pdouglas.thecodex-第66节

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as　horrified　when　he　found　out。　He　made　her　promise　to　give　up　shooting　and　keep　it　a　secret…not　because　he　was　against　guns　but　because　it　was　déclassé。　Julian。　She　pushed　him　out　of　her　mind。
　She　shifted　her　cramped　thighs　and　wiggled　her　toes；　trying　to　limber　up　the　stiffened　muscles。　She　gave　another　handful　of　nuts　to　Hairy　Bugger；　who　was　still　sitting　grumpily　in　his　vine　cage。　She　was　glad　he　had　been　there　to　keep　her　pany　these　past　hours；　even　if　he　was　in　a　foul　mood。　The　poor　thing　loved　his　freedom。
　Bugger　gave　a　squeak　of　alarm；　and　Sally　was　instantly　alert。　Then　she　heard　it：　some　distant　shots　from　the　White　City；　a　faint　burst　from　an　automatic　weapon；　then　a　second。　With　the　binoculars　she　scanned　the　forest　on　the　far　side　of　the　gorge。　There　were　more　shots；　and　still　more；　growing　louder。　A　few　minutes　went　by；　and　then　she　saw　movement。
　It　was　Tom。　He　had　appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　cliffs；　running。　Philip　and　Vernon　emerged　out　of　the　jungle　ahead　of　him；　supporting　a　wounded　man　between　them…an　old　man　in　rags；　Broadbent。
　Borabay　was　the　last　to　appear；　closest　to　the　bridge。
　There　were　more　shots；　and　she　now　spied　Hauser　corning　out　of　the　trees　from　behind；　flushing　them　out　and　driving　them　like　game　toward　the　bridge。
　She　lowered　the　binoculars　and　raised　the　gun；　watching　the　drama　through　the　scope　of　the　Springfield。　It　couldn't　be　a　worse　situation。　The　Broadbents　and　Borabay　were　about　to　be　trapped　on　the　bridge。　But　they　had　no　other　choice；　with　Hauser　behind　them　and　the　chasm　to　one　side。　They　hesitated　at　the　bridgehead；　then　ran　out　onto　the　span。　Hauser　was　out　of　the　trees　and　shouting　to　the　soldiers　on　the　far　side；　who　kneeled　and　fired　warning　shots。
　In　a　moment　all　five　of　the　Broadbents；　including　Borabay；　were　trapped　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　with　Hauser　and　four　soldiers　at　one　end　and　four　at　the　other。　Totally　trapped。　The　firing　died　down　and　all　was　silent。
　Hauser；　with　a　grimace　on　his　face；　now　began　walking　along　the　precarious　bridge　toward　them；　his　weapon　leveled。
　Sally　felt　her　heart　hammering　in　her　chest。　Her　moment　had　e。　Her　hands　were　shaking；　sweating。　She　remembered　her　father。　Calm　your　breathing。　Allow　your　airflow　to　stop。　Find　your　heartbeat。　Shoot　in　between。
　Sally　aimed　at　Hauser　as　he　strolled　along　the　bridge。　The　bridge　was　swaying；　but　she　felt　her　chances　of　scoring　a　hit　were　better　than　fifty…fifty。　They　would　be　even　better　once　he　stopped　walking。
　Hauser　advanced　to　within　a　hundred　feet　of　the　Broadbents　and　paused。　She　could　kill　him…she　would　kill　him。　She　centered　his　torso　in　her　crosshairs；　but　she　did　not　squeeze　the　trigger。　Instead；　she　asked　herself：　What　will　happen　after　I　kill　Hauser？
