Nevada Run

CHAPTER SIX

“Here he comes,” Hickok announced.

Blade saw him too. Geronimo was 500 yards off, jogging up the hill toward the stand of trees and brush in which the SEAL was concealed.

“I don’t know how wise it is to leave the SEAL here when we go into Vegas,” Helen commented from the giant’s left.

Blade glanced at her. “There you go again.”

“But we’d be safer in the SEAL,” Helen said. “It’s bulletproof.”

“It would also stand out like a sore thumb,” Blade told her. “We’ve seen over a hundred cars and trucks enter Vegas since we pulled into these trees. But the SEAL is unique. There’s nothing else like it. We’d attract too much attention if we take it into Vegas. So we’ll go in on foot.” He stared at the buildings to the southwest. Only an hour ago they had driven over a rise and spied the city approximately a mile distant. He had continued on until he’d spotted a suitable site to camouflage the transport, then wheeled off the road after checking to guarantee no one was coming from either direction. Now, as he waited for Geronimo to reach them, he double-checked the makeshift latticework of branches and brush they had used to hide the SEAL.

“Las Vegas is huge,” Helen remarked with a touch of trepidation. “How will we ever find Mindy in there?”

Blade adjusted a large limb over the SEAL’S grill. “We’ll find her,” he vowed.

“Do you have a plan?” Helen asked hopefully.

“We’ll play it by ear,” Blade said.

“That’s a plan?” Helen retorted.

Blade gazed at her. “Do you have a better idea?”

“I sure do,” Helen stated. “You said Mindy will be at the Golden Crown Casino, right?”

“That’s what Ted was told,” Blade confirmed.

“Then I say we march right into the Golden Crown Casino and get her back!” Helen declared.

“No,” Blade said.

“Why not?” Helen demanded.

“Will you think with your head instead of your heart?” Blade responded. “They will be expecting us to do exactly like you propose.

They’ll be waiting for us. And what good can we do Mindy if we walk into a trap?”

“We can’t leave her in their hands!” Helen objected.

“I don’t intend to leave Mindy in their hands a second more than is absolutely necessary,” Blade said. “But we’ll take it slow at first. We’ll mingle, walk around, act like everybody else, blend right in. Hopefully, we can discover the extent of our opposition.”

“Whatever you say,” Helen commented halfheartedly.

Blade moved around the transport, carefully inspecting the camouflage.

Helen’s shoulders slumped as she faced Las Vegas. She noticed Hickok was to her right, leaning against a tree, staring at her. “What are you looking at?” she snapped.

“I’m admirin’ your fortitude,” the gunfighter said.

Helen studied him for a moment, trying to determine if the gunman was serious. He was.

“I also wanted to apologize for the crack I made about your husband,” Hickok said sincerely. “It was a bone-headed thing to say, but you did get me all riled up.”

“I guess I had it coming,” Helen said.

“I had no right to comment on your personal life,” Hickok mentioned.

“I was just fed up with your gripin’.”

Helen looked up at the blue morning sky. “I can’t believe how I’m acting on this trip!” she remarked pensively. “I pride myself on my self-control, but I certainly haven’t exhibited any.”

“Who can blame you?” Hickok said. “If my son was down there, I’d go crazy.”

Helen sighed. “Mindy is all I have left in this world. My parents died about six years ago. Then Andy left me for another woman. Talk about creating a scandal! We were the talk of the Home for months! Divorces are extremely rare in the Family. You know that. I’m sure you heard all the gossip.”

“I heard it,” Hickok said softly.

“I was heartbroken,” Helen divulged. “I loved Andy. Truly loved him. I was stunned when he told me he wanted a divorce. He claimed I was stifling his manhood. Can you imagine that?” She laughed bitterly. “We appeared before the Elders, and he stood there and read a list of reasons for our marital failure, as he called it. I was too bossy. I was a dictator. I couldn’t relate to him as a woman. I was immature. I was spiritually stagnant.” She stopped and closed her eyes. “According to him, I was the worst woman imaginable. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when the Elders granted his divorce petition, but I was.”

“The Elders were right to grant the petition,” Hickok stated.

Helen’s eyes opened and she glanced at the gunman. “Oh? So you believe Andy was telling the truth?”

“I believe Andy is a wimp,” Hickok declared. “Always has been. And when you pair a wimp with a strong person in a marriage, either the wimp grows up and they learn to share as equals, or the strong person always dominates the marriage, or the wimp cracks under the pressure.

The Elders knew Andy couldn’t handle the responsibility of being your hubby. If Andy had stayed with you, he would have made your life miserable. He was already foolin’ around with Gladys before he even asked you for a divorce. And let’s face it. Gladys is a ding-a-ling. Andy and her are perfect for each other. He wasn’t mature enough for a real woman like you.”

Helen grinned. “You missed your calling. You should have been a Counselor.”

Blade came around the transport. “The SEAL is locked tight as a drum.” He walked forward several yards, his eyes on Geronimo, who was now less than 20 feet away.

“About time you got here,” Hickok declared loudly. “Married life has made you flabby.”

Geronimo reached them and halted, breathing easily. “The only flab around here is between your ears,” he said to Hickok, then faced Blade.

