Read Online The Fifth Profession by David Morrell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Morrell
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he was out of sight from the lane.
He almost set the ladder down but quickly changed his mind.
“Rachel, grab the other end.”
Awkward, they strained to hurry with the ladder across the roof, lurching to a stop when a gap before them revealed another lane.
In the distance, Savage saw murky lights in the rain-swept harbor.
“Let go of the ladder.”
He swung it over the gap, setting the far end on the other roof, propping the near end securely.
Rachel started to crawl across, but the ladder's rungs were slick with rain, and her knee slipped, a leg falling through. She dangled, gasped, raised her knee to the ladder, and crawled again.
Savage steadied the ladder. He stared toward the gap below him—no flashlights, although he did hear shouts. He glanced behind him, toward where he and Rachel had used the ladder to climb the wall. No one appeared on the rim.
Rain gusted against his eyes. He squinted toward Rachel, managing to see her on the opposite roof. Flat, he pulled himself along the ladder, its moist rungs easing his way, helping him to slide.
On the other roof, he stood and swung the ladder toward him. They struggled with it toward a farther gap between buildings, moving lower into the village, closer to the harbor.
When he crossed the next gap after Rachel did, Savage stared behind him. A flash of lightning made him flinch as a head appeared on top of a wall. The head belonged to the Japanese. Savage recalled the glint of a sword! The … ! Abruptly the Japanese scrambled upright.
Another man joined him, raising a pistol, aiming at Savage.
The Japanese lost his balance on the rain-slicked roof. But the Japanese had moved so gracefully at the mansion, it didn't seem likely he could ever lose his balance. Nonetheless he fell against the man with the pistol, deflecting his aim. The shot went wild. The man with the pistol toppled backward. With a wail, he plunged off the roof.
The Japanese stared down at him, then charged after Savage and Rachel, his movements once again graceful.
He'll have to stop! Savage thought. He can't get past the two gaps we crossed!
Don't kid yourself. If this is Akira, he'll find a way.
But you know he can't be Akira!
Frantic, Savage picked up the ladder. As Rachel assisted, Savage glanced again toward the Japanese, expecting him to halt when he reached a lane between roofs. Instead the Japanese increased speed and leapt, his nimble body arcing through the rain, his arms outstretched as if gliding. He landed on the opposite roof, bent his knees, rolled to absorb the impact, and in the same smooth motion, sprang to his feet, continuing to race.
Burdened with the ladder, Savage and Rachel struggled toward another lane. But this time, instead of bracing the ladder across the gap, Savage lowered it against a wall. As Rachel scurried down, Savage turned, dismayed to see the Japanese leap across another gap.
Guards shouted nearby. Savage scrambled down the ladder and tugged it away from the wall so the Japanese couldn't use it. The lane sloped down to the right. He and Rachel sprinted along it. Behind him, Savage heard frenzied footsteps, the Japanese charging toward the side of the roof.
He'll dangle from the rim and drop, Savage thought. Maybe he'll hurt himself.
Like hell. He's a cat.
The lane ended. Savage faced another horizontal street, so level he couldn't decide which direction would take them closer to the harbor.
A light from a window reflected off water on the street. Heart pounding, Savage noticed that the water flowed toward the left.
He ran with Rachel in that direction. Shouts echoed behind him. Footsteps charged closer. Flashlights blazed ahead.
An alley on the right led steeper downward, away from the flashlights. The closer he and Rachel came to the harbor, the more the village narrowed, forming a bottleneck toward the sea, Savage knew. He'd reach fewer tangents, fewer risks of making the wrong decision and heading inadvertently upward, away from his
He almost set the ladder down but quickly changed his mind.
“Rachel, grab the other end.”
Awkward, they strained to hurry with the ladder across the roof, lurching to a stop when a gap before them revealed another lane.
In the distance, Savage saw murky lights in the rain-swept harbor.
“Let go of the ladder.”
He swung it over the gap, setting the far end on the other roof, propping the near end securely.
Rachel started to crawl across, but the ladder's rungs were slick with rain, and her knee slipped, a leg falling through. She dangled, gasped, raised her knee to the ladder, and crawled again.
Savage steadied the ladder. He stared toward the gap below him—no flashlights, although he did hear shouts. He glanced behind him, toward where he and Rachel had used the ladder to climb the wall. No one appeared on the rim.
Rain gusted against his eyes. He squinted toward Rachel, managing to see her on the opposite roof. Flat, he pulled himself along the ladder, its moist rungs easing his way, helping him to slide.
On the other roof, he stood and swung the ladder toward him. They struggled with it toward a farther gap between buildings, moving lower into the village, closer to the harbor.
When he crossed the next gap after Rachel did, Savage stared behind him. A flash of lightning made him flinch as a head appeared on top of a wall. The head belonged to the Japanese. Savage recalled the glint of a sword! The … ! Abruptly the Japanese scrambled upright.
Another man joined him, raising a pistol, aiming at Savage.
The Japanese lost his balance on the rain-slicked roof. But the Japanese had moved so gracefully at the mansion, it didn't seem likely he could ever lose his balance. Nonetheless he fell against the man with the pistol, deflecting his aim. The shot went wild. The man with the pistol toppled backward. With a wail, he plunged off the roof.
The Japanese stared down at him, then charged after Savage and Rachel, his movements once again graceful.
He'll have to stop! Savage thought. He can't get past the two gaps we crossed!
Don't kid yourself. If this is Akira, he'll find a way.
But you know he can't be Akira!
Frantic, Savage picked up the ladder. As Rachel assisted, Savage glanced again toward the Japanese, expecting him to halt when he reached a lane between roofs. Instead the Japanese increased speed and leapt, his nimble body arcing through the rain, his arms outstretched as if gliding. He landed on the opposite roof, bent his knees, rolled to absorb the impact, and in the same smooth motion, sprang to his feet, continuing to race.
Burdened with the ladder, Savage and Rachel struggled toward another lane. But this time, instead of bracing the ladder across the gap, Savage lowered it against a wall. As Rachel scurried down, Savage turned, dismayed to see the Japanese leap across another gap.
Guards shouted nearby. Savage scrambled down the ladder and tugged it away from the wall so the Japanese couldn't use it. The lane sloped down to the right. He and Rachel sprinted along it. Behind him, Savage heard frenzied footsteps, the Japanese charging toward the side of the roof.
He'll dangle from the rim and drop, Savage thought. Maybe he'll hurt himself.
Like hell. He's a cat.
The lane ended. Savage faced another horizontal street, so level he couldn't decide which direction would take them closer to the harbor.
A light from a window reflected off water on the street. Heart pounding, Savage noticed that the water flowed toward the left.
He ran with Rachel in that direction. Shouts echoed behind him. Footsteps charged closer. Flashlights blazed ahead.
An alley on the right led steeper downward, away from the flashlights. The closer he and Rachel came to the harbor, the more the village narrowed, forming a bottleneck toward the sea, Savage knew. He'd reach fewer tangents, fewer risks of making the wrong decision and heading inadvertently upward, away from his
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