tz.cobra strike-第44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！


。　The　trip　so　far　had　indicated　that　no　one　was　considering　the　possibility　that　any　of　the　Aventinians　could　have　made　it　this　deep　into　the　city；　but　it　was　equally　clear　that　the　bubble　could　burst　any　time　now。　There　were　bound　to　be　sentries　surrounding　the　mayoral　office；　as　well　as　various　people　scurrying　around　with　errands　as　these　supposedly　peace…fill　people　continued　their　war　against　the　Dewdrop；　A　straight…in　penetration；　Cobra　firepower　or　no；　was　likely　to　be　pretty　bloody。　On　both　sides。
　But　so　far　he'd　been　unable　to　e　up　with　anything　better。　He'd　passed　a　handful　of　parked　cars；　but　a　quick　check　had　showed　their　drive　mechanisms　were　locked　and　he　had　no　idea　how　to　bypass　the　system。　Rooftop　jumping　was　possible；　but　its　usefulness　decreased　in　direct　proportion　to　the　num…
　　　her　of　nearby　ears　that　might　hear　the　thud　of　the　landing　and　eyes　that　might　see　the　leap　itself。　If　he　had　some　timed　bombs　he　could　set　up　a　diversion　a　few　blocks　from　his　goal；　but　none　of　his　meager　supply　of　equipment　could　be　adapted　to　such　a　purpose。　The　propellant　in　the　bullets；　perhaps？　Surely　there　was　a　goodly　amount　of　it…you　didn't　take　down　an　animal　the　size　of　a　bololin　without　a　lot　of　punch　behind　the　projectile。　Bololins。。。。
　The　ghost　of　an　idea　brushed　his　mind。　Looking　around　quickly　to　make　sure　he　was　unobserved；　Pyre　found　a　dark　section　of　wall　and　began　to　climb。　The　rooftop；　when　he　reached　it；　didn't　have　what　he　was　looking　for；　but　a　careful　study　showed　a　likely　candidate　two　buildings　away。　Two　jumps　later　he　was　squatting　next　to　a　square　yellow　box　mounted　with　a　large…mouthed　horn。　A　bololin　alarm。
　Fingertip　lasers　made　quick　work　of　the　box's　access　panel；　and　Pyre　was　soon　poking　gingerly　around　the　wires　and　ponents　inside。　The　reasonable　way　to　set　such　a　device　up　was　to　run　it　off　the　building's　own　power　supply；　with　the　on/off　switch　several　floors　down　and　inaccessible　。。。　but　if　the　Qasamans　had　been　as　cautious　here　as　they　seemed　to　be　everywhere　else。。。。
　And　they　had。　The　horn's　emergency　battery　took　up　nearly　a　quarter　of　the　box's　volume。
　A　few　minutes〃　work　tracing　wires　and　Pyre　had　the　system　figured　out。　Cutting　the　main　power　line　here　would　allow　the　battery…and；　more　importantly；　the　emergency　trigger　switch…into　the　circuit。　The　battery's　switch　seemed　to　be　designed　for　radio　control；　though。　He　would　have　to　e　up　with　some　other　way　to　trigger　the　thing。
　By　the　time　the　preliminary　cutting　and　adjustments　were　plete　he'd　thought　of　one。　Maybe。　It　took　nearly　fifteen　minutes　more　to　plete　the
　jury…rig　trigger。　Then；　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　forehead；　he　took　a　moment　to　study　the　landscape。　The　mayor's　office　。。。　that　one　there；　probably。　Circle　cautiously　and　find　a　roof　past　it　to　wait　on　。。。　that　one。
　Glancing　at　his　watch；　Pyre　grimaced。　Time　was　slipping　away　from　him；　and　with　each　lost　minute　the　chances　increased　that　the　Qasamans　would　kill　one　of　their　hostages　or　take　some　action　against　the　Dewdrop。　Dropping　down　the　side　of　the　building；　he　began　to　run　silently　through　the　deserted　streets。
　Luck　was　with　him。　Fifteen　minutes　later　he　was　on　his　chosen　rooftop；　ready　to　go。　Two　buildings　away；　the　mayoral　building　was；　from　the　muted　sounds　reaching　his　ears；　indeed　surrounded　by　milling　groups　of　people。　Four　blocks　beyond　it　Pyre's　optical　enhancers　located　the　bololin　alarm　and　the　stolen　light…amp　binoculars　resting　atop　the　box　there。　Taking　a　deep　breath；　Pyre　locked　onto　the　binoculars；　raised　his　left　leg；　and　sent　a　low…power　antiarmor　shot　toward　it。
　The　light　triggered　a　pulse　through　the　light…amp's　electronics；　a　pulse　which　Pyre's　rewiring　sent　not　to　the　lenses　but　around　the　alarm's　emergency　switch　system…
　And　the　hoot　of　the　horn　tore　into　the　darkness。
　Pyre　was　ready。　Stray　eyes　were　still　a　danger；　but　for　the　moment　there　was　no　way　anyone　in　the　street　below　was　going　to　hear　the　impact　of　his　landings。　He　reached　the　edge　of　his　building　and　jumped；　getting　a　glimpse　of　running　people　below。　He　hit　the　next　roof；　crossed　it　in　a　dead　run；　and　with　a　quick　prayer　to　the　patron　of　fools；　jumped　again。
