p&c.brimstone-第96节

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oice　rasped　out；　loud；　full　of　panic。　
　〃Sono　scappati！〃　
　A　flurry　of　activity；　followed　by　retreating　footsteps。　
　〃They've　got　radios；〃　Pendergast　murmured。　He　paused　only　another　moment。　Then　he　dashed　back　through　the　kitchen　and　across　the　dining　room；　D'Agosta　following；　weapon　bouncing　on　his　shoulder。　They　ran　out　into　the　central　gallery；　past　the　age…darkened　portraits　and　luxurious　tapestries。　
　Dim　voices　could　be　heard　ahead。　
　〃This　way；〃　Pendergast　said；　nodding　toward　a　small　open　door。　They　ran　through　it　to　find　themselves　in　an　old　armory。　Rusted　swords；　armor；　and　chain　mail　hung　from　the　walls。　Without　a　word；　Pendergast　took　down　a　sword；　examined　it；　put　it　back；　took　down　another。　
　The　voices　grew　louder。　And　then　a　group　of　men　passed　by　the　doorway；　running　at　top　speed　toward　the　dining　room　and　the　kitchen。　
　Pendergast　peered　out；　and　then　motioned　to　D'Agosta。　
　They　continued　down　the　gallery；　then　veered　away　through　a　maze　of　elegant　chambers；　arriving　at　last　in　the　small；　damp；　windowless　rooms　surrounding　the　old　keep。　D'Agosta　heard　no　footsteps　but　their　own。　It　seemed　they　were　temporarily　in　luck：　nobody　expected　they'd　head　for　the　heart　of　the　castle　instead　of　making　toward　the　outer　walls。　
　No　sooner　had　this　thought　occurred　to　him　than　he　heard　a　voice　ahead；　talking　furiously。　He　looked　around。　There　was　no　place　to　hide　in　this　series　of　bare　stone　rooms。　
　Pendergast　swiftly　got　behind　the　door；　D'Agosta　crouching　at　his　back。　A　man　appeared　in　the　doorway；　jogging；　radio　in　hand。　Pendergast　raised　his　sword　with　one　swift　motion；　the　man　grunted；　then　sprawled　forward　onto　the　floor；　run　through；　blood　running　out　over　the　paving　stones。　
　In　an　instant；　Pendergast　had　retrieved　the　man's　handgun；　a　9mm　Beretta。　He　handed　the　sword　to　D'Agosta　and　gestured　for　him　to　follow。　
　Ahead　yawned　the　entrance　to　a　circular　staircase；　leading　down　into　darkness。　They　began　flying　down　the　steps；　two　at　a　time。　Then　Pendergast　raised　his　hand。　
　Footsteps　rang　faintly　from　below。　Someone　was　running　up　toward　them。　
　〃How　many　thugs　does　the　fat　fuck　employ？〃　D'Agosta　muttered。　
　〃As　many　as　he　wants；　I　imagine。　Stay　still。　We　have　the　advantage　of　surprise　and　altitude。〃　And　Pendergast　aimed　the　gun　carefully　down　the　curve　of　the　stairs。　Moments　later；　a　man　in　peasant　dress　appeared。　Pendergast　fired　without　hesitation；　then　knelt　beside　the　crumpled　form；　retrieved　his　weapon；　and　tossed　it　to　D'Agosta。　
　A　second　man　was　shouting　up　from　below。〃Carlo！　Cosa　c'è？〃　
　Pendergast　darted　down　the　stairs；　tattered　suit　flapping　behind　him；　and…leaping　toward　the　second　man…sent　him　sprawling　backward　with　a　kick　to　the　head。　He　landed　lightly；　paused　to　pluck　the　man's　gun　from　his　hand；　and　thrust　it　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。　
　They　ran　down　the　dank　corridor　leading　away　from　the　staircase。　Behind　them；　D'Agosta　could　hear　shouts　and　cries。　Pendergast　switched　off　the　flashlight　to　make　them　less　of　a　target；　and　they　continued　forward　in　almost　plete　darkness。　
