Thief River Falls Run

Chapter Nine

The SEAL came to a stop in front of the concrete building.

“No sign of anyone,” Geronimo commented. “Maybe we should stay out here for a while.”

“Why?” Joshua asked.

Geronimo smirked. “We wouldn’t want to interrupt Hickok and Bertha if they’re getting acquainted, would we?”

“Surely they wouldn’t!” Joshua exclaimed.

Geronimo laughed. “You don’t know Hickok like I know Hickok. He’s capable of anything.”

Blade opened his door. “He better be on guard duty.”

They followed one another into the building. Bertha was sleeping, curled up on her right side.

“No sign of Nathan,” Joshua observed.

“Strange,” Blade noted. “Geronimo, check upstairs. Joshua, the basement.”

Blade turned and searched outside, surveying the street and the park.

No sign of his friend.

“He’s not upstairs,” Geronimo said, returning.

A moment later Joshua came up from the basement. He approached them, shaking his head.

“Where could he be?” Geronimo asked.

“Maybe he’s in the park relieving himself,” Blade suggested.

They waited, hoping Hickok would emerge from the park, their anxiety building.

“Would he be hiding somewhere?” Joshua asked.

“He may have his faults,” Blade replied, “but being childish isn’t one of them.”

“I have an idea,” Geronimo offered.

“What?” Blade asked him.

“I saw a trap door in the hallway upstairs. Must be the way to get to the roof. Why don’t I climb up there and look around? It’d be a great vantage point.”

Blade nodded. “Go to it.”

Geronimo ran up the stairs.

Blade walked over to Bertha, knelt, and gently shook her.

“Leave me alone,” she sleepily mumbled.

Blade shook her shoulder until she opened her eyes.

“What is it?” she drowsily inquired.

“Have you seen Hickok? We can’t find him.”

This woke her up. “White Meat? No. Last I knew, he was sitting right next to me. Where could he be?”

“Don’t know.”

“I don’t like this,” Blade said, standing. He walked to the door and leaned against the jamb.

Bertha threw her blanket to one side and stood.

“You shouldn’t be doing that,” Joshua told her.

“I can manage,” she responded. She shuffled forward and joined Blade.

“You think something happened to him?”

“It’s not like him to disappear,” Blade said. “He’s one of the most reliable people I know.”

“Says a lot for his character.”

Blade smiled at Bertha.

“Surely, if Hickok had been attacked, Bertha would have heard something,” Joshua commented.

“I’m a pretty heavy sleeper,” Bertha stated.

“Well,” Joshua said, persisting with his train of thought, “if someone attacked Hickok, surely they would have also attacked you.”

“Who can say?” Bertha answered. “Maybe they was tooty-fruity and just wanted him.”

“Tooty-fruity?” Joshua asked, puzzled.

“Gay.”

“What does being happy have to do with this situation?”

Bertha appeared surprised by Joshua’s statement. “Don’t you know what I mean? Maybe they were faggots.”

Joshua’s confused expression denoted his lack of comprehension.

“Lordy, you sure are a babe in the woods, ain’t you?” Bertha snapped, exasperated. “Maybe they liked men! Get it?”

“You mean… sexually?” Joshua asked, horrified.

“It’s been known to happen, Josh, my man,” Bertha informed him.

“I’ve never known any man who was that… way,” Joshua said.

“Yes, you have,” Blade told him.

“I have?” Joshua faced Blade. “Who?”

“Our good and former friend, Joe the Watcher.”

“How do you know?” Joshua asked skeptically.

“He told us,” Blade replied. “He told us he wanted you, and he intended to have you after they disposed of the rest of us.”

Joshua’s face visibly paled. “I had no idea,” he absently mumbled.

“You’re learning, though,” Blade noted.

There was a loud thumping sound from upstairs, followed by the pounding of feet on the hallway floor. Geronimo appeared at the top of the stairs.

“Code One!” Geronimo yelled. “The SEAL!”

The Family Warriors had developed a system of verbal and sign signals designed to convey warnings, signals, and other information. A low whistle meant danger, take cover. Code One told other Warriors a critical emergency situation existed, requiring immediate action and compliance with no questions asked.

