Killer's Town Read Free Page A

miles deep. A vast territory. The deep jungle, the land of the interior tribes, was beyond Patrol jurisdiction. It was ruled by the tribal chiefs and, it was whispered, by another whose name and person were lost in mystery. But more of him later.
Chief Togando was troubled by the memory of the men he saw in the hotel suite. He was used to dealing with criminals, but these weren't like the usual run. He had sensed vicious brutality backed by money and a widespread powerful organization. He took his worries to his counterpart in the Patrol, Colonel Randolph Weeks, commanding officer (but not Commander) of the Jungle Patrol. Weeks was a cool, unflappable leader who had spent most of his adult life in this international patrol and had risen from the ranks to become its colonel.
"What's a big-time hood like Koy doing in our little town, I keep asking myself," said Chief Togando, as he sat in Weeks's office at Jungle Patrol headquarters. "But I get no answers."
He described bis meeting with Koy and the gang. "A frightening crowd." Weeks nodded.
"Here on a visitor's visa, all of them," said Weeks. "The question is, where do they go from here? We know practically every country on earth has refused them a visa. The Bangalla foreign office was generous enough—or foolish enough—to give them a temporary visa. Maybe that was a mistake."
"Yes, what worries me is why did they pick this place? They went directly from the airport into the jungle along the Phantom trail. Why, or how far in, I don't know," said Togando.
"Neither of us has any answers," said Weeks. "I'll get Koy over here. Maybe he can supply some." He talked into his phone.
"Send Sergeant Hill in, please," he said.
A husky young patrolman entered, walked smartly to the desk, and stood at attention. There is no saluting in the Patrol.
"Sergeant, a man named Koy is at the Queen's Plaza. Will you bring him to my office? I want to see him," said Weeks.
"Yes sir," said Sergeant Dave Hill.
"He is the gangster."
"Yes sir, I know."
"Some of his men are with him. Perhaps you need help."
"How many men, sir?" said Sergeant Hill.
Weeks glanced inquiringly at Chief Togando.
"Koy and six others," said the Chief.
"I'll manage it, sir," said Sergeant Dave Hill, smiling. There was an old adage in the patrol: One patrolman can handle ten criminals. True or not, they believed it. It was a fact that the patrolmen were the most carefully selected elite corps on earth. A thousand young men applied for entrance each year from all over the world. After rigorous physical and mental tests, only the top ten were accepted.
"Right away, Sergeant Hill," said Colonel Weeks.
"Yes sir."
Killer Koy was still grumbling about Chief Togando when Sergeant Dave Hill knocked politely, then entered. Koy was having his lunch. Eagle spoke to Dave Hill at the door, then asked him to wait in the anteroom and reported to Koy. Though the doors were closed, Dave could hear Koy's angry roar. Eagle returned, white-faced.
"He says we've already seen the police chief," said Eagle.
"We're not police. We're Jungle Patrol. Our Colonel Weeks. wants to see Mr. Koy."
Sorry, not today. Mr. Koy is busy," said Eagle, blocking the inner door.
Dave Hill brushed him aside. Koy was seated at the table, a chicken leg in his hand. Three other men seated on a no In got up as Dave entered. Koy stared at him, speechless for the moment.
"Sorry to break in, but I have my orders. I'm Sergeant Hill of the Jungle Patrol. Our Colonel Weeks wants to see you, Mr. Koy."
Koy glared at Dave Hill. Patrolmen wear khaki shorts, hn h socks and short boots, tan shirts, pith helmets. No Ktins, except during jungle duty. Dave Hill was unarmed.
Koy glared and swore, a string of obscenities that ended with ". . . and I've got no time for tin colonels and Boy Scouts. Get lost before we throw you out!"
Dave Hill moved forward swiftly. He kicked the table over, spilling dishes, glasses, and plates all' over Koy and the floor. The violence of the move threw Koy back