jherbert.sepulchre-第7部分

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　　The　room　was　instantly　plunged　into　total　darkness。
　　Halloran　moved　instinctively；　changing　his　position　on　the　dais；　going　to　his　left。　He　heard　a　dry　chuckle　from　somewhere　in　the　inkiness；　an　eerie　scratching　sound　that　stiffened　the　muscles　of　his　back。
　　'A　different　kind　of　void；　isn't　it？'　came　Kline's　voice。
　　Halloran　twisted　his　head；　hopelessly　trying　to　locate　the　source　in　the　pitch　black。
　　'It's　full　of　things；'　Kline　said；　and　this　time　he　sounded　close。　almost　by　Halloran's　shoulder。
　　'Bad　things；'　Kline　whispered　in　his　ear。
　　Halloran　rose；　reached　out。　Touched　nothing。
　　'And　now　we　do　this；'　said　the　voice。
　　Halloran　squeezed　his　eyes　shut　against　the　burst　of　light　from　one　of　the　walls。　He　opened　them　cautiously；　giving　his　pupils　time　to　adjust。　Some　distance　away　an　unmarked　relief　map　of　South　America　glowed。
　　Light　reflected　off　Kline　who　stood　six　feet　away　to　Halloran's　right。　His　hand；　holding　the　remote；　was　extended　towards　the　brightly　lit　map。　He　shifted　his　aim。
　　'Now　this；'　he　said。　Click。　Another　map。　North　America　by　the　side　of　South。
　　'This。　This。　This。'　Kline　used　his　arm　as　a　pointer；　turning　slowly；　maps　of　different　countries　appearing　one　after　the　other；　lining　the　upper　halves　of　the　walls；　all　the　way　around。　India；　Africa；　Spain；　Australia；　Indonesia；　Alaska；　many　more；　plus　sections　of　land　or　islands　he　didn't　immediately　recognise。　They　illuminated　the　room；　large；　detailed　murals　in　greens　and　browns；　with　seas　unnaturally　blue。
　　Kline　was　grinning　at　him；　his　face　and　body　a　kaleidoscope　of　soft　colours。
　　'Satellite　photographs。'　Kline　told　him。　'We're　looking　down　at　Mother　Earth　from　outer　space。　Now　look　at　this。'　He　carelessly　aimed　the　remote　at　one　of　the　relief　maps。　A　button　clicked。
　　The　map　became　an　incredibly　detailed　flat　study；　exactly　in　；talc　to　the　one　it　overlaid；　but　with　towns；　villages；　rivers；　and　mountains　clearly　marked。　'Something　else；　right。　Halloran？　I　can　tell　you're　impressed。'　Click。
　　The　pictures　around　the　wall　disappeared；　shut　off　together　save　for　one。　An　island。
　　'Know　this　place；　Halloran？　New　Guinea。'　The　relief　zoomed　LIP；　the　left　side　growing　out　of　frame。　The　map　froze　again。　Papua　New　Guinea；　a　steamy　hell…hole。　But　rich　in　certain　things。'　He　watched　Kline　return　to　the　dais；　a　shadowy；　back…lit　figure　that　somehow　exuded　electric　energy。　The　small　man　squatted　in　the　middle　of　the　low　rostrum；　ankles　crossed；　crouching　forward　towards　the　screen。
　　'Copper；　for　one；'　Kline　said；　his　eyes　intent　on　the　bright　picture。　His　voice　became　dulled　as　he　concentrated。　'My　deed　for　the　day　as　far　as　Magma's　concerned。　It　already　has　a　copper　mine　down　there；　but　it's　running　low。　Did　you　know　the　demand　for　copper　is　up　ten　per　cent　after　the　long　recession？　No；　guess　you　didn't。　Why　should　you？　Shit；　I　hardly　care　myself。　But　old　Sir　Vic　does；　him　and　his　cronies。　Big　money　to　them；　y'see。　Well；　looks　like　I　found　'em　a　new　source；　quite　a　ways　from　the　established　mine。　Did　that　this　morning；　Halloran；　before　you　arrived。'　Halloran　stared。　'You　found　them　copper？　I　don't　understand。'　Kline　laughed　gleefully；　smacking　the　platform　beneath　him　with　his　free　hand。　'And　who　can　blame　you？　You're　like　the　rest：　no　concept　of　the　mind's　real　power。　Reason　is　mankind's　disease；　did　you　know　that？　A　wasting　away　of　senses。　So　what　do　you　care？　A　dumb　bodyguard　is　all　you　are。'
