[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
else he d figure out some way to derive what he wanted from it without any
help. Then Jon-Tom and the others would become expendable.
He had to do something now.
As bemused and amazed as they were by this new world they d stumbled into,
Jon-Tom didn t think Kamaulk was dazed enough to allow him to try a song on
the suar. For that matter he had no idea if his spellsinging would work in his
own world. As he thought furiously, time and opportunity were slipping away.
The pirates were divesting their captives of their rewon weapons. With sorrow
Mudge watched his longbow and short sword taken by other hands. Jon-Tom was
relieved of his ramwood staff and suar. Their backpacks were not touched.
Apparently Kamaulk was convinced they contained nothing likely to present a
significant danger to him or his crew.
The parrot was inspecting the gas range, determined not to show hesitation or
fear in front of his troops. He sniffed at the stove, picked up the skillet
Jon-Tom had dropped and placed it back on the open burner.
Cooking device. Very interesting. He peered beneath the skillet. Where does
the fire come from?
It s not that kind of gas. See? He reached for one of the stove controls and
almost lost a finger as Kamaulk brought the blade down against the plastic.
Be careful what you do, man. I am sure you can guide me in the use of these
devices with nine fingers as well as with ten.
Very slowly Jon-Tom adjusted the flame. See how it works? A special kind of
gas enters the house through pipes and runs into this stove. You use a small
fire to light the gas.
How do you stop it? Jon-Tom demonstrated. Kamaulk nodded, satisfied.
Page 54
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
And this? He tapped the refrigerator handle with his knife.
It keeps food from spoiling. Maybe Kamaulk wouldn t get bored with his
survey of modern inventions. The longer he could stall the captain the more
time there was to think of something. Not that there seemed much anyone could
do with a bunch of heavily armed pirates milling around in the other room.
Pull the handle.
Kamaulk did so and jumped back as a puff of chilled air struck him. He
blinked, then waddled forward to study the porcelain-on-steel interior.
Wonderful. He looked back at Sasheem. We re going to take some of these
marvels back with us. Trade will make us the wealthiest company of buccaneers
the world has ever seen. He glanced curiously at the portable TV that sat
atop one of the kitchen cabinets.
And what is that thing?
Television. Magic picture box. He tried not to reveal the sudden surge of
excitement that raced through him as he winked at Mudge. The otter s
expression did not change, but
Jon-Tom saw him stiffen slightly.
Kamaulk squinted at the blank screen. What does it do?
Turn the knob on the bottom right all the way to the left, then pull it out
til it clicks. He gathered himself. Maybe they would get lucky. If a
sufficiently loud, violent show flared to life it might startle or frighten
the pirates enough to enable Mudge and himself to get their hands on some
weapons. Starsky and Hutch, a war movie, the evening news, anything really
repellent and noisy.
number of things happened all at once. Kamaulk yelled an oath, Jon-Tom leaped
toward his friends and shouted for them to drop to the floor, Sasheem roared
and charged and thunder and lightning echoed through the little house.
Great rubbing post of God, what was that? Weegee whimpered.
Jon-Tom shushed her. Quiet. Whatever you do, don t breathe another word when
the lights come back on. Understand? Say nothing unless I give you a sign, no
matter what happens. Mudge, Cautious, that goes for you, too.
Mass confusion reigned in the den as the remaining pirates practically broke
down the screen door in their anxiety to flee. Jon-Tom could visualize them
scrambling in panic to reach the tunnel that led back to their own world. The
air in the kitchen stank of gunpowder and blood. Then the lights camp back on.
Standing by the back door was a swarthy man in his late thirties. He had curly
black hair, a thin mustache, and one finger on the light switch. Jon-Tom
thought he was a dead ringer for one of the extras who composed the background
of Miami Vice. The sawed-off twelve gauge he cupped against his forearm was no
prop.
Directly across the floor Sasheem lay sprawled on his back with a gaping hole
in his chest.
Kamaulk had flown up onto a cabinet and perched there, staring wide-eyed at
the body of his first mate and wondering whence his brave crew had fled.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]