bl.necroscope2-第36节

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hands　where　they　lay　loosely　crossed　on　the　table；　enclosing　his　drink。　He　seemed　uneasy　in　his　modern　Western　clothes；　which　weren't　quite　the　right　fit。
　〃That's　true　enough。〃　Quint　narrowed　his　eyes；　turning　back　to　Krakovitch。　〃He's　not　skilled　that　way；　but　I'm　sure　he　has　many　other　worthwhile　talents。〃　Krakovitch　smiled　thinly　and　nodded。　He　seemed　a　little　sour。
　Kyle　had　been　studying　Krakovitch；　mitting　him　to　memory。　The　Russian　head　of　ESPionage　was　in　his　late　thirties。　He　had　thinning　black　hair；　piercing　green　eyes　and　an　almost　gaunt；　hollow　face。　He　was　of　medium　height；　slimly　built。　A　skinned　rabbit；　thought　Kyle。　But　his　thin；　pale　lips　were　firm；　and　the　high　dome　of　his　head　spoke　of　a　rare　intelligence。
　Krakovitch's　impression　of　Kyle　was　much　the　same：　a　man　just　a　few　years　younger　than　himself；　intelligent；　talented。　It　was　only　the　physical　side　of　Kyle　that　was　different；　which　hardly　mattered。　Kyle's　hair　was　brown　and　plentiful；　naturally　wavy。　He　was　well　fleshed；　even　a　little　overweight；　but　with　his　height　that　scarcely　showed。　His　eyes　were　brown　as　his　hair；　his　teeth　even　and　white　in　a　too…wide　mouth　that　sloped　a　little　from　left　to　right。　In　another　face　that　look　might　well　be　mistaken　for　cynicism；　but　not　in　Kyle；　Krakovitch　thought。
　Quint；　on　the　other　hand；　was　more　aggressive；　but　he　probably　had　superb　self…control。　He　would　reach　conclusions　quickly；　right　or　wrong。　And　he　would　probably　act　on　them。　He　would　act；　and　hope　he'd　done　the　right　thing。　But　he　wouldn't　feel　guilty　if　it　turned　out　wrong。　Also；　there　wasn't　much　emotion　in　Quint。　All　of　this　showed　in　his　face；　his　figure；　and　Krakovitch　prided　himself　on　reading　character。　Quint　was　lithe；　built　like　a　cat。　In　no　way　massive；　but　he　had　that　coiled　spring　look　about　him。　Not　nervous　tension；　just　a　natural　ability　to　think　and　act　fast。　He　had　eyes　of　disarming　blue　that　took　in　everything；　a　thin；　even　nose；　and　a　forehead　creased　from　frowning。　He　too　was　in　his　mid…thirties；　thin　on　top；　dark　featured。　And　he　had　a　talent。　Krakovitch　could　tell　that　Quint　was　extremely　ESP…sensitive。　He　was　a　spotter。
　〃Oh；　Sergei　Gulharov　has　been　trained　…；　Krakovitch　finally　answered；　〃…as　my　bodyguard。　But　not　in　your　arts；　or　mine。　He　has　not　got　that　kind　of　mind。　Indeed；　of　the　four　of　us；　I　could　argue　that　he　is　the　only　〃normal〃　man　present。　Which　is　unfortunate；〃…now　he　stared　accusingly　at　Kyle…〃for　you　and　I　were　supposed　to　meet　as　equals；　without；　er；　backup？〃
　At　that　moment　the　music　went　quiet；　the　rock'n'roll　replaced　by　an　Italian　ballad。
　〃Krakovitch；〃　said　Kyle；　hard…eyed　now　and　keeping　his　voice　low；　〃we'd　better　be　straight　on　this。　You're　right；　our　deal　was　that　the　two　of　us　should　meet。　We　could　each　bring　along　a　second。　But　no　telepaths。　What　we　have　to　say　to　each　other　we'll　just　say；　without　someone　picking　our　thoughts。　Quint　isn't　a　telepath；　he's　a　spotter；　that's　all。　So　we　weren't　cheating。　And　as　far　as　your　man　here…er；　Gulharov？…is　concerned：　Quint　says　he's　clean；　so　you　aren't　cheating　either。　Or　you　wouldn't　appear　to　be…but　your　third　man　is　something　else！〃
