The Amtrack Wars - Earth Thunder Part 65

'It may not be that simple,' mused Cadillac.

'That's why I'm leaving the details to you,' said Roz. 'All I'm doing is outlining a deal that will keep Steve up and running."

'Yes, I can see that- but it may not be enough. From what I've learned about the First Family, they're not going to hand him a medal for losing one of their own -especially if she's as important as you suggest."

'He'll manage,' said Roz. 'Steve's talked his way out of worse jams than this. If he was sent to Ne-Issan as the escort for this high-wire then the Family must trust him.

We have to make sure they go on trusting him- enough to let him help organise the hostage swap. It could provide a golden opportunity for him to get away too. We'd all be together. Wouldn't that be fantastic?"

'Yeah." The idea of Steve coming back into their life was the less appealing part of the plan. 'Meanwhile, that leaves us with two problems- finding out where Brickman and this woman are being held, and coming up with a rescue plan - and figuring how, in the name of the Sweet Sky Mother, we're going to get out of this gopher hole before the light-' Cadillac broke off and moved the lantern to a place of safety as he saw Roz's attention turn inwards. She pressed her fingertips against her forehead and frowned, then her eyes widened in surprise and a delighted grin spread across her face. 'We've only got one problem.

Steve just came through. He's free! Some Iron Masters are helping him escape from the castle - through a tunnel like this!" 'Great,' said Cadillac sourly. 'Why don't you call him back? Maybe he'll send one of his friends to show us the way."

Roz got to her feet and extended a hand to Cadillac. 'I don't need to, Mr Grouch. Just follow me!" Steve and Fran followed their rescuers down several short flights of stone steps which took them deeper and deeper below the castle. Every so often, they came to a T-junction or a crossing. Some were ignored, but at others Skull-Face would suddenly turn left or right. The time and effort that must have gone into the planning and construction of this stone warren was incalculable.

After several twists and turns, Steve asked: 'Do all these pa.s.sages lead somewhere?"

Skull-Face glanced over his shoulder. 'No. Some are designed to confuse pursuers. The route we're following is part of a network that allows the upper crust to travel to and from the key areas of the Palace - and out beyond its walls."

'So how come you know about it?"

Skull-Face smiled his thin smile. 'I make it my business to know these things .... ' After a while, there were no more junctions, but the tunnel they were in was broken up into fifty yard stretches built on alternate sides of an imaginary centre-line and joined together by a right-angle section twelve yards long.

Being Steve, he had to ask why.

'Safety measure,' replied Skull-Face. 'If this tunnel ran in a straight line from start to finish what chance would you have with a bowman behind you?"

'Yehh, right,' grunted Steve, mentally reeling from the message Roz had just left inside his head. Compared to the trouble that was coming his way, a bowman would have come as light relief ....

When they finally surfaced via a spiral stone staircase and out through a hidden compartment in the back of an imposing roadside shrine, it was nearly a quarter to five on a bitterly chill, pitch dark December morning. Steve had failed to keep an accurate count of the number of steps he'd taken. Following Skull-Face had prevented him from taking a full stride, but he reckoned they were now about half a mile from the Palace.

'There's a small house a little way down the road from here,' explained Skull-Face. 'Belongs to a minor government official- but it's only used by his family when the court moves to Aron-Giren. I suggest you take cover there while we organise some transportation, or you can squat in the tunnel- whatever you prefer."

The tip of Fran's nose appeared from the deep hood of her cape. 'The house sounds fine."

'Don't tell me you have a key,' said Steve.

Skull-Face laughed. 'We're not that organised- but our skills include breaking and entering."

Their guides moved off. Steve stretched out his right hand as Fran went to shoulder her trail-bag. 'Here, let me carry that."

'It's okay, I can handle it."

'I'm sure you can!" Steve pulled it from her grasp. 'I don't mind you f.u.c.king me around in front of these guys, but if you want to play top dog you've gotta act like one.

In Ne-Issan, the boss doesn't carry the luggage. So after you, Commander .... ' The single-storey house - built clear of the ground like most private dwellings in Ne-Issan - was shuttered and barred, but Fujiwara's team had a man inside in under two minutes. He opened one half of the main door and invited them in with a sweeping bow.

Skull-Face made a quick tour of the premises and returned. 'You're in luck. There's some quilts in a cupboard through there. Use those to keep you warm.

There is some brushwood and a few logs in the kitchen but you must not light a fire. And I also regret to say there is no food."

'That's okay. We have some emergency ration packs in our trail-bags,'

said Steve.

Skull-Face nodded. 'Are you carrying any other useful items?"

'Such as?"

'A small powerful device we could to use to send a message to distant friends...?"

Steve referred the question to Fran. 'You mean like now?"

'No, later, Commander. Your aircraft may be able to reach Aron-Giren but there are seven of us. Unless I am mistaken, that will require at least two aircraft, possibly three. To stand any hope of success, the pickup would have to take place in darkness - which means tonight at the earliest or tomorrow morning. By that time, this island will be swarming with troops from end to end. Nothing will be able to get in or out. We have to get onto the mainland."

'But that's over sixty miles away!" cried Fran. 'The sun'll be up in less than three hours!" 'I'm aware of the difficulties, Commander. If we can't find a way to move you overland in broad daylight, we may have to take to the water."

'Steal a boat?" asked Steve.

'Or talk our way onto one."

'llnngh! Marvellous,' grunted Fran. 'I can't wait!'

Steve exchanged an understanding look with Skull-Face.

'Do your best, Major .... ' Fujiwara spoke rapidly to one of his colleagues then presented him to Fran. 'I will leave Yos.h.i.+jiro and the lanterns with you. The rest of us will return as soon as we can. I'm sure I have no need to urge you not to do anything that might draw attention to your presence."

Steve laid his cape over the lanterns as the four j.a.ps edged sideways out of the door, then put it back on again as yos.h.i.+jiro shot the top and bottom bolts and dropped the bar back into place. The agent was short and stocky like most of his compatriots, but what marked him out was his amazingly wide, flat-featured skull set on top of an equally wide neck. It was like a dinner plate with a face drawn on it.

Yos.h.i.+jiro removed the long flat quiver containing a bow and thirty arrows from his back and settled down impa.s.sively to guard the door.

Steve weighed him up.

The two swords that marked him out as a samurai were still tucked into the sash wound around his waist. His hooded eyes had that deceptively sleepy, watchful look of a man who could spring into action - fast.

He turned to Fran. 'Why don't you try and grab some sleep? I'll help this guy keep watch."

'Yehh, why not? It'll make a change from watching you snore your head off."

He followed her into the bed-chamber and dumped the trailbags on the floor. Fran pulled a couple of thick quilts from the wall-cupboard, sniffed at them suspiciously, then wrapped herself in both and lay down using her trail-bag for a pillow.

Steve took out the three-barrelled air-pistol that was packed alongside the compact radio and the emergency rations in the false bottom of his own bag, stowed it in his tunic, then laid a third quilt over her and made sure she was well tucked in.

'I'll be in the other room. If you want anything just call."

It was important that Fran was warm and comfortable.

Her going to sleep was part of the plan, just as earlier he'd insisted on carrying her luggage. He had not turned into a spineless toady; the reason he'd given was pure hog-wash. Walking behind her in the dark had enabled him to ease back the zip of her bag, remove the pistol and empty the magazine before replacing it in its foam-lined compartment.