tz.theicarushunt-第63部分

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low　wooden　table　midway　between　the　door　and　me；　my　partially　disassembled　phone　on　the　tabletop　in　front　of　them；　were　two　more　members　of　the　lumpy　Iykami　Clan。
　At　the　moment；　though；　they　weren't　paying　any　attention　to　the　phone；　nor　to　any　of　the　rest　of　my　pocket　equipment　that　had　been　unceremoniously　dumped　out　onto　the　table。　My　efforts　at　stealthy　wakefulness　to　the　contrary；　they　were　looking　straight　at　me。
　And　not；　as　near　as　I　could　tell　from　those　alien　faces；　with　particularly　friendly　expressions。　They　were　more　the　sort　of　expressions　worn　by　people　who　have　orders　to　keep　a　prisoner　alive　and　mostly　well；　but　who　are　at　the　same　time　secretly　longing　for　said　prisoner　to　make　trouble　and　thus　provide　them　with　an　excuse　to　beat　the　living　daylights　out　of　him。
　Cooperative　type　that　I　was；　it　seemed　a　shame　to　disappoint　them。　I　came　up　on　my　feet；　hunched　forward　for　balance　as　I　gripped　the　arms　to　hold　the　chair　more　or　less　in　place　against　my　back　and　rear。　Their　secret　hopes　notwithstanding；　a　sudden　and　clearly　suicidal　attack　on　my　part　was　probably　the　last　thing　they　were　actually　expecting；　and　the　shock　had　just　enough　time　to　register　on　their　faces　as　I　took　two　quick　steps　forward　and　swung　180　degrees　around；　taking　care　not　to　let　my　chair　get　hung　up　on　the　edge　of　their　table。　With　all　the　strength　I　could　muster；　I　heaved　myself　and　the　chair　as　hard　as　I　could　squarely　on　top　of　them。
　They　saw　it　ing；　of　course。　But　seated　with　their　legs　under　the　table；　there　wasn't　a　single　thing　they　could　do　about　it。　We　all　went　down　together　in　a　confused　and　thunderous　crash　of　splintering　wood　and　alien　curses。　Still　handcuffed　to　the　chair；　my　movements　were　severely　limited；　but　even　so　I　was　in　a　far　better　fighting　position　than　my　opponents。　Flailing　back　and　forth；　hammering　them　with　the　chair　and　keeping　them　pinned　beneath　me；　I　lashed　out　with　my　feet；　throwing　kick　after　kick　to　head　and　torso　and　anything　else　I　could　reach。　After　what　seemed　like　forever　through　the　haze　of　pain　from　my　head；　they　stopped　moving。　I　gave　them　each　another　couple　of　kicks；　just　in　case　they　were　faking；　then　collapsed　in　a　panting　heap　amid　the　carnage。
　I　didn't　stay　collapsed　long；　though。　It　had　been　a　serious　gamble　on　my　part；　taking　them　on　just　after　waking　up；　but　I　hadn't　had　much　choice　in　the　matter。　Two…to…one　odds　were　as　good　as　I　was　likely　to　get；　and　if　I'd　waited　for　them　to　call　whoever　was　in　charge　with　the　news　that　the　sacrificial　Voodoo　doll　was　awake　and　ready　to　have　pins　stuck　in　him；　I'd　never　have　left　the　room　alive。
　An　unhappy　ending　that　could　still　very　easily　happen。　The　brief　fight　had　been　anything　but　quiet；　and　the　music　I　could　hear　in　the　distance　meant　that　there　was　at　least　someone　else　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　My　chair　had　suffered　some　damage　in　the　fight；　but　enough　of　it　had　survived　to　keep　me　pinioned。　Rolling　around　awkwardly；　keeping　an　ear　cocked　for　the　inevitable　reaction；　I　started　checking　my　unconscious　jailers　for　the　keys　to　my　handcuffs。
　They　were　wearing　the　same　sort　of　neo…Greek　tunics　as　the　two　who'd　jumped　me　on　Xathru；　and　it　didn't　take　long　to　find　out　that　the　limited　pocket　space　that　came　with　the　outfits　included　no　handcuff　keys。　One　had　a　belt　pouch；　similarly　bereft　of　keys。　Neither　was　carrying　a　weapon。
