tz.cobra strike-第43部分

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　。。。　and　the　thought　of　what　might　have　happened…or　could　yet　happen…
　Reality　broke　into　the　unfortable　speculation：　the　elevator　was　slowing　down。　The　car；　he　estimated；　was　about　three　floors　below　him。　When　the　doors　opened　he　would　begin　sliding　down　the　cable　toward　it；　keeping　his　antiarmor　laser　aimed　and　ready。　If　the　Qasamans　still　hadn't　caught　on　he　would　drop　through　the　ceiling　hole；　out　the　door；　and　make　a　mad　dash　for　the　exit；　relying　on　his　speed　and　puterized　reflexes　to　get　him　through。
　Below　him　the　car　doors　opened…and　as　they　did；　the　top　of　the　car　was　abruptly　flooded　with　light　and　the　roar　of　sustained　gunfire　exploded　into　the　shaft。
　Justin　jerked　violently；　nearly　losing　his　grip。　The　car　was　already　being　obscured　by　a　haze　of　smoke。　Through　it　the　staccato　flashing　of　the　guns　lit　up　the　shaft　with　an　unearthly　glow。　Splinters　of　shattered　steel　scythed　the　air　in　counterpoint　to　the　invisible　battering　of　the　bullets　that　were　demolishing　everything　in　range。
　And　Justin's　brief　respite　from　panic　was　over。
　Across　from　him　another　of　the　landing　doors　was　visible　in　the　flickering　light。　As　the　barrage　below　reached　its　peak　his　leg　swung　convulsively　around；　the　laser　within　it　tracing　a　distorted　ellipse　across　the　doors。　For　that　heart…rending　second　it　didn't　matter　that　the　Qasamans　might　have　a　dozen　gunmen　ringing　each　elevator　door；　didn't　even　matter　that　a　moment's　study　probably　would　have　revealed　an　emergency　mechanism　that　might　have　given　them　far　less　warning　of　his　presence。　All　that　mattered　was　that　the　guns　below　could　be　turned　upwards　at　any　second；　and　that　he　wanted　out　of　the　deathtrap　now。　Twisting　his　legs　to　the　horizontal；　he　shoved　hard　against　the　cable　with　his　hands。　The　charred　ellipse　broke　like　foil　as　he　hit　it；　and　he　flew　helplessly　into　the　hallway　beyond；　slamming　into　the　far　wall　and　bouncing　off　into　a　barely　balanced　crouch。
　The　hallway　was　empty。
　For　a　long　moment　he　sat　there　trembling　on　his　haunches；　his　brain　struggling　to　pierce　the　unreality　of　the　situation　to　figure　out　what　had　happened。　They　knew　he　was　in　the　shaft…the　roar　of　gunfire　still　ing　from　below　more　than　proved　that。　So　why　weren't　all　the　exits　from　the　shaft　being　guarded？
　Because　they　thought　he　was　still　on　the　elevator　roof？
　Probably。　A　concealed　weapon　would　likely　not　have　been　powerful　enough　to　kill　the　two　men　from　any　further　away　than　the　roof。　And　they　wouldn't　have　any　idea　just　how　high　his　servos　let　him　jump。
　Getting　to　his　feet；　he　gulped　a　ragged　breath　and　took　stock　of　the　situation。　The　hallway　stretched　for　thirty　meters　or　so　in　both　directions；　its　walls　lined　with　inprehensibly　labeled　doors。　At　the　far　ends　small　windows　reflected　his　image。
　Small；　but　probably　large　enough　to　get　through。　Picking　the　closest　of　the　two　ends；　Justin　headed　for　it　at　a　dead　run。
　And　he　almost　made　it。　But　if　guarding　all　exits　from　the　elevator　shaft　hadn't　been　the　Qasamans〃　first　priority；　neither　had　it　been　forgotten。　His　own　footsteps　masking　the　sound　of　their　approach；　Jus…tin's　first　warning　was　the　blood…chilling　scream　of　a　mojo　directly　behind　him。　He　twisted　around；　getting　just　the　briefest　glimpse　of　talons　arcing　for　his　face　before　his　nanoputer　took　over。
　The　servos　in　his　legs　wrenched　him　to　the　side；　out　of　the　mojo's　line　of　flight。　Its　wingtips　brushed　his　face　as　it　overshot　him；　screaming　again　in　what　sounded　uncannily　like　rage。　At　the　far　end　of　the　hall；　five　Qasamans　had　e　from　somewhere；　their
　guns　aimed　and　ready；　and　four　more　mojos　were　sweeping　to　the　attack。
　And　for　the　second　time　that　night　the　sight　of　the　birds　drove　all　reason　and　nerve　from　his　mind。　Falling　backwards　to　slam　against　the　wall；　he　snapped　his　burned　hands　up　。。。　and　as　his　brain　fogged　over　with　terror；　his　nanoputer　turned　them　into　fountains　of　laser　fire。
　He　came　to　a　few　seconds　later　to　find　all　five　mojos　dead。　At　the　end　of　the　hallway；　he　could　see　at　least　three　Qasaman　bodies；　as　well。　The　survivors…if　there'd　been　any…had　vanished。
