[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
for later."
Dean raised the rifle and started to aim at the weeping cocoon, then paused.
They didn't have a lot of rounds, and if they had to fight the giant insect,
this single round could make the difference between running and getting
cocooned.
Reluctantly, he lowered the longblaster and tucked it back into the boot. Just
then a weapon fired, and the human-shaped cocoon jerked once, then went still
as a crimson stain spread across the silky material.
"I think there's enough clearance for us to walk the bikes under the web,"
Ryan said, working the bolt on the smoking Steyr and sliding it back into the
gun boot.
"It's going to be tight," J.B. said, removing his hat and stuffing it inside
his jacket.
"We could burn our way through," Dean suggested, nudging the satchel full of
Molotov cocktails, the firebombs silent from the layers of protective padding
between each bottle.
"And the smoke would tell everything in the city where we were," Ryan said,
stepping off his bike, but keeping a hand on the throttle to keep the engine
from stalling. The timing had to be off, or maybe there was blockage in the
jets, because the bike was beginning to run a little rough. He'd have to keep
a watch on that problem.
Pausing before the complex arrangement, he could see the main cables that
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...20Fortress%20-%20Nick%20Pollotta
%201.0.html (189 of 283) [12/24/2004 11:33:51 PM]
D4
anchored the web were thicker than a man, slimmer ropes connected each cable
and small strands no bigger than a soup can closed off the sections of the
web, making it impossible for anything to escape. A masterpiece of nature, the
spider web was beautiful and bone chilling. From a distance, the web had
appeared old and dirty. This close they could see the shading actually came
from the thousands of tiny winged insects coating every strand.
Approaching the colossal web, Ryan glanced straight up the side and quickly
looked back down at the road. The sheer size of the web gave him a rush of
vertigo. Probably wasn't as bad for the folks with two good eyes, but for him
the dizzying effect was strong.
The bottom strand stretched across the roadway at waist height. As he tilted
the bike far enough over to roll it underneath, the engine began to sputter,
the carburetor flooding from the steep angle. Quickly, he adjusted the
throttle to keep the engine going as he stooped low and scuttled under the
death web. Ryan was almost past the white net when something tugged on his
hair. With blinding speed, he drew the SIG-Sauer and turned, ready to fire. In
relief, the man saw the tug came from some of his long hair stuck to the web.
Bolstering the blaster, he pulled out the panga and cut himself loose, letting
the web keep its small trophy of hair.
Page 108
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Reaching the other side, he gratefully righted the motorcycle and rubbed his
scalp to ease the sting. The purring of the other bikes got louder as the
vehicles were pushed by the riders under the obstruction. Regrouping on the
far side, Doc and
Mildred were both rubbing their heads, both obvious victims of the web, and
Krysty's animated hair was coiled so tightly to her scalp she appeared to have
a curly crew cut.
"Made it." Dean sighed, getting on his bike, gunning the engine a few times to
clear away any excess shine puddled in the carb.
Doing the same, Ryan watched in approval. The boy knew machines. With each
companion teaching the boy what he or she knew, Dean was getting good lessons
in survival.
"Gaia save us, it's here," Krysty whispered, drawing the Webley.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...20Fortress%20-%20Nick%20Pollotta
%201.0.html (190 of 283) [12/24/2004 11:33:51 PM]
D4
A hundred yards down the road ahead of them, the spider was crawling off the
roof of a radio station and onto the roadway. Standing twenty feet high, the
bulbous torso of the mutie was striped like a tiger in yellow and black. The
bristly head was oversized for the body, indicating possible intelligence, and
its huge ruby eyes were perfectly stationary, making it impossible to tell in
which direction the monster was looking.
Instincts honed from a hundred battles flared within the man, and Ryan
reviewed their situation with lightning speed.
"Follow me," he ordered in a normal tone of voice. Climbing onto the bike, he
started to roll forward so slowly, that he needed to drag his boots along the
road to keep the vehicle upright.
"Slow as possible," Ryan added, staying in motion. "Nothing that big can
change directions quickly. We get close, then hit the gas and roar right past [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
for later."
