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14 <title>Slaughter Mountain Run</title>
15 <creator class="author" sort-name="Dever, Joe">Joe Dever</creator>
16 <creator class="illustrator" sort-name="Williams, Brian">Brian Williams</creator>
17 <creator class="short">Joe Dever</creator>
18 <creator class="medium">
19 <line>Joe Dever</line>
20 <line>Illustrated by Brian Williams</line>
22 <creator class="long">
23 &inclusion.joe.dever.bio.fw;
24 &inclusion.brian.williams.bio.fw;
26 <publisher>Project Aon</publisher>
27 <date class="publication"><year>2015</year><month>4</month><day>14</day></date>
28 <description class="blurb">
29 <p>You are Cal Phoenix, the Freeway Warrior, champion and protector of Dallas Colony One. From the sanctuary of Big Spring your convoy of survivors begins the next stage of its life-or-death exodus: a journey to the fortified border town of El Paso, a destination that lies hundreds of miles beyond the sun-scorched wasteland of West Texas. In <strong><cite>Slaughter Mountain Run</cite></strong>, your mission is to rescue Kate Norton from the clutches of your arch enemy<ch.emdash/>the HAVOC leader Mad Dog Michigan. You have just seven days to free her and to rendezvous with the colony before it runs the gauntlet of fire that protects the only mountain road to El Paso.</p>
31 <description class="publication">
32 <p>Internet Edition published by <a href="&link.project.website;">Project Aon</a>. This edition is intended to reflect the complete text of the original version. Where we have made minor corrections, they will be noted in the <a idref="errata">Errata</a>.</p>
34 <rights class="copyrights">
35 <line>Text copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Joe Dever.</line>
36 <line>Illustrations copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Brian Williams.</line>
38 <rights class="license-notification">
40 <line>Text copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Joe Dever.</line>
41 <line>Illustrations copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Brian Williams.</line>
42 <line>Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the <a idref="license">Project Aon License</a>.</line>
54 <title>Title Page</title>
55 <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
60 <section class="frontmatter" id="dedicate">
62 <title>Dedication</title>
63 <link class="prev" idref="title" />
64 <link class="next" idref="acknwldg" />
68 <p class="dedication">For Mick, Michelle, and Ryan</p>
72 <section class="frontmatter" id="acknwldg">
74 <title>Acknowledgements</title>
75 <link class="prev" idref="dedicate" />
76 <link class="next" idref="dtd" />
81 &inclusion.joe.dever.endowment;
83 <section class="frontmatter" id="credits">
84 <meta><title>Credits</title></meta>
88 <dt>Transcription</dt>
89 <dd>Mohamed Sha<ch.apos/>Aidil</dd>
90 <dt>Illustration Transcription</dt>
91 <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
94 <line>Jonathan Blake</line>
95 <line>Iain Smith</line>
99 <line>Mohamed Sha<ch.apos/>Aidil</line>
100 <line>Iain Smith</line>
104 <line>Benjamin Krefetz</line>
105 <line>Neil McGrory</line>
106 <line>LeRoy McSwain</line>
107 <line>Simon Osborne</line>
108 <line>Timothy Pederick</line>
109 <line>Iain Smith</line>
111 <!-- <dt>PDF Layout</dt>
113 <dt>Coordination</dt>
114 <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
115 <dt>Special Thanks</dt>
116 <dd>Jeff Dougan, James Durrant</dd>
123 <section class="frontmatter" id="dtd">
125 <title>Dateline to Disaster</title>
126 <link class="prev" idref="acknwldg" />
127 <link class="next" idref="tssf" />
131 <p><line><strong>1990<ch.endash/>1998</strong></line>
132 <line>Rise of global terrorism on an unprecedented scale. Political violence funded by organized crime syndicate called HAVOC<ch.emdash/>The Hijack, Assassination, and Violent Opposition Consortium.</line></p>
133 <p><line><strong>1998<ch.endash/>2003</strong></line>
134 <line>The governments of many small and impoverished nations fall into the hands of HAVOC. International terrorists receive arms, training, and shelter in these <quote>Badlands</quote>.</line></p>
135 <p><line><strong>2003<ch.endash/>2008</strong></line>
136 <line>Raids on oil and gas installations, assassinations, and the kidnapping of prominent world statesmen become commonplace as HAVOC attempts to terrorize the civilized world into submission. Despite public outrage and growing international tension, the major powers steadfastly refuse to give in to HAVOC<ch.apos/>s demands.</line></p>
137 <p><line><strong>2008</strong></line>
138 <line>President of the United States and General Secretary of Supreme Soviet both assassinated at emergency summit meeting. US, USSR, and major European nations create the World Defence League and declare war on HAVOC. The Badlands are invaded, key HAVOC bases destroyed, and thousands of HAVOC agents are captured.</line></p>
139 <p><line><strong>2009</strong></line>
140 <line>HAVOC leaders imprisoned for life in <quote>Deep Pens</quote><ch.emdash/>maximum security gaols located deep underground<ch.emdash/>to prevent their escape or release by HAVOC agents still at large.</line></p>
141 <p><line><strong>2010</strong></line>
142 <line>New leadership emerges to unify the scattered remnants of HAVOC and plan revenge.</line></p>
143 <p><line><strong>2011</strong></line>
144 <line>A WDL train transporting seventeen 100-kiloton nuclear warheads, slated to be neutralized and dismantled, is attacked by HAVOC agents. The train is destroyed and its deadly cargo stolen.</line></p>
145 <p><line><strong>2012 New Year<ch.apos/>s Day</strong></line>
146 <line>HAVOC hijacks a WDL news satellite and broadcasts a chilling ultimatum. They have planted the seventeen stolen warheads in major cities throughout the US, USSR, and Europe. They call for the immediate release of all HAVOC agents held in Deep Pens, plus the payment of $2 trillion in gold bullion, or they will trigger the warheads one by one until their demands are met in full. A twenty-four hour deadline is set. WDL leaders declare an emergency and request that the deadline be extended. HAVOC refuses.</line></p>
147 <p><line><strong>2nd January</strong></line>
148 <line>First warhead detonated at Brie Nuclear Energy Plant, ten miles south of Paris, France. Blast and radioactive fallout claim millions of lives. HAVOC repeats its demand and extends deadline by twenty-four hours.</line></p>
149 <p><line><strong>3rd January <quote>The Day</quote></strong></line>
150 <line>World Defence League agents discover location of HAVOC command headquarters on an island in the South Pacific Ocean. Immediately orders are given to infiltrate and destroy the HQ and its occupants. The assault is swift and decisive; the complex is quickly overrun and its inhabitants are killed. Yet, ironically, as the news of this victory is being relayed around the world, HAVOC enacts its ultimate revenge. A transmitter hidden on the island, fitted with a time-delay mechanism, clicks on, sending its high-frequency radio signal to a communications satellite orbiting the earth. This signal is amplified and returned to earth where, simultaneously, it triggers the remaining nuclear warheads. The initial explosions set off a disastrous chain reaction that feeds on civil and military nuclear installations all across the northern hemisphere. Hundreds of millions of people are killed within days, and many more perish during the years that follow, falling victim to the lingering radioactivity and the severe climatic changes that affect the earth.</line></p>
151 <p><line><strong>2012<ch.endash/>2019</strong></line>
152 <line>Gale force winds sweep across the world, carrying enormous amounts of dust into the upper atmosphere and preventing much sunlight from reaching the earth<ch.apos/>s surface. Temperatures plummet, deterring survivors from remaining above ground. Communications are disrupted by gamma radiation, making all radio, cable, and satellite contact impossible. Small colonies of survivors develop in total isolation from one another during these years of darkness.</line></p>
153 <p><line><strong>2019<ch.endash/>2020</strong></line>
154 <line>Gradually, the dust storms die down and the sun penetrates the atmosphere, thawing the earth<ch.apos/>s frozen surface. Radiation has decayed to tolerable levels, and survivors emerge to reclaim what little remains of the world they once knew.</line></p>
158 <section class="frontmatter" id="tssf">
160 <title>The Story So Far</title>
161 <link class="prev" idref="dtd" />
162 <link class="next" idref="gamerulz" />
166 <p>You are Cal Phoenix, a survivor, born in California on Thanksgiving Day in the year AD 2000. In 2012, whilst on winter vacation at your Uncle Jonas<ch.apos/> and Aunt Betty-Ann<ch.apos/>s ranch in Texas, you were invited to visit a shale-oil mine near Austin, the first of its kind in Texas. As Chief of Construction, your uncle was proud to take you on a guided tour of the whole underground complex, which, for security reasons, was totally self-supporting. It was during this tour on 3 January 2012 that the unthinkable happened.</p>
167 <p>You remember how the ground shuddered when the shock waves from the first distant explosions reached the mine. Immediately you assumed it was the start of an earthquake, which you had experienced many times at home in California. However, as the levels nearest the surface began to collapse and the central elevator shaft filled with rubble, you realized the awful truth: the holocaust. At first there was no way of telling the extent of the surface devastation. Below ground, the safety generators had switched into operation automatically when the main power supply failed, and the tremors had faded quickly, which encouraged your aunt and uncle to believe that the damage above was superficial. Uncle Jonas was confident that the military would mount a rescue operation and that you would be brought out within a few days, a week at the most. Aunt Betty-Ann, too, was optimistic. After all, there were emergency supplies<ch.emdash/>enough to feed 200 men for a whole month. Little did she know that the three of you would end up consuming all those supplies, or that the mine would become your home, your shelter, and your prison for the next eight years of your lives.</p>
168 <p>It was early September in the year 2019 when eventually you broke through to the surface. When first you set eyes on the landscape surrounding the mine, it was like looking at the surface of another planet. Few structures had survived the blizzards and intense cold that had swept around the world in the years following <quote>The Day</quote>, and now, after the dust had settled and the sun had returned, the once-fertile plains of Austin resembled little more than a desert of parched and broken rock, littered with the artefacts of an absent civilization.</p>
169 <p>During the first few days, when you set out to explore this wilderness, it was easy to believe that you were the only survivors. But on the morning of the fifth day Uncle Jonas made chance radio contact with a family called Ewell who were living near the ruins of McKinney, thirty miles north of Dallas. They told him that they had been in touch with a handful of other groups who had managed somehow to survive the holocaust. Most were isolated and unable to move due to lack of fuel, food, or water. They had urged those who could travel to join them in McKinney to start a new community there, and some people were already on their way. When your uncle and aunt accepted their invitation, the Ewells were enthusiastic, but they also warned you to be wary<ch.emdash/>not everyone who had survived wanted to establish a new community. The ruins of some large Texan cities, such as Dallas and Fort Worth, were controlled by gangs of criminals who fought with each other and terrorized anyone seeking to reestablish law and order. They urged you to avoid these gangs at all costs.</p>
170 <p>It took more than a week to discover a vehicle that could transport you to McKinney. It was an old school bus, one that had been parked in an underground lot and had survived the years of sub-zero blizzards. With fuel and spares salvaged from the mine, you managed to coax it back to life, and then set off on your journey north.</p>
171 <p>When you arrived at the town, it was easy to find where the Ewells lived<ch.emdash/>their ranch was the only place that was still standing. It looked more like an old frontier post than a ranch, with its fortified perimeter wall, lookout posts, and stake-filled moat. However, after being ambushed and shot at by the city gangs of Fort Worth during the final stages of your journey, you fully appreciated the need for these defences.</p>
172 <p><quote>Pop</quote> Ewell, the seventy-year-old grandfather of the Ewell family, was the leader of this small colony of survivors, and it was he who had urged Uncle Jonas to join them when they had first made radio contact. The colony numbered less than a dozen at the time of your arrival, yet, as the airwaves became clearer and new contacts were made, soon this number had more than doubled to twenty-five. It was decided that a name was needed to identify the settlement. The name <quote>Dallas Colony One</quote> was adopted, known as <quote>DC1</quote> for short. From that day on, everyone worked hard to make DC1 a secure haven for those seeking refuge from the hostile wastelands and marauding city gangs.</p>
173 <p><quote>Cutter</quote> Jacks was one such refugee. Before <quote>The Day</quote> he had been chief mechanic at the International Grand Prix Circuit near Lake Dallas, and his incredible skill with, and knowledge of, engines was soon to prove invaluable to the colony. He taught you how to drive, and from a pile of old wrecks that you helped him salvage from the circuit, he built you a powerful, customized car. You used it to patrol the highways north of the city, keeping a lookout for gangs of city punks who frequently mounted raids to steal or destroy DC1<ch.apos/>s supplies. Cutter also taught you to shoot. It was your natural prowess with a gun, and your skill behind the wheel, that was to earn you the begrudging respect of your enemies, who took to calling you the <quote>Freeway Warrior</quote>.</p>
175 <illustration class="inline">
177 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
179 <instance class="html" src="small3.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
180 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
181 <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
184 <p>Six months after you arrived at DC1, the colony was faced with a major crisis. A heat wave was causing a drought that threatened to destroy the food supply. Crops were failing and the colony<ch.apos/>s artesian well, its only source of uncontaminated water, was beginning to dry up. The drought was also provoking more attacks from the city punks, who were desperate for food and water. Their common need had united them and now they posed a very real threat to the security of DC1.</p>
185 <p>It was the last day of May 2020, when Pop Ewell made radio contact with another colony who were based in the city of Big Spring, 300 miles west of McKinney. Their situation was completely the reverse of DC1<ch.apos/>s: they had food and water in plentiful supply but they were desperately short of fuel. They told of their contact with survivors in Tucson, Arizona, who were also without fuel. The Tucson colony reported that the territories west of the mountains of the Sierra Nevada had been spared the worst effects of the radioactive blizzards that had devastated the rest of the country and, miraculously, much of southern California was still widely populated. In fact, it had survived the last eight years virtually intact. When you heard the news you could hardly believe your ears. Perhaps your family was still alive. After all that had happened, there was now a real hope that one day you might be reunited with them.</p>
186 <p>A meeting was held to decide how best to deal with the crisis facing DC1. Everyone agreed that to stay at McKinney would lead eventually to death, either slowly from starvation or suddenly at the hands of the murderous city gangs. The only choice open to DC1 was to try to reach California; only there lay real hope for the future of the colony. The decision was relayed to the survivors at Big Spring and a deal was struck to rendezvous with them as soon as possible. DC1 would refuel them in exchange for food and water, and together they would join up with the Tucson colony for the final stage of the journey to California.</p>
187 <p>Careful preparations were made for the long trek, and three vehicles were chosen to make up the convoy: the school bus, your customized roadster, and a gasolene tanker laden with 5000 gallons of petroleum siphoned from underground storage tanks at the Ewell ranch. Supplies of food and water were adequate but the colony lacked sufficient firearms and ammunition with which to defend itself. So, on the day before the convoy was due to leave, one of the colonists was sent north to search the town of Sherman for weapons. He radioed back to say that he had found a cache of hunting rifles and ammunition, but that his truck had broken down and he was stranded in the town. He had also found a survivor<ch.emdash/>a beautiful teenage girl<ch.emdash/>and he requested that you be sent to Sherman to pick them up. As soon as you arrived you were ambushed by the scouts of a brutal gang of bikers known as the Detroit Lions and, in the ensuing gun battle, you killed Stinger<ch.emdash/>the scouts<ch.apos/> leader.</p>
188 <p>Later, you learned that the girl, Kate Norton, was the sole survivor of a Kansas City colony, which had been attacked and wiped out by the Detroit Lions. The Lions<ch.apos/> leader, who calls himself <quote>Mad Dog Michigan</quote>, had taken a liking to her and spared her life. Mad Dog had once been a high-ranking HAVOC agent. He had escaped from Pontiac Deep Pen near Detroit, and he and his gang, most of whom were also HAVOC escapees, were heading for the Fort Hood Military Reserve near Killeen, Texas, the largest armoury in the whole of the United States. There he hoped to find enough weapons to equip the other HAVOC clans who were now in control of cities all along the eastern seaboard. Kate had managed to steal a motorcycle and escape from their camp, but Mad Dog had been determined to get her back. He sent his brother<ch.emdash/>Stinger<ch.emdash/>and a handful of his best scouts to track her down. They had finally caught up with her at Sherman.</p>
189 <p>When Mad Dog learned that you had killed his brother, he vowed to get even with you at any price. He abandoned his plans to loot Fort Hood and embarked instead on a relentless pursuit of your colony as it crossed the sun-scorched wastelands of central Texas. The journey to Big Spring was fraught with great danger. Yet, in spite of the many perils you faced, or perhaps because of them, you felt yourself falling in love with Kate and you sensed that she, too, was becoming increasingly fond of you.</p>
190 <p>Sadly, the convoy was only a few miles from Big Spring when disaster struck. The land surrounding the settlement was controlled by a gang of bikers, a renegade clan called the <quote>Mavericks</quote> who had been the bane of the Big Spring colony for many months. As the convoy drew nearer to its destination, the Mavericks launched an attack, and, in the running battle that ensued, they captured and abducted Kate. The convoy entered the fortified gates of Big Spring to a rapturous welcome from the colonists of that settlement, but for you the mood of celebration was soured by the vivid memory of Kate<ch.apos/>s abduction. You vowed to rescue her, and, from that moment on, every waking minute of every day at Big Spring was spent thinking about little else.</p>
191 <p>By chance it transpired that the leader of the Mavericks, a blond-haired murderer called Amex Gold, was a former HAVOC agent who had served under Mad Dog Michigan before <quote>The Day</quote>. He offered to join forces with the Lions, and, as a token of his loyalty to his former commander, he returned Kate to him. Together, the Lions and the Mavericks launched a hasty attack on Big Spring. However, although they outnumbered the colony by more than three to one, they were unable to breach the settlement<ch.apos/>s fortified perimeter wall, and were repelled with heavy losses.</p>
192 <p>On the day after the attack, Pop Ewell discovered the radio frequency that the clansmen were using and was able to eavesdrop on their communications. He learned that Mad Dog had ordered another HAVOC clan, based in New Orleans, to come and reinforce his command; they were expected to arrive within the week. He also overheard Mad Dog arrange a meeting with Mekong Mike, the leader of the Angelinos, a gang that controlled the city of San Angelo. He wanted him as an ally and was prepared to offer guns and ammunition in return for his help in destroying the Big Spring colony.</p>
193 <p>Two days later, Mad Dog Michigan set off for San Angelo at the head of a motorcycle pack 200 riders strong. Those few clansmen who remained with Amex Gold tried myriad tricks to convince the colony that the Mavericks and the Lions still surrounded Big Spring in strength, but to no avail. The senior members of the newly-enlarged colony convened a meeting at which it was decided that, with the clansmen now at their weakest, and with the appearance of the New Orleans gang expected at any time, a breakout had to be attempted without delay.</p>
194 <p>There is only one way for the colony to reach Tucson overland and that is to follow the remains of Interstate Freeway 10 through the arid, mountainous territory of western Texas. Precisely halfway between Big Spring and Tucson is situated the city of El Paso, which is chosen as the colony<ch.apos/>s first destination. The city lies at the end of a long, steep, and tortuous stretch of mountain highway, and few doubt that the journey to El Paso will prove the most exacting test of strength and endurance any of you are ever likely to face during your long journey to California.</p>
199 <section class="frontmatter" id="gamerulz">
201 <title>The Game Rules</title>
202 <link class="prev" idref="tssf" />
203 <link class="next" idref="sskills" />
207 <p>Before embarking on your adventure, you must first determine your personal characteristics and the weapons and provisions with which you are equipped. An <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> has been supplied on which to record and amend these details as the adventure unfolds.</p>
208 <p>Your personal characteristics comprise two basic attributes: <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>. To discover your initial <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, take a pencil and, with your eyes closed, point the blunt end of it onto the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. If you pick a 0 it counts as zero. Add 10 to the number you have picked and write the total in the <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 5 in the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, you have a <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> total of 15). When you fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat, your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> will be measured against that of your enemy, so a high score in this section is desirable.</p>
209 <p>To discover your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> level, repeat the process, but this time add 20 to the number you have picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>. Write the total in the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> (for example, if your pencil falls on the number 8 on the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, you have a total <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score of 28). If you are wounded in combat, or injured at any other time during your adventure, you will lose <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. If, at any time, your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points total falls to zero or below, you are dead and the adventure is over. You can regain lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points during the course of the adventure, but your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> level can never rise above your initial score.</p>
211 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="sskills">
213 <title>Survival Skills</title>
214 <link class="prev" idref="gamerulz" />
215 <link class="next" idref="equipmnt" />
220 <p>Ever since the day you returned to the surface, you have endeavoured to develop your skills and natural instincts fully in order to best defend yourself and your colony.</p>
221 <p>Listed on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> are your five basic Survival Skills:</p>
223 <section class="frontmatter" id="driving">
224 <meta><title>Driving</title></meta>
227 <p>Your ability to control powered vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, and trucks.</p>
231 <section class="frontmatter" id="shooting">
232 <meta><title>Shooting</title></meta>
235 <p>Your familiarity and experience in the use of missile weapons, such as pistols, machine pistols, shotguns, and rifles.</p>
239 <section class="frontmatter" id="fldcraft">
240 <meta><title>Field craft</title></meta>
243 <p>Your knowledge and experience of all aspects of outdoor survival.</p>
247 <section class="frontmatter" id="stealth">
248 <meta><title>Stealth</title></meta>
251 <p>Your physical fitness, the speed of your reflexes, and your dexterity.</p>
255 <section class="frontmatter" id="perceptn">
256 <meta><title>Perception</title></meta>
259 <p>Your intelligence, your ability to evaluate information, your education, and your mental alertness.</p>
263 <p>Your ability in each of these five individual skills is measured in skill points. You begin with 3 points per skill. Before starting the adventure, you may allocate an additional 4 skill points to your list of five Survival Skills. These 4 extra points can be used to improve one or more of your five skills. During your adventure, all five skills will be severely tested; therefore the higher the individual skill level, the better your chances of survival. You may allocate your 4 additional points entirely how you like.</p>
264 <p>When you have decided where to allocate your 4 additional skill points, make a note of the totals in the Survival Skills section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
265 <p>(If this is your first <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> adventure, your total number of skill points should be 19: five skills x 3 points each = 15, plus 4 additional skill points = 19 points.)</p>
266 <p>If you complete successfully the mission set in Book 2 of the <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> series, you may add an additional 4 points to your Survival Skills in Book 3. These additional points, together with any equipment and provisions that you possess at the end of Book 2, may then be used in the next <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> adventure, which is called <bookref series="fw" book="03toz"><cite>The Omega Zone</cite></bookref>.</p>
270 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="equipmnt">
272 <title>Equipment</title>
273 <link class="prev" idref="sskills" />
274 <link class="next" idref="weapons" />
278 <footnote id="equipmnt-1-foot" idref="equipmnt-1">
279 <p>If you have already completed the previous <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> adventure in <bookref series="fw" book="01hh"><cite>Highway Holocaust</cite></bookref>, it is unclear whether you may replenish your supplies before starting this adventure or whether you can only carry over the supplies you carried at the end of the previous adventure. It seems reasonable that you would be able to restock your supplies while in Big Spring before setting off for El Paso.</p>
284 <p>Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items form your basic equipment. This comprises a Backpack and a belt on which hang your Ammo Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen, and Hunting Knife. In addition to these items, you possess a <a idref="map">Map of Western Texas</a>, which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.<footref id="equipmnt-1" idref="equipmnt-1-foot"/></p>
286 <section class="frontmatter" id="backpack">
287 <meta><title>Backpack</title></meta>
289 <p>Up to ten separate items may be stored and carried in your Backpack at any time. However, if more than three items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 1 point. If more than six items are carried, your Stealth level will be reduced by 2 points; and if you carry a full Backpack (containing ten items), your Stealth level will be reduced by 3 points.</p>
290 <p>In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may choose up to four items from the following list:</p>
292 <li><typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ></li>
293 <li><typ class="item">HE (High Explosive) Grenade</typ></li>
294 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
295 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
296 <li><typ class="item">CB Radio</typ></li>
297 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
298 <li><typ class="item">3 Meals</typ> (each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack)</li>
299 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
300 <li><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ></li>
302 <p>List the items you have chosen on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. If you have picked four items, adjust your current Stealth level accordingly.</p>
303 <p>Opportunities may arise during your adventure for you to pick up useful items. These items will appear in the text in bold print and, unless you are instructed otherwise, they can be stored and carried in your Backpack.</p>
304 <p>You will need to eat regularly. If you do not possess any food when you are instructed to eat a Meal, you will lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
308 <section class="frontmatter" id="ammpouch">
309 <meta><title>Ammo Pouch</title></meta>
311 <p>Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of the following:</p>
313 <line>40 rounds of 9mm calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol ammunition</line>
315 <line>20 rounds of 7.62mm calibre Rifle ammunition</line>
317 <line>10 rounds of 12-gauge calibre Shotgun ammunition</line>
319 <p>When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use this equation to check how much space you have left in your Ammo Pouch:</p>
320 <p>4 x 9mm rounds = 2 x 7.62 rounds = 1 x 12 gauge round</p>
321 <p>Additional ammunition can be carried in your Backpack. Ammunition occupies one space for each quantity that is equal to (or less than) the maximum that can be carried in one Ammo Pouch.</p>
325 <section class="frontmatter" id="medikit">
326 <meta><title>Medi-kit</title></meta>
328 <p>A well-stocked Medi-kit can make all the difference to your chances of survival should you suffer injury in the field or as a result of combat. It contains useful first aid supplies, such as dressings, antiseptics, antibiotics, water purification tablets, sulfonamides, pain killers, potassium iodide tablets (to delay absorption of radioactivity), and sutures.</p>
329 <p>For convenience, these medical supplies are grouped into units. To find how many units you have in your Medi-kit, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (0 equals 10) and add 2. Your total score equals the number of units with which you begin your adventure. To keep a record of them, circle the appropriate number of unit symbols in the Medi-kit section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. The maximum number of units you can carry in your Medi-kit is twelve.</p>
330 <p>You may use your Medi-kit units to restore lost <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points; each unit used in this way restores 3 points. Units cannot be used to restore <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in lieu of a Meal or Water when instructed to eat or drink.</p>
334 <section class="frontmatter" id="canteen">
335 <meta><title>Water Canteen</title></meta>
337 <p>Water is essential to life, and your life will depend on having a sufficient, uncontaminated supply. You will need to drink regularly during your adventure. One drink is equivalent to half a pint and your canteen holds exactly two pints of water: enough for one day<ch.apos/>s needs. When instructed to drink, be sure to tick off one box in the Water section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
338 <p>If you do not have any Water when instructed to drink, you must lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
345 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="weapons">
347 <title>Weapons</title>
348 <link class="prev" idref="equipmnt" />
349 <link class="next" idref="cmbtrulz" />
353 <footnote id="weapons-1-foot" idref="weapons-1">
354 <p>It is reasonably clear that the Machine Pistol should not be used if you have fewer than 6 rounds of 9mm ammunition.</p>
355 <p>For some readers, however, it may seem counterintuitive to have ammunition left but be unable to use the weapon. We suggest to these readers that when 9mm ammunition falls below 6 rounds, the Machine Pistol can be treated as a Pistol (cf. <a idref="sect333">Section 333</a>). While this is not a perfect solution, it is a reasonable compromise.</p>
361 <section class="frontmatter" id="close">
362 <meta><title>Close Combat Weapons</title></meta>
364 <p>These weapons aid you in hand-to-hand fighting. You begin your adventure armed with a Hunting Knife which, when used in close combat, adds 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>. Note this Hunting Knife in the Close Combat Weapons section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
365 <p>If you find a close combat weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it. Close combat weapons will appear in the text with a close combat skill number, for example, Machete (3). This number indicates how many points this weapon will add to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> when used in a hand-to-hand fight.</p>
366 <p>The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is <em>two</em>, though you may only wield one at any time.</p>
371 <section class="frontmatter" id="missile">
372 <meta><title>Missile Weapons</title></meta>
374 <p>There are four types of missile weapon:</p>
377 <li>Machine Pistol</li>
381 <p>Unless you are continuing to use weapons from a previous <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> book, you begin your adventure armed with only one of these weapons. Make your choice and then record the weapon you have chosen, together with its calibre and rate of fire details, in the Missile Weapons section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
382 <p>In order to be able to use a missile weapon, you must have sufficient ammunition of the correct calibre. The following list shows the calibre of each weapon, the amount that is used every time the weapon is fired, and the number of rounds that you possess at the start of your adventure:</p>
385 <tr><th></th><th>Calibre</th><th>Rate of Fire</th><th>Initial No. of Rounds</th></tr>
386 <tr><td>Pistol</td><td>9mm</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">8</td></tr>
387 <tr><td>Machine Pistol</td><td>9mm</td><td align="center">6<footref id="weapons-1" idref="weapons-1-foot"/></td><td align="center">30</td></tr>
388 <tr><td>Shotgun</td><td>12-gauge</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">4</td></tr>
389 <tr><td>Rifle</td><td>7.62mm</td><td align="center">1</td><td align="center">4</td></tr>
392 <p>The initial number of rounds should be noted in the Ammo Pouch section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. Missile weapons cannot be used if you run out of ammunition or possess only rounds of the wrong calibre. However, the opportunity may arise for you to replenish your supply of ammunition and/or discover a weapon of the correct calibre.</p>
393 <p>You may carry a maximum of three missile weapons. However, for every missile weapon that you carry (excluding your initial choice), you must reduce your Stealth level by 1 point.</p>
402 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
404 <title>Rules for Close Combat</title>
405 <link class="prev" idref="weapons" />
406 <link class="next" idref="sect1" />
410 <p>There will be occasions when you will have to fight an enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The enemy<ch.apos/>s <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> and <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> level will both be given in the text. Your aim in close combat is to kill the enemy by reducing his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to zero or below while losing as few of your own <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points as possible.</p>
411 <p>At the start of a close combat, enter both your own and your enemy<ch.apos/>s <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in the appropriate boxes on the Close Combat Record section of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. The sequence for close combat is as follows:</p>
412 <ol class="paragraphed">
413 <li><p>Add any extra points gained through the use of close combat weapons to your current <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> total.</p></li>
415 <p>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> of your enemy from this total. The result is your Combat Ratio. Enter it on the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
418 <line>Cal Phoenix (<typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> 17) is attacked by a Renegade Clansman (<typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> 18). He is not given the opportunity to evade close combat, but must stand and fight his adversary. Cal Phoenix is armed with a Hunting Knife, so he adds 2 points to his <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, giving a total <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> of 19.</line>
420 <p>He subtracts the Renegade Clansman<ch.apos/>s <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> from his own, giving a Combat Ratio of <ch.plus/>1 (19 <ch.minus/> 18 = <ch.plus/>1). He notes this <ch.plus/>1 on his <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as the Combat Ratio.</p>
422 <li><p>After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p></li>
424 <p>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Close Combat Results Table</a>. Along the top of the chart are the Combat Ratio numbers. Find the number that is the same as your Combat Ratio and cross-reference it with the number that you have picked (the random numbers appear down the side of the chart). You now have the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by both Cal Phoenix and his enemy in this round of close combat. (E represents points lost by the enemy; CP represents points lost by Cal Phoenix.)</p>
427 <line>The Combat Ratio between Cal Phoenix and the Renegade Clansman has been established as <ch.plus/>1. If the number picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> is a 4, then the result of the first round of close combat is:</line>
430 <li>Cal Phoenix loses 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
431 <li>Renegade Clansman loses 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
434 <li><p>On the <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, mark the changes in <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points to the participants in the close combat.</p></li>
435 <li><p>Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, start the next round of close combat.</p></li>
436 <li><p>Repeat the sequence from stage 3.</p></li>
438 <p>This procedure continues until the <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points of either the enemy or Cal Phoenix are reduced to zero or below, at which point that combatant is declared dead. If Cal Phoenix is dead, the adventure is over. If the enemy is dead, Cal Phoenix proceeds but with his <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points possibly reduced.</p>
439 <p>A <a idref="crsumary">Summary of the Close Combat Rules</a> appears on the page after the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
441 <section class="frontmatter" id="evasion">
442 <meta><title>Evasion of Combat</title></meta>
444 <p>During your adventure you may be given the chance to evade close combat. If you have already engaged in a round of close combat and decide to evade, calculate the combat for that round in the usual manner. All <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points lost by the enemy as a result of that round are ignored; only Cal Phoenix may lose <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points during that round, but that is the risk of running away! You may evade combat only if the text of the particular section allows you to do so.</p>
454 <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
455 <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
460 <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
461 <meta><title>1</title></meta>
464 <p>Throughout a long and moonless night, the colony loads up and manhandles into line the vehicles that are to transport you west to Tucson. Preparations for the breakout did not begin until an hour after sundown, for Amex Gold has men positioned on nearby Signal Mountain with orders to observe and report all activity within Big Spring. These lookouts are especially vigilant; their leader is expecting the colony to attempt an escape and they know that their lives will be forfeit should they fail to predict exactly when it will occur.</p>
465 <p>In near-blackness you service and refuel your roadster by sense of touch alone, while all around you the chill night air is alive with movement and whispering as your fellow colonists furtively attend to their allotted tasks. Although you cannot see them, you know exactly the positions of the five other road vehicles that comprise the convoy. At the head of the line, twenty paces back from the west freeway gate, is the armoured tow truck that will lead the breakout. The driver is <quote>Pecos</quote> Pete Tyler, and beside him you can picture his brother Rex riding shotgun. In the open back of their truck is Rickenbacker, a former flying circus stunt pilot, who has chosen to ride out in the open so that he can look after <quote>Icarus</quote><ch.emdash/>his motorized hang glider<ch.emdash/>which by now he will have carefully dismantled and strapped aboard. Next in line are two Amcorp Landcruisers<ch.emdash/>solar-assisted road buses that carry the Big Spring colonists, and behind them is positioned the gasolene tanker with Uncle Jonas at the wheel. The DC1 school bus is next and your roadster last, the back marker until the convoy is clear of Big Spring.</p>
467 <illustration class="inline">
469 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
471 <instance class="html" src="small1.png" width="386" height="126" mime-type="image/png"/>
472 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small1.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
473 <instance class="pdf" src="small1.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
476 <p>Once your preparations are complete you leave your vehicle and feel your way along the side of the school bus towards the boarding door. Cutter is sitting in the driver<ch.apos/>s seat, staring thoughtfully at the night sky, his face lit by the faint green glow of the instrument panel.</p>
477 <p><quote>Cal, you<ch.apos/>d better get back and watch out for Pecos Pete<ch.apos/>s signal,</quote> he says, on seeing you at his side. <quote>We<ch.apos/>re outta here in fifteen minutes.</quote></p>
478 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ve decided I<ch.apos/>m not goin<ch.apos/> to Tucson with the convoy,</quote> you reply, your voice steady and resolute. <quote>I<ch.apos/>m not gonna abandon Kate. I<ch.apos/>m the only hope she<ch.apos/>s got of cuttin<ch.apos/> loose o<ch.apos/> that psychopath Mad Dog Michigan, and I<ch.apos/>m not gonna betray that hope. He<ch.apos/>s sure to have taken her with him to San Angelo, and I<ch.apos/>ve thought out a plan to spring her from there while he<ch.apos/>s busy fixin<ch.apos/> a deal with the Angelinos gang.</quote></p>
479 <p><quote>I understand how you feel, Cal,</quote> says Cutter, sympathetically, <quote>but you<ch.apos/>ve a duty to the rest o<ch.apos/> the colony that you can<ch.apos/>t just ignore. You<ch.apos/>re the convoy scout, the convoy<ch.apos/>s eyes and ears. We<ch.apos/>re gonna need you to get us across the mountains in one piece.</quote></p>
480 <p><quote>Rickenbacker in his micro-glider can scout for the convoy. With a CB on board he could stay in radio contact with Pop and be your eyes in the sky. He<ch.apos/>d make the best scout the convoy could ask for,</quote> you reply, convincingly.</p>
481 <p>Cutter stares at you in silence. Begrudgingly, he nods in agreement. <quote>OK, Cal. As soon as we<ch.apos/>re safely away from here I<ch.apos/>ll talk to the others and get them to listen to your plan. But first we<ch.apos/>ve gotta concern ourselves with gettin<ch.apos/> out o<ch.apos/> here in one piece<ch.emdash/>agreed?</quote></p>
482 <p><quote>Agreed,</quote> you reply, relieved that at last you have told someone your decision to rescue Kate.</p>
483 <p>Suddenly the discordant blare of an auto horn splits the silence: it is Pecos Pete<ch.apos/>s signal to the other drivers to start their engines. Quickly you return to your roadster and, as you fire up its engine, you see the twin tail lights of the school bus shrinking in the dark as it heads towards the now-open freeway gate. The breakout has begun.</p>
484 <choice idref="sect293"><link-text>Turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
488 <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
489 <meta><title>2</title></meta>
492 <p>You are about to push open the door when you notice a thin, almost transparent cord wrapped around the inside handle. It rises to a shelf above the door, where it is attached to a large glass storage jar. Carefully you ease open the door a few inches, take hold of the cord between your fingers and snap it before entering the kitchen. Having deactivated this primitive trap, you make your way silently towards the bar at the front of the building.</p>
493 <p>As you enter, you search the darkened interior for some sign of Haskell, but you cannot see where he is. Rather than risk his mistaking you for a clansman, you whisper his name as you advance cautiously into the bar.</p>
494 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
495 <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
496 <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
500 <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
501 <meta><title>3</title></meta>
504 <p>The clansmen dive aside as you crash through their barrier and accelerate across the open ground towards the safety of the southern ruins. But they recover quickly and soon the staccato hammering of their assault rifles is echoing in your wake. Bullets slam into the rear of the jeep and whistle past your head as you steer the vehicle towards the remains of a building with an open, unobstructed entrance. Bullets continue to ricochet off the bodywork until you skid to a halt inside the derelict building, where you abandon the jeep hurriedly.</p>
505 <choice idref="sect148"><link-text>Turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
509 <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
510 <meta><title>4</title></meta>
513 <p>The crack of your pistol shot is echoed by the clansman<ch.apos/>s shocked scream. He drops the knife and clutches his hands to his wound before crashing lifelessly to the floor. With fear in their eyes, the other two reach for their pistols as they back away hastily from the guard<ch.apos/>s bloodstained body.</p>
514 <p>Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
515 <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
519 <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
520 <meta><title>5</title></meta>
523 <p>Your killing blow tears open the sniper<ch.apos/>s chest and flings him to the floor like a torn puppet. With a gurgling groan he rolls over onto his back and dies, his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
524 <p>You walk to the window and shout an <quote>all clear</quote> to the others in the street below before you turn to leave.</p>
525 <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
529 <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
530 <meta><title>6</title></meta>
533 <p>Having chosen to stop here and rest, you pull off the highway and search among the ruins for a safe shelter. You are looking for a place where you will be able to hide the roadster and observe the road; if the Angelinos appear during the night, you will need as much forewarning of their arrival as possible in order to make a successful getaway.</p>
534 <p>Only one place meets your needs: a warehouse and factory complex near the middle of the town. The cracked and tarnished facia above its entrance tells you that this was once the Eldorado Woolen Mills. You park the roadster in a covered lot at the rear, and then settle yourselves on the first floor in a workshop that has an unobstructed view of the highway. You must now eat a Meal (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and take a Drink (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
535 <p>Kate curls up beside you and falls asleep in your arms, while you, heavy with fatigue, force yourself to stay awake and watch the highway. Your vigilance pays off when, two hours later, you see a line of lights in the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for them.</p>
536 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
537 <choice idref="sect99">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>2, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
538 <choice idref="sect218">If the number is 3<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
542 <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
543 <meta><title>7</title></meta>
546 <p>This corridor services a number of offices and conference rooms before it ends at a wide staircase leading downwards. You descend three floors and discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with the kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small <quote>fire exit</quote> sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for them.</p>
547 <p>As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there could still be some canned food in the kitchen, and you decide to search it before you leave the building.</p>
548 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
549 <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
550 <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
554 <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
555 <meta><title>8</title></meta>
558 <p>Kate grips your hand tightly as you descend with a group of the cave people into the depths of the Sonora caverns. An astounding speleological feast greets your eyes as you follow them through a series of monumental caves that have been eroded over millions of years by subterranean rivers and streams. The group stops frequently at specially prepared defensive hides, which are virtually impossible to see. One or two of their number, armed with rocks, spears, and slings, occupy each of these positions. At once you see that it is their intention to lure the clansmen into the caverns and fight them here, where, despite their lack of firearms, the odds are in their favour.</p>
559 <p>Soon the sound of gunfire begins to penetrate the caverns, announcing the arrival of the clansmen. You stop with Kate and crouch behind a clump of stalagmites, while the three remaining cave people arm themselves with rocks and take up a position on a ledge directly above a narrow defile. For several minutes the sound of gunfire and the screams of the wounded fill the caves with clamouring echoes. Then two of the Angelinos appear at the entrance to the defile and come running towards you. The cave people hurl their rocks and bring an Angelino crashing to the ground with a broken skull, but his partner avenges his death by sweeping them from the ledge with one long burst of automatic fire.</p>
560 <choice idref="sect61">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
561 <choice idref="sect302">If you do not have one, have exhausted your ammunition, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
565 <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
566 <meta><title>9</title></meta>
569 <p>To your left is the open doorway of an empty locker room and you slip inside quickly to avoid being seen by the two guards. Having already removed the grenade from your pack, you set its variable timer to detonate four seconds after the pin is pulled. A quick glance into the corridor lets you know the guards<ch.apos/> position; you pull the pin and lob the grenade at them.</p>
570 <p>In the confines of the corridor the grenade explodes with devastating effect. Even though you are in an adjacent room, shielded from the direct blast, the concussion makes your ears ring and leaves you gasping for breath. You grab a towel that is hanging behind the door and use it to cover your mouth as you run down the smoke-filled corridor. The clansmen lie dead at the foot of the stairs. As you leap over their bodies and ascend the steps, you see the door to the observation block begin to open.</p>
571 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
575 <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
576 <meta><title>10</title></meta>
579 <p>You chamber a round and take aim at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than thirty yards away when you squeeze off your first shot and bring him crashing to the ground. (Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) His partner hesitates, and then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
580 <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
581 <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or if you choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
585 <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
586 <meta><title>11</title></meta>
589 <p>Kate rushes over to the dead man<ch.apos/>s bike and salvages a machine pistol, while you return to the car and finish the repair. The sight of their leader dead leaves the remaining clansmen in a state of confusion, which lasts just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car with Kate.</p>
590 <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the Angelino scouts cradling their leader<ch.apos/>s body on the bank of the South Concho River.</p>
591 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
595 <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
596 <meta><title>12</title></meta>
599 <p>For three long, hot, tedious hours you sit watching the two clansmen (during which time you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). You see them finish their meal and then attend to the repair of one of their motorcycle engines. You are beginning to fear that they have no intention of ever leaving the bridge, when another biker appears atop a ridge of high ground on the far side of the river. He approaches them and stops briefly to talk. Then the two clansmen mount their machines and follow him back across the bridge, accelerating away to the south.</p>
600 <p>Once you are sure that it is safe to continue, you start your engine and drive towards the bridge. As you approach the entrance you see the remains of the clansmen<ch.apos/>s campfire, its ashes still smouldering.</p>
601 <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to stop and search the area around the campfire, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
602 <choice idref="sect213">If you decide to cross the bridge and press on towards San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
606 <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
607 <meta><title>13</title></meta>
610 <p>You wait until Haskell has disappeared into an alley that runs alongside the bar; then you approach the front door cautiously and peek inside. Remnants of food lie scattered across the tables and, judging by the amount of fresh garbage strewn on the floor, a large group of clansmen were here not so long ago.</p>
611 <p>Suddenly you hear the sound of breaking glass. It comes from the rear of the building and you sense that Haskell must have something to do with it. Fearing that he is involved in a fight, you enter the bar and call out his name.</p>
612 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
613 <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
614 <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
618 <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
619 <meta><title>14</title></meta>
622 <p>A hail of automatic rifle fire tears into the sides and rear of the jeep as you crash your way through the barrier and accelerate across the open ground. You are twenty yards from the safety of the southern ruins when two bullets penetrate the jeep<ch.apos/>s gasolene tank.</p>
623 <p>The steel-jacketed rounds cause a spark that ignites the fuel, and, in one chilling instant, the vehicle is transformed into a blazing fireball. A kaleidoscope of shapes assails your eyes as the jeep somersaults end-over-end, before you are engulfed by a wave of searing white heat that kills you instantly.</p>
624 <illustration class="inline">
626 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
628 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
629 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
630 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
632 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life come to an end here in San Angelo.</deadend>
636 <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
637 <meta><title>15</title></meta>
640 <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
641 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
642 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
646 <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
647 <meta><title>16</title></meta>
650 <p>The bullets whine as they ricochet off the side of the Chevrolet and pass within inches of your body. You reach cover and Kate tosses her machine pistol to you over the side of the roadster. You catch it near the ground, but before you can draw back the firing bolt and return fire, you spot the outline of a man standing away to your right. He is armed with a pistol and he has you dead in his sights.</p>
651 <p><quote>Do like the man said, buddy, or take your last breath,</quote> he says, and reluctantly you let the G-12 slip to the ground.</p>
652 <p><quote>Ain<ch.apos/>t no good you hidin<ch.apos/> in there, honey,</quote> says the voice from the pay booth. There is a pause, and then slowly Kate climbs out of the car and stands beside you.</p>
