thedestroyer.slavesafari-第24部分

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　〃Just　a　reminder；〃　Remo　growled；　〃that　we　ain't　your　friendly　neighborhood　team　of　United　Nations　advisors。　No　tricks。〃
　The　sergeant；　his　eyes　wide　with　fright　and　pain；　nodded　quickly；　almost　frantically。
　He　walked　faster；　then　stopped　outside　a　large　oak　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　〃In　there；〃　he　said。
　〃You　first。〃
　The　sergeant　unlocked　the　door　with　a　key　from　a　ring　on　his　belt；　pushed　open　the　door　and　stepped　inside。
　The　room　was　just　beginning　to　be　lit　by　the　first　dim　blush　of　the　morning　sun。　Remo　forced　the　pupils　of　his　eyes　to　wide；　and　in　the　darkness；　he　could　see　four　bunks。　Each　was　occupied。
　The　four　women　in　the　beds　were　naked。　They　were　tied　with　ropes；　their　arms　up　over　their　heads　lashed　to　the　bed　posts。　Their　legs　pulled　wide　apart　and　their　ankles　tied　to　the　posts　at　the　foot　of　the　beds。　Cloth　gags　were　in　their　mouths。
　In　the　faint　glints　of　light　from　the　window　and　from　the　hallway；　then…　eyes　sparkled　as　they　watched　Remo。　They　looked　like　animals　peering　from　the　dark　ring　around　a　campfire。
　The　room　smelled　of　excrement　and　sweat。　Remo　brushed　past　the　sergeant　and　entered　the　room。　The　sergeant　looked　around　but　Chiun　stood　in　the　doorway　behind　him；　blocking　escape。
　Remo　took　the　gag　from　the　girl　in　the　nearest　bunk　and　as　he　did　leaned　forward　close　enough　to　see　her　clearly。　Her　face　was　scarred　and　broken。　One　eye　had　been　deformed　from　a　badly　healed　beating。　Her　mouth　was　toothless。
　Whip　marks　covered　her　naked　front　from　her　face　to　her　ankles。　Hard　black　cankers　dotted　her　body　where　it　had　been　used　as　an　ashtray。
　Remo　released　the　gag　and　said；　〃Don't　worry。　We're　friends。　You're　going　to　be　all　right　now。〃
　〃Be　all　right；〃　she　repeated　dully。　She　smiled　suddenly；　the　toothless　grimace　of　an　old　hag。　Her　eyes　sparkled。　〃Treat　you　nice；　mister。　You　like　to　whip　me？　I　do　everything　if　you　whip　me。　Hard。　You　like　hard？　I　like　hard。　Make　me　bleed；　I　treat　you　nice；　mister。　You　like　kiss　me？〃　She　puckered　up　her　mouth　and　scroontched　an　imaginary　kiss　toward　Remo。
　He　shook　his　head　and　backed　away　from　her。
　〃Hee；　hee；　hee；〃　the　vision　cackled。　〃I　got　money。　I　treat　you　right　if　you　whip　me　hard。　My　family　is　rich。　I　pay。　Just　hit　me；　soldier　boy。〃
　Remo　turned　away。　He　went　to　two　more　girls。　They　were　the　same。　Lamed；　twisted；　mindless　husks　that　once　were　people。　None　of　them　could　have　been　much　over　twenty；　but　they　spoke　with　the　grim　sadness　of　ancient　wizened　women　who　sit　on　corners　and　whose　eyes　suddenly　light　up　as　they　remember　something　nice　that　once　happened　to　them。　Nice　was；　for　these　girls；　the　whip；　the　chain；　the　knife；　the　extinguished　cigarette。
　〃The　fourth　girl　began　to　cry　when　Remo　removed　her　gag。　〃Thank　God；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　God　for　somebody。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃　Remo　asked。
　Through　her　tears　and　sobbing；　she　said；　〃I'm　Hillary　Butler。　They　kidnaped　me。　I've　been　here　two　days。〃
　〃Kinda　rough；　kid；　huh？〃
　〃Please；〃　she　said。　Remo　began　to　free　her。
　Behind　him；　he　heard　the　sergeant　start　to　speak。　〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　it；　man；〃　but　his　words　were　cut　off　as　he　oomphed；　Chiun　putting　a　hard　hand　into　his　back。
　〃Who　are　these　others？〃　Remo　asked；　as　he　tore　the　knots　from　Hillary　Butler's　ropes。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Americans　too；　the　sergeant　said。　But　there's　nothing　much　left　of　them。　They're　on　heroin。〃
　〃You　too？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Just　twice；〃　the　girl　said。　〃Last　night　was　the　first　time；　and　then　this　morning。〃
　〃You　may　be　all　right　then；〃　Remo　said。　〃It　doesn't　work　that　way。〃
　〃I　know。〃　The　girl　stood　up　and　then　suddenly　put　her　bare　arms　around　Remo　and　began　to　sob　heavily。　〃I　know；〃　she　blubbered。　〃I've　been　praying。　And　I　knew　when　I　stopped　praying　that　it　would　be　all　over。　I'd　be　just　like　them。〃
　〃It's　okay　now；〃　Remo　said。　〃We　got　here　in　time。　At　least　for　you。〃　He　led　her　to　a　closet　where　robes　hung　and　covered　her　uncut　naked　body　with　one。　〃Can　you　walk？〃　he　asked。
　〃Just　bruised　but　unbroken；〃　she　said。
