gravel, dust and rocks, thrown up by the bullets from the wing guns on the planes, obscured her view. Above the cloud of dust and debris, she saw the three planes lift and veer toward the concentration of Russian vehicles.
When the dust settled, she clearly saw the three Russian soldiers splayed in attitudes of death in front of the burning armored car. She wondered if the planes were going to come back and strafe the truck.
She needed some way to identify them as allies or noncombatants. Her gaze fastened on the emergency medical kit and the solution bloomed in her mind. She ripped items from the kit, crawled across the hood to the roof of the truck and was finished in moments.
Grinning, she swung back into the cab, cranked the engine over and drove as fast as she could for Delta.
Moments later the three aircraft buzzed low over her and the middle plane waggled his wings. Then they disappeared over the horizon.
Bodecia laughed out loud.
21
40 miles south of Delta
Magda held her hand up and Jerry halted, quickly surveying their horizon, seeking threat.
“We need to turn here,” she said.
He sighed in relief and followed her gaze.
“How do you know? This is the third trail we’ve crossed.”
“Because from here I can see Denali framed between those two trees. I can’t show you proof in one of those travel books, but you can believe my decision.”
“Well, you’re going to follow that path, therefore I will also follow it.”
Magda chuckled. “You’re not following the path. You’re following me.”
“Which will take me to the same place anyway. Yes?”
“Yes. So keep up.” Magda turned away.
“Wait,” he said in a very authoritative tone.
She swung back. “What?”
“What’s on this trail? Is there anything I should be aware of in order not to get killed?”
She gave him a rueful smile. “I’m sorry, you’re right. Yes, there is a Russian odinochka , which must be avoided even though I think there will be nobody there.”
“Why do you think that?”
“There will be a woman, probably Dená, like me. But her man will be gone to the Russians. Word travels fast in the bush, especially this close to the Russians. There are always people going somewhere else, and they talk.
“Once her man hears of the Dená attacks he will immediately hurry to the nearest redoubt to profess his loyalty and total ignorance of what is happening in Russian Amerika. These men are a waste of good women.”
“Are they also Indians?”
“Some. Most are part Russian, a few are French Canadians.”
“Does Russia get along with French Canada?”
“I thought you were the one with the worldly education of North America.”
Jerry suspected a sneer, but ignored it. “Historically they have been at odds since Napoleon marched into Russia. Even though he went no farther than the Berezina River before having second thoughts and withdrawing: he upset the czar.
“Despite the fact he won eastern Canada from the English, then an ally of Russia, diplomatically the two countries agree on more than they disagree. You mentioned French Canada and I wondered if there was something going on here not covered in my studies.”
Magda smiled. “Most of the Frenchmen here are refugees from French Canada. They are radicals but have their uses to the Russians. If they do not cooperate with the government, they will be deported back to Montreal.”
“Where they would be shot.” Jerry nodded.
“Or lose their heads to the guillotine.”
“How long do you think they would be away?”
“No idea.”
“So we should avoid the…”
“ Odinochka .”
“…at all costs.”
“Isn’t that what I said in the beginning?”
He thought hard while he followed her and the silent dogs. “Yeah, but I needed to know why, that okay with you?”
“Sure, just don’t stop when you talk; we waste time that way.”
He puffed along for a few minutes. “There anything else ahead that I need to know?”
“Yeah. Don’t make a
When the dust settled, she clearly saw the three Russian soldiers splayed in attitudes of death in front of the burning armored car. She wondered if the planes were going to come back and strafe the truck.
She needed some way to identify them as allies or noncombatants. Her gaze fastened on the emergency medical kit and the solution bloomed in her mind. She ripped items from the kit, crawled across the hood to the roof of the truck and was finished in moments.
Grinning, she swung back into the cab, cranked the engine over and drove as fast as she could for Delta.
Moments later the three aircraft buzzed low over her and the middle plane waggled his wings. Then they disappeared over the horizon.
Bodecia laughed out loud.
21
40 miles south of Delta
Magda held her hand up and Jerry halted, quickly surveying their horizon, seeking threat.
“We need to turn here,” she said.
He sighed in relief and followed her gaze.
“How do you know? This is the third trail we’ve crossed.”
“Because from here I can see Denali framed between those two trees. I can’t show you proof in one of those travel books, but you can believe my decision.”
“Well, you’re going to follow that path, therefore I will also follow it.”
Magda chuckled. “You’re not following the path. You’re following me.”
“Which will take me to the same place anyway. Yes?”
“Yes. So keep up.” Magda turned away.
“Wait,” he said in a very authoritative tone.
She swung back. “What?”
“What’s on this trail? Is there anything I should be aware of in order not to get killed?”
She gave him a rueful smile. “I’m sorry, you’re right. Yes, there is a Russian odinochka , which must be avoided even though I think there will be nobody there.”
“Why do you think that?”
“There will be a woman, probably Dená, like me. But her man will be gone to the Russians. Word travels fast in the bush, especially this close to the Russians. There are always people going somewhere else, and they talk.
“Once her man hears of the Dená attacks he will immediately hurry to the nearest redoubt to profess his loyalty and total ignorance of what is happening in Russian Amerika. These men are a waste of good women.”
“Are they also Indians?”
“Some. Most are part Russian, a few are French Canadians.”
“Does Russia get along with French Canada?”
“I thought you were the one with the worldly education of North America.”
Jerry suspected a sneer, but ignored it. “Historically they have been at odds since Napoleon marched into Russia. Even though he went no farther than the Berezina River before having second thoughts and withdrawing: he upset the czar.
“Despite the fact he won eastern Canada from the English, then an ally of Russia, diplomatically the two countries agree on more than they disagree. You mentioned French Canada and I wondered if there was something going on here not covered in my studies.”
Magda smiled. “Most of the Frenchmen here are refugees from French Canada. They are radicals but have their uses to the Russians. If they do not cooperate with the government, they will be deported back to Montreal.”
“Where they would be shot.” Jerry nodded.
“Or lose their heads to the guillotine.”
“How long do you think they would be away?”
“No idea.”
“So we should avoid the…”
“ Odinochka .”
“…at all costs.”
“Isn’t that what I said in the beginning?”
He thought hard while he followed her and the silent dogs. “Yeah, but I needed to know why, that okay with you?”
“Sure, just don’t stop when you talk; we waste time that way.”
He puffed along for a few minutes. “There anything else ahead that I need to know?”
“Yeah. Don’t make a
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