lh.narcissusinchains-第118部分

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　I　looked　where　he　was　looking　and　could　barely　make　out　the　shapes。　If　I　was　supposed　to　be　the　kitty…cat；　why　did　the　rat　have　better　night　vision？
　Ulysses　was　whispering　over　and　over；　〃I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry。〃
　I　put　the　barrel　against　his　forehead。　〃Whatever　else　happens；　Ulysses；　you　die　next。〃
　A　man's　voice　came　out　of　the　darkness。　He　was　speaking　over　a　sound　system；　that　much　I　could　tell。　〃If　you　pull　the　trigger；　we　will　kill　your　other　bodyguard。　Rifles　with　silver　shot；　Ms。　Blake；　and　I　assure　you　that　my　people　are　dead　shots。　Now；　put　your　guns　down；　and　we'll　talk。〃
　I　kept　my　gun　and　told　Ulysses；　〃Get　away　from　me；　now！〃　He　crawled　away；　still　crying。
　I　picked　out　the　shadowy　form　on　my　side　of　the　catwalk。　Bobby　Lee　was　aimed　to　the　other　side；　which　left　one　man　in　the　middle　without　a　gun　on　him。　But　from　this　distance；　with　them　above　us；　we　had　to　make　each　shot　count；　which　meant　that　we　had　to　kill　what　we　could；　then　hope　we　could　do　something　with　the　last　one。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃　I　asked。
　〃Drop　your　guns；　Ms。　Blake；　and　I'll　tell　you。〃
　〃We　keep　our　guns；　girl；〃　Bobby　Lee　said。　〃He's　going　to　kill　us　either　way。〃
　I　agreed。
　〃We　don't　want　you　dead；　Ms。　Blake；　but　we　don't　give　a　shit　about　your　friends。　We　can　just　keep　picking　them　off　until　you　change　your　mind。〃
　I　moved　to　stand　in　front　of　everyone；　so　that　the　middle　shot　was　harder。　From　the　above　angle；　I　couldn't　block　them　pletely；　but　it　was　the　best　I　could　do。　〃Everybody　get　down。〃　Only　Bobby　Lee　hesitated。　〃They　don't　want　me　dead；　and　I　need　your　gun。〃　He　glanced　at　me；　then　dropped　to　one　knee；　using　me　to　shield　himself　from　the　middle　gunman。　He'd　grasped　my　plan。　Everyone　else　was　hugging　the　floor。　There　was　no　cover；　and　the　door　was　close　but　not　close　enough；　what　with　three　rifles　on　us。
　〃What　are　you　doing；　Ms。　Blake？〃　the　voice　asked。
　〃Just　testing　a　theory；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　be　stupid；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　〃Bobby　Lee；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　〃How　good　are　you？〃
　〃Give　the　word；　we'll　find　out。〃
　I　felt　my　body　go　very；　very　still；　so　that　the　world　narrowed　down　to　the　end　of　my　gun　and　that　shape　crouched　on　the　catwalk。　It　was　about　ten　yards。　I'd　hit　targets　farther　away　than　that。　But　that　was　target　shooting。　I'd　never　tried　to　drop　a　man　with　a　handgun　from　this　distance。　I　let　out　the　last　of　my　breath　so　that　I　was　just　stillness；　just　the　gun；　just　the　point　of　the　gun；　just　the　aim　of　the　gun；　and　with　the　last；　barest　touch　of　my　voice；　I　whispered；　〃Word。〃
　Our　guns　went　off　almost　simultaneously。　I　didn't　shoot　just　once；　I　fired　as　fast　as　I　could　pull　the　trigger。　My　figure　jerked；　the　target　came　out　of　his　crouch；　then　fell　slowly　off　the　catwalk。　I　turned　my　gun　before　the　body　hit　the　ground　and　found　the　man　in　the　middle　standing　up。　I　saw　the　shadow　of　his　rifle。　I　heard　the　voice　shouting　over　the　explosion　of　gunshots；　〃Don't　hit　her；　don't　you　dare。〃
