cp.reddice-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t　a　bullet　in　it。　The　general　stumbles　and　lets　out　a　cry。　No　one　stops　to　help　him；　least　of　all　Arturo。　I　grab　Joel's　arm。
　　〃e；〃　I　say。
　　As　I　wade　into　the　crowd；　they　scream　and　scatter。　I　guess　my　red　hair　does　not　suit　me。　Or　perhaps　it　is　the　fact　that　I　am　soaked　from　head　to　toe　in　blood。　I　must　look　like　a　beast　that　has　climbed　from　the　depths　of　hell。　Arturo　is　already　out　of　sight；　but　General　Havor　lies　helpless　at　the　side　of　the　stairway。　He　is　lucky　that　he…was　not　trampled　to　death。　But　he　is　not　lucky　that　it　is　me　who　reaches　out　to　help　him　to　his　feet。　〃General　Havor；〃　I　say。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you　face　to　face。　Sorry　I　have　to　ask　a　favor　so　soon　after　saying　hello。　But　I　need　you　to　take　me　and　my　friend　into　the　cave　behind　this　pound。　I　need　one　of　those　thermonuclear　warheads　you　keep　there。　I　have　a　thing　about　fire；　you　see；　about　explosions。　For　me；　the　bigger　the　better。〃
　　　
　　　16
　　The　cave　turns　into　another　prison。　We　reach　it　without　excessive　bloodshed；　but　once　inside　I　am　forced　to　kill　all　the　soldiers。　The　endless　slaughter　weighs　heavily　on　me。　Joel's　broken　expression　begs　me　to　stop。　But　I　can't　stop　until　it　is　over；　one　way　or　the　other。　It　is　my　nature　never　to　quit。
　　We　are　scarcely　inside　when　the　remaining　soldiers　close　the　door　on　us。　The　metal　is　as　thick　as　the　door　on　the　cell…it　cuts　in　half　the　miniature　rail　tracks　that　run　between　the　pound　and　the　depths　of　the　hill　They　also　turn　off　our　lights；　but　there　are　emergency　lanterns。　For　Joel's　sake；　and　the　general's；　I　turn　on　several。　The　stark　rays　cast　ghastly　shadows　over　the　carnage　I　have　inflicted。　There　is　blood　everywhere。　The　red　blurs　in　the　silent　gloom；　in　my　racing　mind；　it　is　as　if　the　walls　of　the　cave　Meed。　I　try　not　to　count　the　dead。
　　〃I　didn't　want　this；〃　I　say；　pointing　my　weapon　at　the　general；　who　sits　on　the　edge　of　the　small　railroad　car　that　carries　supplies　into　this　place　of　secrets。　His　leg　continues　to　bleed　but　he　doesn't　plain。　He　is　a　horrible　human　being；　but　he　is　not　without　strength。　A　hard　man　with　a　blunt　face；　he　wears　his　hair　as　if　it　were　a　disease　growing　on　top　of　his　head。　I　add；　〃It's　your　fault。〃
　　My　accusation　does　not　faze　him。　〃You　can　always　surrender。〃
　　I　kneel　beside　him。　To　my　left　Joel　sits　on　the　ground；　looking　weary　beyond　belief。　〃But　you　see　that　is　not　an　option；〃　I　tell　the　general。　〃When　history　started；　I　was　there。　And　the　only　reason　mankind　has　been　able　to　move　steadily　forward　is　because　I　have　chosen　to　stand　apart　from　history。　I　watch　what　happens。　I　have　no　desire　to　have　important　roles。　Do　you　understand　that　I　tell　you　the　truth？〃
　　General　Havor　shrugs。　〃You've　changed　your　style　today；〃
　　My　voice　hardens。　〃You　made　me　change。〃　I　gesture　to　the　dead　men　who　lie　around　us。　〃All　this　is　because　of　you。　Look　at　them。　Don't　you　care　about　them？〃
　　He　is　bored。　〃What　do　you　want？　A　nuclear　bomb？〃
　　I　stand　and　look　down　at　him。　〃Yes。　That's　exactly　what　I　want。　And　after　you　show　it　to　me；　I　want　you　to　arm　it。〃
　　He　snorts。　〃Do　you　think　I'm　crazy？〃
　　〃I　know　you're　crazy。　I　have　seen　inside　your　mind。　I　know　what　you　planned　to　do　once　you　had　my　blood　in　your　veins。　You　were　going　to　murder　Arturo　and　rape　me。〃
　　He's　cocky。　〃You　flatter　yourself。〃
