tz.cobra strike-第35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！


　f　spotted。
　f^j　Moving　deeper　into　the　forest；　he　headed　south；　f…　hoping　the　Qasamans　hadn't　lined　the　whole　damned　〃。f'：　forest　with　soldiers。　If　they　had；　he　might　have　to　；；：…climb　a　tree　to　contact　the　ship；　after　all。　？J　But　their　exaggerated　caution　hadn't　carried　them　f。〃　to　quite　that　length。　A　hundred　meters　from　his　la…；％ser's　hiding　place　the　silent　cordon　line　ended；　Pyre　js^vent　another　fifty　and　then　pushed　his　way　cau…s^tiously　to　the　edge。　A　convenient　bush　allowed　him　to　get　a　clear　shot　at　the　Dewdrop's　nose　without　exposing　himself　to　direct　view　of　the　airfield　control　tower。　Flat　on　his　stomach；　he　set　up　the　laser　as　ickly　as　he　could　and　aimed　it　toward　where　he　/thought　the　bow　sensor　cluster　was　located。　Crossing
　！his　fingers；　he　flipped　it　on。　〃Pyre　here；〃　he　murmured　into　the　mike。　〃e　in；　anyone。〃　There　was　no　response。　He　waited　a　few　seconds；　then　shifted　his　aim　fractionally　and　tried　again。　Still　nothing。　My　God…have　they　somehow　taken　everyone　out　already？　He　searched　the　hull　for　signs　of　damage。　Gas；　perhaps；　or　sonics　that　could　have　penetrated　without　harming　the　ship　itself？　The　taste　of　fear　starting　to　well　up　into　his　throat；　he　again　adjusted　his　aim…
　〃…in；　Almo；　are　you　there？　A/mo？〃
　Pyre's　body　sagged　with　relief。　〃I'm　here；　Governor。　Phew。　I　thought　something　had　happened　to　all　of　you。〃
　〃Yeah；　well；　it's　about　to；〃　Telek　said　grimly。　〃Somehow　they've　tumbled　to　the　fact　that　we're　a　spy　mission；　and　it's　probably　a　tossup　as　to　whether　they　try　and　board　us　or　take　the　safer　way　out　and　just　blow　us　up。〃
　〃Any　word　from　the　contact　team？〃　Pyre　asked；　forcing　his　voice　to　remain　steady。
　〃Moff　still　has　them　on　the　bus；　and　so　far　they　seem　okay。　They're　being　taken　somewhere　besides　Sol　las；　though；　probably　the　next　city　down。　We　were　hoping　you'd　have　a　chance　of　intercepting　them　before　they　got　too　far　away；　assuming　we　could　contact　you　in　time。〃
　〃And？〃
　Telek　hesitated。　〃Well　。。。　we　estimate　the　bus　will　be　passing　the　main　road　heading　south　from　Sollas　in　ten　or　fifteen　minutes。　But　that's　twenty…plus　kilometers　from　us…〃
　〃How　many　Qasamans　aboard？〃　he　cut　her　off　harshly。
　〃The　usual　six…man　escort；〃　she　told　him。　〃Plus　their　mojos。　But　even　if　you　could　get　there　in　time　I　don't　know　how　you'd　get　them　out　safely。〃
　〃I'll　find　a　way。　Just　don't　lift　until　I　get　back　here　with　them　。。。　or　until　it's　clear　I'm　not　going　to　make　it　back　at　all。〃
　He　broke　the　connection　without　waiting　to　hear　her　reply　and　began　crawling　backwards　from　his　concealing　bush　toward　the　protection　of　the　forest；　leaving　the　m　laser　deployed　for　possible　future　use。　Twenty　kilometers　in　ten　minutes。　Hopeless　even　if　he'd　had　clean　ground　to　run　on　instead　of　a　forest　。。。　but　maybe　the　Qasamans　would　outsmart　themselves　on　this　one。　Six　guards　in　an　ordinary　bus　was　a　fairly　loose　setup；　even　with　the　mojos　and　against　four　unarmed　prisoners。　In　their　place　Pyre　would　transfer　the　Aventinians　to　a　safer　vehicle　at　the　first　opportunity　。。。　and　to　his　way　of　thinking　the　crossroads　to　the　south　would　be　the　ideal　spot　for　such　a　switch。
　And　if　his　guess　proved　correct　the　whole　party　would　be　there　for　a　few　extra　minutes。　Long　enough；　perhaps；　for　Pyre　to　get　there　too。
　At　which　point　he'd　have　to　face　not　only　the　busload　of　Qasamans　but　also　whatever　troops　they'd　assembled　for　the　transfer。　But　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　about　that。　It　was　time　for　Almo　Pyre；　Cobra；　to　bee　what　his　implanted　equipment　had　always　intended　him　to　be。　Not　a　hunter；　spy；　nor　even　a　killer　of　Aventinian　spine　leopards。
　But　a　warrior。
　Setting　off　at　the　fastest　run　the　forest　permitted；　he　headed　south。　It　was　all　up　to　him　now。
　It　was　all　up　to　him　now。
　York　took　a　quiet　breath；　using　his　Marine　biofeed…back　techniques　to　relax　his　muscles　and　nerves　and　to　prepare　him　for　action。　To　the　right　and　slightly　ahead　he　could　see　the　buildings　of　Sollas　silhouetted　against　the　darkening　sky；　and　if　he　remembered　the　aerial　maps　correctly　they　were　now　about　as　close　to　the　city　as　this　road　got。　It　was　time　to　make　his　attempt　。。。　and　to　find　out　just　how　deadly　these　mojos　were。
