the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第30部分

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　　　　〃Is　that　you；　Zobno？　What　did　the　sergeant　say　about　robots？　It　sounded　like　robots？〃
　　　　The　line　stopped；　instantly；　in　breath…holding　silence。　We　were　so　close。　The　voice　was　male　and　it　spoke　Cliaandian。
　　　　〃Robots？　What　robots？〃　I　asked　as　I　pulled　the　hand　from　my　shoulder　and　placed　it　on　Angelina's　shoulder　before　me。　〃Move；〃　I　whispered　in　her　ear。　Then　left　the　line　and　stamped　heavily　towards　him　in　my　new　boots。
　　　　〃I'm　sure　he　said　robots；〃　the　voice　plained。　Behind　me　I　was　aware　of　the　faint　stir　as　the　line　started　forward　again。　I　stamped　and　coughed　and　moved　closer　to　the　unseen　speaker。　My　hands　before　me　ready　for　a　quick　clench　and　crush　as　soon　as　he　spoke　again。
　　　　All　of　which　would　have　worked　fine；　and　have　given　me　a　little　sadistic　pleasure；　if　the　evening　breeze　had　not　sent　eddies　around　the　corners　of　the　building。　The　wind　moved　coolly　on　my　face　and　a　rift　opened　in　the　smoke。　I　was　looking　at　a　Cliaand　trooper；　helmed　and　armed　with　his　gaussrifle　at　the　ready；　a　shocked　expression　stamped　on　his　face。　With　good　reason。　Instead　of　gazing　upon　a　fellow　trooper　he　saw　an　unknown　individual　with　snapping　fingers；　red　eyes　and　unshaven　jaw；　dressed　in　totally　transparent　dungarees　and　ladies'　boots；　with　bundles　and　packs　slung　on　his　shoulders。　Gape　was　about　all　he　could　do。
　　　　This　paralysis　lasted　just　long　enough　for　me　to　reach　him。　I　grabbed　him　by　the　throat　so　he　couldn't　shout　a　warning；　and　by　the　gun　so　he　couldn't　shoot　me。　We　danced　around　like　this　for　a　bit　and　the　smoke　closed　over　us　again。　My　opponent　wasn't　shouting　or　shootingbut　neither　was　he　submitting。　He　was　burly　and　well　muscled　and　holding　his　own。　Luckily　he　wasn't　too　bright　and　kept　both　his　hands　on　the　gun　and　tried　to　get　it　away　from　me。　Just　about　the　time　he　realized　he　could　hold　it　with　one　hand　and　slug　me　with　the　other　I　got　a　foot　behind　his　heel　and　went　down　on　top　of　him。　Before　he　hit　the　ground　he　managed　to　get　two　quick　punches　into　my　midriff　which　did　me　no　good。　Then　we　landed　and　I　knocked　all　the　air　out　of　him。　This　freed　my　throat　hand　and；　before　he　could　suck　in　enough　breath　to　shout　with；　I　rendered　him　unconscious。
　　　　I　sat　on　him；　waiting　for　my　head　to　stop　spinning　and　for　the　knot　of　pain　in　my　gut　to　ease；　when　another　voice　sounded　close　by。
　　　　〃What's　that　noise？　Who　is　it？〃
　　　　I　breathed　in　a　deep　shuddering　breath；　let　a　bit　of　it　out　and　worked　for　control　of　my　voice。
　　　　〃It's　me。〃　Always　a　good　answer。　〃I　tripped　and　fell　down。　I　hurt　a　finger　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Then　you'll　get　a　medal　for　it。　Now　shut　up。〃　
　　　　I　shut　up；　took　the　gaussrifle　from　my　limp　panion　and　stood　upand　realized　that　I　was　pletely　lost　in　the　smoky　darkness。
　　　　Not　a　pleasant　sensation　at　all。　The　smoke　was　thinning　and　I　was　alone　with　no　sense　of　direction。　If　I　walked　in　the　wrong　direction　it　would　be　suicide。
　　　　Panic！　Or　rather　a　moment　of　panic。　I　always　allow　myself　at　least　a　brief　panic　in　any　tight　situation。　This　flushes　out　the　bloodstream；　starts　the　heart　pumping　faster；　releases　a　jolt　of　adrenaline　and　provides　other　nice　things　for　an　emergency。　But　only　a　little　panic；　time　was　pressing。　And　after　the　basic　bestial　emotion　drained　away；　lips　dropped　back　over　fangs　and　hair　on　neck　down　again　and　all　that；　I　put　the　old　logic　center　to　work。
　　　　ITEM：　I　was　not　alone。　The　silent　line　of　escapees　may　have　marched　into　the　building　and　safety；　but　my　Angelina　would　not　desert　me。　I　knew；　as　clearly　as　if　I　could　see　her；　that　she　was　outside　that　door　to　survival　and　waiting　for　me。
　　　　ITEM：　She　had　her　sense　of　direction；　I　didn't。　Therefore　she　would　have　to　e　to　me。
　　　　〃This　finger　is　killing　me；　Sarge；〃　I　whined；　then　whistled　in　supposed　agony。　One　short　whistle　and　one　long　one。　The　letter　a　for　Angelina　in　the　code　that　I　knew　she　knew　well。　That　I　needed　help　I　knew　she　would　figure　out　for　herself。
　　　　〃Stop　that　whistling　and　noise；〃　the　other　voice　growled　back；　ending　in　a　note　of　suspicion。　〃Say；　who　are　you？〃　
　　　　I　groped　through　my　memory　for　the　name　I　had　heard　a　few　moments　earlier。
　　　　〃It's　me；　Sarge。　Zobno。　This　finger　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃That's　not　Zobno！〃　a　second　voice　called　out。　〃I'm　Zobno　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃No；　I　am；〃　I　shouted。　〃Who's　that　said　that？〃　
　　　　〃Both　of　you　e　herenow！〃　the　sergeant　ordered。　〃I'm　going　to　start　shooting　in　five　seconds。〃
　　　　The　real　Zobno　stumbled　through　the　smoke　and　I　didn't　dare　say　a　thing　or　move。　And　I　could　already　feel　the　slugs　tearing　through　mewhen　something　plucked　at　my　sleeve　and　I　jumped。
　　　　〃Angelina？〃　I　whispered；　and　received　a　silent　answer　when　she　threw　her　arms　about　me。　I　reached　for　her　but　she　wasn't　waiting；　taking　my　hand　she　pulled　me　after　her。　There　were　voices　behind　us　in　the　smoke　then　the　sudden　whine　of　a　gaussrifle　and　shouts　of　mand。
　　　　I　stumbled　over　an　invisible　step　and　waiting　hands　pulled　me　through　the　doorway。