　But　a　couple　of　meters　away　on　the　floor　where　it　had　fallen　at　the　table's　collapse　was　my　phone。
　My　imprisoning　chair　had　gotten　itself　caught　in　a　slight　hollow　formed　by　the　bodies　of　the　two　Iykams；　but　a　little　rocking　broke　me　free。　I　rolled　up　onto　my　knees；　got　to　my　feet；　and　picked　my　way　through　the　debris　to　the　phone。　At　this　range　I　could　see　the　Iykams　hadn't　gotten　any　further　in　their　disassembly　of　the　device　than　merely　pulling　the　back　off；　though　why　they'd　even　done　that　I　didn't　know。　Perhaps　they　were　hoping　to　tease　a　latent　phone　number　or　two　out　of　the　memory　that　they　could　use。
　If　so；　they　were　out　of　luck。　That　was　the　phone　I'd　taken　from　James　Fulbright　on　Dorscind's　World；　and　there　were　no　incriminating　numbers　connected　with　me　anywhere　in　there；　latent　or　otherwise。
　Still；　I　was　glad　they'd　kept　the　phone　around　long　enough　to　try；　since　it　had　now　put　munication　with　the　outside　world　in　my　hands。　Easing　onto　my　side　on　the　floor　within　reach　of　the　phone；　I　rolled　the　device　onto　its　back。　I　was　still　in　big　trouble；　but　a　quick　call　to　Ixil　would　at　least　alert　the　others　that　the　Patth　were　here　and　on　the　hunt。　With　one　final　glance　at　the　door；　I　keyed　it　on　and　reached　an　outstretched　finger　toward　the　keypad。　And　paused。
　There　was　something　too　easy　about　this。　Something　far　too　easy。　Where　were　the　alert　reinforcements　rushing　in　to　save　the　day？　Why　were　these　two　Iykams　fiddling　with　my　phone　instead　of　someone　in　a　properly　equipped　workroom？　For　that　matter；　why　only　two　guards　in　the　first　place？
　I　keyed　off　the　phone　and　turned　it　over　again；　angling　it　so　that　I　could　get　a　really　good　look　at　the　exposed　circuitry。　And　this　time；　knowing　what　to　look　for；　it　wasn't　hard　to　spot。
　My　clever　little　playmates　had　wired　a　repeater　chip　into　the　transmitter　line；　on　the　upstream　side　of　the　encryption　sticker。　I　couldn't　read　the　fine　print　on　the　chip；　but　it　almost　didn't　matter。　With　the　simpler　Mark　VI　chip　they　would　be　able　to　eavesdrop　on　any　conversation　I　might　have。　With　the　more　advanced　Mark　IX　version　and　a　properly　equipped　phone　elsewhere　in　the　city　they'd　not　only　be　able　to　listen　in　but　could　also　triangulate　through　the　local　phone　system　to　get　the　location　of　the　other　end　of　the　conversation。　I'd　been　wrong　about　the　Voodoo　pins；　they　intended　to　get　hold　of　the　Icarus　the　easy　way。
　I　was　willing　to　help　out　guards　who　wanted　me　to　make　trouble；　but　my　cooperation　with　the　enemy　only　went　so　far。　Rolling　back　up　to　my　knees；　I　left　the　phone　where　it　was　and　headed　toward　where　my　plasmic　lay　next　to　my　ID　folder。
　I　was　just　leaning　down　to　pick　it　up　when　the　door　slammed　open。
　I　dropped　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　floor；　my　outstretched　hand　snatching　up　the　weapon　as　I　hit　the　ground　hard　enough　to　reignite　the　blazing　pain　in　my　head。　Ignoring　the　red　haze　that　had　suddenly　dropped　in　front　of　my　eyes；　I　swiveled　both　my　body　and　the　plasmic　to　face　the　door。
　It　was；　I　had　to　admit；　an　impressive　sight。　Four　Iykams　stood　in　a　semicircle　just　inside　the　doorway；　each　holding　one　of　those　nasty　coronal…discharge　weapons；　their　alert　motionlessness　giving　them　the　appearance　of　transplanted　gargoyles。　Behind　them；　I　could　see　a　couple　more　of　the　ugly　beasts　outside　the　door；　undoubtedly　waiting　eagerly　for　their　chance　at　me。
　And　standing　right　in　the　middle　of　the　doorway　between　the　two　groups　was　a　gray…robed　Patth。
