el.angeleyes-第97部分

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　The　car　was　her　only　salvation。　Once　she　was　in　it　she　could　blend　into　traffic；　take　back　streets；　shortcuts；　be　able　to　double　back　on　herself　to　make　certain　that　no　one　was　following　her。
　Picking　up　the　puter　and　ducking　her　head；　Irina　ventured　out　into　the　rain；　heading　for　the　car。
　It　was　slow　going。　The　drainage　in　this　section　of　the　city　was　due　for　repairs；　but　they　had　not　e　through　as　scheduled　and　as　a　result；　every　time　it　stormed；　rainwater　would　sluice　through　the　gutters；　occasionally　slopping　onto　the　sidewalks。
　Irina　passed　several　babushkas　dragging　their　net　shopping　bags　behind　them。　A　street　merchant　huddled　with　sodden　newspaper　over　her　head；　dancing　from　one　foot　to　another　to　avoid　the　water　as　best　she　could；　as　her　pathetic　display　of　dried…out　beets　and　blasted　turnips　was　battered　by　the　foul　weather。
　Once；　when　Irina　suspected　that　she　was　being　followed；　she　ducked　into　a　small　building；　clattered　through　the　worn　tiles　of　the　dismal　lobby。　At　the　rear　entrance　she　glanced　back；　saw　the　obvious　trail　of　water　and　nearly　burst　into　tears。
　I'll　never　get　the　hang　of　being　devious；　she　thought　miserably。　Then　she　remembered　that　she　had　still　eluded　the　KGB；　and　she　took　some　solace　from　that　fact。　Perhaps　I'm　not　as　inept　as　I　think；　she　told　herself　bravely　as　she　pushed　out　the　rear　door。
　She　found　herself　in　a　filthy　back　alley。　Someone　had　forgotten　to　take　in　their　laundry；　and　linen　flapped　wetly　over　her　head　in　the　sodden　wind。　For　a　moment　she　was　at　a　loss　as　to　which　way　to　go。　Then；　glancing　down　the　end　of　the　alley；　she　saw　part　of　the　rear　of　the　Church　of　the　Archangel　Gabriel；　and　regained　her　bearings。
　Irina　hurried　down　the　alley。　The　Toshiba　was　growing　heavier　by　the　minute；　but　she　tried　not　to　think　of　the　weight。　She　concentrated　on　getting　to　her　car；　slipping　through　the　net　the　KGB　had　thrown　around　Valeri's　apartment。
　She　emerged　from　the　alley；　turned　left　down　the　block。　A　black　Zil　turned　onto　the　street；　came　cruising　toward　her；　its　speed　far　slower　than　was　normal；　as　if　its　occupants　were　checking　each　side　of　the　block。
　Irina　ducked　back　into　the　alley；　held　her　breath　as　the　Zil　came　abreast　of　where　she　was　hiding。　She　wished　she　were　twelve　again；　thin　as　a　rail；　able　to　disappear　in　a　sliver　of　shadow。　She　imagined　herself　gone　from　here　as　the　Zil　stopped　abreast　of　the　alley。　Her　pulse　thundered　in　her　ears　and　she　was　certain　it　would　give　her　away。　The　Zil　sat　for　what　seemed　an　interminable　time。　Its　windows　were　tinted　black　and　she　could　not　see　inside。　Truth　to　tell；　she　did　not　want　to　look　inside。　What　was　happening　in　there？　Had　they　spotted　her？　Were　they　playing　with　her　as　they　would　a　mouse？
　At　last　the　Zil　rolled　on。　Irina　took　a　deep；　shuddering　breath　as　her　eyes　followed　the　Zil　down　the　street。　It　turned　at　the　far　corner；　disappeared。
　She　headed　down　the　street　in　the　opposite　direction。　She　would　have　liked　to　stop　at　the　church；　sink　to　her　knees；　pray　for　safety　for　Valeri；　the　Hero；　as　well　as　herself。　But　there　was　no　time。　Still；　she　spoke　to　God　as　she　rounded　the　corner　to　the　street　where　she　had　left　the　car。
　She　stopped；　cautious　again。　The　street　was　deserted。　The　car　sat　where　she　had　left　it。　But　suddenly　it　didn't　seem　like　a　sanctuary：　this　was；　after　all；　the　car　Mars　had　given　her；　what　if　it　had　been　followed；　or　worse；　was　bugged？
