1 <!DOCTYPE gamebook SYSTEM "gamebook.dtd" [
2 <!ENTITY % general.links SYSTEM "genlink.mod">
4 <!ENTITY % xhtml.links SYSTEM "htmllink.mod">
7 <!ENTITY % general.inclusions SYSTEM "geninc.mod">
11 <gamebook xml:lang="en-UK" version="0.12">
14 <title>The Omega Zone</title>
15 <creator class="short">Joe Dever</creator>
16 <creator class="medium">
17 <line>Joe Dever</line>
18 <line>Illustrated by Brian Williams</line>
20 <creator class="long">
21 &inclusion.joe.dever.bio.fw;
22 &inclusion.brian.williams.bio.fw;
24 <publisher>Project Aon</publisher>
25 <date class="publication"><year>2007</year><month>8</month><day>31</day></date>
26 <description class="blurb">
27 <p>You are Cal Phoenix, the Freeway Warrior, champion and protector of Dallas Colony One. The third stage of your life-or-death exodus to the California coast takes your colony of survivors across the wastelands of New Mexico and Arizona, a region still blighted by lethal radioactivity. Can you find the safe route through to the sanctuary of Tucson, or will you and your people perish in the desolation of The Omega Zone?</p>
29 <description class="publication">
30 <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>
32 <rights class="copyrights">
33 <line>Text copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Joe Dever.</line>
34 <line>Illustrations copyright <ch.copy/> 1988 Brian Williams.</line>
36 <rights class="license-notification">
38 <line>Text copyright <ch.copy/> 1989 Joe Dever.</line>
39 <line>Illustrations copyright <ch.copy/> 1989 Melvyn Grant.</line>
40 <line>Distribution of this Internet Edition is restricted under the terms of the <a idref="license">Project Aon License</a>.</line>
52 <title>Title Page</title>
53 <link class="next" idref="dedicate" />
58 <section class="frontmatter" id="dedicate">
60 <title>Dedication</title>
61 <link class="prev" idref="title" />
62 <link class="next" idref="acknwldg" />
66 <p class="dedication">
67 <line>For Chris Baird of Citrus Heights, Ca.</line>
69 <line>Mike Malone of Katy, Tx.</line>
74 <section class="frontmatter" id="acknwldg">
76 <title>Acknowledgements</title>
77 <link class="prev" idref="dedicate" />
78 <link class="next" idref="dtd" />
83 &inclusion.joe.dever.endowment;
85 <section class="frontmatter" id="credits">
86 <meta><title>Credits</title></meta>
90 <dt>Transcription</dt>
91 <dd>Philip Baccus</dd>
92 <dt>Illustration Transcription</dt>
96 <line>Jonathan Blake</line>
97 <line>Iain Smith</line>
101 <line>Jeff Dougan (frontmatter)</line>
102 <line>Frank Prather (sections 1<ch.endash/>350)</line>
106 <dt>Coordination</dt>
107 <dd>Jonathan Blake</dd>
108 <dt>Special Thanks</dt>
116 <section class="frontmatter" id="dtd">
118 <title>Dateline to Disaster</title>
119 <link class="prev" idref="acknwldg" />
120 <link class="next" idref="tssf" />
124 <p><line><strong>1990<ch.endash/>1998</strong></line>
125 <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>
126 <p><line><strong>1998<ch.endash/>2003</strong></line>
127 <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>
128 <p><line><strong>2003<ch.endash/>2008</strong></line>
129 <line>Raids on oil and gas installations, assassinations, and the kidnapping of prominent world statesmen become commonplace as HAVOC attempt 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>
130 <p><line><strong>2008</strong></line>
131 <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>
132 <p><line><strong>2009</strong></line>
133 <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>
134 <p><line><strong>2010</strong></line>
135 <line>New leadership emerges to unify the scattered remnants of HAVOC and plan revenge.</line></p>
136 <p><line><strong>2011</strong></line>
137 <line>A WDL train transporting seventeen 100-kiloton nuclear warheads, destined to be neutralized and dismantled, is attacked by HAVOC agents. The train is destroyed and its deadly cargo stolen.</line></p>
138 <p><line><strong>2012 New Year<ch.apos/>s Day</strong></line>
139 <line>HAVOC hijack a WDL news satellite and broadcast 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 emergency and request that the deadline be extended. HAVOC refuse.</line></p>
140 <p><line><strong>2nd January</strong></line>
141 <line>First warhead detonated at Brie Nuclear Energy Plant, ten miles south of Paris, France. Blast and radioactive fallout claim millions of lives. HAVOC repeat their demand and extend deadline by twenty-four hours.</line></p>
142 <p><line><strong>3rd January <quote>The Day</quote></strong></line>
143 <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 enact their 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>
144 <p><line><strong>2012<ch.endash/>2019</strong></line>
145 <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>
146 <p><line><strong>2019<ch.endash/>2020</strong></line>
147 <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>
151 <section class="frontmatter" id="tssf">
153 <title>The Story So Far</title>
154 <link class="prev" idref="dtd" />
155 <link class="next" idref="gamerulz" />
159 <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; it was 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 holocaust began.</p>
160 <p>You remember how the ground shuddered when the shock waves from the first distant explosions reached the mine, and how you thought it was the start of an earthquake, the like of which you had experienced many times at home in California. But, as the levels nearest the surface began to collapse and the central elevator shaft filled with rubble, you realized the awful truth. At first there was no way of telling the extent of the surface devastation. Below ground, the safety generators had automatically switched into operation 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>
161 <p>It was early September in the year 2019 when eventually you broke through to the surface. When 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. During the first few days, when you began 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 were urging those who could travel to join them in McKinney to start a new community there, and some 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>
162 <p>It took more than a week to discover a vehicle that could transport you to McKinney. It was an old school bus, which 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; then you set off on your journey north. When you arrived at the town, it was easy to find where the Ewells lived, as 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. Having been ambushed and shot at by the city gangs of Fort Worth during the final stages of your journey, you recognized the need for such defences.</p>
163 <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, this number had soon more than doubled to twenty-five. It was decided that a name was needed to identify the settlement and <quote>Dallas Colony One</quote> was adopted, <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>
164 <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 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, and it was your natural prowess with a gun and your skill behind the wheel that were to earn you the begrudging respect of your enemies, who took to calling you the <quote>Freeway Warrior</quote>.</p>
166 <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. 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 Sierra Nevada mountains 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: it had survived the last eight years virtually intact. When you heard the news you could hardly believe your ears. Perhaps your family were still alive. After all that had happened, there was now a real hope that one day you might be reunited with them.</p>
167 <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 to eventual 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 give them fuel 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>
168 <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. 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 go 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>
169 <p>Later you learned that the girl<ch.emdash/>Kate Norton<ch.emdash/>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 was once a high-ranking HAVOC agent who 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 was 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, and they had finally caught up with her at Sherman.</p>
171 <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 Texas. The journey to Big Spring was fraught with great danger, and yet, in spite of the many perils you faced<ch.emdash/>perhaps because of them<ch.emdash/>you felt yourself falling in love with Kate. Moreover you sensed that she was becoming increasingly fond of you. 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>
172 <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 gesture 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, yet, 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. 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<ch.emdash/>the Saints<ch.emdash/>who were based in New Orleans, to come to 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 who 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. 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 all manner of 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. There was only one way for the colony to reach Tucson overland and that was to follow the remains of Interstate Freeway 10 through the arid, mountainous territory of western Texas. Precisely halfway between Big Spring and Tucson is the city of El Paso. To reach this city in one piece became the convoy<ch.apos/>s goal, for it lay at the end of a long and tortuous stretch of mountain highway, undoubtedly one of the toughest you would have to face on your journey to California.</p>
173 <p>Under cover of darkness, the convoy escaped from Big Spring and sped westwards, now your vow to rescue Kate could at last be attempted and, at the first opportunity, you told the colony of your plans. Reluctantly they let you leave the convoy and go to San Angelo, where you intended to infiltrate the meeting between the Lions and Angelinos in the hope of finding Kate there. Your skill and daring were rewarded: you were able to locate and rescue Kate from under the very noses of the clan leaders. During your escape from their city you killed Mekong Mike, the Angelinos<ch.apos/> leader, and stole a map from Mad Dog Michigan. Later you discovered that this map contained vital details of a HAVOC operation to take over the whole of the United States.</p>
174 <p>As you escaped westwards from San Angelo, you encountered three soldiers, survivors from a World Defence League outpost in southern Texas, who were also heading for El Paso where the remnants of their command group were stationed. You joined them and together you made a rendezvous with the convoy at the entrance to the only passable road through the Apache Mountains. A fierce battle was raging along this pass, between the Mavericks and a renegade clan of Mexicans, who had crossed the border in search of food and supplies. The convoy was forced to run the gauntlet of their gunfire before finally reaching its goal. Upon entering the city, you received a warm welcome from the WDL command group who were defending the military reserve of Fort Bliss. They celebrated your arrival for several days until the victorious mood was soured by the appearance of Mad Dog Michigan and an army of clansmen over 1,000 strong. He had persuaded the Mexicans to join the Lions, the Mavericks and the Saints, all of whom were now united to his cause. The situation was desperate. Faced by overwhelming odds the WDL command tried to negotiate with Mad Dog but he rejected their attempts with disdain. He sent a reply to the command leader, Captain Frankland, in which he reaffirmed his vow to avenge his brother<ch.apos/>s death. His aims were brutally simple: he promised that neither you, nor any of the colony, would ever leave El Paso alive. He set up headquarters in Ciudad Juarez, on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, from which he directed his clan army to encircle and lay siege to the colony.</p>
176 <p>For two weeks, he launched repeated attacks calculated to weaken your defences. The colony withstood the assaults, but this constant attrition began to erode your hopes of ever being able to break out of El Paso and reach Tucson intact. Then a radio message was intercepted that was to turn the desperate situation into a crisis. A clan convoy of trucks was leaving Zaragoza bound for Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s headquarters in Ciudad Juarez. On board were enough high explosives to blow Fort Bliss and everyone in it to sightless atoms. Something had to be done to prevent Mad Dog from using these explosives. Out of desperation was born a daring plan to save the lives of the colony and disrupt the enemy just long enough for you all to break out of El Paso.</p>
178 <p>The plan is to destroy the explosives as soon as they reach Ciudad Juarez to prevent Mad Dog Michigan from using them against the colony. It is a dangerous and potentially suicidal mission, too difficult for one man alone, so Captain Frankland offers to lead the mission and calls for three volunteers to accompany him. WDL Sergeant Haskell and WDL Marine Knott accept the challenge, but no one else steps forward readily to fill the remaining place. The future of the colony hinges on the success of this mission, and with this thought paramount in your mind, you summon up the courage to volunteer as the fourth member of the team.</p>
183 <section class="frontmatter" id="gamerulz">
185 <title>The Game Rules</title>
186 <link class="prev" idref="tssf" />
187 <link class="next" idref="sskills" />
191 <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>
192 <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 on to 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 Action Chart (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>
193 <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>
195 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="sskills">
197 <title>Survival Skills</title>
198 <link class="prev" idref="gamerulz" />
199 <link class="next" idref="equipmnt" />
203 <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>
204 <p>Listed on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> are your five basic Survival Skills:</p>
205 <section class="frontmatter" id="driving">
206 <meta><title>Driving</title></meta>
209 <p>Your ability to control powered vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, and trucks.</p>
213 <section class="frontmatter" id="shooting">
214 <meta><title>Shooting</title></meta>
217 <p>Your familiarity and experience in the use of missile weapons, such as pistols, machine pistols, shotguns, and rifles.</p>
221 <section class="frontmatter" id="fldcraft">
222 <meta><title>Field craft</title></meta>
225 <p>Your knowledge and experience of all aspects of outdoor survival.</p>
229 <section class="frontmatter" id="stealth">
230 <meta><title>Stealth</title></meta>
233 <p>Your physical fitness, the speed of your reflexes, and your dexterity.</p>
237 <section class="frontmatter" id="perceptn">
238 <meta><title>Perception</title></meta>
241 <p>Your intelligence, your ability to evaluate information, your education, and your mental alertness.</p>
245 <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>
246 <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>
247 <p>(If this is your first Freeway Warrior 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>
248 <p>If you complete successfully the mission set in Book 3 of the Freeway Warrior series, you may add an additional 4 points to your Survival Skills in Book 4. These additional points, together with any equipment and provisions that you possess at the end of Book 3, may then be used in the next Freeway Warrior adventure, which is called:</p>
249 <p>California Countdown</p>
253 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="equipmnt">
255 <title>Equipment</title>
256 <link class="prev" idref="sskills" />
257 <link class="next" idref="weapons" />
261 <p>Apart from your clothing, a number of useful items form your basic equipment. This comprises a Backpack, and a belt on which hangs your Ammo Pouch, Medi-kit, Water Canteen, and Hunting Knife. In addition to these items, you possess a <a idref="map">Map of New Mexico/Arizona</a>, which you carry tucked inside your leather jacket.</p>
263 <section class="frontmatter" id="backpack">
264 <meta><title>Backpack</title></meta>
266 <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>
267 <p>In order to equip yourself for the task ahead, you may choose up to four items from the following list:</p>
269 <li><typ class="item">SOLAR TORCH</typ></li>
270 <li><typ class="item">HE (High Explosive) GRENADE</typ></li>
271 <li><typ class="item">BINOCULARS</typ></li>
272 <li><typ class="item">COMPASS</typ></li>
273 <li><typ class="item">CB RADIO</typ></li>
274 <li><typ class="item">ROPE</typ></li>
275 <li><typ class="item">THREE MEALS</typ> (each Meal takes up one space in your Backpack)</li>
276 <li><typ class="item">FLEXIBLE SAW</typ></li>
277 <li><typ class="item">BOX OF MATCHES</typ></li>
279 <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>
280 <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>
281 <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>
285 <section class="frontmatter" id="ammpouch">
286 <meta><title>Ammo Pouch</title></meta>
288 <p>Your Ammo Pouch is where you store any spare ammunition for firearms. It can hold a maximum of the following:</p>
290 <line>40 rounds of 9mm calibre Pistol/Machine Pistol ammunition</line>
292 <line>20 rounds of 7.62mm calibre Rifle ammunition</line>
294 <line>10 rounds of 12-gauge calibre Shotgun ammunition</line>
296 <p>When carrying mixed calibres of ammunition, use the equation below to check how much space you have left in your Ammo Pouch:</p>
297 <p>4 x 9mm rounds = 2 x 7.62 rounds = 1 x 12 gauge round</p>
298 <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>
302 <section class="frontmatter" id="medikit">
303 <meta><title>Medi-kit</title></meta>
305 <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>
306 <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>
307 <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>
311 <section class="frontmatter" id="canteen">
312 <meta><title>Water Canteen</title></meta>
314 <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>
315 <p>If you do not have any Water when instructed to drink, you must lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
322 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="weapons">
324 <title>Weapons</title>
325 <link class="prev" idref="equipmnt" />
326 <link class="next" idref="cmbtrulz" />
331 <section class="frontmatter" id="close">
332 <meta><title>Close Combat Weapons</title></meta>
334 <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>
335 <p>If you find a close combat weapon during your adventure, you may pick it up and use it. Close combat weapons 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>
336 <p>The maximum number of close combat weapons you may carry is <em>two</em>.</p>
340 <section class="frontmatter" id="missile">
341 <meta><title>Missile Weapons</title></meta>
343 <p>There are four types of missile weapon:</p>
346 <li>MACHINE PISTOL</li>
350 <p>Unless you are carrying over weapons from a previous Freeway Warrior 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>
351 <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>
357 <th>Rate of Fire</th>
358 <th>Initial No. of Rounds</th>
367 <td>MACHINE PISTOL</td>
386 <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 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>
387 <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>
396 <section class="frontmatter-separate" id="cmbtrulz">
398 <title>Rules for Close Combat</title>
399 <link class="prev" idref="weapons" />
400 <link class="next" idref="numbered" />
404 <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>
405 <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>
406 <ol class="paragraphed">
407 <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>
409 <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>
412 <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></p>
413 <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>
415 <li><p>After working out your Combat Ratio, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p></li>
417 <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>
420 <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></p>
422 <li>Cal Phoenix loses 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
423 <li>Renegade Clansman loses 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</li>
426 <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>
427 <li><p>Unless otherwise instructed, or unless you have an option to evade, start the next round of close combat.</p></li>
428 <li><p>Repeat the sequence from stage 3.</p></li>
430 <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>
431 <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>
433 <section class="frontmatter" id="evasion">
434 <meta><title>Evasion of Combat</title></meta>
436 <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>
445 <section class="numbered" id="numbered">
446 <meta><title>Numbered Sections</title></meta>
450 <section class="numbered" id="sect1">
451 <meta><title>1</title></meta>
454 <p>Your decision to join Captain Frankland<ch.apos/>s group provokes a mixed reaction among the original members of Dallas Colony One. They put on a brave face and applaud your courage, outwardly proud that one of their number will be part of his team, but they cannot mask their fear for you, not knowing what awaits you beyond the perimeter wall of the Fort Bliss stronghold.</p>
455 <p>Using maps and equipment salvaged from the military reservation and adjoining airport, Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell formulate a plan of action. At midnight, the team will leave the stronghold and attempt to slip unseen through the surrounding enemy cordon. After that the El Paso city ruins should provide enough cover for you to avoid the clan patrols as you make you way south towards the Rio Grande, where only one bridge across the river still stands<ch.emdash/>the Stanton Street Toll Bridge. The approaches are known to be guarded but the bridge itself is rarely occupied. The plan is to cross the river by this bridge, using a service walkway that runs directly beneath its central span.</p>
456 <p>On the Mexican side of the bridge lies Ciudad Juarez, the sprawling, derelict shanty town where Mad Dog Michigan (in deference to Santiago<ch.emdash/>the Mexican clan leader) has based his operations. The convoy of explosives is due to arrive there at two o<ch.apos/>clock tomorrow morning. The team must locate and destroy the trucks and their deadly cargoes as quickly as possible, using contact mines. The resulting explosions are sure to cause panic among the clansmen surrounding Fort Bliss. They will also provide a clear signal to the colony, who will, by then, be ready to exploit the confusion and break through the cordon. Once clear, they are to follow Interstate 10, firstly north towards Las Cruces, then west towards your intended destination<ch.emdash/>the city of Tucson.</p>
457 <p>For you, the real danger begins as soon as the mission is accomplished. Once the explosives have been destroyed, the team must hijack a clan vehicle and escape from Ciudad Juarez as best it can. If all goes to plan, you will rejoin the colony at the New Mexican town of Deming, 100 miles northwest of El Paso, at noon the following day. If the team fails to make this rendezvous the colony will continue regardless.</p>
458 <p>The few hours before midnight pass quickly. The colony uses the cover of darkness to prepare their vehicles for the breakout. Kate will be driving your roadster, and you use this as an excuse to spend what little time there is left before the mission with her, supposedly briefing her on the quirks and idiosyncrasies of the car. Everyone is aware that she already knows everything there is to know about your car but no one is insensitive enough to make any comment.</p>
459 <p>At five minutes to midnight, Captain Frankland calls you to join the team. <quote>You take good care of my car, y<ch.apos/>hear,</quote> you whisper, as reluctantly you free yourself from Kate<ch.apos/>s tender embrace.</p>
460 <p><quote>Only if you promise to take good care of yourself,</quote> she replies, her voice wavering as she tries to control the fear that is simultaneously tightening her throat and churning her stomach.</p>
461 <p><quote>Don<ch.apos/>t worry, Kate. I<ch.apos/>ve got a feeling that everything<ch.apos/>s gonna work out just fine. You<ch.apos/>ll see. Tomorrow we<ch.apos/>ll be together again in Deming.</quote></p>
462 <p><quote>I hope so, Cal,</quote> she says, <quote>I dearly hope so.</quote></p>
463 <choice idref="sect276"><link-text>Turn to 276</link-text>.</choice>
467 <section class="numbered" id="sect2">
468 <meta><title>2</title></meta>
471 <p>You leave your Backpack and gun with Sergeant Haskell, select a close combat weapon, and then follow Captain Frankland towards the jeep. The two Mavericks are oblivious to your presence as you circle around stealthily and creep towards the rear of their vehicle. A heavy, belt-fed machine gun, mounted on a column behind the front seat, half-conceals your approach, and you are soon crouching behind the jeep itself.</p>
472 <p>With bated breath you wait for Frankland<ch.apos/>s signal. Having satisfied himself that the surrounding area is clear, he nods his head and together you leap on the unsuspecting clansmen from behind.</p>
473 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
474 <choice idref="sect176">If your total score is 21 or less, <link-text>turn to 176</link-text>.</choice>
475 <choice idref="sect82">If it is 22 or more, <link-text>turn to 82</link-text>.</choice>
479 <section class="numbered" id="sect3">
480 <meta><title>3</title></meta>
483 <p>You leap over the tailgate and land on the sloping rubble. The debris is loose and you nearly lose your footing, but you recover quickly when a scything burst of gunfire shatters the rocks near your feet. You scramble towards the front of the truck, a fearful hail of bullets chasing you every step of the way.</p>
484 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
485 <choice idref="sect223">If your total is 14 or less, <link-text>turn to 223</link-text>.</choice>
486 <choice idref="sect170">If your total is 15 or more, <link-text>turn to 170</link-text>.</choice>
490 <section class="numbered" id="sect4">
491 <meta><title>4</title></meta>
494 <footnote id="sect4-1-foot" idref="sect4-1">
495 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
500 <p>Your target falls to the ground, but you cannot be sure if he has been hit or if he is diving for cover.<a id="sect4-1" idref="sect4-1-foot" class="footnote" /> You move away from the window in case he tries to return fire, and with nerves on edge, you wait a full minute before chancing another glance out of the window. The assassin is nowhere to be seen, and you fear that he may have gained access to the courthouse. With gun in hand, you peer into the passage outside, then through the banisters at the entrance and lobby below: all are empty.</p>
501 <p>You decide to make your escape from the courthouse while you can. The passage leads to a staircase, at the bottom of which is a fire exit. Through a crack in the door, you see that the yard outside is empty, so you push open the locking bar and pass through. You have taken only a few steps from the door when the assassin rushes around the corner of the courthouse with his rifle in his hand.</p>
502 <choice idref="sect181">If you possess sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
503 <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
507 <section class="numbered" id="sect5">
508 <meta><title>5</title></meta>
511 <p>Again the siren blares from above the east gate but this time it is an alarm signal. Knott responds by slamming his foot to the floor and steering the lumbering truck towards the west gate. Harsh voices curse, then gunshots ring out.</p>
512 <p><quote>Get down!</quote> shouts Captain Frankland, as the bullets rip through the thin canvas covering and ricochet off the rear of the driver<ch.apos/>s cab. Instantly you flatten yourself to the floor, which leaps and shudders against your cheek as the truck rams into the west gate. The rot-infested doors offer little resistance: they are wrenched from their hinges and sent spinning through the air to disintegrate on landing.</p>
513 <p>More shots are fired but none seem to find their target. You risk a glance over the tailgate to see the race track receding into the distance. In the street outside the track, a handful of determined Angelino clansmen are kick-starting their motorcycles in readiness to pursue you. You know just how dangerous these bikers can be, so you raise your gun and rest its barrel on the tailgate, waiting for the clansmen to come within range.</p>
514 <choice idref="sect42"><link-text>Turn to 42</link-text>.</choice>
518 <section class="numbered" id="sect6">
519 <meta><title>6</title></meta>
522 <p><quote>It could be the sniper,</quote> whispers Knott, wide-eyed with fear. Immediately the two of you step off the trail and crouch behind the nearest tree. Without daring to breathe, you stare fixedly at the forest ahead, glimpsing movements among the foliage. Then you catch sight of a man<ch.apos/>s bearded face and Knott, his nerves stretched to breaking point, draws his pistol and looses off three rounds in quick succession.</p>
523 <p>The bullets rip open the bark of a pine tree less than a foot from where the man is standing. Startled, he freezes with shock, then he takes to his heels and crashes noisily through the foliage in his desperation to get away.</p>
524 <p><quote>Ha! That<ch.apos/>s seen him off,</quote> says Knott.</p>
525 <p><quote>Yeah,</quote> you reply, but your voice is tinged with doubt. You are not convinced that a crack HAVOC assassin would have allowed himself to have been seen so easily, or have behaved in such a way when coming under fire. <quote>Let<ch.apos/>s make sure he doesn<ch.apos/>t come back,</quote> you say, and beckon Knott to follow as you give chase.</p>
526 <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
530 <section class="numbered" id="sect7">
531 <meta><title>7</title></meta>
534 <p>A bright yellow bulldozer with its earth scoop lowered is trundling along the main street on a head-on collision course with the truck. The shock of this unexpected attack makes Knott panic. He slams his foot on the brake, bringing the truck to a grinding halt. There is a moment of dead silence when the engine stalls, then the peace is shattered as Captain Frankland screams at Knott to start the engine and get the truck out of the path of the oncoming bulldozer.</p>
535 <illustration class="float">
537 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
538 <description>A bright yellow bulldozer, its earth scoop lowered, is on a collision course with the truck.</description>
540 <instance class="html" src="ill1.gif" width="386" height="636" />
541 <instance class="pdf" src="ill1.pdf" width="386" height="636" />
543 <p>The impending collision has distracted your attention from the rear of the truck, but you are quick to react when Haskell yells for your help. Two Mexican clansmen are scrambling over the tailgate. Quickly they fall upon the sergeant, preventing you from opening fire for fear of hitting him. They fight like maniacs, and, amid a flurry of kicks and punches, your weapon is wrenched from your grasp and you are knocked to the floor.</p>
544 <combat><enemy>Slammer</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
545 <p>Owing to the frenzy of the attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
546 <choice idref="sect55">If you win in the combat, <link-text>turn to 55</link-text>.</choice>
550 <section class="numbered" id="sect8">
551 <meta><title>8</title></meta>
554 <p>The bullet whistles past your left ear, close enough for you to feel the draught. The proximity of the shot spurs you to greater effort and, with a sudden burst of speed, you sprint the remaining few yards across the plateau and along a trail into the trees beyond. Almost immediately the trail drops steeply, causing you to lose your footing and tumble head over heels. When eventually you come to a stop, you are covered from head to toe with scratches and other minor abrasions: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
555 <p>From here your descent through the forest continues with comparative ease. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your ascent, and you stop here briefly to try to determine if you are still being pursued. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
556 <p>With trepidation you continue, leaving the trail to follow the water as it flows west towards the Swissheim Mountains. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your <a idref="map">map</a>, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
557 <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
558 <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
562 <section class="numbered" id="sect9">
563 <meta><title>9</title></meta>
566 <p>You drop to your knees and scurry for cover under a nearby computer terminal. You have barely stopped moving when there is a loud crash and the main door is sent flying clean off its hinges. In strides the clansman, his torch held chest-high as he plays it back and forth across the desks. You reach to your gun as his bloodhound comes snuffling into the room, but you dare not cock your weapon for fear of revealing your hiding place.</p>
567 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
568 <choice idref="sect185">If the number you have picked is even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8), <link-text>turn to 185</link-text>.</choice>
569 <choice idref="sect319">If the number you have picked is odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9), <link-text>turn to 319</link-text>.</choice>
573 <section class="numbered" id="sect10">
574 <meta><title>10</title></meta>
577 <p>The moment you break cover, you hear another shot and feel something hot and sharp graze the top of your head: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The awful suddenness and accuracy of the sniper<ch.apos/>s shot makes you think twice. You abandon your attempt to spot him and seek once more the safety of the truck<ch.apos/>s steel skin.</p>
578 <p>Out of the corner of your eye you see the captain cock his machine pistol and get ready to open fire. <quote>OK, I<ch.apos/>m gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,</quote> he says vehemently, clearly unimpressed by how near you came to death. <quote>When I start firin<ch.apos/>, you see if you can pinpoint where he is.</quote></p>
579 <p>You nod in uneasy agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire. <quote>Let<ch.apos/>s do it!</quote> he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper<ch.apos/>s shot, but within a second of his breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin<ch.apos/>s bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
580 <p>The shock of Frankland<ch.apos/>s death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s and so nearly after your own, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear and convinced that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear wells up and consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott<ch.apos/>s pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble blindly towards the woods. In your haste you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
581 <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. Another shot passes over your head barely a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand<ch.apos/>s breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
582 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. [Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score 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>
583 <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
584 <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16-19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
585 <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
589 <section class="numbered" id="sect11">
590 <meta><title>11</title></meta>
593 <p>Knott comes to your aid, having silenced his adversary, and together you defeat this formidable clansman. You and Knott then search the two bodies, and the saddlebags of their motorcycle, and discover the following items:</p>
595 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
596 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
597 <li><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ></li>
598 <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
599 <li>Shotgun (containing two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
602 <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
603 <li>Eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
604 <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
605 <li>Enough water for four Drinks</li>
606 <li>Enough water purification tablets, bandages, pain killers, and antiseptics for four Medi-kit units.</li>
608 <p>If you wish to keep any of these weapons, ammunition, Medi-kit units or Backpack Items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly. You hide the bodies before entering the gas station to took for the spare ignition unit.</p>
609 <choice idref="sect273"><link-text>Turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
613 <section class="numbered" id="sect12">
614 <meta><title>12</title></meta>
617 <p>Collision with the barrier has damaged Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s car: a section of the front fender is buckled against the wheel, slowing it considerably. In your deadly duel, his supercharged car no longer has the advantage of speed. However, even though it is damaged, it still possesses enough power to enable him to catch you.</p>
618 <p>In the distance a bridge is fast approaching. It crosses a channelled drainageway, fed by the Pantona Wash. An Amcorp Landcruiser, one of the colony<ch.apos/>s vehicles, has broken down and been abandoned on its approach ramp. The bus blocks two lanes of the freeway, leaving just enough room for one vehicle to pass.</p>
619 <p>The two of you speed towards this narrow gap, neck and neck, each determined to be the first to get across. Desperate to beat you, Mad Dog brings his speedster dangerously close. You are three seconds away from the gap when he rams your door.</p>
620 <p>Add your Driving skill total to your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your total.</p>
621 <choice idref="sect220">If your total score is 21 or less, <link-text>turn to 220</link-text>.</choice>
622 <choice idref="sect105">If your total score is 22-28, <link-text>turn to 105</link-text>.</choice>
623 <choice idref="sect70">If your total score is 29 or more, <link-text>turn to 70</link-text>.</choice>
627 <section class="numbered" id="sect13">
628 <meta><title>13</title></meta>
631 <p>You dive to the ground and let out a yelp of pain as you gash the palms of your hands and knees on the jagged rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott lands beside you as the beam of torchlight passes over your body. For a few seconds it hovers nearby, then it returns to bathe you both in its revealing glare.</p>
632 <p>An angry shout is followed by two gunshots and the sound of dogs barking. The bullets slam into the ground near your head. <quote>Run for it!</quote> you hiss. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve been seen.</quote></p>
633 <p>Ignoring the stinging pain of your wounds, you rise to your feet and sprint towards the darkness. Knott disappears to your left just seconds before you reach the freeway arch. You continue to run and are about to emerge from beneath the elevated freeway when the sound of growling stops you dead in your tracks. Ahead two squat shadows move purposefully towards you. You raise your gun but hesitate to pull the trigger for fear of attracting more of the enemy. Your moment<ch.apos/>s hesitation is seen as a sign of weakness, and instantly the two dogs bound forwards and hurl themselves at your chest.</p>
634 <combat><enemy>Pit Bull Terriers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
635 <p>Owing to the speed and the ferocity of their attack, you cannot make use of a close combat weapon until the beginning of the second round of combat.</p>
636 <choice idref="sect206">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
637 <choice idref="sect120">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
641 <section class="numbered" id="sect14">
642 <meta><title>14</title></meta>
645 <p>In an instant your exhilaration vanishes and a cold, numbing fear returns to chill your spine. You freeze, not daring to move a muscle in case you betray your hiding place. Suddenly you hear the sound of feet moving through the scrub, and you know that the sniper is approaching and that you must act quickly if you are to escape alive.</p>
646 <p>Frantically you scramble to your feet and run headlong into the forest. You have covered less than twenty yards when you chance a glance over your shoulder to see someone following in your wake. You are moving too swiftly to be able to discern their features, yet you dare not slow your pace to satisfy your curiosity. It could prove to be a fatal mistake.</p>
647 <p>Soon the timberland begins a steep descent towards the plateau. Although you have difficulty checking your speed, you manage to stop yourself by clinging to a trunk at the edge of the clearing.</p>
648 <choice idref="sect240">If you wish to dash across the plateau, towards the cover of the pines on the far side, <link-text>turn to 240</link-text>.</choice>
649 <choice idref="sect207">If you choose to skirt around the plateau, under cover of its perimeter trees, <link-text>turn to 207</link-text>.</choice>
653 <section class="numbered" id="sect15">
654 <meta><title>15</title></meta>
657 <p>The force of the impact sends you both reeling to the ground. Desperately you scramble to your feet, shaking your head in an effort to clear your vision. You regain your footing before the clansman and immediately you seize the advantage and attack.</p>
658 <combat><enemy>Yucatan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">18</enemy-attribute></combat>
659 <p>Owing to your having the first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
660 <choice idref="sect197">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
664 <section class="numbered" id="sect16">
665 <meta><title>16</title></meta>
668 <p>Cursing your predicament, you gun the jeep along the mountain highway as fast as you dare. Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell are manning the heavy machine gun, ready to use it as soon as the clansmen appear, while Marine Knott is busy dressing a wound he has sustained to his shoulder. You can see by his expression that he is in pain. However, it is only a flesh wound and he has not lost the use of his arm.</p>
669 <p>Dawn is breaking and you can see the highway continuing due south, deeper into the mountains, leading you away from all hope of an early rendezvous with the colony. The further you go, the poorer the road surface becomes until all your skill and concentration are required to avoid crashing.</p>
670 <p>Add together your Driving skill total and current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
671 <choice idref="sect184">If your total score is 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 184</link-text>.</choice>
672 <choice idref="sect258">If it is 14-18, <link-text>turn to 258</link-text>.</choice>
673 <choice idref="sect336">If it is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 336</link-text>.</choice>
677 <section class="numbered" id="sect17">
678 <meta><title>17</title></meta>
681 <p>You roll away from the dead clansman and scramble to your feet in time to see his partner escaping towards the exit ramp. You must prevent him from raising the alarm, so you sprint after him as fast as your aching legs will allow. You catch up with him near the top of the ramp and dive forward, dragging him to his knees with a flying tackle. You ready yourself for a fight but such action proves unnecessary: with a loud crack, his head hits the concrete as he falls, and he is knocked unconscious.</p>
682 <choice idref="sect310"><link-text>Turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
686 <section class="numbered" id="sect18">
687 <meta><title>18</title></meta>
690 <p>The west side of the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the road. Repeatedly you glance over your shoulder as you escape along the broken highway, cursing your pursuer and the lack of cover. You attempt to maintain a fast pace but the heat, the dust, and the fear, which is gnawing at your insides, all conspire to sap your strength. Four hundred yards from the mound, the best you can achieve is a lumbering shuffle.</p>
691 <p>You are turning to glance over your shoulder once more when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain pierces your left temple. The pain fills your head and courses down your spine, bringing you crashing to the ground. Then it disappears, to be replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
692 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
696 <section class="numbered" id="sect19">
697 <meta><title>19</title></meta>
700 <footnote id="sect19-1-foot" idref="sect19-1">
701 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
706 <p>Your gunfire blows open the front tyre and sends the motorcycle skidding away to your left, missing the pump by inches.<a id="sect19-1" idref="sect19-1-foot" class="footnote" /> With a screech of buckled metal it crashes down on its side, rolls over and over, then slams into the gas station wall. Cautiously you approach the tangled, smoking wreckage with your gun poised. You are still very wary of this maniacal rider even though the chances of his surviving such a terrible crash must be slim indeed.</p>
707 <p>As you expected, the rider is dead. A close examination of his broken body reveals that he was already dead before his machine hit the ground. He was killed by a ricocheting bullet as he sped over the bridge, and his body, slumped over the handlebars, kept the machine balanced in an upright and fixed line.</p>
708 <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the dead clansman and his shattered bike.</p>
709 <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
713 <section class="numbered" id="sect20">
714 <meta><title>20</title></meta>
717 <p>A fraction of a second before you fire your weapon, a spurt of yellow flame leaps from the muzzle of the clan commander<ch.apos/>s rifle. Almost simultaneously a terrific force hits you in the chest and sends you reeling backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the seven armour-piercing rounds that have passed through your body pierced your heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
718 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Columbus.</p>
722 <section class="numbered" id="sect21">
723 <meta><title>21</title></meta>
726 <p>You scream a warning to Kate and together you duck your heads as Mad Dog opens fire with his machine pistol. Your swift action saves you both from decapitation. The bullets pass over the driving compartment and you escape unscathed.</p>
727 <p>Knowing that your enemy has only one hand on the wheel of his speeding car, you nudge the side of his speedster, tempting him to retaliate. Then, when he rises to your challenge, you brake heavily and, because he is still holding his machine pistol, he fails to react in time to prevent his car from crossing in front of you and hitting the central barrier. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You put your foot down and overtake him on the left, powering your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier<ch.apos/>s magnet-like grip.</p>
728 <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
732 <section class="numbered" id="sect22">
733 <meta><title>22</title></meta>
736 <footnote id="sect22-1-foot" idref="sect22-1">
737 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
742 <p>With the clansman<ch.apos/>s position fixed in your mind, you spring up from behind the tailgate and raise your gun to fire. The truck is bumping along the highway, making it impossible to take accurate aim, but for an instant he fills your sights and immediately you pull the trigger.</p>
743 <p>Your shooting proves deadly accurate: the bullet hits him in the forehead, killing him before he can transmit his radio message.<a id="sect22-1" idref="sect22-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Haskell looks at you and grins. He is clearly impressed by your marksmanship. He is about to congratulate you when the truck decelerates. When it stops, Captain Frankland leaves the cab and comes around to the back to check that you are both all right.</p>
744 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>re fine,</quote> you reply; <quote>bruised, but otherwise just fine.</quote></p>
745 <p>You help the captain climb over the tailgate. Then, as soon as he is aboard, Knott restarts the engine and you continue on your journey west along Highway 9.</p>
746 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
750 <section class="numbered" id="sect23">
751 <meta><title>23</title></meta>
754 <p>You are not prepared to risk your life by drinking contaminated water, so you check your Medi-kit to see if you have any water purification tablets.</p>
755 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
756 <choice idref="sect180">If the number you have picked is equal to, or less than, the number of Medi-kit units you have in your possession, <link-text>turn to 180</link-text>.</choice>
757 <choice idref="sect79">If the number you have picked is greater than the number of Medi-kit units you possess, <link-text>turn to 79</link-text>.</choice>
761 <section class="numbered" id="sect24">
762 <meta><title>24</title></meta>
765 <p>With unerring accuracy your weapon spins through the air and hits the clansman in the chest, knocking him flat on his back. He groans, but before he can recover enough strength to raise the alarm, Sergeant Haskell pounds up the steps, his combat blade held before him ready to strike. One swift stab to the heart and the clansman is silenced before he has a chance to alert his confederates on the bridge.</p>
766 <p><quote>Well done, Cal. And you, too, Haskell,</quote> says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. <quote>If that punk had raised the alarm, we<ch.apos/>d have had the whole of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s army down on us by now.</quote></p>
767 <p>You retrieve your close combat weapon, and, after the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment and follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
768 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
772 <section class="numbered" id="sect25">
773 <meta><title>25</title></meta>
776 <p>The clansmen are training their spotlight directly into your eyes, effectively blinding you, and you are not able to steer the jeep out of their path until the last moment. The pick-up glances the rear and the sudden jolt makes you hit your head on the steering column: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
777 <p>Despite your injury, you regain control of the jeep quickly and bring it back on to the highway. Captain Frankland is standing behind you, manning the heavy machine gun, and, as the pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back, he cocks the weapon and opens fire.</p>