“What did you find out?” Blade asked.

“Anyone can come and go as they like,” Geronimo reported. “The road leads straight into the heart of Las Vegas. There are thousands of people everywhere.”

“Any checkpoints or security forces?” Blade inquired.

Geronimo shook his head. “Not a one. The city is wide open. And get this. Carrying firearms must be legal because many of the people I saw were armed. Men and women alike. I went about a quarter of a mile into the city, and I wasn’t stopped or challenged once.”

“Then we go in,” Blade stated. “And we stay close together.”

“Are you going to carry me piggyback?” Hickok joked.

Blade led them down the hill, angling toward the road, scanning the area for other travelers. The hill was 600 yards from the highway, and he felt supremely confident the transport would not be discovered.

Nevertheless, he didn’t want anyone to observe the Warriors emerging from the brush. Whenever a car or truck appeared on the road he flattened and the others followed his lead. They reached the highway without being seen, coming out near the point where the SEAL had left the road.

“Blade,” Geronimo said. “Look!” He pointed at a spot ten feet off.

Blade turned and saw them: the tracks the SEAL’S massive wheels had made in the field bordering the highway. The huge tires had crushed the grass and weeds.

“Should we try to cover them up?” Geronimo inquired.

Blade heard a low rumble and spied a car approaching from the southwest, leaving Las Vegas. “No. I doubt anyone will pay much attention to the tracks. They may assume someone pulled off for a rest stop. If we try to cover them, everyone driving by will see us. We’d arouse more curiosity than the tracks themselves. Let’s go.” He marched to the southwest. The car sped past them.

Geronimo fell in behind his giant friend.

Hickok and Helen brought up the rear.

“You must be on pins and needles,” the gunman commented.

Helen managed a feeble smile. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“Just remember you’re not in this alone,” Hickok said. “We’ll help you get Mindy out.”

Helen stared at the buckskin-clad gunfighter. “You’re not what I expected,” she remarked.

“I’m not?” Hickok responded.

“Definitely not,” Helen declared. “We haven’t had occasion to talk together very frequently. My estimation of you was based on all the stories circulating around the Family, and the stories don’t do justice to your personality.”

“In what way?” Hickok inquired.

“In every way,” Helen said. “According to the tales I heard, you’re just about the deadliest Warrior. Your courage is indisputable, but you’re also a bit of a blockhead. You have no regard for your personal safety. You’ll walk into a hot spot without batting an eye, and you’ll rely on your speed to bail you out if you get in over your head. Your motto is, ‘Shoot first and ask questions later,’ and you always go for the head. Some of the Family think you’re too reckless, others believe you’re the Warrior who always gets the job done, no matter what the odds might be. Personally, I don’t think you’re as big a blockhead as some people claim.”

“Thanks,” Hickok stated. “I think.”

“You’re more intelligent and understanding than most give you credit for being,” Helen observed. “I’m beginning to see why Sherry married you.”

Hickok smirked. “She’s in love with my dimples.”

Geronimo glanced over his left shoulder at Helen. “Don’t let him kid you. The only reason Sherry married him was because he brainwashed her. Somehow he convinced her he’s an ordinary kind of guy. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear he hypnotized her.”

“Can I help it if the Spirit blessed me with charm, wit, and good looks?”

Hickok queried lightheartedly.

“Don’t forget modesty,” Geronimo added.

Another car passed them, heading to the northeast.

Blade trained his eyes on the buildings ahead. Even though it was daytime, with bright sunshine, there seemed to be a lot of lights on in Vegas. Most were neon lights advertising businesses: casinos, hotels, motels, and the like. As they drew nearer he could see the throngs of people packing the sidewalks. Vehicle traffic was also surprisingly heavy.

Geronimo took two hasty strides and caught up with Blade. “See? No checkpoints, police, nothing.”

“Maybe they don’t need a police force,” Blade speculated. “Maybe they don’t want one. Ma said Organized Crime controls the entire city, and I doubt the mob would allow a police force to exist.”

“But how do they keep the crowds under control?” Geronimo asked.

“With all the gambling, and the drinking, and the womanizing that goes on here, there must be problems with drunks and other rowdy types. How does the mob keep them in line?”

“I imagine we’ll find out,” Blade said.

They reached the first buildings, sleazy motels on both sides of the highway. A wide sidewalk bordered the front of the motel nearest them.

Blade gazed across the highway and noted another sidewalk on the opposite side. The motels were doing a thriving business; vehicles were pulling in and out of the motel parking lots every few seconds. He was puzzled by the heavy traffic until he saw one of the cars pull up to a door labeled FRONT OFFICE. A lean man in a green suit stood outside the Front Office door. Whenever a vehicle pulled up alongside him, the driver would hand the man money and the man would give the driver a small white packet.

“What is that all about?” Geronimo inquired, watching yet another transaction.

“I don’t know,” Blade said.

“Want me to find out, pard?” Hickok offered.

“No,” Blade replied. “I don’t want any of us making waves. We don’t want to do anything to get ourselves noticed. We have a better chance of finding Mindy if we don’t draw attention to us.”

They entered Las Vegas.

And three minutes later attracted exactly the attention Blade didn’t want.