you happen to fall into a coma in the process, then it’s your hard luck.”
“It’s Steiger, isn’t it?” said Hunter.
“Look, you want to get home in one piece or don’t you?” Lucas said. “We’re trying to be fair about this. We’ll take you back ourselves and send you through. from there you’re on your own. It’s the best we can do. Take it or leave it, but stop wasting our time. You’re being watched.”
Hunter grimaced tightly. “Damn it to hell,” he said. “All right. I appreciate what you’re doing. I’11-”
“Hold it right there,” said a voice from behind them. “Don’t anybody move.-“ Shit.” said Hunter, looking past them.
Finn and Lucas froze. “Slowly now, put your hands on top of your heads and clasp them,” the voice said. All three of them complied, being careful not to make any quick movements.
‘“Now turn around, very slowly.” They turned. There were two men standing behind them in the darkened bedroom. They were both holding laser pistols aimed straight at them.
‘“It’s a good thing we had a mike aimed at this place, in case our boy talks in his sleep,” one of them said.
‘“Are you guys crazy?” Lucas said. “Put those weapons down. That’s an order. The password’s counterstrike.”
“Sorry. I’m afraid we don’t take orders from you. Colonel.” one of the men said.
“I think you’d better do as he says.” Andre said, standing in the doorway behind them. “I’ve got a gun aimed right at your backs, gentlemen. Drop your weapons on the floor. Now.”
The two men hesitated, then dropped their pistols at their feet. “That’s just fine,” said Andre. “Now kick them over-”
She stopped suddenly as she felt the barrel of a laser pistol press against the back of her head. “Hold the gun out to your side, Lieutenant.” Carruthers said, standing in the hall behind her, “Two fingers, please.”
Andre tensed. “Don’t do anything stupid.” said Carruthers. “I don’t want to kill you.”
Her shoulders slumped. She held the laser out from her side where Carruthers could reach around and take it from her.
“Carruthers, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Lucas said. “Put the gun down
“Sorry. Colonel.” he said. ‘“I can’t do that.” He pushed Andre ahead of him into the room. “You should have left well enough alone. We were going to try to work with you on this, but you had to go and blow it, didn’t you?”
“You’re not I.S. D..” Delaney said, with sudden realization. ‘You’re with the Network.”
“That’s right,” Carruthers said. “And I’m afraid that knowledge is going to cost you.” He glanced at his men. “Don’t just stand there, you idiots. Pick up your weapons.”
As the men bent down to retrieve their pistols. Hunter lunged across the bed and reached under his pillow. Carruthers quickly shifted his aim and fired, but Hunter was already on the floor and rolling. As Carruthers aimed again, Lucas disappeared. He reappeared instantly, standing beside Carruthers, and knocked his arm up. The shot went wild. Hunter’s silenced 9 mm. semiautomatic coughed twice. The two Network men went down with slugs through their foreheads. Lucas drove his fist into Carruthers’ solar plexus, threw him back against the wall, and punched him again. Carruthers slumped down to the floor, the wind knocked out of him.
Delaney reached for his gun.
“Don’t do it!” Hunter said sharply.
Delaney froze.
“Come on. Hunter, take it easy.”
“Hands back on your head.” said Hunter. leveling the automatic at him. “All of you, right now!”
“Reese. listen-” Lucas said.
“Shut up! I’ve got to think, damn it!”
Carruthers sat on the floor, clutching his middle and gasping for breath.
Hunter moved back against the wall, his gun moving back and forth, keeping them all covered. He centered his aim on Andre. “Don’t try anything. Priest, or I’ll put one right through her, so help me.”
“All right. Hunter, take it easy… “
“There could be more of them.” he said. “Carruthers said he had only two men in that apartment…” Delaney’s voice trailed oil as he realized what that meant. “Damn it! They’ve got Steiger!”
Ignoring Hunter. he bent down over Carruthers and dragged him to his feet. “Where’s Steiger, you son of a bitch? Where is he? What’ve you done with him?”
Carruthers couldn’t talk. He was still struggling to get his breath back. Delaney slammed him hard against the wall.
“Talk, you bastard!”
“Hold off, Finn,” said Lucas. ‘Give him time to gel his breath back.”
“Get his warp disc.” Hunter said.
Delaney grabbed his arm and pulled the warp disc off his wrist.
“Toss it here.” said Hunter.
Delaney glanced at him. “Like hell I will.”
Hunter fired. The pistol coughed and Andre cried out, grabbing at her shoulder where the bullet had just grazed her flesh.
“Do as he says, Finn.” Lucas said quickly.
“Toss it on the bed,” said Hunter.
Scowling, Delaney threw the warp disc on the bed.
“Stay right where you are. Priest,” Hunter said, keeping his gun steady on Andre. “Please. Don’t force me to do something I don’t want to do.”
“All right, Reese.” said Lucas. “Stay cool. You’re calling the shots for now. We had a deal, remember?”
“Yeah. I remember,” Hunter said, edging over carefully and picking up the warp disc without taking his eyes off them. “I just want sonic insurance.”
He fastened the warp disc around his wrist.
“When you deliver me safely to that confluence point, you’ll get this back,” he said. “Meanwhile, I’m not going anywhere until I’m good and ready. Now I believe you wanted to ask that man some questions. Go ahead. I’ll wait.”
Delaney and Lucas exchanged glances. Lucas nodded.
“All right, Carruthers.” Delaney said, holding the man up by his shirtfront. “Talk, Where’s Steiger?”
“You go to hell.” Carruthers gasped.
Delaney brought his knee up sharply into the man’s groin. Carruthers made a brief, high-pitched keening sound and sagged in his grasp. Delaney lifted him up effortlessly and slammed him against the wall again.
“You tell me what you’ve done with Steiger or I’ll break every bone in your body.” he said.
Carruthers shook his head. Delahey brought his fist back and smashed it into his face. Blood splattered on the wall behind Carruthers as his head snapped around with the force of the blow. His nose was broken.
“Your ribs are next,” Delaney said. “And then your kneecaps. Where is he?”
Carruthers coughed and drew a ragged breath. “If I tell you. I’m dead.”
“You’re dead if you don’t tell me.” said Delaney. “Did you kill him?”
Carruthers shook his head. “No… we’ve got him…
“ Where?”
Carruthers shook his head again.
Delaney drew his fist back once more and drove it with pile driver force into the man’s chest. Something cracked. Carruthers made a grunting, wheezing sound and sagged down once again. Delaney let him fall. He knelt over him, his knee over the man’s leg, his hand grasping the back of his calf.
“Okay, hard guy, your knee goes next. I can keep this up all night.”
“Do your worst, damn you,” Carruthers said in a croaking voice. “But if you kill me. Steiger’s had it.”
Delaney was about to yank up on the man’s leg when Lucas stopped him. “Finn, wait! Forget it. Let him go.”
Delaney stood up. “I’ll make the bastard talk,” he said.
“No. It’s no use. We’re not going to get anything out of him this way.” Lucas said. “Let’s clock him back to
