Capital Run

Chapter Five

An hour must have elapsed, possibly longer.

Rikki’s arms were aching, hurting from the sustained strain of being suspended from the coarse rope. Periodically he glanced at Lex, and although she never complained or uttered a moan or other sound it was obvious that she was in extreme agony.

The crowd on the bank had grown until over 200 men and women were now gathered for the event.

But what were they waiting for? Rikki scanned the river for the umpteenth time. What was down there? He had asked Lex once, but all she said in reply was “Slither.” What was this Slither? It must be some sort of creature lurking in the river’s depths. Rikki twisted and gazed at the watchers on the west bank. None of them was anywhere near the dock, which was good. But firearms were in abundant evidence, which was bad.

How could he free himself and Lex and escape before Slither arrived and avoid being shot? “When will Slither show up?” he asked Lexine.

She shook her head, gritting her teeth as a spasm lanced her shoulders.

“Any time,” she said after the pain subsided. “It comes when it feels like it, when it’s hungry.”

“Is it a large animal? Reptile, amphibian, mammal, what?” Rikki inquired.

“I don’t know,” Lex said softly. “It’s not like any other animal I know.”

“A mutant,” Rikki stated. Ever since the war a century before, since the environment had been ravaged by massive dosages of radiation and deadly chemicals and other toxins, the animal life had altered drastically.

The genetic constitution of many forms of wildlife had been radically affected by the radiation and chemicals; mutations had become commonplace. Bizarre carnivorous strains had developed. Giantism had appeared in some species. Although in some areas, such as the inhabited major cities still standing and in the Civilized Zone, the mutants had been ruthlessly exterminated over the years, there wasn’t a solitary place on the continent completely safe from the biological deviates. Or so it was believed. One could crop up anywhere, anytime.

Like now.

There was a rustling and murmuring along the west hank.

Rikki glanced at the assembled mob, noting they were all staring upriver, to the north. He looked in the same direction and spotted a commotion in the water approximately 50 yards away.

“It’s Slither!” Lex cried.

Nothing was visible on the surface of the Mississippi except for an eight-foot wake, a rippling of tiny waves expanding outward as a massive form swam under the water.

“Rikki…” Lex said.

Rikki faced her.

“I’m sorry. So sorry. I wanted to get to know you better,” Lex told him sadly.

“We’re not dead yet,” Rikki reminded her.

Lex looked at the approaching monster. “Not yet,” she said halfheartedly.

“And I’m not quite ready for the higher mansions,” Rikki wryly declared. “So brace yourself.”

“For what?”

“For this,” Rikki said. As surreptitiously as possible, he had been striving to extricate his wrists from the ropes. After an hour of strenuous effort, constantly working his wrists back and forth, back and forth, while pulling downward at the same time, he had succeeded in loosening his right wrist. His arm wasn’t free yet, but the coil of rope around his slim wrist had developed sufficient slack to enable him to escape. His exertion had torn the skin on both his wrists, and there was a crimson coating between the surface of his wrist and the rope. With the sweat from the heat and his prolonged effort, all it would take was one mighty tug and his right wrist would be free, one wrench at the right moment.

That moment was now.

The wake generated by the underwater creature was 40 yards off and closing.

The Leather Knights and others on the west bank were concentrating on the wake.

Rikki bunched his sinewy shoulder muscles and strained, adding his considerable strength to his body weight and the force of gravity. His right wrist slipped clear of the rope, leaving him dangling by his left arm.

Instantly, his lean frame coiled into action. He swung his leg outward, forcing the rope to move, to carry his body out over the water. Even as the swinging motion began, his right hand reached behind his back to the brown pouch in the small of his back, the pouch containing his shuriken and other items. One of those items was his personalized kyoketsu-shogei, a double-edged five-inch knife attached to a lengthy, leather cord. At the other end of the cord was a metal ring. When still a child of ten, Rikki had become an expert with the weapon. The kyoketsu-shogei could be used in several ways: the knife alone could be wielded offensively or defensively; or, while he held the knife, the cord could be whipped around an opponent’s arms or legs, rendering the enemy vulnerable to a slash from the knife; or the ring could be held in one hand and the cord whirled until the precise angle and trajectory were attained and with a flick of the wrist, a straightening of the arm, the knife flashed into an adversary’s body.

