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Shades of Night; Collected Short Stories: 1996-1999
Shades of Night; Collected Short Stories: 1996-1999
Chapter 1:
Oak of Ropes
Never hang an innocent man.
Page 1:
"Oklahoma Territory
December, 1864
Da..."
Page 2: "Morgan's breath billowed through the tied sleeves ..."
Page 3: "Half way down, his back came down flat on the grou..."
Page 4: "His brain addled by shock and exposure, Point was ..."
Page 5: "Its heavy canvas sides scarcely stirred in the bre..."
Page 6: "Point grunted, and let the flaps fall closed. Tur..."
Page 7: "One of the men crouching underneath the tent suppo..."
Page 8: ""But I-" Point tried again pathetically. He was k..."
Page 9: ""I'm with Gunther!" bellowed the other enraged kic..."
Page 10: "Relenting, feeling the bite of the wind for the fi..."
Page 11: ""Nope. Not since the buffalo was through here las..."
Page 12: "Beau turned back to Gunther, who was tying off the..."
Page 13: ""Were there any Osage in the camp?"
"Nope."..."
Page 14: ""Nope- I mean, uhm, yep! Sure was! That dung hea..."
Page 15: "Beau glowered, and made motions toward kicking Mor..."
Page 16: ""Aw, hush up, Beau. You ain't no judge no more!" ..."
Page 17: ""B-but what about them?" parried Eldon. "We just ..."
Page 18: ""Dakotas? This far south?" scoffed Bonner. "Not ..."
Page 19: "The rest followed silently, Bonner being last. Sh..."
Page 20: "The tails of his long coat flapping with the rise ..."
Page 21: ""Keep quiet! Both of you! We have a need of leve..."
Page 22: ""What about the rest of you?" Eldon and Bonner ha..."
Page 23: ""We done a wrong thing here yester eve. We crimed..."
Page 24: "Fat Gunther was fully aware now, and was worriedly..."
Page 25: ""What's got into you, Beau? You know them savages..."
Page 26: ""But that's the wrong way!" protested Eldon. "We ..."
Page 27: "Before a debate could ensue, the fat man heaved th..."
December, 1864
Da..."
Page 2: "Morgan's breath billowed through the tied sleeves ..."
Page 3: "Half way down, his back came down flat on the grou..."
Page 4: "His brain addled by shock and exposure, Point was ..."
Page 5: "Its heavy canvas sides scarcely stirred in the bre..."
Page 6: "Point grunted, and let the flaps fall closed. Tur..."
Page 7: "One of the men crouching underneath the tent suppo..."
Page 8: ""But I-" Point tried again pathetically. He was k..."
Page 9: ""I'm with Gunther!" bellowed the other enraged kic..."
Page 10: "Relenting, feeling the bite of the wind for the fi..."
Page 11: ""Nope. Not since the buffalo was through here las..."
Page 12: "Beau turned back to Gunther, who was tying off the..."
Page 13: ""Were there any Osage in the camp?"
"Nope."..."
Page 14: ""Nope- I mean, uhm, yep! Sure was! That dung hea..."
Page 15: "Beau glowered, and made motions toward kicking Mor..."
Page 16: ""Aw, hush up, Beau. You ain't no judge no more!" ..."
Page 17: ""B-but what about them?" parried Eldon. "We just ..."
Page 18: ""Dakotas? This far south?" scoffed Bonner. "Not ..."
Page 19: "The rest followed silently, Bonner being last. Sh..."
Page 20: "The tails of his long coat flapping with the rise ..."
Page 21: ""Keep quiet! Both of you! We have a need of leve..."
Page 22: ""What about the rest of you?" Eldon and Bonner ha..."
Page 23: ""We done a wrong thing here yester eve. We crimed..."
Page 24: "Fat Gunther was fully aware now, and was worriedly..."
Page 25: ""What's got into you, Beau? You know them savages..."
Page 26: ""But that's the wrong way!" protested Eldon. "We ..."
Page 27: "Before a debate could ensue, the fat man heaved th..."
Chapter 5:
What the Dead May Do
Don't give him up for dead. Not when he's THAT pissed off.
Page 1:
"What can the dead do? It was a question I never a..."
Page 2: "Oh, we can't do much. Not overtly, anyway. And c..."
Page 3: "I don't have fingers, but I feel. I don't have ey..."
Page 4: "You may have heard me say that I woke up one morni..."
Page 5: "One made a joke about spaghetti sauce, which I did..."
Page 6: "I hoped they didn't, of course, but after I saw wh..."
Page 7: "He was talking on the telephone. I could hear eve..."
Page 8: "Like I said, at times it seems I can travel withou..."
Page 9: ". . . with a flash of light it was the next day . ..."
Page 10: "In an instant I was a thousand miles long and thin..."
Page 11: "'We watch and wait, Numbers,' which moniker I took..."
Page 12: "'I don't like it. First his partner, what was his..."
Page 13: "I wanted to join the conversation with a chorus of..."
Page 14: "With unbelievable stealth and skill, the man arriv..."
Page 15: "'Good morning, Sol. Having trouble getting out of..."
Page 16: "Sol started to cry. At long last, after three end..."
Page 17: "'What about back-ups?'
'Back-ups? You ask ..."
Page 18: "I wondered at all I had set in motion, but things ..."
Page 19: "Bit by bit, I prized loose their lives. Article u..."
Page 20: "'No. The one we lost before that, in February.'
Page 21: "I smiled with a mouth I didn't have and toasted th..."
Page 22: "'Like hell we do.' Burly added some ice to his Sc..."
Page 23: "'I nearly forgot about that job,' mused Three Piec..."
Page 24: "Numbers smiled and sipped at a glass of chilled wi..."
Page 25: "More guns were drawn, more shots fired. Still mor..."
Page 26: ". . . Oh, and by the way. I didn't forget about t..."
Page 2: "Oh, we can't do much. Not overtly, anyway. And c..."
Page 3: "I don't have fingers, but I feel. I don't have ey..."
Page 4: "You may have heard me say that I woke up one morni..."
Page 5: "One made a joke about spaghetti sauce, which I did..."
Page 6: "I hoped they didn't, of course, but after I saw wh..."
Page 7: "He was talking on the telephone. I could hear eve..."
Page 8: "Like I said, at times it seems I can travel withou..."
Page 9: ". . . with a flash of light it was the next day . ..."
Page 10: "In an instant I was a thousand miles long and thin..."
Page 11: "'We watch and wait, Numbers,' which moniker I took..."
Page 12: "'I don't like it. First his partner, what was his..."
Page 13: "I wanted to join the conversation with a chorus of..."
Page 14: "With unbelievable stealth and skill, the man arriv..."
Page 15: "'Good morning, Sol. Having trouble getting out of..."
Page 16: "Sol started to cry. At long last, after three end..."
Page 17: "'What about back-ups?'
'Back-ups? You ask ..."
Page 18: "I wondered at all I had set in motion, but things ..."
Page 19: "Bit by bit, I prized loose their lives. Article u..."
Page 20: "'No. The one we lost before that, in February.'
Page 21: "I smiled with a mouth I didn't have and toasted th..."
Page 22: "'Like hell we do.' Burly added some ice to his Sc..."
Page 23: "'I nearly forgot about that job,' mused Three Piec..."
Page 24: "Numbers smiled and sipped at a glass of chilled wi..."
Page 25: "More guns were drawn, more shots fired. Still mor..."
Page 26: ". . . Oh, and by the way. I didn't forget about t..."
Chapter 9:
Chapter Ten (Page One)
Strange. Where is everybody?
Page 1:
"I don't know why I was looking at the sky, but the..."
Page 2: "And, quite possibly the most glaring mystery of al..."
Page 3: "Had I never stared into a mirror before now?
Page 4: ". . . SQUAWK, SQUEAK, SQUAWK, SQUEAK . . .
..."
Page 5: "Not one transient pedestrian. No bicyclists with ..."
Page 6: "You see, this is the crux of the dilemma; what doe..."
Page 7: "I mean, I didn't know much about the way things we..."
Page 8: "To the north, however, lay the unknown. The unsee..."
Page 9: "Struggling with my doubts, I forced myself not to ..."
Page 10: "Void of tears, I finally rose to a sitting positio..."
Page 11: "They were the automated kind. I stepped on the ru..."
Page 12: "I picked up the checkbook. 'Sandra Kendall'. '31..."
Page 13: " As the echoes died and no one started laughing, I..."
Page 14: "My echoes came back, but they carried no answers b..."
Page 15: ""WHERE ARE YOU!" I shouted, climbing into the cab...."
Page 16: "Free to navigate the parking lot, I ran over sever..."
Page 17: "And I went to sit on the curb to wait for the law...."
Page 18: ""Shit." I was still here, wherever here was. Who..."
Page 19: ""Hey, you," I grumbled, "I'll bet it's gonna rain...."
Page 20: "Yeah, something just like that was what I wanted. ..."
Page 21: "Here's where the madness of the previous afternoon..."
Page 22: "The first thing I noticed along the way was how th..."
Page 23: "Bites uneaten. Plates unfinished. Oblivion.
<..."
Page 24: "I learned that there are billions of doors in the ..."
Page 25: "As with most great truths, the simplicity of it wa..."
Page 26: "So I found myself standing atop the tallest buildi..."
Page 2: "And, quite possibly the most glaring mystery of al..."
Page 3: "Had I never stared into a mirror before now?
Page 4: ". . . SQUAWK, SQUEAK, SQUAWK, SQUEAK . . .
..."
Page 5: "Not one transient pedestrian. No bicyclists with ..."
Page 6: "You see, this is the crux of the dilemma; what doe..."
Page 7: "I mean, I didn't know much about the way things we..."
Page 8: "To the north, however, lay the unknown. The unsee..."
Page 9: "Struggling with my doubts, I forced myself not to ..."
Page 10: "Void of tears, I finally rose to a sitting positio..."
Page 11: "They were the automated kind. I stepped on the ru..."
Page 12: "I picked up the checkbook. 'Sandra Kendall'. '31..."
Page 13: " As the echoes died and no one started laughing, I..."
Page 14: "My echoes came back, but they carried no answers b..."
Page 15: ""WHERE ARE YOU!" I shouted, climbing into the cab...."
Page 16: "Free to navigate the parking lot, I ran over sever..."
Page 17: "And I went to sit on the curb to wait for the law...."
Page 18: ""Shit." I was still here, wherever here was. Who..."
Page 19: ""Hey, you," I grumbled, "I'll bet it's gonna rain...."
Page 20: "Yeah, something just like that was what I wanted. ..."
Page 21: "Here's where the madness of the previous afternoon..."
Page 22: "The first thing I noticed along the way was how th..."
Page 23: "Bites uneaten. Plates unfinished. Oblivion.
<..."
Page 24: "I learned that there are billions of doors in the ..."
Page 25: "As with most great truths, the simplicity of it wa..."
Page 26: "So I found myself standing atop the tallest buildi..."
Chapter 13:
The Big Truth
Dallas, Texas. November, 1963. One rifle. One man. But who?
Page 1:
"I don't care if you believe it to be bullshit or t..."
Page 2: "I'm past caring at this point, and, if any of you ..."
Page 3: "It seems I've been pulling triggers on man or beas..."
Page 4: "If I'm the only one that pulls a stunt like this, ..."
Page 5: "I got out of the car and pulled a jacket on over m..."
Page 6: "This last was the thing that bothered me the most...."
Page 7: "All I DO know, is that I woke up painted for a tar..."
Page 8: "We exchanged nods. I knew I had never seen either..."
Page 9: "As instructed, I avoided the media and locals and ..."
