"The rest of them should be finished soon." Stays looked like he was presenting his first big school project as he faced me with a big grin.
"What?"
Stays waved toward the angel cakes. "What do you think, Chief."
"Good," I answered. "They should do fine." I turned away as tears seemed to catch in my throat. Marietta squeezed my shoulder again and whispered in my ear.
"You can't fix everything and everybody, Pancho. You're only a man. But right now you're an RC and you can't take out time for a broke heart. You got things to do."
"Fidel?" called Herb as Marietta removed her hand from my shoulder.
"What?"
"What did you answer?" demanded Don Guido Abalone in an angry voice.
I wrestled down my temper. It was true. There were too many important things that needed doing to waste time on blind rage. Besides, as they showed me at the CSA meeting, rage never did anything for me except get me in trouble. I still hadn't learned what to do with the rage I had bottled up in me. Maybe I needed to focus my rage on something, the annihilation of which would serve the cause.
I bowed and said, "Forgive me, Don Guido. How may I serve you?"
Don Guido held out his hand toward the angel cakes. "The girls are almost ready and I don't want us to be late for the party."
"Yes, Don Guido." I turned away and called, "Ondo!"
In a moment Ondo Suth and Nance led three lughoxen to where we stood. The critters had been brushed, their horns polished, and their hair braided and ribboned. On the back of one of the animals was the rat-faced glower of Don Guido's consigliere, Salvatore Capon, alias Darrell Garoit.
"Here are our steeds, godfather," I announced.
"Excellent."
Don Guido mounted the steed next to Salvatore's, and I mounted the remaining animal. Stays walked over and stopped next to my lugh. He held up some papers to me. "Take care, Chief, and here are your additions to the Law of the Razai."
"Who is making all the copies?"
"Ila Toussant."
"She's very handy."
Stays laughed, but said with sincerity, "She's a gift from the gods, Sherlock. Again, take care."
"I'll do my best. By the way, here's something to think about. Something that Herb mentioned." I stuffed the papers in my copy of the Law, and nodded toward the Hand camp. "If the Razai still exists after all this is done, we've got a lot of rape and murder charges were going to have to handle."
Stays frowned for a moment, then by gradual degrees his eyebrows climbed. "Great Mother Crowbar," said Stays, putting a hand to his head. "I see what you mean."
"Here's something else to think about. I'm not the only investigator in the RC. Get my drift?'
"You want us to run trials too?"
"You got it.
Stays rubbed his chin. "I don't know."
"What's the matter. You scared?"
"No, it's not that." He grinned. "Well, it is that, but there's something else, too.
"What is it?"
Stays looked up at me. "With the investigations going on at the same time, independent from each other, with the way we make up the rules as we go along, separate investigations, might come up with conflicting rules."
"So figure out some way to take care of it. Like I said, if we're alive after this, we're going to have a lot of rhubarb to chop." I reached out my arm and patted his shoulder. "I'll be as careful as I can."
Stays reached beneath his sheet and took something from an inside pocket. He held up his arm and handed it to me. "Here. I made you something."
I took it from his fingers and turned it over in my hand. It was a big silver-colored five-pointed star with the words: "Chief—Razai Police" carved into its center. On the other side, the top point of the star had been shaped into a needle and bent back so that the star could be pinned on. I bounced it in my hand. "You really have a lot of time on your hands, don't you?"
"Do you like it?"
I reached under my sheet and stuck it inside my shirt pocket.
"What'd you make it out of?"
"I cut it out of the lid of one of those personal belongings boxes. Do you like it?"
"Yeah. Make one for yourself, and make 'em for the rest of the RC."
Stays moved back, and as more girls arrived, Nance looked them over and nodded her approval. Finally she examined Don Guido, Salvatore, and myself as the last of the girls assembled. "I have to admit," she said to Don Guido, "you are beautiful, you macho goomba thing you." She mouthed the words "You too" at Garoit. Salvatore Capon blushed.
Nance climbed halfway up the side of a dune so she could see all of us. She grinned and shook her head. "All of you look really silly."
