Thomas jolted awake and instinctively raised his hands to protect himself. It took a moment for him to realize he wasn't in danger and a moment longer to realize he was inside the stagecoach. As the memories of the past day came back to him and he worked to fit the pieces together a problem presented itself. If both the stagecoach driver and the stagecoach guard were dead, and he was in here, who was driving? Looking outside, he saw that night had fallen again but he had no idea if he was out for hours or days and no idea where the stagecoach was.
Panic struck him and he rushed to clamber out of the carriage. Pushing the door open with a bit too much force, he almost stumbled and fell to the ground slowly moving below the wheels. Pulling himself up he edged along the stagecoach until he could pull himself up on to the drivers seat where he found Mr Liu, sitting happily handling the reins.
“Ah, you are awake. Bìng Zhīyè…ahhhh…silver potion that you take. It…make you strong, but then make you very weak. I put you inside to recover. Was very hard for me, so next time, please give warning”
Thomas’ head was swirling from processing everything that had happened, but he was still taken aback by how chatty Mr Liu suddenly was. He was also surprised that he was handling the stage coach so well. Thomas indicated to the reins and the horses before giving an expression that said “what the hell?”
“My father work in fields, drive oxen all day. He not want that life for me, but still, I learn one or two things about animals.”
Content with the answer Thomas settled into the seat, looking out into the dark keeping an eye for trouble or for an indication of where they were. Feeling something in his pocket, he reached in and fished out one of the vials of silver potion, he held it up so Mr Liu could see it as a way of asking about it.
“Yes, Bìng Zhīyè. I do not know where it comes from, that is imperial secret. But all Han army soldiers carry it, take before battle. Forty thousand men, strong, fast, and focused, crush any enemy like hǎi xiào, uhh…great wave. Another forty thousand stay back, in case battle go longer than twelve hours, when effects wear off and bad effects begin. For long time, it was unbeatable force.”
The idea of an entire army with the kind of power Thomas had felt was difficult to comprehend and somewhat terrifying. It also occurred to him that had Zhangfeng taken their fight seriously, he could have easily killed Thomas, further adding to his regret that he hadn’t had the time to finish off the Han assassin. He also wondered if Mr Porter knew of the existence of the silver potion.
The thoughts occupied Thomas as they left behind the dangers in San Antonio. However, they now found themselves on the most arduous part of their journey, the 550 mile trek to El Paso for the border crossing into New Mexico.
They took turns driving the stagecoach or resting, only stopping to change the horses or get supplies making sure to not allow anyone to catch up to them. Through the rolling hills, limestone cliffs and dense oak and cedar forests of the Texas hill country they went. Keeping to the roads provided some safety from the beasts that roamed the countryside as soldiers or adventurers would often travel the road to kill any monsters that caused trouble.
They kept to a reasonable pace so as to spare the horses as well as the stagecoach. For five days they traveled with only the brief stops they required to keep going through the heat and the dust until they started to see livestock grazing and clusters of tents and temporary shelters. Before long they saw the entrance to Fort Stockton. Soldiers drilled on dusty parade grounds and the town that had sprung up around the fort bustled with life, a stark contrast to the open plains they had been traveling.
The flag of the Allied states flew over the tall watchtowers and wooden stockade. The fort stood out against the arid desert and the security it presented was a welcome sight. Both sore, tired, and dirty from the journey, they decided to stop for the night, get some proper food, bathe, and sleep in a comfortable bed because the journey would just get worse from here.
Standing at the edge of Fort Stockton adjusting the harnesses of the horses, Thomas looked out at the flat, open expanse of desert they were about to journey into. He was glad he chose to stop the night and that they were able to stock up on supplies, especially fresh water.
Urging the horses on, they got back on the road. The scenery was harsh with little more than scrub brush and occasional clusters of cacti. Very few creatures live out here, but those who did were horrendously dangerous, often dominating territories spanning miles.
They journeyed over hard packed dirt and through dry river beds. Thomas was surprised by the resilience Mr Liu showed, with the heat seeming to have very little effect on him. They stopped as often as they could to change horses and gather water in order to preserve the supplies they carried with them.
The stagecoach creaked onward as the terrain began to become more rugged approaching the Trans-Pecos Mountains. Soon they were having to move at a snail's pace as they navigated steep inclines and rocky paths. In addition to the dangers of the terrain they had to be on high alert for the threat of banditry and raids from the Lipan Apache.
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The journey down from the mountains was not any easier and as they descended they could see the expanse of the Chihuahuan desert stretching out in front of them. Knowing they would have to cross it was a daunting prospect that did nothing for their spirits.
Through the rolling sand dunes and past the jagged rocky outcrops of this much harsher section of desert. They stopped and sheltered during the scorching days and traveled during the cool nights in order to prevent harming their horses. After several nights of travel that felt like a month, they finally approached the Rio Grande. With no regard for his expensive, albeit tattered, suit Thomas dove into the cool waters and let them wash away the dust, dirt and grime of the desert before getting back on track and making the final leg up to El Paso.
