jherbert.sepulchre-第69部分

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　gates。　There　should　be　。　。　。　yes；　there　it　was。　A　dark；　bulky　shape　that　had　to　be　the　lodge…house。　No　lights　on。　Well　you'll　have　to　get　out　of　bed；　chum；　if　that's　where　you　are。
　　Mather　flashed　his　headlights；　beeping　the　horn　at　the　same　time。
　　Lightning　blazed　the　sky；　thunder　rent　the　air；　and　the　lodge…house　appeared　as　a　bright；　flickering　image。　Mather's　eyes　narrowed。　Had　there　been　something　moving　in　front　of　it？
　　The　patrol　car　came　to　a　halt　beside　his　and　Mather　reached　for　his　cane　before　stepping　out。　Both　men　joined　him　at　the　gates。
　　'Is　there　anyone　inside？'　he　asked；　pointing　at　the　building　with　his　cane。
　　'There's　supposed　to　be　someone　there　all　the　time　to　operate　the　gates；'　one　of　the　men　replied。　'Never　seen　the　bugger；　though。'　Mather　reached　and　pushed　at　an　iron　strut。　That　half　of　the　gates　swung　open　a　few　inches。
　　The　three　men　exchanged　glances。
　　'Something's　wrong；'　Mather　said。
　　'Could　be　an　oversight。'　The　Planner　shook　his　head。　'I'm　going　in。　I　want　you　to　find　the　other　patrol　and　follow。'
　　'We're　not　allowed　in　…'
　　'Forget　about　that。　You　just　e　after　me　as　fast　as　you　can。　Phil；　you'll　e　with　me。'
　　'Right；　sir。'
　　'Why　not　wait　for　the　other　patrol？'　the　second　man　asked〃　suddenly　anxious。
　　Mather　had　no　adequate　answer；　only　a　sense　of　urgency　pressing　him。　'Just　get　on　with　it！'　he　barked。　'Open　them　up；　Phil。'　He　limped　back　to　his　car　as　the　operative　swung　the　gates　wide。　The　other　man　climbed　into　the　Granada　and　reversed　into　the　road。
　　Mather　settled　unfortably　into　the　driver's　seat；　his　clothes　soaked。　He　dreaded　to　think　of　the　agony　his　leg　would　give　him　tomorrow。　He　took　the　car　through　the　entrance；　pausing　just　long　enough　for　his　operative　to　jump　in　beside　him。
　　'Christ；　what's　that　over　by　the　house？'　Mather　looked　towards　where　the　other　man　was　pointing。　Blurred　shapes　were　moving　slowly　in　the　rain。
　　'Dogs；'　the　operative　said。　'Must　be　the　guard　dogs。　Funny；　it's　the　first　time　I've　laid　eyes　on　them。'
　　'Can　you　see　how　many？'
　　'Difficult　in　this　rain。　I　can　only　make　out　a　couple。　Oh　shit；　there's　others　lying　on　the　ground。'　Mather　wasted　no　more　time。　He　pushed　down　hard　on　the　accelerator　and　the　car　sped　down　the　drive。　Soon　it　entered　a　tunnel　of　trees。
　　　
　　　
　　　44　A　SACRIFICE
　　
　　Halloran　was　stunned　by　the　change　in　Felix　Kline。
　　This　was　an　old　and　bent　man　emerging　from　the　shadows；　one　whose　skin　was　cracked　and　scaly；　ruffles　of　tissue　hanging　loose；　pieces　flaking　away　as　he　shuffled　forward。　Oil　glistened　over　fissures　in　his　flesh；　dulling　the　rawness　beneath。　His　hair　trailed　flatly　over　skull　and　forehead；　whitish　seams　cross…hatching　under　the　blackness；　and　his　hands　were　mostly。　vivid　pink；　their　outer　layer　all　but　entirely　shed。　Kline's；　breathing　was　husky　with　the　effort　of　moving。
　　He　came　to　an　unsteady　halt　before　Halloran　and　even　his　grin　seemed　corroded。
　　'Scary；　huh？'　Kline　said；　none　of　his　mocking　arrogance　lost。　'It　isn't　irreversible；　though。　It　isn't　too　late；　Halloran。　Maybe　it's　worse　than　ever　before；　but　at　least　now　I　understand　why。'　The　hideous　face　was　close；　eyes　red…rimmed　and　bloodshot。　With　Daoud　behind　him；　Halloran　could　not　pull　away。　Kline　had　the　same　smell　of　decay　as　the　old　man　in　the　hedgehouse。
　　'You　took　my　surrogate；'　Kline　hissed。　'You　killed　him　and　upset　the　balance。　I　should　only　slough　my　skin　once　a　year；　that's　part　of　the　deal；　my　price　for　immortality。　Life　a　serpent；　you　see；　Halloran。　Bel…Marduk　made　me　like　a　serpent。'　He　gasped；　a　pain　reaching　him　somewhere　inside。　Blood　squeezed　from　a　crack　in　his　disfigured　face　to　mix　with　the　oily　gel。
　　'There's　a　way　to　stop　this　deterioration。　You'll　see；　Halloran；　you'll　see。　You'll　be　part　of　it。'　He　turned　away　and　with　Khayed's；　help　hobbled　through　the　puddles　on　the　floor；　passing　by　Palusinski　and　Cora；　the　Pole　stepping　back　as　if　the　shambling　figure　were　a　leper。　The　girl　seemed　mesmerised。　Candle…light　reflected　from　the　glistening　on　Kline's　head。
