FORESIGHT and SCOPE: BOOK TWO

C H A P T E R F O R T Y-E I G H T

"There!" Hunter beat her to it, pointing up at one of the lower-hanging natural arches. He skillfully spun, released, and hooked his grappling line on it. Omega and Fern scaled up first, with Hunter and Tech in tow. Wrecker did the same with his own cable, but he dropped the ipsium cannister in the process of clambering up to safety.

"You must protect the ipsium case!" Tech shouted over the stampede.

"Well, what about protecting me?!" Wrecker argued.

"If it explodes, we'll all be dead!"

"Wrecker," Fern started as she watched the muscular clone breathe heavily in preparation to drop back down in the mammalous storm. With one brave battle cry, he did so and flung his large body over the ipsium. With the kicked-up dust cloud and swift gallops of the herd, Fern could barely see her friend—but she knew he was overwhelmed and was getting stomped on by the large creatures. Eventually, the tailend of the stampede passed, their bellowing and snorting echoed distantly, and the ordeal ended.

Everyone slipped down the cable line onto solid ground as Wrecker achingly forced himself to his feet. "Oh, my back..." he groaned.

"I would advise not dropping it next time." Tech said.

"Why don't you carry it?" Wrecker retorted.

"Fine." Tech inclined, and heaved the cannister over his shoulder.

"Wrecker, are you okay?" Fern helped him steady himself by holding onto his forearm. "Easy does it, you big oaf." Her eyes then widened when she gazed down the gorge where they and the stampede had proceeded.

Her shoulders dropped, groaning, "Oh, out of the frying pan..."

Rumbleee...

The narrow pathway was clogged with a thick, dark cloud that hollowed out sharps gusts of winds. Nasty, purple-white lightning cracked and hissed from within.

"Well, that would certainly explain the stampede." Tech noted.

"Always have to have the last word, huh?" Fern grumbled. She snatched Omega's hand. "Move, everyone! And stay together!" The clones resumed their ineffectial escape—they were instantly consumed by the sandstorm. The darkness blinded their vision. The pelting sand and debris felt like the never-ending pricking of tiny needles. Fern's left foot stomped down into a divot in the ground, and a sharp pain shot her ankle. She ignored it and squeezed Omega's hand to ensure they do not separate.

"We need to find shelter!" Hunter shouted over the crashing lightning and howling winds.

Tech utilized his computer visor to pinpoint a possible escape. "There is another mine. Thirty meter ahead. On the left."

"I see it!" Omega said.

"Go, Half-Pint!" Fern scooped up the young girl from under her arms the moment they reached the waist-high platform and hoisted her up. In one swift motion, Hunter heaved himself with one arm and hurdled his legs, and then he leaned over, grasped both Fern's wrists, and lifted her. He pushed her along inside the mineshaft before bending down to assist Wrecker when Tech towing in the back with the ipsium case tripped. The muscular clone instinctively took action to retrieve him.

"The case!"

"Forget it!" Wrecker growled and tossed Tech up the scaffold.

"Wrecker!" Fern screamed. "Hurry!"

"Where's the ipsium?" Omega questioned in a panicked voice. Fern's head whipped around to the outside just as the cannister was booted by the electrifying storm, cracks of lightning danced around its edges. Her eyes bulged when it was hurdled towards them and attracted three bolts at once.