16_world_killers-第31章

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ustful　of　Lang；　but　that　did　not　seem　to　be　the　case。　Vince　figured　that　Lang　was　so　far　outside　of　Human　norms…a　Merlin　of　Robotechnology…that　people　simply　were　not　very　surprised　by　anything　he　did。

And；　since　no　one　who　had　remained　behind　on　Tirol　（except　for　Lang）　had　any　firsthand　experience　with　Janice　in　her　android　persona；　people　seemed　to　take　the　news　matter…of…factly。　There　was　no　sudden　outbreak　of　paranoia。

For　his　part；　Lang　refused　any　ment　once　he　had　assured　himself　that　Jan　was　in　no　danger。　But　Wolff　thought　he　detected　something　more　in　the　man's　manner　than　a　mere　concern　that　an　invention　was　functioning；　or　that　a　strategem　might　have　backfired。

Counsel　for　the　prosecution　had　been　summing　up　his　case　when　Edwards；　no　longer　able　to　restrain　himself；　leapt　up　and　intervened。　No　one　was　sure　what　transpired　then；　it　was　in　low　tones。　The　lawyer　sat　down　with　a　look　in　his　eyes　like　a　hound　called　to　heel；　and　Edwards　stood　forth　to　take　up　the　argument。

〃You　have　every　documentation；〃　he　said　to　the　silent　council；　〃every　citation；　every　particular。　There　is　no　doubt　here！　These　people；　and　the　others　who've　temporarily　evaded　capture；　have　defied　and　subverted　duly　constituted　authority；　and　conspired　to　stage　a　mutiny。　Or　more　precisely；　a　coup。〃

Edwards　was　about　to　throw　his　arms　wide；　but　knew　that　grand　gestures　had　long　since　lost　their　effect　on　the　sort　of　people　who　made　up　the　council。　Instead　he　paused；　pensive。　〃These　were　my　brothers…in…arms。　Don't　you　suppose　this　very　scene　is　agony　to　me？　But　right　is　right；　and　treason　is　treason。　And　these　people　you　see　here。。。are　guilty。〃

Wolff　and　the　others　were　watching　Edwards's　grandstand　play；　but　Vince　Grant　was　keeping　an　eye　on　Lang。　And　when　Edwards　was　finally　done　with　his　stemwinder　speech　（to　some　considerable　applause　both　within　the　hall　and　from　outside）；　Lang　stood　up。

Most　of　the　onlookers　and　viewers　were　braced　for　an　impassioned　plea。　Vince　winked　at　Exedore；　and　Exedore　winked　back。


Scott　Bernard　stood　to　one　side；　looking　proud。　Once　people　found　out　his　part　in　tripping　up　Edwards；　he　figured；　a　lot　of　folks　were　going　to　know　his　name。

In　an　altogether　neutral　voice；　Lang　rattled；　〃Hereby…submitted　under　my　seal　as　council　member；　the　following　recorded　data；　pertinent　to　these　proceedings。〃

There　were　REF　screens　rigged　everywhere　in　that　corner　of　the　Royal　Hall。　They　were　all　abruptly　alight　with　the　scene　between　Lang　and　Edwards；　the　scene　Edwards　had　been　so　sure　his　scramblers　would　render　private。

Edwards　had　been　given　to　understand　his　interference　devices…the　ones　in　his　epaulets　and　so　on…would　keep　him　safe　from　surveillance。　They　had　done　so　in　the　past；　hadn't　they？　But　now　he　saw　that　that　had　only　been　because　Lang　wished　it　so；　in　order　that　Edwards　be　drawn　into　this　trap。

Forewarned；　certain　council　members　had　caused　riot　police　and　MPs　to　be　stationed　in　strategic　points；　but　throughout　the　playing　of　the　recording；　the　Royal　Hall　and　the　streets　outside　were　silent；　just　silent。　There　was　a　final　scene　of　Edwards；　slinking　away　and　nursing　the　wrists　Lang　had　bruised　so　terribly…had　only　stopped　himself　short　of　crushing　by　an　act　of　will。

