el.angeleyes-第91部分

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　She　said；　〃Whether　he　asked　you；　told　you；　or　ordered　you　to　terminate　me；　makes　no　difference。　Bernard　still　wanted　me　dead　in　order　to　protect　himself。''
　〃No；　Tori。〃　Russell　caught　her　gaze　with　his　own。　〃If　Bernard　wanted　you　terminated；　he　certainly　wouldn't　have　asked　me　to　do　it。　I'm　a　desk　jockey；　remember？　And　he　knew　I　was　personally　involved　with　you。　I'd　be　just　about　the　last　person　he'd　contract　with　to　make　the　hit。〃
　〃That　makes　sense；〃　Tori　said。　〃Then　why　did　he　tell　you　to　terminate　me？〃
　〃Well；　I've　been　thinking　about　that；〃　Russell　said。　〃What　he　said　was　so　wildly　out　of　character　that　it　was　as　if　he　was　trying　to　tell　me　something。　It　took　me　a　while　to　figure　out　the　puzzle　Bernard　had　set　put　for　me；　but　I　think　I　have　it　now。　It　was　as　if　Bernard　was　saying　to　me；　I've　given　you　this　picture；　what's　wrong　with　it？
　〃He　knew　that　Hitasura　had　turned　bad　on　him…Hitasura's　murder　of　Ariel　Solares　was　a　major　break　in　discipline。　Bernard　may　not　have　known　that　Hitasura　was　behind　the　supercoke；　but　he　sure　as　hell　knew　that　he　suddenly　had　a　rogue　agent　on　his　hands…a　rogue　agent；　I　might　add；　who　reported　only　to　Bernard。　Bernard　knew　he　had　to　terminate　Hitasura　as　quickly　and　as　efficiently　as　possible。
　''He　knew　he　couldn't　tell　you　openly　about　Hitasura　because　you　wouldn't　believe　him；　and　he　wouldn't　have　told　me　for　fear　I　would　tell　you。　That　would　have　made　you　walk　straight　away　from　us。　Bernard　knew　you　needed　to　discover　the　truth　about　Hitasura　for　yourself；　but　he　was　warning　me　that　things　were　not　as　they　seemed　in　the　hope　that　I　would　stay　one　step　ahead　of　you。　You　see；　Bernard　was　still　concerned　by　your　volatility。　He　set　me　up　to　be　your　watchdog　just　as；　years　ago；　he　set　you　up　to　be　Hitasura's　watchdog。〃
　Tori　gave　an　ironic　laugh。　〃And　now　Bernard　has　given　me　the　means　to　exact　my　revenge　on　him　for　manipulating　me　for　so　many　years。〃
　Russell　nodded。　〃Now　you　understand　that　Bernard　knew　he　was　doing　just　that　when　he　manipulated　me　into　bringing　you　back　to　the　Mall。　It　says　something　about　the　man　that　he　trusts　you…and　me…with　that　power　over　him。〃
　Tori　thought　about　that　for　a　long　time；　then　she　nodded。　〃I　guess　I　still　can't　believe　that　I　could　have　been　so　wrong　about　Hitasura。　He　used　Bernard　as　Bernard　was　using　us　and　everyone　else　around　him。　We　have　confirmation　from　Hitasura　himself　that　Bernard　never　wanted　Ariel　murdered。　And　it's　true　that　Bernard　had　no　conscious　knowledge　of　the　supercocaine　Hitasura　was　selling。　It　will　just　about　kill　him　when　he　learns　to　what　extent　he's　been　involved　in　that。〃
　Russell　said　nothing。
　Tori　exhaled　slowly。　〃There　is　an　Argentine　saying：　'The　devil　can　see　at　midnight；　but　revenge　is　blind　even　in　the　noonday　sun。'　〃
　Russell　knew　what　she　meant。　She　was　moving　away　from　the　emotionally　volatile　adolescent　filled　with　weaknesses　that　Bernard　Godwin　recognized　and　exploited。　She　was　being　more　whole　and；　therefore；　more　powerful　with　each　breath　she　took。　She　had　met　her　bull　head　on；　and　was　riding　it；　facing　herself　at　last；　instead　of　turning　away　from　herself　to　face　death　over　and　over。
　〃Look；　we're　not　trying　to　excuse　Bernard；　are　we？〃　Tori　said　at　last。
　〃I　think　you'll　have　to　make　up　your　own　mind　about　that；〃　Russell　said。　〃I'll　only　remind　you　of　what　you　said　just　a　few　minutes　ago。　You　told　me　that　you　wished　there　was　some　way　for　you　to　help　the　nationalist　movement　inside　Russia。　Bernard's　shown　you　the　way。〃