　〃My　third　man？〃　Krakovitch　sat　up　straight；　seemed　genuinely　surprised。　〃I　have　no…〃
　
　〃But　you　do；〃　Quint　cut　in。　〃KGB。　We've　seen　him。　In　fact；　he's　here　in　Frankie's　Franchise　right　now。
　That　was　news　to　Kyle。　He　looked　at　Quint。　〃You're　certain？〃
　Quint　nodded。　〃Don't　look　now；　but　he's　sitting　in　the　corner　over　there　with　a　Genoese　whore。　He's　changed　his　clothes；　too；　and　looks　like　he's　just　off　a　ship。　Not　a　bad　cover…but　I　recognised　him　the　moment　we　walked　in　here。〃
　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　Krakovitch　looked；　then　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃I　do　not　know　him；〃　he　said。　〃Not　to　be　surprised。　I　do　not　know　any　of　them。　I　dislike　…strongly！　But。。。　you　are　sure？　How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃
　Kyle　would　have　been　caught　on　the　hop；　but　not　Quint。　〃We　run　the　same　sort　of　branch　as　the　one　you　run；　rade；〃　he　stated　flatly。　〃Except　we　have　the　edge　on　you。　We're　better　at　it。　He's　KGB；　all　right。〃
　Krakovitch's　fury　was　obvious。　Not　against　Quint　but　the　position　in　which　he　now　found　himself。　〃Intolerable！〃　he　snapped。　〃Why；　the　Party　Leader　himself　has　given　me　his…〃　He　half　stood　up；　half　turned　towards　the　man　indicated；　a　thick…set　barrel　of　a　man　in　rough　and　ready　suit　and　open…necked　shirt。　His　neck　must　be　at　least　as　thick　as　Krakovitch's　thigh！　Fortunately　he　was　looking　the　other　way；　talking　to　the　prostitute。
　Before　Krakovitch　could　carry　it　any　further；　Kyle　said；　〃I　believe　you…that　you　don't　know　him。　It　was　done　behind　your　back。　So　sit　down；　act　naturally。　Anyway；　it's　obvious　we　can't　talk　here。　Apart　from　the　fact　that　we're　being　watched；　it's　too　damned　noisy。　And　Christ；　for　all　we　know　there　might　even　be　someone　listening　in　on　us！〃
　Krakovitch　abruptly　sat　down。　He　looked　startled；　glanced　nervously　about。　〃Bugged？〃　He　remembered　how　his　old　boss；　Borowitz；　had　had　a　thing　about　electronic　surveillance。
　〃We　could　be。〃　Quint　gave　a　sharp　nod。　〃This　one　either　followed　you　here　or　he　knew　in　advance　where　we　were　going　to　meet。〃
　Krakovitch　gave　a　snort。　〃This　getting　out　of　hand。　I　no　good　at　this。　What　now？〃
　Kyle　looked　at　Krakovitch　and　knew　he　wasn't　faking　it。　He　grinned。　〃I'm　no　good　at　it　either。　Listen；　I'm　like　you；　Felix。　I　prognosticate。　I　don't　know　your　word　for　it。　I；　er；　foretell　the　future？　I　occasionally　get　fairly　accurate　pictures　of　how　things　are　going　to　be。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Krakovitch。　〃My　talent　almost　exactly。　Except　I　usually　get　warnings。　So？〃
　〃So　I　saw　us　getting　along　OK　together。　How　about　you？〃
　Krakovitch　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief。　〃I　also；〃　he　shrugged。　〃At　least；　no　bad　warnings。〃　Time　was　running　out　for　the　Russian　and　there　were　things　he　desperately　needed　to　know；　questions　he　must　have　answered。　This　Englishman　might　be　the　only　one　who　could　answer　them。　〃So　what　we　do　about　it？〃
