cp.reddice-第24部分
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5。 Andy had Arturo's model of vampire DNA。 I passed it off； figuring he had already examined another vampire and broken the genetic code。 The only problem was…there was no other vampire。 I had destroyed all of Eddie's bastards。 The only one the government had was Joel。
〃Because； you see； he was not a person。 He was a fish； which is what he had been all along。 As a big fish； he could eat only smaller fish。〃
In my dream； Krishna had been trying to tell me that the hidden truth was the most obvious truth。
Andy was able to construct Arturo's model because he was Arturo！
Why did he leave it out for me to see？ To taunt me； no doubt。
I open my eyes。 〃Damn；〃 I whisper。
Joel looks over。 I have broken his chains； he is no longer pinned to the wall； but is able to lie down properly and rest。 The chains have acplished their purpose； however。 Had Joel been at the door； I would not have walked into the cage。 I have tested the strength of the walls。 The guard was right…a nuclear bomb couldn't blast through them。
The walls of the cell are a flat white color； metallic。 The space is square…twenty feet by twenty feet。 A seatless toilet is attached to one wall； a single cot to the opposite one。 Joel lies on the thin mattress。
〃We all make mistakes；〃 he says。
〃Some make more than others。〃
〃I appreciate your trying to rescue me。 You should have left me to die after Eddie opened my veins。〃
〃You're probably right。 But then I wouldn't have the pleasure of your pany right now。〃 I pause。 〃How are you feeling？〃
The first thing I did after being captured； before sitting down to berate myself； was let Joel drink a pint of my blood。 The transfusion alleviated his more severe symptoms but he still looked gaunt。 Yet I am reluctant to give him more nourishment。 We both know I need to be at full strength if we are to break out。
〃I feel fine。〃 He adds； 〃Better than I have in days。〃
I reach out and squeeze his hand。 〃It must have been hard for you。 Have they been examining you inside out？〃
〃That's a literal way of putting the question。〃 He gestures to the screen。 I have told him nothing of Arturo。 〃I take it he is an old friend？〃
I know our every word is being recorded。 I don't know what can and will be used against me in a court of law。 But I do know I don't have the right to remain silent。 I wonder if they will try to torture information out of me。 It will be a waste of their time。 I doubt they're going to let me call a lawyer。
〃We go way back〃 is all I say。
〃How was Vegas？〃
〃Fine。 Won a lot of money at craps。〃
〃That's great。 Where did you stay？〃
〃At the Mirage。〃 I sigh。 〃I'm sorry； Joel。 Neither of us should be in here。 I messed up。〃
〃Don't be so hard on yourself。 After all； you stopped Eddie。〃
〃Yeah。 Only to set up a situation where there might be a thousand Eddies。〃 I abruptly raise my voice and yell at the monitor。 〃Did you hear that； Arturo？ A thousand Ralphes running loose！ Is that what you want？〃 My voice sinks to a whisper。 〃That's what you're going to get。〃
I don't expect to get a response to my outburst； but a minute later the TV monitor es back to life。
Arturo is alone； sitting at a desk in the security room。 Around the corner； as they say。
〃Sita；〃 he says。 〃None oho mat pensato che ti avrei rivista。〃
〃I never thought I would see you again。〃
〃Same here；〃 I mutter。
〃Are you fortable？〃 he asks； switching languages effortlessly。 When he wishes； he has no accent。 He must have been living in America for a long time。
〃No cage is ever fortable。〃 I pause。 〃Are you fortable？〃
He spreads his hands。 I remember how large they were。 Suddenly； I recall many details about him： the warm gray of his eyes； the strength of his jawline。 Why didn't I recognize him？ There are the obvious reasons。 He has aged twenty…five years since we last met； and yet； his face has changed more than the two and a half decades warrant。 Probably since it has； in reality； been over seven hundred years。
Yet none of that should have fooled me。 I didn't recognize him for two sound reasons： I knew he couldn't possibly exist in our time； so I never even considered the idea； and the Andy I stalked did not possess the same soul as the Arturo I once loved。 This man who stares down at me…I hardly know him； and I slept with him for months。
〃What would you have me do？〃 he replies。 〃You had to be stopped。〃
My voice is filled with scorn。 〃Stopped from what？〃
〃There were the violent murders in Los Angeles。 I knew that was you。〃
〃You knew it was not me！ 〃You knew it was some other vampire！ Don't start off our first conversation in seven centuries with a lie。 You know I never killed for pleasure。〃
My wrath makes him pull back a step。 〃I apologize。 I should say I knew you were indirectly involved。〃 He pauses。 〃Who mitted the killings？〃
I forget my resolve to say as little as possible。 The information cannot help them； anyway。 My blood is all that matters。
〃A psychotic vampire by the name of Eddie Fender started the murders。 The LAPD and the FBI were doing everything they could to stop him。 But it was I who put a halt to the killings。 And what do I get for it？ A medal？ No； the entire police force es after me。〃
〃You killed two dozen of those officers。〃
〃Because they were trying to kill me！ I am not the villain here。 You and the scum you are associated with are。〃 I pause； settle down。 〃Why are you with these people？〃
〃I can help them。 They can help me。 We have vested interests。 Isn't that the reason for most partnerships？〃
〃It is among people who have selfish goals。 But I never remember you as selfish。 Why are you working for the U。S。 military machine？〃
〃Surely you must understand by now。 I need to plete my experiments。〃
I laugh。 〃Are you stilt searching for the blood of Christ？〃
〃You say it as if it were a fool's errand。〃
〃It's a blasphemous errand。 You saw what happened last time。〃
〃I made an； error…that's all。 I will not make the same error again。〃
〃That's all？ Just some error？ What about Ralphe？ I loved that boy。 You loved him。 And you turned him into a monster。 You forced me to kill him。 Do you know what that did to me？〃
Arturo's voice goes cold。 〃It made you want to testify against me？〃
〃You had to be stopped。 I didn't have the strength or the will to do it myself。〃 I pause。 〃You had a chance to talk to me in the inquisitor's dungeon。 You chose not to。〃
〃I had nothing to say。〃
〃Well； then； I have nothing to say to you now。 e； get your fresh supply of vampire blood。 Send plenty of scientists and soldiers。 Not all of them will be ing back to you。〃
〃You present no danger to us as long as you are in your cell。 And you will remain in there for the remainder of your life。〃
〃We will see；〃 I whisper faintly。
〃Sita； I'm surprised at you。 Aren't you curious how I'm still alive？〃
I draw in a weary breath。 〃I have an idea as to how you survived。 Even when you swore to me you weren't experimenting on yourself； you were。 That's why you began to have visions of DNA。 You were seeing it through the eyes of your blessed hybrid state。〃
〃I did experiment on myself。 That is true。 But I never reached the full hybrid status。 That must be obvious to you；〃
I nod。 〃Because you have aged。 Does it hurt； Arturo； that you're not the dashing young priest anymore？〃
〃I may yet achieve immortality。〃
〃Hmm。 And I always thought you wanted to die and go to heaven。〃 He is right； of course； I am curious about those days。 〃What happened after the trial？ How did you escape？ I heard they burned you at the stake。〃
〃The inquisitor granted me a private audience。 He couldn't let me go； he said； but in exchange for my confession of witchcraft； he agreed to hang instead of burn me。〃
〃And you recovered？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Were you not surprised？〃
〃Yes。 It was a calculated risk。 I didn't have many options。〃
I hesitate。 〃What did you do to Ralphe？〃
For once； Arturo looks ashamed。 〃I exposed him to the vial of your blood…with the midday sun pouring through it。〃
I was aghast。 〃But you said you'd never consider that。 The vibration w
