tz.cobra strike-第50部分

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he　remembered。　For　a　long　moment　he　was　tempted　。。。　but　if　there　was　really　a　chance　for　freedom；　he'd　be　foolish　to　take　even　slim　risks。　〃Thanks；〃　he　called　to　the　hidden　mike　as　he　set　the　tray　back　on　the　floor　by　the　slot；　〃but　I'm　not　hungry　right　now。〃
　He　held　his　breath。　If　the　Qasaman　voice　sounded　angry　or　annoyed　。。。　〃Very　well；〃　the　other　said　simply。　The　slot　opened　again；　and　Rynstadt　glanced　down　to　see　a　hand　snare　the　tray　and　pull　it　back　out　of　sight。
　A　shiny　hand。
　A　hand　encased　in　a　surgeon's　glove。
　The　slot　cover　slid　back　in　place；　and　Rynstadt　walked　back　to　the　chair；　feeling　cold　all　over。　Poison；　for　sure…but　not　in　the　food。　On　the　tray。　Mixed　with　a　contact　absorption　enhancer　and　spread　on　the　tray。
　And　now　it　was　on　his　hands　。。。　and　in　his　blood。
　He　sat　down；　legs　trembling　with　reaction。　He　was；　then；　being　released…there　was　no　need　for　such　an　elaborate　subterfuge　if　the　poison　was　just　part　of　his　interrogation。　Released…and　simultaneously　mur…dured。　Melodramatic　or　not…barbaric　or　not…they　had　opted　for　vengeance。
　Was　there　any　chance　at　all　of　ing　through　this　alive？　Perhaps；　but　only　if　the　Qasamans　had　timed　their　dosage　so　as　to　let　the　Dewdrop　get　a　good　distance　away　before　their　treachery　became　known。　How　long？　One　hour？　Two？　Twelve？
　There　was　no　way　to　know。　But　the　fact　that　he　knew　he'd　been　poisoned　gave　Telek　and　the　medical　analyzers　aboard　ship　the　maximum　time　to　identify　and　counteract　the　specific　toxin　used　on　him。
　e　on；　he　urged　the　Dewdrop　silently。　Get　me　the　hett　out　of　here。　In　the　meantime　。。。　letting　his　body　slump　in　the　chair；　he　consciously　slowed　his　breathing。　The　slower　the　metabolism；　in　theory；　the　slower　the　poison　would　be　absorbed　into　his　tissues。
　And　he　settled　back　to　wait。
　The　distinctive　whine　of　gravity　lifts；　faint　even　in　his　enhanced　hearing；　finally　dragged　Justin　from　his　sleep。　For　a　moment　he　lay　quietly　in　the　tall　grass；　reorienting　himself；　allowing　the　bitter　memories　to　return。　Then；　carefully；　he　raised　his　head。
　The　motion　drew　an　involuntary　hiss　between　his　teeth；　he'd　forgotten　all　the　places　his　body　ached。　But　the　sight　in　the　northern　sky　drove　all　such　considerations　into　the　background。　Against　the　blazing　stars　of　Qasama's　night　a　hazy　reddish　oval　was　drifting。
　The　Dewdrop　was　making　a　break　for　it。
　He　watched　the　haze　for　a　long　minute；　teeth　clamped　together　as　he　tried　not　to　cry。　They　were　leaving。　Without　him。　Without　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt；　as　well？　Probably。　There　was　no　way　to　know　for　sure；　but　Telek　had　counted　on　him　to　rescue　them；　and　his　failure　probably　meant　they　were　all　marooned。
　Marooned。
　Automatically；　as　if　trying　to　insulate　itself　from　the　emotional　shock；　his　mind　began　tracing　out　his　options。　He　could　escape　into　the　forest；　living　off　the　wild　game　there；　and　hope　he　could　hold　out　until　the　military　expedition　that　would　surely　follow。　Or　he　could　try　to　find　a　village　that　would　trade　his　Cobra　skills　for　sanctuary　from　the　central　authorities。　Or…
　Or　he　could　just　stay　here　in　the　grass　until　he　died。　It　all　amounted　to　that　in　the　end。
　It　was　only　then　that　the　realization　broke　through　to　him　that　the　Dewdrop　was　moving　too　slowly。
　Much　too　slowly。　They　crippled　it；　was　his　first；　awful　thought　。。。　but　if　the　grav　lifts　had　been　damaged　F'ahl　should　have　kicked　in　the　main　drive　by　now　to　assist。　No；　something　else　was　happening　。。。　and　abruptly；　he　understood。
　They　were　flying　low　and　slow　on　purpose。　Looking　for　him。　He'd　rolled　over　on　his　back　in　an　instant；　glancing　toward　the　city　as　he　lifted　his　left　leg；　but　not　really　caring　if　anyone　there　spotted　his　signal。　In　a　few　minutes　the　Dewdrop　would　be　here　。。。　and　after　his　moments　of　despair　the　promise　of　rescue　was　flooding　his　mind　and　body　with　adrenaline…fueled　determination。　Let　the　Qasamans　e　for　him　now…let　the　whole　city　get　in　his　way　if　they　wanted　to。
　Targeting　the　Dewdrop；　he　fired　his　antiarmor　laser　three　times。
