tz.theicarushunt-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


her　assignment。　〃But　if　I　may　be　so　bold；　I'd　like　to　point　out　that　another　of　your　standing　instructions　is　that　we　should　maintain　our　facade　of　poor　but　honest　cargo　haulers。〃
　〃And　how　does　that　apply　here？〃
　〃I　was　offered　a　position　as　pilot　on　another　ship　for　a　one…time　transport　job；〃　I　explained。　〃A　thousand　marks　up　front；　with　another　two　on　delivery。　How　could　I　turn　that　down　and　still　pretend　to　be　poor？〃
　That　line　of　reasoning　hadn't　impressed　Ixil　very　much　back　on　Meima。　It　impressed　Brother　John　even　less。　〃You　don't　seriously　expect　me　to　buy　that；　do　you？〃　he　demanded；　the　cultured　facade　cracking　just　a　bit。
　〃I　hope　so；　sir；　yes；〃　I　said。　〃Because　that　is　why　I　did　it。〃
　For　a　long　moment　he　studied　my　face；　and　I　found　myself　holding　my　breath。　Brother　John's　tentacles　stretched　everywhere；　even　to　backwater　worlds　like　Xathru。　A　touch　of　a　button；　a　few　pointed　words；　and　I　would　probably　not　even　make　it　out　of　the　Starrm　building　alive。　A　flurry　of　contingency　plans；　none　of　them　very　promising；　began　to　chase　each　other　through　my　mind。
　And　then；　suddenly；　he　smiled　again；　the　chill　that　had　been　frosting　the　screen　vanishing　into　warm　sunshine。　〃You're　a　sly　one；　Jordan…you　really　are；〃　he　said；　his　tone　implying　that　all　sins　had　graciously　been　forgiven。　〃All　right；　since　you've　gotten　my　cargo　delivered　on　time；　you　may　go　ahead　and　take　this　other　ship　and　cargo　home。　Consider　it　a　vacation　of　sorts　for　all　your　service　these　past　three　years；　eh？〃
　Considering　what　I'd　already　been　through　on　the　Icarus；　this　trip　was　not　exactly　turning　out　to　be　my　idea　of　a　good　time。　But　pared　to　facing　Brother　John's　vengeance；　I　decided　I　couldn't　plain。　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said；　giving　him　my　best　humble　gratitude　look。　〃I'll　let　you　know　when　I'll　be　available　again。〃
　〃Of　course　you　will；〃　he　said；　and　suddenly　the　warm　sunshine　vanished　again　into　an　icy　winter's　night。　〃Because　you　still　owe　us　a　considerable　debt。　And　you　know　how　Mr。　Antoniewicz　feels　about　employees　who　try　to　leave　without　paying　off　their　debts。〃
　Involuntarily；　I　shivered。　Mr。　Antoniewicz　was　the　head　of　the　whole　organization；　with　a　shadowy　identity　that　was　even　more　carefully　guarded　than　Brother　John's。　Rumor　had　it　that　there　were　already　over　a　thousand　warrants　for　his　arrest　across　the　Spiral；　ranging　from　happyjam　manufacture　to　mass　murder　to　deliberately　starting　brush　wars　so　that　he　could　sell　arms　to　both　sides。　The　badgemen　would　probably　give　any　two　appendages　to　smoke　him　out　of　his　lair。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　told　Brother　John。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　disappoint　either　of　you。〃
　〃Good；〃　he　said。　His　smile　shifted　to　somewhere　in　early　April；　glowing　with　springtime　warmth　but　with　the　threat　of　winter　chill　still　lurking　in　the　wings。　〃Then　I'll　let　you　get　back　to　your　new　ship。　Good…bye；　Jordan。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Ryland；〃　I　said。　He　glanced　up　over　the　camera　and　nodded；　and　the　vid　went　dead。