653 <p>The man with the pistol is tall and muscular and dressed in green army fatigues. His blond hair is cropped close to his head and his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. With his pistol still aimed at your heart, he walks slowly towards you, stopping at the entrance to the pay booth. Two more men in uniform emerge from the doorway<ch.emdash/>the rifleman and one other who is armed with a sawn-off shotgun.</p>
654 <p><quote>They don<ch.apos/>t look like clan punks, Sarge,</quote> says the rifleman.</p>
655 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>re not,</quote> interrupts Kate. <quote>We<ch.apos/>re running from the clans.</quote></p>
656 <p>Bemused, the blond-haired man scratches his chin and turns to say something quietly to his two companions. It is then that you notice the faded sergeant stripes and the circular globe-of-the-world emblem that adorn his sleeve. Instantly you recognize the latter: it is the emblem of the World Defence League. At length, he turns to face you once more and says, in a friendlier tone, <quote>I think you two had better tell us your story.</quote></p>
657 <choice idref="sect321"><link-text>Turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
661 <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
662 <meta><title>17</title></meta>
665 <p>Mad Dog Michigan is poised to shoot you dead when suddenly a loud cheer fills the stadium. Ricky Riot, the top Angelinos rider, has just crossed the line and won the race, and it is this victory cry that distracts Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s aim at the vital second. His shot goes awry, hitting the lifeless body of Mekong Mike, who is slumped at your feet. He fires again but this time the pistol jams. In desperation he hurls the weapon at your head. You dive to avoid it and it glances off your shoulder: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
666 <p>When you get to your feet your enemy is speaking into a radio handset. In his hand he now holds another pistol and, with a cruel sneer, he raises it and takes deliberate aim at your head. He is about to squeeze the trigger when Kate appears behind him with a wooden stool clutched unsteadily in her hands. With one fell stroke she smashes it down upon his head and leaves him sprawled unconscious on the floor.</p>
667 <choice idref="sect45"><link-text>Turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
671 <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
672 <meta><title>18</title></meta>
675 <p>The clansman is no more than ten feet away when you spring up from your hiding place and bring your barrel to bear. Your gunfire catches him in the side and spins him backwards to the slippery floor. For a moment he shudders, and then falls still as his last breath escapes from between his blood-flecked lips. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
676 <p>Kate moves forward to check that he is dead and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition, and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
678 <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
679 <li>Enough sulfonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
680 <li>Flick Knife (2)</li>
681 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
682 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
684 <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
685 <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
686 <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
690 <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
691 <meta><title>19</title></meta>
694 <p>Your gunfire catches the fleeing clansman in the neck and lifts him clean out of the saddle. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) In your rear-view mirror you see him bounce off the highway, roll over, and then disappear from view amongst a tangle of dead sagebrush at the side of the road. His bike continues in a straight line for almost a minute until, with a loud crash, it finally flips end-over-end and bursts into flames.</p>
695 <p>Less than a mile along the highway you happen upon a deserted stretch of Highway 87, running directly across your path. You join it, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms your suspicions: you are approaching the outskirts of Sterling City.</p>
696 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
700 <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
701 <meta><title>20</title></meta>
704 <p>The convoy is travelling at break-neck speed as it passes through the blazing ruins of Allamoore and enters the pass beyond. Sweat trickles down your face as the ominous peak of Slaughter Mountain looms out of the smoke, and you witness the vicious battle taking place on its lower slopes. The bodies of slain Mavericks and Mexicans lie at the side of the freeway, tangled among the smoking remains of motorcycles and trucks once loaded with looted provisions. Small groups of desperate men are waging bitter hand-to-hand battles among this carnage, whilst others blaze away with automatic weapons, hiding in their foxholes dug by hand from the barren, stony soil.</p>
705 <p>The arrival of the convoy brings a lull in the fighting. Some turn their guns on you and a hail of bullets begins to rake either side of the colony vehicles. The tow truck approaches a bend in the freeway, and, as it turns, you see a Maverick kneeling at the side of the road with a missile launcher perched on his shoulder. He tracks the truck, but a burst of Mexican fire makes him dive for cover. When he appears again he no longer has the truck in his sights: he has you in his sights!</p>
707 <illustration class="float">
709 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
710 <description>A Maverick kneeling at the side of the road with a missile launcher perched on his shoulder.</description>
712 <instance class="html" src="ill1.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
713 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill1.gif" width="386" height="649" mime-type="image/gif"/>
714 <instance class="pdf" src="ill1.pdf" width="386" height="649" />
717 <p>The only way you can hope to avoid being hit by the missile is by taking evasive action immediately.</p>
718 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
719 <choice idref="sect182">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
720 <choice idref="sect326">If your total score is 11<ch.endash/>15, <link-text>turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
721 <choice idref="sect108">If your total score is 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
725 <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
726 <meta><title>21</title></meta>
729 <p>The clansman unsheathes his knife and slashes at your throat with a wide sweep of his tattooed arm. You duck beneath this vicious swipe, and before he can catch you with a backhanded slice, you drive your fist into his stomach. He doubles over and staggers back, but he recovers quickly and springs forward with unexpected speed, his vice-like fingers scrabbling to get a grip on your neck.</p>
730 <combat><enemy>Harley-D</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
731 <p>The enemy has been winded by your punch; therefore you may add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the first two rounds of combat.</p>
732 <choice idref="sect335">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
736 <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
737 <meta><title>22</title></meta>
740 <p>Concealed beneath the piles of old documents, you discover a padlocked hatch. Three well-placed kicks remove the lock and, when you lift the hinged trapdoor, you find a large, hermetically sealed storage bin, which is filled with cigarettes, packed neatly in cartons of 200. Although you have no personal need for these cigarettes, you know that there are those who would willingly trade food or fuel for them.</p>
741 <p>If you decide to keep a <typ class="item">Carton of Cigarettes</typ>, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly. One carton counts as one Backpack Item.</p>
742 <p>Having satisfied yourself that there is little else of worth here, you leave the cabin and return to your roadster.</p>
743 <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
747 <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
748 <meta><title>23</title></meta>
751 <p>The deadly bullets miss you by inches and you dive to the floor in case the unseen gunman decides to fire again. Then you hear running footsteps approaching, and as they get louder, you raise your weapon and fire at the door. There is a scream from inside the kitchen, and you hear a body fall heavily to the tiled floor amid a crash of broken glass and crockery. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
752 <p>Just inside the door you discover the body of a clansman. Judging from the long-horned skull that you find painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor nearby you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
754 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
756 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
757 <li><typ class="item">Small Blanket</typ></li>
758 <li>Enough bandages, sulfonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
761 <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
763 <li>Meat Cleaver (3)</li>
764 <li>Bread Knife (2)</li>
765 <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
767 <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
768 <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman<ch.apos/>s body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
769 <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
773 <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
774 <meta><title>24</title></meta>
777 <p>The track leads to a cluster of log cabins and adobe huts that look as if they have only recently been constructed. Nearby, erected around the entrance to a cave, you see a palisade and, standing at the gate in this wall of logs, you notice a large group of men, women, and children. They are dressed in animal skins, and their faces and hair are dyed with bright colours. At your approach they scurry inside the gate and take cover behind their log wall.</p>
778 <p>The instant you bring your roadster to a halt you smell the strong, oily aroma of gasolene. With trepidation you inspect the bullet-riddled trunk and discover, to your horror, that gasolene is gushing from the spare fuel containers. They are so badly holed that an attempt at repairing them would be futile. The roar of your pursuer<ch.apos/>s motorcycle is growing louder, and Kate urges you to abandon the car and take cover with the others behind the wall of logs. You nod your agreement and run towards the gate but as you get nearer, a man steps forward to block your access. He is holding a loaded bow. A flint-tipped arrow is drawn taut to his lips and he is pointing it at your chest.</p>
779 <illustration class="float">
781 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
782 <description>A man steps forward to block your access. He is holding a loaded bow.</description>
784 <instance class="html" src="ill2.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
785 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill2.gif" width="386" height="649" mime-type="image/gif"/>
786 <instance class="pdf" src="ill2.pdf" width="386" height="649" />
789 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
790 <choice idref="sect96">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
791 <choice idref="sect145">If the number is 4<ch.endash/>6, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
792 <choice idref="sect287">If the number is 7<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
796 <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
797 <meta><title>25</title></meta>
800 <p>The end of the heavy motorcycle drive chain hits the back of your head and raises an angry weal across your right shoulder: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
801 <p>Stunned by the force of the blow, you keel over and land face down in the river. For a few seconds, you remain there, unmoving, until the taste of the bitter, putrid water brings you to your senses.</p>
802 <choice idref="sect166"><link-text>Turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
806 <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
807 <meta><title>26</title></meta>
810 <p>You pull the trigger and immediately duck your head behind the roadster<ch.apos/>s reinforced steel door. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) The speed of your reflexes saves you from being hit by the Maverick<ch.apos/>s gunfire as, in the throes of death, he empties his pistol into the side of your car.</p>
811 <p>With the screams of the other clansmen ringing in your ears, you force yourself to concentrate on restarting your roadster. This time, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor, you take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch. The move works<ch.emdash/>the engine roars back to life<ch.emdash/>and within seconds you are accelerating away from the Mavericks with your eyes glued firmly on the convoy<ch.apos/>s tail lights, glowing red in the distance. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond range of the clansmen<ch.apos/>s guns.</p>
812 <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
816 <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
817 <meta><title>27</title></meta>
820 <p>You pull back and release the slide of your pistol, feeding a bullet into the breech, and then take careful aim at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty yards away when you squeeze off your first shot and bring him crashing to the ground. (Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) His partner hesitates, and then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
821 <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
822 <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or if you choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
826 <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
827 <meta><title>28</title></meta>
830 <p>Kate manages to pull the snapping dog from your arm and dispatch it swiftly with a pistol shot to the head.</p>
831 <p>Its fangs have penetrated the leather sleeve of your jacket and gouged your arm (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but you are relieved to see that there are no signs that the animal was rabid.</p>
832 <p>Quickly you regain full control of the roadster and steer it towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
833 <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
837 <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
838 <meta><title>29</title></meta>
841 <p>You awake shortly after dawn, your neck stiff and aching after an uncomfortable night<ch.apos/>s sleep. Little light is filtering from the surface of this underground lot, but there is sufficient for you to be able to take stock of your surroundings and make sure that you are alone. After checking your equipment, you leave your roadster and ascend to the surface, where you make a mental note of this location before beginning your trek towards the downtown stronghold of the Angelinos.</p>
842 <p>The heat is bearable at this early hour and you encounter no sign of the city<ch.apos/>s occupants as stealthily you make your way through the shattered streets. An hour later you reach the southern section of their perimeter wall and stop to observe those who are guarding it. They look like a motley group of criminals armed with an assortment of weapons and equipment, much of which appears rusty and incapable of functioning. All that identifies them as Angelinos is the symbol they wear on their jackets and T-shirts: the skull of a long-horned steer.</p>
843 <p>After having studied the defences and watched the guards for the better part of an hour, you decide that the best place to gain entry to the stronghold is through an office block that interrupts the perimeter wall. The wooden planks that have been used to seal it are warped and split, and gaining entry to the building should not prove too difficult. Patiently you wait for the right moment before you break cover and sprint across the rubble-strewn street towards the main entrance.</p>
844 <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
848 <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
849 <meta><title>30</title></meta>
852 <p>You radio back to the convoy that you have sighted something suspicious in the hills to the south. You bring your roadster to a halt, and, as the convoy draws closer, Cutter disembarks and comes running forward to find out more. You point out the place on the ridge where you saw the reflections, and he scans the area with his powerful binoculars.</p>
853 <p><quote>Whatever was up there has gone now, Cal,</quote> he says. <quote>If it was clan scouts you saw then we<ch.apos/>d better keep on movin<ch.apos/> before they rustle up enough of their kin to bushwhack us.</quote></p>
854 <p>You keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you lead the convoy along this section of the freeway. Anxiously you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, despite your fears, an attack does not materialize. At length, the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that the place is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
855 <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace-of-spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike<ch.apos/>s owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod your agreement.</p>
857 <illustration class="inline">
859 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
861 <instance class="html" src="small4.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
862 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
863 <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
866 <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
867 <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
871 <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
872 <meta><title>31</title></meta>
875 <p>An agonizing pain cuts into your chest and the warm taste of blood fills your mouth. Then the pain gives way to a terrifying numbness that robs you of all sensation. In a moment you see the sniper working another round into the chamber of his rifle. Then he points the muzzle at your head and darkness engulfs you.</p>
876 <illustration class="inline">
878 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
880 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
881 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
882 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
884 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in Brogado.</deadend>
888 <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
889 <meta><title>32</title></meta>
892 <p>You stamp on the brake pedal and spin the wheel to the right, causing your car to twist about and slide sideways along the highway. The sudden shriek of your tyres and the sight of your roadster hurtling towards him broadside on makes the clansman panic. He empties his magazine yet not one of the armour-piercing loads hits your roadster. Horrified, he fumbles to reload his weapon, but before he can do so, he is hit by the rear of your car and sent tumbling over the side of the bridge.</p>
893 <p>His confederate has managed to start his bike and is racing across to the other side. You slam the gear shift into low and give chase, determined to prevent him from warning Mad Dog Michigan that you are coming to pay him a visit. Beyond the bridge you chase the biker up a steep incline to the top of a ridge and, as you crest the top, you see him gunning his machine towards Highway 87, less than half a mile away.</p>
894 <choice idref="sect327">If you wish to draw a missile weapon and fire at the biker while you are pursuing him, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
895 <choice idref="sect199">If you decide to try to ram him off the road, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
899 <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
900 <meta><title>33</title></meta>
903 <p>Quickly you stop the car and peer at the little town of Christoval.</p>
904 <p><quote>Can y<ch.apos/>see what<ch.apos/>s kickin<ch.apos/> up that dust?</quote> asks Kate.</p>
905 <p><quote>Looks like a pack of wild coyote fighting among themselves,</quote> you reply, as you focus on the action taking place at the centre of the town.</p>
906 <p><quote>Hey, Cal,</quote> she replies, tugging at your sleeve, <quote>that ain<ch.apos/>t the dust I<ch.apos/>m talkin<ch.apos/> about.</quote></p>
907 <p>Lowering your magnifying device, you turn to see her pointing back along the highway at another dust cloud, which is fast approaching. You do not need a magnifying device to be able to see that it is being kicked up by a pack of bikers, who have come racing out of San Angelo.</p>
908 <p><quote>I think it<ch.apos/>s time we were movin<ch.apos/> on,</quote> says Kate, uneasily.</p>
909 <p><quote>I think you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> you reply, as hurriedly you reach for the ignition switch.</p>
910 <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
914 <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
915 <meta><title>34</title></meta>
918 <p>Your speed and sure-footedness save you from the merciless flames. Your jacket is blackened with soot and the legs of your jeans are smouldering, but you escape from the blazing library without sustaining any injury.</p>
919 <choice idref="sect110"><link-text>Turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
923 <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
924 <meta><title>35</title></meta>
927 <p>Bellowing like an angry bull, you burst through the kitchen doors with your gun held before you, ready to fire. To your left you sense a movement and you turn to face it. A clansman is crouching in front of a food locker, trying to prise the door open with the edge of a meat cleaver. When he sees you his eyes open wide with shock.</p>
928 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>d drop it!</quote> you shout.</p>
929 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ll drop you!</quote> he screams in reply, and draws the cleaver back in preparation to throw it at your chest.</p>
930 <p>You shoot once and hit the clansman in the head, the force of your gunfire spinning his body across the kitchen floor and killing him instantly. Slowly you lower your smoking barrel and walk forward to search the body of your would-be attacker.</p>
931 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
932 <choice idref="sect126"><link-text>Turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
936 <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
937 <meta><title>36</title></meta>
940 <p>For a moment the clansman shudders at your feet as his last breath escapes from between his blood-flecked lips. Then his eyes glaze over and he succumbs to the endless sleep of death. Kate moves forward to check that he is no longer a threat and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition, and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
942 <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
943 <li>Enough sulfonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
944 <li>Flick Knife (2)</li>
945 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
946 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
948 <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
949 <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
950 <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
954 <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
955 <meta><title>37</title></meta>
958 <p>You are almost relieved to see that the cause of your irritation is a small, brown, spindly-legged spider. Casually you raise your right hand to slap it from your arm, but just as you bring your hand down, Kate<ch.apos/>s eyes widen with fear. <quote>No!</quote> she says. <quote>It<ch.apos/>s a Fiddleback!</quote></p>
959 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
960 <choice idref="sect202">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>6, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
961 <choice idref="sect280">If it is 7<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
965 <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
966 <meta><title>38</title></meta>
969 <p>Reaching over your head, you grasp the rounded handle of your shotgun and unsheathe it from its storage place behind your seat. It is loaded, and a glance at the breech tells you that the safety catch is set to fire. The moment the clansman sees you resting the twelve-gauge barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile when you realize the purpose of this manoeuvre: he is trying to increase his chances of survival by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
970 <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire at the clansman (minimum: one round; maximum: four rounds), and add the number of rounds to your skills total.</p>
971 <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
972 <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
976 <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
977 <meta><title>39</title></meta>
980 <p>The gully approaches with frightening speed. Horrified, you watch as the front of your roadster nosedives into the hollow, pitching the car end-over-end. There is darkness, and then there is a searing flash of white light that totally engulfs your vision as the fuel tank ruptures and explodes.</p>
981 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the foot of Slaughter Mountain.</deadend>
985 <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
986 <meta><title>40</title></meta>
989 <p>On a count of three you step out into the corridor, raise your pistol, and fix your sights on the guard who is standing to the left of the stairs. You fire a body shot and see him twist backwards, clutching his chest. (Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) Then you swing across to his partner, knowing only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively. But his reactions prove razor-sharp, and when you do get him in your sights you are shocked to find that you are staring at the muzzle of a machine pistol.</p>
990 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score, and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
991 <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
992 <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
996 <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
997 <meta><title>41</title></meta>
1000 <p>Although you cannot identify these clansmen, you estimate that their pack is more than 400 riders strong. It would be disastrous for the convoy to run head-on into a group of such size, and you hurry back to the colony as quickly as you can to break the bad news.</p>
1001 <p>With a pack of bikers approaching from the north, a large Mexican clan crossing the border to the south and the threat of a Maverick ambush to the west, the prospects of reaching El Paso unscathed now look decidedly unpromising. With no time to discuss the situation at length, the convoy reverts to the original plan: to stay on Interstate 10 and approach El Paso from the east. It is the shortest, most direct route, even though there is a very real chance of falling prey to a Maverick ambush.</p>
1002 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
1006 <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
1007 <meta><title>42</title></meta>
1010 <p>For a few moments you are blinded by a deluge of stones and stinking water as you drive through the aftermath of the explosion. Then your vision and your windshield clear and you see the opposite bank. Another grenade explodes behind you but the main force of the blast is diverted and you escape unscathed.</p>
1011 <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the clansmen drawn up in a line along the bank of the South Concho River.</p>
1012 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
1016 <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
1017 <meta><title>43</title></meta>
1020 <p>Repeatedly you pump the gas pedal and work the ignition, but the engine refuses to start. Then a bullet smacks into the passenger door and another ricochets loudly off the hardened steel plates that protect the rear of your driving seat, making you duck your head involuntarily. Cursing your luck, you realize suddenly that your frantic efforts to restart the engine have caused it to flood with fuel.</p>
1021 <p>Running footsteps approach from all sides and angry voices scream abuse in your direction. You grab your weapon and, as you turn to face the moving shadows, you find yourself staring into the steely-blue eyes of a Maverick gunman. A Smith <ch.ampersand/> Wesson model 459 pistol is clasped in his right hand, its nickel-plated barrel pointing straight at your face. As the Maverick begins to squeeze his trigger, you raise your gun and fire.</p>
1022 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting and Stealth skill scores.</p>
1023 <choice idref="sect235">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
1024 <choice idref="sect258">If your total score is 9<ch.endash/>12, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
1025 <choice idref="sect26">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
1029 <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
1030 <meta><title>44</title></meta>
1033 <footnote id="sect44-1-foot" idref="sect44-1">
1034 <p>Use of this Medi-kit does not restore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points in this instance.</p>
1039 <p>Kate discovers that you are carrying an anti-toxin in your Medi-kit that will neutralize the Fiddleback<ch.apos/>s bite. She breaks open the ampoule and forces the bitter liquid into your mouth, washing it down with a few drops of water from your canteen (remember to erase this Medi-kit unit from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>).<footref id="sect44-1" idref="sect44-1-foot"/></p>
1040 <p>It is slow to work, but gradually you recover as the anti-toxin breaks down the poison circulating in your bloodstream: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1041 <choice idref="sect291"><link-text>Turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
1045 <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
1046 <meta><title>45</title></meta>
1049 <p>You rush forward to take Kate in your arms and she yields to your embrace with a kiss that is warm and passionate. <quote>I thought I<ch.apos/>d never see you again, Cal,</quote> she says, her voice trembling and her wide blue eyes brimful with tears of joy. <quote>They told me you were dead.</quote></p>
1050 <p><quote>Do I look dead?</quote> you reply, half-jokingly.</p>
1051 <p><quote>No<ch.ellips/></quote> she laughs. <quote>You look just great.</quote></p>
1052 <p>Then the sound of running feet alerts you both to approaching danger. Before Kate knocked him out, Mad Dog radioed his men and reported your presence in the observation block. Now a dozen of his toughest clansmen are racing along the corridor in answer to his call.</p>
1053 <p><quote>Let<ch.apos/>s get outta here, Cal!</quote> says Kate, and she starts to run towards a fire escape door. You follow her, pausing briefly to snatch the map that the two clan leaders were studying when you burst into the room. (Record this <typ class="item">Mad Dog Map</typ> in the margin of your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>; you carry it tucked inside your jacket and therefore you need not record it as a Backpack Item.)</p>
1054 <p>You race to catch up with Kate as she runs along the gantry that lies on the other side of the door. A burst of machine pistol fire echoes in your wake as the first of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men enter the observation room. Bullets begin to scream past on either side of you. Twenty yards along the iron gantry you come under additional fire from clansmen in the stadium below.</p>
1056 <illustration class="float">
1058 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1059 <description>Kate runs along the gantry that lies on the other side of the door.</description>
1061 <instance class="html" src="ill3.png" width="386" height="626" mime-type="image/png"/>
1062 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill3.gif" width="386" height="630" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1063 <instance class="pdf" src="ill3.pdf" width="386" height="630" />
1066 <p>Add your Stealth skill score to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
1067 <choice idref="sect83">If your total score is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
1068 <choice idref="sect185">If your total score is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
1072 <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
1073 <meta><title>46</title></meta>
1076 <p>Once more you take to the road. As you approach the town of Broome, the sun is low in the sky and the burning heat has given way to the cooler temperature of early evening. You are contemplating whether or not to stop at this town when, from around a bend in the freeway ahead, a large group of bike-riding clansmen surges towards you.</p>
1077 <p>Panic washes over you like an icy shower as you search desperately for somewhere to hide. To your left you see a derelict construction site; to your right, a used car lot. You must act quickly if you are to avoid being seen by the oncoming riders.</p>
1078 <choice idref="sect165">If you wish to steer your car towards the construction site, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
1079 <choice idref="sect254">If you wish to try to hide in the used car lot, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
1083 <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
1084 <meta><title>47</title></meta>
1087 <p>You drag the extinguisher from your pack and tear out the pin that locks its trigger. The heat is beginning to draw wisps of smoke from the sleeves of your leather jacket as hurriedly you take aim at the blazing bookcase. Immediately you squeeze the trigger, a cloud of carbon-dioxide quashes the flames and buys you both the few seconds you need to escape from the burning library.</p>
1088 <choice idref="sect196"><link-text>Turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
1092 <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
1093 <meta><title>48</title></meta>
1096 <p>Only heavy construction materials, such as steel girders and concrete panels, remain readily identifiable amongst the dust-covered debris that surrounds the roadster. However, after a brief search of the site, you discover a cache of tools and equipment stored in what was to have been the basement of an office block. After sifting through the cache, you separate the following items:</p>
1098 <li><typ class="item">Welding Torch</typ></li>
1099 <li><typ class="item">Oxyacetylene</typ></li>
1100 <li><typ class="item">Bolt Cutters</typ></li>
1101 <li><typ class="item">Copper Rods</typ></li>
1103 <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack Items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1104 <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing else of use has been overlooked, you return to your roadster and resume your journey to San Angelo.</p>
1105 <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
1109 <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
1110 <meta><title>49</title></meta>
1113 <p>The sharp report of your rifle is echoed by the clansman<ch.apos/>s shocked scream as your bullet passes straight through his body and punches a hole in the observation window behind. He drops his knife and clutches his hands to his wound before crashing lifelessly to the floor. With fear in their eyes, the other two reach for their holstered pistols as hurriedly they back away from the guard<ch.apos/>s bloodstained body.</p>
1114 <p>Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
1115 <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
1119 <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
1120 <meta><title>50</title></meta>
1123 <p>Sergeant Haskell is only too willing to speak to his command unit at El Paso. He gives his call sign<ch.emdash/>Palmito Four Zero<ch.emdash/>and as soon as it is confirmed as valid, the El Paso garrison relays news of what is happening in their area. Parts of the city and the military reserve are under siege from HAVOC-led Mexican clansmen. They warn that Fabens is a Mexican base, and that they have barricaded the east freeway approach to that town. In closing, they tell you to contact them again if you make it through Fabens. They do not sound very optimistic.</p>
1124 <choice idref="sect80"><link-text>Turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
1128 <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
1129 <meta><title>51</title></meta>
1132 <p>As you steer away from the pump house, you look in your mirror to see the biker speeding towards the apex of the roof. He is within a few inches of the top when it suddenly caves in beneath his front wheel and he is flung head-first over the handlebars. With a scream of terror he cartwheels through the air and lands heavily on his back at the edge of the freeway. Winded by the fall, he cannot summon enough strength to roll away as his bike comes crashing down upon him.</p>
1133 <p>Certain in the knowledge that he could not possibly have survived such a terrible crash, you return to the highway and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. You join the highway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
1134 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
1138 <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
1139 <meta><title>52</title></meta>
1142 <footnote id="sect52-1-foot" idref="sect52-1">
1143 <p>This is the correct answer to the security valve puzzle in <a idref="sect129">Section 129</a>.</p>
1148 <p>The valve clicks open<footref id="sect52-1" idref="sect52-1-foot"/> and the tell-tale aroma of gasolene rises from the tank to greet your nostrils. A fuel gauge on the inside edge of the valve shows you that the tank contains 125 gallons of premium unleaded gasolene, more than sufficient for your needs. When the others come to inspect your handiwork they congratulate you unstintingly.</p>
1149 <p>After filling the tank of your roadster, Sergeant Haskell and his men set about destroying the remainder of the fuel to prevent it from falling into the hands of Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s clansmen. Then, with a view of the station ablaze in your driving mirror, you set off west along Interstate 10 to keep your rendezvous with the convoy.</p>
1150 <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
1154 <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
1155 <meta><title>53</title></meta>
1158 <p>Automatically you check to see that your safety catch is set on <quote>Fire</quote>. Then you take a deep breath as you get ready to make your move.</p>
1159 <choice idref="sect40">If the weapon you are holding is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
1160 <choice idref="sect271">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
1161 <choice idref="sect181">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
1162 <choice idref="sect95">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
1166 <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
1167 <meta><title>54</title></meta>
1170 <p>You mistime your exit and have to brake heavily to avoid crashing into the freeway barrier. Then, as you struggle to rectify your mistake, a wave of bullets rips into the hood and punches a line of frosted holes across the windshield. One of the slugs gouges a spoonful of flesh from your shoulder before embedding itself in your driving seat: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1171 <p>Spurred on by the sudden pain, you turn your car around and accelerate up the ramp towards the bridge.</p>
1172 <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
1176 <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
1177 <meta><title>55</title></meta>
1180 <p>When eventually you regain consciousness, you feel as though you have broken every bone in your body (lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Fortunately, your bones are still intact and, as your strength returns, you look around for some means of escaping from the shaft.</p>
1181 <p>Eventually you discover a service hatch in the roof of the elevator. The bolts undo with little resistance and you are able to lower yourself into the elevator compartment. Without power, the doors will not respond to the control buttons, but an emergency crank located in the floor allows you to wind them open by hand.</p>
1182 <p>Beyond the doors you discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with its kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small <quote>fire exit</quote> sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight towards them. As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there could still be some canned food in the kitchen and you resolve to search it before you leave the building.</p>
1183 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
1184 <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
1185 <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
1189 <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
1190 <meta><title>56</title></meta>
1193 <p>It is midday when you rejoin Interstate 10 to continue your drive west. The sun is at its height and it feels as if it has pushed the temperature to five degrees above unbearable. To save fuel you try to keep your speed below twenty-five miles per hour, even though the lack of a cooling breeze drives you to distraction.</p>
1194 <p>You were hoping to be able to scavenge some fuel in Ozona, the first town through which you were due to pass, but when you arrive there you find that it has been totally destroyed. A gently sloping mound of dust and rubble is all that remains of this town. You are forced to continue without respite, and throughout the long, hot drive, the experience of Ozona is repeated many times before you reach Bakersfield in the early evening.</p>
1195 <p>During your drive you must take three Drinks (or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points per drink missed).</p>
1196 <p>You are both tired and suffering from mild heat exhaustion, but after having at last reached a town that is still standing, you agree that you must search for fuel and water before it gets dark. As the town is divided in two by the freeway, you decide to split up and search one half each.</p>
1197 <choice idref="sect137">If you wish to search the north side of Bakersfield, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
1198 <choice idref="sect267">If you choose to search the south side of Bakersfield, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
1202 <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
1203 <meta><title>57</title></meta>
1206 <p>You are expecting a rough reception as you drive into town, but your fears are misplaced. The only inhabitants you see as you speed through Sterling City are a pack of feral cats scavenging for food amongst the debris and rotting garbage.</p>
1207 <choice idref="sect205"><link-text>Turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
1211 <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
1212 <meta><title>58</title></meta>
1215 <p>After your meal you try to think where you might find some gasolene. Sergeant Haskell and his men<ch.emdash/>Marines Gunter and Knott<ch.emdash/>have searched every square inch of Fort Stockton and know that there is none to be had here.</p>
1216 <p><quote>What we need is an old road map,</quote> says Haskell. <quote>One that would show us where the freeway rest stops and gas stations in this area were located.</quote></p>
1217 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ve got a map,</quote> you volunteer, and take from your jacket the map that you snatched from Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s table at the stadium in San Angelo.</p>
1218 <p><quote>Hey, where did you get this?</quote> says Haskell, as he examines the notes and other markings that have been made on the map of the United States. You tell him its origins and he scrutinizes it at length. Finally, he comments, <quote>What you<ch.apos/>ve got here is a blueprint of a major HAVOC operation to take over the country. This is one hot piece of property: it shows clan strengths, supply areas, HAVOC strongholds, controlled cities, everything<ch.emdash/>even pockets of WDL resistance on the eastern seaboard. We<ch.apos/>ve gotta get this to El Paso. If there<ch.apos/>s anything left of WDL headquarters then they must be warned about what is happening in the East.</quote></p>
1219 <p><quote>OK,</quote> you reply, uneasily, <quote>but what about fuel? My roadster has barely enough to make it another twenty miles. All we need is enough gas to get as far as Kent in time for the rendezvous with the colony. Then we can refuel from the tanker and you can catch a ride with us all the way to Fort Bliss.</quote></p>
1220 <p><quote>There<ch.apos/>s a rest stop here,</quote> replies Haskell, pointing to the map at a place on Interstate 10 that is halfway between Fort Stockton and a town called Brogado. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s no knowing if there<ch.apos/>s still any gas in its storage tanks but it<ch.apos/>s our only hope. It looks like a 25-mile-drive<ch.emdash/>do you think you can make it?</quote></p>
1221 <p><quote>I can try,</quote> you reply. <quote>Like you say, it<ch.apos/>s our only hope.</quote></p>
1222 <choice idref="sect281"><link-text>Turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
1226 <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
1227 <meta><title>59</title></meta>
1230 <p>The heat of the sun hits you like a blazing hammer as you walk back to your roadster. Slowly you ease yourself into the driving seat and pause for a few moments to look at your <a idref="map">map</a>. You estimate that Sterling City is a little over thirty miles away, less than an hour<ch.apos/>s drive if the highway and your luck hold out.</p>
1231 <p>You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points before you leave this ruined town, a place once known as Garden City.</p>
1232 <choice idref="sect290"><link-text>Turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
1236 <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
1237 <meta><title>60</title></meta>
1240 <p>You throw yourself to the ground, and avoid being hit in the chest. However, you do not escape from the arrow altogether. It clips your leg and draws an angry red line across your thigh: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
1241 <p>At that moment your pursuer roars up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts, whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
1242 <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
1243 <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
1247 <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
1248 <meta><title>61</title></meta>
1251 <p>The gunfire stops and you hear the unmistakable sound of the Angelino reloading his machine pistol. Finally, he draws back its firing bolt and starts walking slowly towards your position.</p>
1252 <choice idref="sect323">If you are holding a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
1253 <choice idref="sect214">If you are holding a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
1254 <choice idref="sect116">If you are holding a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
1255 <choice idref="sect84">If you are holding a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
1259 <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
1260 <meta><title>62</title></meta>
1263 <p>At such close range, the blast from your shotgun virtually rips the clansman in two. (Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) With a gurgling scream he crashes down in the middle of the table before rolling lifelessly to the floor. Hurriedly the other two reach for their pistols as, with fear in their eyes, they back away from the clansman<ch.apos/>s torn and bloodstained body.</p>
1264 <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
1268 <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
1269 <meta><title>63</title></meta>
1272 <p>The Mexican clansman drops lifelessly to the ground, and quickly you step forward to search his body. He was the one crew member who escaped from the truck, and in his pockets you discover the following items:</p>
1274 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
1275 <li>Enough antiseptics and sutures for two Medi-kit units</li>
1277 <li>Twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
1279 <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1280 <choice idref="sect114"><link-text>Turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
1284 <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
1285 <meta><title>64</title></meta>
1288 <p>You perch yourself near the top of the wall and pick out a building on the opposite side of the killing zone: it is the ruins of a fire station. You tell Kate that, when she is running, she should focus all her thoughts and efforts on getting inside that place as quickly as she can. With the clan patrol growing ever nearer, you whisper to Kate to get ready to run.</p>
1289 <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill score. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack Items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
1290 <choice idref="sect117">If your total is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
1291 <choice idref="sect295">If your total is 11<ch.endash/>16, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
1292 <choice idref="sect334">If your total is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
1296 <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
1297 <meta><title>65</title></meta>
1300 <p>Silently you draw your gun and slip off the safety catch. The clansman is less than six feet away when he sees you crouching on the dry river bed. His eyes widen and he opens his mouth to scream a warning to his partner, but it is a scream of pain that leaves his lips when you open fire at his chest. (Remember to erase the appropriate number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
1301 <p>As the clansman<ch.apos/>s body topples into the gully, you catch sight of his partner running head-down towards the bridge. He pauses to grab a machine pistol from his motorcycle before diving for cover behind one of the iron bridge supports. Seconds later he reappears and fires a stream of bullets at your position.</p>
1302 <p>You keep your head low and wait for a lull in the shooting before you break cover and return fire at the clansman.</p>
1303 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill score. For every round of fire that you wish to discharge at your opponent, add 1 point.</p>
1304 <choice idref="sect246">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
1305 <choice idref="sect266">If your total score is now 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
1309 <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
1310 <meta><title>66</title></meta>
1313 <p>You manage to find your way back to the roadster without running into the clansmen and waste no time in making a hasty escape from Eldorado. The enemy are slow to react to your getaway and you are more than ten miles from the town before you see their headlights in your driving mirror. Your speedy escape may have wrong-footed them, but they have caught up quickly. Fearing that you will not be able to outrun them, you leave the highway and hide your roadster behind a rocky ridge that runs parallel to the road. The sound of their engines grows louder as they approach, and then fades quickly as the pack roars past, oblivious to your presence. With the immediate threat now gone, you decide to remain where you are and get a few hours sleep before continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
1314 <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your <a idref="map">map</a>, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
1315 <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
1316 <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
1320 <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
1321 <meta><title>67</title></meta>
1324 <p>As the smoke thins, you see that the grenade has made very little impression on the padlock. The door is still secure and, reluctantly, you abandon your attempt at gaining entry to the building.</p>
1325 <choice idref="sect188"><link-text>Turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
1329 <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
1330 <meta><title>68</title></meta>
1333 <p>You keep as still as you can and try not to breathe as a Detroit Lion clansman rummages through a tool box less than four feet from where you are hiding. Fortunately, he finds what he is looking for quickly, returns to the cab, and restarts the engine. Shortly the truck stops once again, but this time you notice that it has drawn up alongside three others in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You slip away from the truck before the driver disembarks, and make your way through the crowds of clan mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the arena.</p>
1334 <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
1335 <illustration class="float">
1337 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1338 <description>This stadium once hosted international sporting events, now it plays host to a one of a very different kind.</description>
1340 <instance class="html" src="ill4.png" width="772" height="558" mime-type="image/png"/>
1341 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill4.gif" width="1024" height="786" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1342 <instance class="pdf" src="ill4.pdf" width="1024" height="786" />
1344 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to this block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that the girl you are looking at is Kate Norton.</p>
1345 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
1349 <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
1350 <meta><title>69</title></meta>
1353 <p>It feels good to be able to drive once more at a speed that is faster than the brisk walking pace to which you have limited yourself over the past fifty fuel-conscious miles. It is also a great relief not to have to walk the thirty miles to Kent, for they are mostly uphill where the freeway traverses the northern slopes of the Davis Mountains. During this part of your journey you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1354 <illustration class="inline">
1356 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1358 <instance class="html" src="small7.png" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/png"/>
1359 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1360 <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="142"/>
1362 <p>You reach Kent late in the afternoon. At this hour the dusty little town lies in the shadow of the Apache Mountains, and, after spending hours in the relentless glare of the sun, you are thankful for the cooling shade. You have arrived a day ahead of your planned rendezvous with the convoy. The highway and surrounding area show no sign of their having arrived before you, so you decide to try to relax here while you wait for the convoy to show.</p>
1363 <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
1367 <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
1368 <meta><title>70</title></meta>
1371 <p>Placing your hand under the dashboard, you pull down a handful of cables and isolate two<ch.emdash/>a red one and a black one<ch.emdash/>that are connected to the ignition lock. Quickly you rip these out and touch the exposed copper braids together. There is a bright blue spark and immediately the engine growls into life. After twisting the wires together, you throw the jeep into low gear and take off towards an open section of the perimeter wall. A wheeled screen partially blocks this access point, which is guarded by two clansmen armed with automatic assault rifles.</p>
1372 <p>You are fifteen yards from the screen when suddenly they realize that you have no intention of stopping.</p>
1373 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
1374 <choice idref="sect14">If your total is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
1375 <choice idref="sect275">If your total is 5<ch.endash/>7, <link-text>turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
1376 <choice idref="sect3">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
1380 <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
1381 <meta><title>71</title></meta>
1384 <p>The clansman<ch.apos/>s bullets whistle within inches of your head, and tear chunks of mineral from the stalagmites behind which you have dived. Razor-sharp splinters pepper your face and you skin your hands and knees as you land heavily on the jagged, unyielding stone floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1385 <p>Moments later the gunfire ceases and you hear the clansman utter an agonized scream. You lift your head in time to see him staggering slowly towards you, his eyes wide with pain as he works his hands frantically behind his back as if he were trying to clutch at something. Then his body stiffens, and, as he falls to the floor, you see what it was that he was trying so desperately to clasp. It is the spear-like tip of a broken stalactite, hurled from the ledge above the defile by a mortally wounded caveman in a last desperate act of defiance.</p>
1386 <p>Kate moves forward to check that the clansman is dead and to search his body. She keeps what she needs: his machine pistol, a quantity of ammunition, and his water canteen, and offers the rest of his possessions to you:</p>
1388 <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
1389 <li>Enough sulfonamides for one Medi-kit unit</li>
1390 <li>Flick Knife (2)</li>
1391 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
1392 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
1394 <p>If you keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1395 <p>As soon as you are ready, you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
1396 <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
1400 <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
1401 <meta><title>72</title></meta>
1404 <p>The mighty V-8 engine growls like an angry tiger as a quart of fuel is force-fed into the cylinders. The effect is breathtaking and immediate: the roadster surges forward and you feel as if you are being sucked into your driving seat as it gathers speed rapidly.</p>
