Desert Strike (Sundown Apocalypse Book 4)

by Leo Nix

  It was fortunate she did because she heard the vehicles and detected the smoke of their fires in time to race back and warn the scouts.

  “Nulla!” she whispered flinging her hands in the air to attract him. “Terrorists, lots of them.” She pointed in the direction of their enemy.

  Their broad-chested leader reacted immediately. He indicated, waving vigorously, for the other two to stop. There was no doubting what the problem was.

  “Righto, we pull back two hundred metres. Roo, you and Riley need to scout ahead to find out what's happening.”

  Dog was back to his old self running backwards and forwards. He was a dog on holiday and every smell was like candy to him. Roo snapped his fingers and clicked his tongue, Dog pricked up his ears and darted to his master's side.

  They pulled back and prepared for combat. “Roo, find out what you can. I want you both back in ten minutes, no more. Then we'll plan what to do next.”

  The boys nodded and began their preparations. Roo was dark skinned but Riley was like any other white man in the bush. While Roo wound bush leaves through his hat and shirt, Donna rubbed red clay and dabs of black charcoal into Riley's face and the backs of his hands. She then helped camouflage him with bushes like Roo.

  Nulla checked them both and nodded. “Get close but not too close. Donna and I are going to hobble the camels back here. We'll look after Dog and wait for you. Righto, let's do this.”

  With Riley a few metres behind, Roo crept to within earshot and listened. Apparently they were waiting for their mates who were searching for the escaped commandos. At this stage it appeared they didn't know if the camels belonged to Sundown's Commando or the Longreach Crusaders.

  “So they're Talons. Righto, we know that Wiram and McFly are safe and haven't been discovered.” Nulla looked at Roo who nodded in the affirmative. “If we stay here we can pick up Wiram's tracks and follow him, but we might also get in a fight if the Talons do anything unpredictable. All we need is someone to come this far looking for a nice place to take a dump and see us. We need to move well away and wait. I'll disguise our tracks just in case someone does come this way.”

  Riley had been thinking. “We need to send someone back to inform Sundown of what we've found. He told us we only had till tonight and he was heading back to Birdsville tomorrow. We might be out here for a week looking for Wiram and McFly. Besides, they need to be prepared in case this Talon patrol head towards the hot springs or the homestead.”

  “Yeah, good point Riley. Righto, Donna, you and Riley go back to Sundown and report what we've found. Tell him we'll stay out here until we make contact with Wiram and McFly. We'll need him to leave a cache of food near the spring for us. Tell him they should leave as soon as they can in case the Talons are headed their way. We'll follow on behind with the camels when we find Wiram and McFly. We'll meet him in Birdsville. Riley, I want you to return here as soon as you can.”

  Turning to Wiram's new wife, he said, “Donna, I know you want to stay and help but I'm worried that if we have a contact they might separate us. If you're taken, you know what they'll do to you.” He shushed her up when she tried to argue. “We know, and yes, even you know, that Wiram is OK. They haven't got him nor do they know where he is. We know he's safe, we just don't know much more than that.” He waited for her to say something but she remained silent, fearing if she did speak she'd just become more emotional.

  “Righto. Riley, you take Dog with you so that when you get back here he can lead you to Roo. Good luck, and if you get caught out in the dark, don't take any risks, make camp and we'll see you when we next meet, soon I hope.” With that both Riley and Donna mounted their camels and headed back the way they'd come. They'd be hard pushed to get there before dark, and Nulla knew it. He wanted Riley to start back as soon as he delivered their message, even if he had to head back at twilight spending the night sleeping in the desert with Dog for company.

  “Come on Roo, we'll move back another hundred metres into that channel, and wait it out.”

  When they heard the terrorist's vehicles Roo went to investigate. He told Nulla the terrorists were headed towards Longreach. While Nulla kept watch, Roo began the arduous task of finding Wiram and McFly's tracks before it got too dark to see.

  Towards dusk Nulla left Roo to continue tracking while he made camp well away from the track and the dead camels. Roo had already found the Death Adder in the bushes, where McFly had kicked it, and he sadly unhitched the saddles from Matilda and Hiram. Nulla and Roo knew both camels intimately, they were like family.

