The Warrior by P. M. Johnson

Author:P. M. Johnson [Johnson, P. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-09-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 38

Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!"

- 1 Samuel 13:19.

“Hold it right there!” called a voice from out of the darkness. “Hands up where I can see ‘em!”

Logan stood still and raised his hands.

“That you, Evret?” he asked.

“Maybe,” said the voice. Then after a pause, “Who the hell are you?”

Logan smiled. “C’mon, Evret! Don’t tell me you don’t remember me! Last time I was here, you got a visit from the SPD and a half dozen Red Legs.”

Another, longer pause. Finally, a gaunt man with tattered trousers and a threadbare waist-length jacket emerged from the trees, an automatic weapon in his hands. His face was covered in dirt and soot, and his red-rimmed eyes bulged from their sockets. A sword hung loosely from his narrow waist and swung back and forth as he approached Logan.

“Awe, yeah,” said the man named Evret when he was within ten paces of Logan. “I do recollect now. You and yer friends caused all that ruckus with them Red Legs. Sliced off that SPD feller’s hand then high-tailed down the mountain like a bunch a jackrabbits.”

He looked left and right, then past Logan’s shoulder. “Tamera’s gonna wanna to talk to you, boy. Where’r yer friends? You didn’t come up here alone now, did ya?”

“No, he didn’t,” said a voice from behind Evret.

Evret stiffened when he felt the pressure of a pistol barrel between his shoulder blades. He slowly turned his head and saw Kane out of the corner of his eye.

“Where ‘n the hell did you come from?” asked Evret in an exasperated tone. He looked back at Logan. “Nobody ever sneaks up Evret Cobb.”

“Really?” asked Logan in an amused tone. “Maybe you’re just imagining the man behind you.”

“Maybe I’m a ghost,” whispered Kane into Evret’s ear. “The spirit of some poor soul you bushwhacked.”

“Ghost,” scoffed Evret. “You ain’t no damn ghost. Sneaky as Old Scratch, I’ll grant ya, but flesh ‘n blood.” He paused to spit, then asked, “So who’s chasin’ ya this time, boy? SPD? Red Legs? Guardian Harken hiself? I assume you wanna pass through the Gap, ain’t that right?”

“Maybe,” said Logan, as he drew a pistol and pointed it at Evret. “Drop your hardware and we’ll talk about it.”

Evret dropped his weapon, an old PRA-issued M-25. Then he slowly pulled a pistol out from behind his belt and set it on the ground. “You can try to pass through the Gap if you want, but I think you’ll find it a bit inhospitable these days. Flat Foots hold the East Gate. They got Tamara’s old fort, Spur Hall, too.”

“Seems like hard times have fallen on the Greenspurs,” said Kane as Evret unbuckled his sword belt. “Did Old Man Harken renegotiate his deal with you? You know the one where he was supposed to leave you folks alone as long as you kept the coal flowing into his factories?”

“Somethin’ like that,” said Evret in a low tone.

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