank from some canteens we found. Mine was filled with water that had a sweet, spicy flavor to it. The canteen had probably been filled with some sort of alcoholic drink – perhaps rum – before it was used for water. We found a nearby knapsack, loading it with ammo and leftover food. Samuel hoisted the pack onto his shoulder, and set off down the slope in the direction of the settlement.
    “We are going back, then?” I said.
    Samuel nodded. “It won’t hurt to take a look. Don’t get your hopes up. If I feel like it’s impossible to get in, then we’re heading to Nova Roma – with or without Anna.”
    It was the best I could hope for right now. I just needed to think of something – anything – that could save her. The problem was, I had zero idea on how to do that.
    Makara said nothing. She had been so against Anna when she had first joined us. I wondered if she felt the same way now. Anna was now a part of our team, along for the ride when she had, at first, only been our guide to the Great Blight. She had saved the mission countless times, and it was wrong to leave her behind without any sort of plan to go after her. I didn’t care what anyone said, or how rational they made it sound.
    We followed Samuel down the slope. In the distance, smoke rose in lazy circles from within the trees. That was the location of the settlement. In the misty morning light, I could make out the wooden shapes of shops and houses surrounded by the circular palisade wall.
    Somewhere in all that was Anna.
    “Hang on, Anna,” I said. “We’re coming.”

Chapter 9
    A nother hour passed, and we were in the outer stands of trees, scanning the wall of the town. It looked damn near impenetrable. The entire town was situated in a large meadow, and clearings filled with farms surrounded it. On the farms worked hundreds upon hundreds of slaves, growing crops. A road cut through the farms, entering the city by a gate, upon either side of which were two lofty guard towers. The road left the settlement’s other side, veering off and curving into the forest.
    That’s the gate Anna had entered, and the one we had been chased out of. They were the only two entrances we could see. In addition, several guards sat upon the three guard towers built into the walls that curved between each of the two gates, making a total of ten guard towers. Each tower had at least one guard in it.
    Obviously, the Empire took security very seriously.
    “Yeah,” Makara said, “doesn’t look like we’re busting in that place.”
    “There has to be a way,” I said. “We’re just not thinking hard enough.”
    No one answered me, which was a bit discouraging.
    “Would a disguise work?” I asked.
    “Where would we get said disguise?” Makara asked.
    I pointed toward one of the workers on the field. “Maybe he’ll let us borrow his.”
    “Run out in the open and ambush a helpless slave?” Makara sniffed. “No thanks.”
    “We could start a fire,” I said.
    “Arson’s always a win in my book,” Makara said.
    I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not.
    “A fire would force them out of the town, if it spreads enough,” Samuel said. “That might mean Anna, too.”
    “She would still be under protection, though,” Makara said. “Besides, we might end up hurting her.”
    “If we wait until nightfall, sneaking in might be easier,” I said.
    “Maybe,” Samuel said. “But they probably have that place guarded 24/7.” He paused. “I wonder what they’re keeping in there that’s so important.”
    We looked at the settlement longer, watching a caravan of camels leave by the north gate. When