cp.reddice-第3部分

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　　I　pat　him　sweetly　on　the　back。　〃I　do　have　my　bad　side；〃　I　admit。　〃But　you　cannot　judge　me　by　a　few　dead　bodies。　I　don't　want　to　kill　you；　Lenny；　now　that　we're　on　a　first…name　basis。　Think　of　another　way　for　us　to　escape　the　escorts。〃
　　He　struggles。　〃There　isn't　one。　This　job　has　the　highest　security　imaginable。　They'll　open　fire　if　I　try　to　get　away　from　them。〃
　　〃Those　were　the　orders？〃
　　〃Yes。　Under　no　circumstances　were　you　to　be　allowed　to　escape。〃
　　I　ponder　this。　They　must　know　me；　even　better　than　Lenny　thinks。　How's　that　possible？　Have　I　left　that　much　evidence　behind？　I　think　of　the　Coliseum；　the　necks　I　broke；　the　javelins　I　threw。　It's　possible；　I　suppose。
　　〃I　am　going　to　escape；〃　I　tell　Lenny；　picking　up　the　dropped　machine　gun　and　shotgun　from　the　front　seats。　I　also　yank　a　flak　jacket　off　one　of　the　men。　〃One　way　or　the　other。〃
　　〃They'll　open　fire；〃　Lenny　protests。
　　〃Let　them。〃　I　take　ammunition　for　both　weapons　from　the　unconscious　men。　I　gesture　to　Joel；　who　is　still　getting　adjusted　to　his　vampire　senses。　He's　staring　around　the　interior　of　the　van　as　if　he's　stoned。　〃Put　on　one　of　those　flak　jackets；〃　I　tell　him。
　　〃Does　there　have　to　be　shooting？〃　he　asks。
　　〃There　will　be　a　lot　of　shooting。〃　I　speak　to　Lenny。　〃What's　the　top　speed　of　this　van？〃
　　〃Eighty　miles　an　hour。〃
　　I　groan。　〃I　need　a　cop　car。〃
　　〃There　are　a　lot　of　them　behind　and　in　front　of　us；〃　Lenny　says。
　　I　peer　at　the　chopper　in　the　sky。　〃They　hang　close　to　the　ground。〃
　　〃They're　heavily　armed；〃　Lenny　says。　〃They　won't　let　you　escape。〃
　　I　climb　in　the　front　seat　beside　him；　shoving　the　men　aside。　The　flak　jacket　is　a　little　large　on　me。　〃You　think　I　should　surrender？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　He　adds　quickly；　〃That's　just　my　opinion。〃
　　〃You　just　follow　my　orders　if　you　want　to　live；〃　I　say；　studying　the　cruisers　in　front；　in　back。　Sixteen　altogether…two　officers　in　each；　I　know。　Plus　there　are　at　least　three　unmarked　cars…FBI　agents。　It　continues　to　amaze　me　how　quickly　they　took　Joel　into　custody。　They　hardly　gave　him　a　chance　to　speak。　I　call　back　to　him；　〃e　up　here。　We're　going　to　switch　vehicles　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　　Joel　pokes　his　head　close　to　my　shoulder；　flak　jacket　in　place。　〃The　chopper　is　a　problem；〃　he　says。　〃It　doesn't　matter　how　good　a　driver　you　are　or　how　many　cop　cars　you　disable。　It'll　stay　with　us；　lighting　us　up。〃
　　〃Maybe。　Put　on　a　seat　belt。〃　I　brace　a　foot　on　the　dashboard　and　point　to　an　approaching　alley。　〃There；　Lenny；　I　want　you　to　take　a　hard　left。　Floor　it　as　soon　as　you　e　out　of　the　turn。〃
　　Lenny　sweats。　〃OK。〃
　　I　start　to　hand　Joel　Lenny's　revolver。　〃Don't　be　afraid　to　cover　my　back。〃　I　pause　and　catch　his　eye。　〃You　are　on　my　side；　aren't　you？〃
　　Joel　hesitates。　〃I　won't　kill　anybody。〃
　　〃Will　you　try　to　kill　me？〃
　　〃No。〃
　　I　give　him　the　revolver。　〃All　right。〃　The　alley　closes。　〃Get　ready；　Lenny。　No　tricks。　Just　put　as　much　distance　between　us　and　the　procession　as　you　can。〃
　　Lenny　veers　to　the　left。　The　alley　is　narrow；　the　van　shoots　through　it　at　high　speed；　knocking　over　garbage　cans　and　crates。　The　response　from　the　cops　is　immediate。　Half　the　cars　jam　into　the　alley　in　pursuit。　But　half　is　better　than　all；　and　locked　in　behind　us　as　they　are；　the　cops　can't　fire　at　us　so　easily。
