273

You manage to avoid two more patrols before escaping from the mall and meeting up with Cutter at the truck depot. You are both relieved to discover the place empty and unguarded, and quickly you make your way to the stores building. You find the records office, but without electricity you cannot access the computer files to pinpoint the exact location of the spare you need. With mounting fear you realize that in order to find a new steering linkage you will have to search every one of the 1,600 storage bays that occupy the building.

‘We’ll be here forever if we have to search the shelves,’ you whisper.

‘I guess you’re right,’ replies Cutter, ‘but I think I know a quicker way of finding what we need. Follow me.’

Intrigued by Cutter’s reply, you follow him out of the stores building, across a parking lot and into another section of the depot that is marked:

After searching four of the dozen service bays, finally he discovers what he is looking for: a school bus. ‘Cal, you keep y’eyes open while I strip the linkage out o’ this baby. Give me an hour an’ we’ll be on our way.’

Nervously you stand guard at the door to the service bay while Cutter works. All is quiet until, forty minutes later, you see something moving among the vehicles on the far side of the parking lot: it is a drunken clansman. Slowly he staggers nearer, taking alternating gulps from the bottles clutched in either hand. He is about to pass on his way when Cutter drops a spanner. The ringing noise pierces his drunken stupor and prompts him to investigate.

‘Trouble on its way!’ you whisper to Cutter, but your warning is too late. A moment later, the clansman comes lurching through the open door, brandishing his bottles like clubs. He sees you and screams an oath as he gets ready to launch his attack.

Chickamauga: CLOSE COMBAT SKILL 14   ENDURANCE 28

If you win the combat, turn to 249.