The pistol bullets bounced and whined from the walls a few times before expending the energy that propelled them. Glass containers broke, spilling smells and foodstuffs to the floor. The light trickling down from above was barely enough to let Doc see Mildred taking cover across the room.
Knowing they didn’t have time to spend exchanging shots with the men up above, Doc glanced upward and saw the man above shoving his arm into the trapdoor area again. The old man brought up the Le Mat and pushed it into the mouth of the bottom trapdoor. He dropped the hammer on the round, aiming for the wall, unable to fire at the gunner without exposing himself.
The double-aught shot bounced off the wall and smashed into the gunner’s arm. He wailed in pain.
Doc readied another load into the Le Mat. “Are you ready, Dr. Wyeth?” He had to shout to even hear himself.
“Yes,” Mildred roared back.
“Then follow me, and pray that the Almighty continues to look after fools.” Doc grabbed the ladder and bounded up the rungs. He kept the Le Mat in one fist, managing the climb with the other.
Up above, the second trapdoor remained open and free of gunmen.
At the top of the ladder, Doc made his way to the second trapdoor and climbed onward. He stayed low when he climbed out at the barn floor level again.
One of Kirkland’s men lay to one side, sightless eyes staring at the ceiling. His chest was a bloody ruin where the initial double-aught charge had caught him.
Doc paused, hunkered down and cut his eyes around the barn. His hearing was still hampered from all the crash and din that had been released in the underground room. Then he spotted the fleet-footed shadow speeding toward the barn doors. He lifted the Le Mat and fired again.
The shotgun charge caught the man in the back and hurtled him forward, sprawling him out almost within reaching distance of the doors.
Doc turned and offered his hand to Mildred as she climbed out of the trapdoor. “My hand, dear lady, while I have the strength in me to help.”
Mildred grabbed his hand and scrambled out of the hole. “Now what?”
Doc raised his eyebrows. “You propose that I had an actual plan in all of this?”
“Would have been a great help, Doc.” Mildred stripped the blaster from the corpse and started moving toward the tack and equipment area.
“I had thought of taking the horses,” Doc admitted, “but I was uncertain what shape you might be in.”
“I’m all for getting the hell out of here.” Mildred took a pair of bridles from the wall and tossed one to Doc. “Everybody else Kirkland has at this place is going to be all over us like flies on shit.”
“Those,” Doc assured Mildred as he crossed the stable area to one of the horses, “are my sentiments exactly.” He thrust the Le Mat into his belt, then grabbed the mane of the horse in the stall beside him.
The animal tossed its head a few times, but came into the bridle easily enough. Despite the ringing in his ears, Doc thought he could hear men yelling outside. He forced the bit between the horse’s teeth, then fit the bridle strap behind the horse’s ears.
Mildred led her chosen mount from the stall it was in, and swung up onto its bare back. The horse bucked for a moment, but she fought it into submission, holding the reins tight.
Doc clambered onto his horse’s back, feeling the ridge of its backbone shove insistently into his crotch. The ride definitely wasn’t going to be one of comfort.
“Ready?” Mildred asked.
“As much as I dislike these animals, I feel I have little choice.”
“Then ride!” Mildred flicked the reins against the horse’s neck, causing it to break into a gallop. She headed toward the barn doors, left slightly ajar by the men who had entered the structure after Doc.
Struggling to lock his legs around the creature he rode, Doc followed the woman. He didn’t think she knew the way back into Hazard where the hotel was.
They burst through the barn doors almost neck and neck. Mildred and her mount slammed into the door and knocked it open still farther. Shots greeted them when they emerged from the barn, drumming a rapid tattoo across the doors.