Dean raised the rifle and started to aim at the weeping cocoon, then paused.
They didn't have a lot of rounds, and if they had to fight the giant insect,
this single round could make the difference between running and getting
cocooned.
Reluctantly, he lowered the longblaster and tucked it back into the boot. Just
then a weapon fired, and the human-shaped cocoon jerked once, then went still
as a crimson stain spread across the silky material.
"I think there's enough clearance for us to walk the bikes under the web,"
Ryan said, working the bolt on the smoking Steyr and sliding it back into the
gun boot.
"It's going to be tight," J.B. said, removing his hat and stuffing it inside
his jacket.
"We could burn our way through," Dean suggested, nudging the satchel full of
Molotov cocktails, the firebombs silent from the layers of protective padding
between each bottle.
"And the smoke would tell everything in the city where we were," Ryan said,
stepping off his bike, but keeping a hand on the throttle to keep the engine
from stalling. The timing had to be off, or maybe there was blockage in the
jets, because the bike was beginning to run a little rough. He'd have to keep
a watch on that problem.
Pausing before the complex arrangement, he could see the main cables that
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...20Fortress%20-%20Nick%20Pollotta
%201.0.html (189 of 283) [12/24/2004 11:33:51 PM]
D4
anchored the web were thicker than a man, slimmer ropes connected each cable
and small strands no bigger than a soup can closed off the sections of the
web, making it impossible for anything to escape. A masterpiece of nature, the
spider web was beautiful and bone chilling. From a distance, the web had
appeared old and dirty. This close they could see the shading actually came
from the thousands of tiny winged insects coating every strand.
Approaching the colossal web, Ryan glanced straight up the side and quickly
looked back down at the road. The sheer size of the web gave him a rush of
vertigo. Probably wasn't as bad for the folks with two good eyes, but for him
the dizzying effect was strong.
The bottom strand stretched across the roadway at waist height. As he tilted
the bike far enough over to roll it underneath, the engine began to sputter,
the carburetor flooding from the steep angle. Quickly, he adjusted the
throttle to keep the engine going as he stooped low and scuttled under the
death web. Ryan was almost past the white net when something tugged on his
hair. With blinding speed, he drew the SIG-Sauer and turned, ready to fire. In
relief, the man saw the tug came from some of his long hair stuck to the web.
Bolstering the blaster, he pulled out the panga and cut himself loose, letting
the web keep its small trophy of hair.
Page 108
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Reaching the other side, he gratefully righted the motorcycle and rubbed his
scalp to ease the sting. The purring of the other bikes got louder as the
vehicles were pushed by the riders under the obstruction. Regrouping on the
far side, Doc and
Mildred were both rubbing their heads, both obvious victims of the web, and
Krysty's animated hair was coiled so tightly to her scalp she appeared to have
a curly crew cut.
"Made it." Dean sighed, getting on his bike, gunning the engine a few times to
clear away any excess shine puddled in the carb.
Doing the same, Ryan watched in approval. The boy knew machines. With each
companion teaching the boy what he or she knew, Dean was getting good lessons
in survival.
"Gaia save us, it's here," Krysty whispered, drawing the Webley.
file:///C|/2590%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%20...20Fortress%20-%20Nick%20Pollotta
%201.0.html (190 of 283) [12/24/2004 11:33:51 PM]
D4
A hundred yards down the road ahead of them, the spider was crawling off the
roof of a radio station and onto the roadway. Standing twenty feet high, the
bulbous torso of the mutie was striped like a tiger in yellow and black. The
bristly head was oversized for the body, indicating possible intelligence, and
its huge ruby eyes were perfectly stationary, making it impossible to tell in
which direction the monster was looking.
Instincts honed from a hundred battles flared within the man, and Ryan
reviewed their situation with lightning speed.
"Follow me," he ordered in a normal tone of voice. Climbing onto the bike, he
started to roll forward so slowly, that he needed to drag his boots along the
road to keep the vehicle upright.
"Slow as possible," Ryan added, staying in motion. "Nothing that big can
change directions quickly. We get close, then hit the gas and roar right past [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]