Prophet (31 page)

He tried to imagine what the doll might have to do with either of them, and finally gave it up with a shrug. Besides, it didn't really matter: except for the vest, which was too dangerous to leave behind, it was the only object around with which to mark the grave, and so he skewered it on a short branch and stuck it into the ground.

It wasn't much of a marker, he knew, but it was the best he could do under the circumstances. He went into the house and summoned the groundcar via the vidphone, and twenty minutes later he was speeding back to the spaceport.

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Five months had passed, and Lomax found himself, much to his surprise, on the world of Sweetwater, being served a mixed drink by a robot.

"That will be all, Sidney,” said Robert Gibbs, and the robot bowed and left the room.

"All right, Mr. Gibbs,” said Lomax. “You got me here. Now suppose you tell me what this is all about."

"It's about a crazed fanatic called the Anointed One,” said Gibbs, “a man with whom I believe you have been associated in the past."

"What about him?"

"We want him."

"We?” repeated Lomax.

"The Democracy,” answered Gibbs. “I've been reactivated and put in charge of my old department, although they've allowed me to operate out of my own home for the time being."

"Then let the Democracy go out and get him,” answered Lomax. “He thinks I'm dead, and as far as I'm concerned, that's a healthy relationship."

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Lomax,” persisted Gibbs. “This man is a threat to survival of our government."

"He's just a man,” replied Lomax calmly. “You've already survived the most serious threat you're ever going to face."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Penelope Bailey."

Gibbs shook his head. “She's been dead for four years. She died when Alpha Crepello III was destroyed."

"She died five months ago, when an old man with one leg hunted her down and killed her."

"You mean Mendoza?” asked Gibbs, startled. “He's dead?"

Lomax nodded, and took a sip of his drink. “He's dead. And so is she."

"But life goes on, Mr. Lomax, and right now more lives than you can imagine are being threatened by the man known as Moses Mohammed Christ."

"You survived
her
,” said Lomax. “You'll survive him."

"I am prepared to offer you five million credits for your services,” said Gibbs. “One-third now, the remainder upon completion of your mission."

"Not interested."

"Then why did you come here?” asked Gibbs. “You must have known the kind of offer I was going to make."

"I just wanted to see the man who started all this."

"All what?"

"You kidnapped Penelope Bailey when she was six years old,” said Lomax. “You weren't Robert Gibbs back then, but it was you.” He paused. “You know, if you had left her alone or had made some effort to win her confidence, you wouldn't have had to depend on men like the Iceman and me to do your dirty work for you. She could have told you the outcome of every election, predicted the results of every battle, and if you didn't like the course events were taking, she'd have found a way to change them. You could have had all that, and because you never learned the secret of the stick and the carrot, you let it slip away."

"If she was so infallible,” scoffed Gibbs, “how did the Iceman manage to kill her?"

"I don't think he did,” answered Lomax thoughtfully. “I think she just got tired of fighting—like me."

"You're not quitting,” said Gibbs. “Men like you and Carlos never quit."

"No, I'm not quitting,” said Lomax. “But I'm not fighting
your
battles, Mr. Gibbs. If you've ever got a personal grudge against someone, you know where to find me. But don't expect me to fight every enemy the Democracy has created through its arrogance or its stupidity."

"We didn't create the Anointed One
or
the Bailey girl, damn it!” snapped Gibbs.

Lomax sighed. “Mr. Gibbs, you've created every enemy you've ever had."

"You've been with the Anointed One, spoken to him, seen him in action!” continued Gibbs. “Surely you realize that he must be eliminated!"

"He's a religious fanatic, and he's probably every bit as power hungry as you think,” said Lomax. He paused and smiled. “Do you know who he reminds me of?"

"Penelope Bailey?” suggested Gibbs, surprised by the question.

"No, Mr. Gibbs,” answered Lomax. “He reminds me of you, and I say a pox on both your houses.” He set his drink down. “And now, if you'll excuse me, I have something important to do."

"You can't walk out of here!"

"Certainly I can,” said Lomax. “Somewhere out there, on a world you've never heard of, there's a grave that's marked only with a rag doll. It doesn't mean a damned thing to you, not any more, but I'm going to deliver a headstone to it."

"Seven million!” said Gibbs.

Lomax smiled and walked to the door.

"You'll be back,” said Gibbs confidently. “Carlos always came back, and so will you."

"You have enemies, Mr. Gibbs,” said Lomax. “You'd better hope I
don't
come back."

And then he was gone.