“Move!” Blade ordered as Geronimo came down the stairs.

“What’s going on, babe?” Bertha asked, alarmed.

Joshua was staring vacantly at the floor.

“Get in the SEAL!” Blade shoved Joshua toward the door.

“What…?” Joshua began, and was immediately cut off.

“Get in the SEAL!” Blade shouted. He grabbed Bertha’s left arm and drew her out the doorway and to the SEAL.

Geronimo joined them, opening the SEAL’s door on the passenger side.

Joshua climbed in, then helped pull Bertha up onto the rear seat with him. They perched there, obviously confused.

Geronimo climbed into the front.

Blade ran around the SEAL and jumped in the driver’s seat.

“Which way?” Blade asked Geronimo.

“Turn it around,” Geronimo directed. “Head south.”

Blade started the engine, threw the transmission into drive, and wheeled the SEAL in a tight U-turn. He followed the street along the park until they came to a wide avenue bearing south. Blade turned onto the avenue and gunned the motor.

“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Bertha angrily demanded. “I got a right to know.”

“I was on the roof,” Geronimo explained. “I saw three men heading south, and one of them had his hands tied behind his back. It was Hickok.”

Bertha anxiously leaned forward. “You sure?”

“Positive,” Geronimo stated. “The distance was too great to make out much detail, but from the way Hickok was moving I’d say he’s been injured.”

“Oh no!” Bertha gripped Blade’s shoulder. “Go faster, man! Move this thing!”

“What do you think I’m doing?” Blade retorted.

The SEAL was moving at fifty miles per hour, the fastest Blade could push it on streets clogged with fallen debris and litter, the transport weaving sharply to avoid each obstacle.

“How far were they?” Blade asked Geronimo.

“A dozen city blocks when I spotted them.”

“Then we should overtake them easily,” Blade said confidently.

“Maybe not,” Geronimo said.

“Why?”

“They were making for a line of trees that runs from near where I saw them all the way to the edge of Thief River Falls. If they do reach those trees, they’ll have cover all the way out of town. They obviously know this area pretty well.”

“Damn!” Blade snapped, frustrated. “We’ve got to beat them to those trees!”

They didn’t.

Blade, following Geronimo’s directions, reached the street paralleling the trees. There was no sign of Hickok or his captors.

“Those trees are bordering a stream,” Joshua stated, spotting the water, lurching in his seat as Blade abruptly braked the SEAL.

“They could easily hide their trail by using the stream,” Geronimo mentioned. “They’re trying to lose any possible pursuit. These guys are pros.”

“Go!” Blade urged. “We’ll catch up.”

“My Browning,” Geronimo said, turning in his seat and reaching back.

Joshua picked the shotgun up from the rear section and passed it to Geronimo.

“Silent stalk,” Blade advised as Geronimo opened his door and leaped out.

Geronimo nodded grimly, once, and ran off, making for the line of trees. The greenbelt averaged a hundred yards in width.

“On second thought,” Blade said to the others, watching Geronimo vanish in the vegetation, “you two will stay put until we return.”

“I ain’t stayin’ here,” Bertha argued.

Blade turned to her. “You’ll do what I tell you,” he informed her harshly, “when I tell you, for as long as you stay with us. I can’t leave the SEAL unattended.”

Bertha went to speak again.

“I’ve got no time to mince words.” Blade pounded the top of his bucket seat. “Stay here with Joshua until we get back. Give me the Commando,” he said to Joshua.

Joshua meekly complied. “Take care.”

Blade threw his door open and climbed out. He paused for one look back. “If we don’t return in one day,” he ordered, “take the SEAL and go back to the Home.” He spun and ran toward the trees.

“That sucker don’t beat around the bush,” Bertha said as they saw Blade follow Geronimo’s path into the greenbelt.

“He’s accustomed to being obeyed in times of crisis,” Joshua explained.

“He’s a Triad leader, after all.”

“I think I can see why,” was all Bertha would say.

Joshua bent his head in prayer.