dk.solesurvivor-第51部分

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　　Out　of　the　distance；　at　first　as　soft　as　the　murmur　of　a　heart；　but　then　like　the　approaching　hooves　of　a　headless　horseman's　steed；　came　the　whump…whump…whump　of　helicopter　rotors。
　　
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　　Having　stolen　nothing　but　their　own　freedom；　they　raced　like　fleeing　thieves　alongside　the　bluffs；　which　soared　and　then　declined　and　then　soared　high　again；　almost　as　if　mirroring　Joe's　adrenaline　levels。
　　While　they　were　on　the　move；　with　Mark　in　the　lead　and　Rose　at　his　heels；　Joe　heard　Joshua　talking　urgently　to　someone。　He　glanced　back　and　saw　the　black　man　with　a　cell　phone。　Hearing　the　word　car；　he　realized　that　their　escape　was　being　planned　and　coordinated　even　as　it　was　unfolding。
　　Just　when　they　seemed　to　have　gotten　away；　the　thumping　promise　of　the　helicopter　became　a　bright　reality　to　the　south。　Like　a　beam　from　the　jewel　eye　of　a　stone…temple　god　angered　by　desecration；　a　searchlight　pierced　the　night　and　swept　the　beach。　Its　burning　gaze　arced　from　the　sandy　cliffs　to　the　foaming　surf　and　back　again；　moving　relentlessly　toward　them。
　　Because　the　sand　was　soft　near　the　base　of　the　palisades；　they　left　shapeless　impressions　in　it。　Their　aerial　pursuers；　however；　wouldn't　be　able　to　follow　them　by　their　footprints。　Because　this　sand　was　never　raked；　as　it　might　have　been　on　a　well…used　public　beach；　it　was　disturbed　by　the　tracks　of　many　others　who　had　e　before　them。　If　they　had　walked　nearer　the　surf；　in　the　area　where　higher　tides　had　pacted　the　sand　and　left　it　smooth；　their　route　would　have　been　as　clearly　marked　as　if　they'd　left　flares。
　　They　passed　several　sets　of　switchback　stairs　leading　to　great　houses　on　the　bluffs　above；　some　of　masonry　pinned　to　the　cliff　lace　with　steel；　some　of　wood　bolted　to　deep　pylons　and　vertical　concrete　beams。　Joe　glanced　back　once　and　saw　the　helicopter　hovering　by　one　staircase；　the　searchlight　shimmering　up　the　treads　and　across　the　railings。
　　He　figured　that　a　team　of　hunters　might　already　have　driven　north　from　the　restaurant　and　gone　by　foot　to　the　beach　to　work　methodically　southward。　Ultimately；　if　Mark　kept　them　on　the　strand　like　this；　they　would　be　trapped　between　the　northbound　chopper　and　the　southbound　searchers。
　　Evidently　the　same　thought　occurred　to　Mark；　because　he　suddenly　led　them　to　an　unusual　set　of　redwood　stairs　rising　through　a　tall　box　frame。　The　structure　was　reminiscent　of　an　early　rocket　gantry　as　built　back　when　Cape　Kennedy　had　been　called　Cape　Canaveral；　the　spacecraft　gone　now　and　the　architecture　surrounding　a　curious　void。
　　While　they　ascended；　they　were　putting　no　additional　distance　between　themselves　and　the　chopper；　but　it　continued　to　approach。　Two；　four；　six；　eight　flights　of　steep　stairs　brought　them　to　a　landing　where　they　seemed　horribly　exposed。　The　helicopter；　after　all；　was　hovering　no　more　than　a　hundred　feet　above　the　beach；　which　put　it　perhaps　forty　feet　above　them　as　they　stood　atop　the　bluff…and　hardly　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　to　the　south。　The　house　next　door　had　no　stairs　to　the　shore；　which　made　this　platform　even　more　prominent。　If　either　the　pilot　or　the　co…pilot　looked　to　the　right　and　at　the　bluff　top　instead　of　at　the　searchlight…splashed　sand　below；　discovery　could　not　be　avoided。