  The camels were inducted into Sundown's Commando as friends first and workers last. That was the way Nulla was taught, and that was how he liked to work with animals.

  Nulla was brought back from his sad reflections by Roo's shrill whistle, he'd found something. Checking there was no dust on the horizon to indicate enemy vehicles, Nulla jogged across to where Roo pointed out a broken branch and tracks.

  “McFly broke a branch, that's his footprint there, these tracks are strangers.” Roo pointed to the tracks. “I'll track while there's light. My foot's sore, I'll need to rest soon,” said Roo. Nulla just nodded and let him do what he did second best, track. It wasn't long before they found the Talon's graves. Their tracks showed neither Wiram nor McFly was hurt, so now it was time to track in earnest.

  McFly found himself beside a river flowing with fresh, life-giving water. The surrounding bushland was loaded with wildlife. The fierce man sat beside him talking, mind talk.

  They shared the river bank with a friendly tribe who peacefully went about their own business. Sometimes they participated in McFly's education and at other times they ignored him. Day led to night which led to another day, it passed one to the other with barely a moment when McFly felt he wasn't learning something new. The fierce warrior never let up and when asked how much longer his teacher would just say, 'soon'.

  Billy would sometimes visit to sit and chat by the fire. It was at these times they talked about life, politics, human behaviour, negotiation, compromise and the many aspects of managing a community. At no time did McFly think he would be able to fulfil the task he had accepted, but they insisted he'd chosen this path himself and that he would succeed.

  “Billy, I can't do all this, look at the state of the world, it's hell on earth. Those Revelationists have gone berserk, they're worse than Sundown's demon,” he said one day.

  Billy laughed, “Matty, do you know what your name means in our language? Matjuri, it means 'do', to do things, you are a do'er. You act when things need to be acted upon. You chose that name before you were born. Just follow the 'fierce man' he still has a lot to teach you. Besides,” the sprightly old man whispered, “you'll have help. You're not the only one on this healing journey.”

  In one meditation McFly found himself back with Shadow. He hadn't tried to do it, it just happened. He was beside her as she was driving with Pedro and some others across the desert. He tried to contact her but she was preoccupied with driving and watching for the enemy. 'Enemy', he thought the word and immediately lifted above the Mitsubishi dual cab, one of the vehicles left by the Talons. That's when he saw the enemy, clearly. They were on a path that would intersect with Shadow and her small group.

  In a fit of panic he didn't know what to do but then the sound of the fierce warrior's voice came to him, 'mind talk'. That stopped his panic. He wondered how to mind-talk Shadow to stop her vehicle. McFly couldn't connect with her, so he checked the car, but it was in good condition, it had no weaknesses he could exploit to stop it. Maybe he could mind-talk to one of the occupants, someone receptive, someone already in a light trance, a daydream perhaps.

  It turned out to be easier than he expected. Pedro was asleep, resting his head on Martene's shoulder in the back seat. McFly walked into the firelight of Pedro's dream. Pedro was sitting with someone in the desert, he was much younger, perhaps in his forty's, and that other person looked like Shamus. Pedro was relaxed and at peace.

  “Pedro!
Wake up! Danger! Stop the car! Stop the car, terrorists! STOP THE CAR NOW!” screamed McFly, in exasperation.

  “Hey! What the flamin' hell! Stop the car there's terrorists!” Pedro woke with a start and flayed his arms in the air. He wasn't quite awake but he saw, through McFly's eyes, that the Talons were on a collision course with them. “Shadow, stop the car please, I have a feelin' there's something bad ahead. I think it's the Talons.”

  Shadow stopped the car but left the engine running. As the four of them got out she climbed onto the roof and pulled out her binoculars. Scanning the horizon she saw the dust cloud of an approaching convoy. If they stayed where they were they would avoid each other and not be seen.

  “Pedro, how the hell did you know?” asked the old female warrior sitting in the front passenger seat next to Shadow.

  Pedro was still trying to work it out in his head himself. “It was that boofhead McFly, he interrupted my dream. I was dreaming I was with Shamus sitting and yarning around our camp fire. Next thing McFly comes into my dream and yells at me to wake up 'cause there's terrorists. It was weird me girlie, it was weird.”