　　Unfortunately；　the　alley　crosses　several　streets。　Fortunately；　it's　midnight；　with　almost　no　traffic。　At　the　first　street　we're　lucky。　But　we　lose　two　police　cars　to　a　collision。　At　the　second　crossing　we're　also　fortunate。　But　as　we　drive　into　the　third　cross　street　we　smash　sideways　into　the　only　vehicle　on　the　street；　an　open　produce　truck　loaded　with　oranges。　The　fruit　spills　over　the　van。　Lenny　has　bumped　his　head　on　the　steering　wheel　and　appears　to　be　dazed。　He　gets　another　bump　on　his　head　when　a　squad　car　smashes　into　us　from　behind。　This　is　what　I　wanted…a　pileup。　〃e　on！〃　I　call　to　Joel。　I　jump　out　of　the　side　of　the　van　and　raise　the　machine　gun　and　fire　a　spray　of　bullets　at　the　cars　piled　up　behind　us。　They　are　pinned　down；　but　I　know　it　won't　be　long　before　a　herd　of　fresh　cars　es　around　the　block。　The　suddenness　of　my　attack　causes　them　to　scramble　from　their　vehicles。　Overhead；　the　chopper　swoops　dangerously　low；　the　spotlight　momentarily　focused　straight　on　me。　I　look　through　the　glare　of　the　light　and　see　a　marksman　stand　in　the　open　doorway　and　raise　a　high…powered　rifle。　Pumping　the　shotgun；　I　take　aim　at　him　and　pull　the　trigger。
　　The　man　loses　the　top　of　his　head。
　　His　lifeless　body　falls　onto　the　roof　of　a　nearby　building。
　　I　am　not　finished。
　　My　next　shot　takes　out　the　spotlight。　My　third　hits　the　small　vertical　rotor　at　the　rear。　The　blade　sputters　but　continues　to　spin。　Pumping　the　shotgun；　I　put　another　round　in　it；　and　this　time　the　propeller　dies。　It　is　the　vertical　rotor　that　prevents　fuselage　rotation　and　also　provides　rudder　control。　In　other　words；　it　gives　stability　to　the　helicopter。　Immediately　the　flying　machine　veers　out　of　control。　To　the　horror　of　the　watching　police　officers；　it　crash…lands　in　the　midst　of　their　line　of　cars。　The　explosion　is　violent；　crushing　several　officers；　setting　a　few　ablaze。　I　use　the　distraction　to　reach　in　and　pull　Joel　out　of　the　van。　We　run　down　the　block；　faster　than　any　human　could。
　　All　this　has　happened　in　ten　seconds。
　　So　far；　not　a　single　shot　has　been　fired　at　us。
　　A　second　line　of　cop　cars　es　around　the　block。
　　I　jump　into　the　middle　of　the　street　and　pour　two　shotgun　rounds　into　the　window　of　the　first　one；　killing　both　officers　inside。　The　vehicle　loses　control　and　crashes　into　a　parked　car。　The　police　cars　behind　it　slam　on　their　brakes。　A　spray　of　bullets　from　my　machine　gun　makes　them　scramble　out　of　their　vehicles　in　search　of　cover。　I　run　toward　the　second　car；　shielding　Joel　with　my　body。　To　the　police；　I　know；　my　movements　appear　as　nothing　more　than　a　blur。　They　can't　get　a　lock　on　me。　Nevertheless；　they　do　open　fire　and　a　hail　of　bullets　flies　around　me。　My　flak　jacket　takes　several　rounds；　causing　no　damage。　But　one　bullet　catches　me　in　the　leg　above　my　left　knee　and　I　stumble；　although　I　don't　fall。　Another　shot　hits　me　in　my　right　upper　arm。　Somehow；　I　reach　the　second　police　car　and　shove　Joel　inside。　I　want　to　drive；　I　am　bleeding；　and　the　pain　is　intense；　but　I　am　in　too　much　of　a　hurry　to　acknowledge　it。
　　〃Keep　your　head　down！〃　I　snap　at　Joel　as　I　throw　the　car　in　gear。　Peeling　out；　we　are　treated　to　another　shower　of　bullets。　I　take　my　own　advice　and　duck。　Both　the　front　and　rear　windshields　shatter。　Glass　pellets　litter　my　long　blond　hair。　It　will　take　a　special　brand　of　shampoo　to　get　them　out。