　　The　upper　landing　was　surrounded　by　a　six…foot…tall；　wrought　iron；　gated　security　fence　with　a　sharply　inward…angled；　spiked　top　to　prevent　unwanted　visitors　from　gaining　access　by　way　of　the　beach　below。　It　had　been　erected　long　ago　in　the　days　when　the　Coastal　mission　didn't　control　such　things。
　　The　helicopter　was　now　little　more　than　a　hundred　yards　to　the　south；　moving　forward　slowly；　all　but　hovering。　Its　screaming　engine　and　clattering　rotors　were　so　loud　that　Joe　could　not　have　made　himself　heard　to　his　panions　unless　he　shouted。
　　There　was　no　easy　way　to　climb　the　fence；　not　in　the　minute　or　two　of　grace　they　might　have　left。　Joshua　stepped　forward　with　the　doorbuster　Desert　Eagle；　fired　one　round　into　the　lock；　and　kicked　the　gate　open。
　　The　men　in　the　helicopter　could　not　have　heard　the　gunshot；　and　it　was　unlikely　that　the　sound　was　perceived　in　the　house　as　anything　more　than　additional　racket　caused　by　the　aircraft。　Indeed；　every　window　was　dark；　and　all　was　as　still　as　though　no　one　was　home。
　　They　passed　through　the　gate　into　expansive　estate…size　property　with　low　box　hedges；　formal　rose　gardens；　bowl　fountains　currently　dry；　antique　French　terra…cotta　walkways　lit　by　bronze…tulip　path　lights；　and　multi…level　terraces　with　limestone　balustrades　rising　to　a　Mediterranean　mansion。　There　were　phoenix　palms；　ficus　trees。
　　Massive　California　live　oaks　were　underlit　by　landscape　spots：　magisterial；　frost…and…black；　free…form　scaffoldings　of　branches。
　　Because　of　the　artfulness　of　the　landscape　lighting；　no　glare　spoiled　any　corner。　The　romantic　grounds　cast　off　tangled　shawls　of　shadow；　intricate　laces　of　soft　light　and　hard　darkness；　in　which　the　four　of　them　surely　could　not　be　seen　by　the　pilots　even　as　the　helicopter　now　drew　almost　even　with　the　bluff　on　which　the　estate　made　its　bed。
　　As　he　followed　Rose　and　Mark　up　stone　steps　onto　the　lowest　terrace；　Joe　hoped　that　no　security…system　motion　detectors　were　installed　on　the　exterior　of　the　enormous　house；　only　within　its　rooms。　If　their　passage　activated　kleigs　mounted　high　in　the　trees　or　atop　the　perimeter　walls；　the　sudden　dazzle　would　draw　the　pilots'　attention。
　　He　knew　how　difficult　it　could　be　even　for　a　lone　fugitive　on　foot　to　escape　the　bright　eye　of　a　police　search　chopper　with　a　good　and　determined　pilot…especially　in　paratively　open　environs　such　as　this　neighbourhood；　which　didn't　offer　the　many　hiding　places　of　a　city's　mazes。　The　four　of　them　would　be　altogether　too　easy　to　keep　pinpointed　once　they　had　been　spotted。
　　Earlier；　an　on…shore　breeze　had　e　with　the　grace　of　gull　wings　from　the　sea；　currently；　the　flow　was　off…shore　and　stronger。　This　was　one　of　those　hot　winds；　called　Santa　Anas；　born　in　the　mountains　to　the　east；　out　of　the　threshold　of　the　Mojave；　dry　and　blustery　and　curiously　wearing　on　the　nerves。　Now　a　loud　whispering　rose　from　the　oaks；　and　the　great　fronds　of　the　phoenix　palms　hissed　and　rattled　and　creaked　as　though　the　trees　were　warning　one　another　of　gales　that　might　soon　descend。
　　Joe's　fear　of　an　outer　security　line　seemed　unwarranted　as　they　hurriedly　climbed　another　short　flight　of　stone　steps　to　the　upper　terrace。　The　grounds　remained　subtly　lighted；　heavily　layered　with　sheltering　shadows。
　　Out　beyond　the　bluff's　edge；　the　search　chopper　was　parallel　with　them；　moving　slowly　northward。　The　pilots'　attention　remained　focused　on　the　beach　below。
