cp.reddice-第28部分

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ilding。　Get　out　as　fast　as　you　can。　Steal　a　truck　if　you　have　to。　Things　are　going　to　get　awfully　hot　here。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃Yes。　You're　not　going　to　kill　me？〃
　　〃No。　Not　tonight。　You　can　relax；　after　you　do　exactly　what　I　say。〃
　　The　guard　lets　out　the　death　scream。　I　spray　an　especially　wide　shower　of　blood　through　the　doorway。　Then　I　drop　the　guy　down　beside　Joel；　who　pats　him　on　the　back　and　tells　him　to　relax。　I　hand　Joel　the　man's　weapon　and　order　him　to　keep　it　handy。　Several　guards　outside　the　door　are　crying。　They　have　backed　away；　but　not　far　enough　to　be　safe。　I　reach　out　and　grab　another。　He　carries　a　high…powered　machine　gun；　which　I　wedge　between　the　door　and　frame。　He　smells　of　hamburger　and　fries。　His　food　is　probably　not　digesting　well。　I　don't　know　this　soldier；　which　doesn't　bode　well　for　him。
　　〃〃You're　going　to　die　now；〃　I　tell　his　horrified　face。　〃I　am　sorry　it　has　to　be　this　way。〃
　　I　kill　him　slowly；　painfully；　so　that　his　throat…tearing　screams　and　red　blood　mingle　to　create　an　image　so　ghastly　that　many　of　the　soldiers　feel　they　are　trapped　in　a　nightmare　from　which　they　cannot　awaken。　When　I　am　done；　I　throw　what　is　left　of　his　body　into　the　hall。　It　is　very　messy…the　terror　in　the　air　is　as　palpable　as　the　hard　metal　door　that　can　no　longer　be　closed。
　　This　last　execution　has　disturbed　me。　If　I　am　forced　to　kill；　I　prefer　to　do　so　efficiently　and　painlessly。　I　will　not　make　another　example…I　don't　have　the　stomach　for　it。　It　is　time　to　leave　the　building；　with　Joel　and　General　Havor　in　hand。　To　grab　the　machine　gun　the　soldier　brought　in；　I　drop　from　my　position　on　the　ceiling　and　immediately　retrieve　it　and　open　fire。　The　men　outside　the　door　stand　frozen　in　place。　They　fall　to　their　deaths　like　tenpins。
　　I　kill　eight　of　them　before　I　step　into　the　hall。
　　Arturo　and　General　Havor　are　at　the　far　end。　They　are　a　hundred　feet　away　and　backing　up　fast。　Between　us　there　are　many　soldiers。　I　cannot　allow　the　big　boss　to　leave　the　building　without　me。　But　the　bloody　examples　I　made　of　the　first　two　men　have　had　an　effect。　The　soldiers　are　pushing　and　crowding　behind　General　Havor　and　Arturo；　slowing　them　down；　preventing　them　from　simply　leaving。　Also；　General　Havor　has　lost　control　of　his　men。　I　stand　a　clear　and　easy　target　in　the　hallway；　but　no　order　to　fire　es。　In　their　hearts；　the　men　do　not　believe　this　witch　can　be　killed　with　mere　bullets。
　　They　wish　they　hadn't　opened　the　door。
　　〃Drop　your　weapons　and　I　will　let　you　live！〃　I　yell。
　　Most　in　front　of　me　surrender　right　then。　The　few　who　don't；　who　take　aim；　I　shoot　in　the　head。　The　sheer　number　of　deaths　does　not　numb　me。　I　look　in　the　eyes　of　each　one　I　destroy；　and　wonder　about　his　life　and　who　he　leaves　behind。　If　it　was　just　my　life…honestly；　if　there　was　no　danger　of　my　blood　falling　into　the　wrong　hands；　I　would　let　them　cut　me　down。　But　I　have　a　responsibility　to　mankind。　I　know　that　is　the　rationale　of　every　great　man　or　woman；　of　every　merciless　monster。　The　smell　of　Wood　is　too　thick　even　for　my　taste。
　　Arturo　and　General　Havor　disappear　around　the　corner。
　　I　call　to　Joel　to　join　me　in　the　hallway。
　　He　cautiously　peeks　out。　He　groans。
　　〃Nothing　can　be　worth　than　this；〃　he　whispers。
　　〃You　may　be　right；〃　I　say。　〃Still；　we　have　to　get　out　of　here。　To　do　that；　we　need　General　Havor。〃
　　〃Where　is　he？〃
　　〃On　the　second　floor。〃　I　grab　Joel　with　my　free　arm　and　shield　the　top　of　his　head　with　my　palm。　〃Let's　join　him。〃
　　I　leap　straight　up　and　smash　through　the　ceiling。　Again；　Yaksha's　blood　es　to　my　aid。　Without　it；　such　a　move　would　have　given　me　a　righteous　headache。　This　time　the　ceiling　barely　slows　me　down。　Pulling　Joel　through　the　hole　I　have　created；　we　stand　up　on　the　floor　of　the　basement；　level　one。　I　see　soldiers　down　the　hall　jamming　the　stairs；　frantic　to　exit。　Arturo　and　General　Havor　struggle　in　the　midst　of　the　human　flood。　Raising　the　machine　gun　to　my　shoulder；　I　take　aim　at　General　Havor's　right　thigh。　For　a　split　second　it　is　dearly　visible。　I　put　a　bullet　in　it。　The　general　stumbles　and　lets　out　a　cry。　No　one　stops　to　help　him；　least　of　all　Arturo。　I　grab　Joel's　arm。
