The Amtrak Wars: Blood River

by Patrick Tilley

  Rising well before dawn on the seventh day, they tiptoed through the staggered pattern of lodges and entered the hide they had prepared. It had been agreed that Cadillac should stay behind to exchange his usual morning greetings with Carnegie-Hall so as not to arouse his suspicions, then join them after the trap had been sprung.

  Sure enough, Carnegie-Hall appeared, moving silently along a cunningly disguised path through the tangled undergrowth. He stopped only yards away from where Steve and Clearwater lay hidden. They watched with bated breath as he parted the branches of a tall bush covered with forever leaves, revealing a portable woven bamboo and straw pigeon-basket – identical to the type Iron Masters used for carrying small numbers of birds to market.

  Answering the soft cooing of the birds, Carnegie opened a feeding flap then fished a small sack of grain from the inside pocket of his fur cloak. The sack, like the basket, had been made in Ne-Issan.

  Clearwater brought her palms together silently in front of her lips and uttered one of the trilling bird cries that the M’Call She-Wolves used to communicate with each other.

  The cry evoked a similar response followed by the sound of someone crashing through the undergrowth. Carnegie-Hall whirled around. The initial surprise on his face turned to utter dismay as Steve and Clearwater revealed their presence. Cadillac arrived a few moments later.

  The wordsmith wavered, as if about to run then froze as he saw the warning flare in her ice-blue eyes and the outflung arms whose linked fingers now pointed at his chest. Fingers that could unleash a force greater than the striking power of a thousand cross-bow bolts. The bag of grain dropped from his trembling fingers but he made to attempt to retrieve it. His treachery now exposed, Carnegie had no wish to test the fore-bearance of Talisman by making any move that could be misinterpreted as a foolhardy gesture of defiance or – more foolish still – the prelude to an assault on his accusers.

  As Steve inspected the contents of the pigeon basket, Cadillac assumed his severest expression and gazed reproachfully at its keeper. The wordsmith, in return, attempted to look suitably contrite whilst retaining some vestige of his former dignity. It was a delicate situation. Carnegie-Hall was older – and therefore took precedence over younger colleagues, he also bulked much larger than Cadillac and despite everything, had been a genial host.

  But, on the other hand, Carnegie had betrayed the trust of those to whom he had offered shelter. Such hospitality was not unknown but it was not often extended to members of another clan, and even more rarely to those from another bloodline. But the rigid code of the Plainfolk to which most clans subscribed did not permit treachery. If a clan harboured ill-intent against those seeking shelter then it drove them away or quite simply killed them. But if like the Kojak it received them into their fire-circle and lodges then custom required the host clan to treat them as soul-brothers and sisters.

  To do otherwise would be to act without honour, causing the guilty parties to lose all standing. A fate worse than the death that would surely follow. It went without saying that the recipients of such hospitality were expected to observe the same strict rules of behaviour.

  ‘How many?’ asked Cadillac.

  ‘Two …’ Steve closed the feeding flap and prised the basket loose from its hiding place among the branches. He placed it at the wordsmith’s feet.

  Carnegie-Hall eyed Clearwater’s outstretched forefingers. They were still pressed together and aimed at his chest like the barrels of the fearsome rifles he had seen demonstrated by the Iron Masters at the trading post. Yes … he should have known better than to mess with The Chosen Ones. So severe! So unsmiling! If this was a taste of what was to come, he was glad that Mo-Town, the Great Sky-Mother had not saddled him with some lofty destiny. Oh, well, you win some you lose some …

  Ignoring the damning evidence at his feet, he spread his hands philosophically and tried to disarm his principal accuser with a smile. ‘What can I tell you …?’

  Steve got there first. ‘Everything.’

  Back in the lodge he shared with Clearwater, Steve gazed at the pigeon-basket and mulled over Carnegie-Hall’s disclosures. One of the birds, carrying a ribbon to indicate that the ‘travellers’ were still ‘in custody’, was due to be released when the snow melted; the second was to be held in reserve in case something unexpected happened.

