dk.solesurvivor-第31节

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　　'Finding　anything？'
　　'No。　He　seemed　like　a　rock…solid　guy。　This　was　also　at　the　time　when　I　was　pressing　the　hardest　to　go　public　with　what　had　happened　to　certain　evidence。　I　was　staying　in　a　hotel。　I'm　a　reasonably　sound　sleeper。　At　two…thirty　in　the　morning；　someone　switched　on　my　nightstand　lamp　and　put　a　gun　in　my　face。'
　　
　　After　years　of　waiting　for　Go…Team　calls；　Barbara　had　long　ago　overe　a　tendency　to　shed　sleep　slowly。　She　woke　to　the　click　of　the　lamp　switch　and　the　flood　of　light　as　she　would　have　awakened　to　the　ringing　telephone：　instantly　alert　and　clearheaded。
　　She　might　have　cried　out　at　the　sight　of　the　intruder；　except　that　her　shock　pinched　off　her　voice　and　her　breath。
　　The　gunman；　about　forty；　had　large　sad　eyes；　hound…dog　eyes；　a　nose　bashed　red　by　the　slow　blows　of　two　decades　of　drink；　and　a　sensuous　mouth。　His　thick　lips　never　quite　closed；　as　though　waiting　for　the　next　treat　that　couldn't　be　resisted…cigarette；　whiskey；　pastry；　or　breast。
　　His　voice　was　as　soft　and　sympathetic　as　a　mortician's　but　with　no　unctuousness。　He　indicated　that　the　pistol　was　fitted　with　a　sound　suppressor；　and　he　assured　her　that　if　she　tried　to　call　for　help；　he　would　blow　her　brains　out　with　no　concern　that　anyone　beyond　the　room　would　hear　the　shot。
　　She　tried　to　ask　who　he　was；　what　he　wanted。
　　Hushing　her；　he　sat　on　the　edge　of　her　bed。
　　He　had　nothing　against　her　personally；　he　said；　and　it　would　depress　him　to　have　to　kill　her。　Besides；　if　the　IIC　of　the　probe　of　Flight　353　were　to　be　found　murdered；　inconvenient　questions　might　be　asked。
　　The　sensualist's　bosses；　whoever　they　might　be；　could　not　afford　inconvenient　questions　at　this　time；　on　this　issue。
　　Barbara　realized　that　a　second　man　was　in　the　room。　He　had　been　standing　in　the　corner　near　the　bathroom　door；　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed　from　the　gunman。
　　This　one　was　ten　years　younger　than　the　first。　His　smooth　pink　face　and　choirboy　eyes　gave　him　an　innocent　demeanour　that　was　belied　by　a　disquietingly　eager　smile　that　came　and　went　like　the　flickering　of　a　serpent's　tongue。
　　The　older　man　pulled　the　covers　off　Barbara　and　politely　asked　her　to　get　out　of　bed。　They　had　a　few　things　to　explain　to　her；　he　said。　And　they　wanted　to　be　certain　that　she　was　alert　and　attentive　throughout；　because　lives　depended　on　her　understanding　and　believing　what　they　had　e　to　tell　her。
　　In　her　pyjamas；　she　stood　obediently　while　the　younger　man；　with　a　flurry　of　brief　smiles；　went　to　the　desk；　withdrew　the　chair　from　the　kneehole　and　stood　it　opposite　the　foot　of　the　bed。　She　sat　as　instructed。
　　She　had　been　wondering　how　they　had　gotten　in；　as　she'd　engaged　both　the　deadbolt　and　the　security　chain　on　the　door　to　the　corridor。　Now　she　saw　that　both　of　the　doors　between　this　hotel　room　and　the　next…which　could　be　connected　to　form　a　suite　for　those　guests　who　required　more　space…stood　open。　The　mystery　remained；　however；　for　she　was　certain　that　the　door　on　this　side　had　been　securely　locked　with　a　deadbolt　when　she　had　gone　to　bed。
　　At　the　direction　of　the　older　man；　the　younger　produced　a　roll　of　strapping　tape　and　a　pair　of　scissors。　He　secured　Barbara's　wrists　tightly　to　the　arms　of　the　straight…back　chair；　wrapping　the　tape　several　times。
　　Frightened　of　being　restrained　and　helpless；　Barbara　nonetheless　submitted　because　she　believed　that　the　sad…eyed　man　would　deliver　on　his　threat　to　shoot　her　point…blank　in　the　head　if　she　resisted。　With　his　sensuous　mouth；　as　though　sampling　the　contents　of　a　bonbon　box；　he　had　savoured　the　words　blow　your　brains　out。
　　When　the　younger　man　cut　a　six…inch　length　of　tape　and　pressed　it　firmly　across　Barbara's　mouth；　then　secured　that　piece　by　winding　a　continuous　length　of　tape　twice　around　her　head；　she　panicked　for　a　moment　but　then　regained　control　of　herself。　They　were　not　going　to　pinch　her　nose　shut　and　smother　her。　If　they　had　e　here　to　kill　her；　she　would　be　dead　already。
　　As　the　younger　man　retreated　with　his　tremulous　smiles　to　a　shadowy　corner；　the　sensualist　sat　on　the　foot　of　the　bed；　opposite　Barbara。　Their　knees　were　no　more　than　a　few　inches　apart。
　　Putting　his　pistol　aside　on　the　rumpled　sheets；　he　took　a　knife　from　a　jacket　pocket。　A　switchblade。　He　flicked　it　open。
　　Her　fear　soaring　again；　Barbara　could　manage　to　draw　only　quick　shallow　breaths。　The　resultant　whistling　in　her　nose　amused　the　man　sitting　with　her。
　　From　another　jacket　pocket；　he　withdrew　a　snack…size　round　of　Gouda　cheese。　Using　the　knife；　he　removed　the　cellophane　wrapper　and　then　peeled　off　the　red　wax　skin　that　prevented　the　Gouda　from　developing　mould。