　　〃e；〃　I　say。
　　As　I　wade　into　the　crowd；　they　scream　and　scatter。　I　guess　my　red　hair　does　not　suit　me。　Or　perhaps　it　is　the　fact　that　I　am　soaked　from　head　to　toe　in　blood。　I　must　look　like　a　beast　that　has　climbed　from　the　depths　of　hell。　Arturo　is　already　out　of　sight；　but　General　Havor　lies　helpless　at　the　side　of　the　stairway。　He　is　lucky　that　he…was　not　trampled　to　death。　But　he　is　not　lucky　that　it　is　me　who　reaches　out　to　help　him　to　his　feet。　〃General　Havor；〃　I　say。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you　face　to　face。　Sorry　I　have　to　ask　a　favor　so　soon　after　saying　hello。　But　I　need　you　to　take　me　and　my　friend　into　the　cave　behind　this　pound。　I　need　one　of　those　thermonuclear　warheads　you　keep　there。　I　have　a　thing　about　fire；　you　see；　about　explosions。　For　me；　the　bigger　the　better。〃
　　　
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　　The　cave　turns　into　another　prison。　We　reach　it　without　excessive　bloodshed；　but　once　inside　I　am　forced　to　kill　all　the　soldiers。　The　endless　slaughter　weighs　heavily　on　me。　Joel's　broken　expression　begs　me　to　stop。　But　I　can't　stop　until　it　is　over；　one　way　or　the　other。　It　is　my　nature　never　to　quit。
　　We　are　scarcely　inside　when　the　remaining　soldiers　close　the　door　on　us。　The　metal　is　as　thick　as　the　door　on　the　cell…it　cuts　in　half　the　miniature　rail　tracks　that　run　between　the　pound　and　the　depths　of　the　hill　They　also　turn　off　our　lights；　but　there　are　emergency　lanterns。　For　Joel's　sake；　and　the　general's；　I　turn　on　several。　The　stark　rays　cast　ghastly　shadows　over　the　carnage　I　have　inflicted。　There　is　blood　everywhere。　The　red　blurs　in　the　silent　gloom；　in　my　racing　mind；　it　is　as　if　the　walls　of　the　cave　Meed。　I　try　not　to　count　the　dead。
　　〃I　didn't　want　this；〃　I　say；　pointing　my　weapon　at　the　general；　who　sits　on　the　edge　of　the　small　railroad　car　that　carries　supplies　into　this　place　of　secrets。　His　leg　continues　to　bleed　but　he　doesn't　plain。　He　is　a　horrible　human　being；　but　he　is　not　without　strength。　A　hard　man　with　a　blunt　face；　he　wears　his　hair　as　if　it　were　a　disease　growing　on　top　of　his　head。　I　add；　〃It's　your　fault。〃
　　My　accusation　does　not　faze　him。　〃You　can　always　surrender。〃
　　I　kneel　beside　him。　To　my　left　Joel　sits　on　the　ground；　looking　weary　beyond　belief。　〃But　you　see　that　is　not　an　option；〃　I　tell　the　general。　〃When　history　started；　I　was　there。　And　the　only　reason　mankind　has　been　able　to　move　steadily　forward　is　because　I　have　chosen　to　stand　apart　from　history。　I　watch　what　happens。　I　have　no　desire　to　have　important　roles。　Do　you　understand　that　I　tell　you　the　truth？〃
　　General　Havor　shrugs。　〃You've　changed　your　style　today；〃
　　My　voice　hardens。　〃You　made　me　change。〃　I　gesture　to　the　dead　men　who　lie　around　us。　〃All　this　is　because　of　you。　Look　at　them。　Don't　you　care　about　them？〃
　　He　is　bored。　〃What　do　you　want？　A　nuclear　bomb？〃
　　I　stand　and　look　down　at　him。　〃Yes。　That's　exactly　what　I　want。　And　after　you　show　it　to　me；　I　want　you　to　arm　it。〃
　　He　snorts。　〃Do　you　think　I'm　crazy？〃
　　〃I　know　you're　crazy。　I　have　seen　inside　your　mind。　I　know　what　you　planned　to　do　once　you　had　my　blood　in　your　veins。　You　were　going　to　murder　Arturo　and　rape　me。〃
　　He's　cocky。　〃You　flatter　yourself。〃
　　I　slap　him　in　the　face；　hard　enough　to　break　his　nose。　〃And　you　sicken　me。　I　don't　know　how　Arturo　ever　teamed　up　with　you。　He　must　have　been　desperate。　He　and　I　are　not　alike；　by　the　way。　I　never　beg　for　anything；　but　I　know　how　to　make　you　beg。　Give　me　the　warhead　and　arm　it　or　I　will　subject　you　to　such　physical　and　mental　torture　you　will　think　that　soldier　I　ripped　apart　inside　the　cell　died　peacefully。〃　I　raise　my　hand　to　strike　again。　〃Yes？〃
　　He　holds　his　nose；　the　blood　leaks　through　his　thick　fingers。　〃May　I　ask　what　you　plan　to　do　with　the　warhead？〃　he　asks。
　　I　catch　his　eye；　push　hard　enough　to　make　him　cower。
　　〃I　am　going　to　clean　up；　your　mess；〃　I　reply。
　　General　Havor　agrees　to　furnish　me　with　a　bomb。　He　digs　it　out　of　the　back；　and　wheels　it　into　view　on　the　railroad　cart。　A　black　squat　affair　with　a　pointed　ti