gc.shadowslinger-第41章
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！
Elmo's men。 Candy brought a reinforced pany into the Buskin。 The worst slums are always the first site of rebellion； we've found。 There were few violent confrontations。 Juniper's citizens were taken by surprise and had no idea what to fight about anyway。 Most just turned out to watch。
I got myself back up to my squad。 This was the time the Taken would do their deed。 If they planned anything。
Nothing happened。 As I might have guessed； knowing that men from our forerunner party were guiding the new arrivals。 Indeed； nobody got in touch with me； up there； for another two days。 By then the city was pacified。 Every key point was in our hands。 Every state building； every arsenal； every strong point； even the Custodians' headquarters in the Enclosure。 And life went on as usual。 What little trouble there was came when Rebel refugees tried to start an uprising； accurately accusing the Duke of having brought the Lady to Juniper。
The people of Juniper didn't much care。
There were problems in the Buskin； though。 Elmo wanted to straighten the slum out。 Some of the slum dwellers didn't want to be straightened。 He used Candy's pany forcefully； cracking the organizations of the crime bosses。 I did not see the necessity； but wiser heads feared the gangs could bee the focus of future resistance。 Anything with that potential had to be squashed immediately。 I think there was a hope the move would win popular favor； too。
Elmo brought the Lieutenant to my hillside shack the third day after the pany's arrival。 〃How goes it？〃 I asked。 The Lieutenant had aged terribly since I had seen him last。 The passage westward had been grim。
〃City's secure；〃 he said。 〃Stinking dump； isn't it？〃
〃Better believe。 It's all snake's belly。 What's up？〃
Elmo said； 〃He needs a look at the target。〃
I lifted an eyebrow。
The Lieutenant said； 〃The Limper says we're going to take this place。 I don't know how soon。 Captain wants me to look it over。〃
〃Fun times tomorrow；〃 I muttered。 〃Ain't going to grab it on the sneak。〃 I donned my coat。 It was chilly up on the slopes。 Elmo and One…Eye tagged along when I took the Lieutenant up。 He eyeballed the castle； deep in thought。 Finally； he said； 〃I don't like it。 Not even a little bit。〃 He felt the cold dread of the place。
〃I got a man who's been inside；〃 I said。 〃But don't let the Taken know。 He's supposed to be dead。〃
〃What can he tell me？〃
〃Not much。 He's only been there at night； in a court behind the gate。〃
〃Uhm。 The Taken have a girl up at Duretile； too。 I talked to her。 She couldn't tell me nothing。 Only in there once； and was too scared to look around。〃
〃She's still alive？〃
〃Yeah。 That's the one you caught？ Yeah。 She's alive。 Lady's orders； apparently。 Nasty little hick。 Let's hike around it。〃
We got onto the far slope； where the going was rough； to the acpaniment of constant crabbing by One…Eye。 The Lieutenant stated the obvious。 〃No getting at it from here。 Not without help from the Taken。〃
〃Going to take a big lot of help to get at it from any direction。〃
He looked me a question。
I told him about Feather's troubles the night we took Shed and his barmaid。
〃Anything since？〃
〃Nope。 Not before； either。 My man who's been inside never saw anything extraordinary； either。 But； dammit； the thing connects with the Barrowland。 It's got the Dominator behind it。 You know it's not going to be a pushover。 They know there's trouble out here。〃
One…Eye made a squeaking sound。 〃What？〃 the Lieutenant snapped。
One…Eye pointed。 We all looked up the wall； which loomed a good sixty feet above us。 I did not see anything。 Neither did the Lieutenant。 〃What？〃 he asked again。
〃Something was watching us。 Nasty…looking critter。〃
〃I saw it too；〃 Elmo volunteered。 〃Long； skinny； yellowish guy with eyes like a snake。〃
I considered the wall。 〃How could you tell from here？〃
Elmo shivered and shrugged。 〃I could。 And I didn't like it。 Looked like he wanted to bite me。〃 We dragged on through brush and over boulders； keeping one eye on the castle； the other on the down slope。 Elmo muttered； 〃Hungry eyes。 That's what they were。〃