The wake was 30 yards from the dock.

Rikki’s sensitive fingers found the kyoketsu-shogei just as he attained the apex of his swing. He whisked it from the pouch, and as he began to sweep downward toward Lexine he slid the two-inch metal ring over his index finger while retaining a precarious grip on the knife with his thumb.

Someone on the west bank spotted the man in black’s maneuver and gave a shout. “Look! What’s he doing?”

The creature was only 20 yards from the dock, and a large, green hump had appeared at the center of the spreading wake.

Rikki tensed as he swung toward Lexine. The next several seconds were critical. If anyone on the west hank thought to open fire, Lex and he would be riddled before he could complete what he had in mind.

The huge thing in the Mississippi River had increased its speed, as if it sensed its prey was making a determined bid for freedom.

Lexine’s green eyes widened in wonder as Rikki closed on her.

Rikki opened his legs and swiveled slightly to the left, wrapping his legs around Lexine’s waist, the impact of his form against hers driving them inward, toward the bank and well clear of the dock.

The creature known as Slither was ten yards from the dock.

Rikki reached up, slashing at Lexine’s rope with his knife. He freed her right wrist in one quick slash, but only partially succeeded in severing the rope on the left wrist before the people clustered on the bank went absolutely wild, cheering and screaming encouragement to the thing in the river.

Rikki glanced over his right shoulder.

A ten-foot-long serpentine neck had emerged from the murky depths.

The face of the mutant was hideous, repulsive beyond belief. Two horny appendages protruded from the head, one on each side. The shape of the head was circular, with a sloping forehead and a slender, bony jaw. Its eyes were smoldering pools of ferocity. A hissing sound filled the humid air as the creature opened its wide mouth, displaying neat rows of tapered teeth. The face also had a bumpy or lumpy appearance, lending a hellish aspect to the monstrosity. The perpetually ravenous abomination closed on its targets with astonishing speed for something so gigantic.

Rikki sliced at the rope securing Lexine’s left wrist again, and this time he was successful. Lexine sagged as the rope parted, and Rikki clamped his legs around her to prevent her from falling into the river. The toll on his own left arm was terrible; her added weight made it seem as if his arm would be torn from its socket. Undaunted by the torment, he looked at the creature.

Slither was almost upon them, the head not more than seven feet away and closing.

“Now.”

Rikki released Lexine, spreading his legs wide and dropping her into the Mississippi.

Slither, focused on the suspended man, ignored the plummeting woman.

Rikki, expecting to feel those razor fangs embedded in his back any second, reached up and cut the rope holding his left arm. As he fell, he turned, knowing Slither had to be but inches from him.

It was. The creature was poised with open mouth, about to lunge and bite.

Rikki’s feet were entering the river as he drove his right arm up and in, plunging the knife into Slither’s left eye. Hot, fetid breath was on his face as the knife sank home to the hilt, and he released the ring as his body sank beneath the water. He bent at the waist and swam toward the bank, away from the mutant, heading downstream, to the south.

Something was breaking the surface of the water ahead of him. He glanced up and distinguished the outline of Lex’s body. She was treading water, apparently searching for him.

There was a tremendous commotion in the river to his rear.

Rikki swam upward and reached Lexine, emerging a foot to her right.

“Thank God!” Lex exclaimed.

Rikki gulped in fresh air and gazed back at the dock.

Slither was in a blind rage, thrashing and convulsing, splashing water in every direction and driving mini-waves onto the west bank. Transfixed by the sight, the people on the bank were gaping at its death throes in amazement.

“We’ve got to keep moving,” Rikki said to Lex. “They’ll recover in a bit and be looking for us.”

Lexine reached over and tenderly stroked his left cheek. “That’s twice I owe you for saving my life.”

“You’d do the same for me,” Rikki stated, and began swimming southward.

Lexine paced him to his right, between him and the bank.

About 40 yards south of the dock, cloaking the west bank, was a thick stand of brush and trees.

