el.angeleyes-第43节

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soon　as　the　post…percussion　fire　was　under　control。
　Tori　estimated　they　had　five　minutes；　any　more　would　be　stretching　it。
　They　hit　the　lab　at　once；　smashing　in　the　door；　hearing　bursts　of　semiautomatic　fire　and　answering　with　their　Uzis。　Six　guards　went　down　in　a　hail　of　bullets；　shards　of　glass；　wood；　and　metal。　A　dozen　lab　workers　stood　cringing　with　their　hands　on　their　heads。　The　chemical　stench　was　almost　overpowering；　even　though　the　line　of　windows　at　the　back　of　the　lab　was　open。
　Tori　posted　Estilo　at　the　open　doorway；　where　he　could　cover　the　workers　while　she　and　Russell　roamed　up　and　down　the　aisles。　Zinc…topped　trestle　tables　were　filled　with　huge　metal　buckets　of　cured　cocaine；　but　all　the　''cooking〃　was　being　done　in　vats　outside。　This　was　the　end　product。
　On　another　table　plastic　bags　were　being　filled　with　refined　coke。　〃There's　something　odd　here；〃　Tori　said。
　At　that　moment　Estilo　came　up。　Keeping　his　eye　on　the　workers；　he　said；　〃Did　you　take　a　look　at　the　guards？〃
Tori　shook　her　head。　〃No　time。〃　
〃They're　all　Japanese。〃
　〃Japanese？〃　Russell　went　over　to　where　two　of　the　guards　were　sprawled。　He　turned　one　over；　looked　at　his　face。　〃Japanese；〃　he　confirmed。　Then　he　pulled　back　the　man's　sleeve。　〃Yakuza。　What's　this　all　about？〃　
　〃Protecting　their　investment？〃　Estilo　offered。
　Tori　didn't　think　so。　She　took　a　look　at　the　irizumi；　the　body　tattoos　on　the　man。　She　saw　from　the　intricacy　of　the　irizumi　that　this　man　was　an　underboss。　He　had　been　very　powerful。　That　wasn't　the　way　the　Japanese　Yakuza　worked。　The　underbosses　did　not　like　to　be　so　far　from　home。　He'd　be　here　only　for　the　most　vital　of　reasons。　Coke　was　coke。　He　could　just　as　easily　have　checked　it　at　his　end　of　the　pipeline；　or　sent　a　trusted　underling　here　to　make　certain　of　the　quality。　Then　what　was　he　doing　in　the　middle　of　nowhere？　What　was　so　important…
　Estilo　gave　a　shout；　then　opened　up　with　his　Uzi。　A　worker　who　had　drawn　a　pistol　was　thrown　backward　against　the　zinc…topped　table　where　he　had　been　stuffing　cocaine　into　the　plastic　bags。　As　he　collapsed；　two　of　the　ten…kilo　bags　fell　to　the　floor。　One　burst　open；　and　Tori　made　a　sound　deep　in　her　throat。
　She　and　Russell　went　over　to　the　opened　bag。　Within　the　coke；　something　dark　was　just　visible。　Using　the　tip　of　her　knife　blade；　Tori　pushed　aside　the　white　powder。
　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃　Estilo　said。
　〃A　soft　cell；〃　Russell　said。
　〃What？〃
　Tori　said；　〃It's　a　method　of　smuggling；　unusual　but　invariably　effective。　It　takes　a　convoluted　brain　to　think　of　it。　Contraband　inside　an　altogether　different　type　of　contraband。〃　She　had　uncovered　a　glassine　tube。　It　was　filled　with　pellets。　They　were　of　a　metal　that　was　almost　black；　almost　totally　without　shine。
　〃What　are　they？〃　Russell　said　almost　to　himself。　He　took　the　glassine　envelope；　hefted　it。　〃Heavy。〃
　Tori　was　already　slitting　open　the　second　ten…kilo　bag。　In　its　center；　hidden　by　the　powder；　was　an　identical　glassine　envelope　filled　with　the　same　metallic　pellets。
