el.angeleyes-第104部分
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！
〃You know； I blame myself most of all； Irina。 I'm afraid I pushed you into this triple life。 I see now the foolishness of my action。 But it was pulsive。 Surely that absolves me； if only a little。 Valeri Denysovich pushed me to it。 Because of him； you've been walking a perilous tightrope； and now you've fallen off。 You've lost your center； you've forgotten who you really are； what your true allegiance should be。
〃As I said before； it's perfectly understandable。 Certainly； there's no hint of a criminal act involved； nothing you could be charged with； no matter what your confession might bring to light。 I'd see to that personally。〃 He reached out to touch her fortingly。 〃You can count on me； Irina； to be your guardian angel。〃
The odd and terribly frightening thing was that Irina almost believed him。 There was so much essential truth in what he was saying that it was easy to accept the entire package…believe everything： that she would be off the hook； that she would not be charged； that he would protect her no matter what。 No endless Siberian whiter； no bars over her moon； after all。 It was so very tempting。
He made it so difficult to see the lie hidden away beneath his version of the truth； but Irina did see it at last and； imagining him torturing Natasha； she wondered how on earth she was going to fight this enormously powerful and charismatic creature。
She could see that she was out of time。 It was obvious to her that Mars was pushing for a resolution…soft or hard…one way or another。 She had to fight him； but how？ Then she thought of Odysseus； Mars's prisoner for almost eighteen months。 He had successfully fought Mars。 How？ By applying Mars's own psychology and boomeranging it back at him。 Mars might on the surface seem invulnerable； but Odysseus had certainly proved that to be an illusion。
Mars was now frightened of Odysseus because Odysseus had convinced him that he was metamorphosing into another kind of being。 Was that a plete lie？ Irina did not know； and she suspected that； for all his bravery and bravado； Odysseus did not know； either。 After all； he had been made into an experiment to see the effects of cosmic rays on the human body and mind。
And he had had the munication； he had seen the color between the stars； the color of God。 Who could know how that had altered him； or even whether the changes were not still going on？ Certainly not Mars。
So there was a way to fight him； then。
As Mars's fingers wrapped around her wrist； she collapsed in his arms。
〃I don't know what more you want from me； Mars；〃 she whispered。 〃I've given you everything you've wanted。〃
〃I want the truth； Irina。 Only the truth。〃
She put her head on his shoulder； molded her body against him； not as a siren； but as he would wish for； a helpless； confused female dependent on him for guidance。
〃Irina；〃 he said in her ear。 〃Just tell me everything。 It will be all right。 I promise you。〃
〃Oh； Mars。〃 Bringing to mind images of her betrayal of Natasha Mayakova； she began to weep。 〃When Odysseus took me by surprise in the pool； I was helpless； you must believe me。〃
''I do； koshka。 I see his physical effect on Tatiana and Lara。''
〃I was at that time of the month。 I was fertile。〃
She felt him stiffen； and she clung to him all the more。
〃There is no way to know for certain； of course；〃 she went on relentlessly； 〃but a woman can often tell these things far sooner than even a doctor can。 But now I am afraid。 I don't know what Odysseus is any longer。 I don't believe even he does； though he puts on a brave face。 Now I don't know what is forming inside me。 What if it's…but that is too unspeakable to even contemplate。 I would kill myself。 I would…〃
She stopped as Mars thrust her convulsively away from him。 He stared at her for a long tension…filled moment。
〃How could you？〃 he said at last。 〃How could you be with him at just the wrong moment？〃
〃I told you。 He took me by surprise。〃 Irina made herself shiver。 Who am I？ a tiny voice reverberated in her mind。 〃He gave me no time to think。 He made me helpless。〃
〃I…〃
At that moment a sharp rap on the door interrupted them。
〃What is it？〃 Mars showed his nerves by nearly shouting。
〃Captain Nikolev is here；〃 Tatiana said。
〃Tell him I'm busy。 I'll see him…〃
''He says he must see you now； rade。 It is most urgent。〃
〃Shit！〃 Mars said。 He looked at Irina。 〃Get back to the puter。 Find that White Star information。 Now。〃
He went out into the pool room； ignored Irina as she slipped past him。
〃What is it； Captain？〃 he said tersely。
Nikolev took Mars aside。 Both Tatiana and Lara were staring at them。
〃We have located Valeri Bondasenko。〃
〃Excellent；〃 Mars said； for the moment forgetting the sliver of terror Irina had handed him。 ''Bring him here。''
〃I am afraid that is impossible； rade。〃
〃Nothing is impossible。 Captain。 Do it！ That's an order。 I must have the secrets of White Star contained in Valeri Deny…sovich's puter。〃
〃You and I will have to go to him；〃 Nikolev said。
〃I won't leave here；〃 Mars said flatly。 〃I do not trust the Hero alone with Lara and Tatiana。〃