　The　answer　wasn't　hard　to　figure　out。　This　was　not　The　Wizard　of　Oz；　and　the　Honduran　soldiers　on　each　side　of　the　bridge　would　not　lay　down　their　guns　saying；　〃Hail；　Dorothy！〃　These　were　brutal　mercenaries。　If　she　shot　Hauser；　the　soldiers　would　almost　certainly　open　fire　and　massacre　all　the　Broadbents　on　the　bridge。　There　were　ten　soldiers…four　at　her　end　and　now　six　at　the　other…and　she　couldn't　hope　to　pick　them　all　off；　especially　the　six　at　the　far　end；　who　were　virtually　out　of　range。　The　chamber　of　the　Springfield　held　only　five　shots；　and　when　those　were　done　she　would　have　to　pull　back　the　bolt　and　manually　reload　five　more；　a　long　process。　And　she　only　had　ten　rounds　anyway。
　Whatever　she　did　had　to　be　done　in　five　shots。
　She　felt　a　sense　of　panic。　She　had　to　think　of　a　plan；　a　way　to　bring　about　an　oute　where　they　all　survived。　Hauser　was　swaggering　toward　them　with　his　rifle；　and　he　clearly　intended　to　kill　them。　Yes；　she　would　have　to　kill　him；　and　then　it　would　be　all　over　for　the　Broadbents。
　Her　mind　reeled。　There　would　be　no　misstep　here；　no　second　chance。　She　had　to　get　this　right。　She　played　every　option　she　could　think　of　through　her　head；　but　they　all　ended　the　same　way；　with　the　Broadbents　dead。　Her　hand　shook；　the　figure　of　Hauser　jittered　in　the　scope。　If　I　kill　Hauser；　they're　dead。　If　I　don't　kill　Hauser；　they're　dead。
　She　watched　helplessly　as　Hauser　aimed　his　weapon。　He　was　smiling。　He　looked　like　a　man　about　to　enjoy　himself。
　
　79
　
　Tom　watched　Hauser　walk　down　the　bridge；　an　arrogant　smile　of　triumph　on　his　face。　He　paused　about　a　hundred　feet　from　them。　He　swiveled　the　muzzle　of　the　gun　toward　Tom。　〃Take　off　the　pack　and　lay　it　down。〃
　Tom　carefully　took　off　the　pack　but；　instead　of　laying　it　down；　held　it　over　the　gorge　by　a　strap。　〃It's　the　Codex。〃
　Hauser　fired　a　round　from　his　gun　that　snipped　a　piece　of　bamboo　from　the　railing　less　than　a　foot　from　Tom。　〃Lay　it　down！〃
　Tom　did　not　move。　He　continued　holding　the　book　over　the　gorge。　〃Shoot　me　and　it　goes　over　the　side。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Hauser　moved　the　muzzle　of　his　gun　toward　Broadbent。　〃All　right。　Lay　it　down　or　Daddy　dies。　Last　warning。〃
　〃Let　him　kill　me；〃　Broadbent　growled。
　〃And　after　Dad　there　are　your　two　brothers。　Don't　be　stupid；　and　put　it　down。〃
　After　a　brief　moment　Tom　laid　it　down。　He　had　no　choice。
　〃The　machete　next。〃
　Tom　eased　it　out　of　its　sheath　and　dropped　it。
　〃Well；　well；〃　said　Hauser；　his　face　relaxing。　He　turned　his　gaze　on　their　father。　〃Max。　We　meet　again。〃
　The　old　man；　grasping　his　sons　to　help　him　stand；　raised　his　head　and　spoke。　〃Your　quarrel　is　with　me。　Let　the　boys　go。〃
　The　smile　on　Hauser's　face　took　on　a　frostier　look。　〃On　the　contrary；　you're　going　to　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　them　die　first。〃　Broadbent's　head　jerked　a　little。　Tom　tightened　his　grip。　The　bridge　swayed　slightly；　the　cold　mists　drifting　upward。　Borabay　took　a　step　forward　but　was　stayed　by　Philip。
　〃Well　then；　who's　first？　The　Indian？　No；　let's　do　him　later。　We'll　go　by　age。　Philip？　Step　away　from　the　others　so　I　don't　have　to　kill　you　all　at　once。〃
　After　a　brief　hesitation　Philip　stepped　to　one　side。　Vernon　reached　out　to　him；　grasped　his　arm；　and　tried　to　pull　him　back。　He　shook　it　off　and　took　another　step。
　〃You'll　burn　in　hell；　Hauser；〃　roared　Broadbent。
