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〃I have one or two other things yet to do tonight； yes；〃 he said as he set down his cup and stood up； 〃Good evening； Captain McKell。 I'll see you tomorrow morning。〃
〃I'll be there。〃 I nodded。
He nodded back and headed across the taverno； maneuvering through the maze of tables and the occasional wandering customer； and disappeared through the door。 I took a sip of my vodkaline； counted to twenty； and headed off after him。
I didn't want to look like I was hurrying； and as a result it took me maybe half a minute longer to get across the taverno than it had taken him。 But that was all right。 There were a lot of spacers roaming the streets out there； but the overhead lights outside were pretty good； and with all that white hair he should be easy enough to spot and follow。 Pushing open the door； I stepped out into the cool night air。
I had forgotten about the Yavanni。 They hadn't forgotten about me。
They were waiting near the entrance； partly concealed behind one of the decorative glass entryway windbreaks that stuck a meter outward from the wall on either side of the door itself。 Recognizing a particular alien is always a dicey proposition； but obviously this bunch had mastered the technique。 Even as I stepped out from the shelter of the windbreaks； they began moving purposefully toward me； the one in front showing a noticeable forward slouch。
I had to do something； and I had to do it fast。 They'd abandoned their previous territorial game…that much was obvious from the way they bunched together as they moved confidently toward me。 I'd shamed them in front of the whole taverno； and what they undoubtedly had in mind was a plete demonstration as to why that had been a bad decision on my part。 I thought about digging inside my jacket for my gun； realized instantly that any such move would be suicide； thought about ducking back into the taverno； realized that would do nothing but postpone the confrontation。
Which left me only one real option。 Bracing myself； I took a quick step partway back into the windbreak； turned ninety degrees to my left； and kicked backward as hard as I could with my right foot。
In most other places windbreaks like these were made out of a highly resilient plastic。 The Vyssiluyas preferred glass…tough glass； to be sure； but glass nonetheless。 With three angry Yavanni lumbering toward me I was understandably in no mood for half measures； and the force of the kick seemed to shoot straight through my spine to the top of my head。 But I achieved the desired result： the glass panel blew out； scattering a hundred pieces across the landscape。
I caught my balance and jumped backward through the now mostly empty box frame。 A large wedge of jagged glass that was still hanging tentatively onto the side of the frame scraped at my jacket as I went through。 Trying to avoid slicing my fingers on the edges； I got a grip on it and broke it free。 Brandishing it like a makeshift knife； I jabbed at the Yavanni。
The Yavanne in front stopped short； generating a brief bit of vaguely edic confusion as the other two bumped into him。 For all their bulk and aggressiveness； Yavanni are remarkably sensitive to the sight of their own blood； and the thought of charging into a knife or knifelike instrument can give even the hardiest a moment of pause。 But only a moment。 Like most other unpleasantries； anticipation is often worse than the actual event； and as soon as their molasses minds remembered that they'd be all over me。
But I wasn't planning to be here when that happened。 With the windbreak gone and the Yavanni bunched together； I now had a pletely clear exit route at my back。 Flipping my shard of glass at the lead Yavanne； I turned and ran for it。
I got only a couple of steps before they set up a startled howl and lurched into gear after me。 They'd eventually get me； too…in a long straightaway human legs couldn't outmatch Yavannian ones。 But for the first few seconds； until they got all that body mass moving； I had the advantage。 All I had to do was find something to do with it。
I knew better than to waste time looking over my shoulder； but I could tell from the sounds of their foot thuds that I still had a reasonably good lead when I reached the corner of the taverno and swung around into the narrow pedestrian alleyway separating it from the next building over。 An empty alleyway； unfortunately； without what I'd hoped to find there。 The Yavanni hove around the corner； lowering my head； I put all my effort into getting every drop of speed I could out of my legs。 They would probably get me； I knew； before I could circle the building pletely。 If what I was looking for wasn't around back； I was going to be in for some serious pain。
