Soothsayer (34 page)

"Not necessary,” said the Iceman, still sitting on his rocking chair. “I'm awake."

The Mouse appeared in the doorway and looked up the long dirt road.

"I can't see them yet."

"They're probably still a couple of miles away,” said the Iceman.

"What do you plan to do?” asked the Mouse.

"I'll play it by ear,” answered the Iceman.

"You mean you're just going to sit here?"

"That's what I mean."

"That's stupid, Carlos,” said the Mouse. “We still have time to take defensive positions. You could get on the roof, the Turtle can hide behind the restaurant, I can—"

"I'm too old to climb on top of buildings,” interrupted the Iceman.

"But you can't just do nothing!"

"Why not?” replied the Iceman calmly. “It's usually best."

"What's going on, Carlos?” she demanded. Suddenly she stared intently at him. “You're going to join them, aren't you?"

"I doubt that they'd have me."

"Then what are you going to do?” she insisted.

"I don't know."

"Well, you've got about ten minutes to come up with an idea."

"I don't want one."

She frowned. “What the hell are you talking about, Carlos?"

He turned to her. “If
I
don't know what I'm going to do, then
she
doesn't know what I'm going to do."

"It doesn't work that way, Carlos,” said the Mouse. “She sees lots of futures, and then tries to manipulate things so that the one she wants will come to pass."

"Not knowing what I'm going to do will make it harder for her to manipulate anything,” answered the Iceman. “Maybe she'll want me to sneeze when I'm going for my gun, and maybe she won't—but if even
I
don't know if or when I'm going for it, it's got to hamper her."

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about Three-Fisted Ollie and Cemetery Smith,” said the Mouse.

The Iceman shrugged. “They're just killers."

The Mouse stared at him again, then disappeared back inside the house.

The Iceman pulled a thin Castorian cigar from his pocket, lit it, and continued rocking on his chair. The sun peeked up over the restaurant, and he squinted up the road, wishing that he had remembered to bring a hat to shade his eyes.

And then two figures, one human, one definitely inhuman, came into view. As they came closer he saw that the alien wore a silver outfit, and had either one arm too many or one too few, and he knew that it was Three-Fisted Ollie. The other wore the dull browns and greens of a man used to blending in with his surroundings, but there was no doubt in the Iceman's mind that it was Cemetery Smith.

"I am standing in the window of the lounge,” said the Mock Turtle's voice. “I will keep my weapon trained on the human."

"Don't shoot until I tell you to,” said the Iceman. “We tried this the Kid's way yesterday, and all we have to show for it is a batch of dead bodies and fat birds."

"Two more dead bodies and we can leave in safety,” responded the Mock Turtle.

"These guys aren't that stupid,” said the Iceman. “And they've worked as a team before. One of them will approach me, but the other will stay out of range, and if anything happens to his partner, he'll blow the whole rooming house straight to hell."

And, almost as if they had heard them, Cemetery Smith came to a halt some 800 yards away while Three-Fisted Ollie continued approaching with his powerful, lumbering walk.

"That's close enough,” said the Iceman, getting off the rocking chair and stepping down from the porch when the alien was about fifty yards away.

"I know you,” said Three-Fisted Ollie, stopping and peering at the Iceman through his many-faceted eyes. “You're Mendoza."

"I know you too."

"I haven't seen you in many years,” continued the alien.

"I've been around."

"Are you working for the girl now?"

The Iceman shook his head. “Just working."

"We have come for her."

"I know."

"Do you plan to stand against us?” asked Three-Fisted Ollie.

"Not if I can help it."

"Then step aside."

"I thought we might talk first,” said the Iceman.

"Briefly."

"You know that the Clipper's dead?"

"Of course. We were on Calliope when he was killed."

"Then who are you working for?"

Three-Fisted Ollie smiled a very alien smile. “I cannot tell you that, Mendoza. You might think of delivering her there yourself and claiming the reward."

"The thought never crossed my mind,” said the Iceman, returning his smile.

"You have not changed, Mendoza."

"Sure I have,” said the Iceman. “I don't work for the Democracy any more."

"Who do you work for now?” asked the alien.

"Me."

"What has this to do with the girl?"