　　Mark　led　them　past　an　enormous　swimming　pool。　The　oil…black　water　glimmered　with　fluid　arabesques　of　silver；　as　though　schools　of　strange　fish　with　luminous　scales　were　swimming　just　beneath　the　surface。
　　They　were　still　passing　the　pool　when　Rose　stumbled。　She　almost　fell　hut　regained　her　balance。　She　halted；　swaying。
　　'Are　you　all　right？'　Joe　asked　worriedly。
　　'Yes；　fine；　I'll　be　okay；'　she　said；　but　her　voice　was　thin；　and　she　still　appeared　to　be　unsteady。
　　'How　badly　were　you　hurt　back　there？'　Joe　pressed　as　Mark　and　Joshua　gathered　around。
　　'Just　knocked　on　my　ass；'　she　said。　'Bruised　a　little。'
　　'Rose…'
　　'I'm　okay；　Joe。　It's　just　all　this　running；　all　those　damn　stairs　up　from　the　beach。　I　guess　I'm　not　in　as　good　a　shape　as　I　should　be。'
　　Joshua　was　talking　sotto　voce　on　the　cell　phone　again。
　　'Let's　go；'　Rose　said。　'e　on；　e　on；　let's　go。'
　　Beyond　the　bluff；　above　the　beach；　the　helicopter　was　almost　past　the　estate。
　　Mark　led　the　way　again；　and　Rose　followed　with　renewed　energy。　They　dashed　under　the　roof　of　the　arched　loggia　against　the　rear　wall；　where　they　were　no　longer　in　any　danger　of　being　spotted　by　the　chopper　pilots；　and　then　to　the　corner　of　the　house。
　　As　they　moved　single…file　along　the　side　of　the　mansion　on　a　walkway　that　serpentined　through　a　small　grove　of　shaggy…barked　melaleucas；　they　were　abruptly　pinned　in　the　bright　beam　of　a　big　flashlight。　Blocking　the　path　ahead　of　them；　a　watchman　said；　'Hey；　who　the　hell　are…'
　　Acting　without　hesitation；　Mark　began　to　move　even　as　the　beam　flicked　on。　The　stranger　was　still　speaking　when　Mark　collided　with　him。　The　two　men　grunted　from　the　impact。
　　The　flashlight　flew　against　the　trunk　of　a　melaleuca；　rebounded　onto　the　walkway；　and　spun　on　the　stone；　making　shadows　whirl　like　a　pack　of　tail…chasing　dogs。
　　Mark　swivelled　the　startled　watchman　around；　put　a　hammerlock　on　him；　bum…rushed　him　off　the　sidewalk　and　through　bordering　flower　beds；　and　slammed　him　against　the　side　of　the　house　so　hard　that　the　nearby　windows　rattled。
　　Scooping　up　the　flashlight；　Joshua　directed　it　on　the　action；　and　Joe　saw　that　they　had　been　challenged　by　an　overweight；　uniformed　security　guard　of　about　fifty…five。　Mark　pressed　him　to　his　knees　and　kept　a　hand　on　the　back　of　his　head　to　force　his　face　down　and　away　from　them；　so　he　couldn't　describe　them　later。
　　'He's　not　armed；'　Mark　informed　Joshua。
　　'Bastards；'　the　watchman　said　bitterly。
　　'Ankle　holster？'　Joshua　wondered。
　　'Not　that　either。'
　　The　watchman　said；　'Stupid　owners　are　pacifists　or　some　damn　thing。　Won't　have　a　gun　on　the　place；　even　for　me。　So　now　here　I　am。'
　　'We're　not　going　to　hurt　you；'　Mark　said；　pulling　him　backwards　from　the　house　and　forcing　him　to　sit　on　the　ground　with　his　back　against　the　trunk　of　a　melaleuca。
　　'You　don't　scare　me；'　the　watchman　said；　but　he　sounded　scared。
　　'Dogs？'　Mark　demanded。
　　'Everywhere；'　the　guard　said。　'Dobermans。'
　　'He's　lying；'　Mark　said　confidently。
　　Even　Joe　could　hear　the　bluff　in　the　watchman's　voice。　Joshua　gave　the　flashlight　to　Joe　and　said；　'Keep　it　pointed　at　the　ground。'　Then　he　produced　handcuffs　from　a　fanny　pack。
　　Mark　directed　the　guard　to　reach　in　back　of　himself　and　clasp　his　hands　behind　the　tree。　The　trunk　was　only　about　ten　inches　in　diameter；　so　the　guard　didn't　have　to　contort　himself；　and　Joshua　snapped　the　cuffs　on　his　wrists。
　　'The　cops　are　on　the　way；'　the　watchman　gloated。
　　'No　doubt　riding　Dobermans；'　Mark　said。
　　'Bastard；'　sa