el.angeleyes-第135部分

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　〃Is　that　so？〃
　Both　Mars　and　the　Hero　turned　at　the　same　instant。
　〃By　Christ；〃　Mars　said。　〃It　is　you；　rade。〃
　Valeri　emerged　from　the　shadows。　〃I'm　sorry　it　took　me　so　long　to　get　here；　Mars　Petrovich；　but　there　were　many　plications　to　surmount。〃
　Mars　looked　around。　''Where　is　Pokov？　Where　are　my　men？''
　〃They　couldn't　make　it；　I'm　afraid。〃
　Mars　let　go　of　Irina；　stood　up　facing　Valeri。　His　face　registered　shock　and　confusion。　〃You're　here　by　yourself？　How　did　you　get　into　this　fortress　past　my　guards？〃
　〃There's　a　way；''　Valeri　said。　〃It's　been　done　often　enough。''　He　looked　around　at　the　carnage。　〃My　God；　what　have　you　done　to　Lara　and　Tatiana？''
　〃How　do　you　know　them？〃
　〃I　know　a　great　deal；　rade；〃　Valeri　said。　〃But　I　fear　it's　too　late　to　begin　explaining；　and　anyway；　I　doubt　if　you'd　understand。〃
　Mars　looked　from　Valeri　to　the　Hero　and　back　again　as　understanding　slowly　flooded　through　him。　〃What　an　idiot　I've　been；''　he　said　at　last。　''Natasha　wasn't　only　bringing　Odysseus　limited　distribution　KGB　files　you　stole；　she　was　ferrying　White　Star　intelligence　back　and　forth。　The　two　of　you　are　in　this　together。　Odysseus　has　been　helping　you　organize　White　Star。〃
　''Almost　right；''　Valeri　said。　''You're　still　the　dull…witted　oaf；　I'm　afraid。　Don't　bother　trying。　You'll　never　get　it　all。〃
　During　this　exchange　Irina　had　slowly　crawled　away　from　the　arena　the　two　antagonists　had　drawn　for　themselves。　She　could　almost　see　their　enmity　crackling　like　lightning；　it　was　so　palpable。　Ice…blue　and　indigo　shadows　filled　the　pool　room；　there　was　a　ghastly　sense　of　blood　heat；　as　exposed　as　a　white　bone　protruding　through　purple　flesh。
　She　was　sobbing　silently。　The　terror　that　filled　her　seemed　to　leak　out　her　eyes　as　tears；　the　pores　of　her　skin　as　sweat。　It　racked　her　like　a　terrible　ague；　so　that　she　shook　uncontrollably。
　Her　mind　was　at　once　numb　and　on　fire。　She　could　not　believe　the　depths　of　Mars's　depravity。　The　thought　that　he　had　once　made　her　so　content；　that　she　had　happily　contemplated　being　part　of　his　family；　made　her　sick　to　her　stomach。
　But　there　was　so　much　more。　As　she　watched　with　hollow　eyes　the　harrowing　confrontation　between　these　two　men　who　had　once　meant　something　to　her；　she　saw　how　removed　she　was　from　the　mentality　of　men。　What　drove　them　to　such　cruelty　and　violence？　She　could　feel　the　sickness　in　their　souls　permeating　the　room　like　an　inimical　miasma；　and　she　saw；　horrified；　how　she　had　been　infected　by　their　hideously　distorted　lust　for　power；　control；　dominion　over　others。
　She　recognized　at　last　how　Mars　and　Valeri；　each　in　his　own　way；　had　used　her；　twisted　her　around　the　force　of　his　personality　as　if　forging　a　blade　out　of　a　slab　of　steel。　But　she　was　not　made　of　steel。　No　matter　to　them；　they　had　tried；　in　their　infinite　masculine　arrogance；　to　make　her　into　steel。
　And　she　saw　the　truth　at　last；　that　there　was　no　difference　between　Mars　and　Valeri。　In　the　end　it　did　not　matter　what　each　wanted；　what　each　stood　for；　because　the　two　of　them　were　so　intent　on　getting　what　they　wanted；　they　made　certain　that　nothing　and　no　one　got　in　their　way。
　Irina　saw　them　confronting　one　another；　and　this　new　truth　said　to　her；　Leave　them　alone。　Do　nothing。　Let　their　violence　burn　itself　out　naturally。　They　will　kill　one　another；　and　that　will　be　the　end　of　it。
　Then　she　saw　Mars　raise　his　gun；　fire。　She　saw　Valeri　stagger　back；　his　right　shoulder　red　with　blood。　It　was　too　much。
　〃No！〃　she　screamed。
　Irina；　weeping；　could　not　understand　what　was　happening　inside　her。　She　wanted　to　do　nothing；　to　sit　and　watch　these　two　men　destroy　each　other。　But　she　could　not。
　To　her　horror；　she　found　herself　next　to　the　open　arsenal　cabinet。　Now　she　was　standing；　reaching　inside。　She　took　down　a　Kalishnikov。　Her　finger　curled　around　the　trigger；　and　lowering　the　muzzle；　she　walked　toward　the　two　men。
　Mars　was　aiming　at　Valeri。　Dimly；　she　was　aware　of　other　figures　in　the　shadows；　and　she　thought　with　terror　of　Mars's　Border　Guards。
　KGB。　Keep　calm。
　〃Stop　it。　Mars！〃　she　said　as　she　advanced。
　〃Shut　up！〃　Mars　snapped。
