jefflong.yearzero-第13部分

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inning。　〃It's　over；〃　he　said　firmly。
　Ochs　shook　his　head。　〃You　crossed　the　line。　There's　no　going　back。　Never。〃
　〃Maybe　not　for　you。〃
　Ochs　faced　him。　〃You　can　be　finished　with　Lydia。　But　not　with　me。　You　and　I　are　business　partners。〃
　〃I'm　out；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　Already　he　felt　lighter。
　〃Don't　break　my　heart；　man。〃
　〃It's　over。〃　He　added；　〃And　she　stays。〃
　〃Or　else？〃　said　Ochs。
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　answer。　Out　of　nowhere；　the　sky　spoke。　Thunder　rumbled。　Ochs　turned　and　cursed　in　surprise。　The　distant　clouds　had　assembled　in　a　clot　at　the　mouth　of　the　valley。　It　didn't　seem　possible　they　could　gather　so　quickly。　Nathan　Lee　smelled　ozone。　A　streak　of　lightning　wormed　through　the　dark　gut。
　〃We　have　to　get　down；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　〃We　can　beat　the　storm　if　we　start　down。　Now。〃　Rinchen's　prayer　grew　louder。　Clearly；　he　linked　the　storm　clouds　with　this　dessicated　mountain　deity。　Nathan　Lee　looked　over　the　edge。　Their　tent　seemed　so　tiny　beside　the　far　glacier。　When　he　looked　back　again；　Ochs　had　unstrapped　his　ice　axe。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　slid　the　shaft　behind　the　mummy's　shoulder　and　pried　forward。　Inside　the　leather　flesh；　bones　snapped。　But　the　body　itself　stayed　in　place。
　〃Stop；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　Ochs　thrust　the　metal　shaft　down　along　her　spine。　Something　crunched　back　there；　gravel　or　ice　or　vertebrae。　He　hauled　with　all　his　weight。　Still　she　wouldn't　move。
　Nathan　Lee　shoved　at　him。
　Ochs　tore　the　ice　axe　from　along　her　spine　and　raised　it　high。　He　swung。
　Nathan　Lee　ducked。　But　the　axe　was　aimed　at　her。　Ochs　sank　the　pick　up　to　the　hilt　in　the　woman's　collarbone。　He　pulled　it　loose　and　got　off　a　second　stroke；　planting　it　halfway　through　her　neck。　It　looked　like　he　was　in　mortal　bat　with　the　corpse。　〃No　more；〃　cried　Rinchen。
　Nathan　Lee　caught　the　axe　on　the　third　swing。　He　jerked　it　from　the　man's　gloved　hand。
　〃We　earned　this；〃　Ochs　growled。
　〃What？　Earned　what？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。　The　vandalized　body　sat　there。　Bone　and　black　meat　showed　from　the　two　deep　gashes。
　〃The　head；〃　said　Ochs。　〃We　can　take　that　much。　Give　me　the　axe。〃
　Nathan　Lee　threw　the　axe　as　far　as　it　would　go。　They　could　hear　the　metal　clanging　and　ringing　into　the　depths。　〃Have　it　your　way；〃　Ochs　said。
　Nathan　Lee　thought　he　had　surrendered。
　Ochs　bent。　With　his　bare　hand；　he　ripped　her　lower　jaw　off。　It　came　away　with　a　crack。　The　dried　tongue　roosted　beneath　the　upper　teeth。
　〃Now　it's　over。〃　Ochs　shook　the　horseshoe　of　bone　and　teeth　and　mummified　flesh　at　him。　〃You　never　had　the　stomach　for　it。〃　He　stuffed　the　trophy　inside　his　parka。
　Neither　of　them　expected　what　came　next。　Without　a　word；　Rinchen　leapt　at　Ochs；　knocking　him　against　the　back　wall。　Ochs　swiped　at　him。　The　old　hunter　was　fearless。　He　picked　up　a　rock。
　Nathan　Lee　tried　to　get　out　of　their　way；　but　the　ledge　was　small　and　crowded。　As　much　to　defend　himself　as　stop　the　fight；　he　threw　a　fist　at　the　side　of　Ochs's　head。　With　his　other　hand；　he　dragged　Rinchen　backward。
　Ochs　fell　over　the　woman's　legs。　He　bellowed　and　raised　up。　His　nose　was　mashed　to　one　side。　Blood　sopped　his　whiskers　and　fanned　across　the　front　of　his　parka。　Then　a　look　of　puzzlement　replaced　his　rage。
　Nathan　Lee　looked　around。
　Rinchen　had　vanished。
