Steve had not spoken to Jodi since being venomously rebuffed but he bore her no malice. He wandered through the area where Malone’s breakers were being held and eventually found her. She didn’t look overjoyed to see him but, on the other hand, she didn’t spit in his face when he hunkered down beside her.
‘You getting enough to eat?’
‘Would it matter if I wasn’t?’
Steve sighed. ‘Jodi, come on – give me a break. We were on the trail together. That still means something to me. D’you think I don’t care about what’s happening to you and these other guys?’
‘Yeah, well, you won’t have to care much longer. I hear we’ll be shipping out in a couple of days.’
‘Listen – it may not be so bad. These wheeler-dealers look to be pretty sharp guys. I mean, they’re clean, they cut their hair – and they look as if they run a tight ship. I’ve got a feeling we could relate to them a whole lot better than with the Mutes.’
Jodi didn’t look convinced.
‘In fact,’ continued Steve, ‘in some ways I wish I was going with you. I’d like to find out more about their set-up.’ He paused. ‘Aren’t you curious?’
Jodi eyed him dismissively. ‘I prefer to stay with my own kind.’
‘Jodi, listen. As you say, you’re due to ship out in two, maybe three days. You’re right – why should I care what you think about me? The fact is I do. If Kelso and Medicine-Hat and the other guys have got me pegged for a lump-sucker, okay, let ’em think that. But I want things to be straight between me and you. Like I said before, there are things you don’t know about. Don’t be fooled by the way I look. I’m here because I’ve got a job to do.’
Her eyes held his as she ran her tongue slowly around her lips. ‘Why are you telling me this?’
‘All kinds of reasons. When you went over the side, I asked for permission to take a search party down river –’
‘Yeah, I know, you told me.’
‘Big D said “no”,’ continued Steve. ‘But you came back from the dead and helped save my life. Who knows? Maybe we might meet up again some day. If we do, I want you to know you can count on me to do what’s right. Last time we spoke, you wanted to take the quick way out. But you’re too good a soldier to waste on the end of a knife. Okay, I admit that right now things don’t look so hot. You guys may be in for a rough time but it can’t be worse than what you’ve been through.’
‘True…’
‘You gotta hang in there, Jodi. As long as you’re alive, you’ve got to keep fighting. You owe it to yourself and the Federation.’
Jodi responded with a harsh laugh. ‘The Federation…?’
‘Yes,’ said Steve. ‘I was on that flight-deck when the storm hit. I was one of the people who tried to haul you down out of the sky. I saw the shape you were in. Most guys would have given up and gone in nose first. But not you. If you could have, you’d have dragged yourself back upstream by your fingertips. You’re not a breaker, Jodi – anymore than I’m a lump-sucker.’
Jodi eyed him then laughed dismissively. ‘The person you’re talking about died when I went into that river.’
Steve responded with a searching look. ‘I find that hard to believe. Heck, I mean, you were so, well… gung-ho.’
‘I know. This change of heart came as quite a surprise to me too. Like you, being a wingman was all I ever thought about. The day I stepped aboard The Lady was the proudest moment of my life. I served under Hartmann and Big D for five years. Five good years. If I’d come through this one I’d have earned a Lucky Six and a trip to the White House.’ She smiled. ‘I used to lie in my bunk working out what I’d say to the P-G, wondering how I would feel when I actually met him face to face. My one big worry was that my knees would give way.’
Steve nodded sympathetically but said nothing.
‘When you’re on the trains, or in the Federation, the pressure is on you all the time. You accept everything because you’ve been raised to believe that’s the way it is. The only way. And it makes sense. It’s only when you make the break, when you start free-basing, that you get time to think things out for yourself… to ask questions. Being a breaker gives you a whole new perspective on things. It didn’t come easy. Took me a while to shake loose from the system. I’ve still got a long way to go.’ She grimaced. ‘The Family did a good job on us.’
‘“Only people fail”,’ said Steve, quoting Uncle Bart. ‘“Not the system”.’
