el.angeleyes-第28节

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　〃White　Star　is　our　first　real　link　to　a　coordinated　Soviet　nationalist　underground；''　Bernard　said。　''Of　course　I　'm　not　going　to　let　it　go。〃
　〃But　how　can　you　do　otherwise？　Even　you　can't　get　a　dime　in　appropriations；　not　when　everyone　believes　you're　walking　into　a　similar　situation　to　what　happened　years　ago。　What　a　fiasco　for　the　Mall。　That　'underground　movement'　turned　out　to　be　the　KGB's　Operation　Boomerang。〃
　'　'Must　you　continually　remind　me　of　that　debacle？''　Bernard　said　testily。
　〃I'm　trying　to　protect　you；〃　Russell　said。　〃The　KGB's　predecessors　tried　the　same　thing　in　the　twenties；　creating　the　Trust。　They　made　believe　the　Trust's　goal　was　the　overthrow　of　Lenin。　They　did　it　so　well；　in　fact；　that　they　took　in　a　load　of　Soviet　emigres；　who　were　lured　back　to　the　motherland；　only　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　Felix　Dzerzhinsky；　head　of　the　OGPU；　who　had　created　the　bogus　counterrevolutionary　organization。　This　is　a　pattern；　Bernard；　and　me　KGB　is　known　for　repeating　patterns。　White　Star…〃
　〃This　time　I　believe　White　Star　is　for　real；〃　Bernard　said。　''It　wants　nothing　less　than　a　union　of　independent　but　centrally　linked　republics…much　like　our　own　states。〃
　〃A　true　Union　of　Soviet　Socialist　Republics？〃　Russell　almost　laughed。
　〃No；　no。　Not　socialist…and　that's　the　point。　Imagine；　Russell！　White　Star　envisions　a　democratic　republic；　the　true　death　of　socialism　in　Russia。　I　am　convinced　this　is　the　only　way　Russia　can　bee　a　viable；　prosperous　nation　in　the　twenty…first　century。　Their　very　survival　depends　on　change。　Russia　wants…and　desperately　needs…to　pete　with　the　likes　of　Japan；　Korea；　Taiwan　for　export　dollars；　but　socialism　is　tying　its　hands　and　feet。　It　needs　a　free…market　economy　just　as　surely　as　it　needs　to　free　its　nationalist　republics　from　their　slavery　to　Moscow。　The　leadership　of　White　Star　understands　this。　But　now　the　temptation　is　to　move　too　fast。　When　one　does　that；　one　gains　unwanted　attention。〃　He　waved　a　hand　in　dismissal。　〃But　enough　of　White　Star。　We　have　more　pressing　matters　to　discuss。〃
　Bernard　had　appeared　to　gain　strength　during　their　walk。　He　said　now；　〃You　may　think　I'm　overly　sentimental　about　Tori　Nunn；　but　you'll　soon　change　your　mind；　believe　me。　Reviewing　the　files；　I　see　now　that　you　rarely　utilized　her　to　her　full　potential。〃
　〃Your　opinion。〃
　〃It's　the　only　one　that　matters。〃　Godwin　softened　his　tone。　〃In　this　instance；　I　happen　to　be　more　objective　than　you。　No　matter　how　often　you　may　deny　it；　Russell；　you　hate　Tori　Nunn's　guts。　And　I　know　why。　You　know　that　if　she　had　'matured；'　as　you　so　inaccurately　put　it；　she　would　have　been　made　director　instead　of　you。　And　she's　right；　you　know。　You're　atrophying　sitting　behind　your　desk。　All　too　soon　you'll　be　no　good　to　me　or　the　Mall。　Neither　of　us　wants　that；　do　we？〃
　The　two　men　resumed　their　walk。　They　were　approximately　in　the　same　place　where　Tori　and　Bernard　had　spoken。　But　now　it　was　later　in　the　day；　and　the　horses　were　gone。　The　hills　seemed　bare　without　them。
