93

The colony is divided in opinion. Roughly half urges an investigation of the signal; the other half believes, like you, that it would be foolish to risk walking into an ambush on the dubious merits of such a patchy broadcast.

A vote decides the course of action in your favour, and the convoy prepares for the next stage of its journey to Santo. You lead the way along Interstate 20 and, as you pass by the outskirts of a town called Brock, the sun dips reluctantly below the horizon. A full moon brightens the twilight and the temperature drops rapidly until you find yourself shivering in the cold night wind.

It takes forty minutes to reach Santo, and another twenty to find a site on which to set up camp overnight. Uncle Jonas orders that the vehicles be drawn into a circle, like a ring of wagons in the Wild West, to offer the best protection against the threat of a night raid. Lots are drawn to see who will stand the first watch; unfortunately, you pick the shortest straw.

It is an hour after midnight when you see a cluster of lights in the middle distance. They are less than a mile away to the east, and approaching at speed. With only a few minutes at most before the bikers reach the camp, you sound the alarm.

Like a pack of screaming demons the marauding bikers descend on the convoy, shooting wildly as they weave in and out of the circle. One of the bikers guns his machine towards you, forcing you to dive aside to avoid being ridden down. You are staggering to your feet when another attacks you from behind.

Pick a number from the Random Number Table and add to it your current Stealth skill total.

If your total is now 8 or less, turn to 265.

If your total is 9 or more, turn to 289.