cp.reddice-第7部分

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　　These　military　men　are　not　like　the　LAPD。　They　expect　their　orders　to　be　obeyed。　They　may　have　instructions　to　take　us　alive；　but　they　also　have　orders　to　prevent　us　from　escaping。　A　quarter　mile　from　the　water；　they　open　fire　with　surgical　precision　and　suddenly　our　rotor　blades　are　not　a　hundred　percent　intact。　Our　copter　falters　in　the　air；　but　stays　up。　The　noise　above　us　is　deafening。　Yet　I　continue　on　toward　the　lake。　I　have　no　choice。
　　〃Get　ready　to　jump；〃　I　tell　Joel。
　　〃I'm　not　leaving　till　you　leave。〃
　　〃Nice　line。　But　you　have　to　jump　as　soon　as　we　cross　over　the　water。　Swim　for　the　far　shore；　not　the　near　one。　Stay　under　water　as　long　as　possible。〃
　　Joel　hesitates。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　swim。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　said　I　don't　know　how　to　swim。〃
　　I　can't　believe　it。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　that　earlier？〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　what　you　had　planned。　You　didn't　tell　me。〃
　　〃Joel！〃
　　〃Sita！〃
　　I　pound　the　chopper　dashboard。　〃Damn！　Damn！　Well；　you're　just　going　to　have　to　learn　how　to　swim。　You're　a　vampire。　All　vampires　can　swim。〃
　　〃Says　who？〃
　　〃Says　me；　and　I'm　the　only　authority　on　the　subject　Now　stop　arguing　with　me　and　prepare　to　jump。〃
　　〃You　jump　with　me。〃
　　〃No。　I　have　to　wait　until　they　fire　their　lethal　blow…that　way　they'll　think　I'm　dead。〃
　　〃That's　crazy。　You　will　be　dead。〃
　　〃Shut　up　and　crack　your　door　slightly。　When　you　reach　the　far　shore；　run　into　the　hills　and　hide。　I'll　find　you。　I　can　hear　a　vampire　breathing　ten　miles　away。〃
　　The　Apaches　are　still　determined　to　prevent　us　from　reaching　the　water。　One　swoops　overhead　and　literally　drops　itself　directly　into　our　path。　I　have　to　go　into　another　steep　dive　to　avoid　it；　which　is　easy　to　do　because　the　craft　is　ready　to　crash　anyway。　The　water　is　now　only　a　hundred　yards　away。　The　Apache　behind　us　opens　fire。　They　mimic　my　earlier　strategy。　They　blow　off　our　tail　rotor。　I　immediately　lose　control　We　spin　madly　to　the　left。　Yet　the　water　is　suddenly　below　us。
　　〃Jump！〃　I　scream　at　Joel。
　　He　casts　me　one　last　glance…his　expression　curiously　sad。
　　Then　he　is　gone。
　　Pulling　back　hard　on　the　steering　bar；　I　try　to　gain　altitude；　partly　to　distract　them　from　Joel　and　partly　to　stay　alive。　It　is　my　hope　they　didn't　see　him　jump。　My　chopper　swings　farther　out　over　the　water。　A　mile　away　I　see　Hoover　Dam。　There　is　no　way　I　can　make　it　that　far。　The　chopper　bucks　like　a　hyperactive　horse　on　speed。　Cracking　my　door；　I　take　hold　of　the　shotgun　and　blast　at　one　of　the　Apaches　as　it　swings　nearby。　I　hit　the　top　blades；　but　these　suckers　are　tough。　The　military　chopper　banks　sharply。　Then　the　two　helicopters　regroup；　hovering　behind　me；　twin　hornets　studying　a　wounded　butterfly。　Over　my　shoulder　I　see　one　pilot　nod　to　his　gunner。　The　man　reaches　for　a　fresh　set　of　controls；　no　doubt　the　firing　mechanism　for　the　rockets。　As　I　throw　my　door　open　wide；　an　orange　tongue　of　flame　leaps　out　from　the　side　of　the　Apache。　My　reflexes　are　fast；　blinding　by　human　standards；　but　even　I　cannot　outrun　a　missile。　I　am　barely　free　of　my　seat　when　the　rocket　hits。
　　My　chopper　vaporizes　in　midair。
　　The　shock　from　the　explosion　hits　with　the　power　of　an　iron　fist。　A　fragment　of　burning　metal　cuts　into　my　skull　above　my　hairline；　sending　waves　of　searing　pain　through　my　whole　system。　I　topple　like　a　helicopter　without　a　stabilizing　propeller。　Blood　pours　over　my　face　and　I　am　blinded。　I　do　not　see　the　cold　water　of　the　lake　approaching；　but　I　feel　it　when　it　slaps　my　broken　side。　The　molten　shrapnel　in　my　head　shudders　as　it　contacts　the　dark　liquid。　I　fell　myself　spiralling　down　into　a　forsaken　abyss。　Consciousness
　　flickers　in　and　out。　The　lake　is　bottomless；　my　soul　as　empty　as　dice　without　numbers。　As　I　start　to　black　out；　I　wish　that　I　didn't　have　to　die　this　waywithout　Krishna's　grace。　How　I　would　love　to　see　him　on　the　other　side…his　divine　blue　eyes。　God　forgive　me；　how　I　love　him。
　　　
　　　2