　Witnesses　to　his　Cobra　firepower；　but　that　thought　didn't　occur　to　Justin　until　a　long　time　afterwards。　Back　on　his　feet；　he　headed　again　for　his　target　window；　sonic　disruptor　focused　on　it。　The　weapon　found　and　locked　onto　the　window's　primary　resonance；　increased　its　amplitude　。。。　and　with　Justin　two　steps　from　it；　the　glass　shattered；　taking　much　of　the　sash　framework　with　it　in　its　violent　demise。　Increasing　his　speed；　Justin　put　down　his　head　and　dove　through　the　hole。
　Three　floors　below　him；　the　edge　of　the　tower　was　a　blaze　of　floodlights　and　the　crazy…quilt　shadow　pattern　of　running　men。　Justin　saw　just　enough　to　realize　he　would　most　likely　land　outside　the　lit　area　before　his　nanoputer　pulled　his　arms　and　legs　tightly　in　toward　his　torso。　He　tensed；　but　a　second　later　when　the　limbs　snapped　out　to　normal　position　again　he　was　relieved　to　find　the　puter's　calcula*　tion　had　been　correct。　Properly　vertical　once　more；　he　hit　the　ground　on　his　feet；　servos　taking　the　impact　as　they　fought　against　his　forward　momentum　to　regain　his　balance　before　he　ran　full　tilt　into　the　building　immediately　across　from　his　former　prison。　The　effort　was　a　success；　turning　to　run　parallel　to　the　building；　he　sprinted　to　the　nearest　corner　and　rounded　it。　He'd　not　had　a　chance　yet　to　really　focus　on　his　surroundings；　but　as　he　picked　up　speed　now　he　realized　the　universe　had　betrayed　him　one　final　time。　Directly　ahead　the　buildings　and　street　abruptly　gave　way　to　the　sort　of　open　grassland　that　surrounded　Sollas　as　well。　The　bus　had　taken　him　through　several　kilometers　of　city　before　reaching　the　tower；　ergo；　what　he　faced　now　was　Purma's　southwestern　edge。
　He　was　running　directly　away　from　Rynstadt　and　Cerenkov　。。。　directly　away　from　the　Dewdrop。
　I　should　turn　around；　he　thought。　Or　at　least　circle　around　a　block　or　two　and　head　back　along　a　different　street。　But　his　feet　kept　running；　and　as　he　crossed　the　sharp　line　between　city　and　grassland　he　finally　recognized　that　no　intentions　in　the　world　were　going　to　make　his　body　turn　around。　Behind　him　were　the　mojos；　and　the　paralyzing　fear　their　talons　induced　in　him　was　far　more　terrifying　than　the　talons　themselves。
　His　father　had　faced　the　might　of　whole　Troft　armies　and　won　through　without　flinching　。。。　and　his　only　Cobra　son　had　turned　out　to　be　a　coward。
　The　city　was　far　behind　him　now；　but　as　Justin　keyed　in　his　optical　enhancers　he　saw　the　forest　that　had　flanked　the　road　into　Purma　had　receded　sharply　this　far　south。　The　nearest　edge；　his　enhancers〃　range　finder　told　him；　was　over　a　kilometer　away…　much　too　far　to　reach　in　time　if　the　Qasamans　had　taken　up　the　chase。　Throwing　a　glance　over　his　shoulder；　Jus…tin　skidded　to　a　halt　and　dropped　down　on　his　stomach　in　the　knee…high　grass；　turning　to　face　the　city　with　all　senses　alert。
　But　so　far　there　was　no　sign　of　pursuit。　Did　they　think　he'd　headed　north；　as　he　should　have？　Or　were　they　perhaps　not　even　aware　yet　that　he'd　escaped　from　the　building？
　There　was　no　way　to　tell　。。。　and　with　emotional　fatigue　washing　over　him；　Justin　almost　didn't　even　care。　Whatever　he　did　now；　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt
　were　as　good　as　dead　unless　Pyre　had　already　managed　to　free　them。　No　matter　how　fast　Justin　got　to　their　prison；　he　would　find　the　place　hip…deep　in　guards。
　His　burns　and　bruises　throbbed　with　aches　both　sharp　and　dull；　but　they　were　no　match　for　his　fatigue。　Slowly　but　inexorably　his　eyelids　dragged　themselves　closed；　his　head　sank　down　to　rest　pillowed　on　his　arms；　his　shame　found　the　only　oblivion　available。
　He　slept。
　
　
　Chapter　20
　
　For　the　third　time　in　five　minutes　a　vehicle　approached　from　ahead；　and　for　the　third　time　Pyre　tensed　and　forced　himself　to　maintain　a　steady　walk。　The　vehicle　passed　without　slowing；　and　the　Cobra　sighed　quietly　with　relief。
　Momentary　relief；　at　best。　If　his　memory　of　Sollas's　layout　was　correct；　he　was　only　two　or　three　blocks　from　the　building　where　Joshua　and　the　others　had　been　taken　a　week　ago　to　meet　Mayor　Kimmeron。　The　trip　so　far　had　indicated　that　no　one　was　considering　the　possibility　that　any　of　the　Aventini