cc.fireice-第18部分

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　〃Americans？〃　He　lifted　his　arms　toward　the　sky。　〃A　gift　from　heaven；〃　he　said；　eyes　glittering。　〃I　hope　their　necks　felt　the　sharp　edges　of　the　Guardians'　blades。〃
　〃To　the　contrary。　There　was　a　fight　and　the　Guardians　were　driven　off。　Some　of　your　men　died　in　the　struggle。〃
　〃How　could　that　be；　Mikhail？　The　Guardians　are　trained　to　kill　without　mercy。〃
　〃True；　they　are　superb　horsemen；　Cossack　warriors　in　the　finest　sense。　Their　weapons　are　traditional　but　effective。〃
　〃Then　how　could　an　unarmed　television　crew　resist？〃
　〃They　were　not　alone；〃　Razov　said；　scowling。　〃Apparently；　they　had　help　from　an　aircraft。〃
　〃Military？〃
　
　Razov　shook　his　head。　〃My　sources　tell　me　the　aircraft　was　launched　from　a　ship　called　the　Argo。　The　vessel　is　supposedly　in　the　Black　Sea　to　conduct　a　scientific　survey　for　NUMA。〃
　〃What　is　this　NUMA　？〃
　〃I've　forgotten　that　you　were　isolated　from　the　outside　world　for　many　years。　The　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency　is　the　largest　oceanic　science　organization　in　the　world。　They　have　thousands　of　scientists　and　engineers　spread　across　the　globe。　The　pilot　of　the　aircraft；　the　man　who　killed　the　Guardians；　was　one　of　those　scientists。〃
　
　Boris　stood　and　paced　the　cabin。　'This　report　concerns　me。　How　could　scientists　or　engineers　defeat　armed　warriors？〃
　〃A　good　question。　I　don't　know。　I'm　certain　of　one　thing；　however。　This　is　not　the　end　of　it。　I　have　ordered　preparations　made　to　move　our　operations。　Meanwhile；　extra　guards　will　be　posted。　I　have　taken　the　liberty　of　arming　them　with　more　contemporary　weapons。　I'm　sorry。　I　know　how　you　feel　about　preserving　the　purity　of　our　traditions。〃
　〃I　understand　the　need　to　be　ready　to　face　impure　forces。　What　of　your　source　in　Washington？〃
　〃His　power　is　limited；　but　I　have　asked　him　to　do　what　he　can　without　jeopardizing　his　role。〃
　〃We　must　know　who　and　what　we　are　dealing　with；〃　Boris　said。　'This　NUMA　may　not　be　what　it　says　it　is。〃
　〃Agreed。　It　would　be　folly　to　underestimate　them；　as　the　Guardians　did。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　these　television　people。〃
　〃I　have　confirmed　that　they　were　from　an　American　network。　Two　men　and　a　woman。〃
　
　Boris　stroked　his　beard　in　thought。　'This　is　no　accident。　The　television　people　and　this　NUMA　must　be　a　cover　for　an　American　scheme。　Where　are　they　now？〃
　〃On　the　Argo　heading　back　to　Istanbul。　I've　dispatched　a　boat　to　follow　her。〃
　〃Can　we　destroy　the　NUMA　ship？〃
　〃As　easily　as　smashing　an　insect；　but　I　don't　think　it　would　be　wise　at　this　time。　It　might　draw　attention　to　our　Black　Sea　venture。〃
　〃Then　we　must　wait。〃
　〃I　agree。　After　the　Black　Sea　venture　is　done；　then　you　may　take　your　vengeance。〃
　〃I　defer　to　your　wisdom；　Mikhail。〃
　
　Razov's　smile　had　all　the　warmth　of　an　anaconda's。　〃No；　Boris；　it　is　you　who　is　the　wise　one。　My　expertise　is　business　and　politics；　but　you　have　the　vision　for　the　great　and　grand　future。〃
　〃A　vision　you　will　carry　out　as　the　lone　defender　against　the　corruption　and　materialism　that　is　a　cancer　in　our　once…great　country。　We　must　show　the　world　that　our　cause　is　right。　Nothing　must　stand　in　the　way　of　our　plan　to　carve　out　decay　where　we　find　it。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　see　something。〃　Razov　said。　He　punched　a　button　on　his　desk。　〃This　is　my　most　recent　speech　before　the　army。〃
　
　A　picture　appeared　on　the　wall　screen：　Razov　speaking　in　a　large　hall。　The　audience　was　made　up　of　men　in　the　uniforms　of　the　various　Russian　armed　services。　Razov　stepped　onto　the　stage；　and　within　minutes　he　had　his　audience　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。　As　he　spoke；　he　seemed　to　grow　to　ten　feet　high；　drawing　on　the　power　of　his　deep　voice；　impressive　physique　and　his　convictions　to　exhort　the　crowd：
　
　〃We　must　honor　the　warrior　creed　of　our　Cossack　brothers。　Our　people　threw　off　the　yoke　of　the　Ottoman　Empire　and　defeated　Napoleon。　The　Cossacks　took　Azov　for　Peter　the　Great　and　have　defended　the　borders　of　Russia　against　intruders　for　centuries。　Now；　seven　million　strong；　with　your　help；　we　will　destroy　the　enemies　within；　the　financiers；　the　criminals　and　the　politicians　who　would　grind　our　country　to　dust　beneath　their　boots。〃
