el.angeleyes-第116部分

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　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；'　I　take　it　you　mean　you　have　put　her　under　articulated　interrogation。''
　〃And　we　know　her　source；〃　Mars　pressed　grimly　on。　〃Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko。　I'm　afraid　you're　going　to　be　information　dry　for　some　time　to　e。〃　
　〃So　that's　how　it's　going　to　be。〃　
　〃Yes。〃
　〃No　more　trying　to　be　my　kindly　uncle；　cajoling　me　out　of　the　intelligence　stored　in　my　brain；　pulling　it　from　me　like　taffy；　centimeter　by　centimeter。''
　〃The　traitor　rade　Bondasenko　has　caused　the　situation　to　change；〃　Mars　said。　〃It's　clear　that…〃
　He　stopped；　horrified。　The　Hero's　expression　had　gone　slack；　his　eyes　had　rolled　up　into　his　head；　and　his　head　lolled　on　his　left　shoulder。
　At　the　same　time；　Mars　felt　a　stirring　against　his　legs；　something　cold　and　rough　like　a　shark's　skin　scraped　against　his　flesh　where　the　purling　water　had　lifted　his　trouser　leg。　He　kicked　reflexively　as　he　turned　this　way　and　that　to　see　where　Arbat　was。　He　saw　her　across　the　pool　looking　curiously…somewhat　hostilely　he　thought…at　him。
　When　he　turned　back；　the　Hero's　eyes　had　cleared。　He　was　looking　directly　at　him。　Mars　said；　〃What　the　hell　happened　to　you？〃
　The　Hero　opened　his　mouth；　spewed　out　sounds　that　had　no　meaning。
　Mars　felt　the　small　hairs　at　the　back　of　his　neck　stir　again。　He　thought　of　Lara　saying；　He's　metamorphosing。　And　his　own　response；　Into　what？
　〃Odysseus；〃　Mars　said；　〃can　you　understand　me？〃　
　The　Hero　said　nothing；　and　Mars　called　for　Lara。　In　a　moment　she　swam　up。　〃Look　at　him；〃　Mars　manded　her。　〃A　moment　ago　I　asked　him　a　question　and　he　answered　me　in　a　nonsense　language。　Has　he　ever　done　that　to　you　or　Tatiana？〃
　〃No；〃　Lara　said。　She　was　staring　curiously　at　the　Hero。　〃He　looks　different　somehow。〃
　〃Different？〃　The　icy　crawling　had　returned　to　the　pit　of　。Mars's　stomach。　〃How　do　you　mean？〃
　〃His　eyes；〃　she　said；　swimming　a　bit　closer。
　Mars　reached　out；　pulled　her　back　beside　him。　〃What　about　his　eyes？〃　His　fright　had　made　him　angry　with　himself；　and　he　was　impatient　with　her。　；
　〃I　can　see　right　through　them。〃
　〃Impossible；〃　Mars　snapped。　〃A　moment　ago　they　were　as　opaque　as　ball　bearings。〃　But　he　peered　into　the　Hero's　face　anyway。　Had　those　eyes　changed？　In　this　low　light　he　couldn't　be　certain　unless　he　went　closer。　He　wasn't　going　to　do　that。
　He　swam　to　the　edge　of　the　pool；　hoisted　himself　out。　Water　sluiced　from　his　sodden　clothes；　filled　the　spaces　in　his　shoes。　His　tie　was　ruined。　He　rubbed　at　his　leg　where　he　had　felt　something　mysterious　scrape　him。
　〃Lara；〃　he　said；　〃where　is　Irina　Ponomareva？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　rade。〃　Lara　was　still　staring　into　the　Hero's　face。　〃She　left　here　some　time　ago。〃
　〃She　had　transportation？〃
　''I　think　she　said　she　had　a　car。''
　Mars　nodded。　He　had　loaned　her　the　car；　so　he　knew　where　to　find　it。　It　had　a　homing　device　hidden　in　the　innards　of　the　engine。　Perhaps　when　he　found　the　car；　he　would　also　find　Irina。　He　stood　up。　He　thought　it　imperative　that　he　do　so　as　quickly　as　possible。
　〃I　need　some　dry　clothes；〃　he　said　imperiously。
　〃Right　away；　rade。〃　Lara　tore　herself　away　from　her　contemplation　of　the　Hero。　She　got　out　of　the　pool；　went　quickly　across　the　room；　disappeared　into　a　cubicle。
　Mars　stared　down　at　the　still；　floating　figure　of　the　Hero。　He　thought　with　a　shiver　of　the　thing　that　had　brushed　against　him　in　the　pool。　What　is　happening　to　you？　he　asked　silently。　What　are　you　being？　He　suspected　that　even　the　Hero　did　not　know　the　answer　to　that。
　At　the　end　of　Red　Square　one　crosses　the　Moskva　River　via　the　Moskvoretsky　Bridge。　From　there　one　is　confronted　by　the　illusion　of　choice；　for　it　is　no　choice　at　all：　two　streets　which；　though　their　paths　immediately　diverge；　end　up　in　precisely　the　same　place：　Dobryninskaya　Square。
　This　is　part　of　the　great　Sadovaya　ring　that　girdles　central　Moscow；　and　here　is　known　as　the　Zamoskvorechye；　or　the　District　Beyond　the　Moskva。
