js&cs.thebridge-第29节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　A　scandal　would　lead　to　an　investigation。
　　An　investigation　would　lead　to　an　indictment。
　　An　indictment　to　a　trial。
　　And　the　trial…bone's　connected　to　the　。。。　JAIL…bone　。。。
　　〃Shut　up！〃　Leonard　pounded　the　singsong　nattering　in　his　skull；　already　feeling　the　rope　tighten　around　his　neck。　When　he　closed　his　eyes；　he　saw　himself：　crying　out　to　his　accusers　in　the　courtroom　of　his　mind；　waving　handfuls　of　crumpled　invoices　at　the　featureless　shadow…faces。　Protesting　the　inevitability　of　his　guilt。
　　To　no　avail。
　　〃Oh；　God；〃　he　croaked　in　desperate；　spontaneous　prayer。　〃Oh；　God；　please　。。。　〃　Everything　he'd　built　was　ing　down　around　his　ears；　collapsing　into　rubble　and　ruin。　Paradise　Waste　Disposal　was　a　rock　tied　around　his　neck　and　hurled　into　the　abyss；　and　Leonard　was　just　standing　on　the　edge；　watching　the　line　play　out。
　　〃Oh；　God；〃　he　reiterated；　dry…heaving　tears；　〃please　。。。　〃
　　And　suddenly　a　fist　closed　around　Harold's　cholesterol…clotted　heart；　sending　lightning　stabs　of　pain　slicing　through　his　chest。　He　broke　out　in　an　instantaneous；　copious　sweat　and　dropped　the　sheaf　of　papers　scattering　to　the　floor。
　　〃No；〃　he　whinnied；　stripped　of　air　and　power。　〃Not　like　this　。。。　〃
　　Pain　jetted　through　his　left　arm；　exploding　in　fire　buds　that　blossomed　in　his　brain。　Somehow　he　found　a　chair；　stumbled　into　it；　and　held　on　tight：　blood　pressure　thudding　in　his　temples；　roaring　like　a　runaway　fire　hose　through　his　skull。　His　heart　body…slammed　him　again；　rocking　him　back。　His　eyes　rolled　heavenward。
　　And　his　prayers　were　answered。
　　Sudden　sense　of　dislocation；　cut　loose　from　the　fragile　mooring　of　flesh。　Sent　rocketing　up　and　out　of　body；　through　the　ceiling；　and　soaring　high　above　the　glistening　dump　below；　the　pools　like　distant；　tiny　baubles。
　　Seeing；　then；　the　culture　to　which　he　was　slave：　the　greedy；　insatiable　eating　machine。　Shoveling　resources　in　the　one　end；　shitting　poison　out　the　other。　A　fat；　blind；　dying　carcass；　smothering　all　as　it　wallowed　in　its　own　excrement。
　　Seeing　Exxon　and　Bechtel；　McDonald's　and　Dow；　General　Motors　and　General　Foods　and　a　host　of　others；　a　parade　of　myopic　corporate　criminals　that　burrowed　and　bored　through　civilization　like　flies　in　offal。　Raping　their　heritage。　Devouring　their　young。　Breeding　swarms　of　dull…eyed　mall…dwellers　who　were　utterly　convinced　that　happiness　was　not　possible　without　one　more　disposable　cigarette　lighter；　one　more　bustion　engine；　one　more　burger　in　a　polystyrene　box。
　　Seeing　waves　of　humanity；　lemming…racing　face…first　into　the　future；　throwing　their　garbage　over　their　shoul
　　ders　and　never　once　pausing　to　wonder　where　it　went；　or　what　it　did　when　it　got　there。
　　And；　finally；　seeing　himself：　part　puppet；　part　pawn；　part　piggy　on　a　conveyor　belt；　squealing　as　he　rolled　toward　his　date　with　the　knife。
　　He　saw　it　all；　in　a　single　moment　of　absolute　clarity。
　　Then　the　telephone　rang。
　　〃YAHHH！〃　he　cried；　nearly　jumping　out　of　his　skin。　The　hallucination　evaporated；　leaving　the　reality　right　where　he'd　left　it：　heart　in　a　vise　grip；　ass　in　a　sling；　evidence　scattered　all　over　the　floor。
