el.angeleyes-第125部分

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　Russell；　who　had　just　taken　some　tea；　was　so　surprised　he　almost　choked　on　it。　He　began　to　cough；　and　his　eyes　teared。　Tori　just　sat　and　stared　at　Nikolev　as　if　he　were　out　of　his　mind。
　〃Have　I　said　something　odd？〃
　〃You　bet　you　have；〃　Tori　said。
　Russell　said；　〃You；　Captain；　are　the　goddamnedest　Russian　I　have　ever　met。〃
　〃Yes？　Well；　perhaps　that　is　something　to　be　proud　of。〃
　〃You　said　something　before　about　a　proposal；〃　Tori　said。
　〃Have　I　your　assurance　that　you'll　listen　to　what　I　have　to　say？〃
　〃I'm　more　paranoid　than　she　is；〃　Russell　said。　〃What　kind　of　proposal？〃
　〃An　。　。　。　exchange　of　information。〃
　〃You　first；　Ivan。〃
　〃Russell！〃　Tori　said。
　〃What？〃　Russell　retorted。　〃Remember　where　we　are；　Tori。　In　a　country　where　we're　guilty　until　proven　guilty。　Anything　we　say　or　do　from　now　on　will　be　used　against　us　in　a　place　not　unlike　the　building　across　the　street。　Talking　to　this　guy's　like　trying　to　stand　in　quicksand。　I　think　he's　as　loony　as　Daffy　Duck。〃
　〃Excuse　me；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said。　〃This　Daffy　Duck；　is　he　a　bozo　as　well？〃
　Tori　put　her　hands　over　her　face。
　Russell　said；　〃Yeah。〃　Then　he　turned　to　her。　〃This　isn't　happening。〃
　〃It　isn't？〃　Nikolev　said；　clearly　confused。
　Russell　said；　''Where　are　the　guys　in　baggy　pants　to　squirt　us　with　seltzer？〃
　〃They　have　seltzer　here；〃　Nikolev　said；　calling　a　waiter。　He　was　trying　to　be　helpful。
　〃That's　all　right；〃　Tori　said。　She　told　the　waiter　in　Russian　to　forget　it；　and　he　retreated。　Tori　hunched　over　the　table。　''Captain；　we　have　nothing　to　hide。　I　want　that　understood　from　the　outset。〃
　Nikolev　nodded。
　〃On　the　other　hand；　。Mr。　Slade　and　I　have　no　way　to　know　whether　we　can　trust　you。''
　〃Tori；　for　God's　sake…〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Captain　Nikolev　said。　His　expression　showed　something　of　his　relief。　〃It　is　like　a　。。。　Mexican　shootout；　yes？〃
　〃Standoff；〃　Russell　said。　〃A　Mexican　standoff。〃
　Captain　Nikolev　nodded　soberly。　〃Thank　you。　I　will　remember　that。　American　idioms　are　so　。。。　inprehensible。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　〃Pardon？　I　just　did。〃
　〃Let's　not　start　this　all　over　again；〃　Tori　said。　She　spread　her　hands　on　the　table　palms　up。　〃How　do　you　wish　to　proceed；　Captain？〃
　〃I　would　like　to　make　my　proposal。。。　but　not　here。〃
　〃Where？〃　Russell　said。
　〃A　villa。　In　the　Lenin　Hills。〃
　Tori　smiled。　〃Captain；　please　try　to　see　this　situation　from　our　point　of　view。　We　have　had　no　assurances　from　you…〃
　〃I　am　speaking　English；〃　Nikolev　said　immediately。　〃KGB　agents　are　not　supposed　to　reveal　such　things。　We　are　to　pretend　ignorance　of　English　so　as　to　learn　more。〃
　Russell　said；　〃To　my　way　of　thinking；　that's　damn　little　in　the　way　of　assurances。''
　〃Be　fair；〃　Tori　said。　〃We　haven't　given　him　much；　either。〃　She　said　to　Nikolev。　〃We'll　listen　to　your　proposal；　Captain；　but　that's　all　we'll　agree　to。〃
　Captain　Nikolev　nodded。
　Russell　groaned。　〃Great。　Either　way；　I　think　we're　about　to　get　fucked。〃
　At　approximately　the　time　that　Tori　and　Russell　were　stuck　at　Immigration　at　Sheremetyevo；　Mars　Volkov　was　embracing　Irina。　Then　he　pushed　her　from　him；　held　her　at　arm's　length　so　he　could　look　into　her　eyes。　〃I　was　getting　worried　about　you；〃　he　said。　〃Your　amateur　sleuthing　is　all　well　and　good…and　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　I　owe　you　an　enormous　debt　of　gratitude…but　with　Valeri　and　his　KGB　stooges　on　the　loose；　when　I　didn't　hear　from　you；　I　feared　the　worst。　In　fact；　I　was　just　about　to　call　the　police　when　you　showed　up。　How　fortuitous！〃
　〃Fortuitous；　indeed。〃　KGB。　Keep　calm。　Irina　was　careful　to　let　none　of　the　terror　she　felt　leak　into　her　voice。　He's　not　yet　ready　to　reveal　himself；　she　thought。　That　means　he　wants　something　from　me。　What？　〃It　seems　that　the　KGB　were　watching　Valeri's　apartment。　They　almost　caught　me。〃
　〃It's　a　good　thing　I'm　here；　then；〃　Mars　said。
　The　rain　beat　against　the　windshield　of　the　car。　The　world　was　contracting　into　a　tiny　gray　ball　the　size　of　a　prison　cell。　Irina　felt　the　irrational　urge　to　look　at　the　Toshiba　portable　to　make　sure　it　was　still　there。　Of　course　it　was。　She　stared　steadfastly　into　the　teeming　mist。
