tz.cobra strike-第39节

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ons　in　the　world　were　going　to　make　his　body　turn　around。　Behind　him　were　the　mojos；　and　the　paralyzing　fear　their　talons　induced　in　him　was　far　more　terrifying　than　the　talons　themselves。
　His　father　had　faced　the　might　of　whole　Troft　armies　and　won　through　without　flinching　。。。　and　his　only　Cobra　son　had　turned　out　to　be　a　coward。
　The　city　was　far　behind　him　now；　but　as　Justin　keyed　in　his　optical　enhancers　he　saw　the　forest　that　had　flanked　the　road　into　Purma　had　receded　sharply　this　far　south。　The　nearest　edge；　his　enhancers〃　range　finder　told　him；　was　over　a　kilometer　away…　much　too　far　to　reach　in　time　if　the　Qasamans　had　taken　up　the　chase。　Throwing　a　glance　over　his　shoulder；　Jus…tin　skidded　to　a　halt　and　dropped　down　on　his　stomach　in　the　knee…high　grass；　turning　to　face　the　city　with　all　senses　alert。
　But　so　far　there　was　no　sign　of　pursuit。　Did　they　think　he'd　headed　north；　as　he　should　have？　Or　were　they　perhaps　not　even　aware　yet　that　he'd　escaped　from　the　building？
　There　was　no　way　to　tell　。。。　and　with　emotional　fatigue　washing　over　him；　Justin　almost　didn't　even　care。　Whatever　he　did　now；　Cerenkov　and　Rynstadt
　were　as　good　as　dead　unless　Pyre　had　already　managed　to　free　them。　No　matter　how　fast　Justin　got　to　their　prison；　he　would　find　the　place　hip…deep　in　guards。
　His　burns　and　bruises　throbbed　with　aches　both　sharp　and　dull；　but　they　were　no　match　for　his　fatigue。　Slowly　but　inexorably　his　eyelids　dragged　themselves　closed；　his　head　sank　down　to　rest　pillowed　on　his　arms；　his　shame　found　the　only　oblivion　available。
　He　slept。
　
　
　Chapter　20
　
　For　the　third　time　in　five　minutes　a　vehicle　approached　from　ahead；　and　for　the　third　time　Pyre　tensed　and　forced　himself　to　maintain　a　steady　walk。　The　vehicle　passed　without　slowing；　and　the　Cobra　sighed　quietly　with　relief。
　Momentary　relief；　at　best。　If　his　memory　of　Sollas's　layout　was　correct；　he　was　only　two　or　three　blocks　from　the　building　where　Joshua　and　the　others　had　been　taken　a　week　ago　to　meet　Mayor　Kimmeron。　The　trip　so　far　had　indicated　that　no　one　was　considering　the　possibility　that　any　of　the　Aventinians　could　have　made　it　this　deep　into　the　city；　but　it　was　equally　clear　that　the　bubble　could　burst　any　time　now。　There　were　bound　to　be　sentries　surrounding　the　mayoral　office；　as　well　as　various　people　scurrying　around　with　errands　as　these　supposedly　peace…fill　people　continued　their　war　against　the　Dewdrop；　A　straight…in　penetration；　Cobra　firepower　or　no；　was　likely　to　be　pretty　bloody。　On　both　sides。
　But　so　far　he'd　been　unable　to　e　up　with　anything　better。　He'd　passed　a　handful　of　parked　cars；　but　a　quick　check　had　showed　their　drive　mechanisms　were　locked　and　he　had　no　idea　how　to　bypass　the　system。　Rooftop　jumping　was　possible；　but　its　usefulness　decreased　in　direct　proportion　to　the　num…
