[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
used for
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Deathlands%2012%20-%20Latitud
e%20Zero.html (218 of 274) [12/29/2004 6:12:24 PM]
d16
administration, and contained a desk and some filing cabinets as well as a
tiny word processor and a couple of radios.
The only thing that was interesting to Ryan and the others was the larger
building and the tracks that led from it down to the edge of the river. Deep
scuff marks marred the ground as though something had been dragged down there,
with the deeper imprints of three pairs of feet in the soft, pale sand.
Ryan, Jak and J.B. knelt alongside the tracks, staring intently at them. Jak
touched the edges of the footmarks, looking at the way the sand crumbled in at
his touch.
"Not long," he said finally.
"Yeah. Wind would've faded them more. I'd guess at less than two hours." Ryan
looked questioningly at the Armorer.
"Maybe even less than two," J.B. replied.
Krysty called to them from the storage building. "Engine in here's still real
warm!
And there's a kind of boat, half blown up."
Ryan ran toward her, followed by the others, and entered the cool,
damp-smelling concrete building.
J.B. had gone immediately to the little gas engine, laying his hand on the
top.
"Right," he said. "Can't be more than an hour. Could be less."
The big raft lay on one side, like a dying amphibian, its flanks streaked witn
mold, half-inflated.
"Obvious what happened," Ryan said. "Strasser got here, dumped his wag, found
this place and started trying to blow up one of the boats. He got mostly
through it and then& either got bored and picked a smaller one or realized it
would be too big for three of them to handle."
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Deathlands%2012%20-%20Latitud
e%20Zero.html (219 of 274) [12/29/2004 6:12:24 PM]
Page 112
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
d16
They spent ten minutes trying to get the stubborn gas generator to run, taking
turns on the starting cord until it coughed into smoking life. Over the years
Ryan had plenty of experience of trying to get prenuke machinery to work. It
wasn't generally the best fun in the world.
"Join up that lead to the big raft. Jak, sort out enough paddles for us all,
and a few spares. Mildred, see if any of those float jackets are of any use.
Doc, find some lashing cord."
For a quarter of an hour there was a scene of organized chaos. An additional
complication was the fact that the nozzle that connected the generator to the
raft was faulty and kept slipping off in a violent hiss of escaping air.
It took the combined efforts of Ryan, J.B., Krysty and Jak to get enough air
into the chambers of the big raft.
"We'll never get it full," J.B. panted.
"I guess this'll do," Ryan said. "Turn off the engine, Jak."
The sudden silence in the building was startling.
Ryan straightened, holding the small of his back where he could feel a kinked
muscle. He looked around at the others. "Report," he said.
Mildred snapped to attention, clicking her heels. "Private Wyeth, Second
Class, reporting, sir! Regret none of those life jackets would keep a gerbil
afloat for thirty seconds. Sir!"
Doc straightened at her side. "Report that I took over paddle duty from
Corporal
Lauren, sir. Also found enough cord to bind an army. A dozen paddles all
collected and ready to stow, sir."
Ryan returned the salute. "Well done, both of you. Put you in for a
commendation when we get back to base."
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Deathlands%2012%20-%20Latitud
e%20Zero.html (220 of 274) [12/29/2004 6:12:24 PM]
d16
"Thank you, sir," they chorused.
"Then I guess it's time we got this boat on the river."
The remains of a short jetty jutted into the river on the inside of a bend
where the water flowed more slowly. All working together, the six friends
managed to walk the big inflatable down to the edge, making sure that there
was a stout piece of rope to tether it to a solid metal stanchion near the
main building.
Before embarking, Ryan went and searched quickly through the small office,
finding maps of the river that provided details of the various tours on offer
to tourists: half-day morning, half-day afternoon, full day including packed
lunch, overnight raft ride, with tent accommodation and an evening barbecue,
two-day trip, all food included, and a three-day trip that would take you
close to the
Grandee.
"Three days." He took one of the brightly colored maps, even though it only
gave sketchy details of the actual river journey, showing a number of rapids
and one or two portage points "depending upon water conditions."
Whoever ran the raft operation had given exotic names to some of the more
hazardous stretches of the river Hell's Teeth, Dragon's Drop, Demon's Drop,
Devil's Drop. Ryan thought that some of them showed a distinct lack of
imagination. Bustagut was better. So was Piledriver.
From the map, and bearing in mind that it would have been drawn up before the
nukes shattered the earth and altered the landscape, it didn't look an
impossible journey. It seemed as if there were a couple of places where they'd
have to get the unwieldy raft into the shore and manhandle it around
particularly steep vertical falls.
"Right," Ryan said to himself, carefully closing the tumbledown door and
stepping back into the bright sunlight.
Page 113
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Cort Strasser had also taken one of the maps, wishing within five minutes that
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Deathlands%2012%20-%20Latitud
e%20Zero.html (221 of 274) [12/29/2004 6:12:24 PM]
d16
he'd taken several of them. The spray was bad enough, but they were frequently
hit by waves of solid white water. But his memory was crystal clear and he
felt fairly confident that he could recall the more dangerous parts. He'd
taken the longer steering paddle and put himself in the stern of the clumsy
yellow raft. A
rope around his waist was tied to one of the mooring rings, though he had some
doubt about whether he was really safer that way if anything happened. It was
obvious that the material of this raft was somewhat frail, and if the craft
went down it would take everyone with it.
Rosa was crouched in the middle, head down, face showing no expression at the
tumbling and lurching as they went over the next set of rapids.
Rafe was kneeling in the bow, face streaming with water, trying to point out
any particular hazards to Strasser, raising a right arm or a left. The speed
of the racing river made it extremely difficult to control the direction of
the raft.
In the quieter, slower passages of the river, Cort Strasser took time to stand
up, balancing against the pitching of the craft, looking behind him for any
sign of pursuit.
But there was nothing.
The blue-green water was calm in the eddying launch place, and they had no
problems in getting the unwieldy craft safely afloat. Ryan still had worries
about their failure to inflate all the sections fully. The material sagged
wearily and there didn't seem very much freeboard. But he'd wanted to get
moving and the plastic had seemed dangerously fragile.
"Tie on to the nearest metal ring," he said, "but make sure you use a knot
that you can get untied real quick. If anything happens in this river you got
seconds. No more."
"Take front," Jak said, clambering with his customary nimbleness to the
rounded bow, perching himself there with one of the paddles.
Ryan chose to take the steering position in the stern himself. The other four
split,
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Ja...20Deathlands%2012%20-%20Latitud
e%20Zero.html (222 of 274) [12/29/2004 6:12:24 PM]
d16
J.B. and Mildred going on the starboard side, Krysty and Doc to port.
The stern mooring rope ran through a thick, rusted iron ring on the side of
the jetty. Ryan looked around. "Ready?"
Everyone was.
He let go of the rope, allowing it to run through his fingers. The current
tugged at the bow of the raft, nudging them into the main stream of the river.
And they were off.
Chapter Thirty-Six
RYAN LOST HIS MAP even more quickly than Cort Strasser. The very first bend on
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]