　I　sat　there　scowling　at　the　blank　screen　for　nearly　a　minute；　trying　to　sort　through　the　nuances　of　the　conversation。　Something　here　didn't　feel　quite　right；　but　for　the　life　of　me　I　couldn't　figure　out　what　it　was。
　And　I　was　painfully　aware　that　that　life　of　me　phrasing　could　well　turn　out　to　be　literally　the　case。　If　Brother　John…or　Mr。　Antoniewicz　above　him…decided　that　I　had　outlived　my　usefulness　or　otherwise　needed　to　be　made　an　example　of；　he　would　hardly　telegraph　that　decision　by　threatening　me　on　an　open　vid　connect。　No；　he　would　smile　kindly；　just　as　he　had　there　at　the　end；　and　then　he　would　touch　that　button　and　say　those　few　pointed　words；　and　I　would　quietly　vanish。
　A　soft　rustling　of　bills　startled　me　out　of　my　reverie：　what　was　left　of　my　hundred　marks　feeding　down　into　the　change　bin。　I　collected　the　bills　and　coins　together；　wondering　if　I　should　just　go　ahead　and　feed　them　back　in。　I　could　give　Uncle　Arthur　a　call。。。
　With　a　sigh；　I　slid　the　bills　loosely　into　my　ID　folder　and　dropped　the　coins　into　a　side　pocket。　Uncle　Arthur　had　been　the　conniving　benefactor　who'd　worked　so　hard　to　get　Ixil　and　me　connected　with　Brother　John　in　the　first　place；　back　when　our　soaring　debts　were　threatening　to　land　us　in　fraud　court；　and　I　just　knew　what　he　would　say　if　I　even　suggested　I　might　be　in　trouble　with　the　organization。
　Besides；　it　was　unlikely　that　he　would　lift　a　finger　to　try　to　help　me　even　if　I　did　call　him。　In　his　own　way；　he　was　as　much　a　reclusive　figure　as　Mr。　Antoniewicz；　and　he　had　made　it　abundantly　clear　that　he　liked　it　that　way。　It　would　serve　him　right　if　he　had　to　read　about　my　death　on　the　newsnets。
　Overhead；　the　lights　flickered　twice；　a　gentle　reminder　that　my　call　was　finished　and　others　were　waiting　their　turn　for　the　booth。　Standing　up；　I　pulled　my　plasmic　from　its　holster　nestled　beneath　my　left　armpit；　checked　the　power　pack　and　safety；　then　returned　the　weapon　to　concealment；　making　sure　it　was　loose　enough　for　a　quick　draw　if　necessary。　Then；　taking　a　deep　breath；　I　unsealed　the　door　and　stepped　out　into　the　corridor。
　None　of　the　dozen　or　so　people　present　shouted　in　triumph　or　whipped　out　a　weapon。　In　fact；　none　of　them　gave　me　so　much　as　a　second　glance　as　I　made　my　way　back　down　the　corridor　to　the　main　lobby。　Aiming　for　an　unoccupied　corner　where　I　could　have　at　least　a　modicum　of　privacy；　I　pulled　out　my　phone　and　punched　Ixil's　number。
　He　answered　on　the　third　vibe。　〃Yes？〃
　〃It's　Jordan；〃　I　told　him。　〃What's　your　status？〃
　〃I've　landed　and　finished　the　entry　forms；〃　he　said。　I　had　to　hand　it　to　him；　not　a　single　cue　anywhere　in　words　or　tone　to　indicate　the　surprise　he　was　undoubtedly　feeling　at　hearing　from　me　here　on　Xathru。　I　could　imagine　Pix　and　Pax　were　doing　some　serious　twitching；　though。　〃I've　also　made　contact　with　the　local　representative　and　started　off…loading　the　cargo。〃
　〃Good。〃　So　we　were　almost　rid　of　Brother　John's　happyjam。　Best　news　I'd　heard　all　day。　〃When　you're　finished；　upgrade　to　a　long…term　docking　permit；　lock　down　the　ship；　and　get　yourself　over　to　Dock　Rec　Three…Two…Seven。〃
