璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第165部分

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He‘d　left　his　apartment　in　daylight　the　day　before；　taking　the　risk　of　being　seen　in　his　disreputable　state　in　order　to　visit　a　Goodwill　store；　where　he‘d　found　a　bush　jacket　to　go　over　his　other　clothing。　It　was　so　oversize　and　threadbare　that　they　hadn‘t　charged　for　it。　Kelly　had　e　to　realize　that　disguising　his　size　and　physical　conditioning　was　difficult；　but　that　loose；　shabby　clothing　did　the　trick。　He‘d　also　taken　the　opportunity　to　pare　himself　to　the　other　patrons　of　the　store。　On　inspection　his　disguise　seemed　to　be　effective　enough。　Though　not　the　worst　example　of　a　street　person；　he　certainly　fit　into　the　lower　half；　and　the　clerk　who‘d　handed　over　the　bush　jacket　for　free　had　probably　done　so　as　much　to　get　him　out　of　the　building　as　to　express　passion　for　his　state　in　life。　And　wasn‘t　that　an　improvement？　What　would　he　have　given　in　Vietnam　to　have　been　able　to　pass　himself　off　as　just　another　villager；　and　thus　waited　for　the　bad　guys　to　e　in？
He‘d　spent　the　previous　night　continuing　his　reconnaissance。　No　one　had　given　him　as　much　as　a　second　look　as　he‘d　moved　along　the　streets；　just　one　more　dirty；　smelly　drunk；　not　even　worth　mugging；　which　had　ended　his　concerns　about　being　spotted　for　what　he　really　was。　He‘d　spent　another　five　hours　in　his　perch；　watching　the　streets　from　the　second…story　bay　windows　of　the　vacant　house。　Police　patrols　had　turned　out　to　be　routine；　and　the　bus　noises　far　more　regular　than　he‘d　initially　appreciated。
Finished　with　his　exercises；　he　disassembled　his　pistol　and　cleaned　it；　though　it　hadn‘t　been　used　since　his　return　flight　from　New　Orleans。　The　same　was　done　with　the　suppressor。　He　reassembled　both；　checking　the　match…up　of　the　parts。　He‘d　made　one　small　change。　Now　there　was　a　thin　white　painted　line　down　the　top　of　the　silencer　that　served　as　a　night…sight。　Not　good　enough　for　distance　shooting；　but　he　wasn‘t　planning　any　of　that。　Finished　with　the　pistol；　he　loaded　a　round　into　the　chamber　and　dropped　the　hammer　carefully　before　slapping　the　clip　into　the　bottom　of　the　handgrip。　He‘d　also　acquired　a　Ka…Bar　Marine　bat　knife　in　a　surplus　store；　and　while　he‘d　watched　the　streets　the　night　before；　he‘d　worked　the　seven…inch　Bowie…type　blade　across　a　whetstone。　There　was　something　that　men　feared　about　a　knife　even　more　than　a　bullet。　That　was　foolish　but　useful。　The　pistol　and　knife　went　into　his　waistband　side　by　side　in　the　small　of　his　back；　well　hidden　by　the　loose　bulk　of　the　dark　shirt　and　bush　jacket。　In　one　of　the　jacket　pockets　went　a　whiskey　flask　filled　with　tap　water。　Four　Snickers　went　on　the　other　side。　Around　his　waist　was　a　length　of　eight…gauge　electrical　wire。　In　his　pants　pocket　was　a　pail　of　Playtex　rubber　glovers。　These　were　yellow；　not　a　good　color　for　invisibility；　but　he‘d　been　unable　to　find　anything　else。　They　did　cover　his　hands　without　giving　away　much　in　feel　and　dexterity；　and　he　decided　to　take　them　along。　He　already　had　a　pair　of　cotton　work　gloves　in　the　car　that　he　wore　when　driving。　After　buying　the　car　he‘d　cleaned　it　inside　and　out；　wiping　every　glass；　metal；　and　plastic　surface；　hoping　that　he‘d　removed　every　trace　of　fingerprints。　Kelly　blessed　every　police　show　and　movie　he‘d　even　seen；　and　prayed　that　he　was　being　paranoid　enough　about　his　every　tactic。
