by Simon Hawke
Lucas exhaled heavily. “God, what a mess “
“Yeah “ Delaney agreed. “But even if we’re not going to trust Jenny-and I’m entirely convinced we should-why would Drakov want to warn us about everything that’s going on back here? Why warn us of his presence? I can see no reason for it. Except that Jenny has actually betrayed him for Scott’s sake.”
“Well, either way, it makes no difference,” Lucas replied. “We got us a whole new ballgame. The only advantage we have, assuming Jenny’s on the level, is that Drakov doesn’t know she’s come over to our side. But there’s no way of knowing how long we’ll have that advantage, so we’re going to have to move fast.”
“Take Drakov first; said Andre.
“We’ll have to. And we’re going to have to do it right now.”
“What about Scott’?” asked Finn.
Lucas shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know. I just don’t know. All we can do at this point is play it by ear and hope for the best. But we’ll have to hit Drakov fast and hit him hard. Take him alive, if possible. Did Jenny tell
Scott how many people he’s got with him?’
“Scott said she saw at least four at that baseops he’s got in London, on the other side of the chronoplate in the opium den. He’s got Becky, over at the saloon, and some guy named Indian Charlie. Neither Scott nor I have seen him. That’s all we know about. There could be others. Plus he’s got an undetermined number of the Chinese residents of Hop Town that he can call upon. It seems he’s got them thinking he’s some kind of sorcerer. They’re all afraid of him, but whether or not they’ll actually fight for him is anybody’s guess.”
“Considering the risk involved, we’d better call for backup,” Andre said.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Lucas replied, and I’m not sure if we should. The more people from the future we introduce into this time sector, the greater the odds of increasing the instability that’s already present here. If we bring in reinforcements, it may force Stone’s hand and we would wind up fighting a pitched battle in the streets of Tombstone, with no one being certain which timeline they’re fighting in. For all we know, that’s exactly what Darkness doesn’t want to happen. Damn it, if only he’d told us more!”
“Only what happens if we go after Drakov by ourselves and we don’t make it?” asked Andre. “Who’s going to stop the S.O.G. and the Network? Who’ll be around to send up the balloon?”
“There’s still Neilson,” said Delaney.
“No good.” said Lucas. “I don’t want to count on him. For one thing, he’s gotten too mixed-up in the scenario. For another, he’s too vulnerable. We’ll need somebody else. We’ll have to bring in someone who can take charge immediately and call in the strike if anything goes wrong and we don’t make it.”
“Cooper?” Andre said.
Lucas nodded. “Yeah, Cooper. We need somebody who won’t get nervous and jump the gun, but who can hit and run with maximum effectiveness if need be. Cooper would be perfect. Under any other circumstances, he’d be the one we’d pick and we’re just going to have to go on our best instincts. We’ve got to treat this as if it were any other mission. We can’t afford to question our decisions and wonder if we shouldn’t be doing something different than what we ordinarily would have done, because of Darkness. He told us that whatever’s going to happen, we’ll be in a position to affect it, so I’ve got to assume were going to live at least that long.
“Well, that’s a cheery thought.” Delaney said.
“We’ve got to consider all the possibilities,” Lucas continued “The key point may come when we make our move against Drakov. Or it may come before that, in the next five or ten minutes, for all we know. Or it may come afterwards, involving either the Network or the S.O.G. or maybe even both. It may come when Cooper brings his troops in. There’s no way we can know, but we do know that we’re going be there when it happens. When it does. Darkness is going to clock in and give us the word and well have to act immediately. So I want to know right now if anybody has any problems with that.”
“I take it you don’t.” Delaney said.
“Yeah. I do.” Lucas replied, with a nod, “but I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to do whatever he says without asking any questions. It’s too great a risk not to. He’s never let us down before. We’re just going to have to trust him.”
“Speaking hypothetically.. I hope.” Delaney said, “what if what we’re going to have to do involves killing one of us?”
