p&c.brimstone-第55部分

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est。　Then；　carefully　extending　the　detector　through　the　hole；　he　scanned　the　ground　inside　the　fence。　Numbers　glowed　from　a　tiny　LED　screen　on　the　disc。　
　He　withdrew　the　device　and；　reaching　for　a　stick；　carefully　scraped　away　the　leaves　and　dirt；　exposing　a　pair　of　wires。　Then　he　repeated　the　process　at　another　spot　a　few　feet　away；　exposing　more　wires。　Reaching　into　his　haversack；　he　retrieved　a　pair　of　alligator　clips　mated　to　tiny　electronic　devices。　He　attached　one　of　these　clips　to　each　end　of　the　wire。　
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　
　〃I'm　using　these　clip…and…capacitor　ponents　to　reduce　our　electromagnetic　signature　to　that　of　a　seventy…kilogram　wild　boar　and　its　mate。　They　are　mon　in　this　area；　and　no　doubt　Bullard's　night　security　detail　is　plagued　by　boars　roaming　the　fence　line。　Now；　quickly。〃　
　They　crawled　through　the　hole；　Pendergast　swiftly　wiring　up　the　opening　and　removing　the　clips。　Then；　with　another　stick；　he　filled　the　holes　and　covered　them　with　dead　leaves。　Finally；　he　pulled　a　small　spritzer　bottle　and　misted　the　disturbed　ground。　An　acrid　smell　reached　D'Agosta。　
　〃Diluted　boar　urine。　Follow　me。〃　
　The　two　ran　parallel　to　the　fence　for　a　few　hundred　yards；　crouching　low；　until　they　reached　a　heavy　thicket。　As　quietly　as　possible；　they　crawled　deep　inside。　
　〃Now　we　wait　for　security　to　investigate。　It　will　be　a　while。　Regulate　your　breathing　and　stay　calm。　They'll　be　ing　in　with　night　vision　and　infrared；　no　doubt；　so　stay　low　and　don't　move。　Since　they're　already　assuming　it's　a　boar；　their　search　will　not　be　long。〃　
　Silence　fell。　It　was　utterly　black　in　the　dense　thicket。　D'Agosta　waited。　To　his　left；　Pendergast　remained　so　motionless；　so　silent；　that　he　seemed　to　disappear　pletely。　The　only　noise　was　the　faint　rustle　of　wind；　the　occasional　call　of　a　night　bird。　Three　minutes　passed；　then　five。　
　D'Agosta　felt　an　ant　moving　on　his　ankle。　He　reached　down　to　flick　it　away。　
　〃No；〃　whispered　Pendergast。　
　D'Agosta　left　the　ant　alone。　
　Soon　he　could　feel　it　crawling　over　his　shin；　exploring　with　short；　herky…jerky　movements。　It　worked　its　way　down　to　his　shoe；　where　it　began　trying　to　dig　into　his　sock。　When　he　tried　to　think　about　something　else；　he　realized　his　nose　had　begun　to　tickle。　How　long　had　they　been　still？　Ten　minutes？　Jesus；　remaining　motionless　like　this　was　harder　than　running　a　marathon。　D'Agosta　could　see　absolutely　nothing。　A　cramp　had　e　up　in　his　leg。　He　should　have　taken　more　care　to　seat　himself　fortably。　He　longed　to　move。　His　nose　was　itching　fiercely　now；　all　the　worse　for　his　not　being　able　to　scratch　it。　More　ants；　emboldened　by　the　investigations　of　their　scout；　began　to　crawl　over　his　skin。　The　cramp　in　his　leg　grew　worse；　and　he　could　feel　his　calf　muscle　twitching　involuntarily。　
　Then　came　the　faint　sound　of　voices。　D'Agosta　held　his　breath。　He　could　see　the　distant　gleam　of　a　light；　almost　obscured　by　leaves。　More　voices；　a　burst　of　static　from　a　walkie…talkie；　some　desultory　conversation　in　English。　Then　silence　returned。　
　D'Agosta　expected　Pendergast　to　give　the　all…clear；　but　the　FBI　agent　said　nothing。　Now　all　of　his　muscles　were　screaming　with　pain。　One　of　his　legs　had　gone　to　sleep；　and　the　ants　were　all　over　him。　
　〃All　right。〃　Pendergast　rose　and　D'Agosta　followed；　hugely　grateful；　shaking　out　his　legs；　rubbing　his　nose；　slapping　away　the　ants。　
