bl.necroscope2-第89部分

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　Zek　had　got　up；　splashed　cold　water　in　her　face；　made　her　way　down　to　the　cellars　which　housed　the　Chateau's　various　experimental　laboratories。　On　her　way；　on　the　stairs　and　in　a　corridor；　she'd　passed　a　night…duty　technician　and　an　esper：　both　had　nodded　their　respect　but　she'd　hardly　noticed；　merely　brushed　by　them　and　continued　on　her　way。　She　had　her　own　respects　to　pay；　to　a　man　as　good　as　dead。
　Letting　herself　into　the　mind…lab；　she'd　taken　a　steel　chair　and　sat　beside　Alec　Kyle；　touched　his　pale　flesh。　His　pulse　was　erratic；　the　rise　and　fall　of　his　chest　weak　and　abnormal。　He　was　almost　totally　brain…dead；　and　less　than　twenty…four　hours　from　now。。。　The　authorities　in　West　Berlin　wouldn't　know　who　he　was　or　what　had　killed　him。　Murder；　pure　and　simple。
　And　she　had　been　part　of　it。　She　had　been　duped；　told　that　Kyle　was　a　spy；　an　enemy　whose　secrets　were　of　the　utmost　importance　to　the　Soviet　Union；　while　in　reality　they　were　only　of　the　utmost　importance　to　Ivan　Gerenko。　She　had　defended　herself　before　that　sick　creature；　made　excuses　when　he　said　she'd　been　party　to　it…but　there　was　no　defence　against　her　own　conscience。
　Oh；　it　was　easy　for　Gerenko　and　the　thousands　like　him；　who　only　ever　read　reports。　Zek　read　minds；　and　that　was　a　different　matter　entirely。　A　mind　is　not　a　book；　books　only　describe　emotions；　they　rarely　make　you　feel　them。　But　to　a　telepath　the　emotion　is　real；　raw　and　powerful　as　the　story　itself。　She　hadn't　simply　read　Alec　Kyle's　stolen　diary；　she'd　read　his　life。　And　in　doing　so　she　had　helped　to　steal　it。
　An　enemy；　yes；　she　supposed　he'd　been　that；　in　that　he　held　allegiance　to　another　country；　a　different　code。　But　a　threat？　Oh；　in　higher　echelons　of　his　government　there　were　doubtless　personalities　who　would　wish　to　see　Russia　devolve；　bee　subservient。　But　Kyle　wasn't　a　militarist；　he'd　been　no　subversive　strategist　worrying　at　the　foundations　of　munist　identity　and　society。　No；　he'd　been　humanitarian；　with　an　overwhelming　belief　that　all　men　were　brothers…or　should　be。　And　his　only　desire　had　been　to　maintain　a　balance。　In　his　work　for　the　British　E…Branch　he'd　been　used；　much　as　Zek　herself　was　now　being　used；　when　both　of　them　could　have　been　working　towards　greater　things。
　And　where　was　Alec　Kyle　now？　Nowhere。　His　body　was　here；　but　his　mind…a　very　fine　mind…was　gone　forever。
　Eyes　filming；　Zek　looked　up；　looked　scathingly　at　the　machinery　backed　up　against　the　sterile　walls。　Vampires？　The　world　was　full　of　them。　What　of　these　machines；　which　had　sucked　out　his　knowledge　and　sluiced　it　all　away　forever？　But　a　machine　can't　feel　guilt；　which　is　an　entirely　human　emotion　。
　She　came　to　a　decision：　if　it　were　at　all　possible；　she'd　find　a　way　to　break　free　of　E…Branch。　There　had　been　cases　before　where　telepaths　lost　their　talent；　so　why　shouldn't　she？　If　she　could　fake　it；　convince　Gerenko　that　she　was　no　longer　of　any　use　to　this　sinister　organisation；　then　…Zek's　train　of　thought　stopped　right　there。　Under　her　fingertips　where　they　lay　on　Kyle's　wrist；　his　pulse　had　suddenly　grown　steady　and　strong；　his　chest　was　now　rising　and　falling　rhythmically；　his　mind。。。　his　mind？
