el.angeleyes-第112节

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　〃I　'll　answer　for　you；〃　Mars　said。　''You　thought　the　puter　might　contain　White　Star's　secrets。〃
　Her　mind　was　like　a　sheet　of　ice。　〃Yes。〃　What　else　could　she　say？
　Mars　said　nothing　for　a　time。　Then　he　put　his　head　back　against　the　seat　rest；　closed　his　eyes。　A　slow　smile　spread　across　his　lips。　〃Why　don't　we　give　it　a　try？〃
　Too　late；　Irina　realized　her　mistake　in　not　throwing　the　puter　away　when　she　had　had　the　chance。　Better　it　be　lost　to　Valeri　than　land　in　the　hands　of　the　KGB。　She　wept　inside　for　Valeri；　for　Natasha；　for　White　Star；　for　herself；　because　this　monster　had　won。　Now　she　knew　what　he　wanted　from　her。
　She　set　the　wipers　going；　and　the　windshield　cleared　as　much　as　it　was　going　to　with　the　car's　primitive　and　inefficient　defroster。　She　held　her　breath；　said；　〃Where　shall　we　go？　Your　apartment？〃
　〃No；〃　Mars　said。　〃Star　Town。〃
　Arbat　was　swimming　in　a　circle。
　〃What's　the　matter　with　her？〃　Lara　said。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　Hero　admitted。　He　spoke　to　her　in　the　peculiar　clickings　that　Lara　did　not　understand　but　had　grown　used　to。　Immediately；　Arbat　ceased　her　nervous　circling；　lifted　her　nose；　let　out　with　a　long　string　of　speech。
　〃Something's　wrong；〃　the　Hero　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Neither　does　Arbat。　But　something　very　bad　has　happened。〃
　〃Volkov？〃
　〃Yes；　probably；〃　the　Hero　said。　He　swam　over　to　where　Arbat　was；　put　his　arms　around　her。　She　nuzzled　his　face。　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　whispered；　then　repeated　it　in　her　language。
　It　was　then　that　Lara　understood　the　depth　of　his　concern。　He　had　been　trying　to　fort　himself。
　Lara　came　close　to　him。　''Perhaps　we　need　not　fear　rade　Volkov　as　much　as　we　have　in　the　past。　I　think　we　have　succeeded　in　making　him　believe　you　are　turning　into　something　beyond　his　ken。〃
　The　Hero　smiled。　〃That　was　a　neat　trick；　you　swimming　underwater　to　scrape　his　leg　while　I　went　into　my　'seizure。'　〃
　〃You　played　your　role　to　perfection；〃　Lara　said。
　''rade　Volkov　has　seen　to　it　that　I've　had　enough　time　to　work　out　the　rough　edges。〃
　Lara　was　abruptly　serious。　She　touched　his　arm。　〃All　this　playacting　is　one　thing；　but　what　worries　me　are　the　real　effects　of　the　cosmic　radiation　you　were　exposed　to。　What　happens　when　its　effects　are　made　manifest？〃
　〃What　happens　when　we　die？〃　the　Hero　asked　her　rhetorically。　〃It　might　be　interesting　to　contemplate；　but　there's　no　solid　answer；　is　there？〃　He　smiled　reassuringly。　〃We'll　just　have　to　wait　and　see。〃
　〃Do　you　think　Irina　will　have　the　courage　to　wait　with　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　Hero　said　truthfully。　〃I've　tried　to　explain　as　best　I　can　what　I'm　up　against。　But　you　know　as　well　as　anyone　that　there　is　no　way　to　explain　the　unknowable。〃
　''You　love　her；　don't　you？　〃
　The　Hero　was　silent　for　a　long　time；　hanging　in　his　void　of　saltwater。　〃I　love　the　color　between　the　stars；〃　he　said。　〃That　is　where　much　of　my　mind　now　dwells；　in　the　time/no　time；　the　dimension　where　time　is　twisted　like　taffy　around　a　spindle。　I've　been　shown　the　limitations　of　being　part　of　only　the　taffy。　Now　I　long　to　join　those　inside　the　spindle。〃
