the.stainless.steel.rats.revenge-第23部分

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of　the　rear　of　the　truck　and　so　forth。　None　of　this　was　much　good　and　we　reached　our　destination　with　our　relative　positions　unchanged。　At　gunpoint　I　was　herded　into　a　mandeered　building；　into　an　empty　room　where；　still　at　gunpoint；　I　was　ordered　to　strip。　With　a　portable　fluoroscope　and　cold　probes；　most　humiliating；　they　removed　all　devices　and　gadgetry　from　my　person；　then　gave　me　new　clothes。
　　　　These　clothes　were　something　else　again。　A　single…piece　overall　made　of　soft　and　flexible　plastic　they　provided　protection　and　warmth　for　the　wearer。　Yet　they　were　the　ideal　prison　dress　because　they　were　pletely　transparent。　This　continual　shielded…nakedness　was　certainly　not　morale　building　and　I　began　to　have　even　more　respect　for　the　gray　men。　And　everything　done　in　silence　despite　my　attempts　at　conversation。　The　final　sartorial　touch　was　a　metal　collar　that　locked　around　my　neck。　A　cable　ran　from　the　collar　to　a　box　one　of　the　gray　men　held。　All　of　this　had　a　very　ominous　look　to　it。　My　suspicions　were　justified　when　the　others　left　with　all　of　the　weapons　and　he　faced　me；　box　in　hand。
　　　　〃I　can　do　this；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　as　gray　as　his　garb　and　pressed　a　button　on　the　box。
　　　　The　thing　I　experienced　next　was　quite　unexpected　and　singularly　painful。　In　a　single　instant　I　was　blinded　by　exploding　lights　of　a　color　and　fury　I　had　never　seen　before。　Sound　greater　than　sound　filled　my　ears　and　every　square　inch　of　my　skin　burned　with　fire　as　though　I　had　been　dropped　into　an　acid　bath。　These　interesting　things　went　on　for　a　longer　time　than　I　really　appreciated　and　then　suddenly　vanished　as　quickly　as　they　had　begun。　Sight　and　hearing　returned　and　I　found　myself　lying　on　the　floor　with　a　sore　spot　on　the　back　of　my　head　where　I　had　cracked　it　when　I　fell。　It　felt　rather　good　just　to　lie　there。　That　little　box　must　generate　neural　currents　on　selected　frequencies。　No　need　to　torture　the　body　when　you　can　feed　specific　pain　impulses　into　the　nervous　system。　
　　　　〃Stand；〃　my　captor　said；　and　I　did　rather　quickly。
　　　　〃If　you　wish　to　convey　the　message　that　you　can　do　that　whenever　you　want；　and　right　now　you　want　me　to　behavethe　message　has　been　received。　But　speak　and　I　shall　obey。　I'll　be　a　good　boy。〃　
　　　　For　the　time　being。　Until　I　found　a　way　to　get　out　of　this　stainless　steel　rat　trap。　I　trotted　along　docilely　to　another　room　where　Kraj　waited　for　me　behind　a　large　metal　desk。　The　room　was　dusty　and　blank　areas　on　the　wall　showed　where　pictures　and　pieces　of　furniture　had　been　removed。　The　only　new　item；　other　than　the　desk；　was　a　shining　hook　recently　affixed　in　the　ceiling。　I　was　not　at　all　surprised　when　the　hook　fitted　into　a　ring　on　the　box　and　I　was　leashed；　standing　before　my　captor。
　　　　Kraj　looked　me　up　and　down；　examining　me　closely；　a　very　easy　thing　to　do　considering　the　transparent　condition　of　my　clothing。　I　have　never　suffered　from　a　nudity　taboo　so　this　did　not　bother　me。　It　was　the　cold　and　unemotional　look　in　his　eyes　that　was　more　off…putting。　At　the　present　moment　I　was；　to　use　the　classical　term；　pletely　at　his　mercy。　I　had　no　idea　of　what　nastiness　he　had　in　mind　for　me　and　I　determined　to　at　least　attempt　to　ameliorate　it　a　bit。
　　　　〃What　would　you　like　to　know？〃　I　asked。　
　　　　〃A　number　of　things；　but　that　will　e　later。〃　
　　　　〃What's　wrong　with　now？　Considering　the　state　of　modern　hypnotic　techniques；　drug　therapy　and　old…fashioned　torturelike　your　nerve　machine　hereit　is　impossible　to　keep　facts　from　a　determined　interrogator。　Therefore　ask　and　I　shall　answer。〃　What　little　I　knew　about　the　Special　Corps　he　was　wele　to。　All　of　the　locations　of　the　bases　were　kept　secret　from　us；　undoubtedly　with　an　interrogation　like　this　in　mind。　I　was　surprised　when　he　shook　his　head　in　a　slow　no。
　　　　〃You　will　give　me　the　information　later。　First　you　must　be　convinced　of　the　seriousness　of　my　aims。　I　intend　to　question　you；　then　to　enlist　your　services　in　our　cause。　Voluntarily。　In　order　to　convince　you　of　this　I　must　begin　by　saying　you　will　not　be　killed。　Strong　men　face　death　bravely。　It　is　an　easy　escape　from　their　problems。　You　have　no　such　escape。〃
