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uction； Winward didn't bother 〃 to let him finish。 〃Almo？〃 he called。 〃Listen…remember the idea someone had that a lot of the Qasaman industry was underground？ I think this tower is an entrance to the place。 Shall I go out and get Dorjay and head down to take a look？〃
He waited； heart pounding； hoping Pyre would know how to use the opening he'd just given him。 Winward had a dim idea； but his mind was beginning to fog over； and he knew instinctively he couldn't trust it to follow any straight logical lines。 He hoped Pyre was in better shape。
〃You seem upset； Mr。 Mayor；〃 Pyre's voice came through the fog。 〃May I assume your underground facilities are something you'd rather we not see？〃 There was no response； and after a moment Pyre went on； 〃We can get down there； you know。 You've seen what we can do； and how little effect your guns have on us。 With our ship free and clear； we can go down the tower； take a good look； and still get off Qasama alive。〃
〃We will kill you all；〃 Kimmeron said。
〃You know better than that。 So I'll offer you a deal： release all our people unharmed and we'll leave without seeing what you've got down there。〃
Kimmeron's laugh was a harsh bark。 〃You seek to trade something for a lack of something。 Even if I wanted to agree； how could I persuade others to do so？〃
〃You explain that we take home details of city and village life； or we take home every secret you've got；〃 Pyre told him coldly。 〃And your time is running out。 Winward will start down the tower in three minutes； and I can't guarantee Link won't find his way underground even sooner。〃
It took the mil three minutes and a little more； but in the end Kimmeron agreed。
Chapter 22
It took another fifteen minutes for Kimmeron to get the agreement of the Purma officials who were holding Cerenkov and Rynstadt。 The radio jamming wasn't lifted for five minutes longer； but Pyre had already been allowed to send Link a message via the tower's outside speakers； warning the other Cobra to lie low and hold off on any attack。 Telek； when Pyre was finally allowed through to her； agreed to the arrangement and directed Link to wait in the tower with Winward until Pyre made it back。 Then； with Kimmeron his reluctant panion； Pyre got into a car and headed down the broad avenues toward the airfield 。 。 。 and waited with lasers ready for the inevitable ambush。
It didn't e。 The car passed through several sets of sentries； none of whom even raised a weapon； passed beneath tall buildings without so much as a brick being thrown； passed even among the grim mass of Qasamans at the base of the airfield tower。 Nothing。 They pulled up to the Dewdrop's main hatch； and Pyre waited with Kimmeron close beside him until Winward and Link returned。
The two Cobras entered the ship； and Pyre turned to Kimmeron。 〃We've pleted our part of the deal；〃 he said； putting as much quiet steel as he could into the words。 〃You've done half of yours。 I trust you won't be tempted to back out。〃
〃Your two panions will be waiting when you land at Purma；〃 Kimmeron said coldly。
〃Good。 Now take the car and get clear before we lift。〃 Pyre stepped into the hatchway； and the airlock door closed。
The inner door slid open； and in that same moment the Dewdrop lurched slightly and they were airborne。
Link was waiting as Pyre stepped into the ready room。 〃Looks like we might actually pull this off；〃 the younger Cobra said quietly。
〃Heavy emphasis on the might；〃 Pyre nodded。 〃How's Michael？ He looked in pretty bad shape when you passed me out there。〃
〃I don't know…the governor's looking at him now。 Probably in better shape than Decker。〃
〃Yes； what happened to him？ I saw him carried away from the bus on a stretcher； but I couldn't tell anything more。〃
Link's lip twitched in a grimace。 〃He tried to break the contact team out of the bus at the beginning of all this。 The mojos flayed his arm； practically down to the bone。〃
Pyre felt his neck muscles tighten。 〃Oh； God。 Is he…？〃
〃Too soon to tell anything； except that he'll probably live。〃 Link Hcked his lips。 〃Listen 。。。 did Kimmeron say anything about Justin？ He switched with Joshua when they brought Decker in and was taken off toward Purma。〃
For the unprovoked deaths in Purma； Kimmeron had said； sentencing the Dewdrop to death。 Justin's work？ Undoubtedly。 But Kimmeron hadn't mentioned him in negotiating the other prisoners〃 release。 Was he； then； free somewhere out in the Qasaman night？
Or was he dead？
〃Kimmeron didn't say；〃 he told Link slowly。 It had happened； his mind told him vaguely； the danger to Justin he'd worried about all the way back at the beginning of this mission。 〃Well。 First things first； I suppose。 We'll land at Purma； get Yuri and Marck safely aboard 。。 。 and then try to find out what we can about him。〃
〃Yeah。〃 Link searched his face another moment； then nodded。 〃Yeah。 e on； let's get back to the lounge； find out what's happening。〃
〃Sure。〃 Back to the lounge； where Joshua would be waiting。 。 。 。 But Pyre wouldn't have to tell him his brother might be dead。 Not yet； anyway。
Strapped tightly into the highly unfortable interrogation chair； Rynstadt stared at the door through which his questioners had left； trying to keep his expression neutral for the cameras he could see focused on him。
It wasn't an easy task。 The questioning had been loud and brutal； and it'd been a relief when the four Qasamans abruptly switched off the painful strobe lights and left the room。 But as the minutes had dragged on and he'd had time to pull himself together； their continued absence began to seem increasingly ominous。 What were they preparing for him that took a half hour to set up？ Shock treatments？ Sonics？ Maybe even something as crude…and horrible…as slow dismemberment？ His stomach churned at the thought。 Death…fast death…he'd been willing to risk for the opportunity of ing to Qasama。 Slow torture was something else entirely 。。。 and he knew far more about Aventinian technology than he really wanted to tell them。
