Chapter 17

Jack survives his leap from Mayor Ginley’s house, sprints to the Binny Ding, and roars off under gunfire. He engages autopilot overdrive and outpaces the pursuing redheaded teens’ buses in the twisting hills, then slows and sets course toward Pernil with the Binny’s AI, Mrs. Talbot.

When the buses close again, Jack hides behind a farmhouse. He finds the elderly farmers murdered, takes unused sneakers and socks, and invokes Wolfs to guard their sheep. At dawn he spots the buses attacking a nearby town and instead chooses a restricted side road to a North Central Positronics Hold.

At Hold 60 he discovers a failing, looted facility but recovers four Dragonfire missiles. Startled by a glitching karaoke hologram, he loads the missiles into the Binny and returns to the Great Road to observe Kingstown, now burned and blasted. He confirms two buses abandoned; he mercy-wipes taunting words from severed heads and destroys the remaining bus with a Dragonfire before departing.

Jack shelters in a prosperous farm’s round barn, eats, and plans for Stark’s Crossing and Pernil. During the night he meets an aged billy-bumbler stealing meat; he shares food and kindness, and the creature stays. In the morning, he names the bumbler Richard and departs, warning Mrs. Talbot to watch for danger.

At Stark’s Crossing, Jack finds the trolley destroyed and townspeople herded into a pen and executed. He recognizes Roy Kinneston’s credo scrawled nearby, then gathers ethanol and sets the killing ground alight for a pyre. Overwhelmed by grief and rage, he weeps, comforted by Richard, and recommits to vengeance. Jack and Mrs. Talbot roll on toward Pernil, singing as Richard sleeps.