Free Code Breakers: Alpha by Colin F. Barnes Page A

Family. Understand their control. At the heart of that was another central question that he often wondered about. Who was he, really?
    “Well, I’m all for shady shenanigans, but if you’re planning anything, wait until I’ve downloaded all this crap. I don’t want to be cut off mid-dump.”
    “Eloquent.”
    “I mean it, Gez. I get you’re angry and want answers, but be patient, yeah?”
    “Sure. I’m sorry. This is all new to me. I’m just trying to find my bearings.”
    “Come on. Let’s go meet some Bachians. And a dear old enemy. You think your mind is blown now, wait till you meet Bilanko. She’s the guardian of Old Grey. Freaks me out every time we have to meet her. Assuming she’s still there.”
    “Why’s that such a problem? Move around much, does she?”
    “Yup. Never in the same place for more than a few days. Always seeking information, bartering, dealing, analysing.”
    The sound of their engines grew above Petal’s voice. Vibrations from their movement juddered through the ground and up into Gerry’s legs. How could they stand the noise and the dust? It was a far cry from the clean, quiet, electric vehicles back home. And yet, despite that, there was something alluring about the smoke-belching, loud, rough machines. It was a display of power that you just don’t get with the cold efficiency of electric.
    “How are they fuelling the engines?” Gerry asked.
    “H-core, Gez. Altered hydrogen fuel cells taken from the electric vehicles that got screwed up in the EMP. That and a highly unstable mix of fermented soy oil. Not many vehicles around anymore, at least not ones that are serviceable. Too many dead electronics, you see. What’s left are make-dos like the Bachia stuff here. Further afield I saw a few aircraft and trucks. Most of them were fixed and repaired, running off hydrogen fuel. The Bachian’s have got a small refinery they use to get hydrogen from rain.”
    “What rain?” Gerry asked, surveying the dry, cracked earth for as far as he could see. It clearly hadn’t rained in some time.
    “Exactly,” Petal said. “Hence why this lot don’t travel very far, and why in general there’s so few vehicles. Commodities, Gez, they are rare. Or at least the ones that can’t be stolen from the Family.”
    “So how they get water?”
    “There’s a few wells. Most settlements are usually around them. It’s like the old days back in Africa. We go where the water is—or where we’re not likely to get killed. They purify it here, too. Carbon filters and a natural trap with soy plants to take out the dangerous stuff.”
    Gerry could already feel his throat getting dry.
    The group of vehicles, ten of them in total, pulled up a few feet from Gabriel, who was now some ten metres or so ahead of Gerry and Petal. Gerry wanted to speed up and make ground, but Petal was slowing down, stumbling, and he couldn’t leave her behind. Gabe had seemingly trusted Gerry to look after her as he met with the group first.
    A wiry, bald man hopped out of the cage that surrounded his buggy. His ragged and dusty leather jerkin flapped in the wind. He wiped the red dirt from his goggles and grinned as he stretched out a hand to Gabriel.
    Gabe slapped it away with his left hand and punched the man in the face, splitting his nose with a vicious right jab.
    A whoop of cheers and laughter erupted from the group.
    Gerry and Petal caught up with Gabe and stood by his side as he spoke to the group.
    “I’ve got two thousand bins for the first person to give me their vehicle and the address of Bilanko Barnabas.”
    The goggled heads turned to each other while the man on the ground rolled over onto his back with a grimace. He spat out a tooth and a gob of blood before speaking. “Gabriel, old pal, old chum, why didn’t you just say that’s what you wanted? I’d have been more than willing to—”
    Gabriel kicked the man in the ribs. A loud crack sounded, and the man yelped.
    Reaching out, Gerry grabbed