　Quint　said；　〃Wait。〃　He　got　up；　crossed　to　the　bar；　ordered　fresh　drinks。　He　also　spoke　to　the　bartender。　Then　he　came　back　with　drinks　on　a　tray。　〃When　we　get　the　nod　from　the　bloke　behind　the　bar　we　pile　out　of　here　fast；〃　he　said。
　〃Eh？〃　Kyle　was　puzzled。
　〃Taxi；〃　said　Quint；　smiling　tightly。　〃I've　ordered　one。　We'll　go　to。。。　the　airport！　Why　not？　On　the　way　we　can　talk。　At　the　airport　we　find　a　warm；　fortable　place　in　the　arrivals　lounge　and　carry　on　talking。　Even　if　our　pal　over　there　manages　to　follow　us　he　won't　dare　get　too　close。　And　if　he　does　show　up　we'll　take　a　taxi　somewhere　else。〃
　〃Good！〃　said　Krakovitch。
　Five　minutes　later　their　taxi　came　and　all　four　exited　at　speed。　Kyle　was　last　out。　Looking　back；　he　saw　the　KGB　man　e　slowly　to　his　feet；　saw　his　face　twisting　in　anger　and　frustration。
　In　the　taxi　they　talked；　and　at　the　airport。　They　started　talking　at　about　twenty　minutes　before　midnight　and　finished　at　2。30　A。M。　Kyle　did　most　of　it；　aided　by　Quint；　with　Krakovitch　listening　intently　and　only　breaking　in　here　and　there　to　confirm　or　ask　for　an　explanation　of　something　that　had　been　said。
　Kyle　started　with　these　words：
　〃Harry　Keogh　was　our　best。　He　had　talents　no　one　ever　had　before。　A　lot　of　them。　He　told　me　everything　I'm　going　to　tell　you。　If　you　believe　what　I　tell　you；　we　can　help　you　with　some　big　problems　you've　got　in　Russia　and　Romania。　In　helping　you；　we'll　also　be　helping　ourselves；　for　we'll　learn　by　experience。　Now　then；　do　you　want　to　know　about　Borowitz　and　how　he　died？　About　Max　Batu　and　how　he　died？　About　the。。。　the　fossil　men；　who　wrecked　the　Chateau　Bronnitsy　that　night？　I　can　tell　you　all　of　those　things。　More　importantly；　I　can　tell　you　about　Dragosani。　。
　And　nearly　three　hours　later　he　finished　with　these：
　〃So；　Dragosani　was　a　vampire。　And　there　are　more　of　them。　You　have　them；　and　we　have　them。　We　know　where　at　least　one　of　yours　is。　Or　if　not　a　vampire；　something　a　vampire　left　behind。　Which　could　be　just　as　bad。　Whichever；　it　has　to　be　destroyed。　We　can　help　if　you'll　let　us。　Call　it　what　you　like…détente；　while　we　deal　with　a　mutual　threat？　But　if　you　don't　want　our　help；　then　you'll　have　to　do　the　job　yourself。　But　we'd　like　to　help；　because　that　way　we　might　learn　something。　Face　it；　Felix；　this　is　bigger　than　East…West　political　squabbling。　We'd　work　together　if　it　was　plague；　wouldn't　we？　Drug　trafficking？　Ships　in　trouble　at　sea？　Of　course　we　would。　And　I'm　admitting　right　here　and　now；　our　own　problem　back　in　England　might　be　bigger　than　we　know。　The　more　we　learn　from　you；　the　better　our　chances。　The　better　all　of　our　chances。　。
　Krakovitch　had　been　silent　for　a　long　time。　At　last　he　said：　〃You　want　to　e　to　USSR　with　me　and。。。　and　put　this　thing　down？〃
　〃Not　the　USSR…〃　said　Quint。　〃Romania。　That's　still　your　territory。〃
　〃The　two　of　you？　Both　the　leader；　and　a　high…ranking　member　of　your　E…Branch？　Is　that　not　to　be　the　big　risks？〃
　Kyle　shook　his　head。　〃Not　from　you。　At　least　I　don't　think　so。　Anyway；　we　all　have　to　start　trusting　someone　somewhere。　We've　already　started；　so　why　not　go　all　the　way？〃
　Krakovitch　nodded。　〃And　afterwards；　I　perhaps　e　with　you？　See　what　kind　problem　you　have？〃
　〃If　you　wish。〃
　Krakovitch　pondered　it。　〃You