“You’ll understand when we reach the Shrine,” Paolucci said.
“I can hardly wait,” Blade quipped.
Paolucci looked at the mercenary in the platform seat. “Let’s go.”
El Gato and the pair of mercenaries hastily removed the tie lines to the dock and the airboats were shoved clear. One after the other, the three engines turned over, and a minute later all three were bearing to the south at a rapid clip.
Cat watched the airboats fade into the distance, scowling.
“Is something wrong, sir?” one of his men made bold to inquire.
“There goes a man,” El Gato replied. “He deserves a man’s death.”
“What will the Masters do to him?” the guard asked.
“You don’t want to know.”
“I was told you’ve been to the Shrine,” the guard commented.
“Several times,” Cat said.
“What did you see?”
El Gato glanced at the private. “I haven’t seen the Masters, if that’s what you’re wondering. But I have seen their handiwork. It was inhuman.”
The mercenaries exchanged looks.
“How so?” one asked.
“I was sent to pick up the Director,” El Gato detailed. “He wasn’t at the Shrine dock, so I went searching for him. I found an altar, a marble slab—”
“An altar?” one mercenary repeated.
“Yes. And on it were the bones of a person,” El Gato said in a low tone.
“A freshly eaten person. Strips of flesh were hanging from the bones. It was horrible.” He paused, a faraway glint in his eyes. “But the worst part of it was the head.”
“The head?”
“Si. The Masters had eaten all of the body except for the head. They left it intact.” He stared absently at the dock. “I knew her.”
“Her?”
“A Director by the name of Carmen Gonzales. She went bad, and they ate her,” Cat said in disbelief.
“I’m glad I wasn’t picked to be an airboat driver,” one of the guards remarked.
Cat gazed to the south. He knew the airboats would alter course five minutes from the estate and turn westward toward the Shine. “I never want to go there again,” he stated, more to himself than his men.
“Have I got bad news for you!” declared a new voice from their rear.
El Gato and the pair of mercenaries pivoted, beginning to level their weapons. But they were already covered.
“Howdy!” said the one in buckskins, beaming, a pearl-handled Colt Python revolver in each hand and trained on the mercenaries. He stood a yard away.
“Hickok!” Cat exclaimed.
Beside the gunman was the third Warrior, a diminutive man dressed in dirty black clothing, a gleaming katana in his hands.
“I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced.”
Hickok said to Cat.
“I am El Gato.”
“The pussycat?” Hickok said. His tone lowered. “Drop the hardware.”
El Gato’s M-16 was slung over his right shoulder. He gripped the strap, about to lower the weapon to the dock.
His men had other ideas. In unison, they attempted to bring their machine guns into play. Both men had only to raise their barrels several inches; both had confidence in their speed and ability; both believed they could beat the Warriors.
Both were mistaken.
Rikki stepped between them, his katana flashing in the sunlight, streaking to the right, then the left, and with each swing the forged steel slashed into a mercenary’s neck, almost severing it.
In the time it took Cat to think, both of his men were dead on their feet, blood spraying over their camouflage uniforms and the dock. Stunned, he scarcely breathed as their forms crumpled into disjointed heaps, their machine guns clattering at their feet.
Hickok wagged his Pythons at El Gato. “Your turn. What’s it gonna be? You can lower your M-16, or Rikki here will demonstrate why he always carves the Family turkey at Thanksgiving.”
Cat lowered the M-16 slowly. Very slowly. His eyes were locked on the crimson-covered, dripping katana.
“Well, it’s nice to see that one of you mangy coyotes has brains,” Hickok remarked. He walked up to El Gato and pressed his Pythons against Cat’s stomach. “Here’s the way it is. We saw our pard being taken on one of these funny boats by those cow chips in the red pajamas. We aim to go after him. You are going to take us.”
Cat opened his mouth to reply.
“Before you say anything,” Hickok cut him off, “there’s something you should know. Rikki and I are plumb tuckered out. We’re tired of being used for target practice by idiots who couldn’t hit a buffalo at two feet with a bazooka. And I’m not in the mood to play footsy with you. So if you don’t agree, right this minute, to take us to our pard, I aim to plug you in the jewels. And if you think I’m kiddin’, I suggest you take a gander at my eyes.”
El Gato gazed at the gunman.
“What will it be?” Hickok prompted.
“I believe you, hombre,” Cat said. “I will take you to your compadre.”
Hickok smiled.
“On one condition,” Cat added.
“No conditions,” Hickok stated.
“I will take you to Blade,” Cat proposed, “if you will permit me to help you once we reach the Shrine.”
Hickok was confused and it showed. “What are you talkin’ about?”
“It is simple. I want to help free your friend.”
“Why?” Hickok asked suspiciously.
“I don’t know if I could make you understand.”
“Try us.”
El Gato looked at both Warriors, then sighed. “Once, years ago, I was a man of reputation. A mercenary, but an honorable mercenary. I did not work for just any pig. I picked my employers. If I believed in their cause, I worked for them. If not, I didn’t.” His lips compressed. “Now all that has changed.”
“You’re tellin’ me,” Hickok said. “Now you’re workin’ for a passel of low-down mutants.”
“Don’t remind me,” El Gato responded, the words barely audible. “I kept telling myself the money was worth it. Even after I saw what the Masters did to one of their Dealers, I deluded myself. I’ve dishonored my profession.” He looked into Hickok’s eyes. “Your friend made me see the light. He made me think of things I have not thought about in a long, long time.”
“Like what?”
“I have five brothers and four sisters,” El Gato disclosed, his voice strained.
Hickok glanced at Rikki.
The martial artist nodded.
“Okay, pussycat,” Hickok said. “We’ll take you at your word for now.
But you don’t get a gun until I say so. And I hope, for your sake, you’re not fibbin’ us.”
“He is telling the truth,” Rikki interjected.
“We must hurry,” Cat advised them. “The Directors have a head start.”
“After you,” Hickok directed.
El Gato stepped onto one of the airboats and climbed into the platform chair. “Remove the line.”
Hickok holstered his left Colt and unfastened the tie line. Rikki was busy grabbing the machine guns and the M-16. Both Warriors joined El Gato on the boat.
The gunman glanced over the prow. “This boat is dinkier than I expected. It doesn’t sit very high above the water.”
“So?” Cat said.
“So what happens if we bump into a big snake?”
Chapter Nineteen
“That’s the Shrine?” Blade inquired doubtfully.
“No,” Paolucci answered. “That’s a small island where we dock the airboats.”
Blade scrutinized the few trees dotting the island and the narrow boat dock they were rapidly approaching. The airboat ride was an experience he would never forget. Strung out in a line, with Paolucci’s boat in the lead, the three craft had negotiated the swampy terrain with deceptive ease. Most of the hour spent in transit between Happy Acres and the Shrine had entailed crossing vast plains of sawgrass. The airboats had plowed through the grass at terrific speeds, flattening the blades under the prow, the sawgrass and the wind whipping the boat and its occupants.