What　else？　he　asked　himself。　He　wasn‘t　carrying　any　ID。　He　had　a　few　dollars　in　cash　in　a　wallet　also　obtained　at　Goodwill。　Kelly　had　thought　about　carrying　more；　but　there　was　no　point　in　it。　Water。　Food。　Weapons。　Rope…wire。　He‘d　leave　his　binoculars　home　tonight。　Their　utility　wasn‘t　worth　the　bulk。　Maybe　he‘d　get　a　set　of　pact　ones　…　make　a　note。　He　was　ready。　Kelly　switched　on　the　TV　and　watched　the　news　to　get　a　weather　forecast　…　cloudy；　chance　of　showers；　low　around　seventy…five。　He　made　and　drank　two　cups　of　instant　coffee　for　the　caffeine；　waiting　for　night　to　fall；　which　it　presently　did。
Leaving　the　apartment　plex　was；　oddly　enough；　one　of　the　most　difficult　parts　of　the　exercise。　Kelly　looked　out　the　windows；　his　interior　lights　already　off；　making　sure　that　there　wasn‘t　anyone　out　there；　before　venturing　out　himself。　Out　the　door　of　the　building　he　stopped　again；　looking　and　listening　before　he　walked　directly　to　the　Volkswagen；　which　he　unlocked　and　entered。　At　once　he　put　on　the　work　gloves；　and　only　after　that　did　he　close　the　car‘s　door　and　start　the　engine。　Two　minutes　after　that　he　passed　the　place　where　he　parked　the　Scout；　wondering　how　lonely　the　car　was　now。　Kelly　had　selected　a　single　radio　station；　playing　contemporary　music；　soft　rock　and　folk；　just　to　have　the　pany　of　familiar　noise　as　he　drove　south　into　the　city。
Part　of　him　was　surprised　at　how　tense　it　was；　driving　in。　As　soon　as　he　got　there　he　settled　down；　but　the　drive　in；　like　the　insertion　flight　on　a　Huey；　was　the　time　in　which　you　contemplated　the　unknown；　and　he　had　to　tell　himself　to　be　cool；　to　keep　his　face　in　an　impassive　mien　while　his　hands　sweated　a　little　inside　the　gloves。　He　carefully　obeyed　every　traffic　law；　observed　all　lights；　and　ignored　the　cars　that　sped　past　him。　Amazing；　he　thought；　how　long　twenty　minutes　could　seem。　This　time　he　used　a　slightly　different　insertion　route。　He‘d　scouted　the　parking　place　the　night　before；　two　blocks　from　the　objective　…　in　his　mind；　the　current　tactical　environment　translated　one　block　to　a　kilometer　in　the　real　jungle；　a　plementarity　that　made　him　smile　to　himself；　briefly；　as　he　pulled　his　car　in　behind　someone‘s　black　1957　Chevy。　As　before；　he　left　the　car　quickly；　ducking　into　an　alley　for　the　cover　of　darkness　and　the　assumption　of　his　physical　disguise。　Inside　of　twenty　yards　he　was　just　one　more　shambling　drunk。
‘Hey；　dude！‘　a　young　voice　called。　There　were　three　of　them；　mid…to…late　teens；　sitting　on　a　fence　and　drinking　beer。　Kelly　edged　to　the　other　side　of　the　alley　to　maximize　his　distance；　but　that　wasn‘t　to　be。　One　of　them　hopped　down　off　the　fence　and　came　towards　him。
‘Whatcha　lookin‘　for；　bum？‘　the　boy　inquired　with　all　the　unfeeling　arrogance　of　a　young　tough。　‘Jesus；　you　sure　do　stink；　man！　Dint　your　mama　teach　ya　to　wash？‘
