el.angeleyes-第131部分

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　The　Toshiba　crashed　to　the　floorwell　of　the　car。　Mars　balled　his　fist；　smashed　it　into　Nikolev's　belly　where　the　bullet　had　entered。　Nikolev　shouted；　and　tears　of　pain　came　to　his　eyes。
　Mars　immediately　bent　to　retrieve　his　pistol；　but　Nikolev　caught　him　in　a　lock　meant　to　break　his　arm。　Gritting　his　teeth；　Mars　jammed　his　elbow　into　Nikolev's　face；　heard　the　sharp　crack　of　the　jawbone　splintering；　and　thought；　I　have　him　now。
　It　was　a　mistake。　Nikolev；　almost　blind　with　pain；　used　two　quick；　percussive　blows　to　Mars's　solar　plexus。　Bright　spots　of　noncolor　danced　in　Mars's　head　and　he　felt　himself　begin　to　black　out。　He　fought　to　gain　control　over　his　spasming　diaphragm；　winced　as　the　third　blow　robbed　him　of　desperately　needed　air。
　He　used　the　heel　of　his　hand　in　an　attempt　to　break　Nikolev's　nose；　but　the　lack　of　oxygen　in　his　system　had　robbed　him　of　strength　and　he　had　nothing　behind　the　strike。
　Meanwhile；　Nikolev　was　hard　at　work　trying　to　separate　Mars　from　his　ribs。　Mars　felt　a　searing　pain　lance　up　into　his　chest　and　neck。　He　was　losing　feeling　in　his　right　side；　and　he　began　to　panic。　He　had　nothing　to　work　with；　so　in　desperation　he　slammed　his　forehead　into　Nikolev's　nose。　Blood　and　cartilage　splattered；　but　the　pain　in　his　chest　would　not　abate。
　Mars；　losing　control；　hit　Nikolev　again　with　his　forehead；　and　this　time　Nikolev's　neck　snapped　back；　the　top　of　his　head　smashing　into　the　Zil's　windshield　and　breaking　it。　Nikolev；　stretched　unnaturally　backward　across　the　dashboard；　blinked　heavily；　momentarily　stunned。
　Mars；　taking　great　gulps　of　air；　made　the　most　of　this　respite。　He　drove　his　fist　into　Nikolev's　side　over　and　over　until　the　rib　cage　gave　way。
　Nikolev　fell　sideways　into　the　floorwell。　His　face　was　streaked　with　blood；　and　shards　of　glass　were　embedded　in　his　cheeks。　his　eyes　stared　upward。
　Mars；　almost　weeping　with　the　enormous　expenditure　of　energy；　cursed　him　mightily；　kicked　the　side　of　his　head。　He　bent　over；　put　his　head　between　his　legs　so　that　he　wouldn't　pass　out。
　It　took　him　some　time　to　recover。　The　smell　of　fresh　blood；　as　sickly　as　decaying　flowers；　reminded　him　of　how　close　he　had　been　brought　to　the　brink　of　death。
　〃You　sonuvabitch；　Nikolev；　you　thought　you　were　more　clever　than　I　was；　but　in　the　end　you　didn't　have　a　clue。　I　had　a　man　on　the　inside　of　your　division　since　before　the　time　I　had　you　seconded　to　Department　N。　That's　one　of　the　reasons　I　picked　the　Eleventh　Division　of　the　Border　Guards。''
　He　spat　onto　Nikolev's　face。　The　captain　was　beyond　caring；　but　just　the　same；　it　made　Mars　feel　better。
　Mars　opened　the　passenger's　door；　bent　down；　rolled　Nikolev's　corpse　out　onto　the　verge　of　the　highway。　〃Dead　meat；　Captain；〃　Mars　said。　〃You　were　right　about　that　at　least。〃
　He　took　the　Toshiba　off　the　floorwell。　The　case　was　covered　in　blood　and　bits　of　bone；　but　Mars　didn't　care　about　that。　Hurriedly　he　unzipped　the　case；　cursed　harshly　as　he　saw　the　damage　his　bullet　had　done　to　the　puter。　There　was　a　large　chip　taken　out　of　the　hard　disk。
　Christ；　he　thought；　this　is　useless　now；　the　White　Star　information　is　locked　away　in　there　for　all　time。　Now　I　need　Valeri　Denysovich　more　than　ever。
　Throwing　the　Toshiba　aside；　he　activated　the　Zil's　two…way　radio。　He　identified　himself；　asked　to　be　patched　through　to　Lieutenant　Pokov。　His　fingers　drummed　impatiently　against　the　bloody　dashboard。　e　on！　he　thought。　e　on！
　The　radio　crackled　to　life。　〃Pokov。〃
　〃This　is　Volkov；〃　Mars　said　without　preamble。　〃You　are　now　manding　the　Eleventh　Division；　is　that　clear；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃Perfectly；　rade。〃
　〃You　have　the　Americans　in　sight？〃
　〃I　do。　Everything　is　under　control。〃
　〃Excellent。　They　will　lead　you　to　Bondasenko。　Bring　as　many　men　as　you　feel　you　need。　I　give　you　the　authority。　And；　Pokov；　I　need　Bondasenko。　I'd　like　to　have　the　Americans　as　well；　but　if　they　give　you　the　least　problem；　kill　them。　The　less　witnesses　the　better；　do　you　follow　me；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃Yes；　rade。〃
　〃Volkov　out。〃
