David Robbins - Citadel Run

You’ll be depressed all the time, and you’ll become cynical and hard. The tougher things get for us, the more we tend to joke to safeguard our sanity, to prevent us from being emotionally ravaged. It alleviates stress if you concentrate on the lighter side of life.”

“I think I got you,” Bear stated, “but I don’t think I could do it. I can’t shrug things off the way you guys do.”

“It’s not that we shrug them off,” Geronimo corrected. “We’re affected by violence, just like you. Only it’s our business, and we learned a long time ago to take it in stride, as calmly as possible. Humor helps immensely. Otherwise, you’d go nuts!”

“Hey! What are they doin’?” Bertha suddenly asked, aghast, pointing.

The soldiers were loading the bodies onto the trucks for transport to a disposal site. In the process of carting the corpses to the trucks, they were searching the bodies for any valuables. They were treating the deceased roughly and talking and smiling while they worked.

“If it’s the last thing I ever do,” Bertha pledged, “I’m going to get Jarvis for this!” She glanced at Blade. “Is Joshua with you this time too?”

Blade insured none of the troopers were close enough to eavesdrop.

“Yes, he is. Why?”

“Because the last time you were here, he tried tellin’ me all about this God business…” Bertha began.

“You can’t blame God for this,” Blade said cutting her off. “Humans don’t always do what the Spirit leads them to do. Some mortals even shut God out of their lives entirely.”

“So you say,” Bertha rejoined. “Me, I’m not so sure. I think if I bump into Joshua and he starts yakkin’ about God, and how we live in a universe of love, as he called it, and goes on about how all of us are brothers and sisters…” She paused and smiled at a thought she had. “Then I think, just for the hell of it, I’m goin’ to haul off and sock him in the mouth.”

“I don’t understand…”

“What is it you don’t get, pard?”

“Well, first you said we had to get out of here right away. Then you changed your mind and said we should sit here until dark. It’s dark, and we still haven’t moved. Why not?”

“Josh, has anyone ever told you you’re a worry-wart?” Hickok inquired.

They were seated in the SEAL, Hickok in the driver’s seat, Joshua in the bucket seat across from the gunman. “We stayed put because I wanted to see if anyone would show up to check out all the shooting. No one did.”

“So?”

“So that tells me no one is close enough to have heard the shots,” Hickok reasoned. “It also tells me the Army must have done something to the Nomads, Porns, and Horns or they would have showed by now.”

“Oh.”

“We also waited until dark because we’ll be able to move without drawing attention to ourselves,” Hickok said.

“But won’t you need to use the lights on the SEAL to travel at night?” Joshua asked.

“Uhhhhh…”

“And won’t the lights attract as much attention as if we were driving in broad daylight?” Joshua asked.

“Hmmmm. I never thought of that,” Hickok admitted. “Oh well! Well try something new.”

“New?”

“Yep. We’ll drive with the lights out. No one will see us then!”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Joshua queried. “What if we run into a boulder or a hole in the ground?”

“Relax. I’m driving, aren’t I? It’s gonna be a piece of cake,” Hickok assured him.

Despite his bragging, the gunfighter was slightly nervous. He’d only driven the vehicle a few times, and the possibility of damaging the Family’s primary means of transportation disturbed him.

Joshua sensed the gunman’s uneasiness. “We could always travel by foot,” he offered.

“We have to find Blade and Geronimo tonight,” Hickok rejoined, “not next year.”

Joshua leaned back in his seat. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Don’t rush me!” Hickok said irritably, agitated because he was in the process of mentally reviewing the proper operation of the SEAL and Joshua’s comment had sidetracked him.

“I won’t say another word,” Joshua promised.

Hickok turned the key and the SEAL purred to life. He reached for the gearshift and hesitated. “This will be a mite tricky, doing this in the dark and all. Here goes.” He gingerly shifted the vehicle into Drive. “You all set?” he absently inquired.

“Yes,” Joshua responded.

“Then, away we go!” Hickok exclaimed, and pressed on the accelerator.

The SEAL instantly lurched into motion, rapidly gaining speed.

Backwards.

“Blast!” Hickok fumed and tramped on the brake pedal.

Only a sturdy grip on the dashboard saved Joshua from flying into the windshield.

“I’ll never understand why mankind gave up the horse for these complicated contraptions!” Hickok complained.

“Is something wrong?” Joshua questioned, striving to sound nonchalant.

“I accidentally shifted into the wrong gear because I couldn’t see what I was doing,” Hickok detailed. “Looks like I’ll have to flick on the lights after all.”

“That would be nice,” Joshua said.

Hickok pulled on the light control knob and the dashboard lights lit up.

“Hey! Look at this!” he exclaimed.

“Look at what?”

“Don’t you see it? The dash lights are on, but the headlights are still off.

You must have to pull this here knob all the way out to get the headlights on. Great! Now well be able to drive with the headlights off just like I wanted!”

“You still intend to travel without running lights?” Joshua queried apprehensively.

“Yep.” Hickok glanced at the gearshift. “Look at this! What a dummy! I had the thing in Reverse instead of Drive. Isn’t that a kicker?”

Joshua, thankful there had been open space behind the transport instead of a tree, nodded. “It certainly is.”

The gunman shifted correctly this time and grinned at his companion.

“Hi-Yo, Silver!”

The SEAL took off at a fast clip.

Joshua tensed, clinging to the dashboard, wishing he were back at the Home with his parents and friends. Why had he ever agreed to Plato’s lunatic proposition to become the Family’s ambassador?

Hickok carefully weaved the SEAL between the Nomad tents and continued south along Moore Lake. The driving wasn’t as difficult as he anticipated; a full moon in the western sky illuminated the terrain nicely.

Joshua began to relax, marveling at the gunman’s dexterity and reflexes. “You’re doing very well,” he complimented Hickok.

“Of course,” the Warrior stated confidently.

The lake was quiet and peaceful, its surface tranquil, reflecting the light from the bright moon above.

Hickok rolled down his window and heard an owl voice it’s distinctive

“who?” from a stand of trees to his left.

“What happens when we find Blade and Geronimo?” Joshua inquired.

“We free them,” Hickok answered.

“What if we’re outnumbered?”

“So what? Since when has that stopped a Warrior from doing his duty?”

Joshua stared at the gunfighter for a moment. “Hickok, can I tell you something?” he asked gravely.

“I reckon so,” Hickok said. “What is it? You sound so serious.”

“I know that you and I haven’t always seen eye to eye,” Joshua mentioned.

“You’ve got that right!”

“So I just thought you should know I’m really glad you are the way you are,” Joshua said. “I sincerely believe you’re one of the best Warriors in the Family, maybe the very best. I know I have criticized your frequently callous attitude in the past. I know I’ve lambasted your cavalier disposition toward the taking of other lives. But I’ve given the matter considerable thought, and I’ve reached the conclusion I wouldn’t have you any other way.”