jherbert.sepulchre-第57部分

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　　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　trust　you。　I　don't　have　time　to。'　He　calmed　himself；　or　perhaps　weariness　did　it　for　him。　'She'll　join　us　in　our　munion；　Bel…Marduk's　and　mine。　Cora　will　help　us　and　be　one　of　us。'　He　levered　himself　up　from　the　body。　'Asil　。　。　。'　The　Arab　stepped　forward　and　from　beneath　his　robes　he　drew　out　a　long　blade；　one　edge　thickened　for　weight　so　that　it　resembled　a　machete。　The　metal　glowed　in　the　candle…light。
　　He　raised　it　over　Monk's　chest　and　the　bodyguard's　hands　twitched　frantically。　His　lips　parted。　A　sobbing　came　from　them。
　　Khayed　brought　down　the　blade　with　a　short；　sharp　movement；　minimum　effort　in　the　blow；　for　he　needed　only　to　pierce　the　breastbone　so　that　the　paralysed　man's　ribs　could　be　pulled　apart；　his　heart　exposed。
　　Monk　shuddered。　His　hands　and　now　his　feet　quivered　as　the　finely…honed　blade　was　drawn　down　his　stomach。　The　cutting　stopped　when　muffled　gunfire　was　heard　from　above。
　　　
　　　
　　　47　ACROSS　THE　COURTYARD
　　
　　'Hold　'em　there；　McGuire。　Don't　let　anyone　through　the　door。'　McGuire　looked　at　his　leader　apprehensively。　'An'　where　the　hell　will　you　be？'
　　'Finding　our　man。　He'll　not　escape。'
　　'Are　you　fuckin'　insane；　man？　There's　nothing　we　can　do　now　except　mebbe　get　away　ourselves。'
　　'You'll　do　as　I　tell　you；　or　it'll　not　only　be　me　you'll　answer　'An'　what　if　he's　not　here？'
　　'Oh；　the　bastard's　here　all　right；　I　can　feel　it　in　me　piss。'
　　'I'll　give　it　five　minutes；　Danny；　no　more　than　that。'　Shay　decided　it　was　pointless　to　argue。　McGuire　had　always　been　the　yellow　one；　enjoying　the　killing　only　if　he　was　mob…heavy　or　guaranteed　a　safe　getaway。　Besides；　five　minutes　should　be　enough；　then　he'd　leave　McGuire　to　his　own　fate。　He　turned　away　from　the　main　doors；　one　side　of　which　remained　open；　and　quickly　scanned　the　hall；　taking　no　note　of　its　grandness。　It　was　a　damned　cold　house；　to　be　sure。　And　there　was　nothing　good　inside　these　old　walls。
　　Shay　ran　across　the　stone　floor；　expecting　someone　to　appear　at　any　moment　through　one　of　the　many　doors　that　opened　out　onto　the　hall。　He　kept　an　eye　on　the　stairs　and　landing　too　as　he　went；　sure　that　anyone　in　the　house　would　have　heard　the　din　outside。
　　Into　a　corridor　he　ran；　revolver　held　before　him　like　a　pointer。　Ile　stopped　and　listened。　Gunshots　from　the　hall。　McGuire　was　keeping　whoever　had　driven　up　to　the　house　at　bay。　Had　they　nabbed　Flynn？　he　wondered。　Things　were　going　bad。　He　almost　smiled。　Things　were　fucking　terrible。
　　A　door　was　open　at　the　end　of　the　corridor；　rain　pouring　in。　What　was　this？　The　house　couldn't　be　that　narrow。　He　hurried　to　the　doorway　and　looked　outside；　suddenly　understanding　the　layout。　A　courtyard；　filling　up　with　rain　by　the　looks　of　it。　And　what　was　that？
　　Light　from　another　doorway　opposite。　Somebody　there；　like　him；　peering　out。
　　Shay　did　not　hesitate：　he　was　through　the　door　like　a　shot；　racing　across　the　courtyard　towards　the　other　man。　Something　was　bubbling　to　his　right；　but　he　paid　it　no　mind；　realising　it　was　a　fountain；　the　storm　causing　its　basin　to　overflow。
　　He　ke