1405 <p>For a few vital seconds the thrill of the acceleration distracts your attention from the panel truck. By mischance the vehicle reaches the bottom of the embankment, glances off a heap of debris, and is sent spinning wildly across the freeway. Your heart leaps into your mouth the moment you see it appear directly in your way.</p>
1406 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving skill score.</p>
1407 <choice idref="sect273">If your total is now 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
1408 <choice idref="sect156">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
1412 <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
1413 <meta><title>73</title></meta>
1416 <p>Haskell continues to question the clansman until finally he replies. A trickle of blood escapes from his lips as, with his dying breath, he says: <quote>Mad Dog<ch.apos/>ll make sure you never get through<ch.ellips/></quote></p>
1417 <choice idref="sect147"><link-text>Turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
1421 <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
1422 <meta><title>74</title></meta>
1425 <p>The sound of their engines is getting louder with every passing second and yet you are unable to find a safe way down to the river bed<ch.emdash/>it is far too steep. Desperately, you drive back and forth along the edge of the bank until a volley of shots echoes across the plain and the first of the clansmen<ch.apos/>s bullets start to whistle past. You have been seen.</p>
1426 <illustration class="inline">
1428 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1430 <instance class="html" src="small6.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
1431 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1432 <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
1434 <p>Quickly you abandon your attempt to hide and steer your roadster back onto the freeway in a frantic bid to outrun the pack. The fastest bikes give chase and relentlessly they pursue you until the leader is within twenty yards of your tail. With mounting fear, you glance in your rear-view mirror to see him draw a stubby-barrelled weapon from a tube strapped to the fuel tank. At first you think it is a sawn-off shotgun, but then you recognize the weapon and your heart sinks. It is a D-40<ch.emdash/>a laser sighted grenade launcher. You see the muzzle flash, and then moments later there is a deafening explosion. The last sensation you feel is that of being hurled skyward, surrounded by fire and fragments of your roadster.</p>
1435 <deadend>The armour-piercing grenade has penetrated the trunk and exploded the spare fuel tanks you were carrying. Tragically, your mission and your life end here.</deadend>
1439 <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
1440 <meta><title>75</title></meta>
1443 <p>A battered Chevrolet pick-up is parked with its hood raised at one of the station<ch.apos/>s four gasolene pumps. It looks far cleaner than any of the other auto wrecks that lie scattered around the town, and your suspicions are further aroused when you notice a large black pool of oil on the ground beneath the engine compartment. You stop your roadster alongside and step out to investigate it.</p>
1444 <p><quote>Hey, this oil<ch.apos/>s still wet,</quote> you say to Kate, as you dab your index finger in the pool. You are wiping it clean on the leg of your jeans when you hear an unexpected reply. <quote>Drop your weapons<ch.ellips/>or I<ch.apos/>ll drop you!</quote></p>
1445 <p>It is a man<ch.apos/>s voice and it is coming from inside a derelict pay booth.</p>
1446 <choice idref="sect241">If you wish to obey the command, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
1447 <choice idref="sect164">If you decide to dive for cover, <link-text>turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
1451 <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
1452 <meta><title>76</title></meta>
1455 <p>You help Kate to her feet and check that her windpipe has not been damaged by the clansman<ch.apos/>s attack. Her throat is badly bruised, and although you can tell she is in great discomfort, stoically she ignores the pain and suggests that you both get out of here before the dead man<ch.apos/>s confederates turn up. After stooping to snatch his pistol, she follows closely in your wake as you hurry south towards the ruins of the Sears megamarket.</p>
1456 <choice idref="sect106"><link-text>Turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
1460 <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
1461 <meta><title>77</title></meta>
1464 <p>At your killing blow, your adversary drops in a limp and lifeless heap at your feet. Meanwhile, his confederate has run back to his motorcycle and armed himself with a machine pistol. You dive aside just in time to avoid his first burst of fire, and, as you scurry for cover, you retrieve the pistol that you had kicked from his dead partner<ch.apos/>s hand.</p>
1465 <p>With a vengeful scream, the clansman comes running at you, firing his machine pistol from the hip. Bullets tear up the ground where you lie, forcing you to stand up and meet this madman head on. Quickly you cock the pistol and take aim at his chest as he comes bounding across the rock-strewn highway, his teeth bared and his eyes blazing with hatred.</p>
1466 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Shooting skill score.</p>
1467 <choice idref="sect151">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
1468 <choice idref="sect138">If your total is now 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
1472 <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
1473 <meta><title>78</title></meta>
1476 <p>You hand the rounds to Kate (remember to erase these from your Ammo Pouch) before you start work on changing the damaged front wheel. Quickly she reloads her pistol as the clan scout leader, believing that you are now out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand. The moment her gun is ready, she takes aim and silences the screaming Angelino with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car.</p>
1477 <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader<ch.apos/>s body from the South Concho River.</p>
1478 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
1482 <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
1483 <meta><title>79</title></meta>
1486 <p>You discover that the light is seeping into the tunnel from around the edges of a circular metal hatch in the ceiling. Carefully you press your shoulder to the heavy plate and lift it, hoping that it will lead to a way out of the stadium. However, the first things you see as you push the cover from the hole are scores of running, booted feet.</p>
1487 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
1488 <choice idref="sect263">If the total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
1489 <choice idref="sect173">If the total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
1493 <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
1494 <meta><title>80</title></meta>
1497 <p>News of the radio contact with El Paso is relayed to the rest of the convoy. It is decided that the barricade at Fabens should be scouted before any attempt at a breakthrough is made. As convoy scout, the mission automatically falls to you, but in view of the increased danger you are likely to face, Sergeant Haskell volunteers to accompany you.</p>
1498 <p>Before you leave you are given the opportunity to replenish your Ammo Pouch with rounds donated by the other colonists:</p>
1500 <li>Five rounds of 7.62mm-calibre ammunition</li>
1501 <li>Nine rounds of 9mm-calibre ammunition</li>
1502 <li>Four rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
1504 <p>You may take only one of these calibres. When you have made your choice, remember to amend your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a> record accordingly.</p>
1505 <choice idref="sect134"><link-text>Turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
1509 <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
1510 <meta><title>81</title></meta>
1513 <p>The wheels and tyres squeal as you stand on the brake pedal in a desperate but futile attempt to halt the skidding roadster. Then, with a shuddering jolt, the car slams sideways into the service bay door and comes to an abrupt halt. The reinforced passenger door withstands much of the impact, but the crash leaves you concussed and badly bruised (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
1514 <p>Wincing from the pain of your injuries, you try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars past the lot. Soon they have gone and, despite your pain, your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty fewer of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
1515 <p>After satisfying yourself that the damage to your roadster is superficial, you cast your eyes around the derelict car lot.</p>
1516 <choice idref="sect124">If you wish to search the lot, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
1517 <choice idref="sect342">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
1521 <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
1522 <meta><title>82</title></meta>
1525 <p>You focus your sight on the distant ridge. Two men are climbing towards the crest of Black Peak, and although you cannot identify them, you can see that they are carrying rifles. They reach the crest, pause briefly to stare at the freeway, and then continue across to the far side and disappear from sight.</p>
1526 <p>You return to your roadster and keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you wait for the convoy to close up the gap. Then, when the vehicles are once again visible in your driving mirror, you continue along the freeway. Anxiously you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, in spite of your fears, an attack does not materialize.</p>
1527 <p>At length you see the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that it is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
1528 <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace-of-spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike<ch.apos/>s owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod in agreement.</p>
1530 <illustration class="inline">
1532 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1534 <instance class="html" src="small4.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
1535 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1536 <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
1539 <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
1540 <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
1544 <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
1545 <meta><title>83</title></meta>
1548 <p>A sharp, burning pain erupts in your right calf as a bullet, fired from below, hits you and gouges a furrow of flesh from the back of your leg: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1549 <p>Gritting your teeth, you hobble to the end of the gantry, to where a covered staircase leads down to the vast area located below the stadium tiers. Kate helps you as best she can by supporting your weight, but you are bleeding heavily and you are soon forced to stop for fear of fainting.</p>
1550 <choice idref="sect320">If you possess at least one Medi-kit unit, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
1551 <choice idref="sect135">If you have no Medi-kit units left, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
1555 <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
1556 <meta><title>84</title></meta>
1559 <p>You force yourself to breathe slowly in an attempt to calm your racing heart. The clansman<ch.apos/>s footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the right moment to launch your ambush. With sweating palms, you lift your rifle, and then, as he comes to a halt, you rise up from your hiding place, aim, and fire.</p>
1560 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
1561 <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
1562 <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
1566 <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
1567 <meta><title>85</title></meta>
1570 <p>All the houses and stores of this forgotten town have collapsed long ago<ch.emdash/>all, that is, except for two. Both of these sorry, sand-blown shells stand on either side of an alley at the edge of town, and it is here that you decide to park your roadster. Quickly you discover that the buildings were once a hardware store and a tiny, one-pump gas station.</p>
1571 <choice idref="sect141">If you wish to investigate the derelict hardware store, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
1572 <choice idref="sect183">If you wish to take a closer look at the gas station, <link-text>turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
1576 <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
1577 <meta><title>86</title></meta>
1580 <p>You turn the handle and gently push open the door. You have taken but one step into the kitchen when a large glass storage jar falls from a shelf above your head and smashes down on your unprotected skull: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1581 <p>Wincing from the pain of your wound, you notice that the jar was attached by a thin cord to the inside handle of the door: it had been placed there deliberately. Not only have you lost some blood, but this primitive trap may have also lost you the element of surprise.</p>
1582 <p>With your nerves on edge, you advance through the kitchen and into the bar beyond. As you enter, you whisper Haskell<ch.apos/>s name in case, in the darkened interior, he mistakes you for a clansman.</p>
1583 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
1584 <choice idref="sect270">If the total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
1585 <choice idref="sect190">If the total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
1589 <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
1590 <meta><title>87</title></meta>
1593 <p>With numbing force, you slam the coyote<ch.apos/>s head against the dashboard and fracture its skull. Immediately, its jaws slacken and Kate is able to pull the creature away by the scruff of its neck and bundle it out of the car. You are shaken but uninjured by the attack, the thickness of your leather sleeve having protected you from the coyote<ch.apos/>s fangs. Quickly you regain full control of the roadster and steer it with consummate ease towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
1594 <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
1598 <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
1599 <meta><title>88</title></meta>
1602 <p>The cabin door is unlocked. With the toe of your boot you push it open and cast a sceptical eye over the debris that lies within. The hut was once used to store all the food mart<ch.apos/>s routine paper documentation, most of which now lies scattered across the floor.</p>
1603 <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to sift through the documents, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
1604 <choice idref="sect204">If you choose to abandon the hut and continue your search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
1608 <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
1609 <meta><title>89</title></meta>
1612 <p>To avoid being seen by the two guards, you slip inside a doorway to your left and discover that it leads to an empty locker room. Having already removed the signal flare from your pack, you glance quickly into the corridor in order to establish where the guards are standing. Then you hold the flare out at arm<ch.apos/>s length, point it in their direction, and pull its ignition cord. (Remember to erase this item from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
1613 <p>In the confines of the corridor the flare erupts with devastating effect, its crimson smoke and hissing flame blinding and choking the two clan bodyguards. You grab a towel, which is hanging behind the door, and use it to cover your mouth as you run down the smoke-filled corridor. When you reach the stairs, the clansmen are incapable of defending themselves and you silence them swiftly with a close combat weapon. You are halfway up the stairs when you see the door to the observation block start to open.</p>
1614 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
1618 <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
1619 <meta><title>90</title></meta>
1622 <p>It takes all night for you to dismantle, cut, re-align, and weld the damaged chassis. It is a difficult task, made even more so by fatigue, but the lessons you learnt when you helped Cutter to build this roadster over six months ago now prove invaluable. You work continuously, taking a break only when Kate sights a pack of Angelinos to the north. You turn off your torch and watch from the cover of the rocks as they pass along the highway heading south. Then, once they have disappeared, you resume the daunting task of repairing the crash damage.</p>
1623 <p>It is an hour after dawn when the repairs are finally completed. In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your <a idref="map">map</a>, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
1624 <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
1625 <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
1629 <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
1630 <meta><title>91</title></meta>
1633 <p>The moment you strike your killing blow, a loud cheer fills the stadium. Ricky Riot, the top Angelinos rider, has just crossed the line and won the motorcycle race. Mekong Mike curses you with his dying breath and, as he falls to the floor, you suddenly realize that Mad Dog Michigan is watching you from the opposite side of the map table. He finishes speaking into a radio handset and then, with a cruel sneer, levels his pistol, taking deliberate aim at your head. He is about to squeeze the trigger when Kate appears behind him with a wooden stool clutched unsteadily in her hands. With one fell stroke she smashes it down upon his head, leaving him sprawled unconscious on the floor.</p>
1634 <illustration class="float">
1636 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1637 <description>With one fell stroke Kate smashes the stool down upon Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s head.</description>
1639 <instance class="html" src="ill5.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
1640 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill5.gif" width="386" height="626" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1641 <instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="626" />
1643 <choice idref="sect45"><link-text>Turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
1647 <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
1648 <meta><title>92</title></meta>
1651 <p>You dive and roll behind an auto wreck for cover. As you come to a halt, a second shot rings out and a puff of dust rises from the road near the place where you first landed. Angered by this attempt to kill you, and by the heart-rending moans of wounded Marine Gunter, you decide to flush this sniper out and even the score. Kate and the others are pinned down on the other side of the street and cannot move without exposing themselves to the sniper<ch.apos/>s sights. Only you can reach the drug store entrance with some degree of cover.</p>
1652 <p>When a third shot hits the helpless Gunter, your anger explodes. Despite Kate<ch.apos/>s pleas to stay down, you spring to your feet and sprint towards the drug store entrance.</p>
1653 <choice idref="sect338"><link-text>Turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
1657 <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
1658 <meta><title>93</title></meta>
1661 <p>There is a loud cheer as the stadium gate opens, and then the waiting bikers start up their machines and begin entering in single file. Amid all this activity you leave your hiding place and cross the wide avenue that encircles the stadium. None of the clansmen appears to notice as you walk boldly around to the east side of the arena, to a place where a large section of the wall has collapsed, leaving a heap of rubble that rises to within ten feet of the remaining wall. The coast is clear and so, with the blood pounding loudly in your ears, you clamber to the top of the heap and attempt to scale the wall.</p>
1662 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
1663 <choice idref="sect315">If your total score is now 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
1664 <choice idref="sect261">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
1668 <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
1669 <meta><title>94</title></meta>
1672 <p>You walk around the building and notice that it has no windows or other means of access. Nothing hints at what is stored inside, and the more you consider it, the more intrigued you become.</p>
1673 <choice idref="sect221">If you possess a <typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ> and wish to use it to try to cut through the padlock, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
1674 <choice idref="sect236">If you possess an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and wish to use it to blow open the doors, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
1675 <choice idref="sect188">If you choose to ignore the building and its unknown contents and search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
1679 <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
1680 <meta><title>95</title></meta>
1683 <p>Simultaneously you step into the corridor and raise your rifle to your shoulder. The guard to the left of the staircase sees you but has no time to shout a warning before your bullet finds its mark. (Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) He spins backwards and falls heavily at the foot of the stairs as you work another round into the breach. Then you swing the barrel towards his partner, knowing only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively, but by the time you have him in your sights you are shocked to find that you are staring into the muzzle of his machine pistol.</p>
1684 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
1685 <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 19 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
1686 <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
1690 <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
1691 <meta><title>96</title></meta>
1694 <p>The man stares at you with fear in his eyes. He is on the brink of releasing the bowstring when your pursuer comes roaring up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your head and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
1695 <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
1696 <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
1700 <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
1701 <meta><title>97</title></meta>
1704 <p>The biker laughs as he opens fire. Vivid yellow muzzle flashes and a stream of empty cartridge cases pour from the side of his assault rifle. Then the bullets strike home, punching a line of frosted holes through the toughened windshield. Fragments of flying glass graze your face {lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) but miraculously the bullets fail to find you. He empties his entire magazine into the front of your roadster yet still it comes screaming towards him. Horrified, he fumbles to reload his weapon, but before he can do so, he is hit by your front fender and sent spinning over the side of the bridge.</p>
1705 <p>Meanwhile, his confederate has managed to start his bike and is now racing across to the other side. You wrench the gear shift into low and give chase, determined to prevent him from warning Mad Dog Michigan that you are coming to pay the Lions an unexpected visit. Beyond the bridge, you chase the biker up a steep incline to the top of a ridge. As you crest the top, you see him gunning his machine towards Highway 87, less than half a mile away.</p>
1706 <choice idref="sect327">If you wish to draw a missile weapon and fire at the biker while you are pursuing him, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
1707 <choice idref="sect199">If you wish to try to ram him off the road, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
1711 <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
1712 <meta><title>98</title></meta>
1715 <p>Uncle Jonas hands you a Signal Flare to use once the breach has been blown. You tell the others to watch for your flare. When they see it, they are to start their engines, drive through the Fabens barricade in breakout formation, and not stop until they reach El Paso.</p>
1716 <p>(Add the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
1717 <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
1721 <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
1722 <meta><title>99</title></meta>
1725 <p>You watch tensely as the bikers ride into the town. You give a silent prayer that they will pass through Eldorado without stopping, and, to your relief, your prayer is answered. With the immediate threat gone, you decide to remain where you are and get a few hours<ch.apos/> sleep before waking Kate and continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
1726 <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. Although it appears empty, you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your <a idref="map">map</a>, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they rode through Eldorado last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
1727 <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
1728 <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
1732 <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
1733 <meta><title>100</title></meta>
1736 <p>What little of Sterling City that survived the icy, post-holocaust years has long since been gutted or looted by gangs of roving clansmen. Many have left their mark, sprayed on the sides of auto wrecks or scrawled in jagged letters across warehouse walls.</p>
1737 <p>You bring your roadster to a halt and survey the ruins for some sign of life. The place reminds you of the city punk zones of Fort Worth, and, as you scour the shadowy doorways, an uneasy feeling grows in the pit of your stomach.</p>
1738 <choice idref="sect57">If you wish to stay on the highway and drive through Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
1739 <choice idref="sect285">If you decide to leave the highway and make a detour around the town, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
1743 <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
1744 <meta><title>101</title></meta>
1747 <p>A search of the dead Angelino<ch.apos/>s body reveals the following items:</p>
1750 <li>Eight rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
1751 <li>Enough antibiotics for one Medi-kit unit</li>
1752 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for two Drinks)</li>
1753 <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
1755 <li><typ class="item">Goggles</typ></li>
1757 <p>Parked beside the entrance to the store, from where the Angelino first appeared, you discover his motorcycle. You use it to transport Kate and the welding equipment back to your roadster and immediately set to work on repairing the damage. It takes all night for you to dismantle, cut, re-align, and weld the damaged chassis. It is a difficult task, made even more so by fatigue, but the lessons you learnt when you helped Cutter to build this roadster over six months ago prove invaluable.</p>
1758 <p>You work continuously, and it is not until an hour after dawn that the repairs are finally completed. In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your <a idref="map">map</a>, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they passed you last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
1759 <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
1760 <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
1764 <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
1765 <meta><title>102</title></meta>
1768 <p>Their eyes widen with a mixture of awe and avarice when you produce the bottle of bourbon from your Backpack. Greedily, the short clansman snatches it from your hands and takes a large gulp of the liquor. Then his partner takes a swig, replaces the cap, and grins delightedly.</p>
1769 <p><quote>You jus<ch.apos/> bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,</quote> he says, slipping the bottle inside a satchel he carries slung over his shoulder. His companion eyes him with distrust, and begrudgingly he agrees to help you into the stadium. Once more you climb the pile of rubble, but this time you are accompanied by the two clansmen. They help you over the wall and then return to the avenue, chuckling and celebrating their good fortune. (Erase the <typ class="item">Bottle of Bourbon</typ> from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
1770 <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
1771 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that the girl you are looking at is Kate Norton.</p>
1772 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
1776 <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
1777 <meta><title>103</title></meta>
1780 <p>Your gunfire hits the sniper in the chest and flings him against the wall. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) With a gurgling groan, he slides to the floor and rolls over onto his crimson-stained stomach, his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
1781 <p>You shout an <quote>all clear</quote> to the others in the street below and then turn to leave.</p>
1782 <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
1786 <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
1787 <meta><title>104</title></meta>
1790 <p>A bullet smacks into the passenger door and another ricochets loudly off the hardened steel plates that protect the headrest and back of your driving seat. The sound makes you flinch involuntarily, but you suppress your fear and force yourself to concentrate. You take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor. Too much gas would flood the engine for sure, leaving you stranded, a sitting duck for those Mavericks who are now beginning to close in on all sides.</p>
1791 <p>Your restraint pays off; the engine roars into life and within seconds you are accelerating away from the barricade, your eyes glued firmly on the convoy<ch.apos/>s tail lights. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond the range of the Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns.</p>
1792 <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
1796 <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
1797 <meta><title>105</title></meta>
1800 <p>The only hope you have of repairing your crippled roadster is to return to Eldorado and search all the derelict garages and service stations for some welding equipment. Tired and dejected, you abandon the car and begin the long walk back to town. You have covered less than a mile when, to your dismay, you see a line of motorcycle headlights approaching.</p>
1801 <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Perception skill score.</p>
1802 <choice idref="sect262">If your total score is 24 or less, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
1803 <choice idref="sect184">If your total is 25 or more, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
1807 <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
1808 <meta><title>106</title></meta>
1811 <p>News of your escape into the southern ruins of San Angelo is relayed to Mad Dog Michigan. Already he has told the Angelinos that you have assassinated their leader and, in the prevailing emergency, he has appointed himself their new commander. He orders the Angelinos to saturate the southern sector and to kill both of you on sight.</p>
1812 <p>You manage to reach the megamarket without further clan encounters, and are relieved to find that your roadster has remained undisturbed since you left it this morning. It takes a few frustrating minutes to start the engine, but as soon as it is running smoothly you leave San Angelo as fast as you can, heading south on the remains of Highway 277.</p>
1813 <p>While you are driving, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1814 <choice idref="sect211"><link-text>Turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
1818 <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
1819 <meta><title>107</title></meta>
1822 <p>At such close range, your burst of automatic fire lifts the heavy clansman clean off his feet. He screams, and with a crash he lands on his back in the middle of the table, before rolling lifelessly to the floor. The other two reach for their pistols as hurriedly they back away from the clansman<ch.apos/>s bloodstained body.</p>
1823 <p>Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
1824 <choice idref="sect335"><link-text>Turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
1828 <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
1829 <meta><title>108</title></meta>
1832 <p>You swerve and accelerate to avoid the missile, and it hits the ground a few feet behind the trunk of your roadster. The blast takes your breath away, but you recover quickly and bring your car under control with consummate skill. In your mirror you see the convoy coming under small-arms fire, but it is light and sporadic and it claims no victims. Soon you are all safely out of the battle zone and racing away from the Slaughter Mountain run towards Sierra Blanca.</p>
1833 <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
1837 <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
1838 <meta><title>109</title></meta>
1841 <p>With a light to help you, it is easy to follow the thick power cables that line the walls of the service tunnel. For fifteen minutes you walk without interruption until you reach a wider section where a ladder ascends to a circular steel hatch fitted flush to the tunnel ceiling. Kate suggests that it could be worth investigating, and you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out. Kate was right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
1842 <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you emerge from the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
1843 <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
1847 <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
1848 <meta><title>110</title></meta>
1851 <p>Kate catches you as you emerge from the library and pulls you a safe distance away. Moments later, the roof of the library collapses with a loud, splintering <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>, and clouds of sparks whirl into the night, carried upward by the strong, gusting wind. Silently you look at Kate<ch.apos/>s smoke-blackened face, and then at the blazing library, and you realize just how lucky you both are to have got out of that inferno alive.</p>
1852 <p>By the time you recover fully from your ordeal and return to your roadster, the storm has blown itself out. The eastern sky is lightening as dawn approaches, and you decide to leave Bakersfield now, before the sun rises and the temperature becomes unbearable. Beyond the town, the freeway climbs steadily towards a distant line of mountains that shimmer on the horizon. You keep your speed as low as possible and cover forty miles with your fuel gauge nudging the zero mark. Then the silhouette of Fort Stockton appears on the road ahead and your hopes of finding some gas are rekindled.</p>
1854 <illustration class="inline">
1856 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1858 <instance class="html" src="small9.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
1859 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1860 <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
1863 <p>The first thing you see upon entering the town is a gas station. Like everything else, the station appears deserted, but there is something about this building that makes your skin prickle with presentiment.</p>
1864 <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
1868 <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
1869 <meta><title>111</title></meta>
1872 <p>The scorched bones of a coyote lie scattered around the ashes of the campfire, the remnants of the meal that you watched the two clansmen share. Where their motorcycles were parked you discover a <typ class="item">Leather Face Mask</typ>. If you decide to keep this item, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1873 <p>Satisfied that nothing of importance has been missed, you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
1874 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
1878 <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
1879 <meta><title>112</title></meta>
1882 <p>You abandon your cover and shadow the two clansmen as they circle around to the rear. An old tyre rack propped against the side of a derelict car wash offers you a good defensive position, and quickly you scurry towards it. You reach the rack in time to see the Lions halt. For a moment they duck out of sight, but soon they reappear and come running half-crouched with guns at the ready, towards your newfound hiding place.</p>
1883 <choice idref="sect27">If the weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
1884 <choice idref="sect142">If the weapon you are using is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
1885 <choice idref="sect319">If the weapon you are using is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
1886 <choice idref="sect10">If the weapon you are using is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
1890 <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
1891 <meta><title>113</title></meta>
1894 <p>Your shout is met by silence. You are about to repeat it when a burst of machine gun fire rings out and six ragged holes suddenly appear in the centre of the kitchen door.</p>
1895 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
1896 <choice idref="sect322">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>1, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
1897 <choice idref="sect256">If it is 2<ch.endash/>5, <link-text>turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
1898 <choice idref="sect23">If it is 6<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
1902 <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
1903 <meta><title>114</title></meta>
1906 <p>You start your car and steer it back onto the freeway towards Fabens. Ten minutes later, you see the town in the distance, and once more you hide your roadster in the yucca forest before going forward to scout the clan-held town.</p>
1907 <p>A formidable barricade has been thrown across the freeway approach. It consists of auto wrecks filled with earth and broken chunks of concrete, stacked three deep. It would be virtually impossible for the convoy to break through this barrier. On the perimeter of the town, the Mexicans have dug pits to entrap any vehicles attempting to bypass the barricade. It looks hopeless, but if you are to reach El Paso, you must find a way through this freeway defence.</p>
1908 <p>After observing the barricade at some length, Sergeant Haskell evolves a plan to blow a hole in it that is large enough to allow the convoy through in its entirety. You return to Fort Hancock and inform the colony of the plan. Then a message is sent to El Paso, requesting that they be ready and waiting to receive you once you break through.</p>
1909 <choice idref="sect294">If you possess a <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ>, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
1910 <choice idref="sect98">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
1914 <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
1915 <meta><title>115</title></meta>
1918 <p>You hold your breath and try not to move as the clansman rummages through a tool box less than four feet from where you are crouching. Unfortunately, the dust he is stirring up causes you to sneeze, betraying your presence. Suddenly, one of the gasolene drums is rolled aside and you feel two strong hands grab your jacket and drag you to your feet.</p>
1919 <p><quote>What are you up to?</quote> growls the scar-faced Detroit Lion, his stinking breath making you pull away in disgust. <quote>Sabotage, is it?</quote> he spits, accusingly.</p>
1920 <p><quote>Nah<ch.ellips/>I ain<ch.apos/>t no saboteur,</quote> you reply, stalling for time, as you let your hand drift slowly towards your close combat weapon. <quote>I<ch.apos/>m an Angelino who jus<ch.apos/> wants t<ch.apos/>see the race. I<ch.apos/>m supposed to be patrolling the south zone but ain<ch.apos/>t nothin<ch.apos/> ever happens down there. Gimme a break, will ya?</quote></p>
1921 <p>As your fingers close around your weapon, you see something that makes you hesitate. At the rear of the truck you glimpse a large crowd of clansmen who are queueing to enter the stadium. The sight dissuades you from attacking your accuser, and instead you decide to try offering him a bribe.</p>
1922 <choice idref="sect161">If you possess a <typ class="item">Bottle of Bourbon</typ>, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
1923 <choice idref="sect207">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
1927 <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
1928 <meta><title>116</title></meta>
1931 <p>You press yourself against the damp stalagmites and gently flick your shotgun<ch.apos/>s safety catch to <quote>fire</quote>. The clansman<ch.apos/>s footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the moment to launch your ambush. As he comes to a halt, you rise up from your hiding place and open fire.</p>
1932 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
1933 <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
1934 <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
1938 <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
1939 <meta><title>117</title></meta>
1942 <p>You are twenty yards out from the wall when a burst of machine gun fire echoes across the open ground. Bullets graze the rubble just a few feet ahead and ricochet into the air with a piercing whine. Kate looks over her shoulder and begins to slow her pace to allow you to catch up, but you scream at her to keep running and she obeys your command.</p>
1943 <p>When you are halfway across the gap, a wave of exhaustion descends on you like a lead blanket. Painfully your thigh muscles tighten until, in the throes of cramp, you stumble and fall. Desperately you try to rise but more shots ring out and you feel something sharp and searing, like a red-hot dagger, pierce your side. Your vision swims in and out of focus and the last thing you see, before total darkness descends, is Kate as she reaches the fire station.</p>
1944 <illustration class="inline">
1946 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1948 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
1949 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
1950 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
1952 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here in San Angelo.</deadend>
1956 <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
1957 <meta><title>118</title></meta>
1960 <p>The tyres and brakes squeal like banshees as you fight to bring the roadster to a rapid halt. Moments later, the panel truck flashes past, missing the front fender by inches, and overturning on the wreckage-strewn highway. Your skill and keen reflexes have saved you from colliding with the truck, but the sight of the convoy fast disappearing along the freeway makes you feel very uncomfortable. You change into low gear and pump the gas pedal, but nothing happens. The engine has stalled. Frantically you reach for the ignition to bring the car back to life before the surviving Mavericks close in and attempt to put an end to yours.</p>
1961 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
1962 <choice idref="sect43">If your total is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
1963 <choice idref="sect104">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
1967 <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
1968 <meta><title>119</title></meta>
1971 <p>Before he can draw his gun, you land a punch to the side of the clansman<ch.apos/>s head that sends him reeling to the ground. Kate collapses against the rear door, her hands clasping her throat as she gasps painfully for breath. You are about to help her stand when the clansman lashes out with his foot and brings you down with a vicious kick to the knee: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Before you can recover fully, he leaps on you and tries to strangle you to death with his powerful hands.</p>
1972 <combat><enemy>Hang-Ten</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
1973 <p>Owing to the speed and fury of his attack, you are unable to draw a close combat weapon until the third round of the fight.</p>
1974 <choice idref="sect76">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
1978 <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
1979 <meta><title>120</title></meta>
1982 <p><quote>This should open the gate nice and wide,</quote> says Haskell, as he takes the Leviathan from your hands and settles himself into position at the edge of the freeway.</p>
1983 <p><quote>Stand clear!</quote> he shouts, and then releases the trigger mechanism and sends the high explosive missile screaming towards the centre of the barricade.</p>
1984 <p>(Erase both the <typ class="item">Leviathan Missile</typ> and the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ>from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. Remember to restore 2 Stealth points now that you are no longer encumbered with the Leviathan.)</p>
1985 <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
1989 <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
1990 <meta><title>121</title></meta>
1993 <p>Quickly you retrieve your weapon and step outside into the corridor. There, lying next to the siren, you see the guard<ch.apos/>s machine pistol. (If you decide to take this weapon, you discover that its magazine contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
1994 <p>You pick up the siren and switch it off as you run towards the iron staircase. You are halfway up the steps when you see the door to the observation block start to open.</p>
1995 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
1999 <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
2000 <meta><title>122</title></meta>
2003 <p>Her gunfire silences the screaming Angelino. He throws his arms wide and tumbles backwards out of the saddle. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car. As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader<ch.apos/>s body from the South Concho River.</p>
2004 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
2008 <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
2009 <meta><title>123</title></meta>
2012 <p>The case-hardened steel padlock is difficult but not impossible to cut. Eventually it gives and you are able to gain access to the hangar-like building. Inside you discover an armoured truck, one of many that were once used by banks to transport cash and bullion around Texas. This one was hijacked shortly before <quote>The Day</quote>, and was brought here where its cargo was to have been shared out by the robbers. However they never had a chance to divide and spend their loot, and the vehicle still contains over thirty million dollars in cash, a sum now completely worthless.</p>
2013 <illustration class="float">
2015 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2016 <description>The armoured truck still contains over thirty million dollars in cash, a sum now completely worthless.</description>
2018 <instance class="html" src="ill6.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
2019 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill6.gif" width="386" height="617" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2020 <instance class="pdf" src="ill6.pdf" width="386" height="617" />
2022 <p>The truck<ch.apos/>s fuel tank is a quarter full, but it is diesel oil and cannot be used in your roadster. Cursing your luck, you search the truck and the building for anything that may be of practical use and you discover the following items:</p>
2024 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
2025 <li><typ class="item">Air Pump</typ></li>
2026 <li>Distilled Water (enough for three Drinks)</li>
2027 <li><typ class="item">Engine Oil</typ></li>
2028 <li><typ class="item">Monkey Wrench</typ></li>
2030 <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the building and return to your car.</p>
2031 <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
2035 <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
2036 <meta><title>124</title></meta>
2039 <p>Very little of any practical use remains intact within the cars that are littered around the lot. However, a search of the service bay uncovers the following items that may be of help to you on the road ahead:</p>
2041 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
2042 <li><typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ></li>
2043 <li><typ class="item">Engine Oil</typ></li>
2045 <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack Items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2046 <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing else of use has been overlooked, you return to your roadster and resume your journey to San Angelo.</p>
2047 <choice idref="sect342"><link-text>Turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
2051 <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
2052 <meta><title>125</title></meta>
2055 <p>You search the immediate area for a track or some other means by which you can ascend the peak, but your efforts are to no avail. Reluctantly, you are forced to abandon your investigation and return to your car.</p>
2056 <choice idref="sect210"><link-text>Turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
2060 <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
2061 <meta><title>126</title></meta>
2064 <p>Judging from the long-horned skull that you find painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor, close to where you first spotted him, you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
2066 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
2067 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
2068 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
2069 <li><typ class="item">Small Blanket</typ></li>
2070 <li>Enough bandages, sulfonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
2073 <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
2075 <li>Meat Cleaver (3)</li>
2076 <li>Bread Knife (2)</li>
2077 <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
2079 <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2080 <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman<ch.apos/>s body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that lead to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
2081 <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
2085 <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
2086 <meta><title>127</title></meta>
2089 <p>The first two clansmen to enter the workshop fall victim to your gunfire. The others duck back and crouch either side of the doorway as their leader, a wiry biker with a badly broken nose, offers you the chance to give yourselves up. Defiantly you both refuse.</p>
2090 <p>Seconds later a clutch of grenades are thrown into the workshop and they explode with a thunderous flash. You are both mortally wounded in the blast, and when the Angelinos finally summon enough courage to storm into the room, they find you dead in each other<ch.apos/>s arms.</p>
2091 <deadend>Your journey and your life end here in Eldorado.</deadend>
2095 <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
2096 <meta><title>128</title></meta>
2099 <p>As soon as the clansmen have disappeared from sight, you break cover and run, half-crouched, towards their jeep. Kate circles around to the other side and climbs into the passenger seat while you search for the ignition. To your horror, you discover that the ignition keys are missing.</p>
2100 <p>Add together your Field Craft and Perception skill scores.</p>
2101 <choice idref="sect253">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
2102 <choice idref="sect70">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
2106 <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
2107 <meta><title>129</title></meta>
2110 <footnote id="sect129-1-foot" idref="sect129-1">
2111 <p>The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.</p>
2116 <p>You examine the three dials that are set into the top of the security valve. Each is divided into three segments, and each segment displays a number. One of the segments on the third dial has numbers which can be altered by hand. Carefully you consider the numbers and soon realize that they are part of a coded combination lock. By turning the adjustable numbers on the third dial to the correct total, you will release the lock and open the valve.</p>
2117 <puzzle idref="sect52">Consider the following numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, <choose test="has-numbered-section-list"><when value="true"><a idref="numbered">turn to the entry</a></when><otherwise>turn to the entry</otherwise></choose> which bears the same number as your answer.<footref id="sect129-1" idref="sect129-1-foot"/></puzzle>
2118 <illustration class="inline">
2120 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2122 <instance class="html" src="small2.png" width="386" height="126" mime-type="image/png"/>
2123 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small2.gif" width="386" height="126" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2124 <instance class="pdf" src="small2.pdf" width="126" height="150"/>
2125 <instance class="text" src="none" width="none" height="none" >
2127 <caption>Each dial is divided into thirds like a pie. Going anticlockwise around each dial, the first segment is in the lower right of the dial, the second segment is at the top, and the third segment is on the lower left.</caption>
2130 <th scope="col">First Segment</th>
2131 <th scope="col">Second Segment</th>
2132 <th scope="col">Third Segment</th>
2135 <th scope="row">First Dial</th>
2141 <th scope="row">Second Dial</th>
2147 <th scope="row">Third Dial</th>
2150 <td>[adjustable numbers]</td>
2155 <choice idref="sect226">If you cannot solve the security code, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
2159 <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
2160 <meta><title>130</title></meta>
2163 <p>Despite pulling your T-shirt to your face to filter out the dust, the heat and the cloying air conspire to sap your strength: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Determinedly you continue your search and, after nearly half an hour of exhausting work, you uncover the following items:</p>
2165 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
2166 <li><typ class="item">Siren</typ></li>
2167 <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
2168 <li>Hunting Knife (2)</li>
2169 <li><typ class="item">Tenon Saw</typ></li>
2170 <li>Four rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
2171 <li><typ class="item">Plastic Tube</typ></li>
2172 <li><typ class="item">File</typ></li>
2174 <p>Remember to make a note on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> of any of the items that you decide to keep.</p>
2175 <choice idref="sect59">To continue, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
2179 <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
2180 <meta><title>131</title></meta>
2183 <p>You enter an alley that runs alongside the bar, and make your way to the rear door. Through a cracked glass panel you can see the kitchens. They are empty, but remnants of food lie scattered across the tables and, judging by the amount of fresh garbage strewn on the floor, a large group of clansmen must have eaten here not so long ago.</p>
2184 <p>You test the handle and discover that the door is unlocked.</p>
2185 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
2186 <choice idref="sect86">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
2187 <choice idref="sect2">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
2191 <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
2192 <meta><title>132</title></meta>
2195 <p><quote>Eldorado, the imaginary land of riches,</quote> you say sardonically, as you scan the tumbledown buildings of this derelict Texan town. <quote>Somehow I jus<ch.apos/> don<ch.apos/>t reckon we<ch.apos/>ll find any riches here.</quote></p>
2196 <p><quote>I guess you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> says Kate. <quote>But we might find us somewhere to rest up a while. I sure could use a few hours<ch.apos/> sleep.</quote></p>
2197 <p>The dangers you have encountered during the day have kept you mentally and physically alert, but now that the immediate threat has passed, the fatigue of your ordeal catches up with you all at once. Your need to rest makes the thought of stopping here almost irresistible, but, no matter how tired you feel, you cannot ignore the fact that you are being hunted by the Angelinos.</p>
2198 <choice idref="sect6">If you wish to stop and rest in Eldorado, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
2199 <choice idref="sect180">If you decide to continue driving despite your fatigue, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
2203 <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
2204 <meta><title>133</title></meta>
2207 <p>Coughing and popping, the roadster lurches to a halt in the middle of the highway. You try to restart the engine but it refuses to run smoothly for more than a few seconds at a time. You are running over all the possible faults that could have caused the breakdown when suddenly you remember the comp-aid digipad that Cutter fitted to the dashboard while you were in Big Spring. He had salvaged the unit from the wreck of a <ch.apos/>99 Mercedes Malibu Coup<ch.eacute/> and modified it so that you could use it to run an automatic systems check on your roadster. Hurriedly you tap in your access code and immediately the unit<ch.apos/>s LCD identifies the fault: <ch.ellips/>FUEL FILTER<ch.ellips/></p>
2208 <p>It takes you an hour to dismantle, clean, and replace the fuel filter, during which time you must take two Drinks or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points per drink missed due to dehydration.</p>
2209 <p>The fault rectified, the engine starts sweetly the first time you touch the ignition. You accelerate away but within a few minutes you see something in the distance that makes you slow to a snail<ch.apos/>s pace.</p>
2210 <p>It is a girder bridge that carries the highway across the North Concho River. The bridge is intact and passable, but you are worried by the sight of a lazy plume of wood smoke rising from a spot near its approach ramp.</p>
2211 <choice idref="sect296">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