778 <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As you accelerate on to the freeway, you glance in the driving mirror to see a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulf the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
779 <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
783 <section class="numbered" id="sect26">
784 <meta><title>26</title></meta>
787 <p>You dismount, wheel the motorcycle to the edge of the gully, and then let it tumble down the side. You watch it roll to the bottom before approaching the rockfall and beginning to climb. The mound stands more than sixty feet high, and is as steep and as sheer as a granite mountain in places. You have been climbing less than a few minutes when you have difficulty maintaining your grip. Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total. If you possess a <typ class="item">Rope</typ> or a <typ class="item">Tow Chain</typ>, add 2 points to your total.</p>
788 <choice idref="sect123">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 123</link-text>.</choice>
789 <choice idref="sect216">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 216</link-text>.</choice>
793 <section class="numbered" id="sect27">
794 <meta><title>27</title></meta>
797 <p>You fire, but your aim is too high and your shot passes harmlessly over the head of the leading biker. His passenger replies by levelling his pistol, resting it on his shoulder, and squeezing off three rounds in rapid succession. The first slug clips your right shoulder and sends you reeling backwards<ch.emdash/>lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
798 <p>Immediately, the captain and Sergeant Haskell rush to your aid. Captain Frankland attends to your wound, (erase one Medi-kit unit from your Backpack), while the sergeant picks up your gun and returns fire at the pursuing bikers (erase from your Ammo Pouch the quantity of ammunition that is equal to one round of fire). Above the roar of the engines you hear the leading rider scream out in pain: Haskell has wounded him in the hand, severing a finger. He loses control, swerves violently to the left, somersaults, and then his machine bursts into flame.</p>
799 <p>The incident scares the other riders sufficiently for them to pull back to a safe distance. They continue to tail the truck, but at least they are now out of range.</p>
800 <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
804 <section class="numbered" id="sect28">
805 <meta><title>28</title></meta>
808 <p>You climb to your feet and brush away the debris. As the smoke clears, you see that the grenade has torn a jagged hole in the log wall. It is large enough to climb through and, without hesitation, you scramble into the shelter through this soot-blackened gap.</p>
809 <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
813 <section class="numbered" id="sect29">
814 <meta><title>29</title></meta>
817 <p>The clansman is halfway down the steps when your warning shout echoes from the bridge. Instantly, Sergeant Haskell reacts by springing forward and pounding up the steps towards the Mexican clansman, his combat blade held before him ready to strike. The Mexican sees Haskell and freezes in mid-step, his eyes widening with fear and shocked surprise. As he fumbles for his pistol, the sergeant tackles and stabs him to the heart, sending him tumbling backwards to land with a heavy thud on the stone-hard bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
818 <p><quote>Well done, sergeant. And you, too, Cal,</quote> says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. <quote>If the guy on the steps had had the chance to raise the alarm, we<ch.apos/>d have had the whole of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s army down on us by now.</quote></p>
819 <p>After the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment then follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
820 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
824 <section class="numbered" id="sect30">
825 <meta><title>30</title></meta>
828 <p>You stand up and take hold of the heavy machine gun as Captain Frankland drives off towards the west side of Lordsburg. Haskell locates an ammunition box and helps you to thread a belt of .50-calibre shells into the breech.</p>
829 <p>Most of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s clansmen are concentrated around the block of buildings where the truck was discovered, but there are some, most notably the Detroit Lions scouts, who have taken up lookout positions in other parts of the town. You pass two or three of them on your way through Lordsburg, yet they seem to ignore you. The jeep, with its clan markings, and the darkness enable you to pass them without challenge.</p>
830 <p>It is not until you begin your approach to the access ramp of Interstate 10 that you encounter any problem. Soon after your truck was found, Mad Dog dispatched a unit of scouts in a pick-up to guard the freeway ramp, just in case. It was a smart move. When these scouts see you approaching, they switch on a spotlight mounted on the roof of the pick-up above the driver<ch.apos/>s seat, catching you in its beam. When a radio call confirms that you are not what you seem, they accelerate towards you in an attempt to run you off the road.</p>
831 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
832 <choice idref="sect143">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 143</link-text>.</choice>
833 <choice idref="sect293">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 293</link-text>.</choice>
837 <section class="numbered" id="sect31">
838 <meta><title>31</title></meta>
841 <p>There is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something resembling a can of food as it flies through the window and bounces on the carpeted floor. Immediately there is a flash and a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas shoots from the can. As it fills the room rapidly, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and you rush frantically from the room before it fills with noxious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
842 <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the corridor until you come to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its locking bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse, his rifle in his hand.</p>
843 <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
844 <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
848 <section class="numbered" id="sect32">
849 <meta><title>32</title></meta>
852 <p>You approach the door with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the middle of the door at head height. You guess that it is a spy-hole.</p>
853 <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot hear what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
854 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
855 <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
856 <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
860 <section class="numbered" id="sect33">
861 <meta><title>33</title></meta>
864 <p>The sun has dipped below the western skyline and an eerie twilight bathes the ruined buildings of Lordsburg as you drive into the town. The tracks show that the convoy stopped here, but it must have been a brief visit for the town is now deserted. The fatigue of the mission is beginning to catch up with everyone, and all of you are having difficulty staying awake. The captain decides to camp here overnight and follow the convoy<ch.apos/>s trail at first light.</p>
865 <p>A place to sleep is chosen at random from among the stores and offices that line the main street and the truck is parked in an adjacent alley. You enter to discover that your overnight accommodation was once a video arcade. Scores of video machines line the aisles, standing side-by-side like tombstones in an electronic cemetery. Their screens are blank but their titles are familiar, and they remind you of the hours you spent playing similar machines at home in California before <quote>The Day</quote>.</p>
866 <p>Much to your relief, Sergeant Haskell volunteers to take the first watch. Before you sleep, you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
867 <choice idref="sect236"><link-text>Turn to 236</link-text>.</choice>
871 <section class="numbered" id="sect34">
872 <meta><title>34</title></meta>
875 <p>Your steely nerve and natural balance help you to regain control of the motorcycle and steer it safely to the bottom of the gully. Then you follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfall, to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but when you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
876 <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin.</p>
877 <p>Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
878 <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
882 <section class="numbered" id="sect35">
883 <meta><title>35</title></meta>
886 <p>Cautiously you continue along the avenue until you are close enough to the flickering lights to identify them as five huge bonfires. They are blazing in the grounds of a civic building<ch.emdash/>the El Paso Museum of Art<ch.emdash/>the contents of which have been looted to fuel them. Clansmen and their women dance drunkenly around the fires, feeding the flames with paintings, sculptures, and other works of art, while their confederates urge them to greater feats of destruction with screams and applause.</p>
887 <illustration class="float">
889 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
890 <description>Clansmen and their women dance drunkenly around the fires.</description>
892 <instance class="html" src="ill2.gif" width="386" height="630" />
893 <instance class="pdf" src="ill2.pdf" width="386" height="630" />
895 <p>The sight of this wanton vandalism stirs you to anger, but you dare not risk an encounter with this drunken crowd, so you turn away from the museum and press on.</p>
896 <choice idref="sect294"><link-text>Turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
900 <section class="numbered" id="sect36">
901 <meta><title>36</title></meta>
904 <p>Nervously you wipe your palms then pump a shell into the breach of your Remington Brushmaster. A quick glance confirms that the safety catch is off. Then you tense yourself in preparation for this dangerous run.</p>
905 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simultaneously covering yourself by firing your shotgun at the sniper<ch.apos/>s position.</p>
906 <p>Add together your Stealth Skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your shotgun (minimum: one round; maximum: five rounds).</p>
907 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
908 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
912 <section class="numbered" id="sect37">
913 <meta><title>37</title></meta>
916 <p>Captain Frankland catches the spinning dollar and slaps it on to the back of his left hand. He removes his right hand to reveal that the coin has fallen tails-up. <quote>OK men, that decides it,</quote> says Captain Frankland; <quote>we avoid Columbus an<ch.apos/> take a detour on Highway 9.</quote></p>
917 <p><quote>I think we<ch.apos/>d better get going right away, sir,</quote> says Knott, uneasily. <quote>Look<ch.apos/>s like more o<ch.apos/> Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s boys are headin<ch.apos/> this way.</quote> He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is winding towards you from the south.</p>
918 <p><quote>Hell!</quote> spits Frankland. <quote>That<ch.apos/>s all we need. Mount up, men. We ain<ch.apos/>t got the time to party wi<ch.apos/> those punks.</quote></p>
919 <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing positions at the tailgate. As the truck moves off, you watch anxiously as the column of dust grows closer and closer.</p>
920 <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
924 <section class="numbered" id="sect38">
925 <meta><title>38</title></meta>
929 <p>Knott produces a crowbar from his Backpack and tries to force open the door, but it soon becomes obvious that it cannot be prised open. A closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that you can gain entry this way, you tell Knott to attack the slats.</p>
930 <p>Within a minute he has made a hole large enough to climb through and, without hesitation, you scramble into the shelter through the jagged gap.</p>
931 <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
935 <section class="numbered" id="sect39">
936 <meta><title>39</title></meta>
939 <p>On the other side of the truck, there is another sharp crack, followed by the trailing sound of a rifle shot echoing across the surrounding mountains.</p>
940 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
941 <choice idref="sect347">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 347</link-text>.</choice>
942 <choice idref="sect10">If your total is 13-16, <link-text>turn to 10</link-text>.</choice>
943 <choice idref="sect291">If it is 17 or more, <link-text>turn to 291</link-text>.</choice>
947 <section class="numbered" id="sect40">
948 <meta><title>40</title></meta>
951 <p>Instinctively you sense the danger and duck to avoid the spinning crowbar. It misses your head by a fraction of an inch before drawing a line of sparks along the concrete pillar. Without stopping to look back, you make your escape from the archway and run south in an attempt to find your partner.</p>
952 <p>Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway several hundred yards away. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The handler has by now informed his confederates of your whereabouts and the news has sent them into a frenzy of activity. Immediately they launch a manhunt, starting close by. Rather than face them, and jeopardize Frankland<ch.apos/>s and Haskell<ch.apos/>s chances of crossing the zone alive, you decide to get away from the freeway as quickly as possible.</p>
953 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
957 <section class="numbered" id="sect41">
958 <meta><title>41</title></meta>
961 <p>You fight to control the skid, but before you can bring the roadster back on to a straight course, Mad Dog fires another burst, and the heavy-calibre bullets tear into your rear tyres, ripping them to shreds. Your roadster slews across the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog Michigan passes your burning car, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
962 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
966 <section class="numbered" id="sect42">
967 <meta><title>42</title></meta>
970 <p>Suddenly the darkness is obliterated by a flash of white light that seems to fill the sky. It fades rapidly only to be replaced by a huge, billowing fireball that towers into the air above the Juarez Race Track.</p>
971 <p><quote>Yahoo! There they go!</quote> shouts Sergeant Haskell, excitedly. Then the noise and the shock wave from the explosion overtake the truck. The roar is deafening, and the shock is so violent that it threatens to send the truck careering off the dusty road. Fortunately, both are quick to pass. As the roar fades to a rumble, you can make out the distant sound of gunfire.</p>
972 <p><quote>That<ch.apos/>s coming from across the river,</quote> says the captain. <quote>The colony have begun the break-out!</quote></p>
973 <choice idref="sect86"><link-text>Turn to 86</link-text>.</choice>
977 <section class="numbered" id="sect43">
978 <meta><title>43</title></meta>
981 <p>Two miles from the bridge you come to a junction where a mountain track branches off to the north. You are about to ignore it and press on when suddenly you notice the roof of a cabin: it is set back from the track and is almost completely hidden by the pines. Aching with fatigue, and the pain of the minor injuries you have sustained during your flight from the assassin, you decide to investigate the cabin and rest there a while.</p>
982 <p>The dwelling was once a private hunting lodge, owned by a wealthy family who lived in Las Cruces before <quote>The Day</quote>. Its doors and windows are secured, but the corroded locks are easily shattered and you soon gain entry. Most of the rooms are furnished, yet you discover little of practical value until you look in the cellar. There you find enough canned food for twelve Meals and, in an adjacent workshop, you discover something totally unexpected: a brand new off-road motorcycle still packed in its delivery crate.</p>
983 <p>Outside, the light is beginning to fade. Attempting to reach Tucson, alone and in the dark, does not strike you as a good idea, so you decide to spend the night here in the cellar. You are worried that the assassin may still be on your trail and so you set about barricading the cellar door. Only when you are sure that he could not possibly enter without waking you, do you settle down for some much needed sleep.</p>
984 <choice idref="sect256"><link-text>Turn to 256</link-text>.</choice>
988 <section class="numbered" id="sect44">
989 <meta><title>44</title></meta>
992 <p><quote>Ready?</quote> Marine Knott nods his head, his jaw taut with concentration as he acknowledges your question.</p>
993 <p><quote>OK then, let<ch.apos/>s go,</quote> you whisper, as you ease yourself over the rampart, using only your elbows and knees to propel you away from the safety of Fort Bliss.</p>
994 <p>Anxiously, the captain and Sergeant Haskell watch as the two of you crawl across the broken ground, their weapons ready to give covering fire should the enemy see you approaching. The faint moonlight serves both to help and hinder your progress as you inch your way towards your first goal: an elevated section of Freeway 54. Clan snipers are known to occupy this vantage point, and you are painfully aware that not until you are directly beneath the raised highway itself will you be beyond the reach of their high-powered rifles.</p>
995 <p>Minutes pass like hours until you make it to the comparative safety of a shallow ditch that runs parallel to the concrete freeway supports. Knott arrives while you are scanning the dark, arch-like gaps between the concrete pillars, searching for the enemy, and immediately he points out a threat. Three clansmen are positioned behind a mound of rubble less than twenty yards away to your right. You study them, silently cursing your luck, for they are Detroit Lions; getting past these clansmen is not going to be easy.</p>
996 <illustration class="float">
998 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
999 <description>Three clansmen are positioned behind a mound of rubble less than twenty yards away.</description>
1001 <instance class="html" src="ill3.gif" width="386" height="625" />
1002 <instance class="pdf" src="ill3.pdf" width="386" height="625" />
1004 <choice idref="sect147">If you wish to try to distract their attention, <link-text>turn to 147</link-text>.</choice>
1005 <choice idref="sect303">If you wish to try to circle around them, <link-text>turn to 303</link-text>.</choice>
1009 <section class="numbered" id="sect45">
1010 <meta><title>45</title></meta>
1013 <p>You make the leap, but your legs are tired and you are too fatigued to reach the opposite ledge. With a numbing crunch, you slam face-first into the wall of the neighbouring building and fall three storeys to your death in the alley below.</p>
1014 <p>Your life and your mission end here in Lordsburg.</p>
1018 <section class="numbered" id="sect46">
1019 <meta><title>46</title></meta>
1022 <p>The incomprehensible voices continue their mumbling as you ease open the plywood spy-hole cover. Through the crack you can see the bearded man standing to the far side of a large, dimly-lit room. He appears to be talking excitedly at a hole in the ground.</p>
1023 <p>Accidentally, Knott drops his pistol. The sudden noise makes the bearded man glance at the door. He sees you looking through the spy-hole and fear blanches his face. In the next instant, he dodges aside and disappears from your field of vision.</p>
1024 <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
1025 <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
1029 <section class="numbered" id="sect47">
1030 <meta><title>47</title></meta>
1033 <p>Knott emerges from the rear door of the Post Office. His own search was fruitless, but he is happy that your search of the town was not entirely in vain. He has less equipment than you, and so he offers to carry the heavy fuel can as you walk back to the furniture store to meet Frankland and Haskell.</p>
1034 <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
1038 <section class="numbered" id="sect48">
1039 <meta><title>48</title></meta>
1042 <p>With guns blazing and bullets ricocheting all around, you steel yourself to fire at the biker as he screams past your hiding place.</p>
1043 <p>Add together your Shooting and Stealth skill totals. Now, pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add this number to your combined skill total.</p>
1044 <choice idref="sect279">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 279</link-text>.</choice>
1045 <choice idref="sect97">If it is 9<ch.endash/>12, <link-text>turn to 97</link-text>.</choice>
1046 <choice idref="sect155">If it is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 155</link-text>.</choice>
1050 <section class="numbered" id="sect49">
1051 <meta><title>49</title></meta>
1054 <p>It takes you three hours to walk the ten miles back to Hachita, during which time you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1055 <p>As you enter the town, you see a clan motorcycle parked in front of the gas station. Two men are crouched nearby, studying tracks in the dust made by the truck<ch.apos/>s tyres.</p>
1056 <p><quote>We can<ch.apos/>t let these two get away,</quote> says Knott, as you approach the station stealthily. <quote>If they bring the others down on us before we<ch.apos/>ve fixed the truck, we<ch.apos/>ll be lucky to see the colony again.</quote></p>
1057 <p>The two men are so interested in the tracks that they fail to notice you run across the street and take cover behind the gas station wall. Then the first clansman straightens himself and begins to walk towards the bike, while his partner remains kneeling on the ground, sifting through the remnants of the materials Haskell used to repair the truck<ch.apos/>s gas tank.</p>
1058 <p><quote>We gotta take <ch.lsquot/>em now, and we gotta take <ch.lsquot/>em quietly,</quote> whispers Knott, as he unsheathes his combat knife. <quote>There may be others in the neighbourhood. It<ch.apos/>s too risky to start shooting.</quote></p>
1059 <p>The second clansman is now rising to his feet. Knott pats your forearm and motions you to move with him as he gets ready to launch the ambush.</p>
1060 <choice idref="sect251">If you wish to attack the clansman who is standing beside the motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 251</link-text>.</choice>
1061 <choice idref="sect88">If you wish to attack the clansman who is rising to his feet, <link-text>turn to 88</link-text>.</choice>
1065 <section class="numbered" id="sect50">
1066 <meta><title>50</title></meta>
1069 <p>Beyond Gleeson the road snakes its way through hills covered with pine, pi<ch.ntilde/>on, and dull grey rocks. The road surface deteriorates rapidly and very soon you are forced to stand in order to remain in full control of your bucking, bouncing machine. Then another, more serious hazard looms into view. A landslip from the surrounding hillside has heaped a mound of rock in the middle of the road ahead, blocking it completely. The only way to circumvent this obstacle involves a difficult descent into a gully that runs parallel to the road, then an equally difficult climb out again.</p>
1070 <choice idref="sect136">If you wish to attempt to negotiate this hazard without dismounting from your motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 136</link-text>.</choice>
1071 <choice idref="sect26">If you decide to abandon your bike and scale the rockfall on foot, <link-text>turn to 26</link-text>.</choice>
1075 <section class="numbered" id="sect51">
1076 <meta><title>51</title></meta>
1079 <p>Desperately the clansman ducks to avoid your weapon, but it hits him on the forehead and sends him tumbling from the steps to land with a heavy thud on the stone-hard bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
1080 <p><quote>Well done, Cal,</quote> says Captain Frankland, as the team gathers at the entrance to the walkway and sets about disposing of the sentries. <quote>If the guy on the steps had raised the alarm, we<ch.apos/>d have had the whole of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s army down on us by now.</quote></p>
1081 <p>After the clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment (remember to erase your close combat weapon<ch.emdash/>unfortunately, it cannot be recovered from the body of the clansman) and then join the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
1082 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
1086 <section class="numbered" id="sect52">
1087 <meta><title>52</title></meta>
1090 <p>You spin the steering wheel to the right, hoping to avoid the barrier, which is racing towards you at a terrific speed, but Mad Dog anticipates your move and rams you again, sending you to certain doom. Your car slews off the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog passes your burning car, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
1091 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
1095 <section class="numbered" id="sect53">
1096 <meta><title>53</title></meta>
1099 <footnote id="sect53-1-foot" idref="sect53-1">
1100 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
1105 <p>You ready yourself and rise to one knee, your gun coming up at the same time in one smooth, fluid motion. A clansman fills your sights and you snatch the trigger; the gun recoils and you see him buckle and fall.<a id="sect53-1" idref="sect53-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Then you scan for another target and find one, but before you can shoot, he falls to a burst of fire from Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s machine pistol. Inspired by your action, the others join in the firefight and quickly dispatch the remaining clansmen. Then you hear the captain barking the order, <quote>Follow me!</quote> and see Knott and Haskell leaving the wall to run after him. He is heading towards a fire escape ladder on the far side of the roof. You pause just long enough to retrieve your Backpack and belt, then you hurry after them before they disappear.</p>
1106 <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
1110 <section class="numbered" id="sect54">
1111 <meta><title>54</title></meta>
1114 <p>The man is easy to follow: a trail of freshly broken foliage clearly marks his escape route through the trees. His tracks end at a clearing, where a wide, crater-like hollow has been excavated from the rocky soil. You catch a glimpse of him hurrying into the hollow by way of a flight of steps that has been cut out of the earth. As you approach the crater, you notice that one side is constructed entirely from logs, and resembles the side of a pine cabin. Frantically the man bangs his clenched fists on a heavy door in the centre of the log wall, screaming to be let in. The door opens and he falls through it, slamming it shut behind him with a heavy thud.</p>
1115 <illustration class="float">
1117 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1118 <description>Frantically the man bangs his clenched fists on a heavy door, screaming to be let in.</description>
1120 <instance class="html" src="ill4.gif" width="386" height="632" />
1121 <instance class="pdf" src="ill4.pdf" width="386" height="632" />
1123 <p>Cautiously the two of you move towards the steps, your weapons ready and your eyes fixed on the closed door. <quote>He must be a survivor. He<ch.apos/>s got himself some sort of underground shelter here,</quote> says Knott, having realized by now that you are not tracking the man who is responsible for the murder of your two companions. <quote>I think you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> you reply, <quote>and I guess he<ch.apos/>s not alone. Someone opened the door.</quote></p>
1124 <p>A few yards to the right of the door you notice an oblong-shaped air vent. You are about to descend the steps and investigate it further when a single gunshot rings out and you feel something hit you sharply in the back. A bullet has clipped your Backpack. The force of its impact takes your breath away and sends you tumbling to the floor of the crater: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point and erase one Backpack item from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. You curse your would-be assassin but you are thankful that your equipment has saved you from sustaining a more serious wound.</p>
1125 <p><quote>Dammit!</quote> growls Knott, as he leaps from the steps and lands at your side. <quote>He<ch.apos/>s found us.</quote> Together you rise and run towards the door, seeking shelter. Knott bangs his fists on its rough timbers and pleads to be allowed in, but to no avail. The door does not open.</p>
1126 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve gotta get inside,</quote> you say, as you scan the trees beyond the edge of the crater. <quote>We<ch.apos/>re sitting ducks out here.</quote></p>
1127 <choice idref="sect114">If you possess an <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ>, and wish to use it to attempt to gain entry, <link-text>turn to 114</link-text>.</choice>
1128 <choice idref="sect343">If you possess a <typ class="item">Tenon Saw</typ>, and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 343</link-text>.</choice>
1129 <choice idref="sect38">If you possess neither of these items, or choose not to use them, <link-text>turn to 38</link-text>.</choice>
1133 <section class="numbered" id="sect55">
1134 <meta><title>55</title></meta>
1137 <p>Your enemy screams and clutches at his chest as you deliver your killing blow. He falls backwards, and, as he rolls towards the tailgate, you notice a Pistol holstered on the rear of his belt. (If you wish to keep this weapon, you discover that it contains ten rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
1138 <p>You rush forward to help Sergeant Haskell deal with his attacker. With your aid, he is able to prise the hands of his enemy from around his throat and, with a double-footed kick to the chest, send him tumbling backwards out of the truck. You are bundling your dead adversary after him when Knott overcomes his panic and manages to restart the engine. With a jolt the truck turns sharply to the left, and the bulldozer rumbles past with barely inches to spare.</p>
1139 <p>In an attempt to escape from the town, Knott heads towards a narrow side street, but as soon as you enter you are confronted by another hazard. Several of the houses that back on to the street have collapsed and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound, completely blocking your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the gear selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accelerates towards the mountain of bricks and shattered timbers, hitting the mound at speed. The truck lurches towards the peak, but shudders to a halt less than five feet from the top.</p>
1140 <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab, desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin work, three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards the truck. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two, and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. However, this does little to deter the attack. More clansmen are appearing by the second, and you can tell by their blood-curdling screams that they do not intend to take prisoners.</p>
1141 <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
1142 <choice idref="sect3">If you wish to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
1146 <section class="numbered" id="sect56">
1147 <meta><title>56</title></meta>
1150 <p>Nervously you wipe your sweaty palms on the front of your T-shirt before tensing yourself to begin this dangerous run.</p>
1151 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, trusting solely in your speed and courage to see you through.</p>
1152 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
1153 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
1154 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 19 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
1158 <section class="numbered" id="sect57">
1159 <meta><title>57</title></meta>
1162 <p>Something hits you at the base of the neck, flinging you to the ground with the sheer force of its impact. A sudden, short-lived pain in your chest and a reddening of your vision is all that you sense of the assassin<ch.apos/>s full metal-jacketed round, which has severed your spinal column and passed clean through your breastbone.</p>
1163 <p>Your life and you mission end here in Arizona.</p>
1167 <section class="numbered" id="sect58">
1168 <meta><title>58</title></meta>
1171 <p>You slap Knott on the shoulder and immediately he starts to climb the stairs. The clansmen are now at the door, so hurriedly you descend the steps towards the basement, where you emerge in an underground parking lot. One hundred yards away moonlight reflects on the rippled surface of an exit ramp to the street above and you walk towards it briskly. A sudden noise on the stairs causes you to break into a run, but you are brought to an abrupt halt as two pairs of booted feet appear at the top of the ramp. As the men begin to descend, you slip away to the right and hide between two parked cars.</p>
1172 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
1173 <choice idref="sect315">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 315</link-text>.</choice>
1174 <choice idref="sect199">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 199</link-text>.</choice>
1178 <section class="numbered" id="sect59">
1179 <meta><title>59</title></meta>
1182 <p>You approach the door opposite and find that it is unlocked. Carefully you lift the latch and push it open, and as the light from the corridor illuminates the darkness, you see that it contains two bunk beds and a few other pieces of plain pine furniture. Children<ch.apos/>s toys, lovingly crafted from wood and bone, line the shelves. You are closing the door when you notice a wooden whistle lying on the top of a clothes trunk.</p>
1183 <p>If you wish to keep the <typ class="item">Whistle</typ>, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item.</p>
1184 <p>Having discovered what lies behind two of the doors in this corridor, you leave the room determined to learn what lies behind the third.</p>
1185 <choice idref="sect32"><link-text>Turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
1189 <section class="numbered" id="sect60">
1190 <meta><title>60</title></meta>
1193 <p>The moment you realize that the sergeant and captain have mistaken you for clansmen, you take evasive action. The only cover is a shallow gully that runs alongside the highway, and immediately you steer towards it. Bullets are kicking up the dust in a line that follows you all the way off the road, but your skill and the speed of your reactions save you from being hit and enable you to bring the bike to a controlled halt.</p>
1194 <p>It takes several minutes of shouting before you are able to convince Frankland and Haskell that you are not the enemy. When at last they realize their mistake., they throw down their guns and run towards you with looks of abject horror on their faces. Both men are clearly shocked at how near they came to killing you.</p>
1195 <p>Once you have all got over the shock, you busy yourselves by helping Knott replace the damaged ignition unit. The new unit works perfectly, and within half an hour of your return the engine is running smoothly and you are able to continue.</p>
1196 <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
1200 <section class="numbered" id="sect61">
1201 <meta><title>61</title></meta>
1204 <p>You lift your G-12 to your shoulder and, as you take aim at the assassin<ch.apos/>s chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places the bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding rooftops. This seems a curious thing to do: the buildings are close, surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
1205 <p>Then he dips the lenses and scans the ground-floor windows of the courthouse. A sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced-resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you snatch the trigger, fearful that you have left your burst of fire too late.</p>
1206 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
1207 <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
1208 <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
1212 <section class="numbered" id="sect62">
1213 <meta><title>62</title></meta>
1216 <p>Hidden on the lower slopes of the trail you discover a wire leg snare, designed to trap rabbit or other small game. The snare is in good condition, indicating that it must have been set sometime within the last ten days. Someone else must be living here in the forest. You tell Knott of your find and proceed with renewed caution.</p>
1217 <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
1221 <section class="numbered" id="sect63">
1222 <meta><title>63</title></meta>
1225 <p>The clansman slumps lifelessly across the bodies of his two dead dogs, his hand still grasping his crowbar in a vice-grip. You try to prise it loose but soon abandon the attempt in favour of searching his pockets instead. You discover the following items:</p>
1227 <li>Enough food for one Meal</li>
1228 <li>Pistol (containing three rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
1230 <li><typ class="item">Whistle</typ></li>
1232 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1233 <p>Rather than wait for his confederates to find his body, you leave the archway and attempt to find your partner. Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway further south. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The discovery of the handler and his dead dogs sends the clansmen into a frenzy of activity and immediately they launch a manhunt. Fortunately, they start by searching some distance away, enabling the two of you to slip away unseen.</p>
1234 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
1238 <section class="numbered" id="sect64">
1239 <meta><title>64</title></meta>
1242 <p>Mounds of dust lie heaped before the closed doors of this derelict town, stirred to lazy movement by the warm breeze that sweeps down from the surrounding mountains. You park your motorcycle before a burnt-out gas station, then walk slowly along the main street, peering into the grimy windows as you pass. Only three buildings strike you as worthy of further investigation: a hardware store, a drug store, and a radio repair shop.</p>
1243 <choice idref="sect152">If you wish to investigate the hardware store, <link-text>turn to 152</link-text>.</choice>
1244 <choice idref="sect272">If you choose to enter the drug store, <link-text>turn to 272</link-text>.</choice>
1245 <choice idref="sect229">If you decide to take a closer look at the radio shop, <link-text>turn to 229</link-text>.</choice>
1246 <choice idref="sect50">If you prefer to abandon your search and return to your motorcycle and leave Gleeson, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
1250 <section class="numbered" id="sect65">
1251 <meta><title>65</title></meta>
1254 <p>You peer along the ground at the truck behind and see the captain crouching beneath it, signalling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as you hear the timing mechanism start to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
1255 <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trailing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluctant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and begin shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
1256 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
1257 <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
1258 <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
1262 <section class="numbered" id="sect66">
1263 <meta><title>66</title></meta>
1266 <p>The gas station<ch.apos/>s three storage tanks have been emptied of fuel recently, but a little still remains at the bottom of each. It takes an hour to siphon this residual gasolene<ch.emdash/>less than two gallons<ch.emdash/>from the tanks, by which time Sergeant Haskell has been able to seal the three bullet holes.</p>
1267 <p>While Haskell is pouring the precious gasolene into the truck, you help Knott to make a quick search of the gas station for useful spares. Your search uncovers the following items:</p>
1269 <li><typ class="item">Electrolyte</typ></li>
1270 <li><typ class="item">Wire Cutters</typ></li>
1271 <li><typ class="item">Screwdriver</typ></li>
1273 <p>If you wish to keep any of these Backpack Items, adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
1274 <p>Captain Frankland is disappointed at having found so little fuel, but Knott assures him that it should be sufficient to enable you to reach Lordsburg and rendezvous with the colony. Once the refuelling has been completed, you climb aboard and set off in a new direction<ch.emdash/>north, towards a junction with Interstate Freeway 10.</p>
1275 <choice idref="sect183"><link-text>Turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
1279 <section class="numbered" id="sect67">
1280 <meta><title>67</title></meta>
1283 <p><quote>Follow me, sergeant,</quote> says Captain Frankland. <quote>I<ch.apos/>ll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right. Is that understood?</quote> Sergeant Haskell acknowledges the order as he unsheathes his own combat knife.</p>
1284 <p><quote>You two stay here,</quote> says Frankland, addressing you and Marine Knott. <quote>As soon as we<ch.apos/>ve dealt with the sentries you follow us, OK?</quote></p>
1285 <p><quote>OK,</quote> you reply, simultaneously.</p>
1286 <p>You watch expectantly as Frankland and Haskell creep up on the two unwary clansmen. Swiftly they silence them, then signal to you to help hide the bodies. You respond immediately, but as you are nearing the end of the walkway, suddenly you see a clansman appear at the edge of the river bank and start to descend a flight of steps that leads to the walkway gate. It can only be a matter of seconds before he sees what is going on.</p>
1287 <choice idref="sect215">If you wish to raise your gun and open fire at the approaching clansman, <link-text>turn to 215</link-text>.</choice>
1288 <choice idref="sect166">If you choose to draw a close combat weapon and hurl it at the clansman, <link-text>turn to 166</link-text>.</choice>
1289 <choice idref="sect29">If you decide to shout a warning to the captain, <link-text>turn to 29</link-text>.</choice>
1293 <section class="numbered" id="sect68">
1294 <meta><title>68</title></meta>
1297 <p>Suddenly, a door bursts open behind you and instinctively you spin around to face the threat. As you turn, you see that the door was concealed by a bookcase. Now it is wide open, and standing before it is the bearded man with a pistol clamped firmly in both hands. Purely in reflex you raise your gun, but the man fires before you can bring it to bear. His bullet grazes your wrist (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) and sends your weapon spinning from your grasp.</p>
1298 <p>Instantly Knott moves to retaliate but the smoking pistol is now aimed at his face.</p>
1299 <p><quote>Drop it,</quote> growls the stranger, and reluctantly Knott obeys his command.</p>
1300 <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
1304 <section class="numbered" id="sect69">
1305 <meta><title>69</title></meta>
1308 <p>A long-limbed clansman dressed in a tiger-striped combat suit is standing at the corner of the street. He is directing the attack and, judging by the way the other clansmen react to his orders, he must be their commander.</p>
1309 <choice idref="sect133">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 133</link-text>.</choice>
1310 <choice idref="sect248">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 248</link-text>.</choice>
1311 <choice idref="sect278">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 278</link-text>.</choice>
1312 <choice idref="sect339">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 339</link-text>.</choice>
1316 <section class="numbered" id="sect70">
1317 <meta><title>70</title></meta>
1320 <p>You anticipate Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s attack and steer into the collision. Your skilful manoeuvre enables you to keep in a straight line and sends Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s speedster veering away to the left. You hit the ramp, shoot through the narrow gap and cross the bridge, glancing in your mirror to see Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s car soar into the air. For a moment it seems to hang in the sky, then it tips forward and plummets into the drainageway.</p>
1321 <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
1325 <section class="numbered" id="sect71">
1326 <meta><title>71</title></meta>
1329 <p>You race up the stairs and find an office that overlooks the main street. From the window you watch the clan rider bring his motorcycle to a halt at the edge of town. He is wearing a close-fitting black leather riding suit, a full-face black crash helmet, and is sporting a rig of combat equipment that makes him look like a futuristic space warrior.</p>
1330 <p>Slowly he climbs off his machine, pausing briefly to adjust the controls of his air-conditioned riding suit. Then he unsheathes a scoped rifle from his saddle holster and advances along the main street, using the shadowy doorways of the stores and offices to cover his approach. He is thirty yards away, on the opposite side of the street, when he stops to select an orange-tipped bullet from a pouch at his hip. You watch with fearful anticipation as he presses the round into the breach of his rifle, raises the weapon to his shoulder, and takes aim at your motorcycle. There is a sharp crack, followed by a roaring boom as the incendiary round ignites and explodes the fuel tank.</p>
1331 <p>With pounding heart, you watch as coolly he lowers his rifle and proceeds to reload it.</p>
1332 <choice idref="sect111">If you wish to attempt to shoot the assassin while he is busy reloading his rifle, <link-text>turn to 111</link-text>.</choice>
1333 <choice idref="sect241">If you have insufficient ammunition, or if you choose not to fire at the assassin, <link-text>turn to 241</link-text>.</choice>
1337 <section class="numbered" id="sect72">
1338 <meta><title>72</title></meta>
1341 <p><quote>Hold it right there!</quote> screams the clansman, as he fixes you with his flashlight. He stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound comes loping across the desks towards you. Desperately you try to pass through the window before he can raise his gun and fire. Unfortunately, the clansman has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol, which is already aimed at your chest. Callously he watches as you struggle to get clear, then he pulls the trigger and sprays the window with a deadly hail of lead.</p>
1342 <p>Hot cores of pain erupt in your right thigh and shoulder as three of the bullets clip you and send you spinning out of the window<ch.emdash/>lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Reeling from the impact of your fall and the pain of your wounds, you drag yourself to your feet and stagger down the fire escape as quickly as you are able.</p>
1343 <choice idref="sect282"><link-text>Turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
1347 <section class="numbered" id="sect73">
1348 <meta><title>73</title></meta>
1351 <p>You are within a few feet of firm ground when the bark of the tree you are grasping tears loose in your hands. Desperately you throw out your arms in an attempt to find new purchase, but you are already falling and your flailing hands claw only air.</p>
1352 <p>For a few seconds your senses are scrambled as you somersault backwards through the empty sky. Then you hit an outcrop of rock and instantly all feeling deserts your body, saving you from experiencing the pain of your shattered bones when finally you crash to the valley floor below.</p>
1353 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Pedregosa Mountains.</p>
1357 <section class="numbered" id="sect74">
1358 <meta><title>74</title></meta>
1361 <p>You race across to the gas station and slide to a halt behind its solitary pump just as the first of the bikers reaches the apex of the bridge. Seconds later the captain<ch.apos/>s voice bellows the order: <quote>Open fire!</quote> The others obey, strafing the Angelinos as they come speeding off the bridge. Two riders are hit and fall from their machines; a third has his front tyre shot out and loses control, crashing into the parapet; but the fourth rider seems to escape injury and comes screaming away from the bridge, heading on a collision course with the gas pump. An icicle of fear stabs your heart as you realize that he does not intend to stop.</p>
1362 <choice idref="sect299">If you wish to fire at the approaching biker and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 299</link-text>.</choice>
1363 <choice idref="sect182">If you decide to dive out of his path, <link-text>turn to 182</link-text>.</choice>
1364 <choice idref="sect268">If your Perception skill total is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 268</link-text>.</choice>
1368 <section class="numbered" id="sect75">
1369 <meta><title>75</title></meta>
1372 <p>As the jeep speeds away from Lordsburg, you watch the blazing wreckage disappear slowly into the night. You are half-expecting a horde of clansmen to come roaring out of the town in hot pursuit, but as you make your escape there is no sign of any clan activity.</p>
1373 <p>You cover fifteen miles, reaching the intersection with Highway 80, when the jeep runs out of fuel. The captain lets it cruise to the side of the freeway, and as soon as it stops he leaps out and walks around to the back to unhook a large fuel can that is strapped to the spare tyre.</p>
1374 <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s your turn to drive, Cal,</quote> he says, as he shakes the can. You obey this command and settle yourself in the driving seat while he pours the contents into the jeep<ch.apos/>s empty tank. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s about two gallons in this,</quote> he says, as the precious gas sloshes into the filler pipe. <quote>It<ch.apos/>s not going to get us very far.</quote></p>
1375 <p>The captain is pouring in the last few drops of the spare gas when suddenly you discover why you were not followed out of Lordsburg.</p>
1376 <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
1380 <section class="numbered" id="sect76">
1381 <meta><title>76</title></meta>
1384 <p>You throw yourself to the ground, biting back your urge to scream as you gash the palms of your hands and your knees on the jagged rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott follows your lead and the beam of torchlight passes over your still bodies without stopping. It hovers nearby for a few seconds then moves away.</p>
1385 <p>Slowly you crawl the final few yards to cover. When both of you are hidden from view, you wait for your breathing to return to normal before glancing around the pillar to see if the coast is clear. The three clansmen are now searching the place where the rock landed. Confident that you have not been detected, you readjust your equipment and continue on your way.</p>
1386 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
1390 <section class="numbered" id="sect77">
1391 <meta><title>77</title></meta>
1394 <p>You have inadvertently stumbled upon a remote survivalist colony, which undoubtedly had the foresight to prepare a shelter long before the holocaust occurred. Your arrival and means of entry must have convinced them that they are under concerted attack, and they have sought sanctuary in the lower levels of their shelter.</p>
