Princess Rescue Inc Read Online Free Page B

vortex.
    “Well,
unfortunately, we've got to go with what we've got. According to the eggheads
keeping an eye on the sun, this is the last major storm of the cycle. We won’t
have another on our end for a while, maybe not for another eleven years. I
don't know about you, but I'm too impatient to wait that long,” Max said. He
grunted as he taped a package on top of the roof packages.
    “What
about on the other end?” Scooter asked, coming over to them. “Is it true we
won’t have any steering or brakes?” he asked looking dubious.
    Scooter
was one of the drivers and the lead military mechanic. He and Max had hit it
off the moment they'd gotten together in the machine shops.
    Max
shook his head. “Nope, no power steering, no power for the hydraulic brakes. No
engine for that matter.” Max pointed to the truck behind them. The truck had a
cow catcher attached to its front. “The catapult got held up in port by a storm
so we're improvising. Since we don't have the catapult and the powers that be
nixed my Wile E. Coyote rubber band idea this'll have to do. That truck is
going to shove each vehicle up the ramp and into the vortex while trying to
stay out of range of the lightning. Each vehicle will go in neutral, with it's
electronics isolated.” He looked up to see the other drivers around him.
    He
nodded grimly aware that this could be the last briefing any of them had.
“Okay, when you get through the vortex, try to steer the best you can. I know
it'll be a bitch without power steering with these beasts. Roll out as far as
you can, at least the first couple of vehicles. After that try to cut left or
right to clear the path for the next guy.” He nodded to the drivers in the
three lead cars. They were busy taping things all over the lead hummer. One
gave a thumbs up signal briefly before going back to securing cases of chips
he'd found in a store room.
    “Looks
like a damn Mexican tour bus,” he sighed seeing a guy taping a coffee grinder
to a bumper. Bags of coffee were taped to the fender. Hopefully the nit wit
remembered the filters. “Make sure you leave a spot so the driver can see
folks,” he called.
    “Everything
electrical or electronic is going to be shielded in bronze Faraday cages and
lead. That goes for us too.” He waved to the lead and bronze lined suits
hanging nearby. Only Ryans had his on, the top off but tied around his waist.
“Visibility is going to be a pain. Watch out for ditches or a sudden drop on
the other end. We don't want anyone playing Wile E. Coyote for real.”
    A
couple of people snickered at that. “So, keep your hands and feet in the ride
till it comes to a complete stop?” Nate quipped, smiling as he taped another
biological kit to his truck. He had a fire extinguisher nearby, ready to go
next.
    “Got
it in one,” Max said smiling.
    “So
how do we stop?” Nate asked.
    “Well,
if you need to stop quick use the parking brake,” he smiled at the look of
disbelief that generated. “Slalom the steering back and forth to slow if you
can. As long as you don't tip the fuck over with the high center of gravity!”
He ended that last with a raised voice to a marine trying to load a fridge on
top of a cab. The marine turned and flipped him the bird. It was good natured
though. He snorted and shook his head, turning away. Hopefully the smart ass
had filled the fridge before getting it up there. Probably with beer, he
thought, amused once more. “Or you can go the Flintstones route and stick your
feet out. I heard the Jarheads can do that since they're all Neanderthals
anyway.”
    Several
people snickered at that. Nate's long British face twisted into a wry grin.
“Thanks mate but I'll pass on that. Don't need the tootsies torn up.”
    <==={}------------>
    “Shut
it off Scooter,” Perry grunted to Sergeant Scott 'Scooter' Alvarez, their lead
driver. The noncom was a short, whip thin Hispanic from Texas. He looked up at
the order.
    “But...”
the noncom complained reaching