pdouglas.thecodex-第59部分

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fire　again…and　then　he　heard　a　squeal　and　some　thrashing。
　Coatimundi；　damn　it！　He　had　shot　a　coatimundi！
　He　turned　now；　focusing　his　attention　ahead；　lowered　his　gun；　and　fired　in　the　direction　of　the　fleeing　Broadbents。　He　heard　the　coati　squealing　in　pain　behind　him；　the　crackling　of　twigs；　and　then　he　realized；　just　in　time；　that　this　was　no　wounded　coati…it　was　the　Indian　again。
　He　dropped；　rolled；　fired…not　to　kill；　for　the　Indian　had　vanished　into　the　vines；　but　to　drive　the　Indian　to　his　right；　toward　the　open　area　in　front　of　the　bridge。　He　would　drive　him　in　the　same　direction　as　the　Broadbents。　He　now　had　the　Indian　on　the　run；　herding　him　together　with　the　others。　The　trick　was　to　keep　them　moving；　firing　steadily；　preventing　them　from　peeling　off　and　ing　back　around　behind　him。　He　ran；　crouching　and　firing　short　bursts；　left　and　right；　cutting　off　any　possibility　of　escape　back　into　the　ruined　city。　By　sweeping　in　from　their　left　he　was　driving　them　ever　closer　to　the　chasm；　crowding　them；　flushing　them　toward　open　ground。　His　clip　empty；　he　paused　to　slam　another　in。　As　he　ran；　he　heard；　through　the　foliage　ahead；　the　crash　of　the　Broadbents　in　their　flight　in　exactly　the　direction　he　hoped　they　would　go。
　He　had　them　now。
　
　77
　
　Tom　was　already　halfway　back　across　the　plateau　when　he　heard　the　staccato　fire　from　Hauser's　gun。　He　instinctively　ran　toward　the　sound；　fearful　of　what　it　might　mean；　knocking　aside　ferns　and　vines；　jumping　fallen　logs；　scrambling　over　wrecked　walls。　He　heard　the　second　and　third　bursts　of　gunfire；　closer　and　more　to　his　right。　He　veered　toward　it；　hoping　in　some　way　to　defend　his　brothers　and　father。　He　had　a　machete；　he'd　killed　a　jaguar　and　an　anaconda　with　it…why　not　Hauser？
　Unexpectedly　he　burst　out　of　the　foliage　and　into　sunlight；　fifty　yards　away　lay　the　edge　of　the　precipice；　a　sheer　drop　of　more　than　a　mile　into　a　dark　coil　of　mists　and　shadow。　He　was　now　at　the　edge　of　the　great　chasm。　He　looked　to　the　right　and　saw　the　graceful　catenary　of　the　suspension　bridge　dangling　over　the　canyon；　swaying　gently　in　the　updrafts。
　He　heard　more　gunfire　behind　him　and　glimpsed　movement。　Vernon　and　Philip　appeared　out　of　the　trees　beyond　the　bridge；　supporting　their　father；　running　as　fast　as　they　could。　Borabay　appeared　a　moment　later　farther　back；　catching　up　to　them。　A　raking　fire　came　past　them；　snipping　off　the　heads　of　the　ferns　behind　them；　and　too　late　Tom　realized　that　he；　too；　was　trapped。　Tom　ran　toward　them　as　another　staccato　peal　of　gunfire　came　out　of　the　trees。　Tom　could　now　see　that　Hauser　was　several　hundred　yards　behind；　firing　to　their　left　and　driving　them　toward　the　edge　of　the　chasm　and　the　bridge。　Tom　ran　toward　the　bridgehead　and　reached　it　at　the　same　time　as　the　others。　They　paused；　crouching。　Tom　could　see　that　the　soldiers　on　the　other　side；　alerted　by　the　gunfire；　had　already　taken　up　covering　positions　and　were　blocking　their　escape。
　〃Hauser's　trying　to　drive　us　out　on　the　bridge；〃　cried　Philip。
　Another　burst　of　gunfire　tore　some　leaves　off　a　tree　branch　above　them。
　〃We've　no　choice！〃　Tom　cried。
　In　another　moment　they　were　running　out　on　the　swaying　bridge；　half…carrying；　half…dragging　their　father。　The　soldiers　on　the　far　side　dropped　to　their　knees；　blocking　their　exit；　guns　pointed。
　〃Just　keep　going；〃　Tom　shouted。
