el.angeleyes-第115部分

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　him　mad；　or　is　what　Tatiana　is　telling　me　the　truth？　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　Abruptly　he　stood　up；　put　the　glass　aside。　He'd　had　more　than　enough　liquor。　〃I'd　better　go　see　him。〃
　He　left　Tatiana　as　he　had　found　her；　carefully　folding　the　Hero's　shirts。
　Upstairs　in　the　pool　room　it　was　very　still。　Even　the　water　seemed　to　have　ceased　its　constant　lapping。　It　was　dark；　and　Mars　groped　in　the　gloom　for　the　light　switch。
　〃rade；　don't　turn　it　on。〃　It　was　Lara's　voice。　〃The　Hero's　eyes　have　bee　sensitive　to　light。〃
　Mars　fumbled　his　way　toward　the　pool。　〃Have　you　informed　the　doctors？〃　Now　that　he　was　closer；　he　could　see　the　slight　phosphorescence　of　the　saltwater。
　〃Yes；　they've　examined　him　extensively；〃　Lara　said。　〃They're　baffled。〃
　〃Bah；〃　Mars　said　with　a　dismissive　gesture。　〃They're　baffled　by　almost　everything。　What　use　are　they？　What　use　is　anybody？　''　He　squatted　on　the　coping　of　the　pool。
　Lara　swam　up　to　him。　He　could　see　her　dark　eyes；　her　dark　hair　gleaming；　plastered　back　against　her　skull。　Her　face　was　an　almost　perfect　oval。　Mars　wondered　why　he　had　never　noticed　that　before。
　〃Something's　happening。''
　The　way　she　said　it；　low；　deep　in　her　throat；　made　the　short　hairs　at　the　back　of　Mars's　neck　stir。　''What　do　you　mean？''
　〃I　mean　that　this　sensitivity　to　light　does　not　seem　isolated；　but　rather　part　of　an　ongoing　process。''
　〃What　nonsense；〃　Mars　scoffed。　Then；　looking　at　the　expression　on　her　face；　he　said；　〃Is　it　the　cosmic　radiation　affecting　him　so　quickly？〃　
　〃The　doctors　say　no。〃
　〃What　do　they　know？　Nothing。〃　But　Mars　felt　a　peculiar　writhing　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　He　remembered　Tatiana　telling　him　that　it　was　her　belief　that　the　Hero's　mind　was　no　longer　human。　It's　been　altered。　He　recognized　the　tiny　flame　of　his　fright　flickering　in　the　phosphorescent　darkness。　〃Lara；　what　is　happening？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　but　I　think　he's　in　the　early　stages　of　some　kind　of　change。〃　
　〃You　mean…〃　
　〃He's　metamorphosing。〃
　Mars　worked　his　jaws　for　a　moment　until　he　was　able　to　whisper；　〃Into　what？〃　
　But　he　was　greeted　only　with　silence。　
　〃Where　is　he？〃　Mars　said　after　a　time。　
　〃In　the　pool；〃　Tatiana　said。　〃Around　the　other　side　with　Arbat。〃
　〃Stay　here；〃　Mars　ordered　her。　He　got　up；　made　his　way　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　pool。　
　〃Odysseus？〃
　Mars　heard　his　voice　in　echo。　It　resounded　in　the　darkness　that　now　seemed　alive　with　a　hidden　pulsing…of　life；　but　what　form　of　life？　Mars　gave　a　tiny　shudder；　squared　his　shoulders；　called　to　the　Него　again。　
　〃Here　I　am；　rade。〃
　The　lapping　of　the　water；　a　small　splash　over　the　coping　at　Mars's　feet。
　Mars　looked　down；　saw　the　pale；　pale　flesh　of　the　Hero's　face　and　shoulders。　Was　it　his　imagination　or　was　the　Hero's　skin　even　more　colorless　than　usual；　more　metallic　looking…more　alien。
　At　that　moment　Mars　felt　a　hand　clamp　around　his　left　ankle。　
　〃You're　too　faraway；　rade。〃
　The　grip　on　him　tightened。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Mars　said。
　''Why　stand　aloof　at　a　distance？''
　The　Hero　gave　a　mighty　pull；　and　Mars　lost　his　balance。　His　backside　hit　the　coping　with　a　painful　smack。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　himself　being　dragged　into　the　pool。　He　fought　to　resist；　but　it　was　as　if　his　muscles　were　paralyzed；　his　body　of　no　use　at　all。
　The　saltwater　rose　over　him；　and　he　felt　the　drag　of　the　water　on　his　clothes。　He　waved　his　arms；　scissored　his　legs；　but　his　shoes　were　weighing　him　down。　The　water　closed　over　his　face。
　Then　a　fist　grabbed　his　shirt　and　he　was　pulled　upward。　His　head　broke　the　surface　of　the　pool　and　he　spluttered。　Saltwater　ran　down　his　face。　His　eyes　cleared　slowly。　He　was　face　to　face　with　the　Hero。
　〃It's　a　strange　world；〃　Odysseus　said；　〃don't　you　agree；　rade？〃
　〃Exceedingly　strange。〃　Mars　was　struggling　with　his　fear。　It　had　been　bad　enough　when　the　Hero　had　scared　him　with　the　fake　radium　pellet　he　had　thrown　into　me　pool；　now　Mars　was　in　here　with　the　Hero　himself…and　what　was　the　Hero　being？
