el.angeleyes-第102节

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　Mars　said；　〃Have　you　as　yet　located　Miss　Ponomareva？〃
　〃No。〃
　Where　has　Irina　got　to？　Mars　asked　himself。　She　was　not　at　work　or　at　home。　She　had　not　been　at　Valeri's　and　she　wasn't　with　the　Hero。　Captain　Nikolev　had　checked　these　places　himself。　Irina　might　continue　to　be　very　useful　to　me　now；　he　thought。　My　surveillance　has　shown　that　she's　been　the　closest　to　Valeri　Denysovich　over　the　past　several　months。　If　anyone　might　know　where　he　was　holed　up；　she　might。
　Well；　Mars　thought；　stirring；　perhaps　it　is　time　I　took　a　more　active　role　in　finding　out　where　she　is。
　It　was　very　quiet　when　Mars　entered　the　Hero's　fortress　in　Star　Town。　He　came　across　Tatiana　first。　She　was　folding　the　Hero's　newly　laundered　shirts　into　a　neat　pile。　The　homey　smells　of　soap　and　bleach　were　in　the　air。
　〃rade；〃　she　said　when　she　saw　him。　Her　wide…apart　gray　eyes　were　neutral。　She　did　not　stop　her　folding。
　〃Is　he　alone？〃　Mars　asked　brusquely。
　〃Lara　is　with　him；〃　Tatiana　said。　〃You　left　orders　that　one　of　us　should　be　with　him　at　all　times　now。''
　〃Yes；〃　Mars　said。　〃Of　course。〃
　He　sat　on　a　steel　folding　chair；　watched　her　dispiritedly　while　she　worked。
　Tatiana　cocked　her　head。　〃You　look　like　you　could　use　a　drink；　rade；〃　she　said。　〃Can　I　bring　you　something？〃
　〃Have　you　any　pepper　vodka？〃
　〃I'll　see。〃　She　went　out　of　the　room；　returned　in　a　moment　with　a　pair　of　thick　water　tumblers　and　a　bottle。　She　grinned；　hoisting　the　bottle。　〃I　didn't　think　a　shot　would　be　sufficient。〃
　Mars　drank　the　first　slug　of　pepper　vodka　gratefully；　felt　his　throat　begin　to　burn；　then　his　stomach。　He　held　out　his　glass　for　a　refill。　〃You　know；　Tatiana；　I　believe　that　the　Hero　has　won。〃
　〃Won　what；　rade？〃
　〃Oh；　our　little　battle　of　wits。〃　Mars　sipped。　〃I　confess　that　he's　still　a　plete　enigma　to　me。　Is　he　mad　or　sane？　Did　he　make　contact　with　an　alien　entity　during　the　event　or　is　he　so　enraged　at　what　we've　done　to　him　that　he's　been　pulling　our　leg　all　this　time？〃
　''If　you　want　my　opinion…〃
　〃Yes。　Of　course；　I　do。〃
　〃Well；　then。〃　She　took　a　long　gulp　of　her　vodka；　as　if　she　needed　fortification　to　go　on。　〃I　think　the　Hero　is　mad。　Whatever　happened　to　him　up　there　in　space　has　made　him　mad。　But　he's　not　insane　in　any　way　that　we　can　understand。　He's　not；　for　instance；　psychotic　or　schizophrenic；　something　our　scientists　can　put　their　finger　on。　No。　The　Hero's　different　from　you　or　me。〃
　〃Of　course　he　is。　He's…〃
　〃No；　you're　not　understanding　me；〃　Tatiana　said。　She　looked　down　into　the　bottom　of　her　glass。
　〃What　are　you　saying？　That　he's　no　longer　human？　Don't　be　idiotic；　Tatiana。　I'm　beginning　to　think　that　you　and　Lara　have　been　too　long　with　him。〃
　〃But　that's　just　it；〃　she　said。　〃We　know　him　better　than　anyone。　And　I'm　telling　you　that　even　if　his　physiology　is　the　same　as　yours　or　mine；　his　mind　is　not。　It's　been　altered。〃
　Mars　watched　her　in　silence　for　a　long　time。　Why　is　it；　he　asked　himself；　that　every　time　I　e　here　I　feel　as　if　I've　entered　a　whole　new　dimension？　Has　the　Него　turned　everyone　around　him　mad；　or　is　what　Tatiana　is　telling　me　the　truth？　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　Abruptly　he　stood　up；　put　the　glass　aside。　He'd　had　more　than　enough　liquor。　〃I'd　better　go　see　him。〃
