tz.theicarushunt-第42部分

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　〃I　don't　know　how　it　happened；〃　Everett　said　plaintively。　〃He　must　have　slipped　the　straps　somehow…〃
　〃Never　mind　how　he　did　it；〃　I　cut　him　off。　〃The　recriminations　can　wait。　Which　direction　did　he　go？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Everett　said。　〃I　didn't　see　him　leave。　We're　all　out　looking　for　him。〃
　〃All　of　you？〃
　〃All　but　Ixil…we　pounded　on　his　door；　but　he　didn't　answer；　and　the　door　wasn't　working　right。　It's　okay…we　locked　the　hatch…〃
　There　was　a　quiet　sputtering　click　as　another　phone　joined　the　circuit。　〃Everett；　this　is　Tera；〃　her　voice　came　excitedly。　〃I've　found　him。〃
　〃Where？〃　I　snapped；　pulling　my　city　map　out　and　trying　to　shake　it　open　with　my　free　hand。
　〃McKell？〃　she　asked；　sounding　both　surprised　and　wary。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Outside　an　outfitter's　store　at　Ude'n　Corner；〃　she　said。　〃He's　accosting　people　as　they　go　in。〃
　〃That's　a　good　way　to　get　all　his　troubles　ended　permanently；〃　I　growled；　locating　the　spot　on　my　map。　It　was　only　a　short　block　away　from　Gate　2；　where　I　was　headed　anyway。　〃Keep　him　in　sight；　but　try　not　to　let　him　see　you；〃　I　told　her。　〃I'll　be　there　in　a　couple　of　minutes　and　we'll　bring　him　back　together。　Everett；　call　Nicabar　and　Chort　and　the　three　of　you　head　back　to　the　ship。　Get　it　ready　to　fly。〃
　〃Now？〃　Everett　asked；　sounding　surprised。　〃What　about　the　borandis？〃
　〃Done　and　done；〃　I　told　him。　〃Make　sure…〃
　〃You've　got　it？〃　Everett　asked。　〃Already？〃
　〃I'm　very　good　at　what　I　do；〃　I　told　him；　trying　hard　to　be　patient。　〃Make　sure　we've　been　fueled　and　are　ready　to　lift　as　soon　as　Tera　and　I　get　back　with　Shawn。〃
　Another　faint　hiss。　〃All　right。　We'll　see　you　back　at　the　ship。〃
　There　was　a　click　as　he　disconnected。　〃Tera？〃　I　called。
　〃Still　here；〃　she　confirmed　tightly。　〃And　I　think　people　are　starting　to　get　irritated　by　Shawn's　ravings。　You'd　better　hurry。〃
　〃Trust　me；〃　I　assured　her；　wincing　as　I　turned　part　of　my　attention　back　to　the　automotive　drama　taking　place　around　me。　〃He　must　have　made　good　time　to　be　out　of　the　spaceport　already。　How　long　since　he　jumped　ship？〃
　〃About　an　hour　ago；〃　she　said。　〃Just　after　you　left　to…〃
　〃An　hour？〃　I　cut　her　off　in　disbelief；　a　white…hot　flash　of　anger　slicing　through　me。　〃An　hour？　And　you　didn't　think　it　worth　mentioning　to　me？〃
　〃We　didn't　want　to　bother　you；〃　she　protested；　clearly　startled　by　my　sudden　anger。　〃You　already　had　the　medicine　to　find…〃
　〃I　don't　care　if　I've　got　the　crown　jewels　to　steal；〃　I　snarled。　〃Something　like　this　happens；　you　get　on　the　phone　and　tell　me　about　it。　Let　me　worry　about　what　it　does　to　my　schedule。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃Clear；〃　she　said；　more　subdued　than　I'd　ever　heard　her。　For　a　moment　I　considered　taking　another　verbal　slice　of　flesh　out　of　her；　decided　regretfully　that　it　probably　wasn't　her　fault；　and　kept　my　mouth　shut。　Possibly　it　wasn't　any　of　their　faults。　Ixil　would　have　known　what　to　do；　but　Ixil　was　in　his　cabin　in　a　a；　and　it　was　painfully　obvious　that　none　of　the　others　had　anywhere　near　our　experience　with　this　sort　of　thing。
　Instead；　I　vented　my　frustration　on　the　map　lying　open　beside　me；　folding　it　back　up　with　far　more　force　than　was　necessary　and　shoving　it　into　my　jacket's　left　side　pocket。
　〃McKell？〃　Tera　said；　her　voice　suddenly　tight。　〃I　think　I　see　a　police　car　heading　this　way。　Red　and　blue；　with　a　flashing　blue　light　on　top；　moving　very　fast。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　told　her。　〃It's　a　cab；　and　I'm　in　it。　Flag　me　in；　will　you？〃
　A　block　ahead；　I　saw　her　step　to　the　curb　and　raise　her　hand；　a　vision　of　loveliness　standing　there　in　the　downpour　in　her　stylish　drowned…rat　look。　I　directed　the　driver　over　to　her；　dropped　two　hundred…mark　bills　on　the　seat　beside　him　as　I　got　out；　and　pulled　Tera　quickly　away　from　the　curb　as　he　shot　off　again　in　a　foaming　wave。　Maybe　I'd　wasted　all　that　tip　money；　maybe　that　was　the　way　he　always　drove　anyway。
　〃There；〃　Tera　said；　pointing　across　the　street。
