"Maloney, Mack - Wingman 05 - The Twisted Cross UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maloney Mack)

Hunter was no sooner past the place from where the gunmen had fired when he picked out the two figures running away at top speed. He followed them, running as fast as he could, his flight boots striking the grimy wet alley pavement with a succession of sharp cracks. The chase went on for only 20 seconds or so, when the gunmen turned a slight bend in the road and found themselves facing a brick wall.

Hunter skidded to a stop just as the two men wheeled and fired at him. He was able to dodge their combined barrages, and a split-second later, he cut them both down at the legs with an economical burst of M-16 tracer fire.

Unlike most other New Order cities, the gunfire actually attracted a crowd-this one from the small alley bistros and cathouses.

Two regional militia men were soon on the scene, and after Hunter quickly identified himself, they joined the pilot in walking over to the two wounded men.

"This guy is dead . . ." one of the militiamen said, reaching one of the snipers first.

"Dead?" Hunter asked, legitimately surprised. "I aimed for his legs. I want these guys alive . . ."

He was bent over the body by this time and quickly saw that it wasn't his bullets that had ended the man's life. There was a long stream of black fluid running out of the man's mouth, and his ears were bleeding.

"Poison . . ." Hunter said, quickly reaching down and closing the man's eyelids. "Capsule under his tongue. He bit it when I cornered him."

Hunter quickly moved over to the other man who lay crumpled in the far corner of the blind alley. He at least was stirring, although he had taken at least four bullets in both legs. Oddly, this man's head, like his companion's, was shaved clean.

Hunter reached down and grabbed the man by his collar. "Who are you?" the pilot asked him harshly.

The man managed to open his eyes and look straight at Hunter. Then, of all things, he coughed out a laugh . . .

"Fuck you," the wounded man said in a voice just tinged

with some kind of accent. Then he dramatically made a quick chomping motion with his jaws, and a second later, a long stream of inky black came spilling out of his mouth, too.

"Jesus, he killed himself, too . . ." one of the militiamen said in disbelief.

"Who are these guys anyway?" the other soldier asked.

Hunter stood up and shook his head. "I'm not sure," he said, turning quickly and heading back for Peg's flat. "But I've got to find out . . ."

The old sea captain was barely conscious when Hunter returned.

He bent over the old man, making him as comfortable as possible. Off in the distance lie heard the wail of a siren approaching. He was sure it was the New Orleans military police. They would be able to get Pegg to the hospital.

"Who were they?" Hunter asked the old man, somewhat stemming the flow of blood from his jaw with his jacket. "Who knew you were here besides Jones?"

Pegg opened his eyes slightly. The gleam was still there. "They knew!" he growled. "They . . . they must have tracked me down . . . The bastards wouldn't even let me finish my story ... I never . . . even got to ... the best part . . ."

"Who were they, damnit?" Hunter said with exasperation. It seemed like Pegg was more upset over having not finished his yarn than by being shot in the jaw.

"The first cousins . . ." Pegg managed to say, before he slipped into unconsciousness. "The bastards that are running the Canal ..."

Hunter rode in the back of the police van as it whisked Pegg off to the hospital.

The old man was slipping in and out of consciousness, but Hunter knew it was best that he didn't press him for details of the would-be assassins. The fact that both men had chosen suicide over capture was chilling enough.

Four hours later, Pegg was patched up-his fractured jaw was wired and he was stitched from his ear to his chin. The military doctors assured Hunter that the old buck would probably make it, though the recovery process would be a lengthy one, due to Peg's age. Hunter told the medics to spare no expense in treating Pegg, then the pilot visited the man's room.