Read Online The Widowmaker: Volume 1 in the Widowmaker Trilogy by Mike Resnick - Free Book Online Page A

good."
    "Do you know how many very good men I've killed?"
    "I haven't the slightest idea."
    "Sixty-four."
    "How many of them were being held motionless before you?” asked Nighthawk.
    Another grin, half amused, half satisfied, appeared on the Marquis’ face. “Let him go."
    Suddenly Nighthawk's arms were hanging loose at his side.
    "All right,” said the Marquis, folding his hands into a massive pair of fists, “let's see what you can do. And in the meantime, I'm going to show you what happens to brash young men who kill my men on my world."
    His hand shot out. Nighthawk saw it coming, but even his youthful reflexes weren't good enough, and an instant later he felt the cartilage in his nose give way.
    "You okay?” asked the Marquis with false solicitation. “You look terrible."
    "I'll live,” answered Nighthawk, spinning and delivering a kick that should have knocked the Marquis halfway across the room if it had landed, but the Marquis sidestepped it.
    "Oh, one more thing,” said the Marquis, feinting with a left, then barely missing a thunderous right.
    "What's that?” asked Nighthawk, connecting two quick jabs to the Marquis’ chin, then attempting a chop to the bridge of the nose, only to have it blocked.
    The Marquis picked up a glass filled with Cygnian cognac and hurled the contents into Nighthawk's eyes. “We fight by the Marquis of Queensbury rules."
    "What the hell are they?” said Nighthawk, backing away quickly and blinking his eyes furiously.
    The Marquis grinned. “I thought you'd never ask,” he said, lifting a chair over his head and hurling it at him. “They're whatever I say they are."
    He followed up with a flying kick, but Nighthawk ducked, reached an arm beneath the Marquis’ legs, and lifted upward. His equilibrium upset, the Marquis landed on his back with a loud thud.
    Nighthawk kicked him twice, and was about to deliver a third when the Marquis recovered, grabbed his foot, and twisted. Nighthawk went sprawling, but was up in an instant.
    "You know, you're not half bad,” said the Marquis as he slipped a punch, stepped in close, and delivered a flurry to Nighthawk's belly.
    Nighthawk doubled over to protect himself. Then, as the Marquis moved even closer, he brought his head up quickly, splitting the Marquis’ chin open.
    "Goddamn!" bellowed the Marquis as blood gushed down over his shirt. “That hurt! "
    "It was supposed to,” rasped Nighthawk, following up with a left that closed the Marquis’ right eye.
    The Marquis fell to the floor, but even as he did so, he whipped out his legs and tripped Nighthawk.
    "You're good, I'll give you that,” panted the Marquis as he regained his feet.
    "You're not so bad yourself,” mumbled Nighthawk through his split lips.
    "Tell you what,” said the Marquis. “Let me buy you a drink and then we'll have Round Two."
    "Sounds good to me,” said Nighthawk, following him to the bar. The bartender slid two large beer mugs over to them.
    "You're not going to be too proud to let me pay, are you?” demanded Marquis.
    "I like it when other people pay,” said Nighthawk.
    "Good,” said the Marquis. “We're going to get along fine."
    "We've made a pretty good start, haven't we?"
    The Marquis threw back his head and guffawed. “You've got a fine sense of humor, Jefferson Nighthawk!” Suddenly he hurled the beer mug at Nighthawk's head. It split his forehead open and careened off.
    Nighthawk almost dropped to his knees, but managed to hang onto the bar with one hand. He saw a kick coming, and just managed to grab a floating barstool to protect himself. The Marquis bellowed in rage as the stool upset his balance; the huge man's head bounced off the bar, and his knees were suddenly wobbly.
    Nighthawk wiped away the blood that was pouring down into his eyes and cautiously closed in for the kill. He landed a left, two rights, and a chop to the shoulder that deadened the Marquis’ arm. He was so intent on putting the Marquis away that he didn't see the