“Then what is?” Hickok asked.
Geronimo rolled his eyes skyward, then became serious. “Let me put it to you this way. Do you really expect to best Yama by tickling him?”
“Yep. I’ve got it all figured out. Rikki, Samson, Spartacus, Ares, Sundance, and you will hold him down while I tickle him until he surrenders.”
“Wait a minute. Why do you get to do the tickling while the rest of us are in danger of having every bone in our body broken?”
“Because it’s my plan.”
“Has it ever occurred to you that the only reason Yama is ticklish when he’s with his niece is because he relaxes enough in her presence to let down his guard? Has it occurred to you that Yama is well known for his self-control, and if we try to tickle him there’s the distinct likelihood he won’t want to be tickled?”
“That’s where Plan B comes in handy.”
“Plan B?”
“Yep. If the tickling doesn’t work, then Teucer, Shane, and Achilles will tie Yama up while the rest of you pin him down.”
“And what will you be doing while all this is going on?”
“Supervising.”
“I see. The rest of us put our lives on the line, and you goof off as usual.”
“I don’t goof off. Plannin’ is hard work. And remember, when Blade is gone I’m in charge. I’m the brains of the outfit,” Hickok said, and surreptitiously winked at the giant.
“How can you be the brains when everyone knows you’ve had a lobotomy?” Geronimo asked.
“Oh, yeah? And just why do you reckon the Big Guy picked me to be the head honcho while he’s away?”
“Obviously not for your good looks.”
“Exactly. Hey, wait a minute!”
“So it must have been because Blade has a terrific sense of humor, “Geronimo said. He looked at the man in question. “Am I right?”
Blade smiled and shook his head slowly. “Already I’m looking forward to the peace and quiet of this mission.”
“Who are you takin’ anyway?” Hickok inquired.
“Bravo Triad.”
“Bravo,” Hickok said, his eyes widening slightly. “You’re takin’ the furballs and Gremlin instead of us?”
“Yep.”
“I’m surprised. I thought you were aimin’ to hold off takin’ them along for a spell?”
“I was going to hold off, but a number of other Warriors have approached me to request that I take Lynx on a run just so he’ll stop pestering them,” Blade related, then chuckled. “Actually, they’ve begged me to take him along.”
“Do you figure Tabby will behave himself for once?” Hickok remarked.
“I hope so,” Blade said. “If he doesn’t, only Gremlin, Ferret, and I will be coming back.”
The gunman laughed. “Don’t get our hopes up!”
Geronimo folded his arms and stared intently at the head Warrior. “So what was this message Seth Mason received?”
“Seth picked up a distress call originating from New Orleans—or near the city, evidently. We have the map coordinates and the Hurricane should be able to drop us right at the spot,” Blade said. “The signal wasn’t very strong and Seth had trouble tuning it in. When he tried to contact the sender to get a clarification, he was unable to reach the other party. Either their set is malfunctioning or they were operating on weak batteries. In any event, Seth received enough to indicate the people in New Orleans are in dire straits.”
“How so?” Geronimo queried.
“The radio operator in New Orleans claimed the people are struggling to overthrow the Black Snake Society.”
“The what?” Hickok interjected.
“That’s all Seth knows. The message kept breaking up and several of the words were garbled or unintelligible. An organization called the Black Snake Society has control of New Orleans and the people there want help in achieving their freedom.”
“Doesn’t sound like a lot to go on,” Geronimo mentioned with a touch of concern.
“It’s not,” Blade admitted. “The transmission was cut off in mid-sentence. Seth stayed on the frequency for an hour but the caller never came back on. We were lucky Seth stumbled on the call in the first place. He told me that he had received part of the same or a similar transmission five days before. There were only a few sentences, and not enough information for him to ascertain the point of origination.”
“What if it’s a trap, pard?” Hickok asked.
“I doubt it.”
“I seem to recollect a certain mutation by the name of Manta usin’ a phony distress call to lure in slaves for his kelp factory in Seattle,” Hickok mentioned. “How do you know this isn’t another phony?”
Blade gazed to the west. “I don’t, but there’s only one way to discover the truth.”
“How much time are you allotting yourself for the mission?” Geronimo questioned.
“One week. Captain Lasle will drop us off tomorrow afternoon. He’s under orders to return to the site in seven days and retrieve us. If we’re not there, he’ll fly directly to the Home and inform you.”
“In which case we’ll fly back down there and tear the city apart,” Hickok proposed.
“You’ll do no such thing.”
“Bet me.”
“I’m serious, Nathan. Sending Warriors down there to try and find us would needlessly endanger their lives.”
“Needlessly? A Warrior never abandons another Warrior. Never. If you’re not at the rendezvous site, I’ll personally fly down there and perforate noggins until I find you.”
“For once he’s right,” Geronimo added. “You can’t honestly expect us to do nothing.”
“I order you not to attempt a rescue.”
Hickok suddenly started swatting the side of his head, slapping his palm on his right ear. “If this ain’t the darnedest thing. My blamed ears just went on the fritz. I can’t hear a word you say.”
“You can’t, huh?”
“Nope.”
“Then how come you just answered me?”
“Would you believe I read your lips?”
Blade glanced at both of them. “I mean it. If you guys disobey me, there’ll be hell to pay.” He walked to the stairs and headed down.
The gunfighter waited until the giant was halfway to the bottom before he leaned toward Geronimo. “Now what do you reckon that was all about?”
“I wish I knew.”
“He can’t be serious.”
“He sounds serious.”
Hickok straightened and moved to the first step. “Well, if you ask me he’s been standin’ in the sun too long.”
“We will go after him if he doesn’t return?”
“Do bears crap in the woods?”
“I’ve heard a rumor to that effect.”
The gunman snapped his fingers and smiled. “Hey, I’ve got me a great idea.”
“Uh-oh.”
“If the Big Guy doesn’t come back on schedule, we’ll take Yama with us to New Orleans. He’s in the mood to kick tail, and those goons down there won’t last two seconds.”
“How do you know?” Geronimo inquired.
“Give me a break, pard. How tough can they be with a corny name like the Black Snake Society? I’ll bet they’re a bunch of wimps.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Chapter Three
Louisiana. The 18th state to enter the Union, the 33rd largest in the United States. One of the few to have more than one nickname. Known as the Creole State because of the many Creoles who lived there, descendants of the early Spanish and French settlers. Also known as the Pelican State, due to the thousands of brown pelicans inhabiting the marshes along the coast, and the Sugar Cane State, based on the huge quantities of sugar cane Louisiana produced each year prior to the war.
More importantly, when the missiles were launched, Louisiana had a population of approximately five million and about 300 incorporated cities, towns, and villages. Seventy percent of the population had lived in the rural areas. In addition to the Creoles, a large number of Cajuns had also lived in the state. They were descendants of Acadians from Canada.