pdouglas.thecodex-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Ethnopharmacology？　She　knows　about　the　Codex？〃
　〃You　bet　your　ass　she　does。〃
　Skiba　winced。　〃That's　rather　inconvenient。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　it's　nothing　I　can't　handle。〃
　〃Look；　Mr。　Hauser；〃　he　said　briskly；　〃I'll　leave　it　all　in　your　capable　hands。　I've　got　a　meeting　to　go　to。〃
　〃Those　people　will　have　to　be　taken　care　of。〃
　Skiba　didn't　like　the　way　the　conversation　kept　doglegging　back　to　that　subject。　〃I　don't　have　any　idea　what　you're　talking　about；　and　I　don't　want　to　know。　I'm　content　to　let　you　handle　the　details。〃
　There　was　a　small　chuckle　at　the　far　end。　〃Skiba；　how　many　people　are　dying　in　Africa　right　now　because　you　insist　on　charging　twenty…three　thousand　dollars　a　year　for　that　new　TB　drug　that　costs　you　a　hundred　and　ten　dollars　to　make？　That's　all　I'm　talking　about。　When　I　say　'take　care　of　them；'　all　I　mean　is　adding　a　few　more　numbers　to　your　total。〃
　〃Damn　you；　Hauser；　that's　outrageous…〃　Skiba　broke　off　and　swallowed。　He　was　just　letting　Hauser　bait　him。　This　was　talk；　nothing　more。
　〃This　is　beautiful；　Skiba。　You　want　your　Codex　nice　and　clean　and　legal；　you　don't　want　anyone　popping　up　to　claim　ownership；　and　you　don't　want　anyone　hurt。　Don't　worry；　no　white　people　will　be　killed　without　your　permission。〃
　〃You　listen　to　me。　I　will　not　countenance　the　killing　of　anyone；　white　or　nonwhite。　This　reckless　talk　has　got　to　stop。〃　Skiba　could　feel　the　sweat　trickling　down　his　neck。　How　had　he　allowed　Hauser　to　take　control　of　the　situation　like　this？　His　hand　fumbled　with　the　key。　The　drawer　slid　open。
　〃I　understand；〃　said　Hauser。　〃Like　I　said…〃
　〃I've　got　a　meeting。〃　Skiba　ended　the　connection；　his　heart　pounding。　Hauser　was　down　there；　out　of　control；　with　no　supervision；　liable　to　do　anything。　The　man　was　a　psychopath。　He　bit　down；　chewed；　washed　the　bitterness　down　with　a　slug　of　Macallan；　and　sat　back；　breathing　deeply。　The　fire　was　burning　merrily　in　the　fireplace。　The　talk　of　killing　made　him　feel　agitated；　sick　to　his　stomach。　He　gazed　into　the　flames；　seeking　their　soothing　influence。　Hauser　had　promised　to　ask　his　permission；　and　Skiba　would　never　give　it。　Neither　the　pany　nor　even　his　own　personal　fortune　was　worth　taking　that　step。　His　gaze　wandered　over　to　the　row　of　silver　photographs　on　his　desk：　his　three　children；　gazing　back　at　him　with　towheaded　grins。　He　regulated　his　breathing。　Hauser　was　full　of　tough　talk；　but　it　was　just　that：　talk。　Nobody　was　going　to　get　killed。　Hauser　would　retrieve　the　Codex；　Lampe　would　recover；　and　in　two　or　three　years　he　would　be　the　toast　of　Wall　Street　for　pulling　his　pany　back　from　the　brink。
　Skiba　glanced　at　his　watch：　The　markets　had　closed。　With　a　feeling　of　anxiety　and　reluctance　he　flicked　on　the　puter　screen。　Late　bargain　hunting　had　pushed　the　stock　up　in　the　last　twenty　minutes。　It　had　closed　at　ten　and　a　half。
　Skiba　felt　a　wisp　of　relief。　It　hadn't　been　such　a　bad　day　after　all。
　
　16
　
　Sally　looked　skeptically　at　the　junk　heap　of　a　plane　being　rolled　out　of　the　shabby　hangar　by　two　workers。