　Irina　looked　furtively　around；　her　heart　pounding　in　her　chest。　What　was　she　to　do？　She　had　to　get　back　to　Valeri　with　the　puter；　yet　with　the　KGB　out；　she　could　not　walk　there　or　take　a　tram。　But　if　the　car　was　bugged；　she　would　lead　them　straight　to　Valeri。
　There　was　so　little　time。　Sweat　rolled　down　the　back　of　her　neck　as　she　worked　through　the　problem。　She　stared　at　the　car。　It　seemed　to　beckon　her　on；　a　safe　haven。　It　occurred　to　her　that　she　was　already　thinking　like　a　fugitive；　and　that　frightened　her　further。
　Behind　her　she　heard　the　soft　swish　of　car　tires　on　the　wet　asphalt　of　the　street；　and　she　jumped；　thinking　of　the　black　Zil。　All　right；　she　thought；　I　'll　use　the　car　but　abandon　it　well　before　I　get　to　the　church。　Once　I　get　to　the　other　side　of　the　Kremlin　I'll　be　all　right。　I　can　walk　the　last　few　blocks；　making　sure　I'm　not　followed。
　Having　made　up　her　mind；　she　hurried　to　the　car；　dropped　the　keys　in　her　anxiety；　retrieved　them；　unlocked　the　driver's　door。　She　threw　the　Toshiba　on　the　passenger's　seat；　slid　in　herself；　shut　and　locked　the　door　behind　her。
　The　ignition　turned；　and　when　she　heard　the　engine　cough　to　life；　she　breathed　an　enormous　sigh　of　relief。　She　stared　out　the　windshield。　It　was　already　fogged；　and　she　used　the　cuff　of　her　coat　to　wipe　away　the　condensation。　She　wondered　vaguely　why　there　should　be　so　much　condensation　when　she　had　just　now　got　in　the　car。　That　kind　of　mist　came　from　human　breath。
　That　was　when　she　became　aware　of　the　slight　stirring　behind　her。　A　hand　clamped　her　shoulder　and　she　gave　a　little　scream。
　〃Did　I　startle　you；　Irina？　That　was　thoughtless　of　me。〃
　She　saw　his　movie…idol　face　in　the　rearview　mirror；　and　she　thought　for　a　moment　that　her　heart　had　ceased　to　beat。　Then　it　thudded　home；　and　she　felt　as　if　she　had　been　punched　in　the　chest。
　She　said　his　name　involuntarily；　like　a　sigh。　〃Mars。〃

THIRTEEN
MOSCOW/STAR　TOWN

　Tori　was　dreaming　of　Koi；　of　the　purity　of　whiteness　stained　red；　of　shiny　innards　slithering　into　sunlight；　steaming　like　an　Aztec　sacrifice；　she　was　meditating　on　the　unpromising　will　of　the　warrior　spirit；　she　was　wondering　how　it　was　the　Japanese；　among　many　other　ancient　peoples　of　the　world；　had　determined　that　blood　could　purify　the　most　corrupted　spirit；　when　Russell　woke　her。　Had　she　dreamed　about　the　blood　of　Koi　or　the　blood　of　Christ？
　〃We've　just　landed　outside　Novosibirsk　for　refueling；〃　Russell　said。　〃We're　halfway　to　Moscow。〃
　Although　they　were　at　a　civilian　airfield　and　had　logged　an　official　flight　plan；　the　military　mander　of　the　nearby　air　base　had　sent　his　adjutant；　who　was　in　the　pany　of　a　lean…faced　plainclothes　man。　An　obvious　KGB　agent；　the　lean…faced　man's　cheeks　were　scarred　by　a　severe　case　of　adult　acne；　and　his　cheap　suit　seemed　to　grab　him　under　the　arms　and　in　the　crotch。　Tori　wondered；　stifling　a　guffaw；　whether　after　eight　hours　in　that　flexible　torture　chamber　he　would　talk　in　a　falsetto。
　The　two　men　scrutinized　the　false　diplomatic　documents　the　Tides　and　Legends　section　of　the　Mall　office　in　Tokyo　had　prepared；　just　as　the　Soviets　in　Ulan　Bator；　their　first　refueling　stop；　had　done。　Everything　had　been　preprinted；　all　that　had　to　be　done　by　Titles　and　Legends　was　to　insert　the　proper　names；　titles；　border　frankings；　and　so　forth；　add　several　sets　of　official　orders；　and　the　documents　were　ready　to　go。
