按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
his arm went dead。 Russell took the Kalashnikov out of his hand； swiped him across the side of the head with the stock end。
Tori winced slightly as she crouched； began to move out of the aisle of pews into the sanctuary where she had last caught a glimpse of Russell。 She saw him now。 He was standing above the body of the third Border Guard； and there was a robed priest with him。 A disguised Bondasenko？ Tori hoped so。
〃Russell；〃 she said as she came up to them； 〃have you seen Pokov？〃
〃No。 What about the other two of his men？〃
〃Taken care of；〃 Tori said。 〃Like this one。〃 She felt gingerly at her side。
〃Are you all right？〃 When she nodded； Russell stared at her for some time。 〃You really are a very scary human being。〃
〃Mr。 Slade…〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 Russell said。 〃Tori； this is Valeri Bondasenko。 Valeri； this is Tori Nunn。〃
〃We have a lot to talk about；〃 Tori said。
The robed figure nodded。 〃This way；〃 he whispered。
''Not at this time； rade。 Maybe later。'' Lieutenant Pokov emerged from the shadows where he had been hidden。 He had stayed so still that even Tori had not been aware of him。 She cursed herself for her lapse。 Sensei would have been very angry with her。
Lieutenant Pokov nodded his head。 ''A pleasure to make your acquaintance； rade Bondasenko。 Or I should say traitor Bondasenko。〃
Russell was furious。 〃Tori； I told you we shouldn't have trusted that sonuvabitch； Nikolev。〃
〃Ah； poor Nikolev。〃 Lieutenant Pokov laughed。 He could afford to be jovial now。 〃So misguided。 Unfortunately； he was stupid enough to have told you the truth。 Not that it will do you any good now。 You're on your way to the Lubyanka； where Mars Volkov will interview you。 rade Volkov is notorious in the Lubyanka for his interviews。 I don't envy any of you。〃 He made a sharp motion with his gun。 〃That way is the exit； lady and gentlemen。 Use it。〃
Pokov followed them down the aisle of pews。 They passed the second man that Tori had dispatched。 Pokov looked at her grimly。 〃I'll have something to say about this。 I'll take a measure of their shortened lives out of you when Volkov is done with you。〃
Tori saw ahead of them the first man she had fought with。 She could see his pistol lying on the floor where she had left it。 She put her hand in her pocket。
〃So you switched sides； Pokov；〃 Russell said。
Pokov laughed。 〃I never changed sides is more accurate。 Nikolev was a fool to try to cross Mars Volkov。 No one does that and lives very long。 I myself like life too much to play the fool。〃
During this exchange； Tori had e to the fallen Border Guard。 Putting her consciousness in mind/no mind； feeling the void fill her with the elemental power of the universe； she bent down with her back to Pokov。
He saw her almost immediately。 〃What are you doing？〃 he shouted。 〃Get away from there！〃
Tori turned。 She had the Border Guard's pistol in her hand。
Pokov took one look at it and threw his head back； laughing。 〃Oh； good try。 But it's empty。 Do you think I would have left it lying around； otherwise？〃 his lip curled in contempt。 〃Stupid Americans； sending a woman to do a man's job。 A man would know better。〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃 Tori said； and pulled the trigger。
Pokov was slammed back against the end of a pew。 His legs crumpled under him； and his expression of shock and rage transformed his face into a stylized mask。
〃But it was empty；〃 he whispered。 〃I know it was。〃
Tori walked up to him； held out a handful of bullets。
Pokov's eyes fluttered； his head hung as he slid to the floor of the church。
〃Da zvedanye； Pokov；〃 Tori said； throwing the pistol onto his unmoving chest。
Sergei； the man with the strawberry birthmark； pulled the cowl off his face。 〃By God； that was well done；〃 he said。 〃I think it's safe enough now to…〃
〃No；〃 Valeri said； striding toward them from the far end of the sanctuary。 〃I am Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko。〃 He clapped Sergei on the shoulder。 〃You have protected me from danger long enough； my friend。〃
