tz.cobra strike-第36节
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egan to climb。 》 It was a long way to go； and Pyre had had very ； little practice in this sort of thing； but the Qasaman ^patrol was apparently in no special rush to take up Sits post and he was nearly to the top before they ^emerged from the street。 He froze； holding his breath ｜｜i；。。 but neither the men nor their mojos looked up； I…and after a few seconds he continued his climb； tak…｜ing care not to make even the slightest sound。
Which probably saved his life。 Reaching the low pparapet surrounding the roof； he raised his head over
it…and found himself eye to eye with a kneeling Qasaman not three meters away； his hands in a small cloth bag in front of him。
The man's eyes and mouth went wide with surprise。 But his hand was still scrambling for his gun when Pyre's arm swung over the parapet and a flicker of laser light caught his spread…winged mojo in the breast。 He was still trying to draw the weapon from its holster when the second flicker caught him in the same place and he fell gently to the side； his astonishment still unvoiced。
Pyre was over the parapet in a second； trembling with the hair's…breadth closeness of the call and the cold knowledge that he was by no means safe yet。 If the ground sentries had heard anything…or if an observer on the next roof over had witnessed the incident…
Activating his optical enhancers； he raised his head cautiously and checked the nearest buildings。 The roof to the south was vacant。 The one to the north held another figure； some sort of light…amp binoculars at his eyes as he gazed out toward the forest。 A quick glance over the parapet showed the sentries below were undisturbed。 Crawling to the dead Qasaman； Pyre reached into the other's bag； found a set of the same light…amp glasses and what looked like a water container and some sort of vegetable cake。
So the rooftop guards； like those on the ground； had apparently just now taken up their positions； which explained how he'd made it safely from the forest。 So he was in； and behind their first lines； and temporarily undetected。 So 。。。 now what？
Pyre found himself gazing at the dead mojo。 Whatever he did； he was going to need a certain amount of camouflage。。。； Carefully； trying not to wince； he rolled the dead man over and eased off his jacket。 Beneath it the man had worn a knitted sweater…like garment； cutting and unraveling a piece of it； Pyre used the yarn to tie the mojo's talons to the jacket's
epaulet。 Smoothing the wings back in place； he tied them together with more yarn。 The whole effect would never hold up even under moderately close scrutiny； but with luck it wouldn't have to。 Keeping close to the roof； he struggled into the jacket which was； thankfully； too large rather than too smalt。 The dead man's gun belt came next； and； almost as an afterthought； he scooped up the light…amp binoculars as well。 Then； mentally crossing his fingers； he headed for the city…side edge of the roof。
He made it； again； without raising any obvious alarm。 Below him was one of the narrower； northeast…southwest streets； across it； the building roof facing him appeared deserted。 At both of the closest street intersections he could see triads of sentries； their attention apparently ground level and outward。 Giving all the rooftops in the immediate area one last scan； he gathered his feet beneath him； got a good grip on his mojo； and jumped。
His leg servos were more than equal to the task。 A second later he hit the far rooftop； rolling on his right shoulder to soften the sound of his impact。 ing up on one knee； he lifted the light amps to his eyes and； trying hard to look like a Qasaman sentry； waited for a reaction。
It didn't e； and a minute later he eased across v the roof and repeated the procedure。 One more building and he had left both the rooftop and the groundside sentries far behind him。 Two more； and he began to breathe again。
And finally he had to make a decision。 Each move
in this direction angled him a little farther from the
i Dewdrop； and with the perimeter penetrated it was
：。： time to head north。 But straight north now would
。；。 take him near the center of the city； and while the
（； streets immediately below were deserted； he had no
^ real hope that things would be that easy for long。
〃？g。。 The city's center was where the mayor's office and ：M； presumably； the rest of Sollas officialdom were lo…
cated； and if the place wasn't crawling with people he would be very surprised。 He would have to work his way around it； threading the region between that activity and the sentry line…