Page 10: "Whomever they were, wherever they might have been ..."
Page 11: "It was, however, a convenient place to assemble my..."
Page 12: "Sometime in the mid-morning, I don't know exactly ..."
Page 13: "Most likely, you hadn't even been conceived on Nov..."
Page 14: "I had it in my right hand even as my safe-contact ..."
Page 15: "Just about the time I began to consider that the l..."
Page 16: "In fact, he was both. He was never meant to survi..."
Page 17: "Like I said, you probably found me half-rotted on ..."
Page 18: "Guess I'll see you when you cross the river over t..."
Page 2: "I'm past caring at this point, and, if any of you ..."
Page 3: "It seems I've been pulling triggers on man or beas..."
Page 4: "If I'm the only one that pulls a stunt like this, ..."
Page 5: "I got out of the car and pulled a jacket on over m..."
Page 6: "This last was the thing that bothered me the most...."
Page 7: "All I DO know, is that I woke up painted for a tar..."
Page 8: "We exchanged nods. I knew I had never seen either..."
Page 9: "As instructed, I avoided the media and locals and ..."
Page 10: "Whomever they were, wherever they might have been ..."
Page 11: "It was, however, a convenient place to assemble my..."
Page 12: "Sometime in the mid-morning, I don't know exactly ..."
Page 13: "Most likely, you hadn't even been conceived on Nov..."
Page 14: "I had it in my right hand even as my safe-contact ..."
Page 15: "Just about the time I began to consider that the l..."
Page 16: "In fact, he was both. He was never meant to survi..."
Page 17: "Like I said, you probably found me half-rotted on ..."
Page 18: "Guess I'll see you when you cross the river over t..."
Chapter 17:
"Dark Secrets, Well Kept"
The conspiracy is vast and all-encompassing. Now they know. Will they survive it?
Page 1:
""It's all wound down, somehow. Ever'thing's chang..."
Page 2: ""I don't know," I returned distantly, fishing abou..."
Page 3: "It seemed forever gone and but a faded recollectio..."
Page 4: "At last, I felt my lips part a crack. I felt a sh..."
Page 5: "I looked away. I tried to be strong for her, and ..."
Page 6: ""What?"
"I thought just once more. Just on..."
Page 7: ""It's too dangerous. They'll know."
"Then ..."
Page 8: "Banks of elevators lined the interior walls, which..."
Page 9: "The interior of the cab reeked of machine oil and ..."
Page 10: "At the bottom, we stopped the car with another twi..."
Page 11: ""That's the last time," she said stiffly, her voic..."
Page 12: ""What now?"
"We run," and she started along..."
Page 13: "The dead man landed in the street. Cars slowed to..."
Page 14: "For a moment. An eye's blink. Then all was movin..."
Page 15: "I swallowed again, and remotely registered the fac..."
Page 16: "He banged on the door and cursed me, as I worked t..."
Page 17: "The truck heeled over sharply at once, and its fro..."
Page 18: "She gripped my hand fiercely, and I felt her body ..."
Page 19: "Yet I knew had erred fatally in reaching for her, ..."
Page 20: ""Alright, I know where we can go," I returned, gen..."
Page 21: ""How long?"
"Including this trip?" I tried..."
Page 22: "I frowned and prepared the motor for start. I pri..."
Page 23: "An hour or so passed, and we were just getting com..."
Page 24: "Before us, in the bloody west, the sun was descend..."
Page 25: "I saw the farmer's smile fade to a concerned frown..."
Page 26: "We sat in the middle of the dusty road for several..."
Page 27: ""Oh, we don't have an excuse. We're just shit-out..."
Page 28: "She started to protest again, and I laid a hand on..."
Page 29: "Leaning on her shoulder, we eased ourselves into t..."
Page 30: ""We have about fifteen minutes," I guessed, eyeing..."
Page 31: ""See if you can get the rifle up here. Be careful..."
Page 32: "Her face fell then, and I hated to see it. I hate..."
Page 33: "When I touched her softly in the coming dark, I fe..."
Page 34: "A burning need consumed me, a boundless, primordia..."
Page 35: "We stopped at the fence line, crouching among the ..."
Page 36: "I jumped. "I don't know. Maybe they're patrollin..."
Page 37: ""Uh-oh," I breathed. "This worries me a bit."
..."
Page 38: ""Might?"
"It depends on how many there are...."
Page 39: "We were alone in the darkness, as clouds raced to ..."
Page 40: "As my painfully ringing ears quieted, I realized s..."
Page 41: ""They're not . . . they're not just regular people..."
Page 42: ""Now what?" she demanded petulantly.
I thou..."
Page 43: ""Yeah," I returned gently, my own voice breaking, ..."
Page 44: "And I was overjoyed to find a large all-terrain fo..."
Page 45: ""This is stupid," she said after a long time had p..."
Page 46: ""Then we should find a way to kill as many of them..."
Page 47: "At length, she pressed close again, and her warmth..."
Page 48: "I shrugged and sucked on my lower lip a while. Re..."
Page 49: "She returned my gaze a second, then closed her eye..."
Page 50: "I stopped the engine and immediately dismounted to..."
Page 51: "Inside, we found the place deserted, as expected. ..."
Page 52: ""Then what?"
I thought a moment, put the na..."
Page 53: "Pulling it open, I showed her the contents. Wads ..."
Page 54: ""Oh, yeah. What did you expect? It matches their..."
Page 55: "But they would be waiting for us at the next stree..."
Page 56: "And afterward, we lay in the waters together, our ..."
Page 2: ""I don't know," I returned distantly, fishing abou..."
Page 3: "It seemed forever gone and but a faded recollectio..."
Page 4: "At last, I felt my lips part a crack. I felt a sh..."
Page 5: "I looked away. I tried to be strong for her, and ..."
Page 6: ""What?"
"I thought just once more. Just on..."
Page 7: ""It's too dangerous. They'll know."
"Then ..."
Page 8: "Banks of elevators lined the interior walls, which..."
Page 9: "The interior of the cab reeked of machine oil and ..."
Page 10: "At the bottom, we stopped the car with another twi..."
Page 11: ""That's the last time," she said stiffly, her voic..."
Page 12: ""What now?"
"We run," and she started along..."
Page 13: "The dead man landed in the street. Cars slowed to..."
Page 14: "For a moment. An eye's blink. Then all was movin..."
Page 15: "I swallowed again, and remotely registered the fac..."
Page 16: "He banged on the door and cursed me, as I worked t..."
Page 17: "The truck heeled over sharply at once, and its fro..."
Page 18: "She gripped my hand fiercely, and I felt her body ..."
Page 19: "Yet I knew had erred fatally in reaching for her, ..."
Page 20: ""Alright, I know where we can go," I returned, gen..."
Page 21: ""How long?"
"Including this trip?" I tried..."
Page 22: "I frowned and prepared the motor for start. I pri..."
Page 23: "An hour or so passed, and we were just getting com..."
Page 24: "Before us, in the bloody west, the sun was descend..."
Page 25: "I saw the farmer's smile fade to a concerned frown..."
Page 26: "We sat in the middle of the dusty road for several..."
Page 27: ""Oh, we don't have an excuse. We're just shit-out..."
Page 28: "She started to protest again, and I laid a hand on..."
Page 29: "Leaning on her shoulder, we eased ourselves into t..."
Page 30: ""We have about fifteen minutes," I guessed, eyeing..."
Page 31: ""See if you can get the rifle up here. Be careful..."
Page 32: "Her face fell then, and I hated to see it. I hate..."
Page 33: "When I touched her softly in the coming dark, I fe..."
Page 34: "A burning need consumed me, a boundless, primordia..."
Page 35: "We stopped at the fence line, crouching among the ..."
Page 36: "I jumped. "I don't know. Maybe they're patrollin..."
Page 37: ""Uh-oh," I breathed. "This worries me a bit."
..."
Page 38: ""Might?"
"It depends on how many there are...."
Page 39: "We were alone in the darkness, as clouds raced to ..."
Page 40: "As my painfully ringing ears quieted, I realized s..."
Page 41: ""They're not . . . they're not just regular people..."
Page 42: ""Now what?" she demanded petulantly.
I thou..."
Page 43: ""Yeah," I returned gently, my own voice breaking, ..."
Page 44: "And I was overjoyed to find a large all-terrain fo..."
Page 45: ""This is stupid," she said after a long time had p..."
Page 46: ""Then we should find a way to kill as many of them..."
Page 47: "At length, she pressed close again, and her warmth..."
Page 48: "I shrugged and sucked on my lower lip a while. Re..."
Page 49: "She returned my gaze a second, then closed her eye..."
Page 50: "I stopped the engine and immediately dismounted to..."
Page 51: "Inside, we found the place deserted, as expected. ..."
Page 52: ""Then what?"
I thought a moment, put the na..."
Page 53: "Pulling it open, I showed her the contents. Wads ..."
Page 54: ""Oh, yeah. What did you expect? It matches their..."
Page 55: "But they would be waiting for us at the next stree..."
Page 56: "And afterward, we lay in the waters together, our ..."
Chapter 2:
Sleeping without Dreaming
Grandpappy has a tall tale to tell. Are you sure you want to hear it?
Page 1:
""I remember, it rained that day. Not just any kin..."
Page 2: ""Old so-and-so's gone to Snapland, we'd say, and e..."
Page 3: "The scars of a conventional war fought with nuclea..."
Page 4: "Grandpa, who was Corporal Gregory Wethers of the 1..."
Page 5: ""Great. What's our new position?"
"Chimbay...."
Page 6: ""Not the entire division, no. Just us."
"T..."
Page 7: ""Aye, Sergeant. What about the heavy stuff? Wils..."
Page 8: "So the city was essentially at the focus of a thre..."
Page 9: ""Hey, Kill," grunted Greg, easing into a squatting..."
Page 10: ""Okay, Kill," he sighed softly, without standing. ..."
Page 11: "After Greg safed his weapon and stored it away, on..."
Page 12: ""I should be so lucky."
Luis Rodriguez, a P..."
Page 13: "The buffer zone between opposing fronts was kilome..."
Page 14: "They had crashed in the center of what once might ..."
Page 15: ""Wethers, take our squad over there, get behind th..."
Page 16: ""Three others dead. Two wounded."
Greg's s..."
Page 17: "Peal added, "She's right. We've been assaulting t..."
Page 18: "Greg said to Kopatov, "Maybe we should fall back i..."
Page 19: ""Yeah, but I think we should know why, just the sa..."
Page 20: "Shortly after midnight, Juliana returned. Her rep..."
Page 21: "Nervously, Peal interjected, "Hey, maybe not. We'..."
Page 22: ""No, it wasn't," growled Wethers angrily. "That T..."
Page 23: ""Back shootin' bastards."
"What'll we do no..."
Page 24: ""What about her?"
"I crawled through that s..."
Page 25: ""Most likely. Otherwise, they'd stage an assault ..."
Page 26: "Rodriguez added, "I'm gonna hole up in one of thes..."
Page 27: "After the troopers had digested this latest bit of..."
Page 28: "Rodriguez jibed, "You're all over the place, Baldw..."
Page 29: "After he finished speaking, Greg noticed that the ..."
Page 30: "Kopatov shook his head sadly, clucking his tongue...."
Page 31: ""Apparently not."
"What else could it be?"<..."
Page 32: ""I don't know. Maybe to recover it."
"But ..."
Page 33: "Kopatov seemed to make a decision. He instructed ..."
Page 34: ""She's got it," somebody whispered into the comm n..."
Page 35: "Kopatov coughed thickly. "They're eating me from ..."
Page 36: "He ripped off his helmet with its embedded headset..."
