Read Online Conspiracy by Lindsay Buroker - Free Book Online

We’re real good workers,
ma’am, and help for nothing more than a hot meal and a chance to
sleep in one of your sheds.” Or perhaps whatever building was
hiding the machinery they’d felt...
    “ Don’t need no more help,”
the woman responded. “Go away.”
    “ It seems my acting skills
won’t be called upon after all,” Books murmured.
    Amaranthe liked to think she was decent at
negotiating, or, as the men put it, talking people into things, but
it was hard to get a read on someone through a door. If the woman
was already being paid well to look the other way, Amaranthe didn’t
know what she might entice her with. Perhaps simply an appeal to
her humanity?
    “ Please, ma’am, would you
let us talk to you for a moment? We’ve come down out of the
mountains on foot. Our rations are low. If you don’t have work, we
understand, but perhaps you could point us in the direction
of—”
    “ If you ain’t off my porch
in five seconds, I’ll sic the hounds on you.”
    Books scooted down the steps so quickly,
Amaranthe wondered if he had a dog phobia. She followed, though she
hated admitting defeat.
    “ It seems I’ve lost my
touch for talking people into things,” she said as they walked
away.
    “ I don’t know about that.”
Books removed the hat and flicked at the tassels. “You got me to
wear this .”
     
    * * * * *
     
    It didn’t take long for men to come
searching for their missing comrades. Akstyr was standing
guard—actually he was sitting and practicing some of his mental
science exercises—when new footsteps clomped on the roof. He kicked
Maldynado’s boot to wake him up and stop a bout of snoring that had
probably already given away their position. He tossed an empty food
tin at Basilard, clunking him in the chin and waking him instantly.
Akstyr might have woken them more gently, but he wasn’t feeling
accommodating after they stuck him with the watch.
    Overhead, the footsteps ceased. Akstyr
grabbed one of their new rifles. By the early morning light
slanting through gaps in the wooden car walls, he’d figured out
that it was loaded with six rounds.
    Basilard squatted next to him and put a
restraining hand on his arm. Akstyr squinted to read Basilard’s
hand signs in the morning gloom.
    That’ll make too much
noise . The
engineer might hear and halt the train. We need him to make the
weapons delivery, so we can see where they go.
    Akstyr doubted the engineer could hear
anything over the noise of the locomotive, but he shrugged and set
the rifle aside. He had other ways to deal with people.
    The footsteps resumed, and Akstyr tracked
them across the top of their car. It sounded like two men again,
but this pair didn’t try to open the trapdoor. They moved on to the
next car.
    “ What do you boys think?”
Maldynado asked when the footsteps had been gone for a minute.
“Should we try to pick them off on their way back?”
    Perhaps they will give up
and return to their car when they don’t find their comrades, Basilard signed.
    “ They’ll think it’s strange
that their buddies are missing. It’s not like the train has stopped
and people could have strolled away. I think they’ll keep looking.
I’d look for you two if you went missing.”
    “ Yeah,” Akstyr said, “but
you probably like us more than they like each other. We’ve been
through heaps together.”
    “ Easy, boy, don’t get
sentimental on me.”
    Akstyr snorted. He should have kicked
Maldynado harder.
    Maldynado slid the trapdoor open a couple of
inches, and a slash of early-morning light slipped into the car. He
winked. “Let’s see how observant they are on the way back.”
    Basilard signed, Same plan?
    “ What plan is that?” Akstyr
asked. “The one where you two pummel them while they’re looking at
your underwear?”
    “ That’s the one.” Maldynado
scooted into the shadows. “Though it’s too bad Amaranthe’s pack
isn’t here. Her underwear would be a lot more likely to distract
hardworking rural