Soothsayer (32 page)

The Kid smiled one of his rare smiles. “I never thought of it like that."

"You're young yet,” said the Iceman sardonically. “You'll learn."

The Kid actually chuckled at the remark, then replaced his pistol in its holster.

"He's crazy,” said the Mouse, finally sitting down next to Penelope.

"Who is?” asked the girl.

"The Kid. He's about to take on some of the best bounty hunters on the Inner Frontier, and he's actually laughing. I haven't seen him laugh since I met him."

She got up and paced across the room once more, then seated herself uneasily on a wooden chair, tried to hold still, and immediately began fidgiting.

Suddenly Penelope looked up from her doll.

"They're here,” she announced.

"Where?” demanded the Mouse.

"On Killhaven,” said Penelope. “Two ships, and a third is about to land."

"I know,” said the Kid from his position in the doorway. “I just saw them come down. They're at least three miles away, maybe five.” He paused. “Here comes another one."

"Well, we've probably got half an hour or more until they get here,” said the Iceman, remaining seated on the desk. “If they get here at all, that is."

"What do you mean?” asked the Mock Turtle.

"There's a huge reward for the girl, and these guys probably aren't planning to divide it ten or twelve ways. They might kill each other off before they even come to town."

"I hope not,” said the Forever Kid devoutly.

"How many more ships will be arriving?” asked the Mouse.

"Two that I know of,” said the Iceman. “There were five of them on our tail."

"Three more,” corrected Penelope.

The Iceman shrugged. “We must have missed one—or else somebody radioed for reenforcements."

"They better get here soon,” noted the Kid. “It'll be dark in less than an hour."

"Maybe they'll wait until morning,” said the Mouse hopefully.

"Not very likely,” said the Iceman. “By morning the other three ships will be here. They'll want to grab the girl and get out of here as quick as they can."

"Well, let's not make it too easy for them,” said the Mouse. She turned to Penelope. “I want you to go upstairs and keep out of sight."

"I want to stay with you, Mouse,” protested the girl.

The Mouse turned to the Mock Turtle. “Go with her, and protect the door if they get that far."

The alien stared at her politely, but made no reply and didn't move from where it was standing.

"Didn't you hear me?” snapped the Mouse. “Take her upstairs."

"I obey only the Soothsayer,” replied the Mock Turtle. “When
she
tells me to go upstairs, then I will go."

"Listen, you,” began the Mouse. “When I say to—"

"
Don't!
” shouted Penelope, and suddenly all eyes turned to her. “You're my friends,” continued the girl. “I don't want you to fight."

"You're what they've come for,” said the Mouse. “You've got to let us try to protect you."

The Mock Turtle held up its hand for silence, then stared intently at Penelope. “What do you see, Soothsayer?” it asked. “Who will live and who will die?"

"I can't tell,” answered the girl. “There are still too many futures."

"And I'll wager a castle to a credit that you live in all of them, don't you?” said the Iceman.

"No,” said the girl. “I don't."

"If you live in even one, that's enough,” said the Mouse. “Just tell us how to make that future come to pass."

"I don't know yet,” said Penelope, obviously agitated. “But I know I want to be with you, Mouse. Please don't make me go upstairs."

The Mouse looked at the girl for a long moment, then sighed and shrugged.

"How can I give an order to a soothsayer?” she said with a wry smile.

Penelope run over to the Mouse and hugged her. “Thank you, Mouse,” she said. “I love you."

"I know,” said the Mouse, returning her embrace. “And I love you, too. That's why I worry so much about you."

"I think I see another one,” said the Forever Kid, drifting out to the porch. “Could be a bird, though.” He paused. “No, it's a ship all right.” There was another pause, longer this time. “Looks like it's landing to the north. That means they'll be approaching from both ends of town."

"Maybe we'll just lock the doors and let them fight it out for the privilege of facing you,” suggested the Iceman. He got up and walked to the door, where he shaded his eyes and scanned the sky.

"From what I hear, that means I'd wind up facing Jimmy the Spike,” replied the Kid, considering the possibility. He spat on the dirt. “Damn! I want to face more than one of them.” He paused thoughtfully. “Maybe they'll come in teams."

