lh.narcissusinchains-第106部分

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　I　glanced　at　the　men　standing　around　in　the　shadowed　room。　Fear　rolled　off　of　them　in　waves；　their　bodies　were　tight　with　tension。　I'd　never　seen　so　many　men　so　thoroughly　whipped　before。　They　would　do　exactly　what　they　were　told　to　do；　because　they　were　terrified　to　do　anything　else。　I'd　been　told　that　a　good　dominant　was　a　caring　partner。　Maybe　Narcissus　wasn't　a　good　dom；　maybe　he　was　a　bad　one。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Ulysses；　really；　I　don't　want　to　cause　you　pain；　but　if　Narcissus　has　gone　crazy　enough　to　make　all　of　you　this　scared；　then　we　keep　the　guns。〃
　〃Please；　Anita；　please。〃　He　must　have　seen　something　on　my　face　that　let　him　know　I　wasn't　going　to　give　in；　because　he　dropped　to　his　knees　in　front　of　me。　The　sound　of　his　knees　hitting　the　floor　was　sharp；　made　me　wince。　He'd　kept　his　hands　wrapped　on　his　arms；　so　that　he　just　dropped　without　catching　himself　at　all。　〃Please；　Anita。〃
　I　shook　my　head；　staring　into　those　haunted　eyes。
　Tears　glimmered　down　his　cheeks。　〃Please；　Anita；　please；　you　don't　know　what　he'll　do　to　our　lovers　if　we　fail　him。〃
　〃Lovers？〃　I　made　it　a　question。
　It　took　him　two　tries　to　say；　〃Ajax　is　my　。。。　lover。　We've　been　together　four　years。　Please；　Anita。　I　don't　have　any　right　to　ask　this；　but　please　give　up　your　guns。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　Ulysses；　really　I　am；　but　the　more　you　talk　the　more　I　want　to　keep　my　guns。〃
　He　moved　so　suddenly　that　I　didn't　have　time　to　react；　and　Cris　and　Bobby　Lee　both　cleared　their　guns；　but　Ulysses　wasn't　trying　to　hurt　me。　He　wrapped　his　arms　around　me；　buried　his　face　in　my　chest；　and　wept　and　begged。　He　stank　of　fear　and　blood　and　worse　things。
　〃Put　up　the　guns；　boys；　he's　not　trying　to　hurt　me。〃
　They　put　their　guns　up；　but　they　didn't　look　happy。　But　then；　neither；　I　suppose；　did　I。　I　touched　Ulysses's　head；　but　he　just　kept　saying；　〃Please；　please；　please。〃
　〃You　guys　can　all　e　with　us；　just　walk　out　with　us。〃
　Bobby　Lee　whispered；　〃This　is　not　a　good　idea。〃
　〃I　don't　care。　Nobody　deserves　to　be　treated　like　this。〃
　〃What'cha　gonna　do；　Anita；　offer　them　all　sanctuary？　We　didn't　bring　that　many　guns；〃　he　said。
　〃If　the　other　werehyenas　object；　we　leave　them。　I　didn't　bring　us　out　here　to　get　killed；　but　if　we　can；　we　take　them　with　us。〃
　Bobby　Lee　shook　his　head。　〃You　make　your　life　hard；　Anita；　you　make　your　life　very　hard。〃
　〃So　I've　been　told。〃
　Ulysses　just　clung　to　me；　crying；　begging。　I　had　to　grab　his　face　and　make　him　look　at　me；　and　even　then　his　eyes　didn't　focus。　It　took　almost　a　full　minute　for　him　to　see　me。　〃You　can　e　with　us；　Ulysses；　all　of　you；　just　walk　out。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃They　have　our　lovers。　You　don't　know　what　they'll　do；　you　can't　know。〃
　〃They？〃
　A　rifle　shot　exploded　from　somewhere　in　the　room。　I　had　the　Browning　halfway　out　of　its　holster　when　Cris　staggered　backwards。　Blood　sprayed　out　his　back　onto　Caleb　and　Gil。　Gil　started　screaming。　I　had　to　turn　away　before　Cris　hit　the　floor。
　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃Three　on　the　catwalk　with　rifles。　Fuck；　girl；　we've　walked　into　it。〃
　I　looked　where　he　was　looking　and　could　barely　make　out　the　shapes。　If　I　was　supposed　to　be　the　kitty…cat；　why　did　the　rat　have　better　night　vision？
　Ulysses　was　whispering　over　and　over；　〃I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry。〃
　I　put　the　barrel　against　his　forehead。　〃Whatever　else　happens；　Ulysses；　you　die　next。〃
