Shock and impulse, was what Plissken did. He came from nowhere, smashed and disappeared again. Susan wondered if she could do the same. There was no time to decide. Every moment she wasted in contemplation let the truck creep closer to her position. It was time for action.
Brazen unholstered her rifle and gave Kole a sharp kick. The horse bolted on to the highway nearly throwing Brazen to the ground in the process. She clung to the side of the saddle and struggled to right herself in the saddle. Her weight on the reins as she labored her way into the saddle was a stroke of luck. Brazen came up full in the saddle and found that the horse was carrying her at a full gallop straight at the front of the vehicle.
The men inside had a look of surprise, maybe terror. Susan knew to take advantage of their delay. Raising the rifle she aimed for the grill to stop the truck. Her aim was terrible from the bouncing saddle. The bullet smashed through the glass midway up the windshield on the driver's side. Spider web cracks filled the glass arching out from the whole.
She watched the truck turn toward the side of the rode. Brazen didn't know she had shot the driver in the throat with the first shot. Instead her training kicked in. Susan assumed they were evading her attacks, coming up on the side to take a clear shot at her out the passenger window. She fired off another round, hurried and not aiming.
It hit the truck and steam roared from the front end. Instantly the truck began to slow as the pressure released from the engine. She reigned in the horse that pranced nervously, ears back as it tried to back away from the hissing vehicle. The passenger door came open and Brazen raised the rifle again tracking the still moving vehicle.
It didn't take long before the officer jumped out. Blood covered his left side. That was the first moment Brazen realized she had shot one of them. She still wasn't sure which one and it didn't much matter. One more shot and the fight was over.
Fear rose inside as she slid down awkwardly from Kole's back. The truck was rolling at a crawl now. Susan watched it staring at the back half and praying that he was inside. Failure now might dampen her spirits and that would abandon him to torture, if he wasn't inside. Brazen forced the negative thoughts from her mind and walked with the horse slowly toward the truck. The lump inside was a conflict between the relief she would feel if he was inside and the terror of discovering he wasn't and there would be more searching.
The truck finally stopped and Brazen yanked the keys free of the ignition. Stumbling she rushed to the back of the truck and freed the locked doors. They swung on their hinges but there was no movement inside.
"Snake?" Brazen couldn't hide the nervous pain in her voice. She heard a groan and then saw him step forward, waver and fall to the metal interior. Blood was sputtering from his mouth and Brazen gave in to the tears. The man she believed to be the strongest, to be her strength and at times her protection lay broken before her. His naked body was already turning a sickly purple from bruises. She tried to think in the cold wind and confronted with something like this. She'd never seen anyone after the USPF had incarcerated them. It was always weeks later. The same had been true about the first time she'd seen Plissken in LA. The bruises he had endured had already faded away.
Thought slowly returned through the blurring of tears and fear. She made her way back to the cab shoving the dead soldier out on the street as she climbed inside. She needed to find his clothes, dress him and get out of here before anyone noticed the truck was late. Brazen wondered how long that would be. Finding his clothes in a box behind the driver's seat, she grabbed his belongings and ran for the back. Plissken was crawling toward the edge of the back compartment and toward the opening. Susan couldn't hide the shock at his determination. Always pushing for freedom.
Brazen touched his shoulder and he shuttered. She couldn't be sure if it was the touch or the pain. He really did look like hell.
"Snake, we need to get you dressed." Brazen tried to put as much confidence in her voice as possible when she set his things on the bumper.
"B...baby?" Plissken's whole body seemed to tremble with the words. Brazen knew he was in pain. How could he not be with the condition his body was in?
"It's alright Snake." She touched his hair frowning at the smear of blood left on her hand.
Brazen went to work uncuffing him while he laid still. The shivering hadn't passed her notice. It was cold and he was lying bare on bare metal. Brazen shuddered at the thought. Once free of the cuffs Brazen rolled him over. The movement of his body was punctuated by a scream of pure pain. The cry was filled with agony and Susan froze. She's never even heard him groan too much about pain let alone scream. He was on his back now and she worked over his arms and chest to find the source of pain. It was obvious once she started on his chest. She wasn't a doctor but it felt to her like the last three ribs on his right side were either cracked or broken.
"We need to get you dressed." Brazen got up in the back and was pleased to see Snake moving his legs. She knew he'd help but how much that was hard to say. Rolling him again was not an option unless it was the only alternative. She slid his pants up to the knees and pushed on his socks and boots. She had no idea how to get his pants up or his shirt on. Let alone the daunting task of getting him on the horse. She was wishing now that she hadn't shot the steam engine in the truck.
