Axler, James - Deathlands 12 by Axler James

Author:Axler, James
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Twenty-Three

RYAN HAD SPENT some of his waking hours trying to look ahead and guess how Cort Strasser might react. The former sec boss would have Doc by now. He might have chilled the old man, but Ryan didn't see that as a likely possibility. Doc alive was far more valuable than Doc dead, and Strasser had always been strong on values.

Mildred was a different matter. There was still a chance that the black woman remained safe, hidden by the sheer numbers of the settlers on the wag trainuntil someone saw the value of betraying her. Ryan's choice for that role was Elder Vare.

By now it was more than a possibility that Strasser was aware that Ryan and the others were somewhere out there. Skullface's mind worked in simple ways I have Doc Tanner, he'll know where Ryan Cawdor is, I'll torture him to find out. Or rather I'll torture someone else in front of kindhearted Doc Tanner and then he'll tell me where Ryan Cawdor is.

So, Strasser would try to take them. That was one area where there wasn't any doubt at all. Forgiving and forgetting didn't feature in Cort Strasser's mind.

Stay or run?

To run was a tempting option. With the horses tethered back up the hill, they could put a lot of distance between themselves and Salvation, loop around south toward the Grandee and carry on like before.

"Like nothing happened," Ryan whispered to himself, sitting by the back door of the ruined house, watching the first tendrils of light from the false dawn creeping across the sky.

He shook his head. No. At least not yet. Despite what his tactical brain told him, there was no way he could just walk away from Doc and Mildred. Not until all the other options had totally disappeared.

If they were dead he'd probably try to pick off Strasser with the G-12 and then run. As long as he knew they were both alive he'd do what he could.

J.B. appeared out of the dim half-light at his shoulder, wiping smears of condensation from his glasses.

The night had been cool.

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"We staying, Ryan?" he asked.

"Yeah. For a while. That okay with you?"

The slight figure nodded. "Sure. Hell, I knew that all along, Ryan."

None of the prisoners were fed that morning. Strasser and his force were too busy for that kind of consideration.

A caldron of creek water was carried in, and the settlers straggled up to dip their cupped hands in it and drink.

When Doc had been returned to the others, he'd made a deliberate attempt to keep away from Mildred, knowing that Strasser was wily enough to watch him and see if he had any special friends among the group.

The black woman had caught his warning signal and had stayed away, waiting until Doc joined the line for water. Then she managed to push in alongside him in the gloomy confines of the engine shed, glancing around to make sure none of the armed guards were paying them any special attention.

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