1395 <p>You share your thoughts with Knott and he agrees with your assessment of the situation. Rather than risk it ending in tragedy, he calls out to whoever is hiding below, assuring them that you wish them no harm and asking them to come out and talk with you.</p>
1396 <choice idref="sect280"><link-text>Turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
1400 <section class="numbered" id="sect78">
1401 <meta><title>78</title></meta>
1404 <p>To find yourself looking into the muzzle of your enemy<ch.apos/>s assault rifle sends a shiver down your spine. You must fire first and make it count if you are to survive this deadly situation.</p>
1405 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
1406 <choice idref="sect20">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 20</link-text>.</choice>
1407 <choice idref="sect213">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 213</link-text>.</choice>
1411 <section class="numbered" id="sect79">
1412 <meta><title>79</title></meta>
1415 <p>Unfortunately, you are unable to find any water purification tablets among the supplies in your Medi-kit. The spring looks cool and clean, but you know only too well that appearances are deceptive. The water could easily be contaminated with dangerous bacteria, viral organisms, or residual radioactivity, which could kill you in a matter of hours, days or weeks.</p>
1416 <p>Rather than risk your life, reluctantly you avoid the spring.</p>
1417 <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
1421 <section class="numbered" id="sect80">
1422 <meta><title>80</title></meta>
1425 <p>You sleep deeply but not for very long: the truck comes to a stop barely an hour after you closed your eyes, and you are woken by the sudden lack of movement. <quote>Where are we?</quote> you ask, shielding your bleary eyes from the glare of the early morning sunlight.</p>
1426 <p><quote>Bout a mile from the border,</quote> says the captain, as he pulls open the tailgate latch and lets the heavy section swing down noisily. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s trouble up ahead. You two had better take a look for y<ch.apos/>selves.</quote></p>
1427 <p>You and Sergeant Haskell stretch your aching limbs, then ease yourselves down from the truck to take a look at your surroundings. You have stopped on a boulder-strewn highway that descends towards a town occupying a narrow mountain pass. North, beyond the sun-bleached buildings, the peaks of the Florida Mountains dominate the skyline. To the west of the town, another highway branches away at a junction that is marked with a battered road sign.</p>
1428 <choice idref="sect126">If you possess a pair of <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ>, <link-text>turn to 126</link-text>.</choice>
1429 <choice idref="sect232">If you do not possess this Backpack item, <link-text>turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
1433 <section class="numbered" id="sect81">
1434 <meta><title>81</title></meta>
1437 <p><quote>I think they were waiting to hear some good news from an agent they sent after us,</quote> you reply, as you walk together towards the place where Kate has parked your roadster. <quote>They<ch.apos/>ve a long wait if they<ch.apos/>re still expecting him to call.</quote></p>
1438 <p>Kate looks at you with a puzzled expression, and you recount in detail the events that befell the team during the escape from Ciudad Juarez. As you drive out of Benson, you tell her how Frankland, Haskell and Knott met their deaths, and how you avenged them in your showdown with their murderer, Helmut Varken, at the Tombstone courthouse.</p>
1439 <p><quote>What d<ch.apos/>you think<ch.apos/>s gonna happen when Mad Dog finds out that you<ch.apos/>ve killed Varken?</quote> she asks, nervously.</p>
1440 <p><quote>Well, he ain<ch.apos/>t gonna be happy, that<ch.apos/>s f<ch.apos/>sure, especially after what we did at Ciudad. I don<ch.apos/>t know what he<ch.apos/>ll do. I guess we<ch.apos/>ll just have to wait an<ch.apos/> see.</quote></p>
1441 <p>Unfortunately, you do not have to wait long.</p>
1442 <choice idref="sect252"><link-text>Turn to 252</link-text>.</choice>
1446 <section class="numbered" id="sect82">
1447 <meta><title>82</title></meta>
1450 <p>You strike swiftly, silently and lethally. As soon as it is all over, the captain signals to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott. They rush to the jeep, returning your equipment, and then help him to search the Mavericks<ch.apos/> bodies before hiding them in the bus depot. Of the items that are found, you can choose from the following three:</p>
1452 <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
1453 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
1454 <li>Bowie Knife (3)</li>
1456 <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
1457 <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
1458 <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
1462 <section class="numbered" id="sect83">
1463 <meta><title>83</title></meta>
1466 <p>As you lumber towards the trees, another shot echoes across the mountains. Almost immediately you feel something sharp, like a hot razor, cut across your thigh: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1467 <p>The pain makes you flinch, but you dare not stop for fear of being picked off by the sniper. You reach the trees and throw yourself down behind a thick pine, breathless with the sheer exertion of your ordeal. As you lie there, nursing your wounded leg and fighting to control the nausea that rises in waves, Marine Knott crawls to your side and tugs at your sleeve.</p>
1468 <p><quote>We stand a better chance if we can get deeper into the forest,</quote> he says, his voice betraying the fear that is gnawing at his insides like a voracious rat. You blink your approval and struggle to follow him as he crawls across the tinder-dry bed of pine needles and sickly brown vegetation that covers the tall trees<ch.apos/> roots.</p>
1469 <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
1473 <section class="numbered" id="sect84">
1474 <meta><title>84</title></meta>
1477 <p>Suddenly the dog begins to bark<ch.emdash/>he has seen you. Automatically you cock your gun as the clansman spins around and points his machine pistol at you. Unable to move from your hiding place, you have no choice but to fire at your enemy before he sees you clearly.</p>
1478 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
1479 <choice idref="sect194">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 194</link-text>.</choice>
1480 <choice idref="sect228">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 228</link-text>.</choice>
1484 <section class="numbered" id="sect85">
1485 <meta><title>85</title></meta>
1488 <p>Knott screams, and you see his head forced flat against his shoulder by the impact of the sniper<ch.apos/>s bullet. Crab-like he staggers sideways, then for a few brief seconds he seems to defy gravity before finally crashing to the ground. You rush to his side to find dark blood trickling from beneath his hairline; instinctively you know that it is already too late to help him.</p>
1489 <p>A rush of adrenaline, triggered by the anger and resentment you feel towards Knott<ch.apos/>s assassin, surges through your veins and spurs you to immediate action. You grab your gun and scurry towards the steps, seeking cover there below the lip of the crater. A second shot rings out and a high-velocity bullet kicks up a column of dust within inches of your face. As you duck, you see the muzzle flash and pinpoint the assassin<ch.apos/>s position among some foliage, twenty yards away to your left. You know that for as long as you keep your head below ground level you will be safe from his rifle. You also know that he can move to another position whenever he chooses.</p>
1490 <p>Cautiously you glance over the lip of the crater, looking for somewhere safer to hide, and spot a clump of dense foliage less than ten yards from the steps.</p>
1491 <choice idref="sect295">If you have sufficient ammunition to be able to fire your gun, <link-text>turn to 295</link-text>.</choice>
1492 <choice idref="sect261">If you have insufficient ammunition to be able to fire, <link-text>turn to 261</link-text>.</choice>
1496 <section class="numbered" id="sect86">
1497 <meta><title>86</title></meta>
1500 <p>Comfort is hard to find as the truck speeds along the pot-holed Mexican highway that heads west out of Ciudad Juarez. You brace your feet against the bench seat opposite and hang on to the tailgate with your free hand in an effort to keep the bruising to a minimum, but to little avail. Outside, the mountains rush past on either side, lit by the moon yet softened by the clouds of dust billowing in the truck<ch.apos/>s wake. Both the captain and the sergeant are searching the truck while you keep a watchful eye open for the clansmen. Your thoughts wander, and you find yourself thinking of the perils that must be facing Kate and the rest of the colony at this moment as they stage their vital break-out from Fort Bliss. You can only hope and pray that the destruction of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s headquarters has secured their escape.</p>
1501 <p>A flickering pin-prick of light alerts you to danger. It grows brighter, then divides into two, three, then five. The lights grow larger until you can make out the silhouettes of five clan bikers speeding along the highway in hot pursuit.</p>
1502 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got visitors!</quote> you shout, steadying your gun. But Haskell and Frankland do not respond: they are examining something on the floor near the cab and do not hear your warning.</p>
1503 <p>The leading biker is now less than ten yards away from the tailgate, his headlight shining full in your face. Gunshots crack and bullets ricochet off the rear as his pillion rider attempts to shoot you dead.</p>
1504 <choice idref="sect172">If you are using a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 172</link-text>.</choice>
1505 <choice idref="sect337">If you are using a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 337</link-text>.</choice>
1506 <choice idref="sect246">If you are using a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 246</link-text>.</choice>
1507 <choice idref="sect219">If you are using a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 219</link-text>.</choice>
1511 <section class="numbered" id="sect87">
1512 <meta><title>87</title></meta>
1515 <p>You scream as Mad Dog opens fire with his machine pistol, and slam your foot on the brake pedal. Your swift action saves you from death but you do not escape unscathed. One bullet clips your forearm and another grazes your neck: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1516 <p>Knowing that your enemy has only one hand on the wheel of his speeding car, you nudge the side of his speedster, tempting him to retaliate, and then, when he rises to your challenge, you brake heavily. Because he is still holding his machine pistol, he fails to react in time to prevent his car from crossing in front of you and hitting the central barrier. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You put your foot down and overtake him on the left, powering your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier<ch.apos/>s magnet-like grip.</p>
1517 <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
1521 <section class="numbered" id="sect88">
1522 <meta><title>88</title></meta>
1525 <p>Like a cat, you spring forward and pad towards the clansman as quickly and as quietly as you can. He is standing half-crouched when he sees you, and immediately he retreats, still bent over, until his back hits the gas pump and he can go no further. You strike first, confident of victory, but he avoids the blow and retaliates with a punch to your body. You pull away, evading the punch, but it has served its purpose. It buys the clansman the few seconds he needs to draw a knife from his belt.</p>
1526 <illustration class="float">
1528 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1529 <description>The clansman avoids the blow and retaliates with a punch to your body.</description>
1531 <instance class="html" src="ill5.gif" width="386" height="612" />
1532 <instance class="pdf" src="ill5.pdf" width="386" height="612" />
1534 <combat><enemy>Big Apple</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
1535 <choice idref="sect192">If you win and the combat lasts five rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
1536 <choice idref="sect11">if the fight lasts six rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 11</link-text>.</choice>
1540 <section class="numbered" id="sect89">
1541 <meta><title>89</title></meta>
1544 <p>The incessant noise of the dogs is making your stomach churn. Then you catch sight of them<ch.emdash/>two slack-jowled bloodhounds<ch.emdash/>padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
1545 <p><quote>Run for it!</quote> you hiss, pointing towards the ruins. Knott turns and sprints away. As soon as he is clear of the ditch, the dogs begin to bark wildly, alerting their handlers to your position. You scramble out and follow your partner, praying that you will reach cover before the clansmen see you and open fire. Your prayers are answered. In his haste the clansman drops his flashlight, and before he can retrieve it and switch it on, you follow Knott through the open door of a derelict building.</p>
1546 <p><quote>We stand a better chance if we split up,</quote> you say, casting an anxious glance over your shoulder at the yellow light that is now streaming through the doorway. <quote>But remember<ch.emdash/>meet up at the bridge as planned.</quote></p>
1547 <p>The torchlight illuminates the interior sufficiently for you to be able to make out two possible exits: a carpeted staircase leading to the first floor, and another leading down to the basement.</p>
1548 <choice idref="sect237">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
1549 <choice idref="sect58">If you decide to descend to the basement, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
1553 <section class="numbered" id="sect90">
1554 <meta><title>90</title></meta>
1557 <p>Gradually the condition of the road improves and you are able to increase your speed. Five miles have slipped swiftly under your wheels when you see the ruins of a town, shimmering on the horizon, and catch a glimpse of the metalled highway that runs through it, heading north to south.</p>
1558 <p>It is the ruins of Tombstone, famed for the swift and ferocious gunfight that took place here at the OK Corral on 26 October, 1881. As you approach the town and see its faded sign, you remember the old romantic Hollywood films you saw when you were young, in which Doc Holliday and the Earp brothers met and defeated the Clantons and McLowerys, their bitter, sworn enemies. The post-holocaust storms have left this place looking much like it must have done to those men when they shot it out over 100 years ago. The historical buildings are sun-bleached and shabby, and the main street is completely empty, devoid even of auto wrecks and other twenty-first century debris.</p>
1559 <p>As you ride along the main street, you notice that the sound of your motorcycle<ch.apos/>s engine has grown coarser and louder; it is as if it were filled with loose nuts and bolts.</p>
1560 <choice idref="sect154">If you possess some <typ class="item">Engine Oil</typ>, <link-text>turn to 154</link-text>.</choice>
1561 <choice idref="sect313">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 313</link-text>.</choice>
1565 <section class="numbered" id="sect91">
1566 <meta><title>91</title></meta>
1569 <p>Mad Dog follows your manoeuvre and rams you towards the crash barrier. Kate screams as the barrier looms into view: a high-speed collision is imminent.</p>
1570 <p>Add together your Driving skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
1571 <choice idref="sect52">If your total score is 20 or less, <link-text>turn to 52</link-text>.</choice>
1572 <choice idref="sect231">If your score is 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 231</link-text>.</choice>
1576 <section class="numbered" id="sect92">
1577 <meta><title>92</title></meta>
1580 <p>The only way you know of retrieving gasolene from a fuel tank is by siphoning, and to do this you need a length of tubing. You search the parking lot, but can find nothing that remotely resembles a length of flexible pipe. Then you remember something that Cutter taught you when you were learning to drive, and the recollection of it spreads a smile across your face. Using a braided fuel line cut from the carburettor, you are able to siphon more than a gallon of gasolene from the truck<ch.apos/>s fuel tank. Once you are sure that you have retrieved as much fuel as possible, you seal the fuel can and call for Marine Knott to join you in the parking lot.</p>
1581 <p>If you wish to keep the braided fuel line, mark it as a <typ class="item">Plastic Tube</typ> on your list of Backpack Items.</p>
1582 <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
1586 <section class="numbered" id="sect93">
1587 <meta><title>93</title></meta>
1590 <p>By keeping strictly to the alleys and side streets you are able to make your way deep into the heart of the city, avoiding the numerous clan patrols. At length you reach the banks of the Rio Grande and follow the river westwards towards your rendezvous destination. Your early encounters with Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge for it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch shows that you have less than ten minutes to spare.</p>
1591 <p>You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked. Instinctively you reach for your gun as you spin around to face your potential attacker, but your fear quickly evaporates when you see the familiar face of Marine Knott peering at you from over the walkway wall.</p>
1592 <p><quote>You<ch.apos/>re getting a touch careless, Cal,</quote> he says, as he holsters his pistol and clambers over the wall to join you.</p>
1593 <p><quote>Yeah, you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> you reply, self-consciously. <quote>I oughta know by now. Better late than dead, right?</quote></p>
1594 <p><quote>Right,</quote> he says, and slaps you reassuringly on the back. <quote>The bridge is over there. It<ch.apos/>ll only take a few minutes to reach it. If all<ch.apos/>s well, the captain and Sergeant Haskell should be there already waitin<ch.apos/> for us.</quote></p>
1595 <p>You set off, soon reaching a cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge. As Knott predicted, Frankland and Haskell are waiting for you to show and, as you approach the buildings, they call you over to join them. They have already scouted the bridge and determined that there are four clan guards on the bridge itself, but none at all on the service walkway that runs beneath it.</p>
1596 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve less than an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,</quote> says the captain, checking his watch. <quote>Is everyone ready?</quote></p>
1597 <p>You nod in unison. <quote>OK then. Let<ch.apos/>s go!</quote></p>
1598 <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
1602 <section class="numbered" id="sect94">
1603 <meta><title>94</title></meta>
1606 <p>As you begin to climb the steep trail, you fail to notice a wire leg snare, designed to trap rabbit or other small game, which has been set near the bottom of the slope. You set it off, and the wire tightens around your ankle, cutting deep into the flesh: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1607 <p>After extricating your leg, you notice that the snare is in remarkably good condition, indicating that it has been set sometime within the last ten days at most.</p>
1608 <p>Someone else must be living here in the forest, setting this type of snare to catch fresh food. You tell Knott of your find before proceeding with renewed caution.</p>
1609 <choice idref="sect311"><link-text>Turn to 311</link-text>.</choice>
1613 <section class="numbered" id="sect95">
1614 <meta><title>95</title></meta>
1617 <p>The clansmen are armed with assault rifles, which they empty at the truck. Bullets ricochet from the rear and whistle past on every side, forcing you to duck behind the tailgate for cover. Your reflexes save you from being hit, but as you duck for cover, you catch your chin on the edge of the tailgate, splitting the skin: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
1618 <p>The firing stops and you raise your head in time to see the clan leader running into the middle of the highway, his hand outstretched to pick up a walkie-talkie that must have dropped from his pocket. He could attempt to radio another clan outpost, perhaps in Mimbres or even nearer, and forewarn them of your arrival.</p>
1619 <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to attempt to shoot the clansman to prevent him from using his radio, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
1620 <choice idref="sect335">If you have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to fire at him, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
1624 <section class="numbered" id="sect96">
1625 <meta><title>96</title></meta>
1628 <p>Having satisfied yourself that nothing has been overlooked, you leave the drug store and return to your motorcycle. Before you start the engine you make a quick check of the cooling fins and notice that they are very hot to the touch. The lack of oil is causing the engine to overheat. As you remount the machine and kick start the engine, you hope desperately that it will keep running long enough to get you back to the colony.</p>
1629 <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
1633 <section class="numbered" id="sect97">
1634 <meta><title>97</title></meta>
1637 <footnote id="sect97-1-foot" idref="sect97-1">
1638 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
1643 <p>You fire and hit the Angelino clansman in the side as he roars past your hiding place, sending him tumbling from his machine to hit the ground in a cloud of dust.<a id="sect97-1" idref="sect97-1-foot" class="footnote" /> It is not until the dust settles and your heartbeat begins to slow that you realize that you have been wounded.</p>
1644 <p>A neat hole in your jacket sleeve marks the entry point of a machine pistol bullet. Fortunately, it is a clean wound and there is very little bleeding, the slug having passed through the muscle of your inner forearm, missing the bone by a hair<ch.apos/>s breadth: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1645 <p>Soon the feeling returns and your arm begins to ache viciously. Marine Knott helps you to clean and bandage the wound while the others search the clansmen<ch.apos/>s bodies.</p>
1646 <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
1650 <section class="numbered" id="sect98">
1651 <meta><title>98</title></meta>
1654 <p>You bring your rifle to your shoulder and, as you align the sights at the assassin<ch.apos/>s chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding rooftops. This strikes you as a curious thing to do as the buildings are close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
1655 <p>He dips the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced-resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you squeeze the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
1656 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
1657 <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
1658 <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
1662 <section class="numbered" id="sect99">
1663 <meta><title>99</title></meta>
1666 <footnote id="sect99-1-foot" idref="sect99-1">
1667 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
1672 <p>The commander dives aside fast enough to avoid being hit, but one of his men is not so lucky. As he runs around the corner, he catches your gunfire full in the chest and is thrown backwards to the ground.<a id="sect99-1" idref="sect99-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
1673 <p>Angered by your attempt to kill him, the hard-faced clan commander unslings his rifle and throws himself down behind the man you have just shot, using his body as a shield.</p>
1674 <choice idref="sect78">If you wish to fire at the commander before he can fire at you, <link-text>turn to 78</link-text>.</choice>
1676 <choice idref="sect301">If you decide to take cover behind the tailgate, <link-text>turn to 301</link-text>.</choice>
1680 <section class="numbered" id="sect100">
1681 <meta><title>100</title></meta>
1684 <p>After considering the situation, Captain Frankland calls the team together in a room at the rear of the derelict cafe. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve got two options, men,</quote> he says, quietly. <quote>Either we ambush the trucks before they reach the race track, or we hit <ch.lsquot/>em once they<ch.apos/>re inside. What d<ch.apos/>you think, sergeant?</quote></p>
1685 <p>Haskell shifts uneasily, his face lined with concentration. <quote>I think we<ch.apos/>re gonna have t<ch.apos/> blow them once they<ch.apos/>re inside, sir. We don<ch.apos/>t know for sure which direction they<ch.apos/>ll approach from, and, considerin<ch.apos/> what they<ch.apos/>ve got on board, I doubt if they<ch.apos/>ll stop for anything until they<ch.apos/>re safe inside Michigan<ch.apos/>s HQ.</quote> You nod in agreement, as does Marine Knott.</p>
1686 <p><quote>Very well then. If we can<ch.apos/>t ambush <ch.lsquot/>em on the outside, we<ch.apos/>ll have to get inside the track and destroy <ch.lsquot/>em there. It<ch.apos/>ll make our chances of escape a whole lot shorter, but I agree with you<ch.emdash/>I reckon we have no choice.</quote></p>
1687 <p>Having decided on a plan of action, Sergeant Haskell distributes the mines, one to each man. <quote>Set the timers to five minutes,</quote> he says, and demonstrates how to do this using his own charge. <quote>They<ch.apos/>re magnetic, so try to fix them to the fuel tank if possible. Failing that, place them as near to the explosives as you can get.</quote></p>
1688 <p>You examine the heavy, saucer-like device and then carefully set its clockwork timer, according to Haskell<ch.apos/>s instructions. Finally, you flick across the safety cover so that it protects the detonator button, and slip the mine inside your Backpack.</p>
1689 <p>Record the <typ class="item">Contact Mine</typ> on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item. If you already possess the maximum quota of Backpack Items, you must discard one article in its favour.</p>
1690 <choice idref="sect124">To continue, <link-text>turn to 124</link-text>.</choice>
1694 <section class="numbered" id="sect101">
1695 <meta><title>101</title></meta>
1698 <p>Puzzled and frustrated by his unexpected retreat, all manner of questions form in your mind. Did he see you? Was he only a clan scout and not the sniper after all? Did the sniper overtake you during the night, and is he now lying in wait somewhere on the road ahead?</p>
1699 <p>After several minutes of useless deliberation you try to lay aside these thoughts and apply yourself to the task of rejoining your colony. Without transport, the journey is going to be extremely difficult, so you decide to try to salvage your discarded motorcycle. To the west, the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the edge of the gully. Then you lower yourself down the final slope to where your motorcycle lies at the bottom. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars and the front wheel alignment, you climb astride it and restart the engine on the fifth kick.</p>
1700 <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, and, as you clear the crest of the gully, you bring your motorcycle to a halt in order to take a last look at the retreating clansman. For a moment the recent memory of your murdered companions sends a shiver along your spine, but the memory fades quickly when you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road, heading west.</p>
1701 <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
1705 <section class="numbered" id="sect102">
1706 <meta><title>102</title></meta>
1709 <p>You and Captain Frankland curse your bad luck: first the clansmen at Columbus and now this breakdown have thwarted your hopes of a rendezvous with the colony at Deming. Then suddenly it occurs to you that if the colony were able to reach Deming on time, they would by now have realized that you were not going to make it, and would have continued along Interstate 10 as planned. You are less than fifteen miles from this freeway, and should be well within radio range.</p>
1710 <p>With your hopes high, you retrieve your CB transceiver from your pack, switch on, and key in the frequency used by DC1. <quote>Phoenix to DC1, Phoenix to DC1,</quote> you call, but the only reply you receive is a loud burst of static. After trying several different frequencies, you finally accept that you cannot get through.</p>
1711 <p><quote>Don<ch.apos/>t worry, Cal,</quote> says the captain on seeing how disappointed you are. <quote>At least if we can<ch.apos/>t use the radio to keep in touch, then neither can Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men.</quote></p>
1712 <p>It is early evening before Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott return, but at least their journey was not in vain. The ignition unit that Knott spotted at the gas station works perfectly when fitted to the truck, and within half an hour of their return, the engine is running smoothly once more and you are able to continue.</p>
1713 <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
1717 <section class="numbered" id="sect103">
1718 <meta><title>103</title></meta>
1721 <p>The bullet clips your left shoulder and pitches you into the trees on the far side of the plateau (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). The land drops steeply, causing you to tumble head over heels through the scrub and bracken. When eventually you come to a stop, you are covered from head to toe with scratches and other minor abrasions (lose an additional 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points).</p>
1722 <p>Painfully you stagger to your feet and force yourself to continue your descent. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your climb, and you stop briefly to bathe your wounds and to try to determine if you are still being followed. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
1723 <p>Your strength returns and with trepidation you continue, leaving the trail to follow the water as it flows west towards the Swissheim Mountain. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your <a idref="map">map</a>, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1724 <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
1725 <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
1729 <section class="numbered" id="sect104">
1730 <meta><title>104</title></meta>
1733 <p>Instinctively you reach for your gun as you spin around to face your potential attacker, but your fear fades quickly when you see the familiar face of Marine Knott peering at you from over the walkway wall.</p>
1734 <p><quote>You<ch.apos/>re getting a touch careless, Cal,</quote> he says, as he holsters his pistol and clambers over the wall to join you.</p>
1735 <p><quote>Yeah, you<ch.apos/>re right,</quote> you reply, self-consciously. <quote>I oughta know by now. Better late than dead, right?</quote></p>
1736 <p><quote>Right,</quote> he says, and slaps you reassuringly on the back. <quote>The bridge is over there. It<ch.apos/>ll only take a few minutes to reach it. If all<ch.apos/>s well, the captain and Sergeant Haskell should already be there waitin<ch.apos/> for us.</quote></p>
1737 <p>You set off, soon reaching a cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge. As Knott predicted, Frankland and Haskell are waiting for you to show and, as you approach the buildings, they call you over to join them. They have already scouted the bridge and determined that there are four clan guards on the bridge itself, but none at all on the service walkway that runs beneath it.</p>
1738 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve less than an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,</quote> says the captain, checking his watch. <quote>Is everyone ready?</quote></p>
1739 <p>You nod in unison. <quote>OK then. Let<ch.apos/>s go!</quote></p>
1740 <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
1744 <section class="numbered" id="sect105">
1745 <meta><title>105</title></meta>
1748 <p>The door buckles under the impact, driving a piece of twisted metal into your ribs: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1749 <p>Despite the fearful pain, you have the presence of mind to steer into the collision. Your swift and skilful manoeuvre enables you to keep a straight line and sends Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s speedster veering away to the left. You hit the ramp, shoot through the narrow gap, and cross the bridge, glancing in your mirror to see Mad Dog Michigan<ch.apos/>s car soar into the air. For a moment it seems to hang in the sky, then it tips forward and plummets into the drainageway.</p>
1750 <illustration class="float">
1752 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1753 <description>For a moment the car seems to hang in the sky, then it tips forward and plummets into the drainageway.</description>
1755 <instance class="html" src="ill6.gif" width="386" height="626" />
1756 <instance class="pdf" src="ill6.pdf" width="386" height="626" />
1758 <choice idref="sect350"><link-text>Turn to 350</link-text>.</choice>
1762 <section class="numbered" id="sect106">
1763 <meta><title>106</title></meta>
1766 <p><quote>I think I might have the answer to our problem,</quote> you say, as you fish in your Backpack for the solar regulator. The unit is not designed to fit this vehicle, but you plan to attach it to the battery<ch.apos/>s terminals and then short circuit the unit to provide a surge of power, sufficient to recharge the battery and spark the engine.</p>
1767 <p>It takes nearly an hour to rewire the regulator, by which time the sun is beating down directly on to the exposed, unregulated solar core. The cells at the core convert the solar power unchecked, and within a few minutes the unit is humming and giving off wisps of pungent blue smoke.</p>
1768 <p><quote>Try starting it now,</quote> you call out to Knott, who is sitting in the driver<ch.apos/>s seat, looking as anxious as if he were sitting on a ticking time bomb. He hot-wires the ignition switch and immediately the engine coughs and splutters into life. As soon as it is running smoothly, you cover your hands with your leather jacket, disconnect the red-hot regulator from the battery, and throw it away.</p>
1769 <p>This item is now beyond repair: remember to erase it from your list of Backpack Items before you continue.</p>
1770 <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
1774 <section class="numbered" id="sect107">
1775 <meta><title>107</title></meta>
1778 <p>A sharp pain courses up your leg as you scrape your shin and twist your ankle simultaneously: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1779 <p>You fall, but moments later Sergeant Haskell drags you to your feet and bundles you towards the truck. As you arrive, the captain reaches down and grabs you by the jacket, and together the two men push and pull you unceremoniously over the tailgate.</p>
1780 <p>As the sergeant leaps aboard and Knott takes off towards the west gate, you discover that you have lost some items of equipment as a result of your fall. Erase from your Backpack the item you have recorded last on your list. Also, erase two Medi-kit units and six rounds of ammunition (any calibre).</p>
1781 <choice idref="sect5">To continue, <link-text>turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
1785 <section class="numbered" id="sect108">
1786 <meta><title>108</title></meta>
1789 <p>An old US Mail panel truck is the only vehicle in the Post Office parking lot. Its tyres have rotted, its battery is dead, and its engine is so full of dust that it will never work again. However, it still has some gasolene left in its fuel tank. The truck may not carry you anywhere but you cannot readily abandon its fuel.</p>
1790 <p>You look for some means of collecting the gas, and discover an empty fuel can lying in the cab. However, you are still faced with the problem of getting the gasolene out of the truck<ch.apos/>s fuel tank.</p>
1791 <choice idref="sect269">If you possess a <typ class="item">Plastic Tube</typ>, <link-text>turn to 269</link-text>.</choice>
1792 <choice idref="sect92">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 92</link-text>.</choice>
1796 <section class="numbered" id="sect109">
1797 <meta><title>109</title></meta>
1800 <p>Hastily you flip open your Backpack and remove a handful of dried jackrabbit meat. Knott anticipates what you are planning to do and quickly uncorks his canteen and splashes the stringy meat with water. You hurl it in the direction of the hounds and make a dash for the ruins before the dogs catch sight of you attempting to escape.</p>
1801 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total. For every Meal (in excess of one) that you decide to use, add 3 points to your total.</p>
1802 <choice idref="sect265">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 265</link-text>.</choice>
1803 <choice idref="sect234">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 234</link-text>.</choice>
1807 <section class="numbered" id="sect110">
1808 <meta><title>110</title></meta>
1811 <p>After ten hours<ch.apos/> deep, uninterrupted sleep, you wake feeling thoroughly refreshed: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The barricade is still intact and, once it is dismantled, you arm yourself before investigating the six other buildings that comprise the town. All of them are empty and show no signs of having been entered during the night, prompting you to believe that you may, at least for the time being , have given the assassin the slip.</p>
1812 <p>In a shack behind the diner you discover a motorcycle that is in a serviceable condition. The tyres are sound and the gas tank is over half full with gasolene, but its oil level is very low. As you kick start the engine you can only hope that it will get you as far as Tucson before breaking down.</p>
1813 <p>After studying the <a idref="map">map</a> you mount your new vehicle and set off, heading north along Highway 666. You have ridden only seven miles when a collapsed bridge forces you to change direction and travel west along an unmarked mountain road. You enjoy the cool breeze whipping through your hair as you ride at speed along this empty trail, and you cover more than twenty miles before coming to a small town where a sign proclaims:</p>
1814 <signpost>GLEESON WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS</signpost>
1815 <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to stop at this mountain town, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
1816 <choice idref="sect50">If you decide to ride through without stopping, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
1820 <section class="numbered" id="sect111">
1821 <meta><title>111</title></meta>
1824 <p>You give your enemy your undivided attention, for he is a formidable opponent. Also, he presents a difficult target: he is partially hidden behind the brick pillar of a hardware store, and his black suit merges readily with the shadows. Despite these disadvantages, you know that this may be your only chance to put an end to his pursuit and avenge the lives of your three dead comrades.</p>
1825 <p>You watch as be completes the reloading of his rifle. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding rooftops. This seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
1826 <p>You prepare your own weapon and get ready to take aim. Then a chill stabs your heart as he scans the first floor windows of the courthouse and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, high-resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
1827 <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you cannot help but fear that he has already located your position.</p>
1828 <choice idref="sect327"><link-text>Turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
1832 <section class="numbered" id="sect112">
1833 <meta><title>112</title></meta>
1836 <footnote id="sect112-1-foot" idref="sect112-1">
1837 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
1842 <p>You fire, and above the roar of the engines you hear the leading rider scream out in pain.<a id="sect112-1" idref="sect112-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Your gunfire has wounded him in the hand, severing two fingers. He loses control of his machine, which swerves violently to the left, somersaults, and then bursts into flame.</p>
1843 <p>The incident scares the other riders sufficiently for them to pull back to a safe distance. They continue to tail the truck, but at least they are now out of range.</p>
1844 <choice idref="sect149"><link-text>Turn to 149</link-text>.</choice>
1848 <section class="numbered" id="sect113">
1849 <meta><title>113</title></meta>
1852 <p>The muzzle of the gun belches flame, and in the close confines of the corridor the noise of its discharge is deafening. Something stabs you in the chest, and an instant later you are lying on your back, staring at one of the dim electric bulbs in the ceiling. You sense Knott moving past you, but you can no longer hear clearly, or feel anything save the numbness that has engulfed your body.</p>
1853 <p>Powerless to resist, you slip gently into a sleep from which you will never awaken. Sadly, your life and your mission end here.</p>
1857 <section class="numbered" id="sect114">
1858 <meta><title>114</title></meta>
1861 <p>You realize at once that the door is far too thick to be blown open by a grenade. However, a closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that the grenade will destroy this boarding, you wedge it into the vent, set the timer to a five-second delay, and pull the pin.</p>
1862 <p><quote>Five seconds!</quote> you shout, and immediately Knott throws himself to the ground and covers his head. You copy his actions and wait for the grenade to detonate. It explodes with a dull boom, showering you with dust and charred pine splinters.</p>
1863 <p>Remember to erase this item from your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
1864 <choice idref="sect28">To continue, <link-text>turn to 28</link-text>.</choice>
1868 <section class="numbered" id="sect115">
1869 <meta><title>115</title></meta>
1872 <p>Suddenly a terrible pain explodes in the nape of your neck and you are thrown forward by the impact of something heavy hitting you between the shoulders. You crash to the ground face-first but feel very little as the pain quickly gives way to a chilling numbness. You have been hit in the back by the clansman<ch.apos/>s crowbar, which has severed your spinal cord.</p>
1873 <p>You are helpless, unable to move or defend yourself as the clansman enacts a swift but brutal revenge for the death of his dogs. Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
1877 <section class="numbered" id="sect116">
1878 <meta><title>116</title></meta>
1881 <p>A bullet misses your neck by inches and buries itself in the shoulder of Marine Knott, who is beside you in the passenger seat. The force of impact nearly hurls him out of the jeep, and, as he fights to prevent himself from falling, he grabs at your jacket, wrenching your hand off the steering wheel.</p>
1882 <p>With a screech of tyres, the jeep veers off the freeway towards the exit ramp. The captain and Sergeant Haskell come to Knott<ch.apos/>s aid, pulling him back into the vehicle. As you regain control of the steering wheel, you find yourself ascending the ramp towards Highway 80.</p>
1883 <p>In your driving mirror you see the clansmen turning their bikes around: they intend to pursue you. Unable to continue along the freeway, you put your foot to the floor and make a hasty escape heading south along Highway 80.</p>
1884 <choice idref="sect16"><link-text>Turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
1888 <section class="numbered" id="sect117">
1889 <meta><title>117</title></meta>
1892 <p>Your enemy screams and crumples as you deliver your killing blow. He hits the floor, and, as he rolls towards the tailgate, you notice a Pistol and a Knife (2) tucked into his belt. (If you wish to keep the Pistol, you discover that it contains eight rounds of 9mm ammunition.)</p>
1893 <p>Sergeant Haskell is recovering from his fall as you move towards the cab to try to find out what is going on. To your horror you see a bright yellow bulldozer, with its earth scoop lowered, trundling along the main street on a collision course with the truck. Captain Frankland is screaming at Knott to move the truck out of the way of the oncoming bulldozer, but the engine refuses to start. The situation is looking hopeless when suddenly, with a roar, the engine fires into life. Knott kicks the gas pedal and swerves out of the way as the bulldozer bears down. Miraculously, it misses you, rumbling past with barely inches to spare.</p>
1894 <p>In an attempt to escape from the town, Knott heads towards a narrow side street, but as soon as you enter, you are confronted by another hazard. Several of the houses that back on to the street have collapsed and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound, which blocks your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the gear selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accelerates towards the mountain of bricks and shattered timbers. You hit the mound at speed and lurch towards the peak, but less than five feet from the top the truck shudders to a halt.</p>
1895 <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab, desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin their work three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards you. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two, and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. However, this does little to deter the attack. More clansmen are appearing by the second, and from the sound of their blood-curdling screams they intend to take no prisoners.</p>
1896 <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
1897 <choice idref="sect3">If you choose to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
1901 <section class="numbered" id="sect118">
1902 <meta><title>118</title></meta>
1906 <p>You hit the ground and roll over in an attempt to get as far away from the gas pump as you can. Your swift action saves your life, for moments later the motorcycle ploughs into the pump, exploding in a ball of bright flame. A wave of searing heat washes over your back, and, as you stagger to your feet and turn to look at the fire now raging on the gas station forecourt, you break out in a cold sweat thinking how close you came to death.</p>
1907 <p>Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the crackling inferno.</p>
1908 <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
1912 <section class="numbered" id="sect119">
1913 <meta><title>119</title></meta>
1916 <p>You spin around, hardly able to believe your eyes when you see Kate Norton waving at you from a gas station on the opposite side of the freeway. In a daze you run towards her, and she towards you, and together you meet in the centre of the deserted highway, locked in an embrace that melts away all memory of the ordeal you have endured over the past two days.</p>
1917 <p>When at last the exhilaration of your unexpected reunion subsides, she tells you that the colony has already reached Tucson, and is safely encamped with the Tucson colony inside a stronghold they have established at the Davis-Monthan Air Force base. When you and the rest of Captain Frankland<ch.apos/>s team failed to make the Deming rendezvous, the colony continued as planned, hoping that you would join them <foreign xml:lang="fr">en route</foreign>. Gradually, as they progressed further west, their hopes faded until they accepted that you must have perished during the raid on Ciudad Juarez. But Kate refused to abandon hope. When the convoy reached Benson she insisted that she wait here in case you had been unable to find transport and were heading for Tucson on foot. Reluctantly they agreed to her request, knowing full well that there was little they could do to prevent her from staying.</p>
1918 <p>You ask if she has seen any clan activity during the twenty-four hours she has been here, and she says that there has been none. The freeway and the surrounding area have remained completely deserted.</p>
1919 <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s funny,</quote> she says, <quote>but since we left Lordsburg it<ch.apos/>s as if they lost interest in us.</quote></p>
1920 <choice idref="sect81"><link-text>Turn to 81</link-text>.</choice>
1924 <section class="numbered" id="sect120">
1925 <meta><title>120</title></meta>
1928 <p>As you cast aside the body of the second dog, his handler appears at the entrance to the archway. A scrawny-faced clansman, he is dressed in a tattered denim jacket and jeans that are encrusted with grime. Seeing his dogs lying dead at your feet, he begins to howl like a maniac.</p>
1929 <p><quote>I<ch.apos/>m gonna get you for this!</quote> he screams, and comes running at you, wielding a crowbar in his bony hand.</p>
1930 <illustration class="float">
1932 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
1933 <description><ch.lsquot/>I<ch.apos/>m gonna get you for this!<ch.rsquot/> he screams, and comes running at you, wielding a crowbar in his bony hand.</description>
1935 <instance class="html" src="ill7.gif" width="386" height="618" />
1936 <instance class="pdf" src="ill7.pdf" width="386" height="618" />
1938 <combat><enemy>Skunk</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">20</enemy-attribute></combat>
1939 <choice idref="sect211">You can evade the combat in the first round only: <link-text>turn to 211</link-text>.</choice>
1940 <choice idref="sect63">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 63</link-text>.</choice>
1944 <section class="numbered" id="sect121">
1945 <meta><title>121</title></meta>
1948 <p>Your engine responds and you surge ahead, avoiding Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s attack by a few feet. You glance in your mirror to see him swerve across the freeway, but his car is equipped with a supercharged V-12 engine, more powerful than your own, and within a few seconds he comes roaring alongside. As he draws level, his electric passenger window glides down and you find yourself staring at the barrel of his machine pistol.</p>
1949 <p>Add together your Perception skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
1950 <choice idref="sect193">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 193</link-text>.</choice>
1951 <choice idref="sect87">If your total is 16-20, <link-text>turn to 87</link-text>.</choice>
1952 <choice idref="sect21">If it is 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 21</link-text>.</choice>
1956 <section class="numbered" id="sect122">
1957 <meta><title>122</title></meta>
1960 <p>The crown of your head connects with the clansman<ch.apos/>s buckle and the impact sends you crashing to the ground<ch.emdash/>lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Before you can recover your senses fully, the Mexican draws a knife and attacks you while you lie on the ground stunned.</p>
1961 <combat><enemy>Banderas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
1962 <p>Owing to your condition, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the third round of the combat.</p>
1963 <choice idref="sect257">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
