el.the miko-第82部分

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n　Protorov's　brother；　of　junior　rank…a　lieutenant…though　he　was　three　years　older；　learned　of　his　presence。
　Protorov　had　always　done　better　than　Lev；　academically　and　socially。　Protorov　knew　how　to　speak　to　people；　knew　how　to　take　exams；　knew　in　his　own　mind　what　he　wanted　to　be。　Lev　was　always　the　dreamer；　unsure　of　which　fork　to　take　in　a　road；　in　which　direction　to　turn　his　life。　He　had　always　been　afraid　of　making　a　mistake。
　He　had　made　a　mistake　that　dark；　snowfilled　afternoon。　Even　while　notification　of　Minck's　capture　was　being　relayed　to　Protorov　by　the　despicably　unreliable　wire　system；　Lev　went　into　Lubyanka　to　interrogate　the　spy　himself。　He　wanted；　no　doubt；　to　prove　to　his　younger　brother　that　there　was　something　he　could　do　as　well…and　on　his　own。
　He　failed。　Somehow　Minck　was　able　to　overpower　him　and；　using　him　as　hostage；　break　free。　Then　he　killed　Lev；　slaughtered　him　in　the　snow　like　a　butcher。
　They　left　him　there　in　the　storm；　terrified　to　touch　him　before　Protorov　arrived。　There　was　little　blood　for　him　to　see　when；　hours　later；　he　returned　to　Moscow；　the　cold　had　congealed　it；　cauterizing　the　wound。　Still　there　was　a　gaping　hole　in　Lev's　left　temple　where　the　bullet　had　torn　through　the　skull。　Protorov　did　not　want　to　look　at　the　damage　inflicted　on　the　back　of　the　head；　knowing　that　the　devastation　would　be　far　worse　at　the　egress　point。　Quite　deliberately　he　turned　Lev's　body　over　and　stared　at　the　carnage。　Snowflakes　caught　on　his　lids　making　vision　difficult。　Still　he　persevered　even　as　he　ordered　the　manhunt　for　Minck　and　his　fellow　escapee；　Tanya　Vladimova。
　Perhaps　it　was　then　that　Protorov　thought　for　the　first　time　that　there　was　too　much　pain　to　be　borne　in　having　a　family。　Perhaps　it　was　at　that　moment　that　he　decided　not　to　have　one　of　his　own。　For　the　sense　of　utter　isolation；　of　a　terrible　vulnerability；　was　overwhelming。　He　found　himself　hating　the　American　named　Minck　far　more　than　he　had　ever　thought　he　could　hate　another　human　being。
　Six　months　later　he　had　awakened　an　important　sleeper　in　order　to　kill　Minck's　wife；　sleeping　alone　and　vulnerable　in　their　bed　in　rural　Maryland。　One　shot　from　a　pistol　Protorov…and　Minck…　knew　well　at　close　range　through　the　left　temple。
　Still　it　had　not　been　enough。　So　the　war　went　on。　And　on。
　Protorov　sighed　now；　alone　in　his　inner　sanctum。　He　pushed　his　glasses　up　onto　the　dome　of　his　forehead；　scrubbed　at　his　face　with　a　palm。　He　found　that　he　had　been　sweating。　Though　Tengu；　his　second　agent　within　the　Tenshin　Shoden　Katori　ryu；　had　been　killed；　his　backup…the　last　agent　Protorov　had　in　that　field…　was　making　progress。　At　that　moment；　the　pact　cipher　machine　began　to　buzz；　preparatory　to　decoding　an　Alpha…three。　His　satellite　was　about　to　whisper　in　his　ear　once　again。
　Croaker　grabbed　Alix's　slim　wrist　and　jerked　hard；　hearing　her　short；　high　scream　of　surprise　and　pain　as　he　used　his　strength　to　roll　her　across　to　the　far　side　of　the　bed　and　out　of　harm's　way。
　At　the　same　time；　his　hand　snaked　beneath　the　bed　to　where　the　gun　lay　and；　without　aiming　fully；　shot　out　the　lamplight　in　the　room。
　Now　only　the　oblong　of　illumination　filtering　in　through　the　open　doorway　to　the　hall　pushed　back　the　darkness。　And　in　its　midst；　the　shadow　rushed　into　the　room。
　He's　a　goddamned　bull；　Croaker　thought；　as　he　pushed　Alix's　inquisitive　head　down　to　the　carpeting　and　rose　at　the　instant　he　felt　the　shadow　at　its　closest。
