Chung Kuo - The Marriage Of The Living Dark Part 35

'The Campaign for Racial Purity."

Horton laughed. "You bet your f.u.c.king life it was."

Chao stared at the man, feeling a cold hatred, then gestured with his gun. "Go.

Now. Before I shoot your f.u.c.king b.o.l.l.o.c.ks off!"

Emily was still talking to Daniel when Lin Chao burst in.

"You'd better come. Horton's got into the labs. Him and four of his thugs."

She stood, alarmed. "Aiya What happened?"

Chao shrugged. "I'm not sure. I stopped him earlier, but he must have gone back and got his men. It looks like they went through the west tunnels." "Anyone hurt?"

Chao grimaced, then nodded. "They've killed young Cho." Emily's face creased with pain. For a moment she rested her weight on her arms, then, nodding to herself, she straightened up again. "Okay. We need to play this carefully. Have they got into the inner labs yet?" "We don't know. But I can't get through to Tybor."

"How far along was he?"

"When I left him he'd only just begun. I'd say he had three or four hours work incinerating it all."

Emily looked to Daniel. "I'm sorry, Daniel. We'll have to finish this later."

Daniel nodded. "Can I come along?"

"It might be best.. ."Then, changing her mind, "Okay. But don't do anything rash."

Daniel smiled, then stood. "I won't"

It was bad. Horton couldn't come out - not without having to come through them - but equally they couldn't get in. Not unless Horton let them in. Whaf s more, he had Tybor.

Emily stared up at the screen, seeing how Tybor tried not to flinch as Horton tightened the loop of cord about his throat, and swore to herself that she would kill the man when this was over.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want," Horton answered her, a c.o.c.kiness in his manner now; all pretence at politeness shed like a skin. "I want you to refuel my cruiser, then I want a safe pa.s.sage out of here."

"I can't do that"

Horton smiled sourly. "I think you can."

"I can't let you take that stuff away."

"No? Then how about if I open a packet or two and sprinkle it into your air-conditioning system."

"I'll shut it down."

"Then you'll all suffocate."

"Eventually. But that'll get you nowhere, will it?"

There was a flicker of irritation in Horton's eyes. Again he tightened the cord.

"I'll kill him," he said.

Emily nodded, her eyes meeting Tybor's, understanding in them. "Tybor knows the risks."

"You're bluffing."

"I was never more serious. I'd rather we all died than you took a speck of that stuff out of here."

Horton's expression slowly changed. It was clear he couldn't comprehend the notion that someone would rather sacrifice themselves than make a deal. "You are bluffing," he said, an ugly grin appearing on his face. "And I'm going to call your bluff right now."

Emily looked down, unable to watch. She heard Lin Chao, just behind her, gasp then cry out. Daniel, she saw, had clenched both fists. There was an awful noise, somewhere between a sigh and a choked swallowing sound, and then she heard the huge body fall.

Dead, she told herself. That b.a.s.t.a.r.d Horton's dead.

"Lin Chao," she said very quietly, so Horton would not hear, "cut off the air." As Lin Chao turned away, she looked to Daniel. The boy was watching the screen, his eyes narrowed. Noting he was being watched he glanced at Emily, something in his eyes.

What is it? she mouthed.

He stepped back, out of view of the overhead camera. Let me take him, he mouthed back. I can do it.

Emily looked back at the screen. Horton had stepped back. Now he was snarling up at the screen.

"Well?" he said. "Are you going to let us go, or are you going to die? You'd better make your minds up. Time's running out." "Okay," she said, letting a false resignation sound in her voice. "You've got your cruiser. Give us fifteen minutes."

"You've got twelve," Horton said. "Now move!"

Emily nodded, then turned away as the screen blanked. "Okay," she said, looking to Daniel. "He's yours."

Horton looked about him at his men, then nodded. "Good," he said. "Now lef s see those b.a.s.t.a.r.d c.h.i.n.ks try and trick us!"

They had taped packets all over themselves, covering their chests and backs and the tops and backs of their heads. Horton grinned, then picked up his rifle and hung it by the strap over his shoulder. It was like wearing a bomb. The rebels didn't dare shoot for fear of splitting open one of the packets. But as a precaution, Horton had saved one packet, which he now picked up, holding it in his left hand, then unsheathed his hunting knife One wrong move and they'd all be dead.

But there weren't going to be any wrong moves.

"Jeffers? Is the cruiser ready?" he asked, speaking into the b.u.t.ton mike on his lapel.

"Ready and fuelled," came the reply.

His man. One of two left in the craft "Have they backed off?"

There was a pause, then Jeffers answered again. "Looks like it There's no one in sight" "Good." He turned, checking his men were ready, then gave the thumbs up signal.

