el.angeleyes-第119节

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　〃We've　got　to　get　to　Star　Town；〃　Tori　broke　in。　〃Mars　Volkov　has　a　woman　named　Irina　and　your　puter。　Is　it　true　that　the　whole　of　White　Star　is　in　its　hard　disk？〃
　〃Irina；〃　Valeri　said。　〃So　Mars　caught　Irina　going　into　my　apartment。　That　must　mean　he　suspects　her　loyalty　is　to　me。〃
　〃So　the　puter　could　betray　you；''　Tori　said。
　Valeri　nodded。　〃Yes。　The　entire　network　is　secreted　in　the　software。　But　no　one　could　possibly　dig　it　out。　It's　a　ghost　in　the　machine。''　Then　he　stopped。　All　the　color　drained　from　his　face。　〃My　God；〃　he　said　softly。　〃A　ghost　in　the　machine。　I　told　Irina；　and　she　is　well　versed　in　puters。　She　could…　If　Mars　forced　her…　Dear　God！〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　then　looked　at　Tori。　〃It's　almost　three　in　the　morning。　Yes；　you're　right。　We　must　get　to　Star　Town　now。''
　〃But　how；　rade？〃　Sergei　asked。　〃The　tunnels　will　take　us　to　the　streets；　but　what　then？〃
　And　then　Russell　said；　〃We　have　a　car。〃　He　almost　laughed　in　his　relief。　〃Pokov's　car。〃　He　knelt　down；　went　through　Po…kov's　pockets；　stood　up　with　the　key　in　his　hand。
　At　that　moment　the　front　door　to　the　church　crashed　in。
　〃KGB。　Keep　calm！〃
　〃Quickly！〃　Valeri　whispered。　〃This　way！〃
　They　ran　back　through　the　sanctuary；　through　doors　that　Valeri　carefully　closed　and　bolted　behind　them。　He　left　them　for　a　moment；　while　Sergei　continued　to　lead　them　downward。
　They　were　on　the　second　flight　of　stairs　going　down　to　the　crypts　when　Valeri　rejoined　them。　〃I　smashed　out　the　window　in　the　back　of　the　sacristy；〃　he　said。　〃Thinking　we　have　escaped；　they　will　never　find　us　down　here　now。〃
　In　the　crypt　itself　Valeri　turned　to　the　man　with　the　strawberry　birthmark。　〃Sergei；　you　must　stay　here　with　my　daughter。　I　don't　want　her　moved　again　so　soon；　and　in　any　event；　there　won't　be　room　in　the　car　for　everyone。〃
　''I　understand；　rade。''
　''Take　good　care　of　her。''
　〃As　if　she　were　my　own　daughter。〃
　The　two　men　embraced。
　〃Godspeed；　Valeri。〃
　〃I　will　e　for　you　myself；　Sergei。　After　dawn。〃
　Then　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko　was　leading　Tori　and　Russell　into　the　tunnels；　into　the　darkness　and　the　light；　on　his　final　race　to　save　his　country　from　certain　disaster。
　Mars　had　a　murderous　look　in　his　eyes。　〃Stay　away　from　me；〃　he　said　to　Lara　and　Tatiana。　〃I'll　deal　with　you　later。〃　He　strode　through　the　pool　room。　The　women　gaped　at　the　blood　caked　on　him　just　as　the　guards　outside　had。　At　this　time　of　the　night；　there　was　no　one　else　in　the　building。
　Mars　stood　by　the　pool。　In　his　absence　the　Нею　had　awakened　from　his　sleep；　returned　to　the　pool。　Or　perhaps；　in　this　growing　crisis；　he　had　been　awakened。　Mars　stared　down　at　the　Hero。　〃Here；〃　he　said。　〃A　present　for　you。〃　He　swung　the　damaged　Toshiba　in　a　flat　arc；　let　go　of　the　cloth　handles　at　the　apex。　The　puter　in　its　case　flew　into　the　water。　The　resultant　splash　slapped　at　Mars's　shoes　and　trouser　bottoms。