2212 <choice idref="sect224">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
2216 <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
2217 <meta><title>134</title></meta>
2220 <p>With Sergeant Haskell beside you, you drive out of Sierra Blanca, heading west on Interstate 10. A few miles later, you see a forest of strange plants growing on either side of the freeway. They are ten to twenty feet high, with stiff, spiky leaves and topped with white, bell-like flowers.</p>
2221 <p><quote>Those are yuccas,</quote> says Haskell, clearly amused by your open-mouthed reaction at seeing these almost science-fictional plants for the first time.</p>
2223 <illustration class="inline">
2225 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2227 <instance class="html" src="small12.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
2228 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small12.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2229 <instance class="pdf" src="small12.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
2232 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>m amazed they<ch.apos/>ve survived where everything else has failed,</quote> you reply. <quote>They must be good at adapting to their new environment.</quote></p>
2233 <p><quote>That<ch.apos/>s the key to survival, Cal. We all have to adapt if we are to survive.</quote></p>
2234 <p>You keep your car at a steady sixty miles per hour until the ruins of Fort Hancock loom into view. Like Sierra Blanca, this town is deserted, having been looted by the Mexicans months ago. Sergeant Haskell radios back to the convoy to tell them that the town is safe to enter. When they arrive, you continue towards Fabens to scout the barricade.</p>
2235 <p>You are less than three miles from Fort Hancock when you see a vehicle approaching on the highway ahead. Rather than run the risk of a head-on confrontation, you pull your car off the freeway and hide it among the yuccas. As the vehicle grows nearer, you see that it is a military truck, loaded with munitions, and manned by a group of Mexican clansmen. Both you and Sergeant Haskell realize that if this truck is allowed to reach Fort Hancock, it could destroy the colony<ch.apos/>s hopes of ever seeing El Paso.</p>
2236 <choice idref="sect162"><link-text>Turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
2240 <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
2241 <meta><title>135</title></meta>
2244 <p>Using strips of cotton torn from the bottom of your T-shirt, Kate bandages your wound as best she can. Her speedy action stops the bleeding and enables you to continue your escape. The wide corridor into which you have emerged is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before this area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests that you hide there. You nod your agreement and help her to prise open the rusty hatch door.</p>
2245 <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
2249 <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
2250 <meta><title>136</title></meta>
2253 <p>In a desperate attempt to reach him before he can cock and fire his gun, you race towards your adversary and launch yourself at his chest. The shock of seeing you charging at him makes him hesitate for a few vital seconds, and when your fists connect with his body, the force of impact leaves him winded and stunned. Still he fights to free himself from your grip, and, as he wriggles free, he unsheathes a knife from his boot and lunges at your neck.</p>
2254 <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
2255 <p>Owing to the speed of your attack, and your first strike, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the combat.</p>
2256 <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
2260 <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
2261 <meta><title>137</title></meta>
2264 <p>Wearily you search through the ruins of stores that are still standing at the centre of the town. A derelict food mart holds out promise of supplies, but once inside you realize that it must have been looted months ago. At the rear of the building, inside a fenced compound, you see a storage cabin. The door is closed and it shows no obvious signs of ever having been forced open.</p>
2265 <choice idref="sect88">If you wish to enter the compound and search the storage cabin, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
2266 <choice idref="sect204">If you decide to ignore the cabin and continue your search elsewhere, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
2270 <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
2271 <meta><title>138</title></meta>
2274 <p>You try to ignore the hail of bullets whistling past on all sides as coolly you crouch down and adopt a two-handed combat stance in order to steady your aim. The clansman is wild with fury, but a single shot to the head, delivered with chilling precision, is all it takes to stop him dead in his tracks.</p>
2275 <p>Before you bury these two Detroit Lions, you search their bodies and their bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
2277 <li>Pistol (containing three rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2279 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
2280 <li><typ class="item">Leather Face Mask</typ></li>
2281 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
2282 <li>Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2283 <li><typ class="item">Cigarette Lighter</typ></li>
2284 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
2285 <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
2287 <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete the grisly task of burial. Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
2288 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
2292 <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
2293 <meta><title>139</title></meta>
2296 <p>You are halfway through the door when your foot becomes caught among the burning shelves and you are sent sprawling to the ground. Quickly you recover and press on with your escape, but as a result of your fall, you sustain painful first-degree burns to your hands (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and lose one item from your Backpack (erase one item of your choice).</p>
2297 <choice idref="sect110">Make the necessary amendments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>, and then <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
2301 <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
2302 <meta><title>140</title></meta>
2305 <p>The coyote is in a frenzy of pain and fear. No matter how hard Kate strikes it with her pistol, the beast refuses to relinquish its grip on your arm. In desperation she tries to drag the dog away, but this also pulls your arm off the steering wheel and causes the car to swerve sideways and go into a violent skid. You slam on the brakes and bring the roadster to a juddering halt, throwing the coyote hard against the dashboard, but still it remains fixed to your arm. The only way you are going to free yourself of this creature is by killing it in close combat.</p>
2306 <combat><enemy>Wild Coyote</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">7</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">19</enemy-attribute></combat>
2307 <choice idref="sect284">If you win and the fight takes four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
2308 <choice idref="sect313">If you win and the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
2312 <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
2313 <meta><title>141</title></meta>
2316 <p>You enter through a gaping hole in the store<ch.apos/>s front window. The shattered remains scrunch loudly beneath the soles of your boots as you explore its darkened interior. The place is a shambles, the fittings and stock having been exposed to the elements for many years. It is a relief to be out of the midday sun but you soon experience difficulty with your breathing for the air is becoming saturated with a fine dust stirred by your movement.</p>
2317 <choice idref="sect130">If you wish to continue your search of this dust-choked store, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
2318 <choice idref="sect59">If you decide to return to your roadster and leave the town, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
2322 <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
2323 <meta><title>142</title></meta>
2326 <p>Quickly you check your magazine and cock the firing bolt as the first clansman scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty-five yards away when you squeeze off your first burst of fire and bring him crashing to the ground. (Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) His partner hesitates, and then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his own machine pistol blazing furiously at his hip.</p>
2327 <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
2328 <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or if you choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
2332 <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
2333 <meta><title>143</title></meta>
2336 <p>You rush forward, pausing briefly at the bottom of the staircase to check that the two guards are no longer a threat. Lying across the bloodstained chest of one of the men is a machine pistol (if you wish to take this weapon, you discover that it contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition) and attached to the belt of the other is an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ>.</p>
2337 <p>Stepping over the bodies, you begin to ascend the stairs to the observation room, but you are only halfway up when you see the door start to open.</p>
2338 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
2342 <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
2343 <meta><title>144</title></meta>
2346 <p>Kate succeeds in giving enough covering fire to keep the clansmen pinned down, while you retrieve the spare tyre, jack, and wheel brace from the trunk of the car. But in doing so she empties her gun, and she has no spare ammunition with which to reload.</p>
2347 <choice idref="sect78">If you possess at least six rounds of 9mm ammunition and wish to give them to Kate so that she can reload her pistol, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
2348 <choice idref="sect229">If you possess less than six rounds of 9mm ammunition and wish to give all of them to Kate, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
2349 <choice idref="sect301">If you possess no 9mm rounds whatsoever, or if you do not wish to give any that you have to Kate, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
2353 <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
2354 <meta><title>145</title></meta>
2357 <p>The frightened man lowers his aim and sends the arrow thudding into the ground at your feet<ch.emdash/>a warning shot. At that moment your pursuer comes roaring up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
2358 <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
2359 <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
2363 <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
2364 <meta><title>146</title></meta>
2367 <p>The clansman curses you with his dying breath, and then keels over and falls heavily across his dead partner<ch.apos/>s body. Your limbs ache viciously from the bruises and fatigue of your ordeal, and before you can carry on you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2368 <p>Once you have fully recovered, you decide to bury your enemies. But first you search both bodies and the bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
2370 <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2371 <li><typ class="item">Cigarette Lighter</typ></li>
2372 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
2373 <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
2374 <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2376 <li><typ class="item">Leather Face Mask</typ></li>
2377 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
2379 <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete the grisly task of burial. Then wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
2380 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
2384 <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
2385 <meta><title>147</title></meta>
2388 <p>You leave the bar and return to the convoy to tell the colony what has happened. After considering the likelihood of running into a Maverick ambush on the way to Sierra Blanca, probably in the narrow pass that separates Slaughter Mountain from Devil Ridge, the maps are consulted. A proposal is put forward by Sergeant Haskell that the convoy detours north, across the Salt Lakes to Cornudas, and approach El Paso on Highway 62. It looks like the safest route to follow and it is soon agreed.</p>
2389 <p>The convoy is turned around and you lead it north, but you have not travelled very far when you see something on the road ahead that forces another change of plan.</p>
2390 <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
2394 <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
2395 <meta><title>148</title></meta>
2398 <p>You follow Kate as she runs through the debris towards an exit at the rear. You watch as she races through the open doorway and collides head-on with a clansman, who is hurrying into the building. The two rebound off each other and fall to the ground, stunned and bruised. Drunkenly, the clansman grabs Kate by the throat and fumbles for a pistol that is holstered beneath his shoulder.</p>
2399 <choice idref="sect245">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
2400 <choice idref="sect119">If you do not have a missile weapon, do not wish to use one, or have insufficient ammunition, <link-text>turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
2404 <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
2405 <meta><title>149</title></meta>
2408 <p>You bring your roadster to a halt beside the pick-up but leave the engine idling in case you have to make a fast getaway. After checking to make sure that it is not booby-trapped, you lift the hood and take a look at the truck<ch.apos/>s engine. The ground beneath it is stained black where oil has leaked from a shattered sump; the damage looks irreparable.</p>
2409 <p>Inside the cab you find a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ> attached to the dashboard. It has its own self-contained power supply and the unit is still in good working order. Having satisfied your curiosity, you return to your car and continue on your way to San Angelo.</p>
2410 <choice idref="sect303"><link-text>Turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
2414 <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
2415 <meta><title>150</title></meta>
2418 <p>You decide to spend the night in the library<ch.apos/>s main hall. After clearing a space near the centre, you build a small campfire, using a few of the many thousands of books that line the walls. Then, once it is ablaze, you help Kate to prepare the food she has found. Outside, the weather has grown steadily worse. Thunder rolls across the surrounding plains and the jagged flashes of forked lightning illuminate the roiling clouds of dust with increasing regularity.</p>
2419 <p><quote>I don<ch.apos/>t like it<ch.emdash/>it looks real bad,</quote> you say, as you stare anxiously out of the window at the raging storm.</p>
2420 <p><quote>It ain<ch.apos/>t all bad,</quote> replies Kate. <quote>At least we don<ch.apos/>t have to worry <ch.apos/>bout Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s boys showin<ch.apos/> up outta the blue.</quote></p>
2421 <p>The food and wine taste delicious (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and, after eating your fill, you both settle down to sleep in front of the glowing embers of the campfire.</p>
2422 <p>It seems as though you have only just closed your eyes when you are stirred to consciousness by a loud crackling sound and the acrid smell of smoke. Horror fills your senses when you open your eyes to see yourself surrounded by a blazing wall of yellow flame. Lightning struck the library roof while you were asleep, starting a fire that has been fuelled by the shelves of dust-dry books, and which has now spread to the main hall where it threatens to consume you both.</p>
2423 <p>Quickly you wake Kate and together you fight your way towards the main door. You are within ten feet of the exit when a burning bookcase falls across your path.</p>
2424 <illustration class="float">
2426 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2427 <description>You and Kate are within ten feet of the exit when a burning bookcase falls across your path.</description>
2429 <instance class="html" src="ill7.png" width="386" height="622" mime-type="image/png"/>
2430 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill7.gif" width="386" height="622" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2431 <instance class="pdf" src="ill7.pdf" width="386" height="622" />
2433 <choice idref="sect47">If you possess a <typ class="item">Fire Extinguisher</typ>, <link-text>turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
2434 <choice idref="sect316">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
2438 <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
2439 <meta><title>151</title></meta>
2442 <p>The coarse staccato sound of a machine pistol and the sight of a clansman<ch.apos/>s grinning face are the last sensations you experience as a dozen bullets rip into your chest. Mercifully, the bullets deliver a quick and painless death.</p>
2443 <illustration class="inline">
2445 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2447 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
2448 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2449 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
2451 <deadend>Your life and your journey end here.</deadend>
2455 <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
2456 <meta><title>152</title></meta>
2459 <p>A parting blow with the edge of your newfound weapon stuns the clansman and drops him to the floor. You call to Kate, telling her to follow you, and immediately she moves out from her hiding place. As she passes the clansman, she stoops to snatch his machine pistol from the floor and then quickly follows in your footsteps as you retrace your way along the defile and return to the surface.</p>
2460 <choice idref="sect168"><link-text>Turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
2464 <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
2465 <meta><title>153</title></meta>
2468 <p>You pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your visit passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open highway, heading southeast to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2469 <p>When you first see San Angelo, the sun is a quarter hidden below the skyline, its soft red glow reflecting upon a cluster of tall buildings that stand at the city<ch.apos/>s centre. They are the ravaged shells of banks and state offices that were the pride of this once-prosperous city before <quote>The Day</quote>. Surrounding them, for many miles, is a sea of dust and rubble. Your skin prickles when you realize that this is all that remains of the city<ch.apos/>s suburbs, an area that once was home to more than a million Texans.</p>
2471 <illustration class="inline">
2473 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2475 <instance class="html" src="small5.png" width="386" height="78" mime-type="image/png"/>
2476 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small5.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2477 <instance class="pdf" src="small5.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
2480 <p>You are about to drive towards the centre when you notice that a fortified wall has been erected around the tall buildings of the downtown area, and the northern highway approaches are controlled by roadblocks. It would be near-suicidal to approach any closer, so you make a wide detour around the city limits and try an approach from the south.</p>
2481 <p>It takes nearly two hours to reach the south side of San Angelo, by which time night has fallen. Fortunately, your decision to go south has paid off: this section of the city is virtually uninhabited by the Angelinos and your approach goes undetected.</p>
2482 <p>Hidden by the darkness, you are able to get within a mile of the downtown area before you encounter any sign of clan activity. You know that if your rescue of Kate is to be successful you must not allow your roadster to fall into enemy hands, and with this thought in mind, you search for somewhere safe to leave it while you venture into the downtown area on foot.</p>
2483 <p>An underground parking lot situated below the looted ruins of a Sears megamarket provides just such a safe haven, and it is here that you hide your car. You are tired after the rigours of your journey, so you decide to get a few hours<ch.apos/> sleep and attempt your rescue at first light.</p>
2484 <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
2488 <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
2489 <meta><title>154</title></meta>
2492 <p>For a moment you are blinded by a deluge of stones and stinking water as you drive through the aftermath of the explosion. Then, as you catch sight of the opposite bank, there is another blast and you feel your steering wheel pulling sharply to the left.</p>
2493 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve lost a tyre,</quote> you shout, as you battle to get the car onto dry land. You succeed in reaching the far bank and skid sideways to a halt. You both leap out quickly and take cover behind the engine compartment. The clansmen seem to have exhausted their supply of grenades, but they are all armed with machine pistols and they proceed to empty them in your direction.</p>
2494 <p>Kate draws her pistol and prepares to give covering fire while you inspect the damage. The front left tyre has been shredded by shrapnel and is beyond repair. You will have to replace it with the spare tyre you carry in the trunk. However, in order to retrieve it, you will have to expose yourself to bursts of machine pistol fire.</p>
2495 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score. Now add the combined figure to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
2496 <choice idref="sect144">If the resulting total score is 28 or less, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
2497 <choice idref="sect194">If the total score is 29 or more, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
2501 <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
2502 <meta><title>155</title></meta>
2505 <p>With dismay, Kate tells you that she can find no anti-toxins in your Medi-kit. Using blankets dragged from the store room, she tries to make you as comfortable as possible as the first shivers of fever begin to grip your pain-wracked body. She cleans the inflamed wound and tries to comfort you as best she can while, over the next three hours, your body battles to overcome the toxin in your blood: lose 8 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2506 <choice idref="sect291">If you are still alive after sustaining such a grievous shock to your system, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
2510 <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
2511 <meta><title>156</title></meta>
2514 <p>You act purely on instinct, yet the speed and precision of your actions are enough to save your life. Skilfully you decelerate, using the roadster<ch.apos/>s gears and brakes in unison to prevent the car from ramming into the panel truck. Then, before the engine stalls or the surviving Mavericks are able to close in, you pump the gas and take off once more, your eyes now glued firmly on the tail lights of the school bus. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the convoy and pass beyond the range of the Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns.</p>
2515 <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
2519 <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
2520 <meta><title>157</title></meta>
2523 <p>Haskell dispatches three of the four clansmen, and the survivor manages to escape into the yucca forest. You are about to give chase when he says, <quote>Let him go, Cal. He won<ch.apos/>t get far on his own. Let<ch.apos/>s see what they had on board the truck.</quote></p>
2524 <p>You discover several crates and lockers filled with munitions: mortars, anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns and the like. However, you cannot find any ammunition for these weapons. You are about to set fire to the truck, to prevent them from falling into the hands of other clansmen, when you discover one item that could be of some use after all.</p>
2525 <p>In a sealed locker at the bottom of the heap, you discover a portable Leviathan ground-to-air missile, a weapon with approximately eight times the destructive power of a bazooka. If you wish to keep this <typ class="item">Leviathan Missile</typ>, you must reduce your Stealth score by 2 points due to its size and weight.</p>
2526 <p>Having set fire to the truck, you return to your roadster. You are just about to climb in when you feel an arm snake around your neck and pull you backwards into the yucca forest.</p>
2527 <combat><enemy>Guerrero</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
2528 <p>Owing to the surprise of his attack, do not erase any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points your enemy may lose in the first two rounds of combat.</p>
2529 <choice idref="sect63">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
2533 <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
2534 <meta><title>158</title></meta>
2537 <p>You tighten your grip on your close combat weapon as the door handle turns. The door flies open and you stare at the startled face of your enemy as you spring forward and strike the first blow. Your speedy attack opens a gash across his forehead and knocks the pistol from his hand. He reels back, clutching his face, and immediately you press forward to strike again, eager to silence him before he can raise the alarm.</p>
2538 <combat><enemy>Armalite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">16</enemy-attribute></combat>
2539 <p>Owing to the fury and surprise with which you launched your first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain during the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
2540 <choice idref="sect237">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
2541 <choice idref="sect336">If you win and the fight takes five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
2545 <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
2546 <meta><title>159</title></meta>
2549 <p>You push open the doors and enter the gloomy kitchen. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a movement. You turn around and see a clansman crouching in front of a food locker, trying to prise the door open with the edge of a meat cleaver. He sees you and his eyes open wide with shock. Before you can draw a weapon and fire, he draws the cleaver back and hurls it at your chest.</p>
2550 <illustration class="float">
2552 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2553 <description>The clansman draws the meat cleaver back and hurls it at your chest.</description>
2555 <instance class="html" src="ill8.png" width="386" height="553" mime-type="image/png"/>
2556 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill8.gif" width="386" height="541" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2557 <instance class="pdf" src="ill8.pdf" width="386" height="541" />
2559 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
2560 <choice idref="sect186">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
2561 <choice idref="sect282">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
2565 <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
2566 <meta><title>160</title></meta>
2569 <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s them!</quote> cries Knott, as he sights the convoy vehicles trundling along the freeway towards Kent. Led by Pete Tyler<ch.apos/>s tow truck, the convoy pulls into the town with all horns blaring and everyone shouting their relief and delight that the rendezvous has been accomplished. It is a joyous reunion, made especially happy by the return of Kate to the colony.</p>
2570 <p>After the excitement has abated you settle down to discuss the more serious matters at hand. From his vantage place in the sky, Rickenbacker has been able to track the movements of Amex Gold and his Maverick clansmen. A large contingent of them have been shadowing the convoy and are now in ambush somewhere in the mountains ahead. Also, Pop Ewell has monitored by radio the movements of a large Mexican clan, who have crossed the border in search of fuel and food. And, to make matters even worse, Mad Dog Michigan has linked up with the <quote>Saints</quote>, the clan from New Orleans, and now they too are somewhere in the vicinity.</p>
2571 <p><quote>Looks like we<ch.apos/>re surrounded by enemies,</quote> says Cutter, volunteering his opinion. <quote>Seems to me we<ch.apos/>ve got to keep movin<ch.apos/> if we<ch.apos/>re to stand a cat<ch.apos/>s chance o<ch.apos/> gettin<ch.apos/> to El Paso in one piece.</quote></p>
2572 <p>His opinions are shared by the majority, and so it is decided to leave Kent this afternoon and press on to El Paso without delay.</p>
2573 <choice idref="sect252"><link-text>Turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
2577 <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
2578 <meta><title>161</title></meta>
2581 <p>The clansman<ch.apos/>s eyes widen with a mixture of awe and avarice when you produce the bottle of bourbon from your Backpack. Greedily he snatches it from your hands, pulls the cork, and up-ends the bottle into his mouth. Five gulps later he replaces the cork and grins delightedly.</p>
2582 <p><quote>You jus<ch.apos/> bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,</quote> he says, hiding the bottle inside his jacket.</p>
2583 <p>Still grinning, he returns to the cab and restarts the engine. Shortly the truck stops once again, but this time it is parked alongside three others in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You leave the truck and slip away through the crowds of mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the arena.</p>
2584 <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
2585 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
2586 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
2590 <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
2591 <meta><title>162</title></meta>
2594 <p>You know that you must prevent the truck from reaching Fort Hancock, and the only sure way to do that is to ambush it. You leave the roadster and take up a position at the edge of the freeway. When the truck is twenty yards away, Sergeant Haskell opens fire at its tyres with his machine pistol. The bullets explode the tyres, causing the driver to lose control and run the truck into the freeway crash barrier. It hits a broken section of the barrier at speed and is tipped onto its side, spilling its cargo and crew across the highway. Only four of the Mexicans survive the crash: the driver and three others, who were riding in the back.</p>
2595 <choice idref="sect328">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
2596 <choice idref="sect157">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or if you do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
2600 <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
2601 <meta><title>163</title></meta>
2604 <p>You plan to use the siren to lure the guards away from the stairs to a place where you can ambush them. To your left is an open doorway and quickly you slip inside to avoid being seen. You find that it leads to an empty locker room, and here you remove the siren from your pack and set its volume switch to maximum before pushing it outside into the corridor. Then you take your missile weapon and use its barrel to reach out and trigger the siren.</p>
2605 <p>In the confines of the corridor the sound is deafening. Immediately the two guards come rushing forward to investigate, and, as they appear outside the locker room, you raise your gun and fire. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) The Detroit Lion opens his mouth but his dying scream is lost in the siren<ch.apos/>s blare. The Angelino survives your gunfire and leaps through the doorway to kick your weapon from your hands. Instinctively you reach for a close combat weapon as the burly Angelino unsheathes his hunting knife and attacks.</p>
2606 <combat><enemy>Purple Haze</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
2607 <choice idref="sect121">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
2611 <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
2612 <meta><title>164</title></meta>
2615 <p><quote>Get down Kate!</quote> you shout, as you dive to the ground and roll for cover behind the abandoned pick-up. But before you make it, two shots ring out almost simultaneously, one from a rifle and the other from a pistol.</p>
2616 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
2617 <choice idref="sect278">If the total is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
2618 <choice idref="sect16">If the total is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
2622 <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
2623 <meta><title>165</title></meta>
2626 <p>You gun your roadster towards the battered wooden gates of the site and smash your way through them. The ground beyond is covered with loose stones and, to your horror, you feel the nose of your car sliding away to the right. The steel skeleton of an office block looms before you as you fight to correct your front wheel skid.</p>
2627 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
2628 <choice idref="sect195">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
2629 <choice idref="sect309">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
2633 <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
2634 <meta><title>166</title></meta>
2637 <p>The Angelino scout skids his bike to a halt and lays it on its side. Then, while he feels he still has the advantage, he comes running at you, swinging his chain in one hand and brandishing a hunting knife in the other.</p>
2638 <combat><enemy>B-52</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
2639 <p>At the start of the third round of combat, you may add two points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>, owing to the help you then receive from Kate in fighting this clansman.</p>
2640 <choice idref="sect11">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
2644 <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
2645 <meta><title>167</title></meta>
2648 <p>For seventeen miles you follow the 137 south. The surface of the highway is so poor that were it not for the line of shattered telegraph poles that run parallel to the road, you would find it impossible to tell the difference between the highway and the open ground. It takes you an hour to reach a junction where the remains of another highway, the 158, cuts east/west across your path. Its condition is marginally better and, for the first time since you left Stanton, you are able to increase your speed to thirty miles per hour as you head east towards Sterling City. From there you will make your way along Highway 87 to San Angelo.</p>
2649 <p>It is nearly noon when you see a ramshackle town appear out of the heat haze that dances on the road ahead. Now the temperature is well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and, as you drive along its deserted main street, you think about stopping to rest for a while in the shade.</p>
2650 <choice idref="sect85">If you decide to stop at this town, <link-text>turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
2651 <choice idref="sect290">If you choose not to stop but to continue driving to Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
2655 <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
2656 <meta><title>168</title></meta>
2659 <p>When you emerge from the caverns you are astounded to see that the Angelinos have been completely overwhelmed by this colony of cave dwellers. The few clansmen to have survived the ambush have been trussed up like turkeys and are being guarded by a circle of spear-wielding women. The rest of the colony is so busy stripping and searching the bodies of those they have killed that they fail to notice you and Kate, as you leave the entrance quietly and make your way back to the roadster. You admire their bravery but there is something about these people, something about their appearance and their silence, that unsettles you.</p>
2660 <p>You inspect the damage to the trunk. Your fears are confirmed: you no longer have sufficient fuel to reach Kent. You siphon the tanks of the clansmen<ch.apos/>s bikes, and save what you can from the bottom of the two perforated fuel canisters, but you estimate that in total you have only enough to take you 120 miles.</p>
2661 <p>As you are leaving, you notice that the cave people are preparing a funeral pyre for those who were killed in the fighting. It strikes you as a very sensible and civilized way to dispose of the dead, and makes you think that perhaps your suspicions about these people were groundless after all. Your illusions about the cave people are soon shattered, however, when Kate points out that they are not burning the dead at all: they are cooking them.</p>
2662 <choice idref="sect56"><link-text>Turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
2666 <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
2667 <meta><title>169</title></meta>
2670 <p>You slow your roadster to a halt and, with your hand held to your forehead to shield your eyes from the glare of the evening sun, you try to discern the source of the dust cloud.</p>
2671 <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s no good,</quote> you say in frustration. <quote>I can<ch.apos/>t tell what<ch.apos/>s going down in that town.</quote></p>
2672 <p><quote>Me neither,</quote> says Kate, <quote>but I<ch.apos/>ve got a pretty good idea what<ch.apos/>s going on back there.</quote></p>
2673 <p>She points back along the highway at another dust cloud, which is fast approaching. You do not need a magnifying device to be able to tell that the dust is being stirred up by a pack of bikers that have come racing out of San Angelo.</p>
2674 <p><quote>I think it<ch.apos/>s time we were movin<ch.apos/> on,</quote> says Kate, uneasily.</p>
2675 <p><quote>I think you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> you reply, as, hurriedly, you reach for the ignition switch. <quote>Let<ch.apos/>s detour around this town and follow the river. We can pick up the highway again at Eldorado.</quote></p>
2676 <p><quote>OK,</quote> she replies, <quote>but step on it Cal. Those bikes are movin<ch.apos/> real fast.</quote></p>
2677 <choice idref="sect317"><link-text>Turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
2681 <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
2682 <meta><title>170</title></meta>
2685 <p>The sniper fires as he turns and his bullet drills deep into your chest. You feel yourself lifted into the air, and the warm taste of blood gushes into your mouth. Then you hit the floor and the momentary pain gives way to a terrifying numbness that robs you of all sensation. In a moment, you see the sniper working another round into the chamber of his rifle. Then he points the muzzle at your head and a total darkness engulfs your vision.</p>
2686 <illustration class="inline">
2688 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2690 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
2691 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2692 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
2694 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in Brogado.</deadend>
2698 <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
2699 <meta><title>171</title></meta>
2702 <p>You scream with terror as you realize that you are falling face-first into an elevator shaft. In desperation, you throw out your arms to try to stop yourself from falling, and the sleeve of your leather jacket catches on the raised head of a bolt protruding from the wall. There is a violent jolt, and for a moment it feels as if you have been yanked into the air by your wrist. Then the cuff is torn away completely and you continue to fall into the darkness.</p>
2703 <p>Seconds later you land on the roof of the elevator with a numbing crash and instantly lose consciousness.</p>
2704 <choice idref="sect55"><link-text>Turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
2708 <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
2709 <meta><title>172</title></meta>
2712 <p>You rise at dawn and spend the morning servicing the engine of your roadster, while Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott take it in turns to act as lookout from the roof of a Baptist church, the tallest building still standing in Kent. It is two hours before noon when you hear a faint buzzing noise, high in the sky towards the northwest. You search the cloudless expanse and your hopes soar as you see Rickenbacker<ch.apos/>s motorized hang glider circling above the town. He comes down and makes a low pass, waving his arms excitedly as he flies directly over the roadster. Then he is gone, rising above the surrounding peaks and returning the way he came.</p>
2713 <p>An hour passes before Knott sights a cloud of dust on the eastern horizon. You are all gathered in the town, waiting expectantly for the convoy to arrive, but he cannot be sure that it is the convoy that is coming. At such a distance it could be a gang of marauding clansmen.</p>
2714 <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
2718 <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
2719 <meta><title>173</title></meta>
2722 <p>With your nerves stretched almost to breaking point, you lower the cover gently into position and whisper to Kate to continue along the tunnel.</p>
2723 <p>By feeling her way along the thick cables that festoon the walls of this service shaft, she is able to make progress in the dark. More than half an hour later you emerge into a wider section where a faint light seeps down from glass bricks embedded in the ceiling around a circular steel hatch. A ladder ascends to the hatch and Kate suggests that this one could be worth investigating. You agree, and when you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out, she is proved right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
2724 <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you climb out of the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
2725 <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
2729 <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
2730 <meta><title>174</title></meta>
2733 <p>You try to dodge the speeding arrow but it catches you in the side and pierces your rib cage. For a moment you feel nothing. Then a searing pain rips through your chest and a swirl of colour obliterates your vision. You crash to the ground and fight desperately for your life, but it is a fight you can no longer win.</p>
2734 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the entrance to the caverns of Sonora.</deadend>
2738 <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
2739 <meta><title>175</title></meta>
2742 <p>Using the cover afforded by the undercut banks of Lacy Creek you are able to creep to within twenty yards of the bridge unseen. The harsh, greasy smell of roasted coyote wafts over your hiding place as silently you watch the taller of the two clansmen fan the campfire with his hat, while his partner kneels down and carves himself a large slice of the blackened meat. He chews it without enthusiasm before finally spitting it out in disgust.</p>
2743 <p><quote>Goddamn dogmeat!</quote> he growls. <quote>I ain<ch.apos/>t never gonna git used to it.</quote></p>
2744 <p>He gulps a mouthful of water from his canteen as he rises to his feet. Your pulse quickens as he turns and starts to walk straight towards you.</p>
2745 <choice idref="sect65">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
2746 <choice idref="sect240">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or if you do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
2750 <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
2751 <meta><title>176</title></meta>
2754 <p>Bullets rip into the tyre rack and whistle past you on all sides as the clansman rushes your position. Calmly you stay hidden until you hear his gun stop in mid-burst, and then you spring to your feet and fire at point-blank range, hitting him in the chest. He doubles up, falls forward, and lands in a lifeless heap at your feet.</p>
2755 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
2756 <choice idref="sect308"><link-text>Turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
2760 <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
2761 <meta><title>177</title></meta>
2764 <p>Yet another shot rings out and another scream is heard in the street below. You have got to stop this sniper before he massacres your companions at his leisure, and purposefully you look to your weapons.</p>
2765 <choice idref="sect349">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
2766 <choice idref="sect228">If you do not possess a missile weapon, have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
2770 <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
2771 <meta><title>178</title></meta>
2774 <p>With tyres screeching, you turn onto the bridge and gun your car across it at top speed. Beyond the span you find a secondary road that has barely survived the post-disaster years. A sign flashes past, identifying it as Road 1989, but you fail to see this number as you fight to avoid the boulders that lie strewn in your path.</p>
2775 <p>Kate has drawn her pistol and is firing over her shoulder at a biker, who is closing fast. A pair of belt-fed machine guns are mounted atop the headlamp of his motorcycle, and he fires them in devastating bursts whenever the roadster fills his sights.</p>
2776 <illustration class="float">
2778 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2779 <description>A biker is closing fast. A pair of belt-fed machine guns are mounted atop the headlamp of his motorcycle.</description>
2781 <instance class="html" src="ill9.png" width="386" height="624" mime-type="image/png"/>
2782 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill9.gif" width="386" height="626" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2783 <instance class="pdf" src="ill9.pdf" width="386" height="626" />
2785 <p>So concerted is the fire that you are both forced to cower in your armour-backed seats to avoid being hit. Then another sign appears on the road ahead, pointing to a winding dirt track that leads away to the left. It reads:</p>
2786 <signpost>TO THE CAVERNS OF SONORA</signpost>
2787 <p>You are desperate to avoid the machine-gunning biker and so decide to take the track. At least its winding course will give him less opportunity to riddle the trunk with bullets.</p>
2788 <choice idref="sect24"><link-text>Turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
2792 <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
2793 <meta><title>179</title></meta>
2796 <p>The moment the clansman sees you draw your pistol he veers across to the left lane of the highway. You smile when you realize the purpose of his manoeuvre: he is trying to make it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
2797 <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many rounds you wish to fire at the clansman (minimum: one round; maximum: four rounds), and add the number of rounds to your skills total.</p>
2798 <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
2799 <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
2803 <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
2804 <meta><title>180</title></meta>
2807 <p><quote>At this rate we<ch.apos/>ll reach Interstate 10 in an hour,</quote> you say, but Kate does not reply: exhaustion has got the better of her and she has drifted off into a deep sleep. Without her conversation to stimulate you, fatigue eats away at your concentration and gradually you lose interest in the road ahead. You fall asleep at the wheel and reawaken only when the roadster veers off the highway and crashes into a rocky spur.</p>
2808 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2809 <choice idref="sect234">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>7, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
2810 <choice idref="sect298">If it is 8<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
2814 <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
2815 <meta><title>181</title></meta>
2818 <p>You step sideways into the corridor with your shotgun held at waist level. The guard to the left of the staircase sees you and tries to shout a warning but his words are lost in the boom of your gunfire. (Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) The force of the shot flings him against the wall, and as you swing the barrel towards his partner, you know only too well that you must make your second shot count just as effectively. But his partner<ch.apos/>s reactions prove razor-sharp, and as you focus on him you are shocked to find yourself staring into the muzzle of his machine pistol.</p>
2819 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
2820 <choice idref="sect297">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
2821 <choice idref="sect197">If your total score is 16 or more, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
2825 <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
2826 <meta><title>182</title></meta>
2829 <p>You pull on the steering wheel and swerve heavily to the left in order to avoid the missile, but you cannot prevent it from hitting your car. The armoured tip penetrates the engine compartment, entering from below the wheel arch and exploding in the middle of the fuel injection system. In a split second, your roadster is transformed into a ball of flame; death is instantaneous.</p>
2830 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here at the foot of Slaughter Mountain.</deadend>
2834 <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
2835 <meta><title>183</title></meta>
2838 <p>The derelict gas station shows signs of having been looted some time during the past few months. Its underground gasolene storage tank has been siphoned of fuel, and the contents of its workshop lie broken and scattered across the dusty floor. Carefully you sift through what little remains and uncover the following items:</p>
2840 <li>Crowbar (2)</li>
2841 <li><typ class="item">Solar Regulator</typ></li>
2842 <li><typ class="item">Box of Matches</typ></li>
2843 <li><typ class="item">Tow Chain</typ> (ten-feet length)</li>
2846 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2847 <choice idref="sect59">To continue, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
2851 <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
2852 <meta><title>184</title></meta>
2855 <p>You tell Kate to follow you as you dive for cover among the rocks that border this section of the highway. Your speedy reactions save you from being seen by the pack of Angelinos as they race along the highway, heading south. You stay hidden until their lights have disappeared, and then you resume your long walk back to Eldorado.</p>
2856 <p>Three hours later you reach the town and begin a systematic search of all the buildings. In the ruins of a repair shop you discover what you need: a <typ class="item">Welding Torch</typ> and a cylinder of <typ class="item">Oxyacetylene</typ>. You are dragging these items out of the building when suddenly, from the shadow of a doorway, a gruff voice barks an order: <quote>Stay where you are and put your hands up!</quote></p>
2857 <choice idref="sect339"><link-text>Turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
2861 <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
2862 <meta><title>185</title></meta>
2865 <p>Bullets are slamming into the gantry from all sides but a combination of luck and speed saves you from being hit. At the far end is a covered staircase leading down to an internal thoroughfare, one of many that honeycomb the vast area below the stadium tiers. This wide corridor is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before the area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests you hide there. You nod your agreement and help her to prise it open.</p>
2866 <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
2870 <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
2871 <meta><title>186</title></meta>
2874 <p>You dive aside, but your reactions are not quick enough to save you from the cleaver<ch.apos/>s spinning blade. It slices through the arm of your jacket and lays open half an inch of flesh below your right bicep: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2875 <p>You grit your teeth against the pain as you try to stand, but before you are back on your feet, the clansman comes rushing across the kitchen with a knife in his hand. Instinctively you leap away from his first strike, and manage to kick the weapon from his hand when he stabs at you a second time. Angered by your moves, he leaps for your throat and tries to drag you to the ground.</p>
2876 <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
2877 <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
2881 <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
2882 <meta><title>187</title></meta>
2885 <p>Despite the pain of your wounds, your reactions are still lightning fast. You beat the clansman to the draw and, in a fraction of a second, you save yourself from his murderous intentions.</p>
2886 <p>You are in too much pain to try to attempt a burial and, mindful of the time you have lost already, you make only a brief search of the bodies. You discover the following items:</p>
2888 <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2890 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
2891 <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2892 <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
2894 <p>You may also retrieve the weapon that the clansman shot out of your hands.</p>
2895 <p>Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
2896 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
2900 <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
2901 <meta><title>188</title></meta>
2904 <p>After a long and laborious search of all the stores in this part of Bakersfield, you discover absolutely nothing of any practical value. Having exhausted both your energy and your patience, and with dusk already giving way to darkness, you abandon your search and return to your car.</p>
2905 <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
2909 <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
2910 <meta><title>189</title></meta>
2913 <p>The rotten timbers are easily torn away from the front door and in minutes you have gained access to the building. In the middle of the lobby you discover a stainless steel replica of an oil derrick, standing twelve feet high, on which there is an inscription that reveals the former owners of the block:</p>
2914 <signpost>THE LONE STAR OIL <ch.ampersand/> GAS COMPANY</signpost>
2915 <p>In order to emerge somewhere inside the perimeter wall, you must discover an exit on the north side of this building, so you set off immediately in that direction. Beyond the lobby area you can see a row of elevator doors, and two corridors disappearing to the left and right.</p>
2916 <choice idref="sect215">If you wish to explore the right-hand corridor, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
2917 <choice idref="sect7">If you wish to search the left-hand corridor, <link-text>turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
2921 <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
2922 <meta><title>190</title></meta>
2925 <p>You detect a movement in the shadows barely a second before there is a <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia> and a muzzle flash, which illuminates a corner of the bar. You react by reflex, throwing yourself at the floor. The speed of your reaction saves you from a serious wound as a 9mm bullet clips your leg and embeds itself in the wall: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
2926 <p>Seconds later, Haskell bursts into the bar and fires three shots into the corner. There is a loud groan followed almost immediately by the sound of a heavy body falling off a chair. He rushes to your side, and as soon as he is sure that you are not seriously injured, he goes to take a look at whom he has shot.</p>
2927 <choice idref="sect333"><link-text>Turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
2931 <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
2932 <meta><title>191</title></meta>
2935 <p>Stepping back from the dead Angelino, you inadvertently trip over the barrel of his machine pistol. (If you decide to keep this weapon, you discover that its magazine contains twenty-four rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
2936 <p>Quickly you regain your balance and start to run towards the iron staircase, but you are only halfway up it when you see the door to the observation block begin to open.</p>
2937 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
2941 <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
2942 <meta><title>192</title></meta>
2945 <p>The biker stands up as he approaches the ramp. Then, as his machine takes to the air, he pulls back on the handlebars and throws his weight forward over the front wheel. Man and motorcycle soar through the sky, and then make a perfect rear wheel landing at the edge of the highway.</p>
2946 <p>Confident that you can match his feat of daring, you accelerate towards the pump house and brace yourself as the front wheels begin to rise. Unfortunately, the roof is not strong enough to support the weight of your car and it collapses before you are airborne. Horrified, you watch as the front of your roadster nosedives into the ditch, pitching the car end-over-end. Then a searing flash of white light engulfs your vision as the fuel tank ruptures and explodes.</p>
2947 <deadend>Tragically, your life and your journey end here.</deadend>
2951 <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
2952 <meta><title>193</title></meta>
2955 <p>You throw yourself forward and only just avoid being hit by the arrow as it whistles within inches of your scalp. At that moment your pursuer roars up the track, closely followed by the other Angelino scouts whom you encountered at the bridge. You scream a warning to Kate and throw yourself down as a double burst of machine gun fire strafes the palisade. The bullets pass over your back and hit the archer in the chest, dropping him in a tangled heap on the threshold of the gateway.</p>