　〃This　must　be　why　the　Japanese　are　here；〃　she　said。
　〃This　isn't　about　cocaine　smuggling　at　all。〃　Russell　was　staring　at　the　pellets。
　〃No。〃
　''But　what　is　it　about？''
　At　that　moment　Estilo　said；　〃They're　ing。〃
　〃Shit！''　Estilo　shouted　at　the　workers；　herded　them　out　of　the　lab　building。　He　took　a　look　into　the　pound。　〃The　goddamned　army's　arrived。〃
　Russell　looked　at　Tori。　〃Now　we've　had　it；〃　he　said。　
　Tori　said；　〃Take　the　pellets。　Let's　get　going。〃
　Gunfire　began；　and　Estilo　jumped　away　from　the　doorway；　began　to　return　the　fire。
　〃Forget　that　way；〃　Tori　said。　〃Use　the　windows！　When　you　get　out；　head　for　the　airstrip。''
　They　climbed　onto　me　trestle　tables；　launched　themselves　through　the　windows。　They　emerged　high　up　on　the　corrugated　tin　wall；　but　the　underbrush　cushioned　their　fell。
　Immediately；　more　firing　started；　and　the　foliage　around　them　began　to　fly　apart。　Estilo　was　nicked　in　the　fleshy　part　of　his　arm；　shouted　a　curse　in　German；　pulled　Russell　backward　to　safety　behind　a　tree。
　There　were　shouts；　and　Tori　moved　in；　Estilo　and　Russell　behind　her；　fanning　out；　firing　in　short；　accurate　bursts。
　Then　they　were　through　the　hastily　thrown…up　cordon　of　guards；　racing　away　from　the　pound；　toward　me　airstrip　where　the　Twin　Otter　waited；　gleaming　in　the　are　lights　like　an　oasis　in　the　blackness　of　the　night。
　They　were　halfway　to　the　airstrip　when　the　firing　began　again。　A　Jeep　was　careening　out　of　the　pound；　heading　toward　them　in　a　vector　that　would　cut　them　off　from　the　runway。　The　driver　gunned　the　engine；　and　the　two　soldiers　in　back　readied　a　machine　gun　on　a　swivel　mount　bolted　to　the　side　of　the　Jeep。
　〃Christ；〃　Russell　said。
　〃Keep　going！〃　Tori　called。　She　stopped；　began　to　fire　her　Uzi　with　the　blunt　shock　jammed　hard　against　her　left　side。　The　Jeep　did　not　veer　toward　her　as　she　had　wanted　it　to；　but　the　machine　gun　swiveled　in　her　direction。　It　began　to　fire。　With　her　right　hand　Tori　pulled　the　pin　on　a　phosphorus　grenade　tied　to　the　bandolier　she　wore　across　her　chest。　She　ripped　the　grenade　free；　lofted　it　toward　the　Jeep。
　The　driver　saw　it；　pulled　hard　on　the　wheel。　The　Jeep　screamed；　skittered　on　the　rutted　dirt　track；　lurched；　bounced；　came　down　just　as　the　grenade　made　contact。　The　white…green　explosion　peeled　back　the　nearside　fender；　impaled　the　wheel　on　hot　metal；　tore　into　the　engine　housing。
　The　Jeep　bucked；　shot　upward；　passing　vertical；　crashed　down　on　its　top。　No　one　moved　underneath　its　bulk。　Flames　began　to　lick　upward；　then　the　ammunition　ignited。
　Ducking　the　flying　debris；　Tori　ran　in　a　zigzag　pattern；　heading　toward　the　airstrip　where　the　others　had　gone。　And　ran　right
into　a　pair　of　soldiers　who　had　burst　at　a　full　run　from　the　underbrush　surrounding　the　back　of　the　lab。
　One　hit　the　point　of　her　jaw　with　the　stock　of　his　machine　pistol；　the　other　kicked　her　legs　out　from　under　her。　She　fell　to　the　ground；　and　one　of　the　soldiers　smashed　the　toe　of　his　boot　into　her　stomach。　Tori　doubled　over；　gasping　for　air；　struggling　for　equilibrium。