"I'll buy her from you."

Three-Fisted Ollie frowned. “That makes no sense, Mendoza. You already possess her."

"You were never the brightest bounty hunter on the Frontier,” said the Iceman. “Think it through, Ollie."

The alien was silent for a moment. “You are offering to pay us to leave?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to kill you, and because she'll help me recoup whatever I pay you."

"You won't kill me, Mendoza,” the alien assured him. “You are not a young man any more."

"But I have friends."

Three-Fisted Ollie suddenly tensed. “Oh?"

The Iceman nodded. “Nine of them. They're in every building in town, and each of them has a weapon trained on you."

"I don't believe you, Mendoza."

The Iceman gestured to the eight bodies that lay on the street. “Do you think I could have done that all by myself?"

"You were accompanied here by the Forever Kid,” said Three-Fisted Ollie. “
He
could have done that."

The Iceman walked over to Jimmy the Spike's body and turned it over with his foot.

"Could he have have taken all eight of them at once, including the Spike?” he asked.

"No,” answered Three-Fisted Ollie. “Not including the Spike."

"Then maybe you'd better accept my offer."

"Where is the Forever Kid now?"

The Iceman pointed to the seed store. “In there, with a gun pointed at your head."

The alien grinned again. “I almost believed you, Mendoza. But I know the Forever Kid, and if he was alive, nothing could keep him from facing me. Therefore, he is dead and you are alone."

"You're half right,” admitted the Iceman. “He's dead. But I'm not alone."

"We have spoken enough,” said Three-Fisted Ollie. “Now it is time for me to get the girl."

"Two million credits,” said the Iceman.

The alien stared at him. “That was a fair price a year ago. Now she is worth much more."

"But if you accept two million, you'll walk away with it in your pocket. If you don't, you'll be buried along with the rest of them,” he said, indicating the dead bounty hunters.

"I do not fear you, Mendoza."

"No one ever said you did. The question is whether you believe me."

"I do not think so."

"I'm offering you two million credits to say you do,” said the Iceman. “That's a hell of a profit for avoiding a fight."

Three-Fisted Ollie stared at him for a long moment.

"And two million more for my partner,” he said.

"Just take the money and tell him the girl isn't here."

"He knows that she
is
here,” said the alien.

"That's pretty dangerous knowledge,” said the Iceman.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that every bounty hunter who knew she was here died for his trouble,” said the Iceman. “All the ones who believe she's somewhere else are still alive."

"You're suggesting I kill him?” said Three-Fisted Ollie with another inscrutable grin.

"You don't need a partner if she's not here,” answered the Iceman. “And you won't have anyone to split the money with."

"I have always said that you were the most interesting human I ever met, Mendoza,” said Three-Fisted Ollie.

"I'll accept that as a compliment."

"Tell me,” continued the alien, “when you were a young man, would you have made me this offer?"

"Probably,” said the Iceman. “That's how I lived to be a middle-aged man."

"It's a very interesting proposition, Mendoza,” said Three-Fisted Ollie after some consideration. “I think I shall have to discuss it with my partner."

"I'll wait here,” said the Iceman. “I wouldn't want to intrude on your deliberations."

"One thing first,” said the alien. “I must see the money."

"How do I know you won't kill me and take it, and still go after the girl?"

"How do I know you have the money at all?"

"We'll have to trust each other,” said the Iceman.

"Maybe I'll just kill you now."

"You can try,” said the Iceman. “But there really
is
a weapon pointed right at you."

"Now it's only one?"

"Now it's only one,” agreed the Iceman. “But one is enough. If I were you, I'd think very carefully before I did anything I might not live long enough to regret."

The alien stood silent and motionless for a moment.

"Three million for the pair of us,” it said at last.

"Deal,” said the Iceman. “Signal him to join us."

"I'll take the money to him."

The Iceman shook his head. “I've got to know he agrees to leave without the girl before I pay either of you."

Three-Fisted Ollie seemed to consider it for a moment, then waved to Cemetery Smith, who began approaching the cluster of buildings.

The Iceman watched the human walk down the dirt road, and tried to keep his mind absolutely blank, to avoid even the hint of a decision about what he might do next.

