“It could have been worse,” Hickok remarked.
Spartacus stared into Hickok’s eyes, his own features softening, saddening, reflecting his sense of loss. “You haven’t heard the bad news.”
Hickok tensed, afraid to pose his next question. “What bad news? Did we lose any Warriors?”
Spartacus nodded. “Four.”
Hickok’s shock showed. “Four? Are you sure?”
“Runners came from each wall to tell us the enemy stopped their assault,” Spartacus informed him. “Seiko and Shane held the north wall with minimal losses. Ares reports the south wall sustained considerable damage and suffered a large number of casualties, including Carter and Gideon—”
“Carter and Gideon?” Hickok repeated, dazed. They had been his friends since childhood. He reached out and gripped Spartacus by the left shoulder. “What about…” he began haltingly. “What about the… east wall?”
A large lump seemed to slide down Spartacus’s throat. “We lost Crockett… and Samson.”
Hickok closed his eyes and silently gave thanks. “Sherry is okay?” he asked huskily.
“Sorry,” Spartacus apologized. “I should have told you about her right off. She took a hit, a flesh wound to her left shoulder. From what I’ve learned, she also may have saved the Home.”
“What?”
“The runner told me the east wall fell. With Crockett and Samson dead, the rest of the defenders took cover in the woods. Sherry rallied them. They hid behind the trees and shot at the soldiers as they came over the wall, containing them, preventing them from spreading to the north and the south along the rampart. If Sherry hadn’t done what she did, Seiko and Ares would have been outflanked. She saved the entire compound,” Spartacus concluded.
Hickok beamed with pride. He was so happy to hear she was alive, he felt tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He coughed and made a show of rubbing his eyelids. “That blasted smoke got in my eyes.”
Spartacus placed his right hand over his mouth to hide his smile.
“Yeah. A lot of us have that problem.”
“How’s your girlfriend?” Hickok inquired.
“She’s fine,” Spartacus replied. “She was on the north wall with Seiko and Shane. They weren’t as hard pressed as the rest of us.”
“And there’s no sign of activity in the enemy camp?” Hickok asked.
“All four sides are quiet,” Spartacus said.
“Then maybe we will have time to regroup,” Hickok declared.
“What’s our next move?” Spartacus asked him.
Hickok patted the pearl handles on his Pythons. “The way I see it, Brutus has about twelve hundred soldiers left. We took a heavy toll today, but they’ve still got the edge. We can’t let them get inside the Home.”
“How can we stop them?” Spartacus asked. “Whether they attack one wall, like you said they might, or all four, there’s no way we can keep them out indefinitely.”
Hickok watched Zahner on the west rampart. “We need to come up with a humdinger of an idea. Somethin’ that’ll stop ol’ Brutus cold.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t rightly know. Yet. But whatever we come up with, we’d best do it fast. And whatever we come up with, it’d better work right the first time out of the chute because we won’t get a second chance.”
Spartacus stared at the growing pile of bodies on the bank. “I can’t wait to hear what you come up with,” he said.
“I do have one idea,” Hickok admitted.
“What is it?” Spartacus inquired eagerly.
“You won’t like it,” Hickok told him.
“How do you know?”
“You won’t like it,” Hickok reiterated.
“Try me anyway,” Spartacus urged him.
Hickok nodded toward the western rampart. “I figured we could all stand up there and toss spitballs at ’em.” He chuckled at his own joke.
“Spitballs?” Spartacus shook his head and snickered.
“You gotta admit,” Hickok said, “it sure would confuse the heck out of ’em.”
“I think I understand something now,” Spartacus stated slowly.
“You do? What?”
“The reason Blade sent you back here,” Spartacus quipped.
“Very funny.” Hickok suddenly sobered. “I wonder how the big guy is doing?”
Chapter Twenty
“What do you make of it?” Rikki-Tikki-Tavi asked.
“I don’t know,” Blade admitted.
“It’s a trap,” Yama warned.
“You can’t trust him,” Teucer added.
The SEAL was parked on a low rise on Interstate Highway 25 north of Denver, not far past the DACONO exit. To the west rose the majestic Rocky Mountains with Longs Peak prominent among them. To the east was a flat plain, farmland. Outlined in stark contrast on the southern horizon was the metropolis of Denver, Colorado, the capital of the Civilized Zone and the stronghold of Samuel II. The gigantic wall constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers was visible, as were a dozen towering skyscrapers behind the wall. A peculiar brown cloud hung over the fortress city, pollution created by the widespread usage of wood-burning stoves and vehicle emissions, an atmospheric symbol of the evil controlling the city and dominating the Civilized Zone.
The four Warriors were standing in front of the SEAL. To the rear of the transport stretched the Freedom Federation Army. Ahead of the SEAL 30 yards was a jeep with a white flag attached to its radio antenna. Three soldiers occupied the jeep, their eyes fixed on the Warriors, their expressions clearly showing their nervousness.
There was the clatter of hooves on the tarmac, and Kilrane galloped up to the Warriors on his palomino.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
Blade pointed at the jeep. “They’ve brought a message from Samuel. He wants to meet with me. Alone.”
“You’re not thinking of going, are you?” Kilrane asked.
Blade nodded.
“You’re nuts,” Kilrane said. “It’s a trick.”
“That’s what we’ve been telling him,” Rikki mentioned.
“But he won’t listen to us,” Yama added.
“Why does Samuel want to meet with you?” Kilrane inquired.
“Supposedly to talk about terms for a truce,” Blade replied. “There’s a hill a couple of miles down the road. On the other side of the hill Samuel has pitched a tent. He wants to meet me there.”
“You can’t trust him,” Kilrane stated.
“I know that,” Blade agreed.
“But you’re going anyway?” Kilrane queried.
“I have no other choice,” Blade said. He turned to Rikki. “Let those soldiers know I’ve decided to accept Samuel’s invitation. Tell them we’ll abide by Samuel’s rules.”
Rikki frowned, disgruntled. “I’ll inform them,” he said sullenly. He walked toward the jeep.
Kilrane leaned forward, patting the neck of his palomino. “What are you trying to prove?”
“I have to hear what he has to say,” Blade said defensively.
Kilrane straightened. “I guess you do. But if the son of a bitch tries anything, if he kills you, I want you to know my men won’t rest until your death is avenged.”
Blade grinned. “That’s comforting.”
Kilrane smiled and rode off to rejoin his Cavalry.
“The same holds true for us,” Yama remarked.
Blade put his left hand on Yama’s shoulder. “I appreciate your concern.
I really do. But I must go. You see that, don’t you?”
Yama nodded. “We understand.”
“Well, I don’t!” interjected a new voice.
Lynx stood behind them, appearing as if from nowhere.
“Now don’t you start,” Blade said.
“Are you out of your gourd?” Lynx angrily demanded. “Sammy wants to get you alone so he can eliminate your buns. It’s as simple as that!”