　〃Maybe　we　should　have　checked　out　the　plane　before　we　bought　tickets；〃　Tom　said　to　her。
　〃I'm　sure　it's　fine；〃　said　Sally；　as　if　trying　to　convince　herself。
　The　pilot；　a　lean　expatriate　American　with　a　torn　T…shirt；　cutoffs；　two　long　braids；　and　a　beard；　came　sauntering　over　and　introduced　himself　as　John。　Tom　eyed　him　and　then　cast　a　sour　look　toward　the　plane。
　〃I　know；　I　know。　Looks　like　shit；〃　John　said　with　a　grin；　giving　the　plane's　fuselage　a　rap　with　his　knuckles；　which　made　it　rattle。　〃What　matters　is　what's　under　the　hood。　I　do　all　my　own　maintenance。〃
　〃You　don't　know　how　that　reassures　me；〃　said　Tom。
　〃So　you're　headed　for　Brus？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　John　squinted　at　the　luggage。　〃Going　tarpon　fishing？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Best　tarpon　fishing　in　the　world。　Not　much　else；　though。〃　John　opened　a　partment　in　the　side　of　the　plane　and　began　shoving　in　their　luggage　with　his　skinny　arms。　〃So　what　are　you　doing　there？〃
　〃We're　not　sure；〃　Sally　said　quickly。　The　less　said　about　what　they　were　doing；　the　better。　No　sense　in　starting　a　treasure　stampede　upriver。
　The　pilot　shoved　the　last　bag　in；　gave　it　a　few　blows　to　make　it　fit；　and　slammed　the　hatch　with　a　great　noise　of　cheap　tin。　It　took　three　tries　before　it　latched。　〃Where　you　staying　in　Brus？〃
　〃Haven't　decided　that　either。〃
　〃Nothing　like　planning　ahead；〃　said　John。　〃Anyway；　there's　only　one　place　and　that's　La　Perla。〃
　〃How　many　stars　does　Michelin　give　it？〃
　John　gave　a　little　laugh。　He　opened　the　passenger　hatch　and　swung　down　the　steps；　and　they　climbed　aboard。　John　followed；　and　as　he　entered　Tom　detected　what　he　thought　was　a　faint　whiff　of　marijuana。　Great。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　flying？〃　Tom　asked。
　〃Twenty　years。〃
　〃Ever　had　an　accident？〃
　〃Once。　Hit　a　pig　in　Paradise。　Jokers　hadn't　mowed　the　strip；　and　the　damn　thing　was　sleeping　in　the　tall　grass。　And　he　was　a　big　pig。〃
　〃Are　you　instrument　rated？〃
　〃Let's　just　say　I　know　how　to　use　my　instruments。　There　isn't　much　call　for　official　ratings　down　here；　not　for　bush　flights。〃
　〃Have　you　filed　a　flight　plan？〃
　John　shook　his　head。　〃All　I　have　to　do　is　follow　the　coast。〃
　The　plane　took　off。　It　was　a　splendid　day。　Sally　felt　a　thrill　as　the　plane　banked　and　the　sunlight　shimmered　off　the　Caribbean。　They　turned　to　follow　the　coastline；　low　and　flat　with　many　lagoons　and　offshore　islands　that　looked　like　green　pieces　of　jungle　that　had　broken　off　the　mainland　and　were　drifting　out　to　sea。　Sally　could　see　where　roads　ran　up　into　the　interior；　bordered　by　irregular　fields　or　ragged　patches　where　the　trees　had　recently　been　clear…cut。　Deep　in　the　interior；　she　could　see　a　ragged　line　of　blue　mountains；　their　tops　sprinkled　in　clouds。
　Sally　glanced　at　Tom。　The　sun　had　bleached　his　light　brown　hair；　streaking　it　with　gold；　and　he　had　a　lean；　tall；　wiry；　cowboy　sort　of　way　of　moving　that　she　liked。　She　wondered　how　someone　could　just　kiss　a　hundred　million　dollars　good…bye。　That　had　impressed　her　more　than　anything　else。　She　had　lived　long　enough　to　realize　that　people　who　had　money　cared　a　lot　more　about　it　than　people　who　had　never　had　it。
