Mary laughed “The pants are a dino hide and tight so there isn’t any chaffing.”
“And the blouses, while nearly see through if the light is behind us…are cool and loose.” Missy added.
Mary jumped right back in “And it seems that no one around here wears bras because of the heat, loose will help keep the shirts away from our…”
Red laughed “Ok, ok, we get it…personally I was just going to give you two a whistle.”
Wes elbowed Red “You best not be whistling at my gal.” and with that swung a leg over his horse and the rest followed suit.
“As much as I hate to…let’s go see the dinos.”
The hooves thundered as they moved toward the gate and their escort fell in behind while Cassy and Kurt took lead. Thirty horses thundered through the long passage through the wall and out onto the grassy plains of Pangea. Once out of the tunnel five of the escort took point and rode a mile ahead. Several other ‘outriders’ spread to either flank of their column.
Knowing the river that they had crossed could be reached in six hours, that was their main destination. They rode hard and could rest the horses they rode and the extra they brought there on the shady banks. It was obvious they had done this many times before either hunting or patrolling.
Wes shouted over to Kurt “Hey! You all look like you’ve done this a few times…to the Indian villages I guess?”
“No my friend,” he shouted back “we have the rails for that. We have the Dillos pull long rail carts we made for supplies and passengers that can’t ride horses, but even then it’s really dangerous to make the trip. That is until the Neos came, now it’s almost impossible. The Dillos do not bother the Neos as they smell nearly as bad.” Kurt pointed to the north to show Wes a series of flashes from the first set of hills.
“Our scout…we go east now.”
Almost straight east they rode at a hurried pace and then finally back north just in time for a late lunch and some rest for the very tired horses…and a quick, fully-clothed dip in the cooler waters of the river. Guards were set and the horses fed and watered as the group ate. Kurt finished and looked at the rest as they sprawled in the shade of several large trees that dotted the banks.
“We have to ride as soon as we can. The scouts said there is a large tribe of Neos headed in this direction. We hope to hit the hills on the other side of the river by dark. From the description of those hills, I’d say the very same ones that saved you from the flood.”
Missy washed her tin plate in the bucket. “Kurt? It took us nearly a day to get from here to the ship, many hours to get here from the tall hill we were on.”
Wes clasped her hand and smiled “Baby, that’s because we didn’t know where we were going at the time. If you remember we sort of staggered our route all over the place before we found the Cyclops.”
Red laughed “Yeah, we did zigzag a lot.
Kurt arose as did the rest of his people. He pointed to the northwest and three riders coming in at a fast gallop.
“It’s a good thing we brought extra horses, because we’ll have to leave those behind.”
“That’s mean.” Mary muttered.
“Naw,” Kurt replied “They’ll rest, drink and graze a bit and then return to Boulder, they always do. We can’t take them with us and believe it or not, they are dinosaur smart,” he chuckled “and can out run even the raptors.”
The outriders came in and quickly took off their dinosaur hide saddles and began strapping them onto fresh mounts. The lead scout shouted over his shoulder to Kurt.
“Neos, hundreds of them all headed toward the spot where the train is.” he panted and then continued “Saw more coming from the northwest to join the others, guess one of their scouts spotted the track layers. I know they have lookouts, but Jesus, there sure are a lot of the Neos.”
Kurt nodded “Ok each of you take your mounts and an extra each, get to the head of the line and warn them. We don’t have enough fresh mounts to ride that far, that fast. We’ll go to the hill Wes marked on the map, it’s defensible and with some luck, they’ll pass to our north or south.”
The scouts took a swig of water and off they rode as the rest mounted. The mounts they had left behind had already watered themselves and seemed to be moving off in the direction of Boulder, as if they sensed something was brewing.
This time the outriders were much closer and the rear guard on their heels. The worried Wes tried not to let on, but knew they actually had to turn toward the approaching horde of Neanderthals in order to reach the hill they had spent the night on about a week before. That night he and Missy nearly got eaten, and it seemed so long ago, now it seemed they might be repeating the situation.
