dk.watchers-第53部分

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　that　the　marshals　didn't　have　a　chance　to　reach　for　their　own　weapons。　They　didn't　even　have　time　to　be　surprised。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Ssssnap。
　Pantangela　and　his　guardians　were　dead　in　three　seconds。
　Vince　shuddered　with　intense　pleasure；　and　was　briefly　overe　by　the　wealth　of　life　energy　that　he　had　just　absorbed。　He　could　not　speak。　Then　in　a　tremulous　and　raspy　voice；　he　said；　〃Thank　you。〃
　When　he　turned　away　from　the　booth；　he　saw　his　waitress　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　frozen　in　shock。　Her　wide　blue　eyes　were　fixated　on　the　dead　men；　but　now　her　gaze　shifted　slowly　to　Vince。
　Before　she　could　scream；　he　emptied　the　rest　of　the　magazine　into　her；　maybe　ten　shots；　and　she　went　down　in　a　rain　of　blood。
　Ssssnap。
　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　then　said　it　again　because　she　had　been　young　and　vital　and；　therefore；　of　more　use　to　him。
　Concerned　that　someone　else　would　e　out　of　the　kitchen…or　maybe　someone　would　walk　past　the　restaurant　and　look　in　and　see　the　waitress　on　the　floor…Vince　stepped　quickly　to　his　booth；　snatched　up　the　beach　bag；　and　jammed　the　Uzi　pistol　under　the　towel。　Putting　on　his　mirrored　sunglasses；　he　got　out　of　there。
　He　was　not　worried　about　fingerprints。　He　had　coated　the　pads　of　his　fingers　with　Elmer's　glue。　It　dried　nearly　transparent　and　could　not　be　noticed　unless　he　turned　his　hands　palms…up　and　called　people's　attention　to　it。　The　layer　of　glue　was　thick　enough　to　fill　the　minute　lines　in　the　skin；　leaving　the　fingertips　smooth。
　Outside；　he　walked　to　the　end　of　the　block；　turned　the　corner；　and　got　into　his　van；　which　was　parked　at　the　curb。　As　far　as　he　could　tell；　no　one　gave　him　a　second　look。
　He　went　to　the　ocean；　looking　forward　to　some　time　in　the　sun　and　an　invigorating　swim。　Going　to　Redondo　Beach；　two　blocks　away；　seemed　too　bold；　so　he　followed　the　Coast　Highway　south　to　Bolsa　Chica；　just　north　of　where　he　lived　in　Huntington　Beach。
　As　he　drove；　he　thought　about　the　dog。　He　was　still　paying　Johnny　The　Wire　to　keep　tabs　on　animal　pounds；　police　agencies；　and　anyone　else　who　might　be　dragged　into　the　search　for　the　retriever。　He　knew　about　the　National　Security　Agency's　bulletin　to　veterinarians　and　animal…control　authorities　in　three　states；　and　he　also　knew　that　the　NSA　had　so　far　had　no　luck。
　Maybe　the　dog　had　been　killed　by　a　car；　or　by　the　creature　that　Hudston　had　called　〃The　Outsider；〃　or　by　a　coyote　pack　in　the　hills。　But　Vince　didn't　want　to　believe　it　was　dead　because　that　would　mean　an　end　to　his　dream　of　making　a　huge　financial　killing　with　the　dog　either　by　ransoming　it　back　to　the　authorities　or　selling　it　to　a　rich　showbiz　type　who　could　work　up　an　act　with　it；　or　by　finding　some　means　of　using　the　animal's　secret　intelligence　tO　pull　a　safe　and　profitable　scam　on　unsuspecting　marks。
　What　he　preferred　to　believe　was　that　someone　had　found　the　dog　and　had　taken　it　home　as　a　pet。　If　he　could　just　locate　the　people　who　had　the　dog；　he　could　buy　it　from　them…or　blow　them　away　and　just　take　the　mutt。
　But　where　the　hell　was　he　supposed　to　look？　How　was　he　supposed　to　find　them？　If　they　were　findable；　the　NSA　would　surely　reach　them　first。
　Most　likely；　if　the　dog　was　not　already　dead；　the　best　way　to　get　his　hands　on　it　was　to　find　The　Outsider　first　and　let　that　beast　lead　him　to　the　dog；　which　Hudston　had　seemed　to　think　it　would。　But　that　was　not　an　easy　task；　either。