　　'So　educate　me　a　little　more。'　Click。
　　Total　darkness　once　again。
　　Halloran　softly　walked　to　a　new　position。
　　Kline's　disembodied　voice　came　to　him。　'All　this　black　worry　you；　Halloran？'　He　didn't　answer。
　　'Make　you　wonder　what　it's　concealing？　You　know　you're　in　an　empty　room；　you　saw　that　when　the　lights　were　on。　But　now　you're　not　so　sure。　Because　you　can't　see　anything。　So　your　own　mind　invents　for　you。'　A　chuckle　in　the　dark。
　　'You　can　hear　me；　so　you　know　I'm　here；　right；　Halloran？　'Bout　six　or　seven　feet　away　But　if　I　touch　you　。　。　。'　A　cold　finger　scraped　Halloran's　cheek　。
　　。　。　。　now　that　scares　you。　Because　reason　tells　you　it　doesn't　make　sense。'　Halloran　had　instinctively　gone　into　a　crouch。　He　shifted　position　again；　heard　his　own　feet　scuff　the　floor。
　　'Scares　the　shit　out　of　you；　right？'　A　finger　prodded　his　back。
　　Halloran　moved　again　and　kept　moving；　reaching　out　for　a　wall；　something　solid　on　which　to　get　his　bearings。　His　stretched　fingers　touched　a　face。
　　Then　brilliant　light　forced　his　eyes　shut。
　　'You　were　helpless。　I　had　you　cold。'　They　were　on　the　platform　once　more；　Halloran　steadily　forcing　his　jarred　nerves　to　settle；　Kline　sitting　beside　him；　grinning；　his　oil…slick　eyes　watching。　Halloran　could　smell　the　other　man's　sweat；　could　see　the　damp　patches　beneath　his　armpits。
　　'Sure；　you　had　me　cold；'　he　agreed。　'What　was　the　point　though？'
　　'A　'tiny　lesson　about　the　unreality　of　reality。　You　asked　me　to　educate　you　some　more。'
　　'That　wasn't　what　I　had　in　mind。'　Kline　giggled。　'Fear　was　something　I　put　into　you。　And　you　did　feel　fear。'
　　'Maybe。'
　　'Yet　you　knew　it　was　only　me　and　you　in　here。　A　little　guy　like　me　up　against　a　trained　heavy　like　you。　Unreasonable；　wouldn't　you　say？　The　darkness　overcame　your　reason；　don't　you　see？　Made　you　vulnerable。'
　　'I　admit　I　was　disorientated。'
　　'Much　more；　I　think。'
　　'It　hasn't　helped　me　understand　anything。　I　don't　see　what　it　had　to　do　with　finding　copper　on　a　map。；　'Perhaps　it　was　a　demonstration　and　a　test　at　the　same　time。'　The　coarseness　had　left　Kline's　voice　and　his　manner　had　subtly　changed；　the　banter　all　but　gone　to　be　replaced　by　a　cool　mocking。　'A　silly　game；　yes；　but　I　wanted　to　gauge　your　reaction　to；　as　you　put　it　yourself；　disorientation。　My　life　appears　to　be　in　your　hands；　after　all。'
　　'Let's　get　on　to　that　later。　Talk　to　me　about　copper　in　New　Guinea。　How　did　you　locate　this　new　source？'
　　'Through　my　mind；　of　course。　Intuition；　second　sight；　sixth　sense；　extrasensory　perception…call　it　what　you　will。　I　look　at　maps　and　I　perceive　hidden　minerals　and　ores。　Even　stores　of　raw　energy。　I　can　tell　where　they　can　be　found　beneath　the　earth's　crust。　Oh；　I　don't　mean　to　boast…I'm　not　always　right。　Seventyfive　per　cent　of　the　time　I　am；　though；　and　that's　good　enough　for　Magma。　Oh　yes；　that's　mare　than　good　enough　for　Sir　Victor　Penlock　and　his　board　of　directors。'　Halloran　slowly　shook　his　head。　'You　find　these　。　。　。　these　deposits　with　your　mind？　Like　a　diviner　locates　underground　springs？'
