bl.necroscope2-第61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！


ely　kill　you。　Krakovitch　and　his　soldier　friend　are　traitors；　for　they　must　at　least　have　knowledge　of　this。　You　told　them　I　was　here；　they　gave　you　your　orders；　or　at　least　went　along　with　those　orders。　I　am　a　field　agent　outside　my　country；　working　against　my　country's　enemies。　I　will　not　hesitate　to　kill　you　if　you　are　obstinate；　but　things　will　get　very　unpleasant　before　you　die。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　Brown　had　understood　well　enough。　〃All　this　talk　of　killing；〃　he　tut…tutted。　〃I　could　have　killed　you　many　times　over；　but　those　weren't　my　instructions。　I　was　to　delay　you；　that's　all。　Why　blow　it　up　bigger　than　it　is？〃
　〃Why　are　the　British　espers　working　with　Krakovitch？
　What　are　they　doing？　The　trouble　with　this　psychic　gang　is　this：　both　sides　think　they're　bigger　than　the　rest　of　us。　They　think　mind　should　rule　the　world　and　not　muscle。　But　you　and　me　and　the　others　like　us；　we　know　that's　not　the　way　it　is。　The　strongest　always　wins。　The　great　warrior　triumphs　while　the　great　thinker　is　still　thinking　about　it。　Like　you　and　me。　You　do　what　they　tell　you　and　I　work　from　instinct。　And　I'm　the　one　on　top。〃
　〃Are　you？　Is　that　why　you　use　the　threat　of　death？〃
　〃Last　chance；　Mr　Minder。　Where　are　they？〃
　Still　Brown　wasn't　saying　anything。　He　merely　smiled　and　gritted　his　teeth。
　Dolgikh　had　no　more　time　to　waste。　He　was　an　expert　in　interrogation；　which　on　this　occasion　meant　torture。　Basically；　there　are　two　types　of　torture：　mental　and　physical。　Just　looking　at　Brown；　Dolgikh　guessed　that　pain　alone　wouldn't　crack　him。　Not　in　the　short　term。　Anyway；　Dolgikh　wasn't　carrying　the　rather　special　tools　he'd　require。　He　could　always　improvise　but。。。　it　wouldn't　be　the　same。　Also；　he　didn't　wish　to　mark　Brown；　not　initially；　anyway。　It　must；　therefore；　be　psychological…fear！
　And　the　Russian　had　discovered　Brown's　weakness　at　the　very　first　pass。　〃You'll　notice；〃　he　told　the　British　agent　conversationally；　〃that　while　you　are　securely　trussed；　a　far　better　job　than　you　did　on　me；　I　have　not　in　fact　bound　you　to　the　chair。〃　Then　〃he　had　opened　tall　louvre　doors　leading　out　onto　a　shallow　rear　balcony。　〃I　assume　you've　been　out　here　to　admire　the　view？〃
　Brown　had　gone　pale　in　a　moment。
　
　〃Oh？〃　Dolgikh　was　onto　him　in　a　flash。　〃Something　about　heights；　my　friend？〃　He　had　dragged　Brown's　chair　out　onto　the　balcony；　then　swung　it　sharply　round　so　that　Brown　was　thrown　against　the　wall。　Six　inches　of　brick　and　mortar　and　a　crumbling　plaster　finish　saved　him　from　space　and　gravity。　And　his　face　told　the　whole　story。
　Dolgikh　had　left　him　there；　hurried　through　the　flat　and　checked　out　his　suspicion。　Sure　enough；　he　found　every　window　and　balcony　door　shuttered；　closing　off　not　only　the　light　but　the　height。　Especially　the　height！　Mr　Brown　suffered　from　vertigo。
　And　after　that　it　had　been　a　different　game　entirely。
　The　Russian　had　dragged　Brown　back　inside　and　positioned　him　in　his　chair　six　feet　from　the　balcony。　Then　he'd　taken　a　kitchen　knife　and　started　to　loosen　the　masonry　of　the　wall；　in　plain　view　of　the　helpless　agent。　As　he'd　worked；　so　he'd　explained　what　he　was　about。
