by John Bowers
“Listen, you sick bastard,” he said in a clear voice. “I want the key to unlock that slave girl you’re holding in your tent. If I don’t get it right fucking now I’m going to spray your brains all over this kitchen!”
Booger’s eyes sprang wide.
“I-I don’t know anything about a slave g…”
“Give me the goddamn key!”
Panting hard, Booger stuck a hand in his pocket and came up with a key ring. He held it up and Nick snatched it, gave him a shove, and turned back to the rear tent. Two minutes later he had the girl unlocked and shepherded her and Maria out to the cars. He put them both in his own rental, gave Susie a signal, and they lifted off.
Kline Corners was ten hours away.
Chapter 13
Fatigue not only slows your reaction, it can color your judgment. Always get plenty of rest. Nothing is so important that it can’t wait until morning.
Page 213, U.F. Marshal Handbook
“Bullshit!”
—Professor Milligan, U.F. Marshal Academy
Sunday, July 19, 0442 (CC) – Kline Corners, Sirius 1
Both suns were well up when Nick settled his rented hovercar in the alley behind the hotel in Kline Corners. Susie landed right behind him, and they both shut down. Nick told the women to wait while he went inside the hotel.
The lobby was empty except for the old clerk, who was watching a gladiator match on a dusty 3DV. He looked up as Nick leaned across the counter.
“Mornin’, Marshal. You just gettin’ in?”
Nick ignored the question. “Sam, are those two rooms upstairs still empty?”
“Yep. Always are, except for weekends. Rented ‘em Friday night, but they’re empty now.”
“Okay, I’m renting them both for a few days. Give me the keys.”
“What name you want ‘em under?”
“My name.” Nick pulled out his wallet and peeled off two hundred sirios. “If this doesn’t cover it, I’ll settle up later.”
Sam took the money and spun the keyboard around. “You wanna fill out the forms?”
Nick shook his head. “You already have my information. Just copy it for these rooms.”
Sam frowned, as if the idea were revolutionary.
“That computer does have a copy function, doesn’t it?”
Sam scratched his chin. “It might, but I never used it. Don’t know how it works.”
“Okay, forget it. I’ll do it later, just flag the rooms as rented. And Sam—” He reached out and touched the man’s chin, to make sure he had his attention. “Don’t tell anybody about this, you hear me? This is official U.F. business.”
The old man’s eyes widened slowly as awareness crept up on him. “Official business.”
“That’s right. Don’t tell a soul. If anybody wants the rooms, you say they’re not available. Anybody wants to know who is in them, you just say they’re reserved. You got that? Reserved.”
Sam nodded, his eyes glazed. “Reserved.”
“That’s right. Now, one more thing—I’m going to be in my room for awhile, but if anybody besides Judy Norris comes up those stairs, I want you to call me before they reach the top. That’s very important. You got that?”
Sam moistened his lips. “Give you a call.”
“That’s right. You have my portable number. Now where are the keys?”
The old man handed him the two keys, still looking shell-shocked. This was more drama than he was used to. Nick saw his expression and got his attention again.
“Sam.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m a U.F. Marshal. This is official Federation business. It’s very important that I can count on you. If you let me down, or if I find out you told anyone about this…I may have to kill you.”
The old man recoiled as if he’d been slapped. Reality surged through his brain.
“I cain’t even tell Sheriff Blake?”
“Not even him. Nobody, Sam!”
Nick climbed the stairs and unlocked the two empty rooms. Altogether, the rooms contained three double beds, enough to sleep six. He turned on the A/C to chill them, unlocked the connecting door between them, and went back down to the alley. He brought the women in the back and up the rear stairs, locking the back door to prevent anyone from using the stairs without Sam seeing them.
Maria and the girls looked worn and exhausted, and several of them sprawled across the beds with moans of relief. Nick rummaged in the closets and found spare blankets and pillows. Those who wouldn’t fit on the beds could sleep on the floor.
“Get some rest,” he told them. “You can shower first if you like. I’ll have some food up here shortly.”
He backed into the hallway and closed the door. The floor creaked behind him and he spun around, his hand snaking toward his weapon. Judy Norris stood there with curiosity stamped across her features.
“What’s all the racket?” she demanded. “I thought I heard a whole herd of people come up the stairs.”
Nick relaxed.
“You did. I’ll explain it to you later. Right now I’d rather you didn’t ask any questions, and please don’t tell anyone.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“I have some people in protective custody. Their lives might be in danger.”
“Danger? From who?”
“Better that you don’t know. It’s only for a few hours, maybe until tomorrow. Until then I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
She stared at him a moment, then a little smile broke out and she took a step toward him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him leisurely on the lips, moaning softly. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes, her expression impish.
“I might,” she said throatily, “if you make it worth my while.”
Nick was exhausted, but couldn’t deny that she had an effect on him. He returned the kiss, giving her a squeeze.
“I promise I’ll do that. But only if you keep up your end of the bargain.”
He coaxed Judy back to her room, then called Dr. Taylor on his porta-phone.
“Marshal Walker! What can I do for you?”
