lrh.fortuneoffear-第38部分

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a　case　the　offender　shall　be　stoned　to　death。〃
　　　That　settled　it。　The　powder　in　the　cartridge　case　spilled　bitterly　into　my　mouth　as　my　teeth　pierced　it　through。
　　　I　would　have　to　leave　Turkey。
　　　There　was　no　other　way。
　　　And　I　would　have　to　leave　Turkey　AT　ONCE！

Chapter　7

　　　I　grabbed　a　bag。　I　looked　around　wildly。
　　　Where　would　I　go？
　　　What　would　I　take？
　　　Faht　Bey　said；　〃If　you　are　leaving；　I　want　to　remind　you　that　the　Blixo　will　be　in；　in　a　day　or　so。　They　always　have　something　for　you。　What　do　I　tell　them？〃
　　　My　attention　snapped　painfully　back　to　him。　The　Blixo？　They　were　probably　after　me；　too！
　　　Faht　Bey　went　on：　〃Those　homo　couriers　you　get　always　demand　postcards　for　some　reason。　You　better　give　me　some。〃
　　　Postcards？　Postcards？　I　made　my　mind　focus。　He　was　talking　about　the　magic…mail　cards。　If　they　didn't　get　mailed　on　time；　their　mothers　would　be　killed。　That　would　make　the　couriers　go　after　me；　too！
　　　I　opened　up　the　safe。　I　grabbed　the　whole　pack　of　magic…mail　cards。　I　threw　them　at　Faht　Bey。
　　　Where　would　I　go？
　　　What　should　I　take？
　　　I　ran　around　the　room　looking　under　things。
　　　Faht　Bey　was　still　there。　He　said；　〃If　you're　going　to　run　out；　there's　nobody　here　can　stamp　cargos　in。　They　have　to　be　stamped　in　as　received　on　Voltar　before　they　leave。　Why　don't　you　give　me　your　identoplate？〃
　　　I　fished　it　out。
　　　I　threw　it　at　him。
　　　Enough　was　enough。　〃Get　out！　Get　out！　Get　out！〃　I　screamed　at　him。　〃Can't　you　see　my　sanity　is　on　the　ragged　edge？　STOP　BOTHERING　ME！　I　have　to　think！〃
　　　He　gathered　up　the　postcards　and　identoplate　and　left。
　　　Only　then　could　I　begin　to　get　my　wits　in　order。
　　　What　should　I　take？
　　　A　tough　problem　when　you　don't　know　where　you　are　going　to　go。　The　only　destination　I　had　was　OUT！
　　　Blind　instinct　saved　me。
　　　I　opened　the　grip。　Into　it　I　packed　guns　and　ammunition　so　I　could　defend　myself。　I　packed　the　phony　Ink…switch　federal　I。D。　so　I　could　change　my　identity。　I　grabbed　some　instant　gas　pellets　that　would　render　any　assailant　unconscious　and　packed　them。　I　snatched　up　the　two…way…response　radio　and　packed　it。　I　stuffed　in　the　three　sets　of　viewers。　I　strapped　the　grip　up。　Then　I　realized　I　had　forgotten　to　put　in　any　clothes　and　unstrapped　it。　I　put　in　a　business　suit；　some　shirts　and　ties　and　a　bat　camouflage　dress。　I　strapped　it　up。　I　realized　I　had　not　put　in　any　money。　I　unstrapped　it。　I　looked　in　the　safe　and　found　I　didn't　have　any　money。　I　strapped　the　grip　up。　I　wondered　if　I　had　forgotten　anything　and　unstrapped　it　to　look。　I　grabbed　some　things　at　random　and　threw　them　in；　just　in　case。　I　strapped　it　up　again。
　　　It　suddenly　occurred　to　me　I　hadn't　left　yet。　I　had　better　get　going。　I　started　out　the　door。　Then　I　realized　I　was　not　dressed　for　travel。　I　came　back。　I　got　into　a　business　suit。　I　couldn't　find　any　shoes　so　I　put　my　military　boots　back　on。　I　started　out　the　door　again　and　saw　I　had　forgotten　my　bag。　I　went　back。　I　needed　something　to　discourage　pursuit。　I　saw　a　pile　of　plunger　time…fuse　bombs　in　the　gun　case。　I　stuffed　them　in　my　pocket。
