dk.nightchills-第50部分

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　with　a　bandolier　of　ammo；　and　a　few　grenades；　three　or　four。　Especially　the　grenades。　After　all；　this　was　no　ladies'　tea　party。　This　was　a　classic　mando　operation；　a　classic　clandestine　raid；　deep　in　hostile　territory。
　Behind　him；　Edison　and　Annendale　were　unsettlingly　close；　on　the　last　twenty　steps　and　ing　fast。
　He　dashed　along　the　side　aisle　to　the　fourth　or　fifth　row　of　pews　where　he　intended　to　hide　between　the　high…backed　seats。　He　tripped　over　a　kneeler　that　some　thoughtless　member　of　the　congregation　had　forgotten　to　put　up　after　saying　a　prayer；　and　he　fell　with　a　loud　crash。　His　heart　hammering；　he　scrambled　farther　along　the　row　toward　the　center　aisle；　then　stretched　out　on　the　bench　of　the　pew；　flat　on　his　back；　the　Webley　at　his　side。
　As　they　came　into　the　dark　church；　Paul　put　one　hand　on　Sam's　shoulder。
　Sam　stopped。　〃Yeah？〃　he　said　softly。
　〃Sssshhh；〃　Paul　said。
　They　listened　to　the　storm　wind　and　to　the　distant　thunder　and　to　the　settling　sounds　that　the　building　made。
　Finally　Sam　said；　〃Is　something　wrong？〃
　〃Yeah。　What　was　that？〃
　〃What　was　what？〃
　〃That　noise。〃
　〃I　didn't　hear　anything。〃
　Paul　studied　the　darkness　that　seemed　to　pulse　around　them。　He　squinted　as　if　that　would　help　him　penetrate　the　inky　pools　in　the　corners　and　the　purple…black　shadows　elsewhere。　The　atmosphere　was　Lovecraftian；　a　dank　seed　bed　of　paranoia。　He　rubbed　the　back　of　his　neck　which　was　suddenly　cold。
　〃How　could　you　have　heard　anything　with　all　that　racket　we　were　making　on　the　stairs？〃　Sam　asked。
　〃I　heard　it。　Something。　。　。〃
　〃Probably　the　wind。〃
　〃No。　It　was　too　loud　for　that。　Sharp。　It　sounded　as　if…as　if　someone　knocked　over　a　chair。〃
　They　waited。
　Half　a　minute。　A　minute。
　Nothing。
　〃e　on；〃　Sam　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　〃Give　it　another　minute。〃
　As　Paul　spoke　a　particularly　violent　gust　of　wind　battered　the　east　side　of　the　church；　and　one　of　the　ten…foot…high　windows　fluttered　noisily　in　its　frame。
　〃There　you　are；〃　Sam　said。　〃You　see？　That's　what　you　heard。　It　was　just　the　window。〃
　Relieved；　Paul　said；　〃Yeah。〃
　〃We've　got　work　to　do；〃　Sam　said。
　They　left　the　church　by　the　front　door。　They　went　east　on　Main　Street　to　Paul's　station　wagon；　which　was　parked　in　front　of　the　general　store。
　As　the　station　wagon　reached　the　mill　road　and　its　taillights　dwindled　to　tiny　red　dots　beyond　the　west　end　of　town；　Klinger　left　the　church　and　ran　half　a　block　to　the　telephone　booth　beside　Ultman's　Cafe。　He　paged　through　the　slim　directory　until　he　found　the　numbers　for　the　Big　Union　Supply　pany：　twenty　of　them；　eight　at　the　logging　camp　and　twelve　at　the　mill　plex。　There　wasn't　time　to　try　all　of　them。　In　what　part　of　the　mill　would　Dawson　establish　his　HQ？　Klinger　wondered。　He　thought　about　it；　painfully　aware　of　the　precious　seconds　ticking　by。　Finally　he　decided　that　the　main　office　was　the　location　most　consistent　with　Dawson's　personality；　and　he　dialed　that　number。
　After　it　had　rung　fifteen　times；　just　as　Klinger　was　about　to　give　up；　Dawson　answered　it　warily。　〃Big　Union　Supply　pany。〃
　〃Klinger　here。〃
　〃Have　you　finished？〃
　〃He's　dead；　but　I　didn't　kill　him。　Edison　and　Annendale　got　to　him　first。〃
　〃They're　in　town？〃
　〃That's　right。　Or　they　were。　Right　now　they're　ing　for　you。　And　for　me。　They　think　we're　both　at　the　mill。〃　As　best　he　could　in　less　than　a　minute；　the　general　summed　up　the
　Situation
　〃Why　didn't　you　eliminate　them　when　you　had　the　chance；　in　the　Church？〃　Dawson　asked。