Tori and Russell introduced themselves； and Valeri nodded to them。 〃Our terrible risk in bringing you here may prove our downfall。 I have not been idle while you were here； valiantly defending me。〃 He nodded toward the dead Border Guards。 〃Your courage is beyond reproach and very much appreciated； but I'm afraid it may be for nothing。 These four did not e alone。 There is a contingent of Border Guards setting themselves in a standard perimeter around the church。〃
〃That bastard Pokov；〃 Russell said。 〃He must have been in munication with Volkov。''
〃No doubt；〃 Valeri said。 〃And now Mars Petrovich has pulled his net tightly around us。〃
〃Perhaps too tightly； rade；〃 Sergei said。 〃Remember the tunnels that lead out of the crypts beneath the church。〃
Valeri nodded grimly。 〃But even so； Volkov's patrols are everywhere。 We will have no chance at this hour on foot。〃
〃Maybe that's not so important right now；〃 Russell said。 He recounted Captain Nikolev's warning about the dawn invasion of the Baltic states and the simultaneous assassination of the Soviet president。
Valeri closed his eyes。 He seemed infinitely weary。 〃Yes； I suspected something of that nature。 But not so soon。〃
〃Nikolev said that White Star is the wild card in the equation。 He said that if we could get to you； White Star's leader； you would be able to mobilize the organization to prevent the invasion and the coup。〃 Russell stared at Valeri。 〃We know about the nuclear weapons Bernard Godwin has been selling you。 It's time to put them to use。''
Valeri shook his head。 〃Not selling； Mr。 Slade。 Mr。 Godwin has been giving the devices to us。 He is thought of as a great patriot here。 He is one of White Star's spiritual leaders。''
〃Good Christ；〃 Russell said。
〃But all this does no good； I'm afraid；〃 Valeri said。 〃We are rather cut off here。 There is no transcontinental munication possible from the church。 I was barely able to manage to get your local munique。 That was what caused the delay in my responding。 No。 We've got to get out of here。〃
〃We've got to get to Star Town；〃 Tori broke in。 〃Mars Volkov has a woman named Irina and your puter。 Is it true that the whole of White Star is in its hard disk？〃
〃Irina；〃 Valeri said。 〃So Mars caught Irina going into my apartment。 That must mean he suspects her loyalty is to me。〃
〃So the puter could betray you；'' Tori said。
Valeri nodded。 〃Yes。 The entire network is secreted in the software。 But no one could possibly dig it out。 It's a ghost in the machine。'' Then he stopped。 All the color drained from his face。 〃My God；〃 he said softly。 〃A ghost in the machine。 I told Irina； and she is well versed in puters。 She could… If Mars forced her… Dear God！〃 He glanced at his watch； then looked at Tori。 〃It's almost three in the morning。 Yes； you're right。 We must get to Star Town now。''
〃But how； rade？〃 Sergei asked。 〃The tunnels will take us to the streets； but what then？〃
And then Russell said； 〃We have a car。〃 He almost laughed in his relief。 〃Pokov's car。〃 He knelt down； went through Po…kov's pockets； stood up with the key in his hand。
At that moment the front door to the church crashed in。
〃KGB。 Keep calm！〃
〃Quickly！〃 Valeri whispered。 〃This way！〃
They ran back through the sanctuary； through doors that Valeri carefully closed and bolted behind them。 He left them for a moment； while Sergei continued to lead them downward。
They were on the second flight of stairs going down to the crypts when Valeri rejoined them。 〃I smashed out the window in the back of the sacristy；〃 he said。 〃Thinking we have escaped； they will never find us down here now。〃
In the crypt itself Valeri turned to the man with the strawberry birthmark。 〃Sergei； you must stay here with my daughter。 I don't want her moved again so soon； and in any event； there won't be room in the car for everyone。〃
''I understand； rade。''
''Take good care of her。''
〃As if she were my own daughter。〃
The two men embraced。
〃Godspeed； Valeri。〃
〃I will e for you myself； Sergei。 After dawn。〃
Then Valeri Denysovich Bondasenko was leading Tori and Russell into the tunnels； into the darkness and the light； on his final race to save his country from certain disaster。