　〃You're　without　wipers；〃　Mars　said。
　〃They　were　stolen。　It's　my　fault。　I　forgot　to　take　them　with　me　one　day。〃
　He　shrugged。　〃There　are　more　in　the　trunk。　I'll　get　a　pair。〃
　Irina　watched　him　as　he　slid　across　the　backseat；　got　out；　went　around　to　the　rear　of　the　car。　She　put　her　hands　on　the　steering　wheel；　then　let　one　slip　to　the　gear　lever。　She　saw　Mars　open　the　trunk；　bend　down。
　All　she　had　to　do　was　release　the　hand　brake；　throw　the　car　in　gear；　and　crash　out　of　the　prison　Mars　was　contemplating　for　her。　Simple。　Irina　felt　her　muscles　tighten　in　preparation　for　the　move。　Or　was　it　so　simple？　Where　was　the　Bonier　Guards　contingent　that　had　had　Valeri's　apartment　cordoned　off？　Surely　they　hadn't　gone　and　left　Mars　here　on　his　own。
　Her　hands　were　shaking　so　badly　that　she　did　not　believe　that　she　could　drive　property。　Not　in　this　downpour。　Not　without　windshield　wipers。
　She　heard　the　trunk　slam；　and　she　gave　a　little　cry　as　her　heart　skipped　a　beat。　Then　Mars　was　ing　around；　attaching　the　blades。　He　did　this　with　one　hand。　When；　a　moment　later；　he　returned　to　the　car；　he　slipped　into　the　front　passenger's　seat。　He　put　Valeri's　Toshiba　between　his　legs。
　Irina　looked　down；　saw　a　pistol　in　Mars's　right　hand。　It　was　pointed　toward　the　floorwell。
　''I　thought　I　saw　one　of　Valeri's　KGB　men；''　Mars　said　when　he　saw　where　she　was　looking。　〃A　kind　of　war　has　broken　out　between　the　two　of　us。''　He　put　the　gun　away。　''I'm　afraid　you　almost　got　killed　ing　between　us。〃
　〃I've　done　what　you　asked。〃　Irina　wondered　whether　her　voice　sounded　as　brittle　to　Mars　as　it　did　to　her。　She　hoped　not。　〃Didn't　I　discover　the　connection　between　Natasha　and　Valeri？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃You　did。　And；　as　I　said；　I'm　grateful。　Valeri　and　I　had　e　to　an　odd　kind　of　stalemate。　Surveillance　on　either　side　had　bee　virtually　impossible。　We　knew　each　other's　people　far　too　well。〃　He　smiled。　〃Then　you　came　to　me　like　an　angel　from　heaven。　For　that　I　am　also　grateful。〃
　The　interior　of　the　car　had　begun　to　steam　up；　and　he　rolled　down　his　window　a　bit。　Rain　pattered　against　the　edge；　sending　a　fine　spray　onto　his　shoulder。　He　took　no　notice。　〃But　I'm　also　puzzled；　Irina。　What　were　you　doing　in　Valeri's　apartment？〃
　〃Trying　to　find　the　answer　to　the　mystery　of　White　Star。〃　She　turned　to　face　him；　thinking；　Was　it　you　who　tortured　poor　Natasha　until　she　gave　up　the　dark　secret　of　Valeri's　daughter？　And　did　you　kill　her　when　she　was　no　longer　of　use　to　you？　Bastard！　She　said；　〃Isn't　that　what　you　asked　me　for？〃
　〃And　what　have　you　found？〃
　She　was　acutely　aware　of　the　gun　in　his　pocket。　''I　searched　his　apartment　and　came　up　with　nothing。〃
　〃Except　this；〃　Mars　said。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Valeri's　puter；〃　she　said。
　〃An　illegal　puter；〃　Mars　said。　〃That　would　be　just　like　Valeri　Denysovich。''　He　stared　at　Irina。　''Why　did　you　take　it？''
　KGB。　Keep　calm。　Irina　fought　the　numbing　terror；　fought　to　make　her　mind　work；　to　figure　out　what　she　must　say　to　him；　to　appease　him　yet　not　to　give　away…
　〃I　'll　answer　for　you；〃　Mars　said。　''You　thought　the　puter　might　contain　White　Star's　secrets。〃
　Her　mind　was　like　a　sheet　of　ice。　〃Yes。〃　What　else　could　she　say？
　Mars　said　nothing　for　a　time。　Then　he　put　his　head　back　against　the　seat　rest；　closed　his　eyes。　A　slow　smile　spread　across　his　lips。　〃Why　don't　we　give　it　a　try？〃
　Too　late；　Irina　realized　her　mistake　in　not　throwing　the　puter　away　when　she　had　had　the　chance。　Better　it　be　lost　to　Valeri　than　land　in　the　hands　of　the　KGB。　She　wept　inside　for　Valeri；　for　Natasha；　for　White　Star；　for　herself；　because　this　monster　had　won。　Now　she　knew　what　he　wanted　from　her。
　She　set　the　wipers　going；　and　the　windshield　cleared　as　much　as　it　was　going　to　with　the　car's　primitive　and　inefficient　defroster。　She　held　her　breath；　said；　〃Where　shall　we　go？　Your　apartment？〃
　〃No；〃　Mars　said。　〃Star　Town。〃
　Arbat　was　swimming　in　a　circle。
　〃What's　the　matter　with　her？〃　Lara　said。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　Hero　admitted。　He　spoke　to　her　in　the　peculiar　clickings　that　Lara　did　not　understand　but　had　grown　used　to。　Immediately；　Arbat　cease