el.angeleyes-第33部分

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　〃What？〃　Russell　twisted　in　his　seat。　〃Tori；　where　the　hell　d'you…〃　He　tried　to　get　the　pistol　out　of　Estilo's　grip；　but　failed。
He　heard　the　blast　of　a　shotgun　firing。　''Goddamnit；　let　go；　you　sonuvabitch！　She'll　be　killed！〃
　Because　now　the　remaining　motorcycle　had　swerved　off　the　center　of　the　road　and　was　traveling　down　the　right　verge　in　direct　line　with　Tori's　flight。　The　MAC…10　was　chattering。
　The　motorcycle　was　almost　upon　them。　In　a　moment　it　would　zip　right　by　their　right　side；　and　then　it　would　be　too　late　to　do　anything　to　help　Tori。　Russell　redoubled　his　efforts　to　free　his　pistol；　but　it　was　like　battling　an　octopus；　and　he　was　unused　to　unarmed　bat　in　such　restricted　quarters。　The　intervening　back　of　the　seat　prevented　him　from　using　the　throws　and　holds　he　had　learned。
　He　could　see　the　faces　of　the　sicarios；　long　hair　streaming；　huge　grins　splitting　their　faces　as　they　rode　the　wind；　the　high　their　speed　and　their　power　brought　them。　They　ignored　the　Renault　and　its　occupants；　focused　as　they　were　on　the　woman　who　had　killed　their　patriots。　The　MAC…10　resumed　its　thunder。
　Just　as　the　sicarios　were　about　to　draw　abreast　of　the　Renault；　Estilo　squeezed　off　one　round　through　the　open　side　window　and；　at　the　same　instant；　kicked　his　door　open　wide。
　The　motorcycle　was　far　too　close　to　avoid　the　obstruction；　and　there　was　a　wailing　scream　as　it　plowed　into　the　steel　door；　tearing　it　straight　off　its　hinges。　At　the　same　time；　the　motorcycle　rose　into　the　air　like　a　bronco　spitting　the　bit。　The　vehicle　squealed　as　if　wounded；　hurled　itself　over　on　its　side。
　Estilo　was　out　of　the　Renault　in　a　flash；　and　Russell　saw　Tori　racing　back。　Estilo　kicked　the　MAC…10　from　the　dead　driver's　hand。
　As　he　got　out　of　the　car；　Russell　could　see　the　bullet　hole　in　the　side　of　me　sicario's　head；　a　clean　hit；　and　he　thought；　Jesus；　what　a　shot！
　Estilo　placed　his　left　foot　across　the　remaining　sicario's　wrist；　preventing　him　from　getting　to　his　shotgun。　There　was　blood　running　from　his　nose　and　one　ear。　Nobody　said　a　word　until　Tori　came　up。　Russell　noticed　that　she　was　not　even　out　of　breath。
　Tori　knelt　down　beside　the　last　remaining　sicario　and　said；　〃Who　sent　you？〃
　The　sicario　spat　in　her　face；　and　she　put　the　muzzle　of　her　odd　pistol　against　his　right　kneecap。　She　pulled　the　trigger。　The　sicario　jumped　as　if　speared。　His　face　went　white　and　his　eyes　rolled　crazily　in　their　sockets。　Tears　of　pain　streamed　down　his　sweat…　and　dust…streaked　cheeks。
　Tori　bent　closer。　〃The　next　time　I　pull　the　trigger；〃　she　said；　moving　the　pistol　to　his　crotch；　〃it　won't　be　your　kneecap　that　won't　work。〃
　The　sicario　said　one　word；　''Cruz。''　The　bull。　Then　he　began　to　shake　as　if　he　had　contracted　malaria。
　The　corrida　was　full　by　the　time　they　got　there。　They　had　missed　the　drug　lords　and　their　shotgun…toting　bodyguards　lustily；　patriotically　singing　the　Colombian　and　Medellin　anthems；　but　the　first　blood　had　not　yet　been　spilled；　and　that　was　a　good　sign。
　They　could　get　seats　only　in　the　sun…drenched　side　of　the　bowl…shaped　arena；　and　it　was　very　hot。　The　place　smelled　of　old　stone；　red　dust；　and　fight　frenzy。　They　were　downwind　of　the　red…eyed　bull；　currently　facing　a　rail…thin　matador。
　〃Can　you　tell　me　why　the　hell　we're　here？〃　Russell　said　to　Tori　as　the　three　of　them　settled　onto　the　backless　bench。
　〃When　Ariel　and　I　were　in　the　tunnels；〃　she　said；　〃we　overheard　a　fragment　of　conversation　between　the　two　Japanese　Yakuza。　This　was　before　they　discovered　we　were　there。　They　had　just　finished　killing　a　man　named　Rega；　who　had　seemed　to　be　their　local　contact。　It　occurred　to　me；　after　the　briefing　you　gave　me；　that　this　would　be　a　good　place　to　start。　Who　was　Rega？　That's　why　I　called　Estilo。〃
　Russell　glanced　over　at　the　silver…haired　man。　〃Who　is　he？〃
　〃Estilo　is　a　friend　of　mine；〃　Tori　said。　〃That's　all　you　need　to　know。〃
　〃It　most　assuredly　is　not；〃　Russell　said。　〃He　hasn't　been　vetted；　they　aren't　under　discipline。　I　don't　know　him　from　a　hole　in　the　wall。〃
　〃But　I　do。〃