“There!” Rikki said, pointing. “Hurry!”

They swam for all they were worth, and Rikki found himself admiring her endurance and ability. Not once during Slither’s attack had she screamed or otherwise betrayed any hint of panic. The woman was brave, there was no doubt about that. And as a dedicated Warrior, Rikki appreciated courage the most.

Loud voices swelled from the vicinity of the dock.

Rikki and Lexine were only ten yards from the bank when a shot rang out, followed by another and another.

The water to Rikki’s left was smacked by a slug, spraying water in his eyes.

Lexine reached the bank first and slid under the overhanging growth of a large bush.

Rikki joined her.

“Which way?” she asked.

Rikki continued swimming, hugging the bank. After 20 feet he spied a narrow strip of barren earth and swam toward it.

The shooting had ceased.

“They’ll be after us,” Lex predicted.

“I know,” Rikki agreed. He climbed from the Mississippi and assisted Lex in joining him on the bank.

“What now?” Lex asked.

“Stay close,” Rikki advised. He hurried to the south, hugging the river bank, sticking to the thickest undergrowth despite the difficulty in negotiating passage. Sharp thorns tore at their limbs and ripped their clothing. Pointed branches gouged them mercilessly when they weren’t careful. The ground underfoot was often damp and slick. Flies and mosquitoes were everywhere, buzzing about their ears and alighting on any exposed skin. The mosquitoes, in particular, descended on them in bloodthirsty droves.

Clamorous voices could be heard well to their rear.

A stand of trees loomed ahead, and beyond the trees a field.

Rikki stopped behind one of the tall maples and peered around the trunk.

On the far side of the field was an enormous, ramshackle building.

“Do you know what that is?” Rikki asked.

Lex stood to his left. “An old warehouse, I think. Nobody uses it anymore.”

“Let’s go.” Rikki ran across the field, dodging rocks and rusted pieces of discarded junk, Lexine on his heels.

The warehouse ran the length of two city blocks. All of the windows were broken or missing. Dust and dirt caked the exterior. A large opening beckoned on the northern side. A shattered door hung by its top hinge to the right of the opening.

Rikki darted into the dim interior and crouched to the right of the doorway, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom.

Lex did likewise to the left of the door.

The floor was covered with broken crates and crumpled boxes of all shapes and sizes. Evidently, years ago, the warehouse had been systematically looted. At the west end of the structure was a glimmer of light.

Another doorway? Rikki stood and nodded, then took off, cautiously advancing between the crates and boxes and circumventing any debris in his path.

There was a faint scratching sound to their left.

“Did you hear that?” Lex asked.

Rikki nodded. He kept going, his ears alert for additional noises.

An audible patter of padded feet came from behind a wall of crates to their left.

“Somethings pacing us,” Lex said, stating the obvious.

Rikki hastened toward the western doorway. If it was an animal, then the light might discourage it.

The pit-pat of the mysterious feet increased their tempo.

Rikki reached behind his back and into his brown pouch. His fingers closed on empty space.

No!

Rikki’s fingers probed the bottom of the pouch to be sure. It was definitely empty. But how? The answer came to him in a rush. He had neglected to properly close the pouch after removing the kyoketsu-shogei!

Undoubtedly, sometime during his swing on the rope, his plunge into the river, or his swim to the bank, the contents of his pouch had spilled out.

The stealthy pad of the feet was now coming from the top of the wall of crates.

Rikki scanned the cement floor for a possible weapon. He spotted a smashed crate on the floor ahead and ran to the pile of splintered wood.

One spear-like piece drew his attention. He knelt and picked it up. About four feet long and the width of his wrist, it was flat on one end but tapered on the other.

“Rikki!” Lex shouted suddenly.

Rikki rose and spun.

A hairy visage was studying them from atop the crate wall. An extended black snout, capped with whiskers several inches long, was quivering as it sought their scent. Fiery reddish eyes fixed on them with baleful intent.

“It’s a river rat,” Lex said.

Rikki held his makeshift spear in his right hand. He’d been told about the rats in Thief River Falls and the Twin Cities, rats encountered by Blade, Hickok, and Geronimo. But he’d never seen them himself, and he’d never expected them to be this large. The head of the one on the crate wall was at least 12 inches in length. “Make for the west door,” Rikki instructed her.