We reached the ridgeline west of the castle。 The Lieutenant paused。 〃How close can you get？〃
I shrugged。 〃I haven't had the balls to find out。〃
The Lieutenant moved here； there； as if sighting on something。 〃Let's bring up some prisoners and find out。〃
I sucked spittle between my teeth； then said； 〃You won't get the locals anywhere near the place。〃
〃Think not？ How about in exchange for a pardon？ Candy's rounded up half the villains in the Buskin。 Got a regular anti…crime crusade going。 He gets three plaints about somebody； he nabs them。〃
〃Sounds a little simple；〃 I said。 We were moving around for a look at the castle gate。 By simple I meant simplistic； not easy。
The Lieutenant chuckled。 Months of hardship had not sapped his bizarre sense of humor。 〃Simple minds respond to simple answers。 A few months of Candy's reforms and the Duke will be a hero。〃
I understood the reasoning。 Juniper was a lawless city； ruled by regional strongmen。 There were hordes of Sheds who lived in terror； continuously victimized。 Anyone who lessened the terror would win their affection。 Adequately developed； that affection would survive later excesses。
I wondered； though； if the support of weaklings was worth much。 Or if； should we successfully infect them with courage； we might not be creating trouble for ourselves later。 Take away daily domestic oppression and they might imagine oppression on our part。
I have seen it before。 Little people have to hate； have to blame someone for their own inadequacies。
But that was not the problem of the moment。 The moment demanded immediate； vigorous； violent attention。 The castle gate popped open as we came in line。 A half…dozen wild beings in black rushed us。 A fog of lethargy settled upon me； and I found fear fading the moment it sparked into existence。 By the time they were halfway to us； all I wanted was to lie down。
Pain filled my limbs。 My head ached。 Cramps knotted my stomach。 The lethargy vanished。
One…Eye was doing strange things； dancing； yelping like a wolf pup； throwing his hands around like wounded birds。 His big； weird hat flew off and tumbled with the breeze； downhill； till it became tangled in the brush。 Between yelps he snapped； 〃Do something； you idiots！ I can't hold them forever。〃
Thang！ Elmo's sword cleared its scabbard。 The Lieutenant's did the same。 I was carrying nothing but a long dagger。 I whipped it out and joined the rush。 The castle creatures stood frozen； surprise in their ophidian eyes。 The Lieutenant reached them first； stopped； wound up； took a mighty two…handed swing。
He lugs a hanger that is damned near an executioner's sword。 A blow like that would have severed the necks of three men。 It did not remove the head of his victim； though it did bite deep。 Blood sprayed the three of us。
Elmo went with a thrust； as did I。 His sword drove a foot into his victim。 My dagger felt like it had hit soft wood。 It sank but three inches into my victim。 Probably not deeply enough to reach anything vital。
I yanked my blade free； poked around in my medical knowledge for a better killing point。 Elmo kicked his victim in the chest to get his weapon free。
The Lieutenant had the best weapon and approach。 He hacked another neck while we diddled around。
Then One…Eye lost it。 The eyes of the castle creatures came alive。 Pure fiery venom burned there。 I feared the two not yet harmed would swarm all over us。 But the Lieutenant threw a wild stroke and they retreated。 The one I had wounded staggered after them。 He fell before he reached the gate。 He kept crawling。 The gate closed in his face。
〃So；〃 the Lieutenant said。 〃There's a few lads we don't have to face later。 My mendation； One…Eye。〃 He spoke calmly enough； but his voice was up in the squeak range。 His hands shook。 It had been close。 We would not have survived had One…Eye not e along。 〃I think I've seen enough for today。 Let's hike。〃
Ninety percent of me wanted to run as fast as I could。 Ten percent stuck to business。 〃Let's drag
