sk.runningman-第31部分

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e　privacy。〃
　　〃Get　ready；　then；〃　Richards　grinned。
　　He　opened　the　door　and　stepped　out。　The　two　men　faced　each　other　across　the　blank　service　area　cement。
　　
　　Minus　030　and　COUNTING
　　It　was　McCone　who　broke　the　deadlock　first。　He　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　It　was　a　very　cultured　laugh；　soft　and　velvet。　〃Oh；　you　are　so　good；　Mr。　Richards。　Par　excellence。　Raise；　call；　and　raise　again。　I　salute　you　with　honesty：　The　woman　has　not　broken。　She　maintains　stubbornly　that　the　bulge　I　see　in　your　pocket　there　is　Black　Irish。　We　can't　S。A。　P。　her　because　it　leaves　a　definable　trace。　A　single　EEG　on　the　woman　and　our　secret　would　be　out。　We　are　in　the　process　of　lifting　in　three　ampoules　of　Canogyn　from　New　York。　Leaves　no　trace。　We　expect　it　in　forty　minutes。　Not　in　time　to　stop　you；　alas。
　　〃She　is　lying。　It's　obvious。　If　you　will　pardon　a　touch　of　what　your　fellows　like　to　call　elitism；　I　will　offer　my　observation　that　the　middle　class　lies　well　only　about　sex。　May　I　offer　another　observation？　Of　course　I　may。　I　am。〃　McCone　smiled。　〃I　suspect　it's　her　handbag。　We　noticed　she　had　none；　although　she　had　been　shopping。　We're　quite　observant。　What　happened　to　her　purse　if　it　isn't　in　your　pocket；　Richards？〃
　　He　would　not　pick　up　the　gambit。　〃Shoot　me　if　you're　so　sure。〃
　　McCone　spread　his　hands　sorrowfully。　〃How　well　I'd　love　to！　But　one　does　not　take　chances　with　human　life；　not　even　when　the　odds　are　fifty　to　one　in　your　favor。　Too　much　like　Russian　roulette。　Human　life　has　a　certain　sacred　quality。　The　government…our　government…realizes　this。　We　are　humane。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Richards　said；　and　smiled　ferally。　McCone　blinked。
　　〃So　you　see…〃
　　Richards　started。　The　man　was　hypnotizing　him。　The　minutes　were　flying；　a　helicopter　was　ing　up　from　Boston　loaded　with　three　ampoules　of　jack…me…up…and…turn…me…over　（and　if　McCone　said　forty　minutes　he　meant　twenty）；　and　here　he　stood；　listening　to　this　man's　tinkling　little　anthem。　God；　he　was　a　monster。
　　〃Listen　to　me；〃　Richards　said　harshly；　interrupting。　〃The　speech　is　short；　little　man。　When　you　inject　her；　she's　going　to　sing　the　same　tune。　For　the　record；　it's　all　here。　Dig？〃
　　He　locked　his　gaze　with　McCone's　and　began　to　walk　forward。
　　〃I'll　see　you；　shiteater。〃
　　McCone　stepped　aside。　Richards　didn't　even　bother　to　look　at　him　as　he　passed。　Their　coat　sleeves　brushed。
　　〃For　the　record；　I　was　told　the　pull　on　half…cock　was　about　three　pounds。　I've　got　about　two　and　a　half　on　now。　Give　or　take。〃
　　He　had　the　satisfaction　of　hearing　the　man's　breath　whistle　a　little　faster。
　　〃Richards？〃
　　He　looked　back　from　the　stairs　and　McCone　was　looking　up　at　him；　the　gold　edges　of　his　glasses　gleaming　and　flashing。　〃When　you　get　in　the　air；　we're　going　to　shoot　you　down　with　a　ground…to…air　missile。　The　story　for　the　public　will　be　that　Richards　got　a　little　itchy　on　the　trigger。　RIP。〃
　　〃You　won't；　though。〃
　　〃No？〃
　　Richards　began　to　smile　and　gave　half　a　reason。　〃We're　going　to　be　very　low　and　over　heavily　populated　areas。　Add　twelve　fuel　pods　to　twelve　pounds　of　Irish　and　you　got　a　very　big　bang　potential。　Too　big。　You'd　do　it　if　you　could　get　away　with　it；　but　you　can't。〃　He　paused。　〃You're　so　bright。　Did　you　anticipate　me　on　the　parachute？〃