1968 <section class="numbered" id="sect123">
1969 <meta><title>123</title></meta>
1972 <p>You are within ten feet of the top when the rock you are grasping tears loose in your hands. Frantically you throw out your arms in an attempt to find a new hand-hold, but you are already falling backwards and your flailing hands claw only air. For a few seconds your senses are scrambled as you tumble down the rock-face, then you hit the edge of the gully and your vision becomes cloudy: lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
1973 <p>When eventually it clears you find yourself lying at the bottom of the gully, staring at the sky. Wearily you drag yourself to your feet, rub your aching limbs, then stagger towards your motorcycle. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a pleasant surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars, the headlight, and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine with your fourth kick.</p>
1974 <p>You ride this wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfalls to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but as you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
1975 <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but you can tell at once that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
1976 <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
1980 <section class="numbered" id="sect124">
1981 <meta><title>124</title></meta>
1984 <p>As the team are preparing to leave, the captain briefs you on the plan of attack. <quote>Once we<ch.apos/>re on the inside and the convoy arrives, we<ch.apos/>ve got to place the mines as quickly as possible in case they decide to off-load the explosives. From now on we stick together. Move quickly on my command and no firing unless it<ch.apos/>s absolutely unavoidable. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a suitable escape vehicle. We<ch.apos/>ll need to find one before we set the mines. We<ch.apos/>ve got only five minutes to make our getaway, and I sure don<ch.apos/>t want to be around when those trucks go up. There<ch.apos/>ll not be a whole lot left o<ch.apos/> this place once those mines explode.</quote></p>
1985 <p>After the briefing, you follow the captain in single file as he leads the team through a series of interconnecting alleys that takes you to the race track<ch.apos/>s west gate. Most of the clansmen are congregated at the front of the track, around the east gate, making it easy for you to gain access to the track at the rear without being seen.</p>
1986 <p>Once inside, you make your way through the now-empty kennels and administration blocks, to a position opposite the track itself. Here you catch a glimpse of your old enemy<ch.emdash/>Mad Dog Michigan.</p>
1987 <choice idref="sect324"><link-text>Turn to 324</link-text>.</choice>
1991 <section class="numbered" id="sect125">
1992 <meta><title>125</title></meta>
1995 <p>Nervously you wipe your sweaty palms on the front of your T-shirt before checking to see that there is a live round in the breach of your rifle. Then, once you are sure that your equipment is secure, you tense yourself to begin this dangerous run.</p>
1996 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simultaneously covering yourself by firing your rifle at the sniper<ch.apos/>s position.</p>
1997 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your gun (minimum: one round; maximum: three rounds).</p>
1998 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
1999 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
2003 <section class="numbered" id="sect126">
2004 <meta><title>126</title></meta>
2007 <p>You retrieve your Backpack from the truck and rummage through the contents for your binoculars. It takes you a few moments to focus your lenses on the sign, but when you do, you see that it says: Mimbres<ch.emdash/>9 Miles.</p>
2008 <p>You inform the captain then bring your glasses to bear on the town. At once you see why he has halted the truck.</p>
2009 <choice idref="sect232"><link-text>Turn to 232</link-text>.</choice>
2013 <section class="numbered" id="sect127">
2014 <meta><title>127</title></meta>
2017 <p>You scan the shelves, but find little more than bottled fruit juices and preserved foodstuffs. Knott reaches for a jar of pickled cucumbers that is illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the hole in the wall. As his hand closes upon the lid, another gunshot echoes from the forest and the jar explodes, spraying you both with glass and pulped vegetable: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
2018 <p>Stunned by the bullet<ch.apos/>s effect, you fall towards the door and fumble with the wooden latch. Now that you know the sniper can see you through the jagged hole, you are anxious to leave the store room before he fires again.</p>
2019 <choice idref="sect334"><link-text>Turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
2023 <section class="numbered" id="sect128">
2024 <meta><title>128</title></meta>
2027 <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing positions at the tailgate. Steadily Knott drives towards Columbus, keeping the speed down to avoid arousing too much suspicion. You are sixty yards from the barricade when the captain shouts through the cab partition: <quote>Hold on men<ch.emdash/>we<ch.apos/>re going in!</quote></p>
2028 <p>You exchange an anxious glance with Sergeant Haskell as the engine roars and the truck picks up speed.</p>
2029 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2030 <choice idref="sect188">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 188</link-text>.</choice>
2031 <choice idref="sect244">If the number is 4<ch.endash/>6, <link-text>turn to 244</link-text>.</choice>
2032 <choice idref="sect345">If it is 7<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 345</link-text>.</choice>
2036 <section class="numbered" id="sect129">
2037 <meta><title>129</title></meta>
2040 <p>You leave the office by a rear door that opens on to a parking lot. Here you find Marine Knott. He has discovered a wrecked US mail truck, and although the engine and tyres are beyond repair, he has been able to siphon more than a gallon of gasolene from its fuel tank. You congratulate him on his find, and together you return to the furniture store to meet up with Frankland and Haskell.</p>
2041 <choice idref="sect218"><link-text>Turn to 218</link-text>.</choice>
2045 <section class="numbered" id="sect130">
2046 <meta><title>130</title></meta>
2049 <p>You make the jump with a few feet to spare, but, barely seconds after landing, a handful of clansmen pour from the roof door and begin to fire at the team. Bullets smack into the brickwork and ricochet off the parapet, forcing you to dive for cover.</p>
2050 <choice idref="sect53">If you have a missile weapon and wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 53</link-text>.</choice>
2051 <choice idref="sect306">If you do not possess a gun, do not have sufficient ammunition, or do not wish to use your gun, <link-text>turn to 306</link-text>.</choice>
2055 <section class="numbered" id="sect131">
2056 <meta><title>131</title></meta>
2059 <p>For a few moments, Captain Frankland assesses the situation in silence. Then he turns to Sergeant Haskell and says: <quote>Follow me, sergeant, I<ch.apos/>ll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right. Is that understood?</quote> Sergeant Haskell acknowledges the order as he unsheathes his own combat knife.</p>
2060 <p><quote>You two stay here,</quote> says Frankland, addressing you and Marine Knott. <quote>As soon as we<ch.apos/>ve dealt with the sentries you follow us, OK?</quote></p>
2061 <p>You watch expectantly as Frankland and Haskell creep up on the two unwary clansmen. Swiftly they silence them, then they signal to you to help them dispose of the bodies. After the two clansmen have been consigned to the Rio Grande, you check your equipment then follow the others as they hurry away from the walkway area.</p>
2062 <choice idref="sect250"><link-text>Turn to 250</link-text>.</choice>
2066 <section class="numbered" id="sect132">
2067 <meta><title>132</title></meta>
2070 <p>You raise your pistol and take aim at the assassin<ch.apos/>s chest as he takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding rooftops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
2071 <p>He lowers the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced-resolution, image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you snatch the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
2072 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
2073 <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
2074 <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
2078 <section class="numbered" id="sect133">
2079 <meta><title>133</title></meta>
2082 <p>Swiftly you raise your pistol, cupped in both hands, ignoring the bullets that are whistling past as you take aim at the clan commander. For a brief instant, his eyes widen with shock when he sees the muzzle of your Beretta pointing directly at his chest. He starts to pull away, but before he can take cover, you squeeze off your first shot.</p>
2083 <p>Add together you Shooting skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
2084 <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
2085 <choice idref="sect296">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
2089 <section class="numbered" id="sect134">
2090 <meta><title>134</title></meta>
2093 <p>The captain cocks his machine pistol and gets ready to open fire. <quote>OK, I<ch.apos/>m gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,</quote> he says vehemently. <quote>When I start firin<ch.apos/>, you see if you can pinpoint where he is.</quote></p>
2094 <p>You nod in agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire.</p>
2095 <p><quote>Let<ch.apos/>s do it!</quote> he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper<ch.apos/>s shot, but within a second of him breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin<ch.apos/>s bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
2096 <p>The shock of Frankland<ch.apos/>s death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott<ch.apos/>s pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble towards the woods. In your haste, you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
2097 <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand<ch.apos/>s breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
2098 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. [Note: If Your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score 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 total.]</p>
2099 <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
2100 <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16-19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
2101 <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
2105 <section class="numbered" id="sect135">
2106 <meta><title>135</title></meta>
2109 <p>Bullets ricochet off the trash can, their sharp clangour making your ears ring. The firing continues for several seconds until you hear a squeal of tyres. followed by a loud metallic crash. A careful glance over the rim reveals that the last biker and his machine have finally met their doom.</p>
2110 <p>As you climb out of the trash can and walk away from the bridge, you hear Captain Frankland ordering everyone back to the truck. <quote>This ain<ch.apos/>t the last we<ch.apos/>ve seen of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men,</quote> he says, looking to the west in the direction of Ciudad Juarez. <quote>We<ch.apos/>d best keep moving while we<ch.apos/>re ahead. We<ch.apos/>ve made good progress, but we<ch.apos/>ve still got about 100 miles to cover before we reach Deming.</quote></p>
2111 <p>He climbs into the cab beside Marine Knott, while you and the sergeant settle down in the rear of the truck and try to make yourselves comfortable. You leave the town, heading north, following the remains of a highway that promises to take you back across the border and on to your rendezvous with the colony. A few miles outside the town, the highway crosses a lake by means of a narrow causeway. The first few rays of the dawn sun are lightening the eastern sky, and, as you stare across the lonely landscape, you find yourself thinking of Kate and the colony.</p>
2112 <p><quote>If all goes well, we<ch.apos/>ll reach Deming a few hours before noon,</quote> says Haskell, studying a map by the light of a tiny bulb in a wire cage bolted to the rear of the cab. Then he slips the map inside his combat jacket, switches off the light, and curls up on the floor to sleep. You too are feeling very tired, so you decide to follow Haskell<ch.apos/>s example and try, despite the bumpy ride, to snatch a few hours<ch.apos/> much needed rest.</p>
2113 <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2114 <choice idref="sect80">To continue, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
2119 <section class="numbered" id="sect136">
2120 <meta><title>136</title></meta>
2123 <p>Gently you coax the bike<ch.apos/>s front wheel over the edge of the steep gully. Then, as it tips forward and gathers speed, you work at the clutch and front brake levers to keep the machine upright and under control. The descent is fast and exciting until you hit a patch of loose shale and feel the front wheel juddering sideways. Then, what moments before was controlled and exhilarating, suddenly becomes a terrifying free-fall.</p>
2124 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
2125 <choice idref="sect235">If your total score 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 235</link-text>.</choice>
2126 <choice idref="sect34">If your total is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 34</link-text>.</choice>
2130 <section class="numbered" id="sect137">
2131 <meta><title>137</title></meta>
2134 <p>The tracks lead to a drug store at the centre of the town. It looks as if Kate parked your car here and went inside the store, for there are two lines of foot- prints in the dust, running from the street to the front door.</p>
2135 <p>The others wait in the truck while you enter the store. Following in Kate<ch.apos/>s footsteps, you arrive at some empty places on the store<ch.apos/>s shelves. She was after medical supplies, although she was selective about what she took. The shelves still hold a few medicines and other medical supplies<ch.emdash/>enough for two Medi- kit units. (If you wish to keep these, remember to mark them on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.)</p>
2136 <p>Having satisfied your curiosity, you go back to the truck and tell the others what you have found. Captain Frankland is anxious to reach Lordsburg before dark, so he orders Knott to turn the truck around and head back to Interstate 10.</p>
2137 <choice idref="sect33"><link-text>Turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
2141 <section class="numbered" id="sect138">
2142 <meta><title>138</title></meta>
2145 <p>Using the darkness to best advantage, you follow a wide avenue that leads away from the park. The once-grand buildings that line the street show signs of having been looted recently. The driveways and gardens are littered with broken furniture and furnishings, hurled from the windows of plush, penthouse suites.</p>
2146 <p>In the distance you see yellow, flickering lights, and, as you draw nearer, you hear the raucous cheers and laughter of drunken clansmen.</p>
2147 <choice idref="sect35">If you wish to continue along the avenue, <link-text>turn to 35</link-text>.</choice>
2148 <choice idref="sect294">If you prefer to avoid the clansmen by leaving the avenue and heading south, <link-text>turn to 294</link-text>.</choice>
2152 <section class="numbered" id="sect139">
2153 <meta><title>139</title></meta>
2156 <p>You reach the trapdoor and stare down the flight of wooden steps into the darkness below. Although you cannot see or hear anything, you sense that someone is there.</p>
2157 <choice idref="sect280">If you wish to assure whoever is hiding below that you mean them no harm, and that all you wish to do is talk with them, <link-text>turn to 280</link-text>.</choice>
2158 <choice idref="sect68">If you prefer to demand that they throw down their weapons and come out with their hands up, <link-text>turn to 68</link-text>.</choice>
2162 <section class="numbered" id="sect140">
2163 <meta><title>140</title></meta>
2166 <p>The clansman crashes back against the truck, hits his head, and falls to the ground in a dazed heap. Although you are bruised by the collision, you are still able to remain on your feet and seize the initiative. Half-concussed, the leather-jacketed Mexican fumbles blindly for his bolstered pistol, but before he can draw and fire it, a well-placed kick to the side of his head knocks him out cold.</p>
2167 <p>Quickly you drag his body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels, before turning your attention to the vehicle<ch.apos/>s fuel tank.</p>
2168 <choice idref="sect305"><link-text>Turn to 305</link-text>.</choice>
2172 <section class="numbered" id="sect141">
2173 <meta><title>141</title></meta>
2176 <p>An agonizing pain erupts in the middle of your forehead. You have been hit by your enemy<ch.apos/>s bullet and the impact lifts you off your feet and sends you sprawling against the courthouse wall. The pain disappears to be replaced by a numbness that darkens your vision and bleeds the last ounce of strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming urge to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
2177 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here at Tombstone, Arizona.</p>
2182 <section class="numbered" id="sect142">
2183 <meta><title>142</title></meta>
2186 <p>You twist the ignition key and pump the gas pedal; you feel a surge of relief when you hear the jeep<ch.apos/>s sturdy engine growl throatily. A flick of a switch brings the headlights to life and then you are off, accelerating along a narrow street opposite the bus depot that leads to the west side of town.</p>
2187 <p>Most of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s clansmen are concentrated around the block of buildings where the truck was discovered, but there are some, most notably the Detroit Lions<ch.apos/> scouts, who have taken up lookout positions in other parts of the town. You pass two or three of them on your way through Lordsburg, yet they seem to ignore you. The jeep<ch.emdash/>with its clan markings<ch.emdash/>and the darkness, enable you to pass them without challenge.</p>
2188 <p>It is not until you begin your approach to the access ramp of Interstate 10 that you encounter any problem. Soon after your truck was found, Mad Dog dispatched a unit of scouts in a pick-up to guard the freeway ramp, just in case. It was a smart move. When the scouts see you approaching, they switch on a spotlight mounted on the roof of the pick-up, above the driver<ch.apos/>s seat, and catch you in its beam. When a radio call confirms that you are not what you seem, they accelerate towards you in an attempt to run you off the road.</p>
2189 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
2190 <choice idref="sect205">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 205</link-text>.</choice>
2191 <choice idref="sect25">If it is 4<ch.endash/>7, <link-text>turn to 25</link-text>.</choice>
2192 <choice idref="sect330">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 330</link-text>.</choice>
2196 <section class="numbered" id="sect143">
2197 <meta><title>143</title></meta>
2200 <p>The clansmen are pointing their spotlight at the jeep<ch.apos/>s windscreen, effectively blinding Captain Frankland. Valiantly he struggles to control the vehicle, but he is fractionally too slow to avoid the truck completely and it clips the rear wheel arch as it flashes past.</p>
2201 <p>You are shaken and bruised (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point) by the collision, and, as you fight to bring the heavy gun to bear on the pick-up, you swing too far and your first burst misses by several yards. With a screech of tyres, the pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back towards the jeep. This time you are ready for them. They are thirty yards away when you draw back the cocking lever and open fire.</p>
2202 <illustration class="float">
2204 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2205 <description>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds.</description>
2207 <instance class="html" src="ill8.gif" width="386" height="616" />
2208 <instance class="pdf" src="ill8.pdf" width="386" height="616" />
2210 <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As the captain accelerates away on to the freeway you watch in silence as a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulfs the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
2211 <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
2215 <section class="numbered" id="sect144">
2216 <meta><title>144</title></meta>
2219 <p>Your weapon arcs towards the clansman, but your aim is poor and it misses him by an arm<ch.apos/>s length. Alerted by the sound of it hitting the steps, he immediately screams a warning to the guards on the bridge.</p>
2220 <p><quote>What the<ch.ellips/></quote> hisses the captain, his eyes wild with anger and fear as he turns to face the shouting Mexican. Then, in the next instant, all hell breaks loose.</p>
2221 <p>The clansmen who are guarding the toll bridge rush to their searchlights and train them on the walkway entrance. Within seconds the whole area is bathed in white light, revealing the team and the bodies of the two dead clan sentries. Swiftly the area is surrounded by the enemy, who open fire mercilessly. Unable to find cover or escape from this deadly ambush, all four of you fall victim to the clansmen<ch.apos/>s guns.</p>
2222 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here on the banks of the Rio Grande.</p>
2227 <section class="numbered" id="sect145">
2228 <meta><title>145</title></meta>
2231 <p>The door is unlocked. Carefully you lift the latch and push it open, and, as the light from the corridor illuminates the darkness within, you see that the room contains two bunk beds and a few other pieces of plain pine furniture. Children<ch.apos/>s toys, lovingly crafted from wood and bone, line the shelves. You are closing the door when you notice a wooden whistle lying on the top of a clothes trunk.</p>
2232 <p>If you wish to keep this <typ class="item">Whistle</typ>, mark it on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> as a Backpack item.</p>
2233 <choice idref="sect243">If you wish to investigate the door on the opposite side of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 243</link-text>.</choice>
2234 <choice idref="sect287">If you decide to investigate the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 287</link-text>.</choice>
2238 <section class="numbered" id="sect146">
2239 <meta><title>146</title></meta>
2242 <p>The clan commander<ch.apos/>s bullets hit you in the side, sending you rolling backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the seven rounds that hit you pierced your heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
2243 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Columbus.</p>
2247 <section class="numbered" id="sect147">
2248 <meta><title>147</title></meta>
2251 <p>You select a plum-sized chunk of rubble from the bottom of the ditch and whisper to Knott to get ready to make a dash for the freeway. Then you draw back your arm and hurl the rock away to your right, beyond the clansmen<ch.apos/>s position, and wait for it to hit the ground.</p>
2252 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2253 <choice idref="sect242">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>5, <link-text>turn to 242</link-text>.</choice>
2254 <choice idref="sect221">If the number is 6<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 221</link-text>.</choice>
2258 <section class="numbered" id="sect148">
2259 <meta><title>148</title></meta>
2262 <p>You pull back the slide of your Beretta just far enough to check that there is a bullet in the breach, then you tense yourself in preparation for this dangerous run.</p>
2263 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you mark your destination and sprint towards it, whilst simultaneously covering yourself by firing your pistol at the sniper<ch.apos/>s position.</p>
2264 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every round you choose to fire from your pistol (minimum: one round; maximum: eight rounds).</p>
2265 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 13 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
2266 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
2270 <section class="numbered" id="sect149">
2271 <meta><title>149</title></meta>
2274 <p>Knott<ch.apos/>s fist banging repeatedly against the inside of the cab, draws all three of you towards its tiny window. Through the grimy glass you see him pointing at a town on the road ahead, its battered buildings illuminated by the truck<ch.apos/>s headlights. <quote>Vado de Piedra!</quote> he shouts. <quote>Better get ready in case it<ch.apos/>s a clan town.</quote></p>
2275 <p><quote>If you see any clansmen, you just keep drivin<ch.apos/>,</quote> replies Captain Frankland. <quote>If the town<ch.apos/>s empty, find somewhere safe and then stop the truck. Is that clear?</quote></p>
2276 <p><quote>Yessir!</quote> Knott replies.</p>
2277 <p>As the dust-blown stores and houses of the derelict Mexican town trail away behind the truck, it becomes obvious that the place is deserted. Knott arrives at the same conclusion and decreases speed as he prepares to turn off the main highway. The truck crosses a bridge then swings to the right and stops beside a store that lost its roof long ago.</p>
2278 <p><quote>They<ch.apos/>re still with us, captain,</quote> said Haskell, staring across the dry river bed at the group of headlights, as the bikers enter the town.</p>
2279 <p><quote>Not for long,</quote> Frankland growls, his voice harsh and determined. <quote>Spread out and find some cover. We<ch.apos/>ll take <ch.lsquot/>em as they come over the bridge.</quote></p>
2280 <p>Quickly you move away from the truck and scour the darkness, straining your eyes to find a place to hide that also has an unobstructed view of the bridge. You can see only two such places, both far from ideal. One is a gas pump, standing on the forecourt of a gas station directly opposite the bridge: the other is an industrial trash can, abandoned at the side of the bridge<ch.apos/>s exit ramp.</p>
2281 <choice idref="sect74">If you wish to take cover behind the gas pump, <link-text>turn to 74</link-text>.</choice>
2282 <choice idref="sect317">If you decide to place yourself inside the trash can, <link-text>turn to 317</link-text>.</choice>
2286 <section class="numbered" id="sect150">
2287 <meta><title>150</title></meta>
2290 <footnote id="sect150-1-foot" idref="sect150-1">
2291 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
2296 <p>For a few seconds you stand entranced, not knowing for sure whether you are dead or alive.<a id="sect150-1" idref="sect150-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Then, as the warm breeze clears the lingering gun smoke, you see the body of the assassin lying motionless beside the courthouse wall. You are filled with a great sense of relief, as if a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders. Then the shock of your encounter takes hold of your body and you begin to shiver uncontrollably. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2297 <p>With grim curiosity you move forward to search the body. You pull off his helmet and stare at the face of this killer. At once you recognize the cruel, angular features: he is Helmut Varken, a top HAVOC assassin who achieved infamy on 1 May, 2008 when he assassinated both the President of the United States, and the General Secretary of the Supreme Soviet at an emergency summit meeting in Rome. HAVOC were proud of his ignoble feat, and when by chance they leaked his identity, his photograph appeared on every television screen and on the front page of every newspaper around the world. You were only eight years old at the time, but the image of his face became synonymous with the evil that HAVOC represented, and it etched itself indelibly upon your mind.</p>
2298 <p>As your pulse returns to normal, you begin to search his bloodstained body. You are disappointed to find that his air-con suit has been irreparably damaged, but you discover more than enough useful items to compensate for the loss:</p>
2300 <li>Rifle (containing twenty-two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition)</li>
2301 <li>Pistol (containing ten rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2302 <li>Twenty rounds of spare 7.62mm ammunition</li>
2303 <li>Fifteen rounds of spare 9mm ammunition</li>
2304 <li><typ class="item">Combat Viewer</typ></li>
2305 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
2306 <li><typ class="item">Tear Gas Grenade</typ></li>
2307 <li><typ class="item">CB Radio</typ></li>
2309 <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
2310 <li>Enough medical supplies for eight Medi-kit units</li>
2311 <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
2312 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
2313 <li><typ class="item">Map</typ></li>
2315 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2316 <p>After finishing your search, you leave the courthouse and commandeer Varken<ch.apos/>s motorcycle. You are anxious to reach Tucson as quickly as you can, so you kick start the machine and speed away from Tombstone, heading north on Highway 80.</p>
2317 <choice idref="sect300"><link-text>Turn to 300</link-text>.</choice>
2321 <section class="numbered" id="sect151">
2322 <meta><title>151</title></meta>
2325 <p>Swiftly you descend the fire escape into the alley below, seconds before a group of clansmen turn the corner and come running towards you. Fortunately, they are without torches and in their haste they fail to notice the four of you hiding in the shadows as they make their way around to the rear of the building.</p>
2326 <p>The moment they have gone, the captain leads you along a covered walkway that ends at a rotunda. Opposite this paved concourse is the entrance to a bus depot, and parked close by is a US army jeep containing two clansmen. Judging by the long-horned skull emblazoned on the vehicle<ch.apos/>s side, they are members of the Texan clan known as the Mavericks.</p>
2327 <p><quote>There<ch.apos/>s our ticket outta here,</quote> says Captain Frankland. Silently he draws his knife and holds it to his cheek as he asks for a volunteer to help him commandeer the jeep.</p>
2328 <choice idref="sect2">If you wish to volunteer to ambush the two Mavericks, <link-text>turn to 2</link-text>.</choice>
2329 <choice idref="sect292">If you do not wish to volunteer, <link-text>turn to 292</link-text>.</choice>
2333 <section class="numbered" id="sect152">
2334 <meta><title>152</title></meta>
2337 <p>Once you wipe away the thick layer of dust that blankets every piece of the merchandise in this store, you realize that it is stocked with several items that may prove useful during your ride to Tucson.</p>
2338 <p>You collect together an armful of goods and lay them out by the door before choosing which ones to keep. You have discovered the following items:</p>
2342 <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
2343 <li>Twelve rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
2344 <li>Hunting Knife (2)</li>
2345 <li>Bowie Knife (3)</li>
2346 <li><typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ></li>
2347 <li><typ class="item">Fishing Tackle</typ></li>
2348 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
2349 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
2350 <li><typ class="item">Blanket</typ></li>
2352 <p>If you wish to keep any of these items, remember to make the appropriate adjustments to your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>.</p>
2353 <choice idref="sect318">To continue, <link-text>turn to 318</link-text>.</choice>
2357 <section class="numbered" id="sect153">
2358 <meta><title>153</title></meta>
2361 <p>You pick up a steel-framed chair and hurl it at the window. The glass shatters with a deafening crash, leaving a jagged hole through which to escape. Using the barrel of your gun, hastily you clear away the knife-sharp slivers protruding from the window frame before starting to climb through to the fire escape.</p>
2362 <p>You can ill afford the delay. You are halfway through the frame when the clansman and his bloodhound burst into the room.</p>
2363 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
2364 <choice idref="sect271">If your total score is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 271</link-text>.</choice>
2365 <choice idref="sect72">If it is 5<ch.endash/>8, <link-text>turn to 72</link-text>.</choice>
2366 <choice idref="sect179">It it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 179</link-text>.</choice>
2370 <section class="numbered" id="sect154">
2371 <meta><title>154</title></meta>
2374 <p>You halt your bike at the side of the street and begin to rummage through your Backpack for the can of oil. The filter cap is so hot it has expanded and jammed, forcing you to wait for the engine to cool before you can replenish the oil. During your wait you must take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2375 <p>At length you are able to free the cap and pour in the oil. You are attempting to restart it when suddenly you see an all-too-familiar dust cloud approaching the town from the east.</p>
2376 <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
2380 <section class="numbered" id="sect155">
2381 <meta><title>155</title></meta>
2384 <footnote id="sect155-1-foot" idref="sect155-1">
2385 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
2390 <p>You fire, hitting the Angelino clansman in the side as he roars past your hiding place, and sending him tumbling from his machine to hit the ground in a cloud of dust.<a id="sect155-1" idref="sect155-1-foot" class="footnote" /> It is not until the dust settles and your pulse slows that you realize just how close you came to being killed.</p>
2391 <p>Seven neat indentations run in a line across the trash can, marking the place where the biker<ch.apos/>s machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the thick steel plate. They are barely an inch below the top of the rim. Had he aimed a fraction higher, the bullets would have hit you for sure.</p>
2392 <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you climb out of the trash can and walk away from the bridge.</p>
2393 <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
2397 <section class="numbered" id="sect156">
2398 <meta><title>156</title></meta>
2401 <p>While you are trying to think of an alternative power source, you check inside the truck<ch.apos/>s cab and discover that it does not have automatic transmission: it has a manual, four-wheel drive system.</p>
2402 <p><quote>I think I may have the answer to our problem,</quote> you say, and proceed to explain your plan to the others. <quote>If we can get this truck moving, we might just be able to shove-start it, using the manual gears.</quote></p>
2403 <p>The others look sceptical but they are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, especially as they can offer no alternative plan. With considerable effort, you manage to manhandle the pick-up on to the highway. Knott is the lightest and so he is chosen to steer the truck while the others, yourself included, push it as fast as you can. Once it has built up a reasonable speed, Knott engages high gear and releases the clutch pedal in the hope that the electrical power generated by the computerized alternator will be sufficient to spark the engine. The plan is not an instant success, but on the fifth attempt the power is sufficient to bring the engine coughing and spluttering back to life.</p>
2404 <p>Owing to the sheer physical effort required to start the engine in this manner, you must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2405 <choice idref="sect329"><link-text>Turn to 329</link-text>.</choice>
2409 <section class="numbered" id="sect157">
2410 <meta><title>157</title></meta>
2413 <p>The clan commander<ch.apos/>s bullets punch a neat line of holes across the tailgate, barely inches above the place where you are lying. Before he can fire a second burst beneath the first, Sergeant Haskell hits him with a single shot to the head, killing him instantly.</p>
2414 <p>Realization of his death passes like a shock wave through the other clansmen, causing them to abort their attack and fall back. A few stop long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
2415 <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender. With your help they are at last able to shift it. Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. Then, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
2416 <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab<ch.apos/>s partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
2417 <p><quote>Make for that road and head west,</quote> he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, <quote>It looks like you<ch.apos/>re finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we<ch.apos/>re on our way to Mimbres.</quote></p>
2418 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
2422 <section class="numbered" id="sect158">
2423 <meta><title>158</title></meta>
2426 <p>By keeping strictly to alleys and side streets you are able to make your way deep into the heart of the city, avoiding the numerous clan patrols. At length you reach the banks of the Rio Grande and follow the river westwards towards your rendezvous destination. Your early encounters with Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. In your haste you become less cautious and take risks that might prove dangerous.</p>
2427 <p>You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge because it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch reveals that you have less than ten minutes to spare. You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked.</p>
2428 <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
2432 <section class="numbered" id="sect159">
2433 <meta><title>159</title></meta>
2436 <p>You have taken less than a dozen steps before the man senses your approach. For a moment you make eye contact, then he dashes away from the trail and runs deeper into the forest. Rather than let him get away, you instruct Knott to keep up with you as you give chase.</p>
2437 <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
2441 <section class="numbered" id="sect160">
2442 <meta><title>160</title></meta>
2445 <p>You try to persuade the family to come with you to Tucson, to join up with your colony and make a new start in California, but they dismiss your request out of hand. <quote>I<ch.apos/>ve told you: we can look after ourselves,</quote> retorts Steve, the bearded brother. <quote>All we want is to be left alone.</quote></p>
2446 <p>Then his wife appears at the door to the corridor and calls out: <quote>There<ch.apos/>s another one movin<ch.apos/> around outside.</quote></p>
2447 <p>Steve looks worried. He checks the magazine of his pistol, cocks the slide, and then points it in your direction. <quote>OK, you two,</quote> he says, his voice wavering. <quote>You<ch.apos/>re leaving here right now.</quote></p>
2448 <p>Knott tries to reason with him, telling him that he is sentencing you both to certain death by forcing you outside to face the sniper, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. <quote>No one invited you here,</quote> Steve spits. <quote>If you an<ch.apos/> that guy outside have got a problem, it<ch.apos/>s your problem not ours. We don<ch.apos/>t want no part of it, is that clear?</quote></p>
2449 <p>Reluctantly you allow yourselves to he escorted along a corridor that leads to the reinforced front door. The bolts are drawn and the door is thrown open. <quote>Get out!</quote> screams Steve, and you feel his hands thrust against your back, propelling you into the blinding glare of the sunlight. Knott soon follows, and then come your weapons, clattering on the beaten earth floor of the crater.</p>
2450 <p>As you stoop to retrieve your guns, the heavy door slams shut. The sound is echoed immediately by another that chills your blood: the sharp crack of a high-velocity rifle.</p>
2451 <choice idref="sect85"><link-text>Turn to 85</link-text>.</choice>
2455 <section class="numbered" id="sect161">
2456 <meta><title>161</title></meta>
2459 <p>Desperately you fight to regain control of your roadster as it slews off the freeway and skids towards a crash barrier. With a numbing jolt, the car scrapes along the moulded steel barrier for more than 200 yards before you are able to steer it back on to the freeway. The impact has crushed your front fender and torn a jagged hole in the driver<ch.apos/>s door, which has left your arm badly bloodied: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2460 <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
2464 <section class="numbered" id="sect162">
2465 <meta><title>162</title></meta>
2468 <p>You dive to the ground and roll over, but you cannot help but let out a yelp of pain as you gash your knees and shoulders on the sharp rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott lands beside you as the beam of torchlight passes over your body. For a few seconds it hovers nearby, then it returns to bathe you both in its revealing glare.</p>
2469 <p>An angry shout is followed by a burst of gunfire and the sound of dogs barking. Bullets powder the rock near your hands. <quote>Run for it!</quote> you hiss. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve been seen.</quote></p>
2470 <p>Ignoring the stinging pain of your wounds, you rise to your feet and sprint towards the darkness. Knott disappears to your left just seconds before you reach the freeway arch. You continue to run and are about to emerge from beneath the elevated freeway when the sound of growling stops you dead in your tracks. Ahead two squat shadows move purposefully towards you. You raise your gun but hesitate to pull the trigger for fear of attracting more of the enemy. Your moment<ch.apos/>s hesitation is seen as a sign of weakness, and the two fighting dogs bound forwards instantly flinging themselves at your chest.</p>
2471 <combat><enemy>Pit Bull Terriers</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
2472 <p>Owing to the speed and ferocity of their attack, you cannot make use of a close combat weapon until the beginning of the second round of the combat.</p>
2473 <choice idref="sect206">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 206</link-text>.</choice>
2474 <choice idref="sect120">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 120</link-text>.</choice>
2478 <section class="numbered" id="sect163">
2479 <meta><title>163</title></meta>
2482 <p>You focus all your attention on your enemy, for he is a formidable opponent. He presents a difficult target: he is partially hidden behind the brick pillar of a hardware store, and his black suit merges easily with the shadows.</p>
2483 <p>Despite these disadvantages, you know that this may be your only chance to put an end to his pursuit and avenge the lives of your three dead comrades.</p>
2484 <choice idref="sect132">If the gun you are using is a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 132</link-text>.</choice>
2485 <choice idref="sect61">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 61</link-text>.</choice>
2486 <choice idref="sect212">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 212</link-text>.</choice>
2487 <choice idref="sect98">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 98</link-text>.</choice>
2491 <section class="numbered" id="sect164">
2492 <meta><title>164</title></meta>
2495 <p>The fear that Knott has somehow tripped an alarm vanishes as you realize that the siren is coming from the main entrance. It is announcing the arrival of the explosives convoy. Four trucks, each one carpeted in a layer of thick, red, desert dust, roar through the east gate and screech to a halt. You watch tensely as Mad Dog Michigan and one other, a Mexican whom you assume to be Santiago, run across to the vehicles and inspect their cargoes. Having satisfied themselves that all is in order, they proceed to berate the drivers for their poor timekeeping.</p>
2496 <illustration class="float">
2498 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2499 <description>Four trucks roar through the east gate and screech to a halt.</description>
2501 <instance class="html" src="ill9.gif" width="386" height="573" />
2502 <instance class="pdf" src="ill9.pdf" width="386" height="573" />
2504 <p>Patiently the captain watches the proceedings. When Mad Dog and his entourage finally leave the trucks and the cowering drivers, and walk towards the main gate, he tells you and Haskell to prepare to move. Gradually the crowds of clansmen who have gathered around the trucks disperse, and the captain gives the order to go: <quote>OK, let<ch.apos/>s do it!</quote></p>
2505 <p>The explosives convoy comprises four trucks parked in a line near the centre of the race track. Sergeant Haskell opts for the two rearmost vehicles on which to plant his mines, leaving the first and second trucks for you and the captain to deal with. The captain allows you to choose your target.</p>
2506 <choice idref="sect239">If you wish to approach the first vehicle, <link-text>turn to 239</link-text>.</choice>
2507 <choice idref="sect290">If you decide to target the second truck, <link-text>turn to 290</link-text>.</choice>
2511 <section class="numbered" id="sect165">
2512 <meta><title>165</title></meta>
2515 <p>You lift the latch and gently push the door but it does not move. At first you think that it must be locked from the inside, but then you notice that it fits poorly in its rough-hewn timber frame, and realize that it is simply sticking. A sharp kick soon cures it.</p>
2516 <p>Inside you discover a large bed, constructed of pine and covered with a counter pane of rabbit fur. An assortment of male and female clothing hangs from a rail at the foot of the bed, and a handful of faded family photographs stands on a table beside it. You search a cupboard behind the door and discover a <typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ> and a <typ class="item">Screwdriver</typ>.</p>
2517 <choice idref="sect59">If you wish to investigate the door on the opposite side of the window, <link-text>turn to 59</link-text>.</choice>
2518 <choice idref="sect196">If you decide to examine the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 196</link-text>.</choice>
2522 <section class="numbered" id="sect166">
2523 <meta><title>166</title></meta>
2526 <p>The clansman descends the steps with a bow-legged horseman<ch.apos/>s gait. He is exactly halfway down when he sees the captain kneeling over the body of a dead clan sentry. The sight freezes him in mid-step and his eyes widen with shocked surprise. As he opens his mouth to scream, you draw back your arm and hurl your weapon at his barrel-like chest.</p>
2527 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
2528 <choice idref="sect144">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 144</link-text>.</choice>
2529 <choice idref="sect51">If it is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 51</link-text>.</choice>
2530 <choice idref="sect24">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 24</link-text>.</choice>
2534 <section class="numbered" id="sect167">
2535 <meta><title>167</title></meta>
2538 <p>To the west, the rockfall is far less steep and you have no difficulty descending to the edge of the gully. With the dust cloud growing nearer by the second, you creep down the final slope towards your motorcycle as fast as you dare. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine and attempt to ride it away.</p>
2539 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
2540 <choice idref="sect281">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 281</link-text>.</choice>
2541 <choice idref="sect225">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 225</link-text>.</choice>
2545 <section class="numbered" id="sect168">
2546 <meta><title>168</title></meta>
2549 <p>At first you are shocked that Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell are firing at you. But, as the first wave of bullets kicks up the dust on the highway, your natural instinct for self-preservation takes over.</p>
2550 <p>The only cover is a shallow gully that runs alongside the highway, and immediately you steer towards it. Another burst of fire follows you: this time the bullets strike home, slamming into the front of the motorcycle and destroying the tyre. As you leave the highway you lose control of the machine, and the last thing you are aware of are the bars twisting in your hands: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2551 <p>When you regain consciousness, you are lying in the back of the truck with the captain and the sergeant standing over you. Your head aches viciously, but apart from a slight concussion and a massive bruise on the left side of your skull, your body has survived the crash with little injury.</p>
2552 <p>Marine Knott survived the crash without suffering any harm, and has been busy fitting the ignition unit to the truck. Now that the others are sure that you are all right, they check one last time that the engine is running smoothly and then continue north along Highway 81.</p>
2553 <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
2557 <section class="numbered" id="sect169">
2558 <meta><title>169</title></meta>
2561 <p>In silence, the three of you busy yourselves with the grim task of burying Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s body in the loose shale that borders this part of the highway. When the task is complete, the captain marks his grave with a cross and says a few words in honour of the memory of this brave soldier who died in the course of duty.</p>
2562 <p>You and the captain leave Knott to pay his last respects and walk back to the pick-up to consider your next course of action. Mad Dog Michigan is known to have snipers at his disposal, former HAVOC assassins who operated under him in the years before <quote>The Day</quote>. If it was one of those professionals who killed Haskell, the chances are that he will not stop until he has finished you all off.</p>
2563 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve gotta keep moving if we<ch.apos/>re to stay out of range of this assassin,</quote> says Captain Frankland, as he stares across the landscape. <quote>I<ch.apos/>ve had experience of these murderers in the past. They<ch.apos/>re totally ruthless and totally professional.</quote></p>
2564 <p>Then, as if in answer to his words and your fears, another gunshot echoes across the pine-clad mountains.</p>
2565 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2566 <choice idref="sect340">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 340</link-text>.</choice>
2567 <choice idref="sect277">If the number is 4<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 277</link-text>.</choice>
2571 <section class="numbered" id="sect170">
2572 <meta><title>170</title></meta>
2575 <p>You reach the front of the truck uninjured and start to help Frankland and Knott clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender. With your help, they are at last able to shift it and Knott braves the gunfire to climb into the cab. The engine starts first time, and as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
2576 <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland, but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab<ch.apos/>s partition window and gives a harsh laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