"If I'd known it meant so much to you, I'd have radioed our position to one of the Democracy's battle cruisers,” said the Iceman with dry irony.

"I wonder how many of them I could take out before they killed me?” mused the Kid.

"Not enough,” said the Iceman.

Suddenly the Mock Turtle walked through the foyer and joined the Forever Kid on the porch.

"What are you doing here?” asked the Kid.

"In the absence of instructions from the Soothsayer,” replied the alien, displaying its odd, silent weapon, “I have elected to make my stand here with you."

"I don't know about that,” said the Forever Kid. “I planned to face whoever shows up alone."

"What about the Iceman?"

The Kid snorted contemptuously. “He doesn't like to get his hands dirty. He'll probably watch the whole thing from inside the house and then take credit for all the men I kill."

"Sounds good to me,” said the Iceman dryly.

"Besides,” continued the Forever Kid, “you ought to stay with the little girl, in case anyone gets past me."

"She will summon me if she needs me,” said the Mock Turtle.

"And if she doesn't summon you?"

"Then she never needed me,” answered the alien.

"I'm glad someone besides me understands what we're dealing with here,” said the Iceman.

"I have always understood what we are dealing with,” said the Mock Turtle serenely. “That is why I am here."

"Then you're the biggest fool of all,” said the Iceman.

"Why should you think so?” asked the alien curiously.

"The Mouse still doesn't understand what she is, and the Forever Kid couldn't care less. But you—you know and you're
still
trying to help her."

"And why are
you
here?"

The Iceman shrugged. “I wish I knew."

"Then who is the bigger fool?” continued the Mock Turtle. “I, who understand my motivations, or you, who do not begin to understand you own?"

The Iceman considered its statement. “Maybe you have a point at that,” he admitted wryly.

The Forever Kid stepped off the porch and into the street. “Are you two through arguing about who's a bigger fool?” he asked.

"Yes,” said the Iceman. “I think we'll call it a draw."

"Good,” said the Kid. “Then get inside."

"No,” said the alien calmly.

The Forever Kid turned to the alien. “I'm working for the Mouse, and I'm being paid to protect the girl,” he said, “but I never saw you before today, and the way I see it, I don't owe you a damned thing. I've been waiting a long time for a chance like this, and if I have to kill you first to make sure I get it, then I will."

The Mouse walked to the doorway. “Leave him alone, Kid. I'll tell you who to kill."

"Right,” agreed the Kid. “But nobody tells me who not to kill. Not even you."

"Well, somebody better remind you who the bad guys are,” said the Mouse. She pointed to the cornfields beyond the small cluster of buildings. “The enemy's out
there
."

"Right now the enemy is anyone who tries to stop me from what I want to do,” answered the Kid.

Penelope appeared beside the Mouse in the doorway, still holding Maryanne.

"Come inside, Turtle,” she said. “If you don't, he'll kill you."

"If it is your desire, Soothsayer,” replied the alien, immediately turning and walking back into the interior of the rooming house.

"I've had pets before,” remarked the Iceman, “but I never had one that well-trained."

"That's enough sniping, Carlos,” said the Mouse. “We can sort out our differences later. I'll tell you what I told the Kid: the enemy's out there."

"Not any longer he isn't,” said the Forever Kid, as six men came into view half a mile down the dirt road. “Iceman, get off my street."

"Your wish is my command,” said the Iceman ironically, stepping back into the doorway. He glanced quickly toward the north. “By the way, I don't want to intrude on your idyll, but it looks like you've got two more friends coming from the other end of town."

The Kid's fingers dropped to the handles of his pistols. “The more the merrier,” he said.

The Iceman suddenly noticed that the Mouse was still standing next to him.

"You'd better get inside,” he told her. “You're not even carrying a weapon."

"You're really going to let him face all eight of them alone?” she demanded.

"I told you before that I was. Besides, it's what he wants.” The Iceman looked at the progress the approaching men were making. “They'll be here in about two minutes,” he said to the Kid. “I hope you're ready."