　　I　awake　with　a　pale　wash　of　light　panning　across　my　face。　Opening　my　eyes；　I　see　it　is　the　searchlights　of　hovering　helicopters　pointing　down　on　me。　Only　they　are　high　in　the　air；　and　I　am　many　feet　underwater；　on　my　back；　on　the　bottom　of　the　lake。　Even　though　unconscious；　my　mind　must　have　had　the　wisdom　to　halt　my　breathing。　I　don't　know　how　long　I　have　been　out。　My　head　still　hurts　but　the　pain　is　bearable。　It　is　obvious　that　the　personnel　in　the　helicopters　cannot　see　me。
　　I　wonder　how　Joel　is；　if　he　escaped。
　　My　left　leg　is　pinned　under　the　wreckage　of　my　chopper。　It　is　good　because　otherwise　I　would　be　floating　on　the　surface；　probably　with　many　bullet　holes　in　me。　Pulling　my　leg　free；　I　roll　over　on　my　belly　and　begin　to　swim　away　from　the　lights；　not　sure　at　first　if　I　am　moving　deeper　into　the　lake　or　closer　to　the　shore。　My　desire　for　breath　is　strong　but　not　overwhelming。　I　know　I　can　swim　a　long　way　before　I'll　have　to　surface。　They　can't　scan　every　square　inch　of　the　lake。　I　am　going　to　escape。
　　Yet　there　will　be　no　freedom　for　me　if　Joel　is　not　free。
　　Ten　minutes　later；　when　the　lights　are　far　behind　me；　I　allow　myself　to　swim　to　the　surface　and　peek。　I　am　far　out　in　the　center　of　the　lake。　Behind　me；　near　the　shore　where　my　chopper　was　blown　out　of　the　sky；　the　helicopters　still　circle；　their　beams　still　focused　on　the　water。　Close　to　this　spot；　on　the　shore；　are　several　trucks；　many　uniformed　people；　some　cops；　some　army　personnel。　Joel　stands　in　the　middle　of　them；　a　dozen　guns　pointed　at　his　head。
　　〃Damn；〃　I　whisper。　〃He　really　couldn't　swim。〃
　　I　cannot　rush　in　to　save　him。　I　know　this　yet　I　have　to　stop　myself　from　making　the　attempt。　It　is　my　nature　to　act　quickly。　Patience　has　not　e　to　me　over　the　centuries。　Floating　in　the　center　of　the　black　lake；　it　seems　to　me　the　years　have　only　brought　grief。
　　Joel　is　ushered　into　an　armored　truck。　Men　on　the　shore　are　donning　scuba　gear。　They　want　my　body；　they　want　to　see　it　before　they　can　rest。　I　know　that　I　must　act　quickly　if　I　am　to　track　Joel。　Yet　I　also　know　I　have　to　stop　killing。　They'll　be　looking　for　any　suspicious　deaths　in　the　area　as　a　way　to　confirm　I　am　still　alive。　A　throbbing　sensation　in　my　forehead　draws　my　attention。　I　reach　up　and　pull　away　a　chunk　of
　　shrapnel　that　has　been　working　its　way　out　of　my　skull。　Before　the　infusion　of　Yaksha's　blood；　such　an　injury　would　have　killed　me。
　　I　swim　for　the　shore　where　Joel　is　being　held；　but　a　mile　to　the　left；　away　from　him　and　the　dam。　I　am　a　better　swimmer　than　most　dolphins　and　reach　land　in　a　few　minutes。　No　one　sees　me　as　I　slip　out　of　the　water　and　dash　into　the　rocky　hills。　My　first　impulse　is　to　creep　closer　to　the　armed　assembly。　Yet　I　cannot　steal　one　of　their　vehicles　to　follow　Joel。　Fretting　about　the　growing　gap　between　us；　I　turn　away　from　the　small　army　and　run　toward　the　campgrounds。　Even　in　the　winter；　families　e　to　Lake　Mead　to　enjoy　the　nature。　Overhead；　an　almost　full　moon　shines　down　on　me。　Just　what　I　don't　need。　If　an　Apache　spots　me　again；　I　swear；　I　am　going　to　jump　up　and　grab　its　skids　and　take　it　over。　My　turn　to　fire　the　rockets。
　　The　thoughts　are　idle；　the　mental　chatter　of　a　natural　born　predator。
　　I　find　a　family　of　three　asleep　in　a　tent　on　the　outskirts　of　the　campground；　their　shiny　new　Ford　Bronco　parked　nearby　and　waiting　for　me　to　steal。　Silently；　I　break　the　lock　and　slip　in　behind　the　steering　wheel。　It　takes　me　all　of　two　seconds　to　hot…wire　the　vehicle。　Then　I　am　off；　the　window　down。
　　Throughout　my　long　life；　hearing　has　always　been　ray　best　sense。　I　can　hear　snowflakes　as　they　emerge　from　a　cloud　two　miles　overhead。　Indeed；　I　have　no　trouble　hearing　the　army's　motor　parade　start　their　engines　and　pull　away　from　the　lake。　Probably　the　mander　thinks　he　should　get　Joel　to　a　secure　place；　even　before　the　body　of　the　blond　witch　is　found。　I　use　my　ears　to　follow　them　as　they　move　onto　a　road　that　leads　away　from　the　lake。　Yet；　with　my　nose　in　the　air；　it　is　my　sense　of　smell　that　is　the　most　acute。　It　startles　me。　I　can　smell　Joel…even　in　the　midst　of　the　others…clearly；　in　fact。　I　suspect　this　is　another　gift　of　Yaksha；　master　yakshini；　born　of　a　demonic　race　of　serpents。　Snakes　always　have　exceptional　s