2577 <p><quote>Make for that road and head west,</quote> he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, <quote>It looks like you<ch.apos/>re finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we<ch.apos/>re on our way to Mimbres after all.</quote></p>
2578 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
2582 <section class="numbered" id="sect171">
2583 <meta><title>171</title></meta>
2586 <p>At the end of the corridor you find a closet with a window that overlooks the main street. From here you observe the clan rider bring his motorcycle to a halt at the edge of the town. He is wearing a close- fitting black leather riding suit, a full-face black crash helmet, and is sporting a rig of combat equipment that makes him look like a futuristic space warrior.</p>
2587 <illustration class="float">
2589 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2590 <description>Slowly he climbs off his machine, pausing briefly to adjust the controls of his air-conditioned riding suit.</description>
2592 <instance class="html" src="ill10.gif" width="386" height="557" />
2593 <instance class="pdf" src="ill10.pdf" width="386" height="557" />
2595 <p>Slowly he climbs off his machine, pausing briefly to adjust the controls of his air-conditioned riding suit. Then he unsheathes a scoped rifle from his saddle holster and advances along the main street, using the shadowy doorways of the stores and offices to cover his approach. He is thirty yards away, on the opposite side of the street, when he stops to select an orange-tipped bullet from a pouch at his hip. You watch with fearful anticipation as he presses the round into the breach of his rifle, raises the weapon to his shoulder, and takes aim at your motorcycle. There is a sharp crack, followed by a roaring boom as the incendiary round ignites and explodes the fuel tank.</p>
2596 <p>With pounding heart you watch as coolly he lowers his rifle and proceeds to reload it.</p>
2597 <choice idref="sect163">If you wish to attempt to shoot the assassin while he is busy reloading his rifle, <link-text>turn to 163</link-text>.</choice>
2598 <choice idref="sect304">If you have insufficient ammunition, or if you choose not to fire at the assassin, <link-text>turn to 304</link-text>.</choice>
2602 <section class="numbered" id="sect172">
2603 <meta><title>172</title></meta>
2606 <p>With a much practised movement, you thumb off the safety catch and bring your pistol to bear on the biker. You start to squeeze the trigger just as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle<ch.apos/>s blazing headlight.</p>
2607 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
2608 <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
2609 <choice idref="sect112">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
2613 <section class="numbered" id="sect173">
2614 <meta><title>173</title></meta>
2617 <p>With nerves on edge you wait a full minute before you chance a glance out of the window. The assassin is nowhere to be seen, and you are gripped by the fear that he may by now have gained access to the courthouse. Cautiously you peer into the passage outside, then through the banisters at the entrance and lobby, but all are empty.</p>
2618 <p>You decide to escape from the courthouse while you can. The passage leads to a staircase, at the bottom of which is a fire exit. Through a crack in the door you can see that the yard outside is empty, so you push open the locking bar and leave. You have taken only a few steps away from the door when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse with his rifle in his hand.</p>
2619 <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
2620 <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
2624 <section class="numbered" id="sect174">
2625 <meta><title>174</title></meta>
2628 <p>Knott acts as lookout while you take a look inside the cab. You find nothing of use, even the ignition key is missing, so you abandon the search and hurry to the rear of the truck. The doors are unlocked and inside you discover several open-topped boxes containing the following items:</p>
2630 <li>Enough food for five Meals</li>
2631 <li><typ class="item">Blanket</typ></li>
2632 <li><typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ></li>
2633 <li><typ class="item">File</typ></li>
2634 <li><typ class="item">Tool Kit</typ></li>
2635 <li><typ class="item">Air Pump</typ></li>
2636 <li>Enough water for three Drinks</li>
2637 <li>Bandages and surgical tape, sufficient enough for two Medi-kit units</li>
2638 <li><typ class="item">Rope</typ></li>
2640 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2641 <p>Having satisfied your curiosity, you leave the truck and motion to Marine Knott to continue.</p>
2642 <choice idref="sect138"><link-text>Turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
2646 <section class="numbered" id="sect175">
2647 <meta><title>175</title></meta>
2650 <p>The sun has disappeared behind the mountains and dusk is turning to darkness when you reach the small town of Elfrida. It was once the centre of a close rural community, but now it is no more than a sorry collection of wind-damaged stores and cabins straddling the stream. Aching with fatigue, and the pain of the minor injuries which you have sustained during your flight from the assassin, you decide to investigate the little town and rest there awhile.</p>
2651 <p>A derelict diner with a cellar offers the best place for shelter. Attempting to reach Tucson, alone and in the dark, does not strike you as a good idea, so you decide to spend the night here in the cellar and continue tomorrow at first light. Worried that the assassin may still be on your trail, you set about barricading the cellar door. Only when you are sure that he could not possibly enter without waking you, do you settle down for some much needed sleep.</p>
2652 <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
2653 <choice idref="sect110">To continue, <link-text>turn to 110</link-text>.</choice>
2657 <section class="numbered" id="sect176">
2658 <meta><title>176</title></meta>
2661 <p>You climb on to the jeep and aim a blow at the back of the clansman<ch.apos/>s head. However, your approach is noisy and he half-turns before you land your blow. The sight of your raised fist galvanizes him into action, and he turns aside your arm with the edge of his hand.</p>
2662 <illustration class="float">
2664 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2665 <description>The clansman half-turns before you land your blow.</description>
2667 <instance class="html" src="ill11.gif" width="386" height="594" />
2668 <instance class="pdf" src="ill11.pdf" width="386" height="594" />
2670 <combat><enemy>Exxon</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">23</enemy-attribute></combat>
2671 <p>Owing to the surprise of your attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
2672 <choice idref="sect320">If you win and the combat lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 320</link-text>.</choice>
2673 <choice idref="sect217">If the combat lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 217</link-text>.</choice>
2677 <section class="numbered" id="sect177">
2678 <meta><title>177</title></meta>
2681 <p>Your vote carries the decision to detour Columbus by a majority of three to one. <quote>OK men, that decides it,</quote> says Captain Frankland. <quote>We avoid Columbus an<ch.apos/> take a detour on Highway 9.</quote></p>
2682 <p><quote>I think we<ch.apos/>d better get going right away, sir,</quote> says Knott, uneasily. <quote>Looks like more o<ch.apos/> Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s boys are headin<ch.apos/> this way.</quote> He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is approaching from the south.</p>
2683 <p><quote>Hell!</quote> spits Frankland. <quote>That<ch.apos/>s all we need. Mount up, men. We ain<ch.apos/>t got the time to party with those punks.</quote></p>
2684 <p>Marine Knott takes the wheel with the captain riding beside him in the cab. Meanwhile, you and the sergeant climb in the back and take up firing positions at the tailgate. As the truck starts to move, you watch anxiously as the column of dust draws closer.</p>
2685 <choice idref="sect275"><link-text>Turn to 275</link-text>.</choice>
2689 <section class="numbered" id="sect178">
2690 <meta><title>178</title></meta>
2693 <p>You leave behind the blazing wreckage as you speed away from Lordsburg on Interstate 10. You are expecting to be followed, yet, as the town slowly vanishes into the night, there is no sign of a clan pursuit.</p>
2694 <p>You cover fifteen miles, reaching the intersection with Highway 80, when the jeep runs out of fuel. You let it cruise to the side of the freeway. As soon as you stop, Captain Frankland unhooks a large fuel can that is strapped to the rear of the jeep and shakes it.</p>
2695 <p><quote>There<ch.apos/>s about two gallons in this,</quote> he says, as he flicks open the cap and pours the contents into the jeep<ch.apos/>s empty tank. <quote>It<ch.apos/>s not going to get us very far.</quote></p>
2697 <p>As the captain pours the last of the spare gas into the jeep suddenly you discover why you were not followed out of Lordsburg.</p>
2698 <choice idref="sect309"><link-text>Turn to 309</link-text>.</choice>
2702 <section class="numbered" id="sect179">
2703 <meta><title>179</title></meta>
2706 <p>You reach for your gun but a gruff voice bellows: <quote>Hold it right there!</quote></p>
2707 <p>The clansman stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound comes loping across the desk towards you. Desperately you throw yourself out of the window before he can raise and fire a gun. Your swift action undoubtedly saves your life, for the Angelino has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol, which is already aimed at your chest. As you make your move, he pulls the trigger, spraying the window with a deadly hail of lead. The frame is ripped to pieces yet none of the bullets find their mark.</p>
2708 <p>An iron fire-escape platform breaks your fall, but not without injury. Its surface is littered with glass and you suffer several minor cuts to your hands and knees<ch.emdash/>lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. Galvanized by the shock of coming so close to death, you ignore the cuts and stagger down the fire escape as quickly as you can.</p>
2709 <choice idref="sect282"><link-text>Turn to 282</link-text>.</choice>
2713 <section class="numbered" id="sect180">
2714 <meta><title>180</title></meta>
2717 <p>You are relieved to discover that you are carrying a pack of water purification tablets.</p>
2718 <p>If you wish to do so, you may refill your canteen at the cost of 1 Medi-kit unit.</p>
2719 <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
2723 <section class="numbered" id="sect181">
2724 <meta><title>181</title></meta>
2727 <p>In this crucial moment between life and death, you are no longer able to think rationally. Your actions are pure reflex and, as you raise your gun to fire, everything seems to be happening in slow motion. For a fleeting moment you feel super-aware, something that the fighters at the OK Corral must have experienced in the first few seconds of their savage encounter. Then all hell breaks loose as your guns spit fire simultaneously.</p>
2728 <p>Add together your Stealth and Shooting skill scores. To this total, add you current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
2729 <choice idref="sect141">If your total score is 20 or less, <link-text>turn to 141</link-text>.</choice>
2730 <choice idref="sect150">If you total is 21 or more, <link-text>turn to 150</link-text>.</choice>
2734 <section class="numbered" id="sect182">
2735 <meta><title>182</title></meta>
2738 <p>Frantically you scramble to your feet and throw yourself out of the path of the oncoming biker as he guns his machine maniacally straight at the gas pump.</p>
2739 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
2740 <choice idref="sect308">If your total score is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
2741 <choice idref="sect226">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 226</link-text>.</choice>
2745 <section class="numbered" id="sect183">
2746 <meta><title>183</title></meta>
2749 <p>The temperature continues to rise as the truck makes its way along the remains of Highway 81, across a vast and spectacular landscape. It is nearly noon when you reach a winding, steep-sided canyon<ch.emdash/>part of the great continental divide. Its multi-banded strata of rocks provide a dramatic splash of colour in this sun-bleached mountain wasteland.</p>
2750 <p><quote>The colony should be in Deming about now,</quote> says the Captain, glancing at his wristwatch. <quote>When we reach the Interstate, we<ch.apos/>ll stop and wait for them there. No sense travelling in this heat if we can help it.</quote></p>
2751 <p>He has barely finished talking when there is a loud bang. The floor shudders, then the engine starts to cough and splutter. Knott groans loudly, fearing the worst, and desperately pumps the gas pedal to keep the engine from stalling. For half a mile the truck lurches along the highway like a drunken kangaroo, until the engine utters its last cough and stops.</p>
2752 <p>An examination of the engine soon reveals the problem<ch.emdash/>a cracked electronic ignition unit. Knott recalls seeing one of these lying on a workbench back at the Hachita gas station, and curses himself for not having taken it. At least a replacement part is within reach. Knott volunteers to return to the town, ten miles away, and asks for someone to accompany him.</p>
2753 <choice idref="sect49">If you wish to walk back to Hachita with Marine Knott, <link-text>turn to 49</link-text>.</choice>
2754 <choice idref="sect286">If you decide to stay with the truck, <link-text>turn to 286</link-text>.</choice>
2758 <section class="numbered" id="sect184">
2759 <meta><title>184</title></meta>
2762 <p>The highway weaves its way towards a high pass, beyond which there is a hairpin bend. Fatigue is making it increasingly difficult for you to concentrate, and you take the sharp bend too fast, causing the jeep<ch.apos/>s left side wheels to skid on the loose shale that borders the road. Desperately you try to control the skid but you run out of road. The last thing you see as the jeep plummets into a canyon is the tops of the stunted pine trees that line the canyon floor, 300 feet below.</p>
2763 <p>Your life and your mission end here.</p>
2767 <section class="numbered" id="sect185">
2768 <meta><title>185</title></meta>
2771 <p>The dog begins to whine excitedly as it follows a trail of scent towards a cupboard near the opposite wall. You hear the clansman chuckling evilly, then a loud burst of automatic gunfire shatters the cupboard<ch.apos/>s plywood door. The dog claws open what little there remains of the door to reveal a swarm of new-born rats nesting among some books on the bottom shelf. Cursing, the clansman allows his hound to feast briefly on the brood before dragging him away by his collar. Then he turns and leaves the room to go in search of you on the floor above.</p>
2772 <p>You wait until his footsteps have faded before you come out from beneath the table and return to the window. After several abortive attempts, you manage to free the lock. Quickly you open the window and leave the building unseen via the fire escape stairs.</p>
2773 <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
2777 <section class="numbered" id="sect186">
2778 <meta><title>186</title></meta>
2781 <p>You call Knott to support your attack as you run towards the door, bracing yourself against the impact. With a numbing jolt, your shoulder connects with the door<ch.apos/>s planed timber, and the force splinters its wooden bolt clean in two: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
2782 <p>The door flies open and you step back to allow Knott to rush into the room beyond, crouching in combat stance, his pistol held before him, ready to fire. No shots are fired, and when you enter the room, you discover that the bearded man has disappeared.</p>
2783 <choice idref="sect233"><link-text>Turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
2787 <section class="numbered" id="sect187">
2788 <meta><title>187</title></meta>
2791 <p>Suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your back, and your vision swims in and out of focus. You have been hit by a pistol bullet, and, although you fight to hang on to life, it is a struggle you cannot win. Gradually, your fingers weaken and you fall three storeys to your death in the alley below.</p>
2792 <p>Your life and your mission end here in Lordsburg.</p>
2796 <section class="numbered" id="sect188">
2797 <meta><title>188</title></meta>
2800 <p>Suddenly you hear shouts and sporadic gunfire amid the engine noise, then there is a dull thud and the floor shudders violently as the truck smashes through the barricade. Haskell loses his grip and is thrown heavily against your legs as the truck bucks and twists like an angry stallion. Haskell<ch.apos/>s fall dislodges you and together you tumble across the floor as the vehicle slews sideways across the highway. Then there is a second thud, louder than the first, and the truck comes to an abrupt halt.</p>
2801 <p>You are dazed and bruised but still conscious enough to know that something is seriously wrong. Your gun lies by your side and automatically you reach for it as you struggle to your feet. Your hand has just closed around the barrel when you see two Mexican clansmen climbing over the tailgate.</p>
2802 <choice idref="sect267">If you wish to open fire at these clansmen, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 267</link-text>.</choice>
2803 <choice idref="sect312">If you do not wish to open fire, or are unable to do so, <link-text>turn to 312</link-text>.</choice>
2807 <section class="numbered" id="sect189">
2808 <meta><title>189</title></meta>
2811 <p>When you can no longer see the highway for trees, you rise to your feet and scurry deeper into the forest. Here the air is heavy and still, and the heat is stifling, but at least the trees protect you from the midday sun. For two hours you ascend the pine-clad slopes of the Pedregosa Mountains, wending your way steadily westwards towards peaks that are hidden from sight.</p>
2812 <p>Throughout your weary trek, you exchange less than a dozen words with Marine Knott. The grief and the shock you feel play on your mind, and no matter how hard you try to shake them the images of your companions<ch.apos/> final moments keep repeating in your mind<ch.apos/>s eye. Eventually you come to terms with your sense of bereavement, but you cannot escape the ever-present fear that the sniper is somewhere nearby.</p>
2813 <p>By mid-afternoon you discover a trail that cuts through the scrub growing in abundance on the higher slopes. The trail is a welcome discovery, for the scrub is twisted and tough, gnarled and deep-rooted, and difficult to climb. You have been following the trail for less than an hour when it starts to ascend very steeply towards a rugged outcrop of rock.</p>
2814 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Field Craft skill total.</p>
2815 <choice idref="sect94">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 94</link-text>.</choice>
2816 <choice idref="sect62">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 62</link-text>.</choice>
2820 <section class="numbered" id="sect190">
2821 <meta><title>190</title></meta>
2824 <p><quote>OK, Cal,</quote> says the captain. <quote>Me and the sergeant<ch.apos/>ll take the scenic route. We<ch.apos/>ll go first. Give us time to clear the zone then wait five minutes before you and Knott make your move. Is that clear?</quote></p>
2825 <p><quote>No problem,</quote> you reply, confidently. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ll meet up at the toll bridge at 0100 hours.</quote></p>
2826 <p>With bated breath you watch as the two soldiers slip over the perimeter wall and crawl away from the safety of Fort Bliss. Expertly they merge with the broken wasteland so that you soon find it impossible to track their path, leading to an elevated section of Freeway 54. Fifteen minutes later, all is still as quiet as the grave. You are sure that they have made it across the zone by now, and so you motion to Marine Knott to follow as you lower yourself head-first over the rampart and propel yourself across the rocky ground using only your elbows and knees.</p>
2827 <p>The faint moonlight serves both to help and hinder your progress as you inch your way towards the Montana Road, a highway that runs 100 yards in front of, and parallel to, the clansmen<ch.apos/>s position. Every move you make is slow and deliberate as though the ground were strewn with eggs, so urgent is the need to prevent dust from betraying your position. Eventually you reach a shallow ditch bordering the highway and you use it as cover as you advance towards a group of ruined buildings at the edge of the city. You are less than twenty yards from the ruins when you are frozen by the sound of howling dogs. They are clan bloodhounds and they have picked up your scent on the warm night air.</p>
2828 <p>With your pulse racing, you peer over the edge of the ditch, seeking to catch a clear view of the enemy. You cannot see them, but you can hear them approaching fast. You must act quickly if you are to avoid being caught by the hounds and their handlers.</p>
2829 <choice idref="sect109">If you possess at least one Meal<ch.apos/>s worth of food and wish to use it to delay the hounds, <link-text>turn to 109</link-text>.</choice>
2830 <choice idref="sect89">If you do not possess any food, or do not wish to use it, <link-text>turn to 89</link-text>.</choice>
2834 <section class="numbered" id="sect191">
2835 <meta><title>191</title></meta>
2838 <p>You take the grenade in your right hand and set its timer to detonate in five seconds. Then you ease out the firing pin and hurl the bomb towards the scrub where you first sighted the sniper.</p>
2839 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you hear the grenade explode with a shuddering boom. Instantly you leap to your feet and race up the steps. As you clear the crater, you try to make out your destination through the swirling curtain of smoke now hanging between the pines.</p>
2840 <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your score.</p>
2841 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
2842 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
2846 <section class="numbered" id="sect192">
2847 <meta><title>192</title></meta>
2850 <p>As soon as both clansmen have been defeated, you and Knott search their bodies and the saddlebags of their motorcycle, and discover the following items:</p>
2852 <li>Pistol (containing four rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
2853 <li>Shotgun (containing two rounds of 12-gauge ammunition)</li>
2856 <li>Three rounds of 12-gauge ammunition</li>
2858 <li>Eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition</li>
2859 <li>Enough food for three Meals</li>
2860 <li>Enough water for four Drinks</li>
2861 <li>Enough water purification tablets, bandages, pain killers, and antiseptics for four Medi-kit units</li>
2862 <li><typ class="item">Binoculars</typ></li>
2863 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
2864 <li><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ></li>
2866 <p>If you wish to keep any of these weapons, ammunition, Medi-kit units or Backpack Items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
2867 <p>You hide the bodies before entering the gas station to look for the spare ignition unit.</p>
2868 <choice idref="sect273"><link-text>Turn to 273</link-text>.</choice>
2872 <section class="numbered" id="sect193">
2873 <meta><title>193</title></meta>
2876 <p>The barrel of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s machine pistol spits flame and you feel red-hot cores of pain erupt in your shoulder, neck and head. In an instant your vision is transformed into a kaleidoscope of swirling colours, the most predominant being red.</p>
2877 <p>With breathtaking suddenness your car stews off the freeway and smashes into the central crash barrier, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog passes your burning car, ecstatic in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
2878 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than thirty miles from Tucson.</p>
2882 <section class="numbered" id="sect194">
2883 <meta><title>194</title></meta>
2886 <p>Your gunfire wounds the clansman but does not prevent him from returning fire, and, as he staggers back, he empties his magazine into your hiding place. The bullets rip through the table and hit your chest and legs. You try to move but cannot. Colours swim before your eyes and the sharp pain that fills your body at first quickly gives way to a numbness that clouds your mind. You try to fight the overwhelming urge to close your eyes, but eventually you drift off into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
2887 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
2891 <section class="numbered" id="sect195">
2892 <meta><title>195</title></meta>
2895 <p>Using rubber sealant, insulation tape, and strips of metal cut from an old oil can, you help the sergeant to patch up the three bullet holes. Meanwhile, the others are able to siphon nearly two gallons of gasolene from the station<ch.apos/>s storage tanks, which is then carefully transferred to the truck<ch.apos/>s newly repaired fuel tank. Captain Frankland is disappointed at having found so little fuel, but Knott assures him that it should be sufficient to enable you to reach Lordsburg and rendezvous with the colony.</p>
2896 <p>Once the refuelling is completed, you climb aboard and set off in a new direction<ch.emdash/>north, towards a junction with Interstate Freeway 10.</p>
2897 <choice idref="sect183"><link-text>Turn to 183</link-text>.</choice>
2901 <section class="numbered" id="sect196">
2902 <meta><title>196</title></meta>
2905 <p>You leave the bedroom and approach the door at the end of the corridor with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the centre of the door at head height: it is a spy-hole.</p>
2906 <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot make out what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
2907 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2908 <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
2909 <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
2913 <section class="numbered" id="sect197">
2914 <meta><title>197</title></meta>
2917 <p>Hurriedly you haul the clansman<ch.apos/>s body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels. You then turn your attention to the vehicle ahead. The captain is crouching beneath it, signalling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as the timing mechanism starts to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
2918 <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trailing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck. Smoke belches from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluctant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
2919 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
2920 <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
2921 <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
2925 <section class="numbered" id="sect198">
2926 <meta><title>198</title></meta>
2929 <p>You follow the main street, examining more than a dozen wrecked autos, but none holds out even the faintest hope of ever being resurrected. The last building in the street is the Post Office, and by the time you reach it, you are virtually resigned to the fact that your search is in vain. However, Knott wishes to search the building and, as there are still a few minutes left before you must rejoin Frankland and Haskell, you agree to help him.</p>
2930 <choice idref="sect108">If you wish to search the lot at the rear of the Post Office, <link-text>turn to 108</link-text>.</choice>
2931 <choice idref="sect247">If you decide to search the Post Office, <link-text>turn to 247</link-text>.</choice>
2935 <section class="numbered" id="sect199">
2936 <meta><title>199</title></meta>
2939 <p>You hit the ground and roll under a car in time to see the clansmen<ch.apos/>s feet reach the base of the ramp. For a few seconds the men remain stationary, then they advance along the centre aisle, stopping occasionally to check between the rows of parked cars. You keep as still as possible until they reach the stairs and begin to ascend, then you crawl out from your hiding place and make a run for the exit ramp.</p>
2940 <p>By the time the clansmen realize that you have given them the slip, you are a safe distance from the parking lot and heading into the heart of the city. By keeping strictly to alleys and side streets you are able to avoid clan patrols and reach the banks of the Rio Grande without incident. Then you head west, following the river towards your rendezvous destination.</p>
2941 <p>Your early encounters with Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men have delayed you and now, as you hurry along the walkways and plazas bordering the river, you are fearful that you will arrive too late to join the others. In your haste you become less cautious, taking risks that might prove dangerous.</p>
2942 <p>You are hurrying along a walled sidewalk when you catch sight of the Stanton Street Toll Bridge less than 400 yards away. You are confident that it is the right bridge because it is the only one still intact. A glance at your wristwatch shows that you have less than ten minutes to spare. You are about to break into a run when suddenly you hear a noise behind you that makes you freeze: it is the sound of a pistol being cocked.</p>
2943 <choice idref="sect104"><link-text>Turn to 104</link-text>.</choice>
2947 <section class="numbered" id="sect200">
2948 <meta><title>200</title></meta>
2951 <p>The man enters the room, his pistol poised to shoot should either of you be foolish enough to think you can overpower him. He motions you to move back against the far wall, and when you comply, he calls to his companions, who are hiding below the floor.</p>
2952 <p><quote>It<ch.apos/>s OK Jack, I got <ch.lsquot/>em covered. You can bring everyone up now.</quote></p>
2953 <p>One by one, a family colony of survivors climbs the stairs and files into the room. The first to appear is a man in his mid-thirties, lean and clean-shaven, yet bearing a striking resemblance to the man with the gun. He is followed by two women of about the same age; then two children appear: a boy aged about eight and a girl aged eleven or so.</p>
2954 <illustration class="float">
2956 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
2957 <description>One by one, a family colony of survivors climbs the stairs and files into the room.</description>
2959 <instance class="html" src="ill12.gif" width="386" height="623" />
2960 <instance class="pdf" src="ill12.pdf" width="386" height="623" />
2962 <p>The women and children leave the room to check security at the front entrance, while the two men<ch.emdash/>brothers<ch.emdash/>demand to know who you are and why you are here.</p>
2963 <choice idref="sect302"><link-text>Turn to 302</link-text>.</choice>
2967 <section class="numbered" id="sect201">
2968 <meta><title>201</title></meta>
2971 <p>You focus your lenses to see a figure moving among the gnarled grey pine trunks less than thirty yards away. A bearded man in his mid-forties, he is dressed in a plaid shirt and patched blue jeans. He is carrying a clutch of dead rabbits in one hand and a small axe in the other. Quietly you tell Knott exactly what you can see, and he replies: <quote>He doesn<ch.apos/>t sound much like a HAVOC assassin. What d<ch.apos/>you think we should do, Cal?</quote></p>
2972 <choice idref="sect325">If you wish to call out to the man, <link-text>turn to 325</link-text>.</choice>
2973 <choice idref="sect159">If you decide to stalk him, <link-text>turn to 159</link-text>.</choice>
2977 <section class="numbered" id="sect202">
2978 <meta><title>202</title></meta>
2981 <p>The captain leads the team through the buildings of the immigration control compound, and on towards the iron-framed service walkway. The gate to this section is locked but its rusty padlock is soon dealt with and stealthily you make your crossing. Below your feet, through the cage-like steel floor of the walkway, the waters of the Rio Grande glint in the moonlight. To your right lie the ruined remains of the Cordova Bridge. Its central span collapsed during the post-holocaust years, and the debris now forms an island of broken concrete that parts the waters near the middle of the river. The noisy rush of the water passing over this isle obscures the sound of your footfalls as the team hurries across the walkway towards the Mexican side of the border.</p>
2982 <p>You are less than twenty yards from the exit gate when the captain signals a halt. Silently he points to the end of the walkway, where two clan sentries are standing guard with their backs to the river. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve gotta deal with these two quickly and quietly,</quote> he whispers, as he reaches to his boot and unsheathes his black-bladed combat knife.</p>
2983 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
2984 <choice idref="sect67">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>6, <link-text>turn to 67</link-text>.</choice>
2985 <choice idref="sect131">If it is 7<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 131</link-text>.</choice>
2989 <section class="numbered" id="sect203">
2990 <meta><title>203</title></meta>
2993 <p>Nervously you wait for the rider to make his move. More than ten minutes elapse before he remounts his machine and kicks the engine into life. You reach for your gun, hoping for a clear shot as soon as he is in range, but your hopes are dashed when he turns his machine around and rides away in the opposite direction.</p>
2994 <choice idref="sect101"><link-text>Turn to 101</link-text>.</choice>
2998 <section class="numbered" id="sect204">
2999 <meta><title>204</title></meta>
3002 <p>The force of the collision sends you both reeling to the ground. Desperately you scramble to your feet, shaking your head in an effort to clear your vision. You regain your footing before the clansman and immediately you seize the advantage and attack.</p>
3003 <combat><enemy>Banderas</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">19</enemy-attribute></combat>
3004 <p>Owing to your having the first strike, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points losses you sustain in the first round of the combat.</p>
3005 <choice idref="sect257">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 257</link-text>.</choice>
3009 <section class="numbered" id="sect205">
3010 <meta><title>205</title></meta>
3013 <p>Blinded by the glare of their spotlight, you struggle to avoid the oncoming truck and swerve sharply to the right. Captain Frankland, who is manning the heavy machine gun, is poised to fire when you make your move. Not only does the sudden change of direction ruin his aim, it hurls him out of the jeep into the path of the pick-up truck. The loss of your commander distracts your attention from the road, and you fail to see the steep ravine that is looming out of the darkness. The last thing you hear, as the jeep plummets sixty feet into an empty reservoir, are the terrified screams of Haskell and Knott.</p>
3014 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here.</p>
3018 <section class="numbered" id="sect206">
3019 <meta><title>206</title></meta>
3022 <p>You step over the dead dogs just as their handler, a scrawny-faced clansman dressed in a tattered denim jacket and jeans, comes running towards you wielding a crowbar. He is calling to his dogs by name and quickly you realize that he has not seen you standing in the shadows. Rather than fight him, you decide to backtrack and attempt to find your partner.</p>
3023 <p>Knott is crouched in hiding beneath an archway further south. He sees you as you pass and attracts your attention by whispering your name. The discovery of the dead dogs has sent the clansmen into a frenzy of activity and immediately they launch a manhunt. Fortunately, they start by searching some distance away from you, enabling the two of you to slip away unseen.</p>
3024 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
3028 <section class="numbered" id="sect207">
3029 <meta><title>207</title></meta>
3032 <p>The steep ground that borders the plateau is dry and flaky, and it crumbles frequently beneath your weight. Progress is painfully slow as you inch your way around the wooded outcrop, hugging the trunks of the mountain pines to prevent yourself from falling into the valley far below.</p>
3033 <p>Add together your Field Craft and Stealth skill totals. Add to this total your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
3034 <choice idref="sect73">If your total score is 19 or less, <link-text>turn to 73</link-text>.</choice>
3035 <choice idref="sect283">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 283</link-text>.</choice>
3039 <section class="numbered" id="sect208">
3040 <meta><title>208</title></meta>
3043 <p>You grit your teeth and struggle to hang on. Then a ricochet screams from the brickwork and cuts across the back of your left hand: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3044 <p>The pain in your hand is excruciating, but it soon subsides to be replaced by a tingling sensation that cramps the muscles in your forearm. Your fingers weaken and, with a terrifying jolt, you find yourself swinging in the void, supported only by the fingers of your right hand.</p>
3045 <p>After what seems like an eternity, your companions put paid to the clansmen and come to your rescue. Strong hands grip your aching arm and haul you to safety, but before you can thank them, they turn and follow the captain towards a fire escape on the far side of the building. You pause just long enough to catch your breath and retrieve your Backpack, then you hurry after them.</p>
3046 <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
3050 <section class="numbered" id="sect209">
3051 <meta><title>209</title></meta>
3054 <p>Captain Frankland orders everyone back to the truck. <quote>This ain<ch.apos/>t the last we<ch.apos/>ve seen of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s men,</quote> he warns, looking to the west in the direction of Ciudad Juarez. <quote>We<ch.apos/>d best keep moving while we<ch.apos/>re ahead. We<ch.apos/>ve made good progress, but we<ch.apos/>ve still got about 100 miles to cover before we reach Deming.</quote></p>
3055 <p>He climbs into the cab beside Marine Knott, while you and the sergeant settle yourselves in the rear and try to make yourselves comfortable. You leave the town, heading north, following the remains of a highway that promises to take you back across the border and on to your rendezvous with the colony. A few miles beyond the town, the highway crosses a lake by means of a narrow causeway. The first few rays of the dawn sun are lightening the eastern sky, and, as you stare across the lonely landscape, you find yourself thinking of Kate and the colony.</p>
3056 <p><quote>If all goes well, we<ch.apos/>ll reach Deming a few hours before noon,</quote> says Haskell, studying a map by the light of a tiny bulb in a wire cage bolted to the rear of the cab. Then he slips the map inside his combat jacket, switches off the light, and curls up on the floor to sleep. You are now feeling very tired, so you decide to follow Haskell<ch.apos/>s example and try, despite the rough ride, to get a few hours<ch.apos/> much needed rest.</p>
3057 <p>Before you sleep you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3058 <choice idref="sect80">To continue, <link-text>turn to 80</link-text>.</choice>
3062 <section class="numbered" id="sect210">
3063 <meta><title>210</title></meta>
3066 <footnote id="sect210-1-foot" idref="sect210-1">
3067 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch (if any).</p>
3072 <p>Breathless with the exertion and exhilaration of your run, you crash through the foliage and throw yourself to the ground, scarcely able to believe that you escaped from the crater without being shot.<a id="sect210-1" idref="sect210-1-foot" class="footnote" /> You are beginning to think that the sniper failed to see you, when suddenly there is a gunshot and a bullet smacks into the base of a tree less than six feet from where you lie.</p>
3073 <choice idref="sect14"><link-text>Turn to 14</link-text>.</choice>
3077 <section class="numbered" id="sect211">
3078 <meta><title>211</title></meta>
3081 <p>As you turn to run, the clansman hurls his crowbar at the middle of your back.</p>
3082 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth and Perception skill totals.</p>
3083 <choice idref="sect115">If your total score is 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 115</link-text>.</choice>
3084 <choice idref="sect40">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 40</link-text>.</choice>
3088 <section class="numbered" id="sect212">
3089 <meta><title>212</title></meta>
3092 <p>You bring your shotgun to your shoulder, and, as you take aim at the assassin<ch.apos/>s chest, you see him take up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places these bulky lenses to his visor and begins to search the surrounding rooftops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them?</p>
3093 <p>He dips the lenses and scans the ground floor windows of the courthouse, and a sudden chill stabs your heart as you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, enhanced-resolution image intensifiers. He sees you and immediately you squeeze the trigger, fearful that you have left your shot too late.</p>
3094 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
3095 <choice idref="sect346">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 346</link-text>.</choice>
3096 <choice idref="sect4">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 4</link-text>.</choice>
3100 <section class="numbered" id="sect213">
3101 <meta><title>213</title></meta>
3104 <footnote id="sect213-1-foot" idref="sect213-1">
3105 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
3110 <p>You fire, and almost immediately throw yourself to the floor of the truck, hoping to avoid your enemy<ch.apos/>s counter-fire. Fortunately, your move proves unnecessarily cautious: your burst of fire hits the clan commander in the head, killing him instantly.<a id="sect213-1" idref="sect213-1-foot" class="footnote" /></p>
3111 <p>His death travels like a shockwave through the other clansmen, bringing them to an abrupt halt. They abort their attack and fall back, a few of them stopping just long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
3112 <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender. With your help they are able to shift it, and Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. Then, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
3113 <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cab<ch.apos/>s partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
3114 <p><quote>Make for that road and head west,</quote> he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, <quote>It looks like you<ch.apos/>re finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we<ch.apos/>re on our way to Mimbres.</quote></p>
3115 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
3119 <section class="numbered" id="sect214">
3120 <meta><title>214</title></meta>
3123 <p>As your eyes grow accustomed to the gloom, you see that you have gained access to a small, sweet-smelling store room. Apart from an area occupied by a wooden door, the walls of the room are lined with shelves on which are stored jars of preserved fruits, canned foodstuffs, and pickled vegetables.</p>
3124 <p>On one shelf alone there is sufficient food for more than fifty Meals. If you wish to take some, remember to mark your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
3125 <choice idref="sect127">If you wish to continue to search the room, <link-text>turn to 127</link-text>.</choice>
3126 <choice idref="sect334">If you wish to leave the room via the door, <link-text>turn to 334</link-text>.</choice>
3130 <section class="numbered" id="sect215">
3131 <meta><title>215</title></meta>
3134 <p>You aim and fire at the approaching clansman, the rising barrel of your weapon blocking your target for just an instant. As your gun comes down from its recoil you see him staggering on the steps, his eyes bulging and his hands clamped to his chest. Then his legs buckle and he falls from the stairs to land, with a dull, heavy thud, on the dried-up bank of the Rio Grande.</p>
3135 <p><quote>What the<ch.ellips/></quote> hisses the captain, his eyes wild with anger and fear as he turns to face you. Then, in the next instant, all hell breaks loose.</p>
3136 <p>Alerted by the sound of your gunfire, the clansmen who are guarding the toll bridge immediately rush to their searchlights and train them on the walkway entrance. Within seconds the whole area is bathed in white light, revealing the team, and the bodies of the two dead clan sentries. Swiftly the area is surrounded by the enemy who open fire mercilessly. Unable to find cover or escape from this deadly ambush, all four of you fall victim to the clansmen<ch.apos/>s guns.</p>
3137 <p>Your life and your mission end here.</p>
3141 <section class="numbered" id="sect216">
3142 <meta><title>216</title></meta>
3145 <p>Using your strength, skill, and considerable determination, you overcome your climbing problems and propel yourself to the peak. Elation hits your senses when you stand on the top of the rockfalls but it is a feeling that is all too brief.</p>
3146 <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Cursing your decision to abandon your bike, you look around desperately for some means of escape.</p>
3147 <choice idref="sect18">If you wish to descend the west side of the rockfall and attempt to escape along the road on foot, <link-text>turn to 18</link-text>.</choice>
3148 <choice idref="sect167">If you decide to descend into the gully and try to salvage your motorcycle, <link-text>turn to 167</link-text>.</choice>
3149 <choice idref="sect332">If you choose to remain on the rockfall and attempt to ambush the assassin when he arrives, <link-text>turn to 332</link-text>.</choice>
3153 <section class="numbered" id="sect217">
3154 <meta><title>217</title></meta>
3157 <p>You are beginning to think that the ambush has backfired when the captain arrives to help you to overcome your adversary. He then signals to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott, and they rush to the jeep, return your equipment, and then help him search the Mavericks<ch.apos/> bodies before hiding them in the bus depot.</p>
3158 <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
3159 <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
3160 <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
3164 <section class="numbered" id="sect218">
3165 <meta><title>218</title></meta>
3168 <p>On your return to the main street you see Sergeant Haskell in the distance, beckoning you over to a used car lot near the middle of Rodeo. You hurry across the highway and enter the lot, which specialized in commercial and recreational vehicles before <quote>The Day</quote>. The faded billboards boast that <quote>only the best vehicles are to be found here</quote>, but sadly this claim is long out-of-date. Most of the trucks and RVs are totally wrecked, and nearly all have tyres and batteries that perished during the post-holocaust years. All, that is, save one.</p>
3169 <p>Captain Frankland has discovered a battered Toyota pick-up truck that still has four good tyres. He has lifted the hood and, as you enter the lot, he asks you to take a closer look at the engine. Apart from a dead battery and lack of fuel, you soon realize that this pick-up is in remarkably good condition.</p>
3170 <illustration class="float">
3172 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3173 <description>Captain Frankland asks you to take a closer look at the engine.</description>
3175 <instance class="html" src="ill13.gif" width="386" height="634" />
3176 <instance class="pdf" src="ill13.pdf" width="386" height="634" />
3178 <p><quote>Well, we<ch.apos/>ve found some gas,</quote> says Knott, raising the fuel can, <quote>so that solves one problem.</quote></p>
3179 <p><quote>That<ch.apos/>s fine,</quote> replies the captain, <quote>but we<ch.apos/>ll still need some electrical power to get this engine started.</quote></p>
3180 <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a <typ class="item">Solar Regulator</typ>, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
3181 <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
3185 <section class="numbered" id="sect219">
3186 <meta><title>219</title></meta>
3189 <p>You pump a cartridge into the breech as you bring your shotgun to bear on the leading biker. Your finger starts to squeeze the trigger as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle<ch.apos/>s blazing headlight.</p>
3190 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
3191 <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
3192 <choice idref="sect112">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
3196 <section class="numbered" id="sect220">
3197 <meta><title>220</title></meta>
3200 <p>The unexpected ramming sends you to your doom. Your car veers off to the right and collides with the stationary Landcruiser at over 100 miles an hour, transforming it into a blazing fireball. With a scream of triumph, Mad Dog crosses the bridge, happy in the knowledge that at last he has wrought his revenge.</p>
3201 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here, less than twenty miles from Tucson.</p>
3205 <section class="numbered" id="sect221">
3206 <meta><title>221</title></meta>
3209 <p>The rock shatters with a loud crack that sends the clansmen diving for cover. Instantly you spring out of the ditch, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed on the shadowy archway ahead. You are five yards from safety when your foot connects with a twisted steel rod protruding from the ground and you are sent sprawling. You land with a jolt (lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point), but almost immediately Knott pulls you to your feet by your Backpack and bundles you towards the archway. Moments later a beam of torchlight passes over the place where you fell. It hovers there for a few seconds then moves away slowly.</p>
3210 <p>Patiently you wait for your breathing to return to normal. A glance around the pillar reveals the three clansmen searching the place where the rock landed. Confident that you have not been detected, you continue on your way.</p>
3211 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
3215 <section class="numbered" id="sect222">
3216 <meta><title>222</title></meta>
3219 <p>The horror of seeing the pistol pointing straight at your heart galvanizes you into action. You hurl yourself at the floor, barely moments before the muzzle belches flame, avoiding what would most certainly have been a fatal wound.</p>
3220 <p>In the close confines of the corridor the noise of the pistol<ch.apos/>s discharge is deafening. You shake your head in a vain effort to clear the ringing that now fills your ears. Angered at how close you came to death, you struggle to your feet and face the door, only to see the spy-hole slam firmly shut.</p>
3221 <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
3222 <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
3226 <section class="numbered" id="sect223">
3227 <meta><title>223</title></meta>
3230 <p>Suddenly something hits you in the back. The impact knocks you flat on your face, and you gash your hands and cheek on the jagged rubble: lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3231 <p>Although you have been hit by a bullet, you are not seriously wounded. Your Backpack has saved you from fatal injury: the bullet has lodged itself in one of your Medi-kits. (Erase one Medi-kit from you <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>. If you have no Medi-kits, erase the first item you have recorded on your list of Backpack Items.)</p>