‘You still believe that?’
Steve shrugged. ‘Six months with the Mutes gave me time to think about things too.’
‘And…?’
‘It, uhh… changes you… makes it hard to go back.’
‘But you still want to.’
Steve weighed his reply carefully. ‘Like it or not, that’s where the future is, Jodi. The Mutes can’t win. And when they’re gone how long do you think you guys’ll be able to hold out?’
‘It’s a big country…’
‘Sure it is. But even if you and the other guys had gotten away from the M’Calls you’d still be living like hunted animals from one year to the next.’
‘Not necessarily. Once we’d built up our numbers Malone was planning to cross over the Rockies. He told us there was some good country on the other side. A place close to the sea where it never snowed and where there were so many food-trees nobody ever went hungry.’
‘Oh, yeah?’
‘Yeah. A place called California.’
‘Pipe-dreams, Jodi. Even if this place existed why bother to make the trip? It’s a dead end. Who is there to come after you? Only the First Family can create new life. It doesn’t matter how clever Malone is, or how many there are like him. You guys are never going amount to anything.’
‘You’re probably right,’ she admitted. ‘But it’s a dead end either way. Even if you and I were lucky enough to get back home in one piece the Federation would never put us back into circulation.’
Steve bit his lip. ‘Why?’
‘Because we’ve been out too long. We know too much.’
‘Like what?’
The undamaged side of her face was creased by a dry smile. ‘Isn’t it obvious? You were captured last June and you’ve been breathing unfiltered air ever since. How do you feel?’
‘Okay, but –’
‘Have you asked yourself why?’
‘Yeah, but –’
She waved his reply aside. ‘There is no magic bullet, Brickman. The stuff they give you at your MedEx is either a vitamin shot or a placebo. I don’t know who fed you this idea about an anti-radiation serum but there ain’t no such thing. It’s not necessary. There’s no more sickness in the air.’
Steve thought back to what the President-General had said about the need to deny the existence of Mute magic. If they could do that and make any claims to the contrary a Code One offence then they were capable – as he already suspected – of even greater deceptions. But he could not tell Jodi that. He had to appear a reluctant convert in order to draw out everything she knew – or now believed. He eyed her cautiously. ‘How did you figure that out?’
‘Medicine-Hat has been free-basing for three years. He knows of breakers who haven’t been near a hypodermic needle for more than five and they’re still in good shape.’ She saw his look of disbelief. ‘The guy is absolutely straight – why would he make up a story like that?’
‘Why not? He’s a breaker. You didn’t have any choice, and maybe he didn’t either, but most of these guys are bad hats. Drop-outs, cee-bees, deserters. It’s only natural for them to bad-mouth the Family and the Federation. They want to make themselves look good.’
‘Okay – what’s your explanation?’
‘Jodi, I don’t have one. All I know is my guard-father put in a double six up the line and he’s dying because of it – may even be dead for all I know. If there’s no more sickness in the air how did he – and all the others – pull a trick?’
She gave a sour laugh. ‘Brace yourself, Brickman. I’m gonna let you in on the
big joke. The radiation that’s killing Trail-Blazers is not in the atmosphere. It’s inside the wagon trains!’
Steve tried to come to terms with what she was saying. ‘But… what about the geiger counters? When you take them outside –’
Jodi cut him off. ‘They’re wired up to give a reverse reading. Everything’s been rigged from start to finish. Everything we’ve been told is a pack of lies!’
It was too much. Steve was no stranger to conspiracy theories but the enormity and the ruthlessness of this alleged crime against generations of unsuspecting Trackers left him stunned, floundering. ‘This can’t be right. There has to be some other explanation.’
‘That’s what you keep saying.’
‘But where’s the proof?’
‘You and I are proof!’ she cried. She swept a hand towards the nearest renegades. ‘Look around you! If what the Family says was true, all these guys would be basket cases by now!’
Steve shook his head. ‘No… it doesn’t make sense. Poppa-Jack was a hero. Why would they kill someone who was doing such a great job?’
