"My dear fellow," he said, in tones of strict rebuke, "that sort of thing simply isn't done!"
"Why?"
Athos gave him a pained expression for his answer, mounted up and galloped off.
"It would be a bit dishonorable," Andre ventured, cautiously.
Lucas shook his head. "Boy, have you got a lot to learn," he said. They mounted up and galloped off after the musketeers.
"Ground Squirrel to Goony Bird," said Lucas.
"That's 'Hawk One,' " came the annoyed reply.
"Says you. Where's the other birdbrain?"
There was a short silence.
"Hawk Two is scouting up ahead. I'm at ten thousand feet, keeping you on scope. "
"How come you didn't report that character in the tavern?" Lucas said.
" What character?"
"Jesus, you're a lot of help."
" You expect me to see indoors from way up here? Give me a break, I'm doing the best I can."
"Then we're in a lot of trouble."
"Not yet, but you're going to be. Hawk Two just reported an armed party about a mile outside Beauvais. "
"I didn't hear anything."
"He's on another frequency. "
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Well, aren't your people supposed to be providing back-up on this ride? We're still well away from there. Move your agents in and clear the way."
"They're moving into position, but we can only take defensive action in case the terrorists are among them. If they're not, you 're on your own. "
"You've got to be kidding."
"Sorry. Orders."
"Okay, look, is there another road that we can take to get around them?"
"No go," said the floater. "This is part of the original scenario. You've got to go on through."
"Terrific," Lucas said.
They stopped at Beauvais for two hours, both to rest and walk their horses around to cool them off and to wait for Porthos. Lucas motioned Andre over to him. "Look," he said, "there may be some trouble up ahead. How good are you on horseback, out of armor, I mean?"
"I have been riding since I was a child," she said. "Why?"
"Well, there's a little trick I learned from the Sioux Indians at the Little Big Horn. Now listen carefully…"
The two hours passed and Porthos did not arrive. "I fear we must assume the worst," D'Artagnan said. "We can wait no longer, gentlemen. To horse!"
They mounted up and proceeded on their way at a rapid clip. After they had ridden for about one mile, they reached a section of the road that was banked steeply on both sides.