Kelly　didn‘t　even　turn　as　he　cringed　and　kept　moving。　This　wasn‘t　part　of　the　plan。　Head　down；　turned　slightly　away　from　the　lad　who　walked　alongside　him；　keeping　pace　in　a　way　calculated　to　torment　the　old　bum；　who　switched　his　wine　bottle　to　his　other　hand。　
‘I　needs　a　drink；　man；‘　the　youth　said；　reaching　for　the　bottle。
Kelly　didn‘t　surrender　it；　because　a　street　wino　didn‘t　do　that。　The　youngster　tripped　him；　shoving　him　against　the　fence　to　his　left；　but　it　ended　there。　He　walked　back　to　his　friend；　laughing；　as　the　bum　rose　and　continued　on　his　way。　。
‘And　don‘　ya　e　back　neither；　man！‘　Kelly　heard　as　he　got　to　the　end　of　the　block。　He　had　no　plans　to　do　so。　He　passed　two　more　such　knots　of　young　people　in　the　next　ten　minutes；　neither　of　which　deemed　him　worthy　of　any　action　beyond　laughter。　The　back　door　of　his　perch　was　still　ajar；　and　tonight；　thankfully；　the　rats　weren‘t　present。　Kelly　paused　inside；　listening；　and；　hearing　nothing；　he　stood　erect；　allowing　himself　to　relax。
‘Snake　to　Chicago；‘　he　whispered　to　himself；　remembering　his　old　call　signs。　‘Insertion　successful。　At　the　observation　point。‘　Kelly　went　up　the　same　rickety　stairs　for　the　third　and　last　time；　finding　his　accustomed　place　in　the　southeast　corner；　sat　down；　and　looked　out。
Archie　and　Jughead　were　also　in　their　accustomed　place；　a　block　away；　he　saw　at　once；　talking　to　a　motorist。　It　was　ten…twelve　at　night。　Kelly　allowed　himself　a　sip　of　water　and　a　candy　bar　as　he　leaned　back；　watching　them　for　any　changes　in　their　usual　pattern　of　activity；　but　there　was　none　he　could　see　in　half　an　hour　of　observation。　Big　Bob　was　in　his　place；　too；　as　was　his　lieutenant；　whom　Kelly　now　called　Little　Bob。　Charlie　Brown　was　also　in　business　tonight；　as　was　Dagwood；　the　former　still　working　alone　and　the　latter　still　teamed　up　with　a　lieutenant　Kelly　had　not　bothered　to　name。　But　the　Wizard　wasn‘t　visible　tonight。　It　turned　out　that　he　arrived　late；　just　after　eleven；　along　with　his　associate；　whose　assigned　name　was　Toto；　for　he　tended　to　scurry　around　like　a　little　dog　that　belonged　in　the　basket　on　the　back　of　the　Wicked　Witch‘s　bicycle。　‘And　your　little　dog；　too　。。。‘　Kelly　whispered　to　himself　in　amusement。
As　expected；　Sunday　night　was　slower　than　the　two　preceding　nights；　but　Arch　and　Jug　seemed　busier　than　the　others。　Perhaps　it　was　because　they　had　a　slightly　more　upscale　client　base。　Though　all　served　both　local　and　outside　customers；　Arch　and　Jug　seemed　more　often　to　draw　the　larger　cars　whose　cleanliness　and　polish　made　Kelly　think　they　didn‘t　belong　in　this　part　of　town。　That　might　have　been　an　unwarranted　assumption；　but　it　was　not　important　to　the　mission。　The　really　important　thing　was　something　he　had　scoped　out　the　previous　night　on　his　walk　into　the　area　and　confirmed　tonight　as　well。　Now　it　was　just　a　matter　of　waiting。
Kelly　made　himself　fortable；　feeling　his　body　relax　now　that　all　the　decisions　had　been　made。　He　stared　down　at　the　street；　still　intensely　alert；　watching；　listening；　noting　everything　that　came　and　went　as　the　minutes　passed。　At　twelve…forty；　a　pol