Paladin Blake

And the Secret City

-From the files of Blake Aviation Security-
By Eric Nylund
Chapter One: Thicker than Water...
Paladin Blake had never had it so good-and had never felt so lousy about it, either.
ray light diffused through his office !indo!" outside !as the Santa #onica $ier and
the roiling Pacific. %n another hour the sun !ould be u$, and the citi&ens of
'olly!ood !ould start their day, take the trolleys to !ork, build $lanes, and $retend
the !orld had a ha$$y ending like every motion $icture churned out by the studios.
'e fli$$ed on the intercom. ()ennyson, you there*(
(Yes,( re$lied a voice !ith a British accent, (working up a bit of a surprise on one of
our Devastators.(
(Sur$rise* %s there a $roblem*(
(Everything is under control, my boy. Business as usual, smooth sailing and all that.(
(ood.( Paladin sna$$ed off the intercom.
Smooth sailing and success !ere dreams easily bought into. Blake Aviation Security
had been out of the red ink for a solid year. Barely. )here had been a string of
headline-smashing cases-)he Phantom Prototy$e, the +londike ,a$er, and the
-estruction %sland %ncident-but good business was the $roblem.
'e $icked u$ a handful of telegrams from his in-bo.. )here !ere urgent re/uests
from Em$ire State bureaucrats and -i.ie dignitaries, mission re/uests from Boeing
and 'ughes, and three checks !ired as $ayment for his services.
Paladin glanced at the ma$ of North America covering the !est !all of his office.
Push$ins and lines of string traced the air lanes $rotected by Blake Aviation" they
crossed and crisscrossed from Seattle to Ba0a, ,uba to the #aritime Provinces. 'is
business !as making sure $assengers and airfreight got delivered safely along those
lines...and making sure that every $irate got !hat !as coming to them.
Each line on the ma$ !as there because the state militias looked the other !ay !hen
$irates attacked their com$etitors, and because there !ere behind-the-scenes cold
!ars raging bet!een the tiny em$ires.
Blake Aviation Security $ros$ered because of it. Paladin !ould have felt a lot better if
there !as no need for his $rotection-indeed, if there !as no need for Blake Aviation,
at all. )he !orld !as falling a$art and he !as $rofiting from it. )hat made him sick to
his stomach.
Paladin fli$$ed to the ne.t telegram-and fro&e as he s$otted the sender1s address2
#atthe! Blake, Sky 'aven, Free ,olorado.
Paladin dro$$ed the telegram like it !as on fire.
#atthe! Blake. Paladin thought of his brother as a dead man, and had for the last
eight years. Paladin kne! #atthe! !as really alive" it !as 0ust easier to $retend he
!asn1t.
Paladin o$ened his lo!er desk dra!er and retrieved his bottle of fourteen-year old
bourbon. 'e also $ulled out the yello!ed $hotogra$h of his father sitting on the !ing
of his $lane, $istol in one hand, and in the other, a bottle identical to the one on
Paladin1s desk.
)he $icture !as sna$$ed on )hanksgiving 3456, !hen there had still been a Blake
family2 his father" his brother, #atthe!, his sister, Flora" and, of course, Paladin.
)he ne.t day $irates shot his father do!n as the !ily old bootlegger fle! moonshine
across the ,olorado-)e.as state line-$irates that Paladin had s!orn he1d $ay back.
Every last one of them.
#atthe! had his revenge on $irates, too. 'e took their money and $lanes, and
!henever he could, their lives. 'e had become a $irate $reying u$on $irates, until
eventually, he took anything from anyone that crossed his $ath. No!, #atthe! !as
the thing he most hated.
Paladin uncorked the bottle of bourbon and $oured a shot. 'e cradled the glass,
!arming the li/uor until he smelled its smoky aroma.
'is mouth !atered. %t brought back those days !hen he and -ad and #atthe! had
flo!n and fought and drank together. 7ike it !as yesterday. 7ike it !as a million
years ago...and !hen Paladin had been a very different man.
Paladin $oured the bourbon back into the bottle, re$laced the cork, and then sto!ed
it back in its dra!er. -rying out !as one of the hardest things Paladin had ever done.
'e should have $oured the last of this boo&e into the ocean once and for all.
%ronically, his family crest a$$eared not only on the Blake Aviation Security
masthead, but also on the labels of the most infamous brand of bourbon in
s$eakeasies from 'a!ai1i to %celand-#atthe! still carried on the family tradition of
moonshining and bootlegging. Anger burned in Paladin1s gut every time he sa! the
ram$ant black knight.
(8kay, #atthe!,( he !his$ered. (7et1s see !hat you !ant.(
Paladin tore the telegram o$en and shook out a sli$ of $a$er. %t read2
DON! "NO# $% YO& '()E $% $ *$+E O) D$E ,!O-. 'O))E'!$ON ,!O-. ,&)E
YO& -)E%E) .E DE(D ,!O-.
,END$N/ !0$, %O) %*O)( ,!O-. O&) ,$,!E) $, NO ,!)(N/E) !O
!)O&B*E ,!O-. B&! !0$, !$.E ,0E 0(, B$!!EN O%% .O)E !0(N ,0E '(N
'0E# ,!O-.
.EE! .E (*ONE ,!O-. D&," ,(!&)D(Y D&)(N/O %$E*D %)EE 'O*O)(DO
,!O-. O) NE+E) ,EE %*O)( (/($N ,!O-.
.(!!
Flora* 9hat did #atthe! mean by (she had bitten off more than she could che!*( 8r
that he1d never see her again* (So hel$ me,( Paladin said through clenched teeth, (if
you1re using her to get to me-(
-No. Not even #atthe! !ould use Flora. Everyone loved Flora...that !as her biggest
$roblem.
Paladin had last heard from her a year ago. She !as in Paris, hob-knobbing !ith the
social elite and indulging in e/ually elite vices" her lifestyle made -ashiell1s !ild
$artying seem like a church bake sale in com$arison. She had asked Paladin for
money. 'e had !ired her five hundred dollars along !ith a suggestion that she clean
u$. 9hile he had ho$ed for the best, he kne! the odds !ere long.
'e re-e.amined the telegram. !oday !as Saturday-!hich figured. 7eave it to
#atthe! to cut things close.
Paladin dre! his .:; from its hiding $lace under his deskto$, holstered it, then
stra$$ed it on. 'e flicked on the intercom. ()ennyson, get me a $lane ready. Pronto.(
(Of course,( came the re$ly. ('an $ in1uire...why the rush2(
(%1m coming over to sho! you !hat the rush is.(
Paladin hung a (Be <ight Back( sign on his office door, and ste$$ed do!n the &ig&ag
of stairs to the $ier. 'e hurried $ast the bait stores and the ice cream $arlor and the
$enny arcade to the old cannery !arehouse. 'e unlocked the door and ste$$ed
inside.
)he interior looked more like the inside of a combat &e$$elin than a cannery. )he
machinery had been removed and a do&en $lanes hung on hooks from beams over
the o$en !ater. ,rates of bullets and rockets !ere stacked in a corner. 'alf a do&en
engines on blocks !ere in various stages of assembly and disassembly.
Paladin1s nose !rinkled involuntarily" the $lace al!ays seemed to reek of tuna.
Blake Aviation Security had leased this building because the rent at the Burbank
Air$ort !ent u$ every time Paladin made the headlines. )he $ress and other
unsavory ty$es !ere al!ays !atching Paladin and his $lanes. )here had been a fe!
instances of sabotage, too" one such (accident( had nearly ended his career for
good.
)he cannery had been the $erfect solution. )ennyson had seen to the architectural
modifications, and designed a floatation chaise for their $lanes. )hese $ontoons
could be released in flight if needed, or left on for a !ater landing. )heir $lanes !ere
safer here and Blake Aviation could scramble flights at the dro$ of a hat.
)ennyson set do!n his !rench and ducked from under the engine com$artment of a
-evastator. 'e carefully !i$ed the grease from his hands on a clean to!el.
Someho!, Paladin mused as his loyal friend strode to greet him, )enny never
seemed to smudge his coveralls.
(9hat1s the emergency this time, my friend*( he asked Paladin.
Paladin handed him the telegram.
)ennyson stroked his !hite beard as he read and then re-read the message. (%t1s a
tra$, of course,( he murmured. (#atthe! kno!s you are a man of character. A man
!ho !ould not hesitate to charge to Flora1s rescue.(
(=ou1re right,( Paladin said. (But...she1s my sister, )ennyson. 9hat !ould you do*
%gnore it*(
(9hat !ould % do*( )ennyson $ondered this, fro!ned, and then declared, (9hy %
!ould come !ith you, naturally. 8bviously, you1ll re/uire a !ingman.(
Paladin set a hand on his friend1s shoulder. (,an1t let you do that. 'alf the $eo$le in
,olorado !ouldn1t mind seeing me dead. )he other half !ouldn1t mind killing me.(
)ennyson1s hands clenched and then rela.ed. (8ur friend, -ashiell, has started a
rather morbid $ool !agering !hen your final mission !ill occur. % can see he is not
too far from the truth.( 'e e.haled. (But if you are determined to meet #atthe!1s
deadline, you must take my -evastator. % have fine-tuned her motor to $erfection.
She is the fastest $lane here-( he arched a bushy !hite eyebro! (-she has to be, to
survive the modifications % have made.(
Paladin eyed the $lane curiously. (Sho! me.(
)ennyson turned on his heels and marched to!ard the sus$ended -evastator. 'e
stood under the aircraft !ith his arms akimbo. ()ell me !hat is different.(
(% don1t have time for a /ui&-( But Paladin sa! it immediately2 all eight of the
-evastator1s hard$oints !ere loaded. )!o $airs of rockets, ho!ever, $ointed
back!ards.
(Ah, you1ve s$otted them,( )ennyson said. ()he outer set are flash rockets. )he inner
t!o are high e.$losives. Both have a customi&ed fuse that detonates a /uarter of a
second after launch.(
Paladin shook his head !ith disbelief. ()hat1ll blo! off the tail.(
(,orrect,( )ennyson re$lied. 'e mounted the ladder ne.t to the -evastator and
gestured inside the cock$it. (9ith one caveat, ho!ever.(
Paladin climbed after )ennyson sa! he $ointed at a hand-$ainted line on the airs$eed
gauge.
(%f you1re flying faster than this,( )ennyson e.$lained, (there is a very good chance
you !ill outrun the e.$losion-at least, that1s !hat my calculations indicate. )hey
should make for a nasty sur$rise to an o$$onent on your si., don1t you think*(
Before Paladin could re$ly, )ennyson continued2 (% !as going to test the
modifications tomorro!, !ith a flash rocket loaded !ith a charge of $aint.(
(reat.( Paladin climbed $ast )ennyson and maneuvered into the cock$it. As he
stra$$ed himself in, he said, (%1ll let you kno! ho! these contra$tions !ork.(
(9ait,( )ennyson said. 'e climbed do!n and trotted to his locker. 'e returned !ith
his lunch $ail. (=ou need to eat. )here is a thermos of English Breakfast tea as !ell.(
()hanks, old man.(
(>ust come back in one $iece.(
(% al!ays try.( Paladin fired u$ the engine and !aved to )ennyson as he $ulled a!ay
the ladder. 'e closed the cano$y then fli$$ed the release-a second of freefall-and the
-evastator s$lashed into the ocean.
(% try,( Paladin said to himself, (but it 0ust never !orks out that !ay.(
Paladin eased the throttle to one-half, and rode over gentle !aves until he !as a
hundred yards from the $ier, then he o$ened her u$ all the !ay. )he -evastator
nosed u$ and broke free of the ocean. Paladin $ulled a lever and dro$$ed the
$ontoons.
'e shot into the sky, $ointing the -evastator to!ard the rising sun.
Flora !asn1t the only reason Paladin !as going to meet #atthe!. Paladin had
$romised his dead father that he1d get every last $irate in the sky...no matter !hat it
took.
Even if that meant shooting do!n his o!n brother.
Chapter Two: White Knight / Black Knight
Paladin banked his -evastator bet!een red and gold mesas. Belo!, a herd of !ild
mustangs scattered, startled by the roar of the $lane1s $o!erful engine. %t !as four
o1clock and he had 0ust cleared the Nava0o border. 'ead!inds, a brief layover, and
trouble !ith the locals had held him u$.
'e had initially sto$$ed to to$ off his tanks. %f #atthe! had a !elcoming committee
in the air !aiting for him, the last thing he !anted !as to be flying on fumes. Paladin
also $urchased a gallon of beige $aint to cover the BAS logos on his -evastator. For
the $irates in Free ,olorado, those markings !ere bulls-eyes.
Back in Nava0o territory, his $ale skin-and the handful of 'olly!ood five-dollar gold
coins he had used to $ay for the fuel-had raised a fe! eyebro!s at Sunning 7i&ard
Airfield. )hey1d taken his money !ithout comment, but four dust-colored <avenscroft
,oyotes had a$$eared !hen he1d tried to take off...to (escort( him to the border of
the Nava0o Nation. An escort that hadn1t been free.
)he mesas and meado!s melded into stone-covered foothills, $ine forests, and the
sno!-ca$$ed $eaks of the <ockies. Paladin increased his throttle and climbed over
them.
Free ,olorado !as certainly beautiful to look at from a thousand feet. %t !as too bad,
he thought, that u$on closer ins$ection she !as infested !ith $irates, bootleggers
and other human vermin. 7ike his brother.
Paladin !ould deal !ith #atthe!, but first he intended to find out !hat ha$$ened to
their sister, Flora-assuming #atthe! hadn1t lied about her, and this !asn1t an
elaborate tra$.
-urango Airfield !as a dirt stri$ cut into the forest, a fe! shacks, and scattered fuel
tanks. 'e circled the field, then eased this -evastator onto the bum$y run!ay, ta.ied
to the end, and $arked so he could take off /uickly.
Sunning 7i&ard Airfield had been clean and neat-com$lete !ith !hite!ashed adobe
buildings, chili rea?os and $i$ing hot coffee in the $ilot1s lounge. -urango, in
contrast, !as a disaster. )he area !as cluttered !ith discarded airframes !hich lined
the run!ay. 8ld engine blocks and rusty machine $arts !ere stre!n across the
ground, and the odor of grease, smoke and sour mash !afted from a leaning A-
frame. 8ver the door of this structure !as a sign !ith a $ainted figure of a !oman
encircled by a leering cobra, and the !ords2 (Snakes and 7adders.( %t !as 0ust the
kind of dum$ #atthe! !ould like.
)he drone of aircraft echoed off the mountains. Paladin s/uinted and s$otted a line of
si. incoming Fairchild F: ,orsairs. )he snub-nosed $lanes banked, descended, and
then landed, one after another.
Paladin fli$$ed the secret kill s!itch under his -evastator1s control $anel and climbed
out of the cock$it. 'e checked his .:;s-making sure each $istol had a round in the
chamber-and then strode to!ard the ,orsairs.
#atthe! 0um$ed do!n from the !ing of his ,orsair. 'e $ulled off his flight ca$ and
shook out a mane of gray hair. 'e !as taller than Paladin by a head. #atthe!1s face
!as similar to Paladin1s-the same strong 0a! and blue eyes-but his features !ere
!eathered by age, crossed !ith fro!n lines, his eyes ringed !ith fatigue.
#atthe!1s !ingmen clambered out of their $lanes and gathered around their leader.
)hey looked like a tough bunch, in black flight 0ackets and combat boots. Each of
them-three men and t!o !omen-$acked a mi. of !ea$ons, mostly bulky revolvers.
But they looked a little scared of Paladin.
ood, he thought. 7et them be scared.
)he truth !as that Paladin !as a little scared, too...of #atthe!. Anything that
crossed his brother1s $ath, anyone that got in his !ay, #atthe! made sure they
never caused him trouble again. Pirates. #ercenaries. 7a!men. ,ivilians. )hey !ere
all e/ual in #atthe!1s book2 all e/ually dis$ensable. -id that e.tend to his kin as
!ell*
Probably.
Paladin broke the silence2 (=ou said to come alone, #atthe!. % did...but % see you
needed a cro!d to face me.(
#atthe! took a ste$ to!ard Paladin. (% don1t need anyone1s hel$ to handle you, little
brother.( 'e glanced at the hori&on, then back at Paladin. (% 0ust didn1t kno! if
there1d be a fe!(-he s$at the name out-(Blake Aviation $lanes bu&&ing around. 8r
maybe a combat &e$.(
(% came !ith everything % needed,( Paladin re$lied, his right hand resting lightly on
the butt of his holstered gun.
(7ook, % didn1t come here to e.change shots.( #atthe! fro!ned, and $ulled his
gloves off. 9e1ve got im$ortant things to talk about.( 'e nodded to the leaning A-
frame. (,ome on.(
#atthe! marched to!ard the (clubhouse.( Paladin follo!ed, and #atthe!1s cre!
trailed behind them.
Paladin !asn1t so sure if turning his back on this $ack of !olves !as a good idea.
)hen again, #atthe! !as many things-but he !as never subtle. %f this meeting had
been a tra$, it !ould have been s$rung the instant #atthe! had seen he had Paladin
outnumbered.
Paladin $ushed through the double doors of the A-frame. )he smell sto$$ed him
cold-burning charcoal and the scent of bourbon so thick it made him choke. )here
!as a $layer $iano, a Ben Franklin stove !ith a fire crackling inside, and a stained
bar to$ !ith a brass railing. )he thing that caught Paladin1s eye, ho!ever, !as the
back !all-shelves 0ammed !ith bottles2 tall slivers of icy-looking @odka, cobalt blue
decanters, magnums of cham$agne, moonshine 0ugs, and ro!s of s/uare bottles
filled !ith an amber li/uor that he !as all too familiar !ith. For a dive, it !as !ell
stocked.
#atthe! dro$$ed a ten-$esado silver $iece onto the counter-!hich !as snatched u$
by the barkee$. (-rinks are on me tonight, gang. %1ll be out back !ith my brother.(
'e grabbed a bottle and t!o glasses, and held o$en the back door.
Paladin left, glad to be out in the fresh air. )here !as a small table set u$ on the
back $orch. )he vie! of the mountain silhouetted against the $ur$ling sky !as
magnificent.
(A drink.( #atthe! $o$$ed the cork. (For old time1s sake.(
Paladin sat and said nothing. 'e !atched his brother $our from the bottle labeled
!ith the same knight-and-shield insignia that Paladin used for Blake Aviation
Security...only this knight !as black, not !hite.
(% came to hear about Flora, #atthe!, not to get drunk !ith you.(
#atthe! slammed the bottle on the table. (,an1t you ease u$ for a second* % stick
my neck out a mile to meet you, and you don1t even have the decency to say 1hello,1
or 1ho!1ve you been for the last si. years*1 Nice to see you, too.(
('o! have you been, #atthe!*( Paladin1s right hand eased from his la$ to the
holster on his right hi$. 'e /uietly unfastened the sna$.