　〃Keep　out　of　this；　Irina；〃　Valeri　said。
　Mars　was　about　to　pull　the　trigger　again。　Instead；　Irina　did。
　The　sound　was　deafening。　Irina　and　Mars　screamed　at　almost　the　same　instant。　Mars's　body　was　blown　forward　by　the　force　of　the　fusillade　of　bullets；　and　his；　body　slid　across　the　floor　to　e　to　rest　at　Valeri's　feet。
　Tears　were　streaming　down　Irina's　face。　She　dropped　the　Kalishnikov；　rubbed　the　palms　of　her　hands　down　her　thighs。　She　saw　the　blood　leaking　out　of　Mars's　back；　and　she　slipped　to　her　knees；　began　to　gag。
　〃Odysseus；〃　she　whispered　softly。　〃Save　me。〃
　The　Hero　reached　up　over　the　edge　of　the　pool；　drew　her　slowly　onto　the　coping；　slid　her　into　the　pool　next　to　him。　Arbat　broke　from　the　pool　bottom；　came　to　nuzzle　her　bottle　nose　against　Irina's　side。
　〃Oh；　Arbat！〃　Irina　laughed；　then　immediately　began　to　cry　again。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Tori　said；　ing　up　to　where　Valeri　knelt。
　He　was　holding　his　shoulder；　staring　down　at　Mars。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃Something　odd　has　happened。　I've　thought　about　this　moment　for　a　long　time。　I　thought　I　would　feel　elated　when　it　came。　But　you　know；　the　funny　thing　is；　I　don't。　I　feel　deflated；　empty。〃　He　put　his　hand　briefly　on　the　top　of　Mars's　bloody　head。　''Almost　as　if　a　part　of　myself　has　died。''
　〃That　was　a　damned　stupid　way　to　e　in　here；〃　Russell　said　from　the　other　side　of　him。　〃That　sonuvabitch　could　have　killed　you　with　the　first　shot。〃
　〃It　was　the　only　way；〃　Valeri　said；　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　face。　〃If　Mars　saw　you；　he　would　have　shot　you　both　without　a　moment's　hesitation。　And　it　was　far　too　risky　to　attempt　to　infiltrate　this　room。　One　hint　of　our　presence　and　Mars　would　have　had　two　precious　hostages　to　defeat　us　with。〃
　〃Bullshit；〃　Russell　said。　〃We　would　have　had　time　to…〃　
　〃You　did　not　know　Mars　as　I　did；〃　Valeri　said。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃And；　in　any　case；　he　did　not　kill　me　with　the　first　shot。〃　He　looked　away　from　Mars　for　the　first　time；　up　into　Russell's　face。　〃He　was　the　finest　marksman；　you　know。〃
　〃Talk　to　me；〃　the　Hero　said　to　Irina。
　〃I　feel　unclean。〃　She　put　her　head　against　his　shoulder。　〃Hold　me；〃　she　whispered；　and　when　she　felt　his　arms　around　her；　said；　〃Mars　was　right；　violence　does　beget　violence。　Everything　he　said　was　true。　I　seduced　and　I　lied；　and　I　loved　it。　Then；　I　was　in　so　deep；　I　betrayed　Natasha　and　Valeri。　I　didn't　know　what　I　was　doing。　I　didn't　know　who　Mars　was　when　I　told　him。　But　it　doesn't　matter。　That's　just　a　rationalization。　I　should　never　have　betrayed　the　trust　Natasha　put　in　me。　She　was　my　friend；　and　surely　I　had　a　hand　in　her　torture。　And　now　this。　I've　killed　someone　with　my　own　hands。　Now　I　am　truly　part　of　Mars's　world。〃
　〃If　that　is　really　how　you　feel；〃　Odysseus　said；　〃I　cannot　help　you。〃
　Irina　drew　her　head　back。　She　stared　into　his　fathomless　eyes。　〃What　do　you　mean？　You　must！　I'm　relying　on　you。〃
　〃No；　Irina。　It's　time　for　you　to　rely　on　yourself。　I　can　help；　yes；　that's　true。　But　only　you　can　save　yourself　from　the　violent　world　you　fell　so　madly　in　love　with。　And　only　if　you　want　to。〃
　The　tension　came　into　her　frame；　and　her　blackness　returned；　the　blackness　she　recognized　as　her　fear　of　the　endless　Siberian　winter；　the　bars　over　her　moon；　the　country　as　her　prison；　and　a　voice　inside　her　said。　Now　you　have　nothing。　You　're　lost；　utterly　lost。
　Irina　could　feel　the　tears　welling　hotly　in　her　eyes；　but　this　time　she　fought　them　back；　just　as　she　fought　the　voice　inside　her。　She　did　not　have　to　be　lost；　it　was　not　preordained。
　There　were　alternatives　to　being　utterly　lost；　and　now　she　found　that　she　wanted　more　than　anything　to　explore　those　alternatives。
　They　would　not　be　in　America；　as　she　had　dreamed；　but　it　was　a　foolish　dream；　an　adolescent's　wanting　to　run　away　from　responsibility。　And　if　there　was。　anything　she　could　learn　from　the　Него；　it　was　a　sense　of　responsibility。
　She　stared　into　the　depths　of　Odysseus's　opalescent　eyes；　and　in　the　silence　of　their　munication；　told　him　that　she　was　ready。
　While　Russell　saw　to　Valeri's　wound。　Ton　went　to　where　Lara　lay；　checked　t