　He　left　Tatiana　as　he　had　found　her；　carefully　folding　the　Hero's　shirts。
　Upstairs　in　the　pool　room　it　was　very　still。　Even　the　water　seemed　to　have　ceased　its　constant　lapping。　It　was　dark；　and　Mars　groped　in　the　gloom　for　the　light　switch。
　〃rade；　don't　turn　it　on。〃　It　was　Lara's　voice。　〃The　Hero's　eyes　have　bee　sensitive　to　light。〃
　Mars　fumbled　his　way　toward　the　pool。　〃Have　you　informed　the　doctors？〃　Now　that　he　was　closer；　he　could　see　the　slight　phosphorescence　of　the　saltwater。
　〃Yes；　they've　examined　him　extensively；〃　Lara　said。　〃They're　baffled。〃
　〃Bah；〃　Mars　said　with　a　dismissive　gesture。　〃They're　baffled　by　almost　everything。　What　use　are　they？　What　use　is　anybody？　''　He　squatted　on　the　coping　of　the　pool。
　Lara　swam　up　to　him。　He　could　see　her　dark　eyes；　her　dark　hair　gleaming；　plastered　back　against　her　skull。　Her　face　was　an　almost　perfect　oval。　Mars　wondered　why　he　had　never　noticed　that　before。
　〃Something's　happening。''
　The　way　she　said　it；　low；　deep　in　her　throat；　made　the　short　hairs　at　the　back　of　Mars's　neck　stir。　''What　do　you　mean？''
　〃I　mean　that　this　sensitivity　to　light　does　not　seem　isolated；　but　rather　part　of　an　ongoing　process。''
　〃What　nonsense；〃　Mars　scoffed。　Then；　looking　at　the　expression　on　her　face；　he　said；　〃Is　it　the　cosmic　radiation　affecting　him　so　quickly？〃　
　〃The　doctors　say　no。〃
　〃What　do　they　know？　Nothing。〃　But　Mars　felt　a　peculiar　writhing　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　remembered　Tatiana　telling　him　that　it　was　her　belief　that　the　Hero's　mind　was　no　longer　human。　It's　been　altered。　He　recognized　the　tiny　flame　of　his　fright　flickering　in　the　phosphorescent　darkness。　〃Lara；　what　is　happening？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　but　I　think　he's　in　the　early　stages　of　some　kind　of　change。〃　
　〃You　mean…〃　
　〃He's　metamorphosing。〃
　Mars　worked　his　jaws　for　a　moment　until　he　was　able　to　whisper；　〃Into　what？〃　
　But　he　was　greeted　only　with　silence。　
　〃Where　is　he？〃　Mars　said　after　a　time。　
　〃In　the　pool；〃　Tatiana　said。　〃Around　the　other　side　with　Arbat。〃
　〃Stay　here；〃　Mars　ordered　her。　He　got　up；　made　his　way　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　pool。　
　〃Odysseus？〃
　Mars　heard　his　voice　in　echo。　It　resounded　in　the　darkness　that　now　seemed　alive　with　a　hidden　pulsing…of　life；　but　what　form　of　life？　Mars　gave　a　tiny　shudder；　squared　his　shoulders；　called　to　the　Него　again。　
　〃Here　I　am；　rade。〃
　The　lapping　of　the　water；　a　small　splash　over　the　coping　at　Mars's　feet。
　Mars　looked　down；　saw　the　pale；　pale　flesh　of　the　Hero's　face　and　shoulders。　Was　it　his　imagination　or　was　the　Hero's　skin　even　more　colorless　than　usual；　more　metallic　looking…more　alien。
　At　that　moment　Mars　felt　a　hand　clamp　around　his　left　ankle。　
　〃You're　too　faraway；　rade。〃
　The　grip　on　him　tightened。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Mars　said。
　''Why　stand　aloof　at　a　distance？''