　〃You　do　not　need　to　worry　about　making　me　jealous；〃　Lara　said。　〃Tatiana　and　I　would　never　betray　you　now；　not　after　what　you've　done　for　us。　You　have　shown　us　the　power　of　our　past；　the　weaknesses　of　our　present。　You　are　our　family。〃
　The　Hero　reached　out；　twined　his　fingers　in　Lara's。　〃If　I　do　love　Irina；　it　is　in　a　way　that　neither　of　you　can　understand。　Certainly　I　cannot　explain　what　I　feel。〃
　〃You　talk　to　her　without　ever　speaking。〃
　〃That's　true。〃
　〃As　you　did　with　the　entity　who　discovered　you　between　the　stars。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　''What　was　it　like；　that　munication？''
　The　Hero　smiled。　〃I've　told　you　so　many　times。〃
　〃It's　like　a　bedtime　story；''　Lara　said。　''I　never　grow　tired　of　hearing　it。〃
　〃All　right；〃　the　Hero　said；　and　his　face　screwed　up　in　concentration。　〃It　was　like　lying　on　a　bed　of　nails；　like　running　barefoot　across　a　room　filled　with　shards　of　glass；　it　was　like　eating　so　much　chocolate　at　once　that　your　brain　boils；　like　hanging　in　a　sensory…deprivation　tank；　your　body　sloughed　off　like　a　memory；　connected　to　nothing　but　the　processes　of　your　own　mind。〃　He　closed　his　eyes；　and　it　was　as　if　the　world　had　winked　out。　Blackness　reigned。　〃It　was　like　all　of　those　things　happening　at　once。　Yet　it　wasn't　any　of　that　at　all。〃
　〃What；　then？〃
　〃All　right。　Another　image。　I　was　farther　out　in　space　than　any　human　being　has　ever　been。　But　when　the　munication　began；　I　knew　that　I　had　journeyed　so　far　only　to　have　e　to　the　center　of　things；　so　deep　inside　that　I　had　found　an　entirely　new　existence。〃
　〃But　inside　what？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃Perhaps　time　itself。〃
　Lara　was　very　close　to　him。　〃I　wish　I　could　understand。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　wish　you　could；　too。〃
　〃Arbat　understands。〃
　〃Arbat　is　special。〃
　〃And　Irina。　She　understands；　too；　doesn't　she？〃
　The　Hero's　eyes　were　like　stars　in　the　blankness　of　space。　They　radiated　warmth　as　well　as　light；　〃Irina　knows　how　the　entity　and　I　municated。〃
　〃How　I　envy　her。〃
　Arbat　was　pushing　her　nose　insistently　against　the　Hero's　hand；　and　a　moment　later　Tatiana　slipped　into　the　pool　with　them。
　〃Volkov's　back；〃　she　said　quietly；　ominously；　〃Irina　is　with　him。　And　so　is　Valeri's　Toshiba　portable。〃
　〃Ah；　God。〃　The　Hero's　voice　chilled　them　all。
　On　the　doorstep　to　the　villa。　Captain　Nikolev　turned　to　Tori　and　Russell；　said；　〃This　place　belongs　to　the　man　from　whom　I　take　my　orders。〃
　Russell　said；　〃You　mean　your　superior　in　the　Border　Guards　unit。〃
　〃No。　My　division　has　been　seconded　to　Department　N　of　the　KGB。　Mars　Volkov；　the　Chief　of　Department　N；　is　the　man　who　mands　my　unit。〃
　〃He's　got　wide…ranging　powers；〃　Tori　said。
　〃I　want　you　to　understand　that；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said；　〃as　part　of　your　assurances。　This　is　an　enormous　risk　I　am　taking。〃　He　looked　at　them　both；　then　turned；　unlocked　the　front　door。
