el.angeleyes-第32节

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hen　she　lit　up；　inhaling　the　smoke　deep　into　her　lungs。　In　a　moment　her　brown　eyes　went　opaque；　the　pupils　expanding。
　Tori　wanted　to　help　her；　to　reach　out　and　show　her　that　she；　Sonia；　still　existed；　independent　of　Cruz；　the　Orolas；　even　the　ghost　of　her　lover；　Ruben。　But　she　could　see　that　it　was　useless。　She　had　no　illusions　that　Sonia　was　a　good　woman　trapped　in　a　bad　situation。　At　the　moment　Sonia　had　agreed　to　the　Orolas'　plan；　she　had　sold　her　soul　to　the　devil。　There　was　no　turning　back　now；　and　Tori　recognized　that　all　she　could　do　for　this　woman　was　to　make　her　journey　as　painless　as　possible。
　Tori　wondered　to　what　degree　she　could　trust　anyone　here。　For　trust；　one　needed　people；　but　there　were　none　here；　only　soulless　husks　driven　by　greed；　lust；　vengeance。　The　sins　of　the　damned。　The　cocaine…impregnated　smoke　filled　the　room；　making　her　slightly　sick　to　her　stomach。　The　stink　of　corruption　was　everywhere　in　flower。
　〃All　right；〃　Tori　nodded。　But　the　tiny　hairs　at　the　back　of　her　neck　were　stirring。　This　mission　had　bee　a　two…edged　sword；　as　perilous　a　situation　as　was　possible。　She　might　be　helping　out　a　woman　in　distress；　but　she　knew　that　she　had　also　just　made　a　deal　with　a　demon。
　〃You　two　girls　have　a　good　time　in　there？〃　Cruz　laughed。　''What　is　it　you　do　together？　Men　don't　want　to　see　each　other's　pricks；　so　what　is　it　you　girls　want　to　see？〃　He　was　being　deliberately　crude；　baiting　them；　still　feeling　good　after　the　kill。　Blood　did　that　to　some　men。
　〃Actually；〃　Tori　said；　〃Sonia　discussed　something　important　in　there。〃
　〃Yeah？〃　The　contempt　was　plain　on　his　face。　〃What　could　that　be？　The　name　of　a　more　effective　douche？''　Cruz　guffawed；　and　his　lieutenants　grinned　like　trained　animals。
　Tori　stood　in　front　of　him；　said；　〃Sonia　saw　one　of　your　trusted　lieutenants　signal　the　Orola　assassin　at　the　corrida。〃
　〃What？　You're　a　liar。〃　He　yelled　this　with　such　vehemence　that　Sonia　jumped。　''Why　didn't　you　say　this　to　me　right　away？''
　〃She　didn't　really　understand　what　she　saw；〃　Tori　said；　intervening。　〃But　when　I　began　to　question　her；　it　came　out。〃
　〃This　is　impossible！〃　Cruz　shouted。
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Tori　said。　〃That's　how　the　assassin　was　able　to　get　so　close　to　you。　Close　enough　to　use　the　handgun。〃
　Cruz　said　nothing。
　〃Think。　It's　the　only　way　the　assassination　attempt　makes　sense；〃　Tori　said。　〃The　Orolas　have　someone　inside　your　organization。〃
　Cruz　whirled　on　Tori。　〃Nevertheless；〃　he　said　with　a　great　deal　of　menace；　〃why　should　I　trust　you？〃
　〃Besides　the　fact　that　I　saved　your　life　at　the　corrida；　I　can't　think　of　a　single　reason。''
　Cruz　leered　at　her。　〃Perhaps　you　saved　me　for　a　reason；　eh；　chica？〃　He　rubbed　his　thumb　and　forefinger　together。
　〃That　makes　no　difference；〃　Tori　pointed　out。　〃You've　still　got　a　lieutenant　on　the　Orola　payroll。〃
　〃So　you　say。〃
　Tori　made　a　show　of　considering　his　challenge。　She　said；　〃I　think　I　have　a　way　of　proving　to　you　that　we　can　help　you　further。〃　She　nodded　toward　Russell。　〃Senor　Slade　here　is　our　resident　expert　in　moles。〃
