cp.reddice-第5部分

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　　He　wants　to　hug　me。　〃This　could　be　goodbye。〃
　　〃It　is　not　over　yet。〃
　　Before　launching　my　daring　leap；　I　kick　out　the　window　that　blocks　my　way。　This　alerts　the　buzzing　choppers　but　I　don't　give　them　time　to　zero　in　on　me。　I　back　away　from　the　windows；　taking　only　the　shotgun　with　me；　giving　the　machine　gun　to　Joel。
　　〃Are　you　afraid　of　heights？〃　he　asks。
　　I　kiss　him。　〃You　don't　know　me。　I　am　afraid　of　nothing。〃
　　Taking　a　deep　breath；　I　begin　my　hard　approach。　I　can　accelerate　sharply　and　be　at　full　speed　in　less　than　ten　strides。　My　balance　and　ability　to　judge　distance　are　flawless。　I　hit　the　shattered　bottom　edge　of　the　window　perfectly　and　all　at　once　I　am　airborne。
　　The　flight　across　the　gap　between　the　buildings　is　breathtaking；　even　for　me。　It　seems　as　if　I'll　float　forever；　moving　horizontally；　in　defiance　of　gravity。　The　searchlights　on　the　helicopters　are　too　slow　to　catch　me。　I　soar　in　darkness；　a　huge　bat；　the　cool　air　on　my　face。　Below；　the　tiny　figures　raise　their　heads　skyward；　blinking　at　the　impossible。　I　almost　laugh。　They　thought　they　had　me　trapped；　silly　mortals。　They　thought　wrong。
　　My　landing　is　not　entirely　smooth　because　I　have　such　momentum。　I　am　forced　into　a　roll　as　I　skitter　across　the　rooftop。　I　am　bleeding　as　I　finally　e　to　a　halt　and　jump　up。　Overhead　the　choppers　are　frantically　maneuvering　to　open　fire。　I　am　not　given　a　chance　to　catch　my　breath　before　moving。　Leaping　for　the　next　rooftop；　I　watch　as　a　line　of　bullets　rips　a　path　in　front　of　me。
　　The　ensuing　jumps　between　buildings　are　all　on　the　same　side　of　the　street　and　not　so　dramatic　as　the　first　one。　Yet　the　last　leap；　to　the　skyscraper　with　the　helicopter　pad；　is　to　be　the　most　dramatic　of　all。　Because　I　cannot　jump　to　the　top　of　a　building　twenty　stories　up；　I　do　not　plan　to　land　on　top　of　the　skyscraper。　I　will　jump　into　it；　through　its　wall　of　windows。　I　only　hope　that　I　don't　hit　the　steel　and　concrete　between　floors。
　　Once　again；　the　choppers　approach；　their　machine　guns　blasting。
　　Once　again；　I　take　a　running　start。
　　The　windows　of　the　skyscraper　rush　toward　me　like　a　hard　black　wall。　An　instant　before　contact；　I　lean　back　and　kick　out　with　my　feet。　My　timing　is　perfect；　the　glass　shatters　around　the　lower　part　of　my　body；　sparing　my　face　and　arms。　Unfortunately；　I　land　awkwardly　on　a　row　of　secretarial　desks。　The　shock　is　incredible；　even　for　me。　ing　to　a　halt　in　a　pile　of　ruined　PCs　and　paper　clips；　I　lie　still　for　a　whole　minute；　trying　to　catch　my　breath。　I　am　now　covered　with　blood　from　head　to　toe。　Yet　even　as　I　grimace　in　pain　my　flesh　wounds　begin　to　close　and　my　broken　bones　begin　to　mend。
　　I　have　pany　on　the　outside。　One　of　the　helicopter　pilots　has　taken　it　upon　himself　to　e　level　with　the　hole　I　have　punched　into　the　side　of　the　skyscraper。　The　chopper　floats　just　outside　the　shattered　window；　scanning　the　office　with　its　bright　searchlight。　There　are　three　men；　including　the　pilot；　aboard　the　craft。　Peering　through　the　wreckage；　I　notice　that　the　machine　gunner　has　an　itchy　finger。　I　think　to　myself　how　much　more…1　would　prefer　to　have　a　police　chopper　than　a　civilian　one。　But　the　pilot　is　not　reckless。　He　keeps　the　chopper　constantly　moving　a　little　from　side　to　side。　For　me　to　try　to　leap　onto　it　would　be　risky。　I　opt　for　the　more　conservative　plan。
　　I　get　up　slowly；　limping。　My　right　shinbone　is　still　fractured；　but　it　will　be　all　right　in　another　minute　…　God　bless　Yaksha's　blood。　Ducking　behind　the　desks；　the　beam　from　the　searchlight　stretching　long；　stark　shadows　across　the　office；　I　move　away　from　the　broken　window。　The　helicopter　swoops　in　a　narrow　arc；　sometimes　onto　the　far　side　of　the　hole；　sometimes　closer　to　where　I'm　hidden。　The　windows　are　tinted；　it　is　easier　for　me　to　follow　their　movements　than　for　them　to　follow　mine；　unless　their　light　were　to　hit　me　directly。　Yet　they　seem　obsessed　with　the　space　just　beyond　the　hole。　They　must　feel　that　I　am　in　the　wreckage　somewhere　near　it；　injured　and　dying。
　　〃e　to　me　baby；〃　I　whisper。
