el.angeleyes-第88部分

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　The　groan　came　again；　and　Tori；　drawing　herself　onto　her　knees；　pulled　Russell　into　a　sitting　position。　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　He　nodded；　but　his　eyes　still　looked　slightly　dazed。
　Tori　looked　around；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Hitasura　amid　the　rubble。　Christ；　she　thought。　What's　happened　to　him？
　She　got　to　her　feet；　Russell　beside　her。
　〃Stupid；〃　Russell　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Remind　me　not　to　go　off　half…cocked　like　that。〃
　〃Very　funny。〃
　They　made　a　careful　search　for　Hitasura；　but　they　could　find　no　sign　that　he　had　ever　been　there。　Russell　looked　at　Tori。
　〃Don't　say　it；〃　she　said。　〃I　won't　believe　that　he's　betrayed　me；　too。〃
　〃I　hope　you're　right；〃　Russell　said。　〃But　the　evidence　suggests　that　he　led　us　straight　into　a　trap。〃
　They　moved　off；　heading　farther　into　the　dimly　lit　interior　of　the　hall。　Soon　the　hall　narrowed　into　a　corridor；　the　deeper　they　got；　the　darker　it　became。　Russell　took　out　a　pocket　flash；　handed　it　to　Tori。　She　flicked　it　on；　played　it　in　a　shallow　arc　ahead　of　them…and　immediately　stopped　in　her　tracks。
　The　concentrated　beam　of　the　flash　picked　up　a　shining　strand；　a　thread　like　a　spider's　webbing；　strung　across　their　path。　Tori　touched　Russell；　pointed　wordlessly：　the　monofilament　was　strung　approximately　at　waist　height。　Even　at　walking　speed；　the　monofilament　would　cut　deeply　into　flesh。
　Tori　went　down　on　her　knees；　then　lay　on　her　back。　Russell　followed　her　lead。　Using　the　flash　pointed　upward；　she　began　to　slither　beneath　the　deadly　monofilament。
　She　was　halfway　past　it　when　she　felt　a　pressure　across　her　shoulders。　Her　scalp　began　to　prickle　and　she　felt　a　line　of　sweat　snake　itself　between　her　shoulder　blades。　She　tried　to　turn　her　head；　but　she　could　not　see　what　was　directly　in　front　of　her。
　〃Russ！〃　she　hissed。　〃I'm　stuck！　Get　up　here！〃
　He　began　to　slither　up　on　her　right；　but　she　stopped　him　with　a　guttural　noise。　〃Get　on　top　of　me！〃　she　whispered。　〃What…ever's　stopped　me　goes　from　shoulder　to　shoulder。〃
　Russell　moved；　scrambling　over　her。
　Tori　felt　the　fortable　fit　of　his　body　on　hers；　looked　upward　into　his　face。　〃What　do　you　see？〃
　〃Another　monofilament；〃　he　said　softly。　〃I　guess　it　was　meant　to　get　you　at　the　ankles。''
　〃Or　stop　anyone　alert　enough　to　have　seen　the　first　monofilament。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　Russell　asked。　〃I　can　easily　drag　you　backward。''
　〃No！〃　Tori　said。　〃I　can　feel　an　odd　tension　that　came　into　the　monofilament　as　I　stretched　it。　I　think　there's　some　kind　of　trigger　that　will　go　off　when　the　tension's　broken。''
　〃Okay。〃　Russell　slithered　forward　and；　using　Tori's　body　as　a　base；　passed　over　the　second　monofilament。　Then　he　reached　back。
　〃Don't　use　your　fingers；〃　Tori　warned。　〃The　monofilament　will　cut　right　through　your　skin。''
　〃Right。〃　Russell　lay　on　his　stomach；　took　out　his　knife；　slid　the　blade　between　the　monofilament　and　the　hollow　at　the　center　of　Tori's　back。　Carefully；　he　brought　the　blade　back　toward　him　until　it　took　the　monofilament　to　the　same　tension　it　was　at　against　Tori's　shoulder　blades。
　〃Move；〃　Russell　said。　〃Now。〃
　Tori　moved　gingerly　away　from　the　monofilament；　and　Russell　immediately　felt　that　odd　tension　transferred　to　his　arms。　It　was　like　being　near　an　electric　current。　Then　Tori　had　scrambled　across　the　monofilament　and　had　joined　him　on　the　other　side。　She　crouched　down　beside　him；　whispered　in　his　ear；　〃I'm　going　to　get　behind　you。　On　my　signal；　take　the　blade　away　from　the　wire。〃
　〃What？〃
　''Don't　worry。　Trust　me。〃
　Russell　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment。　The　sweat　was　burning　on　his　face；　and　he　could　feel　his　hands　beginning　to　tremble　with　the　task　of　maintaining　just　the　right　amount　of　tension　on　the　monofilament。
　A　moment　later　he　felt　Tori　gripping　his　ankles。
　〃I'm　going　to　count　to　three。　Ready？〃
　〃Ready。〃
　〃One。　Two。　Three。　Now！〃
　Russell；　breathing　a　prayer；　jerked　the　blade　from　its　position　against　the　monofilament。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　himself　being　slid　backward；　hard　and　fast。