Page 37: "Just then he took his first hit. It was a glancin..."
Page 38: "That shot, more than any of the other thousands fi..."
Page 39: ""No! No, don't shoot him, his blood will spray ev..."
Page 40: ". . . and they did just that . . .
. . ."So..."
Page 41: "But I wasn't fulfilled. He had skipped the best p..."
Page 2: ""Old so-and-so's gone to Snapland, we'd say, and e..."
Page 3: "The scars of a conventional war fought with nuclea..."
Page 4: "Grandpa, who was Corporal Gregory Wethers of the 1..."
Page 5: ""Great. What's our new position?"
"Chimbay...."
Page 6: ""Not the entire division, no. Just us."
"T..."
Page 7: ""Aye, Sergeant. What about the heavy stuff? Wils..."
Page 8: "So the city was essentially at the focus of a thre..."
Page 9: ""Hey, Kill," grunted Greg, easing into a squatting..."
Page 10: ""Okay, Kill," he sighed softly, without standing. ..."
Page 11: "After Greg safed his weapon and stored it away, on..."
Page 12: ""I should be so lucky."
Luis Rodriguez, a P..."
Page 13: "The buffer zone between opposing fronts was kilome..."
Page 14: "They had crashed in the center of what once might ..."
Page 15: ""Wethers, take our squad over there, get behind th..."
Page 16: ""Three others dead. Two wounded."
Greg's s..."
Page 17: "Peal added, "She's right. We've been assaulting t..."
Page 18: "Greg said to Kopatov, "Maybe we should fall back i..."
Page 19: ""Yeah, but I think we should know why, just the sa..."
Page 20: "Shortly after midnight, Juliana returned. Her rep..."
Page 21: "Nervously, Peal interjected, "Hey, maybe not. We'..."
Page 22: ""No, it wasn't," growled Wethers angrily. "That T..."
Page 23: ""Back shootin' bastards."
"What'll we do no..."
Page 24: ""What about her?"
"I crawled through that s..."
Page 25: ""Most likely. Otherwise, they'd stage an assault ..."
Page 26: "Rodriguez added, "I'm gonna hole up in one of thes..."
Page 27: "After the troopers had digested this latest bit of..."
Page 28: "Rodriguez jibed, "You're all over the place, Baldw..."
Page 29: "After he finished speaking, Greg noticed that the ..."
Page 30: "Kopatov shook his head sadly, clucking his tongue...."
Page 31: ""Apparently not."
"What else could it be?"<..."
Page 32: ""I don't know. Maybe to recover it."
"But ..."
Page 33: "Kopatov seemed to make a decision. He instructed ..."
Page 34: ""She's got it," somebody whispered into the comm n..."
Page 35: "Kopatov coughed thickly. "They're eating me from ..."
Page 36: "He ripped off his helmet with its embedded headset..."
Page 37: "Just then he took his first hit. It was a glancin..."
Page 38: "That shot, more than any of the other thousands fi..."
Page 39: ""No! No, don't shoot him, his blood will spray ev..."
Page 40: ". . . and they did just that . . .
. . ."So..."
Page 41: "But I wasn't fulfilled. He had skipped the best p..."
Chapter 6:
The Boy the Girl
It's a long way to go, but hope is the fuel to fire his heart.
Page 1:
"Outside, fires raged. Guns rumbled. Storms, both ..."
Page 2: "He and Sugar had made a pact to cross the Badlands..."
Page 3: "Nobody prospered in the Zone, or could be said to ..."
Page 4: "So the hellish inhabitants of hell's heart bowed t..."
Page 5: "Now he stooped with his knife blade naked and cut ..."
Page 6: "He was ready. Which state of readiness only serve..."
Page 7: "He was exploring one now, a gaping hole in the upp..."
Page 8: ""Give it up, you, and maybe we'll let you go."
..."
Page 9: "Cackler hacked out, "I think we got us a performer..."
Page 10: "Half an hour later he was standing on the verge of..."
Page 11: "Presently the way opened up and dipped down toward..."
Page 12: "He and his sister had explored this far together b..."
Page 13: "It helped calm his fears, in fact dissipated them ..."
Page 14: "Something about the echoes struck Allele as unusua..."
Page 15: "Now a return signal flashed active in the gun's di..."
Page 16: "After this final encounter, the way seemed clear e..."
Page 17: "Unfortunately, there were other, far more dangerou..."
Page 18: ""We'll just have to find out, Sugar," he said out ..."
Page 19: "Not that darkness could stop him. He would travel..."
Page 20: "Here, obviously, men had once lived and worked and..."
Page 21: "He hurriedly drank and ate half of tomorrow's brea..."
Page 22: "The boy awoke before dawn. He climbed back up ont..."
Page 23: "The bridge turned out to be further than it appear..."
Page 24: "Thinking this thought, he turned and ran. Step by..."
Page 25: "No wonder those savages had surrendered the pursui..."
Page 26: "But the ghouls screamed in fear. They fled, back a..."
Page 27: "What he required was cover for the night. It woul..."
Page 28: "A brackish wind stirred the ashes. Lighting flash..."
Page 29: "The dead city stretched out to the horizon and was..."
Page 30: " . . . The next day passed much the same as the la..."
Page 31: "New Liberty! It had to be!
"Oh, Sugar!" he..."
Page 32: ". . . five more days passed on his unbearably long..."
Page 33: ""All A-1 Autocabs are atmospherically controlled a..."
Page 34: ""Yeah, yeah, yeah," placated the boy. "I heard al..."
Page 35: ""Your command is our destination!" announced the c..."
Page 36: ""Me, personally, sir?"
"Yes."
"I am ..."
Page 37: ""Let me out! Just let me out!"
"Certainly,..."
Page 38: ""What is your destination, please?"
"My wha..."
Page 39: "What? he wanted to ask, but saved his breath. The..."
Page 40: ""What?" returned the boy.
"How will you pay..."
Page 41: "Its motors whined, gears hummed. The car rocked b..."
Page 42: ""I can't right now, close the godforsaken door!"
Page 43: ""Open the God damned door!" he screamed desperatel..."
Page 44: "The control program made several attempts to start..."
Page 45: "Its control program announced, "Due to unscheduled..."
Page 46: ""Street maintenance?" repeated the puzzled boy. "..."
Page 47: ""Regrettably, this program's net uplink remains no..."
Page 48: "After that the boy could relax enough to sleep, th..."
Page 49: "As it approached the lowest swing of that gut wren..."
Page 50: "The control program stated, "Good citizen, due to ..."
Page 51: "But Allele wasn't listening. He was screaming too..."
Page 52: "In the shadows of distance, back across the great ..."
Page 53: "Allele shuddered and considered the road ahead. I..."
Page 54: ""Oh, Sugar!" he heard himself sob, "Sugar, do you ..."
Page 2: "He and Sugar had made a pact to cross the Badlands..."
Page 3: "Nobody prospered in the Zone, or could be said to ..."
Page 4: "So the hellish inhabitants of hell's heart bowed t..."
Page 5: "Now he stooped with his knife blade naked and cut ..."
Page 6: "He was ready. Which state of readiness only serve..."
Page 7: "He was exploring one now, a gaping hole in the upp..."
Page 8: ""Give it up, you, and maybe we'll let you go."
..."
Page 9: "Cackler hacked out, "I think we got us a performer..."
Page 10: "Half an hour later he was standing on the verge of..."
Page 11: "Presently the way opened up and dipped down toward..."
Page 12: "He and his sister had explored this far together b..."
Page 13: "It helped calm his fears, in fact dissipated them ..."
Page 14: "Something about the echoes struck Allele as unusua..."
Page 15: "Now a return signal flashed active in the gun's di..."
Page 16: "After this final encounter, the way seemed clear e..."
Page 17: "Unfortunately, there were other, far more dangerou..."
Page 18: ""We'll just have to find out, Sugar," he said out ..."
Page 19: "Not that darkness could stop him. He would travel..."
Page 20: "Here, obviously, men had once lived and worked and..."
Page 21: "He hurriedly drank and ate half of tomorrow's brea..."
Page 22: "The boy awoke before dawn. He climbed back up ont..."
Page 23: "The bridge turned out to be further than it appear..."
Page 24: "Thinking this thought, he turned and ran. Step by..."
Page 25: "No wonder those savages had surrendered the pursui..."
Page 26: "But the ghouls screamed in fear. They fled, back a..."
Page 27: "What he required was cover for the night. It woul..."
Page 28: "A brackish wind stirred the ashes. Lighting flash..."
Page 29: "The dead city stretched out to the horizon and was..."
Page 30: " . . . The next day passed much the same as the la..."
Page 31: "New Liberty! It had to be!
"Oh, Sugar!" he..."
Page 32: ". . . five more days passed on his unbearably long..."
Page 33: ""All A-1 Autocabs are atmospherically controlled a..."
Page 34: ""Yeah, yeah, yeah," placated the boy. "I heard al..."
Page 35: ""Your command is our destination!" announced the c..."
Page 36: ""Me, personally, sir?"
"Yes."
"I am ..."
Page 37: ""Let me out! Just let me out!"
"Certainly,..."
Page 38: ""What is your destination, please?"
"My wha..."
Page 39: "What? he wanted to ask, but saved his breath. The..."
Page 40: ""What?" returned the boy.
"How will you pay..."
Page 41: "Its motors whined, gears hummed. The car rocked b..."
Page 42: ""I can't right now, close the godforsaken door!"
Page 43: ""Open the God damned door!" he screamed desperatel..."
Page 44: "The control program made several attempts to start..."
Page 45: "Its control program announced, "Due to unscheduled..."
Page 46: ""Street maintenance?" repeated the puzzled boy. "..."
Page 47: ""Regrettably, this program's net uplink remains no..."
Page 48: "After that the boy could relax enough to sleep, th..."
Page 49: "As it approached the lowest swing of that gut wren..."
Page 50: "The control program stated, "Good citizen, due to ..."
Page 51: "But Allele wasn't listening. He was screaming too..."
Page 52: "In the shadows of distance, back across the great ..."
Page 53: "Allele shuddered and considered the road ahead. I..."
Page 54: ""Oh, Sugar!" he heard himself sob, "Sugar, do you ..."
They have a job to do, but their interpretation of its constraints leaves much to desire.
Page 1:
""You see, what you gotta do, boy, is learn the rul..."
Page 2: ""What the fuck do you want?!" demanded the torture..."
Page 3: ""'Aw-right'" mocked Roman, reaching for his baton...."
Page 4: "Kendrick used the toe of his well polished shoe to..."
Page 5: ""Yeah, sure." Kendrick also surveyed the deterior..."
Page 6: "And their squad careened crazily through this empt..."
Page 7: "But they need not have bothered. Recovered from t..."
Page 8: "Kendrick didn't think about it. Some things, he h..."
Page 9: "He found Roman and Sarah sharing a smoke and talki..."
Page 10: "Roman winked, his casual grin brightening. "Must'..."
Page 11: "Kendrick nodded and grunted. He agreed. He agree..."
Page 12: ""What did I tell you, partner? Still out cold."
Page 13: "Finally, the older policeman said, "Should have li..."
Page 14: "It seemed to Kendrick then, that Roman's eyes were..."
Page 15: "Kendrick let his gaze drop to the pile of garbage ..."
Page 2: ""What the fuck do you want?!" demanded the torture..."
Page 3: ""'Aw-right'" mocked Roman, reaching for his baton...."
Page 4: "Kendrick used the toe of his well polished shoe to..."
Page 5: ""Yeah, sure." Kendrick also surveyed the deterior..."
Page 6: "And their squad careened crazily through this empt..."
Page 7: "But they need not have bothered. Recovered from t..."