　　Carefully　eating　thin　slivers　of　cheese　off　the　wickedly　sharp　blade；　he　told　Barbara　that　he　knew　where　her　son；　Denny；　lived　and　worked。　He　recited　the　addresses。
　　He　also　knew　that　Denny　had　been　married　to　Rebekah　for　thirteen　months；　nine　days；　and…he　consulted　his　watch；　calculated　…fifteen　hours。　He　knew　that　Rebekah　was　six　months　pregnant　with　their　first　child；　a　girl；　whom　they　were　going　to　name　Felicia。
　　To　prevent　harm　from　befalling　Denny　and　his　bride；　Barbara　was　expected　to　accept　the　official　story　about　what　had　happened　to　the　tape　from　the　cockpit…voice　recorder　on　Flight　353…a　story　that　she　had　rejected　in　discussions　with　her　colleagues　and　that　she　had　set　out　to　disprove。　She　was　also　expected　to　forget　what　she　had　heard　on　the　enhanced　version　of　that　tape。
　　If　she　continued　to　seek　the　truth　of　the　situation　or　attempted　to　express　her　concerns　to　either　the　press　or　the　public；　Denny　and　Rebekah　would　disappear。　In　the　deep　basement　of　a　private　redoubt　soundproofed　and　equipped　for　prolonged　and　difficult　interrogations；　the　sensualist　and　his　associates　would　shackle　Denny；　tape　open　his　eyes；　and　force　him　to　watch　while　they　killed　Rebekah　and　the　unborn　child。
　　Then　they　would　surgically　remove　one　of　his　fingers　every　day　for　ten　days…taking　elaborate　measures　to　control　bleeding；　shock；　and　infection。　They　would　keep　him　alive　and　alert；　though　steadily　less　whole。　On　the　eleventh　and　twelfth　days；　they　would　remove　his　ears。
　　They　had　a　full　month　of　imaginative　surgery　planned。
　　Every　day；　as　they　took　another　piece　of　him；　they　would　tell　Denny　that　they　would　release　him　to　his　mother　without　further　harm　if　she　would　only　agree　to　cooperate　with　them　in　a　conspiracy　of　silence　that　was；　after　all；　in　the　national　interest。　Vitally　important　defence　matters　were　involved　here。
　　This　would　not　be　entirely　true。　The　part　about　the　national　interest　was　true；　from　their　point　of　view；　at　least；　even　though　they　could　not；　of　course；　explain　to　Barbara　how　the　knowledge　she　possessed　was　a　threat　to　her　country。　The　part　about　her　being　able　to　earn　Denny's　release　by　cooperation　would　not　be　true；　however；　because　once　she　failed　to　honour　a　pledge　of　silence；　she　would　not　be　given　a　second　chance；　and　her　son　would　be　forever　lost　to　her。
　　They　would　deceive　Denny　solely　to　ensure　that　he　would　spend　the　last　month　of　his　life　desperately　wondering　why　his　mother　had　so　stubbornly　condemned　him　to　such　excruciating　pain　and　horrible　disfigurement。　By　the　end；　half　mad　or　worse；　in　deep　spiritual　misery；　he　would　curse　her　vehemently　and　beg　God　to　let　her　rot　in　Hell。
　　As　he　continued　to　carve　the　tiny　wheel　of　Gouda　and　serve　himself　off　the　dangerous　point　of　the　blade；　the　sensualist　assured　Barbara　that　no　one…not　the　police；　not　the　admittedly　clever　FBI；　not　the　mighty　United　States　Army…could　keep　Denny　and　Rebekah　safe　forever。　He　claimed　to　be　employed　by　an　organization　with　such　bottomless　resources　and　extensive　connections　that　it　was　capable　of　promising　and　subverting　any　institution　or　agency　of　the　federal　or　state　governments。
　　He　asked　her　to　nod　if　she　believed　him。
　　She　did　believe　him。　Implicitly。　Without　reservation。　His　seductive　voice；　which　seemed　to　lick　each　of　his　hideous　threats　to　savour　the　texture　and　astringency　of　it；　was　filled　with　the　quiet　confidence　and　smug　superiority　of　a　megalomaniac　who　carries　the　badge　of　a　secret　authority；　receives　a　fortable　salary　with　numerous　fringe　benefits；　and　knows　that　in　his　old　age　he　will　be　able　to　rely　upon　the　cushion　of　a　generous　civil…service　pension。
　　He　then　asked　her　if　she　intended　to　cooperate。
　　With　guilt　and　humiliation　but　also　with　utter　sincerity；　she　nodded　again。　Yes。　She　would　cooperate。　Yes。
　　Studying　a　pale　oval　of　cheese　like　a　tiny　filleted　fish　on　the　point　of　the　blade；　he　said　that　he　wanted　her　to　be　deeply　impressed　with　his　determination　to　ensure　her　cooperation；　so　impressed　that　she　would　be　in　no　danger　of　forsaking　the　pledge　she　had　just　made　to　him。　Therefore；　on　their　way　out　of　the　hotel；　he　and　his　partner　would　select；　at　random；　an　employee　or　perhaps　a　guest…someone　who　just　happened　to　cross　their　path…and　would　kill　that　person　on　the　spot。　Three　shots：　two　in　the　chest；　one　in　the　head。
　　Stunned；　Barbara　protested　from　behind　the　gag；　contorting　her　face　in　an　effort　to　twist　the　tape　and　free　her　mouth。　But　it　was　pulled　cruelly　tight；　and　her　lips　were　stuck　firmly　to　the　adhesive；　and　the　only　a