Wes had told Kurt and the scouts that the only place the horses could get up was the way the Quads had and that gave them some safety. However he and Missy had climbed up near where they had encountered the spinosaurus. That also meant, so could the Neos.
Just as the sun set behind the jungle covered hills to the west, Kurt’s group arrived atop the hill and men were placed in and around the large boulder cropping, and in the heavy brush. Others pulled cut brush from below and using several horses, rope, and tackle, they managed to pull the log that had saved Wes, and Missy’s life that fateful night. It wasn’t much, but it was cover of sorts.
From the hill using binoculars Wes and Kurt could see the end of the track and no one to be seen, the scouts had arrived and warned them and they had retreated to the train.
On the other hand the sounds of hundreds of Neos headed in their direction, was to say the least, incredibly disturbing. Boulder had manufactured guns, but mostly larger bore to fight dinosaurs. Since encountering the Neos, they had created some smaller caliber rifles, but they were not automatic.
“Incoming!” came a shout from the north and all turned to see several riders ride through the brush and the log that now covered the easiest way up along the ridges of the hills. Sarge, Cassy and several other with guns had come to help…and just as the Neos broke out into the open.
Cassy and Sarge quickly flattened and propped their weapons on the log as the lead Neos pointed toward the hill and shouted, both their heads vanished in a red spray as the light began to fade.
At nearly a half mile away the Neos didn’t hear the shot until the bodies of their leading scouts hit the ground, so Wes doubted they’d put two and two together. What they did understand was the fact that large holes were appearing in the bodies of their tribe and that rattled them. Most fell back to the trees, but a few dozen rushed forward and were cut down at the bottom of the hill as Wes, Red and Kurt opened up with the M-16’s. The others joined in and the few remaining Neos that tried to run for safety, died. To the horror and confusion of those hiding in the trees, this was terrifying…they retreated to the dense forest.
Dark fell and in a moonless cloudy sky, only three rifles had night vision scopes.
Occasionally Wes, Red, or Sarge would open up and by the actions of the Neos, Wes figured they had finally put the sound of shots and their tribe members dying together. Now and then a small group would try to outflank them and come up the hill where the easier slope was, but there was enough moonlight peeking through the overcast so close combat fire could be effective and they died or fell back…the Neo’s never got to within fifty yards.
A very long night was passing and it became obvious to Wes and Kurt that the Neos had forgotten all about the train and were concentrating on the trapped humans on the hill.
By the very first crack of dawn, it became obvious by the number of dead that the Neos had suffered heavy losses. Wes hoped that it would be enough for them to retreat…it wasn’t!
At first it was as if a few Neos started screaming and then more and more joined in. Wes looked over at the line of guns pointed toward the jungle about three quarters of a mile away. There was some heavy brush and tall grass near the fringe and it began to move. Wes pointed…
“Sounds like they’re trying to give each
other a pep talk…looks like some are getting ready.” More of the grasses began to move. Now and then an arm with a club made from a broken limb could be seen waving above the grass or brush.
At a half mile those on the hill could see down into the chest high grass and opened up with single shot, the surprise attack was discovered and the discovery was all the Neos needed as hundreds of them poured from the jungle’s edge. They screamed as if in horrible pain, waved strange weapons that looked like they were made from wood or bone. The Neos charged at a full run straight for the steep banks; some upright, some on all fours.
Off to the north another smaller group of perhaps eighty headed for the easy slope up and along the ridge toward the flimsy barricade that had been constructed there.
“Aw, we’re shafted Wes…” Red muttered as he sighted down the barrel of his M-16 and patted the stock “and I have what’s in this and a clip left.”
“Yeah, I know…me too.” Wes replied and nodded to their 9mms snug in their holsters. He leaned over to his longtime friend and whispered.
“If they get in…I’ll hold them back as long as I can…the girls…”
Red nodded sadly “Roger that boss.”