　Pendergast　glanced　at　him。　〃Someday；　Vincent；　I　will　teach　you　a　useful　meditation　technique；　perfect　for　situations　such　as　that。〃　
　〃I　could　use　it。　Talk　about　agony。〃　
　〃Now　that　we've　bypassed　the　first　layer　of　security；　on　to　the　second。　Keep　directly　behind　me　and　stay　in　my　tracks　as　much　as　possible。〃　
　They　moved　through　the　woods；　Pendergast　still　scanning　with　his　device。　The　trees　thinned　and　they　emerged　into　an　overgrown　field。　Beyond　stood　a　row　of　ruined　buildings；　enormous　brick　warehouses　with　peaked　roofs　and　vacant　doors。　Vines　crawled　up　the　sides；　sprouting　off　in　dark　heads　that　nodded　and　swayed　in　the　heavy　air。　
　Pendergast　consulted　a　small　map；　and　they　moved　toward　the　first　warehouse。　Inside　it　smelled　of　mold　and　dry　rot；　their　footsteps；　even　with　the　silent　shoes；　seemed　to　echo。　They　passed　through　a　far　door　into　a　gigantic　square　surrounded　by　buildings。　The　cement　of　the　square　was　riddled　with　cracks；　through　which　thrust　dark　vegetation。　
　〃What　if　they　have　dogs？〃　D'Agosta　whispered。　
　〃Loose　dogs　are　a　thing　of　the　past。　They're　unpredictable；　noisy；　and　often　end　up　attacking　the　wrong　person。　Dogs　are　now　only　used　for　tracking。　What　we　have　to　watch　out　for　will　be　far　more　subtle。〃　
　They　crossed　the　expanse　of　concrete。　Nocturnal　animals　rustled　in　the　foliage　as　they　passed。　At　the　far　end　of　the　courtyard　was　a　grassy　alley　between　two　rows　of　ruined　buildings；　the　heaps　of　masonry　covered　with　ivy　that；　in　the　darkness；　looked　like　spreading　stains。　Pendergast　proceeded　more　cautiously　now；　using　a　small；　hooded　flashlight　to　illuminate　their　way。　Halfway　along　the　alley　he　paused；　knelt；　and　examined　the　ground。　Then　he　picked　up　a　branch　and　gave　a　little　poke　to　the　grass　ahead。　He　prodded　harder；　and　the　stick　suddenly　broke　through　into　space。　
　〃A　pit；〃　he　said。　〃Notice　that；　with　these　ruins　flanking　either　side；　this　alley　is　the　only　way　to　proceed。〃　
　〃A　booby　trap？〃　
　〃Undoubtedly。　But　disguised　to　look　like　some　part　of　the　old　factory；　so　that　when　the　intruder　falls　in　and　is　killed；　nobody　would　be　blamed。〃　
　〃How　did　you　spot　it？〃　
　〃Lack　of　boar　tracks。〃　Pendergast　carefully　withdrew　the　stick　and　turned。　〃We　shall　have　to　make　our　way　through　one　of　these　ruined　laboratories。　Take　care：　there　may　still　be　the　odd　bottle　of　nitroglycerin　around；　strategically　placed　to　snag　the　unwary。　We　should　consider　this　the　next　ring　of　security；　Vincent；　we　must　be　both　quiet　and　vigilant。〃　
　They　entered　a　dark　doorway　and　Pendergast　flashed　his　hooded　light　around。　The　floor　was　covered　with　broken　glass；　rusty　pieces　of　metal；　broken　tile；　and　bricks。　Pendergast　paused；　then　signaled　to　D'Agosta　to　back　out。　
　Two　minutes　later　they　were　in　the　concrete　courtyard。　
　〃What　was　wrong？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　〃Too　much　broken　glass；　too　evenly　spread；　and　the　glass　was　too　modern　to　be　from　the　original　factory。　A　noise　trap；　with　sensors　ready　to　pick　up　the　telltale　crunch　of　human　feet。　Motion　sensors；　too；　I　expect。〃　
　In　the　greenish　glow　of　his　lantern；　Pendergast's　face　seemed　troubled。　
　〃What　now？〃　
　〃Back　to　the　pit。〃　
　They　circled　back　around　to　the　alleyway　and　Pendergast　crept　forward　alone；　prodding　with　a　stick　until　he'd　located　the　pit。　Then　he　lay　on　his　stomach；　carefully　parted　the　thick　grass　and　vegetation；　and　shone　his　light　into　the　dark　hole。　A　moment　later　he　withdrew；　snapping　off　his　light。　
　〃Wait　here。〃　
