waddling duck.
Screw it. I’d rather be a well-armed duck than a sitting one.
By now, Sharon and Hobbs had gotten Dan into the back of the van. Jenny Lynch had recovered enough to lend them a hand. Less than a minute later, the van was turning around and heading back to the high school.
Mike’s union members were gathered around him. All of them were armed. Most of them with pistols, except Frank’s beloved lever-action Winchester and Harry Lefferts’—
“For Christ’s sake, Harry,” Mike snapped, “don’t ever let Dan catch you with that.”
Harry grinned. He was the same age as Darryl—they were best friends, in fact—and shared Darryl’s carefree youthful attitudes. “And what’s wrong with a sawed-off shotgun?” he demanded. He jerked his head around, pointing to everyone else with his chin. “It’s not as if every damn one of these guns isn’t illegal, when you get right down to it. So what’s another concealed weapon—among friends?”
A little chuckle swept the group. Mike made a face. “Yeah, well—you better be damn close, with that thing. Don’t forget these guys were wearing armor.”
He turned now to the doctor, and handed him the box of .40-caliber ammunition he’d found in the glove compartment. Nichols put down the first-aid kit he was carrying. Mike was not particularly surprised to see the quick and expert way in which Nichols reloaded the automatic pistol.
“Well-trained, you Marines,” he murmured.
Nichols snorted. “Marines, my ass. I knew what to do with one of these before I was twelve.” He hefted the automatic. “This is Blackstone Rangers’ training. I grew up within spitting distance of Sixty-third and Cottage Grove.”
Suddenly, the black doctor was beaming wickedly at the white men around him. “Gentlemen,” he said, “the Marines are at your side. Not to mention Chicago’s worst ghetto. Let’s deal.”
The miners grinned back. “Nice to have you along, Doc,” announced Frank.
Mike turned, and strode toward the embankment. “Like you said. Let’s deal .”
----
Chapter 3
Mike used Jenny’s car, still dug into the embankment, as a stepping stone to climb onto the embankment. When he planted his foot on the peculiar wall, it immediately gave way, showering more dirt on the car. He sprawled awkwardly, cursing under his breath, and dragged himself over the edge.
Once he arose, he gazed down at his tuxedo. Between his recent mishap and the effects of throwing himself onto the pavement when the shooting started, the elegant outfit was looking more than a little scruffy.
The rental company’s not going to be happy with me , he thought ruefully. But—
Mike gave Frank a hand climbing up. “Be careful,” he urged. “That wall looks solid because it’s so shiny, but it’s nothing but loose earth.”
Once Frank was atop the wall, he turned to help the others. Mike took the moment to examine his surroundings.
His new surroundings. What he saw confirmed his suspicions.
But I think a ticked-off tuxedo rental company is probably the least of my problems.
The “wall” wasn’t a wall of any kind. It was simply the edge of a plain stretching into the distance. Everything about that landscape was wrong. There was no level stretch that size anywhere in northern West Virginia. And the sun—
Frank vocalized the thought. “Mike, what’s happening? Even the damn sun’s in the wrong place.” He pointed to the south. “Should be over there.”
Or is that the south? wondered Mike. At a guess, I’d say we’re facing north instead of east, like we should be.
He thrust the problem aside. Later. There were more pressing problems to deal with. Much more pressing.
The plain was heavily wooded, but not so much so that Mike
Screw it. I’d rather be a well-armed duck than a sitting one.
By now, Sharon and Hobbs had gotten Dan into the back of the van. Jenny Lynch had recovered enough to lend them a hand. Less than a minute later, the van was turning around and heading back to the high school.
Mike’s union members were gathered around him. All of them were armed. Most of them with pistols, except Frank’s beloved lever-action Winchester and Harry Lefferts’—
“For Christ’s sake, Harry,” Mike snapped, “don’t ever let Dan catch you with that.”
Harry grinned. He was the same age as Darryl—they were best friends, in fact—and shared Darryl’s carefree youthful attitudes. “And what’s wrong with a sawed-off shotgun?” he demanded. He jerked his head around, pointing to everyone else with his chin. “It’s not as if every damn one of these guns isn’t illegal, when you get right down to it. So what’s another concealed weapon—among friends?”
A little chuckle swept the group. Mike made a face. “Yeah, well—you better be damn close, with that thing. Don’t forget these guys were wearing armor.”
He turned now to the doctor, and handed him the box of .40-caliber ammunition he’d found in the glove compartment. Nichols put down the first-aid kit he was carrying. Mike was not particularly surprised to see the quick and expert way in which Nichols reloaded the automatic pistol.
“Well-trained, you Marines,” he murmured.
Nichols snorted. “Marines, my ass. I knew what to do with one of these before I was twelve.” He hefted the automatic. “This is Blackstone Rangers’ training. I grew up within spitting distance of Sixty-third and Cottage Grove.”
Suddenly, the black doctor was beaming wickedly at the white men around him. “Gentlemen,” he said, “the Marines are at your side. Not to mention Chicago’s worst ghetto. Let’s deal.”
The miners grinned back. “Nice to have you along, Doc,” announced Frank.
Mike turned, and strode toward the embankment. “Like you said. Let’s deal .”
----
Chapter 3
Mike used Jenny’s car, still dug into the embankment, as a stepping stone to climb onto the embankment. When he planted his foot on the peculiar wall, it immediately gave way, showering more dirt on the car. He sprawled awkwardly, cursing under his breath, and dragged himself over the edge.
Once he arose, he gazed down at his tuxedo. Between his recent mishap and the effects of throwing himself onto the pavement when the shooting started, the elegant outfit was looking more than a little scruffy.
The rental company’s not going to be happy with me , he thought ruefully. But—
Mike gave Frank a hand climbing up. “Be careful,” he urged. “That wall looks solid because it’s so shiny, but it’s nothing but loose earth.”
Once Frank was atop the wall, he turned to help the others. Mike took the moment to examine his surroundings.
His new surroundings. What he saw confirmed his suspicions.
But I think a ticked-off tuxedo rental company is probably the least of my problems.
The “wall” wasn’t a wall of any kind. It was simply the edge of a plain stretching into the distance. Everything about that landscape was wrong. There was no level stretch that size anywhere in northern West Virginia. And the sun—
Frank vocalized the thought. “Mike, what’s happening? Even the damn sun’s in the wrong place.” He pointed to the south. “Should be over there.”
Or is that the south? wondered Mike. At a guess, I’d say we’re facing north instead of east, like we should be.
He thrust the problem aside. Later. There were more pressing problems to deal with. Much more pressing.
The plain was heavily wooded, but not so much so that Mike
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