The Jessie James Archives

by Craig Gallant

  As Jesse moved, he shook his head. “Still don’t know what you’re gettin’ at, Doctor. Me an’ the Kid, we ain’t got no unpleasantness between us.”

  Carpathian’s smile was so condescending it was everything Jesse could do not to slap it off of him. “I understand. Well, your arms look to be in tip-top shape.” He lifted the sleeves of Jesse’s shirt and prodded at the flesh where the metal was connected to his body. “Connection points seem healthy and robust. I would not imagine you should have any further troubles.” He looked up quickly with a look of apology whose sincerity was entirely suspect. “I mean, I do not think you should have any troubles at all.”

  Jesse could feel the guilt burn behind his face while the feeling of loss and anger he had been living with for days threatened to engulf him all over again. While he struggled with these feelings, however, Doctor Carpathian was already moving on.

  “Now, Mr. James, let us further discuss this adventure you are planning. You are wishing for me to look into your transportation, and I think I have just the thing for you. As for weapons and power, again, I think I can do more than you might have wished. But as for any additional assistance, I would need to know what type of work you are contemplating. I am guessing you are not just looking to stir up mischief. Your demeanor suggests there is something… extraordinary about this expedition.”

  Jesse shook his head trying to clear it of the guilt, fear, and confusion. “Well, we reckon we might be havin’ to dig. If you’ve got anythin’ fer diggin’—“

  “You have looked out the window, I know, Mr. James?” Carpathian sat back with a wry smile.

  Jesse was even more flustered. “Sure. ‘Course. You got a huge mine back there. You got any diggin’ tools we might be able to… borrow?”

  Carpathian shook his head, smile firmly in place. “Sadly, no. As much as I would love to let you… borrow, expensive excavating equipment, I’m afraid nothing I have would be portable enough for you to take with you. All of my workings are designed and built on-sight. Unless you would like to take some of my modified Animations, to save you some manual labor?”

  Jesse answered quickly. “No, no, that’s okay. We’ll just pick up some shovels and picks along the way.”

  Carpathian’s eyes drifted towards the window and he pushed himself back up out of his chair, moving around the desk. “I must admit, however, that you have piqued my interest, Mr. James. Buried treasure not being among your usual repertoire, not to mention the tantalizing mention of the Warrior Nation, the hated Union, and so on. What, if I might make so bold, is it exactly that you are designing to dig up?”

  Jesse stared down at his right hand, opening and closing the fingers into a hard metallic fist. Everything seemed to be moving smoothly, but then, everything had been moving smoothly, for the most part, before his arrival. He looked up as the expectant silence registered in his distracted brain.

  “Hmm? Oh, I don’t even know, Doctor.” He shrugged. “Someone got a line on somethin’ big, maybe, buried out in the desert. We’re thinkin’, maybe if someone else thinks it’s big, maybe it’s somethin’ we might want to look into.” He shot the Doctor a grin. “See what the market will bear, you know?”

  Carpathian smiled and nodded, but he seemed distracted as he sat down behind the desk. “Yes, well, excavation, still, does not strike me as being strongly placed within your bailiwick, if you do not mind my saying, Mr. James.” He folded his hands in front of him and gave the outlaw boss a warm smile. “Whereas, I was thinking, perhaps another train job? I have been tinkering with a new weapon system that I think is about ready to test on a major target, and I cannot think of a better subject than a Union Heavy Rail train. What would you say to another joint venture, Mr. James?”

  Jesse shook his head. “’Fraid not, sir. I’ve got an appointment in Diablo Canyon that I better not miss.” Carpathian’s reaction to the buried object, and Jesse’s interest in it, was ringing false to him, and he suddenly realized he needed to tread carefully with this man who was not a friend. The doctor was a sometime-ally, and a sometime-adversary, and unfortunately necessary to keep sweet in case anything ever happened to his arms, but he was no friend.