Edwards　and　his　staff　were　on　their　feet；　crying　that　this　was　some　electronic/Protoculture　forgery；　but　Lang's　people　were　already　submitting　the　authenticated　taped　originals　that　would　prove　differently。

Justine　Huxley　stood；　too；　severe　and　cold。　〃I　think　it's　obvious　that　there　are　mitigating　circumstances　here。　Do　I　have　a　consensus？〃

Under　her　withering　glare；　with　the　undeniable　evidence　of　the　tapes；　and　the　cries　of　the　crowds　rising　outside；　none　of　the　would…be　dissenting　council　members　dared　meet　her　eye。　There　was　a　tacit　assent。　All　in　an　instant；　Edwards　saw　that　his　plans　were　shattered　and　that；　at　least　in　terms　of　the　council；　he　stood　alone。

Huxley　went　on；　〃And　so　all　the　principals；　General　Edwards　included；　will　surrender　to　the　custody　of　the…Stop　that　man！〃

This；　because　Edwards　had　vaulted　the　railing　and　sprinted　for　the　door。　Adams　was　a　half　step　behind　him；　but　the　prosecutors　froze；　and　the　MPs　closed　in　on　them。

Over　at　the　defense　table；　Wolff　was　nearest。　He　was　up　on　his　feet；　dashing　off　after　his　archenemy。　Vince　and　the　others　would　have　helped；　but　court　officers　had　already　moved　in　to　restrain　them。

Breetai　came　to　his　feet；　but　there　wasn't　any　way　for　him　to　reach　the　general　short　of　stepping　in　among　the　Humans　and　trampling　some。　And　armed　guards　had　fanned　out　to　see　to　it　that　he　kept　his　place。

Wolff　raced　after　Edwards　like　his　own　namesake；　his　blood　boiling　for　a　fight。　Without　warning；　a　blur　came　homing　in　at　an　angle　in　an　attempt　to　tackle　Edwards。　It　was　Scott　Bernard。　But　he　lacked　the　weight　to　pull　it　off；　and　merely　swung　Edwards　partway　round　just　as　Wolff　was　closing　in。

Edwards　tore　Scott　off　him　in　a　transport　of　rage　and　was　about　to　break　the　boy's　neck。　Wolff　had　the　option　of　going　for　Edwards　and　taking　a　chance　that　Scott　would　be　killed；　or　grappling　to　save　Scott。　Everything　in　him　told　him　to　do　the　former；　many　lives　had　already　been　lost　to　the　general's　schemes；　and　it　was　worth　the　sacrifice　to　stop　him。

But　he　found　himself　struggling　to　save　the　boy；　hampered　enough　by　the　effort　so　that　he　couldn't　get　in　the　first　blow。　Wolff　got　Scott　partway　out　of　Edwards's　grasp；　but　in　the　meantime　the　general　landed　a　vicious　flat…handed　chop　and　nearly　downed　Wolff。

Edwards　released　Scott　and　was　about　to　follow　up　and　finish　off　the　colonel；　but　his　all…pervading　sense　of　self…preservation　halted　him。　Court　officers　were　closing　in。　He　pivoted　and　sprinted　on。

The　guards　stationed　at　the　doors　were　the　biggest　in　the　REF　military…police　contingent；　and　everyone　expected　them　to　grab　Edwards　and　Adams；　throw　them　down；　and　sit　on　them　until　such　time　as　Justine　Huxley　said　to　stand　up。

But　Edwards　caught　the　first　MP's　hand　in　some　kind　of　take…away　hold；　levered　her　aside；　then　drew　a　handgun　from　beneath　his　jacket　and　shot　the　second；　a　massive　sergeant　who　was　trying　to　get　his　own　pistol　out。

