"Oh, thank god, we finally found an intact store." Flora sat down without further ado. "I don't think I can take another step." Even Sharal'tar seemed relieved to take some stress off her calves, and found a nice-looking leather coat. "You aren't worried you'll bake to death in that thing?" the folf asked. "It's blazing outside."
"I'm a desert lizard, we vent heat like nobody's business," Sharal'ar reminded. "I need protection from the light, not the heat."
Kojurro returned. "Ah, this is much better than the bath supplies place I located," he remarked approvingly, shedding his fluffy pink robe and locating a dashing white suit.
Sharal'tar couldn't help staring as Kojurro changed clothes. "What happened to his...uh..." she muttered to Flora.
"They were blasted off during the Scorched Earth war," Flora whispered. "Don't ask me how I know that.
Don't ask me how I know that."
Kojurro glanced over. "Are you ladies talking about me?"
"Er, yes...about that massive scar on your abdomen!" Flora stammered quickly, and Sharal'tar flashed pale. "Did you get that from your run through the storm?"
"What, this?" He flexed his stomach proudly. "Don't make me laugh, this storm was
nothing. I got this while caught in a tornado in Chancellorsville. It was so strong that a roofing tile literally embedded itself in my gall bladder like a knife!"
"
Well, um, enough about that!" Sharal'tar interrupted. "Once everyone's dressed, including Flora, what should our next step be?"
"I guess continue rummaging through the mall, gather supplies for the expedition." Flora stripped a mannequin wearing an athletic jogging outfit. "Also we should call Kora, get her to arrive maybe next month. I don't get signal this deep under the ruins."
"Erm, actually, maybe she should arrive as soon as possible..." Kojurro muttered, looking in alarm at his tontine box.
"What's wrong?" Sharal'tar asked.
He showed it to her. "This box was only supposed to activate when one member of my squad remained alive. But look!"
The lizard squinted, then realized the problem. "There are two lights active."
"What?" Flora gasped. "There weren't two before!"
"I know what happened," Kojurro explained, tracing his finger across the newly-lit name. "Presley August was the team field surgeon, and he went into anagathics after the war. He's now a well-respected cryogenicist, an expert at preserving dying bodies with the hope of reviving them in the future when technology has advanced to the point their cause of death can be cured. I'm positive he's doing something to extend his lifespan as well, the guy was old even back in the war days."
Sharal'tar blinked. "So you're saying...?"
"He cheated," Kojurro explained. "When he saw we were the last two survivors, he temporarily put himself into cryogenic arrest. This flagged him as dead, and caused the tontine boxes to spit out the map to the treasure. Which means, ladies, that we are now in a race." His vision steeled. "Dr. August has always been impatient, and now he's rich and connected to boot. If he reaches the treasure before us, I guarantee he will not be interested in sharing it." He glanced over at Marita. "How soon can Kora arrive? We're now on something of a timeframe if we want to see that money."