　〃Now　we're　going　to　start　again　and　I　will　ask　you　certain　questions。　If　you　answer　correctly…which　is　to　say　truthfully　and　without　obstruction…then　you　stay　right　where　you　are。　Better　still；　you　stay　alive。　But　every　time　you　fail　to　answer　or　tell　a　lie　I　shall　move　you　a　little　closer　to　the　balcony　and　loosen　more　of　the　mortar。　Naturally；　I'll　bee　frustrated　if　you　don't　play　the　game　my　way。　Indeed；　I　shall　probably　lose　my　temper。　In　which　case　I　may　be　tempted　to　throw　you　against　the　wall　again。　Except　that　the　next　time　I　do　that；　the　wall　will　be　so　much　weaker。　。
　And　so　the　game　had　begun。
　That　had　been　about　7。00　P。M。　and　now　it　was　9。00　P。M。；　the　face　of　the　balcony　wall；　which　had　bee　the　focus　of　Brown's　entire　being；　was　now　thoroughly　defaced　and　many　of　the　bricks　were　visibly　loose。　Worse；　Brown's　chair　now　stood　with　its　front　legs　on　the　balcony　itself；　no　more　than　three　feet　from　the　wall。　Beyond　that　wall　the　city's　silhouette　and　the　mountains　behind　it　were　sprinkled　with　twinkling　lights。
　Dolgikh　stood　up　from　his　handiwork；　scuffed　at　the　rubble　with　his　feet；　sadly　shook　his　head。　〃Well；　Mr　Minder；　you　have　done　quite　well…but　not　quite　well　enough。　Now；　as　I　suspected　might　be　the　case；　I　am　tired　and　a　little　frustrated。　You　have　told　me　many　things；　some　important　and　others　unimportant；　but　you　have　not　yet　told　me　what　I　most　want　to　know。　My　patience　is　at　an　end。〃
　He　moved　to　stand　behind　Brown；　and　pushed　the　chair　gratingly　forward；　right　up　to　the　wall。　Brown's　chin　came　level　with　the　top；　which　faced　him　only　eighteen　inches　away。　〃Do　you　want　to　live；　Mr　Minder？〃　Dolgikh's　voice　was　soft　and　deadly。
　In　fact　the　Russian　fully　intended　to　kill　Brown；　if　only　to　pay　him　back　for　yesterday。　From　Brown's　point　of　view；　Dolgikh　had　no　need　to　kill　him；　it　would　be　a　pointless　exercise　and　could　only　queer　it　for　Dolgikh　with　British　Intelligence；　who　would　doubtless　place　him　on　their　〃long　overdue〃　list。　But　from　the　Russian's　viewpoint。。。　he　was　already　on　several　lists。　And　in　any　case；　murder　was　something　he　enjoyed。　Brown　couldn't　he　absolutely　sure　of　Dolgikh's　intentions；　however；　and　where　there's　life　there's　always　hope。
　The　trussed　agent　looked　across　the　top　of　the　wall　at　Genoa's　myriad　lights。　〃London　will　know　who　did　it　if　you…〃　he　started　to　say；　then　gave　a　small　shriek　as　Dolgikh　jerked　the　chair　violently。　Brown　opened　his　eyes；　drew　breath　raggedly；　sat　gulping；　trembling；　close　to　fainting。　There　was　really　only　one　thing　in　the　world　that　he　feared；　and　here　it　was　right　in　front　of　him。　The　reason　he'd　bee　useless　to　the　SAS。　He　could　feel　the　emptiness　underneath　him　as　if　he　were　already　falling。
　〃Well；〃　said　the　Russian；　sighing；　〃I　can't　say　it　was　a　Pleasure　knowing　you…but　I'm　sure　it　will　be　a　great　pleasure　not　knowing　you！　And　so　…〃
　〃Wait！〃　Brown　gasped。　〃Promise　me　you'll　take　me　back　inside　if　I　tell　you。〃
　Dolgikh　shrugged。　〃I　shall　only　kill　you　if　you　make　me。　Not　answering　will　be　more　suicide　than　murder。〃