Kurt yelled “OPEN FIRE!” and the rifles volleyed. Hot brass flew like rain as cartridges fell to the ground and lead hail flew at the Neos. Horrid screams from the dying Neos filled the prairies. In some places the Neos were so deep, other Neos tripped over them, but onward they came like the maddened animals they were.
Screaming and throwing rocks, clubs, whatever they could pick up, they threw and kept charging. There were shouts from the men that they were out of ammo or getting low, surrounded Wes and the others facing the onslaught. Kurt had to swap out his men at the barricade with those running low on ammo, as those out of bullets pulled long machetes and moved back toward the center of their defenses.
From the north came another group that quickly joined the rest of the Neos that had now reached the steep embankment of the hill and were crawling on all fours toward the top.
Rifles began to fall silent as more and more ran out of ammo. Rifles were turned to be used as clubs, long knives drawn all in useless hopes of ending the massive onslaught of hairy beasts, but they would not die without a fight.
Several Neos leapt into the brush and began fighting with some of the escort while Wes’s people fired the last of their rifle rounds.
Wes pulled his 9mm and fired, killing one Neo that had attacked Kurt, and then another fell off of one of Kurt’s men. He staggered to his feet but was quickly pounced upon by three more and Kurt was now out and pulled his machete as he fell back to join the rest.
Wes nodded to Red and he grabbed the girls and moved back against the large outcropping of boulders as two of the guards reached down to help the women up. Mary looked at Missy and her sister looked back…they smiled at the two guards and waved them off. Cassy smiled as she never intended to be lifted to safety, she knew that it would have been only an illusion, there was nowhere around that would be safe if they were overrun.
“We die with our men.” Missy shouted as the men on the boulders leaped off to join the fight below.
The men and escorts began falling back as most ammo was now gone, save the two pistols. Wes slapped in the last magazine as everyone fell back to the boulders and formed a small arc with the women in the center. Wes stayed behind and slowly backed up making sure he took aim and made every shot count as one Neo after another fell.
What was left of the escort and scouts now formed even a tighter semi-circle. The three girls their backs to the cold stone, daggers drawn, they prepared for the final attack.
Wes’s pistol clicked and the slide locked back…he was out. Red had been counting his shots and knew he could not fire anymore.
As Wes backed to the row of men, he glanced back at Missy and smiled. She smiled back, reached down and grasped Red’s trembling hand and raised it to her forehead.
“It’s ok…the three of us knew what you had planned…thank you.”
Red’s hand was shaking so hard Missy had to steady it. She smiled and closed her eyes as the screaming horde was now covering the hills from both approaches. Mary grasped Missy’s hand.
“See ya soon sis.” She whispered as Red’s finger squeezed the trigger…
The ground erupted with grass, dirt and chips of rock and an explosion that nearly ruptured their ears. Neanderthals screamed as many of them seemed to vanish in clouds of reddish mist chunks of flesh, smoke and dirt.
Most clouds of dust seemed to obscure everything as entire parts of the hills were cleansed of living, screaming, and dying Neanderthals. Everything went by in slow motion and then something screamed overhead…it was a Japanese Zero. One, and then another, and another screamed as they each took one section of the attackers to task.
Confused and screaming in panic they fled toward the jungle and once in, two Zeros roared low and dropped something akin to napalm and as the jungle blazed, tortured screams could be heard as the Zeros screamed over the hill so low that Wes thought he could reach out and touch them as he slowly got to his feet and brushed himself off.
Then it occurred to Wes, with all the noise, had Red done the deed? He spun but couldn’t see through the mass of men watching the show the pilots from the carrier were putting on.
He pushed through the crowd to see Red still holding a gun to Missy’s head, and Missy smiling at Red.
“You miscounted?” Wes asked.
Red was shaking so hard he thought he’d pass out. His voice trembled, his whole being still screamed in terror of what almost happened.