  McFly dreamed again, he was with Roo walking along the top of the sand dune and he pointed out the rocky outcrop where the cave was.

  “Roo, Wirrie and I are there. Nulla can't go any closer than Wirrie, but you're welcome. This is your country, your blood,” he told Roo.

  “Nulla will wait and I'll go to Wiram. We'll wait for you to finish your initiations,” said Roo in mind-talk. It sounded like a normal conversation to McFly, but easier.

  Another dream, he was talking to Sundown, asking him about demons. “Matty, demons are just our deep unconscious urges and instincts. My demon is anyway. I've not met other demons. Maybe you can find out more about them for me?”

  The 'fierce man' wasn't keen on McFly wanting a demon of his own. “Yes, there are demons, plenty of demons out there but we don't play with them. They aren't the sort of demons who like to play. Sundown is right, demons of his kind are part of the unconscious. A spiritual warrior, a nangarri, seeks out demons to tame and work for us. I have two, Billy has one but there are very few warriors who know how to catch them and even fewer who survive the quest. You aren't ready so don't even think about it,” he told McFly, but McFly wasn't satisfied, so he asked Billy.

  “Billy, if I want a demon what do I need to do?” he asked.

  “Matty, you don't want to know. I nearly died trapping my demon. The 'fierce man', who's much more powerful than all of us, did die, they killed him. But he had such enormous power that he come back. He come back dragging his demons behind him. If he says don't do it, then I'd listen to him,” advised Billy.

  The sky grew darker and the river faded, the tribe disappeared. McFly found himself waking as though from a long sleep on the rocks below the cave. He tested his body for wounds and broken bones but everything seemed to be fine so he stood up. His body felt strangely light so he took a few steps to see if he could walk. That was fine too so he looked around to orient himself then walked back to find Wiram, asleep, exactly where he'd left him.

  Chapter 22 - Heroes Return

  Roo met them the next day while Nulla stayed on the sand dune. He'd lit a fire and was cooking the wallaby they'd shot on their way to the rocky hillock. Nulla watched as the three walked slowly towards him noting that Wiram and McFly looked rested and showed no sign of injury. Not that he expected any. By the time they arrived Nulla had the billy boiled, and their tea poured and sitting on the sand. The wallaby still had a while to go but it's aroma permeated the air.

  The group drank their tea slowly, resting their buttocks in the small sand-holes Nulla had dug out for them. Nobody spoke as they relaxed to gaze across the desert landscape, waiting for their meal to cook.

  “What's that?” Nulla asked pointing with his chin. McFly looked hard at the rocky hilltop, then went very still and quiet for several seconds, listening to something inside. The three watched and waited.

  “It's the fierce man. He's saying good bye,” said McFly. He thought for a moment. “I never said goodbye to Billy or the families of the tribe either. Why didn't I say goodbye to everyone?”

  “They know mate, they know,” replied his friend, Wiram.

  While drinking a second cup of scalding hot tea Nulla and Roo told the story of the fight at the homestead. Both Wiram and McFly listened attentively, their breathing accelerated until Nulla realised he'd forgotten something.

  “Sorry, I forgot the most important thing. Wiram, Donna is fine, she didn't participate in the fight but she did help us find your tracks. She's with Sundown, I sent her back with Riley.” Nulla turned to McFly, “and Shadow is fine too. I watched her take down a few of those Ravens Claws in a hand-to-hand fight when Sundown's squad clashed with them. She's one heck of a fighter is your Shadow.”

  McFly found he couldn't quite speak so Nulla continued to tell the story to ease his anxiety. “Matty, Shadow knocked a few out and shot a few then she stabbed a few.” He chuckled softly when he realised he failed to ease his mate's fear but actually increased it. “Nah, she didn't kill that many but she fought like a tigress. She helped hold off the Ravens Claws with Lucy… hang on, let me back up a bit. There was Sundown, but he got knocked out right at the start of the fight. Then there was Pellino, Beamy, Shadow, Heidi and Lucy. I think that's them all what was on the left flank.” He stared up into the sky remembering, then looked back at McFly. “Yeah, she did well.”

