tz.cobra strike-第29部分

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r　disable　everyone　aboard　and　escape　before　the　Qasamans　figured　out　exactly　what　to　do　with　him。
　He　had　his　omnidirectional　sonic　tuned　to　the　optimum　human　stun　frequency　and　was　on　the　verge　of　triggering　it　when　a　sudden；　sobering　thought　struck　him。
　No　matter　how　he　did　this；　it　was　going　to　be　obvious　to　whoever　examined　the　bus　afterwards　that　the　attack　had　e　from　inside　the　vehicle。　From　inside　。。。　from　a　man　who'd　already　been　searched　and　stripped　of　anything　that　could　possibly　be　a　weapon。
　A　cold　sweat　broke　out　on　Justin's　forehead。　What　would　the　Qasamans　make　of　such　a　conclusion？　Could　they　possibly　deduce　the　truth？…or　even　get　close　enough　as　made　no　difference？　The　question　had　little　relevance　to　the　immediate　situation；　of　course…the　Dewdrop　would　hopefully　be　long　gone　by　the　time　the　local　experts　began　sifting　through　the　debris。　But　if　the　Council　decided　to　take　on　the　Trofts〃　mercenary　job　here；　such　forewarning　could　give　Qasama　an　edge　against　the　arriving　Cobras。
　But　what　were　his　options？　Shoot　up　the　bus　thoroughly　from　the　outside　after　escaping；　hoping　he　could　do　a　convincing　enough　job　of　it？　Or　wait　until　he　was　taken　some　place　where　the　existence　of　an　armed　infiltrator　would　at　least　be　possible？　Or　even　probable…Pyre　was　out　here　somewhere；　and　he　clearly　hadn't　taken　out　the　other　prison　buiding。　Perhaps　he'd　arrived　late　at　the　crossroads　and　was　even　now　tailing　Justin's　bus。
　Moff　was　saying　something。　Justin　turned　to　look　at　him　as　the　old　man　translated：　〃At　least　I　now　understand　your　changed　attitude　when　you　emerged　from　your　ship。〃
　For　a　second　Justin　considered　playing　dumb；　decided　it　wasn't　worth　the　effort。　〃That　three…minute　limit　was　the　key；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Any　longer　than　that　and　we　might　have　picked　up　on　what　those　cylinders　really　were。〃
　Moff　nodded　at　the　translation。　〃Our　experts　felt　two　and　a　half　minutes　safer；　but　I　didn't　want　to　have　to　take　you　close　enough　for　that　limit　to　seem　reasonable。　I　didn't　know　then　that　your　people　were　still　monitoring　you　and　wouldn't　misunderstand　our　approach。〃　His　eyes　bored　into　Justin's　face。　〃We　are　very　interested　in　your　conversation　with　your　double。〃
　〃I'll　just　bet　you　are；〃　Justin　said。
　〃I　should　also　tell　you　that　some　in　authority　feel　you　are　an　as…yet　unknown　danger　and　should　be　eliminated　quickly。〃
　Abruptly；　Justin　realized　that　half　of　the　eight　Qasaman　guards　had　their　pistols　drawn；　two　of　them　going　so　far　as　to　point　them　in　the　Cobra's　direction。　〃And　how　do　you　feel？〃　he　asked　Moff　carefully。
　For　a　long　moment　the　other　studied　him。　The　mojo　on　his　shoulder；　sensing　perhaps　the　general　tension　level；　twitched　its　wings　nervously。　〃I　agree　that　you　are　dangerous；〃　Moff　said　at　last　through　the　old　man。　〃It　is　perhaps　foolish　to　keep　you　alive　in　hopes　of　learning　your　secrets。　But　unless　we　discover　your　intentions　toward　us　we　cannot　know　how　to　properly　defend　ourselves。　You　will　therefore　be　taken　to　a　place　where　you　may　be　properly　questioned。〃
　〃And　then　be　eliminated？〃
　Moff　didn't　reply　。。。　but　the　conversation　had　already　made　up　Justin's　mind。　Qasama　was　already　tacitly　assuming　a　war　was　likely；　and　to　give　them　anything　he　didn't　absolutely　have　to　would　be　a　betrayal　of　those　who'd　e　after　him。　Besides　which；　it　might　be　interesting　to　see　what　sort　of　place　they'd　consider　safe　enough　to　hold　an　unknown　threat。　And　besides　that。。。
　He　caught　Moff's　eye　again。　〃Just　out　of　curiosity；　how　did　you　e　to　the　conclusion　that　we　were　spying　on　you？〃
