“Clear VR,” Jaenisch said when they reached the limit. “Not bad, Nugget. Not bad at all.”
“Thanks,” Berg said.
“This scenario is set up for a two team maneuver,” Jaenisch admitted. “Six guys, not two. I wanted to run you through something harder than I thought we could handle, just to knock the starch out. So much for that idea. As a matter of fact, I hereby designate you Two-Gun. You may now call me Jaen.”
“Thank you, Jaen,” Berg said. “But I don’t think it’s a good way to do battle normally.”
“Agreed,” Jaen said. “But it was grapping awesome. I can’t wait to replay the clip.”
“This is recorded?” Berg said.
“Two-Gun, every second of every day we do this maulk is recorded,” Jaenisch said bitterly. “Why do you think there are grapping cameras everywhere? We’re guinea pigs. I’ll explain when we get back to the armory.”
3
Old Friends, Same ProblemsAll the Adar tech in the world hadn’t helped the lunchtime traffic on Monticello. Bill weaved his Ford Electra into the left-hand lane, getting around a late model Chevy pickup that was carefully doing the speed limit, and floored it, trying to make it through the turn at VA 168. Once past 168 he’d be clear most of the way to base.
Unfortunately, as he approached the light it turned yellow. He figured he had time so he floored it but the car instead decelerated, the electric motor dropping to idle as the brakes automatically slid him to a controlled stop.
Oh, yeah, Adar tech was good for some things!
The pickup blew past him, still doing a stately forty-five miles per hour. He hoped the old fart got a ticket.
The bright purple Chevy Neon that had been on Bill’s bumper suddenly pulled out, the light having changed to red, and sped through the intersection causing a flurry of honks but, fortunately, no accidents.