jherbert.sepulchre-第8部分

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ally　enlarged。　With　all　the　dazzling　brightness　around　them；　they　should　have　been　almost　pin…points。　Smack？　Could　be。　He　seemed　hyped　up。
　　'This　is　Felix　Kline；'　Sir　Victor　interposed。　'The　person　you've　been　engaged　to　protect。'　If　Mather　was　surprised　he　didn't　show　it。　'I'm　very　pleased　to　meet　you；　Mr　Kline。'
　　'That　you　are；'　agreed　Kline。　'How　about　you；　Halloran？　You　pleased　to　meet　me？'
　　'You　might　grow　on　me；'　replied　Halloran。
　　The　girl　stepped　in　quickly。　'There　are　lots　of　arrangements　to　make；　Felix。　These　gentlemen　will　have　to　know　your　day…to…day　movements；　your　plans　in　advance；　how　best　their　people　can　cover　you　twenty…four　hours　a　day。'
　　'People？'　snapped　Kline。　'We　agreed　only　one。　Halloran's　it。'
　　'He'll　need　back…up；'　said　Mather；　beginning　to　get　annoyed　with　this　volatile　young　man。　'He　can't　keep　his　eyes　on　you　every　minute　of　the　day　and　night。　There　has　to　be　outside　protection。'　Kline　was　still　watching　Halloran。　'All　right。　You　take　care　of　that；　Cora…you　know　my　movements　better　than　I　do。　Give　the　details　to　Mather；　he's　the　brains。　I　want　to　be　alone　with　Halloran　for　a　while。　If　he's　going　to　be　my　constant　panion　we'd　better　get　to　know　each　other　a　little。　What　d'you　say；　Halloran？　D'you　have　a　first　name？'
　　'Liam。'
　　'Yeah？　I'll　call　you　Halloran。　It's　okay　for　you　to　call　me　Felix。'　He　smiled　then；　and　suddenly　looked　like　an　innocent。　He　turned　to　the　chairman　of　Magma。　'Listen；　Victor；　I　need　to　see　you　later　about　Bougainville。'
　　'Copper？'　asked　Sir　Victor。
　　'Uh　huh。　Think　so。　A　source　we　haven't　tapped　yet。'
　　'That's　good　news　if　you're　sure。'　Kline　was　irritated。　'I　can't　be　sure。　You　know　I　can't　be　sure！'
　　'No；　I'm　sorry；　of　course　not；'　the　chairman　appeased。　'We'll　discuss　it　later。　When　you're　ready。'
　　'Okay；　okay。　Now　leave　me　alone　with　Halloran。　We've　got　things　to　discuss。　You　e　back　when　you're　through；　Cora。'　They　left；　only　the　bodyguard　lingering　by　the　door。　Kline　snapped　his　fingers；　then　pointed；　and　the　heavy…set　man　followed　the　others；　closing　the　double…doors　behind　him。
　　'Mystified；　Halloran？'　said　Kline；　walking　backwards；　away　from　him；　towards　the　low　dais　at　the　room's　centre；　his　white　sneakers　squeaking　against　the　shiny　floor。　'Yeah；　I　bet　you　are。　How　e　a　little　creep　like　me　can　tell　a　big　wheel　like　Sir　Victor　what　or　what　not　to　do？'　He　hopped　onto　the　platform　and　stood　with　legs　apart；　thin　arms　folded　across　his　chest。
　　'I'd　be　interested　to　find　out；'　said　Halloran；　remaining　where　he　was。　His　voice　sounded　hollow　in　the　empty　space　around　them。
　　'Yeah；　and　I'd　be　interested　to　find　out　about　you。　You　bother　me；　Halloran；　and　I　don't　like　that。'　Halloran　shrugged。　'You　can　always　ask　for　someone　else。　There　are　plenty　of　good　operatives　at　Shield　who　could　take　my　place。　But　if　I　bother　you；　you　might　be　more　prepared　to　do　as　I　say。　It's　your　life　I'll　be　protecting；　remember。'
　　'Could　I　forget？'　He　dropped　to　the　floor　again　and　sat　on　the　dais'　edge；　elbows　on　knees；　his　body　hunched。　'You　got　questions　you　want　to　asks'　Halloran　walked　over　and　sat　next　to　him。　'Tell　me　exactly　what　you　do　for　Magma。　That'll　be　useful　for　beginners。'　Kline　laughed；　a　quick　explosive　sound。　'You　mean　the　old　boy　hasn't　told　you？　Probably　wanted　to　lead　you　into　it　gently。　Okay；　Halloran；　sit　there　and　listen…you're　about　to　be　educated。'　He　was　on　his　feet　again；　skittishly　pacing　up　and　down　before　his　one…man　audience。
　　'I　weled　you　to　limbo；　right？　Well；　that's　what　this　room　represents。　Nothingness。　A　void。　Nothing　to　distract；　nothing　at　all　to　interest。　Not　unless　I　do　this'　He　darted　towards　the　dais；　reached　for　something　behind　Halloran。　He　held　the　rectangular　object　in　one　hand　and　Halloran　saw　it　was　a　plain　white　remote　control　unit；　even　the　buttons　colourless　and　unmarked　so　that　it　had　been　almost　invisible　against　its　resting　place。　Kline　aimed　the　sensor　cells　and　thumbed　a　button。
　　The　room　was　instantly　plunged　into　total　darkness。
