The Return of Santiago: A Myth of the Far Future (44 page)

      
"You don't believe that for a moment," she said firmly.

      
"I don't know what I believe any more," he admitted. "Except that maybe it was a bit presumptuous, trying to force my will on the history of the Inner Frontier. No one told the first Santiago that it was time to become Santiago. He wasn't manipulated. He just did it, because it was his destiny." He sighed deeply. "Hell, I don't even know what
my
destiny is. Why am I screwing around trying to tell them theirs?"

      
She stared long and hard at him. "I don't like it when you're like this."

      
"Like what?"

      
"Full of self-doubt," said Matilda. "From the outset, you've always known what you wanted to do, and how you planned to do it. This isn't like you."

      
"I stood back and took a good look at what I've done," he replied. "A lot of people are dead who wouldn't be if it weren't for me."

      
"You didn't kill them."

      
"They're dead just the same. Not just the children, though that's the worst of it—but I killed the Candy Man and Jackrabbit Willowby just as surely as if I aimed the weapons and pulled the triggers."

      
"They deserved to die."

      
"I'm not arguing that," said Dante. "But the fact remains that if I'd stayed on Bailiwick and never come to the Frontier, they'd still be alive. I'm the reason they're all dead, maybe the only reason."

      
"So are you quitting?"

      
"No, I'm not quitting. But I've got to be
certain
this time. I can't keep choosing the wrong man and turning him loose on the galaxy."

      
"It just means you care, and that you're giving it a lot of thought."

      
"It means I've got a lot to make amends for." He looked at her. "And it means that I can't make any more mistakes."

      
"If it was anyone's mistake, it was
mine
," she protested. "Don't forget—I'm the one who got you to come to Heliopolis to meet the Bandit in the first place."

      
"And I'm the one who approved him."

      
"There's enough guilt to go around," said Matilda.

      
"Yeah, I suppose so," agreed Dante. He got to his feet. "Come on. I'll buy you a drink."

      
"You're on," she said, relieved that the conversation was over.

      
"In fact," he continued, "instead of going to the hotel bar, why don't we go out for that drink and take a look around town? I've never been to New Pategonia before, and I'll probably never come back. It'd be a shame not to spend at least a couple of hours getting the flavor of the place."

      
"Sounds good to me," said Matilda, taking his arm and walking out into the street with him.

      
"It's really quite a lovely world," said Dante approvingly. "Fishing, skiing, skating—they probably even have hunting safaris."

      
"And even though there's snow surrounding us, it's still very pleasant down here in the valley," she added.

      
"Let's walk up and down the street and see what kind of shops they have."

      
"What are you looking for?"

      
"Anything I can steal." She looked annoyed, and he smiled at her. "Oh, don't worry, I won't—but a lifetime's habits are hard to lose. I still like to look."

      
They walked down the block, reached a corner, and were about to cross to the other side of the street when Dante heard a familiar voice behind him.

      
"Hi, Danny boy," it said. "You've led me one hell of a merry chase."

      
"Shit!"
muttered Dante, freezing.

      
"Turn around very slowly," continued the voice, "and keep your hands out from your body."

      
Dante did as he was ordered. "You're a long way from home, Commander Balsam," he said when he finally was able to face his antagonist.

      
"It's just plain Balsam now," said the big man, aiming his burner between Dante's eyes. "Things got so dull back on Bailiwick after you left that I quit my job and became a bounty hunter." He paused. "You've been a busy boy, Danny. I've been on your tail for months now, but all I keep finding are dead bodies."

      
Matilda began edging away from Dante, and suddenly Balsam trained his weapon on her. "That's far enough."

      
"You want
him
, not me," said Matilda.

      
"You're with Danny Briggs," said Balsam. "That's enough for me. You're going to stay with us until I find out if there's any paper on you." Dante took a tentative step toward him. "Watch it, Danny. You're wanted dead or alive. It makes no difference to me which way I bring you back."

      
"You've really been following me since I left Bailiwick?" asked Dante.

      
"A few weeks later," said Balsam. "You leave an awful easy trail to follow."

      
"I'd totally forgotten I was wanted back in the Democracy," admitted Danny. "I've had more important things on my mind."

      
"Always thinking—that's my Danny." He paused. "Where's the Indian?"

      
"What Indian?"

      
"Don't play stupid, Danny. It's unbecoming, and it doesn't fit you at all." Balsam looked around. "My information says that you usually travel with an Indian."

      
"I don't see one," said Dante. "Do you?"

      
"No, but after I take possession of that poem you're supposed to be writing, I'll figure out who he is and find him." He smiled. "Am
I
in it?"

      
Dante shook his head. "I only write about interesting people."

      
"You cut me to the quick," said Balsam with mock pain. Suddenly he laughed. "Hell, I'll write myself into it after I take it away from you."

      
"You're not touching it," said Dante firmly.

      
"We'll see about that," said Balsam. Suddenly he grinned. "You're only worth 60,000 credits this month, Danny. How much is it worth to you if I let you keep your damned poem and you go deeper and deeper into the Frontier?" He paused. "I'm not saying I'll never come after you again, but I'll give you a 60-day head start. How does that sound?"

