Apache Jack 2: Geronimo's War

by Brent Reilly

California’s Gold Rush found a mountain of minerals and a wealth of cutthroats. When bandits kill Robby Miller, Apache Jack must lure out his cousin’s killers. Then Nevada’s Comstock Lode explodes and Jack must impose peace before he marries Geronimo’s lost daughter. Finally, the Civil War breaks out and the Apache Wars intensify. Through it all, Apache Jack plans vengeance on Geronimo for murdering his mother. Geronimo twisted in the saddle so the hatchet burrowed into his right shoulder instead of his heart. Jack’s extra throwing knife landed in his left arm instead of his lung. Geronimo looked like a snowman with steel instead of carrots. Jack scooted between two corpses to minimize his exposure and was able to reload in time to hit the last guy's good leg. The bullet shattered the shin and, apparently, his mind, as he fell with a curse and a crash. Nothing prepared Jack for getting shot by Geronimo’s 6 year old son that he had befriended the year before. Or thought he had befriended. Wounded and surrounded by angry warriors, Jack knew he was screwed. The shooting stopped and the silence sounded strange. "Uncle Matt, I claim their belongings, as is my right. If you don't rob those corpses, I will." Al shot the 7 year-old in the heart. The impact sent Jack flying in the snow and left him motionless like a rag doll. Battle takes focus and Jack was in the zone. It felt like time slowed as he zigged and zagged to line up shots or minimize exposure. Putting closer Indians between him and more distant ones prevented them from firing. Jack ran up the tower stairs and shot three guys in the back. He reached the top, threw the wounded sentry out and enjoyed hearing him smack the lower floors as he fell. Jack cooly fired his last two revolvers as fast as he got clear shots, always going for center of mass because moving targets are a bitch to hit. Emptying six pistols in under a minute was impressive and devastating. Those 36 rounds messed up Geronimo’s force.

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2019

About the author

The author of Deadly Wands and the asteroid-impact novel Regolith, Mr. Reilly has a Master's degree in Counseling, an autistic son, speaks Spanish, and builds oceanfront Caribbean condos.