Chapter　17

　　　　〃Search　party　。　。　。　search　party　。　。　。〃
　　　　The　words　came　dimly　through　the　throaty　growls　of　the　attacking　teddy　bears。　I　could　have　fought　them　off；　even　though　the　candy　canes　I　was　using　for　swords　kept　breaking　on　me。　But　even　without　a　candy　cane　give　a　teddy　a　quick　kick　in　the　gut　and　over　he　goes；　no　staying　power。　The　teddies　I　could　have　handled　alone　if　they　hadn't　got　those　damn　wooden　soldiers　on　their　side。　They　would　make　a　good　bonfire　and　that　is　just　what　I　had　in　mind；　fumbling　for　matches；　when　one　of　them　got　me　in　the　arm　with　the　bayonet　on　his　toy　rifle。　It　stung　and　I　blinked　and　opened　my　eyes　to　look　up　at　the　whiskery　face　of　Doctor　Mutfak　who　was　staring　back　at　me。
　　　　〃An　alarm；　that　was；　very　badly　timed　indeed　I　must　say。　I　have　given　you　an　injection　to　cancel　the　hypnotic　drug。　〃He　held　up　the　hypodermic　and　I　rubbed　my　arm　where　it　had　stung　me。　〃Very　badly　timed。〃
　　　　〃I　didn't　arrange　it　that　way；〃　I　mumbled；　still　only　half　awake　and　wishing　I　could　have　finished　off　the　teddy　bears。
　　　　〃The　treatment　is　going　well　and　it　will　be　time　consuming　to　start　over　again。　I　have　regressed　you　to　your　childhood　andmy！you　have　had　an　interesting；　not　to　say　repellent　childhood！　You　must　give　me　permission　to　write　up　this　case。　The　symbol　of　the　teddy　bear；　normally　one　of　warmth　and　fort；　has　been　transmogrified　by　your　obnoxious　subconscious　into　。　。　。〃　
　　　　〃Later；　doctor；　if　you　please；〃　Angelina　said；　coining　to　my　rescue。　A　picture　of　golden　charm；　she　had　been　sunning　herself　on　the　balcony　and　the　wisps　of　fabric　she　wore　for　this　operation　had　about　the　same　surface　area　as　a　butterfly's　wing。
　　　　I　sat　up　and　shook　my　head；　still　foggy　with　the　traces　of　the　drug。　The　room　was　colorful　and　luxurious；　with　one　entire　wall　opening　onto　the　balcony；　with　the　blue　sky　and　bluer　ocean　beyond；　perched　high　on　top　of　the　Ringa　Baligi　Hotel。　This　hotel；　supposed　to　be　the　best　one　on　Burada　and　I　could　well　believe　it；　was　in　the　center　of　a　lagoon　and　approachable　only　by　water　or　air。　This　gave　us　advance　warning　of　any　unwanted　visitorsand　the　warning　had　just　been　given。　The　drill　was　carefully　worked　out。　I　had　worn　swim　trunks　during　the　brain…bending　session；　just　in　case　of　an　emergency　like　this　one；　so　I　took　Angelina's　hand　and　we　trotted　to　the　private　elevator。　As　we　got　into　it　the　sound　of　engines　on　the　landing　platform　above　was　loud　and　clear。　We　held　the　grips　as　the　high…speed　elevator　dropped　out　from　under　us。　
　　　　〃Do　you　feel　up　to　this？〃　Angelina　asked。
　　　　〃Just　a　little　foggy；　but　that　will　go　away。　Do　you　think　this　brain…drainer　is　any　good？〃
　　　　〃He's　supposed　to　be　the　best　on　the　planet。　He'll　straighten　out　the　kinks　Kraj　put　in　if　anyone　can。〃
　　　　〃He　could　work　a　bit　faster。　Three　days　now　and　we're　still　in　my　childhood。〃
　　　　〃You　must　have　been　a　terrible　little　boy。　Some　of　the　things　I've　heard。。。〃
　　　　Before　I　could　think　of　a　snappy　eback　the　elevator　whooshed　to　a　stop　and　we　emerged　at　water　level。　Steps　led　down　into　the　ocean　from　an　enclosed　diving　room。　The　attendant　was　waiting　with　our　scuba　gear　ready　and　we　buckled　it　on　and　dove　in。　Straight　to　the　bottom　and　out　among　the　coral　reefs。　Even　if　they　came　looking　they　would　never　find　us　here。