3232 <p>Breathlessly, you drag your aching body towards the front of the truck and start to help Frankland and Knott clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender. With your help, they are at last able to dislodge it, and Knott braves the gunfire to climb into the cab. The engine starts first time and, as he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
3233 <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland, but a few hundred yards beyond lies a highway running east to west. The captain peers through the cabs partition window and gives a harsh laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
3234 <p><quote>Make for that road and head west,</quote> he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, <quote>It looks like you<ch.apos/>re finally outvoted, Haskell. We<ch.apos/>re on our way to Mimbres.</quote></p>
3235 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
3239 <section class="numbered" id="sect224">
3240 <meta><title>224</title></meta>
3243 <p>Your toe connects with the heavy metal box but you are able to recover your footing in time to avoid falling over. Haskell draws level and together you jump and cling to the truck<ch.apos/>s tailgate as Knott starts to move away. Helped by Captain Frankland, the two of you make it safely aboard as the truck rapidly picks up speed.</p>
3244 <choice idref="sect5"><link-text>Turn to 5</link-text>.</choice>
3248 <section class="numbered" id="sect225">
3249 <meta><title>225</title></meta>
3252 <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place on the far side of the rockfall to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, and, as you clear the crest of the gully, you bring your motorcycle to a halt in order to take a parting look at the approaching cloud of dust. It is less than half a mile distant, within range of a snipers rifle. Chilled by the thought of your murdered companions, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
3253 <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
3257 <section class="numbered" id="sect226">
3258 <meta><title>226</title></meta>
3261 <p>You hit the ground with a jolt that leaves you breathless. Moments later, you hear a dull thud and a screech of buckled metal as the motorcycle clips the gas pump and crashes down on its side. You look up in time to see it rolling over and over, then, with a loud bang, it slams into the gas station wall. Cautiously you get to your feet and approach the tangled, smoking wreckage with your gun poised. You are still very wary of this maniacal rider even though the chances of his surviving such a terrible crash must be slim indeed.</p>
3262 <p>As you expected, the rider is dead. A closer examination of his broken body, however, reveals that he was dead before his machine hit the ground. He was killed as he sped over the bridge by a ricocheting bullet, and his body, slumped over the handlebars, kept his machine balanced in an upright and fixed line.</p>
3263 <p>Thinking of how close you came to death makes you break out in a cold sweat. Uneasily you wipe your forehead with the back of your trembling hand as you turn and walk away from the dead clansman and his shattered bike.</p>
3264 <choice idref="sect209"><link-text>Turn to 209</link-text>.</choice>
3268 <section class="numbered" id="sect227">
3269 <meta><title>227</title></meta>
3272 <p>The sound of the crash brings the clansmen to a halt at the side of the mountain road. They dismount from their machines and peel off their leather face masks before taking tentative steps towards the edge of the steep-sided canyon. The sight of the burning wreckage draws evil grins across their cruel faces, and when Knott<ch.apos/>s bloodstained tunic is found nearby, they laugh and howl like victorious jackals. Convinced that you are dead, their leader radios the news to Mad Dog Michigan. When he finishes the call he orders his scouts to remount their bikes and follow him back to Lordsburg. Only when you can no longer hear the thunderous growl of their bikes do you leave your hiding place and set off on foot along Highway 80, heading south.</p>
3273 <illustration class="float">
3275 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3276 <description>When Knott<ch.apos/>s bloodstained tunic is found nearby, they laugh and howl like victorious jackals.</description>
3278 <instance class="html" src="ill14.gif" width="386" height="626" />
3279 <instance class="pdf" src="ill14.pdf" width="386" height="626" />
3281 <p>It is only an hour after the sun has risen and the temperature is already climbing above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The prospect of spending a whole day walking in the burning desert heat is too dangerous to contemplate seriously, so when you see the town of Rodeo shimmering in the distance, you resolve to set about finding a replacement vehicle the moment you arrive.</p>
3282 <p>The highway cuts through the centre of this empty town, dividing it into two halves of roughly the same size. A derelict furniture store marks the start of the main street and it is here, in the shade of its awning, that you stop to rest. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3283 <p>Once you have recovered your strength, Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell pair up to search one half of the town while you and Knott search the other. You need to find a serviceable vehicle that will carry you as far as Tucson.</p>
3284 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ll meet back here in half an hour,</quote> says the captain, and offers you the choice of searching the west side or the east side of Rodeo.</p>
3285 <choice idref="sect198">If you wish to search the east side of the town, <link-text>turn to 198</link-text>.</choice>
3286 <choice idref="sect314">If you choose to search the west side of the town, <link-text>turn to 314</link-text>.</choice>
3290 <section class="numbered" id="sect228">
3291 <meta><title>228</title></meta>
3294 <footnote id="sect228-1-foot" idref="sect228-1">
3295 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
3300 <p>Your gunfire catches the clansman in the upper chest and sends him spinning across the room.<a id="sect228-1" idref="sect228-1-foot" class="footnote" /> He hits the far wall, rebounds, then drops to his knees, his hands scrabbling all the while to maintain a grip on his weapon. He is determined to kill you but, as he struggles to raise his machine pistol, death robs him of the chance to avenge himself.</p>
3301 <p>You scramble out from under the table to see the bloodhound scurrying away through the open door. Aware that the noise will have alerted the dead man<ch.apos/>s confederates, you waste no time in forcing open the window and leaving the building via the fire escape stairs.</p>
3302 <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
3306 <section class="numbered" id="sect229">
3307 <meta><title>229</title></meta>
3310 <p>The interior of the repair shop looks like a junk yard after a sandstorm. The floor and counters are littered with pieces of electronic equipment that were once praised as the best of their kind during the communications boom that swept the world at the turn of the century. Now these gadgets lie broken and buried beneath a blanket of post-holocaust dust.</p>
3311 <p>You spend several minutes sifting through the debris, and manage to unearth a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ> transceiver that still functions. If you choose to keep this item, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
3312 <choice idref="sect245"><link-text>Turn to 245</link-text>.</choice>
3316 <section class="numbered" id="sect230">
3317 <meta><title>230</title></meta>
3320 <p>It is not long before Interstate 10 appears on the horizon, its surface glowing warmly orange in the light of the setting sun. When you reach the junction, Knott drives on to the freeway and brings the truck to a halt to allow Captain Frankland to inspect the surface. The tyre tracks of several heavy vehicles are clearly visible in the dust, indicating that the colony has passed this way some time in the last six hours. The discovery is well received; it confirms that the convoy broke out of El Paso successfully, and it raises your hopes for an early reunion with Kate and the others.</p>
3321 <p>Seven miles west of the junction, the remains of a small New Mexican town stands less than a mile from the freeway. A set of fresh tyre tracks veers away from the freeway and heads towards the town. The tracks are quite distinctive and you recognize them at once: they were made by the tyres that are fitted to your roadster.</p>
3322 <choice idref="sect137">If you wish to ask Captain Frankland to follow the tyre tracks, <link-text>turn to 137</link-text>.</choice>
3323 <choice idref="sect33">If you decide to say nothing, <link-text>turn to 33</link-text>.</choice>
3327 <section class="numbered" id="sect231">
3328 <meta><title>231</title></meta>
3331 <p>You brake heavily and Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s speedster crosses in front of you to hit the barrier with a terrific screech. Metal twists and sparks fly from the fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You pull back and overtake him on the right, powering your roadster away as he fights to free himself from the barrier<ch.apos/>s magnet-like grip.</p>
3332 <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
3336 <section class="numbered" id="sect232">
3337 <meta><title>232</title></meta>
3340 <p>A barricade of wrecked autos has been strung out in a continuous line across the highway at the entrance to the town. Beyond this wall of buckled hulks, you see that the town is clan held. More than a dozen motorcycles are parked on either side of the main street, where two or three clansmen are asleep in the shade.</p>
3341 <p><quote>Why are they so interested in holding this God-forsaken place?</quote> you ponder aloud.</p>
3342 <p><quote>Strategically it<ch.apos/>s important,</quote> replies the captain. <quote>It controls the only cross-border highway through the mountains into New Mexico.</quote></p>
3343 <p>The captain asks for Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s map, and after studying it, he says: <quote>The town<ch.apos/>s called Columbus. If we<ch.apos/>re gonna reach Deming on time we<ch.apos/>ll have to smash our way through the road block, otherwise we face a long detour on Highway 9, the Mimbres road. If we go that way we<ch.apos/>ll have to try an<ch.apos/> link up with the convoy someplace else, someplace further west, like Lordsburg or San Simon. Either way it<ch.apos/>s damn risky.</quote></p>
3344 <p>Because of the risks involved, the captain puts the decision to the vote. He and Knott opt to take a detour, while Sergeant Haskell favours the direct approach. He votes to crash the road block while the clansmen are off their guard. The others wait to hear your choice.</p>
3345 <choice idref="sect342">If you vote to smash through the road block, <link-text>turn to 342</link-text>.</choice>
3346 <choice idref="sect177">If you side with the captain and Marine Knott, and vote to detour Columbus, <link-text>turn to 177</link-text>.</choice>
3350 <section class="numbered" id="sect233">
3351 <meta><title>233</title></meta>
3354 <p>You have entered what appears to be the living area of a small, well-equipped, efficiently organized colony. A bellows-operated air pump stands in one corner next to a bookcase filled to bursting with classical literature, disc-chips, and visi-cassettes. There are compact industrial batteries to supply power to the ceiling lights, a hand-cranked generator, a short-wave receiver, video and hi-fi equipment, a wall-mounted cine-screen, a computer and VDU, a first aid kit, and cupboards from floor to ceiling filled, no doubt, with other essential and luxury items.</p>
3355 <p>Opposite the door by which you entered, in the corner of the room is an open trapdoor. A flight of steps descends into the darkness of another room directly below the one in which you now stand. You point to it, Knott nods his head, and together you approach the steps with your guns at the ready.</p>
3356 <choice idref="sect139">If your Perception skill total is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 139</link-text>.</choice>
3357 <choice idref="sect77">If your Perception skill total is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 77</link-text>.</choice>
3361 <section class="numbered" id="sect234">
3362 <meta><title>234</title></meta>
3365 <p>Nervously you glance over your shoulder as the howling grows louder. Then you catch sight of them, two slack-jowled bloodhounds, padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
3366 <p>You are beginning to fear the worst when suddenly both dogs smell the meat and bound towards it. The clansmen curse them, but, before they can pull them away from their meal, you and Knott reach the open door of a derelict building and slip inside unseen. Although the interior is dark and dusty, you are able to discover an exit on the far side of the building and escape before the enemy has a chance to catch up.</p>
3367 <choice idref="sect93"><link-text>Turn to 93</link-text>.</choice>
3371 <section class="numbered" id="sect235">
3372 <meta><title>235</title></meta>
3375 <p>You fight to maintain control but the handlebars twist out of your grip and you lose your balance. Before you can recover, the front wheel locks and you are thrown forward, head-first over the headlight, to land with a sickening thud at the bottom of the rock-strewn gully.</p>
3376 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 equals 10). Add 1 point to the number you have picked.</p>
3377 <p>Your total score is equivalent to the number of <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points you must lose as a result of your fall.</p>
3378 <choice idref="sect307">If, after this accident, you are still alive, <link-text>turn to 307</link-text>.</choice>
3382 <section class="numbered" id="sect236">
3383 <meta><title>236</title></meta>
3386 <p>You wake with a start, your hand reaching for your gun as you sense instinctively that something is wrong.</p>
3387 <p><quote>Quick, everyone up!</quote> hisses the sergeant. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s trouble on the way!</quote></p>
3388 <p>Within seconds you are wide awake, taking in every detail of your surroundings, assessing the threat. A column of vehicles is entering the town, their headlights hooded but still visible in the darkness. There are several four-wheeled vehicles but motorcycles make up the majority. It is a clan convoy.</p>
3389 <p>They enter the town and stop in line along the main street. They, too, are following the colony<ch.apos/>s tracks, which have led them straight to you.</p>
3390 <p>An RV draws up alongside the line of vehicles and out steps a man with hatred blazing in his eyes. A chill touches your heart as you recognize his haunting features: it is Mad Dog Michigan. He screams a command and immediately the clansmen leave their machines and, with torch in hand, commence a search of the surrounding buildings.</p>
3391 <p><quote>This way!</quote> says Captain Frankland, his voice a harsh whisper. You and the others follow him up a flight of stairs that leads to the roof. As you crouch beside the parapet that encircles the roof, you peer carefully through a gap and into the street below. There are clansmen everywhere, running back and forth, their torches probing every shadow. All the same, you are beginning to feel sure that they will miss you when you hear something that sets your pulse racing.</p>
3392 <choice idref="sect264"><link-text>Turn to 264</link-text>.</choice>
3396 <section class="numbered" id="sect237">
3397 <meta><title>237</title></meta>
3400 <p>Marine Knott begins his descent to the basement while you race up the stairs to a landing on the first floor where a corridor stretches away into the darkness. To your right is a door, slightly ajar, which bears the faded words <quote>EL PASO JOURNAL<ch.emdash/>NEWS ROOM</quote> on its panelled wood surface. You enter to discover a large, dusty room cluttered with desks and computer terminals. A fire escape sign catches your eye: it is positioned above a window on the far side of the room.</p>
3401 <p>A noise on the stairs makes your heart skip a beat: someone is approaching. Hurriedly you weave your way through the maze of office furniture, taking great pains to avoid making a noise, only to discover that the fire escape window is jammed shut. A light shines across the door and you hear the snuffling whine of a bloodhound in the corridor outside.</p>
3402 <choice idref="sect153">If you wish to smash the glass and escape through the window, <link-text>turn to 153</link-text>.</choice>
3403 <choice idref="sect9">If you decide to hide among the desks, <link-text>turn to 9</link-text>.</choice>
3407 <section class="numbered" id="sect238">
3408 <meta><title>238</title></meta>
3411 <p>You investigate the ground surrounding the spring and discover that it is lush with green vegetation, mosses, and damp earth imprinted with many animal tracks. There are no signs of carcasses or dead foliage, which would indicate that the spring is contaminated.</p>
3412 <p>Now that you are sure that it is safe to do so you drink from the spring, refill your water canteen and wash in the cool, clean water: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3413 <choice idref="sect289">To continue, <link-text>turn to 289</link-text>.</choice>
3417 <section class="numbered" id="sect239">
3418 <meta><title>239</title></meta>
3421 <p>The spectators<ch.apos/> enclosure offers enough cover for the three of you to reach a position directly opposite the parked trucks without being seen, but the minutes pass slowly as you await an opportunity to dash across the track and plant your mines. Sergeant Haskell and the captain seize the first opportunity and make it across the track safely. Once they are hidden beneath their targets they signal to you to join them as quickly as you can. Four long minutes tick by before you get the chance to reach the first truck. When it comes, you tense yourself like a coiled spring and propel yourself forward, sprinting head-down across the track towards your target. You are within a few feet of the vehicle when a Mexican clansman suddenly appears and walks directly in your path: collision is unavoidable.</p>
3422 <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Now pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add the number you pick to your combined skill total.</p>
3423 <choice idref="sect122">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 122</link-text>.</choice>
3424 <choice idref="sect204">If your final score is 9<ch.endash/>13, <link-text>turn to 204</link-text>.</choice>
3425 <choice idref="sect333">If your final score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 333</link-text>.</choice>
3429 <section class="numbered" id="sect240">
3430 <meta><title>240</title></meta>
3433 <p>You fix your eyes on the trail that disappears into the pines on the far side of the plateau. Taking a deep breath, you launch yourself out of the trees, running as fast as your aching legs will allow.</p>
3434 <p>You are near the middle of the clearing when the silence is shattered once more by the sound of the sniper<ch.apos/>s rifle.</p>
3435 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3436 <choice idref="sect8">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>5, <link-text>turn to 8</link-text>.</choice>
3437 <choice idref="sect103">If it is 6<ch.endash/>9 <link-text>turn to 103</link-text>.</choice>
3441 <section class="numbered" id="sect241">
3442 <meta><title>241</title></meta>
3445 <p>You watch the assassin remove a banana-shaped magazine from his pocket and insert it in a slot in front of the rifle<ch.apos/>s trigger guard. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places them to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding rooftops. This strikes you as a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to see if anyone is standing on top of them? Then a chill stabs your heart when he scans the first floor windows of the courthouse and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, high-resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
3446 <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you fear that he has already located your position.</p>
3447 <p>Pick a number from <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3448 <choice idref="sect173">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 173</link-text>.</choice>
3449 <choice idref="sect327">If it is 4<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 327</link-text>.</choice>
3453 <section class="numbered" id="sect242">
3454 <meta><title>242</title></meta>
3457 <p>As the rock smashes to the ground, you spring out of the ditch, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed on the shadowy archway ahead. You have covered only a few yards when you hear a faint noise somewhere on the road above. There is a flash, then a beam of torchlight pours down from the freeway parapet and comes sweeping towards you.</p>
3458 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
3459 <choice idref="sect13">If your total score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 13</link-text>.</choice>
3460 <choice idref="sect76">If it is 9 or more, <link-text>turn to 76</link-text>.</choice>
3464 <section class="numbered" id="sect243">
3465 <meta><title>243</title></meta>
3468 <p>You cross to the door opposite and lift the latch. At first it does not move and you assume that it is locked from the inside, but then you notice that it fits poorly in its rough-hewn timber frame, and realize that the door is simply sticking. A sharp kick soon cures it.</p>
3469 <p>Inside you discover a large bed, constructed of pine and covered with a counterpane of rabbit fur. An assortment of male and female clothing hangs from a rail at the foot of the bed, and a handful of faded family photographs stands on a table beside it. You search a cupboard behind the door and discover a <typ class="item">Solar Torch</typ> and a <typ class="item">Screwdriver</typ>.</p>
3470 <p>Having discovered what lies behind two of the doors in this corridor, you leave the room determined to learn what lies behind the third.</p>
3471 <choice idref="sect32"><link-text>Turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
3475 <section class="numbered" id="sect244">
3476 <meta><title>244</title></meta>
3479 <p>The truck hits the wall of cars with a tremendous crash that sends a violent shudder through the floor. Angry voices and the sharp crackle of automatic gunfire can be heard amidst the roar of the engine as the truck lurches through the enemy line and accelerates along the main street. The air becomes livid with the sounds of singing bullets. They pierce the canvas and shatter against the cage-like frame. An occasional fragment singes your skin but otherwise you escape unharmed.</p>
3480 <p>Now Haskell is at the tailgate, returning fire at the clansmen who are guarding the barricade, forcing them to quit shooting and dive for cover. You move to join him but you are distracted when you feel the truck decelerating. A glance over your shoulder in the direction of the cab window soon reveals why Knott is slowing down.</p>
3481 <choice idref="sect7"><link-text>Turn to 7</link-text>.</choice>
3485 <section class="numbered" id="sect245">
3486 <meta><title>245</title></meta>
3489 <p>Certain that you have missed nothing of any practical value, you leave the radio shop and return to your motorcycle. Before starting it, you check the engine and notice that the cooling fins are very hot to the touch: the lack of oil is causing the bore to overheat. As you kick start the engine, you hope desperately that the bike will continue to run long enough to carry you back to the colony.</p>
3490 <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
3494 <section class="numbered" id="sect246">
3495 <meta><title>246</title></meta>
3498 <p>Despite the close proximity of your target, the constant jolting makes it hard to bring the barrel of your rifle to bear. Unable to aim with any degree of accuracy, you are forced to fire into the shadowy area above the motorcycle<ch.apos/>s blazing headlight.</p>
3499 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
3500 <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 11 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
3501 <choice idref="sect112">If it is 12 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
3505 <section class="numbered" id="sect247">
3506 <meta><title>247</title></meta>
3509 <p>In the Post Office the air is thick with dust, making it difficult for you to draw breath as you explore the lobby. You find little of practical use here, only a <typ class="item">Fire Extinguisher</typ> and a <typ class="item">Ball of String</typ>. (If you wish to keep either or both items, remember to record them on your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a>).</p>
3510 <p>On leaving the lobby area, you investigate a small office and make a macabre discovery. Three rag-clad skeletons, all former Post Office staff, are seated at their work stations, their bony frames slumped forwards over the keyboards of their computers. You find the sight disturbing, and when you hear Marine Knott calling to you to come to the rear of the Post Office, you waste no time in responding.</p>
3511 <choice idref="sect129"><link-text>Turn to 129</link-text>.</choice>
3515 <section class="numbered" id="sect248">
3516 <meta><title>248</title></meta>
3519 <p>You lift your machine pistol to your shoulder and try to ignore the bullets that are ricocheting off the tailgate as you take aim at the clan commander. For a brief moment his eyes widen with shock when he sees the muzzle of your G-12 pointing in his direction. He starts to step away, but before he can find cover, you squeeze off your first burst of fire.</p>
3520 <p>Add together your Shooting Skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
3521 <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
3522 <choice idref="sect296">If it is 7 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
3526 <section class="numbered" id="sect249">
3527 <meta><title>249</title></meta>
3530 <p>You are within a few feet of the foliage when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain in your left temple brings you crashing to the ground. Swiftly the pain is replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the strength from your limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you cannot win.</p>
3531 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in the Pedregosa Mountains of Arizona.</p>
3535 <section class="numbered" id="sect250">
3536 <meta><title>250</title></meta>
3539 <p>Warily you make your way through the streets of Ciudad Juarez, past the derelict stores of the Pronaf Shopping Center, and on towards the Juarez Race Track. The captain knows this border town well, and he is confident that Mad Dog Michigan will take delivery of the explosives at the town<ch.apos/>s famous dog racing track, which he and the Mexican leader, Santiago, are using as their joint headquarters. Its size and defensive position are ideally suited to their needs.</p>
3540 <p>From the ruins of a burnt-out cafe located opposite the race track<ch.apos/>s east gate, you act patiently as lookout while the captain considers the team<ch.apos/>s next course of action. While you are observing the traffic of men entering and leaving the clan headquarters, you must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3541 <choice idref="sect100"><link-text>Turn to 100</link-text>.</choice>
3545 <section class="numbered" id="sect251">
3546 <meta><title>251</title></meta>
3549 <p>You move in quickly towards the biker, hoping that the speed of your attack will catch him off-guard, but he sees you coming out of the corner of his eye, and, as you leap over his machine and launch your first blow, he avoids it by rolling aside. He rises to his feet, and you see the glint of polished steel in his right hand.</p>
3550 <combat><enemy>Firefox</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
3551 <choice idref="sect192">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 192</link-text>.</choice>
3555 <section class="numbered" id="sect252">
3556 <meta><title>252</title></meta>
3559 <p>You are five miles out of Benson when you notice in your driving mirror a cloud of dust rising in the distance. You tell Kate and she turns around to take a look.</p>
3560 <p><quote>Clan scouts, a pack of them,</quote> she reports. <quote>Looks like twenty bikes, but they<ch.apos/>re not on their own. They<ch.apos/>re tailin<ch.apos/> a car. Well, I think it<ch.apos/>s a car<ch.emdash/>it<ch.apos/>s got four wheels.</quote> She continues to stare into the distance for several minutes, then she says: <quote>I don<ch.apos/>t like the look of it, Cal. Let<ch.apos/>s not hang around to say hi to these dudes, OK?</quote></p>
3561 <p>You respond by flooring the gas pedal until the roadsters speedometer registers 100 miles an hour. <quote>The pack<ch.apos/>s dropping back,</quote> shouts Kate, her voice barely audible above the noise of the rushing wind. <quote>But that car is gaining on us.</quote></p>
3562 <p>You are speeding over a girder bridge, across a water-course known locally as the Pantona Wash, when you see the car in your mirror. It is black and bullet-shaped, with an enclosed driver<ch.apos/>s compartment and a roaring lion<ch.apos/>s head emblazoned on the hood. It accelerates to within twenty yards of your trunk, and you catch sight of the driver<ch.apos/>s snarling face. A shiver runs down your spine when you recognize the manic features of Mad Dog Michigan.</p>
3563 <illustration class="float">
3565 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3566 <description>The car accelerates and you catch sight of the driver<ch.apos/>s snarling face.</description>
3568 <instance class="html" src="ill15.gif" width="386" height="572" />
3569 <instance class="pdf" src="ill15.pdf" width="386" height="572" />
3571 <p>Kate draws her pistol, but before she can take aim, you hear a burst of heavy machine gun fire and see muzzle flashes erupting from the front of Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s speedster. The heavy-calibre rounds slam into your trunk, and the force of their impact at high speed sends your roadster careering into a skid.</p>
3572 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
3573 <choice idref="sect41">If your total score is now 6 or less, <link-text>turn to 41</link-text>.</choice>
3574 <choice idref="sect161">If it is 7<ch.endash/>10, <link-text>turn to 161</link-text>.</choice>
3575 <choice idref="sect321">If it is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 321</link-text>.</choice>
3579 <section class="numbered" id="sect253">
3580 <meta><title>253</title></meta>
3583 <p>The instant you deal your enemy a killing blow, his partner appears and shines a torch full in your face. For a moment you are blinded by the glare, but instinctively you move to defend yourself as he leaps towards you, a baseball bat poised to crush your skull.</p>
3584 <combat><enemy>Babe Ruth</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">25</enemy-attribute></combat>
3585 <p>Owing to your partial blindness, and the fatigue of your earlier combat, reduce your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> by 2 points for the duration of the fight.</p>
3586 <choice idref="sect310">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 310</link-text>.</choice>
3590 <section class="numbered" id="sect254">
3591 <meta><title>254</title></meta>
3594 <p>Your stomach lurches when you hear yet another shot echo across the mountains. You flinch as you run, half expecting to feel the pain of impact, but the bullet misses you and lodges itself in the trunk of a pine tree less than ten yards ahead.</p>
3595 <p>You reach the trees and throw yourself down behind a thick pine, breathless with fear and sheer exertion. As you lie there, inwardly weeping, fighting to control the nausea that rises in waves, Marine Knott crawls to your side and tugs at your sleeve.</p>
3596 <p><quote>We stand a better chance if we can get deeper into the forest,</quote> he says, his voice betraying the fear that is gnawing at his insides like a voracious rat. You blink your approval and struggle to follow him as he crawls across the tinder-dry bed of pine needles and sickly brown vegetation that covers the tall trees<ch.apos/> roots.</p>
3597 <choice idref="sect189"><link-text>Turn to 189</link-text>.</choice>
3601 <section class="numbered" id="sect255">
3602 <meta><title>255</title></meta>
3605 <p>Confident that the clansmen are too shaken to be able to shoot straight, you laugh with disdain at their attempt to hit the truck. Unfortunately, they are armed with high-powered, M-10 assault rifles that are fitted with telescopic sights. Moreover all three men are expert shots.</p>
3606 <p>A withering hail of bullets hits you in a line across your chest and sends you tumbling backwards to crash against the cab. You feel no pain, for two of the rounds have pierced your heart. Death is instantaneous.</p>
3607 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here on Highway 9.</p>
3611 <section class="numbered" id="sect256">
3612 <meta><title>256</title></meta>
3615 <p>You wake shortly after dawn feeling thoroughly refreshed after ten hours<ch.apos/> uninterrupted sleep: restore 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. The barricade is still intact and, once it is dismantled, you arm yourself and investigate the cabin above. Nothing has been touched during the night, prompting you to believe that you may, at least for the time being, have given the assassin the slip.</p>
3616 <p>After eating breakfast, you set about unpacking and constructing the motorcycle. There is sufficient gasolene stored in the cellar to fill its tank, but you can find no engine oil. The motorcycle<ch.apos/>s oil level is very low and you can only hope that it will get you as far as Tucson before breaking down.</p>
3617 <p>After studying the <a idref="map">map</a>, you mount your new vehicle and set off along the road, heading west through the Swisshelm Mountains. You enjoy the cool breeze whipping through your hair as you ride at speed along the empty highway, and you cover more than twenty miles before you come to a small town with a sign that proclaims:</p>
3618 <signpost>GLEESON WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS</signpost>
3619 <choice idref="sect64">If you wish to stop at this mountain town, <link-text>turn to 64</link-text>.</choice>
3620 <choice idref="sect50">If you decide to ride through without stopping, <link-text>turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
3624 <section class="numbered" id="sect257">
3625 <meta><title>257</title></meta>
3628 <p>Quickly you drag the clansman<ch.apos/>s body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels. You then turn your attention to the vehicle behind. The captain is crouching beneath it, signalling to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as the timing mechanism starts to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
3629 <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trailing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluctant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
3630 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
3631 <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
3632 <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
3636 <section class="numbered" id="sect258">
3637 <meta><title>258</title></meta>
3640 <p>Steadily the highway climbs towards a pass, beyond which there is a hairpin bend. You manage to negotiate it safely, only to find that a rockfall has partially blocked the road less than twenty yards beyond the bend. Your driving instinct warns you not to brake heavily for fear of sending the jeep into a skid, so you try to steer around the mound of fallen rock without slowing down. Your tactics work: you clear the mound with inches to spare. Unluckily, as you straighten the steering wheel, you strike a stray boulder and the jeep is brought to a grinding halt.</p>
3641 <p><quote>The front running gear<ch.apos/>s wrecked,</quote> says Captain Frankland, despondently, as he inspects the damage. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s no way we<ch.apos/>ll get any further in this vehicle.</quote></p>
3642 <p>The situation looks bleak: the clansmen are likely to show up at any time and they are sure to catch you now that the jeep is wrecked. Then an idea occurs to you that might just throw them off your trail. If you were to set fire to the jeep and push it into the deep canyon that borders this section of the mountain road, the sight of the burning wreckage might convince them that you had met with a fatal accident. The others agree that it is worth a try and immediately set about preparing the jeep. Together you manhandle it to the edge of the road, then light a rag, which Haskell has stuffed into the gasolene filter pipe. Once it is burning, you give one last push and send the vehicle careering over the edge into the canyon 300 feet below. After the resounding crash, you hear the clansmen approaching and you quickly take cover among the boulders. To make it seem more realistic Marine Knott drops his bloodstained tunic at the edge of the road before he takes cover, seconds before the first riders appear on the scene.</p>
3643 <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
3647 <section class="numbered" id="sect259">
3648 <meta><title>259</title></meta>
3651 <p>You drop to the ground, biting back your urge to cry out in pain as you gash your knees and elbows on the sharp rubble (lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points). Marine Knott copies your move, and the beam of the torchlight passes over your still bodies without stopping. It hovers nearby for a few seconds then reluctantly moves away.</p>
3652 <p>Slowly you crawl the final few yards to cover. When both of you are hidden from view, you wait for your breathing to return to normal and then glance around the pillar to see if the coast is clear. The torch<ch.apos/>s beam is scanning the ground further south. Then you hear a curse from somewhere on the freeway above and the light is switched off.</p>
3653 <p>Confident that you have not been detected, you readjust your equipment and continue on your way.</p>
3654 <choice idref="sect288"><link-text>Turn to 288</link-text>.</choice>
3658 <section class="numbered" id="sect260">
3659 <meta><title>260</title></meta>
3662 <p>Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s speedster crosses in front of you as you reduce your speed quickly, and Kate cheers as he hits the barrier with a terrific screech. Metal twists and sparks fly from his fender as he scrapes along the crash barrier at nearly 100 miles an hour. You stamp your foot on the gas pedal and overtake him on the right, powering your roadster away as he fights to extricate himself from the barrier<ch.apos/>s magnet-like grip.</p>
3663 <choice idref="sect12"><link-text>Turn to 12</link-text>.</choice>
3667 <section class="numbered" id="sect261">
3668 <meta><title>261</title></meta>
3671 <p>Fixedly you concentrate on the area of the forest that you have picked as your target destination. The more you think about what lies ahead, the more you shiver with dread at having to risk your life running such a dangerous gauntlet of fire.</p>
3672 <p>The chance that the sniper will fail to hit you is very slim indeed. To increase the odds in your favour. you will need to distract his aim.</p>
3673 <choice idref="sect191">If you possess a <typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ>, <link-text>turn to 191</link-text>.</choice>
3674 <choice idref="sect338">If you possess a <typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ>, <link-text>turn to 338</link-text>.</choice>
3675 <choice idref="sect56">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 56</link-text>.</choice>
3679 <section class="numbered" id="sect262">
3680 <meta><title>262</title></meta>
3683 <p>The silver dollar hits the dusty soil, spins, then settles heads-up.</p>
3684 <p><quote>OK men, that decides it,</quote> says Captain Frankland, stooping to pick up the coin. <quote>We hit Columbus right now. Sergeant<ch.emdash/>you and Knott see what sort o<ch.apos/> extra protection you can rig up to the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender, while me an<ch.apos/> Cal set up firing positions in the back.</quote></p>
3685 <p><quote>I don<ch.apos/>t think we<ch.apos/>re gonna have time for that, sir,</quote> says Knott, apologetically. <quote>Looks like more o<ch.apos/> Mad Dog<ch.apos/>s boys are on their way.</quote> He points along the highway at an ominous column of dust that is approaching from the south.</p>
3686 <p><quote>Hell!</quote> spits Frankland. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ll just have to take our chances. Mount up men. We<ch.apos/>ve got a date to keep an<ch.apos/> I aim to be there on time.</quote></p>
3687 <choice idref="sect128"><link-text>Turn to 128</link-text>.</choice>
3691 <section class="numbered" id="sect263">
3692 <meta><title>263</title></meta>
3695 <p>Through your lenses you watch as the black-clad rider casually withdraws a bulky pair of binoculars from a saddlebag, flips back the visor of his full-face crash helmet, and raises them to his eyes. After a few seconds, he kneels behind the motorcycle and rests his elbows on the seat in order to steady his hands as he scans the landscape. You are in no doubt that he is looking for you.</p>
3696 <choice idref="sect203"><link-text>Turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
3700 <section class="numbered" id="sect264">
3701 <meta><title>264</title></meta>
3704 <p>Coarse shouts and whooping screams of delight echo from behind the building: the clansmen have discovered the truck. The news is relayed to Mad Dog Michigan stirring him to a fearful rage. <quote>They<ch.apos/>re here, I know it!</quote> he screams, demonically. <quote>Find them! Find them! I want them dead!</quote></p>
3705 <p>He paces the main street, shaking his fist at the buildings on either side, demanding that his men fulfil his lust for revenge. They storm the building on which you hide and at once you begin looking for a way out.</p>
3706 <illustration class="float">
3708 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3709 <description>He paces the main street, shaking his fist, demanding that his men fulfil his lust for revenge.</description>
3711 <instance class="html" src="ill16.gif" width="386" height="627" />
3712 <instance class="pdf" src="ill16.pdf" width="386" height="627" />
3714 <p>The fire escape offers no solution: its ladder descends to the main street. There is only one way off the roof and that is to jump to the neighbouring building fifteen feet away. After jamming the roof door to delay the clansmen for as long as possible, the captain leads the escape. The others throw their guns and equipment across and then make the jump safely. You are making the run-up to your jump when you hear a loud burst of gunfire and see the roof door collapse, shot off its hinges.</p>
3715 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score (ignoring any encumbrance penalties you have due to the number of Backpack Items you possess). Now pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add this figure to your score.</p>
3716 <choice idref="sect45">If your total score is 18 or less, <link-text>turn to 45</link-text>.</choice>
3717 <choice idref="sect349">If your total is 19-22, <link-text>turn to 349</link-text>.</choice>
3718 <choice idref="sect130">If it is 23 or more, <link-text>turn to 130</link-text>.</choice>
3722 <section class="numbered" id="sect265">
3723 <meta><title>265</title></meta>
3726 <p>The howling grows louder. Then you catch sight of them, two slack-jowled bloodhounds, padding their way across the Montana Road with two clansmen close behind. One of the men is carrying a machine pistol; the other a long-handled flashlight.</p>
3727 <p>One of the dogs smells the meat and bounds towards it, but the other ignores his brother and continues to lead his torch-wielding handler straight towards you. He sees you, and begins to bark wildly, alerting its handler to your presence.</p>
3728 <p><quote>Run for it!</quote> you hiss. <quote>We<ch.apos/>ve been seen!</quote></p>
3729 <p>Knott increases his speed and you follow him, praying that you will reach cover before the clansmen open fire. Your prayers are answered. In his haste, the clansman drops his flashlight, and before he can retrieve it and switch it on, you follow Knott through the open door of a derelict building.</p>
3730 <p><quote>We stand a better chance if we split up,</quote> you say, casting an anxious glance over your shoulder at the yellow light that is streaming through the doorway. <quote>But remember<ch.emdash/>meet up at the bridge as planned.</quote></p>
3731 <p>The torchlight illuminates the interior sufficiently for you to be able to make out two possible exits: a carpeted staircase leading to the first floor, and another leading down to the basement.</p>
3732 <choice idref="sect237">If you wish to ascend the stairs to the first floor, <link-text>turn to 237</link-text>.</choice>
3733 <choice idref="sect58">If you decide to descend to the basement, <link-text>turn to 58</link-text>.</choice>
3737 <section class="numbered" id="sect266">
3738 <meta><title>266</title></meta>
3741 <p>A rush of adrenalin fires your reflexes and you throw yourself to the floor as the muzzle of the gun belches flame. You avoid a fatal wound but you do not escape entirely without injury. As you fall, one of the bullets cuts a stinging groove across the side of your skull: lose 4 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3742 <p>Angered by the wound you have received, and how close you came to death, you struggle to your feet just in time to see the spy-hole slam shut.</p>
3743 <choice idref="sect186">If you wish to attempt to barge open the door, <link-text>turn to 186</link-text>.</choice>
3744 <choice idref="sect341">If you wish to shoot open the lock, and are able to do so, <link-text>turn to 341</link-text>.</choice>
3748 <section class="numbered" id="sect267">
3749 <meta><title>267</title></meta>
3752 <footnote id="sect267-1-foot" idref="sect267-1">
3753 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
3758 <p>You fire a snap shot from the hip and send one of the clansmen somersaulting backwards out of the truck.<a id="sect267-1" idref="sect267-1-foot" class="footnote" /> But before you can get a bead on his confederate, he leaps head-first from the tailgate and pulls you to the floor. Desperately you wrestle to get free, but your gun is dashed from your grasp and you steel yourself for a tough hand-to-hand combat.</p>
3759 <combat><enemy>Gator</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">15</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">26</enemy-attribute></combat>
3760 <p>Owing to the speed of your enemy<ch.apos/>s attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
3761 <choice idref="sect117">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
3765 <section class="numbered" id="sect268">
3766 <meta><title>268</title></meta>
3769 <p>Suddenly you notice a bullet wound to the side of the biker<ch.apos/>s head and realize that he is dead. He is slumped forward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep the machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
3770 <p>You scramble to your feet and throw yourself out of the path of the dead biker as relentlessly his machine approaches the gas pump.</p>
3771 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
3772 <choice idref="sect308">If your total score is 4 or less, <link-text>turn to 308</link-text>.</choice>
3773 <choice idref="sect118">If it is 5 or more, <link-text>turn to 118</link-text>.</choice>
3777 <section class="numbered" id="sect269">
3778 <meta><title>269</title></meta>
3781 <p>Using the length of plastic tubing, you are able to siphon more than a gallon of gasolene from the truck<ch.apos/>s fuel tank. Once you are sure that you have retrieved as much fuel as possible, you seal the fuel can and call for Marine Knott to join you in the parking lot.</p>
3782 <choice idref="sect47"><link-text>Turn to 47</link-text>.</choice>
3786 <section class="numbered" id="sect270">
3787 <meta><title>270</title></meta>
3790 <p>You freeze for an instant, then raise your hands above your head slowly in a desperate attempt to save yourself by surrendering to the assassin. Unfortunately, your actions do not impress the cold-hearted murderer.</p>
3791 <p>With horror you see the muzzle of his rifle spit a core of yellow flame, then an agonizing pain erupts in the middle of your forehead. The impact lifts your feet off the ground, sending you sprawling against the courthouse wall. The pain disappears to be replaced by a numbness that clouds your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no hope of winning.</p>
3792 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Tombstone, Arizona.</p>
3796 <section class="numbered" id="sect271">
3797 <meta><title>271</title></meta>
3800 <p><quote>You ain<ch.apos/>t goin<ch.apos/> no-place!</quote> screams the clansman, fixing you with his flashlight. He stands silhouetted in the doorway, as his bloodhound lopes across the desks towards you. Automatically you reach for your gun, unaware that the clansman has taped his torch to the barrel of his machine pistol. Callously he watches as you struggle to free your weapon, then he pulls the trigger and cuts you down with a lethal hail of lead. Death is instantaneous.</p>
3801 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in El Paso.</p>
3805 <section class="numbered" id="sect272">
3806 <meta><title>272</title></meta>
3809 <p>Most of the more useful medicaments and supplies that once filled the shelves of this store were taken by the local inhabitants during the days of panic that followed <quote>The Day</quote>. All that remains are a few bandages and some gauze<ch.emdash/>enough for one Medi-kit unit.</p>
3810 <choice idref="sect96"><link-text>Turn to 96</link-text>.</choice>
3814 <section class="numbered" id="sect273">
3815 <meta><title>273</title></meta>
3818 <p>The ignition unit is lying on a work bench, exactly where Knott saw it when he first searched this section of the gas station. He examines it carefully and begins to smile. <quote>This<ch.apos/>ll do the job f<ch.apos/> sure,</quote> he says, and slips the unit into the pocket of his combat jacket.</p>
3819 <p>The thought of having to walk back to the truck in the blistering afternoon sun fills you both with dread. Then you remember the clansman<ch.apos/>s motorcycle, and you too begin to smile. Using the bike, it takes you little more than fifteen minutes to cover the ten miles of open road between Hachita and the truck. It is an exhilarating experience, made doubly so when, as you approach the truck, Haskell and Frankland mistake you for clan scouts and open fire at you with their machine pistols.</p>
3820 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving skill total.</p>
3821 <choice idref="sect331">If your total score is 3 or less, <link-text>turn to 331</link-text>.</choice>
3822 <choice idref="sect168">If it is 4<ch.endash/>7, <link-text>turn to 168</link-text>.</choice>
3823 <choice idref="sect60">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 60</link-text>.</choice>
3827 <section class="numbered" id="sect274">
3828 <meta><title>274</title></meta>
