Part 9 (2/2)
”What made them stop?” Krysty asked, reining her horse over to keep close to Ryan's deep-copper-colored gelding.
The sec leader shook his head with amus.e.m.e.nt. ”As usual, being the scholars they are, none of the stickies seemed to realize that we could see where the flaming loads from the catapult were being launched, and high-power bullets go a lot farther than a fireball.”
”Took them out using snipers?” Ryan asked.
”You bet. We dug up some old Army ordnance in a swap with a ville, and in the trade we picked up an old bolt-action sniping rifle with a night scope. That did the trick. Started picking off muties right and left. Poor stickies had to leave their catapult behind, and the next morning a team of sec men went out with fire axes and dismantled the d.a.m.n thing triple quick.”
”Doesn't sound like you have a problem,” Ryan said.
”Six months ago, we didn't. Things are different now. I don't know what's been going on in the downtown area, but the muties seem to bewell, they seem to be getting smarter somehow.”
AT THE GAPING MAW of the reinforced mall entrance, Rollins and his sec men parted company with Ryan's group. Mike and the staggering Ike were led away by two of their fellows, while the others took the horses in the opposite direction. A line of people, men, women and a few kids around Dean's age were awaiting entry via the Freedom checkpoint.
”Hans will check you through. He's the gatekeeper,” Rollins said as he followed his men through a second sec-personnel entrance. ”No offense, but I hope not to see you again.”
”Likewise,” Ryan agreed as he and the others took positions at the back of the slowly moving line.
”What's your take on that guy?” J.B. asked quietly.
”Seems on the up-and-up. Could be some kind of trap, but a ville this size, all enclosedI want to get a closer look,” Ryan replied.
”Same here,” Krysty said. ”Feels okay to me. What it appears to be, it is.”
”Then we're going in,” Ryan stated. ”Stay alert.”
The entrance was well guarded, again by four of the Freedom Mall sec men dressed in green. All were armed with long blasters cradled in their arms. One carried a .30-caliber Browning automatic, while the others cradled M-16 a.s.sault rifles. They were bulky men, padded with what Ryan guessed to be body armor similar to what Mike and Ike were wearing. They also wore bulletproof antiriot helmets with fold-down protective visors.
They didn't smile or speak, their faces slightly bored and their eyes hidden by the helmet visors. Greetings and pleasantries were left up to Hans, an elderly gentleman with the cherubic face in the old-style three-piece suit and necktie.
”I've seen malls and such before, but never like this one,” Krysty commented. ”This one is in great shape.”
”Built to last, and we believe in taking care of our home,” Hans replied, his eyes twinkling. ”I take it you're new to Freedom, missy?”
”Yes. Yes, sir,” Krysty replied, her natural good manners and breeding s.h.i.+ning through when addressed with respect. The gatekeeper was unlike most of his ilk, with no leers at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s or comments on how they could ”work an exchange” to let Krysty and her friends enter.
”Okay, here's the spiel, for your education and enlightenment,” the older man said. ”Plus, since I've memorized all this, might as well pa.s.s it on. First some history. Freedom Mall was opened to the public on August 21, 1975, predark calendar. Thousands of people streamed inside to shop in the ninety-three stores that were tenants. Freedom came with 1.4 million square feet of s.p.a.ce on a span of seventy-six acres. There were 5,200 parking s.p.a.ces. In 1989 they expanded upon the design, adding another 350,000 square feet to the mall's south side and room for an additional eighty stores and a twelve-unit food court. On a good week back then, Freedom saw 250,000 shoppers. During holiday seasons, the number doubled to a half million. Today our numbers are much smaller, but Freedom is more than a mere destinationit's a ville unto itself with all the offerings of a traditional outdoor city, and then some.”
”You charging a toll to get in?” Ryan asked.
The old man shook his head. ”No.”
”That's a switch,” Dean said.
Hans held up a finger. ”However, there are certain rules you have to follow once you're inside, sir.”
”Such as?”
Hans used the finger to point at Ryan's weapons. ”You can carry one blaster each for protection. I can already see your group believes in traveling well-heeled. That's fine by me. Only a fool travels outside without ample firepower. However, indoors you lose the extra hardware. Most people go for the pistols, but I'll leave that up to you. Check the other blasters here. You won't need any long blasters or Uzis in Freedom. You can pick them up when you go. Check them now, and you'll get a receipt. There's a fee of one mall credit per weapon storage. Pay when you leave. If you don't want to pay, or don't come back to check on your blasters in thirty days, they become mall property. Stay as long as you want, just don't forget your hardware. No returns.”
”Give us a second to talk this over.”
Hans nodded, even as Ryan saw him make a gesture with his left hand, an alert signal for the armed guards.
”What do all of you think?” Ryan whispered.
The Armorer didn't hesitate with his disapproval. ”Think I don't like letting somebody else sit with my blasters.”
”Me, neither,” Jak agreed.
”And they charge you for the privilege. I, for one, have never liked being jabbed in the hand with the rip-off stick.” Doc said.
”Look, this is standard operating procedure,” Alton told them. ”Same drill last time I was in here. Even if you leave some of the heavy artillery behind, you people are still better armed than most. Me, I'm going in. I appreciate your company and your help getting here. But it's getting dark, and if I were you, I'd get inside, too, before night falls and the gateway into Freedom shuts down. I sure as h.e.l.l wouldn't want to be out here with another pack of stickies wandering around in the dark looking for the ones you chilled.”
Alton nodded a goodbye, and went back over to the small booth where Hans was waiting for him. Since he had only the Colt, he was quickly led through the check-in process into the main entrance, where he vanished from sight.
”What other options do we have?” Krysty said. ”Like Alton said, I don't like the idea being out at night with as many stickies that are reported to be around here. We can do our traveling by day.”
”J.B.? Go in or stay out?” Ryan asked.
”I'm not the one to ask right now. I can't see worth a d.a.m.n in the dark. Daylight, sure. Even though I don't like leaving blasters behind, I vote we stay.”
”Anybody else want to add an opinion?” Ryan asked. No answer came. ”Then it's settled.”
Ryan strode back over to the check-in counter and unlimbered his Steyr, taking time to unload the cartridges. After doing likewise, J.B. handed over his Uzi, preferring to keep the raw force of the M-4000 shotgun hanging beneath his coat by a shoulder strap.
”That all of the extra blasters?” Hans asked as he looked them over.
”Yeah. We're keeping the pistols, per your adviceexcept for my friend, there. He's hanging on to the shotgun.”
”I can take your word there's no extra hardware?”
”Unless you want to search us, and I don't have a problem with that.”
”No need. We try and limit the violence inside, but we can't fully stomp it out,” Hans said. He reached down for a receipt book and scribbled down the makes of the weapons and Ryan's name. The receipt book had carbons, and he handed over a copy. ”Where do we get mall creds?” Ryan asked as he folded the slip of paper and placed it in a pocket.
”Bank of Freedom, Incorporated. You'll see it on the right when you go through the second checkpoint. You can exchange your currency there.”
”Right.”
”What's the rate of exchange?” Mildred asked.
”Varies. Never heard any complaints. Freedom Mall wants to keep your business, so we play fair with what you want to spend. When you're ready to go, you can give back what you didn't use and we'll return what's left of your funds minus a ten percent handling fee.”
”Lots fees in place,” Jak observed.
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