tz.cobra strike-第42章

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　Down。　Into　the　ground…deep　into　the　ground；　if　the　buttons　were　each　a　full　floor…where　there　were　no　doors　or　windows　to　escape　through。　And　for　perhaps　the　first　time　in　his　life　Justin　realized　he　was　terrified。　The　universe；　which　had　always　seemed　to　protect　him；　was　a　long　way　up；　far　above　his　little　elevator　car。　He　was　surrounded　by　the　armed　guards　and　hairtrigger　killer　birds　of　a　frightened　and　angry　society　。。。　and　it　dawned　on　him　with　a　sharpness　Hkquthe　smell　of　ozone　that　the　men　he　would　soon　…bej　facing　intended　him　to　die　in　this　deep　hole。　They
　didn't　know　he　was　a　Moreau；　didn't　care　that　he　was　a　Cobra；　and　when　they　were　through　with　him　they　would　kill　him。
　And　Justin　panicked。
　All　thoughts　of　finding　out　what　this　place　was；　all　considerations　of　not　revealing　his　Cobra　equipment；　all　thoughts　even　of　mercy…all　of　it　simply　fled　his　mind　before　the　bubbling　wave　of　panic　that　welled　suffocatingly　up　into　his　throat。　The　men；　guns；　and　mojos　surrounding　him　were　a　claustrophobic　pillow　across　his　face　。。。　and　without　making　a　conscious　decision　to　do　so；　he　exploded　into　action。
　His　fingertip　lasers　and　sonic　fired　first；　the　former　at　the　chain　binding　his　wrists；　the　latter　in　a　stunning　wavefront　in　all　directions。　An　instant　later　his　head　slammed　into　an　invisible　wall　and　he　recognized　with　a　fresh　surge　of　panic　the　folly　of　using　a　sonic　in　such　an　enclosed　space。　His　arms　tugged　convulsively　against　the　handcuffs　as　the　lasers　fired　again；　and　abruptly　the　metal　snapped　and　his　arms　swung　free。
　But　the　brief　sonic　blast　and　flash　of　light　had　alerted　the　Qasamans。　Even　as　Justin's　arms　came　loose　they　were　grabbed　by　hard　hands。　Grabbed　tightly…and　the　servos　beneath　the　skin　and　muscle　twisted　the　arms　up　and　forward；　slamming　the　two　men　head　to　head。　Their　grips　slipped　and　he　pulled　free…and　then　there　was　no　time　for　anything　but　terror　as　the　five　mojos　screamed　to　the　attack。
　Justin's　mind　blanked　pletely　then；　and　the　only　memory　he　had　of　what　happened　next　was　the　sounds　of　the　birds　and　the　horrible　thunderstorm　dazzle　of　a　hundred　laser　flashes。。。。
　The　stench　brought　him　back　to　reality　a　few　seconds　later；　the　stench　of　burned　meat　and　of　his　own　vomit。　Unsteadily；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　looked　around　at　the　carnage。　The　mojos…all　of　them…were　dead。　The　five　Qasamans　。　。　。　Justin　couldn't　tell。　Two　of　them　definitely　were；　with　prominent　laser　burns　over　vital　spots；　but　the　others…Moff　included…were　less　certain。　But　whether　burn　shock；　the　sonic；　or　his　flailing　arms　had　put　them　out　of　action　wasn't　important。　They　could　not　hurt　him；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　inquire　further。
　The　elevator　was　still　going　down。　The　whole　thing　had　clearly　taken　less　time　than　it'd　seemed　to；　and　it　penetrated　dimly　into　Justin's　rattled　consciousness　that　unless　the　elevator　contained　monitors　the　Qasamans　waiting　below　for　him　would　be　unaware　of　what　had　just　happened。　He　might　still　be　able　to　escape。
　He　jabbed　at　his　best　guess　for　the　ground　floor　button　。。。　and　then　at　a　second　and　a　third　before　he　realized　that；　unlike　those　on　Aventine；　this　elevator　design　didn't　allow　for　cancellation。　The　car　would　keep　going　down　until　it　reached　the　floor　Moff　had　signaled。　Where　more　Qasamans　would　be　waiting　for　him。
　He　had　flipped　over　on　his　back　on　the　unmoving　bodies　and　his　antiarmor　laser　was　already　tracing　an　off…center　square　in　the　ceiling　before　he　recognized　on　a　conscious　level　that　he　would　not；　could　not；　face　whatever　awaited　him　at　the　bottom　of　the
　〃　elevator　shaft。　The　false　ceiling　and　relatively　thin　metal　behind　it　were　no　match　for　the　laser；　and　as　the　charred　square　fell　practically　into　his　lap　Justin　scrambled　to　his　feet。　He　took　a　bare　second　to　gain　his　balance　and　jumped。
　Never　before；　not　even　in　training；　had　he　pushed　his　leg　servos　to　their　limit；　and　he　actually　gasped　in　shock　as　he　shot　through　the　opening　like　a　misshapen　missile。　All　around　him；　only　dimly　visible　even　with　the　aid　of　his　enhancers；　were　cables　and　guy　lines。　A　flicker　of　light　from　a　door　crack　washed　over　him…then　another；　and　another…he　was　slowing　down…stopping　in　midair…
