el.angeleyes-第133部分

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　his　arm　went　dead。　Russell　took　the　Kalashnikov　out　of　his　hand；　swiped　him　across　the　side　of　the　head　with　the　stock　end。
　Tori　winced　slightly　as　she　crouched；　began　to　move　out　of　the　aisle　of　pews　into　the　sanctuary　where　she　had　last　caught　a　glimpse　of　Russell。　She　saw　him　now。　He　was　standing　above　the　body　of　the　third　Border　Guard；　and　there　was　a　robed　priest　with　him。　A　disguised　Bondasenko？　Tori　hoped　so。
　〃Russell；〃　she　said　as　she　came　up　to　them；　〃have　you　seen　Pokov？〃
　〃No。　What　about　the　other　two　of　his　men？〃
　〃Taken　care　of；〃　Tori　said。　〃Like　this　one。〃　She　felt　gingerly　at　her　side。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　When　she　nodded；　Russell　stared　at　her　for　some　time。　〃You　really　are　a　very　scary　human　being。〃
　〃Mr。　Slade…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Russell　said。　〃Tori；　this　is　Valeri　Bondasenko。　Valeri；　this　is　Tori　Nunn。〃
　〃We　have　a　lot　to　talk　about；〃　Tori　said。
　The　robed　figure　nodded。　〃This　way；〃　he　whispered。
　''Not　at　this　time；　rade。　Maybe　later。''　Lieutenant　Pokov　emerged　from　the　shadows　where　he　had　been　hidden。　He　had　stayed　so　still　that　even　Tori　had　not　been　aware　of　him。　She　cursed　herself　for　her　lapse。　Sensei　would　have　been　very　angry　with　her。
　Lieutenant　Pokov　nodded　his　head。　''A　pleasure　to　make　your　acquaintance；　rade　Bondasenko。　Or　I　should　say　traitor　Bondasenko。〃
　Russell　was　furious。　〃Tori；　I　told　you　we　shouldn't　have　trusted　that　sonuvabitch；　Nikolev。〃
　〃Ah；　poor　Nikolev。〃　Lieutenant　Pokov　laughed。　He　could　afford　to　be　jovial　now。　〃So　misguided。　Unfortunately；　he　was　stupid　enough　to　have　told　you　the　truth。　Not　that　it　will　do　you　any　good　now。　You're　on　your　way　to　the　Lubyanka；　where　Mars　Volkov　will　interview　you。　rade　Volkov　is　notorious　in　the　Lubyanka　for　his　interviews。　I　don't　envy　any　of　you。〃　He　made　a　sharp　motion　with　his　gun。　〃That　way　is　the　exit；　lady　and　gentlemen。　Use　it。〃
　Pokov　followed　them　down　the　aisle　of　pews。　They　passed　the　second　man　that　Tori　had　dispatched。　Pokov　looked　at　her　grimly。　〃I'll　have　something　to　say　about　this。　I'll　take　a　measure　of　their　shortened　lives　out　of　you　when　Volkov　is　done　with　you。〃
　Tori　saw　ahead　of　them　the　first　man　she　had　fought　with。　She　could　see　his　pistol　lying　on　the　floor　where　she　had　left　it。　She　put　her　hand　in　her　pocket。
　〃So　you　switched　sides；　Pokov；〃　Russell　said。
　Pokov　laughed。　〃I　never　changed　sides　is　more　accurate。　Nikolev　was　a　fool　to　try　to　cross　Mars　Volkov。　No　one　does　that　and　lives　very　long。　I　myself　like　life　too　much　to　play　the　fool。〃
　During　this　exchange；　Tori　had　e　to　the　fallen　Border　Guard。　Putting　her　consciousness　in　mind/no　mind；　feeling　the　void　fill　her　with　the　elemental　power　of　the　universe；　she　bent　down　with　her　back　to　Pokov。
　He　saw　her　almost　immediately。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　he　shouted。　〃Get　away　from　there！〃
　Tori　turned。　She　had　the　Border　Guard's　pistol　in　her　hand。
　Pokov　took　one　look　at　it　and　threw　his　head　back；　laughing。　〃Oh；　good　try。　But　it's　empty。　Do　you　think　I　would　have　left　it　lying　around；　otherwise？〃　his　lip　curled　in　contempt。　〃Stupid　Americans；　sending　a　woman　to　do　a　man's　job。　A　man　would　know　better。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah？〃　Tori　said；　and　pulled　the　trigger。
　Pokov　was　slammed　back　against　the　end　of　a　pew。　His　legs　crumpled　under　him；　and　his　expression　of　shock　and　rage　transformed　his　face　into　a　stylized　mask。
　〃But　it　was　empty；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　know　it　was。〃
　Tori　walked　up　to　him；　held　out　a　handful　of　bullets。
　Pokov's　eyes　fluttered；　his　head　hung　as　he　slid　to　the　floor　of　the　church。
　〃Da　zvedanye；　Pokov；〃　Tori　said；　throwing　the　pistol　onto　his　unmoving　chest。
　Sergei；　the　man　with　the　strawberry　birthmark；　pulled　the　cowl　off　his　face。　〃By　God；　that　was　well　done；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　it's　safe　enough　now　to…〃
　〃No；〃　Valeri　said；　striding　toward　them　from　the　far　end　of　the　sanctuary。　〃I　am　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko。〃　He　clapped　Sergei　on　the　shoulder。　〃You　have　protected　me　from　danger　long　enough；　my　friend。〃