  The basket lay between him and Cadillac. Clearwater sat cross-legged in the open doorway with her back to them so she could see what was happening outside. Having freely confessed everything, Carnegie-Hall had begged for and received forgiveness but it was by no means certain that he, and the clan elders could be trusted. On the other hand, having listened to his side of the story, Cadillac and Steve could not bring themselves to condemn him out of hand. In the final analysis, they too had been guilty of a little mild deception.

  ‘I think we should send the message the Japs are waiting for.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Cadillac.

  ‘Because they’re going to help us get to Wyoming.’

  Cadillac looked puzzled. ‘Wait a minute. I thought you wanted to avoid them. Wasn’t that what all the fuss was about?’

  ‘Yeah. But something you said when we were arguing has given me an idea. You talked about riding off into the sunset.’

  ‘And …?’

  ‘That’s how we’re going to get to Wyoming. On horseback.’

  ‘On horseback …’ Cadillac could hardly believe what he was hearing. ‘You want us to stay here and take on a whole boatload of samurai just to get hold of three horses …’

  ‘More than three. As many as we can get.’

  Cadillac caught Clearwater’s eye. ‘You see what happens when people mess about with boats? Their brains become waterlogged!’

  ‘Listen!’ cried Steve. ‘They already know we’re here. They may even decide to pay us a visit even if the pigeon Carnegie-Hall’s supposed to send doesn’t arrive. For all they know the birds could have died of cold or got eaten or something.’

  ‘In that case, we should stick to your original plan and leave today!’

  ‘We can’t do that either.’

  ‘Sweet Sky-Mother, why not?’ cried Cadillac.

  ‘Well, we just can’t pull out and leave these guys to get it in the neck. If it hadn’t been for them, we’d never have made it though the winter.’

  ‘What are you talking about?! They were just fattening us up for the kill!’

  ‘Oh, come on! Show a little gratitude. That may have been their original intention but that’s not the way it worked out. Carnegie-Hall explained all that. If you’re supposed to help unite the Plainfolk, shouldn’t you start by displaying some solidarity yourself?’

  ‘If you say so.’ Cadillac eyed Steve warily. ‘I didn’t realize you had such a forgiving nature.’

  ‘A tactical decision. With a boatload of Japs on their way, we don’t need these guys on our backs. We want them fighting alongside us.’

  ‘I agree, but can they be trusted?’

  ‘Trust doesn’t enter into it. You saw Carnegie’s reaction to Clearwater. They’re scared shitless at what might happen if she decides to cut loose. This clan hasn’t raised a summoner in over two decades but they know one when they see one. Don’t worry. All she has to do is flash those eyes of hers and they’ll fall into line.’

  ‘You’re kidding yourself, Brickman. The only thing we can be sure of is they’ll stand back then join the winning side. You heard what Carnegie said. He’s willing to commit the clan to an attack on the Iron Masters provided it doesn’t fail?

  ‘Yeah. There must be no survivors – because that could mean a second punitive expedition. That’s not unreasonable. What I understood him to say was that the clan would offer us every assistance but we had to come up with a plan of attack which – if it did go wrong – would not implicate the Kojaks.’

  ‘In other words, we have to do all the hard work.’

  ‘Caddy, these guys are living on the front line. The nearest Iron Masters are only eighty
miles away. We’re the reason why those Japs are coming.’

  Cadillac banged his fists on his thighs. ‘But they wouldn’t be coming if the Kojak hadn’t betrayed us!’

  Steve motioned him to stay calm. ‘Water under the bridge. If you’re honest, you’ll admit we’re as much to blame as they are.’

  ‘So what d’you suggest we do?’

  ‘You’ve already supplied the answer.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Your reading of the stone. ‘Blood and fire upon the sea …’ We get on board the Jap wheelboat and set fire to it as it approaches the western shore.’

  ‘Just like that …’

  ‘Yeah,’ said Steve, warming up. ‘We blow a hole in the bottom. It starts to sink … the Japs abandon ship … men and horses swim for the shore and … the Kojak pick ’em off with crossbow bolts on the way in … or as they come out of the shallows and up onto the beach. What d’you think?’