Page 8: "Kendrick didn't think about it. Some things, he h..."
Page 9: "He found Roman and Sarah sharing a smoke and talki..."
Page 10: "Roman winked, his casual grin brightening. "Must'..."
Page 11: "Kendrick nodded and grunted. He agreed. He agree..."
Page 12: ""What did I tell you, partner? Still out cold."
Page 13: "Finally, the older policeman said, "Should have li..."
Page 14: "It seemed to Kendrick then, that Roman's eyes were..."
Page 15: "Kendrick let his gaze drop to the pile of garbage ..."
Chapter 14:
Ford This River Grimly
Vengeance, like hatred and loathing, knows no constraint of time or distance.
Page 1:
"September, 1866
East of the Animas River (H..."
Page 2: "So he cinched the gathers of his thick, snow fleck..."
Page 3: "For a time, they walked so, hoof and foot kicking ..."
Page 4: "Josiah agreed, and they started forward once more...."
Page 5: "It would never do to perish within sight of the ba..."
Page 6: "He did not sleep. He rarely slept. Yet he rested..."
Page 7: "Soon, however, he realized it was not a gathering ..."
Page 8: ""Josiaaaah ..."
No, it had come from the so..."
Page 9: "He swallowed. "It is time to cross over, Josiah. ..."
Page 10: "The gelding waded the snowfall as a tall ship of s..."
Page 11: "It was while he had the figure in his sites that J..."
Page 12: ""Josiah," breathed that eery voice, which Josiah r..."
Page 13: ""The time ..." came a whispered return, "Is late. ..."
Page 14: "Set a man's name on a stone tablet today, his bone..."
Page 15: "Josiah thought he might have taken a bullet better..."
Page 16: "Ahead of them, far ahead and approaching the dista..."
Page 17: "Weary from his short climb and the clinging chill ..."
Page 18: "Shiloh kicked hard to get up a treacherous grade a..."
Page 19: "Up, up they climbed, until they were higher than t..."
Page 20: "He met another man on the trail, who was staggerin..."
Page 21: ""Benjamin Sherman Lockwood from Bristol, Georgia."..."
Page 22: "A sturdy, homely sort of woman removed the buffalo..."
Page 23: "Several of the men at the back of the gathering ex..."
Page 24: "Several more men turned away, taking anxious wives..."
Page 25: ""You haven't seen them," answered he, softly.
<..."
Page 26: "More followed, tossing the last of their drinks in..."
Page 27: ""By the graces of God or perhaps the devil, I am y..."
Page 28: ""A man would be suicidal to stay, gentlemen," comm..."
Page 29: ""They's all gone up with momma, pa."
"Then ..."
Page 30: "Josiah nodded sagely. "Much obliged."
"Wel..."
Page 31: "He breathed deeply through his nose. The air was ..."
Page 32: "Quite suddenly, the searcher realized he was weepi..."
Page 33: ""Then come to me now. I am here. I wait. I wait..."
Page 34: ""In this you are fortunate, Josiah," breathed the ..."
Page 35: "They were bound across the western flood plain alo..."
Page 36: "Let the bastards think it will be another easy nig..."
Page 37: "No sooner had he opened the breech of his rifle to..."
Page 38: "The fifth blast from his rifle finally stirred the..."
Page 39: "Cursing acidly, he was forced back from the edge o..."
Page 40: "Many shots rang out, some of them erupting quite n..."
Page 41: "Josiah leaned forward in his saddle and urged Shil..."
Page 42: "Presently, Josiah came upon a long, low ridge of s..."
Page 43: "Tossed on the current, the terrified horse somehow..."
Page 44: "The seeker stopped Shiloh nearby, and dismounted g..."
Page 45: "Smiling darkly, Josiah eased to a crouch, then set..."
East of the Animas River (H..."
Page 2: "So he cinched the gathers of his thick, snow fleck..."
Page 3: "For a time, they walked so, hoof and foot kicking ..."
Page 4: "Josiah agreed, and they started forward once more...."
Page 5: "It would never do to perish within sight of the ba..."
Page 6: "He did not sleep. He rarely slept. Yet he rested..."
Page 7: "Soon, however, he realized it was not a gathering ..."
Page 8: ""Josiaaaah ..."
No, it had come from the so..."
Page 9: "He swallowed. "It is time to cross over, Josiah. ..."
Page 10: "The gelding waded the snowfall as a tall ship of s..."
Page 11: "It was while he had the figure in his sites that J..."
Page 12: ""Josiah," breathed that eery voice, which Josiah r..."
Page 13: ""The time ..." came a whispered return, "Is late. ..."
Page 14: "Set a man's name on a stone tablet today, his bone..."
Page 15: "Josiah thought he might have taken a bullet better..."
Page 16: "Ahead of them, far ahead and approaching the dista..."
Page 17: "Weary from his short climb and the clinging chill ..."
Page 18: "Shiloh kicked hard to get up a treacherous grade a..."
Page 19: "Up, up they climbed, until they were higher than t..."
Page 20: "He met another man on the trail, who was staggerin..."
Page 21: ""Benjamin Sherman Lockwood from Bristol, Georgia."..."
Page 22: "A sturdy, homely sort of woman removed the buffalo..."
Page 23: "Several of the men at the back of the gathering ex..."
Page 24: "Several more men turned away, taking anxious wives..."
Page 25: ""You haven't seen them," answered he, softly.
<..."
Page 26: "More followed, tossing the last of their drinks in..."
Page 27: ""By the graces of God or perhaps the devil, I am y..."
Page 28: ""A man would be suicidal to stay, gentlemen," comm..."
Page 29: ""They's all gone up with momma, pa."
"Then ..."
Page 30: "Josiah nodded sagely. "Much obliged."
"Wel..."
Page 31: "He breathed deeply through his nose. The air was ..."
Page 32: "Quite suddenly, the searcher realized he was weepi..."
Page 33: ""Then come to me now. I am here. I wait. I wait..."
Page 34: ""In this you are fortunate, Josiah," breathed the ..."
Page 35: "They were bound across the western flood plain alo..."
Page 36: "Let the bastards think it will be another easy nig..."
Page 37: "No sooner had he opened the breech of his rifle to..."
Page 38: "The fifth blast from his rifle finally stirred the..."
Page 39: "Cursing acidly, he was forced back from the edge o..."
Page 40: "Many shots rang out, some of them erupting quite n..."
Page 41: "Josiah leaned forward in his saddle and urged Shil..."
Page 42: "Presently, Josiah came upon a long, low ridge of s..."
Page 43: "Tossed on the current, the terrified horse somehow..."
Page 44: "The seeker stopped Shiloh nearby, and dismounted g..."
Page 45: "Smiling darkly, Josiah eased to a crouch, then set..."
Chapter 18:
Manhunter
Sometimes, goodness is the terror of evil.
Page 1:
""It is a symptom, I think," he said, his ancient e..."
Page 2: "Joshua reached for a pair of pliers, and fingered ..."
Page 3: "The other tried to nod, but could not move. Inste..."
Page 4: "The wretch did not blink at all for several second..."
Page 5: "Joshua thumbed another button on the control in hi..."
Page 6: "The fiend gulped and rolled his eyes. "In a rusty..."
Page 7: "His victim was weeping softly now, but managed to ..."
Page 8: "After a time, he loosened the constriction, and sa..."
Page 9: "A short letter lay on top of the contents inside, ..."
Page 10: "'Yeah, well, in this case I say screw the law.'
Page 11: "'A guilty confession, and we lost the recording.'<..."
Page 12: "The door was of heavy oak. Brass letters had been..."
Page 13: ""I received this in the mail a few days ago. It s..."
Page 14: "The man hesitated, his eyes suspicious. "This sou..."
Page 15: ""Please have a seat." The man sat as indicated, a..."
Page 16: ""Good, good. I knew you, at least, would understa..."
Page 17: "Joshua reached into the central drawer of his desk..."
Page 2: "Joshua reached for a pair of pliers, and fingered ..."
Page 3: "The other tried to nod, but could not move. Inste..."
Page 4: "The wretch did not blink at all for several second..."
Page 5: "Joshua thumbed another button on the control in hi..."
Page 6: "The fiend gulped and rolled his eyes. "In a rusty..."
Page 7: "His victim was weeping softly now, but managed to ..."
Page 8: "After a time, he loosened the constriction, and sa..."
Page 9: "A short letter lay on top of the contents inside, ..."
Page 10: "'Yeah, well, in this case I say screw the law.'
Page 11: "'A guilty confession, and we lost the recording.'<..."
Page 12: "The door was of heavy oak. Brass letters had been..."
Page 13: ""I received this in the mail a few days ago. It s..."
Page 14: "The man hesitated, his eyes suspicious. "This sou..."
Page 15: ""Please have a seat." The man sat as indicated, a..."
Page 16: ""Good, good. I knew you, at least, would understa..."
Page 17: "Joshua reached into the central drawer of his desk..."
Chapter 3:
Rosewyld
Days of yore, but nothing changes. It's all about blood and guts and making a buck.
Page 1:
""I go to see far away places."
"You go to h..."
Page 2: ""You have a special place at home. But you don't ..."
Page 3: ""Your speech mocks that of a coward. If I was ign..."
Page 4: ""Those that went, those that returned. Either."
Page 5: ""Yes, Father, yes," patronized Edmund, "I know tha..."
Page 6: "Seeming to sense his son's hesitance, Sir Hershel ..."
Page 7: ""As you will, Edmund. At last let me say only tha..."
Page 8: "Father smiled. "I will send her in as I leave. I..."
Page 9: "They stood at arm's length, sharing only a long, w..."
Page 10: ""Go on, child. You will have need of it."
..."
Page 11: ""I also wish it, Charles. If you were a few year..."
Page 12: ""Brother, when you become as accustomed to losing ..."
Page 13: ""More than fare? Must you make riddles even on th..."
Page 14: "As he slowed to a walk and smoothed his tunic to m..."
Page 15: "From the depths of his wandering mind, Sir Hershel..."
Page 16: "He was concerned only with Rosewyld's bloodline. ..."
Page 17: ""That is not what I meant to ask."
"Oh, tha..."
Page 18: "Now it was Edmund's turn to laugh. "Father always..."
Page 19: "Charles fairly beamed to hear it. "Good! Good! ..."
Page 20: "From below, a humble voice called, "Beg pardon, Si..."
Page 21: ""Caravan?" gaped the youth. "I'll not employ any ..."
Page 22: ""Mister Squire! Where do you go?" called the knig..."
Page 23: ""Obviously, dotard," jibed Charles as he hurried a..."
Page 24: "The lady nodded sadly. "I remember a little toe-h..."
Page 25: "For a moment, the young knight found himself in an..."
Page 26: "For many miles, Lady Urgold and her husband said n..."
Page 27: ""I know. It all seems so abrupt. Though perhaps ..."
Page 28: ""But, my father . . . I would have thought it had ..."
Page 29: ""My Lord Rosewyld," she returned, taking his hand ..."
Page 30: ""Aye, Lord. To my last drop."
"I have arra..."
Page 31: "Once he had boarded the boat and they had secured ..."
Page 32: "Stephen's father had marched with Sir Hershel when..."
Page 33: "Stephen beamed. "There could be. We shall see."<..."
Page 34: "Edmund laughed. "Yes, you and I both. A nice, fa..."
Page 35: "Changing the subject bluntly, much as their tiny b..."
Page 36: ""It comes and goes. But there were other fevers a..."
Page 37: ""For myself, I have always enjoyed your father's t..."
Page 38: ""Several, at the least."
Stephen longed to ..."
Page 39: "Taking a deep breath, the knight began, "On a fora..."