(%1m lousy, thanks for asking.( #atthe! filled the highball glasses to their brims-
do!ned one, then the other. (=ou kno! !hat ha$$ens if !ord of us talking gets out*
No decent bootlegger !ill get !ithin s$iting distance of me.(
(Sorry to be a such an...embarrassment to you,( Paladin said and set his hands on
the table. (=ou !ant to tell me about Flora*(
(% guess !e really don1t have anything to talk about but her.( 'e slum$ed into his
chair. 'is eyes met Paladin1s for a second" he o$ened his mouth to say something,
hesitated, then blinked and looked a!ay.
(Flora*(
(=eah, Flora. =ou kno! she1s al!ays been in trouble-not the kind of trouble you and %
get into, but boo&e and men and all that high society stuff.( #atthe! $oured himself
another shot. (9ell, % guess it1s not so bad !hen you sto$ to think about it.(
(Ah huh,( Paladin remarked.
#atthe! !as !rong. Flora had not always been trouble. 8nce, she had been enrolled
at Smith ,ollege !ith $lans to go on to la! school. )hen their father had died and
nothing mattered to her, e.ce$t trying to forget. She !ra$$ed herself in vice and
e.travagance. 7i/uor and men !ere 0ust a start. She often indulged in things much
more (so$histicated(...and much more unsavory.
But Flora !as al!ays everyone1s darling. She entered the room and instantly became
the center of attention. Everyone loved her. )hey couldn1t hel$ it, not even Paladin.
()his time,( #atthe! !his$ered, (she1s in real trouble, little brother...% mean, she1s in
way over her head. She got mi.ed u$ !ith a Ne! 8rleans cro!d.(
(7ast % heard she !as in Paris.(
#atthe! snorted a laugh. (A year ago. She1s s$ent time in 7ondon since then, and
South Africa. % got a $ostcard from her last !eek to meet her for #ardi ras.(
Paladin !inced. )he only time Flora ever contacted him !as !hen she needed cash.
(And* =ou sa! her*(
(+ind of.( #atthe! ga&ed into his glass. (She said she could only get a!ay for an
hour. She looked scared. And not for her...for me.(
#atthe! furro!ed his bro!, struggling to find the right !ords. (% follo!ed her after
she left and got a glim$se of her ne! friends. % asked the locals a fe! /uestions
about them. % had to get rough before they coughed u$ !hat they kne!.
()hese friends of hers have money and hired muscle. )heir kind buy and sell things,
doesn1t matter from !here or from !ho. uns, boo&e, narcotics-( #atthe! $aused,
then added, (9ell, you name it and they can get it for a $rice.(
A smuggling outfit* Paladin could see !hy Flora !ould be !ith that cro!d. E.otic
delicacies and fast times !ould, for her, out!eigh the danger involved.
()hey call themselves 1-er$sins,1 or 1-ies$ines1-something like that,( #atthe! said.
()hing is, !hen Flora1s ready to move on, % don1t think these $eo$le !ill let her go.
She kno!s too much.(
(=ou !ired me because you think % can get her out*(
(=ou1ve got the guns and the men to go in there. 'ell, you did it !hen you !ere in
the Pinkertons-for strangers. =ou should be able to do the same for your o!n flesh
and blood.(
(9orking !ith the Pinks !as different,( Paladin said. (% did all the !rong things for
the right reasons. And, it !as a long time ago.(
(9ell, there1s another reason it1s got to be you. %f % get Flora out, then !hat* 'o! do
$ tell her to clean u$* %1m no angel. She1d laugh in my face and have every right to
do it.( #atthe! drank his shot of bourbon. (But you1re s/ueaky clean, a
businessman. 'ell, you1re a hero if you believe the ne!s$a$ers. She1ll listen to you.(
'e !as right-it had to be Paladin. #atthe! !ould use a sledgehammer !hen a light
touch !as needed. 'e1d go in !ith guns bla&ing and get everyone killed. Paladin
kne! the odds that he could convince Flora to change her !ays !ere long, but there
!as another !ay to hel$ her. -asheill had connections !ith a hos$ital in Santa
Barbara that dried out studio starlets. )hat might do the trick.
(%1ll see !hat % can do.( Paladin stood. ()hanks for telling me, #att.(
(% kne! you1d do it.( #atthe! stood, too, and held out his hand.
Paladin stared at it. 'e !anted to reach out and clas$ it. 'e tried to move his arm,
but it might as !ell have been made of lead. #atthe! !as his brother, his blood, but
he !as also everything that Paladin had s!orn to fight.
()here1s one last $iece of business bet!een us, #atthe!. =ou1re coming back !ith
me. =ou1re !anted in 'olly!ood, )e.as, and a do&en other $laces for larceny, theft,
murder-take your $ick.(
#atthe! retracted his outstretched hand. 'e looked his bother u$ and do!n, then
laughed. (=ou think you can take me* 9ith five of my cre! to back me u$* =ou1re a
hoot, little brother.(
'o! fast could #atthe! dra! his gun !ith a /uarter bottle of bourbon in him*
Probably too /uick for Paladin1s liking.
(% mean it, #atthe!. =ou come !ith me no!, the easy !ay...or later, the hard !ay.(
#atthe!1s smile vanished. (et out of here. et out of here and get Flora-or don1t. %
don1t care anymore.(
(Everything okay, boss*( #atthe!1s cre! stood silhouetted in the frame of the back
door.
(et back inside,( he gro!led at them. ()his is none of your businesses.(
#atthe! then turned back to Paladin and !his$ered, (%f % ever see you again, on the
ground or in the sky, %1ll kill you. Brother or no brother.(
()hat1s good to kno!,( Paladin said. (%t looks like !e do have something in
common.(
'e stared at his brother-years of drinking and hard living had made #atthe!1s eyes
sunken and his skin $allid. %n the shado!s, #atthe!1s head looked more like a skull
than human flesh. Paladin didn1t kno! the man anymore-no, that !asn1t right. 'e
kne! him, he 0ust !ished he didn1t.
(oodbye, #atthe!.(
Paladin turned his back on his brother and marched back to the run!ay. 'e climbed
into his -evastator and tried to sto$ his hands from shaking. 'e had $romised his
father he1d get every last $irate in the air. But !hat !ould -ad say about this* 9hich
of his sons !ould he disa$$rove of more* #atthe! for his murdering and thieving or
Paladin for !anting to bring his o!n brother do!n*
)hat didn1t matter. 'is father !as long dead, and Paladin !as his o!n man, !ith his
o!n reasons for fighting.
Paladin fli$$ed the ignition s!itch, cranked the -evastator1s engine, and ta.ied onto
the run!ay. 'e $ushed the throttle full o$en and shot into the sky. )he moon rose
$ast the edge of the mountains, casting silver and shado!s into the valley. 'e
climbed to three hundred feet then banked and headed back to!ard -urango Field.
Sometimes, he thought, you need a light touch to solve your $roblems. )his !asn1t
one of those times.
Paladin lined u$ !ith the run!ay and dove. 'e o$ened fire, $e$$ered the ,orsairs on
the ground !ith .BC-caliber bullets, then launched rockets one and four.
'e $ulled back on the stick. 'e risked a /uick glance, and sa! t!o $lanes e.$lode as
men and !oman ran onto the airstri$. Paladin circled back for another $ass, but the
remaining ,orsairs !ere already taking off.
Chapter Three: In the Shadow of the Black Knight
Paladin Blake $ushed the stick for!ard and sent his -evastator into a dive, right
to!ard the run!ay-and straight at the first t!o ,orsairs gathering s$eed on the field.
>ust as their !heels cleared the ground, he o$ened fire.
'is -evastator1s .:C-calibers stitched a hail of gunfire across their tails and cano$ies.
)he ,orsairs dro$$ed to the earth, bounced, and crashed into the trees at the end of
the landing stri$.
'ad one of those been #atthe!1s $lane* A sickening heaviness settled in his gut.
Paladin $ulled back on the stick and banked for another $ass.
'is radio crackled. (Shooting men on the ground, huh*( %t !as #atthe!1s voice. (So
the great Paladin Blake isn1t the hero the $a$ers say he is. % kne! you1d sho! your
true colors.(
Paladin didn1t bother re$lying" it had been four-against-one !ith him on the short
end of that deal. 'e didn1t gamble !ith odds like that...es$ecially !hen the bet !as
his life.
'e made another $ass over -urango Field. 'e s$ied the glint of reflected moonlight
off the !ings of the t!o remaining ,orsairs-no! aloft and behind him. Paladin had
survived t!o-on-one dogfights before...but not flying against #atthe!.
'e $ushed the throttle to full, started to bank right, ho$ing the $irates !ould follo!.
Paladin /uickly reversed and $ulled hard to the left.
,orsairs !ere notorious for their high engine tor/ue-!hich made starboard turns
easier, but $ort turns more difficult. Paladin had, ho$efully, bought himself a little
maneuvering room.
'e glanced back. 8ne of the $irates had fallen for the feint" the enemy $ilot broke
right and !as trying to recover and find Paladin. )he other ,orsair !as still on his
tail. )hat had to be #att.
#att-!ho learned to fly in the reat 9ar-!ould never be elo/uent !ith !ords, or
successful !ith the ladies, but he !as a brilliant $ilot. 'e1d shot do!n five ermans
in Euro$e-all of them aces-and never had the favor returned. Paladin kne! he !as
outclassed.
(ive it u$, brother,( #att said. (7and and %1ll let you !alk out of here-that1s the best
offer you1ll get from me.(
)hat !as a lie. No one crossed #atthe! Blake and lived to tell about it.
Paladin dove, !eaving back and forth, skimming over the tree line.
#att !as right on his tall.
A burst of .;C-caliber fire $e$$ered his -evastator1s !ing. Paladin $ulled u$.
)he ,orsair follo!ed-less than a hundred feet behind him and closing.
'e !as toying !ith Paladin. #atthe! couldn1t miss at this range. 8ne machine gun
burst or rocket !ould shred his $lane to confetti.
<ocket* Paladin thought, struck !ith sudden ins$iration. 'e risked a glance at his
$ort !ing. %t !as still there2 the tail of )ennyson1s aft-facing rocket.
#atthe! couldn1t miss at this range...but neither could Paladin. 'e s/uee&ed the
trigger, t!ice fast.
)he number one rocket launched for!ard as e.$ected. )he second rocket1s control
flashed brightly, forcing Paladin to look a!ay. A fe! seconds later, Paladin sa! the
blue-!hite starburst of the rocket1s detonation.
Bits of metal $inged off his cano$y as Paladin $ulled into a ste$ climb. 'is -evastator
shuddered" the ti$ of his $ort !ing !as gone, still smoldering !here the rocket had
ri$$ed a!ay the hard$oint.
'e inverted and looked for his brother. #atthe!1s $lane !as far belo!...trailing
smoke and fire, but still aloft.
)he ,orsair banked, slo!ly climbed, and headed south!est.
Paladin began to dive to!ards his brother. 'is -evastator1s cano$y-starred by bullet
holes-e.$loded in!ard, and bits of glass slashed his cheek. Paladin looked about
!ildly and sa! tracers s$itting from the other ,orsair at nine o1clock.
'e ignored #atthe!, righted the -evastator, and headed to!ard the immediate
threat.
)he ,orsair turned to face him. A head-to-head attack* Paladin1s -evastator !as
outgunned against the ,orsair1s .;C-calibers. 'e couldn1t out-shoot him" he1d have to
out-fly him.
Paladin cut the throttle to half and let the ,orsair close. A half-mile out, it o$ened
fire.
Stu$id. #atthe! !as a $ilot of un$aralleled cunning, but he a$$arently hadn1t $assed
any of that skill on to his !ingmen.
Paladin $ulled back, started to climb, then cut the throttle. 'e stalled and dro$$ed
like a rock-he fought the stick to kee$ the nose $ointed straight u$. )he ,orsair
rushed over him. Paladin rammed the throttle to full $o!er" the engine roared to life,
and slo!ed his fall.
'e fired rocket number three. A trail of smoke connected the t!o $lanes-follo!ed by
a brilliant flash as the rocket im$acted on the ,orsair1s undercarriage. )he ,orsair1s
$ort !ing-severed at the fuselage-fluttered a!ay in freefall. 9hat !as left of the
,orsair $lummeted to the ground.
Paladin /uickly shoved the stick for!ard, sending his $lane into a shallo! dive before
leveling off-another fe! seconds and his unconventional maneuver !ould have been
unrecoverable.
'e e.haled, trying to rela.. )he fight !asn1t over. 'e still had to deal !ith #atthe!.
'e nosed his $lane south, and follo!ed the stream of black smoke from his brother1s
$lane.
)he remaining ,orsair attem$ted to evade as best as it could, trying not to let
Paladin1s line u$ on his si.. #atthe! !asn1t going any!here, though. A smear of oil
fanned out from his $lane1s nose and along the !ing.
Paladin cut his throttle back to a /uarter $o!er and easily caught u$.
#att1s voice crackled over the radio. (Nice trick !ith the rocket, little brother,( he
chuckled and coughed. (=ou did it. =ou got me.( )here !as a burst of static, then,
(No! you1re going have to finish me, too. =ou1re not taking me in alive.(
Paladin clicked off his radio, and then dro$$ed behind the ,orsair.
'e had to take him out. %f he didn1t, #atthe! !ould kee$ bootlegging...and !orse,
he !ould kee$ killing. 'e !as 0ust another $irate that had to be shot do!n, or every
death #atthe! caused from no! on !ould be on Paladin1s conscience, too.
Paladin1s s/uinted, lining u$ his shot.
'is finger tightened on the trigger-
-then, reluctantly, rela.ed.
9hat !as the matter !ith him* 9as it because he had used )ennyson trick rocket to
take #atthe! out* No. Fairness in dogfights !as a lu.ury Paladin could rarely afford.
#atthe! !ould have shot Paladin do!n if their $ositions !ere s!itched. Paladin
couldn1t bring himself to shoot, though. #aybe that !as the biggest difference
bet!een them. And #att, like it or not, !as his brother. 7ike Flora, #atthe! !as a
$art of him-no matter !hat kind of man he !as.
Paladin flicked on the radio. (et out of here,( he said. (%1ll get back to you soon
enough.( 'e broke off, o$ened the throttle to three /uarters, and banked east,
to!ards Ne! 8rleans. (%1ve got better things to do right no!. 7ike save our little
sister.(
Paladin cradled his coffee and stared at his black reflection at the bottom of the cu$.
'e had gotten no!here fast. %t had been t!enty-four hours since he landed at
Pontchartrain Aerodrome. Since landing, he had canvassed the city searching for
Flora-and her ne! smuggler friends.
'e had rented a room, cleaned u$ and bought a suit, and then hit the high-class
0oints2 Four Aces, Bourbon Beach, and +ing1s <etreat. 'is /uestions about im$orters
only got him leads on a legitimate French te.tile manufacturer and an invitation to
the Banker1s ,otillion.
'is luck changed as he !orked his !ay do!n the lists of re$utable bars and 0a&&
clubs to $laces like Furious Fists, )he 8ne-7egged -og, and 7e Petit Scandal,
establishments !here the bouncers frisked everyone as they entered and handed out
recei$ts for confiscated sidearms.
Paladin got $lenty of leads on im$orters, illegal and other!ise, es$ecially since he
!as buying drinks for those talking...until he mentioned the name #att gave him,
(-ers$ins.( 9hen Paladin dro$$ed the name, the flo! of information vanished like
!ater into sand.
9hoever this guy is, Paladin thought, he values his $rivacy.
'e had sto$$ed on his !ay back to the hotel for coffee at a tiny bar called 8fficer1s
<oost located ato$ a three-story colonel on ,ataouatche Avenue. )he interior !as
decorated !ith $olished co$$er and brass shi$ fi.tures and had o$en balconies
overlooking the #ississi$$i !ith a vie! beyond of the brightly cano$ied storefronts
and gas lanterns of >efferson 'eights. An occasional barge drifted by on the river,
almost serene if you ignored the anti-aircraft guns mounted on their $ro!s.
(#ore coffee*( )he bartender refilled Paladin1s cu$ before he could re$ly. 'e !as in
his in mid-si.ties, had a slight ,reole accent, and a slick of long black hair streaked
gray. 'e 0erked his head to the back of the bar, (8r !ould monsieur $refer something
stronger*(
(No, % don1t-( Among the rainbo! colors of a$eritifs, brandy, and bourbon decanters
behind the bar, Paladin s$otted t!o bottles of -ark +night !hiskey. )hat thre! him
for a moment, remembering #atthe! and his sister and ho! much trouble they
!ere. (No,( he said. ()hanks all the same.(
)he bartender follo!ed Paladin1s ga&e. (=ou have a taste for the best.( 'e retrieved
the s/uare-bottomed bottle. ()his is my $ersonal favorite as !ell, $articularly the
rather elegant smoky aftertaste. But almost to e.$ensive to kee$ in stock, non*(
(% don1t see !hy.( Paladin said and took a si$ of his coffee. ()hat /uart cost thirty
cents to make. Even if it got marked u$ for a tidy $rofit you still shouldn1t $ay more
than t!o or three dollars for it.(
(.on DieuD( )he bartender leaned closer. (%f you can get a bottle for that $rice, %
!ould very much be interested.(
A ne! angle to the search for Flora da!ned on Paladin. 'e had been looking for
these smuggler friends of hers by asking /uestions, by $laying at being a co$. )hat
!asn1t !orking...so maybe he could make them come to him. 8r at least meet him
half !ay.
And the best !ay to make a smuggler come to you !as !ith a high $rofit margin.
Paladin asked, (9hat do you $ay*(
()!enty-five francs, gold standard, !hen such a bottle can be found. %t is very
$o$ular.( )he bartender then leaned even further across the bar to$ and !his$ered
cons$iratorially, (=ou said you could find such a fine !hiskey for three dollars a
bottle*(
(% should say so.( Paladin smiled. (% make the stuff.(
)he bartender raised one eyebro! and e.amined label on the bottle. #atthe!1s name
!as there, listed as chief refiner and $resident of the (com$any.(
(.onsieur Blake* #atthe! Blake*(
)here !as an element of risk to this. Anyone !ho kne! #att !ould not only see that
Paladin !as an im$oster, but they might see enough family resemblance to figure out
!ho he really !as.
8n the other hand, if Black +night !hiskey !as so rare in Ne! 8rleans, it !as
unlikely #atthe! !as bootlegging here. Anyone running boo&e from Free ,olorado
!ould have to circumnavigate )e.as and the <angers...something even #atthe!
!ould think t!ice about doing.