Everyone　was　milling　about；　and　that　made　it　impossible　for　the　court　officers　and　other　MPs　to　get　through。　In　a　moment；　Edwards　and　Adams　were　through　the　inner　door　and　Edwards　was　firing　blasts　through　it。　Adams　was　screaming　something　incoherent；　but　Edwards　took　no　time　to　listen。　Instead；　he　backhanded　the　man；　then　seized　a　fistful　of　his　uniform　and　dragged　him　toward　the　front　entranceway。

Ghost　Rider　sentries　and　escorts　there　already　knew　Edwards's　whistled　signals。　As　other　REF　troops　tried　to　understand　what　was　going　on；　the　Ghosts　got　the　drop　on　them。　In　another　few　seconds；　Edwards　was　inside　his　personal　limo　with　Adams；　lifting　away。

Adams　curled　up　in　a　corner　of　the　luxuriously　upholstered　back　seat；　whimpering。　Edwards　tried　to　think；　though　it　felt　as　if　his　blood　vessels　would　peel　the　scalp　away　from　his　naked　skull。　The　driver　was　already　headed　toward　HQ　and　the　armored　escort　vehicles　were　falling　in　before　and　behind。

T。R。　Edwards　smiled　in　the　dark；　even　as　the　rivulets　of　sweat　poured　down　across　his　face　and　dribbled　over　his　faceplate。　The　council　thought　it　had　him　cornered。

You've　got　me　where　I　want　you。

Edwards　gave　a　quick　mand。　The　rest　of　the　motorcade　went　on；　toward　the　landing　areas　and　the　shuttles；　along　the　route　the　council　would　expect　him　to　take。

But　the　limo　veered　aside　and　down　a　ramp；　through　a　recessed　hatch　that　led　to　the　underground　levels。　There　were　loyal　troops　there　to　wele　him；　Edwards　emerged　and　led　the　way　down　and　down　toward　the　installation　that　connected　him　so　appropriately　with　the　Regent。

Behind　the　convoy；　the　street…access　door　rolled　shut。　No　one　was　there　to　see　a　single　figure；　standing　atop　a　building　opposite；　watch　it　close。　Unmoving；　the　hunter　poised　and　prepared　himself。　Tonight　the　hunt　would　end。


There　were　two　Humans；　a　Karbarran；　and　a　Garudan；　they　were　purposely　shoving　toward　the　partment　hatch　despite　Gnea's　protests。

〃It's　not　just　a　request　anymore；〃　the　Human；　a　junior　officer　Gnea　recognized　as　Susan　Graham；　said。　〃Admiral　Hunter　says　Tesla's　to　be　braced　right　now；　and　answer　a　coupla　questions。〃

Gnea　looked　around　at　the　mixed　posse。　〃And　suppose　I　say　no？　Tesla　is　unwell；　and　I've　been　charged　with　seeing　to　it　that　he　lives。〃　She　placed　herself　before　them；　big…boned　and　used　to　fighting；　seemingly　indifferent　to　whether　she　lived　or　died。　She　fingered　her　halberd　and　waited；　throwing　the　ball　back　into　their　court。

Susan　Graham　brought　up　a　pistol；　and　the　others　leveled　weapons；　too。　〃Then；　you　can　either　let　Doc　Obu　here　look　at　the　patient　or　you　can　get　your　bellybutton　micro…waved；　toots；　and　we'll　still　see　what　we　came　here　to　see。〃

Obu；　the　Karbarran　scientist；　growled　and　inclined　his　head　gently。　When　he　raised　his　eyes　to　Gnea's　again；　there　was　a　frank　sanity　in　his　steady　gaze。　But　there　was　mayhem　on　the　backburners。

〃I…I　see　the　wisdom　of　what　you　say；〃　Gnea　got　out。　It　was　very　nearly　a　whisper。　〃But　don't　you　understand？　You'll　frighten　him。　Just　when　we　were　doing　so　well　wi