　They　were　about　a　third　of　the　way　across　when　the　soldiers　in　front　of　them　fired　a　warning　volley　above　their　heads。　At　the　same　time　a　voice　rang　out　from　behind　them。　Tom　turned。　Hauser　and　several　more　soldiers　were　blocking　their　retreat　at　the　other　end　of　the　bridge。
　They　were　trapped　in…between；　all　five　of　them。
　The　soldiers　fired　a　second　volley；　this　one　lower。　Tom　could　hear　the　bullets　passing　like　bees　above　their　heads。　They　had　reached　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　and　it　was　now　swaying　and　jouncing　from　their　motion。　Tom　looked　back；　looked　forward。　They　stopped。　There　was　nothing　more　they　could　do。　It　was　over。
　〃Don't　move；〃　Hauser　called　out　to　them；　strolling　out　on　the　bridge　with　a　smile；　weapon　trained　on　them。　They　watched　him　approach。　Tom　glanced　at　his　father。　He　was　looking　at　Hauser　with　fear　and　hatred。　The　expression　on　his　father's　face　frightened　him　even　more　than　their　situation。
　Hauser　stopped　a　hundred　feet　from　them；　steadying　himself　on　the　swaying　bridge。　〃Well；　well；〃　he　said。　〃If　it　isn't　old　Max　and　his　three　sons。　What　a　nice　family　reunion。〃
　
　78
　
　During　the　twelve　hours　Sally　had　lain　behind　the　tree　trunk；　her　thoughts　had；　for　some　reason；　turned　to　her　father。　That　last　summer　of　his　life　he　had　taught　her　how　to　shoot。　After　he　died；　she　had　continued　to　go　down　to　the　bluffs　to　practice　shooting　apples　and　oranges；　and　later　pennies　and　dimes。　She　had　gotten　to　be　an　excellent　shot；　but　it　was　a　useless　skill…she　had　no　interest　in　petition　or　hunting。　She　had　simply　enjoyed　it。　Some　people　liked　to　bowl；　some　liked　Ping…Pong…she　liked　to　shoot。　Of　course；　in　New　Haven　it　was　the　most　politically　incorrect　skill　of　all。　Julian　was　horrified　when　he　found　out。　He　made　her　promise　to　give　up　shooting　and　keep　it　a　secret…not　because　he　was　against　guns　but　because　it　was　déclassé。　Julian。　She　pushed　him　out　of　her　mind。
　She　shifted　her　cramped　thighs　and　wiggled　her　toes；　trying　to　limber　up　the　stiffened　muscles。　She　gave　another　handful　of　nuts　to　Hairy　Bugger；　who　was　still　sitting　grumpily　in　his　vine　cage。　She　was　glad　he　had　been　there　to　keep　her　pany　these　past　hours；　even　if　he　was　in　a　foul　mood。　The　poor　thing　loved　his　freedom。
　Bugger　gave　a　squeak　of　alarm；　and　Sally　was　instantly　alert。　Then　she　heard　it：　some　distant　shots　from　the　White　City；　a　faint　burst　from　an　automatic　weapon；　then　a　second。　With　the　binoculars　she　scanned　the　forest　on　the　far　side　of　the　gorge。　There　were　more　shots；　and　still　more；　growing　louder。　A　few　minutes　went　by；　and　then　she　saw　movement。
　It　was　Tom。　He　had　appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　cliffs；　running。　Philip　and　Vernon　emerged　out　of　the　jungle　ahead　of　him；　supporting　a　wounded　man　between　them…an　old　man　in　rags；　Broadbent。
　Borabay　was　the　last　to　appear；　closest　to　the　bridge。
　There　were　more　shots；　and　she　now　spied　Hauser　corning　out　of　the　trees　from　behind；　flushing　them　out　and　driving　them　like　game　toward　the　bridge。
　She　lowered　the　binoculars　and　raised　the　gun；　watching　the　drama　through　the　scope　of　the　Springfield。　It　couldn't　be　a　worse　situation。　The　Broadbents　and　Borabay　were　about　to　be　trapped　on　the　bridge。　But　they　had　no　other　choice；　with　Hauser　behind　them　and　the　chasm　to　one　side。　They　hesitated　at　the　bridgehead；　then　ran　out　onto　the　span。　Hauser　was　out　of　the　trees　and　shouting　to　the　soldiers　on　the　far　side；　who　kneeled　and　fired　warning　shots。
