el.angeleyes-第55节

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SEVEN
MACHINE…GUN　CITY/TOKYO

　Estilo　was　all　for　killing　Cruz　the　moment　they　landed　back　in　Medellin；　but　Russell　said　absolutely　not。　Tori　had　told　them；　during　the　flight　back　to　Machine…Gun　City；　of　her　promise　to　Sonia。　Dawn　was　breaking；　the　heavy　disk　of　the　sun　painting　the　clouds　with　golds　and　reds；　as　if　it　had　set　them　on　fire。
　〃We　are　not　assassins；〃　Russell　said；　being　his　usual　meticulously　logical　self；　reminding　them　point　by　point　of　how　life　must　be　led。　〃I　do　not　want　to　involve　ourselves　with　these　people　any　more　than　we　already　are。　And　I　can't　see　any　reason　to　do　the　Orolas'　dirty　work　for　them。〃
　〃Forgive　me　for　saying　so；　Senor　Slade；〃　Estilo　broke　in；　〃but　you're　missing　the　point。　It　is　a　matter　of　honor。　This　is　no　longer　business；　otherwise　I　would　wholeheartedly　agree　with　you。　It's　personal。〃
　Tori　glanced　at　Estilo。　She　had　never　known　him　to　be　so　bloodthirsty　before。　He　was　a　chanta；　a　slick　operator。　Pointing　a　gun　at　someone's　head　and　pulling　the　trigger　was　not　good　business。　Ask　Cruz。　He　had　done　that　to　Ruben　Orola；　and　just　look　what　had　happened：　almost　assassinated　twice；　stalked　by　his　own　mistress；　about　to　be　betrayed　by　everyone　on　this　plane。　Not　that　he　deserved　anything　less。　It　was　merely　a　lesson　to　be　learned。
　〃I　'm　concerned　with　neither　honor　nor　emotion；　merely　with　getting　out　of　here　in　one　piece；〃　said　Russell；　the　pragmatist。　〃The　Medellin　Cartel　has　bought　the　local　police；　the　judiciary；　maybe　even　members　of　the　Colombian　government　and　our　own　DEA；　which　was　driven　pletely　out　of　Cruz's　territory　two　years　ago。〃
　〃How　about　justice？〃　Tori　asked　him。　〃Without　Sonia's　help　at　Cruz's　apartment；　we　never　would　have　lived　to　get　to　the　llano　negro　and　the　cocaine　factory。　We　never　would　have　found　this。''　She　lifted　up　the　glassine　tube　filled　with　the　dark　metallic　pellets：　the　center　of　the　soft　cell　they　had　discovered　in　the　bags　of　coke。
　〃Fuck　justice；〃　Russell　said。　〃This　is　Colombia。　No　one　here　ever　heard　of　justice。''
　Russell　was　reminded　of　how　he　had　met　Bernard　Godwin。　It　had　been　near　the　end　of　his　graduate　studies　at　Wharton。　Bernard　had　e　to　lecture　on　the　nature　of　justice；　which；　he　had　contended；　was　a　wholly　man…made　concept；　and　therefore　subject　to　the　distortions　and　rationalizations　only　humans　could　bring　to　something　of　their　own　creation。　In　nature；　Bernard　had　argued；　there　is　no　such　thing　as　justice；　only　life　and　death。
　Russell　recalled　how　taken　he　had　been　with　the　lecture；　and　with　Bernard　Godwin。　Years　later　he　realized　that　Godwin　had　e　to　the　campus　on　a　recruiting　mission　for　the　Mall；　but　even　that　knowledge　could　not　diminish　his　admiration　of　Godwin's　mind。
　Godwin　had　known　Russell's　background：　how　his　peculiar　genius　with　logic　and　numbers　had　estranged　him　from　his　family。　As　prodigies　often　will；　he　had　frightened　his　parents　and　had　caused　his　brother　to　feel　stupid。
　〃We're　both　people　who　are　all　alone；〃　Bernard　had　said　to　Russell。　〃People　who　can　understand　the　depth　of　mitment　to　an　abstract：　a　concept；　an　ideal。〃
