"02 - Torment" - читать интересную книгу автора (McGough Scott)

him any more. In fact, it seemed to be trying its level

best to avoid touching him at all, while putting on a loud

display to drive Chainer away from the city. Was the

enormous bug actually afraid of him?

On a hunch, Chainer took his satchel from his waist and

held it out at the mantis. The Nantuko keened and fell

back, seemingly terrified of the satchel's contents.

Chainer lunged forward, and the Nantuko sprang away.

Chainer didn't waste the opportunity. He sprinted away

from the Order party at top speed. He heard the officer

ordering trooper Baankis to pursue and the frantic trilling

of the Nantuko. He risked one last glance over his shoulder

and saw the bug had turned and was calling into a small,

swampy, wooded area of the salt flats. From within the

stunted glade, something roared in reply. Chainer felt the

ground nimble beneath his running feet and heard the ear-

splitting crack of live timber being splintered as

something very large came forward to answer the Nantuko's

call.

Chainer fixed his eyes back on the city and

concentrated on running as fast as he could.



* * * * *



Roup's tavern was on a lonely side street well off the