tz.theicarushunt-第94部分

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emselves　screaming；　in　fact；　and　don't　seem　able　to　stop。〃
　I　swallowed　despite　myself；　all　the　stories　and　rumors　of　what　happened　to　people　brought　before　Antoniewicz　flashing　through　my　mind。　〃I　understand　that；　sir；〃　I　said　humbly。　〃But　if　I　may　be　so　bold；　I　suspect　none　of　those　others　were　bringing　the　sort　of　gift　I　have　to　offer　you。〃
　The　corners　of　his　lips　might　have　turned　up；　but　it　would　have　taken　a　micrometer　to　measure　it。　The　smile；　if　that's　what　it　was；　made　his　eyes　look　even　deader。　〃Really。　I　was　under　the　impression　that　the　Icarus　was　now　mine　by　simple　right　of　possession。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　I　said；　passing　over　the　fact　that　if　I　hadn't　cooperatively　flown　the　ship　into　his　waiting　arms　it　wouldn't　have　been　in　his　possession。　Considering　the　size　and　number　of　his　bodyguards；　ments　like　that　were　quite　easy　for　me　to　stifle。　〃I　was　actually　speaking　of　something　else　entirely。　Or；　rather；　someone　else　entirely。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Everett　growled；　taking　a　step　toward　me。　〃You　take　credit　for　her　and　I'll　cave　your　face　in。〃
　〃Ryland？〃　Antoniewicz　invited；　gesturing　at　Tera。
　〃Everett　claims　she's　the　daughter　of　Arno　Cameron；〃　Brother　John　said。　I　could　still　hear　the　phony　good　humor　in　his　voice；　but　it　was　curiously　subdued。　Most　everything　good；　I　suspected；　humor　included；　would　darken　or　wilt　in　Antoniewicz's　presence。　〃Cameron's　the　man　who…〃
　〃I　know　who　he　is；〃　Antoniewicz　said。　〃Tell　me　why　Everett　thinks　he　deserves　credit　for　her。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　take　a　moment　to　remind　everyone　that　I'm　not　anyone's　carnival　prize；〃　Tera　cut　in；　glaring　at　each　of　us　in　turn　but　saving　her　most　withering　look　for　me。　I　couldn't　really　blame　her　on　that　count；　either；　if　I　hadn't　revealed　her　identity　during　my　brilliant　summing　up　of　the　case　a　few　minutes　ago；　she'd　be　just　one　more　anonymous　prisoner　back　in　the　lodge。
　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃If　I　might　explain…〃
　〃Quiet；〃　Antoniewicz　said。　He　hadn't　raised　his　voice；　or　changed　his　inflection；　or　even　looked　at　me…the　full　force　of　his　gaze　was　on　Tera　at　the　moment。　And　yet；　my　mouth　clamped　shut；　almost　of　its　own　accord；　my　attempted　mediation　cut　short　as　if　guillotined。　The　sheer　presence　of　the　man；　the　power　and　evil　lurking　veiled　beneath　the　surface；　were　almost　physical　qualities　like　his　voice　or　face　or　expensive　suit。　For　the　first　time；　I　truly　understood　how　it　was　he'd　been　able　to　create　such　a　huge　and　wide…ranging　criminal　empire。
　Tera　wasn't　nearly　as　easily　impressed　as　I　was。　〃I　don't　know　who　exactly　you　are；〃　she　continued　on　into　the　silence；　〃but　whatever　it　is　you　think　I'm　worth　to　you；　you're　sadly　mistaken。〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　so；〃　Antoniewicz　disagreed　mildly。　〃Of　all　those　who　worked　closely　on　this　ship；　only　your　father　remains　at　large。　You're　the　lever　that　will　pry　him　out　of　hiding。〃
　〃If　you　think　that；　you're　more　of　a　fool　than　I　thought；〃　Tera　scoffed；　clearly　not　caring　whether　she　offended　him　or　not。　Across　our　little　circle　I　saw　both　Everett　and　Brother　John　wince；　with　Pix　and　Pax　giving　a　little　twitch　as　well。　One　simply　didn't　talk　that　way　to　Mr。　Antoniewicz。　〃My　father　is　fully　aware　of　what　this　ship　is　worth　to　humanity；〃　Tera　continued。　〃And　he　has　never　yet　let　personal　considerations　get　in　the　way　of　what　needs　to　be　done。　Whatever　information　he　has　about　the　Icarus；　the　last　thing　he'll　do　is　give　it　away　to　someone　like　you。　Certainly　not　under　duress。〃
　〃Not　even　with　his　daughter's　life　at　stake？〃　Antoniewicz　asked；　his　voice　politely　incredulous。
　〃No；〃　Tera　said　flatly；　straightening　to　an　almost…haughty　posture　as　pride　momentarily　eclipsed　every　evidence　of　fear　and　uncertainty。　I　could　imagine　the　true　royalty　of　old　facing　the　peasant　mobs　with　the　same　courage　and　disdain。
　And　with　the　same　results。　〃Pity；〃　Antoniewicz　said；　sounding　almost　regretful。　〃In　that　case；　you're　worth　nothing　to　me　at　all。〃　He　looked　at　the　man　standing　behind　me　to　my　right　and　lifted　a　languid　hand。