　No；　the　mind　of　another！　An　astonishing　wave　of　psychic　power　washed　outwards　from　him。　It　wasn't　telepathy…wasn't　anything　Zek　had　felt　before…but　whatever　it　was；　it　was　strong！　She　snatched　back　her　hand　and　sprang　to　her　feet；　found　her　legs　wobbly　as　jelly；　and　stood　gulping；　staring　at　the　man　lying　on　the　operating　table　that　should　have　been　his　deathbed。　His　thoughts；　at　first　jumbled；　finally　fell　into　a　rhythm　of　their　own。
　It　isn't　my　body；　Harry　told　himself；　without　knowing　that　someone　else　was　listening；　but　it's　a　good　one　and　it's　going　free！　There's　nothing　left　for　you；　Alec；　but　there's　still　a　chance　for　me…a　good　chance　for　Harry　Keogh。　God；　Alec；　wherever　you　are　now；　forgive　me！
　His　identity　was　in　Zek's　mind　and　she　knew　she'd　made　no　mistake。　Her　legs　began　to　buckle　under　her。　Then　the　figure…whoever；　however　it　was…on　the　table　opened　its　eyes　and　sat　up；　and　that　finished　the　job。　For　a　moment　she　passed　out；　two　or　three　ticks　of　the　clock；　but　sufficient　time　in　which　to　slump　to　the　floor。　Time　enough；　too；　for　him　to　swing　his　legs　off　the　table　and　go　down　on　one　knee　beside　her。　He　rubbed　her　wrists　briskly　and　she　felt　it；　felt　his　warm　hands　on　her　suddenly　cold　flesh。　His　warm；　alive；　strong　hands。
　〃I'm　Harry　Keogh；〃　he　said；　as　her　eyes　fluttered　open。
　Zek　had　learned　a　little　English　from　British　tourists　on　Zakinthos。　〃I。。。　I　know；〃　she　said。　〃And　I。。。　I'm　crazy！〃
　He　looked　at　her；　at　her　grey　Chateau　uniform　with　its　single　diagonal　yellow　stripe　across　the　heart；　looked　all　around　at　the　room　and　its　instruments；　finally　looked　…with　a　great　deal　of　wonder…at　his　own　naked　self。　Yes；　at　his　self；　now。　And　to　her　he　said；　accusingly；　〃Did　you　have　something　to　do　with　this？〃
　Zek　stood　up；　looked　away　from　him。　She　was　still　shaky；　not　quite　certain　of　her　sanity。　It　was　as　if　he　read　her　mind；　but　in　fact　he　merely　guessed。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃you're　not　crazy。　I　am　who　you　think　I　am。　And　I　asked　you　a　question：　did　you　destroy　Alec　Kyle's　mind？〃
　〃I　was　part　of　it；〃　she　finally　admitted。　〃But　not　with。
　that。〃　Her　blue　eyes　flickered　towards　the　machinery；　back　to　Harry。　〃I'm　a　telepath。　I　read　his　thoughts　while　they。。。〃
　〃While　they　erased　them？〃
　She　hung　her　head；　then　lifted　it　and　blinked　away　tears。　〃Why　have　you　e　here？　They'll　kill　you；　too！〃
　Harry　looked　down　at　himself。　He　was　being　aware　of　his　nakedness。　At　first　it　had　been　like　wearing　a　new　suit　of　clothes；　but　now　he　saw　it　was　only　flesh。　His　flesh。　〃You　haven't　sounded　the　alarm；〃　he　said。
　〃I　haven't　done　anything…yet；〃　she　answered；　shrugging　helplessly。　〃Maybe　you're　wrong　and　I　am　crazy。　。
　What's　your　name？〃
　She　told　him。
　〃Listen；　Zek；〃　he　said。　I've　been　here　before；　did　you　know　that？〃
　She　nodded。　Oh；　yes；　she'd　known　about　that。　And　about　the　devastation　he'd　wrought。
　