2956 <p>You spring to your feet and rush forward to help Kate drag his body away, so that the gate can be closed. The other members of the settlement come to your aid, and, once the gate is secure, they point to the cave mouth and urge you to enter. You do not want to abandon your roadster to the Angelinos, but to stay here and attempt to fight would be suicidal. Reluctantly you leave the gate and follow them into the cave.</p>
2957 <choice idref="sect8"><link-text>Turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
2961 <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
2962 <meta><title>194</title></meta>
2965 <p>Kate places her shots carefully in an effort to conserve ammunition. The effectiveness of her covering fire keeps the clansmen pinned down long enough for you to retrieve the spare tyre, jack, and wheel brace from the trunk of the car.</p>
2966 <p>As you start work on changing the damaged front wheel, you see the clan scout leader riding down the opposite bank towards the river. Believing that you are now out of ammunition, he has decided that he will be the one to enact his clan<ch.apos/>s revenge on you for the killing of Mekong Mike. Howling curses, and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain above his shaved head, he rides his bike into the shallow river. He is halfway across when Kate takes aim and silences his screaming with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car.</p>
2967 <p>As you reach the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the Angelino scouts retrieving their leader<ch.apos/>s body from the fetid waters of the South Concho River.</p>
2968 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
2972 <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
2973 <meta><title>195</title></meta>
2976 <p>Before you can regain control of the car, it slams broadside against a steel pillar and comes to an abrupt halt. The reinforced passenger door withstands much of the impact, but the sudden jolt leaves you concussed and badly bruised (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
2977 <p>Wincing from the pain of your injuries, you try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars past the site. Soon they have gone and, despite your pain, your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty fewer of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
2978 <p>After satisfying yourself that the damage to your roadster is superficial, you cast your eyes around the derelict construction site.</p>
2979 <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to search the site, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
2980 <choice idref="sect230">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
2984 <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
2985 <meta><title>196</title></meta>
2988 <p>Moments after you reach the safety of the street, you turn to see the roof of the library collapse with a loud, splintering <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>. Clouds of sparks whirl into the night, carried upward by the strong, gusting wind. Silently you look at Kate<ch.apos/>s smoke-blackened face, and then at the blazing library, and you realize just how lucky you both are to have got out of that inferno alive.</p>
2989 <p>By the time you have recovered fully from your ordeal and returned to your roadster, the storm has blown itself out. The eastern sky is lightening as dawn approaches and you decide to leave Bakersfield now, before the sun rises and the temperature becomes unbearable. Beyond the town, the freeway climbs steadily towards a distant line of mountains that shimmer on the horizon. You keep your speed as low as possible and cover forty miles with your fuel gauge nudging the zero mark. Then the silhouette of Fort Stockton appears on the road ahead and your hopes of finding some gas are rekindled.</p>
2991 <illustration class="inline">
2993 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2995 <instance class="html" src="small9.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
2996 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
2997 <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3000 <p>The first thing you see upon entering the town is a gas station. Like everything else, the station appears deserted, but there is something about this building that makes your skin prickle with presentiment.</p>
3001 <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
3005 <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
3006 <meta><title>197</title></meta>
3009 <p>In what is a split-second reaction, you throw yourself to the ground as the guard opens fire: it is a move that saves your life. Soft-nosed bullets whistle past your head and ricochet off the walls as you struggle to bring your gun to bear once more. You squeeze off a snap shot and immediately the machine gun fire ceases as the guard, mortally wounded, keels over backwards and slumps to the ground. Now you are back on your feet and rushing forwards, but as you reach the iron staircase and begin to climb, you see the observation room door start to swing open.</p>
3010 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
3011 <choice idref="sect268"><link-text>Turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
3015 <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
3016 <meta><title>198</title></meta>
3019 <p>You hurl the grenade, but it glances off the edge of an auto wreck and is deflected away from the ammunition chest. It explodes with a brilliant white flash that illuminates the barricade and draws the clansmen<ch.apos/>s attention to your position. Frantically you run for the safety of the yucca forest, but before you have taken a dozen steps, you are cut down by a long burst of automatic fire.</p>
3020 <illustration class="inline">
3022 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3024 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3025 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3026 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3028 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at the Fabens barricade.</deadend>
3032 <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
3033 <meta><title>199</title></meta>
3036 <p>Nervously the clansman glances over his shoulder as you close in for the kill. His red-rimmed eyes stare fearfully from his dusty face as he struggles to coax more power from his failing machine. Then, in desperation, he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. You are determined not to let the clansman escape, and so you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Highway 87.</p>
3037 <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across it. He veers away, and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house appears, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump onto the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
3038 <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
3039 <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
3043 <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
3044 <meta><title>200</title></meta>
3047 <p>Six black-clad bikers are riding along Interstate 10 towards the rest stop. Affixed to the rear of their saddles are long, whiplash aerials, which are topped with black pennons that bear a lion<ch.apos/>s-head symbol. You stare at these small black flags and a tingle runs down your spine: it is the emblem of the Detroit Lions clan.</p>
3048 <p>The bikers catch sight of your roadster and bring their machines to a halt a hundred yards from the rest stop. Then all six spread out and, using the rocks and boulders that litter the landscape, they make their way forward slowly. Sergeant Haskell orders Gunter and Knott to take cover and open fire at the advancing clansmen; they must not be allowed to capture or destroy the fuel tank.</p>
3049 <illustration class="float">
3051 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3052 <description>The bikers spread out and make their way slowly towards you.</description>
3054 <instance class="html" src="ill10.png" width="386" height="587" mime-type="image/png"/>
3055 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill10.gif" width="386" height="637" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3056 <instance class="pdf" src="ill10.pdf" width="386" height="637" />
3058 <p>From behind an old gas pump you watch as two of the Lions start to edge their way around the service area. They are trying to circle around the rest stop and launch an attack from the rear.</p>
3059 <choice idref="sect112">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
3060 <choice idref="sect264">If you do not possess a missile weapon, have insufficient ammunition for one round of fire, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
3064 <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
3065 <meta><title>201</title></meta>
3068 <p>On the other side of the hatch you discover an electrical cable duct that is just large enough to accommodate both of you in some discomfort. You enter first, and then Kate squeezes in, closing the hatch behind her. It is now pitch black and very claustrophobic. Outside you can hear the angry screams and pounding feet of the clansmen as determinedly they try to track you down. The news of Mekong Mike<ch.apos/>s death has been broken to the Angelinos and you have heard more than one of them vow that they will kill you when they find you. The only escape route open to you now is to descend the rusty rungs of the iron service ladder on which you stand.</p>
3069 <p>Forty rungs later you reach the bottom of the shaft. You can feel the walls of a tunnel leading away to your right, but it is too dark for you to see where it leads or what it contains.</p>
3070 <choice idref="sect109">If you possess a <typ class="item">Box of Matches</typ> or a <typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ>, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
3071 <choice idref="sect238">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
3075 <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
3076 <meta><title>202</title></meta>
3079 <p>Before the spider is brushed aside, it bites into your skin and injects its toxin. Almost immediately you are gripped by a terrible pain that courses up your arm and radiates across your chest. Frantically Kate searches through your Medi-kit for an anti-toxin, as the effects of the Fiddleback<ch.apos/>s bite drag you to your knees in agony.</p>
3080 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it the number of Medi-kit units that you possess currently.</p>
3081 <choice idref="sect155">If your total score is now 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
3082 <choice idref="sect44">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
3086 <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
3087 <meta><title>203</title></meta>
3090 <p>You have fallen into the shaft of a private elevator that was once used to service the executive penthouse suites of the Lone Star Oil <ch.ampersand/> Gas Company. The elevator itself is located on the sub-basement level, three floors below where you have fallen in, and it is upon its roof that you finally crash to your doom.</p>
3091 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in San Angelo.</deadend>
3095 <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
3096 <meta><title>204</title></meta>
3099 <p>A long and laborious search of all the stores in the same block as the food mart yields the following items:</p>
3101 <li>Water Canteen (empty)</li>
3102 <li><typ class="item">Camera</typ></li>
3103 <li>Enough antiseptic solution for one Medi-kit unit</li>
3104 <li><typ class="item">Microscope</typ></li>
3105 <li><typ class="item">Scissors</typ></li>
3106 <li><typ class="item">Gold Wristwatch</typ></li>
3108 <p>If you choose to keep any of these items, remember to amend your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
3109 <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the block and return to your car.</p>
3110 <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
3114 <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
3115 <meta><title>205</title></meta>
3118 <p>Beyond Sterling City the highway follows a wide, dust-filled gully that was once the North Concho River. You are staring at this dead watercourse, trying to imagine what the river must have looked like before <quote>The Day</quote>, when a road sign flashes past. You stop the car and turn back to read it. It says:</p>
3119 <signpost>BROOME<ch.emdash/>2 MILES</signpost>
3120 <choice idref="sect220">If you possess a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ>, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
3121 <choice idref="sect46">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
3125 <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
3126 <meta><title>206</title></meta>
3129 <p>The scout leader gives a loud, malicious laugh as he steers his bike towards the front of your roadster. As he rides past, he leans over and lashes out at your unprotected back with his chain.</p>
3130 <p>Add together your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
3131 <choice idref="sect25">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
3132 <choice idref="sect277">If your total is 6<ch.endash/>8, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
3133 <choice idref="sect341">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
3137 <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
3138 <meta><title>207</title></meta>
3141 <p><quote>What exactly you offerin<ch.apos/> in return for a free ride and a ringside seat, eh?</quote> replies the clansman.</p>
3142 <p>Slowly you unshoulder your Backpack and flip open the buckles. <quote>Choose,</quote> you say, inviting him to look at the items you are carrying. Roughly he pulls the pack from your hands and tips the contents onto the floor of the truck.</p>
3143 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ll take these two,</quote> he says. <quote>You can keep the rest o<ch.apos/> the junk.</quote></p>
3144 <p>Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted in the second and third sections of your Backpack Items list. These are the items chosen by the clansman in return for free passage into the stadium. If you possess less than two Backpack Items, you must erase either two Medi-kit units or one close combat weapon instead.</p>
3145 <p>With a smile on his face, the clansman pockets your bribe and returns to the cab. He restarts the truck but shortly it stops once again. He has drawn up alongside three other trucks in a section of the stadium that has been turned into a pits area. You leave the truck and slip away through the crowds of clan mechanics and riders towards an empty section of the enclosure.</p>
3146 <p>From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film that you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be fought out in deadly earnest.</p>
3147 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused by it when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you know that she is Kate Norton.</p>
3148 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
3152 <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
3153 <meta><title>208</title></meta>
3156 <p>With your pulse racing, you focus on the approaching bikers. They ride machines bedecked with a strange symbol: a priest or some other holy man, dressed in flowing white robes, with a halo above his head. It looks a curiously pious symbol for a clan to adopt, until you remember that before <quote>The Day</quote>, the name of the professional football team based in New Orleans was the <quote>Saints</quote>. Suddenly you realize that this pack of riders, some 400<ch.endash/>500 strong, are the New Orleans clan that Mad Dog Michigan sent for. It would be disastrous for the convoy to run head-on into a group of this size, and you hurry back to the colony as quickly as you can to break the bad news.</p>
3157 <p>With the New Orleans clan approaching from the north, a large Mexican clan crossing the border to the south, and the threat of a Maverick ambush to the west, the prospects of reaching El Paso unscathed now look decidedly unpromising. With no time to discuss the situation at length, the convoy reverts to the original plan: to stay on Interstate 10 and approach El Paso from the east. It is the shortest, most direct route, even though there is a very real chance of falling prey to a Maverick ambush.</p>
3158 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
3162 <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
3163 <meta><title>209</title></meta>
3166 <p>Frantically you spin the wheel to the left and brace yourself as the roadster slews sideways across the wreckage-strewn highway. Before it comes to a halt, there is a sudden and violent jolt that sets the car spinning like a top in the opposite direction. The panel truck has clipped the rear fender and the force of the impact leaves you dazed and gasping for breath: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3167 <p>The sight of the convoy fast disappearing along the freeway is all that is needed to bring you rapidly to your senses. You turn the wheel and pump the gas pedal, but the engine has stalled and the car does not respond. Instantly, you reach for the ignition to bring the car back to life before the Mavericks close in and put an end to yours.</p>
3168 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your current Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
3169 <choice idref="sect43">If your total is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
3170 <choice idref="sect104">If it is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
3174 <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
3175 <meta><title>210</title></meta>
3178 <p>You keep a watchful eye on the ridge as you wait for the convoy to close the gap. Then, when the vehicles are once again visible in your driving mirror, you continue along the freeway. Anxiously, you expect an ambush to take place at any time, but, despite your fears, it does not materialize.</p>
3179 <p>At length the stores and houses of Van Horn appear on the road ahead. The town looks deserted but you decide to take no chances. You bring the convoy to a halt within a mile of the town limits and, accompanied by Sergeant Haskell, you leave your roadster and enter on foot to check that it is safe for the convoy to pass through.</p>
3180 <p>The tumbledown buildings are deathly quiet as you walk along the main street of Van Horn, and you notice nothing out of the ordinary until you reach a bar near the centre of the town. A motorcycle is parked beside the entrance, its fuel tank emblazoned with the ace-of-spades emblem of the Mavericks clan. You decide to search the bar and, if possible, try to capture and question the bike<ch.apos/>s owner. Haskell suggests that it would be a good idea if one of you were to enter by the rear door and you nod your agreement.</p>
3182 <illustration class="inline">
3184 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3186 <instance class="html" src="small4.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3187 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small4.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3188 <instance class="pdf" src="small4.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3191 <choice idref="sect131">If you wish to enter the bar from the rear, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
3192 <choice idref="sect13">If you choose to enter the bar through the front door, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
3196 <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
3197 <meta><title>211</title></meta>
3200 <p>Expectantly you keep an eye on your rear-view mirror as you power your roadster along the rock-strewn asphalt of Highway 277. You are convinced that the Angelinos will soon be on your tail, yet you have covered fifteen miles and still there is nothing to indicate that you are being pursued. You are beginning to relax when Kate points to a small town in the distance. It is built around a bridge that crosses a stream of shallow black water that was once known as the South Concho River. Near the middle of this town, on the highway approach to the bridge, is a rising cloud of dust.</p>
3201 <choice idref="sect33">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
3202 <choice idref="sect169">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
3206 <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
3207 <meta><title>212</title></meta>
3210 <p>You crouch behind the rack and fumble for a close combat weapon as the clansman<ch.apos/>s bullets pepper your position. Then you see Kate running towards you with a machine pistol in her hands. She opens fire at the clansman, but he returns fire and one of his bullets smashes the barrel of Kate<ch.apos/>s gun, rendering it useless. In the next instant he leaps onto the rack but, before he brings his weapon to bear, you lash out and smash his knee with the edge of your hand. He drops his gun and falls forward, landing on top of you with a jolt that leaves you breathless.</p>
3211 <illustration class="float">
3213 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3214 <description>The clansman drops his gun and falls forward.</description>
3216 <instance class="html" src="ill11.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
3217 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill11.gif" width="386" height="627" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3218 <instance class="pdf" src="ill11.pdf" width="386" height="627" />
3220 <combat><enemy>Kalashnikov</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
3221 <p>You cannot evade combat and must fight the clansman to the death.</p>
3222 <choice idref="sect308">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
3226 <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
3227 <meta><title>213</title></meta>
3230 <p>Once across the North Concho River you begin your journey to San Angelo in earnest. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you reach a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms your suspicions: you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
3231 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
3235 <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
3236 <meta><title>214</title></meta>
3239 <p>The clansman<ch.apos/>s footsteps seem unbearably loud as you wait for the moment to launch your ambush. You check that your G-12 is <quote>safety off</quote> and set to burst fire. As the footsteps halt, you rise up from your hiding place and open fire.</p>
3240 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
3241 <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
3242 <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
3246 <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
3247 <meta><title>215</title></meta>
3250 <p>The corridor is walled from floor to ceiling with exotic hardwood panels that give off a rich, earthy aroma. Innumerable doors, all identical and all giving access to what were once executive offices, march past on either side, while you stride along with your eyes focused on the distance, searching the gloom for something that resembles an exit.</p>
3251 <p>The corridor turns left and, after a short distance, left again, and you find yourself faced by a door that is different to all the others. It is fitted flush to the wall and it has no handle or sign to indicate where it leads. You push against it but it does not open, and you can hear nothing when you place your ear to its surface.</p>
3252 <choice idref="sect340">If you wish to try to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
3253 <choice idref="sect289">If you decide to abandon your search in this direction and return to the lobby, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
3257 <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
3258 <meta><title>216</title></meta>
3261 <p>You return to find Kate sitting on the hood of the roadster, sifting through a box of items she has found. She, too, has been unable to find any fuel, but she has salvaged enough food for a decent evening meal.</p>
3262 <p><quote>I even found some wine from your home state,</quote> she says, proudly holding out a bottle of Californian dry white for your inspection.</p>
3263 <p><quote>That<ch.apos/>s great,</quote> you reply, with a smile. <quote>Now all we need is a corkscrew!</quote></p>
3264 <p>As night draws in and the temperature falls, a strong wind arises that whips along the freeway, howling like an angry ghost. You sense that it is the prelude to a storm and you suggest to Kate that you look for somewhere to shelter. An old brick-built library standing close by seems like a good bet: the walls are strong and it still has a roof, which is more than can be said for over ninety per cent of the Bakersfield buildings.</p>
3265 <choice idref="sect150"><link-text>Turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
3269 <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
3270 <meta><title>217</title></meta>
3273 <p>You reach down into the passenger foot-well and retrieve your rifle. Fortunately you know that the weapon is loaded and all you have to do is thumb back the safety catch to make it ready to fire. The moment the clansman sees you rest the barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile as you realize the purpose of this manoeuvre: he is trying to increase his chances of survival by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
3274 <p>Keeping the roadster in a straight line<ch.emdash/>and the sheer force of the rushing wind whipping around the end of the rifle<ch.apos/>s barrel<ch.emdash/>make it impossible for you to take aim. You try to get as near to your enemy as you can before squeezing the trigger, but just as you are about to fire, you hit a pot-hole and lose your grip.</p>
3275 <p>Add your Stealth skill score to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score. Now pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
3276 <choice idref="sect251">If your total score is 32 or less, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
3277 <choice idref="sect307">If your total score is 33 or more, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
3281 <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
3282 <meta><title>218</title></meta>
3285 <p>You try to wake Kate but she is in a deep sleep and does not respond immediately. When at last you succeed in rousing her it is too late to attempt a quick getaway by car.</p>
3286 <p>You watch tensely as the bikers ride into the town. You give a silent prayer that they will pass through Eldorado without stopping, but to no avail. They bring their machines to a halt in the middle of the town and begin a search of the surrounding ruins. <quote>They mustn<ch.apos/>t find us,</quote> you whisper, as you look around the workshop for somewhere to hide. <quote>If they do we<ch.apos/>re as good as dead.</quote></p>
3287 <p>The sound of footsteps echoes through the building as you help Kate to conceal herself in an old stationery cupboard. Once she is well hidden, you slip inside an adjoining storage room that is filled from floor to ceiling with musty mohair blankets. Minutes later, you hear a clansman walk into the workshop. You hold your breath and listen to his every move, but your concentration is suddenly broken when you feel something crawling up the back of your left hand.</p>
3288 <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Perception skill score.</p>
3289 <choice idref="sect343">If your total score is 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
3290 <choice idref="sect259">If your total is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
3294 <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
3295 <meta><title>219</title></meta>
3298 <p>The time Sergeant Haskell used to observe the barricade was well spent. He noticed that the Mexican clansmen have positioned an anti-tank weapon behind it, which doubtless they will bring into action if it is needed. Littered around it are several dozen boxes of shells. If one of those boxes were to explode, it would set off the others and destroy most of the central section of the barricade. Haskell has an incendiary grenade which would do the job, but in order to make sure that it landed in the correct place<ch.emdash/>in one of the boxes of ammunition<ch.emdash/>one of you would have to go to the barricade and place it there. Neither of you are keen to volunteer for this mission, so you decide to settle it on the toss of a coin. Sergeant Haskell calls and, unfortunately, you lose.</p>
3299 <p>Haskell gives you the incendiary grenade and you hand him your signal flare. Then, when the Mexican clansmen on guard are at their fewest, you leave the cover of the yucca forest and creep towards the barricade. (Erase the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
3300 <p>Ten yards from the wall of cars you see an opportunity to throw your grenade into an open ammunition chest.</p>
3301 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
3302 <choice idref="sect198">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
3303 <choice idref="sect272">If your total score is 6<ch.endash/>7, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
3304 <choice idref="sect244">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
3308 <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
3309 <meta><title>220</title></meta>
3312 <p>It occurs to you that the colony may still be close enough for radio contact. As it may be the last chance you will get to speak to them before your rendezvous at Kent one week from now, you decide to give it a try. You invert the handset of your CB and key in the frequency that Pop Ewell monitors aboard the school bus. But, for some unknown reason, the frequency is saturated with static and you are unable to transmit. You search for a clear channel and, by chance, you lock on to part of a two-way conversation:</p>
3313 <p><quote>OK Gold<ch.ellips/>Sit tight and quit y<ch.apos/>bellyaching<ch.ellips/>I<ch.apos/>m sending some o<ch.apos/> my men back to cover it. You just put a tail on <ch.apos/>em<ch.ellips/>keep <ch.apos/>em in sight. We<ch.apos/>ll let <ch.apos/>em run a while and then hit <ch.apos/>em when they reach the mountains. D<ch.apos/>you copy<ch.ellips/>over?</quote></p>
3314 <p>There is a loud burst of static, and then a voice replies:</p>
3315 <p><quote>I copy<ch.ellips/>Gold out.</quote></p>
3316 <p>The channel falls silent and you are left staring at the handset, trying to make some sense of what you have just overheard. Then you hear quite a different sound, a sound that sends a shiver of fear coursing down your spine.</p>
3317 <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
3321 <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
3322 <meta><title>221</title></meta>
3325 <p>You draw the thin saw-cord through the closed hasp of the padlock and work it back and forth. You have made barely a dozen strokes when the metal saw-cord snaps with a loud <onomatopoeia>ping</onomatopoeia> (erase this item from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>).</p>
3326 <choice idref="sect236">If you possess an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and wish to use it to blow open the door, <link-text>turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
3327 <choice idref="sect188">If you wish to abandon your attempt to gain entry to the building, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
3331 <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
3332 <meta><title>222</title></meta>
3335 <p>The clansman screams like a maniac as he unsheathes his bowie knife. He is barely five feet away when coolly you raise your gun, point it at his bullet-laden chest, and squeeze the trigger.</p>
3336 <choice idref="sect4">If the weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
3337 <choice idref="sect107">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
3338 <choice idref="sect49">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
3339 <choice idref="sect62">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
3343 <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
3344 <meta><title>223</title></meta>
3347 <p>Slowly you raise your gun and press the muzzle against the centre of the door as the muffled footsteps come closer and closer. They stop, and for a few agonizing seconds all you can hear is the relentless pounding of your heart. You are very tense and, when you see the handle start to turn, you snatch the trigger and blast a hole clean through the door. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
3348 <p>In the cramped confines of the store room your gunfire is deafening. Yet above its roar you hear the scream of a clansman as he catches the blast full in the chest. You get ready to fire again, in case he was not searching alone, but when you kick open the door and spring out, you find only one Angelino, and he is lying dead in the middle of the workshop floor.</p>
3349 <choice idref="sect336"><link-text>Turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
3353 <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
3354 <meta><title>224</title></meta>
3357 <p>Cautiously you drive towards the bridge, fearful yet curious to know what you may find there. You are less than 400 yards away when you see the source of the smoke: a campfire, over which two clansmen are busily cooking the stringy torso of a coyote. They hear your engine noise and turn their bearded faces to stare in your direction. Suddenly, as if they had received an electric shock, they leap to their feet and start running towards their motorcycles, which are parked at the entrance to the bridge. One of them unsheathes an automatic rifle from the saddle of his bike, whilst the other tries frantically to kick his machine into life.</p>
3358 <illustration class="float">
3360 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3361 <description>One of the clansmen unsheathes an automatic rifle whilst the other tries frantically to kick his machine into life.</description>
3363 <instance class="html" src="ill12.png" width="386" height="589" mime-type="image/png"/>
3364 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill12.gif" width="386" height="594" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3365 <instance class="pdf" src="ill12.pdf" width="386" height="594" />
3367 <p>You know that you must act immediately if you are to prevent them from getting away, so you point your vehicle directly at their position and stamp your foot down on the accelerator. Fifty yards from the bridge, with the hot wind screaming past your face, the armed clansman drops to one knee and takes aim at your windshield.</p>
3368 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
3369 <choice idref="sect97">If your total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
3370 <choice idref="sect32">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
3374 <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
3375 <meta><title>225</title></meta>
3378 <p>To your left you notice the open doorway of an empty locker room and quickly you slip inside to avoid being seen by the two guards. In order to reach the observation room door you will have to deal with these guards as quickly and efficiently as possible. A glance into the corridor establishes their position before you act.</p>
3379 <choice idref="sect53">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for two rounds of fire, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
3380 <choice idref="sect242">If you do not possess a missile weapon, or if you do not possess enough ammunition for two rounds of fire, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
3384 <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
3385 <meta><title>226</title></meta>
3388 <p>Unable to crack the code, reluctantly you abandon the storage tank and content yourself with siphoning what you can from the fuel tanks of the dead clansmen<ch.apos/>s motorcycles. Unfortunately, your efforts net you barely enough gasolene to reach Brogado<ch.emdash/>the next town on the freeway. As you pull away slowly from the service area you are not the only one who is praying that you will find some fuel in Brogado.</p>
3389 <choice idref="sect347"><link-text>Turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
3393 <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
3394 <meta><title>227</title></meta>
3397 <p><quote>What are you carryin<ch.apos/> in that bag o<ch.apos/> yours?</quote> says the short clansman, pointing his stubby finger at your Backpack.</p>
3398 <p>Slowly you take off your pack and flip open the buckles. <quote>What do you want?</quote> you say, inviting them to look at the items you are carrying. Roughly, the clansman pulls the pack from your hands and tips the contents onto the ground.</p>
3399 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ll take these two,</quote> he says.</p>
3400 <p><quote>And I<ch.apos/>ll have these,</quote> says his partner. <quote>You can keep the rest o<ch.apos/> the junk.</quote></p>
3401 <p>Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> those items which you have noted in the first four sections of your Backpack Items list. These are the items chosen by the two clansmen in return for their help in getting you into the stadium. If you possess less than four Backpack Items, you must make up the difference by erasing Medi-kit units instead.</p>
3402 <p>With broad smiles on their faces the two clansmen pocket your bribe. <quote>You jus<ch.apos/> bought yourself a grandstand seat, fella,</quote> says the taller of the two as, once again, you climb the pile of rubble. This time you are accompanied by the two clansmen who help you over the wall and then return to the avenue, chuckling and congratulating each other on their good fortune.</p>
3403 <choice idref="sect15"><link-text>Turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
3407 <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
3408 <meta><title>228</title></meta>
3411 <p>Silently you draw a close combat weapon and steady yourself for the assault. Like a tiger you leap through the open door and scan the darkened room. A figure is crouched at the window, and, as he turns, you run forward, raising your hand to strike.</p>
3412 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
3413 <choice idref="sect170">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
3414 <choice idref="sect286">If your total is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
3418 <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
3419 <meta><title>229</title></meta>
3422 <p>You flick open your pouch and give Kate your last few remaining bullets before you start to change the damaged front wheel. Quickly she reloads her pistol as the clan scout leader, believing that you are both out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand. The moment her gun is ready, she takes aim and fires at the foul-mouthed Angelino.</p>
3423 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3424 <choice idref="sect265">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
3425 <choice idref="sect122">If the number is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
3429 <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
3430 <meta><title>230</title></meta>
3433 <p>You drive away from the construction site and pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your departure passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open highway heading southeast to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3434 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
3438 <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
3439 <meta><title>231</title></meta>
3442 <p>While you do your best to staunch the bleeding, Haskell continues to question the Maverick. Finally, on the brink of death, the clansman changes his mind and begins to speak. He says that he is a Maverick outrider, a scout, one of a large group sent here to ambush the Big Spring colony. While drunk, he fell off his bike and broke his leg. Unable to ride, his fellow scouts left him here with the promise that he would be collected when they returned. His group are fighting a Mexican clan near Sierra Blanca. He says that the Mexicans are trying to steal their supplies.</p>
3443 <p>Haskell asks him about Mad Dog Michigan, but he refuses to answer. A trickle of blood escapes from his lips and, with his dying breath, he says: <quote>Mad Dog<ch.apos/>ll make sure you never get through<ch.ellips/></quote></p>
3444 <p>(Remember to deduct a Medi-kit unit from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
3445 <choice idref="sect147"><link-text>Turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
3449 <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
3450 <meta><title>232</title></meta>
3453 <p>With armed clansmen less than fifty yards away, you dare spend only a minute searching the truck for useful items. In the brief time that you allow yourself, you discover the following:</p>
3455 <li>Enough medical supplies for six Medi-kit units</li>
3456 <li>Fire Axe (3)</li>
3457 <li><typ class="item">CB Radio</typ></li>
3458 <li><typ class="item">Foil Blanket</typ></li>
3459 <li><typ class="item">Fire Extinguisher</typ></li>
3461 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to make the appropriate adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
3462 <choice idref="sect148">To leave the fire station, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
3466 <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
3467 <meta><title>233</title></meta>
3470 <footnote id="sect233-1-foot" idref="sect233-1">
3471 <p>It is possible that you may not be carrying a missile weapon at this point. This is a game-design issue that cannot be easily rectified.</p>
3476 <p>As your hand reaches out to push open one of the doors you hear a faint sound, like a human cough, coming from the kitchen beyond. Instantly you freeze in your tracks and reach automatically for a missile weapon. As you ease off the safety catch, you contemplate your next move.<footref id="sect233-1" idref="sect233-1-foot"/></p>
3477 <choice idref="sect35">If you decide to kick open the door and rush into the kitchen, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
3478 <choice idref="sect113">If you decide instead to shout, <quote>Come outta there with your hands up!</quote>, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
3482 <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
3483 <meta><title>234</title></meta>
3486 <p>The crash brings the car to an abrupt halt and you are brought back to full consciousness when your chest is slammed by the hub of your steering wheel: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Kate is saved from serious injury by her seat belt harness, which she had fastened before she fell asleep. The bone-breaking jolt of the crash has awoken her and, disorientated and bleary-eyed, she asks why you have stopped.</p>
3487 <p><quote>We ran out of road,</quote> you say, sheepishly, as you stagger out of the driving seat and go to inspect the damage. Your heart sinks when you discover that the front chassis, the frame on which the wheels and engine are mounted, is badly bent out of shape. To repair this damage you will need to cut and re-weld the buckled frame.</p>
3488 <choice idref="sect90">If you possess a <typ class="item">Welding Torch</typ> and <typ class="item">Oxyacetylene</typ>, <link-text>turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
3489 <choice idref="sect105">If you do not possess both these items, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
3493 <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
3494 <meta><title>235</title></meta>
3497 <p>Your gunfire hits the Maverick in the midriff, forcing him to his knees. His first shot misses you, and through clenched teeth he spits out a curse as he struggles to raise his pistol for a second attempt. He is on the brink of death, and rather than waste precious ammunition, you choose not to fire again. It proves to be a fatal mistake.</p>
3498 <p>His pistol is not a standard factory model; it is a weapon that has been customized to fire in fully-automatic mode. With his last ounce of strength he thumbs the selector to auto, and, as he falls forward, he empties the fourteen-round magazine in your direction. Sharp, stinging cores of pain erupt in a line across your chest as the 9mm bullets find their mark. The pain is unbearable, and seems to fill your entire body, but it soon gives way to a numbness that robs you of all sensation. Within a space of a few seconds you slip from consciousness and into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
3499 <illustration class="inline">
3501 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3503 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3504 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3505 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3507 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</deadend>
3511 <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
3512 <meta><title>236</title></meta>
3515 <p>You take the grenade from your Backpack and tie it to the padlock with strips of cloth torn from an oily rag that you find on the ground nearby. Then you set the timer for ten seconds, pull the pin, and take cover inside the gas station.</p>
3516 <p>Precisely ten seconds later, the grenade explodes with a deafening <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia>.</p>
3517 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3518 <choice idref="sect67">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>5, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
3519 <choice idref="sect331">If it is 6<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
3523 <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
3524 <meta><title>237</title></meta>
3527 <p>Kate emerges from her hiding place and helps you search the dead clansman<ch.apos/>s body. Apart from his pistol and a quantity of 9mm ammunition, which Kate chooses to keep, you discover that he was carrying the following items:</p>
3529 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
3530 <li>Bandages and Antiseptics (enough for two Medi-kit units)</li>
3531 <li>Hunting Knife (2)</li>
3532 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
3533 <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
3534 <li><typ class="item">Bolt Cutters</typ></li>
3536 <p>If you keep any of these items, be sure to amend your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
3537 <p>As soon as you have hidden his body beneath a heap of blankets, you gather up your equipment and leave the workshop before his disappearance is noticed.</p>
3538 <choice idref="sect66"><link-text>Turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
3542 <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
3543 <meta><title>238</title></meta>
3546 <p>Without illumination progress is painfully slow, and gradually the fear that you are becoming hopelessly lost saps your confidence. After a short while, you see a glimmer of light shining through a crack in the ceiling. It is very faint, but it is sufficient for you to be able to discern the outline of a ladder ascending towards it.</p>
3547 <choice idref="sect79">If you wish to climb the ladder and investigate the source of the light, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
3548 <choice idref="sect325">If you wish to ignore the ladder and the crack of light, and continue along the darkened service shaft, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
3552 <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
3553 <meta><title>239</title></meta>
3556 <p>When you reach the street, Kate and the others are standing in a circle around Gunter, staring at his inert body. You reach for your Medi-kit, but Sergeant Haskell looks up and shakes his head, and you leave the pouch unbuttoned.</p>
3557 <p>Without speaking, the sergeant and Knott take Gunter<ch.apos/>s body away for burial and you and Kate busy yourselves by searching the station wagon. This vehicle belonged to the sniper, and inside you discover the following items, which he looted from the store:</p>
3559 <li>Enough medicines and dressings for six Medi-kit units</li>
3560 <li>Enough tinned food for eight Meals</li>
3561 <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
3563 <p>You are able to siphon two gallons of fuel from the gas tank, enough to propel your roadster across the remaining thirty miles to Kent. As soon as the two marines return from their sad duty, you load up and take off along the freeway, heading west.</p>
3564 <choice idref="sect69"><link-text>Turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
3568 <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
3569 <meta><title>240</title></meta>
3572 <p>You press yourself against the hot earth and pray that the clansman will stop before he reaches you, but when he is less than six feet away he catches a glimpse of your shoulders and automatically he reaches for his pistol. You sense something is wrong and you look up to see his sneering face. You are galvanized into action: with a superhuman effort you leap from the river bed and drag the clansman, screaming, to the ground before he is able to cock his pistol. A blow to the wrist disarms him, sending his gun skittering across the rocks, but he recovers quickly and rearms himself with a dagger drawn from his boot.</p>
3573 <combat><enemy>Ray-Ban</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
3574 <p>Owing to the speed of your attack, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
3575 <choice idref="sect77">If you win and the fight takes three rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
3576 <choice idref="sect337">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
3580 <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
3581 <meta><title>241</title></meta>
3584 <p>Reluctantly, you let your gun slip to the ground as the muzzle of a rifle emerges from the darkened doorway.</p>
3585 <p><quote>You too, honey,</quote> says the disembodied voice, and Kate obeys, tossing her machine pistol out of the car so that it lands deliberately near your feet.</p>
3586 <p><quote>Don<ch.apos/>t even think about it,</quote> says another voice, away to your right.</p>
3587 <p>From behind a wrecked auto steps a tall, muscular man, dressed in green army fatigues. His blond hair is cropped close to his head and his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Pistol in hand, he walks slowly towards you, and then stops at the entrance to the pay booth. Two more men in uniform emerge from the doorway<ch.emdash/>the rifleman and one other who is armed with a sawn-off shotgun.</p>
3588 <illustration class="float">
3590 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3591 <description>From behind a wrecked auto steps a tall, muscular man, dressed in green army fatigues. </description>
3593 <instance class="html" src="ill13.png" width="386" height="624" mime-type="image/png"/>
3594 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill13.gif" width="386" height="628" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3595 <instance class="pdf" src="ill13.pdf" width="386" height="628" />
3597 <p><quote>They don<ch.apos/>t look like clan punks, Sarge,</quote> says the rifleman.</p>
3598 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>re not,</quote> interrupts Kate. <quote>We<ch.apos/>re running from the clans.</quote></p>
3599 <p>Bemused, the blond-haired man scratches his chin and turns to say something quietly to his two companions. It is then that you notice the faded sergeant stripes and the circular globe-of-the-world emblem that adorn his sleeve. Instantly you recognize the latter: it is the emblem of the World Defence League. At length, he turns to face you once more and says, in a friendlier tone, <quote>I think you two had better tell us your story.</quote></p>
3600 <choice idref="sect321"><link-text>Turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
3604 <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
3605 <meta><title>242</title></meta>
3608 <p>The only way you can think of getting past the two guards is by luring them away from the stairs and launching a surprise attack, so you draw a close combat weapon and start to scream for help. Immediately the two guards come rushing forward to investigate your cries. As they appear outside the locker room, you leap out and strike the first man a heavy blow to the throat. The Detroit Lion opens his mouth to scream but nothing comes. Mortally wounded, he falls to his knees and is pushed aside by his Angelino partner as he tries desperately to fell you with the stock of his machine pistol. You dodge the blow and manage to force the weapon out of his hands. As it clatters to the floor, you leap forward and wrestle the guard to the ground.</p>
3609 <combat><enemy>Purple Haze</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">18</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">27</enemy-attribute></combat>
3610 <p>Owing to the speed and surprise of your attack, add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
3611 <choice idref="sect191">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
3615 <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
3616 <meta><title>243</title></meta>
3619 <p>Your driving skill and swift reflexes enable you to regain control of the roadster. With barely inches to spare, you steer it away from the service doors and swing it around to a halt alongside the service bay. Immediately, you cut the engine and try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars past the lot. Soon they have gone and your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty fewer of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
3620 <p>After satisfying yourself that the clansmen have gone, you cast your eyes around the derelict car lot.</p>
3621 <choice idref="sect124">If you wish to search the lot, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
3622 <choice idref="sect342">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
3626 <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
3627 <meta><title>244</title></meta>
3630 <p>You hurl the grenade and it lands neatly in the centre of the ammunition chest. Without waiting for it to explode, you turn and sprint for the safety of the yucca forest. As you are running from the barricade, a clansman catches sight of you and opens fire with his machine pistol. Bullets kick up the dirt around your feet, but you manage to reach cover without sustaining any wounds.</p>
3631 <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
3635 <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
3636 <meta><title>245</title></meta>
3639 <p>You jab the barrel of your gun into the clansman<ch.apos/>s ribs and squeeze the trigger. At point blank range the effect is awesome: he is torn away from Kate and spun around like a top. His whirling dance of death finally comes to a halt when he hits the wall of the alley in which you are standing.</p>
3640 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
3641 <choice idref="sect76"><link-text>Turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
3645 <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
3646 <meta><title>246</title></meta>
3649 <p>While he was firing, unbeknown to you, the clansman moved forward and he is now lying flat on his stomach behind the rear wheel of his motorcycle. So when you return fire it is aimed at the wrong place and it rattles harmlessly off the iron bridge support where you first saw him take cover. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) Before you realize your error, he opens up once again and sweeps the gully with a long burst of automatic fire. Pain lances your forearm and shoulder as you stop two of his twenty high-velocity bullets.</p>
3650 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10) and add 1 point. The total is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you must lose as a result of your wounds.</p>
3651 <choice idref="sect332">If you have survived the shooting, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
3655 <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
3656 <meta><title>247</title></meta>
3659 <p>You try to dodge behind the stalagmites to avoid the clansman<ch.apos/>s fire, but your reflexes are dulled by fatigue and your movements are uncertain. A line of bullets punctures your chest and the taste of blood fills your mouth. As you fall to the ground, strangely you feel no pain, only an irresistible desire to sleep.</p>
3660 <p>Moments later the clansman falls victim to Kate<ch.apos/>s pistol, but it is a shot you do not hear, for you have already slipped into the timeless embrace of death.</p>
3661 <illustration class="inline">
3663 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3665 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3666 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3667 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3669 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here in the caverns of Sonora.</deadend>
3673 <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
3674 <meta><title>248</title></meta>
3677 <p>The surly clansman clutches at his wounds, curses, and then falls dead at your feet. Judging from the long-horned skull painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor close by, you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition), a Knife (2), and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
3679 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
3680 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
3681 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
3682 <li><typ class="item">Small Blanket</typ></li>
3683 <li>Enough bandages, sulfonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
3685 <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
3687 <li>Meat Cleaver (3)</li>
3688 <li>Bread Knife (2)</li>
3689 <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
3691 <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
3692 <p>Before leaving the kitchen, you hide the clansman<ch.apos/>s body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
3693 <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
3697 <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
3698 <meta><title>249</title></meta>
3701 <p>Within ten minutes of escaping from the Angelinos, you are back on Highway 277 and heading south. Even so, you keep your foot firmly on the gas pedal until the South Concho River has disappeared from your rear-view mirror. Ahead, the highway crosses an especially bleak and barren landscape, seemingly devoid of even the hardiest flora and fauna. It looks more like a moonscape than a landscape, and were it not for the setting sun and the welcome cool of dusk, you could easily believe that somehow you had been transported to the surface of another world.</p>
3702 <p>It is almost dark when the outline of a town appears on the horizon, its shattered buildings thrown into relief by the ashen moonlight. A battered sign reflects the glare of your headlights and announces your approach to the town of Eldorado.</p>
