lrh.fortuneoffear-第47部分

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　　　〃You　know　that　the　taxi　driver　they　call　Ahmed　is　really　a　convicted　criminal　from　Modon。〃
　　　I　nodded。
　　　〃Did　you　know　that　the　driver　Ters　is　a　Turkish　munist　who　just　served　twenty…seven　years　in　jail　for　murdering　the　general？〃
　　　I　shook　my　head　the　other　way。　This　was　not　going　very　well。
　　　〃For　the　past　several　weeks；〃　said　Faht　Bey；　〃the　taxi　driver　has　been　going　out　with　this　Turkish　murderer　in　that　car　with　your　name　all　over　it。　The　way　they　worked　was　to　go　to　a　farm　and　look　over　the　women；　and　if　they　found　a　good…looking　one；　they　would　tell　her　husband　and　the　family　that　it　was　at　your　orders　that　they　burn　the　whole　farm　down　unless　the　woman　consented　to　spend　an　evening　with　you　in　your　car。　And　that　if　anyone　went　to　the　police；　that　farm；　nearby　farms　and　the　closest　village　would　be　put　to　the　torch。〃
　　　I　bit　on　the　bullet。　The　taxi　driver　had　been　keeping　that　fee　for　himself！
　　　〃That's　not　all；〃　said　Faht　Bey。　〃They　told　the　woman　that　if　she　hadn't　pleased　you；　they　would　murder　her　husband。〃
　　　I　clamped　down　harder　on　the　bullet。　That　explained　those　beseeching　looks　I　had　mistaken　for　a　plea　to　be　with　me　again　in　the　future！
　　　〃This　all　came　out　because　they　thought　I　knew　you　and　somebody　suggested　they　e　see　me　for　advice。〃
　　　Utanc！　In　a　jealous　rage；　she　had　set　them　on　me！
　　　〃But　that's　not　all〃　said　Faht　Bey。　〃When　the　taxi　driver　and　Ters　came　to　the　rendezvous；　Ahmed　and　then　Ters　raped　the　woman　first。〃
　　　My　teeth　were　sinking　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　brass。　No　wonder　the　women　had　been　so　tired。　No　wonder　they　had　always　been　so　moist！　Those　（bleeped）　（bleepards）　had　kept　me　waiting　for　half　an　hour　while　they　both　（bleeped）　away　and　then　they　had　called　me　to　take　their　leavings！　They　must　have　been　shrieking　with　laughter　over　it！
　　　〃One　more　thing；〃　said　Faht　Bey。　〃This　is　adultery。　In　the　Qur'an　it　states　that　the　punishment　shall　be　one　hundred　lashes　for　unmarried　persons。　But　these　women　were　married；　so　the　punishment　for　you　would　be　entirely　different。　The　Qur'an　states　that　in　such　a　case　the　offender　shall　be　stoned　to　death。〃
　　　That　settled　it。　The　powder　in　the　cartridge　case　spilled　bitterly　into　my　mouth　as　my　teeth　pierced　it　through。
　　　I　would　have　to　leave　Turkey。
　　　There　was　no　other　way。
　　　And　I　would　have　to　leave　Turkey　AT　ONCE！