　〃Well；　I'm　going　now…but　I'll　be　back。　Probably　soon。　Too　soon　for　you　to　do　anything　about　it。　If　you　know　what　happened　last　time　I　was　here　you'll　heed　my　warning：　don't　stay　here。　Be　anywhere　else；　but　not　here。　Not　when　I　e　back。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Going？〃　She　began　to　feel　hysterical；　felt　ungovernable　laughter　welling　inside。　〃You　think　you're　going　somewhere；　Harry　Keogh？　Surely　you　know　that　you're　in　the　heart　of　Russia！〃　She　half　turned　away；　turned　back　again。　〃You　haven't　a　chance　in　…；　Or　perhaps　he　did　have　a　chance。　For　Harry　was　no　longer　there　。
　
　Harry　called　out　Carl　Quint's　name　into　the　M？bius　continuum；　and　was　at　once　rewarded〃　with　an　answer。　We're　here；　Harry。　We've　been　expecting　you；　sooner　or　later。
　We？　Harry　felt　his　heart　sink。
　Myself；　Felix　Krakovitch；　Sergei　Gulharov　and　Mikhail　Volkonsky。　Theo　Dolgikh　got　all　of　us。　You　know　Felix　and　Sergei；　of　course；　but　you　haven't　met　Mikhail　yet。
　You'll　like　him。　He's　a　real　character！　Hey…what　about　Alec？　How　did　he　make　out？
　No　better　than　you；　said　Harry；　homing　in　on　them。
　He　emerged　from　the　infinite　M？bius　strip　into　the　blasted　ruins　of　Faethor　Ferenczy's　Carpathian　castle。　It　was　just　after　3。00　A。M。　and　clouds　were　fleeing　under　the　moon；　turning　the　wide　ledge　over　the　gorge　into　a　land　of　phantom　shadows。　The　wind　off　the　Ukrainian　plain　was　cold　on　Harry's　naked　flesh。
　So　Alec　copped　it　too；　eh？　Quint's　dead　voice　had　turned　sour。　But　then　he　brightened。　Maybe　we'll　be　able　to　look　him　up！
　〃No；〃　said　Harry。　〃No　you　won't。　I　don't　think　you'll　ever　find　him。　I　don't　think　anybody　will。〃　And　he　explained　his　meaning。
　
　You　have　to　square　things　up；　Harry；　said　Quint　when　he'd　finished。
　〃It　can't　be　put　right；〃　Harry　told　him。　〃But　it　can　be　avenged。　Last　time　I　warned　them；　this　time　I　have　to　wipe　them　out。　Total！　That's　why　I　came　here；　to　see　if　I　could　motivate　myself。　Taking　；life　isn't　my　scene。　I've　done　it；　but　it's　a　mess。　I'd　prefer　the　dead　to　love　me。〃
　Most　of　us　always　will；　Harry；　Quint　told　him。
　〃After　what　I　did　to　Bronnitsy　last　time；〃　Harry　continued；　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　do　it　again。　Now　I　know　I　can。〃
　Felix　Krakovitch　had　been　silent　until　now。　I　haven't　the　right　to　try　and　stop　you；　Harry；　he　said；　but　there　are　some　good　people　there。
　〃Like　Zek　F？ener？〃
　She's　one　of　them；　yes。
　〃I've　already　told　her　to　get　out　of　it。　I　think　she　will。〃
　Well；　（Harry　could　hear　Krakovitch's　sigh；　and　almost　picture　his　nod；）　I'm　glad　for　that　at　least。
　〃Now　I　suppose　it's　time　I　got　mobile；〃　said　Harry。　〃Carl；　maybe　you　can　tell　me：　does　E…Branch　have　access　to　pact　high　explosives？〃
　Why；　Quint　replied；　the　branch　can　get　hold　of　just　about　anything；　given　a　little　time！
　〃Hmm；〃　Harry　mused。　〃I　was　hoping　to　do　it　a　bit　faster　than　that。　Even　tonight。〃
　Now　Mikhail　Volkonsky　spoke　up：　Harry；　does　this　mean　you're　going　after　that　maniac　who　killed　us？　if　so；　maybe　I　can　help　you。　I've　done　a　lot　of　blasting　in　my　time…mainly　with　gelignite；　but　I've　also　used　the　other　stuff。　in　Kolomyya；　there's　a　place　where　they　keep　it　safe。　Detonators；　too；　and　I　can　explain　how　to　use　them。
　Harry　nodded；　seated　himself　on　the　stump