tz.theicarushunt-第92部分
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he loosened Shawn's restraints enough that he'd be able to work his way free and escape。 Then； while the rest of you were out searching； Everett headed to the Starrm building。 Maybe you even called while I was still talking to him； he was off the line a long time looking up the location of a drug dealer to steer me to。
〃Anyway； Ryland told him to do two things。 First； to phone in an anonymous tip to Najiki Customs that we had smuggled gemstones aboard； and second； to kill Ixil； who Everett told him was still sleeping off his burns。 When customs found a dead body aboard and locked the Icarus down for investigation； Ryland reasoned； I would be out by default。
〃Unfortunately for all his cleverness； everything went wrong from that point on。 Cameron caught Everett preparing to kill Ixil； clobbered him； and put the chemical vials inside Ixil's room where Everett couldn't easily get at them again。〃
I looked at Tera。 〃Do you remember； Tera； when you cut into my phone conversation with Everett to tell us you'd found Shawn？ Do you remember how he sounded？〃
〃He did seem a little odd；〃 she said； her forehead wrinkled with thought。 〃A little blurry； as I recall。〃
〃He was a lot blurry； actually；〃 I said。 〃At the time； I assumed it was because Shawn had hit him during his escape。 Now； I know it was because he hadn't yet recovered from your father's one…two punch。〃
〃Dad keeps in pretty good shape；〃 Tera said。 〃I'll bet he still can pack a wallop。〃
〃Especially when properly inspired；〃 I agreed。 〃I'll have to look up your throw…boxing record； Everett； and see if you had a history of easy knockouts or whether Cameron was just lucky。 At any rate； when Everett came to； he knew he wouldn't have time to e up with a Plan B before the Najik arrived； so he hightailed it off the ship； remembering to lock the hatchway behind him the way it had been when you'd all scattered to look for Shawn。
〃Sure enough； the Najik arrived in force and prepared to open the ship the hard way。 And there Everett's second stroke of bad luck came in： Chort returned to the ship about the same time and decided they shouldn't go in without the captain being there。 So he blocked their path； and no one in the Spiral goes out of their way to irritate Crooea。 The Najik were probably in the process of discussing protocol with their HQ when the third and final bit of bad luck arrived。〃
〃You？〃 Nicabar suggested。
〃Me；〃 I confirmed。 〃Ryland knew how far across the city he had sent me for the borandis； and figured the whole thing would be over and done with long before I could make it back。 What he didn't know was that the sky was going to open up and rain small mammals； and that as a result I would hire a cab instead of using the more anonymous public transports the way his employees are supposed to。 At any rate； I got back in time to bluff the Najik out of a real search； and we were off again。〃
〃An amazing bit of deduction；〃 Everett mented； shaking his head in feigned wonderment。 Apparently； he still wasn't ready to give it up。 〃Seriously flawed； of course； but still interesting to listen to。 Tell me this； then； Mr。 Detective： If I was so determined to get you or Ixil； why did I risk my life to help get you away from the Patth on Palmary？ To the point of even getting shot； as you may recall？〃
〃Oh； I recall； all right；〃 I said with a nod。 〃And the reason is simple； even if the rest of the details are a little murky。 You didn't hurt Ixil or me because by then you knew just how valuable the Icarus really was and that Ryland would definitely want to get hold of it himself。 You needed a pilot to get off the planet； hence； the selfless volunteer work。〃
With my free hand I gestured to Nicabar。 〃Revs； however； was a different and more serious matter entirely。 You needed a pilot and an engine specialist to fly the Icarus； but with Ixil and Revs both around； you had two engine specialists。 Under other circumstances you probably would have been happy to have the duplication； but sometime in the preparation for my rescue Revs must have let it slip that he was an ex…EarthGuard Marine。 That was great for getting me out； but not so great when you looked further down the line。
〃And so； when Ixil left you in the main club room as rear guard； you propped up one of the dead Iykams in a likely position behind some of the tables； picked out a spot nearby； and then shot yourself in the leg。〃
〃He shot himself？〃 Chort whistled。 〃But why？〃
〃Two reasons；〃 I said。 〃First； because he needed an excuse for why he was out of sight when Revs and Ixil brought me in from the back room。 Remember； he had to shoot at Revs from concealment near where he'd set up the dead Iykam； then move a couple of tables away from there and shoot the corpse in the back if it was to look plausible。 The only possible reason he could have for lying down on the job was if he'd been shot。〃
I shrugged。 〃As it happened； he wasn't as good or as lucky as he'd hoped； and was only able to wound Revs instead of killing him。 Still； for putting him more or less out of action it was good enough。〃
I was looking directly at Everett as I spoke； and so it was that I caught the flicker of relief that crossed his face just before the quiet and all…too…familiar voice came from the archway behind me。 〃Very clever； Jordan；〃 the voice said。 〃Very clever indeed。〃
I took a deep breath as the rest of the people around the table once again became stunned marble statues。 〃And the second reason he shot himself；〃 I added； letting the breath out in a resigned sigh； 〃was that he wanted an excuse to stay aboard the Icarus after the rest of us came up here to the lodge。 That Starrm call he'd made； you see； wasn't to any doctor friend。〃
With my free hand； not turning or even looking around； I gestured to the archway behind me。 〃May I introduce you all to Johnston Scotto Ryland。〃
CHAPTER 24
〃I'M IMPRESSED； JORDAN； really I am；〃 Brother John said； his voice acpanied by the sound of measured footsteps ing toward me across the wooden floor。 〃So that's why you were sitting on the portico all afternoon； was it？ Waiting to see if I'd show up？〃
〃Not really；〃 I told him。 〃No…don't try it；〃 I added； shifting my aim toward Nicabar as he began to ease one hand toward the edge of the table。
〃Yes； do listen to the man；〃 Brother John agreed。 〃At least； if you want to live。 You can put your gun down； too； Jordan； there's a good boy。 So you didn't expect me to show up？〃
〃Not while I was watching； no；〃 I said； laying my plasmic on the table and only then half turning to look around behind me。 Brother John was standing in the archway； beaming with apparent ease in our direction； as six of the biggest and meanest…looking thugs I'd ever seen strode purposefully toward us。 Their faces were without a doubt those of casual killers； the large black guns they were pointing at us made my plasmic look like a toy in parison。 〃I assumed Everett was watching the cliffs behind the lodge； waiting for you to arrive。〃
〃Don't be absurd；〃 Brother John said。 His voice was still cheerful； but there was a sudden undercurrent of menace beneath it。 〃You don't really think I'd have let you get here ahead of us； do you？ We've been waiting in the back wing of the lodge for almost a day now。 No； I think you were waiting for Everett to get tired of his vigil and e inside。〃
〃What exactly is going on here？〃 Tera asked； her voice trying hard to be calm but not entirely succeeding。
〃I should think that was obvious；〃 Brother John said； his gaze still on me。 〃We're taking the Icarus and its alien stardrive off your hands。〃
〃I'm afraid I hadn't gotten to that part yet；〃 I said apologetically； turning back to the table。 The bodyguards had reached us now； and as four of them stood watch the other two hauled Ixil and Chort to their feet and began a quick but thorough frisking。 〃Everett was told to lure us here with the promise of a safe haven。 Mr。 Ryland and his people were； we know now； waiting in hiding here in the fort of the lodge。 As soon as the rest of us were inside out of the way； the plan was to sneak out to the ship and take off； leaving us stranded。〃
The thugs found no weapons on Ixil or Chort； pushed them back down into