　Ahead；　the　tunnel　divided。　Pendergast　stopped；　examined　the　ground；　the　ceiling。　
　〃Note　the　guano？　The　bats　fly　out　this　way。〃　
　They　took　the　left…hand　tunnel。　Now　a　faint　light　appeared　in　the　distance　behind　them。　A　shot　rang　out；　whining　off　stone。　D'Agosta　stopped　to　return　fire。　Their　pursuers　hung　back。　
　〃What　about　the　microwave　weapon？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Useless　in　this　situation。　Takes　too　long　to　operate；　doesn't　have　the　range。　Besides；　we　don't　have　the　time　now　to　figure　out　how　to　use　it。〃　
　The　tunnel　branched　again。　D'Agosta　smelled　fresh　air　ahead；　then　caught　a　faint　glow　of　light。　They　ran　around　another　corner；　then　another…and　suddenly　came　up　against　a　thick　grate　of　iron　bars；　bright　light　streaming　in　between　them。　D'Agosta　could　see　that　the　grate　opened　onto　the　cliff　below　the　castle。　Beyond；　he　could　make　out　the　steep　flanks　of　the　mountain；　to　the　left　plunging　into　a　deep　ravine　and　to　the　right　rising　to　pinnacles　and　crags。　
　〃Shit。〃　
　〃I　expected　something　like　this；〃　said　Pendergast。　He　swiftly　examined　the　bars。　〃Ancient；　but　sound。〃　
　〃What　now？〃　
　〃We　make　a　stand。　I'm　counting　on　that　shooting　ability　of　yours；　Vincent。〃　
　Pendergast　flattened　himself　against　the　last　angle　of　the　tunnel；　and　D'Agosta　did　the　same。　The　men　were　ing　up　faster　now…judging　by　the　footsteps；　there　were　at　least　half　a　dozen　of　them。　D'Agosta　turned；　aimed；　squeezed　off　a　shot。　In　the　dimness；　he　saw　one　of　the　figures　fall。　The　rest　scattered；　flattening　themselves　against　the　rough　rock　walls。　There　was　an　answering　blast　of　a　shotgun。　This　was　followed　by　the　fast　stutter　of　an　automatic　weapon：　two　short　bursts；　the　bullets　caroming　off　the　ceiling　in　showers　of　sparks　and　stone。　
　〃Shit！〃　D'Agosta　said；　shrinking　back　involuntarily。　
　〃Keep　holding　them；　Vincent；　while　I　see　what　I　can　do　about　these　bars。〃　
　D'Agosta　crouched　low；　ducked　briefly　around　the　corner；　fired。　The　automatic　weapon　returned　fire；　the　bullets　once　again　ricocheting　off　the　ceiling；　thudding　into　the　ground　in　a　scattered　pattern　not　far　from　D'Agosta。　
　They're　deliberately　aiming　for　the　ricochet。　
　He　yanked　his　magazine　out　of　the　grip；　examined　it。　It　was　a　ten…shot　magazine：　six　bullets　were　visible；　plus　the　one　in　the　chamber。　
　〃Here's　the　spare　clip；〃　Pendergast　said；　tossing　it　to　him。　〃Conserve　your　fire。〃　
　D'Agosta　glanced　at　it：　full。　He　had　seventeen　shots。　
　Another　short　burst　of　automatic…weapons　fire　came　zinging　off　the　ceiling；　thudding　into　the　ground　directly　before　his　feet。　
　Angle　of　incidence　equals　angle　of　refraction；D'Agosta　vaguely　remembered　from　his　pool…shooting　days。　He　fired　at　the　place　where　he'd　seen　the　rounds　ricochet　off；　fired　a　second　time；　each　time　aiming　for　a　smooth　patch　of　stone；　carefully　angling　for　the　ricochet。　
　He　heard　a　cry。Score　one　to　mathematics。　
　Now　a　fusillade　of　shots　came　ricocheting　in。　D'Agosta　rolled　back　just　in　time；　half　a　dozen　rounds　slapping　the　ground　where　he　had　been。　
　〃How's　it　going？〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder。　