3703 <choice idref="sect132"><link-text>Turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
3707 <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
3708 <meta><title>250</title></meta>
3711 <p>A cloud of fearful anticipation hangs over the convoy as it passes through Van Horn and begins the journey to Sierra Blanca. You feel especially vulnerable as the freeway approaches the narrow mountain pass between Devil Ridge and Slaughter Mountain. Even the names of these landmarks serve to increase your dread of what could happen there.</p>
3712 <illustration class="inline">
3714 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3716 <instance class="html" src="small7.png" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/png"/>
3717 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3718 <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="142"/>
3720 <p>You are a little over five miles from Van Horn when you hear gunfire in the distance, and see a pall of black smoke rising into the cloudless sky. At its base, the buildings of a tiny town called Allamoore are feeding the flames, and in the pass beyond this burning town, a gun battle is raging between the Mavericks and a group of invading Mexican clansmen. You assess the situation and decide that the best hope for the convoy lies in speed and surprise. If you can drive straight through this battle zone while both sides are busy shooting at each other, the convoy will be long gone before either side can redirect all its firepower.</p>
3721 <p>With trepidation, the colony agrees to your plan and the convoy is drawn up into its break-out formation, with Pete Tyler<ch.apos/>s tow truck leading the way.</p>
3722 <choice idref="sect20"><link-text>Turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
3726 <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
3727 <meta><title>251</title></meta>
3730 <p>As you fight to regain control of your roadster, you glimpse in your rear-view mirror your rifle hitting the road and disintegrating on impact (erase this gun from your <a idref="action">Weapons List</a>). The biker throws back his head and laughs as he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. Angered by the loss of your weapon, but still determined not to let the clansman escape, you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Highway 87.</p>
3731 <illustration class="inline">
3733 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3735 <instance class="html" src="small6.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3736 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small6.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3737 <instance class="pdf" src="small6.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3739 <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across. At the last minute, he veers away and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house appears, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump onto the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
3740 <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
3741 <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
3745 <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
3746 <meta><title>252</title></meta>
3749 <p>It takes an hour to refuel the convoy vehicles and prepare for the next stage of your journey. You are to take over as scout now that the colony is about to push deeper into the mountains. The increasing altitude and the unpredictable thermal air currents here make it too dangerous for Rickenbacker to continue in his role as air scout.</p>
3750 <p>Five miles out from Kent, you cross a dry watercourse once known as the Salt Draw and begin a slow climb into the Apache Mountains. To your left you can see a high ridge, known locally as the Black Peak, and it is here that you sight something that makes you suspicious. A glint of sunlight is reflecting repeatedly at a point near the crest of this ridge.</p>
3751 <choice idref="sect30">If you possess a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ>, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
3752 <choice idref="sect304">If you wish to stop your roadster and investigate these reflections, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
3753 <choice idref="sect210">If you choose to ignore them and continue along the freeway, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
3757 <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
3758 <meta><title>253</title></meta>
3761 <p>Desperately you search along the dashboard, the seats, and the foot-wells, but you find nothing that even vaguely resembles an ignition key. However, you do uncover the following items:</p>
3763 <li>Shotgun (with two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
3764 <li>Water Canteen {with sufficient water for two Drinks)</li>
3765 <li>Antiseptic Dressings (enough for one Medi-kit unit)</li>
3767 <p>As you are unable to start the jeep, you are forced to abandon it and take cover, once more, amongst the ruins. You perch yourself behind a wrecked car that is balancing on top of the wall and cast your eyes across to the far side of the killing zone.</p>
3768 <p>One building stands out from all the others: it is the ruins of a fire station. There is still no sign of the clansmen, so together you agree to make a dash for that building. You tell Kate that, when she is running, she should focus all her thoughts and efforts on getting inside the place as quickly as possible. If anything happens, on no account should she stop for you.</p>
3769 <p>Add together your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score and your Stealth skill score. (Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack Items in order to increase your Stealth skill level.)</p>
3770 <choice idref="sect117">If your total is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
3771 <choice idref="sect295">If your total is 11<ch.endash/>16, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
3772 <choice idref="sect334">If your total is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
3776 <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
3777 <meta><title>254</title></meta>
3780 <p>You pull the wheel hard over to the right and power your roadster towards the used car lot. A wrecked auto lies overturned with its trunk partially blocking the entrance, and, as you drive through the gap, you clip its rear fender. Immediately, the wreck flips around and slams into the side of your car, sending you skidding towards the steel doors of a service bay.</p>
3781 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
3782 <choice idref="sect81">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
3783 <choice idref="sect243">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
3787 <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
3788 <meta><title>255</title></meta>
3791 <p>As the door handle turns, you clench your fist and get ready to strike. Suddenly the door flies open and, for a frozen moment, you are staring at the startled face of your enemy as you spring forward and land a solid punch to his throat. Your speedy attack knocks the pistol from his hand and sends him reeling backwards, croaking like a sick toad as he clutches frantically at his injured larynx. Immediately you press forward to strike again before he can recover.</p>
3792 <combat><enemy>Armalite</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">16</enemy-attribute></combat>
3793 <p>Owing to the fury and surprise with which you launched your first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain during the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
3794 <choice idref="sect237">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
3795 <choice idref="sect336">If you win and the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
3799 <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
3800 <meta><title>256</title></meta>
3803 <p>One of the machine gun bullets grazes your side and spins you to the floor: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. You grit your teeth in pain as you try to stand, but before you are back on your feet, the door bursts inwards and a clansman comes rushing out of the kitchen with a machine pistol in his hands.</p>
3804 <p>Instinctively you leap up and grab the barrel. Owing to the speed and the unexpectedness of your bold move, you succeed in wrenching the gun from his grasp before he can fire again. Desperately he lashes out with his foot and kicks the weapon aside as he resumes his attack.</p>
3805 <combat><enemy>Rockblitz</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
3806 <choice idref="sect248">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
3810 <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
3811 <meta><title>257</title></meta>
3814 <p>You dive to the ground. Then you look up at the front of the drug store for some indication of where the shot was fired from. A second shot rings out and you pinpoint the sniper<ch.apos/>s location just a moment before a stinging sensation assails your eyes. The bullet has hit the road surface a few inches in front of your face, and a handful of grit has been kicked up into your eyes: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3815 <p>Angered by this deliberate attempt to kill you, and by the heart-rending moans of the wounded Marine Gunter, you decide to flush this sniper out and even the score. Kate and the others are pinned down on the other side of the street and cannot move without exposing themselves to the sniper<ch.apos/>s sights. Only you can reach the drug store entrance with some degree of cover.</p>
3816 <p>When a third shot hits the helpless Gunter, your anger gives way to a grim determination. Despite Kate<ch.apos/>s pleas to stay down, you spring to your feet and sprint towards the drug store entrance.</p>
3817 <choice idref="sect338"><link-text>Turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
3821 <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
3822 <meta><title>258</title></meta>
3825 <p>You shoot less than a second before the Maverick discharges his pistol, yet your aim is deadly accurate. You deal him a fatal wound to the head that spins him sideways with the force of its impact. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) Unfortunately, the pistol in his hand is not a standard factory model: it is a weapon he has customized to fire in fully-automatic mode. The selector is set to auto and, as he falls to the ground, he squeezes the trigger and empties the fourteen-round magazine in a line across your car.</p>
3826 <p>A sharp, stinging core of pain erupts in your left arm as one of the 9mm bullets finds its mark: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. With determination, you force yourself to ignore the agonizing pain and concentrate instead on escaping from the clutches of the other Maverick clansmen. Again, you attempt to start the car, but this time you take your foot off the gas as you turn the ignition switch, despite an almost overwhelming urge to stamp the pedal straight through the floor. The move works<ch.emdash/>the engine roars back to life<ch.emdash/>and within seconds you are accelerating away from the barricade, your eyes glued firmly to the convoy<ch.apos/>s tail lights. A few poorly aimed bullets chase your escape but you soon catch up with the school bus and pass beyond range of the Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns.</p>
3827 <choice idref="sect312"><link-text>Turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
3831 <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
3832 <meta><title>259</title></meta>
3835 <p>You freeze, your stomach pinched tight with fear as you try to ignore the crawling sensation that is now moving rapidly up the sleeve of your jacket. Outside, you hear the clansman leaving the workshop and, as soon as you are sure he has gone, you push open the door and step out of the store room.</p>
3836 <p>By now the tickling sensation has reached your bicep. When Kate emerges from her hiding place, you tell her what is wrong and ask her to remove your jacket carefully. Gently she lifts it off your shoulders and gasps when she sees the spider that is perched on your arm.</p>
3837 <illustration class="float">
3839 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3840 <description>Kate gasps when she sees the spider that is perched on your arm.</description>
3842 <instance class="html" src="ill14.png" width="386" height="571" mime-type="image/png"/>
3843 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill14.gif" width="386" height="574" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3844 <instance class="pdf" src="ill14.pdf" width="386" height="574" />
3846 <p>Add together your Field Craft and Perception skill scores.</p>
3847 <choice idref="sect37">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
3848 <choice idref="sect311">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
3852 <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
3853 <meta><title>260</title></meta>
3856 <p>It comes as a relief to discover that the town of Sierra Blanca is deserted. Here the convoy halts to assess the damage and treat those who were wounded during the run. Cutter is among those who need treatment, having stopped a bullet in his left forearm. However, although you can tell he is in considerable pain, he does his best to hide it.</p>
3857 <p>Kate greets you with a kiss that leaves you in no doubt about how pleased she is to see you alive and in one piece. Together you go to the school bus for some food and water (restore 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points), and while you are there, you listen to Pop Ewell as he tries to make radio contact with the WDL unit in El Paso. After several attempts, he manages to raise them, but they refuse to acknowledge his call unless he gives a WDL security call sign, a sort of radio password that will prove he is not a clansman trying to trick his way into the city stronghold.</p>
3858 <p><quote>Cal, will you go an<ch.apos/> fetch Sergeant Haskell? I think we<ch.apos/>ll be needin<ch.apos/> his help to solve this,</quote> says Pop, and eagerly you oblige.</p>
3859 <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
3863 <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
3864 <meta><title>261</title></meta>
3867 <p>You manage to pull yourself over the wall and gain access to the stadium without being seen. From a position high among the tiers, you look down at the rows of empty seats that encircle the dusty arena and observe the preparations taking place around the perimeter track. This stadium once hosted international sporting events, many of which were televised and beamed live around the world. Now it plays host to a sporting event of a very different kind. The Angelinos have challenged the Lions to put forward four of their best riders for a twenty-lap motorcycle race around the arena. The track itself reminds you of an old film you saw when you were a child, a film about the wild chariot races that took place in ancient Rome. Today<ch.apos/>s event is meant to be a friendly challenge to celebrate the signing of their alliance, but with clan honour at stake the race will undoubtedly be run in deadly earnest.</p>
3868 <p>Facing you, on the far side of the stadium, is the glass-fronted observation block that was once used by television and radio commentators. Your curiosity is aroused when you notice that the door to the block is heavily guarded. Fixedly you stare at its full-length windows and count five occupants: four clansmen and one blonde-haired girl. You cannot see her face clearly, but you have a strong feeling that the girl is Kate Norton.</p>
3869 <choice idref="sect346"><link-text>Turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
3873 <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
3874 <meta><title>262</title></meta>
3877 <p>You grab Kate by the wrist and take cover among the rocks that border the highway, but it is already too late. You have been seen by the approaching Angelinos and, as they get nearer, they fan out and encircle your position. Their newly-elected leader, a wiry biker with a badly broken nose, offers you the chance to give yourselves up. Defiantly you both refuse.</p>
3878 <p>Their first attempt to capture you leaves five of them dead. Rather than risk losing any more of his men, the leader orders grenades to be thrown. They explode with a thunderous flash and you are both mortally wounded in the blast. Then they spray your position with automatic fire. When the Angelinos finally summon enough courage to close in, they find the two of you lying dead in each other<ch.apos/>s arms.</p>
3879 <deadend>Sadly, your journey and your life end nine miles south of Eldorado.</deadend>
3883 <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
3884 <meta><title>263</title></meta>
3887 <p>You feel a jolt against your shoulder as one of the clansmen stubs his toe against the raised edge of the cover and is sent sprawling to the ground. Quickly you try to replace the hatch but it is roughly pulled aside by the angry Angelino. The instant he sees your face, he draws his pistol and empties it into the shaft. Pain erupts in your head and chest as seven heavy .45-calibre slugs knock you off the ladder. The last thing you hear, as you plummet into the darkness, is Kate<ch.apos/>s echoing scream of horror.</p>
3888 <illustration class="inline">
3890 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3892 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3893 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3894 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3896 <deadend>Your journey and your life end here.</deadend>
3900 <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
3901 <meta><title>264</title></meta>
3904 <p>You signal to Kate to come over to your position and immediately she obeys. You point to the two circling clansmen and she nods her silent understanding of the situation. Together you abandon your cover and shadow the two men as they circle around to the rear. An old tyre rack propped against the side of a derelict car wash offers you a good defensive position, and quickly you scurry towards it. Kate reaches the rack first, in time to see the Lions halt. For a moment they duck out of sight, but soon they reappear and come running, half-crouched, with guns at the ready, towards your newfound hiding place.</p>
3905 <p>Kate cocks her machine pistol and takes aim as the first clansman scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than twenty yards away when she squeezes off a burst of fire, bringing him crashing to the ground. His partner hesitates, and then abandons his stealthy approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his own machine pistol blazing furiously at his hip. Bullets rip into the tyre rack and one smashes the barrel of Kate<ch.apos/>s gun, rendering it useless. In the next instant, he leaps onto the rack but, before he brings his weapon to bear, you lash out and smash his knee with the edge of your hand. He drops his weapon and falls forward, landing on top of you with a jolt that leaves you breathless.</p>
3906 <combat><enemy>Kalashnikov</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
3907 <p>You cannot evade combat and must fight the clansman to the death.</p>
3908 <choice idref="sect308">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
3912 <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
3913 <meta><title>265</title></meta>
3916 <p>The bullets whistle past within inches of the scout leader<ch.apos/>s head, but he continues undaunted. He steers his machine towards the front of the roadster and, as he rides past, he lashes out at your unprotected back with his length of heavy chain.</p>
3917 <p>Add together your Perception and Stealth skill scores.</p>
3918 <choice idref="sect25">If your total is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
3919 <choice idref="sect277">If your total is 6<ch.endash/>8, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
3920 <choice idref="sect341">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
3924 <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
3925 <meta><title>266</title></meta>
3928 <p>You raise your head and take aim at the bridge, but before you squeeze the trigger you notice that the clansman is no longer there: he has changed his position. He is now lying flat on his stomach behind the rear wheel of his motorcycle. Swiftly you swing around and open fire at the bike. Your gunfire rips into the rear tyre and catches the clansman full in the face, killing him instantly. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
3929 <p>Before you bury them you search both bodies and the bikes, and discover the following useful items:</p>
3931 <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
3933 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
3934 <li><typ class="item">Leather Face Mask</typ></li>
3935 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
3936 <li>Machine Pistol (containing twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
3937 <li><typ class="item">Cigarette Lighter</typ></li>
3938 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
3939 <li>Enough pain killers for one Medi-kit unit</li>
3941 <p>There remains no trace of the bikers or their machines when eventually you complete your grisly task of burial. Wearily you return to your roadster and begin the next stage of your journey to San Angelo. Less than a mile beyond the bridge you see a deserted stretch of Highway 87. You join the freeway, heading south, and within a few minutes you catch sight of a town on the road ahead. A glance at your <a idref="map">map</a> confirms that you are approaching Sterling City.</p>
3942 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
3946 <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
3947 <meta><title>267</title></meta>
3950 <p>At the far end of a block of derelict stores is a blue, star-shaped sign that marks the site of a Lone Star gas station. You hurry along the dusty street, hopeful of finding some fuel, but you are met with disappointment. All the security caps have been sawn off the gasolene storage tanks and not a drop of their precious contents remains.</p>
3951 <illustration class="inline">
3953 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3955 <instance class="html" src="small9.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
3956 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small9.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3957 <instance class="pdf" src="small9.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
3959 <p>The gas station itself has been ransacked and nothing of value remains, but at the rear of the building you discover something that stirs your curiosity. It is a large storage facility with heavy double doors, which are chained and padlocked.</p>
3960 <choice idref="sect123">If you possess <typ class="item">Bolt Cutters</typ>, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
3961 <choice idref="sect94">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
3965 <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
3966 <meta><title>268</title></meta>
3969 <p>Drawing on your reserves of nervous energy, you race up the last few steps and lash out at the door with the sole of your boot. The door flies wide open and slams against the wall, sending the red-headed clansman who was about to investigate the noise sprawling flat on his back.</p>
3970 <p>Inside the observation room you see two men<ch.emdash/>one dressed in a flamboyant mix of bright colours and the other attired in sombre black<ch.emdash/>seated at a table with a map of the United States spread before them. A muscular clansman, his chest criss-crossed with cartridge belts, stands behind the man in black and beyond him, huddled in the corner of the room, is Kate. Clearly she has suffered at the hands of Mad Dog Michigan and the sight of her bruised face and her pained, despairing expression stirs you to a fit of rage.</p>
3971 <illustration class="float">
3973 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3974 <description>Inside the observation room.</description>
3976 <instance class="html" src="ill15.png" width="386" height="622" mime-type="image/png"/>
3977 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill15.gif" width="386" height="621" mime-type="image/gif"/>
3978 <instance class="pdf" src="ill15.pdf" width="386" height="621" />
3980 <p>For a frozen moment the room is deathly quiet, and then the man in black barks an order and the bullet-belted clansman rushes forward, drawing a wide-bladed bowie knife as he runs.</p>
3981 <choice idref="sect222">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
3982 <choice idref="sect21">If you do not possess a missile weapon, do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
3986 <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
3987 <meta><title>269</title></meta>
3990 <p>Your escape from the building goes unnoticed by the few clan patrols that are operating in the area. Mekong Mike has brought most of his men up to the central and northern sectors, partly as a show of strength to Mad Dog Michigan and partly as a precaution in case Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s talk of an alliance turns out to be a bluff, and he is really here to try to take over the city.</p>
3991 <p>The further you venture north, the more clan activity you find, and you are forced to stay hidden for longer periods as you snake your way through the ruins towards the centre of the stronghold. You are working on the assumption that Kate is with Mad Dog Michigan, and he is likely to be found where the number of clansmen is greatest.</p>
3992 <p>It is shortly before noon when you catch sight of a building that dominates the centre of San Angelo<ch.emdash/>the Reagan Memorial Stadium. Scores of motorcycles and their riders are gathered around its entrance where two large, tattered banners are fluttering symbolically in the breeze. One bears the lion<ch.apos/>s-head mark of the Detroit Lions clan; the other is emblazoned with the long-horned-steer skull symbol of the Angelinos clan. From your location opposite the entrance you overhear two Angelinos talking. You learn that some sort of motorcycle race is to take place here this afternoon, to celebrate the signing of a pact between the two clans. Now you feel sure that Mad Dog and Kate are here somewhere inside the stadium, and you apply yourself to finding a way in.</p>
3993 <p>After watching the entrance for over an hour, only two options appear open to you. You can try to hide in one of the trucks that are carrying spares for the clansmen<ch.apos/>s bikes, in the hope that they will enter the stadium before the race; or you can attempt to scale the stadium wall at one of the many places where it has partially collapsed.</p>
3994 <choice idref="sect299">If you decide to try to stow away in one of the service trucks, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
3995 <choice idref="sect93">If you decide to attempt to climb over the wall, <link-text>turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
3999 <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
4000 <meta><title>270</title></meta>
4003 <p>Suddenly there is a <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia> and a muzzle flash illuminates the far corner of the bar. You throw yourself at the floor immediately, but you are not swift enough to avoid being clipped in the thigh by a 9mm bullet: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4004 <p>Seconds later Haskell bursts into the bar and fires three shots into the corner. There is a loud groan followed almost immediately by the sound of a heavy body falling off a chair. He rushes to your side and, using his own Medi-kit, staunches your wound with a sulfonamide pad and a bandage. Once he is sure you are not seriously injured, he goes to take a look at whom he has shot.</p>
4005 <choice idref="sect333"><link-text>Turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
4009 <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
4010 <meta><title>271</title></meta>
4013 <p>You move out into the corridor, your G-12 machine pistol held chest high, ready to fire. Your finger grazes the trigger and a burst of automatic fire sweeps the guards in a deadly figure-of-eight pattern, dropping them in a tangled heap at the foot of the stairs.</p>
4014 <p>Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</p>
4015 <choice idref="sect143"><link-text>Turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
4019 <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
4020 <meta><title>272</title></meta>
4023 <p>You hurl the grenade and it lands neatly in the centre of the ammunition chest. Unfortunately, as you are running from the barricade, a clansman catches sight of you and opens fire with his machine pistol.</p>
4024 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10). The number you have picked is equal to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points that you lose as a result of being caught in the machine gun fire.</p>
4025 <choice idref="sect350">If you survive your wounds, <link-text>turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
4029 <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
4030 <meta><title>273</title></meta>
4033 <p>Mortified by the sight of the truck veering wildly across your path, you can barely open your mouth in time to scream before the front of your car collides with the side of the truck. The engine compartment crumples under the force of the impact and both front tyres explode simultaneously, flipping your vehicle end-over-end like a discarded toy. A kaleidoscope of shapes assails your eyes as the roadster cartwheels along the freeway. Then you are engulfed by a wave of searing white heat as the fuel tank ruptures and ignites in an enormous ball of flame.</p>
4034 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life come to an abrupt end less than five miles from Big Spring.</deadend>
4038 <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
4039 <meta><title>274</title></meta>
4042 <p>You have reached the place where the highway passes through the Finlay Mountains, and from this high point you have a commanding view over the valley and salt lakes beyond. You stop to survey the scene and, to your horror, you see a huge group of clansmen riding across the valley, heading towards Van Horn.</p>
4043 <choice idref="sect208">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
4044 <choice idref="sect41">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
4048 <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
4049 <meta><title>275</title></meta>
4052 <p>The clansmen dive aside as you crash through their barrier and accelerate across the open ground towards the safety of the southern ruins. They recover quickly and soon the staccato hammering of their assault rifles is echoing in your wake. With twenty yards left to go, five bullets rip their way through the jeep<ch.apos/>s rear tyres, which explode with a tremendous <onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia>. For a moment you lose control as the vehicle slews sideways, rises on two wheels, and then comes to a sudden halt. Quickly you abandon it and run for cover.</p>
4053 <p>Ahead, you see the ruins of a fire station. You shout to Kate and point at the building; immediately she acknowledges your message with a thumbs-up. Then a string of bullets ricochets off the rubble-strewn ground around your feet, kicking up a cloud of dust that engulfs your whole body. Kate looks over her shoulder with fear stark in her eyes, but when you scream that you are OK, and tell her to keep running at all costs, her expression relaxes and she obeys your command willingly. More shots ring out, but they fall short of their mark and you reach the ruins of the fire station unscathed. Inside, you discover that much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually intact.</p>
4054 <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search this vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
4055 <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
4059 <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
4060 <meta><title>276</title></meta>
4063 <p>The unmistakable roar of motorcycle engines is coming from the direction of Broome, and, as you focus on that distant town, you see a tell-tale cloud of dust rising above its ruins. You know that it can only be a large pack of clansmen and that you must find somewhere to hide yourself and your roadster before they show up.</p>
4064 <p>The dried-out bed of the North Concho River offers the only feasible place to take cover from the approaching bikers. Quickly you pull off the highway and search for a place to enter the river bed as the first of the bikers comes riding out of the town.</p>
4065 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
4066 <choice idref="sect74">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
4067 <choice idref="sect329">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
4071 <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
4072 <meta><title>277</title></meta>
4075 <p>You dive behind the wing of the car and cover your head with your arm as the heavy motorcycle drive chain whistles towards you. It catches your shoulder a glancing blow that leaves its mark in the shape of an angry red weal: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
4076 <p>Pained by the blow, you grit your teeth as you turn to face your two-wheeled adversary.</p>
4077 <choice idref="sect166"><link-text>Turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
4081 <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
4082 <meta><title>278</title></meta>
4085 <p>Both bullets hit you with deadly accuracy: one in the head and the other in the heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
4086 <illustration class="inline">
4088 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4090 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
4091 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4092 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
4094 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at Fort Stockton.</deadend>
4098 <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
4099 <meta><title>279</title></meta>
4102 <p>You grab the pistol grip of your G-12 and glance down at the breech to make sure that the cocking lever is set ready to fire. The moment the clansman sees you resting the barrel on the door, he veers across to the left lane of the highway as quickly as he can. You smile when you realize the purpose of his manoeuvre: he is trying to increase his chances by making it as difficult as he can for you to shoot at him with your right hand.</p>
4103 <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now decide how many bursts of fire you wish to unleash at the clansman (minimum: one burst; maximum: four bursts), and add the number to your skills total.</p>
4104 <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
4105 <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
4109 <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
4110 <meta><title>280</title></meta>
4113 <p>The spider is swept from your arm and sent spinning into a dark corner of the workshop. Quickly you move forward, intending to crush it beneath your boot, but it has already scurried into the safety of the woodwork and no trace of it remains.</p>
4114 <p><quote>You were lucky, Cal,</quote> says Kate. <quote>A bite from that little fella would have made you real sick.</quote></p>
4115 <p><quote>Yeah,</quote> you reply uneasily, as you wipe the sweat from your brow, <quote>that was close.</quote></p>
4116 <choice idref="sect291"><link-text>Turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
4120 <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
4121 <meta><title>281</title></meta>
4124 <p>You decide to leave Fort Stockton at dawn the following morning, but the weather deteriorates, putting a swift end to your plans. For two days and nights the town is hit by lightning storms and tornadoes, forcing you to remain in the basement of the motel. It is not until the morning of the seventh day of your mission (one day before your planned rendezvous with the convoy) that the tornadoes blow themselves out and you are able to leave the town in safety.</p>
4125 <p>With Kate beside you, and the three marines clinging to the hood and trunk of your roadster, you crawl the twenty-three miles from Fort Stockton to the Balmorhea rest stop that Haskell found on your map. It is located at the entrance to a pass through the Barrilla Mountains and at first glance it appears to have suffered extensive damage in the recent storms. You bring the roadster to a halt with your fuel tank virtually empty, and it is with great trepidation that you and Sergeant Haskell go to inspect the fuel storage tanks while Kate and the others watch the road.</p>
4126 <p>Of the eight underground fuel tanks located beneath the gas station area, only one looks promising. Of the others, six are empty and one is contaminated with diesel oil. A coded security valve locks the access pipe to the tank and, after a brief examination, you realize that the code must be cracked if you are to get at the contents. Any attempt to break off or cut through the valve would be sure to cause a spark that would blow the tank, and whoever was tampering with it, sky high.</p>
4127 <p>You are studying the valve when you hear Marine Gunter shout a warning: <quote>Clansmen on the freeway!</quote></p>
4128 <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
4132 <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
4133 <meta><title>282</title></meta>
4136 <p>You duck to avoid the spinning cleaver, and it whistles over your head to strike the tiled wall with a ringing clang. Cursing you, the clansman reaches for a machine pistol that is propped against the food locker.</p>
4137 <choice idref="sect348">If you possess a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
4138 <choice idref="sect136">If you do not possess a missile weapon, lack sufficient ammunition to use it, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
4142 <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
4143 <meta><title>283</title></meta>
4146 <p>With seconds to spare, you steer your roadster away from the brink of disaster. Your rear tyres spin along the edge of the gully, kicking up great clouds of stones and dust before they grip and propel you back onto the freeway.</p>
4147 <p>In your mirror you see the convoy coming under small-arms fire, but it is light and sporadic and it claims no victims. Soon you are all safely out of the battle zone and racing away from the Slaughter Mountain run towards Sierra Blanca.</p>
4148 <choice idref="sect260"><link-text>Turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
4152 <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
4153 <meta><title>284</title></meta>
4156 <p>The moment you strike the killing blow, Kate grabs the dead coyote by the scruff of its neck and bundles it out of the car. The pack-handlers have gathered together the rest of their surviving coyote and intend to set them on you as you try frantically to restart the engine. The mountain dogs bound forward, snapping and howling. Kate draws her pistol and fires, bringing down three of the leading dogs in as many shots and buying you the few precious seconds you need to coax the roadster back to life. Then, with a cloud of dust and burnt rubber, you say farewell to the pack as you take off along the main street towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
4157 <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
4161 <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
4162 <meta><title>285</title></meta>
4165 <p>You leave the highway and drive due east across the dusty plain. In the distance you can see a derelict ranch house and traces of a highway that pass close by. You are about to drive past the ranch when you notice a pick-up truck parked outside an adjoining barn. Judging by the condition of the vehicle<ch.apos/>s bodywork it is still serviceable.</p>
4166 <choice idref="sect149">If you wish to take a closer look at the pick-up truck, <link-text>turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
4167 <choice idref="sect303">If you decide to ignore the truck and press on with your detour around Sterling City, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
4171 <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
4172 <meta><title>286</title></meta>
4175 <p>The shock of seeing you rushing towards him with a weapon in your hand causes the sniper to panic. He fires his rifle before he has even brought the barrel to bear on you, and the bullet thuds harmlessly into the floor.</p>
4176 <combat><enemy>Renegade Sniper</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">11</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
4177 <p>Owing to the speed and ferocity of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of combat.</p>
4178 <choice idref="sect5">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
4182 <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
4183 <meta><title>287</title></meta>
4186 <p>In a fit of panic, the archer releases his bowstring and sends his primitive arrow whistling towards your chest.</p>
4187 <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill score.</p>
4188 <choice idref="sect174">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
4189 <choice idref="sect60">If it is 13<ch.endash/>18, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
4190 <choice idref="sect193">If it is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
4194 <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
4195 <meta><title>288</title></meta>
4198 <p>When you first see San Angelo, the sun is a quarter hidden below the skyline, its soft red glow reflecting upon a cluster of tall buildings that stand at the city<ch.apos/>s centre. They are the ravaged shells of banks and state offices that were the pride of this once-prosperous city before <quote>The Day</quote>. Surrounding them, for many miles, is a sea of dust and rubble. Your skin prickles when you realize that this is all that remains of the city<ch.apos/>s suburbs, an area that was once home to more than a million Texans.</p>
4200 <illustration class="inline">
4202 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4204 <instance class="html" src="small5.png" width="386" height="78" mime-type="image/png"/>
4205 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small5.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4206 <instance class="pdf" src="small5.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
4209 <p>You are about to drive towards the centre when you notice that a fortified wall has been erected around the tall buildings of the downtown area, and that the northern highway approaches are controlled by roadblocks. It would be near-suicidal to approach any closer, so you decide to make a wide detour around the city limits and try to approach from the south.</p>
4210 <p>It takes you nearly two hours to reach the south side of San Angelo, by which time night has fallen. Fortunately, your decision to go south pays off; this section of the city is virtually uninhabited by the Angelinos and your approach goes undetected. Hidden by the darkness, you are able to get within a mile of the downtown area before you encounter any sign of clan activity. You know that if your rescue of Kate is to be successful you must not allow your roadster to fall into enemy hands, and with this in mind, you search for somewhere safe to leave it while you venture into the downtown area on foot.</p>
4211 <p>An underground parking lot situated below the looted ruins of a Sears megamarket provides just such a safe haven, and it is here that you hide your car. You are tired after the rigours of your journey, so you decide to get a few hours<ch.apos/> sleep and attempt your rescue at first light.</p>
4212 <choice idref="sect29"><link-text>Turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
4216 <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
4217 <meta><title>289</title></meta>
4220 <p>You retrace your steps all the way back to the front lobby, continue across it, and enter the other corridor. This services a number of offices and conference rooms before it ends at a wide staircase leading downwards. You descend three floors and discover the remains of a large private restaurant which, along with its kitchen, occupies most of the sub-basement level. A small <quote>fire exit</quote> sign hangs over the double doors leading to the kitchen and you head straight for it.</p>
4221 <p>As you are crossing the restaurant floor, your rumbling stomach reminds you that you have yet to eat anything today. Then the thought occurs to you that there may still be some canned food in the kitchen, and you resolve to search it before you leave the building.</p>
4222 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill score.</p>
4223 <choice idref="sect159">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
4224 <choice idref="sect233">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
4228 <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
4229 <meta><title>290</title></meta>
4232 <p>On every side, a desolate plain of arid, lifeless earth stretches to the horizon. The highway meanders across this wasteland, following the gentle curve of a dry watercourse that the ranchers and oilmen of this county once knew as Lacy Creek.</p>
4233 <p>You have been driving for half an hour when you see a signpost, its blistered metal plate announcing your approach to the Sterling County line. As you cross this boundary, your engine begins to splutter and backfire.</p>
4234 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4235 <choice idref="sect133">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
4236 <choice idref="sect344">If it is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
4240 <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
4241 <meta><title>291</title></meta>
4244 <p>Eventually, the clansmen return to their motorcycles and ride out of Eldorado, heading south. With the immediate threat now gone, you decide to remain where you are and snatch a few hours<ch.apos/> sleep before continuing your journey at dawn.</p>
4245 <p>In the clear light of early morning you can see for miles across the rocky plain that surrounds the highway south of Eldorado. It appears empty, although you remain on the alert every second of your drive to Sonora, the next town marked on your <a idref="map">map</a>, for it is in this direction that the Angelinos were heading when they left Eldorado last night. You are less than a mile from the ruins of Sonora when you are greeted by the welcome sight of Interstate 10, stretching east-to-west across your path. This is the freeway that you hope will take you all the way to your rendezvous with the colony at Kent, and then on through the mountains to El Paso.</p>
4246 <p>You join the freeway and enjoy the feel of a firmer, clearer road surface beneath your wheels as you begin the long drive west. Still you can see no sign of the Angelinos, and Kate voices her hope that they have decided to search Sonora, thinking you may have hidden there last night. You want to agree with her, but suddenly, in the distance, you see something that proves her wrong.</p>
4247 <choice idref="sect306"><link-text>Turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
4251 <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
4252 <meta><title>292</title></meta>
4255 <p>Your ambush catches the clansman by surprise. But your aim is poor, and although your gunfire wings him and makes him cry out in pain, it does not prevent him from returning a burst of fire at your position. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
4256 <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Stealth skill score.</p>
4257 <choice idref="sect247">If your total score is 17 or less, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
4258 <choice idref="sect71">If your total score is 18 or more, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
4262 <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
4263 <meta><title>293</title></meta>
4266 <p>The convoy leaves the sanctuary of Big Spring with its headlights blazing and its gas pedals pressed flat to the floor. The deafening motor noise rolls across the surrounding land like thunder, and the twisted auto wrecks that litter this section of Interstate 20 seem to flash past with ever-increasing speed as you accelerate your car into the slipstream of the school bus. Above, you see a smoky pinpoint of fire climb into the night sky, and then explode with a brilliant flash. It is a signal flare, and it has been launched by the startled group of Maverick gang lookouts, who are manning a barricade less than half a mile ahead.</p>
4267 <p>The barricade comprises a line of old cars and other debris that has been dragged into a haphazard line across the freeway. As the tow truck screams towards its centre, you can just hear the crackle of automatic gunfire above the roar of the convoy<ch.apos/>s engines. Then, with a grinding crash, the truck slams into the barricade and ploughs straight through without slowing. Torn and buckled sheets of rusty metal are spun skywards, together with the bodies of those Mavericks too slow to jump clear. Still in line, the convoy follows Pecos Pete through the ragged gap carved by his truck. As you approach it, you grit your teeth and tighten your grip on the steering wheel.</p>
4268 <p>To your right you notice the steep embankment that borders this section of the freeway. An old panel truck is perched near the top of the slope, held there in defiance of gravity by blocks of concrete that are wedged in front of its wheels. Feverishly two Mavericks are trying to pull away these chocks and, as you reach the gap, they succeed. Your stomach churns as the panel truck comes careering down the embankment on a collision course with your car.</p>
4269 <illustration class="float">
4271 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4272 <description>The panel truck comes careering down the embankment on a collision course with your car.</description>
4274 <instance class="html" src="ill16.png" width="386" height="626" mime-type="image/png"/>
4275 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill16.gif" width="386" height="626" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4276 <instance class="pdf" src="ill16.pdf" width="386" height="626" />
4278 <choice idref="sect209">If you wish to try to avoid the runaway panel truck by swerving to the left, <link-text>turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
4279 <choice idref="sect118">If you wish to brake heavily in an attempt to avoid a collision, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
4280 <choice idref="sect72">If you decide to accelerate in an attempt to get out of its path, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
4284 <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
4285 <meta><title>294</title></meta>
4288 <p>You tell Uncle Jonas and the others to watch for your flare. You will fire it as soon as a breach has been made in the barricade. When they see it, they are to start their engines, drive through the barricade in break-out formation, and stop for nothing until they reach El Paso.</p>
4289 <choice idref="sect345"><link-text>Turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
4293 <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
4294 <meta><title>295</title></meta>
4297 <p>Halfway across the open ground there is a sudden burst of machine gun fire and a line of bullets slams into the rubble near your feet. A ricochet cuts you across the back of your left hand and you cry out in pain as you cradle the wounded limb to your chest: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Kate looks over her shoulder, her face aghast, and begins to slow down to allow you to catch her. But you scream that you are OK, and order her to keep running at all costs.</p>
4298 <p>More shots ring out, but they fall wide of their mark and you are able to reach the fire station ruins. Much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually unscathed.</p>
4299 <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search the vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
4300 <choice idref="sect148">If you choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
4304 <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
4305 <meta><title>296</title></meta>
4308 <p>You pull over to the side of the road and focus on the distant bridge. Two clansmen, both stripped to the waist, are roasting something on a spit that is suspended over a small campfire. Their motorcycles are parked beside them, nose-to-tail across the road so that they obstruct the entrance to the bridge. The two men appear to be occupied with the cooking of their meal and are, for now, unaware of your presence.</p>
4309 <choice idref="sect175">If you wish to launch a surprise attack on these two clansmen, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
4310 <choice idref="sect12">If you prefer to stay where you are and wait for them to leave the bridge, <link-text>turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
4314 <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
4315 <meta><title>297</title></meta>
4318 <p>An agonizing pain cuts across your chest and the warm taste of blood fills your mouth. Then the terrible pain gives way to a terrifying numbness. For a moment the corridor swims in and out of focus, and then darkness engulfs you as you relinquish your hold on life.</p>
4319 <illustration class="inline">
4321 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4323 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
4324 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4325 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
4327 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here in San Angelo.</deadend>
4331 <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
4332 <meta><title>298</title></meta>
4335 <p>The roadster hits an outcrop of rock, which forces the right side of the vehicle into the air. Desperately you fight to correct the roll but it is already too late: the car is out of control. You can barely open your mouth in time to scream before the roadster flips over and bursts into flames.</p>
4336 <deadend>Tragically, your journey and your life end here.</deadend>
4340 <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
4341 <meta><title>299</title></meta>
4344 <p>You wait until the stadium gate opens and the crowd of clansmen starts to enter before you make your move. Purposefully, you stride across the wide avenue that surrounds the stadium, trying not to look directly at any of the bikers or attract their attention. One of the trucks in particular has caught your eye and you head straight for it. It is towing a trailer that contains two powerful-looking motorcycles, and you are convinced that they are to be used in the races. If any of the trucks are to enter the stadium then this one surely will.</p>
4345 <p>There is nobody in the truck and its rear door is unlocked, so quickly you climb aboard and find yourself a hiding place behind two large drums of gasolene. After a few minutes, you hear somebody climb into the cab and start the engine. Then the truck moves away and you sense by its direction that it is approaching the stadium gate. You see the shadow of the arch fall across the trailer and then suddenly the vehicle halts. Your heart pounds in your chest as you hear the rear doors creak open and sense someone clambering aboard.</p>
4346 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
4347 <choice idref="sect115">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
4348 <choice idref="sect68">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
4352 <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
4353 <meta><title>300</title></meta>
4356 <p>It feels good to be able to drive once more at a speed that is faster than the brisk walking pace to which you have limited yourself over the past twenty-five fuel-conscious miles. It is also a great relief not to have to walk the fifty or so miles to Kent, for they are mostly uphill, as the freeway passes through the ruined town of Brogado and traverses the northern slopes of the Davis Mountains. During this part of your journey you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4357 <illustration class="inline">
4359 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4361 <instance class="html" src="small7.png" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/png"/>
4362 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small7.gif" width="386" height="142" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4363 <instance class="pdf" src="small7.pdf" width="386" height="142"/>
4365 <p>You reach Kent shortly after noon, a day ahead of your planned time of rendezvous with the convoy. The highway and surrounding area show no sign of their having arrived before you, so you decide to try to relax here and recoup your strength while you wait for the convoy to show.</p>
4366 <choice idref="sect172"><link-text>Turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
4370 <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
4371 <meta><title>301</title></meta>
4374 <p>Painfully aware that Kate has run out of bullets, you start work on changing the damaged front wheel with frantic vigour. The clan scout leader, confident that you are both out of ammunition, comes riding across the river, howling curses and whirling a heavy motorcycle chain in his left hand.</p>
4375 <choice idref="sect330">If you have either a Shotgun or a Rifle and possess sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
4376 <choice idref="sect206">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
4380 <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
4381 <meta><title>302</title></meta>
4384 <p>Kate draws her pistol and fires at the approaching clansman, who flattens himself against the floor for cover. He returns fire and his bullets hack through the stalagmites behind which you are hiding, mowing them down as if they were sheaves of dry straw.</p>
4385 <p>Kate rises to fire again but her pistol jams. With a mocking laugh, the Angelino gets to his feet and advances, confident that she is no longer a threat. In desperation she throws her pistol at him, a move so sudden that it takes him aback. The pistol hits him in the face and he drops his weapon and clutches his hands to his bleeding nose. Instinctively, you snatch a broken stalagmite from the floor and rush forward to attack the clansman with it before he has a chance to retrieve his fallen machine pistol.</p>
4386 <illustration class="float">
4388 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4389 <description>You snatch a broken stalagmite from the floor and rush forward to attack the clansman with it.</description>
