el.angeleyes-第117部分

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　〃It　was　wrong　of　me　to　so　shamelessly　use　Natasha　in　that　way。〃
　〃Wrong？　But　no；　you　have　mistaken　my　intent。〃　Sergei　put　his　hand　briefly　on　Valeri's　arm；　a　sign　of　solidarity。　〃You　did　what　needed　to　be　done。　It　might　have　been　dirty；　but　there　is　no　shame　involved；　my　friend。　It　was　necessary。〃
　〃I　am　not　often　certain　of　that；　Sergei。〃
　〃Think　of　Volkov；　man！　Without　your　constant　cunning；　that　monster　would　have　defeated　us　already。''
　''Perhaps　you're　right。''
　〃The　times　of　revolution　are　desperate　times；〃　Sergei　said。　〃They　call　for　desperate　measures。〃
　〃I　think；　rade；　that　we　are　done　with　revolutions。　You　see　the　results　of　our　original　'glorious　revolution。'　Would　you　have　us　repeat　the　mistakes　of　our　forebears？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃No；　rade。　These　may；　indeed；　be　desperate　times；　but　I　will　not　condone　desperate　measures。　The　cycle　of　mindless　violence　and　hidden　greed　must　be　broken；　once　and　for　all　time。　I　will　not　bring　down　one　form　of　tyranny　only　to　replace　it　with　another。　Do　you　understand　this？　Are　you　with　me？〃
　Sergei　nodded。　〃For　forever　and　a　day；　Valeri。〃
　Valeri　clapped　Sergei　on　the　back；　but　his　gaze　was　far　away。　〃Ah；　Natasha；〃　he　said　softly　into　the　musty　darkness　of　the　crypt；　〃if　only　you　knew　how　important　your　pain　was　for　White　Star。　Volkov　has　broken　you；　but　now　he　believes　that　all　you　were　doing　was　bringing　the　Него　KGB　dossiers。　Our　truth　is　still　safe。〃　He　turned　to　Sergei。　〃Still　safe；　eh；　rade？〃
　〃Is　he　gone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Irina　crept　out　of　the　Hero's　shower　where　Lara　had　hidden　her　when　Tatiana　had　warned　them　of　Mars　Volkov's　arrival　in　the　building。
　〃Don't　be　frightened　by　what　you　may　have　overheard。〃
　Irina　slipped　into　the　pool　beside　him。　〃Nothing　about　you　could　frighten　me。〃
　The　Hero　touched　her　as　they　moved　out　into　the　center　of　the　pool。　〃Mars　was　looking　for　you；〃　he　said。
　〃Did　he　say　why？〃
　〃I　don't　think　it　would　be　a　good　idea　to　let　him　find　you；〃　Lara　said。
　''But　why　is　he　looking　for　me？〃
　''He　thinks　you　know　where　Valeri　is　hiding；''　the　Него　said。
　〃He'll　kill　Valeri　if　he　gets　the　chance；〃　Lara　said。
　Irina　shivered。　〃Now　I　am　frightened。〃
　〃So　you　should　be；〃　the　Него　said。　Then　he　put　his　hand　on　her　again；　and　she　felt　a　warmth　flow　through　her。　〃Don't　worry。　You　have　a　guardian　angel　looking　after　you。''
　〃That's　what　Natasha　said。〃　Irina　squeezed　her　eyes　shut。　〃Why　must　there　always　be　violence；　pain；　suffering；　death？〃
　The　lapping　of　the　pool；　four　entities　in　the　faintly　phosphorescent　darkness；　linked　by　an　invisible　umbilical。
　The　Hero　said；　〃All　these　things　are　part　of　human　nature。〃
　〃You're　wrong；〃　Irina　said。　〃You　must　be。〃
　''People　want　things；''　the　Hero　said。　''Usually　they　are　things　they　shouldn't　have；　such　as　too　much　money；　too　much　power；　dominion　over　other　people；　dominion　over　other　nations。　It　never　ends。　There　is　a　cycle　of　human　existence　that　must　be　played　out。〃
　〃Nothing　is　so　inevitable；〃　Irina　said。　〃Now　you　sound　like　a　god　talking　about　his　mortal　charges。〃
　〃Mars　has　accused　me　of　wanting　to　be　a　god；　but　that　is　not　my　intent。〃
　Irina　looked　into　his　extraordinary　opalescent　eyes。　〃What　is　your　intent；　then？〃
　〃Freedom；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃That's　simple；　enough；　isn't　it？　Or　it　should　be。　But　human　nature　being　what　it　is；　the　concept　of　freedom　bees　entangled　like　a　crab　in　a　net；　and　now　that　crab　crawls　and　crawls　and　never　es　to　the　end　of　the　net。〃
　Irina　was　about　to　answer　him　when　she　became　aware　of　Tatiana　slipping　into　the　pool。　She　was　their　sentry。　Both　the　Hero　and　Lara　looked　toward　her。
　〃She　must　go；〃　Tatiana　said；　indicating　Irina。
　〃Now？〃　the　Hero　asked。
　〃At　once。　It　is　vital。〃
　〃Where　am　I　going？〃　Irina　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　leave。〃
　The　Hero　ignored　her　for　a　moment。　He　said　to　Lara；　〃Make　certain　she　exits　as　she　entered　so　she　is　not　seen。〃
　Lara　nodded；　climbed　out　of　the　pool。　Tatiana　followed　her。　Irina　could　hear　the　padding　of　their　bare　feet　against　the　tile。　Water　dripping　in　the　darkness。
　〃Must　I　go？〃　she　repeated。
