Sky says, "Mr. Voinovich! Your suggestion is an excellent one! Everyone -- ah! -- do the things you need to do to get ready! Clean and reload your weapons, sharpen your swords, make our your wills, straighten your neckties, and propose to your doll, cause she won't forgives youse guys if you die without popping the question!"
Sky turns to Voinovich, and says, "Okay, any other suggestions for how we get there, quick as possible? Is there any place we can steal an airship nearby? Or win one in a crap game?"
Voinovich was looking at Kaze for some reason, but turns back without a ready reply.
Michael says, "I think stealing an airship is a bad idea. If we are going to have any hope of saving Richter, we need to take them by surprise. We need a way to get there quickly without attracting attention, and, if possible, do some reconnaissance. Saburo, what can you tell us about the security of this school?"
Saburo says, "Structural is security only. A fence, a low wall, many entrances with locks. Plainclothes men with pistols are on the grounds, few in number. It is in the forest far from the city, so police response is limited in duration."
"Most of the force at the school is its students. They are organized by age, not by Power, but some of the older classes have had some training. This is America, so the training is athletic, not military, but they would be able to work as a team. Without their adult advisers, though, they are unlikely to do more than react. Taking the advisers hostage would, in my opinion, neutralize the students. But they are American and may not react normally."
Voinovich says, "We could be there in six hours if we get rolling now."
Sky takes Kaze to one side and says, "Listen you seems to have an enlightenmental aptitude for what's going down, whereas I am a gambler who wears brass knuckles. Whenever youse has gots any idears about what our missing leader would be wanting us to do as a team, you tell me, and don't be shy. Because I aint never lead nobody except a boy scout patrol once, and then the senior patrol leader found out about the gambling ring I was running using merit badges for chips, which gots me thrown out of the scouts. See?
ReplyDelete"St. Louis, Missouri, is a significant nexus for food distribution, primarily beef cattle. The American rail system has the characteristic--in this case a virtue--of somewhat chaotic scheduling. A major road, such as that which would lead to St. Louis and we would therefore travel, must many times encounter such locomotives and their trucks as the lines would logically parallel. Should the opportunity present itself, I would suggest we avail ourselves of this inconspicuous transport--although our clothes..." she glances at the snappy if travel-worn garments "...would ideally be exchanged before boarding."
ReplyDelete"An alternative would be to simply slip aboard an ordinary carrier---but whatever we do, we should certainly 'ditch' this vehicle."