''Bring some of your men in。〃
〃No；〃 Mars said。 〃Such an overtly aggressive act would destroy everything I've worked for here。 The Hero is far too important to us。 He is a doorway to a whole new technology。〃
〃Then take the puter and e with me。〃
〃Do as I order！〃
''But you don't understand； rade；'' Nikolev said。 ''There was only one way to get to Bondasenko； and I used it。 Remember the American diplomatic mission from Tokyo？ I intercepted them at Sheremetyevo。 They are the Americans that White Star asked for in the coded cable we intercepted。〃
Nikolev leaned closer。 〃I convinced them of my sincerity。 They believe I am on their side。 They told me they know a way to contact Bondasenko； and they are at the Rossiya Hotel doing so right now。〃
〃Is that where Valeri Denysovich has gone to ground？〃
〃No。 The hotel is apparently one of White Star's dead drops。〃 Nikolev watched the play of emotions flicker across Mars's face。 〃We must go in as friends。 Or； at least； I must。 The Americans can convince Bondasenko to access the puter。 I know that you do not want to let it out of your sight； so I suggest the two of us go。〃
〃Valeri Denysovich and his people will not allow me to get anywhere near him。''
〃True enough；〃 Nikolev said。 〃You will be thoroughly hidden from them along with my people。 I will go in with the Americans and the puter。 When they have convinced Bondasenko to access the information； I will signal you electronically。 You'll bring my men in and we will have them all。〃
Mars spent some time digesting this。 ''It seems flawless；'' he said。 〃Except for one thing。 How will the Americans convince Valeri Denysovich to access the White Star information？〃
〃I've told them about the coup。〃
〃You what？〃
Nikolev thought Mars was going to have a stroke。 〃It was the only way to hook them；'' he said。 ''Didn't you teach me that the truth works better than lies to catch human prey？ Believe me； these are no ordinary Americans。 They would not have believed a lie。 Entanglement in the truth brings defeat； that's what you often say； eh； rade？〃
Mars thought a moment longer。 Then he nodded。 〃e；〃 he said。 ''Take the Toshiba and let's go。〃
Downstairs the two men strode to Nikolev's black Zil。 Nikolev got in behind the wheel； and Mars； with the Toshiba on his lap； slid into the passenger's seat。
〃Where is your driver？〃 Mars asked。
〃I drove myself；〃 Nikolev said。 He engaged the ignition。 He was about to throw the car in gear when Mars put a hand on his arm。
〃Just a moment。 Captain。 Regulations make it clear…〃
〃All my men are with the Americans；〃 Nikolev broke in； heading out of Star Town。 ''Not so the Americans would notice； mind you； but that's why I've had to use so many。 I've thrown an invisible cordon around the six square blocks surrounding the Rossiya。 What do the American soldiers say？ An ant's ass couldn't get through there without my knowing。〃
Mars laughed。 〃Good work； Captain。 You'll gain a promotion yet。〃
Out on the highway there was almost no traffic at all； and the Zil made good time。 Several miles from Star Town； Nikolev pulled over to the shoulder and turned off the ignition。
〃Is something the matter； Captain？〃 Mars asked。
Nikolev turned； and there was a pistol in his hand。 It was aimed at Mars's chest。 〃I'll take the Toshiba now； rade。〃
Mars's eyes did not nicker。 〃Why； Captain； you disappoint me。〃
''Never mind that；'' Nikolev snapped。 ''I want the puter； and I want it now。〃
''I hope there are a great number of treasures in here；'' Mars said； 〃otherwise you're throwing your life away for nothing。〃
〃That's yet to be seen；〃 Nikolev said。
〃What did you do； Captain； foolishly make a deal with the Americans？ I should have known。 A rampant devotee of history could not be a true Marxist。〃
〃You're a bit behind the times； rade。 There is no such thing as a true Marxist anymore。 Can't you see that you're the last of a dying breed？ A dinosaur in a new； enlightened age。〃
〃If that's so；〃 Mars said； 〃then my teeth are huge。 The better to bite you with。〃
The muzzle of the pistol flicked slightly。 〃Give the puter over。〃
〃And once I do； what is to happen to me？〃 Mars nodded； reading the look on Nikolev's face。 〃I see。 So that's how it's to be。 You'll leave a lump of dead meat for the animals to tear apart。〃
〃You're a dangerous man； rade；〃 Nikolev said。
〃You 're telling me；〃 Mars said； firing the small…caliber pistol he had hidden in his lap under me Toshiba。
The report was deafening inside the Zil； and the two men were rocked on its shocks。 Captain Nikolev's face registered surprise； and he gaped at the blood pouring out of him。 But the bullet had been slightly deflected by the puter； and it had entered Nikolev's belly； quite a bit below where Mars had been aiming。
Mars slapped at Nikolev's pistol and it went off； tearing a hole in the Zil's roof。 Nikolev grabbed Mars； slammed the heel of his hand into Mars's throat。 Mars's grip on his pistol loosened； and Nikolev slapped it away。
The Toshiba crashed to the floorwell of the car。 Mars balled his fist； smashed it into Nikolev's belly where the bullet had entered。 Nik
