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prospectors—in Nek’s eyes, anyway. Don’t you see how that could justify his actions in his own mind? He didn’t steal the money. He deserved it by virtue of being the only one of the four to be able to handle the money successfully. But then suddenly his old partners weren’t just broken-down old prospectors anymore. Nek got news that they had struck a deep vein—a vein that might rival the wealth of any of the mines he owns. Naturally, he wants it. He can’t allow the actions of his entire life to be proven wrong. He can’t let his old partners do better than he’s done.”
    The woman listened quietly. “I never thought about it like that before,” she said. “I just always pictured Mr. Nek as being a pure nasty mean man.”
    â€œMaybe he is,” Hawker said. “Hell, he probably is. Could be he just wants to corner the silver market—he wouldn’t be the first to try it. But one thing’s for sure: when Bill Nek wants something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it. Murder, kidnapping, whatever it takes. And when a man has as much money as he has, the only way to fight him is to use his own tactics. That’s just what I plan to do when I find his—”
    Hawker’s words were interrupted by a shrill scream—then another.
    Lomela dropped the pan she had been washing. “Dolores! My god, they’ve got my babies!”
    Hawker grabbed the Colt Commando from the corner and went crashing through the doorway outside. He got a quick glimpse of the black-haired girl being carried off toward the woods, kicking and screaming, over a man’s shoulder. The man was wearing a green coverall snowsuit. Then another man stepped into view and squeezed off two quick shots from a shotgun. Hawker dropped to the ground. At that distance, the pellets fell far short of him. The vigilante raised the Commando to fire, then reconsidered. There was too great a chance of hitting the girl—and he had no idea where the boy was.
    As he got to his feet, Lomela went running past him, screaming. Hawker grabbed her from behind and wrestled her to the ground. She had the strength of a bobcat, and it took him a few moments to subdue her.
    â€œLomela! Listen to me! They want you to follow, don’t you understand? They want to take you hostage, too—”
    â€œBut I want to be with my babies!” she cried.
    â€œIs it worth getting one of them, or even both of them killed? Until they have you, they have to take good care of those kids. But once they do have you, the kids are expendable. Understand?”
    The woman stopped struggling. She looked up into Hawker’s face, her eyes wide with sheer terror. “I’ll do what you say, James. I’ll do anything you say. But please— please get my little boy and girl back. You have to do that for me. You have to promise me—”
    Hawker was helping the woman to her feet, calming her as best he could. She grabbed him by the sweater and shook him. “Don’t just say you’ll do it! Promise that you will get my children back, damn it!”
    The vigilante stepped away, holding her at arm’s distance. “Do you know what you’re saying? Do you know what you’re asking me to do? If I go after those kids now, it’ll double the danger they’re in. And they’re already in enough danger.”
    â€œI can’t let that scum keep my children, James. Can’t you understand that? My kids are going to be scared out of their wits! It may change them for the rest of their lives. You have to get them back before it’s too late!”
    Hawker nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll go after them on one condition.”
    â€œAnything. Anything at all. Just tell me what you want.”
    â€œI want you to stay by my side. I want you to do exactly what I tell you to do without question. Understand?”
    The woman nodded meekly.
    Hawker took a