　　The　phone　rang　again。
　　It's　Blake；　he　knew。　Oh；　Jesus。　His　fear　was　a　fact　that　surprised　him；　until　this　moment；　he　hadn't　realized　how　frightened　of　Blake　he　actually　was。
　　And　that　in　itself　was　a　revelation；　clicking　into　place　with　the　rest　of　the　vision。　He　realized；　as　the　phone　rang　again；　that　something　fundamental　felt　changed　inside　him。　Different。　Stronger；　perhaps。
　　He　looked　at　the　papers　strewn　about　at　his　feet；　saw　all　those　names　and　numbers　listed；　and　in　that　moment…in　a　second　wave　of　illumination…understood　precisely　what　the　difference　was。
　　He　no　longer　felt　alone。
　　〃Hello；〃　he　said；　picking　up　on　the　fourth　ring。
　　〃Hi；　Harry；〃　Blake　said。　〃Just　checking　in。〃
　　〃Good；〃　Leonard　said；　feeling　the　strength　of　his　convictions。　〃　'Cause　there　were　a　few　things　I　wanted　to　ask　you；　too。〃
　　Beat。　〃Shoot。〃
　　〃Well；　for　example；　I　need　to　know　what　you　plan　to　do　about　the　kid　who　got　hurt。〃
　　〃Actually；　I　was　hoping　you　might　have　a　suggestion。〃
　　〃Me？〃　Leonard　laughed。　The　pain　was　still　bad…a　fireball　in　his　chest；　radiating　outward　to　his　extremities…but　at　least　it　was　stable。　It　was　easy　to　believe；　in　that　moment；　that　the　worst　was　actually　over。　〃I　thought　you　were　taking　care　of　this。〃
　　Barely　missing　a　beat。　〃We're　working　on　it。〃
　　〃Well；　good；　because　I　talked　to　Pusser　a　while　ago；　and　he　was　threatening　to　talk　to　the　cops　if　something　didn't　happen　fast。〃
　　〃Oh　。。。　？〃
　　〃　'Oh'　is　right。〃　He　was　on　a　roll　now；　and　the　taint　of　sarcasm　in　his　voice　exhilarated　him。　〃And　that　could　be　a　problem。　Because　if　they　go　to　prison；　they'll　take　me　with　them。〃
　　〃Not　necessarily…〃
　　〃And　if　I　go　down；〃　he　cut　in；　〃I'll　have　no　choice　but　to　drag　everyone　else　down；　too。〃
　　Long　beat　of　silence。
　　〃Harry；　don't　you　think　you're　overreacting？〃
　　〃Am　I？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　think　you　are。〃
　　〃Well；　then；　straighten　me　out；　Werner。　Calm　me　down。〃
　　〃What　do　you　need　to　know？〃
　　〃How　you　plan　to　keep　me　out　of　jail。〃
　　Not　a　dropped　beat　this　time。　Straight　into　the　pitch。　Leonard　had　to　admire　how　quick　Blake　was；　when　the　chips　were　down。
　　〃The　first　and　most　important　job　is　containment。　So　far；　we've　been　lucky。　Nobody　knows　anything　。。。　〃
　　〃Ah。〃　Using　Blake's　smug　little　throat　noise　against　him。　〃But　don't　you　think　they　should？〃
　　〃What？〃　Incredulous　now。　It　made　Leonard　smile　to　get　a　rise　out　of　him　like　that。　Amazingly；　the　pain　in　his　chest　had　dwindled　to　little　more　than　an　afterthought。
　　〃Don't　you　think　people　deserve　to　know　that　there's　poison　in　the　Codorus？　I　mean；　when　you　talk　about　containment；　does　that　mean　you　intend　to　hush　the　whole　thing　up？　Or　just　the　part　that　might　point　back　at　you？〃
　　〃Harry　。。。　〃
　　〃When　is　someone　gonna　take　some　responsibility　for　this？　I　mean；　Christ！　It's　not　worth　the　money　anymore；　Werner！　This　whole　thing　is　just　out　of　control！　Doesn't　it　scare　you　to　think　of　what　might　be　out　there？　In　your　water？　In　your　food？　In　your　air？〃
