[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

The teenager had taken it from the saddle bags on J.B.'s bay mare, refusing
what the
Armorer insisted was a more useful blaster for him, Jim Jennison's own 9 mm
Heckler & Koch 9-PS model.
"Hour or two late," Ryan replied.
"Not much."
"Enough, Michael, when you're dealing with a man like Alferd Nelson."
"So, what do we do?"
"Light this fire and move on. See what we see, and do what we do."
"I love it when you're runic, Ryan," Doc said, coming close to a smile.
"Hold the animals, Michael. In case the pyrotab startles them."
The tiny ignition device sparked first time, and Ryan dropped it into the pile
of old theatrical costumes piled in a corner of the wag. The pale flame
flickered and then caught.
Caesar's toga blazed and Lady Macbeth's nightgown disintegrated into flakes of
charred blackness. A bag of assorted wigs and beards erupted like an emergency
flare.
Within minutes the whole rig was burning fiercely from end to end.
"Let's go," Ryan said.
J.B. glanced around the hillside. "Just one more minute."
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...ands%2018%20-%20Shockscape%20-%20h
tm.html (252 of 259) [12/28/2004 12:57:22 AM]
dummy1
He walked away from the fierce heat of the flames, picking his way between the
tangled, cold corpses of the five Yuma killers until he stood above the body
of Jim
Jennison, its gaping chest cavity blackened and crusted.
"You bastard," J.B. said very quietly and spit into the blank, milky eyes.
Behind him, the column of dark oily smoke from the wag was soaring into the
fresh dawning.
DEAN POINTED OVER the heavy logs of the balcony. "Look."
Everyone turned, seeing a column of dark oily smoke soaring into the dawn sky.
"About ten miles north," Coburn said slowly. "Could be nothing."
"Could be Ryan and the others." Krysty shook her head. "If it is, then they'll
be here in a couple of hours."
Page 123
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
The sec boss didn't reply, staring out at the huge black finger that tainted
the morning.
"Now what?" Mildred asked Coburn.
"If it's Ryan?"
"Course."
"Then I have to do some thinking. And him and me are going to have to do some
talking."
He turned away and walked back into the room, disappearing from view. Krysty
caught Mildred's eye and shrugged.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...ands%2018%20-%20Shockscape%20-%20h
tm.html (253 of 259) [12/28/2004 12:57:22 AM]
dummy1
Chapter Forty-Five
The two men shook hands.
"That's the best deal I can do," Rick Coburn said. "I've spoken to some people
and everyone agrees." He smiled thinly. "Well, most everyone agrees. One or
two are for a swift hanging, but they got persuaded to think again."
"Two hours from the moment we clear the front gates of the ville?"
"Right. Then I lead the posse out after you. And there won't be any favors,
Ryan.
You all get weapons and a real good meal. And then supplies for three trail
days."
Ryan nodded. "Fair enough. Better than fair. Appreciate it."
Coburn sniffed. "Never figured the old baron would have gone wolf-shit
crazed."
"Happens. Sorry I didn't get any of the killers back here."
"Shit. They're dead and that's what matters. Sidler's death means life'll be a
touch easier here in 'Vista. You done well, Ryan."
"Sure. Six coldhearts chilled. And three good folks down and done for.
Could've been better."
The tall sec boss nodded. "Always could. But it could've been plenty worse."
THE PROMISED MEAL was excellent.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...ands%2018%20-%20Shockscape%20-%20h
tm.html (254 of 259) [12/28/2004 12:57:22 AM]
dummy1
Ryan urged everyone to eat well, which was always common sense in Deathlands
when you never knew where your next food was coming from.
There was a platter of thick-sliced smoked ham, with a dish of fried eggs and
a huge bowl of hash browns. There was also trout and mushrooms, with gallons
of coffee sub, loaves of bread and salted butter and maple syrup.
When, finally, Dean pushed away his plate and failed to suppress a great
belch, it was time for them to be going.
Coburn had been curious about where they planned to go and what they planned
to do when they got there. But Ryan stonewalled all questions.
"We catch you and we hang you. Hang you all," the sec boss repeated.
"Sure I know that. You coming after us on horseback?"
"No. No reason to. Deep snow like this, reckon we'll be up with you before
nightfall. Mebbe sooner than that."
The two men shook hands one last time.
IT WAS WAY BELOW FREEZING, the snow packed tight and hard, and a bright sun
poured down from a sky of chem-storm purplish-pink.
Ryan led the way, with Krysty at his heels. Then came Dean with Mildred,
Michael and Doc. J.B. brought up the rear.
The old man found the going difficult, laboring with the exertion, his breath
hanging in the still air. "Altitude and I were never the best of friends," he
panted.
Page 124
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"I don't suppose that it might be possible to snatch a short rest, would it?"
Ryan checked his chron. "Been going almost exactly two hours," he said.
"Posse'll be on our tracks now. We've done around six miles. Mebbe seven. If
we keep moving, then we should reach the trail up to the redoubt by late
afternoon. Sorry,
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...ands%2018%20-%20Shockscape%20-%20h
tm.html (255 of 259) [12/28/2004 12:57:22 AM]
dummy1
Doc. Have to step it out best we can."
J.B. had discussed the idea of his waiting behind and sniping at their
pursuers.
"Slow them down some," he suggested.
"Be a good number of them," Ryan countered. "And Coburn's bright. Knows the
land around. Could circle and cut you off. No, fast and hard's the only ace on
the line we got."
"CLOSING WITH us." Krysty shaded her green eyes, peering back to the valley
behind them. They'd climbed up a winding snake-back trail to a narrow ridge
and had stopped to take five.
But the tiny antlike figures of Coburn and his sec men were visibly nearer.
"Barely an hour," Ryan said. "Let's go. Least we can see where we're heading
now. Be at the foot of the last climb in about two hours."
"I'M MOST dreadfully sorry, my dear fellow, but I have reached the end of what
is often called the tether. I do not believe I am able to set another foot
forward."
Doc was slumped on the floor, head between his knees, fighting for breath. His
face was as pale as polished ivory, and a thread of spittle trickled from the
corner of his lips.
Mildred had knelt to examine him, checking his pulse. She looked up at Ryan,
concern in her eyes. "Not so good," she said.
They were more than a third of the way up the steep track toward the concealed
entrance to the redoubt. Ryan had been pleased at their rate of progress,
seeing that Coburn and his men were gaining on them very slowly.
Now they were probably within three-quarters of an hour of them, but the slope
was almost sheer and they, too, would have to slow down.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%...ands%2018%20-%20Shockscape%20-%20h
tm.html (256 of 259) [12/28/2004 12:57:22 AM]
dummy1
Light was failing as they climbed in the lee of the mountain. The packed snow
was becoming ever more icy and treacherous.
"Doc, we can reach the entrance in about thirty minutes or so. Take it in
short spells. Go fifty steps, then rest awhile. That way you can do it." Ryan
reached out a hand to the old man.
Who took it. "Do my best. Lean on my cane. When the going gets impossible then
the impossible get& get something or other."
ONE OF THEIR PURSUERS attempted a shot with an M-16, but the bullet was wide
and short. Ryan considered trying for Coburn with the Steyr, but he held off
the idea.
They were now within a hundred feet of the ledge. Dean had slipped once in his
eagerness, but Michael had grabbed him by the arm and kept him safe.
Ryan looked around at his group. "Nearly there. You okay, Doc?" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]