　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　McCone　said　calmly。　〃It's　in　the　forward　passenger　partment。　Such　old　hat；　Mr。　Richards。　Or　do　you　have　another　trick　in　your　bag？〃
　　〃You　haven't　been　stupid　enough　to　tamper　with　the　chute；　either；　I'll　bet。〃
　　〃Oh　no。　Too　obvious。　And　you　would　pull　that　nonexistent　imploder　ring　just　before　you　struck；　I　imagine。　Quite　an　effective　airburst。〃
　　〃Goodbye；　little　man。〃
　　〃Goodbye；　Mr。　Richards。　And　bon　voyage。　〃　He　chuckled。　〃Yes；　you　do　rate　honesty。　So　I　will　show　you　one　more　card。　Just　one。　We　are　going　to　wait　for　the　Canogyn　before　taking　action。　You　are　absolutely　right　about　the　missile。　For　now；　just　a　bluff。　Call　and　raise　again；　eh？　But　I　can　afford　to　wait。　You　see；　I　am　never　wrong。　Never。　And　I　know　you　are　bluffing。　So　we　can　afford　to　wait。　But　I'm　keeping　you。　'Voir；　Mr。　Richards。　〃　He　waved。
　　〃Soon；〃　Richards　said；　but　not　loud　enough　for　McCone　to　hear。　And　he　grinned。
　　
　　Minus　029　and　COUNTING
　　The　first…class　partment　was　long　and　three　aisles　wide；　paneled　with　real　aged　sequoia。　A　wine…colored　rug　which　felt　yards　deep　covered　the　floor。　A　3…D　movie　screen　was　cranked　up　and　out　of　the　way　on　the　far　wall　between　the　first　class　and　the　galley。　In　seat　100；　the　bulky　parachute　pack　sat。　Richards　patted　it　briefly　and　went　through　the　galley。　Someone　had　even　put　coffee　on。
　　He　stepped　through　another　door　and　stood　in　a　short　threat　which　led　to　the　pilots'　partment。　To　the　right　the　radio　operator；　a　man　of　perhaps　thirty　with　a　care…lined　face；　looked　at　Richards　bitterly　and　then　back　at　his　instruments。　A　few　steps　up　and　to　the　left；　the　navigator　sat　at　his　boards　and　grids　and　plastic…encased　charts。
　　〃The　fellow　who's　going　to　get　us　all　killed　is　ing　up　fellas；〃　he　said　into　his　throat　mike。　He　gazed　coolly　at　Richards。
　　Richards　said　nothing。　The　man；　after　all；　was　almost　certainly　right。　He　limped　into　the　nose　of　the　plane。
　　The　pilot　was　fifty　or　better；　an　old　war…horse　with　the　red　nose　of　a　steady　drinker；　and　the　clear；　perceptive　eyes　of　a　man　who　was　not　even　close　to　the　alcoholic　edge。　His　co…pilot　was　ten　years　younger；　with　a　luxuriant　growth　of　red　hair　spilling　out　from　under　his　cap。
　　〃Hello；　Mr。　Richards；〃　the　pilot　said。　He　glanced　at　the　bulge　in　Richards's　pocket　before　he　looked　at　his　face。　〃Pardon　me　if　I　don't　shake　hands。　I'm　Flight　Captain　Don　Holloway。　This　is　my　co…pilot　Wayne　Duninger。〃
　　〃Under　the　circumstances；　not　very　pleased　to　meet　you；〃　Duninger　said。
　　Richards's　mouth　quirked。　〃In　the　same　spirit；　let　me　add　that　I'm　song　to　be　here。　Captain　Holloway；　you're　patched　into　munications　with　McCone；　aren't　you？〃
　　〃We　sure　are。　Through　Kippy　Friedman；　our　munications　man。〃
　　〃Give　me　something　to　talk　into。〃
　　Holloway　handed　him　a　microphone　with　infinite　carefulness。
　　〃Get　going　on　your　preflight；〃　Richards　said。　〃Five　minutes。〃
　　〃Will　you　want　the　explosive　bolts　on　the　rear　loading　door　armed？〃　Duninger　said　with　great　eagerness。
　　〃Tend　your　knitting；〃　Richards　said　coldly。　It　was　time　to　finish　it　off；　make　the　final　bet。　His　brain　felt　hot；　overheated；　on　the　verge　of　blowing　a　bearing。　Call　and　raise；　that　was　the　game。
　　I'm　going　to　sky's　the　limit　right　now；　McCone。
　　〃Mr。　Friedman？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃This　is　Richards。　I　want　to　talk　to　McCone。〃