　〃Like　justice？〃　Russell　had　said。
　And　Bernard　Godwin　had　laughed；　put　his　arm　around　the　young　Russell　Slade。　〃Just　so。〃
　Now；　sitting　in　a　smuggler's　airplane；　on　his　way　back　from　the　llano　negro；　Russell　could　still　hear　Bernard's　voice　speaking　softly；　seductively；　in　his　ear。　So　much　power。　Hooking　up　with　Bernard　had　been　like　having　a　pipeline　directly　to　God；　Russell　thought。　But　so　much　has　changed　since　then。
　The　cockpit　grew　warm　as　the　sun；　lifting　above　the　cloud…bank　to　their　rear；　streamed　through　the　windows；　following　them　back　to　Medellin。　Tori　broke　off　large　chunks　of　a　candy　bar；　handed　them　around。　Estilo　manned　the　radio；　monitoring　traffic；　speaking　softly　into　the　mike　now　and　then。
　〃Have　you　forgotten；〃　Tori　said　to　Russell；　〃that　it　was　Cruz's　sicarios　who　came　after　us　on　the　way　in　from　the　airport？〃
　〃Okay；　while　we're　on　the　subject；　it　was　Cruz　who　loaned　us　one　of　his　helicopters　so　we　could　get　to　llano　negro；''　Russell　pointed　out。
　〃Jesus；〃　Estilo　said。
　Tori　said；　〃Let's　by　all　means　kiss　him　on　both　cheeks　the　next　time　we　see　him。　I　don't　think　you're　seeing　this　situation　clearly。　I　made　a　promise　to　Sonia；　and　I'm　going　to　keep　it。〃
　〃You'll　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　Russell　said。　〃You　made　one　mistake；　but　I'll　be　damned　if　I'll　let　you　make　another。　You　had　no　right　to　promise　that　woman　anything。　She　obviously　got　to　you　on　an　emotional　level；　but　I'm　ordering　you　to　put　aside　your　emotions…they're　far　too　dangerous　out　here　in　the　field。　This　is　the　end　of　your　maverick　ride；　Tori。〃
　〃Like　hell　it　is；〃　Tori　said。　〃If　you　won't　help；　Estilo　and　I　will…〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　Russell　snapped。　〃You　signed　on　with　the　Mall；　and　you've　got　to　learn　discipline。　You'd　better　start　right　now。　We're　back　to　civilization；　and　my　word　is　law。〃
　〃If　you　think　Machine…Gun　City　is　civilization；　Senor　Slade；〃　Estilo　said；　〃you're　dead　wrong。〃
　Estilo's　words　turned　out　to　be　more　prophetic　than　even　he　could　have　imagined。　The　plane　was　met　at　Medellin　airport　by　Cruz　and　his　cadre　of　sicarios。　None　of　them　were　shy　about　brandishing　their　MAC…10's。
　The　engines　of　the　Twin　Otter　were　still　idling　when　Cruz　directed　the　moving　stair　against　the　airplane's　side；　began　climbing　it。　Tori　went　aft；　opened　the　door。　The　three　of　them　were　waiting　for　him　when　he　entered　the　cabin。　His　sicarios　piled　in　after　him；　immediately　beginning　a　thorough　search　of　the　entire　plane。　Cruz　watched　them　carefully　while　he　waited。　He　said　nothing。
　〃No　cocaine？〃　he　said　at　last　when　the　sicario　leading　the　cadre　returned；　shaking　his　head　negatively。　Then　the　sicario　handed　over　the　glassine　packet　of　metallic　pellets。
　〃We　weren't　there　for　the　coke；〃　Russell　said；　deliberately　ignoring　the　glassine　packet。
　〃Ah。　Then　did　you　discover　who　is　running　the　cocaine　factory？〃
　〃No。　We　got　something　of　a　rude　weling。〃　
　〃Then　you　were　inept。〃　Cruz　gave　them　a　wide　grin。　He　hefted　the　packet。　''But　I　see　for　all　that；　you　didn't　e　away　empty…handed。〃
　Russell　said；　〃You　mean　this　plane？〃　
