el.angeleyes-第51部分

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side　of　his　head。　〃Don't　move！〃　he　shouted　to　the　sicarios。　〃If　you　want　to　keep　your　leader　alive；　you'll　just　relax！〃
　In　the　corrida　the　bull　had　flung　out　one　hoof。　It　was　meant　for　Russell's　head；　but　Russell　had　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　curl　up；　and　the　blow　struck　him　on　the　shoulder　instead。
　He　grunted；　began　to　scramble　away。　That　was　a　mistake。　The　bull　charged　after　him；　its　head　already　down；　its　horns　darting　this　way　and　that。
　Tori　landed　on　her　feet　and；　reaching　down；　slid　a　knife　from　its　sheath　against　her　ankle。　She　leaped　atop　the　bull's　back　and　plunged　the　knife　to　the　hilt　in　that　spot　she　had　seen　the　matador　find　for　his　killing　thrust；　between　the　massive　muscles　of　the　beast's　shoulders　and　neck。
　She　was　certain　she　heard　the　bull　scream。　It　shuddered　as　a　fountain　of　blood　shot　up；　and　its　convulsions　threw　her　off。　She　hit　the　wall；　came　down　hard。
　Then　Russell　had　scooped　her　up；　and　the　two　of　them　were　making　for　the　doorway　through　which　Russell　had　been　shoved　onto　the　floor　of　the　corrida。
　As　they　reached　the　door　they　heard　the　unmistakable　sound　of　semiautomatic　fire。　Fearing　for　Estilo；　Tori　turned　around　and　had　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　guards　stationed　high　up　in　the　stands；　then　Russell　had　pulled　her　through；　from　the　intense　sunlight　of　the　corrida　to　the　darkness　beneath　the　stands。　〃Someone's　shot　Cruz's　guards；〃　she　shouted　at　Russell。　They　raced　around　the　semicircle；　came　up　into　brilliant　sunlight；　headed　up　the　tiers　of　empty　seats；　but　the　gunfire　had　ceased。　None　of　Cruz's　people　were　left　standing。　Instead；　Estilo　and　Cruz　were　surrounded　by　another　set　of　men。　The　Orolas？
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Estilo　said　as　the　men　trained　their　weapons　toward　the　oning　figures；　〃they're　friends。〃　
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Tori　asked　Estilo。　
　He　smiled；　jerking　on　Cruz's　collar。　〃As　you　can　see；　torero。　''　He　was　referring　to　her　bravery　in　the　bullring。　
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃　Russell　demanded。　
　Estilo　said　to　one　of　his　men；　〃Search　them　carefully；　especially　the　woman。　She　is　capable　of　many　tricks。〃　Then　he　turned　his　attention　to　Russell。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　ensuring　the　oute　of　our　little　adventure。　I　radioed　my　people　from　the　plane　on　our　way　back　here。''
　〃Your　people？〃　Russell　said。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you；　anyway？〃
　〃I　am　Tori's　friend；〃　Estilo　said。　〃That's　all　you　need　to　know。〃
　Tori　came　up　to　him。　〃Once；　that　was　all　I　needed　to　know；　Estilo。　But　now　everything's　changed。〃
　〃Are　you　certain；　schatzie？　Nothing　has　changed；　not　really；　not　for　the　two　of　us。〃
　Tori　saw　the　love　in　his　eyes；　but　beneath　that　she　could　discern　something　foreign；　and　her　stomach　tightened　in　a　kind　of　precognitive　warning。　Because　it　was　the　hint　of　fear　she　saw　in　Estilo；　an　emotion　she　had　thought　him　incapable　of　feeling。　She　could　already　feel　him　slipping　away　from　her；　and　she　knew　that　neither　of　them　would　ever　be　the　same。
　Estilo　nodded。　〃So　be　it。　Finding　the　cocaine　factory　in　the　llano　negro　came　as　no　surprise　to　me。　Why　would　it？　I　own　it。〃
　〃You？〃　The　word　came　out　and　almost　choked　her。　She　could　hardly　think　straight。
