He stopped, staring.
In the heat of their conflict, he had never noticed Krill was still wearing the leash. It was draped over his left shoulder and dangled down his broad back. Krill, Blade surmised, must have broken loose from the Watchers, wanting revenge for Aria. So! The Watchers did not exercise complete domination over their savage charges.
What should he do now? Return to Hickok, Geronimo, and the others and warn them reinforcements were coming?
Blade’s eyes drifted across Krill’s neck as he began to rise, then suddenly he stiffened and leaned forward, peering closely at the brute.
It couldn’t be!
Dear Spirit! No!
But it was.
The leash was attached to Krill’s neck, affixed to a… wide… leather…
collar!
Blade, stunned, his mind spinning, sat up, pondering the incredible implications.
Was it possible? Was the story true after all? The mutate responsible for his father’s death reportedly wore a leather collar. Was there a connection between the Watchers and…
Blade abruptly realized Krill’s eyes were open, staring at him, gleaming with feral intensity. He tried to bring one of the Solingen knives into play, his reaction sluggish.
Krill snarled, bringing both of his granite fists sweeping in, crashing them against Blade’s head, boxing him on the ears.
Blade endeavored to rise, but his eyes rolled and he slipped from the sofa and landed prone on the floor.
The brute stood. It roared and gazed at Blade, licking its thick lips.
Krill bent over the prostrate Warrior.
Chapter Sixteen
Joshua was pulling guard duty at the door. Hickok and Bertha were resting near the bar. Morning was still an hour away, but already some of the early birds were chirping their optimistic greeting to a new day.
Something was going on near the park.
Joshua could see a flurry of activity at the edge of the park, but he couldn’t quite make out what they were up to. He turned toward the sleeping duo.
“Hickok!” Joshua called.
The gunman was instantly awake, his senses fully alert. He crossed the room and crouched next to Joshua. “What’s up?”
“The Watchers are engaged in a bustle of movement,” Joshua replied.
“Their motivation and intention are not readily apparent.”
“When’s your birthday?” Hickok unexpectedly inquired.
“What’s that have to do with anything?” Joshua demanded, surprised at the query.
“Oh, nothing much.” Hickok grinned. “Just thought I’d get you a dictionary from the library for your birthday. Your vocabulary is pitiful.”
“I do evince a certain propensity for rather grandiose forms of expression at times,” Joshua seriously admitted.
Hickok playfully slapped Joshua, on the back. “You’re all right, pard. Let me have a look-see.”
“Is somethin’ up?” Bertha asked sleepily, joining them.
“Don’t know yet,” Hickok responded. He peered outside. The Watchers were hastily doing… something… near the park.
“Did you hear anything on that radio?” Bertha questioned Joshua.
Joshua shook his head. “Just static. They haven’t made a call all night.”
“Bertha,” Hickok directed. “Go up on the roof. Wake up that lazy Injun if he’s asleep and see if you can tell what the Watchers are up to.”
“I can do it,” Joshua interjected. “Bertha’s arm shouldn’t…”
“Don’t you worry none,” Bertha interrupted. “I ain’t no invalid. Be back in a jiffy.” She left them.
“What do you think they’re doing?” Joshua asked Hickok.
The Warrior shrugged. “Who knows? We’ll find out soon enough. You can bet…”
The Watchers’ transmitter unit began sputtering and crackling, followed by a raspy voice speaking in precise, clipped phrasing.
“Charlie-Bravo-One-Three-Niner-Niner. This is Charlie-Lima-Two-Four-Seven-Seven. Do you copy? Over?”
Almost immediately, another man responded. “Roger, Charlie-Lima-Two-Four-Seven-Seven. We copy,” he said acknowledging receipt of the transmission. “What is your ETA?”
“Still set at eighteen hundred,” the first voice stated. “Has your status changed?”
“Negative. Containment still in effect. The captain would like to speak with Colonel Jarvis.”
There was a protracted pause, and a gruff voice came on the line.
“Colonel Jarvis here. Williams, are you there?”
“Yes, sir,” a younger-sounding officer replied. “This is Captain Williams.”
“What can I do for you, Williams?” Colonel Jarvis asked.
“I would like permission to execute a plan I have,” Williams said.
“What kind of plan?” Jarvis wanted to know.
“I believe I can force them to surrender, sir.”
“Oh? First give me an update on the current situation,” Jarvis ordered.
“Sir…?” Captain Williams hesitated, apparently reluctant to report.
“Are you hard of hearing?” Colonel Jarvis demanded. “Provide me with an update. Now.”
“An unknown number are still contained within our building,” Williams responded.
“Any idea yet what happened to our boys stationed there?” Jarvis inquired.
“No idea, sir.”
“Any losses on your end?” Jarvis inquired.
Dead silence.
“Captain Williams,” Jarvis stated harshly, “you’re starting to piss me off. And you know what I can do to officers who piss me off.”
“Yes, sir,” Williams quickly answered.
“Then report.”
“One of their Warriors broke containment,” Williams stated.
Joshua gripped Hickok’s right arm. “How do they know Blade is a Warrior?”
“Hush!” Hickok snapped. “Listen!”
“You neutralized the Warrior, of course,” Colonel Jarvis was saying.
“Negative, sir.”
“What?” Jarvis sounded annoyed. “He… I take it this Warrior is a man?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is he still at large?”
“Negative, sir. We have him in our custody,” Williams said.
Joshua took a step toward the radio. “They’ve got Blade!”
“You still haven’t told me if you sustained any casualties,” Jarvis reminded Williams.
“Yes, sir. We did, sir.” Captain Williams hedged.
“Williams,” Colonel Jarvis warned, “you better tell me the body count, and you better do it now, or when I get there you’ll be sorry you were ever born.”
“We lost…” Captain Williams couldn’t seem to bring himself to say it.
“The body count is eight, sir,” he finally blurted.
“You’ve lost eight men?” Colonel Jarvis exploded.
“No, sir,” Williams meekly replied.
“No?”
“Seven men, sir,” Williams reported, “and one of our Rovers. Aria, the female.”
“One of the Rovers?” Colonel Jarvis practically screamed.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know how costly they are to produce?” Jarvis asked.
“Yes, sir,” Williams replied.
Colonel Jarvis sighed. “Very well. Any sign of the other couple assigned to Thief River Falls?”
“Negative, sir.”
“Is the male… what was his name?” Jarvis inquired.
“Krill, sir. He’s badly injured. We have him in the back of the truck. Our medic doesn’t think he’ll last out the hour. He captured the Warrior, sir,” Williams elaborated.
“Damn!” Colonel Jarvis was furious. “This Warrior must be one mean son of a bitch!”
“No argument here, sir,” Williams said.
“So what is your plan?”
“I request permission to use the prisoner as bait. We will give the ones inside an ultimatum. Either they surrender, or we will kill the one we have.