Approaching El Paso, they found a bustling town with a significant military presence as three armies met to control the flow of people and goods between the Allied States, Mexico, and The League of Free states. The tension between the factions seemed to mean very little to citizens of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez who all went about their days normally, the only inconvenience being the requirement to show papers at the checkpoints.
Much like San Antonio, El Paso was a collision of Mexican and American cultures. Bustling markets dominated the town with traders coming from each of the factions to exchange goods and take back valuable items to other centers. Although the main market was in the Texas side of El Paso proper, there was an unspoken understanding that it was a law unto itself that operated outside of any of the larger governing entities. The market council provided security and assurances to all traders who acted in good faith.
Thomas guided their stagecoach through the chaos of the market. The smells of the street food tempting him after the brutal journey through the desert. However, given the threats they had faced so far, he knew that if they stopped they would provide an excellent opportunity for an attack in the disorder of El Paso.
So they pressed on towards the border with New Mexico. The check point was busy, but at this time of the morning it was mostly people crossing into Texas to get to the market so the line out was short and moved quickly. As they approached the large wooden gate, Thomas prepared their documents. Although they were fraudulent, Mr Porter had spent a considerable amount of money to have them made by a government official so they would pass any inspection. He passed the documents down to the Allied states guardsman who examined them before walking over to the Free states guardsman so he could examine them. After a moment of checking the names against lists, they both gave the ok, before giving the documents back and waving Thomas and Mr Liu through.
Thomas let out a sigh of relief he didn’t realize he was holding as they crossed to the New Mexico side of El Paso, although the check point was more a formality, it felt reassuring to be on the other side from the people who had already been hunting them. Knowing that they would have to venture back out into the desert, they collected more supplies, got fresh horses, and allowed themselves a hearty meal before heading out again.
Thomas closed his eyes and took a deep breath to ready himself before getting the horses moving. Once past the walls of the city the dust started to pelt them, the grit and dirt quickly building up on everything exposed to it. The heat from the sun caused the men to sweat profusely, the damp of their skin making the sand stick to them.
They pushed through the southern portion of the Jornada del Muerto, drawing heavily on their water supplies to keep both themselves and the horses cool and hydrated until they could reach the next stage stop and top up. By day they rested and night they traveled, at some point they crossed over to Arizona, no markings were apparent, but a slight change in the landscape as they passed into the Sonoran desert was apparent by a more diverse range of plant life with massive saguaro cacti and palo verde trees dominating the landscape. They additionally noticed that the days were cooler, allowing for them to travel more while the sun was up.
Passing into the Chiricahua and Dragoon mountains provided some relief from the open desert, but the steep and winding trails were much slower going. At the top of the Dragoon mountain trail they were able to catch a glimpse of Tucson city. The main center clustered together like a herd of animals seeking protection from threats, while the surroundings were dotted with small ranches and haciendas. Seeing civilization lifted their spirits and drove them on, pushing the horses and themselves slightly harder than they should, they arrived in Tucson dirty, thirsty, and exhausted.
The final push to Blackwater would take them about two days at the pace they had been traveling, and although a part of him wanted to keep going, Thomas made the sensible decision and allowed them to take a night in Tucson. The journey north would still be difficult and once they arrived they would need to get to work, so it was important that they be well rested.
They stayed in another of the safe houses that belonged to Mr Porter's organization. After locking up the valuables and stabling the horses for the night, Thomas dragged Mr Liu out to a cantina for dinner. Refusing to make the mistake of leaving him alone again.
Not far from their accommodation they found a lively cantina with the sounds of guitar and animated conversation drifting out onto the street. What enticed Thomas was the smells of grilled meats and roasted vegetables. Being unfamiliar with the cuisine, Mr Liu allowed Thomas to order. Starting off with some chicharrones and arroz before moving on to the mains of carne asada and child con carne. The depth of flavor made Thomas glad that he had decided to stop the night. A shower, some clean clothes, and the food made him feel like a new man. He collapsed into bed and had a dreamless sleep, startling awake to the sun on his face feeling like he could sleep for a week more.
Once more they loaded up the stagecoach and headed back out into the blistering heat of the Sonoran desert, the creosote bushes, prickly pear cacti, and palo verde trees giving some welcome beauty to the landscape. On through rocky mountain passes and desolate hills and ridges they traveled, stopping where they could. Although there was a feeling of excited anticipation in almost reaching their destination, they didn’t want to risk losing a horse or damaging the stagecoach.
Night had fallen as they made their way down from the Picacho mountains and they began to pass through a forested area between the Picacho reservoir and the Gila river. Following the river would be the final stretch before making it to Blackwater. Thomas sat at the reins as they passed through the dark woodlands. A sense of unease passed over him, something was wrong but he couldn’t tell what, as he focused on the surroundings he realized that it was completely devoid of any animal noises. No birds, coyotes, or even insects. He wasn’t sure what it meant but he knew it wasn’t good. Looking deep into the dark he saw figures on the path up ahead, obviously intent on stopping him.