tz.theicarushunt-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Considering　my　current　relationship　with　the　man　and　his　organization；　I　could　only　hope　that　none　of　those　eager　badgemen　found　him　anytime　soon。
　The　screen　cleared；　and　a　broken…nosed　thug　with　perpetual　scowl　lines　around　his　eyes　and　mouth　peered　out　at　me。　〃Yeah？〃　he　grunted。
　〃This　is　Jordan　McKell；〃　I　identified　myself；　as　if　anyone　Brother　John　had　answering　the　phone　for　him　wouldn't　know　all　of　us　indentured　slaves　by　sight。　〃I'd　like　to　speak　with　Mr。　Ryland；　please。〃
　The　beetle　brows　seemed　to　twitch。　〃Yeah；〃　he　grunted　again。　〃Hang　on。〃
　The　screen　went　black。　I　made　a　small　private　wager　with　myself　that　Brother　John　would　leave　me　hanging　and　sweating　for　at　least　a　minute　before　he　deigned　to　e　on；　despite　the　fact　that　fielding　calls　from　people　like　me　was　one　of　his　primary　jobs；　and　also　despite　what　this　vid　connect　was　costing　me　per　quarter　second。
　I　thought　I'd　lost　my　wager　when　the　screen　came　back　on　after　only　twenty　seconds。　But　no；　he'd　simply　added　an　extra　layer　to　the　procedure。　〃Well；　if　it　isn't　Jordan　McKell；〃　a　moon…faced　man　said　in　a　playfully　sarcastic　voice；　looking　even　more　like　a　refugee　from　a　mobster　movie　than　the　call　screener　had；　his　elegantly　proper　butler's　outfit　notwithstanding。　〃How　nice　of　you　to　grace　our　vid　screen　with　your　presence。〃
　〃I'm　amazingly　delighted　to　see　you；　too；〃　I　said　mildly。　〃Would　Mr。　Ryland　like　to　hear　some　interesting　news；　or　are　we　just　taking　this　opportunity　to　help　you　brush　up　on　your　badinage？〃
　The　housethug's　eyes　narrowed；　no　doubt　trying　to　figure　out　what　〃badinage〃　was　and　whether　or　not　he'd　just　been　insulted。　〃Mr。　Ryland　doesn't　appreciate　getting　interesting　news　from　employees　on　the　fly；〃　he　bit　out。　The　playful　part　had　evaporated；　but　the　sarcasm　was　still　there。　〃In　case　you've　forgotten；　you　have　a　cargo　to　deliver。〃
　〃Done　and　done；〃　I　told　him。　〃Or　it　will　be　soon；　if　it　isn't　already。〃
　He　frowned　again；　but　before　he　could　speak；　his　face　vanished　from　the　screen　as　a　different　extension　cut　in。
　And　there；　smiling　cherubically　at　me；　was　Brother　John。　〃Hello；　Jordan；〃　he　said　smoothly。　〃And　how　are　you？〃
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　just　fine。　I'm　pleased　everyone　over　there　is　so　cheerful　today；　too。〃
　He　smiled　even　more　genially。　To　look　at　Johnston　Scotto　Ryland；　you　would　think　you　were　in　the　presence　of　a　philanthropist　or　a　priest　or　at　the　very　least　a　former　choirboy…hence；　our　private　〃Brother　John〃　nickname　for　him。　And　I　suspected　that　there　were　still　people　in　the　Spiral　who　were　being　taken　in　by　that　winning　smile　and　clear…conscienced　face　and　utterly　sincere　voice。
　Especially　the　voice。　〃Why　shouldn't　we　be　happy？〃　he　said；　nothing　in　his　manner　giving　the　slightest　hint　of　what　was　going　on　behind　those　dark　and　soulless　eyes。　〃Business　is　booming；　profits　are　up；　and　all　my　valued　employees　are　working　so　wonderfully　together。〃
　The　smile　didn't　change；　but　suddenly　there　was　a　chill　in　the　air。　〃Except　for　you；　Jordan；　my　lad。　For　some　unknown　reason　you　seem　to　have　suddenly　grown　weary　of　our　pany。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　could　have　given　you　that　impression；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　protested；　trying　my　own　version　of　the　innocent　act。
　〃Don't　you；〃　he　said；　the　temperature　dropping　a　few　more　degrees。　Apparently；　innocence　wasn't　playing　well　today。　〃I'm　told　the　Stormy　Banks　docked　on　Xathru　not　thirty　minutes　ago。　And　that　you　weren't　on　it。〃
　〃That's　right；　I　wasn't；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　Ixil　was；　and　so　was　your　merchandise。　That's　the　important　part；　isn't　it？〃
　〃All　aspects　of　my　arrangements　are　important；〃　he　countered。　〃When　I　instruct　you　to　deliver　a　cargo；　I　expect　you　to　deliver　it。　And　I　expect　you　to　take　it　directly　to　its　proper　destination；　without　unscheduled　and　unnecessary　stops　along　the　way。　That　was　our　agreement；　or　do　I　have　to　bring　up…again…the　five　hundred　thousand　in　debts　I　bailed　you　and　your　partner　out　of？〃