Without warning the door swung open； causing Rynstadt to jerk against his restraints。 Two of the four interrogators entered and stepped over to him。 For a moment they stared down at him； Rynstadt forcing himself to return their gaze。 Then； still wordlessly； they bent down and began unstrapping him。 Here it es； Rynstadt thought； steeling himself。 The torture chamber had been readied； and he was about to find out what they'd e up with。
The Qasamans finished their task； but even as Rynstadt uncramped his legs and got them under him the men turned and left。 The door banged shut； and he was left standing there； alone。
It made no sense to his befuddled mind； but they didn't give him time to wonder。 〃Rynstadt/〃 a hidden speaker boomed； 〃your panions have bargained for your release。 You will be allowed to eat and drink and then be taken to city's edge。〃
The speaker went off with a loud click； and simultaneously a slot in the base of the door opened and a steaming tray was pushed through。
None of this made any sense； either。 What did the Dewdrop have to bargain with that the Qasamans would consider worth Rynstadt's life？ But at the sight of the food； one clear thought cut through the confusion in his mind。
Poison。
The stew and hot berry juice were poisoned 。。。 and he would soon tell them anything they wanted to know in exchange for the antidote。 Or else he really was being released； in which case he'd be dead before the Dewdrop cleared the system； in a final act of Qasaman vengeance。
His stomach rumbled； reminding him he hadn't eaten since lunch in Huriseem； a medium…sized eternity ago 。。。 and on closer examination； poisoning him did seem a little melodramatic。
Again his stomach growled。 Suppose he simply refused to eat？ If the food was indeed safe； probably nothing； except that he'd go hungry。 If it was poisoned 。。。 presumably they'd e and hypospray the stuff into him。
Walking over to the tray； he picked it up and sniffed cautiously at the bowl and mug。 He'd had the stew and juice several times before during the contact team's tour； and both smelled just the way he remembered。 For a long moment he was tempted 。。。 but if there was really a chance for freedom； he'd be foolish to take even slim risks。 〃Thanks；〃 he called to the hidden mike as he set the tray back on the floor by the slot； 〃but I'm not hungry right now。〃
He held his breath。 If the Qasaman voice sounded angry or annoyed 。。。 〃Very well；〃 the other said simply。 The slot opened again； and Rynstadt glanced down to see a hand snare the tray and pull it back out of sight。
A shiny hand。
A hand encased in a surgeon's glove。
The slot cover slid back in place； and Rynstadt walked back to the chair； feeling cold all over。 Poison； for sure…but not in the food。 On the tray。 Mixed with a contact absorption enhancer and spread on the tray。
And now it was on his hands 。。。 and in his blood。
He sat down； legs trembling with reaction。 He was； then； being released…there was no need for such an elaborate subterfuge if the poison was just part of his interrogation。 Released…and simultaneously mur…dured。 Melodramatic or not…barbaric or not…they had opted for vengeance。
Was there any chance at all of ing through this alive？ Perhaps； but only if the Qasamans had timed their dosage so as to let the Dewdrop get a good distance away before their treachery became known。 How long？ One hour？ Two？ Twelve？
There was no way to know。 But the fact that he knew he'd been poisoned gave Telek and the medical analyzers aboard ship the maximum time to identify and counteract the specific toxin used on him。
e on； he urged the Dewdrop silently。 Get me the hett out of here。 In the meantime 。。。 letting his body slump in the chair； he consciously slowed his breathing。 The slower the metabolism； in theory； the slower the poison would be absorbed into his tissues。
And he settled back to wait。
The distinctive whine of gravity lifts； faint even in his enhanced hearing； finally dragged Justin from his sleep。 For a moment he lay quietly in the tall grass； reorienting himself； allowing the bitter memories to return。 Then； carefully； he raised his head。
The motion drew an involuntary hiss between his teeth； he'd forgotten all the places his body ached。 But the sight in the northern sky drove all such considerations into the background。 Against the blazing stars of Qasama's night a hazy reddish oval was drifting。
The Dewdrop was making a break for it。
He watched the haze for a long minute； teeth clamped together as he tried not to cry。 They were leaving。 Without him。 Without Cerenkov and Rynstadt； as well？ Probably。 There was no way to know for sure； but Telek had counted on him to rescue them； and his failure probably meant they were all marooned。
Marooned。
Automatically； as if trying to insulate itself from the emotional shock； his mind began tracing out his options。 He could escape into the forest； living off the wild game there； and hope he could hold out until the military expedition that would surely follow。 Or he could try to find a village that would trade his Cobra skills for sanctuary from the central authorities。 Or…
Or he could just stay here in the grass until he died。 It all amounted to that in the end。
It was only then that the realization broke through to him that the Dewdrop was moving too slowly。
Much too slowly。 They crippled it； was his first； awful thought 。。。 but if the grav lifts had been damaged F'ahl should have kicked in the main drive by now to assist。 No； something else was happening 。。。 and abruptly； he understood。
They were flying low and slow on purpose。 Looking for him。 He'd rolled over on his back in an instant； glancing toward the city as he lifted his left leg； but not really caring if anyone there spotted his signal。 In a few minutes the Dewdrop would be here 。。。 and after his moments of despair the promise of rescue was flooding his mind and body with adrenaline…fueled determination。 Let the Qasamans e for him now…let the whole city get in his way if they wanted to。
Targeting the Dewdrop； he fired his antiarmor laser three times。
Thirty kilometers away； the ship's hull would barely register the heat of those shots； but for the watchers aboard； the flashes of light sho