　Odysseus　guided　him　to　the　side　of　the　pool。　〃Thank　you　for　not　turning　on　the　lights。〃
　Mars　said；　〃You're　wele；〃　then　realized　that　this　was　the　most　civil　exchange…brief　though　it　was…that　he　and　the　Него　had　ever　had。　He　heard　the　small　splashings　beside　him。
　〃I　don't　seem　to　need　as　much　light　as　I　used　to　in　order　to　see。〃　It　was　the　Hero's　voice；　all　right；　Mars　assured　himself。　But　what　was　he　saying？　〃Also；　I　see　things　I　never　saw　before。〃
　Mars　opened　his　mouth　to　say；　Like　what？　but　no　words　would　e　out。　He　recognized；　with　a　shudder；　that　part　of　him　did　not　want　to　know。　The　same　part　of　him　that　wanted　to　get　out　of　here　as　fast　as　it　could；　and　stay　far　away。　With　an　act　of　will；　Mars　clamped　down　on　that　part；　shoved　it　back　into　the　shadows　of　his　subconscious　where　it　belonged。
　〃I　can　see　underwater　without　opening　my　eyes。〃　It　didn't　matter；　he　saw　with　a　mounting　horror　he　could　not　control；　the　Hero　was　going　to　tell　him　anyway。　〃Arbat　says　that　I'm　developing　the　kind　of　sonar　that　she　has。〃
　Mars　forced　himself　to　say；　〃All　this　sounds　like　so　much　fantasy；　Odysseus。〃　But　there　was　no　conviction　in　his　voice。　〃Don't　you　think　perhaps　you're　imagining　these　changes？〃
　〃Just　as　I　imagined　the　color　between　the　stars？〃　His　face　was　very　close　to　Mars's。　There　was　a　sharp；　distinct　scent　like　cloves；　but　not　cloves。　〃The　color　of　God？〃　His　eyes　were　like　steel　pellets；　hard；　highly　reflective。　〃Perhaps　this　is　all　a　dream；　eh；　rade？　My　training；　the　flight　of　the　Odin…Galaktika　II；　the　EVA；　Menelaus's　death；　the　event。〃　He　spread　his　hands。　〃All　this。　The　building；　the　pool；　Arbat。　You。
　〃If　I　were　a　solipsist；　Volkov；　I　tell　you　that's　what　I　would　believe。　But　my　experiences　have　made　me　into　something　as　far　from　a　solipsist　as　possible。　I　am　not　alone。　Man　is　not　alone。〃
　His　voice；　though　soft；　had　the　quality　of　a　tolling　bell；　as　if　there　were　reverberations　like　sparks　filling　the　space　above　the　pool　even　after　he　had　ceased　to　speak。
　Mars　had　had　enough　of　this。　He　needed　to　establish　control　of　the　interview；　give　it　a　certain　rhythm；　to　turn　it　from　a　conversation　into　an　interrogation。　That　would　calm　him；　he　was　sure。
　〃I　am　afraid　to　say；　Odysseus；　that　your　days　of　uninterrupted　information　gathering　have　e　to　an　end。〃　Mars　was　watching　the　Hero's　face　for　a　sign　of　reaction。　He　thought　of　Natasha　Mayakova's　face　when　he　had　announced　that　he　was　taking　her　to　the　Lubyanka。　Too　bad　he　couldn't　do　the　same　with　the　Него；　but　he　could　not　afford　a　revolt　from　all　the　cosmonauts　in　Star　Town。　With　the　burgeoning　breakdowns　in　farflung　parts　of　the　Soviet　Union…the　strikes；　the　pro…nationalist　demonstrations；　the　acts　of　sabotage　against　government　installations…he　could　not　risk　such　a　protest　so　close　to　home　and　from　the　symbols　of　Russian　pride　and　superiority。
　So　it　was　to　be　no　hard　man　for　the　Hero。　Just　Mars　Volkov。
　〃You've　been　very　clever；　I'll　admit；〃　Mars　said。　〃But　I've　been　more　clever。　I　have　found　the　source　of　your　illegal　information。〃
　〃Is　it　your　intention　to　isolate　me；　then？〃
　Damn　him；　Mars　thought。　I　can　discern　nothing　in　his　eyes。　No　emotion　at　all。　〃For　a　time；〃　Mars　said。　〃Punishment　enough；　I　would　think；　for　being　involved　in　an　illegal　activity。　And　I　assure　you　that　I　am　being　lenient；　because　I　am　ignoring　entirely　the　charge　of　espionage　that　no　doubt　someone　more　rigid　and　zealous　than　I　could　level　at　you。''　He　shook　his　head。　〃KGB　files　are　off…limits　to　everyone　other　than　ranking　KGB　personnel。〃
　''Even　members　of　the　Kremlin；　so　I　understand。''
　〃We　are　not　here　to　debate　the　fine　points　of　Soviet　policy！〃　Mars　thundered。　Seeing　the　look　on　the　Hero's　face；　he　immediately　regretted　his　tone。　He　was　ashamed　that　he　had　been　led　to　lose　his　temper。
〃It　seems　self…evident；〃　Odysseus　said　blandly；　〃that　far　too　often　Soviet　policy　and　KGB　policy　travel　two　separate　paths。〃
　〃For　the　good　of　the　state；〃　Mars　said　stiffly。　Another　error。　〃And　the　labor　camps；　as　well。　They　exist　for　the　good　of　the　state。〃
　Mars　glared　at　the　gleaming　ashen　face　which　he　found　so　impenetrable。　All　right；　he　thought。　Both　barrels。　〃We　have　Natasha　Mayakova；　your　courier。''
　〃By　'have　her；