(=eah, %1m #atthe! Blake,( Paladin lied. (lad you like my !hiskey so much. )hat
means a lot to me.( 'e reached to shake the bartender1s hand.
)he bartender crossed his arms. (<eally, monsieur. -o not make a fool of me.( 'e
started to re$lace the bottle on the shelf.
()hat aftertaste you so like,( Paladin said /uickly, (!e that get from burning As$en
sa$lings. )ricky, because you have to get it close enough for the smoke to settle into
the li/uor, but not close enough to ignite the stuff. )hen, !e age it for three months
in oak barrels. 7et it breathe for a fe! minutes before you drink some, and you1ll
smell and taste it.(
)he bartender considered this, looked at the bottle, and then back to Paladin.
(%ndeed*( 'e set the bottle back on the bar to$, then took Paladin1s hand. (%t is an
honor to meet you,( he said !ith the utmost sincerity. (% am >ac/ues A$ollonaire.(
()he $leasure1s mine, >ack.( Paladin held on to his hand and gri$$ed it tighter.
(Es$ecially if it1s like you say and !e can get t!enty-five francs a bottle.(
>ac/ues smiled a little uneasily and he sli$$ed his hand from Paladin1s.
()hat1s !hy %1m here,( Paladin said. (% need hel$ moving this stuff. %1m not fool
enough to bust my !ay into someone else1s territory. % figure there1s got to be
someone running things here. Someone !ho can $rotect, distribute, and e.$ort
!hatever % bring in.(
(% see.( >ac/ues $lucked at the ti$s of his moustache.
(% kee$ hearing one name,( Paladin said, struggling to kee$ his voice even. (Some
guy named 1-ers$ins1 or something. Ever hear of him*(
>ac/ues sto$$ed fiddling !ith his moustache. 'e cast a furtive glance about his
em$ty bar, then !his$ered, (.onsieur, % fear you1ve been some!hat misinformed.
)his 1-ers$ins1 is not a man. %t is Die ,pinne, a rather...formidable business venture.
)hese $eo$le !ould not handle a mere bottle, or even a case or ten cases. )hey deal
in /uantity.(
('o! about three hundred cases*(
>ac/ues !histled a$$reciatively.
(And if you1re going to be my middleman, %1ll cut you in on a $ercentage. Provided, of
course, that !e have a deal*(
>ac/ues considered this for a long time. 'e !rung his hands, then set his s!eaty
$alms on the bar to$. (% can arrange a meeting...if you can deliver the goods to Ne!
8rleans from Free ,olorado. )hat !ill be no small task.(
(%f it !as easy,( Paladin re$lied, (there1d be no $rofit in it, no*(
>ac/ues nodded kno!ingly.
9here !ould Paladin scare u$ three hundred cases of !hiskey* And ho! the heck
!as he going to get it through )e.as* %m$ossible. But he had to. %t might be the only
!ay to find Flora.
Paladin finished his coffee and stood. (% better get busy, friend. %1ll be at
Pontchartrain Aerodrome !ith the stuff in one !eek. uaranteed.(
Chapter o!r: ire in the "ole
Paladin Blake fired the t!in si.ty-calibers" the 0arring kickback nearly rattled the
teeth out of his head. 'e s!iveled the guns to track the incoming -evastator as it
strafed the (egis. )he nimble $lane t!isted and turned and tried to shake him.
(Not today,( Paladin said through gritted teeth. 'e tore into the -evastator1s black
!ings and shredded the bat-!inged >olly <oger insignia.
From the machinegun nest he !atched the flaming !reckage $lummet to the
mountains belo!. 'e turned and looked u$ and do!n and then side to side. No $oint
in listening for incoming $lanes-the drone of the ECC horse$o!er Aereodyne engine
he !as $ractically standing on dro!ned out everything.
)he skies looked all clear. )hey1d been lucky. )he Blood-drinker gang had caught
them by sur$rise, dro$$ed out of the clouds and had them surrounded before Paladin
could launch a single $lane from the (egis. ood thing she !as no ordinary &e$$elin.
)he (egis carried enough armor $late for a battleshi$, had t!in si.ties $rotecting
each engine nacelle, and !ell-armored rocket launchers Fa trick he had learned from
a Anionist grou$ during the (Phantom Prototy$e( caseG sat ne.t to her seven-inch
broadside cannons.
'e should have stayed at the helm of the &e$$elin !hen the Blood-drinkers
ambushed them-instead he had climbed out here, asking to catch a bullet. But he
!as leading his men and !omen into the heart of la!less Free ,olorado territory,
getting them to fight a battle that should have been a family matter. <isking life and
limb !as the least he o!ed them.
Paladin turned to!ard the hatch, but had to $ause to admire the vie!. 'anging off a
&e$ at five thousand feet, skimming the edge of sno!-covered mountains !asn1t
something he did every day.
Along the s$ine of the <ockies, clouds had caught on the $eaks. )he iceca$s
thickened in s$ots, and com$ressed into glacier flo!s. )o the east !ere the rolling
green hills of )e.as, and to the !est, mesas and desert that stretched all the !ay to
the Pacific and his Santa #onica office.
'e1d flo!n straight back there from Ne! 8rleans, ordered )ennyson to $re$ the
(egis and removed all BAS insignia from her, and then assembled an all-volunteer
cre!.
Paladin uncli$$ed his safety harness, o$ened the hatch, and climbed back inside-
do!n the ladder, then across the cat!alk. %nside the cavernous belly of the &e$$elin,
his cre! $re$ared the s/uadron of Furys and the tiny Ford 'o$lite Autogyros.
)ennyson caught u$ !ith him in the corridor to this cabin. 'is bushy !hite eyebro!s
furro!ed over his eyes. (% !ish you !ould let me launch a fighter escort,( he
!his$ered. (9e should at least scout the area.(
(Not this time, )enny.( Paladin entered his cabin" he held the door o$en for his old
friend, then closed it behind them.
)he room !as s$artan2 a bunk bed, the lo!er half full of radio e/ui$ment" a sturdy
desk bolted to the floor" one !all covered !ith a ma$ of North America and shelves
of rolled u$ aerial charts.
Paladin keyed the intercom to the bridge. (<educe s$eed to one-/uarter. #ove in nice
and easy.(
(Aye Aye, #ister Blake.(
Paladin turned to )ennyson. (% agree the (egis is vulnerable. 9e should send out
scouts...but !e1re near the distillery. )he less noise !e make from here on, the
better.(
)ennyson leaned against the bunk and crossed his arms. ()hat is not !hat % meant.
)he (egis can take care of herself. %t is you % am !orried about. =ou have a cre! of
t!enty-seven. =ou, $ersonally, should not be taking all the risks.(
()his time % have to,( Paladin re$lied (None of you should even be here, let alone
sticking your necks out.(
)ennyson leaned for!ard, setting his hand on the desk. (9e trust you. 9e !ant to
hel$. =ou !ouldn1t $lace any of us in danger unless there !as good cause.(
Paladin !ondered ho! good this cause !as. <escuing his sister, des$ite the fact that
she didn1t !ant to be rescued, !as a !orthy thing...it !as 0ust the !ay he had to do
it that bothered him. -ealing !ith #atthe!-and a host of bootleggers, $irates,
thieves, and smugglers-!as bad enough" $osing as one of their ilk !as a bitter $ill to
s!allo!. 'e !ould have $referred a stand u$ fight.
Paladin retrieved a ma$ from the shelf and s$read it out. %t !as hand-dra!n, !ith
yello!ed edges, and !as covered !ith the secret symbol language of the <ocky
#ountain moonshiners. ,ry$tic code names dotted the ma$, $laces !ith names like
(Fire-!ater lacier( and (Poison )asters 'ot S$rings( and (host 9his$ering
,anyon.(
()he distillery is here.( Paladin indicated a blank s$ot on the ma$ near a $lace
named +nifeback <idge. (9e1ll get the (egis close to this $eak, and %1ll chute do!n.
%f the !eather holds, %1ll take an hour to cross the glacier on foot. et the autogyros
ready. 9hen % need them %1ll fire the flare gun-then give me five minutes before you
charge in guns bla&ing.(
(%t has been more than a decade since you !ere there.( )ennyson stroked his !hite
beard as he considered the location of the distillery. (#atthe! could have moved
your family1s o$eration.(
Paladin in!ardly !inced at the )ennyson1s choice of !ords2 (Family o$eration.( )he
distillery had been there as long as anyone could remember. %t had su$$lied hooch to
,onfederate troo$s in the ,ivil 9ar" Paladin1s Father !on the $lace in a $oker game
and #atthe! had inherited it !hen he died...and no! Paladin !as going to take it
a!ay from him.
(%t1s there,( Paladin said. ()hey use the runoff !ater from the glacier" nothing tastes
/uite like it.(
(And #atthe!*(
(9hen % catch u$ !ith him-( Paladin o$ened his desk dra!er, and removed his $air of
.:;s. (-%1ll make sure he gets !hat he deserves.(
Paladin trudged over the rock-stre!n icy summit. )he sno! $ack !as neither too
slushy nor too hard-he still half skied, half sli$$ed do!n the mountainside on his
descent.
)he !ind !hi$$ed around his $arka as he cra!led to the edge of the cliff and ga&ed
through his binoculars. 'e s$otted sa! a thin !is$ of steam rising from the face. 'e
couldn1t see it, but he kne! hidden in the shado!s !as the cavern entrance. 'e
s/uinted and sa! something ne!2 a !ooden $latform, cobbled onto the rock face,
0ust large enough for a single autogyro.
)here !as no autogyro there, but there !as a man sitting on a stool, reading a book,
a rifle in his la$.
Paladin thumbed the focus back and forth to get a better look. )he man had leathery
skin, stringy gray hair and a long handlebar mustache. >eremiah rimson. 'e1d been
u$ here !hen Paladin had first come to this $lace !ith his -ad, fifteen years ago.
Paladin couldn1t shoot at him. First, he didn1t fire on unsus$ecting old men, though
he had fe! illusions that rimson !ould return that favor. Second, at this range he1d
likely miss" the sound !ould certainly bring everyone out of that hole-!hich Paladin
!anted to avoid...for the moment, at least.
)here had to be another !ay. Paladin donned his goggles and $icked his !ay do!n
the rough trail that led to the $latform. 'e affected a lim$, then !aved his hands and
called, ('ey, rimD(
)he old man !as so started he nearly fell off the stool. 'e shielded his eyes to see
through the glare reflecting off the sno!, and then he raised his rifle.
(,ome on,( Paladin said like he !as an old friend. ('el$ a feller out.(
rim started for!ard. 'e sto$$ed a do&en $aces a!ay for Paladin, still s/uinting and
looking unsure. ('old it right there, $artner.(
(% t!isted this knee real good, rim. % could use a hand.(
,oncern creased the old timer1s bro!. 'e slung the rifle and ambled over to Paladin.
Paladin stood u$ straight. (<emember me*(
)he old man1s eyes !idened in sur$rise. (=oungun1 Blake.( 'e smiled but it /uickly
eva$orated. (#atthe!1s madder than a ste$$ed-on rattlesnake over !hat you did.(
'e brought u$ his gun.
Paladin1s u$$ercut caught rimson under his chin, lifted him off the ground and sent
him skidding along the trail. (Sorry, old timer. No time for tearful reunions.( 'e
dragged the old man u$ the $ath, and out of sight.
Paladin raised the flare gun and fired it. )here !as a dull (!hoom$( and a star rose
into the air, arced, and burned out. Five minutes until the cavalry rode in.
'e trotted to the cavern entrance. A set of rickety !ooden stairs s$iraled into the
darkness. 'e started do!n them. )here !as a strong bree&e flo!ing out, carrying
!ith it smells of As$en smoke and s!eet fermenting corn mash-so $ungent it made
his eyes !ater.
)he stairs ended and Paladin hunkered do!n under them, letting his vision ad0ust to
the dim light of flickering lanterns.
'e !as in a dome-sha$ed chamber three hundred feet across" stalactite and
stalagmite teeth $unctuated the ceiling and floor. A fire $it bla&ed in the center !ith
do&ens of closed co$$er kettles, each bigger than a bathtub, bubbling a!ay. <ail
tracks ran to and from the room. )here !ere bunks for ten men. Shado!y figures
stirred the $ots, $ushed s/ueaky carts, and talked in hushed !his$ers.
Paladin remembered the $lace, but didn1t recall it being such a big o$eration. %n his
$rime, his father only had four small stills.
'e crouched against the !all and eased through the shado!s to the back of the
chamber, through a long tunnel, and emerged in a second vaulted chamber. No one
here. )here !ere, ho!ever, a hundred oak barrels stacked ato$ one another. )his is
!here the bourbon aged, three years at least-but for s$ecial releases there !ere
barrels in the back that hadn1t been ta$$ed since the turn of the century.
Paladin moved on, his .:;s dra!n. )he tunnel t!isted" he $aused and listened, but
heard nothing save the dri$$ing of !ater. 'e rounded the corner and sto$$ed short.
)he tunnel he remembered had been e.cavated since he !as last here. )he tunnel
had, long ago, ta$ered into a rathole" no!, it stretched t!o stories high, and ran a
hundred feet to a dead end. Along both !alls, stacked and $acked all the !ay to the
ceiling, !ere crates stam$ed !ith the Black +night logo....not the three hundred
crates he had ho$ed !ould be here-but closer to three thousand.
#atthe! had been busy. And, Paladin thought !ith a su$$ressed grin, #att had been
stu$id to retain so much stock. %t !as ironic that Paladin had been the one to find a
solution to his distribution $roblem...and doubly ironic that #atthe! had been so
close to discovering that his contacts in Ne! 8rleans could have been his ticket to
the big time.
But that !as about to end for good.
Paladin glanced at his !atch. )ime !as u$. 'e !alked back to the main room,
crouched in the shado!s, and !aited.
)he sound of autogyros started as a distant bu&&, then became a $urr that filed the
cavern, echoed and reverberated off the !alls. )he shado!y figures !orking on the
($roduction floor( sto$$ed, then ran to!ard the cavern1s entrance.
Paladin !alked through the chamber, making sure everyone had left, then follo!ed
them u$ the stairs.
Si. men stood at the mouth of the tunnel. ()hat1s not #att1s bird,( one of them said.
(9ho are they*(
(Shoot 1em !hen they land and !e1ll sort it out later,( another bootlegger re$lied
(9here1d that old bu&&ard rim get to, any!ay*(
('old itD( Paladin yelled. (8ne move and %1ll dro$ all of you.(
)he $irates, startled by the shout from behind them, !hirled around and leveled
their guns at him. 9hen they sa! Paladin, alone and armed only !ith $istols, they
rela.ed. )he grou$1s leader smiled !ith false cheerfulness. (=ou better go on and
dro$ those $istols, son. =ou1re outgunned.(
Paladin $ut t!o fingers to his li$s and !histled loudly. %n res$onse, a do&en of
Paladin1s men, led by )ennyson, rushed into the tunnel1s entrance, shotguns, $istols
and )ommy guns at the ready.
(Not the !ay % count it,( Paladin said.
Paladin took three hundred cases of Black Knight Bourbon and loaded them onto the
Aegis. Not a drop more.
The moonshiners had told him that Matthew was in Aspen, getting a busted leg fixed. f
Matt had been here, Paladin was sure onl! one of the Blake brothers would ha"e walked
awa! ali"e.
#e ordered his crew back to the Aegis. $nl! Tenn!son remained in %Bumblebee,% his
customi&ed #oplite, perched on the landing platform.
Paladin opened the autog!ro's door, and Tenn!son handed him the fire axe he had
re(uested.
% would ask if !ou are sure about this,% Tenn!son said, %but !ou are alwa!s sure, aren't
!ou)%
Paladin took the axe and hefted it.
%A man cannot escape his past,% Tenn!son told him.
%Ma!be not...but a man can make a few good dents in it.% Paladin ga"e his friend a wr!
smile. %*et the 'Bee running. +e'll need to take off prett! (uick.%
Tenn!son nodded and started the #oplite's engine.
Paladin descended the stairs, past the boiler room, through the barrel chamber, and halted
in the tunnel lined with cases of Black Knight Bourbon.
#e swung the axe, cracked a case and let the li(uor and broken glass spill on to the floor.
#e swung again, busted open another, then another, and he didn't stop until his shoulders
were stiff, the walls of crates la! in ruin, and he stood ankle deep in li(uor. The smell was
o"erpowering. Paladin was drenched in sweat and alcohol. #e tasted bourbon and salt on
his lips.
Paladin sloshed into the barrel chamber, toppled them all and sent wa"es of bourbon
splashing onto the floor.
Paladin took a long look at the place. #e remembered when he,along with his father and
his brother,had ground corn here, simmered the stuff, and gotten drunk. But the boo&e
had killed his father. t had turned Matthew into a monster. And ma!be it had turned
Paladin into what he was, too.
#e backed into the boiler room and retrie"ed a lantern from the wall. #e threw the
lantern against the far wall- it shattered and burning oil seeped o"er the rock...toward the
lake of bourbon in the tunnel.
Paladin ran. #e took the stairs four at a time, bounded onto the platform and into the
cockpit with Tenn!son.
%*o.% he shouted.
Bumblebee lifted, turned once, and rose into the air.
/lames mushroomed from the mouth of the ca"ern. Paladin felt the dull thumping
explosions within the mountain. 0ribbles appeared from the cracks and faults in the cliff
face- the li(uor ignited and sent plumes of smoke sk!ward. Bourbon gushed from the
rock, as thirt! !ears of stock drained from the ca"erns,cascading down the mountainside
in waterfalls of fire.
The! watched it burn for se"eral minutes, then Tenn!son asked, %+hat now)%
%New $rleans,% Paladin said. %+e'"e got our calling card. +e meet this die Spinne
gang...and then we get /lora.%
Chapter i#e: $idnight%& "eart
Paladin Blake set do!n the case of li/uor !ith a slosh. )he noise echoed throughout
the hangar. )here !asn1t a soul here at five in the evening-and the only $lanes
$resent !ere their Ford 'o$lites and an ancient dust-covered Fokker bi$lane. %n fact,
this end of the Pontchartrain Aerodrome !as deserted. )he lack of activity in the
Aerodrome !as good for !hat they needed to do...but it still gave Paladin the cree$s.
'alf an hour ago, the (egis drifted overhead at si. thousand feet-hidden inside a
cumulonimbus-and launched t!o 'o$lites. Paladin and )ennyson $iloted them do!n
to five hundred feet, cut their engines and drifted through the tidal fog as noiselessly
as a $air of falling leaves. )hey landed near 'angar Si., !here he had agreed to
meet >ac/ues A$ollonaire, the mysterious Ne! 8rleans barkee$ that !as Paladin1s
only link to the Die ,pinne smuggling syndicate.
