el.angeleyes-第24部分

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he　most　highly　classified　in　the　Mall：　they　could　not　be　photocopied　or　taken　from　the　premises；　and　one　needed　D。C。…〃Director's　Clearance〃…to　access　them。
　Russell　cleared　his　throat；　said；　〃Tori；　I　told　you　on　the　plane　that　our　adversaries　had　e　up　with　something　particularly　nasty。　I　wasn't　kidding；　and　I　wasn't　exaggerating。　This　concerns　the　global　transshipping　of　drugs。〃
　〃Cocaine？〃
　Russell　and　Bernard　Godwin　exchanged　a　brief　glance。　〃Yes；〃　Russell　said；　〃and　no。　It　was　bad　enough　when　the　South　American　drug　lords　bribed　their　own　governments　into　being　witting　acplices　to　the　growing；　manufacturing；　and　shipping　of　cocaine；　but　now　an　entirely　new　element　has　entered　the　arena；　and　the　implications　are　staggeringly　dire　for　the　United　States。〃
　He　paused　here　to　take　a　sip　of　orange　juice。　Russell　was　a　good　public　speaker；　Tori　remembered。　His　sense　of　timing　was　impeccable。
　〃The　first　hint　we　had　of　something　sinister；〃　Russell　continued；　〃was　just　under　a　year　ago。　A　Washington　kid　died。　Doesn't　sound　like　much；　I　know。　But　the　death　got　odder；　its　implications　more　frightening　as　the　investigation　went　on。　First　off；　the　kid　was　a　girl　of　about　fifteen；　a　white　girl　from　a　socially　prominent　family。　That；　sadly；　was　a　break　for　us。　Had　the　victim　been　an　inner　city　kid；　her　case　most　likely　would　never　have　e　to　our　attention。
　〃But　this　girl's　father　has　plenty　of　bread　and…and　this　counts　for　much　more…clout。　He　hires　a　forensic　specialist…　a　former　New　York　City　chief　medical　examiner　who's　off　writing　his　memoirs。　This　M。E。's　a　smart　cookie；　and　he　begins　to　dig。　He　delivers　his　prelim　report　to　the　father；　who's　so　appalled　he　phones　several　of　his　government　pals。　At　this　point　a　red　flag　pops　up　on　our　puter　screen；　and　I　send　someone…Ariel　Solares…out　to　interview　the　principals。〃
　Russell　detached　a　sheet　from　the　file；　slid　it　across　to　Tori。　''This　is　the　M。E。's　report；　but　I　can　summarize　it　for　you。　This　fifteen…year…old　white　girl　died　not　of　a　drug　overdose；　which　had　been　the　original　diagnosis；　but　of　chronic　cocaine　use。〃
　There　was　silence　for　some　moments；　and　Tori　thought　that　Russell　had　not　lost　his　touch　for　the　dramatic。
　〃Do　you　begin　to　see　the　conundrum　we　were　presented　with？　A　fifteen…year…old　girl　dies　of　chronic　cocaine　abuse。　But　the　M。E。　tells　us　it　would　take　at　least　ten　years　of　heavy　usage　to　get　her　to　that　stage。　Impossible。　Yet　we　were　all　looking　directly　at　the　proof。''
　Russell's　fingers　fumbled　in　his　jacket　pocket；　and　Tori　knew　he　was　searching　for　a　cigarette。　But　he　didn't　smoke　anymore；　so　he　poured　himself　some　more　juice；　instead。　〃It　took　the　M。E。　the　girl's　father　hired　six　weeks　to　e　up　with　the　answer；　but　the　clever　old　dog　got　it。　It　was　cocaine　the　girl　had　been　using；　but　only　for　the　last　three　months。〃　Russell's　eyes　locked　onto　Tori's。　〃In　three　months　her　body　had　deteriorated　ten　years'　worth。　How？　The　answer　lay　with　the　cocaine　itself。　It　was　cocaine　all　right；　but　an　exhaustive　molecular　analysis　revealed　differences。　They　seemed　at　first　subtle；　but　when　we　re…created　some　in　our　own　labs　and　fed　it　to　mice；　the　results　were　astounding。　This　stuff　is　poison；　plain　and　simple。　Oh；　it　doesn't　work　like　poison；　rapidly　causing　death。　In　fact；　the　high　it　brings　to　the　user　makes　regular　cocaine　seem　like　sugar。　It　is　ultraaddictive；　and　it　destroys　the　body　within　three　months。　Taking　it　is　tantamount　to　swallowing　a　time　bomb。〃