　He　lifted　his　arm；　brought　the　muzzle　of　the　pistol　down　in　a　vicious　slash　across　the　shadow's　cheekbone；　felt　the　contact　with　pleasure；　the　split　of　skin；　flesh；　and　the　pressured　scrape　against　bone。
　But　despite　the　blow；　the　shadow's　momentum　was　enough　to　keep　him　ing　on。　And　such　was　his　strength　that　he　slammed　full　tilt　into　Croaker；　knocking　the　pistol　from　his　grip。　It　skidded　across　the　floor　in　the　darkness；　lost。
　Oh；　Christ；　Croaker　thought；　we're　in　for　it　now。　He　felt　a　heavy　blow　land　on　his　shoulder；　twisting　him；　and　blindly　he　kicked　upward；　missing　once；　his　knee　connecting　with　the　shadow's　thigh　bone；　adjusting　his　aim　accordingly　and　plowing　into　the　shadow's　groin。
　He　heard　the　whoosh　of　air　and　a　groan；　and　the　weight　and　pressure　on　him　eased　sufficiently　for　him　to　squirm　out　from　under。
　〃e　on！〃　he　yelled　at　Alix；　fumbling　for　her　hand　and　half　dragging　her　from　the　room；　down　the　blindingly　lit　hallway　to　the　exit　door　and　the　stairs。
　Down　the　metal　and　concrete　staircase　they　ran　until　at　last　they　burst　out　into　the　soft…skinned　night。　The　car　would　have　been　the　best　bet；　but　Croaker　had　left　the　keys　back　in　the　room。
　He　took　a　quick　look　around。　There　were　few　people　about　except　at　the　entrance　of　the　hotel　where　locals　were　drawing　up　as　they　went　into　the　disco　in　the　lobby；　one　of　the　only　nightspots　in　the　area。　Croaker　took　them　that　way　though　they　were　certainly　not　dressed　for　the　occasion。　People　in　dinner　dress　watched　their　approach　with　more　amusement　than　alarm。　But　he　saw　it　was　going　to　be　no　go　right　away。　They　stood　out　like　beggars　at　a　masked　ball；　so　he　veered　them　away；　rushing　down　the　sloped　scimitar　drive　toward　Highway　70；　dodging　the　slowly　approaching　line　of　cars；　pushing　Alix　out　of　the　illumination　of　the　headlights。
　He　did　not　turn　his　head　to　see　if　the　Blue　Monster　was　after　them；　he　assumed　the　worst。　If　he　had　been　dogged　enough…　and；　Croaker　had　to　admit　to　himself；　smart　enough…to　follow　them　all　the　way　from　Key　West；　he　wouldn't　be　so　stupid　as　to　lose　them　now。
　He　rushed　them　across　the　six…lane　highway　on　the　amber　with　the　traffic　already　beginning　to　pile　up　and　move；　jockeying　for　position　for　turns。
　〃Christ！〃　Alix　breathed。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　Croaker　made　no　reply。　He　thought　it　wiser　to　let　her　believe　that　he　knew　what　he　was　doing。　Ahead　of　them　loomed　the　darkened　mass　of　the　shopping　mall；　all　angles　and　black　shadows；　a　silent；　deserted　city　in　the　heart　of　the　darkness。
　Croaker　took　them　down　an　exit　ramp　and　they　were　plunged　into　the　wide；　spotless　avenues　of　the　arcades。　Their　footfalls　made　no　sound　on　the　stone　flooring　and　Croaker　was　grateful　at　least　that　he　had　his　topsiders　on。　But　Alix　was　barefoot　and　though　from　an　aural　point　of　view　that　was　good；　still　with　all　the　running　they　were　doing　he　was　fearful　of　sharp　objects　she　might　inadvertently　step　on。　Well；　he　thought；　there's　no　help　for　it　now。　We　have　to　go　on。
　Deep　inside　the　mall　he　stopped　them。　Though　they　were　both　in　reasonably　good　shape；　a　breather　was　nevertheless　called　for。　Alix's　chest　heaved　with　exertion　and　fear。　She　stared　around　her；　wide…eyed。　Shoe　stores；　clothing　boutiques；　a　local　Sears；　endless　rows　of　glass…paneled　windows　featuring　a　bewildering　variety　of　wares　crouched　on　either　side　of　them；　closed　and　unhelpful。
　〃What　are　we　go…〃
