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most everything it needs. We try to be a self-sufficient community."
Ryan nodded. "That's what we heard when we started out this way. We didn't
come with empty hands, Sheriff Dodge." He beckoned Mildred forward.
Mildred drew a lot of attention from the ville. Ryan had noticed only a
handful of black people during his earlier observation, and none of them
sported the colored beaded plaits woven into her hair.
She opened her pack under the sheriffs supervision, bringing out ajar of the
topical anesthesia. The soft blue of the jellylike substance looked clear and
clean against the glass walls of the jar.
"What's that?" Dodge asked.
"Topical anesthesia," Mildred answered. "If you got a healer in the ville, you
can bet your ass that he'll be interested in this."
"If that's not enough," Ryan added, "we've got some jack to spend, too. Hazard
may have all it needs, but we're running low on some staples."
"We don't run a charity here, mister," Dodge said flatly. "Nor do we cotton
much to outlanders. We got our lives pretty much set, and don't like folks
butting in."
"That's what we heard," Ryan agreed. He kept the edge of anger out of his
voice
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Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf with effort. "But we've been scavenging, came
up with this topical anesthesia and thought mebbe a place getting as civilized
as Hazard would want something this good."
"Do you know what a topical anesthetic is?" Mildred demanded.
"No."
"I do." The voice belonged to a man in a white blazer and wire-rimmed glasses.
He had a bull's neck and his body was big to match. He stepped out of a small
building called the Bottlefly Emporium, leaving the bat-wing doors swinging
behind him. "I am Dr. Neil Kirkland, healer in these parts."
Dodge touched the bill of his baseball cap respectfully. "Guess you'd know
about such things, Doc."
"If they have topical anesthesia from the predark days," Kirkland said as he
approached, "these people shouldn't just be allowed to trade in our ville,
Sheriff
Dodge. They should be our honored guests." He stopped in front of Mildred.
"Madam, if I may?"
"Of course." Mildred unscrewed the lid and removed it from the container,
showing that the seal hadn't been broken.
Kirkland's furry eyebrows lifted in surprise. Despite the fact that he shaved
his head, he sported a goatee and sideburns of fiery red hair. "Unopened?"
"Found it that way," Mildred answered. "Had no reason to open it so far."
"Are there more of these where you found this one?" Kirkland asked.
Ryan regarded the man coolly. "We're talking about this one."
The healer raised a curious eyebrow, but evidently didn't take any offense. "I
see.
May I open it, then?"
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Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf
"Are we going to be allowed in to trade?" Ryan asked, pushing his advantage.
Kirkland glanced at Dodge. "Sheriff, you may not realize it, but this is an
absolute treasure."
Reluctantly Dodge nodded. From the way the sheriff acted, Ryan knew the healer
carried a lot of authority in the ville. "I'll take your word for it," Dodge
said.
"You don't have to take my word for it," Kirkland said. He looked back at
Ryan.
"Sir, whatever you want for this within reason in this ville will be yours. I
do all the surgery in Hazard. If I can't get whatever you want for you myself,
I can work out a deal with anyone in this ville. These hands are surgeon's
hands, only one step removed from Saint Elvis's himself, may his voice never
be silenced."
"You got yourself a deal," Ryan said.
Kirkland gave an expansive smile. Delicately his fingers ripped the aluminum-
foil seal from the topical anesthesia. He smelled the stringent odor and
smiled again. "Fabulous."
"You'll want to be cautious with that," Mildred said. "It'll go a long way
because of the cocaine-type base."
Kirkland raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know about such things?"
"I've done some cutting and stitching myself," Mildred acknowledged.
"Then I'd like your company for lunch or dinner sometime before you leave
Hazard. My housekeeper prepares a fine table."
"If we can work it out," Mildred answered.
Ryan knew Mildred was only acting compliant. She wasn't going anywhere away
from the companions until they were all sure everything was safe. The only
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Deathlands 42 - Way of the Wolf security they had was with one another. And if
the chance did present itself where she did accompany the man for a meal, she
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