　〃In　what？〃　Cruz　asked。
　〃Moles；〃　Russell　repeated。　〃Enemy　agents　placed　within　your　cartel。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　burrowing　underground；〃　Cruz　said。　〃I　see。〃　He　scowled　at　Russell。　〃What　do　you　do？〃
　Russell　remembered　what　Tori　had　said　to　him。　Are　you　good　at　improvisation？　I　hope　so。　〃I　find　moles；〃　he　said。　He　got　off　the　couch；　passed　by　each　of　Cruz's　lieutenants　in　turn。　He　looked　them　straight　in　the　eye。　Some　looked　back　curiously；　others　were　overtly　hostile。　No　one　looked　away。
　Cruz　came　over　beside　Russell。　〃This　is　interesting；〃　he　said。
　Tori　said；　〃I　will　whisper　to　you　the　name　of　the　lieutenant　Sonia　saw　signal　the　Orola　hit　man　at　the　bull　ring。　Without　knowing　what　I　have　said；　Senor　Slade　will　find　your　mole。〃
　〃Is　that　so？〃　Cruz　grunted。　〃Tell　me；　Senor　Slade；　what　do　you　do　when　you　find　these　moles？〃
　Russell　felt　an　overwhelming　desire　to　look　at　Tori；　but　instinctively　knew　that　even　making　eye　contact　with　her　now　would　make　the　paranoid　Cruz　suspect　they　were　working　some　kind　of　scam　on　him。　his　mind　was　racing。　〃There　was　a　Soviet　agent。　I　interrogated　him　until　he　dropped。　That　took　nearly　thirty　straight　hours；　but　in　the　end　the　mole　broke　and　gave　us　everything　we　wanted　to　know。〃
　〃Like　what？〃　Cruz　said　suspiciously。
　〃Like　everything　he　knew　about　the　operations　of　his　own　organization。〃
　Cruz　shrugged。　〃I　already　know　much　of　what　is　happening　inside　the　Orola　cartel。　But　it　would　be　beneficial　to　know　everything。〃　Now　it　was　Cruz　who　was　parading　in　front　of　his　lieutenants；　scowling；　fingering　an　enormous　hunting　knife。　〃And　just　how　did　you　discover　this　mole；　Senor　Slade？〃
　〃Not　any　one　thing；〃　Russell　said；　〃but　many　tiny　mistakes。　They　build　up；　especially　during　an　interrogation。　There　are　signs　I　am　trained　to　see。〃
　Cruz　nodded。　〃It　is　now　almost　four　months　since　I　executed　Ruben　Orola。　Since　then；　his　brothers　have　tried　three　times　to　kill　me；　the　last　one　being　today。〃　He　turned　to　Russell。　〃Therefore；　I　need　you；　the　mole　hunter；　to　track　mine　down　for　me。　Here。　Now。〃
　Tori　stood　beside　Cruz；　whispered　in　his　ear。
　Russell　went　down　me　line　of　Cruz's　lieutenants。　He　hadn't　the　slightest　idea　what　to　look　for；　but　he　found　it　peculiarly　exciting　to　pretend　this　expertise。　Moment　by　moment　he　could　feel　the　power　slipping　into　his　hands；　just　as　he　could　feel　the　tension　and　anxiety　mounting　as　he　spoke　to　each　lieutenant　in　turn；　watched　the　cast　of　his　eye；　the　tic　of　a　facial　muscle；　the　thin　sheen　of　sweat　on　upper　lip　or　forehead。
　He　came　at　length　to　the　last　lieutenant　and　knew　that　he　would　soon　have　to　give　Cruz　a　name。　Further；　it　had　to　be　the　same　name　that　Tori　had　whispered　in　Cruz's　ear。　How　was　he　to　do　that？
　Russell　stood　at　an　angle　to　the　last　lieutenant；　ostensibly　to　observe　him　better。　But　at　the　same　time　he　could　now　see　Tori　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　Russell　saw　her　left　hand　down　by　her　side。　Then　he　saw　it　move　marginally。　Her　forefinger　and　middle　fingers　were　extended；　the　others　curled　into　her　palm。　Like　a　baseball　catcher　calling　for　a　curveball；　Russell　thought。　The　second　lieutenant。
