gc.shadowslinger-第17节

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　　Old　Shed　did　go　armed　sometimes；　but　he　never　advertised　the　fact。　The　knife　did　wonders　for　his　confidence。
　　He　could　tell　himself　he　would　use　it；　and　he'd　believe　the　lie　long　enough　to　get　by；　but　in　any　tight　spot　he　would　let　fate　run　its　course。
　　His　fate　was　sealed。　。　。　。　Unless　he　whipped　it　heads…up；　no　holds　barred。
　　How？
　　Krage's　men　were　amused　by　his　terror。　There　were　six　of　them。　。　。　。　Then　there　were　seven　。　。　。　and　eight；　as　those　tracking　Raven　reported　in。　Could　he　hope　to　beat　those　odds？　Raven　himself　didn't　stand　a　chance。
　　You　are　a　dead　man；　a　tiny　voice　whispered；　over　and　over。　Dead　man。　Dead　man。
　　〃He's　working　his　way　down　Chandler's；〃　a　shadow　reported。　〃Going　into　all　the　little　alleyways。〃
　　Krage　asked　Shed；　〃Think　he'll　find　anything　this　late　in　the　winter？　The　weaklings　have　all　died。〃
　　Shed　shrugged。　〃I　wouldn't　know。〃　He　rubbed　his　left　arm　against　his　side。　The　knife's　presence　helped；　but　not　much。
　　His　terror　peaked　and　began　to　recede。　His　mind　cooled　to　an　unemotional　numbness。　Fear　in　abeyance；　he　tried　to　find　the　unseen　exit。
　　Again　someone　loomed　out　of　the　darkness；　reported　they　were　a　hundred　feet　from　Raven's　wagon。　Raven　had　gone　into　an　alley　ten　minutes　ago。　He　hadn't　e　out。
　　〃He　spot　you？〃　Krage　growled。
　　〃I　don't　think　so。　But　you　never　know。〃
　　Krage　eyed　Shed。　〃Shed；　would　he　abandon　his　team　and　wagon？〃
　　〃How　would　I　know？〃　Shed　squeaked。　〃Maybe　he　found　something。〃
　　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃　They　moved　to　the　alley；　one　of　countless　dead…end　breezeways　opening　off　Chandler's　Lane。　Krage　stared　into　the　darkness；　head　canted　slightly。　〃Quiet　as　the　Catabs。　Check　it　out；　Luke。〃
　　〃Boss？〃
　　〃Take　it　easy；　Luke。　Old　Shed　is　going　to　be　right　behind　you。　Won't　you；　Shed？〃
　　〃Krage。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Move　out！〃
　　Shed　shambled　forward。　Luke　advanced　cautiously；　wicked　knife　probing　the　darkness。　Shed　tried　to　talk　to　him。　〃Shut　up！〃　he　snarled。　〃Don't　you　have　a　weapon？〃
　　〃No；〃　Shed　lied。　He　glanced　back。　It　was　just　the　two　of　them。　They　reached　the　dead　end。　No　Raven。　〃I'll　be　damned；〃
　　Luke　said。　〃How　did　he　get　out？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　　Let's　find　out。〃　This　might　be　his　chance。
　　〃Here　we　go；〃　Luke　said。　〃He　climbed　this　downspout。〃
　　Shed's　guts　knotted。　His　throat　tightened。　〃Give　it　a　try。　Maybe　we　can　follow　him；〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　Luke　started　up。
　　Shed　didn't　think　about　it。　The　butcher　knife　materialized　in　his　hand。　His　hand　slammed　forward。　Luke　arched　back；　dropped。　Shed　jumped　on　him；　jammed　a　palm　against　his　mouth；　held　on　for　the　minute　it　took　him　to　die。　He　backed　away；　unable　to　believe　he'd　done　it。　〃What's　going　on　back　there？〃　Krage　demanded。　〃Can't　find　anything；〃　Shed　yelled。　He　dragged　Luke　against　a　wall；　buried　him　under　trash　and　snow；　ran　to　the　down…spout。
