The Blankets - 1

Yesterday, Rome and Rei decided to track down Dan Steele, one of the would-be assassins, on foot. They entered the woods at the western edge of the resort city of Ur. They didn't really have a plan other than to use Rome's enhanced vision and Rei's super-hearing with MINIMCOM hovering overhead looking for motion or a heat signature. What they found will shock you!

     “OK, my fearless tracker,” Rei said. “Where do we start?”
     Rome twisted in place and looked back at the city then turned to look forward. “There is no reason why Steele would take a circuitous route. We just need to align ourselves to Troutman’s house and then go west. Steele would stay somewhat close to Lake Eprehem. He would need water and food.”
     “Yeah, but that little river we saw means he didn’t have to stay just by the shoreline.”
     “He would if he wanted to catch swishies,” Rome said. “We have to start somewhere.”
     “OK, let’s do it,” Rei said. He closed his eyes and OMCOM’s ‘gift’, his sonar vision, kicked in. The sound of their footsteps was good enough to ‘illuminate’ the trail. Rei swept his head left and right and stopped almost immediately.
     “What?” Rome asked.
     “You were right,” Rei said. He opened his eyes and trotted over to the edge of first stand of cane-trees then stooped down. Clustered at the base of the trees were the ubiquitous sticky bushes.
     “Here,” he said, pointing to a bush. “Someone’s been by here. You can see where some of the leaves were pulled off. The leaves stick to everything.”
     “Excellent,” Rome said. “Let us continue in that direction.”
     They parted the bushes and entered into the forest proper. Through the occasional break in the trees, Rei looked up but saw nothing. At one point, he called up to MINIMCOM who assured him that he was directly overhead.
     Deeper and deeper they went. Occasionally, Rei thought he heard a rustling noise overhead but when he examined the leaf canopy carefully, using sonar, he detected nothing. However, as they marched along, Rei’s sonar vision was able to find small scuffs, more leaves pulled and where the ground was softer, the occasional footprint.
     “This is easy,” Rei said, smiling. “Who knew?” He trotted on ahead.
     “Try to go a little slower,” Rome cautioned. “Your special sight lets you manage your way around the trees but I still have to use my eyes.”
     “Sure,” Rei called back to her but something ahead caught his attention. “There,” he said, darting forward. “I found a…”
     Suddenly, Rome screamed. Rei whipped around and saw a ‘falling blanket’, one of the largest he’d ever seen, draped over his wife.
     “Rei!” Rome shouted mentally, “I can’t breathe.”

Oh no! Could this be the end of our darling Rome? Let's find out.