　Russell　pleted　his　interrogation；　moved　back　up　the　line　until　he　was　behind　the　second　lieutenant。　〃This　is　the　mole；〃　he　said　without　hesitation。　〃Jorge；〃　Tori　said。　〃You　see？〃
　〃Lavaperro！〃　Dogwasher！　Cruz　screamed；　and　grabbing　the　man　both　Tori　and　Russell　had　indicted；　slammed　him　back　against　the　wall。　Jorge　was　babbling　his　innocence；　but　Cruz　was　clearly　not　listening。　Cocaine；　whether　as　an　addiction　or　a　product　in　which　to　traffic；　bred　paranoia。
　〃Knife；〃　Cruz　said；　holding　out　his　hand。　Another　lieutenant　stepped　forward；　slipped　him　a　U。S。　Marine　KA…BAR。　Cruz　took　it；　slashed　the　blade　laterally　across　Jorge's　throat。　While　the　blood　gushed　onto　him；　Cruz　pried　open　Jorge's　jaws；　cut　out　his　tongue。　The　body　slid　to　the　floor。
　Cruz　held　up　the　tongue　like　a　trophy。　Tori　could　see　that　he　felt　like　the　matador　in　the　corrida　as　he　withdrew　the　killing　sword　from　the　bull's　heart。　He　said；　〃Send　this　to　the　Orolas。　And　make　sure　you　pack　it　good　in　dry　ice。　I　want　them　to　get　it　fresh；　like　at　the　best　restaurant。〃　He　erupted　in　a　savage　laugh。　〃I'm　only　sorry　I　won't　be　there　to　see　their　faces　when　they　get　it。〃
　He　turned　to　Estilo。　〃You　feel　more　secure　now？〃　He　had　begun　to　strut　again；　his　old　bravado　returning。　He　turned　to　Russell　and　grinned。　〃I　am　grateful　for　your　assistance。　What　would　you　consider　proper　payment？　Money？　Cocaine？　A　boat？　Helicopter？　A　plane；　perhaps？　This　is　Medellin；　gringo。　Nothing　is　impossible　here。〃　His　grin　widened。　〃You　are　about　to　learn；　Senor　Slade；　that　here　in　Machine…Gun　City　our　shopping　malls　are　open　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　And　the　price　is　always　right。〃
　〃We　want　none　of　these　things；〃　Russell　said；　〃though　we　are　grateful　for　the　offer。　We　need；　instead；　some　information。〃
　〃Oh？〃　Cruz's　expression　showed　that　he　was　not　pleased　with　the　sudden　turn　in　the　conversation。　〃What　kind　of　information？　I　am　not　an　informer。　I　don't　deal　information。〃
　Before　his　face　darkened　too　much；　Sonia　stepped　between　the　two　men。　She　stood　very　close　to　Cruz；　and　reaching　between　her　breasts；　she　drew　out　a　stone　on　a　gold　chain。　She　took　his　hand　gently　in　hers；　squeezed　it　into　a　fist　around　the　stone。　〃Listen　to　me；　согаzoп；〃　she　said。　〃These　people　are　lucky　for　us。　I　can　feel　it。　Can　you　feel　it；　too；　now？　The　stench　of　the　Orolas　is　gone。　And　the　sour　taste　of　business　since　you　sent　Rega　to　Buenos　Aires；　since　he　was　murdered；　is　about　to　end。　These　people　are　a　sign　of　that　change。　Can　you　feel　it；　согагoп？　Feel　it　now。　The　rich　taste　of　money　is　ing；　ing　back。〃
　Tori；　who　was　the　only　one　close　enough　to　Cruz　and　Sonia　to　hear　this　exchange；　was　both　fascinated　and　repelled。　The　tone　of　Sonia's　voice；　the　look　in　her　eyes　as　they　searched　his；　was　so　intimate；　so　blatantly　sexual；　that　Tori　could　almost　imagine　they　were　making　love　right　here　in　front　of　everyone。
　But　now　she　had　one　piece　of　the　puzzle。　Rega　had　been　working　for　Cruz。　Then　why　did　the　Yakuza　kill　him？　What　had　one　of　them　said？　His　use　was　at　an　end。
　〃When　the　Orola