)ennyson leaned against the stacked crates and mo$$ed s!eat from his bushy !hite
bro!s !ith a $ristine handkerchief. (9e couldn1t have the cre! do this*( he asked
!ith a tired sigh.
()hink of it as our ne! em$loyee fitness $rogram,( Paladin ans!ered !ith a sly grin.
(Besides, !e can1t have any of our clean-cut cre! here. %t1s 0ust you and me-small-
time bootleggers !ith as$irations.(
(#ore like $ers$iration,( )ennyson muttered. 'e carefully refolded his handkerchief
and tucked it back into his !hite coveralls. 'e then fetched the last crate from his
customi&ed 'o$lite, (Bumblebee.(
Paladin absentmindedly scratched the stubble on his chin. 'e hadn1t had a shave or
sho!er for a !eek. 'e hardly looked like himself anymore-but more like his brother
than he cared to admit.
%n fact, his rugged a$$earance-necessary for the undercover 0ob he !as about to
undertake-had been a $roblem in )e.as. 'e had flo!n ahead of the (egis to secure
her safe $assage across the 8klahoma territory, and had landed at the <anger
Airstri$ 8ne outside Amarillo. )e.as <angers tended to act first-0ailing or shooting
anyone !ho remotely looked like trouble.
7uckily, #arshal >ed Bouregard !as stationed there and recogni&ed Paladin. 7ast
year, Blake Aviation had unofficially hel$ed the <angers blast raiders out of some
A&tec ruins across the boarder. >ed had asked no embarrassing /uestions and gave
the (egis an escort all the !ay to alveston.
Paladin1s attention sna$$ed back to the $resent. Beyond the frosted glass of the
hangar1s massive doors, t!o shado!s moved to!ard the side entrance.
'e !aved at )ennyson to get his attention, then nodded at the bi$lane in the corner.
)ennyson trotted to the $lane and crouched behind the fuselage. Paladin ducked
behind his 'o$lite, dra!ing his $istol.
)he side door o$ened and t!o bra!ny uniformed $olice entered the hangar. )heir
guns !ere out, too. )hey sidled over to the 'o$lite, and Paladin held his breath.
8ne of them took off his ca$ and scratched his bald head. 'e s$otted the crates and
said, (Bingo.(
)he other co$ grinned !ith ga$$ed teeth.
)here !as no !ay that they !ere coincidentally making their rounds in this deserted
$art of the Aerodrome. )hey kne! e.actly !hat they !ere looking for. Paladin
tightened his gri$ on the $istol.
(And !hat have !e here*( )he bald co$ $ointed to the bi$lane and the e.$osed boot
that belonged to )ennyson. 'e sniffed. (Smells like a bootlegger to me.( )hey both
chuckled.
)ennyson stood and smoothed out his coveralls. 'e held u$ his hands, almost looking
relieved to see them. (No trouble here, officers. %1m al!ays ha$$y to hel$ the local
la! enforcement. =ou see %1m really not a-(
Paladin /uickly and /uietly ste$$ed behind the co$ !ith the ga$$ed teeth. 'e
brought do!n the butt of his .:; on the ha$less officer1s skull. )he co$ dro$$ed onto
the cement floor.
(%f you t!itch,( Paladin said to the $oliceman1s $artner, (it1ll be the last move you
make. =our gun2 $ut it on the ground. No!.(
)he officer hesitated...then slo!ly knelt and de$osited his gun.
(Put your hands u$.(
)ennyson looked horrified. Paladin motioned him out !ith a !ave of his gun.
(%t1s a set u$,( Paladin muttered to )ennyson.
(No,( the bald co$ said. (%t1s no set u$, #r. Blake. 9e1re su$$osed to check the $lace
out and make it safe for you guys.(
Paladin grimaced. )he co$ had called him (#r. Blake(-but did they kno! he !as
-aladin Blake* 8r did they still think he !as #atthe!*
Before Paladin could /uestion the co$ further, he s$ied a ne! figure silhouetted in
the door. 'e !heeled and $ointed his gun.
>ac/ues A$ollonaire ste$$ed for!ard. 'e !ore a black tu.edo and bo! tie and had
his hair slicked back. (9elcome back to Ne! 8rleans.(
(A bit overdressed for the occasion, aren1t !e*( Paladin asked. 'e $rodded the bald
co$ in the back !ith the mu&&le of his gun. (et over there, buddy.(
)he co$ stumbled to!ard >ac/ues.
(% have an a$$ointment to kee$ after this business,( >ac/ues said. 'e brushed the
la$els of his tu.edo. )he suit is a$$ro$riate attire, % assure you. As for the $olice, you
have my a$ologies. )hey are in our em$loy.( 'e shot a contem$tuous glance at the
bald officer and his com$anion on the floor. ()hey kee$ a!ay government officials
!ith their ludicrous t!o hundred $ercent e.cise ta.. )hey !ere also here to $revent-(
'e crinkled his eyebro!s. (9hat is the e.$ression* )he 1double cross*1(
(=ou1ve read too many novels,( Paladin told him.
(% !ish someone !ould e.$lain !hat all this is about,( )ennyson !his$ered. (% don1t
see !hy, Pal-(
Paladin silenced )ennyson !ith a slight shake of his head. )hat1s all he needed !as to
be called by his real name" )ennyson !as even less accustomed to undercover !ork
than Paladin !as.
()enny, this the >ac/ues. >ac/ues, this is )en...)ennessee ordon, the finest bre!er
and distiller of bourbon on either side of A$$alachia.(
>ac/ues clicked his heels and gave )ennyson a curt nod.
(,harmed,( )ennyson said, in a decidedly un-charmed tone.
>ac/ues cla$$ed his hands and told the $olice officer, ()ake your $artner outside and
rouse him. 9ait for me.(
(=es, sir,( the bald co$ said. 'e cast a glance at his gun on the floor, then looked at
Paladin. 'e grabbed his unconscious $artner and dragged him outside.
>ac/ues had changed in the fe! days since Paladin had last seen the mild-mannered
bartender. 'e !as acting like a big shot...and maybe he !as. At the very least, he
seemed to have the local $olice in his $ocket. 8r !ere they on loan from the Die
,pinne grou$*
()hese $olice are not smart,( >ac/ues !his$ered, (but they are obedient.( 'e
scrutini&ed the stacked crates, and !ordlessly moved his mouth as he counted. (8ne
hundred t!enty five, .onsieur. 9e had agreed to three hundred cases, non2(
(% have all three hundred-in a safe $lace. =ou1ll get the balance !hen % see the cash.(
(% understand.( >ac/ues flicked at his moustache in irritation, then gestured to the
cases. (#ay %*(
(+nock yourself out.(
>ac/ues $ried o$en the lid of a crate and removed one of the s/uared bottles. 'e
uncorked it and took a si$. (E.cellent. 9e said fifteen francs a bottle*(
(9e said t!enty-five.(
>ac/ues reached into his 0acket $ocket and !ithdre! an envelo$e. (So !e did.( 'e
thumbed through the envelo$e1s contents and $ulled out a sheaf of blue- and red-
embossed bills. (%f you $refer % can convert this, for a slight additional fee, into gold.(
(old suits me better.(
(As you !ish. % can meet you !ith-(
(And as long as !e1re talking about my $references, >ac/ues, % $refer to deal !ith
the $eo$le in charge, too. See, % !as thinking that maybe % could get you more than
three hundred cases.(
>ac/ues eyebro!s shot u$ and a smile s$read across his !ell-oiled suave features.
(%ndeed, that !ould be most-(
(% !as thinking three hundred mores cases,( Paladin said, (...a !eek.(
()hree hundred a !eek* %m$ossible.(
Paladin ste$$ed to!ard >ac/ues, his $istol casually aimed at his heart. (-on1t get me
!rong2 % like you as my middleman, and that1s not going to sto$ as long as things
continue to run smoothly. But % !on1t risk my neck crossing the )e.as border 0ust to
have someone on this end tell me they can1t move my merchandise. % !ant to meet
these Die ,pinne $eo$le. Face to face.(
>ac/ues1 ga&e darted to some distant $oint as he thought this over, $robably figuring
no! much his cut !ould be, then his oily smile oo&ed back over his face. (But of
course, #onsieur Blake. % had intended to this very thing tonight. =ou have a $lane,
yes*(
Paladin nodded at their 'o$lites.
(% !ill have the men load it, then !e can deliver the goods, in $erson.(
(Perfect,( Paladin re$lied.
>ac/ues !histled and the t!o co$s re-entered the hangar. )he one !ho Paladin had
cold-cocked !as rubbing his head" he cast a murderous glance in Paladin1s direction.
>ac/ues instructed them to load the crates.
As they $ut back the cases Paladin and )ennyson had 0ust unloaded, )ennyson
ste$$ed close to Paladin and !his$ered, (=ou couldn1t think of a less collo/uial name
for me than 1)ennessee*1 And ho! did you kno! these $olice !ere crooked !hen you
dre! your gun on them*(
(%1ll e.$lain later, )enny.(
'e didn1t kno! if he could e.$lain it, though. )hose co$s had gone after )ennyson-
reason enough to dra! his .:;-but there !as more to it. 'e !as close to finding
Flora and ending this business. #aybe close enough that Paladin !ouldn1t even let
the $olice get in his !ay.
'e didn1t like the !ay this !as going. 'e had stolen-albeit !as from his $irate
brother-but it !as still theft. 'e had leveraged his re$utation, and that of Blake
Aviation, to trans$ort contraband. And he !ould he have shot, maybe killed, t!o
men to get !hat he !anted.
#aybe it !as more than Paladin1s looks and name that lent themselves to $laying the
role of #atthe! Blake.
9hen the 'o$lites had been loaded, >ac/ues said to Paladin, (% !ill go !ith you.( 'e
nodded and smiled at )ennyson. (And .onsieur )ennessee can follo!.(
(Follo! us !here*( Paladin asked.
(% am afraid % must sho! you. =ou !ould not believe me other!ise.( >ac/ues turned
to his $olice escort. ()hat !ill be all for tonight, gentlemen.(
)he co$s gave one last long look at Paladin, then left. Paladin ho$ed that !as the last
he sa! of those t!o.
'e, >ac/ues, and )ennyson then boarded their 'o$lites and ta.ied onto the run!ay.
%nside, the $lanes had seventy-five cases of li/uor crammed into every available
s/uare inch. %t took all five hundred feet of run!ay for the overloaded $lanes to get
airborne. ('ead southeast,( >ac/ues instructed.
(9e1re going to run out of land /uick,( Paladin remarked.
(Oui, % kno!,( >ac/ues said. (Southeast, $lease.(
Paladin keyed the radio micro$hone. (Follo! me, )enny.(
(<oger.( )here !as a moment of silence, then )ennyson added2 (=ou reali&e that, to
carry our cargo, % had to remove all the armor off the 'o$lites* %t !ill take only a
single magnesium round to ignite the t!o hundred and seventy gallons of bourbon
!e are sitting on.(
(So !e1re flying #olotov cocktails,( Paladin muttered. (reat. >ust kee$ your eyes
$eeled and bail out at the first sign of trouble.(
Paladin reali&ed >ac/ues had no $arachute over his tu.edo. 'e better kno! !hat he
!as doing.
)hey banked over Ne! 8rleans and then skimmed over the #ississi$$i delta. Belo!
!ere tangles of mangrove trees and mats of s!am$ grass and /uicksand" it !as a
ma&e of t!isting and turning rivulets. )housands of !hite cranes stood in the !aters
and glo!ed amber and $ink in the setting sun. Along the riverbanks crocodiles
floated and soaked u$ the last of the day1s !armth.
'o! >ac/ues !as navigating Paladin !asn1t sure. )his could be a !ild goose chance
!ith him and )ennyson ending u$ one hundred and t!enty-five cases lighter-and a
bullet heavier.
-But he doubted it. 'e didn1t trust >ac/ues...but he could de$end on the man1s
greed.
Paladin !atched the airs$eed indicator and ke$t the 'o$lite e.actly at one hundred
miles $er hour. 'e had left Pontchartrain Aerodrome at $recisely ;23;. 'e should be
able to figure out the total distance to !herever it !as they !ere headed.
)he s!am$s thinned into muddy tidal flats, reflecting the t!ilight so it looked like a
$lain of gold leaf.
(No! head due east,( >ac/ues shouted over the engine noise.
Paladin ad0usted course and double-checked his seven. )ennyson !as right there,
!atching his back.
)he muddy flats vanished under!ater and they fle! over the ulf of #e.ico.
Although the sun had set, there !as a glo! ahead-not from the !est, but from the
east.
As they a$$roached, Paladin sa! the light came from an island. -o&ens of cargo
shi$s and tugboats s!armed around the $iers that stretched into the !ater. 8n the
ground there !as a city !ith more flashing lights than #anhattan" there !ere three
run!ays, t!o aerodromes, and more &e$$elins docked than he could easily count.
Paladin s/uinted and s$otted do&ens of anti-aircraft batteries silhouetted on hills
around the island.
(9hat is this $lace*( Paladin asked.
(9elcome to 1*e 'oeur du .inuit,1 .onsieur Blake, (>ac/ues said. (9elcome to the
secret $irate city.(
Chapter Si': (eadly )e!nion
)hree Furies rose in a @-formation behind Paladin1s autogyro. 'is first instinct !as to
dive-but he checked his hand on the stick. 'e !asn1t outmaneuvering anything !ith
a 'o$lite loaded to the gills !ith bourbon-and a single round from one of those
Furies !ould turn him into a fireball.
(Allo! me to handle this,( >ac/ues said. 'e ad0usted the radio fre/uency and s$oke
into the micro$hone in ra$id-fire ,reole. 'e smiled and nervously glanced over his
shoulder.
After a $ause, a voice bristling !ith static gave a terse re$ly in French.
()hey are allo!ing us to land.( >ac/ues sighed and slum$ed into his seat. (See,
.onsieur* Nothing to !orry about.(
(Sure,( Paladin muttered. )here !ere several more $lanes in the air no!, s/uadrons
of -evastators and Brigands circling the island like vultures. (Nothing at all.(
)he Furies $ulled ahead, banked, and descended to!ard the island2 (*e 'oeur du
.inuit(-(#idnight1s 'eart( >ac/ues had called it. Paladin !as no stranger to trouble-
but infiltrating this secret $irate city this !as more than 0ust trouble" he !as ste$$ing
into a $it of vi$ers.
(% ho$e you kno! !hat you1re doing, >ac/ues.( Paladin noted the radio fre/uency he
had used, then s$un the dial back to )ennyson1s channel. (Follo! me in, )ennessee.(
'e set do!n the micro$hone and said to himself, (% ho$e $ kno! !hat %1m doing.(
Paladin banked his 'o$lite and trailed behind their escorts, skimming over the !aves
breaking on the beach belo!.
)he island !as a s/uare-mile of !orn hills, s!am$y farms, and mudflat shores. )he
$lace looked bigger, though, because of the $iers that stretched into ulf of #e.ico.
)here !ere roads s!itchbacking u$ the slo$es, and a host of four-story S$anish
haciendas. #ost of the buildings !ere decorated !ith flashing signs-diamonds,
s$ades, hourglass-sha$ed feminine figures. (,AS%N8,( and (F<EE BEE<,( and
(%<7S( blinked and s$arked across trashy neon advertisements as far as the eye
could see.
'ardly a (secret( $irate city. )hen again, !ith the s!arms of $lanes $atrolling the
$lace and those anti-aircraft guns on the hillto$s, maybe they !eren1t afraid of being
cons$icuous.
Paladin1s escorts di$$ed and bu&&ed an air$ort run!ay-his cue to land.
'e touched do!n and noted the aerodromes silhouetted against the dusk...as !ell as
the outlines of a do&en tethered &e$$elins.
8ne of the &e$s had a distinctive $ointed nose" Paladin recogni&ed her2 the
'ommerce from the %.S.A. 7ike his o!n &e$$elin, the (egis, she !as armed to the
teeth and had a re$utation for blasting any unfriendlies that came too near her.
)he 'ommerces $resence came as a 0olt to Paladin" it !ould take a very tough
$irate gang to s!i$e such a dreanought. Funny he hadn1t heard about it , though he
had been out of touch for the last !eek. )he states could have reunited and he
!ould have missed it.
Paladin s$ied something else out of the ordinary2 a s/uadron of erman-made
'ellhounds sat $arked in neat ro!s alongside the &e$$elin. 9hat !ere the erman
$lanes doing so far from home* )he $lane had only debuted a cou$le of years ago,
and !as a rare sight in North America. )hey !ere e.$ensive to im$ort, and even
more e.$ensive to maintain !ithout $arts being regularly shi$$ed from Stuttgart.
(8ver there.( >ac/ues indicated a hanger. (9e can secure our cargo.(
Paladin noted that his bourbon had suddenly become (ours.( 'e ta.ied through the
o$en hangar doors and killed the 'o$lite1s engine.
)here !ere three beat-u$ -evastators and a 9arha!k $arked there as !ell. )he
9arha!k bristled !ith rockets-all her hard$oints !ere laden !ith high e.$losives and
bee$er-seekers, !ith t!o more racks !elded on the top of her !ings, too.
Paladin kne! this $lane !ithout having to look at the name stenciled across her
nose.
)ennyson climbed out of his 'o$lite-sto$$ed short !hen he s$otted the $lane, then
briskly !alked to Paladin, concern !rinkling his bro!. (%sn1t that 1,old >ustice*1( he
/uietly asked. (% thought you shot it do!n si. months ago.(
(So did %,( Paladin !his$ered back. (% never sa! it crash, though.(
(9e !ill $ay a call on our ne! friends,( >ac/ues said as he climbed out of the
autogyro. (9e1re 0ust leaving my bourbon here*(
(8f course, .onsieur. %t is under Die ,pinnes $rotection. No one !ill dare touch it.(
No one but Die ,pinne, Paladin thought. 9hat !as going to sto$ them from taking it*
()his island is theirs*( he asked >ac/ues.
(%n a matter of s$eaking.( >ac/ues smoothed out his recently !a.ed moustache. (%t
is...on loan from the 7ouisiana government.( 'e looked about, and s$otted a call bo.
in the corner of the hanger. (Pardon me, % !ill call a ta.i.(
)ennyson !his$ered, ()hese $irates must $ay a $retty $enny for this $lace.(
Paladin nodded. (9orth it, though, if the French foreign legions garrisoned in Ne!
8rleans kee$ -i.ie and )e.as a!ay...and it makes sense for the French 7ouisiana
government to kee$ the $irate1s ha$$y. %t1ll kee$ them from signing on as $rivateers
for -i.ie or )e.as. %t1s a smart set u$.(
>ac/ues returned and fished three bottles of bourbon from the autogyro1s hold. ()hey
are sending a car from the to!er. %t !ill only be a moment.(
A tall man sauntered into the hanger. 'e !ore greasy coveralls and a gun-belt !ith
t!o ivory-handled ,olt revolvers. Scars raked do!n the left side of his face !here he
!as missing an eye. 'e removed his smoldering cigarette from his leathery li$s and
did a double take at Paladin and )ennyson.
