The Widowmaker: Volume 1 in the Widowmaker Trilogy (29 page)

BOOK: The Widowmaker: Volume 1 in the Widowmaker Trilogy
5.15Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

"Yourself?"

"If I could have rounded up the support, yes. If not, then a man who was amenable to my suggestions. The Marquis’ muscle would help keep us in power, and we'd show our gratitude by looking the other way. At least, that was the plan I laid out to him.” He paused. “Of course, the moment we took power we'd have driven the Marquis and his henchmen out of the system."

"The Marquis might have considered that a bit of a double-cross,” observed Father Christmas.

"By then it wouldn't have mattered,” answered the colonel. “I'd have had the power to make it stick, and he could have been just as rich and happy preying on other worlds."

"So he killed Trelaine..."

Hernandez nodded. “But he was smarter than I had anticipated. He had his own puppet, and he took me by surprise. The new President kowtowed to him even more than Trelaine did.
That's
why I contacted Deluros about the Widowmaker. I'm a
patriot
, damn it!"

"Patriot, murderer, we'll leave it to posterity to judge,” said Father Christmas. There was a meaningful pause. “Or we can leave it to your peers. It's your choice."

Hernandez stared at him for a long moment. “All right,” he said at last. “You've got a deal."

"Good,” said the older man. “It's a pity you had to waste a promising young man."

"Nighthawk? There was no place for him in our plans,” said Hernandez. “And this way we justify our decision not to pay millions more to his people back on Deluros. The official line is that he died before accomplishing his mission."

"It just means they're going to make another one, you know,” said Father Christmas. “Who knows? Maybe next time they'll do it right."

"What was wrong with this one?” asked Hernandez curiously. “He was good enough to kill the Marquis, and wipe out half of my staff."

"Oh, he had all the physical skills,” said Father Christmas. “They made sure of that. Trained him to kill from the instant he was born, if ‘born’ is the right word.” He finished his drink. “But when all is said and done, they couldn't give him the heart of the Widowmaker. He was too soft."

"Soft?” repeated Hernandez, surprised. “Look at the people he killed."

"Makes no difference,” said the older man. “He had a fatal flaw, one that's maybe even worse than a bad aim or a shaky hand: the poor son of a bitch
cared
. The one thing you can never do in his business is get emotionally involved.” He paused. “The Widowmaker
chose
to become a killer. Jefferson Nighthawk's tragedy is that he was never allowed to choose
not
to become one."

"I think perhaps he was toughening up there towards the end,” offered Hernandez.

"Oh?"

The colonel nodded. “His last words. He knew that I'd have killed her if he hadn't. She'd outlived her usefulness, and she knew too much."

"Well,” said Father Christmas, “I think I'll have one more drink, and then I'll take my leave of you."

Hernandez got up and poured them each a refill.

The older man held up his glass. “To lost innocence."

"Whose?” asked Hernandez.

"Everybody's,” answered Father Christmas.

Visit www.Fictionwise.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
BOOK: The Widowmaker: Volume 1 in the Widowmaker Trilogy
5.15Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Crashed by K. Bromberg
The Underside of Joy by Sere Prince Halverson
Massively Multiplayer by P. Aaron Potter
Timothy's Game by Lawrence Sanders
Anna, Where Are You? by Wentworth, Patricia
Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent
Dead Won't Sleep by Anna Smith