Lexine slowly edged past him and started running.

Rikki, his gaze on the rat, followed.

The river rat disappeared.

Rikki tensed. Where had the rodent gone? To summon others?

Lexine was ten feet ahead, weaving between the boxes and crates littering the aisle.

Something scraped to Rikki’s left, and the slight sound saved his life.

Rikki whirled.

The rat was already in motion, leaping from the top of the wall of crates, its body as big and solid as a Dobermans, its pronounced yellow incisors exposed as it snarled and hurtled downward.

“Rikki!” Lexine screamed.

Rikki angled his spear, the tapered tip elevated in his left hand, the flat end held in his right.

The river rat crashed toward its prey, its bulky body carrying it onto the point of the spear, the shaft tearing into its neck at the base of its hairy throat and exiting at the top of the head just behind the ears.

Rikki was slammed to the cement by the stunning impact. He ducked his head to one side as the rat’s nasty teeth snapped at his eyes. His arms bulged as he struggled to retain his hold on the spear.

The rat was squealing and jerking back and forth, attempting to wrench free of the shaft.

A raking paw narrowly missed Rikki’s face.

And then Lex was there, standing behind the rat, a heavy metal pipe in her hands, and she crashed her club onto the rat’s skull. Once. Twice.

Three times.

The rat abruptly gurgled and stiffened, vomit bursting from its vile mouth.

Rikki kicked clear of the rat and rolled to his right, his own stomach inadvertently heaving as the rat’s vomit spattered onto his chest. He jumped to his feet, forcing his stomach to subside, his nose assailed by the nauseating stench of the rat’s puke.

The front of his black shirt was liberally sprinkled with the disgorged matter.

Rikki quickly stripped the shirt from his chest and flung it to the floor.

“Rikki!”

Rikki glanced up at Lexine’s warning.

Two more rats were perched on the crate wall.

“The west door!” Rikki yelled.

Lex took off.

Rikki raced on her heels, watching the rats over his left shoulder.

One of the rats vanished, but the other bounded along the top of the crates, pursuing the humans.

The west doorway was visible now, not more than 15 yards distant.

Rikki was beginning to think they would reach the doorway without further trouble, but he was wrong.

Lexine unexpectedly stopped, holding her club in front of her.

A rat was on the floor ahead, blocking their path to the door.

Rikki reached Lex.

The second rat was still on top of the crate wall.

Rikki grabbed the metal pipe from Lexine. “When I make my move,” he said, “go for the door.”

“I won’t leave you,” Lex declared.

“You must leave—” Rikki began.

The river rat on top of the crates abruptly screeched and launched itself into the air.

The rat blocking the exit tittered and charged.

They were working in unison!

Rikki shoved Lexine to one side. He glanced up, bracing himself, as the rat from the crates dived downward. The second rat was ten feet off, squealing as it surged forward. He clenched the heavy pipe, relying on his superb reflexes, knowing one misstep would prove fatal.

The rat from the crates reached the Warrior first.

Rikki’s body was a blur as he swung the pipe and twisted aside, his blow smacking onto the rat’s head, and he was already turning to confront the second rat, the pipe arching around and up and catching the second rat on the tip of its twitching nose.

There was a resounding racket as the rat from the crates struck a pile of boxes and tumbled to the hard floor, while the second rat was jarred backward by the force of Rikki’s blow. It retreated several steps, shaking its head, stunned.

“Stay close!” Rikki cried, and ran toward the rat still blocking the west door.

The rat skittered to the left, snapping at the pipe as Rikki aimed another blow at its face.

Rikki swung three times, each time missing as the odious rodent skipped out of range, but he succeeded in driving the rat away from the aisle, clearing the path to the doorway.

The rat from the crate wall had recovered and was cautiously stalking them.

Lexine was searching for anything she could utilize as a weapon.

Rikki grabbed her right hand. Keeping his eyes on the rat from the wall and constantly waving the metal pipe at the other rat, he began backing toward the doorway.