Paladin kne! him-,old >ustice1s $ilot, (the >udge.( 'e1d taken the la! into his o!n
hands and killed a do&en men and !oman during the )e.as-8klahoma riots...most of
them innocents !ho had sim$ly gotten in the >udge1s !ay. Paladin tried to act
nonchalant, even though his heart raced and his hand no! rested on his .:;.
)he >udge1s eye darted bet!een Paladin and )ennyson, then briefly to >ac/ues. 'e
then tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, crushed it under his boot1s heel, and
continued !alking to!ard his $lane.
A silver limo rolled to a sto$ in front of the hangar. (8ur ride,( >ac/ues said. (As you
can see our ne! friends have im$eccable taste.(
(reat,( Paladin muttered, not taking his ga&e off of the >udge. 'e eased into the
back of the limousine after )ennyson and >ac/ues.
()he +ing1s ,ross,( >ac/ues told the driver.
As they drove a!ay, the >udge !alked to the hangar door!ay and !atched them go.
)he hair on the back of Paladin1s neck $rickled. 'e didn1t like this...one !ord from
the >udge and every cutthroat on this island !ould be tearing the $lace a$art looking
to kill Paladin Blake.
)he car s$ed a!ay from the air$ort, the acceleration cushioned by the crushed
leather u$holstery. %nside, the car had $olished silver trim and a stocked bar
com$lete !ith crystal decanters and gold-ti$$ed cigarettes. 8utside, ho!ever, there
!ere barbed !ire fences and tin-roofed huts amid fields of sugar cane and tobacco
and red $e$$ers.
()his island used to be farmland,( >ac/ues e.$lained. (% believe they made hot sauce
here. 9ell,( he chuckled, (they still do under a ne! label. )hose that fall into the
debt of Die ,pinne are $ut to !ork, a form of indentured servitude.(
(#ore like slavery,( )ennyson !his$ered. (Barbaric.(
(,onsidering the alternative,( >ac/ues re$lied as he $oured himself a martini and
eased into the seat, (they are getting off easy, non*(
)hey !ound u$ the hills then do!n again. )he shacks gave !ay to !hite adobe
buildings !ith red S$anish tiled roofs" starlight faded under the glare of flashing
neon signs. A strange mi. of $eo$le moved briskly on the streets-men in suits, !ith
go!ned !omen on their arms alongside !ell-armed $ilots in bomber 0ackets and
scarves.
)he limousine rolled to a sto$ on the cobblestone entry!ay of a ,olonial mansion
!ith reek columns and a !ide $orch. A red neon cursive (H( strobed from the
second-floor balcony.
A doorman dressed in a Na$oleonic army costume-but !ith a modern 9inchester
rifle-o$ened the door for them. As Paladin ste$$ed from the car, he noted machine
gun nests on the roof.
(,ome, gentlemen.( >ac/ues strolled thorough the entrance" Paladin and )ennyson
follo!ed.
)he foyer had black marble floors, and overhead a crystal chandelier bathed the
room in !arm lighting. )o the right !as a ballroom cro!ded !ith men and !omen,
clustered around tables covered !ith cards and chi$s and red franc notes. A roulette
!heel s$un" there !ere roars of delight.
>ac/ues led them left to the cloakroom. A girl in a French maid costume stood on the
other side of a counter" beyond !ere racks of camel hair overcoats and sable furs
and locked strongbo.es. >ac/ues !his$ered to her in ,reole then handed her a !ad
of francs. She curtsied, led them in back and $ointed to a rack of suits.
>ac/ues looked )ennyson u$ and do!n. (A forty-eight regular !ill do for you,
.onsieur )ennessee.( 'e sorted through the tu.edos on the rack then handed one to
)ennyson. >ac/ues then $icked out a coat for Paladin. (Forty-four tall for you.(
Paladin looked at the $roffered coat like it !as a coiled cobra. (% don1t !ear monkey
suits.(
(@ery !ell, .onsieur,( >ac/ues said, (then you !ill have to allo! me to negotiate on
your behalf. =ou cannot enter the casino in such attire-even if you had the moon to
offer.( >ac/ues1 eyebro! shot u$. ()here are standards, after all.(
Paladin grabbed the suit. 'e sli$$ed into the tailed coat. %t fit. >ac/ues handed him a
bo!-tie and Paladin a!k!ardly knotted it. %t felt good to dress u$, Paladin thought.
'e1d been living like a $irate for a !eek.
'e glanced in the mirror and smoothed back his hair. From the !aist u$ he almost
looked res$ectable. )hat !as the $roblem" #atthe! Blake !asn1t su$$osed to look
res$ectable. 'e didn1t dare clean u$ anymore.
As the Frenchman sorted through $ants on the rack, Paladin gro!led, ()his1ll do,
>ac/ues.(
(@ery !ell, .onsieur.( >ac/ues looked them over !ith a $ained e.$ression. (% had
ho$ed you could be more...$resentable. 'est3la vie.( 'e led them back through the
cro!ds in the casino to double doors in the back. 'e !his$ered to the t!o guards
there, and they let them $ass.
)he ne.t room housed another casino, but for a different class of customer. )here
!as no $oker or cra$s here. )here !ere $added stools and girls circulating !ith trays
of drinks bet!een the baccarat and black0ack tables. old coins and $rivate notes of
credit littered the green felt. )he gamblers !ore tu.edos and s$orted monocles.
)heir diamond cufflinks gleamed.
>ac/ues cut through the room to another door, guarded by a single man in colonial
costume. 'e frisked >ac/ues, and removed his small .BI-caliber $istol. Paladin
reluctantly handed over his .:;s. )ennyson, to Paladin1s sur$rise, removed a sa!ed-
off shotgun from his coat and surrendered the !ea$on. )he guard then frisked them
thoroughly, a$ologi&ed, and unlocked the door.
Beyond !as a $arlor !ith gilt !all$a$er and floors covered in thick oriental rugs. )he
far !all !as all !indo!s that overlooked the harbor. )he air inside the room !as
thick !ith smoke. Paladin smelled something s!eet and rich in it-he couldn1t $lace
the scent, but it tickled his nose, enticed and re$elled him at the same time. %t felt
like he !as dro!ning in honey.
Flora !as here.
Paladin1s heart fluttered. She stood in the corner, by the !indo!s, the glittering lights
in the harbor and the moonlight on the ulf of #e.ico creating a halo around her.
#en and !omen s!armed around Flora, fi.ed on her every !ord. She !ore a clinging
black satin dress that flo!ed over her body as if it !ere li/uid. 'er red hair !as $iled
high on her head and tiny curled !is$s fell about her cheeks. Emeralds adorned her
delicate neck and brought out the color of her eyes-eyes that suddenly fi.ed u$on
Paladin.
Flora smiled at him, but it immediately faded, and she bit her lo!er li$ and her bro!
crinkled. She looked around the room, then back to Paladin. 'er smile returned, but
it !as someho! colder.
'e took a ste$ to!ard her. Finally. 'e had to /uietly and /uickly escort his sister out
of here, get back to the air$ort and-
Flora turned and !his$ered to the !oman ne.t to her.
Paladin sto$$ed dead in his tracks.
)he !oman ne.t to Flora !ore a go!n of !hite silk that flared about her feet. She
!ore diamonds in her black lustrous hair. 'er dee$ blue eyes flickered casually from
Flora to Paladin, then back to Flora.
Paladin remembered this !oman1s features2 the !ide e.$ressive eyes, the full li$s,
and tiny dim$le in her chin. 9hen he had last seen her, he !as stra$$ing her into a
$arachute and $ractically thro!ing her from a doomed &e$$elin.
She !as the $ale man1s com$anion, the secret mastermind behind a Anionist $lot to
bomb 9ashington, a $lot he had foiled t!o years ago.
)he !omen left their admirers and !alked arm-in-arm to Paladin.
(ood evening, #ister Blake,( the !oman in !hite said. (% see you1re a gambling
man.(
Chapter Se#en: S!gar and Spice and *#erything +ice
Paladin didn1t like games-es$ecially !hen the !ager !as his life. (Am % a gambling
man*( he re$lied, struggling to meet the steady ga&e of the !oman in !hite. (%
su$$ose so.(
(So your sister has said.( She tilted her head and the diamond brooch in her dark
hair flashed. She offered her hand.
'e !as sure he had seen her before-not only on the $ale man1s &e$$elin, but also
!ith Flora. 'e had an image of the t!o together-giggling, dressed in uniforms-but
when* Paladin took her slender hand and kissed her !hite glove.
(A gentleman $irate*( she cooed, smiled and dim$led her cheeks. ('o! novel.(
'e released her hand and cast a hard ga&e at Flora-ho$ing she understood that one
sli$ of his real name !ould get him killed.
Flora cleared her throat. (+arina @on ilder, allo! me to introduce( -her mouth
/uivered !ith a half-su$$ressed laugh-(my dear brother, #atthe! Blake, distiller of
fine s$rits and smuggler e.traordinaire.(
She !his$ered to the dark-hair !oman, (Be careful, +arina...he1s a the lady killer.(
Flora saddled ne.t to Paladin and laced her arm through his. (#atthe!2 meet #iss
+arina @on ilder, o!ner of the +ings ,ross and $ractically everything else on this
rock.( She cu$$ed her hand over her mouth and said, (She1d be /uite the catch,
too...one of the richest and most beautiful !omen on t!o continents.(
(-on1t embarrass your brother,( +arina said coolly. ('e1s certainly been through
enough this evening traveling to our island.(
)hat !as an understatement. Paladin had fought his o!n brother, torched the family
moonshine o$eration, and trod through every seedy bar in Ne! 8rleans to get to *e
'oeur du .inuit-(#idnight1s 'eart.(
(%1m sure the t!o of you to are itching to get together-( Flora said, (-and talk
business. But give me a fe! moments !ith my brother. %t1s been !eeks since %1ve
seen him.(
(8f course,( +arina said. (% shall a!ait your $leasure, #ister Blake.( She glided a!ay
!ith effortless grace. >ac/ues a$$roached her, !ringing his hands and bo!ing as if
she !ere royalty. 'e held out the bottle of Black +night Bourbon for her ins$ection,
but she ignored him.
Flora grabbed Paladin1s arm and led him to!ard the bar, brushing $ast )ennyson.
(#iss Blake,( )ennyson said startled. ('o! good to see you again.(
Paladin shook his head at )ennyson. (et that limo, )enny,( he murmured, (minus
the driver. And be ready for anything.( Paladin /uickly glanced around the room-all
the doors guarded. (Bring the car around back if you can s!ing it. et our guns on
your !ay out, too.(
(Anderstood.( )ennyson nodded to Flora and left.
Flora !atched him go. ()ennyson,( she muttered !ith a sco!l, (your 1ever-faithful
manservant.1 -o you still feed him scra$s from the table*( She dragged Paladin to
the bar and sat !ith a flourish of her black satin dress. She s$oke French to the
barkee$ and he returned !ith t!o drinks. She slid a highball glass to Paladin. (-rink
it,( she hissed. (%t1ll look strange if you don1t.(
Paladin looked at the drink as if it !ere $oison.
(%t1s only !ater,( Flora said. (% kno! better than to try to $ly you !ith li/uor.(
'e took a cautious si$. (9hat are you doing here Flora*(
'er li$s $arted in a grin. (%1m having fun. )hese $eo$le have money and $o!er and
aren1t afraid to use them. )hey kno! ho! to live...unlike some men % kno!.( She
s!illed the contents in her glass. (9hat are you doing here*( she !his$ered. (-o you
kno! ho! many $eo$le on this island !ould like to see you dead*(
(Probably not as many as !ould like to kill me.( 'e crossed his arms over his chest.
(% came for you, Flora.(
()hat1s s!eet of you, brother. But let1s try the truth. 9hat Blake Aviation Security
scheme are you running today*(
(#atthe! and % are !orried about you. =our drinking, this lifestyle, and your ne!
friends...they1re more dangerous than you reali&e. %1m here to take you home.(
(% see,( she said and stared into her drink. (=ou think 1$oor little Flora1 is all sugar
and s$ice and everything vice. % hate to disa$$oint you, but %1m all gro!n u$-and
there1s no home for me to go to. =ou and dad and #atthe! have seen to that.(
%t !as true. Neither of them had a real home or family anymore, but that1s !hat
Paladin !as here to set straight. No! all he had to do !as find a !ay to tell her that
!ithout sounding like a sa$.
'e looked around the casino at Flora1s (friends.( )hey !ore designer go!ns and
smart tu.edos and 0e!els. )hey s$oke in French and erman. 8$ium smugglers*
#oonshiners* 9ho !ere they really*
'is ga&e landed on the dark-haired !oman, +arina" she !as lovely and smart...and
deadly. She had engineered the theft of a 7ockheed $rototy$e, almost started a !ar-
and !as the architect of a scheme that !ould have killed or in0ured hundreds of
innocent bystanders. She had fooled everyone...including Paladin.
(9ho is she*( he asked.
Flora drank dee$ly from her glass until there !as only $ink froth at the bottom.
(+arina @an ilder, % already told you.( 'er eyes narro!ed. (=ou really are interested
in her. % !onder !hy*( She scooted closer to Paladin and set her hand on his arm. 'e
smelled the same overly s!eet odor on her breath that filed the room. (9e !ere at
Smith together. =ou met her in 15I.(
Paladin visited Flora the summer before she dro$$ed out of college. 'e remembered
her very young and a!k!ard girlfriend !ho had eyes for him. !his !as the same
!oman*
()he @on ilders have real money,( Flora said. ()hey go any!here and do anything
they !ant. )hey make things ha$$en.(
A gunshot rang out-less than a block a!ay. No one noticed...or if they did, they
didn1t seem to care. )hen again, in a city of $irates and smugglers, murder and
mayhem in the street !as $robably normal. )his $lace, des$ite its o$ulence, gave
Paladin the cree$s.
(#atthe! thinks you1re in danger,( he told her. (%f you !on1t listen to me, then-(
Flora giggled. (Poor #atthe!. 'e must have been convinced % !as in $eril to even
talk to you. 9as he even sober !hen he told you about the +ing1s ,ross and Die
,pinne social club*(
('e !as sober...to start !ith,( Paladin said. (=ou don1t kno! your friends half as !ell
as you think.(
(<eally*( 'er hand on his arm gri$$ed tighter" her nails-through his tu.edo-dug into
his skin. (And !hat are you going to do about it*( She released him and !aved the
bartender over, ordering another $ink margarita. (=ou1re in !ay over your head.( She
closed her eyes and !his$ered, (o back to 'olly!ood, Paladin. %1ll send you a
$ostcard...and tell you ho! much % miss you.(
She looked u$. Paladin searched her eyes and sa! the $ain in them. She1d been
running a!ay from life since their father died, killing herself-slo!ly and !ith style,
but 0ust as sure as if she1d $laced a gun to her head.
(=ou1re cleaning u$, Flora. #aybe not today, but % will get you out of here.(
She smiled and stood and smoothed out her go!n. (% think, you better take care of
!hatever business you have !ith +arina, and leave...!hile you1re still alive.(
(Flora, %-(
+arina !alked across the room, her !hite dress trailing behind her. (#r. Blake, shall
!e talk no! or !ait until tomorro!* )here are other matters % must see to tonight.(
Paladin didn1t !ant to stay in this vi$ers nest a second longer than he had to. (#y
sister and % are done,( he said. (For no!.(
(% must take your brother,( +arina said to Flora. (Forgive me.(
Flora leaned into Paladin, kissed his cheek and !his$ered, (%f anyone needs saving
it1s not me...it1ll be you. Be careful.(
+arina took Paladin1s hand and led him from the bar. (-o you $refer dice, cards, or
the !heel, #r. Blake*(
(% thought !e !ere discussing business, not games.(
(ambling is ho! !e do business !ith ne!comers on *e 'oeur du .inuit,( +arina
said. ()hey must $rove their intellect, their resourcefulness, and their luck. Besides,
all of life is a !ager, no*( She flashed him a da&&ling smile.
(% never to gamble !ith anything but my heart,( Paladin said. (But for you, %1ll make
an e.ce$tion. 9hat are !e !agering*(
She sna$$ed her fingers. (>ac/ues.(
>ac/ues obediently ste$$ed for!ard and tried to take her hand to kiss. She !ithdre!
it. (=ou have a sam$le of #r. Blake1s fine li/uor*(
(Oui, .adamoiselle,( >ac/ues stammered. 'e gingerly handed her the s/uare bottle
of Black +night Bourbon. She took it and !aved the Frenchman a!ay.
She ran her inde. finger of the label. (% thought !e !ould !ager your cargo. %f you
!in, % shall $ay you the cash e/uivalent-say t!enty-five francs a bottle* )hen !e can
move onto more...interesting stakes(.
(% see,( Paladin said cautiously, unsure of 0ust !hat her $lan !as. (,ards then.(
Another gunshot sounded-$ossibly in the street outside the casino. A fe! heads
turned, but in moments the gamblers returned to their games, non$lussed.
+arina a$$roached a Baccarat table and !ith a nod of her head, the $layers and
dealer got u$ and left.
Paladin sat do!n o$$osite from her.
She set the bottle on the green felt bet!een them. (9e have met before, #r. Blake,
but % cannot /uite $lace !here and !hen.( 'er green eyes s/uinted slightly as if she
!ere trying to see through him.
(%1m flattered, but % don1t think !e have.(
She had to remember !ho he !as. Paladin1s $hoto had been s$lashed on every
$a$er and ne!sreel !hen he1d brought her brother1s &e$$elin do!n $ractically on to$
of the 9ashington #emorial. So !hy kee$ u$ the $retense*
9hy did a cat $lay !ith the mouse before ri$$ing it a$art*
+arina reached under the table and handed Paladin a sealed deck of cards.
'e o$ened it. )hey didn1t look marked. 'e shuffled, offered her a cut, !hich she
took. (A test of luck*( 'e dealt t!o cards face do!n. (7ady1s $ick. 'igh card !ins.(
9ith her delicately long fingers she fli$$ed over a card2 the eight of clubs.
Paladin turned over his2 the >ack of -iamonds.
She leaned for!ard and her bro!s arched. (@ery good, #r. Blake. % o!e you ninety
thousand francs. 9ould you care to !ager again*(
(Sure.( Paladin tossed the >ack onto the table. (#y three hundred cases and the
money for information. %f % !in % !ant to kno! more about the -ie S$inne social
club...and ho! a guy like me gets to 0oin.(
She scoo$ed u$ their cards and buried them in the deck. (=ou a$$ear to be a
gambling man after all.( She shuffled !ith the s$eed and $recision of a se!ing
machine, and then thre! a card in front of Paladin and dro$$ed one in front of
herself.
