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king off at oblique angles。 The place was one enormous obstacle course； where the Harkonnen troops could fire upon their prey without risking damage to more important structures。
Above him in a main corridor； he heard booted feet running； filtered voices through helmet municators； then a shout。 A nearby pinging sound signaled that the guards had homed in on his locator implant。
Hot white lasgun fire blasted the ceiling over his head； melting through metal plates。 Duncan let go of the ladder and allowed himself to drop； freefall。 One armed guard peeled up the hot…edged floor plate and pointed down at him。 The others fired their lasguns again； severing the struts so that the ladder fell in tandem with the small boy。
He landed on the floor of a lower shaft； and the heavy ladder clattered on top of him。 But Duncan didn't cry out in pain。 That would only bring the pursuers closer。。。though he had no real hope of eluding them for long because of the pulsing beacon in his shoulder。 How could anyone but Harkonnens win this game？
He pushed himself to his feet and ran with a new； frantic desire for freedom。 To his dismay； the small tunnel ahead opened into a wider passage。 Wider was bad。 The bigger men could follow him there。
He heard shouts behind； more running feet； gunfire； and then a gurgling scream。 The pursuers were supposed to be using stun guns； but Duncan knew that this late in the day's hunt； most everyone else would have been captured and the stakes were higher。 The hunters didn't like to lose。
Duncan had to survive。 He had to be the best。 If he died； he couldn't go back to see his mother again。 But if he lived and defeated these bastards； then perhaps his family would get their freedom。。。or as much freedom as Harkonnen civil service workers could ever have on Giedi Prime。
Duncan had seen other trainees who had defeated the pursuers before； and those children had disappeared afterward。 If he could believe the announcements； the winners and their captive families had been set free from the hellhole of Barony。 Duncan had no proof of this； though； and had plenty of reasons to question what the Harkonnens told him。 But he wanted to believe them； could not give up hope。
He didn't understand why his parents had been thrown into this prison。 What had minor government office workers done to deserve such punishment？ He remembered only that one day life had been normal and relatively happy。。。and the next； they were all here； enslaved。 Now young Duncan was forced nearly every day to run and fight for his life； and for the future of his family。 He was getting better at it。
He remembered that last normal afternoon out on a manicured lawn planted high up in one of the Harko City terraces； one of the rare balcony parks the Harkonnens allowed their subjects to have。 The gardens and hedges were carefully fertilized and tended； because plants did not fare well in the residue…impregnated soil of a planet that had been too long abused。
Duncan's parents and other family members had been playing frivolous lawn games； tossing self…motivated balls at targets on the grass； while internal high…entropy devices made the balls bounce and ricochet randomly。 The boy had noticed how different； how dry and structured the games of adults were pared with the reckless romping he did with his friends。
A young woman stood near him； watching the games。 She had chocolate…colored hair； dusky skin； and high cheekbones； but her pinched expression and hard gaze detracted from what might have been remarkable beauty。 He didn't know who she was and understood only that her name was Janess Milam； and she worked with his parents somehow。
As Duncan had watched the adult yard game； listening to the laughter； he smiled at the woman and observed； 〃They're practicing to be old men。〃 It became apparent； though； that Janess had no real interest in him or his opinion； for she'd given him a sharp verbal brush…off。
Under the hazy sunlight Duncan had continued to watch the game； but with increasing curiosity about the stranger。 He sensed tension in her。 Janess； who didn't participate； frequently glanced over her shoulder； as if watching for something。
Moments later Harkonnen troops had e； grabbing Duncan's parents； himself； even his uncle and two cousins。 He understood intuitively that Janess had been the cause of it all； for whatever reason。 He'd never seen her again； and he and his family had been in prison for half a year now。。。。
Behind him； an overhead trapdoor opened with a hiss。 Two blue…uniformed pursuers dropped through； pointed at him； and laughed in triumph。 Weaving from side to side； Duncan dashed ahead。 A lasgun blast ricocheted off the wall plates； leaving a lightning…bolt scorch mark down the corridor。
Duncan smelled the ozone from the singed metal。 If even one of those bolts hit him； he'd be dead。 He hated the way the hunters snickered； as if they were merely toying with him。
A pair of pursuers charged out of a side passage only a meter in front of him； but Duncan moved too fast。 They didn't recognize him or react quickly enough。 He struck one stout man in the knee and knocked him sideways before dashing between the two at a full run。
The stout man stumbled； then shouted as a laser bolt singed his armor； 〃Stop firing； you idiot！ You'll hit one of us！〃
Duncan ran as he'd never run before； knowing his child's legs couldn't outrace adults conditioned for fighting。 But he refused to give up。 It wasn't in his blood。
Ahead； where the corridor opened； he saw bright lights at an intersection of passageways。 As he approached； he skidded to a stop only to find that the cross…passage was no tunnel at all； but a suspensor tube； a cylindrical shaft with a Holtzman field in the center。 Levitating bullet…trains shot down the tube without resistance； traveling from one end of the enormous prison city to the other。
There were no doors； no open passageways。 Duncan could run no farther。 The men surged close behind him； extending their guns。 If he surrendered； he wondered if they would still shoot him down。 Probably； he thought； since I've gotten their adrenaline going。
The suspensor field shimmered in the center of the horizontal shaft in front of him。 He vaguely knew what it would do。 He had only one place left to go； and he wasn't sure what would happen but he knew he'd be punished； or most likely slaughtered； if the guards captured him。
So as they pressed closer； Duncan turned around and gazed into the suspensor field。 Taking a deep breath for courage； he swung his short arms behind him and leaped out into the open shimmering tube。
His curly black hair rippled in the breeze as he plummeted。 He shouted； the sound halfway between a despairing wail and a cry of glorious release。 If he died here； at least he would be free！
Then the Holtzman field wrapped around him and caught him with a jolt。 Feeling as if his stomach had just lurched to the center of his chest； Duncan found himself adrift in an invisible net。 He floated without falling； hanging in the neutral center of the field。 This force held the bullet…trains suspended as they careened through mammoth Barony。 It could certainly hold him。
He saw the guards rushing to the edge of the platform； shouting at him in anger。 One shook a fist。 Two others pointed their guns。
Duncan flailed in the field； trying to swim anything to move away。
With a shout of alarm； a guard knocked the other's lasgun aside。 Duncan had heard about the nightmarish effects of a lasgun beam crossing a Holtzman field： They produced an interacting destructive potential as deadly as forbidden atomics themselves。
So the guards fired their stun weapons instead。
Duncan writhed in the air。 Though he could get no leverage； at least he made a moving target as he squirmed and spun。 Stun blasts arced on either side of him； diverted into curving paths。
Despite the confining embrace of the Holtzman field； he felt the air pressure change around him； sensed the currents of movement。 He rotated himself； bobbing in the air until he saw the oning lights of a bullet…train。
And he was at the center of the field！
Duncan thrashed； desperate to move。 He drifted toward the opposite edge of the levit