Richard Harding - Outrider 1, Premier Volume

by The Outrider (lit)

  "Naawww," he said aloud and threw the metal tube back on the seat. Bonner gunned his engine and the car whipped over the crest of the scarp. Starling and Clara scrabbled up after him like dirt bike riders. The three of them made a sharp turn onto the railroad tracks and started bombing along the rotten, charred ties.

  Beck pushed his jeep up the rise with his Stonner force close behind him. They too slid onto the railway, closing the gap between them and their foes with the passing of every second. The jagged, bouncing ride made the Stormers' fire erratic, bullets flew crazily in a hundred directions.

  The roadbed curved away gracefully ahead of them. Smoke wafted over it and belches of flame darted up between the red hot rails. Beck was almost on them, his Stormers just a short fifty yards behind.

  Bonner peered into the smoke. They were coming up on a long railway bridge that spanned a deep gorge filled with fire. There, parked on the trestle was the sweetest sight Bonner had ever seen. It was Seth's locomotive and a flatcar. A regular burst of smoke popped from the tall smokestack every few seconds. The man had a head of steam up and he was ready to go.

  "Seth," yelled Bonner. The slim dark figure stood on the flatcar behind the engine and waved. A machinegun was slung over his shoulder. As Bonner approached Seth shot a rip of bullets over Bonner's head at the Stormers, then vaulted over the coal hod onto the footplate and yanked on the whistle chain.

  The ghostly sound echoed out through the burning valley. Bonner gunned his engine and ran up the ramp that led to the flatcar, Clara and Starling right behind him.

  Seth leaned on the throttle and the big locomotive slowly eased itself along the rails. Beck was almost on them and Starling raised his Browning automatic shotgun: he had a clear shot at the big man. Carefully, Starling sighted the powerful weapon, peering along the barrel. Just before squeezing the trigger Beck slammed on his brakes and pulled the jeep around in a full ninety-degree turn. Now he was facing back toward the onrushing Stormers and they were advancing on the wide open mouth of the big man's bazooka. Before they could react to his treachery. Beck had blasted one shell into the Stormers' midst, scattering men and bikes over the side of the trestle and into the inferno below. With a second and third shell he blew a wide gap in the rotten timbers of the railway bridge. Then Beck threw down the gun and ran like hell for the train, the heavy saddle bags packed with money flapping against his massive body.

  Bonner leaned over the edge of the flatcar and grabbed for Beck's outstretched hand. The weight of the man almost pulled Bonner off his perch; Clara grabbed Bonner around the belt and with Starling assisting they hauled Beck in.

  Colley stood at the breach in the bridge watching as the train vanished into the mists.

  "He sold us out," said the big Stonner general;

  "he sold us out."

  The Radleps raised their singed eyebrows. "Yeah," rasped one, "ain't that a shame." They levelled their weapons at Colley's chest and pulled the trigger. A short tear of bullets cut him down. They took his head. His body they left where it fell.

  Seth looked down the rails, peering into the smoke, Bonner at his side.

  "What do you think?" asked Bonner.

  "Well," said Seth softly, he almost always spoke just above a whisper, "it'll be hot for a few miles, but the rails are open all the way down the line. We've got ourselves four hours of smoke or so, then we're clear... Hey, don't forget, the firelands aren't as scary as you think. I come here all the time."

  "You do?" said Starling. "What for?"

  Seth jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Coal."

  "How did you know where to find us?" asked Clara.

  "Dorca told me. Hey, Starling, take the throttle for a while."

  Seth and Bonner walked back, over the hod to the flatcar, where the two Mean Brothers sat with their legs dangling over the side of the car. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

  "So," said Seth, "pretty hot time, I gather."

  "That's right."

  "No Dara?"

  Bonner took a deep breath. "She's dead."

  "Leather is scum," said Seth, "he'll kill anybody for no reason."

  "I killed her," said Bonner.

  Seth shrugged. "There's a long story attached to that piece of information and I'm not sure I want to hear it."

  Beck stood up on the coal pile. "Hey, Bonner, you know I had you. I could have taken you at any time. You were mine."

  Bonner nodded. "Yeah, I know."

  "But I figured I wasn't going to head back to the Cap. No fun there."

  "I appreciate it. Beck."

  "No problem," said the giant happily, "I'm a rich man."

  "Good for you," said Bonner and he sat down next to one of the Mean Brothers and together, in silence, they watched the burning miles of firelands roll away behind them.

  Epilogue

  Leather lay on his bed and stared out the window watching the gas dome burn. The explosions had died down but a bright orange ball of flame dominated the night sky. The air was heavy with black smoke. The Cap that night was an evil place. Stormers stood in little bands at street comers and in the bazaar talking in low tones. The Radleps were out in force, maintaining order. They stood between Leather and mutiny.

  Jojo entered Leather's room. "So," he asked, "should I give orders to disarm the Stormers?"

  Leather, calmer now, knew that whatever he did in the next few hours would either save or destroy his empire. "No, leave 'em alone. Take away their guns and we'll just stir them up. Put some extra leps on the liquor warehouse. I don't want anyone getting drunk and starting a firelight. They are pretty mad about Colley, aren't they?" "Yeah. And they feel like shit because they were beaten by Bonner."

  "Yeah. Bonner." Leather turned back toward the window. It all came back to Bonner. Always Bonner... Leather had played his top card, his ace- Dara-and Bonner had beaten him. Tears started into Leather's eyes. He was a fucking cripple and his empire had been slammed-all the work of Bonner.

  Leather turned to Jojo. "I still want him dead. Now more than ever."

  "Leather, please, let it ride."

  Leatherman twisted his face into a grimace of hate. "No way, man. No way." ,

  The dark streets of Chicago were silent, save for the roar of Bonner's engine. It was missing on six cylinders and he was running on rims; he couldn't be sure but it sounded as if he had broken a piston ring. If he didn't put the car down soon the engine would seize. He pushed the last ounce of power out of the tired engine, making for the bus station and the soothing ministrations of Lucky. He steered the car up the long, curving ramp and found the mechanic waiting in the bay, holding a kerosene lantern and his old Colt.

  "Heard you coming," said the little man. "Fucked the old girl again, I see." He sighed heavily. "Boss...."

  "Yeah," said Bonner, as he took a few things out of the car, "I know. I don't have any respect for machinery." He started down the ramp. "Well, you don't," shouted Lucky.

  "Yeah, yeah," said Bonner.

  "Did you get any oil, like I asked you?"

  "Nope. Sorry."

  "You'll be sorrier when you need it," shouted Lucky, his voice echoing in the dark space.

  "Take your time," said Bonner, "I'm not going to be riding for a while."

  Bonner walked through the dead streets. He told himself that he should go thank Dorca for getting Seth out to meet them. He remembered that he had a present for the big barkeep someplace... The hell with it, he thought, I'll do it tomorrow.

  He climbed the dusty stairs to his rooms. The woman was still there. She smiled tentatively at him as he entered. She put her arms around him and laid her body lightly against his.

  "I'm glad you're back," she said. He stroked her hair absentmindedly and smiled, then gently disengaged himself. She understood and vanished into the kitchen. He sat on the edge of the bed and rested his head in his hands...

  Deep in the night tortured dreams of Dara and Leather and vicious firefights awakened him. He opened his eyes in the darkness,
the woman slept by his side. In the streets he could hear the coarse-voiced singing of a drunk. He thought of Dara. He thought of Leather. In his bones he felt the dull ache of failure. In his heart he felt the hot need for revenge. The war was just beginning.

  The End