　Tori　considered　all　this。　〃Then　this　is　the　lead　Ariel　was　working　on　in　Buenos　Aires？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　She　said；　〃The　two　Japanese　Yakuza　in　the　tunnels？〃
　Russell　glanced　at　Bernard；　then　back　to　Tori。　〃Ariel　had　assumed　they　were　part　of　the　pipeline。　Then；　according　to　his　last　report；　he　began　to　uncover　another…and　far　more　disturbing…link　between　the　Yakuza　and　the　supercocaine。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Tori　said。　〃Are　you　saying　that　the　Japanese　are　manufacturing　this　supercoke？''
　〃That　appears　to　be　the　case；〃　Russell　said。
　〃Where　did　Ariel　get　this　intelligence？〃　Tori　asked。　〃Who　were　his　contacts？〃
　〃We　don't　know；〃　Russell　admitted。　〃He　convinced　me　in　order　to　get　close　to　these　people　he　had　to　be　cut　loose　from　all　normal　Mall　procedure。　That　meant　no　day…by…day　control；　no　timed　dead…drop　reports；　no　backup；　no　shield；　nothing。　He　told　me　he　was　in　a　red　zone；　that　if　they　suspected　anything…〃　Russell　stared　down　at　the　ICE　CREAM　file；　but　Tori　could　see　he　was　looking　at　nothing。　Perhaps　he　was　remembering…and　regretting…Ariel's　death。
　〃This　is　why　we　need　you；〃　Russell　said。　〃You　know　the　Japanese　culture；　and　the　people。　They　can't　invent　anything；　but　give　them　a　prototype　and　they'll　refine　it　better　than　anyone　else　on　earth。〃
　〃It　isn't　true　that　they　can't　invent　anything。〃
　〃You　know　what　he　means；　Tori；〃　Bernard　said。　〃This　isn't　a　synthetic　drug。　The　real　thing　is　needed　to　metamorphose　it　into　this　most　potent；　untraceable；　unstoppable　weapon。〃
　〃This　is　insane；〃　Tori　told　them。　〃Why　would　the　Japanese　create　the　ultimate　cocaine？　To　make　money；　yes；　that's　understandable；　but　to　create　such　a　thing　as　a　weapon…it's　monstrous。〃
　〃I　couldn't　agree　more；〃　Bernard　Godwin　said。　〃There　are　elements　within　our　own　government　who　feel　strongly　that　for　years　the　Japanese　have　been　waging　systematic　economic　war　on　us；　that　they　will　stop　at　nothing　to　defeat　us。〃　He　pursed　his　lips；　as　he　often　did　when　analyzing　plex　data。　〃Personally；　I　don't　believe　this；　but　you'd　be　surprised　at　who　does　in　the　White　House　and　on　Capitol　Hill。〃　He　looked　firm　and　resolute；　a　leader　still。　〃All　that　seems　clear　at　the　moment　is　the　intelligence　Ariel　unearthed　that　the　Japanese　created　the　supercocaine。　We　want　you　to　find　out　the　rest：　who　is　manufacturing　it；　who　they're　selling　it　to；　and　why。　Then　we　want　you　to　shut　the　whole　goddamned　thing　down。〃
　
　〃You　should　try　to　be　more　tolerant　of　Russell；〃　Bernard　Godwin　said。　〃He's　a　good　man。〃　
　''He　fired　me；〃　Tori　said。　
　〃Yes；　indeed。　And　he　had　my　blessing。〃　
　〃Your…〃　
　〃Tori；　I　trained　you；　and　I　love　you。　I　brought　you　into　the　Mall；　and；　I　must　say；　I　knew　the　risks　involved　when　I　did　so。　I　was　convinced　that　your　extraordinary　physical　talents　and　your　unique　mind　more　than　outweighed　your　rebelliousness；　your　unpredictability；　your　insubordination。
　''But　the　fact　remains　that　the　Mall　is　an　organization；　not　so　very　unlike　the　military　in　ways　you　already　are　quite　familiar　with。　And　like　the　military；　strict　rules　and　regulations　have　been　instituted　for　the　benefit　of　the　Mall　as　a　whole。　No　one　individual　must　be　allowed　to　rise　above　those　rules　and　regulations。　You　tried　to　do　just　that；　and　you　reaped　the　consequences。　Russell　did　what　he　had　to　do　as　director；　so　stop　blaming　him。〃
