thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第9节

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earlier。　That　poor　geek；　I　thought；　as　I　hurried　down　the　escalator。　They　sent　him　out　here　on　this　perfectly　reasonable　assignment…just　a　few　photos　of　motorcycles　and　dune　buggies　racing　around　the　desert…and　now　he　was　plunged；　without　realizing　it；　into　the　maw　of　some　world　beyond　his　ken。　There　was　no　way　he　could　possibly　understand　what　was　happening。
　　
　　What　were　we　doing　out　here？　What　was　the　meaning　of　this　trip？　Did　I　actually　have　a　big　red　convertible　out　there　on　the　street？　Was　I　just　roaming　around　these　Mint　Hotel　escalators　in　a　drug　frenzy　of　some　kind；　or　had　I　really　e　out　here　to　Las　Vegas　to　work　on　a　story？
　　I　reached　in　my　pocket　for　the　room　key；　〃1850；〃　it　said。　At　least　that　much　was　real。　So　my　immediate　task　was　to　deal　with　the　car　and　get　back　to　that　room　。　。　。　and　then　hopefully　get　straight　enough　to　cope　with　whatever　might　happen　at　dawn。
　　Now　off　the　escalator　and　into　the　casino；　big　crowds　still　tight　around　the　crap　tables。　Who　are　these　people？　These　faces！　Where　do　they　e　from？　They　look　like　caricatures　of　used…car　dealers　from　Dallas。　But　they're　real。　And；　sweet　Jesus；　there　are　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　them…still　screaming　around　these　desert…city　crap　tables　at　four…thirty　on　a　Sunday　morning。　Still　humping　the　American　Dream；　that　vision　of　the　Big　Winner　somehow　emerging　from　the　last　…　minute　pre…dawn　chaos　of　a　stale　Vegas　casino。
　　Big　strike　in　Silver　City。　Beat　the　dealer　and　go　home　rich。　Why　not？　I　stopped　at　the　Money　Wheel　and　dropped　a　dollar　on　Thomas　Jefferson…a　2　bill；　the　straight　Freak　ticket；　thinking　as　always　that　some　idle　instinct　bet　might　carry　the　whole　thing　off。
　　But　no。　Just　another　two　bucks　down　the　tube。　You　bastards！
　　No。　Calm　down。　Learn　to　enjoy　losing。　The　important　thing　is　to　cover　this　story　on　its　own　terms；　leave　the　other　stuff　to　Life　and　Look…at　least　for　now。　On　the　way　down　the　escalator　I　saw　the　Life　man　twisted　feverishly　into　the　telegraph　booth；　chanting　his　wisdom　into　the　ear　of　some　horny　robot　in　a　cubicle　on　that　other　coast。　Indeed：　〃LAS　VEGAS　AT　DAWN…The　racers　are　still　asleep；　the　dust　is　still　on　the　desert；　50；000　in　prize　money　slumbers　darkly　in　the　office　safe　at　Del　Webb's　fabulous　Mint　Hotel　in　the　bright　heart　of　Casino　Center。　Extreme　tension。　And　our　Life　team　is　here　（as　always；　with　a　sturdy　police　escort。。。）。〃　Pause。　〃Yes；　operator；　that　word　was　police。　What　else？　This　is；　after　all；　a　Life　Special。。。
　　The　Red　Shark　was　out　on　Fremont　where　I'd　left　it。　I　drove　around　to　the　garage　and　checked　it　in…Dr。　Gonzo's　car；　no　problem；　and　if　any　of　your　men　fall　idle　we　can　use　awax　job　before　morning。　Yes；　of　course…just　bill　the　room。
　　
　　？　　？　　？
　　
