按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of menace beneath it。 〃You don't really think I'd have let you get here ahead of us； do you？ We've been waiting in the back wing of the lodge for almost a day now。 No； I think you were waiting for Everett to get tired of his vigil and e inside。〃
〃What exactly is going on here？〃 Tera asked； her voice trying hard to be calm but not entirely succeeding。
〃I should think that was obvious；〃 Brother John said； his gaze still on me。 〃We're taking the Icarus and its alien stardrive off your hands。〃
〃I'm afraid I hadn't gotten to that part yet；〃 I said apologetically； turning back to the table。 The bodyguards had reached us now； and as four of them stood watch the other two hauled Ixil and Chort to their feet and began a quick but thorough frisking。 〃Everett was told to lure us here with the promise of a safe haven。 Mr。 Ryland and his people were； we know now； waiting in hiding here in the fort of the lodge。 As soon as the rest of us were inside out of the way； the plan was to sneak out to the ship and take off； leaving us stranded。〃
The thugs found no weapons on Ixil or Chort； pushed them back down into their chairs； and moved on to Tera and Shawn。 〃I'm surprised they didn't just line us up and shoot us；〃 Tera bit out； glaring ice…shredders at Brother John and ignoring as best she could the hands moving over her body。
〃You underestimate Mr。 Ryland；〃 I told her。
〃Yes； indeed；〃 Brother John seconded。 〃After all； you already owe me your lives once over。 It was my people on Palmary who stood guard over the spaceport during your mad rush off the planet。 As well as in the control tower； I might add。〃
〃I wondered why we got away so easily；〃 Nicabar murmured。 〃The least the Patth should have done was lock down all departures。〃
〃They tried；〃 Brother John said； beaming some more。 〃Indeed they did。 The pressure was applied； and the governmental authorities had given the orders。 Somehow； though； the controllers were able to see through to a better and more enlightened reasoning。〃
〃We do owe him that；〃 I agreed。 〃But when I said you'd underestimated him； Tera； I was referring to something else entirely。 Mr。 Ryland would never think of killing us here。 Not when he can make a little extra money by turning us over to the Patth。〃
Tera stared at me； her mouth dropping open。 〃Are you saying…？〃 She looked back at Brother John。 〃You are a slime。〃
〃I'd warn your lady friend to be quiet； Jordan；〃 Brother John said； a mid…November chill in his voice。 〃Particularly since the value of your lives has decreased markedly in the past three minutes。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 Nicabar asked calmly。 The thugs had relieved Tera of her pepperbox shotgun pistol； and now it was Nicabar's and my turn。
〃He means he wasn't planning to sell us to the Patth just to pick up a little spare change；〃 I explained； wincing as the searching hands ran afoul of my assortment of sore muscles and joints。 〃It was mainly to buy him more time to get the Icarus out of here and bury it somewhere。 Since none of us would know what had happened to the ship； the Patth could interrogate us until June without learning anything that would do them any good。〃
〃Nice guys；〃 Shawn muttered； shying back as one of the thugs sent him a warning look。
〃You know； Jordan； I do believe I've been guilty of underestimating you；〃 Brother John said as one of the searchers found Nicabar's Kochran…Uzi and tucked it away。 〃No； no； don't sit；〃 he added as they started to push the two of us back into our seats。 〃You and your alien partner are ing with me。 You realize you never told me he was an alien？〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 I said。 〃Which was why Everett was able to mistake Jones for my partner in the first place。 You hadn't told him Ixil was an alien because at the time you didn't know it yourself。〃
〃I hate aliens；〃 Brother John said conversationally。 〃Almost as much as I hate alien…lovers。 Everett； you might as well e with us； too。 The rest of you will stay here while we decide what to do with you。〃
〃You might want the girl； too； Mr。 Ryland；〃 Everett said； gesturing toward Tera as he got to his feet。 〃McKell says she's Arno Cameron's daughter。〃
〃Really；〃 Brother John said； and for the first time since he'd e in I saw a flicker of genuine surprise cross his face。 〃By all means； bring her along。 After all； McKell might need extra persuasion。〃
〃Persuasion？〃 Nicabar asked as the nearest thug hauled Tera back to her feet。
〃Yes；〃 Brother John said； his voice suddenly dark。 〃It seems our too…too…clever alien…lover did something to the Icarus's control systems。 Our people can't get anything to work。〃
〃I didn't want you leaving without having a chance for this little chat；〃 I said mildly； looking over at Everett。 〃Everett； tell the truth。 You put up a good show here； but you really did kill Jones； didn't you？〃
He snorted。 〃So for all that bluster you really didn't know for sure； huh？〃 he sneered。 〃Of course I killed him。 What； you think Chort did it？〃
〃Just wanted to make sure；〃 I murmured。
〃Glad we could clear that up；〃 Brother John said。 〃Dar； Kinrick； you stay here。 The rest of you； e with me。〃
The walk back to the Icarus seemed a lot longer this time。 Brother John took the lead； with Everett and one of his men at his sides。 Behind them； Ixil； Tera； and I were herded along by the other three； who made sure to keep us a respectful five paces behind the others in case one of us suddenly felt the urge to mit suicide by trying to jump them。
It was darker outside now。 Darker and colder； and the light breeze that had been rustling the leaves earlier had picked up into something stiff and unpleasant。 Which were； not coincidentally； words that also described Tera as she stalked along in bitter silence beside me； undoubtedly heaping full blame for the situation squarely on my head。 To be fair； it was hardly a point of view I could disagree with。
But at the moment I didn't really care about the cold or the footing or Tera's anger or even the gun digging into my left kidney。 My entire attention was on the dice I could visualize rolling across a mental table in front of my eyes。 The dice had been thrown； the gamble had been made； and in a handful of minutes I would find out whether I'd won or lost。
There was a shadowy figure waiting in the open hatchway as we reached the Icarus and started up the ladder。 Brother John went first； followed by his bodyguard and Everett； then Tera； another guard； and Ixil。 The other two guards saved me for last； then sandwiched me between them as the three of us went up the ladder。 Either Brother John considered me the most dangerous of the group； or else the fact that I had been the one to gimmick the ship entitled me to special handling。
Brother John had gone on ahead； but Tera and Ixil were still waiting as I reached the wraparound； together with their guards； the shadowy figure I'd seen waiting up there； and two more of his buddies。 I'd thought the bodyguards Brother John had brought to the lodge were big； ugly； and well armed； but this latter group beat them hands down on all three counts。 Silently； they gestured with their guns； just as silently； we walked along the wraparound to the main sphere。
The hatch to the s