  Cadillac’s face turned sour. ‘Brilliant. But aren’t you overlooking something? We don’t know when the wheelboat is coming and even if we did, how do we get on board before they get here?’

  ‘Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out. It’s a pity you used up our last three wads of explosive. Never mind … we’ll have to make do with whatever material we can find when we get on board.’

  ‘You’re crazy …’

  ‘No – listen. If it’s a big wheelboat it’ll have cannon mounted in the side galleries. So they’ll be carrying black powder. And they’re bound to have some rockets –’

  ‘You hope …’

  Steve didn’t react. He could see it all. ‘We can arrange a firework display inside the ship to create a diversion, then we’ll use the black powder to put the boiler through the roof and set fire to the log store – ’

  ‘And we finish her off by blowing a hole in the bottom of the hull …’ The note of sarcasm failed to register.

  ‘Yeah. When I came to get you, I stowed away in the engine room so I know the general layout. With the boiler gone, she’s a sitting duck, and even if they put the fire out –’

  ‘She’ll still sink … Yes. I must say you make it all sound very easy but somehow, I don’t think it’s going to be that simple.’

  ‘Well – it’s obviously going to take some time to set up.’

  ‘Exactly. And time is what we haven’t got. It’s what – eighty miles from here to the mooring at Benton Harbour?’

  ‘Could be a little bit more.’

  ‘And what’s the speed of the wheelboat? Ten miles an hour?’

  ‘Depends on the weather. If there’s a headwind –’

  ‘Okay, let’s say eight. That gives us ten hours. I assume that you and I will be working together on this …?’

  ‘That was the general idea.’

  ‘Good. We know from the stone that the boat will arrive under cover of darkness. The best time for a surprise attack which, I imagine, will probably be launched at dawn.’

  ‘That’s what I’m banking on. But we may have more than ten hours. Depends on how slow the boat is.’

  ‘Doesn’t make any difference. The days are getting longer. If the Japs don’t come for several weeks, we may not have even ten hours of darkness! Or are you planning for us to wreck this boat in broad daylight!’

  ‘No. But when you get right inside the ship it’s much darker.’

  ‘I’ll have to take your word for that. But okay, let’s assume we do have ten hours of darkness. Apart from the problem of getting on board, we have to find our way around the ship, locate the powder room and the rocket store, break in, steal what we want without the theft being detected, plant the charges and get the hell out without being caught. Tell me – what are the Japs doing all this time? Standing watching us, with their arms folded?!’

  Steve exploded. ‘For chrissakes, Caddy! I said it could work! I didn’t say it was gonna be easy!’

  Cadillac shook his head. ‘We’re going to have to think of something else, Brickman. It’s a great idea, but it’s just too difficult.’

  ‘Difficult? It’s fucking impossible! But we’re going to do it anyway.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘Don’t ask me how! I don’t know yet! I just know that’s the way it’s going to happen! Maybe not quite the way I’ve explained it but we’re gonna sink that boat! And you wanna know how I know? Because when you were drawing those images out of the stone, I started seeing pictures inside my head.’ He paused. ‘D’you know what I saw? You. On that boat. And I was right there with you, in this cabin – with water comin’ up through the floor.’

  Cadillac appeared to take this revelation seriously. ‘Is this true?’

  ‘I kid you not, blood-brother.’

  ‘Did we escape?’

  Steve shrugged. ‘Can’t tell you. We’re gonna have to wait and see.’

  After another day spent offshore, hauling in nets, Steve found the solution to the seemingly intractable problem of intercepting the Iron Masters’ wheelboat. It was so obvious, he felt like kicking himself for not thinking of it before. He was so excited he leapt out of the boat as it ran ashore and didn’t wait for the firelight fish supper he’d earned for himself and Clearwater.

  Taking her aside, he quickly explained the plan he’d worked out. Still bubbling over with enthusiasm at his own cleverness, and without asking for her reaction, he ran off inland towards the main settlement, calling upon her to follow.