　Cruz's　nasty　laugh　echoed　in　the　confined　space　of　the　cabin。　He　stared　at　the　packet。　〃This　must　be　very　valuable…to　you。''　He　lifted　his　gaze。　〃But　then　everything　bees　valuable；　sooner　or　later。　Take　information；　for　instance。　While　you　were　gone；　I　received　some。　It　seems　that　Sonia　had　been　the　lover　of　Ruben　Orola；　the　bastard　I　blew　away　last　year。　Now　isn't　that　interesting？　Of　course；　Sonia　thought　it　interesting。　She'd　tell　you　so　herself；　but　sadly；　she　could　not　be　here　with　us　today。　She　met　with　an　unfortunate　accident。　She　went　for　a　walk　in　the　wrong　part　of　town；　and　someone　shot　her。　Foolish　girl。　How　many　times　was　she　warned？〃
　In　the　silence　that　followed；　Cruz　stepped　up　to　Russell；　stared　him　in　the　eye。　〃I　don't　know　what　your　game　is；　but　it's　ended　now。　You　have　an　hour　to　get　out　of　Medellin。　After　that〃…he　shrugged…　''I　can　make　no　assurances　concerning　your　safety。''
　〃We'd　be　only　too　happy　to　leave；〃　Russell　said　amiably。　〃Just　give　his　our　package　and…〃
　〃But　no；〃　Cruz　said。　〃I　must　exact　payment　for　the　use　of　my　helicopter；　not　to　mention　me　inconvenience　your　visit　has　caused　me。〃
　〃That　package　is　of　no　use　to　you；〃　Russell　said。　
　〃Perhaps。　But　this　plane　is。〃　Cruz　studied　Russell。　〃And　it　is　enough　to　know　that　I　have　something　you　want。　In　a　few　days　I　may　throw　it　away…who　knows；　who　cares…but　it　is　mine　to　do　with　as　I　wish。〃
　He　turned；　was　walking　away；　when　Russell　said；　〃I　challenge　you。〃　Russell's　heart　was　beating　fast；　and　he　felt　a　sick　sensation　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。
　Cruz　paused。　Without　turning　around；　he　said；　〃You're　a　gringo。　Why　should　I…〃
　〃It　was　this　gringo　who　found　the　Orola　mole　inside　your　organization。　You'd　be　dead　without　me。〃　Russell　grinned。　Somewhere；　a　voice　inside　his　head　was　screaming　for　him　to　shut　up；　but　he　would　not。　He　had　to　prove　that　he　could　pull　his　weight　in　the　field。　Along　about　the　time　when　bullets　were　whistling　past　his　head　in　the　llano　negro　it　had　occurred　to　Russell　that　Bernard　Godwin　had　deliberately　sent　him　into　the　field　as　a　taunt；　a　humiliation　for　not　having　e　up　in　the　Mall　in　the　same　way　Bernard　himself　had。　Russell　was　determined　not　to　give　Bernard…or　Tori…the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　psychologically　torn　apart　by　field　work。　〃Besides；〃　Russell　went　on；　〃your　sicarios　might　wonder　at　the　reason　you　won't　listen　to　my　challenge。　Is　it　that　I'm　just　a　gringo？　Or　have　you　bee　afraid？　Are　you　being　soft　and　weak？〃
　Cruz　whirled　around；　his　face　was　flushed　with　rage。　〃When　I　discovered　what　Sonia　had　been…an　Orola　spy…1　shot　her　myself。　I；　Castro　Cruz。　I　put　the　barrel　of　my　gun　into　her　mouth　and　pulled　the　trigger。　I　was　looking　into　her　eyes　the　entire　time。　I　watched　the　ing　of　death；　I　saw　it　claim　her。　Does　this　sound　soft　and　weak？〃　He　walked　up　to　Russell。　〃And　now　I　have　to　ask　myself　if　Jorge　was　indeed　the　Orola　spy　you　claimed　he　was；　or　why　you；　the　spy　hunter；　missed　Sonia。〃
　〃I　wasn't　looking　at　Sonia；〃　Russell　said。　In　his　mouth　was　the　taste　of　metal；　bitter　and　nauseating。　''Take　my　challenge。''
　Cruz　glanced　ar