　　　　I　was　being　less　and　less　intrigued　all　the　time　by　what　he　had　to　say。　I　had　expected　a　rough　questioning　session；　but　he　had　bigger　things　in　mind。　So　I　dropped　the　bantering　tone　and　gave　it　to　him　straight。
　　　　〃Forget　it。　Face　the　fact　that　I　do　not　like　you　or　your　organization　or　what　you　stand　for；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　change　my　mind。　Even　if　I　promise　to　aid　you　you　can　never　be　sure　that　I　mean　itso　let　us　not　get　involved　in　this　sort　of　farcical　position　to　begin　with。〃　
　　　　〃Quite　the　contrary；〃　he　said；　and　touched　a　button　on　his　desk。　The　box　above　hummed　and　reeled　in　the　thick　wire　pulling　me　upward　until　I　had　to　stand　on　tiptoe　in　order　to　breathe；　the　collar　biting　into　my　neck。　〃Before　I　am　through　with　you　you　will　be　begging　me　for　the　opportunity　to　cooperate　and　will　cry　when　I　do　not　permit　it；　until　you　reach　the　happiest　moment　in　your　life　when　you　are　at　last　granted　your　single　wish。　Let　me　demonstrate　one　of　our　simpler　but　most　convincing　techniques。〃
　　　　My　feet　vibrated　with　pain　but　I　had　to　stay　on　my　toes　or　I　would　have　been　strangled　by　the　collar。　Kraj　rose　and　walked　behind　me　where　I　could　not　see　himthen　seized　both　my　wrists　and　pushed　them　down　against　the　edge　of　the　metal　desk。　The　desk　obliged　him　by　snapping　two　cuffs　about　my　wrists；　clamping　them　there。　Not　about　my　wrists；　this　isn't　exactly　true；　but　about　my　lower　arm；　leaving　my　wrists　and　hands　free。　Not　that　I　could　do　anything　more　than　drum　my　fingertips　on　the　tabletop。　Kraj　reappeared　and　bent　to　take　something　from　a　drawer　in　the　desk。
　　　　It　was　an　ax。　A　long　handled；　steel　edged　ax　of　a　primitive　and　efficient　sort　that　could　be　used　to　chop　down　trees。　He　took　it　in　both　hands　and　raised　it　high　over　his　head。
　　　　〃What　are　you　doing？　Stop！〃　I　shouted　in　sudden　fear；　writhing　in　the　metal　embrace；　unable　to　do　anything　except　stare　while　he　held　the　ax　high　for　a　moment。　Then　brought　it　down　with　a　vicious；　forceful　chop。
　　　　I　suppose　I　screamed　when　it　hit；　I　must　have；　the　pain　was　large　and　consuming。
　　　　As　was　the　sight　of　my　right　hand　severed　from　the　wrist；　lying　unmoving　on　the　desk　top；　the　spout　of　blood　from　my　wrist　pumping　out　and　drenching　it。　The　ax　went　up　again　and　this　time　I　am　sure　I　shouted　aloud；　screamed；　all　the　time　it　went　up　and　flashed　down　and　my　left　hand　was　severed　like　the　right　and　my　life's　blood　spouted　out　all　over　the　desk　and　ran　down　to　the　floor。
　　　　And　through　the　pain　and　the　terror　that　possessed　me　I　was　aware　of　Kraj's　face。　Smiling。　Smiling　for　the　first　time。
　　　　Then　I　was　unconscious。　Blacking　out；　dying；　I　couldn't　tell。　The　world　rushed　away　from　me　down　a　dark　tunnel　and　I　was　left　with　the　sensation　of　pain　alone　and　then　even　that　was　gone。
　　　　When　I　opened　my　eyes　I　was　lying　on　the　floor　and　a　period　of　unmeasured　time　had　gone　by。　My　thoughts　were　thick　with　sleep　or　something　else　and　I　had　to　work　to　dredge　up　the　memory　of　what　had　happened。　Only　when　the　startling　vision　of　my　severed　hands　came　to　me　clearly　did　I　open　my　eyes　and　sit　up；　rubbing　one　hand　with　the　other。　They　felt　perfectly　normal。　What　had　happened？
　　　　〃Stand　up；〃　Kraj　's　voice　said；　and　I　realized　that　I　was　sitting　on　the　floor　before　his　desk　and　that　the　collar　was　still　in　place　about　my　neck　with　its　wiring　running　up　to　the　device　on　the　ceiling。　I　stood；　slowly；　and　looked　at　his　clean　desk。　There　was　no　blood。
　　　　〃I　would　have　sworn　。　。　。〃　I　said　and　my　voice　died　away　as　I　saw　the　two　great　grooves　in　the　metal　top　of　the　desk　as　though　it　had　been　hit　twice　with　some　heavy　blade。　Then　I　lifted　my　hands　before　my　face　and　looked　at　my　wrists。
　　　　Each　wrist　was　circled　by　a　red　weal　of　healing　flesh　with　the　sharp　red　points　of　removed　stitches　along　the　edges。　Yet　my　hands　felt　as　they　always　did。　What　had　happened？
　　　　〃Are　you　beginning　to　understand　what　I　mean？〃　Kraj　asked；　once　more　seated　behind　the　desk；　his　voice　as　gray　as　his　clothing。
　　　　〃What　did　you　do？　You　couldn't　have　amputated　my　hands　and　sewed　them　back。　I　could　tell；　it　would　take　time；　you　couldn't　。　。　。