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！
〃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 willful； spiteful； spoiled。 But now it must end。〃 His head snapped up。 〃Tatiana； e here。〃
Tatiana did as he manded。
Arbat stuck her head out of the water； began to chatter frantically。
〃Volkov；〃 Odysseus said warily； 〃what are you up to？〃
〃This is the end for you； Odysseus。 You will learn to behave in a proper way； to be respectful； to give full and honest answers to the questions put to you。〃
〃Volkov…〃
〃Shut up！〃 Mars snapped。 He raised the gun； aimed； pulled the trigger all in one motion。 Tatiana tumbled silently backward into the pool。 Irina screamed。 The reverberations of the single shot echoed in the pool room。
Lara watched with wide eyes the corpse in the pool； sinking； then rising； rolling slightly with the lapping of the saltwater against the coping。
Arbat stopped her furious clicking。 She swam slowly to Tatiana's corpse； poked at it over and over as if she could bring Tatiana back to life。 Then she dived deep to the bottom of the pool。
''You bastard！'' Odysseus said。
''You hate me now； don't you？'' Mars said。 ''Why don't you e up here and stop me； then； as a real man would？〃
〃You're stupid； Volkov；〃 Odysseus said。 〃Like all would…be gods； your mind is limited to the precepts of power。 But I think you'll find that holding on to power is far more treacherous than gaining it。〃
Mars waggled the gun。 ''I don't believe you're in any position to offer me advice。 ''His head swung around as he watched Lara walk purposefully across the room。
Odysseus； seeing where she was heading； shouted。 〃No！ Lara； stay away from there！〃
A slow smile spread across Mars's face。 〃I see that there are truly no secrets from you； Odysseus。 I was right； in the end； to suspect these two women。〃
Lara had reached the far side of the room。 She took out a set of keys； put one in the lock of a narrow wall cabinet。
〃Somehow you worked your magic on them； didn't you？ Very impressive。 Both Tatiana and Lara were highly skilled KGB agents until they came under your curious spell。〃
Odysseus heard the past tense； shouted； 〃Volkov； no！ It's enough now！〃
〃You must learn your lessons； my son；〃 Mars said。 〃And they are by definition hard lessons。 Your spitefulness has made them so。〃
Mars waited until Lara had opened the cabinet before he shot her twice in the back。
Lara's body was thrown aside as if by an invisible fist。 She had been holding on to the top of the cabinet door； and it swung open to reveal the contents of the arsenal： a vertical line of loaded Kalashnikov's ready for any emergency。 The well…oiled semiautomatic machine guns gleamed in the low light。
〃Ah； God！〃
Mars smiled down benevolently at the top of the Hero's bent head。 〃Good；〃 he said gently。 〃You are beginning to learn the true parameters of power。〃 He reached out； almost as if he were a prelate about to bless a petitioning acolyte。
〃But not quite yet；〃 Mars said。 He twined his hand in Irina's hair； jerked her head back once again。
Irina