　　I　slap　him　in　the　face；　hard　enough　to　break　his　nose。　〃And　you　sicken　me。　I　don't　know　how　Arturo　ever　teamed　up　with　you。　He　must　have　been　desperate。　He　and　I　are　not　alike；　by　the　way。　I　never　beg　for　anything；　but　I　know　how　to　make　you　beg。　Give　me　the　warhead　and　arm　it　or　I　will　subject　you　to　such　physical　and　mental　torture　you　will　think　that　soldier　I　ripped　apart　inside　the　cell　died　peacefully。〃　I　raise　my　hand　to　strike　again。　〃Yes？〃
　　He　holds　his　nose；　the　blood　leaks　through　his　thick　fingers。　〃May　I　ask　what　you　plan　to　do　with　the　warhead？〃　he　asks。
　　I　catch　his　eye；　push　hard　enough　to　make　him　cower。
　　〃I　am　going　to　clean　up；　your　mess；〃　I　reply。
　　General　Havor　agrees　to　furnish　me　with　a　bomb。　He　digs　it　out　of　the　back；　and　wheels　it　into　view　on　the　railroad　cart。　A　black　squat　affair　with　a　pointed　tip　and　an　elaborate　control　box　on　the　side；　it　looks　like　something　from　an　old　sci…fi　movie。　The　general　informs　us　that　it　is　rated　ten　megatons…ten　million　tons　of　TNT。
　　I　point　to　the　color…coded　buttons　on　the　side。
　　〃Can　it　be　rigged　to　go　off　at　a　specific　time？〃　I　ask。
　　〃Yes。　It　can　be　set　to　detonate　in　ten　minutes；　or　in　ten　years。〃
　　〃Ten　years　is　a　little　long　for　my　tastes。　But　your　men　may　escape；　if　they　listen　to　me。　You　will　want　to　argue　my　position　to　them；　once　we　get　back　outside。　Which　leads　me　to　my　next　point。〃　I　gesture　to　the　metal　wall　that　blocks　the　exit。　〃How　do　we　open　this　door？〃
　　〃It　can't　be　opened　from　the　inside。　They've　cut　our　power。〃
　　〃Is　there　a　radio　in　here？〃　Joel　asks。　〃Can　you　talk　to　them？〃
　　General　Havor　shrugs。　〃I　have　nothing　to　say　to　them。〃
　　I　grab　the　general　by　the　collar。
　　It　doesn't　take　much　for　him　to　piss　me　off。
　　〃You　will　tell　them　that　we　have　an　armed　warhead　in　here　set　to　detonate　in　fifteen　minutes；〃　I　say。　〃That　will　be；　by　the　way；　the　literal　truth。　You　will　also　inform　them　that　if　they　wish　to　prevent　the　bomb　from　exploding；　they　are　to　let　us　out。　Finally；　you　will　mention　that　I　am　willing　to　negotiate。〃
　　He　laughs　at　me。　〃You　can　do　what　you　want　to　me；　I　am　not　going　to　arm　this　warhead。〃
　　I　let　him　go；　take　a　step　back。　〃You　think　you　can　play　with　me；　General。　You　think　the　worst　I　can　do　is　kill　you。　Arturo　never　told　you　of　the　power　of　my　eyes。　How　my　gaze　can　permanently　fry　your　brain。〃　I　pause。　〃If　in　the　next　ten　seconds　you　don't　tell　me　the　code　to　arm　this　warhead；　I　will　stab　such　a　needle　into　your　forehead　that　you　will　have　the　IQ　of　a　chimpanzee　for　the　rest　of　your　life…however　long　that　may　be。〃
　　He　lowers　his　head。　〃I　cannot　allow　you　to　set　off　this　bomb。〃
　　〃Very　well。〃　I　step　forward　and　grab　him　by　the　jaw；　thrusting　his　head　up；　forcing　him　to　stare　at　me。　〃Look　deep；　General！　Into　the　eyes　of　the　witch　you　thought　to　control。　See　where　I　have　prepared　a　place　of　fire　for　you　to　bum。〃
　　　
　　　17
　　Ten　minutes　later　the　door　is　opened　by　the　highest　ranking　mander　on　the　outside　and　we　wheel　a　fully　armed　warhead　into　the　nighttime　air。　The　detonator　clicks　off　the　seconds。　Fifteen　minutes　to　Armageddon。　Driving　at　high　speed　should　give　us　and　the　soldiers　time　to　get　clear　of　the　blast。　Overhead；　the　full　moon　shines　down　on　our　heads；　bathing　the　entire　desert　with　a　milky　white　radiance。　The　setting　is　dreamlike；　as　if　there　has　already　been　a　nuclear　explosion；　thousands　of　years　ago　and　the　radioactive　fallout　remains。
　　A　small　army　aims　a　line　of　high…tech　weapons　at　us。