　The　two　men　made　a　great　show　of　taking　notes；　conferring　among　themselves；　quizzing　Russell。　Mostly；　they　stared　at　Tori's　legs。　Then；　apparently　frustrated；　they　went　forward　to　grill　the　flight　crew。　Forty　minutes　later　they　exited　the　plane；　but　not　before　scowling　menacingly　at　Russell　and　taking　a　last；　lingering　look　at　Tori's　legs。
　〃Horny　devils；〃　Tori　said。
　Russell；　smiling　at　the　scowling　angry　faces；　said；　〃You'd　be　horny；　too；　if　you　were　stuck　in　the　back　of　beyond　with　only　your　Kalishnikov　to　keep　you　warm。''
　When　the　Russians　were　finally　gone；　Russell　relaxed。　〃There's　one　thing　that　still　bothers　me　about　this　whole　affair　Bernard's　lost　himself　in。　If　he　isn't　part　of　Hitasura's　supercoke　scheme…and　I'm　as　convinced　as　you　are　that　he　isn't…then　how　the　devil　is　he　getting　the　funds　to　buy　these　nuclear　weapons？　You　can　bet　the　coalition　isn't　giving　them　to　him。　And　I　can　tell　you　unequivocally　that　he　isn't　using　the　Mail's　money。　Even　Bernard…if　he'd　a　mind　to…couldn't　embezzle　the　amount　he'd　need　without　my　finding　out　pretty　damn　quick。〃
　〃That's　a　good　question。〃　Tori　considered　this。　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that；　but　even　if　I　had；　I　doubt　whether　Koi　or　Hitasura　would　have　provided　any　help　on　that　score。　Bernard　knew　nothing　of　Hitasura's　finances；　and；　knowing　Bernard；　you　can　be　damn　sure　the　reverse　was　true；　as　well。〃
　Russell　looked　thoughtful。　〃You　know；　I　don't　believe　I'll　ever　really　understand　what　happened　between　you　and　Koi。　What　kind　of　bond　could　there　possibly　have　been　between　the　two　of　you？　Frankly；　it　scares　me　to　think　that　you　could　have　related　to　anything　about　her。〃
　〃Oh；　Russ；　there　was　a　whole　other　side　of　Koi　you　never　saw。''
　〃Koi　was　a　stone　killer。〃
　〃So　am　I。〃
　〃She　enjoyed　torturing　Deke。〃
　〃There　you're　wrong；〃　Tori　said。　〃When　she　tortured　Deke；　she　was　torturing　herself。　She　loathed　what　she　did；　but　she　felt　she　was　cursed；　that　she　deserved　to　be　loathed…by　everyone。　Someone　like　that　is　to　be　pitied；　not　despised。〃
　〃She　had　to　be　stopped　from　repeating　what　she　did　to　Deke。''
　〃I　stopped　her；　Russ。〃　Tori's　eyes　held　his　as　if　in　an　invisible　vise。　〃And　that　felt　good…1　can't　tell　you　how　good…because　I　didn't　have　to　resort　to　killing　her。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　can　see　that；　sure。　But…〃
　〃Look；　Russ；　Koi　was　driven　by　demons。　Maybe　they　weren't　the　exact　same　demons　that　drive　Bernard；　but　they're　close　enough。　Do　you　think　Bernard　is　any　less　haunted　than　Koi　was？　The　only　difference　between　them　is　that　Bernard　has　found　a　way　to　live　with　his　demons。〃
　〃But　don't　you　see　that　in　time　Koi　would　have　bee　another　Fukuda？〃
　〃And　what　has　Bernard　Godwin　bee　over　time；　Russ？　Can　you　answer　that　with　any　degree　of　certainty？　No？　Then　I'll　tell　you。　Bernard　is　as　much　a　stone　killer　as　Koi　was。〃
　〃But　his　motives　are　so　altruistic…〃
　〃That's　Mall　Central　thinking；〃　Tori　said。　〃Motives　don't　count　here…morality　does。　At　least　Koi　had　the　courage　to　face　what　she　had　bee…〃
　〃And　killed　herself。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　understand　a　person　who　prefers　death　to　life。〃
　〃Preference　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃　Tori's　eyes　blazed。　〃Death　was　an　atonement　for　her　sins。　For　Koi；　to　die　in　so　honorable　a　fashion　as　seppuku　was　to　cleanse　her　spirit。　If　I　pare　her　to　Bernard；　I　think　she　had　the　right　idea。''
　Russell　rose。　〃All　this　talk　of　death　is　making　me　claustrophobic。〃　He　went　off　to　the　head。
　Tori　looked　out　t