4391 <instance class="html" src="ill17.png" width="386" height="623" mime-type="image/png"/>
4392 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill17.gif" width="386" height="620" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4393 <instance class="pdf" src="ill17.pdf" width="386" height="620" />
4395 <combat><enemy>Chinatown</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
4396 <p>Owing to his wound, and the speed of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first round of combat.</p>
4397 <choice idref="sect152">You can evade the fight at any time by <link-text>turning to 152</link-text>.</choice>
4398 <choice idref="sect36">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
4402 <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
4403 <meta><title>303</title></meta>
4406 <p>You complete your detour around Sterling city without incident and rejoin Highway 87 a few miles south of the town. The hour you spent driving across the dusty plain has made you very thirsty, and you must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4407 <p>The freeway follows a wide, rock-strewn gully that was once the North Concho River. You are staring at this dead watercourse, trying to imagine what the river must have looked like before <quote>The Day</quote>, when a road sign flashes past. You stop the car and turn back to read it. It says:</p>
4408 <signpost>BROOME<ch.emdash/>2 MILES</signpost>
4409 <choice idref="sect220">If you possess a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ>, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
4410 <choice idref="sect46">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
4414 <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
4415 <meta><title>304</title></meta>
4418 <p>You bring your car to a halt at the side of the road and approach Black Peak on foot. However, you have not gone very far when the ground becomes too steep to continue without the use of climbing aids. Unless you can find a track you will be forced to abandon your investigation.</p>
4419 <choice idref="sect82">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
4420 <choice idref="sect125">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
4424 <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
4425 <meta><title>305</title></meta>
4428 <p>For the next hour you wind your way through the ruined city, crawling over the rubble and sprinting across every open area to minimize the risk of being seen. At length you reach a place that overlooks the southern perimeter wall. There you stop to settle your nerves and catch your breath. In a hushed voice, you tell Kate the whereabouts of your roadster, just in case you do not make it out of San Angelo.</p>
4429 <p><quote>Don<ch.apos/>t talk like that, Cal,</quote> she says, gripping your hand as if her life depended on it. <quote>It scares me.</quote></p>
4430 <p>You tell her as much as you can about your planned rendezvous with the colony; how in six days from now you are to meet at Kent. There is so much you want to tell her, but the sudden arrival of four clansmen in an open-topped jeep puts an abrupt end to your conversation. The vehicle screeches to a halt and the four grim-faced men leap out, brandishing machine pistols. The driver grunts something and they fan out and start searching the ruins.</p>
4431 <p>Beyond the wall there is fifty yards of cleared ground separating the stronghold from the ruins of the southern suburbs. To reach your roadster, you will somehow have to cross this killing zone.</p>
4432 <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to climb over the wall and make a run for it before the clansmen get any nearer, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
4433 <choice idref="sect128">If you wish to stay hidden until they pass and then attempt to steal their jeep and drive across the cleared ground, <link-text>turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
4437 <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
4438 <meta><title>306</title></meta>
4441 <p>Beneath a road bridge, a line of Angelinos is strung out across the freeway, each one sitting astride his bike with a rifle or a machine pistol resting across the handlebars. They are the clansmen whom you saw last night. Having realized that they must have passed you in the dark, they are waiting patiently for you to show up.</p>
4442 <p>To your right you see an exit ramp that ascends to the bridge itself and, as the clansmen open fire, you steer your car towards it to avoid the withering hail of bullets.</p>
4443 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
4444 <choice idref="sect54">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
4445 <choice idref="sect178">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
4449 <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
4450 <meta><title>307</title></meta>
4453 <p>Violently the roadster swerves left and right, and you almost lose your rifle as you fight to regain control. As soon as you have the car back on a straight line, you bring the barrel to bear on your enemy and squeeze the trigger.</p>
4454 <p>Add together your Driving and Shooting skill scores. Now pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
4455 <choice idref="sect318">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
4456 <choice idref="sect19">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
4460 <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
4461 <meta><title>308</title></meta>
4464 <p>You step away from the clansman<ch.apos/>s body and run to where Kate is standing. She looks a little shell-shocked but is otherwise unharmed, and together you return to the front of the service area in time to see the sole surviving Detroit Lion making a speedy escape back along the freeway.</p>
4465 <illustration class="inline">
4467 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4469 <instance class="html" src="small8.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
4470 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small8.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4471 <instance class="pdf" src="small8.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
4473 <p>Sergeant Haskell and his men cheer his retreat, and then conduct a search of those who did not get away. Although few personal possessions are found, they do recover some weapons and ammunition and you are offered a choice of the following:</p>
4475 <li>Machine Pistol</li>
4477 <li>Twelve rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
4478 <li>Two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
4479 <li>Five rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
4482 <p>While the sergeant and his men dispose of the bodies, you return to the gasolene storage tank and set to work on cracking its security code.</p>
4483 <choice idref="sect129"><link-text>Turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
4487 <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
4488 <meta><title>309</title></meta>
4491 <p>Swiftly you regain control by steering into the skid. Then, as the wheels begin to grip, you bring the car around in a spectacular 180-degree turn and simultaneously cut the engine. You try to keep as still as possible as the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars past the site. Soon they have gone and your spirits are raised by the thought that there will now be at least fifty fewer of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
4492 <p>After satisfying yourself that the clansmen have gone, you cast your eyes around the derelict construction site.</p>
4493 <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to search the site, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
4494 <choice idref="sect230">If you wish to leave and continue your journey to San Angelo, <link-text>turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
4498 <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
4499 <meta><title>310</title></meta>
4502 <p>With your foot holding the gas pedal flat to the floor you roar towards Christoval with a score of angry Angelinos hot on your heels. On entering the town, you see that the coyote on the road ahead are fighting each other in two separate packs. Each pack is being urged on by men who are conducting some sort of wager on the outcome of the fight. So engrossed are they in the dog fight that they seem oblivious of the fact that you are speeding straight towards them. It is not until you sound your horn and flash your headlamps that the men and dogs begin to scatter, but by then it is too late for some of them.</p>
4503 <p>The car shudders as you plough into a dozen of the fighting dogs, sending them spinning into the air. One tumbles over the windshield and lands between you and Kate. Maddened by the pain of its wounds, it lunges at you and closes its fangs around your right forearm. Desperately, Kate tries to pummel it unconscious with the butt of her pistol as you fight to maintain control of the speeding car.</p>
4504 <illustration class="float">
4506 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4507 <description>The coyote closes its fangs around your right forearm. Desperately, Kate tries to pummel it unconscious with the butt of her pistol.</description>
4509 <instance class="html" src="ill18.png" width="386" height="625" mime-type="image/png"/>
4510 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill18.gif" width="386" height="619" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4511 <instance class="pdf" src="ill18.pdf" width="386" height="619" />
4513 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
4514 <choice idref="sect140">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
4515 <choice idref="sect28">If it is 9<ch.endash/>12, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
4516 <choice idref="sect87">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
4520 <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
4521 <meta><title>311</title></meta>
4524 <p>At once you recognize the brown, thin-legged arachnid by the dark, violin-shaped marking on the back of its head. It is <foreign xml:lang="la">Loxoceles Reclusa</foreign><ch.emdash/>a poisonous Fiddleback spider.</p>
4525 <p>Nervously you watch the spider while Kate salvages a scrap of stiff board from the rubbish-strewn floor. She tells you to keep absolutely still, for she intends to try to knock it off your arm with one quick flick of the card.</p>
4526 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4527 <choice idref="sect202">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>2, <link-text>turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
4528 <choice idref="sect280">If it is 3<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
4532 <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
4533 <meta><title>312</title></meta>
4536 <p>You can see the first rays of dawn light in your rear-view mirror as you pull out from behind the bus and start to overtake the convoy. As you draw level with the tanker, a watery spray speckles your windshield and you catch the strong, unmistakable smell of gasolene in the air. A stream of the precious liquid is escaping from a bullet hole in the tanker<ch.apos/>s side, and, as you draw level with the cab, you signal anxiously to Uncle Jonas to stop at the first opportunity.</p>
4537 <p>You have covered less than a mile when the freeway approaches the ruins of Stanton, a town long since looted and forgotten by the Mavericks, and you bring the convoy to a halt. Pecos Pete offers to help Uncle Jonas patch up the damage, and while you are waiting for them to finish their work, you ask Cutter to help you tell the rest of the colony your plan to rescue Kate. At first there are many who think you are being crazy and irresponsible. But gradually, after listening to Cutter<ch.apos/>s pleas on your behalf, they relent and finally consent to your rescue attempt.</p>
4538 <p>Your plan is to go it alone to San Angelo. When you arrive there you will infiltrate the town while Mad Dog Michigan and his gang are busy wheeling and dealing with the Angelinos. Once you have found and rescued Kate, you will leave the city and make your way west to rendezvous with the convoy at a town called Kent, situated at the fork where Interstate 20 joins Interstate 10. The rendezvous is planned to take place exactly seven days from now. If either you or the colony fails to get there by midday, the party that does arrive is to assume the worst and press on to El Paso without delay.</p>
4539 <p>Before you leave, two large plastic containers, filled with sufficient fuel to enable you to complete the 400-mile detour you have in mind, are loaded into the trunk of your roadster. Then, with the tanker repaired and your preparations complete, the colonists, especially your aunt and uncle, bid you an emotional farewell. They are fearful of what might befall you, but all, without exception, admire your bravery and determination to save the girl you love.</p>
4540 <p>Silently you watch the convoy rumble out of Stanton until it has passed beyond the western horizon. The sun has now risen, and the pot-holed remains of State Highway 137 can be seen cutting a straight line to the south. A wave of uncertainty unsettles your stomach as you think about the difficult mission you have set yourself, but you are quick to dismiss these fears.</p>
4541 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>ve got a job to do and I<ch.apos/>m gonna see it gets done!</quote> you shout, as you start your engine and point your car southwards.</p>
4542 <choice idref="sect167"><link-text>Turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
4546 <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
4547 <meta><title>313</title></meta>
4550 <p>In order to prise the dead dog from your arm, you are forced to stand up in your driving seat. Meanwhile, the pack handlers have gathered together the rest of their surviving coyote and now intend to set them on you. They yell an order, and the mountain dogs bound forward, snapping and howling. Kate replies by drawing her pistol and firing, bringing down three of the leading dogs in as many shots. She buys you the few precious seconds you need to free yourself from the dead coyote, but before you can lower yourself behind the wheel, the handlers return fire and you feel something thump you in the back. You feel no pain and, almost fearing to acknowledge that you have been hit at all, you reach for the ignition and bring the roadster back to life. Then, with a cloud of dust and burnt rubber, you say farewell to the coyote and take off along the main street towards the Christoval bridge.</p>
4551 <p>Kate heard the impact made by the bullet and, fearing the worst, she leans over to take a look at your back. You hear her breathe a sigh of relief as she discovers that the bullet has lodged itself in the bottom of your water canteen.</p>
4552 <p>Erase from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> any water that you may have been carrying in your canteen. You need not erase the canteen itself as it can be repaired and is still serviceable.</p>
4553 <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
4557 <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
4558 <meta><title>314</title></meta>
4561 <p>You remove the grenade from your pack and set the timer to four seconds. Then you ease out the pin, roll the cylindrical explosive into the sniper<ch.apos/>s room, and quickly turn your face away from the door. The deep thud of the explosion shakes the walls and sends a gout of smoke and flame gushing into the corridor. When the smoke clears, you rush into the room and find the sniper lying dead at the foot of the window with his rifle still clutched in his hands. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.)</p>
4562 <p>You shout an <quote>all clear</quote> to the others in the street below and then turn to leave the flame-scorched room.</p>
4563 <choice idref="sect239"><link-text>Turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
4567 <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
4568 <meta><title>315</title></meta>
4571 <p>You are nearly at the top of the wall when you lose your footing and fall backwards. In a cloud of dust and loose debris, you tumble head-over-heels down the heap and come to an abrupt and painful halt in the avenue below: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4572 <p><quote>What were you up to?</quote> growls the shorter of two ugly-looking Detroit Lions who have appeared suddenly and are now standing over you.</p>
4573 <p><quote>Why ain<ch.apos/>t you using the North Gate, eh? That<ch.apos/>s where the Angelinos are supposed to be meetin<ch.apos/>.</quote></p>
4574 <p>Stiffly you clamber to your feet and begin to brush away the thick layer of dust that covers you completely, until you realize that it is the dust that is concealing the fact that you are not an Angelino.</p>
4575 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>m an Angelino who jus<ch.apos/> wants t<ch.apos/>see the race. I<ch.apos/>m supposed to be patrolling the south zone, but ain<ch.apos/>t nothin<ch.apos/> ever happens down there. Gimme a break, you guys, will ya?</quote></p>
4576 <p>A grin spreads slowly across the faces of the two Lions as they see a chance to make some easy pickings. They agree to get you into the stadium, but at a price; you will have to bribe them.</p>
4577 <choice idref="sect102">If you possess a <typ class="item">Bottle of Bourbon</typ>, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
4578 <choice idref="sect227">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
4582 <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
4583 <meta><title>316</title></meta>
4586 <p>The heat and flames force you back from the entrance, and as you reach the centre of the hall, you look around desperately for another way out, but every exit is now ablaze.</p>
4587 <p>Using a heavy rug from the floor, you cover Kate<ch.apos/>s head and tell her to make a dash for the main door. Bravely she obeys your command without hesitation, and she succeeds in escaping through the tunnel of flame and out into the street beyond. Heartened by her success, you raise your jacket over your head, take a deep breath, and sprint after her.</p>
4588 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill score.</p>
4589 <choice idref="sect139">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
4590 <choice idref="sect34">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
4594 <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
4595 <meta><title>317</title></meta>
4598 <p>You leave the highway and drive across the stony ground that borders the town of Christoval and the South Concho River. The land here is far too rough for you to be able to drive at speed and, as you glance in your mirror, you are sorely aware that the bikers are closing the gap. Your only chance of escape is to find a way across the river and get back onto the highway.</p>
4599 <p>Kate too senses the danger, and knows what must be done. She keeps her eyes peeled on the river, looking for somewhere suitable to cross, while you negotiate a way through the boulders that lie scattered in your path.</p>
4600 <p><quote>Over there, Cal!</quote> she shouts, pointing to a shallow-sided section of the river bank. Immediately you steer towards it and power your car down the gentle slope towards the foul-smelling water. Here, the tainted river is less than a foot deep and the rocky bed provides a firm grip for your tyres.</p>
4601 <p>You are halfway across when you hear a dull thud. Suddenly there is a flash of orange-red flame and a column of splintered rocks and black water erupts from the river a few feet ahead. The clansmen are firing grenades!</p>
4602 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4603 <choice idref="sect42">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
4604 <choice idref="sect154">If the number you have picked is 4<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
4608 <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
4609 <meta><title>318</title></meta>
4612 <p>Your gunfire misses the clansman by a wide mark, causing him to throw back his head and laugh. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) Then he veers off the highway and takes to the open ground. You set your weapon aside, but you are as determined as ever not to let the clansman escape, so you pull the steering wheel hard over to the left and pursue him as he guns his bike cross-country towards Highway 87.</p>
4613 <p>An empty concrete drainage ditch runs parallel to the freeway, wide enough to deter the biker from attempting to ride straight across. At the last minute he veers away and you chase him along its edge for nearly half a mile before finally he plucks up enough courage to try to get across. Ahead, a derelict pump house looms, straddling the ditch, its angular roof offering itself as a ramp that could be used to launch a jump onto the freeway. The clansman takes one last look at you over his shoulder and then, with a scream of fearful exhilaration, he winds back the throttle and points his bike at the pump house roof.</p>
4614 <choice idref="sect192">If you wish to attempt to follow the clansman across the ditch, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
4615 <choice idref="sect51">If you decide to steer your roadster away from the pump house, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
4619 <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
4620 <meta><title>319</title></meta>
4623 <p>Swiftly you pump a cartridge into the breech of your shotgun and level the barrel at the first clansman as he scurries between the rocks that litter the edge of the service area. He is less than fifteen yards away when you fire your first shot, bringing him tumbling to the ground. (Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.) His partner hesitates, and then abandons his stalking approach and comes running towards you, screaming hysterically, his machine pistol blazing at his hip.</p>
4624 <choice idref="sect176">If you have sufficient ammunition and wish to fire again, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
4625 <choice idref="sect212">If you do not have sufficient ammunition to fire a second time, or if you choose not to fire, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
4629 <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
4630 <meta><title>320</title></meta>
4633 <p>Using bandages and a sulfonamide pad, Kate dresses your leg as quickly as she can. Her speedy attention to your leg restores 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. (This is in addition to the 3 points you gain automatically through the use of a Medi-kit unit.)</p>
4634 <p>The wide corridor into which you have emerged is empty at present, but the sound of running footsteps is growing louder with each passing second, and it will not be very long before the area is teeming with clansmen. Kate points to a service hatch, almost invisible against the dirt-encrusted wall, and suggests that you hide there. You nod you agreement and help her to prise open the rusty hatch door.</p>
4635 <choice idref="sect201"><link-text>Turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
4639 <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
4640 <meta><title>321</title></meta>
4643 <p>You tell the soldiers who you are and how you came to be here in Fort Stockton. At first, they listen to your fantastic account with cool scepticism. They cross-examine you both in an attempt to find a flaw in your story, but when they are unable to find any, their attitude begins to change. By the time they have finished their interrogation, you have managed to win their respect and admiration.</p>
4644 <p>Once they are convinced that you are genuine colonists they recount their own tale. They are WDF marines who, before <quote>The Day</quote>, were stationed at an underground tracking facility in Brownsville, Texas. Twelve of their unit survived the post-holocaust years, but soon after their return to the surface they were the victims of a clan attack. They were the only survivors of the attack and were forced to flee Brownsville on foot. Eventually they managed to find a vehicle that worked<ch.emdash/>the pick-up truck<ch.emdash/>and had got this far when the fuel ran out and the engine broke down. They are trying to reach their command headquarters at Fort Bliss, located just north of El Paso, where they hope to rejoin remnants of their unit. They arrived in Fort Stockton three days ago and have been prevented from continuing their journey on foot by the blistering day temperatures and the fierce night storms that have swept down from the Barrilla Mountains.</p>
4645 <p>They have set up camp in the ruins of a nearby motel and they invite you there to share their food and drink, and to formulate a plan to find some fuel for your roadster. Their provisions are basic but you receive them gratefully: restore 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4646 <choice idref="sect58"><link-text>Turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
4650 <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
4651 <meta><title>322</title></meta>
4654 <p>Something sharp punches you in the stomach and nausea washes over you in a wave that leaves you gasping for breath. Fearfully you clasp your hand to your midriff and feel warm blood oozing between your fingers, yet you feel no pain. Aware that you have been shot and that the shock of your wound is numbing your senses, you force yourself to get clear of the door in case the unseen gunman fires again.</p>
4655 <p>You have taken just five steps when your vision begins to dim and your legs refuse to support your weight. You fall forwards and hit the floor face-first, but still you feel nothing, save the creeping numbness that slowly robs you of the will to live.</p>
4656 <illustration class="inline">
4658 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4660 <instance class="html" src="small10.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
4661 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small10.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4662 <instance class="pdf" src="small10.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
4664 <deadend>Tragically, your mission and your life end here at San Angelo.</deadend>
4668 <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
4669 <meta><title>323</title></meta>
4672 <p>Your pulse is racing as you wait for the optimum moment to launch your ambush. The clansman<ch.apos/>s footsteps seem unbearably loud but still you hesitate. He stops and instinctively you spring to your feet, aim, and fire.</p>
4673 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
4674 <choice idref="sect292">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
4675 <choice idref="sect18">If your total score is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
4679 <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
4680 <meta><title>324</title></meta>
4683 <p>Once you are safely across the bridge, you keep your foot on the gas pedal until the town of Christoval disappears from your rear-view mirror. Ahead, the highway crosses an especially bleak and barren landscape, seemingly devoid of even the hardiest flora and fauna. It looks more like a moonscape than a landscape, and, were it not for the setting sun and the welcome cool of dusk, you could easily believe that you had been transferred to the surface of another world.</p>
4684 <p>It is almost dark when the outline of a town appears on the horizon, its shattered buildings thrown into relief by the ashen moonlight. A battered sign reflects the glare of your headlamps and announces your approach to the town of Eldorado.</p>
4685 <choice idref="sect132"><link-text>Turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
4689 <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
4690 <meta><title>325</title></meta>
4693 <p>By feeling your way along the thick cables that festoon the walls of the tunnel, you are able to make reasonable progress in the dark. More than half an hour later you reach a wider section where a faint light seeps down from glass bricks embedded in the ceiling around a circular steel hatch. A ladder ascends to the hatch and Kate suggests that it could be worth investigating. You agree, and you lift up the heavy steel cover carefully and look out. Kate was right: the sight that greets you is the entrance gate to the Reagan Memorial Stadium.</p>
4694 <p>After waiting until there is little clan activity in the immediate area, you emerge from the shaft and make your way quickly into the ruins of the southern central sector of the San Angelo stronghold.</p>
4695 <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
4699 <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
4700 <meta><title>326</title></meta>
4703 <p>You swerve to the right to avoid the speeding missile, and your swift reactions save you from receiving a direct hit. The armour-tipped projectile burrows into the ground close to your rear wheel, and the resultant explosion buffets your trunk and sends the roadster into a skid. Desperately you fight to regain control as you slide off the freeway and career towards a deep gully.</p>
4704 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill score.</p>
4705 <choice idref="sect39">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
4706 <choice idref="sect283">If your total is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
4710 <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
4711 <meta><title>327</title></meta>
4714 <p>The clansman glances nervously over his shoulder as the sound of your engine growls louder and louder in his ears. You are drawing very close now, and you can see that he is having difficulty maintaining his speed. His red-rimmed eyes stare fearfully from his dusty face as he struggles to coax more power from his failing machine.</p>
4715 <choice idref="sect179">If the missile weapon you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
4716 <choice idref="sect279">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
4717 <choice idref="sect38">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
4718 <choice idref="sect217">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
4722 <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
4723 <meta><title>328</title></meta>
4726 <footnote id="sect328-1-foot" idref="sect328-1">
4727 <p>This Stealth penalty is probably in addition to the penalty for carrying more than 3 Backpack Items (e.g. if the Leviathan Missile is your fourth Backpack Item, you incur a 3-point penalty rather than just 2). Alternatively, you may read it to mean that the Leviathan Missile gives a 2-point penalty irrespective of how many other Backpack Items you are carrying.</p>
4732 <p>You and Sergeant Haskell dispatch the clansmen with a volley of well-aimed shots (erase two rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>) before taking a closer look at what they were transporting. You discover several crates and lockers filled with munitions: mortars, anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns, and the like. However, you cannot find any ammunition for these weapons. You are about to set fire to the truck, to prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of other clansmen, when you discover one item that could be of some use after all.</p>
4733 <p>In a sealed locker at the bottom of the heap, you discover a portable Leviathan ground-to-air missile, a weapon with approximately eight times the destructive power of a bazooka.</p>
4734 <illustration class="float">
4736 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4737 <description>You discover a portable Leviathan ground-to-air missile.</description>
4739 <instance class="html" src="ill19.png" width="386" height="562" mime-type="image/png"/>
4740 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill19.gif" width="386" height="545" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4741 <instance class="pdf" src="ill19.pdf" width="386" height="545" />
4743 <p>If you wish to keep this <typ class="item">Leviathan Missile</typ>, you must reduce your Stealth score by 2 points due to its size and weight.<footref id="sect328-1" idref="sect328-1-foot"/></p>
4744 <choice idref="sect114">To continue, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
4748 <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
4749 <meta><title>329</title></meta>
4752 <p>Fighting back your fear, you try to ignore the sound of the engines and concentrate instead on finding a place where you can descend the steep bank and enter the river bed. Your determination pays off and you are able to get yourself and your roadster under cover before the clansmen are close enough to spot you. With bated breath you watch as the pack, fifty riders strong, roars along the highway. The sight of them passing raises your spirits a little, for at least there will now be fifty fewer to face when you reach San Angelo.</p>
4753 <p>When the pack is nothing but a cloud of dust on the northern horizon, you start up your engine and head back onto the highway towards Broome.</p>
4754 <choice idref="sect153"><link-text>Turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
4758 <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
4759 <meta><title>330</title></meta>
4762 <p>The foul-mouthed scout leader is halfway across the river when Kate snatches your gun, takes aim, and silences the screaming Angelino for good with a single shot to the heart. The sight of him crashing into the river stuns the remaining clansmen just long enough for you to complete your wheel change and jump back into the car. Kate leaps in beside you, stows your gun behind your seat and shouts: <quote>Let<ch.apos/>s get outta here!</quote></p>
4763 <p>As you mount the top of the bank and speed away towards the distant highway, you glance over your shoulder to see the scouts retrieving their leader<ch.apos/>s body from the South Concho River.</p>
4764 <choice idref="sect249"><link-text>Turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
4768 <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
4769 <meta><title>331</title></meta>
4772 <p>As the noise of the explosion fades and the smoke thins, you approach the door to discover that the padlock no longer exists. Firmly you push open the shrapnel-pitted door and enter the hangar-like interior. Inside you find an armoured truck, one of many that were once used by banks to transport cash and bullion around Texas. This one was hijacked shortly before <quote>The Day</quote>, and was brought here, where its cargo was to have been shared out by the robbers. However, they never had a chance to divide and spend their loot, and the vehicle still contains over thirty million dollars in cash, a sum now completely worthless.</p>
4773 <p>The truck<ch.apos/>s fuel tank is a quarter full, but it is diesel oil and cannot be used in your roadster. Cursing your luck, you search the truck and the building for anything that may be of practical use and you discover the following items:</p>
4775 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
4776 <li><typ class="item">Air Pump</typ></li>
4777 <li>Distilled Water (enough for three Drinks)</li>
4778 <li><typ class="item">Engine Oil</typ></li>
4779 <li><typ class="item">Monkey Wrench</typ></li>
4781 <p>Dusk is beginning to give way to darkness and you are anxious to return to the roadster before the evening light fades completely. Having satisfied yourself that you have overlooked nothing of value, you leave the building and return to your car.</p>
4782 <choice idref="sect216"><link-text>Turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
4786 <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
4787 <meta><title>332</title></meta>
4790 <p>The force of the bullets throws you flat on your back, knocking your weapon clean out of your hands. You lie there winded for a few seconds, and then you grit your teeth and try to rise, but a wave of pain robs you of your strength and you slip and fall heavily against the body of the dead clansman at the bottom of the gully.</p>
4791 <p>Then you hear a sound that chills your blood: the running footfalls of the biker as he rushes forward to finish you off. Desperately you look around for a weapon and notice a pistol tucked into the waistband of the dead clansman. The biker<ch.apos/>s face appears above the edge of the gully at precisely the same moment that your fingers close around the pistol grip. Simultaneously you curse each other, and then take aim and fire at each other<ch.apos/>s head.</p>
4792 <p>Add your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score to your Shooting skill score.</p>
4793 <choice idref="sect151">If your total is now 22 or less, <link-text>turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
4794 <choice idref="sect187">If your total is now 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
4798 <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
4799 <meta><title>333</title></meta>
4802 <p>Clutching your wounded leg, you hobble after the sergeant and find him in the corner of the bar, kneeling beside a clansman who is bleeding from a chest wound. You also notice that the man<ch.apos/>s leg is set in splints, as if recently broken, and that the leather jacket he wears is marked with the Maverick ace-of-spades symbol.</p>
4803 <p>Haskell lifts his head from the floor and asks him what he is doing here. Stubbornly, the dying clansman refuses to answer.</p>
4804 <choice idref="sect231">If you have a Medi-kit unit and wish to use it to treat the clansman<ch.apos/>s wound, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
4805 <choice idref="sect73">If you do not possess a Medi-kit unit, or if you do not wish to use one on a man who just tried to kill you, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
4809 <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
4810 <meta><title>334</title></meta>
4813 <p>You are less than twenty yards from the fire station when a volley of shots echoes across the open ground. Bullets ricochet off the rubble-strewn ground near your feet and Kate looks over her shoulder with fear stark in her eyes. You scream that you are OK and order her to keep running at all costs. More shots ring out, but they too fall wide of their mark and you are able to reach the fire station ruins unscathed.</p>
4814 <p>Inside you discover that much of the roof has collapsed, although you can see that one vehicle, a paramedic truck, has survived the devastation virtually unscratched.</p>
4815 <choice idref="sect232">If you wish to search this vehicle, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
4816 <choice idref="sect148">If choose to ignore it and press on with your escape, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
4820 <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
4821 <meta><title>335</title></meta>
4824 <p>You identify the brightly dressed clansman as Mekong Mike, for his tanned and moustached face bears a long-horned steer skull tattooed across the forehead. The other man, who is dressed in a black, wide-shouldered leather jacket, can be none other than Mad Dog Michigan himself. He looks older than you had imagined him, his receding hair greying slightly at the temples, yet despite his age there is no doubting the unmistakable aura of power that surrounds him. For a moment you stare into his cold grey eyes and glimpse the vengeful evil that lurks there. Then you remember the danger of your situation.</p>
4825 <p>Mekong Mike has drawn his pistol, but before he can fire, you rush forward and whip his wrist with the barrel of your gun. He yelps in pain and drops the Beretta auto to the floor, but there is a blade in his other hand and it is flashing towards your chest. Desperately you turn it aside. You have lost the advantage of surprise, however, and Mekong Mike seizes the initiative.</p>
4826 <combat><enemy>Mekong Mike</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">19</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
4827 <choice idref="sect91">If you win and the combat lasts seven rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
4828 <choice idref="sect17">If you win and the combat lasts eight rounds or longer, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
4832 <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
4833 <meta><title>336</title></meta>
4836 <p>The cupboard door creaks open and Kate emerges from her hiding place, her face lined with fearful concern until she sees that you are unharmed. She suggests that you search the dead clansman<ch.apos/>s body, but even as the words are leaving her lips, you hear the other clansmen rushing up the stairs to the first floor, drawn by the sound of their confederate<ch.apos/>s dying scream.</p>
4837 <p>Only two options are open to you as the Angelinos come running along the corridor towards the workshop: you can stand and fight, or you can leave by jumping from the first floor window.</p>
4838 <choice idref="sect127">If you wish to stand and fight the approaching clansmen, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
4839 <choice idref="sect66">If you choose to escape while you still can, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
4843 <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
4844 <meta><title>337</title></meta>
4847 <p>You deliver your killing blow, sending your adversary sprawling to the ground, limp and nerveless. His companion was unable to get a clear shot at you while the two of you fought hand-to-hand, so he decided that he would join in. You look to the bridge and see him running across the highway at you with a flick knife held before him at arm<ch.apos/>s length. He is screaming like a madman as he launches his first attack.</p>
4848 <combat><enemy>Supa-Nova</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
4849 <choice idref="sect146">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
4853 <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
4854 <meta><title>338</title></meta>
4857 <p>A bullet passes close by your shoulder, yet you reach the drug store entrance unscathed. The rear of the station wagon occupies most of the doorway, it having been parked there with its tailgate open. Inside, the luggage compartment is stacked with items looted from the store.</p>
4858 <p>The store<ch.apos/>s interior is very dark and it takes a few seconds for your eyes to adjust. When they do, you see a staircase at the back and you approach it cautiously. You have reached the first floor landing when there is another shot, and at once you sense the sniper<ch.apos/>s location: a room at the far end of the corridor. Silently you creep to within inches of the open door and steel yourself for an attack.</p>
4859 <choice idref="sect314">If you possess an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
4860 <choice idref="sect177">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
4864 <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
4865 <meta><title>339</title></meta>
4868 <p>Carefully, you drop the welding equipment and obey the command. Then a swarthy Angelino steps out of the shadows with a pistol in his hand. He sniggers with delight unable to hide his glee at having captured you both single-handedly and reaches into his pocket with his free hand. He removes a pair of handcuffs and tosses them casually at Kate<ch.apos/>s feet before ordering her to put them on your wrists.</p>
4869 <illustration class="float">
4871 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4872 <description>The Angelino tosses a pair of handcuffs casually at Kate<ch.apos/>s feet.</description>
4874 <instance class="html" src="ill20.png" width="386" height="593" mime-type="image/png"/>
4875 <instance class="html-compatible" src="ill20.gif" width="386" height="560" mime-type="image/gif"/>
4876 <instance class="pdf" src="ill20.pdf" width="386" height="560" />
4878 <p>Kate stoops to pick up the handcuffs. But the instant her hand closes on them she hurls them back at the grinning Angelino, hitting him squarely in the face. Immediately you take your cue and spring forward, grabbing his gun before he has a chance to recover his composure. You wrestle it from his grasp, but already he is reaching for a knife, which he carries concealed in his boot. He unsheathes it and lashes out, forcing you to dive aside to avoid its razor-sharp tip.</p>
4879 <combat><enemy>Yellow-Cab</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
4880 <p>Owing to the help you receive from Kate in overcoming the enemy, you may add 2 points to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> for the duration of the fight.</p>
4881 <choice idref="sect101">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
4885 <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
4886 <meta><title>340</title></meta>
4889 <p>You back off a dozen paces to give yourself a good run at the door, and then you charge forward and barge into it with your shoulder. There is a tremendous <onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia>, the door gives way, and you feel yourself falling head-first into a deep, dark hole.</p>
4890 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4891 <choice idref="sect203">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>6, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
4892 <choice idref="sect171">If it is 7<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
4896 <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
4897 <meta><title>341</title></meta>
4900 <p>The chain sails within an inch of your scalp as you duck behind the wing of your roadster. An instant later you retaliate by hurling your brace at the scout leader<ch.apos/>s bike. The tool jams between the spokes of his front wheel, causing the machine to up-end and slam its rider face-first into the river bank. Then the heavy machine crashes down with a sickening crunch, crushing the Angelino to death under the weight of its 1000cc engine.</p>
4901 <choice idref="sect11"><link-text>Turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
4905 <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
4906 <meta><title>342</title></meta>
4909 <p>Hurriedly you leave the car lot and return to the highway. You pass between the shattered stores and houses of Broome with your nerves on edge, half-expecting to run into a clan patrol or fall prey to an ambush. Yet your departure passes without incident and soon you find yourself back on the open highway heading southeast to San Angelo. You are hungry, and during your drive you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4910 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
4914 <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
4915 <meta><title>343</title></meta>
4918 <p>You flick your hand and the tickling sensation stops, as do the footsteps of the clansman. He has heard you moving. There is a <onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia> of a pistol hammer being cocked and then you hear his footsteps once more as slowly he approaches the store room door.</p>
4919 <choice idref="sect223">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
4920 <choice idref="sect158">If you possess a close combat weapon and wish to draw it to defend yourself, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
4921 <choice idref="sect255">If you decide to launch an unarmed attack if the clansman opens the door, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
4925 <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
4926 <meta><title>344</title></meta>
4929 <p>Repeatedly you pump the gas pedal and, gradually, after a bout of coughing and popping, the engine clears and begins to pick up speed. Confident that the fault has rectified itself, you relax and accelerate away.</p>
4930 <p>You have driven ten miles when, on the horizon, you see a girder bridge appear. It carries the highway across the North Concho River, and, although it appears to be intact and passable, you are worried by the sight of a lazy plume of wood smoke that is rising close to its approach ramp.</p>
4931 <choice idref="sect296">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
4932 <choice idref="sect224">If you do not possess either of these items, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
4936 <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
4937 <meta><title>345</title></meta>
4940 <p>Having briefed the convoy, you return to Sergeant Haskell on the freeway outside Fabens.</p>
4941 <p><quote>The convoy<ch.apos/>s ready to roll straight through here as soon as they see my signal flare,</quote> you inform him.</p>
4942 <p><quote>That<ch.apos/>s great. Now all we need to do is open up the gate and let <ch.apos/>em go.</quote></p>
4943 <choice idref="sect120">If you possess a <typ class="item">Leviathan Missile</typ>, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
4944 <choice idref="sect219">If you do not possess this Backpack Item, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
4948 <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
4949 <meta><title>346</title></meta>
4952 <p>The race is about to begin. Eight bikers are drawn up in a line at one end of the arena, each man standing astride his machine and revving its engine in response to the loud cheers of the clansmen watching. The riders have their eyes fixed on a pot-bellied Angelino who is perched atop a wooden tower in the centre of the track. Above his head he holds a chequered flag, and, as he brings his arm down, the crowd screams and the riders surge away from the line.</p>
4953 <p>Under cover of the noise and commotion of the race, you approach the observation block. An enclosed corridor leads to a flight of iron stairs where two burly clansmen<ch.emdash/>one an Angelino, the other a Detroit Lion<ch.emdash/>stand on guard with machine pistols at the ready. At the top of the stairs is the door to the block itself. The noise of the crowd and the roar of the motorcycles have helped you so far, but the race is now into its fourteenth lap, and you know that if you are to succeed in freeing Kate you must get past these guards and storm the observation block before the race ends.</p>
4954 <choice idref="sect9">If you possess an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
4955 <choice idref="sect89">If you possess a <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
4956 <choice idref="sect163">If you possess a <typ class="item">Siren</typ> and a missile weapon and wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
4957 <choice idref="sect225">If you possess none of these items, or if you do not wish to use them, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
4961 <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
4962 <meta><title>347</title></meta>
4965 <p>It is almost noon when you drive into Brogado. The storm-shattered ruins of this mountain town do not inspire much hope of finding fuel, and, after making a thorough search of its two gas stations, your initial fears are confirmed: one station has been looted and the other has been gutted by fire.</p>
4966 <p>It is beginning to look as though you will have to walk the last thirty miles to Kent when Marine Gunter sees a station wagon backed up to the entrance of a drug store, and he calls it to your attention. All five of you are walking along the main street towards the vehicle when a shot rings out from the first floor window of the store, and Gunter is brought to the ground, clutching his bloodstained chest.</p>
4967 <p><quote>Sniper!</quote> shouts Sergeant Haskell. <quote>Hit the deck!</quote></p>
4968 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill scores.</p>
4969 <choice idref="sect257">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
4970 <choice idref="sect92">If your total score is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
4974 <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
4975 <meta><title>348</title></meta>
4978 <p>You unshoulder your gun and take aim in one swift, fluid movement. The clansman is drawing back the bolt of his G-12 when you unleash a round, catching him full in the chest. The force of your gunfire lifts him off the kitchen floor and kills him instantly. Slowly you lower your smoking barrel and walk forward to search the body of your would-be killer. (Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</p>
4979 <p>Judging from the long-horned skull painted on the back of his leather vest, you have just laid to rest your first Angelino. On the floor nearby you find his weapons and equipment: a Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition) and a Backpack, which holds the following items:</p>
4981 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
4982 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
4983 <li>Water Canteen (containing enough water for three Drinks)</li>
4984 <li><typ class="item">Small Blanket</typ></li>
4985 <li>Enough bandages, sulfonamides, and antiseptics for three Medi-kit units</li>
4988 <p>In addition to these items, a search of the kitchen also reveals the following:</p>
4990 <li>Meat Cleaver (3)</li>
4991 <li>Bread Knife (2)</li>
4992 <li>Enough canned food for five Meals</li>
4994 <p>If you choose to keep any of the items in either list, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
4995 <p>Before leaving the kitchen you hide the clansman<ch.apos/>s body in an empty refrigerator. Then you hurry through the fire escape door and make your way up a flight of rusty steps that leads to a service alley at the rear of the building.</p>
4996 <choice idref="sect269"><link-text>Turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
5000 <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
5001 <meta><title>349</title></meta>
5004 <p>You prime your weapon and spring into the room like a tiger. A man is crouched by an open window, and, as you move towards him, he turns to meet your attack with a rifle clutched firmly in his hands. Instinctively, you raise your gun and fire a snap shot from the hip.</p>
5005 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill score.</p>
5006 <p>If the weapon you are using is a Shotgun or a Machine Pistol, add 2 points to your total. If the weapon you are using is a Pistol or a Rifle, subtract 1 point from your total.</p>
5007 <choice idref="sect31">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
5008 <choice idref="sect103">If your total score is now 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
5012 <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
5013 <meta><title>350</title></meta>
5016 <p>There is a brilliant flash followed by a thunderous explosion that rips a wide hole in the centre of the barricade. Those clansmen who have survived the blast run in confusion as the hot remnants of their mighty wall rain down on their heads. Haskell fires the flare, and within a few minutes the convoy appears, thundering along the freeway with the tow truck in the lead. You climb back into your roadster and follow in their wake as they stream through the shattered barricade and on towards El Paso unchallenged.</p>
5017 <p>You receive a warm welcome from the WDL troops, who are defending the city and the military reserve. Then you celebrate the success of your mission and your bold defeat of the Mexican clansmen at the Fabens barricade.</p>
5018 <p>You have indeed earned the right to celebrate, for you have freed Kate from her abductors and reached El Paso, thereby achieving everything you set out to do when you left Big Spring eight days ago.</p>
5019 <p>The celebrations continue in El Paso for several days until the victorious mood is soured by the arrival of Mad Dog Michigan and an army of clansmen over a thousand strong. He has persuaded the Mexicans to join his cause and now they surround El Paso with a ring of steel.</p>
5020 <p>Mad Dog has promised to avenge the death of his brother. Now he reaffirms that vow and delivers the additional threat that neither you, nor any of your colony, will ever get out of El Paso alive.</p>
5021 <p>For you, Cal Phoenix, the chance to defy Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s threat and continue your life-or-death journey to California awaits you in Book 3 of the <cite>Freeway Warrior</cite> series entitled:</p>
5022 <p><cite><bookref series="fw" book="03toz">The Omega Zone</bookref></cite></p>
5024 <illustration class="inline">
5026 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
5028 <instance class="html" src="small3.png" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/png"/>
5029 <instance class="html-compatible" src="small3.gif" width="386" height="150" mime-type="image/gif"/>
5030 <instance class="pdf" src="small3.pdf" width="386" height="150"/>
5038 <section class="backmatter" id="map">
5039 <meta><title>Map of Western Texas</title></meta>
5042 <illustration class="inline">
5044 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
5046 <instance src="map.png" width="1533" height="1206" class="html" mime-type="image/png"/>
5047 <instance src="map.jpg" width="1533" height="1206" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/jpeg"/>
5048 <instance src="map.pdf" width="1533" height="1206" class="pdf" />
5053 <section class="backmatter" id="action">
5054 <meta><title>Action Chart</title></meta>
5058 <illustration class="inline">
5060 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
5062 <instance src="acskills.png" width="386" height="123" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5063 <instance src="acskills.gif" width="386" height="123" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5066 <illustration class="inline">
5068 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
5070 <instance src="acitems.png" width="386" height="308" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5071 <instance src="acitems.gif" width="386" height="308" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5074 <illustration class="inline">
5076 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
5078 <instance src="accombat.png" width="386" height="358" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5079 <instance src="accombat.gif" width="386" height="358" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5082 <illustration class="inline">
5084 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
5086 <instance src="acammo.png" width="386" height="363" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5087 <instance src="acammo.gif" width="386" height="363" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5090 <illustration class="inline">
5092 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
5094 <instance src="acweapns.png" width="386" height="383" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5095 <instance src="acweapns.gif" width="386" height="383" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5100 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5102 <instance class="text">
5104 <line><typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ>: <ch.blankline/></line>
5105 <line><typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ>: <ch.blankline/></line>
5107 <p>Survival Skills:</p>
5109 <line>Driving: <ch.blankline/></line>
