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〃But I've sent …〃
〃Senator； he'll die unless you do something。〃
Dedalus nodded。 He made a hand signal and a man emerged from the underbrush。 He was carrying a handgun； muzzle down； loosely and expertly at his side。
〃So much for having your protection；〃 Croaker said。
〃Do you think I'd leave myself pletely vulnerable？ We hardly know one another。〃 Dedalus gestured。 〃Go into the shaft；〃 he directed his man。 〃There's a scientist named Serman hurt in there。 Bring him out。〃
〃Wait；〃 Vesper said as the man was about to climb into the vent。 〃I'll have to go with him。 There's an anti…intrusion device I'll have to get him around。〃
〃Do it；〃 the senator said； understanding immediately that she was using this chance to get away from Croaker。
〃Forget it；〃 Croaker said； understanding dawning as well。 This was the ultimate test of trust； but could he trust her？ 〃I'm not letting her go。〃
〃Why not？〃 Dedalus smiled。 〃I've emptied my weapon； I've revealed my bodyguard。 It's time for you to make a gesture of trust。〃
〃You bitch！〃 Croaker shouted at Vesper。 〃If you hadn't told him …〃
〃But she did；〃 Dedalus said。 〃It was her duty。 Now； make the gesture； Mr。 Croaker。〃
With a low growl； Croaker pushed Vesper away from him。 She went stumbling over the ground； and the senator's bodyguard helped her back through the vent。
〃Now that we're alone； Mr。 Croaker； I do expect you to tell me where Mikio Okami has gone to ground。 I'll keep you in custody until we have him。 Then you may go。〃
〃That's your idea of a deal？ Forget it。〃
〃Unfortunately； I am in no position to forget it。〃 A small； silver…plated pistol appeared in the senator's fist。 It was the kind of weapon instructors liked to start women on because the buck of the percussion was minimal。 But at dose quarters like these； it was as lethal as the Beretta。 〃I need to get my hands on Okami and you're going to help me do just that。 You're out of bargaining chips。 Tell me where he's hiding or I'll put a bullet through your right kneecap。 Five minutes later it will be your left knee； and so on and so on。 You get the picture。 You'll tell me what I want to know； I promise you。〃
〃Senator？〃 It was Vesper's voice。
〃Yes； what is it？〃 Dedalus said in an annoyed tone。 〃Have you gotten Serman out？〃
〃Serman's dead；〃 she said； poking her head and shoulders out of the vent。 She was gripping the bodyguard's handgun。
〃Where's Andrew？〃
〃I'm afraid he's …〃
Dedalus had been taught to aim and shoot by an expert。 He squeezed off a shot before Vesper did； but his small…caliber weapon was not accurate at that range。 His shot spun off the inside of the shaft。 He was about to fire again when Vesper shot him between the eyes。 His arms flew out as he toppled over backward； an astonished expression on his face。
〃You missed your calling； you should have been an actor。〃 Vesper looked at Croaker as she crawled out of the vent。 〃You see；〃 she said； 〃sometimes it pays to have a little trust。〃
Out in the pound； Floating City was burning； or so it seemed to Nicholas as he emerged from the lab。 The truck that had exploded was aflame； and the fire had spread to two other trucks in the convoy poised to roll out of the main gate。
The danger。。。 you don't know。。。 There's more than。。。 There's more than what？ What had Abramanov been trying to tell him？ What was the danger？
As Nicholas ran； he was obliged to leap across the backs of men who had been caught in the initial blast。 Then； out of the billowing black smoke； he saw the huge figure of Rock； striding toward the lead truck。 The LAW was strapped across one shoulder； and he held a small Cobray M…11 with the telltale T…shape of its long magazine in one hand。 He had redesigned and recalibrated it into an exceptionally deadly and accurate weapon。
〃Get out of there； you bastard！ Fucking rat！〃 he screamed。
He was about to fire at the lead truck when he caught sight of Nicholas。 He turned and grinned。
〃So you got out。 Mick warned me you would manage it by hook or by crook； but I didn't believe him。 Now； of course； it doesn't matter。〃 He hefted his LAW。 〃Same old weapon； you're thinking； right？ Wrong。 This is now loaded with the first Torch。〃
Nicholas felt the tremor of Rock's intent a split second before he began firing the Cobray。 Bullets flew at him as he dived against an unmoving corpse。 Rock； firing the Cobray in short； accurate bursts； was moving steadily toward him。 Blood； bone； and gristle spattered Nicholas as the bullets began to eat up the corpse。
Rock came on； slamming home another long magazine into the machine pistol。 In another few steps he would be within range to pick Nicholas apart。 Nicholas looked around； saw an AK…47。 He grabbed for it； but it was one of those Chinese…manufactured jobs and the firing mechanism was jammed。
Rock's grin was wider than ever。 〃e on； bad boy。 You killed Do Duc。 See if you can kill me。〃
Nicholas broke down the AK…47； dismantling it as if for cleaning。 Not good enough。 He gripped it； one hand on the barrel； the other just above the magazine。 Then he projected his psyche outward as he exerted all the pressure he could muster。 The world pressed inward； light streamed past him as if he were on a speeding train； and sounds echoed in his ears as if he existed on a plane a long way off。 The barrel abruptly snapped and he had his weapon。
Rock fired his first burst and Nicholas rolled along the ground； feeling the snapping of splintering stone at his ankles。 But he had got the heft of the broken barrel now； and he rose from the ground。 In the same motion； he leapt directly toward Rock； whose finger froze on the trigger as he swung the stubby muzzle of the Cobray toward Nicholas。
In that moment of suspended time Nicholas let fly the broken barrel of the AK…47。 Deep in Tau…tau he projected a line of flight； like a shaft of invisible light； down which the missile flew。 He was in a tunnel of strange dimension。 He saw only the missile he had loosed。 He felt its speed and the friction of the air against its steel metal edges； he felt the subtle drag of gravity exerting its influence； and he felt through a distance that had no meaning the synapses firing in Rock's body as he reacted to the threat。
He was far too slow。 A strange whistling filled the air and then a sickening thunk！ as the thin muzzle of the barrel struck Rock in the center of his chest with such force that he flew backward； twisting with the impact。 Pierced just below the sternum； he lay staring up； blood fountaining from him。
Where was Mick？
The engine of the lead truck coughed to life； and without further conscious thought Nicholas sprinted toward it。 As he came up to where Rock lay； eyes unmoving and glazed； he reached down； ejected Torch from the LAW； which was far too bulky for him to take wholesale； Torch was bad enough。 He ran on； sprinting in zigzag fashion through the chaotic pound。
And now the sons have met under what could only be considered unfortunate circumstances； Mick had said。
Mick； at the wheel of the truck； threw it into first gear and it began to rumble toward the gate。 Nicholas； picking up speed； closed the gap between them。 Torch was heavy； but he was determined not to le