Or else run smack through the middle of it。
Pyre paused at roof's edge； rolling the sudden thought through his mind as if tasting it。 Hitting the Qasamans〃 political stronghold would be a grand gesture； a message of Cobra courage and power the leaders here couldn't possibly miss。 Tactically； it would serve to split the Qasamans〃 attention； drawing fire…power away from the Dewdrop and perhaps from Cerenkov and the other prisoners as well。
And speaking of them； if he could manage to take the mayor captive or hold some critical nerve center； he might even be able to wangle their freedom without the dangers a brute…force approach would entail。
All in all； he decided； it was worth trying。
Scanning the street one last time； he lowered himself quickly over the parapet and dropped to the ground； bouncing off a convenient window ledge halfway down to ease the final shock of landing。 Checking the cross street； he started northeast toward the center of town at a deceptively easy…looking lope； enhanc d vision and hearing alert for the Qasamans who would inevitably appear。
The static crackle of the Qasamans〃 radio jamming blanket dominated the Dewdrop's lounge； its monotony matching perfectly the unchanging still…life on the ship's outside monitors。 For all the evidence offered； the entire population of Qasama could have fallen off the planet immediately after Justin had been taken away nearly an hour ago。 Telek glanced at her watch； sloshing the untasted cahve in her mug as she did so。 Three minutes gone； and not even a hint the Qasamans intended to reply。 〃Try it again；〃 she told Nnamdi。
He nodded and raised the mike to his lips。 〃This is Dr。 Hersh Nnamdi aboard the Aventinian ship Dew…drop；〃 he said。 〃We urgently request munication with Mayor Kimmeron or other Qasaman leaders。 Please respond。〃
He lowered the mike into his lap and Telek strained her ears； listening。 The Dewdrop's most powerful tight…beam transmitter was spitting Nnamdi's translated words directly at the nearby tower。 Jamming or no jamming； some of that signal should be getting through。 If the Qasamans were listening。
If they weren't； this was a plete waste of effort。 If they were； even if they didn't care to reply； Winward might have a chance。
Might。
〃Stage two；〃 Telek said to Nnamdi。 〃Put some emotion into it。〃
The other's cheek twitched； but he lifted the mike。 〃This is Dr。 Hersh Nnamdi aboard the Dewdrop。 I would like to send an unarmed representative out to negotiate our panions〃 release with you。 Will you grant him safe…conduct to someone in authority？〃
Static。 Beside Nnamdi； Christopher stirred and looked at Telek。 〃You realize； of course； that if Justin and Almo have made their move down south； Kimmeron will know we've got super…warriors aboard and will be waiting for Michael with all the guns they've got。〃
Telek nodded wordlessly。 Winward knew it too； of course。 She stole a glance at the Cobra as he sat in quiet conversation with Link at one of the other displays。 They would be discussing tactics and strategy； she knew…and what good it would do she couldn't imagine。 Shots or shells fired from a distance by an unseen gunner weren't something that could be fought。 Not even by Cobras。
〃Someone…anyone…answer me； please。〃 Nnamdi's voice cracked a bit； and Telek shifted her attention back to him。 The strain was beginning to get to him； she realized uneasily。 A little of that would add believability to the whole scheme； but too much could be trouble。 〃Look； I'm going to send out my second…in…mand； Mr。 Michael Winward；〃 Nnamdi continued。 〃Please talk to him； all right？ There's no need for any more bloodshed than we've all already suffered。 I'm sure we can make a deal if you'll only agree to negotiate。〃
Nnamdi paused； looking to Telek。 Steeling herself； she nodded。 He licked his lips and turned back to the mike。 〃I'm sending him out now。 Okay？〃
The static remained unbroken。 Putting down the mike； Nnamdi slumped in his seat and closed his eyes。 Across the room； Winward got easily to his feet。 〃That's my cue； I believe；〃 he remarked； picking up his formal tunic from the back of a chair and slipping it on over his black nightfighter bat suit。
〃m set；〃 Link murmured 〃Got it；〃 Winward nodded； scooping up the translator…link pendant/earphone set laying on the table in front of Nnamdi。 〃Governor； I'll try to find and hit the jammer first； but if I can't find it I'll go straight for the tower's defenses。 If you pick up gunfire and explosions from back there； sweep the forest with m laser fire and send Dorjay out。〃
〃Right；〃 Telek said； trying to match his calm tone。 〃Good luck； and don't take any stupid chances。〃
