thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第4部分

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　there　was　really　no　choice：　We　would　have　to　run　the　gauntlet；　and　acid　be　damned。　Go　through　all　the　official　gibberish；　get　the　car　into　the　hotel　garage；　work　out　on　the　desk　clerk；　deal　with　the　bellboy；　sign　in　for　the　press　passes…all　of　it　bogus；　totally　illegal；　a　fraud　on　its　face；　but　of　course　it　would　have　to　be　done。
　　
　　〃KILL　THE　BODY　AND　THE　HEAD　WILL　DIE〃
　　
　　This　line　appears　in　my　notebook；　for　some　reason。　Perhaps　some　connection　with　Joe　Frazier。　Is　he　still　alive？　Still　able　to　talk？　I　watched　that　fight　in　Seattle…horribly　twisted　about　four　seats　down　the　aisle　from　the　Governor。　A　very　painful　experience　in　every　way；　a　proper　end　to　the　sixties　Tim　Leary　a　prisoner　of　Eldridge　Cleaver　in　Algeria；　Bob　Dylan　clipping　coupons　in　Greenwich　Village；　both　Kennedysmurdered　by　mutants；　Owsley　folding　napkins　on　Terminal　Island；　and　finally　Cassius/Ali　belted　incredibly　off　his　pedestal　by　a　human　hamburger；　a　man　on　the　verge　of　death。　Joe　Frazier；　like　Nixon；　had　finally　prevailedfor　reasons　that　people　like　me　refused　to　understand…at　least　not　out　loud。
　　But　that　was　some　other　era；　burned　out　and　long　gone　from　the　brutish　realities　of　this　foul　year　of　Our　Lord；　1971。　A　lot　of　things　had　changed　in　those　years。　And　now　I　was　in　Las　Vegas　as　the　motor　sports　editor　of　this　fine　slick　magazine　that　had　sent　me　out　here　in　the　Great　Red　Shark　for　some　reason　that　nobody　claimed　to　understand。　〃Just　check　it　out；〃　they　said；　〃and　we'll　take　it　from　there。
　　Indeed。　Check　it　out。　But　when　we　finally　arrived　at　the　Mint　Hotel　my　attorney　was　unable　to　cope　artfully　with　the　registration　procedure。　We　were　forced　to　stand　in　line　with　all　the　others…which　proved　to　be　extremely　difficult　under　the　circumstances。　I　kept　telling　myself：　〃Be　quiet；　be　calm；　say　nothing。。。speak　only　when　spoken　to：　name；　rank　and　press　affiliation；　nothing　else；　ignore　this　terrible　drug；　pretend　it's　not　happening。。。There　is　no　way　to　explain　the　terror　I　felt　when　I　finally　lunged　up　to　the　clerk　and　began　babbling。　All　my　well…re…hearsed　lines　fell　apart　under　that　woman's　stoney　glare。　〃Hi　there；〃　I　said。　〃My　name　is。。。ah；　Raoul　Duke。。。yes；　on　the　list；　that's　for　sure。　Free　lunch；　final　wisdom；　total　coverage。。。。why　not？　I　have　my　attorney　with　me　and　I　realize　of　course　that　his　name　is　not　on　the　list；　but　we　must　have　that　suite；　yes；　this　man　is　actually　my　driver。　We　brought　this　Red　Shark　all　the　way　from　the　Strip　and　now　it's　time　for　the　desert；　right？　Yes。　Just　check　the　list　and　you'll　see。　Don't　worry。　What's　the　score　here？　What's　next？〃
　　The　woman　never　blinked。　〃Your　room's　not　ready　yet；〃　she　said。　〃But　there's　somebody　looking　for　you。〃
