It was starting to get dark when the work-parties returned to the camp. Angel heard the rumble of the heavy wagons filling the compound. He stood by a window, staring through the bars, and watched the groups of weary, filthy prisoners being unloaded from the wagons by armed guards. As soon as every man had been accounted for the prisoners were ordered to their huts. Angel studied the group approaching the hut he was in. There were nine of them. By the time they reached the hut he had picked out the one who would have appointed himself boss. Angel knew that he would have to stand up to this man and beat him, if the need arose. Only then would he get what he wanted.
Angel was back on his cot when the door opened and the men crowded in, eager to get a look at the new man. The one Angel had judged as the leader of the group ordered the door closed. He alone moved across the hut to stand at the foot of Angel’s cot. Angel ignored him.
The man was as tall as Angel, powerfully built. He had dark, handsome features, marred by a thin scar running down his left cheek. His thin hair was black, curling at the nape of his neck. Large hands, with long, muscular fingers, flexed impatiently as he stared at Angel, silently demanding to be noticed.
‘Hey!’ he said at last, anger in his tone at having to attract attention in such a mundane way.
No response.
‘You deaf, asshole?’
‘No. And the name’s Angel. But to you it’ll be Mister Angel!’ Somebody laughed. The man at the foot of Angel’s cot glanced in the direction of the group of prisoners. The laugh froze. Silence returned.
‘Well my name’s Capucci, and I don’t take any kind of crap from assholes like you!’
Angel smiled. ‘There’s a joke there somewhere, Capucci, but I’m damned if I’m going to explain it to you.’ He stood up and placed himself directly in front of the man. ‘Now the way I see it we all got trouble enough just being here. I don’t need any more. But if you gotta prove you’re some kind of big feller round here don’t expect me to sit back and let it happen. I’ll give you first try and then I’ll put you down so hard your balls are going to drop right off!’
For a long moment Capucci stared at Angel, as though he hadn’t heard correctly. But then he realized that Angel had said what he’d heard, and being the man he was Capucci couldn’t do anything other than react violently. He had already made his first mistake. He had allowed his feelings to show on his face. His eyes telegraphed his intentions, and Angel was already countering Capucci’s punch before it had even reached any kind of momentum.
As Angel’s left arm blocked Capucci’s savage swing, batting the big fist harmlessly aside, his own right, sweeping up from hip-level, smashed across the side of Capucci’s jaw. The sound of the blow came loud in the silent hut, the stunning impact throwing Capucci off balance, twisting him sideways. His legs caught the edge of one of the cots and he went down with a solid crash. Capucci’s body arched once, lifting from the dirt floor in a spasm of agony, then he dropped and lay still.
Angel stepped over Capucci’s motionless body. He strode across the hut to stand before the murmuring group of prisoners. Giving them a scathing glance he said:
‘Who else wants to try? Come on, you sons of bitches! I’m just in the mood. Those bastards down in Liberty kicked enough shit out of me so’s I’m good and mad. Well?’
Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. They all stared at Angel with enough resentment for the whole world. But that was as far as it went. Eventually one of them cleared his throat.
‘Ain’t any of us wants to tangle with you, mister. Capucci—he just naturally figures he has to show how tough he is.’
‘How tough he was,’ corrected a scrawny little man. He scuttled out from the group, eyeing Angel closely. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in his thin neck. He reminded Angel of a damn vulture! ‘Hey, Angel, what’s so special about you?’
‘I didn’t know there was.’ Angel watched the little man, trying to read what was reflected in the bright, beady eyes.
‘Then why’d Trench warn us off talking to you?’
‘He do that?’ Angel was intrigued. ‘Doesn’t seem to have stopped you.’
‘Hell, Angel, Trench may be hard but we don’t scare all that easy. I been in pens so tough they make this place seem like home. Trench ain’t no more than a big fart! He’s all wind. Why, take that goddam whip away from him an’ he’d be no different the rest of us.’
The little man led Angel away from the front of the hut. They paused beside the man’s cot.
‘What do they call you?’ Angel asked.
The little man grinned, showing yellowed, crooked teeth in hard shrunken gums.
‘Birdy,’ he said and laughed shrilly.
‘So what have you heard about me, Birdy?’
‘Enough. I hear pretty good. Couple of the guards were talkin’ and Birdy was listening. ’Pears you’re a special case. That was why Trench warned us off. Trouble is something like that just makes me curious.’ Birdy glanced round to make sure nobody was hanging around. ‘The way I heard, it, Angel, this place ain’t about to be very healthy for you!’
‘Is that the way it was for Harry Culp?’ Angel asked, eyes fixed on Birdy’s face. He knew he was taking a chance mentioning Culp’s name but he figured it was worth the risk. Birdy swallowed so hard his Adam’s apple almost vanished. For a fleeting second Angel thought he’d said too much. ‘Come on, Birdy, tell me!’
‘He never stood a chance,’ Birdy murmured. ‘He knew they wanted him dead. Jesus, Angel, the poor bastard just had no place to hide from them. He was only here for four days and then he was dead.’ Birdy shook his head. ‘Bastards said it was an accident! Accident my ass! They made him work on a real bad stretch of the road all on his own. An’ then a damn rockslide comes down right on top of him! Everybody goes runnin’ to see if they can help him but I stuck around, keeping out of sight. An’ I saw that Trench coming down off the slope where the slide started. He couldn’t see me but I saw him. Saw him drop an iron lever-bar in one of the wagons too. Then he goes on up to where they’re trying to dig Culp out of the rock an’ makes all the right noises.’ Birdy fell silent.
‘You told anybody else about this?’ Angel asked.
Birdy threw him a bitter glance.
‘You think I want to end up like Harry Culp? Listen, Angel, I was there when they dragged Culp out of that rockslide! Ain’t a sight I want to see again. You ever seen a man after he’s been squashed flat like a stepped-on bug? He just didn’t look like a man any more. Angel, I don’t know why they tossed you in here but it seems it must be something to do with Culp. I was you I wouldn’t admit to being a friend of Harry Culp’s. Hardly worth all the trouble it’ll bring you.’
‘Only thing that’s troubling me, Birdy, is how I’m going to get out of this place,’ Angel said.
Birdy grinned. ‘Ain’t ever been done yet, Angel. But I’ll stake my life you’re the man to do it.’ He stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘You … er … wouldn’t be needing a partner … Angel?’
‘All depends, Birdy. I’ll let you know.’
Angel eased away from the little man. Birdy glanced up, wondering why Angel had moved so suddenly. And then he saw.
Capucci was on his feet. Swaying slightly he was staring in Angel’s direction with open hostility blazing in his eyes. An angry blotchy bruise had already begun to form on his cheek where Angel’s fist had caught him. Capucci repeatedly touched his cheek, wincing at the discomfort it was causing him. He held Angel’s stare for a time, then reluctantly backed off. He stalked along the row of cots until he reached his own, throwing himself across it.
‘Now you got more problems, Angel,’ Birdy whispered. ‘Don’t show him your back ’cause he’ll find something to stick in it if you do!’