  “Are you quite certain? I believe my Ion Energy Net device will be capable of catching all manner of RJ-1027 vehicles and technology in its web, and there could be no better test than the Heavy Rail. We could choose almost any target. Some of them are coming down from Washington absolutely laden with gold and notes, I hear.” The smile grew wider.

  Jesse gave the doctor a look he hoped seemed speculative. “Well, Doctor, I have to admit, you’re makin’ a pretty good case. If we do go after a Heavy, though, we’re still gonna need this new gear. What say, you give me a price on the new plunder, I talk to my boys, an’ we make the call later. I still may need to make a quick stop if we’re headin’ back east.”

  The doctor’s smile widened slightly. Jesse marked this sudden release of tension for further thought. He wanted to hear what Frank might have to say about the Doc’s reactions. “That sounds excellent, Mr. James. Now, let me see.” He looked down at a sheaf of papers on his desk. “Judging from reports, you rode into town with roughly twenty companions?” Jesse nodded, no longer surprised at the information the doc always seemed to have at his fingertips.

  “Excellent. Well, refurbishing weapons and vehicles, providing replacements and energy cylinders for the lot.” His finger moved down a column of numbers on one piece of paper. “Let us say, twenty thousand, for the entire group?” His smile was predatory again, and Jesse tried not to let the shock show in his face.

  “Twenty.” He kept his voice flat. “That would leave us with a tad less than we were hopin’ to walk away with, to tell you the truth, Doctor.”

  The smile widened. “Well, remember, that we have said, half now, half in services at some later date? And of course, if you should choose to assist with the Ion Energy Net test, that would certainly go a long way towards equaling this particular debt.” The grin grew downright smug as the doctor’s eyes flicked down to Jesse’s arms and back up again.

  Jesse thought for a moment. He knew they could pay half immediately, although Frank would howl to the heavens about it. But they had the coins and the notes to do it. The last bit, about paying for the second half in services in the future… exactly what would Carpathian think would be equal, in the services of Jesse’s gang, to ten thousand dollars in hard currency?

  Jesse knew there was no way they could face down Billy’s gang with the equipment they had available. If Billy was right, and somewhere along the trail there was going to be someone mean enough that Billy really did need Jesse and his boys… well, it was not going to go well for Jesse if he decided to go it alone and they did not have the latest the doctor could provide. Yet, twenty thousand was a lot of dinero to be throwing around.

  “I don’t know, Doctor. That’s a hefty bill, to be honest.” He watched Carpathian for his reaction, and was happy when the old man leaned forward, eagerness to strike the deal flaring in his eyes.

  “Well, Mr. James, let me see if I can entice you perhaps a little bit further. I have been designing a new transportation, something perhaps more robust than the Iron Horses so graciously provided by the Union and your first train job. I have not yet decided what to call it, but it can cover difficult terrain more easily, is faster in overgrown areas, carries more armor, and has a greater carrying capacity.” His smile broadened and he gestured widely with both arms. “Not to mention that it is the latest technology I have to offer.”

  Jesse looked at the old man for a moment. It never failed. Carpathian always knew what a rube he was for new tech, and even knowing that, Jesse was always scooped in by the latest shiny. “I wouldn’t mind seein’ somethin’ like that for myself, Doc… ter… if you’ve got one layin’ about.”

  Carpathian smiled even more broadly. “Excellent! And let me show you something we have just put into production today.” He pulled the small sheet from the objects on the d
esk, revealing several small, sleek-looking pistols, each of similar design.

  The doctor picked one of the weapons up and held it out to Jesse. The thing looked almost like a child’s toy. Its sleek lines were clearly made of some light metal from the weight and feel, and yet there were no cylinders for the RJ-1027 cartridges. He flipped the small pistol easily in his hand to look sideways down the barrel, only to see that there was no real bore. The barrel ended in a clear chunk of crystal or glass. He looked up at the doctor with a questioning eyebrow.

