GunBarrel Gauntlet: The Last Bronze II

18. Making Tracks.

"Get those vehicles outta sight! Over there!" Tin Lizard pointed at Audrey and the Corolla, then jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the far side of the compound. "Mumbles! What have we got that will match the tread of those tyres?"

"Mh...mh... mh maybe d..d..d.. dhe tow twuck..." A Scabeater with a protruding cancerous tongue answered.

"Get on it, and get out there! I want you to cover up those tracks, take a little detour up round the Mine Hills, then go underground at the main pit before they can find you. Snake! You go with him as gunner."

The congregation around Audrey began to separate as they obeyed the orders from Tin Lizard, the majority climbing back up to the ramparts to defend the Junkyards from the coming threat. Driving out from under the rising teeth of the portcullis, Mumbles and Snake entered the wastelands behind the wheel of Holden 1 Tonner utility truck, carving up the dirt with skidding fish tails to obscure those imprints left by Audrey's passage.

From the South-East rose the thunder of many engines on the warpath, beacon lights in amber, crimson, and blue flashing from the roof displays of those large enough to accommodate such ostentatious fittings. As they grew in perspective over the heat waves of late morning, aerials with pendants of human scalps and dog skulls wobbled vigorously.

The Dog Soldiers circled the Junkyard walls in a display of numbers, rousing the dust as they cut the earth with their tyres. Then, at the signal from their new chief Bullet Tooth, the pack gathered itself before the gate of the compound.

Kissy Devine, an Amazonian raider with a circular saw blade mohawk, delivered a megaphone spout into the hands of Bullet Tooth as he was emerging from their Valiant Charger.

"Scabeaters!" He proclaimed.

"What do you want now?! Delivery ain't for another two days you know!" Tin Lizard shouted down from the battlements.

"We didn't come here for Haitch-two-oh Tin Lizard! We came here today for vengeance!"

Barking savagely in a chorus around the marauder chief, the Dog Soldiers pumped their fists into the air until Bullet Tooth silenced them with a cut throat gesture.

"You're harbouring those whom have slain our brothers and Blue Tattoo! Deliver them to me now, and Hercules will not have to learn of your betrayal to our Thunderlord, Zeus the Lightning!"

"Styx tri-ple six!" The chorus of raiders responded to Bullet Tooth's proclamation.

"What do you mean, vengeance?" Tin Lizard asked. "Who are these slayers?"

"A long hauler truck, a small Toyota, and a man riding a black motorcycle! We know they're in there!" The metallic twang of Bullet Tooth's voice answered.

"Truck? There was a truck that tried to get in here before dawn, we sent them away! Look at the ground you fool! Their tyre marks went north of here! That's the last we saw of them!"

Lowering the megaphone from his face, Bullet Tooth's split lip folded together as he contemplated Tin Lizard's advice, pacing the ground before the Junkyard gates with deliberation until the toe of his boot met the margins of a tread pattern. With a long sweep of his gaze, he scanned the distant plains were the tracks faded from his view.

"North, you say?!" He brought the cone to his lips.

"Yeah, north! Now bugger off and let us be if you don't want any trouble with the haitch-two-oh delivery! Or should I signal Zeus right now and tell him there's gunna be an upset over water?" The compound spokesman answered with defiance.

The two men stared at one another from the uneven heights, their respective crews remaining silent as they waited for a signal, armistice or bloodshed. Finally, Bullet tooth smiled, then laughed, returning to the Valiant war chariot beside the mohawked Amazon.

Swallowing in relief as the engines began to hum and carry the gang away from the settlement, Tin Lizard waited until he was sure they were moving northward in line with the decoy before he left the parapets.

"So it's true; Blue is dead." Tin Lizard spoke as he descended a ladder from the wall. "I'm not sure whether to thank you all or condemn you for the trouble it may stir up from Gaswells."

"Believe me, we had no choice but to run him over." Carrion answered from where she was waiting on the ground.

"I can sympathize with your actions; Blue was never one for negotiation. However, we can't just let you make you repairs and leave us, now that we know you killed him." Wiping his brow with his sleeve, Tin Lizard stood before the trucker. "I think it's time you met with our leader, Uncle Know-it-all."

* * *

A mile away from the events taking place in the Junkyards, Bullet Tooth brought his tribe to a halt, jumping out of the back seat of the Valiant in one motion.

"Cat Hat! Noodles! Come take a look at this..." He called back over his shoulder, crouching over the imprint left by the decoy tyres.

The two raiders stalked closer, shadows crossing the parallel tread marks.

"What do you make of these tracks?" Their new chief asked.

"Nuh-uh, I'd reckon they be too shallow for a truck with armour, axle too narrow." Noodles, the raider with dreadlocks advised.

"One of 'er front wheel was bent and draggin' yesterday, these are dead straight boss. Those Scabeaters are tryin' to fool us." Cat Hat adjusted his namesake head apparel as he offered his opinion.

"Smegma suckin' Scabs! I knew it!" Bullet Tooth rose from his haunches and smiled, the lead fixture in his upper jaw revealed as his broken lip parted like a curtain of flesh. "Cat, I want you to get on your bike and head to Gaswells, tell 'em we got a problem with some Outlanders... and the Junkyards."

"Me boss? Can't someone el..."

"Dooo eeeet! Now!!!" Bullet Tooth cut off his fearful excuses with a growl that offered no compromise.

"Okay, I'm on me way." The raider stepped back from the larger man, swallowing his hesitation at the thought of having to deal with Hercules the Merciless and his subordinates, the Skin Pirates.

"Noodles! You make camp here and watch the Junkyards. Keep a lookout for that truck, The Lion, or anything else they're hidin' from us."

The dreadlocked scout nodded in agreement, turning away to gather his bike and find a hidden position with shade from the blistering sunlight.

"Dog Soldiers!" The Chief shouted at the remaining pack. "Back to the meatworks! We'll guard the East and the South. Double rations for whomever catches The Lion and his mates! Let's go!"