　''It　is　most　important；''　the　Hero　said；　〃or　the　request　would　not　have　been　made。''
　〃I　won't　go。　I　refuse　to　be　ordered　around。　I'm　done　with　being　a　marionette；　dancing　on　the　end　of　strings　that　men　pull。''
　〃It's　freedom　you　want；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Well；　so　do　I；〃　the　Hero　said。　〃So　do　we　all。　Even　Arbat。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃If　you　consent　to　go；　you'll　be　helping　us　get　there。〃
　〃Then　how　can　I　refuse？〃　But　Irina　felt　the　fright；　like　an　engine　that　would　not　stop；　churning　inside　her。
　The　Hero　smiled。　〃Bravely　spoken。〃
　〃But　where　am　I　going？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃It's　better　that　way；　I　assure　you。〃
　Irina　stared　at　him　with　wide　eyes。　She　was　fighting　back　the　tears。
　The　Hero　swam　up　to　her。　He　took　her　in　his　arms；　kissed　her　hard　on　the　lips。　〃e　back　to　me；　Irina；''　he　whispered。　〃I　don't　know　what　I'd　do　without　you。〃　Irina's　heart　was　beating　so　loud　she　could　hardly　hear　him。　She　searched　the　universe　in　his　eyes；　spoke　to　him　wordlessly　in　that　peculiar　silence　of　munication　she　had　learned　from　him。
　Then　Lara　and　Tatiana　were　standing　on　the　coping。
　〃It's　time；〃　the　Hero　said。
　Bending　down；　they　pulled　Irina　from　the　pool。
　〃What　is　it；〃　Mars　said　to　Captain　Nikolev；　〃that　is　of　paramount　importance　to　you？〃
　〃The　sovereignty　and　security　of　the　Soviet　Union。〃
　〃You　did　not　hesitate。〃
　〃No；　rade。〃
　Mars　nodded。　They　were　sitting　in　the　mand　center　of　Department　N。　Mars　was　at　a　small　desk；　reviewing　the　monitored　munications　of　suspected　White　Star　personnel　over　the　past　twelve　hours。　Captain　Nikolev　was　manning　a　sophisticated　electronics　console。　〃It's　good　to　be　sure　of　yourself；　Captain；〃　Mars　said。　〃That　is　something　that　fades　with　stamina　as　youth　gives　way　to　middle　age。〃　He　looked　at　Captain　Nikolev。　〃You　are；　what？　Thirty…five？〃
　〃Thirty…two；　rade。〃
　〃There　you　have　it；〃　Mars　said　almost　wistfully。　〃Youth　must　have　its　day。〃　He　smiled　enigmatically。　〃Like　perestroika。〃　Almost　immediately　his　mouth　twisted　as　if　he　had　tasted　spoiled　food。　〃Tell　me；　Captain；　how　do　you　feel　about　the　Americanization　of　Russia？''
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Don't　do　that！〃　Mars　balked。　〃Don't　play　the　loyal　but　dull…witted　soldier　with　me；　Captain。　You　may　gull　your　superiors；　but　they　are　only　army　men；　after　all。　You　can't　fool　me。　I　know　the　extent　of　your　intelligence。　I　know　about　your　studies；　your　passion　for　history　that　has　led　you　to　unearth　the　levels　of　'authorized'　histories　down　through　the　decades。〃
　〃rade…〃
　〃Not　to　worry；　Captain。　Your　secret　is　safe　with　me。　But　don't　tell　me　that　you　are　unaware　of　the　Americanization　of　our　country。　The　military　must　now　go　begging　to　a　mittee　formed　from　the　Congress　of　Peoples'　Deputies　if　it　wants　to　change　anything；　including　the　location　of　post　latrines。　Budget　increases？　Oh；　no；　it　must　go　before　an　oversight　mittee　which　knows　nothing　about　capabilities；　liabilities；　national　security。
　〃Then　there　are　the　independent　farmers　who　are　now　being　paid　in　foreign　currency　in　direct　petition　with　the　collectives。〃
　Mars　shrugged。　〃And　what　about　the　KGB？　We　are　forced　to　endure　the　excruciating；　nit…picking　examinations　of　our　present　structure　while　submitting　meekly　to　the　grossest　of　theatrical　public　lamentations　by　known　dissidents　and　subversives　allowed　into　the　Congress；　berating　us　for　what　they　see　as　our　past　sins。〃
　He　grunted。　〃This　is　not　perestroika；　it's　America。〃
　〃As　I　understand　it；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said；　〃perestroika　is　merely　an　experiment。〃
　〃An　experiment　that　has　gone　terribly　awry；〃　Mars　said。　When　Nikolev　made　no　further　ment；　he　continued。　〃We　have　gone　from　trying　to　emulate　a　perfect　model；　to　wanting　to　emulate　a　thoroughly　corrupt　one。　In　terms　you　can　easily　understand；　Captain；　it　is　akin　to　the　ancient　Britons　wanting　to　base　their　culture　on　that　of　Rome　in　the　time　of　Caligula。　Utterly　inprehensible；　utterly　reprehensible。　What　is　happening　to　us；　Captain？　Are　we　to　lose　all　sense　of　ourselves；　of　what　makes　Russia　unique　in　all　the　world？　Our　culture　is　being　subverted　by　the　very　people　who　govern　us。　The　CIA　no　longer