cp.reddice-第13部分
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〃Yes。 And do you work around here？〃 His voice takes on a guarded note； even though he is still quite drunk。 〃I'm a genetic engineer。 I work for the government。 They have a lab…in town。〃 I mock him playfully。 〃Is it a top…secret lab？〃 He sits back and shrugs。 〃They would like to keep it that way。 They don't feel fortable unless we're working outside the reach of mainstream scientists。〃 〃Do I detect a note of resentment in your tone？〃 〃Not resentment…that's too strong a word。 I love my job。 It has provided me opportunities I couldn't get in the normal business world。 I think what you sense is frustration。 The opportunities presented in our lab are not being fully exploited。 We need people of many disciplines involved； from all over the world。〃
〃You would like the lab to be more open？〃
〃Precisely。 But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the need for security。〃 He pauses。 〃Especially as of late。〃
〃Interesting things are happening？〃 He looks away and chuckles； but there is a note of sorrow in his voice。 〃Very interesting things。〃 He turns back to me。 〃May I ask you a personal question； Lara？〃
〃By all means。〃
〃How old are you？〃
I flirt 〃How old do you think I am？〃
He is genuinely puzzled。 〃I don't know。 When we were at the table； you seemed about thirty。 But now that we're alone together you seem much younger。〃
I have designed my makeup and dress to appear older。 My longish white dress is conservative； I have a strand of pearls around my neck。 My lipstick is glossy； overdone。 I wear a red scarf to match my red wig。
〃I'm twenty…nine；〃 I say； which is the age on my new driver's license and passport。 〃I appreciate your pliment； however。 I take care of myself。〃 I pause。 〃How old are you？〃
He laughs； picking up his glass of milk。 〃Let's just say my liver would be a lot younger if this was all I drank。〃
〃Milk does a body good。〃 He sets the glass down and stares into it。 〃So do other things。〃
〃Andy？〃
He shakes his head。 〃Just something that's going on at work。 I can't talk about it。 It would bore you anyway。〃 He changes the subject。 〃Where did you learn to throw dice like that？〃 〃Like what？〃
〃e on。 You always throw them the same way； resting the number you want to e up on your open palm。 How do you do it？ I've never seen anyone who could control the bounce of the dice。〃
I realize I went too far。 He is a smart man； I remind myself。 His powers of observation are keen； even when he is intoxicated。 Yet； at the same time I don't mind that he sees something special in me。 I have no time to cultivate his interest slowly。 I must have him under my thumb by tomorrow night。 It is then I plan to rescue Joel。
I answer his question carefully。 〃I have had many interesting teachers。 Perhaps I could tell you about them sometime。〃
〃How about now； tonight？〃
〃Tonight？ The sun will be up in an hour。〃
〃I don't have to be at work until it goes down。〃 He reaches across the table and takes my hand。 〃I like you； Lara。 I mean that。〃 He pauses。 〃I feel like I've met you before。〃
I shake my head； wondering if he senses the similarities between Joel and myself。 〃We have never met；〃 I tell him。
7
We go back to his place。 He offers me a drink。 When I decline； he has one himself…a Scotch on the rocks。 The food in his stomach has sobered him up somewhat； but he quickly proceeds to get drunk again。 He has a real problem； and now it is my problem as well。 Granted； his intoxicated state makes his tongue loose and he tells me far more about his work than he should； although he has yet to mention Joel or vampires。 Still； I will need him clear headed to help me。 I have no time to repair his wounded psyche。 I wonder what makes him drink so much。 He lied when he said he didn't resent his boss。 Obviously he hates the general。 But I cannot read his mind； probably because he keeps it scrambled with booze。 I sense only deep emotional conflicts； coupled with intellectual excitement。 He is grateful to be working on Joel； analyzing his blood； and yet it bothers him that he is directly involved in the project。 I have no doubt of this。
We sit on the couch in the living room。 He riffles through his mail and then throws it on the floor。 〃Bills；〃 he mutters； sipping his drink。 〃The hardest reality of life； besides death。〃
〃The way you gamble； I hope the government pays you well。〃
He snorts softly； staring at the eastern sky； which has begun to brighten。 〃They don't pay me what I'm worth； that's for sure。〃 He glances at my strand of pearls。 〃You look like you don't have to worry about money。〃
〃Daddy made millions in oil before he died。〃 I shrug。 〃I was his only child。〃
〃He left it all to you？〃
〃Every last penny。〃
〃Must be nice。〃
〃It is very nice。〃 I move closer to him on the sofa； touch his knee。 I have an alluring touch。 I swear sometimes I could seduce an evangelist's wife as easily as I could a horny Marine。 Sex holds no mystery for me； and I have no scruples。 I use my body as easily as any other weapon。 I add； 〃What exactly do you do at your lab？〃
He gestures to his office。 〃It's in there。〃
〃What's in there？〃
He takes another swallow of Scotch。 〃My greatest discovery。 I keep a model of it at home to inspire me。〃 He burps。 〃But right now a fat taise would inspire me more。〃
Even though I know what's in his office； I walk over and have a peep at the two models of the DNA； the human one and the vampiric molecule。 〃What are they？〃 I ask。
He is enjoying his drink too much to get up。 〃Have you heard of DNA？〃
〃Yes； of course。 I graduated from college。〃 〃What school did you go to？〃
〃Florida State。〃 I return to my place on the couch； closer to him than before。 〃I graduated with honors。〃
〃What was your major？〃
〃English lit； but I took several biology classes。 I know that DNA is a double helix molecule that encodes all the information necessary for life to exist。〃 I pause。 〃Are those models of human DNA？〃 He sets his drink down。 〃One of them is。〃 〃What's the other one？〃
He stretches and yawns。 〃A project my partners and I have been working on for the last month。*'
My blood turns cold。 It was in the last month that Eddie began to produce his horde of vampiric gangbangers。 Andy has been able to duplicate Arturo's visions of vampire DNA because he has been analyzing the molecules for a while； long before Joel was captured。 That can only mean one of Eddie's offspring escaped my slaughter。
〃/ don't know。 I destroyed your silly gang。〃
〃You're not sure of that。〃
〃Now I am sure。 You see； I can tell when someone lies。 It's one of those great gifts I possess that you don't。 There is only you left； and we both know it。〃
〃What of it？ I can make more whenever I feel the need。〃
Eddie admitted that there were no others。 He couldn't have tricked me； yet perhaps he himself was tricked。 Maybe one of his offspring had made another vampire and didn't tell him。 It's the only explanation。 That vampire must have been caught by the government and taken to the desert pound。 I wonder if the mystery vampire is still in the place。 My rescue effort has just been plicated。
I have to wonder if I'm already too late。 Andy has…at the least…an outline of the DNA code of the vampire。 How long will it be before he and his partners are able to create more bloodsuckers？ The only thing that gives me hope is that the general struck me as a man who keeps everything under wraps； until it is time to make his move。 Andy has said as much about him。 Everything connected to vampires is still probably locked up in the pound。
In response to Andy's ment； I force a chuckle。 Boy； do I force it。 〃Are you making a modern Frankenstein monster？〃 I ask； kidding； but not kidding。
My question hits a nerve； for obvious reasons； and Andy sits quietly for a moment； staring at his drink as if it were a crystal bait。
〃We are playing a high…stakes game；〃 he admits。
〃Altering the DNA code of any species is like rolling the dice。 You can win and you can lose。〃
〃But it must be exciting to be playing such a game？〃
He sighs。 〃We have the wrong pit boss in charge。〃 I put my hand on his shoulder。 〃What'
