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“Colanced forward into the lighted Pullain “Finally,” he whispered, “a couple of heavies, co this way”

The approaching thugseach row of seats to ers in the car

“Congratulations,” Joe whispered “You’ve now graduated from the General Custer School of Tactical Brilliance”

Kurt sently opened a trapdoor in the floor plating The gravel and railroad ties of the railbed could be seen through the opening “If Custer knehat I did,

he’d have tunneled under Sitting Bull and popped up behind him Crawl forward, quick and quiet”

“And then what?”

“And then we hijack the train Or rehijack it, I should say”

“Hijack the hijackers?” Joe said “Now you’re talking e”

Joe went down first, Hayley followed Kurt squeezed his way through behind the the metal plate once he’d climbed down He’d only crawled a foot or then the door opened above him

He held still as heavy footfalls scuffed and clunked on the decking

The thugs were hesitating, either waiting for directions or a signal to make a coordinated attack

“We’re in position,” a voice said

Kurt’s hand went to the radio to cover it, but no sound came forth The hijackers had switched channels to keep hi their plans

“Move in,” a tinny voice replied “Andout of time”

Through a narrow gap in the plating Kurt saw the door to the darkened railcar open and watched as the an tolike a lizard on its belly There were twenty-four inches of clearance between the axles of the cars and the track bed It wasn’t h to make the escape work