Citadel Run

Chapter Twelve

“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.”

“Does all of that mean you like me?”

“It means I like you,” Joshua confirmed.

“Thanks, pard!” Hickok beamed. “I appreciate it.”

“Actually,” Joshua went on, “I’ve never disliked you. I’ve experienced considerable difficulty adjusting to the reality of life outside our Home.”

“I know,” the gunman acknowledged.

“I’m afraid my shock at encountering so much casual violence affected my personal relationships, particularly with you,” Joshua stated.

“Why are you telling me all this?” Hickok asked.

“Because I want you to know how I feel. I don’t want you to despise me because I’ve been, at times, such a… jerk,” he concluded.

“None of us despises you,” Hickok informed the Empath. “I’ll admit I’ve been on your case a lot in the past, but that’s because I couldn’t handle all of your whinin’ every time we killed someone. It took me a while to see that we look at the world differently, Josh, and just because we do doesn’t make either of us wrong. You are the spiritual type, and you tend to view other folks, even those you’ve never met before, as your brothers and sisters. You’re always ready to offer your hand in friendship. Heck, that’s why Plato picked you as the Family ambassador. Me, I’m completely different. I’m a Warrior, and I’m naturally suspicious of everybody, particularly the people we run into outside the Home. I don’t trust nobody until they show me they deserve my trust. As a Warrior, as someone responsible for protecting the Home and the Family, I’ve got to be this way. I’d sooner shoot someone in the head if they look at me crosswise than give them the chance to plug me in the back. I know it’s the opposite of the way you look at things, but I hope you won’t hold it against me.”

“I’ll never hold it against you,” Joshua guaranteed.

“Good! Now that that’s settled, let’s go waste some wimps!”