3831 <p>The moment you bring the roadster back on to the freeway, Mad Dog draws up alongside. Kate empties her pistol at his head, but the clan leader just laughs: his speedster is equipped with bullet-proof glass and the slugs fail to penetrate. He sneers, and draws his finger across his throat before swerving towards you in an attempt to ram you off the road.</p>
3832 <p>If you are to avoid this ramming attack, you must take swift evasive action.</p>
3833 <choice idref="sect121">If you wish to accelerate, <link-text>turn to 121</link-text>.</choice>
3834 <choice idref="sect260">If you choose to brake heavily, <link-text>turn to 260</link-text>.</choice>
3835 <choice idref="sect91">If you decide to swerve to the left, away from his attack, <link-text>turn to 91</link-text>.</choice>
3839 <section class="numbered" id="sect275">
3840 <meta><title>275</title></meta>
3843 <p>In order to reach Highway 9, you have to pass within 100 yards of an adobe shack. It looks no different in style or state to a dozen others dotted around the town, but, unbeknown to you, this one is used as an outpost by the Mexicans who occupy Columbus.</p>
3844 <p>As the truck approaches, three clan lookouts emerge from the side door and walk slowly across the highway. Their leader, a fat-bellied renegade with grey hair and a drooping moustache, stops in the middle and raises a pudgy hand. Knott ignores his signal to stop. Instead, he steps on the gas and sends the three clansmen diving to avoid the truck. You roar past, but they are quick to recover and immediately they start firing at the tailgate.</p>
3845 <illustration class="float">
3847 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
3848 <description>Three clan lookouts walk slowly across the highway. Their leader raises a pudgy hand.</description>
3850 <instance class="html" src="ill17.gif" width="386" height="562" />
3851 <instance class="pdf" src="ill17.pdf" width="386" height="562" />
3853 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3854 <choice idref="sect95">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>3, <link-text>turn to 95</link-text>.</choice>
3855 <choice idref="sect322">If it is 4<ch.endash/>8, <link-text>turn to 322</link-text>.</choice>
3856 <choice idref="sect255">If it is 9, <link-text>turn to 255</link-text>.</choice>
3860 <section class="numbered" id="sect276">
3861 <meta><title>276</title></meta>
3864 <p>The three other members of the sabotage team are waiting for you at an earth rampart that forms part of the southern perimeter wall. In a hushed voice, Captain Frankland gives a final briefing, while you join with the others in applying camouflage blacking to your face, and taping your weapons and equipment to muffle any noise. Five hundred yards away, across a rubble-strewn no-man<ch.apos/>s-land, clan snipers are entrenched behind a makeshift barricade of old cars and other debris. Their rifles are trained on Fort Bliss and, in the past, they have been all too eager to use them whenever a target has presented itself. Crossing this zone will be perilous in the extreme and, in order to minimize the risks of the mission failing here, the captain proposes that the team split into pairs and cross the zone at two separate locations. Each pair is to make its way through the enemy cordon and the city beyond, and then regroup at the Stanton Street Toll Bridge at 1 a.m. precisely. You synchronize watches before joining with your chosen partner, Marine Knott, in getting ready to go.</p>
3865 <p>There are two routes open to you. The most direct path will take you south, through the heart of El Paso where the enemy are most numerous. Or you can attempt a detour around the northern edge of the city before you try to reach the bridge, a longer but possibly less dangerous route.</p>
3866 <choice idref="sect190">If you wish to cross the zone heading south, directly towards the city, <link-text>turn to 190</link-text>.</choice>
3867 <choice idref="sect44">If you decide to cross the zone heading west, on a detour around the city, <link-text>turn to 44</link-text>.</choice>
3871 <section class="numbered" id="sect277">
3872 <meta><title>277</title></meta>
3875 <p>There is a dull thump, followed by a loud hissing, as the sniper<ch.apos/>s bullet pierces the truck<ch.apos/>s rear tyre, releasing a stream of stale air.</p>
3876 <p><quote>Take cover,</quote> shouts Frankland, and together you dive towards the pick-up and cower behind the passenger door. Knott has heard the shot and Frankland<ch.apos/>s warning, and has hidden himself among the pines that stand close to Haskell<ch.apos/>s grave.</p>
3877 <p><quote>If only we could see his position,</quote> says the captain, as he unslings his machine pistol and checks the magazine. <quote>We<ch.apos/>d at least have a fighting chance. This way he can circle round and pick us off at his leisure.</quote></p>
3878 <p>There is a second shot and another tyre deflates noisily. With your pulse beating like an express train, you reach to your gun and prepare for a firefight.</p>
3879 <choice idref="sect39">If you wish to glance over the truck to see if you can locate the sniper<ch.apos/>s position, <link-text>turn to 39</link-text>.</choice>
3880 <choice idref="sect134">If you choose not to look, <link-text>turn to 134</link-text>.</choice>
3884 <section class="numbered" id="sect278">
3885 <meta><title>278</title></meta>
3888 <p>For an instant his eyes widen with shock on seeing the muzzle of your rifle pointing directly at his chest, then he starts to pull away, looking for cover. He is almost obscured by a wall when you fire your first shot.</p>
3889 <p>Add together your Shooting skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
3890 <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
3891 <choice idref="sect296">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
3895 <section class="numbered" id="sect279">
3896 <meta><title>279</title></meta>
3899 <footnote id="sect279-1-foot" idref="sect279-1">
3900 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
3905 <p>Your gunfire catches the Angelino clansman in the side and sends him tumbling from his machine.<a id="sect279-1" idref="sect279-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Simultaneously, however, you are hit by his burst of machine pistol fire, which knocks you off your feet. Pain fills your chest and a terrifying greyness clouds your vision. You hear voices, those of Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott, but you cannot make out what they are saying.</p>
3906 <p>Swiftly the pain subsides and, despite your efforts to stay conscious, you drift off into a sleep from which you will never awaken.</p>
3907 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
3911 <section class="numbered" id="sect280">
3912 <meta><title>280</title></meta>
3915 <p>Suddenly, a concealed door in the wall behind you bursts open and in rushes the bearded man with a pistol clenched firmly in his hand.</p>
3916 <p><quote>Drop your guns!</quote> he commands. <quote>Drop them now or the only talkin<ch.apos/> you<ch.apos/>ll be doin<ch.apos/> is to the Devil!</quote></p>
3917 <p>Slowly you let your gun fall to the floor, then you raise your hands and turn to face your ambusher.</p>
3918 <choice idref="sect200"><link-text>Turn to 200</link-text>.</choice>
3922 <section class="numbered" id="sect281">
3923 <meta><title>281</title></meta>
3926 <p>You gun the motorcycle along the wide trench until you find a rocky slope that offers a way back on to the highway. The ascent is difficult, and when you reach the crest of the gully, you fall and become pinned beneath your motorcycle. As you struggle to free yourself you notice that the cloud of dust has stopped less than half a mile distant. The outline of a man<ch.apos/>s head and shoulders can be seen leaning across the saddle, which is supporting a rifle.</p>
3927 <p>Chilled by the thought of your murdered companions, you renew your efforts to get free. You are pulling yourself upright when a shot rings out and an agonizing pain explodes in your left temple. The pain fills your head and courses down your spine, bringing you crashing back to the ground. The pain disappears, to be replaced by a numbness that dims your vision and drains the last of your strength from your unfeeling limbs. An overwhelming desire to sleep assails your senses, and, although you fight to stay awake, it is a fight you have no chance of winning.</p>
3928 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
3932 <section class="numbered" id="sect282">
3933 <meta><title>282</title></meta>
3936 <p>As you reach the bottom of the steps you hear an angry voice shouting from the first floor window: your adversary is attempting to warn his partner that you have escaped. His shouting spurs you to greater effort and, despite your injuries, you run from the building through a maze of dark alleyways. Not until you are sure that you have not been followed do you stop to catch your breath and dress your wounds. It is then you discover that, during your fall through the window, you lost one piece of equipment from your Backpack.</p>
3937 <p>Erase the article noted second on your list of Backpack Items. If you have less than two Backpack Items, erase two Medi-kit units instead.</p>
3938 <choice idref="sect158">To continue, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
3942 <section class="numbered" id="sect283">
3943 <meta><title>283</title></meta>
3946 <p>Eventually you reach firmer ground beyond the plateau and you are able to continue your descent through the forest with comparative ease. Soon you reach the stream that you discovered during your ascent, and you stop here briefly to try to determine if you area still being pursued. The surrounding trees seem unnaturally quiet, and it is easy to imagine that an assassin lurks behind every trunk.</p>
3947 <p>You continue, with trepidation, following the water as it flows west towards the Swisshelm Mountains. You cover twelve miles without incident and by early evening you arrive at a small bridge where a road, running north to south, crosses the stream. You check your <a idref="map">map</a>, but the road is too minor to be listed. You are hungry and must eat a Meal or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3948 <choice idref="sect43">If you wish to leave the stream and follow the road, <link-text>turn to 43</link-text>.</choice>
3949 <choice idref="sect175">If you choose to continue along the stream, <link-text>turn to 175</link-text>.</choice>
3953 <section class="numbered" id="sect284">
3954 <meta><title>284</title></meta>
3957 <p>Your companions quickly put paid to the clansmen with a volley of well-aimed shots, and immediately they come to your rescue. Strong hands grip your aching arms and haul you to safety, but before you can thank them, they turn and follow the captain towards a fire escape on the far side of the building. You pause just long enough to retrieve your backpack and belt, then you hurry after them before they disappear.</p>
3958 <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
3962 <section class="numbered" id="sect285">
3963 <meta><title>285</title></meta>
3966 <p>A bullet clips your arm (lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points) then hits Marine Knott, who is beside you in the passenger seat. The impact nearly hurls him out of the jeep, and, as he fights to prevent himself from falling, he grabs at your jacket, pulling your hands off the steering wheel. With a screech of tyres, the jeep veers off the freeway towards the exit ramp, and before you can regain control, you find yourself ascending the ramp towards Highway 80.</p>
3967 <p>In your driving mirror you see the clansmen turning their bikes around: they intend to pursue you. Unable to continue along the freeway, you are forced to put your foot to the floor and make a hasty escape heading south along Highway 80.</p>
3968 <choice idref="sect16"><link-text>Turn to 16</link-text>.</choice>
3972 <section class="numbered" id="sect286">
3973 <meta><title>286</title></meta>
3976 <p>Sergeant Haskell volunteers to go back to town with Marine Knott. While they are gone, you and Captain Frankland take it in turns to keep watch. During this time you must take two Drinks or lose 6 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
3977 <choice idref="sect102">If you possess a <typ class="item">CB Radio</typ>, <link-text>turn to 102</link-text>.</choice>
3978 <choice idref="sect344">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 344</link-text>.</choice>
3982 <section class="numbered" id="sect287">
3983 <meta><title>287</title></meta>
3986 <p>You leave the room and approach the door at the end of the corridor with caution, taking care to tread lightly on the uneven floorboards to avoid making them creak. A small hatch, covered by a sliding panel of plywood, is positioned in the centre of the door at head height. You guess that it is a spy-hole.</p>
3987 <p>You place your ear to the door, directly below the covered hatch, and hear muffled voices in the room beyond. Although you cannot make out what is being said, you can tell that they are very frightened. Gently you lift the latch, only to discover that the door is locked on the inside.</p>
3988 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
3989 <choice idref="sect46">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 46</link-text>.</choice>
3990 <choice idref="sect316">If the number is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 316</link-text>.</choice>
3994 <section class="numbered" id="sect288">
3995 <meta><title>288</title></meta>
3998 <p>Beyond the freeway, the ground slopes away towards a unit of industrial buildings, all extensively damaged by the post-holocaust storms. Clan patrols, many with dogs, are active in the vicinity but the ruined factories provide enough cover for you to avoid them without too much difficulty.</p>
3999 <p>You make good progress until you reach a wide highway once known as Dyer Street. A clan command station, complete with equipment dumps and a vehicle workshop, has been set up among the stores bordering this main street. It crosses your mind that the stores must contain weapons and provisions that would be useful to the colony, but when you lose count of the number of clansmen that are entering and leaving them, you abandon the idea of a raid and concentrate on the mission in hand.</p>
4000 <p>In order to avoid the clan command station you are forced to follow Dyer Street south, towards the heart of the city. You have covered more than a mile before you reach a place, close to the Municipal Park, where you are able to cross the street without risk of being seen. Once safely across, you enter the park and continue on your way west. As you reach the west side exit, a truck appears, catching you in the glare of its headlights. You both freeze, fearing the worst. It continues to approach, then, with a screech of brakes, it veers aside and stops nearby. The driver jumps from the cab and, without a word, strides off towards a building directly opposite the park.</p>
4001 <choice idref="sect174">If you wish to take a closer look at the truck, <link-text>turn to 174</link-text>.</choice>
4002 <choice idref="sect138">If you choose to ignore the truck and hurry away before the driver returns, <link-text>turn to 138</link-text>.</choice>
4006 <section class="numbered" id="sect289">
4007 <meta><title>289</title></meta>
4010 <p>You leave the spring and follow the trail as it ascends towards a wooded summit overlooking the plateau. During your climb you catch sight of Chiricahua Peak, a majestic, tree-clad mountain to the north, and you stop for a few minutes to enjoy the view. You are about to press on when you detect something moving among the trees ahead.</p>
4011 <choice idref="sect201">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 201</link-text>.</choice>
4012 <choice idref="sect6">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 6</link-text>.</choice>
4016 <section class="numbered" id="sect290">
4017 <meta><title>290</title></meta>
4020 <p>Only the centre of the race track is lit, enabling you to approach a position directly opposite the trucks without being seen. But the minutes pass slowly as you await an opportunity to dash across the track and plant your mines. Sergeant Haskell and the captain seize the first opportunity and make it across the track safely. Once they are hidden beneath their targets they signal to you to join them as quickly as you can. Four long minutes tick by before you get the chance to reach the second truck. When it presents itself, you tense yourself like a coiled spring and propel yourself forward, sprinting head-down across the track towards your target. You are within a few feet of the vehicle when a Mexican clansman suddenly appears and walks directly in your path: a collision is unavoidable.</p>
4021 <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill total. Now pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add the number you pick to your combined skill total.</p>
4022 <choice idref="sect348">If your final score is 8 or less, <link-text>turn to 348</link-text>.</choice>
4023 <choice idref="sect15">If your final score is 9<ch.endash/>13, <link-text>turn to 15</link-text>.</choice>
4024 <choice idref="sect140">If your final score is 14 or more, <link-text>turn to 140</link-text>.</choice>
4028 <section class="numbered" id="sect291">
4029 <meta><title>291</title></meta>
4032 <p>A shot rings out barely a second after you rise from cover, but the speed of your reflexes saves you from being hit. The awful suddenness and accuracy of the sniper<ch.apos/>s shot makes you think twice about trying to spot him a second time. Then out of the corner of your eye you see the captain cock his machine pistol and get ready to open fire.</p>
4033 <p><quote>OK, I<ch.apos/>m gonna see if I can flush this Yankee out,</quote> he says vehemently, clearly unimpressed by how near you came to death. <quote>When I start firin<ch.apos/>, you see if you can pinpoint where he is.</quote></p>
4034 <p>You nod in uneasy agreement and get ready to glance around the tailgate the instant the captain opens fire. <quote>Let<ch.apos/>s do it!</quote> he says, as he rises above the cover of the truck and squeezes off a burst of automatic fire. The noise of his gun drowns out the sniper<ch.apos/>s shot, but within a second of breaking cover, Frankland is hit. With the machine pistol still chattering in his hands, he falls backwards and crashes to the ground, the assassin<ch.apos/>s bullet lodged deep in his skull.</p>
4035 <p>The shock of Frankland<ch.apos/>s death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s and so nearly after your own, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment, the fear wells up and consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far away and as fast as you can. Despite Knott<ch.apos/>s pleas to stay where you are, you scramble to your feet and stumble blindly towards the woods. In your haste, you trip and fall, grazing your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
4036 <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand<ch.apos/>s breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with a determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to slip another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
4037 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. [Note: If your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> score 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 total.]</p>
4038 <choice idref="sect57">If your total scores is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
4039 <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16-19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
4040 <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
4044 <section class="numbered" id="sect292">
4045 <meta><title>292</title></meta>
4048 <p>With bated breath you watch as Sergeant Haskell and Captain Frankland stalk towards the jeep. The two Mavericks are oblivious of their presence as they circle around silently and creep up on them from behind. A heavy, belt-fed machine gun, mounted on a column behind the front seats, helps to conceal their approach until they are crouching behind the jeep itself.</p>
4049 <p>For a few seconds there is absolute silence, then you see them leap forward and grapple the unsuspecting clansmen, striking swiftly and silently. As soon as it is all over, the captain signals to you and Knott to join them. You rush to the jeep and help the sergeant search the Mavericks<ch.apos/> bodies before hiding them in the bus depot.</p>
4050 <p>On your return to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
4051 <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
4052 <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
4056 <section class="numbered" id="sect293">
4057 <meta><title>293</title></meta>
4060 <p>As they approach, the clansmen train their spotlight on the jeep<ch.apos/>s windscreen in an attempt to blind Captain Frankland. Despite the glare, he controls the vehicle admirably, veering away at the last moment to avoid collision with the oncoming truck. As the pick-up flashes past, you swing around and open fire at its trunk.</p>
4061 <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the running gear and tear the back tyres to shreds. It sends the truck into a violent skid, and then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As the captain accelerates away on to the freeway, you watch in silence as a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulfs the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
4062 <choice idref="sect75"><link-text>Turn to 75</link-text>.</choice>
4066 <section class="numbered" id="sect294">
4067 <meta><title>294</title></meta>
4070 <p>By keeping strictly to the alleys and side streets you are able to avoid the occasional clan patrol and you soon reach the banks of the Rio Grande without being seen. Then you work your way west towards the Stanton Street Toll Bridge, the only bridge still spanning this once-great waterway. A cluster of old US immigration offices standing at the approach to the bridge provide a safe place for you and Knott to hide while you wait for the others to show.</p>
4071 <p><quote>Where are they?</quote> you whisper, glancing anxiously at your wristwatch. The time is 0055, five minutes before the hour you are due to rendezvous, but the waiting is making you nervous.</p>
4072 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>re here!</quote> hisses a voice from behind. It is so unexpected that you nearly jump out of your skin.</p>
4073 <p>Captain Frankland and Sergeant Haskell emerge from the shadows and hurry forward to join you. They apologize for giving you such a scare, but you can tell by the wide grins on their faces that they are clearly amused by your jumpy reaction. They arrived a few minutes ahead of you and Knott, and they have already scouted the bridge. There are four clan guards on the bridge itself but none at all on the service walkway beneath it.</p>
4074 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ve an hour before the explosives are due to arrive,</quote> says the captain, checking his watch. <quote>Everyone ready?</quote></p>
4075 <p>You nod in unison. <quote>OK then. Let<ch.apos/>s go!</quote></p>
4076 <choice idref="sect202"><link-text>Turn to 202</link-text>.</choice>
4080 <section class="numbered" id="sect295">
4081 <meta><title>295</title></meta>
4084 <p>You decide to make a dash for the clump of foliage before the sniper circles around the crater and picks you off at his leisure. With sweat-slick hands you raise your gun and get ready to fire as you run for cover.</p>
4085 <p>Note: If Your <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score is low and you are heavily encumbered, it may be advisable to discard some of your Backpack Items now, in order to increase your Stealth skill score before you attempt your run.</p>
4086 <choice idref="sect148">If you are holding a Pistol, <link-text>turn to 148</link-text>.</choice>
4087 <choice idref="sect323">If it is a Machine Pistol, <link-text>turn to 323</link-text>.</choice>
4088 <choice idref="sect36">If it is a Shotgun, <link-text>turn to 36</link-text>.</choice>
4089 <choice idref="sect125">If it is a Rifle, <link-text>turn to 125</link-text>.</choice>
4093 <section class="numbered" id="sect296">
4094 <meta><title>296</title></meta>
4097 <footnote id="sect296-1-foot" idref="sect296-1">
4098 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
4103 <p>Your gunfire hits the clan leader in the chest, killing him outright.<a id="sect296-1" idref="sect296-1-foot" class="footnote" /> Realization of his death passes like a shock wave through the other clansmen, bringing them to an abrupt halt. They abort their attack and fall back, a few stopping just long enough to pick up and bear his lifeless body away from the street.</p>
4104 <p>While there is a lull in the firing, you seize the chance to help Knott and Captain Frankland clear away the debris that is blocking your escape. A thick, wooden pole, which once supported overhead electricity cables in this part of town, is jammed between the wheel and the truck<ch.apos/>s front fender. With your help, they are at last able to shift it and Knott returns to the cab and starts the engine first time. As he brings the truck over the mound, you and the captain leap on to the tailgate and pull yourselves aboard.</p>
4105 <p>The street ends at a piece of wasteland but a few hundred yards beyond it lies a highway, running east to west. The captain peers through the cab<ch.apos/>s partition window and gives an ironic laugh when he sees the highway.</p>
4106 <p><quote>Make for that road and head west,</quote> he commands, and Knott obeys. Then he turns to the sergeant and says, <quote>It looks like you<ch.apos/>re finally outvoted, Haskell. Seems we<ch.apos/>re on our way to Mimbres.</quote></p>
4107 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
4111 <section class="numbered" id="sect297">
4112 <meta><title>297</title></meta>
4115 <p>You wait until the clansman<ch.apos/>s footsteps have faded before you come out from beneath the table and return to the window. After several abortive attempts, you manage to free the lock. You then prise open the window and leave the building unseen via the fire escape stairs.</p>
4116 <choice idref="sect158"><link-text>Turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
4120 <section class="numbered" id="sect298">
4121 <meta><title>298</title></meta>
4124 <p>Instantly you know that the motorcycle approaching Tombstone is being ridden by the assassin who murdered your three companions. The fear that has haunted you during the past two days returns once more to tighten your stomach as hurriedly you search for somewhere to hide. The Tombstone courthouse is the nearest building and you rush into its lobby as the assassin rides into town.</p>
4125 <p>Ahead the doors to the courtroom are chained and padlocked, preventing easy entry, so you look for somewhere else to hide in this old, historical building. Two options present themselves: you can climb a wide staircase to the first floor, or you can run along a corridor that leads away to your left.</p>
4126 <choice idref="sect71">If you wish to ascend the stairs, <link-text>turn to 71</link-text>.</choice>
4127 <choice idref="sect171">If you decide to follow the corridor, <link-text>turn to 171</link-text>.</choice>
4131 <section class="numbered" id="sect299">
4132 <meta><title>299</title></meta>
4135 <p>Hurriedly you raise your gun and take aim at the approaching rider. He is less than ten yards away when you shoot your first round of fire.</p>
4136 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
4137 <choice idref="sect328">If your total score 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 328</link-text>.</choice>
4138 <choice idref="sect19">If your total is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 19</link-text>.</choice>
4142 <section class="numbered" id="sect300">
4143 <meta><title>300</title></meta>
4146 <p>You follow the highway twenty-five miles across Cochise County and, shortly before mid-afternoon, you arrive at a junction with Interstate 10. From here it is only a short ride west to the town of Benson, where you stop to take a closer look at the tyre tracks that are etched in the freeway<ch.apos/>s dusty surface. You are convinced that they are made by the DC1 convoy, and you hazard a guess that they are at least a day old.</p>
4147 <p>You are about to leave the tracks and return to your newly acquired motorcycle when you hear something that sets your heart racing. It is the voice of a young woman and she is calling out your name.</p>
4148 <choice idref="sect119"><link-text>Turn to 119</link-text>.</choice>
4152 <section class="numbered" id="sect301">
4153 <meta><title>301</title></meta>
4156 <p>You disappear from his sights before the clan commander can open fire, but the speed of your move may not be enough to save you. This man is an expert shot and his assault rifle is loaded with armour-piercing rounds. He sprays a long burst of fire across the rear of the truck, and, as the first of the bullets punch through the metal tailgate, you flatten yourself to the floor, praying that they will not hit you.</p>
4157 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Perception skill total.</p>
4158 <choice idref="sect146">If your total score is 5 or less, <link-text>turn to 146</link-text>.</choice>
4159 <choice idref="sect157">If it is 6 or more, <link-text>turn to 157</link-text>.</choice>
4163 <section class="numbered" id="sect302">
4164 <meta><title>302</title></meta>
4167 <p>It takes you more than an hour to explain the events and circumstances that have led to your uninvited arrival at this secret mountain retreat. The family of survivalists, which comprises Jack and Steve Lendorff, their wives, Marian and Carly, and their children, Sissy and Bruce, listen with interest to your story, but they never once lower their guard or their guns.</p>
4168 <p>At length, you learn that they bought this land and built the shelter ten years ago, at the time when HAVOC was bringing the civilized world to its knees. After <quote>The Day</quote> this region, owing to its geographical location, was spared the worst of the post-holocaust blizzards. Its most important resource was fresh water and, as a result of this, the family was able to achieve and maintain its self-sufficiency.</p>
4169 <p>They have a radio receiver and they are aware of the existence of other colonies, notably the one at Tucson, and of the situation that exists in California, but they have made no effort to contact other survivors or to join with other groups. Long ago they made a conscious decision to remain separate from the rest of the world, and they see no reason to change their minds.</p>
4170 <p><quote>Do you know what the Californians call this part of the country?</quote> asks Jack Lendorff, offhandedly. <quote>They call it the Omega Zone. They think of it as a wilderness, useless and uninhabitable. A forbidden area. They<ch.apos/>ve written it off. As far as they<ch.apos/>re concerned we simply don<ch.apos/>t exist!</quote></p>
4171 <choice idref="sect160"><link-text>Turn to 160</link-text>.</choice>
4175 <section class="numbered" id="sect303">
4176 <meta><title>303</title></meta>
4179 <p>You point to the left and motion Knott to follow as you crawl silently along the ditch, away from the clansmen<ch.apos/>s position. Fifty yards later, you reach a drainage tunnel. It is impossible to pass any further in this direction, for the roof of the tunnel has collapsed and sealed the entrance.</p>
4180 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>ll have to make a run for the freeway,</quote> you whisper. <quote>I<ch.apos/>ll lead.</quote></p>
4181 <p>When the coast looks clear, you clamber out of the ditch and move forward, crouching as you run, your eyes fixed on a shadowy archway ahead. You have covered only a few yards when you hear a faint noise somewhere on the freeway above. There is, a flash, then a beam of torchlight pours down from the barrier parapet and sweeps across your path.</p>
4182 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, and add to it your current Stealth skill total.</p>
4183 <choice idref="sect162">If your total score is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 162</link-text>.</choice>
4184 <choice idref="sect259">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 259</link-text>.</choice>
4188 <section class="numbered" id="sect304">
4189 <meta><title>304</title></meta>
4192 <p>You watch the assassin reload his rifle with a banana-shaped magazine that he inserts in a slot in front of the trigger. Then he shoulders the weapon and takes up a pair of binocular-like field glasses, which hang from a strap around his neck. He places them to his visor and methodically scans the surrounding rooftops. It seems a curious thing to do as the buildings are very close: surely he does not need binoculars to be able to see if anyone is standing on top of them? Then a chill stabs your heart when he scans the windows and you realize that he is not using a regular pair of binoculars: they are sophisticated, high-resolution, image intensifiers.</p>
4193 <p>Immediately you duck back from the window, but you fear that he has already located your position.</p>
4194 <choice idref="sect31"><link-text>Turn to 31</link-text>.</choice>
4198 <section class="numbered" id="sect305">
4199 <meta><title>305</title></meta>
4202 <p>You lean over and look along the ground at the truck ahead. There you see the captain, crouching beneath it, who signals to you to place your contact mine in position. The heavy disc locks itself against the dusty tank with a reassuring clunk, and you uncover its detonator button carefully. Once again the captain signals and once again you obey his command, this time by pressing the button. As soon as you hear the timing mechanism begin to tick, you close your Backpack and make a dash for the truck that Knott has commandeered.</p>
4203 <p>Frankland and Haskell join your escape: the captain is running twenty yards ahead of you and the sergeant, who has had to place two mines, is trailing behind you by about the same distance. Knott sees you in the side mirror and starts the truck, smoke belching from the exhaust pipe as he revs the reluctant engine. The captain reaches the rear and clambers over the tailgate just as a couple of clansmen notice you running and start shouting wildly. Their screams distract your attention and you fail to notice a metal tool locker that is lying on the ground directly in your path.</p>
4204 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Stealth skill total.</p>
4205 <choice idref="sect107">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 107</link-text>.</choice>
4206 <choice idref="sect224">If it is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 224</link-text>.</choice>
4210 <section class="numbered" id="sect306">
4211 <meta><title>306</title></meta>
4214 <p>You keep your head low, making sure that it stays well below the parapet wall while all around the air is alive with the whistle and screech of bullets. The others return fire, and, within a few minutes, the clansmen have been silenced to a man. Then you hear the captain bark the order, <quote>Follow me!</quote>, and see Knott and Haskell leave the wall to run after him. He is heading towards a fire escape ladder on the far side of the roof. You pause just long enough to retrieve your Backpack and belt, then you hurry after them.</p>
4215 <choice idref="sect151"><link-text>Turn to 151</link-text>.</choice>
4219 <section class="numbered" id="sect307">
4220 <meta><title>307</title></meta>
4223 <p>Wearily you drag yourself to your feet, wipe the grit from your eyes, then stagger towards your motorcycle. You are expecting to find little more than a twisted heap of scrap metal, so it comes as a welcome surprise to discover that the machine is still in working order. After straightening the handlebars, the headlight, and the front wheel alignment, you are able to restart the engine with your third kick.</p>
4224 <p>You follow the wide trench until you find a suitable place, on the far side of the rockfalls to make your exit. The ascent is accomplished without difficulty, but as you clear the crest of the gully and bring your motorcycle to a stop, you notice something that makes you break out in a cold sweat.</p>
4225 <p>From the eastern end of the gully a cloud of dust is approaching. It is over a mile distant, but at once you can tell that it is being kicked up by a motorcycle. You stare at the approaching machine and, although you cannot see the rider, you know that it is the assassin. Chilled by his proximity, you wind back the throttle and gun your bike along the bumpy mountain road.</p>
4226 <choice idref="sect90"><link-text>Turn to 90</link-text>.</choice>
4230 <section class="numbered" id="sect308">
4231 <meta><title>308</title></meta>
4234 <p>You realize too late that the biker is already dead, killed as he sped over the bridge by a ricocheting bullet. He is slumped forward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep the machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
4235 <p>You try to get clear but in your panic you mistime your dive. With a fearful crash, the motorcycle ploughs into the gas pump and explodes in a ball of bright flame, catching you in mid-leap. The last thing you see is a blinding yellow flash as you are engulfed by the blazing inferno. Death is instantaneous.</p>
4236 <p>Tragically, you life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
4240 <section class="numbered" id="sect309">
4241 <meta><title>309</title></meta>
4244 <p>The growl of motorcycle engines can be heard approaching from the south, yet you can see no sign of their headlights in the near-darkness that blankets the land. Then you spot a glint of chrome reflecting the pale pre-dawn twilight, and suddenly there is a piercing blue-white glare as six black-clad clansmen simultaneously switch on their headlights as they race along Highway 80 towards the intersection. Their machines are drawn up in a perfect wedge formation, giving them the semblance of a giant, fiery arrow-head as they come speeding down the freeway access ramp towards your jeep. Now, as they close in, you see that the riders are wearing black face-protectors, which are fitted with infra-red lenses, enabling them to see in the dark without the need for artificial light. They are all heavily armed, and the pennons that flutter from the whiplash aerials fixed to their saddles identify them as scouts for the Detroit Lions clan.</p>
4245 <illustration class="float">
4247 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4248 <description>Their machines are drawn up in a perfect wedge formation, they come speeding towards your jeep.</description>
4250 <instance class="html" src="ill18.gif" width="386" height="506" />
4251 <instance class="pdf" src="ill18.pdf" width="386" height="506" />
4253 <p>These scouts are part of a group that were based in Ciudad Juarez. You notice that each machine carries a radio and you realize that they must have been directed by Mad Dog Michigan to intercept you. Several of their closest comrades died at the Juarez Race Track and they have sworn to avenge their deaths by wiping you out.</p>
4254 <p><quote>Get going, Cal!</quote> shouts Captain Frankland, as he drops the now empty can and leaps into the jeep. You start the engine and accelerate straight at the oncoming wedge of bikers. They see you and part formation, firing their pistols at point-blank range as they stream past on either side.</p>
4255 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Driving and Perception skill scores.</p>
4256 <choice idref="sect285">If your total score is 10 or less, <link-text>turn to 285</link-text>.</choice>
4257 <choice idref="sect116">If your total is 11 or more, <link-text>turn to 116</link-text>.</choice>
4261 <section class="numbered" id="sect310">
4262 <meta><title>310</title></meta>
4265 <p>You pause just long enough to search the bodies before you make your escape from the parking lot. Your search uncovers the following items:</p>
4267 <li>Machine Pistol (containing eighteen rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
4268 <li>Pistol (containing seven rounds of 9mm ammunition)</li>
4269 <li>Water Canteen [containing enough water for three Drinks]</li>
4270 <li>Hunting Knife (2)</li>
4271 <li>Baseball Bat (2)</li>
4272 <li>Enough canned food for two Meals</li>
4273 <li><typ class="item">Compass</typ></li>
4274 <li><typ class="item">Flexible Saw</typ></li>
4275 <li><typ class="item">Signal Flare</typ></li>
4277 <p>If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your <a idref="action">Action Chart</a> accordingly.</p>
4278 <choice idref="sect158">To continue, <link-text>turn to 158</link-text>.</choice>
4282 <section class="numbered" id="sect311">
4283 <meta><title>311</title></meta>
4286 <p>Slowly you follow the steep trail as it ascends towards the outcrop. The climb is difficult but your perseverance is rewarded when you reach the top and discover a plateau that commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountain timberlands. Then, as you scan the horizon, you hear something that is far more exciting than the wondrous view: it is the sound of running water.</p>
4287 <p>With high expectations, you and Knott re-enter the forest, determined to investigate the sound. You have covered less than fifty yards when you discover the source: a spring of clear, sparkling water cascading from a crack in the mountainside. Knott is elated by the find and rushes forward to drink his fill. You are more cautious: you control the strong urge to drink and warn your companion of the high possibility that the water is contaminated.</p>
4288 <choice idref="sect238">If your Field Craft skill total is 4 or more, <link-text>turn to 238</link-text>.</choice>
4289 <choice idref="sect23">If it is not, <link-text>turn to 23</link-text>.</choice>
4293 <section class="numbered" id="sect312">
4294 <meta><title>312</title></meta>
4297 <p>You rush forward to barge the leading clansman with your shoulder. The force and surprise of your attack sends him flying out of the truck, but your move leaves you vulnerable to his confederate, who immediately leaps upon you before you can regain your balance.</p>
4298 <combat><enemy>Mustang</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">16</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
4299 <p>Owing to the speed of his attack, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the second round of the fight.</p>
4300 <choice idref="sect117">If you win the combat, <link-text>turn to 117</link-text>.</choice>
4304 <section class="numbered" id="sect313">
4305 <meta><title>313</title></meta>
4308 <p>The engine emits the ominous sound of grinding metal and immediately the rattling ceases. Unfortunately, so too does the engine. The piston has become so hot that the rings that seal it have welded themselves to the bore. At once you realize what has happened, and, as you steer the powerless machine to the side of the street, you are filled with dread at the prospect of having to continue your journey on foot. You must now take a Drink or lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4309 <p>You are staring gloomily at the ruined machine, considering your next course of action, when you hear a vehicle approaching. Your dread deepens when you look up to see an all-too-familiar dust cloud approaching the town from the east.</p>
4310 <choice idref="sect298"><link-text>Turn to 298</link-text>.</choice>
4314 <section class="numbered" id="sect314">
4315 <meta><title>314</title></meta>
4318 <p>Half-way along the main street you discover a used car lot that specialized in commercial and recreational vehicles. The faded billboards boast that <quote>only the best vehicles are to be found here</quote>, but sadly this claim is long out-of-date. Most of the trucks and RVs are totally wrecked, and nearly all have tyres and batteries that have perished during the post-holocaust years. A battered Toyota pick-up rests on its side, hardly warranting a second glance until you notice that its tyres are still sound. Knott helps you to heave it back on to all four wheels and then goes to fetch the others while you make a closer examination of the engine. Apart from a dead battery and lack of fuel, the pick-up is in remarkably good condition.</p>
4319 <p>You are checking the air filter when the others arrive. Although they have not been able to locate a vehicle in better condition, their search has not been entirely fruitless. They did find some gasolene, which Sergeant Haskell proceeds to pour into the pick-up<ch.apos/>s fuel tank.</p>
4320 <p><quote>That solves one problem,</quote> you say, as you replace the air filter, <quote>but we<ch.apos/>ll still need some electrical power to get this engine started.</quote></p>
4321 <choice idref="sect106">If you possess a <typ class="item">Solar Regulator</typ>, <link-text>turn to 106</link-text>.</choice>
4322 <choice idref="sect156">If you do not possess this item, <link-text>turn to 156</link-text>.</choice>
4326 <section class="numbered" id="sect315">
4327 <meta><title>315</title></meta>
4330 <p>With your face to the ground, you peer under a row of cars to see the clansmen<ch.apos/>s feet as they reach the base of the ramp. For a few seconds the men remain stationary, then they split up and begin to search along the rows in your immediate vicinity. Carefully you ease yourself under a pick-up truck and watch with growing fear as one of the clansmen walks slowly towards your hiding place.</p>
4331 <p>He stops beside the pick-up, his boots inches away from your chest. Automatically you tense yourself in readiness to strike should he show the slightest indication that he has found you. He starts to move away, then hesitates. Slowly he begins to kneel.</p>
4332 <p>At that moment you lash out like a striking cobra and catch him in the leg with the heel of your boot. He screams and falls backwards, clutching his dislocated knee. This allows you the few seconds you need to roll out from under the truck and to gain the upper hand.</p>
4333 <combat><enemy>Camaro</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">12</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">18</enemy-attribute></combat>
4334 <p>Owing to the effects of your surprise attack, ignore any <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point losses you may sustain in the first two rounds of the combat.</p>
4335 <choice idref="sect17">If you win and the fight lasts four rounds or less, <link-text>turn to 17</link-text>.</choice>
4336 <choice idref="sect253">If the fight lasts five rounds or more, <link-text>turn to 253</link-text>.</choice>
4340 <section class="numbered" id="sect316">
4341 <meta><title>316</title></meta>
4344 <p>The voices stop, and a few seconds later the spy-hole cover slides open an inch. An eye appears at the gap.</p>
4345 <p>It stares down at you, widens with shock, then disappears from view. Cursing your luck, you start to move back from the door and have retreated a few yards when something else appears, something that makes you gulp with fear. It is the barrel of a semi-automatic pistol, and it is pointed at your chest.</p>
4346 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
4347 <choice idref="sect113">If your total score is 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 113</link-text>.</choice>
4348 <choice idref="sect266">If your total is 13-19, <link-text>turn to 266</link-text>.</choice>
4349 <choice idref="sect222">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 222</link-text>.</choice>
4353 <section class="numbered" id="sect317">
4354 <meta><title>317</title></meta>
4357 <p>You run to the trash can and haul yourself over its thick steel rim just as the first of the bikers reaches the apex of the bridge. Seconds later the captain<ch.apos/>s voice bellows the order: <quote>Open fire!</quote> Immediately the others obey, strafing the Angelinos as they speed off the bridge. Two riders are hit and fall from their machines; a third has his front tyre shot out and loses control, crashing into the parapet; but the last rider appears to escape injury and comes screaming over the bridge with his front wheel raised defiantly. As he approaches you he raises his machine pistol one-handedly and looses off a burst of automatic fire.</p>
4358 <choice idref="sect48">If you wish to remain standing and return fire as the biker speeds past, <link-text>turn to 48</link-text>.</choice>
4359 <choice idref="sect135">If you choose to avoid his fire by ducking below the rim of the trash can, <link-text>turn to 135</link-text>.</choice>
4363 <section class="numbered" id="sect318">
4364 <meta><title>318</title></meta>
4367 <p>You leave the hardware store and return to your motorcycle. Before you start the engine you make a cursory check of the cooling fins and notice that they are very hot to the touch: the lack of oil is causing the engine to overheat. As you remount the machine and kick start the engine, you pray that it will run just long enough to get you back to the colony.</p>
4368 <choice idref="sect50"><link-text>Turn to 50</link-text>.</choice>
4372 <section class="numbered" id="sect319">
4373 <meta><title>319</title></meta>
4376 <p>The dog begins to whine excitedly. He lopes into the room, following the trail of your scent towards the window where he paces back and forth until his master calls him to heel. Quickly he obeys, the scars on his body bearing testimony to past punishments for reacting too slowly to his master<ch.apos/>s command. You hear the clansman approaching, then see him standing at the window staring out at the fire escape. Thoughtfully he scratches his unshaven chin, then calls his dog once more and turns to leave.</p>
4377 <p>Add together your Stealth and Field Craft totals. Then pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> (in this instance 0 = 10).</p>
4378 <choice idref="sect297">If your total skill score is equal to, or less than, the number you have picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, <link-text>turn to 297</link-text>.</choice>
4379 <choice idref="sect84">If your total skill score is greater than the number you picked from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>, <link-text>turn to 84</link-text>.</choice>
4383 <section class="numbered" id="sect320">
4384 <meta><title>320</title></meta>
4387 <p>You strike your killing blow with your right hand and cover the clansman<ch.apos/>s mouth with your left to prevent him screaming. The captain has dealt with his adversary and has already given a signal to Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott. They reach the jeep, return your equipment, and then help the captain to search the Mavericks<ch.apos/> bodies before hiding them in the bus depot. Of the items that are found, you can choose from the following three:</p>
4389 <li>Six rounds of 7.62mm ammunition</li>
4390 <li><typ class="item">HE Grenade</typ></li>
4391 <li>Bowie Knife (3)</li>
4393 <p>On returning to the vehicle, Captain Frankland offers you the opportunity to drive.</p>
4394 <choice idref="sect142">If you wish to drive the jeep, <link-text>turn to 142</link-text>.</choice>
4395 <choice idref="sect30">If you decide to let the captain drive, <link-text>turn to 30</link-text>.</choice>
4399 <section class="numbered" id="sect321">
4400 <meta><title>321</title></meta>
4403 <p>You struggle to control your car as it skids off the freeway and slews sideways towards the crash barrier. The roadster collides with it, but at such an acute angle that you are able to regain control almost immediately. The impact leaves you shaken, but otherwise you and Kate survive the collision unharmed.</p>
4404 <choice idref="sect274"><link-text>Turn to 274</link-text>.</choice>
4408 <section class="numbered" id="sect322">
4409 <meta><title>322</title></meta>