　〃Because　J　didn't　have　the　chance；〃　Klinger　said　impatiently。
　〃I　didn't　have　time　to　set　it　up　right。　But　you　can　set　it　up　just　perfectly。　They'll　probably　park　half　a　mile　from　the　mill　and　walk　in　to　you。　They　expect　to　surprise　you。　But　now　you　can　surprise　them。〃
　〃Look；　why　don't　you　get　in　a　car　and　e　up　here　right　away？〃　Dawson　asked。　〃e　in　behind　them。　Trap　them　between　us。〃
　〃Under　the　circumstances；〃　Klinger　said；　〃that　makes　no　military　sense；　Leonard。　As　a　group　of　four；　three　of　them　armed；　they'd　be　too　formidable　for　us。　Now　that　they're　split　into　pairs　and　puffed　up　with　self…confidence；　the　advantage　is　ours。〃
　〃But　if　Edison　and　Annendale　know　the　key…lock　phrases；　I　can't　keep　guards　posted。　I　can't　use　any　of　these　people　up　here。　I'm　alone。〃
　〃You　can　handle　it。〃
　〃Ernst；　my　training　is　in　business；　finance。　This　is　more　your　line　of　work。〃
　〃And　I've　got　work　down　here　in　town。〃
　〃I　don't　eliminate　people。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Not　like　this。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Not　personally。〃
　〃You　brought　guns　back　from　the　camp？〃
　〃A　few　of　them。　I've　posted　guards。〃
　〃With　a　rifle　or　shotgun；　you　can　do　what's　necessary。　I　know　you　can。　I've　seen　you　shoot　skeet　both　ways。〃
　〃You　don't　understand。　It's　against　my　beliefs。　My　religious　beliefs。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　set　those　aside　for　now；〃　Klinger　said。　〃This　is　a　matter　of　survival。〃
　〃You　can't　just　set　aside　morality；　Ernst；　whether　or　not　it's　a　matter　of　survival。　Anyway；　I　don't　like　being　here　alone。　Handling　this　alone。　It's　no　good。〃
　Trying　to　think　of　some　way　to　convince　the　man　that　be　could　and　should　do　what　had　to　be　done　so　that　he　would　get
　off　the　phone；　the　general　hit　upon　an　approach　that　he　recognized　at　once　as　custom…tailored　for　Dawson。　〃Leonard；　there's　one　thing　that　every　soldier　learns　his　first　day　on　the　battlefield；　when　the　enemy　is　firing　at　him　and　grenades　are　exploding　around　him　and　it　seems　like　he'll　never　get　through　to　the　next　day　alive。　If　he's　fighting　for　the　right　cause；　for　the　just　cause；　be　learns　that　he's　never　alone。　God's　always　with　him。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Dawson　said。
　〃You　do　believe　ours　is　a　just　cause？〃
　〃Of　course。　I'm　doing　all　of　this　for　Him。〃
　〃Then　you'll　e　out　just　fine。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Dawson　said。　〃I　shouldn't　have　hesitated　to　do　what　He　so　obviously　wishes　me　to　do。　Thank　you；　Ernst。〃
　〃Don't　mention　it；〃　Klinger　said。　〃You　better　get　moving。　They're　probably　leaving　the　station　wagon　about　now。　You'll　have　ten　minutes　at　most　to　prepare　for　them。〃
　〃And　you？〃
　〃I'll　go　back　to　the　church。〃
　〃God　be　with　you。〃
　〃Good　luck。〃
　They　both　hung　up。
　
　10
　Saturday；　August　27；　1977
　　
　　
　12：10　A。M。
　　
　　
　THE　WIND　RAISED　a　steady；　haunting　whooooo！　in　the　highest　reaches　of　the　trees。　Thunder　rumbled　frequently；　each　peal　louder　and　more　unsettling　than　the　one　that　had　e　before　it。　Above　the　forest；　the　sky　periodically　blazed　with　lightning；　the　electric　glow　pulsed　down　through　the　canopy　of　interlaced　branches　and　left　in　its　wake　a　series　of　stroboscopic　images　that　dazzled　the　eye。
　In　the　dense　underbrush；　small　animals　scampered　this　way　and　that；　busily　searching　for　food　or　water　or　panionship　or　safety。　Or　perhaps；　Paul　thought　as　one　of　them　dashed　across　the　path　and　startled　him；　they　were　frightened　of　the　oning　storm。