　A　man's　voice　came　out　of　the　darkness。　He　was　speaking　over　a　sound　system；　that　much　I　could　tell。　〃If　you　pull　the　trigger；　we　will　kill　your　other　bodyguard。　Rifles　with　silver　shot；　Ms。　Blake；　and　I　assure　you　that　my　people　are　dead　shots。　Now；　put　your　guns　down；　and　we'll　talk。〃
　I　kept　my　gun　and　told　Ulysses；　〃Get　away　from　me；　now！〃　He　crawled　away；　still　crying。
　I　picked　out　the　shadowy　form　on　my　side　of　the　catwalk。　Bobby　Lee　was　aimed　to　the　other　side；　which　left　one　man　in　the　middle　without　a　gun　on　him。　But　from　this　distance；　with　them　above　us；　we　had　to　make　each　shot　count；　which　meant　that　we　had　to　kill　what　we　could；　then　hope　we　could　do　something　with　the　last　one。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃　I　asked。
　〃Drop　your　guns；　Ms。　Blake；　and　I'll　tell　you。〃
　〃We　keep　our　guns；　girl；〃　Bobby　Lee　said。　〃He's　going　to　kill　us　either　way。〃
　I　agreed。
　〃We　don't　want　you　dead；　Ms。　Blake；　but　we　don't　give　a　shit　about　your　friends。　We　can　just　keep　picking　them　off　until　you　change　your　mind。〃
　I　moved　to　stand　in　front　of　everyone；　so　that　the　middle　shot　was　harder。　From　the　above　angle；　I　couldn't　block　them　pletely；　but　it　was　the　best　I　could　do。　〃Everybody　get　down。〃　Only　Bobby　Lee　hesitated。　〃They　don't　want　me　dead；　and　I　need　your　gun。〃　He　glanced　at　me；　then　dropped　to　one　knee；　using　me　to　shield　himself　from　the　middle　gunman。　He'd　grasped　my　plan。　Everyone　else　was　hugging　the　floor。　There　was　no　cover；　and　the　door　was　close　but　not　close　enough；　what　with　three　rifles　on　us。
　〃What　are　you　doing；　Ms。　Blake？〃　the　voice　asked。
　〃Just　testing　a　theory；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　be　stupid；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　〃Bobby　Lee；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　〃How　good　are　you？〃
　〃Give　the　word；　we'll　find　out。〃
　I　felt　my　body　go　very；　very　still；　so　that　the　world　narrowed　down　to　the　end　of　my　gun　and　that　shape　crouched　on　the　catwalk。　It　was　about　ten　yards。　I'd　hit　targets　farther　away　than　that。　But　that　was　target　shooting。　I'd　never　tried　to　drop　a　man　with　a　handgun　from　this　distance。　I　let　out　the　last　of　my　breath　so　that　I　was　just　stillness；　just　the　gun；　just　the　point　of　the　gun；　just　the　aim　of　the　gun；　and　with　the　last；　barest　touch　of　my　voice；　I　whispered；　〃Word。〃
　Our　guns　went　off　almost　simultaneously。　I　didn't　shoot　just　once；　I　fired　as　fast　as　I　could　pull　the　trigger。　My　figure　jerked；　the　target　came　out　of　his　crouch；　then　fell　slowly　off　the　catwalk。　I　turned　my　gun　before　the　body　hit　the　ground　and　found　the　man　in　the　middle　standing　up。　I　saw　the　shadow　of　his　rifle。　I　heard　the　voice　shouting　over　the　explosion　of　gunshots；　〃Don't　hit　her；　don't　you　dare。〃
　The　rifle　plowed　up　floor　inches　from　me　　two　shots　　trying　to　get　me　to　move　and　give　him　a　shot　at　Bobby　Lee；　but　I　stood　my　ground　and　fired　back。　Bobby　was　firing　with　me；　and　the　shadow　form　jerked；　staggered；　then　slumped　forward；　his　rifle　falling　to　land　on　the　floor　with　the　other　two　bodies　of　the　now…dead　riflemen。
　The　voice　said；　〃Boys；　do　not　disappoint　me。〃
　The　werehyenas　rushed　us。　Bobby　Lee　and　I　started　shooting。　We　divided　the　six　werehyenas　up　between　us；　smooth；　no　cross　fires；　no　taking　the　other's　hit　　my　side　of　the　room；　his　side　of　the　room。　I　took　two；　I　think　he　took　one；　and　we　both　clicked　empty。　I　drew　the　Firestar　left…handed；　which　made　it　about　two　seconds　slower　than　it　needed　to　be；　but　it　was　probably　faster　than　popping　the　clip　on　the　Browning　and　reloading。　If　I　survived；　I'd　have　to　time　which　one　was　faster。