　Moff　pursed　his　lips　thoughtfully。　Then；　with　a　slight　shrug；　he　began　to　speak。　〃Your　double　correctly　interpreted　a　sign　in　the　village　of　Huriseem　this　morning；〃　the　translator　said。　〃It　showed　that；　despite　our　efforts；　you　still　had　a　visual　connection　with　your　ship。　A　device　you　had　not　told　us　about；　and　which　was　clearly　designed　to　be　unde　tec　table。〃
　Justin　frowned。　〃That　was　all　you　had？〃
　〃It　was　enough　to　justify　questioning　you。　York's
　　similarly　undetectable　weapon…and　his　use　of　it…　proved　our　guess　was　correct。〃
　〃You　were　the　one　who　picked　up　on　our　hidden　camera；　I　suppose？〃
　Moff　nodded　once；　a　simple　gesture　that　admitted　the　fact　without　the　trappings　of　pride　or　false　modesty。　Justin　nodded　in　return　and　settled　down　to　wait；　the　last　piece　of　his　rationalization　plete。　He　had　no　desire　to　kill　any　more　people　than　absolutely　necessary　when　he　made　his　break；　and　leaving　someone　with　Moff　s　observational　skills　behind　as　witness　would　be　a　poor　idea。　No；　he　would　wait　until　they　reached　their　destination　and　Pyre　had　made　his　appearance。　Together；　the　two　Cobras　would　leave　the　Qasamans　wondering　for　a　long　time　just　how　the　escape　had　been　managed。
　So　he　settled　back　in　his　seat　and　tried　to　keep　track　of　the　bus's　path　through　the　wide　streets　of　Purma。　And　thought　about　his　father's　stories　of　his　own　war。
　The　strip　of　clear　land　that　would；　farther　north；　open　up　to　bee　the　airfield　was　barely　sixty　meters　wide　here　at　Sollas's　southwest　edge；　but　Pyre　found　little　fort　in　that　fact　as　he　raced　across　it　toward　the　darkened　building　that　was　his　target。　None　of　the　structures　at　the　city's　edge　seemed　to　be　showing　many　lights…another　concession　to　the　wandering　bololins；　perhaps？…but　he　felt　as　if　a　thousand　pairs　of　eyes　were　watching　him　the　whole　way。　Two　thousand　eyes；　one　thousand　guns。。。。
　But　he　reached　the　building　without　challenge；　and　for　a　minute　he　stood　in　relative　shadow　considering　his　next　move。　The　four…story　structure　beside　him　was　made　of　brick；　and　in　the　weeks　before　the　mission　the　First　Cobras　had　taught　him　how　to　scale　such　things。　Once　on　top；　he　could　theoretically　leap　from　rooftop　to　rooftop　until　he　reached　the　more　open　areas　near　the　airfield。
　Pyre　looked　up　the　flat　side　of　the　building；　grimacing。　Theoretically。　Most　of　the　streets　in　his　path　were　the　wider　bololin…speedway　type；　and　while　jumping　one　of　them　would　be　reasonably　within　his　servos〃　range；　he　wasn't　at　all　sure　he　wanted　to　try　it　a　dozen　or　more　times。
　Around　the　corner　of　the　building；　a　faint　scrape　reached　his　ears。　Notched　up　to　full　power；　his　audio　enhancers　pulled　in　the　sound　of　several　sets　of　footsteps。
　Sidling　to　the　corner。　Pyre　took　a　cautious　look　down　the　street。　Barely　two　hundred　meters　away；　at　the　next　intersection；　a　group　of　six　Qasamans　were　standing　in　a　loose　circle；　conversing　in　low　tones。　As　he　watched；　three　of　them　split　off　and　began　striding　purposefully　down　the　street　directly　toward　him。　Pyre　eased　back。　Sealing　the　city's　edge　with　a　sentry　net　was　a　precaution　he　hadn't　expected　even　the　Qasamans　to　bother　with；　given　they　thought　they　had　everyone　under　lock　and　key。　Unless　。。。
　Of　course。　They'd　found　the　men　he'd　killed　in　the　forest。
　He　mouthed　a　silent　curse。　With　all　that　had　happened　he'd　pletely　forgotten　that　glaring　evidence　of　his　presence。　And　with　the　sentry　patrols　/　alert　and　in　visual　contact　with　each　other；　he'd　now　。》V；run　out　of　choices。　Locking　his　fingers　around　the　；　bricks　facing　him；　he　began　to　climb。　》　It　was　a　long　way　to　go；　and　Pyre　had　had　very　；　little　practice　in　this　sort　of　thing；　but　the　Qasaman　^patrol　was　apparently　in　no　special　rush　to　take　up　Sits　post　and　he　was　nearly　to　the　top　before　they　^emerged　from　the　street。　He　froze；　holding　his　breath　｜｜i；。。　but　neither　the　men　nor　their　mojos　looked　up；　I…and　after　a　few　seconds　he　continued　his　climb；　tak…｜ing　care　not　to　make　even　the　slightest　sound。