　　Krage's　approach　made　a　marvelous　incentive。　He　grunted；　strained；　popped　a　muscle；　reached　the　roof。　It　consisted　of　a　skirt　two　feet　wide　set　at　a　shallow　angle；　then　twelve　feet　rising　at　forty…five　degrees；　above　which　the　roof　was　flat。　Shed　leaned　against　the　steep　slate；　panting；　still　unable　to　believe　that　he　had　killed　a　man。　He　heard　voices　below；　began　moving　sideways。
　　Someone　snarled；　〃They're　gone；　Krage。　No　Raven。　No　Luke　and　no　Shed；　either。〃
　　〃That　bastard。　I　knew　he　was　setting　me　up。〃
　　〃Why　did　Luke　go　with　him；　then？〃
　　〃Hell；　I　don't　know。　Don't　stand　there。　Look　around　They　got　out　of　here　somehow。〃
　　〃Hey。　Over　here。　Somebody　went　up　this　spout。　Maybe　they're　after　Raven。〃
　　〃Climb　the　damned　thing。　Find　out。　Luke！　Shed！〃
　　〃Over　here；〃　a　voice　called。　Shed　froze。　What　the　hell？　Raven？　Had　to　be　Raven。
　　He　inched　along；　trying　to　fake　himself　into　believing　there　wasn't　thirty…five　feet　of　nothing　behind　his　heels。　He　reached　a　ridged　corner　where　he　could　clamber　up　to　the　flat　top。
　　〃Over　here。　I　think　we　got　him　cornered。〃
　　〃Get　up　there；　you　bastards！〃　Krage　raged。
　　Lying　motionless　on　the　cold；　icy　tar；　Shed　watched　two　shadows　appear　on　the　skirt　and　begin　easing　toward　the　voice。　A　squeal　of　metal　and　vicious　cursing　proclaimed　the　fate　of　a　third　climber。　〃Twisted　my　ankle；　Krage；〃　the　man　plained。
　　〃e　on；〃　Krage　growled。　〃We'll　find　another　way　up。〃
　　Run　while　you　got　the　chance；　Shed　thought。　Go　home　and　hole　up　till　it's　over。　But　he　could　not。　He　slid　down　to　the　skirt　and　crept　after　Krage's　men。
　　Someone　cried　out；　scrabbled　for　a　hold；　plunged　into　the　darkness　between　buildings。　Krage　shouted。　Nobody　answered。
　　Shed　crossed　to　the　roof　next　door。　It　was　flat　and　forested　with　chimneys。　〃Raven？〃　he　called　softly。　〃It's　me。　Shed。〃　He　touched　the　knife　in　his　sleeve；　still　unable　to　believe　that　he'd　used　it。
　　A　shape　materialized。　Shed　settled　into　a　sitting　position；　arms　around　his　knees。　〃What　now？〃　he　asked。
　　〃What're　you　doing　here？〃
　　〃Krage　dragged　me　along。　I　was　supposed　to　be　the　first　one　dead　if　it　was　a　trap。''　He　told　Raven　what　he　had　done。
　　〃Damn！　You've　got　guts　after　all。〃
　　〃He　backed　me　into　a　corner。　What　now？〃
　　〃The　odds　are　getting　better。　Let　me　think　about　it。〃
　　Krage　shouted　out　in　Chandler's　Lane。　Raven　yelled　back；　〃Over　here！　We're　right　behind　him。〃　He　told　Shed：　〃I　don't　know　how　long　I　can　fool　him。　I　was　going　to　pick　them　off　one　at　a　time。　I　didn't　know　he'd　bring　an
army。〃
　　〃My　nerves　are　shot；〃　Shed　said。　Heights　were　another　of　the　thousand　things　that　terrified　him。
　　〃Hang　on。　It's　a　long　way　from　over。〃　Raven　yelled；　〃Cut　him　off；　why　don't　you？〃　He　took　off。　〃e　on；
Shed。〃
　　Shed　could　not　keep　up。　He　wasn't　as　nimble　as　Raven。
　　A　shape　loomed　out　of　the　darkness。　He　squeaked。
　　〃That　you；　Shed？〃　It　was　one　of　Krage's　men。　Shed's　heartbeat　doubled。
　　〃Yeah。　You　seen　Raven？〃
　　〃No。　Where's　Luke？〃
　　〃H…he　was　headed　right　at　you。　How　could　you　miss　him？　Look　here。〃　Shed　indicated　disturbances　in
traces　of　snow。
　　〃Look；　man；　I　didn't　see　him。　Don't　e　on　at　me　like　you　was　Krage。　I'll　kick　your　ass　up　around　your　ears。〃
