251

You pull over to the side of the road and Rickenbacker radios to the convoy, instructing it to stop and stand by. Using your magnifying device you are able to see that behind the tents a road block has been erected. It consists of rubble and auto wrecks, and it completely blocks the highway leading to the town of Westmorland. The road south to Brawley is open, but there are several strange-looking people standing at the junction, either singly or gathered in groups. Some are dressed in brightly coloured patchwork clothes, others are half-naked; yet all of them have one thing in common: they move with such lethargy that, from a distance, they resemble a colony of shambling zombies.

‘I don’t like the look of this,’ you say to your partner. ‘Radio the convoy and get them to put Cookie on. Maybe he knows something about these weirdos.’

Rickenbacker complies with your request and, within a minute or so, you are talking to Cookie person-to-person. ‘Sounds like you’ve run across a pack of Crazies,’ says Cookie, after listening to your description of the people at the junction. ‘They’re mainly junkies and street-scum that the army kicked outta LA and San Francisco. They’re usually pretty harmless, but watch y’selves. You never can tell what they’ll get up to.’

You thank Cookie for the advice and sign off by telling the convoy that you and Rickenbacker are on your way back. You are about to reach for the ignition when suddenly you hear movement away to your right. You turn your head and see three Crazies—two men and a woman—emerge from the scrub and scurry towards the truck. Despite their frightening appearance, you notice that none of them appears to be armed.

If you wish to start the truck and drive away, turn to 29.

If you wish to stop and question them, turn to 173.