5110 <line>Shooting: <ch.blankline/></line>
5111 <line>Field Craft: <ch.blankline/></line>
5112 <line>Stealth: <ch.blankline/></line>
5113 <line>Perception: <ch.blankline/></line>
5115 <p>Backpack Items:</p>
5117 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5118 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5119 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5120 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5121 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5122 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5123 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5124 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5125 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5126 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5128 <p>Medi-kit: <ch.blankline/></p>
5129 <p>Water Canteen: <ch.blankline/></p>
5132 <line>9mm: <ch.blankline/> (max. 40)</line>
5133 <line>7.62mm: <ch.blankline/> (max. 20)</line>
5134 <line>12 gauge: <ch.blankline/> (max. 10)</line>
5136 <p>Close Combat Weapons:</p>
5138 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5139 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5141 <p>Missile Weapons:</p>
5143 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5144 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5145 <li><ch.blankline/></li>
5148 <line>2 missile weapons<ch.emdash/>reduce Stealth by 1</line>
5149 <line>3 missile weapons<ch.emdash/>reduce Stealth by 3</line>
5155 <illustration class="inline">
5157 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5159 <instance src="ac1.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
5162 <illustration class="inline">
5164 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5166 <instance src="ac2.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
5169 <illustration class="inline">
5171 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5173 <instance src="ac3.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
5179 <section class="backmatter" id="crsumary">
5180 <meta><title>Close Combat Rules Summary</title></meta>
5184 <li>Add to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> any extra points gained through use of a close combat weapon.</li>
5185 <li>Subtract the <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> score of your enemy from your total. The resulting number is the Combat Ratio.</li>
5186 <li>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</li>
5187 <li>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Close Combat Results Table</a>.</li>
5188 <li>Find your Combat Ratio along the top of the chart and cross-reference it with the random number you have picked. (E indicates enemy<ch.apos/>s loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. CP indicates Cal Phoenix<ch.apos/>s loss of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.)</li>
5189 <li>Continue the combat from stage 3 until one combatant has zero <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points or below; this is when he is declared dead.</li>
5192 <section class="backmatter" id="smevazn">
5193 <meta><title>To Evade Combat</title></meta>
5196 <li>You may only evade combat when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.</li>
5197 <li>If the text offers the chance of taking evasive action instead of entering into combat, you may evade in the first round of combat or in any subsequent round.</li>
5198 <li>If you decide to evade after a round of combat, ignore all points lost by the enemy in that round: only Cal Phoenix loses <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
5206 <section class="backmatter" id="crtable">
5207 <meta><title>Combat Results Table</title></meta>
5210 <illustration class="inline">
5212 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5214 <instance src="crtneg.png" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5215 <instance src="crtneg.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5216 <instance src="crtneg.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
5219 <illustration class="inline">
5221 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5223 <instance src="crtpos.png" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5224 <instance src="crtpos.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5225 <instance src="crtpos.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
5230 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5232 <instance class="text">
5233 <table summary="This table provides the endurance losses sustained by the hero and enemy as a result of close combat.">
5234 <caption>Close Combat Results with combined hero and enemy <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> losses</caption>
5236 <colgroup span="1" />
5237 <colgroup span="13" />
5241 <td colspan="14">Close Combat results are given enemy<ch.apos/>s endurance loss first followed by the hero<ch.apos/>s endurance loss. For example, <quote>12/0</quote> means that the enemy loses 12 endurance points while the hero loses 0 endurance points. A combat result of <quote>k</quote> means that the combatant is killed. For example, <quote>0/k</quote> means that the enemy loses 0 endurance points while the hero is killed.</td>
5247 <th rowspan="2" scope="col">Random Number</th>
5248 <th colspan="13" scope="colgroup">Combat Ratio</th>
5252 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>11 or lower</th>
5253 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>10/ <ch.minus/>9</th>
5254 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>8/ <ch.minus/>7</th>
5255 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>6/ <ch.minus/>5</th>
5256 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>4/ <ch.minus/>3</th>
5257 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio"><ch.minus/>2/ <ch.minus/>1</th>
5258 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">0</th>
5259 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">1/ 2</th>
5260 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">3/ 4</th>
5261 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">5/ 6</th>
5262 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">7/ 8</th>
5263 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">9/ 10</th>
5264 <th scope="col" axis="combat_ratio">11 or higher</th>
5267 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">1</th>
5283 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">2</th>
5299 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">3</th>
5315 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">4</th>
5331 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">5</th>
5347 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">6</th>
5363 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">7</th>
5379 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">8</th>
5395 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">9</th>
5411 <th scope="row" axis="random_number">0</th>
5433 <section class="backmatter" id="random">
5434 <meta><title>Random Number Table</title></meta>
5437 <illustration class="inline">
5439 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
5441 <instance src="random.png" width="332" height="432" class="html" mime-type="image/png" />
5442 <instance src="random.gif" width="332" height="432" class="html-compatible" mime-type="image/gif" />
5443 <instance class="text">
5571 <section class="backmatter" id="errata">
5572 <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
5575 <section class="backmatter" id="errintro">
5576 <meta><title>Introduction</title></meta>
5578 <p>We have taken our unique opportunity to correct errors and to enforce a standard of English usage. We list our changes here. If you see anything that needs correction, please <a href="&link.staff.contact;">contact</a> the Project Aon Staff.</p>
5582 <section class="backmatter" id="errerr">
5583 <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
5585 <p>(<a idref="title">Blurb</a>) Replaced <quote>SLAUGHTER MOUNTAIN RUN</quote> with <quote><strong><cite>Slaughter Mountain Run</cite></strong></quote>.</p>
5587 <p>(<a idref="dedicate">Dedication</a>) Replaced <quote>Michelle and</quote> with <quote>Michelle, and</quote>.</p>
5589 <p>(<a idref="dtd">Dateline to Disaster</a>) Replaced <quote>training and</quote> with <quote>training, and</quote>. Replaced both occurrences of <quote>USSR and</quote> with <quote>USSR, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>cable and</quote> with <quote>cable, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>destined</quote> with <quote>slated</quote>. Replaced <quote>declare emergency</quote> with <quote>declare an emergency</quote>. Replaced <quote>HAVOC attempt</quote> with <quote>HAVOC attempts</quote>. Replaced <quote>HAVOC hijack a WDL news satellite and broadcast a chilling ultimatum</quote> with <quote>HAVOC hijacks a WDL news satellite and broadcasts a chilling ultimatum</quote>. Replaced <quote>HAVOC refuse</quote> with <quote>HAVOC refuses</quote>. Replaced <quote>HAVOC repeat their demand and extend deadline</quote> with <quote>HAVOC repeats its demand and extends deadline</quote>. Replaced <quote>HAVOC enact their</quote> with <quote>HAVOC enacts its</quote>.</p>
5591 <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far</a>) Replaced <quote>re-establish</quote> with <quote>reestablish</quote>. Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>. Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Freeway Warrior<ch.rsquot/>.</quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Freeway Warrior<ch.rsquot/>.</quote>. Replaced <quote>fuel, food or water</quote> with <quote>fuel, food, or water</quote>. Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Mavericks<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Mavericks<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>. Replaced <quote>newly enlarged</quote> with <quote>newly-enlarged</quote>. Replaced <quote>steep and</quote> with <quote>steep, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>shelter and</quote> with <quote>shelter, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>posts and</quote> with <quote>posts, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>faced, perhaps</quote> with <quote>faced, or perhaps</quote>. Replaced <quote>on 3 January 2012, that</quote> with <quote>on 3 January 2012 that</quote>. Replaced <quote>May, 2020</quote> with <quote>May 2020</quote>.</p>
5593 <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Replaced <quote>if you pick a O</quote> with <quote>if you pick a 0</quote>. Replaced <quote>On pages 6 and 7 you will find an Action Chart</quote> with <quote>An Action Chart has been supplied</quote>. Replaced <quote>the Random Number Table at the back of this book</quote> with <quote>the Random Number Table</quote>. Replaced <quote>zero</quote> with <quote>zero or below</quote>. Replaced <quote>survival skills</quote> with <quote>Survival Skills</quote>. Removed <quote>For ease of use during play it is recommended that you photocopy these pages</quote>. Replaced <quote>adventure you</quote> with <quote>adventure, you</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>Sierra Nevada mountains</quote> with <quote>mountains of the Sierra Nevada</quote>.</p>
5595 <p>(<a idref="sskills">Survival Skills</a>) Replaced <quote>motorcycles and</quote> with <quote>motorcycles, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>shotguns and</quote> with <quote>shotguns, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>reflexes and</quote> with <quote>reflexes, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>education and</quote> with <quote>education, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>tested, therefore</quote> with <quote>tested; therefore</quote>. Replaced each occurrence of <quote>Freeway Warrior</quote> with <quote><cite>Freeway Warrior</cite></quote> when referring to the series.</p>
5597 <p>(<a idref="equipmnt">Equipment</a>) Replaced <quote>map of Western Texas</quote> with <quote>Map of Western Texas</quote>. Replaced <quote>potassium iodine</quote> with <quote>potassium iodide</quote>. Replaced <quote>C.B.</quote> with <quote>CB</quote>. Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>Canteen and</quote> with <quote>Canteen, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>radioactivity) and</quote> with <quote>radioactivity), and</quote>. Replaced <quote>SOLAR TORCH</quote> with <quote>Solar Torch</quote>. Replaced <quote>GRENADE</quote> with <quote>Grenade</quote>. Replaced <quote>BINOCULARS</quote> with <quote>Binoculars</quote>. Replaced <quote>COMPASS</quote> with <quote>Compass</quote>. Replaced <quote>RADIO</quote> with <quote>Radio</quote>. Replaced <quote>ROPE</quote> with <quote>Rope</quote>. Replaced <quote>THREE MEALS</quote> with <quote>3 Meals</quote>. Replaced <quote>FLEXIBLE SAW</quote> with <quote>Flexible Saw</quote>. Replaced <quote>SIGNAL FLARE</quote> with <quote>Signal Flare</quote>. Replaced <quote>on which hangs</quote> with <quote>on which hang</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack, and</quote> with <quote>Backpack and</quote>. Replaced <quote>items) your</quote> with <quote>items), your</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway Warrior</quote> with <quote><cite>Freeway Warrior</cite></quote> when referring to the series.</p>
5599 <p>(<a idref="weapons">Weapons</a>) Replaced <quote>The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is <em>two</em></quote> with <quote>The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is <em>two</em>, though you may only wield one at any time</quote>. Replaced <quote>possess rounds of the wrong calibre</quote> with <quote>possess only rounds of the wrong calibre</quote>.</p>
5601 <p>(<a idref="cmbtrulz">Close Combat Rules</a>) Replaced <quote>cross-refer</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>. Replaced <quote>zero</quote> with <quote>zero or below</quote>. Replaced <quote>as <ch.plus/>1 If </quote> with <quote>as <ch.plus/>1. If </quote>. Replaced <quote>are reduced to zero, at which point the one whose score is zero is declared dead.</quote> with <quote>are reduced to zero or below, at which point that combatant is declared dead.</quote>. Replaced <quote>with a reduced ENDURANCE point score</quote> with <quote>with his ENDURANCE points possibly reduced</quote>. Removed <quote>on the inside back cover of the book</quote>.</p>
5603 <p>(<a idref="sect1">1</a>) Replaced <quote>roadbuses</quote> with <quote>road buses</quote>. Replaced <quote>silence then, begrudgingly</quote> with <quote>silence. Begrudgingly</quote>. Replaced <quote>see them you know</quote> with <quote>see them, you know</quote>.</p>
5604 <p>(<a idref="sect4">4</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5605 <p>(<a idref="sect5">5</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5606 <p>(<a idref="sect6">6</a>) Replaced <quote>rear, then</quote> with <quote>rear, and then</quote>.</p>
5607 <p>(<a idref="sect8">8</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>monumentous</quote> with <quote>monumental</quote>. Replaced <quote>spears and</quote> with <quote>spears, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not have one, or have exhausted your ammunition</quote> with <quote>If you do not have one, have exhausted your ammunition, or do not wish to use it</quote>. Replaced <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>.</p>
5608 <p>(<a idref="sect10">10</a>) Replaced <quote>hesitates, then</quote> with <quote>hesitates, and then</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote> Replaced <quote>or choose</quote> with <quote>or if you choose</quote>.</p>
5609 <p>(<a idref="sect12">12</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>. Removed <quote>through your binoculars</quote> since you might also be using a Telescope (cf. <a idref="sect344">Section 344</a>).</p>
5610 <p>(<a idref="sect13">13</a>) Replaced <quote>bar, then</quote> with <quote>bar; then</quote>.</p>
5611 <p>(<a idref="sect15">15</a>) Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5612 <p>(<a idref="sect16">16</a>) Replaced <quote>pause, then</quote> with <quote>pause, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>one other, armed with</quote> with <quote>one other who is armed with</quote>.</p>
5613 <p>(<a idref="sect18">18</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>shudders, then</quote> with <quote>shudders, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>Flick Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Flick Knife (2)</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>ammunition and his</quote> with <quote>ammunition, and his</quote>.</p>
5614 <p>(<a idref="sect19">19</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5615 <p>(<a idref="sect20">20</a>) Replaced <quote>Allamore</quote> with <quote>Allamoore</quote>.</p>
5616 <p>(<a idref="sect21">21</a>) Replaced <quote>back-handed</quote> with <quote>backhanded</quote>. Replaced <quote>your punch, therefore</quote> with <quote>your punch; therefore</quote>.</p>
5617 <p>(<a idref="sect22">22</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack item</quote> with <quote>Backpack Item</quote>.</p>
5618 <p>(<a idref="sect23">23</a>) Replaced <quote>Small blanket</quote> with <quote>Small Blanket</quote>. Replaced <quote>Medi-kits units</quote> with <quote>Medi-kit units</quote>. Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>unleash a round of fire at the door</quote> with <quote>fire at the door</quote>. Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Meat Cleaver [3]</quote> with <quote>Meat Cleaver (3)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Bread Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Bread Knife (2)</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5619 <p>(<a idref="sect24">24</a>) Replaced <quote>women and</quote> with <quote>women, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>drawn taught</quote> with <quote>drawn taut</quote>.</p>
5620 <p>(<a idref="sect25">25</a>) Replaced <quote>face-down</quote> with <quote>face down</quote>.</p>
5621 <p>(<a idref="sect26">26</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5622 <p>(<a idref="sect27">27</a>) Replaced <quote>hesitates, then</quote> with <quote>hesitates, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>breach, then</quote> with <quote>breech, and then</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>or choose</quote> with <quote>or if you choose</quote>.</p>
5623 <p>(<a idref="sect28">28</a>) Replaced <quote>despatch</quote> with <quote>dispatch</quote>.</p>
5624 <p>(<a idref="sect30">30</a>) Replaced <quote>bushwack</quote> with <quote>bushwhack</quote>. Replaced <quote>ace of spades emblem</quote> with <quote>ace-of-spades emblem</quote>.</p>
5625 <p>(<a idref="sect32">32</a>) Replaced <quote>draw a weapon</quote> with <quote>draw a missile weapon</quote>. Replaced <quote>do so he is</quote> with <quote>do so, he is</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5626 <p>(<a idref="sect33">33</a>) Replaced <quote>sleeve; <ch.lsquot/>that</quote> with <quote>sleeve, <ch.lsquot/>that</quote>. Replaced <quote>peer through your binoculars at</quote> with <quote>peer at</quote> since you might also be using a Telescope (cf. <a idref="sect211">Section 211</a>). Replaced <quote>You do not need binoculars</quote> with <quote>You do not need a magnifying device</quote>. Replaced <quote>Lowering your lenses</quote> with <quote>Lowering your magnifying device</quote>.</p>
5627 <p>(<a idref="sect35">35</a>) Added <quote>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5628 <p>(<a idref="sect36">36</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>Flick Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Flick Knife (2)</quote>.</p>
5629 <p>(<a idref="sect37">37</a>) Replaced <quote>spindly legged</quote> with <quote>spindly-legged</quote>.</p>
5630 <p>(<a idref="sect38">38</a>) Replaced <quote>manouevre</quote> with <quote>manoeuvre</quote>. Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one; maximum equals four)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one round; maximum: four rounds)</quote>. Replaced <quote>breach</quote> with <quote>breech</quote>.</p>
5631 <p>(<a idref="sect39">39</a>) Replaced <quote>darkness, then</quote> with <quote>darkness, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>hollow and pitches the</quote> with <quote>hollow, pitching the</quote>.</p>
5632 <p>(<a idref="sect40">40</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5633 <p>(<a idref="sect41">41</a>) Replaced <quote>from the west</quote> with <quote>from the east</quote>.</p>
5634 <p>(<a idref="sect43">43</a>) Replaced <quote>Smith and Wesson</quote> with <quote>Smith <ch.ampersand/> Wesson</quote>.</p>
5635 <p>(<a idref="sect45">45</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack item</quote> with <quote>Backpack Item</quote>. Replaced <quote>says Kate and starts</quote> with <quote>says Kate, and she starts</quote>.</p>
5636 <p>(<a idref="sect48">48</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
5637 <p>(<a idref="sect49">49</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5638 <p>(<a idref="sect51">51</a>) Replaced <quote>join the freeway</quote> with <quote>join the highway</quote>.</p>
5639 <p>(<a idref="sect52">52</a>) Replaced <quote>Freeway 10</quote> with <quote>Interstate 10</quote> for accuracy and consistency with later books.</p>
5640 <p>(<a idref="sect61">61</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>.</p>
5641 <p>(<a idref="sect62">62</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5642 <p>(<a idref="sect63">63</a>) Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>.</p>
5643 <p>(<a idref="sect64">64</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
5644 <p>(<a idref="sect66">66</a>) Replaced <quote>out-run</quote> with <quote>outrun</quote>. Replaced <quote>approach, then</quote> with <quote>approach, and then</quote>.</p>
5645 <p>(<a idref="sect68">68</a>) Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5646 <p>(<a idref="sect71">71</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>Flick Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Flick Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>ammunition and his</quote> with <quote>ammunition, and his</quote>.</p>
5647 <p>(<a idref="sect74">74</a>) Replaced <quote>flash, then</quote> with <quote>flash, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5648 <p>(<a idref="sect79">79</a>) Replaced <quote>the first thing you see</quote> with <quote>the first things you see</quote>.</p>
5649 <p>(<a idref="sect81">81</a>) Replaced <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar</quote> with <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars</quote>. Replaced <quote>fifty less</quote> with <quote>fifty fewer</quote>.</p>
5650 <p>(<a idref="sect82">82</a>) Replaced <quote>freeway, then</quote> with <quote>freeway, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>You press your lenses to your eyes and focus on</quote> with <quote>You focus your sight on</quote> since you might also be using a Telescope (cf. <a idref="sect304">Section 304</a>).</p>
5651 <p>(<a idref="sect84">84</a>) Replaced <quote>aim and</quote> with <quote>aim, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>rifle, then</quote> with <quote>rifle, and then</quote>.</p>
5652 <p>(<a idref="sect85">85</a>) Replaced <quote>long ago, all, that</quote> with <quote>long ago<ch.emdash/>all, that</quote>.</p>
5653 <p>(<a idref="sect89">89</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5654 <p>(<a idref="sect90">90</a>) Replaced <quote>re-align and</quote> with <quote>re-align, and</quote>.</p>
5655 <p>(<a idref="sect93">93</a>) Replaced <quote>opens, then</quote> with <quote>opens, and then</quote>.</p>
5656 <p>(<a idref="sect94">94</a>) Replaced <quote>H.E. Grenade, and</quote> with <quote><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and</quote>. Replaced <quote><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ>, and</quote> with <quote><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ> and</quote>.</p>
5657 <p>(<a idref="sect95">95</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 7.62mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5658 <p>(<a idref="sect96">96</a>) Replaced <quote>bow string</quote> with <quote>bowstring</quote>.</p>
5659 <p>(<a idref="sect97">97</a>) Replaced <quote>draw a weapon</quote> with <quote>draw a missile weapon</quote>. Replaced <quote>do so he is</quote> with <quote>do so, he is</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5660 <p>(<a idref="sect98">98</a>) Added <quote>(Add the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5661 <p>(<a idref="sect100">100</a>) Replaced each occurence of <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5662 <p>(<a idref="sect101">101</a>) Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>re-align and</quote> with <quote>re-align, and</quote>.</p>
5663 <p>(<a idref="sect102">102</a>) Added <quote>(Erase the <typ class="item">Bottle of Bourbon</typ> from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5664 <p>(<a idref="sect103">103</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5665 <p>(<a idref="sect104">104</a>) Replaced <quote>Maverick<ch.apos/>s guns</quote> with <quote>Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns</quote>.</p>
5666 <p>(<a idref="sect107">107</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5667 <p>(<a idref="sect110">110</a>) Replaced <quote>crack</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5668 <p>(<a idref="sect111">111</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5669 <p>(<a idref="sect112">112</a>) Replaced <quote>new-found</quote> with <quote>newfound</quote>.</p>
5670 <p>(<a idref="sect114">114</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5671 <p>(<a idref="sect117">117</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5672 <p>(<a idref="sect120">120</a>) Added <quote>(Erase both the <typ class="item">Leviathan Missile</typ> and the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ>from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. Remember to restore 2 Stealth points now that you are no longer encumbered with the Leviathan.)</quote>.</p>
5673 <p>(<a idref="sect121">121</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5674 <p>(<a idref="sect123">123</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.</p>
5675 <p>(<a idref="sect124">124</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
5676 <p>(<a idref="sect126">126</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Meat Cleaver [3]</quote> with <quote>Meat Cleaver (3)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Bread Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Bread Knife (2)</quote>.</p>
5677 <p>(<a idref="sect127">127</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>.</p>
5678 <p>(<a idref="sect130">130</a>) Replaced <quote>Plastic tube</quote> with <quote>Plastic Tube</quote>. Replaced <quote>Four rounds of 12-gauge Shotgun shells</quote> with <quote>Four rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</quote>.</p>
5679 <p>(<a idref="sect132">132</a>) Replaced <quote>driving, despite</quote> with <quote>driving despite</quote>.</p>
5680 <p>(<a idref="sect133">133</a>) Replaced <quote>Coupe</quote> with <quote>Coup<ch.eacute/></quote>. Replaced <quote>woodsmoke</quote> with <quote>wood smoke</quote>. Replaced <quote>clean and</quote> with <quote>clean, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>take 2 Drinks or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points</quote> with <quote>take two Drinks or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points per drink missed</quote>. Replaced <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></quote> with <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ></quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess this item</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess either of these items</quote>.</p>
5681 <p>(<a idref="sect138">138</a>) Replaced <quote>Dagger [2]</quote> with <quote>Dagger (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5682 <p>(<a idref="sect139">139</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5683 <p>(<a idref="sect142">142</a>) Replaced <quote>hesitates, then</quote> with <quote>hesitates, and then</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>or choose</quote> with <quote>or if you choose</quote>.</p>
5684 <p>(<a idref="sect143">143</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>. Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5685 <p>(<a idref="sect144">144</a>) Replaced <quote>jack and</quote> with <quote>jack, and</quote>. Replaced each occurrence of <quote>ammunition, and</quote> with <quote>ammunition and</quote>. Replaced <quote>or do</quote> with <quote>or if you do</quote>. Replaced <quote>give them</quote> with <quote>give all of them</quote>.</p>
5686 <p>(<a idref="sect146">146</a>) Replaced <quote>breath, then</quote> with <quote>breath, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>Dagger [2]</quote> with <quote>Dagger (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5687 <p>(<a idref="sect148">148</a>) Replaced <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>.</p>
5688 <p>(<a idref="sect150">150</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>.</p>
5689 <p>(<a idref="sect152">152</a>) Replaced <quote>new-found</quote> with <quote>newfound</quote>.</p>
5690 <p>(<a idref="sect153">153</a>) Replaced <quote>south-east</quote> with <quote>southeast</quote>. Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>the open freeway</quote> with <quote>the open highway</quote>. Replaced <quote>the northern freeway</quote> with <quote>the northern highway</quote>.</p>
5691 <p>(<a idref="sect154">154</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5692 <p>(<a idref="sect156">156</a>) Replaced <quote>Maverick<ch.apos/>s guns</quote> with <quote>Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns</quote>.</p>
5693 <p>(<a idref="sect157">157</a>) Replaced <quote>despatches</quote> with <quote>dispatches</quote>.</p>
5694 <p>(<a idref="sect160">160</a>) Replaced <quote>large contingent have</quote> with <quote>large contingent of them have</quote>. Replaced <quote>Seem<ch.apos/>s to me</quote> with <quote>Seems to me</quote>.</p>
5695 <p>(<a idref="sect161">161</a>) Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5696 <p>(<a idref="sect162">162</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>. Replaced <quote>or do</quote> with <quote>or if you do</quote>.</p>
5697 <p>(<a idref="sect163">163</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5698 <p>(<a idref="sect167">167</a>) Replaced <quote>the road you would</quote> with <quote>the road, you would</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5699 <p>(<a idref="sect168">168</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>. Replaced <quote>colony are</quote> with <quote>colony is</quote>. Replaced <quote>the truck</quote> with <quote>the trunk</quote>.</p>
5700 <p>(<a idref="sect169">169</a>) Replaced <quote>frustration, <ch.lsquot/>I</quote> with <quote>frustration. <ch.lsquot/>I</quote>. Replaced <quote>You do not need binoculars</quote> with <quote>You do not need a magnifying device</quote>.</p>
5701 <p>(<a idref="sect172">172</a>) Replaced <quote>north-west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote>.</p>
5702 <p>(<a idref="sect175">175</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>or do</quote> with <quote>or if you do</quote>.</p>
5703 <p>(<a idref="sect176">176</a>) Replaced <quote>mid-burst, then</quote> with <quote>mid-burst, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>forward and</quote> with <quote>forward, and</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5704 <p>(<a idref="sect177">177</a>) Replaced <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, or have insufficient ammunition</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to use it</quote>. Replaced <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>.</p>
5705 <p>(<a idref="sect178">178</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>that lay strewn</quote> with <quote>that lie strewn</quote>.</p>
5706 <p>(<a idref="sect179">179</a>) Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one; maximum equals four)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one round; maximum: four rounds)</quote>.</p>
5707 <p>(<a idref="sect181">181</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5708 <p>(<a idref="sect182">182</a>) Replaced <quote>flame: death</quote> with <quote>flame; death</quote>.</p>
5709 <p>(<a idref="sect183">183</a>) Replaced <quote>syphoned</quote> with <quote>siphoned</quote>. Replaced <quote>Crowbar [2]</quote> with <quote>Crowbar (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Hammer [2]</quote> with <quote>Hammer (2)</quote>.</p>
5710 <p>(<a idref="sect184">184</a>) Replaced <quote>disappeared, then</quote> with <quote>disappeared, and then</quote>.</p>
5711 <p>(<a idref="sect187">187</a>) Replaced <quote>Dagger [2]</quote> with <quote>Dagger (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>. Added <quote>You may also retrieve the weapon that the clansman shot out of your hands.</quote> for clarity.</p>
5712 <p>(<a idref="sect190">190</a>) Replaced <quote>at who</quote> with <quote>at whom</quote>. Replaced <quote>bang</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5713 <p>(<a idref="sect191">191</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
5714 <p>(<a idref="sect192">192</a>) Replaced <quote>sky, then</quote> with <quote>sky, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5715 <p>(<a idref="sect194">194</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>. Replaced <quote>jack and</quote> with <quote>jack, and</quote>.</p>
5716 <p>(<a idref="sect195">195</a>) Replaced <quote>fifty less</quote> with <quote>fifty fewer</quote>.</p>
5717 <p>(<a idref="sect196">196</a>) Replaced <quote>crack</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5718 <p>(<a idref="sect197">197</a>) Added <quote>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5719 <p>(<a idref="sect199">199</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5720 <p>(<a idref="sect200">200</a>) Replaced <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, or have insufficient ammunition for one round of fire</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, have insufficient ammunition for one round of fire, or do not wish to use it</quote>. Replaced <quote>lion<ch.apos/>s head symbol</quote> with <quote>lion<ch.apos/>s-head symbol</quote>.</p>
5721 <p>(<a idref="sect201">201</a>) Replaced <quote>first, then</quote> with <quote>first, and then</quote>.</p>
5722 <p>(<a idref="sect205">205</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5723 <p>(<a idref="sect207">207</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5724 <p>(<a idref="sect208">208</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Saints<ch.rsquot/>.</quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Saints<ch.rsquot/>.</quote>. Replaced <quote>you raise the binoculars to your eyes and focus on</quote> with <quote>you focus on</quote> since you might also be using a Telescope <a idref="sect274">Section 274</a>). Replaced <quote>from the west</quote> with <quote>from the east</quote>.</p>
5725 <p>(<a idref="sect210">210</a>) Replaced <quote>ace of spades emblem</quote> with <quote>ace-of-spades emblem</quote>.</p>
5726 <p>(<a idref="sect211">211</a>) Replaced <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></quote> with <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ></quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess this item</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess either of these items</quote>.</p>
5727 <p>(<a idref="sect212">212</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5728 <p>(<a idref="sect213">213</a>) Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5729 <p>(<a idref="sect214">214</a>) Replaced <quote>burst fire then, as the</quote> with <quote>burst fire. As the</quote>.</p>
5730 <p>(<a idref="sect217">217</a>) Replaced <quote>line, and the sheer force of the rushing wind whipping around the end of the rifle<ch.apos/>s barrel, make</quote> with <quote>line<ch.emdash/>and the sheer force of the rushing wind whipping around the end of the rifle<ch.apos/>s barrel<ch.emdash/>make</quote>.</p>
5731 <p>(<a idref="sect219">219</a>) Replaced <quote>when the number of Mexican clansmen on guard are at their fewest</quote> with <quote>when the Mexican clansmen on guard are at their fewest</quote>. Added <quote>(Erase the <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5732 <p>(<a idref="sect220">220</a>) Replaced <quote>static, then</quote> with <quote>static, and then</quote>.</p>
5733 <p>(<a idref="sect221">221</a>) Replaced <quote>ping</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>ping</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5734 <p>(<a idref="sect223">223</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5735 <p>(<a idref="sect224">224</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>.</p>
5736 <p>(<a idref="sect225">225</a>) Replaced <quote>or do</quote> with <quote>or if you do</quote>.</p>
5737 <p>(<a idref="sect226">226</a>) Replaced <quote>syphoning</quote> with <quote>siphoning</quote>.</p>
5738 <p>(<a idref="sect227">227</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5739 <p>(<a idref="sect230">230</a>) Replaced <quote>south-east</quote> with <quote>southeast</quote>. Replaced <quote>the open freeway</quote> with <quote>the open highway</quote>.</p>
5740 <p>(<a idref="sect231">231</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a Medi-kit unit from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5741 <p>(<a idref="sect232">232</a>) Applied bold style to <quote>Foil Blanket</quote>. Replaced <quote>Fire Axe [3]</quote> with <quote>Fire Axe (3)</quote>.</p>
5742 <p>(<a idref="sect236">236</a>) Replaced <quote>bang</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia></quote>. Replaced <quote>pull the pin and</quote> with <quote>pull the pin, and</quote>.</p>
5743 <p>(<a idref="sect239">239</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>.</p>
5744 <p>(<a idref="sect241">241</a>) Replaced <quote>you, then</quote> with <quote>you, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>one other<ch.emdash/>armed with</quote> with <quote>one other who is armed with</quote>.</p>
5745 <p>(<a idref="sect243">243</a>) Replaced <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar</quote> with <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars</quote>. Replaced <quote>fifty less</quote> with <quote>fifty fewer</quote>.</p>
5746 <p>(<a idref="sect245">245</a>) Replaced <quote>is awesome; he is</quote> with <quote>is awesome: he is</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5747 <p>(<a idref="sect246">246</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5748 <p>(<a idref="sect248">248</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>curses, then</quote> with <quote>curses, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Meat Cleaver [3]</quote> with <quote>Meat Cleaver (3)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Bread Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Bread Knife (2)</quote>.</p>
5749 <p>(<a idref="sect250">250</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>Allamore</quote> with <quote>Allamoore</quote>.</p>
5750 <p>(<a idref="sect251">251</a>) Replaced <quote>weapons list</quote> with <quote>Weapons List</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5751 <p>(<a idref="sect252">252</a>) Replaced <quote>Apache mountains</quote> with <quote>Apache Mountains</quote>.</p>
5752 <p>(<a idref="sect253">253</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
5753 <p>(<a idref="sect258">258</a>) Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Maverick<ch.apos/>s guns</quote> with <quote>Mavericks<ch.apos/> guns</quote>.</p>
5754 <p>(<a idref="sect260">260</a>) Replaced <quote>fetch Sergeant Haskell.</quote> with <quote>fetch Sergeant Haskell?</quote>.</p>
5755 <p>(<a idref="sect261">261</a>) Replaced <quote>Ancient Rome</quote> with <quote>ancient Rome</quote>.</p>
5756 <p>(<a idref="sect262">262</a>) Replaced <quote>newly elected</quote> with <quote>newly-elected</quote>.</p>
5757 <p>(<a idref="sect264">264</a>) Replaced <quote>new-found</quote> with <quote>newfound</quote>. Replaced <quote>hesitates, then</quote> with <quote>hesitates, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5758 <p>(<a idref="sect266">266</a>) Replaced <quote>Dagger [2]</quote> with <quote>Dagger (2)</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5759 <p>(<a idref="sect268">268</a>) Replaced <quote>dispairing</quote> with <quote>despairing</quote>. Replaced <quote>quiet, then</quote> with <quote>quiet, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, or do not have sufficient ammunition to use it</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, do not have sufficient ammunition to use it, or do not wish to use it</quote>. Replaced <quote>noise, sprawling</quote> with <quote>noise sprawling</quote>.</p>
5760 <p>(<a idref="sect269">269</a>) Replaced <quote>lion<ch.apos/>s head mark</quote> with <quote>lion<ch.apos/>s-head mark</quote>. Replaced <quote>long-horned steer skull symbol</quote> with <quote>long-horned-steer skull symbol</quote>.</p>
5761 <p>(<a idref="sect270">270</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamide</quote> with <quote>sulfonamide</quote>. Replaced <quote>at who</quote> with <quote>at whom</quote>. Replaced <quote>bang</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5762 <p>(<a idref="sect271">271</a>) Added <quote>Remember to deduct six rounds of 9mm ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.</quote>.</p>
5763 <p>(<a idref="sect274">274</a>) Replaced <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></quote> with <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ></quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess this item</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess either of these items</quote>.</p>
5764 <p>(<a idref="sect275">275</a>) Replaced <quote>bang</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>bang</onomatopoeia></quote>. Replaced <quote>wheels and then</quote> with <quote>wheels, and then</quote>.</p>
5765 <p>(<a idref="sect276">276</a>) Replaced <quote>perception skill</quote> with <quote>Perception skill</quote>. Replaced <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5766 <p>(<a idref="sect277">277</a>) Replaced <quote>read weal</quote> with <quote>red weal</quote>.</p>
5767 <p>(<a idref="sect279">279</a>) Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one; maximum equals four)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one burst; maximum: four bursts)</quote>. Replaced <quote>breach</quote> with <quote>breech</quote>.</p>
5768 <p>(<a idref="sect281">281</a>) Replaced <quote>sixth day of your mission</quote> with <quote>seventh day of your mission (one day before your planned rendezvous with the convoy)</quote>. The convoy breaks out of Big Spring prior to daybreak and that morning Cal drives south to San Angelo, arriving at dusk. He spends the night in the basement of the Sears Megamarket. On day two, Cal rescues Kate and escapes from San Angelo. They spend that night in Eldorado (or fall asleep while driving through the night and crash). The next day (day three), Cal and Kate drive to Bakersfield. They spend that night in the library there. On day four, they reach Fort Stockton and meet the WDL soldiers. At the beginning of <a idref="sect281">Section 281</a>, it mentions that the weather deteriorates at dawn the following morning which would be day five. So, two days and two nights of bad weather would mean that the heroes cannot leave until the morning of day <em>seven</em>. Therefore, amending the description of the timeline in this way seems to be the best fix.</p>
5769 <p>(<a idref="sect282">282</a>) Replaced <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, or lack sufficient ammunition to use it</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess a missile weapon, lack sufficient ammunition to use it, or do not wish to use it</quote>. Replaced <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>.</p>
5770 <p>(<a idref="sect283">283</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5771 <p>(<a idref="sect285">285</a>) Replaced <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5772 <p>(<a idref="sect286">286</a>) Replaced <quote>hand, causes</quote> with <quote>hand causes</quote>.</p>
5773 <p>(<a idref="sect287">287</a>) Replaced <quote>bow string</quote> with <quote>bowstring</quote>.</p>
5774 <p>(<a idref="sect288">288</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>the northern freeway</quote> with <quote>the northern highway</quote>.</p>
5775 <p>(<a idref="sect290">290</a>) Replaced <quote>Sterling county line</quote> with <quote>Sterling County line</quote>.</p>
5776 <p>(<a idref="sect292">292</a>) Replaced <quote>gun fire</quote> with <quote>gunfire</quote>. Added <quote>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5777 <p>(<a idref="sect293">293</a>) Replaced <quote>sky, then</quote> with <quote>sky, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 2010</quote> with <quote>Interstate 20</quote> for accuracy and consistency with later books.</p>
5778 <p>(<a idref="sect294">294</a>) Replaced <quote>formation and</quote> with <quote>formation, and</quote>.</p>
5779 <p>(<a idref="sect295">295</a>) Replaced <quote>Half-way</quote> with <quote>Halfway</quote>.</p>
5780 <p>(<a idref="sect296">296</a>) Replaced <quote>camp fire</quote> with <quote>campfire</quote>. Replaced <quote>focus your lenses on</quote> with <quote>focus on</quote> since you might also be using a Telescope (cf. <a idref="sect344">Section 344</a>). Replaced <quote>road, so that</quote> with <quote>road so that</quote>.</p>
5781 <p>(<a idref="sect297">297</a>) Replaced <quote>focus, then</quote> with <quote>focus, and then</quote>.</p>
5782 <p>(<a idref="sect299">299</a>) Replaced <quote>someobody</quote> with <quote>somebody</quote>.</p>
5783 <p>(<a idref="sect301">301</a>) Replaced <quote>Rifle, and</quote> with <quote>Rifle and</quote>.</p>
5784 <p>(<a idref="sect303">303</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>. Replaced <quote>detour of</quote> with <quote>detour around</quote> in harmony with all other occurrences in this book.</p>
5785 <p>(<a idref="sect304">304</a>) Replaced <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></quote> with <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ></quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess this item</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess either of these items</quote>.</p>
5786 <p>(<a idref="sect305">305</a>) Replaced <quote>pass, and</quote> with <quote>pass and</quote>.</p>
5787 <p>(<a idref="sect308">308</a>) Replaced <quote>retreat, then</quote> with <quote>retreat, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>a choice from</quote> with <quote>a choice of</quote> since there is no reason why Cal may take only one item from the list.</p>
5788 <p>(<a idref="sect309">309</a>) Replaced <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roar</quote> with <quote>the pack of clansmen, fifty riders strong, roars</quote>. Replaced <quote>fifty less</quote> with <quote>fifty fewer</quote>.</p>
5789 <p>(<a idref="sect311">311</a>) Replaced <quote>Loxoscees reclusa</quote> with <quote>Loxoceles Reclusa</quote>.</p>
5790 <p>(<a idref="sect312">312</a>) Replaced <quote>Freeway 2010</quote> with <quote>Interstate 20</quote> for accuracy and consistency with later books.</p>
5791 <p>(<a idref="sect314">314</a>) Replaced <quote>room and quickly</quote> with <quote>room, and quickly</quote>.</p>
5792 <p>(<a idref="sect315">315</a>) Replaced section references. The original text directed the reader to sections <a idref="sect161">161</a> and <a idref="sect207">207</a>; however, those references are the result of being apprehended by a single clansman in section <a idref="sect115">115</a>. Replaced <quote>break you guys</quote> with <quote>break, you guys</quote>.</p>
5793 <p>(<a idref="sect316">316</a>) Replaced <quote>deep breath and</quote> with <quote>deep breath, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>way out but</quote> with <quote>way out, but</quote>.</p>
5794 <p>(<a idref="sect317">317</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>.</p>
5795 <p>(<a idref="sect318">318</a>) Replaced <quote>discard your weapon</quote> with <quote>set your weapon aside</quote> to avoid ambiguity. Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway 87</quote> with <quote>Highway 87</quote>.</p>
5796 <p>(<a idref="sect319">319</a>) Replaced <quote>or choose</quote> with <quote>or if you choose</quote>. Replaced <quote>hesitates, then</quote> with <quote>hesitates, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>breach</quote> with <quote>breech</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct a round of 12-gauge ammunition from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5797 <p>(<a idref="sect320">320</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamide</quote> with <quote>sulfonamide</quote>. Replaced <quote>the 1 point</quote> with <quote>the 3 points</quote> (cf. <a idref="medikit">the Medi-kit section</a> of the rules).</p>
5798 <p>(<a idref="sect321">321</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.</p>
5799 <p>(<a idref="sect323">323</a>) Replaced <quote>aim and</quote> with <quote>aim, and</quote>.</p>
5800 <p>(<a idref="sect328">328</a>) Replaced <quote>despatch</quote> with <quote>dispatch</quote>. Replaced <quote>machine guns and</quote> with <quote>machine guns, and</quote>. Replaced <quote>Sergeant Haskell and yourself dispatch</quote> with <quote>You and Sergeant Haskell</quote>.</p>
5801 <p>(<a idref="sect329">329</a>) Replaced <quote>on to</quote> with <quote>onto</quote>. Replaced <quote>the pack, fifty riders strong, roar</quote> with <quote>the pack, fifty riders strong, roars</quote>. Replaced <quote>pack are</quote> with <quote>pack is</quote>. Replaced <quote>fifty less</quote> with <quote>fifty fewer</quote>. Replaced each occurrence of <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>.</p>
5802 <p>(<a idref="sect330">330</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>. Replaced <quote>aim and</quote> with <quote>aim, and</quote>.</p>
5803 <p>(<a idref="sect331">331</a>) Replaced <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>the Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote> with <quote><ch.thinspace/><ch.lsquot/>The Day<ch.rsquot/><ch.thinspace/></quote>.</p>
5804 <p>(<a idref="sect332">332</a>) Replaced <quote>botton</quote> with <quote>bottom</quote>. Replaced <quote>other, then</quote> with <quote>other, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>seconds, then</quote> with <quote>seconds, and then</quote>.</p>
5805 <p>(<a idref="sect333">333</a>) Replaced <quote>or do</quote> with <quote>or if you do</quote>.</p>
5806 <p>(<a idref="sect338">338</a>) Replaced <quote><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></quote> with <quote><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and wish to use it</quote>.</p>
5807 <p>(<a idref="sect339">339</a>) Replaced <quote>close combat skill</quote> with <quote><typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ></quote>.</p>
5808 <p>(<a idref="sect340">340</a>) Replaced <quote>door, then</quote> with <quote>door, and then</quote>. Replaced <quote>barge it</quote> with <quote>barge into it</quote>. Replaced <quote>crack</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>crack</onomatopoeia></quote>.</p>
5809 <p>(<a idref="sect342">342</a>) Replaced <quote>south-east</quote> with <quote>southeast</quote>. Replaced <quote>the freeway</quote> with <quote>the highway</quote>. Replaced <quote>the open freeway</quote> with <quote>the open highway</quote>.</p>
5810 <p>(<a idref="sect343">343</a>) Replaced <quote>click</quote> with <quote><onomatopoeia>click</onomatopoeia></quote>. Replaced each occurrence of <quote>weapon, and</quote> with <quote>weapon and</quote>.</p>
5811 <p>(<a idref="sect344">344</a>) Replaced <quote>woodsmoke</quote> with <quote>wood smoke</quote>. Replaced <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></quote> with <quote>If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ></quote>. Replaced <quote>If you do not possess this item</quote> with <quote>If you do not possess either of these items</quote>.</p>
5812 <p>(<a idref="sect345">345</a>) Replaced <quote>this weapon</quote> with <quote>this Backpack Item</quote>.</p>
5813 <p>(<a idref="sect346">346</a>) Replaced <quote>H.E. Grenade, and</quote> with <quote><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ> and</quote>. Replaced <quote>checkered</quote> with <quote>chequered</quote>. Replaced <quote>these items</quote> with <quote>these items, or if you do not wish to use them</quote>. Replaced <quote><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ>, and</quote> with <quote><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ> and</quote>. Replaced <quote><typ class="item">Siren</typ>, and wish to use it</quote> with <quote><typ class="item">Siren</typ> and a missile weapon and wish to use them</quote> because the subsequent section assumes you are carrying a missile weapon.</p>
5814 <p>(<a idref="sect347">347</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>.</p>
5815 <p>(<a idref="sect348">348</a>) Replaced <quote>sulphonamides</quote> with <quote>sulfonamides</quote>. Replaced <quote>Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Knife (2)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Meat Cleaver [3]</quote> with <quote>Meat Cleaver (3)</quote>. Replaced <quote>Bread Knife [2]</quote> with <quote>Bread Knife (2)</quote>. Added <quote>(Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your <a idref="action">Ammo Pouch</a>.)</quote>.</p>
5816 <p>(<a idref="sect350">350</a>) Replaced <quote>THE OMEGA ZONE</quote> with <quote><cite><bookref series="fw" book="03toz">The Omega Zone</bookref></cite></quote>. Replaced <quote>Mad Dog Michigan, and an</quote> with <quote>Mad Dog Michigan and an</quote>. Replaced <quote>Freeway Warrior</quote> with <quote><cite>Freeway Warrior</cite></quote> when referring to the series. Replaced <quote>one week ago</quote> with <quote>eight days ago</quote>.</p>
5818 <p>(<a idref="crsumary">Combat Rules Summary</a>) Replaced <quote>cross-refer</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>. Replaced <quote>Combat Results Table</quote> with <quote>Close Combat Results Table</quote>. Replaced <quote>zero ENDURANCE points, this</quote> with <quote>zero ENDURANCE points or below; this</quote>.</p>
5824 <section class="backmatter" id="footnotz">
5825 <meta><title>Footnotes</title></meta>
5830 <section class="backmatter" id="illstrat">
5831 <meta><title>Table of Illustrations</title></meta>
5834 <p>The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:</p>
5836 <section class="backmatter" id="primill">
5837 <meta><title>Primary Illustrations</title></meta>
5840 <ul class="unbulleted">
5841 <li>Illustration I (<a idref="sect20">Section 20</a>)</li>
5842 <li>Illustration II (<a idref="sect24">Section 24</a>)</li>
5843 <li>Illustration III (<a idref="sect45">Section 45</a>)</li>
5844 <li>Illustration IV (<a idref="sect68">Section 68</a>)</li>
5845 <li>Illustration V (<a idref="sect91">Section 91</a>)</li>
5846 <li>Illustration VI (<a idref="sect123">Section 123</a>)</li>
5847 <li>Illustration VII (<a idref="sect150">Section 150</a>)</li>
5848 <li>Illustration VIII (<a idref="sect159">Section 159</a>)</li>
5849 <li>Illustration IX (<a idref="sect178">Section 178</a>)</li>
5850 <li>Illustration X (<a idref="sect200">Section 200</a>)</li>
5851 <li>Illustration XI (<a idref="sect212">Section 212</a>)</li>
5852 <li>Illustration XII (<a idref="sect224">Section 224</a>)</li>
5853 <li>Illustration XIII (<a idref="sect241">Section 241</a>)</li>
5854 <li>Illustration XIV (<a idref="sect259">Section 259</a>)</li>
5855 <li>Illustration XV (<a idref="sect268">Section 268</a>)</li>
5856 <li>Illustration XVI (<a idref="sect293">Section 293</a>)</li>
5857 <li>Illustration XVII (<a idref="sect302">Section 302</a>)</li>
5858 <li>Illustration XVIII (<a idref="sect310">Section 310</a>)</li>
5859 <li>Illustration XIX (<a idref="sect328">Section 328</a>)</li>
5860 <li>Illustration XX (<a idref="sect339">Section 339</a>)</li>
5861 <li><a idref="map">Map of Western Texas</a></li>
5862 <li><a idref="action">Action Chart</a></li>
5867 <section class="backmatter" id="secill">
5868 <meta><title>Secondary Illustrations</title></meta>
5871 <ul class="unbulleted">
5872 <li><a idref="tssf">The Story So Far<ch.ellips/></a></li> <!--small 3-->
5873 <li><a idref="sect1">Section 1</a></li> <!--small 1-->
5874 <li><a idref="sect14">Section 14</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5875 <li><a idref="sect30">Section 30</a></li> <!--small 4-->
5876 <li><a idref="sect31">Section 31</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5877 <li><a idref="sect69">Section 69</a></li> <!--small 7-->
5878 <li><a idref="sect82">Section 82</a></li> <!--small 4-->
5879 <li><a idref="sect74">Section 74</a></li> <!--small 6-->
5880 <li><a idref="sect110">Section 110</a></li> <!--small 9-->
5881 <li><a idref="sect117">Section 117</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5882 <li><a idref="sect129">Section 129</a></li> <!--small 2-->
5883 <li><a idref="sect134">Section 134</a></li> <!--small 12-->
5884 <li><a idref="sect151">Section 151</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5885 <li><a idref="sect153">Section 153</a></li> <!--small 5-->
5886 <li><a idref="sect170">Section 170</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5887 <li><a idref="sect196">Section 196</a></li> <!--small 9-->
5888 <li><a idref="sect198">Section 198</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5889 <li><a idref="sect200">Section 200</a></li> <!--small 11-->
5890 <li><a idref="sect210">Section 210</a></li> <!--small 4-->
5891 <li><a idref="sect235">Section 235</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5892 <li><a idref="sect247">Section 247</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5893 <li><a idref="sect250">Section 250</a></li> <!--small 7-->
5894 <li><a idref="sect251">Section 251</a></li> <!--small 6-->
5895 <li><a idref="sect263">Section 263</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5896 <li><a idref="sect267">Section 267</a></li> <!--small 9-->
5897 <li><a idref="sect278">Section 278</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5898 <li><a idref="sect288">Section 288</a></li> <!--small 5-->
5899 <li><a idref="sect297">Section 297</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5900 <li><a idref="sect300">Section 300</a></li> <!--small 7-->
5901 <li><a idref="sect308">Section 308</a></li> <!--small 8-->
5902 <li><a idref="sect322">Section 322</a></li> <!--small 10-->
5903 <li><a idref="sect350">Section 350</a></li> <!--small 3-->
5911 &inclusion.project.aon.license;
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