　Paul　and　Sam　had　expected　to　find　armed　guards　rather　than　animals　at　the　edge　of　the　woods　that　surrounded　the　mill；　but　there　were　none。　Although　all　of　the　lights　were　on　in　the　main　building；　the　structure　seemed…as　did　the　land　around　it…　deserted。
　They　circled　through　the　woods。　Eventually　they　came　to　the　employee　parking　lot　and　studied　the　scene　from　behind　a　thick　clump　of　laurel。
　The　helicopter　was　there；　on　the　macadam；　thirty　feet　away。　A　man　stood　beside　it　in　the　darkness；　smoking　a　cigarette；　watching　the　lightning　and　the　fast…moving　clouds。
　Paul　whispered：　〃Dawson　or　Klinger？〃　
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　Sam　said。
　〃Neither　do　I。〃
　〃Then　he's　the　pilot。〃
　〃You　see　a　gun？〃　〃No。　Nothing。〃
　〃Move　in　now？〃　〃Wait。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃The　right　moment。〃
　They　watched。
　A　few　seconds　later　the　pilot　dropped　his　cigarette　and　crushed　it　under　the　sole　of　his　shoe。　He　put　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　began　to　walk　aimlessly　about；　just　killing　time。　At　first　he　came　toward　the　trees；　wandered　within　ten　or　twelve　feet　of　them；　then　turned　and　went　back　the　way　he'd　e。
　〃Quickly；〃　Sam　said。
　Paul　stood　up。　He　eased　through　the　laurel　and　ran　after　the　pilot。
　The　man　heard　him　and　turned。　His　face　was　a　black　mask；　but　his　eyes　seemed　phosphorescent。　〃Who…〃
　〃I　am　the　key；〃　Paul　said。
　〃I　am　the　lock。〃　〃Speak　softly。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Paul　looked　beyond　the　helicopter。　He　could　see　the　windows
　…most　of　them　with　light　behind　them…on　the　second　and　third　floors　of　the　main　building　at　the　end　of　the　storage　yard。　If　he　could　see　the　windows；　anyone　who　happened　to　glance　Out　might　be　able　to　see　him；　in　turn；　despite　the　darkness。　He　hustled　the　pilot　closer　to　the　helicopter；　where　they　were　pretty　much　hidden　from　the　main　building。
　Sam　joined　them　and　said；　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃Malcolm　Spencer。〃
　〃You　are　the　pilot？〃
　〃Yes。　I　am。〃
　〃Where's　Leonard　Dawson？〃
　〃In　the　mill；〃　Spencer　said。
　〃Which　building？〃
　〃The　biggest　one。〃
　〃Which　floor？　First；　second；　or　third？〃
　〃First　floor。　There's　a　sort　of　public　sales　area　with…。〃
　〃And　Ernst　Klinger；〃　Sam　said。　〃Where's　he？〃
　〃He's　in　Black　River；〃　Spencer　said。
　〃That　can't　be　right。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃You　mean　he's　in　town？〃　Paul　asked。
　〃That's　right。〃
　Paul　and　Sam　glanced　at　each　other。
　〃Something　wrong？〃　the　pilot　asked。　He　seemed　to　be　concerned　about　them。
　〃You're　lying；〃　Paul　said。
　Surprised；　Spencer　said；　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃I　am　the　lock；〃　Paul　said。
　〃I　am　the　key；〃　Spencer　said。
　〃Where's　Klinger？〃
　〃He's　in　Black　River。〃
　Paul　stared　at　Sam。　〃Christ！〃
　To　the　pilot；　Sam　said；　〃You　took　Klinger　and　Dawson　to　the　logging　camp；　didn't　you？　And　then　brought　them　to　the　mill？〃
　〃No。　Just　Mr。　Dawson。　General　Klinger　went　to　town　from　the　camp。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃A　couple　of　minutes　after　we　got　there；〃　Spencer　said。　He　smiled　uncertainly。　His　teeth　seemed　even　more　radiant　than　his　eyes。
　〃How　did　he　go？　Not　in　the　chopper？〃
　〃No；　sir。　He　took　a　car。〃
　〃Why…〃
　Before　he　could　get　out　more　than　one　word　of　the　question；　Sam　screamed　and　stumbled　forward　against　the　helicopter。
　In　the　same　instant；　the　night　silence　was　split　open　by　a　single　rifle　shot。
　Instinctively；　Paul　dropped　to　the　ground　and　rolled。
　A　bullet　cracked　into　the　pavement　where　he'd　just　been；　ricocheted　into　the　darkness。
　A　second　bul