tz.cobra strike-第34节
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The contact team was； at least from a purely military standpoint； expendable。 The Dewdrop； with all the data they'd collected about Qasama； was not。 The Dewdrop had to be freed 。。。 and three…quarters of her Cobra fighting force was still trapped inside。
To the southwest； the sounds of the bus had vanished into the forest。 Notching his optical sensors up against the darkness。 Pyre began circling cautiously around the vehicles and men that still straddled the crossroads。 He could stay within the relative cover of the forest for a few kilometers； but long before he got to the airfield area he would have to move into the city proper if he wanted any chance of approaching the Qasamans〃 tower defenses undetected。 The contact team had spent little time on the streets of Sollas at night…and none of it near the edges of the city。 Pyre had no idea what sort of crowd level he'd have to get through once he left the forest。 If he could steal some Qasaman clothing 。。。 but he couldn't speak word one of their language； and he would at any rate be instantly conspicuous by his lack of a mojo panion。
The crossroads； he judged； were far enough behind him now to risk a little noise。 Senses alert for forest predators as well as wandering Qasamans； he broke into a brisk jog。 Whatever he came up with； the inspiration had better e fast。 In five minutes； ten at the most； Sollas was going to play host to its first Cobra。
Chapter 18
Joshua's implanted sensors were reputed to be the best the Cobra Worlds had available； but sitting in a bouncing vehicle across from a man he'd seen almost constantly for a week； Justin recognized with an unpleasant shock just how limited his piggybacked experience of Qasama had really been。 The texture of the seat where his hands rested on it…the odd paving of the road as transmitted by the bus's vibration… above all the tangy and exotic scents filling the air around him…it was as if he'd stepped into a painting and found that the world it depicted was real。
And the whole effect made him nervous。 He was supposed to be an undetectable substitute for his brother； and instead was feeling like the new kid on the block。 All he needed now was for Moff to pick up that something was off…color here and bury him a hundred kilometers from Cerenkov and Rynstadt while the Qasamans figured out what was going on。
When your defense stinks； attack。 〃I must say； Moff；〃 he remarked； 〃that you people are nothing short of astonishing at learning new languages。 How long have you been able to speak Anglic？〃
Moff's eyes flicked to the old man two seats down； who let loose with a stream of Qasaman。 Moff replied in kind； and the translator turned back to Justin。
〃We will ask the questions today；〃 he said。 〃It will be your position to answer them。〃
Justin snorted。 〃e on； Moff…it's hardly a secret anymore。 Not with your friend here speaking as well as I do。 And you said something to me yourself； right after you switched on the little insurance policy you had around my neck。 So e on…how did all of you learn it so fast？〃
He kept a surreptitious eye on the old man as he spoke； watching for hesitations with words or grammar。 But if the other had any trouble； it wasn't obvious。 Moff eyed Justin for a moment after the translator finished； then said something in a thoughtful tone that the Cobra didn't care for even before he heard the old man's version： 〃You seem to have regained some of your courage。 What did those aboard your ship say to strengthen you so？〃
〃They reminded me of what your planetary superiors will say when they're informed how you have threatened a peaceful diplomatic mission；〃 Justin shot back。
〃Oh？〃 Moff said through the translator。 〃Perhaps。 We shall soon see if that； too； is one of your lies。 By the time we have reached Purma； or perhaps even before。〃
〃I resent the implication I would lie to you。〃
〃Resent it if you wish。 But the cylinders you wore into your ship will show the truth of the matter。〃
Justin felt his mouth go dry。 〃What do you mean？〃 he asked； hoping his sudden horrible suspicion was wrong。
It wasn't。 〃The cylinders contained cameras and sound recording devices；〃 the translator said。 〃We hoped to get a first approximation of the situation and number of personnel aboard。〃
And smack dab in the middle of the tape would be that free and unexpected bonus； the Moreau twin switch。 And when they saw that… 〃A fat lot of good it'll do you；〃 he snorted； putting as much scorn into His voice as he could scrape together。 〃We told no lies about our ship or people。 What are you expecting… hundreds of armored soldiers squeezed into that little thing？〃
Moff waited for the translation and then shrugged。 Apparently really doesn't understand Anglic； Justin decided as the two Qasamans held a brief discussion。 Just learned that one phrase to emphasize the three…minute limit； probably。 And we fell for it like primitives。 Stupid； stupid； stupid。
〃We shall see what is there；〃 the old man said。 〃Perhaps it will help us decide what should be done with all of you。〃
/'// just bet it will； Justin thought； but remained silent。 Moff settled back in his seat； indicating the conversation was over for the moment。。。 and Justin tried to get his brain on…line。
All right。 First off； the spy cameras probably weren't transmitting a live picture from the Dewdrop…the Qasamans would've had to open up part of their radio jamming； and an action of that sort might have been detected。 So Moff and pany didn't yet know about the Moreau switch； an ignorance they would keep until those back in Sollas found out themselves and were able to blow the whistle。 The jamming meant Justin was safe enough while the bus was still on the road。 If he made his move before they reached the next city…Purma； had Moff called it？…he'd take them totally by surprise 。。。
And would then have to search the whole city for Cerenkov and Rynstadt。
Justin grimaced。 He could afford not knowing where the others were being kept； but only if Pyre had followed their bus instead of waiting for Justin's。 There was no way of knowing which option the other Cobra had taken； and Justin didn't dare gamble on it。 He would just have to let them take him to the other prisoners； hope he could take out all the additional guards and mojos that would undoubtedly be present… And pray the bus didn't stop outside of town at a checkpoint with long…range munications capability。
Damn。 If they did that then all bets were instantly off。 Moff was being pretty casual about his prisoner； but that was surely based on a week's worth of observation of Joshua's character and reactions。 If he found out he had someone else he was bound to react with a tighter leash 。。。 and there were ways to render even a Cobra helpless。
Through the window ahead the bus's headlights showed nothing but road and flanking forest。 No city lights yet 。。。 Carefully； methodically； Justin activated his multiple…targe ting lock and sequen…。tially locked onto all the mojos in the vehicle。 Just in case。
Easing back into his seat； he watched the road ahead and kept his hands well clear of any possible obstructions。 And tried to 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； strivi
