[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...nds%20042%20-%20Way%20of%20the%20Wolf.html (64 of 281) [1/17/2005 6:52:56 PM]
Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
"Hey, they're getting away!"
Looking back into the lantern-lit room, Jak saw the three tattooed men rush to the
window. They almost got into a fight with the other men. One of them
unlimbered his side arm.
Jak tapped Dean's shoulder and they stepped into the darkness, out of the line of
fire.
"Guess they're pretty serious about finding us," Dean said.
Jak nodded. "Probably got Kirkland's blessing. Mebbe heard left inn by
ourselves, thought those coldhearts could take and question us. Then blame them
we get chilled."
"Nobody would have believed that."
Jak nodded. "Yeah. But Kirkland not know that." He listened to the men yelling
behind them, realizing it had to have been the others in the washroom, not the
men trying to track them. "Hurry." He led Dean into the shadows. It would be
better if they didn't have to kill anybody.
At least, not where the bodies would be left out in the open.
Chapter Seven
Hand lettering made the small sign look elegant. J.B. stood outside the building
looking up at it after pulling the bell cord: Tinker Phillips and Sons Gun Repair
and Gun Sales Straight and True Guaranteed.
Wheelgun and .45 semiautomatic images framed the announcement. Rifle images
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...nds%20042%20-%20Way%20of%20the%20Wolf.html (65 of 281) [1/17/2005 6:52:56 PM]
Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
bridged the distance along the sides of the sign.
The building was compact, consisting of a single story and running back about
four times in length what it was in width. White paint looked well kept, and small
panes of frosted glass covered the windows and the door openings. Even in the
low lantern light coming from the street, the Armorer could see the shadows of
iron bars just on the other side of the glass.
The door opened softly, not drawing back much. Close-cropped blond hair hung
over a pair of sky blue eyes that regarded J.B. in frank disapproval. For a moment
the Armorer thought he was looking at a young man, then he saw the face had a
maturity to it in spite of the fact there was no beard growth.
"Can I help you?" the girl asked. Her tone was cold, and there was no friendliness
in her at all.
"Name's J. B. Dix." He tipped his fedora. Then replaced it. "I saw your sign.
Noticed some light against the glass from inside. Thought mebbe you hadn't
entirely shut down the business for the day." He felt an itch over his chest, like
the ones he got when somebody laid gun sights over him. Riding with the Trader,
traveling with Ryan, he'd learned to put great faith in such feelings. He shifted a
little, taking up a stance that would make his torso less of a target.
"You're one of those people Kirkland put out the word on. The outlanders."
"Yeah." J.B. felt a little uncomfortable staring into the girl's blue eyes. He wished
Mildred had come with him instead of staying at the hotel. But she'd been excited
about the prospect of a hot bath. J.B. could never understand that. Cleanliness
was next to godliness. Even the Trader used to say that every now and then. But
the first thing the Armorer held to was being well armed. "I could come back
mebbe tomorrow if this isn't a good time."
The girl shook her head. "Wouldn't want a friend of Kirkland's to run the risk of
doing without something we could provide." But her eyes said she was lying.
"Tell me what you want, and I'll see that you get it if we got it. I'll pass it through
the drop box to you." A long box built into the side of the fortified wall pushed
out partially, revealing the empty depths inside.
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...nds%20042%20-%20Way%20of%20the%20Wolf.html (66 of 281) [1/17/2005 6:52:56 PM]
Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
"Let him in," a man's gruff voice commanded from somewhere inside the
building.
"Don't know that would be a good idea," the girl protested quietly, her eyes never
leaving J.B.'s.
"Anna, you heard what I said."
"Yes, sir." She shifted her attention to the locks holding the door closed.
"Appreciate it." J.B. waited for her to finish unlocking all the latches and chains.
He turned to the deputy standing in the shadows on the other side of the street.
"You want to come in, too?"
"Naw. Be fine out here. If you go into Tinker's, there's only one way out of there.
I'll be here waiting for you."
"Could be a while."
"If I get lonely, I'll talk to myself."
The door opened. The girl stood in front of J.B., wearing tight jeans and a blouse
that was tucked into her waistband. The slim, curvy build left no doubts as to her
sex.
"You got more of a vision problem than those glasses lead a person to expect?"
the girl asked. "Or mebbe I should whistle up your dog, 'cause he sure as hell isn't
doing his job."
J.B. looked into the pale blue eyes. "Sign says 'and sons.' Reckon you caught me
by surprise."
"I can handle a pistol or long blaster about as good as any in these parts. And that
sign's right. I'm Tinker's daughter-in-law. I help out here at the store. You got an
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...nds%20042%20-%20Way%20of%20the%20Wolf.html (67 of 281) [1/17/2005 6:52:56 PM]
Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
idea of what you want? Or are you just going to wish and dream?"
"Kirkland said there'd be a line of credit," J.B. replied. "Figure on spending some
of that if I can."
"There is, and you can. But you come in hungry, it'll spend right fast. Kirkland
don't tap into us as much as he does some in this ville."
"I know what I need." J.B. reached into his shirt pocket and took out one of the
shotgun's flechette rounds. "Seen anything like that?"
The girl took the shell between her fingers and turned it carefully to catch the
weak light streaming down from the street lanterns. "Twelve gauge?"
"Yeah."
"Special load?"
"Flechettes."
She nodded. "Heard of them, but I never saw a shell like this." She handed it back
to the Armorer. "Fraid we can't help you."
"Anna," the older man's voice roared, "you let that man on in here. Right now."
"Yes, sir, Daddy." When Anna stepped back from the doorway, she took a step to
the side, keeping her gun hand clear. She fisted the double-action .44 Magnum
Colt Anaconda in the holster on her hip. "But, Mr. Dix, remember to keep any
sudden moves to yourself."
J.B. touched his hat. "I'll surely keep that in mind." He stepped into the darkened
room, blinking rapidly in an effort to bring his night vision up to speed. Rather
than looking directly at objects, he depended on a peripheral view, because that
part of sight always adjusted first.
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...nds%20042%20-%20Way%20of%20the%20Wolf.html (68 of 281) [1/17/2005 6:52:56 PM]
Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
The forward room of the building was small and bare. Gun ports cut into the wall
on the other side looked like yawning demons' mouths even in the shadows
trapped inside the room. Hard metal gleamed inside.
J.B. raised his hands, making sure to keep them away from his body. "If this is
going to make everybody this tense, mebbe we can do this another day."
"If I don't like what I see," the man stated, "I reckon we won't see you again
tomorrow. Neither will anybody else."
"Then hurry up and make up your mind," J.B. told him, "'cause I've got to scratch [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]