　　'Huh！　Finding　water　beneath　the　soil　is　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world。　Even　you　could　do　that。　No；　it's　a　bit　more　involved。　Let's　say　scientific　geological　studies　and　even　carefully　calculated　estimations　point　me　in　the　right　direction。　I'm　given　an　area　to　look　at…it　could　cover　thousands　upon　thousands　of　square　miles…and　I　totally　shed　irrelevant　matters　from　my　thoughts。　This　room　helps　me　do　that：　its　emptiness　cleanses　my　mind。'　He　waved　a　hand　around　at　the　room。　By　using　the　remote　control　a　few　moments　before；　Kline　had　dimmed　the　light　considerably；　rendering　the　walls　and　floor　a　pale；　cheerless　grey。　Halloran　could　now　see　faint　lines　where　the　screens　were　imbedded。　He　also　noticed　tiny　sensors　strategically　and　discreetly　positioned　to　pick　up　mands　from　the　console　held　loosely　in　the　other　man's　hand。　The　room　was　ingenious　in　structure　and　design。
　　'Can　you　understand　why　I'm　so　valuable　to　the　Corporation？'　asked　Kline；　gazing　down　at　the　floor　and　massaging　his　temples　with　stiffened　fingers　as　though　easing　a　headache。　'Have　you　any　idea　how　fast　the　developed　countries　are　using　up　our　resources…fossil　fuels；　minerals；　metals；　timber；　even　soils？　We're　rapidly　running　them　down。　Worldwide　we're　searching　and　digging　and　consuming。　We've　got　greedy。　The　big　corporations　don't　believe　in　restraint：　they've　always　done　their　utmost　to　supply　the　demand；　with　no　cautions；　no　warnings；　nothing　to　upset　the　flow　of　cash　into　their　silk…lined　pockets。'　He　raised　his　head　and　there　was　something　sly　about　his　smile　when　he　looked　at　Halloran。
　　'Now　they're　getting　scared。　The　harder　new　sources　of　raw　materials　are　to　find；　the　more　concerned　they　get；　the　more　expensive　it　is　to　scour　those　materials　from　the　earth；　the　more　jitterish　they　bee。　That's　what　makes　me　Magma's　biggest　asset　why　I'm　so　precious　to　the　Corporation。　Even　￡50　million　would　hardly　pensate　for　my　death；'　Halloran　rose　and　walked　away；　his　hands　tucked　into　his　trouser　pockets；　head　bowed　as　though　he　were　deep　in　thought。　He　turned；　looked　back　at　the　small　watching　figure。
　　'That's　some　story　you're　asking　me　to　swallow；'　Halloran　said。
　　Kline's　cackled　laughter　shot　across　the　room。　'You　don't　believe　me！　You　don't　believe　I　can　do　it！　All　I've　shown　you　and　you　think　this　is　some　kind　of　game。　Wonderful！'　He　pummelled　his　feet　on　the　white　floor　with　the　joke　of　it。
　　Halloran　spoke　calmly。　'I　said　it's　hard　to　believe。'　Kline　became　still。　'You　think　I　give　a　shit　what　you　believe？　All　you　have　to　do　is　protect　me；　nothing　more　than　that。　So　maybe　it's　time　I　found　out　how　good　you　are。'　His　thumb　worked　the　remote　control　unit　once　more　and　a　buzzer　or　a　light　must　have　alerted　the　man　outside　the　doubledoor；　because　one　side　opened　and　the　bodyguard　stepped　through。
　　'Halloran　here　doesn't　think　you're　up　to　much；　Monk；'　said　Kline。　'You　want　to　give　him　a　little　workout；　introduce　yourself？'　Monk　wasn't　smiling　when　he　approached。
　　Halloran　still　faced　Kline。　'I　don't　do　auditions；'　he　said。
　　'In　that　case　Monk's　liable　to　break　your　arms。'　Halloran　sighed　and　turned　to　meet　the　other　man　who　was　ambling　forward　as　if　he　intended　to　do　nothing　more　than　shake　the　operative's　hand。　But　there　was　a　certain；　recognisable；　gleam　in　Monk's　eyes。
　　He　took　the　last　two　yards　in　a　crouching　rush。
　　To　find　Halloran　was　suddenly　behind　him。
　　Monk　felt　Halloran's　foot　planted　squarely　against　his　rear　end；　a　hard　shove　propelling　him　further　forward；　the　action　one　fluid　movement。　All　balance　gone；　the　bodyguard　skidded　to　his　knees；　reduced　to　a　clumsy　scrabbling　figure。　He　came　up　in　a　crouching　position。
　　'Bastard。'　The　curse　was　high…p