　It　was　Ulysses　who　was　almost　upon　me　like　a　dark　shape　of　doom。　A　gun　exploded　at　my　back；　and　Ulysses　fell　backwards　onto　the　floor。　I　whirled　to　find　Nathaniel　with　a　gun。　His　eyes　were　wide；　his　lips　parted；　a　look　of　astonishment　on　his　face。　He'd　picked　up　Cris's　dropped　weapon。　Movement　turned　me　back　to　the　fight。　Metal　flashed　as　Bobby　Lee　waded　into　the　last　two　werehyenas。　The　fight　was　too　intense。　I　couldn't　get　a　clear　shot。
　The　far　doors　opened；　and　men　poured　out。　I　rushed　the　fight　around　Bobby　Lee　and　fired　almost　point　blank　into　someone's　back。　The　man　shuddered　and　dropped；　putting　me　face…to…face　with　Bobby　Lee。　It　had　startled　him；　and　I　had　to　fire　across　his　body　into　the　last　of　the　fightees。　I　pointed　the　Firestar　at　the　werehyenas　pouring　towards　us。　I　emptied　the　gun　into　them；　as　we　all　started　backing　for　the　door。　I　wasn't　as　good　left…handed。　I　don't　think　I　killed　anyone；　but　I　wounded　someone　with　every　shot；　and　it　slowed　them；　made　them　hesitate。
　Gil；　Caleb；　and　Nathaniel　were　already　at　the　doors。　Daylight　spilled　in；　and　I　was　dazzled　for　a　second；　because　my　sunglasses　were　still　tucked　across　the　front　of　my　shirt。　I　dropped　the　Firestar；　popped　the　empty　clip　from　the　Browning　and　had　the　second　clip　pounded　home　before　we　made　the　sidewalk。　I　still　couldn't　hear　the　noise　of　the　clips　hitting　home；　but　I　saw　Bobby　Lee　making　the　same　movement　with　his　gun　that　I'd　made　with　mine。　I　knew　he　was　locked　and　loaded。
　I　yelled；　〃Nathaniel！　Jeep；　get　it　running！〃　I　knew　he　knew　where　the　extra　set　of　keys　were。　I　remembered　Narcissus　saying　that　there　were　over　five　hundred　werehyenas。　We　had　to　get　out　of　there　before　they　decided　to　pick　up　more　guns　or　just　overwhelm　us　with　numbers。　Shooting　them　would　slow　them　down；　but　whoever　that　voice　had　been；　he　had　them　terrified。　I　could　kill　them；　but　I　couldn't　terrorize　them。　Whether　they　poured　out　of　that　door　in　a　wave　would　depend　on　whether　they　feared　death　or　terror　more。
　I　glanced　back　to　find　Nathaniel　in　the　Jeep；　with　Caleb　and　Gil　in　the　back。　The　engine　roared　to　life。　Bobby　Lee　and　I　started　for　the　Jeep；　and　the　werehyenas　rolled　out　into　the　sunlight；　too　many　to　count；　almost　too　many　to　aim　at。　I　fired　into　the　mass　of　bodies；　and　I　yelled；　〃Run！〃
　Bobby　Lee　and　I　were　running　for　the　Jeep；　which　meant　our　aim　wasn't　what　it　should　have　been；　but　the　men　were　packed　so　tight　that　we　kept　hitting　them　anyway。　They'd　fall；　then　there'd　be　screams；　sounds；　a　chittering　laughter　that　raised　the　hair　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　and　the　wounded　rose　as　hyenamen；　muscled；　pale…furred；　spotted；　with　a　muzzle　full　of　fangs　and　claws　like　black　knives。　We　weren't　whittling　them　down；　we　were　giving　them　better　weapons　to　use　against　us。
　Nathaniel　yelled；　〃Get　in！〃
　I　glanced　back　to　find　the　doors　open　front　and　middle。　I　slid　into　the　rear　seat；　Bobby　Lee　slid　in　front。　The　doors　were　shut；　locked；　and　Nathaniel　was　pulling　away　from　the　curb　when　they　poured　over　us。　They　swarmed　the　car；　covering　the　windows。　Nathaniel　hit　the　gas　and　the　Jeep　roared　forward。　An　arm　smashed　through　the　window　beside　me。　The　sound　of　breaking　glass　was　everywhere。　They　were　trying　to　hold　on　and　get　inside。　I　fired　through　my　window　into　the　man　beyond；　and　he　fell　away。　Bobby　Lee　was　firing　into　the　hyenaman　that　was　trying　to　crawl　through　the　wind