　〃I　see　him；〃　I　said。　Considering　the　way　Shawn　was　bouncing　around　the　store　entrance　waving　his　arms　at　everyone　in　sight；　he　would　have　been　hard　to　miss。　Taking　Tera's　arm　again；　I　steered　us　through　the　traffic　flow　toward　him。
　After　everything　else　that　had　happened；　the　capture　itself　was　rather　anticlimactic。　Pleading　and　screeching　and　cursing　at　the　passersby；　his　wet　hair　plastered　half　across　his　face；　Shawn　was　in　no　shape　to　see　anything　happening　around　him；　Tera　and　I　could　have　driven　up　to　him　in　an　armored　personnel　carrier　without　him　noticing。　As　it　was；　we　simply　moved　in　from　opposite　sides　and　grabbed　his　arms。　He　gave　a　single　terrific　lurch；　but　there　wasn't　much　strength　left　in　him；　and　after　that　one　attempt　to　break　free　he　just　stood　there　shaking　in　our　grip。
　We　led　him　away　from　the　door　and　the　pedestrian　traffic　to　the　narrow　passageway　between　the　outfitter's　store　and　the　next　building　over；　Tera　murmuring　soothingly　in　his　ear　the　whole　way。　When　we　were　as　far　out　of　the　public　eye　as　we　were　likely　to　get；　I　dug　out　the　cassette　and　fed　him　one　of　the　borandis　capsules。　He　seemed　to　be　having　trouble　getting　it　down　until　Tera　filled　her　cupped　hands　with　rainwater　and　gave　him　a　drink。
　The　effects　were　quite　amazing。　Almost　immediately　his　trembling　began　to　subside；　and　within　a　couple　of　minutes　he　seemed　almost　back　to　normal。
　At　least　physically。　〃You　sure　took　your　sweet　time　about　it；〃　he　growled；　breathing　heavily　as　he　brushed　his　wet　hair　impatiently　out　of　his　face。　〃Where　the　hell　are　we；　anyway？　You　said　we　were　going　to　Mintarius。　This　isn't　Mintarius。　I　know…I've　been　there。〃
　〃Change　of　plans；〃　I　told　him　shortly；　peering　closely　at　his　eyes。　His　pupils；　strongly　dilated　when　we'd　first　grabbed　him；　seemed　to　be　shrinking　back　to　normal　size。
　〃Yeah；　well；　that　change　of　plans　might　have　killed　me；〃　he　snapped。　〃Did　you　ever　think　of　that？　This　place　must　be　at　least　three　hours　farther　than　Mintarius　was。〃
　〃No；　just　two；〃　I　said。　He　was　well　enough　to　travel；　I　decided；　and　even　if　he　wasn't；　we　were　going。　The　sooner　he　was　aboard　the　Icarus　and　shut　away　where　I　didn't　have　to　listen　to　him；　the　better。　Taking　his　arm；　I　pulled　him　back　out　toward　the　main　thoroughfare。
　〃Wait　a　minute；　what's　the　rush？〃　he　growled；　leaning　back　against　my　pull。　His　strength　was　also　making　a　remarkable　eback。　〃We　just　got　here。　How　about　just　for　once　sticking　around　some　planet　more　than　five　minutes；　huh？〃
　〃Shut　up　and　e　on；〃　Tera　snapped；　grabbing　his　other　arm。　From　the　look　of　surprise　that　flicked　across　his　face；　I　guessed　she　was　digging　her　nails　into　his　skin　more　than　was　necessary　to　maintain　the　grip。　Certainly　more　than　I　was；　but　then；　I'd　only　been　irritated　by　his　disappearing　act　for　the　past　five　minutes。　Tera　had　had　a　whole　hour　of　slogging　through　the　rain　in　which　to　work　up　resentment。
　Between　her　voice；　her　grip；　and　whatever　he　saw　in　her　face；　Shawn　apparently　realized　that；　too。　He　shut　up　as　ordered；　and　docilely　followed　us　down　the　street　and　through　the　spaceport　gate。　We　caught　the　slideway　and　headed　in。
　I　kept　a　careful　eye　behind　us；　as　well　as　on　the　slideways　that　passed　or　intersected　ours；　but　I　saw　no　sign　of　anyone　tailing　us。　I　had　thought　Torsk　might　have　second　thoughts　about　letting　me　leave　so　easily；　but　apparently　he'd　decided　that　discretion　was　the　better　part　of　continued　employment　and　had　decided　to　leave　well　enough　alone。
　We　reached　the　last　freighter　parked　between　us　and　the　Icarus；　and　finally；　it　seemed；　we　were　out　of　the　woods。　We　had　the　borandis；　we　had　Shawn；　and　no　one　had　pointed　toward　me　and　yelled　for　the　Patth。　Now；　if　the　Icarus　had　just　been　fueled　properly；　we　would　be　in　business。　Hoping　distantly　that　we　wouldn't　find　the　fuelers　still　trying　to　figure　out　how　to　get　the　hose　into　the　Icarus's　intake；　we　came　around　the　side　of　the　freighter。
　The　fuelers　weren't　there。　What　was　there　was　a　group　of　ten　Najik　wearing　the　black…and…red　tunics　of　customs　officers。　Standing　by　the　entry　ramp。
　Waiting　for　us。
　　
　CHAPTER　10
　
　BESIDE　ME；　SHAWN　made　a　strangled　sort　of　sound　deep　in　his　throat。　〃Oh；　God；〃　he　breathed。　〃We're　dead。〃
　〃Quiet；〃　I　muttered　back；　taking　a　second；　closer　look　a