jherbert.sepulchre-第63节

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　　Shay　could　only　shake　his　head　in　a　stupefied　gesture。
　　'Let's　leave　this　heathen　place；　Danny！　There's　no　good　for　us　here！'　The　leader　climbed　to　his　feet；　bringing　Flynn　up　with　him；　his　eyes　never　leaving　the　monstrosity　growing　from　the　lake；　this　seen　through　a　screen　of　driving　rain。　McGuire　joined　them；　afraid　to　be　left　standing　alone。　He　clutched　at　Shay's　other　arm。
　　'There's　no　turning　back！'　the　leader　yelled。　'Whatever　devil's　work　this　is；　it　doesn't　matter！　It'll　not　stop　us　doing　our　job！'
　　'No；　it's　a　bad　business；　Danny！'　McGuire　protested。
　　Shay　hit　him；　a　back…swipe　of　his　hand。　'You'll　do　as　you're　told！　The　house　is　close；　an'　he's　in　there！　We'll　not　leave　until　it's　settled！'　He　shoved　both　men　from　him；　forcing　them　to　turn　their　backs　on　the　lake　with　its　phenomenon　that　could　only　be　some　kind　of　illusion…there　really　couldn't　be　any　reality　to　such　a　vision。　Although　。　。　。　although　didn't　he　see　for　himself　two　of　his　own　men　dragged　down　into　its　terrible　depths？
　　Shay　began　running；　cutting　out　further　thought；　intent　on　one　purpose　alone；　urging　McGuire　and　Flynn　to　follow。　They　did　for；　scared　though　they　were；　disobedience　was　unthinkable。
　　They　did　their　best　to　ignore　the　squishy　gurgling　of　the　sinuous　island　as　it　heaved　itself　from　the　water；　resisting　the　temptation　（it　was　as　though　there　were　whispered　entreaties　in　their　minds　to　do　so）　to　turn　round　and　watch。　They　kept　their　eyes　on　the　manor　house　which　was　now　but　a　short　distance　away。
　　Most　of　the　lights　were　on；　a　weling　relief　despite　the　duty　they　were　bound　to　perform；　a　glorious　beacon　in　the　darkness　they　had　travelled　through。
　　They　found　themselves　on　firmer　ground；　gravel　crunching　under　their　feet　as　they　dashed　forward；　no　caution　in　their　untidy　gait。　There　was　a　porch　at　the　front；　an　entrance　like　a　darkened　cave。　Flynn　strove　to　keep　up　with　the　others；　the　pain　in　his　ankle　a　handicap；　his　hand　tucked　into　his　anorak　pocket　touching　the　revolver　there　for　fort。　He　suddenly　slid　to　a　halt。
　　There　were　headlights　ing　towards　them！
　　A　car　on　the　road；　moving　fast；　freezing　them　in　its　searching　beams。　It　skidded　to　a　stop　twenty　yards　away。　Doors　were　opening。　Someone　was　shouting。
　　　
　　　
　　　46　TOWARDS　DESTRUCTION
　　
　　Candle　flames　flickered　and　dimmed　momentarily；　smoke　curling　from　them；　as　Kline　came　closer；　his　hands　livid　against　the　blackness　of　the　robe　he　wore。　In　them　he　held　a　black　chalice；　a　cloth　draped　over　the　top。
　　All　eyes　were　on　the　shuffling　figure　emerging　from　the　alcove　and　instinct　told　Halloran　that　this　was　the　time　to　make　his　move。　Yet　he　could　not。　Like　the　others；　he　was　mesmerised。
　　Kline　faltered；　as　though　the　weight　of　his　burden　was　too　much。　But　after　drawing　in　a　deep；　grating　breath；　he　continued　to　approach。
　　Thunder　grumbled　in　the　distance　and　it　seemed　to　came　from　below；　from　the　earth　itself；　rather　than　the　atmosphere　above。
