Golden Heart (The Lazarus Longman Chronicles) Read Online Free Page A

alive. I’m not a bounty hunter. I’m with the British government.”
    Hok’ee’s eyes softened a little and he appeared to relax, although not showing complete trust.
    “Vasquez will be in the second carriage,” said Lazarus. “If we can get on board, I think we should be able to pop in and surprise them without getting killed in the process. But we have to be quick. I take it you brought your own horse.”
    Hok’ee spat on the ground and beckoned Lazarus to follow. A fine mustang stood patiently further down the hill. They mounted up and descended the cliffs.
    The train thundered through the landscape, belching steam like a mythical dragon. Lazarus and his new comrade galloped down the incline, hooves kicking up clouds of dust that would surely be visible from the train.
    “It’s too fast for us to match its speed for long, so we’ll have to cross the tracks and fall back to the carriages,” Lazarus shouted over the drumming hooves. “Our horses won’t be able to keep up with us so we’ll have to uncouple the carriages or disable the locomotive somehow. The driver will only be a mechanical,” he suddenly realized what he had said and hurriedly added, “Oh, I beg your pardon, I didn’t mean...”
    Hok’ee snorted. “I’ll cross first and draw their fire, sound good?”
    Lazarus nearly fell of his horse in surprise. “You speak English!”
    “You think all Navajo are dumb?”
    “Well, no but... you’re just a bit quiet, that’s all.”
    “Why should I speak a language that is sour to my tongue? English is the language of those who have oppressed my people for generations. I use it sparingly.”
    Lazarus nodded sagely. “White man has not been good to your people.”
    Hok’ee grinned. “But white man gave me this to fight him with,” and he whipped one side of his poncho away to reveal his right arm.
    Lazarus gaped at the mass of bronze gears and iron plating that had been grafted on to his elbow. Like the Mecha-guard aboard the Mary Sue , it tapered into the muzzle of a Golgotha rifle with an automatic ammunition hopper. Too heavy for an average-sized man to carry, it took Hok’ee’s massive strength to carry such a weapon, and on one arm at that. He broke away from Lazarus and crossed the tracks.
    The train was coming up fast on their heels, and Lazarus could hear gunshots as Hok’ee made himself a target for the bounty hunters on board. With a deafening roar of air and chugging pistons, the locomotive passed. Lazarus caught glimpses of surprised faces in the first carriage, peering and pointing at him from the windows. He urged his horse closer and let the first two carriages drift by, making ready to duck should any of the bounty hunters take a shot at him.
    No shots were fired. Hok’ee must have been making enough of a spectacle of himself on the other side of the tracks for them to pay much notice to Lazarus. The end of the third carriage appeared and Lazarus made ready to jump.
    He seized the metal bar and swung his left leg over his saddle before leaping, seeing his horse vanish in the dust behind them. His foot nearly slipped on the runner, but he managed to get a firm grip and swung himself over the bar into the carriage.
    He drew his Starblazer and flung open the door. Rows of startled faces met him but nobody stood to challenge him. He made his way along the swaying carriage to the door at the end. Passing from one to the other, he entered the second carriage and ducked just in time to dodge a bullet that splintered the woodwork by his left ear.
    Taking cover behind some seats, he edged around to get a view of the carriage. Somebody stood up and fired again, but Lazarus was more concerned by the fact that they were wearing a dress. It was the woman from the Mary Sue .
    “Well I’ll be goddamned!” cried out Vasquez from somewhere. “I sure am popular these days. You’re the fella that saved my life aboard the Mary Sue , ain’tcha?”
    “Damned fool!” shouted the woman in