　〃No；　sir；〃　I　sighed。　Not　that　I　was　ever　likely　to　forget　his　largesse　in　that　matter；　what　with　him　reminding　me　about　it　every　other　assignment。　〃But　if　I　may　be　so　bold；　I'd　like　to　point　out　that　another　of　your　standing　instructions　is　that　we　should　maintain　our　facade　of　poor　but　honest　cargo　haulers。〃
　〃And　how　does　that　apply　here？〃
　〃I　was　offered　a　position　as　pilot　on　another　ship　for　a　one…time　transport　job；〃　I　explained。　〃A　thousand　marks　up　front；　with　another　two　on　delivery。　How　could　I　turn　that　down　and　still　pretend　to　be　poor？〃
　That　line　of　reasoning　hadn't　impressed　Ixil　very　much　back　on　Meima。　It　impressed　Brother　John　even　less。　〃You　don't　seriously　expect　me　to　buy　that；　do　you？〃　he　demanded；　the　cultured　facade　cracking　just　a　bit。
　〃I　hope　so；　sir；　yes；〃　I　said。　〃Because　that　is　why　I　did　it。〃
　For　a　long　moment　he　studied　my　face；　and　I　found　myself　holding　my　breath。　Brother　John's　tentacles　stretched　everywhere；　even　to　backwater　worlds　like　Xathru。　A　touch　of　a　button；　a　few　pointed　words；　and　I　would　probably　not　even　make　it　out　of　the　Starrm　building　alive。　A　flurry　of　contingency　plans；　none　of　them　very　promising；　began　to　chase　each　other　through　my　mind。
　And　then；　suddenly；　he　smiled　again；　the　chill　that　had　been　frosting　the　screen　vanishing　into　warm　sunshine。　〃You're　a　sly　one；　Jordan…you　really　are；〃　he　said；　his　tone　implying　that　all　sins　had　graciously　been　forgiven。　〃All　right；　since　you've　gotten　my　cargo　delivered　on　time；　you　may　go　ahead　and　take　this　other　ship　and　cargo　home。　Consider　it　a　vacation　of　sorts　for　all　your　service　these　past　three　years；　eh？〃
　Considering　what　I'd　already　been　through　on　the　Icarus；　this　trip　was　not　exactly　turning　out　to　be　my　idea　of　a　good　time。　But　pared　to　facing　Brother　John's　vengeance；　I　decided　I　couldn't　plain。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said；　giving　him　my　best　humble　gratitude　look。　〃I'll　let　you　know　when　I'll　be　available　again。〃
　〃Of　course　you　will；〃　he　said；　and　suddenly　the　warm　sunshine　vanished　again　into　an　icy　winter's　night。　〃Because　you　still　owe　us　a　considerable　debt。　And　you　know　how　Mr。　Antoniewicz　feels　about　employees　who　try　to　leave　without　paying　off　their　debts。〃
　Involuntarily；　I　shivered。　Mr。　Antoniewicz　was　the　head　of　the　whole　organization；　with　a　shadowy　identity　that　was　even　more　carefully　guarded　than　Brother　John's。　Rumor　had　it　that　there　were　already　over　a　thousand　warrants　for　his　arrest　across　the　Spiral；　ranging　from　happyjam　manufacture　to　mass　murder　to　deliberately　starting　brush　wars　so　that　he　could　sell　arms　to　both　sides。　The　badgemen　would　probably　give　any　two　appendages　to　smoke　him　out　of　his　lair。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　told　Brother　John。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　disappoint　either　of　you。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said。　His　smile　shifted　to　somewhere　in　early　April；　glowing　with　springtime　warmth　but　with　the　threat　of　winter　chill　still　lurking　in　the　wings。　〃Then　I'll　let　you　get　back　to　your　new　ship。　Good…bye；　Jordan。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said。　He　glanced　up　over　the　camera　and　nodded；　and　the　vid　went　dead。
　I　sat　there　scowling　at　the　blank　screen　for　nearly　a　minute；　trying　to　sort　through　the　nuances　of　the　conversation。　Something　here　didn't　feel　quite　right；　but　for　the　life　of　me　I　couldn't　figure　out　what　it　was。
　And　I　was　painfully　aware　that　that　life　of　me　phrasing　could　well　turn　out　to　be　literally　the　case。　If　Brother　John…or　Mr。　Antoniewicz　above　him…decided　that　I　had　outlived　my　usefulness　or　otherwise　needed　to　be　made　an　example　of；　he　would　hardly　telegraph　that　decision　by　threatening　me　on　an　open　vid　connect。　No；　he　would　smile　kindly；　just　as　he　had　there　at　the　end；　and　then　he　would　touch　that　button　and　say　those　few　pointed　words；　and　I　would　quietly　vanish。
　A　soft　rustling　of　bills　startled　me　out　of　my　reverie：　what　was　left　of　my　hundred　marks　feeding　down　into　the　change　bin。　I　collected　the　bills　and　coins　together；　wondering　if　I　should　just　go　ahead　and　feed　them　back　in。　I　could　give　Uncle　Arthur　a　call。。。
　With　a　sigh；　I　slid　the　bills　loosely　into　my　ID　folder　and　dropped　the　coins　into　a　side　pocket。　Uncle　Arthur　had　been　the　conniving　benefactor　who'd　worked　so　hard　to　get　Ixil　and　me　connected　with　Brother　John　in　the　first　place