Page 40: ""Berek secured his weapon of siege and rallied men..."
Page 41: ""Even as the second assault of Christians mounted ..."
Page 42: ""Well, I suppose in a sense they did fall off. Bu..."
Page 43: ""With such tactics, is it any wonder our interests..."
Page 44: "Stephen interrupted with a shout. "Look! We are ..."
Page 45: "A sergeant-of-staff hurried to greet them. "Well ..."
Page 46: ""Nothing. Never mind, Sergeant. Where are we to ..."
Page 47: ""So far so well."
The young nobleman rubbed..."
Page 48: "After suffering time lost to the loading and secur..."
Page 49: "Inside the Lion, a handful of heavily armed and ar..."
Page 50: ""And what fate, that?"
Walther grinned goad..."
Page 51: "Lord Ashbury laughed and sucked at his suds. Then..."
Page 52: "Edmund relented. "My heart tells me this, also. ..."
Page 53: ""And I at yours, Sir." Edmund returned the French..."
Page 54: "The wench returned with a basket of breads balance..."
Page 55: "Grunting, Edmund conceded, "Stephen speaks rightly..."
Page 56: "On the next morning's waking, though tardily so fo..."
Page 57: "Not surprisingly, the message was from Sir Eldon o..."
Page 58: "Whilst at Rosewyld, I had noted you rode a stallio..."
Page 59: "Highmane will no doubt neigh you to madness should..."
Page 60: "an ungentle transport to crusade. Windflanks cant..."
Page 61: "there a fine beast of combat. Ponies perhaps, but..."
Page 62: ""Let us see, first. Be not hasty, Good Robert."
Page 63: ""Her? Is it a mare, then?"
"Well, it is no..."
Page 64: ""I have not yet settled on that," cautioned Edmund..."
Page 65: "On a fine morning of September, more than a year g..."
Page 66: "Seeing this, Edmund screamed and scrambled to his ..."
Page 67: "When the stallion closed sufficiently, Rosewyld ca..."
Page 68: "His own liverymen made themselves present. Stephe..."
Page 69: ""Wounded? Retreat? What are you saying, man? We..."
Page 70: ""Tell me, Stephen. I would know our fate."
Page 71: ""Even as we have been defeated here today, Sir Edm..."
Page 72: ""Home, Stephen? Am I a coward so easily made?"
Page 73: "The heir of Rosewyld would return to England and r..."
"You go to h..."
Page 2: ""You have a special place at home. But you don't ..."
Page 3: ""Your speech mocks that of a coward. If I was ign..."
Page 4: ""Those that went, those that returned. Either."
Page 5: ""Yes, Father, yes," patronized Edmund, "I know tha..."
Page 6: "Seeming to sense his son's hesitance, Sir Hershel ..."
Page 7: ""As you will, Edmund. At last let me say only tha..."
Page 8: "Father smiled. "I will send her in as I leave. I..."
Page 9: "They stood at arm's length, sharing only a long, w..."
Page 10: ""Go on, child. You will have need of it."
..."
Page 11: ""I also wish it, Charles. If you were a few year..."
Page 12: ""Brother, when you become as accustomed to losing ..."
Page 13: ""More than fare? Must you make riddles even on th..."
Page 14: "As he slowed to a walk and smoothed his tunic to m..."
Page 15: "From the depths of his wandering mind, Sir Hershel..."
Page 16: "He was concerned only with Rosewyld's bloodline. ..."
Page 17: ""That is not what I meant to ask."
"Oh, tha..."
Page 18: "Now it was Edmund's turn to laugh. "Father always..."
Page 19: "Charles fairly beamed to hear it. "Good! Good! ..."
Page 20: "From below, a humble voice called, "Beg pardon, Si..."
Page 21: ""Caravan?" gaped the youth. "I'll not employ any ..."
Page 22: ""Mister Squire! Where do you go?" called the knig..."
Page 23: ""Obviously, dotard," jibed Charles as he hurried a..."
Page 24: "The lady nodded sadly. "I remember a little toe-h..."
Page 25: "For a moment, the young knight found himself in an..."
Page 26: "For many miles, Lady Urgold and her husband said n..."
Page 27: ""I know. It all seems so abrupt. Though perhaps ..."
Page 28: ""But, my father . . . I would have thought it had ..."
Page 29: ""My Lord Rosewyld," she returned, taking his hand ..."
Page 30: ""Aye, Lord. To my last drop."
"I have arra..."
Page 31: "Once he had boarded the boat and they had secured ..."
Page 32: "Stephen's father had marched with Sir Hershel when..."
Page 33: "Stephen beamed. "There could be. We shall see."<..."
Page 34: "Edmund laughed. "Yes, you and I both. A nice, fa..."
Page 35: "Changing the subject bluntly, much as their tiny b..."
Page 36: ""It comes and goes. But there were other fevers a..."
Page 37: ""For myself, I have always enjoyed your father's t..."
Page 38: ""Several, at the least."
Stephen longed to ..."
Page 39: "Taking a deep breath, the knight began, "On a fora..."
Page 40: ""Berek secured his weapon of siege and rallied men..."
Page 41: ""Even as the second assault of Christians mounted ..."
Page 42: ""Well, I suppose in a sense they did fall off. Bu..."
Page 43: ""With such tactics, is it any wonder our interests..."
Page 44: "Stephen interrupted with a shout. "Look! We are ..."
Page 45: "A sergeant-of-staff hurried to greet them. "Well ..."
Page 46: ""Nothing. Never mind, Sergeant. Where are we to ..."
Page 47: ""So far so well."
The young nobleman rubbed..."
Page 48: "After suffering time lost to the loading and secur..."
Page 49: "Inside the Lion, a handful of heavily armed and ar..."
Page 50: ""And what fate, that?"
Walther grinned goad..."
Page 51: "Lord Ashbury laughed and sucked at his suds. Then..."
Page 52: "Edmund relented. "My heart tells me this, also. ..."
Page 53: ""And I at yours, Sir." Edmund returned the French..."
Page 54: "The wench returned with a basket of breads balance..."
Page 55: "Grunting, Edmund conceded, "Stephen speaks rightly..."
Page 56: "On the next morning's waking, though tardily so fo..."
Page 57: "Not surprisingly, the message was from Sir Eldon o..."
Page 58: "Whilst at Rosewyld, I had noted you rode a stallio..."
Page 59: "Highmane will no doubt neigh you to madness should..."
Page 60: "an ungentle transport to crusade. Windflanks cant..."
Page 61: "there a fine beast of combat. Ponies perhaps, but..."
Page 62: ""Let us see, first. Be not hasty, Good Robert."
Page 63: ""Her? Is it a mare, then?"
"Well, it is no..."
Page 64: ""I have not yet settled on that," cautioned Edmund..."
Page 65: "On a fine morning of September, more than a year g..."
Page 66: "Seeing this, Edmund screamed and scrambled to his ..."
Page 67: "When the stallion closed sufficiently, Rosewyld ca..."
Page 68: "His own liverymen made themselves present. Stephe..."
Page 69: ""Wounded? Retreat? What are you saying, man? We..."
Page 70: ""Tell me, Stephen. I would know our fate."
Page 71: ""Even as we have been defeated here today, Sir Edm..."
Page 72: ""Home, Stephen? Am I a coward so easily made?"
Page 73: "The heir of Rosewyld would return to England and r..."
Chapter 7:
Terrible Teardrops
The celestial traveler returns to tell a tale of wickedness and bigotry.
Page 1:
"It was a small, ancient cafe. Its wooden floors c..."
Page 2: ""I want something cold and wet. Something my thir..."
Page 3: "The waitress' smile dropped slightly, almost imper..."
Page 4: ""No. Not from Texas." The stranger didn't add an..."
Page 5: ""You mean, like it snows all the time?" Myra stir..."
Page 6: "They all laughed. The stranger sipped at his drin..."
Page 7: "The stranger smiled at each, offering his hand whe..."
Page 8: "A dumbstruck silence followed the stranger's words..."
Page 9: ""Aw, c'mon, Bubba. You'll hurt his feelings" Ang..."
Page 10: ""Yes and no, Angus Mulganey. It's relics I'm afte..."
Page 11: ""Then how come you to know my last name? Have we ..."
Page 12: "Still without raising his eyes, the Wayfarer smile..."
Page 13: "Bubba harrumphed triumphantly, crossing his arms a..."
Page 14: "Nobody spoke right away. When the woman made to s..."
Page 15: ""Bubba, you keep a tight reign on yourself, now, y..."
Page 16: "Angus' green eyes narrowed. Bubba hissed angrily...."
Page 17: ""Bubba! Sit down!" for Bubba had indeed made to r..."
Page 18: ""Curiously, its tale was revealed to be a many fac..."
Page 19: ""This," responded the Wayfarer lovingly, "Is the W..."
Page 20: ""Take it easy, man. Milt knows what he's doing. ..."
Page 21: ""Go! Go! Go!" encouraged Milt drunkenly, tumblin..."
Page 22: "Up front, Clem was mouthing off about having to wa..."
Page 23: "In the bed of the pickup, Bubba hefted his bag of ..."
Page 24: ""So?" Angus reached into his jeans pocket for his..."
Page 25: ""I won't!"
Milt leaned forward and snatched..."
Page 26: "Fortunately, Angus had seen what happened. He sho..."
Page 27: ""It ain't broke. It's dislocated."
"You su..."
Page 28: ""But he's gone off with the Navy, ain't he?"
Page 29: ""It's a nigger, or nothin'. We can't take you to ..."
Page 30: ""Yeah, I know. Only I was thinkin'. Old Stilts' ..."
Page 31: ""I guess so. I'll have to think on it some, thoug..."
Page 32: ""Bubba, I mean, Bob Atwood. You know him, from ov..."
Page 33: ""One more thing, son. Just so's we understand eac..."
Page 34: "Only one among them had had his stomach's fill of ..."
Page 35: ""Well, I didn't. Those corner kickers you're wear..."
Page 36: ""No, we ain't goin' to leave him here," Angus mock..."
Page 37: "Nobody said anything for a time. Not even Milt, w..."
Page 38: ""Your species is a strange lot," he stated, his to..."
Page 39: ""Into the darkness. I will lose myself in the nig..."
Page 40: "She asked as much of the tall, thin man as he push..."
Page 2: ""I want something cold and wet. Something my thir..."
Page 3: "The waitress' smile dropped slightly, almost imper..."
Page 4: ""No. Not from Texas." The stranger didn't add an..."
Page 5: ""You mean, like it snows all the time?" Myra stir..."
Page 6: "They all laughed. The stranger sipped at his drin..."
Page 7: "The stranger smiled at each, offering his hand whe..."
Page 8: "A dumbstruck silence followed the stranger's words..."
Page 9: ""Aw, c'mon, Bubba. You'll hurt his feelings" Ang..."
Page 10: ""Yes and no, Angus Mulganey. It's relics I'm afte..."
Page 11: ""Then how come you to know my last name? Have we ..."
Page 12: "Still without raising his eyes, the Wayfarer smile..."
Page 13: "Bubba harrumphed triumphantly, crossing his arms a..."
Page 14: "Nobody spoke right away. When the woman made to s..."
Page 15: ""Bubba, you keep a tight reign on yourself, now, y..."
Page 16: "Angus' green eyes narrowed. Bubba hissed angrily...."
Page 17: ""Bubba! Sit down!" for Bubba had indeed made to r..."
Page 18: ""Curiously, its tale was revealed to be a many fac..."
Page 19: ""This," responded the Wayfarer lovingly, "Is the W..."
Page 20: ""Take it easy, man. Milt knows what he's doing. ..."