　〃You　see；　Odysseus；　I　don't　need　it　anymore。　And　do　you　want　to　know　why？　But　you　must。　You　can　read　my　mind；　yes？''　The　murderous　look　in　his　eyes　intensified。　〃I　don't　need　the　puter　because　I　have　the　real　thing。〃　He　gave　off　a　feral　grin。　〃My　men　found　my　archenemy；　as　you　so　aptly　put　it。　Even　as　I　say　this；　they　are　bringing　Valeri　Denysovich　here　to　me　for　interrogation。　How　does　that　make　you　feel？〃
　〃Sorry　for　you；〃　the　Hero　said。
　Mars　clenched　his　jaw。　His　fists　balled　into　white　claws。
　〃That's　right；〃　Odysseus　said。　〃Why　fight　it；　rade？　Why　not　jump　into　the　gladiator's　arena　and　have　it　out　with　me；　man　to　man。　That's　what　you　want；　isn't　it？　But　then　again；　it　might　not　be　what　you　think。　It　might　not　be　man　to　man；　but　man　to　。　。　。　well；　what　do　you　think；　Volkov？　You　can't　possibly　know　what　I　am　or　what　I　could　do　to　you　in　here。　So　go　about　your　dirty　little　business　on　dry　land。　Go　on。〃
　Mars　bent　over　the　edge　of　the　pool。　〃You　think　you　know　it　all；　that　you've　got　all　the　answers。　Well；　we'll　see　just　how　clever　you　are　now；　Odysseus！''
　Mars　stalked　to　where　Irina　was　watching　him。　He　reached　out　in　a　blur；　grabbed　a　handful　of　hair；　yanked　it　back　so　hard　that　she　cried　out　as　she　fell　to　her　knees。
　〃Volkov！〃
　Mars　looked　at　Lara　and　Tatiana。　〃If　either　of　you　interferes；　I'll　kill　you。〃　Then　he　slapped　Irina　hard　across　the　face。
　〃Volkov！〃
　〃rade　Volkov　to　you；　Odysseus。〃
　〃rade　Volkov；〃　Odysseus　said。　〃Stop　it。〃
　''Oh；　no；〃　Mars　said。　''It's　gone　too　far　for　that。''　He　yanked　at　Irina's　hair　again；　bending　her　painfully　backward。　She　whimpered。　〃I'm　going　to　hurt　her；　Odysseus。　I　want　you　to　know　that　in　advance；　because　you're　going　to　be　the　principal　witness。〃
　〃She's　just　a　woman；　rade。　Leave　her　out　of　it。〃
　〃But　I　can't；〃　Mars　said　reasonably。　〃She　insinuated　herself　into　my　game。　She　got　one　whiff　of　it　and　she　was　excited　beyond　control。　It　was　her　decision。　She　agreed　to　play　by　my　rules　the　moment　she　seduced　me。〃
　〃She　had　no　way　of　knowing。〃
　〃But　she　did；　Odysseus。　She　seduced　me；　then　she　spied　on　Valeri　Denysovich　for　me。　She　befriended　Natasha　Mayakova；　and　then　she　betrayed　her。　Did　you　know　that？　Betrayed　her　just　like　that。　And　then　she　betrayed　me。　No；　she's　as　cold…blooded　as　any　man　I　ever　met。　She　accepted　the　violence；　and　now　she　must　learn　the　lesson　that　violence　begets　violence。　It's　only　fair；　Odysseus。　Live　by　the　sword；　die　by　the　sword。〃
　〃It's　revenge；　rade。　Revenge；　pure　and　simple。〃
　〃No！〃　Mars　fairly　shouted　it。　〃I　am　speaking　of　justice　here；　not　revenge。〃
　〃Your　definition；　Volkov。　It's　always　your　definition。〃　Odysseus　made　a　disgusted　sound。　〃This　is　your　world。　It　is　my　fate　that　I　am　stuck　in　a　Rome　ruled　by　a　Caesar　such　as　you。　There　is　no　justice　here。　We　are　governed　by　your　whims。　And　isn't　it　ironic？　Who　really　seeks　to　be　the　living　god？　Not　me；　rade。〃
　〃Damn　you　and　your　circumlocutions；〃　Mars　said。　〃Who　taught　you　to　use　language　like　a　weapon？〃
　〃I　act　only　out　of　self…defense；　rade。　Language　is　the　only　weapon　you　allow　me。〃
