[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"Get away from the truck!"
The other three mercenaries weren't paying attention, but Kemel decided if
Baker was running, so would he as fast as he could.
"Yeah!" Briggs shouted behind him as Kemel turned and sprinted away. "Run!
You yellow-bellied Arab rat! Run before I "
The explosion caught Kemel by surprise. One moment he was running, the next
he was flying, as if a giant hand had slammed against his back and hurled him
through the air. The night was full of sound and light and flying metal.
Kemel landed and rolled and stayed down, lying flat with his arms over his
head, pressing himself into the cold hard earth.
And then it was over.
Page 204
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Kemel shook his head as he rolled over and rose to his knees. He could barely
hear through the high-pitched hum that filled his head. He looked around and
saw burning bits of wreckage strewn about the yard. The mercenary who had been
behind the truck with him was a still dark form on the lawn. He was sure the
wounded Briggs and the one called DeMartini were in a similar state on the
other side of the smoking hulk.
But someone was moving. Baker& returning from the side of the house, shaking
his fists at the night. Kemel could see the rage in his face, and knew from
his wide-open mouth and the bulging cords in his neck that he was screaming
into the night.
But Kemel could not hear him. And he was glad of it.
He looked back to the road and noticed that the white car they'd followed
here was gone.
Kemel lowered his head and prayed. It was that or burst into tears.
19.
Yoshio found himself laughing aloud as he watched from his car.
Tonight had been a thing of beauty. When he had heard shots from within the
house, he had assumed the worst: That Muhallal and his hirelings had killed
the Clayton woman'sronin . But when Yoshio had seen figures hurrying from the
house and taking up position behind the wrecked truck in the front yard, he
had expected a firefight to follow.
But how could there be a firefight when Alicia Clayton and theronin were
slipping into their car across the street?
The explosion had made everything clear. A small explosion or the impending
threat of a larger one had driven everyone from the house to the supposed
safety of the outdoors. And what better place to shield one's self from flying
debris than behind the oh-so-conveniently located truck rusting in the front
yard?
But the house was not rigged to explode. Why destroy a perfectly good house
when you can drive out invaders with a fake bomb and induce them to cluster
around the real bomb?
And as the debris from the derelict truck was still flying though the air,
theronin's white car had begun moving, rolling down the street with its lights
out. Slipping away into the night.
Yoshio clapped his hands. So simple. So elegant. Bravo,ronin-san!
Fortunately, Muhallal had survived. Yoshio wanted the Arab alive. He was the
only one besides the Clayton brother who knew why the Clayton house was so
valuable.
He watched Baker rage at the night as the remaining man he had sent to guard
the rear raced back to the front yard. Yoshio rolled down his window to hear
what Baker was screaming.
"Whois this guy? I want him! Iwant him! Who are you, you fucker? Show
yourself! Let's do it! You and me! That's all! No tricks! Just you and me!"
Baker's voice rose to a screech. "Who the fuckare you?"
Page 205
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Good question, Yoshio thought. Who is thisronin!
Obviously, he was more than mere hired muscle. He was a man who was
comfortable with violence but used it judiciously, and with style. He was a
man experienced in his line of work and intended to stay in it for the long
run as witness this skillfully booby-trapped house. The house told Yoshio that
theronin planned far ahead and might well be prepared for almost any
eventuality.
Which meant Yoshio would have to be especially cautious in his next move.
For Yoshio was determined to meet theronin before Muhallal and Baker, by some
blind luck, blundered into him and killed him. Yoshio was sure theronin knew [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
"Get away from the truck!"
The other three mercenaries weren't paying attention, but Kemel decided if
Baker was running, so would he as fast as he could.
"Yeah!" Briggs shouted behind him as Kemel turned and sprinted away. "Run!
You yellow-bellied Arab rat! Run before I "
The explosion caught Kemel by surprise. One moment he was running, the next
he was flying, as if a giant hand had slammed against his back and hurled him
through the air. The night was full of sound and light and flying metal.
Kemel landed and rolled and stayed down, lying flat with his arms over his
head, pressing himself into the cold hard earth.
And then it was over.
Page 204
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Kemel shook his head as he rolled over and rose to his knees. He could barely
hear through the high-pitched hum that filled his head. He looked around and
saw burning bits of wreckage strewn about the yard. The mercenary who had been
behind the truck with him was a still dark form on the lawn. He was sure the
wounded Briggs and the one called DeMartini were in a similar state on the
other side of the smoking hulk.
But someone was moving. Baker& returning from the side of the house, shaking
his fists at the night. Kemel could see the rage in his face, and knew from
his wide-open mouth and the bulging cords in his neck that he was screaming
into the night.
But Kemel could not hear him. And he was glad of it.
He looked back to the road and noticed that the white car they'd followed
here was gone.
Kemel lowered his head and prayed. It was that or burst into tears.
19.
Yoshio found himself laughing aloud as he watched from his car.
Tonight had been a thing of beauty. When he had heard shots from within the
house, he had assumed the worst: That Muhallal and his hirelings had killed
the Clayton woman'sronin . But when Yoshio had seen figures hurrying from the
house and taking up position behind the wrecked truck in the front yard, he
had expected a firefight to follow.
But how could there be a firefight when Alicia Clayton and theronin were
slipping into their car across the street?
The explosion had made everything clear. A small explosion or the impending
threat of a larger one had driven everyone from the house to the supposed
safety of the outdoors. And what better place to shield one's self from flying
debris than behind the oh-so-conveniently located truck rusting in the front
yard?
But the house was not rigged to explode. Why destroy a perfectly good house
when you can drive out invaders with a fake bomb and induce them to cluster
around the real bomb?
And as the debris from the derelict truck was still flying though the air,
theronin's white car had begun moving, rolling down the street with its lights
out. Slipping away into the night.
Yoshio clapped his hands. So simple. So elegant. Bravo,ronin-san!
Fortunately, Muhallal had survived. Yoshio wanted the Arab alive. He was the
only one besides the Clayton brother who knew why the Clayton house was so
valuable.
He watched Baker rage at the night as the remaining man he had sent to guard
the rear raced back to the front yard. Yoshio rolled down his window to hear
what Baker was screaming.
"Whois this guy? I want him! Iwant him! Who are you, you fucker? Show
yourself! Let's do it! You and me! That's all! No tricks! Just you and me!"
Baker's voice rose to a screech. "Who the fuckare you?"
Page 205
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Good question, Yoshio thought. Who is thisronin!
Obviously, he was more than mere hired muscle. He was a man who was
comfortable with violence but used it judiciously, and with style. He was a
man experienced in his line of work and intended to stay in it for the long
run as witness this skillfully booby-trapped house. The house told Yoshio that
theronin planned far ahead and might well be prepared for almost any
eventuality.
Which meant Yoshio would have to be especially cautious in his next move.
For Yoshio was determined to meet theronin before Muhallal and Baker, by some
blind luck, blundered into him and killed him. Yoshio was sure theronin knew [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]