jherbert.sepulchre-第6节

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　　'That　sounds　reasonable；'　Sir　Victor　remarked。　'Thank　you　for　being　so　direct；　Mr　Halloran；　it　saves　time。　Are　you　in　accordance　with　this？'　He　aimed　the　question　at　Mather。
　　Who　smiled　too。　He　was　used　to　Halloran's　bluntness。　'I　suppose　I　have　no　objections；'　he　answered　as　if　wondering　to　himself。
　　'Very　well。'　The　chairman　appeared　to　relax　a　little。　'A　moment　or　two　ago　you　suggested　we　might　need　a　fortune…teller　to　predict　safe　investments　for　the　ongoing　profitability　of　the　Corporation　。　。　。'
　　'A　mild　joke；'　put　in　Mather。　'I　noticed　you　didn't　laugh。'
　　'Nor　would　we。　Would　you　be　surprised　if　I　revealed　that　despite　all　the　highly　sophisticated　research　methods；　our　extensive　statistics　for　forward　planning；　explorations　of　new　territories；　satellite　surveys　using　micro…wave；　ultra…violet　and　infra…red　radiation；　structural　analyses；　advanced　puter　calculations　all　that；　and　more…much　of　our　new　growth　depends　almost　entirely　on　the　special　ability　of　one　person？'
　　'I'd　be　very　surprised；'　Mather　replied　without　hesitation。
　　'As　our　petitors　would　be　if　they　knew。　As　would　the　Press；　and　of　course；　our　shareholders。　Yes；　I　suppose　such　a　revelation　would　create　amusement　in　some　quarters。　And　great　personal　risk　to　our　man　from　others。'
　　'Your　rivals？　Surely　not？'
　　'When　the　stakes　are　so　high；　with　discovery　of　fresh　raw　materials　diminishing　so　rapidly；　access　to　new　fields　proving　more　and　more　difficult　and　expensive；　there　develops　over　the　years　a　petitively　cut…throat　situation…and　I　use　that　term　literally。'
　　'Is　this　why　you　want　your　man　so　heavily　insured？'　asked　Halloran。
　　Sir　Victor　nodded。
　　'He's　already　received　threats？'
　　'Not　exactly。'　Mather　interrupted。　'Look　here；　can　we　slow　this　down　for　a　minute？　I'm　not　clear　at　all　on　just　what　this　employee　of　yours　does　for　Magma。　Are　you　saying　he's　some　kind　of　exploration　wizard？　And　isn't　it　time　we　were　told　his　name？　All　this　nonidentity　business　is　only　serving　to　pound　my　confusion。'　Halloran　knew　the　older　man's　mind　was　far　too　sharp　to　be　fogged　by　anything　said　so　far；　this　was　merely　the　Planner's　way　of　drawing　out　basic　information　that　so　often　prospective　clients　were　reluctant　to　convey。
　　'　〃Exploration　wizard〃　is　not　entirely　correct；　although　〃wizard〃　might　be　appropriate　in　some　respects。'　Sir　Victor　allowed　a　small　laugh　between　himself　and　his　deputy　chairman。　Again　Halloran　found　the　girl；　Cora；　watching　him　closely。
　　'Gentlemen；'　said　Sir　Victor；　his　tone　serious　once　more。　'It's　time　you　met　your…how　is　it　you　refer　to　them？　Target？…yes；　it's　time　you　met　your　target。　I　think　then　all　will　be　made　clear。　At　least；　I　hope　that　will　be　the　case。'　With　that；　he　stood　arid　indicated　a　door　leading　off　from　his　office。　Mather　and　Halloran　rose　too；　both　more　than　a　little　curious。
　　　
　　　
　　　5　THE　WHITE　ROOM
　　
　　He　was　tired。　He'd　had　to　leave　Ireland　discreetly；　travelling　south　by　road　to　Wexford；　hiring　a　boat　to　take　him　from　there　across　to　a　point　just　outside　Newport；　Wales；　the　journey　made　in　the　dead　of　night。　The　sea　had　been　rough；　but　that　hadn't　bothered　Halloran　unduly。　No；　it　was　disappointment　that　had　dragged　his　spirits　down；　exhausted　him。
　　He　hated　to　lose　a　man。　The　negotiations　for　the　release　of　the　kidnap　victim　had　gone　on　for　weeks　with　Halloran　using　all　the　techniques　he　had　learned　over　the　years　dealing　with　terrorists　such　as　these：　when　to　play　tough；　when　to　appease；　when　to　hedge；　when　to　sound　innocently　confused。　Anything　to　gain　more　time　and　information。　The　first　priority　was　always　to　retrieve　the　client　unharmed…unharmed　as　possible；　anyway；　the　capture　of　his　or　her　abductors　a　minor　consideration。　If　that　wasn't　possible；　then　it　was　vital　that　the　kidnappers　did　not　get　their　hands　on　the　ransom　money。　That　would　make　them　too　careless　with　their　victims'　lives　in　future　snatches。　It　would　also　upset　whoever　was　supplying　the　money。
　　Terrorists；　as　opposed　to　the　normal　criminal　（if　there　was　such　an　animal）；　were　always　tricky　to　deal　with；　because　they　were　invariably　neurotic；　unpredictable；　and　given　to　bouts　of　violence　towards　their　captives　and　quite　often　those　negotiating　the　release。　The　IRA　were　different。　Oh；　they　had　all　those　faults；　and　others　not　mentioned；　but　they　could　be　cool　and　calculating…and　sometimes　more　cruel　because　of　it。　There　was　no　trust　in　them；　and　no　trusting　in　them。　They　were　a　conscienceless　and　dangerous　entity。
　　Which　was　why　Halloran　was　so　often　chosen　to　deal　with　them。
