Ice and Fire: Book Summary
The band wake up to discover themselves in yet another redoubt. The walls of this redoubt are a pallid, translucent gray in color. After coming around, Lori freaks out on Doc Tanner for getting blood in her hair and on her clothing from his nose bleed. She leaves the group and goes strolling right out into the redoubt. Ryan nearly decks her for her stupidity. Cowed, she waits for the rest of the group to join.
After they enter the rest of the redoubt, Krysty feels the presence of life. They enter a long, dark corridor and discover that it is filled with huge mutie Cockroaches. They kill a huge number of the mutie insects but do not turn back. Eventually they locate a map and discover that this facility is equipped with cryonic facilities. But first, they wish to get some much needed rest.
They head to the redoubts quarters and clean up. It’s the first time in quite a while that any of them are able to take an actual shower. They relish it. Later on, they go to the private admin quarters for a meal. They listen to classical music and share a bottle of Southern Comfort. Doc brings up the fact that he knows where his family is buried and wishes to be buried along side them when his time comes.
The next day they decide to continue exploring the redoubt and make their way to the Cryonics facility. On the way, they enter the base's armory and load up on ammunition for their weapons. J.B. finally trades in his old Uzi for a brand new MP 7 submachine gun.
As they enter the Cryonic facilities, a warning goes off. Jak simply destroys the speakers. They discover that only nine out of twenty five of the cryo tubes are still functioning. They see that a pair of keys are needed to start the thawing procedure, but since they don't have it, J.B. uses explosives to remove the lock so they can activate the chambers. They sit down to wait.
After several hours pass, a screaming begins. One of the people in the cryo chambers is suffering from a brain tumor. They blow here brains out to put her out of her misery. A second man, who is suffering from massive head trauma tries to get at the party and kill them. Ryan is ready to kill him, but he says no thanks and grabs an I.V. needle and drives it into his own eye, taking his own life.
They are about to leave, figuring that reviving the frozen men and women is a waste of time, when another man, this one named Richard Neal Ginsberg wakes up and asks what year is it, and who am I? As for the others, something went wrong and they all decomposed in their chambers without being revived. They remove Richard from his chamber and bring him to the dorms. They wait the night to see if he is going to recover.
The next morning Richard appears to be near death. J.B. suggests that they simply allow him to pass into the night and continue to explore the redoubt. Ryan veto's the idea, and they stay to wait and see what happens. Around noon, Richard looks a great deal better. Krysty slaps him hard to try and make him wake up. It works. Richard is very confused at seeing the men and women around him. He wonders if it is possible that terrorists have taken over the facility. Tired, he falls asleep once again.
When he finally comes to, they begin to talk. He tells them that he is suffering from ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Ryan eventually tells him what has happened over the past one hundred years. He takes it all in stride, but knows that he is doomed to die from his disease. They allow him to dress in his clothing that he was using before he was frozen, then plan to head outside to explore. Rick flat out refuses to carry a weapon.
They discover that they are in California, nein the Sierra mountains, near Death Valley. They can see the Pacific from where they are. Rick finds it difficult to believe that most of the state has disappeared under the waves of ocean. They also smell gasoline in the air, figuring that a ville must be near by. They make their way towards the ville.
As they travel, they spot an actual airplane! It is rough sounding, but is airworthy. Its an Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter. It disappears as they continue their journey. The travelling is very difficult on the recently awakened Rick. Lori, in a rush to be first to the ville, encounters a huge mutie rattler.
Doc risks his life to distract the mutie snake. The friends open up on the snake, destroying its head and the upper part of its throat. They discover that the creature was wearing a collar. It had the name Azrael # 12. It appears as if the snake may have been someone's pet, or possibly a guard.
A short time later, they find a sign announcing the ville of Snakefish. Population two thousand and growing. Gas sold and traded. Outlanders welcome. As they are reading a sign, a group of eleven men riding motorcycles approach the group. They talk to them and find out that they are the Last Hero's, a chapter of the newly created hells angles, led by a man named Zombie. They are the sec men for the ville. The baron is a man named Edgar Brennan. However, the real power lies with the Mote family. They are the leaders of the snake cult that has set up in the ville.
