Free Orbs II: Stranded by Nicholas Sansbury Smith Page B

how his weapon works.”
    Emanuel glanced at Sophie and quickly turned away. He had tofinish gathering up his gear. There wasn’t much time, and he wanted to make sure the weapon was fully charged before they left. She followed him back to the CIC, where the hunk of metal sat plugged into the mainframe.
    “Alexia, is the RVAMP ready to go?” Emanuel asked as soon as the lights turned on.
    “Yes, Dr. Rodriguez. Fully charged and one hundred percent operational,” she replied over the PA system.
    “Excellent. I’m going to need all the juice I can get.”
    “Are you going to explain what you have in mind?” Sophie asked, swiping a strand of blond hair out of her brown eyes. There was no hope, no spark left in them. His Sophie was insatiably curious, but the woman who stood before him now just looked exhausted.
    Emanuel paused. He pursed his lips, thinking about his response.
    “Why won’t you let me help you? I feel worthless, Emanuel, sitting here worrying about the fate of our team. And I have to deal with that asshole,” she said, pointing in the direction of the mess hall. “I need to immerse myself in my work again.”
    Emanuel took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Sophie, you aren’t worthless. It’s just . . .”
    “It’s the dreams, isn’t it? You think I’m going crazy.”
    “Not at all,” he said. “And your dreams have helped the team more than my device will. It’s just—”
    The crackle of static over the speakers interrupted him before he could finish. “Doctor Rodriguez, where are you? We’re ready to move. Report to Biome 1,” Overton barked.
    “I need to get going, Sophie. I’m sorry,” Emanuel said, throwing the straps over his shoulders and hoisting the device onto his back.
    “Please be careful,” she said, standing on her toes to brush her lips across his. “Come back to me.”
    The last time they’d had a conversation like this, it had been her leaving, not him. This time they didn’t even have time for proper good-byes.
    “I will, Sophie. I love you,” he whispered. “And my weapon is going to work.” He held her for a moment, marveling at how slight and fragileshe felt in his arms. And then she was gone, the door to their personnel quarters slamming behind her down the hallway.

CHAPTER 8
    O VERTON stomped on the pedal, and the Humvee lurched across the tarmac and onto the road.
    “Take it easy!” Emanuel shouted over the groan of the engine. “You don’t want to attract any attention, do you?”
    Overton didn’t reply. Emanuel wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t heard him or because the sergeant didn’t care if the Organics found them. The marine had a serious case of bloodlust, and he wouldn’t be happy until he had something to shoot.
    Emanuel looked out the window. The dead landscape surrounded them on all sides. White pine tree skeletons lined the slopes, shriveling under the scorching sun.
    He looked at his mission clock and saw the temperature in the right-hand corner.
    One hundred and one degrees.
    The temperature was rising, and there was nothing he could do about it. Even if they managed to defeat the Organics, the planet was doomed. Emanuel felt an anger growing inside him. He pounded the side of the door with his fist. His armored hands dented the cheap plastic lining. Typically, he was the level-headed one on the team. When Saafi had been killed and Timothy had lost his mind, Emanuel had remained calm. But even he could only take so much.
    Bouma turned around to peer at him. “Hey man, you okay?”
    Emanuel smiled thinly, even though the corporal couldn’t see his face through his visor. “Yeah. Fine.”
    “Keep an eye out for drones,” Bouma said, turning back to look out the filthy windshield.
    They sat in silence the entire way into Colorado Springs, scanning the landscape around them for signs of life, but their HUDs revealed only death. Emanuel hadn’t seen the desolation firsthand for weeks, and the sight sickened