"What's going on here?” demanded Cemetery Smith when he was still about two hundred yards away.

"This is Mendoza,” said Three-Fisted Ollie. “Do you remember him?"

"Thought he was dead,” said Smith, continuing to approach them. He squinted in the bright sunlight. “You've changed, Mendoza."

"He's made us an interesting proposition,” said the alien.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. He has offered us three million credits to—"

As Smith turned his attention to the alien, the Iceman pulled out his hand weapon and shot the bounty hunter through the chest, then hurled himself to the ground, rolled over once, and fired at Three-Fisted Ollie. The alien clutched his belly and fell onto his side.

"All right,” said the Iceman, getting painfully to his feet and facing the rooming house. “You can come out now."

The Mouse was the first one out the door.

"I didn't think you could pull it off!” she exclaimed.

"Neither did somebody else, I'll wager,” said the Iceman meaningfully, brushing the dust from himself and panting heavily.

Penelope and the Mock Turtle come out of the house and climbed down off the porch to join the Mouse.

"Well, we can finally leave,” said the Mouse.

"It can't be that simple,” said the Iceman. He looked at the little girl. “Can it?"

Penelope glared at him, and suddenly the fear was gone from her face.

"No,” she said.

Suddenly the Iceman felt a searing pain in his hip and on the back on his left leg, as a laser beam burnt through cloth and flesh, right down to the bone. He fell to the ground and clutched his leg with his hands, turning his head to see what had happened.

Three-Fisted Ollie had propped himself up on his side, and held a laser pistol in his free hand.

"You lied to me, Mendoza!” he whispered hoarsely. He aimed the pistol at Penelope and tried to steady his hand. “We had a deal. If I can't have her, nobody can!"

"Shoot him!” screamed Penelope, running toward the Mouse.

The Mouse instinctively threw her arms around the little girl as Three-Fisted Ollie's laser pistol and the Mock Turtle's silent weapon both came to life and meted out death.

Three-Fisted Ollie grunted once, rolled over, and died. The Mouse fell to her knees, a smoking burn mark on her torso.

"Penelope?” she said, trying to focus her eyes.

"I love you, Mouse,” said Penelope sadly, but with neither tears nor hysteria.

The girl stepped back, and the Mouse fell to the ground.

"I am sorry,” said the Mock Turtle. “She died to save you.” It paused. “I should have fired sooner. It was my fault."

The Iceman, still clutching his leg, turned back to the girl and the Mock Turtle.

"You're as big a fool as she was!” he grated. “Tell him whose fault it was, Penelope!"

"I loved her,” said Penelope.

"Then why didn't you tell the Turtle to shoot sooner? You knew what he was going to do."

"It's your fault!” shouted Penelope, her face filled with childish fury. “You made her stop loving me!"

"You killed her, as surely as if you had fired the gun yourself,” said the Iceman, trying to ignore the burning pain in his leg.

"She wasn't going to be my friend anymore,” said Penelope petulantly. “She was going to leave me."

The Iceman looked at the alien.

"Well?” he demanded. “Aren't you going to finish the job?"

The Mock Turtle turned to Penelope. “What is your desire, Soothsayer?"

Penelope looked at the Iceman, sprawled in the dirt, his leg blood-soaked and useless.

"He's just an old man,” she said contemptuously. “He can't harm us anymore."

"You'd better kill me now,” said the Iceman. “If you don't, I'll come back and hunt you down."

"You can't hurt me,” said Penelope confidently. “No one can hurt me."

"You were lucky,” he answered, his face contorted with pain. “Next time you won't be."

She approached the wounded man and stared down at him. “Do you really think it's just luck that my friend and I are the only two who lived? Do you really think that?"

"Come, Soothsayer,” said the Mock Turtle placidly. “It is time to leave."

The Iceman tried to reach his pistol, but it had fallen too far away, and he couldn't drag his body over to it.

"I'll find you,” he promised.

"No, you won't,” said Penelope. “The Mock Turtle and I are going to go away now, not to Summergold, but to some place where no one can find me. And I'm going to grow up, and I'm going to learn more about being the Soothsayer, and someday, when I'm ready, I'll come back.” She turned to look at the Mouse's body. “And I'll never love anyone ever again."