Everyone laughed, and Nance held out her hands for quiet. "Keep it down!" When it was quiet enough for her to be heard, Nance continued. "Okay, now you know how to turn on macho man: puff up your glands, dress like a little girl, paint up like a Comanche, make yourself smell like a drugstore, act stupid, and tell him you're a virgin."
They laughed again, and in a way I felt like they were laughing at me. Actually, in a way they were laughing at me.
Nance's voice became serious. "You all know the ready signal and the do it signal. We're counting on you to tie up and take out at least half of their force in the main camp." She was silent for a long time. "I'm counting on you to do your jobs without getting killed yourselves."
She looked us over one more time and said, "The rest of the army is in position." She smiled at me and looked at Don Guido. "So go break a leg. Go break a lot of legs."
Don Guido saluted in farewell and urged his mount forward. Salvatore Capon rode beside him, and I headed the train of beautiful women, dividing my thoughts between what I had to do and wondering where Alna was and how she was doing alone in the desert.
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▫
The Short but Happy Life of El Fugitivo
▫
In the Hand camp, our angel cakes were held under close guard by at least two hundred rifles while, in the palace tent, Pau Avanti and Don Guido tied up a few loose ends.
"Don Guido," said Pau Avanti from his throne, "there are several things I do not understand. I hope you can clarify them."
From his chair facing the prince, Don Guido waved his hand in a careless gesture. "I will try my best, Don Pau." We could all see how Pau Avanti preened at the use of the "Don" before his name.
"Very well. First, what was this business last night?"
"Business?"
Pau Avanti nodded. "Yes. The big chili, Damas, who bossed your gang. The poorly-dressed attendants she had."
Standing behind the don's chair, Salvatore Capon was looking very nervous. For a brief moment I thought Nance's choice of Garoit for the part of Salvatore had been foolish, but the more I thought about it, the better the choice seemed. A consigliere standing in the center of an enemy's camp, his don's life in his hands, should be nervous.
Guido Abalone shrugged and held out his hands. "You cannot blame me, Don Pau, for being cautious. We knew nothing of you." He smiled knowingly. "I mean to give no offense, but so many of the gangs are headed by maus or chili peppers. We even heard of a gang of chops. It is not wise to take chances."
"That is true," said Pau Avanti.
"It is good that you understand. You will understand as well, then, why we could not reveal the true nature of the Razai until we could satisfy ourselves that you were genuine. Hence, we could not trust you completely until the daughter of Red Pete Argento said that our two families could meet together in trust and mutual respect."
"Is that what that mysterious thing she said—that 'Ease army Rome' something—meant."
"Forgive us our little signals." Don Guido raised an eyebrow as he looked around the tent. "I trust Maranta is well?"
"Very well. She is getting dressed for the party, always providing that there is to be a party." From the tone of Pau's voice, it was clear
that we were selling, but that the prince wasn't buying.
"I certainly hope there is no shadow between us to spoil the party." Don Guido waved his hand. "After all, we have gone to considerable expense to prepare for it. I have brought my best girls."
"In any case, Don Guido, Maranta is late." He held out a hand. "You know how women are."
"Yes, of course."
I was grateful that no one looked at me right then. Either I would have laughed or fled from the tent. Neither course would have aided our cause at all. There was a slight commotion at the rear of the tent, and I turned to see Marantha Silver, clad in a filmy macho gland-thumper if I ever saw one. The prince held out his hand. "Ah, there she is now. Isn't she lovely?"
Don Guido stood, turned, and bowed until Marantha was seated on the cushions at Pau Avanti's feet. She looked surprised for an instant, then a light of understanding filled her eyes. She smiled warmly and said "Don Guido, I am honored."
"Maranta." Herb passed off the comment like it was only to be expected and resumed his seat. Two things teased at my mind right then. First, I was wondering how Herb was keeping off his heart attack, because Maranta Argento was some lovely picture right then. The other thing was, how did Marantha know that Herb was playing the part of Don Guido? All I could figure was that Minnie McDavies had snuck in to the Hand camp to clue Marantha, but Minnie was supposed to be on her way east to sit on top of the prisoners until we finished at the main camp. Hell, who ever knew where Minnie was?
