J.B. looked up momentarily to see how far ahead Jak’s group was. It was a given that they would be first to the redoubt, as they weren’t slowed by the necessity to plot a safe path. However, the Armorer was concerned that the other war parties should not fall too far behind. So far, his group was keeping pace fairly well.
He spared a glance to see how Doc’s group was faring.
“BY THE THREE KENNEDYS!” Doc exclaimed. “If this does not bring any opposition out of hiding, then nothing will!”
“Let’s hope that Ryan and Gloria have got them too occupied, then,” Cat returned.
The small, dark haired woman had been sticking close to Doc since the charge had begun. She had noticed that Doc wasn’t faring as well as some of his compatriots, and she knew that—like Jak and Mildred—he had contracted a form of the pox that they were seeking in the redoubt. She liked the old man, and although Dette had been publicly dismissive of her intelligence—as well as that of her friend Nita— she was smart enough to know that Doc was more vulnerable than the others, and despite his fighting spirit may need some help along the way. So she had decided that she would be that help, and was in the vanguard of the charge with Doc, helping him forward.
As on the far side of the beaten track, Doc’s war party had been sweeping the ground and using the stone throwing method to try to clear their own personal paths. Doc had already been outpaced by a few of the Gate warriors, but was still near the front because of the help from Cat. She could see that Doc had difficulty moving and breathing as the disease took a firmer hold on him, and so she swept ahead for him, as well as for herself.
“Come, my dear, we must make more speed,” Doc implored, looking across to where J.B.’s party was advancing. “We cannot be left behind. Our strength is in depth, and we cannot let our friends down under any circumstances.”
Yet, even as he spoke Doc was gasping for breath.
Cat took his arm. “Don’t worry, Doc. You stick with me and we’ll get there,” she said.
JAK SLOWED as his war party reached the door of the redoubt. An incredible sight greeted them. The wag had just intercepted the closing door, and as the warriors arrived at the entrance to the tunnel, they were stunned to see the wag being crushed under the descending door and Ryan leaping to safety.
Taking the situation in at a glance, Jak made a snap judgment.
“We go in now. Keep close to wall, keep in cover. Push up, support Ryan and Gloria soon as possible,” he said rapidly, moving to one side of the tunnel himself and pushing a Gate warrior toward the other, in this manner setting up two chains of warriors to feed into the redoubt.
The two strands advanced rapidly toward the point where the vanguard force had established a position, firing at the Illuminated Ones through the gap in the jammed sec door. The advancing warriors didn’t fire. Until they were in position, there was an outside chance that they may hit their own people, and the gap through which it was possible to fire at the Illuminated Ones was restricted by the bulk of the wag, jammed in the center of the corridor.
“Hey, Ryan—we here,” Jak yelled as the first of the war parties moved up to join the advanced party.
“What about the others?” the one-eyed man asked, noting that there were comparatively few warriors behind the albino.
“On way,” Jak replied.
OUTSIDE THE REDOUBT, both J.B. and Doc had brought their war parties through the hidden obstacles with a minimum of casualties. There were numerous abrasions and small cuts from flying stones, but only five people had fallen prey to the snares, and none had been in the direct blast of the mines. It had been a much more successful assault than either could have hoped for thus far, and it was with some degree of optimism that they headed their groups as they converged on the redoubt entrance, coming off the booby trapped sides and onto the safety of the track.