　His　pen　and　ring　were　already　resting　casually　in　his　left　hand。　Easing　his　calculator…watch　off　his　left　wrist；　he　fit　the　pen　through　its　band；　making　sure　the　contacts　were　wedged　solidly　together。　The　ring　slid　onto　the　pen's　clip　to　its　own　slot；　and　the　palm…mate　was　ready。　The　arming　sequence　was　three　keystrokes　on　the　calculator。
　Wrapping　the　watchband　into　position　around　his　right　palm；　he　raised　his　hand　over　the　back　of　the　seat　in　front　of　him。　Moff　had　given　up　his　guard　duty　to　one　of　the　others　a　few　kilometers　back；　but　the　Qasaman's　attention　was　on　Rynstadt　and　Joshua　at　the　moment。　/　get　one　free　shot；　York　reminded　himself　distantly；　and　bringing　the　pen　to　bear　on　the　guard；　he　squeezed　the　trigger。
　The　Oasaman　jerked　as　the　tiny　dart　buried　itself　deep　in　his　cheek；　his　gun　swinging　wildly　in　reflexive　search　for　a　target。　Reflexive　but　useless；　already　his　eyes　were　beginning　to　glaze　as　the　potent　mix　of　neurotoxins　took　effect。　York　shifted　his　aim　to　the　mojo　on　the　dying　man's　shoulder　and　a　second　dart　found　its　target　。。。　but　as　he　brought　the　palm…mate　to　bear　on　Moff's　mojo　all　hell　broke　loose。
　They　were　smart　all　right；　those　birds。　The　dead　Oasaman　hadn't　even　fallen　to　the　floor　before　the　remaining　five　mojos　were　in　the　air；　sweeping　toward　him　like　silver…blue　Furies。　He　got　off　two　more　shots；　but　neither　connected…and　then　they　were　on　him；　talons　digging　into　his　face　and　gun　arm　and　slamming　him　hard　into　the　seat。　Through　the　haze　of　agony　he　could　dimly　hear　screams　from　Rynstadt　and　the　inprehensible　shouts　of　the　Qasamans。　Mojo　wings　slapped　at　his　eyes；　blinding　him；　but　he　didn't　need　his　sight　to　know　that　his　right　forearm　was　being　flayed；　his　right　hand　torn　by　beaks　and　talons　as　the　mojos　fought　single…mindedly　to　get　the　palm…mate　away　from　him。　But　it　was　wrapped　firmly　around　his　open　hand；　caught　there　though　the　will　to　hold　it　had　long　since　vanished。　His　arm　was　on　fire…wave　after　wave　of　agony　screaming　into　his　brain…and　then　suddenly　the　birds　were　gone；　flut…　taring　away　to　squawk　at　him　from　seat　backs　and　Qasaman　shoulders；　and　he　saw　what　they'd　done　to　his　arm…
　And　the　emotional　shock　bined　with　the　physical　shock　。。　。　and　Decker　York；　who　had　seen　men　injured　and　killed　on　five　other　worlds；　dropped　like　a　stone　into　the　temporary　sanctuary　of　unconsciousness。
　His　last　thought　before　the　blackness　took　him　was　that　he　would　never　wake　up。
　〃Oh；　my　God；〃　Christopher　whispered。　〃My　God。〃
　Telek　bit　hard　into　the　knuckles　of　her　right　hand；　curled　into　an　impotent　fist　at　her　mouth。　York's　arm。。；。　She　willed　her　eyes　to　turn　away；　but　they　were　as　tightly　frozen　to　the　scene　as　Joshua's　own　eyes　were。　Like　a　violent；　haphazard　dissection　of　York's　arm…except　that　York　was　still　alive。　For　now。
　Beside　her；　Nnamdi　gagged　and　fled　the　room。　She　hardly　noticed。
　It　seemed　like　forever；　but　it　was　probably　only　a　few　seconds　before　Rynstadt　was　at　York's　side；　a　small　can　of　seal…spray　from　his　landing　kit　clutched　in　his　shaking　hand。　He　sprayed　it　on　York's　arm；　sloppily　and　with　an　amateur's　lack　of　uniformity；　but　by　the　time　the　can　hissed　itself　dry　Cerenkov　had　broken　his　own　paralysis　and　moved　in　with　a　fresh　can。　Together　they　managed　to　seal　off　the　worst　of　the　blood　flow。
　Through　it　all　Joshua　never　budged。　Terrified　out　of　his　mind；　Telek　thought。　What　a　thing　for　a　kid　to　seel
　〃Governor？〃　F'ahl's　voice　from　the　inter　made　her　jump。　〃Will　he　live？〃
　She　hesitated。　With　the　blood　loss　stopped　and　the　seal…spray's　anti…shock　factors　supporting　York's　system　。。。　but　she　knew　better　than　to　give　even　herself　false　hope。　〃Not　a　chance；〃　she　told　F'ahl　quietly。　〃He　needs　the　Dewdrop's　medical　facilities　within　an　hour　or　less。〃
　〃Almo…〃
　〃Might　be　able　to　get　him　here　in　time。　But　he　won't。　If　he　tries　he'll　just　get　himself　killed；　too。〃　The　words　burned　in　her　mouth；　but　she　knew　they　were　true。　With　the　Qasamans　and　their　birds　jarred　out　of　any　overconfidence　they　might　have　had。　Pyre