Pau Avanti placed his fingertips together as he turned from Marantha and studied Herb Ollick. "As I am to understand it, Don Guido, you are the boss of the Razai gang?"
Don Guido winced as he held up his hand. "Please, Don Pau. I am the head of the Razai family. We don't use words such as 'boss' and 'gang' because of the press. You understand."
"Press? What press?"
"Of course, of course," laughed Guido Abalone. "But it is the tradition that is important, is it not?"
"I don't see."
Don Guido held out his hands and turned down the corners of his mouth. "So we are in the middle of a desert on a primitive planet. Big deal. The family has seen lean times before, has seen troubled times before." He pointed his jeweled finger up into the air. "Always we maintained our traditions. Omerta, the oath of initiation, making your bones, everything wrapped in Valachi papers, comprende lei? You see that, don't you?"
"Yes. Of course." The prince's brow was heavy with furrow. He didn't look like he understood much. I certainly hoped that the one thing he did understand wasn't that he was getting his leg pulled out of its socket.
Don Guido nodded. "Perhaps someday my family will find itself on another planet that has vids, reporters, and other forms of mass communication. Perhaps one day the press might come to Tartaros to see how we are all doing here, living off of the Union's terrible charity."
Don Guido intertwined his fingers and raised his eyebrows. "Perhaps one day Tartaros itself will even develop its own news media." He waved his hand back and forth. "Whatever happens, if our traditions have been maintained, we will be prepared. This is how it has been since the days of the Romans. Always the family must be protected."
"I understand, Don Guido."
"I was certain you would, Don Pau."
The prince nodded slowly and looked as though he were pretending to have difficulty saying something that might risk being regarded as disrespectful.
"With respect, Don Guido, what if I suggested that you have no legions out on the dunes? What if I said you only have four or five hundred captured weapons and a lot of weak, starving women? What would you say then?"
Don Guido flashed his phony diamonds as he grinned, and I swore that either Herb Ollick was the world's greatest con man, or he had completely lost himself in the part of Guido Abalone. "One thing I would say, Don Pau, is that perhaps you need your contacts cleaned. I think you might want to let your eyes caress the angel cakes I brought with me one more time before you conclude that they are starving." Herb rolled his eyes a bit to the laughter in the tent, then waved his hand at the prince. "Please finish your thought, Don Pau.''
"Very well, I will." Pau Avanti leaned forward, his elbows on his throne's armrests. He pointed a finger at Don Guido.
"To me you do not look strong enough or ruthless enough to be a don. What if I said that you are a nobody? What if I said your gang is bossed by that big bull croc lesbian chili pepper who was here last night with her little mau razor Minnie? What if I said I think I can attack the Razai right now, capture your women, and put the rest of you to death? What would you say to that?"
I could see Garoit sweating, and I knew I was, but Don Guido began laughing. When he was finished laughing, he leaned back in his chair, dried his eyes, crossed his legs, and said, "In answer to your questions, I would say that I think you have been listening to Lacy Moore."
"It's no crime," said the prince.
"No," agreed Don Guido, "but believing him could be quite hazardous to your health."
"Hazardous how?"
"Don Pau, did Lacy Moore also tell you that he is under a sentence of death by the Razai?"
The prince shrugged. "I assumed as much, since he had broken your law of silence."
"Since he has told you nothing but lies, Don Pau, it seems he has not violated omerta."
"So?"
Don Guido paused, a mischievous smile spread across his face, and he asked "Have you ever seen a man with painted lips, Don Pau?"
The prince's face grew dark with anger. "Explain yourself!"
Don Guido nodded and drummed his fingers on his knee. "I take it Lacy Moore hasn't told you that he is under sentence of death for forcing a boy to have sex with him."
There was a gasp in the tent, and Don Guido inspected his fingernails and buffed off an imaginary smudge. "He and two other strange ones forced themselves upon a boy. The other two have already been executed." He shook his head at the evils of the universe. "Of course, Don Pau, I have no idea how the Hand stands on this particular issue. I assumed you all to be men. However, I have noticed very few women in your camp."