‘To keep us under control,’ replied Jodi. ‘To stop people escaping.’
Steve frowned. ‘But why would anyone want to escape from the Federation? The First Family have sworn to lead us back to the blue-sky world. That’s what all the effort and the sacrifice has been for. What happened, Jodi? When you and I were together aboard The Lady, you were proud of being a Trail-Blazer. You said so yourself. Are you trying to tell me none of that means anything anymore?’
‘Of course not. The way you’re dressed up you’ve got a nerve even asking! I’m still a Tracker and always will be. All I’m trying to get into your skull is that the First Family has been lying to us. The over-ground’s been safe for the last fifty years – maybe even longer!’
‘Pure renegade talk, Jodi. Can’t you see that? Malone and the others have fed you this shit to turn you against the Federation. But it’s just a sick fantasy. They’ve piped too much rainbow grass. You want to know what I think? I think there are people who get sick and people like you and me who don’t. Roz told me the Life Institute has been conducting clinical research on straight Mutes for several decades trying to isolate the genetic mechanism that makes them immune. Who’s to say they haven’t found the answer? All of us are created in the Life Institute. Maybe you and I – and these other guys were born with that “magic bullet” inside us.’
Jodi responded with a deadpan look. ‘It’s an interesting theory…’
‘It’s no more outrageous than the one you just came out with.’
‘No, I guess not.’
‘Like I said before, I’ve had time to think about things… ask a few awkward questions. But listening to you sound off makes me feel that maybe there are times when a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. You and I just don’t know enough to be able to understand the whole picture. Maybe things aren’t as straightforward as we would like them to be and maybe the set-up inside the Federation isn’t as perfect as it should be but… that’s the way the world is. I think it’s important to believe that the people at the top are doing the best job they can. If we keep faith, and do the same, we’ll win through.’
She reflected a while, then said, ‘Level with me, Brickman. Are you Family?’
Steve frowned then laughed. ‘What a strange question. Do you really think I’d be here if I was?’
‘I wasn’t born yesterday. Last year was my sixth trip up the line. A guy gets to hear things. The Family are everywhere.’
‘You may be right. But I’m not one of them – and that’s the truth. Although, if I was, I imagine I’d have to say that anyway.’ He smiled. ‘You can’t be serious, surely. I mean, if you really thought I was Family would we be having this kind of conversation?’
‘Why not? There’s nothing they can do to me now.’ She eyed him warily. ‘You worry me, Brickman. I thought I had you figured but now… I just don’t know what the hell you’re up to. Maybe Malone was right. Maybe you are a undercover Fed.’
Steve reached out and gripped her hands firmly. ‘Listen to me, and listen good. I’m not Family and I’m not a Fed – whatever that’s supposed to be. I’m just a guy whose trying to do his best to fight for what he believes in. And that includes you.’
Jodi appeared to take this last remark seriously – albeit with some reluctance. ‘Well… I guess it’s always good to know who your friends are.’
‘Listen – no matter what the circumstances, if we meet up again, all I’m asking for is a fair shake.’
‘Okay, I’ll, uhh… bear it in mind.’
‘Thanks. And if I don’t manage to see you again before you leave – good luck and…’
She gripped his outstretched hand firmly. ‘Good hunting…’
Seventeen
Steve spent the next day in similar fashion, wandering around the lines making a mental note of everything he saw and heard until called upon to help carry bundles of furs and produce from the M’Call camp-site to the trading post for examination. It was during one of these delivery runs that he was tapped by Mr Snow.
‘Just the man I’m looking for…’ He led Steve over to where a large group of M’Call Bears were clustered around Blue-Thunder. They stood aside as the wordsmith approached. Steve saw that Blue-Thunder was holding what looked like a rifle. ‘What d’you think of that?’