Page 21: ""Go! Go! Go!" encouraged Milt drunkenly, tumblin..."
Page 22: "Up front, Clem was mouthing off about having to wa..."
Page 23: "In the bed of the pickup, Bubba hefted his bag of ..."
Page 24: ""So?" Angus reached into his jeans pocket for his..."
Page 25: ""I won't!"
Milt leaned forward and snatched..."
Page 26: "Fortunately, Angus had seen what happened. He sho..."
Page 27: ""It ain't broke. It's dislocated."
"You su..."
Page 28: ""But he's gone off with the Navy, ain't he?"
Page 29: ""It's a nigger, or nothin'. We can't take you to ..."
Page 30: ""Yeah, I know. Only I was thinkin'. Old Stilts' ..."
Page 31: ""I guess so. I'll have to think on it some, thoug..."
Page 32: ""Bubba, I mean, Bob Atwood. You know him, from ov..."
Page 33: ""One more thing, son. Just so's we understand eac..."
Page 34: "Only one among them had had his stomach's fill of ..."
Page 35: ""Well, I didn't. Those corner kickers you're wear..."
Page 36: ""No, we ain't goin' to leave him here," Angus mock..."
Page 37: "Nobody said anything for a time. Not even Milt, w..."
Page 38: ""Your species is a strange lot," he stated, his to..."
Page 39: ""Into the darkness. I will lose myself in the nig..."
Page 40: "She asked as much of the tall, thin man as he push..."
Chapter 11:
The Despot Dreamed of Flowers
Never underestimate the power of a fanatic.
Page 1:
"Transcriber's Note:
-
The following ..."
Page 2: "For the flowers were there, in my dreamland, to sa..."
Page 3: "For my wake had followed me along as all wakes sho..."
Page 4: "In my dreams, at that precise, gut-wrenching momen..."
Page 5: ". . . I comprehended . . .
. . . I was enli..."
Page 6: ". . . I would awaken. Every time.
My dream..."
Page 7: "I thought it strange. Strange that I should have ..."
Page 8: "After all, I remembered the dream that day. And w..."
Page 9: "But somewhere along the way, at some point in the ..."
Page 10: ". . . was denied the answer? . . .
. . . no..."
Page 11: "Feet that have never, right or wrong, known the to..."
Page 12: ". . . I was gifted with the sight of God . . .
Page 13: "And that person turned away.
No matter. Th..."
Page 14: "'Look at these masses that are US! This diseased,..."
Page 15: "'But WE forget. While THEY live the dream, WE for..."
Page 16: "I pointed, and my audience cast its eyes skyward. ..."
Page 17: "While I, its obvious mentor. And I stood there, f..."
Page 18: "Which guttural utterance was the end of the world...."
Page 19: "Nothing prospers, save that something, somewhere p..."
Page 20: "For everything, even the grand universe, has known..."
Page 21: "In the end, after all the wars had been waged and ..."
-
The following ..."
Page 2: "For the flowers were there, in my dreamland, to sa..."
Page 3: "For my wake had followed me along as all wakes sho..."
Page 4: "In my dreams, at that precise, gut-wrenching momen..."
Page 5: ". . . I comprehended . . .
. . . I was enli..."
Page 6: ". . . I would awaken. Every time.
My dream..."
Page 7: "I thought it strange. Strange that I should have ..."
Page 8: "After all, I remembered the dream that day. And w..."
Page 9: "But somewhere along the way, at some point in the ..."
Page 10: ". . . was denied the answer? . . .
. . . no..."
Page 11: "Feet that have never, right or wrong, known the to..."
Page 12: ". . . I was gifted with the sight of God . . .
Page 13: "And that person turned away.
No matter. Th..."
Page 14: "'Look at these masses that are US! This diseased,..."
Page 15: "'But WE forget. While THEY live the dream, WE for..."
Page 16: "I pointed, and my audience cast its eyes skyward. ..."
Page 17: "While I, its obvious mentor. And I stood there, f..."
Page 18: "Which guttural utterance was the end of the world...."
Page 19: "Nothing prospers, save that something, somewhere p..."
Page 20: "For everything, even the grand universe, has known..."
Page 21: "In the end, after all the wars had been waged and ..."
Chapter 15:
Coda
Trapped in an elevator. It's the elevator from hell.
Page 1:
"When the flesh slackens to surrender the bone. Wh..."
Page 2: "I will be there, on the other side, waiting for yo..."
Page 3: "I seem a bastard at a lawn party. Eyes fall upon ..."
Page 4: "Watched yet unseen, I pass from the foyer to the l..."
Page 5: "For me, a pair of brass doors polished as mirrors,..."
Page 6: "I ascend. We ascend together, all ten thousand of..."
Page 7: "And later, as we age, I am the sniggering shadow t..."
Page 8: "So I stand and exit the elevator. The desk is emp..."
Page 9: "'Ah,' she purrs, easing into her seat fluidly. 'M..."
Page 10: "I look around at the walls and floor and ceiling, ..."
Page 11: "Truthfully, I scribble 'Can't be certain right now..."
Page 12: "'WERE YOU AT THE TIME OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN AT ANY..."
Page 13: "'WERE YOU A PASSENGER OR DRIVER OF AN AUTOMOBILE O..."
Page 14: "'DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE BASICALLY EVIL?'
Page 15: "I stop reading unhappily and flip to the next page..."
Page 16: "I smile and wink cockily at myself. But I do not ..."
Page 17: "'No, you don't.'
I am taken aback and feign..."
Page 18: "On a drum roll dirge that is my stride across the ..."
Page 19: "At the desk, the chair is empty, the foot long sto..."
Page 20: "I turn to find its source behind me. From the cor..."
Page 21: "I am myself in reflection. I am that which I will..."
Page 22: "'Early?'
'Of course. Unfortunately, there ..."
Page 2: "I will be there, on the other side, waiting for yo..."
Page 3: "I seem a bastard at a lawn party. Eyes fall upon ..."
Page 4: "Watched yet unseen, I pass from the foyer to the l..."
Page 5: "For me, a pair of brass doors polished as mirrors,..."
Page 6: "I ascend. We ascend together, all ten thousand of..."
Page 7: "And later, as we age, I am the sniggering shadow t..."
Page 8: "So I stand and exit the elevator. The desk is emp..."
Page 9: "'Ah,' she purrs, easing into her seat fluidly. 'M..."
Page 10: "I look around at the walls and floor and ceiling, ..."
Page 11: "Truthfully, I scribble 'Can't be certain right now..."
Page 12: "'WERE YOU AT THE TIME OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN AT ANY..."
Page 13: "'WERE YOU A PASSENGER OR DRIVER OF AN AUTOMOBILE O..."
Page 14: "'DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE BASICALLY EVIL?'
Page 15: "I stop reading unhappily and flip to the next page..."
Page 16: "I smile and wink cockily at myself. But I do not ..."
Page 17: "'No, you don't.'
I am taken aback and feign..."
Page 18: "On a drum roll dirge that is my stride across the ..."
Page 19: "At the desk, the chair is empty, the foot long sto..."
Page 20: "I turn to find its source behind me. From the cor..."
Page 21: "I am myself in reflection. I am that which I will..."
Page 22: "'Early?'
'Of course. Unfortunately, there ..."
Chapter 19:
Them That Move the Dead
You see them gathered about every roadside accident. Should we move the victim?
Page 1:
"I can't guess how many times I drove past them and..."
Page 2: "But that was before. Before I stumbled onto them...."
Page 3: "The sedan washed back and forth before me. It wen..."
Page 4: "I recall how I checked myself from head to foot fo..."
Page 5: "They were parked along the freeway, along the serv..."
Page 6: ""Yes, let's do move him. I'll get him around the ..."
Page 7: ""We did the right thing."
"Yeah. You know,..."
Page 8: ""Four. There's a compound fracture at the wrist."..."
Page 9: ""That must be where he slid down the street."
<..."
Page 10: "One pointed and shaded his wrinkled eyes. "See? ..."
Page 11: "I was sick then. Sick to my stomach. Sick to my ..."
Page 12: ""You're lucky," she said. I nodded and swallowed ..."
Page 13: "So I laid it all out. I told her everything, from..."
Page 14: "He cleared his throat and fussed with something th..."
Page 15: ""Ben. Ben Afleck."
"Okay, Ben, listen to m..."
Page 16: "I was simultaneously worried and skeptical. Just ..."
Page 17: "He licked his lips and turned that suspicious eye ..."
Page 18: "A week to the day, my office phone rang. I answer..."
Page 19: ""Oh, no." My office cubicle began to spin. I lai..."
Page 20: ""Don't be. It's the job. You didn't put that kid..."
Page 21: "Though I tried to steady it, my voice wavered. "I..."
Page 22: ""I can't be certain. I'm sorry."
"Did you ..."
Page 23: "I nodded, though she obviously wouldn't see. "Yea..."
Page 24: "She bade me good-bye and best wishes. I laid the ..."
Page 25: ""No, I'm okay. Really."
"If you say so, bu..."
Page 26: ""Five kids? I think I read about that in the pape..."
Page 27: "A small group of concerned co-workers had gathered..."
Page 28: ""Nobody? That's terrible," he groused, "Terrible ..."
Page 29: ""You know," started a fat lady from shipping-and-r..."
Page 30: "Two days later, I was surprised in the evening by ..."
Page 31: ""Talk?" I was genuinely confused. This kind of t..."
Page 32: "She sat on my couch, and was very beautiful. The ..."
Page 33: ""Okay," I hedged, "I guess I like you, too."
Page 34: ""You are, trust me. You don't even try to hide it..."
Page 35: ""So, what?"
She clucked her tongue and roll..."
Page 36: ""And now?"
I grinned despite myself. "I'm ..."
Page 37: ""I don't lie often, so I don't get much practice."..."
Page 38: ""Remember I said that I like you? Well I do. I l..."
Page 39: ""I- I just want to know, that's all. I want to kn..."
Page 40: ""Again, why?"
"I want to prosecute them. I..."
Page 41: "She announced that I should pay the bill while she..."
Page 42: "The car struck rear-end first and flipped again, b..."
Page 43: "For the first time since she had left me, I though..."
Page 44: "They laid me in the grass. And I felt them poking..."
Page 45: "They all agreed, giggling. In the end, I couldn't..."
Page 2: "But that was before. Before I stumbled onto them...."
Page 3: "The sedan washed back and forth before me. It wen..."
Page 4: "I recall how I checked myself from head to foot fo..."
Page 5: "They were parked along the freeway, along the serv..."
Page 6: ""Yes, let's do move him. I'll get him around the ..."
Page 7: ""We did the right thing."
"Yeah. You know,..."
Page 8: ""Four. There's a compound fracture at the wrist."..."
Page 9: ""That must be where he slid down the street."
<..."
Page 10: "One pointed and shaded his wrinkled eyes. "See? ..."
Page 11: "I was sick then. Sick to my stomach. Sick to my ..."
Page 12: ""You're lucky," she said. I nodded and swallowed ..."
Page 13: "So I laid it all out. I told her everything, from..."
Page 14: "He cleared his throat and fussed with something th..."
Page 15: ""Ben. Ben Afleck."
"Okay, Ben, listen to m..."
Page 16: "I was simultaneously worried and skeptical. Just ..."
Page 17: "He licked his lips and turned that suspicious eye ..."
Page 18: "A week to the day, my office phone rang. I answer..."
Page 19: ""Oh, no." My office cubicle began to spin. I lai..."
Page 20: ""Don't be. It's the job. You didn't put that kid..."
Page 21: "Though I tried to steady it, my voice wavered. "I..."