　　Nothing　from　Blake。　Leonard　continued；　feeling　his　whole　life　solidify；　e　together　beneath　him　in　this　moment　of　truth。
　　〃Well；　it　scares　me　half　to　death；　and　I'll　tell　you　what　else。　I　feel　guilty　as　hell；　and　I　don't　know　what　to　do　about　it。　I　mean；　in　some　ways；　we　probably　should　go　to　jail　。。。　〃
　　〃Harry；〃　Blake　interrupted；　and　this　time　he　would　not　be　forestalled。　〃I　hear　what　you're　saying；　but　I've　got　to　ask：　do　you　really　think　that；　by　going　to　jail；　you'd　be　helping　make　the　world　a　better　place　for　anybody？〃
　　Leonard　started　to　reply；　but　it　was　Blake's　turn　to　override。
　　〃Seriously；　just　stop　and　think　for　a　minute。　I　mean；　I　certainly　understand　how　you　feel。　Sometimes　I　lay　awake　nights；　thinking　about　all　the　terrible　things　we've　done　to　this　poor　world　of　ours；　and　wondering　if　it　isn't　already　too　late。〃
　　Leonard's　mouth　opened；　and　nothing　came　out。
　　〃But　then　I　think　about　our　work…about　all　the　jobs　that　we　create；　the　meaningful　and　necessary　employment　we　generate；　the　goods　and　services　that　we　provide…and　I　think；　the　world　needs　guys　like　us；　Harry！〃
　　Leonard　felt　his　spirit　deflate　and　his　fight　diminish；　as　Blake　turned　Harold's　own　rationalizations　on　him　like　a　pack　of　hounds。　For　a　moment　there；　everything　had　seemed　so　clear　。。。
　　〃You　know　what　would　happen　if　there　were　no　Paradise　Waste　Disposal？〃　Blake　asked；　and　answered。　〃Local　industry　would　either　be　forced　to　spend　more　money　shipping　their　waste　out　of　town；　which　they　would　not　like　to　do：　or　we'd　go　back　to　the　bad　old　days；　when　waste　treatment　was　unheard…of　and　it　ALL　went　into　the　creek！　Does　that　make　any　kind　of　sense　to　you？〃
　　〃Well；　no；　but…〃
　　〃But；　nothing；　Harry！　You　know　I'm　right　on　this　one。〃
　　〃But　I…〃
　　〃Harry；〃　Blake　said；　crushing　the　last　of　Leonard's　fight　like　a　spent　cigarette　butt。　〃Don't　go　soft　on　me　now；　buddy。　You're　right：　we've　been　playing　this　way　too　fast　and　loose；　and　it's　high　time　we　cleaned　up　our　act。〃
　　〃That's　what　I…〃
　　〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　Blake　continued；　a　velvet　steamroller　squashing　all　debate。　〃We　pull　together　on　this　one　until　we're　out　of　the　woods。　And　if　you　still　want　out；　well；　we'll　buy　you　out。　You　walk　away：　free　and　clear；　new　lease　on　life。〃
　　This　time；　the　silence　was　entirely　Leonard's　call。
　　〃C'mon；　Harry。　Whaddaya　say？〃
　　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　Leonard　said　at　last。
　　On　the　other　end；　Blake　sighed　with　enormous　relief；　and　Leonard；　perversely；　echoed　the　sound；　if　not　the　sentiment。
　　〃You're　a　stand…up　guy；　Harry。　I　mean　that；〃　Blake　said；　and　he　sounded　utterly　genuine；　like　a　real　friend。　It　was　the　first　time　Werner　had　ever　spoken　that　way　to　him。　Like　he　was　one　of　the　gang。
　　〃Okay！〃　Blake　said。　〃First　off；　I　want　you　to　relax；　and　trust　me；　for　God's　sake！　I　won't　let　you　go　down　the　tubes。　The　DER　can　find　hazardous　chemicals　in　the　river　without　knowing　where　they　came　from；　right？　It's　not　like　they　have　your　fingerprints　on　'em；　right？〃
　　And　Leonard　was　forced　to　agree。