Survivalist - 22 - Brutal Conquest Read Online Free PDF Page B

could cover that distance much more quickly.
    And he wondered about Mary Ann… .
    His enormous body was resplendent with weapons, guns and knives. The uniform of the Land Pirates was no uniform at all. But this man, flanked by two other men of lesser height and bulk and not nearly so well-armed, was uniformed. He wore a coat with an enormous cape, which to Michael was reminiscent of Basil Rathbone’s habitual attire as Sherlock Holmes in the video movies John Rourke had collected at The Retreat.
    This man was obviously the leader of the Land Pirates.
    The Retreat’s video collection, which was temporarily unavailable to them, might best be described as eclectic. Michael Rourke’s father had everything, from the profound to the frivolous, from science to drama to comedy. There were a number of the Sherlock Holmes films featuring Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The giant Land Pirate further brought to mind the Sherlockian image because of the pipe he smoked, large bowled with a recurving stem. But, beyond the pipe and coat, nothing else was remotely civilized or gentlemanly. His overall appearance was otherwise closer to that of a dirty-looking grizzly bear. And the image of a bear was certainly more appropriate to his size.
    The apparent leader of the Land Pirates was enormous.
    “Elmo Babinski wants to apologize for what has happened, Martin. He says his men failed miserably.”
    That was the name supplied to them by Allied Intelligence. Michael quickly ran the few facts he possessed through his mind. Like the preponderance of the Land Pirates, although many were German and an almost equal number were of Second City Chinese extraction, Babinski was of Soviet origin, likely from the Underground City. Mentioning his name in the Wildlands supposedly struck terror in even the bravest heart, because Babinski, it was reported, seemed to enjoy cruelty.
    Babinski stood now on the deck of the mobile fortress, his sheer bulk almost blocking the entrance to the waiting aircraft.
    “His security sucked, and you know it,” Michael told Gunther Hong. “Maybe I should tell him to kiss my ass.”
    “Martin! Remember, please, that we need his manpower. If you offend him now, I don’t know—”
    “Remember this,” Michael told Hong in his best Martin Zimmer voice. “If he did not fear me, he would not be here.” Michael increased his stride, Gunther Hong keeping up with him, until he stopped a few feet from Elmo Babinski and the two underlings. The wind that swept across the main deck of the fortress was bitterly cold, and whatever warmth he’d regained in the hot shower was long gone. “So.” That was all Michael said, staring directly into Babinski’s face.
    Babinski’s eyes were overly large and a muddy brown in color, and they went with the bear image very nicely. The eyes flickered, the stare wavering. “I came to say I’m damned sorry.”
    “You do not know how right you are,” Michael nodded.
    Babinski’s body seemed to tense, and for a moment, Michael thought he had overplayed his hand. But then Babinski said, “Anyway, I’m sorry, Martin. We’ll help your men get that dirty bastard Rourke and I’ll bring you his fuckin’ head on a stick if you want it.”
    “Fine. You do that. I am very cold and wish to board my aircraft. Good hunting.” Michael started forward but Babinski did not move. Michael stopped and looked up at him. “Well?”
    Babinski, his voice so low Michael could barely hear it above the keening of the wind, said, “I will kill John Rourke for you, Martin.”
    Michael said nothing. Babinski stepped aside. As Michael climbed the ramp toward the fuselage, he realized his fists were clenching.

7
    Mary Ann would not walk abreast of them. And Natalia wondered if it were the girl’s upbringing, or her period of slavery at the stronghold of the Land Pirates, or both, which made her so deferential to men.
    Natalia walked beside John Rourke. They set a vigorous pace. Despite her emaciated appearance,