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to do to get them.
Now it was just a simple matter of getting into their boats and paddling
across the lake to the southern shore. Once they were there, they could spend
a day or two recovering from their trip and getting to know the new members of
the ville& especially the redhead.
Ganley would never have taken a breeder for himself, but it was testimony to
the amount of respect his raiders had for him that several of them went out of
their way to acquire this gift. She was beautiful gorgeous was probably a more
apt description and she was strong willed, feisty and in excellent physical
shape.
Unlike the other freed slaves, the redhead didn't seem to be so enthusiastic
about living in Reichel ville, but she'd come around. Once they reached the
south shore, the sec chief would have the time to charm her.
She would learn to appreciate him, especially when she saw the reception he'd
get on their return to Reichel ville. Once they left camp on the south shore
it would be just a single day's journey to the ville, where there would be a
hero's welcome for the victorious sec chief and his band of fearless raiders.
It was all so close to him, he could taste the sweetness of the triumph on his
tongue.
The boats were less than a hundred yards away.
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Past that, open water.
Just then, blasterfire cut a line in the sandy shore in front of the raiders.
Fountains of dirt rose up from the ground, sending them all running and
jumping for cover.
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The burst lasted just a few seconds.
It was followed by silence.
Then came a voice.
"You have something we want!"
Ganley looked around, wondering what it could be.
RYAN LET THE WORDS linger in the air for a few moments, then repeated them.
"You have something we want!"
"What is it?" came the reply.
"The woman with the long red hair. She's one of us, and you're not going to
Reichel or any other ville until you hand her over."
"Fuck you!" a voice said, different from the first.
"We captured her like the others. She's coming with us," another voice said.
Ryan was losing his patience, but he didn't want to give the task of trading
for
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Krysty's life to anyone else. "We have two women here who want to join your
group. We'll turn them over to you for one of ours."
There was silence for a long time.
"If you don't agree to this trade, we have a cannon pointed directly at your
two boats. If I don't hear the word 'yes' from you in the next five seconds,
the weapon'll make sure none of you'll be going home."
"One!"
"An offer they can't refuse," Mildred muttered under her breath.
"Two!"
A moment of silence.
"Three!"
"Yes! Yes!" shouted several people in the group.
Doc helped the two women and the raider down from the back of the wag.
And then Krysty appeared out of the bushes.
"Go!" Ryan told the two women and the raider.
They passed Krysty along the way.
A man stepped out onto the beach. He looked to be the raiders' leader. "We'll
be
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Ryan nodded.
The rest of the raiders hurried past the man to the water. The two women were
welcomed into the group and then directed toward the waiting boats.
Krysty ran toward her friends, falling into Ryan's arms, where she held on to
him for a very long time.
Epilogue
They kept the cannon trained on the boats until they were out of range, and
then out of sight.
The companions offered to take Clarissa and Melanie to a ville on the east
coast, but they wanted to go back to the farm, where they thought they might
have a chance to make something of their lives, especially now that Baron Fox
was gone.
"I've got my sister back now, thanks to you," Clarissa said, riding in the
back of the wag, "and I think I can look after her just as well on the farm as
I can anywhere else. There's food and shelter there, medical facilities,
electricity, clean water& and a lot of my friends will still be there."
"It will be a different place now," Mildred said, "but I think you'll be able
to make it."
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"Good fighter, smart leader," Jak said.
"You could stay with us, Jak," Clarissa suggested shyly, smiling.
The albino teenager considered the offer, then shook his head. "Had wife,
child once. No more for me." He looked at the others in the wag. "Stay with
friends."
"I understand," Clarissa said. "Anyway, I'll have a niece or nephew to take
care of in a little while."
"I wouldn't be surprised if you have one of each to contend with," Mildred
said with a smile. "Girl, you are ready to pop!"
They all laughed at that.
Overhearing the friendly banter, Krysty leaned closer to Ryan and put her head
on his shoulder. "Strange, huh?"
"What is?" Ryan asked.
"Life."
"What's strange about it?"
"Well, even here in the Deathlands, where death and destruction are a part of
the everyday routine, life still finds a way to carry on."
THEY SAID THEIR GOODBYES and turned the wag around. A little less than half a
tank of fuel remained. It wasn't enough to get them anywhere significant,
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Axler,_James_-_Deathlands_61_-_Skydark_Spawn but it could at least get them
someplace safe to spend the night.
They could all use a little rest before moving on to the nearest redoubt.
The Falls ville was a good bet. If nothing else, they could take the time to
admire the falls. Although a mere trickle compared to what it had been in
predark days, the flow of water was still pretty impressive.
J.B. shifted the wag into gear and headed out.
WHEN THE WAG was gone from the farm complex and he was sure the outlanders
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