tz.cobra strike-第39章

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o　relax。
　〃What　do　you　suppose　is　keeping　them？〃　Rynstadt　asked　quietly　from　the　lightweight　table　in　the　middle　of　their　cell。
　Standing　at　the　barred　window；　Cerenkov　automatically　glanced　at　his　bare　wrist；　dropping　it　back　to　his　side　with　an　embarrassed　snort。　All　jewelry　had　been　taken　from　them　immediately　after　they　left　the　Sollas　crossroads…fallout；　obviously；　from　York's　gun　and　Joshua's　〃self…destruct〃　bluff。　For　Cerenkov；　not　knowing　the　time　could　be　a　major　annoyance　at　the　best　of　times；　under　the　present　circumstances；　it　was　an　excruciating　form　of　subtle　torture。　〃It　may　not　mean　anything　yet；〃　he　told　Rynstadt。　〃We　haven't　been　here　all　that　long　ourselves；　and　if　transferring　Decker　to　the　ship　took　longer　than　expected　Moff　and　Joshua　may　still　not　be　overdue。〃
　〃And　if…〃　Rynstadt　let　the　sentence　die。　〃Yeah；　maybe　you're　right；〃　he　said　instead。　〃Moff　would　undoubtedly　want　to　be　here　before　they　start　this　silly　questioning。〃
　Cerenkov　nodded；　feeling　frustration　welling　up　within　him　at　having　to　stifle　the　thoughts　clearly　uppermost　in　both　their　minds。　Such　as　whether　York　had　really　been　allowed　back　into　the　Dewdrop　。。。　and　whether　it　would　be　Joshua　or　Justin　who　would　soon　be　joining　them　in　their　cell。　But　after　the　old　man　at　the　crossroads　Cerenkov　had　no　intention　of　assuming　none　of　the　guards　lined　up　against　the　cell　wall　understood　Anglic。
　And　so　he　kept　his　thoughts　and　speculations　to　himself。　But　time　was　dragging　on　。。。　and　as　the　minutes　slowly　added　up　he　began　to　feel　as　if　he　and　Rynstadt　were　standing　on　a　sheet　of　rapidly　thawing　ice。　If　Justin　had　been　forced　to　take　premature　action；　that　would　also　explain　the　delay　。。。　and　it　would　leave　the　two　of　them　in　a　dead…end　position　here。
　Outside；　a　flicker　of　light　caught　Cerenkov's　eye；　off　toward　the　right。　Pressing　the　side　of　his　face　to　the　glass；　he　could　just　see　what　appeared　to　be　another　of　the　armored　vehicles　he　and　Rynstadt　had　arrived　in。　A　handful　of　figures　stepped　to　the　door。　〃Looks　like　they're　here；〃　he　announced　over　his　shoulder；　striving　for　calm。　Now　the　real　fun　would　begin　。。；　especially　since　they　wouldn't　know　themselves　which　twin　they　had　until　he　took　some　sort　of　action。　That　would　be　tricky；　he　didn't　want　to　get　caught　flatfooted　in　a　crossfire；　but　neither　did　he　want　to　be　poised　on　tiptoe　waiting　expectantly　for　the　order　to　hit　the　floor。　Moff　or　one　of　the　guards　might　pick　up　on　something　like　that…
　The　thought　froze　in　place。　The　bus　was　pulling　away　from　the　building；　its　weling　mittee　heading　back　inside　。。。　but　no　one　else　was　with　them。
　An　empty　bus？　was　his　first；　hopeful　guess　。。。　but　he　didn't　believe　it　for　even　a　moment。　The　vehicle　was　speeding　up　now；　heading　further　into　the　city　。。。　and　deep　within　him；　Cerenkov　knew　Moff　and　Justin　were　aboard　it。　Something　had　gone　wrong。　Badly　enough　wrong　that　the　prisoners　were　being　split　up；　apparently　on　the　spur　of　the　moment。
　And　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt　were　in　their　own　private　hole。　A　very　deep　private　hole。
　Slowly；　he　turned　away　from　the　window。　〃Well？〃　Rynstadt　demanded。
　〃False　alarm；〃　Cerenkov　murmured。　〃It　wasn't　them。〃
　Justin　watched　the　tall　building　disappear　from　view　through　the　window　as　the　bus　picked　up　speed；　muscles　tight　with　adrenaline　and　the　sinking　certainty　that　the　game　was；　in　one　sense　or　another；　over。　Moff　could　pretend　all　he　liked　that　they'd　stopped　only　for　information　from　Sollas；　but　Justin　had　been　watching　the　driver　as　Moff　consulted　with　the　men　from　the　building；　and　it　was　clear　that　he'd　been　taken　by　surprise　by　the　order　to　move　on。　Almost　certainly　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt　were　somewhere　in　that　structure　behind　them。　Moff's　studied　casualness　merely　underscored　the　fact　that　they　wanted　Justin　to　attach　no　special　significance　to　the　place。
　So　they　knew。　The　films　had　been　seen；　word　had　been　flashed　south　from　Sollas；　and　Moff　was　taking　him　somewhere　high…security　for　a　long　talk　and　probably　some　careful　study　as　well。　Justin　had　to　act　fast；　to　kill　or　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　sup