tz.cobra strike-第67部分

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the　Qasaman　passed；　his　hand　made　a　quick　brushing　motion：　the　code　sign　for　stay　back。　Justin　nodded　and　drifted　an　extra　half　step　behind　Moff　as　they　went　to　the　office　the　guard　had　indicated。　The　door　was　open；　and　as　they　walked　in　Justin　saw　there　were　two　men　waiting　for　them：　Winward　and　gleaner…team's　head　psychologist；　Dr。　McKinley。　Both　were　standing　in　front　of　the　room's　low　desk；　and　both　looked　vaguely　tense。
　〃Good　day；　Moff；〃　Winward　nodded。　〃We've　never　actually　met；　but　I've　heard　a　great　deal　about　you。〃
　〃And　I　you；〃　Moff　replied　coolly。　〃You're　the　demon　warrior　who　couldn't　be　killed。　Or　so　it's　said。〃
　〃Not　by　treachery；　at　any　rate；〃　Winward　said；　his　tone　chilling　to　match　Moff's。　〃You'll　note　we　treated　your　flag　of　truce　more　honorably。〃
　〃You　speak　of　honor…〃
　〃I　speak　of　many　things；〃　Winward　cut　him　off。　〃But　before　I　do；　I'd　like　to　ask　you　to　put　your　mojo　in　the　next　room。〃
　Moff's　back　stiffened　visibly。　〃So　that　I'll　be　totally　defenseless　before　you？〃
　〃Don't　be　ridiculous。　If　I　wanted　to　harm　you；　both　you　and　your　damned　bird　would　be　stretched　out　on　the　floor　there。　You　know　that　as　well　as　I　do。　I'll　ask　you　only　once　more。〃
　〃My　mojo　stays　with　me。〃
　Winward　sighed。　〃All　right；　have　it　your　way。〃　Reaching　to　the　desk　behind　him；　he　scooped　up　a　short…barreled；　stockless　rifle　lying　there　and　brought　it　to　bear。　With　a　screech　the　mojo　leaped…
　And　shrieked　again　as　the　flash　net　caught　it　square　across　the　beak。
　〃Here；　Justin；　put　these　in　the　next　office；〃　Winward　said　tiredly；　handing　the　younger　Cobra　the　immobilized　bird　and　the　net　gun。　〃They　don't　show　much　capacity　for　learning；　do　they？〃　he　remarked　to　Moff。
　Moff's　reply　was　lost　to　Justin　as　he　deposited　his　charges　next　door；　but　by　the　time　he　returned　Winward　was　speaking　again。　〃Well；　no　matter。　We　have　a　pretty　good　idea　of　what　the　mojos　do　for　you；　and　it's　clear　enough　that　if　it　es　to　a　full…fledged　war　we'll　win　easily。〃
　〃Because　you　cannot　die？〃　Moff　snorted。　〃Some　may　believe　that；　I　don't。　No　demon　protects　you…or　splits　one　mind　into　two　men…〃　he　added；　throwing　a　baleful　glare　at　Justin。　〃Your　magic　is　simply　science　we　have　forgotten；　and　it　will　work　as　well　for　us　when　we've　learned　how　it's　done。〃
　〃Possibly；〃　Winward　shrugged。　〃But　it's　rather　academic；　because　to　learn　how　our　magic　works　you'll　need　to　kill　some　of　us　。。。　and　I　doubt　very　much　that　your　mojos　will　let　you　fight　us　face　to　face　anymore。〃
　Moff's　mouth　opened；　but　whatever　he'd　been　planning　to　say　apparently　died　on　his　lips。　〃What　do　you　mean；　won't　let　us　fight？〃　he　asked　cautiously。
　McKinley　shook　his　head。　〃It's　no　use　pretending；　Moff。　We've　been　taking　data　for　less　than　two　days　and　we　already　know　how　the　mojos　dangle　you　around　like　puppets。　You've　had　three　hundred　years　to　study　them…surely　you　know　at　least　as　much　as　we　do。〃
　〃Puppets；　you　say。〃　Moff's　lip　curled。　〃You　understand　nothing。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Winward　said。　〃Then　enlighten　us。〃
　Moff　glared　at　him　but　remained　silent。　〃The　details　don't　matter；〃　McKinley　shrugged。　〃What　matters　is　that　the　mojos　have　a　vested　interest　in　keeping　their　hunters…that's　you…alive；　and　that　they　possess　enough　telepathic　ability　to　back　up　their　wishes。　If　they　think　you　don't　have　a　chance　against　us；　they　won't　let　you　fight。〃　He　waved　a　hand。　〃The　reactions　toward　us　here　in　the　village　are　all　the　proof　we　need。〃
　〃Oh；　are　they？〃　Moff　spat。　He　seemed　to　be　rapidly　losing　control；　Justin　noted　uneasily。　Were　McKinley's　assertions　really　so　hard　for　him　to　take？　Or　was　this　perhaps　simply　the　first　waking　moment　Moff　had　had　in　years　without　a　mojo　by　his　side？　A　mojo　keeping　his　human　aggression　under　control。。。。　〃Then　what　do　you　say　about　the　fighters　waiting　to　sweep　down　on　you　twenty　kilometers　north　of　here？　Are　they　unable　to　fight？〃　He　jabbed　a　finger　at　McKinley。　〃The　villagers　have　a　fear　of　you　based　on　superstition…our　fighters　aren't　so　handicapped。　And　once　we've　proved　you　can　be　beaten…as　we　will　within　hours…the　fear　the　mojos　sense　and　are　paralyzing　them　with　will　be　gone。　The　next　time　you　return；　you'll　find　a　world　united　to　oppose　you。〃
