The Chase

"Hurry!"

"Hyah!"

The hunters had caught up with Burns' caravan just as they reached the Borgo Pass. Burns, Violet, Smithers, and the rest of his party were being ferried by a clan of gypsies. Smithers leaned out the back of one of the wagons.

"Bandits!" he shouted in Roma. One of the gypsies looked at the mounted band behind them.

"Don't worry, we take care," he replied.

Bob was riding at the head of the group.

"Lookout!" he screamed as the gypsies opened fire. Bart fired back with his carbine. Homer unslung his shotgun and activated the laser sight. He fired, knocking killing one of the gypsies riding escort for the convoy. One of his fellow horsemen turned and returned fire with his revolver. Josh Wallach ducked the shot, then rolled to the side as the gypsy fired again. He took his samurai longbow and drew an arrow from his quiver. He took aim and drew back, inhaling sharply. With a hiss of exhalation through his teeth he let the arrow fly, and the gypsy gunman was struck in the back.

"Cover me, I am making a charge!" Mel cried, as he discarded his spent pistol and drew his cavalry saber from its saddle mounted scabbard. Brian fired but missed as he jerked to one side to avoid a salvo of bullets from a gypsy with a Kalashnikov. Homer fired his shotgun one-handed. The shot missed its intended target, and shattered one of the ribs of the covered wagon. He let go of the reins and fired again, with both hands, but the shot dispersal resulted in only a slight scratch on the gypsy's shoulder. He pumped the shotgun to fire again. A bullet whizzed past his head, severing his two remaining hairs.

"My hair! Okay Burns! Now its personal!"

"He did kidnap two of our children, Homer," Marge said as she fired blindly with her pistol, shooting to make their opponents duck and cringe than to kill.

"Oh yeah," he said. Homer removed the shell from the breach and placed in a solid slug cartridge. He took aim just as the AK-47 weilding gypsy stood up in the back of the wagon. The enormous wad of silver tore right through him and grazed the side of Smither's head. Smithers yelped and crouched down low as more gypsies from the proceding wagons clambered to aid their comrades.

Mel reached one of the riders and struck, slicing his throat. Another horsemen slowed his mount and dropped back to attack Mel. He fired, and a string of six bullets flew past Mel's side, one tearing his shirt and drawing a trickle of blood. Mel spurred his mount forward, guns firing to his front of him and to the back of him. The gypsy yelled and swung his rifle like a club. Mel blocked and countered. The gypsy caught Mel's strike with the barrel of his gun. Mel withdrew and struck, leaving a small cut in the gypsy's upper army. He stabbed, striking the gypsy's horse at the ear. The horses whinnied and stumbled on the rocky path, and the gypsy tumbled. A Roma leaned out from one of the carriages, hanging on to the ribbing, and fired with his revolver. Mel's horse was struck between the eyes, and it fell. Mel was spared by Krauser, who came up from behind him and pulled his onto his horse.

"Take the reins," he growled as he readied his pulse rifle. He squeezed the trigger down, killing the Roma who killed Mel's horse, and several of his fellows in the wagon. A Gypsy at the front of the wagon they were riding alongside aimed his rifle. Krauser cut him down, and continued to sweep the side of the carriage with his automatic rifle, slaughtering everyone inside.

The castle was in less than half a mile away. Krauser dropped back to the group, trading fire with the Gypsies while Mel manned the reins. The wagons roared into the courtyard, the Hunters on their tail.