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.And so he had finished his coffee, and made a quick check of hishillside and the redoubt he was building into it, and-when the time wasright-had left to find Jacaranda Drive, and now he was facing this drunkenIndian who was grinning at him foolishly and ignoring his order to leave."Beat it," Vaggan repeated."Or you're spending the night in the tank."The Indian said something in Navajo and laughed.He walked around Vaggan'sPage 77ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlvan, opened the passenger side door, and climbed in."Son of a bitch," Vaggan snarled.He would have to deal with the Indian thehard way, apparently, which would take time and maybe even attract attention.But with any luck he could pull him out by the feet, whack him, and be donewith it and gone with the girl with no problems.It was almost dark, and thatwould help.He rushed around the van, jerking the pistol from under his belt.He saw what was coming far too late to avoid it.A split-second awareness ofthe Indian launched out of the van door, the flashlight swinging, and then theburst of pain.He had time only for reflex action.His reflexes were fine, butthey only flinched him away from the full force of the blow.Theflashlight-four D batteries in a heavy Bakelite tube-smashed against his upperjaw, staggered him away from the door, slammed him into the side of the van.The shock of the blow blinded him for a moment, caused him to lose awareness.Then he was on the ground, the Indian atop him.Vaggan reacted with explosiveviolence before the Indian could hit him again.He grabbed the man's elbow,jerked, twisted his body.The blow missed.After that it was no contest.Vaggan weighed himself every morning just beforehe began his routine of pre-breakfast exercises.That morning he had weighed225 pounds-three pounds off the weight he considered his standard.All of itwas bone, muscle, and gristle, conditioned and disciplined by a regimen theCommander had started him on before he could remember.In fact, his very firstmemory of this part of his life was the time he had cried.He had been doingleg lifts, the Commander standing over him, the Commander's voice chanting,"Again, again, again, again." and the pain of the straining muscles had comethrough the haze of his fatigue and started his tear ducts flowing.He hadn'tbeen able to control it, and the Commander had noticed, and it had been anexperience of searing shame."It doesn't help you if it doesn't hurt you," theCommander always said.The pain of that experience had taught him to controlhis tears.Vaggan had never cried again.Now he made no sound at all.The Indian was quick.The Indian was strong forhis size.The Indian definitely was not drunk.That illusion had vanished fromVaggan's mind with the pain of the blow.But the Indian was younger thanVaggan, and fifty pounds lighter, and without Vaggan's skills at this sort ofbusiness.It took only a matter of seconds-a brief flurry of struggle-and theIndian was pinned under him.Vaggan could feel the flashlight against hisknee.He'd dropped his pistol somewhere, so he'd use the light.He slammed theheel of his hand against the side of the Indian's head, twice, stunning theman.Then he snatched the light, raised it and struck."Drop it," the voice said.Margaret Billy Sosi was standing just behind him,his pistol held in both hands, pointed at his head.Vaggan let the flashlightdrop on the Indian's chest."Get off of him," the girl ordered.Instantly Vaggan was studying her.Wouldshe shoot him? Probably not.He could get the gun from her, but it would takea little time.Vaggan rose.He touched a fingertip to the cheekbone where theblow of the flashlight had broken the skin."He hit me," Vaggan said.He heldout his hand."Here," he said."Give me the pistol before you shoot somebody."The girl took two steps backward, keeping the pistol aimed at his stomach."Hetold me who you are," she said."You're no policeman.""Yes I am," Vaggan said."And if you-""Pick him up," she said, not taking her eyes off Vaggan's face."Put him inPage 78ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlyour truck.We've got to get him to a hospital.""First," Vaggan said."I've got to have my gun back." He took a step towardher."I'll kill you," she said."No you won't," Vaggan said [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]