cb.imajica1-第112章

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ok　in　a　street　sacred　to　depravity；　and　Gentle's　calls　for　the　abductor　to　be　stopped　went　ignored。
　The　crowd　thickened　the　farther　down　the　street　he　ventured；　and　he　finally　lost　both　sight　and　sound　of　those　he　was　pursuing。　There　were　alleyways　off　the　main　thoroughfare　（its　name…Lickerish　Street…daubed　on　one　of　the　bordello　walls）；　and　the　darkness　of　any　of　them　might　be　concealing　the　Nullianac。　He　started　to　yell　Huzzah's　name；　but　in　the　e…ons　and　hagglings　two　shouted　syllables　were　drowned　out。　He　was　about　to　run　on　when　he　glimpsed　a　man　backing　out　of　one　of　the　alleyways　with　distress　on　his　face。　He　pushed　his　way　through　to　the　man　and　took　hold　of　his　arm；　but　he　shrugged　it　off　and　fled　before　Gentle　could　ask　what　he'd　seen。　Rather　than　call　Huzzah's　name　again；　Gentle　saved　his　breath　and　headed　down　the　alley。
　There　was　a　fire　of　mattresses　burning　twenty　yards　down　it；　tended　by　a　masked　woman。　Insects　had　nested　in　the　ticking　and　were　being　driven　out　by　the　flames；　some　attempting　to　fly　on　burning　wings；　only　to　be　swatted　by　the　fire　maker。　Ducking　her　wild　swings；　Gentle　asked　after　the　Nullianac；　and　the　woman　directed　him　on　down　the　alley　with　a　nod。　The　ground　was　seething　with　refugees　from　the　mattresses；　and　he　broke　a　hundred　shells　with　every　step　until　he　was　well　clear　of　the　fumigator's　fire。　Lickerish　Street　was　now　too　far　behind　him　to　shed　any　light　on　the　scene；　but　the　bombardment　which　the　crowd　behind　him　had　been　so　indifferent　to　still　continued　all　around；　and　explosions　farther　up　the　city's　slopes　briefly　but　garishly　lit　the　alleyway。　It　was　narrow　and　filthy；　the　buildings　blinded　by　brick　or　boarded　up；　the　road　between　scarcely　more　than　a　gutter；　choked　with　trash　and　decaying　vegetable　matter。　Its　stench　was　sickening；　but　he　breathed　it　deeply；　hoping　the　pneuma　born　of　and　on　that　foetid　air　would　be　all　the　more　potent　for　its　foulness。　The　theft　of　Huzzah　had　already　earned　her　abductors　their　deaths；　but　if　they　had　done　the　least　hurt　to　her　he　swore　to　himself　he'd　return　that　hurt　a　hundredfold　before　he　executed　them。
　The　alleyway　twisted　and　turned；　narrowing　to　a　man's　width　in　some　places；　but　the　sense　that　he　was　closing　on　them　was　confirmed　when　he　heard　the　youth　whooping　a　little　way　ahead。　He　slowed　his　pace　a　little；　advancing　through　shin…deep　refuse；　until　he　came　in　sight　of　a　light。　The　alleyway　ended　a　few　yards　from　where　he　stood；　and　there；　squatting　with　its　back　to　the　wall；　was　the　Nullianac。　The　light　source　was　neither　lamp　nor　fire　but　the　creature's　head；　between　the　sides　of　which　arcs　of　energy　passed　back　and　forth。
　By　their　flickers；　Gentle　saw　his　angel；　lying　on　the　ground　in　front　of　her　captor。　She　was　quite　still；　her　body　limp；　her　eyes　closed；　for　which　fact　Gentle　was　grateful；　given　the　Nullianac's　present　labors。　It　had　stripped　the　lower　half　of　her　body；　and　its　long；　pale　hands　were　busy　upon　her。　The　whooper　was　standing　a　little　way　off　from　the　scene。　He　was　unzipped；　his　gun　in　one　hand；　his　half…hard　member　in　the　other。　Every　now　and　then　he　aimed　the　gun　at　the　child's　head；　and　another　whoop　came　from
　his　lips。
　Nothing　would　have　given　Gentle　more　satisfaction　at　that　moment　than　unleashing　a　pneuma　against　them　both　from　where　he　stood；　but　he　still　wielded　the　power　ineptly　and　feared　that　he'd　do　Huzzah　some　accidental　harm；　so　he　crept　a　little　closer；　another　explosion　on　the　hill　throwing　its　brutal　light　down　on　the　scene。　By　it　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Nullianac's　work；　and　then；　more　stomach…turning　still；　heard　Huzzah　gasp。　The　light　withered　as　she　did　so；　leaving　the　Nullianac's　head　to　shed　its　flickering　gleam　on　her　pain。　The　whooper　was　silent　now；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　violation。　Looking　up；　the　Nullianac　uttered　a　few　syllables　shaped　out　of　the　chamber　between　its　skulls；　and　reluctantly　the　youth　obeyed　its　order；　retreating　from　the　scene　a　little　way。　Some　crisis　was　near。　The　arcs　in　the　Nullianac's　head　were　flaring　with　fresh　urgency；　its　fingers　working　as　if　to　expose　Huzzah　to　their　discharge。　Gentle　drew　breath；　realizing　he　would　have　to　risk　hurting　Huzzah　if　he　was　to　prevent　the　certainty　of　worse　harm。　The　whooper　heard　his　intake　and　turned　to　peer　into　the　darkness。　As　he　did　so　another　lethal　brightness　dropped　around　them　from　on　high。　By　it；　Gentle　stood　revealed。
