The Amtrack Wars - Earth Thunder Part 67

Cadillac went outside, and sliced the dead samurai's long black scarf into strips which he used to blindfold, gag and bind Fran. Then he rolled her up inside two of the quilts, roped these tightly round her calves and shoulders, then enclosed her in a third, and pa.s.sed rope round again, and lengthways, leaving enough s.p.a.ce for air to get through. He then wheeled the handcart up to the verandah, and used the last two quilts to make another bundle containing the heads of Yoritomo, Mishiko and Ieyasu, and the trail-bags - roping it tight in a similar fashion.

When both bundles were securely tied down onto the handcart, he went back inside the darkened house. He found Roz and Steve sitting on the raised edge of the split-level bed-chamber with a lamp between them and the door closed.

'Are you sure you're going to be able to manage without a gun?"

'I don't have much choice,' said Steve. 'If Fujiwara and his friends find I've been packing a pistol, they're going to wonder why I didn't use it to help fight off our attackers instead of borrowing that bow and arrow."

'Yehh, I see what you're getting at. Smart move."

'Which I'll probably live to regret - but it's a chance I've got to take. Skull-Face knows his way around. If his team can't get me out of here, I doubt that having a handgun is gonna save the day. And I don't need a radio. These guys have their own hand-sets - courtesy of AMEXICO.".

Cadillac accepted this with a nod.

'Has Roz explained the setup?"

'Yeah." Steve stood up. 'I can't say I'm overjoyed at being handed the s.h.i.tty end of the stick but..."

'You can't be the hero all the time."

'No." Steve brightened. 'Roz told me how you did it. I'm impressed.

Whose idea was it?"

'Mine from start to finish. This is one operation you can't claim any credit for."

'True. This time round you had another Brickman to lean on."

Roz jumped up as she saw Cadillac's face darken. 'Now stop this, right now! Clearwater was right about you always snapping at each other's heels! What is it with you two?! We're supposed to be in this together!" Steve couldn't leave it alone. 'So why's he trying to score off me?l' He fingered Cadillac. 'I taught this guy everything he knows! He's been sucking on my brain from Day One!" Cadillac laughed derisively. 'Listen to him! Still peddling the same old s.h.i.t!" Roz placed herself between them and thrust them apart.

'Shut up, both of you! And keep your voices down! You're wrong, Steve. You haven't been standing at the wrong end of a one-way street.

You've both learned- from each other - ' 'Yeah, that's right. Like me teaching him to fly, and him showing me what kind of leaf to wipe my a.s.s on!" Steve saw the disappointment in his kin-sister's face and wished he'd kept his mouth shut.

Cadillac took hold of Roz's arm. 'Let's go. We're just wasting our breath!" 'No! We've gotta get this straight once and for all'

'Absolutely! It's a great idea! But let's beat our b.r.e.a.s.t.s some other time, when we haven't got half of Ne-Issan on our tail! Have you seen outside? It's getting lighter by the minute!" 'I don't care! There may not be another time!" Roz pulled free and faced up to Steve. 'You learned something far more important than that on the overground.

Cadillac helped you discover who you were and why you're here.

That's worth a great deal. Everything you done since- and everything that he's done - has flowed from your meeting each other. Why can't you bring yourself to admit it?"

Steve looked at them both then asked Roz: 'Why can't he learn to stop crowing?!" Roz turned a beady eye on Cadillac. 'Yes. Good question..."

'I can't believe this!" He saw her resolve and capitulated.

'Okay, okay, I spoke out of turn. Killing the Shogun and Ieyasu was my idea, but without the background information you gave me I couldn't have got started, and without Roz's power I'd have been dead a dozen times over."

'We both would. Put it there, blood-brother."

Roz watched them exchange the grips and handclasps that made up the warrior's greeting then threw her arms around both. 'And don't either of you forget that Clearwater also saved both of you." She hugged them in turn then said: 'I'll make sure everything's okay outside."

Cadillac weighed up his long-time rival. 'I feel bad about leaving you in the lurch like this. You going to be able to handle it?"

'Sure. It'll be a breeze. How are you planning to get away?"

'We're heading north to the coast. It's not fan about six miles.

Lord Min-Orota has promised to have a boat waiting offsh.o.r.e."

'And from there?"

'We've got a delivery to make at Sara-kusa, then - all being well - we should be home by the spring."

'Where's home these days?"

'Not far from our old hunting grounds. Roz and I have been adopted by the Clan M'Kenzi."

Steve grimaced. 'I still can't understand why all the M'Calls had to die like that. It seems so pointless."

'We destroyed one wagon-train and cracked open four more. I wouldn't call that pointless."

'Yeah, but at what cost?"

'It was in the stones, Brickman. The Wheel turns..."

'... and The Path is Drawn. How does it pan out?

Do we all make it?"

'The Plainfolk will. How's Clearwater?"

'She's fine. Back in one piece, getting better every day - and dreaming of home."

'And her child?"

'Due any day now." Steve laughed awkwardly. 'I still can't get used to the idea."

'But otherwise everything's okay?"

'Between us? Yes. Nothing's changed- why should it?"

'How do you stand with the Federation?"

Steve shrugged. 'I'm a hero. That's why I was tapped for this trip.

Promotion, privileges, I'm allowed to visit Clearwater whenever I want.

Things couldn't be better for both of us."