　''You　think　we　should　help　him？''　Tori　said。　''Bernard's　been　selling　nuclear　devices　of　unknown　and　unproven　design　to　White　Star；　a　nationalist　underground　movement　that　might　or　might　not　be　controlled　by　the　KGB　itself。〃
　〃You've　just　given　the　best　reason　I　can　think　of　for　helping　Bernard。　Those　miniature　hafnium…damped　nuclear　devices　could　easily　be　the　means　to　a　revolution　inside　the　USSR　or　the　spark　that　ignites　a　world　war。
　〃White　Star　has　bee　the　nexus　point　of　this　assignment。　Either　way；　we　have　to　penetrate　White　Star　and　find　out　whether　Bernard　has　bee　a　saint　or　a　fool。〃
　''Now　there's　a　hell　of　an　idea。''
　Russell　pointed　out　the　plane's　Perspex　window。　〃Wele　to　hell。　Tori；〃　he　said。　〃We've　just　crossed　over　into　Soviet　airspace。〃

TWELVE
MOSCOW/STAR　TOWN

　〃We've　lost　him。〃
　〃Lost　him？〃　Mars　Volkov　clenched　his　fists。　〃This　man…　this　traitor…has　killed　four　of　my　men。　He　has　kidnapped　a　helpless　psychotic　from　her　bed　in　a　state　institution。　And　all　you　can　tell　me　is　that　you　lost　him？　How　is　that；　Captain？〃
　Anatoly　Nikolev；　captain　of　the　Eleventh　Division　of　the　KGB　Border　Guards；　temporarily　under　the　mand　of　the　chief　of　Department　N；　shifted　unfortably　on　the　hard　wooden　bench。
　He　and　Mars　were　sitting　in　the　otherwise　empty　stands　of　the　baseball　field　at　Moscow　State　University。　They　were　watching　the　burgeoning　national　team　work　out。　Beyond　the　stadium　were　the　green…tiered　Lenin　Hills；　where　the　vast　Mosfilms　sound　stages　and　some　of　the　city's　finest　old　villas…Mars　had　one…were　gradually　being　surrounded　by　squat　modern…style　multiple　residences。
　In　the　opposite　direction　was　the　stolid；　ugly　facade　of　the　university　dormitory　and　student　facilities　building；　one　of　the　many　constant　reminders　in　Moscow　of　Stalin's　indelible　influence　on　this　stolid　society。
　Captain　Nikolev　looked　resplendent　in　his　gray　uniform　with　the　red　accents。　There　were　medals　on　his　chest；　but　he　knew　from　experience　that　Mars　Volkov　was　not　impressed　by　past　acplishments。　The　man　lived　entirely　in　the　present。
　Captain　Nikolev　loved　this　place；　especially　a　beautiful　spot　not　a　hundred　yards　from　here　where；　on　a　promontory　overlooking　the　river；　it　was　said　that　Napoleon　gazed　down　upon　Moscow　on　September　14；　1812；　before　marching　into　the　city。
　〃I　can　never　e　here；〃　Mars　said；　interrupting　Captain　Nikolev's　thoughts；　〃without　thinking　of　Nikolai　Ivanovich　Lobachevsky。　Now　there　was　a　great　man。　I　see　his　bust　in　front　of　the　university　and　I　feel　a　great　pride　in　being　Russian。〃
　Of　course；　Captain　Nikolev　thought　with　some　cynicism。　I　e　to　the　Lenin　Hills　and　am　filled　with　history。　What　fills　rade　Volkov？　Rhapsodic　thoughts　of　a　non…Euclidian　geometrist。
　Mars　said；　〃I　understand　that　the　last　tank　units　have　been　drawn　up。　Which　means　we're　ready　to　cross　the　mythical　borders　into　Lithuania　and　Latvia。〃
　〃True　enough；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said。　〃It's　a　daring　plan；　but　one　which　is　also　timeworn。　It　worked　in　Poland　decades　ago；　so　it　should　work　now。''
　〃Have　you　reservations；　Captain？〃
　〃I　am　not　a　military　tactician；〃　Nikolev　said　neutrally；　〃so　I　have　no　worthwhile　opinion　on　such　matters。''
　Mars　regarded　him　with　some　surprise。　〃Yet　you　are　a　military　man。　Such　action　should　set　your　blood　on　fire。〃
