el.angeleyes-第15部分

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Greg　is　away　at　Cal　Tech；　studying　for　finals　which　he　takes　more　seriously　than　God。　
　I　am　alone。　Tori　thinks；　the　glyph…covered　stele　ing　nearer。
　She　goes　into　the　bar　and　orders　drink　after　drink。　She　is　underage；　but　she　regularly　passes　for　eighteen。　In　any　event；　her　beauty　is　something　no　bartender　can　resist；　and　she　is　never　turned　down　or　asked　for　ID。
　A　jukebox　is　blasting　〃The　Loco…Motion；〃　and　the　dancing　is　ferocious。　There　are　a　number　of　black　leather　jackets。　She　sees　tattoos；　long；　lank　hair；　thick；　studded　belts　and　armbands。　One　biker　wears　a　miniature　skull　on　a　leather　thong　around　his　neck。　A　girt　asks　him　something；　and　he　laughs；　fondling　it；　saying　over　the　music；　〃It's　real；　man。　Belonged　to　a　rat　that　thought　it　could　share　my　kitchen　with　me。　What　you　think　o'　that？〃　The　girl　giggles　giddily　and　shudders；　but　she　cannot　avert　her　gaze　from　the　grisly　talisman。
　All　the　guys…and　most　of　the　girls…are　staring　at　Tori。　She　sticks　out　here　like　a　tea　rose　in　a　cabbage　patch。　Someone　is　pointing　out　the　window；　at　her　brand　new　T…bird；　and　the　whispering　begins。　The　artifact；　once　at　the　edge　of　her　horizon；　is　almost　close　enough　to　touch。
　The　only　guy　who　hasn't　noticed　her　is　the　one　with　the　rat　skull　around　his　neck。　He　is　not　handsome；　not　even　attractive　to　Tori；　but　that　is　irrelevant。　He　is　the　one　she　wants。　In　him　burns　the　fire　she　knows　so　well…yet　does　not　understand　at　all：　the　rage　of　the　beast　caged；　bound　by　the　laws　of　a　hypocritical　society。　He　will　be　the　one；　her　Rosetta　stone；　from　whom　she　will　obtain　the　secret　of　deciphering　the　glyphs　of　her　rage。
　He　is　dancing　with　the　girl　who　asked　about　the　skull。　There　is　a　fire　in　her　eyes　that　Tori　recognizes　and　envies；　a　fire　she　feels　but　must　suppress　in　order　to　fit　into　the　perfectly　manicured　life　in　Diana's　Garden。　The　fire　exhibits　itself　as　simple；　unadulterated；　elemental；　and　it　represents　everything　Tori　is　not。
　With　a　sudden　wrenching　of　the　girl's　wrist；　Tori　spins　her　away　and　begins　dancing　with　the　biker。　He　is　huge；　and　she　smells　him；　a　rich；　heady　bination　of　leather　and　sweat。　Primitive。　The　beast。
　〃Hey！　Hey！〃　The　girl　has　returned；　her　hair　disheveled；　her　face　twisted　into　an　angry　mask。
　〃Get　lost！〃　Tori　shouts　as　she　dances。　〃I'm　here　now！〃
　〃Bitch！〃　the　girl　shouts　back；　and　reaches　clumsily　for　her。　The　rage　bursts　its　bonds；　at　last。　Tori　twists　her　upper　torso；　slams　her　balled　fist　into　the　girl's　face。　The　girl's　neck　snaps　back　and　her　legs　go　out　from　under　her。
　Tori　continues　to　dance　with　the　biker。　She　has　not　once　looked　into　his　eyes。　She　does　not　want　to。　His　eyes　don't　interest　her。
　〃Hey！〃　he　says。　〃Hey！〃
　Tori　is　dancing；　and　hardly　notices　that　he　has　stopped。
　The　biker　says　to　her；　''Who　the　fuck　do　you　think　you　are？''　And；　as　casually　as　someone　would　swat　a　fly；　he　smashes　the　heel　of　his　thick　hand　into　Tori's　nose；　breaking　it。　。。。
　Tori　sat　very　still　in　the　huge　leather　chair。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　she　had　thought　of　that　night　in　the　Valley。　Because　her　nose　had　healed　slightly　crooked；　her　mother　had　taken　her　to　her　own　plastic　surgeon。　But　after　seeing　the　array　of　new　noses　he　could　provide　her；　Tori　had　run　out　of　his　office　and　never　gone　back。　In　the　end；　her　imperfect　nose　had　bee　for　her　a　badge　of　sorts；　a　reminder　of　what　she　had　never　gotten　and　what　she　needed。
　Freedom　to　be　。。。
　Be　what？　She　did　not　know。　But　Adona　was　right：　she　needed　a　passion。　Without　it；　she　was　suspended　in　limbo；　surviving　perhaps；　but　hardly　living。
　
　〃Tori？〃　Laura　Nunn　poked　her　head　into　the　library。　She　was　wearing　a　pair　of　blue　jeans　with　lines　of　rhinestones　across　the　pockets　and　down　the　legs；　and　a　plain　white　man…tailored　shirt；　both　of　which　she　had　just　bought　at　a　posh　store　on　Rodeo　Drive　in　the　mistaken　impression　this　casual　outfit　would　allow　her　to　feel　closer　to　her　daughter。　But　this　attempt　at　being　a　pal　was　a　role　as　well；　and　the　sight　merely　saddened　Tori。
　〃Oh；　there　you　are；　darling！　You　seemed　to　have　disappeared　like　a　puff　of　smoke。〃　Laura　Nunn　flashed　her　kilowatt　smile。　〃There's　someone　here　to　see　you。〃
