tz.theicarushunt-第20部分

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type。　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　unzipping　his　jacket　and　stuffing　the　flyer　into　an　inside　pocket。　He　stood　up；　giving　me　a　glimpse　of　a　gray　handgun　holstered　at　the　left　side　of　his　belt；　and　nodded　toward　the　door。　〃Sure。　Let's　go。〃
　We　headed　out　of　the　taverno；　crossed　the　lobby；　and　out　the　Starrm…building　door。　Halfway　across　the　lobby　he　surreptitiously　pulled　his　gun　from　its　holster　and　stuffed　it　and　his　right　hand　into　his　side　jacket　pocket。　Former　drinking　buddies　or　not；　he　obviously　didn't　trust　me　very　far。　〃Which　landing　cradle　are　you　in？〃　he　asked　as　I　headed　toward　the　nearest　slideway；　which　happened　to　be　headed　north。
　〃You　can　read　the　number　for　yourself　when　we　get　there；〃　I　grunted；　looking　surreptitiously　around　for　inspiration。　This　particular　slideway　didn't　seem　well　populated；　and　it　didn't　take　a　genius　to　see　why：　instead　of　being　taken　to　the　main　bulk　of　the　docking　squares；　we　were　headed　toward　what　appeared　to　be　a　maintenance　area。
　A　fact　which　wasn't　lost　on　Fulbright。　〃I　hope　you're　not　trying　to　pull　something　on　your　old　pal；　Jordie；〃　he　warned；　stepping　up　close　behind　me　and　pressing　the　muzzle　of　his　gun　into　my　back。　Even　through　the　concealing　jacket　material　I　imagined　it　felt　very　cold。　〃Because　I　wouldn't　like　that。　I　wouldn't　like　that　at　all。〃
　〃You　don't　think　I'd　put　a　hot　ship　down　in　one　of　the　regular　cradles；　do　you？〃　I　countered；　looking　down　at　my　feet。　The　slideway　was　mainly　solid；　but　just　ahead　on　our　right　was　one　of　a　number　of　holes　where　small　patches　of　the　material　had　worn　off　or　torn　away　at　the　edge　of　the　moving　belt。　This　particular　tear　was　roughly　triangular；　leaving　a　gap　about　ten　centimeters　long　and　five　wide　through　which　I　could　see　the　grillwork　of　the　underlying　support　and　drive　system　zipping　past。　Every　half　second　or　so　a　bright　blue　light　winked　past；　probably　a　glow　that　helped　mark　the　edge　of　the　slideway　at　night。　〃So　where　is　it？〃　Fulbright　demanded。
　〃Patience；　James；　patience；〃　I　said；　gazing　down　at　the　triangular　tear　and　the　grillwork　underneath　and　doing　a　quick　mental　calculation。　It　would　be　tight；　not　to　mention　destructive；　but　it　should　work。
　I　half　turned　my　head　and　gestured　toward　my　jacket。　〃My　phone's　vibing；〃　I　told　him。　〃Okay　if　I　answer　it？〃
　Out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye　I　caught　his　frown。　〃Leave　it；〃　he　ordered。
　〃Not　remended；〃　I　told　him　mildly。　〃My　partner　will　e　looking　for　me　if　I　don't　answer。　You　don't　want　to　mess　with　him。　Certainly　not　for　a　measly　five　thousand　marks。〃
　Once　again；　I　could　almost　watch　the　gears　turning　in　his　head。　He'd　never　actually　met　Ixil…we'd　always　been　careful　to　keep　Ixil　in　a　low…profile　position　when　dealing　with　gangs　and　their　antialien　biases…but　I'd　planted　enough　hints　with　Fulbright　that　he　had　a　pretty　good　idea　of　my　partner's　capabilities。　I　waited　patiently；　letting　him　work　it　out　for　himself；　not　in　any　particular　hurry。　We　were　starting　to　get　into　the　maintenance　and　supply　areas　now；　where　the　only　people　around　were　generally　working　inside　the　various　buildings。　Working；　moreover；　with　the　kind　of　heavy　machinery　that　would　effectively　drown　out　the　sounds　of　trouble；　up　to　and　including　gunshots。　The　deeper　we　got　into　this　area；　the　better　I　liked　it。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　suddenly；　stepping　close　behind　me　and　getting　a　grip　on　my　jacket　collar　as　he　again　jammed　his　gun　warningly　into　my　kidney。　〃Take　it　out　slow…two　fingers；　left　hand。〃
　Carefully；　I　eased　my　jacket　open　and　just　as　carefully　pulled　out　my　phone。　〃Okay？〃　I　asked；　holding　it　up　for　his　approval。　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　I　shifted　my　grip　on　the　phone　and　brought　it　to　my　ear。
　Or　rather；　tried　to　do　so。　Somewhere　along　the　way　my　fingers　suddenly　fumbled　and　the　phone　squirted　out　of　my　hand　to　clatter　onto　the　slideway　in　front　of　me。
　〃Damn！〃　I　muttered；　taking　a　long　step　forward。
