Lou turned the man around and jammed the muzzle hard up against his spine, noting with some satisfaction the continued bleeding from the deep gouge he had created.

“Nice going, Doc,” Cap managed. “I’m proud of you.”

“Just be strong.… George?…”

No response.

An idea had begun to take shape.

“Where to?” the guard asked.

“On your face, Dolph. Right here. Dammit, I’m in a very bad mood, and I won’t hesitate to shoot. Now on your face!”

The guard complied.

Lou wrapped the jacket around the pistol and, closing his eyes tightly, shot the padlock twice—once on the bottom and once on the side. The jacket did a lousy job of muffling the sound, and the lock fell in two beside the prostrate gunman. Lou undid the chain and kicked it aside as both George and Cap crumpled to the floor, groaning.

“Cap, can you stand?”

“If my arms don’t fall off. You are a piece of work, Doc. An absolute piece of work. I think now you just been carrying me in the gym.”

“Aw, shucks,” Lou said, helping his friend up while keeping the gun leveled at Dolph. “Okay, Cap. Can you get down from here? Good. Just stand close to the car and keep your eyes out for trouble. Now, Dolph, this guy’s name is George. If he doesn’t make it, you don’t make it. Got that? I said got that?”

“You bit—”

Lou swiped the muzzle hard across the back of the man’s neck. “Up, let’s go.”

Glaring at Lou, Dolph pulled George to the doorway, jumped down, and hoisted the young botanist onto his shoulders as if he were a doll.

Then Lou followed, knelt down, and peered beneath the train. The last of the cars of the black CSX train had picked up speed, and were just rolling off toward the east.

“Almost home, Cap,” he said. “Kneel down and tell me if you think you can make it across.”

“Piece of cake,” Cap said.

“Okay, then, we’re going to slide underneath this car and across the tracks. Dolph, you do exactly as I say, and none of those pretty women out there will have to go looking for another guy. My friend, here, looks like he can handle George, and that makes you expendable.”

“No, you’re the one who’s expendable.”

Lou whirled to the voice.

William Chester was standing beside an empty grain car, shielded by a wall of half a dozen beefy men, each with a gun trained on Lou.

“Drop it, Welcome,” Chester continued, “and get inside this car. We need to have a chat.”

“Let these men go, and I’ll chat all you want,” Lou said.

“You had your chance,” Chester said. “I only give one. Company policy.”

Before Lou could respond, pain exploded from the back of his skull, and his world went dark.

Chapter 52

CHAPTER 52