jherbert.sepulchre-第54部分

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ound　in　Mesopotamia；　the　Jewish　race　originated。　It　was　from　Ur　of　the　Chaldees　that　Abraham　led　his　tribe　north　into　Syria；　then　through　Canaan　into　Egypt。　They　took　with　them　stories　that　later　became　the　myths　of　their　Bible。　The　Great　Flood；　the　baby　Moses　found　among　bulrushes…borrowed　history！　The　Hebrew　account　of　the　Creation　and　the　first　chapters　of　Genesis…they　were　based　on　old　Sumerian　legends。　Legends　because　the　old　kings　had　ordered　all　records　of　their　early　history　to　be　destroyed；　their　way　of　ensuring　Bel…Marduk's　corruption　would　not　be　passed　on　to　other　generations。　But　they　didn't　understand　how；　evil　can　be　inherited；　not　learned　from　the　written　word。'　There　were　figures　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　but　Kline　appeared　not　to　notice。
　　'We　Jews　even　adopted　the　Cabala　as　our　own；　claiming　it　was　passed　on　from　Noah　to　Abraham；　from　Abraham　to　Moses；　who　initiated　seventy　elders　into　the　mysteries　during　their　years　of　wandering　in　the　wilderness。　Bel…Marduk's　teachings　were　never　discontinued；　nor　was　his　revenge　on　mankind！　Even　the　other　man…god；　Jesus　Christ；　who　chose　the　Jews　as　his　people；　couldn't　stem　the　flow！　He　came　to　undo　the　Serpent's　work；　the　only　way　of　redeeming　earth's　people。　And　look　what　happened；　Halloran。　He　was　executed；　just　like　his　predecessor；　Bel…Marduk！　Makes　you　wonder　why　he　bothered；　doesn't　it？　Look　around　you　today；　Halloran；　and　you'll　see　the　conflict　still　goes　an。　You're　part　of　it；　I'm　part　of　it。'　Kline　leaned　forward　once　more。　'The　question　is；'　he　said　craftily；　'on　which　side　of　the　struggle　are　you？'　Halloran　could　give　no　answer。
　　Kline　pushed　himself　back　into　the　chair。　'Bring　her　dawn！'　he　called　out。
　　There　was　movement　from　above　and　Halloran　raised　his　eyes　to　see　Cora；　flanked　by　Palusinski　and　the　other　Arab；　descending　the　stairway。　She　wore　her　bathrobe；　its　belt　tied　loosely　at　the　front；　and　her　step　was　unsteady。　When　she　reached　the　bottom　and　looked　around　the　soft　bewilderment　in　her　eyes　was　obvious。　He　wondered　if　the　drug　had　been　forced　upon　her。
　　'Liam　。　。　。'　she　began　to　say　on　seeing　him。
　　'Concerned　for　your　lover；　Cora　dear？'　came　Kline's　voice　from　the　shadows。　Now　there　was　fear　as　she　looked　to…wards　the　source。
　　'What　are　you　going　to　do　with　her；　Kline？'　Halloran　demanded。
　　'Nothing　at　all。　Cora　won't　be　harmed。　I　haven't　groomed　her　for　that。　But　I　need　a　new　ally；　you　see；　someone　who'll　watch　for　me。　I　always　knew　a　replacement　would　be　necessary　one　day；　I　just　didn't　realise　how　imminent　that　day　was。'
　　'You　can't　make　her　take　his　place。'
　　'Oh；　I　can。　She's　filth；　Halloran；　degenerate。　You　must　understand　that　by　now。　She's　bee…no；　she's　almost　bee…what　I've　always　wanted　her　to　be。　The　final　depravity　is　about　to　happen。'
　　'You　made　her　like　this？'
　　'Of　course。　Cora　was　a　sweet　little　thing　when　she　first　came　to　my　attention；　much　too　good　for　the　likes　of　you　and　me。　An　English　Rose；　you　might　say。　It　was　an　interesting　exercise　turning　her　into　something　else。'
　　'With　drugs？'
　　'At　the　beginning。　She　never　even　realised。　A　few　drops　of　something　mixed　with　her　food　or　her　drink；　enough　only　to　soften　her　inhibitions。　A　gradual　process；　an　extremely　slow　journey　into　degradation。　Eventually　the　drugs　were　hardly　necessary…I'd　helped　Cora　develop　certain　〃tastes〃。　There　was　more　to　be　achieved　before　she　became　mine　pletely；　but　now　time　is　too　precious；　the　process　has　to　be　hastened　if　she's　to　fulfil　her　role。'　The　wire　was　cruel　against　his　throat　as　Halloran　tensed。　'You　can't　make　her　into　something　like　that。'
