Part 8 (1/2)
intense concentration.
Wiley studied her for a moment. She seemed
suddenly older, more a woman than the girls he knew. He was out of the rack now, but he hesi- tated to approach her. If only he knew who she
was, or why she was here.
”Get the copilot out of there and harness your- self in,” she commanded. ”Now.”
Wiley did as she ordered. He shoved the Navy pilot into a comer, thinking as he did that the woman must have some special reason for what she was doing. He wondered if she was working for his side - whichever side that was - or against his side. Was he free or was he a hostage?
or
The communications board lit up and the other a.s.sault boat signaled them. ”Anything wrong over there?”
42.
”Answer them,” said Nika. ”Say we had a sheer.”
Wiley found the switch and told the other boat they had a sheer.
”Report status,” came back the response.
Wiley looked at Nika a little wildly. ”Now what?”
”Say uncertain.” Her pretty face was stem now, and Wiley thought, If I'm being kidnapped, at least I'm being kidnapped by a beautiful woman.
”Uncertain,” he relayed.
”Brace yourself.” She eased the huge s.h.i.+p up through the narrow canyon between buildings.
The other a.s.sault boat came abreast of them, so close that the air rocked and boiled between the two boats.
Nika nudged the a.s.sault boat to higher speeds.
”We can't fight here,” she muttered.
The second a.s.sault boat grew nearer, and Wiley noticed that a third had turned to follow them.
They raced through the streets, moving away from the most densely populated part of the city.
Now the buildings were less tightly packed. With the increased maneuvering room, the second a.s.sault boat brought its laser-cannon into firing position.
43.
Chelsea Quinn farbro
Nika fired all four of her cannon directly into the inertial guidance pod of the second boat. She tool? advantage of the chaos to put more distance between herself and the third a.s.sault boat.
'We're getting away,” said Wiley, not sure if this was supposed to please him or not.