The group heads directly into the ville and go to visit the Baron. They meet his receptionist, a woman named Carla Peterson. She takes an instant liking to J.B. After talking briefly to Ryan, she ushers them in to meet the Baron. He is a kind, generous man who gives Ryan and his party some local jack to show the ville's hospitality. He lets them know that they can stay in the Rent-A-Room. They also discover that the pilot of the plane they saw earlier was the baron's nephew.
When they leave, they are forced to leave their assault weapons with Carla. She tells them that the Baron is a good man, but the power lies with the Motes and their enforcers, the Last Hero's. They decide to take up the baron's offer and head to the Rent-A-Room.
They get their rooms and sit down for a meal. A woman named Ruby Rainer is the owner of the Rent-A-Room. Richard, being tired, goes to his room after the meal. Jak and J.B. go to check out the gas plant, Doc, and Lori simply wander around the ville, as do Ryan and Krysty.
The ville is nice and clean, everything kept tidy and well maintained. There are actual vehicles in the ville, as it has such a surplus in fuel. This is a very uncommon sight in the Deathlands. One thing they notice is the fact that nearly every building in the ville supports a snake emblem of some sort, showing their allegiance to the snake cult. They come across a gunsmith named John Dern. He does his best to try and buy Ryan's Sig, but Ryan flat out refuses, and makes it known that he thinks the weapons Dern is selling are junk. They eventually leave.
They discover that the old movie house is now the snake cult church. On their way they run into Doc and Lori. She returns to the inn, and Doc goes off on his own to continue exploring. They find a store which sells curio's from before the long winters. It is owned and run by a man named Rufus Brennan, the brother of the villes baron. His sight was damaged by radiation. While looking around the store, Rick joins them, having finally changed clothing after buying some new cloths with some of the Jack given to them. While exploring the store, Rick finds a book by Edgar Allen Poe. It brings tears to his eyes, and he is finally pushed over the edge. Rufus helps Krysty and Ryan take him back to the inn.
They meet with J.B. and Jak. They discovered that a single burner gren would destroy the plant and wipe out the entire ville. Rick, in shock, reverts to his childhood and rambles on. Krysty tells the others to leave so she can try and bring Rick back from the brink, using skills taught to her by her mother Sonja. Fortunately for Rick, it works.
On recommendation from nearly everyone, the party joins the snake cult ceremony early next morning. Here they finally meet the Motes. While watching the ceremony, they easily spot the rift between the Mote's and the Baron. They also hear news that the base on the fringes of Death valley have been recently raided by Stickies, and that one of their snakes, Azrael has not been seen for at least two days.
After the ceremony is over, Norman Mote speaks to Ryan. He comes right to the point and asks him if Ryan and his party are mercies. He tells Norman that they are not. To be on the safe side, Norman offers Ryan and his band double what ever was offered to them. The meeting over, Ryan and his friends return to the inn.
Back at the inn, they discuss what is going on in the town. They consider leaving right away, but stick around to wait and see what happens. Carla pay's them a visit. She explains to them what is going on in the ville, as well as the Mote's habit of sending those who cross them to be fed to the mutie snakes. The baron has tried to prevent it, but with little success. She asks them to help the baron. Ryan, once again points out that they are not mercies and don't want to get involved in the battle.
Later on in the day the Last Hero's stop by the inn and offer to take Jak with them for a run down the road to Death Valley to hunt for Stickies. Krysty has a bad feeling about this, but both Jak and Ryan go with them anyway. They talk while travelling, and Ryan is both surprised, and more than a little worried that the Last Hero's have never actually mixed it up with the hated muties.
While riding through a mesa, they are ambushed by seven Stickies. The fight is brief, and bloody. Ryan kills four of the muties, and one of the bikers manages to kill another. All but one of the bikers, a man named Riddler, are killed by the Stickies. As they retreat to the ville, Ryan knows there has to be a huge number of the hideous muties in the hills.
Back at the inn, Norman Mote comes to see Ryan's band. He wants to know first hand what happened. He announces to them that they will have to go and recruit more men for the Last Hero's, and he believes its now time for another feeding. After Mote leaves, Rick heads to bed, feeling that the ALS is returning. J.B. suggests that they actually do a pre emptive strike now that there are fewer sec men, to tip the balance of power back to the Baron. They vote on his suggestion, but in the end it is decided that they will simply wait and see what happens.
After supper they all head their separate ways. Ryan and Krysty go out. While they are walking, they run into Carla who is on her way to pay J.B. a visit. She lets them know that Norman wanted to send the entire party to the feeding, but the bikers managed to talk him out of it.