　　On　their　third　swing　toward　my　side；　I　punch　out　the　window　in　front　of　me　and　open　fire。　I　take　out　the　machine　gunner　first；　I　don't　like　his　looks。　The　searchlight　goes　next。　I　take　aim　on　the　fuel　tank。　As　I　said；　I　enjoy　fireworks；　wicked　explosions。　When　I　pull　the　trigger　on　the　shotgun；　the　chopper　detonates　in　a　huge　fireball。　The　pilot　screams；　the　flames　engulfing　his　body。　The　other　man　is　blown　out　the　side　door；　in　pieces。　The　life　goes　out　of　the　machine　and　it　sinks　to　the　ground。　Far　below　I　hear　people　crying。　Far　above；　to　my　right；　I　hear　the　other　two　helicopters　veer　away。　They　have　lost　enthusiasm　for　the　fight。
　　On　the　way　to　the　elevator；　I　pass　a　custodian。　He　hardly　looks　up。　Despite　my　blood　and　artillery；　he　wishes　me　a　good　evening。　I　smile　at　him。
　　〃You　have　a　good　night；〃　I　say。
　　The　elevator　takes　me　to　the　top　floor；　and　from　there　it　is　not　hard　to　find　a　private　access　ladder　onto　the　roof。　Not　one　but　two　helicopters　wait　to　fly　us　to　freedom。　Both　are　jet　powered　and　I　am　pleased。　They　will　at　least　be　as　fast　as　the　cops'　choppers；　if　not　faster。　Unfortunately　there's　a　security　guard　on　duty。　An　old　guy；　obviously　working　the　night　shift　to　supplement　a　meager　retirement；　he　takes　one　look　at　me　and　hurries　over。　He　has　a　handgun　but　doesn't　draw　it。　His　glasses　are　remarkably　thick；　he　squints　through　the　lenses　as　he　looks　me　up　and　down。
　　〃Are　you　a　cop？〃　he　asks。
　　I　don't　have　the　heart　to　lie　to　him。　〃No。　I'm　the　bad　guy。　I'm　the　one　who　just　blew　that　chopper　out　of　the　sky。〃
　　He　is　awestruck。　〃I　watched　you　jumping　from　building　to　building。　How　do　you　do　that？〃
　　〃Steroids。〃
　　He　slaps　his　leg。　〃I　knew　it！　The　drugs　young　people　are　taking　these　days。　What　do　you　want？　One　of　these　choppers？〃
　　I　point　my　shotgun　at　him。　〃Yes。　Please　give　me　the　keys。　I　don't　want　to　have　to　kill　you。〃
　　He　quickly　raises　his　hands。　〃You　don't　have　to　do　that。　The　keys　are　in　the　ignitions。　Do　you　know　how　to　fly　a　helicopter？〃
　　I　turn　my　weapon　aside。　〃Yes。　I've　been　taking　lessons。　Don't　worry　about　me。〃
　　He　walks　me　to　the　closest　chopper；　a　Bell　230。　〃This　baby　has　a　range　of　over　three　hundred　miles。　You　want　to　get　far　out　of　town。　The　radio　and　TV　are　babbling　about　you；　calling　you　a　band　of　Arab　terrorists。〃
　　I　laugh　as　I　climb　into　the　cockpit。　〃You　do　nothing　to　destroy　their　illusions。　Just　tell　them　you　were　overwhelmed　by　superior　forces。　You　don't　want　people　to　know　a　young　woman　stole　a　helicopter　out　from　under　your　nose。〃
　　〃And　a　blond　one　at　that；〃　he　agrees。　〃You　take　care！〃
　　He　closes　the　door　for　me　and　I'm　off。
　　Picking　up　Joel　proves　to　be　the　easiest　part　of　the　night。　The　police　helicopters　are　holding　back…over　a　mile　away。　They　aren't　used　to　being　blown　out　of　the　sky。　The　fire　from　the　last　downed　chopper　spreads　over　the　front　of　the　skyscraper。　In　the　distance　I　see　smoke　from　the　first　chopper。　Joel　shakes　his　head　as　he　climbs　in。
　　〃They'll　never　stop　hunting　us　after　this；〃　he　says。
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　jest。　〃They　might　be　afraid　to　e　after　me。〃
　　We　head　northeast。　I'm　anxious　to　get　out　of　the　suburban　sprawl　and　into　the　wild；　somewhere　we　can　disappear。　The　nearby　mountains　are　a　possibility。　Our　chopper　is　fast；　capable　of　going　two　hundred　miles　an　hour。　To　my　surprise；　the　police　helicopters　don't　really　pursue　us。　It's　not　just　because　we're　faster　than　they　are…a　fact　I　have　to　question。　They　allow　the　gap　to　grow　between　us　to　at　least　twenty　miles。　The　length　of　the　space　doesn't　reassure　me　because　I　know　they　still　have　us　under　visual　observation。
　　Nothing　will　be　gained　by　plunging　low　to　the　ground；　below　the　radar。　They　are　waiting　for　something；　biding　their　time。
　　〃Reinforcements；〃　I　mutter　as　we　swoop　over　the　sleeping　city　at　an　elevation　of　a　thousand　feet。
　　Joel　nods。　〃They've　called　for　bigger　guns。〃
　　〃Army　helicopters？〃
　　〃Probably。〃
　　〃Which　direction　will　they　e　from？〃
　　〃There　is　a　large　base　south　of　here。　You　might　want　to　head　north。〃
　　〃I　was　planning　to　do　so　after　I　reached　the　Cajon　Pass。〃　The　pass　cuts　into　the　desert；　also　a