“The supplies are ready and we have sent the signal,” he said. “TI truck will be here tomorrow and you will be waiting for it. Everything arranged as I told you. You’ll leave now with Naxa. You must rca’ the meeting spot before the trucks.”
19
“Trucks almost here. Y’know what to do?” Naxa asked.
Jason nodded, and looked again at the dead man. Some beast had torn his arm off and he had bled to death. The severed arm had been tied into the shirt sleeve, so from a distance it looked normal. Seen close up, this limp arm, plus the white skin and shocked expression on the face, gave Jason an unhappy sensation. He liked to see his corpses safely buried. However he could understand its impbrtance today.
“Here they’re. Wait until his back’s turned,” Naxa whispered.
The armored truck had three powered trailers in tow this time. The train ground up the rock slope and whined to a stop. Krannon climbed out of the cab and looked carefully around before opening up the trailers. He had a lift robot along to help him with the loading.
“Now!” Naxa hissed.
Jason burst into the clearing, running, shouting Krannon’s name. There was a crackling behind him as two of the hidden men hurled the corpse through the foliage after him. He turned and fired without stopping, setting the thing afire in midair.
There was the crack of another gun as Krannon fired; his shot jarred the twice-dead corpse before it hit the ground. Then he was lying prone, firing into the trees behind the running Jason.
Just as Jason reached the truck, there was a whirring in the air and hot pain ripped into his back, throwing him to the ground. He looked around as Krannon dragged him through the door, and saw the metal shaft of a crossbow bolt sticking out of his shoulder.
“Lucky,” the Pyrran said. “An inch lower would have got your heart. I warned you about those grubbers. You’re lucky to get off with only this.” He lay next to the door and snapped shots into the now quiet wood.
Taking out the bolt hurt much more than it had going in. Jason cursed the pain as Krannon put on a dressing, and admired the singleness of purpose of the people who had shot him. They had risked his life to make his escape look real. And also risked the chance that he might
turn against them after being shot. They did a job completely and thc oughly and he cursed them for their efficiency.
Krannon climbed warily out of the truck, after Jason was bandage Finishing the loading quickly, he started the train of trailers back t ward the city. Jason had an anti-pain shot and dozed off as soon as th~ started.
While he slept, Krannon must have radioed ahead, because Kerk w waiting when they arrived. As soon as the truck entered the penimett he threw open the door and dragged Jason out. The bandage pulli and Jason felt the wound tear open. He ground his teeth together; Kei would not have the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.
“I told you to stay in the buildings until the ship left. Why did y leave? Why did you go outside? You talked to the grubbers-didn’t you With each question he shook Jason again.
“I didn’t talk to-anyone.” Jason managed to get the words out. “Th tried to take me, I shot two-hid out until the trucks came back.”
“Got another one then,” Krannon said. “I saw it. Good shootin Think I got some too. Let him go, Kerk, they shot him in the back F fore he could reach the truck.”
That’s enough explanations, Jason thought to himself. Don’t overt it. Let him make up his mind later. Now’s the time to change the sir ject. There’s one thing that will get his mind off the grubbers.
“I’ve been fighting your war for you, Kerk, while you stayed safe inside the perimeter.” Jason leaned back against the side of the truck the other loosened his grip. “I’ve found out what your battle with di planet is really about-and how you can win it. Now let me sit dow and I’ll tell you.”