Maggot gazed up at Hickok, his eyes pools of malevolence.
“Yes, well,” Hickok said gruffly. “We’ve got some business to attend to.”
“You’ve killed me, you bastard!” Maggot croaked.
“Not yet, I haven’t,” Hickok replied. “Who knows? You could even live. I read about a man named Thomas Coleman Younger once. He was called Cole Younger, to those who knew him, and he was shot eleven times during the course of an aborted bank robbery. Eleven times! Imagine that!
And, the remarkable thing is, he lived to tell about it. So don’t play possum with me, you miserable cur. On your feet! Now!”
Maggot refused to budge.
Hickok leaned over and pressed the barrel of his left Colt against Maggot’s chin. “Make up your mind, blubber ass. I haven’t got all day.
Some of your pards might show up at any moment, and I can’t wait until you’re in the mood.” His voice lowered, harsh and grating. “It makes no nevermind to me which way you go out. I ain’t in a charitable mood, but if you want me to splatter your brains right here and now, I’d be happy to oblige.”
Maggot’s lips trembled as he forced his massive bulk to rise. He stood on his thick legs, weaving, blood oozing from his wounds.
“Good,” Hickok said. “Now we’re taking a stroll. You go first. Keep your hands on your gut. If you move them, I’ll add another asshole to your anatomy!”
Maggot complied, shuffling out to the corridor.
Hickok glanced in both directions before stepping into the hall.
Bear was at one end, nervously pacing. At the sight of Hickok, he smiled and ran up the hall.
“You did it!” Bear exclaimed, overjoyed, scarcely believing his eyes.
“You did it!”
“All except for Rat,” Hickok stated.
“Aww, don’t worry about him! He’s probably hiding in a closet right this minute. Without his boss, Rat ain’t any danger whatsoever.”
“What about the rest of his bodyguards?” Hickok jerked his right Colt toward Maggot.
“There’s only two or three others,” Bear cheerfully responded. “They ain’t likely to give you any trouble once word of this gets out.”
“And the Porns?”
“Here comes your answer.” Bear pointed.
Doors at both ends of the hall had opened and Porns were pouring into the corridor. Some carried clubs and knives and other weapons, but none possessed a firearm. They slowed as they approached, then stopped, their babble of voices silenced by the sight of their leader, their despised and feared head, barely able to stand on his own two feet.
“What the hell is going on?” a man asked.
“What was all the shooting about?” added a woman.
“Maggot ain’t the boss anymore!” Bear announced.
“Oh? Who the hell is?” another man snapped.
“He is!” Bear beamed and pointed at Hickok.
“No, I’m not,” Hickok said quietly.
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m not your new leader.”
“But you got to be!” Bear objected. “You’ve beaten Maggot! You’re our new head!”
“Are you, or aren’t you, mister?” a woman inquired.
Hickok moved forward and paused, staring at both groups of Porns.
“Listen to me! I’m not much good with words, but I’ve got some that need to be said.”
“I never disagree with a man holding two revolvers,” a young woman mentioned.
“I’m told many of you don’t care for this scumbag,” Hickok said, indicating Maggot.
“You got that right!” shouted a man.
“The bastard killed my son!” yelled another.
“And my daughter!” hollered a third.
“Then you shouldn’t be too upset when I tell you he’s resigning his post, effective immediately,” Hickok declared.
“What’d he mean by them big words?” one woman whispered to her male companion.
“He said Maggot’s ass is grass,” the man answered.
“None of you know me,” Hickok continued. “I’m not from the Twins. I’ve seen the way you live, and it sucks! I’ve heard many of you feel the same way.”
The Porns were silently digesting every word.
“Do you want to change the way things are?” Hickok swept them all with his intense gaze. “You don’t have to live like animals, never knowing if you’ll live through the day! There is hope! There’s always hope! And I’m here to offer it to you. The people in the place where I come from might be willing to help you, but only if you’re willing to help yourselves. We won’t do it all for you! Spread the word! Talk it over amongst yourselves! Make up your minds. Get all the Porns together and take a vote. I’ll stick around a while longer, until I hear from your new leader on your decision.”
“Our new leader? I thought you said you wouldn’t be our head,” a man noted.
“I’m not your new leader,” Hickok repeated.
“Then who the hell is?” a woman demanded.
Grinning from ear to ear, Hickok turned and faced Bear.
It took Bear a moment to get the message, his eyes widening when he did. “Now wait a minute…” he started to protest.
Hickok raised his right arm over Bear’s head. “Say hello to your new leader!” he shouted.
“You crazy motherfucker!” was all Bear could think of to say.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Four Porns escorted him into a vast chamber on the first floor of the Riker Manufacturing Complex. The room was packed with over a hundred excited Porns. In the center of the north wall, on a salvaged, cushioned chair, sat a huge black, a Winchester on his lap. Six armed men stood nearby.
The escort stopped five yards from the chair.
“This is the one,” the patrol chief announced. “We found him this morning. Said he had to talk with the leader of the Porns.”
Bear studied the newcomer. He wore black clothes, the traditional garb of the Horns. His brown hair was worn long, and he covered his face with a full beard.
“Now why would a Horn want to see me?” Bear asked, suspecting a trick. Possibly the honky was a Horn assassin. “Did you check him for weapons?” he quickly demanded of the patrol chief.
“Sure did. Bear.”
The newcomer stepped forward, smiling. “Greetings, Brother Bear. My name is Joshua, and I bring a message from Reverend Paul.”
“Say what?”
“Before I go any further, I should elaborate,” Joshua said. “Despite my appearance, I am not a Horn. I come from another place…” Joshua stopped short, startled, as the black leaped from the chair and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
“Wait a minute! What’d you say your name was?” Bear anxiously queried.
“My cognomen is Joshua.”
“But is that your name?”
“One and the same.” Joshua grinned.
“And you’re from the Home?”
Joshua, surprised, drew back. “How did you know that?”
“Ain’t you a friend of Hickok?”
“Hickok!”
“Yeah. Don’t you know him? Ain’t you one of his pards he keeps talkin’ about?”
Joshua gripped Bear’s shoulders. “Hickok is here?” he asked, his face lighting up.
“He sure is,” Bear replied. “He’s restin’ right now, and recovering from his wounds.”
“Is he hurt?” Joshua demanded, his concern flaring.
“Hey, take it easy, Joshua! You’re hurtin’ my shoulders.” Bear pried loose from Joshua’s hold.
“Is he okay?”
“Oh, he’s doin’ all right,” Bear stated. “He was shot and jumped by rats and beat on, and he even managed to get pissed on, but, ’cept for that, he’s just fine.”
“Where is he?” Joshua eagerly scanned the chamber.
“He’s in another room, sleepin’. Don’t you worry none,” Bear assured Joshua. “We ain’t about to let anything happen to him. Hickok is the best thing that’s happened to the Porns since who knows when!”