“Is anything wrong, my friend?” the General called, turning to whisper something to the statuesque woman at his side, who nodded slowly.
Ryan felt something close to a blank panic. “Got to move, J.B., or we lose it all.”
“Not thinking of going, Ryan Cawdor? I think I would have to forbid that. I realize that would go against the rules of the flag of truce we stand beneath. Don’t go.” This time the snap of command was in the voice.
“Try anything and you get to be dead as well.” Despite the cool damp of the caverns, Ryan found himself blinking sweat from his good eye.
The General threw back his head and laughed, sounding genuinely amused by the threat. “Think it worries me? Think I’m bothered at the risk of death? The fires of hell have been stoked for me these twenty years.”
Ryan’s index finger tightened on the trigger of the SIG-Sauer. He spoke to Krysty over his shoulder. “This is it, lover. Get out and try to save Dean.”
J.B., at his side, was as calm as if they were discussing whether it might snow tomorrow. “Expect us to go back. Only chance is to go forward. Aim for the wag.”
Ryan nodded. “My thought, too.”
The General was tapping the stick in a regular rhythm, faster and faster. Now the madness was out in the open. The man genuinely didn’t mind dying himself as long as Ryan perished at the same moment.
Mildred, her voice trembling with the tension of the moment, said, “I can take the sicko bastard’s head off with the rifle. Just give me the word, Ryan.”
It might be enough to throw the hidden marksmen for a vital split second, to have their leader chilled in front of them. Ryan couldn’t come up with anything better.
His mouth opened to give the word, every muscle tensed for the dive for life.
When the shooting began.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Garlos, and his cousin, Jesus, had crept within thirty yards of the sleeping Anglo, who lay on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes. It had been the decision of Jesus to circle around, keeping the line of tethered horses and ponies between them and their intended victim as cover. Neither of them had paid any particular attention to the big raw-boned mule that had stopped eating and was now watching them through bloodshot eyes.
Carlos had the Kalashnikov cocked and ready, while Jesus had drawn a slim-bladed knife, carrying a loop of thin rawhide in his teeth, to be used to bind their tender young prisoner. The General had also told them to check out the Visitors’ Center, but that could wait. He wouldn’t know how long it took them to subdue and chill the guard on the animals.
Both men had swelling erections with the anticipation of plucking the little chicken in front of them.
THE SHOOTING CAME from somewhere behind the General and his flag-carrying lieutenant, the repeated boom of a powerful handblaster, echoing around the caves.
“Jak!” J.B. shouted, recognizing the distinctive sound of the albino’s .357 Colt Python.
It was a lifesaving diversion. The woman with the white-flagged Kalashnikov had turned around, her jaw dropping, the blaster wavering toward the far wall of the garage. The General had reacted faster, starting to draw his blaster, while simultaneously dodging and running toward a small half-open door to his right.
But J.B. and Ryan were vital splinters of a second ahead of the enemy.
They were only a few paces from safety, directly behind them. J.B. opened up with the Uzi, aiming into the mouth of the tunnel where they knew the concealed guns were covering them. Ryan dropped to a crouch, running in a way that Doc had once remarked greatly reminded him of someone called Groucho, though he’d never explained why he thought that was highly amusing. As he darted back toward Krysty and the others, Ryan snapped off two rounds from the SIG-Sauer, trying to pick off the scurrying figure of the General. But both missed.
Blasters chattered from the far side of the garage, bullets howling and ricocheting off the raw stone, but nobody was hurt. Ryan and J.B. landed together in the passage, rolling between Krysty and Mildred, who stood holding the Steyr, unfired.
“Why didn’t” J.B. began, answering his own question as he scrambled hastily to his feet. “Course. Me and Ryan were in the way.”
There was more shooting from the hidden Kalashnikovs, but the aim was wild. Since the first burst of shots from the Colt Python, Jak’s blaster had been silent.
“What in the name of perdition is happening out there?” Doc asked.
” Jak,” Ryan replied. “Must’ve worked around behind them somehow. Gave us the break we needed.”
“Where did the General go?” Krysty asked. “I lost sight of him in the confusion.”
“Hidden door on the side opposite the wag.” J.B. peered around the corner of the passage. “Can’t see a thing. Woman’s gone as well.”
“Now what?” Mildred handed the Steyr back to Ryan. “Still a standoff?”
“No.” Ryan grinned. “Not with Jak Lauren behind them. I know the kid well enough. Nothing’ll stop him in a maze like this. General said he had nine men. How many rounds, J.B., fired by the Magnum?”
“I counted four. Or five. Not certain. Jak’s not the best shot in Deathlands, but I’d guess he could have sent three or four off to buy the farm.”
Ryan considered. “I’m triple anxious about Dean. Reckon the General’s likely sent some of his force out back to loop around. We have to get this over quickly.”
“Two of us could go through the caverns and out into the Visitors’ Center.” Krysty ran her fingers through her tightly coiled red hair.
“Take too long. We must be close to the rear exit.” Ryan glanced around. “Once we clean them out, the wag’ll be the fastest way.”
“Listen.” J.B. held up a hand. “That’s Jak at work again. Hitting them from behind.”
There was a cry that could have been pain, fear or anger. Or all three. It was noticeable that the silk-fearing rattle of the Kalashnikovs seemed to have ceased.
Ryan looked at the Armorer. “Worth moving in?”
“Could be. Run a feint and see what happens. Draw any fire if there’s any fire there to draw. But they’ve seen the General doing a runner out the side. Captain jumping first off a sinking ship doesn’t do a lot for the confidence of the remainder of the crew. Know what I mean?”
There wasn’t a whole lot of choice.
Ryan sniffed. “Now, friends. I’ll go right, toward the other main exit from here. J.B. goes for the wag. Full red power all down the line. You three wait and see what happens. We get chilled, you’ll know there’s no hope of getting out that way. So you go back through the caves and out to Dean and the horses. If they’re still there. If we make it, then you all come at once. Mildred for the wag. Doc as well. Krysty follow me. Questions? No? Count of three. One and two and three!”
THE NAVAHO PONIES WERE more restless than the horses of the Anglos. But Jesus and Carlos were patient, moving slowly, setting down each foot with infinite care, avoiding the sharp snapping of a dry branch.
Now they were in among the line of tethered animals, pushing past them, whispering Mexican endearments, pausing to blow up the nostrils of a spirited black gelding, quietening the animal. They could still see the sleeping boy as they worked their way closer and closer.
The last animal they had to get past was tied a little way off from the rest of the line, a large mule with mean eyes and cocked ears.
“Take care of him, Jesus,” Carlos warned in a breathless whisper. “Son of a bitch has a face like a devil.”
His cousin grinned confidently. “No mule in the world frightens me,” he said.
Judas watched them and waited.
RYAN KNELT, panting, on the far side of the garage, glancing behind him. There hadn’t been a single shot fired at him or J.B. as they made their jinking dash across the vulnerable, exposed space.
The Armorer gave him a quick wave, crouched alongside the last of the General’s war wags.
Krysty, Mildred and Doc were all waiting for the signal to move.
“Yeah,” Ryan called, beckoning for them to come across, turning himself to face the darkness of the tunnel that he guessed would lead out to the open air at the rear of the caverns.
“Want me to get into the wag and start her up?” J.B. shouted.
“Give us ten, then drive her straight out the back. Wait for us out in the open, as long as you think. Should be easy to find the way.”
“How about you?”
“Going to find Jak and then try and get the blood debt settled.”