“Good Lord.” said Andre. “You don’t really think… no, that can’t be. Darkness said that whatever happened didn’t happen as a result of anything we did, directly. Just that we’re going to be in a position to change it.”
“Yeah but what if changing it means that one of us is going to die?” Delaney asked. “What if something that one of us is supposed to do indirectly triggers whatever disaster is going to occur? And the only chance the others have to stop him… or her… is to shoot?”
There was a long silence.
“We have to consider that possibility,” said Delaney, finally.”Suppose you had to kill me, Lucas. Or Andre. Could you do it?”
Lucas swallowed hard and stared at him for a long moment. Finally, he nodded. “Yeah. I could. I don’t know how I’d ever live with it afterward, but if I had to.. with everything that’s at stake… He shook his head. “I’d have no choice. What about you?”
Delaney nodded.
“What are you guys saying’?” Andre whispered her eyes wide.
“Andre?”
“This is crazy. It isn’t going to happen. It can’t-
“Maybe that’s why Darkness didn’t tell us any more than he did,” Delaney said.
“I can’t believe that.” she said. “I won’t believe it!”
“But what if it comes to that?” asked Lucas. “Could you kill me? or Finn?”
“How in God’s name can you ask me that?”
“Because I have to.”
She shook her head. How could I?”
“Because billions of lives in the future could depend upon it, that’s how,” Lucas replied. “There’s a chance, maybe a remote chance, but a chance that it could all come down to you. And if it does, Lieutenant. I’ll expect you to do your duty.”
She glanced from him to Delaney with a stricken look.
“ Lieutenant!”
“Yes, sir.” she said, softly, looking away from them.
“I didn’t hear you!”
She jerked around, looking at him as if he’d struck her. “I said, yes, sir!”
Lucas nodded, “Right. Let’s not waste any more time. Finn, I want you to clock back to Plus Time and get Colonel Cooper back here. He’s to bring no more than two men with him. Use your room over at the boarding house as the transition point. Tell him he’s to stay them and not budge from that room, no matter what, till we get back. If we’re not back by morning, or if he’s attacked, then he’s in charge. Brief him on the situation and get back here as quickly as you can.”
“I’m on my way.”
Delaney got up and popped the cover on his warp disc, then clocked out.
“Andre…” Lucas said gently
She got up, turned away from him, walked over to the window and stood there looking out, not saying a word.
10
“I count six,” said Ben Stone, standing in the vacant lot next to Fly’s Boarding House on Fremont Street.” How many do you make?”
“That’s what I’ve got, sir,” said Lieutenant Victor Capiletti, of the Special Operations Group. “Two across the street. two over on Third, around the corner, and the two that just ducked inside the alley. What do you think, Captain?”
“I’m not sure,” said Stone. using the corner of Harwood’s house, on the west side of the lot, as a cover from which to check the street. They were looking toward the Aztec Rooming House. “It looks like a loose security perimeter to me. They don’t want to attract attention, but they’ve got the place prett
y well covered. They could be getting ready to clock in a strike force, using Delaney’s room upstairs as a transition point.”
“Can’t have that.” said Capiletti.
“No. we can’t, can we?” Stone replied. “Our timing couldn’t have been more perfect. We set out to take one T.I.A. agent and we may just wind up getting their entire strike force. All we have to do is secure the transition point and take them out as they clock in. It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel.”
“We’ll have to take out-their external security first, without alerting whoever’s inside.” said Capiletti.
“I want your team to handle it without making any noise,” said Stone. “The last thing I want is interference from the locals.”
“Leave it to me.” Capiletti spoke into his radio. “Okay, people, we’re gonna take ’em. No noise. Repeat, no noise. And I want the bodies disposed of. Robbins. Mattick, Howard, Stein, you take the two in the alley. Andrushack, Washburn, Kent and Sagretti. you take the two on Third. Donninger and Miller, you stand by. On my signal, repeat, on my signal, use stingers to drop the two out front. Lethal dose. Okay, everybody got it? Move out!”