　　My　attorney　was　in　the　bathtub　when　I　returned。　Submerged　in　green　water…the　oily　product　of　some　Japanese　bath　salts　he'd　picked　up　in　the　hotel　gift　shop；　along　with　a　new　AM/FM　radio　plugged　into　the　electric　razor　socket。　Top　volume。　Some　gibberish　by　a　thing　called　〃Three　Dog　Night；〃　about　a　frog　named　Jeremiah　who　wanted　〃Joy　to　the　World。〃First　Lennon；　now　this；　I　thought。　Next　we'll　have　Glenn　Campbell　screaming　〃Where　Have　All　the　Flowers　Gone？〃　Where　indeed？　No　flowers　in　this　town。　Only　carnivorous　plants。　I　turned　the　volume　down　and　noticed　a　hunk　of　chewed…up　white　paper　beside　the　radio。　My　attorney　seemed　not　to　notice　the　sound…change。　He　was　lost　in　a　fog　of　green　steam；　only　half　his　head　was　visible　above　the　water　line。
　　〃You　ate　this？〃　I　asked；　holding　up　the　white　pad。
　　He　ignored　me。　But　I　knew。　He　would　be　very　difficult　to　reach　for　the　next　six　hours。　The　whole　blotter　was　chewed　up。
　　〃You　evil　son　of　a　bitch；〃　I　said。　〃You　better　hope　there's　some　thorazine　in　that　bag；　because　if　there's　not　you're　in　bad　trouble　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Music！〃　he　snarled。　〃Turn　it　up。　Put　that　tape　on。〃
　　〃What　tape？〃
　　〃The　new　one。　It's　right　there。〃　I　picked　up　the　radio　and　noticed　that　it　was　also　a　tape　recorder…one　of　those　things　with　a　cassette…unit　built　in。　And　the　tape；　Surrealistic　Pillow；　needed　only　to　be　flipped　over。　He　had　already　gone　through　side　one…at　a　volume　that　must　have　been　audible　in　every　room　within　a　radius　of　one　hundred　yards；　walls　and　all。
　　〃'White　Rabbit；〃'　he　said。　〃I　want　a　rising　sound。〃
　　〃You're　doomed；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　leaving　here　in　two　hours…and　then　they're　going　to　e　up　here　and　beat　the　mortal　shit　out　of　you　with　big　saps。　Right　there　in　the　tub。〃
　　〃I　dig　my　own　graves；〃　he　said。　〃Green　water　and　the　White　Rabbit。。。put　it　on；　don't　make　me　use　this。〃　His　arm　lashed　out　of　the　water；　the　hunting　knife　gripped　in　his　fist。
　　〃Jesus；〃　I　muttered。　And　at　that　point　I　figured　he　was　I　help…lying　there　in　the　tub　with　a　head　full　of　acidand　the　sharpest　knife　I've　ever　seen；　totally　incapable　of　reason；　demanding　the　White　Rabbit。　This　is　it；　I　thought。　〃I've　gone　as　far　as　I　can　with　this　waterhead。　This　time　it's　a　suicide　trip。　This　time　he　wants　it。　He's　ready。。
　　〃OK；〃　I　said；　turning　the　tape　over　and　pushing　the　〃play〃　button。　〃But　do　me　one　last　favor；　will　you？　Can　you　give　me　two　hours？　That's　all　I　ask…just　two　hours　to　sleep　before　tomorrow。　I　suspect　it's　going　to　be　a　very　difficult　day。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　your　attorney。　I'll　give　you　all　the　time　you　need；　at　my　normal　rates：　45　an　hour…but　you'll　be　wanting　a　cushion；　so　why　don't　you　just　lay　one　of　those　100　bills　down　there　beside　the　radio；　and　fuck　off？〃
　　〃How　about　a　check？〃　I　said。　〃On　the　Sawtooth　National　Bank。　You　won't　need　any　ID　to　cash　it　there。　They　know　me。〃
　　〃Whatever's　right；〃　he　said；　beginning　to　jerk　with　the　music。　The　bathroom　was　like　the　inside　of　a　huge　defective　woofer。　Heinous　vibrations；　overwhelming　sound。　The　floor　was　full　of　water。　I　moved　the　radio　as　far　from　the　tub　as　it　would　go；　then　I　left　and　closed　the　door　behind　me。
　　Within　seconds　he　was　shouting　at　me。　〃Help！　You　bastard！　Ineed　help！〃　I　rushed　back　inside；　thinking　he'd　sliced　off　an　ear　by　accident。
　　But　no。。。he　was　reaching　across　the　bathroom　toward　the　white　formica　shelf　where　the　radio　sat。　〃I　want　that　tuckin　radio；〃　he　snarled。