　He　went　immediately　across　the　tile　floor；　showed　them　where　the　microphones　were　hidden。　He　opened　up　a　blond　wood　console。　Behind　a　mirrored　bar　with　a　false　back　was　a　professional　reel…to…reel　tape　recorder。　Nikolev　took　the　tape　reels　from　the　recorder　so　that　Tori　and　Russell　would　know　nothing　that　was　said　here　was　being　recorded。
　〃There's　always　the　possibility　of　body　mikes；〃　Russell　said。　〃I　suppose　we　should　all　strip。〃
　Nikolev　laughed。　He　eyed　Tori。　〃That's　jake　by　me。〃
　They　looked　at　him；　and　he　said；　〃Have　I　mixed　up　my　idioms　again？〃
　〃If　I　were　you；　I　wouldn't　try　to　pass　for　an　American　just　yet；〃　Russell　said。
　Tori　said；　〃You're　just　a　little　behind　the　times；　that's　all。〃
　When　they　had　assured　themselves　that　none　of　them　was　taped　with　a　body　mike；　Tori　and　Russell　sat　on　an　ugly　Scandinavian　couch　hideously　upholstered　in　a　dark　brown　tweed。　Captain　Nikolev　fixed　them　drinks。　He　was　obviously　nervous　and　in　need　of　something　to　do　with　his　hands；　but　neither　Tori　nor　Russell　touched　their　vodka。　On　the　other　hand；　Nikolev　knocked　his　back；　poured　himself　another。
　He　paced　back　and　forth；　and　Tori　could　feel　his　tension　reaching　a　new　pitch。　She　shifted　unfortably　as　his　nerves　affected　her。
　Abruptly　Nikolev　faced　them；　said；　〃In　a　world　full　of　lies；　how　are　we　able　to　recognize　the　truth？〃
　〃Truth　es　with　trust；〃　Tori　said。
　〃Which　is　in　short　supply　here；〃　Russell　added。
　There　was　silence　for　some　time。
　Nikolev　nodded。　〃Department　N　of　the　KGB；　of　which　Mars　Volkov　is　the　chief；　has　been　given　a　mandate　to　root　out　the　elements　of　White　Star　and　eradicate　them。''
　〃Succinctly　put；〃　Russell　said。
　〃I　am　trying；〃　Nikolev　said　with　some　desperation；　〃to　establish　an　atmosphere　of　trust。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Before　we　go　further；　I　must　know　something。　Did　you　e　here　in　response　to　White　Star's　request　for　aid？〃
　''Is　this　your　proposal？''　Russell　asked。
　〃It　is　the　beginning　of　our　exchange　of　information。〃　Nikolev　looked　pained。　〃I　am　under　the　gun；　Mr。　Slade。　I　wish　you　could　appreciate　that。〃
　〃We're　all　under　the　gun；〃　Tori　said。
　〃Keep　still；〃　Russell　said　as　he　got　up。　He　prowled　around　the　villa。
　When　he　disappeared　into　the　other　rooms；　Nikolev　and　Tori　watched　each　other　like　gladiators　unsure　whether　to　fight　or　join　forces　to　assassinate　the　emperor。
　〃He's　a　hard　man；〃　Nikolev　said。　〃Pull　of　suspicion。〃
　〃That's　what　they　pay　him　for。''
　〃And　what　do　they　pay　you　for；　Miss　Nunn？〃
　Tori　got　up；　made　her　own　slow　circuit　of　the　room。　When　she　returned；　she　stood　in　front　of　Captain　Nikolev；　stared　him　in　the　eye。　〃They　pay　me；〃　she　said；　〃to　know　who　our　friends　are。
　Nikolev's　gaze　flicked　to　her　arms。　He　licked　his　lips。　〃What　happens　to　those　who　you　decide　aren't　your　friends？〃
　〃I　kill　them；〃　Tori　said　with　what　she　hoped　was　an　expression　of　great　relish。
　〃I　am　a　friend。　Miss　Nunn。　Do　you　believe　me？〃
　Tori　said　nothing。
　When　Russell　came　back　into　the　living　room；　Nikolev　said；　〃What　were　you　looking　for？〃
　''KGB　goons；''　Russell　said。　''But　I　guess　I　'm　looking　at　one；　huh？〃
　Nikolev　said；　〃You　have　yet　to　answer　my　question。　Before　I　proceed　further；　I　must　know　whether　you　have　a　connection　with　White　Star。〃
　〃We　do；〃　Tori　said。
　〃Christ　almighty！