el.angeleyes-第63部分

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　Tori　tried　to　read　what　Russell　was　thinking　by　the　expression　on　his　face；　but　he　was　too　good　for　that。　She　was　thinking；　If　he　dies；　it　will　be　on　my　head。　I　will　never　be　able　to　forgive　myself。
　〃Russell；〃　she　called　out；　〃you　don't　have　to　do　this！〃
　Cruz　grunted。　〃But　of　course　he　does。〃　He　nodded　to　one　of　his　sicarios；　who　pointed　his　semiautomatic　at　Russell。　〃A　man　does　not　back　out　of　a　challenge。　Oh；　but　Senor　Slade；　I　forgot　for　a　moment　that　you're　not　a　man；　you're　a　gringo。　Anything　is　possible　for　one　such　as　you。〃
　Russell　said　nothing。　his　attention　was　fixed　on　the　huge　iron…bound　wooden　doors　across　the　dusty　floor　of　the　corrida。
　Cruz　raised　his　arm；　let　it　drop。
　The　wooden　doors　creaked　open；　and　they　could　see　in　the　semishadows　a　huge；　hulking　figure。　It　snorted　heavily；　then　pawed　the　ground。　Russell　moved；　and　the　bull　came　charging　across　the　corrida　toward　him。
　〃Doesn't　he　even　get　a　killing　sword？〃　Tori　said　to　Cruz。
　〃No。　The　killing　sword　is　for　a　matador　only；　not　a　gringo。　He　will　have　to　manage　on　his　own。''
　〃But　he　won't　be　able　to；〃　Tori　said。　〃Not　with　just　his　bare　hands。〃
　〃Well；　I　suppose　that's　the　point。〃　Cruz　laughed；　then　shouted；　〃Ole；　gringo！　Ole！〃　as　Russell　whirled　away　from　the　bull's　first　charge。
　Russell　felt　the　burst　of　sweat　breaking　out　all　over　his　body。　He　had　seen　bullfights　before；　but　he　now　understood　just　how　enormous　these　creatures　were　close　up。　They　were　all　muscle；　all　rage；　chaos　incarnate。　The　smell　of　the　beast　was　in　his　nostrils。　He　had　stared　into　the　bull's　red　eyes；　had　seen　there　a　sight　that　had　jolted　him：　a　kind　of　unthinking　evil；　elemental　and　absolute。　In　that　first　instant　of　recognition；　Russell　knew　that　there　could　be　no　middle　ground　here。　Either　he　would　kill　the　bull　or　the　bull　would　kill　him。　No　other　possibility　existed　in　those　strangely　magnetic　eyes。
　The　bull　charged　again；　his　hooves　thundering；　kicking　up　dust　dark　with　dried　blood。　Its　head　was　lowered；　and　Russell　saw　its　long　horns　aimed　at　his　stomach。　He　could　almost　feel　the　agonizing　rip　of　the　gore；　could　sense　himself　being　jerked　off　his　feet　by　the　beast's　inhuman　strength；　the　horn　tearing　through　his　abdomen　as　the　bull　flailed　him　along　the　ground　or　against　the　corrida's　wall。
　The　thing　was；　it　did　no　good　to　move　right　away；　the　bull　would　just　follow。　And　since　it　was　far　faster　than　a　man；　it　would　run　him　down。　Russell　knew　he　needed　to　follow　the　dictates　of　the　matador；　and　not　move　for　as　long　as　was　possible；　to　whirl　away　only　at　the　last　possible　instant；　to　constantly　frustrate　the　beast。　And　yet；　he　told　himself；　what　good　would　even　this　do？　There　was　no　one　to　cut　the　beast；　to　continually　wound　it；　to　wear　down　its　prodigious　strength；　to　bring　it　to　the　point　where；　exhausted　and　bleeding；　it　lowered　its　head　in　the　middle　of　its　charge　to　receive　the　killing　thrust。
　Russell　waited　as　the　bull　came　on。　He　felt　his　muscles　rippling　with　tremors　over　which　he　had　no　control。　His　teeth　were　chattering。　The　beast's　huge　head　loomed；　rushing　toward　him　at　appalling　speed。
　He　whirled；　but　he　cut　it　a　bit　too　fine；　and　the　bull's　outflung　hoof　caught　him　on　the　ankle。　He　staggered；　fell　into　the　dust。　The　bull　snorted；　so　close　that　Russell　could　feel　the　damp　heat　on　the　back　of　his　neck。　The　foam　of　madness　overflowed　its　lips。　The　tip　of　its　horn　scored　the　wall　just　above　him。　The　scent　of　the　beast　defined　his　world。
　In　the　stands；　Cruz　and　his　sicarios　were　straining　forward；　fascinated；　sensing　that　the　dance　of　death　was　nearing　its　end。　Even　the　guards　posted　high　up　in　the　arena　were　concentrating　on　the　imminent　death　of　the　gringo。　No　one　yelled　〃Ole！〃　now；　they　were　rooting　for　the　bull。
　Tori　leaned　over；　whispered　in　Estilo's　ear。　He　nodded；　as　she　knew　he　would。　Estilo　was　as　fearless　as　he　was　loyal。　She　counted　silently　to　six；　saw　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eyes　Estilo　doing　the　same。　Then　she　launched　herself　over　the　barrier　in　the　stands；　down　into　the　corrida。　At　the　same　time；　Estilo　slipped　the　handgun　from　Cruz's　holster；　pressed　the　muzzle　against　me　side　of　his　head。　〃Don't　move！〃　he　shouted　to　the　sicarios。　〃If　you　want　to　keep　your　leader　alive；　you'll　just　relax！〃