　　　Wait　a　minute。　My　documents　were　in　the　grip。　I　needed　a　passport。　The　Achmed　Ben　Nutti　diplomatic　passport　from　the　United　Arab　League　was　on　top　of　the　pile。　It　would　get　my　guns　and　money　through　to　wherever　I　was　going。　I　put　it　in　my　pocket。　Money。　I　didn't　have　any　money。　I　must　avoid　Afyon：　they　would　be　waiting　for　me　with　a　pile　of　lethal　rocks　and　stones。　I　had　it。　I　must　get　to　Istanbul。　Mudur　Zengin　would　wele　the　chance　to　give　me　money。
　　　As　an　afterthought；　working　fast；　I　closed　and　locked　my　safe　and　secret　partments。　I　must　get　out　of　here。　They　might　e　for　me　at　any　minute。
　　　I　picked　up　my　grip。　I　forced　myself　to　stop　shaking。　I　walked　across　the　patio　and　into　the　yard。
　　　With　a　surge　of　purest　hate；　I　saw　the　taxi　driver。　He　was　polishing　the　new　Mercedes…Benz。
　　　Apparatus　training　makes　one　rise　to　any　emergency。　The　hate　distilled　into　the　purest　cunning。　I　determined　then　and　there　to　kill　two　jailbirds　with　one　bomb。　They　would　learn　in　one　last　agonizing　flash　the　penalty　for　grabbing　women　before　I　could　get　at　them。
　　　Cunning。　Cunning。　Cunning。　I　must　concentrate　on　that。　I　went　over　and　threw　my　bag　carelessly　into　the　Daimler…Benz。　I　did　not　even　let　my　eyes　dart　under　every　bush　to　see　if　they　were　waiting　for　me；　ready　to　spring　out　and　stone　me　to　death。
　　　In　an　offhand　voice；　I　called；　〃Oh；　Ahmed。　Would　you　like　to　e　to　the　bank　with　me　to　get　some　money？〃
　　　He　sprang　gladly　upright。　I　knew　he　would。　He　yelled　for　Ters　and　then　raced　around　and　got　in　the　front　seat　of　the　big　car。　Ters　ran　out　of　the　kitchen；　putting　on　his　old　soldier's　cap。　He　slid　under　the　wheel。
　　　We　were　off。　I　scrunched　way　down　so　nobody　could　see　I　was　riding　in　the　back。
　　　We　went　tearing　up　the　road　to　Afyon；　scattering　camels　all　over　the　place。
　　　I　could　tell　from　the　gay；　insouciant　manner　of　both　Ahmed　and　Ters　that　they　had　no　slightest　inkling　that　this　was　their　last　day　on　Earth。
　　　We　entered　Afyon　and　started　down　the　street　toward　the　Piastre　Branch　Bankasi。
　　　〃No；　no；〃　I　said　smoothly　from　the　back。　〃You　misunderstood　me。　I　was　talking　about　BIG　money。　I　meant　the　Piastre　Bankasi　in　Istanbul。　Go　there。〃
　　　Happily；　without　the　least　suspicion　they　were　driving　their　own　hearse；　they　turned　and　we　began　to　roar　along　the　main　highway　to　Istanbul。
　　　Glancing　backward　from　time　to　time；　I　detected　no　pursuit。　I　had　been　too　fast　for　them。　I　might　get　away　with　this　yet。
　　　Several　camels　looked　at　us　suspiciously；　however；　and　some　of　my　anxiety　returned。　Never　trust　a　camel。
　　　Ters　was　not　driving　very　fast。　But　that　was　just　as　well。　High　speed　would　alert　people　that　I　was　escaping。
　　　The　afternoon　and　the　bleak　February　countryside　moved　along。　Dusk　came。　We　drove　in　the　darkness。　Our　headlights　flicked　now　and　then　upon　the　ruins　of　the　ages。　I　was　leaving　Asia。　Let　it　rot。　It　wasn't　worth　conquering　anyway。　Alexander's　adventures　had　been　but　a　waste　of　time。
　　　We　crossed　the　Bosporus　into　Europe　about　ten。　We　finally　crossed　the　Galata　Bridge　over　the　Golden　Horn　and　wove　our　way　through　the　dying　streets　of　Istanbul。　We　came　at　last　to　the　Piastre　Bankasi。　The　car　came　to　a　stop。
　　　I　intended　to　have　the　inevitable　night　watchman　call　Mudur　Zengin。　I　had　gotten　this　far　and　I　was　safe。　But　this　was　the　end　of　the　line　for　Ters　and　Ahmed。　I　slipped　a　time　bomb　with　a　plunger　fuse　under　the　cushion　of　the　rear　seat。　I　depressed　the　plunger。　Ten　minutes　from　now；　this　car　and　its　villainous　occupants　would　spatter　all　over　the　landscape　in　bits　of　dismayed　and　burning　flame。　Bye…bye；　you　woman　grabbers。
