David Robbins - Twin Cities Run

“Who?”

“He calls himself Bear.”

“Bear?” Bertha leaned forward, delighted. “My good buddy Bear! He’s still alive!”

“Yep. He is a… friend… of yours, then?”

“You bet your white ass!” Bertha giggled. “We went through a lot together. He saved me from Maggot.”

“I know.”

“Good ol’ Bear!” Bertha exclaimed cheerfully. “There wasn’t anyone I was closer to when I was with the Porns.” She failed to detect the hardening of Hickok’s jaw and the narrowing of his blue eyes.

“That’s what I gathered,” Hickok slowly* commented.

“Where is he?” Bertha inquired.

“He’s outside.” Hickok stood. “I’ll tell him you’re in here. I don’t think he knows.”

“No!” she began to protest. “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay.” He bent over and grabbed the Henry. “I can use the fresh air.” He walked to the tent flap.

“Hickok!” Bertha attempted to rise, to follow him, but she was overcome by severe dizziness.

Hickok paused in the tent opening. “Like I told you, I’ll be back to see you. While I’m gone, get your affairs straightened out.”

“Hickok!”

He was gone, the flap swaying in the breeze.

“Hickok!”

Bertha pushed herself to the edge of the cot and swung her legs over the side. The effort proved too much, and she collapsed onto the pillows, coughing, her right side in agony.

“Hickok,” she mumbled, tears filling her eyes, her heart breaking.

“Why?”

They were walking north on State Highway 47, just the two of them, the afternoon sun beating on them mercilessly.

“The SEAL isn’t far,” Joshua commented. “I can see the trees up ahead where we hid the transport.”

“Yep,” Hickok absently nodded.

“You certain you’re all right?” Joshua asked.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Hickok snapped, irritated. “I’m just dandy.”

“And rocks can sing.”

“What?”

“I realize your personal life is your affair…”

“You got that right.”

“…but I can’t help being concerned. You’ve been moping since I saw you at the Porn headquarters. If there is anything I can assist you with, dear brother, you know I will.”

Hickok stared fondly at Joshua. “Sorry, Josh. I’ve had a heap on my mind. I’ve lost a lot on this damn trip, more than I counted on losing.”

“I know what you mean,” Josh said sadly. “I find it hard to believe Blade and Geronimo have passed on to the mansions on high.”

They reached the field bordering the trees and tramped through the thick grass.

“Me too.”

“I wonder if the Wacks got them, or someone else?” Joshua morbidly speculated.

“Does it matter?”

“No. I guess not.”

“I just want to get the hell out of here,” Hickok said bitterly.

“They didn’t want to let us go,” Joshua stated, referring to Bear, Zahner, and Reverend Paul. “I think they’re worried we might not make it back, despite our good intentions.”

“A person never knows when his number is up,” Hickok philosophized.

“Let’s hear it for optimism!” Joshua grinned.

“I ain’t feeling very optimistic these days,” Hickok said.

They were almost to the stand of trees.

“Did you hear something?” Hickok stopped and hefted his Henry.

“No.” Joshua came to a halt. “Did you?”

“Yep.” Hickok moved several steps ahead of Joshua. “Stay behind me. If anything happens, get back to Zahner. I trust him to take care of you.”

“But…”

Hickok motioned for silence. “Stay here,” he whispered.

Joshua nodded.

Hickok crouched and entered the trees, ducking under limbs and carefully circumventing tree trunks and bushes. Had the SEAL been discovered? If so, by whom? The damned Wacks? He doubted anyone could move the vehicle. Blade had locked the doors, and there was no way the impervious body could be breached.

Blade had locked the doors!

Hickok froze, stupefied. How the hell were they going to get inside the vehicle? Blade had the only set of keys! He’d forgotten! His only consolation was that Joshua hadn’t realized their predicament either.

The crunch on the twig alerted him to the danger behind him, and he spun, bringing the Henry up, too late.

A powerful figure slammed into him and forced him to the ground, knees gouging his stomach.

Hickok dropped the Henry, his right hand flashing to his Python, the Colt out and up and cocked before he recognized his assailant.

“You crazy Indian!” Hickok exploded. “You almost got yourself killed!”

Geronimo, astride Hickok’s chest, reared back and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Hickok demanded.

“You should have seen your face!” Geronimo couldn’t contain his hilarity.

“Get off me!” Hickok bellowed. “Only you would pull a stunt like this!”

Geronimo rose to his feet, slapping his thigh in merriment.

“Indians always were sneaking up on the white man,” Hickok grumbled as he stood, dusting his buckskins off.

“Admit it.” Geronimo grinned. “I got you, but good.”

Hickok bolstered his Colt, smiled, and clasped his arms around Geronimo. “Damn! It’s good to see you, pard!”

There was a crashing in the underbrush behind them, and Joshua broke into view.

“Geronimo!” Joshua shouted. He ran to them and hugged Geronimo, pounding him on the back. “Geronimo! We thought you were dead!”

“And we thought you were dead.”

“We?” Hickok questioned hopefully. “Did you say we?”

Geronimo nodded. “He’s in the rear of the SEAL. He was pretty beat up when I found him.”

Hickok and Joshua rushed to the SEAL and climbed in.

Blade was dozing in the rear section. He roused as they clambered inside, his eyes widening in disbelief. “It can’t be!” he said, gaping at his two friends in the back seat.

Hickok glanced at Joshua. “If this is all the welcome we’re gonna get, I say we go back into the Twins. Even the Wacks are friendlier than this big lug.”

Blade reached for them across the seat, gripping their hands in his. “I thought we lost you,” he said, his voice shaking. “I can’t believe it!”

“Ever the eloquent sort, eh?” Hickok wisecracked.

“What happened to you?” Joshua asked Blade, pointing at the hole in his pants on his left thigh, the fabric caked with dried blood.

“Arrow,” Blade replied. “The Wacks. They came close.”

“We all had our share of close calls, pard,” Hickok stated.

“We decided to come back here and wait for you,” Blade said as Geronimo climbed into the passenger-side bucket seat. “If there was any chance you were still alive, we knew you’d make it back here. We’d about given up hope.”

“Where’s Bertha?” Geronimo queried.

Hickok glanced at the floor. “She was injured too. She’s with the Nomads, recuperating. She’ll be bedridden for a couple of weeks. We’ll pick her up when we come back.”

“Come back?” Geronimo repeated. “Did I hear you correctly?”

“Sure did, pard,” Hickok said.

“Why are we coming back?” Blade inquired. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve had all of this place I can stand.”

“Joshua can explain on our way to the Home,” Hickok declared.

“What about the equipment Plato wants us to get?” Joshua commented.

“What about it?” Hickok demanded. “The old man doesn’t know what we’ve been through. He’ll understand when we come back empty-handed.

When we return to the Twins, we’ll have all the time we’ll need to scour this city for the stuff Plato wants. Another month won’t make that much difference, will it?” He turned to Blade.