　〃Don't　bother　with　the　weapon；　Mr。　McKell；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　typical　Patth；　managing　to　mix　sincere；　contemptuous；　and　smarmy　into　a　sound　that　was　as　distinctive　in　its　own　way　as　Chort's　Craean　whistling。　〃You　don't　seriously　believe　we　would　leave　you　a　functional　weapon；　do　you？〃
　〃After　that　rather　heavy…handed　trick　you　tried　with　my　phone；　not　really；〃　I　agreed。　It　was　hard　to　aim　properly　with　my　gun　hand　cuffed　to　a　chair　arm；　but　insofar　as　I　was　able　I　pointed　the　plasmic　squarely　at　the　center　of　his　torso。　〃At　least；　not　on　purpose。　You　ever　hear　of　a　three…pop？〃
　There　was　a　slight　but　noticeable　rustling　among　the　gargoyles。　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　the　Patth　said；　adding　a　bit　more　amusement　into　the　smarmy　part　of　his　vocal　mix。　〃But　I'm　sure　you're　dying　to　tell　me。〃
　〃An　appropriate　choice　of　words；〃　I　said　approvingly。　〃A　three…pop　is　a　high…power　capacitor　wired　internally　into　a　plasmic's　fire　circuit；　kept　charged　by　the　main　power　pack　but　otherwise　independent　of　it。　It　holds　enough　juice　for　two　to　four　shots。〃　I　squinted　consideringly。　〃That　means　you　and　up　to　three　of　your　toadies　will　die　if　any　of　you　es　any　closer。　If　you'd　like　to　point　out　your　least　favorites　among　them；　I'll　see　what　I　can　do　to　oblige　you。〃
　The　four　front　Iykams　had　stopped　looking　like　friendly　little　gargoyles。　All　four　corona　guns　were　up　and　aimed；　held　in　taut…looking　grips　at　the　full　extension　of　taut…looking　arms。　But　for　once　I　had　the　advantage；　and　they　all　knew　it。　Lying　there　four　meters　away　from　them；　I　was　right　on　the　edge　of　their　kill　zones；　while　they　were　well　inside　mine。　Add　to　that　the　point　that　they　couldn't　afford　to　kill　me…and　the　equally　important　point　that　none　of　them　was　especially　eager　to　get　killed；　either…and　we　had　the　makings　here　of　a　good　old…fashioned　standoff。
　And　for　a　minute　it　looked　as　if　I　might　actually　get　away　with　it。　Very　little　of　the　Patth's　face　was　visible　in　the　shadow　of　that　hood；　but　what　I　could　see　seemed　to　be　in　the　throes　of　serious　indecision　as　he　weighed　the　merits　of　risking　his　personal　skin　against　the　reality　that　the　Icarus　still　had　a　long　way　to　go　before　we　were　home　free。　This　was　no　professional　bounty　hunter；　or　even　a　standard　flunky　used　to　obeying　orders　without　the　luxury　of　being　able　to　factor　personal　preference　into　the　equation。　Odds　were　this　was　a　reasonably　senior　Patth　citizen；　pressed　by　necessity　and　desperation　into　this　hunt　for　us。
　But　even　as　he　hesitated　a　new　voice　from　the　outer　room　joined　the　discussion。　Another　Patth　voice；　just　as　smarmy　as　the　first；　but　carrying　with　it　the　unmistakable　weight　of　authority。　〃Nonsense；〃　he　said。　〃He's　bluffing。　Enig；　tell　your　fools　to　go　get　the　weapon。　We　don't　have　time　for　this。〃
　The　Patth　in　the　doorway　grunted　something　and　two　of　the　Iykams　stepped　reluctantly　forward；　their　corona　guns　rigidly　pointed　at　me。　I　let　them　get　within　two　steps；　just　in　case　someone　decided　to　have　second　thoughts；　then　let　my　plasmic　settle　harmlessly　to　the　floor。　〃You're　right；〃　I　acknowledged。　〃I'm　bluffing。〃
　〃Bring　him　in　here；〃　the　second　voice　ordered。　There　was　no　gloating　in　the　tone　that　I　could　detect；　nor　any　relief　either。　He'd　made　a　decision；　had　issued　an　order　and　had　it　obeyed；　and　was　not　surprised　by　either　the　obedience　or　the　fact　that　his　decision　had　turned　out　to　be　right。　Clearly；　we　had　suddenly　jumped　a　whole　bunch　of