(% !ill tell you this,( she said, (Die ,pinne is more than a social club...as you have
obviously gathered. 9e are an im$ort-e.$ort enter$rise. %nde$endent o$erators and
several national governments use us to move their $roducts.(
She !ithdre! a business card from her long !hite glove and flicked it across the
table. Embossed u$on it !as a s$ider !eb. (Die ,pinne-1the S$ider1 in erman,( she
e.$lained. (Each strand of our !eb e.tends to a different nation, across North
America, Euro$e, and even the 8rient. 9e are every!here.(
Paladin sa! the s$ider-!eb !as bent, the strands kinked half!ay from the center.
(9e have other, more ambitious $lans, of course,( she added, (but before % can tell
you of our future...the cards.(
A gunshot blast echoed in the ad0oining room. )his time everyone took note. +arina
stood. Paladin instinctively reached for his .:;s-!hich !eren1t there.
)he door to the other casino fle! in!ard off its hinges. )he >udge ste$$ed in, )ommy
gun $ointed at the cro!d. 'e glared at Paladin !ith his good eye. (% knew it !as
you.(
(>udge,( +arina said in a deliberately calm tone, (% ho$e you have an e.cellent
e.$lanation for this interru$tion or you !ill !alk the short $lank.(
(%1ve got reason enough.( 'e $ointed !ith the mu&&le of his gun. ()hat1s Paladin
Blake.(
+arina didn1t look sur$rised. She turned over her card, revealing the Ace of S$ades.
(%t a$$ears, #r. Blake, that your luck has run out.(
Chapter *ight: Cold ,!&tice
Paladin Blake stared do!n the barrel of the >udge1s )ommy gun-there !asn1t much
else he could do !ith it $ointed at his face. (=ou got me mistaken for my brother,(
Paladin said smoothly. (%1m #atthe! Blake.(
)he tu.edoed men in the casino an.iously !atched, but no one interfered. No one
dared get in the >udge1s line of fire. Flora, ho!ever, giggled and ordered a bottle of
Black +night Bourbon from the bartender.
+arina looked at Paladin, then at the >udge. (9ell,( she $urred. (9hich is it* Paladin
or #atthe! Blake*( 'er blue eyes narro!ed to slits.
)he >udge !agged his gun at Paladin. (%1ve gotten drunk !ith #atthe! Blake. %1ve
been shot do!n by Paladin Blake. And %1m tellin1 you2 this aint #atthe!.( 'e glared
!ith his one good eye.
Flora sauntered across the room, holding her bottle by the neck and halted by the
>udge1s side. ('e1s right,( she said and clutched onto the >udge1s free arm to steady
herself.
(Flora, no,( Paladin !his$ered.
()hat1s my brother,( she slurred, (...Pal1din. 'e told me he1d break my neck if %
tattled.(
(%ndeed,( +arina said and looked Paladin over. (%t a$$ears, #r. Blake, that !e have
met before.( She collected the cards on the table and s/uared them. (And it a$$ears
that our business is not concluded after all.( She balled her !hite-gloved hand into a
fist. (>udge, take him to the green room. et the doctor. 9e !ill then have an
e.tended conversation !ith our guest.(
Paladin didn1t like the sound of that.
'e had to do something-but there !eren1t many o$tions. 'e couldn1t dodge the
>udge1s aim at this range, and he !as too far a!ay to gra$$le !ith him. 'e could
grab +arina, use her as a shield...and get mobbed by every man in the casino.
Flora laughed hysterically. (Brother dearest, you are a $ain in the ass, but % still
adore you.( She reeled back and s!ung her free arm-along !ith the bottle-and
landed a blo! on the back of the >udge1s head. lass and li/uor s$rayed across the
Persian rugs on the casino floor.
)he >udge stood still, staring at Paladin. )he $irate took a ste$ for!ard...then
colla$sed in a hea$.
No one moved. Everyone fi.ed u$on slender Flora, singularly elegant in her black
satin dress and glimmering emeralds, the 0agged bottle neck still gras$ed in her
delicate her hand as she stood over the fallen giant.
Paladin broke the s$ell first" he stood, gabbed his chair and thre! it at the !indo!s
on the !estern !all. )hey shattered, and ra&or shar$ shards rained onto the ground
belo!. #en and !omen scattered around the room. %n the confusion, Paladin ran to
the ledge-skidded and turned for Flora.
She backed a!ay. (o,( she !his$ered and raised the serrated bottle. (=ou1re not
taking me any!here. % belong here.(
Paladin had come to *e 'oeur du .inuit to get his sister out of the snake $it. )hat
!asn1t ha$$ening tonight. 'e no longer had the lu.ury of trying to (save( his sister.
'e had to save himself.
'e 0um$ed through the broken !indo!.
Silvers of glass sliced through his tu.edo, his cheek, arms, and legs. Paladin flailed
through the air-three stories-and landed on a rose hedge in the sunken garden
belo!.
'e $ulled free of the thorns and got his bearings. From the broken !indo!s of the
colonial mansion $eo$le stared and $ointed at him. 8n the roofto$ he heard the
racking of machine guns. 'e looked for cover2 there !ere fountains, and a hedge
ma&e. Behind him !as the roar of a car engine. Paladin turned and sa! a silver
limousine mo!ing do!n to$iary animals.
)he car skidded to halt ne.t to him. )ennyson $o$$ed o$en the driver1s door and slid
over. (et in. 'urryD(
Paladin shouldered himself behind the !heel and stom$ed the gas $edal to the floor.
Bullets $inged off the trunk. )he limo fishtailed over a fountain basin, knocked over
marble $lanters !ith night blooming magnolias and crashed through $laster reek
statues. )he !heels caught and the limo rocketed back over the to$iary animals-
bum$ed over a side!alk, scattering $edestrians, and then screeched onto the
cobblestone boulevard.
Paladin smoothly accelerated to!ard the hills and the air$ort on the other side of the
island.
(9hat ha$$ened to #iss Flora*( )ennyson asked.
Paladin gritted his teeth. Flora took out the >udge by herself and bought him a s$lit
second to get a!ay. She had saved him-!hen he1d come to save her. 'e o!ed her
one for that. 'e !as going to return the favor and get her out of her...even if he had
to straight0acket her first.
(Flora has her o!n $lans,( Paladin said. (9e1ll be back for her soon enough.(
'e glanced in the rearvie! mirror. )here !ere no cars behind them on the !inding
road. (9e1re home free. By the time they catch u$ to us, !e1ll be u$ in the air and
half!ay back to the mainland.(
7ights flashed in the mirror-far a!ay but directly behind them. Paladin had to slo! as
he took the corners, s!itchbacking u$ the hillside road. )he light-no matter !hich
!ay he turned-stayed on his tail, and !as closing fast.
Paladin ke$t one hand on the !heel, turned and s/uinted into the darkness. )hose
lights !ere at the same level as their car, floating a half-mile out.
(9hat the hell*( Paladin muttered. ()hat1s no car, its-(
Fifty-caliber bullets tore into the limo1s trunk and to$, ri$$ed through the velvet-
u$holstered seat bet!een )ennyson and Paladin, and then s$rayed and s$arked
across the hood.
A -evastator thundered overhead, arced u$, and banked.
('e1s setting u$ for another strafing run.( Paladin looked for his $istols-useless
against an armored $lane flying at a hundred miles an hour. )hey !ere sitting ducks
in the limousine.
)ennyson dre! his sa!ed-off shotgun from his overcoat.
(et out,( Paladin said. (#ake a run for it. )hat1s not getting through the $lane1s
armor,(
(Juite right,( )ennyson calmly re$lied. ()his, ho!ever, may.( 'e removed from the
folds of his coat !hat looked like a scaled model of a rocket, t!o feet long, !ith
!hite shark teeth $ainted on its nose. (% develo$ed it for our boys at the -i.ie branch
office. <emember they !ere dra!ing heavy ground fire at the )allahassee Air$ort*(
)ennyson slid the rocket into the truncated barrel of his shotgun.
(9hat the hell are you doing*( Paladin asked incredulously. 'e recalled )ennyson1s
back!ards-firing rocket had almost torn the !ings off the $lane he had fitted them
to. (=ou1ve tested this*(
(Sto$ the car,( )ennyson said and rolled do!n the $assenger1s !indo!. 'e leaned
outside.
)he -evastator lined u$ on them. %t dove. 8ver the drone of its engines Paladin
heard the thunder of it1s .;C-calibers.
9hen it !as three hundred feet distant-!hen the line of bullets !ere a heartbeat
a!ay-)ennyson fired.
A streak of smoke and fire cut through the darkness and im$acted !ith the
-evastator. A s$lit-second of illumination outlined the $lane. )he left !ing shattered
and the fuselage s$un off its collision course !ith the limousine. %t tumbled to the
ground, cart!heeled, and e.$loded.
)ennyson dro$$ed the smoldering remains of his (shotgun(-no! little more than
t!isted, smoking metal-and shook his blistered hands. ()ested,( he announced. (A
/ualified success.(
Paladin scrutini&ed his friend. ()enny, % can1t decide if you1re cra&y carrying three
$ounds of high e.$losive and launching it by hand...or if you1re a genius.(
(enius, old cha$.(
Paladin looked u$" there !ere t!inkling stars and clouds obscuring the moon and no
more $lanes. )here had to be an airstri$ near the casino...!hich !as $robably ho!
that -evastator had found them so fast. 'e1d bet there !ere more on the !ay.
'e stom$ed on the gas and the limo 0um$ed. Steam $oured from the hood, and the
gearbo. rattled and ground metal. %t !as another mile to the air$ort-this car had to
hold together. Paladin raced over the summit, $ast the fences and barbed !ire
$rotecting the anti-aircraft guns, then do!n the other side of the hill, through the
farms and tin shacks. Soon, the lights of the run!ay and the shado!y outlines of
&e$$elins a$$eared on the hori&on.
Paladin aimed the car at the air$ort gate. )he red- and yello!-stri$ed arm of the
gatehouse !as do!n. 'e didn1t slo!.
)he limo crashed through the arm and then through a chain link fence. )he front
tires ble!, but Paladin didn1t ease u$ on the accelerator. 'e struggled to steer the
screeching car to!ard the hangars.
A glance in the rear vie! mirror2 men ran after them, rifles dra!n.
)here !as a clank in the gearbo. and a rattling" the engine revved, but there !as no
$o!er to the !heels. Paladin turned hard, and slid to a sto$, slamming into the
hangar !all. )hey 0um$ed out of the battered car and ran inside. )ennyson climbed
into the cock$it of his customi&ed 'o$lite, Bumblebee.
Paladin started to!ard his 'o$lite-sto$$ed. ()ennyson, !ait. )here1s no armor on
1Bee, and it1s full of bourbon. %t1s the last thing !e !ant to fly out of here.(
(9hat then*( )ennyson asked and his bushy !hite bro!s arched.
Paladin glanced /uickly about the hanger at the three beat-u$ -evastators...then
s$otted the 9arha!k bristling !ith rockets, (,old >ustice.( )he >udge1s $lane.
'er hard$oints !ere laden !ith rockets and there !ere additional racks on the to$ of
her !ings, too. She also had a ne! modification since Paladin1s last aerial encounter
!ith the >udge2 the cock$it had been e.tended for!ard and a rear gun turret had
been !elded on her tail.
(%t !ould be 0ustice to steal that $lane.( Paladin climbed into the cock$it and hot-
!ired the ignition.
,old >ustice1s three engines s$uttered and turned and roared to life. )ennyson
cra!led into the rear gunner1s seat.
Paladin $ushed the throttle from idle to one /uarter and ta.ied out of the hangar. A
small cro!d of armed men !ere on the run!ay !aiting" this 9arha!k had no
cannons-every inch of her frame carried rockets-but the mere sight of her turning
to!ard them scattered the guards like leaves.
'e eased the throttle to half, rolled onto the run!ay, gathered s$eed and rose into
night. Paladin then banked and turned back to!ard the air$ort. 'e dialed the radio to
the same fre/uency that >ac/ues had used on their a$$roach to the island.
()his is the >udge,( Paladin said in his best )e.an dra!l. (9e got intruders on the
ground, boys. Paladin Blake and his security thugs, thirty...maybe forty of 1em.
Better !atch yer backs.(
A French-accented voice ackno!ledged.
Paladin ke$t one eye on the anti-aircraft guns" they remained silent. 'e $ointed ,old
>ustice at the ro! of $arked 'ellhounds on the ground and fired. A do&en rockets
!hooshed from her !ings, snaked through the air, and turned the e.$ensive erman
$lanes into fireballs of fuel, bits of glittering shra$nel, and $lumes of oily smoke.
)hat !ould gum u$ their run!ay for hours, and limit the number of $lanes they could
get into the air.
'e $ushed the throttle to full, cut the running lights, and $ulled back on the stick.
7ike his (7ightning irl,( this 9arha!k !as 0ust as clumsy, but she did have one
advantage over the nimble -evastators and Furys that $rotected the island2 her
B6,CCC-foot ceiling. %f he could climb high enough, fast enough, the smaller $lanes
!ouldn1t be able to touch them.
,old >ustice rose through layers of clouds and broke through. Paladin sa! stars and
the half moon, and as far as he could see, no other $lanes.
()ennyson, get on the radio and raise the )e.as <angers. Ask them to get the (lamo
and the 'rockett into the air. )hen call the relay station in Amarillo and $atch
through to 'olly!ood. 'ave them contact the (egis in Ne! 8rleans and get them
here. % !ant every $lane !e1ve got in the air and in 'ouston in t!elve hours.
(%1ve got one last thing handle $ersonally...then !e1re going to take care of *e 'oeur
du .inuit.(
Chapter -ine: The Chicago Connection
Paladin had to do the thing he hated most-!ait. %t !ould take time for his s/uadrons
and &e$$elins from Santa #onica to rende&vous !ith the )e.as <angers near ,or$us
,hristi. )!o days, at least, before all of the $ieces fell into $lace. 'e !asn1t fool
enough to return to the *e 'oeur du .inuit until everything !as ready.
'e !ould have to !ait to rescue Flora. 9hat !ould be done !ith her* She1d cold-
cocked the >udge and bought Paladin the seconds he had needed to esca$e. 'o! far
could she stretch her friendshi$ !ith +arina @on ilder*
For Paladin, (!aiting( didn1t mean he1d be sitting on his hands.
From a distance the ,hicago skyline !as beautiful, s$ires and canyons of concrete
and steel !ith art deco filigree of gold and silver. )he sunrise reflected off the
,hicago <iver and 7ake #ichigan and made the buildings glo!. -es$ite the !arm
image, the %.S.A. al!ays seemed hollo! and cold and uninviting to Paladin. 'e
banked south!est and landed his ne!ly re$ainted blue 9arha!k-!hich he had re-
christened (>ustice( after ca$turing it from the >udge-onto run!ay seven at #id!ay
Airfield.
Paladin and )ennyson had made the marathon flight here overnight because there
!as a connection bet!een *e 'oeur du .inuit-the secret $irate city near French
7ouisiana-and the %ndustrial States of America. )he t!o co$s in >ac/ues1 em$loy
!ere from ,hicago, according to BAS files. )heir involvement !ith >ac/ues meant
they !ere also $art of the crime syndicate, Die ,pinne. And there had been no re$ort
of the ,hicago-based &e$$elin, the 'ommerce, having been stolen, even though it
!as being unloaded at the $irate aerodrome. )here !ere also all the erman-made
'ellhounds on *e 'oeur du .inuit...and the gra$evine in the aviation community !as
rife !ith rumors about secret deals bet!een the %.S.A. and ermany.
Each fact by itself !as circumstantial evidence at best, but added u$ it !as glaringly
obvious that something fishy !as going on. Paladin had a feeling that all the ans!ers
to *e 'oeur du .inuit and +arina @on ilder !ere here in ,hicago.
'e ta.ied the 9arha!k to the Blake Aviation Security hangar at the end of the
run!ay then cut the engine.
)he ,hief of 8$erations of the BAS1s ,hicago1s office, Eliot Ness, ran out to meet
him. 'e !ore a gray suit and tie. 'e !as neither tall nor short, and his hair had been
neatly combed and $arted in the middle. 'e had the kind of face that blended into a
cro!d, although his ears stuck out a bit. 'e !as not the kind of man you1d have
e.$ected to s$earhead the )reasury -e$artment task force to eliminate bootlegging
in ,hicago.
9hen the A.S. colla$sed, Eliot stayed in ,hicago, !orking !ith the local co$s to root
out corru$tion, and !as one of the first $eo$le Blake hired !hen he set u$ offices in
the %.S.A.
Paladin liked Eliot. )he man delivered on his $romises, and having him on the $ayroll
gave his business some badly needed $restige !ith the %.S.A. )he mobsters hated
him, but he !as a bona fide hero to the average citi&en.
(#r. Blake,( Eliot said and e.tended his hand. )hey shook and then Eliot greeted
)ennyson as !ell. ()his is an une.$ected visit.( Eliot looked u$ and do!n the field.
(=ou came alone* % guess that means someone1s in trouble.(
(>ust me,( Paladin said. (7et1s head into the office and get a cu$ of coffee. And
)ennyson could use a na$.(
(A s$ot of tea !ill do fine,( )ennyson said, ya!ning.
)hey !alked together on the tarmac. (%1ll need some information on a &e$$elin.(
Paladin said to Eliot, (She1s called the 'ommerce.(
Eliot o$ened the door for them, (% kno! her. 7eased by #ercury Shi$$ing 7ines, she
has si. hundred thousand $ounds of lift, and is armed !ith broadside cannons and a
fistful of machine gun nests. She1d give your o!n (egis a run for her money. 8ne of
the %.S.A.1s biggest and best, sir.(
Paladin ste$$ed inside the hangar. %nside !as a $arked s/uadron of +estrels, ready
and gleaming !ith s$it and $olish. 8ne corner of the building had been converted
into office s$ace. Anlike Paladin1s Santa #onica office, the $lace !as neat as a $in.
)here !ere ro!s of filing cabinets, not a stray $a$er out of $lace, ma$s of ,hicago
and the %.S.A. on the !all, and a ticker machine in the corner chattering off the
headlines.
(% need to kno! !here the 'ommerce is su$$osed to be no!,( Paladin told Eliot.
(Any !ord about her on the ne!s services*(
Eliot !rinkled his bro!. (%s there something !rong !ith the 'ommerce*(
()hat1s !hat %1m trying to figure out,( Paladin re$lied.