　Nathan　Lee　leaned　over　the　edge。　〃No；〃　he　whispered。
　Far　below；　Rinchen　was　careening　down　the　slope。　A　leg　broke　backward；　then　an　arm；　flapping　as　if　the　bone　had　been　taken　out。　Nathan　Lee　couldn't　take　his　eyes　away。　He　was　sure　the　broken　puppet　doll　would　go　the　distance；　a　vertical　half　mile。　But　four　hundred　feet　down；　Rinchen　tangled　in　the　handline。　The　pink　rope　cinched　around　his　broken　leg　and　he　whipped　to　a　savage　halt。　The　long　rope　jerked　and　gave　a　bowstring　twang。　There　he　dangled。
　Ochs　peeked　over　the　rim。　Beneath　the　sunburn　scabs　and　blood；　his　face　was　rigid　with　terror。　〃You　did　the　right　thing；〃　he　gasped。
　〃What？〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃He　was　trying　to　kill　me。〃
　〃He　was　trying　to　stop　you。〃
　〃He's　dead；〃　Ochs　said。
　But　Rinchen　wasn't。　That　was　the　terrible　thing。　The　man　moved。　He　lifted　his　head。　He　raised　an　arm；　then　went　limp　again。
　Nathan　Lee　hooked　his　pack　with　one　hand。
　〃Now　what？〃　said　Ochs。
　〃He's　still　alive。〃
　Rinchen　thrashed　briefly　on　the　stretched　line；　then　lapsed　to　stillness　again。
　〃You　killed　him；〃　said　Ochs。　〃We　can't　change　that。〃
　Nathan　Lee　heard　the　cunning　at　work。　He　felt　a　pull　deep　in　his　bowels。　〃The　man　fell；〃　he　said　more　evenly。
　〃Sure；〃　said　Ochs。
　〃It　was　an　accident。　You　know　that。〃
　〃No　one　will　ever　miss　him。　Why　would　I　tell　anyone？〃
　Nathan　Lee　grew　alarmed。　Ochs　was　blackmailing　him。　He　steadied　himself。　Time　for　all　that　later。　There　was　an　injured　man　down　there。　Nathan　Lee　balanced　on　the　edge；　peering　over。　〃I'm　going　down　after　him。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃
　〃And　then　we're　done；〃　said　Nathan　Lee。
　〃How's　that。〃
　〃I'm　out。　Leave　me　out；　or　I'll　expose　you。　Do　you　hear？　It's　over。〃
　Softly；　Ochs　said；　〃I　hear。〃
　Nathan　Lee　didn't　register　the　cleaving　in　Ochs's　voice。　He　barely　felt　the　slight　touch　at　his　back。　Suddenly　he　was　just　falling。
　It　was　not　like　other　times　when　he　had　fallen。　On　a　cliff　you　dropped　through　open　space；　maybe　barking　the　stone　a　time　or　two　before　the　rope　caught　you。　There　was　no　rope　this　time；　no　free　fall。　The　slope　was　pitched　at　an　angle。　Rocky　slash　and　patches　of　ice　flashed　up　at　him。
　Nathan　Lee　slid。　He　hit　an　outcrop；　slowed；　reached　for　purchase；　then　pinballed　against　a　second　outcrop　and　accelerated　on　a　slide　of　ice。　His　only　hope　was　to　keep　his　feet　under　him；　to　stay　face　outward。　It　was　like　trying　to　run　at　terminal　velocity。　He　tried　grabbing　for　holds；　and　they　only　dissolved　in　his　hands。　He　cartwheeled。　A　gout　of　his　own　blood　spun　in　the　air。
　He　felt　the　blows　at　a　distance。　He　wondered　how　long　it　would　take　to　lose　consciousness；　then　realized　it　wasn't　going　to　be　that　easy。　Those　deafening　cracks　of　thunder　weren't　thunder；　but　his　helmet　clashing　and　banging。　He　was　going　to　be　a　witness　to　his　own　execution。
　The　pain　started　ing　through。　It　wasn't　specific　to　any　one　limb　or　rib；　more　like　bolts　of　lightning　filling　his　skin。　In　his　mind；　he　saw　himself　breaking　to　pieces　like　Humpty　Dumpty。All　the　king's　horses；　all　the　king's　men。　。。。He　heard　a　voice。　It　came　through　the　helter…skelter。　Grace。　Singsong。Sweet　dreams。　Don't　let　the　bedbugs　bite。
　He　reached　a　long　funnel　of　ice。　This　time；　instead　of　clawing　frantically　at　the　ice；　he　used　it。　With　a　palm　here；　a　heel　there；　he　could　steer　himself；　however　minutely。
　Off　to　the　left；　bare　instants　lower；　lay　a　band　of　grey　rock。　Beyond　that；　the　slope　fell　away。　There　were　no　more　chances　after　this。
