sk.runningman-第34部分

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ch　an　unknown　glimpse　of　high；　blinking　lights　in　the　sky。　Flash；　flash。　Red　and　green；　red　and　green。　The　thunder　of　the　trucks　has　faded；　ramming　back　and　forth　in　the　stone　canyons　like　the　fists　of　vandals。　The　drunks　sleep　again。　Bitchin'。
　　We　got　him　west　of　Springfield。
　　Go…no…go　in　five　minutes。
　　From　Harding？
　　Yes。
　　He's　bracketed　and　braced。
　　All　across　the　night　the　invisible　batwings　fly；　drawing　a　glittering　net　across　the　northeast　corner　of　America。　Servos　controlled　by　General　Atomics　puters　function　smoothly。　The　missiles　turn　and　shift　subtly　in　a　thousand　places　to　follow　the　blinking　red　and　green　lights　that　sketch　the　sky。　They　are　like　steel　rattlesnakes　filled　with　waiting　venom。
　　Richards　saw　it　all；　and　functioned　even　as　he　saw　it。　The　duality　of　his　brain　was　oddly　forting；　in　a　way。　It　induced　a　detachment　that　was　much　like　insanity。　His　blood…crusted　finger　followed　their　southward　progress　smoothly。　Now　south　of　Springfield；　now　west　of　Hartford；　now…
　　Tracking。
　　
　　Minus　019　and　COUNTING
　　〃Mr。　Richards？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃We　are　over　Newark；　New　Jersey。〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Richards　said。　〃I've　been　watching。　Holloway？〃
　　Holloway　didn't　reply；　but　Richards　knew　he　was　listening。
　　〃They've　got　a　bead　drawn　on　us　all　the　way；　don't　they？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Holloway　said。
　　Richards　looked　at　McCone。　〃I　imagine　they're　trying　to　decide　if　they　can　afford　to　do　away　with　their　professional　bloodhound　here。　Imagine　they'll　decide　in　the　affirmative。　After　all；　all　they　have　to　do　is　train　a　new　one。〃
　　McCone　was　snarling　at　him；　but　Richards　thought　it　was　a　pletely　unconscious　gesture；　one　that　could　probably　be　traced　all　the　way　to　McCone's　ancestors；　the　Neanderthals　who　had　crept　up　behind　their　enemies　with　large　rocks　rather　than　battling　to　the　death　in　the　honorable　but　unintelligent　manner。
　　〃When　do　we　get　over　open　country　again；　Captain？〃
　　〃We　won't。　Not　on　a　due　south　heading。　We　will　strike　open　sea　after　we　cross　the　offshore　North　Carolina　drilling　derricks；　though。〃
　　〃Everything　south　of　here　is　a　suburb　of　New　York　City？〃
　　〃That's　about　the　size　of　it；〃　Holloway　said。
　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　Newark　was　sprawled　and　groined　below　them　like　a　handful　of　dirty　jewelry　thrown　carelessly　into　some　lady's　black…velvet　vanity　box。
　　〃Captain？〃
　　Wearily：　〃Yes。〃
　　〃You　will　now　proceed　due　west。〃
　　McCone　jumped　as　if　he　had　been　goosed。　Amelia　made　a　surprised　coughing　noise　in　her　throat。
　　〃West？〃　Holloway　asked。　He　sounded　unhappy　and　frightened　for　the　first　time。　〃You're　asking　for　it；　going　that　way。　West　takes　us　over　pretty　open　country。　Pennsylvania　between　Harrisburg　and　Pittsburgh　is　all　farm　country。　There　isn't　another　big　city　east　of　Cleveland。〃
　　〃Are　you　planning　my　strategy　for　me；　Captain？〃
　　〃No；　I…〃
　　〃Due　west；〃　Richards　repeated　curtly。
　　Newark　swung　away　beneath　them。　〃You're　crazy；〃　McCone　said。　〃They'll　blow　us　apart。〃　〃With　you　and　five　other　innocent　people　on　board？　This　honorable　country？〃　〃It　will　be　a　mistake；〃　McCone　said　harshly。　〃A　mistake　on　purpose。〃　〃Don't　you　watch　The　National　Report？　〃　Richards　asked；　still　smiling。　〃We　don't　make　mistakes。　We　haven't　made　a　mistake　since　1950。〃　Newark　was　sliding　away　beneath　the　wing；　darkness　took　its　place。　〃You're　not　laughing　anymore；〃　Richards　said。