　And　abruptly；　the　pressure　of　the　gun　muzzle　on　my　back　vanished　as；　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　him　bring　the　weapon　around　to　point　straight　at　Tera's　face　I　don't　know　why　I　did　it　Antoniewicz　was　bluffing；　and　I　knew　he　was　bluffing。　He　would　never　kill　a　potential　hostage　whose　usefulness　hadn't　yet　been　tested；　not　even　one　who'd　verbally　spit　in　his　eye　the　way　she　had。　I　knew　it　was　an　act；　and　if　I'd　had　another　fraction　of　a　second　to　think　about　it　I'd　have　realized　that　I　was　playing　directly　into　his　hands。
　But　I'd　promised　Cameron　that　I　would　watch　over　his　daughter；　and　the　reflexes　just　kicked　in　on　their　own。　With　my　right　hand　I　slapped　the　thug's　gun　off　target；　then　spun　around　on　my　right　heel　to　drive　my　right　elbow　into　his　solar　plexus　as　I　grabbed　for　the　weapon　with　my　left　hand。
　It　was　about　as　close　to　a　plete　failure　as　anything　I'd　ever　tried　in　my　life　My　elbow　struck　an　unyielding　slab　of　body　armor；　my　snatch　for　the　gun　missed　pletely　as　he　twitched　it　aside　out　of　my　reach；　and　before　I　could　regain　my　balance　to　try　something　else　he'd　taken　a　long　pace　backward　and　was　looking　at　me　with　the　sort　of　expression　you　might　use　for　a　particularly　interesting　new　species　of　insect。　About　the　only　thing　that　kept　it　from　being　a　plete　failure　was　that　I　didn't　fall　flat　on　my　face　in　the　process。
　I　braced　myself；　waiting　for　the　inevitable　flurry　of　shots　and　the　searing　pain　that　would　acpany　them。　But　once　again；　my　reflexive　thought　was　out　of　step　with　reality。　〃Interesting；〃　Antoniewicz　said；　his　voice　cutting　calmly　across　the　sudden　tension。　〃You　were　right；　Ryland。　He　is　something　of　the　heroic　type；　isn't　he？〃
　〃And　seems　to　have　soft　feelings　for　Ms。　Cameron；　besides；〃　Brother　John　agreed。　He　was　openly　gloating　now；　I　saw；　though　whether　that　was　at　my　failure　or　his　own　cleverness　I　couldn't　tell。
　〃The　only　feelings　I　have　for　her　are　ones　you　couldn't　understand；〃　I　growled　back　with　the　ill　temper　of　a　man　who's　just　pletely　humiliated　himself。　〃Loyalty；　for　one。　Or　any　of　the　other　sympathetic　emotions　human　beings　have　for　each　other。　Of　course；　in　your　case；　I　use　the　term　'human　being'　in　its　loosest　possible　sense。　You're　a　lot　less　human　than　most　of　the　aliens　I　know。〃
　The　gloating　vanished　from　Brother　John's　face；　the　handsome　face　turning　suddenly　ugly。　〃Listen；　McKell…〃
　〃Enough；〃　Antoniewicz　cut　him　off；　giving　me　the　same　interesting…insect　look　his　bodyguard　had。　〃Whatever　the　details　of　his　character　flaws；　it's　clear　now　that　McKell　would　not　wish　harm　to　e　to　the　lady。〃　He　lifted　his　eyebrows　slightly。　〃That　is　clear；　is　it　not？〃
　I　looked　at　Tera。　Some　of　that　earlier　defiance　was　still　simmering　in　her　eyes；　but　the　face　behind　them　had　gone　noticeably　pale。　The　aura　of　death　and　evil　surrounding　Antoniewicz　was　starting　to　get　to　her。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃　I　asked；　giving　bluff　and　bluster　one　last　try。
　I　might　as　well　have　saved　myself　the　trouble。　〃Don't　play　stupid；　McKell；〃　Antoniewicz　reproved　me。　〃It　doesn't　suit　you。　Will　you　release　the　locks　you　put　on　the　Icarus's　systems？　Or　do　my　men　take　Ms。　Cameron　back　to　the　engine　room？〃
　The　ship；　I　noticed　dimly；　suddenly　felt　very　cold。　〃Let　me　offer　an　alternative　deal；〃　I　said；　my　tongue　feeling　sluggish　in　my　mouth。　Antoniewicz　was　starting　to　get　to　me；　too。　〃If　you'll　let　Tera；　Ixil；　and　me　leave　here　unharmed；　I'll　ungimmick　the　ship　and　give　you　something　that'll　be　far　more　valuable　to　you　than　all　three　of　us　put　together。〃
　〃He's　stalling；〃　Brother　John　said　contemptuously。　〃He　hasn't　got　anything　left　to　bargain　with。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　Arno　Cameron。〃
　〃You　can　tell　us　where　he　is？〃　Antoniewicz　asked。
　〃I　can　do　better　than　that；〃　I　said；　trying　hard　to　ignore　the　suddenly　stricken　look　on　Tera's　face。　〃I　can　deliver　him　to　you。　Right　now。〃
　The　atmosphere　was　suddenly　electric。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Brother　John　demanded；　looking　around　as　if　expecting　Cameron　to　pop　out　of　the　alien　hull。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃He's　hiding　in　the　smaller　sphere；〃　I　said；　settling　for　the　simplest　explanation。　Giving　them　the　plete　story　would　only　confuse　the　issue。　〃I　can　go　in　there　and　get　him