　　It　took　a　long　time　for　him　to　get　to　the　slab　of　stone　near　the　end　of　the　room　and　he　reached　out　for　it；　staggering　the　last　few　feet　despite　Khayed's　help。　Kline　eased　himself　around　the　stone　so　that　he　faced　the　others。　An　impatient　hand　beckoned　them　to　him。
　　Palusinski　led　the　girl　and　it　took　only　slight　pressure　from　the　wire　to　make　Halloran　follow。　His　eyes　darted　left　and　right　as　he　and　the　Arab　passed　the　archways；　searching　for　possibilities；　a　weapon　perhaps　should　he　manage　to　break　free　of　the　stranglehold。　All　he　could　make　out　in　the　shadows　were　stone　tables；　scored　with　symbols　similar　to　those　he　had　seen　around　the　house　itself。
　　Then　he　found　himself　looking　down　at　the　bloated　body　lying　on　the　slab。　And　Monk's　small；　inset　eyes　stared　back　at　him；　his　fat　fingers　twitching　as　if　he　were　trying　to　move　his　body。　Those　eyes　showed　no　pain；　only　hatred。
　　Halloran　was　surprised　that　the　man　was　still　conscious。　He　glanced　over　at　Cora；　who　was　frowning；　at　last　some　sensibility　returning　to　her　gaze。
　　'Do　you　see　him；　Monk？'　Kline's　voice　was　all　the　more　insidious　for　its　guttural　roughness。　'He　did　this　to　you；　made　you　nothing。　How　you'd　like　to　kill　him。　But　no；　my　friend；　that's　impossible　for　you　now。　But　I　have　a　use　for　you。'　Fear　replaced　the　hate　in　the　bodyguard's　eyes　as　they　darted　towards　Kline。
　　'Another　injection；　Asil；'　Kline　told　the　Arab。　'I　don't　want　the　pain　to　kill　him。　The　cutting　will　do　that。'　The　Arab　ghosted　away。
　　'The　correct　dosage　is　important；'　said　Kline；　touching　his　skinless　hands　to　Monk's　body。　'Enough　so　that　he　doesn't　feel　the　shock　of　the　blade；　but　not　enough　to　allow　dreams　to　take　him　from　us。　Fortunately　Asil　has　bee　something　of　a　specialist　over　the　years。'　Anger　surged　in　Halloran；　but　he　held　it　in　check；　biding　his　time。　'You　turned　Cora　into　an　addict；'　he　said。
　　'Oh　no；　not　an　addict；　not　in　the　true　sense。　Not　yet。　She'd　be　useless　to　me　if　she　were。　I　told　you；　Asil　is　expert　in　such　matters。　Cora　is　dependent　on　me；　not　on　any　drug。'　The　Arab　had　returned　to　Kline's　side；　in　his　hand　a　syringe　filled　with　liquid。　He　smoothed　away　hair　on　Monk's　arm　and　pierced　a　vein　with　the　needle。　He　emptied　half　of　the　liquid　into　the　bodyguard。
　　Within　moments；　the　bodyguard's　eyes　took　on　a　dull　glaze　and　the　corners　of　his　mouth　flickered。
　　'What　are　you　going　to　do　with　him？'　Halloran　asked　sharply。
　　Kline　drew　in　a　long；　gravelly　breath　and　gripped　the　stone　to　support　himself。　Still　he　managed　to　grin　at　Halloran；　his　peeled　lips　blood　red　against　the　yellow　decay　of　his　teeth。　'I'm　going　to　feed　off　him；'　he　replied　simply。
　　In　a　night　of　gross　horrors；　when　nightmares　were　living；　Halloran　was　further　repulsed。
　　Although　delighted　with　the　obvious　disfort　his　words　had　caused　the　operative；　Kline　shook　his　head。　'Not　his　flesh；　Palusinski　can　fill　himself　with　that　afterwards。　I　need　something　more；　Halloran；　something　that　has　no　substance；　no　materiality。　The　part　of　him　that　will　be　set　free　at　his　moment　of　death。'　A　luminescence　glittered　in　the　darkness　of　Kline's　eyes。　'The　ethereal　energy　that's　the　source　of　our　existence。　The　psyche；　Halloran；　the　soul。　Can　you　understand　that？'　Again　Halloran　felt　a　loosening　of　the　pressure　around　his　neck。　Daoud's　concentration　was　wavering。　'If　I　understood；　I'd　be　crazy　like　you；'　the　operative　replied。
　　Kline　straightened；　his　look　fixed　on　the　operative。　The　bodyguard　lying　on　the　stone　between　them　moaned；　either　with　pleasure　or　trepidation；　the　emotion　was　not　clear。
　　'You're　still　a　mystery　to　me；'　Kline　said　to　the　operative。　'My　psychic　faculties　are　dimmed　where　you're　concerned。　Why　is　that；　Halloran？　What　is　it　about　you　。　。　。　？〃　'I'm　just　a　hired　bodyguard；　nothing　more　than　that。'　Kline's　stare　did　not　shift。　'But　you're　a　danger　to　me。'
　　'No；　I'm　here　to　prevent　any　harm　ing　to　you。'　Halloran　tensed　the　muscles　of　his　arms；　preparing　himself　to　strike；　concentrating　his　strength。　'Tell　me；　Kline；　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。'
　　'I've　already　explained。'
　　'I'd　like　to　know　more。　How　can　you　。