thedestroyer.slavesafari-第17节

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ep。　Butler　opened　the　back　door　of　the　Buick；　reached　in　and　began　to　feed　Hillary　Butler　into　the　bag。　He　handled　her　without　tenderness；　breaking　the　strap　of　her　light　nylon　nightgown。　The　gown　slid　down；　revealing　a　creamy　white　well…formed　breast。　Butler　laid　his　black　hand　on　her　breast；　feeling　its　warmth；　looking　in　the　dim　light　at　the　contrast　between　her　skin　and　his。　He　tweaked　the　end　of　the　breast　viciously；　and　the　girl　flinched　in　her　stupor。　He　grimaced　to　himself　as　he　released　her。　Get　used　to　it；　honey；　he　thought。　There's　gonna　be　more　where　that　came　from。　Your　family's　got　a　three…hundred…year…old　bill　to　pay；　and　payment's　gonna　e　right　out　of　your　fine　white　hide。
　Butler　closed　the　bag　with　the　snaps；　then　again　glancing　around　the　lot；　slipped　back　into　his　room；　picked　up　the　bag　containing　the　street　girl　and　carried　that　back　to　the　car。　He　tossed　her　into　the　back　seat　on　top　of　Hillary　Butler。
　Then　he　cleaned　everything　out　of　the　room　and　left；　wiping　all　the　doorknobs　free　of　prints；　and　leaving　the　key　in　the　door　of　the　room。
　Fifteen　minutes　later；　his　rented　car　was　parked　in　a　black　unlit　street；　a　scant　hundred　yards　from　the　pier　where　the　Liberian　freighter　was　now　ing　to　life；　preparing　to　sail。
　Butler　locked　the　doors　of　his　car　and　went　looking　for　the　captain。　He　found　him　on　the　bridge　of　the　ship　and　whispered　a　few　words　to　him。
　The　captain　called　a　sailor　to　him　and　talked　to　him　softly。　〃Your　keys；〃　the　captain　asked　Butler。　Butler　gave　them　to　the　sailor　who　turned　away。
　Ten　minutes　later；　he　was　down　on　dockside　below　the　ship　with　a　big　steamer　trunk　on　a　forklift。
　〃Carry　that　trunk　to　my　cabin；〃　the　captain　told　another　sailor；　who　scurried　down　the　gangplank　and　helped　the　other　lug　the　heavy　trunk　aboard。
　Butler　waited　a　few　minutes；　then　went　to　the　captain's　cabin。
　The　trunk　was　neatly　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　Butler　opened　it　and　roughly　yanked　the　plastic　bag　out　of　the　trunk。　He　opened　the　clips　on　top；　glanced　in　and　saw　the　prostitute　wearing　Hillary　Butler's　blue　and　white　dress。　Carefully；　he　pulled　the　plastic　bag　down　until　the　girl's　face　and　shoulders　were　free。
　Butler　looked　around　the　cabin。　On　a　small　table　near　the　captain's　big　bed　was　a　fourteen…in…long　bronze　statuette。　Butler　hefted　it　in　his　hand。　It　was　heavy　enough。
　He　walked　back　and　knelt　alongside　the　unconscious　whore。　How　peaceful　she　looked；　he　thought；　as　he　raised　the　heavy　statuette　over　his　head　and　slammed　it　down　with　the　force　of　a　hammer　into　the　girl's　face。
　Butler　was　thorough。　He　shattered　her　teeth；　broke　her　facial　bones；　and　for　good　measure　broke　one　of　the　bones　in　her　left　arm。
　He　stood　up；　puffing　slightly　from　the　exertion。　The　carpet　on　the　floor　was　spattered　with　gore；　and　with　a　towel　from　the　captain's　private　bathroom；　he　mopped　it　up　as　best　he　could；　then　washed　the　statuette　clean。　He　noted　what　looked　like　specks　of　blood　imbedded　in　the　link　design　of　his　gold　ring；　and　carefully　washed　it　out　under　running　water。
