cp.reddice-第21部分
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aking vampires。 It's against my… principles。〃
Andy struggles to get a grip on himself。 〃Who made you？〃
〃A vampire by the name of Yaksha。 He was the first of our kind。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃A long time ago。〃
〃When？〃 he demands。
〃Five thousand years ago。〃
My revealing my age does not help the situation。 The strength goes out of Andy； he slides to the floor。
Rolling into a ball； he recoils as I e closer。 I halt in midstride。
〃What do you want from me？〃 he mumbles。
〃Your help。 I need to get into your pound and get my friend out before the world is destroyed。 It is that simple。 The danger is that great。 And you know I'm not exaggerating。 Our blood in the hands of your general is more dangerous than plutonium in the hands of terrorists。〃
Andy nods weakly。 〃Oh； I believe that。〃
〃Then you will help me？〃
My question startles him。 〃What？ How can I help you？ You're some kind of monster。 You're the source of this danger。〃
I speak firmly。 〃I have walked this world since the dawn of history。 In all that time； there have been only myths and rumors of my existence； and the existence of others like me。 And those myths and rumors weren't based on fact。 They were just stories。 Because in all this time none of us has set out to destroy humanity。 Yet your general will do this； whether he wants to or not。 Listen to me； Andy！ He has to be stopped and you have to help me stop him。〃
〃No。〃
〃Yes！ Do you want him to clone Joel's blood？ Do you want that material shipped to a weapons plant in the heart of the Pentagon？〃
Anger shakes Andy。 〃No！ I want to destroy the blood！ I don't need your lectures。 I know what it can do。 I have studied it inside out。〃
I move closer； kneel on the floor beside him。 〃Look at me； Andy。〃
He lowers his head。 〃You might cast a spell on me。〃
〃I don't need spells to convince you of the truth。 I am not the enemy。 Without my assistance； you won't be able to stop this thing from progressing to the next level。 Try to imagine a society where everyone has our vampire strength and appetites。〃
The visions I conjure make him sick。 〃You really drink human blood？〃
〃Yes。 I need it to live。 But I do not need to kill or even harm the person I drink from。 Usually； they don't even know what has happened。 They just wake up the next day with a headache。〃
My remark causes him to smile unexpectedly。 〃I woke up with a headache this evening。 Did you drink some of my blood without my knowing？〃
I chuckle softly。 〃No。 Your headaches are your problem。 Unless you cut down on the booze； your liver is going to give out。 Listen to the advice of a five…thousand…year…old doctor。〃
He finally looks at me； 〃You're not really that old； are you？〃
〃I was alive when Krishna walked the earth。 I met him in fact。〃
〃What was he like？〃
〃Cool。〃
〃Krishna was cool？〃
〃Yes。 He didn't kill me。 He mustn't have thought I was a monster。〃
Andy is calming down。 〃I'm sorry I called you that。 It's just…well； I've never met a vampire before； I mean； I was never in a hotel room with one。〃
〃Aren't you glad you didn't sleep with me last night？〃
He obviously forgot that small point 〃Would I have been changed into a vampire？〃
〃It takes more than sex with an immortal to make you immortal。〃 I speak delicately。 〃But you may know that。〃
He is grim。 〃There has to be a blood transfer to bring about the change。 I imagine a lot of blood is involved。〃
〃Yes； that is correct。 Have your experiments established that？〃
〃We have established a few things。 But the human immune system reacts violently to this kind of blood。 It embraces it and at the same time tries to destroy it。 We have postulated that a large infusion of this DNA code would transform the entire system。 Actually； we think your DNA would just take over； and replicate itself throughout every cell in the body。〃 He pauses。 〃Is that what happened when Yaksha changed you？〃
I hesitate。 I don't want to give him information that could be used later。
〃When he changed me； I was young。 I cried through most of it。〃
〃He is dead now？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃When did he die？〃
〃A few days ago。〃 I add； 〃He wanted to die。〃
〃Why？〃
I smile faintly； sadly。 〃He wanted to be with Krishna。 That was all that mattered to him。 He was evil when he changed me。 But when he died…he was a saint。 He loved God very much。〃
Andy stares at me； mystified。 〃You're telling me the truth。〃
I nod weakly。 The thought of Krishna always shakes me。
〃Yes。 Maybe I should have told you from the beginning。 You see； I was going to try to hypnotize you。 I was going to seduce you and offer you money and set your head spinning…until you didn't know what you were doing。〃 I touch his leg gently。 〃But none of that is necessary now。 You are a true scientist。 You seek the truth。 You don't want to harm people。 And you know that this blood can harm many people。 Give it back to me。 I know how to care for it； to keep it out of harm's way。〃
〃If I help you into the pound； they will lock me away for the rest of my life。〃
〃Vehicles go in and out of the pound all day。 I've observed them from a distance。 You can bring me ride in your trunk。 When no one is looking； I will climb out； and no one will blame you。〃
Andy's not convinced。 〃Your friend is in a cell in a basement of our main lab。 The walls of the cell are of a special metal alloy…even you couldn't walk through。 I know for a fact your partner can't； watched him try。 Also； your friend is under at surveillance。 Cameras watch him twenty…four hours a day。 Then； there is the security of the camp itself。 It is surrounded by towers。 The soldiers inside these towers are well armed。 The place is a fortress。 There are tanks and missiles behind every building。〃 He pauses。 〃You won't be able to break him out。〃
〃This special cell where Joel is being held…how does the door to it open？〃
〃There is a button on a control panel just outside the cell。 Push it and the door swings aside。 But it is a long way from my car trunk to that button。 It is a longer way back outside the pound。 To escape with your friend； you'll have to bee invisible。〃
I nod。 〃We can go over； point by point； the security of the camp。 But for now； answer my earlier question。 Is there another vampire in the place？〃
He hesitates； lowers his head。 〃Yes。〃
〃How long has he been there？ A month？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Was he captured in Los Angeles？〃
〃Yes。 He's a black youth。 He lived in South Central L。A。 before he was changed。〃 Andy looks up。 〃But he never said anything about an Eddie。 The person who changed him was someone else。 I forget the name right now。〃
My theory was correct。 〃That other person was changed by Eddie。 Trust me…I know the ultimate source of this other vampire。 Where is he located in relation to Joel？〃
〃In the cell beside Joel's。 But he's virtually atose。 He has the same disease as your friend…cramps and fever。〃 Andy shakes his head。 〃We didn't know what to do for him。 He never asked for blood。〃
〃Your people must have captured him right after he was changed。 No one told him what he is now。〃 It isn't pleasant to contemplate the pain this poor soul is going through。 〃I'll have to take him out as well。〃
〃You'll have to carry him then。〃
〃I can do that； if I have to。〃
Andy studies me。 〃You say you are so old。 That must mean you're smarter than we short…lived mortals。 If you are； you must know how the odds are stacked against you。〃
〃I have always managed to beat the odds。 Look how well I do at the dice tables。〃
〃You will probably die if you do this。〃
〃I'm not afraid to die。〃
He is impressed。 〃You really aren't a monster。 You're much braver than I am。〃
I take his hand。 〃I was wrong a minute ago when I said your helping me would not put you at risk。 It will take a brave man to sneak me inside the pound in the trunk of his car。〃
He squeezes my hand。 〃What's your real name？〃
〃Sita。〃 I add； 〃Few people have known me by that name。〃
He touches my red hair。 〃I was wrong only to say your blood scares me。 It fascinates me as well。〃 He pauses and a sly grin crosses his face。 〃Sex is not eno
