dk.coldfire-第32部分

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alating　to　a　level　at　which　adrenaline　would　soon　start　to　squirt　out　his　ears。　
　As　he　made　his　way　back　the　aisle　toward　the　reporter；　she　started　to　get　up。　Then　a　look　of　resignation　slid　across　her　face；　and　she　sat　down　again。　
　She　was　as　easy　to　look　at　as　he　remembered；　though　the　skin　around　her　eyes　was　slightly　dark；　as　if　from　lack　of　sleep。　
　When　he　arrived　at　row　twenty…three；　he　said；　〃e　on。〃　He　reached　for　her　hand。　
　She　did　not　give　it　to　him。　
　〃We've　got　to　talk；〃　he　said。　
　〃We　can　talk　here。〃　
　〃No；　we　can't。〃　
　The　stewardess　who　had　warned　him　about　blocking　the　aisle　was　approaching　again。　
　When　Holly　would　not　take　his　hand；　he　gripped　her　by　the　arm　and　urged　her　to　get　up；　hoping　she　would　not　force　him　to　yank　her　out　of　the　seat。　The　stewardess　probably　already　thought　he　was　some　perverted　Svengali　who　was　herding　up　the　best…looking　women　on　the　flight　to　surround　himself　with　a　harem　over　there　on　the　port　side。　Happily；　the　reporter　rose　without　further　protest。　
　He　led　her　back　through　the　plane　to　a　restroom。　It　was　not　occupied；　so　he　pushed　her　inside。　He　glanced　back；　expecting　to　see　the　stewardess　watching　him；　but　she　was　attending　to　another　passenger。　He　followed　Holly　into　the　tiny　cubicle　and　pulled　the　door　shut。　
　She　squeezed　into　the　corner；　trying　to　stay　as　far　away　from　him　as　possible；　but　they　were　still　virtually　nose　to　nose。　
　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　you；〃　she　said。　
　〃Good。　There's　no　reason　to　be。〃　
　Vibrations　were　conducted　well　by　the　burnished…steel　walls　of　the　lavatory。　The　deep　drone　of　the　engines　was　somewhat　louder　there　than　in　the　main　cabin。　
　She　said；　〃What　do　you　want？〃　〃You've　got　to　do　exactly　what　I　tell　you。〃　
　She　frowned。　〃Listen；　I〃　〃Exactly　what　I　tell　you；　and　no　arguments；　there's　no　time　for　arguments；〃　he　said　sharply；　wondering　what　the　hell　he　was　talking　about。　
　〃I　know　all　about　your〃　〃I　don't　care　what　you　know。　That's　not　important　now。〃　
　She　frowned。　〃You're　shaking　like　a　leaf〃　He　was　not　only　shaking　but　sweating。　The　lavatory　was　cool　enough　but　he　could　feel　beads　of　sweat　forming　across　his　forehead。　A　thin　trickle　coursed　down　his　right　temple　and　past　the　corner　of　his　eye。　
　Speaking　rapidly；　he　said；　〃I　want　you　to　e　forward　in　the　plane；　farther　front　near　me；　there're　a　couple　of　empty　seats　in　that　area。〃　
　〃But　I〃　〃You　can't　stay　where　you　are；　back　there　in　row　twenty…three；　no　way　She　was　not　a　docile　woman。　She　knew　her　own　mind；　and　she　was　not　used　to　being　told　what　to　do。　〃That's　my　seat。　
　Twenty…three　H。　You　can'　strongarm　me…〃　Impatiently；　he　said；　〃If　you　sit　there；　you're　going　to　die。〃　
　She　looked　no　more　surprised　than　he　felt…which　was　plenty　damned　surprised。　〃Die？　What　do　you　mean？〃　〃I　don't　know。〃　But　then　unwanted　knowledge　came　to　him。　〃Oh　Jesus。　
　Oh；　my　God。　We're　going　down。〃　
　〃What？〃　〃The　plane。〃　Now　his　heart　was　racing　faster　than　the　turbine　blades　of　the　great　engines　that　were　keeping　them　aloft。　〃Down。　All　the　way　down。〃　
　He　saw　her　inprehension　give　way　to　a　dreadful　understanding　〃Crash？〃　〃Yes。〃　
　〃When？〃　〃I　don't　know。　Soon。　Beyond　row　twenty；　almost　nobody's　going　to　survive。〃　He　did　not　know　what　he　was　going　to　say　until　he　said　it；　and　as　he　listened　to　his　own　words　he　was　horrified　by　them。　〃There'll　be　a　better　survival　rate　in　the　first　nine　rows；　but　not　good；　not　good　at　this　You've　got　to　move　into　my　section。〃　
　The　aircraft　shuddered。　
　Holly　stiffened　and　looked　around　fearfully；　as　if　she　expected　the　lavatory　walls　to　crumple　in　on　them。　
　〃Turbulence；〃　he　said。　〃Just　turbulence。　We've　got。　。　。　a　few　minutes　yet。〃　
　Evidently　she　had　learned　enough　about　him　to　have　faith　in　his　perception。　She　did　not　express　any　doubt。　〃I　don't　want　to　die。〃　
　With　an　increasing　sense　of　urgency；　Jim　gripped　her　by　the　shoulder　〃That's　why　you've　got　to　e　forward；　sit　near　me。　Nobody's　going　to　be　killed　in　rows　ten　through　twenty。　There'll　be　injuries；　a　few　of　them　serious；　but　nobody's　going　to　die　in　that　section；　and　a　lot　of　them　are　going　to　walk　out　of　it　unhurt。　Now；　for　God's　sake；　e　on。〃　