　Butler　snapped　the　dead　girl　back　into　the　bag　but　left　it　on　the　rug　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　Before　leaving　the　room；　he　checked　to　make　sure　Hillary　Butler　was　still　alive　in　her　plastic　cage；　then　slammed　the　lid　of　the　heavy　trunk　shut。
　Back　on　the　bridge；　Butler　called　the　captain　to　one　side。　From　his　inside　jacket　pocket；　he　took　an　envelope　containing　5；000　in　hundreds。
　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃Your　fee。〃
　The　captain　pocketed　it　and　then　looked　again　at　Butler　with　a　bland　open　face。
　〃What　do　I　do　this　time　to　earn　it？〃
　〃There　is　a　bag　on　the　floor　of　your　cabin；〃　Butler　said。　〃When　your　ship　is　underway　ten　minutes　and　it　is　still　dark；　dump　its　contents　overboard。　It　would　be　best　if　you　were　to　do　it　yourself。　Your　crew　should　not　know。〃
　The　captain　nodded。
　〃And　there　is　a　trunk　in　your　room。　Inside　there　is　another　bag　with　another　set　of　contents。　You　will　follow　our　usual　procedure　with　that；　turning　the　trunk　over　to　my　man　who　will　meet　you　at　your　next　port。　He　will　fly　it　to　Busati。〃
　〃I　see；〃　the　captain　said。
　Butler　reached　into　his　pocket　and　withdrew　a　half　dozen　of　the　foil　packages　of　chloroform　pads。　〃Take　these；〃　he　said。　〃They　may　be　helpful　in　keeping　your　cargo。。。　let　us　say；　pliable。〃
　The　captain　stuck　the　packs　in　his　pocket　〃Thank　you。　By　the　way；〃　he　said；　with　a　small　smile　at　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　〃May　I　make　use　of　this　cargo？〃
　The　Busati　chief　of　staff　thought　a　moment；　thought　of　Hillary　Butler；　thought　of　her　warm　white　breast；　thought　of　her　next　home　in　the　house　behind　the　pearl　door　button；　and　shook　his　head。　〃Not　this　time；　Captain；〃　he　said。　Hillary　Butler　was　the　last　one；　and　random　rape　simply　would　not　do。　There　just　was　not　enough　terror　in　it；　at　least　not　for　one　whose　ancestors　had　given　his　ancestors　their　slave　name。　Nothing　but　gang　rape　under　his　own　personal　supervision　would　suffice。　For　a　starter。
　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。
　The　captain　shrugged。
　〃Now　don't　forget　with　the　other　bag；〃　Butler　said。　〃Ten　minutes　out　to　sea；　dump　her。　The　current　should　run　her　ashore　sometime　tomorrow。〃
　〃It　shall　be　as　you　say；　Colonel。〃　
　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　it's　General　now。　I've　been　promoted。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you're　worthy。〃
　〃I　try　to　be；〃　Butler　said。
　He　took　his　car　keys；　trotted　lightly　down　the　gangplank　and　returned　。to　his　car。　For　the　first　time　since　he'd　reached　America；　he　turned　his　air　conditioner　up　high。
　Two　hours　later；　he　was　back　in　the　707　jet；　on　his　way　home　to　Busati。
　The　last　name　on　his　list；　he　thought。　The　legend　was　ing　true。
　For　a　moment；　a　random　thought　of　that　American　Remo　and　the　elderly　Oriental　intruded　on　his　mind；　but　he　rejected　it。　By　now；　they　would　either　be　out　of　Busati　or　in　the　custody　of　the　troops；　in　which　case　he　would　see　that　they　were　exiled　from　the　country　for　good。　The　Loni　legend　was　to　be　his　alone　to　fulfill。
　
　CHAPTER　NINE　
　〃Once　we　lived　in　palaces。　Our　buildings　stretched　to〃　the　clouds。　Our　land　was　rich　and　we　were　at　peace。〃