　　〃All　right。　All　right。　Calm　down。　I'm　scared　and　I　want　to　get　it　over。　Luke　fell　off。　Back　there。　Slipped　on　some　ice　or　something。　Be　careful。〃
　　〃I　heard。　Sounded　like　Milt；　though。　I'd　have　sworn　it　was　Milt。　This　is　stupid。　He　can　pick　us　off　up　here。　We　ought　to　back　off　and　try　something　else。〃
　　〃Uhn…uh。　I　want　him　now。　I　don't　want　him　tracking　me　down　tomorrow。〃　Shed　was　amazed。　How　easily　the
lies　came！　Silently；　he　cursed　the　man　because　he　wouldn't　turn　his　back。　〃You　got　an　extra　knife　or　something？〃
　　〃You？　Use　a　knife？　e　on。　Stick　with　me；　Shed。　I'll　look　out　for　you。〃
　　〃Sure。　Look；　the　trail　goes　that　way。　Let's　get　it　done。〃　The　man　turned　to　examine　Raven's　tracks。　Shed　drew　his　knife　and　hit　him　hard。　The　man　let　out　a　yell；　twisted。　The　knife　broke。　Shed　almost　pitched　off　the　roof。　His　victim　did。　People　shouted　questions。　Krage　and　his　men　all　seemed　to　be　on　the　rooftops　now。
　　When　Shed　stopped　shaking；　he　started　moving　again；　trying　to　recall　the　layout　of　the　neighborhood。　He　wanted　to　get　down　and　head　home。　Raven　could　finish　this　insanity。
　　Shed　ran　into　Krage　on　the　next　roof。　〃Krage！〃　he　whined。　〃God！　Let　me　out　of　here！　He'll　kill　us　all！〃
　　〃I'll　kill　you；　Shed。　It　was　a　trap；　wasn't　it？〃
　　〃Krage；　no！〃　What　could　he　do？　He　didn't　have　the　butcher　knife　now。　Fake。　Whine　and　fake。　〃Krage；　you　got　to　get　out　of　here。　He　already　got　Luke　and　Milt　and　somebody　else。　He　would've　gotten　me　when　he　got　Luke；　except　he　fell　down　and　I　got　away　…　only　he　caught　up　again　when　I　was　talking　to　one　of　your　guys　right　over　there。　They　got　fighting；　and　one　of　them　went　off　the　edge；　I　don't　know　which；　but　I　bet　it　wasn't　Raven。　We　got　to　get　down　from　here；　on　account　of　we　can't　tell　who　we're　running　into　so　we　got　to　be　careful。　I　could　have　had　him　this　last　time；　only　I　didn't　have　a　weapon　and　we　didn't　know　it　wasn't　one　of　our　own　guys　ing。　Raven　don't　have　that　problem。　Anybody　he　sees　he　knows　is　an　enemy；　so　he　don't　have　to　be　so　careful。　。。。〃
　　〃Shut　up；　Shed。〃
　　Krage　was　buying　it。　Shed　talked　a　little　louder；　hoping　Raven　would　hear；　e；　and　finish　it。
　　There　was　a　cry　across　the　rooftops。　〃That's　Teskus；〃　Krage　growled。　〃That's　four。　Right？〃
　　Shed　bobbed　his　head。　〃That　we　know　about。　Maybe　there's　only　you　and　me　now。　Krage；　we　should　get　out　of　here　before　he　finds　us。〃
　　〃Might　be　something　to　what　you　say；　Shed。　Might　be。　We　shouldn't　have　e　up　here。　e　on。〃
　　Shed　followed；　keeping　up　the　chatter。　〃It　was　Luke's　idea。　He　thought　he'd　make　points　with　you。　See；　we　saw　him　at　the　top　of　this　drain…spout　and　he　didn't　see　us；　so　Luke　said　why　don't　we　go　after　him　and　get　him；　and　old　Krage　will。　。　。　。〃
　　〃Shut　up；　Shed。　For　God's　sake；　shut　up。　Your　voice　sickens　me。〃
　　〃Yes；　sir；　Mr。　Krage。　Only　I　can't。　I'm　so　scared。　。　。　。〃
　　〃If　you　don't；　I'll　shut　you　up　permanent。　You　won't　have　to　worry　about　Raven。〃
　　Shed　stopped　talking。　He　had　pushed　as　far　as　he　dared。
　　Krage　halted　a　short　time　later。　〃We'll　set　an　ambush　near　his　wagon。　He'll　e　back　for　it；　won't　he？〃
　　〃I　expect　so；　Mr。　Krage。　But　what　good　w