ETHAN COULD HARDLY believe his luck in finding what seemed the perfect place for a new, Gen-controlled settlement on his very first scouting trip. He’d considered exploring farther before telling Garwin of his and Cherry’s find, but Cherry had been as excited as him and had wanted to show Garwin the place right away.
As they sped along on the flitter, returning to the site, Garwin was with Ethan at the front of the vehicle. Cherry was watching for dangerous life forms from the back, her weapon at the ready. Shelf clouds were building darkly and threatening rain, but Ethan estimated they had two or three dry hours ahead of them.
“I have to say,” Garwin remarked, “it feels good to get away for a while. I don’t seem to step far from the workshop or home these days.”
“How is work going?” Et