　Brown　licked　his　lips。　Hell；　it　was　his　life！　Kyle　and　the　others　had　their　head　start。　He'd　done　enough。　〃Romania；　Bucharest！〃　he　blurted。　〃They　took　a　plane　last　night；　to　get　into　Bucharest　around　midnight。〃
　Dolgikh　stepped　beside　him；　cocked　his　head　on　one　side　and　looked　down　at　his　sweating；　upturned　face。　〃You　know　that　I　only　have　to　telephone　the　airport　and　check？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Brown　sobbed。　His　tears　were　open　and　unashamed。　His　nerve　had　gone　entirely。　〃Now　get　me　inside。〃
　The　Russian　smiled。　〃I　shall　be　delighted。〃　He　stepped　out　of　Brown's　view。　The　agent　felt　him　sawing　with　his　knife　at　the　ropes　where　they　bound　his　wrists　behind　him。　The　ropes　parted；　and　Brown　groaned　as　he　brought　his　arms　round　in　front　of　him。　Stiff　with　cramp；　he　could　hardly　move　them。　Dolgikh　cut　his　feet　free　and　collected　up　the　short　lengths　of　rope。　Brown　made　an　effort；　started　to　rise　unsteadily　to　his　feet…And　without　warning　the　Russian　put　both　hands　on　his　back　and　used　all　his　strength　to　push　him　forward。　Brown　cried　out；　sprawled　forward；　went　crashing　over　and　through　the　wall　into　space。　Fancy　brickwork；　fragments　of　plaster　and　mortar　fell　with　him。
　Dolgikh　hawked　and　spat　after　him；　then　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　From　far　below　there　came　a　single　heavy　thud　and　the　crashing　of　fallen　masonry。
　Moments　later　the　Russian　put　on　Brown's　lightweight　overcoat；　left　the　flat　and　wiped　the　doorknob　behind　him。　He　took　the　lift　to　the　ground　floor　and　left　the　building；　walking　unhurriedly。　Fifty　yards　down　the　road　he　stopped　a　taxi　and　asked　to　be　taken　to　the　airport。
　
　On　the　way　he　wound　down　the　window；　tossed　out　a　few　short　lengths　of　rope。　The　driver；　busy　with　the　traffic；　didn't　see　him　。
　By　11。00　that　night；　Theo　Dolgikh　had　been　in　touch　with　his　immediate　superior　in　Moscow　and　was　already　on　his　way　to　Bucharest。　If　Dolgikh　hadn't　been　incapacitated　for　the　past　twenty…four　hours…if　he'd　had　the　chance　to　contact　his　controller　earlier…he　would　have　discovered　where　Kyle；　Krakovitch　and　the　others　had　gone　without　killing　Mr　Brown　for　that　information。　Not　that　it　mattered　greatly；　for　he　knew　he　would　have　killed　him　anyway。
　Moreover；　he　could　have　learned　something　of　what　the　espers　were　doing　there　in　Romania；　that　in　fact　they　were　searching　for。。。　something　in　the　ground？　Dolgikh's　controller　hadn't　wanted　to　be　more　specific　than　that。　Treasure；　maybe？　Dolgikh　couldn't　imagine；　and　he　wasn't　really　interested。　He　put　the　question　out　of　his　mind。　Whatever　they　were　doing；　it　wasn't　good　for　Russia；　and　that　was　enough　for　him。
　Now；　crammed　in　the　tiny　seat　of　the　passenger　aircraft　as　it　sped　across　the　northern　Adriatic；　he　tilted　himself　backwards　a　little　and　relaxed；　allowing　his　mind　to　drift　with　the　hum　of　the　engines　。
　Romania。　The　region　around　lonesti。　Something　in　the　ground。　It　was　all　very　strange。
　Strangest　of　all；　Dolgikh's　〃controller〃　was　one　of　them…one　of　these　damned　psychic　spies；　whom　Andropov　so　heartily　detested！　The　KGB　man　clos