　Which　probably　saved　his　life。　Reaching　the　low　pparapet　surrounding　the　roof；　he　raised　his　head　over
　　it…and　found　himself　eye　to　eye　with　a　kneeling　Qasaman　not　three　meters　away；　his　hands　in　a　small　cloth　bag　in　front　of　him。
　The　man's　eyes　and　mouth　went　wide　with　surprise。　But　his　hand　was　still　scrambling　for　his　gun　when　Pyre's　arm　swung　over　the　parapet　and　a　flicker　of　laser　light　caught　his　spread…winged　mojo　in　the　breast。　He　was　still　trying　to　draw　the　weapon　from　its　holster　when　the　second　flicker　caught　him　in　the　same　place　and　he　fell　gently　to　the　side；　his　astonishment　still　unvoiced。
　Pyre　was　over　the　parapet　in　a　second；　trembling　with　the　hair's…breadth　closeness　of　the　call　and　the　cold　knowledge　that　he　was　by　no　means　safe　yet。　If　the　ground　sentries　had　heard　anything…or　if　an　observer　on　the　next　roof　over　had　witnessed　the　incident…
　Activating　his　optical　enhancers；　he　raised　his　head　cautiously　and　checked　the　nearest　buildings。　The　roof　to　the　south　was　vacant。　The　one　to　the　north　held　another　figure；　some　sort　of　light…amp　binoculars　at　his　eyes　as　he　gazed　out　toward　the　forest。　A　quick　glance　over　the　parapet　showed　the　sentries　below　were　undisturbed。　Crawling　to　the　dead　Qasaman；　Pyre　reached　into　the　other's　bag；　found　a　set　of　the　same　light…amp　glasses　and　what　looked　like　a　water　container　and　some　sort　of　vegetable　cake。
　So　the　rooftop　guards；　like　those　on　the　ground；　had　apparently　just　now　taken　up　their　positions；　which　explained　how　he'd　made　it　safely　from　the　forest。　So　he　was　in；　and　behind　their　first　lines；　and　temporarily　undetected。　So　。。。　now　what？
　Pyre　found　himself　gazing　at　the　dead　mojo。　Whatever　he　did；　he　was　going　to　need　a　certain　amount　of　camouflage。。。；　Carefully；　trying　not　to　wince；　he　rolled　the　dead　man　over　and　eased　off　his　jacket。　Beneath　it　the　man　had　worn　a　knitted　sweater…like　garment；　cutting　and　unraveling　a　piece　of　it；　Pyre　used　the　yarn　to　tie　the　mojo's　talons　to　the　jacket's
　epaulet。　Smoothing　the　wings　back　in　place；　he　tied　them　together　with　more　yarn。　The　whole　effect　would　never　hold　up　even　under　moderately　close　scrutiny；　but　with　luck　it　wouldn't　have　to。　Keeping　close　to　the　roof；　he　struggled　into　the　jacket　which　was；　thankfully；　too　large　rather　than　too　smalt。　The　dead　man's　gun　belt　came　next；　and；　almost　as　an　afterthought；　he　scooped　up　the　light…amp　binoculars　as　well。　Then；　mentally　crossing　his　fingers；　he　headed　for　the　city…side　edge　of　the　roof。
　He　made　it；　again；　without　raising　any　obvious　alarm。　Below　him　was　one　of　the　narrower；　northeast…southwest　streets；　across　it；　the　building　roof　facing　him　appeared　deserted。　At　both　of　the　closest　street　intersections　he　could　see　triads　of　sentries；　their　attention　apparently　ground　level　and　outward。　Giving　all　the　rooftops　in　the　immediate　area　one　last　scan；　he　gathered　his　feet　beneath　him；　got　a　good　grip　on　his　mojo；　and　jumped。
　His　leg　servos　were　more　than　equal　to　the　task。　A　second　later　he　hit　the　far　rooftop；　rolling　on　his　right　shoulder　to　soften　the　sound　of　his　impact。　ing　up　on　one　knee；　he　lifted　the　light　amps　to　his　eyes　and；　trying　hard　to　look　like　a　Qasaman　sentry；　waited　for　a　reaction。
　It　didn't　e；　and　a　minute　later　he　eased　across　v　the　roof　and　repeated　the　procedure。　One　more　building　and　he　had　left　both　the　rooftop　and　the　groundside　sentries　far　behind　him。　Two　more；　and　he　began　to　breathe　again。
　And　finally　he　had　to　make　a　decision。　Each　move
　in　this　direction　angled　him　a　little　farther　from　the
　i　Dewdrop；　and　with　the　perimeter　penetrated　it　was
　：。：　time　to　head　north。　But　straight　north　now　would
　。；。　take　him　near　the　center　of　the　city；　and　while　the
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