It was just a short walk down Allen Street to the hotel, but they hadn’t gone more than a few steps past the corner of Allen and Fifth, where the Oriental Saloon was located, when Scott heard the ominous clicking of a hammer being cocked.
“Don’t move, Kid,” said Curly Bill Brocius. “Keep your hands out at your sides and turn around, real slow.”
Scott stood perfectly still. Beside him, Jenny stiffened with a gasp and looked over her shoulder.
“Curly Bill! What are you doing? Have you gone crazy?”
“You step away from him now, Jenny. This is between the Kid and me.”
“Do as he says, Jen,” Scott said.
“But-”
“ Do as he says!”
She moved away from his side,
“Why didn’t you just shoot me in the back, Brocius?” said Scott, tensing.
“I don’t think I want to do that,” Curly Bill replied. “You’re gonna get it from the front, so everyone will know I can beat you to the draw when it counts.”
“I see,” said Scott, not turning around. “Only you’ve already got your pistol out. That’s not exactly beating me, is it?”
“Bill, don’t-”
“Stay out of it, Jenny!” Scott snapped.
“I will not stay out of it! Bill, this is murder! You’ll hang for it!”
“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t.” Curly Bill replied. “I’ll take my chances. I’ll give you a fair chance, Kid. Pistols loaded this time. Let’s do it for real.”
“How do I know you won’t just shoot me as soon as I turn around?” asked Scott.
In reply. Curly Bill lowered the hammer on his Colt and put it back in its holster. “I’ve holstered my pistol. Ask Jenny if you don’t believe me.”
Scott frowned. “Did he do it, Jenny?”
“Yes,” she said, in a small voice.
Scott glanced at her. “You’re too close. Move back.”
“Scott.
“I said, move back!”
She stepped back up on the boardwalk, watching them both fearfully.
“Go ahead, Kid. Turn around and make your play.”
Behind them, some people saw what was going on and made haste to get out of range of any stray bullets. Scott moistened his lips. Something was wrong here. Curly Bill knew he could beat him. Surely he wasn’t going to give him an even chance. Unless, of course, there was another gun pointed at him somewhere…
Still standing with his back to Brocius. Scott said. “I’d like to give Jenny a kiss, Curly Bill. Just in case. That all right with you?”
“Sure. Why not? Be quick about it, though.”
“Jenny..
She came running to his arms. “Scott..”
“Listen, Jenny,” he whispered in her ear, urgently, as he put his arms around her. “Look up at the roof of the saloon and tell me if you see anybody up there.”
He felt her stiffen, then she pressed her cheek against his as he hugged her close, so she could see behind him. He heard her sharp intake of breath.
“Oh. God.” she whispered. “Scott. I can see a man up there! He’s got a Winchester!”
“Okay. Jenny, keep calm.” Scott whispered back. As he held her close, with his hands behind her back, he popped open the hinged cover on his warp disc. Pretending to kiss her neck, he looked down behind her and quickly programmed the disc, hoping he could reedy estimate the height and distance…
“That’s enough!” said Brocius. “Let’s get on with it!”
“Jen. as soon as I let you go. I want you to get out of here.” said Scott. “Don’t ask any questions, just run. Can I count on you?”
She nodded. He gave her a quick kiss and let her go. She ran back toward the saloon.
“Okay, Kid. Turn around and make your play.”
Instead of turning around. Scott quickly hit the button on his warp disc and disappeared.
Brocius quickly drew his gun, then blinked and stared with disbelief. “What the.
Scott reappeared on the roof of the Oriental Saloon, directly behind the rifleman. The man still hadn’t recovered from his shock at suddenly seeing his target vanish into thin air.
“Psst! Over here,” said Scott.
