dk.watchers-第86部分

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　walking　batteries；　filled　with　this　mysterious　energy　we　call　life。　When　I　off　someone；　his　energy　bees　my　energy；　and　I　get　stronger。　I'm　a　bull；　Danny；'　I　says。　'Look　at　me…am　I　a　bull　or　what？　And　I　got　to　be　a　bull　'cause　I　have　this　Gift　of　being　able　to　take　the　energy　from　a　guy。'　And　you　know　what　Danny　says？〃
　〃What？〃　she　asked　numbly。
　〃Well；　Danny　was　a　serious　eater；　so　he　kept　his　attention　on　his　plate；　face　in　his　food；　until　he　scarfs　a　few　more　clams。　Then　he　looks　up；　his　lips　and　chin　dripping　clam　sauce；　and　he　says；　'Yeah；　Vince；　so　where'd　you　learn　this　trick；　huh？　Where'd　you　learn　how　to　absorb　these　life　energies？'　I　said；　'Well；　it's　my　Gift；'　and　he　said；　'You　mean　like　from　God？'　So　I　had　to　think　about　that；　and　I　said；　'Who　knows　where　from？　It's　my　Gift　like　Mantle's　hitting　was　a　gift；　like　Sinatra's　voice　was　a　gift。'　And　Danny　says；　'Tell　me　this…suppose　you　waste　a　guy　who's　an　electrician。　After　you　absorb　his　energy；　would　you　all　of　a　sudden　know　how　to　rewire　a　house？'　I　didn't　realize　he　was　putting　me　on。　I　thought　it　was　a　serious　question；　so　I　explained　how　I　absorb　life　energy；　not　personality；　not　all　the　stuff　the　guy　knows；　just　his　energy。　And　then　Danny　says；　'So　if　you　blew　away　a　carnival　geek；　you　wouldn't　all　of　a　sudden　get　the　urge　to　bite　the　heads　off　chickens。'　Right　then　I　knew　Danny　thought　I　was　either　drunk　or　nuts；　so　I　ate　clams　and　didn't　say　any　more　about　my　Gift；　and　that's　the　last　time　I　told　anyone　until　I'm　here　telling　you。〃
　He　had　called　himself　Vince；　so　now　she　knew　his　name。　She　did　not　see　what　good　it　would　do　her　to　know　it。
　He　had　told　his　story　without　any　indication　that　he　was　aware　of　the　insane　black　humor　in　it。　He　was　a　deadly　serious　man。　Unless　Travis　could　deal　with　him；　this　guy　was　not　going　to　let　them　live。
　〃So；〃　Vince　said；　〃I　couldn't　risk　Danny　going　around　telling　anyone　what　I'd　told　him；　because　he'd　color　it　up；　make　it　sound　funny；　and　people　would　think　I　was　nuts。　The　big　bosses　don't　hire　crazy　hit　men；　they　want　cool；　logical；　balanced　guys　who　can　do　the　work　clean。　Which　is　what　I　am；　cool　and　balanced；　but　Danny　would　have　had　them　thinking　the　other　way。　So　that　night　I　slit　his　throat；　took　him　to　this　deserted　factory　I　knew；　cut　him　into　pieces；　put　him　in　a　vat；　and　poured　a　lot　of　sulfuric　acid　over　him。　He　was　a　favorite　nephew　of　the　don's；　so　I　couldn't　take　a　chance　of　anyone　finding　a　body　that　might　be　traced　back　to　me。　Now；　I　got　Danny's　energy　in　me；　along　with　a　lot　of　others。〃
　The　gun　was　in　the　glove　box。
　Some　small　hope　could　be　taken　from　the　knowledge　that　the　gun　was　in　the　glove　box。
　　　
　While　Nora　was　visiting　Dr。　Weingold；　Travis　whipped　up　and　baked　a　double　batch　of　chocolate　cookies　with　peanut…butter　chips。　Living　alone；　he
　had　learned　to　cook；　but　he　had　never　taken　pleasure　in　it。　During　the　past　few　months；　however；　Nora　had　improved　his　culinary　skills　to　such　an　extent　that　he　enjoyed　cooking；　especially　baking。
　Einstein；　who　usually　hung　around　dutifully　throughout　a　baking　session；　in　the　anticipation　of　receiving　a　sweet　morsel；　deserted　him　before　he　had　finished　mixing　the　batter。　The　dog　was　agitated　and　moved　around　the　house　from　window　to　window；　staring　out　at　the　rain。
　After　a　while；　Travis　got　edgy　about　the　dog's　behavior　and　asked　if　something　was　wrong。