　　At　last　Kline；　or　the　disfigured　thing　that　Kline　now　was。　reached　the　stone　slab。　He　attempted　to　grin；　perhaps　in　triumph。　but　his　lips　merely　wavered；　his　stained　teeth　bared　only；　partially。　His　hands　were　trembling　when　he　placed　the　chalice　on　the　altar。　He　removed　the　cloth；　allowed　it　to　fall　to　the　floor。　Then　Kline　dipped　both　hands　into　the　vessel；　the　abject　he　removed　still　unseen　by　the　others。　He　held　out　his　prize　across　the　furred　belly　of　the　paralysed　bodyguard。
　　A　husky　whisper。　'His　disciples；　his　loyal　priests；　preserved　his　poor　mutilated　body。　They　hid　Bel…Marduk　away；　a　deep　place　where　no　one　could　find　him。　Hidden　in　darkness；　his　secrets　around　him；　waiting　out　the　centuries　far　one　such　as　I　。　。　。'　He　placed　the　object　on　the　stone　beside　the　bodyguard〃　and　there　it　rested　for　the　others　to　see。
　　A　blackened；　crisped　shell。　A　thing　almost　rotted　away；　shrivelled　stumps　that　had　once　been　tubes；　but　which　now　had　no　function；　protruding。
　　And　as　they　watched；　the　ancient　withered　heart　pulsed。
　　Just　once　。　。　。
　　Mather　had　jammed　on　the　handbrake　and　was　opening　the　driver's　door　even　before　the　car　had　rocked　to　a　halt。
　　'Stop　there！'　he　shouted；　but　the　three　figures　either　did　not　hear　him　over　the　storm　or　had　no　intention　of　heeding　his　mand。
　　'Draw　your　weapon；　Phil；'　he　ordered。　'Whoever　they　are；　I　don't　want　them　to　get　inside　the　house。'　Both　men　used　the　car　doors　as　shields；　the　operative　clenching　a　Browning　with　both　hands；　using　the　triangle　between　passenger　door　and　frame　as　an　armrest。
　　'Hold　it！'　he　warned；　but　one　of　the　figures；　someone　who　appeared　to　be　limping；　whirled　round；　bringing　something　from　his　anorak　pocket　as　he　did　so。　Flame　spat　out　into　the　rainy　night。
　　'Pacify　him！'　Mather　yelled　at　his　man　as　a　bullet　scythed　sparks　off　the　car　roof。　The…operative　would　have　preferred　to　have　'retired'　the　gunman；　a　more　permanent　condition；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　disobey　an　order。　He　took　quick　aim　at　the　enemy's　shoulder；　unfortunately　the　target　had　changed　position；　had　tried　to　follow　his　panions。　The　Shield　operative　knew　by　the　way　the　man　violently　jerked；　then　dropped　like　a　stone；　that　the　bullet　had　taken　him　in　the　head　or　neck。
　　He　muttered　a　curse；　but　didn't　take　time　to　shrug　an　apology　at　Mather；　for　the　other　two　intruders　were　disappearing　into　the　porch。
　　He　gave　chase；　skirting　around　the　vehicles　parked　in　front　of　the　house；　flattening　himself　against　the　outside　wall　of　the　porch；　keeping　out　of　sight　until　he　could　position　himself。　Realising　Mather　had　not　followed；　he　looked　back　at　their　car。　The　Planner　was　facing　the　opposite　direction；　towards　the　lake。
　　They　had　noticed　a　strange　shining　from　that　area　when　they　had　broken　free　of　the　woods　moments　earlier　to　descend　into　the　valley；　but　the　rain　had　been　too　heavy　to　see　clearly。　Even　this　close　it　was　difficult；　for　there　was　a　mist　rising　from　the　peculiar　incandescence　that　was　the　lake　itself；　creating　a　swirling　fog　which　the　rainfall　failed　to　disperse。　Mather　tore　himself　away　and　began　limping　towards　his　panion；　body　crouched；　cane　digging　into　the　gravel。
