第96节

rwater.

'Sure..." Steve sent her a message with his eyes, then started to pull

the hidden weapons out of the floor storage units.

Jodi had already checked the house and found it empty.

Every member of Cadillac's small domestic staff was now lined up along

the back wall, totally absorbed in the happenings beyond. It was

unlikely they would be disturbed, but there was no point in taking

chances.

Situations like this were governed by Sod's Law: if something could go

wrong, you could bet your last meal-credit it most probably would.

That was why she and Kelso had armed themselves with concealed handguns

and were now roving silently around the house, keeping an eye on the

various entrances in case they had any unexpected callers.

Stripping off his loose jacket, Steve donned the sleeveless padded vest

that AMEXICO had supplied. It contained a holster for his air pistol,

pockets for the spare mags and pressure cartridges, and clips to hold

the grenades under a loose flap that concealed their telltale

outlines.

There was another pocket positioned level with his right elbow to hold

the face mask. He filled up the various compartments and selected a

lethal cocktail of grenades. By the time he was finished, he was a

one-man war machine.

He began to load up the three other vests. 'How're we doing?"

Cadillac told him: 'Min-Orota's finished his inspection of the pilots

and planes. The man next to him must be Yama-Shita. The four machines

in the second line are being moved back towards the workshops, but the

crews have been stood down and have gone to the front of the stand."

'Good. That's more than enough for us."

'And they've just started to move five from the first line."

'Where to?"

'They're pushing them towards the grandstand. Wait a minute."

Cadillac lapsed into silence, then said: 'Ah, yes ?. . They've parked

them in a V-formation right in front of the stand, with their tails

pointing towards the spectators."

'And the crews?"

'They're positioned front and rear like they were before."

Steve continued loading the pockets of the combat vests. 'So that

leaves three out on the field... Can you see their numbers?"

'Yes. Six, Seven and Eight. One to Five are in front of the stand."

'Good." The tidy-minded Iron Masters couldn't have made his task

easier. Steve looked up and saw that Clearwater had taken over the

'scope. 'Where's lover boy now?"

'He's handing his swords to your friend, the Herald.

And now he's taking off his hat and wig and tying a scarf around his

head." Clearwater moved the 'scope on to Min-Orota, then found

Yama-Shita's face filling the rectangular frame. She was gripped by a

sudden chill as she recognized the slitted eyes and steel-trap mouth.

It was her tormentor, the implacable master of the wheelboats who had

crushed, drowned and tortured eight Plainfolk Mutes to demonstrate what

could happen to her if she did not obey him.

She felt the hatred well up within her. Not reckless and unreasoning,

but cold and calculating. The memory of the merciless game played out

on the giant paddle-wheel and-of the two mutilated heads she had had to

share her cabin with was still as fresh and as shocking as ever. She

had vowed to avenge the deaths of her fellow Mutes and she would do so

today. Yes...

this soulless monster and his servants would pay the blood-debt. Many

times over.

Oh, Talisman, when I call upon you, lend me your strength I 'Now he's

taking his seat in the front of the flying-horse. And a samurai is

climbing into the seat behind."

Steve repossessed the 'scope and zeroed in the Consul-General, then

panned left on to the tail. Number Seven. Cadillac had told him that

one of the gods in the Iron Masters' pantheon was in charge of lucky

breaks.

He didn't know whether they viewed the number seven as having any

specially favourable significance, but if they did, the fat man was in

for a big surprise.

The set-up was becoming clearer by the second.

Toh-Shiba was going up with Six and Eight acting as escort. All three

aircraft were being pushed back on a diagonal line across the field to

the take-off point by the workshops, followed by the other two pilots

and their observers. Yama-Shita and Min-Orota were returning to their

seats in the stand.