Page 85 of Jude

You’re just the kind of help we need. What ammunition have you got?

I come fully loaded, replied Hell Cat. I’ve got bombs if you need them. I’ve even got a rocket launcher. Only one rocket, though.

Meet me at the coordinates I sent you, replied Octavia. We’ve got someone coordinating the attack. We’re only getting one shot at this.

You sure you don’t want me to take them on my own?The message ended with a smiley face.

Even you might need a little help this time.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Octavia nodded. So was she. Hell Cat had been her constant online companion ever since the State had arrived. She felt strangely nervous at the thought of them meeting. This felt so damn real.

Two more messages pinged in over the next fifteen minutes. More people, all wanting to help.

She sent replies, checking they knew where to meet. Hope trickled through her as she did so. This could just work. With enough people attacking the site at once, they could bring it down. They could beat the State.

“Heath, we’ve got four people willing to help,” said Octavia.

“Excellent work,” said Heath. “What’s your ETA at the site?”

“I’m fifteen minutes away.” Octavia resisted the urge to push the van. If it broke now, she was screwed.

“Jude, how about you?” asked Heath.

“I’m almost there,” said Jude. “I can see a fire. It might be Lincoln’s copter.”

Octavia’s gut clenched. Few people walked away from a copter crash.

“We’re almost there, as well,” said Tobias. “We see the fire. Jude, we’ll meet you there.”

“Will do,” said Jude.

The road Octavia drove along became increasingly bumpy. She slowed the vehicle and drove around the worst of the holes, not wanting to break anything on the already distressed van.

“Come on, baby,” she coaxed. “Not much farther now. You get me there and I’ll give you a full refit. Just keep going. I need you for a little bit longer.”

The last ten minutes of the journey felt like an hour. Octavia’s window was down, and, as she got to within half a mile of the site, she picked up the smell of burning. That must be Lincoln’s copter.

Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. Jude would be devastated if anything had happened to his brother. She wanted to be with him, offering comfort, letting him know everything would work out.

“What’s going on?” asked Heath.

“He’s here!” said Jude. “We’ve got him.”

“Is he okay?” asked Octavia, almost afraid to ask the question.

“He’s been better.”

“You can bet your ass I’ve been better.” Lincoln’s voice sounded over the comms. “Those damn bastards shot me out of the sky. That was my favorite copter.”

A gasp of relief shot out of Octavia. So long as Lincoln was cursing, she knew he’d be okay.

“Get to a safe location,” ordered Heath. “You’re too exposed out there.”

“We’re on it,” said Jude.

Octavia slowed as she rounded the corner. Up ahead was the looming gray vaccine plant. She inched the van as close as she could before shutting off the engine. Octavia turned to her port screen and began typing. How’s everyone doing out there? Are you still able to join us?