“Are you busy right at the moment?” Nick asked. “With a patient or anything?”
“No, it’s been quiet this morning. What’s up?”
“I need you to come over to the hotel, if you don’t mind. Bring whatever you need to conduct a physical exam.”
“Male, or female?”
“Female,” he said. “Eight of them.”
“Eight!”
“One more thing,” he added. “Don’t tell a soul what you’re up to. I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
“All right. I’ll be right over.”
Nick sat down on the top step of the stairs and rubbed his eyes. How long since he’d slept? Two or three hours at Paradise Gulch, and nothing before that since leaving Kline Corners on Friday afternoon. He was beat, but there was too much to do. He wasn’t completely sure of the next step, but whatever it was had to be done quietly; if word got out that he’d freed eight Spanic females from slavery, anything might happen.
He heard the front door of the hotel swing open and a minute later steps on the stairs. His porta-phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Marshal, the doctor is goin’ up the stairs.”
“I got it, Sam. Thanks.”
Nick logged off just as Alice Taylor came into view on the landing. She carried a medical bag and looked up at him curiously. Nick stood up and stepped back.
“This must be important,” she smiled, inviting an explanation.
“You’re about to find out. This way.”
Nick unlocked the first door to the two rooms and let the doctor step inside. Her mouth fell open and she stared in disbelief.
“Constanza! Julia!”
Most of the girls had been dozing, but heads jerked up at the sound of the doctor’s voice. Constanza Valenzuela leaped off the bed and into her arms, sobs bursting from her throat. Taylor hugged the girl a
nd patted her soothingly, kissing her cheek. Julia Gato crowded close and she put an arm around her, too. Taylor’s head swiveled around to Nick, her own eyes shining with tears.
“You found them!” she gasped. “Where? How?”
“That’s not important right now. I’d like you to check them over and make sure they’re healthy. I need to interview them after you’re done.”
“I could do that much better in my office.”
“I know, but I don’t want them on the street. There are things going on that I don’t understand yet, and I’m not taking any chances.”
“You think they might be in danger?”
“It’s possible.” He stepped back and started to close the door. “Take your time, Doctor. I’ll be right next door if you need anything. I’m in number 2.”
Nick went into his own room, turned on the air, and kicked off his boots. He settled down on the bed and placed another call. Suzanne Norgaard answered.
“Hi, Mr. Kline.”
“Suzanne, it’s Nick Walker.”
“Nick! Nobody but Mr. Kline ever calls this number. How did you get it?”
“Found it in the files. Listen, I need a favor.”
“Okay, if I can.”
“I need breakfast for nine sent over to the hotel. And I need you to do it quietly.”
Puzzled silence filled his ear for a moment.
“What do you mean ‘quietly’?”
“Don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. Just get the meals over here as quick as you can. Use the alley.”
Suzanne’s voice sounded slightly chilled as she replied.
“Nine breakfasts, hold the gossip. Got it. I’ll send it over with Kristina.”
“Don’t let her come alone. Send Nathan Green or some other man with her.”
The chill evaporated. “Nick, what the hell is going on? You’re scaring me!”
“I’ll tell you when I see you. Call me when Kristina leaves. I’ll meet her at the back door of the hotel.”
“Will she be in danger?”
“Not if you follow my instructions.”
“I’ll bring the food over myself.”
“Okay. Call me when you leave.”
Suzanne arrived twenty minutes later with the food, pushing a hover-cater in front of her. Eggs, blackened ham, fried potatoes, biscuits, hot flour gravy, slices of fruit…and two gallons of Brazilian coffee. Nick helped her get the hover-cater up the stairs and unlocked the door to the two rooms.
Suzanne’s gorgeous green eyes bulged at the sight of so many girls crowded into the small area.
Maria came forward to help with the food, her kitchen instincts taking over. In short order, the girls settled down wherever they could find space and began devouring the meal.
Dr. Taylor was bent over one of the girls, working a stethoscope across her back. She straightened up.
“Hello, Suzanne,” she said.
“Marshal, none of the girls show any signs of serious physical abuse. I’ll do pelvics on them later, because I’m pretty sure they’ve all been raped, but none of them has anything immediately wrong with them.”
Suzanne still stared in wonder at the girls. She turned slowly to look at Nick.
“Are these the thirteen girls you told me about?”
“Three of them are, the rest are from up north.”
“How in goddess name…You just got here! And you found them already?”
“Luck,” he said wearily. “Can I have that?” He reached for the last breakfast. “This one’s for me.” He grinned at Suzanne. “Thanks for getting it over here so quick.”
She laid a hand on his shoulder and turned toward the stairs.
“No problem. I’ll leave the cater here. You can return the dishes whenever you’re done.”
“Suzanne…”
She glanced back.
“Mum’s the word. Got that?”
She nodded soberly.
“You don’t need to worry about me, Nick. I’m on your side.”
Nick retired to his room to eat his breakfast. Twenty minutes later Dr. Taylor knocked on his door.
“They’re all going to live,” she told him after he waved her into a chair. “They all have some emotional scars, but that’s to be expected. The older woman, Maria, has suffered the most. She’s lost everything, or thinks she has.”