　〃No；　no；〃　Mars　said。　〃I　have　given　you　too　much　of　what　you　want；　Odysseus。　I　see　now　that　I　have　been　far　too　lenient　with　you。　I　have　bent　rules　for　you…even　broken　one　or　two；　yes。　I　was　like　a　father　indulging　his　only　child；　I　see　that　clearly　now。　And　the　result　is　painfully　predictable。　You　are　willful；　spiteful；　spoiled。　But　now　it　must　end。〃　His　head　snapped　up。　〃Tatiana；　e　here。〃
　Tatiana　did　as　he　manded。
　Arbat　stuck　her　head　out　of　the　water；　began　to　chatter　frantically。
　〃Volkov；〃　Odysseus　said　warily；　〃what　are　you　up　to？〃
　〃This　is　the　end　for　you；　Odysseus。　You　will　learn　to　behave　in　a　proper　way；　to　be　respectful；　to　give　full　and　honest　answers　to　the　questions　put　to　you。〃
　〃Volkov…〃
　〃Shut　up！〃　Mars　snapped。　He　raised　the　gun；　aimed；　pulled　the　trigger　all　in　one　motion。　Tatiana　tumbled　silently　backward　into　the　pool。　Irina　screamed。　The　reverberations　of　the　single　shot　echoed　in　the　pool　room。
　Lara　watched　with　wide　eyes　the　corpse　in　the　pool；　sinking；　then　rising；　rolling　slightly　with　the　lapping　of　the　saltwater　against　the　coping。
　Arbat　stopped　her　furious　clicking。　She　swam　slowly　to　Tatiana's　corpse；　poked　at　it　over　and　over　as　if　she　could　bring　Tatiana　back　to　life。　Then　she　dived　deep　to　the　bottom　of　the　pool。
　''You　bastard！''　Odysseus　said。
　''You　hate　me　now；　don't　you？''　Mars　said。　''Why　don't　you　e　up　here　and　stop　me；　then；　as　a　real　man　would？〃
　〃You're　stupid；　Volkov；〃　Odysseus　said。　〃Like　all　would…be　gods；　your　mind　is　limited　to　the　precepts　of　power。　But　I　think　you'll　find　that　holding　on　to　power　is　far　more　treacherous　than　gaining　it。〃
　Mars　waggled　the　gun。　''I　don't　believe　you're　in　any　position　to　offer　me　advice。　''His　head　swung　around　as　he　watched　Lara　walk　purposefully　across　the　room。
　Odysseus；　seeing　where　she　was　heading；　shouted。　〃No！　Lara；　stay　away　from　there！〃
　A　slow　smile　spread　across　Mars's　face。　〃I　see　that　there　are　truly　no　secrets　from　you；　Odysseus。　I　was　right；　in　the　end；　to　suspect　these　two　women。〃
　Lara　had　reached　the　far　side　of　the　room。　She　took　out　a　set　of　keys；　put　one　in　the　lock　of　a　narrow　wall　cabinet。
　〃Somehow　you　worked　your　magic　on　them；　didn't　you？　Very　impressive。　Both　Tatiana　and　Lara　were　highly　skilled　KGB　agents　until　they　came　under　your　curious　spell。〃
　Odysseus　heard　the　past　tense；　shouted；　〃Volkov；　no！　It's　enough　now！〃
　〃You　must　learn　your　lessons；　my　son；〃　Mars　said。　〃And　they　are　by　definition　hard　lessons。　Your　spitefulness　has　made　them　so。〃
　Mars　waited　until　Lara　had　opened　the　cabinet　before　he　shot　her　twice　in　the　back。
　Lara's　body　was　thrown　aside　as　if　by　an　invisible　fist。　She　had　been　holding　on　to　the　top　of　the　cabinet　door；　and　it　swung　open　to　reveal　the　contents　of　the　arsenal：　a　vertical　line　of　loaded　Kalashnikov's　ready　for　any　emergency。　The　well…oiled　semiautomatic　machine　guns　gleamed　in　the　low　light。
　〃Ah；　God！〃
　Mars　smiled　down　benevolently　at　the　top　of　the　Hero's　bent　head。　〃Good；〃　he　said　gently。　〃You　are　beginning　to　learn　the　true　parameters　of　power。〃　He　reached　out；　almost　as　if　he　were　a　prelate　about　to　bless　a　petitioning　acolyte。
　〃But　not　quite　yet；〃　Mars　said。　He　twined　his　hand　in　Irina's　hair；　jerked　her　head　back　once　again。
　Irina