　He　gathered　his　strength。　He　pushed　with　his　hands　and　catapulted　face　out　toward　the　dike　of　scree。　He　flew；　arms　wide；　sacrificing　himself　to　wild　luck。
　The　rocks　struck　hard。　They　tore　at　him。　He　opened　himself　to　their　talons。Hold　me；　he　prayed。
　They　did。　He　came　to　a　halt。
　In　the　sudden　tranquility；　arms　wide；　he　felt　pinned　to　the　mountain。　His　ears　rang。　He　looked；　and　the　hungry　glacier　still　waited　below；　its　jaws　wide　open。
　　
　HE　PASSED　OUTand　revived　in　waves。　The　earth　seemed　to　rise　and　sink　beneath　his　back。　He　didn't　move。
　Nathan　Lee　wasn't　quite　sure　if　he　was　alive　or　not。　There　were　reasons　to　believe　he　might　have　died。　For　one　thing；　the　limbo　sky　was　dropping　ash。　Squinting；　he　realized　they　were　snowflakes。
　Next　time　Nathan　Lee　opened　his　eyes；　he　saw　Ochs　in　the　long　distance；　descending　the　switchbacks　at　a　brisk　pace。　He'd　gotten　himself　to　safer　ground　and　was　practically　trotting　through　the　storm。　Nathan　Lee　didn't　call　out。　The　man　had　already　done　his　best　to　kill　him　once。　After　a　few　minutes　Ochs　vanished　down　a　rise。
　The　horizon　dimmed。　Rock　and　ice；　heaven　and　earth；　everything　was　merging　into　one。　The　snow　began　to　stick。　He　opened　his　mouth　and　it　seared　his　tongue。　The　melt　ran　from　his　face　like　teardrops。　Body　heat；　he　prehended。　He　was　alive。
　At　last　he　made　the　effort　to　raise　one　arm。　It　lifted　slowly。　The　glove　had　skinned　off。　Some　of　the　skin；　too。　He　brought　it　closer　to　his　face　and　stared　at　the　fingers；　flexing　them。　Bit　by　bit；　he　assembled　himself。　He　struggled　to　sit。　He　freed　the　strap　under　his　chin　and　the　red　helmet　was　scraped　and　battered；　with　a　crack　running　from　brim　to　crown。
　His　left　leg　was　bent　and　bulging　at　the　knee。
　Nathan　Lee　groped　at　his　leg。　He　tried　pressing　it　straight。　Each　time　the　pain　drove　him　back。　He　cowered　from　his　own　body。　Finally　he　lodged　his　foot　between　two　rocks　and　pulled。　The　joint　gave　a　meaty　pop。　The　knee　came　together　again　with　a　scream。
　　
　WHEN　HE　OPENEDhis　eyes　again；　night　was　ing　on。　Snow　was　falling　in　thick　curtains。　Lightning　slid　overhead　like　electric　serpents。　Nathan　Lee　dozed　off。
　His　next　awareness　was　of　the　sound　of　snow　hissing　off　plastic。　A　few　minutes　later；　the　sound　repeated；　unmistakable；　the　slither　of　snow　shedding　off　a　tent　wall。　For　a　moment；　he　thought　Ochs　must　have　repented　and　e　and　carried　him　down　the　mountain　and　laid　him　in　their　tent。　Then　he　saw　that　he　was　still　stranded　upon　his　dike　of　stone。　He　was　very　cold。
　Off　to　one　side；　a　ghostly　shape　moved　in　the　gloom。　Snow　hissed　off　fabric　again。　He　pulled　himself　closer　to　the　thing。　It　was　the　body　bag；　still　partly　inflated；　tethered　here　by　a　few　ounces　of　snow。　It　looked　ready；　in　a　moment；　to　fly　off　again。　Nathan　Lee　snatched　at　it。
　Nauseated　and　shocked；　with　fingers　like　thumbs；　he　pawed　at　the　zipper　and　it　slid　open。　With　the　last　of　his　strength；　he　crawled　onto　the　plastic　and　laid　it　over　his　legs。　He　zipped　the　bag　closed；　leaving　a　hole　for　air。
　*　　*　　*
　HE　WOKE　GASPINGfor　air　and　blind　in　the　darkness。　A　monster　was　crouching　on　his　chest　tearing　him　with　claws。　In　his　panic；　he　had　no　memory；　no　idea　where　he　was　or　what　had　happened。　He　thrashed。　His　hand　caught　on　the　zipper　hole　and　he　ripped　it　open。　He　flailed　at　the　covering　of　snow；　and　there　it　was；　open　air。　Light。　He　filled　his　lungs。
　He　dug　wider　through　the　covering　of　snow　and　elbowed　his　way　to　sitting。　Blinking；　he　found　himself　in　a　netherworld　pitc