　Thirty　kilometers　away；　the　ship's　hull　would　barely　register　the　heat　of　those　shots；　but　for　the　watchers　aboard；　the　flashes　of　light　should　be　impossible　to　miss。　Assuming　someone　was　watching。
　And　apparently　they　were。　From　the　front…inside　of　the　red　oval　the　Dewdrop's　landing　lights　flicked　twice　in　acknowledgment。　Shifting　to　a　crouch；　Justin　got　ready　to　move；　keeping　alert　for　trouble　from　the　city。
　It　took　the　Dewdrop　a　few　minutes　to　e　to　ground…and　it　did　so；　inexplicably；　a　good　kilometer　north。　Justin　briefly　considered　signaling　again；　decided　it　would　be　safer　to　just　go　to　it；　and　set　off　in　a　crouching　run。
　No　one　opened　fire　before　he　reached　the　ship。　Link　was　waiting　by　the　open　hatchway　as　he　came　up；　and　favored　the　younger　man　with　a　tight　smile。　〃Wele　back；〃　he　said；　gripping　Justin's　hand　briefly。　He　gave　the　other　a　fast　once…over　before　returning　his　eyes　to　the　city。　〃You've　never　seen　a　group　of　people　so　happy　as　when　we　saw　your　signal。〃
　〃I　was　happy　enough　for　all　of　you　put　together；〃　Justin　told　him；　following　Link's　gaze。　A　half…dozen　cars　and　a　bus　could　be　seen　approaching　from　city's　edge。　〃Looks　like　a　good　time　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　Link　shook　his　head。　〃They're　bringing　Yuri　and　Marck…Almo　struck　a　deal　for　their　release。〃
　〃What　kind　of　deal？〃　Justin　frowned。
　〃A　sort　of　promise　not　to　tear　up　their　industrial　base　before　we　go。〃　Link　glanced　at　the　other。　〃Why　don't　you　go　inside；　get　any　injuries　seen　to。　I　can　handle　this。〃
　〃Well　。。。　all　right。〃　Something　about　this　felt　wrong；　but　for　the　moment　Justin　couldn't　figure　out　what。　Turning；　he　stepped　into　the　hatch　and　sprung　the　inner　door…and　walked　straight　into　his　brother's　arms。
　For　a　minute　they　just　held　each　other…the　man　who'd　done　his　job；　Justin　thought　bitterly；　and　the　man　who　hadn't。
　But　for　the　moment　his　shame　was　swallowed　up　in　the　relief　of　being　safe　again。
　Joshua　released　him　and　stepped　back；　still　gripping　his　brother's　shoulders。　〃You　hurt　anywhere？〃
　〃I'm　fine；〃　Justin　shook　his　head。　〃What's　happened　since　I　left？〃
　Joshua　glanced　toward　the　hatch。　〃Let's　get　to　the　lounge　where　we　can　watch　that　convoy；〃　he　suggested。　〃I　can　give　you　a　fast　rundown　on　the　way。〃
　They　reached　the　lounge　a　minute　later　to　find　Nnamdi　and　Christopher　gazing　at　the　outside　monitors；　the　scientists〃　greetings　muted　by　their　attention　being　elsewhere。　That　suited　Justin；　he'd　already　had　more　of　a　hero's　wele　than　he　properly　deserved。　〃Where's　the　governor？〃　he　asked　Joshua　as　they　took　seats　in　front　of　another　screen。
　〃Back　in　sick　bay　with　Michael。　She　should　be　back　by　the　time　the　others　get　here。　And　Almo's　outside；　behind　the　front　landing　spotlights；　where　he　can　back　up　Dorjay　if　the　Qasamans　make　any　trouble。〃
　〃But　they　won't；〃　Nnamdi　spoke　up。　〃They've　made　their　deal；　and　it's　a　fair　one。　And　we've　already　seen　they　follow　through　on　their　promises。〃
　Justin　snorted。　〃Like　with　that　fake　explosive　collar？〃
　All　eyes　turned　to　him。　〃What　do　you　mean；　fake？〃　Christopher　asked。
　〃I　mean　they　suckered　us　royally。　Those　cylinders　held　cameras　and　recorders；　not　explosives。　They　let　Joshua　e　in　so　that　they　could　get　a　quick　look　inside　the　Dewdrop。〃
　Christopher　swore　under　his　breath。　〃But　then　they　must　have　seen　you　two　switch　places。　My　God…you're　lucky　you　got　out　alive　after　that。〃
　Some　of　the　burden　seemed　to　lift　from　Justin's　conscience。　Seen　in　that　light；　perhaps　he　hadn't　done　such　a　bad　job；　after　all。
　The　convoy　outside　had　halted　a　hundred　meters　from　the　Dewdrop　and　a　crowd　of　Qasamans　was　forming　around　the　vehicles　when　Telek　reappeared　in　the　lounge。　〃Justin；　glad　you　made　it；〃　she　said　distractedly　as　she　leaned　over　Christopher's　shoulder。　〃Any　sign　of　them　yet？〃
　〃I　don't　see　them；〃　he　replied。　〃They're　probably　in　the　bus　off　to　one　side；　there。〃　He　pointed；　and　as　if　on　cue；　two　figures　emerged　from　the　vehicle；　struggling　a　bit　as　they　plowed　through　the　knee…high　grass。
　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt。
　The　edge　of　the　crowd　withdrew　a　bit　as　the　two　men　passed　on　their　way　to　the　Dewdrop。　〃Watch　for　drawn　weapons；〃　Telek　said　to　the　room　in　general。　〃We　don't　want　them　pul