  The doctor’s responding smile was almost childlike. “Is it not fantastic? It is something that Thomas has been working on nearly since his arrival. We call it an ion pistol. Fairly short range, I’m afraid, but any RJ-1027 technology you shoot with this pretty little thing will immediately cease to function. It fires an agitated stream of ions… but never mind, you do not care for the technical minutia, I know.” The smile took on a slightly patronizing edge. “Anyway, suffice it to say, you fire this weapon at anything carried by the Union, or anyone else bearing modern weaponry, and you will swiftly have them at a severe disadvantage!”

  Jesse looked quickly down at his own arms and up again, not trying to hide the dismay. Carpathian immediately reached out to pat the outlaw’s armored forearm reassuringly. “Do not worry, Mr. James. Your arms are only moderately powered by the RJ-1027 within them. Most of their power comes from your own body’s electrical field. Even should the unthinkable happen, and someone fire one of these weapons at you, your arms would still function. You would not be helpless.”

  Jesse tried to imagine what it would be like, in the middle of a fight, if his arms suddenly stopped working. Many of his hidden fears came surging up at the thought. To be helpless before the enemy, to be at the mercy of anyone, never mind someone actively seeking to do him harm?

  The outlaw came back to himself when the doctor patted his forearm again with a dull thud. “Please, Mr. James, do not fret. There are only four of these weapons extant throughout the wide world, and I am giving you two of them. The other two remain here, where myself and Mr. Edison will continue to perfect the technology. For now, look upon them as nothing more than a great advantage being proffered to you and you alone.”

  Jesse nodded vaguely, unable to completely shake the terror that had been rushing through his mind. “How much would these add to my tab, Doctor?”

  Again the old man’s arms were thrown magnanimously wide. “Why, included in the original fee, of course, Mr. James! I am not trying to render you destitute! In fact, for field testing these new weapons for me, I will reduce the balance somewhat. Shall we say, upon receipt of ten thousand dollars, you will only owe me eight thousand more in services? And the return of the ion pistols, of course. And, should you decide to keep the new vehicle, I would make that a gift, for loyal service in the past, and continued friendship in the future?”

  Jesse found his brain starting to tie up in all the numbers and conditions, and nodded before he could work himself into a paralyzing bout of self-doubt. He reached out across the desk and Carpathian took his hand, shaking it vigorously. “I think you have yourself a deal, Doctor Carpathian. Our cash is with my brother right now, so let me head down to the saloon, meet back up with the boys, and I’ll get you your money.”

  Carpathian rose from behind the desk with a broad smile. “Excellent, Mr. James! I shall walk you to the lift and see you on your way. Ursul should be at the bottom to guide you out.”

  “Thanks. I’m not sure I could make it on my own. These new digs are pretty impressive, Doctor.” Jesse allowed himself to be led out of the turret room and across the bridge hallway, bright sunlight still streaming through the long windows.

  “Thank you. Yes, it was designed as homage to my ancestral home, abandoned under duress many, many years ago. Its halls and rooms provide great solace when my work threatens to overwhelm me with its scope and weight.” They walked down the corridor and stopped before the strange double doors. “Will you need assistance with the lift controls, Mr. James, or do you feel capable of finding your way down to the ground level?”

  Jesse forced himself to give a smile that could, charitably, be considered friendly. “No, Doctor, I reckon I’m good. I just press the button with the ‘P’ on it, right?”

  The old man nodded with a gracious smile. “Indeed, Mr. James. The button with the ‘P’ will bring you safely down to the ground level. Good day, to you. Ursul will arrange for a way you can communicate with us, when you decide the time has come for another great train heist to enter into the Jesse James legend. I hope will be hearing from you very soon.”

  Jesse shook the extended hand again and walked cautiously into the tiny room behind the double doors. He turned around, forcing his back to remain straight, and gave a sidelong smile to the doctor before reaching out and gently pushing the correct button. The door slid shut on Carpathian’s smiling face, and Jesse signed with relief.

  He looked at the array of buttons, wondering what all these disks above the ‘P’ might mean. He had puzzled out the basic structure of the control pad, and so he was fairly confident that the buttons between the ‘P’ and the ‘A’ were the levels from the ground floor to the tower room he had just left. But what were all of the other buttons? Basement levels? He counted them. Ten? He did not want to even contemplate what Carpathian might have going on ten levels below ground.