　The　rifle　plowed　up　floor　inches　from　me　　two　shots　　trying　to　get　me　to　move　and　give　him　a　shot　at　Bobby　Lee；　but　I　stood　my　ground　and　fired　back。　Bobby　was　firing　with　me；　and　the　shadow　form　jerked；　staggered；　then　slumped　forward；　his　rifle　falling　to　land　on　the　floor　with　the　other　two　bodies　of　the　now…dead　riflemen。
　The　voice　said；　〃Boys；　do　not　disappoint　me。〃
　The　werehyenas　rushed　us。　Bobby　Lee　and　I　started　shooting。　We　divided　the　six　werehyenas　up　between　us；　smooth；　no　cross　fires；　no　taking　the　other's　hit　　my　side　of　the　room；　his　side　of　the　room。　I　took　two；　I　think　he　took　one；　and　we　both　clicked　empty。　I　drew　the　Firestar　left…handed；　which　made　it　about　two　seconds　slower　than　it　needed　to　be；　but　it　was　probably　faster　than　popping　the　clip　on　the　Browning　and　reloading。　If　I　survived；　I'd　have　to　time　which　one　was　faster。
　It　was　Ulysses　who　was　almost　upon　me　like　a　dark　shape　of　doom。　A　gun　exploded　at　my　back；　and　Ulysses　fell　backwards　onto　the　floor。　I　whirled　to　find　Nathaniel　with　a　gun。　His　eyes　were　wide；　his　lips　parted；　a　look　of　astonishment　on　his　face。　He'd　picked　up　Cris's　dropped　weapon。　Movement　turned　me　back　to　the　fight。　Metal　flashed　as　Bobby　Lee　waded　into　the　last　two　werehyenas。　The　fight　was　too　intense。　I　couldn't　get　a　clear　shot。
　The　far　doors　opened；　and　men　poured　out。　I　rushed　the　fight　around　Bobby　Lee　and　fired　almost　point　blank　into　someone's　back。　The　man　shuddered　and　dropped；　putting　me　face…to…face　with　Bobby　Lee。　It　had　startled　him；　and　I　had　to　fire　across　his　body　into　the　last　of　the　fightees。　I　pointed　the　Firestar　at　the　werehyenas　pouring　towards　us。　I　emptied　the　gun　into　them；　as　we　all　started　backing　for　the　door。　I　wasn't　as　good　left…handed。　I　don't　think　I　killed　anyone；　but　I　wounded　someone　with　every　shot；　and　it　slowed　them；　made　them　hesitate。
　Gil；　Caleb；　and　Nathaniel　were　already　at　the　doors。　Daylight　spilled　in；　and　I　was　dazzled　for　a　second；　because　my　sunglasses　were　still　tucked　across　the　front　of　my　shirt。　I　dropped　the　Firestar；　popped　the　empty　clip　from　the　Browning　and　had　the　second　clip　pounded　home　before　we　made　the　sidewalk。　I　still　couldn't　hear　the　noise　of　the　clips　hitting　home；　but　I　saw　Bobby　Lee　making　the　same　movement　with　his　gun　that　I'd　made　with　mine。　I　knew　he　was　locked　and　loaded。
　I　yelled；　〃Nathaniel！　Jeep；　get　it　running！〃　I　knew　he　knew　where　the　extra　set　of　keys　were。　I　remembered　Narcissus　saying　that　there　were　over　five　hundred　werehyenas。　We　had　to　get　out　of　there　before　they　decided　to　pick　up　more　guns　or　just　overwhelm　us　with　numbers。　Shooting　them　would　slow　them　down；　but　whoever　that　voice　had　been；　he　had　them　terrified。　I　could　kill　them；　but　I　couldn't　terrorize　them。　Whether　they　poured　out　of　that　door　in　a　wave　would　depend　on　whether　they　feared　death　or　terror　more。
　I　glanced　back　to　find　Nathaniel　in　the　Jeep；　with　Caleb　and　Gil　in　the　back。　The　engine　roared　to　life。　Bobby　Lee　and　I　started　for　the　Jeep；　and　the　werehyenas　rolled　out　into　the　sunlight；　too　many　to　count；　almost　too　many　to　aim　at。　I　fired　into　the　mass　of　bodies；　and　I　yelled；　〃Run！〃