      
Danny looked past Balsam and saw Joshua Silvermane exit a restaurant and step out into the street. The tall man stopped and surveyed the little scene calmly, an armadillo watching ants bickering.

      
"You haven't answered me, Danny."

      
"I don't deal with blackmailers."

      
"View me as a liberator," said Balsam.

      
"You don't want to know what I view you as."

      
"I'm running out of patience, Danny. I can kill you or I can take you back alive or I can let you go—but one way or another I'm going to make myself 60,000 credits. Now, do I do it the hard way or the easy way?"

      
"Why not make a trade?" said a strong baritone voice.

      
"Who the hell are you?" demanded Balsam as Silvermane approached them.

      
"My name's Joshua Silvermane."

      
"I never heard of you."

      
"That's okay," said Silvermane. "I never heard of you, either."

      
"What kind of trade are you talking about?"

      
"Just a moment," said Silvermane, walking to the entrance to a drug parlor about 40 feet away.

      
"Where are you going?" said Balsam suspiciously.

      
"Stay where you are. I'll be right back."

      
Silvermane vanished into the drug den's interior. A moment later there was a deafening
crash!
, and an instant after that a body literally flew out through a window and landed with a sickening
thud!
on the street, where it lay, twitching feebly.

      
Silvermane emerged and approached Balsam again.

      
"That's Simon Ten Broek," he said, not even deigning to give the moaning man a glance. "There's paper on him all over the Frontier. He's worth 100,000 credits back on Spica VI, even more in the Roosevelt system."

      
"What the hell did he do?"

      
"Rape. Arson. Torture. Murder. Three jailbreaks. You name it, he's probably done it."

      
"Okay, he's a wanted man. So what?"

      
"I'll trade him to you for the poet and the lady," said Silvermane. "You'll come out at least 40,000 credits ahead."

      
"What if I say no?"

      
"Then I'll kill Simon, and when I'm done, I'll probably kill you too."

      
Balsam aimed his weapon at Silvermane. "You forget who has the advantage here, friend."

      
"Put that burner down or I'll take it away and cram it up your ass," said Silvermane with no show of fear or apprehension.

      
The grin vanished. Of all the answers Balsam had expected, that was the least likely, and it troubled him. "How do I know that's really Simon Ten Broek?"

      
"How do I know you're really a licensed bounty hunter?" Silvermane shot back.

      
"This is ridiculous!" snapped Balsam, his courage slipping away in the face of this totally confident stranger. "I've wasted enough time! You want a trade? All right, we'll trade! Just take them and get the hell out of my sight."

      
"You've made a wise decision," said Silvermane. He turned to Dante and Matilda. "Come on."

      
They fell into step behind him as he began walking back to the Jong Palace. As they did so, Balsam went over to Simon Ten Broek and delivered a powerful kick in his ribs. "Get up!" he bellowed.

      
Silvermane was beside Balsam before he realized it. "And
that
," he said, "was a foolish decision." He grabbed Balsam' wrist before he could reach for his weapon. They stood motionless for a moment. Then there was an audible
crack!
, and Balsam screamed. Silvermane released his grip, and Balsam dropped to one knee, holding his wrist.

      
"I gave you a prisoner, not a toy," said Silvermane sternly.

      
"You broke my wrist!" snarled Balsam.

      
"You'll have time to think about abusing your fellow man while it heals."

      
"Abusing my fellow men?
You
threw him through that fucking window!"

      
"
I
met him on equal terms," said Silvermane. "You didn't. If I hear he was further abused, I'll come looking for you. You'll live a lot longer if I don't."

      
Silvermane stood and stared down at the bounty hunter.

      
"I heard you," grated Balsam.

      
"Make sure you remember."

      
Silvermane turned and walked to the Jong Palace, followed by Dante and Matilda.

      
"Thank you," said Dante once they were inside.

      
"There's no need," said Silvermane. "I took an instant dislike to your officious Democracy associate. Besides, it makes no difference whether I kill Simon here or they put him to death back in the Democracy. The important thing is that he dies."

      
"What did he do?" asked Matilda.

      
"More than I hope a lovely lady like yourself can imagine," said Silvermane.

      
"He's the reason you came to New Pategonia?"

      
"He's the reason."

      
"What will you do now?"

      
"I haven't decided."

      
"Have you thought about what we discussed last night?" asked Dante.

      
"Why else would I save you from a bounty killer?" replied Silvermane with an amused smile.

      
"And have you reached a decision?"

      
"I'm working on it."

30.

      
      
Billy Green-Eyes, bold and brave,

      
      
Would never be a hero.

      
      
And now our Billy seeks the grave:

      
      
His prospects total zero.

      
Silvermane announced that he had one more world to visit before he made his decision. It was the mining world of Trentino, the seventh planet in the Alpha Bellini system, and they had no choice but to follow him in their own ship.

      
The journey took three days. Virgil opted for 70 hours in the Deepsleep Chamber, but Dante and Matilda chose to remain awake most of the time, discussing their options, wondering if they'd found their Santiago or if they could do better with a little more searching.

      
"It doesn't really make much difference if there's a better man out there," said Matilda after they'd gone over the possibilities for the tenth time. "We have an immediate problem, or we wouldn't be here. We've got to stop the Bandit before he kills more innocent people."