"I've been ready for two hundred years,” replied the Forever Kid, a smile of anticipation on his handsome, unlined face.

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The eight bounty hunters—five men and three women—reached the cluster of frame buildings that formed the tiny town within a minute of each other. One hung back, some hundred yards or so behind the others. The remaining seven stopped opposite the boarding house and stared at the Forever Kid, who stood before them, hands on hips, completely relaxed.

"I know who you are,” said one of the men.

"Then you must know why I'm here,” answered the Kid.

"You're no bounty hunter,” said a woman. “You've got no interest in the girl."

"My interest in her is the same as yours: financial,” said the Kid.

"We've got no fight with you,” continued the woman. “Why don't you walk away now while you can?"

"Got no place to go,” said the Kid.

"Surely you don't think you can take all eight of us?” demanded the woman.

"I only count seven,” replied the Kid calmly. “One of your friends is showing rare good judgment."

"He's no friend of mine,” said the man who had spoken first. “And he'll be along, never fear."

"Are you planning to split the reward seven ways?” asked the Kid. “If not, I have no serious objection to your going over to one of the cornfields and sorting things out.” He paused. “I'll still be waiting here to face the winner."

"As a matter of fact, we spoke by subspace radio, and that's exactly what we plan to do,” said the man. “There's more than enough money to split seven ways."

"Or eight ways, if you'd like to throw in with us,” added another man.

"What about your friend down the street?” asked the Kid curiously. “Or the two ships that haven't landed yet?"

"We made them the offer. They turned it down. It's their loss. Yours, too, if you plan to stand against us."

"All I'm losing is money,” said the Forever Kid. “If you don't walk back to your ships right now, you're going to lose your lives."

"You're crazy!” said the woman, as three of them started fanning out in a semi-circle. “Do you really think you can take seven armed bounty hunters?"

The Kid smiled confidently. “Do you really think I can't?"

As he spoke he drew both of his handweapons, panning the area with his laser pistol and firing short bursts of almost-solid sound with the sonic gun. Two women and two men dropped to the ground almost instantly, while the third woman clutched her belly and doubled over in agony.

The two remaining men had their weapons out—one a sonic gun, one an old-fashioned projectile pistol—and began firing while running for cover. The Forever Kid neither ducked nor crouched nor sought out shelter. He stood his ground, oblivious to the bullets and sonic blasts flying about him, aimed his laser pistol carefully, and brought both men down. Then, almost casually, he turned back to the wounded woman, aimed his laser pistol between her eyes as she desperately sought to reach her own weapon, and fired. She collapsed without a sound.

And now the eighth bounty hunter, the man who had lagged behind, began approaching the Forever Kid.

"Not bad,” he said. “Not bad at all."

"Damned good, if you ask me,” responded the Kid.

"Oh, I don't know about that,” continued the man easily. “Four of them were dead and one was as good as dead before they even knew the fight had begun."

"When you're outnumbered seven-to-one, you don't wait for a referee to drop a flag,” said the Kid. “If they weren't ready, that was their problem."

"I fully agree,” said the man. “In fact, I suppose I should be grateful to you. After all, you saved me the trouble of killing them myself."

"I take it you're not much for sharing,” said the Kid with a smile.

"I work alone."

"Maybe you'd better consider whether you want to die alone, too,” suggested the Kid.

"I might say the same thing to you."

"You might,” agreed the Kid. “But I probably wouldn't listen."

"No, I suppose not,” said the man. “We're a lot alike, you and I."

"You think so?"

The man nodded. “I don't give a damn about the money or the girl, and neither do you. Men like us, we live only for the competition."

"Or die for it,” answered the Kid.

"Or die for it,” agreed the man. “You're the Forever Kid, aren't you?"

The Kid nodded.

"I've heard of you."

"I don't know if I've heard of you or not,” replied the Kid.

The man grinned. “I'm fresh out of business cards, but my name is Jimmy the Spike."

"You know, I was wondering if you were in that batch,” said the Kid, indicating the dead bounty hunters as the sun glinted off their weapons. “But from what I knew of you, I didn't figure you could be."

"My reputation precedes me. How very gratifying."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you,” said the Kid.