tz.theicarushunt-第23节
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y handled。 Whoever Thompson was； he was no simple flunky。 〃Yeah； I got him；〃 I said。 〃I'll be waiting for you off the north spaceport slideway； next to the Number Twelve machine shop。 Bring the money。〃
〃We'll be there in fifteen minutes；〃 he promised； and hung up。
I put the phone away； scowling to myself。 We。 That meant he was bringing friends； almost certainly friends with muscle。 I would have liked to have told him to e alone； but that would have looked suspicious…a man who passes out hundred…mark bills as a e…on would hardly try to stiff a customer； certainly not over ten grand。 Once again； I considered that the better part of valor would be to run for it； once again； I made myself stay put。 I set the stage as best I could； then settled down to wait。
* * *
HE WAS THERE well within his promised fifteen minutes； and he did indeed have muscle with him。 Unpleasantly familiar muscle： two more members of the Lumpy Clan。 Apparently these things liked to travel in pairs。
〃Mr。 James？〃 Thompson called toward me as he and the Lumpies hopped off the slideway。
〃Right here；〃 I called back； half turning to look vaguely over my shoulder at them as I waved a hand in invitation。 I was squatting down facing the now conscious Fulbright with my back to them； a position I hoped would disguise any of the height…and…build cues that might give away my identity。 〃e on； hurry；〃 I added。 〃I think he's ing to。〃
Lying on his left side with his back also to them； Fulbright had his head twisted around and was glaring daggers up at me。 But with his gag still in place； and his hands and feet still immobilized； there wasn't a lot he could do about the situation。 Even without the gag he probably wouldn't have had much to say； not with my plasmic half…concealed inside my jacket digging into his side。 If we both made it off Dorscind's World intact； I suspected； he wasn't going to be smiling cheerfully the next time we ran into each other。
But at the moment I couldn't be bothered about such vague and uncertain futures。 Right now my sole concern was whether or not I could survive the next ten seconds。
I needn't have worried。 Thompson might be more than a flunky； and the Lumpies were professional enough in their own right； but it apparently never occurred to any of them that their quarry might pull something this insane。 They hurried incautiously forward； the Lumpies pulling a pace or two ahead of Thompson； and then； as they got within three steps of me； I snapped my head left as if I'd suddenly seen something and jabbed a finger toward a gap between two of the maintenance buildings。 〃Watch out！〃 I barked。
The Lumpies were professionals； all right。 Braking to an instant halt； they jumped backward in unison； putting themselves between Thompson and the unknown danger。 I jumped back； too； landing upright beside Thompson； and as the Lumpies yanked their guns out of their back holsters； I slid around behind Thompson； got an arm around his neck； and pressed my plasmic into his right ear。 〃Don't turn around；〃 I said conversationally。 〃But do set your weapons on the ground。〃
Again in unison； and flagrantly ignoring my orders； they started to swivel around。 I shifted my aim and sent a plasma blast directly between them to spatter off the ground ahead。 〃I said not to turn around；〃 I reminded them； returning my plasmic to its previous resting place against Thompson's sideburn。 He flinched away from the residual muzzle heat； but I pressed it hard against the skin。 It wouldn't damage him； and I'd always found that a little mild pain did wonders for cooperation。 Especially with people who weren't used to it。
Thompson was apparently very unused to pain。 〃Don't move；〃 he seconded hastily； his voice breaking slightly at the top。 〃Do what he says…he means it。〃
〃I do indeed；〃 I agreed。 〃Anyway； heroics would be wasted。 I'm not going to hurt anyone unless I have to…don't forget I could have shot both of you in the back just now。 So be smart and put your guns on the ground in front of you…slowly； of course…and then take two steps past them。〃
They obeyed quickly and without argument； raising my estimation of Thompson's status another couple of notches。 He might look like an accountant with no stomach for even potential conflict； but when he talked； even in a squeaky voice； people listened。
More importantly； they obeyed。 The Lumpies became models of cooperation； dutifully stepping past their weapons and lying facedown as I ordered with their hands visible。 I retrieved their guns…between them and Fulbright and the first set of Lumpies； I was starting to make a nice little weapons collection here…and had Thompson relieve them of the restraints I knew they would have brought with them。