　　But　this　current　assignment　with　Magma　puzzled　him。　Not　as　to　why　he　had　been　chosen　to　handle　it…he　worked　best　alone；　when　he　didn't　have　to　rely　on　others…but　more　specifically；　why　the　Corporation　had　allowed　only　one　protector　working　on　the　inside。　For　the　incredible　amount　of　money　for　which　the　target's　life　had　been　insured；　he　should　have　had　a　small　army　around　him；　even　though　he　had　four　bodyguards　of　his　own。　Could　keeping　secret　his　function　for　Magma　be　that　important？　Apparently　SO。
　　They　were　in　yet　another　lift；　the　access　to　which　had　been　in　a　small　ante…chamber　next　door　to　the　chairman's　office；　and　were　rising　towards　the　twenty…second　floor。　Quinn…Reece　was　no　longer　with　them；　having　excused　himself　to　attend　another　meeting　elsewhere。
　　'Two　floor　buttons　only；'　remarked　Mather；　looking　at　the　panel　set　by　the　doors。
　　'This　is　a　private　lift　and　only　travels　between　the　eighteenth　and　twenty…second；'　Sir　Victor　explained。　'A　limited　number　of　employees　are　allowed　to　use　it。'
　　'And　the　twenty…third　and　fourth？'
　　'Living　quarters　and　machinery　rooms；　the　latter　being　at　the　very　top。'　What　price　a　sky…high　penthouse　in　the　heart　of　the　City？　Halloran　silently　mused。　And　whose　penthouse？　The　chairman's？　Maybe　the　target's；　if　he　really　was　that　important　to　the　Corporation。　There　were　a　lot　of　questions　still　hanging　in　the　air。
　　The　lift　walls　were　a　glossy　black；　the　occupants'　reflected　figures　like　shadowy　ghosts　around　them。　The　overhead　light　was　subdued；　and　it　would　have　been　easy　to　imagine　they　were　travelling　below　the　earth's　surface　rather　than　up　towards　the　clouds。
　　Movement　stopped；　a　subtle　sensation；　and　the　doors　parted。　The　corridor　beyond　was　as　gloomy　as　the　lift's　interior。
　　A　heavy…set　man　stood　opposite；　close　to　the　wall；　as　if　he　had　been　awaiting　their　arrival。　His　arms　were　folded　across　a　broad　chest　and　they　dropped　to　his　sides　in　a　token　gesture　of　attention　when　he　saw　the　chairman。
　　'He's　ready　for　us？'　asked　Sir　Victor；　stepping　from　the　lift　first　with　no　deference　to　Cora's　gender　or　courtesy　towards　his　guests。
　　The　man　nodded。　'He's　waiting。'　Just　a　hint　of　civility　in　his　voice；　his　accent　American。
　　From　his　thick…set　stature　and　how　unfortable　he　appeared　in　his　business　suit；　it　was　easy　for　Mather　and　Halloran　to　surmise　that　this　man　was　one　of　the　bodyguards。　His　hair　was　long；　incongruously　（considering　the　staid　suit）　tied　into　a　tail　behind。　Sullen　eyes　set　in　a　pudgy　face　flicked　over　the　visitors。　At　first；　Halloran　had　thought　the　man's　cheeks　were　unusually　ruddy；　but　when　he　moved　closer　he　realised　that　a　patchwork　of　thin；　livid　scars　emblazoned　both　sides　of　his　face。　Without　further　words　the　bodyguard　led　the　way　along　the　corridor；　keeping　at　least　six　feet　ahead　of　the　entourage。　The　walls　on　either　side　were　bare　and　dark　and　Halloran　brushed　fingers　against　one　side。　feeling　a　coarse　material：　the　covering　was　black　hessian。　It　was　unusually　cold　in　that　corridor；　yet　the　gloom　was　beginning　to　feel　stifling。
　　A　turn　to　the　right；　a　large　double…door　facing　them。　Its　surface；　like　the　lift　walls；　was　glossy　black；　and　for　one　startling　moment　Halloran　had　the　impression　of　apparitions　approaching　them。　As　the　bodyguard　leaned　forward；　extending　both　hands　to　grip　the　separate　doorhandles；　his　spectral　reflection　leaned　closer　as　if　to　snatch　him。　Both　sides　of　the　double…door　were　pushed　open；　the　bodyguard　standing　aside　to　allow　the　party　through。
　　The　room　was　huge　and　almost　blindingly　white。
　　'Wele　to　limbo；'　a　voice　said。
　　　
　　　
　　　6　FELIX　KLINE
　　
　　The　man　who　had　spoken　wasn't　what　Mather　or　Halloran　expected　at　all。
　　He　didn't　look　worth　￡50　million。　He　didn't　seem　like　someone　whom　a　multi…national；　first…league　corporation　could　possibly　be　dependent　upon。　He　looked　nothing　like　a　genius；　and　nothing　like　a　wizard。
　　He　was　something　of　a　disappointment。
　　At　first　their　eyes　had　been　stung　by　the　unexpected　dazzle；　the　abrupt　contrast　between　gloom　and　astonishing　brightness。　But　as　they　blinked　away　the　irritation；　they　were　gradually　able　to　take　in　their　new　surroundings。　There　were　no　windows；　and　there　was　no　furniture　apart　from　a　low；　moderate…sized　dais　in　the　centre　of　the　luminously　white　floor。　If　there　were　other　exits　around　the　room；　they　could　not　be　discerned　against　the　white　walls；　at　least　not　until　their　eyes　had　bee　accustomed　to　the　glare。　Even　the　high　ceiling　was　of　white　light。　The　whole　effect　was　of　vast　and　empty　space　which　served　to　make　the　figure　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　dais　seem　even　more　insignifican