Don Guido raised his eyebrows, nodded, and continued with a shake of his finger, "Very few women. Perhaps where you come from the brotherhood has adopted new ways—modernized. Among you it may even be called the brother and sisterhood—or, perhaps, the personhood?" As Herb chuckled merrily at his little joke, the silence within the palace tent could have absorbed an exploding star. Nothing was going to stop Herb, though.
"Perhaps Lacy Moore's evil, is only considered a mere peccadillo in the Hand—"
"No!" shouted Pau Avanti as he stood abruptly. "Make no more of these slurs upon the honorable name of the Hand, Don Guido!" He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. "Bring Moore to me! Bring him to me now!"
Atan Voam, Don Pau's consiggalorry, ran from the prince's presence. Pau Avanti glared down at Don Guido. "You walk thin ice, my friend. We are all real men here, and I, Pau Avanti, do not take kindly to your snide comments."
"I meant no disrespect, Don Pau. I had assumed you all to be real men. That was why I was confused by the reliance you seem to place on the words of the pervert Lacy Moore." Don Guido hung a limp wrist and let it flop. "I mean, my good friend, the name Lacy says it all, doesn't it?"
Don Guido held out his hands and looked around the room. "Lacy? Makes you just a little sick to the stomach, eh?" Don Guido said this with a smile still upon his lips. At that point I was willing to wager, just before they shot us, Herb Ollick would take a bow.
Lacy Moore came into the room flanked by six soldiers of the Mighty Blacks. The procession stopped before Pau Avanti. Lacy looked nervously at us, then faced the prince. "What is it? Did they say I was a liar? I told you they'd say I was a liar."
"No." Pau Avanti pursed his lips and clasped his hands in front of him. "There is something else that has been said, and I want to know if it is true. This is important, so listen carefully. They say that you are under a sentence of deat
h." He nailed Lacy with a down-home, East River, dead-fish stare. "Lacy Moore, they say that you are the kind of man who makes do with boys. Are you?"
Lacy's face flushed bright scarlet and the prince looked away, ashamed. "You have answered my question."
"Wait, I—"
"You have answered my question!"
Pau Avanti nodded toward Herb. "My sincerest apologies to you and to the Razai. May this Lacy Moore meet the same fate as his two strange accomplices. He is yours, Don Guido, and—"
"Don Guido!" Lacy shouted. "Just a second, Pau Avanti. You've got this all wrong!" Lacy turned toward Herb, "There's a play. It's called Mob C—"
Herb Ollick leaped to his feet, reached into his sleeve, and before anyone could see what was happening, the handle of a cutter was sticking out of the left-center of Lacy's chest. The man looked down at the handle, wide-eyed, almost as though he didn't believe his own senses. He opened his mouth, but no sound emerged.
"Lacy," said Don Guido as cool as Frosty on Pluto, "that's a little payback from Jim Bennet." Then Herb blew Lacy a kiss.
Lacy clutched one hand to his chest and reached the other out toward Don Guido. The big man fell on his face, his hand still outstretched. He twitched for a bit as Don Guido stepped over him.
"Don Pau," he called over his shoulder, "I apologize for the stains on your carpet. I think we may begin the party now, don't you?"
"Quite," answered the prince. Pau Avanti faced Atan Voam. "Have this mess cleaned up." He turned back to Don Guido. "And you will please ignore my unthinking remark about not being ruthless enough to boss a gang."
"Of course." Don Guido bowed, held out his elbow toward Marantha Silver and said, "May I escort you to the tarantella, Maranta?
She blushed and averted her eyes as she took Herb's arm. "Oh, Don Guido, I would love to."
Herb glanced at me and pointed at Lacy's still-warm corpse. "Fidel, be a good fellow and get my knife, will you?"
"Of course, Don Guido," I croaked. I watched the happy couple leave the tent arm-in-arm followed by a less than pleased Pau Avanti.
Party time.
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INFINITY HOLD3 Page 25