　　
　　Minus　018　and　COUNTING
　　A　half…hour　later　Holloway　came　on　the　voice…　again。　He　sounded　excited。
　　〃Richards；　we've　been　informed　by　Harding　Red　that　they　want　to　beam　a　high…intensity　broadcast　at　us。　From　Games　Federation。　I　was　told　you　would　find　it　very　much　worth　your　while　to　turn　on　the　Free…Vee。〃
　　〃Thank　you。〃
　　He　regarded　the　blank　Free…Vee　screen　and　almost　turned　it　on。　He　withdrew　his　hand　as　if　the　back　of　the　next　seat　with　its　embedded　screen　was　hot。　A　curious　sense　of　dread　and　deja　vu　filled　him。　It　was　too　much　like　going　back　to　the　beginning；　Sheila　with　her　thin；　worked　face；　the　smell　of　Mrs。　Jenner's　cabbage　cooking　down　the　hall。　The　blare　of　the　games。　Treadmill　to　Bucks。　Swim　the　Crocodiles。　Cathy's　screams。　There　could　never　be　another　child；　of　course；　not　even　if　he　could　take　all　this　back；　withdraw　it；　and　go　back　to　the　beginning。　Even　the　one　had　been　against　fantastically　high　odds。
　　〃Turn　it　on；　〃　McCone　said。　〃Maybe　they're　going　to　offer　us…you…a　deal。〃
　　〃Shut　up；〃　Richards　said。
　　He　waited；　letting　the　dread　fill　him　up　like　heavy　water。　The　curious　sense　of　presentiment。　He　hurt　very　badly。　His　wound　was　still　bleeding；　and　his　legs　felt　weak　and　far　away。　He　didn't　know　if　he　could　get　up　to　finish　this　charade　when　the　time　came。
　　With　a　grunt；　Richards　leaned　forward　again　and　pushed　the　ON　button。　The　FreeVee　sprang　to　incredibly　clear；　amplified…signal　life。　The　face　that　filled　the　screen；　patiently　waiting；　was　very　black　and　very　familiar。　Dan　Killian。　He　was　sitting　at　a　kidney…shaped　mahogany　desk　with　the　Games　symbol　on　it。
　　〃Hello　there；〃　Richards　said　softly。
　　He　could　have　fallen　out　of　his　seat　when　Killian　straightened　up；　grinned；　and　said；　〃Hello　there　yourself；　Mr。　Richards。〃
　　
　　Minus　017　and　COUNTING
　　〃I　can't　see　you；〃　Killian　said；　〃but　I　can　hear　you。　The　jet's　voice…　is　being　relayed　through　the　radio　equipment　in　the　cockpit。　They　tell　me　you're　shot　up。〃
　　〃It's　not　as　bad　as　it　looks；〃　Richards　said。　〃I　got　scratched　up　in　the　woods。〃
　　〃Oh　yes；〃　Killian　said。　〃The　famous　Run　Through　the　Woods。　Bobby　Thompson　canonized　it　on　the　air　just　tonight…along　with　your　current　exploit；　of　course。　Tomorrow　those　woods　will　be　full　of　people　looking　for　a　scrap　of　your　shirt；　or　maybe　even　a　cartridge　case。〃
　　〃That's　too　bad；〃　Richards　said。　〃I　saw　a　rabbit。〃
　　〃You've　been　the　greatest　contestant　we've　ever　had；　Richards。　Through　a　bination　of　luck　and　skill；　you've　been　positively　the　greatest。　Great　enough　for　us　to　offer　you　a　deal。〃
　　〃What　deal？　Nationally　televised　firing　squad？〃
　　〃This　plane　hijack　has　been　the　most　spectacular；　but　it's　also　been　the　dumbest。　Do　you　know　why？　Because　for　the　first　time　you're　not　near　your　own　people。　You　left　them　behind　when　you　left　the　ground。　Even　the　woman　that's　protecting　you。　You　may　think　she's　yours。　She　may　even　think　it。　But　she's　not。　There's　no　one　up　there　but　us；　Richards。　You're　a　dead　duck。　Finally。〃
　　〃People　keep　telling　me　that　and　I　keep　drawing　breath。〃
　　〃You've　been　drawing　breath　for　the　last　two　hours　strictly　on　Games　Federation　say…so。　I　did　it。　And　I'm　the　one　that　finally　shoved　through　the　authorization　for　the　deal　I'm　going　to　offer　you。　There　was　strong　opposition　from　the　old　guard…this　kind　of　thing　has　never　been　done…but　I'm　going　through　with　it。
