tz.theicarushunt-第15部分
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who'd worked so hard to get Ixil and me connected with Brother John in the first place； back when our soaring debts were threatening to land us in fraud court； and I just knew what he would say if I even suggested I might be in trouble with the organization。
Besides； it was unlikely that he would lift a finger to try to help me even if I did call him。 In his own way； he was as much a reclusive figure as Mr。 Antoniewicz； and he had made it abundantly clear that he liked it that way。 It would serve him right if he had to read about my death on the newsnets。
Overhead； the lights flickered twice； a gentle reminder that my call was finished and others were waiting their turn for the booth。 Standing up； I pulled my plasmic from its holster nestled beneath my left armpit； checked the power pack and safety； then returned the weapon to concealment； making sure it was loose enough for a quick draw if necessary。 Then； taking a deep breath； I unsealed the door and stepped out into the corridor。
None of the dozen or so people present shouted in triumph or whipped out a weapon。 In fact； none of them gave me so much as a second glance as I made my way back down the corridor to the main lobby。 Aiming for an unoccupied corner where I could have at least a modicum of privacy； I pulled out my phone and punched Ixil's number。
He answered on the third vibe。 〃Yes？〃
〃It's Jordan；〃 I told him。 〃What's your status？〃
〃I've landed and finished the entry forms；〃 he said。 I had to hand it to him； not a single cue anywhere in words or tone to indicate the surprise he was undoubtedly feeling at hearing from me here on Xathru。 I could imagine Pix and Pax were doing some serious twitching； though。 〃I've also made contact with the local representative and started off…loading the cargo。〃
〃Good。〃 So we were almost rid of Brother John's happyjam。 Best news I'd heard all day。 〃When you're finished； upgrade to a long…term docking permit； lock down the ship； and get yourself over to Dock Rec Three…Two…Seven。〃
There was just the briefest pause。 〃Trouble？〃
〃You could say that； yes；〃 I told him。 〃Our mechanic was killed during the flight； and I need a replacement。 You're it。〃
〃An accident？〃
I grimaced。 〃At this point I'm not really sure。 Better e prepared。〃
Once again； he took it all in stride。 〃I'll be there in forty minutes；〃 he said calmly。
〃I'll be there in thirty；〃 I said； hoping fervently that I wasn't being overly optimistic。 〃See you soon。〃
I keyed off and； squaring my shoulders； crossed the lobby and headed out into the sunlight； tension and uncertainty mixing together to make the skin on my back crawl。 Just because nothing had happened to me in the Starrm building didn't mean it wasn't going to happen somewhere else between here and the Icarus。
〃Hey； Hummer；〃 a crackly voice came from my left。
I jumped； hand twitching automatically toward my hidden gun。 But it was only a Grifser； his tiny eyes peering up at me from leprous…looking skin； his spindly paws held out pleadingly。 Brother John might use aliens from time to time when they suited his purposes； but he would never use them to discipline one of his own people； even a lowly smuggler in his final disgrace。 Like most of the Spiral's criminal organizations…human and alien both…the Antoniewicz organization was oddly but vehemently ethnocentric。 〃What？〃 I asked。
〃You got any caff？〃 the alien asked plaintively。 〃I pay。 You got any caff？〃
〃Sorry；〃 I said； brushing past。 Grifsers were absolutely nuts for Earth…style caffeinated beverages or snacks…it actually qualified as a drug for them； putting it on the controlled substance list anyplace they had a decent…sized enclave。 Elsewhere in the Spiral； they created nuisances of themselves around spaceport entrances and tavernos； but most of them knew how to more or less graciously take no for an answer。 Those who weren't feeling all that gracious were usually at least smart enough not to press the point with beings half again their size and twice their weight。
This particular Grifser was apparently on the trailing edge of both those bell curves。 〃No！〃 he insisted； darting around behind me and ing up again on my right。 〃Caff caff…now now！ Will pay for it。〃
〃I said no；〃 I snapped； reaching out to push him away。 I didn't have time for this nonsense。
〃Caff！〃 he insisted； grabbing my arm and hanging on to it like a mottled…skin leech。 〃Give me caff！〃
Swearing under my breath； I grabbed one of his paws and pried it off。 I was working on prying the other away when a long arm snaked its way around my back from my left to an overly familiar resting place just beneath the right side of my rib cage。 〃Hello； old Hummer chum；〃 a voice crooned into my left ear。
I turned my head to find myself gazing at close range into an alien face that looked like a topographical map of the Pyrenees。 〃If you don't mind； friend…〃
〃Ah…but I do mind；〃 he said。 His hand shifted slightly； clipping expertly under the edge of my jacket and then burrowing upward to rest against my rib cage again。
And suddenly the hard knot of his fist was joined by something else。 Something that felt cold through my shirt and very； very sharp。 〃It's a wrist knife；〃 my assailant confirmed in a low voice。 〃Don't make me use it。〃
〃Not a problem；〃 I assured him； feeling chagrined； scared； and stupid all at the same time。 Brother John had totally blindsided me on this one； catching me like some fool fresh off the cabbage truck。
From my right another of his species appeared； tossing a four…pack of cola to the Grifser with one hand as he reached under my jacket and relieved me of my plasmic with the other。 〃Now；〃 the first said as their decoy ran off gurgling with delight over his prize。 〃Let's go have ourselves a nice little chat。〃
Flanking me on either side like a couple of long…lost friends； they guided me through the usual crowd of spaceport traffic； along a couple of narrow and increasingly depopulated service streets； and eventually into a blind alley blocked off at the far end by a warehouse loading dock。 It was a long way to go； I thought； for what was going to be only tentative privacy。
But more importantly； from my point of view anyway； the trip itself was already a major blunder on their part。 The ten…minute walk had given me enough time to recover from the shock and start thinking again； and that thinking had persuaded me that my original assessment had indeed been the correct one。 Whoever these thugs were； they weren't Brother John's enforcers。 Not just because he didn't like aliens； but because his boys would have dropped me right there in front of the Starrm building instead of engaging in all this unnecessary exercise。
All of which boiled down to the fact that； whatever I wound up having to do to them； no one was likely to care very much。 At least； that's what I hoped it boiled down to。
They settled me with my back against the loading dock and took a prudent couple of steps away。 The first was now holding his wrist knife openly： a kind of push knife sticking out from his palm at right angles to his arm； the weapon strapped to his hand and wrist so that it couldn't be snatched or kicked out of his hand。 The other was holding my plasmic loosely at his side； not crassly pointed but ready if it was needed。 Both aliens were roughly human in height and build； I could see now； except with simian…length arms and foreshortened torsos。 The relief…map look of their faces was repeated over their entire bodies； or at least the parts that were visible sticking out of the long brown neo…Greek tunics they were wearing。
〃If this is a shakedown； I'm already broke；〃 I warned； getting in the first word just to irritate them as I gave their outfits a casual once…over。 There were no bulges or asymmetric bagginess that I could see。 Either they didn't have any backup weapons at all…which would be pretty careless on their part…or else they were holstered behind their backs。
〃It's not a shakedown；〃 Lumpy One said； waving his wrist knife back toward the main docking area。 〃We want your cargo。〃
I blinked in surprise。 〃You want to steal fifty cases of bine machine parts？〃 I asked incredulously。
They exchanged furtively startled glances。 〃That's