Neither rodent showed any inclination to pursue them too closely.

Rikki and Lex hastily withdrew, their backs to the doorway, watching the rats.

“They don’t like the light,” Lex commented.

Rikki was relieved when they finally emerged from the dim warehouse.

The brilliant light of the scorching sun temporarily dazzled them as they turned away from the warehouse.

“Going somewhere?” a female voice asked.

In the instant his vision cleared, Rikki perceived their predicament.

“No!” Lex exclaimed.

Terza, the blonde named Erika, Cardew, and 25 other Leather Knights were standing not eight feet away, ringing the west door, all of them pointing guns at the man in black and the redhead.

“Having fun?” Erika cracked sarcastically, her jowly jaw trembling as she snickered at the pair.

“We heard your yelling over by the trees and came to investigate,” Terza said coldly. “Did the rats give you a hard time?”

Rikki didn’t answer.

“So what now?” Lex demanded.

“What do you think?” Terza angrily retorted. She looked at Rikki and grinned. “You’re one tough son of a bitch, you know that, dude? You’ve wasted three of our sisters, butchered our dogs, and even managed to escape from Slither. And now this! Now you get away from the rats! You’re incredible, bastard!”

Rikki’s features were like granite.

“I’ve decided I shouldn’t be in such a rush to kill you off,” Terza said.

“Should we thank you now or later?” Lex asked.

Terza glanced at Lexine. “Not you, sweetheart. I was talking to lover boy here. We can waste you anytime.”

Cardew took a step toward the duo, his Browning Auto Pistol in his right hand. “Let me do it, Terza!”

Rikki moved in front of Lexine.

Terza’s blue eyes narrowed. “What have we here? Don’t tell me lover boy really cares about you, Lex?”

Lex didn’t answer.

“Ain’t this interesting,” Terza remarked thoughtfully.

“Can I blow her away now?” Cardew inquired hopefully.

“No, dipshit,” Terza replied. “I’ve got a better idea.”

“Like what?” Erika queried.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Terza said. She nodded at Rikki. “Drop the pipe.”

Rikki hesitated.

“Drop the pipe or I let Cardew blow Lex away,” Terza warned him.

Rikki dropped the pipe.

Terza started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Erika asked.

“I’ve got ’em right where I want ’em,” Terza said.

“What do you mean?” Erika inquired, perplexed.

“You’ll see,” Terza promised. She faced Cardew. “Listen up, airhead! Erika and I are going to split. I want you to bring those two to the library—”

“You mean the book place?” Cardew interrupted.

Terza sighed. “Yeah, mush-for-brains! The book place. Hold ’em there until I arrive.”

“Will do,” Cardew said.

“And Cardew,” Terza added.

“Yes?”

“If they get away from you I’ll have your balls hacked off and force you to eat ’em. Got it?”

Cardew swallowed hard. “I got it,” he guaranteed.

“That’s a good boy,” Terza said. She winked at Erika and they walked off to the north across the field.

“Okay, asshole!” Cardew snapped, stepping up to Rikki and gripping his right arm. “Let’s get in gear!”

Rikki hardly seemed to move other than a rippling roll of his right shoulder, but Cardew lost his hold and stumbled backward two yards before he could recover his footing.

“Damn you!” Cardew waved his Browning at Rikki. “One more fancy move out of you—”

“And what?” Lex interjected. “Terza said you’re to take us to the library. You can’t kill us.”

“Maybe I can’t kill you,” Cardew said, leering maliciously at her, “but there’s nothing to stop me from roughing you up a bit. Terza didn’t say I had to get you there in one piece.”

Lex glared at Cardew.

“So what’s it gonna be, buster?” Cardew asked Rikki. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s up to you.”

Rikki stared at Lex for a moment, his expression unreadable. Finally he turned to Cardew. “I will not resist the trip to the library,” he said.

“You’re not as dumb as you look,” Cardew quipped. He waved at a tall black biker and a burly one with Hispanic features. “Willy! Pedro! Get some ropes. I want these two tied up real tight!” He chuckled gleefully.

“Are we gonna have some fun with you!”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lex said under her breath.