el.angeleyes-第101部分
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y； Arbat ceased her nervous circling； lifted her nose； let out with a long string of speech。
〃Something's wrong；〃 the Hero said。
〃What？〃
〃I don't know。 Neither does Arbat。 But something very bad has happened。〃
〃Volkov？〃
〃Yes； probably；〃 the Hero said。 He swam over to where Arbat was； put his arms around her。 She nuzzled his face。 〃Don't worry；〃 he whispered； then repeated it in her language。
It was then that Lara understood the depth of his concern。 He had been trying to fort himself。
Lara came close to him。 ''Perhaps we need not fear rade Volkov as much as we have in the past。 I think we have succeeded in making him believe you are turning into something beyond his ken。〃
The Hero smiled。 〃That was a neat trick； you swimming underwater to scrape his leg while I went into my 'seizure。' 〃
〃You played your role to perfection；〃 Lara said。
''rade Volkov has seen to it that I've had enough time to work out the rough edges。〃
Lara was abruptly serious。 She touched his arm。 〃All this playacting is one thing； but what worries me are the real effects of the cosmic radiation you were exposed to。 What happens when its effects are made manifest？〃
〃What happens when we die？〃 the Hero asked her rhetorically。 〃It might be interesting to contemplate； but there's no solid answer； is there？〃 He smiled reassuringly。 〃We'll just have to wait and see。〃
〃Do you think Irina will have the courage to wait with you？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the Hero said truthfully。 〃I've tried to explain as best I can what I'm up against。 But you know as well as anyone that there is no way to explain the unknowable。〃
''You love her； don't you？ 〃
The Hero was silent for a long time； hanging in his void of saltwater。 〃I love the color between the stars；〃 he said。 〃That is where much of my mind now dwells； in the time/no time； the dimension where time is twisted like taffy around a spindle。 I've been shown the limitations of being part of only the taffy。 Now I long to join those inside the spindle。〃
〃You do not need to worry about making me jealous；〃 Lara said。 〃Tatiana and I would never betray you now； not after what you've done for us。 You have shown us the power of our past； the weaknesses of our present。 You are our family。〃
The Hero reached out； twined his fingers in Lara's。 〃If I do love Irina； it is in a way that neither of you can understand。 Certainly I cannot explain what I feel。〃
〃You talk to her without ever speaking。〃
〃That's true。〃
〃As you did with the entity who discovered you between the stars。〃
〃Yes。〃
''What was it like； that munication？''
The Hero smiled。 〃I've told you so many times。〃
〃It's like a bedtime story；'' Lara said。 ''I never grow tired of hearing it。〃
〃All right；〃 the Hero said； and his face screwed up in concentration。 〃It was like lying on a bed of nails； like running barefoot across a room filled with shards of glass； it was like eating so much chocolate at once that your brain boils； like hanging in a sensory…deprivation tank； your body sloughed off like a memory； connected to nothing but the processes of your own mind。〃 He closed his eyes； and it was as if the world had winked out。 Blackness reigned。 〃It was like all of those things happening at once。 Yet it wasn't any of that at all。〃
〃What； then？〃
〃All right。 Another image。 I was farther out in space than any human being has ever been。 But when the munication began； I knew that I had journeyed so far only to have e to the center of things； so deep inside that I had found an entirely new existence。〃
〃But inside what？〃
〃I don't know；〃 the Hero said。 〃Perhaps time itself。〃
Lara was very close to him。 〃I wish I could understand。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said softly。 〃I wish you could； too。〃
〃Arbat understands。〃
〃Arbat is special。〃
〃And Irina。 She understands； too； doesn't she？〃
The Hero's eyes were like stars in the blankness of space。 They radiated warmth as well as light； 〃Irina knows how the entity and I municated。〃
〃How I envy her。〃
Arbat was pushing her nose insistently against the Hero's hand； and a moment later Tatiana slipped into the pool with them。
〃Volkov's back；〃 she said quietly； ominously； 〃Irina is with him。 And so is Valeri's Toshiba portable。〃
〃Ah； God。〃 The Hero's voice chilled them all。
On the doorstep to the villa。 Captain Nikolev turned to Tori and Russell； said； 〃This place belongs to the man from whom I take my orders。〃
Russell said； 〃You mean your superior in the Border Guards unit。〃
〃No。 My division has been seconded to Department N of the KGB。 Mars Volkov； the Chief of Department N； is the man who mands my unit。〃
〃He's got wide…ranging powers；〃 Tori said。
〃I want you to understand that；〃 Captain Nikolev said； 〃as part of your assurances。 This is an enormous risk I am taking。〃 He looked at them both； then turned； unlocked the front door。
He went immediately across the tile floor； showed them where the microphones were hidden。 He opened up a blond wood console。 Behind a mirrored bar with a false back was a professional reel…to…reel tape recorder。 Nikolev took the tape reels from the recorder so that Tori and Russell would know nothing that was said here was being recorded。
