tz.theicarushunt-第37节
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over without a sound； wincing at the extra dose of bad breath that blew into my face； and as his head dipped out of my line of sight I saw that three more men stamped from his same mold were marching purposefully across the street toward me。
I hit the first man in the same spot again； folding him over a little farther； and half a second later had my plasmic pointed over his shoulder toward the three newers。 They stopped dead in their tracks。 I kept my eyes and the weapon steady on them while I kept hitting the halitosis specialist in selected pressure points with my free hand； trying to make sure that when he went down he would stay there。
He finally did； but it took several more punches than I'd expected。 I definitely didn't want to be around when this lad felt like his old self again。 I gazed at the reinforcements for another couple of seconds； then； leaving my plasmic pointed their direction； I deliberately turned my head around to face Torsk again。 〃Want borandis；〃 I said mildly。 〃Have paid。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； his face an ashen shade of purple as he stared down at the lump at my feet。 Apparently he'd never seen anyone beaten up with one hand before。 〃Wait short。〃
He disappeared back into the cabana； but not before I got a glimpse of reflected movement in those big Drilie eyes。 I turned my head around； to find the Three Musketeers had tried advancing while I wasn't looking。 They stopped even more abruptly than they had the first time； and we eyed each other over the barrel of my plasmic until there was another rustling of wet fabric behind me。 〃Take；〃 Torsk hissed； jabbing something solid against my shoulder。 I turned； half…expecting to see a gun； but it was only a music cassette prominently displaying Torsk's face and name on the front。 The Best of Emendo Torsk； apparently； with the borandis concealed inside。 〃Go；〃 he insisted。 〃Not e back。〃
〃Not e back；〃 I agreed； taking the cassette and tucking it away in an inside pocket。 〃Unless borandis not good。 Then make small wager you hurt plenty。〃
〃Borandis good；〃 he ground out； glaring daggers at me。
I believed him。 The last thing a corner drug dealer wanted was to have attention drawn his direction； and my performance here had already disrupted his cozy schedule more than he was happy with。 The last thing he would want would be for me to e back in a bad mood。
He had no way of knowing that I couldn't e back even if I wanted to； or that I was even more allergic to official scrutiny at the moment than he was。 He was rid of me； and that was what mattered to him。 Perhaps he'd even learned not to hire his protection muscle off park benches。
My cab and driver were still patiently waiting where I'd left them。 I got in and gave my destination as Gate 2 of the spaceport； the closest one to where the Icarus was docked。 With visions of another absurdly large tip undoubtedly dancing trippingly through his mind； he took off like a scalded foxbat。 Once again I hung on for dear life； my own mind dancing with unpleasant visions of a premature obituary。 During the straightaways I managed to break open the cassette and confirm that there were fifteen capsules inside filled with a blue powder that looked like it had e from grinding up the normal tablets that the Icarus's med listing said borandis came in。
Closing the cassette and putting it away again； I pulled out my phone and punched in Everett's number。 That all…too…familiar feeling that something was wrong began to tingle through me as the fifth vibe came and went with no answer。 By the time he did answer； on the eighth vibe； and I heard his voice； the feeling solidified into a cold certainty。 〃 'Lo？〃 he muttered； his voice heavy and slightly slurred； as if I'd just awakened him。
〃It's McKell；〃 I identified myself。 〃What's wrong？〃
There was a faint hiss； like someone exhaling heavily into the mouthpiece。 〃It's Shawn；〃 he said。 〃He got away。〃
I gripped the phone tighter； the driver's maniacal slalom technique abruptly forgotten。 〃Which direction did he go？〃
〃I don't know how it happened；〃 Everett said plaintively。 〃He must have slipped the straps somehow…〃
〃Never mind how he did it；〃 I cut him off。 〃The recriminations can wait。 Which direction did he go？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Everett said。 〃I didn't see him leave。 We're all out looking for him。〃
〃All of you？〃
〃All but Ixil…we pounded on his door； but he didn't answer； and the door wasn't working right。 It's okay…we locked the hatch…〃
There was a quiet sputtering click as another phone joined the circuit。 〃Everett； this is Tera；〃 her voice came excitedly。 〃I've found him。〃