　
　Before　long　the　crowd　was　on　its　feet　in　a　frightening　example　of　mass　hysteria。　They　surged　toward　the　podium　with　glazed　eyes；　arms　reaching　out。　They　wanted　to　be　part　of　him。　They　were　chanting；　〃Razov　。　。　。　Razov　。　。　。　Razov　。　。　。　〃　He　flicked　off　the　television。
　
　〃You　have　learned　well；　Mikhail；〃　Boris　said。
　
　〃No；　Boris。　You　have　taught　me　well。〃
　〃I　merely　showed　you　how　to　draw　upon　the　passions　of　our　people。〃
　〃This　is　nothing　pared　to　what　is　to　e。　But　much　depends　on　our　Black　Sea　work。　I　was　talking　to　the　salvage　ship　when　you　arrived。　There　are　many　difficulties；　but　they　are　close　to　their　goal。　I　told　them　that　their　lives　depended　on　success。　I　will　not　accept　failure。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　me　to　look　into　the　future？〃
　〃Yes；　tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　
　Boris　bent　his　head　and　touched　his　fingers　to　his　brow。　His　eyes　became　glassy。　Speaking　as　if　his　voice　were　ing　from　a　cave；　he　said；　〃I　prophesy　that　the　day　will　e　when　you　take　the　reins　as　the　new　tsar　of　Mother　Russia。　All　our　enemies　will　be　vanquished。　The　United　States　will　be　the　first　to　feel　the　sword　of　righteousness。〃
　〃What　else　do　you　see？〃
　
　His　forehead　furrowed　as　if　he　were　in　pain；　and　his　voice　became　hollow。　〃Cold　and　blackness。　A　place　of　death　under　the　sea。〃　He　reached　out　and　grabbed　Razov's　arm；　digging　his　fingers　into　the　flesh　like　daggers。　〃There　is　light。〃　The　thick　lips　curled　into　a　beatific　smile。　〃Success　is　within　reach。〃　Life　returned　to　the　stony　eyes。　〃The　ghosts　of　the　dead　will　soon　bestow　their　blessing　on　our　cause。　They　plead　for　you　to　seek　revenge　in　their　name。〃
　
　Razov　had　been　a　successful　gangster　and　was　a　creature　of　the　city。　Once　out　of　his　element　he　was　practically　helpless。　Razov　thought　back　to　his　first　meeting　with　Boris。　He　had　been　wandering；　lost　and　half　starved；　through　the　bleak　countryside　when　he　came　upon　a　stream　of　peasants。　There　were　dozens　of　them；　frail　and　sick；　some　unable　to　walk；　carried　by　others。　When　he　asked　where　they　were　going；　they　replied　that　they　were　going　to　the　monastery　to　be　cured　by　the　〃mad　one。〃　Having　nothing　else　to　do；　he　followed。　He　saw　the　crippled　throwaway　their　crutches　and　walk　and　blind　people　claim　they　could　see。　When　he　went　up　to　Boris；　the　monk　had　gazed　at　him　as　if　they　had　known　each　other　forever　and　said；　〃I　have　been　expecting　you；　my　son。〃
　
　Under　the　gaze　of　those　remarkable　eyes；　Razov　had　poured　out　his　story。　His　shock　at　his　father's　dying　words。　His　retreat　from　civilization　and　his　wanderings　in　the　wild　country　around　the　Black　Sea。　Boris　told　him　to　stay　after　the　others　had　left；　and　they　talked　through　the　night。　When　Razov　asked　where　the　other　monks　were；　Boris　only　said；　〃They　were　unworthy。〃　Razov　suspected　the　horrible　truth；　but　it　made　no　difference。　When　he　returned　to　civilization；　the　bizarre　figure　of　the　bearded　monk　was　at　his　side；　and　he　had　been　at　his　side　ever　since。
　
　Eventually；　other　mobsters　had　moved　into　Razov's　territory。　At　Boris's　suggestion；　he'd　sent　out　word　that　he　was　abandoning　his　turf；　and　he　made　sure　his　sordid　past　would　not　e　back　to　haunt　him。　First；　he　changed　his　name；　then；　after　several　assassinations；　some　arson　fires　and　bombings；　he　had　wiped　out　most　connections　to　his　criminal　days。　Using　the　millions　stashed　in　Swiss　bank　accounts　and　the　strong…arm　methods　that　had　served　him　well　as　a　criminal；　he'd　bought　into　mines　that　were　slipping　from　munist　control。　Soon　he　expanded　his　mining　interests　into　the　sea。
　
　Observers　noted　a　mysterious　and　profound　bond　between　the　two　men。　Razov　consulted　Boris　on　all　crucial　decisions　and　he　rewarded　Boris　handsomely。　The　monk　himself　was　a　study　in　multiple　personality。　His　stateroom　on　the　yacht　was　furnished　with　only　a　cot；　where　he　spent　many　hours　in　meditation；　and　he　would　go　for　long　periods　without　washing。　Sometimes；　however；　when　the　yacht　was　in　port；　he　disappeared。　Razov　had　Boris　followed　and　learned　that　the　monk　had　been　spending　his　time　in　the　seediest　brothels。　Boris　seemed　to　b