　　On　all　sides；　from　the　guard　towers　to　the　rocks　in　the　hill；　we　are　surrounded。
　　A　minute　before；　a　mumbling　General　Havor　had　ordered　them　to　let　us　go。
　　But　they're　not　listening。
　　The　highest　ranking　mander　on　the　outside　is　nowArturo。
　　He　steps　forward　as　we　move　out　of　the　cave。
　　〃Sita；〃　he　says。　〃This　is　madness。〃
　　〃You　tell　me　about　madness；　Arturo。〃　I　hold　a　pistol　to　General　Havor's　head；　shielding　myself　and　Joel　with　his　wobbly　figure。　He　wept　as　I　bored　into　his　brain；　but　he　resisted　me　as　well　I　had　to　destroy　most　of　his　mind　to　get　what　I　wanted。　Gesturing　to　the　bomb；　I　add；　〃This　warhead　is　set　to　detonate　in　less　than　fifteen　minutes。　That　gives　you　and　your　men　barely　enough　time　to　get　clear。〃
　　Arturo　shakes　his　head。　〃We　cannot　let　you　escape。　An　order　has　e　from　the　President　of　the　United　States。　At　all　costs；　you　are　to　be　stopped。〃　He　gestures　to　the　men　around　us。　〃We　are　expendable。〃
　　I　force　a　chuckle。　〃You　will　not　sacrifice　all　these　people。〃
　　〃It　is　not　my　decision　to　make。〃
　　〃That's　nonsense！　They　look　to　you　to　mand　them　now。　mand　them　to　drop　their　weapons　and　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃　I　pause。　〃You　are　bluffing。〃
　　Arturo　looks　me　in　the　eye。　He　is　not　intimidated　by　my　gaze。
　　〃I　pray　that　you　are　the　one　who　is　bluffing；〃　he　says　softly。
　　The　timer　on　the　detonator　goes　to　fourteen　minutes。
　　I　meet　his　gaze；　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　prayed；　Arturo？　Was　it　before　the　inquisitor's　court？　The　day　they　hanged　you？　I　did　what　I　did　then　because　I　know　the　danger　my　blood　poses　for　the　world。　Tonight；　I　killed　all　these　people　for　the　same　reason…to　protect　humanity。〃
　　Arturo　challenges　me。　〃To　protect　us　from　what？　A　chance　to　evolve　into　something　greater？　Into　creatures　that　need　never　grow　old；　that　need　never　hurt　one　another？　Earlier　you　laughed　at　my　mission。　Seven　hundred　years　ago　you　also　laughed　at　me。　But　mine　is　still　the　noblest　quest　on　earth…to　perfect　humanity；　to　allow　it　to　bee　godlike。〃
　　〃You　do　not　bee　godlike　by　merging　with　a　monster！〃
　　My　words　surprise　him。　〃You're　not　a　monster；　Sita。〃
　　〃I　am　not　an　angel；　either。　Or　if　I　am；　I　am　an　angel　of　death…as　far　as　humanity　is　concerned。　True；　I　have　the　right　to　live。　Krishna　granted　me　that　right。　But　only　if　I　lived　alone；　and　made　no　more　of　my　kind。　Now　I　have　broken　that　sacred　vow。　Krishna　will　probably　judge　me　harshly。　Perhaps　he　has　already　judged　me；　and　that　is　why　I　am　being　forced　to　suffer　in　this　place；　to　hurt　all　these　people。　But　what　is　done　is　dose。　I　am　what　I　am。　Humanity　is　what　it　is。　We　can　never　join。　Don't　you　see　that？〃
　　〃Don't　you　see　me；　Sita？　I　am　an　example　of　what　can　be　acplished　with　a　merger　of　our　DNAs。　And　I　am　only　an　inplete　example　because　I　never　got　to　plete　the　process。　Think　what　mankind　can　change　into　if　youll　just　let　me　experiment　with　your　blood　for　the　next　few　weeks。　Even　a　few　days　would　be　enough。　That's　all　I'm　asking。　Then；　when　I'm　finished；　I　promise　to　let　you　go。　I　will　arrange　it　so　that　you　can　go　free。〃
　　I　speak　with　sorrow。　〃Arturo；　I　can　see　you。　I　see　what's　bee　of　you。　As　a　young　man；　you　were　the　ideal　person：　devout；　loving；　brilliant。　But　your　brilliance　was　perverted　the　day　you　received　my　blood。　Your　love　was　twisted。　For　the　sake　of　your　experiments；　you　even　sacrificed　a　boy　you　loved。　You　sacrificed　us…the　love　we　had　for　each　other。　Yo