　〃You　don't　think　the　mojos　will　try　and　save　your　lives？〃　McKinley　asked。
　Moff　smiled　thinly。　〃They　will　protect　us；　certainly…　by　tearing　the　flesh　from　your　bones　in　battle。　This　conversation　is　at　an　end。〃
　Winward　and　McKinley　exchanged　glances；　and　the　latter　nodded　fractionally。　〃All　right；　if　that's　the　way　you　want　it；〃　Winward　said。　〃We'll　be　out　of　your　way　within　those　few　hours　you　mentioned；　and　if　we're　lucky；　we　won't　have　to　e　back。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter　if　you　do　or　not；〃　Moff　said　quietly　。。；　and　to　Justin　his　voice　had　the　feel　of　an　open　grave　about　it。　〃We　will　rediscover　the　secret　of　star　travel　someday。　And　we　will　then　e　and　find　you。〃
　Winward's　lips　pressed　and　his　eyes　sought　Justin's。　〃Return　his　mojo　and　escort　him　outside。　He　can　stay　with　the　rest　of　the　villagers　until　we're　ready　to　leave。〃
　Justin　nodded　and　indicated　the　door。　Wordlessly；　Moff　strode　past　him　and　out　into　the　hall；　where　he　waited　until　Justin　had　brought　him　his　mojo；　still　entangled　in　its　net。　〃Just　unwrap　it　carefully　and　the　bird　won't　be　hurt；〃　he　told　the　Qasaman；　handing　the　creature　into　the　other's　arms。
　Moff　nodded；　once；　and　stalked　to　the　door。　Justin　watched　him　walk　down　the　street　toward　the　civilian　holding　area；　then　returned　to　the　office。　〃He's　on　his　way　to　the　square；〃　he　told　Winward。
　The　older　Cobra　nodded；　his　attention　clearly　elsewhere。　〃。；。　All　right。　If　you're　ready；　so　are　we；〃　he　said　toward　his　pendant。　〃You'll　get　outrider…one　moving？　。。。　Good。　Justin's　here；　I'll　just　go　ahead
　　and　take　charge　of　him。　ETAs？　。。。　Fifteen　and　twenty；　got　it。　Good　luck。〃
　〃Well？〃　McKinley　asked。
　〃The　Dewdrop's　on　its　way；〃　Winward　said　tightly。　〃It'll　drop　into　the　central　square　in　about　fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃The　Dewdrop？〃　Justin　frowned。　〃Why's　it　ing　down？〃
　〃Because　the　Menssana　would　take　longer　to　get　here　and　be　subject　to　attack　the　whole　way。〃　Winward　turned　to　McKinley。　〃All　the　sensor　collars　off？〃
　〃And　packed　for　loading；　along　with　the　rest　of　the　gear。〃　The　other　picked　up　a　small　box　that　had　been　resting　on　the　low　table。　〃This　is　the　last　of　it　right　here。〃
　〃Okay；　Get　your　people　to　the　square。〃　Winward　tapped　his　pendant　as　McKinley　headed　for　the　door。　〃Dorjay？　It's　a　go。。。。　Right；　fifteen　minutes。　Get　the　people　out　and　set　up　a　perimeter　to　protect　it。　Watch　out　for　Moff　particularly…he's　not　nearly　as　impressed　as　the　rest　of　them；　and　there　are　guns　lying　around　he　might　pick　up。。　。。　Good。　Diversion's　due　in　just　under　twenty…we'll　need　to　be　ready　to　go　then。。。。　Okay。　Out。〃
　Dropping　his　hand；　he　looked　at　Justin。　〃Let's　get　moving…you　and　I　are　going　to　be　part　of　the　helicopter　defense；　and　we　need　to　be　at　the　wall　when　they　figure　out　what's　going　on。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃　Justin　asked　quietly。　〃The　Dewdrop　can't　possibly　carry　all　of　us。〃
　Winward　gave　him　a　tight　smile。　〃That's　sometimes　what　rearguards　are　for；　you　know：　to　stay　behind。　e　on；　let's　hit　the　wall　and　find　some　good　positions　to　shoot　from。〃
　〃Okay；　start　easing　back；〃　Pyre　murmured　into　his　mike。　〃No　noise；　and　be　sure　you're　out　of　sight　of　the　Qasamans　before　hitting　the　road。〃
　There　were　answering　murmurs　in　his　ear；　and　Pyre　shifted　his　attention　to　the　knot　of　troops　facing　him　twenty　meters　away。　He'd　agreed　to　stay　within　sight　as　a　sort　of　exchange　hostage　while　Moff　was　in　the　village　。。。　which　meant　that　when　the　timer　ran　down　on　this　one　he　would　have　to　be　gone　before　the　Qasamans　decided　to　start　shooting。　Activating　his　auditory　enhancers；　he　tried　to　listen　for　the　excited　voices　that　would　mean　the　Dewdrop　had　been　spotted。
　The　shouts；　centered　on　the　Qasamans〃　lead　car；　erupted　barely　two　minutes　later；　and　Pyre　was　racing　through　the　trees　before　anyone　thought　to　take　a　shot　at　him。　With　the　need　for　stealth　gone；　he　made　straight　for　the　road；　where　better　footing　would　let　him　use　his　leg　servos　to　best　advantage。　From　behind　came　an　explosion　as　the　Qasamans　destroyed　the　tree　that　blocked　their　path。　Slowing　as　he　passed