　　〃No！〃　I　shouted。　〃Why？　We　haven't　done　anything　yet！〃　My　legs　felt　rubbery。　I　gripped　the　desk　and　sagged　toward　her　as　she　held　out　the　envelope；　but　I　refused　to　accept　it。　The　Woman's　face　was　changing：　swelling；　pulsing。。。horrible　green　jowls　and　fangs　jutting　out；　the　face　of　a　Moray　Eel！　Deadly　poison！　I　lunged　backwards　into　my　attorney；　who　gripped　my　arm　as　he　reached　out　to　take　the　note。　〃I'll　handle　this；〃　he　said　to　the　Moray　woman。　〃This　man　has　a　bad　heart；　but　I　have　plenty　of　medicine。　My　name　is　Doctor　Gonzo。　Prepare　our　suite　at　once。　We'll　be　in　the　bar。〃　The　woman　shrugged　as　he　led　me　away。　In　a　town　full　of　bedrock　crazies；　nobody　even　notices　an　acid　freak。　We　struggled　through　the　crowded　lobby　and　found　two　stools　at　the　bar。　My　attorney　ordered　two　cuba　libres　with　beer　and　mescal　on　the　side；　then　he　opened　the　envelope。　〃Who's　Lacerda？〃　he　asked。　〃He's　waiting　for　us　in　a　room　on　the　twelfth　floor。〃　I　couldn't　remember。　Lacerda？　The　name　rang　a　bell；　but　I　couldn't　concentrate。　Terrible　things　were　happening　all　around　us。　Right　next　to　me　a　huge　reptile　was　gnawing　on　a　woman's　neck；　the　carpet　was　a　blood…soaked　sponge…impossible　to　walk　on　it；　no　footing　at　all。　〃Order　some　golf　shoes；〃　I　whispered。　〃Otherwise；　we'll　never　get　out　of　this　place　alive。　You　notice　these　lizards　don't　have　any　trouble　moving　around　in　this　muck…that's　because　they　have　claws　on　their　feet。〃
　　〃Lizards？〃　he　said。　〃If　you　think　we're　in　trouble　now；　wait　till　you　see　what's　happening　in　the　elevators。〃　He　took　off　his　Brazilian　sunglasses　and　I　could　see　he'd　been　crying。　〃I　just　went　upstairs　to　see　this　man　Lacerda；〃　he　said。　〃I　told　him　we　knew　what　he　was　up　to。　He　says　he's　a　photographer；　but　when　I　mentioned　Savage　Henry…well；　that　did　it；　he　freaked。　I　could　see　it　in　his　eyes。　He　knows　we're　onto　him。〃
　　〃Does　he　understand　we　have　magnums？〃　I　said。
　　〃No。　But　I　told　him　we　had　a　Vincent　Black　Shadow。　That　scared　the　piss　out　of　him。〃
　　〃Good；〃　I　said。　〃But　what　about　our　room？　And　the　golf　shoes？　We're　right　in　the　middle　of　a　fucking　reptile　zoo！　And　somebody's　giving　booze　to　these　goddamn　things！　It　won't　be　long　before　they　tear　us　to　shreds。　Jesus；　look　at　the　floor！　Have　you　ever　seen　so　much　blood？　How　many　have　theykilled　already？〃　I　pointed　across　the　room　to　a　group　that　seemed　to　be　staring　at　us。　〃Holy　shit；　look　at　that　bunch　over　there！　They've　spotted　us！〃
　　〃That's　the　press　table；〃　he　said。　〃That's　where　you　have　to　sign　in　for　our　credentials。　Shit；　let's　get　it　over　with。　You　handle　that；　and　I'll　get　the　room。〃
　　
　　　4。　Rude　Music　And　The　Sound　Of　Many　Shotguns。。。Rude　Vibes　On　A　Saturday　Evening　In　Vegas
　　
　　We　finally　got　into　the　suite　around　dusk；　and　my　attorney　was　immediately　on　the　phone　to　room　service…ordering　four　club　sandwiches；　four　shrimp　cocktails；　a　quart　of　rum　and　nine　fresh　grapefruits。　〃Vitamin　C；〃　he　explained。　〃We'll　need　all　we　can　get。〃　I　agreed。　By　this　time　the　drink　was　beginning　to　cut　the　acid　and　my　hallucinations　were　down　to　a　tolerable　level。　The　room　service　waiter　had　a　vaguely　reptilian　cast　to　his　features；　but　I　was　no　longer　seeing　huge　pterodactyls　lumbering　around　the　corridors　in　pools　of　fresh　blood。　The　only　problem　now　was　a　gigantic　neon　sign　outside　the　window；　blocking　our　view　of　the　mountains…millions　of　colored　balls　running　around　a　very　plicated　track；　strange　symbols　&　filigree；　giving　off　a　loud　hum。
　　〃Look　outside；〃　I　said。
