cp.reddice-第29部分
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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 tip and an elaborate control box on the side； it looks like something from an old sci…fi movie。 The general informs us that it is rated ten megatons…ten million tons of TNT。
I point to the color…coded buttons on the side。
〃Can it be rigged to go off at a specific time？〃 I ask。
〃Yes。 It can be set to detonate in ten minutes； or in ten years。〃
〃Ten years is a little long for my tastes。 But your men may escape； if they listen to me。 You will want to argue my position to them； once we get back outside。 Which leads me to my next point。〃 I gesture to the metal wall that blocks the exit。 〃How do we open this door？〃
〃It can't be opened from the inside。 They've cut our power。〃
〃Is there a radio in here？〃 Joel asks。 〃Can you talk to them？〃
General Havor shrugs。 〃I have nothing to say to them。〃
I grab the general by the collar。
It doesn't take much for him to piss me off。
〃You will tell them that we have an armed warhead in here set to detonate in fifteen minutes；〃 I say。 〃That will be； by the way； the literal truth。 You will also inform them that if they wish to prevent the bomb from exploding； they are to let us out。 Finally； you will mention that I am willing to negotiate。〃
He laughs at me。 〃You can do what you want to me； I am not going to arm this warhead。〃
I let him go； take a step back。 〃You think you can play with me； General。 You think the worst I can do is kill you。 Arturo never told you of the power of my eyes。 How my gaze can permanently fry your brain。〃 I pause。 〃If in the next ten seconds you don't tell me the code to arm this warhead； I will stab such a needle into your forehead that you will have the IQ of a chimpanzee for the rest of your life…however long that may be。〃
He lowers his head。 〃I cannot allow you to set off this bomb。〃
〃Very well。〃 I step forward and grab him by the jaw； thrusting his head up； forcing him to stare at me。 〃Look deep； General！ Into the eyes of the witch you thought to control。 See where I have prepared a place of fire for you to bum。〃
17
Ten minutes later the door is opened by the highest ranking mander on the outside and we wheel a fully armed warhead into the nighttime air。 The detonator clicks off the seconds。 Fifteen minutes to Armageddon。 Driving at high speed should give us and the soldiers time to get clear of the blast。 Overhead； the full moon shines down on our heads； bathing the entire desert with a milky white radiance。 The setting is dreamlike； as if there has already been a nuclear explosion； thousands of years ago and the radioactive fallout remains。
A small army aims a line of high…tech weapons at us。
On all sides； from the guard towers to the rocks in the hill； we are surrounded。
A minute before； a mumbling General Havor had ordered them to let us go。
But they're not listening。
The highest ranking mander on the outside is nowArturo。
He steps forward as we move out of the cave。
〃Sita；〃 he says。 〃This is madness。〃
〃You tell me about madness； Arturo。〃 I hold a pistol to General Havor's head； shielding myself and Joel with his wobbly figure。 He wept as I bored into his brain； but he resisted me as well I had to destroy most of his mind to get what I wanted。 Gesturing to the bomb； I add； 〃This warhead is set to detonate in less than fifteen minutes。 That gives you and your men barely enough time to get clear。〃
Arturo shakes his head。 〃We cannot let you escape。 An order has e from the President of the United States。 At all costs； you are to be stopped。〃 He gestures to the men around us。 〃We are expendable。〃
I force a chuckle。 〃You will not sacrifice all these people。〃
〃It is not my decision to make。〃
〃That's nonsense！ They look to you to mand them now。 mand them to drop their weapons and get the hell out of here。〃 I pause。 〃You are bluffing。〃
Arturo looks me in the eye。 He is not intimidated by my gaze。
〃I pray that you are the one who is bluffing；〃 he says softly。
The timer on the detonator goes to fourteen minutes。
I meet his gaze； 〃When was the last time you prayed； Arturo？ Was it before the inquisitor's court？ The day they hanged you？ I did what I did then because I know the danger my blood poses for the world。 Tonight； I killed all these people for the same reason…to protect humanity。〃
Arturo challenges me。 〃To protect us from what？ A chance to evolve into something greater？ Into creatures that need never grow old； that need never hurt one another？ Earlier you laughed at my mission。 Seven hundred years ago you also laughed at me。 But mine is still the noblest quest on earth…to perfect humanity； to allow it to bee godlike。〃
〃You do not bee godlike by merging with a monster！〃
My words surprise him。 〃You're not a monster； Sita。〃
〃I am not an angel； either。 Or if I am； I am an angel of death…as far as humanity is concerned。 True； I have the right to live。 Krishna granted me that right。 But only if I lived alone； and made no more of my kind。 Now I have broken that sacred vow。 Krishna will probably judge me harshly。 Perhaps he has already judged me； and that is why I am being forced to suffer in this place； to hurt all these people。 But what is done is dose。 I am what I am。 Humanity is what it is。 We can never join。 Don't you see that？〃
〃Don't you see me； Sita？ I am an example of what can be acplished with a merger of our DNAs。 And I am only an inplete example because I never got to plete the process。 Think what mankind can change into if youll just let me experiment with your blood for the next few weeks。 Even a few days would be enough。 That's all I'm asking。 Then； when I'm finished； I promise to let you go。 I will arrange it so that you can go free。〃
I speak with sorrow。 〃Arturo； I can see you。 I see what's bee of you。 As a young man； you were the ideal person： devout； loving； brilliant。 But your brilliance was perverted the day you received my blood。 Your love was twisted。 For the sake of your experiments； you even sacrificed a boy you loved。 You sacrificed us…the love we had for each other。 You lied to me； and I think you lie to me again。 Your devotion is no longer to Christ…it is to yourself。 And even though I have also lied to my God； I still love Krishna and pray he will forgive me for my sins。 I still love you； and I pray you will order these people to let us go。 But because of both of these loves； I cannot surrender。 You cannot have my blood〃 I pause。 〃No man can have it。〃
Arturo knows me。
He knows I'm not bluffing； not when it es to matters of life and death。
The timer goes to thirteen minutes。 Unlucky thirteen。
His face and voice show his resignation。 〃I cannot let you go；〃 he says quietly。
I nod。 〃Then we will stand here until the bomb goes off。〃
Joel looks at me。 I stare silently at Joel。 There are no words left。
Arturo stands still as a statue。 The moon shines down。
Twelve。 Eleven。 Ten。
Ten minutes might be long enough to get clear of the blast。
〃Arturo； ti prego； 〃I say suddenly。 〃Arturo； please。〃 〃At least warn your men。 Let them flee。 I have enough blood on my conscience。〃
〃The blast will leave no blood；〃 he says； turning his eyes upward； toward the sky。 〃We will be like dust； floating on the wind。〃
〃That is fine for you and me。 We have lived long lives。 But most of these men are young。 They have families。 Give the order…enough will remain to prevent Joel and me from escaping。〃
Arturo sighs； and turns。 He raises his arms and shouts。 〃Units G and H are free to go！ Hurry！ A nuclear bomb is about to detonate！〃
There is a great motion。 I suspect more than units G and H want to leave。 The men pour into their trucks。 Engines roar to life。 Tires burn rubber。 The front gate is thrown open。 The vehicles roar out of sight。 Driving at a hundred miles an hour； they can put at least twelve miles between themselves and the blast in the time they have left。 They should survive。 Yet many remain behind who will not survive。 Too many men still stand guard over us。 If we try