　　〃You　asked　me　who　you　could　kill　if　you　could　go　all　the　way　to　the　top　with　a　machine　gun。　One　of　them　would　have　been　me。　Richards。　Does　that　surprise　you？〃
　　〃I　suppose　it　does。　I　had　you　pegged　for　the　house　nigger。〃
　　Killian　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed；　but　the　laughter　sounded　forced…the　laughter　of　a　man　playing　for　high　stakes　and　laboring　under　a　great　tension。
　　〃Here's　the　deal；　Richards。　Fly　your　plane　to　Harding。　There　will　be　a　Games　limo　waiting　at　the　airport。　An　execution　will　be　performed…a　fake。　Then　you　join　our　team。〃
　　There　was　a　startled　yelp　of　rage　from　McCone。　〃You　black　bastard…〃
　　Amelia　Williams　looked　stunned。
　　〃Very　good；〃　Richards　said。　〃I　knew　you　were　good；　but　this　is　really　great。　What　a　fine　used…car　salesman　you　would　have　made；　Killian。〃
　　〃Did　McCone　sound　like　I　was　lying？〃
　　〃McCone　is　a　fine　actor。　He　did　a　little　song　and　dance　at　the　airport　that　could　have　won　an　Academy　Award。〃　Still；　he　was　troubled。　McCone's　hustling　away　of　Amelia　for　coffee　when　it　appeared　she　might　trip　the　Irish；　McCone's　steady；　heavy　antagonism…they　didn't　fit。　Or　did　they？　His　mind　began　to　pinwheel。　〃Maybe　you're　springing　this　on　him　without　his　knowledge。　Counting　on　his　reaction　to　make　it　look　even　better。〃
　　Killian　said：　〃You've　done　your　song　and　dance　with　the　plastic　explosive；　Mr。　Richards。　We　know…know…that　you　are　bluffing。　But　there　is　a　button　on　this　desk；　a　small　red　button；　which　is　not　a　bluff。　Twenty　seconds　after　I　push　it；　that　plane　will　be　torn　apart　by　surface…to…air　Diamondback　missiles　carrying　clean　nuclear　warheads。〃
　　〃The　Irish　isn't　fake；　either。　〃　But　there　was　a　curdled　taste　in　his　mouth。　The　bluff　was　soured。
　　〃Oh；　it　is。　You　couldn't　get　on　a　Lockheed　G…A　plane　with　a　plastic　explosive。　Not　without　tripping　the　alarms。　There　are　four　separate　detectors　on　the　plane；　installed　to　foil　hijackers。　A　fifth　was　installed　in　the　parachute　you　asked　for。　I　can　tell　you　that　the　alarm　lights　in　the　Voigt　Field　control　tower　were　watched　with　great　interest　and　trepidation　when　you　got　on。　The　consensus　was　that　you　probably　had　the　Irish。　You　have　proved　so　resourceful　all　the　way　up　the　line　that　it　seemed　like　a　fair　assumption　to　make。　There　was　more　than　a　little　relief　when　none　of　those　lights　went　on。　I　assume　you　never　had　the　opportunity　to　pick　any　up。　Maybe　you　never　thought　of　it　until　too　late。　Well；　doesn't　matter。　It　makes　your　position　worse；　but…〃
　　McCone　was　suddenly　standing　beside　Richards。　〃Here　it　goes；〃　he　said；　grinning。　〃Here　is　where　I　blow　your　fucking　head　off；　donkey。　〃　He　pointed　his　gun　at　Richards's　temple。
　　
　　Minus　016　and　COUNTING
　　〃You're　dead　if　you　do；　〃　Killian　said。
　　McCone　hesitated；　fell　back　a　step；　and　stared　at　the　Free…Vee　unbelievingly。　His　face　began　to　twist　and　crumple　again。　His　lips　writhed　in　a　silent　effort　to　gain　speech。　When　it　finally　came；　it　was　a　whisper　of　thwarted　rage。
　　〃I　can　take　him！　Right　now！　Right　here！　We'll　all　be　safe！　We'll…〃
　　Wearily；　Killian　said：　〃You're　safe　now；　you　God　damned　fool。　And　Donahue　could　have　taken　him…if　we　wanted　him　taken。〃
　　〃This　man　is　a　criminal！〃　McCone's　voice　was　rising。　〃He's　killed　police　officers！　mitted　acts　of　anarchy　and　air　piracy！　He's　。　。　。　he's　publicly　humiliated　me　and　my　department！〃
　　〃Sit　down；〃　Killian　said；　and　his　voice　was　as　cold　as　the　deep　space　between　planets。　〃It's　time