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃There's　a　big　。。　。　machine　in　the　sky；。。。some　kind　of　electric　snake。。ing　straight　at　us。〃
　　〃Shoot　it；〃　said　my　attorney。
　　〃Not　yet；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　study　its　habits。〃　He　went　over　to　the　corner　and　began　pulling　on　a　chain　todrapes。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃you've　got　to　stop　this　talk　snakes　and　leeches　and　lizards　and　that　stuff。　It's　making　me　sick。〃
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。
　　〃Worry？　Jesus；　I　almost　went　crazy　down　there　in　the　bar。　They'll　never　let　us　back　in　that　place…not　after　your　scene　at　the　press　table。〃
　　〃What　scene？〃
　　〃You　bastard；〃　he　said。　〃I　left　you　alone　for　three　minutes！　You　scared　the　shit　out　of　those　people！　Waving　that　goddamn　marlin　spike　around　and　yelling　about　reptiles。　You're　lucky　I　came　back　in　time。　They　were　ready　to　call　the　cops。　I　said　you　were　only　drunk　and　that　I　was　taking　you　up　to　your　room　for　a　cold　shower。　Hell；the　only　reason　they　gave　us　the　press　passes　was　to　get　you　out　of　there。〃　He　was　pacing　around　nervously。　〃Jesus；　that　scene　straightened　me　right　out！　I　must　have　some　drugs。　What　have　you　done　with　the　mescaline？〃
　　〃The　kit…bag；〃　I　said。
　　He　opened　the　bag　and　ate　two　pellets　while　I　got　the　tape　machine　going。　〃Maybe　you　should　only　eat　one　of　these；〃　he　said。　〃That　acid's　still　working　on　you。〃　I　agreed。　〃We　have　to　go　out　to　the　track　before　dark；〃　I　said。　〃But　we　have　time　to　watch　the　TV　news。　Let's　carve　up　this　grapefruit　and　make　a　fine　rum　punch；　maybe　toss　in　a　blotter。。。where's　the　car？〃
　　〃We　gave　it　to　somebody　in　the　parking　lot；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　the　ticket　in　my　briefcase。〃
　　〃What's　the　number？　I'll　call　down　and　have　them　wash　the　bastard；　get　rid　of　that　dust　and　grime。〃
　　〃Good　idea；〃　he　said。　But　he　couldn't　find　the　ticket。
　　〃Well；　we're　fucked；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　never　convince　them　to　give　us　that　car　without　proof。〃　He　thought　for　a　moment；　then　picked　up　the　phone　and　asked　for　the　garage。　〃This　is　Doctor　Gonzo　in　eight　fifty；〃　he　said。　〃I　seem　to　have　lost　my　parking　stub　for　that　red　convertible　I　left　with　you；　but　I　want　the　car　washed　and　ready　to　go　in　thirty　minutes。　Can　you　send　up　a　duplicate　stub？。。。What　。　。　。　Oh？。。。Well；　that's　fine。〃　He　hung　up　and　reached　for　the　hash　pipe。　〃No　problem；〃　hesaid。　〃That　man　remembers　my　face。〃
　　〃That's　good；〃　I　said。　〃They'll　probably　have　a　big　net　for　us　when　we　show　up。〃shook　his　head。　〃As　your　attorney；　I　advise　you　not　to　about　me。〃　The　TV　news　was　about　the　Laos　Invasion…a　series　of　horrifying　disasters：　explosions　and　twisted　wreckage；　men　fleeing　in　terror；　Pentagon　generals　babbling　insane　lies。　〃Turn　that　shit　off！〃　screamed　my　attorney　〃Let's　get　out　of　here！〃　A　wise　move。　Moments　after　we　picked　up　the　car　my　attorney　went　into　a　drug　a　and　ran　a　red　light　on　Main　Street　before　I　could　bring　us　under　control。　I　propped　him　up　in　the　passenger　seat　and　took　the　wheel　myself。。。feeling　fine；　extremely　sharp。　All　around　me　in　traffic　I　could　see　people　talking　and　I　wanted　to　hear　what　they　were　saying。　All　of　them。　But　the