4412 <p>Bullets ricochet from the rear and whistle past on every side, forcing you to duck behind the tailgate for cover. Your swift reflexes save you from being hit. As you lower your head, you glimpse the clan leader running into the middle of the highway, his hand outstretched to pick up a walkie-talkie that must have dropped from his pocket. As you cower behind the tailgate you suddenly realize that he could attempt to radio another clan outpost, perhaps one in Mimbres, or one further along the highway, and forewarn them of your arrival.</p>
4413 <choice idref="sect22">If you wish to attempt to shoot the clansman, to prevent him from using the radio, <link-text>turn to 22</link-text>.</choice>
4414 <choice idref="sect335">If you have insufficient ammunition, or do not wish to fire at him, <link-text>turn to 335</link-text>.</choice>
4418 <section class="numbered" id="sect323">
4419 <meta><title>323</title></meta>
4422 <p>You draw back the bolt of your G-12 and make a quick check of the magazine to ensure that you have sufficient bullets to cover yourself. Then, with your pulse pounding loudly in your ears, you get ready to run to the forest.</p>
4423 <p>Slowly you count down from five and, the moment your count is complete, you leap to your feet and scramble up the steps. As you clear the crater, you fix your destination and sprint towards it, your machine pistol blazing at your hip.</p>
4424 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score. To this total add 1 point for every burst you choose to fire from your machine pistol (minimum: one burst; maximum: five bursts).</p>
4425 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 12 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
4426 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 13 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
4430 <section class="numbered" id="sect324">
4431 <meta><title>324</title></meta>
4434 <p>The leader of the Detroit Lions is standing with a group of Mexicans in front of a large canvas tent pitched in the centre of the track. He is shouting, and clearly he is very angry, although you cannot hear what he is saying above the mechanical din of the generators that are supplying electricity to the track<ch.apos/>s floodlights. An assortment of vehicles is parked haphazardly around the tents, and at least fifty clansmen, perhaps more, are hovering in the area. They all seem very nervous, many of them glancing repeatedly at their wristwatches as they pace back and forth. You look at your own watch and see that the time is 0225; no wonder they are so edgy<ch.emdash/>the convoy is late.</p>
4435 <illustration class="float">
4437 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4438 <description>Clearly he is very angry, although you cannot hear what he is saying above the din of the generators</description>
4440 <instance class="html" src="ill19.gif" width="386" height="618" />
4441 <instance class="pdf" src="ill19.pdf" width="386" height="618" />
4443 <p><quote>Look over there, Captain,</quote> whispers Knott, pointing at a large, six-wheeled truck that is parked at the side of the track, close to the dog traps. <quote>It<ch.apos/>s an old Defence League three-tonner, just like the one I used to drive in Brownsville. They ain<ch.apos/>t fast but they can take a lot of punishment. It might be just what we need if we have to ram our way outta here.</quote></p>
4444 <p><quote>OK, Knott. You<ch.apos/>ve convinced me,</quote> replies the captain. <quote>She looks like she<ch.apos/>s been left unguarded, so you get on over there and get aboard. We<ch.apos/>ll join you as soon as the mines are set, so you just be sure she<ch.apos/>s ready to go, y<ch.apos/> hear.</quote></p>
4445 <p><quote>Yessir,</quote> says Knott. He is about to leave the group when the captain grabs him by the arm. <quote>Hold it, you<ch.apos/>d better give the sergeant your contact mine.</quote></p>
4446 <p>Knott fishes the device from his haversack and passes it to Haskell. Then he leaves, and all three of you watch as he makes his way slowly around the perimeter, using what cover he can find. He reaches the truck and climbs aboard. Moments later there is a tremendous noise<ch.emdash/>a siren that fills the race track with a deafening clangour.</p>
4447 <choice idref="sect164"><link-text>Turn to 164</link-text>.</choice>
4451 <section class="numbered" id="sect325">
4452 <meta><title>325</title></meta>
4455 <p><quote>Hey, you up there!</quote> you shout, in as friendly a voice as you can muster. You try hard not to sound threatening, but the unexpected sound of your voice startles the man. Immediately he dashes away from the trail and runs deeper into the forest. Rather than let him get away, you beckon Knott to follow as you give chase.</p>
4456 <choice idref="sect54"><link-text>Turn to 54</link-text>.</choice>
4460 <section class="numbered" id="sect326">
4461 <meta><title>326</title></meta>
4464 <p>It takes less than twenty minutes to reach the tiny mountain town of Mimbres but you find no welcome awaiting you there. The place is deserted, its buildings, all save two derelict stores at its centre, have long since collapsed. There is nothing to be gained by stopping here, so Captain Frankland orders Knott to continue without slowing.</p>
4465 <p>Beyond Mimbres, the highway begins a steady climb into the Cedar Mountains. You stay alert, anticipating clan contact at any time, but the rocky landscape seems devoid of life. The temperature rises with the sun, and when you see the town of Hachita, perched near the western edge of a wide box canyon, all four of you are beginning to feel the ill effects of dehydration and salt deficiency.</p>
4466 <p>You are approaching Hachita when Knott calls the captain to the cab window. The truck<ch.apos/>s fuel gauge was registering full when you left Ciudad Juarez, but the needle has now slipped to below the quarter mark and he fears that there may not be enough gasolene left to reach Lordsburg. Hachita looks as empty as Mimbres, so Captain Frankland orders him to stop there to search for some fuel.</p>
4467 <p>As you reach a crossroads in the centre of the town, Knott stops the truck at a gas station that was once part of a shopping mart. You disembark and Sergeant Haskell quickly discovers the reason for the truck<ch.apos/>s poor fuel consumption: there are three bullet holes in the petrol tank.</p>
4468 <choice idref="sect195">If you wish to help the sergeant fix the damaged tank, <link-text>turn to 195</link-text>.</choice>
4469 <choice idref="sect66">If you decide to help Frankland and Knott search the gas station for some fuel, <link-text>turn to 66</link-text>.</choice>
4473 <section class="numbered" id="sect327">
4474 <meta><title>327</title></meta>
4477 <p>Moments later there is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something vaguely resembling a can of food as it flies through the window. It bounces on the carpeted floor and immediately there is a flash, followed by a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas that shoots from its base. As the gas fills the room rapidly, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and frantically you rush from the room before it fills to the ceiling with noxious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4478 <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the corridor and down a flight of stairs that leads to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its locking bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse with his rifle in his hand.</p>
4479 <choice idref="sect181">If you possess a missile weapon and sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
4480 <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
4484 <section class="numbered" id="sect328">
4485 <meta><title>328</title></meta>
4488 <footnote id="sect328-1-foot" idref="sect328-1">
4489 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
4494 <p>Your gunfire is accurate<ch.emdash/>it hits the biker in the head<ch.emdash/>but it does not divert his machine.<a id="sect328-1" idref="sect328-1-foot" class="footnote" /> The fact is, the biker is already dead, killed by a ricocheting bullet as he sped over the bridge. He is slumped forward over the handlebars in a racing pose, his right hand locked on the throttle and his weight balanced to keep his machine upright and fixed in a straight line.</p>
4495 <p>In desperation you scramble to your feet to throw yourself out of the path of the bike, but you have left it too late. With a fearful crash, the motorcycle ploughs into the gas pump and explodes in a ball of bright flame. The last thing you see is a blinding yellow flash as you are engulfed by the blazing inferno. Death is instantaneous.</p>
4496 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here in Mexico.</p>
4500 <section class="numbered" id="sect329">
4501 <meta><title>329</title></meta>
4504 <p><quote>Nice work, Cal,</quote> says Captain Frankland, as he climbs into the back of the Toyota.</p>
4505 <p><quote>Yeah, well done,</quote> says Haskell, echoing the captain<ch.apos/>s sentiments. <quote>I sure weren<ch.apos/>t looking forward to hoofin<ch.apos/> it all the way t<ch.apos/> Tucson, I can tell you.</quote></p>
4506 <p>He vaults into the back beside the captain then extends his right hand to help you aboard. You are reaching out to grip his palm when you hear the sharp crack of a gunshot. Haskell raises his hand to his forehead, a look of shocked surprise registering on his strong, angular face. Then his eyes roll back to reveal just the whites, and a trickle of blood oozes from a neat hole two inches above his nose. He wavers and then falls limply across the tailgate.</p>
4507 <p>For an unknown length of time you stare at Haskell<ch.apos/>s face, oblivious to your surroundings, until the frantic thumping of your heart begins to subside. A sick feeling hits you in waves and you are unable to move. Then you feel yourself being lifted and pulled into the truck by the front of your leather jacket. Captain Frankland is screaming at Knott to drive away as fast as he can. As the back wheels spin and the Toyota begins to accelerate, the horror of witnessing Haskell<ch.apos/>s death at such close quarters makes you shiver with shock: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4508 <p>The truck races out of Rodeo and within minutes you are crossing the state border into Arizona. Respectfully, Captain Frankland covers the sergeant<ch.apos/>s face with his combat jacket, and, although your minds are full of unanswered questions, you say nothing to each other until Knott brings the truck to a halt at the edge of a great expanse of mountain timberland once known as the Coronado National Forest.</p>
4509 <p><quote>It must have been a clan sniper,</quote> says Frankland, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. <quote>I didn<ch.apos/>t see a thing, did you?</quote></p>
4510 <p>You and Knott shake your heads silently, both deeply saddened by the loss of your brave companion. For Knott it is a specially bitter blow, for he and Haskell survived the post-holocaust years together at the WDL base in Brownsville, Texas.</p>
4511 <p><quote>We had better take care of the burial right away,</quote> says Frankland, scanning the surrounding landscape. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s no sign of anyone following us on the highway. It should be safe to bury him here.</quote></p>
4512 <choice idref="sect169"><link-text>Turn to 169</link-text>.</choice>
4516 <section class="numbered" id="sect330">
4517 <meta><title>330</title></meta>
4520 <p>You raise your left hand to shield your eyes from the glare of the spotlight. They are trying to blind you as they approach, but you are more than a match for them. You shout to the others to hold tight and, when they are nearly upon you, you swerve aside, bringing the jeep to a controlled halt at the edge of the highway.</p>
4521 <p>Captain Frankland is the first to recover and quickly mans the heavy machine gun. The pick-up completes a spectacular 180-degree turn and comes racing back, but he is waiting for them. They are thirty yards away when he cocks the weapon and opens fire.</p>
4522 <p>The heavy-calibre rounds riddle the engine and tear the cab to shreds. The truck starts to skid, then there is a tremendous bang as the fuel tank explodes. As you accelerate on to the freeway, you glance in the driving mirror to see a huge ball of billowing orange flame engulf the remains of the truck and its passengers.</p>
4523 <choice idref="sect178"><link-text>Turn to 178</link-text>.</choice>
4527 <section class="numbered" id="sect331">
4528 <meta><title>331</title></meta>
4531 <p>The shock of being fired at by the captain and Sergeant Haskell freezes you with fear. You are unable to react quickly enough to avoid the first wave of bullets and, as they slam into the front of the motorcycle and tear the wheel to shreds, you lose control of the machine. Without the tyre to absorb the bumps and holes that litter the road, the machine becomes a bucking bronco. The bars twist in your hands and you are flung head-first into a gully at the side of the highway.</p>
4532 <p>Marine Knott survives the crash but you are not so fortunate. You suffer fatal head injuries on impact and death is virtually instantaneous.</p>
4533 <p>Tragically, your life and your mission end here.</p>
4537 <section class="numbered" id="sect332">
4538 <meta><title>332</title></meta>
4541 <p>You crouch in a hollow behind two large boulders, which top this mound, and peer through a gap at the approaching dust cloud. The motorcycle slows down, then leaves the highway and descends into the gully before accelerating towards you along the dry bed. It comes to a halt within a few hundred yards of your position, and although you can see the rider dismounting, he is too far away to discern his features.</p>
4542 <choice idref="sect263">If you possess <typ class="item">Binoculars</typ> or a <typ class="item">Telescope</typ>, <link-text>turn to 263</link-text>.</choice>
4543 <choice idref="sect203">If you possess neither of these items, <link-text>turn to 203</link-text>.</choice>
4547 <section class="numbered" id="sect333">
4548 <meta><title>333</title></meta>
4551 <p>The clansman crashes against the truck and falls to the ground in a dazed heap. Although you are bruised by the collision, you are able to stay on your feet, and you seize the initiative. Half-concussed, the swarthy Mexican fumbles blindly for his pistol, but before he can draw and fire it, a well-placed kick to the chin knocks him out cold.</p>
4552 <p>Quickly you drag his body under the truck and prop him out of sight behind the rear wheels, before turning your attention to the vehicle<ch.apos/>s fuel tank.</p>
4553 <choice idref="sect65"><link-text>Turn to 65</link-text>.</choice>
4557 <section class="numbered" id="sect334">
4558 <meta><title>334</title></meta>
4561 <p>Beyond the store room you discover a narrow corridor lit by several low-voltage electric light bulbs mounted in the ceiling. In the glow of their pale, yellowy light, you notice a bolt on the store room door. You lock it, hoping to deter the sniper should he try to follow you into the shelter.</p>
4562 <p>As you progress along the corridor you discover three doors. The first is to your left; the second is directly opposite the first; and the third lies at the end of the passage, just a few yards ahead.</p>
4563 <choice idref="sect145">If you wish to investigate the door to your left, <link-text>turn to 145</link-text>.</choice>
4564 <choice idref="sect165">If you wish to examine the door to your right, <link-text>turn to 165</link-text>.</choice>
4565 <choice idref="sect32">If you choose to continue walking towards the door at the end of the corridor, <link-text>turn to 32</link-text>.</choice>
4569 <section class="numbered" id="sect335">
4570 <meta><title>335</title></meta>
4573 <p>Soon the truck is beyond the range of the clansmen<ch.apos/>s rifles and you are able to pick yourself up off the floor. Your body feels stiff and sore, but at least both you and Sergeant Haskell are still in one piece. Then the truck begins to decelerate; when it stops, Captain Frankland leaves the cab and comes around to the back to check that you are both all right.</p>
4574 <p><quote>We<ch.apos/>re fine,</quote> you reply, <quote>bruised, but otherwise just fine.</quote></p>
4575 <p>You help the captain climb over the tailgate. As soon as he is aboard, Knott re-starts the engine and you continue your journey west along Highway 9.</p>
4576 <choice idref="sect326"><link-text>Turn to 326</link-text>.</choice>
4580 <section class="numbered" id="sect336">
4581 <meta><title>336</title></meta>
4584 <p>All the advanced driving skills that you learned from Cutter Jacks, and which you perfected during the months you patrolled the highways around McKinney, pay off now as you negotiate this hazardous section of mountain highway. However, the clansmen are equally proficient roadmasters and they are gaining on you, relentlessly closing the gap.</p>
4585 <p>The more you think about your predicament, the more you realize how futile it is to try to outrun them. Even if you were able to defeat all the scouts, Mad Dog Michigan would simply send more and more until his lust for vengeance had finally been sated. Then an idea occurs to you that might just throw him off your trail for good. If you were able to convince the enemy that you were dead, it would put an end to their pursuit. You share your thoughts with the others and they agree with your reasoning.</p>
4586 <p><quote>You<ch.apos/>re right, Cal. We<ch.apos/>ll have to stage an accident and convince the clansmen that we<ch.apos/>ve all been killed.</quote> says Captain Frankland.</p>
4587 <p>Soon you reach a part of the mountains where a deep canyon borders the road. Here you bring the jeep to a halt and immediately set about preparing the <quote>accident</quote>. You push the vehicle to the edge of the road, then light a rag, which Haskell has stuffed into the gasolene filler pipe. It ignites and once it is burning you give the jeep a push and send it careering over the edge into the canyon 300 feet below. After the resounding crash, you hear the clansmen approaching and you quickly take cover behind some boulders. To make it seem more realistic, Marine Knott drops his bloodstained tunic at the edge of the road before he joins you, seconds before the first clansmen appear on the scene.</p>
4588 <choice idref="sect227"><link-text>Turn to 227</link-text>.</choice>
4592 <section class="numbered" id="sect337">
4593 <meta><title>337</title></meta>
4596 <p>Aiming from the hip, you bring your G-12 machine pistol to bear on the leading biker, your finger starting to squeeze as the muzzle levels off at a spot two feet above the motorcycle<ch.apos/>s blazing headlight.</p>
4597 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add to it your Shooting skill total.</p>
4598 <choice idref="sect27">If your total score is now 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 27</link-text>.</choice>
4600 <choice idref="sect112">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 112</link-text>.</choice>
4604 <section class="numbered" id="sect338">
4605 <meta><title>338</title></meta>
4608 <p>You retrieve the flare from your Backpack and carefully examine the instructions printed along its side. It is an aerial flare, designed to shoot a burning core of red fire 300 feet into the sky. if you intend to use it to distract the sniper, you will need to fire it straight at him.</p>
4609 <p>The sniper<ch.apos/>s position is etched clearly in your mind. Nervously you grasp the signal flare tube and take hold of its pull-cord, then you spring to your feet and fire. It recoils in your hand, sending a blaze of red fire surging towards the assassin<ch.apos/>s position. The moment you see it strike the scrub, you discard the smouldering tube and race up the steps. As you clear the crater you try to make out your destination through the swirling curtain of red smoke now masking the pines.</p>
4610 <p>Add together your Stealth and Perception skill totals. Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a> and add it to your score.</p>
4611 <choice idref="sect249">If your total score is now 9 or less, <link-text>turn to 249</link-text>.</choice>
4612 <choice idref="sect210">If your total score is 10 or more, <link-text>turn to 210</link-text>.</choice>
4616 <section class="numbered" id="sect339">
4617 <meta><title>339</title></meta>
4620 <p>Calmly you raise your shotgun, your thumb releasing the auto-safety as the stock beds snugly into your shoulder. Bullets whistle past, frighteningly close, but you force yourself to ignore them as you take aim calmly at the clan commander. For an instant his eyes widen with shock when he sees the barrel of your shotgun pointing in his direction. Then he starts to pull away and is almost obscured by a wall when you loose off your first shot.</p>
4621 <p>Add together your Shooting skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points score.</p>
4622 <choice idref="sect99">If your total is 7 or less, <link-text>turn to 99</link-text>.</choice>
4623 <choice idref="sect296">If it is 8 or more, <link-text>turn to 296</link-text>.</choice>
4627 <section class="numbered" id="sect340">
4628 <meta><title>340</title></meta>
4631 <p>The captain screams and throws his hands to his face: he has been hit. Blood oozes thickly through his fingers as he crumples slowly to the ground, the assassin<ch.apos/>s bullet lodged deeply in his skull.</p>
4632 <p>The shock of Frankland<ch.apos/>s death, following so closely after Sergeant Haskell<ch.apos/>s, hits you like an icy shower. You cower behind the truck, shivering with fear, afraid that you will be next. For a terrible moment the fear consumes you, and all you want to do is run as far and as fast as you can. Knott has taken cover among the pines and he pleads with you to stay where you are. But you cannot think clearly; panic has overwhelmed your senses. Blindly, you scramble to your feet and stumble towards the woods and, in your haste, you trip and fall, skinning your hands and knees on the flint-sharp shale: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point.</p>
4633 <p>Inadvertently, your fall saves your life. A shot passes over your head a second after you stumble, missing you by a hand<ch.apos/>s breadth. The imminent danger clears your mind and you race towards the trees with renewed determination to survive. Knott encourages you to increase your speed and you pray that you will reach cover before the sniper has a chance to work another round into the breech of his rifle.</p>
4634 <p>Add together your Stealth skill total and your current <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points 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 total.</p>
4635 <choice idref="sect57">If your total score is 15 or less, <link-text>turn to 57</link-text>.</choice>
4636 <choice idref="sect83">If it is 16<ch.emdash/>19, <link-text>turn to 83</link-text>.</choice>
4637 <choice idref="sect254">If it is 20 or more, <link-text>turn to 254</link-text>.</choice>
4641 <section class="numbered" id="sect341">
4642 <meta><title>341</title></meta>
4645 <p>At such close range, your gunfire shatters the wooden lock (remember to erase the appropriate amount of ammunition from your Ammo Pouch). As the smoke clears, you call Knott to support your attack, then you run forward and kick open the door.</p>
4646 <p>It slams back against the wall and immediately you step aside to allow Knott to rush into the room beyond, crouching in combat stance, is pistol held before him, ready to fire. No shots are fired, and when you enter the room, you discover that the bearded man has vanished.</p>
4647 <choice idref="sect233"><link-text>Turn to 233</link-text>.</choice>
4651 <section class="numbered" id="sect342">
4652 <meta><title>342</title></meta>
4655 <p>You tell the others that you think the team should attempt to break through the Columbus road block.</p>
4656 <p><quote>Well, it looks like we got ourselves what the French call an <quote>impasse</quote>,</quote> says the captain, as he reaches to the breast pocket of his combat jacket. <quote>There<ch.apos/>s only one way to solve this<ch.ellips/></quote> So saying, he withdraws a coin<ch.emdash/>a commemorative AD2000 silver dollar.</p>
4657 <p><quote>Heads we hit Columbus; tails we avoid it,</quote> he says, and flips the coin into the air.</p>
4658 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4659 <choice idref="sect262">If the number you have picked is 0<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 262</link-text>.</choice>
4660 <choice idref="sect37">If it is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 37</link-text>.</choice>
4664 <section class="numbered" id="sect343">
4665 <meta><title>343</title></meta>
4668 <p>A cursory examination of the door confirms your fears: it is far too thick to be sawn open. However, a closer examination of the air vent reveals that it was once a much larger window that has recently been partially boarded over. Confident that you can gain entry this way, you set about sawing through the slats.</p>
4669 <p>It is exhausting work, and before you make a hole large enough to climb through, you lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point due to fatigue.</p>
4670 <choice idref="sect214"><link-text>Turn to 214</link-text>.</choice>
4674 <section class="numbered" id="sect344">
4675 <meta><title>344</title></meta>
4678 <p>It is early evening before Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott return, but at least their journey was not in vain. The ignition unit that Knott spotted at the gas station was still there and works perfectly when fitted to the truck. Within half an hour of their return, the engine is running smoothly once more and you are able to continue.</p>
4679 <choice idref="sect230"><link-text>Turn to 230</link-text>.</choice>
4683 <section class="numbered" id="sect345">
4684 <meta><title>345</title></meta>
4687 <p>The truck slams through the wall of cars with a tremendous crash. The impact sends a violent shudder through the floor but the truck is slowed very little by the collision. Once clear of the barricade, Knott accelerates along the main street and you hear angry voices and the sharp crackle of automatic gunfire amidst the roar of the vehicle<ch.apos/>s engine. The air becomes livid with the sound of singing bullets, which pierce the canvas and shatter against the truck<ch.apos/>s cage-like frame. An occasional fragment singes your skin but otherwise you and the sergeant escape unharmed.</p>
4688 <p>Haskell is at the tailgate, returning fire at the clansmen who were guarding the barricade, forcing them to quit their shooting and dive for cover. You join him and focus your sights on the doorways of the passing stores, where sleepy-eyed clansmen are stumbling into the street to investigate the commotion (erase from your Ammo Pouch ammunition equivalent to one round of fire).</p>
4689 <p>You are starting to feel confident that you have beaten the clansmen when you feel the truck decelerating. A glance over your shoulder in the direction of the cab window reveals why Knott is slowing down. A bright yellow bulldozer, with its earth scoop lowered, is trundling along the main street towards you. The captain screams an order and Knott obeys. He spins the steering wheel and sends the truck screeching sharply to the left towards a narrow side street. His quick reactions and driving skill have saved you from the bulldozer, but immediately you are confronted by a new hazard.</p>
4690 <p>Several of the houses that back on to this street have collapsed, and the debris has formed a huge, uneven mound that blocks your path. Knott, confident that the truck is capable of scaling this obstacle, shifts the selector into all-wheel drive and stamps his foot on the gas pedal. Amid a whine of gears, the truck accelerates towards the mountain of bricks and shattered timbers. You hit the mound at speed and the truck lurches towards the peak, but, less than five feet from the top, the truck shudders to a halt.</p>
4691 <p>Knott and the captain both leap from the cab desperate to clear away the debris that has jammed the front wheels. As they begin their work, three clansmen come running around the corner, firing their weapons as they sprint towards the truck. Haskell answers them with a burst of fire that fells the leading two and sends the survivor scurrying for cover. This does little to deter the attack: more clansmen are appearing by the second, and, judging by their blood-curdling screams, they do not intend to take prisoners.</p>
4692 <choice idref="sect69">If you have a missile weapon and wish to fire at the advancing clansmen, <link-text>turn to 69</link-text>.</choice>
4693 <choice idref="sect3">If you wish to help the captain and Marine Knott clear away the debris from the front wheels, <link-text>turn to 3</link-text>.</choice>
4697 <section class="numbered" id="sect346">
4698 <meta><title>346</title></meta>
4701 <footnote id="sect346-1-foot" idref="sect346-1">
4702 <p>Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
4707 <p>Your gunfire impacts against the pillar and instinctively you pull away from the window in case the assassin attempts to return fire.<a id="sect346-1" idref="sect346-1-foot" class="footnote" /> A few seconds later, there is a crash of breaking glass and you catch sight of something vaguely resembling a can of food as it flies through the window and bounces on the carpeted floor. Immediately there is a flash and a stream of sickly, cream-coloured gas shoots from its base. As the gas rapidly fills the room, your throat tightens and your eyes stream. A wave of nausea hits you and you rush frantically from the room before it fills to the ceiling with noxious tear gas: lose 3 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points.</p>
4708 <p>Coughing and retching, you stagger along the corridor until you come to a flight of stairs that descends to a fire exit at the rear of the building. Desperate for clean air, you kick its locking bar and stumble out into the courthouse yard. You have taken just two steps when the assassin comes rushing around the corner of the courthouse, his rifle in his hand.</p>
4709 <choice idref="sect181">If you have sufficient ammunition for one round of fire, <link-text>turn to 181</link-text>.</choice>
4710 <choice idref="sect270">If you do not, <link-text>turn to 270</link-text>.</choice>
4714 <section class="numbered" id="sect347">
4715 <meta><title>347</title></meta>
4718 <p>A sudden, short-lived pain in your head and a reddening of your vision is all that you sense as the assassin<ch.apos/>s full metal jacketed round pierces your forehead and passes clean through your skull. Mercifully, death is instantaneous.</p>
4719 <p>Your life and your mission end here in Arizona.</p>
4723 <section class="numbered" id="sect348">
4724 <meta><title>348</title></meta>
4727 <p>Your forehead connects with the clansman<ch.apos/>s studded leather jacket and the impact sends you reeling to the ground<ch.emdash/>lose 2 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> points. Before you have recovered your senses fully, the Mexican draws a knife and attacks you while you are lying on the ground.</p>
4728 <illustration class="float">
4730 <creator>Brian Williams</creator>
4731 <description>The Mexican draws a knife and attacks you while you are lying on the ground.</description>
4733 <instance class="html" src="ill20.gif" width="386" height="618" />
4734 <instance class="pdf" src="ill20.pdf" width="386" height="618" />
4736 <combat><enemy>Yucatan</enemy><enemy-attribute class="closecombatskill">14</enemy-attribute><enemy-attribute class="endurance">24</enemy-attribute></combat>
4737 <p>Owing to your condition, you are unable to use a close combat weapon until the third round of the combat.</p>
4738 <choice idref="sect197">If you win the fight, <link-text>turn to 197</link-text>.</choice>
4742 <section class="numbered" id="sect349">
4743 <meta><title>349</title></meta>
4746 <p>You leap across the gap and reach the far ledge, but your toes slip on the dusty mortar and you fall crashing to your knees: lose 1 <typ class="attribute">ENDURANCE</typ> point. The others rush forward to grab your arms, but they are forced to duck when the clansmen open fire. Ricochets dislodge sections of the ledge where you are crouching and suddenly it gives way. Your stomach heaves as you feel yourself falling. Frantically, you throw up your hands to grab the roof<ch.apos/>s edge. You make it, and hold firm, but you are left dangling in mid-air while a firefight rages across the rooftops.</p>
4747 <p>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</p>
4748 <choice idref="sect187">If the number you have picked is 0, <link-text>turn to 187</link-text>.</choice>
4749 <choice idref="sect208">If it is 1<ch.endash/>4, <link-text>turn to 208</link-text>.</choice>
4750 <choice idref="sect284">If it is 5<ch.endash/>9, <link-text>turn to 284</link-text>.</choice>
4755 <section class="numbered" id="sect350">
4756 <meta><title>350</title></meta>
4759 <p>You and Kate enter the Tucson stronghold to receive a hero<ch.apos/>s welcome. The colony are overjoyed; they feared they would never see either of you alive again. They are saddened to hear your account of how Captain Frankland, Sergeant Haskell and Marine Knott met their deaths, yet they draw comfort from the knowledge that their memory will live on in the hearts of the colonists. If it were not for their ultimate sacrifice, the colony would never have reached Tucson intact.</p>
4760 <p>After celebrating your successful return, the colony leaders set about planning the last stage of the journey to California, confident that now Mad Dog Michigan is no longer around, his army will be disinclined to continue the pursuit of the convoy. But a nagging doubt remains in your mind. Did Mad Dog Michigan really meet his doom at the Pantona Bridge?</p>
4761 <p>For you, Cal Phoenix, the answer to that question, and the final part of your exodus to California, await you in book four of the Freeway Warrior series, entitled:</p>
4762 <p><cite><bookref series="fw" book="04cc">California Countdown</bookref></cite></p>
4768 <section class="backmatter" id="map">
4769 <meta><title>Map of Western Texas</title></meta>
4772 <illustration class="inline">
4774 <creator>???</creator>
4776 <instance src="map.jpg" width="1024" height="768" class="html" />
4777 <instance src="map.pdf" width="1024" height="768" class="pdf" />
4782 <section class="backmatter" id="action">
4783 <meta><title>Action Chart</title></meta>
4787 <illustration class="inline">
4789 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
4791 <instance src="acskills.gif" width="386" height="123" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4794 <illustration class="inline">
4796 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
4798 <instance src="acitems.gif" width="386" height="308" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4801 <illustration class="inline">
4803 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
4805 <instance src="accombat.gif" width="386" height="358" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4808 <illustration class="inline">
4810 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
4812 <instance src="acammo.gif" width="386" height="363" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4815 <illustration class="inline">
4817 <creator>Iain Smith</creator>
4819 <instance src="acweapns.gif" width="386" height="383" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4822 <illustration class="inline">
4824 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4826 <instance src="ac1.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
4829 <illustration class="inline">
4831 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4833 <instance src="ac2.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
4836 <illustration class="inline">
4838 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4840 <instance src="ac3.tex" width="400" height="500" class="tex" />
4846 <section class="backmatter" id="crsumary">
4847 <meta><title>Close Combat Rules Summary</title></meta>
4851 <li>Add to your <typ class="attribute">CLOSE COMBAT SKILL</typ> any extra points gained through use of a close combat weapon.</li>
4852 <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>
4853 <li>Pick a number from the <a idref="random">Random Number Table</a>.</li>
4854 <li>Turn to the <a idref="crtable">Close Combat Results Table</a>.</li>
4855 <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>
4856 <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>
4859 <section class="backmatter" id="smevazn">
4860 <meta><title>To Evade Combat</title></meta>
4863 <li>You may only evade combat when the text of the adventure offers you the opportunity.</li>
4864 <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>
4865 <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>
4873 <section class="backmatter" id="crtable">
4874 <meta><title>Combat Results Table</title></meta>
4877 <illustration class="inline">
4879 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4881 <instance src="crtneg.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4882 <instance src="crtneg.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
4885 <illustration class="inline">
4887 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4889 <instance src="crtpos.gif" width="386" height="472" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4890 <instance src="crtpos.tex" width="380" height="500" class="tex" />
4895 <section class="backmatter" id="random">
4896 <meta><title>Random Number Table</title></meta>
4899 <illustration class="inline">
4901 <creator>Jonathan Blake</creator>
4903 <instance src="random.gif" width="332" height="432" class="html" mime-type="image/gif" />
4909 <section class="backmatter" id="errata">
4910 <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
4913 <section class="backmatter" id="errintro">
4914 <meta><title>Introduction</title></meta>
4916 <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>
4920 <section class="backmatter" id="errerr">
4921 <meta><title>Errata</title></meta>
4923 <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>.</p>
4925 <p>(<a idref="tssf">The Story So Far</a>) Replaced <quote>re-establish</quote> with <quote>reestablish</quote>, <quote>syphoned</quote> with <quote>siphoned</quote>, <quote><ch.lsquot/>The Freeway Warrior<ch.rsquot/>.</quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Freeway Warrior<ch.rsquot/>.</quote>, <quote>fuel, food or water</quote> with <quote>fuel, food, or water</quote>, and <quote><ch.lsquot/>the Mavericks<ch.rsquot/></quote> with <quote>the <ch.lsquot/>Mavericks<ch.rsquot/></quote>. Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
4927 <p>(<a idref="gamerulz">The Game Rules</a>) Replaced <quote>if you pick a O</quote> with <quote>if you pick a 0</quote>, <quote>On pages 6 and 7 you will find an Action Chart</quote> with <quote>An Action Chart has been supplied</quote>, <quote>the Random Number Table at the back of this book</quote> with <quote>the Random Number Table</quote>, <quote>zero</quote> with <quote>zero or below</quote>, and <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>.</p>
4929 <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>.</p>
4931 <p>(<a idref="equipmnt">Equipment</a>) Replaced <quote>map of New Mexico/Arizona</quote> with <quote>Map of New Mexico/Arizona</quote>, <quote>potassium iodine</quote> with <quote>potassium iodide</quote>, and <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>.</p>
4933 <p>(<a idref="cmbtrulz">Close Combat Rules</a>) Replaced <quote>cross-refer</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>, <quote>zero</quote> with <quote>zero or below</quote>, and <quote><ch.plus/> 1) He</quote> with <quote><ch.plus/>1). He</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> and <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>
4935 <p>(<a idref="sect8">1</a>) Replaced <quote>north-west</quote> with <quote>northwest</quote>.</p>
4936 <p>(<a idref="sect8">8</a>) Replaced <quote>head over heals</quote> with <quote>head over heels</quote>.</p>
4937 <p>(<a idref="sect10">10</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4938 <p>(<a idref="sect11">11</a>) Replaced <quote>antispetics</quote> with <quote>antiseptics</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4939 <p>(<a idref="sect30">30</a>) Replaced <quote>despatched</quote> with <quote>dispatched</quote>.</p>
4940 <p>(<a idref="sect32">32</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4941 <p>(<a idref="sect34">36</a>) Replaced <quote>motorcyle</quote> with <quote>motorcycle</quote>.</p>
4942 <p>(<a idref="sect36">36</a>) Replaced <quote>shot-shell</quote> with <quote>shell</quote> and <quote>(minimum equals one round; maximum equals five rounds)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one round; maximum: five rounds)</quote>.</p>
4943 <p>(<a idref="sect39">39</a>) Replaced <quote>Within a minute he has made a hole large enough to of the truck, there is another sharp crack</quote> with <quote>On the other side of the truck, there is another sharp crack</quote>.</p>
4944 <p>(<a idref="sect42">42</a>) Replaced <quote>shockwave</quote> with <quote>shock wave</quote>.</p>
4945 <p>(<a idref="sect43">43</a>) Replaced <quote>much-needed</quote> with <quote>much needed</quote>.</p>
4946 <p>(<a idref="sect46">46</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4947 <p>(<a idref="sect53">53</a>) Replaced <quote>despatch</quote> with <quote>dispatch</quote>.</p>
4948 <p>(<a idref="sect55">55</a>) Replaced <quote>Tennon Saw</quote> with <quote>Tenon Saw</quote>.</p>
4949 <p>(<a idref="sect66">66</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4950 <p>(<a idref="sect92">92</a>) Replaced <quote>syphoning</quote> with <quote>siphoning</quote> and <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4951 <p>(<a idref="sect98">98</a>) Replaced <quote>If is is 11 or more</quote> with <quote>If it is 11 or more</quote>.</p>
4952 <p>(<a idref="sect100">100</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4953 <p>(<a idref="sect104">104</a>) Replaced <quote>reassurringly</quote> with <quote>reassuringly</quote>.</p>
4954 <p>(<a idref="sect106">106</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4955 <p>(<a idref="sect123">123</a>) Replaced <quote>motorcyle</quote> with <quote>motorcycle</quote> and <quote>rockface</quote> with <quote>rock-face</quote>.</p>
4956 <p>(<a idref="sect125">125</a>) Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one round; maximum equals three rounds)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one round; maximum: three rounds)</quote>.</p>
4957 <p>(<a idref="sect129">129</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>.</p>
4958 <p>(<a idref="sect134">134</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4959 <p>(<a idref="sect135">135</a>) Replaced <quote>much-needed</quote> with <quote>much needed</quote>.</p>
4960 <p>(<a idref="sect136">136</a>) Replaced <quote>turn 235</quote> with <quote>turn to 235</quote>.</p>
4961 <p>(<a idref="sect142">142</a>) Replaced <quote>despatched</quote> with <quote>dispatched</quote>.</p>
4962 <p>(<a idref="sect148">148</a>) Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one round; maximum equals eight rounds)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one round; maximum: eight rounds)</quote>.</p>
4963 <p>(<a idref="sect150">150</a>) Replaced <quote>gunsmoke</quote> with <quote>gun smoke</quote>. Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>.</p>
4964 <p>(<a idref="sect153">153</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
4965 <p>(<a idref="sect157">157</a>) Replaced <quote>shockwave</quote> with <quote>shock wave</quote>.</p>
4966 <p>(<a idref="sect166">166</a>) Replaced <quote>half-way</quote> with <quote>halfway</quote>.</p>
4967 <p>(<a idref="sect167">167</a>) Replaced <quote>straigthening</quote> with <quote>straightening</quote>.</p>
4968 <p>(<a idref="sect171">171</a>) Replaced <quote>expodes</quote> with <quote>explodes</quote> and <quote>turn 304</quote> with <quote>turn to 304</quote>.</p>
4969 <p>(<a idref="sect172">172</a>) Replaced <quote>much-practised</quote> with <quote>much practised</quote>.</p>
4970 <p>(<a idref="sect174">174</a>) Replaced <quote>Tool kit</quote> with <quote>Tool Kit</quote>.</p>
4971 <p>(<a idref="sect175">175</a>) Replaced <quote>much-needed</quote> with <quote>much needed</quote>.</p>
4972 <p>(<a idref="sect182">182</a>) Replaced <quote>manically</quote> with <quote>maniacally</quote>.</p>
4973 <p>(<a idref="sect189">189</a>) Replaced <quote>pineclad</quote> with <quote>pine-clad</quote>.</p>
4974 <p>(<a idref="sect192">192</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4975 <p>(<a idref="sect195">195</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>.</p>
4976 <p>(<a idref="sect196">196</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4977 <p>(<a idref="sect209">209</a>) Replaced <quote>much-needed</quote> with <quote>much needed</quote>.</p>
4978 <p>(<a idref="sect213">213</a>) Replaced <quote>shockwave</quote> with <quote>shock wave</quote>.</p>
4979 <p>(<a idref="sect220">220</a>) Replaced <quote>landcruiser</quote> with <quote>Landcruiser</quote>.</p>
4980 <p>(<a idref="sect222">222</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4981 <p>(<a idref="sect223">223</a>) Replaced <quote>you Action Chart</quote> with <quote>your Action Chart</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4982 <p>(<a idref="sect226">226</a>) Replaced <quote>motorcyle</quote> with <quote>motorcycle</quote>.</p>
4983 <p>(<a idref="sect227">227</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>.</p>
4984 <p>(<a idref="sect241">241</a>) Replaced <quote>binouclars</quote> with <quote>binoculars</quote>.</p>
4985 <p>(<a idref="sect252">252</a>) Replaced <quote>machine gunfire</quote> with <quote>machine gun fire</quote>.</p>
4986 <p>(<a idref="sect258">258</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>.</p>
4987 <p>(<a idref="sect259">259</a>) Replaced <quote>torchbeam</quote> with <quote>torch<ch.apos/>s beam</quote>.</p>
4988 <p>(<a idref="sect264">264</a>) Replaced <quote>encumberance</quote> with <quote>encumbrance</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4989 <p>(<a idref="sect266">266</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4990 <p>(<a idref="sect269">269</a>) Replaced <quote>syphon</quote> with <quote>siphon</quote>.</p>
4991 <p>(<a idref="sect276">276</a>) Replaced <quote>one a.m.</quote> with <quote>1 a.m.</quote>.</p>
4992 <p>(<a idref="sect282">282</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4993 <p>(<a idref="sect287">287</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
4994 <p>(<a idref="sect276">288</a>) Replaced <quote>Muncipal</quote> with <quote>Municipal</quote>.</p>
4995 <p>(<a idref="sect291">291</a>) Replaced <quote>turn to, 83</quote> with <quote>turn to 83</quote>. Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4996 <p>(<a idref="sect295">295</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
4997 <p>(<a idref="sect296">296</a>) Replaced <quote>shockwave</quote> with <quote>shock wave</quote>.</p>
4998 <p>(<a idref="sect300">300</a>) Replaced <quote>Cochise county</quote> with <quote>Cochise County</quote>.</p>
4999 <p>(<a idref="sect316">316</a>) Replaced <quote>spyhole</quote> with <quote>spy-hole</quote>.</p>
5000 <p>(<a idref="sect323">323</a>) Replaced <quote>(minimum equals one round; maximum equals five rounds)</quote> with <quote>(minimum: one burst; maximum: five bursts)</quote>.</p>
5001 <p>(<a idref="sect334">334</a>) Replaced <quote>drawbolt</quote> with <quote>bolt</quote>.</p>
5002 <p>(<a idref="sect336">336</a>) Replaced <quote>blood-stained</quote> with <quote>bloodstained</quote>.</p>
5003 <p>(<a idref="sect340">340</a>) Replaced <quote>Backpack items</quote> with <quote>Backpack Items</quote>.</p>
5004 <p>(<a idref="sect350">350</a>) Replaced <quote>CALIFORNIA COUNTDOWN</quote> with <quote><cite>California Countdown</cite></quote>.</p>
5006 <p>(<a idref="sect11">11</a>,<a idref="sect63">63</a>,<a idref="sect82">82</a>,<a idref="sect150">150</a>,<a idref="sect152">152</a>,<a idref="sect192">192</a>,<a idref="sect310">310</a>,<a idref="sect320">320</a> Replaced CCS Bonuses in <quote>[]</quote> with <quote>()</quote>.</p>
5008 <p>(<a idref="crsumary">Combat Rules Summary</a>) Replaced <quote>cross-refer</quote> with <quote>cross-reference</quote>, <quote>Combat Results Table</quote> with <quote>Close Combat Results Table</quote>, and <quote>zero ENDURANCE points</quote> with <quote>zero ENDURANCE points or below</quote>.</p>
5014 <section class="backmatter" id="footnotz">
5015 <meta><title>Footnotes</title></meta>
5018 <p>(<a idref="sect4">4</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5019 <p>(<a idref="sect19">19</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5020 <p>(<a idref="sect22">22</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5021 <p>(<a idref="sect53">53</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5022 <p>(<a idref="sect97">97</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5023 <p>(<a idref="sect99">99</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5024 <p>(<a idref="sect112">112</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5025 <p>(<a idref="sect150">150</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5026 <p>(<a idref="sect155">155</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5027 <p>(<a idref="sect210">210</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5028 <p>(<a idref="sect213">213</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5029 <p>(<a idref="sect228">228</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5030 <p>(<a idref="sect267">267</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5031 <p>(<a idref="sect279">279</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5032 <p>(<a idref="sect296">296</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5033 <p>(<a idref="sect328">328</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5034 <p>(<a idref="sect346">346</a>) Remember to deduct the relevant number of rounds from your Ammo Pouch.</p>
5038 <section class="backmatter" id="illstrat">
5039 <meta><title>Table of Illustrations</title></meta>
5042 <p>The following is a list of all Sections containing illustrations found in this book:</p>
5044 <section class="backmatter" id="primill">
5045 <meta><title>Primary Illustrations</title></meta>
5048 <ul class="unbulleted">
5049 <li>Illustration I (<a idref="sect7">Section 7</a>)</li>
5050 <li>Illustration II (<a idref="sect35">Section 35</a>)</li>
5051 <li>Illustration III (<a idref="sect44">Section 44</a>)</li>
5052 <li>Illustration IV (<a idref="sect54">Section 54</a>)</li>
5053 <li>Illustration V (<a idref="sect88">Section 88</a>)</li>
5054 <li>Illustration VI (<a idref="sect105">Section 105</a>)</li>
5055 <li>Illustration VII (<a idref="sect120">Section 120</a>)</li>
5056 <li>Illustration VIII (<a idref="sect143">Section 143</a>)</li>
5057 <li>Illustration IX (<a idref="sect164">Section 164</a>)</li>
5058 <li>Illustration X (<a idref="sect171">Section 171</a>)</li>
5059 <li>Illustration XI (<a idref="sect176">Section 176</a>)</li>
5060 <li>Illustration XII (<a idref="sect224">Section 224</a>)</li>
5061 <li>Illustration XIII (<a idref="sect218">Section 218</a>)</li>
5062 <li>Illustration XIV (<a idref="sect227">Section 227</a>)</li>
5063 <li>Illustration XV (<a idref="sect252">Section 252</a>)</li>
5064 <li>Illustration XVI (<a idref="sect264">Section 264</a>)</li>
5065 <li>Illustration XVII (<a idref="sect275">Section 275</a>)</li>
5066 <li>Illustration XVIII (<a idref="sect309">Section 309</a>)</li>
5067 <li>Illustration XIX (<a idref="sect324">Section 324</a>)</li>
5068 <li>Illustration XX (<a idref="sect348">Section 348</a>)</li>
5069 <li><a idref="map">Map of New Mexico/Arizona</a></li>
5070 <li><a idref="action">Action Chart</a></li>
5075 <section class="backmatter" id="secill">
5076 <meta><title>Secondary Illustrations</title></meta>
5079 <ul class="unbulleted">
5081 <li><a idref="sect8">8</a>, <a idref="sect339">339</a></li>
5090 &inclusion.project.aon.license;
Project Aon Git Repositories / project-aon.git / blob