James Axler – Stoneface

“What kind of trade?” Doc asked.

“They wanted the bodies of the newly dead. They wanted the undamaged organs. I began a dialogue with them that built into a relationship. I persuaded them to supply us with what we would need to build a community nearby, and we would serve both as their protectors and their providers. They gave us seeds so we could plant crops, for them and us, and in return for fresh bodies, they traded us the means by which to provide them with even more fresh bodies.”

“Let me guess this one,” Ryan said, disgust thick in his voice. “You didn’t want to chill members of the Family since you were so few in number, so you viewed the local Indian tribes as mobile organ banks.”

Hellstrom laughed. “That’s essentially correct. However, it’s not as stone-cold as it sounds. It was also a matter of self-preservation. The Sioux wanted us and the people of the Anthill out of this country by any means necessary. We would have been forced to chill them anyway, and at least their organs weren’t just food for the worms.”

“Why didn’t you trade our livers to the Anthill?” Ryan asked. “As outlanders, we were fair game.”

“That you were, and indeed that was my original intention. I changed my mind when Zadfrak pointed out how you could be of service to Helskel.”

“Helskel’s been around now for three years?” J.B. asked.

“A little less,” Hellstrom answered. “As the word about us spreads and more people join us, I estimate we’ll be the most powerful barony in the entire country in a few years. If, that is, we end our dependence upon the Anthill.”

“You want to take it over,” Ryan stated. “To have all the predark tech to yourself.”

“Wouldn’t you, in my circumstances? Wouldn’t your beloved Trader plan the same thing?”

“He might plan it,” J.B. said, “if he believed the payoff worth the risk. How can you get inside the place?”

Hellstrom shrugged. “Up through the nose is the most obvious and most risky way. But there’s another entrance.”

“How you know?” Jak asked.

Hellstrom reached behind him and rapped his knuckles on the armor plating of the AMAC. “This wouldn’t fit through the nose. No, they have a sort of matter transfer device up there, and a receptor unit nearby. When I receive large merchandise from them, like this wag, I pick it up in a cave about two miles from here.”

Interested despite himself, Ryan inquired, “Why can’t you use the mat-trans unit to jump inside the mountain?”

“It’s strictly one-way, evidently single point to single point. There are no controls on the unit, and it’s guarded by beetles.”

“How do they receive your goods?” Mildred asked.

“Simple. They lower a platform from the nose, and when it’s loaded, they reel it back up again.”

“If you covet their possessions so much,” Krysty said, “is there some reason you haven’t staged a raid yet?”

“The best reason in the world. It would fail, our trade agreement would end and I would be placing Helskel in terrible jeopardy.”

“So why bring up in first place?” Jak demanded. “Are you just armchair general?”

“Not quite,” Hellstrom said softly. “A general needs soldiers, and I have them. But for this operation to have even a fractional success margin, I need very special soldiers. For instance, soldiers that can’t be traced back to Helskel or to me. Soldiers that aren’t Family.”

Realization rushed through Ryan like a fountain of cold water. He fixed his gaze on Hellstrom, who met it with a thin, mocking smile.

“Shit,” Krysty declared, her spine stiffening. “I’m getting a flash of triple red.”

Then one of the tripod-mounted security lights exploded in a blaze of blue sparks. A microsecond later, the sharp, snapping report of an automatic rifle split the night.

“Oh, my,” Hellstrom said mildly. “I do believe the Indians are upon us.”

Chapter Thirteen

The bulbs of the other three security lamps were destroyed in rapid succession. Glass shattered, sparks flared, and within a heartbeat and a half, the lights were extinguished and the area was plunged into darkness.

Though Ryan and his people were on their feet, blasters in hand almost immediately, Hellstrom remained seated. Fleur shouted orders to the sec men as they ran to and fro across the campsite. Ryan peered into the encircling shadows, trying to force his vision to quickly adjust to the sudden darkness.