　〃More　time；　Vincent。　Buy　me　time。〃　
　More　bullets　came　in　off　the　ceiling；　with　a　spray　of　broken　stone。　
　Time。D'Agosta　had　no　choice　but　to　return　fire　again。　He　crawled　up　to　the　angle；　peered　around。　A　man　had　ducked　out　from　the　shadows　and　was　running　up　to　a　closer　position。　D'Agosta　fired　once　and　winged　the　man；　who　retreated　with　a　cry。　
　Now　Pendergast　was　firing　his　own　gun　in　measured　shots。　Glancing　back；　D'Agosta　could　see　him　shooting　into　the　masonry　holding　the　grate　in　place。　
　More　shots　came　in；　landing　about　him　in　irregular　spots。　D'Agosta　squeezed　off　another　round。　
　Pendergast　had　emptied　his　magazine。　〃Vincent！〃　he　called。　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Toss　me　your　gun。〃　
　〃But…〃　
　〃The　gun。〃　
　Pendergast　caught　it；　took　careful　aim；　and　fired　point…blank　into　the　masonry　at　each　point　where　the　bars　were　cemented。　The　cement　was　old　and　soft；　and　the　shots　were　taking　effect；　but　still　D'Agosta　winced；　unable　to　prevent　himself　from　counting　the　wasted　bullets。One；　two；　three；　four；　click。　Pendergast　popped　out　the　spent　magazine；　tossed　it　aside。　D'Agosta　handed　him　the　spare。　The　fire　from　around　the　corner　had　intensified。　They　had　only　moments　before　they　were　overrun。　
　Seven　more　shots　rang　out。　Then　Pendergast　paused；　crouched。　
　〃Kick　together。　On　three。〃　
　They　gave　the　grate　a　violent　kick；　but　it　remained　immobile。　
　Pendergast　fired　two　more　shots；　then　tucked　the　gun　into　his　waistband。　
　〃Kick　again。　From　the　ground。〃　
　They　lay　on　their　backs；　cocked　their　legs；　struck　the　grate　together。　
　It　moved。　
　Again；　then　yet　again…and　now　it　came　free；　clanging　down　the　cliff　face　with　a　shower　of　rocks　and　pebbles。　
　They　stood　and　approached　the　edge。　The　rough　rock　went　straight　down　at　least　fifty　feet　before　beginning　to　level　out。　
　〃Shit；〃　D'Agosta　murmured。　
　〃No　choice。　Toss　the　device。　Look　for　brush；　the　gentlest　landing　place　possible。　Then　climb　down。〃　
　D'Agosta　leaned　out；　tossed　the　microwave　weapon　down　into　a　thick　patch　of　bushes。　Then；　swallowing　his　terror；　he　turned　and　eased　himself　over　the　edge。　Sliding　down　slowly；　holding　fast　to　the　mortar　of　the　grate　with　his　hands；　he　found　a　purchase　for　his　feet。　Then　another　descent；　another　purchase。　In　a　moment；　his　face　was　below　the　edge　of　the　chamber；　clinging　to　the　cliff　face。　
　And　then　Pendergast　was　suddenly　beside　him。　〃Go　sideways　as　you　descend。　It's　easier　to　see　footholds；　and　you'll　make　a　more　difficult　target。〃　
　The　rock　was　shelving　limestone；　dreadfully　sheer　but　offering　abundant　hand…　and　footholds。　While　it　probably　would　have　provided　little　challenge　to　a　professional　rock　climber；　D'Agosta　was　terrified　nonetheless。　His　feet　kept　slipping；　and　his　leather…soled　shoes　were　almost　useless。　
　Down　he　went；　gingerly；　one　hand　after　the　other；　trying　not　to　scrape　his　hurt　finger　against　the　sharp　rocks。　Pendergast　was　far　below　already；　descending　swiftly。　
　Shots　echoed　from　the　opening　above；　followed　by　a　tremendous　fusillade；　followed　by　silence。　Then　a　rush　of　voices：Eccoli！　Di　là！　
　D'Ag