　The　girl　turned　away　from　Remo　who　lay　on　his　back　on　a　hillock；　chewing　a　piece　of　grass。　〃And　now；　this　is　our　world；〃　she　said　bitterly；　waving　her　arm　across　the　field　of　her　view。　〃A　land　bf　thatched　huts　and　poverty；　of　ignorance　and　disease。　A　land　in　which　we　are　hunted　by　the　Hausa　like　game　animals。　We　are　a　people　from　whose　men　the　courage　has　been　bred　out；　like　milk…giving　is　bred　into　a　cow。〃
　Remo　rolled　on　his　left　side　to　look　at　the　girl。　She　was　tall　and　lithe；　and　silhouetted　against　the　white　daylight　sky　of　Africa；　she　seemed　blacker　than　was　her　dark　skin。　She　wore　only　a　short　white　robe　hi　the　fashion　of　a　Grecian　toga；　but　its　outlines；　too；　looked　dark　against　the　hot　white　sky。　Her　back　was　toward　Remo；　and　out　hi　front　of　her；　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　he　could　see　the　grubby　little　camp　which　now　represented　the　once…great　Empire。
　〃Could　be　worse；〃　Remo　said。
　〃How？〃　The　girl　turned　and　came　to　Remo；　and　in　a　smooth　graceful　motion　slid　down　to　the　grass　alongside　him。　〃How　could　it　be　worse　for　my　Loni　people？〃
　〃Take　my　word　for　it；〃　Remo　said。　〃You　plain　that　civilization　has　kind　of　passed　your　people　by。　Well；　you　haven't　missed　a　thing。　I　e　from　what　they　call　civilization；　and　I　prefer　it　here。　At　least；　if　you　stay　out　of　the　Hausas'　way；　you've　got　some　kind　of　peace。〃
　He　reached　forward　and　took　her　left　hand　in　his。　She　recoiled　involuntarily　from　him；　then　tried　to　relax；　but　Remo　released　her　hand。　Princesses　of　the　Loni　Empire　were　virgins　till　they　were　wed；　they　knew　not　of　men　and　no　man　entered　into　them　until　it　was　by　ceremony　and　custom　ordained。　His　was　probably　the　first　male　hand　which　had　ever　touched　the　beautiful　artist's　hand　of　Princess　Saffah　of　the　Loni　Empire。
　〃Do　not　release　me；〃　she　said。　〃It　feels　warming；　your　hand。　And　you　are　right；　it　is　peaceful　here。　But　peacefulness　is　like　rain。　It　is　nice；　but　always　to　have　it　pressed　upon　you　is　quite　another　thing。〃
　She　took　Remo's　hand　up　in　hers；　silent　for　a　moment　as　if　shocked　by　her　own　boldness。　〃You；　for　instance；〃　she　said。　〃You　lie　here　now；　sucking　grass　like　a　cow；　and　talking　of　how　lovely　peace　is；　and　you　know　that　as　soon　as　you　can　you　will　go　back　to　this　world　you　hate。〃
　Remo　said　nothing；　she　was　right。　When　he　found　and　freed　the　slave　girls　and　discovered　what　had　happened　to　James　Forsythe　Lippincott；　he　would　leave。
　〃Could　I　stay　if　i　wanted？〃　he　finally　said。
　〃I　do　not　know。　The　legend　is　silent〃
　〃Oh；　yeah。　The　legend。〃
　Since　he　and　Chiun　first　had　arrived　two　days　before；　they　had　heard　of　little　else　but　the　legend。　Chiun　had　been　installed；　seven　steamer　trunks　and　all；　in　the　finest　thatched　hut　the　Loni　had　to　offer。　Princess　Saffah　who　ruled　this　camp　as　her　two　younger　princess　sisters　ruled　the　other　two　Loni　encampments　in　the　nearby　hills；　had　moved　out　to　make　room　for　Chiun。
　〃Dammit；　Chiun；　that's　not　right；〃　Remo　had　said。　〃Move　into　some　other　place　instead　of　moving　people　around。〃
　〃Not　right？〃　Chiun　said。　〃What　is　not　right？　That　the　people　of　the　Loni　should　not　honor　a　man　who　has　e　thousands　of　miles　across　the　seas　to　repay　a　debt　centurie