　Tori　and　Russell　introduced　themselves；　and　Valeri　nodded　to　them。　〃Our　terrible　risk　in　bringing　you　here　may　prove　our　downfall。　I　have　not　been　idle　while　you　were　here；　valiantly　defending　me。〃　He　nodded　toward　the　dead　Border　Guards。　〃Your　courage　is　beyond　reproach　and　very　much　appreciated；　but　I'm　afraid　it　may　be　for　nothing。　These　four　did　not　e　alone。　There　is　a　contingent　of　Border　Guards　setting　themselves　in　a　standard　perimeter　around　the　church。〃
　〃That　bastard　Pokov；〃　Russell　said。　〃He　must　have　been　in　munication　with　Volkov。''
　〃No　doubt；〃　Valeri　said。　〃And　now　Mars　Petrovich　has　pulled　his　net　tightly　around　us。〃
　〃Perhaps　too　tightly；　rade；〃　Sergei　said。　〃Remember　the　tunnels　that　lead　out　of　the　crypts　beneath　the　church。〃
　Valeri　nodded　grimly。　〃But　even　so；　Volkov's　patrols　are　everywhere。　We　will　have　no　chance　at　this　hour　on　foot。〃
　〃Maybe　that's　not　so　important　right　now；〃　Russell　said。　He　recounted　Captain　Nikolev's　warning　about　the　dawn　invasion　of　the　Baltic　states　and　the　simultaneous　assassination　of　the　Soviet　president。
　Valeri　closed　his　eyes。　He　seemed　infinitely　weary。　〃Yes；　I　suspected　something　of　that　nature。　But　not　so　soon。〃
　〃Nikolev　said　that　White　Star　is　the　wild　card　in　the　equation。　He　said　that　if　we　could　get　to　you；　White　Star's　leader；　you　would　be　able　to　mobilize　the　organization　to　prevent　the　invasion　and　the　coup。〃　Russell　stared　at　Valeri。　〃We　know　about　the　nuclear　weapons　Bernard　Godwin　has　been　selling　you。　It's　time　to　put　them　to　use。''
　Valeri　shook　his　head。　〃Not　selling；　Mr。　Slade。　Mr。　Godwin　has　been　giving　the　devices　to　us。　He　is　thought　of　as　a　great　patriot　here。　He　is　one　of　White　Star's　spiritual　leaders。''
　〃Good　Christ；〃　Russell　said。
　〃But　all　this　does　no　good；　I'm　afraid；〃　Valeri　said。　〃We　are　rather　cut　off　here。　There　is　no　transcontinental　munication　possible　from　the　church。　I　was　barely　able　to　manage　to　get　your　local　munique。　That　was　what　caused　the　delay　in　my　responding。　No。　We've　got　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　〃We've　got　to　get　to　Star　Town；〃　Tori　broke　in。　〃Mars　Volkov　has　a　woman　named　Irina　and　your　puter。　Is　it　true　that　the　whole　of　White　Star　is　in　its　hard　disk？〃
　〃Irina；〃　Valeri　said。　〃So　Mars　caught　Irina　going　into　my　apartment。　That　must　mean　he　suspects　her　loyalty　is　to　me。〃
　〃So　the　puter　could　betray　you；''　Tori　said。
　Valeri　nodded。　〃Yes。　The　entire　network　is　secreted　in　the　software。　But　no　one　could　possibly　dig　it　out。　It's　a　ghost　in　the　machine。''　Then　he　stopped。　All　the　color　drained　from　his　face。　〃My　God；〃　he　said　softly。　〃A　ghost　in　the　machine。　I　told　Irina；　and　she　is　well　versed　in　puters。　She　could…　If　Mars　forced　her…　Dear　God！〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch；　then　looked　at　Tori。　〃It's　almost　three　in　the　morning。　Yes；　you're　right。　We　must　get　to　Star　Town　now。''
　〃But　how；　rade？〃　Sergei　asked。　〃The　tunnels　will　take　us　to　the　streets；　but　what　then？〃
　And　then　Russell　said；　〃We　have　a　car。〃　He　almost　laughed　in　his　relief。　〃Pokov's　car。〃　He　knelt　down；　went　through　Po…kov's　pockets；　stood　up　with　the　key　in　his　hand。
　At　that　moment　the　front　door　to　the　church　crashed　in。
　〃KGB。　Keep　calm！〃
　〃Quickly！〃　Valeri　whispered。　〃This　way！〃
　They　ran　back　through　the　sanctuary；　through　doors　that　Valeri　carefully　closed　and　bolted　behind　them。　He　left　them　for　a　moment；　while　Sergei　continued　to　lead　them　downward。
　They　were　on　the　second　flight　of　stairs　going　down　to　the　crypts　when　Valeri　rejoined　them。　〃I　smashed　out　the　window　in　the　back　of　the　sacristy；〃　he　said。　〃Thinking　we　have　escaped；　they　will　never　find　us　down　here　now。〃
　In　the　crypt　itself　Valeri　turned　to　the　man　with　the　strawberry　birthmark。　〃Sergei；　you　must　stay　here　with　my　daughter。　I　don't　want　her　moved　again　so　soon；　and　in　any　event；　there　won't　be　room　in　the　car　for　everyone。〃
　''I　understand；　rade。''
　''Take　good　care　of　her。''
　〃As　if　she　were　my　own　daughter。〃
　The　two　men　embraced。
　〃Godspeed；　Valeri。〃
　〃I　will　e　for　you　myself；　Sergei。　After　dawn。〃
　Then　Valeri　Denysovich　Bondasenko　was　leading　Tori　and　Russell　into　the　tunnels；　into　the　darkness　and　the　light；　on　his　final　race　to　save　his　country　from　certain　disaster。
　Mars　had　a　murderous　look　i