Chapter 10
As the marshall ran he slipped the regular ammunition out of
his pistol and slipped in the rocket assist. He took position,
the van suddenly appeared. He fired twice then leaped aside. The
van did not turn into the street, but shot across it, leaped the
embankment, rushed down the hill, and then became air borne. It
finally stopped when it hit a gas main sticking up out of the
ground. The main had barriers around it, but they were too short.
The main itself was designed to survive the impact of ordinary
cars, not a heavy armored vehicle. As the van bounced back, hit
the ground and slid sideways, a hissing sound began to fill the
air. The marshall cried "Oh s***!" rushed down the
roadway, and down the embankment to the back of the van. He tried
the back doors but they wouldn't open. He then closed his eyes,
held one hand up, then slammed its palms into the door. He tried
the handle again, and this time it opened. The two children lay
right by the door, the straps that had held them to the wall
severed. The marshall scooped them up into his arms, turned and
began to flee.
He had gone some distance when the passenger side door of the van
opened, and a man climbed out holding a rifle. There was a hole
in his chest and blood was oozing out. "Oh no,"
marshall," he moaned, "oh no!" He raised the rifle
and fired. Suddenly there was a loud "whoosh!" and him
and the van were surrounded in fire. The fleeing marshall jerked
and started to fall. As he went down he twisted so he hit the
ground first, then the children landed on top of him.
Passers by, marshalls and rangers, rushed down the embankment,
grabbed the marshall and the children, and got them to safety. In
the meantime Cordell, after a great deal of effort, had managed
to subdue his two opponents. He recovered his weapon and headed
for the stairs. But suddenly a Native American in traditional
garb stepped from behind some cases. "No, Washa!" he
snapped, "Wait a short time. Your great grandfather must
complete his work, THEN you may join him, and ask him the
question in your soul."
"Grandfather," Cordell asked, "why didn't you tell
me?"
"You did not need to know," his grandfather answered.
"It was a secret you didn't have to keep. Now go! Your great
grandfather has finished his business. He is waiting."
Cordell hurried passed his grandfather and up the stairs.
While Cordell was being delayed the oriental woman had emerged
onto the roof. The marshall in trail gear blocked her way.
"I'm taking you into custody, Shakona!" the marshall
snapped.
"Go ahead!" the woman snapped. "What good will it
do you? In a few hours someone from the Japanese consulate will
be here. I am above your law. You cannot hold me!"
The marshall grabbed Shakona's arm. "No one is above the
laws I represent!" he snapped. "And one of the laws I
uphold," the marshall remarked, "is the law of
gravity!"
Cordell emerged onto the roof. "Where's Shakona?" he
asked.
The marshall pointed over the roof. Cordell went to the edge and
looked. An old diesel truck was parked below, its muffler
sticking far above the cab. The ambassador was impaled on the
muffler. Cordell holstered his pistol.
"The pilot is taking a nap," the marshall remarked,
pointing behind him with his thumb.
"You're really my great great grandfather?" Cordell
asked.
The marshall nodded. "And proud I am," he answered,
"that you bear the name Walker! You do it great honor! Go
ahead, ask!"
Cordell looked bewildered, and then spoke. "You can do
this," he remarked, pointing over the roof, "why
couldn't you help William's family, my family? Why did they die
like they died?"
The old marshall frowned. "Sometimes," he answered
"the Darkness, for a short time, overpowers The Light, and
Those that serve The Light can't help those They love. And some
of them must give themselves to kindle the fire in someone to go
out and fight the Darkness, to bring back The Light. This is a
hard truth, yet it is a truth, nonetheless."
He pointed below. "Those that serve the Darkness create the
very power that will eventually destroy them. They are gone
forever. There was no Light in them, only Darkness. Now, what was
them is gone. But William's wife and his children still live. And
your mother and your father still live. And they give each of you
power and the strength to battle the Darkness. Do you understand
my words, grandson?"
Cordell smiled. "Yes," he said "yes, I understand.
It is hard, but I understand."
His grandfather nodded. Trivette suddenly emerged onto the roof.
As he did so the trail clad marshall disappeared.
"What?" Trivette cried, He shook his head.
"Where's...?"
Cordell pointed over the roof. Trivette looked and went "Oh!
William's down. He's been hit. He saved the children. They're
bruised and battered but alive."
"Let's go!" Cordell snapped. "The pilot's going to
need a stretcher.
They hurried back down through the warehouse and out to the
front.
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