Page 42 of Buck Baxter and the Mysteries of Love

A panicked look was exchanged between the soldiers.

All I cared about was me and Stella getting the hell up that ladder.

When she reached the top I lifted my legs over the edge of the crate, my weapon still trained on the Germans.

With a grunt, Stella managed to turn the wheel lockon the hatch.

I started climbing up after her, one hand on the ladder, the other still aiming the gun.

Stella grunted again as she shoved the hatch open. Wind blew wildly through the carriage, sending straw into the air as Stella clambered out through the hole.

I gave the Germans one last warning—“Stay back!”—then swiftly pulled myself up onto the roof of the fast-moving train, slamming the hatch and spinning the wheel lock, sealing it as tight as I could.

“That’s not gonna hold them for long. We need to get outta here.”

“And go where?” Stella shouted over the roar of the wind.

“Get to the front carriages. Harry’s gotta be up there somewhere.” The wheel lock started to turn. I grabbed it, trying to hold the Germans back as I yelled to Stella, “Run! Run now!”

Her heels clacking frantically, Stella raced along the roof of the train. She reached the passage between the cargo car and the next carriage, balanced her way across the roof, then continued running across the next car.

Dawn spilled over the horizon. Wilde City was far behind us now as the train raced along a set of tracks that seemed to lead all the way to the distant sea. Beside the train line was a dirt track, no doubt used as an access road for the trucks and railroad workers needed to build Hart’s railroad.

Suddenly the wheel lock started to turn with more force.

I couldn’t hold the Germans back any longer.

Letting go of the wheel, I jumped to my feet, shotgun in hand, and raced after Stella. With a glance behind me I saw the hatch on the cargo car open.

“Run, Stella! Run!”

“Whaddaya think I’m doing, the chantoozie?”

The four Germans sprang out of the hatch, one at a time, not afraid to draw their own pistols now.

I spun about, fired off a shot that missed but at least madethem all drop to their knees, then reloaded and kept charging after Stella.

As the train rocked and rambled at top speed, I made the leap over the connecting passage between the two cars, regained my balance and kept running.

That’s when I glanced forward and saw that the track ahead didn’t simply veer straight toward the sea…

Itendedat a cliff overlooking the water.

There was no more track once the train line reached the ocean.

Howard Hart’s vision was unfinished.

There was nowhere to go but the deep blue sea.

“What the fuck?” I whispered to myself.

Suddenly bullets were ricocheting off the roof all around me.

Behind me, the German soldiers had started firing their pistols.

I wanted to tell Stella to jump off the roof, to get out of the line of fire, but the train was moving way too fast.

I turned back to the Germans and fired off another shot.

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