She began a methodical search of the mountains in quadrants. A world of rock and cliff. Not a single tree or shrub. Then, just as she was about to move to the middle of the island, she caught a glimpse of a smudge of green, half hidden behind a ridge. She zoomed in close and the screen froze. Don’t give up on me now, she whispered to the PlAK. She waited. The image resolved and revealed a round, green valley, like a bowl, with a spring falling into it from the top of a cliff. “A waterfall!” Sorrel cried. “Green. Caroni!”

Together, they looked at the screen. “It’s about the same distance as Cibao,” Sorrel said, “but as the crow flies. Much more difficult terrain in between. I don’t know if we can get there.”

“Someone has,” Caroni said. The valley held slanted shelters, open on three sides, and there were two tiny standing figures. “I wonder who they are. Those are lean-tos.” Then they saw another figure on the ground, braced on its arms. “Push-ups,” Caroni said. “Males.”

“They found a nice place,” Sorrel said.

“Looks like it. But males…” Caroni shook her head.

“Maybe instead of the town, that’s where you should go?”

“I don’t know…”

A cloud obscured the round valley. “Let me look for the dust storm before I lose visibility.” Sorrel panned over the Ocean of Atlantis. She pointed at the plume, now in the shape of a ragged oval. “It’ll soon be here,” she said. “If we’re still in this cave, we won’t be able to leave, maybe for days. Then we’ll be too weak to travel. We’ll starve.”

Caroni sighed and rubbed her eyes. “See if you can find a route to the male camp.”

CHAPTER 26 – ALLIANCE

Pia, Sarane and Lunar remained in the cave with Sorrel. Except for Pia, they were all older and got tired easily. Pia had an old injury – she’d broken her ankle as a child, and it had not set properly. Sorrel knew none of them well. Even in such a small band, people now spent most of their time in even smaller groups of two or three.

It was late afternoon and the light and heat were ebbing. The PlAK had been charged and Caroni had left with her group for the male camp near the waterfall. Sorrel noticed that she didn’t tell them about the change of destination. They were probably too tired and hungry to care.

“What’re you hoping to find?” Pia said from across the cave. She sat with her bad leg extended. Sarane and Lunar had gone outside to relieve themselves.

“Nothing. Anything.”

“What about earlier? Did you find what you’re – what we’re – looking for?”

“I think so.”

“Bad or good?”

“Information’s always good.”

“Tell me.”