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ncealed zipper but I haven't been able to reach

it with my teeth."

'Does that mean...?"

'Yeah. You're gonna have to tell them what's happened."

'I don't know the call-codes you've been using."

'It's S.O.P. Brickman. Feed in your own, and ask for help. Once

you've identified yourself, the set will tell you whatever you need to

know."

'Oh, yeah, of course." He cursed under his breath.

'This is a real bitch. I wish I'd known you were part of this

operation."

'Would it have changed things if you had?"

'Steve spread his hands. 'If I could've stopped this happening I

would've. You guys blew the whole deal by leaving a trail a mile

wide.

Getting caught was not supposed to be part of the plan."

'Yeah... kind of a mess, huh?"

'The worst..."

A spasm of pain creased her forehead. 'Guess . . .

guess I'm lucky you came along. Torn couldn't have held out for long

. . bleeding too bad . . . was worried in case he... he didn't take me

with him." Her eyes held his. 'But you I can count on, eh,

compadre?"

Steve grimaced. 'Absolutely, but. are you sure this is what you

want?

Maybe there's ' 'Listen, the way things are, you're doing me a favour,

right?"

'Right..."

'Is Torn, uhh... ?"

'He's dead,' said Steve quietly, realising that Lundkwist could not

even turn her neck. Great Sky-Mother, what a way to go. He stroked

Lundkwist's forehead as he eased the combat knife from the sheath on

his leg. 'Tell me something. How long have you been with AMEXICO?"

'You're not supposed to ask things like that. But seeing how things

are... I passed out of Rio Lobo the year before I went to the

Academy.

And guess what? I filed a report recommending you for selection."

Lundkwist bit back a jagged shaft of pain and managed a lop-sided

smile. 'Some joke, huh?" Her breathing became laboured. 'Listen,

promise me one thing. Don't let 'em... y'know- eat me..."

'I promise."

She closed her eyes. 'Thanks. It was the one thing I ?. .

dreaded."

Steve ran his fingers over Lundkwist's unkempt hair and down onto the

nape of her neck, tilting her head back and towards him. He laid his

lips gently on her eyelids and on her half-open mouth.

'Lips are dry,' she whispered. 'D'you have any water?"

'Yeah, sure, here - lemme help you..." He grasped her hair firmly,

pulled her head as far back as it would go, placed the tip of the knife

blade against the curve of her throat and drove it up into her brain.

Drink, sweet Mother...

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The trading party, led by Mr Snow and Blue-Thunder, included nearly

three hundred Bears, a hundred She-Wolves and a hundred and fifty camp

followers and baggage handlers. The thirty-two captive renegades, once

again bound side-by-side in pairs like yoked oxen, were dispersed

throughout the column.

Leaving Southern Wyoming, the procession wound its way north-eastwards

across territory once held by the Da-Kota and the Minne-Sota, ancient

bloodlines that had been swept away as the She-Kargo grew strong and

moved westwards from its birthplace by the sacred waters of