  Clearwater caught up with him, matching him stride for stride as he settled down into the loping pace that Mutes were able to maintain, if need be, for twelve hours at a stretch. Steve had never had occasion to test his endurance for that length of time but he had been pleased to discover that, with training, he could keep up with the M’Call warriors who had allowed him the unprecedented honour of running with them on hunting trips.

  Prizing Cadillac loose from the serpentine embrace of his three over-hospitable bed-mates, Steve silenced his protests and marched him over to where Clearwater sat waiting in front of the lodge they shared. She had already put wood on the firestone, and the flames were bright enough for them to read the plasfilm map she held out to Steve. He sat down on one of the spare talking mats.

  Cadillac sat down on his left, opposite Clearwater, completing the triangle. He eyed them both with an aggrieved expression. ‘This had better be good …’

  ‘It’s brilliant. Right?’ Steve looked to Clearwater for confirmation as he refolded the map to expose the section he wanted.

  ‘That depends on whether you like boats.’

  Steve twisted the map round for Cadillac to read the right way up and pointed out navref Chicago. ‘Okay … this is where we are and the Jap boat Clearwater and I saw …’ His finger moved across to Benton Harbour. ‘… was somewhere around here.

  ‘Carnegie got a good look at the boat when the man in the iron mask called here to set up the deal to capture us and from the description he gave me I reckon it’s the same one. He reckons there were twenty, maybe twenty-five people on board, including some women and children – plus whoever they left behind to guard the mooring. Judging from the size of the boat, he doubts it could be more than fifty, all told. You mentioned seeing fire on the water. Did you get any clear images of the boat?’

  ‘Only that it was huge – like those at the trading post.’

  ‘That squares with the inside view I got. The cabin we were in was like the one Side-Winder had, forward of the engine room. Which makes sense. If these guys at Benton Harbour were going to try anything, they’d have been here long ago.

  ‘No. After what happened at the Heron Pool, they’ll be coming in strength. Not just for us, but to cover themselves in case the Kojak have a last-minute change of heart. The Japs’d be crazy to land a pint-sized force on the turf of a clan that can field close to a thousand warriors. But before they drop in on us, they’ll call in here first.’ Steve indicated navref Benton Harbour. ‘’Cos these guys are the only ones who know exactly where w
e are …’

  ‘And that’s when we climb aboard …’

  ‘Yeah. What d’you think?’

  ‘Well, so far, not a great deal. I’d already worked out that bit by myself. Apart from the problem of getting there, we still don’t know when the wheelboat is going to arrive.’

  ‘You’re right. We’re just gonna have to wait there until she shows up.’

  ‘At Benton Harbour …’

  ‘Or thereabouts. If we’re going to do it, we ought to leave in the next couple of days.’

  ‘I see …’ Cadillac had good cause to be wary of Steve’s steam-roller tactics. ‘Suppose this wheelboat doesn’t turn up for weeks. What do you propose to do – ask these Japs at Benton Harbour to give us board and lodging?’

  ‘No. You and I are going fishing.’

  ‘Fishing …’ Cadillac exchanged glances with Clearwater then said: ‘But neither of us know how.’

  ‘We will by the time we get there. A couple of Kojak boatmen will be coming along to show us the ropes.’

  ‘And Clearwater?’

  ‘I’ll be staying here,’ she said.

  ‘As a hostage?’

  ‘No. As our last line of defence. If we don’t manage to sink the wheelboat –’ Steve left the rest unsaid.

  ‘So you’re not totally opposed to using earth magic,’ said Cadillac mockingly.

  ‘That’s up to her. But if she chooses to do so, it will only be after you and I have tried everything else – and failed.’

  Cadillac turned to Clearwater. ‘And I suppose you agree…’

  ‘I would prefer to come with you, but otherwise yes. Can you think of a better way?’

  Cadillac met her challenging look then turned his attention back to the map. ‘I have no qualms about embarking on a suicide mission – I just object to dying before we get a chance to engage the enemy. These ramshackle constructions the Kojaks use are not designed to cross an expanse of water like this.’