J.B. is quite busy cleaning his weapons when Carla stops in for a visit. They make small talk, which eventually leads the two of them to bed. Finally! A short time later Ryan and Krysty return to the inn.
Just after ten at night Doc awakens to discover that Lori is not with him. He looks out the window of the inn and is quite sure that he sees her entering the snake cult temple. He gets out of bed and follows. He catches Lori and Norman's son Joshua necking, and tells her to come home. Joshua threatens him for the interruption, but Doc Tanner simply takes it in stride, parting with his own threat.
The next morning, just after sunrise, the surviving Bikers return to the ville and inform the Motes that they discovered Azrael's corpse. A meeting is called in the temple. The people discuss the death of the snake. Mote makes it clear that he believes that Ryan's group is responsible. Ryan manages to fight off the suspicion with a long speech on how ville's always blame Outlanders for any problems that occur. In the end, Mote finally calls for a feeding to occur next morning at sunrise.
Returning to their room, Carla and the baron join them. The baron explains to the group what the feeding entails. Marianne Mote goes into a trance and then chooses one of the towns folk as the chosen one for the feeding. The unfortunate soul is then taken to the edge of town and set out into the wilderness, where they will eventually run into the mutie snakes and are killed by them.
In the end, Baron Brennan say's that he my simply cut his losses and make a run for it. J.B. loses his temper and tells him to grab a blaster, and go and settle this with the motes once and for all. He say's that if he and his friends help, there will always be another Mote to take the previous Mote's place, and eventually the baron will lose the battle. Both Carla and the baron understand what Dix is saying. Carla even attempts to talk him into buying a weapon from John Dern. He refuses. The both of them leave.
Ruby started a bon fire behind the inn that attracted Stickies to the ville. Ryan spots one hanging on the window. Lori sees it and screams. Ryan kills it by drilling a round through its open mouth. An hour later Zombie shows up and asks Ryan and his band to go out and help them destroy the Stickies. He refuses. Because of the trouble, Mote puts up the schedule for the feeding to Dusk, instead of the next day
As dusk falls, nearly the entire population gathers on the outskirts of the ville for the new ceremony. Just before it begins, Riddler meets with Ryan and tells him not to interfere with the choosing, or there will be a lot of blood shed. He also tells Ryan that he and his friends are not in any danger of being chosen.
The ceremony begins, and Marianne goes into her act. J.B. is very certain on who is going to be chosen begins to make his way towards Carla and the baron. The rest of the group follow. His suspicions were correct. Marianne Mote chooses Carla to be the sacrifice. Dix pulls out his weapon and warns them not to move or a lot of people will be killed. Ryan backs up J.B., telling Mote that if Zombie or anyone else attacks, the body count will be unimaginable.
Before anything can happen, a group of Stickies who were attracted by the smoke and fire of the bonfires attack. They fight there way past the muties and make their way back to the inn. In the confusion, Lori is separated from the rest of the group.
When they make it back to the inn, they discover that Lori is already there, having gone with the Motes to escape the attack. She is safe and sound. Ruby, too shaken up at seeing over two dozen of the townsfolk killed in the attack, allows them to prepare their own meals.
Later that night, Zombie and his crew show up from a council meeting and inform Ryan that he and his people will be going out with the rest of them in the morning to hunt down the muties and destroy them. They have no choice in the matter as it will be considered repayment for the towns hospitality. They also figure that there are about fifty Stickies living in the hills.
Krysty is quite angry about being left behind with Rick and Lori the next morning. Even though it is a sore spot between her and Ryan, she reluctantly stays behind while Doc, Jak, J.B. and Ryan head out to hunt the muties. While they are heading to confront the mutants, Carla warns them to watch their backs.
Brennan's nephew does an recce of where they figure the Stickies are living. He drops a note telling the party that he spotted no less than thirty of the creatures. Once they get close, the attack party splits up into two separate groups. J.B. and Ryan are separated. J.B. and his group lose their surprise and the attack begins.
In the fight, nine men, including Rufus Brennan are killed by the muties. Over half the Stickies themselves are killed. John Dern attempts to kill the baron, and Ryan, instead of killing him, warns him not to try. John say's that he was shooting at a Stickie. Ryan refuses to believe it for a second. Another of the Last Hero's are killed in the fight.