　　'Like　my　Keeper？　Why　not？　Who　would　know；　who　would　care？　She'll　merely　leave　the　employ　of　the　Magma　Corporation　to　bee　my　private　assistant。　These　kind　of　relationships　develop　all　the　time　in　business；　surely　you　know　that？'
　　'This　is　insane。'
　　'That's　a　stupid　assertion　you　keep　making；　Halloran。　You　don't　believe　anything　I've　told　you。'　Despite　his　anger；　Halloran　smiled。
　　'You　confuse　me；'　Kline　said；　weariness　heavy　in　his　voice。　'For　a　while　I　thought　you　could　be　of　use　to　me；　like　the　others。　I　searched　the　world　for　men　such　as　Palusinski　and　Monk；　Khayed　and　Daoud；　seeking　out　wickedness　wherever　it　might　lurk。　They're　indebted　to　me；　these　men；　because　I　gave　them　a　channel　for　their　evil…and　such　a　fine　evil　it　is。　There　are　more；　many　more；　as　these　four；　and　I　use　them　on　my　journeys。　You　could　have　joined　us　because　you're　not　unlike　them。　Yet　I　can't　know　you；　and　that　makes　me　wary。　You　saved　me　from　assassination…my　dreams　and　my　senses　have　told　me　the　threat　is　near…but　still　I　can't　bring　myself　to　trust　you。　You're　an　enigma；　and　while　that　may　have　its　fascination　for　me；　I　see　no　reason　to　have　an　unknown　quantity　so　close；　particularly　at　a　time　when　things　are　not　as　they　should　be。　No；　you'll　have　to　be　disposed　of。'　The　wire　bit　deeper　as　the　Arab　behind　Halloran　giggled。
　　'Aren't　you　forgetting　something？'　the　operative　managed　to　say　despite　his　throat's　constriction。　The　wire　loosened　once　more　and　he　swallowed　hard。
　　'Tell　me。'　It　came　as　a　sneer。
　　'My　organisation　knows　where　I　am；　who　I'm　working　for。　I　can't　just　disappear。'
　　'Tut；　tut；'　Kline　said　flatly。　'What　a　fool　I　am　for　overlooking　that。'　The　mocking　ceased　just　as　abruptly。　'Don't　you　see？　You　put　up　a　valiant　fight　against　intruders；　but　they　murdered　you　before　my　own　bodyguards　drove　them　off。　How's　that？　Convincing？　Who　can　prove　otherwise？　And　incidentally；　Monk　was　one　of　them；　a　traitor　in　our　midst。　He　went　with　them　after　we　fought　them　off。　In　fact；　he　was　the　swine　who　murdered　you。'　Halloran　ignored　the　laughter。　'Cora　…'
　　'She　won't　be　saying　anything　against　me　after　tonight！'　Kline　snapped。　His　hands　thumped　the　side　of　the　chair。　'Time　to　press　on。　All　this　talk　is　wearying。　Help　me；　Asil。'　The　Arab　brushed　past　Cora　and　Palusinski　and　hurried　to　where　his　master　sat　among　the　effigies。
　　'Let　Halloran　stand；　Youssef；　but　watch　him；　keep　him　harnessed。'　The　wire　brought　Halloran　to　his　feet　and　he　had　to　concentrate　to　keep　himself　steady；　for　his　head　was　still　groggy。　Cora　took　a　step　towards　him　and　Palusinski　grabbed　her　to　bald　her　back。　She　looked　dumbly　at　the　Pole's　hand　as　though　wondering　what　it　was　doing　on　her　arm。
　　Kline；　assisted　by　Khayed；　was　rising　from　the　shadows。　He　came　forward；　movement　slow；　an　old　man's　shuffle；　his　servant　close　by　his　side。　Part　of　the　darkness　came　with　him；　for　he　was　wearing　a　black　robe　whose　hem　swept　along　the　flour。　He　left　the　statues。
　　He　came　into　the　light。
　　'Jesus；　Mary　。　。　。'　Halloran　breathed。
　　　
　　　
　　　43　THE　OPEN　GATES
　　
　　Rain　lashed　the　windscreen；　the　wipers　barely　able　to　keep　the　glass　clear。　Charles　Mother　peered　over　the　steering　wheel；　his　whole　body　tensed；　the　aching　in　his　leg　bad。
