第25节

'Three days ago."

Shit, shit and triple shit... This was a major setback.

Mr Snow's presence was absolutely vital. Roz's newly-revealed powers

were frightening but they were virtually untried: an unknown

quantity.

No one could dispute Mr Snow's powers as a summoner. He was the great

equalizer; the spearhead of their attack and their first line of

defence, the only sure means they had to turn the tables on Malone and

the forces who would be lying in wait for them aboard Red River. And

they had missed him by three days! What a pill!

The trade delegation would not return for at least five weeks. Steve

had asked for and obtained six weeks in which to set up the attack on

Red River. They had already used up eight days of that on the present

journey to Wyoming. If the delegation was not delayed it now meant

that Mr Snow would return just as the present deadline expired leaving

him no time to come up with a game-plan in which his magic would be the

trump card!

They needed more elbow room. He would have to ask Malone to arrange an

extension. But that was not as simple as it sounded. It was to the

Federation's advantage to keep the pressure on the M'Calls - forcing

them to attack the train without adequate preparation within a

time-frame and in a specific location which was not of their own

choosing. But how could he delay the inevitable confrontation without

making Mother suspicious... ?

Cadillac turned to Steve and Malone, his newfound confidence waning

visibly. 'What are we going to do?" Good question...

'I'll tell you what we ain't gonna do,' growled Malone.

'An' that's attack this goddam wagon-train of yours without a summoner

up front. You sold me on this magic shit and that's the deal. If the

old man don't show, we don't go!" 'He'll be back in five weeks!"

pleaded Cadillac. 'Four and a half!" 'Good. Give us a call then an'

we'll think about it.

Adios, amigo!" Cadillac caught hold of Malone's arm as the renegade

turned towards his horse. 'Wait -' Malone halted and broke Cadillac's

grip with a knuckle-crunching squeeze. 'Don't ever lay hands on me,

good buddy. Next time I'll break your fuckin' arm."

The threat was delivered with a smile for the benefit of the watching

warriors.

Steve intervened. 'Hey! C'mon you guys! Cool it. I know how we can

get out of this bind. I'll ride after him - bring him back."

'It's too late!" said Cadillac. 'Didn't you hear what he said? The

delegation left three days ago! They'll be at the trading post by the

time you catch up with them!" 'I can try, can't I? Anyway, so

what?"

'Isn't it obvious? They're not going to drop everything and come back

here after going all that way. They'll stay there and trade. And it's

no good thinking you're going to persuade the Old One to get on the

back of the horse, because you won't!" 'So what is it you're trying to

tell me?"

'It's no good going after them because you won't bring them back any

sooner."

'You underestimate me, Caddy. Especially my powers of persuasion.

We've got to try. Can't you see that?

Okay, maybe I won't be able to bring them back in time but someone has

to go - to warn them."

'About what?"

'About the Yama-Shita! Have you forgotten what happened on the

wheel-boat? Those japs know that you and I were part of the group that

destroyed the Heron Pool and that we're linked to whoever blew that

boatload of samurai out of the water!" Cadillac hesitated, unwilling

to come to the inevitable conclusion. 'The commanders of the boat knew

but ' 'Supposing they sent word to Sara-Kusa by carrier-pigeon?"

'You mean before the boat went down..."

'There was plenty of time. We were locked up for several hours."

'So if they did..."

'The family will have linked you and Clearwater to the M'Calls. And Mr

Snow, the man who set up the deal with Lord Yama-Shita to send a

cloud-warrior to Ne-Issan is on his way to the trading post with five

hundred M'Calls.