〃Where？〃 I snapped； pulling my city map out and trying to shake it open with my free hand。
〃McKell？〃 she asked； sounding both surprised and wary。
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃Where is he？〃
〃Outside an outfitter's store at Ude'n Corner；〃 she said。 〃He's accosting people as they go in。〃
〃That's a good way to get all his troubles ended permanently；〃 I growled； locating the spot on my map。 It was only a short block away from Gate 2； where I was headed anyway。 〃Keep him in sight； but try not to let him see you；〃 I told her。 〃I'll be there in a couple of minutes and we'll bring him back together。 Everett； call Nicabar and Chort and the three of you head back to the ship。 Get it ready to fly。〃
〃Now？〃 Everett asked； sounding surprised。 〃What about the borandis？〃
〃Done and done；〃 I told him。 〃Make sure…〃
〃You've got it？〃 Everett asked。 〃Already？〃
〃I'm very good at what I do；〃 I told him； trying hard to be patient。 〃Make sure we've been fueled and are ready to lift as soon as Tera and I get back with Shawn。〃
Another faint hiss。 〃All right。 We'll see you back at the ship。〃
There was a click as he disconnected。 〃Tera？〃 I called。
〃Still here；〃 she confirmed tightly。 〃And I think people are starting to get irritated by Shawn's ravings。 You'd better hurry。〃
〃Trust me；〃 I assured her； wincing as I turned part of my attention back to the automotive drama taking place around me。 〃He must have made good time to be out of the spaceport already。 How long since he jumped ship？〃
〃About an hour ago；〃 she said。 〃Just after you left to…〃
〃An hour？〃 I cut her off in disbelief； a white…hot flash of anger slicing through me。 〃An hour？ And you didn't think it worth mentioning to me？〃
〃We didn't want to bother you；〃 she protested； clearly startled by my sudden anger。 〃You already had the medicine to find…〃
〃I don't care if I've got the crown jewels to steal；〃 I snarled。 〃Something like this happens； you get on the phone and tell me about it。 Let me worry about what it does to my schedule。 Is that clear？〃
〃Clear；〃 she said； more subdued than I'd ever heard her。 For a moment I considered taking another verbal slice of flesh out of her； decided regretfully that it probably wasn't her fault； and kept my mouth shut。 Possibly it wasn't any of their faults。 Ixil would have known what to do； but Ixil was in his cabin in a a； and it was painfully obvious that none of the others had anywhere near our experience with this sort of thing。
Instead； I vented my frustration on the map lying open beside me； folding it back up with far more force than was necessary and shoving it into my jacket's left side pocket。
〃McKell？〃 Tera said； her voice suddenly tight。 〃I think I see a police car heading this way。 Red and blue； with a flashing blue light on top； moving very fast。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 I told her。 〃It's a cab； and I'm in it。 Flag me in； will you？〃
A block ahead； I saw her step to the curb and raise her hand； a vision of loveliness standing there in the downpour in her stylish drowned…rat look。 I directed the driver over to her； dropped two hundred…mark bills on the seat beside him as I got out； and pulled Tera quickly away from the curb as he shot off again in a foaming wave。 Maybe I'd wasted all that tip money； maybe that was the way he always drove anyway。
〃There；〃 Tera said； pointing across the street。
〃I see him；〃 I said。 Considering the way Shawn was bouncing around the store entrance waving his arms at everyone in sight； he would have been hard to miss。 Taking Tera's arm again； I steered us through the traffic flow toward him。
After everything else that had happened； the capture itself was rather anticlimactic。 Pleading and screeching and cursing at the passersby； his wet hair plastered half across his face； Shawn was in no shape to see anything happening around him； Tera and I could have driven up to him in an armored personnel carrier without him noticing。 As it was； we simply moved in from opposite sides and grabbed his arms。 He gave a single terrific lurch； but there wasn't much strength left in him； and after that one attempt to break free he just stood there shaking in our grip。
We led him away from the door and the pedestrian traffic to the narrow passageway between the outfitter's store and the next building over； Tera murmuring soothingly in his ear the whole way。 When we were as far out of the public eye as we were likely to get； I dug out the cassette and fed him one of the borandis capsules。 He seemed to be having trouble getting it down until Tera filled her cupped hands with rainwater and gave him a drink。
The effects were quite amazing。 Almost imme