　Estilo　smiled。　〃Didn't　you　think　it　a　bit　too　convenient；　this　Twin　Otter　refueling　just　as　we　had　need　of　it？〃　He　laughed　heartily。　〃Just　like　in　a　James　Bond　movie。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃But　I　do；〃　Russell　said。　〃The　whole　escape　from　the　factory　was　so　easy。　I　should　have　seen　it。〃
　Estilo　ignored　him。　〃Friendship　does　that　to　people；　schatzie。　I　think　in　your　heart　of　hearts　you　are　not　so　surprised。　You　knew　that　some　of　my　business　was　not　altogether　legitimate。〃
　〃But　cocaine…〃
　〃Only　a　sideline　for　me；　schatzie；〃　Estilo　said。　〃The　soft　cell；　remember？　I　never　would　have　told　you；　but　this　pig；　Cruz；　stuck　his　nose　in　where　it　didn't　belong。　He　took　the　hafnium　pellets。　I　could　not　allow　you　to　be　killed　over　them。〃
　〃The　hafnium　es　from　you；〃　Russell　said。
　Estilo　nodded。　〃Very　astute；　Senor　Slade。　The　metal　pellets　are　what　I'm　really　exporting。　The　Japanese　buy　the　hafnium　from　one　of　my　concerns　in　West　Germany。　I　transship　the　hafnium　down　here；　and　they　oversee　the　soft　cell；　making　sure　it's　stuffed　into　the　coke。''
　〃But　don't　you　know　what　the　Japanese　are　doing　with　the　coke？〃　Tori　said。　〃They've　made　a　supercocaine；　one　that　kills　in　a　matter　of　months。''
　〃So？　Tori；　you　know　me　better　than　that；〃　Estilo　said。　〃I'm　a　businessman；　pure　and　simple。　I'm　motivated　by　profit；　not　ideology　or　politics。　I　thought　you　understood　that。〃
　The　real　horror　was　that　Tori　did　understand。　She　had　known　all　along　what　Estilo　was；　and　what　he　was　capable　of。　They　had　bee　friends　despite　that　knowledge。　What　did　that　say　about　her？
　〃Isn't　hafnium　used　as　some　kind　of　damper　in　nuclear　reactors？〃　Russell　said。
　〃I　sell　hafnium；〃　Estilo　said。　〃I　don't　research　it。〃
　〃Who　are　you　selling　it　to？〃　Tori　asked。　〃Which　Japanese？　Bastard；　tell　me。〃
　〃There's　something　else　I　'd　like　to　know；''　Russell　said。　''Was　it　you　who　ordered　the　hit　on　Ariel　Solares？〃
　〃Ariel　was　a　friend　of　mine；〃　Estilo　said　stiffly。　〃I　still　mourn　his　passing。〃　He　sounded　as　if　Russell　had　insulted　him。
　〃If　you　didn't　kill　him；〃　Russell　said；　〃who　did？〃
　''You　know；　I　should　kill　you　both；''　Estilo　said。　〃That　would　be　the　smart　move。　The　businessman　in　me　says　I　should　get　rid　of　you　two　before　you　do　me　more　damage　man　you've　already　done。''　He　looked　at　Tori。　''But　you　are　my　schatzie；　and　I　could　never　harm　you。〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　Tori　said。　〃What　you're　doing　is　despicable：　you'll　sell　anything　for　a　profit　with　no　thought　of　the　consequences。〃　
　〃Forgive　me。〃　
　〃Never。〃
　〃But　I　forgive　you；　schatzie。〃　Estilo　looked　at　her　sadly。　〃That　is　the　difference　between　us。　I　accept　you；　Tori；　all　of　you。　The　good　and　the　bad。　I　am　the　true　friend　you　never　had　before；　but　of　course　you　can't　see　that。　Perhaps　in　time　。。。〃　He　shrugged；　said　to　one　of　his　men；　''They　have　a　personal　jet　waiting　for　them　at　the　airport。　See　they　get　there；　and　that　nothing　happens　to　them　at　Immigration　or　Customs。　See　them　off。　And；　Tori；　when　you　get　to　Japan；　which　I've　no　doubt　you'll　do；　go　see　your　old　Yakuza　friend；　Hitasura。〃　
　〃What　do　you　know　of　Hitasura？〃
　〃Wrong　question；〃　Estilo　told　her。　〃It's　what　does　Hitasura　know？〃
　Tori　stared　at　him　a　long　time。　So　many　emotions　were　running　through　her　she　did　not　know　where　to　begin　to　prehend　them。　She　knew　that　Estilo　had　protected　her　and　Russell；　and　he　had；　in　a　major　way；　helped　them　with　their　mission。　Then　why　couldn't　she　forgive　him　for　having　a　part　in　the　supercocaine　smuggling？　Or　was　it　simply　that　he　had　lied　to　her　about　his　business　dealings？　Could　her　hurt　stem　from　something　so　personal　as　that？
