“Trailer’s loose,” Krysty announced, her ribs aching from the tight safety harness across her chest. “Chain snapped.”
“And the Ranger?” Mildred asked, hugging the Remington for support.
“Can’t tell,” Ryan said, glancing behind. Then he saw the flaming wreckage of the Hummer explode, a million flaming bits spraying everywhere as the indomitable Ranger plowed straight through the conflagration, neither wavering nor slowing.
“Still there,” Krysty stated. She made the pronouncement sound as if she had something unclean in her mouth. “There’s nothing left between us and it but air.”
“Twenty-one!”
His temples throbbing, Ryan danced the heavy Leviathan once more. He couldn’t keep this pace forever. His arms were sore from the unaccustomed strain, and every time Mildred called out the mark he damn near jumped out of his skin.
“Any ideas?” he asked.
“Tell you when I get one,” Krysty answered, just as steady streams of tracers stitched the air on either• side of Leviathan.
“Bracket fire!” J.B. shouted. “Trying to hold us still for a clean kill.”
“The hell with that,” J.B. said, cranking a hand-wheel to traverse the starboard 40 mm rapidfire cannon. Jak centered the crosshairs mounted on the end of the stubby barrel on the tank chasing them, flipped the safety with his thumb and pulled the primary trigger. A stuttering line of bright streaks reached out from his weapon and the 40 mm high-explosive shells peppered the enemy nonstop. Lumps of mud were blown away, exposing the gleaming alloy hull underneath.
“Twenty-one!” Mildred shouted.
Ryan grunted with pain as he forced Leviathan to the right, then slowed in a sharply banking curve.
Arcing to the left, he charged forward once more, his face white and sweaty.
“What is it?” Krysty asked, concerned.
“Nothing. I’m okay,” he said, his trembling left band clutching his right biceps. The cramp was getting worse, almost unbearable, but Ryan said nothing.
However, Krysty knew he was lying. Leviathan weighed many tons, and with no power steering the physical strain of combat-driving the colossus was taking its toll on the man. Indomitable warrior that he was, Ryan was clearly becoming exhausted. Decision made, Krysty released her seat belt, but then paused. The bulky radar console stood prominently between them, piles of spent shells from the 40 mm weapon rolling about loose on the floor, and Ryan himself was strapped tight in his seat and jammed behind the wheel. There was no way for her to replace the man without stopping the vehicle and letting him climb out.
Muttering a prayer to the Earth goddess, Krysty reached out a hand and touched the bare skin on his neck. Ryan jerked at the contact. He could hear her humming something soft and soothing. Almost instantly he felt better, more alert, even stronger. The terrible cramp in his arm disappeared as if it had never existed. Releasing him, Krysty dropped into her seat, seemingly exhausted.
The chattering of the Vulcan cannon stopped. “Reload!” Jak demanded, clearing the breech feed. “No armor-piercing. Need antipersonnel!”
J.B. paused at the ammo bin. “Shotgun rounds?”
“Do it!”
“I understand, lad,” Doc said, going to the other 40 mm cannon. “Good plan. Let us go for it.”
It took both J.B. and Dean to hoist the bulky belt of 40 mm shells into the feeder mechanism of the Vulcan. Jak slammed shut the lid, cocked the hammer bolt and steadied the weapon dead on their pursuer. “On my call,” the albino teen shouted. “Slow, stop for a sec!”
Veering past a rain gully, Ryan almost turned at that, but restrained himself. “You gone suicidal?” he demanded.
“Homicidal,” Doc corrected, struggling to load the cannon by himself.
Ryan heard the urgency in the teenager’s voice and considered the request. Survival was paramount. If Jak had an idea, it was worth a chance.
“Now!” Jak shouted, firing.
Straightening the wheels, Ryan slammed on the brakes.
The nose of Leviathan almost plowed into the ground as it pitched forward. Everything loose inside hurtled to the front, nearly burying Mildred and Krysty. Underneath, the multiple wheels squealed in protest as friction and inertia battled hydraulics. Bucking and shuddering, the mammoth tank ground to a stop in only a couple of dozen yards.
Slowing its pace over the uneven ground, the Ranger paused and leveled its laser straight at them.