　　　her　of　nearby　ears　that　might　hear　the　thud　of　the　landing　and　eyes　that　might　see　the　leap　itself。　If　he　had　some　timed　bombs　he　could　set　up　a　diversion　a　few　blocks　from　his　goal；　but　none　of　his　meager　supply　of　equipment　could　be　adapted　to　such　a　purpose。　The　propellant　in　the　bullets；　perhaps？　Surely　there　was　a　goodly　amount　of　it…you　didn't　take　down　an　animal　the　size　of　a　bololin　without　a　lot　of　punch　behind　the　projectile。　Bololins。。。。
　The　ghost　of　an　idea　brushed　his　mind。　Looking　around　quickly　to　make　sure　he　was　unobserved；　Pyre　found　a　dark　section　of　wall　and　began　to　climb。　The　rooftop；　when　he　reached　it；　didn't　have　what　he　was　looking　for；　but　a　careful　study　showed　a　likely　candidate　two　buildings　away。　Two　jumps　later　he　was　squatting　next　to　a　square　yellow　box　mounted　with　a　large…mouthed　horn。　A　bololin　alarm。
　Fingertip　lasers　made　quick　work　of　the　box's　access　panel；　and　Pyre　was　soon　poking　gingerly　around　the　wires　and　ponents　inside。　The　reasonable　way　to　set　such　a　device　up　was　to　run　it　off　the　building's　own　power　supply；　with　the　on/off　switch　several　floors　down　and　inaccessible　。。。　but　if　the　Qasamans　had　been　as　cautious　here　as　they　seemed　to　be　everywhere　else。。。。
　And　they　had。　The　horn's　emergency　battery　took　up　nearly　a　quarter　of　the　box's　volume。
　A　few　minutes〃　work　tracing　wires　and　Pyre　had　the　system　figured　out。　Cutting　the　main　power　line　here　would　allow　the　battery…and；　more　importantly；　the　emergency　trigger　switch…into　the　circuit。　The　battery's　switch　seemed　to　be　designed　for　radio　control；　though。　He　would　have　to　e　up　with　some　other　way　to　trigger　the　thing。
　By　the　time　the　preliminary　cutting　and　adjustments　were　plete　he'd　thought　of　one。　Maybe。　It　took　nearly　fifteen　minutes　more　to　plete　the
　jury…rig　trigger。　Then；　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　forehead；　he　took　a　moment　to　study　the　landscape。　The　mayor's　office　。。。　that　one　there；　probably。　Circle　cautiously　and　find　a　roof　past　it　to　wait　on　。。。　that　one。
　Glancing　at　his　watch；　Pyre　grimaced。　Time　was　slipping　away　from　him；　and　with　each　lost　minute　the　chances　increased　that　the　Qasamans　would　kill　one　of　their　hostages　or　take　some　action　against　the　Dewdrop。　Dropping　down　the　side　of　the　building；　he　began　to　run　silently　through　the　deserted　streets。
　Luck　was　with　him。　Fifteen　minutes　later　he　was　on　his　chosen　rooftop；　ready　to　go。　Two　buildings　away；　the　mayoral　building　was；　from　the　muted　sounds　reaching　his　ears；　indeed　surrounded　by　milling　groups　of　people。　Four　blocks　beyond　it　Pyre's　optical　enhancers　located　the　bololin　alarm　and　the　stolen　light…amp　binoculars　resting　atop　the　box　there。　Taking　a　deep　breath；　Pyre　locked　onto　the　binoculars；　raised　his　left　leg；　and　sent　a　low…power　antiarmor　shot　toward　it。
　The　light　triggered　a　pulse　through　the　light…amp's　electronics；　a　pulse　which　Pyre's　rewiring　sent　not　to　the　lenses　but　around　the　alarm's　emergency　switch　system…
　And　the　hoot　of　the　horn　tore　into　the　darkness。
　Pyre　was　ready。　Stray　eyes　were　still　a　danger；　but　for　the　moment　there　was　no　way　anyone　in　the　street　below　was　going　to　hear　the　impact　of　his　landings。　He　reached　the　edge　of　his　building　and　jumped；　getting　a　glimpse　of　running　people　below。　He　hit　the　next　roof；　crossed　it　in　a　dead　run；　and　with　a　quick　prayer　to　the　patron　of　fools；　jumped　again。