　They　were　walking　out　past　the　corrals　where　the　striped　wooden　bars　were　set　out　to　put　the　hunter…jumper　horses　through　their　paces。　No　one　else　was　around；　and　by　a　bond　of　unspoken　tradecraft；　they　kept　near　the　trees　and　foliage；　natural　barriers　against　electronic　listening　devices。
　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃perhaps　I've　been　unfair　to　him。　But　I　still　want　what　I　want。〃
　〃And　what　is　that？〃
　〃To　e　back　on　my　own　terms。〃
　〃That's　too　loaded　a　request　for　me　to　agree　to　outright；〃　Bernard　said。　〃Tell　me　exactly　what　it　is　you　want。〃
　Tori　thought　a　moment。　〃I　don't　want　to　rise　above　the　rules；　I　just　want　them　bent　a　little。　I　want　autonomy…〃
　〃Impossible。〃
　〃You　need　me。〃
　Bernard　turned；　and　his　eyes　bored　into　hers。　〃Let's　not　dance。　We　know　each　other　too　well；　Tori。　The　fact　is；　we　need　each　other。　If　you　deny　this；　I　cannot　under　any　circumstances　allow　you　to　e　home；　because　in　deceiving　yourself；　you're　likely　to　deceive　us。　Not　willingly；　perhaps；　but　that　possibility　would　be　far　more　perilous　for　us。　You　love　the　hunt；　the　danger…even；　yes；　the　blood　being　spilled　so　close　to　you。　No；　no；　don't　bother　to　deny　it；　we　both　know　it's　the　truth。　The　dance　so　near　death　is　your　dance；　Tori；　and　you　do　it　better　than　anyone　I　ever　met。〃
　There　was　silence　for　a　moment；　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　a　nearby　woodcock。　〃If　you'd　have　allowed　me　to　finish；〃　Tori　said　at　length；　〃perhaps　you'd　agree　to　what　I'm　asking　for。〃
　〃I　doubt　it；〃　Bernard　said；　〃but　be　my　guest。〃
　They　began　to　walk　again。　They　stopped　within　a　copse　of　huge　maples。　It　was　cool　and　dark　within　the　eaves　of　the　shade　trees。　In　the　sun…drenched　distance　they　could　see　horses　grazing；　nuzzling　one　another。　It　was　very　peaceful。
　〃I　want　Director's　Clearance；　so　if　I　need　to；　I　can　get　Mail　materiel　without　going　through　interminable　red　tape；〃　Tori　said。　''And　I　want　Russell　with　me　in　the　field。''
　The　silence　between　them　was　momentarily　so　deep　that　Tori　could　hear　a　horse　snorting　on　the　hillside　a　good　six　hundred　yards　away。　This　was　her　revenge　on　Russell　Slade：　to　take　the　desk　jockey　into　the　warrens；　get　him　muddy；　let　him　see　the　face　of　the　enemy；　and；　if　she　were　lucky；　have　him　stare　death　in　the　eye。
　She　had　not　for　a　moment　been　swayed　by　what　Bernard　said。　He　was　an　ex…actor。　One　of　his　talents　lay　in　manipulating　emotions　with　what　he　said。　But　Tori　had　grown　up　with　such　guile；　and　she　was　by　now　inured　to　it。
　〃A　director's　place　is　not　in　the　field；〃　Bernard　said　at　last。
　〃Nevertheless…〃
　〃I　cannot　allow　it。〃
　Tori　gave　him　a　little　salute。　〃Then　maybe　I'll　see　you　in　another　eighteen　months　or　so。〃
　〃Tori；　you　need　us　as　much　as　we　need　you。〃
　She　took　a　step　away　from　him；　into　the　sunshine。　Bernard　reached　out；　stopped　her。　〃All　right。　You'll　get　your　D。C。〃　He　closed　his　hand　over　hers。　〃I've　never　asked　you　for　anything；　Tori。　But　I　am　now。　We　do　need　you。　Far　more　than　Russell　was　willing　to　admit　back　there。　He's　only　human；　he's　got　his　pride。〃　He　took　her　hand　in　his。　〃And　perhaps　you　need　us　more　than　you're　willing　to　admit　to　yourself。　Damnit；　you　know　there's　truth　in　what　I　say。''
　Tori's　eyes　held　his；　she　did　not　blink。　〃I　want　Russell　with　me；　Bernard。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃He's　ultimately　vulnerable　here；　locked　away　on　this　impregnable　farm；　in　his　bulletproof　limos；　his　terrorist…proof　jets。　He's　out　of　touch　with　the　world。　You　weren't　like　that。　Think　back。　Your　experience　enp