Eliot $icked u$ a $hone and dialed. ()o!er* )his is Ness. =eah. ,an you guys, off the
record, give me the flight $lan filed by the 'ommerce* % can hold.( 'e $ulled a $ad
and $en from his $ocket then 0otted do!n notes. ()hanks-o!e you one.( 'e hung
u$.
(She1s on a run for 1'eartland, %nc.1 )hey make farm e/ui$ment-tractors, fertili&er
s$readers, things like that. )hey loaded the shi$ment from hangar 3C;E, and she1s
scheduled to deliver it to-( Eliot checked his notes. (-8klahoma ,ity.( She1s re$orted
in and su$$osed to returning !ith a cargo of corn meal in three days.(
(,hecked in, huh*( Paladin rubbed his chin, thinking. (9hen*(
(Noon, yesterday.( Eliot stared at his hand!riting. (Funny thing is that 'eartland
doesn1t o!n or lease hangar 3C;E. )hat1s Anvil #anufacturing. )hey make guns,
including a nice .:; by all accounts.(
(And, by all accounts,( Paladin muttered, (secretly running guns.(
Eliot shrugged. ()he bogus manifest adds u$. )hey1d do that to $rotect themselves.
A shi$ment of guns !ould be a tem$ting cargo for $irates to hi0ack.(
%t added u$ all right, Paladin thought. Anvil #anufacturing could have su$$lied Die
,pinne !ith the arsenal it had $rotecting *e 'oeur du .inuit. But !hat !as +arina
@on ilder $lanning to do !ith another &e$$elin full of guns* )!o years ago, she had
attem$ted to $lunge North America into !ar-her goal to unite the state nations by
con/uest. 9as this a $relude to another !ar*
(,an you get me an a$$ointment to see someone at Anvil #anufacturing*(
(=ou bet, #r. Blake.( Eliot $icked u$ the $hone. (9hat do you !ant me to tell them
!hen they ask !hy*(
()ell them %1d like to buy a gun,( Paladin said.
Chapter Ten: The Battle of $idnight%& "eart
(%t1ll be our three &e$$elins against a do&en of theirs,( Paladin said.
)he only sound on the bridge of the (egis !as the drone of her ECC-horse$o!er
Aerodyne engines. Air #arshall >ed Bouregard, the ca$tain of the (lamo, and 'elen
<yan, ca$tain of the Blake Aviation &e$$elin, -erseverance, stared at Paladin,
dumbstruck.
(% don1t mind a good fight,( Bouregard said, tugging on his goatee, (but % do mind a
turkey shoot...!hen $m on the !rong end of the shootin1.( 'e leaned back against
the brass com$ass $edestal and crossed his arms.
<yan cleared her throat and brushed her black bangs from her eyes. (E.cuse me,
sir...but ho! are three &e$$elins-even ones as heavily armed and armored as ours-
su$$osed to stand against t!elve*(
(9e !on1t have to.( Paladin ste$$ed a!ay from the chrome control $anel of the
bridge and !alked aft to the ma$ of *e 'oeur du .inuit he had sketched on the
chalkboard. ()he t!elve &e$s % sa! !ere tethered near the aerodrome...here.( 'e
$ointed to the south side of the island. (9hen they s$ot us they1ll try to launch
everything they1ve got-so !e hit them hard and fast before they get airborne.(
Bouregard s/uinted at the ma$. (#ight !ork...if our aim1s dead on.( 'e ta$$ed the
center of the ma$. (9hat1s this star in the center*(
(A com$lication,( Paladin said. (Antiaircraft guns, at least ten .6C-calibers, maybe
more.(
(% can handle those,( <yan re$lied. (#y 1Shar$shooter1 s/uadron fliers claim they can
hollo! out a /uarter at a thousand feet in their +estrels. )ime to let them try.(
(8ne more thing,( Paladin told them. ()here1ll be at least four s/uadrons of fighters
on $atrol around the island. %t1ll get dicey if they launch more $lanes. 9e1ll kee$
most of our fighters in reserve to defend the &e$s.(
()hey1ll !ant to bloody our noses,( Bouregard said, nodding, (to distract us and get
us fighting the little guys.(
(And if !e get distracted(-Paladin scratched a large cross over the aerodrome on the
chalkboard-(if they get those &e$$elins into the air first, they1ll have a do&en more
s/uadrons launched out of their bays and t!elve more decks of guns aimed at us.(
(-on1t !orry, sir,( <yan said and stood straight. (%1ll stay on target.(
(ood,( Paladin said, then he turned to Bouregard. (=ou have confirmation that the
)e.as navy is sending reinforcements to mo$ u$ trouble on the ground*(
(=e$,( Bouregard re$lied. ()!o destroyers and three troo$ trans$orts launched from
Amarillo !ith us, should be an hour or so behind. )hey1ll take care of the
rabble...assuming !e1ve got control of the air.(
(And if !e don1t*( Paladin asked.
()hen, as my friends in the navy $ut it, 1y1all are on your o!n.1(
Paladin scrutini&ed them as they studied the ma$ of the $irate island. Bouregard1s
0a! clenched and unclenched, and <yan che!ed on her lo!er li$. )hey !ere nervous,
but not $anicky. Both !ere seasoned combat $ilots and good ca$tains...but !ould
the three of them be good enough*
(% !anted to tell you both ho! much % a$$reciate this.(
('ell,( Bouregard said, grinning. ()he !ay % figure it, that island1s the rightful
$ro$erty of the <e$ublic of )e.as. %t1s my duty to take back !hat1s ours.(
<yan said, (%f guns !ere being smuggled to $irates from ,hicago, then it !as done
on my !atch.( She crinkled her eyebro!s together. (% feel obliged to do something
about that, to balance the scales.(
(Fair enough.( Paladin glanced at his !atch. (=ou t!o better get moving. %t1s going to
be a busy day.(
Both &e$$elin ca$tains shook Paladin1s hand, and then they both !ent aft.
A moment later, Paladin sa! Bouregard1s Peacemaker and <yan1s 9arha!k glide
to!ard the (lamo and the -erseverance, flanking the (egis.
From his vantage on the bridge, he s$otted the coastline behind them in the
distance, ocean s$arkling in the sun as far as the eye could see, da$$ling the clouds
in a tur/uoise sky-and four !ings of aircraft s$earheading the sky ahead of them-
$lanes from 'olly!ood and )e.as and the %.S.A. Added to the s/uadrons in the
&e$$elins1 holds, there !ere more than a hundred $ilots ready and !illing to fight-
and most likely die-on his command.
Paladin had never seen so much fire$o!er aloft, not even during the reat 9ar. 'e
ho$ed it !as enough.
%n this fight, retreat !asn1t an o$tion. #any of the -evastators and Furys flying along
side him had 0ust enough fuel to get from Amarillo to *e 'oeur du .inuit !ith enough
left over for maybe ten minutes of dogfighting. A lot of good $eo$le could die today,
and the res$onsibility-and the blame-for every death !ould rest s/uarely on his
shoulders.
'e regarded the (lamo t!o feet hundred off to $ort. She !as forty feet longer than
the (egis, held t!ice as many $lanes, and had si. more engines. )he )e.as flag had
been $ainted on her side, red and blue fields and a !hite star thirty feet across. She
!as fast, and in the right hands, remarkably maneuverable. She had si.-inch
cannons and $lenty of .;C-caliber machine guns. Formidable and fast, $ure )e.as.
)he -erseverance cruised serenely off the (egis starboard side. )he &e$$elin had a
blue castle $ainted along her side, !ith the accom$anying motto2 (Perseverance
Al!ays 9ins.( She !as the smallest of the three &e$$elins, relying on the e.tra
machine gun nests that re$laced most of her broadside cannons. She could fill the
sky !ith lead and cut do!n any $lane foolish enough to get too close. -efensively,
she !as the strongest among them.
%f Paladin had to $ick one &e$$elin to command, ho!ever, it !ould be his (egis. She
had e.tra gasbags in the nose and tail sections and in $arts of the cargo hold. )he
e.tra lift com$ensated for her double layer of armor" she !asn1t as nimble as
-erseverance, but she could take a beating and kee$ on coming She had double
machine guns mounted on every engine nacelle, seven-inch cannons on the gunnery
deck, and bet!een them, racks of rocket tubes. )he (egis had not been designed to
carry cargo-she !as a !ar machine.
)ennyson ran u$ the s$iral set of stairs that led belo! to the gunnery and machine
decks. A streak of grease smeared his usually s$otless !hite coveralls (,annons
locked and loaded. Planes and $ilots ready to dro$. Port and starboard fuel tanks
balanced at three-/uarters each. <eserve tanks are full.( 'e $aused, then, added,
()he cre! are a tad nervous, but they1re ready as !ell.(
(And you*( Paladin asked. (Are you ready*(
(Juite,( )ennyson said, looking non$lussed as ever.
Paladin $aced then returned to the chalkboard. ()here1s one thing % didn1t tell <yan
and Bouregard,( he said. ()hose &e$$elins on the ground are $robably nothing more
than $irate gasbags. )heir numbers make them a threat, but they1ll be lucky to be in
decent running order, let alone a real match for us.(
()hen !hy do you look like a mother cat !ho1s lost her kittens*( )ennyson asked.
()he 'ommerce.( Paladin gritted his teeth. (%f that monster is still there, she1ll be at
least an even match for the (egis-and $robably the -erseverance and (lamo, too.(
)ennyson ste$$ed closer to Paladin and !his$ered, (And !hat of Flora*(
(She1ll be do!n there some!here.( 'e sighed. ()his fight is about much more than
my family no!. As much as % !ant to go in and get her the hell out of there first, %
cant. Flora !ill have to take care of herself a little !hile longer.(
Paladin returned to scanning the hori&on. Soon, he s$otted *e 'oeur du .inuit in the
distance, a smear of gray u$on the !ater.
'e $ositioned himself at the !heel and flicked on a bank of radios set to the
fre/uencies of the (lamo, the -erseverance, and their escort !ings. ()arget sighted.
-escend to one thousand feet and rig for flank s$eed.(
Paladin s!itched on the (egis intercom and gave the order to bleed helium. )he
&e$$elin gently nosed do!n.
)he island looked far less im$ressive in the daylight. No lights, no neon, 0ust !orn
hills and s!am$ and mudflat shores.
(<yan, send your +estrel shar$shooters in. )ake out those antiaircraft guns.(
(Aye aye, #r. Blake,( she $i$ed over the radio.
)he +estrels broke their orderly (@( formation, banked and dove straight to!ard the
center of the island.
()ennyson, get belo! and make sure the e.haust vents on those rockets are set u$.
% don1t !ant to set ourselves on fire !hen !e launch.(
)ennyson nodded briskly and ran belo! decks.
)here !ere five miles from *e 'oeur du .inuit and Paladin s$otted s!arms of $lanes
circling the island-not the four or five s/uadrons he had seen here, but five times
that number. A do&en $lanes di$$ed lo!er, chasing the +estrels.
(#y men are getting cut to shreds,( <yan yelled through the s$eaker. )he
-erseverance o$ened fire.
(>ed, let1s give her a hand,( Paladin said. (All escort !ings2 bank to $ort.(
)heir fighters moved out of the !ay, and the (egis and the (lamo fired their machine
guns. )he air became a sho!er of shooting-star tracers. Enemy craft e.$loded into
fireballs and trails of smoke.
A hundred $lanes turned to!ard the &e$$elins.
()hat got their attention,( Paladin muttered. 'e shouted into the radio2 (Escort
!ings, take them outD -erseverance and (lamo launch your reserve fighters no! and
have them bank to starboard.(
9arha!ks and -evastators and Peacemakers dro$$ed from the bellies of the
&e$$elins. Paladin couldn1t count the number of $lanes in the air. )hey circled and
s!oo$ed and dove and barrel-rolled-all the !hile s$itting fire and launching rockets,
$e$$ering the air !ith flak, smoke and shra$nel.
A series of e.$losions ri$$ed through the center of the island. A moment later,
columns of fire and inky black smoke s$iraled into the sky. 8ne of <yan1s
(Shar$shooters( s$un !ildly out of control in the u$draft" the +estrel slammed into
the ground, adding more fuel to the conflagration. No one bailed out.
(Shar$shooters re$ort AA guns do!n,( <yan said.
((lamo2 flank s$eed,( Paladin barked. (Punch straight ahead. -erseverance2 hang
back. =ou1ve got the fire$o!er to handle the fighters. +ee$ them busy !hile !e take
out those grounded &e$s.(
)here !as a moment1s hesitation, and then <yan re$lied, (<oger, (egis. ive 1em hell
for me.(
()ennyson,( Paladin called into the intercom. (Flank s$eed.(
)he (egis engines roared and the &e$$elin surged ahead.
%t !asn1t a clean break from the s!arms of enemy fighters. A handful dogged the
(lamo and the (egis, firing their rockets, and then diving a!ay. )he (egis rocked as
e.$losions detonated on her $ort side. Paladin grabbed the brass rail to steady
himself as the &e$$elin suddenly decelerated.
(Engines four and seven destroyed,( )ennyson yelled through the intercom.
)he (lamo $ulled ahead. Smoke trailed from half her nacelles and fire flickered inside
her launch bay.
Paladin grabbed a $air of binoculars and scanned the run!ay and aerodromes in the
distance. 'e made out the misty outlines of &e$$elins docked there. )hree started to
rise-ten, t!enty, fifty feet above the tarmac. 'e could see names $ainted on their
sides, in lurid calligra$hy2 (@ainglorious( and ('ustler( and (Pro$hecy.(
'e breathed a sigh of relief. None of them !ere the 'ommerce.
((lamo2 $re$are to fire all guns.(
(<oger that,( Bouregard re$lied. )he (lamo !as a half-mile closer to the run!ay no!
than the (egis.
(Bridge to 9ea$ons -eck2 make sure those rockets have long-range fuses,( Paladin
called into the intercom. (9e can1t afford to have one of those birds blo! u$ in the
tubes.(
A moment later, )ennyson1s $reternaturally calm voice crackled from the s$eaker.
(,onfirmed, sir. All rockets ready.(
(FireD(
)hunder rumbled from the starboard side of the (egis as her seven-inch guns
blasted shells at the enemy. A moment later, a salvo of rockets streaked ground!ard,
leaving behind a solid sheet of !hite e.haust.
)here !ere flashes from the (lamos gun deck as !ell and she tilted thirty degrees
off her center.
E.$losions s$rinkled the run!ay, the aerodromes, and the &e$$elins tethered there"
shells rained do!n and shattered concrete, cratered the tarmac, and tore o$en the
sides of the &e$$elins. <ockets im$acted ne.t, flashes of fire magnesium bright" fuel
ignited and s$lashed onto the run!ay, metal skeletal frames t!isted and burned.
8nly the +ainglorious rose above the inferno. )he $irate &e$ !as less than a /uarter-
mile from the (lamo. Bouregard had 0ust started to turn her $ort side to to!ard the
enemy-!hen the +ainglorious fired.
Shells $unctured the side of the (lamo, her fore gasbags deflated, and she tilted
nose first to the ground and the firestorm belo!.
()ennyson,( Paladin said, (reverse the starboard engines and give me best s$eed on
the $ort.(
)he (egis came about, agoni&ingly slo!.
()arget that $irate &e$,( he said. (Fire everything you1ve got.(
<ocket and shells bla&ed from the (egis.
)he +ainglorious reeled from the im$act, then her frame groaned and distorted as
rockets detonated. 'er gasbags ru$tured...and she sank into the flames.
)he (lamo dum$ed ballast and halted her descent, rose slightly, and !ith only four
engines turning, moved off the coast.
Paladin slum$ed over the !heel. ()oo close,( he muttered. ()oo damn close.(
Bouregard1s voice crackled over the radio2 ()hanks for the save, (egis. 7ooks like
your $lan !as aces after all.(
Paladin sa! movement in his $eri$heral vision2 a school of shark-like $ro0ectiles
moving !ith eerie grace, glided $ast the (egis. Aerial tor$edoes.
((lamoD Break offD( he cried into the radio. (et out of thereD(
)he tor$edoes slammed into the (lamos gunnery decks and bridge. She shuddered,
hung in the air...then her gas cells ri$$led and s$lit.
Scarlet and orange flame burst from the bridge. )he (lamo gracelessly fell to earth,
her su$erstructure t!isting and crum$ling in on itself.
Paladin angrily toggled the intercom. (Bridge to s$otters,( he snarled. (9here the
hell did those tor$edoes come from*(
Before the s$otters could re$ly, a shado! ecli$sed the sun. Paladin1s head sna$$ed
u$.
Another &e$$elin dro$$ed into vie!. %t broke free of the glare, and Paladin !atched
her head straight to!ards the (egis.
%t !as the 'ommerce.
Chapter *le#en: The Sky (readno!ght
Paladin !atched death glide to!ard him. )he 'ommerce slo!ly maneuvered to $oint
her starboard guns at the (egis. She !as the same si&e as his &e$$elin, but had
double gun decks, a do&en seven-inch $ieces on each side. She !as the color of lead,
and moved !ith hy$notic grace.
'e tore his ga&e from the combat &e$$elin-glanced at the (lamo. )he )e.as Air
<anger &e$$elin !as no! a hea$ of t!isted metal ato$ the other destroyed $irate
airshi$s. She !as burning like a funeral $yre.
'e glared at the 'ommerce. 'e1d been angry before-had fought for his life,
sometimes !ith murderous rage-but this !as different. 'is blood ran cold !hen he
thought about the fallen )e.an cre!.
)his time he didn1t !ant to see 0ustice done. 'e !anted revenge. 'e1d bring do!n
that &e$$elin no matter !hat the cost.
Paladin hit the intercom. ()ennyson, cut starboard engines and bring us about. et
every $ort side gun and rocket ready to fire.(
)he roar of the starboard engines dulled to a $urr.
(Port guns ready,( )ennyson re$orted. (8ur rockets, ho!ever, !ere s$ent on the
grounded &e$$elins.(
()he guns1ll have to do then,( Paladin re$lied. (Stand by.(
9ith starboard engines idling and the $ort engines at full s$eed, the (egis s$un in
$lace, her nose turning to!ard the !reckage of the (lamo, her guns rotating into the
$ro$er firing line to target the 'ommerce.
)he 'ommerce !as turning more slo!ly, even !ith the (egis missing her number
four and seven engines. Something !asn1t right.
Paladin raised his binoculars. )he enemy &e$1s starboard engines slo!ed and
sto$$ed...and she hadn1t lined u$ her firing arc.
(9hat1s she doing*( Paladin muttered, and then to )ennyson he said, (#aybe !e1ve
got a lucky break. <eady to fire !hen !e1ve come about.(
(<eady to fire, aye,( )ennyson said.