Steve accepted the weapon from the paramount warrior with a respectful nod and examined it from end to end, testing some of the working parts. He had never seen such a strange object before. It was a well-finished weapon, made of steel and brass with a polished stock made of dark, close-grained wood. But it had no optical sights, just a small blade at the front and a notched block that could be moved along a calibrated scale mounted on the rear end of a single barrel with a bore like a waterpipe. The magazine was a curious revolving metal cylinder with ten holes drilled through it. Two domed pieces of steel covered the back and front of the cylinder where it protruded on each side of the rifle stock. At the rear end of the barrel, behind and above the cylinder, was a flat, spiked metal hammer that could be pulled back with the thumb and which clicked forward when the trigger was pulled. This action caused the cylinder to revolve to the right, bringing another of the holes under the hammer.
‘These holes must be for the bullets…’
‘That’s right. Iron plugs. You put them in from the back. Just press that catch.’
Steve did so. The barrel, forestock and cylinder broke open, pivoting forward around a pin located just ahead of the trigger guard. He clicked the barrel back into place then looked inside the brass butt plate and examined the underside of the stock. ‘Where do they keep the compressed air bottle?’
‘It doesn’t used compressed air. Each bullet is filled with a powder that drives it out of the barrel.’
‘What kind of powder?’
‘They call it gunpowder. You saw the fireworks. It’s similar to whatever makes those rockets fly into the air.’ Mr Snow released a catch on the stock just above and behind the trigger guard and swung aside a small cover plate. Inside was a recessed compartment with a central spigot and a primitive escapement mechanism. ‘A coiled ribbon made of paper fits on that spike and passes up under the hammer. The ribbon contains a string of small flat beads of the same special powder. When you pull the trigger the hammer hits one of the beads. It catches fire and lights the back of the bullet. Bang! Away it goes. When you release the trigger, a new piece of ribbon moves under the hammer.’
Steve smiled. ‘Interesting idea. What’s the range?’
‘Half a bolt. You measure things differently. Yama-Shita said it was the equal of your rifle. Better in some ways.’
Steve eased back the hammer and pulled the trigger to release it. ‘If you have to do this every time you fire, then our guns are faster – they fire three bullets at a time and hold many more.’
‘True. But as Yama-Shita pointed out, your rifles are no good to us. Once the wind has escaped
from the bottles, they are a heap of junk. Your masters are not stupid. They’ve made sure that those who see the light and run from your dark cities have nothing to fight with.’
‘You’re right. I never thought of it like that before.’ Even so, thought Steve, it was no contest. An iron plug against 0.225 calibre steelpoints. Ten rounds against a sixty shot magazine with an option of single shot, triple volley or full auto. Exploding powder, fire, flame, noise. Stone-age stuff. Trackers would be able to locate the rifleman’s position immediately. And with only a clumsy blade and notch sighting and ranging system how could they guarantee to hit anything? ‘Is everybody getting these?’
‘No. This is a special bonus for delivering the arrowhead. We get the first hundred. If we are able to use them to beat back the sand-burrowers, Yama-Shita will bring more next year and the other clans will get the chance to make a trade.’
‘Hmmm, well… I know it’s none of my business but I have to tell you I’m not impressed. In fact, if you want my honest opinion, it’s not worth a crow’s fart.’
Mr Snow remained unfazed. ‘Yama-Shita says that, in the Old Time, all killing guns followed this principle.’
‘If they did it must have been a long time ago. We’ve moved on a little since then.’
‘Go ahead, laugh. You people think you know it all.’
‘I wasn’t laughing, Old One. It is you who has taught me what little I know of the blue-sky world and of the time before it came into being. I still have much to learn.’
‘You also have much to un-learn. This thing doesn’t send up lots of little coloured stars.’ Mr Snow extended his little finger and pointed to the second joint. ‘It throws out a piece of iron this long and this thick that’ll stop a buffalo in its tracks.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. And if it does that, it’s going to blow your friends right out of their socks.’
‘Do you have any of these bullets?’
‘No. But I have seen one. Yama-Shita has promised to give us a demonstration of their power.’
‘When?’
‘Now. You’re just in time.’
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