　Mars　replaced　the　receiver；　slid　over　into　the　driver's　seat。　He　started　the　engine；　swung　the　Zil　around；　headed　back　for　Star　Town。　It　was　difficult　negotiating　the　highway　with　the　shattered　windshield；　and　he　was　soon　obliged　to　pull　over；　use　the　butt　of　his　pistol　to　knock　out　the　remainder　of　the　glass　so　he　could　see。
　The　guards　gaped　at　him　as　he　pulled　into　the　Hero's　fortress；　but　he　had　no　time　to　give　them　an　explanation。　He　was　thinking　of　how　Anatoly　Nikolev　had　believed　himself　more　clever　than　himself。　He　expected　Irina　did；　too。　She　thought　she　had　convinced　him　of　her　loyalty；　but　he　knew　better。　He　was　willing　to　bet　that　someone；　somewhere；　had　given　her　proof　that　he；　not　Valeri；　was　KGB。　He　could　see　the　fear　in　her　eyes；　feel　it　in　her　body　when　she　touched　him。
　Had　she　been　fertile　when　she　had　allowed　Odysseus　to　take　her？　He　did　not　know　if　she　was　capable　of　such　a　terrible　lie。　Buy　why　not？　he　asked　himself　as　he　raced　up　the　stairs　of　the　Hero's　fortress；　wincing　at　the　pain　from　his　broken　ribs。　She　had　proved　herself　capable　of　so　many　dangerous　things。　He　admired　her　for　that；　even　as　he　hated　her　in　the　same　unthinking　way　he　hated　the　traitor；　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko。　It　was　the　antipathy　of　the　cobra　for　the　mongoose。　There　was　no　reason　to　it；　just　an　elemental　fire　that　could　be　temporarily　banked；　but　would　never　go　out。
　Now；　Mars　thought；　opening　the　door　to　the　pool　room；　it's　time　to　see　just　how　far　Irina　is　capable　of　taking　her　triple　life。　He　decided　it　would　be　most　interesting　to　see　whether　she　clung　to　her　smooth　lies　even　at　the　edge　of　death。
　Having　crossed　both　the　Moskva　River　and　the　narrow　canal　at　the　end　of　Red　Square；　having　e　cautiously　down　to　Dobryninskaya　Square　on　the　Sadovaya　ring；　Tori　and　Russell　now　found　themselves　on　the　edge　of　the　Zamoskvorechye；　the　District　Beyond　the　Moskva。
　Behind　them；　they　could　see　the　four　handpicked　men　Captain　Nikolev　had　left　behind　to　make　sure　they　got　safely　to　their　destination。　He　had　been　most　persuasive。　〃With　Mars　Volkov　using　the　bulk　of　the　Eleventh　Division　to　b　Moscow　for　Valeri　Bondasenko；　you'll　never　make　it　on　the　streets　on　your　own；〃　Nikolev　had　said。
　Lieutenant　Pokov　got　out　of　his　Zhiguli；　came　over　to　them。　It　was　one　of　those　typical　Russian　cars；　tinny；　unfortable；　a　piece　of　junk；　really。　Yet　another　manifestation　of　the　third…world　atmosphere。　〃We　are　close　to　a　number　of　Volkov's　patrols；〃　he　said。　〃Are　we　near　our　destination？〃
　〃Fuck　off；〃　Russell　said。
　Pokov　looked　hurt。　He　was　a　stolid…looking　dark…haired　Russian　with　the　kind　of　musculature　one　often　saw　on　amateur　wrestlers。　He　appeared　very　quick　on　his　feet。　〃I'll　lock　the　car　and　leave　it　here。　It　will　attract　too　much　attention　closer　in。〃
　Russell　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　Pokov；　drew　Tori　away　from　him。　〃I'm　liking　this　less　and　less；〃　he　whispered　to　her。　〃We're　out　in　the　deep　water；　and　we　can't　even　tell　the　good　guys　from　the　bad　guys。　This　seems　to　be　an　excellent　way　to　get　ourselves　killed。''
　Tori　said；　〃You　still　think　Nikolev's　fall　of　shit；　don't　you？〃
　〃Believe　me；　I　would　like　to　think　he's　telling　us　the　truth；　bat　I　can't。　Face　it；　the　odds　are　against　it。　Tori。　Look　at　this　setup。　In　all　honesty；　we've　got　to　figure　he　had　more　reason　to　lie　than　to　tell　us　the　truth。　Or　he　could　have　been　telling　us　the　truth　but　for　the　wrong　reasons。''
　〃Is　that　the　same　thing？〃
　Russell　looked　at　her。　〃Do　you　see　what's　happening？　We're　getting　so　enmeshed　in　sorting　out　the　truth；　we've　lost　our　way　in　the　forest　of　lies。　And　let　me　tell　you；　Moscow　is　not　a　city　to　get　lost　in。　You　do；　and　chances　are　you　never　e　out。〃
　〃Either　way；〃　Tori　said　levelly；　〃we've　got　to　reach　Valeri　Bondasenko　as　quickly　as　possible。　It's　after　one　in　the　morning；　less　than　four　hours　to　the　start　of　the　Russian　invasion　of　the　Baltic　states。〃
　〃If　Nikolev　wasn't　pulling　our　leg。〃
　They　fell　silent　as　Lieutenant　Pokov　approached　them。　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　we　must　go　quickly。　It　is　very　late。　Not　many　people　are　still　on　the　streets；　and　so　you　will　bee　too　conspicuous　to　remain　out　yourselves。　One　of　Volkov's　patrols　could　pick　you　up