"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.