[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"Beautiful," said Krysty. "Sort of thing you'd only see in a What were those
places called, Mildred?"
"Museums."
"That's it. Really lovely."
Dean picked it up and tried it on, finding that it was a little too small for
him. "Hey, the guy has a real double-shrunk head."
"Take it off and leave it there," Ryan said.
"Can't I keep it, Dad?"
"No."
"Why?"
Ryan looked at his son, feeling a sudden welling of anger at the repeated
questions, but controlling it.
"Because the man who owns it might come back for it. Good enough reason?"
"But he tried to chill Doc. Why can't I take a dump in it, Dad?"
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20-%20Ground%20Zero%20(v1.0)%20[h
tml].html (217 of 220) [12/28/2004 12:58:42 AM]
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20E-books/Axler,%20Jam...0-%20Deathla
nds%2027%20-%20Ground%20Zero%20(v1.0)%20[html].html
"Because we aren't animals, and I don't think that the man who owns the helmet
is, either. Now leave it lie and let's get on with the jump."
When he opened the door of the chamber, Ryan consciously tried to avoid
touching the patch of clotted blood.
"More inside," Mildred said.
"Can you tell anything from it?" Ryan asked. "Kind of how bad it might be?"
"No. Clusters on the floor where he sat down. I guess Doc's shot must have
taken him high up. Face or neck and shoulders. At that range it would've
probably starred out a lot. Not enough to show how serious the wound is, but
it looks like it was getting worse. Might be the effort of returning here made
the bleeding worse. That often happens."
"Where in Hades did a Japanese samurai warrior come from?" Doc said. "Seems
like they know how the gateways work. They come and go. And we've heard these
strange rumors of gangs of them raiding around, all over Deathlands."
"Guess we'll never know." J.R was picking his spot to sit down on the floor,
avoiding the metal disks.
"Unless we accidentally jump right on top of them, one of these fine days."
"I can't hardly wait," Ryan said. "Come on, people. Let's get out of here. I'm
sure I can feel that rad hot spot eating into my bones."
The Armorer sat himself first, taking off his fedora and brushing dust from
it, laying it on the floor on his left. He folded his glasses for safety and
put them in a pocket of his jacket. The Uzi stayed in his lap, the big Smith
amp; Wesson scattergun on the floor on his right, ready for his hand.
Mildred sat next to him, the beads in her plaited hair rattling against the
sky blue armaglass walls of the chamber, folding her hands in her lap and
waiting patiently for the next jump to begin.
Dean was next in line, wriggling to his left to miss the speckled spots of
blood.
"May I join you?" Doc asked with a small bow, smiling at the boy's nod. "Well,
Page 144
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
thank'ee, Master.
Thank'ee. I shall attempt to avoid puking all of my last miserable meal up all
over you, but don't blame me if"
Krysty pulled a disgusted face. "Do you have to, Doc? It's up to the elderly
to show a good example to the young. Not teach them bad manners."
"I stand reproached, ma'am," Doc said. "Or, to be more accurate, I sit
reproached."
Krysty was next to him, leaving a space for Ryan to join her once he'd safely
locked the door.
"Make sure you do it properly this time, lover. Don't fancy another jump like
the last one. I'm sure a good
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...20-%20Ground%20Zero%20(v1.0)%20[h
tml].html (218 of 220) [12/28/2004 12:58:42 AM]
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20E-books/Axler,%20Jam...0-%20Deathla
nds%2027%20-%20Ground%20Zero%20(v1.0)%20[html].html part of my brain cells are
floating around somewhere in the deep black heart of cold space."
Jak sat next to J.B., completing the circle. His white face was set like
stone, and he kept his ruby eyes downward, staring at the floor.
"You all right?" Mildred asked.
"Been better. Thinking of Emma. Never had chance. Mutie power like that can
only chill you."
"Guess that's right," Krysty agreed. "Might be she's better off, resting easy
now."
Doc laid his hand on his chest, a sure sign he was about to declaim. "It is a
far, far better rest that I go to, than I ever known." He smiled gravely. "The
excellent Mr. Dickens said that."
"Nice," Jak said.
Ryan looked around, handing the Steyr rifle to Krysty to put on the floor. "We
all ready? Good. Then here we go."
He closed the door, making sure that the lock had clicked securely into place,
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]