[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

will never again have to straddle that saw-backed equine from Hades." Doc
reached out with the tip of his sword stick and scratched Judas behind one
ear. Amazingly the mule stood still for it, almost looking pleased with
itself.
"All we need do now is wait for the General to put in an appearance," J.B.
Page 138
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
said.
"Still think we should have put a watch on the scuttle door out of the
warren."
Ryan looked at Jak. "Would've been safer."
"No." The young man's eyes were flaming like ruby torches. "Got feeling. Like
Krysty."
"But if you're wrong& " Ryan glanced around. "Not all that long before dark. He
can slip out past us. Be thirty miles away by the dawning. In any direction.
We're double close to the Grandee. General gets over that and he's safe
forever."
Jak stepped so close that Ryan could feel his breath on his face. The teenager
was the best part of a foot shorter, but he managed to come near to staring
directly into
Ryan's good eye. "Can run. Can fight. Can try hide. Not forever, friend.
Nobody
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...Deathlands%2022%20-%20Rider,%20Re
aper.html (276 of 288) [12/29/2004 12:16:20 AM]
Axler, James - Deathlands 22 - Rider, Reaper runs forever. Promise."
"You really know he'll come?" Krysty said. "I can understand that, Jak. Hope
it's a right feeling."
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Three-quarters of an hour later, the black-clad figure of the General appeared
at the glass door to the Visitors' Center. He was hatless, showing a small
crown of baldness as he made a mock bow toward the watching group, standing
around sixty paces from the doors. His silver-topped cane had vanished, and he
looked di-sheveled and dusty.
"I should have known, amigos," he called. "Maybe waited for a week or a month
in that ghostly labyrinth and then you would have gone away."
"Not in a thousand years, butcher," Jak shouted.
"Ah, you must be the one who has an interest in that woman and the little one.
I
see."
"Drop the blaster," Ryan said.
"I think not," the General replied. "Thank you for the suggestion, Cawdor. But
I
will need it for a short moment or two longer."
"Looks like a Smith & Wesson," J.B. commented. "Seven forty-five Model. Eight
round."
"Take him out with the Steyr, Dad," Dean sug-gested, recoiling at the way Jak
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...Deathlands%2022%20-%20Rider,%20Re
aper.html (277 of 288) [12/29/2004 12:16:20 AM]
Axler, James - Deathlands 22 - Rider, Reaper spun around to face him.
"No fucking way, kid!" he spit with a bitter and fe-rocious venom. "I chill
him.
Nobody else!"
"Sure, Jak. Sure. Be a hot pipe that way. Let it swing, Jak, all right."
The General watched the exchange with a casual in-terest. "Dissension in the
ranks? Strange that after this time I am ended because of a dead baby and a
useless, crippled woman. Me, like that. For such a trivial and pointless
reason. But
I am forced to admit that you and your team are very good, Cawdor. Trader
taught well. I had some passing pride in my men and women. Trained them hard
and, I
thought, enough. Yet, they have all been sent ahead to that limitless room in
the basement. Now, I shall be joining them there. But first& "
He drew the automatic from its holster, and they all heard the click as he
Page 139
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
worked a round under the ham-mer.
"Down," Ryan said.
"No need." J.B. pointed.
The General had leveled his blaster at the serene sky above him and fired it
in a burst of noise.
"Was that eight?" Dean asked.
"Eight," J.B. confirmed.
The General stood, legs spread, holding the blaster in his right hand. "One
for the money and one for the show, is what I believe was once said. One for
the baby and another one for the road."
He brought up the Smith & Wesson and placed the muzzle beneath his chin. Jak
started to move quickly forward, but J.B. called after him. "It's empty, Jak.
He
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...Deathlands%2022%20-%20Rider,%20Re
aper.html (278 of 288) [12/29/2004 12:16:20 AM]
Axler, James - Deathlands 22 - Rider, Reaper can't "
"Goodbye cruel world."
They heard the sharp sound of the hammer drop-ping on an empty chamber. The
General lowered the spent handblaster very slowly, seeing the albino clos-ing
on him. He threw the weapon into the dirt and opened his arms, like a smiling
priest receiving a can-didate for benediction.
Ryan watched the final scene, a vague unease slid-ing across his mind. It was
a rare business, pursuing a swift and evil bastard like the General, hardly
even coming face-to-face with him. Most of the men and women that Ryan had
chilled in the past couple of years had been people that he'd eventually
gotten to know something about. But this was different. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]