　Johnny　The　Wire　was　also　still　providing　him　with　information　about　particularly　violent　killings　of　people　and　animals　throughout　southern　California。　Vince　knew　about　the　slaughter　at　the　Irvine　Park　petting　zoo；　the　murder　of　Wes　Dalberg；　and　the　men　at　Bordeaux　Ridge。　Johnny　had　turned　up　the　rash　of　reports　about　mutilated　pets　in　the　Diamond　Bar　area；　and　Vince　had　actually　seen　the　TV　news　story　about　the　young　couple　who　had　encountered　what　they　thought　was　an　extraterrestrial　in　the　wilds　below　Johnstone　Peak。　Three　weeks　ago；　two　hikers　had　been　found　horribly　mauled　in　the　Angeles　National　Forest；　and　by　hacking　his　way　into　the　NSA's　own　puters；　Johnny　had　confirmed　that　they　had　taken　over　jurisdiction　in　that　case；　too；　which　meant　it　had　to　be　the　work　of　The　Outsider。
　Since　then；　nothing。
　Vince　was　not　ready　to　give　up。　Not　by　a　long　shot。　He　was　a　patient　man。　Patience　was　part　of　his　job。　He　would　wait；　watch；　keep　Johnny　The　Wire　at　work；　and　sooner　or　later　he　would　get　what　he　was　after。　He　was　sure　of　it。　He　had　decided　that　the　dog；　like　immortality；　was　part　of　his　great　destiny。
　At　Bolsa　Chica　State　Beach；　he　stood　for　a　while　with　the　surf　pounding　against　his　thighs；　staring　out　at　the　great　dark　masses　of　surging　water。　He　felt　as　powerful　as　the　sea。　He　was　filled　with　scores　of　lives。　He　would　not　have　been　surprised　if　electricity　had　suddenly　leaped　from　his　fingertips　the　way　thunderbolts　flashed　from　the　hands　of　the　gods　in　mythology。
　Finally；　he　threw　himself　forward；　into　the　water；　and　swam　against　the　powerful　ining　waves。　He　went　far　out　before　turning　parallel　to　the　shore；　swimming　first　south　and　then　north；　keeping　at　it　until；　exhausted；　he　at　last　allowed　the　tide　to　carry　him　back　to　shore。
　He　dozed　for　a　while　in　the　hot　afternoon　sun。　He　dreamed　of　a　pregnant　woman；　her　stomach　large　and　round；　and　in　the　dream　he　strangled　her　to　death。
　He　often　dreamed　of　killing　children　or；　even　better；　the　unborn　children　of　pregnant　women　because　it　was　something　he　longed　to　do　in　real　life。　Child　murder　was；　of　course；　much　too　dangerous；　it　was　a　pleasure　he　had　to　deny　himself；　though　a　child's　life　energy　would　be　the　richest；　the　purest；　the　most　worthy　of　absorption。　Too　dangerous　by　far。　He　couldn't　indulge　in　infanticide　until　he　was　certain　he　had　achieved　immortality；　whereupon　he　would　no　longer　need　to　fear　the　police　or　anyone　else。
　Although　he　often　had　such　dreams；　the　one　he　woke　from　on　Bolsa　Chica　Beach　struck　him　as　more　meaningful　than　others　of　its　type。　It　felt　。　。。　different。　Prophetic。　He　sat　yawning　and　blinking　in　the　westering　sun；　pretending　not　to　notice　the　bikinied　girls　who　were　giving　him　the　eye；　and　he　told　himself　that　this　dream　was　a　glimpse　of　pleasure　to　e。　One　day　he　would　actually　feel　his　hands　around　the　throat　of　a　pregnant　woman　like　the　one　in　the
　dream；　and　he　would　know　the　ultimate　thrill；　receive　the　ultimate　gift；　not　only　her　life　energy　but　the　pure；　untapped　energy　of　the　unborn　in　her　womb。
　Feeling　like　a　million　bucks；　he　returned　to　his　van；　drove　home；　showered；　and　went　out　to　dinner　at　the　nearest　Stuart　Anderson　steak　house；　where　he　treated　himself　to　filet　mignon。
　　
　6
　Einstein　bolted　past　Travis；　out　of　the　kitchen；　across　the　small　dining　room；　disappearing　into　the　living　room。　Carrying　the　leash；　Travis　went　after　him。　Einstein　was　hiding　behind　the　sofa。