As the startled man spun around. Scott fired. The bullet took him in the chest and he went flying off the roof to land in the street below.
Scott moved to the edge and looked down. Brocius, having heard the gunfire, was staring up at him, his jaw hanging open. The moment he saw him, he lifted his gun and let off a wild shot, then took off running.
Scott ducked hack from the edge as soon as Brocius fired at him. When he heard his running footsteps on the boardwalk below, he moved forward again and looked down at the body of the sniper, sprawled on the street below. It was Ross Demming.
Scott’s lips were set in a tight grimace. It was possible that Demming and Brocius had been acting on their own, but he didn’t believe it for a second. It had to be O’Fallon, in his guise of Johnny Ringo, setting him up for an ambush. The gloves were off. He moved back from the edge of the roof as people came running out into the street to see what happened. He set the transition coordinates on his warp disc for his room back at the hotel and clocked out. As soon as he materialized, he spun around quickly, his guns out, but the room was empty.
It would no longer be safe to stay here. Only where else could he go? It would no longer be safe anywhere. Brocius didn’t seem in the least bit worried about having Jenny witness the shooting. Nor did he try to stop her when she ran. Which could only mean one thing. He was not concerned about the Earps. He checked the date on his disc. October 25. 1881. The eve of the O.K. Corral shoot-out.
He frowned. That couldn’t possibly be right. That was still days away. But the warp disc couldn’t be wrong. He had never heard of one malfunctioning. And if it had malfunctioned… no, he didn’t want to think about that. It was getting late. He hurried downstairs to the bar and got a copy of the Tombstone Epitaph. He stared at the front page with disbelief.
“Like a drink, Kid?” asked the barman.
“Yeah,” said Scott, dully, “Whiskey. Make it a double.”
The date on the front page was October 25. 1881. It seemed impossible. Somehow, without even being aware of it, he’d lost an entire week.
He downed the whiskey in two quick gulps, feeling the fire as it burned down his throat and in his stomach. A whole week? How was it possible? He paid for his drink, put the paper down on the bar and went back up to his room, in a daze. He locked the door and sat down on his bed, his mind racing.
He could think of only one possible explanation. The temporal instability was increasing rapidly and dramatically Either he had somehow crossed over from one timeline into the other without realizing it, and lost a week in the process, or the timeline had started to ripple and the effect was concentrated in thi
s sector. Somehow, a week had passed in a matter of hours. And he hadn’t even noticed. It was as if he’d been picked up by a timewave and deposited farther down the shore.
He tried to think what implications this new development could have for the mission. Had he alone experienced this effect, or were Priest. Cross and Delaney caught up in it as well? And, if so, were they aware of it? Would he be able to warn them, or were they still in the other timeline? And what would happen if they’d been caught in the ripple effect and carried farther down the timestream than where he was now?
He had no answers. No idea what to do. Priest was in command of the mission. Only Priest was not around to give commands. There was no going by the book because the book had never covered situations such as this. There had never been a situation such as this before and, quite possibly, there never would be again. Was this where the whole thing fell apart? Was the temporal instability in this sector going to grow into a timewave that would travel down the timestream, eventually breaking somewhere in the future in a massive timestream split? Was it possible that he was the only one who could prevent it?
No. Not prevent it. Change it. Because whatever it was he was fated to do, according to history as it was seen from the time that Darkness came from, he had already done it. If, in fact, he was the one. Perhaps he wasn’t. Perhaps it wouldn’t have anything to do with him at all. in spite of the powerful gut instinct that he had, telling him that he was about to be involved in something of monumental significance.
We can change history. Scott thought. We learned that the hard way. Everything that’s happened from the first time a man traveled back into the past has led to this point. And it was a point of no return, because they had learned that there was really only one chance to effect a temporal adjustment. If it failed the first time, and another effort was made to clock back to a point before the original adjustment mission was attempted and try again, it only contributed to the instability of that temporal scenario and increased the odds against them.