　Not　to　the　mayoral　building　roof；　but　to　a　spot　midway　down　the　side…and　that　only　to　provide　a　slight　braking　impact　before　he　hit　the　street。　The　building　was　seven　stories　high；　its　lit　windows　testifying　to　activity　inside；　and　Pyre　knew　he　was　taking
　a　big　gamble　going　in　at　ground　level。　But　the　mayor's　office　itself　had　been　on　the　first　floor；　and　the　Cobra　was　betting　that　Qasaman　paranoia　would　bury　the　most　important　facilities　underground。
　And　then　he　hit　the　street　and　there　was　no　time　left　for　planning　and　thought。　Most　of　the　thirty　or　so　people　in　sight　were　hurrying　away　from　him　in　the　direction　of　the　hooting　alarm；　but　the　two　who　flanked　the　ornate　door　were　standing　fast　。。。　and　their　frozen　astonishment　didn't　extend　to　their　mojos。
　But　the　birds　saw　no　drawn　weapon；　and　their　movements　were　the　slow　ones　of　surprised　study　instead　of　the　swifter　ones　of　attack。　Pyre　targeted　and　shot　both　out　of　the　air；　and　then；　as　the　guards　belatedly　reacted；　he　shot　them　as　well。　He　took　the　three　outside　steps　in　a　single　bound　and　slipped　inside。
　He　hadn't　been　paying　all　that　much　attention　to　the　route　the　one　time　Cerenkov's　team　had　been　in　this　place；　but　fortunately　the　layout　seemed　straightforward。　Pyre　followed　the　main　corridor　to　the　first　junction　and　branched　right。　At　the　next　cross　corridor　he　turned　left；　aiming　toward　the　center　of　the　building…and　there；　barely　ten　meters　away；　were　the　two　liveried　guards　he　remembered　seeing　at　the　mayor's　door。
　They　looked　at　him　in　frowning　surprise；　hands　dropping　to　their　guns。　Pyre　shot　both　of　them　out　from　under　their　mojos；　then　killed　the　birds　as　they　tried　to　disengage　their　talons　from　their　epaulet　perches　and　bee　airborne。　Mentally　bracing　himself；　he　shoved　the　doors　open　and　stepped　inside；　hands　held　at　the　ready。
　It　was　almost　a　repeat　of　the　scene　he'd　seen　through　Joshua's　sensors　the　last　time；　with　two　important　exceptions。　The　fumes　that　both　he　and　the　contact　team　had　missed　out　on　before　were　an　almost　literal　sledgehammer　to　the　nose；　bringing　him　to　an　abrupt　halt　and　nearly　gagging　him。　And　this　time　the　mayor's　cushiony　throne　was　vacant。
　It　took　Pyre　a　handful　of　heartbeats　to　get　his　breath　and　voice　back。　For　the　people　seated　at　the　low　tables　around　the　throne；　those　few　seconds　turned　out　to　be　their　salvation。　Whether　the　fumes　enhanced　their　mental　processes　or　whether　they　were　simply　naturally　observant　he　didn't　know；　but　by　the　time　he　was　able　to　function　again　all　of　them　had　apparently　deduced　who　he　was　and　were　making　mad　dashes　from　the　room。　Within　seconds　the　scene　was　deserted。
　〃Damn；〃　Pyre　murmured　under　his　breath。　The　smoke；　he　discovered；　tasted　odd；　too。　Clicking　up　his　audio　enhancers；　he　held　his　breath　。。。　and　from　somewhere　out　of　sight　among　the　free…hanging　curtains　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　shallow　breathing。
　So　they　hadn't　all　made　it　out　of　boltholes。　Was　die　straggler　armed？　Probably　。。。　though　none　of　the　others　had　tried　to　use　their　guns；　and　that　carried　some　interesting　implications。　But　even　if　the　skulker　was　afraid　to　shoot。　Pyre　had　no　desire　to　hunt　him　down　in　this　maze；　with　only　the　diffuse　sounds　of　breathing　to　guide　him。　But　there　might　be　another　way。　If　the　mojos　were　really　as　touchy　about　weapons　as　they'd　seemed　when　the　contact　team　first　stepped　outside　the　Dewdrop's　lock　。。。
　Left　hand　ready　for　trouble；　he　reached　down　with　his　right　and　drew　his　stolen　pistol。
　The　sound　of　steel　on　leather　was　loud　in　the　silent　room…and　the　single　flap　of　bird　wings　that　followed　gave　direction　enough。　Ahead　and　to　the　left　。。。　he　sprinted　around　the　curtains　there　and　came　face　to　face　with　a　crouching；　terror…eyed　man。
　For　a　second　they　gazed　at　each　other　in　silence。　Pyre's　main　attention　was　on　the　Qasaman's　mojo；　but　the　bird　seemed　to　realize　that　an　attack　would　be　suicide；　and　it　stayed　put　on　its　shoulder　perch。　Shifting　his　full　attention　to　the　man；　Pyre　said　the　only　Qasaman　word　he　knew：　〃Kimmeron。〃
　The　other；