　〃Tori；　I'm　warning　you；〃　Russell　said。　〃If　this　mission　deteriorates　into　another　one　of　your　personal…〃
　〃Go　home；　Russ；〃　Tori　said　disgustedly。　〃I　was　wrong。　You　don't　belong　out　here。　Go　back　to　your　desk　in　Virginia　and　let　me　do　my　job。〃
　The　bull　made　a　run　at　the　matador；　who　turned　a　magnificent　veronica　three　inches　from　the　beast's　left　horn。
　〃I　'm　here　for　the　duration；''　Russell　said　grimly。　''You're　not　running　me　out　of　here。　But　this　person…〃
　〃Estilo　saved　your　life　and　mine　back　there　on　the　road　to　the　airport。''　Tori　glared　at　him。　''If　you　thought　for　a　moment；　you'd　see　that　that　was　a　far　better　test　of　his　loyalty　than　any　of　your　electronic　vetting　machines。〃
　A　roar　went　up　from　the　crowd　as　the　bull　made　another　run　at　the　matador；　who　this　time　stuck　a　lance　into　the　powerful　muscles　of　its　neck。
　〃This　is　barbaric；〃　Russell　said。　〃Like　something　from　the　dark　ages。〃
　〃It's　the　art　of　death；　Senor　Slade；〃　Estilo　said。　〃Beauty　and　death　is　what　Medellin　is　known　for。　There　is　no　violence　here　in　the　corrida；　only　grace　and　an　honorable　way　to　die。　This　is　why　the　people　e；　this　is　what　captures　their　fancy。〃
　Russell　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Estilo　told　me　who　Rega　was；〃　Tori　said；　continuing　their　conversation。　〃A　paisa　runner　who　worked　for　one　of　the　Machine…Gun　City　drug　cartels。　These　are　all　family　run；　very　powerful。　Estilo　can't　understand…and　neither　do　I…why　the　Japanese　Yakuza　terminated　Rega。　The　Japanese　need　the　real　stuff　in　order　to　manufacture　their　supercoke；　so　why　cut　off　their　supply？　It　doesn't　make　sense；　and　until　it　does；　we　won't　be　on　our　way。〃
　''But　the　corrida？''
　〃We　have　to　find　out　who　Rega　worked　for…Cruz；　the　most　powerful　of　the　Medellin　family　cartels；　or　the　Cali…based　Or…olas；　their　rivals；〃　Tori　said。　〃We'll　start　with　Cruz　because　he　was　the　one　who　sent　the　four　sicarios　after　us。　We've　got　to　talk　to　him；　and　this　is　where　he　is。〃　She　pointed　to　a　fat　man　sitting　in　the　section　of　the　arena　almost　directly　across　from　them；　in　the　border　between　sun　and　shade。　He　was　surrounded　by　sicarios　wielding　shotguns。　Next　to　him　was　a　beautiful　woman　with　heavy…lidded　eyes　who　kept　checking　her　makeup　in　a　pact　mirror。
　Estilo　turned　to　Tori　and；　indicating　the　woman　next　to　Cruz；　said；　〃Medellin　may　turn　out　the　most　deadly　men；　but　Cali；　where　Cruz's　woman；　Sonia；　was　born；　creates　the　most　beautiful　women；　don't　you　agree？　It　is　said　that　when　Cruz　has　that　Cali…born　body　beneath　him；　he　thinks　only　of　his　enemies；　the　Orolas。〃
　〃Considering　what's　happened；''　Russell　said；　''I　don't　think　this　Cruz　wants　anything　to　do　with　us。〃
　〃Sure　he　does；''　Tori　said；　watching　Cruz　and　his　party。　''He　just　doesn't　know　it　yet。〃
　Below　them；　in　the　corrida；　the　bull's　energy　was　finally　nagging。　It　ran　at　the　matador；　but　its　head　was　lowered；　and　in　triumph　the　thin　man　slid　his　blade　as　delicately　and　precisely　as　a　surgeon　just　behind　the　back　of　the　exhausted　beast's　skull；　piercing　its　heart。　The　bull's　eyes　rolled；　its　forelegs　collapsed；　and　it　went　down。　The　crowd　was　on　its　feet；　screaming　in　delight　and　appreciation。　Flowers　rained　down　upon　the　matador；　who　pirouetted　slowly；　hands　to　the　cloudless　sky。
　During　this　tumult；　Tori　kept　her　eyes　on　Cruz's　woman。　There　was　something　odd　about　the　way　she　kept　looking　in　her　mirror。　Now　she　adjusted　herself　a　little；　and　Tori　saw　a　flash　of　reflected　light；　a　spotlight　brighter　even　than　the　sun；　that　illuminated　the　face　of　a　dark…skinned　man。
　Tori　leaned　over；　spoke　briefly　in　Estilo's　ear。　Russell　could　see　Estilo　look　in　the　direction　Tori　indicated。　He　nodded；　said　something　to　Tori　that　Russell　couldn't　make　out。
　The　two　of　them　got　up。　〃Stay　here；〃　Tori　said　to　Russell。
　〃But…〃
　〃You'll　be　all　right　as　long　as　you　don't　move。〃　Her　eyes　fixed　his。　〃Do　you　understand　me？〃
　Russell　nodded　unhappily。　It　was　perfectly　clear。　He　was　a　gringo　in　the　middle　of　a　hostile　environment。　He　needed　the　lowest　possible　profile。
　Tori　and　Estilo　made　their　way　laterally　across　the　tiers　of　cheering　aficionados。　The　man　who　Cruz's　woman　had　been　looking　at　had　left　his　seat。　T