　Bobby　Lee　and　I　were　running　for　the　Jeep；　which　meant　our　aim　wasn't　what　it　should　have　been；　but　the　men　were　packed　so　tight　that　we　kept　hitting　them　anyway。　They'd　fall；　then　there'd　be　screams；　sounds；　a　chittering　laughter　that　raised　the　hair　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　and　the　wounded　rose　as　hyenamen；　muscled；　pale…furred；　spotted；　with　a　muzzle　full　of　fangs　and　claws　like　black　knives。　We　weren't　whittling　them　down；　we　were　giving　them　better　weapons　to　use　against　us。
　Nathaniel　yelled；　〃Get　in！〃
　I　glanced　back　to　find　the　doors　open　front　and　middle。　I　slid　into　the　rear　seat；　Bobby　Lee　slid　in　front。　The　doors　were　shut；　locked；　and　Nathaniel　was　pulling　away　from　the　curb　when　they　poured　over　us。　They　swarmed　the　car；　covering　the　windows。　Nathaniel　hit　the　gas　and　the　Jeep　roared　forward。　An　arm　smashed　through　the　window　beside　me。　The　sound　of　breaking　glass　was　everywhere。　They　were　trying　to　hold　on　and　get　inside。　I　fired　through　my　window　into　the　man　beyond；　and　he　fell　away。　Bobby　Lee　was　firing　into　the　hyenaman　that　was　trying　to　crawl　through　the　windshield。
　But　there　were　at　least　three　others　smashing　at　the　glass；　trying　to　crawl　through。　I　fired　the　Browning　into　the　one　on　the　opposite　window　from　mine。　It　took　four　shots　before　he　fell　away。　The　Browning　had　to　be　close　to　empty；　but　I'd　lost　count。　The　last　two　werehyenas　were　halfway　through　the　windows；　one　of　them　spilled　into　the　back　of　the　Jeep。　He　launched　himself　at　me；　and　I　fired　two　more　bullets　almost　point　blank　into　him。　The　gun　clicked　empty。　The　man　fell；　apparently　dead　at　my　knees；　because　I　was　kneeling　in　the　back　of　the　Jeep；　which　meant　that　I'd　crawled　over　the　seat　to　meet　his　charge。　I　didn't　remember　doing　it。
　The　last　one　was　in　half…man　form。　He　was　having　trouble　tearing　his　way　through　the　window。　I　think　he'd　caught　something　painful　on　the　glass。　I　drew　the　blade　that　I　wore　down　my　back。　My　right　knee　was　down；　leg　flat　to　the　floorboard；　my　left；　raised　on　the　ball　of　my　foot。　It　was　a　swordsman's　stance　for　when　you　couldn't　stand　　balanced。　I　struck　in　a　blur　of　speed；　feeling　the　strength　in　my　body　like　nothing　I'd　ever　felt　before。　He　looked　up　at　the　last　second　just　before　the　blade　bit　into　the　side　of　his　face　and　split　his　head　open。　Blood　splattered　on　my　arms；　across　my　face。　The　body　slumped　forward；　most　of　its　lower　parts　still　dangling　out　the　window。　The　upper　part　of　his　head　from　just　above　the　jaw　was　gone；　spilling　out　onto　the　carpet；　soaking　into　the　leg　of　my　jeans。　I　had　a　heartbeat　to　think；　holy　shit；　then　I　heard　the　sounds　on　the　roof。
　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃Persistent　bastards。〃
　I　didn't　answer；　just　knelt　by　the　wheel　well　opposite　the　bodies。　Edward；　assassin　to　the　undead；　and　the　only　person　I　knew　of　with　a　higher　kill　count　for　monsters　than　me；　had　talked　me　into　letting　a　friend　of　his　remodel　my　Jeep。　The　wheel　well　held　a　secret　partment。　Inside　there　was　an　extra　Browning　Hi…Power；　two　extra　clips；　and　a　mini…Uzi　with　a　mushroom　clip。　The　clip　barely　fit　inside　the　partment；　but　it　nearly　tripled　the　round　capacity；　so　it　was　wo