　Estilo　said；　〃Adios；　Senor　Slade。　Auf　wiedersehen；　schatzie。　I　have　much　to　do　now。　I　must　see　that　justice　es　to　this　pig　Cruz；　and　I　will　see　that　Sonia　is　given　a　proper　burial。〃　He　took　one　last　look　at　Tori。　''Perhaps　you'll　say　a　prayer　for　her。''
　''For　her；''　Tori　said　as　she　and　Russell　were　led　away。　''But　not　for　you。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　be　alone？〃
　Tori　looked　up　at　Russell　standing　over　her。　The　727；　at　35；000　feet；　was　whispering　along。　〃Yes。〃　But　when　he　turned　away；　she　reached　out　for　him。　〃No。　Sit　with　me。〃
　She　put　her　head　back；　sighed。　It　was　good　not　to　be　alone；　to　put　an　end　to　the　solitude…the　isolation　she　had　imposed　on　herself　from　the　moment　they　had　taken　off　from　Machine…Gun　City。
　〃Next　stop；　Tokyo。〃　Russell　looked　at　her。　〃I　hope　we　haven't　been　sent　by　Scylla　into　the　maw　of　Charybdis。''
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　Russell　shrugged。　〃If　Estilo　is　any　yardstick　by　which　to　judge　your　friends；　this　Yakuza　oyabun　of　yours；　Hitasura；　might　be　waiting　to　blow　our　heads　off。''
　〃If　Estilo　wanted　that　for　us；　he'd　have　done　it　himself。〃
　〃Speaking　of　Estilo；　Tori；　why'd　he　do　it？　From　the　moment　you　called　him　from　my　office；　he　must　have　known　what　you　and　I　were　looking　for。　He　was　it；　or　part　of　it；　anyway。　Why　did　he　allow　us　to　get　so　close；　find　out　about　his　operation。　And　even　more　interesting；　why　did　he　get　involved　himself？〃
　〃I　don't　pretend　to　have　all　the　answers；〃　Tori　said　wearily。　〃But　Estilo　knows　me。　He　knew　once　I　sunk　my　teeth　in；　I　wasn't　going　to　give　up；　and　I　think　he　wanted　in　some　way　to　ensure　my　protection。　He　figured　if　he　was　along；　he　could　do　that。　Also；　Estilo　was　in　a　fundamental　way　lying　to　us　when　he　said　he's　nothing　more　than　a　businessman。　Underneath；　he's　the　last　of　the　adventurers。　There　are　those　who　think　the　world's　gotten　too　small　for　people　like　him。　He　gets　a　kick　out　of　making　fools　of　them　by　slipping　through　the　international　cracks　they　don't　know　still　exist。〃　She　shrugged。　〃But　maybe　I'm　wrong。　He　went　with　us；　protected　us；　exposed　his　operation　to　us。　But　God　knows；　it's　clear　now　that　I　never　fully　understood　Estilo。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　I　think　you　understand　him　all　too　well；〃　Russell　said。　〃Mainly；　because　you　two　are　so　much　alike。　You're　wrong　about　only　one　thing。　Tori。　Estilo's　not　the　last　of　the　adventurers。　You　are。''
　Tori　turned　her　head；　stared　out　the　window　at　the　colorlessness　at　35；000　feet。　She　looked　upward；　past　the　intense　blue　of　the　shell　of　Earth's　atmosphere；　and　thought。　What　did　Greg　see　in　the　darkness　up　there？　What　did　he　think　when　he　looked　behind　him　and　saw　the　totality　of　home？
　〃There's　something　else；''　Russell　said；　and　she　turned　back；　away　from　the　home　of　the　angels。　〃Why　in　hell　did　Estilo　tell　us　about　the　hafnium？　What　sort　of　devilish　game　is　he　playing？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Tori　said。　〃But　knowing　Estilo　as　I　do；　he　told　us　because　he　wants　us　to　know。〃
　〃Perhaps　he　was　lying。　It　could　be　the　pellets　are　something　other　than　hafnium。〃
　〃No。　That　isn't　Estilo's　way。　He　merely　would　have　kept　his　mouth　shut。　Those　pellets　are　hafnium；　you　can　bet　on　it。〃
　Russell　opened　his　hand；　smiled。　In　it；　wrapped　in　a　small　plastic　envelope；　was　a　small　dark　metallic　pellet。　〃I　don't　have　to　bet；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　my　own　private　sample。〃　He　pocketed　me　evidence；　frowned。　〃What　if　Estilo　did　order　the　hit　on　Solares？〃
　〃He　said　he　didn't。〃
　〃No。　Think　back。　What　he　said　was　that　Ariel　was　his　friend；　that　he　stil