“No…” he lowered the 9mm, ejected a round, and caught it in mid-air. He showed the end of the bullet to Wes “Fuckin’ misfire…” he raised the 9mm and pointed it skyward after making sure there were no Zeros above and pulled the trigger…a loud report ensued. He pulled the trigger again, another shot…and then again only to hear an empty click.
“See, three bullets…two live and…” he fell back against the stone outcropping “…my God, one dud!”
Missy fell into Wes’s arms and Cassy joined them as Wes cradled her with his other arm and the three stood there shaking. Mary threw herself into Red’s and they moved together for a group hug...they had survived!
Kurt shouted for everyone to get moving toward the slope that eventually lead to the prairie the train was on. He knew they had to move fast and that there could be other hordes, and their horses were either dead or run off. He did feel that the one tribe that had fought would not be returning after the napalm run.
Men rushed about gathering up what they could from dead horses and comrades. Others ran down to the prairie in hopes of finding some of the horses that had fled in that direction.
Knowing there was no more ammo, everyone picked up anything that could be used as a weapon, including some clubs pried from the cold dead fingers of the Neos.
As the Zeros covered from overhead the much smaller party descended from the hills out onto the burnt prairie. They followed the track, but the train was just beyond their view. However at the pace they were making, and assuming there was not another attack, they knew that within an hour they’d be with their friends.
In the heat of another Pangaean day, nine of thirty walked onward toward the train and what they hoped would be safety.
This had not been a good day.
Chapter 23.
As quickly as they reached the burnt area, they could see the train and the camps the work crews had built, and a sigh of relief fell upon the survivors, the camp had not been touched, it was they, that bore the onslaught of the Neos and now badly weakened, perhaps they might return to their territories to the north and west.
The Zeros had left and a second flight of the welcome aircraft had taken over the watch. Now and then one would peel off and zoom toward the western hills. Distant shots could be heard and then it would return to buzz the group out in the open and ‘waggle’ its wings to signify they were once ag
ain safe. Finally reaching the area where several hundred workers and the train sat not far away, the Zeros roared overhead and headed south.
Knowing their air cover was gone for good now, Kurt hurried his group along. Everyone knew that Red was the main concern on this mission as well as back on the hilltop. Wes and the rest had tucked Red and the women against the boulders in hopes of protecting their only engineer.
Most of the horses had been killed, driven off, or taken by the Neos for food. Now the few survivors rode double as they had collected them on the prairie. All with the exception of Red, who was given orders to ride for the train in case they be attacked again, moved slower to the train on foot. This expected attack did not happen thankfully and as the rest approached, many of the workers ran out to greet the survivors.
Red and Wes were amazed at the condition of the train, even Bryce and John had been cleaning, and it was spotless. The prairie itself showed little sign of the flood as most everything was washed away and already green sprouted from the ashen remains.
The one thing the riders noticed, was that the work crews had pulled the tracks westward away from the trees and already been adding onto the tracks in the direction of Boulder nearly as far as they could see. Just as planned, they were taking track from behind the engine and adding it to that in front of the engine. The tracks showed signs of extra stakes holding the ties into the hard prairie soil. As they neared the tracks they could see men swinging sledge hammers and driving longer than normal stakes into the ground to either side of the ties.
“Well Wes, looks like we should be able to move the train ok.” Red chuckled “That is if the brothers cleaned everything rather than just making it look pretty.”
Kurt pointed in the distance to show them the three visible teams of six Dillos each and they were stunned to see nearly a half mile of track being dragged behind each of the teams. As they passed where the Dillos had been, Wes was glad Kurt had saved some of the flower scent, which they quickly smeared under their noses. Even with that and the last Dillo hundreds of feet away, the newcomers were nearly gagging…it seemed that the harder the Dillos worked, the more Dillo grease they produced. Riding next to them were men scraping the grease by reaching in between the huge plates of armor with long mop-like swabs and pulling out handfuls of the greasy, fatty, lubricant and putting it into buckets made from dinosaur hides, which were attached to their saddles.
Last Train to Pangea: Death by Dinosaur Page 16