"You need to stand."
Snake started to move and Brazen helped him turn so his feet were over the back end. Slowly she slid his feet to the ground behind the truck. Another cry and Brazen felt tears coming again. She didn't let Plissken see them. Instead she steadied him against the truck, his weight leaning heavily on her as she pulled his pants up. To Susan it was almost incomprehensible to see Plissken so helpless but then she started seeing it from her old views. Someone like Plissken had to be subdued or he'd get loose. Fear tactics wouldn't work. The only alternative was physical and Snake didn't like to stay down. You had to force him to stay there.
Brazen frowned at her thoughts when she helped him into his jacket. She knew it was just their job but she hated the people who had done this to him. Suddenly, the guilt of killing the two officers up front faded, replaced by the sadness of seeing Plissken like this.
"Snake." Brazen contemplated his expression. He was passing out.
"Snake, I need to bind your ribs." There still wasn't an answer only the weakening attempts to stay on his feet. There was no time to waste if she wanted his help to get him into the saddle. Buckling his belt and hers together Brazen wrapped it around his midsection and pulled it tight. Snake was instantly awake due to the pain but there was no cry this time. Time was getting short.
Susan settled Snake back on the bumper letting him lean on the door and side wall while she retrieved the horse. This task seemed impossible as Brazen looked between the saddle and Plissken. He was too heavy for her to pick up or even help much. Stopping with the horse in front of him, she considered the situation. Snake had turned his head up to look at the saddle. His expression was "You've got to be kidding." without the words. She had the same feeling. Brazen glanced down the road toward the trucks destination. There was something far in the distance coming for them. They were out of time.
The horse was standing waiting and Brazen had an idea. If it would kneel this whole process would be easier.
"Down." She tugged the reins and pointed toward the ground. The horse's ears perked but that was all. She had to get it down. Grabbing the saddle breastplate across its chest Brazen pulled down hard on the strap and the reins putting all of her weight into it. To her surprise the horse slowly knelt down and lay before the back end of the truck. Snake looked impressed even through the pain and that did wonders for Brazen's confidence.
The group was just getting to the point she could make them out, USPF on horses. There was no other possibility because all the riders were in black. The only other people out here were Indians and you'd be hard pressed to find half a dozen in the same color. Brazen bit her lip and glanced over to see Plissken already straining to get to his feet. His face was contorted and Brazen rushed to his aid. He was in the saddle and holding on to the best of his ability. Now they just had to hope he didn't fall when the horse stood. She pulled up on the bridle and the horse started to its feet. Plissken wavered and started to slide in the saddle. Susan did everything she could to keep him where he belonged. In the end after pushing with all of her strength he was up laying forward over the horn but at least still up. Susan used the bumper to climb into the saddle behind Plissken. She knew the direction to the Indian camp. Unfortunately it was the same way the troops were coming from if she followed the road she had used to get here.
The horse danced under her but they were still concealed behind the rear of the truck. Brazen tried to get a mental image of the roads she'd used to get here and the approximate direction she would need to go if she cut through the woods. Deciding there was no time she wrapped her arms around Snake holding the reins at his chest and nudged the horse with her heels. It bolted. Brazen almost fell off the back from the jolt but they were moving. Shouts were coming from down the road but she ignored them as the horse took a full gallop through the field. Loosening the reins she let it take the ground at a dangerous sped but there was no choice until they were in the clear. Brush whipped at them as they careened through the woods and came out on the other side. It was another road.
Brazen wasn't sure where they were and reined in the horse to look in both directions. She wheeled it around and headed down the shoulder in the direction she should have been going on the road with the truck. Hopefully they would meet up. It was over two hours before she found her way to the camp again. Plissken had long since passed out from pain and exhaustion but he was still alive. Some of the Indians were stunned to see them ride into camp others like Maria called in excited tones before she ran back to her own tent.
Brazen was exhausted and slid out of the saddle only to fall to the ground. She was too tired. Once more she got the horse to lie down and slid Snake off onto a tarp she spread next to it. Maria appeared and her boy took Kole from her. She didn't resist. With the help of her husband, Maria pulled Plissken into the tent and carried Brazen. She just wanted to sleep. Her worried mind kept her awake for some time while the family cleaned his wounds. Susan didn't know when but at some point she had slumped over next to Snake and fell asleep.