　And　then　he　was　gone；　melting　into　the　night。　
　D'Agosta　waited。　Pendergast　hadn't　told　him　to　remain　still　and　silent；　he　hadn't　needed　to。　He　crouched　in　the　inky　darkness；　barely　daring　to　breathe。　Five　minutes　passed。　Left　alone；　the　tension　began　to　take　its　toll。　D'Agosta　could　feel　his　heart　pounding　in　his　chest。　
　Relax。　
　And　then…as　suddenly　and　silently　as　he　had　disappeared…Pendergast　was　back；　a　long　plank　in　his　hands。　He　laid　it　across　the　brushy　opening；　then　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Beyond　this；　no　talking　unless　absolutely　necessary。　Follow　my　lead。〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　They　crossed　the　wobbly　plank；　one　after　the　other。　On　the　far　side；　the　brush　was　thicker；　presenting　a　dark　wall。　Pendergast　moved　forward；　probed　with　his　sensor；　sniffed。　He　briefly　turned　on　the　light；　then　turned　it　off　again。　They　moved　parallel　to　the　brushy　area；　then　veered　into　it　on　what　appeared　to　be　an　animal　trail。　
　The　boars　are　saving　our　ass；　D'Agosta　thought。　
　They　crept　slowly　through　the　thick　brush。　A　brick　wall　loomed　to　their　right：　a　blast　wall；　judging　by　its　massiveness。　In　one　place　it　had　been　knocked　down　by　what　D'Agosta　guessed　was　an　old　explosion。　They　moved　through　this　gap；　still　following　the　boar　trail。　D'Agosta　could　barely　see　Pendergast；　and　could　hear　even　less：　the　man　moved　as　silently　as　a　leopard。　
　The　trail　petered　out　in　a　large　meadow　less　overgrown　than　the　others　they　had　passed。　Pendergast　paused　to　reconnoiter；　motioning　for　D'Agosta　to　stay　back。　At　the　far　end　lay　the　dark　silhouette　of　more　wrecked　buildings　and；　beyond　that；　the　faint　glow　of　light。　
　Pendergast　slipped　a　pack　of　cigarettes　out　of　his　pocket。　Turning　back　toward　D'Agosta；　and　very　carefully　shielding　a　cigarette　with　his　hands；　he　lit　up。　D'Agosta　watched；　astonished。　Pendergast　inhaled　lazily；　turned；　and　blew　out　a　stream　of　smoke。　
　Not　three　feet　in　front　of　them；　the　drifting　smoke　revealed　a　brilliant　beam　of　blue　light：　a　laser。　It　was　set　just　high　enough　to　clear　the　back　of　a　boar。　
　Pendergast　got　down　on　his　stomach　and　began　to　slither　forward　through　the　tall　grass；　motioning　D'Agosta　to　do　likewise。　
　Slowly；　painstakingly；　they　advanced　across　the　field。　Now　and　then　Pendergast　would　take　a　drag　on　the　concealed　cigarette　and　blow　a　stream　of　smoke　overhead；　illuminating　the　laser　beams　that　crisscrossed　the　field。　Dark　woods　and　ruins　surrounded　the　verge　of　the　meadow；　and　it　was　impossible　to　see　where　the　beams　were　ing　from。　When　the　cigarette　went　out；　he　lit　another。　
　In　five　minutes　they　were　across。　Pendergast　ground　out　the　stub　of　cigarette；　rose；　and　moved　at　a　crouch　to　an　empty　door　frame；　withdrawing　his　light　and　directing　it　inside。　The　beam　briefly　illuminated　a　long　passageway；　rooms　fronted　with　metal　bars　facing　each　other　across　the　corridor。　To　D'Agosta　it　looked　almost　like　a　prison。　The　ceilings　had　caved　in；　along　with　some　of　the　walls；　leaving　a　maze　of　broken　masonry；　beams；　and　tile。　
　Pendergast　paused　in　the　doorway　to　wave　a　handheld　meter　of　some　kind；　then　advanced　cautiously。　What　was　left　of　the　edifice　seemed　about　to　collapse；　and　from　time　to　time　D'Agosta　could　hear　the　creaking　and　groaning　of　a　beam　or　the　rattle　of　falling　plaster。　As　they　moved　through　the　vast　crumbling　space；　the　faint　light　ahead　grew　stronger；　ing　in　through　a　row　of　shattered　windows　at　the　far　end。　Reaching　the　w