Sooner Dead (Gamma World) - Mel Odom [29]
“That’s how it’s gonna be, puppet man.” Faust curled a lip over his canines and fixed Pardot with a glare. “Now why don’t you haul your tin butt over there out of the way before I pound you one and they have to get a can opener just so you can see daylight again?”
Outraged, Pardot stood as tall as he could and barely came to Faust’s shoulder, and only then because the gorilloid wasn’t tall, just broad. “Take me to your master.”
Faust leaned down to Pardot, causing the man to lean back. “I don’t have a master, bub. I have an employer. And you’d best not make that mistake again.”
Pardot stepped back. “Stampede.”
Making his way forward, Stampede reached the gorilloid and shoved out a hand. Stampede stood a head taller than Faust.
Faust took the proffered hand and nodded. His black, rubbery lips twitched up in a smile that would have drained the hearts of most men. “Thought I recognized you back there. Been a long time since you were out this way.” The gorilloid rolled an eye over Pardot, Riley, and the security men. “You with these guys, Stampede?”
“My expedition, yeah.” Stampede’s hand had disappeared in Faust’s grip.
“Got some real greeners here.”
“They haven’t been in-country before. First time in the Redblight.”
“They gotta get smarter faster.” Faust shook his head and released Stampede’s hand. “And if they don’t, they’re going to get you dead too.”
Hella smiled at the look of sour annoyance on Pardot’s thin lips. No one was impressed by his entourage.
“I’m working on it. For the moment, though, how many people can we bring inside the camp at one time? They’ve got money and aren’t shy about spending it.”
“Carnegie’ll be happy to see them, then. I’ll spot you ten.” Faust pulled a PDA from his pocket. “If you’re going to vouch for them.”
“I will.”
Hella smiled at little at that, knowing then that Pardot would have to recognize they might not have gotten inside at all if not for Stampede and his connections.
Faust gazed at the security team in their hardshells. “I get ten inside. No one else goes in until someone comes out.”
“Does that include Hella and me?”
“You still got that little imp with you?” Faust looked over the crowd.
“Know anybody else that rides a dinosaur?” Stampede jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Daisy. The mountain boomer slurped from one of the watering troughs out front. Carnegie kept fresh water out front for free because people would fight and die over water if they needed it.
Faust grinned and stepped toward Hella. He wrapped her up in his powerful arms and hugged her tightly. “How ya doin’, imp?”
Hella hugged the gorilloid back fiercely. His fur was smooth and soft, but the bandoliers bit into her skin. “I’m still alive.”
Gently Faust put her back on the ground and looked at her. “You’re growing, imp. Gonna be breaking hearts any day. But if any of them break yours, you come see Uncle Faust and we’ll dig the grave together.”
Even though she smiled, she knew the gorilloid meant it. In his own way, Faust was just as protective of her as Stampede was. In the end Faust wanted more of the civilized life than Stampede had, and they’d gone their separate ways four years earlier.
“And if you see something inside the camp that you like and old hornhead there won’t spring for it, come see me.”
“I will.” Hella hugged him again and stepped back. “I’ll come see you even if I don’t find anything I like well enough to carry out of here. I seem to recall somebody being a stickler for extra weight when we traveled together.”
“That’s my imp.” Faust returned to his position at the door. “Ten inside. Your scouts don’t count, puppet man, because I think of them as part of our own. The rest of you pick a shady spot and settle in.”
Hella walked through the open gate and crossed the worn, cracked concrete skirting that made up most of Blossom Heat’s inner courtyard. The original building remained at