In the early afternoon the group returns to the inn once again. They bring the baron, his nephew and Carla with them. The baron's nephew Layton, offers to take Ryan up with him in the air wag. He readily accepts. After only a few minutes of flight, the air wag runs out of fuel and crashes in the desert. Ryan gets out pretty much intact, but Layton is killed in the crash.
The baron is devastated at the loss of both is brother and his nephew. Carla dearly wants to get revenge on the Motes for what they have done to the Baron and his family. She begs J.B. and Ryan to help, but they tell her that to win the fight and get rid of the Mote's they would have to kill just about everyone in the ville. Very upset, Carla leaves.
Doc goes looking for Lori. He finds out from Ruby Rainer that she is over in the church with Joshua Mote. He takes his weapons and goes over to get her. Ryan goes with him. Doc is quite sure about what they will find, and knows that he will be able to handle it.
Four of the Last Hero's try to prevent them from entering the temple, but they push past. Sure enough, Lori is totally naked, except she is still wearing her cowboy boots. She is having sex with Joshua Mote. She stops and doesn't bother to hide herself from Doc Tanner or Ryan. Ryan orders her to dress or he would end up dragging her back to the inn buck assed naked if he had to. Reluctantly, she does what she is told to. As they are leaving, Joshua threatens to kill them. She loses her temper and tells him that if they try he and his entire family will be killed, just like they killed Azrael.
They return to the inn, knowing that they are going to have to fight their way out now. Just after the sun sets, Zombie shows up and offers the friends their terms. Leave the women and the weapons and walk out. They will be allowed to leave unmolested. He gives Ryan's band an hour to think it over. They know that no matter what happens, they will never be allowed to leave alive. A half an hour later Carla and the Baron show up. They too are marked for death.
Hey discuss the plans for leaving. J.B. points out the fact that all they really need to do is kill the Last Hero's and a handful of others and that will break the back of the townsfolk. They intend to attack the bikers, and kill the motes, then blow the refinery. They want to know why Carla show's so much loyalty to the Baron. It turns out that he is her father. They ask if they can join the Ryan's band, and he accepts it.
After the deadline passes, Krysty picks up the sound of a wag being pushed towards the inn. The move into action. Racing out the back, they encounter eight men. They kill all of them quickly and quietly. After the deaths, the Baron snaps out of his depression and offers to lead Ryan and his friends to the refinery, through the old amusement park. He wants his revenge on the Motes.
As they approach the park, they run into Zombie. He shoots the Baron in the back, killing him. He then has the gall to brag in front of the group. At Carla's promoting, J.B. shoots him in the throat and stomach. They find a place to hold up and get some rest.
Just after dawn the next day they locate Zombies bike. Carla takes it and bids the party farewell. She plans to go north to Chapmanston on the Missouri river to stay with her sister. She asks J.B. that if they are ever up around that area that they stop in for a visit. She disappears in the rising sun.
They finally make it to the refinery and hole up in it. Just after the sun has risen fully, Mote and his army show up. Riddler attempts to get the friends to surrender, but to no avail. He returns to Mote's army.
Ryan gets Jak to open the valves on the fuel storage tanks. It spreads raw gasoline throughout the refinery, and sends a river of gas down the hill towards the army. J.B. throws a burner gren at the river of gas, but it fails to detonate. One of the advancing Last hero's, a man called Kruger loses control of his bike and it crashes. Sparks from his glove and bike ignite the gasoline. A huge number of people are killed in the explosion, and those who survived are scattered. The Motes manage to escape.
Only the biker known as Riddler remains alive. Ryan allows him to leave unmolested, as payment for his warnings and help.
The fire spreads from the refinery to the park, then to the town itself, fueled by both the wind and the old buildings. The ville of Snakefish is burning to the ground. At the church they encounter the motes. Doc kills Joshua first. Norman, seeing his son killed, goes crazy. Ryan puts a bullet through his skull. Rick goes to see what they were trying to save from the fire. It turns out to be a pile of smut magazines. Marianne tries to kill Ryan, but Rick breaks his vow of peace, picks up a shotgun and blows her in half. The Motes dead, they race out of the burning ville and try to make it back to the gateway.
Just fifty yards from safety, Lori loses her footing because of her boots and is killed when the conflaguration catches her. The rest of the party return to the Redoubt and jump.
A total of 7 days pass in this novel.
End Of Ice and Fire