　In　a　moment　all　five　of　the　Broadbents；　including　Borabay；　were　trapped　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　with　Hauser　and　four　soldiers　at　one　end　and　four　at　the　other。　Totally　trapped。　The　firing　died　down　and　all　was　silent。
　Hauser；　with　a　grimace　on　his　face；　now　began　walking　along　the　precarious　bridge　toward　them；　his　weapon　leveled。
　Sally　felt　her　heart　hammering　in　her　chest。　Her　moment　had　e。　Her　hands　were　shaking；　sweating。　She　remembered　her　father。　Calm　your　breathing。　Allow　your　airflow　to　stop。　Find　your　heartbeat。　Shoot　in　between。
　Sally　aimed　at　Hauser　as　he　strolled　along　the　bridge。　The　bridge　was　swaying；　but　she　felt　her　chances　of　scoring　a　hit　were　better　than　fifty…fifty。　They　would　be　even　better　once　he　stopped　walking。
　Hauser　advanced　to　within　a　hundred　feet　of　the　Broadbents　and　paused。　She　could　kill　him…she　would　kill　him。　She　centered　his　torso　in　her　crosshairs；　but　she　did　not　squeeze　the　trigger。　Instead；　she　asked　herself：　What　will　happen　after　I　kill　Hauser？
　The　answer　wasn't　hard　to　figure　out。　This　was　not　The　Wizard　of　Oz；　and　the　Honduran　soldiers　on　each　side　of　the　bridge　would　not　lay　down　their　guns　saying；　〃Hail；　Dorothy！〃　These　were　brutal　mercenaries。　If　she　shot　Hauser；　the　soldiers　would　almost　certainly　open　fire　and　massacre　all　the　Broadbents　on　the　bridge。　There　were　ten　soldiers…four　at　her　end　and　now　six　at　the　other…and　she　couldn't　hope　to　pick　them　all　off；　especially　the　six　at　the　far　end；　who　were　virtually　out　of　range。　The　chamber　of　the　Springfield　held　only　five　shots；　and　when　those　were　done　she　would　have　to　pull　back　the　bolt　and　manually　reload　five　more；　a　long　process。　And　she　only　had　ten　rounds　anyway。
　Whatever　she　did　had　to　be　done　in　five　shots。
　She　felt　a　sense　of　panic。　She　had　to　think　of　a　plan；　a　way　to　bring　about　an　oute　where　they　all　survived。　Hauser　was　swaggering　toward　them　with　his　rifle；　and　he　clearly　intended　to　kill　them。　Yes；　she　would　have　to　kill　him；　and　then　it　would　be　all　over　for　the　Broadbents。
　Her　mind　reeled。　There　would　be　no　misstep　here；　no　second　chance。　She　had　to　get　this　right。　She　played　every　option　she　could　think　of　through　her　head；　but　they　all　ended　the　same　way；　with　the　Broadbents　dead。　Her　hand　shook；　the　figure　of　Hauser　jittered　in　the　scope。　If　I　kill　Hauser；　they're　dead。　If　I　don't　kill　Hauser；　they're　dead。
　She　watched　helplessly　as　Hauser　aimed　his　weapon。　He　was　smiling。　He　looked　like　a　man　about　to　enjoy　himself。
　
　79
　
　Tom　watched　Hauser　walk　down　the　bridge；　an　arrogant　smile　of　triumph　on　his　face。　He　paused　about　a　hundred　feet　from　them。　He　swiveled　the　muzzle　of　the　gun　toward　Tom。　〃Take　off　the　pack　and　lay　it　down。〃
　Tom　carefully　took　off　the　pack　but；　instead　of　laying　it　down；　held　it　over　the　gorge　by　a　strap。　〃It's　the　Codex。〃
　Hauser　fired　a　round　from　his　gun　that　snipped　a　piece　of　bamboo　from　the　railing　less　than　a　foot　from　Tom。　〃Lay　it　down！〃
　Tom　did　not　move。　He　continued　holding　the　book　over　the　gorge。　〃Shoot　me　and　it　goes　over　the　side。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Hauser　moved　the　muzzle　of　his　gun　toward　Broadbent。　〃All　right。　Lay　it　down　or　Daddy　dies。　Last　warning。〃
　〃Let　him　kill　me；〃　Broadbent　growled。
　〃And　after　Dad　there　are　your　two　brothers。　Don't　be　stupid；　and　put　it　down。〃
　After　a　brief　moment　Tom　laid　it　down。　He　had　no　choice。
　〃The　machete　next。〃
　Tom　eased　it　out　of　its　sheath　and　dro