James Axler – Freedom Lost

“I’ll kick your teeth in if I take a notion, and stomp your balls for an encore if you don’t stop jerking me around.”

“It’s the truth, it’s the truth!”

“Do we look like any stickies you ever saw before?”

“No, not now. Up in the trees you did. Sun’s going down. Getting harder to see. I guess we acted without thinking things through.”

“That’s the first honest thing you said to me yet.”

J.B stepped forward and added his opinion. “What kind of strategic genius thought it was a good idea for two men to jump a party of eight? Your odds aren’t worth a damn.”

“Thought if we took out you two, we’d have hostages.”

“Stickies don’t give a rat’s ass about hostages.” Mike’s partner, Ike, gave a groan as he started to come around. “Perhaps your partner over there can tell me the truth before we decide whether to waste two bullets on your sorry asses.”

Alton Adrian’s voice broke into the interrogation. “Wait, I think I know who these two are nowor rather, why they’re slinking around and jumping people. They’re highway robbers. Thieves. Hiding out here to steal the jack off any visitors before they can get to Freedom safely.”

“You lie!” Mike roared.

“No, I think he’s made a good point,” Ryan replied, pulling out his panga with a flourish. “Now, I’m not one for torture, but let’s see if cutting off some fingers and toes loosens your memory.”

“Someone come,” Jak said, pointing down the stretch of road.

Off in the distance, a group of men was riding toward them on horseback. They paused a good distance away, and the leader took out a small handheld bullhorn device to amplify his voice.

“Hoy to you, friends. We’re sending out a representative to talk with you. Hell, I’m coming myself. Don’t chill my ass until you hear what I’ve got to say,” the man called.

“Getting interesting,” Jak said softly, readying his blaster.

“Tell me about it,” Mildred agreed.

The man who’d spoken through the bullhorn handed it to one of his men and rode slowly toward the waiting group. On his approach, the beautifully marked reddish-brown-and-white paint horse became identifiable.

So did the black man’s attire, which matched the suits worn by Mike and Dee.

“Good evening,” the man said, keeping both hands on the horse’s reins.

“Whatever,” Ryan replied, alertly insolent.

“I’m Rollins, out of Freedom Mall. I head up the sec operation there.”

“Mall?”

“Mall. Freedom is completely enclosed,” he replied. “Didn’t you know that?”

“No. We just thought it was a fancy ville.”

“‘Fancy’ isn’t the right word. Who are you?”

“Ryan Cawdor. Mebbe you can answer a few questions about the men on the ground there.”

Rollins took a look. “Seems to me like you found Mike and Ike.”

“Wrong. They found us. Tried to get the drop on us for our blasters and jack. Some kind of shitty welcoming committee. You came along just in time. We were debating whether to waste a bullet on them.”

“Rather you not do thatwaste a bullet, I mean. We’ve had them hiding out, looking for stickies,” Rollins said.

“That’s the tale they shared with me. Thought it was bullshit,” Ryan retorted.

“Some of us still think it’s bullshit,” J.B. added.

“No, it’s true. They were up there looking,” Rollins insisted. “Not the spot I would have chosen, but I’m not them. We got worried when they hadn’t radioed in with a report.”

“Comm units were off when they came falling out of the tree,” Ryan observed.

“Standard operating procedure. A live radio unit could give them away.”

“Is it standard operating procedure to go jumping down on stickies when you’re outnumbered four to one?” Krysty demanded.

“Not hardly. They sure as hell weren’t supposed to try and take them on alone,” the leader replied. “If you give the two men to me, I’ll see to their punishment.”

“What is this? Grade school?” Mildred said with a sneer. “Take away their blasters and armor and make them stand in a corner in a pointy hat with no chocolate milk at recess?”

Rollins looked at Mildred blankly. “Don’t know rightly where you’re coming from, ma’am, but these two are my men. My responsibility. I’ll take care of them.”