)he (egis drifted clock!ise, her guns coming to bear on the 'ommerce. )he
'ommerce-even !ith her dead engines-still had momentum, still turned at a snail1s
$ace to!ard them. 9ith a do&en guns bristling from her double decks, Paladin kne!
if he didn1t get in the first shot, he might not get a shot at all.
Paladin held his breath.
()arget is in our sights,( )ennyson re$orted.
(FireD( Paladin yelled.
)he (egis seven-inch artillery thundered. Paladin flinched from the re$ort and the
fiery flashes. )he (egis deck tilted as their &e$$elin ti$$ed, slammed by the deck
guns1 recoil.
)he first shell im$acted on the 'ommerces nose. E.$losions traced an arc along her
side-dots of fire and streaks of oily smoke, accom$anied by the screech of metal.
)he smoke cleared. )he first gas bag had been ru$tured-but to his horror, Paladin
sa! the other shells had left blackened scars and streaks of e.$osed metal across
her heavily armored sides...and no other damage.
(<eload,( he barked into the intercom. (JuickD(
)he 'ommerce drifted into firing $osition. 'er guns aligned !ith (egis, but she didn1t
shoot.
(9hat1s she !aiting for*( Paladin murmured. 'e s/uinted through his binoculars and
!atched as she rotated $ast her arc of fire...then sto$$ed and slo!ly turned back
to!ard them.
)hen he sa! !hy2 her starboard engines had halted, but no! they !ere turning
again, s$inning in reverse. )hey hadn1t cut the engines on that side-they had thro!n
them full reverse.
()ennyson, brace yourself.(
A double ro! of fire eru$ted from the gun decks of the 'ommerce. ,louds of smoke
s!irled and billo!ed as the 'ommerces broadside guns barked. Faint va$or trails
s!irled from the incoming shells.
)he (egis shuddered. 9indo!s on the bridge shattered and scarlet curls of flame
roiled across the ceiling. Paladin slammed into the control $anel, found himself
airborne...then smashed into the deck face-first.
Paladin !i$ed a!ay the blood streaming into his eyes and staggered to his feet. )he
'ommerce s$un in $lace-her nose !heeled to!ard them, then a!ay. 'er ca$tain had
nerve, Paladin had to admit. %t !as a tricky move-s!itching engines on either side
for!ard to reverse-!ith the /uickest turnaround he1d ever !itnessed.
'e gras$ed the !heel, s$it out a tooth, and $a!ed for the intercom. ()ennysonD Bail
out. )hey1re-(
)he 'ommerce rotated until her $ort gun decks aligned !ith the (egis. Before
Paladin could com$lete his !arning, the enemy &e$ fired.
She looked like a storm, a thunderhead cloud streaked !ith flashes of lightning. )hen
Paladin sa! nothing-he !oke u$ stunned, s$ra!led on the deck, blood trickling out of
his ears.
'is stomach rose. 8verheard, the frame groaned. 9is$s of smoke rose from the
ladder!ell to the lo!er decks. Several of the (egis gas bags must have been hit.
)hey !ere crashing.
()ennyson*( he yelled at the intercom.
)he 'ommerce turned and gunned her engines and steamed straight to!ard them.
)hey1d $ass right over the cri$$led, falling (egis. She !asn1t even enough of a threat
anymore to finish off* No. )hey had more im$ortant targets.
Paladin reached for the radio. )he metal $anel !as torn a!ay and busted vacuum
tubes and s$arking !ires s$illed onto the floor. 'e keyed the radio, ho$ing it could
still transmit. (-erseverance, come in. 9e1re dead in the air. et out of hereD 9arn
off the )e.as #arinesD )he 'ommerce can fire her artillery before she gets into your
range.(
No ans!er.
(-amn,( Paladin s$at. 'e glanced out the !indo!. )he (egis !as t!o thousand feet
about sea level and dro$$ing fast.
'e craned his neck to get a look at the 'ommerce as she cruised closer. )hey1d
hardly scratched her armor. 'e1d never seen anything like it. 'e had to get off
another salvo and try to sto$ the 0uggernaut. But even if he could have fired again,
their guns no! $ointed a hundred feet too lo!. )here !as no !ay to change that.
)hey !ere falling. )hey1d kee$ falling. No !ay to aim.
8r !as there*
'e slammed his fist into the intercom. ()ennyson, tell me you didn1t bail out.(
)here !as a cough through the s$eaker, then, (%...% am still here.(
(lad to hear it, old friend. 9e still have fuel in the tanks*(
(9e !ould not be discussing the matter if they had ru$tured,( )ennyson remarked.
()here1s no time to e.$lain this, )enny-but % !ant the starboard guns loaded and
locked on their tracks.(
)here !as a $ause, and then )ennyson said, (%1ll have the cre! on it.(
(reat. No! % !ant you to $urge the starboard fuel tank. )hen $um$ the reserves
into the $ort tank.(
()hat !ill re/uire a moment.(
(=ou1ve got 0ust that, )enny-a moment.(
Paladin glanced u$. )he 'ommerce !as a /uarter mile a!ay and closing. )hey1d get
one shot at this. 8nly one.
(-one,( )ennyson said. Purging and $um$ing, no!.(
)he 'ommerce !as a hundred feet a!ay-almost on to$ of them.
Paladin said, ()ell the gun cre!s to hang on tightD(
A moment $assed...and nothing ha$$ened. )hen, the (egis tilted. 'er steel frame
creaked and shuddered. uide !ires and cables sna$$ed. Paladin1s gambit had $aid
off.
A &e$$elin used !ater as ballast, $um$ing it through $i$es strung throughout the
airshi$1s rigid internal frame. )he (egis !as no e.ce$tion, though her ballast tanks
had been shattered in the initial salvo from the 'ommerce.
But there !ere still thousands of $ounds of aviation fuel aboard the (egis.
As the starboard tank dro$$ed t!enty thousand $ounds of fuel, and as the $ort tank
filled, the &e$$elin became unbalanced, rolled onto her side-and $ointed her $ort
guns straight into the air.
)he ,ommerce drifted directly overhead.
(Fire,( Paladin cried as he clung to the brass railing. (Everything !e1ve gotD(
Si. thundercla$s of cannon fire blasted from the gunnery deck.
)he underside of the 'ommerce detonated !ith smoke and s$arks as the artillery
$enetrated her lo!er decks-$robably the only section of the &e$$elin they had
neglected to armor. Fire blossomed and belched out of the mid-decks as their fuel
tanks burst. Fire!orks eru$ted from the double gun decks as their munitions !ere
touched off by the blast.
Paladin !hoo$ed trium$hantly.
)he 'ommerce, !reathed in flames, hung in midair for a heartbeat then fell-directly
ato$ the (egis.
Bright light $oured thought the o$en blinds of Paladin1s Santa #onica office !indo!.
'e o$ened his desk dra!er and $ulled out the bottle of fourteen-year old bourbon
and the $hotogra$h of his father sitting on the !ing of his $lane. Paladin uncorked
the bottle and $oured a shot. 'e clinked it to the $icture frame. ('ere1s to another
1success,1 -ad.(
)his (success( had cost him, though.
8ne hundred and fourteen dead. #ost of them !ere the men and !omen aboard the
(lamo. )here !ere causalities on the -erseverance, too, and heavy losses in ,a$tion
<yan1s Shar$shooter s/uadron. Not to mention the thirteen killed on the (egis !hen
she had been crushed under the !reckage of the ,ommerce.
All in all it had been one of Paladin1s deadliest o$erations. 'ad it been it !orth it*
*e 'oeur du .inuit !as out of business. )he $irates1 air $o!er had been shattered
and the )e.as marines landed and mo$$ed u$ !hat !as left of their ground forces. %f
Paladin kne! )e.as 0ustice there1d be a fe! hundred /uick-and-s$eedy trials and 0ust
as many /uick-and-s$eedy hangings.
Flora had been arrested as !ell, but-!ith a !ord from Paladin to the right 0udge-the
)e.as authorities immediately released her !ith their $rofuse a$ologies. Flora had
come out of the incident unscathed by the $irates and Die ,pinne and the la!. She
!as out at the $ier hangar no!, delivering lunch to )ennyson, $robably smiling and
laughing as though nothing had ever ha$$ened. Paladin had already arranged-
through -asheill-an e.tended stay for her at 8ceanvie! Sanitarium in Santa
Barbara.
8f course, he still had no idea ho! to tell her about his $lans to send her to Santa
Barbara. Facing the 'ommerce !as going to seem easy by com$arison.
As for *e 'oeur du .inuit, )e.as had claimed it for their <e$ublic Falthough they
!ere in heated negotiations !ith French 7ouisiana to sell them back their o!n
islandG. )e.as had given him a medal of honor. )he medal came !ith a formal
re/uest-the ne.t time he rallied their troo$s, he should ask the President in 'ouston
first.
7ouisiana sent Paladin keys to the city of Ne! 8rleans in a$$reciation for ridding
them of the ($irate menace.( )he mayor had e.tended an invitation for him to visit,
so they could $ro$erly re$ay him. ,onsidering, ho!ever, ho! much money that
corru$t 7ouisianan government officials !ould lose from their (lease arrangement(
!ith the $irates, Paladin had little doubt !hat kind of $ayback they had in mind. 'e
had $olitely declined the offer.
Anvil #anufacturing and the %.S.A. !ere curiously silent on the entire matter. Paladin
had filed a re$ort !ith them, describing ho! $irate forces had ca$tured the
'ommerce, and ho! she !as subse/uently destroyed. )heir cargo had $resumably
been lost.
(Presumably( meant that their tanks and artillery $ieces !ere no! sitting under lock
and key at Blake Aviation1s secret Burbank !arehouse. )he last thing that Paladin
!as going to do !as return those arms.
As for the buyer of the !ea$ons of !ar-+arina @on ilder had vanished. <e$orts and
rumors $laced her on the docks !hen the battle for *e 'oeur du .inuit had started.
Survivors from the 'ommerce said they offloaded their cargo onto steamers, most of
!hich !ere then ca$tured by the )e.as Navy. But they also claimed to have loaded
the ma0ority of Anvil #anufacturing1s rifles and ammunition onto a submarine.
Paladin !ould bet anything that +arina !as on that submarine. 'e ho$ed she
vanished for good this time, but he had a feeling she1d $o$ u$ again !hen he least
e.$ected it.
)ennyson knocked and /uietly entered Paladin1s office. 'e !ore a cast on his right
arm, but other!ise looked as fresh as ever in his clean !hite coveralls.
(=ou !anted to see me*( he asked.
(No.( Paladin !rinkled his bro!. (% !ould have called you on the intercom.(
(But #iss Flora informed me that you re/uired my assistance.(
Paladin flicked on the %ntercom, (Flora*(
(She gave me this.( )ennyson struggled !ith his left hand to unbutton his coverall1s
front $ocket. 'e finally retrieved a folded letter and handed it to Paladin.
%t read2
Dearest Brother,
0ow can $ ever thank you for your rescue2 $ suppose $ cant. !ennyson let
slip the wonderful surprise itinerary you have planned for me in ,anta
Barbara. $m afraid $ll have to decline. $ have traveling plans of my own, you
see.
*ove,
%lora
Paladin heard a s$lash near the $ier, then the s$utter and the roar of a -evastator1s
)ornado :;C engine. 'e sna$$ed o$ened the blinds and !atched as the -evastator
skimmed over the !ater, banked, and headed south.
(She flies*( )ennyson !his$ered incredulously.
(All the Blakes fly,( Paladin said. 'e crum$led her note and tossed it into the
!astebasket. (7et her go.(
Paladin had had enough of his family-Flora and #atthe! and even his father. 'e
scoo$ed u$ the last bottle of -ark +night !hiskey in e.istence and dro$$ed it into
the trash as !ell.
'e !as his o!n man no!. )he $ast !ouldn1t control his life and his destiny any
longer.
Besides, there !ere more im$ortant things to take care of. Paladin turned to the ma$
of North America on his !all. Push$ins and lines of string traced the air lanes
$rotected by Blake Aviation" they crossed and crisscrossed from Seattle to Ba0a,
,uba to the #aritime Provinces.
()ennyson get a ma$ of the !orld in here. And then call your contact in 7ondon.
9e1re setting u$ an office there-nothing fancy, 0ust a set of eyes and ears. ,all our
friend in eneva, too.(
(%1ll get right on it,( )ennyson re$lied.
#aybe this esca$ade had been !orth the $rice $aid in blood after all. Paladin no!
understood that $irates and bush!hackers and raiders !eren1t the only thing he had
to !orry about. )here !ere bigger forces cons$iring to do evil, here in North
America...and abroad.
Paladin !ould learn more about them. And then, he1d make it his 0ob to sto$ them.
Martin #eiselberg looked like a man who had li"ed the good life too long. B! Paladin's
reckoning he was nearl! as wide as he was tall. #e wore a conser"ati"e black suit and
bow tie and sported a thin gold band on his pinkie 1which Paladin suspected might ha"e
been his wedding ring2. +ith considerable effort #eiselberg rose from his mahogan!
desk. #e offered his limp, sweat! hand to Paladin.
%Mr. Blake, ma! sa! it is an honor to ha"e !ou "isit An"il Manufacturing.%
%Thanks,% Paladin replied.
The "iew from the nineteenth stor! office window caught Paladin's e!e,a panorama from
3incoln #eights to downtown to the .4.A. nstitute of Technolog!,a conglomeration of
sk!scrapers and steaming factories, bridges and swarms of aerotaxis.
%5"er! time look at it,% #eiselberg said, % know 'm in the best countr! in the world.
5"en more impressi"e than !our #oll!wood)% #e sat back in his chair.
Paladin cleared his throat. % tr! to think of m!self as a citi&en of the world. Blake
A"iation 4ecurit! can't afford to take political sides or show fa"oritism to an! one
countr!.%
#eiselberg nodded appreciati"el!. %A wise business polic!.% #e gestured for Paladin to
sit. %+hat can An"il Manufacturing do for !ou toda!)% A ner"ous laugh escaped him. %
trust we're not under in"estigation)%
%Not at all,% Paladin lied. % onl! wanted to discuss the possibilit! of !ou suppl!ing Blake
A"iation with sidearms. 6our reputation for (ualit! is known from coast to coast.%
#eiselberg brightened. %An"il Manufacturing can pro"ide an!thing !ou re(uire. +e
might e"en be able to work out a bulk discount. 3et's sa!,%
The phone rang. #eiselberg frowned and picked it up. % said no calls.% #is face went
blank. %$h, !es, see.% #e handed the recei"er to Paladin. %/or !ou. An emergenc!.%
7ight on time, Paladin thought.
#e took the recei"er. %6es, 5liot) #ow man!) +ell get them to the hospital as (uick as
!ou can. need !ou to,% #e looked up at #eiselberg. %+ould it be possible to take this in
pri"ate)%
%$f course. f !ou could 8ust step into,%
Paladin shouted into the mouthpiece9 %No. told !ou three, 5liot. don't care if it is the
Princess of #awai'i. want three.% #e shot #eiselberg a glare. % appreciate this. t'll onl!
take a few minutes.%
#eiselberg sighed. #e struggled to stand from his o"erstuffed chair. %'ll...8ust be outside
then, Mr. Blake. Please, take !our time.% #e flashed a disingenuous smile and left,
closing the door (uietl! behind him.
%$ka!, 5liot, it worked. #ang on,and keep talking in case an!one picks up an extension.%
Paladin set the mouthpiece on the desk, got up and 8ammed his chair under the door's
handle.
#e could ha"e tried to dance around the information he wanted from #eiselberg, pla!ed a
game of "erbal cat and mouse, and ma!be stumbled upon the information he needed.
Paladin knew his limitations, though. Being sneaking and sl! were a stretch for him.
#e opened the filing cabinet first. Their contents had been sorted b! date. *ood. There
was onl! one shipment that left the same da! as the Commerce. Paladin scanned the
manifest9 se"en thousand repeating .:;,caliber rifles, three hundred thousand rounds of
ammunition plus reloading machines, fi"e thousand .<=,caliber sidearms, pieces to
assemble fi"e,inch field artiller!, water,cooled .>;,caliber antiaircraft guns,and Paladin
had to reread the last entr! twice,one hundred tanks.
This wouldn't make Le Coeur du Minuit a fortress,it would make it unassailable. But
wh!) The! alread! had the silent appro"al of the 3ouisiana go"ernment to do business.
+hat was so important about the island that the! had to arm themsel"es to the teeth)
?nless this wasn't for the island. Ma!be Le Coeur du Minuit was 8ust a midwa! point for
where"er Karina was reall! sending these arms.
Paladin shut the cabinet and went to #eiselberg's desk.
?nder the gleaming mahogan! top there was a large center drawer and three smaller ones
stacked "erticall!. n the larger drawer sat fi"e guns on a "el"et pallet. Paladin hefted a .
:@ automatic. t was a little too light for his tastes,e"er since 0ashiell had gotten him to
carr! the .<=s. #e set it down and tried the small drawers.
The first contained stationar!, pens and en"elopes. The next drawer was empt! sa"e for a
small bottle of s!rup! brownish li(uid that Paladin doubted was bourbon. #e smelled it9
sickeningl! sweet and smok!. t made him gag.
The last drawer was locked. Paladin tried to 8imm! it, considered busting the thing open,
then thought better of it. nstead, he remo"ed the first two drawers and got a hold of the
wood panel beneath with his fingernails. #e tugged and pulled and the wood splintered,
cracked,then ga"e.
nside this last compartment was a dagger- a pearl,handled .:A- an en"elope stuffed with
.4.A. B,notes- and a man's signet ring, hea"! and gold with a green stone set flush in the
center. Bar"ed in the stone in relief was an eagle clutching an emblem.
/or a split second Paladin thought he recogni&ed it. The pale man had a ring almost
exactl! like this. $nl! that one had an eagle grasping a star,a ?nionist s!mbol for their
%Brotherhood of America.%
But this ring was different. The s!mbol in the eagle's talons wasn't a star- it was a strange,
canted cross.
Ma!be Paladin had seen it before, after all.
#e retrie"ed the calling card Karina Con *ilder had gi"en him in her casino, the one with
the embossed with a spider,web, its strands kinked halfwa! from the center. t was a dead
ringer for the cross in the ring.
Paladin didn't know what it meant, but staring at it made his stomach turn and the hackles
on the back of his neck stand.
This had started as a personal (uest to sa"e /lora...but it was turning into much more. #e
had to put an end to the secret pirate cit!,and Karina Con *ilder,for good.
#e remo"ed the chair blocking the door, then picked up the recei"er. %5liot !ou still
there) *ood. want as man! men and planes as !ou can spare. +e're all fl!ing south a
special mission. Colunteers onl!,nobod! married,and extra ha&ard pa!.
%+ake up Tenn!son, too, and tell him to get read! for a war.%