　Tom　turned　and　glanced　at　her；　and　she　quickly　smiled　and　looked　back　out　the　window。　As　the　coast　ran　farther　eastward；　the　landscape　below　became　wilder；　the　lagoons　larger　and　more　intricate。　Finally　the　largest　lagoon　so　far　came　into　view；　dotted　with　hundreds　of　tiny　islands。　A　large　river　fed　into　the　far　end。　As　they　banked　to　make　their　approach；　Sally　could　see　a　town　where　the　river　joined　the　lagoon；　a　cluster　of　shining　tin　roofs　surrounded　by　a　hodgepodge　of　irregular　fields　lying　on　the　landscape　like　torn　bits　of　rags。　The　pilot　circled　once　and　aimed　down　toward　a　field；　which　as　they　approached　resolved　into　a　grass　landing　strip。　He　made　his　descent；　but　Sally　thought　it　was　awfully　fast。　Closer　and　closer　they　got　to　the　ground；　but　the　plane　only　seemed　to　accelerate。　She　gripped　the　armrests。　The　runway　flashed　underneath　them；　but　still　the　plane　did　not　drop。　She　watched　the　wall　of　jungle　foliage　at　the　far　end　approach　at　high　speed。
　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Sally　yelled；　〃you're　overshooting　the　runway！〃
　The　plane　made　a　quick　easy　rise；　and　the　jungle　came　skimming　past　them；　the　treetops　no　more　than　fifteen　feet　below　the　plane。　As　they　climbed；　Sally　heard　John's　dry　laugh　in　her　earphones。　〃Relax；　Sal；　just　buzzing　to　clear　the　airstrip。　I　learned　my　lesson。〃
　As　the　plane　banked　and　came　around　again　to　land；　Sally　sat　back；　mopping　her　brow。　〃Nice　of　you　to　warn　us。〃
　〃I　told　you　about　the　pig；　man。〃
　
　They　left　their　luggage　at　La　Perla；　a　cinderblock　barracks　that　called　itself　a　hotel；　and　then　went　down　to　the　river　to　see　about　renting　a　boat。　They　wandered　down　through　the　muddy　lanes　of　Brus。　It　was　afternoon；　and　the　heat　had　rendered　the　air　dead　and　listless。　All　was　quiet；　and　steaming　puddles　of　water　lay　on　the　ground。　The　sweat　was　dripping　out　of　her　sleeves；　running　down　her　back；　and　between　her　breasts。　All　sensible　people　were　having　a　siesta；　it　seemed　to　Sally。
　They　found　the　river　at　the　far　end　of　town。　It　lay　between　steep　earthen　banks；　about　two　hundred　yards　across　and　the　color　of　mahogany。　The　river　curved　away　between　two　thick　walls　of　jungle；　and　it　smelled　of　mud。　The　thick　water　moved　sluggishly；　the　surface　dimpled　with　whorls　and　eddies。　Here　and　there　a　green　leaf　or　a　twig　slowly　made　its　way　downstream。　A　trail　made　of　logs　descended　the　steep　embankment；　ending　at　a　platform　of　bamboo　sticks　constructed　over　the　water；　forming　a　rickety　dock。　Four　dugout　canoes　were　tied　up。　They　were　each　about　thirty　feet　long　and　about　four　feet　across；　hewn　from　a　single　gigantic　tree；　tapering　to　a　spearlike　prow　in　front。　The　stern　had　been　cut　off　flat　and　had　a　mounted　board　designed　to　acmodate　a　small　outboard　engine。　Boards　were　laid　athwartship　fore　and　aft　for　seats。
　They　scrambled　down　the　embankment　to　take　a　closer　look。　She　noticed　that　three　of　the　dugouts　had　six…horsepower　Evinrude　engines　bolted　to　the　sterns。　The　fourth；　longer　and　heavier；　sported　an　eighteen…horse。
　〃There's　the　local　hotrod；〃　said　Sally；　pointing。　〃That's　the　one　for　us。〃
　Tom　loo