　Remo's　voice　grew　hard　and　cold。　〃Chiun；　take　Miss　Butler　downstairs　and　wait　for　me。　You；〃　tie　said　to　the　sergeant。
　〃Get　hi　here。〃
　Reluctantly；　the　sergeant　entered　the　room。　Remo　closed　the　door　behind　him；　after　watching　Chiun　lead　Hillary　Butler　down　the　hallway。
　〃How　long　have　these　girls　been　here？〃　Remo　asked。
　〃Different　times；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃Three　months。　Seven　months。〃
　〃You　give　them　the　narcotics？〃
　The　sergeant　looked　toward　the　closed　door。　He　looked　toward　the　window　where　the　sky　was　brightening　with　the　pre…dawn　sun　rays。
　〃Answer　me；〃　Remo　said。
　〃Yes；　boss。　I　give　them。　They　die　now　without　them。〃
　〃There　was　a　man　named　Lippincott　who　came　here。　Where　is　he？〃
　〃Dead。　He　killed　one　of　the　girls。　She　recognized　him；　probably。　So　he　got　killed　too。〃
　〃Why　all　the　soldiers　here　tonight？〃
　〃General　Obode　put　the　guard　here。　He　expected　someone　to　break　in；　Must　have　meant　you。　Look；　I　got　some　money。　If　you　let　me　go；　it's　yours。〃
　Remo　shook　his　head。
　The　sergeant's　eyes　brightened。　〃You　like　the　girls；　mister？　They　take　good　care　of　you。　I　housebreak　them　well。　Anything　you　want；　they　do。〃　His　voice　came　faster　now。　It　pleaded　even　though　the　words　themselves　were　not　a　plea。　Not　yet。
　Remo　shook　his　head。
　〃You　going　to　kill　me；　man？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　The　sergeant　lunged　at　Remo。　Remo　waited；　he　let　the　sergeant　grab　his　arm；　he　allowed　the　sergeant　to　hit　him　with　a　punch。　He　wanted　to　put　meaning　into　what　he　was　about　to　do；　and　the　best　way　was　to　remind　himself　that　this　was　a　man。　Let　him　touch；　let　him　feel；　let　him　understand　what　was　ing。
　Remo　waited；　then　jammed　his　left　fingertips　forward　into　the　sergeant's　separated　right　shoulder。　The　sergeant　stopped　as　if　suddenly　simonized　in　place。
　Remo　hit　again　in　the　same　spot　with　his　left　fingertips；　then　with　his　right；　then　with　his　left　again；　hammering　shot　after　shot　into　precisely　the　same　place。　The　sergeant　swooned　and　fell　to　the　floor。　Remo　kneeled　down　over　him；　grabbed　a　handful　of　neck　and　twisted。　The　sergeant　came　awake；　his　eyes　staring　at　Remo　in　horror　and　fright；　glinting；　Remo　realized　suddenly；　like　the　eyes　from　the　beds；　watching　the　tableau。
　〃Awake　now？〃　Remo　said。　〃Good。〃
　He　lunged　forward　again　into　the　injured　shoulder。　Beneath　his　fingertips　he　could　feel　the　once　strong　and　stringy　muscles　and　fibers　turning　into　soft　mush。　Still　his　fingertips　pounded。　The　softer　the　target　became；　the　harder　Remo　struck。　The　sergeant　was　unconscious　now；　long　past　reviving。　Remo　wished　he　could　think　of　something　more　painful。　The　cloth　around　the　sergeant's　shoulder　was　ripped　now　and　pummeled　into　powder。　Remo　kept　hitting。　Blood　and　ooze　and　chips　of　bone　came　out　under　his　fingertips。　The　skin　had　long　since　given　way。
　Remo　reared　back　and　came　forward　one　last　time。　His　right　fingertips　went　through　where　once　there　had　been　cloth　and　skin　and　muscle　and　flesh　and　bone。　The　fingertips　came　to　rest　on　the　wooden　floor。
　His　anger　spent；　Remo　stood。　He　kicked　the　sergeant's　right　arm　away。　It　rolled　awkwardly　like　an　imperfect　log；　finally　ing　to　rest　under　the　bed　Hillary　Butler　had　vacated。　Then　Remo　came　down　on　the　sergeant's　face　with　both　feet；　feeling　the　crunch　and　crack　beneath　him。　He　stood；　looking　down　at　the　sergeant；　realizing　that　he　had　taken　out　of　him　a　payment　in　advance　for　what　Remo　still　must　do。　The　three　women；　still　tied　in　their　beds；　looked　at　Remo　wordlessly。
　He　moved　to　them　one　after　another；　sitting　on　the　edges　of　their　beds。　To　each　one　he　whispered；　〃Dream　happy　dreams；〃　and　then　as　gently　and　painlessly　as　he　could；　he　did　what　he　had　to　do。
　Finally　he　was　done。　He　untied　the　hands　and　feet　of　the　three　dead　girls　and　covered　their　bodies　with　robes　from　the　closet。　Then　he　walked　out　into　the　hallway　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　The　instructions　from　Smith　had　been　to　keep　Obode　alive。　Well；　Smith　could　take　his　instructions　and　shove　them。　If　Obode　got　anywhere　in　Remo's　way；　if　he　got　within　his　line　of　vision；　if　he　came　anywhere　within　reach；　Obode　would　know　pain　such　as　he　had　never　even　guessed　existed。　When　Remo　was　done　with　him；　he　would　consider　the　serge