　There　was　just　the　briefest　pause。　〃Trouble？〃
　〃You　could　say　that；　yes；〃　I　told　him。　〃Our　mechanic　was　killed　during　the　flight；　and　I　need　a　replacement。　You're　it。〃
　〃An　accident？〃
　I　grimaced。　〃At　this　point　I'm　not　really　sure。　Better　e　prepared。〃
　Once　again；　he　took　it　all　in　stride。　〃I'll　be　there　in　forty　minutes；〃　he　said　calmly。
　〃I'll　be　there　in　thirty；〃　I　said；　hoping　fervently　that　I　wasn't　being　overly　optimistic。　〃See　you　soon。〃
　I　keyed　off　and；　squaring　my　shoulders；　crossed　the　lobby　and　headed　out　into　the　sunlight；　tension　and　uncertainty　mixing　together　to　make　the　skin　on　my　back　crawl。　Just　because　nothing　had　happened　to　me　in　the　Starrm　building　didn't　mean　it　wasn't　going　to　happen　somewhere　else　between　here　and　the　Icarus。
　〃Hey；　Hummer；〃　a　crackly　voice　came　from　my　left。
　I　jumped；　hand　twitching　automatically　toward　my　hidden　gun。　But　it　was　only　a　Grifser；　his　tiny　eyes　peering　up　at　me　from　leprous…looking　skin；　his　spindly　paws　held　out　pleadingly。　Brother　John　might　use　aliens　from　time　to　time　when　they　suited　his　purposes；　but　he　would　never　use　them　to　discipline　one　of　his　own　people；　even　a　lowly　smuggler　in　his　final　disgrace。　Like　most　of　the　Spiral's　criminal　organizations…human　and　alien　both…the　Antoniewicz　organization　was　oddly　but　vehemently　ethnocentric。　〃What？〃　I　asked。
　〃You　got　any　caff？〃　the　alien　asked　plaintively。　〃I　pay。　You　got　any　caff？〃
　〃Sorry；〃　I　said；　brushing　past。　Grifsers　were　absolutely　nuts　for　Earth…style　caffeinated　beverages　or　snacks…it　actually　qualified　as　a　drug　for　them；　putting　it　on　the　controlled　substance　list　anyplace　they　had　a　decent…sized　enclave。　Elsewhere　in　the　Spiral；　they　created　nuisances　of　themselves　around　spaceport　entrances　and　tavernos；　but　most　of　them　knew　how　to　more　or　less　graciously　take　no　for　an　answer。　Those　who　weren't　feeling　all　that　gracious　were　usually　at　least　smart　enough　not　to　press　the　point　with　beings　half　again　their　size　and　twice　their　weight。
　This　particular　Grifser　was　apparently　on　the　trailing　edge　of　both　those　bell　curves。　〃No！〃　he　insisted；　darting　around　behind　me　and　ing　up　again　on　my　right。　〃Caff　caff…now　now！　Will　pay　for　it。〃
　〃I　said　no；〃　I　snapped；　reaching　out　to　push　him　away。　I　didn't　have　time　for　this　nonsense。
　〃Caff！〃　he　insisted；　grabbing　my　arm　and　hanging　on　to　it　like　a　mottled…skin　leech。　〃Give　me　caff！〃
　Swearing　under　my　breath；　I　grabbed　one　of　his　paws　and　pried　it　off。　I　was　working　on　prying　the　other　away　when　a　long　arm　snaked　its　way　around　my　back　from　my　left　to　an　overly　familiar　resting　place　just　beneath　the　right　side　of　my　rib　cage。　〃Hello；　old　Hummer　chum；〃　a　voice　crooned　into　my　left　ear。
　I　turned　my　head　to　find　myself　gazing　at　close　range　into　an　alien　face　that　looked　like　a　topographical　map　of　the　Pyrenees。　〃If　you　don't　mind；　friend…〃
　〃Ah…but　I　do　mind；〃　he　said。　His　hand　shifted　slightly；　clipping　expertly　under　the　edge　of　my　jacket　and　then　burrowing　upward　to　rest　against　my　rib　cage　again。
　And　suddenly　the　hard　knot　of　his　fist　was　joined　by　something　else。　Something　that　felt　cold　through　my　shirt　and　very；　very　sharp。