　He　reached　for　the　door　handle。　
　〃Wait。　You've　got　to　tell　the　pilot。〃　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃It　wouldn't　help。〃　
　〃But　maybe　there's　something　he　can　do；　stop　it　from　happening。〃　
　〃He　wouldn't　believe　me；　and　even　if　he　did。　。　。　I　don't　know　what　to　tell　him。　We're　going　down；　yeah；　but　I　don't　know　why。　Maybe　a　mid…air　collision；　maybe　structural　failure；　maybe　there's　a　bomb　aboard…it　could　be　anything。〃　
　〃But　you're　a　psychic；　you　must　be　able　to　see　more　details　if　you　try。〃　
　〃If　you　believe　I'm　a　psychic；　you　know　less　about　me　than　you　think　you　do。〃　
　〃You've　got　to　try。〃　
　〃Oh；　lady；　I'd　try；　I'd　try　like　a　sonofabitch　if　it　would　do　any　good。　
　But　it　won't。〃　
　Terror　and　curiosity　fought　for　control　of　her　face。　〃If　you're　not　a　psychic…what　are　you？〃　〃A　tool。〃　
　〃Tool？〃　〃Someone　or　something　uses　me。〃　
　The　DC…10　shuddered　again。　They　froze；　but　the　aircraft　did　not　take　a　sudden　plunge。　It　went　on　as　before；　its　three　big　engines　droning。　
　Just　more　turbulence。　
　She　grabbed　his　arm。　〃You　can't　let　all　those　people　die！〃　A　rope　of　guilt　constricted　his　chest　and　knotted　his　stomach　at　the　implication　that　the　deaths　of　the　others　aboard　would　somehow　be　his　fault。　
　He　said；　〃I'm　here　to　save　the　woman　and　the　girl；　no　one　else。〃　
　〃That's　horrible。〃　
　Opening　the　lavatory　door；　he　said；　〃I　don't　like　it　any　more　than　you　do；　but　that's　the　way　it　is。〃　
　She　did　not　let　go　of　his　arm　but　jerked　at　it　angrily。　Her　green　eyes　were　haunted；　probably　with　her　own　visions　of　battered　bodies　strewn　across　the　earth　among　smoking　chunks　of　wreckage。　She　repeated　herself；　whispering　fiercely　this　time：　〃You　can't　let　all　those　people　die。〃　
　Impatiently；　he　said；　〃Either　e　with　me；　or　die　with　the　rest　of　them。〃　
　He　stepped　out　of　the　lavatory；　and　she　followed　him；　but　he　did　not　know　whether　she　was　going　to　acpany　him　back　to　his　section。　
　He　hoped　to　God　she　would。　He　really　could　not　be　held　responsible　for　all　the　other　people　who　would　perish；　because　they　would　have　died　even　if　he　had　not　e　aboard；　that　was　their　fate；　and　he　had　not　been　sent　to　alter　their　destinies。　He　could　not　save　the　whole　world；　and　he　had　to　rely　on　the　wisdom　of　whatever　higher　power　was　guiding　him。　But　he　most　definitely　would　be　responsible　for　Holly　Thorne's　death；　because　she　would　never　have　taken　the　flight　if；　unwittingly；　he　had　not　led　her　onto　it。　
　As　he　moved　forward　along　the　port　aisle；　he　glanced　to　his　left　at　the　portholes　and　clear　blue　sky　beyond。　He　had　a　too　vivid　sense　of　the　yawning　void　under　his　feet；　and　his　stomach　flopped。　
　When　he　reached　his　seat　in　row　sixteen；　he　dared　to　look　back。　
　Relief　flooded　through　him　at　the　sight　of　Holly　trailing　close。　
　He　pointed　to　a　pair　of　empty　seats　immediately　behind　his　and　Chris　tine's。　
　Holly　shook　her　head。　〃Only　if　you'll　sit　down　with　me。　We　have　to　talk。〃　
　He　glanced　down　at　Christine；　then　at　Holly。　He　was　acutely　aware　of　time　slipping　away　like　water　swirling　down　a　drain。　The　awful　moment　of　impact　was　drawing　closer。　He　wanted　to　pick　the　reporter　up；　stuff　her　into　the　seat；　engage　her　seatbelt；　and　lock　her　in　place。　But　seatbelts　didn't　have　locks。　
　Unable　to　conceal　his　extreme　frustration；　he　spoke　to　her　through　grit　ted　teeth。　〃My　place　is　with　them；〃　he　said；　meaning　with　Christine　and　Casey　Dubrovek。　
　He　had　spoken　quietly；　as　had　Holly；　but　other　passengers　were　beginning　to　look　at　them。　
　Christine　frowned　up　at　him；　craned　her　neck　to　look　back　at　Holly；　and　said；　〃Is　something　wrong；　Steve？〃　〃No。　Everything's　fine；〃　he　lied。　
　He　glanced　at　the　portholes　again。　Blue　sky。　Vast。　Empty。　How　many　miles　to　the　earth　below？　〃You　don't　look　well；〃　Christine　said。　
　He　realized　that　his　face　was　still　sheathed　in　a　greasy　film　of　sweat。　
　〃Just　a　little　warm。　Uh；　look；　I　ran　into　an　old　friend。　Gimme　five　minutes？〃　Christine　smiled。　〃Sure；　sure。　I'm　still　going　over　a　mental　list　of　the　most…eligible。〃　
　For　a　moment　he　had　no　idea　what　the　hell　she　was　talking　about。　
　Then