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The Amtrak Wars - Book 4 - Blood River

By: Patrick Tilley

Synopsis:

On the snow-swept overground, Steve, Cadillac and Clearwater meet with

triumph and disaster as they try to evade the clutches of both the Iron

Masters and the First Family. The samurai of Ne-Issan prove to be

tenacious adversaries and the rulers of the Federation have no

intention of loosening their grip on Steve Brickman. For he and his

friends are valuable pawns in a game which, if lost, could spell the

end of the First Family's dream of reconquering the blue-sky world.

Also by Patrick Tilley:

MISSION

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 1: CLOUD WARRIOR

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 2: FIRST FAMILY THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 3: IRON

MASTER THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 5: DEATH-BRINGER

THE AMTRAK WARS BOOK 6: EARTH-THUNDER

DARK VISIONS: THE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE AMTRAK WARS FADEOUT

STAR WARTZ

The Amtrak Wars Book 4: Blood River

PATRICK TILLEY

ORBIT

An Orbit Book

First published in Great Britain by Sphere Books l.td 1988

Reprinted 989, 99o, 199

Reprinted by Warner Books 995

Reprinted 1996

Reprinted by Orbit 998

Copyright ?1988 by Patrick Tilley All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior

permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in

any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published

and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed

on the subsequent purchaser.

ISBN i 85723 538 X

Printed in England by Clays l.td, St lyes plc

Companies, institutions and other organiza6ons wishing to make bulk

purchases of this or any other books published by l.inle, Brown, should

contact their local bookshop or the special sales department at the

address below.

Tel o171 911 8ooo. Fax o171 9i i 8too.

Orbit

A Division of little, Brown and Company (ilK) Bretxenham House

Lancaster Place london we2E 7EN In loving memory of my mother born

Agnes Rose Lewer July 22nd, 1904-December 1st, 1987 who gave me the

priceless gift of education but whose formidable personality caused me

to censor everything I wrote.

God bless you, Ma. Hang on to your halo.

This is where it starts to get interesting.

BOOK 4:

BLOOD RIVER

CHAPTER ONE

If it had not been for the fact that his youngest son suddenly took it

into his head to totter through the partially-open door while his

mother's back was turned, Izo Wantanabe would not have leapt up from

his writing table and stepped out onto the deck of the houseboat.

Had he not done so, the winter months would have passed with their

usual tranquil monotony and the lives of several hundred of his

comrades in arms would have been spared or, at the very least, expended

on a more profitable enterprise.

But it was not to be. Fate, in the guise of fatherly concern,

compelled him to follow and, as he scooped up the infant and lifted him

shoulder high, he saw something which took his breath away.