Ryan stepped away from the giant, and he stopped.
“You’re smarter than you look, old man.”
“Just smarter than you is all.”
The men charged. Blades clanged as they met and were deflected. Overton tried for a reverse slash, the flat side of the blade cushioned along his forearm. Ryan bent effortlessly out of the way and slashed for his forehead, drawing blood.
Shaking his head to clear his eyes, Overton flipped his blade into the air, caught it by the tip and threw. Ryan ducked again, the blade slamming into the wood slats behind him. Then he lunged and slashed at the big man’s groin, but only sliced into the leather gun belt.
Smiling, Overton now drew a matched pair of knives from sheaths behind his back and advanced slowly, constantly shifting his stance and faking thrusts.
Needing a distraction, Ryan brushed a hand across his own face pushing away his eye patch. In spite of himself, Overton’s gaze flicked to the puckered wound, and Ryan charged. Once more their blades clanged, throwing off sparks. Only this time, Ryan got a slice on the back of his hand, the cut nearly deep enough to sever the tendons.
Sucking on the rivulet of blood, Ryan reached into his boot and withdrew his own second knife, the parkerized Junglee Krysty had given him. The blade was strong, but no light reflected off the perfectly dulled surface of the military alloy. It wasn’t pretty, just a tool for killing. Nothing more.
Overton glared at the blade, which was difficult to see in the dim light of the partially buried room. Outside, he would have a better chance of winning, but there was no way to climb to the surface without getting chilled in the process. So be it. This was their final arena.
Risking all, Overton spun fast to disorient Ryan, then lunged again, low and fast. But the Deathlands warrior met his attack with double steel, and they parted, both alive, but both bleeding from minor wounds.
Overton ran a finger across his forehead and brought it down to see the blood. The big man laughed as he licked it off. “Old trick, blinding the enemy with his own blood.”
“Usually works against children,” Ryan said, hoping to get a rise from the man. In circumstances like these, an angry opponent was a dead opponent.
They clashed once more, and parted, each wounded in new locations. Ryan felt blood trickle down his arm and saw Overton wince as he shifted weight to his right leg. Each was hurting, but Ryan was starting to feel his lack of sleep, and knew he was going to tire long before the giant. Time to kick over the tables again.
Throwing both knives at once, Ryan turned and yanked the blade from the wooden slat behind him, and ducked. Overton stabbed the wall full force, and Ryan stood to bury the stolen knife into the big man’s chest.
Stepping clear, Ryan watched as his enemy stumbled against the wall, hacking for breath. Then, impossibly, Overton stood and gave him a wide red smile.
“B-bulletproof vest,” the black-haired giant stammered. “Didn’t stop the blade, never do, but slowed it enough.”
Backing away, Ryan glanced around for the thrown knives, the weapons lost in the darkness.
“Goodbye, Father!” Overton roared, raising his knife high. A steady chattering sounded from beyond the pit
Dropping the blade, Overton tumbled backward as the stream of .22 bullets stitched him from knee to shoulder, then zigzagged across his belly. Bleeding profusely, the would-be baron stood on wobbly legs for a moment, staring incredulously at the multitude of tiny wounds. Slowly, he sat on the floor and toppled over with a deep sigh.
“You gave your word, sir,” said a blue shirt, lowering a smoking Thompson.
Epilogue
Within the hour, the lights of the limestone cave were working once more and brilliant illumination washed over the grisly clearing in somber clarity. Wreckage and bodies were everywhere, fire burned in the trees and the ground itself was torn asunder, the spent brass casing of a hundred blasters sprinkled across the ruined expanse.
Alertly, J.B. and Krysty stood watch as the last fifteen blue shirts piled some belongings in a Hummer and drove off into the night, destination unknown.