　In　the　corrida　the　bull　had　flung　out　one　hoof。　It　was　meant　for　Russell's　head；　but　Russell　had　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　curl　up；　and　the　blow　struck　him　on　the　shoulder　instead。
　He　grunted；　began　to　scramble　away。　That　was　a　mistake。　The　bull　charged　after　him；　its　head　already　down；　its　horns　darting　this　way　and　that。
　Tori　landed　on　her　feet　and；　reaching　down；　slid　a　knife　from　its　sheath　against　her　ankle。　She　leaped　atop　the　bull's　back　and　plunged　the　knife　to　the　hilt　in　that　spot　she　had　seen　the　matador　find　for　his　killing　thrust；　between　the　massive　muscles　of　the　beast's　shoulders　and　neck。
　She　was　certain　she　heard　the　bull　scream。　It　shuddered　as　a　fountain　of　blood　shot　up；　and　its　convulsions　threw　her　off。　She　hit　the　wall；　came　down　hard。
　Then　Russell　had　scooped　her　up；　and　the　two　of　them　were　making　for　the　doorway　through　which　Russell　had　been　shoved　onto　the　floor　of　the　corrida。
　As　they　reached　the　door　they　heard　the　unmistakable　sound　of　semiautomatic　fire。　Fearing　for　Estilo；　Tori　turned　around　and　had　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　guards　stationed　high　up　in　the　stands；　then　Russell　had　pulled　her　through；　from　the　intense　sunlight　of　the　corrida　to　the　darkness　beneath　the　stands。　〃Someone's　shot　Cruz's　guards；〃　she　shouted　at　Russell。　They　raced　around　the　semicircle；　came　up　into　brilliant　sunlight；　headed　up　the　tiers　of　empty　seats；　but　the　gunfire　had　ceased。　None　of　Cruz's　people　were　left　standing。　Instead；　Estilo　and　Cruz　were　surrounded　by　another　set　of　men。　The　Orolas？
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Estilo　said　as　the　men　trained　their　weapons　toward　the　oning　figures；　〃they're　friends。〃　
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Tori　asked　Estilo。　
　He　smiled；　jerking　on　Cruz's　collar。　〃As　you　can　see；　torero。　''　He　was　referring　to　her　bravery　in　the　bullring。　
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃　Russell　demanded。　
　Estilo　said　to　one　of　his　men；　〃Search　them　carefully；　especially　the　woman。　She　is　capable　of　many　tricks。〃　Then　he　turned　his　attention　to　Russell。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　ensuring　the　oute　of　our　little　adventure。　I　radioed　my　people　from　the　plane　on　our　way　back　here。''
　〃Your　people？〃　Russell　said。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you；　anyway？〃
　〃I　am　Tori's　friend；〃　Estilo　said。　〃That's　all　you　need　to　know。〃
　Tori　came　up　to　him。　〃Once；　that　was　all　I　needed　to　know；　Estilo。　But　now　everything's　changed。〃
　〃Are　you　certain；　schatzie？　Nothing　has　changed；　not　really；　not　for　the　two　of　us。〃
　Tori　saw　the　love　in　his　eyes；　but　beneath　that　she　could　discern　something　foreign；　and　her　stomach　tightened　in　a　kind　of　precognitive　warning。　Because　it　was　the　hint　of　fear　she　saw　in　Estilo；　an　emotion　she　had　thought　him　incapable　of　feeling。　She　could　already　feel　him　slipping　away　from　her；　and　she　knew　that　neither　of　them　would　ever　be　the　same。
　Estilo　nodded。　〃So　be　it。　Finding　the　cocaine　factory　in　the　llano　negro　came　as　no　surprise　to　me。　Why　would　it？　I　own　it。〃
　〃You？〃　The　word　came　out　and　almost　choked　her。　She　could　hardly　think　straight。
　Estilo　smiled。　〃Didn't　you　think　it　a　bit　too　convenient；　this　Twin　Otter　refueling　just　as　we　had　need　of　it？〃　He　laughed　heartily。　〃Just　like　in　a　James　Bond　movie。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃But　I　do；〃　Russell　said。　〃The　whole　escape　from　the　factory　was　so　easy。　I　should　have　seen　it。〃
　Estilo　ignored　him。　〃Friendship　does　that　to　people；　schatzie。　I　think　in　your　heart　of　hearts　you　are　not　so　surprised。　You　knew　that　some　of　my　business　was　not　altogether　legitimate。〃
　〃But　cocaine…〃
　〃Only　a　sideline　for　me；　schatzie；〃　Estilo　said。　〃The　soft　cell；　remember？　I　never　would　have　told　you；　but　this　pig；　Cruz；　stuck　his　nose　in　where　it　didn't　belong。　He　took　the　hafnium　pellets。　I　could　not　allow　you　to　be　killed　over　them。〃
　〃The　hafnium　es　from　you；〃　Russell　said。
　Estilo　nodded。　〃Very　astute；　Senor　Slade。　The　metal　pellets　are　what　I'm　really　exporting。　The　Japanese　buy　the　hafnium　from　one　of　my　concerns　in　West　Ge