　Hauser　smiled　pleasantly　and　raised　the　muzzle　of　his　rifle。　Tom　looked　away。
　
　80
　
　But　the　shot　didn't　e。　Tom　looked　up。　Hauser's　attention　had　suddenly　been　diverted　to　something　behind　them。　Tom　turned　around　and　saw　a　flash　of　black：　An　animal　was　bounding　along　one　of　the　cables　of　the　bridge　toward　them；　a　monkey　racing　along　with　his　tail　up…Hairy　Bugger。
　With　a　screech　of　joy　Bugger　leapt　into　Tom's　arms；　and　Tom　saw　that　he　had　a　canister　almost　as　large　as　himself　tied　to　his　midriff。　It　was　the　aluminum　bottle　of　white　gas　from　their　backpacking　stove。　There　was　something　scrawled　on　it…
　
　I　CAN　HIT　THIS　S。
　
　Tom　wondered　what　the　hell　it　meant；　what　Sally　had　in　mind。
　Hauser　raised　his　gun。　〃Okay；　everybody　calm　down。　Everybody　keep　still。　Now：　Show　me　what　it　is　the　monkey　just　brought　you。　Slowly。〃
　All　at　once；　Sally's　plan　came　to　Tom。　He　untied　the　canister。
　〃Hold　it　out　at　arm's　length。　Let　me　see　it。〃
　Tom　held　the　canister　out。　〃It's　a　liter　of　white　gas。〃
　〃Toss　it　over　the　side。〃
　Tom　spoke　quietly。　〃There's　a　sharpshooter　on　our　side　who's　got　a　bead　on　this　bottle　as　we　speak。　As　you　know；　white　gas　is　explosively　flammable。〃
　Hauser's　face　showed　no　trace　of　emotion　or　reaction。　He　merely　raised　his　gun。
　〃Hauser；　if　she　hits　this　can；　the　bridge　burns。　You'll　be　cut　off。　You'll　be　trapped　in　the　White　City　forever。〃
　Ten　electric　seconds　passed；　and　then　Hauser　spoke。　〃If　the　bridge　burns；　you'll　die；　too。〃
　〃You're　going　to　kill　us　anyway。〃
　Hauser　said；　〃It's　a　bluff。〃
　Tom　did　not　respond。　Seconds　ticked　by。　Hauser's　face　betrayed　nothing。
　Tom　said；　〃Hauser；　she　might　just　put　a　bullet　through　you。〃
　Hauser　raised　his　gun；　and　in　that　moment　a　bullet　struck　the　bamboo　bridge　surface　two　feet　in　front　of　Hauser's　boots　with　a　snick！　sending　a　spray　of　bamboo　splinters　up　into　his　face。　The　report　came　a　moment　later；　rolling　across　the　chasm。
　Hauser　hastily　lowered　his　gun　muzzle。
　〃Now　that　we've　established　this　is　not　bullshit；　you　tell　your　soldiers　to　let　us　pass。〃
　〃And？〃　said　Hauser。
　〃You　can　have　the　bridge；　the　tomb；　and　the　Codex。　All　we　want　is　our　lives。〃
　Now　Hauser　shouldered　his　weapon。　〃My　pliments；〃　he　said。
　Tom；　with　slow　movements；　took　the　canister　and；　using　a　loose　piece　of　twine　from　the　bridge；　tied　it　around　one　of　the　main　cables。
　〃Tell　your　men　to　let　us　pass。　You　stay　where　you　are。　If　anything　bad　happens　to　us；　our　sharpshooter　shoots　the　canister　and　your　precious　bridge　burns　with　you　on　it。　Understand？〃
　Hauser　nodded。
　〃I　didn't　hear　the　order；　Hauser。〃
　Hauser　cupped　his　hands　over　his　mouth。　〃Men！〃　he　called　in　Spanish。　〃Let　them　leave！　Do　not　molest　them　as　they　go！　I　am　releasing　them！〃
　There　was　a　pause。
　Hauser　shouted；　〃I　want　a　response　to　that　order！〃
　〃Si；　se？or；〃　came　the　reply。
　The　Broadbents　began　walking　off　the　bridge。
　
　81
　
　Hauser　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　his　mind　having　accepted　the　fact　that　a　sharpshooter…no　doubt　that　blond　woman　who　had　e　with　Tom　Broadbent…had　him　in　her　crosshairs。　A　useless　old　hunting　rifle；　the　soldier