　　Dead　air　for　half　a　minute。　Holloway　and　Duninger　weren't　watching　him　anymore；　they　were　going　through　preflight；　reading　gauges　and　pressures；　checking　flaps；　doors；　switches。　The　rising　and　falling　of　the　huge　G…A　turbines　began　again；　but　now　much　louder；　strident。　When　McCone's　voice　finally　came；　it　was　small　against　the　brute　noise。
　　〃McCone　here。〃
　　〃e　on；　maggot。　You　and　the　woman　are　going　for　a　ride。　Show　up　at　the　loading　door　in　three　minutes　or　I　pull　the　ring。〃
　　Duninger　stiffened　in　his　bucket　seat　as　if　he　had　been　shot。　When　he　went　back　to　his　numbers　his　voice　was　shaken　and　terrified。
　　If　he's　got　guts；　this　is　where　he　calls。　Asking　for　the　woman　gives　it　away。　If　he's　got　guts。
　　Richards　waited。
　　A　clock　was　ticking　in　his　head。
　　
　　Minus　028　and　COUNTING
　　When　McCone's　voice　came；　it　contained　a　foreign；　blustery　note。　Fear？　Possibly。　Richards's　heart　lurched　in　his　chest。　Maybe　it　was　all　going　to　fall　together。　Maybe。
　　〃You're　nuts；　Richards。　I'm　not〃
　　〃You　listen；　〃　Richards　said；　punching　through　McCone's　voice。　〃And　while　you　are；　remember　that　this　conversation　is　being　party…lined　by　every　ham　operator　within　sixty　miles。　The　word　is　going　to　get　around。　You're　not　working　in　the　dark；　little　man。　You're　right　out　on　the　big　stage。　You're　ing　because　you're　too　chicken…shit　to　pull　a　double　cross　when　you　know　it　will　get　you　dead。　The　woman's　ing　because　I　told　her　where　I　was　going。〃
　　Weak。　Punch　him　harder。　Don't　let　him　think。
　　〃Even　if　you　should　live　when　I　pull　the　ring；　you　won't　be　able　to　get　a　job　selling　apples。　〃　He　was　clutching　the　handbag　in　his　pocket　with　frantic；　maniacal　tightness。　〃So　that's　it。　Three　minutes。　Signing　off。〃
　　〃Richards；　wait…〃
　　He　signed　off；　choking　McCone's　voice。　He　handed　the　mike　back　to　Holloway；　and　Holloway　took　it　with　fingers　that　trembled　only　slightly。
　　〃You've　got　guts；〃　Holloway　said　slowly。　〃I'll　say　that。　I　don't　think　I　ever　saw　so　much　guts。〃
　　〃There　will　be　more　guts　than　anyone　ever　saw　if　he　pulls　that　ring；〃　Duninger　said。
　　〃Continue　with　your　preflight；　please；〃　Richards　said。　〃I　am　going　back　to　wele　our　guests。　We　go　in　five　minutes。〃
　　He　went　back　and　pushed　the　chute　over　to　the　window　seat；　then　sat　down　watching　the　door　between　first　class　and　second　class。　He　would　know　very　soon。　He　would　know　very　soon。
　　His　hand　worked　with　steady；　helpless　restlessness　on　Amelia　Williams's　handbag。
　　Outside　it　was　almost　full　dark。
　　
　　Minus　027　and　COUNTING
　　They　came　up　the　stairs　with　a　full　forty…five　seconds　to　spare。　Amelia　was　panting　and　frightened；　her　hair　blown　into　a　haphazard　beehive　by　the　steady　wind　that　rolled　this　manmade　flatland。　McCone's　appearance　was　outwardly　unchanged；　he　remained　neat　and　unaffected；　unruffled　you　might　say；　but　his　eyes　were　dark　with　a　hate　that　was　nearly　psychotic。
　　〃You　haven't　won　a　thing；　maggot；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃We　haven't　even　started　to　play　our　trump　cards　yet。〃
　　〃It's　nice　to　see　you　again；　Mrs。　Williams；　〃　Richards　said　mildly。
　　As　if　he　had　given　her　a　signal；　pulled　an　invisible　string；　she　began　to　weep。　It　was　not　a　hysterical　weeping；　it　was　an　entirely　hopeless　sound　that　came　from　her　belly　like　hunks　of　slag。　The　force　of　it　made　her　stagger；　then　crumple　to　the　plush　carpet　of　this　plush　first…class　section　with　her　face　cupped　in　her　hands；　as　if　to　hold　it　on。　Richards's　blood　had　dried　to　a　tacky　maroon　smear　on　her　blouse。　Her　full　skirt；　spread　around　her　and　hiding　her　legs；　made　her　look　like　a　wilted　flower。
　　Ri