　Travis　said；　〃Listen；　it's　not　going　to　hurt。〃
　The　dog　watched　him　warily。
　〃We've　got　to　take　care　of　this　before　we　go　off　to　Vegas。　The　vet　will　give　you　a　couple　of　shots；　vaccinate　you　against　distemper　and　rabies。　It's　for　your　own　good；　and　it　really　won't　hurt。　Really。　Then　we'll　get　you　a　license；　which　we　should've　done　weeks　ago。
　One　bark。　No。
　〃Yes；　we　will。〃
　No。
　Crouching；　holding　the　leash　by　the　clip　with　which　he　would　attach　it　to　the　collar；　Travis　took　a　step　toward　Einstein。
　The　retriever　scrambled　away。　He　ran　to　the　armchair；　leaped　up；　and　stood　on　that　observation　platform；　watching　Travis　intently。
　ing　slowly　out　from　behind　the　sofa；　Travis　said；　〃Now；　you　listen　up；　fur　face。　I'm　your　master…〃
　One　bark。
　Frowning；　Travis　said；　〃Oh；　yes；　I　am　your　master。　You　may　be　one　damn　smart　dog…but　you're　still　the　dog；　and　I'm　the　man；　and　I'm　telling　you　that　we're　going　to　the　vet。〃
　One　bark。
　Leaning　against　the　dining…room　archway；　arms　folded；　smiling；　Nora　said；　〃I　think　he's　trying　to　give　you　a　taste　of　what　children　are　like；　in　case　we　ever　decide　to　have　any。〃
　Travis　lunged　toward　the　dog。
　Einstein　flew　off　his　perch　and　was　already　out　of　the　room　when　Travis；　unable　to　halt；　fell　over　the　armchair。
　Laughing；　Nora　said；　〃This　is　vastly　entertaining。〃
　〃Where'd　he　go？〃　Travis　demanded。
　She　pointed　to　the　hallway　that　led　to　the　two　bedrooms　and　bath。
　He　found　the　retriever　in　the　master　bedroom；　standing　on　the　bed；　facing　the　doorway。　〃You　can't　win；〃　Travis　said。　〃This　is　for　your　own　good；　damn　it；　and　you're　going　to　have　those　shots　whether　you　like　it　or　not。〃
　Einstein　lifted　one　hind　leg　and　peed　on　the　bed。
　Astonished；　Travis　said；　〃What　in　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　Einstein　stopped　peeing；　stepped　away　from　the　puddle　that　was　soaking　into　the　quilted　bedspread；　and　stared　defiantly　at　Travis。
　Travis　had　heard　stories　of　dogs　and　cats　expressing　extreme　displeasure　by　stunts　like　this。　When　he　had　owned　the　real…estate　agency；　one　of　his　saleswomen　had　boarded　her　miniature　collie　in　a　kennel　for　two　weeks　while　away　on　vacation。　When　she　returned　and　bailed　out　the　dog；　it　punished　her　by　urinating　on　both　her　favorite　chair　and　her　bed。
　But　Einstein　was　not　an　ordinary　dog。　Considering　his　remarkable　intellect；　the　soiling　of　the　bed　was　even　more　of　an　outrage　than　it　would　have　been　if　he　had　been　ordinary。
　Getting　angry　now；　moving　toward　the　dog；　Travis　said；　〃This　is　inexcusable。〃
　Einstein　scrambled　off　the　mattress。　Realizing　the　dog　would　try　to　slip　around　him　and　out　of　the　room；　Travis　scuttled　backward　and　slammed　the　door。　Cut　off　from　the　exit；　Einstein　swiftly　changed　directions　and　dashed　to　the　far　end　of　the　bedroom；　where　he　stood　in　front　of　the　dresser。
　〃No　more　fooling　around；〃　Travis　said　sternly；　brandishing　the　leash。
　Einstein　retreated　into　a　corner。
　Closing　in　at　a　crouch；　spreading　his　arms　to　prevent　the　dog　from　bolting　around　either　side　of　him；　Travis　finally　made　contact　and　clipped　the　leash　to　the　collar。　〃Ha！〃
　Huddled　defeatedly　in　the　corner；　Einstein　hung　his　head　and　began　to　shudder。
　Travis's　sense　of　triumph　was　short…lived。　He　stared　in　dismay　at　the　dog's　bowed　and　trembling　head；　at　the　visible　shivers　that　shook　the　animal's　flanks。　Einstein　issued　low；　almost　inaudible；　pathetic　whines　of　fear。
　Stroking　the　dog；