  At last McFly could release the breath he'd held while Nulla told the story. He took a few shorter breaths then asked, “How did everyone else go? How's your boys, you know, those funny teenagers of yours?”

  Nulla looked to Roo and lifted his eyebrows. Roo remembered that was a sign for him to talk.

  “McFly, the bike boys didn't come home till it was all done. They brought four kangaroos for our dinner.” He smiled shyly unsure if this was what he was supposed to say.

  “Yeah, they missed the fun. The Pine Gap spooks held the centre, bloody magic having them on our side too, solid as a rock they were. If it wasn't for them I'm not sure how we'd have gone. It sure would have been a lot tougher, maybe we'd have had our arses kicked.” Nulla said leaning forward to lift the blanket covering the roasted wallaby. “And we've now scored a treaty with the Longreach Crusaders.” He added enjoying the shocked look on Wiram and McFly's faces.

  As the men prepared to eat there came a call, a long-drawn 'coo-ee' from somewhere in the desert. Nulla stood and saw a group of four aboriginal warriors approaching. They carried their own kill: a young red kangaroo, a bearded dragon lizard and a large King Brown snake. It appeared as though they knew there was a brew of tea on the fire and food in the oven.

  “Hey bro! I see you again in my dreaming,” called Frank as they came within talking distance. “My brothers and I dreamed to come to this place and now we know why.”

  McFly stood and walked over to greet his aboriginal friends. He'd met them previously when they came to collect their grandfather, Billy, for burial.

  “I see you brothers. The fierce man said I'd meet you,” replied McFly cheerfully. His face expressed joy in seeing these wild men with a joy-for-life in their easy smiles.

  “We don't call him by that name, Matjuri. One day you'll learn his spirit name,” said the eldest, Bidgera, who then reached out to shake the hands of the others. Turning to Roo he said, “Roo, you didn't tell us you was coming here. We been waiting for news. You been busy, bro?”

  Roo looked at his friends and smiled one of those rare smiles of his. “Bidgera, we been busy fighting and tracking.” He embraced his cousins affectionately. “McFly's Gangardi, now.”

  The four newcomers simply accepted Roo's new-found ability to speak and nodded knowingly. They looked at McFly with curious glances, out of courtesy they embraced him again. It was extremely unusual for a white person to have undergone their sacred initiations, and although they knew much of the story they were still confused and felt somewhat awkwar
d.

  Frank was the only one of Roo and McFly's age but he wasn't shy about it. “Hey McFly, that fella, the fierce man, he knock you into the other world?”

  McFly nodded and pointed to Frank's heavy war spear. “With one of those spears.” The men all chuckled knowingly.

  Frank offered an answer to McFly's unasked query. “We've got no more bullets Matty, no shops, no bullets. So now we're back to our traditional weapons. Those terrorists better watch out now, eh, these big bastards hurt when they go through ya.”

  They decided to spend the night there, so they relaxed and yarned all afternoon about their families and the events happening in the outside world.

  After they'd finished eating the wallaby the newcomers skilfully cleaned and began preparations to cook the meat they'd brought with them. That evening, after a long siesta, the meat was ready and shared according to custom for the evening meal.

  McFly was exhausted and fell asleep soon after dinner, he didn't wake until morning. He dreamed of places he'd never seen and people he'd never met. He walked among the stars of the night sky and sat with his tribal friends singing songs by the camp fire in their own tongue. When he woke the sun was up and the boys were preparing to leave.

  “What should I do Wiram?” he asked as he helped pack the camels. “I think I belonged to a tribe around here once. My family died, killed by white settlers.” His voice softened as he remembered.

  “Ask Roo and your Gangardi mates, this is their country and their blood which spoke to you,” replied Wiram as was proper for a visitor to this country.

  Roo was holding the reins of the three camels and tried to explain. “McFly, you was initiated into my people, the Gangardi. That tribe you visit was Gangardi too, and now your family. Your uncle, he's in the dreaming, you dreamed with him, he taught you.” The four aboriginal warriors nodded but didn't speak.