　〃Oh；　don't　look　so　downtrodden；〃　Bernard　said。　〃You've　a　chance　to　rectify　your　past　mistakes。　That's　far　more　than　most　men　are　given。〃
　〃Still；〃　Russell　persisted；　〃I　want　some　assurance。　The　possibility　does　exist　that　you　are　wrong　about　her。　She　may　break　the　rules　again　and；　in　so　doing；　endanger　us　all。〃
　〃True　enough；〃　Bernard　said。　〃And　that's　another　sound　reason　for　you　to　take　the　mission　on　with　her。　Who　better　to　detect　a　false　word　or　move　than　you；　Russell？〃
　〃And　if　you　are　wrong？''
　〃Oh；　that's　simple；〃　Bernard　Godwin　said；　heading　back　toward　Central。　〃You're　authorized　to　terminate　her。〃
　〃Since　our　first　stop　will　be　Japan；〃　Russell　said　on　the　way　to　the　airport；　〃I'll　need　a　crash　briefing　on　customs；　current　style；　idioms；　so　forth。〃
　〃We're　not　going　to　Japan；〃　Tori　said。　〃At　least　not　right　away。〃
　〃But　it's　the　Japanese　who…〃
　〃We've　got　to　start　at　the　beginning　if　we're　going　to　get　anywhere；〃　Tori　said。　〃It's　no　good　us　sticking　our　heads　in　at　the　middle　because　we'll　never　know　which　way　to　go；　upstream　or　downstream。〃
　〃But　the　Japanese　are　the　source。　They're　the　logical　choice　to　begin。''
　〃Logic　is　only　successful　in　a　laboratory　maze；〃　Tori　said。　〃Out　in　the　world；　intuition　bridges　the　gaps　logic　can't　cross。〃　From　Central　she　had　phoned　Estilo；　the　Argentine　businessman　who　had　befriended　her；　asking　him　to　meet　them。　She　had　spoken　to　him　for　quite　a　while。　Estilo　talked　about　Ariel　Solares。　He　never　broke　down；　never　actually　said　how　much　he　missed　Solares；　but　then　he　didn't　have　to。　Tori　understood；　just　as　Estilo　knew　she　would。　He　had　always　said　that　she　had　the　soul　of　a　true　porteno。
　〃All　right；〃　Russell　said。　〃Where　are　we　headed？〃
　〃To　Machine…Gun　City；〃　Tori　told　him。
　〃Medellin？〃　Russell　said　incredulously。　〃Colombia？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Tori　said　as　they　climbed　aboard　the　private　727。　The　driver　was　stowing　their　luggage　in　the　belly　of　the　steel　beast。
　〃D'you　know　that　where　you're　taking　us　is　off　limits　even　for　American　diplomatic　personnel？　D'you　know　that　down　there　it　costs　about　eighty　dollars　to　hire　a　mariachi　band　for　the　evening　but　only　ten　to　buy　a　sicario　for　a　hit？〃　Russell　was　talking　about　the　local　teenage　assassins。　〃That　hellhole　has　the　highest　murder　rate　of　any　city　not　at　war。〃
　〃Medellin　is　at　war；〃　Tori　said。　She　turned　to　him。　〃Look；　Russ；　Japanese　or　no　Japanese；　down　to　bare　bones　it's　a　cocaine　pipeline　we're　after；　so　we've　got　to　go　right　to　the　source。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Russell　said；　taking　a　last　look　at　Washington。　He　was　already　feeling　nostalgic　for　his　fortable　surroundings；　his　daily　routine。　〃Right　down　the　barrel　of　a　semiautomatic。〃
　Medellin　was　in　the　west…central　area　of　Colombia；　not　far　from　the　Pacific　Ocean。　It　was　nestled　into　a　deep　valley　within　the　lush　pined　ridges　of　the　Andes。　The　727　was　obliged　to　circle　for　what　seemed　an　eternity　as　it　came　closer　and　closer　to　the　tops　of　those　formidable　peaks　and　then；　breathtakingly；　dropped　below　them。
