companions leave the caverns and wait for him to attempt to flee. Sometime later the General exits through the visitor's center, only to be stopped at gunpoint by Ryan and his friends. Jak then moves in on the seemingly unarmed General, quickly disarms him when he tries to pull a derringer, and then kills him with a knife through the eye. The companions then take the remaining wag and head back for the Lauren ranch. On the trip back the group spends the night in the small ville of Patriarch. The next morning at breakfast Ryan meets the town's only other guest, a traveling merchant. The merchant recognizes Ryan and, after some brief questions, gives him one of Abe's notes. Ryan shares the news of Abe's success in finding the Trader with the rest of the group, and he and J.B. decide to set out alone for Seattle after they return to the ranch. Cultural references Krysty recites several verses from the book of Revelation while experiencing her prophetic vision. Michael Brother's suicide note quotes both The Road Not Taken and Ernest Hemingway. After reading the note Doc Tanner paraphrases Rudyard Kipling's quote, "no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." Doc makes several literary references while approaching Wright Caverns, including the House of Usher and the Minotaur of Greek myth. After killing a raider briefly stunned by a thrown can of Coca-Cola, Ryan quotes the company's then-slogan, "nothing like the real thing." External links JamesAxler.com 1994 American novels Deathlands novels 1994 science fiction novels Works published under a pseudonym Novels set in New Mexico Harlequin books