Read Online The Gripping Hand by Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle - Free Book Online Page A

admiral's daughter has seen better. Now, what can I do for you?"
     
     

    Ruth looked pointedly around the paneled room.
     
     

    Bury grinned mirthlessly. "If anyone can listen to me without my knowledge and consent, some very expensive experts will regret it."
     
     

    "I suppose. Your Excellency, Kevin—Sir Kevin invited me to dinner. Now I'm probably not the first girl he ever stood up, but there's a matter of his reports as well. And when I called here, no one seemed to know where he was." She shrugged. "So I came looking."
     
     

    Bury's lips twitched. "And I presume you have left messages with the Imperial Marines in case you also vanish?"
     
     

    Ruth blushed slightly.
     
     

    Bury laughed. "Renner said you were clever. The truth is, Commander, I was about to call you. I don't know where he is either."
     
     

    "Oh."
     
     

    "You put a very great deal of expression into that syllable. You are fond of my—impetuous—pilot?"
     
     

    "I don't have to say."
     
     

    "Indeed."
     
     

    "And he was supposed to make reports—"
     
     

    "I have them. Recorded," Bury said. "Renner concocted a scheme for exploring the outback with three snow ghost hunters. He was suspicious of two. They left three days ago. I have received no coherent message since."
     
     

    "You have a ship in orbit."
     
     

    "Indeed, and Renner's pocket computer was programmed to remind him of the times when Sinbad would be above the area in which they would be hunting. At least once we received garbled signals that we assume were from Renner."
     
     

    "You didn't go look for him?"
     
     

    Bury indicated his travel chair. "That is hardly my way. What I did was invite Captain Fox to dinner."
     
     

    "Have you learned anything else about our . . . problem?"
     
     

    "A great deal, but nothing about Renner," Bury said.
     
     
    * * *

    Renner was glad of the blindfold. A blindfold could mean they didn't intend to kill him. On the other hand, it might mean that they wanted him to think that.
     
     

    On the gripping hand: the snow ghost. They'd made massive efforts to keep him alive up to now.
     
     

    His mind was clearing; the drug had worn off to that extent. But he couldn't walk.
     
     

    He was strapped to a gurney and carried from the lake where they landed to a closed vehicle. The only time anyone spoke to him was when he tried to ask where he was. Then a voice he hadn't heard before said, "We understand that two doses of Peaceable Sam within a few hours produces a terrible hangover. You'd best be quiet." He decided that was good advice and concentrated on remembering everything he could.
     
     

    The snow tractor drove for about ten minutes, then he was outside briefly. They went in, and down in an elevator, and presently he felt smooth acceleration.
     
     

    Subway train? They're really organized. He had about decided he was wrong when he felt deceleration and heard the sounds of electrically operated doors. Someone started to speak and was shushed.
     
     

    They carried him to another elevator, which went down a long way, then he was rolled down a long corridor with only gentle turns, then to another elevator, and after that he was maneuvered around often enough that he lost all sense of direction.
     
     

    "So," a new voice said. "Let us see what you have brought us. Remove the blindfold and straps."
     
     

    Renner blinked. The room was large, and completely enclosed, doors but no windows. He was at one end of a long conference table. They indicated a chair and helped him sit in it. His legs still didn't want to do what he told them to.
     
     

    Four men sat at the other end of the table. Bright light glared past them into Renner's face so that he could see them only in outline.
     
     

    The Scott brothers stood next to him. One held a spray can. The other had a pistol.
     
     

    They'd dressed him in someone else's clothes and removed everything he'd been carrying. Renner felt for the alarm tooth and bit