　　I　grabbed　it　away　from　his　hand。　〃You　fool！〃　I　said。　〃Get　in　that　tub！　Get　away　from　that　goddamn　radio！〃　I　shoved　it　back　from　his　hand。　The　volume　was　so　far　up　that　it　was　hard　to　know　what　was　playing　unless　you　knew　Surrealistic　Pillow　almost　note　for　note。。。which　I　did；　at　the　time；　so　I　knew　that　〃White　Rabbit〃　had　finished；　the　peak　and　had　e　and　gone。
　　But　my　attorney；　it　seemed；　had　not　made　it。　He　wanted　more。　〃Back　the　tape　up！〃　he　yelled。　〃I　need　it　again！〃　His　eyes　were　full　of　craziness　now；　unable　to　focus。　He　seemed　on　the　verge　of　some　awful　psychic　orgasm　〃Let　it　roll！〃　he　screamed。　〃Just　as　high　as　the　fucker　can　go！　And　when　it　es　to　that　fantastic　note　where　the　rabbit　bites　its　own　head　off；　I　want　you　to　throw　that　fuckin　radio　into　the　tub　with　me。〃　I　stared　at　him；　keeping　a　firm　grip　on　the　radio。　〃Not　me；〃　I　said　finally。　〃I'd　be　happy　to　ram　a　goddamn　440…volt　cattle　prod　into　that　tub　with　you　right　now；　but　not　this　radio。　It　would　blast　you　right　through　the　wall…stone　…　dead　in　ten　seconds。〃　I　laughed。　〃Shit；　they'd　make　me　explain　it…drag　me　down　to　some　rotten　coroner's　inquest　and　grill　me　about。　。　yes。。。the　exact　details。　I　don't　need　that。〃
　　〃Bullshit！〃　he　screamed。　〃Just　tell　them　I　wanted　to　get　Higher！〃　I　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Okay；〃　I　said　finally。　〃You're　right。　This　is　probably　the　only　solution。〃　I　picked　up　the　tape/radio…which　was　still　plugged　in…and　held　it　over　the　tub。　〃Just　let　me　make　sure　I　have　it　all　lined　up；〃　I　said。　〃You　want　me　to　throw　this　thing　into　the　tub　when　'White　Rabbit'　peaks…is　that　it？〃　He　fell　back　in　the　water　and　smiled　gratefully。　〃Fuck　yes；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　beginnjng　to　think　I　was　going　to　have　to　go　out　and　get　one　of　the　goddamn　maids　to　do　it。〃
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　I　hit　the　〃play〃　button　and　〃White　Rabbit〃　started　building　again。　Almost　immediately　he　began　to　howl　and　moan。。。another　fast　run　up　that　mountain；　and　thinking；　this　time；　that　he　would　finally　get　over　the　top。　His　eyes　were　gripped　shut　and　only　his　head　and　both　kneecaps　poked　up　through　the　oily　green　water。
　　I　let　the　song　build　while　I　sorted　through　the　pile　of　fat　ripe　grapefruit　next　to　the　basin。　The　biggest　one　of　the　lot　weighed　almost　two　pounds。　I　got　a　good　Vida　Blue　faitball　grip　on　the　fucker…and　just　as　〃Whit。　Rabbit〃　peaked　Ilashed　it　into　the　tub　like　a　cannonball。
　　My　attorney　screamed　crazily；　thrashing　around　in　the　tub　like　a　shark　after　meat；　churning　water　all　over　the　floor　as　he　struggled　to　get　hold　of　something。
　　I　jerked　the　AC　cord　out　of　the　tape/radio　and　moved　out　of　the　bathroom　very　quickly。。。the　machine　kept　on　playing；　but　now　it　was　back　on　its　own　harmless　battery　power。　I　could　hear　the　beat　cooling　down　as　I　moved　across　the　room　to　my　kitbag　and　fetched　up　the　Mace　can。。。just　as　my　attorney　ripped　the　bathroom　door　open　and　started　out。　His　eyes　were　still　unfocused；　but　he　was　waving　the　blade　out　in　front　of　him　like　a　man　who　meant　to　cut　something。
　　〃Mace！〃　I　shouted。　〃You　want　this？〃　I　wav