After several moments, Hunter realized that he was not making much progress. Ahead of him, MC 2 was struggling with four drunken humans in what appeared to be a stalemate. Roland, on the other hand, was taking a beating.
Hunter radioed to MC 2. “I am going to take Roland out the front door. Since he is the cause of this fight, it may solve the problem. Under the First Law, to stop all the harm the humans are doing to each other, you must help me.”
“Agreed,” MC 2 radioed back. “I will distract as many of the humans as I can simultaneously.”
With a new focus, Hunter changed direction. He shoved aside a couple of buccaneers, then lifted a fairly short fellow and gently but firmly handed him to a surprised larger man, who collapsed under the sudden weight. When he reached Roland, he did not join the fight around him. Instead, Hunter grabbed Roland around the waist and lifted him up, away from the bearded man and his companions.
“Whoa! Ahoy! What’s this?” Roland demanded in surprise, kicking and flailing in the air.
“I am helping you,” said Hunter. He shifted his grip and raised Roland high over his head. Then he began a long, difficult walk through the brawling crowd.
MC 2, now free of the specific chore of protecting Roland, got in the way of the buccaneers who were still going after Roland. Maneuvering became easier for both robots because most of the buccaneers seemed to think Hunter was fighting with Roland, and shouted encouragement to Hunter to fling Roland across the room.
Hunter worked his way to the door patiently, still holding Roland high. Finally, turning sideways, he burst outside into the tropical sunlight and quickly strode away from the tavern. He did not hesitate, but walked quickly to the corner of the block and hurried up an alley. By that time, his hearing told him that none of the humans were following them.
“I am in an alley,” Hunter radioed to MC 2. “Out the door and to the right. Home in on my signal and join me.” Then he spoke aloud to Roland. “Are you harmed?” Hunter carefully bent down and set Roland on his feet.
“Not to speak of. Thanks, mate.” Roland looked at him curiously. “I don’t think I know you. Why the rescue, then? Not that I mind, you understand.”
“I want to know where the woman named Rita Chavez is.”
“Rita? I don’t believe I know anyone-”
“Lying to me is not wise. You went on board the Hungry Hawk with her. Where is she?”
“Uh-well, I do owe you a favor. Sure, I know her a little. But I lost track of her during the fight on shipboard. I haven’t seen her since then.”
Hunter was watching Roland’s face carefully and listening to the tone of his voice as he spoke. From his data about human behavior, he concluded that Roland was telling the truth. He nodded his acceptance.
“Uh, look, mate-thanks for the lift, so to speak, but I think a few of those blokes may still be under full sail back there. I ought to make myself scarce for a bit.”
“Yes, I agree.”
“All right, then. So long!” Roland jogged away from Hunter, up the alley.
Hunter then realized that MC 2 should have already joined him. He walked back down to the main thoroughfare. “MC 2, respond. Are you in trouble?”
On the waterfront, he looked around in all directions. MC 2 was not in sight. The sounds of struggle from the tavern had ended; some buccaneers were singing again.
“MC 2, respond.”
When Hunter received no answer, he hurried back to the doorway of the tavern. One of two possibilities had occurred; either MC 2 had been damaged and trapped in the tavern, or he had run away. In the doorway, Hunter’s enhanced sight and hearing told him instantly that MC 2 was no longer inside.
Hunter stopped where he was. He realized that he had misjudged the power his First Law interpretation had over MC 2. Apparently MC 2 had decided that once Roland was safely outside in Hunter’s care, the First Law imperative on MC 2 was no longer in effect. So MC 2 had taken the opportunity to flee from Hunter under the Third Law while Hunter was in the alley with Roland.
If MC 2 had passed the mouth of the alley where Hunter had been, Hunter would have heard him. That meant MC 2 had gone in the opposite direction when he had first left the tavern; on the waterfront, there were only two possible directions from this doorway. Hunter walked quickly after MC 2, running through the new situation in his mind.
“I know that he is nearby,” Hunter said to himself. “I know he is aware of my presence. Roland knows that MC 2 will follow his orders, short of harming humans, though he apparently has no idea why; Roland does not seem to know that I must do the same.”
With MC 2 so close, Hunter felt a resurgence of his efficiency. A residual effect of his earlier malaise might have accounted for his misjudgment about MC 2’s response to the First Law imperative concerning Roland. Still, he knew what to do next.
First he sent out his radio signal to Steve, Jane, and Rita again. Maybe he could finally get an explanation of why Jane had clubbed him over the head. Then he began a systematic search of the waterfront and the side streets leading inland. He turned up his hearing and vision and began to move at a light run.
Before Wayne took one of the longboats from the Old Laughing Lady back to the docks, he checked on Rita. He found her well, though cautious with him. She reported that Captain Tomann had not tried her door. Wayne was convinced that he would not bother Rita as long as he believed she was worth a ransom. Then Wayne had to wait for the longboat to be rowed back since he had missed the first wave of departures.
Finally on the waterfront again by midmorning, Wayne looked around for Hunter. He could hear the singing and shouting of celebration from the nearest taverns. Other buccaneers were wandering up and down the waterfront laughing and talking, or shopping at the small booths. Wayne wanted to find Hunter to talk business, but of course Hunter could find him more easily than he could find Hunter.
“Well,” Wayne muttered aloud to himself. “Might as well enjoy it a little.” He decided to have breakfast. His pockets were heavy now with coins he had received as his share of the loot from the brief voyage.
Wayne went to a booth right across from the docks. He would be in plain sight there if Hunter came walking along the waterfront. Wayne bought a couple of rolls, a small smoked fish, and some fresh, cool water. Then he sat down on a nearby rock to eat.
Just as Wayne was finishing his first roll, someone slipped quietly behind him and sat down on another rock.
“Good morning to you,” Roland said softly, glancing around. “Fine day, isn’t it?”
“What-Roland! Come around beside me.” Wayne was startled, but tried to cover it. Wayne decided to stay calm and find out what Roland wanted.
“No, sorry. I had a spot of trouble a while back. I’ll just keep my head down and sit behind you.”
“Oh. Something serious?”
“Nay!” Roland laughed lightly. “Not at all, mate. Too much rum early in the morning and a bit of celebration was all. I doubt anyone’s carrying a grudge, but I’ll watch out for myself a little longer.”
“Here.” Wayne handed him a roll, phrasing his next question carefully. “Have you learned anything about the people I paid you to find?”
“That little guy you’re looking for,” said Roland, taking a bite out of the roll. “He’s real strong for his size and basically does what people tell him?”
“That’s right. So you’ve seen him?”
“Aye.” Roland nodded. “But he got away from me again. He’s here on the waterfront, though, or at least he was not very long ago.”