He raised his pistol.
“So long, Murphy,” he said.
The plasma pistol was suddenly plucked out of his hand by an unseen force.
“What the,-”
There was a loud, dull crack and Cash fell to the floor, blood streaming from the fracture in his skull. Darkness appeared out of thin air, standing over him and wiping off the heavy silver head of his walking stick with a white handkerchief.
“Who in their right mind would pay five million dollars for the likes of you?” he said to Steiger.
Murphy goggled at him. “I must be dreamin’,” he said. “I can see right through that guy!”
“Friend a yours?” said Darkness.
Steiger glanced at Murphy. “Yeah. I guess he is at that.”
“You look like hell.” said Darkness.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. Priest sent me. There seems to be some trouble at the field base They’ve moved it, by the way. It’s in a house on a bend in the road where Lime and Lynn streets meet.” He gave them the coordinates. “And here, you might need this.” he added, tossing him the plasma pistol. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve a few more errands to run. Do try to get there in one piece, won’t you? Priest is having some sort of an anxiety attack.”
He vanished.
Murphy blinked several times. “Who in the hell was that?”
“It’s a long story,” said Steiger. “I’ll explain later. We’d better get moving. Oh. and by the way, you’re under arrest.”
“Yeah, right.” said Murphy, with a grimace. He entered the transition coordinates Darkness gave them into his warp disc and they clocked out.
Hunter and Delaney materialized at the corner of Pond and Short streets and started moving quickly toward the house where Dicenzo said Steiger was being held. They turned the corner and hadn’t gone more than twenty yards when a loud voice hailed them.
“Halt! Who goes there? Stand where you are and identify yourselves!”
“Damn, it’s the watch” said Hunter.
“We don’t have time for this,” said Delaney.
“Take it easy. I’ll take care of them,” said Hunter.
Three men with muskets approached them.
“Identify yourselves.” one of the men said.
“I’m Reese Hunter and this is Finn Delaney.” Hunter said. “I don’t know you. What are you doing abroad this time of night?”
“We’re on our way to see a sick friend,” said Hunter. “He’s badly ill. I’m bringing Dr. Delaney to him.”
“A doctor. eh?” the watchman said suspiciously. “There was some sort of a disturbance in the Common tonight. We’ve had reports of shooting. I don’t suppose you’d know anything about that?”
“Shooting in the Common?” Delaney glanced uneasily at Hunter”
“No, we’ve heard nothing.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” the watchman said.
“They could be the Tories that we’ve heard about,” one of the others said. “No, wait,” said Hunter, reaching down into his shirt. He pulled out his Liberty medallion and showed it to them. “Look.”