　Croaker　put　his　palm　quickly　over　her　mouth　and　said　in　her　ear；　〃No；　talking。　The　sound　will　carry　and　bring　him　to　us　like　a　beacon。　Okay？〃　She　nodded　her　head　vigorously　and　he　took　his　hand　away。
　He　wiped　the　sweat　from　his　face　with　his　shirtsleeve；　straining　his　ears　for　some　semblance　of　sound；　but　he　heard　nothing　above　the　soft　susurrus　of　the　faraway　traffic　on　Highway　70。
　Dim　light　filtered　across　their　shoulders　in　thick　swatches　from　the　interiors　of　the　shops　along　the　arcade。　But　patches　of　deep　shadow　remained　all　about　them　like　impenetrable　stands　of　trees。　They　were　in　a　forest　of　metal　and　glass。
　Alix　grabbed　his　shoulder　and　leaned　her　lips　against　his　ear。　〃What　are　we　waiting　here　for？〃　she　whispered。　〃Let's　go　out　of　here　before　he　finds　us。〃
　Croaker　debated　with　himself　whether　to　tell　her　the　truth。　He　knew　it　would　probably　be　better　to　keep　her　in　the　dark　as　long　as　possible。　But　on　the　other　hand　she　was　in　this　as　deeply　as　he　was　and　it　was　unfair　to　keep　her　ignorant　about　such　a　thing。　Besides；　if　she　did　not　know；　she　might　do　something　stupid　at　the　last　minute　and　screw　things　up。
　He　put　his　mouth　to　her　ear　and　said　softly；　〃I've　got　news　for　you。　Your　former　keeper's　followed　us　this　far；　he's　not　gonna　stop　now。　Even　assuming　we　could　find　a　car　and　I　could　boost　it；　we　wouldn't　lose　him。　Not　now。〃
　Her　large　clear　eyes　stared　into　his　for　the　moment　it　took　her　to　put　it　together。　〃No！〃　she　said。　〃There's　been　one　killing　already。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Croaker　sighed；　〃and　there'll　be　a　lot　more　unless　he's　stopped。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃It　has　to　be　done；　Alix。　You　know　it　does。〃
　After　a　time　her　eyes　slid　away　from　him。　Her　cheeks　were　wet　and　he　heard　her　whisper；　〃I　wish　now　he'd　never　saved　me。　I　wish　I'd　drowned　that　day　in　Key　West。〃
　〃You　don't　mean　that；〃　he　said　automatically。
　〃The　hell　I　don't！〃　she　flared；　her　eyes　bright。　〃What　kind　of　life　is　this　I'm　living？　Can　you　tell　me　th…〃
　Croaker　shoved　her　hard；　sending　her　spinning　flat　on　her　back　across　the　cool　stone　flooring　as　the　whine　turned　into　the　spang！　of　a　ricochet。　He　saw　the　place　where　the　bullet　had　gouged　out　chips　of　stone　and　dived　after　her；　pulling　her　up　onto　her　knees；　then　to　her　feet；　dragging　her　after　him　down　the　arcade；　turning　right；　then　right　again；　pushing　her　into　a　darkened　doorway　where　they　both　crouched。　Alix　was　sweating　and　shivering　all　at　once。
　Croaker　looked　both　ways　before　he　reached　again　for　her　hand。　But　Alix　was　shaking　her　head。　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　can't　go　on。　It's　useless。　Like　you　said；　wherever　we　run；　he'll　find　us。〃
　〃Get　up！〃　he　said　fiercely。
　She　shook　her　head　again；　her　spun…gold　hair　obscuring　her　face。　〃It's　no　good。　I　haven't　got　the　strength。〃
　〃Well；　for　the　love　of　God　find　some！〃　he　hissed　at　her；　bending　over　and　hauling　her　to　her　feet。
　〃I'm　tired；　Lew。〃　Her　eyes　were　hooded。　〃I　just　want　to　sleep。〃
　He　saw　the　lassitude　flooding　her　body　and　wondered　if　this　was　how　she　had　felt　in　the　moments　before　she　had　hurled　her　body　into　the　turquoise　ocean　that　day　aboard　her　boat。
　He　grabbed　her　cheeks　in　the　pincer　of　his　thumb　and　massed　fingers。　〃Listen；　you；〃　he　said；　his　face　close　to　hers；　〃you'll　sleep　when　I　tell　you　to　and　not　a　minute　before。〃
　〃Christ！〃　she　cried；　teary…eyed；　〃you're　a　goddamned　knight　without　a　lady。　Can't　you　see　that　I　just　don't　care　anymore？〃
　〃B