　If　I'd　given　Fulbright　half　a　second　to　think；　he　probably　wouldn't　have　fallen　for　it。　But　I　didn't；　and　he　did。　Just　as　it　was　perfectly　natural　for　me　to　try　to　retrieve　my　phone；　so；　too；　was　it　perfectly　natural　for　him　to　courteously　let　go　of　my　jacket　to　enable　me　to　do　so。　I　dropped　to　one　knee　and　snagged　the　phone　just　as　it　was　about　to　skitter　off　the　edge　of　the　slideway；　and　with　a　quick　jerk　I　jammed　the　lower　end　through　the　hole　in　the　belt　and　into　the　gridwork　beneath。
　For　a　split　second　the　slideway　faltered；　just　a　brief　instant　before　the　sheer　inertia　of　the　system　overcame　the　slender　piece　of　plastic　and　metal　and　tore　the　phone　to　shreds。　But　it　was　enough。　Caught　pletely　flatfooted；　Fulbright　lost　his　balance　and　stumbled　forward；　his　knees　ing　up　short　against　my　side；　the　impact　sending　him　tumbling　helplessly　over　my　back　to　sprawl　on　the　slideway。
　I　was　on　him　in　an　instant；　locking　his　right　wrist　in　place　with　one　hand　and　trying　to　get　a　clear　shot　at　his　neck　or　stomach　with　the　other。　He　struggled　furiously；　mouthing　curses　that　would　have　frosted　glass；　but　he　didn't　have　a　chance　and　he　knew　it。　He　was　lying　on　his　free　left　arm；　and　with　me　keeping　his　right　hand　trapped　in　his　pocket　he　couldn't　even　bring　his　gun　to　bear　on　me。　Besides　all　of　which；　I　was　bigger　than　he　was。
　I　got　an　opening　and　slammed　my　fist　into　his　neck　just　behind　his　ear。　He　twitched　and　gave　a　weak　roar　that　was　more　than　half　whimper。　I　hit　him　again；　and　he　collapsed　and　lay　still。
　I　took　a　few　seconds　to　catch　my　breath　and　take　a　quick　look　around。　No　one　was　visible。　Keeping　a　cautious　hold　on　his　gun　hand；　I　worked　the　weapon　out　of　his　grip　and　pulled　it　out　of　the　pocket。　It　was　a　Kochran…Uzi　pact　three…millimeter　semiautomatic；　a　nasty　enough　weapon　in　a　taverno　fight　but　an　extremely　stupid　thing　to　carry　aboard　a　starship；　where　a　bullet　can　go　through　machinery　and　hulls　with　all　sorts　of　unpleasant　consequences。　Dropping　the　gun　into　my　pocket；　I　hauled　the　unconscious　man　half　to　his　feet　and　half　leaped；　half　fell　off　the　slideway。
　About　ten　meters　to　my　right　was　a　stack　of　empty　forklift　pallets　piled　up　against　the　corner　of　one　of　the　buildings。　Getting　a　grip　under　Fulbright's　arms；　I　dragged　him　over　and　laid　him　down　on　the　ground　facing　them。　His　jacket；　like　mine；　was　leather；　but　his　shirt　was　made　of　a　thick　but　more　pliable　cloth。　I　pulled　his　right　arm　out　of　the　jacket　sleeve；　carefully　sliced　off　the　exposed　shirtsleeve　with　my　pocketknife；　put　the　jacket　back　on　him；　and　cut　the　sleeve　into　thick　strips。　Two　minutes　later；　his　hands　were　tied　securely　behind　him　and　he　had　a　gag　in　his　mouth。　Another　three　minutes'　work　and　I　had　manhandled　one　of　the　pallets　down　off　the　top　of　the　stack　and　had　the　edge　of　it　resting　more　or　less　fortably　across　his　legs；　with　most　of　the　weight　being　supported　by　the　stiff　soles　of　his　boots。
　Fulbright　wasn't　going　anywhere　for　a　while；　and　for　a　long　moment　I　was　tempted　to　leave　it　at　that　and　get　out　while　I　could。　But　that　five…thousand…mark　reward　meant　that　someone　out　there　had　upped　the　ante　on　this　game；　and　I　still　didn't　have　the　foggiest　idea　what　the　stakes　were　or　even　what　the　game　was。
　But　with　a　little　luck；　maybe　I　could　at　least　find　out　who　some　of　the　other　players　were。
　Fulbright's　phone　was　in　the　same　pocket　as　the　flyer。　I　pulled　out　both；　consulted　the　flyer；　then　punched　in　the　local　number　it　listed。　A　voice　answered　on　the　second　vibe；　a　voice；　I　decided；　that　definitely　fit　with　the　wimpish　accountant　description。　〃Thompson；〃　he　said　briskly。
　〃My　name's　James；〃　I　said；　imitating　Fulbright's　voice　as　best　I　could。　Odds　were　Thompson　wouldn't　even　remember　James　Fulbright；　let　alone　his　voice；　but　I'd　already　taken　more　chances　than　I　cared　to　for　one　day。　〃That　guy　you're　looking　for…Jordan　McKell？　You　said　five　thousand　for　finding　him。　How　much　for　delivering　him　all　trussed　up？〃
　He　didn't　hesitate。　〃Ten　thousand；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　have　him　there　now？〃
　I　felt　my　throat　tighten；　my　somewhat　snide　preconception　of　the　man　vanishing　in　a　puff　of　unpleasant　smoke。　No　accountant　I'd　ever　met　was　anywhere　near　that　quick　and　free　with　the　money　they　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。
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　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