Chapter　7

　　　I　grabbed　a　bag。　I　looked　around　wildly。
　　　Where　would　I　go？
　　　What　would　I　take？
　　　Faht　Bey　said；　〃If　you　are　leaving；　I　want　to　remind　you　that　the　Blixo　will　be　in；　in　a　day　or　so。　They　always　have　something　for　you。　What　do　I　tell　them？〃
　　　My　attention　snapped　painfully　back　to　him。　The　Blixo？　They　were　probably　after　me；　too！
　　　Faht　Bey　went　on：　〃Those　homo　couriers　you　get　always　demand　postcards　for　some　reason。　You　better　give　me　some。〃
　　　Postcards？　Postcards？　I　made　my　mind　focus。　He　was　talking　about　the　magic…mail　cards。　If　they　didn't　get　mailed　on　time；　their　mothers　would　be　killed。　That　would　make　the　couriers　go　after　me；　too！
　　　I　opened　up　the　safe。　I　grabbed　the　whole　pack　of　magic…mail　cards。　I　threw　them　at　Faht　Bey。
　　　Where　would　I　go？
　　　What　should　I　take？
　　　I　ran　around　the　room　looking　under　things。
　　　Faht　Bey　was　still　there。　He　said；　〃If　you're　going　to　run　out；　there's　nobody　here　can　stamp　cargos　in。　They　have　to　be　stamped　in　as　received　on　Voltar　before　they　leave。　Why　don't　you　give　me　your　identoplate？〃
　　　I　fished　it　out。
　　　I　threw　it　at　him。
　　　Enough　was　enough。　〃Get　out！　Get　out！　Get　out！〃　I　screamed　at　him。　〃Can't　you　see　my　sanity　is　on　the　ragged　edge？　STOP　BOTHERING　ME！　I　have　to　think！〃
　　　He　gathered　up　the　postcards　and　identoplate　and　left。
　　　Only　then　could　I　begin　to　get　my　wits　in　order。
　　　What　should　I　take？
　　　A　tough　problem　when　you　don't　know　where　you　are　going　to　go。　The　only　destination　I　had　was　OUT！
　　　Blind　instinct　saved　me。
　　　I　opened　the　grip。　Into　it　I　packed　guns　and　ammunition　so　I　could　defend　myself。　I　packed　the　phony　Ink…switch　federal　I。D。　so　I　could　change　my　identity。　I　grabbed　some　instant　gas　pellets　that　would　render　any　assailant　unconscious　and　packed　them。　I　snatched　up　the　two…way…response　radio　and　packed　it。　I　stuffed　in　the　three　sets　of　viewers。　I　strapped　the　grip　up。　Then　I　realized　I　had　forgotten　to　put　in　any　clothes　and　unstrapped　it。　I　put　in　a　business　suit；　some　shirts　and　ties　and　a　bat　camouflage　dress。　I　strapped　it　up。　I　realized　I　had　not　put　in　any　money。　I　unstrapped　it。　I　looked　in　the　safe　and　found　I　didn't　have　any　money。　I　strapped　the　grip　up。　I　wondered　if　I　had　forgotten　anything　and　unstrapped　it　to　look。　I　grabbed　some　things　at　random　and　threw　them　in；　just　in　case。　I　strapped　it　up　again。
　　　It　suddenly　occurred　to　me　I　hadn't　left　yet。　I　had　better　get　going。　I　started　out　the　door。　Then　I　realized　I　was　not　dressed　for　travel。　I　came　back。　I　got　into　a　business　suit。　I　couldn't　find　any　shoes　so　I　put　my　military　boots　back　on。　I　started　out　the　door　again　and　saw　I　had　forgotten　my　bag。　I　went　back。　I　needed　something　to　discourage　pursuit。　I　saw　a　pile　of　plunger　time…fuse　bombs　in　the　gun　case。　I　stuffed　them　in　my　pocket。
　　　Wait　a　minute。　My　documents　were　in　the　grip。　I　needed　a　passport。　The　Achmed　Ben　Nutti　diplomatic　passport　from　the　United　Arab　League　was　on　top　of　the　pile。　It　would　get　my　guns　and　money　through　to　wherever　I　was　going。　I　put　it　in　my　pocket。　Money。　I　didn't　have　any　money。　I　must　avoid　Afyon：　they　would　be　waiting　for　me　with　a　pile　of　lethal　rocks　and　stones。　I　had　it。　I　must　get　to　Istanbul。　Mudur　Zengin　would　wele　the　chance　to　give　me　money。
　　　As　an　afterthought；　working　fast；　I　closed　and　locked　my　safe　and　secret　partments。　I　must　get　out　of　here。　They　might　e　for　me　at　any　minute。
　　　I　picked　up　my　grip。　I　forced　myself　to　stop　shaking。　I　walked　across　the　patio　and　into　the　yard。
　　　With　a　surge　of　purest　hate；　I　saw　the　taxi　driver。　He　was　polishing　the　new　Mercedes…Benz。
　　　Apparatus　training　makes　one　rise　to　any　emergency。　The　hate　distilled　into　the　purest　cunning。　I　determined　then　and　there　to　kill　two　jailbirds　with　one　bomb。　They　would　learn　in　one　last　agonizing　flash　the　penalty　for　grabbing　women　before　I　could　get　at　them。
　　　Cunning。　Cunning。　Cunning。　I　must　concentrate　on　that。　I　went　over　and　threw　my　bag　carelessly　into　the　Daimler…Benz。　I　did　not　even　let　my　eyes　dart　under　every　bush　to　see　if　they　were　waiting　for　me；　ready　to　spring　out　and　stone　me　to　death。
　　　In　an　offhand　voice；　I　called；　〃Oh；　Ahmed。　Would　you　like　to　e　to　the　bank　with　me　to　get　some　money？〃
　　　He　sprang　gladly　upright。　I　knew　he　would。　He　yelled　for　Ters　and　then　raced　around　and　got　in　the　front　seat　of　the　big　car。　Ters　ran　out　of　the　kitchen；　putting　on　his　old　soldier's　cap。　He　slid　under　the　wheel。
　　　We　were　off。　I　scrunched　way　down　so　nobody　could　see　I　was　riding　in　the　back。
　　　We　went　tearing　up　the　road　to　Afyon；　scattering　camels　all　over　the　place。
　　　I　could　tell　from　the　gay；　insouciant　manner　of　both　Ahmed　and　Ters　that　they　had　no　slightest　inkling　that　this　was　their　last　day　on　Earth。
　　　We　entered　Afyon　and　started　down　the　street　toward　the　Piastre　Branch　Bankasi。
　　　〃No；　no；〃　I　said　smoothly　from　the　back。　〃You　misunderstood　me。　I　was　talking　about　BIG　money。　I　meant　the　Piastre　Bankasi　in　Istanbul。　Go　there。〃
　　　Happily；　without　the　least　suspicion　they　were　driving　their　own　hearse；　they　turned　and　we　began　to　roar　along　the　main　highway　to　Istanbul。
　　　Glancing　backward　from　time　to　time；　I　detected　no　pursuit。　I　had　been　too　fast　for　them。　I　might　get　away　with　this　yet。
　　　Several　camels　looked　at　us　suspiciously；　however；　and　some　of　my　anxiety　returned。　Never　trust　a　camel。
　　　Ters　was　not　driving　very　fast。　But　that　was　just　as　well。　High　speed　would　alert　people　that　I　was　escaping。
　　　The　afternoon　and　the　bleak　February　countryside　moved　along。　Dusk　came。　We　drove　in　the　darkness。　Our　headlights　flicked　now　and　then　upon　the　ruins　of　the　ages。　I　was　leaving　Asia。　Let　it　rot。　It　wasn't　worth　conqueri