The Amtrack Wars - Earth Thunder Part 4

'Is it this meeting of the Plainfolk at Sioux Falls?"

'Partly. That and staying alive."

Roz placed her hands on his thighs, leant forward and kissed the base of his throat. 'Our lives are in the hands of Talisman. I never thought I'd have to tell you that."

'You don't. It was, well - a slip of the tongue. When something good happens to you - like what's happening between us, you don't want to lose it ... makes you realise how precious life is."

'And how precarious..."

'Exactly. The four of us may have been born in the shadow of Talisman but that doesn't mean to say we're destined to live happily ever after." He saw her eyes cloud over and moved on rapidly. 'Sioux Falls is about five hundred miles from here. We ought to leave soon to make sure of getting there in good time."

The image of the fearsome Shakatak D'Vine and the vicious duel they fought came into his mind. 'Thing is-there are quite a few D'Troit and C'Natti clans between here and Sioux Falls. They may not be too pleased to find us treading on their turf."

'We could always fly there."

Cadillac shook his head. 'We can't. Remember those bear steaks we had the other day?"

'unforgettable. They were enough to put me off meat for the rest of my life."

'Yeah, well, I collected those up in the hills when I went up to check out the Skyhawk.Didn't set out to, but I found myself halfway there, so..."

'You went..."

'Yeah. And when I got there, I found a whole family of 'em - climbing all over it. A big male, about nine feet tall on his hind legs, two mothers and five cubs- ' 'Babies? Oh, I wish I'd been there!" 'I'm glad you weren't. The port aileron had been torn off and they'd ripped great holes in the underside of the wing. It was lucky I had my carbine."

'Did you manage to drive them off?."

'And store up more trouble? Of course not. I killed them."

'Oh, Caddy! How could you?!" Roz pounded his shoulders with her fists.

Cadillac caught them and squeezed hard. 'Listen!" he hissed. 'The bear is an animal you don't mess around with. Those cuddly little babies you're so upset about grow up to be big and mean, with paws twice the size of a man's hand and claws that can tear your head off your shoulders with one swipe!" Roz was surprisingly strong but it wasn't the physical force she exerted that made him let go. It was the look in her eyes. The same look that had chilled Steve to the marrow.

'Not my head..." She stood up.

Cadillac got to his feet with a placatory gesture. 'I didn't mean to hurt you. I was- ' 'You didn't..."

'Roz. There's another question I need an answer to.

The night we..."

'Yes, I remember..."

'When you went into the hut you said - "There is no need to stand guard. My power will protect us both." Steve mentioned something about it. Are you a summoner - like Clearwater?"

'A kind of summoner perhaps. I'm not sure. I have never seen anyone use earth magic. And I have not seen or. read a seeing-stone, but now and then - like you - my mind receives glimpses of the future."

'Why do you smile?"

'Because Steve has always thought he was gifted with a sixth sense, second sight. But it was I who glimpsed what was going to happen, and sent a message - in that same instant - into his mind."

Cadillac stared at her in surprise. 'So... that evening, when the two of us were on the sh.o.r.e of Lake Mi-Shiga and I saw the sea burning, it was you and not Steve ' '- who saw you trapped underwater and about to drown. Yes. From that moment on I knew you were both approaching a point of extreme danger. I didn't have the full picture, but I kept my mind open - ready to receive and act upon Steve's call the minute he came through."

'Amazing..."

'No more amazing than the gifts you and Clearwater possess. I'm glad I was there to help. Otherwise you and I wouldn't be here now."

'No. This other power Steve spoke of..."

'Ahh, you mean this... ?"

Cadillac found himself looking at Clearwater. And then, as he reeled back in astonishment, Clearwater became Steve Brickman, and then, before he could react fully, Brickman became Mr Snow!

'Old One!" cried Cadillac, stumbling forward.

Mr Snow, his blue eyes twinkling, reached out to steady his young protege, and chuckled mischievously.

'Did you think I had abandoned you? Why do you think I brought you together with this young girl?"

It was incredible. The voice! Every detail of his face!

The odour of the skins that made up his long cloak. The bony hands, attached to sinewy arms full of vigour! He could not be imagining this, it was far too real! Mr Snow had not died on the wagon-train.

He had come back!

'Don't go, Old One,' he begged. 'Stay with us!" Mr Snow met his plea with another throaty chuckle.

'Fear not! As long as you keep my memory alive in your heart, I shall never be far away from you. The powers that were gifted to me by Talisman now dwell within her and will protect you both in times of danger! Love her and cherish her and - above all - be valiant! There are perilous times ahead!" So saying, Mr Snow turned on his heel, his outstretched arm describing a great sweeping arc on the ground and, as he turned full circle, Cadillac found himself surrounded by a ring of D'Troit warriors, armed to the teeth and baying for blood. His stomach turned over and his mind went numb. It was like being thrown into a pit with the Hounds of h.e.l.l.

He turned to Mr Snow for help, but the Old One had vanished. Looking down, he found a Tracker carbine in his hands. There was a bayonet mounted under the barrel cl.u.s.ter and magazines in all three breeches.

With trembling fingers he selected full auto and began firing from the hip, spinning round to cover the circle as the screaming warriors closed in.

Volley upon volley of needle-point rounds chewed holes in their bodies, and shredded their faces in a spray of blood. But as each man went down, two more appeared to take his place! On they came - drawing closer and closer - the sunlight catching their flickering, probing blades.

The roar of their voices drowned his senses. He kept firing, firing, severing knife arms, pulverising bone and muscle. He could feel their hot breath, their spittle on his face. He drove the bayonet savagely into the nearest body, felt the barrels of the carbine press against the chest of the warrior as the blade sank in up to the hilt - and found himself looking into the grinning face of Shakatak D'Vine! He shut his eyes but he could not blot out the vision, could not escape from the nightmare that had engulfed him. He felt his own body convulse with shock as a dozen ice-cold steel blades pierced his flesh, felt the hot rush of blood, the screaming pain, the crushing, suffocating weight as the warriors fell upon him and began to tear him limb from limb .Oh, Sweet Mother. Save me. Ahhh. A-AHHH. AAA-AA-AA HHHHHH.

As his brain caved in, overwhelmed by terror, his physical and mental agonies vanished. An incredible lightness filled his body and, with it, a wonderful sense of release. He felt a cool hand upon his brow, the soft touch of lips upon his mouth. He opened his eyes and found Roz kneeling beside him.

What was she doing here? Had they killed her too? Cadillac stared at her for a while, unable to understand then, as the memories of his death flooded back into his mind, he threw his hands across his face.

And when that failed to halt the tide of blood, he turned over on his belly and hugged the ground.

Roz stroked the back of his neck and whispered, 'It's all right. You are safe. It's over."

Cadillac smelt the gra.s.s and the earth beneath him. It seemed real enough. He slowly eased himself up onto his elbows and scanned, his immediate surroundings. They were alone. No shattered bodies, no blood, nothing.

The D'Troit warriors whose breath, weight and steel had overwhelmed him had been summoned out of thin air. In recreating Shakatak, Roz had drawn upon and fleshed out his deepest fears. And she had used the same power to transform herself- in his eyes - into the Old One, Clearwater and Brickman.