　Centuries　ago　the　Zamoskvorechye　was　the　residential　quarter　not　only　for　the　czar's　servants；　but　for　the　court　artisans。　Nowadays　it　is　very　different；　like　most　of　Moscow；　having　gone　through　a　period　of　intense　industrialization　during　the　early　part　of　the　nineteenth　century。
　However；　many　delights　still　abound　here；　not　the　least　of　which　is　the　Church　of　St。　Gregory　of　Neocasarea。　One　arrives　at　this　seventeenth…century　triumph　of　Gothic　architecture　by　passing　over　either　one　of　the　Kamenny　bridges；　following　halfway　down　Bolshaya　Polyanka　Street。
　The　church　is　surrounded　by　modern　one…story　houses　with　their　wide　porches　and　cool　inner　courtyards；　its　five…domed　sanctuary　and　tented　belfry　soaring　over　the　shaded　houses　and　narrow　streets　to　the　right；　where；　startlingly；　one　es　upon　the　Institute　of　Geography　and　the　Atomic　Energy　Administration。
　Valeri　Bondasenko　could　not　have　found　a　better　hiding　place　in　all　of　Moscow　than　the　Church　of　St。　Gregory　of　Neocasarea。　Though　its　gorgeous　interior　had　been　denied…　the　sublime　sanctuary's　decorative　frescoes　and　ceramics　had　been　confiscated　by　the　state…the　church　was　a　popular　spot　for　foreign　tour　groups。　Intourist　buses　were　always　parked　not　far　away；　and　the　ringing　voices　of　sour…faced　state　tour　guides　could　be　heard　during　the　day；　as　regular　as　the　belfry's　chiming；　echoing　through　the　interior；　repeating　by　rote　the　authorized　version　of　this　particular　piece　of　history。
　Below　the　shuffling　crowds；　in　the　long…forgotten　church　crypts；　Valeri　and　Sergei　hunched　in　the　dust　and　the　cobwebs。　Beside　them；　on　a　crude　pallet；　Valeri's　daughter　lay　as　if　asleep。　Her　face　was　peaceful；　utterly　blank。
　〃God　must　be　testing　us；　eh；　rade？〃　Sergei　said　with　a　derisive　laugh。　〃Otherwise；　I　can't　think　why　I　feel　like　Job。〃
　〃It　appears　that　the　testing　will　be　over　soon；〃　Valeri　said　in　a　serious　tone；　〃one　way　or　another。〃
　Sergei　sobered　quickly。　〃Is　White　Star　doomed；　men？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Valeri　admitted。　〃rade　Volkov…〃
　〃May　he　rot　in　hell　for　eternity！〃
　〃rade　Volkov　may　have　squeezed　Natasha　Mayakova　dry；　but　there　is　only　so　much　she　knows。　We　have　sprung　a　leak；　to　be　sure；　but　we're　not　yet　sinking。　As　long　as　my　log　of　White　Star　activity　is　safe；　so　are　we。〃
　Sergei　said；　〃I　don't　think　I　care　for　the　look　on　your　face；　rade。　What　are　you　thinking？〃
　〃I'm　thinking　that　as　long　as　my　puter　is　in　my　apartment；　it　is　a　liability　to　us　now。''
　〃The　log　is　in　there？〃
　Valeri　nodded。　〃Hidden　safely　away　from　inquisitive　eyes。　But　still。　。　。〃
　〃Yes。　I　understand　pletely；〃　Sergei　said。　〃Still；　it　is　there。''　He　shrugged。　''Well；　one　thing　is　for　certain；　with　rade　Volkov's　people　scouring　the　city　for　us；　neither　of　us　can　risk　going　to　the　apartment　to　get　it。。　All　of　Moscow　has　bee　a　danger　zone。　I　doubt　if　we　can　risk　anyone。''
　〃Anyone　who　is　involved　with　White　Star。〃
　〃Well；　of　course；　that's　what　I　meant；〃　Sergei　said。　〃But　who　else　could　we　use？〃
　〃There　is　someone　。。。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃A　woman。〃
　Sergei　groaned。　〃Not　another　woman；　rade。　Look　at　what　has　happened　to　Natasha　Mayakova。　Doesn't　her　torture　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Valeri　said。　〃It　means　a　great　deal。　I　cared　about　Natasha…〃
　〃That；　if　I　may　say　so；　is　the　problem　with　you；　rade。　Emotional　involvement…〃
　〃　…is　a　clear　and　present　danger；''　Valeri　finished　his　thought。　〃Yes；　I　know；　Sergei。　But　I　find　it　imperative　to　continue　to　see　people　as　people；　not　as　pawns　to　be　pushed　around　a　chess　board。〃
　〃But　for　the　sake　of　all　of　us；　you'll　push　this　woman　around　the　board；　won't　you；　rade？〃
　〃I'll　tell　her　what　needs　to　be　done；　but　not　why；〃　Valeri　said。　〃I'll　give　her　a　choice。〃
　〃The　illusion　of　choice；　you　mean；〃　Sergei　grunted。　〃By　the　time　you're　done　with　her；　holding　her　tight；　kissing　her；　I'm　quite　certain　she'd　jump　off　the　Moskvoretsky　Bridge　if　you　asked　her　to！〃
　〃She　is　not　someone　to　manipulate；〃　Valeri　insisted。
　〃Neither　was　Natasha　Mayakova；　rade；　but　you　manipulated　her　just　the　same。　For　the　good　of　us　all。〃
　〃It　was　wrong　of　me　to　so　shamelessly　use　Natasha　in　that　way。〃
　〃Wrong？　But　no；　you　have