　The　youth　fired　on　the　instant；　but　either　his　ineptitude　or　his　arousal　spoiled　his　aim。　The　shots　went　wide。　Gentle　didn't　give　him　a　second　chance。　Reserving　his　pneuma　for　the　Nullianac；　he　threw　himself　at　the　youth；　striking　the　weapon　from　his　hand　and　kicking　the　legs　from　under　him。　The　whooper　went　down　within　inches　of　his　gun；　but　before　he　could　reclaim　it　Gentle　drove　his　foot　down　on　the　outstretched　fingers；　bringing　a　very　different　kind　of　whoop　from　the　kid's　throat。
　Now　he　turned　back　on　the　Nullianac；　in　time　to　see　it　raising　its　fireful　head；　the　arcs　cracking　like　slapsticks。　Gentle's　fist　went　to　his　mouth；　and　he　was　discharging　the　pneuma　when　the　whooper　seized　hold　of　his　leg。　The　death　warrant　went　from　Gentle's　hand；　but　it　struck　the　Nullianac's　flank　rather　than　its　head；　wounding　but　not　dispatching　it。　The　kid　hauled　on　Gentle's　leg　again；　and　this　time　he　toppled；　falling　into　the　muck　where　he'd　put　the　whooper　seconds　before；　his　punctured　back　striking　the　ground　hard。　The　pain　blinded　him；　and　when　sight　returned　the　youth　was　up；　and　rummaging　among　the　arsenal　at　his　belt。　Gentle　glanced　towards　the　Nullianac。　It　had　dropped　against　the　wall；　its　head　thrown　back　and　spitting　darts　of　fire。　Their　light　was　little；　but　enough　for　Gentle　to　catch　the　gleam　of　the　dropped　gun　at　his　side。　He　reached　for　it　as　the　delinquent's　hand　fumbled　with　another　weapon；　and　he　had　it　leveled　before　the　youth　could　get　his　cracked　finger　on　the　trigger。　He　pointed　not　at　the　youth's　head　or　heart；　but　at　his　groin。　A　littler　target；　but　one　which　made　the　kid　drop　his　gun　instantly。
　〃Don't　do　that；　sirrah！〃　he　said。
　〃The　belt；〃　Gentle　said；　getting　to　his　feet　as　the　youth　unbuckled　and　unburdened　himself　of　his　filched　arsenal。
　By　another　blaze　from　above　he　saw　the　boy　now　full　of　tics　and　jitters；　pitiful　and　powerless。　There　would　be　no　honor　in　shooting　him　down；　whatever　crimes　he'd　been　responsible　for。
　〃Go　home；〃　he　said。　〃If　I　see　your　face　ever　again…〃　〃You　won't；　sirrah！〃　the　boy　said。　〃I　swear！　I　swear　you
　won't！〃
　He　didn't　give　Gentle　time　to　change　his　mind；　but　fled　as　the　light　that　had　revealed　his　frailty　faded。　Gentle　turned　the　gun　and　his　gaze　upon　the　Nullianac。　It　had　raised　itself　from　the　ground　and　slid　up　the　wall　into　a　standing　position；　its　fingers；　their　tips　red　with　its　deed；　pressed　to　the　place　where　the　pneuma　had　struck　it。　Gentle　hoped　it　was　suffering；　but　he　had　no　way　of　knowing　until　it　spoke。　When　it　did；　when　the　words　came　from　its　wretched　head；　they　were　faltering　and　barely　prehensible。
　〃Which　is　it　to　be；〃　it　said；　〃you　or　her？　I　will　kill　one　of
　you　before　I　pass。　Which　is　it　to　be？〃
　〃I'll　kill　you　first；〃　Gentle　said；　the　gun　pointed　at　the
　Nullianac's　head。
　〃You　could；〃　it　said。　〃I　know。　You　murdered　a　brother
　of　mine　outside　Patashoqua。〃
　〃Your　brother；　huh？〃
　〃We're　rare；　and　know　each　other's　lives；〃　it　said。
　〃So　don't　get　any　rarer；〃　Gentle　advised；　taking　a　step　towards　Huzzah　as　he　spoke；　but　keeping　his　eyes　fixed　on
　her　violator。
　〃She's　alive；〃　it　said。　〃I　wouldn't　kill　a　thing　so　young。
　Not　quickly。　Young　deserves　slow。〃
　Gentle　risked　a　glance　away　from　the　creature。　Huzzah's　eyes　were　indeed　wide　open　and　fixed　upon　him　in　her　terror。
　〃It's　all　right；　angel；〃　he　said；　〃nothing's　going　to　happen　to　you。　Can　you　move？〃
　He　glanced　back　at　the　Nullianac　as　he　spoke；　wishing　he　had　some　way　of　interpreting　the　motions　of　its　little　fires。　Was　it　more　grievously　wounded　than　he'd　thought；　and　preserving　its　energies　for　healing？　Or　was　it　biding　its　time；　waiting　for　its　moment　to　strike？
　Huzzah　was　pulling　herself　up　into　a　sitting　position；　the　motion　bringing　little　whimpers　of　pain　from　her。　Gentle　longed　to　cradle　and　soothe　her；　but　all　he'd