"Okay. We're coming out,"

Lin Sung leaned forward, putting his left hand over the mike, then smiled at the pilot, pressing the gun a little harder into the man's temples. "Good boy, Jeffers. Now start the engines."

The corridor was clear. There were two doors leading off, but both were closed. "Check those out," Horton said, gesturing to two of his men. "If there's anyone inside, shoot the f.u.c.kers."

They hurried off. A moment later a head popped round the first doorway. 'If s clear."

"And this one," a second voice came back as its owner reappeared. "Good." But Horton was still wary. The woman had capitulated too quickly for his liking. Not that she had any choice, but...

"Up to the end," he said, sending the two forward. "Take up position in the next corridor."

He was used to this. Many a time they'd fought the c.h.i.n.ks, corridor by corridor in the old City. Yes, and winkled the little f.u.c.kers out, too. He smiled at the memory.

Yeah, and maybe I'll leave our friends here a t.i.ttle something to remember me by.

Or, better yet, give DeVore a little something. A grid reference, maybe.

Not that his patrols wouldn't be able to follow a trail of smoke. Getting the thumbs up, he hurried forward, then sent his men on again, commando-style, as they'd been trained, back in the Sons. He had the map of the tunnels in his head. Up ahead they turned sharply left, then climbed a set of concrete steps and out, onto the roof. "Jeffers? All clear up there?" he asked, speaking into the lapel mike once again.

"All clear," came the answer.

So far so good. But just in case ..."Ascher? You listening to me, woman?"

There was a pause, then, "I can hear you."

"You ain't gonna try any tricks now are you? Because if you are..."

"I don't like you, Horton, but I'm not stupid." Horton grinned, then gestured to his men to move on to the next turn. "Good, because I've got a packet right here in my hand and if you try anything ..." "As I said, I'm not stupid."

"Good. Ve-ry good."

He glanced back down the corridor behind him, listening, then nodded to himself.

Coover would pay him well for this little lot; maybe even give him a command.

General Horton. Yeah. He liked the sound of that

They went left and along the final stretch of corridor. Just ahead of them the steps climbed steeply into daylight. A cold draught came down at them, bringing the rea.s.suring hum of the cruiser's turbines. He sent one of his men up. Almost there.

Mind, if she was going to make a move, if d be here. He looked about him. "Keep alert now. No mistakes. Anyone sticks their head up, pop them, right?"

"Right!"

'geffers?"

"Sir?"

"All okay there?"

"Hunky dory, sir."

His man had reached the top of the steps. Horton waited, tensed, as the man looked round then turned back, giving the thumbs up. "Come on," Horton said, sending the other three up in front of him. "Straight up and into the craft."

He turned, looking back. Good. Not a sight or sound of anyone. Horton smiled, then spoke into the open channel. "Looks like you kept your word, Ascher."

"Pity you didn't keep yours."

'Td have given you a good deal, you know. Cruisers. Yeah, and artillery. I'd have delivered them, too, but you gave me no choice." "You killed two of my men, Horton. I won't forget that." "Necessity," he said tonelessly. No way was he going to apologise for killing c.h.i.n.ks and mutants.

"You better watch your back, Horton, because one of these days ..."

But Horton cut in irritably. "Just cut the s.h.i.t, woman. I'm out of here." He took the steps in twos and threes, exultant now. At the top he paused briefly, looking about him at the empty landing pad, letting his eyes accustom themselves to the daylight, then, seeing the cruiser twenty feet away, began to walk towards it A single shot rang out.

Horton staggered a moment, then fell, his legs buckling, the packet tumbling from his open hand.

Daniel watched a moment, ready to squeeze off a second shot, then - seeing that Horton wasn't going to get up -lowered his gun and stood, steadying himself against the top of the cruiser's c.o.c.kpit Dead.

"Daniel?"

He hesitated, then, "I got him."

There were cheers, sounds of jubilation on the open channel.

"Well done, Daniel."

But Daniel didn't feel as if he'd done well. Daniel felt sick. He'd felt the bullet pa.s.s through Horton's eye and out through the top of his spine. Yes, even a no-good b.a.s.t.a.r.d like Horton and still he felt it He jumped down, then threw the gun away.

To h.e.l.l with it.

Lin Sung popped his head out of the cruiser's hatch, grinning. "We got them, Daniel. Trussed up and sedated, just like you said." He nodded, but he felt faint now. Was this all he was good for?

"Daniel?"

He looked across. Emily was standing at the top of the steps, where Horton had emerged from only a minute before. She was not far from where Daniel stood, yet it seemed as if she were a mile away. "Daniel?"

The voice receded, as if it were travelling away from him.

Daniel...

"Daniel?"