Page 22: ""I can't be certain. I'm sorry."
"Did you ..."
Page 23: "I nodded, though she obviously wouldn't see. "Yea..."
Page 24: "She bade me good-bye and best wishes. I laid the ..."
Page 25: ""No, I'm okay. Really."
"If you say so, bu..."
Page 26: ""Five kids? I think I read about that in the pape..."
Page 27: "A small group of concerned co-workers had gathered..."
Page 28: ""Nobody? That's terrible," he groused, "Terrible ..."
Page 29: ""You know," started a fat lady from shipping-and-r..."
Page 30: "Two days later, I was surprised in the evening by ..."
Page 31: ""Talk?" I was genuinely confused. This kind of t..."
Page 32: "She sat on my couch, and was very beautiful. The ..."
Page 33: ""Okay," I hedged, "I guess I like you, too."
Page 34: ""You are, trust me. You don't even try to hide it..."
Page 35: ""So, what?"
She clucked her tongue and roll..."
Page 36: ""And now?"
I grinned despite myself. "I'm ..."
Page 37: ""I don't lie often, so I don't get much practice."..."
Page 38: ""Remember I said that I like you? Well I do. I l..."
Page 39: ""I- I just want to know, that's all. I want to kn..."
Page 40: ""Again, why?"
"I want to prosecute them. I..."
Page 41: "She announced that I should pay the bill while she..."
Page 42: "The car struck rear-end first and flipped again, b..."
Page 43: "For the first time since she had left me, I though..."
Page 44: "They laid me in the grass. And I felt them poking..."
Page 45: "They all agreed, giggling. In the end, I couldn't..."
Chapter 4:
Magic Valley
He's the intrepid hunter, a killer too prolific. What happens when magic meets madness?
Page 1:
""Five cheetah hides and some ivory." Troy Halbard..."
Page 2: ""Yeah, you right about that. The price is going u..."
Page 3: ""Hey, it sounds like good advice to me."
Tr..."
Page 4: "Troy leaned back again, and spoke in a normal tone..."
Page 5: "Halbard considered Arygoppo's death as he walked. ..."
Page 6: "The shadow slipped obliviously past his lair. The..."
Page 7: "Three days later he was refueling in Kasama, toppi..."
Page 8: "Inside the witch's mud hut, the poacher sat and sm..."
Page 9: ""Then hear more of them. For what you have done, ..."
Page 10: "Animals your lust
Animal you are
Ani..."
Page 11: "Halbard topped a hill and confirmed his hopes. Aw..."
Page 12: "Now the fire was verging on the ridge above his he..."
Page 13: "The corpse's flesh was reddened by the light of th..."
Page 14: "What could be so important? The old witch's words..."
Page 15: "Many hours later he was cursing his bravado and hi..."
Page 16: "Clearing away the sand, Halbard saw that they were..."
Page 17: "Then something toothy sprang out of the brush acro..."
Page 2: ""Yeah, you right about that. The price is going u..."
Page 3: ""Hey, it sounds like good advice to me."
Tr..."
Page 4: "Troy leaned back again, and spoke in a normal tone..."
Page 5: "Halbard considered Arygoppo's death as he walked. ..."
Page 6: "The shadow slipped obliviously past his lair. The..."
Page 7: "Three days later he was refueling in Kasama, toppi..."
Page 8: "Inside the witch's mud hut, the poacher sat and sm..."
Page 9: ""Then hear more of them. For what you have done, ..."
Page 10: "Animals your lust
Animal you are
Ani..."
Page 11: "Halbard topped a hill and confirmed his hopes. Aw..."
Page 12: "Now the fire was verging on the ridge above his he..."
Page 13: "The corpse's flesh was reddened by the light of th..."
Page 14: "What could be so important? The old witch's words..."
Page 15: "Many hours later he was cursing his bravado and hi..."
Page 16: "Clearing away the sand, Halbard saw that they were..."
Page 17: "Then something toothy sprang out of the brush acro..."
Chapter 8:
Sunstrike Rising
The beginning of a new cosmic order.
Page 1:
"The corporate logo emblazoned at his temples was o..."
Page 2: "My curiosity was piqued. It was an alarming combi..."
Page 3: "To my credit, however, I didn't run. I took back ..."
Page 4: ""It's like this on Station Seven," he intoned exci..."
Page 5: ""What's it like? It's hard to describe, really, b..."
Page 6: "And, since they were regular G-Tex security (as op..."
Page 7: "Before I could proceed with the final stroke of my..."
Page 8: "'Right. Well, then, what I need to know is; do WE..."
Page 9: "'Your target's logo is irrelevant.'
'Irrele..."
Page 10: "'I better get a helluva bonus for this . . .' I in..."
Page 11: ""You don't even know what that shit does to you, b..."
Page 12: "I prepped my weapons, a pair of moderately powerfu..."
Page 13: "Sheck was working with his hands, to what end I co..."
Page 14: "The response was already forming in the club at my..."
Page 15: "My ears popped and my eyes watered. I strapped th..."
Page 16: "His head free of the drag of acceleration, Sheck's..."
Page 17: ""Hold there a sec', Senior Director," I intoned in..."
Page 18: ""I don't know anything about that," I growled. "J..."
Page 19: "I stared at him for a time, and he at me. Suddenl..."
Page 20: "Now he was sullen and suspicious. Just like that,..."
Page 21: "I laughed. "You could be sick that way, I don't k..."
Page 22: "He hissed a long, trembling breath. "It's no wond..."
Page 23: "He laughed. "And once I told Argot that I had tol..."
Page 24: ""I'll tell you what I can do for you, Sheck, ol' b..."
Page 25: ""All of it was true, except the part where I retur..."
Page 26: ""But you made it back somehow."
"Right. Th..."
Page 27: ""Yeah."
"Your buddy, your pal, your 'team' ..."
Page 28: "I tried to stop laughing. "No?"
"No! She ..."
Page 29: ""She was my lover. I cared for her deeply, and sh..."
Page 30: "Dumbfounded by this genuine delivery of an opposin..."
Page 31: "And I was reminded of the conflicted giant with th..."
Page 32: ""I would tell you about what you call 'Project Psi..."
Page 33: "Gritting my teeth, I growled, "I told you, I don't..."
Page 34: ""It might, yet. As I said, I anticipated this con..."
Page 35: ""No, never!" he gasped. "Betray G-Tex for Argot? ..."
Page 36: ""Even then. That's what it's like to be other tha..."
Page 37: "He smiled. "Colorful. And irrelevant."
"I..."
Page 38: ""Somebody else, hell. It was Genteel Saddam. Eve..."
Page 39: ""Believe me," he intoned, his head raised and eyes..."
Page 40: ""I'm coming to that. First, you have to understan..."
Page 41: "Then I popped his bubble. "But it's wrong."
Page 42: ""Why?"
"Because . . ." I was thinking of al..."
Page 43: ""Why?"
He was taken aback. "Because I had ..."
Page 44: "Sheck didn't miss the cue. "Are you afraid now?"<..."
Page 45: ""Your luck? Gods, we're already hung! I just sna..."
Page 46: ""And the distance between them?"
That I did..."
Page 47: ""And visa versa, no doubt. But what of it? Free ..."
Page 48: ""And I still don't grasp your inference. In fact,..."
Page 49: ""G-Tex still maintains that old core strip? I wou..."
Page 50: ""I mean, they're all in horrible strategic positio..."
Page 51: "I didn't even bother to supply a guess. I merely ..."
Page 52: ""Now you know."
I almost bought it. Almost..."
Page 53: ""But not to worry," he heaved, shifting in his sea..."
Page 54: ""These being ages of enlightenment in contrast, I ..."
Page 55: ""A bit of data. A bit of money. Some legal consi..."
Page 56: ""Let me guess," I provided for him, "There's this ..."
Page 57: ""And that's it, Sheck ol' pal. You get that punch..."
Page 58: ""It's true, I have accounts that I know to be moni..."
Page 59: ""I am not the same as you!"
"Exactly the sa..."
Page 60: ""Bear with me. What would you need?"
"To s..."
Page 61: ""It's all too good to be true. It stinks of rot a..."
Page 62: "He paled. "Oh, gods, I didn't even think of that!..."
Page 63: ""What?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds. In ..."
Page 64: ""Sure. Some of them my own, ones I picked up outs..."
Page 65: ""Here," he said in a bit, "Punch in your UID, the ..."
Page 66: ""Oh, to be certain. It will take their automated ..."
Page 67: ""Both, maybe. Oh, let's just forget this whole th..."
Page 68: "Yet it was. I found a vendor that would cut the d..."
Page 69: "Now the monster started talking again, fast and fu..."
Page 70: "Casting a sidelong glance at Sheck, I punched up t..."
Page 71: "I didn't believe him, of course. It was all too g..."
Page 72: "I never felt godlike, but I came close a few times..."
Page 2: "My curiosity was piqued. It was an alarming combi..."
Page 3: "To my credit, however, I didn't run. I took back ..."
Page 4: ""It's like this on Station Seven," he intoned exci..."
Page 5: ""What's it like? It's hard to describe, really, b..."
Page 6: "And, since they were regular G-Tex security (as op..."
Page 7: "Before I could proceed with the final stroke of my..."
Page 8: "'Right. Well, then, what I need to know is; do WE..."
Page 9: "'Your target's logo is irrelevant.'
'Irrele..."
Page 10: "'I better get a helluva bonus for this . . .' I in..."
Page 11: ""You don't even know what that shit does to you, b..."
Page 12: "I prepped my weapons, a pair of moderately powerfu..."
Page 13: "Sheck was working with his hands, to what end I co..."
Page 14: "The response was already forming in the club at my..."
Page 15: "My ears popped and my eyes watered. I strapped th..."
Page 16: "His head free of the drag of acceleration, Sheck's..."
Page 17: ""Hold there a sec', Senior Director," I intoned in..."
Page 18: ""I don't know anything about that," I growled. "J..."
Page 19: "I stared at him for a time, and he at me. Suddenl..."
Page 20: "Now he was sullen and suspicious. Just like that,..."
Page 21: "I laughed. "You could be sick that way, I don't k..."
Page 22: "He hissed a long, trembling breath. "It's no wond..."
Page 23: "He laughed. "And once I told Argot that I had tol..."
Page 24: ""I'll tell you what I can do for you, Sheck, ol' b..."
Page 25: ""All of it was true, except the part where I retur..."
Page 26: ""But you made it back somehow."
"Right. Th..."
Page 27: ""Yeah."
"Your buddy, your pal, your 'team' ..."
Page 28: "I tried to stop laughing. "No?"
"No! She ..."
Page 29: ""She was my lover. I cared for her deeply, and sh..."
Page 30: "Dumbfounded by this genuine delivery of an opposin..."
Page 31: "And I was reminded of the conflicted giant with th..."
Page 32: ""I would tell you about what you call 'Project Psi..."
Page 33: "Gritting my teeth, I growled, "I told you, I don't..."
Page 34: ""It might, yet. As I said, I anticipated this con..."
Page 35: ""No, never!" he gasped. "Betray G-Tex for Argot? ..."
Page 36: ""Even then. That's what it's like to be other tha..."
Page 37: "He smiled. "Colorful. And irrelevant."
"I..."
Page 38: ""Somebody else, hell. It was Genteel Saddam. Eve..."
Page 39: ""Believe me," he intoned, his head raised and eyes..."
Page 40: ""I'm coming to that. First, you have to understan..."
Page 41: "Then I popped his bubble. "But it's wrong."
Page 42: ""Why?"
"Because . . ." I was thinking of al..."
Page 43: ""Why?"
He was taken aback. "Because I had ..."