〃There's always the possibility of body mikes；〃 Russell said。 〃I suppose we should all strip。〃
Nikolev laughed。 He eyed Tori。 〃That's jake by me。〃
They looked at him； and he said； 〃Have I mixed up my idioms again？〃
〃If I were you； I wouldn't try to pass for an American just yet；〃 Russell said。
Tori said； 〃You're just a little behind the times； that's all。〃
When they had assured themselves that none of them was taped with a body mike； Tori and Russell sat on an ugly Scandinavian couch hideously upholstered in a dark brown tweed。 Captain Nikolev fixed them drinks。 He was obviously nervous and in need of something to do with his hands； but neither Tori nor Russell touched their vodka。 On the other hand； Nikolev knocked his back； poured himself another。
He paced back and forth； and Tori could feel his tension reaching a new pitch。 She shifted unfortably as his nerves affected her。
Abruptly Nikolev faced them； said； 〃In a world full of lies； how are we able to recognize the truth？〃
〃Truth es with trust；〃 Tori said。
〃Which is in short supply here；〃 Russell added。
There was silence for some time。
Nikolev nodded。 〃Department N of the KGB； of which Mars Volkov is the chief； has been given a mandate to root out the elements of White Star and eradicate them。''
〃Succinctly put；〃 Russell said。
〃I am trying；〃 Nikolev said with some desperation； 〃to establish an atmosphere of trust。〃 He took a deep breath。 〃Before we go further； I must know something。 Did you e here in response to White Star's request for aid？〃
''Is this your proposal？'' Russell asked。
〃It is the beginning of our exchange of information。〃 Nikolev looked pained。 〃I am under the gun； Mr。 Slade。 I wish you could appreciate that。〃
〃We're all under the gun；〃 Tori said。
〃Keep still；〃 Russell said as he got up。 He prowled around the villa。
When he disappeared into the other rooms； Nikolev and Tori watched each other like gladiators unsure whether to fight or join forces to assassinate the emperor。
〃He's a hard man；〃 Nikolev said。 〃Pull of suspicion。〃
〃That's what they pay him for。''
〃And what do they pay you for； Miss Nunn？〃
Tori got up； made her own slow circuit of the room。 When she returned； she stood in front of Captain Nikolev； stared him in the eye。 〃They pay me；〃 she said； 〃to know who our friends are。
Nikolev's gaze flicked to her arms。 He licked his lips。 〃What happens to those who you decide aren't your friends？〃
〃I kill them；〃 Tori said with what she hoped was an expression of great relish。
〃I am a friend。 Miss Nunn。 Do you believe me？〃
Tori said nothing。
When Russell came back into the living room； Nikolev said； 〃What were you looking for？〃
''KGB goons；'' Russell said。 ''But I guess I 'm looking at one； huh？〃
Nikolev said； 〃You have yet to answer my question。 Before I proceed further； I must know whether you have a connection with White Star。〃
〃We do；〃 Tori said。
〃Christ almighty！〃 Russell was clearly not happy。 〃Here es the death squad。〃
〃Why？〃 Tori said； keeping her eye on Nikolev。 〃For all the captain here knows； we could be working for Mars Volkov。 I could be lying to draw him out so that he can incriminate himself as a traitor to the state。'' She smiled into Nikolev's anxious face。 〃Isn't that so； Captain？〃
Nikolev licked his lips again。 〃Yes。 It could be either way。〃
〃But now； one way or another； the die is cast。 We must see whether the trust on both sides is justified。〃
Nikolev's gaze faltered。 He stared for a time into his glass。 〃I e to bury Caesar； not to praise him。〃
Russell said； 〃What？〃
Nikolev looked at them。 〃I feel a bit like Brutus； Mr。 Slade； so forgive me if I take my time about this。''
Tori； so close to him； could feel the constriction in his chest； the conflict of emotions battering him。 If he was being duplici…tous； he was a master。
Nikolev could bear standing still no longer。 He walked to the windows that looked out on a balcony and a steep drop as the Lenin Hills fell away into brush beneath slender pines and larch。 Tori could see his shoulders hunch involuntarily as if he were expecting a blow。
He said at length； 〃There is a plan…hatched within the KGB； but fully agreed to by the military…to march into Lithuania and Latvia。 We are now on the cusp of this mad campaign to return the Baltic states； which the president； in the euphoria of perestroika； allowed to slip away from the Soviet Union。〃
Russell rocked back and forth on his heels； whistling softly。 Tori said nothing。
Nikolev turned to face them。 He was haloed by the pristine light that fills the sky after a violent storm； and his face seemed so young that one could almost imagine peach fuzz on his cheeks instead of whiskers。 〃This is； of course； treason；〃 Nikolev went on。 〃No matter。 The campaign will begin in thirteen hours。 Dawn tomorrow。 There will be wholesale slaughter。 The official story is that the new and as yet unstable Baltic governments have been infiltrated by dangerous Western elements that threatened the national security of