　In　the　pantry；　Einstein　made　his　reply。
　I　FEEL　A　LITTLE　STRANGE。
　〃Sick？〃　Travis　asked；　worried　about　a　relapse。　The　retriever　was　recovering　well；　but　still　recovering。　His　immune　system　was　not　in　condition　for　a　major　new　challenge。
　NOT　SICK。
　〃Then　what？　You　sense　。　。　。　The　Outsider？〃
　NO。　NOT　LIKE　BEFORE。
　〃But　you　sense　something？〃
　BAD　DAY。
　〃Maybe　it's　the　rain。〃
　MAYBE。
　Relieved　but　still　edgy；　Travis　returned　to　his　baking。
　　　
　The　highway　was　silver　with　rain。
　The　daytime　fog　grew　slightly　thicker　as　they　drove　south　along　the　coast；　forcing　Nora　to　slow　to　forty　miles　an　hour；　thirty　in　some　places。
　Using　the　fog　as　an　excuse；　could　she　slow　the　truck　enough　to　risk　throwing　open　her　door　and　leaping　out？　No。　Probably　not。　She　would　have　to　let　their　speed　drop　below　five　miles　an　hour　in　order　not　to　hurt　herself　or　her　unborn　child；　and　the　fog　simply　was　not　dense　enough　to　justify　reducing　speed　that　far。　Besides；　Vince　kept　the　revolver　pointed　at　her　while　he　talked；　and　he　would　shoot　her　in　the　back　as　she　turned　to　make　her　exit。
　The　pickup's　headlamps　and　those　of　the　few　oning　cars　were　refracted　by　the　mist。　Halos　of　light　and　scintillate　rainbows　bounced　off　the　shifting　curtains　of　fog；　briefly　seen；　then　gone。
　She　considered　running　the　truck　off　the　road；　over　the　edge　in　one　of　the　few　places　where　she　knew　the　embankment　to　be　gentle　and　the　drop　endurable。　But　she　was　afraid　she　would　misjudge　where　she　was　and；　by　mistake；　drive　off　the　brink　into　a　two…hundred…foot　emptiness；　crashing　with　terrible　force　into　the　rocky　coastline　below。　Even　if　she　went　over　at　the　right　point；　a　calculated　and　survivable　crash　might　knock　her　unconscious　or　induce　a　miscarriage；　and　if　possible　she　wanted　to　get　out　of　this　with　her　life　and　the　life　of　the　child　within　her。
　Once　Vince　started　talking　to　her；　he　could　not　stop。　For　years　he　had　husbanded　his　great　secrets；　had　hidden　his　dreams　of　power　and　immortality　from　the　world；　but　his　desire　to　speak　of　his　supposed　greatness　evidently　had　never　diminished　after　the　fiasco　with　Danny　Slowicz。　It　was　as　if　he　had　stored　up　all　the　words　he　had　wanted　to　say　to　people；　had　put　them　on　reels　and　reels　of　mental　recording　tape；　and　now　he　was　playing　them　back　at　high　speed；　spewing　out　all　this　craziness　that　made　Nora　sick　with　dread。
　He　told　her　how　he　had　learned　of　Einstein…the　killing　of　the　research　scientists　in　charge　of　various　programs　under　the　Francis　Project　at　Banodyne。　He　knew　of　The　Outsider；　too；　but　was　not　afraid　of　it。　He　was；　he　said；　on　the　brink　of　immortality；　and　gaining　ownership　of　the　dog　was　one　of　the　final　tasks　he　had　to　plete　in　order　to　achieve　his　Destiny。　He　and　the　dog　were　destined　to　be　together　because　each　of　them　was　unique　in　this　world；　one　of　a　kind。　Once　Vince　had　achieved　his　Destiny；　he　said；　nothing　could　stop　him；　not　even　The　Outsider。
　Half　the　time；　Nora　didn't　understand　what　he　was　saying。　She　supposed　that　if　she　did　understand　it；　she　would　be　as　insane　as　he　clearly　was。
　But　though　she　did　not　always　grasp　his　meaning；　she　knew　what　he　intended　to　do　to　her　and　to　Travis　once　he　had　the　retriever。　At　first；　she　was　afraid　of　speaking　about　her　fate；　as　if　putting　it　into　words　would　somehow　make　it　irrevocable。　At　last；　however；　when　they　were　no　more　than　five　miles　from　the　dirt　lane　that　turned　off　the　highway　and　led　up　to　the　bleached…wood　house；　she　said；　〃You　won't　let　us　go　when　you've　got　the　dog；　will　you？〃