Nick nodded and drained the last of his coffee.
“What happens now?” Alice Taylor asked. “Legally, I mean.”
“I need to interview each and every one of them, especially the three from this area. I’m pretty sure the others were taken in the north, legally according to Texiana law, but I think someone from around here is responsible for the local girls. I’d like to find out who the bastard is.”
He sighed.
“After that, the local girls can go home. I’m not sure what to do about the others; if they return to where they came from, the word will get out that they’re free and it’s likely they’ll just get taken again. The slavers aren’t going to want people to think that girls can just walk away from slavery and go home, so they’ll silence them one way or another.”
“They’re all young, except for Maria. They could probably find homes in the villages. Lots of young Spanic men would be interested in marrying them. Nothing like a new pretty face to excite that kind of interest.”
“Would they be safe?”
“Sure, as safe as any serf girl is. They’re all subject to the whims of any white men who show up, but in that respect they’d be no worse off than they were at home. I can arrange it if you’d like. I know quite a few people in the villages.”
Nick nodded gratefully. “I’d appreciate that. If we were on Terra, this sort of thing would be decided by a court. But out here whatever the court ordered couldn’t be enforced. I’m only one man, and…”
He stopped. It wouldn’t be prudent to admit to her that Marshal Steve Baker had proven to be corrupt, or that Nick had been forced to kill him. That was a sword that still waited to fall.
“Anyway, whatever you can do will help me tremendously.”
Taylor got to her feet.
“Then I’ll take care of it. If you like, we can transfer all the girls to my house after dark. I have several spare rooms, and they would be less likely to be noticed there.”
“Thanks.”
“That leaves Maria. What about her?”
Nick shrugged. “I’ll talk to her. If she insists on going home, I’ll let her. But Suzanne might be persuaded to hire her at the Vega. Maria is one hell of a cook.”
Chapter 14
Sooner or later you will run afoul of the local aristocracy. This may present complications to your mission, but your mission is clear—Federation law applies equally to everyone.
Page 237, U.F. Marshal Handbook
After Dr. Taylor left, Nick told the girls to get some sleep and locked the doors to both rooms. He retired to his own room, set the alarm for four hours, and crashed into oblivion.
The alarm woke him shortly after noon and he looked out the window. As usual, Kline Corners looked dead, nothing moving. Waves of heat shimmered across the street and a light, gusting wind pushed desert grit ahead of it. He checked the girls, found most of them still asleep, and went downstairs.
“Sam.”
The old clerk jumped at the sound of his name. He looked at Nick and swallowed hard.
“I’m going over to my office for a few minutes. Call me if anyone goes upstairs.”
“Sure, Marshal. And I won’t tell a soul.”
“You better not.”
Nick walked the short block to his office and let himself in. His message light was on, and he wasn’t surprised to see Marshal Colwell’s face on the holo-monitor.
“Walker, this is John Colwell. I need to you call me as soon as you get this message. I don’t think I have to tell you that it’s urgent.”
Nick grimaced and punched the call-back feature. Colwell’s face appeared almost at once. His express
ion darkened when he saw Nick’s face.
“Didn’t think you were gonna call, Walker,” he said grimly.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Maybe because you murdered my partner, for starters.”
Nick leaned forward, his anger rising.
“Colwell, let’s get one thing straight right now—don’t ever try to bully me, all right? If you’re any kind of a lawman you already know it was self defense.”
“How the hell would I know that?”
“I repeat…if you’re any kind of lawman…you’ve talked to Ted Strong’s office girl, Yolanda. She saw the whole thing.”
“How the hell could I have talked to her? Yolanda’s with you.”
“What?” Hairs prickled on the nape of Nick’s neck.
“I said you took her. Don’t try to play innocent, Walker.”
“If I took her, then who told you Baker was dead? You know damn well I didn’t call you.”
“Why don’t you come back down here and we’ll talk about it.”
“I will come back down there, but we’ll talk about it right now. Who called you?”
“Ted Strong. He saw the whole thing.”
“If he did, he was invisible. He wasn’t around when I talked to Yolanda after the shooting. I told her to call you and tell you what she saw.”
“Well, she didn’t, and she didn’t. She’s nowhere to be found.”
Nick felt a growing dread. If Strong had called Colwell, and told a different story than the truth, where was Yolanda? Nick now wished he’d insisted on taking her with him.
“What was Strong’s version?”
“Baker saw you taking the girls and thought you were kidnapping them. He tried to stop you and you gunned him down in cold blood.”
Nick stared at Colwell in dismay.
“And you believe that story.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I’ve known Strong for years. He has no reason to lie.”
“You’re a goddamn fool, Colwell. How’d you ever earn that badge?”
Colwell seemed to swell in the monitor.
“Look here, fuckstick! You have a lot to answer for, so don’t go calling me names.”
“Okay, you’re not a fool. You’re an idiot. Strong was sitting on two hundred thousand sirios in female flesh, and I took it away from him. That’s two hundred thousand reasons to lie about what he didn’t even see.”