  As the floor rumbled away and the walls creaked and hissed, Jesse tried to recall everything that had happened while he had been speaking with Carpathian concerning Billy’s mysterious object. The doctor had seemed most eager to change the subject, trying to divert Jesse from this particular job. Was there a reason? Did he know something about more about the whole affair than Jesse or Billy?

  Jesse felt a smile spread over his face at the thought. If Carpathian knew, or thought he knew, what was out there, it could very well be that Billy was right, and it was something important after all. If it was something important after all, it was possible that this caper could do everything he wanted and more.

  Now he just needed to convince Frank the price was right, stick around for the repairs and refitting, and get out of Payson without tipping his hand.

  The smile faltered slightly before flaring back full force. Well, what was life without some challenges?

  Chapter 10

  Jesse hunched over the controls of his new mount and thrilled at the growling roar. He had been calling it a trike after the three wheeled vehicles city swells had tried to introduce into Kansas City. His men, however, following the lead of damned Cole Younger, had taken to calling it a Blackjack, because, as Cole was swift to point out, the twenty other men riding in the posse were moseying along on the same old Iron Horses that had been seeing them through for well over a decade now. However, for Jesse, the twenty first of their number, it was nothing but the absolute best. There may have been a small touch of frustrated bitterness behind it, as there often was when Cole got clever about something Jesse had going, but it was plenty rich for the rest of the boys, and at this point even Frank was calling the big armored brute a Blackjack. Jesse had stopped trying to fight it.

  With two large drive wheels in front and a smaller stabilizer wheel behind the driver, the Blackjack was far steadier in high-speed maneuvers than the top-heavy Iron Horses. The big craft was locked to the ground by its heavy wheels as opposed to riding on the blasts of heated air that suspended the ‘Horses, but the Blackjack was actually faster on the straightaway. The broad armored nose provided more protection from a wider arc to the front in battle, as well. The four blaster muzzles that thrust from fairings in the front promised that it could rack up the pain when it had to as well.

  Jesse cranked the power higher and gloried in the change in pitch from the RJ-1027 engine beneath him. The thing vibrated like there was a demon from hell trapped inside, and the image pleased the outlaw to no end. Behind him his men struggled to keep up, their own machines grinding out an even louder, thunderous bellow that ec
hoed off the low hills and scrub pines around them. Each of those machines had been completely refurbished by the best engineers the doctor had on hand, but still they were no match for the Blackjack.

  Blackjack. Lucky 21. Jesse grinned savagely behind his red-tinted goggles and gunned the engine again, reveling in the feeling of freedom that only such a burst of power along an empty open road could offer. Maybe he would let them call it a Blackjack after all.

  They had been riding nonstop since Payson, and he knew the relentless pace was once again taking its toll. After riding all last night, the blazing sunset was a stark reminder of the exhaustion that plagued them all at this point. Still, they needed to get to Diablo Canyon if Jesse was going to have any chance of getting the lay of the land. He wanted to prepare something clever for the Kid. Most of the men still believed they would be joining Billy and his gang at the canyon, but Frank and the Youngers knew better. They knew Jesse had no intention of sharing whatever was at the end of the trail Billy had stumbled upon up in the mountains, and he certainly had no intention of sharing the glory and the influence, if any was to be had, with the no account little sand lizard.

  Jesse had not formulated any concrete plans for Billy yet, but the wheels of his mind spun nearly every minute of the day, looking at every angle and trying to decide the best way to set events. It had been years since he had been to Diablo Canyon, and he had heard some nasty rumors about the metal man that had been lawing it up in the town recently. At the same time, his last couple of days in Kansas City still haunted him. The knowledge of how wrong things had gone in Missouri City, along with those terrible last moments with Misty, were never far from his thoughts. Every time he closed his eyes, he knew the image of her, face torn and bleeding, hatred and fear blazing in her red-rimmed eyes, would be waiting for him.