　　Halloran　moved　instinctively；　changing　his　position　on　the　dais；　going　to　his　left。　He　heard　a　dry　chuckle　from　somewhere　in　the　inkiness；　an　eerie　scratching　sound　that　stiffened　the　muscles　of　his　back。
　　'A　different　kind　of　void；　isn't　it？'　came　Kline's　voice。
　　Halloran　twisted　his　head；　hopelessly　trying　to　locate　the　source　in　the　pitch　black。
　　'It's　full　of　things；'　Kline　said；　and　this　time　he　sounded　close。　almost　by　Halloran's　shoulder。
　　'Bad　things；'　Kline　whispered　in　his　ear。
　　Halloran　rose；　reached　out。　Touched　nothing。
　　'And　now　we　do　this；'　said　the　voice。
　　Halloran　squeezed　his　eyes　shut　against　the　burst　of　light　from　one　of　the　walls。　He　opened　them　cautiously；　giving　his　pupils　time　to　adjust。　Some　distance　away　an　unmarked　relief　map　of　South　America　glowed。
　　Light　reflected　off　Kline　who　stood　six　feet　away　to　Halloran's　right。　His　hand；　holding　the　remote；　was　extended　towards　the　brightly　lit　map。　He　shifted　his　aim。
　　'Now　this；'　he　said。　Click。　Another　map。　North　America　by　the　side　of　South。
　　'This。　This。　This。'　Kline　used　his　arm　as　a　pointer；　turning　slowly；　maps　of　different　countries　appearing　one　after　the　other；　lining　the　upper　halves　of　the　walls；　all　the　way　around。　India；　Africa；　Spain；　Australia；　Indonesia；　Alaska；　many　more；　plus　sections　of　land　or　islands　he　didn't　immediately　recognise。　They　illuminated　the　room；　large；　detailed　murals　in　greens　and　browns；　with　seas　unnaturally　blue。
　　Kline　was　grinning　at　him；　his　face　and　body　a　kaleidoscope　of　soft　colours。
　　'Satellite　photographs。'　Kline　told　him。　'We're　looking　down　at　Mother　Earth　from　outer　space。　Now　look　at　this。'　He　carelessly　aimed　the　remote　at　one　of　the　relief　maps。　A　button　clicked。
　　The　map　became　an　incredibly　detailed　flat　study；　exactly　in　；talc　to　the　one　it　overlaid；　but　with　towns；　villages；　rivers；　and　mountains　clearly　marked。　'Something　else；　right。　Halloran？　I　can　tell　you're　impressed。'　Click。
　　The　pictures　around　the　wall　disappeared；　shut　off　together　save　for　one。　An　island。
　　'Know　this　place；　Halloran？　New　Guinea。'　The　relief　zoomed　LIP；　the　left　side　growing　out　of　frame。　The　map　froze　again。　Papua　New　Guinea；　a　steamy　hell…hole。　But　rich　in　certain　things。'　He　watched　Kline　return　to　the　dais；　a　shadowy；　back…lit　figure　that　somehow　exuded　electric　energy。　The　small　man　squatted　in　the　middle　of　the　low　rostrum；　ankles　crossed；　crouching　forward　towards　the　screen。
　　'Copper；　for　one；'　Kline　said；　his　eyes　intent　on　the　bright　picture。　His　voice　became　dulled　as　he　concentrated。　'My　deed　for　the　day　as　far　as　Magma's　concerned。　It　already　has　a　copper　mine　down　there；　but　it's　running　low。　Did　you　know　the　demand　for　copper　is　up　ten　per　cent　after　the　long　recession？　No；　guess　you　didn't。　Why　should　you？　Shit；　I　hardly　care　myself。　But　old　Sir　Vic　does；　him　and　his　cronies。　Big　money　to　them；　y'see。　Well；　looks　like　I　found　'em　a　new　source；　quite　a　ways　from　the　established　mine。　Did　that　this　morning；　Halloran；　before　you　arrived。'　Halloran　stared。　'You　found　them　copper？　I　don't　understand。'　Kline　laughed　gleefully；　smacking　the　platform　beneath　him　with　his　free　hand。　'And　who　can　blame　you？　You're　like　the　rest：　no　concept　of　the　mind's　real　power。　Reason　is　mankind's　disease；　did　you　know　that？　A　wasting　away　of　senses。　So　what　do　you　care？　A　dumb　bodyguard　is　all　you　are。'
　　'So　educate　me　a　little　more。'　Click。
　　Total　darkness　once　again。
　　Halloran　softly　walked　to　a　new　position。
　　Kline's　disembodied　voice　came　to　him。　'All　this　black　worry　you；　Halloran？'　He　didn't　answer。
　　'Make　you　wonder　what　it's　concealing？　You　know　you're　in　an　empty　room；　you　saw　that　when　the　lights　were　on。　But　now　you're　not　so　sure。　Because　you　can't　see　anything。　So　your　own　mind　invents　for　you。'　A　chuckle　in　the　dark。
　　'You　can　hear　me；　so　you　know　I'm　here；　right；　Halloran？　'Bout　six　or　seven　feet　away　But　if　I　touch　you　。　。　。'　A　cold　finger　scraped　Halloran's　cheek　。
　　。　。　。　now　that　scares　you。　Because　reason　tells　you　it　doesn't　make　sense。'　Halloran　had　instinctively　gone　into　a　crouch。　He　shifted　position　again；　heard　his　own　feet　scuff