I rounded the next corner with the Yavanni unfortably close behind me。 And there it was； just as I'd hoped to find it： a pile of half…meter…long logs for the taverno's big fireplace； neatly stacked against the wall and reaching nearly to the eaves of the roof。 Without slowing my pace； I headed up。
I nearly didn't make it。 The Yavanni were right on my heels and going far too fast to stop； and their big feet slammed into the logs like bowling disks hitting the pins。 The whole pile went rippling down behind me； and if I'd been a fraction of a second slower I'd have gone down right along with it。 As it was； I came within an ace of missing my flying leap upward at the eaves when my takeoff log bobbled under my feet and robbed me of some hard…earned momentum。 But I made it and got the desired grip； and a second later had hauled myself over the edge and onto the roof。
Not any too soon； either。 I was just swinging my legs up over the edge when one of the logs came whistling up past the eaves to disappear into the night sky。 My playmates below； proving themselves to be sore losers。 I didn't know whether Yavanni were good enough jumpers to get to the roof without the aid of the woodpile they'd just demolished； but I had no particular desire to find out the hard way。 Keeping my head down…there were plenty more logs where that first one had e from…I got my feet under me and headed across the roof。
All the buildings in this section of the spaceport periphery were reasonably uniform in height； with only those narrow alleys separating them。 With a little momentum； a gentle tailwind； and the inspirational mental image of irritated Yavanni behind me I made it across the gap to the next rooftop with half a meter to spare。 I angled across that one； did a more marginal leap to the building abutting against its back； and kept going。 Along the way I managed to get out of my jacket and turn it inside out； replacing the black leather with an obnoxiously loud paisley lining that I'd had put in for just this sort of circumstance。 Aiming for a building with smoke curling out of its chimney； I located its woodpile and made my way down。
The Yavanni were nowhere to be seen when I reentered the main thoroughfare and the wandering groups of spacers； townspeople； e…ons； and pickpockets。
Unfortunately； neither was the white…haired man I'd been hoping to follow。
I poked around the area for another hour； popping in and out of a few more tavernos and dives on the assumption that my new employer might still be trolling for crewers。 But I didn't see him anywhere； and the spaceport periphery was far too big for a one…man search。 Besides； my leg was aching from that kick to the windbreak； and I needed to be at the spaceport when it opened at five…thirty。
The Vyssiluyas ran a decent autocab service in their part of the periphery； but that thousand marks I'd been promised weren't due until I showed up at the Icarus； and the oversize manager of the slightly seedy hotel where Ixil and I were staying would be very unhappy if we didn't have the necessary cash to pay the bill in the morning。 Reluctantly； I decided that two arguments with large aliens in the same twelve…hour period would be pushing it； and headed back on foot。
My leg was hurting all the way up to my skull by the time I finished the last of the four flights of stairs and slid my key into the slot beside the door。 With visions of a soft bed； gently pulsating Vyssiluyan relaxation lights； and a glass of Scotch dancing with the ache behind my forehead； I pushed open the door and stepped inside。
The soft bed and Scotch were still a possibility。 But the lights apparently weren't。 The room was pletely dark。
I went the rest of the way into the room in a half fall； half dive that sent me sprawling face first onto the floor as I yanked my plasmic out of its concealed holster under my left armpit。 Ixil was supposed to be waiting here； and a darkened room could only mean that someone had taken him out and was lying in wait for me。
〃Jordan？〃 a smooth and very familiar Kalixiri voice called from across the room。 〃Is that you？〃
I felt the sudden surge of adrenaline turn into chagrined embarrassment and drain away through my aching leg where it could hurt some more on its way out。 〃I thought you'd still be up；〃 I said blackly； resisting the urge to trot out some of the colorful language that had earned me a seat in front of that court…martial board so many years ago。
〃I am up；〃 he said。 〃e take a look at this。〃
With an amazingly patient sigh