　〃^〃Instinctively；　he　grabbed；　and　a　second　later　he　was　again　moving　downard；　his　arms　wrapped　solidly　around　the　main　elevator　cable。
　So　he　was　out　of　the　car；　and　out　of　the　direct　line　of　fire　from　the　Qasamans　below　。。。　but　he　was　still　deep　within　their　stronghold　and　had　left　a　trail　a　child　could　follow。　He　had　to　figure　out　a　way　to　escape；　and　he　had　to　do　so　fast。
　Oddly　enough；　though…or　so　it　seemed　to　him…　the　suffocating　panic　had　dissipated　far　enough　for　him　to　be　able　to　think　again。　His　incredible　jump　had　been　a　sledge…hammer　reminder　both　of　the　power　his　Cobra　equipment　gave　him　and　of　the　fact　that　his　father；　too；　had　once　been　imprisoned　like　this　and　had　survived。
　A　sheet　of　light　swept　by：　one　of　the　landing　doors　he'd　jumped　past　seconds　ago。　On　a　hunch；　he　shoved　off　the　cable　toward　it；　fingers　and　feet　finding　holds　on　framework　and　opening…mechanism　bars。　He　found　a　narrow　ledge　to　stand　on　and　regained　his　balance　as；　a　meter　away；　the　cable　continued　its　way　down。
　Carefully；　he　took　a　shuddering　breath。　/　am　Justin　Moreau；　he　reminded　himself　firmly。　A　Cobra；　following　in　my　father's　footsteps。　I　witt…l　will…survive　this。　Fine。　So　how　do　I　start？
　One　thing　was　for　sure：　he　had　several　floors　to　go　before　he　even　got　to　the　surface。　Shifting　his　grip；　he　leaned　out　as　far　as　he　safely　could。　The　position　of　the　door　directly　above　could　be　inferred　from　reflected　light；　but　there　were　too　many　bars　and　other　metallic　junk　in　the　way　for　it　to　be　visible。　So　jumping　floor　to　floor　was　out；　ditto　for　climbing　through　stuff　that　questionable。　A　service　ladder？　But　a　quick　survey　of　the　shaft　showed　nothing　that　would　serve　such　a　function。
　A　meter　away；　the　cable　abruptly　slowed　and　stopped　。。。　and　from　below　came　the　faint　sound　of　elevator　doors　opening。
　Again　Justin　shifted　position；　swinging　his　left　leg　to　point　directly　toward　the　hole　he'd　cut　in　the　car's　ceiling　and　simultaneously　bringing　up　his　optical　enhancers〃　magnification　capabilities。　The　sight　of　the　bodies　on　the　floor　sent　a　fresh　wave　of　revulsion　through　him；　but　before　he　had　time　for　more　than　a　quick　shiver　there　was　an　explosion　of　Qasaman　voices　from　below；　and　someone　stepped　into　the　car。
　Damn；　Justin　mouthed　the　word；　caught　once　more　in　indecision。　Should　he　try　and　get　out　of　the　shaft　before　the　Qasamans　below　came　to　the　obvious　conclusion　as　to　his　whereabouts；　or　should　he　stay　and　try　to　discourage　pursuit？
　The　decision　was　made　for　him。　Abruptly；　the　figure　below　became　a　face　and　a　pistol；　and　the　shaft　thundered　with　the　echo　of　his　shot。
　A　wild　shot；　of　course；　he　couldn't　have　any　idea　where　Justin　actually　was。　The　Cobra's　response　was　considerably　more　accurate；　and　even　at　this　range　the　antiarmor　laser　was　perfectly　adequate　for　such　a　purpose。　The　gunner　fell　in　a　heap　onto　the　bodies　beneath　him。　A　second　face　appeared；　and　Justin　shot　that　one；　too…
　And　from　below　came　the　sound　of　the　car's　doors　closing。　A　second　later；　the　cable　beside　him　started　upwards。
　Justin　gaped　for　a　couple　of　heartbeats　before　his　mental　wheels　caught　and　he　jumped　over　to　again　cling　to　the　cable。　What　had　happened　was　now　obvious：　having　reached　the　floor　Moff　had　sent　it　to；　the　elevator　was　now　responding　to　the　buttons　Justin　had　pushed　on　the　way　down。
　For　the　moment；　at　least；　Justin　seemed　to　be　one　step　ahead　of　them。
　After　the　flurry　of　activity　preceding　it；　the　ride　toward　ground　level　seemed　to　drag　on　and　on；　and　it　gave　him　the　chance　to　assess　his　own　injuries。　Both　hands；　particularly　the　little　fingers；　were　speckled　with　tiny　molten…metal　burns　from　his　blasting　of　tile　handcuff　chain　an　eternity　earlier。　The　rings　themselves　were　biting　hard　into　his　wrists　as　he　pressed　against　the　greasy　cable。　Something；　presumably　blood；　was　dripping　slowly　down　his　cheek　from　a　cut　over　his　left　eye　that　hurt　like　blazes。　He　hadn't　realized　before　that　any　of　the　mojos　had　gotten　so　close　。。。　and　the　thought　of　what　might　have　happene