　　He　was　close；　he　was　sure　of　that。　The　entrance　to　Neath　had　to　be　nearby。　Unfortunately；　the　rain　made　it　impossible　to　see　too　far　ahead。　Damned　incredible　night；　he　mused　irritably。　The　storm　was　as　fierce　now　as　when　it　had　first　begun　nearly　an　hour　ago；　with　no　sign　of　abating。　The　clouds　were　black　and　ragged　with　inner　strife；　the　thunder　they　threw　out　rattling　his　very　bones。
　　Lightning　lit　the　way；　white…washing　the　landscape。　The　earth　threatened　to　split　under　the　explosive　crack　that　acpanied　the　light。
　　It　would　have　been　safer…and　more　sensible…to　have　pulled　over　by　the　roadside　and　wait　out　the　storm；　but　Mother　would　not　consider　doing　that。　He　was　too　concerned　for　Liam　Halloran。　Something　had　been　wrong　with　this　assignment　all　along　and　the　revelation　by　Magma's　chairman　earlier　that　evening　had　furthered　Mother's　disquiet。　Snaith　himself　had　given　the　goahead　to　bring　out　their　operative；　although　he　had　not　personally　felt　Halloran　was　at　risk。　No；　the　Controller　was　more　unhappy　with　the　Magma　Corporation's　unreliable　conduct；　for　deceit　could　easily　jeopardise　an　operation　of　this　sort。　'Negative　factor'　was　the　term　used　by　Achilles'　Shield　when　carefully　laid　plans　could　be　put　at　risk　by　deliberate　misinformation。　Under　such　circumstances；　a　mission　could　be　resigned　at　once；　and　every　Shield　contract　contained　a　get…out　clause　covering　this　particular　area。　As　Magma　had　been　quite　prepared　to　withhold　certain　vital　information；　they　could　not　be　regarded　as　a　trustworthy　client。
　　Mother　had　agreed　with　his　Controller　on　that　score；　but　it　was　Sir　Victor　Penlock's　insinuation　which　bothered　him　more。
　　Felix　Kline　was　not　an　employee　of　the　Magma　Corporation。　Far　from　it。　He　was　Magma。　Many　years　before；　Mother　had　learned；　he　had　taken　over　an　existing　mineral　and　energy　research　and　development　pany；　acquiring　fifty…two　per　cent　of　the　stock　through　various　other　worldwide　panies　which　had　no　connection　with　Magma。　The　secret　of　ownership　had　been　kept　because　of　'credibility'　in　the　all…important　City　market…no　financial　adviser　would　remend　investment　in　a　pany　whose　major　shareholder　was　a　socalled　'mystic'。　The　world　of　high　finance　was　not　known　for　its　sense　of　humour。
　　If　Shield　had　been　made　aware　of　Kline's　true　role　within　the　organisation；　then　a　much　more　prehensive　plan　of　action　would　have　been　undertaken　and　a　larger　protection　force；　with　even　more　stringent　restrictions；　employed。　As　it　was；　Magma　had　used　a　blindfold　on　the　agency。
　　But　what　concerned　Mother　most；　though；　was　Sir　Victor's　suggestion　that　Kline　might　have　been　responsible　for　QuinnReece's　death　in　some　way。　The　deputy…chairman　had　succumbed　to　heart　failure；　surely。　But　there　had　been　others　in　conflict　with　the　psychic　in　the　past　who　had　also　died　of　sudden　and；　in　two　cases　at　least；　inexplicable　cardiac　arrests。　Three　others；　to　be　precise。　One　inside　the　Corporation；　a　board　member　who　had　constantly　opposed　plans　for　development　put　forward　（albeit　surreptitiously）　by　Kline；　another　had　been　from　a　rival　pany；　whose　persistent　investigations　were　slowly　unravelling　Kline's　real　worth　to　Magma；　the　third　had　been　a　munications　magnate　who　had　instigated　a　take…over　bid　for　the　Corporation。　This　man　had　a　known　heart　condition；　but　when　he　had　been　found　dead　from　a　massive　coronary　in　his　bed　one　morning；　a