　　We　escape；　but　are　a　marked　couple　in　a　highly　visible　car。　I　jump　on　the　Harbor　Freeway；　heading　north；　hoping　to　put　as　much　distance　between　us　and　our　pursuers　as　quickly　as　possible。　I　keep　the　accelerator　floored；　weaving　in　and　out　of　the　few　cars。　But　I　have　two　police　cars　on　my　tail。　Worse；　another　helicopter　has　appeared　in　the　sky。　This　pilot　has　learned　from　his　predecessor。　He　keeps　the　chopper　up　high；　but　not　so　high　that　he　can't　track　us。
　　〃We　can't　hide　from　a　chopper；〃　Joel　says　again。
　　〃This　is　a　big　city；〃　I　reply。　〃There　are　many　places　to　hide。〃
　　He　sees　I　am　bloody。　〃How　bad　are　your　injuries？〃
　　It　is　an　interesting　question　because　already…in　the　space　of　a　few　minutes…they　have　pletely　healed。　Yaksha's　blood…it　is　an　amazing　potion。
　　〃I　am　all　right；〃　I　say。　〃Are　you　injured？〃
　　〃No。〃　He　pauses。　〃How　many　men　have　died　since　this　started？〃
　　〃At　least　ten。　Try　not　to　count。〃
　　〃Is　that　what　you　did　after　a　few　thousand　years？　You　stopped　counting？〃
　　〃I　stopped　thinking。〃
　　I　have　a　goal。　Because　I　know　we　cannot　stay　on　the　freeway　long；　I　decide　that　the　only　way　we　can　escape　the　helicopters　is　to　get　into　one　ourselves。　Atop　several　of　the　high…rises　in　downtown　Los　Angeles　there　are　helicopter　pads　with　choppers　waiting　to　whisk　executives　to　high…level　meetings。　I　can　fly　a　helicopter。　I　can　operate　any　piece　of　machinery　humankind　has　developed。
　　I　exit　the　freeway　on　Third　Street。　By　now　I　have　ten　black…and…whites　on　my　tail。　ing　down　the　off　ramp；　I　see　several　cop　cars　struggling　to　block　the　road　in　front　of　me。　Switching　to　the　wrong　side　of　the　street；　I　bypass　them　and　head　east　in　the　direction　of　the　tallest　buildings。　But　my　way　is　quickly　blocked　by　another　set　of　black…and…whites。　We　must　have　half　the　LAPD　after　us。　I　am　forced　to　swerve　into　the　basement　garage　of　a　building　I　don't　know。　A　wooden　bar　swings　down　to　block　my　way；　but　I　don't　stop　to　press　the　green　button　and　collect　my　ticket。　Nor　does　the　herd　of　law　enforcement　behind　me。　We　all　barrel　through　the　barricade。　A　sign　for　an　elevator　calls　my　attention　and　I　slam　the　car　to　a　halt　inches　from　the　door。　We　jump　out　and　push　the　button。　While　we　wait　for　our　ride　to　higher　floors；　I　open　fire　on　our　pursuers。　More　people　die。　I　lied　to　Joel。　I　do　count…　three　men　and　a　woman　take　bullets　in　the　face。　I　am　a　very　good　shot。
　　The　elevator　es　and　we　pile　inside。
　　I　press　the　top　button。　Number　twenty…nine。
　　〃Can　they　halt　the　elevator　from　the　basement？〃　I　ask　as　I　reload。
　　〃Yes。　But　it'll　take　them　a　few　minutes　to　figure　out　how　to　do　it。〃　He　shrugs。　〃But　does　it　matter？　They'll　surround　this　building　with　an　army。　We're　trapped。〃
　　〃You're　wrong；〃　I　say。
　　We　exit　onto　the　top　floor。　Here　there　are　expensive　suites；　for　law　firms；　plastic　surgeons；　and　investment　counselors。　But　there　is　too　much　high…priced　real　estate　in　Los　Angeles…several　of　the　suites　are　empty。　Kicking　in　the　door　of　the　nearest　vacancy；　I　stride　up　and　down　beside　the　wide　windows；　studying　the　neighboring　buildings。　I　will　have　to　cross　the　block　and　move　over　a　few　buildings　to　reach　a　high…rise　that　has　a　helicopter　pad。　I　curse　the　fact　that　I　am　not　a　mythic　vampire　from　films；　capable　of　flying。
　　Yet　I　am　able　to　leap　tall　buildings　in　a　single　bound。
　　Joel　moves　to　my　side。　Below　us；　we　watch　the　forces　of　righteousness　gather。　Two　more　helicopters　have　appeared　in　the　night　sky。　Their　bright　beams　rake　the　sides　of　the　building。
　　〃They　won't　e　up　the　elevator　after　us；〃　Joel