　Before　landing；　Tori　and　Russell　had　a　good　look　at　the　scenery；　as　sun…drenched　and　gorgeous　as　anything　out　of　a　travel　agent's　brochure。　They　saw　the　spectacular　terraced　orchid　farms；　whose　product　was　Machine…Gun　City's　other　export。
　They　waited　on　the　runway　while　the　flight　crew　shut　down　the　engines。　Tori　went　forward　to　speak　to　the　pilot。　Everyone　on　board　was　a　trained　Mall　operative。
　Fifteen　minutes　went　by；　Russell　began　to　chafe。　He　got　up；　began　to　walk　around　the　cabin。　〃Let's　for　God's　sake　get　out　of　here；〃　he　finally　said。
　Tori　said；　〃You　don't　want　to　go　into　the　terminal。　The　sicarios　who　hang　out　there　will　spot　your　gringo　face　instantly；　and　attach　themselves　like　leeches。〃
　〃So　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃For　the　moment；　we're　going　to　do　nothing；〃　Tori　said；　pointing　out　the　window。
　Russell　bent　over；　saw　two　uniformed　paisas…natives…striding　officiously　across　the　tarmac。　They　clip…clopped　smartly　up　the　rolling　stairway；　entered　the　cabin。
　〃Let　me　have　your　passport；〃　she　said　to　Russell；　and　he　handed　it　over。
　Tori　went　to　meet　the　paisas；　and　Russell　could　hear　her　softly　spoken　Spanish　mingling　with　theirs。　She　did　not　sound　like　a　gringo…he　knew　he　did；　even　though　he　was　fluent　in　Spanish；　as　well　as　several　other　languages。　Tori　had　a　peculiar　facility　for　idiom　and　nuance　that　was　beyond　him。　She　spoke　like　a　native　wherever　she　went。
　Russell　saw　packets　of　bills…U。S。　currency…pass　from　Tori　to　the　uniformed　paisas。　She　handed　them　a　stack　of　passports；　hers；　Russell's；　those　of　the　flight　crew。　All　were　stamped。　A　moment　later　they　had　left；　without　even　having　glanced　Russell's　way。
　Tori　nodded　to　him；　and　they　went　down　the　moving　stairs。　The　uniformed　paisas　had　already　disappeared。　Russell　sucked　in　the　air；　clean　and　crisp；　deliciously　scented；　and　without　any　of　the　usual　oppressive　humidity　found　in　the　cities　at　a　lower　altitude。
　Tori　had　a　satchel　of　parachute　cloth　with　her。　While　they　stood　there　in　the　shadow　of　the　jet；　the　flight　crew　was　already　in　the　process　of　refueling；　going　through　the　myriad　maintenance　checks　necessary　between　flights。
　A　blue　four…door　Renault　drew　up。　She　had　asked　for　it；　because　it　had　a　larger　engine　and　was　heavier　than　either　the　Mazda　or　the　Toyota　that　were　available。　〃Are　you　armed？〃　Tori　asked。
　Russell　shook　his　head。
　Tori　said；　〃Go　back　into　the　plane　and　requisition　something　from　the　pilot。　He's　also　an　armorer。〃　She　climbed　into　the　backseat　of　the　car。
　Russell　did　as　she　suggested；　but　he　was　annoyed。　He　hadn't　taken　a　good　look　at　the　pilot；　he'd　needed　her　to　tell　him　who　his　men　were。　He　was　beginning　to　regret　his　acquiescence　to　this　madness。　But　what　choice　had　he　been　given？　None；　he　told　himself　glumly。　Bernard　had　seen　neatly　to　that。
　Tori　was　already　in　the　back　of　the　Renault　when　he　returned；　huddling　with　the　driver　in　front。　As　soon　as　he　sat　down　beside　her；　the　Renault　took　off。　The　driver；　a　fit…looking　man　with　silver　hair　and　mustache；　wore　wraparound　dark　glasses；　an　open…weave　cotton　shirt；　and　linen　trousers。
　〃Wele　to　Metra…lin；　Senor　Slade；〃　Estilo　said。　He　was　using　the　only　slightly　tongue…in…cheek　slang　that　had　gi