Chapter 16: Saint Louis

It is late afternoon when we get to the outskirts of the city. I would have liked to have gotten here sooner but do to the tender nature of our passengers stomach, I ended up driving slowly.

The city, from this distance, doesn't look too bad. There are some broken windows in high-rises that are noticeable when the sun doesn't reflex off the glass. The roads and streets look clear of debris. But what is missing: what from my memories of thriving metropolis; is the rush of people. Every where I look it is empty. It fills me with a sadness that I can't place. And quite frankly I don't have time for so I just push it away and turn to our guides.

"Which way?" I ask Swanson.

"Follow the river till you come to a big avenue that has been cleared of the blockages," he tells me.

"You knew we were coming with the Hummer?" Saber asks him.

"We had hoped," Mable answers for him.

I do as he instructed. Following the road to the streets into the city at large. Up close the damage is much more noticeable. There are whole section that are nothing but burned holes of building, store fronts are smashed in and the street signs torn down. The city is a wreck, and the lack of people still bothers me as well.

There are mini blockages on most of the outlets. But as long as I stay on the small side streets the path stays clear of obstructions every street is clear.

"Where are you folks staying now?" Seattle ask as the Protectors take in the scenery. "I don't recognize any of this."

"Train station," I answer quickly as I recognize some of the street signs that are still in place. Plus I have been counting the streets and checking with the maps in my head.

"That is really creepy," Mable remarks.

"The universe guides me thus." I quote back.

"And the universe is on her side," Saul says smugly.

"Saint Louis was hub back in the early part of the 20th century," I say to veer the conversation away from my calling.

"That's right, All those people going west," Holliday chimes in. "I remember reading about that."

"What, you mean you read something other then westerns?" Seattle teases him.

"Ha, ha. very funny." Holliday slaps him on the shoulder. "I do have a brain too, you know. Anyway I was saying. Saint Louis used be the "Doorway to the west" I think they called it. And there was a big push to get the train lines from here out to California. Saint Louis was the corner stone of the east coast to those going west."

"Thank you mister professor," Seattle teases some more.

"Thank you Holliday. That was very nice," Mable says and for once her voice doesn't sound like she wants to spit nails at anyone.

"The train station has a clear line of sight for all river traffic and train tracks, which I am assuming are empty lanes at this point. It has one of the highest observation points as well without an overwhelming climb," I inform the Protectors.

"The are other towers but they probable have poor access and structural problems." I add for their benefit.

"Still eerie," Mable says.

"You can't believe we would travel into unknown territory without doing some kind of research, and the Kindred library has numerous books on the Saint Louis area." I quip back. I am getting tired of her attitude.

"Plus, Chronos likes to show off," Holliday says, adding his own brand of humor to the conversation.

"Turn here," Swanson points to the right, as we reach a 4 way intersection. 2 of the ways have been blocked off with street debris.

"I would have never guessed," I mutter under my breath.

"Nosis," Saul chides me.

"I am not about charity, Saul. I do what I must because the signs point that way. I would be a very bad defender if I did not see and understand this kind of a sign." I wave at the blockage.