　　'What　is　it　out　there？'　the　operative　asked　when　the　older　man　reached　him。
　　'I've　no　idea；'　came　the　breathless　reply。　'Some　kind　of　disturbance　in　the　lake；　that's　all　I　can　tell。　Let's　worry　about　our　immediate　problem。'
　　'Here　es　the　other　patrol。'　The　operative　nodded　towards　the　lightbeams　descending　the　hill　at　a　fast　pace。
　　'We　can't　wait　for　them。　Check　inside。'　The　other　man　ducked　low；　quickly　peering　into　the　tunnel　of　the　porch　and　drawing　his　head　back　almost　immediately。
　　'Shit；'　he　said。　'The　door's　open。　They're　inside　the　house。'　It　was　a　dream。　It　could　only　be　a　bad　dream。
　　Yet　Cora　knew　it　wasn't。　The　nightmare　around　her　was　real。　She　tried　to　focus　her　mind；　desperate　to　understand　what　was　happening；　why　Monk；　that　bloated；　repellent　creature；　was　lying　naked　on　the　stone；　and　。　。　。　and　。　。　。　Shock　broke　through　the　haze。
　　The　black…robed　figure　standing　on　the　other　side　of　the　prone　bodyguard　was　obscene　in　its　deformity。　Only　the　eyes　allowed　some　recognition。
　　'Felix　。　。　。　？'　She　imagined　she　had　said　the　name　aloud；　but　in　fact　it　had　been　no　more　than　a　murmur。
　　She　held　up　her　hands　to　her　face；　not　because　of　the　unsightliness　in　front　of　her；　but　to　clear　her　thoughts　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　While　Halloran's　mind　was　sharp　by　now；　all　grogginess　gone。　He　stared　disbelievingly　at　the　blackened　object　lying　on　the　stone　altar。
　　'It　can't　be；'　he　whispered。
　　'But　it　is。　The　only　part　of　Bel…Marduk　that　survived　his　mutilated　body's　entombment。　His　heart。'
　　'Impossible。'
　　'Naturally。'
　　'Kline；　let's　stop　this　nonsense。　Let　me　walk　away　with　Cora　…'　Kline　screamed　across　at　him；　a　furious　cry　that　might　have　been　anguish。　The　wire　noose　around　Halloran's　neck　jerked　tight　and　he　was　dragged　backwards　by　Daoud；　away　from　the　altar；　his　legs　giving　way　so　that　he　fell　to　the　wet　floor；　the　Arab　crouching　behind　him；　maintaining　the　pressure。　Cora　took　a　step　towards　them；　then　collapsed　back　against　the　stone。
　　'There's　still　more　to　he　done；　Halloran！'　Kline　screeched。　'Especially　now；　in　this　era　of　awesome　power；　when　we　hold　the　very　weapons　of　our　own　genocide。　Don't　you　understand　that　he　directed　mankind　towards　this　point；　he　set　us　on　this　road！　A　few　more　decades；　that's　all　it　will　take。　A　micro…second　in　earth's　lifespan。　A　few　more　years　of　disruption　and　dissent；　of　famine　and　disease；　of　wars　and　violence。　A　culmination　of　evils；　when　the　balance　between　good　and　bad　has　been　tilted　irrevocably　towards　his；　Bel…Marduk's；　way！　I　showed　you　the　lake；　Halloran；　allowed　you　to　see　its　contents。　A　residue；　like　many　others　around　the　world；　of　our　own　corruption；　a　manifestation　of　our　evils　in　living　form。　You　saw　them；　you　recognised　your　own　culpability；　your　own　vileness！　We're　not　unalike；　you　and　I；　Halloran。　You　just　have　a　little　further　to　travel。'　Kline　was　leaning　over　Monk's　body；　sucking　in　air；　exhausted；　drained　by　his　own　beliefs。　'I　could　have　made　you　one　of　mine；　Halloran。　A　little　encouragement；　that's　all　it　would　have　taken。　But　I　can't　t