Page 44: "Sheck didn't miss the cue. "Are you afraid now?"<..."
Page 45: ""Your luck? Gods, we're already hung! I just sna..."
Page 46: ""And the distance between them?"
That I did..."
Page 47: ""And visa versa, no doubt. But what of it? Free ..."
Page 48: ""And I still don't grasp your inference. In fact,..."
Page 49: ""G-Tex still maintains that old core strip? I wou..."
Page 50: ""I mean, they're all in horrible strategic positio..."
Page 51: "I didn't even bother to supply a guess. I merely ..."
Page 52: ""Now you know."
I almost bought it. Almost..."
Page 53: ""But not to worry," he heaved, shifting in his sea..."
Page 54: ""These being ages of enlightenment in contrast, I ..."
Page 55: ""A bit of data. A bit of money. Some legal consi..."
Page 56: ""Let me guess," I provided for him, "There's this ..."
Page 57: ""And that's it, Sheck ol' pal. You get that punch..."
Page 58: ""It's true, I have accounts that I know to be moni..."
Page 59: ""I am not the same as you!"
"Exactly the sa..."
Page 60: ""Bear with me. What would you need?"
"To s..."
Page 61: ""It's all too good to be true. It stinks of rot a..."
Page 62: "He paled. "Oh, gods, I didn't even think of that!..."
Page 63: ""What?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds. In ..."
Page 64: ""Sure. Some of them my own, ones I picked up outs..."
Page 65: ""Here," he said in a bit, "Punch in your UID, the ..."
Page 66: ""Oh, to be certain. It will take their automated ..."
Page 67: ""Both, maybe. Oh, let's just forget this whole th..."
Page 68: "Yet it was. I found a vendor that would cut the d..."
Page 69: "Now the monster started talking again, fast and fu..."
Page 70: "Casting a sidelong glance at Sheck, I punched up t..."
Page 71: "I didn't believe him, of course. It was all too g..."
Page 72: "I never felt godlike, but I came close a few times..."
Chapter 12:
That Last Door Standing Wide Open
The monkey wears a suit complete with bow-tie and wingtips. Should he open that last door?
Page 1:
""We are dreams wherein dreams may go." He shifted..."
Page 2: ""Today I am," he breathed, "Tomorrow I am not. In..."
Page 3: "My tea was cold when I finally found the gall to s..."
Page 4: "I swallowed with difficulty. Though he was thirty..."
Page 5: ""Years of labor. Years of my life. Decades. Hel..."
Page 6: "I had no idea what he meant, but I could see how i..."
Page 7: ""I'll bet you read my last paper. Am I right? Do ..."
Page 8: ""After all, one must shield one's eyes from bright..."
Page 9: "With that, he disappeared behind the door and I wa..."
Page 10: ""Once," he offered devilishly, his voice a grating..."
Page 11: "My first step into the lab was a monumental effort..."
Page 12: "He was saying, "I don't use this part of the lab a..."
Page 13: "A few loping strides brought me up to his hunched ..."
Page 14: ""I would like to report that I was visited with th..."
Page 15: "Yet the doctor was not afraid. "What is it, Benny..."
Page 16: "He pushed Benny away and turned to face me more co..."
Page 17: ""You see, Benny once belonged to our virology depa..."
Page 18: "I accepted with a trembling hand. Benny fished fo..."
Page 19: ""I ask you, because I think you might tell me what..."
Page 20: ""PARTITION X:> Divide the quotient by the product ..."
Page 21: ""PARTITION X:> Central control will disregard prev..."
Page 22: ""He is very, very sick. Help him to live."
..."
Page 23: "I glanced nervously in Benny's direction, but the ..."
Page 24: "The animal sniffled and watched its master go, the..."
Page 25: ""You see," intoned Benny, leading me to the comman..."
Page 26: ""Yet I must. Something within me demands it, I kn..."
Page 27: "Benny dutifully performed as instructed, and seeme..."
Page 28: "As he worked at plugging and unplugging various ca..."
Page 29: ""Once, when my socks were red and my shoes were br..."
Page 30: "While Benny finished preparing the master controls..."
Page 31: "As he had indicated, the procedure was largely aut..."
Page 32: "Well, just what the hell was I supposed to do now?..."
Page 33: "Benny was instantly at my side, his monkey's face ..."
Page 34: "Where before my heart had been simply lurching alo..."
Page 2: ""Today I am," he breathed, "Tomorrow I am not. In..."
Page 3: "My tea was cold when I finally found the gall to s..."
Page 4: "I swallowed with difficulty. Though he was thirty..."
Page 5: ""Years of labor. Years of my life. Decades. Hel..."
Page 6: "I had no idea what he meant, but I could see how i..."
Page 7: ""I'll bet you read my last paper. Am I right? Do ..."
Page 8: ""After all, one must shield one's eyes from bright..."
Page 9: "With that, he disappeared behind the door and I wa..."
Page 10: ""Once," he offered devilishly, his voice a grating..."
Page 11: "My first step into the lab was a monumental effort..."
Page 12: "He was saying, "I don't use this part of the lab a..."
Page 13: "A few loping strides brought me up to his hunched ..."
Page 14: ""I would like to report that I was visited with th..."
Page 15: "Yet the doctor was not afraid. "What is it, Benny..."
Page 16: "He pushed Benny away and turned to face me more co..."
Page 17: ""You see, Benny once belonged to our virology depa..."
Page 18: "I accepted with a trembling hand. Benny fished fo..."
Page 19: ""I ask you, because I think you might tell me what..."
Page 20: ""PARTITION X:> Divide the quotient by the product ..."
Page 21: ""PARTITION X:> Central control will disregard prev..."
Page 22: ""He is very, very sick. Help him to live."
..."
Page 23: "I glanced nervously in Benny's direction, but the ..."
Page 24: "The animal sniffled and watched its master go, the..."
Page 25: ""You see," intoned Benny, leading me to the comman..."
Page 26: ""Yet I must. Something within me demands it, I kn..."
Page 27: "Benny dutifully performed as instructed, and seeme..."
Page 28: "As he worked at plugging and unplugging various ca..."
Page 29: ""Once, when my socks were red and my shoes were br..."
Page 30: "While Benny finished preparing the master controls..."
Page 31: "As he had indicated, the procedure was largely aut..."
Page 32: "Well, just what the hell was I supposed to do now?..."
Page 33: "Benny was instantly at my side, his monkey's face ..."
Page 34: "Where before my heart had been simply lurching alo..."
Chapter 16:
Darkness On the Face of the Deep
Today is the last day. He will make certain of it.
Page 1:
"One moment asleep, perhaps dreaming. The next, sn..."
Page 2: "Except the promise. The promise of one day, event..."
Page 3: "At that moment, he rolled off the bed and stumbled..."
Page 4: "The hallway was long and broad. To either side, d..."
Page 5: "She fought to avoid his attention. A ream of docu..."
Page 6: "His phone rang. He started and reached for it at ..."
Page 7: ""-but damned if we can find the freaking thing. W..."
Page 8: ""Say, what's the matter with you? We gotta broken..."
Page 9: ""For the work order you god-damned moron!"
..."
Page 10: ""Huh?"
"It's the way I look you up in the c..."
Page 11: "His nervous eyes turned to find the sun. It was s..."
Page 12: "His footfalls were soft on the pavement of the sid..."
Page 13: "That Benny should have so much, and I should have ..."
Page 14: "The black brow faded away, brooding hatefully....<..."
Page 15: "She pretended not to notice, until he said, "I hat..."
Page 16: ""So I went back to working days. I found a job wi..."
Page 17: "A lengthy silence followed. The old woman kept he..."
Page 18: "Reaching for a microphone, the driver thumbed an o..."
Page 19: "The black brow grimaced, and stood again. At the ..."
Page 20: ""I have not known them at all." The black brow sh..."
Page 21: "The sobbing stopped. The black brow felt the eart..."
Page 22: "He cleared his throat and retracted his arm to rea..."
Page 23: ""Unhappily, I confess, they learned much of this f..."
Page 24: "2:17 AM. Thursday. October.
Snow was fall..."
Page 25: "I should be sleeping in my cubicle.
Whateve..."
Page 26: "They stopped moving, each one, and were suddenly s..."
Page 27: ""One day soon," he predicted, rising from his chai..."
Page 28: "They gathered their meals individually from the ca..."
Page 29: ""How 'bout you?" he asked, munching a bite of his ..."
Page 30: ""Well, let's face it. We're not here because you'..."
Page 31: "He alternately shook and nodded his head. And sip..."
Page 32: "He shook his head. No. He had never fired a hand..."
Page 33: "He shrugged and spooned up a lump of green Jell-O,..."
Page 34: "He pushed the grocery cart down the aisle, which w..."
Page 35: "She gasped, "What are you doing here?"
"Wel..."
Page 36: "As she rounded the far corner, he called softly, "..."
Page 37: "Though he asked questions, they refused to answer ..."
Page 38: "They released him the next day, with the admonishm..."
Page 39: "He listened to the dead, as they whispered from th..."
Page 40: "As he walked the length of the passage, other work..."
Page 41: "To which he replied hotly, removing clenched fists..."
Page 2: "Except the promise. The promise of one day, event..."
Page 3: "At that moment, he rolled off the bed and stumbled..."
Page 4: "The hallway was long and broad. To either side, d..."
Page 5: "She fought to avoid his attention. A ream of docu..."
Page 6: "His phone rang. He started and reached for it at ..."
Page 7: ""-but damned if we can find the freaking thing. W..."
Page 8: ""Say, what's the matter with you? We gotta broken..."
Page 9: ""For the work order you god-damned moron!"
..."
Page 10: ""Huh?"
"It's the way I look you up in the c..."
Page 11: "His nervous eyes turned to find the sun. It was s..."
Page 12: "His footfalls were soft on the pavement of the sid..."
Page 13: "That Benny should have so much, and I should have ..."
Page 14: "The black brow faded away, brooding hatefully....<..."
Page 15: "She pretended not to notice, until he said, "I hat..."
Page 16: ""So I went back to working days. I found a job wi..."
Page 17: "A lengthy silence followed. The old woman kept he..."
Page 18: "Reaching for a microphone, the driver thumbed an o..."
Page 19: "The black brow grimaced, and stood again. At the ..."
Page 20: ""I have not known them at all." The black brow sh..."
Page 21: "The sobbing stopped. The black brow felt the eart..."
Page 22: "He cleared his throat and retracted his arm to rea..."
Page 23: ""Unhappily, I confess, they learned much of this f..."
Page 24: "2:17 AM. Thursday. October.
Snow was fall..."
Page 25: "I should be sleeping in my cubicle.
Whateve..."
Page 26: "They stopped moving, each one, and were suddenly s..."
Page 27: ""One day soon," he predicted, rising from his chai..."
Page 28: "They gathered their meals individually from the ca..."
Page 29: ""How 'bout you?" he asked, munching a bite of his ..."
Page 30: ""Well, let's face it. We're not here because you'..."
Page 31: "He alternately shook and nodded his head. And sip..."
Page 32: "He shook his head. No. He had never fired a hand..."
Page 33: "He shrugged and spooned up a lump of green Jell-O,..."
Page 34: "He pushed the grocery cart down the aisle, which w..."
Page 35: "She gasped, "What are you doing here?"
"Wel..."
Page 36: "As she rounded the far corner, he called softly, "..."
Page 37: "Though he asked questions, they refused to answer ..."
Page 38: "They released him the next day, with the admonishm..."
Page 39: "He listened to the dead, as they whispered from th..."
Page 40: "As he walked the length of the passage, other work..."
Page 41: "To which he replied hotly, removing clenched fists..."
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