Mars had a murderous look in his eyes。 〃Stay away from me；〃 he said to Lara and Tatiana。 〃I'll deal with you later。〃 He strode through the pool room。 The women gaped at the blood caked on him just as the guards outside had。 At this time of the night； there was no one else in the building。
Mars stood by the pool。 In his absence the Нею had awakened from his sleep； returned to the pool。 Or perhaps； in this growing crisis； he had been awakened。 Mars stared down at the Hero。 〃Here；〃 he said。 〃A present for you。〃 He swung the damaged Toshiba in a flat arc； let go of the cloth handles at the apex。 The puter in its case flew into the water。 The resultant splash slapped at Mars's shoes and trouser bottoms。
〃You see； Odysseus； I don't need it anymore。 And do you want to know why？ But you must。 You can read my mind； yes？'' The murderous look in his eyes intensified。 〃I don't need the puter because I have the real thing。〃 He gave off a feral grin。 〃My men found my archenemy； as you so aptly put it。 Even as I say this； they are bringing Valeri Denysovich here to me for interrogation。 How does that make you feel？〃
〃Sorry for you；〃 the Hero said。
Mars clenched his jaw。 His fists balled into white claws。
〃That's right；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Why fight it； rade？ Why not jump into the gladiator's arena and have it out with me； man to man。 That's what you want； isn't it？ But then again； it might not be what you think。 It might not be man to man； but man to 。 。 。 well； what do you think； Volkov？ You can't possibly know what I am or what I could do to you in here。 So go about your dirty little business on dry land。 Go on。〃
Mars bent over the edge of the pool。 〃You think you know it all； that you've got all the answers。 Well； we'll see just how clever you are now； Odysseus！''
Mars stalked to where Irina was watching him。 He reached out in a blur； grabbed a handful of hair； yanked it back so hard that she cried out as she fell to her knees。
〃Volkov！〃
Mars looked at Lara and Tatiana。 〃If either of you interferes； I'll kill you。〃 Then he slapped Irina hard across the face。
〃Volkov！〃
〃rade Volkov to you； Odysseus。〃
〃rade Volkov；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Stop it。〃
''Oh； no；〃 Mars said。 ''It's gone too far for that。'' He yanked at Irina's hair again； bending her painfully backward。 She whimpered。 〃I'm going to hurt her； Odysseus。 I want you to know that in advance； because you're going to be the principal witness。〃
〃She's just a woman； rade。 Leave her out of it。〃
〃But I can't；〃 Mars said reasonably。 〃She insinuated herself into my game。 She got one whiff of it and she was excited beyond control。 It was her decision。 She agreed to play by my rules the moment she seduced me。〃
〃She had no way of knowing。〃
〃But she did； Odysseus。 She seduced me； then she spied on Valeri Denysovich for me。 She befriended Natasha Mayakova； and then she betrayed her。 Did you know that？ Betrayed her just like that。 And then she betrayed me。 No； she's as cold…blooded as any man I ever met。 She accepted the violence； and now she must learn the lesson that violence begets violence。 It's only fair； Odysseus。 Live by the sword； die by the sword。〃
〃It's revenge； rade。 Revenge； pure and simple。〃
〃No！〃 Mars fairly shouted it。 〃I am speaking of justice here； not revenge。〃
〃Your definition； Volkov。 It's always your definition。〃 Odysseus made a disgusted sound。 〃This is your world。 It is my fate that I am stuck in a Rome ruled by a Caesar such as you。 There is no justice here。 We are governed by your whims。 And isn't it ironic？ Who really seeks to be the living god？ Not me； rade。〃
〃Damn you and your circumlocutions；〃 Mars said。 〃Who taught you to use language like a weapon？〃
〃I act only out of self…defense； rade。 Language is the only weapon you allow me。〃
〃No； no；〃 Mars said。 〃I have given you too much of what you want； Odysseus。 I see now that I have been far too lenient with you。 I have bent rules for you…even broken one or two； yes。 I was like a father indulging his only child； I see that clearly now。 And the result is painfully predictable。 You are