Soothsayer (35 page)

"I'll be waiting,” said the Iceman, his vision becoming blurred.

"You?” said Penelope. “You'll be an old man with one leg.” She smiled. “If they don't come out to help you, you won't even live through the day.” She turned to the Mock Turtle and reached for its hand. “It's time to go."

"Yes, Soothsayer,” it replied, taking her hand and walking down the long dirt road to its ship.

The Iceman watched them until he lost consciousness.

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When he awoke, he was in a hospital on McCallister II, and he spent the next few weeks getting used to his prosthetic leg.

After he had completely recovered, he went back to Killhaven. The twelve bodies had been buried out behind the boarding house. Since nobody had known who they were, there were no identifying markers on the tombstones. He arbitrarily decided that the one on the left belonged to the Mouse, and laid a handful of wildflowers on it.

Then he went to the restaurant before returning to his ship.

The pudgy woman wasn't there, and nobody recognized him, and he had a quiet meal. Finally the waiter, a young man with dark brown hair and the start of a sparse mustache, approached him with his bill.

"I couldn't help noticing you looking at the graves over there,” he said. “Were you related to any of them?"

"No,” said the Iceman.

"It was a hell of a battle,” said the young man, his face flushed with dreams of heroism. “I wish I'd been there.” He paused, then added confidentially: “They say the Forever Kid was one of them."

"You don't say?"

The young man nodded. “As near as anyone can tell, the whole thing was about some little girl. There were ten bounty hunters after her, and the girl was hiding right in the rooming house across street! Isn't that exciting?"

"Sounds exciting to me,” agreed the Iceman, waiting patiently for his check.

"We ought to hang a plaque or something,” continued the waiter. “After all, ten people died because of her."

"Twelve,” the Iceman corrected him.

"That's right,” said the waiter enthusiastically. “I'd almost forgotten. There was a man and a woman who gave their lives to protect her.” He smiled. “At least they died heroes’ deaths."

"If you say so,” replied the Iceman.

He paid his bill and walked out into the dry, dusty street.