Rebel Guns of Alpha Centauri by John Bowers

Author:John Bowers [Bowers, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AKW Books
Published: 2014-12-29T07:00:00+00:00

Dealing with Aaron Pickard was no picnic. He stood glaring at Nick while his two sons, aged about nine and eleven, stood on either side of him and stared openly at the heathen lawman who had descended onto their property.

Pickard was wearing a pistol.

“Look, Mr. Pickard, I’m not trying to bully you, I’m simply trying to—”

“You are trespassing!” the man bellowed for the third time. “I won’t have you on my property!”

“I need to talk to your boys,” Nick insisted. “I’m not leaving here until I do.”

“My boys have nothing to say to you!”

“I believe they have plenty to say. And you’re a fool if you don’t let me talk to them.”

“You dare call me a fool!”

“I dare. Yes, I do dare. Jonnie Hawkins may lose his leg, if he doesn’t die, because there are landmines somewhere around here! Your boys were lucky the last time—”

“God protected them!”

“Fine, I’m sure he did, but where there is one mine there will be many more, and sooner or later someone is going to run into them again. That someone could be one of your boys.”

“God protected them once, He will protect them again.”

Nick sucked air and blew it out, puffing his cheeks. “God didn’t protect Jonnie Hawkins.”

“Nathan Hawkins is weak in the faith. His son paid the penalty. I won’t make the same mistake!”

Nick turned in a half circle, trying to bleed off his rage. He turned back again.

“You think God punished Jonnie Hawkins for his father’s sins?”

“I do. The Bible says that God visits the sins of the fathers onto the children unto the third generation.”

Nick chewed his upper lip.

“Mr. Pickard, I’m going to find those landmines. If I don’t do it today I’ll come back later, because I don’t want any other children to get blown up. But let me warn you—if I have to come back later, I’ll bring the Star Marines with me. Is that what you want?”

“The Star Marines are already here. I know who you are, Walker!”

Obscenities boiled into Nick’s mouth, but he bit them back. Rough language would only solidify this man’s resolve, and Nick was already getting nowhere. He lowered his head and rubbed his temple—he was getting a headache.

“Okay, then. I won’t talk to your boys. Do you know where the explosion took place?”

“Not exactly, no. It was a mile or so upriver, but I don’t know the precise spot.”

Nick nodded. That description was much too vague to pinpoint the minefield—and Nick was certain it was a minefield. Even if Pickard agreed to help, it would do no good. Nick needed to talk to the boys.

They were standing right in front of him, but constitutional law prevented him from talking to them without a parent’s permission.

“Let me ask you this. If Father Groening will give permission, will you let me speak with your boys?”

“Father Groening would never do such a thing.”

“Hypothetically. If Father Groening gives permission, will you let me talk to your sons?”

Pickard glared at him in indecision. The idea was apparently so preposterous that he had trouble even considering it.

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