tz.cobra strike-第38节

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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　happened…or　could　yet　happen…
　Reality　broke　into　the　unfortable　speculation：　the　elevator　was　slowing　down。　The　car；　he　estimated；　was　about　three　floors　below　him。　When　the　doors　opened　he　would　begin　sliding　down　the　cable　toward　it；　keeping　his　antiarmor　laser　aimed　and　ready。　If　the　Qasamans　still　hadn't　caught　on　he　would　drop　through　the　ceiling　hole；　out　the　door；　and　make　a　mad　dash　for　the　exit；　relying　on　his　speed　and　puterized　reflexes　to　get　him　through。
　Below　him　the　car　doors　opened…and　as　they　did；　the　top　of　the　car　was　abruptly　flooded　with　light　and　the　roar　of　sustained　gunfire　exploded　into　the　shaft。
　Justin　jerked　violently；　nearly　losing　his　grip。　The　car　was　already　being　obscured　by　a　haze　of　smoke。　Through　it　the　staccato　flashing　of　the　guns　lit　up　the　shaft　with　an　unearthly　glow。　Splinters　of　shattered　steel　scythed　the　air　in　counterpoint　to　the　invisible　battering　of　the　bullets　that　were　demolishing　everything　in　range。
　And　Justin's　brief　respite　from　panic　was　over。
　Across　from　him　another　of　the　landing　doors　was　visible　in　the　flickering　light。　As　the　barrage　below　reached　its　peak　his　leg　swung　convulsively　around；　the　laser　within　it　tracing　a　distorted　ellipse　across　the　doors。　For　that　heart…rending　second　it　didn't　matter　that　the　Qasamans　might　have　a　dozen　gunmen　ringing　each　elevator　door；　didn't　even　matter　that　a　moment's　study　probably　would　have　revealed　an　emergency　mechanism　that　might　have　given　them　far　less　warning　of　his　presence。　All　that　mattered　was　that　the　guns　below　could　be　turned　upwards　at　any　second；　and　that　he　wanted　out　of　the　deathtrap　now。　Twisting　his　legs　to　the　horizontal；　he　shoved　hard　against　the　cable　with　his　hands。　The　charred　ellipse　broke　like　foil　as　he　hit　it；　and　he　flew　helplessly　into　the　hallway　beyond；　slamming　into　the　far　wall　and　bouncing　off　into　a　barely　balanced　crouch。
　The　hallway　was　empty。
　For　a　long　moment　he　sat　there　trembling　on　his　haunches；　his　brain　struggling　to　pierce　the　unreality　of　the　situation　to　figure　out　what　had　happened。　They　knew　he　was　in　the　shaft…the　roar　of　gunfire　still　ing　from　below　more　than　proved　that。　So　why　weren't　all　the　exits　from　the　shaft　being　guarded？
　Because　they　thought　he　was　still　on　the　elevator　roof？
　Probably。　A　concealed　weapon　would　likely　not　have　been　powerful　enough　to　kill　the　two　men　from　any　further　away　than　the　roof。　And　they　wouldn't　have　any　idea　just　how　high　his　servos　let　him　jump。
　Getting　to　his　feet；　he　gulped　a　ragged　breath　and　took　stock　of　the　situation。　The　hallway　stretched　for　thirty　meters　or　so　in　both　directions；　its　walls　lined　with　inprehensibly　labeled　doors。　At　the　far　ends　small　windows　reflected　his　image。
　Small；　but　probably　large　enough　to　get　through。　Picking　the　closest　of　the　two　ends；　Justin　headed　for　it　at　a　dead　run。
　And　he　almost　made　it。　But　if　guarding　all　exits　from　the　elevator　shaft　hadn't　been　the　Qasamans〃　first　priority；　neither　had　it　been　forgotten。　His　own　footsteps　masking　the　sound　of　their　approach；　Jus…tin's　first　warning　was　the　blood…chilling　scream　of　a　mojo　directly　behind　him。　He　twisted　around；　getting　just　the　briefest　glimpse　of　talons　arcing　for　his　face　before　his　nanoputer　took　over。
　The　servos　in　his　legs　wrenched　him　to　the　side；　out　of　the　mojo's　line　of　flight。　Its　wingtips　brushed　his　face　as　it　overshot　him；　screaming　again　in　what　sounded　uncannily　like　rage。　At　the　far　end　of　the　hall；　five　Qasamans　had　e　from　somewhere；　their
　guns　aimed　and　ready；　and　four　more　mojos　were　sweeping　to　the　attack。
　And　for　the　second　time　that　night　the　sight　of　the　birds　drove　all　reason　and　nerve　from　his　mind。　Falling　backwards　to　slam　against　the　wall；　he　snapped　his　burned　hands　up　。。。　and　as　his　brain　fogged　over　with　terror；　his　nanoputer　turned　them　into　fountains　of　laser　fire。
　He　came　to　a　few　seconds　later　to　find　all　five　mojos　dead。　At　the　end　of　the　hallway；　he　could　see　at　least　three　Qasaman　bodies；　as　well。　The　survivors…if　there'd　been　any…had　vanished。
　Witnesses　to　his　Cobra　firepower；　but　that　thought　didn't　occur　to　Justin　until　a　long　time　afterwards。　Back　on　his　feet；　he　headed　again　for　his　target　window；　sonic　disruptor　focused　on　it。　The　weapon　found　and　locked　onto　the　window's　primary　resonance；　increased　its　amplitude　。。。　and　with　Justin　two　steps　from　it；　the　glass　shattered；　taking　much　of　the　sash　framework　with　it　in　its　violent　demise。　Increasing　his　speed；　Justin　put　down　his　head　and　dove　through　the　hole。
　Three　floors　below　him；　the　edge　of　the　tower　was　a　blaze　of　floodlights　and　the　crazy…quilt　shadow　pattern　of　running　men。　Justin　saw　just　enough　to　realize　he　would　most　likely　land　outside　the　lit　area　before　his　nanoputer　pulled　his　arms　and　legs　tightly　in　toward　his　torso。　He　tensed；　but　a　second　later　when　the　limbs　snapped　out　to　normal　position　again　he　was　relieved　to　find　the　puter's　calcula*　tion　had　been　correct。　Properly　vertical　once　more；　he　hit　the　ground　on　his　feet；　servos　taking　the　impact　as　they　fought　against　his　forward　momentum　to　regain　his　balance　before　he　ran　full　tilt　into　the　building　immediately　across　from　his　former　prison。　The　effort　was　a　success；　turning　to　run　parallel　to　the　building；　he　sprinted　to　the　nearest　corner　and　rounded　it。　He'd　not　had　a　chance　yet　to　really　focus　on　his　surroundings；　but　as　he　picked　up　speed　now　he　realized　the　universe　had　betrayed　him　one　final　time。　Directly　ahead　the　buildings　and　street　abruptly　gave　way　to　the　sort　of　open　grassland　that　surrounded　Sollas　as　well。　The　bus　had　taken　him　through　several　kilometers　of　city　before　reaching　the　tower；　ergo；　what　he　faced　now　was　Purma's　southwestern　edge。
　He　was　running　directly　away　from　Rynstadt　and　Cerenkov　。。。　directly　away　from　the　Dewdrop。
　I　should　turn　around；　he　thought。　Or　at　least　circle　around　a　block　or　two　and　head　back　along　a　different　street。　But　his　feet　kept　running；　and　as　he　crossed　the　sharp　line　between　city　and　grassland　he　finally　recognized　that　no　intentions　in　the　world　were　going　to　make　his　body　turn　around。　Behind　him　were　the　mojos；　and　the　paralyz