　The　Hero　gave　a　mighty　pull；　and　Mars　lost　his　balance。　His　backside　hit　the　coping　with　a　painful　smack。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　himself　being　dragged　into　the　pool。　He　fought　to　resist；　but　it　was　as　if　his　muscles　were　paralyzed；　his　body　of　no　use　at　all。
　The　saltwater　rose　over　him；　and　he　felt　the　drag　of　the　water　on　his　clothes。　He　waved　his　arms；　scissored　his　legs；　but　his　shoes　were　weighing　him　down。　The　water　closed　over　his　face。
　Then　a　fist　grabbed　his　shirt　and　he　was　pulled　upward。　His　head　broke　the　surface　of　the　pool　and　he　spluttered。　Saltwater　ran　down　his　face。　His　eyes　cleared　slowly。　He　was　face　to　face　with　the　Hero。
　〃It's　a　strange　world；〃　Odysseus　said；　〃don't　you　agree；　rade？〃
　〃Exceedingly　strange。〃　Mars　was　struggling　with　his　fear。　It　had　been　bad　enough　when　the　Hero　had　scared　him　with　the　fake　radium　pellet　he　had　thrown　into　me　pool；　now　Mars　was　in　here　with　the　Hero　himself…and　what　was　the　Hero　being？
　Odysseus　guided　him　to　the　side　of　the　pool。　〃Thank　you　for　not　turning　on　the　lights。〃
　Mars　said；　〃You're　wele；〃　then　realized　that　this　was　the　most　civil　exchange…brief　though　it　was…that　he　and　the　Него　had　ever　had。　He　heard　the　small　splashings　beside　him。
　〃I　don't　seem　to　need　as　much　light　as　I　used　to　in　order　to　see。〃　It　was　the　Hero's　voice；　all　right；　Mars　assured　himself。　But　what　was　he　saying？　〃Also；　I　see　things　I　never　saw　before。〃
　Mars　opened　his　mouth　to　say；　Like　what？　but　no　words　would　e　out。　He　recognized；　with　a　shudder；　that　part　of　him　did　not　want　to　know。　The　same　part　of　him　that　wanted　to　get　out　of　here　as　fast　as　it　could；　and　stay　far　away。　With　an　act　of　will；　Mars　clamped　down　on　that　part；　shoved　it　back　into　the　shadows　of　his　subconscious　where　it　belonged。
　〃I　can　see　underwater　without　opening　my　eyes。〃　It　didn't　matter；　he　saw　with　a　mounting　horror　he　could　not　control；　the　Hero　was　going　to　tell　him　anyway。　〃Arbat　says　that　I'm　developing　the　kind　of　sonar　that　she　has。〃
　Mars　forced　himself　to　say；　〃All　this　sounds　like　so　much　fantasy；　Odysseus。〃　But　there　was　no　conviction　in　his　voice。　〃Don't　you　think　perhaps　you're　imagining　these　changes？〃
　〃Just　as　I　imagined　the　color　between　the　stars？〃　His　face　was　very　close　to　Mars's。　There　was　a　sharp；　distinct　scent　like　cloves；　but　not　cloves。　〃The　color　of　God？〃　His　eyes　were　like　steel　pellets；　hard；　highly　reflective。　〃Perhaps　this　is　all　a　dream；　eh；　rade？　My　training；　the　flight　of　the　Odin…Galaktika　II；　the　EVA；　Menelaus's　death；　the　event。〃　He　spread　his　hands。　〃All　this。　The　building；　the　pool；　Arbat。　You。
　〃If　I　were　a　solipsist；　Volkov；　I　tell　you　that's　what　I　would　believe。　But　my　experiences　have　made　me　into　something　as　far　from　a　solipsist　as　possible。　I　am　not　alone。　Man　is　not　alone。〃
　His　voice；　though　soft；　had　the　quality　of　a　tolling　bell；　as　if　there　were　reverberations　like　sparks　filling　the　space　above　the　pool　even　after　he　had　ceased　to　speak。
　Mars　had　had　enough　of　this。　He　needed　to　establish　control　of　the　interview；　give　it　a　certain　rhythm；　to　turn　it　from　a　conversation　into　an　interrogation。　That　would　calm　him；　he　was　s