Chapter 14: Full Circle

Hendrix had been wounded lightly, and was out when Gordon and Izzy reported. But the next day, they were switched to a new beat where trouble had been thickest and given twelve-hour duty--without special overtime.

Izzy considered it slowly and shook his head. “That does it, gov’nor. It ain’t honest, treating us this way. If the crackle comes from the people, and these gees give everybody a skull cracking, then they’re crooks. It ain’t honest, and I’m too sick to work. And if that bloody doctor won’t agree...”

He turned toward the dispensary. Gordon hesitated, and then swung off woodenly to take up his new beat. Apparently, his reputation had gone ahead of him, since most of the hoodlums had decided pickings would be easier on some beat where the cops had their own secret rackets to attend to, instead of head busting. But once they learned he was alone...

But the second day, two of the citizens fell into step behind him almost at once, armed with heavy clubs. Periodically during the shift, replacements took their place, making sure that he was never by himself. It surprised him even more when he saw that a couple of the men had come over from his old beat. Something began to burn inside him, but he held himself in, confining his talk to vague comments on the rumors going around.

There were enough of them, mostly based on truth. Part of Jurgens’ old crowd had broken away from him and established a corner on most of the drugs available; they had secretly traded a supply to Wayne, who had become an addict, for a stock of weapons.

Gordon remembered the contraband shipment of guns, and compared it to the increase he’d noticed in weapons, and to the impossible prices the pushers were demanding. It made sense.

All kinds of supplies were low, and the outlands beyond Marsport had cut off all shipments. Scrip was useless to them, and the Legals were raiding all cargoes destined for Wayne’s section. And the Municipals had imposed new taxes again.

He came back from what should have been his day off to find Izzy in uniform, waiting grimly. Behind the screen, there was a rustling of clothes, and a dress came sailing from behind it. While he stared, Sheila came out, finishing the zipping of her airsuit. She moved to a small bag and began drawing out the gun she had used and a knife. He caught her shoulders and shoved her back, pulling the weapons from her.

“Get out of my way, you damned Legal machine!” she spat.

“Easy, princess,” Izzy said. “He hasn’t seen it yet, I guess. Here, gov’nor!”

He picked up a copy of Randolph’s new little Truth and pointed to the headline: SECURITY DENOUNCES RAPE OF MARSPORT!

The story was somewhat cooler than that, but not much. Randolph simply quoted what was supposed to be an official cable from Security on Earth, denouncing both governments and demanding that both immediately surrender. It listed the crimes of Wayne, then tore into the Legals as a bunch of dupes, sent by North America to foment trouble while they looted the city, and to give the Earth government an excuse for seizing military control of Marsport officially. Citizens were instructed not to co-operate; all members of either government were indicted for high treason to Security!

He crushed the paper slowly, tearing it to bits with his clenched hands; he’d swallowed the implication that the Legals were Security...

Then it hit him slowly, and he looked up. “Where’s Randolph?”

“At his plant. At least he left for it, according to Sheila.”

Gordon picked up Sheila’s gun and buckled it on beside his own. She grabbed at it, but he shoved her back again. “You’re staying here, Cuddles. You’re supposed to be a woman now, remember!”

She was swearing hotly as they left, but made no attempt to follow. Gordon broke into a slow trot behind Izzy, until they could spot one of the few remaining cabs. He stopped it with his whistle, and dumped the passenger out unceremoniously, while Izzy gave the address.

“The damned fool opened up on the border--figured he’d circulate to both sections,” Izzy said. “We’d better get out a block up and walk. And I hope we ain’t too bloody late!”

The building was a wreck, outside; inside it was worse. Men in the Municipal uniform were working over the small job press and dumping the hand-set type from the boxes. On the floor, a single Legal cop lay under the wreckage, apparently having gotten there first and been taken care of by the later Municipals. Randolph had been sitting in a chair between two of the cops, but now he leaped up and tried to flee through the back door.

Izzy started forward, but Gordon pulled him back, as the cops reached for their weapons. The gun in his hand picked them out at quarters too close for a miss, starting with the cop who had jumped to catch Randolph. Izzy had ducked around the side, and now came back, leading the little man.

Randolph paid no attention to the dead men, nor to the bruises on his own body. He moved forward to the press, staring at it, and there were tears in his eyes as he ran his hands over the broken metal. Then he looked up at them. “Arrest or rescue?” he asked.

“Arrest!” a voice from the door said harshly, and Bruce Gordon swung to see six Legals filing in, headed by Hendrix himself. The captain nodded at Gordon. “Good work, Sergeant. By jinx, when I heard the Municipals were coming, I was scared they’d get him for sure. Crane wants to watch this guy shot in person!”

He grabbed Randolph by the arm.

“You’re overlooking something, Hendrix,” Gordon cut in. He had moved back toward the wall, to face the group. “If you ever look at my record, you’ll find I’m an ex-newspaperman myself. This is a rescue. Tie them up, Izzy.”

Hendrix was faster than Gordon had thought. He had his gun almost up before Gordon could fire. A bluish hole appeared on the man’s forehead; he dropped slowly. The others made no trouble as Izzy bound them with baling wire.

“And I hope nobody finds them,” he commented. “All right, Randy, I guess we’re a bunch of refugees heading for the outside, and bloody lucky at that. Proves a man shouldn’t have friends.”

Randolph’s face was still greenish-white, but he straightened and managed a feeble smile. “Not to me, Izzy. Right now I can appreciate friends. But you two better get going. I’ve got some unfinished business to tend to.” He moved to one corner and began dragging out an old double-cylinder mimeograph. “Either of you know where I can buy stencils and ink and find some kind of a truck to haul this paper along?”

Izzy stopped and stared at the rabbity, pale little man. Then he let out a sudden yelp of laughter. “Okay, Randy, we’ll find them. Gov’nor, you’d better tell my mother I’ll be using the old sheets. Go on. You’ve got the princess to worry about. We’ll be along later.”

He grabbed Randolph’s hand and ducked out the back before Gordon could protest.

Izzy could only have meant that they were going to hole up in Mother Corey’s old Chicken Coop. Bruce Gordon had now managed to make a full circle, back to his beginnings on Mars. He’d started at the Coop with a deck of cards; now he was returning with a club.

He had counted on at least some regret from Mother Corey, however. But the old man only nodded after hearing that Randolph was safe. “Fanatics, crusaders and damned fools!” he said. He shook his head sadly and went shuffling back to his room, where two of his part-time henchmen were sitting.

Sheila had been sitting on the bunk, still in her airsuit. Now she jerked upright, then sank back with a slow flush. Her hands were trembling as she reached for a cup of coffee and handed it to him, listening to his quick report of Randolph’s safety and the fact that he was going back outside the dome.

“I’m all packed,” she said. “And I packed your things, too.”

He shot his eyes around the room, realizing that it was practically bare, except for a few of her dresses. She followed his gaze, and shook her head. “I won’t need them out there,” she said. Her voice caught on that. “They’ll be safe here.”

“So will you, now that you’ve made up with the Mother,” he told her. “Your meal ticket’s ruined, Cuddles, and you made it clear a little while ago just where you stand. Remind me to tell you sometime how much fun it’s been.”