　Not　to　the　mayoral　building　roof；　but　to　a　spot　midway　down　the　side…and　that　only　to　provide　a　slight　braking　impact　before　he　hit　the　street。　The　building　was　seven　stories　high；　its　lit　windows　testifying　to　activity　inside；　and　Pyre　knew　he　was　taking
　a　big　gamble　going　in　at　ground　level。　But　the　mayor's　office　itself　had　been　on　the　first　floor；　and　the　Cobra　was　betting　that　Qasaman　paranoia　would　bury　the　most　important　facilities　underground。
　And　then　he　hit　the　street　and　there　was　no　time　left　for　planning　and　thought。　Most　of　the　thirty　or　so　people　in　sight　were　hurrying　away　from　him　in　the　direction　of　the　hooting　alarm；　but　the　two　who　flanked　the　ornate　door　were　standing　fast　。。。　and　their　frozen　astonishment　didn't　extend　to　their　mojos。
　But　the　birds　saw　no　drawn　weapon；　and　their　movements　were　the　slow　ones　of　surprised　study　instead　of　the　swifter　ones　of　attack。　Pyre　targeted　and　shot　both　out　of　the　air；　and　then；　as　the　guards　belatedly　reacted；　he　shot　them　as　well。　He　took　the　three　outside　steps　in　a　single　bound　and　slipped　inside。
　He　hadn't　been　paying　all　that　much　attention　to　the　route　the　one　time　Cerenkov's　team　had　been　in　this　place；　but　fortunately　the　layout　seemed　straightforward。　Pyre　followed　the　main　corridor　to　the　first　junction　and　branched　right。　At　the　next　cross　corridor　he　turned　left；　aiming　toward　the　center　of　the　building…and　there；　barely　ten　meters　away；　were　the　two　liveried　guards　he　remembered　seeing　at　the　mayor's　door。
　They　looked　at　him　in　frowning　surprise；　hands　dropping　to　their　guns。　Pyre　shot　both　of　them　out　from　under　their　mojos；　then　killed　the　birds　as　they　tried　to　disengage　their　talons　from　their　epaulet　perches　and　bee　airborne。　Mentally　bracing　himself；　he　shoved　the　doors　open　and　stepped　inside；　hands　held　at　the　ready。
　It　was　almost　a　repeat　of　the　scene　he'd　seen　through　Joshua's　sensors　the　last　time；　with　two　important　exceptions。　The　fumes　that　both　he　and　the　contact　team　had　missed　out　on　before　were　an　almost　literal　sledgehammer　to　the　nose；　bringing　him　to　an　abrupt　halt　and　nearly　gagging　him。　And　this　time　the　mayor's　cushiony　throne　was　vacant。
　It　took　Pyre　a　handful　of　heartbeats　to　get　his　breath　and　voice　back。　For　the　people　seated　at　the　low　tables　around　the　throne；　those　few　seconds　turned　out　to　be　their　salvation。　Whether　the　fumes　enhanced　their　mental　processes　or　whether　they　were　simply　naturally　observant　he　didn't　know；　but　by　the　time　he　was　able　to　function　again　all　of　them　had　apparently　deduced　who　he　was　and　were　making　mad　dashes　from　the　room。　Within　seconds　the　scene　was　deserted。
　〃Damn；〃　Pyre　murmured　under　his　breath。　The　smoke；　he　discovered；　tasted　odd；　too。　Clicking　up　his　audio　enhancers；　he　held　his　breath　。。。　and　from　somewhere　out　of　sight　among　the　free…hanging　curtains　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　shallow　breathing。
　So　they　hadn't　all　made　it　out　of　boltholes。　Was　die　straggler　armed？　Probably　。。。　though　none　of　the　others　had　tried　to　use　their　guns