　Then　she　was　hauled　over　on　her　back　and　one　of　the　soldiers　placed　the　muzzle　of　his　pistol　against　the　side　of　her　head。　His　sweat　dripped　onto　her　forehead；　into　her　eyes。　He　stunk　from　cordite　and　male　sweat。
　He　grinned　at　her；　and　she　could　see　the　gaps　between　his　teeth。　〃Adios；　puta；〃　he　said。
　Tori　heard　the　crack　of　the　pistol　and　she　jerked。　But　when　she　looked　up；　she　saw　the　soldier　with　a　stupefied　expression　on　his　face。　Blood　drooled　from　the　center　of　his　forehead。　Then　he　toppled　out　of　her　line　of　vision；　and　she　rolled　into　the　second　soldier；　who　had　lifted　his　machine　pistol。
　Tori　unsheathed　her　knife；　drove　it　upward　in　a　shallow　arc；　into　the　soldier's　lower　belly。　He　gave　a　cry；　his　machine　pistol　sprayed　the　air；　then　he　fell　to　his　knees。
　There　was　plenty　of　life　still　in　him。　He　smashed　his　fists　into　her　side；　and　she　grunted；　twisting　the　knife；　dragging　it　through　his　viscera。　He　hit　her　again　in　the　kidneys　and　her　strength　momentarily　left　her。　Then；　gathering　herself；　she　drew　the　knife　upward　and　across；　disemboweling　him。
　In　a　moment　Russell　was　at　her　side。　He　put　his　。45　against　the　soldier's　head；　pulled　the　trigger。　He　hauled　Tori　to　her　feet。
　〃You　okay？〃
　She　nodded。　''Nice　bit　of　shooting。　Right　between　the　eyes。''
　He　had　to　help　her　a　little　until　the　running　could　work　out　the　soreness　in　her　abdomen　and　side。　Her　jaw　still　ached　from　where　she　had　taken　the　shot　with　the　stock　of　the　machine　pistol。
　They　caught　up　with　Estilo　on　the　edge　of　the　tarmac。　The　Twin　Otter　sat　waiting；　closer　than　ever。　They　trotted　out　onto　the　airstrip。
　The　airplane　loomed　up；　and　Tori　thought；　We've　made　it。　Just　then　they　saw　another　Jeep　careen　onto　the　tarmac。　It　headed　for　them　at　full　speed；　machine　pistols　blazing。
　〃Around　the　other　side！〃　Estilo　called。　〃Get　the　plane　between　us　and　those　guns！〃
　They　ducked　beneath　the　wing　of　the　Twin　Otter。　But　as　soon　as　they　did；　they　could　make　out　an　advancing　column　of　troops　appearing　from　out　of　the　jungle　on　that　side　of　the　plane。　They　were　caught　in　a　tightening　net。
　〃The　plane's　our　only　hope　now；〃　Estilo　said。　〃We've　got　to　get　inside。〃
　〃But　the　moving　stair　is　on　the　other　side；〃　Russell　said。　〃Those　machine　pistols　will　cut　us　to　ribbons　if　we　show　ourselves。〃
　〃Nevertheless；〃　Tori　said；　〃Estilo's　right。　If　we　don't　take　off　in　this　plane；　we're　finished。〃　She　checked　her　Uzi。　〃Reload；''　she　said。　〃Make　sure　you've　got　a　full　magazine。　Okay。''　She　looked　at　their　faces；　pale　and　grim　in　the　reflection　of　the　sodium　are　lights。　〃Let's　go！〃
　They　began　to　fire　even　before　they　came　around　beneath　the　gleaming　belly　of　the　Twin　Otter。　The　Jeep　was　closer　than　they　expected；　the　fusillade　from　the　soldiers　withering。　Already；　they　could　hear　the　pop…pop…pop　of　semiautomatic　rifles　from　the　column　of　soldiers　on　the　other　side　of　the　plane。
　''We'll　never　get　the　moving　stair　in　place！''　Russell　shouted　over　the　din。
　Tori　saw　that　he　was　right。　〃Quick！〃　she　shouted　back。　〃In　there！〃　she　indicated　the　open　cargo　doors。
　Russell　grabbed　Estilo；　shoved　him　into　the　cargo　bay。　Tori　got　off　a　quick　burst　a