He came up with two sets； which seemed to be one set too many unless they either had planned to stiff Fulbright or else intended to shackle me hand and foot and carry me away draped over someone's shoulder like a bag of cement。 But whatever the reason； it was certainly a convenient number for my purposes。 A minute later I had the Lumpies cuffed together through one of the slots in the bottom pallet with Thompson cuffed on the other side of the stack。 With the weight of the rest of the stack on top； and the utter lack of leverage any of them had to work with； I was pretty sure they would stay put until someone happened by； which from the evidence would probably not be until the next shift change at the maintenance buildings。 Hopefully； that wouldn't be for at least another couple of hours。
〃You won't get away with this；〃 Thompson warned as I went quickly through his pockets。 〃Not a chance in the universe。 If you release me now； I promise nothing will happen to you because of this incident。〃
〃Nothing over and above what you planned to do to me anyway？〃 I suggested。 〃Thanks； but I'll take my chances。〃
〃Your chances don't exist； McKell；〃 he said flatly。 〃And we don't want you； anyway。 All we want is the Icarus。 All of you are free to go。〃 He cocked his head to the side as he looked up at me； a gesture that somehow made him look even more like an accountant。 〃I'll do better； in fact。 I can promise you that if you'll turn the Icarus over to me； you'll profit quite handsomely on the deal。〃
〃Thanks； but this will do；〃 I said； withdrawing a neat stack of hundred…mark bills from one of his inside pockets。 〃I know it's not nice to steal；〃 I added； slipping the stack into my pocket； 〃but we're likely to have some unexpected expenses along the way。 If you'll give me your name and address； I'll make sure you're properly reimbursed。〃
〃Fifty thousand； McKell；〃 he said； staring unblinkingly into my eyes。 〃Fifty thousand marks to take me to the Icarus and walk away。〃
I gazed down at him； a hard lump forming in my throat。 What in hell's name were we carrying； anyway？ 〃I appreciate the offer；〃 I said； checking the other inside pocket。 This one yielded a phone and a slim documents folder。 〃But I'm already under contract。〃
〃A hundred thousand；〃 he said。 〃Five hundred thousand。 Name your price。〃
I patted his shoulder and stood up。 〃You might be surprised sometime to find out what money can't buy；〃 I said； tossing his phone onto the stack of pallets where none of them could reach it and pocketing the documents folder。 〃See you around。〃
〃You're making a big mistake； McKell；〃 he said。 His voice was quiet； but it held an absolute conviction that sent a chill up my back。 〃You have no idea who you're dealing with。〃
〃Maybe this will tell me；〃 I countered； tapping the pocket where I'd put his folder。
I passed around to the other side of the pallets； where Fulbright was still lying trussed up glaring at me。 〃Sorry about this； James；〃 I apologized。 〃I'll make it up to you next time； all right？〃
The look in his eyes made it abundantly clear what his plans were for the next time。 But again； that was a future too distant to worry about right now。
I hopped on the southbound slideway and headed back toward the spaceport center； keeping an eye on the Lumpies and Thompson as long as they were in sight。 The minute they were lost to view I got off the slideway and headed east toward the Icarus's landing cradle； walking quickly along until I reached a properly directed slideway and getting on it。
And there； with finally a moment of breathing space； I opened Thompson's folder and started going through his papers。 I was only halfway through when I put them back into my pocket and pulled out Fulbright's phone。
〃Yes？〃 Ixil's melodic voice answered。
〃It's me；〃 I said。 〃How's the fueling going？〃
〃Probably no more than a quarter finished；〃 he said。 〃They only got here fifteen minutes ago。〃
〃Tell them to quit and seal the ship back up；〃 I told him。 〃And get the bridge and drive preflights started。 We're out of here as soon as I get back。〃
There was just the briefest pause。 〃What did Uncle Arthur say？〃
〃I never got to talk to Uncle Arthur；〃 I told him。 〃And I'll explain as much as I can when I get there。 Just get us ready to fly； all right？〃
〃Got it；〃 he said。 〃We'll be ready when you are。〃
The Icarus was buttoned down； with no fuelers in sight； by the time I retracted the ramp and sealed the hatchway。 Tera and Everett tried to collar me in the corridor；