　There　was　an　ugly　breeze　against　his　face；　a　blur　in　front　of　his　eyes　as　the　monofilament　flew　to　his　left；　and　he　heard　a　soft　thock！
　Tori　played　the　beam　of　the　flash　along　the　right　wall；　and　they　saw　embedded　there　a　shuriken；　a　miniature　steel　dart；　a　thorn　dark　with　an　unknown　substance　on　its　tip。
　〃This　is　one　mean　woman；〃　Russell　said；　wiping　the　sweat　off　his　face。
　〃Yes；〃　Tori　said。　〃Clever；　too。〃
　〃I'd　say　diabolical。〃　Russell　stood。　〃No　wonder　Hitasura　split。　You　picked　one　hell　of　a　nemesis。''
　〃Karma。　I　must　have　sinned　like　a　sonuvabitch　in　a　previous　life。〃
　Russell　grinned　at　her。　〃Time　for　atonement。〃
　Tori　came　close　to　Russell；　her　eyes　glittering。　〃I　think　you　should　stay　here。　You've　e　far　enough。　This　is　between　Fu…kuda　and　me。〃
　〃Like　hell！〃
　〃Russ；　try　to　put　your　male　ego　aside　for　the　moment。　There's　no　sense…〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃How　would　you　have　e　through　back　there　without　me？〃
　〃I'd　have　found　a　way。〃
　He　gripped　her　shoulders。　〃Tori；　I　told　you　my　feeling　about　vendettas…they　have　a　way　of　eating　people　alive。　Everyone　who　gets　involved　in　them。''
　〃Nevertheless；　I　know　Fukuda；　and　you　don't。　I'm　afraid　that　from　now　on　you'll　be　more　of　a　liability。〃
　Russell　sighed；　then　nodded。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said。　He　put　his　hand　on　her　hip；　as　he　had　in　the　library　at　Diana's　Garden；　which　now　seemed　a　lifetime　ago。　〃I　understand　the　need　to　pay　her　back　for　what　she　did　to　you。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Tori　kissed　him　quickly　on　the　lips；　then　she　was　gone；　swallowed　up　by　the　darkness。
　Russell　stood　quite　still　for　a　moment；　then　he　said；　〃Bullshit；〃　under　his　breath。　〃I'm　going　to　protect　you　whether　you　like　it　or　not〃
　When　Tori　left　Russell；　she　removed　her　shoes；　tying　them　to　her　belt；　then　she　went　very　fast　down　the　corridor。　Her　steps　were　utterly　silent　across　the　marble　squares。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　barely　touching　the　floor。　In　fact　she　was　using　only　the　extreme　outside　of　her　soles；　never　putting　her　full　weight　on　either　foot。　The　principle　was　akin　to　the　way　in　which　four…legged　animals　ran。　At　times　all　their　hooves　were　off　the　ground　at　once　because　they　were　able　continually　to　redistribute　their　weight　as　they　ran；　their　center　of　gravity　rotating　away　from　each　leg　as　it　struck　the　ground。
　At　length　the　corridor　ended　and　Tori　found　herself　at　a　bank　of　elevators。　She　could　see　that　they　were　all　shut　down。　To　her　right　was　a　wide　flight　of　sculpted　marble　stairs　curving　upward　in　the　classical　style　that　in　this　venue　seemed　wildly　out　of　place。
　Tori　mounted　the　stairs。　The　way　to　ascend　under　these　circumstances　was　with　her　back　to　the　wall。　The　idea　was　to　put　herself　in　Fukuda's　mind　and　try　to　outthink　her。
　One　quarter　of　the　way　up；　Tori　paused；　she　could　feel　a　kind　of　grit　on　the　stairs。　Otherwise　the　marble　was　immaculately　smooth。　Just　in　this　spot。。。
　Tori　squatted　down。　Another　shuriken！　In　the　feeble　light　she　saw　the　glint　of　the　miniblade　not　two　paces　in　front　of　her；　stuck　between　two　squares　of　the　marble　wall。　She　examined　the　blade。　It；　too；　was　dark　with　some　kind　of　herb　toxin。
　Tori　reached　down　beneath　her　feet；　picked　up　some　of　the　grit　on　her　fingertip；　rubbed　it。　Fukuda　had　cleverly　carved　out　a　slitlike　niche　for　the　blade　in　the　grout　between　the　marble　slabs。
　Keeping　her　fingers　away　from　the　darkened　tip；　Tori　carefully　pulled　the　blade　from　the　wall；　took　it　with　her。
　Now　she　went　directly　up　the　center　of　the　stairs；　peering　intently　ahead　as　she　wound　her　way　up　to　the　second…floor　gallery。
　She　was　almost　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　when　a　ball　of　darkness　came　hurtling　down　at　her。　It　struck　her　folly　on　her　chest；　and　she　crashed　backward　down　the　staircase　until　she　landed　painfully　against　the　curved　marble　wall。
　Hot　breath　in　her　face；　claws　digging　into　the　flesh　of　her　shoulders；　she　had　no　space　in　which　to　work　and；　worse；　her　position　left　her　no　chance　to　use　either　momentum　or　her　greater　weight　against　the　creature。
　She　saw　the　red　eyes　of　the　Akita；　knew　immediately　it　had　been　trained　as　a　guard　dog。　It　was　utterly　silent；　all　its　efforts　directed　at　subduing　her。　It　was　very　powerful；　and　she　was　still　slightly　da