　　　I　tossed　my　grip　out　onto　the　sidewalk。　I　got　out。　I　said　casually；　〃You　can　go　home　now。　I　won't　be　needing　you。〃
　　　〃Don't　you　want　us　to　take　you　to　the　airport？〃　said　Ahmed。
　　　〃Airport？〃　I　said。　〃What　gave　you　the　idea　I　was　leaving　Turkey？　I'm　just　going　to　be　in　town　three　or　four　days；　attending　a　convention　of　drug　pushers　at　the　Istanbul　Hilton。　You　didn't　think　I　would　pay　to　keep　you　two　in　a　hotel　all　that　time；　did　you？　So　bye…bye。　You're　homeward　bound；〃　to　whatever　Hells　they　reserve　for　criminals　who　grab　women　first　and　then　threaten　to　testify　that　it　was　all　at　my　orders。
　　　Ahmed　shrugged。　Ters　gave　his　evil　laugh。　And　away　they　went。　I　watched　their　taillights　fade　out　of　sight。　It　gave　me　a　great　deal　of　satisfaction。　There　wouldn't　even　be　enough　left　of　them　to　bury；　for　that　was　a　Voltar　maximum…destruction　pocket　bomb。
　　　A　moving　shadow　called　my　attention　suddenly　back　to　my　own　peril。　But　it　was　just　the　watchman。
　　　〃Phone　Mudur　Zengin　for　me；〃　I　ordered。　〃Have　him　e　down　to　the　bank。　Say　Sultan　Bey　wants　to　see　him。〃
　　　The　watchman　shined　a　flashlight　in　my　face。　Then　he　pointed　to　an　upper　window。　It　was　lighted。　〃He's　already　here；〃　the　watchman　said。　〃Came　in　half　an　hour　ago　and　said　he　was　expecting　you。〃
　　　A　chill　went　through　me。　Then　I　realized　it　was　true。　The　credit　panies　kept　an　accurate；　to…the…minute　check　on　the　whereabouts　of　the　paying　man。　They　had　told　Zengin。
　　　I　must　be　fast。　I　raced　inside。　I　entered　his　office。
　　　Coldly；　Mudur　Zengin　remained　at　his　desk　eyeing　me。　He　did　not　rise。　He　did　not　even　say　hello。　He　just　sat　there　and　looked　at　me。　I　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　room。
　　　〃I've　been　requested　to　detain　you；〃　Mudur　Zengin　said。
　　　Terror　surged　through　me。　They　knew。　They　were　after　me！
　　　I　went　down　on　my　knees。　〃Look；　you　were　the　boyhood　friend　of　my　father。　Please　don't　turn　me　in！　You've　got　to　help　me。　I　need　money！〃
　　　〃I　can't　give　you　any　money。　The　vaults　are　closed。〃
　　　〃Then　let　me　into　the　safe　deposit　boxes。〃
　　　〃I　can't。　They're　closed　tight。　Nothing　will　be　open　until　9：00　A。　M。　tomorrow。〃
　　　Too　late。　Too　late！　They　would　have　dragged　me　halfway　back　to　Afyon　by　then。
　　　〃I　need　dollars！〃　I　begged。
　　　〃Dollars？〃　he　said　coldly。　〃Why　don't　you　ask　your　concubine　for　dollars？〃
　　　〃Mudur；　please　hear　me。　I　need　dollars　and　I　need　them　right　now。　Tonight。　FAST！〃
　　　He　fixed　me　with　his　cold　banker's　eye。　〃The　only　dollars　available　at　this　time　of　night　are　not　the　bank's。　They　are　my　own。　I　keep　some　in　my　personal　safe。〃
　　　〃Give　them　to　me；〃　I　begged；　my　ear　cocked　for　any　sound　of　footsteps　on　the　stairs。　〃Quick！〃
　　　〃It　would　only　be　enough　to　tide　you　over；〃　he　said。　〃And　it　would　have　to　be　at　regular　terms：　30　percent　interest　per　month。〃
　　　He　pushed　a　piece　of　paper　at　me。　I　swiftly　signed　it。
　　　He　went　to　his　safe；　opened　it　and　took　out　some　packets　of　U。　S。　dollars；　counted　off　a　hundred　thousand　and　then　tossed　them　on　the　floor　and　pushed　them　toward　me　with　his　foot。
　　　I　bent　to　grab　them。　I　stuffed　them　in　my　pocket。　Then　I　saw　the　contempt　in　his　eyes。　It　struck　me　that　he　was　certainly　behaving　in　an　unfriendly　way。　Rushed　as　I　was；　I　still　said；　〃What　have　I　done？〃
　　　〃What　you　have　done；〃　he　said；　〃is　between　you　and　Allah。　It　is　not　given　to　a　mere　mortal　to　prehend　the　actio