Metawars: The Complete Series: Trance, Changeling, Tempest, Chimera Read Online Free PDF Page B

just jerking awake with a cramp in my neck and no idea where I was. The faint odors of gasoline, deep fryer grease, and stale cigarette smoke assaulted my nostrils. The tractor trailer I’d hitched on was turning into a truck stop off I-99. It was busy enough, with dozens of rigs and trucks and traveling families coming and going at regular intervals. A huge fueling plaza was connected to a convenience store and greasy spoon diner. Two hundred yards away, across a service road, was a low-rent motel. It was after 6:00 p.m., dark again, and the place was jumping with activity.
    “We’re in Bakersfield,” Cliff said.
    I jerked my head toward him, self-consciously brushing a hand over my chin for a quick drool check. Sleeping upright in cars meant my mouth falling open, but I found no evidence of my slumber and sat up a little straighter. Some of the immediate panic died away, but not all. I’d fallen asleep—let my guard down while locked in a moving semi with a complete stranger. Stupid.
    Neon lights from the diner sign glinted off Cliff’s bald head. His plaid flannel shirt was untucked, covering his lap and substantial gut. He navigated his rig through the lot behind the diner. It looked like a boneyard for trucks—I had never seen so many in one place. He found a space and turned off the ignition. His hands clenched the steering wheel. I held tight to my knapsack, which hadn’t left my side since we began our trip in the early-dawn hours. The rig’s engine hissed as it cooled.
    The way he shifted in his seat made the skin on my forearms crawl. Maybe accepting the hitch had been a bad idea. I dreaded what Cliff might demand as compensation for this trip. We’d barely spoken when he picked me up. Enough words to communicate that our destinations coincided and he was willing to take on a passenger.
    And that he didn’t want my money.
    My bladder throbbed. “How long was I asleep?”
    “About four hours. You up for a stretch and some dinner?”
    “Definitely a stretch, but I really should be getting on my way.” And as far away from his leering eyes as possible. “I wish you’d take my money.”
    “Nah, thanks, though. Didn’t chafe my ass any, since we’re going the same way. Where’re you headed to from here?”
    “South. We’re only about two hours from L.A. I’ll get there somehow. Thanks for the lift.”
    Meaty fists tightened around the wheel, and he still didn’t look at me. I eyed him, clenching my own hands, half expecting some sort of attack; a snarled demand forphysical reparations. Instead, he climbed out. He walked around to my side, opened the door, and then offered me his hand.
    I smiled warmly, feeling a bit like an ass, and accepted his offer. I bounced to the ground and slung my knapsack over my shoulder.
    “Sure I can’t buy you dinner?” he asked.
    One more hash mark on the scorecard of things I would owe. No, thanks. “Thank you, again, for the ride, Cliff. I can manage it from here. Take care.”
    His left eye twitched. He nodded. “Yeah.” With that, he pivoted and strode toward the diner. Okay, waddled more than strode.
    My stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten for hours. I eyed the convenience store. Food in there was overpriced, and I might need my cash for the rest of the trip south. The cold fist of hunger tightened around my belly. Dinner with Cliff, even if he gave me the squiggles, was sounding better and better.
    Food later. Bathroom first, and then back on the road.
    I chose the convenience store’s bathroom, since I needed a key to get in. I wanted the privacy, if only for a few minutes. On my way to the rear of the store, key in hand, I passed a large display rack of newspapers. Half a dozen different headlines screamed information at me. A man was placing fresh copies of the
Valley Gazette
on a smallish rack near the bottom.
    “Fairview Hospital Fire, Two Dead, Accident or Arson?” Oddly professional headline from what looked like a