　Nikolev　grunted。　〃I　think　the　time　is　long　past　for　the　heyday　of　the　military　man。''
　〃I　know；〃　Mars　said　with　some　amusement。　〃A　mission　as　an　officer　in　the　Roman　legion　would　have　suited　you　more。〃
　Captain　Nikolev　watched　the　baseball　players　at　their　strenuous　calisthenics；　and　thought　glumly　that　the　military　should　adopt　such　daily　exercises。
　''We　lost　Bondasenko's　White　Star　contact　at　the　institution　in　Arkhangelskoe；　as　well；〃　he　said　when　he　felt　he　could　no　longer　prolong　the　inevitable。　〃It　was　our　ill　fortune　to　have　Bondasenko　show　up　just　as　we　were　about　to　get　the　man。　Apparently；　Bondasenko　was　using　the　institution　where　he　had　so　successfully　hidden　his　daughter　as　a　meet　to　exchange　intelligence　with　other　members　of　White　Star。〃
　〃Very　clever；〃　Mars　said。　〃I　must　remember　to　mend　him　before　I　put　a　bullet　through　the　back　of　his　head。''
　Captain　Nikolev　said；　〃I　think　we　can　assume　that　Bondasenko　is　White　Star's　mander。　We　have　gained　that　information；　at　least。　It's　not　an　inconsiderable　bit　of　intelligence。〃
　Mars　grunted　his　assent。　〃All　right；〃　he　said　now。　〃Bondasenko's　gone　to　ground。　But　he　can't　stay　hidden　indefinitely。　He's　going　to　have　to　surface　sometime；　and；　Captain；　when　he　does；　I　want　his　head　snapped　in　a　rat　trap。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃Yes；　rade。〃
　Mars　and　Captain　Nikolev　lapsed　into　silence。　They　watched　a　pair　of　thin；　chain…smoking　professors　from　the　university　circulate　among　the　young　members　of　the　national　baseball　team。　They　were　not　the　coaches；　the　best　coaches　were　still；　to　Mars's　shame；　mainly　Cubans；　who　had　many　years　of　invaluable　baseball　experience。　These　chain…smoking　professors　were　sports　specialists　in　eye…hand　coordination　and　musculature　conditioning。　They　had　determined　that　quickness　of　reflexes；　not　endurance；　was　the　most　desirable　trait　to　breed　into　the　new　generation　of　ballplayers　that　the　Soviet　Union　hoped　would　dominate　world　play　in　the　1990s。
　But　perhaps　it　would　take　longer　to　field　a　world…class　team　than　had　first　been　anticipated；　since　endurance　was　a　trait　already　bred　into　the　young　Russians　graduating　from　the　extant　state…funded　sports　academies。　But　Professor　Kutateladze；　who　spoke　eloquently　and　at　length　of　the　〃technology　of　building　a　baseball　player；〃　had　promised　that　the　young　men　ing　out　of　his　baseball　school　would　be　different。　Mars　hoped　he　would　be　right。　He　always　had　been　in　the　past。
　Mars　said；　〃Have　you　as　yet　located　Miss　Ponomareva？〃
　〃No。〃
　Where　has　Irina　got　to？　Mars　asked　himself。　She　was　not　at　work　or　at　home。　She　had　not　been　at　Valeri's　and　she　wasn't　with　the　Hero。　Captain　Nikolev　had　checked　these　places　himself。　Irina　might　continue　to　be　very　useful　to　me　now；　he　thought。　My　surveillance　has　shown　that　she's　been　the　closest　to　Valeri　Denysovich　over　the　past　several　months。　If　anyone　might　know　where　he　was　holed　up；　she　might。
　Well；　Mars　thought；　stirring；　perhaps　it　is　time　I　took　a　more　active　role　in　finding　out　where　she　is。
　It　was　very　quiet　when　Mars　entered　the　Hero's　fortress　in　Star　Town。　He　came　across　Tatiana　first。　She　was　folding　the　Hero's　newly　laundered　shirts　into　a　neat　pile。　The　homey　smells　of　soap　and　bleach　were　in　the　air。
　〃rade；〃　she　said　when　she　saw　him。　Her　wide…apart　gray　eyes　were　neutral。　She　did　not　stop　her　folding。
　〃Is　he　alone？〃　Mars　asked　brusquely。
　〃Lara　is　with　him；〃　Tatiana　said。　〃You　left　orders　that　one　of　us　should　be