　〃There　is？　I　don't　see　how。〃　Tori　looked　up　from　the　book　she　was　reading。　She　had　one　leg　thrown　over　the　arm　of　me　oversized　leather　chair　she　was　slouched　in。　She　was　barefoot；　wearing　only　a　pair　of　cutoffs　and　a　Cal　Tech　T…shirt。　''No　one　knows　where　I　am。〃
　〃Nevertheless；　he's　here。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Russell。〃
　〃Russell　who？〃
　〃Why；　you　know；　dear。　Russell　Slade。〃　Laura　Nunn　held　the　smile　as　if　she　were　waiting　for　the　director　to　yell；　Cut！　
　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　Tori　slammed　the　book　shut；　jumped　off　the　chair。　〃I　hope　to　God　you　told　him　to　go　to　hell　or；　at　the　very　least；　that　I　wasn't　home。〃
　〃I　did　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Laura　Nunn　said。　〃I　told　him　I　was　delighted　to　see　him…which；　by　the　way；　I　am。　I　told　him　I'd　go　fetch　you。　Now…〃
　〃Mother；　Russell　Slade　fired　me！〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sure　that　was　just　a　misunderstanding；〃　Laura　Nunn　said。　〃More　a　matter　of　internal　politics　than　anything　else。　I'm　certain　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　kind　of　job　you　were　doing。　New　regimes；　and　all　that。　People　who　e　into　a　new　job　want　their　own　people　under　them。　It's　only　natural；　darling。　I've　seen　it　happen　often　enough　at　the　studios。　One　just　has　to　thicken　one's　skin。　The　last　thing　you　need　is　to　take　this　kind　of　unpleasantness　personally。〃
　〃Oh；　Jesus；　I　haven't　even　spoken　to　Russell　since　he　canned　me　a　year　and　a　half　ago。''
　〃Not　even　when　we　were　。。。　in　Washington　last　year？〃
　〃No。〃　Tori's　mother　could　not　bring　herself　to　speak　of　it；　but　the　President　had　presented　them　with　the　Congressional　Medal　of　Honor　awarded　posthumously　to　Greg；　and　she　had　carried　it　back　here；　put　it　away　in　a　drawer　in　Greg's　room。　It　was　to　her　not　a　symbol　of　pride；　but　rather　another　reminder　of　the　enormous　tragedy　of　his　death。
　〃I　can't　think　why　you　haven't　patched　up　your　differences　by　now；　darling。　He's　such　an　adorable　man。　Just　perfect　for…〃　Some　sixth　sense　caused　her　to　stop。　She　turned　to　look　over　her　shoulder；　said　in　a　voice　so　bright　it　verged　on　being　brittle；　〃Darling；　look　who's　here！〃
　And　Tori　saw　Russell　Slade　brush　past　her　mother；　neatly　cutting　off　her　own　avenue　of　escape　from　the　library。
　〃Hello；　Tori；〃　he　said；　just　as　if　nothing　had　ever　happened　between　them。
　Tori；　for　the　moment　speechless；　looked　past　him　to　where　her　mother　still　stood　in　the　partly　open　doorway。　Laura　Nunn　gave　Tori　a　beseeching　look；　then　quietly　closed　the　door。
　Russell　looked　around。　〃I　haven't　been　here　in　a　long　time。　It　was　good　to　see　your　mother　again。　My　God；　what　a　magnificent　woman　she　is。〃
　〃You've　got　a　set　of　brass　ones；〃　Tori　said。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　here？''
　〃Could　I　have　a　drink；　do　you　think？　It's　a　long　drive　from　the　airport。〃
　Tori　went　to　the　wet　bar　along　one　wall；　fixed　him　a　Tom　Collins　without　asking　him　what　he　wanted；　she　already　knew。　She　handed　him　the　drink；　and　he　nodded。　He　was　dressed　elegantly　but　fortably　in　a　dark　blue　polo　shirt；　linen　trousers；　a　beautifully　cut　lightweight　silk　jacket。　Tori　was　acutely　aware　that　she　was　barefoot　and　dressed　like　a　waif。　She　seemed　at　a　distinct　disadvantage；　like　a　naughty　child　being　interviewed　by　her　father。
　〃I've　e　to　debrief　you；〃　Russell　Slade　said。
　〃Debrief　me？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Someone　had　to　do　it。　I　thought　it　might　as　well　be　me。　Ariel　Solares　was　one　of　my　best　field　men。　Since　you　were　there　when　he　died；　you　know　it's　standard　operating　procedure　that　you　be　debriefed。〃
　〃You're　the　director；　you　don't　know　the　first　thing　about　debriefing　field　personnel；　they're　too　far　down　the　food　chain。〃
　Russell　ignored　her　sarcasm。　〃As　I　said；　Solares　was　one　of　my　best　men。　I　thought　it　wise　if　I　came　myself。''
　〃Don't　bullshit　me；　Russell。　You　came　here　because　it　was　me　who　was　with　him。''
　〃I　understand　your　anger；　but…〃
　〃You　don't　understand　one　thing　about　me！〃　Tori　flared。
　Russell；　taking　a　sip　of　his　drink；　regarded　her　coolly　over　the　rim　of　his　glass。　〃In　any　event；　〃　he　said　at　last；　〃I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I　don't　work　for　you　anymore。〃
　He　sighed　as　he　took　a　s