　He　stared　at　her；　caressing　her　with　his　gaze。　〃What　do　you　think；　Nora？〃
　〃I　think　you'll　kill　us。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　She　was　surprised　that　his　confirmation　of　her　fears　did　not　fill　her　with　greater　terror。　His　smug　response　only　infuriated　her；　damping　her　fear　while　increasing　her　determination　to　spoil　his　neat　plans。
　She　knew；　then；　that　she　was　a　radically　changed　woman　from　the　Nora　of　last　May；　who　would　have　been　reduced　to　uncontrollable　shudders　by　this　man's　bold　self…assurance。
　〃I　could　run　this　truck　right　off　the　road；　take　my　chances　with　an　accident；〃　she　said。
　〃The　moment　you　pulled　on　the　wheel；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　have　to　shoot　you　and　then　try　to　regain　control。〃
　〃Maybe　you　couldn't。　Maybe　you'd　die；　too。〃
　〃Me？　Die？　Maybe。　But　not　in　anything　as　minor　as　a　traffic　accident。　No；　no。　I've　got　too　many　lives　in　me　to　go　that　easily。　And　I　don't　believe　you'll　try　it　anyway。　In　your　heart　of　hearts；　you　believe　that　man　of　yours　will　pull　a　sharp　one；　save　you　and　the　dog　and　himself。　You're　wrong；　of　course；　but　you　can't　stop　believing　in　him。　He　won't　do　anything　because　he'll　be　afraid　of　hurting　you。　I'll　go　in　there　with　a　gun　in　your　belly；　and　that　will　paralyze　him　long　enough　for　me　to　blow　his　head　off。　That's　why　I've　only　got　the　revolver。　It's　all　I　need。　His　caring　for　you；　his　fear　of　hurting　you；　will　get　him　killed。〃
　Nora　decided　it　was　very　important　that　she　not　let　her　fury　show。　She　must　try　to　look　frightened；　weak；　utterly　unsure　of　herself。　If　he　underestimated　her；　he　might　slip　up　and　give　her　some　small　advantage。
　Taking　her　eyes　off　the　rainy　highway　for　only　a　second；　she　glanced　at　him　and　saw　that　he　was　staring　at　her　not　with　amusement　or　psychopathic　rage；　as　she　would　have　expected；　and　not　with　his　usual　bovine　placidity　either；　but　with　something　that　looked　very　much　like　affection　and　maybe　gratitude。
　〃I've　dreamed　for　years　of　killing　a　pregnant　woman；〃　he　said；　as　if　that　was　a　goal　no　less　worthwhile　and　mendable　than　wanting　to　build　a　business　empire　or　feed　the　hungry　or　nurse　the　sick。　〃I　have　never　been　in　a　situation　where　the　risk　of　killing　a　pregnant　woman　was　low　enough　to　justify　it。　But　in　that　isolated　house　of　yours；　once　I've　dealt　with　Cornell；　the　conditions　will　be　ideal。〃
　〃Please；　no；〃　she　said　shakily；　playing　the　weakling；　though　she　didn't　have　to　fake　the　nervous　quiver　in　her　voice。
　Still　speaking　calmly　but　with　a　trace　more　emotion　than　before；　he　said；　〃There'll　be　your　life　energy；　still　young　and　rich；　but　in　the　instant　you　die；　I'll　also　receive　the　energy　of　the　child。　And　that'll　be　perfectly　pure；　unused；　a　life　that's　unsoiled　by　the　many　contaminants　of　this　sick　and　degenerate　world。　You're　my　first　pregnant　woman；　Nora；　and　I'll　always　remember　you。；；
　Tears　shimmered　at　the　corners　of　her　eyes；　which　was　not　just　good　acting；　either。　Although　she　did　believe　Travis　would　find　some　way　to　handle　this　man；　she　was　afraid　that；　in　the　turmoil；　she　or　Einstein　would　die。　And　she　did　not　know　how　Travis　would　be　able　to　cope　with　his　failure　to　save　all　of　them。
　〃Don't　despair；　Nora；〃　Vince　said。　〃You　and　your　baby　will　not　entirely　cease　to　exist。　You'll　both　bee　a　part　of　me；　and　in　me　you'll　live　forever。〃
　　　
　Travis　took　the　first　tray　of　cookies　out　of　the　oven　and　put