第103节

Cadillac was already aboard the first. He reached over and helped lift

Clearwater into the front seat. The Mute was bright-eyed and raring to

go. Steve eyed him. Yeah.

Of course. That was his hang-up: what made him run.

Cadillac always wanted to be on the winning side.

Steve blew a kiss to Clearwater, then slapped the outside of the

cockpit. 'Okay, move it! We'll be right behind you!" He stepped back

as Cadillac fired the booster and watched the machine speed away from

the grass. Six seconds into the burn, Cadillac fired two tubes instead

of one, then jettisoned the trolley.

Kelso watched over Steve's shoulder as the plane went up in an almost

vertical climb. 'Should you have let them go together?"

'Did you want to ride with her?"

'Not after what I just saw, but -' 'Don't worry. These four planes are

wired to blow just like the others. And I've still got the

transmitter."

Kelso gave a quick laugh. 'In that case I'd better watch my step."

'Hey! Cut the jokes!" cried Jodi. 'I think there's some guys coming

round back of us!" Steve heard the tell-tale drumming of hoofbeats as

he followed her pointing finger. 'You're right! Go on two like

Cadillac did!" He pushed Jodi and Kelso towards the nearest plane and

ran to the next in line. Jodi still had one leg outside the cockpit

when Kelso fired the boosters.

Steve reached out and yanked the firing handle as the first wave of

horsemen crashed through the bushes and galloped on to the field.

Shwaa-paa-POWW! The plane started to roll forward. C'mon, c'mon,

c'mon I The trolley rapidly picked up speed, but not fast enough to

out-distance the leading horseman. The samurai galloped out to the

right to avoid the smoke trail from the booster rockets and drew level

with the wing, his bow arched. At that distance he couldn't miss, but

Mo-Town must have been rooting for Steve. The arrow hit one of the

upright spruce struts, splitting it as it punched through, and buried

its point in Steve's thigh. Ahhghh, Christo!

The samurai didn't get a chance for a second shot. As he reached over

his shoulder for another arrow, Steve aimed his arm over the side and

blew him out of the saddle with a triple volley.

As Kelso and Jodi soared into the air ahead of him, Steve saw why

Cadillac had fired two tubes and fired them early. The field ahead was

littered with stones and bodies.

Gritting his teeth against the pain that lanced through his right leg,

he triggered one and five and followed the two Trackers up into the Sky

in a steep climbing turn to the west.

Beyond the line of crimson forested hills lay the Hudson. And if

Skull-Face had meant what he had said, there'd be a field like the one

marked on the map that had been left in his shack, with a white hollow

square in it. But first, there was one last piece of business to

attend to.

Steve dropped his left wing and looked down at the tiny figures

swarming around the plane they'd left behind.

With the help of Jodi, Kelso and Cadillac, he had hauled the two rocket

carts close in on either side of the plane, then tossed nearly all

their remaining grenades into the cockpit. He took out the transmitter

and selected the appropriate button. 'Adios, amigos."

There were two, almost simultaneous flashes. First the plastic

explosive aboard the plane with its extra topping of grenades, then the

two rocket carts. The smoke ballooned onwards, then rolled back in on

itself and rose into the sky, leaving the ground beneath ablaze. Most

of the tiny figures had stopped moving.

Steve let his gaze roam further afield. There was little sign of

movement anywhere. The Heron Pool had been devastated, the swaggering

Iron Masters had been dealt a blow they would long remember. But what

of the cost?

How many had died in the crossfire while he, Clearwater, the Shogun and

maybe his Herald - had been settling their personal accounts? How many

more Would suffer for what he had done? He quickly killed the rising

feelings of remorse. These things had to be done. Best not